Ík 40 THE EXCELLENCY OF DERM. TM. to take up with these shadows, instead of the substance. And besides, these spiritual promises and precepts of the gospel were then mixed with so many carnal command- ments, and temporal promises of the Sinai-covenant, that the Jews knew, not well how to distinguish them : They were too often ready to neglect the inward and spiritual constitution or covenant ofgrace, that ran throughall the dispensations of God, as well as the more spiritual duties of the moral law ; they were ever mistaking their cove- nant of Sinai, which consisted of so many political and ceremonial, as well as moral precepts and temporal pro- mises, for the very covenant of grace and salvation it- self: And accordingly, by an outward observance of these precepts, they hoped for thepardon of all their sins, and eternal life. 'This was the mistake into which they were always running, and which kept them from receiv- ing the gospel of Christ. But now the christian dispensation sets the covenant of grace and salvation before us, in its own spiritual lan- guage, in a clear and distinct light, and without a veil ; so that we plainly behold the free and rich grace of God in this covenant, how it has wrought in every age, to- wards the recovery of mankind from the ruins of our fall, how it proceeds from step to step in its own glorious way, how it works to restore us to the favour of God and . his image, and becomes more abundantly effectual to torn the hearts ofsinful men to God, and bring them to blessedness. The vision of grace and glory in the New Testament is written so plain, that he that runs may read it; the high wayof repentance, faith and holiness, which leads to eternal life, is laid so open that " the stranger and way-faring man, though a fool, shall not err therein," as the prophet Isaiah bath foretold ; Is. xxxv. 8. And it may be observed, that when the ancient prophets speak of these evangelical duties and blessings in the clearest language, it is generally in some prediction of the chris- tian age, and the happiness of this last dispensation. III. " The rites and ceremonies which are superadded to the covenant of grace, in the christian dispensation of it, are much preferable to those in former times, and that in three respects; they are fewer, they are clearer, and they are much more easy." They are much fewer than the ceremonies of the
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