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THE EXCELLENCY OF
[SERAI.
/tr.
christian dispensation
is
and
shall
be
conveyed
through
;
the
world, to all
the heathen nations,
as well as
to the
Jews, and that
by
a
multitude
of
messengers,
by
apos-
tles,
and
evangelists,
prophets and
teachers, endowed
with the
gifts
and
powers
of
the
Blessed Spirit,
and
sent
forth
for this
purpose.
And it has heen preserved
and
conveyed even
to
our nation,
and to
our
day, by
the wri-
tings
of
the apostles, and the
ministrations
of
the
preach-
ers of
the gospel
through
every
age,
and it spreads
the
rich grace of God, and the
salvation
of
Christ,
to
the
very ends
of
the
earth
:
nor
shall any
other dispensation
succeed
it.
Other
religions
of God's
own
appointment
are
worn out,
and
vanished away,
but
this being
once
introduced,
-must
abide for
ever.
VI. I
might add here some
other characters
of
the
christian,dispensation;
which
the apostle
gives
it
in
2
Con.
iii.
6-18.
whereby he exalts
it
above all the
religion
of
the Jews, and especially far above the
Sinai
-
covenant.
That
was,
saith
he,
the ministration
of
the
letter;" a
dis-
pensation
which
consisted much
in
outward forms
and
figures,
and
types
:
This
is
the
ministration
of
the Spirit.
that
is,
either of
the substance
and
the
thing
signifted_in
these
types,
or
wherein the
Spirit
of
grace
is
more emi-
nently
poured out
on
mankind, for conversion
and salva-
tion
:
Either
of
these
senses may give
it
this
name.
That
was written
only
in
tables
of
stone
:
This
in
fleshly
tables
of
the
heart,
by
the Spirit
of
the living
God.
That
was
a
ministration
of terror
and condemnation and death,
in
outward terrible appearances
of
God
on Sinai,
and
it
kept
the people
under
a
spirit
of
bondage
and fear
:-
This
is
the
ministration of righteousness and
life,
inas-
much
as
all the springs
of pardon
and
life,
hope and
happiness are set open
in the gospel
of
Christ. But
I:
proceed
to the
VII.
and last
particular.
"The
encouragements and
persuasive
helps
which
christianity
gives
us
to
fulfil
the
duties of
the covenant, are
much superior
to
those which
were enjoyed
under
any
of
the
former dispensations,"
Now
these consist
chiefly in
examples and motives.
Do
examples invite
us
to
our
duty,
and
by
a
soft and
secret
influence
encourage and
lead
us on to
the
perform-
ance
of
it
?
Such
indeed
were the
names
of
Abraham
and
David, each in
their
day
.a
happy
pattern
to
their
several.