Erti.iYfQ.ivi Xl Vïi. i6,6 recommended as an example tothe christian world : And neither David nor Abraham, nor any of the ancient saints, who had each of them their blemishes, are to be compared with the more excellent and perfectpattern of Jesus the Son of God, who was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners ; who was without the least blemish in heart and life : He hathgiven us a glorious example of piety, virtue, and goodness, incomparably Superior to all former ages ; it is most inviting indeed, and yet inimitable byall that follow: Let us next consider our various motives to duty under the New Testament. Are the motives of love andgratitude powerful principles to encourage aad persuade us to every active service? Such indeed were the blessings and gifts which God bestowed on men under former dispensations. But what were all those gifts and blessings in comparison of the unspeakable gift of his own Son, to die as a sacrifice in our stead, which is one of the chief themes and glories of the christian revelation ? The love of God to us, made visible in the sufferings of the Son of God for our sins, carries with it a more abundant force of persuasion to work upon our gratitude and our love, than all the discoveries of grace from the days of Adam till this day. How can we sin against such aston- ishing goodness : Against such a sublime instance of divine com- passion ? Are the promises and threatenings of God another set of motives to duty ? Do the awful glories and terrors of a future and eternal world workupon all the springs of our activity and dili- gence, by hope and fear ? Yes certainly, in ahigh degree. But the former dispensations had but few of these eternal terrors and glories, these threatenings and promises relating to an invisible state. All beyonddeath and the grave had a gloomand darkness upon it in former times, except here and there a glimpse of light that was shot in between the clouds. A few bright sentences collected from David, Isaiah, and Daniel, were some of the chief discoveries that we know of in those ancient ages ; but in the New Testament the gates of the other world are thrown open ; a heaven of happiness, and a hell of misery are discovered there, and set before us in a divine light. The blessedness of departed saints, who see the face of God, and the agonies and outcries of the sinner, who lifts up his eyes in the place of torment, are revealed to us and described in the speeches of Christ, and the writings of his apostles. The awful and glorious scene of the day of judgment is spread out at large in the christian dispensa- tion, together with the decision of the eternal states of the righ- teous and the wicked according to their works, when everlasting joy, or everlasting sorrow shall be the portion of every sou and VOL. Ile E
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=