law would be fully understood ; and Christ would be recognised as " the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Then should the glory of that dispensation be clearly seen, and the incomparably brighter glory of the Chris- tian dispensation be seen also.
For this view of the subject we are also indebted to the Apostle Paul ; who tells us that the Gospel, as " a ministra- tion of the Spirit " and " of righteousness," was to succeed, and to eclipse, the law ; and that " when the Jews should turn to the Lord, the Messiah would take away that veil" from their hearts, and bring them into the light and " liberty " of the children of God d.]
In the former part of our discourse we forbore to make several remarks, which we reserved for this place ; and which, while they elucidate the subject, will afford rich instruction, 1. To Ministers —
[We have seen what Moses did ; and in some respects we should imitate him ; but in others we should adopt a directly opposite conduct.
It was truly amiable in him to condescend to the infirmities of the people, and to veil his own glory for their good. Thus should every minister prefer the instruction of his people to the display of his own talents, or the aggrandizement of his own name. It is pitiful indeed to court applause for our learning, when we should be converting souls to Christ. St. Paul, quali- fied as he was to astonish men with his parts and talents, " would rather speak five words to the understandings of men, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." Our blessed Lord " spake as men were able to hear it ;" and reserved his fuller instructions till his hearers were better qualified to receive them. Paul also gave only "milk to babes," whilst " to those who were of full age he administered meat." Thus should we do, lest we blind or dazzle men by an unseasonable display even of truth itself. But are we, like Moses, to use concealment ? No : the Apostle expressly guards us against imitating Moses in this particular : " not as Moses," says he ; " not as Moses, who put a veil over his face ;" but, on the contrary, we must " use great plainness of speeche." There is nothing in the Gospel that requires concealment, nor any thing that admits of it : we must " declare unto men the whole counsel of God." We must discriminate so far as to judge what will, and what will not, " be profitable to men ;" but the truth we must declare without the smallest mixture or reserve ;
d 2 Cor. iii. 7—11, 16, 17. e 2 Cor. iii. 12, 13.