nor, till our Lord had expiated the sins of the whole world, could the Gospel be universally proclaimed. But no sooner was his sacrifice offered, than God was reconciled to his guilty creatures ; and from that time must the commission given to his Apostles be dated. A very few days had elapsed, when they sounded the Gospel trumpet in the ears of that very people who had crucified the Lord of glory ; and had the happiness to find thousands at a time " brought from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Thus clearly was the connexion marked between the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and the deliverance of sinners that was purchased by it.]
But the agreement between the two is yet more manifest, II. In the blessings conveyed by them —
The privileges imparted by the jubilee were many and of great value —
[There was, in the first place, an universal exemption from every kind of agricultural labour. None were either to reap the produce of the last year, or to sow their land with a view to a future crop ; but all were to gather from day to day what had grown spontaneously ; and every person had an equal right to all the fruits of the earth b. A better mode of improving their time was provided for them : public instruction was to be given to all, men, women, and children ; in order that none, however their education had been neglected, might remain ignorant of God, and his lawc. Now also debts, in whatever way they had been contracted, and to whatever amount, were to be freely remitted*. But, besides these privileges which were common to other sabbatical years, there were others pe- culiar to the year of jubilee. If any persons had, by their own voluntary act, or by the inexorable severity of some creditor, been sold, they were to receive their liberty, and to be restored to their families, as soon as ever the appointed trumpets should sound6. Yea, if they had formerly possessed an inheritance in the land, they were to be instantly reinstated in the possession of itf: so that in a moment they reverted to their former con- dition, with all the advantage of their dear-bought experience.]
Analogous to these are the blessings imparted by the Gospel —
[Varying their order, we shall first mention the forgiveness of sins. Though the debt we owe to God exceeds all possible calculation, it is all freely, and for ever remitted, as soon as ever the Gospel trumpet is heard, and its glad tidings are
b ver. 4 — 7, 11. c Deut. xxxi. 10 — 13. d Deut. xv. 1,2.
e ver. 39—41. f ver. 10, 28.