thought of it ever entered into the mind of man, till it was revealed to man by the Spirit of God : it was far out of the reach of human reason to declare, how God should be just, and yet the justifier of sinful men. Even a future state of existence was rather guessed at than fully ascertained; and the nature of that state was wholly unknown : — so true is it, in reference to the whole circle of divine knowledge, that " man by wisdom knew not God'*."
Thus, when we compare the knowledge which we enjoy under the Gospel with the discoveries of uninspired men, we are con- strained to say, that they are as wide asunder as light is from darkness, and heaven from hell.]
But, to form a correct estimate of the Gospel, we should see,
II. How far superior it is to any thing that men had a conception of under the Jewish dispensation — God did reveal himself to Moses : but his views of God were very partial and indistinct : he saw only, as we are told, " his back parts ^" As far as he, and David, and Isaiah had a clearer insight into the great mystery of redemption than others, they received it rather by special inspiration, than from the notices given of it in the Mosaic law : the Jews as a people had very indistinct notions on the whole subject of religion.
1 . Their views of God himself were very dark —
[To them he appeared rather as a Sovereign than as a Father; and as a Sovereign of their own nation only, and not the Father of the whole human race. They beheld him rather in the terrific aspect of his majesty, than in the endearing attribute of mercy.]
2. They knew but little of the way of acceptance with him —
[They had sacrifices, it is true, but such as could give no peace to a wounded conscience. The very necessity of repeating the same sacrifices from year to year, clearly shewed to them, that their past sins were not fully expiated or blotted out. The sacrifices, in this view, were rather " remembrances of sin," than real expiations of it. For some sins, as murder and adultery, no sacrifice whatever was appointed : and for these therefore there was no well-grounded hope of pardon. All that
^ 1 Cor. i. 21. e Exod. xxxiii. 23.