because we are not under the law, but under grace :" on the contrary, we shall be made "new creatures," and " be renewed after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness." This is " that thing which the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh ; and which God, sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, as a sacrifice for sin, has done ; he has so condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law shall be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit''."]
Corresponding with this difference is,
II. The distinguishing benefit which under our dis- pensation we enjoy —
The access to God which Christians possess, results entirely from the nature of the dispensation under which they live : and the Apostle, in speaking of it, includes two things :
1. The liberty which we have of drawing nigh to God—
[The whole of the Jewish ritual tended rather to keep men at an awful distance from God than to bring them near to him. There was one court for the priests, into which they alone had admittance : and into the holy of holies none but the high-priest could enter! and he only on one day in the year; and then only according to certain forms that were prescribed. By these restrictions " the Holy Ghost signified, that the way into the holy place was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing \" Had any one presumed to violate this law, he would have instantly been visited, if not with a fatal stroke, at least (as King Uzziah was) with some awful calamity. But for us there is " a new and living way opened, through the vailV' which was rent in twain from the top to the bottom at the very moment of our Saviour's death. And, as by Christ " we have access unto the Father," so we are told to " come with boldness into the holiest by his blood." The golden sceptre is held out to every one of us, so that we may " come boldly to the throne of grace," assured of obtaining mercy, and of " finding grace to help us in the time of need" ]
2. The delight which we have in the exercise of that liberty —
[The approaches of persons to God under the law were full of burthensome ceremonies : those under the Gospel are inti- mate and delightful. " God draws nigh to us, whilst we draw
'' Rom. viii. 3, 4. ^ Heb. ix. 8. ^ Heb. x. 20—22.