VI. n It is more eafy. The Covenant of the SERM. Jews bound them to many fervile, expenfive and laborious Offices. Their Rites and Ceremonies, their Sacrifices, and ftated Journeys to Jerufalem, which their Males were to perform three times in the year, were for the most part of this Kind. And those particular and pofitive Laws, which related to their civil State, and were interwoven with their Religion, were grievous and incumbering. And indeed the whole frame of the Jewish Ritual was (as the Apostle calls it) a yoke of Bondage, which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear (a). But now under the Chriftian Oeconomy all this is done away. We have no fuch yoke of Bondage, no fuch burden of Ceremonies laid upon our Neck: for the yoke of Chrift is eafy, and his burden is light (b). He hath enjoined only two ritual Inftitutions in his Religion: both which (instead of having any thing in them dark and burdenfome) are fo plain, fpiritual, and fignificant, as to be very subfervient to the power of real Religion, and the Purposes of fervent Piety. Befides (a) Aas xv. 10, Religious K 3 SERM. VI. Religious Worship under the Gofpel is more rational, as well as more eafy, than it was under the Law. The Religion of nature hath received it's laft Improvements, and morál Obligations are carried to their utmost extent, under the Gofpel Difpenfation. It's Precepts and Requirements are adapted to our Reafon and Confcience; we immediately difcern the fitnefs, excellence, and tendency of them, and the neceflity of a ready Compliance with them. So that every Sinner who perfifts obftinately in the ways of Wickednefs, is under a double Condemnation, viz. that of his own Confcience, and that of God's Word; and every pious, upright Chriftian, under his Afflictions, has thefe two Sources of comfort always open, viz. the Approbation of his Confcience, and the promised Bleffing of the Gofpel: both which he enjoys with a fuller fatisfaction, and to a greater extent, than they could ever be enjoyed under the myftical and ceremonial Difpenfation of the Jews. And then, the Worship of God under the Gofpel is more Spiritual, than it was under the Law. This is what our Saviour (who (who came to introduce it) foretold the Sa maritan Woman, John iv. It is more plain. The Scriptures of the old Teftament are almost all either Hiftorical, Political, Typical or Prophetical; and many of the two last mentioned were dark and myftical. Clear enough indeed for a close, attentive mind to find out the meaning of them (at least of a good part of them) but not fo plain, as that the low and unlearned could easily comprehend them. Our Revelation is not clouded with Types and Figures as their's was; but on the contrary, unfolds the Myfteries, and enlightens (c) Mal. i. 11. K 4 the SERM. VI. SERM. the Darkness of their's. And excepting the VI: Hebrew Phraseology in the new Teftament, and fome peculiar Idioms of the Apostle Paul's ftile (which Students in the facred Language are foon acquainted with) the great principles and precepts of the Christian Inftitution lie all plain and obvious to vulgar minds. And by comparing the harder Texts of Scripture with those that are more eafy, and attending to the main Subject or Argument the facred Writer is upon, the meanest Capacity may foon take in the sense of all the great Doctrines of Christianity, even without the Help of a Commentator. At least the practical part of it is fo plain, that none can mistake it, but they who refolve to pervert it. Besides, the Revelation of the Gospel is not only more plain, but more full and comprebenfive than that of the Jews. We have more explicit, and more particular discoveries made to us, of the Depravation and Ruin of our nature by Adam, and of the means and method of our Recovery by Chrift; the way wherein we are to be fanctified and pardoned, viz. by the influences of Chrift's Spirit and the atonement of his own Blood VI. Blood: the one prefigured by the various SERM. Washings and Purgations, and the other by the Sacrifices and Oblations, appointed under the Law. We have more particular discoveries of a future State; more affecting defcriptions of the Happiness of the Righteous, and the Miseries of the Wicked, after death. The Rewards and Punishments of the other World are exhibited to us under the most ftrong and lively Images; and the way, how to obtain the one, and avoid the other, pointed out to us in the clearest manner. Advantages not to be found in the Jewish Scriptures to that degree they are in ours. And lastly, our Revelation is much more extensive than that of the Jews; and that both in regard to the Objects and the Subjects of it. In regard to the former, or the perfons to whom it was fent, theirs was confined within the Pale or Enclofure of their Church; which contained but a Handful of the human Race: ours is limited to no particular Nation or People on Earth, but extends to all Mankind. The Apostles were commiffioned to preach the Gospel to the whole World; or to evangelize and make Difciples |