We use great plainness of speech; and not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.

THE apostle speaks not of the writings

of Moses in general, much less of all the ancient scriptures; for in many parts of them, as great plainness of speech is used, as in the New-Testament. Moses was an easy, familiar author. His history is written with an engaging simplicity; and his moral precepts are expressed with perspicuity and precision. The reference is only to that part of the Mosaic law, which typified the Saviour. Here on. ly hung the vail; and here only lies the comparison in the text.

The appearance of the Son of God in human flesh-his sufferings for the sins of men-his resurrection from the dead, and the admission of Gentiles, as well as Jews, to a participation in the benefits of his mediation, were prefigured by various

ceremonies, as well as foretold in prophecy. Of these things such a knowledge, as was necessary to faith, hope and repentance, was attainable under the Mosaic dispensation; but a more distinct knowledge may be acquired under the gospel. An event in existence will be clearer than in prediction. An object in open view will be better understood, than it would be by description.

It is no reproach on the Mosaic writings, that the way of salvation could not be so perfectly learnt from them, as it may from the gospel; for this difference necessarily arises from the different circumstances of the time.

The Jews, indeed, formed very unworthy conceptions of the gospel dispensation. But their misapprehensions were principally owing, not to the obscurity of the Mosaic, or prophetic writings, but to the blindness and prejudice of their own minds. So the apostle observes, in the words following the text. "The children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished; but their minds were blinded: For unto this day remains the same vail untaken away, in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it, Isreal, shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away."

The apostle here declares, that the gospel is communicated with great plainness, in distinction from a figurative mystical manner of communica

tion.

My design is to illustrate this point, and then to correct some misapprehensions, which many have entertained concerning it.

The gospel is a revelation from God. The great design of it is to bring salvation to fallen men, by teaching them the attainableness of it, the way in.

which it was procured, and the terms on which it will be granted. For the same reason, that God would give us a revelation, he most certainly would give us one which may be understood. A greater affront can scarcely be offered to the wisdom and goodness of God, than to suppose the gospel is written with such designed obscurity and mysticism, in the things which immediately concern our duty and salvation, that it needs another revelation to explain it. The apostle, in our text and elsewhere, most expressly declares the contrary.— "We all," says he, "with open face, behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord." Divine things are so plainly laid before us in the gospel-revelation, that we may see them there, as a man sees his own face in a glass. "We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty-not walking in craftiness-not handling the word of God deceitfully; but, by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." It `was his earnest desire and prayer, "that God would open to him a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, that he might make it manifest, as he ought to speak."-And it was his gratitude and joy, that as "the word of God had been made manifest by the preaching committed to him;" so, "the savor of the knowledge of God was manifested in every place, by the preaching of the apostles.' A clear and perspicuous manner of communicating divine truths he esteemed to be of such indispensible necessity, that he made it a distinct subject of discourse in his first epistle to the Corinthians. He there inculcates on the public teachers in the church, that, as they were speaking to men, they were "not in the spirit to speak mysteries; but to utter with the tongue things easy to be understood,"-to speak in a manner adapted to the understanding of the hearers" for their edification and comfort"

to manifest the truth so clearly to the conscience, that even "the unlearned and unbelievers may be judged and convinced, and so falling down may worship God." One, who only speaks mysteries in the spirit, he compares to a trumpet, which, giving an uncertain sound, warns none to prepare for battle. And he professes, that "he had rather speak five words in the church with his understanding, so as to teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." As he did, so ought every preacher to "seek that he may excel to the edi fying of the church."

In opposition to certain mystical teachers, who early crept into the christian church, the apostle John introduces his first epistle with a declaration, that he and the other apostles had always adapted their instructions to the common sense and understanding of mankind. "That which we have seen and heard, and which our hands have handled of the word of life, we declare unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us: For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and we shew unto you that eternal life, which was manifested to us. And these things we write to you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message, which we have heard, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness. And if we say, that we have fellow. ship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." And on account of that clear and distinct manner, in which the sacred oracles reveal divine and spiritual things, they are called a light, and compared, not only to a lamp, which guides a traveller's feet by night, but to the sun, which gives day to the hemisphere, and sheds light and heat on those who sit under his friendly beams. The heathens, destitute of revelation, are described as sitting in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death, and as seeking the nearest objects, not by

vision, but by feeling after them, if haply they may find them." But God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness," has blest our eyes with "the light of the glorious gospel of Christ" and has "shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus," who is "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person."

It is not denied, that there are some things in the scriptures hard to be understood. Prophecies must, in their nature, be obscure, till they are clucidated by the event. Their general intention may be obvious, but the particular circumstances of the grand event foretold will remain unknown, till the event itself brings them to view.

Some of the doctrines of religion, as the distinc.. tion of Father, Son, and Spirit in one deity-the union of the divine and human natures in Jesus Christ-the resurrection of the dead, and the instant change of those who shall be found alive at the coming of Christ, are too deep to be fathomed by the line of human intellect. They are discovered as far as it is necessary for us to know them; and,. perhaps, as far as language can discover them to such beings as we are. But still they remain incomprehensible to us, not through unnecessary obscurity in the manner of revelation, but by reason. of the sublimity of the subjects, and our own imperfection.

There are many particular passages in revelation difficult to be explained; and after all our enquiries, still doubtful in their meaning; not because they are improperly expressed, but because certain customs and usages alluded to, are now unknown. It should, however, be always remembered, that no doctrine or duty of religion de pends on a single passage, much less on a doubtful passage of scripture. Be the sense of the uncer