THE LOOKING-GLASS AND THE LAVER. 



177 



image, and would be fatal to distinct vision of things 

 eternal. 



The gospel is a mirror that has shown to us human 

 corruption most clearly and fully. There are, indeed, 

 numerous intimations of this truth in the Old Testa- 

 ment, particularly in the Psalms ; but the full disclosure 

 of it was reserved for the Gospel; just as there are 

 intimations of a future life in the Old Testament, but 

 it is in the New Testament only that life and immor- 

 tality are clearly brought to light. The doctrine of 

 the ruin of man belongs especially to the gospel. It 

 is there fully brought to light for the first time. The 

 law took cognizance only of outward violations of its 

 rules, of the external manifestations of sin that appeared 

 to the senses. It was only when sin blossomed and 

 fruited, as it were, so that all men could see its true 

 nature, that the law interfered. There might be malice 

 to men and alienation from God in the heart ; but the 

 law did not step in with its punishment till there was 

 an outward breach of the second table or a patent 

 lapse into idolatry; just as there might be leprosy 

 lurking in the blood and poisoning the very fountain 

 of life, but the restraints of the law only came in when 

 leprosy had unmistakably declared itself by outward 

 marks on the face and hands. The Mosaic economy 

 taught that contact with death and uncleanness would 

 ceremonially defile an Israelite; but it did not teach, 

 except by implication, that the nature of the sinner 

 was depraved that out of the heart proceed the things 



that really pollute a man. And the reason of this is 

 if 



