promulgation, fo ready and general ac- SERMON ceptance of it, even had it wanted those genuine characters of divinity, which miracles ftamped on it, mark its preeminence to every other religion of the world; and demonftrate its truth? But with all those characters of divinity and truth, it was imperfect. Its rites and ceremonies difcovered nothing intrinfically wife and good: they were plain allufions to fomething that was to fucceed. And even its moral part, though far as it went compleat, was destined to receive improvement. It was very indecifive in its doctrine of a future ftate: its promises were national, temporal; as to period of time uncertain, and probably diftant. To fome future period they were taught to direct their views: and thither they looked, as for the completion of their greatnefs, fo likewise for the perfection of their knowledge. They wanted direct and fatisfactory information on many points: left by the providence M 2 VI. SERMON dence of God, on many important arVI. ticles, involved in a degree of darkness ; in order to add luftre to the advent of that eminent perfonage, they were taught to expect, the Meffiah; who, when he came, would teach them all things. As to the influence of this religion, whether regarding time or place, fo extenfive was it; that it was destined to reach from pole to pole, and to continue to the end of the world. All nations were comprehended in its promifes; and the gradual performance of them, proceeding with time, was ordained to be completed and perfected in immortality. This religion, in its rites and ceremonies, in whatever parts of it were prefigurative and typical, is now a dead religion; no longer engaging the attention of mankind, or claiming their obfervance of it. But its moral parts, far as its doctrines go, are unchangeably good. good. Let us therefore confider it as a SERMON valuable relic let us regard it with that reverence, it merits: a light, first shining in an obscure place, but from the time, when it was given, increasing in brightnefs more and more; and in its destined period breaking out in meridian luftre : its rays ftill continuing to diverge; until its light shall lighten the Gentiles, and all the world shall acknowledge THE GLORY OF ISRAEL. VI. SERMON VII. Matt. xxii. 42. What think ye of Christ? SERMON IN the great concern of inftructing VII. mankind in the knowledge of God, and the duties from thence refulting, we have seen how far the powers of reafon went its incompetence to that effect hath been proved from fact and experience; and the confequent neceffity of a revelation inferred. From that inference, without defcending to a comparative view of fuch revelations, as have refpectively urged their claim to divinity; which, with great judgment and erudition, hath, on the occafion that now engages my attention, been already done; * *See White's Sermons. VII. I proceeded to examine the merits of SERMON that revelation, which hath the most undoubted pretenfions to it: and, I trust, fatisfactorily evinced, that the revelation made to the Jews, though in the first period of its promulgation reftricted to a fingle nation, was deftined in its if fue to become univerfal: and even in the mean time, amidst the viciffitudes of that people, in their migrations from one country to another, whether in a ftate of conqueft or captivity, they left fcattered remnants of the truths committed to them wherever they went. And hence have those adumbrations of antient facts, which may be traced in prophane history, embellished by poetic imagination, contributed not a little to the various systems of Heathen mythology. Even the expectation of a Meffiah extended farther, than the religion of the Jews towards the period of Christ's appearance in the world, the attention of the Heathen was in fome degree excited to the advent of an illuftrious cha racter, |