certainly have been effectuated long before the chriftian æra, and the neceffity of a revelation would have been greatly diminished. But, reafoning from analogy, if our Saviour had not come upon earth and difpelled the darknefs which enveloped the moral world, we have no facts to fupport the belief, that we fhould not have been worshippers of the works of our own hands; and instead of seeking the divine favour by prayer and holiness of life, that we fhould not have offered in facrifice our flocks and our herds, or given the fruit of our bodies for the fins of our fouls.

In the most polifhed ages of heathen antiquity there were only a few individuals to whom the divine unity and perfections were known; and by them it was concealed frem the multitude with the moft jealous caution. We read in the acts of the apcfles cf án altar, which was noticed by St. Paul at Athens, infcribed to the unknown God. Concerning this altar there are different opinions, and on what occafion it was erected; but it is very probable, and we have the teftimonies of feveral ancient hiftorians and divines, that it was made by Socrates, whom the Athenians condemned to die on account of his fentiments concerning the divine naInflead of raifing an altar, as was the custom, to any of the fictitious gods of Greece, he tock this way, as the fafelt, to exprefs his devotion to the True and One God, of whom the Athenians had no knowledge, and whofe incomprehenfible being he infinuates, by that infcription, was far beyond theirs or his understanding." The

offurance, which now pervades the chriftian world, that there is but one God, the Creator and Governour of the univerfe; that throughout his administration nothing is accidental; that to him man fuftains the interefting relation of children, and will be received to his future and eternal prefence and favour by obeying his requirements, is certainly de ferving of the moit fericus attentien and the moft ardent gratitude. The revelation of thefe truths was not of lefs benefit to thofe by whom it was received, than would be the light of the fun to men accustomed to pursue the bufinefs of life affifted only by the faint glimmerings of the fars. Even if they had been fuggefted to the minds of the fericus and the thoughtful, they could have been adopted only as rational conjectures; but recev, ing them as they are prefented in the fcriptures, our certainty is un affected by doubt, and our motives to piety too numerous and powerful to be viewed with indif. ference, or evaded by artifice.

It is a fecond advantage refult ing from a revelation, that it has an authority by which no human laws can be enforced. The wileit and molt efficient lawsof man may cften be difregarded without fear of detection. They can extend only to the regulation of external conduct, and muft leave to each individual the government of his thoughts and affections. Ameng ancient legiflators, fo extensive was the conviction of the neceffity of a divine fan&tion of their laws, that they always pretended to derive them from the gods. But the chriftian difpenfation derives

its origin from a Being of infinite holiness, who is effentially prefent at all times, in every place; who cannot be deceived and who will not be mocked. In thofe who are fincere believers there is no uncertainty how far they must obey, nor in what degree they may of fend. The Author of the law is the witnefs of the conformity or difobedience of his fubjects; he will be their judge, and from his fentence there will be no appeal.

If the most perfect fyftem of laws were given to the world, and it were left to the difcretion of man to obey or difregard them, there are few by whom they would be received and applied as a rule of life. All the power of religion is often required to overcome the ftrength of temptations to evil; and the moft pious of men are obliged conftantly to refer to the divine prefence and a gency to fecure themfelves againft the dangers to which they are expofed. How much more, therefore, ate these restraints neceffary for thiofe, on whom even these have but a limited influence. If an intemperate man, for an hour, fhould become a companion of the wife and good, what exertions would he not make to preferve himself from inebriety? If a liar were certain that as foon as he frake, his deception would be difcovered, how cautious would he be not to violate the truth? If a rebel against government knew that the chief magiftrate were behind him, would he utter expreffions of contempt and treafon ? Let it therefore be deeply imprefcd on the mind, that God is prefeût évery infant, that no thought or action efcapes his notice, that

his promifes and denunciations will be impartially executed, and it will not be poffible to perfift in the repetition of crimes. That thefe reftraints do prevent much evil is true; but if they obtained the influence which they deferves habitual vice would be unknown.

The efficacy of this sanction of the gofpel will likewise be experienced, when doubts and fears would otherwife obtain complete afcendency, and prevent one emotion of comfort from entering the mind. If, on the bed of death, we can be confcious of the divine, approbation, from a comparison of our conduct with the laws of God, we have all the divine perfections engaged to fecure the poffeffion of heaven, and the enjoyment of life and glory everlafting.

This is a benefit of revela tion which no language can exprefs. Death naturally infpires the greatest terrour, because the love of life is naturally the strongeft paflion. Revelation fcatters the darknefs from the grave, and opens to view thofe manfions of light, where God is on the throne of his glory, and where thofe who have reverenced his authority and been faithful unto death, are at reft from their labours, and ceafe not day nor night to ferve him.

In being acceffible to all, the gofpel* alfo has many advantages which demand confideration and gratitude. The heathen nations all boafted of their revelations; but none of them ever pretended to poffefs a regular and

and « revelation" as fynonymous. To I have used the words "gofpel"TM thofe who acknowledge a revelation, the propriety of blending thefe terms will be readily admitted.

connected difpenfation of the divine will. Their whole fyftems of religion being fabrications, and involved in mystery, any deceptions might be practifed on the people, who were kept in the molt profound ignorance; and it is difficult to conceive by what artifice fuch impious abfurdities, as were practifed under the name of religious rites, fhould ever have been impofed on mankind. In the fcriptures are no other myfte ries than refult neceffarily from the imperfection of the human understanding, and they exactly correfpond with the mysteries in the natural world. There is no impofition on the credulity of any, becaufe all are enjoined to inquire concerning its truth; and even required to be able to give to every man a reafon of the hope which is in him." Freedom of inquiry is deemed a natural right; and fo it is. But, till the promulgation of the gofpel, it was not enjoyed in any country; nor,, except the chriftian world, are any indulged with the privilege. This is a benefit of revelation which thould induce the moft ferious attention to its contents.

The gofpel is likewife acceffible to all, in oppofition to the voluminous theories of man. To obtain the fyftems of morals which human wisdom has devised, would require a fortune greater than most men are able to attain; and to read them all, in order to felect that, which on comparifon fhould appear deferving of preference, would be an employment which could not be accomplished in an ordinary life. But the whole fcriptures are comprifed within thofe narrow limits,

that every man, whatever may be his bufinefs, may complete the perufal of them every year. Unlike the works of man, which inftruct us by long and obícure procelles of reafoning, the leffons of wifdom which they inculcate are fhort and impreffive. No man is or need to be so poor that he can. not poffefs them; and no one lo ignorant, that he cannot compre hend all which is effential to fal, vation. Thefe circumstances alone would not prove the divine origin of the fcriptures, but they certainly evince them to be fupe, riour to any other fyftem ever offered to the world.

As a rule of life, the gospel is perfect, it being fuited to every flate of the mind and every condition of fociety. The fame love of God and of mankind, the fame humility and integrity, forbearance and fuperiority to the world, are required of all; but there are, likewife, duties peculiar to the different stations in life, which are indifpenfable for the prefervation of order and happiness, but which never were diftinctly understood nor inculcated, till the promulgation of the gofpel. It is to the revelation of Jefus Chrift that we are indebted for thofe inftructions, which preferibe bounds to the pride, the ambition, and the avarice of man; and which have, in the degree produced, equalifed the fum of human happiness. If it be faid that effects are not evident, which might be expected from fuch laws, the reply is obvious, that it is because thefe laws are not obeyed. In a fociety formed by the principles of the gofpel there would be no divi fons and no contentions, because