pers. Since it could only be in virtue of the future and unknown Oblation on the

cross, that any Levitical sacrifice could have been accepted; since patriarchs and prophets, if they beheld at all, beheld very indistinctly the import of such types and shadows; since infants even now partake of these benefits without any consciousness of their existence, why should we hesitate to admit, that even Heathen sacrifices, when accompanied with prayer and penitence, have been accepted for the sake of "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world," and that the incense even of Pagan gratitude and praise may have been received by him "who will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed.”

But why should we dwell on merely probable reasoning, when the Arabian Magi came and presented gold and frankincense and myrrh, to the new-born Redeemer of the world?-The sacrifices of Balak and Balaam seem also to afford an indirect attestation of this argument.

SECTION XXVI.

The Jews chosen as Trustees for the
Promise.

IT has been often urged by unbelievers as an insurmountable objection to the Bible that God should have manifested such a strong partiality towards one people, whilst he was indifferent to the other nations; and this objection, it must be owned, has received too much countenance from the sentiments of many Christian writers. But, upon our principle, there is no foundation whatever for this charge in the records either of the Old or New Testament *.

When the Israelites were about to pass over Jordan to take possession of the land of Canaan, they were expressly informed, that it was not out of any favour to them, or on account of their own merits, that they were distinguished above other nations.

See this argument developed in Bishop Sherlock's Sixth discourse on Prophecy, and Warburton's Div. Leg. Appendix. vol. ii.

Deut. ix. But the reason assigned is, that "God might perform the promise made unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," v. 5. Now, what this promise was, and how it had regard to all the families of the earth has been already shown, and therefore we need not repeat the argument.

The Jews, then, were selected as the guardians and trustees for carrying this promise into effect, and this was the origin and end of the Jewish economy. Whoever wishes to see this subject treated with the authority of an apostle, and with the liberality of a philosopher, should study the epistle to the Hebrews, and that to the Galatians. "To Abraham and his seed were the promises made," &c. and then St. Paul infers, that the covenant which had been made with Abraham four hundred and thirty years before the law was published on Sinai, could not possibly have been annulled or abrogated by that latter and more confirmed revelation.

All this seems perfectly plain and intelligible, yet it is commonly interpreted, as though it related only to those Gentiles

who have lived since the Christian era, and who have been converted to the Christian faith. But the whole form of the argument tends to shew, that the promise to Abraham had been in force ever since it had been given; nay, that it was in force long before his birth. Hence we are told by the same apostle, "that Noah, Seth, Enoch, all died in faith." Heb. xi. But if so, the same promise still belongs to all the families of the earth, whether they enjoy its historical knowledge or not.

That the Jews were chosen merely as trustees for the promise, is apparent also from this consideration; that their law was of no other use, than as it upheld the promised blessing; and that, even their possession of the land of Canaan, was not in virtue of the Mosaic law, but of the antecedent promise. "If the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise," v. 16. Since then it was not as Jews, but as they formed one of the nations of the earth, that even the Israelites were capable of partaking the promised blessing, we infer that

the same blessing still remains open and available to all mankind of every tongue, and kindred, and people.

But, if the promise, whilst it was yet in abeyance, had an indirect influence upon all nations; surely we may conclude, that since "the seed has come to whom the promise was made," it possesses the same universal relation to all the families of the earth. As the ignorance of the Patriarchs could not prevent the blessing from extending to all sincere penitents though they lived before the Jewish law; so neither can the present ignorance of the Pagan preclude his participation in the same blessing, if he uses the single talent committed to his care according to his ability. "It is evident," says Bishop Sherlock, "that the promise of a blessing to all nations subsisted in its full force, during the continuance of the Law of Moses; for as the Promise was not completed by the giving of the Law, so neither could so general a promise be annulled by a private law given to one people only." p. 143.