which, though not formally prohibited by law, are become obfolete in practice. Beyond the general hope of aid and protection we are not authorized to affimilate ourfelves to the Jewish nation. Jehovah was their King, and vouchfafed to inftruct, to rebuke and chastise them by his prophets. * The historian of certain voyages perplexed himself and his readers with a difquifition upon a particular providence, to which he was led by a defire of giving fatisfaction, where nothing can be found but uncertainty. Suffice it for us to know, that with prudence the most adverse events may be turned to our advantage, and that without it, the most profperous will turn to our detriment. Another abuse of reason is to be found in contemplating the great work of our redemption. The common method of vindicating the gospel is to argue a priori that as all men have finned and fallen fhort of the glory of God, fo his mercy could not operate till his justice was fatisfied; that an atonement was neceffary, that a spotless atonement was necessary, that * Hawkefowrth's Preface. no no one lefs than the incarnate Son of God could become fuch an atonement, and that his infinite perfections could alone render him an all-fufficient facrifice. But there is nothing in our natural ideas of justice, which can lead us to the discovery of vicarious punishment. If we were allowed to reafon at all upon the fubject, we should be apt to conclude, that, if any punishment be required for the expiation of offences, fuch punishment would be inflicted upon the offenders themfelves; that all men, like David, would be afflicted with fome temporal calamity, left they fhould be encouraged in wickedness themselves, or left they fhould give occafion to the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme. If we can affign no fatisfactory cause why the guilty did not fuffer, much lefs can we explain, why our guilt should be transferred to the innocent. The dignity of the fufferer will be fo far from affifting our judgment, that the farther he was removed. from the infirmities of humanity, the greater and the more unjust his fuffering will appear. For though, as God, he could not suffer, yet his emptying himself of his glory, his affumption of our flesh, his ready fubmiffion to every indignity that malice and perversenefs could offer, must affect him in a degree infinitely beyond the common feelings of man. As As little can we reafon concerning the time of his appearance. Attempts have been made, whole volumes have been written, to prove that no other time could have been fo proper. This is far beyond our comprehenfion. We can fay from analogy that almost every other bleffing is or has been communicated gradually, that religion has had it's infancy in common with individuals and with kingdoms, and that He, who knows our frailty, witholds many of his benefits, that we may learn to value them the more. But how different is this from an endeavour to demonftrate that an earlier period would have been lefs fuitable or Jefs falutary? And indeed who shall explain to us why the poor Indian, why the deluded Pagan or Mahometan ftill remain in darkness? It can only be faid that their ignorance of other kinds is equal to their ignorance of religion; and that their not having received it is no more an argument against it, than against a fuperior civil government, against true found Philosophy, against every better accommodation of life. Are we preferred because we are better than they? God forbid that we should think fo. The fame admonition which was given to the Jews, will be applicable to us. They were reminded that their selection was B owing to no inherent merit in themfelves, but to the free and undeferved mercy of God. And St. Paul, 2 Tim. c. i. v. 9. fays that God hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us by Chrift Jefus before the world began, but is now made manifeft by the appearing of our Saviour Jefus Chrift. The fame is true of every advantage, indirectly fo of fuch as are the consequence of our own industry. The power was God's, the use of it only our own. They who complain that their truft was not larger, should first explain why it was fo large. They had no ftronger claim than the meaneft reptile, thàn the stocks and stones. * *On this very point Arnobius (lib. 2. adverfus Gentes) after having proved that the objection of novelty brought against the Chriftian religion is certainly very ftrong against the Pagan (and by the way only intending the whole as argumentum ad homines) concludes with thefe remarkable words, Quare, homines, abftinete quæftionibus vacuis impedire fpes veftras; nec, fi aliter quam vos putatis aliquid fe habet, vestris potius opinionibus credere, quam rei debetis augufta. Vigent tempora periculis plena et exitiabiles, imminent pænæ; confugiamus ad falutarem Deum, nec rationem muneris exigamus oblati. Cum de animarum agitur falute, ac de refpectu noftri, aliquid et fine ratione faciendum eft, ut Epictetum dixiffe approbat Arrianus. Dubitamus, ambigemus, nec effe quod dicitur plenum fidei fufpicamur; committamus nos Deo, nec plus apud nos valeat incredulitas noftra, quam illius nominis et potentiæ magnitudo: ne dum ipfi nobis argumenta conquirimus, quibus effe videatur falfum id, quod effe nolimus atque abnutemus verum, obrepat dies extremus et inimicæ mortis reperiamur in faucibus. Revelation Revelation has taught us that Chrift is our Mediator and Interceffor. Amongst men, an advocate is engaged to state circumstances either altogether unknown, or not fufficiently confidered or viewed in an unfavourable light by thofe who are appointed to hear and determine. How derogatory is every fuch idea from the Majesty of the Creator? He difcerns at one view whatever may tend to palliate our offences. Yet he has been pleased to represent himself as prevailed upon by importunity and perfeverance; he allowed the Priests and the Prophets to offer up fupplications for the people, he hath commanded us to pray one for another. From analogy we can juftly urge, that in the mixed dispensation of things we perform mutual fervice; the innocent protect the guilty, the righteous defend the wicked, the valiant die to secure those advantages which others must enjoy, the wife and the upright do more good to their fellow creatures than to themselves in fhort, one foweth and another reapeth. It will be answered perhaps, that this holds good merely in refpect to temporal advantages. It is true alfo in refpect to fpiritual. Our instruction in the way of Godliness is certainly not our own; the wholesome admoB 2 nition |