its most obscure, as well as in its clearest exhibitions, produces such great or exalting effects.

The first remark we make is this, that so far as the principles of righteousness are known among a nation, so far that nation is exalted. These principles were originally known by all men, for "at "first, there was a general agreement about religion in the world; and if we look into "the particulars of the Heathen religion, "even after they were much corrupted, we

Sa

may evidently find several practices as "well as principles, sufficient to convince us that the ancient religion in all parts of "the world was originally the same. "crifices were used in every country, and "though by degrees they were disfigured "by many human ceremonies and inven❝tions in the way and method of using them;

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yet I might say, the Heathens generally "offered the same sorts of sacrifices as were appointed to Noah, to Abraham, and to "the other servants of the true God. They "offered expiatory sacrifices to make atone"ment for their sins, and precatory sacrifices

"to obtain extraordinary favours." These sacrifices, previous to the Mosaic economy, appear to have been offered up by any one who was called to perform any part of religious worship".

Through the medium of traditionary information, the original design of sacrifices, as referring to a righteousness by a Redeemer, was kept alive among the Heathen. They by this practice confessed guilt and sought pardon by expiatory sacrifices, which, while they taught the guilt of the offerer, also exhibited the hope of the offerer, that God could pardon through the shedding of blood.

The second remark we make is, that every system of religion will influence its followers according to the interest which it excites in their feelings. As the system which represents us as poor sinners, and entirely dependent on the unmerited mercy of our Sovereign for pardon, which is the doctrine of righteousness as explained, interests our hopes and fears, our gratitude and love, more than any other; so it

g Shuckford's Connex. vol. i. p. 280.

h Owen on the Hebrews, vol. ii. exer. 1 & 10.

influences the conduct of its followers more than any other. What gives it this peculiar force is the assent of reason, and the evidence of experience, that we are sinners, and as such exposed to the righteous indignation of our offended God. That system, therefore, which provides for the remission of our sins, must most powerfully affect our hearts. Every system which is not founded upon the great truth of our fearful corruption, and our deliverance from the ruinous effects of that corruption by an Almighty Redeemer, who bore our sins in his own body as a sacrifice for us, is destitute of internal power to overawe our sinful propensities, or to excite our desires after conformity to God'.

However much the doctrine of animal sacrifices was corrupted among the Heathen, the practice of offering them up as an expiation for personal or national transgressions, operated to a certain degree upon their hopes and fears, so as to produce all the improvements which they made in every thing which belongs to personal or national exaltation.

i Fuller in his letters, contrasting Socinianism and Calvinism, has admirably illustrated this truth.

With these preliminary remarks, we proeeed to those proofs which history affords of the truth of the text. They must necessarily in a single discourse be few, and those few ought to be prominent.

The doctrine of righteousness through a Redeemer, as exhibited by animal sacrifices, for a considerable time remained unadulte

rated among a great part of the descendants of Noah, even after the dispersion. As late as the days of Abraham, though the corruption of the true religion was widely extended and rapidly gaining ground, we have authentic information, that many illustrious witnesses for the truth still existed in different parts. Noah died only two years before the birth of Abraham, and Shem, his son, more than fifty years after the birth of Isaac, Abraham's son by Sarah'. In addition to these patriarchs, we read of Melchizedek, whom many suppose to have been a person distinct from Shem. Now, it is utterly incredible, that the authority and influence of these men, the Fathers and Legislators of the New World, should not

k Noah died, 1998, before Christ. Abraham was born, 1996. Shem died, 1846. Isaac was born, 1896. Blair's Chron.

have had an extensive influence upon their posterity. As these witnesses for the truth were one after the other going the way of their fathers, and decreasing in numbers, God raised up Abraham and his posterity to be the depository of his oracles, and the preservers of his truth. Such was the intercourse of this friend of God, and his family after him, with the surrounding nations of the Canaanites, Assyrians, and Egyptians, and their reception by these nations, down to the time of Joseph's death", that we cannot mistake in ascribing their greatness to the influence of the people of God. During the administration of Joseph, Egypt was at the pinnacle of its glory. From this period she declined, until she became base and contemptible by her vile and degrading superstition. And it is worthy of remark, that as she declined, she corrupted more and more the doctrine of animal sacrifices, by making the victims which ought to have been offered up, the objects of their ado

ration.

n 1635 before Christ.

• For an account of the glory of Egypt, when it was highest, see Bossuet's Univer. Hist. part 3, and Rollin's Ancient Hist. vol. i. See also, on the state of Egypt during Joseph's