tive exhibition both of the nature of the benefits which he would bestow, and of the medium and manner in which they would be dispensed.

3dly. I now proceed to the remaining subject proposed for consideration in this discourse. The instrumentality by which this system of laws was given. This, in my opinion, is chiefly expressed in saying that, "It was given in the hand of a Mediator."

All the revelations which God has made to sinful man were through the Son of God, the divine, and only proper mediator between God and men. In giving the law from Sinai, he employed Moses as a visible, and audible subordinate mediator, as he employed Prophets and Apostles to reveal his will to their fellowmen. This view of the case the whole transaction as recorded in Exodus, 20th chap., and onward, illustrates; and this appears to be the sum of the record as respects the direct, and special instrumentality which was used. God announced his purpose to Moses-assigned the time, the place, and the preparation. Called up Moses once, and again into the mountain, delivered to him the written moral law, afterwards proclaimed by his own voice from Sinai. During the long, and repeated seasons of his communion with God in the mount he received the other laws which were to be enjoined upon the people of Israel. Moses having received them delivered them to the people; and they publicly and solemnly covenanted to observe them. This, summarily, is the history of the instrumentality by which they were given. Moreover, it is said to have been "ordained by Angels." Some suppose that this teaches, that angels were employed in communicating the laws to Moses which he afterwards delivered to the assembled congregation of Israel. If this is the testimony of divine inspiration it must be a fact, and indisputably right. But that this is intended to be taught by the sacred writers, may, perhaps, be reasonably doubted. It would seem to me, to encourage the superstitious notion of angels, and if angels why not saints, being mediators. On this view of the matter, they were intermediate between God and Moses. The agency of angels in this case is not mentioned in the original ac

count by Moses, of the giving of the law. Nor can I distinctly imagine what part they performed in giving it. The communication of the law seems from the record to have been direct, and immediate from God to Moses. "The Lord spake unto Moses, and said," and "Moses said unto the Lord," is the uniform mode of expression. The law of the ten commandments, as already said, was written by the finger of God upon tables of stone, and afterwards proclaimed by his own voice from Sinai. The other laws were transmitted through Moses to the people. There is no intimation that they were first communicated by God to angels, and by them to Moses, making virtually a twofold mediation. It is moreover mentioned as the peculiar honor of Moses, that "God spake with him face to face," and this seems to be the simple and obvious import of the narrative. The agency of angels on this occasion, I am inclined to think, was only in the scenes of glory, and of terror exhibited on mount Sinai. As a mighty host they attended on their Supreme Lord and King, as the ministers of his presence and the retinue of his majesty. Such seems to be the meaning of the Psalmist, Psalm 68: 17. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." So may acts 7: 53. be explained-"who received the law through assembled hosts of angels." Heb 2: 2.-" The word spoken through, or from the midst of angels." So the text-" ordained amidst orders of assem

through angels." "The law was given bled angels." Thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, in due arrangement and order were there to honor the presence of Jehovah, and do homage to the God of Israel, who condescended in his own person, and with his own voice to make the communications of his will to Moses, as mediator between him and Israel. Angels were probably the agents by which those glorious, and tremendous scenes were exhibited-the cloud, the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the long continued investment of the mountain with awful darkness, or with brilliant, and dazzling glories. Exodus 19: 16, 18—24: 16, 17. The scenes of Sinai naturally suggest to us the antici

angels with him, then Angels will be pres

pated description given of the awful grandeur of the solemnities of the day of final judgement, "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." ent not to assist in judgment, nor to have any direct and special agency in the judicial process, or in the announcement of those eventful and eternal awards; but as attendants on the judge to witness the proceedings-give imposing grandeur to the occasion, and merited honor to him who will come "in the glory of his Father," and to judge the world in righteousness, and vindicate the ways of God with men. For like reasons were they present on Sinai.

REFLECTIONS.

1st. The works, and dispensations of God have a completeness worthy of his wisdom and benevolence. So it is in creation. Everything as God made it was "very good"-perfect in its kind, and adapted to the end for which it is designed. So it is in the providential government of God. No evils proceed directly from him. They are the consequences of the perverted conduct of creatures endowed with the power of free agency, which they might and ought to employ in the production and promotion of good only. The physical, and penal ills which are experienced, are the corrections, and retributions which a wise and benevolent God employs to restrain moral evil; and thus are acts not only of justice, and holiness, but of goodness in preserving the world from abounding sin, and consequent anarchy, and God's laws are enactments of wisdom, and goodness, as they maintain, and illustrate the divine character, and promote the highest excellence, and happiness of his intelligent creatures. Such was the system of laws given at Sinai. In the work of redemption, wisdom, justice and benevolence have their brightest, fullest, most extensive, and everlasting display, and illustration.

ruin.

2d. God ever has, and ever will give the proper and needful evidences of his presence, operation, and will. Faith has always an obvious, and firm foundation on which to rest. The works of creation, and providence present such proofs of his existence, eternal power, and godhead as leave unbelief, and ungodliness without excuse. In giving his law to Israel the evidences of divine power, and authority, and that it was God who spake, were palpable and overwhelming. Communications of his will to Moses by inspiration, ought to have been regarded by Israel with faith, and obedience. Infidelity, and disobedience would have been sinful, and deserving of punishment;-but still more so under the actual circumstances of that case. Who could doubt the divinity of the transaction, or the obligation to obey who witnessed the tremendous circumstances which attended the dispensation and revelation of his laws to Israel? To allege any artifice, or management in explanation of this scene, is as reasonless, and absurd as to allege that the contrivance of creatures kindles up the light of the sun from day to day, creates the lightnings of heaven, and awakes, and allays, and orders the tempests, and the seasons. No: God was in Sinai. Israel saw, believed, and feared. The gospel dispensation has attestations no less divine, which warrant faith, and doom unbelief to reprobation, and condemnation. It does not, indeed, exhibit "the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and where were blackness, darkness, and tempest"—but the personal glories, the miracles, the truth, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The dispensation of the law was glorious; but the gospel dispensation excels in glory. The milder glories of the godhead are here revealed. But "grace reigns through righteousness;" and holiness, justice, and truth are no less manifest than in the awful scenes of Sinai.

SERMON XVII.

CHRIST THE PROPHET FORETOLD BY MOSES.

DEUTERONOMY Xv. 18, 19.—I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

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THERE are three things in the Old Testament dispensation which had a very special relation to the expected Messiah-the promi ses which originated, and sustained hope-the prophecies which foretold him; and the types which prefigured him. Each of these was numerous, explicit, and significant. They were pledges given to faith, and hope, and previous announcements of what he should be, and do. To us, no less than to them, they are of the utmost necessity and value. Their verification, and fulfilment in Christ, lie as the foundation on which our conviction rests that "Jesus is the Christ." He came in manner, time, and place; he lived, he performed, he suffered, he died, and he rose againaccording to the Scriptures." The coincidences are so numerous, minute, exact, and undeniable as to leave no shadow of doubt. This, most manifestly, is he, of whom Moses, and the Prophets did write. A reference to the particular prophecies which related to him cannot now, be attempted. I remark in general-1st. There has never been any other person to whom they could, with any truth, or probability, be fairly applied, even in general. None whose life, and character accorded with the description. The whole race of man, in all its varieties, furnishes not even an imperfect counterpart. If Jesus Christ be not intended, and they correspond not to him, they have never been verified, nor fulfilled. 2d. To Christ, they all are plainly, and fairly applicable. This, as a general fact is eminently, and undeniably true. Those prophecies which seem to be inapplicable to any