Creator, who is blessed for ever.' ""* The number of deities multiplied in proportion as the light of reason and of science advanced; and, as if to show more clearly the blindness of reason in the things of God, the errors of polytheism were far more gross and absurd in those states in which philosophy flourished, than among rude and savage nations. The crude notions of barbarous tribes concerning God and Deity, were less involved and remote from the truth than were the doctrines of Greece, Rome, Egypt, Persia, and Hindostan. Athens and Rome were full of the statues of the gods. If, as early as the days of Hesiod, the number was thirty thousand, it was probably afterwards much greater among the Greeks, and it was certainly much greater among the Romans before the end of the republic. If, in addition to these facts, we keep in remembrance that which an ancient historian has recorded, that the religion of the Romans was purer in the earlier than in the later ages of the commonwealth; that while they built temples, during the first hundred and seventy years, they did not place in them any image or figure of any kind, persuaded that it was impious to represent things divine by what is perishable; we must be convinced that the mere light of reason, unaided by that of revelation, has never led men to the knowledge of the unity of God.

22. But wherever the light of revelation has been enjoyed, this doctrine has been maintained. When the Scriptures announce the existence of one only living and true God, and describe his character as infinitely perfect, the doctrine seems so accordant with the lesson which is taught us by the uniformity of design visible in the universe, that we naturally suppose that it might be learned from this source alone; but the prevalence of polytheism and idolatry during so many ages, and in those countries where reason was cultivated most, is a sufficient proof that we owe our knowledge of the unity of God to that revela

* Rom. i. 22-32.

tion which he has given of himself. He is there represented as asserting in terms of affecting sublimity the perfect unity of his nature. “I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides me. They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. There is no God else besides me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One."*

If these observations be just, they furnish a convincing argument in favour of the divine authority of the Scriptures of the Old Testament.

CHAPTER VII.

THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE MOSAIC DISPENSATION PROVED FROM THE NATURE OF ITS LAWS, MORAL, CIVIL, AND MILITARY.

1. HE who forms a code of laws for the government of a nation, should possess talents of the highest order, and varied and extensive knowledge of mankind. But though Moses possessed such powers and acquirements, yet since he laid claim to a divine commission, and promulgated his laws as those of the Deity, we are to consider them more in reference to these high claims, than to the genius of their author.

2. In proceeding to the consideration of these laws, we must remark, that the government of the Israelites was an absolute theocracy; a state of which God himself is the

* Is. xlv. 18-22; xliv. 9-21.

head, and in which the people possess their land, as well as all their privileges, civil and religious, by a stipulated tenure immediately from him as their sovereign. In accordance with this constitution, the ordinances established among the Hebrews, while they were intended to effect a variety of subordinate purposes, were chiefly designed to preserve the Jewish nation distinct from every other people as the depositaries of heavenly knowledge, of pure religion, and of divine prophecy. They were chosen to be a peculiar people unto God, to be the instruments of fulfilling his gracious designs to the human race, at a time when ignorance and idolatry prevailed among the nations of the world. If we bear these things in mind, and consider the adaptation of the laws and ordinances of the Mosaic dispensation to the general state of society as it then existed in the earth, and to the particular state of the Jewish people, and the object proposed by their separation, we must be struck with the proof thus afforded of the divine wisdom, and transcendent moral excellence by which those laws and ordinances are characterized. Let us consider,

3. (I.) The moral precepts: and the summary of these contained in the ten commandments first demands our attention. These are to be viewed as elementary and fundamental principles of morals; as furnishing the outline of those eternal rules of rectitude by which individuals, families, and nations are to be governed. In these, the first thing required is, to worship and serve the one living and true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the great object of reverence, love, and adoration. In contradistinction to the manners and customs of the surrounding nations, and the gross superstitions in which they were involved, the worship of God by images is strictly and solemnly forbidden. These commands are enforced by various motives; and promises and threatenings are suggested as incitements to obedience.

4. The first table of the law is closed with a precept respecting the Sabbath ;-an institution so beneficial in its

tendency in regard both to the temporal and the spiritual interests of mankind, that it bears clearly in itself the evidence of its divine origin. It forms a constant memorial of the power and goodness of God, serves to remind all of their obligations to him; to strengthen those affections of which God should be the constant object; and to counteract the spirit of polytheism and idolatry. It affords a grateful rest from the labours and cares of life, protects the poor and the destitute from the unfeeling demands which avarice would otherwise make on their exertions, teaches all the duties of humanity and mutual love, extends its influence even to the inferior animals, and unites with piety to God, tenderness to the meanest of his creation.

5. The duties which men owe to one another are enjoined next to those which they owe to God. Among these, the first duty to which our attention is directed is that of obedience, reverence, and affection to parents; a duty infinitely important in itself, and also as the foundation of all the social duties. It trains to habits of early obedience, respect for superiors, and submission to lawful authority. To this are added in the moral law prohibitions regarding murder, theft, adultery, and false witness; and all the thoughts, desires, and actions which lead to the commission of these crimes.

6. These heads of moral obligation contained in the ten commandments are enforced by additional precepts, which display both the nature of the principles from which moral conduct must proceed, and point out the duties which the servants of God must perform. The law of Moses while it prescribes many external ceremonial observances, all of the purest tendency, requires that the heart should be supremely given to God, and that the inward motive and disposition correspond with the external actions. This circumstance demands our particular attention, because not only infidels, but even persons well affected to divine revelation, have represented the law of

Moses as a mere system of ceremonies, altogether unconnected with the state of the heart. Had this representation been consistent with truth, it would have furnished a strong presumption against the divine origin of the Mosaic dispensation. But this is so far from being well founded, that the two great commandments quoted by our Lord, and contained in the New Testament, are derived from the law of Moses: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and strength, and mind. And now, O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear him, to walk in all his ways, and to love and serve him with all thy heart and soul, and to keep his commandments ?" Do not these commands require, that in all the duties of devotion, and in all the actions of the life, the love and fear of God should rule in the mind?

7. The law of Moses also enjoined Israel to love their neighbours as themselves. "Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. I am the Lord." In accordance with the spirit of this command, they are enjoined to have regard to the comfort and welfare, not only of one another, but even of their enemies. "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again." Nor was this command to be restricted, as some have supposed, to their brethren of the same nation and religion, for it evidently extended to their personal enemies of whatever country. There was in the Mosaic laws and government as much regard shown to the comfort and the rights of strangers as was compatible with the great ends for which the Hebrews were separated from the surrounding nations. It was not consistent with these ends that any idolatrous rites should be practised among them, and therefore foreigners who acted in this respect in opposition to the laws of the state, could not be allowed to live among them. All strangers, however, who were willing to conform to the laws, by abstaining from practices which they prohi