It was neceffary indeed it thould cease some confiderable time before the event took place; leaft a fufpicion might arife that prophecy was only hiftory. Till that time however its current was uninterrupted. When therefore we fee through a fucceffion of ages, a course of prophecies exactly describing an event as it afterwards fell out-and when we are well affured, as we may be by infallible proof, that all these prophecies were publifhed many hundred years before the birth of Chrift; what can we suppose, but that they were directed by the spirit of God; and of course, that the religion, which was ushered into the world in fo grand, fo divine, and fo convincing a manner, must be true.

We are next led to conclude, from what hath been above confidered, that the Chriftian religion is fuperior to every other religion, that hath appeared in the world. None can, in any degree, dispute a preference with it, but the Jewish. And that it is fuperior to the Jewish religion, is fufficiently plain from its being a fucceeding revelation. When God Almighty makes difcoveries of his will, we cannot conceive, he first difcovers the most perfect; and afterwards what is lefs fo. What purpose would that anfwer? what gift, what advan

tage

tage would that be to mankind? But it is very natural to fuppofe, that mankind might not be at first prepared for the moft perfect religion; and that God, by degrees, prepared them for it by giving them what was lefs perfect. Such is the inferiority of the law to the gospel.

We may obferve laftly, that if the Chriftian religion be not only true; but fuperior to every other religion, we ought with all our hearts to receive it. I do not mean that we should receive it, as we do other great truths; that we should merely believe and give our affent to it. It was not for this, Chrift came into the world-it was not for this he was born in a manger, and died on a cross-but that it should enter into our hearts-that it fhould be the great directing principle of our thoughts, our words, and our actions-that we should carry it about with us-that it should be of daily use to us in our intercourfe with God, our neighbour, and ourfelves. Without the practice of its rules, the mere knowledge of it-the mere afsent to its truth, is mathematics-not religion. Chrift came to fave us from our fins: but we must firft, by our holy lives, make ourselves objects of his mercy. If we do that, Chrift will fave us. But without our own endeavours, the gofpel co

venant

venant is of no effect.

In a word, the gospel,

we may be affured, was graciously intended for our greatest good; but we may change it, if we please, into the fentence of our condemnation.

SERMON II.

JOHN, iii. 14.

AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP; THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM, SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

WE are here referred to a very extraordinary transaction, which is related in the twenty-first chapter of the book of Numbers; and in the words I have juft read to you, is applied by our bleffed Saviour as a type of his death and atonement, which are always confidered in fcripture as fimilar expreffions. For your inftruction, therefore, on this fubject, I shall endeavour to explain to you, firft, what is meant by a type; and fecondly, how the lifting up of

the

the brazen serpent is a type of the death and atonement of Christ.

In order to prove the truth of the Chriftian religion, and to prepare men for it, it pleased God, many ages before Jefus Christ appeared, to inspire holy men with the spirit of prophecy, (as I endeavoured to fhew you in my last discourse,) to give notice of his coming. The bible is full of thefe prophecies.-But ftill, to render the proof from prophecy yet ftronger, it pleased God to give mankind not only written prophecies, but the prophecy likewise of types.

A written prophecy differs from a prophecy by a type in this; the one is a prophecy by wordsthe other by actions. Thus the prophet Isaiah speaking of Chrift's death, fays his foul (that is his life) fhall be made an offering for fin. This is a prophecy of our Saviour's death in words. In another part of scripture we read, that Abraham was ordered to facrifice his only fon Ifaac. This was a prophecy of Chrift's death by an actionthat is, by a type. -Again, David prophecying of Chrift's refurrection, fays, Thou wilt not leave my foul in hell, (that is, in the grave) neither will thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption. This