either taken collectively, or in each individual. Why the cafe is thus in both; why all are not adult at once, in body and mind, concerns not revelation to account for, fo much as the religion of nature; at least they are here as in the former case, both on the same foot; and the fame principles may be applied to each of them. And though in this refpect, the divine difpenfations fcem to differ from human arts and fciences, that these are commonly the most rude and imperfect at first, and every part of them improving by repeated trials; whereas the others have all that purity and perfection at their delivery, which in their feason they are defigned to have; and rather lofe, in fome respects, than get by length of time: yet will not this make any material difference on the whole.

To state this matter right; we ought to diftinguish as well between the delivery of a doctrine, and its general reception in the world; which is according to the measure of the recipients only; and which muft chiefly depend upon the state, and qualifications of the age they live in: as also, between the supernatural affiftance, and extraordinary impreffions, at its first publication; and

the

with the other; fince a fuppofed diverfity in their original will conftitute a very notorious difference in this refpect; the former may have been at first communicated to mankind in all its purity and fimplicity; may long continue fuch, or fuffer afterwards in its con veyance by tradition; while men were left in a great measure to themselves perhaps in the acquirement of the latter, which muft by confequence receive a gradual increase by their repeated efforts: and that disparity obfervable between the ftate and progrefs of thefe two in feveral countries, is no bad proof that this was actually the cafe. See Leland's Advantage and Neceffity of the Chriftian Revelation. V. 1. c. zo.

the ordinary state in which it usually appears, and the common progress it will make, fo foon as ever these shall come to cease, and it is left to be continued by mere human means; (as we have fhewn before that it must be sometime or other) when we shall find it partaking of the taste and temper of the times through which it paffes; and confequently propagated in the fame gradual, partial manner, as all other parts of science, all human acquifitions and improvements are.

Let us proceed then to confider the several difpenfations of religion in this light, and fee whether each will not appear to have been delivered in its proper season, and as soon as it became fully neceffary; and likewife whether each was not as perfect as it could be supposed to have been, confidering the season in which it was delivered; and every fubfequent one, an improvement on all thofe that went before.

We will enquire first, what provision God made for the instruction of mankind in the infancy of the world; and whether it was expedient to fend his Son upon their first tranfgreffion.

Now we have reafon to fuppofe that Adam, during his state of innocence, held frequent communication with the Deity*; from whence he received

A hint of fuch communication on the forming of Eve, as related by Adam himself, together with the general precept concerning Marriage, grounded on it, occurs in Gen. ii. 21,-24. compared with Matt. xix. 5, 6. Mark x. 6-9. Eph. v. 31.

Though what fome writers attribute to Divine Inspiration influencing Adam on fuch occafions, feems to be more naturally accounted for from a Vifion exhibited, or exprefs Oral Revelation made to him the former fuppofition appears to be the eafieft in this cafe,

and

received his information of things, and was directed in the use of them. And if he had bee content to follow that direction, he would undoubtedly have been secured from any pernicious errors; and supplied with all the instruction and affiftance which was neceffary for him, and trained up by degrees to as thorough an acquaintance with the nature of God, and the things around him, as was agreeable to his own nature; and confiftent with his ftate and circumftances in the world. But upon his rejecting this guide, and applying elsewhere for knowledge, and fetting up to be his own director(); that communication might, both with justice and wisdom, be in a great measure withdrawn from him, and he left to the imperfect notice of his fenfes; to learn the nature of good and evil, and the way to obtain the one, and avoid the other, by a painful experience*. Yet was he not left wholly to himself in the affair of religion; but directed to fuch a form of worship, as ferved to point out, and perpetually remind him, both of the demerit of

his

and may include that whole tranfaction, as all represented to him in a deep fleep. Concerning which mode of information fee more below. Note n.

† Gen. i. 28,—30. ii. 19, 20. Such perfons as are apt to queftion the propriety of that particular reftraint which was laid on him in the use of food, may confult the authors cited or referred to by Patrick, on Gen. ii. 17.

(b) That he intended nothing less than this by eating of the forbidden Tree [or trees] which was the trial of his fubmiffion to, or his rejection of the divine government, the teft of good and evil, or that which would fhew which of these he chofe, and prove whether he would be good or bad, [Patrick on Gen. ii. 9. Taylor on Or. Si

Pt.

See ABp. King's Sermon on the Fall. And Mr. Bate on the fame fubject.

D

his crime, and the dreadfulness of that penalty which he had incurred; and alfo gave him fome hopes of a future pardon, and a final acceptance with his Creator.

All this feems to have been fignified by the institution of animal facrifices, fetting before him all the horrors of that death, which he had been fentenced to undergo; but which was hitherto fufpended; and that of fome other creatures demanded probably in its room. This, together with the promise of a future deliverance, in the feed of the woman, ferved for the present to afford fome comfort to our first parents under their heavy fentence; and to convince them, that their offended Maker was not wholly implacable; as well as to lead their pofterity to fuitable notions of religion, and fuch a kind of worship, as should constantly reconcile them to the Deity, and remove the guilt of their particular offences; and

alfo

Pt. 3.] may be feen in Rutherforth's account of that tranfaction, Efay on Virtue, c. 2. n. P. 273. Comp. Taylor. Scheme of Script. Div. c. 7. who makes the knowledge of good and evil, the fame as feeling good connected with evil, tafting a painful pleasure, a destructive gratification, &c. by an Hendiadis. The learned and ingenious Dr. Worthington [Hiftorical fenfe of the Mofaic account of the Fall proved and vindicated] fuppofes feveral communications of both kinds of knowledge made to our first parents on their tafting the forbidden fruit, but not merely by the virtue of fuch fruit, which feems rather to have been the Serpent's fuggeflion, Gen. 3. 5. of the very fame kind and to the fame end, with all his other fuggeftions of divine powers annexed to various even inanimate beings, whereby the world has been deluded ever fince: nor does the fame author afcribe to that tree, (though he calls it a myfterious one. p. 19.) any phyfical effects infufing any fort of fcience; which creates the chief part of the difficulty on this point. Mr. Dawson on the three first chapters of Genefis, explains it by the trees, in eating of which, Adam tranfgreffed the divine law; thus affecting to become acting as if he thought himself-more wife and knowing than his Maker. p. 6. marg. 4.

alfo prepare them in fome meafure for the great atonement, to be made in due time; which was of a much more noble and extenfive nature, would take off the whole of Adam's curfe*, and restore both him and his pofterity to that immortal life which he had forfeited (i): Nay, raise them to a much higher degree of happiness, than he could be conceived ever to enjoy in his paradifaical state. And that this rite, with all its circumstances, was enjoined by God himself, and explained to our first parent, is more than probable, even from the fhort account we have of thofe times; fince we find his two fons bringing their offerings to a certain place‡, and well apprifed (by fome visible tokens no doubt ||) when they were accepted; as that of animal facrifice was rather than the other: and most likely accepted for that very reason, because it had been appointed

What that really was, may be feen in Hallet's Difcourfes, Vol. II. p. 276, &c. Sherlock's Ufe and Intent of Proph. p. 142, 143. 2d Ed. Taylor on Or. Sin, paffim; or at the beginning of Locke's Reasonableness of Chriftianity; or in the Second Difcourfe hereunto annexed.

(i) After all that has been wrote upon the subject of facrifices, I am ftill forced to afcribe their origin to divine appointment: and as to the intention of them, though we may conceive fome to have been at first enjoined by way of Tribute, or as proper acknowledgements of God's dominion over the creatures, and of man's holding that fhare of it which was delegated to him from his hand, and enjoying all earthly bleffings through his bounty; - fome by way of pofitive mulet, fine, or forfeiture. [Abarb. ex. com. in Lev. p. 313. Cleric. in Lev. i. 2. Morality of Rel. p. 35.] to render every breach of duty

burden

+ See ABp. King's note 80. p, 413, &c. 4th Ed. or Mr. Bate on

the Fall.

Heb. xi. 4. Vid Interp. & Grot. in Gen. vi. Comp. Judg. vi. 21. xiii, 23. See alfo Taylor, Scheme of Script. Div. p. 144.

Gen. iv. 3, 4. Probably by Fire, See Tenison of Idolatry, C. 14.

P. 320.