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THE mores and intellectual conditionis the heathen philosophersmight he compared, and ο unaptly to the orlom and hopetessstate O a hipWrecked mariner Compelled, ami the horror of shroudin dari ness, o ut Orth his seebl strengin sor in preservationis life to contend with the overWhelminisorce of agitate twaters, and O rene desente essoris to reach the distant horo, whos remote direction is ut occasionali disclosed by the leam,ing fires of heaven. The ruities endeavours of the Gentile philosophersa discove the Truth, ' furnish a Case recisel similariti it character Lik unballasted hip tho are urried in themisti ignorance, pota that great and infathomabie deep the aretosseda and se perpetuatly by every Wind of Chimerical doctrine, an are riveti headlong sarther an sarther, rom the ni fas eanchorage, and ni Secure harbour, into the angerous Ocean os dolabi untii they finalty perish among the histin sand of hollowtheor and unsubstantia speCulation. Το qui the metaphor, hat shall, discove in the est visewso religion an morais, entertaine by the 'ise' amori tho Phoenicians the Egyptians, me Greelis, o the Romans, ut absurdsystems, connected With and supporte by the mos abject an do-
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gradita superstitions system calcula ted noto meliorate, ut loaggravate the popular debasement Corrupi and mischievous-Osteti subServient to the mos perniciolis vices-and yet minglini villi theirmos successsu speculation. They hos understandings also lihom highos in the scaleis intellectual estimation above the grossermultitude, held the truth i inrighteousneSS; - professinito lino God in thoir,orks tho dente him. V The influenco hich thoyderived froni exalted stationi menta endowments Was universallyemployed to rivet On the human minit thelaw of the mos abomina te idolatries, an to perpetuat delusion TO these facts emus o necessit ad 1 the totai an os authorit common to ulltho philosopher of the ancient orid, both to on rce hat Wasreatly ure in their morali , as et a to emancipate the eoplesrom sages the mos inveterate nil detestable Barbarous, ormore onlightenellis the sex might have been, et the wholo series of the leui nodieathen mayi fairi describe lius havin sat in thedarsines of dismal superstition, an in the region and shado os leath, rom thei tota ignorance and isavowal os ut practiculmorali , o Whateve refined speculations thei reasoning facultios
might have led them. I cannoti objecte to tho present times that the standari os cither aith o moralit is uised too igh sor as et might theinhabitant of the arth, ut the period of the deluge, have Criei out si Om apprehensionis fire, a the Christian in the modern deluge os
infidelity, have reason to denounc a to prevalent enthuSin Sm, roxcluim against ver-heated ea in tho cause silet anil virtve. discussion therei ore, of this nature, cannot be Without it USe.
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Tho ridicule os in modern Dee-thinher the vanit os liberalopinion, and the stili existiniambition o pre-emineno in SpeCUlative politis, offer an amictin proo to the contrai , in producinia numerous and earsul hos os adversaries Whose darin assauit it requires at the magnanimit of the Christian warrior o resis and subdue here are croWd of hold adventurors, withou God in the worid, ' ho, disregar ling the assistance of the truth revealed, und reasOning thenaseives out of thei faith by means of a refine land audaciOus sophisti , allure others to thei ranks by the dagglingnovelt os system, o the fascinatin representations O ParadOX. Against suci, et the Christian student be armed stom the sit stmoment of his application to the severor studies prescribe by aCademicat discipline. elying with confidelico in that species fisertaint whicli Wili neve misi ea hina, and animate by at the ene1 gies and the encour ements of hi faith let in proceed on variis in his literar course maintaining the dignit of his nature ponthe igh line of Christian bellos and obligations and suppor that elevationis character Whicli is essentia to qualis him sor heaven. Let hirn no place a fingor upon in mysteries of his hol religion. Whether employed in the mathematios, in the cultivation os thesCieraces, O in the accomptishment of Persian Arabian, reCianan Roman earning let his studies e pursued unde the solemnan sincere conviction, thatio essor of the minit canae usefui, noliuman acquisition cante valvable o worthy the Christian student,
but in proportionis it ma advanc him in the saviniknowledgeo God' reveale word; and that to this ne gran and important desigii alliis rea linishould e subservient. me him acquire, byconstant an dee investigation of themoly Scriptures, hos simi
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principies, and that health constitution o intellect, hici, illi ende his lisad an heari, inmugh iso, alike impenetrabie to the
malignant sarcasm of the unbellevor, and the insidio a attack of the wil theorist, a Wellius to the less-disguised avoWals of the implous advocates of materialism, and the traitOrous speculations os philosophigin Christians. The proceodings of mankini in matters of religion und morais,as e trace them recordedin the page of history, Dona in earliester of the worida the times of moderninbelles, present a sad audmortifyin picture of human wealines and depravity. I in the unsubstantiat fictions of heathen philosophy, and in the false and corrupi religion o Pagari orshippers, e discoverneither purit o sentiment nor enlightened viow of the spiritualGodis creation ,, might oxpectini leas to find 8Ome rational COnsisten is belle an conduci, among that peopte Wh Were choseia froni ali tho nation to e the depositaries of the divine oracles, and who ere so frequently visited by the messonger of the Almighty. ut Hac though, should estoem them to have been men in religion though ohildren in very thinielse, the personalconduci of tho de s was by o means accordant illi the igh standari and character of thei faith. With ait thei ad tantagos Under the theocraoy we perceive them continuali distinguished by a Culpabie ea gernes to orsa ke the pure orshi of the ne God, und to adopi the superstitions of the Gentiles. While supporte by the manifes interposition of the Deity whil in aWfui symbol os the Divine resono accompante thei camps While God to
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us in forcibi language of a modern divine Was reveatin his celestia glories, ineffabi effulgent, amid si in solemn solitudo ofnature, or appearing illi Cloiade majest in the tabernacle;whilo the manna as et allinis rom heaven while tho pillaeso fire Wasset burningae re thei armies, and the voice of the Almi tyWas speakin in the hiander me summits of the surroundingmountains,ere illuminated Withinholyires, Lindled to tho honouro base an imaginar deities; the sorbidden rites of idolater. vere imitatod;-and the bowod the knee and offered incenseri Baal orerected the molien imago anaid tho grove of the adjacent valleys. So deepi immersed ere tho in the error and the impurities of thei heathen Deighhours that the wiso monarch declare they held them sor ods, hicli even among the east Were despiSed, 'einias childron os, understanding. V ur avioli soland in his time, ver much to Condemn in thei perversionis particular precepis, in thei substitution os externa observances O genuine religion, and in their systemati rejection o doctrines Whicli esso tiali and clearly bolongod to thei peculia revelation Thei pro-sent miraCulous dispersion ver the face of the whole arth, is aliving monument in attestation o ali the prophecies against them
and proves t iis that thenare seoliti in judgment orthyis God, and that the now to lato acknowledge, in thei suffering him toti the rue God whom bos ore the dented to know.Ι Would e dissiculi perhaps to demonstrate precisely to What extent a linowledge of the foul' immortalit prevalle among the disserent classes of Jewisti society. The recorded facts of the Jewisti histor sussicienti prove that a bolies in this particula doctrine Was
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common to est theaigher anil moro privileged ranks and we might fairi conclude, si oui the ordinar procee lings and dealings of Godwith the nation, both unde the theocracy, and in SubSequent times, that suci an important principi of faith a this,ould neve have been Communicatei to tho se an studio usi Withheld rom thesmany. Whateve information, hoWever, might reatly have beengiven that is, generalty to the ancient bellever in the imperisti lenatur of the foui, and we kno that in sorii particular instances plainer intimations on the subject were Ouchsased in addition to thoirtypical institutions; iapon the wholeri Would appea to have been, and Do oubt was intende by omniscience Oie even in iis very hest Orna, desective and obscure. The degre of knowledgo,hichthe exus possessed on thi potnt, Was et wisely uitet to theshadowy and introductor dispensation under Whichahe lived 'assumcient to a alien the genera interest, an to excite in generalattention and o muCh underStood by ali, as to promote Ver Pui poseo practica religion. Whatever Was supernaturali disclosed to tho appotiate agent an minister of the Dei , was speciali intendedi bella publishe to the whol people and it,ould have been adirect and implous infringement of the divine commands had any divine communication been suppresse by the Priest o legislators. In faci the old Testamen histor of ever age Xhibit the recordo immortalit reven led, and of immortalit belleved by the JowishΡeople. An minent divine of the Englisti protestant hiarch, at- tomptinito reconcite undent te facts With an artificiat system, has
urgued that the sentiment of the early Jews concerning the foui, wore of the fame dubious an uncertain character a those maintaine among the other nations that the JeWs neve indulged in any
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interesting speculation concerniniit state after separation non thebody and uniting Pagan with prophetica immortali , he has Oncluded that tho obtainod thei knowledge of an hereaster Dot Domthei scriptural traditions biit froni the obscuro system of their hea-theniseighbours; ut o Whicli, in his opinion, he manufaCtui edtheir oWn peculia theo , by an intermixture With ome dar undicat- tered intimation derived rom their prophetical ritings. The SVP position however, that there Could ver have been an thin CommonietNeen Iudaism and Heathonism that there could have boon an occult doctrine, an myste , V in the Judaical system, Whicli, as in the superstitioris of the philosopher of thnica fame, as Considered the propert of the se Wis and great, undiso inheri ted by the common mass, is a repugnant to the language, ascit is to the spirit of the Scripturos for Iudaism mos olearly Contuin the doctrine of immortalit anil a futuro state os re artis and punishments for the human ovi and it contain them, totali unmixed iththe liotest portion of the sabulous relations os futuri , hicli pollute and perverted the precepi and the conduci os every therpeople. heri Tacitus ascribo the faith of immortalit to the Jews, thoughis assii in that the derived it rom Egypt he describes a very disserent doctrine stom that hich was hel by the Egyptians, ho adoptet tho idea Os transmigration hes hasgiven a distinc historical testimon to the faith of immortality, asit Was embracod by the Jows; Profana illic omnia, in says in the fifth book of his history quae apud nos suCra; -nnil again Wheni spealis of their roligiolis ceremontes, and the peculiar Ordinances of thei law, he adds animasque, praelio, aut suppliciis
ueremptorum, aeternas putant. Min generandi amor, et mori-
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f endi contemptus Corpora Condere, quam Cremare, e more AEgyptio eademque Cura, et de infernis persuasio coelestium' contra. 'V rom the number of the Jewisti bellovers in thes ul' immortali ,, must O Coui se exclude that particula seci, whos principies ere est lisho an embodied into sortia about two hundred an fist years e re the Christian era, and in Whichit Was maintained that there Was no resurrectior of the ead that there,ere netther angeis, nor spiriis, nor ouis Os departe men; no suture state of reWarcis an punishments. Thei tenet rather resembled in some ther respecis, the Epicurean hilosophy; ut, happit so the Jewish eopte a large, hos gros sentiment Were obiect confined to the wealth and voluptuous of the natiora thoughit mustio admitte that he held ut a Josephus remariis, dan- gerous attractions O theboiang. The ignorance of the philosophers, and of the educated classes,loward the alter perio of the Roman commonwealth, both withrespecto the historica traditions fraudaism, and the essentialprincipies an pretensions of the Christian system, annot e re-marhed without excitin Our ulmos astonishment. The JeWs ad stillo eniture persecution and ridicule; and the Christians tostasse unde contumel and isrepresentation, hateve might belli degre os information lai claim to by the ago. It would appea a i it ad heen solui posely contrived by the wisdom ofProvidelice, that the promulgation os the true religionishould immodiatet solio thos se dar centuries, whicli ad to boast the ebl illumination of that succession o philosophers, Wh daggled their ignorant Ollowers by the false litter os specious theories,
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or ho miste them by the misy indings o sancisul doctrines; and that it should burs sortii, in ali the right effulgetice os iis
substantia splendour, at a period When profligac of sentiment Wasmos prevalent; and the human min&Was involve in inextricabie dolabi respecting the Creator and the creationi e learn, indeed, DOm historica testimony that reviOusint the time of the incarnation a generat de had prevallad Which Was by no means confinedio the Jews, but dissused throughout the remote Ountries silualedio the east o Palestine, that natur Was Oon abolit O bring orthan Xtraordinata personage gis ted illi every high qualit os foui, who was destinoda challongo the admiration and homage of man Lind, and to estabiisti universa dominion ver the nations Thus the public expectation us elevated to the ighest pitch, and theuccomptishment of that great anil gran design Was anticipatet byali rank of person With ager an lireatlites anxie . Hen e that ardent destre os exploring the ovent os futurit Whicli characterige lthe times the videlices of Whicli, trace in the poets, the historians, and the philosophers, ho ere influenced by the samo Delings With the genera mass. Heno the mysterious volumes of the Sibyl. ence the curious aris os divination herice the caves of the Seers, eeming With oracula effusions and lieno the sylvan recesses croWded With tho salsa pretendercto divine inspiration. Bymeans suci a these the public curiosit Was excited promoted, and sed hiat as the authorit of the oracle asterward declined, and thoimpostures of the priesis eased to operate illi thei accustomedeffeci, and thei pretensions ecam les satisfactor to thei sol-l0Wers, a spiritis eliquit , and of something like a more rational
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disposition so the truth, as a natural Consequeri e began to pre-vail; and the wori seeme tora progressivel preparing throughit increasin dissatisfaction illi ut the ancient an established systems, o the receptioni the ne and perfeci religion. In the conducti Pilate, as recorded in the Ne Testament Scrip tures, e have a remni kabio instanceis the reedy credulit und thoinsatiabie hirst sor novet is system, Whicli characteriged the periodwhen the Roman authorit had superseded the independent overn menti Iudaea, and the descendant of the atriarch and the Propheis had toton beneath the command of an heathen governor. Fulfilling, upon in chair of his tribunal tho hidden counseis of the Almighty litu imagine the Roman Overnor ver Whos destinies he was permittet to reside Shrouded in the gloom error of Paganism, his unenlightened minit could formis spiritua Conceptionis that hirigdom, not of this Worid, nor os tempora grandeuror duration, Whichahe humbi captivo had declare to b his Asa soldier, Pilate aclinowledgedio dominion hiat that whichiad heon purchased a d maintained by arnisu an as an heuthen he had received no satisfactor assurances of an Lingdom heyonii theconfines of this materia Worid, and had submittet to no authori hiat that which was human. Initia ted, Oubilem accordinito the ustorii of thos times, in tho pros uni and unintelligibi mysteries of tho scho is o Grecian oris Roman philosophy;-perhaps utili satisfiod with the result of his researches into the deel subjectis mores trullis, and with the laborious investigations of the speculatinginstructor in the theoretica system Of the age, Whicli ere pro-