And though it will perhaps be found that some of the arguments employed in earliest times, and some of the theories which more recently have been propounded, must be abandoned, it will appear that, on the whole, the position which maintains that the sacred Scriptures have been the source of all the best parts of Heathen Philosophy has been more strengthened by what is gained than weakened by what is lost.

The Christian Revelation was explicitly declared to be intended for all mankind. It commanded all men everywhere to receive it, and to adopt it as the measure of their hopes, the guide of their opinions, and the rule of their lives. And its influence on the nations among whom it chiefly found its way was soon apparent.

But perhaps the very circumstance that, while it gave no indulgence to human pride or luxury, it commanded obedience, may account for the fact, that long after it had made its way into the hearts of the multitude of all nations, it was resisted by those who considered themselves the instructors of mankind. Yet even on them its influence was so far apparent, that when at length they began to enter the lists against it, they furnished themselves with weapons from its armoury. With regard to the more ancient revelation, it was at least not so apparent

that it claimed authority over the opinions and conduct of mankind at large. It was not obviously enjoined on any other people than those to whom it was immediately given.

But it was supremely worthy of universal acceptance; and, as will be shewn, the arrangements of Providence were such as to give to other nations the best opportunities of availing themselves of it. Accordingly, as might be expected, while its influence on the mass of other nations-except, perhaps, to a certain extent, from the preaching of Pythagoras-and on the conduct of those who were nearest its light, is scarcely discernible, their philosophers were willing to borrow from its stores, unchecked by any demands not pleasant to their vanity. It was used by them as a common good, which they might adapt at their pleasure to their own speculations.

It is doubtless true, that some of the Mosaic institutions were intended to be peculiar to the Jewish people, but these formed only a small part of the entire Revelation made before the appearance of our Saviour. And some even of these exhibited symbols of which the key was furnished to those who understood its statements respecting the nature of God and his worship.

The Mosaic Revelation contained an authentic and declarative account of what had been originally made known to the

human race respecting the nature of God, the creation of mankind, and the universal principles of morality, which had once been written on the hearts of all men, but which had faded or become effaced.

And it was so far as a whole from being destined to become obsolete, that accessions were continually made to it, and it was constantly developed from the same inspiration which bestowed the original germs. While the framework of Judaism was giving way, the Revelation of divine truth continued to grow in all its divinest attributes, and to be more distinctly recognized as the bestowment of the Spirit of God.

The Christian Revelation, though again making a large accession to the knowledge of divine things, was so far only an expansion of the former system of truth, and is occupied, to a great extent, in making more clear, and exhibiting more fully, what the Spirit of Revelation had already spoken. And nothing can be plainer, than that our Saviour and his disciples recommended the ancient Revelation to mankind as the divine foundation out of which the Gospel rose. In this light the Old Testament has always been regarded and cherished in proportion as Christianity itself has ruled the opinions and affections of mankind.

CHAPTER I.

HEBREW REVELATION NOT INTENDED TO BE
CONFINED TO THE JEWS.

I'

F, in the inscrutable way of Providence, it had appeared from Scripture itself, that it was plainly intended to exclude the nations from the benefit of this earlier light, it would have been our duty to bow with submission to such a mystery. But this is manifestly far from being the case. It is, on the contrary, evident that the chosen people were intended to be the depositories of this divine bestowment, with the view that they should not only cherish it and enjoy its benefits themselves, but communicate its light to surrounding nations. The promise made to Abraham, and repeated to Isaac and Jacob, that in them and their descendants all the families of the earth should be blessed, though doubtless referring for its complete fulfilment to the Christian Dispensation, and to developements of Divine Providence yet to come; might well refer to the fact that their great distinction above all others would be, that "to them were committed the Oracles of God."

And whatever other ideas may be included in the destination mentioned, Exod. xix. 6, "Ye shall be a kingdom of priests," it can scarcely be doubted that the function of the priestly office which made them the ministers and stewards of the mysteries of God, was especially referred to.

The object of their selection and consecration as a peculiar people was that which is mentioned by Isaiah: "This people have I Is. xliii. 21. formed for myself, that they may shew forth my praise," or, according to the words of the LXX., which St Peter has partly used, λaov uoû 1 Ep. ii. 9. ὃν περιεποιησάμην, τὰς ἀρετὰς μοῦ διηγεῖσθαι. St Peter, addressing himself to those early Christians who were appointed to be the first leaven of Christianity, combines the passage in Exodus with that in Isaiah : ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτὸν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος.

1

In both these cases the main idea seems to

1 This passage has been strangely perverted by writers of the Lutheran Church, and, in fact, made the basis of a system the very opposite of what is implied in the language itself— viz. that on the publication of the Gospel there was no longer to be any peculiar order of the ministry, but that every man was to be his own priest. In Bunsen's strange work, The Church of the Future, this sense is confidently taken as the only one: Was there no Order of Priests among the Hebrews, when as a nation they were expected to be a kingdom of Priests?