truth, which are to be gathered either from created nature, or the actions of men, and the various scenes of animal and social life. Philosophy and poetry differ in this respect; that the one instructs by words, and delivers its precepts literally; the other by the images of things: and if these images are lively and proper, then the mind is delighted with a moral as the eye with the effect of a picture. Therefore good poetry, under proper restrictions, is one of the greatest and best works of human art; and hath always been accounted divine, as proceeding from the assistance of heavenly beings. Even in the oratory of prose, the method of managing well an allusion or comparison is of great value, because it is of great effect. He is the most agreeable speaker, who can open and adorn the argument of his discourse by some apt representation of truth from the nature of things. But in religious subjects, where it is of the utmost consequence that men should hear attentively, and be persuaded effectually, there this manner is most valuable of all.

How beautiful is that admonition of Saint James, from the propriety of the imagery under which the moral is conveyed! He exhorts to govern the tongue; which though so small a member of the body, is yet of such good effect, that to govern the tongue is to govern the whole man. "If any man offend not in

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word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to "bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the "horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn "about their whole body. Behold also the ships, "which though they be so great, and are driven of "fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very "small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth." Nothing upon the subject can possibly exceed the

eloquence of this passage: and the Apostle carries on his discourse all the way in the same beautiful style of allusion.

How were the lowest among his hearers captivated, when our Saviour discoursed to them in parables ; explaining the doctrine of the kingdom of God from the scenes of nature which were daily before their eyes. The constitution of man's mind is still the same, in the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant and the principle on which it must be engaged to receive instruction can never alter. We are to learn all things by comparison; and the salvation of our souls depends so much on our improvement under this mode of teaching, that it is wisely provided by the author of our nature, that we are so much delighted with imitation in every shape. All the representations of the stage, which attract the multitude, are nothing but imitations of characters and scenes of imagery: poetry, painting, and music all engage the fancy with imitative effects of art. Mirth and sadness, conversation and devotion, the singing of birds and the confusion of a battle, are all imitable in musical sounds.

But this great plan of imitation is no where so conducted, nor carried to such a height, as in the signs and allegories of the holy Scripture, which compose the richest scenery upon earth. If the fancy of man is delighted with imitation even in the smallest subjects, how much more, when the originals are objects of an eternal nature, and the delineation of them is from that wisdom, to which the things of time and the things of eternity are equally known : and which framed this visible world as a counterpart to the other.

Great is the evidence which arises when these two

are laid together and compared; and I have frequently found it such by experience, when I have tried the force of it upon minds to whom it was new. If there be any difficulty in our creed, it is certainly much lessened, if the visible world presents to our senses the figures of those things which God hath proposed to our faith. To those who understand it, all nature speaks the same language with revelation: what the one teaches in words, the other confirms by signs; insomuch that we may truly say, the world is a riddle, and Christianity the interpretation. If Christ is called the true bread, the true light, the true vine, and the talents or gifts of God's grace are the true riches, &c. then the objects of sense, without this their spirit and signification, are in themselves mere image and delusion; and the whole life of man in this world is but a shadow, vain and empty, till the truth and substance of it is seen and understood. This relation between things visible and invisible we could never have found out of ourselves; but when the plan is proposed, it is so reasonable and striking, that nothing can resist it, but the blindness of false learning, or the malignity of vice, which has an interest against it. In the style of the scripture, the several objects in the visible creation, from the sun in the heavens, through the elements and seasons, the day and the night, the land and the sea, the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field, down to the grass that springeth out of the earth, and the stones which are scattered upon the face of it, do all fall in naturally as figures to explain and enforce the things that belong to the kingdom of God, and to the soul of man as a part of it. Whosoever meditates upon the world thus applied as a figure of truth, and sees that agreement between nature and revela

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tion which revelation itself hath pointed out to us, will want no miracle to persuade him of the Christian doctrines for nature itself is Christian, and the world itself a daily miracle; the heavens, speak to us, and the earth and all things therein join in the same testimony: so that if all nations were to disbelieve, nature itself would still continue a faithful witness to the truth: if the children of Abraham were to hold their peace, the stones would cry out.

Here we ought to descend to particulars, and shew how the state of nature and the several parts of it agree with the doctrines of the scripture; but there is not room for it on the present occasion: and I have purposely considered the natural Evidence of Christianity by itself in two lectures, which open a prospect into that extensive subject, without attempting to penetrate to the end of it; and to them I must now refer you.

To these advantages of the sacred style, I am now to add that which is the greatest of all, and will justify the attention I have bestowed for several years past upon the matter of these lectures; namely, that the spirit of those figures under which the bible delivers to us the things of God, has a power of raising and glorifying, even in this life, the spirit of man; producing an effect upon it, the same in kind with what it shall hereafter experience when admitted into the presence of God. This is a great thing to say; but I learn it of that apostle who laboured more abundantly in opening to us the wisdom of God from the figures of the old Testament. The same was also signified by our Saviour himself in his discourses with his disciples.

St. Paul teaches the Corinthians, that it is the proper business of the Christian ministry to preach

the spirit of the law of Moses, and not to rest in the letter of it as the Jews did; whose weakness in this respect was foreshewed by what happened to their fathers; who could not look stedfastly on that glory which shone upon the face of Moses: for which reason Moses put a veil upon his face; which veil, saith the apostle, is still upon their hearts in the reading of the old testament. So far was the act of Moses fulfilled upon them.

But now with respect to us Christians, who see the glorious spirit of the new testament under the letter of the old, we are not like Moses when veiled, as the Jews are: but like Moses when turned to the Lord; and deriving glory to his own face from beholding the light of the divine presence. Just such is the effect of the spirit of the old testament on those who are converted and look towards it, through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the spirit and glory of the law it occasions a transfiguration in man's nature, and derives glory to it, like to that which fell upon the face of Moses when he had conference with God, and was turned towards him. This is the effect which happens to us according to the sense of the apostle; whose words, though very obscure when taken independent of the context, will be easily understood after what hath been said-" We all, with open (that is, unveiled) face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the

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same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Ispirit of the Lord;" or, as the margin reads, by the Lord who is the spirit of the law, as aforesaid. Of all which the sense, in brief, is this: there was a glory on the face of Moses underneath his veil, and there is a glorious spirit under the letter of his law, which they who behold stedfastly are them