XLV.

ISAIAH, xi. 9.

THE EARTH SHALI. BE FULL OF THE KNOW.

LEDGE OF THE LORD, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.

HIS is an ancient prophecy, among many

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others, denoting the universality of the Chriftian religion; and in the New Testament we have various correfponding paffages, in which the progress of Christianity, from one end of the earth to the other, is held out.

But, fays the objector, we do not see these prophecies and intimations realized. Great part of the world is now in a heathen state-great part of it receives the koran-and feveral countries of the East have a religion of their own.

We answer, that we conceive the prophecies are fulfilled, when all parts of the world shall have

had the offer of Chriftianity; but, by no means, that it shall be upheld among them by a miracle. That is contrary to the whole analogy of nature. God gives increase to the tree, but does not prevent its decay. He gives increase to a man, but does not prevent his growing infirm. Thus religion, when planted in a country, is left to the natural course of things; and if that country grow fupine, and does not cherish the bleffing, it must take on itself the confequence. We conceive, therefore, that with regard to all thofe countries which receive the koran, where the Gospel once flourished, the prophecy hath already been fulfilled. Great part of Germany, France, and Italy, may be in the same state of dereliction. They have had the Gospel, and if they fhould nationally expel it, as in France they feem to have done, it is their own fault the prophecy has been fulfilled.

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As to those countries which never have received

the Gospel great part of America, Afia, and Africa, we have no doubt but it will be offered to them all. We fee Christianity has made great ftrides in those countries, even in our own times, and given us a fufficient earnest that prophecy will be fulfilled in every one of them.

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In the mean time, let us, my brethren, look to ourselves. If we value religion, let us take care

to preserve it. But it is not a bleffing, we see, entailed upon us. It may be loft, and we may

be left in fuch miferable darkness, as at this time overspreads the Turkish empire.

XLVI.

I COR. XV. 22.

IN ADAM ALL DIE.

As God created man in a state of perfection,

it has been asked, Why He did not allow him to continue in it? The abruptnefs of a para. difaical state looks like (what we cannot conceive) a fort of hafty change in the counfels of the Almighty. We must either, therefore, answer this objection, we are told; or must give up the Mofaic account as a mere allegorical compofition.

Of the abruptness of a paradisaical state, (on which the objection is founded,) we can form no opinion, unless we were perfectly acquainted with the whole of God Almighty's plan in the redemption of the world by Christ. It may relate to other worlds as well as to ours. We fee a natural connection

nection between our world, and the fun, the moon, and (for any thing we know) the planets and stars. Why may there not then be a moral connection alfo? As far as we can trace God Almighty's works, there is a connection among them all. In this view, then, the fall of man may be confidered only as a part of fome vast plan - perhaps only as the opening of it. This diffolves the objection fo far, at least, as to drive the objector to take refuge in his own ignorance.

Another probable fuppofition is, that as the world is meant to be a state of trial, the history of the fall was a good introduction to it. It was like a table of contents at the beginning of a book. It fhewed at once the fatal confequences of mifcarriage in a state of trial, and tended to put men on their guard. Something of the fame kind, our bleffed Saviour thought proper to present to mankind, on the opening of the Gospel. As the world was then more advanced, and become a wider fcene of trial, our Saviour, in his temptation in the wilderness, gave his followers a view of those temptations they were afterwards to encounter, and of the proper mode of oppofing them by the truths of Scripture.

But,

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