pofterity. In all things the fcripture holds up uncircumcifed Abram to be poffeffed of fupernatural gifts, an unblemished character, father of the Meffiah, and his Elect, friend and darling of his God. So that faithful uncircumcifed Abram ftood in the fame degree of perfection and pre-eminence in the eyes of his God equally with the circumcifed Abraham, But yet, he was neither the origin of facrificing, nor the firft, nor only favorite facrifice we must fuppofe took place from the fall of our first parents, it being proper, though infufficient, that a public act or offering fhould be immolated. First, to acknowledge our fole dependence and reliance with every act and virtue of religion, as wholely due and centered in our God. Secondly, to deplore and lament the fall of man, precarious ftate, with numberless fins that daily impede man's falvation. Thirdly, as types or figures of the oblation, or great facrifice of Redemption, the ransom or purchase of God's favour, by the death of Chrift. At the arrival of the Principal or Real, all types, figures or fhadows naturally ceased, having obtained the completion for which they were inftituted. As the fcripture has affirmed, 4th Pfalm, "Sacrifice and oblation thou didft not defire; burntofferings and fin-offerings haft thou not required." Then, faid I, behold, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me : 1 delight to do thy will, O my God. Your will is within my heart. Daniel 9th chapter. The prophet Daniel, after marking this epoch, which was the grand æra or date of the christian

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covenant, confirms the ceafing of the types and figures. And he (the Meffiah) fhall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week, he fhall caufe the facrifice and the oblation to cease; and for the overfpreading of abominations he fhall make it defolate, even until the confummation, and that determined, fhall be poured upon the defolate, to enumerate the paffages of fcripture that confirms the ceafing, and abolishing the old law, with its types and figures, at the arrival of the Meffiah, who was to establish a new covenant, with the reprobation of the Jews, and defolation of the country and nation, would be endlefs.

To return to the earlier times of facrifice and offerings. The two fons of Adam we find converfant with this duty. Genefis 4th chapter. As your law-giver, Mofes, has placed in the firft book of his Pentateuch. These are his words. "And in procefs of time, Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord; and Abel brought of the firftlings of his flock, and of the fat." We muft fuppofe, that Cain and Abel, the two first defcendants from Adam, were taught this duty by their father, which, no doubt, was enjoined and prefcribed to the pofterity of our first parent, a perpetual law in their generations. And, as the promife was removed from the Jewish hierarchy, fo we find recorded by this law-giver the types tranfported by Noah from the Antediluvians to thofe fince the flood, the moft faithful comments are his own word

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Genefis 8th chapter. And Noah went forth, out of the ark, and his fons, and his wife, and his fons wives with him, every beaft, every creeping thing, thing, and every fowl; and Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beaft, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.

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Job, who is generally fuppofed was a cotemporary with Mofes, your law-giver, and that he was the author of his life, entered it into the fcriptures as a model of perfection. This man, as Noah, Enoch, and Abel (in the book of Genefis) were Gentiles, examples of virtue, and peculiar favourites of their God, as the fcripture witneffes, to which I refer you. I will only fay a few words out of the Life of Job. Job ift chapter. There was a man in the land of Us, whofe name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and avoided evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and his fons feasted in their houses, each one his day. And when the days of their feafting were over, Job fent and fanctified them, and rofe up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to their number: for Job faid, "It may be that my fons have finned," Thus did Job continually. And the Lord faid, "There is none like him on the earth, a perfect and upright man. In In Job you will find the perfect chriftian.

19th chapter. Oh, that my words were now written, Oh, that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock for ever! For I know that my

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Redeemer liveth, and that he fhall ftand at the latter day on the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh fhall I fee God, whom I fhall fee for myself, and my eyes fhall behold, and not another."

The most zealous chriftian cannot exprefs himself, or enforce his fentiments with greater energy, on the Divine and Human nature of Chrift. Job lived 1500 years prior to the time marked for the birth of Chrift. He firft affirmed, that the Divine nature lived, and that in the latter day (which was the æra or epoch marked for the manifeftation and reign of the Meffiah, this laft age) he fhould ftand or manifeft himself on earth in his human nature, as was promised at the fall of man, that the feed of the woman should crush the serpent's head, that is, defeat the intrigues of Satan, and reftore man to the favour of his God, which Satan had robbed him of. The refurrection or revival of the flesh was well known to Job, as he declares. And though worms deftroy this body, yet, in my flesh fhall I fee God. He expoftulates with his friends for cenfuring his complaints caufed by exceffive pain, from which we draw these fundamental principles of chriftianity, known from the fall of man and until the end of the world, requifite and neceffary for obtaining falvation, Faith and Hope in Chrift, coupled with a holy, virtuous, and perfect life.

But you should fay, why perfecute we him, feeing the root of the matter is found in his heart. Be ye afraid of the fword; for wrath caufeth the punishment of the fword, that you

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may know there is a judgment. I will expa-. tiate in few words on the meeting, and bring into contact the characters of Melchifedech, king of Salem, who was an uncircumcifed prieft, a Gentile, and Ifrael's great progenitor, who received the promife. Their meeting was on Abram's return from the battle of the kings victorious. Genefis 14th chapter. And Melchi fedech brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the moft High God. And he bleffed him and faid, Bleffed be Abram of the moft High God, poffeffor of heaven and earth, and blessed be the moft High God, which hath delivered thy enemies into thy hands, and he gave him tithes of all.

Your great legiflator places before us two diftinguished characters, fublime and fingularly exalted, characterifing the Jewish and chriftian covenants. Abram Abram reprefents and exhibits bloody offerings of beafts and birds, according to the law, as aforefaid. Melchifedech, bread and wine, reprefenting the chriftian facrifice of the Mafs. The chriftian facrifice the Royal prophet fet forth in his Pfalm 1000 years prior to the inftitution. This Pfalm confirms the exalted ftate human nature would be entitled in the perfon of Chrift and completion of the promife, that in Abram's feed all nations fhould be bleffed. Pfalm 110. The Lord faid unto my Lord, "Sit thou on my Right-hand, until I make thy enemies thy footftool. The Lord fhall fend the rod of thy ftrength out of Zion rule thou in the midft of thy enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,

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