by the noble and lasting felicity, which succeeded? Is not the example of such high duty, and its subsequent reward, an unspeakable and endless blessing to mankind? As therefore this trying command was intended to produce such various and infinite good, it was not on ly consistent with, but a glorious display of divine benevolence. The prompt obedience of the patriarch was also worthy of a great and good man. He knew and felt that compliance with the will of God, however notified, was the first of human duties. He felt that his duty to his child was nothing, compared with his ob ligation to his infinite Creator; and that entire submission to him was the only road to personal, domestic, and general happiness.

But it may be asked, how could a religion come from God, which commanded parents to destroy their children? We reply, a religion, which made this an ordinary duty, could not be divine. But does it follow that infinite wisdom might not in some extraordinary case, see reasons for such a command ?

But how could Abraham know that this command was not a delusion? Beside the answer to a similar question in our last lecture, I will just add that God had before this conversed with him in nine several instances; had given him three distinct and trying injunctions; and had remarkably protected and prospered him in his compliance with each. After so much experience of the divine intercourse, could he not certainly distinguish the presence or voice of Deity; especially as he had three days to deliberate, and satisfy himself on the subject?

But did not Abraham's example in this instance give sanction and currency to the abominable practice of hu

Cc

man sacrifices? We answer, no; on the contrary it was admirably fitted to prevent or abolish this practice. For it was a public document to the world, that human sacrifices could not be acceptable to God even from his most eminent servants; since Abraham, his greatest favorite, was hindered by a voice from heaven from executing his purpose, and an animal victim was miraculously substituted in the place of his son. How could the true God have more signally manifested his abhorrence of the cruel rites of the heathens. What an instance of his wisdom and goodness, thus early to enforce upon mankind that humane and benevolent worship, in which he delights! In every view then the example before us, instead of depreciating, exceedingly recommends the character of our Patriarch, and the religion, which he professed.

Another Hebrew prophet, whose character has been loaded with censure, is king David. The chief objection lies in this, that David, though guilty of the most wick. ed adultery and murder, is styled a man after God's own heart, is said to have been upright and perfect before him, and is ranked among his inspired prophets. We grant that David's adultery and murder were most aggravated crimes. But if we view them in connexion with his whole life, they furnish no proof either that he was a wicked man, or that it was unworthy of God to honor him with his special and extraordinary favor. The prevailing features of his disposition and conduct, both before and after this scene of transgression, were pious and excellent. His behavior towards Saul, his envious and blood thirsty persecutor, was incomparably noble and virtuous. His zeal and services for his country were fervent and heroic. His regard to God, to his

worship and honor, and to the great interests of religion, was remarkably tender and active. His psalms, which

are evidently the genuine effusions of the heart, express the most sublime views and feelings respecting the Deity, his perfections and works, his providence and word; the most correct ideas and ardent desires of moral excellence, the most solemn appeals to Omniscience for his integrity; and the most humbling impressions of his dependence, guilt and unworthiness. If his sin in the affair of Uriah was very great, so likewise were the tokens of repentance, and of divine displeasure, which followed that transgression. On the whole, if we fairly and seriously view the characters and writings of the antient prophets, we shall throw a veil of candor and tenderness over their failings, and improve them as motives to hu mility and watchfulness over ourselves; we shall admire and emulate their superior virtues; we shall eagerly imbibe the spirit, and obey the instructions, which still live in their inspired compositions; our belief of their divine mission will be fully confirmed by the excellent nature and tendency of their doctrines, and by the accurate fulfilment of that great system of prophecy, which they delivered.

LECTURE XIX.

Enumeration of the various officers of distinction in the Hebrew church.

WE have largely attended to the principal re

ligious orders among the Jews, viz. the priests, the levites, and the prophets. Beside these there were various officers and distinctions of men in the Hebrew church, which merit some degree of attention. A brief consideration of them will throw much light on the Jewish history, and on the sacred writings.

*

I. There were some persons in that church, who were called by way of eminence wisemen, or in the Greek Sophoi. Our Savior, speaking of these in the gospel of Matthew, connects them with prophets, and in the paral lel text of Luke styles them apostles. Hence we may fairly conclude that these persons were nearly allied to prophets, though of an inferior grade; that is, that they were eminent in divine wisdom or scriptural knowledge, and were providentially sent by God as preachers to the people, and on this account are denominated apostles, or persons divinely sent; though they had not that spirit of inspiration which distinguished the prophets. It deserves notice here that the antient heathen philosophers assumed the same title of Sophoi or wise men; but the modesty of Pythagoras changed this proud style into the humble appellation of Philosophoi, or lovers of wisdom. To these boasters of superior wisdom St. Paul refers, when in one of his epistles he contemptuously demands, "Where is the wise? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" In Matt. xxiii. 35 Luke xi. 49.

the same paragraph he declares that with all their pretended wisdom "they knew not God."*

II. Another religious order among the Hebrews were the Scribes. There were several grades of civil trust, to which the sacred history applies this epithet. Thus Seraiah, David's principal secretary of state, and the prime ministers of succeeding kings, are called scribes. The secretary of war is also styled "the principal scribe of the host." We also read of "the families of the scribes" &c. which probably intend subordinate clerks or common scrivners. But the ecclesiastical scribes claim our present attention. These were persons trained up in the knowledge of the Jewish law and traditions, and who accordingly taught them in the schools and synagogues, and decided questions by them in the sanhedrims. This body of men are frequently mentioned in the New Testament under the different appellations of scribes, lawyers, doctors of the law, elders, counsellors, rulers, and those, who sat in Moses' seat; all which titles denote one order, viz. those, who explained and executed the law. This order indeed consisted of several degrees. For all, who were learned in the law and religion of the Jews, were in the days of Christ and his apostles called scribes; but especially the constituted teachers and judges. As the laws both of church and state proceeded from the same divine source, and were expounded by the same officers, we see why lawyers and scribes are used in the gospel as synonimous terms. And as the pharisees were then the most distinguished and numerous sect, and possessed the greatest portion of Jewish learning; the scribes for the most part belonged to this sect, and are therefore very frequently mentioned with the phari2 Kings, xviii. 18-xxv. 19. 1 Chron. ii. 55. Jer. xxvi. 4.

I Cor. i. 19, 20, 21. + 2 Sam. viii. 17.