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designs. Let us then look up to him with lively confidence and humble hope, well assured that he can bring even the " wrath of man to praise him, while the remainder of that wrath he will mercifully restrain."

SERMON ΧΙΧ.

THE

CONNEXION

BETWEEN THE

ABRAHAMIC & CHRISTIAN COVENANTS.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

GALATIANS iii. 29.

It is evidently the duty, and it is no less the advantage of man, to contemplate the Almighty, both in the works of nature and in the paths of Providence. It is delightful, as well as profitable, to trace his hand through all the wonders of creation. In such a survey we shall be struck with the magnitude, diversity, order, and harmony of the divine works, and be ready to exclaim with the Psalmist, “O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom thou hast made them all!" And it is no less interesting to observe the operation of his providence, public as well as private. Not only does he exalt the humble individual, set the solitary in families;" but he enlargeth nations, and straiteneth them again; he causeth kingdoms to flourish, or he bringeth them to nought; proving the truth of his own emphatic expression, by the mouth of his prophet; " I create war; I make peace."

and

66

But there is a third view which we may take of the divine omnipotence, where our duty and advantage are at least equally combined; namely, in his moral government, or, in other words, in the various dispensations he has given to mankind. If it be useful to trace his hand in the natural world; if the dealings of his providence arrest our attention, surely we should not neglect to examine the designs of his moral government, and to endeavour, as far as our limited understandings will admit, to acquaint ourselves with that part of the divine scheme which involves immortality.

With this view the present subject was selected; namely, to consider the connexion which subsists between the Abrahamic and Christian covenants.

1. I propose, in the first place, to offer some general reasons for the probability of such a connexion; and,

II. To show that it does exist, and in what manner it is supported.

I. I shall offer some general reasons for the probability of such a connexion.

It is pleasant, when endeavouring to form our opinion upon such a subject, to reason from analogy; and this will be found to afford a strong presumptive evidence in support of the assertion. Is there any thing in nature sudden or disjointed? Is there any chasm in the great chain of creation? The most superficial observation assures us of the contrary. From the highest intelligence down to the lowest order in the mineral world, every link is preserved, though the ties by which they are united are scarcely perceptible. How many fossils, for instance, appear so nearly allied to the vegetable tribe, as to leave some doubt in which class to place them; nay, several have lately been discovered to shoot out branches, and have consequently been transferred to the vegetable kingdom. The sensitive plant, and some others of the same kind, form the link between that kingdom and the animal world. How little apparent difference exists between the oyster in his bed, and the leaf which shrinks from the touch! From the oyster, we trace the various degrees of feeling, and of instinct, up to the " half-reasoning elephant," whose faculties approach very nearly to a level with the lowest orders of rational creatures; and, from that dawn of intellect, we may ascend to a Newton; and the gradation is supported through the whole survey. Is it not, then, reasonable, is it not just, to suppose, that, if the Almighty acts thus in the natural world, the same plan will pervade his moral system?

Again; the attributes of God lead us to the same conclusion. The thoughts and designs of man are perpetually changing; -we form purposes which we never put into execution; some alteration in our circumstances renders a change necessary; we are induced to do things one week, which, but a week before, we should have deemed impossible. But none of these changes can occur in the divine counsels. He foresees every event which can take place; known unto God are all his works." Speaking of our Saviour, the Apostle Peter says; "who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world." Thus may the general probability of such a con

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