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SACRED BIOGRAPHY:

OR, THE

^istorp of ti)t ^atnarcfjs;*

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

THE HISTORY OF DEBORAH, RUTH, AND HANNAH.

BEING

A COURSE OF LECTURES

DELIVERED AT THE

SCOTS CHURCH, LONDON WALL.

BY HENRY HUNTER, D.D.

%^t "StcoiiB ante^ican ©citiom

Complete in Four Volumes.

VOL. H.

yejus said unto them, Verily, -verily, I say ufitoyou, Before Abraham

ivas, lam. John viii. 58.

/ am Alpha and Omega, the begiiining and the ending, saith the Lord,

lukich is, and ivhich luas, and 'which is to come, the Almighty, • -

Revelation i. 8.

^urlingtan :

PUBLISHED Br DA FID JLLINSOy. NEW-YORK, PRINTED BY ROBERT CRUM8IE.

180*6,

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

Princeton Theological Seminary Library

http://www.archive.org/details/sacredbiograp02hunt

Contente

OF

VOLUME IL

LECTURE I.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE.

TAGE

Luke XX. 27, S8 — Then came to him certain of the Sadducees (whicli deny that there is any resurrection) and they asked him, saying. Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's bro- ther die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his bro- ther. There were therefore seven brethren ; and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her ; and in like manner the seven also : and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she ? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering, said unto them. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage. But they which shall he accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are givea in marriage. Neither can they die any more : for they iire equal unto the angels ; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he called the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isauc, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living : for all live unto him.

LEG rURE II.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 2

Heb. xi. 24, 27. — By faith Moses, when iie was come to years, refused to be called the sen of Pharaoh's daughter ; choos- ing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the re- proach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt : for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king : for he endured as seeing him who ie invisible.

11 CONTENTS.

LECTURE III.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 27

Exod. iii. 13, 14. — Aad INIoses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you : and they shall say to me. What is his name ? What shall I say unto them ? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM ; and he said, '1 hus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM, hath sent mc unto you.

LECTURE IV.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 5Q

Exod. vi. 9. — And Moses spake so unto the children of Is- rael : but they hearkened not unto Moses, for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

LECTURE V.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 63

Exod. vi. 1. — Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh : for with a stfong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

LECTURE VI.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 75

Exod. X. 7. — And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us ? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God : knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed.

LECTURE Vn.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 87

Exod. xii. 1, 3. — And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying. This month shall be unto you ^ the beginning of months : it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house.

LECTURE VIII.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 10©

Exod. xii. 26, 27. — And it shall come to pass when your chil- dren shall say unto you, W' hat mean you by this service ? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

CONTENTS. Ill

Psalm xci. 5, 8 — Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by- night ; nor for the arrow that ttieth by day ; nor for the pes- tilence that walketh in darkness ; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-duy. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at t!iy right hand ; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold) and see the reward of the wicked.

LECTURE IX.

HISTORY OF MOSES. " 113

Exod. xiii. 17, 22. — And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that ivas near ; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent Avhen they see war, and they return to Eg-ypt. But God led the peo- ple about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, And the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph ■with him : for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you ; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their jour- ney from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them, by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night,yrom before the people.

LECTURE X. HISTORY OF MOSES. 128

Exod. xiv. 21, 22. — And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground ; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

LECRURE XI.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 141

Exod. XV. 1, 2. — Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously ; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation : he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation ; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

IV CONTENTS.

LECTURE XII.

HISTORY OF MOSES 157

Exod. XV. 23. 27. — And when they came to Marah, theycould not drink of the waters of Marah ; for they were bitter ; therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the peo- ple murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord ; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which, when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet : there he made for them a statute and an ordinarice, and there he proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes ; I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians : for I am the Lord that healeth thee. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and three score and ten palm-trees ; and they encamped there by the waters.

LECTURE XIIL

HISTORY OF MOSES. 169

Exod. xvi. 1 1, 15. — And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel ; speak unto them, saying, At even you shall cat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread : and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up and covered the camp : and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar-frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna ; for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unlo them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

LECTURE XIV.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 182

Exod. xvii. 1, 2, 5, 6. — And all the congregation of the chil- dren of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journies, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim : and there was no water for the people to drink. "Wherefore the people did chide with Mo- ses, and said, give us water, that we may drink. And Mo- ses, said unto them. Why chide you with me ? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel ;

CON TEN IS. V.

and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that tlie people may drink. And Moses did »o in the sight of the elders of Israel.

LECTURE XV.

HISTORY OF MOSES. .196

Exod. xvii. 8, 13. — Then came Amalek, and fought with Is- rael in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek ; to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek : and Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed ; and when he let down hi» hand Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy: and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon : and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side ; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

LECTURE XVI.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 209

Exod. xviii. 7, 12. — And Moses went out to meet his father- in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him : and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done imto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, for Israel's sake, and all the travel that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel ; whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said. Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh ; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know tliat the Lord is greater than all gods ; for in ihe thing wherein ihcy dealt. proudly he was above them. And Jethro, Moses' father- in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God : and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law, before God.

VI CONTENTS.

LECTURE XVII.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 222

Exod. xix. 16, 22. — And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud ; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire ; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greately. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount ; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount, and ^ Moses went up. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish. And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.

LECTURE XVIIL

HISTORY OF MOSES. 237

Josh. i. 17. — According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee : only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.

John i. 17. — For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Contents

OF

SECOND COURSE

OF

LECTURES. LECTURE r.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE.

PAGE 255

2 Tiui. i. 8, 10. — Be not therefore asliamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel, according to the power of God ; M'ho hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own pur- jxjse and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began ; but is now made manifest by the ap- pearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

LECTURE n. HISTORY OF MOSES 26§

Exod. xxiv. 15, 18. — And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days : and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount, in ihe eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount : and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

LECTURE in.

HISTORY OF MOSES 285

Exod. xxxii. 1, 4. — And when the people saw that ?vIoses

delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered

themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him. Up,

make us gods which shall go before us ; for as for this

Vlll CONTENTS.

Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden ear-rings, which arc in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their cars, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool after he had made it a molten calf : and they said, These be thy gods, O Is- rael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

LECTURE IV.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 298

Exod. xxxiii. 3, 1 1. — And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent-door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. And it come to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar de- scended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle-door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent-door. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

LECTURE V. HISTORY OF MOSES. 313

Exod. xxxiii. 18. — And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

LECTURE VL

HISTORY OF MOSES. 325

Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30. — And it came to pass when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, (with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount) that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone, while he . talked wiih him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and I hey were afraid to come nigh him.

LECTURE VIL

HISTORY OF MOSES. 338

Exod. xxxix. 42, 43 — According to all that the Lord com- manded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it : and Moses blessed them.

COM TENTS. IX

LECTURE VIII.

HISTORY OF MOSES. 34»)

Exod. xl. 17, 34, 38 — And it came to pass in the first month, in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congrepfation, and the glory of the Ijord filled the ta- bernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud aliode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Anrl when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journies. But if the cloud Avere not taken up, then they journeyed not, till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journies.

LECTURE IX.

HISTORY OF AARON. 364

Numb. XX. 23, 29. — And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people : for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against ray word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, ^and bring them up unto Mount Hor : and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son : and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. And Moses did as the Lord commanded : and they went up into Mount Hor, in the sight of all the congre- gation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garmenti and put them upon Eleazar his son : and Aaron died there in the top of the mount- And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

LECTURE X.

HISTORY OF AARON. 377

Numb. xx. 23,29.

LECTURE XI.

HISTORY OF AARON. 392

Numb. xx. 23, 29.

X CONTENTS,

LECTURE XII.

HISTORY OF AARON. 404

Numb. xx. 23, 29.

LECTURE XIIL

HISTORY OF BALAAM. 4lS

2 Pet. ii. 15. !<>. — These are Rone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of un- riohteousness. But was rebuked for his iniquity ; the dimib ass, speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.

LECTURE XIV.

HISTORY OF BALAAM 435

Numb. xxii. 21. — And Balaam rose up in tlie morning and saddled his ass, and wei)t with the prince of Moab.

LECTURE XV.

HISTORY OF BALAAM. 446

2 Pet. ii. 15,1 6. — These are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, Vv-ho loved the wages of unrigh- teousness. But was rebuked for his iniquity ; the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the Prophet.

LECTURE XVI.

HISTORY OF BALAAM. 460

Nun b. xxiii. 10 Wlio can count the dust of Jacob, and the

number of the fourth part of L rael ? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his I

LECTURE XVII.

HISTORY OF BALAAM. 472

Rt;v. ii. U — But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast here them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, ■who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block befoie the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to conamit fornication.

sae

mxt'i BiograpJ^.

LECTURE I.

Then came to him certain of the Sadducees fzvhich dejiy that there is any resurrection) and they asked hint, saying. Master, Moses zvrote unto ns, If any man'^s brother die, having a wife, and he die zvithout chil- dren, that his brother should take his zvife, and raise lip seed unto his brother. There were therefore seven brethren : and the first took a wife, and died with- out children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; ajid in like manner the seven also. And they left no chil- dren, and died. Last of all the woman died also, Tlierefore in the resurrection, xvhose ivife of them is she ? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answer- ing said unto them. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage : but they zvhich shall be accounted worthy to obtain that zvorld, and the re- surrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Nozv that the dead are raised, even Moses shezved at the bush, zvhen he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For lie is nvt a God of the dead, but of the living : for all live unto him. ...I^uke xx. ^7-.38.

ONE of the most obvious and natural consolations of reason, under the loss of those whom we dearly loved, and one of the most abundant consola-

VOL. ir. 3

10 INTIIODUCTOIIY LECTUREo iECT. 'I.

tions famished by religion, is the belief that our de- parted friends, are, at their death, disposed of infinitely to their advantage. We weep and mourn while wc reflect upon the deprivation of comfort which we have sustained ; but we wipe the tears of sorrow from our eyes, w hen we consider tliat our loss is their unspeaka- ble gain. " Rachel weeping for her children," refuses to he comforted so long as she thinks " they arc not ;" !)ut her soul is tranquilized and comforted when her eyes, in faith, look within the veil, and behold them softly and securely reposing in the bosom of their Father aiid God. It is an humbling and mortifying employ- r.ieut to visit church-yards, to step from grave to grave, lo recal the memory while we trample upon the ashes (-f the youFig, the beautiful, the wise and the good i but we ftr.d immediate relief, we rise into joy, we tread among the slurs, when aided by religion, we transport ourselves in thought to those blessed regions where ai! the faithful live, and reign, and rejoice ; where " tliey that be wise shine as the brightness of the fir- mament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever, Dan. xii. 3. Distance is ihen b\\ allowed up and lost, and we mingle in the noble employments and pure delights of the blessed immor- tals who encircle the throne of God.

It is astonishing to think, that there should have been men disposed willingly to deprive themselves of this glorious source of comfort ; men ready to resign the high prerogative of their birthright, and by a spe- cies (jf humility strange and unnatural, spontaneously degrading themselves to the level of the brutes that pe- rish. And yet there have been in truth such men in every age. But it is no wonder to find those who sa- tisfy themselves with the pursuits and enjoyments of a mere beastly nature while they live, contented to lie down with the beasts in death, to rise no more. They first make it their interest that there should be no here-

LECT: I. INTllODlfCTOBY LECTURE. fj

after, nnd then they fondly persuade themselves that' there shall be none.

Error of every kind, both in faith and morals, pre- vailed in the extreme, at the period when and in the country where the Saviour of the world appeared for our redemption. The nation of the Jews was divided^ in respect of moral and religious sentiment, into two great sects or parties, who both pretended to found their opinions upon the authority of the inspired books, which were held in universal estimation among them ; and particularly the writings of Moses. But thev drew conclusions directly opposite from the same facts and doctrines ; and both deviated, in the grossest manner, from the spirit and design of that precious record which they both affected to hold in the highest veneration.

The Pharisees, earnestly contending for the strict observance of the law, confined their attention to its minuter and less important objects, and paid " the tithe of mint and anise and cummin," but omitted *' the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith :" and, raising oral tradition to the rank and dignity of scripture, found a pretence for dispensing with the plainest and most essential obligations of mo- rality, when these contradicted their interests and opinions. Heinously offended at the neglect of wash- ing hands previous to eating, they were v\ icked enough to establish, by a law of their own, neglect of, unkind- ness and disobedience to parents ; thus, according to the just censure which our Lord passed upon them, " straining out a gnat, and swallowing a camel."

The Sadducees, on the other hand, the strong spirits of the age, disdaining the restraints imposed on man- kind by a written law, thought fit to become a law unto themselves. They left the austerities of a strict religion and morality to vulgar minds ; and, that they might procure peace to themselves in the cnjoyment- of those sinful pleasures to whicli they were ..ddictetlj

12 INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. LECT. I.

they denied the existence of spirit, the immortality of the soul, and a future state of retribution. They al- ledged that the law was silent on those points, and that this silence was a sufficient reason for rejecting the be- lief of them. They went farther, and contended, that were such doctrines contained in the law, they ought not to be admitted, because they implied a contradic- tion, or at least involved such a number of difficulties as it was impossible satisfactorily to solve. The chief of those difficulties they propose to our blessed Savi- our in the passage which I have read ; and they do this, not in the spirit of docility and diffidence, to have it removed, but in the pride of their hearts, vainly taking for granted that it was insurmountable.

My principal intention in leading your tlioughts to this subject at this time, is the occasion which it af- forded to the great Teacher who came from Go.l, of discoursing on a theme nearly conrrct'-d with the de- sign of these Lectures ; and of disclosing to us sun- dry important particulars, respecting the venerable men whose lives we hav^e been studying, and those which we are still to examine ; and respecting- that world in which we, together with them, have a con- cern so deeply, because eternally, interesting To these we shall be led by making a few cursory remarks on the proceeding conversation which uook place be- tween Christ and the Sudducees. And this shall serve as an Introduction to the farther continuation of a Course of Lectures on the history of the memorable persons and events presented to us in the holy scrip- tures of both the Old and New Testaments.

The Sudducees insidiously begin their attack by professing the highest respect for the authority of Mo- ses and of his writings : " Master, Moses wrote unto us." The most pernicious designs, the most malevo- lent purposes, are frequently found to clothe themselves in smiles ; often while mischief lies brooding in men*s kearts, " their words are smoother than oil." The

LECT. I., INTRODUCTORy LECTURE. 13

father of lies himself can have recourse to truth If it be likely to serve his turn ; and the enemy of all good- ness will condescend to quote that scripture whicli he hates, if it can help him to an argument for the occa- sion. With this affcctfd deference for Moses, the Sad- ducees are aiming at the total subversion of every mo- ral and religious principle, by weakening one of the strongest motives to virtue, and undermining the surest foundation of hope and joy to man. They alledge, that obedience to the law might eventually lead to much confusion and disorder ; and they suppose a situation, for none such ever existed, in which com- pliance with the revealed will of God in this world would infallibly lead to discord and distress in that ivhich is to come. In this we have an examiDleofa very common case ; that of men straining their eyes to contemplate objects at a great distance, or totally out of sight, and wilfully neglecting or overlooking those which are immediately before them : troubling themselves about effects and consequences of which they are ignorant, and over which they hav5 no power, while they are regardless of obvious truth, and com- manded duty, though these are their immediate busi- ness and concern. The Sadducees in order to cloak their licentiousness and infidelity, affect solicitude about the regularity and peace of a future state, which in words they denied, if they did not from the heart disbelieve.

I make but one remark rriore before I proceed to our Lord's reply. Eagerness and anxiety to bring forward and to establish an opinion, betray an inward doubt or disbelief of it. Truth is not ever proclaiming itself from the house-tops, is not forward to obtrude itself upon every occasion, but is satisfied with maintaining and defending itself when assaulted ; but falsehood is eternally striving to conceal or strengthen its conscious weakness by a parade of words, and a shew of reason. The zeal of the Sadducees to explode and run down

14 INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. LECT, I.

the doctrine of the resurrection, plainly betrays a se- cret dread and belief of it.

Our Lord, in his answer, points out directly the source of all error and infidelity, *' ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, ana tlie power of God." Not knowing the scriptures, ye suppose a doctrine is not in them, because ye have not found it there : because ye have wihlilly shut your own eyes, ye vainly imagine there is no light in the sun ; and take upon you to af- firm there is none. Not knowing the power of God, you call that impossible which you cannot do, deem that absurd which you do not comprehend, and pro- nounce that false which you wish to be so. The whole force of the objection to the truth of the resurrection, goes upon the supposition, that the future world is to be exactly constituted as the present ; that the relations and distinctions which subsist among men upon earth, are to subsist in the kingdom of heaven. But the sup- position is founded m ignorance and falsehood ; and, the moment it is denied, the mighty argument built upon it falls to the ground. " In the resurrection," says Christ, " they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as' the angels of God in heaven."

In these words, the eondition of men in the \vorld to come, is described, first, negatively, " they neither marry, nor are given in marriage." The power whicl) created the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, might undoubtedly, had it pleased him, have created the whole human race at once, as easily as he formed the first of men, Adam, and as easily as he rears up one generation of men after another, in the course of providence. But, thinking it meet to peo- ple tlie earth by multiplying mankind gradually upon it, difference of sex and the institution of marriage were the means wJiich he was pleased to employ. In the resurrection, the number of the redeemed being complete at once, that difference, and that institution, Ixnng: unnecessarv, shall be do":ie a^^av. Our Saviour

JLECT. I. INTRODUCTORY LECTURL. 13

adds *' neither can they die anymore." Death, too, enters into the plan of Providence for the government of this worhl. Men must be removed, to make rocnn for men. But because this sphere is narrow and con- tracted, and unable to contain and support the increas- inf multitudes of many generations, is the Lord's hand shortened, that he cannot expand a more spacious fir- mament, and compact a more spacious globe, to con- tain, at once, the countless nations of them that are saved '? O how greatly do men err ; not knowing the power of God ! Death is no part of the plan of Provi- dence for the government of that \vorId of bliss. In our Father's house above there are many mansions ; there is bread enough, and to spare ; there is room for all, provision for all : the father need not to die, to give space to the son, nor the mother to spare, that the child may have enough. For they are "as the angels of God," says our Lord, accordingto Matthew, "equal to the an- gels," says our evangelist, "and arc children of God."

This describes their hj-.ppiness positively. Men on earth " see in a glass darkly ; know in part, prophecy in part," are encompassed with infirmity; but the " angels in heaven" excel in strength, stand before the throne of God, serve him day and night in his temple, without wearying, see face to face, know as they are known." Their number is completed, their intercourse is pure und perfect, without the means of increase and union which exist here below.

Having thus reproved their ignorance and presump- tion, respecting the " power of God," our Lord pro- ceeds to expose their ignorance respecting " the scrip- tures," and produces a passage from Moses, in whom they trusted, which they had hitherto overlooked or misunderstood, wherein the doctrine in dispute v.-as clearly laid down ; and which we had principally in view in leading your attention to this passage on the present occasion.

The passage quoted, is that noted declaration of

16 INTROEUCtORY LECTURE. LECT. l".

God to Moses, from the midst of the burning bush, " I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," Exod. iii. 6. That God should liave condescended to hold this kinguage concerning Enoch, " who was translated that he should not see death," had been less wonder- ful ; for that holy man, who walked with God upon earth, was exalted immediately to a more intimate union v. ith God in heaven. But to speak thus of men who v\ere long ago mouldered into dust, of whom nothing remained among men but their names, con- veys an idea of human existence, before which the life of a Methuselah dwindles into nothing, an idea which swallows up mortality, and gives a dignity and a duration to man that bids defiance to the grave. That God should say to Abraham, while he lived, *' I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward," Gen.

XV. 1 was a miracle of grace and condescension;

but to speak thus, more than three centuries after he had been consigned to the tomb, " I am the God of Abraham," this exhibits a relation between God and the faithful, which perfectly reconciles the mind to the thoughts of dissolution. Indeed it is imposibie to conceive any thing more elevating, any thing more tranquiiizing to the soul, than the view of future bliss with which the text presents us. And this tranquility and elevation are greatly heightened by the considera- tion, that Jehovah, from the midst of flaming fire, xuider the Old 'J'estament dispensation, and Jehovah in the person of the great Redeemer, under the New, taught the same glorious truth to the world. And what is it? " i am the God oi" Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

When God was pleased to express his favorable re- gard to Abraham upon earth, what did it amount to? He led him through a particular district of land, in the length and the breadth of it, and said *' I will give it thee." But Abraham now expatiates through a more

LECT. I, INTRODUCTOr. Y LECTURE. Vf

ample rcp;ion, and contcmpl.'.tcs a fairer inheritance, an inheritance his ow n, not in hope, but in possession. Abraham, thoiii^li following the leading of Divine Providence, saw the Redeemer's day only afar off: but, in virtue of his relation to Gcd, he has now be- held the dawniigof the morning cxpandtd into the pure light of the perfect day. Ke once felt the events which affected his family, with the emotion natural to a man ; he has since beheld them extending their in- fluence to nations uhich he thought not of; and he now looks forward in holy rapture, to that period when he, and his Isaac, and an earthly Canaan, and every thing of a temporal and tn>nsitory nature, shall bring their glcry and their honor, and lay all at the feet of " Him, w ho sitttth upon the throne, and before the Lamb."

From Abraham rve are removed to a distance of time and place, in which thought is lost, and we seem to ha^■e no more interest in him than if he had never existed. But the doctrine of the text brings us so close to him, that we recognise the friend of God, in the midst of myriads of saints in glory ; we converse with him, and continue to be instructed by him.

The dust of Abraham sleeps unnoticed and forgotten in the cave of Machpelah ; but lift up thine e} es, and behold Abraham on high, and Lazarus in his bosom ; his spirit united to God " the Father of spirits," and to all " the spirits of just men made perfect." " And even that dust" also "rests in hope:" It shall not always be left in the place of the dead; it shall not remain forever a prey to corruption. Abraham pur- chased a tomb, and buried his Sarah out of his sight; but he has overtaken, regained her, in the regions of eternal day, w here virtuous and believing friends meet, never more to be disjohied. Abraham received his Isaac from the wonder-w orking hand of Heaven, w hen nature was dead to hope ; at the command of God he cheerfully surrendered him again, and devoted hira

v^oi. ir. c

m INTRODUCTORY lECTrRE. tECT. t,

upon the altar : again he receives him to newness of ]ife, and that darling son lives to put his hand upon his eyes. But they were not long disunited ; the son- has overtaken the parents ; they rejoice in God, and in one another ; they are the children and heirs of the resuirection ; "they areas theangelsof God inheaven." " I am the God of Isaac." This Isaac, the heir of Abraham's possessions, of his faith, and of his virtues^ was, on earth, united to the God of the spirits of all flesh, by many tender and important relations : by piety, by filial confidence, by goodness, by patience and submission, on his part ; by election, by special favor, by bigness of destination, on the part of his hea- venly Father. Yet these dibtinguished advantages ex- empted him not from the stroke of affliction. Many vears did this heir of the promises, this chosen seed, " in w liom all the flimilies of the earth should be bless- ed," many years did he go childless. Early in life 'ivas he visited w ith the loss of sight, and thereby ex- posed to much mortification and dejection of spirit. Children are at length given him, and they prove the torment of his life ; they excite a war betwixt nature and grace in his own breast; discord and jealousy arm