Page images
PDF
EPUB

even by the Angels, who were witnesses of it: and the history of it would have been totally useless to ourselves; except merely as settling the point, that the world was created. The first verse in the Bible, would have contained the whole. Nor could any thing have been added to it with propriety, unless that God called the universe into existence by his word. How much more interesting, comprehensible, and delightful, is the whole chapter, in which that verse is contained! In a far higher proportion was the actual progress. and order, of this great work intelligible, interesting, and delightful, to the Sons of God, who were witnesses of its accomplishment. They saw, and understood, much of what was done: we read, and understand, not a little. The history of the Creation, as written by Moses, is the noblest history, which was ever written by man. With perfect simplicity it unites supreme grandeur; and has accordingly received the highest testimony of Criticism, from the time of Longinus to the present day.

It is further to be remembered, that by means of this order of Creation, the Sabbath, the great source of piety, and eternal life, to man, was ushered into the world with a solemnity, unrivalled and infinite. God rested, say the divine writers, from all his works, which he created and made; the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. What a Sabbath was this! Who, with such an example before him, can refuse to keep this day holy unto the Lord? Who does not see, that the very existence of this example, and all its consequent influence, arose out of the order of the Creation, recited by Moses?

Secondly. Another objection, urged by Infidels against the Divine origin of the Scriptures, is derived from the date, assigned by them to the Creation.

"Can it be supposed," say these men, "that God existed so many millions of ages, alone; and began the work of creating, only six thousand years ago?" This question has been often asked with confidence, and even with triumph. But it has been always asked without good sense, or consideration. Yet, as there are persons, who will ask it, and others who will suppose it to possess real weight; it will not be improper to give it a momentary attention. I answer then,

(In the first place) That the Scriptures do not assert the existence of created things to have been begun at the time, when this world was made; and there is no presumption against the formation of this world at the time specified. There is no more reason to conclude, a priori, that worlds may be created at different times, but must all be brought into existence co-etaneously, than there is to form the same decision concerning trees, animals, or men.

(2dly.) If all things were created at the time, specified by Moses; then it is certain, that the Creation existed as soon as was possible. Between the eternity of God, and any supposable date of Creation, or commencement of time, there is, there can be, no posVOL. I.

43

sible relation; and therefore no possible comparison. To the eternity of Him, with whom one day is exactly as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; who inhabiteth eternity at once; whose duration is an omnipresent Now; our successive existence, and the periods by which it is reckoned, have no reference whatever. To Him, time and date have no relation, and are obviously nothing.

(3dly.) Had the world been created at the commencement of any imaginable past period; suppose a billion of years; at the end of six thousand years from its first creation, the same objection would have been made against the date of its existence with exactly the same force. It might then have been asked, with exactly the same propriety, "Can it be supposed, that God existed so many millions of ages alone; and began the work of creating, only six thousand years ago?" The objectors appear not to perceive, that by receding into past duration, they approach no nearer to a goal; but that while they amuse themselves with the dream of advancing towards a satisfactory limit, the same vast still expands immeasurably before them.

From the regular order of things, Infidels have also determined, Thirdly, That the Universe is eternal, and have hence denied the revelation of the Scriptures.

St. Peter has taught us, that in the last days there should be scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For, since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the World. This prediction, we ourselves see verified. There have long been, there are now, just such scoffers, just such objectors. The regular order of things, established in this world, has long been the source of pertinacious opposition to the word, the government, and even the existence, of God; and the design of the opposition has uniformly been to overthrow the promise, and the probability, of his coming to Judgment.

The general doctrine of these men has been this: "The materials of the universe were self-existent and eternal. By means of these materials, fate, necessity, destiny, or a blind succession of causes, have produced such beings and events, as have hitherto existed." At the same time, another class of Infidels pronounce all such beings and events to be the result of mere chance. Regular as the present system is; they professedly find in it sufficient irregularity to warrant them in making this conclusion. Singular, indeed, must be that state of things, which is sufficiently regular to support the former of these doctrines, and sufficiently irregular to warrant the latter. According to these schemes, taken together, there neither is, nor can be, any proof of the existence and government of God, either in the present, or in any supposable, state of things. The only remaining mode, by which the Creator can make himself known to mankind, is Revelation; and the possibility

of this, several of these men roundly deny. Men, indeed, make known themselves to each other, every day, by speaking, moving, and acting. Even common modesty, as well as common sense, could not, one would think, believe this to be beyond the power, and skill, of the omnipotent and omniscient Creator of men.

The two schemes of existence, here specified, have been sufficiently examined in the second of these discourses. All that I have intended here, was barely to remind you of the manner, in which men of this character have thought proper to reason; and to show you, that their views of the universe, and its Author, flow from the heart, and not from the head.

Fourthly. Infidels object the Miracles, recorded in the Scriptures, against their divine origin; on the ground, that there is an universal presumption against the existence of a miracle.

Those, which are styled the laws of nature, were, it will be remembered, subsequent in their existence to the Creation. This work could not, therefore, be in any sense conformed to them; but was an immediate act of Divine power; absolutely new, conformed to no analogy, and existing in a manner wholly miraculous. What is thus true of the work of Creation, at large, is equally true of the act, by which each individual thing, originally created, was brought into being. There have, therefore, been many millions. of miraculous productions; and in this vast number of instances, miracles have been certainly wrought. Of course, there is the strongest presumption of their existence in other cases. We know that they have been actually wrought, when there was a sufficient occasion; and cannot rationally doubt, that on every other such occasion they would be wrought again. Nothing more, therefore, can be necessary to prove their existence, than fair unexceptionable testimony.

6thly. If this great work is thus wonderful; how wonderful, how glorious must be its Author!

All these things, He contrived and executed. All of them are merely pictures, or archetypes, of the thoughts, originally existing in the Uncreated Mind. Whatever is beautiful, useful, majestic, or exalted, is only a display of the beauty, excellence, greatness, and sublimity, of Divine perfection. How naturally do our first Parents exclaim, in the language of the great English Poet,

"These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,

Almighty! thine this universal frame,

Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then,
Unspeakable!"

What an astonishing act must it have been to create a world, its furniture and its inhabitants, together with all their natures and qualities; and to prepare them for all their successive operations many of these inhabitants destined to live, and many of these operations destined to affect them, throughout eternity.

What a Mind must that be, which could contain an exact, as

well as comprehensive, scheme of all the parts, characteristical qualities, and operations, of such a work; which, without confusion, or mistake, could see through the whole, and discern every consequence, even in the remotest ages of being, which could so exactly prescribe the nature, determine the operations, and limit the number of parts, however great, however minute ; and in the progress of duration find no cause for the least change in the work, or the least deviation from the system!

Such are the views, which justly arise from the contemplation of our world, as it now is. How much more forcibly would they have been impressed on our minds, had we lived in the same world, as it came fresh and fair from the hands of the Creator, when He surveyed every thing, that he had done, and pronounced it very good' How delightfully should we have been affected by the objects, contained in the present world, had we been superior to death, and des tined to live for ever; had we been planted in Eden, where the air, the earth, and the waters, teemed with life; and immortality breathed in the winds, flowed in the streams, ripened in the fruits, and exhaled from the flowers! At the side of our first Parents, and encircled by Paradise, how instinctively should we have exclaimed, Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive blessing, and glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast made all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created!

The source of all these wonders, is the Lord Jesus Christ. For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things; and by him all things consist. To him, therefore, is this admiration and glory due; and to him the obedience, confidence, and worship, which the Creator of the universe justly challenges from his Intelligent Creation.

SERMON XXII.

CREATION.-MAN.

GENESIS i. 26, 27.-And God said, Let us make Man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created Man in his own image; in the image of God created He him: male and female, created He them.

IN several preceding discourses, I have considered the formation of the Heavens, the Character and Circumstances of Angels, both Virtuous and Fallen, and the Creation of the World, in which we dwell. The next subject of our investigation, is Man. This subject, though far less splendid than several of the preceding themes of contemplation, is yet peculiarly interesting to us. Every thing that relates to it, must directly and intimately concern ourselves; and nothing of this nature can be, to us, uninvested with serious importance, or undeserving of our particular attention.

Nor is this the only point of view, in which Man claims a high regard. God himself has bestowed an attention upon them, which has not been given even to angels themselves. Angels, when they fell, were banished for ever from the presence and favour of their Creator. But, when Man had fallen, the Son of God descended from Heaven; assumed our nature; lived in this world a suffering life; and died a shameful death; that we might be saved. From the grave, also, He arose on the third day; ascended to Heaven; sat down at the right hand of God the Father; and became Head over all things for the benefit of his Church. Angels themselves are employed by Him in promoting this mighty work; and are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation. For men, Heaven, shut to the Apostate Angels, is again opened. For Man, also, when the earth and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, and the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved; new heavens, and a new earth, like the fabled Phoenix out of its ashes, shall arise, in which righteousness shall dwell for

ever.

Man, therefore, notwithstanding his humble origin, and guilty character, is an object, rendered highly important on account of the peculiar regard, exhibited to him by his Maker. At the same time, we ought, in every general estimate of man, to remember, that at his creation, he was endued with powers, placed in circumstances, and destined to enjoyments, of no inconsiderable distinction and glory. This reference we are, in every such case, taught to make by St. James; who, speaking of the abuses of the tongue, and of cursing our fellow-men as one of those abuses, mentions the original character of human nature as a consideration, plainly en

« PreviousContinue »