his natural abilities, the government of the world went on, as we might expect, in a regular and uniform manner without inter ruption, deviation or change. For what need of any alterations, or extraordinary interpofitions, when the firft man, under the guidance of his Creator, as a fon under the tuition of his father, might by the established course of things, attain to that knowledge, virtue and happiness, for which he was originally defigned?

But he perversely forfook the guide of his life, and vainly fet up for his own director; in confequence of which, he not only fell far below the standard, of his nature, but funk into the depth of mifery and woe. Now if God, in his goodness, determined to raise this fallen and corrupted man to his primitive station; much more if he defigned to advance him to higher degrees of virtue and happiness, than what could be attained by the pre-established laws of nature; it is obvious to conclude, that he must neceffarily effect it by fome fupernatural method.

The

The conftitution and courfe of nature was originally adapted to the state of innocence; and contained no remedy for evils, occafioned by voluntary defection. These, if remedied at all, must be remedied by a fuperior hand; and in a way different from the original eftablishment. Accordingly we find, that, when God came down to judge the offenders, but, at the fame time, with the kind intention of refcuing them at last from the mifery and ruin they had brought upon themselves; he fhewed this intention, as the cafe required, by an extraordinary exertion of knowledge and power-by prophecy and miracle: by prophecy first, to open to the view of difconfolate man a new profpect of happinefs, and to rekindle in his breaft new hopes; and then by miracle, to strengthen and confirm those hopes in him, and to affure him of their future completion.

The promife, thus made and confirmed, brought to our first parents seasonable relief, and placed them again under the guidance of religion. But here it is to be observed,

that,

that, as their character was now become more complicated, (for we are to confider them not only as men, but also as finners) fo their religion became of course propor tionably complex likewise.

As men, or rational beings, they were still fubject to the religion of nature, and the law of reafon: they were still bound to entertain a right knowledge of God, and to pay him fincere, unfeigned obedience.

But as finners, admitted into a covenant of grace, they were moreover to profess, according to the tenour of that covenant, a right faith in the promised Redeemer; through the merits of whom the fincerely obedient were to be restored to happiness.

True religion then, on the establishment of the new œconomy after the fall, confifted of these two parts-which it concerns us conftantly to bear in mind, as of great importance in our future inquiries.

Now, had the fucceeding generations retained this religion pure and incorrupt in both its parts, and lived up to the measure of its obligations; the administration of di

vine government would probably have proceeded in its ufual courfe, without any farther deflections.

But this, alas! was very far from being the cafe. Mankind in a fhort time corrupted their ways: and not only forgot the promise of a Redeemer; but even funk into a deplorable ignorance of the one true God; and plunged themselves into an endless variety of deftructive errours, and fatal fuperftitions.

When they had thus degenerated into idolatry and wickednefs, and were in nowife able to reform themselves; the prefervation of their happiness manifeftly required, that Providence fhould interpofe in fome extraordinary manner, to recall them to the knowledge of thefe neceffary articles, and to awaken them into a fenfe of their duty. Accordingly we are informed in the courfe of this history, that God did actually interpofe, "at fundry times, and in diverfe manners, " for this purpose; and marvellously conducted, through a long period, two different kinds of administration together, adapted to the

1. Heb. i. 1.

two

1

two different parts of religion, which they were intended to restore.

But, as faith in God is the fundamental principle of all religion, fo the first thing neceflary to be done for the recovery of mankind, was to bring them back to the belief and acknowledgement of that first article, relating to his being and providence.

For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, or exifts; and that he is a rewarder of them, that diligently feek him '.'

Conformably to this, the Scripture affures us, that thofe wonderful manifeftations fo frequently difplayed in the firft ages of the world, were chiefly defigned to convince the nations, of the falfhood and vanity of the opinions they had imbibed; and to render them fenfible, that Jehovah, the author of thofe amazing wonders, was the only great and true God and confequently, that He alone was intitled to their fervice and obedience. And it is one principal part of my defign in the following Difcourfes, to fhew how wifely those wondrous manifeftations

Heb. xi. 6.

were