The contents of the sacred writings serve to evince their divine original. The things revealed are perfectly creditable and consistent, and form an extensive and harmonious scheme. The doctrines and duties revealed are not repugnant to the law of nature, but consonant to reason and conscience, though far superiour. Finite, short sighted man may imagine, the sacred volume contains many things unnecessary, and which are not worthy to be included in a revelation from God. But, although some make objections to the sacred writings, because they do not exactly accord to their notions; nevertheless they do the same concerning the works of creation and providence. And, as they do not see the wisdom of many of the works of nature, hence an argument may be derived in fayour of the authenticity of the sacred writings; because they were given to man gradually, and analogous to the other divine works.

From the fulfilment of prophecies may be derived a convincing argument to show that revelation is truly divine. Finite beings can only conjecture, they cannot foretel what events will come to pass. To have a perfect view of futurity, or to foreknow the things which are to take place, is the prerogative of Deity. Hence the completion of the prophecies carries convincing evidence that the writers were divinely inspired. Many important events, and to human view improbable, have been foretold and fulfilled, even in the minutest circumstances.

Many noted miracles have also been wrought as a confirmation of the reality of revelation being divine. They were effected on publick occasions, and appealed immediately to the senses of men, as the highest evidence, which could be given, or demanded. They were wrought for very important purposes, and evinced that the messages, which the inspired penmen delivered, were revealed to them from heaven, and should be received as coming with the declaration and authority of Jehovah.

Now if the system of creation is the book of nature, proclaiming in every part the wondrous greatness, and wisdom, and goodness of its author; yet, unparalleled are the pages of that divine volume, which unfolds the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. And from the sure word of prophecy we derive the glad tidings, that the word of God shall rise superiour to all opposition, and shall go down with the revolving ages of time, enlightening the faith, enlivening the hope, enkindling the love, inflaming the zeal, and directing the ways of man, till the world shall be no more.

2dly. This subject may lead us to see the odious nature and destructive tendency of sin.

How has it changed both the moral and natural world! What dreadful devastations has it made! What a sad alteration has it produced in the condition of man, and in the very animals as well as in the earth itself! Every groan or painful sensation, and all the woes of the earth, announce sin to be exceeding sinful. They are not mere calamities sent upon feeble and innocent mortals, but the judgments of heaven upon an ungodly world, who seek any thing rather than to know, and love, and serve the only living and true God.

3dly. How are gratitude and praise due to God! What a mercy, that man, ruined by sin, may be delivered from its dominion here, and from its curse hereafter! What a privilege, that the soul may be renewed by grace, enjoy the communion of its Maker, and at last, be for ever blessed with the fulness of his love! Is any one afflicted with the various calamities of life? How should hope beam in his soul, that he be delivered from temporal and eternal evils! How should he seek to be an inhabitant of the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, and where all things are in perfection the most consummate and glorious! Amen.

SERMON II.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN IDENTITY.

ACTS XVII. 26.

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.

VARIOUS are the views of mankind respecting the peculiarities of the human race. Some conclude, that all human beings are not of the same descent. Others, assenting to this, attribute their differences of colour, features, &c. to causes essentially different ordinary and miraculous. A few look upon the blacks as the descendants of Cain, and account their colour as a signal judgment from heaven, for the murder of his brother Abel. Many consider them as having sprung from Ham, the second son of Noah; and think they are marked as a punishment for his disrespectful conduct towards his father. But, if in either case a miracle had been wrought, we should doubtless have an event so noted, recorded in the divine word. However, revelation is silent in this respect, although human identity is abundantly established. Happy for us that we have such a blessed volume to enlighten our understandings, in relation to many important events which reason could never satisfactorily unfold. From these few remarks, I pass to the discussion of the present interesting and important subject.

In the words of the text, with those in connexion, we are taught the identity of the human race. "God, that made the world and all things therein,

seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all, life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth."

These words teach us that all mankind, throughout all the world, are of the same origin: or, in other words, that God created Adam and Eve, and that from them the whole family of man have descended. But mankind exist under such different varieties of stature, of complexion, and of features, that we might inconsiderately be, led to conclude, they are not all of the same descent, had we not the word of God for our guide.

But, if we carefully investigate the subject, we may see, that the identity of the human race, is a doctrine the most consistent with the principles of sound philosophy; for radically different species of human beings must be subject to different laws, both in the physical and moral constitution of their nature. Destroy this unity, and no certain, universal principles remain-we should have no general and infallible standard, by which to judge of the moral ideas and habits of different nations, or even of different men. Multiplicity of facts testify, that philosophy delights, in tracing the most diversified results through various combinations, to the most simple elements. And if the laws of nature, dissimilar climes and states of society, are found sufficient to impress on the same original constitution of man all the varieties of complexion, form, and features, which have distinguished the race, it is an homage which we owe to philosophy, as well as to religion, to refer all the different nations of the earth to the same original stock.

If human nature actually embraces different species of men, let it be asked, by what criterion shall we distinguish them? What is their number? Is

it five, or five hundred? To what climate is any species necessarily restricted? or what are the infallible characteristicks of distinction?

According to a wise and benignant intention of providence, we see mankind continually changing their habitations. They are found under every zone, from the equator to the pole, not only able to endure all these different degrees of temperature without essential injury, but so assimilated by time to the peculiarities of the inhabitants of each new climate, that we cannot with certainty pronounce, who are descendants of the aborigines of the country, and who, from families, migrated thither only a few generations past.

Why should it be thought necessary, that the Creator should have formed different species of men to inhabit the frozen regions of Lapland, and the torrid climes of Africa, when it is confessed by one of the greatest champions of this sentiment,* that a colony of Hungarians, who are among the handsomest and best proportioned people of Europe, have, by migrating to Lapland, some ages ago, become absolutely assimilated to the natives of the country, in every attribute of that diminutive and deformed race? And the same author asserts, that a colony of Portuguese, established in Congo, not yet three centuries since, have so degenerated in complexion, in the figure of their persons, and their habits of living, as to be no longer distinguishable from the neighbouring tribes of Hottentots, who are among the filthiest, the most deformed and savage of mankind.

In establishing the identity of the human race, I shall take a cursory view of some of the characteristicks of a human being, common to all nations, but essentially distinct and incomparably superiour to any of the peculiarities of the species of animals, even those of the highest grades.

* Lord Kaimes.