but if the greater correctness lie in the later copies, then the Messiah's character of a teacher of the nations is only to be drawn from the general character of a gatherer, in which it is contained, or his particular business of teaching the nations, from the general business of gathering them. If the ancient copies gave the truer reading, then the Messiah is expressly announced under the specific character of a "preacher of the nations."

In either way, we have found, in these promises in the book of Genesis, of which the Samaritans acknowledged the authority, an explicit prophecy of the Messiah as an universal preacher. Two prophecies, therefore, of this import, seem to be yet legible in the books of Moses; and, by bringing these prophecies to light, we discover a new circumstance of agreement between the character which our Lord sustained and the prophecies that went before concerning him.

I would now turn your attention for a moment to a subject which might well deserve a particular discussion,the evidence upon which the Samaritans, looking for a Christ to come, were induced to believe that Jesus was the person. What was the evidence which produced this ́ belief? What is the evidence on which we believe? We are curious to examine the philosophy of the doctrine: we seek for the completion of prophecies, and for the evidence of miracles: unless we see signs and wonders, we will not believe ;-but upon what evidence did the Samaritans believe? We read of no miracles performed among the Sycharites. That we read of none is not a proof that none were performed: but if any were, it was not evidence of that kind which took possession of the hearts of the Samaritans;--they allege our Saviour's doctrine as the ground of their conviction; and our Saviour's doctrine carries with it such internal evidence,—it is in itself so rational and consistent-in its consequences so conducive to that which must be the great end of a Divine revelation, such be extant,-it discovers a scheme of salvation

any

so wonderfully adapted both to the perfections of God and the infirmities of man, that a mind which hath not lost, by the force of vicious habits, its natural sense of right and wrong-its natural approbation of what is good and great and amiable, will always perceive the Christian doctrine to be that which cannot easily be disbelieved when it is fairly propounded. The Samaritans heard this doctrine from the Divine Teacher's mouth for the short space of two days: we, in the writings of the evangelists, have a complete summary of his triennial preaching; we have, joined with the detail of many of his miracles, the delineation of his character, and the history of his wonderful life of piety and love: we have seen the fortitude with which he repelled temptation-the patience with which he endured reproach, the resignation with which he underwent the punishment of others' crimes: in the figured language of the apostles, we ourselves have heard him preach, we have seen him crucified,-we have seen him rise again: we experience his present power, in the providential preservation of his church and support of his doctrine. The Samaritans were convinced by a preaching of two days: how, then, shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation!

SERMON XXVII.

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. -PHILIPPIANS iii. 15.

THE obscurity of this text arises from two causes, from a double sense of the word "minded," and from an improper use of the word "otherwise."

The word "minded" predicates indifferently any state of mind, this or that particular state, according as the

occasion upon which it is used, and the words with which it is connected, may limit and qualify its general meaning. A state of the mind may be either a state, of its dispositions and affections toward external objects,-a state of its hopes and fears, its desires and aversions, its schemes, purposes, and machinations; or a state of the intellect with respect to its internal faculties, the quickness of the apprehension, the strength of the memory, the extent of knowledge, and the truth or error of opinion. The condition of a man's mind with respect to these or any other circumstances of its appetites-its native powers or acquired endowments, may be expressed in our language by his being thus or thus minded. By this great latitude of its signification, the English word "minded" serves to convey the meaning of a great variety of words in the original languages of the holy Scriptures. In this particular text, however, it is one and the same word in the original which answers in both parts of the sentence to the word "minded:" and this original word might seem, by its nature and derivation, to be capable of the same variety of meaning as the English; but, by the usage of the sacred writers, its signification, so far as it corresponds at all with the English word "minded," is far more restrained; for it is never applied to the intellectual part of the mind, but with respect to the opinions,-nor to the disposition, but in a religious sense, to express the state of moral taste and sentiment. It carries, however, a double meaning, seeing it may express a state of mind with respect either to opinion or religious disposition. It is used in these two different senses in the different branches of the text; and this double application of the same word, in different clauses of the same sentence, makes the whole difficulty of the passage as it lies in the original.

But, in our English translation, this difficulty is greatly heightened by the improper use of the word "otherwise," which in our language is a word of comparison between individual things, insomuch that it can never be used with

propriety unless it is answered by the comparative "than," either expressed or understood; and the expression "to be otherwise minded," in the English language, properly signifies to be in a state of mind other than some certain state afterward mentioned or already described. In the text, I doubt not but the generality of the readers of the English Bibles imagine an opposition is intended between "thus minded," and "otherwise minded," and would perhaps supply the sentence thus: "Let us, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing you be otherwise minded than thus, God shall reveal even this unto you." This, at least, seems to be the exposition to which the English expressions naturally lead: but this exposition will lead us far away from any thing that may be supposed to be a wise man's meaning.

Now, the original word which is here rendered "otherwise," is frequently indeed used, like the English word, to indicate comparison; yet, in its primary and most proper meaning, in which I think it is to be taken here, it predicates generally, without reference to individual terms of comparison, the opposite of sameness or uniformity,that is, difference or variety: and it might perhaps be better rendered by the English word "variously." We will take the liberty, therefore, to substitute "variously" in the place of "otherwise" in the text; and, bearing in remembrance the double meaning of the word "minded," let us see what sense the passage, thus corrected, will present: "Let us, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing you be variously minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." Light seems to open on the passage: the opposition which before perplexed us between "thus minded" and "otherwise minded" now disappears. The deficiency of the sentence is in another part than we at first suspected, and is to be very differently supplied. "Let us, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be variously minded, God shall reveal to you even this thing concerning which you

have various minds." I doubt not but you now perceive that the exhortation to be "thus minded" respects certain virtuous habits of the mind-certain sentiments with respect to religious practice, which the apostle would recommend it to the Philippians to assume: and the supposition of their being variously minded, regards certain differences of opinion which he apprehended might subsist among them when this epistle was written, and which, he assures them, the good hibits he prescribes, were they once become universal, would in a great measure abolish, by that especial blessing of God's overruling providence and enlightening Spirit which ever accompanies the upright and

sincere.

The disposition or habit of the mind which the apostle recommends, is that which in the verses immediately preceding the text he has described as his own, namely, such a constant and earnest desire of continual improvement in the habits of a Christian life, as made him think lightly of any proficiency he had actually made in it, otherwise than as a necessary step toward farther attainments. Having expressed his high sense of the importance of the Christian doctrine, and the merit of that righteousness which consists in the exercise of Christian duties, and arises from a true and lively faith in Christ, he declares, in the tenth and eleventh verses, that he is content to be conformed to his Master's death,-that is, to suffer and to die, as he did, for the good of mankind, and for the interests of the true religion, if by any means he might "attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not," says he, "that I have yet gotten hold,--not that I am secure of attaining the great prize to which I aspire, or am already perfect, but I persevere in the pursuit, if, by my utmost diligence, I may at last lay hold of it: for which purpose, that I might persevere in this great pursuit, and at last lay hold upon the prize, hold has been taken of me by Jesus Christ." There is in the original, a certain animated play (not unusual in the most serious discourse, nor abating any thing of its seriousness,