changes, changes the consequences of which are still extensively felt, were also effected in the political world. A powerful nation was nearly destroyed by an unexampled series of miraculous judgments; seven other nations were exterminated, or driven from their territories; and a new nation, of a peculiar character, was formed, and planted in their room. Nor was this all. Events of a far more extraordinary nature, and of incomparably deeper, and more awful interest than any which have yet been mentioned, occurred. Angels descended from their celestial abodes; disclosed themselves to the eyes, addressed themselves to the ears, and interposed, visibly, in the affairs of mortals and even Jehovah Himself, coming forth from that unapproachable light which he inhabits, visited and dwelt among men in a manner cognizable by their senses; went before his favored people in a pillar of cloud and fire; conversed face to face with an individual of our species, As a man talketh with his friend; and on Sinai, displayed his presence, his perfections, and his supreme legislative authority, with such attending circumstances of grandeur and terror, as will never again be witnessed on earth, till the day of final retribution shall arrive.

Now why was all this done? The all-wise God who does nothing in vain, and who never acts without an adequate motive, must, surely, have designed to effect some most important object, by these unparalleled works of wonder and power; of condescension and love. He did so; and he has informed us what it was. He had set his love upon this favored nation; he had chosen them to be his own peculiar people; and he had promised, with an oath, to bestow on them distinguishing blessings. To glorify himself, by displaying his power, his faithfulness, and the riches of his goodness in the fulfilment of this promise, was, as he repeatedly declared, the object which he had in view while performing these works.

And what were these promised blessings; the bestowal of which demanded and justified such a profusion of miracles; such extraordinary interpositions and manifestations of Divinity? That they must have been great indeed, cannot be doubted. A brief enumeration of them will show that they were so. They included, the deliverance of the nation from Egyptian bondage; their settlement in a land flowing with milk and honey; the formation of a national covenant between them and their God;

and the establishment of his worship, and of the true religion among them, while all other nations were enslaved by the grossest ignorance, superstition, and idolatry. Such advantages had the Jew; such were the blessings connected with circumcision. We have not yet, however, enumerated them all. The apostle informs us in our text, that the chief blessings enjoyed by his countrymen, consisted in their possession of the Sacred Scriptures; here styled, the oracles of God. It must be recollected, that in making this assertion, he expressed, not his own sentiments merely, but, the mind of the Spirit, by whom he was inspired. We are, therefore, to regard this passage, as containing the testimony of the Spirit of God, that is, of God himself, to the value of the Scriptures. We learn from it, that he viewed them as the most valuable gift which he had bestowed upon the Jews; and their possession as constituting the principal advantage, enjoyed by them above other nations. Now consider a moment, my hearers, how much this implies. You have heard a brief statement, a statement which, you are sensible, falls far below the truth, of the wonderful works which God wrought for this people. You have heard that his design in performing these works was, to glorify himself, by bestowing on them corresponding blessings. And now it appears, that of all the blessings thus bestowed; blessings, in conferring which God designed to make a grand exhibition of his perfections, and display the riches of his goodness to a favored people, the scriptures were, in his estimation, the greatest; greater than their deliverance from the most cruel bondage; 'greater than the possession of the promised land; greater than all their civil and political privileges; greater, even, than all their other religious advantages. The passage before us, then, taken in connection with the facts which have been mentioned, evidently teaches that, in the judgment of God, the Scriptures are one of the most valuable gifts which he can bestow; one of the richest blessings which men can possess. It is scarcely necessary to add, that, if they are so in his judgment, they are so in reality; since his judgment is ever according to truth. And if they are really thus valuable, we ought thus to value them. If they held the first place among the gifts, which God bestowed on his ancient chosen people, they certainly ought to hold the same place in our estimation, among the gifts which his Providence

has bestowed on us. We ought to prize them above our temporal possessions, our liberties, our civil and literary privileges; and to regard their extensive dissemination among us as the richest blessing, which is enjoyed by this highly favored land.

To the truth of the preceding remarks and conclusions, many of my hearers will, I doubt not, yield a ready and cordial assent. Some, however, may feel disposed to ask, why does God, and why should we, value the Scriptures less highly? To this question an answer may be found in the title, by which the Scriptures are here designated. They are styled, The Oracles of God. That we may perceive the full import of this title as used by the apostle, and understand what a volume of meaning it conveyed to the minds of his Gentile converts, we must turn our attention for a moment to the heathen oracles; so frequently mentioned, and so highly extolled, by the historians and poets of pagan antiquity. In their writings, the word here rendered, oracles, is used to denote the answers, given, or supposed to be given, by their gods, to those who consulted them according to a prescribed form. By a common figure of speech, the word, oracle, was afterwards applied to the temples or shrines where such answers were given. Whether, as is now generally supposed, these answers were forged by the priests, or whether, as some have contended, they were the results of diabolical agency, it is not necessary to inquire. Suffice it for our present purpose to remark, that though proverbially ambiguous and obscure, they were regarded with the most profound veneration, and relied upon with the fullest confidence, by a very large proportion of the heathen world. No enterprise of importance was undertaken without consulting the oracles; splendid embassies, with magnificent presents, were sent from far distant states and monarchs for this purpose; the most costly sacrifices were offered, with a view to obtain a propitious answer; and, in more than one instance, contending nations submitted to them the decision of their respective claims.

With these facts the Gentile converts to Christianity were well acquainted: in these opinions and feelings of their countrymen, they had, previously to their conversion, participated. From their earliest years they had been taught, not only by precept, but by the far more impressive lessons of example, to

venerate the oracles; to rely upon them as infallible guides; and to consider them as a tribunal, from whose decisions there was no appeal. The effects of these prejudices and feelings, thus early imbibed, thus deeply rooted, thus wrought as it were. into the very texture of their minds, could not be wholly and at once obliterated, by their subsequent conversion to Christianity. The word, oracles, could scarcely fail to excite in them some of the ideas and emotions, with which it had been so long, and so intimately associated. It must still have retained, in their ears, a venerable and sacred sound. No title, then, could be better adapted to inspire them with veneration for the Scriptures, than that which is here employed by the apostle. It probably appeared to them, far more impressive and full of meaning, than it does to us.

Nor would it appear less sacred, or less full of important meaning to the Jew. In their minds this title would be associated with their once venerated Urim and Thummim; and with those responses which Jehovah gave to their fathers by an audible voice, from the inner sanctuary, where he had formerly dwelt, or manifested his presence, in a peculiar and sensible manner. In our version of the Scriptures, this place is frequently styled The Oracle; and it was the only place which ever really deserved the The answers which God there gave to the inquiries of his worshippers, were full, explicit, and definite; forming, in all respects, a perfect contrast, to the ambiguous and delusive oracles of Paganism.

name.

These remarks will assist in ascertaining the ideas, which the apostle's language was suited to convey, and which we may, therefore, presume he intended it should convey, to the minds of his contemporary readers. By employing this language, he did in effect say to the Gentile converts, All that you once supposed the oracles of your countrymen to be, the Scriptures really are. They are the true and living oracles, of the only living and true God. With at least equal force and clearness did his language say to the Jews, The scriptures are no less the word of God, and no less entitled to veneration and confidence, than were the answers which he formerly gave to your fathers, by an audible voice from the mercy seat. It can scarcely be necessary to add, that, though the apostle here refers to the Old Testament only, his expressions are equally applicable to the

New; for the same God, who in the former spake by the prophets, has in the latter spoken by his Son; and by apostles, whom His Son commissioned, and His Spirit inspired. The New Testament is, therefore, no less than the Old, an oracle. Both united now compose, The Oracles of God.

That this title is given to the Scriptures with perfect truth and propriety, no one who acknowledges their divine inspiration will, it is presumed, deny. They do not indeed, and it is one of their chief excellences that they do not, resemble in all respects the heathen oracles. They neither answer, nor profess to answer, such questions, as were usually proposed to them. They inform no man what will be the duration of his life, nor by what means it will be terminated. They will not predict to us the result of any particular private, or public enterprize. 'They will not aid the politician in devising, nor the soldier in executing schemes for the subjugation of his fellow creatures. They were never designed to gratify a vain curiosity; much less to subserve the purposes of ambition or avarice, and this is, probably, one reason why many persons never consult them. But though they give no answers to such questions as these passions suggest, they answer questions incomparably more important, and communicate information infinitely more valuable. If they inform no man when or how his life will be terminated, they inform every man who rightly consults them, how both its progress, and its termination, may be rendered happy. If they inform no man how he may prolong his existence in this world, they will inform every man how he may secure everlasting life in the world to come. If they give no information respecting the result of any particular enterprise, they will teach us how to conduct all our enterprises in such a manner, that the final result shall be glory, and honor, and immortality. And while they inform individuals how they may obtain endless felicity, they will teach nations how to secure national prosperity. In fine, whatever a man's situation and circumstances may be, whatever offices or relations he may sustain; this oracle, if consulted in the manner in which God has prescribed, will satisfactorily answer every question, which it is proper for him to ask; every question, an answer to which is necessary either to his present, or future well being; for it contains all the information, which our most wise and benevolent Creator sees it best