and peremptorily enforced, that what would have seemed to be a legitimate excuse from it altogether, was only allowed to operate as a temporary suspension of the observance; a second passover being provided for those, who by unavoidable necessity were prevented from joining in the first. Every step indeed in the history of externals under the Law serves to illustrate their importance, and strengthen the presumption of benefits to be derived from their observ-` ance. The severity of the penalties, by which they were guarded from contempt, is a not unworthy argument in favour of some countervailing benefit from their use, proportioned to the risk to be incurred in their abuse or neglect. Where great mischiefs, of which we are not without striking examples, resulted even from an involuntary profanation', that great and corresponding advantages should accrue from a reverent observance of the rites, would seem to be but

e Numb. ix. 6-13.

f Lev. x. 1, 2. combined with 9, 10. 1 Sam. v. vi. 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7.

the natural dictate of an equal and compensative justice.

And thus it would appear, that as from the universal adoption of outward rites of worship, both in nature and revelation, we before concluded generally that neither the service of externals, nor the expectation of advantage from its celebration, was unreasonable in itself, or inconsistent with the divine arrangements; so our more particular appeal to the uses made of such appointments in revelation, and our experience of God's dealings with his people in various stages of their history, are in full accordance with our former anticipations. We find the hopes of nature, originating, we will suppose, in the suggestions of a voluntary piety, strengthened by the definite assurance of benefits in the declared will of God; and expectations, grounded upon the mere supposition of a divine appointment, confirmed by the experience of an actual revelation.

So far, indeed, from the analogy of revealed religion being against the expectation of such an annexation of benefits to the external appointments of Christianity, our

experience of former dispensations might raise a just presumption in favour of a similar annexation to like appointments, if such there should be found, in the religion of the Gospel. And should our future and more particular inquiry incline us to attribute such efficacy to the Christian sacraments, our admission of that efficacy need not at all events be embarrassed by the apprehension of any incongruity, which might hence discover itself, between the several portions of the divine administration made known to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

It would indeed be carrying the argument from presumption and analogy too far, were we to infer positively, from the annexation of benefits to external observances in former revelations, their like annexation in the religion of the Gospel. It would be a weak inference, that could hence alone be drawn, in favour of externals themselves, for whatever purposes we may conceive them to have been appointed. There might be good reason for declining to have recourse to expedients in the latter dispensation, which

were wisely and beneficially resorted to in the former. What was suited to the one might be incompatible with the other; or the abuses, to which the provisions of a former system had led, might be a sufficient warning against the introduction of similar arrangements into the new religion.

But then, on the other hand, their adop tion into Christianity, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, is to be allowed its due weight on the opposite side of the balance. And in forming our estimate of these, two points connected with the sacraments of the Gospel seem to claim an especial regard: first, the nature of the religion of which they were to form a part; and secondly, the strong feeling of the abuse to which such institutions had been already liable, under which Jesus Christ appointed them.

In reference to the former of these, it is to be observed, that

The primary object of our Lord's coming on earth, of his clothing himself in our mortal flesh, and humbling himself to death upon the cross, was undoubtedly the taking

away sin by the sacrifice of himself. A further object was to secure to mankind, thus reconciled to God, greater facilities both of knowing and doing their duty; the one, by the communication of new and important revelations of the will of God; the other, by the assurance of new and extraordinary assistances in the performance of what was enjoined. For the former purpose, the word of the everlasting Gospel, for the latter, the influences of the Spirit of God, were to be freely and graciously vouchsafed: the one, directing us in the way of life; the other, enabling us to pursue it: the one, to teach; the other, to give efficacy to instruction.

In the provision thus made for the relief of our infirmities, the supply of our wants, and the support of our weakness, every important object of the revelation would appear to have been fulfilled. With an atonement for transgression made and revealed to us, with the volume of God's word laid open before us, and his Spirit ever ready to assist and direct us, we might seem to be

g Heb. x. 26.