IV. non-neceffity of a Divine Revelation, claim- DISC. ing to man the right, and attributing to him the power of making a religion for himself, and prescribing to his Maker the terms of his own acceptance? What is the atheistical policy, which excludes the Creator from the care of his works, and his Providence from the kingdoms of the earth? What is that fyftem of paganism revived under the name and notion of philofophy, as opposed to Christianity, and every thing that is called Religion, by which either the Deity is materialized, or matter deified? What is that unbounded licen tiousness in principles and manners, daily growing more and more into vogue, and fhamelessly, by fome of the new philofophers, defended in form? What is the luxury, the fplendor, the extravagance, the diffipation, the abandoned profligacy, and ungodliness of the age? Behold the flourishing state of the fatal Tree! View the extent of it's branches, and the abundance of it's fruit, in these latter VOL. I. I IV. DISC. latter days! But remember, that, ftill— the end is Death; to a nation, excision ; to individuals, without repentance and faith, destruction everlasting from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall defcend into his garden to make inquifition, and call offenders to their final account. Be not ye therefore deceived and feduced, however the temptation may feem fair to the fight, and good for "food" however "defirable" it may be reprefented to make you wife." Take your direction, through life, from the word of God, and be not prevailed upon to falfify and tranfgrefs it. The conflict may be fharp, but it will be foon over; bear up refolutely under it; and for your confolation and encouragement in the hour of trial, when strongly folicited to taste the Tree of Death, listen to that strength-conferring voice, which crieth from the eternal throne, in words that will bear a repetition-"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which "is in the midft of the Paradife of God." 66 DISCOURSE V. THE PRINCE OF PEACE. ZECHARIAH IX. 9, 10. TOTHES Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; fhout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee: be is juft, and having falvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an afs. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerufalem, and the battle bow fhall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion fhall be from fea even unto fea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. TH HIS prophecy was delivered by DISC. fore the advent of Chrift, And St. Mat V. DISC. thew, in the Gospel appointed for this V. day, affirmeth it to have had it's accomplishment when our Lord entered Jerufalem, in the manner here defcribed, amidft the acclamations of the attending multitude. "All this was done, that it might "be fulfilled which was fpoken by the prophet, faying, Tell ye the daughter of 66 66 Sion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, "meek, and fitting upon an afs, and a colt "the foal of an afs." The prediction is of the literal kind, and it was literally and most exactly fulfilled in Jefus of Nazareth. No other King, with these characteristic marks upon him, ever thus came to Sion, before him; and fince the Jews rejected him, they have loft their temple, their city, and their country; nor has there been any Sion, to which their King might come. Jerufalem would not rejoice, on the day when the prophet had enjoined her to rejoice, and therefore the hath had cause to mourn from that day to this. The rulers of Sion were vexed and chagrined at beholding a scene, which should have excited them V. them to shout aloud for joy. The difci- DISC. ples, indeed, exulted, and fang Hofanna to the Son of David. Could Meffiah enter his capital, unacknowleged? That was impoffible. Had men been filent upon this occafion, the buildings and pavements of the city must have supplied the defect, and borne their atteftation to the promised and long expected king of Ifrael. "I tell you," replied our Lord to the Pharifees, who defired him to rebuke his difciples-" I tell 66 you, that if these should hold their peace, "the ftones would immediately cry out." That we may perceive the full force and beauty of the prophecy before us, it will be neceffary to fhew it's connection with the preceding part of the chapter where in it ftands. In this ixth chapter of his prophecy, Zechariah denounceth fome of the divine judgments, which were executed by that fcourge of heaven, Alexander the Great, when he overran Syria, took Damafcus, burnt I 3 |