Hope for the Heathen:

A

SERMON,

PREACHED IN

THE OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

BEFORE THE

NEW-YORK MISSIONARY SOCIETY,

At their Annual Meeting, November 7, 1797.

HOPE FOR THE HEATHEN.

ISAIAH XXV. 6, 7.

The LORD of Hosts—will destroy, in this mountain, the face of the covering cast over all people; and the vail that is spread over all

nations.

THE exercise of divine mercy towards man

is coeval with his need of it. The shock of the fall was hardly felt; Remorse had only begun to prey upon the conscience, and Guilt to rally his terrors, when a hope, as consoling as it was unexpected, dawned from heaven upon our revolted race. "I will put," said God to the tempter, "I will put enmity between thee and the "woman, and between thy seed and her seed: "it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise "his heel*". In this original promise were included all subsequent revelations concerning the redemption of sinners. The doctrine of the MESSIAH'S person, of his sacrifice, of his triumph; together with that vast system of prediction which extends from the beginning to the end of time, and all the corresponding dispensa

Gen. iii. 15.

tions of the new covenant, are nothing but its regular developement. But this being slow as well as regular, and all flesh corrupting his way, the Lord selected the family of Abraham to be, for ages, both the witnesses of his grace, and the depositaries of his truth. To them were committed his living oracles; to them the ordinances of his worship; to them the symbols and doctrine of the great atonement. Among them he deigned to dwell, and to raise up an illustrious line of prophets, who should direct their faith and hope to Jesus the Saviour. "To him," saith Peter, "give all the prophets "witness, that, through his name, whosoever "believeth in him shall receive remifsion of "sins*."

But though the children of Israel enjoyed these privileges, while other nations were" suffered to walk in their own ways," they were taught that the covenant of peculiarity should one day be abrogated, and be succeeded by a more general and more glorious economy."In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the na"tions of the earth be blefsed t," was the catholic promise to Abraham their father. As the time of its accomplishment approached, the circle of prophetic vision grew brighter

Acts x. 43.

+ Gen, xii. 3, xxii. 18.

and larger. Later prophets were enabled to explain the enigmas of their predecessors, and to speak, with precision and clearnefs, both of the coming of the Mefsiah, and of the glory that should follow. Isaiah, in particular, appears to have been favoured with the most liberal disclosure of the divine purposes. Borne on high by the revealing Spirit, he sees far beyond the common horizon. The extremes of the earth, and the ages of futurity, are commanded into his view. He sees the " sun of righteousness" ascending the heavens, and breaking in upon the thick darknefs which enwraps the globe. He sees the fiends of night stretch their foul wings, and fly from the spreading day. He sees the tabernacle of God descending to dwell among men: His eye rolls ardent over the wondrous scene; his bosom heaves with mighty emotions; and when utterance is granted, he bursts forth in the language of the text, In this mountain will the Lord of Hosts destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

The Lord hath not been slack concerning his promise, nor have the words of his servant fallen to the ground. The elementary dispensation of Moses is no more; its shadows have received their substance, and its types their truth, in the person and offices of the "WORD