significant were these words!  Without such a previous training, how meaningless to him and to the world for which Christ died!  Then again the gospel, in strong contrast with the Mosaic law, deals in general principles.  Herein it assumes a comparative maturity of human thought—­a capacity to include many particulars under one general idea.  A beautiful illustration of this is our Lord’s summary of social duties; “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:  for this is the law and the prophets.”  Matt. 7:12.  We may add (what is indeed implied in the preceding remark) that the gospel required for its introduction a well-developed state of civilization and culture, as contrasted with one of rude barbarism.  Now the Hebrews were introduced, in the beginning of their national existence, to the civilization of Egypt; which, with all its defects, was perhaps as good a type as then existed in the world.  Afterwards they were brought successively into intimate connection with Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman civilization; particularly with the last two.  This was, moreover, at a time when their national training under the Mosaic institutions had given them such maturity of religious character that they were not in danger of being seduced into the idolatrous worship of these nations.  Dispersed throughout all the provinces of the Roman empire, they still maintained firmly the religion of their fathers; and their synagogues everywhere constituted central points for the introduction of the gospel, and its diffusion through the Gentile world.  Such are some of the many ways in which the world was prepared for the Redeemer’s advent.  This is a vast theme, on which volumes could be written.  The plan of the present work will only admit of the above brief hints.

Our Lord’s command is:  “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”  The history of missions shows that the gospel can be preached with success to the most degraded tribes—­to the Hottentots of South Africa and the cannibals of the South sea islands, and that this is the only remedy for their barbarism.  But the gospel did not begin among savages, nor does it have its centres of power and influence among them.  Christ came at the culminating point of ancient civilization and culture; not that he might conform his gospel to existing institutions and ideas, but that he might through his gospel infuse into them (as far as they contained elements of truth) the purifying and transforming leaven of divine truth.  As the gospel began in the midst of civilization, so does its introduction among barbarous tribes always bring civilization in its train.

3.  When we have learned to regard the revelation of which we have a record in the Old Testament as preparatory to the gospel, we see it in its true light.  This view furnishes both the key to its character and the answer to the objections commonly urged against