IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I U^|28 |2.5 ■ 50 ■^" ■■■ 12.2 ■u Hi 2.0 M 1 1.25 1 ,.4 1.6 •• 6" - ► ^ ^ y >> # o;^ Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WItSTIR.N.Y I4SM (7U|in-4}03 4^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un das symboies su^vents epparattra sur la derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames ns required. The following diegrems iliustrete the method: Las cartes, planches, tablaeux. etc.. peuvent Atre filmAs A dee taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche k droite. et de heut en bes, en prenent le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthoda. 1 2 1 3 32X 1 2 3 4 6 e o^^^^/ ssotn t'RBATlSE O H THE mST PRWOTLKS OF CHRISlTAKnT, IN WHICH ALL DIFI-ICULTII, STAtSD 9Y ^XO^ AND MOMRK SCEPTICS, AR, m^ABBWH^ ATILY DI8CUS81I), . 1» A 1 X F ^ X : «»«i«T«D Br JOHN HOWS ttdaoK. i8ol. I W « V I '-fA TO THE H01fORA»X.E HINRY AUGUSTUS DiLLONj Colonel of the loift, or Duke of' York's IrlA Rcg?- mcQt, &C., &c. ^c* SIR, IN thefe few^flieets yi^u will fee the uftlvcrfally ad^ mittcd principles of Chriftianity cltarly dated, and all exceptions taken by the Heathen PhilofopKcrs, Celfuiy Crffceni'tm^ Lucian^zndyuiian^ the apoftate, and Irom them tranfcribed by tj^eir fu£ce0brsy. mpdeVn iceptics, or, ad they arc called, mpdern Philofophifts, fairly cjifaiffed. No cxprcflion, offenfivc to any dcfcriptjpn of CbriiVians, hasefcapcd the writer's pen, \vhicirh^ rccolle^s ; his. ftriauires arc confined "to Anti-Chriajan Works ; the authors he has not named, not through any rcfpccl for. their perfons, which the' reader willealily perceive, but he did not think pro. per to pr/iflt out fourtes of immorality and error to idle curiofiiyj nor would he flatter the vanity of an infigniticant fcribblcr by inferting his name, though it were but to cxpak him to eontcmpt. He thinks a work of tJjia n:UHrQ ipay with great Chriftians; inTwhofe^^H °f "" ''""-=">«!<'»» of teftimony. "^'"'^'^ '*"» 'o^'na mott honoraHe «s value. 4„?-,;' P'^^^^'y ^^P^b^« of appreciating With great rcfpctH Y(5ur mofl obedient humble fcrvant, ^- ^ V. a QuB. Hal i^Ax, iVfl^;. 8th, 1808. ' .»■ , :■*■' MmR UUS ChrISTO D£0 NosYKO EJU8 C^Ul MaTRI SEMl^sa ViRoim. E.B, / ^ ^ *' ^"'^i/^*^/?^ *»w i^tus a creturd mundi, per eaoutt faaa funt mtelhaa, confpicuntur ; fempHerna quoque em virtue et divinitas : ita ut inmt^nk^nt:* Jd/R^mfa THE Apoftle, m hi, cpiaie to the komai,5. y ge, ncration, ttJa Being of a different fpecies, it is mahifeft thatthey muftall have received an exifteiice fromaBeing Induced in none of thofefucjcediohs. To have recourff to fhanfe, to i^zard, to dature, to /om^ mtnownpoweri in matter, to tit firtuitom co'ncQur/e of atoms andfuchfee caufes, which, have hb exlftfence but irf the imigina. tion of wild fpeculatifts, is linphilofophical : a philofo,' pher affigns nocaufe incapable of producing the ff^cifi^ iffea, which he examines : What ignorance docs the man betray who affigfis a cJiufe incapable of produdne any effcft at all. ^ V o^wng • A fecond principle of dcmonftration! AH th* Beings which we fee or know in this vlfible #orld, are contingent, that is, they may or they maynot «xift: we may conceive them in a ftate of 'pbffibility. not one ofthemaU is capable of giving itfelf an €>?. Iftenc^?, and much lefs of giving exiftence to all the Other Beings, which form this vifible world ; therQ muft therefore be fomeone Being, felf-exiftent. which v^c cannot conceive, in a ftate of mere -poffibility. Why fo ? .Bccaufe it would be poiSble and impoiTible at the fame time : pofllble from the fuppofition, and jmpdffiWc as it could not give itfelf exiftence. and conld not felf-cxiftcnt, on which all .^/« • therefore muft b? Sang, a/y««r*«>,/- for _.„_,, . °°" > " '"ipoffibl? parts of Which it i. m to Lcl rl ''• *""" ">» P^rtie, with ^hich itfa invi!« Heathen opinions. abfoXd in LrulvTHr *■*''' '^"' ^»""" divinities, depreffed bvl!, '^* '^'''^7'<=»' «« Saieious yet, upon a S Lt^"''"'' ° ""■^^'■'■^' <^"«°'^. ad«am. called on thTZ, Sf' „ V *""^'"''« fr""* «ot looting to the tem;t of fi? 2^- "^J'™"i°»=>. Heavens, the throne of that cIa T'' ''"' **" «-''« "-an naturally adores, ff tWe £ l'/^"" ""'■°"' "*^ ttiodern writer, fome fava~ \ ^ • *""""'*^ '')' * Africa, or Am'erica'whotnott' Z^' f''"' to man, and pav no »,„,„.: ^'"S fuperior unc.v,l„ed man « capable of being degrade^ ' froin )g, all being -;1 hi:' > • onfomeof mding can- > iaipoffibl^ 'perties ; alj i, that thf ^ the pro- »^h othcn ariJyexift. ft^ but th^ tnan, tha( iiltO t\LO io^i which is certain lof fenfft ^ who did Hcaiheq yith falC^ ft<^itiQus Icuftom, 5g from hows it^ ^aiioDSi, t to the J foul of led by ^ ^'ilds of uperiof it only graded from > kgm Ihe rank which he was intended to hold tn th* prdef orcr«,ed Bangs , and the canfe muft be d«R perate indeed which has reconrfe to the lavage autho. nty of fitch men. ^ "uiuw. From paffing ,hat bold aifertioo. or rather wild con. jeaure.of thismbdem anti.chrifti,n. unnnoticed. it muft not beinfanred that the writer believes it true: with refp*a_to the wildeft Savages in America, it is abfo. '^JZ f • ■ '!"!""^ J'"^8e br analogy, and the with refpea to their nncivi^ted brethren in the de6r» of Africa and in the Afiatic Iflands. From the principles of dcmonftration already pro. pofed,it ,s incontrovertibly true that thereisa felfc exiftent pnmary caufepoffefl* of all perfeftion, from which idl the Beings which compofe the viiible World derive their exiftence, and on which they eflentially depend for that portion of time, and fpace, which they occupy ,n the world j that thi, primary caufe i, neithwersin.matreris ridiculous : weknowthat matter is ca* paWeof receivm^impreffionsirom externalagents,and of leaking impreffions according to eftabliOied laws, thi extent of this capacity we do not know, but from^fila very capacity weknowthat matter^s dependant, that It IS paffive, mcapahlff pf fbrnwng amy pUnv of'^awf^ m confcquenee of any pre-conceived defign^'cff coWe itf; capable of compofing that order, which f^bfia? in*t4ie vifible world, the beauty, theharmony. and, thealhioft boundlefs extent of which fo loudly proclaim the power, .^. the wifdoni and the magnificence of its author. ••^V)^^K ^^.T''. P'^'' '" ''*''^'*^ the fenfelefs jargon of .^^ Atheiftical writers, who feem to vie with each other in ^ ; Which they inyent,fn order, as they pretend, to account lor the prefbnt order of things, without having recourfe to a primary caufe. \ ■■.. • ... • .. .v. H To the in^^ndve fk^^^^ world ,s indebted for knowing, that man is a fort of inankey, i„ .cunning furpafling the common baboon j a-? they advance in knowledge we may expoft to hear, ftow. a goat made a horfe, or a table built a houfe. Theib n.p, in general, extremely ignorant, yeiam- bitious ofl^erarjifame, eoufbioMs of theif inability t« luccccd xix comrtTOnjuriui^^-cndeasro^ir.to atti^ft . # ml T^\Ct * ■'.' •I .' I i-^2 I ^^"? declamation charged with inveaive. I wh,<^, frari^ tlie irritability of human nature, is weU [ calculated to mfure fucceis. It is ufelcfs to emi^te if there be Atheifta in the world : th,at thefte are men *vho affea to Mieve there is no God is certain , ih%t there are many Who liye as if tftey do not bclfeve the exiftence of a God is equally certain i that there are men who, on pretended principles of demohftration. do not believe a God to exift, is uncertain -^ We know that of civilized Heathens none were fo in^pious as to deny the exiftence of fome powerfol and immortal Being, which fuperintends this vifiblc world cither immediately or by fubordinate agen^, IF vol execpt thofe feds, whofe abominable masims were ^ov«n to excite public indignation^, who from the praiRice of fuch maxims had every thing |o fear and noaung to lK)pe. Though the HeaOiensTabforbed ia fenM pleafures, did not afcribe omnipolence, and all pcrf^aions, tp the Deity, yet die idea of a God. howe. ver disfigured, was not totally effaced from thpir minds. Of apoftate^mm the Ghriftian faith there may bciuch monftersi ^od in punifliment of their crimes may fo far fxtinanifhvthe iight of their underftainling as (« eftac? his .wn iraprcffion from their minds. An A^hcift, can Jiicbe an honcft man ? Yei, if he ha »« expoled to a defete or dangerous temptation, with ^h.ch he may by d.lhonefty comply, and efcape publi"«"= the idea of ^ Being .nfimtelyperfcft: non-exiftence deftroys all fon« of perfcc-lion , and a dependent or temporary exift! «ncc arg„e, abfolute itaperfeclion. from ^hkh TZ Str-f '^'''='' "'''^' -"^^ ^agination cannot ^oate ?H.r ^' •" « f""" ""derftatf ding form an ad., qoate ,dca of infinite perfeftlbn. True, for this flft. ^ereafcn. thefe facuWes in us are faited and cannot ««end beyond the>r fphere, but our underftanding eafiiy conceives that fon,e «gent muft be eternally ex! «ifl • '"S've exiftence to tfiemany Bdngs which noW fcfi tL„ "••« ='S=''"""fi b" ommpotent, as nothing »hil K "'""•P°'«^"^« <=»" give exiftence to a Being. ' Tat ■ "T' ""' "'"' *S="' muft be o,m,!fcien?; to determme the nature, th» propwties, the quaHtic' the place and pofition of fucif an Ifamenfij vlijy of fu y diverfified by the ufcfW a«d rtaOIhamental rn«t and thl ' r* >^- "li' "'«""y ^^l-dcs all limfwiin,, ■ »nd the perfecb.n Of any Being « correfpondeit t. K™J^'i''''>*" '^'«"^''» P^-ftflioninanyBgfn* S/,^ .tsn«,re.lsimpofliblc, and any limitati» nndilft! !." '^'"''i' *'""'■' *'""■" "■= 'P'-efc of human aS 1'""^^" '""'"'' th" we know nothing of « ft:mg. becaufe we cannot form an adequate idea of t r -—>•-* wvwuiv our iiiTiiteu undcrltanding cannot i .^>pnnot clearly and diftincJVly ^ceive the natur^nxl Qualities of any Being^^ jto fay rfat fuch a Bcingdoigt jcitexift, is .td|p^^ftogJs ^ot i Horfe 5 afia: ^ougl^f e ca^ i^isttvj^. id^a df the nattirc; or phyfil/- ital ^conft|uti^|if ithat animal, or determine the fprio^ y^'ch gwe it E^o^ion, wp know that there are doM, ^ndmany in the. world, and that they are frequently in motion. Qn the fame principles, though we cannot .toriceive a diftinci idea of the nature and perfcaions qi a primary caufc, yet as we fee a vi6ble world, which is not felf-exiftent, which has not made itfelf, and as we fee the different parts, which compofe this worUl placed in a certain order, aind preferving for ages their relative pofition, knowing that not one of thcfe parts was ca^ablfi of aflUming or preferving its relative pofi- tjon, and in fi^e as wefeeajl the Heavenly Bodies, thefe vaft jnaffes gf incEt matter, placed at fudi an amaz. ing diftance one from thij otkcr, y^t mutually con- neOed and dapendcnt Ik their raotfOnS. we ipyft b'" ""' ""^ ""^ Pnefimpleand in'divifible^^l J/^" P"""'' ""f" '? . B* diftinguifted by We S " '"'• ' ""'' '"""''^ fea, and one cannot po&&7jc'"J '"^'"T^^ P''' other does not it l^u * ^^'^'O" which the couu be „" dTffiU „r;^„?:^"' ^'''^'=*' •""« th^,- * tk:« - """"ction, ccnfcouently no pluraiifr This primary caufe effcntialfy felf.cxift[nt ,n7* • cxiftcncc to all other Beings muftnn^r 1 f ^!'''"« ^f being, therefore th^IT " J ^f' ^^^ plenitudef -^dpo' "ep"- *.«ual agreeme^'betSn Jen reVu7"'^" '" =^ i r»premeatSr„'"!!l?.=^°" ^""'h'^ ""d exclude, -. - , ^^i-vjiwciii power. n'l >3 The Heathen philofophtrs from the unity of th* world, the harmony and fymmstry,- the mutualcon. neftionand dependence of all its parts, &«r the neceffi. ty of admitting one fupreme and independent God, it .. afton,{h,ng, that they did not fee the ibfurdity of fie. ptious Deities fubordinate and dependent, asiffubor.' dination and dependence were not totally irrecondlea- We with the divine nature. ^ ■ In this vifible world there are fo many Appearances^ winch feem to contradict the idea of the whole being' difpofed by fovereign wifdom ; and in the moral ^orld fo many aftions which feem inconfiftent with Philofophers unable to account for thefe appearan^^ ,n he vifible world, and much lefs for the innumerable ?y.k, which are manifeft in the moral World, thought there were two principles equal and independ;nt. X one foyereignly good, the other fovereignly evil This opinion abfur-d in l.felf, and *ontradiaoVin tht erms. as on, firft principle, evidently excludes a fe! oond, has been revived, and embellilhed by (brae mo. «/,«» T^obyiate the difficulties which are propofed are offered m defence of this ridiculous opinion it ^uftbe confidered that a primary caufc a^s by g:n:r do«'nIt^''"-'"°",°" 'V" f«=""dary caufl but fZdc7^"T' *'■''" o*""" ''ftion which is ^orrc. T^ZT V T "'"'?' *""«= whenever any defeft appears, It mull proceed from the obftruftion which - does no? "I ""'t S"'' '"' «'•"> ">» primary cure doe not produce the defecV. nor indeed the fecondary ' tLl „°'"".'^'^/°""'l '" »"fecondary caufes, becaufe r-,-— -...»«ca. As to any monltrous appearance or ilii any derangement in the vifible world, thejr arc evi^ dently defers ; for where there is no defca» there i^ nothing njonftrous, no derangement* Hence we eafily conceive that, all thefe defective appearances are natural confecjuenccs of the plan, which the great Architcd of this vifible world propofed, and ^he laws, whi^h he in COnfequence cftabliflied. This reafoning is applicable with equal force to the. jnoral world: for aH the diforders, all the crimes, and evils confeq^ent and antecedent to thefe crimes* all the tniferies, of which they arc produaivc, are the natural f:onfequences of that liberty of determination, and ac-' tion, which i$ natural to man, and without which he would not be a man, but an aqtomaton, a machin(^ fet inn^otioa by (prin^ at the option of an external ?^gent. But why not deprive man of that liberty whiqh isfq pernicious to himfelf and others ? This Ample reply, may fuffice. Becaufe man is not a nuchine, nor was he intended to be fet in motion by fprings, or the laws of ^ttraaigft and adhasfion, which inanimate mat- ter obeys. .This queftion propofed under a thoufand diflferent forms, and inceffantly repeated, betrays an inexhaufti- ble fund of ignorance. It might be a%d with equa^ propriety, or rather with left abfurdity, why man is not deprived of hi$ legs and arms, for he frequently ilbufcs both : and a nun deprived of reafon, the foun- <|ation of fr«e agency, i^ a more deplorjible objed, than a man without legs or g^rms. To fay that a God foyercignly good is obliged to avert all evil from his creatures is an al^crtion which furpaflTcs if poffible the former in abfurdity. Why fo i jBccaufe evil is not a pofitive exifting Being, it confuls! In fome dcfea, and all creatures are elTentially defeftive. To oi>lige him then to avert all evil, is to oblige him tq create *5 treate tieings infinitely pcrfe^^, which is impoffibfe. But is he not obliged to avert moral evil, ihat is, the perverfe anions of intelligent creatures, andtheihifc- ries confequenc Wiereto? From himfelf tlnqueftionably. Hence he can do nothing inconfiftent with fovereign wifdom, which is his rule of aftidn ; nor can he command, exhort, advife, confent to, or coimtenanbe any moral aftion in his creatures inconfiftent \irith the diaates of right reafon, or what is called the natural law. To oblige him to deprive man of that liberty of determinatidn, and adion, which as man he poflcffeS ♦ which is not fimply a gift of thegreateft value to man, as the right ufe of it founds his happinefs here and hereafter • but one of the cohftituent attributes of toan, to oblige him, I fay to deprive man of that li- berty is, in other terms, to fay, that he ought not to have made man a rational Being. But could he not J)revent the abufe of liberty ? Moft certainly. He want* neither power nor wifdoci to do it. Why not prevent it ? For reafons known to his wifdom. This laft quef- tionis notlcfs impertinent than if it were alked, why he did not make the Frog as picafingto the fight as the Peacock. And the anfwer equally fimple. Becaufe he thought proper to ihake the one a Frog, and the other u Peacock. That liberty is grofsly abufed, y^c know by experi- fence ; that it is not abufed with impunity, the man, ■^ho does not know it now, wiU certainly know it hereafter, the man, who does nbt believe it, thinks a God of infinite fandity capable of encouraging ini* quity, an opinion more abfurd never infultcd the fcnfc br mankind. But i^jppofing a criminal abufe of liberty forefeen, and a pcrfeverance to the end of life, entailing endless friifcry, IS It confiftent with fovereign goodnefs ta treate a man in this fuppofition ? It would be inconfift, entj liilll fnft hot onl5r>hh gttodnrfs and ipwcy; but whH juft|ce and fanaity. to.rcatea man for thlt end. a^d with that ,.«v or to befiow on man liberty, the pro. per u(e of «h,ch would be JRipoffible. and theabufe natural and neceflary , but to create a man a free ,gen^ the proper ufe of whofe liberty is natural, though not neceflary and the abufc of which is un,natural. though hot impopje. is perfeaiy confiftent with goodnefi aSd Wcy, Why fo ? B?ca„fe the abufe of 4 thing good m Kfelf does not make it bad. it only Ihews the per- vfrfcnef, j^f the perfon, who abufes it. The very abufe of liberty fcews the excellence of the gift : (^ S' ^^^^""ffene'icf the will, fl,^ws the native goodnefs of human nature. Why fo ? Becauie cor- ruption deprives a fubftance of a certain degree o1 Koodnefs, ,t mud therefore poffels, it and though re. duccd m goodnefs. whilft it remains i^n exiftence. the ubftance ,s yet good, becaufe it is yet corruptible. w', "m f ""' ""-f"?'!""? "nd^rs a fubftancr: incorruptible, the greateft of all abfurditie^. From this reafoning it is evident that all fubftaiicei Tr^? ■» 'hemfelvcs. That^vil is nothing pofitive. that It confiftsm the corruptiorf of what is good, argue* a deficient not an efficient caufe. if a pretious know- Mge of the abufe of any gift were afuflicientinduci- men t to retract it, there are but few of the gifts of God, to his creatures, which would not be withdrawn : are rot the very neceffiiries of life abufed? Yet what mart >n hisrejfon wiH pretend that thefegitb are not good in themfcves, and worthy of their Author > If there- fore an intelligent Being, through the perverfeneis of his own will, abufes that rcafon, which conftitutes it intelligent, and diftinguiihes it from all creatures, which are not intelligent, giving it a decided fuperiori. »y, in the order of created Beings, it is but jutt and n tltSi(on2He tbat it (hould be excluded from the rank which it was intended to hold ; and though this ex^ dufion, and the miferjr confequent to it, be noli si good to the Being which fuifers, it U good that i( mould fufier : becaufe jafjlice requires it, and in all this there is nothing which is not pierfedtly cOnfiftent with the idea of a Being fovereignly good, and fove* reignly oppofitetoevil, which it c^n neither encouragd nor countenance* To conclude, there is no inconvenience that God ihould create a Spirit, atflive and intelligent, free from external or internal reftraint in its determinations^ though he forefees that, this Spirit will abufe its powers, and perfevere in that deprave(^ ft ate : why ioi Be<« caufe however pervcrfe, malicious or depraved, it yet furpaiTes all inanimate Beings ; in the dignity of its na- ture it is fuperior to. the material world, and there U but the dignity of its nature to be afcribed to its Maker^ its malice and depravity to itfelf- The furious tygef is fuperior to the inoffenfive {lone, and the drunkard to the wine which intoxicates him. The wine is good, the man, though intoxicated, better. If.it be confift- ent with fovereign goodnefs to create the wine why not the man ? Non-exiftenctf may appear preferable to end- lefs mifery. Difpofed as the writer is at prefent h^ Would not hefitate nor deliberate on the choice j yet if we judge by experience the ccntradi«flory is true : for all men are expofed to inevitable mifery, and few, who are not a^ually involved in it ; yet life in mifery is preferred to death, and the Atheift, of all wretched men, the moft Wretched here, fears death mofl, not- withftanding that ftate of non-exiftence, which he fondly promifes himfelf. From what has been faidon thisfubjeft, appears the extravagance of afcribing to a Being fovereignly malig- nant, what is called evil, whether phy Ileal or moral, C for .is JrTucha-fteing tfa fubftance muft begood, all fob. fences are. and .fnot a fubftance. cannot be an J^( can produce nothing. ^iHlH • Befides all thi evils, of *Wch the world complain, order eftabl.fl.ed by ,ts great Creator. The very com- ga.nt of ev.1 ,s an acknowledgineftt that ttf. order it. fcrf ,s good J bccaufe evil is nothing dfe but a devia.^ hon from th.s oider. As to the objeaiom drawn from ^rnrT^r f ''"' "J"* '■"'^"""8' °f =''»''«". »"d th^ P'-Z' ^-r ii"^ unoffending beafts, ar^e fubiea, they w. I be d-fcnfled in the courfe of this work. ^ It may not be unnecelTary to obferve tbataflateof uaJ,'" ^•' ="',""?"««" B^ng aaing with refti. li?\ T«' "« •!""= '^'^"" "'^ *" '"•■°»"'8 faulty, which, d,ft.nguin.es it, may attain happinefs, and tf ■ perverting this faculty and abufing its powers of diter m.n.t.on and adion, it may be exprfed to mifery U pet eflly conjftent with the idea which we have J h" wriUom, thegoodnefiand juftice of the Supreme 8p. . , WiMom is the fource and principle of order : or. ,W "^r";^ ." '■'^""'*" °f ^""''"^'t' ^l"'" freely chofen, ftsuld be rewarded, and that depravity, if ob. 1l 1 r , Pfrj^ff'"?. "-hen reaitude is poffible. flumld be chaft,fed, aftate of triil is therefore confift. ent with wiidorn. it is equally confiaent with goodnefs, to reward virtue when free from rett rain t, is an effect of good- ness, a htcin which virtue and vice are equally nofli- Nc, IS therefore confiftent with it. An adior/ i.' >t liec from external or internal neceffity, may b *• r . ous or vicious, but not.thc agent. The agent and not thcaclK>n defcryes reward or punifhment; it is there, fore ot tndirpenlabJe ncceility that to deferve either re- ward, c r punifhmeHt, the ac ,ii fliould be the effect of choice. ehoice. That this ftatc of trial is coafifieilt with juftice is evident on the exppfition : juftice gives to every maii that, which of right belongs to him. If h? be not inaftier of his afHons, lie has no title, he defcrves neither reward nor punifliment. Is a man who falls froni a houfe, though he may efcape unhurt, entitlecj to a reward ? Or a foldier who does not fly over » rampart defervin^ of punifhment ? * T« obviate q^mberlefs difficulties propofed by wild fpeculatifts and pra^lical Atheifts, who from the irre- gubrity of their condu^, having nothing to hope, an4 every thing to fear, endeavor to ,perfuade themfelves, and others, that there is not a God; or if there be^ that he muft be indifferent to anions, as they pretend, of inevitab]« necelTuy. tt muft be confidered that phi- lofophers proceed to demonftrate the exiftence of any caufe ^ priori as they term it, that is by (hewing im* mediately that (he caufe does exift, and why it exifts, ot a pojieriori yth^t is, concluding from the effecis, the exiftence of the cauie. The former is the more forci- ble and the more perfuafive : the conviction, which it imprcflfes on the mind is not to be effaced j the lattei* mode of demonftration if incaniiftent with the former, muft contain a fallacy, whether the human n)iud de- teds it or not* bccaufe truth is not incompatible widi truth, but verifimilitude is reconcUeablo with falfliood j hence it follows that all the difficulties, which are pro- pofed, or the objeaions, which can poffibly be ftated againft a truth founded on immediate demonftration i <"; Ineffectual. Whether thefe objeaions appear capa* ble of an immediate and dccifive folutidn, or incapable, they only argue the fertility of the inventor*s imagina-. nation, or the limitation of his underftandiog, but they cannot affeft the truth. It muft be alfo remarked that there are numberlefs tfuths capabic- wf iniracuiatc demooUratiop, with re(- pect I 2«a s«1 m IPi If. .bfolutely rcpugnaoc to their ideas: thusanAft oj doL .r ""' "" P''y''"=="' =""^ "adiemaacal pri". the^'hl ""^"?'''= "^ ^"^ P'"«' i» denfuy, if ext L r.,'"'«"'"''"f- ^''"'''' """raaive force and on ,1' t\''S"t°^"'°^''«' «chna„o„s , againft the former he offers no objeSon htter. hough equally ignorant, he ilates a thoulanj difficulties. The gratification ofhisfenfual appetites Tule of adioi. fo trye u is. that no man ever denied !.n!?!. " ' °"'' *"" •"• "'''o f"f^t extended to infinity, incelTantiy approaches its af. lyroptots, but cannot touch them. The demonftration ot this truth however repugnant it may appear to our >cleas IS mathematically exaft, therefore all objcaions SgainU this truth in whatever form they are ftated whatever appearance of demonftration they may af! iume, whether capable of (i)lution or not, arc fallaci- ous. 'Ihefe principles folve in the moft deci/ive m:inn„-_ »auic Objections Hated by Athcills ag;.in:1thc e.-iift.' eiico cnceofa God, and by Deift'^ againft his fu peri n tending providence : they give a fimpie and fatisfaclory anfwer to all their enquiries. If there be a God the Creator of ail things, why create the tyger,the rattle-fnake ? Why the fly or the beetle ? The writer does not know why he created them ; but as they are not felf-exiftent, have not made themfelves, could not be made by any other Being equally impotent, they muft have been created, and, as there is no action without an agent, there muft be a Creator, though the writer does not know for what immediate end he created a vaft number of crea- tures difgulling to our fight, and tafte, and noxious to our bodies, yet in their proporticns, their prefervation, and propagation, he fees the mod evident marks of his power and wifdum. This anfwer is applicable to the enquiries of the Ma- nichcan, and modern Philofepber. If there be but one principle fovereignly good, why does lie fuffer mo- ral evil ? We do not know why he permits it, but we know th:it a Being fovereignly malignant is a mere chimiera t for by a Being fupremely malignant is un- •lerftood, either a Being infinitely oppofite to a Being fovereignly good, or a Being polfcfTcd of the fame per- fedions, fubftituting malevolence in the pbce of bene- volence. There is but a ron-cnlity deftitutc of every perfeaion and infinitely oppofite to a Being poffeffed of all peifcaion, a non-entity cannot be an agent either good or bad. Wirdom, power, juftice, mercy and malevwlcnce are attributes vhich exclude each other. So that no fuch Being cxifts or can exift. Hence then whether we can or cannot account for the cxiftence of moral evil under the direaion of one God fovereignly good, to admit a malevolent principle independent of equal power, wildom, &rc. is a grofs abfurdity. '1 i.at pretended indiiTciencc, which the modern Phi- lofopher h4S introduced, with wliich he feeds his h nrv, Ul:d t% wd flatters his fenniality. is equally ahfurd : the virf- . lant attention of the Creator to the inanimate, and ir, ration;»l part of this vifible world, is evident in the motion pfthe Heavenly Bodies, the invariable laws to which they arc fubjeft ; in the prefcrvation, and pro- pagation of the feveral fpecies of brutes. What extra, vagance to pretend that he ihould neglecift if his providence fuperintends the world why per- mit fo many difordcrs which are evident in the world ? * The writer replies once more we do not know why ho permits them ; but fince they are diforders, therefore there is an univerfil ordsr, for a diforder is neither lefs nor more than a deviation from order, and where there is no order there can be no deviation from it, an uni^ verfal oriler argues an univerfal ciufe to eftihli Oi and fupport it } the man who pretends that in the world there is neither order nor diforder, that human anions are neither virtuous nor vicious, all equal and indifFer, cut, to murder a loving mother not more criminal than to favc her from the jaws of a hungry lion, is not to be reafoncd with, but either conCned in a mad houfe, or hunted from fociety like a wild beaaofthe moft dc ilrucTive kind. The Chriaian P.'iilofopher afligns the moft fatisfaflo.' ry reafons tojuftify providence in the diftribution of good and evil in the prefent life, and from that dillri, bution concludes the immortality of the foul with the utmoft certainty. That fubjed will be difcuflcd in the courfc of this work. We fhall now proceed to confi- derourGoJ, this primary ciufe, under another point of view, fbat is, as infinitely intelligent. ^ «f =«i.a vi si«a;j lijai ii>. t^iiijviaf wfien uc Iccs, hears, lecls 43 feels Of remetobet-s, what he has feen, heafd or felt o* draws conCufion, from his idea, andfcnftUoL ^^ js not applicable to God : in him there is ne mutabUftv Ict?^ '.""'"f'"™ ^""^ •honghttothZK conclufionsdrawn fmm principles, no train of r X^^ hat mmd ., moft «ompfchenflve. which conta^Xi hi 1- ~i • c- ? ** "^'"g '"finite in all his attributes h s mmd mfimtely comprehenfive, views all "bS paft. prefent. future and poffible by the faffl. aS at the fame inftant, this afl of cowemplactn jf G^ '^"?V»7,;'>-Sdiaina from the diX am e ut weniined with the divme nature, is infinite as thr M vme nature, and immutable , fdence in man is an inhe rent qual.ty. from the limitation of the human mind k cannot exceed a certain meafi.ri. r~i . " *" """" " in mrr o,. I, ""'" "neaiure, God is known to ua cLted' uL^"r}""'° "^ in-^on-Prchenfible to any eT^wXfn' r'"'t "'' °' '"^ '"^^ ^^^ZIZ :%:;^:t ^rdiSSiXd^if r 'hey aaually cxift ,r?, ".!,''"°»" *•" hi""- whether tnows ,lmfdfheknow.h- I" "' he perfeftly will: thcexifte„„ "f r P""". "f creating, and hi. pendent ontrXt crlfS I""' T' "" they could not cxia, and all Ih. -ff -^ know , hem, or mined by the law, Lh- 1 , "^ "^ *^*"''' •^"«f- oy ti,e laws, which he has enablilhed for the prcfcrvation «4 prcferration and diredioa of the material world ai*d equaily dependent on his will, there are therefore but tlie determinations of free agents, the anions of intel- ligent Beings fubjeifl to any diSiculty ; but as the exift- ence of many creatures depends eventually on thefe de- terminations of free agents, and the exiflence of a-lt creatures depends eflentially on the will of God, it is impofilble that he fliould forefee the one without fore- feeing the other : the exiftence of all his creatures he mutt know^ he muft of courfe know the determinations of intelligent and free agents, by which as fccondary xaufes, he gives exigence to many of his creatures. This prefcience in God is infallible, eternal and immu- table : there is nothing in God which is notfo, nothing which is not identiiied with his nature ; but it impofes no fort of neceflity on the free agent : for at the fame time that God knows that, fuch or fuch an agent will form fuch or fuch a determination, produce fuch or fuch an act, he knows that the agent will determine it- fclf, and act freely, if the agent be active and free in it» nature ; or be determined by fome external caiife, if the agent be incapable of determining itfelf. AVhy fo ? Bccaufe alHecondary caufes act according to their na- ture ; hence though the prefcienceof God be immuta- ble, the action is contingent, bccaufe the prefcience of God is identified with his nature, and imnr.utable as he is himfclf ; but the action which is the object of this prefcience, is inherent in one of his creatures, contin- gent as all creatures arc, free if the creature be free, and necefiitated, if it be a blind cauf:. What God furcfees will infallibly happen. True, but it will happen aimftif. that I, in li" wm ^ thoft" ""="''""• J" .^teripined to have J^-fl ^' *"^°^'' "''"■'^'' "< of caufes he fees their S ,nH ' '," ""' '"■'^«'" ^t deXT:r^:Kif^t''"l'^"^^^^^^^^^ tnwitious of th.T .« ^^^"^^* from the deter- the determinations of the ^ it, hi' " '^^"^'"' °° plan which he i J tnlf J" u ^"'""'''' "^ '''e world andthefuccem^'^ f ! ^"."" """^'"ofthe •he fa,^; inftVnt lTi;i''v''°™ """''^ he fa^ at Pns, thatoftur?et ^ r«' "'"freedeterminati. «nce i^the order of ..nj ^^^ ^ ^^^tl^^ al caulcs, he owes tohimfdfto orefeVe /hi" ^"tire, taking the refuir nfV PJ^^^^^ their nature ^^- plan of his Iperatton. "" ^^^«^->-tions into tur/!T . ^^^'^"3te knowledge of their n. in the divine en"n.e .1 , "'"^ "" '^""' '"' " tl.e write r'l",' '•. '•' '"'"'''''' "'"''' = '" "'i-s w" Ji Known by Its oppohte iruih, nei. Iher Iher evil nor faHhoad cati be kflbwn in tbemfelvM or in any reprefentation, faliitoodi^ a negation of triit^ ?md evil a negation of goodnefs, negations have no qui!' litie^ of i feftrhat there cxifts a primary caufe, almighty, inde- pendent, infinitely perfea, fovereignly wife and intelli: gent feeing from eternity all future events, whether, w rdultmg. from natural caufes, oy the determinations of free agents, permitting ail fecpnd^ry ^aufes to aft according to their nature, and difpofmg all events according to th^ oj:derof that general plap, which in his wifdoip hehas formed; it is alfo manifefl that this primary caufe IS one, fimple ^nd indiyifible, excluding multiplicity and CQmpofition, whether phyfical ov metaphyfical J that|n this caufe there are no inherent qu^ities, no attributes diftind from the diyipe iiature. or from each other; that whep we fpeak of the mer. cy, the juftice, the power, the wifdom, &c. oftheDi, vinity, itis the fame divine natyre, which we confide« under di^ient points of vipw, the limitation of out tinderftanding preventing vs from taking ioallt|jefc attributes at the fame view. ! * ' That in the ord^r of Beings, which cojnpof^ theunj. verfe the^e arem^ny intelligent 3eings Subordinate to^ this farft great caufe, is manifeft f^om the idea which we have of truth, of goodncfs, of juftice, &c. which are merely intelleaual, and fall under cone of our fenfes : truth for e^apiple fc^s ^^ither colour, tafte, ImeU nor found, nor can it come intp contaft with us ; '''^f^'J^.'^^ conformity of the attribute with its fubjea; of It we have a clear, a diftind idea, not from any one of our fenfes, it is therefore purely in- teUeauai, and ihews that this intelligent faculty i, inherent m us. * o , / ^ We are now to confider whether this thinking prin- ciple within us, this intelligent Being, which Lfons and direds, and to which many, thor.' * i"='™='l P°t = f"" if one particle of matter be affi^^d °l ";f ^r\°^ ""■"''"■«• ""--"foncan be afligned why all others fhould be excluded. The operations of the mind cffentially exclude the Idea matter. Of whatever nature the primary orcom- ponent elements of matter be whether divifible or indi- vifible a queftion as yet undetermined, matter is it- felf moft certainly divifible and compofed of parts ,^!T^-T"' "'■ ,"'« """d are indivifible, and as iea mtT"^^"l",'^"' "^""S noihing clfe but the fub- mL , • '^' -1' " "'<«'!'"'"'»«' or operations of the mind are mdivifible of all neceffity themindmuftbe rrni.^- '•"^.•■'" "^'^ of truth, an idea of thought. half a ':,"'"^":bl« "oris thought half a truth! or formnolTea" " " ""^^^ "■--» of which we can iidfl f^ ♦*'•'> *^-'- -«..• :iCi can never act on what Is no; luimcJiatc' immedbtely prcfent, the mind refleas on thcpaft, and forefees future events, it reflects on itfelf and on itt own operations, of this matter is totally incapable. The ramd conceives that it is impofl^ble the fame thin? Ihould be and nqt be at the fame time, and this opera, tion IS abfolutely impoflible toanyfubject compofed oi parts : i( it be faid thi^t the idea of what is, is in one part- of the fubjei.; r- "*" "•«?'<>- niongathefe latent' propeS'^ "'*'''"''"«'""'' "* ^ It IS true we do not know ill the properties of mat think kl f conclude that matter docs not cur conr." *' '"' ""' ^"""'^-^ « P^AiWe. True ' no idea at all anH™ '^^^ °/ '''"<^'« *e can form Want !'rutrfL""Xt""''""'^^ 'PP"^ P oflible hat matter fliould poftfi the facuUrof Zk ^^ ,„.^, »i.iucr aoci uot poliefs thi^ ifaculty, >-;k i^ ^culty, bccaufc \Ve clearly and eafily conceive that itii impoffible it fliould, and we know that this iinpoilibii lity is founded in the nature of things ; that a thinki ing |xin or kettle is a ridiculous chimera, v^c knov*r that the obje^ of power is a Beings the compd^ fient parts of which, or the conftituent attributes, do not exclude each other, as a true falfliood, of a trian- gular circle, or a thinking pot. Matter we conceive to be a folid fubftance coitipofed of parts, the idea Of vegetation or fenfation is not in^ eluded in the eflential attributes of matter j yet wcJ find matter capable of vegetation and fenfation, why not of thought ? For this fimpte reafon, that the effen- tial attributes of matter exclude the pofllbility of thought, not of vegetation or fenfation, which may bd effected by motion, and a different difpcffition and configuration oFthe component parts of the fenfitivd or vegetating fublhnce ; both vegetation and fenfati- on may be increafed or diminifhcd, they may of courfe be modifications of a divifible fubjed, theidfca of truthi an affirmation or negation can neither be increafed not^ diminilhed, it is eirentialiy indivifxblc and cannot exift but in an indlvifible fubjeft. As it is impoffible for matter, any part or particle of matter to think or reafon, and that, that thinking principle in man, which we call a foul, thinks, and reafons, it neceiririly follows that the foul is a fpiritual fitbftance. This truth founded on the moft irrefiftible teafoning will appear evident to any man, who ex- amines minutely its power of refteftion, that is, when the foul forms a thought, and proceedii to examine it, and at times to examine its refledion on the thought j which it undertakes to examine, this power appears more wonderful when the foul reflects on herfelf, and examines her own operations, flic is then tliefubjcd: of her own cxanii;jation, an operation evidently fpi-» * • rllual; u ritual, of which iliatter can by no poOlbiiity be, or U^ conceived capable. , As to the union of tUs fpiritiial fubftance «t^ith thi body compofcd of matter, we know it cxifts, the man* - ncr m which this furprifing unien is formed we do not . know. Thgt the foul afts on the body and the body on the foul is equally certain j the prinoiplc$ on wbicli. ' fheir mutual operations depend as aiBgned by differe»i [Philofpphers are fome abfolutely falfe, and others un, certam, this argues a defecl in our underftindinff, but does not afiecl a truth, which is known by inconteftibh^ experience. But in fine fays the Materialift the fouls of brutes arofi,iion, that its Ijnowledge muft increafc with Its years^ and that every vler^ngement in the organi<- zation of the body, niuft prodxicc a correfpondcnt de- rangement in the opjerations of the foul, but this mu- tual dependence does not (hew that they are fimilar fubftances, or that the adlive principle, in which there i«no principle of diifolution, may not exi ft after the Vnion, by the deftruftion of the body, is diflblvcd. Hi It } • I I, ! I'! ^ J! '■ ' 'I Mii: 3^ > conclude this article : there h not an operation of |h« mind, whicfi does not argue its fimplkity, wJarK ^oesiiot (hcwit to be an uncompofed, indivifible and aaive principle, it is not the eye that judges of colours; ftorisit the ear that examines the nature of founds, all the fenfes are inletj, and the fame indivifible Being fees hears, taftes and fmells. If this principle be fup: pofed inaterial ho^ take in fuch an imroenfe quantity Of objfeas at the fame view ? Where ftow all the obieda contained m the memory ? How extend its refe.rches in fiitunty? Where pjace the ideas of truth, of virtue, of vice, of diflionefty, which affeft po fenfe? How compare ideas and draw conclufions from fixed and e- lernal principles ? Thefe operations of the human mind ft6w, m theftrongeft light, the ignorance, abfurdity Und impicty of the Materialift. It is a Melancholy truth that fuch monfters in human fliape doexiftamon^ft VS, and that the gratification of fenfual appetites de- grades a man fo low as to deprive him of the light of reafon. • o ■ As this Jnlelligent Being, which wc call a foul, is hot felf.cxiftent, cannot receive an exillence from any Being equally jmperfeft and impotent, it argues the exiltence of an omnipotent and etei-nal caufe, on which !t depends for its c^iftence and prcfervation in that Hate of rxiftcnce. . ' The f jul of man, not being compofed of jarrinff-de. ments like the body, has no principle of diffolution within It, It is therefore immortal of its own na- ture, and as it cannot give itfelf exiftcnce, when in a ^ate of merepoflibility. nor receive it from any other Being equally impotent, fo, when placed in a fiate of cx.rtence, it cannot deprive itfelf of exigence, nor he deprived of it by any power inferior to thit from which It hold, cxiftence, it therefore cannot be dcrtroyed but ty annihiUtioi^* 57 That the foul muft exift, when the union with thf body IS diffolved, is evident from this, that in itsmoft perfe(fl operations it is independent on the body, that is, in reafoning pn univerfal principles, which thougK eternal and immutable cannot affect any one of its fwi- fes, hence it follows that a feparation from the body only fcrves to perfeft the foul, and as pcrfeaion and corruption are elfentially oppofite, what perfeds capnot corrupt, or deftroy, the foul therefore muft cxift wheii the union with the body is diffolvcd, if not reduced to non-exiftence by annihilation. - ■ ^ < To pretend that the foul, immortal of its own na. turc, capable of greater perfedions in its higheft ope- rations in a ftate of feparation, than when united with the body, fhould be deftroyed by almighty power is raCh and extravagant. No re^fon can be affigned for this pretended annihilation, whilft reafons not fimply plaufible jjut conclufive and incontrovertible fhew the contrary. . .. In the firft place tli« defire oiF immortality Is natural to man. It is univerf4l, and has been fo from the com- mcncement; in yain does the Atheift, or the Materialift pretend that this may be the effeft of prejudice or edu-' cation : he mighr as well pretend that the defire of lifq pr the means to fupport it, is the effeft of prejudice or education. '' Prejudices are variable, fo is education, and the opinions depending on them as variable as the prin- ciples, on which they depend j the defire of immortali- ty IS mvanaWe, as univerfal as the defire of meat and drink J It is therefore founded in our nature, imprcffed on the foul by its author, confcquently it cannot be vain, irtheauthor^,f n«ure, in whom veracity, M'ifdom and power are infinite, be not fuppofcd to fport with his creatures, ruid amufe hlinfclf with deceiving them, ^vhich furpafles abfurdit v. ft » There 3» There arc many who do not defirc immor.taHt>k Perhaps there may be fome impidus, profligate, andj impvincipled chara^ers, who have nothing to expcc^ |)ut the punifiiment due to their criines, to whom o^ /lotirfe immortality is not defirable. There are men jl^fithopt npfe^y ^nd fome without eyes, does it follow th^t an eye or a no/c is not natural to man ?^ No ! but |hat, through the interpofition of fome fecondary (aufps, there are moftfters in the phyfical world ; in like jnanner if there be an Atheil^ or a Materialift, who docs not defire immortality, it only proves that ther? ^remonfters in the moral world, {o abforbed in fenfu* flity as to be deprived of the light of reafon. The- .^u^litics na^ral tp any fpccies are not to be fought for inpiondcrs, in whiqh there muft be cither an excreff cencf;, or a dcfcft, but tl^ey qre found in the more per- fecl;(idiyiduals pf t;hf; fpecies. TJvat this defire of ^m,. jnprtality Is dpeply implanted in the mipds of all gop4 .ipien wa^ never denied even by the Atheift. .' Jn thcn^t place, the mind of man is unlimited in ita. tfefire?, the more it kno^vrs, thg mbrp it defires to know, the greater its pofMons the more it extends its views. One object qtt^ined is biw an inj^entive to purfue ano- ther.; ^t is tl|crefore njanifeft that nothing £hort of infinitude can fill the capacity pf the mind, and cquair !y evident that infinitude is not attainable but by imr fnortalUy, where tfuth is feen in its fource, and fills the capacity of the underfta^iding, and infinite excclr lence fixes the defires of the will, there being no other object which itc;^n defire. This unlimited capacity, in .f hr mind Of ma?, fljcws that he has been intended for !|he poffeffion of infinite excellence. "Whence thcle terrors in the mind of the vicious or rathtr flagitious fian? VtTlulft with impunity and horror hcppprcflcs innocence, ^nd incfc^fes his poflefllons with the fp^l3 pf the defcncclcfs ? And wh^tjce this (ccrc^ fatisfaftiop i9 in the foul of the juft man, when ie relieves £hjb diC trefsofhis ihoft inveterate enemy, forgetting in tfie day of hisdiftrefs that he fe an enemy, and remem- bering that he cannot teafc to be his brother ? Does hot that ^ fchfe o^ reaitude jiniJlame^d in .the riiihd (tf man, point out an imroort?kIlty, in which iEhejdftniart expects the reward of h^s virtiiij, iifid the! oppreffor of hmocence akid weaknefs fears ^e puniflimtnt of his erimcs ? But vu-tue fays the Matelrialift is its own rures ? And fdppoiing it * re\frard in fome inftances will it in all ? What is the re- WaM of the virtuous man whofc innocence is oppref- fed by jjower, his reputation ruined by calumny, his family degraded. and reduced to beggary, artdlbe him- felf dragged as a criminal to a gibbet ? ln this lift he can have no reward, becaufe he k deprived of Iffc^ In a future he can have none, if we believe the Matcri- alift. And what i^ the puniflinacnt of a mercilels Ty«int< 44^ ^he Orifices tlioufand* to hh atnufemeht ? W\o, in- fenfiblc to the cries of defcncelefe women and children, buries them in the ruins of the cities which his ambkir on levels with the ground? An immortality is indiA penfably neccffary td reward the unmerited and unre- warded fufferings of thfe formitr, and to puni£h the fe- rocious cruelty of the latter. Jtjis therefore naanifea that the foul, immortal of its own nature^ tiill not be annihilated by the power of it^ Creator. Add to this that a creature does notat- taiajts ultimate exid until its natural delires are fatisfi. edy the foiilofmin natilrally, and invincibly, dcfires happinefs, and i perpetual continuation ofhappinefs. The author of human nature does not withdraw that, trhich perfeas iiature, that vc-ithout which it cannot attain its ultimate end. The pbfiibility of annihilation is indifputablc : the power which creates can annihi- late ; nothing lefs thin inHnite power can do either. The diftance between noncxifirehce and exiftence whe- ther infinite or not, is manifeftly infuperable to any li- mited power, but thit it is inconfiftent with the pre- fent order of things to exercife this power is mani. feft from the reafons already affigncd and ^ ill appear more clearly in the courfe of the work. liit be aflced why the foul being independent on the body in its highcft operations, and more capable of ex.' crtifing its intelleclual foculties in a ftate of reparation, has been united to tl^c body ? The reply ?s fimple and fatisfaaory. In all that depends ou the abfolute and fovercign will of the Creator he afts according to the didates of his wifdom. Conjcdli^fe affigns two piaufiblc reafons. The firil that the foul united to the body, in its flrugglcs with Beings of an inferior order, may be prepared for a more noble end as gold {» tried in the lire ; and through ihis appears thcgoodncif Kiviiig man a Duin^, ouc ttiio enabiinjg^ I.. tnaljlinghim by his own efforts and theckerctfcofliU faculties to attain a more exalted end, than that fo# which human nature feems intended. And the fe* cond, that the body itfclf elevated by its union Witli the foul, and puriRed by the pradlice of thefe virtiic^, bf which it is the inftrumcntal clufe, insiy be plated In a more fublinie ficuatidn, fo that the fi^ul may b9 to the body, whit God is to the fouj. , As it is impoifible that a Being whicli is itfelf dcfSi tutc of intelligence could, give exiftence 16 intelligent Beings, froni the exiftence of fo many fpiritS in the intellectual world, that man muft be ignorant indeed \vho does not fee that thertj ronft be a prirtiary cauf^' fovereignly' intelligent, a pUre intellcdual Being eroi* hendy poffeff^d of all the powers atid perfeaions, which It fp bountifully, arid abundantly beftows on its crea- tures. This primary caufe is ^hat in cotnmOn lan- guage we tall God^the firft objca of his will is his own infinite goodnefs : in this he fees all that is plcafing in. his creaturesj a$ it is natural for goodnefj to commu- iiicate itfclf to thefe he gave exiftence at the commehce-^ tnentoftime, yet to (hew his fovereign independence from eternity he Wa^ equally happy and glorious withi out themj their exiftence, ot hon exiftenci-^ argues no change in him, vt/ho is etdrnal, rind immutable, but in them, who are from the neceffity of their beitig imper- iPecT:, fubjecl td changd. According to our linrited '' mode of conception a ibrt of progrefs may be remarked in the love of God, his own exdcilence the firlt and principal objed, the eicellehce and beauty of the uni- '' Vcrfe as reduced to it, and thfc goodnefs of each particu- lar object irt reference to the whole, hence it is clear that * what may appear to us a defect may be a pcrfeftigii confidered with refpea to the whole, of which it is A part. '■ The excellence of God, to which notbincr can b« com- « F parcd^ 4^ ^rtd, is a fufficient rcafon for his loving himfel^, liK ^oodnefs alfo is a fufficient reafon for creating the world; ~but a reafon of mere convenience, not of neceffity : fof It is convenient and confiftent with fovereign goodneft to Communicate itfelf in fome meafure, yet it is totally independent becaufe it is neither ericreafed nor dimi- niflied by the goodnefs of its creatures. Fear, hope, dcfire, fbirow, repentance, or any othei- pafiion, which argues a change in the fubjecT-, are incon- fiftcnt with the divine naturd. Love is not ; God loveS hihnfelfand all his creatures , the beauty of the object attraas oUf will, the love of God is not attracted by the goodncfs of the objed, it is efficient, not affeclrive, it in- fufes goodnefs and beauty in the objeft, and though theJove of God to his creatures be one fimple aft iden- tified with his effehce, ahd incapable of encreafe or di- minution, frol^i the greater or lefs excellence, which he communicates, it may be denominated greater, or lefs, in this ienfe he do^s not loVe all his creatures equally. Some Philofophers have taught that God from the ne- ceffity of his Being, is determined to create this world, and that a m.ore, or lefs perfcd, he coiild net create, this is perfedly impious, and hardly deferves a refutati*. on. A chriftian Philofopher admitting the liberty of God to create, or not to create, pretends that of all pofllblc fyflems,the prefent one is the moft perfect, this opini- on though not fo impious as the former, is equally ab- furd, as if the perfection of the whole, docs not ccnfiil in' the perfection of it's component parts ; and as if there be any one part of the vifible world, or even the intellcclual world, at its ultimate point of perfection, fo that omnipotence could not add one degree of per- feclion more to it. 1 he creation of a world m.ore, or lefs, pcrfeit, is an ef- fttt of choice, fo tliat God is perfeclly free to create or noi ts ; and as if J, or even the not ta create, to create a world more or Icfs perfe k is not the lefs true : our modern Phi- lofopher§ h^ve difcovered that m^n is a well regulated piece of clock-work ; an animated machine ; that all his thoughts, his ideas, his fepfations, his words, his adions, are neceffarily conneded, and fuccced each Other 19 order, from the neceffity of his Being, as the links in a chain or the movements in a clock. i^^m i^ne^tis amid. It 11 ,;j , 4<5 ^ It id irkfome to reafon againft; nonfenfe, yet the cao- fequenccsof this opinion, publicly ayowed, and ok^ truded on a deluded people, in a thouCiud different forms, oblige us to examine the fophiftry ofitsabet^ tors, and the different fallacies which with unparalel- Ud effrontery they call conclufive reafons. It mu.a be obferved in the firft place that external force produces co-acTion, an internal impalfe irrefil^v Lie, is called neceflity, impulfe however ftrong, ifnot irrefiaible is an inducement to acl:, bat not inconadsnt with liberty. Co-aftion and ncceff^ty are incompatible with freedom of adtion, or determination. Beings exift from the neceffity of their nature, which cannot tie fuppofed non-exident. xMen's a<5^ions, ir^ khe opinion under confideration, are of that character, each fucceedii\g acl being neceffarily coqneaed with| the preceding, fo that, it is as neceffary that the high! wayman fliould murder the innocent, andHnfufpecling traveller, at that precife point of time, and in that very place., where the i^urder is coin^.nitted, a? that there fliould be an edipfe of the Mjon, at that precife time, and in th^t part of the expinfe, where the! Earth's place in the ecliptic, is in the right lin^ drawn ^rom the lV|oon*s place in its path to the Sun. Beings arc faid to be contingent, when they may be fuppofed to ex^a, or not, thus if man be a free agent, the highwayman might, witho.ut abfurdity, be fuppo^ fed to abftai(\ from the murder. This fuppofition is fa very natural that, a Judge, upor; conviclion, will order the highwayman for execution, thinking not only that he nr,ight, but that he ought to have abftained from the murder, * If man has any object in view, if he purfues an end, the object may be attainable by one, or different mems, if the end be attain ible but by one mean, thai- mean is called neceffiry, not fimply, as if the mean timed frotn theneceffity of its being, but it Is neceftt rary to the attainment of the end in view, thus a vef- M ,s neceffary to crofs the ocean, if a man intends to do io, and food is necefliry to fupport life. If the fame ejid. may be attained by different means, they are called ufeful, not necefikry. A carriage is ulerul in a long joufney. There is alfo a twofold indifference; paffive, and aftive, this paffive md.ffere»,te is peculiar to all inanimate Bcngs, which areindififerent to reft or motion in any direa,on and will remain in any ftate, in which they are placed until femoved by feme external agent. Active indifference is therefult ofreafon. the foun- dation of Jiberty in man, and in all intelleftual Be- ings. _ This aftive indifference, or power of felf-determina- t.on, enables a man to purfue an objeft. or its oppofite, "r ceafe from the purfuit , to affume or reifl an^ mean, or choole between two. or more, means equal! or unequal. . vvj««. Does man poflefs this power of felf determination f Ihisact.,^ indifference? Is he matter of his aftions? .tnut'^ 'f'.'/^'^'ff choice, or the effeft of irrelillible .mpulfe ? Ihe world was in poffeffion of believing maft dern Philofophers to attempt to undeceive it ? But if the deception be natural to man, a link in the chain of l"s ,d.as, our Philofophers have to lament his fate. ' W him to hi, deftiny. and thank their ftars that they th mfelves are but animated machines, monkey, of klTi V ""f I""' ""=y ''^'"= the candor Lac. knowledge it, whether the ^orld beiieve them or The writer believes the modern Philofopher a facti- -> "'' jKiciciJiions to iionor, iioneity, intcgriry i . ■ ■ . 4« i^ntcgrity or ^riy other human virtue is mere grimace f the factitious brute however furpafles the natural, in folly, impudence and vanity. Of this picture he mu(l not comj lain ; he knows that every impulfe is irrefifti- hle, the writer is, therefore, irrcfiftibly inipelled to claTj thcfe hitherto nondefcripts called modern Philofophers amongft factitious monkeys. God being infinitely perfe ed Philofophers will begin to calculate the operations of the mind proportioned to thefe effeas ; the data arc' fufficicnt for men accuftomed to fwallow all forts of abfurdity, or, if you will, worthy the attention of thefe men who are come to undeceive the human race, par- don the cxpreflion, the Baboon ra(e. Unfortunately! certain events (hew that the influence of the Planets isj not invariable on the human mind : at the fame inflant| a drunkard fteps into the tavern, and a fober man! paflTcs it unnoticed, the influence was not the fame on both. No matter. That will only encreafc the difli.| culty of calculation, apd the glory of the modern Phi. lofopher will ftill be greater. The mind of man is confcious of its liberty, the man , who denies it, believes this truth as the writer docs ; he is convinced that when he turns his thoughts on any objed, he may remove the objeft from his mind, and make fome other a fubjeA of confideration, or con., tinue to contemplate the former, when hew^ks, he knows he may fit at his will, or continue to walk, and if he continues to walk, it is an effea of choice, or if he fits, it is equally an cScck of choice. Ic is true he cannot walk and fit at the fame time. Liberty does not require impoflihiiities, but it is enough that he walks or fits at his option, to convince him that his determinations are free from reftraint. It is in vain to reafon with a man who does not admit a truth, ot| which he is confcious. It is true certain thoughts occur, for which we can- rot account, and our idc^s at times fucceed each otiicr without any fort of connexion. Images are propolcd to our imagination which we bear with rclu(fiancc, audi f ronil > I Si ^ - bucall this fo far from being inconfiftent withfiberty ftew, that there is within u. a power of aftibn and determination uncontrouled. Why fo ? Becaufe the virtuous man rejeas thefe object, propofed to hisima- gmation with lK>rror, regardlefs of the ftrong iropreC Z^l 'J'^.°° »"™>' "««"•«• Whilft the intemper. ate fenfuaiift p„rf„e, them with an eagernefi, which approaches fury The' power .hereforeof reveling or defiring fuch objeSs is free from reftraint / thisliot Hh'"'' '^ ■''7'^ "^ """' '»''»""° 'he total in. FoHftH "^ '^„^'^"' "" "-^ body in its operations. Foriftheflrongeftimpreffions on the fenfual appetite ot her will and independent on the body. ren^r"''. "*'/'?'''' °* ^''^^ ''*«''" '"'. •"■appa- rent good, and the objec-^ of averfion, is either real or apparent evil there is no object inferior to fove ign which the will may not purfue, or relinquifli, becaufe of ^ooVTh V" "''''' ""^^ ''"°"""'"'= W^a""" obie^lth f '^'"'.aPPfa^nce of evil, no particular objea therefore can irrefiftibly attraft the will. «u nfhrr:"'"' ''["""' ^'^' "" Materialift, is confci- <>us of hi, liberty, why no^ the man who wakes ? May not the M^eriahtt to be a dreamer. If it be true, as fomc comfw ' ^"''"u' """ '''■'"'" "^ ""'■^'l by a certain commotK,,, in the brain from the irregular Howirg of he animal fpint ,, ,„d prefenting ideas to the mind as t a real imprefiion were made on the organs of fenfe, tis ea(yto conceive that the mind enjoys no liberty .n t, dreams becaufe there i, no comparlfon of ideas' no Previous knowledge of ohjefls, no e:ent is a fuflicient reafon fof. «ither. All fecondary caufes are dependent on the primary caufe in their operations. That is admitted ; but the primary caufe directs fecondary caufes according to their nature, becaufe God p refer ves and does not cor^ rupt the nature of his creatures, hence as he has crea- ted man intelligent, an aclive and free agent, in the dire<^ion of his operations, he does not deprive him of that liberty of adion, which is a privilege of humai\ nature, the very charaderiftiq which diftinguiflies hiniL from the brute, Aj man is not felf-exlftent, he muft depet\d on the fame great caufe which gave him an exiftence for a continuation of that ei^illence. At the firft inllant of exiftence he may be confidered as merely paflive, but nothing prevent^ him fr^m exerciftng that adlivity, which he received with exiftence in ail .fucceeding in- ftants : for whether his prefervation be confidered as a contmu^'ion of the aft of creation, or rather a manu- tentlon in received eififtence, or fimply a permillion to continue, it is certain, that he is not taken a fecond time from a ftate of nonexiftence, and th^t being in, exiftence, he may excrcile the natural powers which he pofl'efles. In children, and fome fnperannuated pcrfons reafin appears we.ik, hence the Materialift imagines that, the pjxjrations of the (bul are the elTects of moiion, witl^ whi^'i aiftivc indiftcrcn^e is irrcconcilcable. . ft is It iithie the fenfcs arc the inlets of riibft fenfatiohs, and many ideas, and any derangement in the organs of ienfe muft affed the foul in many of her operations N^hilft united with the body. In the child the organs are not fufficiently formed to ufe them with efficacy, and in extreme old age they are decayed. Liberty is' an inherent power of thfe foul, but as the exereife of this power requires a previous knowledge of objeas, if through any defeA in the organs, thefc objeds are not reprelented, jhc exereife of the power muft be fuf- pended, as in children or perfons infane through age or infirmity. o t» A Philofopher of note unable to explain the iribtlons «if the body fubfervient to the will, or the impreffioni of the fenfes on the mind, pretends that the foul is but the occafional caufe, and God the fole mover. Thus for example the foul defires to move the finger ihd God gives it motion, in like manner an externa! objea makes fome impreffion on the organs of fehfe and God produces in the foul a correfpondent fcnfati! on, if he had confined himfelf to fay that the operations Of the one or the other, were confequences of the phy- fical and perfonal union of the foul with the body ac- cording to laws eftablifhed by the Creator, there Would be nothing reprehenfible in his opinion. How this union is formed We do not know, it is not the only part of God's work which our underftanding cannot reach, that it fubiilts wc know, and that it may be dif- folved we will know. Another Philofopher Unreftriined in his opinions by aivine authority, pretends that the foul and body both act independent ; that a feries of movements fuccced m the body correfpondent to a feries of ideas in the lou ; to tuftify lome appearance of free agency in the foul, of wliich we are all conCcious, he pretends that this correipondencc is pre-elhbiiihed between the ner- ccption<< •it" $6 ceptions of the mind, not its volitions, and the move* ments of the body, whereas tiie movements of the bo- dy in reality correfpond to the volitions and not th^ perceptions : for whatever ideas or images are reprc- fented to the mind, it is the volition, o^ order of the will which gives motion to the haiid. To pafsin iilence the abfurdity of fuppoling that the foul and body are fo conftituted, that, if the foul were in China and the body in Peru, the fame perceptions would fuc*- ceed in the one, and movements in the other, as in their prefent union. In vain the Philofopher has recourfe to the preference of God to forefee the voUtions of the foul, and to his omnipotence to form a correfpondent automaton, it is well known that both is poflible, and equally well known that in his fyftera the foul in its volitions is confined to the motions pre-eftabliflied in the body, and no others, which is deftruilive of its liberty. It is quite otherwife with the prefcience of God : for though the foul will not form any other volition, but that which is forefeen, the pofiibiUty, and power of forming any other fubfifts, and is totally unreilrained. However incorrect the opinions of thefe Philofophers, they unanimoufly admit the liberty of man, and en- deavor to reconcile it with their principles, they are not CO be numbered with Atheifts or Materialifts. The power of God comes next under confideration, it is infinite being unreftrainsd by any ey*^ernal caufe, God being totally independent, nor can it be circuni- fcribed by God himfelf, as he has not given himfelf exiftence, nor perfciftion, it is identified with his ef- fence, becaufe there is nothing in God which is not, it is therefore the principle, npt of action, which is not diftinguifhed from power in God, but of elTecIs, and thefe eifcds nbt being infinite, fliew the liberty of God in all his works, for any effccl from the neceflity of 1 I tiktare, r» correfpondent to the power of the aff^rif, thus a ftone falls with all its weight, a man begets and! ther and no other Being. ■ Within the fphere of omnipotence are all thefe fi^. Jngs which do not involve a contradiaion', that is, whofe c«nft.tu^nt parts Or attributes ar6 not incompj! tible. Beings compoftd cf attributeS^ which exclude each other can have no exiftenCe, thej^ afd not the ob^ jeas ot power' The immeniitjr, or ortjnipfcfcente, of God arjfuesno fp.i.tual extenfion in hitn, for where there isextenfion there niuft be a plurality of parte, which is repugnant t» the perfea fimplicity ofthe Divine Nature. God is in all thing, and places, by his power f all things are fubjecl to !t; byhisprerence:a« things are oL t* h.s v,ew ; aird by his ciTence i from him all created Bt. ings have an ex.ftente. God i* prefent fo all thingj not as a part of their effence, no? a, an accident? b^ and as all things have from hiri, an exifience. and the contmua„on of that exiftence than which nothing is more ,„,^,,, ^^ „ . ^.^.^ hence it foUows that God InZ ''^^"'"""^"'S' *hilfttheydi, «ift. In him we live, we moVe, arid are." The argument, adduced in favor ofthe brfnion that he prefen, world is of all poffiWe fyftem, the moft pe,^ fca, hardly deferve refutation, as ft is manifeftiv in- junou, tothepowef, the wifdom add the goodrieVs of Cod, and totally deftfucHve of thi divine liberty. I IS admitted by the partizaA, (,( this abfurd opinion ;.« the power of Godfs not exha«fted by the pmdu" Tern la7"wl """1:' °^ '''' P"*^'- «f '«'-- poncni parts Why confine the wifdom of God to this does be not know that his power is infinite, that „b H " creaturff U d*e»ture uHJiich he has produced, is at the ukt mate .pfHiit of perf^ctipn, to which hi^ infinite power, could not add one degree of perfeftiori more ? Why pretend that his wifdom could not prefer a fyfte«i, in which all the component parts, would receive an additional de- gree of accidental perledioti i Poes not the perfections of the whole refultfrom the relative perfeftions of all its parts? In a word if hispower^ his wifdom apd hi« goothiefs be confined trt. the preftiit fyftem, neith^ ;theonenor the other is infinite, for the prcfent fyftem laasits limits; and the man who limits the powers wifdom of God is not far remote from an Atheifl. ' We come next to examine thefe attributes of the Divinity, which are called relative by Philofophers, bc^ .caufe they import, or rather indicate, a fort of relation to its creatures ; the firft of thefe is the creation, or that a6t of the divineJSvill, which gives exiftcnce, thJs a , Though we cannot reprefent to our imagitiation a Being transferred from a ftat:e of mere poflibility to a .ftate of cxift'jhce ; yet s^ our rcafon is convinced that art i k j(1| the Bfeings, whtch now cx|ft in this vilible worid, are fubjed to change, and continually changing, we are' forced to conclude tl^at they arc not feff-exiftent^ that they muft therefore haye been educed by a caufe fclf.' exiftent, apd alKpow^rful, from a fljiteof non-exiffence. We are alfo forced to conclude that, Qod in the fo^r niation of tl^e worid did not difpofe any pre-exiftent matter, which hit himfelf had not created, fot as all matter is nianifeftly created, if there had been any pre-' exiftent matter not created by God, it muft have been by feme other Seing of fupefior power, that powet which furnilhc^ the matter is evidently fuperior to that which difpdf^ H j'to $dnilit a power fuperior to omnir potence is ridiculous. The laws df motion, to which aH bodies arcfubje*?^, and which they invariably obferve, fliew a fuperinten- dant power, which is implicitly obeyed, in oth^r words a Providence, which condu^Ss this vifible wqrld, Fi'oni certain diforders which happen, and events, which feem inconfiftcnt ^ith c)ur notions of a fupcrintending power, fome Philofophers prcten^ to conclude that Providence dos^ not extend to human afHons, though thcfe very diforders, and events, from which they pre- tend to draw the conclufion, arc conclufive evidence oC the contrary : for order is an efFeft of w'fdom and po\yer, 2^.^d if order be not eftablilhed, there can be no/ diforder. To pafs unnnoticed the Extravagance*! r and though all his creatures are immediately fub- jectto God's providence, intelligent Beings are more particularly the pbjeds of his care, they are the only ipeaators of his works, the on)y creatures capable of knowing and loving him, and as he ishimfclf the lallt end of all his creatures tjiey alone can attain this end, it is therefore manifett th^t they are the firft objefts of his care ; hence it follows that intelligent ^eings are under the ^direftion pf Providence, not only for the good of the fpecies, but alfo for the good of the indi- vidual, whereas of all other creatures tl^e individuals are direftcd to the good of the fpedes. Hence alfo it appears that the number of individuals of any fpecies, f xcept the human, though known to God as nothing' is unknown to him, is not immediately intended for the individuals but for the fupport and propagation of \hQ fpecies. ^.^ pod, in the produaion of many effects, admits the (if th? intervention offecondary caufes ading accordin. ftou d be fubjecl to ,he direffion of fuperior, noS .ptelhgent ,o .ntelMual, and as amongfl in.eLclual Bemgs(ome are^foperior toothers, order require, tha, the more nobkftoulddirea ; yet whatever'effefls ari produced by fecondary caufes .„ay at time, be pro^u! ced by God .^mediately, as at the creation all eSs ware produced by the Divine Power without tl>etetcr Vem:o„ of any fecondary caufe ; and the pow rs o ancaufesarefromhin,,„ori, the produffiop of any cffecl without the intervention of T fecondary caufe , d.fl«,bance of the eaabUlhed order: becaufe even tl.at .s fubjea to order, and within the fpherc of hi, providence. Moreover the order eftabliihed in the 1«1 "-"M^^f' l>y fecondary caufcs is no a Jft! utely invanable. but fubjecl to interruptions through ihe interference of other caufe., as when a chi d is bofn ei? iXd r? '" "'"* '■"' ""Sers. if therlrl ^ e of fe/ '^' "'^ be interrupted by theinterfer- ipce of fecondary caufes, it may by the orimarv gute t ts fometimes happens for the man fcfta o„ "f God s glory ; and to (hew that the order, which now fubfifts was an effect of choice, notofneceffity eS produced by .he Divine Power without the interven couile of nature, are not contrary to nature ■ for all fr t ITheD^i": W^f tT"^' '^, T'' ''^'- 'Allth. p . ^'''^75 W"^- ^neunivcife therefore, and i nd God H "" T";* "• " =" >"«^ "^ -"han. " ' ^"° ^od «"e artift, however well fmifhir) th» vordrngtobts will. A prodigy therefore though not ■"..!:?n,'°"'"™--fc<'f-'ure. as known to t, ; 1-— j, natural, becaufe it is according to "the'^dif! pofition i" #1 nni ",!'■ pofition of the Divine Will which determines the p^ ture of all things. Though God in his providence be infallible, j»nd that urill certainly happen which he has ordered, all caufes whatfocver being within the fpherc of hifj providence, yet the infallibility of his providence inipofe^ no necefli- ty on the determinations of n^an's will, bccaufe his irrovidcnce infinitely perfed difpofes not only all events, but alfo the manner in which thefe events will hap- pen J neccflTariJy, if the caufes be under any natural ricccflity, as an eclipfe ©f the Moon upon pafling through the ft»„dow of the Earth, or contingently, whj^ the caufes producing fuch an effe^l: are free >g(!ntSt as the late French Revolution, In this appears the boundlefs power, and infinite wifdom of (Bod, that permitting a thouGmd free and concurring caufes to aft according to their nature, and impofing no neceflity upon any one of them, he yet direfls them all fo as to produce infallibly that event, which is pre-difpofed in the order of his providence. Though it may appear difficult to reconcile the infal- libility of Providence with the free agepcy of man, yet, if it be confiJcred, that there is no created object ef mati's purfuits, which has not its beauties and de- formities, the difficulty will vanifli. May not the deformities of the objeft be ftrongly ?impreircdon the mind and deter from the purfuit ? Or may not the beauties of th« objed be fo expofed as infallibly to at- trad the notice ? Do we not every day fee the cfTcda r>f human perfualion i' Vet what man in his rcafbn pre- tends that an Orato:, who obtains his fuit impofcs any neccffity on the minds of an audience ? But this you wiH fay would make the infallibility of God's pro- vidcnc;: dependent on the will of man. No. But on itsown inlinite perfc^lion ; for it does not depend on the miaU of man toiiec all the b^auiks or deformities oi ' «3 the objecl, ifthey be iiot impreffed on it % that a!t fjowerful agent, who dircfts the wills of all men wirhout jieceffity, or coercion to his own views. " P^imem ** a^ne ufque infintm firtUer andfuaviter omnia difpontns.'i Hence it appears nianifeftly inconfiftcnt with God's providence that man^s liberty ftiouid be deftroyed, o* even impeded, as thf man g love, which can have no other objea but* either real or ajiparcnt good, to prefer any limited ob- jecl to mfimte goodnefs is inconfiftent with reafon « tove of preference is therefore indHpenfably neccffary. and, a^heis truth itrdf, incapable of deception, or dc- ceit, If he propofcf any truth, though it mav tran) fccnd the fphcreofou.Un,itcd underitanding, wcare ftnaiy obliged to believe it; but we are alio obliged H wquuc .f. what is pri^pofed as truth, be revealed by Jiim, W3 thg^ <;on^ne our reafon to ks proper t>bj for to enquire, if what is revealed by God, be tnifh; or no^. Iwrpiffes impudencq. Hence it appearAhat faith is an cfiential p^rt ©f th.^^ i^oijiage wfeicl^ maa pjyes his God* - That qi^, if his iiaipn? be cgnfijftent with the dic- tates of right reafon, has a right to expeft a reward from fovereign power apd infinite goodnefs, is indifpu- table J and if kt^ ^aions be inoonfiftent with reafon that he. may juilly fga? cljaftjfrm^Qt, fcqn^ fupreime jui; Jice IS equally certain. *'' Pefides ^l»p internal rcfpeft, r^v^rence and loye which a man owes his God, he is obliged to pay extpr- |ial homage : becaufe man ia compofed of foul and body, fhc^ bomage which he p^ys muft be corr^/pyn, fient to the ngture of l>is Being, th,at is, it muft be compofed of thb internal ^a of reverence within the ^oul, gnd theexterflal.aaofthebody, which fignifies It, that ir may i^ot be fimpjy the homage of the foyl, nor amply pf t^e body, but the homage of the man. Joconfii^e the divine wori^ip merely to the internal acaiisto m^ifl^kcth(?. natur? of man, and alfo the ija, ture of the Coinage, which ho owes to his Creator a? i man j becaqfe Qod U ^ ^irithp muft be adored in ipirit, and t^caufij he is truth itfdf, and fanciity, po |niixtureoffaia)ood i^ admiffifcile, noticing inconfiftcnt I with purity, nothing unworthy his majefty : the cpc- ternal honxagp muft be exprfffiyc an^ figr\ificative of that internal rcfpea, and reverence, which a man has for hi. God, i^s a Being i^pfinitely perfect pure and fioly, It mulli. therefore, exclude every thing whiph iH inconaaent with truth and fan^ity, Hence appears not only Uie ^bfurd»ty and^ extravagance, but tha ^bommable impiety of the Heathen ritef, of the Mahometan, and of feveral f.cls, who perverted opinionS| ^opinions, which flattered tjifiir ^ prjdc qr That thefc arc certain hum^n a«Xa«* «^ «U t^^' «i# ^w ii/Wii *'V^ • .:f«i» A\ . . ait 12; = !• feufes .69 jfenfes are to .be dirt^e^l by rcafon if rs, i^ a wild unfounded coiijeir views were confined to. the pre- icnt li^, induced many to doubt, and l<.mc ^o, deny the intcrfercrfeaiy confiftent withrealbn : man i,a com- pofoi Bong, the foul is not a mart, much lefs th« Though the (oul makes Ufe of the bfidy as an inilru- nient m many of it, operations, more particularly in •J>epraa,cc of virtue or vice, yet the body cannot be confidcred hmply as an inftrument, but as a part, it i, the man, not ,hc foul, that relieves indigence or op- prcllfs mnocence, to the man therefore the reward of v.r.ue or the punifhmcnt of vice is due, the body thereiorc muft be re-united to the foul that, the whole .ran, ..Hi not a part of him may receive the reward of his vutues or the puniftment due to his crimes. It .s .n vain to pretend that by death the union W d.nolv»d, and the body reduced to aflie,, as if greater power w^re necefliry to re-unite thefe parts, which rl'drallv T '; ""^V"'" '" """■ ""-^ "'"'e -hem is oT n'^', J '"■ "" P""'''"''y "*■ "«= "furreaioi, lAthcft ''tk' °"?"'P"«"«"f"'e Divinity, and turn 1^1 w f ^?"''' '"f""<'fi'"^J againft the rrfurrcfc. . vvh,c I. deferves a reply, is, that, men are known t" fcd on human flcfh, that, of courfe, the livne par- . [teles ferve to conftitute the b.x.ies of different nfen. lool-vatethis, and all fimil,r difficulties, it mud be :^on(iJcred that, though the fame identical body muft «h, lav. ,uccen,vely /erved toforn, -hcbody ft,„»ld I >- un.ted ,„ „s relurreaion : .f thcle the fuoerlluou« So iiiuftbe rejeeTied as ufelefs, hence then if the particles of one body, which have ferved to conftitute another^ i)e neccffary to the former, they may be rcftored, and their place fupppUcd in the latter, by others, whicll would jiave been Superfluous. There is no Savage whofe food is confined to human flelh : he mufl con- fume other, things alfo, as wfiter, fruits and vegetables, his body of eourfc, cannot be entirely formed of the fleih of his fellows. In the refurreclion all excrefcences will be retrenched, itnd defects fupplied, by the power of God. A quefiiori of no fmall importance prefehts itfelf, ^hat is, whether this future life, in which the juft man obtains the reward of his virtues, and the impious man the punifliment of his crimes, be eternal and im- mutable or terminable after a certain time. If the refurreclion of the iuft be admitted and a ftate of haippincfs afligned, as the rcv^ard of their vir. tues, no pofiible rcafo'n can be affigned why they Ihould be deprived of it. The privation of fovereign happ^ nefs is a moft fevere punifliment, puhiihment always fuppofes a crime, which in a Hate of confummatehappi- nefs is impoffible. Add to this, that a ftate of confum- mate happincfs exciudcs every evil, and every appre- henfion of evil. The h)fs of fovereign happinefs li the greatefl of all evils, and the certainty of lofing it, an object of the greatcll and moft juft apprchen- fion. j Morco"C-ci- man does ^ot arrive at his ultimate end until all his natural defircs are fa'cisfud, he not only | dcfircs happincls, but the continuation of happincfs, for lince he delircs happinefs but for himfelf, he mull dcfirc it to continue, as long as he himfelf continues to exift, and as he is himfelf immortal his happinels mull he fo too. Nothing fiiort ofconfummatc happinefs can Uthfy 81 ife natural defires of man : whilft happinefs is intomi . blcte it is capable of feme addition^ and the mind of man, boundlefs in its defines, muft continue to defircj Wharis wantcd,until its happinefibeconiu«imate. Hence it appears that no created object can make man happy^ becaule all created objeas are limited j limitation ar- gues a want of Ibme perfection, which is the object of deflre. Hence alfo it follows that cdnfummate happi- hefs cannot be obtained in this life: fot this life is jfjbjea to niany and unavoidable evils, ignorance, in- ordinate attachments, infirmities and death, no wealth [no power, can ward off thcfei' - . ' True and confummate happihefs Confids in the con- remplatiqn of God, no limited object can make man truly happy, dod alonft is infinite, he is the fource of jtrue happinefs : in him the uriderftanding fees all truth and in him the will finds all that is good, in him ter- minate all the purfilits of man, he is hislaft end as he lis his fird btginning. The will always tends to its ob- IJecl whilft abfent, ind refts in the poffefHon of the [objeawhen prefent. • ;' Thouglj happineft confifls in th(- contemplation o^ jGod, and is rather the operation of the underftandii^ contemplating the objecT, and propofmgitto the will, Ithanof the will, which is pleafed in the poffeflion, yet ^ruc happinefs does not tonfift in that confufcd know- ledge, which all men have of the Divinity j whether m idea of a God, be innate in man, that is, impreffed N the loul at the inllantof its creation, as fome pre- knd, or {o eifily attained (hat the leaft rcfleaion fuffi- c« to form i^ it is certain that this confufed know- ledge is fubjea to numberlcfs rr'-ors : it i-: ufclcfn to peak of the errors of the H. ithcns, they .re known -every man, who knows ..r.y thing, error is an evil, ^.hich true happinefs eiccludes. Nor does confummate hiippiners conHfl lo, th?.t kn?>w- ** kd^-i J, — ^Ill^ii I ledg^ of Gttd, which is obtained by demofiftration i the Philofophcr demonftrates that the divine cffcnce ii one eternal, immutable, infinitely wife and powerful, anlimited in all perfeaioh, but, as reafon, nor even imagination cannot reach infinity, the mind is yet dc iirous of having a more adequate idea of all thefe per« fcclions, and of an infinite number of perfections, of which we have no idea at all. Finally, confummatehappinefs does notconfift in the knowledge of God as obtained by faith : though many ufGod's perfcaions be known to us by faith, which human reafon could not attain, and even thefe per. fcclioKS, which reafon may attain, are more clearly known by faith, as is manifeft from this that many of the divine perfections clearly known to the Chrillian philofopher, were but obfcurely known, if at all, tol the Heathen : yet, as by faith, thefe perfeaions tran- fcending reafon, and founded on external evidence, are not clearly conceived, the mind is yet defirous of al more confummate knowledge. The light of faith does jiot make the obted vifibleto theunderftanding, but it makes it vifibly credible, what we fee is the objed of fcience, not of faith; hence it follows that confuin. mate happinefs confifts in feeing God as he is in hinij felf : until this objed is obtained the mind is In purfuit, confequently never at rett ; but this view of God as he is in himfelf terminates ail purfuits : in him the undcij ftanding fees all truth, it can defire no more -, in hiral the v-ill finds all that is good, it can feek no morel All the defires of the foul may be reduced to four, t!nl of knowledge, of exccllcrjce, of pleaftire, and a pcrpetm| continuation of it. By a dillind view of all truth, th ileftrc of knowledj^e is pcrffedly fatiated, no greater excelj ience can be fought than a participation of the divineJ wluchis attained by the adhcfion and quiefrcncc ciiili| 4?wdcrilandin^tG truth in iti» fource,and ct the willtoi^ «3 yereign goodnefs ; for when one Being is united to ano» ther both by diftindt knowledge, and boundlefs love, n(| ?aniun can be more ftridt, hence the Saints abforbed in the excellence of God participate in it, aqd all defireS of greater excellence muft ceafe. Pleafure refults fron\ the ppfleflion of the object of defire, and is proporti- oned to the objeft. The poffeflion of infinite goodnefs rnuft produce unlimited pleafure. Happinefs would not be confummate if any apprchenfion of lofing it remain,' but a clear and diftinfit vi°w of God removes all ap^ prehenfion, for in this view confifts eternal iife. This diftinfl; view of the Divinity is not attainable by the foul of man from its natural powers. For. that object which infinitely tranfcends the human under- Uanding cannot be clearly conceived by it ; noexerti-, on of its natural powers can reach infinity. Hence an influx of the divine light is indifpenfably neceflary to enable any created underllanding to fee the Divinity : if an agent be rendered capable of an adion, which fur- paifcs its natural powers, it muft be by extending the power, which it formerly pofliefled, or by the addition of fomenew power, which it did not poffefe; there is (10 extenfion of a finite power, which can raife it to an aftion infinitely tranfcending its nature, hence it is cf- (entially necelTary to add a pow^, which the undcr- Itanding does not poffefs, to enable it clearly and dif- tinclly to fee the Divinity. This addition of intellec- tuil power ig called the illumination of the under ftand- ing. Though the underftandingof man cannot by its natural powers have adiftiniTc view of tlie Divinity, yet it is his laft end and the only obje^ capable of fixing all his de- fires: the laft 2nd of the principal agent is that of alt fubor- tiin;\te agents ; the underUanding is in man the principal agent : it propofes a«l obje«[^s Ut the will, the will di- \Qits, the infisrioi^ aj^pecires, aud thcie fet the body in motion. :m |p£i liU ri\i -84 ?^ot»on. The /laft end of man is therefore that of the ^nderftanding. The objed of the underdanding is truth, and its ultimate end, primary truth in its fourcej that is, in the Divinity, th^s evqry man feeing any ef- fed is naturally defirous of knowing thecaufe, and this defire is i^evcr fatisfied untjl the firfl great caufe of all things is known. In this firft caufe all enquiries terminate ; hence man's lafl end is to know hi^ God, and iji this diilina vifion of God he obtains poffeflionof vernal lifc. The ad is fpecified by its objed, apd partakes of the perfedion of its objed, the contemplation of eternal - truth js not merely in time, the objed is itfejf eternal, the jighc by which the underftanding contemplates the objed is alfo eter- nal, and the foul is imiportal, hence pofjeffion of eter. hal life is ol^tainecl by a diftind view qf God- Nor can it be loft. In it coiifupimate happine^ qonfifts, it inuft therefore exclude every apprehenfion, every poffi. bility of its ceflation . I'hey whp (be Gqd immediately cannot ceafe to love him, for, as the immediate vifion of the Divinity conftitutes perfed happinefs, it exdudes every evil, the underftanding is free from errqr, ieeing truth in its very fource, it therefore cannot propofe 4 more lovely objed to the will, and the will itfelf pol^ fcffcd of the fource of all gpqdncfs ^aa purfue no pther objed. , Nor will God withdraw that divine light, by which they fee him, Poc otherwife conceal himlelffrom them : cither the one or the other would be a fevere punift^- ment, muft" therefore fuppofe fome crime, which in a ftate ofconfummate happinefs is impoflible. • From all we have faid on this fubje6t it appears per- fedly tonfiftetit with reafon that the reward of the juft fliould be eternal. From the natural defire of man and his capacity to attain happinefs, confummate happind^ inuft be hi$ laft end. If this end were impoflible, an^ 8i to be attained by no man, ti.e def.re impreffed on tU foul of man would be vain, and iUufive ; it would arl gue th^ mahce «f us author, not that foverdgn good- nefs wh,ch .scharacleriftic of the Divinity. If thifend l,e attamable, it .s bat reafonable that thefe, in prefer, cnce and exclqfively, (hould attain it. whofe aflions have been ,n the courfe of life conformable to that rule of conduct, yhjch they have received from their author that,, the light of reafon. To exclude thefe. and admit ot^er^ whofe aftions hayebeen invariably influenced by pafljon, regardlefs of the dictates of rea- fon, or even to admit both indifcriminately. is incon. Cftent w,th t.e jufticc. the fanctity, thewildom and providence of Q»d, ' ■ ' The next' queliion which prefcnts itfelf is of afl others the inoft important and the moft violently con- teftedby aij the gartijans of pleafure, that h, the pu. iiiihmentofvice. Is it in a future )ife eternal ' It mua be admitted that ipan by acting contrary fq the dictates of reafon, at leaff, withholds that obedi- ence which he owes hjs maker ; that he ftews a con- fempt of , lie la,y, or rule of action imprelTed on his mmd, and confcquently qf ,he f^egiflator 5 that though flo action of h,s can at all affect his good, who from j... nature 15 incapable of l,ei„g effectively injured, the .njuryas far asip inan's power is offered by , formal act of difobedience »nd contempt, add to this that an injury is effec1.ve|y offered, and (uftained, either by the perfon who commits the crime, or fon,e other perfon who ,s under the direflion of God's providence, and confequently under his proteaion. Thefe truths are Snconteftiole and from them it evidently follows that Im IS offenfivc anti difplcafing to the Divinity I r""* f^"" ""'' ^^ S'^^'" "^ '"-'^ « -''is more or efs confiftent with rule, thus, a fmall excefs i, not fo ^ncopfi^ept with the rule of temperance as abf„!ute in- toxication. 9S "H'1 ■ I'i ri!5"'"n toxication. The ftoic Philofophers and fome modcriii fpeculatifts think all fins equal, as fin is a privation of reditude, and privations, fay they, are neither increaf- /^ > .<&.. O •>.x' / Photographic Sdences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WHSTIR.NY )4SI0 (7t6) •73-4S03 of tioned ta a tdntempt of the laft end, than aA abfolute exclufioh, but p.s the tranfgreffiun does not fimply confift in a contcmiDt of the laft end; but alfo in an adherence to fome improper end, or feniible object, juftice adds a fenfible pain, cnrrefpondcnt to this in! ordinate attachment. If no fenfible piin were inllictecf, the puniftimcnt would not be proportioned to the of* fence : it might be tonfidcrcd a^ null, in the idea of the criminal, however great in itfelf : dn Axcltifinn fron\ that, which is not dcfired, h not thought a punifli. mentbyany man : hence fenfible pain, brfides an ej^. clufion from the pofl'elllon of God, iseiremially ncceflTary to lanction the law. Both the one and the other mu4 l,^c eternal : for fmcc that difpofition of the foul, which prcicil - 50 kefer* fome fenfiWe objeft to the poflefliott of toiu jummate hippincfs in the contemplation of God, is in- Huaive of puniftiment as art abufc of reafon, whilil jhat difpofition continues the punifliment corrdpondent lo it niuft continue, death the Uft term immutably fcxes this criminal difpofition, makes it eternal, and con- jequently the puniOiment due to it It is true the jbul has, from its nature, a capacity of receiving Win this life, and glory in the next. It has no batural power of acquiring either the orte or the othcf kaufe they tranfccnd the order of nature and h^ncc ire. called fuptfrnatural ; but thefe is this effential dif. Terence rhat, in thecourfe of life, the VilHs notimmu- |ably fixed, hence though the foul has no power of hfuming that life of grace, which fin has extinguiflied, Ir has yet the capacity of receiving this life from the divine poWcr, but in death the will is immutably fixed, knd the capacity of receiving either grace, or glory, bay in fome fenfe be faid to remain, there is an jnfuperablebar, thatis, the immutability of the will in Its affection to fome forbidden objeft. Athoufand difficulties have been flirted againft thU joclrine, which however fimple and founded on the md folid principles of reafon it may appear, is yet in Itfclffo terrible, that the mind of man, as by intttn<5t, ^ndeavors to invalidate or avoid it. And all thefe nieft. t'hofc purfuits are confined to plcalurc, unanimoutty \cjtd it. Some pretend that to Ml^ an endlcfs punifhn)cnt for an inltantaneous traiifgrcflion, is inconiiiicnt with jufticc, with goodncis, with mercy or even with power. Thefe men feem to imagine that the puniflimcnt of a frime Ihould be of the fame duration with the tranl- ^rcOinn, a rule obferved in no Court of Equity : the Junilhment is projwtioned to the malice of the crime, Hot to it» duration, and the mahcc of an otlence is pro- M portioned ^6 |3iortidned to the dignity of the ^rfon offended, aij offence of the Divinicy is of unbounded malice, and I deferves endlefs puniQiiiJeht, it is therefore perfeclly confiftent with pillice. In dli countries, for any enorJ mous crime againft fociety i tnln i^ foi: ever retrenched from that fociety whether by deitH or perpetual ba- nifhment ; an offence againft charity, the bond of union i amongrt (he bleffed, is a capital offence againft thatl fociety, and of courfe deferves a perpetual excluJ fiofi. - Add to this that not only the acl but the defire, ant the attachment to any forbidden objccl, is criminalj and confequently dcferving of punifhment. The man ^vho peribvere^ uhtil death in purfuit of any created objecl, however flattering to his vanity, his ambition or *ii3 fenliiality, his made his elcclion : he has not only preferred that object to the poffeffion of confumJ jnate happinefs in the contemplation of his God, in op. pv-fition to the didatCcS of reafon, butobftinatcly pcilc vercd in that difpofuion to the end, and fince dt;at!i immutably fixes his affedion, it mullbe perpetual, and thfe coircfpondent punifhment of equal duraiioii. Hence to itillic^ endlefs punilhment is a ncccffary effeft ofjuflice. It is alfoperfedly coniiftent with fovcieigii goodnefs : to countenance or iencourage evil, is not! an cffed of {Toodncfs, it would rather argue a defed inhnite goodnefs is inlinitely oppofile to evil, infinitely! ren-.ole from evil, and of courlc infinitely inimical to| tvil. Whild this oppofition conlinties, fovereign good- iief's wil! exclude and difcountcnanceevil ; and fince byl death the finncr*s will is immutably fixed ort evil, tliijf rppofition mull be pcrpttu;>l. An act of mercy always proceeds from love, ami, as| God is fcvereignly gr^od, and therefore infinitely inlmi-i i:.\\ to evil, neither does nor can love that loul, which i>| immutably fixed o;i evil, he can extend no acl of rnacy 9t [to her, perpetual punifhment is therefore confident witk jmercy. This reafoning is applicable to clemency. "^^ All comparifons between God and fovereign Prihi ces, or pirefnts, are defeftive : a comparifon tnin, p confervation, of fubjeaion, of gratitude, of love Irid dependence, he owes htmfelf, and to whofe glory bts obliged fo Gonrribute, fuch an offence, and ob- |inate perf;verance in it to the end, deferves 'inquef- jionabiy a punifhment endlefs as is the offence. » ^ A temporal Prince in inflifting punifliment may be pilcyof pruelty, though the puniihment d6es not fur- lafs the enormity of the offence, becaufc he may in- ' bd the fuffcrin^As of the criminal, not the fatisfaclib^ |uetojuiHce. This is inconfiftcnt with divine good- Ids. It is the fitisfUaion due to juftice, which is in- ended, and in it there is co cruelry. In a word, if the man, who perfeveres in fin to the jnd, ccafcs to fin, it is becaufe lie ccafes to live. His lerire of fin is perpetual and the punifiimcnt alfo. \ Ilitlicrto we have reafoned on the attributes of th« bty as known to us by the light of rcafon unaffillcd I' any fuperior light, and (hewn that God is the firft 'inup'.c, a:iJ the iaft end bf all his creatures : that ^« th^ 9t the Being! which compofe the umvcrfc, hold from him their e^^nce, and the continuation of their exitlence ; that hi$ providence fuperintends and directs all crea< ture8,the inanimate by fixed and determined laws ; the I irrratibnal by unerring inftinift, prelentjng rules for the rational part of his creatures to direct themfelves, ne, vcr allowii^g them to difturb the general plan, which im Jiis \wfdom he hasfornned for the manifeftation of his glo,j ry ; we have alfa (hewji that rcafon and free agency are excellent gifts worthy of their Author, of thele the proper ufc ;»nd not the abufe was intended, from the! abufe refults nnoralevil, the exiftence of which argud the malice of the evil doer, but does not affedt the loveJ reign goodnefs of God, who though he can neither en-i . courage nor countenance evil, is not obliged to preventj it. We have a!fo fliewn that a fta'e of trial, in which, if roan afted confiftently with the diclates of reafon, he ihould obtain a reward, or, if he abuled and perverted reafon, he fliould be expofed to punifliment, was recon. cileable with the idea of Providence, and then pro-j cceded to fhcw that the reward obtaiped by virtue otl the punishment inftifted on vice niutt be without end,! In the courfc of the worli we have remarked tha| man's innate defire of happinefs, which he invariablfl purfuos, however millaken in the object, and thtl boundleis capacity of his mind, (hew that he was iiJ tended fop confummate happinels, which is to be at) taincd but in the contemplation of the Divinity, i^j which truth fpen immediately fatisfiestheunderftandl ing, and goodnefs in its fource fatiatcs all the dcfiiesol the will. We have alio clearly ihewn tiiat, there is n| fiatyral power in ipan equal to the attainment of iliil objeft, that no extcnfion of his natural powers canatj rive at it, that, what is called the light ot glory, is in dilpcnfably ncccflary. An example of this we law 93 r, of thele the in t|ie natural order. The eye, however wdl con- ftitutcd, or howevei* its vjfual powers may be in- creafed or extended, cannot fee an objecl even the moft vifible, if totally deftirute of light. How thuj light of glory is to be (obtained isi not immediateiy known to nr^an from th^ light of reafon, hence the abfolutc neceility of revelation to enablemap to attiJr^ the end, for which he was originally intended, as that capacity of arriving at the end whh proper ^jftance inanif eftly . Ihew.s The Hej^then Philofqph^s, whofe powers of reafotv* wg were qertainly great, and whofe ftudie^ were in- tcnfe, were notwithftanding fubjea to the moftgrofs and ridiculous errors. The unity of the Divine Being they knew, yet dared not avow it ; of his providence they fpol^e in ambiguous terms j their frequent coht fultatioH of oracles (hew their belief of his prefciencc, but this they thought dependent on the decrees cii fate, b^ which all their pretended Gods were fhaqkled. Their modes of worflup were indecent and the whole plan of religion, which tliey had formed, dompofed of fenfelefs errors and ridiculous practices, to fay m* more. Flattery firtt introduced a multiplicity of Deities, as thefe were fafliloned by the makers according to their own fancies they were made fubjec): to all the vices, to which the Heathens themfelves were addicted, hence there is no paffion, however ejitravagant, which had not its patron or patronefs amongft the Heathen Deities ; this abufe was fo univerCU that one of their moft fevcre moralifts thought intoxication laudable in honor of Bacchus, ar.d public proftitution commenda- ble in honor of Venus. Our . modern Philofophers, nicn abforbed in fenfuality, muft regret thefe happy times, when they could with impunity and honor give ^ loofe to the moft blind and fcnfclefs defires. Hence they unanimoufly rcjc^ a revealed religion, well know- "'6 94 JBg tliat reafon, unaffifted by a fuperior light, is riQ| more firong iiow'tlian inthe days of Heathen fuper^ ftition, coqfequenily incapable of reftraining the vio- gH lencc of pafllon, and frequently a<^ing in. concert witl^ jt. A revealed religion with its proitiifes of rewards, and puniflitnents, is a moft powerful reftriint for thefe iticn, it has no attractive : it holds out nothing to them but confufion here and torments hereafter. Thefe thoughts produce a certain anxiety, which dif-' turbs them in the enjoyment of their pleafures, to quell this anxiety they exhauft their imagination in purfuit of fome plaulible reafon to think this revealed religion with all its terrors a mere bugrbear. They have re-J, courfe to what remains of the writinirs of the Heathens and glean ail they have faid againft revealed religion. This they obtrude on the ignorant, who form a vad majority in all focieties, as the productions of their own brains, gratifying at the fame time both their malice and their vanity. It is in vain to clafs them as fome yi^riters do. They are'all engaged in tlie fame purfuit, that is, Epicurean pieafure, all equally adverfe to that rcr vealed religion, which condemns, and terrifies them, all declared enemies to fubordination and order, and as fuch enemies both to Cod and man. Thefe unfortu- nate men endeavor to perfuade themfelves, and others, that revelation is impoffible, that it is ufelefs, that it is totally unnccelliir.y, that it is not credible. Reafon in their opinion is more than fudicient to direct man to, attain the endl of his creatitm, and to pay the Supreme Beins; the homacje which he exacts. By revelation is undcrftood a certain knowledge, which God communicates of the; divine nature, or the. divine will, hence many things are known from reve- lation, which reafon cannot attain. To realon againft tha podibility of revelation, afgucs \]\c moft llupid ignoiancpj as if CoJ^ whofc undcriland- ■P' 95 jng is infinite and poffeflcd of an infinity of truths, t« ,Which man's reafon cannot reich, were incapable of mafe. ing any of thefe truths known to him ; one man com. municates his ideas to another by the intervention of founds, or letters, which are material, though ideas arc fpintualj ahd omnipotence,, which Jias formed the tongue, the eye and the ear, the air which convfcys found, and the hght which imprefibs the iiTiage of the Objecl on the optic nerve, will be deprived of tiiis facuhy ! But thefe truths tranfcend the knowledge of man. Yes,ifuna{rifted byafuperior light, as the^fatellites o£ Jupiter cfcape the naked eye, but are clearly fecn by the afiiilance of the telefcope. Wc every day fee men learn from other men truths, of which they had no previous idea, which feem to con- tradict their ideas, though thefe men, from whom they learn, have no power of iiifufmg light in their mind''. What abfurdity then to pretend that from almighty power, and infinite wifdom, they may not learn truths, of which they neither had nor would have any previous knowledge ? Thefe truths, it is true, are not in the natural order br the common courfe of things, but they are perfedly c«nfiftent with it, for there is nothing more natural than for an artiR to make any change, which he thinks pro- per, m a piece of mechanifni, and with refpect to God the whole univerfe is fuch. This alfo (hews that the prefent order of things was an effccT: of choice, not oi' any natural delerminaiion; By the interference of fe. condary caufcs we every day fee deviations from the eaabhfhcd order of things, or, if you will, from that order which frequently happens, to that which rarely happens, without prejudice of Divine Provi- cir '^°'' '""""°" '° "«' ^d at all times, it ' bues a change mcompatible with the immutability of K ^ *^*^'='=""°°»ftl'efe decree, is fucceflive kd.ng to the order which he Wdf ha, d«e7ml: ttZi """• ^""8" '^='" ^™« *« •"«" a'« found iZ; I ' ""'*, '^'"'"^"S ""hod. all that, in hi, icsas a man, and a member offocietv Ifir.^^ pelation, but to the depravity of man, whoendea tr"? '^Z'^t"" ^""-■'' •'•«= and^aTural S: ^""i,,ndmake it fubfervientto his private vie^ : rfvelatioB loo irevelation is not more abufcd than rcafon, "Will any inan be Co perverfe as to pretend that reafon is ufelef^ becaufe it is fo oftpn ^bufed^ and (ocnetrirtes to the worft Qf purpofes ? The advantages which refult from revelation are in? numerable and invaluable : without it a great majority of the human fpecies could never attain a competent knpwledge of the Divinity, or of their own relative 4Juties, fome throug^h a natural indifpofition are inca* pable of acquiring this knowledge, others, whofe whole time is abforbed in purfuit of the firft necefla- ries of life, food and raiment, many whofe time is de^ voted to pleafure, youth it\ general is incapable of the intenie ftudy and the abftrufe and metaphyfical i diii^uifitions neceffary. To obtain by dint of reafon. ing, even a ilender knpwledge of the divine attributes, to pafs in filence the mutability of the human mind, continually changing its opiiiicms if it be not fixed by infallible authority. There are in revelation many oh. fcure paffages, fome from the nature pf the truths I which they difclofe, fome, which at the time, and in the places, where they were firft di/clofed, were per- fcdly intelligible, at this diftance from both, appear to | us obffcure, and fome obfcurities intended by the wri- ters thcmfclves to exercjfe the mind of the reader, ardl fupprcfs his pride, but the attributes of the Divinity are clearly and diftin£tly revealed j the end of man's creation ; the great principles of morality ; the means,] by which, this end is to be obtained, and many otherj things, which human reafon could not difcover, arel announced without any ambiguity. If thefe principiesl of morality are by fome neglcfted, it only proves thatl paffion in fome men overpowers all reftraints, not thatl **thcreftraint impofed by revealed religion iswcakofj Vfelcfs. - V I.-.. ..' I - f-'J ^~_^--. ~^<. ^^1.. ftT.^ ..^^!»lll M >ei n. "Will any ifon is ufelefii 5trn»c3 to the lat}on are in? jreat majority i a competent own relative ition are inca' 3ihers» whofe e firft necefia- >fe time is de^ incapable of metaphyfical I lint of reafon. ine attributes, I human mind,] not fixed by :ion many oh- of the truths j : time, and in I ed, were per- th, appear to| i by the wri- e reader, and I •the Divinity end of man's ; the means,] 1 many otherj difcover, arel hicfe principlen ly proves thatj ints, not tbtl in is weak orl but the ncccflity of revelation. The inllifRciency of reafon to dired man in the purfuit of true happinefs i« known from the experience of all ages : not one of the Heathen Philofophers, after all their refearches, difcovered that, which eonftitutes it ; not one who did not, botl by precept and example, authorife intolerable errors in morality. The idolatrous fuperftitions of all the different nations \yhom revelation did not enlighten atteft this truth ; that there is but God himfelf, who teach his creatures to honor and adore him in can ipirit and truth j the moft fenfible and convincing proof may be taken from the men who oppofe this truth. Whilft they boaft the fufficicncy of human reaXon, they confound vice with virtue, they authorife liccntiouf- tiefs, applaifid fuicide, encour^Jg^e rebellion, remove all reftrainta, break down all the barriers. The principles taught in this new fchool are not fimply fubverfive of focial happinefs but abfolutely deftruAive of the human fpecies. There is bet>veen our modern Bhiloibphers and their predeceffors the Heathens, this rcnfiarkablo difference, that in the Heathen fchools truth was fought but through the inability of reafon not aflifted by re- velation not to be found, in our modern fchools truth prefents itfelf and is expelled whilfl the moll abfurd falflioods fupply its place. The revelation of fome fupernatural truths was in- difpenfably neceflary at all times, and muft have been co-eval with the creation. For fince man was intended for a fupernatural end, and could neither by his natural powers know the en^, nor the means, to attain the end, he muft have known them from revelation, clfe that innate defireof confummate happinefs implanted in his nature, and that capacity of enjoying it, would have been illufivc, which is blafphemy toalTert; the end therefore of his creation, and the means to obtain the pnH. miirt h;ive hren r«»vi*aleH tn our firft Parent. T— 7 — who, Jot who, being tie immediate princiDle nf ■•».- i. Ciej, mufthave been oerfca W5v • L . '"""»'"i> body, to pro-create Zi • '• '1 ^^^ "'' "''"<'. ".it-d to I.M poTn> wttrrr"''r ■^'""^"''^ "ore ^Ue To coTC our°^rT' '*'"'^'' '"'»"« by %ns. as tp rte e^b^ f °nd' ^^«'''' *"."" '^ virtue; .hu"S„t7ctZ 'bVob^tStrT " revelat on ; bv the M^ht ^e r oocajned but from *s infinite V mrrrtAii k..* i •-"ow ti^at God «.pi.a. oft"::^c«*d^r woum' b? ''""v* .^onfequence. and defpair remo7erl1l '"'„\"«'ff^fy we kno,r from exoeriTn J ^ l '■*«'"'"«». »«» That God is infinitely good we knoir on^ r Quenty that h^^^-nn <: <^ .« '>*^^c «now, and confcr airn ^hLv- ■ ^'''■»'''*' Pfences, but wc know :tn ;rp:.?r::trt w t '° ™°«^ does not exclude thl w' a ^''^ '''^^'^^ g«°^n«^« l>e ^atisfied!tnd^^:';":^i^^^^^^ -ui^ know but from revTr ^\ condmor.4 we cannot .^pi.. oSrtSn. i-tr: :r£ n/t ri' T '"■""'''"^'* "^ the offend /'°"' «« then i^ore necelTary to vhe.k thj progfefsof 103 this revelatlbrt, br ra,W u "^ "^' =">" ""'"gl prodigltt attending ttortrft?!"" ^'^J'^*"'' "•* of God, whofe dSutionrTf °" *^ ""■»'"««« who have no title or dahn «7k.^ "'"J""""* »o otter., claim, .Wefa„racaZ-„*'f JT''^'* «i«rt .(« no '"ightbeinffituteV^^S'l"!'*^''-'*- ^".'"'1'"'^ ted the angel fuperior ,„ '^"P""'' ^hjr te crea- • The Weflab^Sedb,th"'"*''-«""" '" ">« *oufe. extraordinary fttrt'.h' ,"'"""''' °' Mofe'^^asan Hnted out =U1 the e^eat nrin/f?' f?* '' «P««»'r Heathen,. ,h*y were not : prefudrce * ! the ceremonial pre^o 7;. ,rr*.''''"Red toobfervrf tept, obliged but the lel K, /r'*'** = """■«P«^ their religion. ^ ' 'hemfelre, andpMfely.e, to To thi, may be added, that a. o„j i every one of hi, creatur^ Tihl- !?'" 8""" '" " 'ainment of i„ end. if tTe.^ hi " " "'"^^'^ '° "" «" fny man remote from t n,« o^„l ""•?'*'"<« given, if lation of fun,,^,....";.^.** ?" P''<^", in which .he rev^. '""'"""'" """Wmanifctt. ttriaiy obfervr, t)ie Je4 the diaatcs ofunpreiudicedreafon.andantheprecepti of the natural law, viod will either enUghten his under^ (landing immediately, or fend fome other agent to in^ ftrua him, as Peter was fent to ini>ruft Cornelius. Ue «xperience of ages fliews that even men of ex- traordinary abilities, and intcnfe ftudy, though know. ine the moa common principles of the natural law. tave been fubjeft to the moft grofs errors m remote confequences, and in the application of farft principles, if then, reafonbe infufScient todireft the k»™=dfe«'' . fn >pkment is indifpenfably neceffary for the bulk of mankind, this fupplement, whicli perfecls reafon, is the infallible authority of revelation. That* law founded on revelation has been announ- ted.isafaa, which is not fubjecl either to mathema^ tical. or metaphyfical demonllration, nor is it an in- tuitive truth, which is evident on the espofition. It is known, as aU other faas are known, by moral evidence, that is, bv the teftimony of unexceptionable witneUes corroborated by circumliances. , Whether a truth founded on moral evidence be more certam than that which is founded on metaphyfical reafoning .s left to Logicians to decide ■, but it mutt be admitted that to deny the one is more dangerous and detrimental to io- ciety than the other: thus for inftance. m England a •nan u.ay, with impunity, deny the fP'"'"f ",[. f ."l^^ foul, but if he we..e to deny that CJcorgethe Ih.rd is King, it might procure him a halter. Ihefoni.crisa truth founded on metaphyfical realonmg, the latter on mere moral evidence, the internal evidence of revc a- ,ion as it is called by fome. or perhap. more properly by others, corn-borating evidence, is taken from th cm- tureof the doflrine conlidered in itfelf ; m .tare truth., which man's imagination could not d.lcover truth «hlch mortify his pride, contradid h,s moft volem :„,..:„„i„n,. te.ch him to fubdue his paOions, to eradi- ■ -m Icate the fpirit of felf-Iove and privkte interei, incul- Icate the indifpenfable neceflity of univerial benevolence [without diftinftion of friends or enemies. In a word , [truths which condemn every poflible \ice, eyen irf^ [thought, and enforce every virtue -, fuch doctrine an d the plan of religion formed on it, attefts the divinity [of its author. ' , The external evidence of revclatioii is taken froni [thefe ftiipcndous effeds of divine power, called mira<* Icles, and of the divine prefcience called prophecies. By a miracle is undcrftood an effect of omnipotence, to (which no iriferior power is com[ietent ; a work tran- [fcendingthc eftablifhed order of nature, which no fe- condary caufe can produce, but as an inftrument . Ef- fects furpafling the power of man, but not that of angels, whether good, or bad, are faid to be admira- ble but not miraculous. By the fuperior intelligence and activity of the agent, effects arc produced, which, excite admiration, though they do not tranfcend tHd eflabiiilied laws, thefe may be cotifldered as the pro- dudions of art; An effect may furpafs the mechanical powers, or the known eftablifhed laws of nature, eitherconliderediti, Itfelf, as if two bodies were to occupy the fame place, the Sun to retrogade, or in the fubje£t, in which the efFeft i^ produced, a^ the refurrection ofthedeid, or the iiluminatfoh of the blind, or in the nianner of pro- du? mfter, of Serapi,,or his own minifte.^, t^oprocurea ^Tacitus Aews «. He thought it would not fucceed, ' ^hythen attempt >tia public? He was told by the attendant t^at he wa,. a favorite of the Gods. He knewn woudfucceed or he would not. and he muft have known ., from the a«ors, who knew his intereft and their own. was flrengthened by the fuccefs, of whicK ^ r Tl- '^°'*^ '^*"'"^ "'"' S"«°»'<» both agree that, thrfe pretended miracles were intended to confirm the auth.r,ty of that Prince. ,fter his eleaion? and that he was told by Ottering courtiers that his eleaion jw pfeaflng to their Godt It is true. Sue?" tonius adds ,W fome who were prefent attefted the (aa without hopes of reward. Undoubtedly a t^t majority of the people were duped as was inlend.;^ by cured a Wind m^, and woman, who werefent by the Sf ,n!?r''T"' '"r,*^"" P^'i-Shimlelf to death. th^^ h K^' .""' """y beadded that, many- St^"" '''*'';'' """""Sfl the Heathens,^ which flirpafs the power of mjin, but' nothing furpafling the locomotive poxvers of the demons. •■ • ^ ■ tB.**' tn"" "',"*' "fApollonius related by PhUoftraf- tus. The whole of his compofition is a tiffue of abfur- dmes. refemblmg our Arabian Nights' Entertainments, and dcferves the fame credit : he makes ApoUonius u„ . derftand the voice of birds and beafts, and fays, that he Iwned that ftience from the Arabs. ,nH l.L „,K„ tales Ill W« equally ridiculous. If a„y „«.„ ^jfl^ ^^ ^„„. the Heathen tales and miracle, let him read Ovid^ Mofa fays in the book of Exodus, that the Majjici- Aa on d,d. and that there were ferpents. "The inune- r,S^« *'''?'r' "^^'""■°*''- ""'l 'I'efuWiitution of Jerpents, which were numerous in E^ypt, does noi rurpaft the powers of an angfci either f^right ordaA- a'„ ^' '^""veriio^ of a rod into a real ferpent does rhe very matter, of which the rodswascom- pofed, might be tnflantaneoufly fo difpofed as to exht- iivi^^'i,''''^!""'' °*.' ""' '^"■P*"'- »«d 'hough not living ,t might appear in motion a. art automaton, this teems more confonant to Mofes*s relation, lietaufe he lays that Aaron's roeratio«. *th^ lomnl?"? "'^'f '' l^"'" of"" ^"O" be!°S fi-iiy competent to fuch an operation Hence appears the neceffity of tWt warning, whicS d^icf??*'/^'"".;- *" "^"^ ofimpoftorUhofe m?^ Z^"'' ["'"^"« *•= PO*^-* °f human nitu«, wifiZ " '5T^*° fwervefrom the obedient which they owed their God ; i„ like manner Chriftian, were warned both by Ghrift and his apoftle to bewtri Ant S K "•"^Pf"^"'«'y tfiat great .impaRoi: ihi wLn" n'" !,'" ^^.'^ ^'"«' ">" Saul applied to !sT , i '^7 '" '"'"^ ^*"""=' •'y "^'^ incantations. ^ IS t ue, Samuel appeared to Saul, but not by the ib^T^TT'' ^"^ ''"PP*"-''' before (he Lau them, but by the power of God. who fent liinfto ...* — v^A- !ii i«"ophefy Saul's fate, ahd the fall of biS ^ttnf, and td reproach him ^ith his clifobedience. This is evident firomthe whole paffage, and is confirmed by the autho- rity of Ecclefiafticus wh« fays that Samuel prophefled after hlB death. Though the deniori has no powfer tcrhatfoevef over the fouls, or bodies of departed faintsi it is' nbt inconvenierit that >«fhen the demon was con- fulted Giod hJmfelf ftiould give an anfwer by one of his prophefs.fts whch the king Ochozias feht to confult Beekebub,t'he pretended Cod of Accardrijthe prophet Elias was fent to meet his melTengers and announce his death. ' Theraare certain ruleltb diftinguiffi tfue, from pre^ tended miracles, which though not within the "reach of the ffniple and illiterate parts of fociety (a ftrong pre- judice agalnft our innovators) are yet infallibTe. The firft rcflfe. No miraeles can be wrought in proof of pofitions cotitradi(fRng each other, ndnci to invalidate truths already eflabliflifed by divine authority, becaufe God cannot contradict himfelf, hone to eftablilh iir pie- ty or irreligiori : tKis is inconfiftent with the fenciity of Gocf. Second rule. True miracles muft furpafs the force of mechanical caufesi Third rule. *^ They muft be wrought by the invocation of the true God, aad itt Confirmation of fome truth propofed by him. The moftfimple and at the faine time the iriofl univerfal U i happy combination of circumftances : if it be manife({ that the faft has happened ; that it furpalfes the known, powers of natural agents, and mechanical caufcs ; if the inftrtimental caufe be fmcere, incapable offdeceit ; if It tends to eftablifh piety and faniflity of morals, and to glorify God ; if it be analogus to previous miracles and tending to the fame end , if it fuftains the critical ex- amination of intelligent men. A fa<5t accompanied by all thefe circumftance^ h manifcftly fu'pf atural and miraculous. It excite ■\)\d confirms oUi belief of re. "3 yealed truths : for as by natural eff^as we arrive at the knowledge of natural truths, fcj by fupernatural cffeas, we attain a knowledge of fupernatural truths. That miracles have been wrought in confirmation of revealed religion is evident from this circumftance, that in re- vealed religion there are many fupernatural truths, a^ therefurreaion and afcenfion of Jefus Chrift, which could not be impofed on the credulity of the world but by fupernatural means : to believe thefe. and other, truths of revealed religion, we muft believe that miracles were v/rought m confirmation of thefc truths, which are iheirj (elves miraculous, and to be- lieve all this wrd outany miracle would be of all mi- racles ^ the greateil. But, fays the Deift, Chriftians now fee no- miracles, and yet they believe all thefe truths. It is true they fee no miracles in therofelves, but they fee them in their effefts ; and the Deiil muft be miferably blind, if he docs not fee them alfo : for therein no effea without acaufe, and to pretend that fo n^any nations renounced the Heathen fuperttitions which flatteced all their paflions, to embrace a re* l»gion feverc in its maxims, full of reOraints, contradia. ingallthe inclinations of man, and4n whkh there are lomanymyfterious and miraculous trutha propofed Without having feen a miracle at all, is to beUevca moft extraordinary eflFea without any caufe. Miracles may be wrought by vicious men in confir- mation of triiih, not in confirmation of that fandity ^ hich they do not poffefs : for though faith not anima! ?t : I. charity '.^ :!ead, it may yet bean inftrument tp ?.viag power to produce any effed, as a man makes uleofanaxe. God may therefore confirm truths of taith at the mvocation of a vicious man, but not that landity wjiich the man has not, becaufe God cannot atteft a fallhood. In reply to a number of impertinent queaions fuch ^ a^ "4 ■i 11 1 i^n <| 1 ^^^^p'8 1 1 ^^^^^^^^B^^^H M ^^^^KmB ii i as thefc : why flioiild God fufpend the phylica! kw^ which he has cftabliflied ? Why work great mirades upon trifling occafions without a great neceflity ? Why fo many repeated miracles to eflablKh the fame truth, as in the cafe of Balaam, of Gideon, of Elias, of Eliflia, of Eizechias ? It muft be oWervcd that God in the creation of the world could have no other obje<^. in view, but ti^. manifeftation of his power, his wif. dom, his g6(Kfnefs, &c. to intelligent Beings from whom, fie couid cxaft his tribute of glory ; that matter in this vifible World is incapable of good or evil, of pleafurc or pain, of perfe ageatdifiant, one frmn the other, w:ere foretold, as if •hey were to happen at the fdiiie time : thus the dc- Jlpuclion of Jerufaicm, and the confummatum of the wo?ld ieem etmfonnd'ed. Many things are faid therr reje^ion and the affumption of the Heathen nations wiis foretold, obfcurity was indifpenfa- bFy Bcceflary, or they would have not onJy murdered theProphcts as they did, hi>6 alio deftroyed the fcrip- tures» However there are in the (^d Teflanu^nt many prophcfiis a,-* inteKi<:»iWf as language can make them. JBy prophcfy, as by niiraclf.s, our faitF* is confirmed *. h is natural t«> man to reafon from efir'ccis to caufes, it the cflccl be fujK'rnatural, the caufe nuxft be fo too, othernife it might \k- ixid that a natural caufe had pro- duced a fupernaiural clFect, which Is abfurd in the ex- treme. JVophcfy h manifcftly fupcr/iatm al ; to f(»re- tcl a future event at a dilhnc period of tims, refult' srtg frdm diflferent combloations of ate mdefioke ntii!^ ibtr of free and concurring catiCes, farpaffes alS tlic pa?ww ters of nature. Pn^phefy is more eflfeaual to confirm the tmek -i^^ b(^.^:;^v;c|^, aniiffJ/}iirhrirt,5ut publicly rcprl- mCifd him. You wijl not ibek rcvt-nge nor will you be mindful of an injury from your fellow-citizens, you fliall love your friend as yourfelf, I am the Lord." Again in the book of Deut. C. 22. v. i, and feq. ** You will not fee your brother's ox or his (heep ftray- ing and pafs it by, but you will bring it back to your brother ; if your brother be not near, and that you do not know him, you will bring them to your houfe, and they will remain with you, whilft your brother feeks them, and he will receive them. You will do fo with his afs, with his garment, with every thing, which your brother may lofe, if you find it, you will not neg- lect it, as if not pertair^ing to you. If you fee your brother's afs or ox fall in the way, you will not pafs by, but aflift him to lift it," . . . , . Ls this the language of an impoftor ? What man, who has any remains of reafon, can think him an impoftor, who thus enforces the fear, the love, the reverence of Sovereign Majefly, and all the virtues, which make, man great and good ? Such an impoftor would be a more extraordinary character than Mofes himfelf. The writer paffes unnoticed the errors of all the Heathen philofophers, and the abfurdities of the different fyftenis of religion, which prevailed, and coniinuc to prevail in ail thefe unfortunate countries, . . which 125 which revelation has not enlightened, or which have perverted revelation to their own deftruifKon. Mofes defcribes the creation in the mott fimpic and fatisfaftory manner : « in the beginning God made the heavens and the earth." He then proceeds to re- late the formation of certain parts, as the fun, the ftars, the formation of the firft man and his afliftant thefirft woman in a moft beautiful garden. Their difobedience to the precept of the Creator and the fatal confequences of that difobedience to them, and all their pottericy. As the angels make a part of the univerfe, not a fe- paratc univerfe, they were created at the fame time with the material world. The ruin of fome we know from revelation ; and the perfeverance of others in their obedience and confequent exaltation to glory. Why that ruigel of darknefs called Satan, thcadvcrfa- ry, was permitted to tempt our firft parents is a fccret k-nown to God, not to us, why in particular that difo- bedient Spirit was permitted to make the ferpent the inllrument of his malice is equally unknown to us ; the faA we know, and its cffeds we feel. It has been afferted by fome, that the immortality of the foul was not known to the Jews before the captivity of Babylon, becaufe Mofes does not fpeak of an after life. Never was aflertipn more groundlefs : Mofes might have paffed it unnoticed as a truth publicly known by all. It is not neceffay to tell a man it is day, when he fees the fun fliinc. Yet he did not : God fays to him, I am the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob. Thefe patriarchs were therefore in exiftence, for he is not the God of non-cxifting Beings ; not their bo- dies : they were crumbled to allies, and, if entire, God would not have called himfelf the God of the dead, their fouls therefore muft have been livin"". And when the patriarch Jacob was told that his fon Jofeph wa» 126 was devoured by a wild beaft, '* I will," (aid he, " de- scend to him with JTorrow." Shgolab. That is to the peace of fouls, ^eher in that language fignifiesa grave, in which he could not think that Jofeph's boidy was laid, as he thought him devoured by a wild beaft. And what figoifies that fentence fo often repeated at tlie deat^ of the patriarchs : " He was gathered to his fathers ?" Can it imply any thing elie but that their :(buls were all collected, their bodies certainly virerc not : Abraham was buried in Ephron's field in the laud of Canaan and his anceftors in Chaldea. It is true Mofes propofed temporal rewards and pu- iiiflunents to fan(ftion the law. Thefe were better pro- portioned to the obftinate, and perverfe difpofition of a great majority of the Jews, as in fpeculative truths the , ineans of demonftration ought always to be proporti- oned to the underftanding of the learner. Moreover ~ the Jewifii law was but preparatory to the Chriflian law, which was to give it its ultimate perfection, and . in which rewards and pu^iifhments arc propofed pro- ^ portioned to its perfection, that is, Eternal. lo all the books of the Old TfCftament the immortality of the foul is fuppofed as a truth, of which there was no . doubt. It \i\ fa'^d that Efau';* wife afEicted the Spirit, Rouach of liaac and Rebecca. Saul defires that Samuel might appear to him. The prophets fpeajk of t^he hap- pineis which the juft will enjoy in a future life and the J, torments of the wicked. In a word, to pretend that the Jews did not believe a future life argues an into- lerable ignorance of their hiftory. The affcrtion de- J. ferves contempt not a ferious refutation. ,i:tf ',From the order which Abraham received to facrificc hisfon Ifaac and the actual facrifice of Jepbta*s daugh- ter,; as alfo of the death of Agag by the hands of X Samuel in prefence of the Lord, it would fecm that hu- kl^n rj^nfi/ 5^^i »tar,\-ij cularly cularly, as it is faid in Lcvit. 27. C. a8. and 29. v. That whatever is confecrated to the Lord, whether riian^ animal or field, (hall not be redeemed...... 'that every thing fo confecrated (hall die. ' Notwi'thftand- ing thcfe feeming difficulties there is nothing fo itri% prohibited in the law as human facrifices. Dcut, 12. C. 30. V. and feq. *< Take care not to imitate them (the Canaanites) " they have committed all the abo- minations which the Lord detefts, oifering their fons and their daughters'to their Gods, and burning them with fire. With refpea to Abraham, his obedience, by an immediate compliance with a precept fo difficult, was made known to the world, and his faith : « for he hoped even againft hope," fays the apoftlc to the He- brews " knowing that God was able to raift from the dead." Thefe his virtues are propofed asmodds, and the facrifice of his fon was not permitted. Jephta's vow was indifcreet, and precipitate, and theobfervanceof it, if he in reality put his daughter to death, which feems extremely probabl(*, a deteftablc aft. It is thought by fome that he only condemned her to perpetual celibacy, which in them times was an uncommon facrifice. Be that as it will, the fcripturc relates the fa(5V, as it does the murder of Uriah after the fedudion of his wife, the fcandalous multipKca- tion of Solomon's wives and concubines, and fcveral other faas, which it fometimes feverely cenfures, but never approves, though the authors are for other rea- fons highly approved. Samuel put Agag to death, whether by his own hand, or the hands of others is ufelefs to enquire : he was ordered by Agag's natural Judge, who had juftiy condemned him : he did not facrifice him for Samuel was not one of the prieftly tribe ; but as that tyrant's fword had made many a childlefs widow he put him to death in an exemplary manner. ' i^ 123 I In the 27. C. of Levi, there is a difiinftion made between things which were offered to God accor- ding to the mode of devoting them. If they were ofiered by a limple vow Neder^ they were redeemable, if by an abfolute confecration cherem they could not be redeemed. Animals ufed in facrifice were fa- criilced without redemption, others were confined to the fervice of the temple^ men thus confeerated were coolidered as dead in the fanre manner that houfes and lands were, becaufe the men could never be fet at liberty, nor the houfes or Kinds return to their former proprietors. In our law language they were in mort- main. It has been ftated by fomc writers that the Ifrael- ites were guilty of an ad of injuftice in borrowing gold and iilver veflels and other things from the Egyp- tians oa the eve of their departure. It might be faid with equal propriety, that the creditor, who by fentence of a Court, takes a debtor's mnveables in payment of ajufiderhand is guilty of injuftice; the children of Jacob had been reduced to a ftate of flavery without caufe ; obliged to labour without reward, and all the fruits of their labours were taken by the Egyptians ; ' God, the natural Judge of both nations, had ordered payment in that manner. The fentence was perfedly jutt, and the execution free from blame; God as So- vereign Lord and difpofer of all things might have transferred the right of property from the Egyptians to the Ifraelites, and his order is the bed of all polBbie titles. The fublime morality of the old law fliews the divi- nity of its author. In the ceremonial law there is no- thing reprehcnlible : it was adapted to the natural diC- pofition of the people. They were extremely prone to idolatry at all times. When Mofes delayed a few days on the mountain, they made a molten calf, the idol which 129 which the Egyptians adored, and refolvid to rctUrtt to Egypt under its protection. Exodus 32. C. i v, " Rife, faid they, to Aaron, make us Gods tocon- duifl us." And on the borders of Canaan they formed the fame project. Numbers 14. C. 3. v, "Is it not better to return to Egypt ?" V. 4, " They faid one to the other let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt." In the land of Canaan they were always addicled to idolatry : Jofliua when dying reproached them with it. Jofliua 24. C. 14. ", « Now therefore fear the Lord and take away the Gods, which your fathers ferved in Mefopotamia and Egypt." It h ma- nifeft from the prophet Ezechial, C. 20. that a llrong propenfity ,to idolatry always fubfifted amongft the jews, V. 31, *' You are defiled in all your idols until this day." The ceremonial law was well calculated to check tins propenfity. In this law were marked with the greateft accuracy theia it is ridiculous to pre- !rendany.impo(fibiUty« To conclude that any faci is founded op moral certainty, we ntiult enquire if the fact be poflibic : nothing can induce a wife man td. I aflent to animpoiiibility ; but if neither the pofiibility hor impofiibjlity of the fact bemanifett, from the tcflijnony of man we muft conclude the poiiibiiity j the lulpicionof impoflibility is not fufficient to inva,, luiate moral evidence, .it only argues the weaknefs of' <;ur underlhnding. The faci muft be related by fe- I veral witneftes, whp were not tliemfclves deceived , S jiOr 33*- tot can Irty motivrf be afligned wliy th^y {houlci combine or confpire to deceive otheraf. The mere fuiiJicion of a diftant poflibility of deception Is no ar- gument at all. Thus in tiety individual there is a pofli'Mlity rif deception. Me' niay deceive; or He may b« deceived, thence to infer that a number df witneflte* m ay be deceived is ridiculous. It is that fallacy ^hich Logicians call a concliifion frdm a pafticular to a gene.' ral ienfe. As if becauie a foldier is not able t6 ftc^rm i fort, an army could not do it. If the hdt be rtibmeritbus, it^ muft be' cdrinedeti With other public facVs, and known monumeiits, ad- mitted by thofe, ^ho are inimical, or, if contradified, the rariety and futility of their oppofition muft be flfewn ; anally, if the ha. be of ancient date, it muft be tranfniitted by witneffcs in regular fUcceffidh froni the vet-y time the! faft has happened; any fact vetted with thefe conditions is incontrovertible. To contradicli It ait'gues an infuperable fund of impudeiice, and to attempt by reafonih^ to difabufe an ignorant or impudent fcribbler fs tolly. Thus fof exaniple, a man who tindcf pretence that ancient fa£ts arc not fo certain now as they wer6 foVriierly, would deny the exiftence of Julius Caefar, or Alexander the Great, would deferve a place Jn Bedlam, hot a ferious refutation. WhlHl the motives of ercdibihty continue the fame, the certainty \$ the fame, and wC at thiy day are as well aflured of the exiaence of Julius: Cxfar as we are of the cxHierce of Bonaparte— on the credit of witneflfes we kuovy both the one and the other. A faa vefted.with the conditions which have been ifreaiy marked, muft be founded in truth : it cm- not be the work of man l^o deceive the world : no nian has an^ fuch power, and it is inor^nliftent with the Divine nature to be the author of univerfal clc- cejrtion, or even to countenance it, which muft be J. ' the the cafe, ifProvidencedid not furnift ^ny ipeani of detcamgthe deceir ; it i^ true, the iinpreffion made by ^ny fad in ftronger on the piind of the fpeftator^ than onany othQrperfqn,but the c:nvi(fUon r\n hif MiHleraanding is equal, the i.nprelfion of terror, pf joy, or any other paffiop, diminifhes. but the convic- tion of the faft IS unalterable, the impreffions qf ter, ror excited by tfi^e cruelty of Nero is effac<:d,' k no, longer • fubfifts ; but that Nero wa? a fanguinary tyrant is uxurerfally beUcved and will until the end of tipie. .'-•...,- ... Befides thefe motives, vi^hich pxcMe a poffibiliiy of deception, there are many Others on whi^h ppi^iions are reafoi?ably founded. The teftimony of a man o£ known probity, who has 99 motive to deceive, is (uiH(fieiit to found a highly probable opinipn of any faa. Even tl\e op|ni<)ns of men of r^al fci^ii<:e, whera prejudice does, not interfere, have great weight, and iftheppinionsoffpany coincide, they forma ftrong probability ofthe truth of any alfertion when the iilfehood docs npt appear. In experimental j)hiiofophy and aflronoray the opinions pf great m^fters aii« fpme- tir^es affumed, as principles ; nor is any man allowe4 tQ deviate from them without afligning fuflwient rca- fons, the fam^ praaipe is obferyed in courts of law :. former decifions founded on the opinions of men o£ eminence, feryc as precedents : the writer paffcs un- noticed thele opinions, which the unlearned bor/ow (rem others without difcufl|on, pf which they are. incapable. Thefe reft folely oq the authority of the firft author. If they be inconfift^nt with the received opinions of the public, the prefumption is againft them, the proof lies on the author, if it, appear that prejudice, paffion, precipitation or intcrcft, was the 'Pfing, or the author's indiicement to conteft the re- ceived opinions, the prefumption againft him a- iPPunti I 140 I ihpunts to pofitire proof. The credit given to fucli opinion? is'iihwarrantable, and they who adhere to them ir'e inexcusable. ' "All thefe judgments, which arc fo|jnded on motives of probability are tut opinions fubievholcChriftian world believes; no fif3: cither ancient or riiodcrh i^' better cftabfifhed. That he vtrought the moft ftupendous prodi^^ies in Egypt, and during fhe fpace of forty years in the wildertiefs, is believed in the fame 'manner, a partic^ilar defcription of thcfc f)rodigies is contained m'thc very bookSj which de- fcrihe the rites' and ceremonies of their religion, the public laws of the land, by which all judicial pro. ceedTngs were determined, the authentic records of all tiiefr i-ights and poMphs ; thefe boots were written and publiflied af the v<»ry time in preferice of an army of fi:;^ hundred and fifty thoufand fighting men, and an immenfe body of people, who were wi^neffes to thetfe prodigies, without any contrac^ic- tion or fufpicion of deception j thef^ bosks were then given to the' public tii;nifters of reHgion,' and to all the Elders ofliViael, with an' expreft oMer, that on the feventh ycir ^t the great fcftival of the Taberna- cles, when air the people were aflbrabled; men, wo- men, and children, they fliould be read in tbeir hear- ing, « that," faid Mofes, Deut. 3?, Ch ^iL}% tl U - - ..1 acanng thev ,MH |n?^y learn and fear the Lord your dod.". And ^ i^ ^as impoflible for Mofes to impofe on fuch a body o£^ people, and pcrfuade them to Ijclieyc that they baot eat bread noir(4rink wiae i\or beer; ipcut. 29 Cliap. I y. The immenfe nuijnber of ^opies given to the Leyites and all the Elders with this order to have them read ip prelcnce of all the pcopk on the feventh year precluded every poflibil^ty of deception and interpolation in future. ' ' A dirtertation on the miracles wrought; by Mofts, ^y JoOiua, and the other Prophets, in defence of each] in particular, is totally unneceflary : ihcy all tend io] tl;e fapie end, that is» to eftablirfi the truths of re- vealed religion, to infpirc fsblime idea-, of the God, whi;m we adorcandcnforce obedience to his preceps. No contradidion, no difcoi dance, thoygh wrought at dij^erent periods of time, in different countries, ?nd by different men, they have all the fame tenden- cy ; their coincidence forms a fort of proof, agaiiift which impiety declaims in vaiq. That fomc have been deceived is admitted j that ibme impoftors have fuppofcd miracles intentionally tM licceive others, is equally true ; but that of all the miracles related by Mpfes and the Prophets not on© has been real ; that of all thefc Prophets fp eminent for piety, not one has been fincere j* (^hat all the wic- iieffes who atteftcd, and all the men of fcicncc who believed them, have been impoftors or dupes is an afltr- tion, which fuipaffcs impudence, which no man would dare (( Us d^te b liiakc, who has any Tcmains, not fimply of moi idefty, but even of common fenfe or common honefty i aiid if it be admitted that any oiie of thcfe miracles wai wrought, impiety falls defericelefs : becaiife it ium- j)offible that God bf aii Immediate effect of his Al^ mighty f^oWer fliould atteft a falfehood. But after all, fays the Deift, if Pharaoh and the Egyptians faw the Pi-odigies wrought by Jkofes why did they not believe tl.cm ? Why did they perfift in refufing to permit the Children oHfrael to depart? The Ipirit of intereft blinded them J the immenfe jdvantages, which they obtained from the labour and' mduftry of a numerous people, which they could not prevail on themfeiv6s to renounce, whilft there was thd xnoft diftant hope or even poffibilityof retaining them. This appears from the fupplications and promifes to Mofes during the continuance of ilie public calamity, ind their refuial to perform thefe promifes as foon as |he calamity ceafed. •* I ha^e finned/' faid Pharaoh, *^^y^'^'*"^» ^^e Lord is juft i I and my people ard impious ; pray to the Lord that the thunder and hai< niaj^ ceafe," Exodus 9 Chap 27 and 28 v. tet after the cfffation of that terrible plague, thefpirit of intereft inducing them to believe that it might have been fome Unufual atcident he rcfufed to difmifs them. However after the death of the fi, ft barn, *' PharoiW calling Mofes and Aaron at night, fays, arife and 'de- part from amongft my people, you and the Children of Ifrael j go and facrifice to your God as you fay , ' ^"<^^ 8«'nff blefs me : the Egyptians preffed' the peoplii to depart quickly, iaying, we (hall all die." Chap, la, V. ^i, yet fo great was the obftinacy of Pharaoh and his people, and fuch the blindnefs of 6ndcrftanding produced by the fpirit of intereft anif defirc^ of domination, that notwithftanding all the calami tti»» t-Kov lin.i aw\A..^^j- .W.I. ^_ ^1. z' .1 _ ^-^t •• ' drcii I 144 dren «f Ifrael on their way, to return no more, tffeX regrctteci the permifllon w;hich had been extorted from them. , ** The King qf the Egyptians was tolcjl that the. people .fled> and Pharaph's heart and the heart of his fervants was changed,, and they faid j what have we don6 to .airmifs the Children of Ifrael fromiervingus ?** .Exodus 14th Chap, ^rh v. , The pbftiuacy o"f the Egyptians ,,was not greater than that, ofopr modern Dcifts, who, though they do not fee thtie prodigies in , themfclyes,. as the Egyptians did, fee them in their effcfis, with in ad- ditional prodigy, which the Egyptians did npt lee, a prodigy the more captible of convincing the under- flanding, as it is fabjed to no poffible iliufion, that is, the converlion of^ the world according, to the ex- prcfs prcdicltion^ of je^us Chrift, and the literal ac- complifliment pr many other prophecies contained in , the New Teftarhent, and written 4t a time when ev iy thing confpii cd, to extinguish Chril^ianily, when ijie doclrines of ChrilUanity, and Chriftiansthemfelves» were in public oxccraiion ; if then th^ fpirit of pride a.nd infidejiiy, .-blinds tlje Deift, fo far ajs.to induce lum to refufe his aifen; to truths efl^bli(hed beyond the poftihility of doubt, by piilpable evidence, maili- ielt as the Sun at mid-day, >vhy Ihould it appear fur- pififing, that the fame fpirit of iididclity, united to the (pirit of intercft, blinded the Egyptians. , / ^ To fuppofe tliat natural caufes, ;iclin j according to iijicchanical Uws, could produce the flupcndous pro- (ilj.;ics pcbtcd in the book of Exodus, and other books ot ihc oki law, is ridiculous in the extreme. Mofcs Hits up the r I Hi, which he held in his hand and iiii- ^jitdintc'iy a fcorching wind blows a whole day and iiiglit, a'nd in the morning, the wind coUecls and brings wiih ic lociilis in fuch nunibers that they covered ilv: lurf.icc of chi ground, dCilroying every ihihg tiling. :^^od«» I o. (Eh*p* Wm diif disVatioti tof a t6d i fu^ient aufe to prociiici^ #^ ftn dlea ? With tUe fame faciUty, on Phar«ofti'« promifc of obedifence, a wefterly wind is rj^iciJ, eblfcas jAI thefe Irttufti, ttnd fwe^s tfaeih into theRcdSei, n©t one remain* ihgbehiild. Are the Wihdi ivibjcA to mtti*s tom- martd I Or how did the wind fo carefatty ^t^ tEc iocufts that not b^ti^as left behind f What kiatuml caufe citi be aligned £o^ the death of all the firft born In Egypt? A peftilencfc makes no diftindicMti be- tween the fifft ahd fecondi or thiird. V^hiit caufc inferior to omnipotence can bfc affigned for the wa- ters in the Red Sea dividing and fbrttiing themfelves like Nivalis on both lides of the paflage, through which the Children of tfrae! paflfcd ? It is well kndwn that water and all other liquids futm themfelves to an horizontal level as far as the curvature of the eartli permits. The finiple harratlort of the facrcd Writer Confounds all the diflfercnt Opinions which are .offered by Deiftical critics in order to invalidate, or at leaft to reduce the force of this miracle. The Ifraelites, fays one, took advantage of an ebb tide, which was greatly bcrcafed by a ftrong wind, which conti- nued all night j yes, but the wind did not b'bw the water out of the paCige and form It like walU on botii fides, that in Head of diminifhing would have incrcafed the prodigy. " The Children of Ifrael,*^ fays the writer, '* paffed through the middle of the dry fea, and the water Was as a wall both to the right hand and the left." Exodus, uth Chap. 22 v. They did not pafsl through the fea, fays another, they only went a certain dift-ince and then turned back to the fame defcrt from which they had entered it. Mnfes (ays they pafl'cd through it ; David thought fotoo, Pf. 104 and 113; and St, /»<««// believed it, and the Jews, to whom he addreffcd his epiftle, did not f»» J u«. i, ijfiiXilli. 14S : ~ . doubt it : " by foith they paflid through the Re j 6« as on dry land." Epi&. to the Heb^ Chap.7^ ■" „ f^' '"■"'■'^i'y of 'he'"* opinions is fuch', that it ii matter of furpnfe that the authors themfelves. how. Wigaorant they may be fuppofed, did npt remark •t i that they did not obferve in contradWinsthe fimpie n^ratmn of the facred writer they contra! difted the principles of common fcftfe : for ^o rive the^cfeatell poffible weight to their opinions, le! i^ fuppofe that the tide was greater than ufual, that .1 c ebb continued twelve or fourteen hours, or more, if they wifl. to liave a .tirade to fupport the abfurdlty of the.rreafoning; that the waters retired not three vLfr'n!! r^'lu"" '*''^' "' f""""" hundred yards. Did the ebb continue long enough, and was thefpace(u&cient,,to give a paOi^e outVther=,ch iL h K ^"/^^"'"r. "■* body of fix hundred and hrechoufand five hundred and iifry men, up. war.b_ of twenty year, old. to all the women, children and old men, to all their flncfcs and their herds, and their baggage? "We will depart. i;.id Mofes, with ..ur little ones and our old people, with our fons, and our daughters, with our (heep, and our herds." Fx- then _ take your (hep, and yourJ,erds. asyou de! fired. 1 2 Chap. 32 v. Was Pharaoh and his people o Ignorant as not to know thai if the Children of rae. followed the tide, they muftie.ura to .lie fame iiiore again ? Wasuimt more fi.nple to wait their re. turn than to purfue them f Ifhehadnot fcen an'im- mcnfc paffagc open and clear of incumbrances would i.e have entered it with his chariots.' To give fome colour of probability, or rather of poilibility" to thefe opinions, let it be fuppofed, that the paflage was e(. fccicJ near liw northern extremity of the lied Sea, or. or, as re is now called, the Ifthmu, of Suez , eveti in that extravagant fuppofi.ion. both time and fece wduldhavebeen d.ficient, and Pharaoh moft cerS„! !y would not haye Ipft himfelf and hi«arn,y i„ ,he purfmt: he n„ght have paiTed on the Iflhmu,, and tound them on the othei: fide. Every fuppofition !i;, x"''' "" LS"'»-"«='^»".'»""^«i''acy of their authors. To pretend that Mofe, wa, an impoftor ; that he prevailed on hi, people to believe that the^ had paired through the Red Sea, though no fuch ,ng had happened, is fuch an extrava^nt affertioa th ,t deferves contempt, not a ferious?eft.tatio„. It '» &"! that the Children of ffrael '^ departing from Phthah.roth, pafled through the middle of hf bea imo the wildernefs, and, walking three d v^ .hr..ugh the wildernefs of Etham, they ^pitched tte r Hk'"™;"- Numbers 33 Chap. V v. And^^ h. 6th vcrfe of the fame Chapter, i, alfo Exodu, 3 *e„t a certain diftance into the Sea and returned ,„ th fame defert again. To , hi,' the writer replies that Wham, where they pitched their camp, fignifies a oar Kular place in the extremity of the'^^ifdernefe "^o .he wlderneft i.f.lf. if ■„ be not thought that "he whole be comprifed within a part, an abfurdky .00 grof, even for the credulity of aUeift On thLl,^ Ufite rule, the whole of the' wiiderne h caHed flT not a particular fpot of it. Add to thisTthat mTi"; ftys ,n that very text, that they pafled throul the UK wildernefs, in the moftcxpreffive manner. ■ ^ ' (iiiHW.J.p "7". i"'".'."' "I "'■"" t"t"i3 opinion It is |'«d tliat the dead bodu,. cf the Egyptian,., which ,vere 148 .( f«enby the ChiMrw of Hra«l <^n the (hofe, mufl |iai^ been brovgbt ^ack by the |U)Qd tide. The appciaW iim^ of the dead bqdicisfioly Cervet tp confiriri Maies'sj j-<2litipD| fora? the Egyptiaiis pur%d the Childrep qf IftUii fi> clofely that they would have overtaken ^eni» but, for th? intcrpo^tion olt the clou^d, \vhich prevented the jun on which they landed at the time o£ Its d^ftru^tion. This accosts for Pharaoh's raihneft in the purfuit : the paffage muft have been immenfely targe and clear, perhaps the waters at fu?h a dil^ance, on each fide, that he did not attend to them in the eagerneib of the purfuit, or if he did, he nnuil have concluded that a juncWon of the wateis muft involve the Ifraelite* with his army ip one qonimon rum : " it (^ood (the cloud) between the camps of the Egyptians ^nd the camps of Ifrael fo that the wholq ijight they could not approach each other." If Mofes's defcription of th,is event be minutely dif- cuffed, it will appear extremely probable, that Pharaoh ?md his jigyptians did not know that they had en^ tered on th? bed of the fca't they arrived at Pha- hiroth which is the point at which the Ifraelites crof- ^th ^~ , ihcre the cloud refted between them and the fugitives, the cloud was dark on the Egyptian fidC) whilft it enlightened the night on the oppofuc fide, the j:gyptian6 naturally continued the purfuit of an. iai' snenfe multitude of people upon dry land without I fufpe^ling that they were on the bed of thefea, the purfuit continued the whole night long, at the morn- ing watch their dcllru^itin commenced and the junc- tion of the waters com pleated it. However great this prodigy, it was not greater j than that which we find in the book of Joihua* nor IT' '^'ftdi-k' 14^ |iior« violently eontefl^jd bf pacn, who, tci Itts^NVA^ felves from the reftraints of religion, are difpbfed t^ fv^atlow any ^bfurdity mher thftn adfxiit tl»« trnkhi Joihua, by God-aordfr, difred? thfPrieiii, ^vW^t^s ried the Ar|c, ^o proceed to the brink pf the Ri'fci^ Jordan) and reft their feet in tb<3 water. InOantly the waier^ above were popped and fwelled as a inoun<« tain, and the waters hflow defcended to the (ea o^ the deicrt, or the Dead Sea ; and ** th« people paffed over againft Jericho, iftrhilll the Priefts, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord dood oa dry land in tKe oiidil of Jordan, ^nd the pepple pa^ed on the dry bed of tbc'rivcr,^* Jofliua Ctkap. 3, v. ij»« Againft this paiTage over the river Jordan yndvr $h9 fionducl of Joihu;^ po fuppoiitioas are admiffiblf* A dired contradiction 19 fuU of abfurdity : Jofhuadttl pot, nor ^ould not impofe on fuch a numerous body of people I by him the lands were parcelled out a- mongft the tribes j forty ei^htcitie*) fet apart for tho tevites, which divifton eoBtinued to the deftruAton pf the Jewifli nation. The book of Joftiuai is tho public re^ifter of the nation, contains the titles, oa which their l^nds were held, defaribes their beund^-r ries, never was book more authentic, and in no boo)^ of the Scriptures are there more aftonifliing prodir gies recorded. The deftri^dllon of the walls of Jericho by the (hun^ of a trumpet, JoC 6 Ch^ip, 90 v. The iufpeniion c^ the diurnal ^totion of the Earth and Moon, Jof. 10 Chap. 13 V. ** And the Sun ftood in the midft of the Heavens and cUd not haften to fet for the fpacc of one day<" i4th> *' There was notihefore nor ftnce a day fo long, God obeying the voice of a man-** This lai^ prodigy gave rife to many fuppofitions each inconfiftent with the other, and all ef .them i^conhUcut with tru'^h, which ii to ^ found in the I ■ - 'S° ... .*^e_firople narration of the Ccred writer, not elf^ _ Says one. the Sun and Moon did not ftop but tha S '' ""^ "^^^^ *' '*' the day had been length. ^ God, fays another, had placed fome ludd body in the do"ds_^to fup|,!y ,hi Sun's pUce, or perhap.had increafed the light of the Moon. ' T ' ■ _ A Parhelion or Parfelerie,'.in plain EngBfl, a mock Sun, or a mock Moon, might produce the eflba, if we Mieve fome pretenders to optics. * ' ' • ■ The Sun ^ppareritly flopped, but in reality continu- ed Kscourfe, fays a bold commentator, whofe authci- my .» of no great weight atabngft Chritfians, howl ever he offers the reafons, on which hi, opinion i, founded, becaufe, (iys he, in the principles of Aftronoi my. :t ,s not the Sun which revolves ibout the earth ro. M "^ *^"'' !""■"' '"""^ ">« Sun, the Sun' could not ftop over the valley of Gabaon. becaufe that ^^ "f Cancer , becaufe it wouid be ^morecon. venwnttopoftponethe viftory to theenfuinc; day • becaufe th^ fact is dted from ib, B,oiof,l,ejJ, l^ poetical and donfequently figurative work, and merely fign.fies that by an extraordinary refraSion of the Sun s beam, the light continued fomething longer than ufual aboye the horizon , becaufe as Jofhua orde.ed the Moon to flahd againft the valley of Ajalon he mnft have prayed^after the Sun wasfet, or ihat'eve lucd body or refraflioh of ligTit' fupplied i„ p|,ce th"etVahr"" 'r^ •"" ^«'**e.y'nconve„ient ,o frfv'^l f r',."V'''"PP"''"<' hertifphere to be de. ^Zft M , ™"y P^"P'e *nuld have beenaf. rt '"enable Jofhua to deftroy hi, enemies. 5-— „,,.^ ,, „.^s, ,^^jj.j.^.„„ any iioucci is that of _ >5' • of forte ^cn-meiaml;, but Uninfo^mtd Chriftiin, who from the truth of this fea. of which tky We "0 doubt infer that the Earth i. fixedkndZt the Sun revolves about it. " ■ te^itl^^^" »*■•'>« contradiaion, to the -;uv:;;^JBtn:o„r^^"^^"' '° -^-^ '-' D^dW "^tn r.'"""" * '"^Sinary miracle to a reat :i;^fs°:frP-^^'^^^^ that God of his free Will dlabliffied the mechanr ^'^^'Jo^d^tl^e material world is Ll^ he eijght at thefameinftant have ordered a "emporarv fufpenfion of any on, of them with equal arTl ty Tn J o pretend that mechanical laws are not Soht controul .stomakehim dependent on his ireaures Th twrir '"""'"• ;"'? «•-!»*« ''bfurdi" ' A il', ''^ "f " *' Vorance of its author. ^ pHfhel on or parfelene K but a certain portion o^ I. luminous circle, which fometimes furrSund" or ra her appears to furround. the Sun or M^n from jvh.ch fome refraaed -ray, reprefent «„ o^ Moon m .hatpoi« from which they come direct w Zu ZLt" T"^ "''^" ""= Sun and Moon ZiZ. " *'"""" '^^"^"""'"S one prodigy to cludelt''r'"'""°r'"" ''"='8'""">' '"!"de to ex. the tori, T" '■ '" J" ''PP"'"''" "f 'he Sun above the hor,;5on for many hours after Sun fet is evident! v rron7hi"'^- ''= "'""'• -'-•'">" "fl^^iu SrrroLt:\rnd r ^rth t"fhe eS" '"^ «e sun. is nrele, ,. en,uir::a t^J^ 'peak the language which is under l}nnri . a n 1 - ^ now AfeW idays' t)dieVc that tlie ttiih dt&Hbel i« ^vbli! rotiiiil thft Son ^s the ee«itre df its mottoKiy iind they beK^vek^&fcioni ground* } they a!foknoi«r> that thfe Earth, in its diurnal tfiotionv ttirns rotfnd ii| O'Ui'n lxis,^ii|>^nS *** ^^^^^ hetoifphcr* to that blaze of litthi whicK tisif So^ c«hit8 tontiniiaay, ^nj^ys ^l thebleffings of light m that hemifiJhctt, whtia tlic oppbfite is tnvDl^tt* «« darkwefe M^ey Itnovir that ■tht Sun neither fets lior rifcs, but isisid to rife when m trtilnt t>n the fufftce of tfkt Eiirih tomes to the light And 18 fatd to fet, wh«n thit point d-^cribe* a M^drac ^ftd is again immcrfcd in ^t All AUt^fiomen fay ^at the Sun flfe» and to, that Its daily ittotidn.is from thc»n. Wl»ether that book was pejetic;d ornoti which is merfe matter of furmife. there is no figurative e^- brerioh if. the bb6k of Jofhua, where tlm f aft is re. torded. Hut Jofhui did not pray tm til after Sun Set becaufe he ordered the M.,on to fbnd over the Valley of AjalGft is a ftrange afTcrtion. What has the zon *S3 ^on at the fame tiifte ? If Jofhua had ordered tKe Moon to liaod over the Valley of Gabaon with the Sun the obfervatibn would Kave beieri judicious, but that tfie Siin ihould be in the verticle over or near iii Valley of Gabaon, arid the Moon near the verticle of Ajalon is mattet of furprife but to a man, whd is un- acquainted witH their rootioiis* r ^ I , In his Idi obfervatiop lie iritrodiites a new of' fcvidcnce, that is, tHe probabiltt y of inconvenience to one nation is fiifficient to prove that a fa^, which is publicly known, and autheritieaily recorded by ano- ther nation has hot happened: As to the inconveni- ence, to which the inhabitants oi the otiier hemifjphere wereexpofed; itt^as Jwffible there might be ifomc, but It was not injurious: if a man ije deprived of that to which he has a ftrii.^n<-/. Y it ^.v*- it Is t^e hnguage of all mankind/ the 'iTacred penmen tnuft have fpoken it^ if they wiflied to be underilood; We fsLy now, as Solomon did, that the Sun riteisi and fets, that it comes to this meridian, &c; £cd. ift Chap. $ V. tn the precediHg Verfe it js faid, thit the Earth (lands for even This haS no reference to the immobility of the Earth : it (imply (ignifies that ths Earth continikds to exiil, or fubfifts. Hamadetk I'hoiigh generations fucceed each other. Th6 Pentateuch of all Wi>rks the inoft fimple» the itnbft fublime, the moft fatisfa^ory, is hf our modern Philofophers fet in tompetition With the romantio tales of Sanchoniaton, a Phenidan author, who livedj if at all, kbout two thoufand years before thel Chriiliati Ibra, of Wiiich fome fragments remain, thought tobS (uppofed by Dodwell and Dupin, with the rhap(bd]f of Zorbafier, a Perflan tzlle writer, whomlluetde* itionflrates to have, been a fabulous perfbnage ; with an Indian work palled Hanfcrit or Sanfint^ of whicli they pretend to underftand a tew Words j they miglit have added Ovid*s MetamorphofeSi \i the Work were ndt in the hands of child reh, smd they are defirous of 'pallin* for men of profound learning j of fome of thefe pretetid^d works they give what, they call ver- ^ons, the ravings of their own fancy, and cite manu* icripts which do not exiftbutin their own imaginatiom From all this they conclude the immenfe antiquity given to the world by Egyptian and Chinele tales, to be well authenticated, and thence infer that Mo' fes's account of the « Creation is fabulous. A man of real fcienCe, would draw a contradidory inference, for having as we have aheady ieen, the moft incon« tedible evidence of the authenticity of the Pentatcucfi, he would conclude, wiihout hefitation, that all aC" counts inccniiilent With it were fabulous. Our mo- ^A>fti ^rititf^a Mii»ia /» v^r'5nl»i^|f^r^rw ruian * if* fnp ntr\(t ah* furd m (lird fables they fee notlung but truih, and in finiplp truth they difcover impombilities ; the vanity loif th^ Oien is a glafi, which diftorts every obje5^f In the Boofe of Genefis, fay they, there arc toanf things wWch appear *fabulov|s, |he creatibh of thd. world in fix dayS) which migiairhave been dpne in. ai^ inftant, the fedu^cion of Eve by a ferpent fpeakin^ her language, the iolly Qf Adam, the foundei^ of the world, to think that by eating a fir^lt hf ib Quld become equal to God. A manpf fenfe judges offals by the authenticit)^ of the book which rcUtes them, he does not judge c* ^hc authenticity of t^e book, by the fafts which it re- cords J if we were to reject all the fa cfemhlca that of fheir mother. ■ :_:'''^'^^. ' ' ' '-.- ' Why did not^^&s begin hi»*Tccital wjth the ruin of the Angels ? He did not write their Jiiftory. The |ews in his time l^new it ; it ^as not nec6ffary to iniprm them, he c^prefely JForbid them to confuit Evil Spirits, Dcui. 18 C|iap. 11 v.' " There wHl not be amongft you a man to confult 0^,** that is a Spirit freaking as through the navel, a Ventrikjque. The exiftcnce of thef^ Evil $pirits wa? known to the Heathen world as to the ChriiHan ; the nature of the crime ijiduaive ^f their perdition is known but by mere conjedurfe, the text of Ifaias, which is ap. plied by (ome to the chief of thefc rebel fpirits, lite- rally re^rds the King of Tyr. The whole text is ftrongly mctaphoricaj. "I will afcend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the highcliftars, I will fit in the mountain of the teftament, in the fides of the north." Ifaias, 14th Chap. 13 v. If this Evil Spirit, proudof his own excellence, pretended a fort of equality with, or rather independence on, his God, it is not more furprifing than to hear the Atheift dif: pute even the cxiftence pf his God. It is for this reafon that Job calls him ". King over all the Tons of pride." Job,' 41 Chap. 25 v. :^ The pretended antiquity of the ^hinefe monarchy is offered by our modern Deifts as totally fubverfive of Mofcs's account of the Creation, they may add the Babylonian annals, which give four hundred thoufand years to their empire, and the Egyptian, which equal them in ahliirdity. The account given by Mofcs has cveiypoffiblcmark of authenticity, the Chincfe, Ba. by Ionian and Egyptian annals arc puerile fables. Mr. Goeuet favs. in his orioln nf lau-s " th^h th^ ^a^^ nomical norpical obfervations, with which fome have cnd^v youred to fopport the pretended antiquity of the Chi- riefe arc manifcftly fuppofed, that fome of their lite- rati, though the Chinefe in general have rto idea of criticifm, remarked it j that it may be fard With con- fidence that there is no credit whatlbever to be given ^o their hiftory, previous to the year a 06, before the Chriilian aera ; that until that time it is a ti flue of toes and contradiaions, a monrtrous chaos, out of which nothing, that is reafonable, or connefted can be extracted."- Such t» the work, which in the idea of the Deift is fuffictent to condemn the plain fiinple narrative of Mofes. . ' - ^r!?r' t * ** The Chinele hiftorians," fay the authors of the Univerfal Hiftory, " have applied in a ridiculous manner to the ancient ftate of their monarchy the confufed notions tranfmitted to them by vague tra- dition concerning the creation of the world, the' formation of man, the deluge, the inftitutions of arts, of all this they compoicd a monftrous fvllem of hiftory." - - : ,' . The reader may reft fatisfied \(nt\\ the following fpecimen of the boafted hiftory of ihe Cl/mefs : - ' 'Toby was conceived by his Mother in contact with a rainbow, his body was partly that of a ferpenr, and Chin.nung had the head of; an ox. If the reader de- fires to know more of this remarkable hiftory he mull conl'ult fome modern Sciolift who is accuftomed to fwallow monftrous abfurdiries, the writer i« not dif-' pofcd to lavifli time on nonfenfc. The Chinefe calculation of cclipfes during the fpacc of four thoufand years isjncrcly imaginary,^ about a century and a half ago they were obliged to have re- courfeto the Mahometans for the calculation of their almanacks; and in 1772, they were forced to c»ii lor fome Jtiluits to fiii the tribunal gf mathema- tics, tlcs^ which by the death of Father Hallerftetii could no longer continue its calculations. Mathematical calculation is too abftrufe for ^ Chinefe : before thet introduction of Europeans their l^nowlsdge of cha^ Science was low indeed^ nor is it yet nnuch in:* creafed. Father Martin read, in one of their mo^ authentic boolf;8, that in the reigp of Yahoe <>r Yao the Sun enlightened China during the fpace of ten days and ten nights. The calculation of the eclipfes reported in their annals is fo incorre^, that Caffini. by correcUng their errors retr^ched fix hundred years from their chrouology. After all from the cal^ culation of eclipfes no inference can be drawn in fa** your of the antiquity of any country : fuch calcula- tions may extend as far as man's imagination can reach, cither backward or forward. Mr. Touquet, the titular hi (hop of Eleuthropolis, publiflied ia y/2g, a chronological table, whid\ a Tartarian no* bleman had extraded from the changcun, or great annals of the empire. In this table the comn\ence- inent of true chronology amongft the Chinefe, is, fixed in the reign ofLyevang, three hundred and forty. four years before the Chriiiian ^Era: more acute chronologifltS fix it at a much later period. It is i\eedlefs to obferve that Xi-hvam-tu, a ianguinary and vigilant tyrant, deftroyedall the annals of Chi na^ in his rei^n, which continued thirty feven years. So attentive was he on the dcfiruclion of thefe annals, that he burned four hundred and fixty of their lite- rati, together with the annals which they had con? ccaled, he thus fupprefled a work filled with ridicu- lous fables, and on uncertain confufed tradition a fort of rhapfody was fubiUtutcd equally if not iQore fabulous than the former. The Chinefe Emperors exercife their dominion over time ai well as olace : thev errant letterg of nobi« ~ ■ •» 9 Uty, ^S9 |}ty,^ic!i hive a retro^aftivc forcc,cnbbiing the gratt- tee's anceftors for two, for four, or perhaps ten thou* find years before' The antiquity of fuch an empire ihuftb^ great in their invagination, to cOntradi^ their pretended antiquity is a capital offence. Du. Halde's defcriptiori of Chirii, T. t. Hence the Miflionarics dare hot fay what they think, land to give thcit bpiii. nions ih writing would be highly indifcreet. Diodortis, of Sicily, in the firft book of his BiblJ- Otheca, feA. i, fays : " Gods, as fome of the £• jgyptian writers relate, reigtied firft in Egypt, then Heroes (that h Demi-Gods) about eighteen thoiifand years, the lafl: of theie was Hirus the fon of Ifis, the kingdom was governed by men about fifteen thoufand years. This requires no domment^ thefe Gods and Heroes ire inilgi nary Beings." The Babylonian and Egyptian ta^es^ are palfed un^ tioticed, they refemble the Arabian Nights' £ntcrtain arc intended for convcvinir the 1^1 tii6 wtoteta, tlieir finuafities arc necefiary to|Jret%nt the too grestTiiptdity of the wafers, which defcend* ing from the mduntattis with an accelerated Velociiyi if BOt broken in their cowrfe Mroukf ravage th« coun- try. F^ountaias wert (K^Vious to the Deluge; they were then n^cffary as they arc now. Perhaps tl*d B'iond' may have formed fonte, of bi^)keQ others, but in general from th^ir ti^tf^tf they ,i|iuft hsite entered into th< plan of the Creatiofl. The Natwralift pretends that the Tea h!i8iiQirmc4 the mountains, though ihe Flood in his Opinion could not, tbe'$lof)d sf we believe him |ia4 made no ^hangtf in thefiirface of tlie earth* The affcrtion is father bold i Ofhat, the fea tififtg fifteen cubits above the higheft mountains, in the greateftpofiible agitation, made no change I St. Peter thought there was a total change. '* The then World flooded witli water pe- riQied the Heavens afid Earth which now art.*' .... Epift* i, Chiip. 3, V. 6 and 7. If,(ay8 theNaturaliftjthcfurfaceof the eartii had beeii diiTolved by the flood, the different ftbftanccs, Hfhick cortipofcit, ought to have been depofed btr the wa- ters whan fettled, defcendingadcording to their %eci- fic gravity, yet we fee rocks of granite placed over fand and mud, and light fubi^anceis deep in the cirth, whilft the moil weiglity are found on the very furface. If this had been univerfally the c:ife thi» diffi- culty would appear ferious, but the contrary is trud in general, the more heavy fubilances arc found at the greatell depth. In fo great a commotion a ma- thematical cxadtnefs was not obferved, moreover thcfe rocks, wliich are now found at the furface of tha earth, immediately over lighter fubftanccs, were they rocks at that time ? An immenfc rock never did fwim in water. If thefe have been depofed they muft L.i.» W.^M *I..M ^C » It^ki... ~.i ^itf^wU %«£.v»« V& a 2i^**4 u UWfcWSM which fijk^ which in the coiirfe of time has been coagulated by thd intervention of foroe fluid, or fome other uatUrtfl agent. Petrifaftions arc not uncommon* vf^*.** ^ ^r Banks of (hcilsj which are frcijuefttly found fair diftant frorft the fea, evince the truth of the Flood ; thefe fliells ire fbrtntd of a certain fubftancti, which is not fiibjeft ti» decay, from the immenfe ^uantitied found in fomb plates the Naturalift infers that the fea mnft have jeftcd Ibnget than is confiftent >vitli Mofes's account of the flood. Here he offers mere conjecture as evidence againft a wuU- known fad. !» It not poffibie that the Wdterd of the Deluge might haVe been reftraiiied in thefe f alleys by fotnc obftacle ivhich time had rcmoVed ? Incalculiblfe Quantities of ihelli are collected in a fhort tim^, dnd, what con- cludes evidently againft the Natiiralift, bones of ani-, mab have been found in a entries where they do not breed* where they canhot live, the bones of elephantd in Siberia, and in 1772 the bones of a rhinoceros were fovmJ there. It is well k;.Owh that the ele. phant and rhiilocei'os are inhabitants of hot coun^ tries, that their boiics muft have been tranfportcd to 'Siberia by feme fuch inundation as the flood j the Waters which dejiofed their bones in Siberia muft have taken them up in Africa or Afia, far fouth of Siberia. Thefc animals Art nOt inhabitants of the fea as thefhcU-fifh of Totirairie. An Englifli travelldr vthich totaUy de. ftroys thefe conjeftures, The city of HercuUneum. bunedbyanearthqualce,!, in fomeparts fev.nty feet, in othera one hundred, and twelve feet under the pre. fent furftce of the earth. Between tie furfeee of the wtli and tlie city, „ rather the ruins of this city, are feveral layers of volcanic matter, and between' thefe layers are beds of vegatative earth. Our Enir. lift traveller would, have found many thoufands of years m this phoenomenon, yet we know thjit eigh- teen hundredyear. have not yet paiTedfrnse Hercu- • ileum wasafiourilhingcity. The vegetative earth is placed in a fliort time over -^ .---,.ai.iwuiaiicr oy many uniting caules : aOies, cartlu |fi4 t»,t%\\f duft OTfl other fubftaricfes, are emitted' by iKf volcapo, the r^ins wa{h down c^iik froih the £kles of the mountains, men and anithak bring ibfbftan^s whi^h ajr^Coon co^fvcricd into cairth, the indv^rious jbuib^ndq^n covers the mofl barren rock with vegeta- tive mouJd« Thus limplc facls confound the wild <»n- jpctures of 'vrondcring, and vi^ondcr-tetlihg travclters. . But tlMsrd ifcr,ft,m^nyextingui^ed vbfcanos fownd of . which no writer fpeak^r th^fe at leaft fpeak the remote, antiquity of the world. -li !(- 'i 'J'ruc, there ate many found, and mainy Aiore inay be fourid if fought for in the wilds of America, of Africa and Aiia, where no writer is to be found j phqsnomenons fonjetimcs pafs unnoticed cyen by good writers, and of the writings of many, who might have noticed them, tome have fallen vidims to the ravages of time. There is no ancient fact more* authentic than the peluge : M^fes dcfcrijbcs it 856 years after it happen- ed when the faft was frefh in the memory of man ; w^hen it was impoflibie for him to innpofe on the world ; theSon of Sirach ipeaksofit as an undoubt* ed fa^i £c fervcd from the Flood, together with thenecelTary proviAons for the time they were enclofed. It h alfo certain that there is a fufHcient quantity of water to cover the higheft mountains on the earth SI St.- IX- «•«•--; omnipotence. 1^ pmnipotenc^. ft is well li^nown to thi? judicJou. philofophcr that theyc is ai, Incalculable quantUyqf water fufpended in the ^tmofphVe, we f^e with What rapidity a High wind dries yp fmalipook qf water, becaufcewy fay^r 0^4^ whi(;t ponies ia wntaftwith thp water, inftam^y ^bir ,% a quanUty of^^ateiv '^cefl^ry to (>iame ^?;.t ]^yer, and Jhefc layers iucceed each oihejr in p,x»portion t« ^he velocity of the wir.d : a quantity therefore neceffary^tq (atura^^. the whole aimofphcfc may remain ftifpendt^, if an extra quanticv b^^ ' ~ d Vm^ft again defcend in rain/ or, if cppdQnfed by cold, m (now or hail. Diflertatiqns have beeji writ- t?n by other mcn^on this fubjea;. and the moft fatis- faaory forutions gl^^en to all the. di%ulae§,; ^MpK Wild fpcculatifts propofe. "d ' ■ *^^ , As^th^exi%nc« of whple nations dFgiaktHand pygmies, ^ey eiift in th(? imaginatipn oUt^fts ^ (pme have been, an.d fomc few are. of an extraordi.' nary fize, and fome others extremely little j byt thefe do not form nation^, nor are they pf a different fpc, •T.'k.'*^^-'— ' ^re knowQ. The term Gibbfi^ which has been tranflat^d by tha.tof Giant feni&s a. powerful And violent man. th^y are numerous now as they were beforp the Flood ; and now a^ then wci cal virtuous, pious men, the fons ^f Ifj^ht, the. children of God ; and vain, capricious, diffoipte mrh may well becaUed thedaushtei:s of men. i^arriag^ jontraas between (uch chacadler^, wer.e cenfured by l^ofes,and the confe^ucnces mai;jfc^d i^ the fimilarity of manners between the children apd ^hcir mothers. This we fee ^very day. The children of god marry, ing the daughters of men gave rife to many ridicu- Jpus tales and wild coi^jedures. Ignorance , finds myf- , tpnes where common fenfc can difceri) none. l)ifficulties arc ftated by fome pretenders to fciencc again(^ r# againftlVidTes's accoant from the different colours of the hurilaiii fpecies in djffcrent countries. Thefe are asfHvbiOtis as the fortner. Difference in colour as in heigKf, In ftrength, in activity, in underftanding, is merelj^ accidental the human fpedes, is, in ail indivi- duals eflfemiatty the'fame. The black man in Ethiopia, the copped- cdoufed favage in Canada, the white man trt Etjfope, is the fame man, tinged with .the colour of the ciioiate, irt which he lives, his food and manner of lining contribute to iricreafe or diminifti the effedV of the climate. Some anatomifts imagine tliitthe pcyres in the fcarffkin of the black, dilated by the hurnlng h^it of a vertical fun, abforb a greater * i^iKintity of light ; others think that the effed is pro- duced by the giffat porofity of the inner Ikin j and fjine think that there is a liquid fubftance between the fcai'f Ikiii and tlie inner iin, which abforbs the" light, ftis manifeft, without confulting optics, that 4ny body \^hich abforbs the light muft appear black* A 'I'ffartation on this fubject may be curious, but is totally ufelfefs : reafort fay^ that a black man and a ijvhkt man, a big man and a little rpan, a tame man arid a blirid ttan, a fool and a knave, are men, indi* vidualsofthe fame fpecies, differenced individually tiot fpedficaliy. A man ^nd a horfe arc individuals of different fpeci^s, differeneed li)ecifically, not indi- vidually. This may ferve as a general anfwer to all the dJfficiilties, Which are founded on the" difference office, of colour, of wit, of ftrength, 8cc^ of men in the fame Or in different climates We havd now exaniined the m i material difficul- ties ftated by Atheifts and Deifts againft Mofes*s ac^ count of the Ct'ftation, and ftieWn them to be friva* lous in the extretiie. That remote antiquity which they afcribe to the world, and all the marks of this ^Uiquity arc incriiy iniagkaar|r) thQ uiRpnng ot "i ignor.mce rSl ignorance and vanity : the- difaernlng philofophei- difcovcrs the nioft fcalible indicauons of the contra* ry: the iate invcntioiv of many arts and fciehccg, the increaling population, yet leaving one half the world a wild aixi untukivated defer]t,.are ftubborta truths which forced that iofamouifly famous A theift Lwrr^*- /wj, to acknowledge that th^e prcfent world ^as net of remote antiquity. He thought that rthcr Poets tsrould have fung wars previous to. that of Thehes or 'Ii;oy, at leaft that feme monumentsof that remote antiquity would be friund. Ic has aifo been fliewn that MoTcs did atteft his legation by miraculous pow- ers.; that the prodigies recorded in his B the prophecies contained in them, which were neither ^ppofed nor inferted after the accompUlliment, and of the accompH&mentof which there is the moil incontrovertible evidence. We have already renaarked that contingent events depending on the concurrence of innumerable caufes poflefling a power of fclf'-dctcrmination,arc not with- in the reach of litniled intelligence; toforefee and foretell fuch events with the uimoft certainty is the &Kirlr\{ivf> nrfrrttimtlv^. nf the Divinitv. Cnni^cluial power? powers increafe in proportion to the fagacity of the intelligence; biit all conjefturesMit rcfpe<5t tocbntiil- gent events arc uncertain, Thttd irf but God only, whole fagacity is infinite^, iand whb of coiirfe pro- nounces with unerring certainty. That thefe are many fuch eVentu forefeen, arid foretold, and of the acconplifhii^fnt of which there ian be no dbubtj if nianifefl to every man, who reads the Scriptures. Thus that Nl»ah forefaw the Deluge is evident from his building the Ark and preparing fdrit ; that the* patriarch Jacob forefaw riiat Ephraim the younger^ fon of • Jbfeph would give his name to one of the Tribes, and to a more numerous Tribe thai! his elder brothel' ManafTes, is equally certain from his annourti cingit when they were children, of this event the whole Jewifli nation are witneffes ; that Jofeph fore- faw that feven years of famine would fuccficd feven years of abundance is incontrovertible, from his being taken out of a pri fon in a ftfahge country — placed at the head of the State, and preparing fot the famine in theabunHant years, of this thd Egyptians had, to the deftrudion of their empire, the moft unequivocal proof, that is, atai of one fifth of the produce im- pofed on all the lands', (Excluding' all the 4ands appro- priated to their Priefts, who were fed from the King's granaries during the famine, and did not fell their lands to the Crown, as the other landholders did ^ he alfo forefaw that God vsmuld withdraw the def- cendants of his father from E^pt, and conduct: them into the land which he had promtfcd to their an- ccllors, or he would not have adjured them to take Ilia bones with them. Mofesforediw :ind foretold the many calamities of Egypt ; the deftruclion of Phanioh and hir, army : thefe were facts arfli Nictiris. Thus Babylon fell ill t diunken fit. The accjounts of Lxith writers co- incide, Chap. 8th, he relates a vifion and explains it : *" The ram is the King of tlie Mtdcs and Pcrfians, and the goat the Kiog ot the Greeks, the great horn between its eyes the firft King (Alexander; and the four horns which role when the firft was broken fouT Kings oi the ikme nci^tion but not in his ilrength." Jofsphus -the hiftorim fays that when Alexander fa w this prophecy- in which he hiaifelt was fo clearly foretold, and his conqucl^ of the Medes and Perfiahs under the figure of the goat breaking the rani's two horns, and trampling on the body, he fpared die cUy of Jerulalcm, which he intended to have dcftroyed. And Chap, nth, Daniel fcems to write a hitbvy o( fuccecding Princes, and their wars, which the events have literally verified, his account is fo minute, and correct, that fome Heathen Philo. fophers preffed l>y the primitive Chriftians on the fuljject, finding it ifni>t»fllblc to decline the force of Daniel's authority, pretended that the hillory had been fuppofe(i by the C-hrif^ians, and written after the events had happened. However the J^ws, who are prcfled by Daniel's authority more forcibly than the Heathens, never accufcd the Chriilians of any luppofition or interpolation. The Prophet Ezckiel not only foretold events in the moft fimplc manner, bur his very anions were exprcflivc of the events. Chap. 12th, v. 7, " I done/* fiys the Prophet, " as God commanded me ; I pro* duced my veilbls as a man going into captivity by day, and in the evening, I made an opening in the "^•^ -m my hand, and I went forth in the dark, and 174 and wa5 carried on men's Ihoulders in their fight.^*. • ^oth V, ** fay to them, thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, this burden is on the Prince, who is in Jerufalem,' and on the whole Houfc of Ifrael, who is in the midft of them as I have dene, fo will be done to them ; they will remove from their dwel- lings and go into captivity, and the Prince, who is in the midft of them, fliall be carried on fhoulders, hefhallgo forth in the dark, they (hall dig through the wall to bring him out, his face Ihali b? covered tiiat he may not fee the ground with his eyes, and X %vill fpread my net over him and he fliall be taken in my net, and I will bring him to Babylon into the land of the Chaldeans, and he fliall not fee it, and there he fhail die." The Prophet is more explicit if poffiblc, in the 1 7th Chap, he there afTigns the rca- ibn why the King of Babylon would put out Sededas's eyes, becaufe he was to break his oath of fide- iity. We know from the writer of Chronicles terminating his work that this prophecy was literally fulfilled. In the 29th Chap, is foretold the deftruc- iion of Egypt during the fpace of forty years, and after that time its re cftablifliment, but never in its former power or Iplendor. Qf the truth of this pro- p'tccy we ourfelves are witnelfes. In the 35th Chap, he announces the perpetual deftruclion of the Idu- iiiQ^ans, which happened accordingly. A number of prophecies, againll which no objedion tan be ftatcd, arc paflcd in lilcnce, they all have the feme tendency, that is, to authenticate the miffion of the Prophets, and enforce obedience to the law ot^ God. In thei'e Prophets vire find men horn atdiflbrent periods during a fpace of many centuries, and in dif. fcrcnt countries, differing in their occupations, placed in the diHercnt ranges of life from the Prince on the iui'OTi^ to tiic urjcpncru m tne nclu, yei mo contra* diclion hs diaioiiin their writings, no iricdnfiftency, a perfeaj' coincidence in all, evidently Ihewing that the fame I'ptric animated them all. Compare this agreement of the Prophets to the difputcs, the diffentions, the contradiftions of Philofuphers ancient and modern ;> lilence, prejudice, paflion and party fpirit confult un- biafled rcafon, and it will tell yoii th^it the Prophets were directed by the fpirit of truth, which is one and the fame in all times, and places ; and the Philofopherss under the influence of the fpirit of error,' which fhifts with every wind. From fome texts in the Pentateuch, which appear to have been written after Mofes's death, it was inferred that he Was not the author of that wc ik ; byt if it be confidered that Mofes foretold many things which hap pened after his death, this difficulty vaniUies ; he fore- iaw and foretold his death, and the manner of his death, why not his funeral ? It is trufe that Mofcsfpcaks of himfcif in the courfc of the work as of an indifferent perfon,^ and even fays that he was the moll meek of men ; it is not unufual for a writer to fpeakof him- felf in the third pcribn : Cxhv gives us a fpeciraen in his commentaries. Ai to the praif'- which Mofes be- llows on hi mfeif it was not from himfelf, bat from the fpirit of truth, which influenced and direded him, he in the fame fimplc manner tells his infideli:y at the waters of Meribah, and its confcquent pilnifli- nicnt death, before he entered the land ofpromilc, which he fo ardently defired. Never was book more authentic than t!.c Pentateuch, nor author more cer- tain than Mofes : the whole jcwifli nation atteft it now, as they did at all times without a diflbn*' it voice; their different feas of Phiiri/;-,-, andSadu ei !»nd Libertines, Jews and Samaritan^ though difi- grecing in every thing elfe, all agree ia this. All the books, wlirch have beua written poftcrinr ttf 17^' to the PenbteucH2iCcrib& it to Itcifcs i God fays to Jofliua, I CM, " take courage, and be very valiant to obferve, and tOifulMthe wholeiavv^» wliichmy icrvant Mofcs has commaikded thee ........ let not the book of thi$ iaw depart froin thy niouth, and thou {hale meditate oa it day sind night, that thou mayeil ob- ferve and do all things written iti it; The law wa^ therefore Written before Joftiua took the command of the Chiidren oHfrael, and Mofes Jiad delivered it. Four hundred and thirty eight years after, David immediately before his death Ciys to his fon Solo- mon, ^d. B. of K./Ch. 2. V. 3, "take courage, and he a man, that you may obfai-ve the obt'ervanccs of the Lorciyour God, that you may walk in his ways ahd keep his ceremonies, his precepts, his judgments, his teftiraonies as is written in tlie law of Moles.'* The wiiterof the4ih B. of K. Chap, jh, enumera- ting the crimes of MAiuilVes, Ciys, that* he placed an idol of the grove, which he had made in- tlie tem- ple of the Lord, ofc which the Lord had faid to David and to Solomon his ii>n, iu this temple and in Jcru- falom, which I have chofen out of all tlvc tribes of Ifrael I will put my name for ever j and I will not remove the foot of Ifrael horn this land, which I gave to their fathers, only if they will obfitrve to do all, v.'i'»ich I have commanded them according to the law, which my fervant Mofes commanded them" The writer of the 2d. B. of Chronicles, ('peaking of the celebrated Paffover, which was oblerved in [ofias's reign, fays that the ceremonies were oblerved " as is written in the book of Mofes." In the ift Eldras, Chap, 3d, it is faid, " that thry (tlie Jews) built the Altar of die God of Ifrael, th;it ihfv might olter holacanjh upon it, as is written in the law of Moles, the man of God." It is ulelefs to cite more : all the writers of thj Old Tcftamcnt as wcil as ati i\ Pentateu the JewiS iclvesr , protjfs O! Phenccia tiquities the pofli Juftin Greeks, anceftors fages, til tors. N ters. ftr cerning diey ha( whom V. Tatiar 26, ''let let him h any man be found years pri cd long I of this and Eg> Nos. 36 more an( Homer . Theop 20 and 2 writings which wi fays The favour ( again ft W i fays to aliant to ,' fcrvant lie book KHi (hale lyeft ob- law waij immand Vered it. , David jn Solo- ajje, and inccs of lis ways gnients, Mofes." hiimera- 2 placed the tcm- oDavid in Jcru- tiibes of will not h I gave I do all, the law, " The g of the Jofias's d " as is hat thrv ael, that ;n in the fs to cite t as wc'l m as att the writers ol the Ncvir Teftament afcribc the Pentateuch to Mdes. The Ifeatheii authocs afcribe thejewifli religion to Mojfes as do the jewsthem- ielves : Jofephqs a^inft Appion, Book ift» adduces proofs of the JeufiOi antiquity from the writings of Phenecians, Egyptians and Greeks \ and in his An- tiquities of the Jews he eftabliilies that truth beyond the poiTibility of doubt* v*ft' Juftin, the martyr, in liis exhortation ta thp Greeks, proves to them, from th« writing s of their anceftors, that Mofes was far more 4nctent than their figes, their hiftorians, their philofbphers or legifla- tors. No. 1©, he fays, thefe thing*, O Greeks, wri. ters. ftrangers to our religion, have written con- cerning the antiquity of Mofes, and they faid that diey had them from the Egpytian prie&s amongft whom Mofes was born. I'atian, in his oration againft the Greeks, fays. No. 26, 'let H )msr be prefent at the Trojan war, and let him have fought with Agamemnon, or let him, if any man deiires it, have lived before letters are faid ta be found, it is yet manifett that Mpfes was many years prior to the deftrudion of I'roy, as he flouriflj- ed long before the building of that city, as witneBes of this truth 1 fliall adduce Chaldeans, Phenecians and Egyptians. He proceeds to cite thefe ^juthors, Nos. 36, 1"^^ 38, and No. 41, fhcws that Mofes i» more ancient than all the writers known to us before Theophilus, in his third book to Autolfcus, No. 20 and a I, flicws the antiquity of Mofes from th« writings of Manethon, a famous Egyptian prieft, which were then extant, but are now loft. " 'Fhough," fays Thecphilus, *' he tells many fabulous talc* in favour of the Egyptians, and uttered blafphemies againft Moics, and the Hebrews who fallowed him, W yet 'yet from his accouat it appears that they vir^rc mni Imndrcd years befbrethc Ti-ojaa waniv <^ i ^v^^s .iic ■ , OrigcniSy in his memorable v»)(ork igainft C^Uiis the HeathenphiJbfQpker^ Writes i;hug>iB. I, Na. i^j * • I wonder that Cclfiw, who rank* t^t Odry fe*y tlw fiamothraciafis, the Hyperborean Clo^i amongft the moft wife, and Jmcient nations^. does not deigH to give the Jews a place either amongft wife, or ancient people, thoijgh there txi many Egyptians, Phened- ans and Greeks, who atteft their antiquity. It wonki 1)6 ufelefs to idduce thefe writers whom any perfori iiiay fee in Jcfcphuii* tWo books of the ^Antiquities of the Jews i ihfere many are coUeAcd by the author, who give tcftimony of the antiquity of the Jews. r^'he book of the youhgei- Tatian againll the Gentiles 4 in every body's hinds j in it h6, with grreat eru- dition, adduces the hiftorians who atteft the antiquity ■ of Moies and tlifc Jews. It k therefore, certain that Celfus has np regard to truth, that he i^ iniiut^nced by a fpitcful hatred to the Chriaian religion, which derives from the Jews." A Bhari ivovild imagine that this intelligent Writer reafoned agaihft a modern phi- lofophift. There is however this difference between Celfus and our modern fcribhlers, thaft Celfus was deeply verfed in all the fdcnces tayght in tht Heathen fchools, and offered in defence of error the plaufible reafons, which his imagination furnifbed ; they oft ■ the contrary, ignorant in thceiifreme, are reduced to colkSt the fragments of his works which yet rc- uiain. Thcfc they obtrude oh the uninformed as the fruits of their deep refearchds into antiquity. Men 6f real i'cicnce minutely difcuffing every ex- prefllon of the PerrtatCuch, in ofder to remove that obfcurity, in #hkh cVenrs'of remote antiquity mull appear immerlcd to the generality of readers, have Indire^ly chabled our Scioliitsto add to thcfc frajti- ments m ^ents fbme otW TccAikig diflffculdes iigathft the authcnticky of that ^qrk : thus,fot example, it fe fafd'ifi Dent. i. i, *> iMi^ are the worth which Mo- /es fpokc to Ifrad bcyotid the Jordan:" Hence it ia inferf fell that 'this bbok was written by fonrte perfon after the Ifraelites hat p^ifled the Jordan, but in the origina! tt%i it is meber which ii^nifies in the paii fage, or dpixjfitc the paffage of Jordiri, and flie fenfe isdetermitited by thrt context : theaythor imrhedi- ately adds : > in the wildemlifs^ in the folitudc oppo- site 5w/^, the RedlSea, between Pharan, and Thop- Jicl, and Laban, and Chaforeth," that is in the wil. dernefs where Mofes hid given his inftruaions to the anceftors of thefe iticn, to whom t!n.y were (hen re- peated. ' ■ * As the laws, which Mofes recapitulated in the book of Deuteronomy' and others, 'which he then Cubjoined, Wcne to W* rfead on every feventh year for fucceeding generations, the facred penman fpeaking of himfelf, might with great propriety have faid, *' thefe are the words, which Mofcs fpoke beyond the Jordan," hence the tranfla tor was perfectly correct, though he did not give prcciieJy the fenfe of the ori- ginal text. . From fl^is and fimilar expreffions fome thought Efdras author of the Pentateuch, though in his wri- fings the contrary be manifeft : it is faid, ift Efd. iii. 2, ** Joftiua the fon of Jofedee arofe and Iiis bre- thren the priefts . . ... .and they built an altar of the God of Ifraeko offer holocaufis on it, as it is writ- ten in the law ofMofes B^thcratb Mofcheb, and v.' 18, they appointed Priefts in their orders, and Le-" vites in their turns over the works in Jerufalem, as it is written in the book of Mofes." The text fays *'as thebortk ofMofes has written." Chi chaihab f'pber Mofcheti. This nrHer wa«j mvi-n Kv M/ f«, > 'k%, - J ~- "'" ""' ^' "' •"" '^^» ivura,. 111. and vin. 1^ vf^So I t tif; the id. ef^Ef^s vHii -arc reacj : ^* the S^iUea W to Efdras, briftg ihe ? book of the law of Mofes: Ltha0i ffk S^ei^'thpr^ih Mf/cheh\ .<. . u Afld Efdras the Prieft brougitt • the law .,*>.« aiid they read in the hook, in the •k'*^ of the luGtAyBefepk&.BHhomh, difttn£tlyt and intelUgtHy. In i\itXQ%tfom fichekth^x. 13 |riving the fenfe of its contents. After th^e captivity!, few if any of the pec^e talcen frcwn Jiidea remained, iherr chiklren bornin Chaldea bad corrupted the lan^ge of their aneeftoFS; lYiixinglt with Ghaldaic terms/ and phrafcs, they fottned the Sfyriac fengiiagfei which tiiey continued to fpeak to the^eftrudion of their Republic. The Hebrew tesct writteii by Mofes many of them did not uirderftand^ Efdras eJSplained it to them in the language which they uoderftoody but left the writentext as he found it^ IfHi appears evi- dently from the many Ghaldaic words in the books written by Efdras^ not one of which ar^ to be found in the Ptentateuc^ * It is probable that many copies of the Scripture were deftroyed 'When the city and temple were confiamed by fire, but tkere was an im- nicnfe number of copies in the hands of the Prophets, Priefts and Levitcs who efcaped. It was ordered by Mofes, Deut, XVII. that the King (hou Id tranferibe , the law from a copy atteiled gieftuine by the Priefts of the Levitical Tribe. Their atteftation was fuffieient to authenticate the copy/ Many copies muft have been in their hands, nor were they confined to the IVibe of Levi : Mofes gave copies' to all the heads of families, Deut. XXXI. ^t is rtot in the nature of things that fo many copies, and authentic tranfcripts, of a book, which contained the public records of the nation, determined the rites and ceremonies of the national religion, (hould have perifhed. Names of cities grown obfolete might have been changed with great propriety, though of this we have i8t hayi li« i5crtain*y i the names noxy in the |:cxt might have pr«N«tifte V^. .^a:^ 0>.. \^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) .V V4 ^v ^°^^ :/ .6> 1.0 I.I 1.25 150 ""^" ^ ]^ 112.0 2.5 1.4 1.6 -^ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WItSTIR.N.Y. M3tO (716) ira^soa ^^ V N> LV #» % ;\ '^ int^^^ <^,/i, fr€fm4ayr thcifchy figijtfyiag that ne'cbiitigfcr faa^ taken pla<;c iii! th« name diTring tfa^ }a^ of Tome years pr^iau^ to his writing^v,,^ Ut^ • Other expreflions .are jfeuiid k ih^ ^tatcndi, which fcem to indicate that tlic writer had lived af. ter the expniao^ pf the Canlan^tesi tfeus itisfaid. Gen* XII. 6, " Abraham pafled over the^ land to th*^ place of Sachem. The Canaanite was^theli i^ the land." 4nd XUI, ^, « tlie Can^aoite and P|icrit zite wcr«;thcn in the land/V The writerjf properly nnderftobd fays fixnply that they wftre then csftabliflicd m^that country, a% Jcjheb Baarets, he'neithe* fays nd*t mfinuatcs that tljcy had been expelled ; he indireftlji Ihews the Patriarch's faith and conOdcnce in Ood; who ventured to fojourn aqiongft a wicked peopfe; Vom whofe enormky and rapadty Ut had evc»^ thing to fear. ' = ,^ x , ^ iftWr4^ ?aas are related in the Pentateuch, which arc thought to have happened after the dfcath of Mofcs; hence it is inferred by fbme Sciolifls that he was nof ^he author, tUuS we read, Gen. IXXVI. «< Thife arc^ the Kings who rcignedin Edom before the children oflfraelhad a King." And in the XVi; of Exodus/ " the Children of Ifraelcit manna 40 years until they came to the habitable land. Tijey were fuppbrted byi this food until they came to the borders of Canaan ; we know frort Jofliua, V, 12, that thfe raahna did not ceafe until after the death of Mofes, in the V. 12. of Deut. it is faid, " the Horrci dwelt in Seir, whom thcChildrcn of Efau expelled, rnd dcftroyed and dwelt there, as Ifracl did in the land of their poifcnion." It is true many faOs andcVcots arc related by Mofes.. whirk • happened he was^divind*' in({^ed : 4ok there is but the pret tocnce io6©dd, W*iclit«i«^d$ to dilh^teV^Sdei pending &ikeoatU^t<^.MofwtHcM0rtfmJ^thaV^^ t^hitd tbb I levtms addticjed tficKigh tAtin^ <^c(«> alter ■ bbdestth wj^t*sfiww^c(8rtaint5' tfcitl^dfel ttiany ii2 thers at more dmartt jJerilB^^, hi' foretold t^^ people ctf IfiRacJ after t:fkkf| poffciTfeifir 6f the ffomifed Iwid wdiild cdrtfti«atie li fcihg to rtigfi^dTi^ tHcfmfclves^ * and theft prtftriBed hfS dtitice, DeUti 3l^tII. that they ^nd thdi?Ki% would b^ carried iflto captivity, Deuc. ^XVlH. tbrt thefe tirotiia be i Certain place choieii b^ God for th«> building o£ his temple, Jh which he or- ders them td offe» thfeh: facriflccis not elfewhtre, Deut. XlLihe M} chitged therti to ext^riri'mate ' AmilKi when 6od Would giv« iheiil reftifa the eotiiiitry^ which he Wimldiubjea co thctfi, this Ordfcf was exerciited by .^atol ahd ©avidi 16 ii ndt unufoal with the Pro- tiheW'^ TjieAfc of :e vents* Which they l^c^virill in. falKbly happen, as klitatly paft. Hente Mofts might have related fcveats, which he kntitr to be at hand, is if theytiiad already happened. Thus he relates hl4 death, the manner of bis death, and the circiimftanc^s attsrtding it. in the fame mahner htj might hate re- lated thfe evdHts adduced, though it is prdbable that ibmeof them happened before his death i from thft death of Ilaac when Efau took poffcllldn of Edoiri to Mofes's appointtnect to the fiipremc eomthand of Ifrael, two hundred and thirty fix yaars hadelapfed, ift that time eight Kings might haVe reigned in Edom, and eleven Chieftairis Irt different departments. That Mofcs \yaa King in Ifracl is manifeft not only from his cXcrcifing regal authority, but becaui^ he is exprefsly called King in the XXXIII. 5. of Dcut. ttajahi bejisbeovour meiek, t,i: . • Lgnop \\^(.'\f^ Kill Am-y*\* *V,m. r«i.:u.^^ ^tth^^Ji l. j ' taken iH. QaJ»»4i ^efi; 4^j^ien I gav^ tp He ehUcfrfjft of tCm had e?Epelle4jhe Barrel froiriSpir^ . JofepH ill prif^n had feid ta ^ar»oh*s Clip bcajrer that he ^as hrowghfc <;landsiin^)r ft'^m jth?^ )*ind df p«F philpCophifts : th* I4rtd, % they, Ijelpngcd tOi fhie Cananfiise^, it was caJI^ the land ..of Canaan, TWi i$ *r^ pf the coiii^iry at large, biot the He* bF«ws pfiflefied si part : A^rahftm* & dcfetfodftOts . weri: th«> nufot^oui ficQm the land* whtdith^y pofieffedi joicph had bpen ftolen. Adji m this Uiat Jofeph wcU Icncw that whrtle CbUotry had .been pro9ii(toat law, ^hich hcfo jlcrupTi'loully Abferved frbin the 8th year of his . reign to the i$thi^hen the autograph ofMofes w^ Ibiuid in the temple, ibid* it is faid of Joas, that, at his inauguration, the i^/. IX0»)r, that is, the Book of the Law, was pDtt into his hands when he was anointed by the High Pried Joiada, 4. K. XT. 13. This ceremony- muft have been ob- ferved at the inauguration of all their Kihgs,' ad it was expre&ly commanded, Deiit. XVIIi By this law the King was obliged to cranfcribe the whole of Deu- teronomy from a copy delivered to him by the High Prieft, though fome Q£>their Kings may well be fuppo- itd hot tocbmplywith the precept, the greater num- ber did, hence the law could not be forgottdh in the court, much lefs in the temple, and the public fchoels, where it was diligently taught and explained by the Jewifli Priefts and Dolors. During the long reign of Ezechias the law was ilridly oMerved, and though ' his immediate fucceiTor ManafTes, in the early part of his reign, had introduced idols into the temple, and perfecuted the£iithful, yet after his captivity he r& moved them, and fteadily perfevered in the obfer- vanca of the law to his death, 2. Par. XXXITI. ' His fucceffor Amon reigned bi|t two years, during which time, however well difpofed, he could not obliterate the law. Jofias's reign was long. From his death to the invafion of Nabuchonofor but four years elapfed ; this fhort fpace, and the whole time of the captivity, which followed, was celebrated by the writings and inftru<^ions of the great Prophets Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel, Habaccuc, &c. who not only obfcrvcd the lav I .— r I *!.«.. 1 iU« 1^:^ c former \^ former ;Rrpgi»et8vbut added to tJl;uei^ the book^ whicH >eair theirnainesL • panifl was yet liyipg when Cy.ru8 took poflcffioii of JPfabylon,; Pan. V. Whp in the ficft year of hi^irVigi^^ Ifent Zorohi^eL fon of Salathiel, anid Jpfua the ion of Jofedec, the hi^ pji^jeft* with ali the Priefts, Lcvites and ptbei-89 who were c^firou% pf retnrmrig to Jer^- fale,tn» in prdcf to build ihe temple. That thefc were well yerfed. in the law. we Jppw frpm, i Efd. III. «, .where it is f^ id, *' and Jfofua the fon of Jpfedee, and his brethTCft the Priefts, i^eod up, and, Zorababel fon of Salathiel and his brethren, and they built an ^Itar of the God of Ifrael, to offer on' it holocaufis, 2Ai% written in the^ law pf Mofes the roan of God.** That the records of the nation were regularly kept.is plain ;fr,on(ith;s, that fpme, who afcepded could not prove their defcent j and that the fons of the Priefts, that j|s the children of tfebai, who could not produce the record of their geneol,ogy were difmiffed from the Priefthood : " Ihey fought the writing of their ge- ncology, and did not find it, and were f-ejeded from the Priefthood." i Efd. II. 62. If the regiftry of l^rths and marriages was kept, it. is ^ wild conjedure to think that the book of the law, the public record of the whole nation, was loft, or that the fcriptures, in the hands of bpth Priefts and Prophets, were de- llroyed. ,.r,,,ln Zorobabers time we find the Prophets Aggeus and Zacharias inftru^ng and encouraging the peo- ple. Thefe men did not lofe fight of the law, nor did they permit the prophetic writings of their pre- deceflbrs to be forgotten, deftroyed or interpolated j ftiortly after Efdras was appointed to conduct the Jews. He was thought by fome good men, deceived by rabbinical fables, to have reinftated the whole of different \99 , dificrent copies through the negled, inadvertchcf ftt^ ignorance of tranfcribers, which he correacd j an4 he is thought, upon good grounds, to have fubftituted ^he phaldaic io the primitive Hebrew charaSers, in order to brcaH th? intercburlfc between the Jews and Samaritans, who always retained the old Hebrew charaaef in the Pentateuch, the only part of the Scriptures in their hands; biit tlic Scriptures were in the hands of the Priefts, the natural guardians, and keepers of right of thefc public records before his time, in his time, and after it, and they will continue iii the hands, of their' fuccelTorS ia office, unUi the end of tinfie. ' ' ' -. v;.,v the authenticity of the 0/ received additional force from the New : the latter beihg the completion' and pcrftaion ofthe former. ^11 the Mofaic rites and teremocies wery one mail fitf entered into tji* world, and fey fin deaths" Roih. v. M, hciice -^that Innumerable train of confequent evils,' which terini^ rate in that grcalreft of all evib dearth.-^ Thus the un^ learned find, what the Heathen PMlofojiihera fought in vain, the caule 6f that violent indination to fcnfi*' hie objefts, the emplinefs and vanity of which, though known to the Heatheris was not ftt^eieiit to check the ardour of their Wild purfttit«* In this* however, they were more excufafele than th»r fuccet fors, otfr modern Sciolifts, of whom it cannot befaid that they did not knoW, but that pcrverfe obftinacy, apd unbridled fenfuality has effaced from their minds a truth wh?ch tlicy muft have knowti. If it be necef&ry to know the fource of our woes^ it is of yet greater confequence to know the remedy 5 in this revelation we 'find it ; the boundlefe mercy, and inexpreffible goodnefe 6f God,* has given liS « RedecTTier, who at the cxpehce of 'hit btood,has re- conciled us. From this revelation we know that his fatisfadion was full and fufficientj that when ap- plied to us by faith, and the fatraments of hisinftitu- tion, it perfeaiy reinftitcs us j that wc may have recourfe to iv if Ijcibflary, mord thia onec in the i93 courfe olf 1TI^2" :^rdin thii reVclatJon we fcnoir tint homage which God cxafts : *' God ts a Sjpirit, atid they who adore him muft adore him in^itit and tiuth," Jc^h W. 24. " Thoti ftialt Ibvc the Lord, thy Gbd, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole foul, arid "lirith all thy ilrength, aind With ill thy mind," IMe S. iy,'* that is, in two Words : thoii (halt love thfc Lord thy God fiucerdy, awditt pre- fcrencc to every thing which » hot bb'd. Ittougb: this precept,' whkh radkilly includes all other pre- cepts, Be dctrettiet;^ difficult, ytt the reafon is irre- fiftible, and the pricept is indifpeilfaWe bn the prin- ciples of rciftin : buV loVc to ari^ ofejeft ought to be propottii^ricd to the goodncfs ofthcobjeAin illfelf, ahd our gi-atltudc proportioried to favours rtccived. God is in himfelf the fourcii of all goodhfefs ; from^ him, and at his Will, We hold aH, tha We poffefs, our exifteiice, arid its continuance ; tohimi, therefore, we owe the homage of our fouls and bodies, of our underft^ridiiig, our Will, «f all that we pof- fefs. To'^bur obedicncfc hfc proriaiies a ' reward grtat beybrid mcafure : thatis,^ thfc light of glory, which will fliew us trUtfi in itfelf, gbbdneS and beautf iri hisi ftmircc ; againft dlfobedicnce this rieVe- lation denouricbs the mbft terrific feritencci that is an eternal exclulion from this light of glory actranlpani- ed with mher tbrihcnts prdpdftioncd to the riutriber and enorititty bf tranfgreffibris. *• TJiat you may be judged Worthy bf thekingdorii bf God, for which alfo yoti fuffcr ; feeing it is juft with <5od to repay affliaibU to thbfe, who opprefs you, ai^d to you, who ire opprcfled rdjtxation with us, when the Lord Jefiii fliall b* revealed frotn Heaven with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire^ givbg purtilbment to thbfe. Who knoW nbt God, and who do not obey the gofpcl: of our tod Jefus Chrift, Vtiivt 194 who flijUlfuffer eternal pains in dcftmaion from the face of the Ix)rd, and from the glory of his power '» a., Thefi. I. 5. and feq. ' ^ Toxreate man's confidence, it reprefcnts this our God fo great, fo powerful, fo rich in mercy, as an in. dulgent father: our fether who art in Heaven, Matt. VI. 9. ««fce the gract which the father has given us that we ihould be called the caildren of God,... .wc are now the children of God," i John. iii. 1,2. To engage us to have recourfe to him, it promifcs that whatever we aft: conducing to our welfare, now and hereafter, he will grant it, "whatever you aik the father in my name, that will I do/» John xiv m To prevent defpair when paffion overpower/, or the tempter feduces. it promifcs pardon to finccre re pcntance, nor does it confine this grace to any limit- ed number of transgreflions, or to any limited r/um- ber of times, "whole fins you forgive they are forgiv. en," John xx. 33. *^ The inccrtainry of the term of accompt, is propo. fcd^as a check to prcfumption : " jBe youthen ifo ready, for at what hour you think not the fon of man will come,^' Luke xii. 40. In this revelation we find all the perfeAions which I "!?"4 ["^^"^ "'"''^' "^"'P*^*^ ^y Prgudice. nor clouded by paffion, may difcover, and others to which reafon unaffitted by a fuperior light cannot extend, wc find all the duties which thcfe perfcdions impofe. and alfo all the relative duties, which man's place in the creation and his original dcPanation, alfign him. M a child of God and heir to hf; kingdom, he is or- dared to perfift in the cxcrcife of all thcfe virtues, winch adorn the Ibul, and give it a diftant refem. blance to its neavcniy father, univerfal benevolence without d.ninaion of friends or enemies : « thou flialt love thy neighbour as thyfclf," Matt. xix. 19 ; •* Love 195 :HH "Loveyour enemies, do goodf to thofe who hate you, I blefs tho(e wllb curfe you, and pray hr thofe who calumniate ypu.v?nd you fhall be the children of the moft high, for he is Ijencficent to the unthankful aud to the wicked," Luke vi. 33.. .Mercy : *' Be you merciful becaufe your father is merciful," 36. Humili. ty ?nd meeknfifs : "Learn from me for 1 am meek and hrmble of heart," Matt. xi. 29. • ^ ' In this quality of child of God fanOity is ftriaiy enjoined, which excludes every poifible vice : " feek peace with all men, and fanaification, without which no man will fee God," Hcb. xii. 14. Chaility is in si particular manner enjoined : "the oppofitc vice being from its nature incompatible with lanaity excludes from the inheritance of the children ofGod," i.Cor.vi. ! In this revelation man is taught his abfolute, and I relative duties, in every fituation of life j as a prince, , as a fubjea, as a niagiftrate, a citizen, as a father, ahufband, as a free man, a bondman ; every age, every fex, every ran§e of life, find in it rules oi condua, which extort the approbation of impiety. It is true our fciolifts complain of the rigid fever ity of its maxims j highway-men complain of the feverity of the laws. The laws, which proporti©n puuilhments to the atrocity of crimes arc not the l<;fs wife though thehighway.man may think otherwife; the maxims of the Gofpel are not the lefs venerable becaufe impic. fty difrcgards them : if they countenanced impiety, Ithey would ceafe to be what they are, that is, maxim*, lof hclinefs.wortby the fandity andwifdom of their au- jthor ; they alfo complain of the obfcurity of its mys- Itcries. In this they fhew their ignorance : of all my?- • Jtcries that of the Trinity is the moil obfcure j yet Hk jnot more difficult to conceive the divine nature iii l^?^ Pcj'lons than in one : the divine nature is in it. iicif and in ail its attributes impenetrable to the crea- ted 19.6 , kd i|^dcrfta^<^x»g. It k not more fo, m three pcrfonj if)?f/* Jp P9^ ' *^^ ^^^^ ^^9 pwtcpds to meafuxe the iinjnc^fity pf the divinity by his own limited uiv fpenfcof.hearengtb of hi. underftanding, or if we ay, h,3 h«rt i, bad. it i» underftood of the per- jcrto,e& of ,„s wiH. Thns the arm of God. conv^, «> Idea of h,. power, the throne of God. fignifie, his «"jefiy, ,he eye, of God, his providential vigilance «v, r his creatures, and attention to them. In the new law are found ambiguous expreffions, » hich are thought favourable to diffenting feds of thriftianf. even to Deifts. Mahometans and A.heifls. , the hw "'" ^"''''''*' '" * P"j'"'i'» »8«i»ft fa the new law are fomc expreflions. which, from the nature of the fublime truths which they convey. areobfcurc, others, which the perverfe obftinacyof ^ill hot permit Ihcm to imitate their anccftors ^ith impuhity. That in the works of the Heathen Jjhilofbphers there are fomc precepts of morality is fcriie. Firft principles of the natural law are dieeply impretfcd in the mind ; they are not cafily eflfaccd ; the confe- quences, which arc immediately inferred fromthefe principles, the heathen philofophers found, iiot in accredited fables, bat in the light of rcifon, which was not totally cxtin^ ; remote cOnfequehccs are Of more diiEcult accefs : their precepts did tiot extend to them ; if any did, they were borrowed from the fcriptures : ** which of your poets, or which of your Cophifts,*' faid TertuUian in his apology, "did not drink of the fountain of the prophets ?** The moral |>receptiot Epiftetusarcmanifeftly borrowedfrohi the Gofpel, which he muft have fcecn, yet the pretended virtues of this celebrated ftoic ate as oppofitc to true chriftian virtues as darknefs to light : Virtuous anions are diftinguiflied by their motives ; that of the chriftian is univerfal benevolence ; that of the ftoic, the moft refined fcif love and cold infenUbility, his invariable maxjm is" think of yourfelf; fjtcrifice eve- ry thing to yourfelf." In the corrupt fyftcm of Epi- curus there is no maxim more bafe or dangerous to focieiy. To their moral pfecepts the heathen fagcs added the moft grofs errors ; thus we find the famed Plato dire%ti>nr^ nf -i PUtn. or rif a Tictfro^ the f^itofeDhical 30 r Vcaifomugot an Ariftotk, the leaufts of a Socrates, or a Seiwc^ art Gfelefe to the unlettered Pcafant. In tbe tnfpir''''«''"«, tofacrffice irrHnli^' r'"'*'«*='^' "'her than difobeyth. Lord or deny h,m , than which there is no precent morereafonable- a man of 1. '<=" "o precept crifice his lif, ,K ■ K , . ^°"°'^ """'"^ "'he'- 6- conce bis life than betray his King or Country The aaual renunciation of wealth, !r power LfuIIv acquired. IS not of precept, but of counfel to wh "h appea-s f „™* Jk" «" ^?'^"'°'' '* "'^inaWc : this appea.s from the Saviour's anfwer to the vounir nian, whoaiked what he ftoulddoto be 6vedT" ,f ' f"er Lm'" "T'T "'• '''"P '^^ commandmLs." jSftcr telhng him the commandment,, which muft be pbferved he adds « if yo„ dcfire to be perS ^ lelJ all you have, give to the Poor Come and follow me/* Matt XlX Th^^' '' ' ' clearly diftmguiflies the precepts of indi(pcn(able n.ccffity to enierinto life, fr„„r,his counfelfby tb' " obfcrva^ce pf whipU, the ^ ^pung man would have *°3 arrir^ata greater degree of perfection, arid ob- tainea what the Sariour called « Tr^funmuZ There are other precepts in the CJofpei 'si&k appear extremely fev„e, yet upon inveftigadon they are found perfectly confiftent with reafo., and "^IJv^^l'^- ^'""' ^''«» '•'« S»viour fay,. Matt. V " If a man ftrike you on the right eheei^ turn to h.m the other 5 if he contend, with you iu ^^fl^"'U/'"" '^°"'. '""■ '*' 'i* "ike your cloatc ,!?'„,„v?'"f i"'"-""""" "jo'"''', rndividual. ar: prohibited from' doing themfelves juftice by " pnvate a..,hor.ey, than which there i. nothing more reafonable. Tl.e public Magiftrate ia not forbidden redreis wjunes and do juftice to the fufferer. on n.fter of God ... . he does not hold the fword in Tl!!! y„' :k -I .^T^" '" "«"*"= "Wh on hira who doethev.!" Ron,. XIII. 4-5. Astheminifler uftjce, which belongs to God, and. of courfe. to thefepxdufively who are authorifed by him : " Ven- geance « mi,,e and I wUl repay," Rom. XII. ,9. MI ir'V*''='-^°"'idden tohaverecourfetoth; pubic Mag^ftrate for redreft. if he be influenced by the love of juftice, not by a defireof revenge, which « never lawful and is at all time, ftriaiy p^ohi^rd Vexatious law.fuits are ftriSly forbidden. "^Ifredrrf; nhirvUt'". '." ^"'"" *'*'"'"' ^""'l' *"'•"« rhv ^t' TT' °' '''•*"''' °^ '''rift"- 'h»- .edrefs of injury ; if not it is prudent to decUne i, • bccaufe no redrefe, which can be obtained is a„ quivalem for the Divine difpleafure incur'red ^ incie tounlcis. which. ^hich our ScioUfts think (evere, ^ndev^i^ unrealb^j^ ^Ic. ■ " ■ ' " That the evangeUcal law is intmtcal to arts ati^ (ciences is \ groundlefs, furmifc, refuted by expjeri. ence : if arts and fciences be known, it is in thefc countries w^ere that law preyaijs ; in the o^ilern countries the moft barbarous ignorance ^as fucc^eded Its fuppre^on. If fraud, ufury and cnrcumyention, be ufeful tc\ trade ; hoiiefty, fincerity and plain pealing, deftruc- tive ; or if unbounded iicen^ioufnefs encreafe popuIa« tion, whilft regularity ruins it, t^ie evangelical law muft be acknowledged dcfedive ; he rouft he fond of delufton who believes^ fuch nonfenfe, and ij\ay be configned to ^is dreams without interruptioo. That (loical apathy, infenfibility an^ alienation of affedion, which philofophifts find in the evangelicai law, was ren^arked by the heathensr—itsdifciples were abfent fro^n the orgies of Bacchus ; they were ftran- gers to the inyfterious rites of Ceres ; their wives and daughters were npt brought in foleipn p^occflion to the temple of Venus,nor did they range themfelvesi amongft Gladjators ; thefe faihiopable amiifements they refigned tp the memorable anceilors of our modern fciolifts. Why complain of us ? We imitate our anceftors. They lyere infenfible to criming ex- cedes, which the voice pf reafpti condemns ; but their affedion to their parents, to their friends, to their country, their anxiety fpr tlieir welfare, their exertions to procure relief in the public calamities, in a word,their charity knew no bounds n that is the apathy enjpined in the new law : this is a language which vanity and fenfuality diflike. Some have feclude^ themfelves from fociety in penitential filencc to atone for pafl offences, or to avoid dangerous oc<:aIicns][ othprs to contemplate the Wori|cs 205 works ofthediviniry, the joys of heaven, the hor- rora of hell, the abyf^ of eternity. The. reader wiU pardon this unfeafonablc intrufion of terms fo offen- five to the athcift, the deift.the modern philofopher ; for this fecJufio?! there is no precept ; we may afi- mire, but are not obUged, in many cales not allowed, to imitate them: what is laudable in one, is not fo m all: if a man be free from all engagements he may live in retirement ; if his cares be neceffary to fociety, he cannot do it with propriety, amongft the difciplcs of the evangelical law no man lives for himfelf : that privilege they refign to pretended philanthrophifts. The perfection, which.the law requires, confifts in a ftricl obfervance of its precepts. The obfervance of its councils may, and frequently does,/emove impe- diments, it is therefore lawful and laudable but not In this divinelaw the man of refleaipn difcovers the fource of all his calamities ; he fees the ftate of infirmity, to which the uhprovokedtranfgreffion of » the founder of the human race has reduced all hi? defc?ndants •, the clouds, which it has diffufed in the underftanding, and that ftate of debility and incon- ftancy, in which it has placed the will i the irrcfifti- b^ inclinatii»n to fenfible objeas, the overbearing prel- fure of concupifcencc, againft which reafon Ipeaks in vain : " I fee and approve what isright,ahd do what is wrong," and what is yet of greater confequence, in this law, he ^nds the only effeaual remedy ; he is taught to have recourfe to a God of mercy for af- fiftance, whpfe grace difpels the clouds of the under- ftanding, fixes the inconftancy of the will, heals its infirmity, infures a power of refiftance fuperior to the preffyre of concupifcencc, foftens thefe tumultu- ous paffions. Which torment the impious man, ivnpo- fes on them an abfolute filence,or at Icaft -makes them r , • n . r _ ^ There lUDJeci lo rcaiuij. -— «- r , There are truth. an»ounced in thfa hw which tranfcend reafon. hence the fciolift infers thaf thev are contrary to reafon. The inference onJy fpeaks hi's '^TX'^^-'^'""^-'^'^ "P"* 'f" divinity, and .hedmne^attrAutes, muft t,fneceffity tranfcend Teafon : l«caufe the diviw nature i, not within the fphereof reafon'saftivity. ...1" "1""°? i? fontiary to reafon, and contrary to truth, ^en the ,dea of th,? fubjefl and the idea of the attribute. Iwth precifely Icnown. exclude each feft abfurdity, becaufe the Icnown properties of thefe figures exclude each other, but if the eiTeitial pro- pert.e» of the &bjea, or of the .. ,vH,Bte, be not ac- curately known, reafon cannot pronounce whether . •h'T'f«=confiaentori„conf,ftent, whether they ex- dudeeach other or not : thus wBeq it i, (iid that in the d.v,„c nature there are three divme perfons, as the divine nature and the divine perfon* ire totally .ncompreheniiWe to us, reafon.unariifted by a fiiperior light, can neither pronounce the propofition truenof ♦alfe ; and as reafon can inftitute no comparifon be- twcen^objeas. which are itnown, and tbde whkh are not fo it can mftitute no comparifon between ob- jec>, withm t, grafp and thefe which tranfcend t rt fength o a mile might be compared to the heai irdity? ""'''""'''"''•"">■•»' """" ^«'"«'i Though by reafening we cannot arrive at trutlis rurlfn^'/r',""' ^-eof reafo„,or, if you J^'^f , more « f u "'' ''^ ' =''" ^'"S- ?- ''ere is nothing more mfonable t j thieve thefe truths on thf authority of lievelation r a peafant would be thought rfeduced by an able mathematician from principles s^iiconceivable to thepea&nt, as the truths of religion ; if toy ifhc refiifedrotclievc thetruthinfeiTeduntil he clear- Jy conceived the prindples,he would be difmiffed with contempt as an obftinatc blockhead. The allufion is juft : many revealed truths are inferences from prin. ciples evident to the divinity, incomprehenfibJe to us. Men of truefciencemodeftly admit the truth on the authority of the divine word ; the fciolift in imi, tation^ tfcc peaCmt, whofe ob^inacy is the natural rcfult of pndc, and ignorance, will not believe if he does not comprehend. The man of fcience confines his reafonmg to the proper objed : he does not pre- fume torof^tradidthe divinity : he inquires. whether the truth propofed to his belief be revealed or not ; whether the proofs adduced be fufficient to found a prudential affent, if fo he does not doubt the veracity of his Creator, knowing well that God can do what he cannot conceive, ef this he has unqucftionable evidence mall the works of God, not one of which he^comprehends. The Sciolift on the contrary con. fults his pride not his reafon : he does not inquire whether thepr<^fcd truth be revealed or not. but as he cannot cont?eive principles, which are incon- ceivable and will not admit that Almighty power n-anfcends h,s own, or that truths are known to God of which he is ignorant, herejeas the truth without farther difcuflion. It is doubtful whether pride or ignorance be the more prominent feature in i^^^piety. Nothing is wanted to make it contempti- The fanaity of the law. and its tendency to per- fca hunjan nature, is manifeft from the reafons on which the Sciolift founds his objeaionsagainft it! the mortification which it prefcribes, (ays he, de- culT '5^'!*^""> ^^^''y °^ «"r will and aU our fa. cu ries of aaion ; the propofal of incomprehenfible doarinc* depnyes us of the ufe Qfourunderiland- 2bB ing ; the irjunaicri ofrefting all our cares oh i^r8^ vidence, reduces us to a ftate of torpid infer fibility; 1 he cohtradiaorics wouW have been logic ally deduced from the principles admitted, if thfcScibllft kheW hbw to reafon. More than once wc have been told by thefe fcribblersi that man is a fort of monkey. Their wild declamation tefembleS the chattering of that mifchicvbus animal. However, aS it is i-eafon, which diftingnifhes man from all other animals, even from Atheifts and Deifts if they be claffed with monkeys, it is reafoil which determines hiiman nature, hfince whatever is under the direfliori of reafon tends to perfect humjin nature, and whatever tranfgteifes the bounds of reafon, and contradicts its dilates, vitiates ancl corrupts it. If diforderljr af- feftiotis be called pafflons, as they are contrary to order ind the didates of reafon, they vitiate and corrtit)t ; virtue muft exift without them; The tnortification of thefe is thcrcfo<-c indifpcnfabl^ nc- cfcffary to perfect humafi nature ; but if the inclina- tions of the fenfitive ajfpetite be thought {jafTiohs they arethefubjeft matter to which the excrcife of iir- tiie is confined i virtue confifts in direding them to their proper objects, and preventing tranfgteffionS of the bounds, ivhich reafon prefcribes : in this con- lifts that mortification, which the evangelical law recommends. To direct the operations of the will, and all the powers of action fubject to the Ix^ill, is not to dcfiroy its liberty, but to deliver it from fla- very. Thus a man's liberty is not reftrained becauic he is not allowed to feduce his neighbour's wife, or forcibly Icize his poffefllons : he poA'cifes no luch liberty ; in the act his will is a Have to a dlforderly affection, whidi corrupts nature, becaufe it is con- trary to that reafon, which conftitutes it. !r, 1-. riaiure iias wncjy .wwiw-i. .-^ ... >tt »T.A y^rk«r"i(ir>r)ii cu tw an iwvvi"-! ncccirary 209 neceffary to the prefervation of the individual, and the ^ confervation of the fpccies, a certain plcafing fenfation.^ Exceffes and defeats are forbidden by reafon, as def- truAive of the end : hence intoxication and licenti- dufnefs are evidently vicious : that mortification which retrenches them perfefts human nature, or, at leaft, : prevents its corruption. The writer fpeaks of men, not of monkeys, or of two-leggcd animals of the monkey kind This reafoning is applicable to the human under- ftanding : It is perfefted by truth, corrupted by r fallhood ; if truths be propofed which tranfcend its limited force of action, and light be infufed to increafe its powers, inftead of enflaving the underftanding this frees it from the dominion of error, enables it to act with greater energy, and difcufs, with greater accuracy jfubjects within its own fphere. Thus objects, which are invifibk to the naked eye, become vifible by the afliftance of a glafs; and objects which are already feen, become more clearly defined : in like manner the underftanding, aflifted by a fuperior light, not only difcovers truths, which tranfcend its native pow- ers, but alfo lees more clearly ihefe which are within its inveftigation. All faculties are to be confined to their proper objects: the eye is not made to hear, nor the ear to fee, however the force of either may be increaled ; no extenfion of its powers can enable the eye to hear, or the ear to fee, nor can they act at all without the afliftance of hght for the eye, and found for the rar. As to that ftatc of infenfibility to which religion reduces its votaries, it is merely imaginary : vain fo- licitude and excruciating anxiety are forbidden, the nccciTary cares and vigilance prefcribed. It is forbidden to make wealth or power the ultimate end of our purfuits: "do not lay up treafures on earth but in A a Heaven,'* 2IO Heaven,** Mat. VI, 19-.20— It is not allowed to fcrve God in view pf thcfe ; it ia.alfo forbidden to defpair of divine afliftancein lawful purfuitj ; " Your ^ther knows that you wantthofe things,*' /W. Confidence in our awn exertions, independently on the divine aOiftance, is ftrittlf and juftly prohibited ; "Which of you can add to his ftaturc one cubit ?** ibid. An over anxious care, previous to the ncceflary time, is alio forbidden : «*Be not felicitous for to-morrow," ibid. Ihe roan who believes a Providence to exift, to fuperintend and direct human affairs, attends to all the relative duties of bis condition with vigilance and attention, and rcfts on Providence for fuccefs without anxiety or agitation. As the great object of the evangelical law is to in. ftruct, and conduct its votaries, by fanctity of life, to a holy and fupernatural end, its precepts are propor- tioned to that end ; they enforce (anctity beyond the reach of human laws ; they, in order to eradicate eyil, forbid all unlawful deiires, from thefe iniquitous actions refult. Human laws ut confined to action* which are public, they cannot reach the mind nor what is concealed. They punifiithe effect, but leave the caufe untouched. Add to this, that the moral precepts of the Oo^jel, which enforce the practice of virtue, arc always proportioned to the powers of ac- tion in its difciples, which in fomc arc greater, in others lefs; for the powers of action in every agent refult, or, at Icaft, are increafed by the habit acquired, and this habit is ftrengthened by a repetition of acts ; hence a perfon advanced in virtue finds no difficulty in that which to the vicious is impracticable, and to thclc, who enter on a virtuous life,if not impracticable, extremely difficult. What is tolerable in the one is rcprchenfiblc in the other. Human laws are made for the multitude, of whom a great majority arc imper- fect. Ill feet, if not vicious $ they' prohibit but futh Actions as are prcftidicial to fodety : they cannot enforce the practice of virtue. The precepts df the divine law not only prohibit every poffible vicci, whethei' public or private, whether in aA, thought^ word oi^ defire» but enjoin every virtue, in proportion as the pow- ers of adion, which are inceflantly augmented in the virtuous man; encreafc : *' performing truth in charity, let us encreafe in all things, in him who is the head, Chrift," Eph. IV. 15. " Encreafe in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift,*' i. Pet. III. 18. The fan^ion of all human laws is defe^ve ; they can neither proportion punifliinents to the malignity ofdelkquents, nor rewards to the virtue of claim- ants;' the motives and intentions of both efcape the eye of human juftice ; hence af^ions, in th^niieives vicious and reprehenfible, are fometimes thought laudable, and as fuch deemed worthy a reward, whilft acts of heroic virtue are pafled unnoticed^ and not unfrequently treated with contempt. The fanction of the divine law is perfect, and fpeaks the wifdom of its author ; vengeance is denounced againll vice, by him, from whom no vicious thought is concealed ; " all things are naked and open to his eyes," Heb. IV. 13. He will proportion the punifhment to the number and the malignity of the delinquent's offences : " he will render to every man according to his works," Rom. II. 5. As an inducement to virtue, rewards are propofed more thanadequate. If juftice meafures the punifliment and the offence, liberality diftributes rewards; ** the eye hath not feen, nor the car heard, nor has it entered the heart of man, what God has prepared for ihofc who love him," i. Cor. II. 9. To engage the juft to fanctify their bodies, as wcii a» ihcir fouialy ihcy afc iiifurnicU ihiiC, if ihey p refer ve 112 prefcry^them pure and unpolluted, they will, after paying the debt of nature, rife agjiia m^ry. r t;>4 ^k;We ligrjow that when he (Jefus Ghri&>.^ll appear,, we JBiall be like him,- becaufe we (baU fee himashets/' i. John III. 3. To deter them from the fin of uncleannefs ; frcmi allexceffes, and irregularities, they are told that their bodies are the temples of God, and that God will deftroy the man, who prefumes to pro- phane hig temple, i. Gor. lU. 17, If njany who profefs Chriftianity, or rather pre- tend to profefs it, Se fubject to vice and irregulari- ties, it is becaufe they difreg^rd its precepts ; of fuch materials Athcifts, Deifts. and Phiiofophifts are moulded j brothels are their fchools, there they have been taught, and there their ledures are received with applaufe. The Atheift does not become a profligate; but the profligate becomes an Atheift. . Effeds are always proportioned, though not al- ways cqyal to the efiicacy of their caufes. It is fimply impoflible that any effeA fliould furpafs the power of adion in its caufc. This principle ad- mitted, ihe divinity of the evangelical law is mani- feftin its efieds : the means employed fortheefta- blifliment of the law are fo difproporiioned to the eficds produced, that the fuccefs muft be afcribed to the divintity of the law, or, if you will, to the almighty power of its author. Men are exprefsly chofen for the purpofe as dif- qualified as men could be for fuch an arduou3 un- dertaking : wealth or power they had none ; to all human fciencc they were ftrangers ; of the low- cll order of a once powerful, but then degraded nation, they are fent : upon what errand ? lofup- prefs idolatry, in which the whole world was ini- luerfed. and in the rites and c^r^mnnjes of "'h'-'h they «i3 they found the grattfieatioif of all their paflidns, and moft violent inclinations ; to abolifh fuperilition interwoven with the laws of all nations, in many, the very bafis of empire j to tbnfound the vanity of aH the fcfts of Heathen Philofephers ; to reprefs abominations, authoiifed by immemorial cuftom, countenanced by law, and pracjtifed, not only with impunity, but with applaufe ; to fubftitute ar law, fublimein its fpeculattvedodlrines, incomprehenftble to human underftanding, beyond the utmoilt'ftretch of imagination ; in its moral precepts fevere^ ex- tending its reftraints to every faculty of the mind, to every defire of the fouK declaring that to be cor- rupt and vicious, which was univerfally thought lawful and laudable, and promifing its difciples no-* thing in this world but perfecutions and calamities. To enfure fuccefs, impediments innumerable, to human power infurmountable, were to be removed ; the laws of nations changed ; the attachment • of idolaters to their rites and cuftoms, fan£lioned by the example of their anceftors, and flattering all their paifions,to be effaced; difHcuIties to any power in- ferior to that, which knows no bounds, irrefiftible, were to be encountered : the perverfc obftinacy of the jews ; the intrigues of the officers of the heathen temples, who, feeing their impending ruin, had re- courfe to every artifice, which the fpirit of darknefs fuggefts } the infidious arts of politicians, fupported by the ferocious cruelty of defpotic power ; the fo- phiftical declamations of Heathen philofphers, in a word, the united powers of all the Spirits of Dark- nefs, and their emiffaries. What would a Plato, who with all his wifdom and eloquence, could never prevail on a village to adopt his opinions,have thought of fuch an undertaking? What would a Cicero V -r-w _ It • ^ WoUiCl iiu have 1 _J __ _ • C _!__/• iiUVC uutiC XI Ciiuiwii lUi luca ro6f of truths mortifj'ing^'w" human nature, conirailt or at leaft a great minority of them living, ai^d not contradi^ed by avowed enemtes, no faci wai ever authentic if this be not. Let us pafs to another .equally authei!itic» and not leTs furpalling the powwr <>f roan, Matt> xiv» W&read that with five loiven and two fifties 5000 inen bsiides women and children were fed, and that twelve ba&sts were filled with the fragments, which remained, liere there was no room for deception, o^coUuiijn : 5000 men were not taught to believe that they had dined, and difmifled with hungry bellies^. Words do not fatisfy hunger : fomething more fub- ftantiai than found is necelTary to appeafe its cravings. Why \rerc fuch numbers collecled ? becaufc they had already Csen the moil unheard of prodigiesl *'And Jeru|(^*anrwering, faidto theni,(John^s difciples) go and relate to John what you have heard and feen, the blind fee, the lams w»lk, the lepers are cleanied, the deaf hear, the dead rife again." Matt* xi. 4— »5. St. Luke adds : " at that hour he relieved many from diteafes, and infirmities, and gave fight to minyi who were blind :" vii. a i. He had already raifed to life the widow of Nairn's fon, of which miracle the whole country was informed : Luke vil. 1 5. Thefe i^iraclcs were public } John's difciples had feen them, or he would not have ordeied ^them to relate what they faw, it would have been a moll ridiculous ^ juq^iovi. It is not matter of furprife that fome thoafands were colle£l;d ; but it is a meiaacholy reficdtion that tlie inveterate and incurable envy of the Ph.irifecs prevcntedgrearer numbers from attend* ing to the ifMkruilions of fuch a teacher ( they, who did. were.noLdiiauuointed : " and he. ctamino' furth. t^sma faw ^wagfcatnSi: and healed thi came to hittt the dumb, th< and they caft Matt, xv; 3c feeing the iiw ietf, and they thefe multiti fomeiit grat others *tv he their adherei feultleis, curi pofljble, fom< acctifation,a ir.aiked. theii appear tliat 1 But why ' had jiuft put ofChrift'sn IX. ^. Chi expofe him over the pi couptt^y* i« ons. Henc to decUne, difinif& the villager abo But wh vifions ? It vifions, bul Chritt'sinfi appears to 1 the third c might 'hav kw a gf cftt muUitudCi and had cowpii^ii^ <$ii iheitt^ and healed their fick," Matt, ^'i^' »V '* ^.f;?|r^ ainhn to. death, and, liearing the rcpoR of Chria's miracles, wav dcfirous of feeing hiw.Lukc IX. a. Chrift did not think proper at that tame to> expofe himCelf ta the fory of that tyrant, more- over the place was not far diftant from a populous country, in which there was nofcarcity ofprovifi- ons. Hence St. Luke fays, U. i *, '* the day began to decline, and the Twelve came, and faid to him : diftnif* the crouds that, going i«to the towns and village about, they may lodge and find provifion*. But why remain three whole days without pre- vifions ? It is not faid that they were without pro- vifions, but that they were three daya attending n> Chria'sinftruaions: thfik«r- tn find nrovlfiQBs- that niffibt in the adjacent iiUK i^t L,SJwi;7| 92$ ^jattnttowfis and villages, had tlicy b€i»i difinifi |?4^tfaoiit food, Come q£ them would have fainted ,Chi^ftsw^, to which aU his creatures are obe. ^mUtW^f^^ fufficiem: rcitfon; the attraaive power* |)r.^^»s..c«yiiie prefence, and his heavenJy voice i54%d^tai?i*;dthcai. , ^ ' 'toin this miracH the i^theiiticity pf which is un- ^X<;^ofiabJ«, the jlaiighiy power of God is mani. |«ft*j M docs not appear that the Joaves were in- Ifr^fed by jany additional matter, whether immc diatcly created^ or pre-exifting Jnfome other form, J^nd fuperaddcd : St. John fays, exprefsly, that the *tj|irclve bafeets of fragments, which i-cmaincd were of the ^rky loaves, (vi) of thefc, not of any additional jmatter, the men mifft have eaten, and, as they were ranged in companies of fifties and hundreds, (Mark ;yi} thefc five loaves muft have been prefent,and eaten at the fame time by thefe different companies, lefs than five loaves, was not fuflicient for a company of fifty, they muft alfo have been prefdnt in the ba&cts, after the company had dined. This obferVation may fervc as a correftive to the wild declamation of fome new faiig!cdteacher8,who, though believing thcpow- cr of G^ «nt ^ his ipui^pofe. Thrc6 of the Evangelifts rditX^ thereftirteAioBof Jair*8 oaughter : their fimpltnar^ tat-ioft leaves nt> room for fufpicion : Chrilt on his return froin the country of the Gcrafahi^ who were difplcafed-forthc lols of tfae'^ hogs, was-mct by the JPrinte of the Synagogue, a ittan of great note in the y the fury of the Jews, wlio refolved to put both Chrift and Lazarus to death. If to cftabliftj fads, or to efface pre conceived opi- iti\JiiS STJ- H^^ xrxzpz furmifes. ^33 ."V .'•t-''-^' i ♦»# « LfiV* rurmifes, they wouiQ wye been Qbjccts of uniyerf?!! derifion : . wUcl . can|^f3tu^rea \r\i\i\fA an nrinrinlp« nf Dd common 234 common fcnfc to remove every fufpicion : the Saviout aiked tliejews where they had Uidhim, in order to eX' tort from them an acknowledgement of his death,and that he had lain four days in the grave ; be ordered them to remove the ftone that they might fee the corpfe, which they had interred ; he calkd aloud that tiiey might be witnefles of the power, which he txerdfed over death ; Lazarus came forth bound as he was buried, Chrift ordered them to loofe him, to convince them it was not a phantom, but the very inan,whom they had depolited in the grave. As St. John had written his Gofpel cxprefsly to demonftrate the divinity of Jefus Chrift againft the errors of £bion, Cerinlhus and others, it was natural for them to infill more particularly on thcfc mira. des, in which, the independent and almighty power tof Chrift was moft vifible. In his relation of the re. furreftion of Lazarus the true chara6Ver of Chriftis manifcft, that is, the unity of his perfon in the divhic a nd human nature : he wept, which is a fun^lion peculiar to man; he groaned in fpirit, indignant at the cruelty of the demon, by whofe envy fin, and death the wages of fin,' had entered the world ; the deftru€lion of thcfe enemies was the great end of his miffion. H^ lifted up bis eyes to the father, that they might fee it was in the name of the true God he tauglit ; by his own almighty power he ordered the dead man to rife, and was inftantly obeyed,ricuS aw bliod man^s eyres, thus foriiung the moft delicate, orgaaof the hum^t^, frame of the fame matter, o£ which he had prigtiialiy- Ibrmed the whole body., Confidered a \ a, medicai application, clay b bettec, calculated to deftroy %ht, thaa Ui produce it». He Cent th: man through the city, to the pool oC Siloe, at the foot of Mount Sion, that the citizens- might be wJtncffcs of th^ power, whicK he cxer- cifed, abfent as well a.s prefent \ after he had washed in the pool his eyes were opened, or, to fpeak. more corredly, the organs of fight were then form-^ ed.. "^e man's return with his eyes open, en^ tire, and perfect, forpriied all thofe, who knew hinv from hi& birth, and who law him goblincrto the. pool I th^ Ph%rifee& alarmed, interrogate hjm in the. mod artful manner, to obtain fomething from his. anfwers to veil a «ruth deftruckive of their own aua thority ; their malice only forved to remox^e every ex-*- ceptioQ} in defpair they have recotir(hto.thecircum-; itance of the fabbath, pretending that making clay; with the fpittle, and putting it on the eyes, was a vi^ elation of the fabbath* However ridiculous the pre« fence it had the defired e^e^ on fame ; but th»3, refurreaioii , of Lazarus u-as open t6 no pretence .;, i^nce they rrfolved to murder him, and Jefus. Chrift^ alfo, tMnking that, the; only efiedlual means of re- moving a ceoibr of fuch authority. At his entrance. into Jerufaleia, hearing, the croud atteil that he had called Lazarus f(om the tomb,, all eflforts, fay they,. arcv*in: " th^ yrlidlc world follows him*** John IX. 19. In the c!louncil which they ^iTenibled, the. only accufation' brought againd him was, that ha. Wrought miracles, and if they permitted him to con- tinue, that all would, believe in him, j()hn XL 47.. But if thcfe miracles were not fuppofed, why did. to e;;9inii\p fuch fa(5s, believe in them ? Some did. wanydid not; lomc who did, dared not avow it. i6r which the Eyangelift affi^ns a very fimplc'rcafijn, *• inai^y of\%e priixtti believed in him, but, becaufc of thje Phai^ftes: they did not confcfs, Icaft they fliOT^fii' be 'expelled fKe fynagoj^ul;, they uWed the gl6i*5^;6f mpn, tiioi^e than the glory of God," John the ffeciftinj; regularity of the Pharifees, that ap. pcataticc of (i^flfty, which they alTuiped, gave tficm an afcehdant over the minds of the people, who' bclievicd tlieiii luch as ^hey appeared j this aftcpdant was totheb afource of wealth and now. hnnnritf tU^ rrr\AA»i'a hm t«i/4 «ii />. -—•5- ., --»?i,-j i^-s %ti', ^v,-^-«-ijj iiv x;a--: j faced 337 faqcd his. difcpurC; by faying, « you ktwiiif thitt t^i gaio is by t^s tradq." v. 25. ;^jf, FrQm authentic liiil^y wpi kiipw th^ arts, whicl^ werepraaifcd by % imniftcr*, of tbc>c«5hf ii tem%h pics CO fupport the credit; p£ thejir. Upi^ afld prcfcrva thenn from that clcftruclion,^ which the chriftian fyijcm threa.ten?d ; the pi^ctendiKd icfponfes of their oracle^ defiring. the cxterminauoi^ ofchriflians as encinic3 not pniy to the Gods, but to their lyings* Was it pure zqal for the g^bry of their idols ? No. Thefe iippoftors could not be ignorant of the vanity of, their. Idols, apd of the falfehood pf the refponfcs, . which they themfeives, had forged, but. they maflted their private, views under the cloak of »eal for the honor, 0/ their Idols,, the fan>e is true of all the dif- ferent leaders of Mions amoagft c^riftians : not oneof thcfe new te^achers, who had not the gra- tification of fbme favoutite paflion in view, the pre- tended difcovery of fome abufe was a maflc to con- ceal the real motive of the revolt. The fimpl^ were deluded, with the idea of reform, the more, clear fighted faw a field open to ambition; a removal of reliraints was a ftrong allurement to the fenfual j npvelty an induccmjent to many. A party is foon formed i to encrcafe the party, recourle is had to artifice : the paflions of the great are flattered ; iriifreprefentati»n of the tenets of the primitive fyf- tem ind?^ftrioufly circulated, the indifcreiion of any of its minifters malicioufly exaggerated ; the crimes, whether real or pretended, of individuals, afcribcd to the whole body, the moft calumniou* invedivcs publilhcd with effrontery, every art praclifed that imagination can fuggell to efface the light of truih, and excite an avcrfion to the abjured communion. , The miniftsrs of the new order, in fclf defence, .n. 1^ ^v i^iiii taiiMwilVvUi' \\j wUiUiitiiUC iiy^ authentic docuineiits, they continue to amufe their deluded followers by the iStmc idle tales. The op- pofirJon of the Phwifees continues to the prefent ' day in thdr fucccffors^ the fons of pride ; our mo- dern SophHb are more wiejcctifaWfe, for they have hid iRore unec^ivocal; proof of ishe- divinity of Chrift, than the Pharifeci had; aI^ the miracles, which the Pharifec& few^, arc yet vifibleiti their cffijft, the deftiut^ion of idohtcy, and the convcrfion; ©f the world, as was foretold. This effc^, of which our Sophifts arc witneff&s, againft; their will, the narifccs did not fee, their obfHnacy, therefore, how-j ever criminal, wainot fo inexcusable, nor will its' punifliment be fd great* In the incredulity of the Jews our S^[)phill$ pretend ' to difcover another canfe of fufpicion : if, fay they^- the miracles, which are faid to be effe^cd at the*^ birth of Chrift be combTnedwitK thefc which he i^"* (aid to have wrought in hiilife ttme, the Jews muft' have Wievcdih him. Could wt, fays a Jew^ who?' have tvU the world that one wouhdcome from God to punifli the wicked, treat him fgnomtnoully when; ' he came ^ To the Jew the writer replies as he doca to his brother the Dcift, that the qucftion argues, a fund of ftupidJry : the magiftrate. who facrificci, >uftice to his private views ; the woman who dupes anddiflionors her bu{band ; thehi'ghway.man wl^o robs, theaffifitn, who murders for hire, diftcgard truth, jufticc and all the reftraints pf rcafon and re- " ligionj fo did the Jews; the mifcrcanti, who^ brought Chrift btforc Pilate, wrajipcd up in felf-crea-l ted importance, thought their appearance fufficicnt'^ taconvid him of their calumnious charges; iheir r(\n(tAmnfpearancc of the Angel to a few fiiepherds, men of little note, ttiade no imprcflipn on the public at larger the arrival of the wife nwn wai public and threw the whole city Into confufion ; they faid that they were come to adore him, who was born King of the Jews. It was thought that this young prince was cut off by Herod in the general maifAcrc of the'children ; few if any knew bis efcape into Egypt : Jofeph and Mary were ttrangcrs in Bcthlc- ham and had retired in filence before the maffiicre, on thicir return from Egypt they lived in a different part of the country in great obfcurity. Chrift was thought Ton to a mechanic, by none fufpefted to be that King, whom the wife men came to adore.— Thirty years were more than fufficicnt to efface the remembrance of thefe events when nothingoccurred to refrelh it. The difappointment of the Jews at feeing a Mcflias, whom they expe<^ed to reinftate their monarchy in Solomon's glory, and make them mafters of the world, preaching poverty and humili- ty without a place to rcpofc his wearied limbs, em- bittered their minds and indifpofed them againft himfelf and his miracles, if he were to come again with the fame appearance of poverty and humility, leaching the fame d(Klrine, working the fame mira- cles, he would meet the fame oppoiition. Paffages are cited, mutilated, unconneaed with antecedents and confequeiits, which determine the fenfc, fome diflorted from the intended fignification, and others totally fuppofed, in order to miflqad the uninformed, and induce them to believe that early writers, Origcn, Fucher, Ambrofc, Hilary, Ircnscas, Jerome and otJicrs, did not tliink the toiradca «^ • ' Chrift Tehfc, thottgh from his tinndfal tlitfy litifintiiibvf^. !y dcmonftrate his divinity, W enforce 1^& f liilfh atatWnS ^ir iflgJdB; ' Tfiijy ftfi^fe Wi-Uten %1^ofeb6bk^t^#frtotittiiitfe%h^t^ Chtfa'i liiiftftfKsV iti their dftfcriftt iss^ft^miik ijjreiurtJof^tfhef fiiftbrlcar trikth, fi^A 1 ifi&cy d^dCie^ f iXttd ctflity, thi^ reaKfybf tfie Ms : thus St. t*aiil (ays that AbtahihA t^6 xdves^ Apit arid Sirah, dgnif;^ i!ie old aiJd new tdhtniJnt, as A^r tbis a flIaVe, and Sarah a free wbmart; bUr if Atrt ahaiti had not tlicle two wi^l1es in r^Hty, thfe on* a daVe sind tlic other a free wbhtan, tlicy could not be iigiirative of the M and ne\v telhiiient. A ribh-eiitity is liofign. in like xnanncfr, $t. Auftin fays, that Jair's daughte^ ralfed frnhi death, fignifled the JcWidi people, bui if (he had- not bten raifcd there' could Have bceii ndth'eir fign nor fignificatioft. iScntje loofeexpreflioris of Origen, in a ilirdrk which tbounds with errors, are artfuny diftorted againd the fenfc of the author. There are, he fays, fome VC TT-rss sss-r-^ 51 jr-jr-s-»sr ais -s ist^^ tTTEj;-! x-SSSVS^Pir -""""""" ^(^ fefily £pmiy£ is announced the pea.ce of the ««irli » a,t Chrift's birth, and tlie coavcriion of jthe Hcatlicosi from tliefavage cruelty, nHural to thcfe fcrodbiii animals, to the .Dieeknefs of t&e lamb. From an ciiuberance '^f imagination, Origcn thodgbfc he found altegorical fignifications where thcf#cr«r not; but the hiftorical truth of miraculous fads re* corded in the fcriptures he never dehicd j from the hiftorical truth he deduced his fanciful fignifications t his works againft Celfus contain iondufive evidence ofthetruth of miracles ; inthcm, the teachers ofmuC profeffed Sceptics have found all their pretended diffiw cukies againft truth, there alfo they might have hnmdt the moft faosfaaory folution. Tlic writer does not accufe the modern fry of having recourfe to Odgeu** Works: to ignorance and diflip^tion they areunin^ teiligible. . , As the jaundiced eye refers the ydtew hue tp eve- ry objea itfecs, fo impiety afcribes the confuficia of. its own dreams to the truth, which condemns it. Mole hills are mountains ; ihadows arc meHamor* phofed into iiibftances, in the delirium of ioipiety. There is no fad, however authentic, in which it docs not find fome circumftance to found a fufpicion; and the moft diftant fufpicion is in Its idea^ con* vincing evidence. The narration of the Eyangclifts is not lufliciently detailed ; if more drcumftantial, our Sceptics would find greater caufe of fufpidon ; tht pcrfons raifed -from death, or relieved from difcafcs arc not exaftly dfcfcribed ; the? accounts they brought from tJie other world are not tranfmitted ; why were not thefe miracles wrought in favoif of men of note m Judea ? Why were not their PrincW, thdr Nobles, raifcd from death t W;is it not unjuft, and lajuriouft, to permit the demons to deftroy the iwine; anufurpationof authontvtodrivi? th^ ir.^- VS* of S42 of the temple ; a£agra»t injuftice to averfet tbe nianey changet^s tables, ai:d fcatter their money on tKe floor ? 'Unlawful to take figs from a tree without the owner's permiffioal Why expefl to find them ori the tree when it was not the proper feafonf hi the transfiguration tliere was rpom for impofiure : he i:etired to a .tnountain, where thjC refradion of light, through fome cloud, might have dazzled his difci. pies. He might have artAilly engaged the Samaritan Woman to difclofe her own fecrets, and then pretend to have known them by the fpirit of prophecy. The women, who are faid to be cured of different difeafes, iaight have been fubjeA to vapours/ fick, in imagi. nation: from which they might have been relieved by the confidence they placed in his aflurances. To ihefe impertinent queftlons, and wild conjedures, which is, in fubdance, all that Sceptics lind to cenfure, or fufpcft, the reply is extremely fimple.: the Evan- geliib were not public notaries, nor did they write foir Sceptics : they were plain men, who told plain truth in plain language ; a circumfi; no title to ex- traordinary graces; where there is no title there is no claim, confequently no acceptation of perlbns, which is a fin againft diftributive juftice. To refer the transfiguration of Chriftto the rcfrac tion of lijiht, arcues the mnft rl^nt*.m.-.f:Ku : ^ ancc : 245 ance: i-cfr;^cljdrig]htffiew^ from w^ch it is. emitted, in the dltcSiion in which the refracted ray comes to the eye J thus, from the refraaionof its ray 8^ by the atmofphere, th^ fun appears above the horizon, when it is in reality below it, this is cal- led, by Aftronomers, 'Ube/un's apparentriftr^;" but refraaed light will not form articulate founds j it will not (hew tliree metiTpeaking aloud and intelligi- bly, where there is but one ; our affent to the truth of the fad reds on the fmcerity of the vvitneffes ; which will be difcuffed in the courfe of the work/ Three witneffes were chofen as neceffary to attcft thefaa, Mofes from the place of fouls, awd Elias, froratheplaceofhis reft, appeared "with him; the former attefting his power over the dead, and the latter his fuprcme authority over the living; both ihesyrngtliat he was not one of the Prophets, as was thought by the Jews ; but the Mcffias, whom the law, of which Mofes was (hei minifter, and the Pro- phets, ofwIiomEIi^ was the chief, had promifed. They fppke of his departure, which he was to make at Jeruialem,the term Exodosy employed by St. Luke, may lignify, inditferently, his departure from life oa the crofs, or his departure from this vifible world by his afcenfion; of all important fubjcas, the moft im- portant. Their fudden difappearancc, leaving Chrift alone on the mountain, indicates that the law and prophets were no more ; that to Cbrift alone the world muft look for falvaticn and inftruftion ; that in liim all fypes and figures were fulfilled. They rppeared in glory to inform us that Chrift's elect will be fimilarto him j to engage us toper, fevere in the rugged path, which he has traced, in order to arrive at the end, a climpfe of which hnd wirown tii- \yitnefle^ into an cxflacy. Other rca- foni ^^B' 246 fonis are affigncd, but thefc are fufficicnt to evince not only the truth, but the neceffiiy of this miracle. It is with great propriety called a transfiguration j the Greek term morphl uniformly fignifies the ex- terior appeafance, or figure, not the effential parts which conftitute the fubftance, both in the old and ne^ teftamcnt : thus, Daniel iv, 33, *' my fhape re- turned," morpbe mou, and V. 6. *' then the King*s countenance'* morphe^'^WAS changed,*' Mark xvi, 12, *' he was (hewn in another fli'ape, etere morpbe.** In his transfiguration the change was confined to the exterior form : *' his face was refplendent as the fun, and his clothes were white as fnow. Chrift*s inftruftion to the Samaritan woman was not intended for her cxclufi:vdy ; millions have learned from it ^'^ that God is a fpirit, and muftbe sdored in fpirit and truth j that the time was come when facrifices, cither in the temple of Jerufalem, or the mount of Qarazim, would be no longer ac- ceptable.** Was it from the Samaritan that Chrift had learned thefe fecrtts I If fo (he was a moft intel- ligent won^^an. Thefc imaginary difeafes, which our jTceptics have dete<5ted, are ftrong indications of fome niental derangement at home ; in all imaginary diftempers there is fomething real, the patient mif. takes it. Moral remedies may engage him to have irecourfe to proper phyfical remedies, and fo remove' the difeafe; our fophifts are difcafed at heart, the head feels, it, but miftakes- the nature and feat of Uiediftemper. ObftinaGy,thc eldeft daughter of pride, renders their difeafe incurable. Is the imagination of % dead man eafily rectified l o£ a man born blind ? his imagination muft bcamwft powerful agent to form the organs of fight inftantanenu fly. Does ini- Lginalion cure the deaf, the dumb, the maimed ? rxT--.~.^— -/n;A^.i *-\:f i~.-.ii? i'?~-T'.»^i*n vf^rs- another twelve^ y-KT "o"*-^-" j^.a't.'j ., . 247 twelve, with no uncommon difeafcyan iffuc of blood ? There is fomethtng fo ftupidly impudent in pretend- ing to invalidate a well attefted faft, by a furmifed pollibility, that it is irkfome to difcufs it. We are come to the laft fubtcrfuge of impiety, the miracles of Chriftare not attefted by the Jews;' the controverfial writings of the Jews, in which thefe miracles wc.re refuted, might have been fupprefleil by the Chriftians ; it appears, even from the Evan- gelifts, that he did not heal all the lick, who were brought to bin* ; that he healed but one at the Pool of Bethlaida, thdugh there were many fick there at the time ; that he could not work miracles in his own country. All thefe circumilances, fay our fophifts, found a fufpicion that his hiftory was fup- pofed by the Evangelifts, and that there was nothing real in his pretended miracles. How thefe fublime writers difcovered that, Chrift*s miracles were not attefted by the Jews, we plain men are at alofs to conjecture, the Apoftles were JvJws, the primitiveChurch in Jeruf4lcm, confifting of many thouiands, of whom a great number were of the facerdotal order, was entirely compofed of Jews : all thefe believed, and attefted, the miracles of Chrift. The Scribes and Pharifees, his avowed enemies, did not deny thc-n : they had'recourfe to artful evations to elude the force of i hem. Cavilling on the cir- circumftance of the Sabbath, as i£it were unlawful to heal the fick on that day, if they found no circum- i^ance to ccnfure, afcriWng them to Beelzebub ; but the fafbs they did not deny, nordo their defcendants, to the prefent day. When we are told who were thefe Jewifti writers, who refuted the miraclei of Chrift, how, when, by wlK>m, or where, their works have been fuppreffed ; why the Jews connived atfuch fupprcflioa, we fhall difculs H^b dffaifs that articW. We have yet the work$of jof^. phus, an able writer, and more able ftatefaiafiy who lif ver failed to faqrifice truth to bis political views : a ftriking inftance we have iti his Hiftory pf the Jewifli, Antiquities. In it he artfully dimini&cs the fqrce of the miracles recorded in the Old Teftament, and throws a fliade over every thing he thouglwt might give offence to the Heathens. His application of the prophecies concerning the MeffiaSj to Vefpafian, a Heathen Emperor, has damned his memory, with- otit redemption. Yet in his works, however grate- ful it might have been to his patrons, we find no refutation of the miracles of Chrift, or his Apoftles ; npr do we find any fuch refutation in the works of Philo, a better man, though not more favourable to Ghriftianity ; its doHdre^ut9tloii» woMld liaycbeen ruinous to his caufe, he thecefprc yfite\f paffed thsm unnoticed, this «alpwn|j i^^ appl^bJc t<^ Jofephiif » tJiough. the iporc btc|K|jont Critios Jjidge that pai^^ in whicli; he ip«|k|^pfX)|dft andliii rojlj-jicles, gpenWnej it is ia his ftjfk^ ^Ke. pficafion rcq,uired.it: lp^ilaiifv<>iF Pilate^ )ip cop^cf not. with propriety have omitted tht^ moft rei9iirk»^Ie eyeiK pf his.i^jniaiftration. - Eijib bius, a iijoft diligent writer, ^tes/it, Demon. Evan^ Lib. 3, ^. 7, and alfo. Hift. JE<;c. Lib. i. Gap. i^ $^icephprus— ^Hift. Ecc. Lib. 1^ ^p« i Suidas— I^x. Art. joijephe, and Jerom, cite it. Jofephiis ipeak* of John J^iptift, Lib. 1 8, Cap. 5, N. 6, and of -St. James, tlie brother of pur Lor^ Ub. 20, Cap. 9. N. i. Qf thefe tejftimpnies, though rcjefted byfome mod era Critics, there is conclulive evidence : Origen cites them, in hi^ book againft CeUua, Np. 47, which he woulfi pot dare* to have done, if they were not genuine,. 'J >?y are alfo cited by Eufcbius, Hift. Ecc. Lib. 2, Cap. 25, and by St. Jerom^ De. Scrip. EccL The parage i$ found in the 1 3th 3p()k of jewiih Antiqvities, Chap. 3* lio. 4, and is thus cpnceived : " at that ^^tmc (that is. in Pilate's time) was Jefus, % wife man, if jt be-jn^ to call him a^man : for he was the effeicior of wonderful works ; the teacher o£ men, who receive truth with pleafure ; hcattraded many Jews and many Gentiles. This was that Chrift, whom Pilate, on the delation of our chief men, crucified ; they who had loved hinn before did not ceafe, to love him j he appeared to them^ on the third day, returned to life. Thefe and a thoufend other wonderful things, had been foretold by the Prophets; from him arofe the na^on of Chriftians, which continues to the prefent day, " There are ftrong rcafons to fufped): an interpolation, but none conclufivc. Jofcphus did not belieye in .Ft Chrift Chrift-*tnie, he did hot believe him God equal ift his eternal father, as the difciples did ; but it is not clear that he did not believe him to be the Meffia* announced by the Prophets : he mort certainly did not believe Vefpafun, a profcffed idolater, tp be the Mefllas, thougJi, courtier like, he flattered him with were moved with indignation." Math, xxi, 15-16. The figns, which they required, would not diminiih the virulence of their ulcerkec ninds, If he could not work, rniracles in his own country, it was not through impotence* but becaufe he could not, with propriety, work miracles amongft an in^ credulous peoplc,^ which would, have no other effed but to render them inexQufable, we find him reward rhe piety of fome, even there :. ** he did not work many miracles,, or account of their incredulity.*' Matth. Xiil, 58. And Mark, who fays that he could not work any miracles, there adds, in the fame fentence, that he healed a few fick perfons, Mark vi, 5. In the fame fenfe the Angel faid to Lot^ Gen. xix, 22, *' I can do nothing until you go therq (to Segor.) The Angel's power was independent on Lot's (afety ; buj: lie could not, with propriety, exercife his terrible com- miffion until Lot was in a place of fafety. The immediate effecT; of Chrift's miracles was to manifcft, to the Jews, the divinity of his miflion, and, by neqeflary confequenqe, the truth of his doftrine :. when he changed the water into wine at Cana : the Evangclid fays ** he manifefted his glory, and his dif- ciples believed in him,*' John ii, 1 1 ; and ho adds, v, 23, '• when he was at Jcrufalcm, at the Pailbver upon the Feftival Day, many believed in his name, feeing ilic ligns which he cfl'c(^cd." Hence Nicodcmus came ar night,and faidto him: " Rabbi, we know that you came from God a teacher : for no one can do thefp iigns, which you do, if God be not with him," Inhn ' • • • JH, i, foi^thf trutliofhUmiffion Chrifik ^fqucjvtly appealed to hw iniraclcs. . Thus, John y, 36, hi faid ttt the Jews; "Mutlhavc a greater tcftimony tjian that of Johli : the works, which the father hath given nic^ th4t i may efeft thepi : thefc works, which I do, they givfc te^iibbny of ipe,.tbat the father fent me! Irnmcdiately b^fofe he ordered Lazarus to rife Ifroni the fomb, he lift lip his eyes to his father, faying • « I thank thte that thpu haft ficard me j I 4aiew that fhoti hea)reft me always, but becaufe of the people, who ftand about, Kave I laid it, that they may believe tha? thou haft fen t ihe.**J6hn xi, 42. His miracles, aitefting the divinity of his mi(|ion, and thereby rendering the triith of his doarine un.* queftionable, afford conclufiv^evrdence of his divinity. T«raife to life, or form the organs of fight, is not within the Uqiits of ct-eated power. Hence the blind -man, in reply to the Pharifccs, fays : " From the age It has not becii heard that any man opened the eyei bf one born blind." John ix, 33. It was not by Invocation, but by his own inhc. rent power, that Chrift cftcaed thefc works, which tranfcend the limits of created^ power. Hence St. Luke fay ij, vi, lij, V ^ virtue (dunaoiis) went out from him, arid hieajied them all." He taught ex- prefsly that he was God, one with the father, pof. ^clfcd of the fame independent and almighty power ; and, in confirmation of this truth, he frequently ap. pfiilca to M« miracles. ThuR when. the Jews fur- routtded Kim, in Solomon's porch, and faid : •* How lon| Will you keep us in fufpcnce ? If you be the •thrift Xfiit MeiTias) tell us plainly. Jefus anfwered Ihcmtf Ifpeatto you,^d you do not believe me; the works. Which I do, iii the name of the father, xhtj give tcftimony of me." John x, 15. After deckiiner tlMt h«^ ti'^niM &\vt> o^*rn'>l WCm »^ k:. a.^.^ t'.uc , - ■ *^^ that no powercpuld wrcft them out of 'm| fcands, hi affigns the r^iibn— -becaufc no powc,r c?n wrrcft thtoi out of the hand of the father— he ininiicdiatcly adds ; land the father areont ; that is, one in ea*ence, one in power. The Jews took up ftoncs to ft one hio) for blafphcniy : hccauie, faid they, ** tliat, being a nun, you make youri^lf God." Tq which he replied, that in their law tiic Pfophcts werc,in a certain fcnfe, called God^, without blafphcmy ; that it was not blafphemjr in him, whoit) God bad fa^£tified, and fent ji^tto the world, to call biihfclf Son of God ; " If C <^' not the works of myiather," faid he, 37, ** believe me not y but if I do, though you will not h^Xxtyc me, believe the works : that you may know, and believe, that, .the father is in me, and Un the fathar." John x. He in the fame manner offered his miracles, in proof of his divinity when Philip deiired to fee the father: "do you nqt belicv^ faid he, that lam in the father and the father in me ? Otherwifc believe me for theie works," John xiv, 11, And becaufc thefe his miracles were irrcfiftible proofs of His divinity, he declared that tlie Jews who perfifted in their incredulity, were inexcufa- ble, *' if I did not conic and fpeak to them, thtfy would not have fin ; but now they have no excufe for their fin. He who hates me, hates i^ father. If I had not done works in them, whidt ijootfier did, they would not have fin ; but now they have feen, and they hate both me and my father," |ij^f|^ The divinity of Chrift, mamfeft in his works and words, the Jews rcfufed to acknowledge. Thiji ar- ticle of his do^rine they clearly underllood, and of' all others inoft ftrenuoufly oppi»fcd. Tboy pcrfccu- rcd him^for a pretended violation of the fabbath, bccaufc he had healed a uck man at the pool of Bcthfaida \H m »^4 Bethfaida on that day ; but their indignation was increafcd beyond meafure at his,reply, in which 4iis equality with the father was ftated : *' Chrift replied to them : my father worketh until jiow, and I ajlfo work. For this, therefore, the Jews fought yet more to kill him, not only beqaofe'hA broke the fabbath, |)ut becaufe Jic faid'that God was hii proper father, "Patera idion** mali^ingj t\in>felf e<^ual to > God,** John V. 17, and feq. The Jews therefore underftoodhis.dodrinein the true fenfe, that he was Son of God by nature, not by adoption : in this latter fenfe there could have been no accufation of blafphemy ; for the Jews called theth- felves the Sons of God by adoption : " They fald then to him •• wrt s^re not boriv of fornication, wie hatvc qm father, God." John viii, 41. *' ' ' That it was the intended fenfe ismanifefl— -the words <:an bear no other fignification-rr-" The father worketh until now, and I work as if he had fai.d though the father had ccafed on the Sabbath Day, from the works, which he hj^d created, j^e yet continues to Create, and to preferve his crcatures; without a viola- tion of the Sabbath-r-xhis, his operation, is mine, in it there is no violation of tha Sabbatlu So far from diminMhing the forqe of an expreflion, which had ex- cited their indignation, he continued, to explain it more clearly : " Then Jefus anfwcred, and faid to them : Amen, amen, the Spn c;innot do any thing of fiimfelf but what he fees the father do : for what things fbever he does, thefe the Son alfo does in like manner ..... as the father raifes the dead, and gives life, lb the Son gives life to whom he will that all men may honor the Son as they honor the father — he who does, not honor tlip Son docs not honor the father, w](io l«?iit hinfi . . . J . Amen, amen, 1 fay unto yon, the hour comes, it h now» when the dead Ihall hear 2J5 the voice of the Son of God, and they who will Keai* ihall live : for as the father hath life in himfelf, fo he hath .given to the Son to have life in himfelf." ibidm. In the whole of this difcourfe he claims the fame power, the fame honor, the fame life in himfelf, that is, the fame eternity, in a word, the fame divine nature with the father ; and, for the truth of this doctrine, lie refers them to the teftimony of the father, manifelt in his works : " I have,'Vfaid he, " a greater teftimo- ny than that of John— the works which the father ^avfc me to effed, thefe works, which 1 perform give teftimony of me, that the father fentme," iUdem, Their incredulity he declared inexcufablc, becaufe it was the refult of groundlefs, and virulent animofity, condemned by the voice of reafon : for where there is an ej:ercife of the divine power, reaion, fays the agent, muft be God j they faw this power in its effeds, and obftinately refufcd to acknowledge the divinity of the agent. As Chrift taught by word and example he fre- quently recommended fecrecy to thofe, whom he relieved, giving his difciples to underftand that vanity is to have no fliare in their works. The de- fire of popular applaufe is a vice which he fevercly cenfured in the Pharifees. It ib at prefent, as it was then, the fpring of aftion in the fons of pride- Our modern fceptics, in imitation of their anceftors, the Heathen Philofophers, think it a virtue. Of the miracles of Chrift many were of fuch a na- ture as not to be concealed. The feeding of four or five thoufand people, with a few loaves, the rclurrec- tionofthe widow of Nairn's fon, that of Lazarus, and many other miracJcs, were f.i(5ls of public noto- riety, which could not be concealed. So public, fo well attcfted, and fo univerfally be- liever! wr^r/^^h** mirarl*.o r\( fUr'tCV ¥\\t¥ «.1.^ i.^^<-K«« .writers 2sS ivritcra agauift Chjiftianity admitted them : wc learn from Oi-ig^iSV^i^tf book agftintt'^iCelfiSsj No. 49, ind fcq; that tiis ■ frr^cbncilcaWe eifi'em^ 'ki fcliri ftianlty bcn^vfed th^f^rlclSB^Chritf ^lilii^^^^ cd to fnvalUI^'tc lfeit*]foh:e, under pi'etence tfiat fucl\ prodigies hj|^ b^en effected by magiciahs. Porjpjiyr?t's?¥BFleis^ Inadvcr. taid .,, __ _._ — y. cm r, '*w^ di^'dhriih tio idV;^ta^ /i^om thcGodi^noris it ^oftdcrfuiif, if«r fSfeji ly yeafi, thei^ity be affiifted, fmCe JEkuhpiiis ai^dibe other QodsaVe abfent from - **'f1iat ^fiil(M|ier7' fays St. Auftin, Dc. Uv. Dei. liVt9,Ci^. 23; Nb.>, "fpeaks well of Chrift,as If forgettirig' tKc dohtuWii^ty of which 'we have fpo- ken ; or, as if tne-OodS in a dream had blafphemed Chrift, iitfd, ai^iking, knew him to be good a«d wor- thy of praifc. Finally, as if going to pronounce fome- thing wonderful ?ind incredible, l^orphyritas fays it will* app<^af ilQ Tdftie exir4or' J Hi erodes, wha/uftder "Biode^tn^'pcrktHted Chirif- tianity wkh his fw6rd aiid his pen, in .the book which he infciibed PhiMethet'invaghi zpinftX^htit- lians, who praifed Chrift for reftoring fight tb the biiftd, and doing other things equally Wonderful. He infticutes a comparifon between the mtrades of Chrift, and thofe of Apolloniais, of TyaWc^ aftefr adducing many pretended miracles of this celebrated iitipoftor. he ihiis concludes: " to what end have I commemorated thefe things ? That our fottd and accurate judgment of all things may appear, and the levity of Cliriftians : we do hot think hio)^ who Has done thefe great things a God, but a man dear and pleafing to iihe Gods, they on thd contrary for a few^ prodigies call their Jefus GW.^ -^^'' As to the pretended mifaefes oif ApoIIonittil nf Tyane, which arc^faid to haVc been written by his colleague Darias, and repeated by PMIoftratns twt> hundred ytjars after, from fome memorials fumilied by Julia, wife to the Emperor Sq)timus Scverus. They are a tiflue of abfurd fablcfj, ofFcnfive to common fcnfe. Philoftratus, who feems to have the moft profound refpcd for his hero, makes him underft^nd the language of birds and beafts, whichj he fays^ hd learnt froni the Arabs. In the 8th chapter of his 4th book, he fays, that Apollonius, invited to the wedding of ^his friend Menippas, whilft they were at table, informed his friend that the bride was a flie demon, the (he demon immediately difappcared, leaving them all in coriilernation and fear. In thb "=t"^^7 k-;,!^ »{%,- Ktasi %a:%.3 .^.^rumsT <3&s.uxu* s ^n^ Ar judkk)(«ii criltCy fpeafciBg of Philoftratus, %${ bis-; w#fi|ki;^c^ites a. cpntcwpt f0r the hiAwian, and ii^VgA»^k>a agjtmlk therimppftor^ wliofe biftony he mnm > f !»; (fefjencc ol f^ie liiflorian, feme pretend that it was a romapce> which h<. coinj)ofcdfot the ao^tif^fllHof thf: :Et)ft|H*efe, his bencfaftrefg.v M i^fjlfjuiaih theapjoftatOiWhofe hatred knew no iHJi^udif^ rth^ttgh h? a&^4 to defpifet; Chriftians, whc^m; he «aUM Q«lilean$jy adtnltt^dthe miracles of €hrift*r It is; tfiw that ill-fated mifcreant; yjas foin- fatMatiwJ Vi'rthT the myfleriouf: rites of augurs* footh- fayjersysand magician^ that he thought greater mira. 4f (Ivmlghti have beeo effected by them* Hence he fays, that Chpift done nothing great," if it be not thougfeja great matter that he cured the lam? and Wind* an4 at^yped; fotne people pofleffed by demons, in the fltreots of Bethfaidaand Bcthaniaj" Ap. Cyr. l,ib. $j Cp©. Jul* ^ 'Whuitev^jcfigns apparently tranfcending the power of man, and exciting his aftoni&ment, the artful iUufionai of AntioChrifi, or other falfe Prophets, may fees» to e^^, or the Demon, byhis fagajcityindif^ covering natural agents, and his power of transfer- ing them almoli^ inftantaneoufly from places however diftanti and applying them to fubjectt naturally dif. pofed for their r ;i;eptton, may in reality effed, none can be deceived by tbpfe figns, but thofe who arc willing to be deceived, becaufe they havebeen told that ftich iigns would be given by falfe Prophets, in order to deceive. In the pretentled miracles of Anti-Chntt^herc will be nothing real : St. Paul ex* prefsly calls them lying prodtigiis, a. Thels,.ii. 9. He there affigns the reafen why Qod will permit thffe illufions to impoTe on the wicked : " becaufe," fays he, •' they did not recdvo the charity of truth," that is, the truth in charity. It has bAcn ahead v obferved, r , .. that \\%% an impoiic ^59 that tBebperatidtt bf?thcl!)i5teon, inbi^dl#^ is one of Gdd's-nibft fevet6 jttdgntciiCs*;^ Btfu hcpcr- mitsno fueh operation te his ow^h -hith^^'^J^finany conjundture, in which wifoa cinridfe dKcov^ the cheat. .■i.fe'f;*' ■ ,•:■.'■ Of all fa^s upon reeiJr^ 'Ih'^hekiihkit d^^Iic world, there is not ohid faii«r(iU atteffedikthcf rcfur- rcclion of thrift, and his afcchfion intb.^ear itfffcs of his triumph; ' i^ef did fiot'attfeft thefaft ; true. Few then are fond to- give cvHenCc xjfi.htit own gtiiift f but th^t*'wiiy ibbterfirge i& cfqUal tdi a conffefSdn; thfe difdptes, fty they, ftt)Ic the body whilft the guards fic^t. The teftimoiiyof a fleeping witnefe Hk mbckery, ^ to pafs unnoticed the iniproba- hint jr of a guard 6f \V^H difcipHned foldlers all fleeping 'on thehrpoft at thefam-tirae^ a[hdtheimp6ffibilky 6fr^ovihg a grtrat ft6rte> from the entrance of the 'ftpulchre, and carrying ofF the bbdy, without awa- king ^ny one of them. ' ' > " •*, The wifehood of the fuppofiti6n U nianifyi V ' if the difciples had ftolen the body, i they rauft have known that he did not rife from the dead ; that he vri% an inipoiiur, Wao iMlpufcd Oi> Ihcli rirfipricity ^ If ' a^Q WmJ, w foT' liis fake, they.had expofcd thcmielvcs to^ the eninuy of their n;i!tion, they muft have then at Uaft abandoned l^im. The eoatrary h^s happened ;. ^ough they bafely dcferted him before his death, ■wrhilft tlicy had great expen4. illerted e6i jiii^Fted in public council before. Aimas, Caiplias, John, Alexanderv and all who wereiof the Sacerdotal order ; there was no denial of tlie fact, i>or any at- tempt whatfoever to refute mU., 'fo pretend that the principal Jtws, men of wealth and power, poffef- fedof every poflible oieansof information, would not refute an accufation,reftecting diihonor onthemfelves, if it were poffible, is to miil^e the nature of man. Their acquiefccnce h more than juridical evidence of the truth. It is equally ab(urd to imagine that Peter and John would make fuch a charge, and fo confidently aflert the refurrection of Chriil in confir- mation of the charge, if they were not well affured of the truth of the fa<5l, and the impoffibility, of in- i^alidating it by any artifice or cvafion. ^ The candoyr of the apoftles, their labours, their fufferings, their deaths, is ^onclulive evidence of itheir fincerity. The bold, and open manner, in which they attcft truths deftruciive of the honor of their na,tion, damning, without redemption, the me- mory of the prii^cipal Jews, in whofe prefcnce they ^pokc, is equally convincing that, if they intended jto deceive, they could not have done it. (mpoflors have intereiled views : they had none, they were fnen of troth. The man who reads their hiftory and deni« it, does not know the truth. Why did not Chrift (hew himfeif to all the Jews after his refurredion f There was no neccfiity. He did not rKc for the conviction of the Jews, but for the juftification of Chriftians until the confummation of time ; it was therefore ncccflary that he ftiould con- vince competent witneffcs of the truth of his rcfur- I'edion ; that it Ihouid be afcertaincd to them, and by them, to all nations, beyond tlie pofiibility of a doubt : this was eftedualJy done. It was declared by anorels. the mefltfnirers of Heaven • ** H^ is riffn K/» IS t.€t is nWtftere.** LukexxiVi (S. He heard tfiem ; hem, uUce'^afiiy beHeves what flatters their . pafQonS| if alTerted 4>y ipcn of confi- dence. The eiifolixieftt of Roifi^iluSy Hepheftion, or any other pretended divinity, only encredfed tM|: an^ufements, »nd was accompanied by no reftraints^ they were of courfe received with ac(;Iatiiatiofiy without examination or difcuffion. tfhc Senatut^ were ftrofjgly, and in all probability juftly, fuCpeaed of having difpofed of Romulus in a clandcftine mannefT, i. is not malter of furprifc that they pre- tended to believe Proculus, who was employed by th^m far the exprefe purppfe of removing the fufpicion; but when we fee the JewiCh Priefts, not the populace, filent under an accufation reflpding the utmoft diflionour on themfelves, the moft inteU ligent amongft them convinced of the Rcfurreclion^ on which the charge was fupported, the idea of po?. pular credulity vaniftics, an emotion of (iirprife at the pervcrfc obftinacy of the incredulo'Us fuccecds. How our Sceptics difcovercd that the Difciples were of the loweft orders of {ocicty, we arc a lofs to con^ jedure : was Gainaliel, Nicodemus, or Jofeph, of Arimathea, of the low-eft order ? Were Stephen, Barnaby, Luke, and Paul, of the populace ? Was th^ immenfe body of the Sacerdotal order, who embraced the faith of the credulwus herd ? If we may judge of a writer by his works, Luke and Paul were men of fcience, as far fuperior to Sceptical fcribW^rs, as thefeare to their brother monkeys. Let us admit the Difciplcs were fuch as our Scep- tics fuppofe them, ignorant and credulous, how did thcC: ignorant and credulous men imnnfe their ao- parently 2^4 parfently 'and incredible do(?trincs on the moft incr^i dulotis pf^iKcn, the Heathen Phiiofophers ? How did they enforce otedience to thdr injunclioniiv which are confeflfedly i^H^f thetiioft mortifying fcftfaints ? Theft kre embarraffing ^ueftions. '■ « ^ -^' » > ' ? ^' The rtfurrecl^ion of Chritt, and other fpcculativi dodrincs of his reh'gton, were in direct oppofition to the received opinions of the world, its nfioral maxtnrt equally inimical to the eftabliflicfd maxims of the <#orld, beatifying poverty, humility, thafttty, iHo^ defty, mceknefs and patience ^ denouncing the di- vine vengeance, againft avarice, ambition, inconti- nence, atifd all the prevailing patfltons of man ; ic propofed nothing lefs than the total aboiitioti of idolatry, the deftructibn of all the Heathert temples, the foppreffion of all fuperftitious rites andcereiho- nics, which had been univcrfally eftabllfhed by im'- mcmcrial cuftoirt, authorized anfd confirmed by Lcgiflaturcs, intsrwoVrn with the fundamental law* of Kingdoms and Stares, flattering all the inclinations of man. i^dd to thi is, that thcfc doctrines', foappa^ rcntly incredible, and thefe moral maxims, in reality fo inimical to corrupt nature, were tatight by men of no influence ; in their own country, hated and pcrfecuted J imongft the Heathen nations defplfed j oppofed by wealth, power, intcrcft, fcicnce, and every artifice, ^hich the mafice of the Demon could invent. Thefe difiicuhic's, to human power invincible, were furmounted by the iriefiftiWe eviw dcnce of Chrifl's Rcfurrc^iion. His afcenfion is a fa ^ The writer paffes unnoticed' alt thefe predi£lions, and promifesj'which wcr« fulfilled before the Gofpels were written, to obviate the pretence that thefe might have been fuppofed by the writers, the falfe- hood of this calumny is manifeft^ not only from tlic finccrity of the Evangelical wrltcrS; but becaufe they wrote nothing but the doflrine, which, they had aheady taught verbally ; and if their writings con- tained a dodrine differing from what they had ver- bally taught, or included prediftions, or promifes, of which the Churches had not previoully heard, they would have been rejected ^p fpurious. The ac- ceptation of all the Churches is the moft authentic evidence of the truth of the New Teftament, and the veracity of its writers. The fame dofirinc, which the Evangelifts wrote, was taught by all the Apoftles, who did nol; write, and continues to be taught in the fame manner, by their fucceffors. Chrift exprcfsly foretold the dcftrutfllion of Jeru- falem, the manner of its dcftrudllon, and even limited the time. " The days will come on thee, faid he, and thy enemies willfurround thee with a line of circum- vailation, * charoka* and they will encompafs thee and ftraiten thee on every fide^ and will level thee to the ground, and thy children, ivho are in thee" Luke xix. 42. We know that Jerufalcm, the 40th year after Chrift's death, was dcftroyed by Titus. W(> raft nn flTjftvnrhmffnis. anrl a ill tvVii/ K fn tlofely tlofely mvefted the city that none could efcape. , In that memorable fiege 1,300,000 fouls pcriflicd. Sec Jofephus, Lib. 6 and 7. Such an event could not have been Torefeen but by him^ who has all events on his difpofal. As the Jews were numerous, obftinate and diicoh-*: tented, fubjeft to be deluded by impoftors, who af- fumed the title of their expefted deliverer, a man of great fagacity might fu'fpe^ a rebijllion ; btit that the city vyould be furroundcd by aline of circumviHktion, and totally dcftroyed by the firft army, thait inveft- ed it, as Chrift faid Luke xxi. 20. " Wlxen you fee Jerufalem (urrouoded by an army know that then its defoliation is near," whilft the then generation lived. " I fay unto you all thefe thing? will came on this generation," Luke xii. 3^, was contrary to all rules of probability and beyond the range of conjec- ture. To this, firft, Chrift added a fccohd predidion, more remote from probability, that is, that though Jerufalem would be deftroyed, and not one ftone left on the other, her fons and daughters difperfcd^ would continue to exiil until the confummation of time : after giving a defcription of that alarming fcene, he adds, " Amen, I fiy unto you, that this generation (the Jewifli people) will not pafs away until all thcfe things are done,** Matt. xxiv. 34. Hence we iind St. Paul declaring th it blindnels in part has happened in Ifrael, until the fulncfs ol nations Ihould come in, and thus all Ifrael fliall be faved," Rom. xi. 35, 26. Will our Sceptics condefcend to admit the firft part of this propliccy, that is, the ful- ncls of nations is coming in, ami that the blindnefs of the Jews continues yet ? For their converlioii we muft wait the confummation. It the low were nc;?: !nv5"r'.HK» .''iS.n«".ri*'^ Hs- rmjU' 1 i '( ■'jM ■J iurdl tjt I hixdly TcHft the evidence of artother prophecy, tliei truth of which he knows by 1 800 hundred years expe- rience : " the law and the Prophets, faid Chrift, Luke xvi, 16, until John" or, a> it is in Matthe-w: " for all the Prophets, and the law prophccied vntil John," Tiu 12. During the Jewifh difpenfatinn their law was fupported, and the obfervance of it enforced by the Prophets, who appeared in regular facceflion at dif- ferent intervalsj until John began to preach. The facceflion Was then interriipted, and the miflion of Prophets to the Jews ccafed, according to the words. ef Chiift, fo that the Athcill or the Deiil is not more fteeled againft con Virion than the unfortunate Jew. This unahfwerible irgurtient, dra\^n frbrti the dif- p'erfion of the Jews, and their obftinate adherence to fheir law, has exerciied the imagination of our mo- dern Sceptics, whofe inventive faculties are ftretched buttbdeeeivfe themfelvesi Thiey findj ol* pretend to find, many reufons for this continuation of the Jews^ diftinft from all other people. Their fancy, fay they, is fed yy the hopes of .\ deiiverci*i who will reinftate their empire, and their temple ; they carefully avoid inter- marriages with other people ; they are firmly attached to their law j and though they fee the Chrif- tian religion flourifh, yet they think their own rites and ccttiDonits more'niajVflic. To thcfe reafons the reply is fimple j hopes difappointed, in courlb ot years fublidc. A continuation of the Jewifh hopes after eighteen centuries continued dilappointmcnt, is neither natural, nor reafonable, the fource of fucK extravagan<:e mull be found elfevvhere, that is, in ihc •n-.alcdiclicn aitaciied to that ill-fated race. They are the defcendants cf thofo anceilors, who, thirfting after the blood of innocence, to which Pilate, a ilui- guinai y ryiant, with reluclance g<\ve his fandion, ex- claimed ; near the found «73 claimed : "kt his blood fee on us, anu our children,*' Mate, xxvii, 25. .1 Their fevcral attempts to bialld the tei^ple have proved ineffeclrual, and rmnoujS to thcmfelvea : Ju- lian's projea, in oppofitio'n to ChiilVs prophecy, only -lerved literally to verify it. ^ , ^ t? ITiat JuUau did intend to rebuild the tcitiple, wc have incontrovertible evidence in his letter to the l^ws, ftill extant in his worlcs, No. 35. It is men- tioned by So^ometi, and tranflated by Dodckr Cave, \n his life of St. Cyril. • In it, after relieving thcin from all taxes, and burdens, he enjoins diligence, and promifes that, after his Perfia'n cipicditiou, he would fix his rcfidcncc in Jerufalein, and offer hit joint prayers with them. Thp artifice and hypo- crify of the apoftate, and confcqucnt exertions cjf thejcws, have rendered the truth of Chrift*s prcdidi* on incortteftible : Chrift had dedared. Matt, xxiv, 3, that one ftone of the temple would not be left on tlie other. After the deftruction, by Titus, the foundations and fome ruins of the walls rontained i? Eufcbius fays, Dom. Evan. lib. 80. that in his tiUie the inhabitants frequently carried off the ftoncs for private buildings. All thefe rmins, and the very foundations, were removed by the JcWs, under Juli- an's direction, in order to recommence the work, from which they were deterred by flames iffuing from the foundations, which at firil only deftroyed tlie works ; but when *^he Jfc>^'s obilinately pcrfifted in the defign, they coiifumed the workmen alfo. This fact is authentic if there be truth in man : Am- niianus Marceilinus, an unprejudiced Heathen, fays. Lib. 3, Cap. I, that Julian undertook the work to immortilfze hh reiojn ; he adds, Lib. 23, Cap. 1, that tremendous balls 0f fire, ifTuing from the earth, near the foundation*, rendered the place inacccffible X i vv,» h , I i '*74 to the workmen. His terms are ftrorigly exprefiive ^^hocque niodo ehnerifo deji'matius repelknio-^in this toanner the clement in a more detcrmmfed manner Impelling them. The doncurring teftimOny of co. temporary writers, removes all fufpicion. Chry. %dy. Jud. Or. a, ^nd'Hom. 4 in Mitt. Nazian,Gr. a, and 4, in Jul. - Chryfoftome fays that the Jews it three dlflcrent times attempted the building of their temple, under Adrian, which encreafed the enmity of the Heathens, and bvought deftruaion on the Jews ; a^ain under Conftantine, who difperfed them^ cut off their ears, 9nd branded them vith the mark of rebellion ; and finally, faid be, in our time, not above twenty years ago, in Which God himfcif baffled their endeavours, to fhewthat no human power cotild reverfe his dc- crecs, and that at a time when our religion Was op- preffed, lay under the axe. and had not the libertv to fpcak, that impudence itfelf might not have the leaft feadow of pretence. See a tircum4lantial ac- count of this memorable event, iii the life of St. Cyril, by Batler. That the Jews avoid Inter-marriagcs with chriftians is true, but wliether from choice or necciTity is doubt- ful : in chriftian countries fuch marriages are prohibit ttrd by law, and in all countries they are null of right. -As to their rites and ceremonies, hovvcver majelUc, whilft the temple exifted, fince its deHruaion* they cannot be performed : thefe, therefore, cannot fix the attention of the Jews. Finally, whatever reafons maj^ be affigned for the continuation of the Jews, as a , diftind people, the force of the prophecy is not the lefs invincible : becaufe to fore(ee that thefe reafons would be permanent, and the effect perpetually cor- rcfpondcnr, is beyond the fpherc of limited fcicnce. Let us now pafs from the Jews to the Gentiles : Chrift fentence there h ^7S Chrift ordered his Apoftlesto teadb allnat-ions. or, as IT. IS in the Greek text,, to mah th^m difcipi^s.r^'^ Mathi. W'-promifing that he would be with them uilUI the confumniation. Matt, ult. They. imrQediatcly. commenced the work, and carried his faith and name ' beyond the Hmits Qf the Roman Empire, into nation*^. wiiereihc Roman name wasnotknown : of this th« monuments are unlvnfal, and the work as yet con- tnmes m the hands of their fwcceflbrs. In this fliort fentence there is a promife which Omnipotence alone could fulfil, and a truth announced which God only could forefeo^that is, that Chria's miffionaries would* commue untjl the confummation, and that they would rorm n^s difciples in all nations. He was promifed aU ;;::tions-,as an mhentanee, not all the men of all nati- ons ; If there be a nation, which was not yet enlight- encd by his gofpe), it vvillbefore the confummation :• t e paft enfurea the Ait«re. Chrift faid to his dila. pies : You will be brought befere Kings and Gover- ' nors for my fake, in teftimony to them, and to nati- 2 /; ■ ^' ^"^P^^>' ^"^ ""^ ^^*«»^ ^he accom.. CZTw J-T-T^^""'''' ^'^"^' '^'''^^''' f<'re. Z K f ' "^f ?'"' "^^^^^ pcTkvere in the doflrine, wuclvhe taught m the face of perfecution, in defianc^ fdelpoticpawcr. ijealfo forefaw that Kings and P^ure he would have faid that Epicureans, whofe r"^aplcsare.tov,r ^^^ whofe conduft Indecency at defiance, or Peripatetics, wUo te.cu ^ ^n d b fore Kmgs and Governors ; but that his '^pK whom he ordered, to be as harmlefs as doves, Pelurrf "^^:"^"^^!,f^y ^f^^"', breathed nothing buc .knd. hut.:i.ty. fubmi^non, fidelity and obcdicncr, p^hcnihngpov.crs, f])ouId be the objccls of hatred! of ■ 1 i i ■ t i it IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // l/. & 1.0 ■19 = US Ui 12 2 I.I 2f |;o III 2.0 IIJ£ \M IM 1.6 ^ r- A Photographic Sciences Corporation )3 WIST MAIN STRUT WItSTIR.N Y I4SS0 (716) ira^sos '^>^ ^>^ '<^ 27^ of caluwnyand pcr(cctotioii# is not matter of conjee. tttt€"^ tlierei«'ii»JtGod, w.h!b kfiaw&the intenfe ma. lignitfof mwi, and the dfrpravity pf.bis heart, who- cduld lciref€e> that trutb, innocence and }uftice, would' bflt exclafively and univerfally the object of Ins hatred. ')^hc wrUct add* on? prediclMm inbre, againft. which tfvett the effrontery ofthe njodern fcioHft wilt liot venture to ftate an obje^ion. When Mary, fifter to Laearuit, bad poured the precious otntnient on ehrift'* ^ f^t, and^ jndas exprefled hi* indignation at,^'hat his avarice Called a profufionv Chrift faid : " Amen, I £iv unto you, wherefoever this goij^l is preached in the whole world, that alfo, vvitich ihe has done \vili< ' be toM in memory of hery" Mat. xxvi, 15, John xii. Ifi this ftiort (enrence there are two foleinn promifet : That the . Gol^l would be preached all over the world ; andtl»C Mary's piety would be remembered in all places where the Gofpel is preached. Thefe proinifes, which nothing fbort of Almighty power j could fulfil, are fo manife{lly accompliHied, that the obftinacy of the modern Philofophift is not more odi- ous than contemptible. If fanclity, eftabltflied by miracles, authenticatcdby prophecy, confirmed by the accompHlhment of pro- ir.ifes beyond the fpbere of limited power, fpeak the divinity, the fcriptures are divinely infpircd* In them are many things impervious to human i*cafon ; but there is nothing more reafonable than to Mieve on the teftimony of inf^Iiible aXithority, though rcalbn from its limited nature cannot detect the principles, from which the propofcd truth rcfults. Thus in human fciencetlie Aftronomer fliews the denfttyof the earth to i>c greater than that of the planctjupitcr, 'i he pvincipks from wltich he deduces this truth, tiiough evident tn the aftronomer, arc as impervious -L^ .1^-. =- I -~-f" 1*% vttitt .fi^A^»'.-- ' '. The- The matKematldandfiinonftrates- that the branches of the hyperbotiic curve a^nc^chincpffantljr it? affymp- toti, but dart never tpuch them vihis ha propofuion, though mattieitiatjcally tri^V his all the app«araQC<^ of a cot>.tradicUpn ; that GtKi a» f.vr furpaflGw ma|i in,' knowledge as the aftronomef does. th€ peafant, is deniedbut by him, who does not believe a God t<> cxift ; that truths are knxiwn to hii», of which in?,tt can forip no idea fe eently in thinking that a manifcft truth,. in which there is a latent fiiUacy, which 6ur reafoa cannot dctea. Truths revealed by God arc not f^b- . je^ to the examination of human reafon ; the proper ufe of reafon is to inquire whether the propoGtion pro- pofed he revealed by God or not ; or whether it bft propofcd in the fenfc intended by the infi»rcd writer ; but to inquire whether a propofition revoalcd by God be true or falfe is a ftretch of impudence, which na term in language can cxprcfs. There are in the fcripturcs many truths revealed, which, though in appearance within the fphcrc of human rcaibn, have not been difcovered bv reafon in its degraded ftatc : the unity of God. his immcnfity, many of the divine perfcaions, which the chriftian '• pililoSophcr 2fB a fuperior kIiI, 1- !. f '«* '"fan, unaffifted by, »iuperior •.>gl«., might, perhaps, witlntrcat ex-irrin™ «.fcover. and making th^ olyea,: Sti.h tZ' at once r^poring every fliadeof.cr«r,Jr- r w^.lcht.»,„rfar„„if„,;iL^^^^^ which have for .heir objeard^Zt;'^^^ T^^^^^ the unlearned, who compofe an incal«.t,H„ " •^• of the hunun fpecic* • fhev 1, nn ^ „"'T"'''' fn,-,-,. „t 1 n . ' ■ " *'° ""' underftand the it,™ J „ r""""**!""""' ""^ "'» =""""6(1 he ea,„ed,hefe truths would remain in a «a,e of opcorrainty, however inteliig^t. and even unnre judiced they may be fuppofed from thllLv*^ the huma, underfta^ ^7 th;' Sr Certainty mfeparaljly annexed to.it. A fliadc of error •s latent .n whatever U inveftigated bv Imm. 7 Probable, or fopWdicI reafonf rf mi^r f" r- moH n r r ' P'""'""^ "*"'■ drfcendant, .ho, ' modern fquiuf. not only on aWlrut. and dilliculf fuftcieney j.ifiify the obCrvaiibn. * 1/ >79 V re»f'""w "f"^ **pofition, thefe. and many other truths, intimately cmnefted with our t>e. mg. on which ouf happinefa effentially depend/ir* not ful^ea, of Jnetaphy(ic.! dir«' morality ^vhlch they inculcate. The rage of modern fccm!- proof fufpeas, or pretends to fufpeft, that they were li^ln f,. ■'"'• ?^ '''""'"' "f P"»"tus. are be- heved authentic, without a contradiflion, we do Pricniey. of Price,andto defcend to the moft iguo^anr ^kii ^of'ictti^pusfcribbjerd, deleave Tom Paine in peace. able ppflemon of his Apr^ of jicaicin. ^ 'r% Heathen writers againft Chriftianify admitted ^he book^ to hav? bee« written fey the Evatigdifls, and Apptlfes, to whpm they larc ascribed, rot did they deny abfolucely the lijiracles related iu them.: they endeavoured to ejude the force of Ghrili^s mi. 'Vades, byafcril>ing thtin to.rnagic. "^^ Ccifus,^* fayji Origen, Lib.'a, No. 48, " now very often, bpeaufe Ke could ftot dcay thi iniraclciS which it is written th?l Ch'ri ft pcrforH^di caliunni* atcsthem as ihsefliiaofmaj^ica! delufiQij?^, we have often times fliewti' the contrary, nowhe aiks tis why '%ejud^e him to be God, and he imputes to us this tiTjfwcrj beeaufe Jie cured the lame ai:d blind, to ih|s adds, and Jjecaufe, as you iay, he raifcd the dead. That the lame and the biiiid were cured by Jefus, that fafexice we believe him Son of God is ma. cifcft froth this, that it is written in the prophecies : *' ihca the eyes of the blind ftiali be opened, and the ears of the deaf fliall jiear,^ and the lame ihall bound iikc.thcroe,** Ifa. XXXV, 5. Jalian, the apoaate, as cited by St. Cyril, Lib. io, in prim, fay.s : *• neither I*aul dared to call thut Jefiis, God, nor Matthew, nor Luke, nor Mark ; but the good man John, when he difcovcrcd that a great multitude, in moft cities of Greece and Italy, were catchf d with that difeafe» and heard, I think privately, it is true ; but yet he heard that the monuments ot Peter and Paul were worihipped, firft dared to affert ir.''r-.Tiiat is, John firft dared to lay that Jcfus was God. The apellate, like our modern fophifts,« contra- dids hinildf: for if ^umbers were taken with tbit difeafe, as lie calls it, in moft cities ofGjeece and Italy, before John wrot<^, he could not have been the liril to avow it, • a8t iPrbiii Cel(U» and Jttlian, the ttioft Irwcondlcible enemies ofthccbriftitnnaro«, we icaiti tbatthc pri- mitive chriftians bcKcvcd Chrift to be God, and that 1 religious rcfpcd was paid to the tcHcs idths iaiat». NohcathcA ever denitfd the Gofpcki to liavc been written by the EvangcHils, or Aat they w«rc thought divinely infpircd, by CbriftiiDs. The lirft ^logifts of chriftianity dtcd them inccffantly with- out a contradiclion ; cotcroporary writcars ckc the Gofpcb, and afcribe them to the EvangcUfta ; Ck- inent, in his epiftic to the Corinthians ; Polycarp, ia his letter to the PhiHppians ; Ignatsus, in his feven epifilc8» v^hich arc confcOcdly genuifte 5 Papias, as tited by Eufebius. v St. Irenacus, in his third book againft hercfies, fays : *• Matthew, amongft the Hebrews, wrote the Gofpel in their language, when Peter and Paul preached at Rome, and founded the Church. After their departure, Mark, who was Pcter*s difciplc, and interpreter, delivered to us in vrritiifg, what was taught by Peter. Luke, who was Paul's difciplc, wrote the Gofpel whidi was preached by him, and John, the difdplc of the Lord, who had leaned on hisbreaft, wrote the Go%el at Epheftts, inAfia. ITicrt were Gofpels fuppofed by impoftors, whilft fomc of the Apoftles were yet living, but they were immediatdy rejcfted as fpurious. An impotttion wjiU, impoflible, becaufe the autographs of the Evangelifts were in the hands of th. who admitted b»t tfc« Cofpd qf 8t. Luke, fty,. Lib. 4, Jp^ the ftme authority of the AfaoflolicJ rfc«. i.'" throngh^them that ve have the Goi|«ls. .h,tisof Mn. <,f Matthew, tl,at of Mark is ifiid toUof Peter. ,.hofe interpreter he wa, j that di, from which, the four, which wc haVc, were fe^ERae* anddeRitered td tliiGhui^dh," Attend to St. Lukes p^cfice; wMchh: thuf-ftW ted : " fincc fciany endeavoured tb ordei* a na^ttiJoii, * . , ... as be^ %g * ^ndeavoiiredi^ ic cbntains i Mtnt acdoratiort. agaiift thdi, who undertook to wriifc a Gxjipelw%H6\ir i* grate of thu Hdljp Ghb^. Mat; thew, Mark, John and Luke, did not en(ieav$}^r to: writfe. bun full of thV Holy Ghofti they, wtote thc^ GofpeW . Martyv. thtst^fcke; eniikovoured to f^tm i parratfort 6$ tfttfc things;' This Chtifdi has fn^ft the cHridreh und^r t^^ yfcars oy, whcmi Herod foh^or the Jpws.m.Syrb, otdfcred f crbe maft ©e»^, wasonfeof. his o^it ibn^, hp faid, it was bfettetv f^^Herod«s.hog than^ W^ ibh.'S Macrolrini^ re* Mo«^«hk araecdote, aslhedoea many othfers, feim Wflirfcs of Heathen nmcr^ e^tiht in hfetrale, wMcIil ^l^effclipfe, whifch h;»ppdn«*^ at tIrexJcatIt of Chri^ft m dh^ opjiofirfon to tht eft*blHhed order as h was at rh0^ fu** moobi wheni art ccljpfe of tfeVun is iiffmraUy impoffibte, ir thus de&?iWd^ by KMcffo« in the .3th^^k of m Ghrdnides^or Olympiad^. orf the fourth yeai-of the ^oa 01ya»piad wds a'' ^ V^ great' ecUpfej furpsffitjg.al! ^hich hive happen* **: the day ^tffacfixth:hDtir%*ras tarried' into night, Jje ftars were feen in the h^vens,^ in: chrthmiak J tfcrew down many hoiifea irtMce, a- city of B^thy^ Jtti''^ The.' fame ia repetrtcd: in tlic Ghiwnicle of Kufet:^o« afi?l Sr. Jetom. Exceptions have been taken, againft the teftimo^ BJ^oi tt»efe He^i hen writers; by iinti-ehrimari So- ^ifts. of rtiod^f It times. -Miefe ck^ptibhs have b€«n^difcuflfed atirt^€l,*c4datfed^b.y m^hof fcbnce, their ,*tttrtitn and^>the wnity of th^^. inventors, expofed to m amempt of die rearmed wt)rld : as they are ohtf - mtehded to divert thb attedtibn of the uniA^ mrstysd,: from the more gbrfug, abforditics of oup KpieiireaiH^, and to introduce obfcurity in affibjca, ' which ^MgIi is totaMy indep$fideiJt of fckfe teflknonftor credulous Hea«b€M, ©r iftoredttl^us Sophifltfi W- writer -pages them Uniic«4€ed. 1 Agaihft tertuHian's appeal to the publiG fccojas «©. exception can iie : ** at tbe#nie4hikat,^ f^idie, Ap. €fe. 1, No. 6,%haft tji^fun markod thettiSdft.' of iw orbity t^ day ^as^ i)vithcJrwMB . * . . . t^]*, event, (murkiUaJum) you have in dip ^t9io^r«1iCll«6.?^ Origen, in U% fecondbodfc agM«fb Coifosi 8a. ^5, fays: **of the ecHjrfe, vrbich happened undei? ?i%«-i tiu8 Ca&far, ip -wrhofe Teign itis twrtain that; CSlrift v^as cracified, ^hd of thecohimbtion.by whicfeth© earth was fliook, 1 think Phlegon uiajces' mefidcmiia thei3^Qri4tlihook^^of^hii(3iToniclei." , Lucian, tTictnirtyr/a man ivcltveKfed'inliiftGi'yv facredandrprofanc, Idd his Judges withcooMifice:: " confult ydur annals, aqd ydu will find thw in ;Piv late*« tlnac» when Chrift fuffered, tlje fun fled at mid-day, and the day was ipterraf»ted." Se«iRfft4 Lib. 9. Cap. d^ Hift. XccU ^, ThefadV was indifpu table, known totheworJ^to friends and enemies, hence the apologifts of Chtifti- anity inc^ffawtly appealed to it,a?id without a co*. tradile cvid«hce of its truthi • "^ ^ Quadratusi a philofopher converted by the Apoftles^ cfteemed and honored by th? heathens as an ornr ;njsnt to the city of Athens, i» the apology which he pfifered to the Roman Emperor Adrien, Oiews the difference betweeki the miradefi of Chrifti and the delations of magicians : " the miracle! of dui* Saviour," laidhe^ ** were permanent, bcciufe they were real and true— the fick healed, and the dead raifed, did not only ap- pear reinftated^ but continued fo, and that not only whilft Chrift remained oii earth, but long after he had retired, fo that fome of them came down to our times." See Eufcb. Ecc, Hift. Lib. 4, Cap. 3 ; and Sti Jerom, in Cat^ 19) and Ep* 84. Ariftidcs, a platonie philofopher, prefented an a- pology to the fame Emperor. It was extant in St. Jerom's time and thought by him a niaftcr-piece of clcqiifcnce and eruditioii. Theopliilus, a man deeply verfed in all the fcience of the heathen philofophers, and in their different (yftcros of mythology, as appears from his books to* Autolycus, yet extant, vindicating thechriftian religi- oij from the cJumnious inveftives of his heathen friend, fays: "Do not be incredulous, 1 did not believe the refurrcftion of the dead formerly, but now T do, fince 1 have more attentively confidered the (ubjed, after falling on the writings of the Holy Prophets, who foretold things now pail as the^ have happened, things now prefcnt, as they do happen, and future events in the fame order as they will happen." See B. i,No. 14. Athenagoras, alfo an Athenian philofophcr, wrote 3 ciw*%.nc«. wi i.ui* rv/l methodical i99 methodical wbrkr in k he folv«alVthe^teM^ which have bc^ ftatcdagpllnft that artidc i^itetoae lb mortifving to the fofis i)f pleifuit; fo ^ terrftile - to ourepkureittfcepticsan^fdoMs^-;^ -f-^^^ ^^ < It is ftatcd^gamft the authbtitf 6f St LtOfeiii t!M , thecnrolment of the people Dr» Ijo pretend thaj aU the Scriptures have been loft o, mterpolajed. .h^«gh the negle^ or^alicel^ wl *"r '^'»d«°««. »nd turn Atheift n^kcl. it can neither couqteraclthe views ofprovi- t^lZ"""'"' '''"'" *''any other things, which do not at all int^r^a us, may be Cvbjea to alterations. The fimi. larity ef fomc letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in whi^h a diffci:ence is f^arccly difccrnablc, mult have caufoftles, thfeir iucc^fs in ctt;^btifliing chriftianity adcdrdidg toChtiftV pfoi^ife;' Thefe, and many bth^r fafts, are defcribed in the fame 'manner iii originals, Verfions, tranfcripts j in a wbird in aft lari- ^uagifis, to iriJAc any alteration in thele i^ npt, noi^ was not, at any time, tvithtn the ratige of htittun power. ^'r-fe'-^' ■'■ ■ ■■ ■ ; :*4:. The writer hisre dJfniifes the Athcift, the Dd^. the nadern Sciolift, the whole fquad of Anti:Chriftian itribblcrs firo^ his inifed arid his pbpcr; Without even - diftant hope of their con vcrfion. " The fool faid in his heart there Is no God." This hiliguage was ijwken in David's tinie ; the fool coatinuci to fpeak th«ifame language ftill, andwrlfwhilft th^wotldcon- tirioes. All rbafonirig is loft on the vsrretch whom God defpifes ; " fpeak nbt, fays th6 wif« man, in the ears of fools, they, will dcfpife the ioftmaion;" Pro. xxiii. 9. F. B. V. G. QfTR.