rA 13 lor tw IBtiw M ow mnd lnMig* ll«ii«9«i w iit 1100 Whyne Avenue, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 301/587-8202 ^ A- ^ ^ ^ Centimeter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 mm i^i|ii|i|ii|i | ii|i| i i | i|i|i ^ i^i|i ^ ii| i |i l |i|i i |i ^ l|i^l|i^l|ii|i|ii| ^ Inches 1.0 1.1 1.25 IM 12.5 12.0 li 1.8 U 11 1.6 v^^V '/ HRNUFflCTURED TO UIM STflNDRROS BY APPLIED IMflSE. INC. CIHM Microfiche Series (Monographs) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) CWMdIm iMtlniM Im HtotodMl Mloror«|.roductloi» / linthut Miwdlwi *» mlOfOMprediietlon* MmmIoum I ^^ Technical and BiMiographk »lolM / NotM tactiniquM tt bibliographiquM Tha ln*tituta hat attamptad to obuin tha bast orininal copy availabia for filming. Faaturai of thit co|»y which may ba bibliographicallv uniqua, wrhich may altar any of tha imagat in tha raproduction, or which may fi^nif icantly ehanga tha usual madHid of f ilminf . ara chackad balow. L'Inttitut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a M possiMa da m procurar. Lai ditoiii da cat axamplaira qui sont paut-«tra uniquas du point da «ua MMiofraphiqua. qui pauvant modif iar una imaga raproduita. ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dans la mMioda normala da f ihnaga sont indiquAs ci-dastout. 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Whenever pouible. these have been omitted from filming/ II sa peut qua cartainas pages blanches aiouties lors d'une restauration apparaissant dans la texte. mais, lorsqua cela *tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M iUmtn. □ Coloured pages/ Pagis da coulaur □ Pagn damaged/ Pages endommagtes □ Pagn restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurias at/ou pellicultos 0f^s discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolories, tacheties ou piquees □ Pages detached/ Pages d«tach*es 0Showthrough/ Transparence B Quality of print varies/ Qualite inigala de I'impression Continuous pagination/ Pagination continue Includes index(es)/ Comprend un (des) index Title on header taken from:/ Le titre de I'en-tAte provient: issue/ □ Title page of issue Page de titre de la I I Caption of issue/ livraison n Titre de depart da la livraison Masthead/ Generique (piriodiques) de la livraison n Additional comments:/ Commentaires tupplimantaires: This item it filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmi au taux de rMuction indiqui ci-dettout 10X 14X 18X Th« oopy fllm«d h«r« has bMn r«produe«d thanks to tha sanarealty of: ma Uwittd CliMrch of Caiwda Artiilw Vimrto Univtnity Arehhm Tha Imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality potsibia eonaidarlng tha condition and iagibiiity of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha filming eontraot spaeifioations. Original eopiaa in printad papar eovars ara filmad baginning with tha front oovar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or iiiustre;sd impras* sion. or tha baok oovar whan appropriata. All othar original eopiaa ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illustratad impraa* sion. and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illustratad impraasion. Tha last raeordad frama on aach mierot.cha shall contain tha symbol — ^ ( moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V imaaning "END"), whiehavar appiias. Maps, platas, charts, ate, may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too iarga to ba antiraiy inoiudad in ona aKposura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar iaft hand cornar. laft to right and top to bonom, aa msny.framas as raquirad. Tha following diagrams iiiustrata tha mathod: L'axamplaira film* fut rapredult grAca * la gAnAroait* da: Tin Uiilw< CImnli tf Ciwrti Arctiivw Victsrii Uaivsnity ArcliivM Las imagaa auhrantas ont M raproduitaa avae la plus grand aoin, oompta tsnu da la condition at da la nattat* da I'axamplaira f iimi^'at an conformit* avao las conditions du eontrat da fllmaga. Laa axamplairaa orlginauK dont la couvartura wn papiar ast ImprlmAa sent fiimAs •n commonpant par la pramiar plat at an tarmlnant salt par la darniif a paga qui eomporta una amprainta d'impraasion ou d'lllustration, solt par la saeond plat, aalon la oaa. Tous las autras axamplairaa originaux sont fllmAs an eommanyant par la pramlAra paga qui eomporta una amprainta d'impraasion ou dlllustration at ah tarmlnant par la darnlAra paga qui eomporta una talla amprainta. ^ Un daa aymbolaa suhrants apparattra sur la darni*ra image da cheque microfiche, selon le eas: la aymbola -^ signifia "A 8UIVRE". la symbols V signlfie "FIN". Les cartas, planches, tableeux. etc., peuvent Atre fiimis * des taux da rAduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en ur> seul cliehA. ii est filmA A psrtir de I'angia supAriaur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de heut en bas, an pranant la nombre d'imegos nAoesseire. Les diagrammes suivsnu iliustrant le mAthode. 12 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32 X 7 „ •K*., ^l^' - ' ^*fl .-*' AIOI XBK lirf— t2»lt0WTO : iMUlF^I -«»« METHODIST CATECHISMS. NOTE. At the meeting of the (hneral Otmferenee qf our Ohurehf in Hamilton, in Se^temi..,^S8$yitiffa$ tugreed iopMiihfor the use of the Children of ofUf^ Ohurek^ ihe UNITED CATECHISM^', pn^md emd pidh Hehed hy tiie Weeleyan Methodiet Ohmtih ofSnglond^ «M^ procf texte ta m fwn ^ Au^Oi/orimd Vmim of &ie Holy B&iptwru, Artwsdr «cMi Apostled. all under the inBuence of tho Holy Spirit These collectively are denominated the New Testament ; and the Old and the New Terta mmt. we emphatioaUy caU the wobiTo, C^. ^^ t^'bo^' i*^'^'''^ *^i*^ theBibie, which sigaiflM New T:8?2S,^?a^'»'' "°°"*^"^ "»"'^ """'Old «.d witll' m^ ' ^'"*® "* *«» <^ ente« into cor«ia»< S Z ?2'L°'^ §'^ I^'«*»»'*- This corS |peL^? "^'"^ '"•'*^** *«™ °ft«" usedi-ws- JfX wflJaS ^r ^^ 4>«Pe''3ed in different i^od. B^vToil ?„ ™?T'^i revelations of the iSlwid >m»£«pe^a«<»« .-the first commi^i^lHtt Ad^ W Teachmg to the giyingof the law b/n^X fc 'w'**^*/?,?* ^*''« death of SittJ P«n.at.ons are from God; i, othVr w^id;,!^ ^ revelations contained in the Old and jaew Testa- ments can be shown to be of divine authority. T, This is a laudable desire ; and ^ve wiH proceed to these proof s step by step, that "you may know thecertamty of the things wherein yotf have been instructed.* CHAPTER IL A EEVELATION VBOM GOD HIGHLY PROBABLE AMD KEOBSSABT. ^ T. Let our first inquiry be, whether it is probable that man has been left without a revelation ofthe will S^ ^ ** y°"' ^^» ^^* ^ ^^^ Agency? r. Agency is the doing of anything; and Moral Agency isthe domg of what is good or eml, right or wrong. These are called moroZ acts, in opposition to natural acts, as walking, flying, eating, &a, which, in themselves, are neither good nor evil, and incapable of beingpraised or blamed. T. Why do you call some actions good or evil, and therefore praise or blame them ? r. Because they are agreeable or opposed to some rule or law, which detennines their nature. f. By this Uw do you mean the law of your own or any other country ? * j wu r. Certamly not ; for if all national laws were abolirfied, the actions which mankind have cenerallv agreed to caU good or evil would BtiU be re^rded m *^ch, and be praised or bhimed accordinglj^ «,£v- J*^ ***5.^^? *^** «®^«^ agreement among mankind, when did thev agree to ffum ihoM^olea wjuch make certain actions good or evil ? T. If thfcy did so agree, it must have been at a very early period, even before the forming of mankind Sww wif"*^ '^*'''''' '.*°' ^« ^^^^ states are ^Wlybuilt upon a previous i^preement amoi« men. t»airs«sa€ aetxoag are j^iood ami benefioiai, aiMl that oihfln «ro evil and inintions, and on^^t to be ve* •trained, aa murder, theft, and other vicea which affect Bociety. But we have no record of any ioleknn diacQBsion of ao wei^^ty a subject, or of any agree- ment among mankind to lay down rules or laini, which ahoTud first determine the good or evil of actions. T, But is there no proof that mankind, in the earliest agea of the world, considered various actiona as determined be good and evil by a higher authority than that of MAK ? Y\ Yes, certainly : all antiquity agrees in making a distinction between things good and evil, and in representing one to be pleasing, and the other dis- pleasing, to God ; one to be the object of reward, and^he other of punishmoit; and consequ^itly, in acknowledging a will or law ov God on these sub- jects. But what do you condnde from this ? T. That all the evidence which arises from human history goes to establish this point, — that a rule was always l^iown in the world by which men's actions were judged of as good or evil ; and that thia mle was the will of ,Qod, which, in some mode, was ascertainable by his creatures. Y. This seems to be indisputable. T, Then this makes it highly probable that, in the earliest ages, God made an express revelation of his will to mankind ? r. This is also highly probable from the facts just now mentioned. T, Let me then ask you, whether man is not a created being? Y, This is certain ; for he is bom and changes, and dies, and is therefore dependent upon soma power which he cannot resist. Q\ Then thero must have been a first pair firoln whom jre all have descended ? J. This also is dear ; and as they oonld not therefore a subject of rewlrf *3 t^n^'l* ' **»* !>« " ke^u capable of reflectCwi?h „£^'«'«"ont 5 that ^^n upon bis actio..^,^^ ?^-e^r^«s. rf moral goverm^eJt Jj^t J^'*".*?"* *" ^ «»^We hisexbtenV have b^'^J^^^^f " '•*«i°"i^ of ^^no*^e?.i?^1-*o^4S^f^-i-4i *t'<>.n. . a That by iK^tW^*^y ^^ »« tra- 9 «n immediately kure of man to I© 18 capable of not ; ttat he is 'whment ; that «re or dissatis- ty we call con- re which his at relation to lentp • see another ^, who by his to be capable beginning of ^ora^law, tiy suppose a pfasupeiior. '^ory ; and it or» in other Jit infer ihe ^e course of revelation, \ of God on Mnperfiectly "i^gages of 9 for obser- seofProvi- ind all tra- ^y at best 'Od. And, wide to de- Q the lust- nesa and fairness ot their inferences, and wonld, therefore, be a different rule of action in diiQrerep.t men ; a conclusion which cannot be maintained by any sober person. T, Your answer is forcible; but you inay add, that if man had been left to infer the will of God from the works of nature, and the course of God's government of the world, without a direct revelation, were is nothing in either to indicate that God ought 1 to be worshipped ; that he will hear our prayers ; I that there is a state of future rewards and punish- ments; or that God will pardon those who have broken his laws, or how that pardon must be sought. On all these subjects, which are essential to morality, religion, and /tope, the works of nature and the dis- pensation of Providence are totally silent : and thus there could have been no system of complete and influ* ential morality, and no authorized religious worship, and no hope beyond the grave, without an express re- velation, T, All this appears very manifest ; and yet I hear much of the sufficiency of human reason to discover the being and perfections of God from his works, his will respecting us, the immortality of the soul, and other im^rtant subjects. T, This is the constant theme of ijhdels; and yet do you not perceive that none of them have gained their knowledge of these truths from reason^ but that they are all indebted for them to revelation? T, Certainly this is the case with the Deists of the present age ; but how does that apply to the philo- sophers of Rome, Greece, Egypt, and other ancient countries ? T. Jusb as forcibly. Not any of the most enlight- ened of them, whose writings remain, or whose opinions we know, ever pretended to be the discov- erers of these truths. They speak of them sometimes believincrlv. somAiimpa rlnni-iffun^/- i«i+ «i..»-»«,« «_ 10 known in the world, and as derived from an earliei age of antiquity. y. You suppose, therefore, that these opinions were derived from a common source ? T. Undoubtedly they were transmitted from an earlier age : for 1. The wonderful agreement of even the super- stitions of all Heathen nations, in recognizing certain facts of the Mosaic histoiy, is a strong proof that they are but perversions of the religion and histoiy of the patriarchal times. Plato, one of the wisest and most learned of the ancient Greek philosophers, says, "After a certain flood, which but few escaped, on the increase of mankind, they had neither letters, writing, nor laws, but obeyed the manners and in- stitutions of their fathers as laws ; and when colonies separated from them, they took an elder for their leader, and in their new settlements retained the customs of their ancestors, those especially which re- lated to tTmr gods, and thus transmitted them to their posterity ; they imprinted them on tfte minds of their sons, and they did tlie same to their children. This was the origin of right laws, and of the different forms of government. " 2. Tho practice of sacrifice, which may at once be traced into all nations and to the remotest antiquity, affords an eminent proof of the common ori^ of religion ; inasmu«h as no reason drawn from the nature of the rite itself, or the circumstances of men, can bo given for the universality of the practice : and as it is clearly a positive institute, and opposed to i^e interests of men, it can only be accounted for by an injunction, issued at a very early period of the world, and solemnly imposed. 3. The events, and some of the leading Opinions of the earliest ages, mentioned in Scripture, may also bo traced among the most barbarous, as well as in f Jie Oriental, the Grecian, and the Boman systems of u mythology. Such ate, the formation of thb world ; TBB FALL AND CORRUFHON OF HAN ; the hostility of a fNiwerfol and su^matural a^nt of wickedness under his appropriate and scnptural emblem, the BERPENT ; THB DESTRUCTION OF THB WQRLD BY WATER; the RE-PEOPLINO OF IT BY THE SONS OF NoAH ; the EXPECTATION OF ITS FINAL DESTRUCTION BY FIRE : and, above all, the promise of a great and divine Deliverer. 4. All nations have dispersed from the patriarchal seats in Asia: this has often been satisfactorily proved. AH religions, however superstitious, agree in a com- mon origin. All the great masters of numan reason in the ancient world, had, therefore, heard of God and his perfections ; of moral distinctions ; of man's im- mortality ; and of a future state. The best of their notions were in the world long before they lived ; the worst only, by which they corrupted the primitive truths, were of their own invention. T, I perceive, then, that human reason has no clami at all, even in these early ages, to the credit of these discoveries ; but tell me how it is, that men who reject the Bible are so confident in ascribing so much power to their imaided reason. T, My answer may, perhaps, surprise you ; but I will prepare you for it by reminding you that the philosophers of antiquitjr made no such ^tensions, and that this confidence in human reason is the boast only of men where Christianity is already known. The ancient sages confessed the weakness of their understanding, and their inability to discover truth. Pythagoras, Socrates, PlatOj Cicero, and others, all confess their ignorance, and their doubts, on thoso very subjects which some of the modems pretend to be clearly discoverable without a revelation ; and the only reason which can be given why infidel philo- sophers of the present age speak with so mudi assanmAA a» to their own abuitv tn mak* bef'-^r 12 discoyeiias, is, that these discoveries Imve been actualli, made by the Bible, and have become^ famtltar, and. being once revealed, carry so clear a conviction to the reason of man, that, in the pride and forgetf uhiess of their hearts, they think them so e^ as to be quite within the reach of their own efforts had they not been so assisted. For, as Mr. Locke My ol^erves *; when truths are once know^i t^ us n W,^r tradition wo are apt to be f avora^e to our oym parts, and ascribe to our own understandiiiff the discoveiy of what, in reality, we borrowed from others ; or, at least, finding we can p^^whafS first we learned from othersf we are f o^K con* dude It IS an obvious truth, which, if wehad sought we eou^d not have missed. Many are beholden ^ revelation who do not acknowledge it. U^m^ mimshing to revelation, that reason gives its sutt too to the truths revelation has discovert -bS?- our mistake to think that because rSn co^' ^en. to us we had tl.e first certain knowled^ t2l:Z^'^l^Ci'^ that clear evide^r^^^ow ♦fc!??/i 1 1 V . aiiswer, then, to your question is that if we had had no revelation from God wSd never have heard so much boasting of the ^twS of reasonm msOL ^ »«*o Burengcn , r. But if the first and fundamental truths of reli gion were known in the early ages ofthewSil Sil ttat he feU into so many and such ridicXs^oM on rehgious subjects. ^uiuus errors .S\l^ ^^ ^^}^ ^ P^°^^ ""^ *^« wickedness of his hearts •«mk into the grossest ignorance atthetSflu IS advent of our LoM ; and those parts of the world into wHch the light of our rcugion has not yel entered, even where civilization and learning exist, are in the same condition to this day. T, Be pleased to give me some instances of this. T. It is not necessary to state particularly, what every one knows to be a fact, that the body of the people- were in all nations grossly idolatrous and superstitious, ignorant of God and of moral dis- tinctions, and crediting the most absurd fables, both as to the gods, and a future life. But the charge oi great ignorance and error lies also against the wisest and most cultivated minds in the Pagan world ; for, 1. Though the belief of one Supreme Being' has been found in many parts of the world, yet the notion of subordinate deities, the immediate dispensers ol good and evil to men, and the objedts of their feai and worship, has almost equally obtained; and this, of necessity, destroyed or greatly counteracted the moral influence of that just opinion. "* 2. The Tnodem idolatry of Hindostan, which in principle differs nothmg from that of the ancient world, affords a striking comment upon this pdint, and indeed is of great importance in enabling us to conceive justly of the true character and practical effectr of idolatry in all ages. One Supreme Being IS aciuidwledged by the Hindoos ; but they never worship hira, nor think that he concerns himself with human affairs at all. " This being," says Moore, "is called Bndim, one etctnol mind, the self-exist- mg, iiicomprehensibie Spirit. To him, however, the Hmdooserect no altars. The objects of their ado- ration commence with the triadj Brahma, Vkhnu, and &eoa, which represent the almighty powers of creaHon, preservation, and deatrudioh." ' ' . 3. The learned among the classic Heathen, it is tnie, occasionly speak nobly concerning God and his ftttnbutes ; but at the same tiinc they were led by 14 kheir own imagmations and reasoniiun to eondnmon. ^tohneuteSe the effect of thSrSSi^JSJSS! ^ and often contradict them. The eSrSity?i matter, for instance, mm held by the GreS *t»^ ^num philoeopheW and by the^ ^pw ^2 (Mental sciiools, who thought it absoluWWiiiMS that anything should be produced W nXS^Z fchus destroyed the notion of creation in iteSSl^ sense, and of a Sapxeme Creator. " "* *" P«>P» «*SiwS^°®''' l^o^g^occasionaUy we hnd many Bicellent things said of the providence of God^ aiese were weakened or desta^yed by other opSoM. J^Epicurean sect denied the'^doctSne, wFlSd^ down as a maxim, "That what was blMaed*«i otuen ; a notios whioh exactly ametm witli Jvl WBtem ofa.6 .modem flindowTMZ.^eS' ed for a rrovidenoe : bat in theip ««S ft^,^« ' te»c*jd by ihed«^ of.S'KS t^H; fete, to which God andmatter, opthe wrivOTT^^ S^ f^""*/ *^5'8ht, of'both. wi SSntatS care of tte gods to great affitin only. of IrC^'^/T'l*' !^ '^ » «>* doctHne 01 a tutnpe state of reward and mmishment . .twJ though in some fom it is reooairisStalSZU' !2r too^^and tte twditions "t ti^^^^^X baoed in their extravagant per^rsions MKrSu^^iS mixed up with notions entinly subr^ve S fh! mo«a efiSct which it was originiyTSd'te i^! The doctrine of Aristotle and the PerinatuKM loS^rL^J^S?^ ''■?®'*<^»*^ ihat when the •cml If panfied from moist rn^nw, it return into to eonolasioiu ^liluner oonoep- lie eternity of ^e Greek and >recepton, the telyimnossihle yxtk notninff, in its proper we find many e of God, all fcher opinions. ^ and laid it \ blessed and to itself nor ees with the ^ios contend- n was conn* necessity, or ivetse, which 8 immntahly ' confine the the doctrine ihment ; and Pagan syt- afiesmaybe la faUes, its I* or it was nive of the ded to pro- Peripatetics f the sonl's ifter death. i the soul is when the etaras into lb theaoulpf the universe; if not, it perishes ;—Epi- cunis and his followers, that «* when death is. we £re not. The leading men among the Komans, when philosophy was introduced among them, f oUo^red the various Greek sects. Cicero doubted. Pliny declares that the soul and body have no more sense after death than before we were bom.; Oasar, "that beyond deatii there is neither place for care nor joy." nie poets. It is true, spoke of a future state of rewards and ptjushm^ts ; they had the joys of Elysium imd the tortures of Tartarus ; but both phUosophers ^d poete regarded them as vulgar fables. i' ' »"** no?JS3l^?? a^^tiiat "the world by wisdom knew uotGod;" Mid that the very first principles of re- ^^mc;:U^t;ae;^ "*^" ^"^ orcoiSupted by «,^*** w J?""® ^^ "'?**^ ^^ ffeathen virtue, 1 sru'^i^^opia ^' ^"*"^ -*^^- -^ fewJ^vlf "*" ®T*r- The facts mentioned in t^'«SZ *^f *?o«^ ^ere universaUy corrupted, B^Jbf; ™f^* il:^ descriptTons of the state of ^hS Sl^hA^^"*'^^ "^J^^ ?^7 Testoment, and espedaUy S«f^?«^ chapter of the Epistle to the jCnZ contam no exaggerations. «»«»» fci;!,^® ??^* "«"^ T^^ ^ *^« life of man in all h^then countries, cannot have escaped theToS d reflecting mmds. Among the RoWns, m^ were Sh?^!,"'*';^ J^'y pStimes, br^i^Sad^^ strfiMSJ'^"^"'^^"'.^^^^^^, yet th^pli. Mon for Wood increased, and no war ev^ caused To S^v ^.^l^ ^ ^^ ^' «ladiatorial^Sba^ iniey were at firet confined to tie funerals o^reS persons. The first show of this kiod^bS^* feome by the Brtfti, on the deSTof SeLffir^ II ii le listed of three couples; but afterwards the nun^ S^ly increased. Julius Cffisar presented 3W) paiw STcrUdiators • and the Emperor Trajan, 10,000 of Ire tSin^^ainmen^ofthe people. Sometimes &hoJrid exhibitions, when £p^^^^^ ha. at- tained its heignt, deprived Europe of 20,000 iives m '''2 "rh^^is further Ulustrated by the treatment of slaves, which composed so large a portion of the DoJulatiTn of ancient states. *hey W and ac- KleKbe evU of murder, and had laws for its Smfnt ; but to this despised class of huma^ Ks?hey did not extend the rule ; ^or ^^s kdhM thm accounted murder, any more than the kiUmg ol abeast. The master had absolute power of life, or death or torture; and their lives were therefore sSced in the most wanton ma^er. The youth of Sa made it then- p.stime frequently to he in Ksh brniglit -or the slaves, and saUy out with rscr^Suponlvery Helot who came near them, and mIrdS £m in cold blood. It was the custom of Vedius Pollio, a Roman, when his slaves had com- mitteda fault, sometimes \y^^ *"^«^^VS order them to be thrown into his tish-ponds, to feed his lampreys. It was the cmstant custom,^ T-^u from TLitus, when a master was murdered m ^ 0^ house, to put all the slaves to death mdis- '"Tin many heathen nations it* was allowed 1^ strangle, or drown, or expse infaitto, especi^y ^ sickly or. deformed; and that ^^^ "^ ^^^^ states is considered as the most atrocious of crimes, WW. by the moat celebrated of adcient Pagan nations, ^teemed a wise and political expedient to^nd the state of useless 6r troublesome members, ^aUd was '^n enjoined by some of their most celebrated sa|eB ^dlegidators. The same practice contmues to tto eSy in a most aflfecting extent, not only among lumber pairs ,000 of aetimea has at- lives in nent of of the and ac- 8 for ita human t killing :illingof life, or herefore youth of :o lie in ►ut with em» and astom of tad com- one, to , to feed weleam id in his bh indis- lowed to ecially if Christian >f crimes, 1 nations, [> rid the aud was kted sages les to this ly among 17 ' « i.nt amouff the Hindoos and the jinrtviliaed Pagans, but among iJn fjhinese. .^^ of their moral teachew 4 As far as the ^'-l^^/ r ^ the mdulgence of n^ent. a fuU iicope was given f^r tn ^^ ^^^ batr^, malice, and ^^s^Xj^Xd by Cicero is, that KSes of the good man desmb^d by^ ^ Re hurts no one, except 1»,\ ^j^ Avenge all muriey, [he declares as *<>J^^"?„f4^^ And Aristotle laccording as 1 am P'ovokea oy y ^ ^^ the meek C^s of «^f l^^^^^^/^^^seUra^d revenge, as "a Ei^wiU not avenge himseii , iwi Vore manly tbing. connected with the r 6. To those vices w*^*®^ ^^^^^.g atatesmcii, pbi- Lrsuit of sinful V^^^^^^^^r^^o^^^ of tU Itosopbers, and n^owJists g^vo^j^ ^^^^ ^{ cient [opim(mf^^t^;^r^^^ day, to mark the IHeathenism contmues, j-u Wrals of Pagan conntnes. existence of re. In ^5^* ^^^^^l^'i^BeSsim^^^ of man led to the society and t^® f **^^i^nt law^ "^^^ *^/ presci^ation ,«^t^^f,^ exeS «*^*^*^* "^^ [rahnb, widto the ^^^^,^ts X^ tl,e same dis^ lagainst them; but mth^a^B^.^^^^ I^ Psition to y Missionaries, but ^ |heldofacial,civd,r.nd3udiciam^^ ^^ ^y.. Ikbat their disregard of trutn 18 tomatia Wlien discovered, it causes no surprise in the one party, or humiliation in the other. Even when they have truth to tell, they seldom fail to bolster it up with some appended falsehoods. '' It is the husiness of all," says Sir John Shore, ''{|xmi the Koyt to the Dewan, to conceal and deceiva The simplest matters of fact are designedly covered with a veil, which no human understanding can penetrate. " The prevalence of perjury is so univer- sal, as to involve the Judges in extreme perplexity. 8. The horrible practice of ofifering human bacbi- ncES prevailed throughout every region of the heathen world to a degree which is almost incredible , and it still prevails in many -populous countries, where Christianity has not yet oeen made known. There are inocmtestable proofs of its having subsisted •mon^ the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Persians, the Phoemoians, and all the various nations of the East It was one of the crying sins of The contagion spread over everypai and Europe. The Gieeks and tUm^ involved m this guilt than many 0i,l not alto^ther untainted with it ^ eztraordinaxy occaoions they had recourse to what was esteemed the most efficacious and most meritorious tr>,i^fice that could be offered to the gods, the effusion f h;iio.v;;^ blood. But among more barbarous nations. t;^ * practice t^ok a firmer root The Scythians tuid ^iiu'vciians, thu Gauls and the Germans, were strongly addicted to it ; and our own island, under the gloomy and ferocious despotism of the Druids, was polluted with the religious murder of its inhabitants. In the semi-civilized kingdoms on the western side of Africa, as Dahomy, Ashantee, and others, many thousands fall every year victims to superstition. In America, Montezuma offered 20,000 victims yearly to the sun ; and modem navigators have found the practice throughout the whole extent of the vast Pacific Ocean. the Canaanites. f 'xi«ia, Afric:i, )ugh 1 'P. . nai;ions, were On great and »i.- 19 » turpnse in kher. Evcin dom fail to kIs. ''Itia ore, **fjmm id deceiva idly covered landing can ) 80 univer- 9rplexity. MAN 8ACBI- ion of the incredible, countries, tde known, g snbsisted 3rsian8, the F the East Oanaanites. f^ii, Ainc%, .)ugh 1 "p. iitiouB, were great and se to what meritorious the effusion )U8 nations, thians ana sre strongly the gloomy as polluted ;S. In the c of Africa, thousands n America, to the Bun ; le practice rciiic Ocean. As for India, the ories of its abominable and cnie] superstitions have been sounded repeatedly in tli€ ears of the British public and its Legislature ; and, including infants and widows, not fewer than 10,0U1J lives fall a sacrifice to idolatry in our own cetera dominions yearly 1 9. This immoral tendency of their religion wae confirmed and perfected by the very character and actions of their gods, whose names were perpetually in their mouths ; and whose murderous or obscene ex- ploits, whose villp :^ies and chicaneries, whoso hatreds and strifes, were the subjects of their popular legends ; which made up, in fact, the only theology, if so it ma^ be called, of the body of the people. Ihis sad picture of heathen morals and miiary must surely convince you that there was a mos. pressmg weces«t<.y i ^r a merciful interposition on the part of God, to enlichten this darkness, and to teacL men the truth as to himself, and all those great princi- ples on which human happiness and salvation depend. Y. I do indeed see the value and necessity of a written and authorized revelation from God, and now wait for your next step in this important argument. CHAPTER IIL THB EVIDENCTB BY WHICH A REVELATION MAY BE SATISFACTORILY PROVED TO BE DIVTUB. T. You acknowled-0 such a revelation from God, as should contam explicit information on the subjecti on which mankind had most erred, to have been necessary ; and you very properly expect that a re- ligious system which makes so lofty a claim should be supported by adequate evidence : let me then ask whether you think it possible for God to reveal truth toman. r. To denv that would be the grej^test absurditv : .^x ,.o .!,= iu«^c «o vuf/uwe oi iinowieagw, ne inuBii be I I 20 able to C(mmunkaee knowledge to us in various ways —by sensible appearances,— by voices, —by ancels.— or by his secret and invisible illumination of the mind of man ; thus introducing ideas into the under- Btandmg, which it could not, by its own efforts, have acquired. , -yo *i.^*n^¥?i*i X?* now suppose any man to profess that God had thus spoken to him by a voice, or to have sent an angel to him with a message, or to have lUununated his mmd in the way just described: would you admit the teaching and writing of such a mn to be of divine authority, on his own declaration , , P^I^V^V ?°*- ^ ^e ^ere even a goodmaa, I should still think that he might possibly have b^n tfcce«t;c<^ m whole or in part. 1 ?• ?^^ *^®? ^^^^ y^^ require him to prove that iie had received such a revelation from God ? XT, J^^ced it is difficult to conceive how any man though he might truly have received such a com- munication, could conceive any other of it He might make such a profession with earnestness; he might appeal to his flroodcAaracfer; he might reason on the doctraie, to prove it ra«owa^ and fmpor^an^- but none of these con d command the entire credence of mankmd, or give his doctrine authorUy. «. .«;.w^ remarks are just ; and, therefore, if such a revelation were mtended to be a public benefit to mankmd, and he who had received it Was to be considered m the li^ht of a divine messenger, we must suppose that iUnSghty God would in^iml way accredit him to others m that character, by enabling him to perform some work evidently above mere an^t^f^i^^"* *° ^,^®?' ^^^ Which therefore must mentality, as a %i of his commission. ?1^ .wr."fJ?.^.*¥ by which he " "^^ -^^^^^ i ai«i MiEACLES are, therefore, 1 Mil •» «• 21 ippose, urgea by belicverB lu tlic Bible us eigns of bhis decfciiption. . . T. They are so ; but that you may fully perceive [the force of the aigument which wc build upon them, 1 1 must ask you to tell me what a miracle is ? Y. A miracle is a wondeVf a prodigy^ or extra- ordinary event. T, This is a definitiou of a miracle merely in the popular sense ; but in the sense in which we use the term in theology^ we must be more precise in our definition. A miracle is an effect or event contrary to the established constitutions or course of things, or a sensible suspension or controlment of, or deviation from, the known laws of nature, wrought either by the immediate act, or by the concurrence, or by the permission of God, for the proof or evidence of some particular doctrine, or in attestation of the authority of some particular, person. Y, What end does this definition serve : y. It shows you that we take the fairest ground with unbelievers in this question : — that we do not think every strange event a miracle ; nor what unin- structed men, from their ignorance of the laws of nature, medicinal power, the power of imagination over the bodily frame, or mechanical skill and con- trivances, or the science of chemistry, might consider miraculous ; but acknowledge that event only to be itiraculous which manifestly exceeds the extent of human power, as measured by those limits of its exertion, which uniform experience has defined, — which, as it overrules the established laioa of nature, must argue the agency of a divine control, — and which is so connected with the promulgation of a professed revelation as clearly to be designed to authenticate it. Y, The question cannot.be more fairly stated; but now I wish to hear the argument you form from the B-ipposed "jase of the performance of such a miracle. , jT. The arffUm«nt ia. f.hAf. aa fliA Irnntim on/1 22 established coarse of nature lias been fixed by ]iim who is the Creator and Preserver of all thincs, it can never be violated, departed from, or controUed, but either immediately by himself, or mediately by other beings at his command, and by his assistance or per- mission ; for if this be not aUowed, we must deny that God governs all things. Every real miracle^ therefore, is a work of God, done by his permission, and with his concurrence. Y, But how do you cmmect such miracles with the authority of the teachers of a professed revelation ? T. In the following manner : — When such unequivocal miracles as those we have pointed out o.ccur only at the time when certain persons profess that they have a divine authority to teach and command mankind, this is a strong pre- sumption that the works are wrought by God in order to authenticate this pretension ; but when they are performed by those persons themselves, at their own violation, and for the express purpose of estab- lishing their mission, inasmuch as such works are allowed to be real miracles, which no power but that of God can effect, it is then clear that God is with them, and that his co-operation is an authenticating and visible seal upon their commission. Y, This is satisfactory ; but it still remains for you to show that such miracles have been actually wrought by tho agents employed by God to communicate to men the revelations of the Scriptures. T. This might be done at great length, but it will be sufficient to examine a few of the miracles of Afo^ea and of Christ; for if their divine commisaion be thus proved, all the rest follows. Y. This of course. T, Well, then, to begin with Moses, — 1. The BOD cast from the hand of Moses became a serpent. Here the subject was well known ; it was a rod, a branch separated from a tn»x and it wis 23 nnist therefore follow. ^ circiunstancet 9 The Dlasrue of dabknessj. -^^ ^Tl- ^^•,4. ;« a^ to be no?a in tie relation mven of *» e^t^n ^odus X. It continued three '1*y8 ! f"*^* H^d «.« Wiontiims onlv. for "aJl the children of Israel tdui?to?h»eUing8," The ^ot hc^.?^»i Swas of the «-*T»l'^,^'^^ !^1^ tSld taken place every E^ptian *"'': The riienomenoia have contradicted the accowit. ^he pnenomen was not produced by ft» eclipse of the sra, for no X«e of that luminary o.» ^"^""'.fif.^^o^ n''4"«Srf'^°"ding the waters of the Rg« &t hI S event we o^rve, as „in the ofteW. cbJuniiS»<«s wWchexclude aU possibiht^ circuuwviwv^ anhiectof the miracle IS tnesea, or collusioa. ^5®. f ^P^^tJ;,^ ^ larael who passed 24: T»atew, at the BtretchinrK thf W,^" "J^ «»« •nd ceases at tie same sfraS ^fl+Si'^'l?* ^OBeB, Moment when the rXraffi,.^.* ""* '* thepiecwe ffJ tothoEgyptmnpu"uLgam^"'T^°'^4 l»i?ort oharaotM- of this event is Aw'^' ^oonraculone So point of oVcrt^g tSl fu^i^^i«»t^ on the inoaent when the Tatter rS!^ ' ""^ <=<=««» »t |n Bafetjr, ^d when fehet IneS ^'■"Pff^** *<»« ttepasgage, in the only p^S'?^^^,.*''? "^"J** o< of the wjSi of vatera m^J, S J ^^."^ **« ""osn* forty ?a.|^if«2^<^,; ^^^^ » the wilde^esa fox one in whiJh there «^d"^"^'^'"^°'^^o. and mt of those who^^T,ste*^f •f^'^'^« ok the the part of Moses. 3^^^™.*^ '*' "<"■ f»»d on by ttie ordinary couraa nf ^! '^* ^*» "o* produced by the fact. Zt ttTslr^' "^ "^"^^^a oeS jeUed by ikdiviS Z? J^^^^ess has been tri from the'earlSt S to th J '^^^ '^■«'' of nSJ. wpply of food w^ver *i° P^*' ''"t no and.' OocMion. And itrmT^u^l'^i''' except on this • jn^ked by the follow™SZ.^^'''"**'ai' ^"^her but e« days in the week tw^ /l/"^** '* *^ d«ious quantities, aa snstaiL^iti ' ^*?.,"' ^ci PM- ttat there feU a double .,!^^tv ^''"^ millions of so^. tte Israelites frthe S*lr'^J''i:^y. to»«ve Sabbath : that what w« „ f^^' T'^"'^ ^m their days of the week stoiT^^f i f ^'^^'^d on the fiwt fl« one day: ZTt^TZ^i^^^^'^o"^, if kcut^W ■' "'"'^a was gathersd on PrMfty 25 kept sweet for two days : and that it continaed fallinc while the Israelites remained in the wilderness, but ceased as soon as they came out of it, and got com to eat in the land of Canaan. Let these very extraor> dinary particulars be considered, and they at once coi^nn the fact, whilst they unequivocally establish the miracle. No people could be deceived in these oiromstances ; no person could persuade them of their truth, if they had not occurred ; and the whole was so clearly out of the regular course of nature, as to mark unequivocally the interposition of God. To the mfycrity of the numerous miracles recorded in the Old Testament, the same remarks apply, and upon them the same miraculous characters are as indubitably impressed. If we proceed to those of Christ, the evidence becomes, if possible, more indubitable. They were clearly above the power either of human agency or natural causes. It would be trifling to examine instances so well known in their circumstances ; for the slightest recollection of the feeding of the multitudes in the desert,— the healing of the paralytic, — the instant cure of the witheml hand in the i^jmagogue, near Jerusalem, — the raising from the dead the daughter of Jairus, the widow's son, and Lazarus, — and^any other instances of miraculous power, — will be sufficient to convince any ingenuous mind, that all the characters of real miracles meet in them. The great miracle, the resur- rection of our Lord himself from the dead, so often appealed to by the first teachers of his religion, crowns the whole. F. I now most clearly perceive, that if these facts can be established to have actually taken place, they must be allowed to have been wrought by a divine power; and by the cij-cumstances of their pendrmance, or occurrence, to attest both Moses and Christ as eotnmiaaioned by the Author of nature himself. But 26 • (8 not evidence from prophecy eXudtelM on in prod! I of the divine authority of the Scriptures T T It is ; and with reason. ^ « Y But tell me what you understand by prophecy? T. Your question is important ; for we do not un- cderstand by prophecy an ingenious anticipation of futofevents, which sometimes nor darJs and equwocal general predictions which may .Xn have a plausible application to different evento; 'nor the tvi J conjectures of observant men founded ;upon experience. We here, as in the case of nurac es vtike open ground with our opponents, and appeal to -prophecy only as it bears the following characters :-- 1 that it shaU have been delivered before the event Lid to be a fuliilment of it ; 2. That it shaU Have a •particular, and not a general, agreement with that [event; 3. That the event shaU be sucn as no human :sagacity or foresight could possibly conjecture and fortell-and, 4. That these predictions sh^ be con- mected with those who profess to give revelations from (God to mankind, in the same manner as in the case cof miracles. , . , . . r This brings the matter to an easy issue ; but in -what way is the fulfihnent of prophecy proof of a idivine commission ill him who utters it ? T. In the following : - When, for instance, the events are distant manv ^vears or ages from the uttering the prediction iteelf , Sepending on causes not so much as existmg when tthe prophecy was spoken and recorded, and Idcewise nipQU various circumstances, and a long arbitrary laenes 0i things, and the fluctuating "^certainties of Ihuman volitions ; and especially when they depend mot at all upon any external circumstances, nor upon any created being, but arise merely f ro*n the counsels wd appointment of God himself :-such events can be foSuiown only by that Being, on© of whose •ttribntfis is omniscienoe, and can be foretold by him ^7 ionly to whom the "Father of liffhts'* shau reveal them; so that whoever is mani^stlv endued with [that predictive power, must, in that instance, speak 1 and act by divine inspiration, and what he pronounces I of that lund must be received as the word of God ; nothing more being necessary to assure us of this, I than credible testimony that such predictions were uttered before the event, and conclusive evidence : that the records which contain them are of the [anti^uit^- to which they pretend. Y. Can you give any instances of this kind of )rophecy, and its fulfilment? T. The instances which the Scrijltures supply are: Jvery numerous ; but a few will convince you of the- [irresistible force of their claim to divine inspiration. 1. We take, first, the celebrated prediction of Jacob* >efore his death : ** The sceptre shall not depart fromi Tudah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until' ^HiLOH come," &c. The word Shiloh signifies, "He who is to be^ lent," or, *'The peace-maker ;" in either sense, the: ipplication of it to that great Person to whom all the; "Patriarchs looked forward, and all the Prophets gave: ritness, is obvious. Before a certain event, a certain. iVbon was to come, to whom the -people should be ithered : tlie event has certainly arrived, but who isr, le ]person? The applicaiion of the prophecy ta [essiah is not an invention of Christians. The Lcient Jews, as appears from their commentators, sa iderstood it ; and the modem ones are unable to re-^ |ite the evidence drawn from it in favour of the claims, our Lord. That it is a prediction, is proved front p>Tm, and the circumstances under which it waft blivered ; that it has received a singular accom^ lishment in the^rson of Jesus of Nazareth, is also >rtain ; and it is equally certain that no individual »ide can be produced in whom it has been in any whatever accomplished. Jndah, a» a tiibe^ 28 i II Tamaiued till after the advent of Jesus Cnrist, whicli cannot be said of the long-dispersed ten tribes, and scarcely of Benjamin, which was merged in the tribe of Judah. Till our Lord came, and had accomplished his work on earth, the tribe of Judah continued. This is matter of unquestionable historic fact. In a short time afterwards it was dispersed, and mingled with the common mass of Jews of all tribes and countries : this is equally unquestionable. Now acain we ask. Could either human foresight determine "uiis, or is the application of the event to the prophecy fanciful? The prediction was uttered in the very in- fancy of the state of Israel, by the father of the fathers of the tribes of that people. Ages passed awav; the mightiest empires were annihUated; ten of the chosen tribes themselves were utterly dis- persed into unknown countries ; another became so msignificant as to lose its designation ; one only remained, which imposed its very name upon the nation at large, the object of public observation until the Messiah came, — and that tribe was Judah, the tribe spoken of in the prediction, and it remained as it were only to make the fulfilment manifest, and was then confounded with the relics of the rest. What prescience of countless contingencies, occurring in the intervening ages, does this imply !— a prescience truly which can only belong to Goo. 2. The apostasies and idolatries of his people were foretold by Moses before his death. " 1 know that after my death ye will utterlv corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I nave commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter days ;" (Deut. xxxi. .29;) and he accordingly prophetically declares their punishment. Let us look into the. detail of these threatened punishments. Besides the ordinary inflictions of f ail- mg harvests, and severe diseases, in their own country, they were, according to the piophi^tcies of Moses, Ilnrist, whicb n tribes, and I in the tribe accomplished h continued. c fact. In a and mingled 1 tribes and Now again itermine this, bhe prophecy I the very in- Pather of the Ages passed ihUated; ten utterly dis- Qr became so n ; one only mc upon the irvation until s JUDAH, the b remained as nanifest, and D rest. What 3urring in the escience truly 3 people were * 1 know that ourselves, and 3 commanded atter days ;" prophetically 36 threatened Lctions of fail- own country, es of Moses, 29 (Beat, xxviii.,) to be ** scattered among all people, irom the one end of the earth to the other.' And i where is the trading nation in which they are not, in f Abu, Africa, and Europe ? Many are even to be found in the West Indies, and in the commercial parts of America. Who could foresee this but God ; especially when their singular preservation as a distinct people, a solitary instance m the history of nations, is also implied? They were to fmd "«o ease'* among these nations ; ana the almost constant and long-continued [persecutions, robberies, and murder of Jews, not only |m ancient nations, but especiall^r among Christian nations of the middle ages, and in the Mahometan States to this day, are in wonderful accomplishment of this. They were to be " a proverb and a by-word among all nations ;" which has been in ev6iy place fulfilled, but was surely above human intelligence to foresee. It was added, "The stranger that is within I thee shall cet above thee very high, and thou shalt come very low." For a comment on this, let the con- duct of the "stranger," the Turk, and others, who inhabit Falo3tine, towards the Jews who remain there, be recollected : the one party is indeed " very high," and the other * * very low. " Other parts of this sin- gular chapter present equally striking predictions, [uttered more than three thousand years ago, and since remarkably accomplished ; but there are some pass- ages in it, which refer in terms so particular to a then [distant event,— the utter subversion of their polity [and nation b^ the Romans, — as to demonstrate in the pnost unequivocal maimer the presence of Him to [whom all events, the most contmguent, minute, and iistant, are known with absolute certainty. That bhe Romans are intended, in ver. 49,. by the nation brought from " the end of the earth," distinguished hy bheir well known ensi^ "the eagle,'* and by their erce and cruel dispoBiton, is exceedingly probable ; and it is remarkable, that the account which Moses 30 :Uives of the horrors of the ''siege " of which he spea&s, IS exactly- paralleled by those well-known passages is •Josephus, in which he describes the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army. The Lvjt verse of the chapter seems indeed to fix the refertnoe of the foregoing pass- ago to the anal distruction of the nation by the Ro- mans, and at the same time contains a prediction, the accomplishment of which cannot possibly be ascribed to accident. "And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee. Thou shalt see it no more again : and tnere ye shall bo sold, u!ii;o your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you." On this Dr. Hales remarks, on the authority of their own national historian Josephus, " Of the captives taken at the siege of Jerusalem, above seventeen years of age, some were sent to Egjnpt in chains ; the greater part were distributed through the provinces, to be destroyed m the theatres, by the sword, and by wild beasts ; the rest, under seventeen, were sold for slaves, and that for a trifling sum, on account of the numbers to be sold, and the scarcity of buyers ; so that at length the pro- phecy of Moses 'was fulfilled, — *And no man shall buy.' The part that were reserved to grace the triumph of Vespasian, were probably transported to Italy * in ships,' or by sea, to avoid a prodigious land- journey t'lithcr through Asia and Greece, —a circumitance which distinguished this invasion and captivity from the preceding by the Assorians and Babylonians. In the ensuing rebellion, a part of the captives * were sent by sea to Egypt,' ana several of the ships were wrecked on the coast. " Thus, at a distance of fifteen centuries, were these contingent circumstances accurately recorded by the Jrophetic spirit of Moses,— the taken of innumerable ewa captive, — ^their transport to Egypt,— their being sold till the markets for slaves were glutt>ed, and.no moi^e buyers were found, —and embarked on hoard 31 vessels, either to grace the triumph of their conqivr- or. or to find a market in dififerentmariime ports. !■ it posaible that these numerous and mmute circum- stimce can be referred to either happy conjectures or human foresight? . ^ i.- - *^«-^ 3. The destruction of many ancient cities was tor©- told by the Prophets, and has been atrikmgly venfied. As to Babylon, even when it was the most potent city of the world, and the head of the most formidable empire, Isaiah predicts its capture by Cjmis, (men- tioning him by name more than one hundred years, before he was bom, ) and its utter destruction. Now the proof of the truth of thie prophecy remams to^w; day. In Bishop Newton's Dissertations on the Fro- phecies, which I recommend to your perusal, you will find this part of prophetic Scripture strikingly illuB- trated. And still further proofs of the wonderfully exact accomplishment of those prophecies may be seen in a highly interesting Memoir on the Ruins of Babylon, by Claudius J. Rich, published in 1815* Immense ruins were visited by him near the supposed site of ancient Babylon, which probably are, though the matter cannot be certainly ascertained, the re- mahis of that astonishing citjr, now indeed swept with the " besom of destruction.'* He tells us, too, that the neighbourhood is to the present a habitation on^y for birds and beasts of prey ; that the dens of lions, with their slaughtered victims, are to be seen in many places : and that most of the cavities are occupied with, bats and ovls. It is therefore impossible to reflect without awe upon the passage of Isaiah, writ- ten during the prospenty of Babylon, wherein he say 8, "The wiM beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there." lie present ruins of that city also demonstrate, that ^e course of the Euphrates has been changed, pro- bably in consequence of the channel formed by Cyras ; 32 the yielding nature of the soil demonatratet thi.t ch an operation could have been performed by a larize army with great facility and despatch. - The ruins examined by Mr. Kich bear testimony to the immense extent of the city as described by ancient authors. Vast masses of masonry, of both burnt and unbumt bricks and bitumen, were observed in various excavations in these huge mountains of ruins, which are separated from each other by several miles. One is oiSfed by the Arabs, Birs Nimroud ; another the Kasr^ or Palace ; and a third, which some have thought to be. the ruins of the Tower of Belus, is called by the natives Mugelibe, overturned, which expressive term is also sometimes applied to the mounds of the Kasr. 4. Daniel distiiwtly predicts the overthrow, in suc- cession, of the four great empirea of antiquity, the Ba- bf/lonian, the Persian^ the ur€cia>n, and the Roman; all which has taken place : but neither the rise of the three latter, nor their /aZ/, could have been foreseem by man. 6. But the most numerous prophecies relate to Messiah, the great end and object of the prophetic dispensation. Of these not a solitary instance, o| two, of an equivocal kind, and expressed only ifl figurative or symbolical language, are to be adduced ; but upwards of one hundred predictions, generally of very <5ear and explicit meaning, and each referring to some different circumstance connected with the ap- pearing of Christ, his person, history, and his miws- try, have been selected by Divines ;—eccc/imve of typical and allusive predictions, and those which in an ultimate and remote sense are believed to terminate in him. The history of Jesus answers to these pre- dictions, and exhibits their exact accomplishm^t. The Messiah was to be of the seed of Davia,— bon^ in Bethelem, — bom of a virgin, — an incarnation of Deii?y. " God with us.— an eminent but unsuccessful teacher ; 33 • -h« wu to open the eyes of the Mind, heal tli« I.... Mid reieoted by his on-n countrymen, arrai^^^ violent death ;— he was to rise from the deZ? . JLj to the right hand of God, and there be&tS Zifj^^^S- '"^authority, was to punish hS S^^ and estaMwh h.8 own spiritual kingdom, whiTdS never end We do not enter into moi^ miiX^. dictions, for the argument is irresistible wffSS on these alone ; and we may assert that no maS » number of men, could possibly have maJl., .„7l ' features Considered i^theJluZl^i^^t What rational num. or number of wtional r^L^nH now be found to hazard a conjectni« th^^^,^* tion of Deity would occur in anv riven nllSSf^ time -that this Divine PerZ .ZulttSctelS. work miracles, be unjustly put to deafhS.r^^' «id establidi his rdigi^on ? "^-Fhlrare ttoS » never enter mto the minds of men bi«.»,,S^*J. ™ suggested by no experienceraSd iv^^tev* ansmg out of the usS^ cou»e!rf huU ,S5^»?^ serts that such events have once occnr^ B rtl^ such events Uy beyond not only hi^WiSt iSJi spiration. But the case does not close here. TiiL sJaU we account, in the next place, f^tfeir^ stances aU having met, strange as they iS^ h^L person, and in one only among^all theSSSi Sm^t who have been bom of woman a«?1S ?^ ^' "*®^ 'JTS^'T^ ' Helrrth7SL*t^CS in Bethlehem,-he t-iessed to bo "Gofwift^" and wrought miracles to substantiate WTdSS ^t 34 YuB word or touch, the " eyes of the blind were open ed,** "the lame leaped as a hart," the dumb spake, the sick were healed, and the dead lived, as the Pro- Ehets had foretold. Of the uoisdom oi his teaching, is recorded discourses bear witness. His rejection and unjust death by his countrymen are matters of historic fact ; his resurrection and ascension stand upon the lofty evidenties which have been already adduced ; the destruction of the Jewish nation, according to his own predictions, followed as the proof of the terror of his offended majesty; and his "kingdom" among men continues to this day. There is no possible means oi evading the evidence of the fulfilment of these predictions in the person of our Lord. To all these predictions the words of a modem writer are applicable : " Let now the infidel, or the sceptical reader, meditate thoroughly and soberly upon these predictions. The priority of the records to the events admits of no question. The completion is obvious to every competent inquirer. Here then are facts. *^e are called upon to account for those facts on rational and adequate principles. Is human foresight equal to tl^ task? Enthusiasm? Con- jecture? dhance? Political contrivance? If none of these, neither any other principle that may be de- vised by man*s sagacity, can account for the facts ; then tme philosophy, as well as true religion, will as- cribe them to the inspiration of the Almighty. Every effect must have 9. oause. " Y. This is evidence not to be controverted ; but how shal I know that these miraculous works did in reality take place, and that these prophecies were uttered and recorded before the events which they foretell? T» This is the third step in our demonstration ; and on this subject you shall receive satisfactory infonna- tion 36 ere open lb spake, I tlie Pro- teaching, rejection latters of ;and upon adduced ; ing to hifl > terror of " among » possible ilment of a modem el, or the d soberly le records ompletion ECere then for those Is human n? Con- If none lay b6 de- the facts ; n, will as- y. Every jrted ; but )rks did in eciea were hich they ition ; and y infonna- OHAPTEll IV THE ANTIQUITY, GENUINENELJS, AND AUTHliNTICITY OP THE BOOKS OF SCRIPTURE. Y. At what period did Moses become the legislatoi of the Jewish nation, and Christ appear in the world ? T. Moses gave his laws about 1600 years before Christy accorSng to the common chronology, which fixes the birth of our Lord upwards of eighteen cen- turies ago. y. Is there any testimony of ancient Pagan writer* 313 to the existerice and antiquity of these distinguished persons ? T, Yes ; for though some infidel writers have car- ried their folly so far as to cjuestion their existence, wre have the testimony of numerous Pagan wTiters, as well as uninterrupted tradition, to confirm it. Y. Have the kindness to give me some instances. T. To the existence of the founders of the Jewish and Christian religion, and the respective antiquity ascribed to them in the Scriptures, many ancient writers give ample testimony ;i|^ho, being themselves neither of the Jewish nor Christian religion, cannot bo suspected of having had any design to furnish evidence of the truth of either. Manetho, Chere- MON, Apollonius, and Lysimachus, besides some other ancient Egyptians whose histories are now lost, are quoted by Josephus, as extant in his days ; and passages are collected from them, in which they agree that Moses was the leader of the Jews when tney der/yHed from Egypt, and the founder of their laws. . vStiiabo, who flourished in the century before Christ, gives an account of the law of Moses, as forbidding unages, and limiting divine worship to One Invisible and Universsd Being. Justin, a Roman historian, in nis 36th book, devotes a chapter to an account of the origin of the Jews ; represents them as sprung from ten sons of Israel, and speaks of Moses as the com- 36 mander of the Jews, who went out of Egypt, of the institution of the Sabbath, and the pffio^i^ AMon. PiMY speaks of Moses, as giving risTto a sect of mafficmns. probably with rffere#oe to his contest with the magicians oJ Egypt. TAcmjs savs "Moses gave a new form of worslip to the j^ws S a system of rehgious ceremonies, the reverseTev^ thmg known to any other age or country." Juvenai: in his 14th Satire, mentions* Moses as tte authoTol a volume, which was preser^-ed with great c^eXioM the Jews; by which the worship of Saages^dSf 8 Ws flesh were forbidden ; U circStncSnrS the observation of the Sabbath, strictly erioin^ LONGINUS cites Moses as the lawgiver rf thfje^ and praises the sublimity of his style i^ the acooS hegivesof the creatioa-As to Cheist, it is o™v necessary to give the testimony of two histoS whose antiquity no one ever thought of StW SjTETONius mentions him by namefand sZ ^S Claudius expeUedfrom Kome those who adS^redto hm cause. Tacitus records the progress ^^h the Chnstian reli»on had made, an/t& vioknt death «iJnT/f -^"^ '"^^"^ '„*!** ^^ flourish^d^d^tte reim of Tibenus ; that PUate was then Procurator of Judea ; and that the original autW of S^m ot the founder of Christianity, but the period in whicn he hved, 13 exactly ascertained bySmti^ tn» genumeness of which has never been tt«l^' * J -r^^ "°^ *o ^0"^ me on what ground 1 vn to admit the professed antiquity of the sS SoiT T 1^^^ WfB alsoto be L importaSt^int * written at the'S'wh^'m^v*^! ,?^;„2LYJr!J:! Priesthood of iving rise to a Terence to his Tacitus says, iho Jews, and c^erse of every 7." Juvenal, lie author of a >t care among jes and eating imcision, and tly enjoined, of tho Jews, n the account T, it is only vo historians of disputing, id says that adhered to js which the idolent death led under the a Procurator of this pro- eal existence nod in whicn iritings, tne t)ted. ground 1 Ma lacred Scrip- nt point. - n were com- h the mira- ormed, then irred is rcn- they were 37 have contradicted the narration, if false; and the improbability is also greater, that, in the very age and place when and where those events are said to have been performed, any writer would have dared to run the hazard of prompt, certain, and disgraceful detection. It is equally important- in the evidence from prophecy ; for if the predictions were recorded long before tho events which accomplished them took place, then the only question which remains is, whether the accomplishment actually occurred ; for then the evidence becomes irresistible. Y. I perceive the importance of this inquiry ; what then can be adduced ? T, With respect to the Scriptures of the Old Tes- tament, the lanr/uar/e in which they are written is a 3trong proof of their antiquity. The Hebrew ceased to be spoken as a living language soon after the Babylonian captivity, and the learned agree that there was no grammar made for the Hebrew till many ages after. The difficulty of a forgery at any period after the time of that captivity is wierefore apparent. Of these books, too, there was -ii Greek translation, commonly called the Septuagint, made about two hundred and eighty -seven years before the Christian era, and laid up in the Alexandrian Library. Josephus gives a catalogue of the Sacred Books among the Jews, in which He expressly mentions the five books of Moses, thirteen of the Prophets, four of Hymns and Moral Precepts ; and if, as many critics maintain, Ruth was added to Judges, and the Lamen- tations of Jeremiah to his pro^iecies, the number agrees with those of the Old Testament as it is re- ceived at tho present day. The Samaritans, who separated from the Jews many hundred years before the birth of Christ, have in their language a Pentateuch, in the main exactly agreeing with the Hebrew ; and the Pa^an writers before cited, xirifli TnAnv' <^-^.11'>ma sv^aaIi' ^W lUF^m^^ ~^^ T •• ■•■■ "" 'J -j-vtfu-xo, oL/pt»rt ^jx is^y jo V fO UV« M m 38 only as A lawgiver and a Pruice, but as tlie author oi books esteemed sacred by the Jews. Y. If the writings of Moses, then, are not genuine^ the forgery must nave taken place at a very early period. T» Yes ; but a few considerations will convince you, that at any time this was utterly impossible. T. This I shall be happy to see made plain. T. It is done to my hand by the argument of a celebrated writer,* which 1 shall abridge, referring you to his work for the proof at large. *'It is impossible that those books should have been received as his, if not written by him, because they speak of themselves as delivered by Moses, and kept in the ark from this time. (Deut. xxxi. 24r-26. ) A copy of this book was also to be left with the King. (Deut. xvii. 18.) " This book of the law thus speaks of itself, not only as a history or relation of what things were done, but as the standing and municipal law and statutes ol the nation of the Je^|, binding the King as well as the people. Now in whatever age after Moses thit book may be supposed to have been forged, it was im- possible that it could be received as truth, because it was not then to be found (as it professed to be) either in the ark, or with the King, or any where else ; for when first invented, everybody must know that they had never heard of it before. " Could any man, now at this day, mvent a book of statutes or Acts of Parliament for England, and make it pass upon the nation as the only book of statutes that ever they had known ? As impossible was it f oi the books of Moses (if they were invented in any age after Moses) to have been received for what they de- clare themselves to be, namely, the statutes and municipal law of the nation of ttie Jews ; and for any to have persuaded the Jews that they had owned ar 39 e autHor ol >t genuine, very early 1 convincv >ssiblo. lin. iment of a I, referrini lould have m, because Moses, and :xi. 24-26.) i the King. '■ itself, not were done, statutes of I as well as Moses thi« , it was im- , because it be) either re else ; for ¥ that they it a book of i, and make of statutes e was it f oi . in any age at they de> atutei and and for any owned ar acknowledged these books all along, from the days of Moses to that day in which they were first inrented : that is, that they had owned them before they had ever so much as l^ard of them. Nay, more, the whole nation must, in an instant, forget their former laws and government, if they could receive these books as being their former laws. And they could not other- wise receive them, because they vouched themselves so to be. Let me ask the Deists but one short question, Was there ever a book of sham-laws, which were not the laws of the nation, palmed upon any people, since the world began? K not, with what face can they say this of ^e book of the laws of the Jews? Why will they say that of them, which they confess impossible in any nation, or among any "Buib they must be yet more unreasonable. For the books of Moses have a further demonstration of their truth than even other law-books have ; for they not only contain the laws, but give an historical account of their institution, and the practice of them from that time :— as of the Passover, in memory of the death of the first-born in Egypt ; (Nmm. viii 17. 18 ;) and that the same day, all the iist-bom of Israel, both of man and beast, were, by a perpetual law, dedicated to God ; and the Lerltes taken lor all the first-born of the children of Israel And besides these rememberances of particular actions and occur- rences, there were other solemn institutions in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt, in the general, which included all the particulars ;—as the Sabbath ; their daily sacrifices and yearly eiqpiation ; their new moons, and several feasts and fasts. So that there were yearly, monthly, weekly, daily remembrances and recogmtions of these things. *'Now whenever it can be supposed that these booki of Moses were f oiged in some ages after Moses, it is iifiipossible they could have Vm received as I! I 40 W their lUZl hj bel'^2^*'^ thcae bX when they were ohildren «nS i^^ra^ted in thorn *keu- children ; m^Tr ^\^^ *»°«W tkem to <»»nmei8ed. aid dT ^'' *''** t^ey had aU bera pnrsnance to Xt wl "="^"'^'="6 their children^ feeHySabbaa,theMw™„ '^^^''i^ P^sover, the We, fasta, ai^d ceS,S™^' "«» ""f *t«»e eevenj ^^ But, was rtTOsS f°T^ ^^« persuaded a practised ali these thin^f ♦^y v'^ ^»^ ««d or seeondiv, tohaVSi^^^^'^ »»* ^on^it' •aid they Lad niir+;I!5f il * ""^^ ^r tmth, which practice f P'^wed them, and appealed to ttS »»pl^tion! T.a^el5^ teit^r^" "*™°«* ^«««e oi before these books or Mo^ifw"^ ''^'^ pi^tised those books did ™t„ ■ '^^ ^•"^* foiled : Sod tW feg them M^eve 4^P,rT';*''<'^ti«aTmik! vances in aemw of «^i*'*^ ''*<1 kept these o^ fhowerer' SoSidts^^H*^ «P<>« -« supposition •ppowibilig;, TS'L ?n tif'''* '^' "o* *e «^ fi™t,thiam„8tgup"^,f°.tie former case? fW observances in mcm^^ of w^^ ^^''^ keptaUthe^ ^g anything of theTS^^^"*^;!?^ «' ^^o-t kno^ kept thent Whereas C V}^ T**"* ^^y the,, exprcsatheOTouii,l!rj ^® ^^^ observances did as tho Passofw ;„ ^^ '*ason of their bdn^ b.S children Tthe wIT "^ P^ ^'o P^^vX -But, secondly kf i,r^ ' ^** ®^ *^^ *^e rest. y- - it ^.ct ^^u.^Tth^.g.^'^J 41 kept ttese obflervjnces in memory ofwliattheyhad never heard of before that day, whensoever vol wUl fluppoflo that these books of ]4os€s were first foW? .ZZi'^T^^^ -r ?P^^® ,^ «^*^^1^ '^^^w forge ?ome romantic stoiy, of strange things done a thousand vera ago ; ^d, in confirmation of this, should indeavour to nersuade the Christian world that they hS^^ aSn« W that dav to this, kept the first Oay of ?he we^ m memorv c^such a hero, an Apollonius, a Barcoche^ has, or a Mahomet ; and had alTbeen bapwln hL name ; and swore by his name, and upon t^t veiy book, (which I had then forced, anff^whi^ IhVv nayer saw before,) in their pu&ic judicature^ tH this book WM their Gospel ^d Law, which thevLd ever smce that time, these thousand yerap^T umversaUy received and owned, and none Xr I tuat such a cheat could pass, or such a lecend be received, as the Gospel of ^^Christiana ; and tf at the^ o?h^GoslM^?*°'"^^''''*'*'^^'^ ihll^L^^rS^^ ^^® ""f"^ tamiliar example more in this case, 'fiiere is the Stonehenge i/ SalisW reason why those great stones were set there, or bv whom, or m memory of what. "^ A i^?,^' suppose I should write a book to-morrow and tell them, that these stones were set up bylff^: cules. Poljyhemus, or Garagantua, in memory of such at'li'^nf /*H' ^f r « ' ^^ ^°' * further^co^?^^ ana that this book had been received as truth and quoted by authors of the greatest reputat^n in^ ages since ;-moreover, that this hSok was w^ known m England, and enjoined by Act of MiS t*) bo tauffht OUT flhiMt^n . \^a ^-uA ^ i "J . ^^i^ent 42 our children aud had been taught it ourdolves wh«a we were children. I ask any Deist whether he thinks this coiJd pass upon England? and whether, if I, orany other, should insist upon it, we should not, instead of bemg believed, be sent to Bedlam ?" This able reasoning has never been refuted, nor can ^^""t "^i^f'^ ^P^f ^^ *^® ^a^ »«8t hive been wntten by Moses, It IS as easy to prove that Moses himself could not in the nature of the thing have de- ceived the people by an imposture, and a pretence of miraculous attestations, in order, like some latter lawgivers among the Heathens, to bring the people moro wilhnrfy to submit to his institutions. The kmd of miracles he gives as instances rendered this im- possible. "Suppose," says the same writer, "anv m|m should pretend, that vesterday he divided the ^i^s, in presence of all the people of London, and ^1^Q^Mr^''^l'''*y\°*^"' ^o^«^' and children. lie walls on bothsides : fsay, it is moraUy impossibl? U^t he could persuade the people of London ttat this Itff!f3®V ?^ ^'^ ^""^^ '^^''' womam, and chHd could fS^^^^'^X^^^l «*?' *^** *^i«^as a notorious ^^a^ \^^V^^y ^ ^°* ««^ *1^« Thames so divided, nor had they gone over on dry land. thJhJn^A^lJ »^PP<>8eit will be aUowedme, htft^ could nothave persuaded 600,000men that hi ^d brought them out of Egypt, through the Red Sel! ^i*^^"" ^Sl? y^*?' ^*^* ^>read,^ by miraculoiS S^/fi? *nf i>*K°^atter8 of fact refolded in hk ^s«iW-^''^*^?*"'^' because every man^s Jwwl »^^? m«8t liave contradicted it. And tf wTi^^"""'* ^r ^P°««^ «P0^ all their senses, f^ ^d if «*^' made them beuSve it, when it wai p ' 5? ^^ ®^°^ ^^^&^ ^ere done. " tirSl!5®!t*?^®^t\-.*^® genuineness and authen- t^^.^^ fX ^^ ?^ ^^««« a^ established : and as to those of the Prophets, whinli wifi. o.«,«tL^ ;";.:! ir«A gg^ yggyy-i ^jJiPifcr .V ^AUaXC 43 in the writings of Moses, comprise tbe pi-ophetio branch of the evidence of the divine authority of the revelations they contain,— it can be proved both from Jewish tradition ; the list of Josephus ; the Greek translation ; and from their being quoted by ancient writers, that they existed many ages before several oi those events occured. The same author, from whom we have already quoted,* applied his celebrated Four Rules for de- termining the truth of matters of fact in general, with equal foree to the facts of the Gospel history, as to those contained in the Mosaic writings. The rules are, ** 1. That the matter of fact be such as that men's outward senses, their eyes and ears, may be judges of it. 2. That it may be done publicly in the face of the world. 3. That not only public monu- ments be kept up in memory of it, but some outward actions be performed. 4. That such monuments, and such actions and observances, be instituted, and do commence, from the time that the matter of fact was done." We have seen the manner in which these rules are applied to the books of Moses. The author thus aijplies them to the Gospel : — " I come now to show, that as in the matters of fact of Moses, 80 likewise all these four marks do meet in the matters of fact which are recorded in the Gospel of our blessed Saviour. And my work herein will be the shorter, because all that is said before of Moses and his books, is every day as applicable to Christ and his GospeL His works and hw miracles are there said to be done publicly, in the face of the world J as he argued with his accusers, * I spake openly to the world, and in secret have I said nothmg. * (John xviii. 20.) It is told, Acts ii 41, that three thousand at one time, and, Acts iy. 4, that above five thouiand at another time, were coxrrArted upon 44 conviction of what themoelves had seen, what had been done publicly before their eyes, wherein it was impossible to have imposed upon them. Therefore here were the two first rules before-mentioned. *' Then for the two second : baptism and the Lord's supper were instituted as perpetual memorials of these things ; and they were not instituted in after- ages, but at the very time when these things were said to be done ; anc*. have been observed, without in- terruption, in all ages throughout the whole Christian world, down all tho way from that time to this. And Christ himself did ordam Apostles and other Ministers of his Gospel, to preach and administer the sacra- ments, and to govern his church ; and that always, even unto the end of the world. (Matt, x^viii. 20.) Accordingly, they have continued by regular succes- sion to this day ; and, no doubt, ever shall, while the earth shall last. So that the Christian Cler^^y are as notorious a matter o^ fact as the tribe of Le^i among the Jews. And the Gospel is as much a law to the Christians, as the Book of Moses to the Jews ; and it being part of the matters of fact related in the Gospel, that such an order of men were appointed by Chnst, and to continue to the end of tho world ; con- sequently, if the Gospel was a fiction, and invented (as it must be) in some ages after Christ, then, at that time when it was first invented, there could be no such order of Cler^% as derived themselves from the institution of Chnst ; which must give the lie to the Gospel, and demonstrate the whole to be false. And tho matters of fact of Christ being pressed to be true, no otherwise than as there was at that time (whenever the Deists will suppose the Gospel to be forged) not only public sacraments of Christ's insti- tution, but an order of Clergy, likewise of Ms appoint- ment, to administer them ; and it being impossible there could be any such things before they were invent-ed it is as imnftaaible that thev should be 48 Y, 'Hna is indeed very convincine : and on tfiis point I am satisfied, that neither tie wit^js of Moses, nor those of the Evangelists, couldha^^been . orged and yet be received g/true in any W mLInf "tA ^''^^^^ "" V i^ ^^°"«^* f^mthe testi- monies of adversaries and Heathe^, to the truth of the History of the Evangelists. m J.^^^i^*^'' y°^ *o point ttem out. : * 2? ? .?^ contradiction of this history was ever put forth by the Jewish rulers to stop th^^iT^sTof ?r^^t if '^^' *-r«^ ^^'^^"^ evelymoSvXcoS: w !£ *i- ^'! "i®''^® " ^o* unimportant evidence • LI tV^^I. *^^*"^^^^^« *^ *^« ^-*« - n^e^-B We have already quoted the testimonies of Tacitus fT^t'ofTheV^^^^^^ '^^"^'^ of Jesus' CW,1h inTh« Li J^ Af T^^*- *^ ""^^^^^^^ ^^ *^ Jiis crucifixion 0aoe that event. Other references to heath^SoS foUow?™"^™;^^^'^-"'*' *° Christ, hia reiig?^^^j F™vS t *''* l^^P^en ; 8»ch as Martial, Juvenal, L5ci^ftel'J»'^""°«"'^^^' Adrian ApulS^ ijucian 01 aamosata, &c., some of whom alan affXivi testmonytothe destruction of JerSsSeratttet^ ^dmthe circumstancei predicted by our SavioS thfN«wTfS*"^"'*7 and genuineness of the S,"f H,t Sl^®?**^"*"*- . ^?^' " it is weU observed bv H^alw t* ^?'' ? "^ "CoUeotion of Jewi^TaS C^^^XT'' u'^"'^ allthetestii^UnS vnnstianity which we have met with in the fimf &»« riir,?r.Tii!-^_-<» importrtS^^ffi. _, ^^^^ ,.^rncu pauosopiiera who wrote ugaintt 4G us,— Celsus in the second century, Porphyry^ in the third, and Hierocles and Julian in the fourth. ' Cblsus wrote against Christianity not much above one hundred and thirty years after our Lord's as- cension, and his books were answereil by the celebrated Ortgen. He wj> 3 a most bitter enemy of Christiamty, and produces many passages out of the Gospels. He represents Jesus to have lived a few years before. He mentions his being bom of a virgin; the angels appearing to Joseph ; the star that appeared at his birth ; the wise men that came to worship him when an infant ; Herod's massacre of the children ; Joseph s fleeing with the chUd into Egypt by the admonition of an angel ; the Holy Ghost^s descending on Jesus like a dove, when he was baptized by John ; and the voice from heaven declaring him to be "the Son of God ;" his goinc; about with his disciples ; his healmg the sick and lame, and raising the dead ; his fore- telling his own sufferings and resurrection ; his being betrayed and forsaken by his own disciples ; his suffer- ing both of his own accord and in obedience to his heavenly father ; his grief and trouble, and his pray- ing, ♦* Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ;" the ignominious treatment he met with,the robe that was put upon him, the crown of thorns, the reed put into his hand, his drinking vinegar and gall, and his being scourged and crucified ; his being seen after his resurrectio i by a fanatical woman, (as he calls her, meaning Mary Magdalen,) and by his own companions and disciples ; aiid his showing them his hands that were pierced, the marks of his punishment. He also mentwns the angels being seen at his sepulchre. It is true, he mentions all these thmgs only with a design to ridicule and expose them. But they fsmish us with an uncontested proof that tba Gospel was then extant. Accordingly, he expressly tells the Christians, *;These things we have produced out of 47 Porphyry flouiiBhed about the year 270, a man of |;reai abilities ; and his work against the Chzistians, in fifteen books, was Lng esteemed by the Gentiles, and thought worthy of being answered by Eusebius, and others in ^at repute for learning, lie was well acquainted with the books of the Old and New Testaments ; and in his writings are plain references to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, John, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Galatians, and probable references to the other Epistles of St. Paul. About the year 303, Hierocles, a man of learning, and a M^strate, wrote against the Christians in two books. He wn^ U acquainted with our S( ^iptures, and made f y oujections to them, thereby bearing testimony to their antiquity, and to the great respect which was shown them by the ChriBtians ; for he has referred both to the Gosroels and to the Epistles. He mentions Peter and Paul by name, and did not deny the truth of our Saviour's miracles ; but, in order to overthrow the argument which the Christians luilt ui)on them, he set up the reputed miracles of ApoUonius Tyanaeus to rival theip The Emperor Julian, who succeeded v>vnstantiu8 in the jrear 361, wrote also against the Christians, and in his work has undesignedly borne a valuable testimony to the history and books of the new Tes- tament. He allows that Jesus was bom in the reicn of AugustuSt at the time of a taxing made in Judea by Oyrenua ; and that the Christian reli^on had its rise, and began to be propagated, in the times of the Roman Emperors Tiberim and Claudius, He beais witness to xhe genuineness and authenticity of the four OoapeU ofMattheWy Mark, Luke, and John, and the Acta of the Apostles, And he so quotes them as to intimate, that these weie the only historical books received by Christians, as of authority ; and the only authentic memoirs of Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, and the doctrines pio^ched by themf He allows the m^ 48 early date of the Oospels, and even argueti xo^- them. He quotes, or plainly refers to, the Acts of the Apostles, as already said ; and to St. PauVs Epistles to Ike ItomanSy to the Corinthians, and to the Galatians, He does not deny the miracles of Jesus Christ, but allows him to have healed the blind, and the lame, and the demoniacs, and to have rebuked the winds, and to have walked upon the waves of the sea. He endeavours, indeed, to deminish those works, but in vain. He endeavours also to lessen the number of the early believers, but acknowledges that there were multitudes of such men in Greece and Italy, before St. John wrote his Gospel. And he often speaks with great indignation of Peter and Paul, those two great Apostles of Jesus, and successful Preachers of his Gospel : so that, upon the whole, he has undesignedly borne witness to the truth of many things recomed in the books of the New Testament. He aimed to over- throw the Christian religion, but has confirmed it. These testimonies '* prove that neither Celsus in the second. Porphyry in the third, nor Julian in the fourth century, suspected the authenticity of these books, or even insinuated that Christians were mis- taken in the authors to whom they ascribed them. Not one of them expressed an opinion upon this subject different from that which is holden by Chris- tians. And when we consider how much it would have aiiailed them to cast a doubt upon this point, if they'^ould, and how ready they showed themselves to take every advantage in their power, and that they were men of learning and inquiry, their concession, or rather their suffrage upon thf" subject, is extremely valuable." That the facts and statements recorded in the evangelic history were not forgeries of a subsequent period, is made also still more indubitable from the fact, that the four Gosjtels and the Acts of the I *9 with l^e Apoadig, or who immediatelv foIlowX m3 time to de present. " flie medioni of TCoXgtotS m this proposition,- obaenree Dr. Pal«r^d rf ^ others the most unquostion»Me. W "nS diiSi^rf Wsrendon s History. One snch insertion U a morf ai«t Lord Chttenaon's Historjr was ertiSt S MiopBumet wrote, that it l2d beSJ ^Ind^T S^^JS^ ^""k" ' ^°* "^ ^'^ Clarendon" a^d marded by him as an authentic account of X te.J»action, which it reUtes; wid it willbe a prool 1^ S'?v ' *^°'™^'* y<»« hence. m.e^^ P"^""- . " the different books which^ue received b?^5jwSrf^S*tf"« *^ lli8tory,'Se'Sd oy a senes at wnters, as genume in respect of their au(*ow «nd as a««Ae„etween the Jews »yd Sa- maritans, made it impracticable for eiAer nation to S«Tupt Jr alter the tkt in anything of con«e«l~ence without certain discovery ; and the gf "eral a^- ment between the Hebrew and Samantan copes of the Pentateuch, which are now extant, is such, as 61 plainly deii«MM*wtoa that the copies from which each ^ taken were orimially the aftme. Nor can any better evidence be deaired, that the Jewish Biblca have not been corrupted or interpolated, than this very book of the Samaritan ; which, after more than two thousand ye^rs* discord between the two nations, varies lis little from the other as any classic work in a less tract of time has disagreed from itself by the un- avoid^^l«. olips and mistakes of so many transcnbOTS. Af hiC return of the Jews from the Babylonish capt.< iwv, the Book of the Law and the Prophets was DubUcly read in their synagogues every Sabbath-day ; which was an excellent method of securing its punty, as well as of enforcing the observation of the law. After the birth of Christ, the Old Testament was held in high esteem both by Jews and Clmstians. The Jews also frequently suiFered martyrdom for their Scriptures, which they would not have done had they suspected them to have been corrupted or altered. Besides, the Jews and Christians were a mutual guard upon each other, which must have ren- dered any material corruption impossible, if itjiad been attempted : for if such an attempt had been made by the Jews, they would have been detected by the Christians. . „ , • / « xv Lastly, the agreement of all the manuscripts of the Old Testament, (amounting to nearly eleven hundred and fifty,) which are known to be extant, is a clear proof of its uncorrupted preservation. These manu- scripts, indeed, are not all entire : some contain one pwrt, and some another. But it is absolutely im- possible that eoery manuscript, whether m the onginal Hebrew, or in any ancient version or pw-aphrase, should or could be designedly altered or falsified m the same passages, without detection, either by Jews or Christians. Although the various readmgs, which have been discovered by learned men, who have applied themselves to the collation of every known 6^ manuiBcript of the Hebrew 8cripture«, amount to many thouaandB, yet these differences are of «o little rcoZ moment, that their laborious coUations afford ns scarcely any opportunities of correcting the sacred text in important passages. • xi. • i. •*« EquaJly satisfactory is the evidence for the mtegnty of the New Testament, and its uncorruptness in any thing material. So early as the first two centuries of the Christian era, we find the very same /cwto, and the very same doctrines, universally received by Chris- tian, which we of the present day believe on the credit of the New Testament. An wiiversal corruption of those torittngs was im- possible, nor can the least vestige of »uch a corruption be found in history. They could not be corrupted dunng the life of their authors; and ^fore their death, copies were dispersed among the different com- munities of Christians, who were scattered through- out the then known world. Further, as these books could not be conrupted during the life of their respective authors, and whde a great number of witnesses were alive to attest the facts which they record ; so neither could any ma- terial alteration take place after their decease, wi^- out being detected while the original manuscripts were prSrved in the churches.— The Clmstians who were instructed by the Apostles, or by their m- mediate successors, travelled into all parts of the world carrying with them copies of their writings ; from which other copies were multiplied and pre- served. Now, as we have already seen, we have an unbroken series of testimonies for the genuineness and authenticity of the New Testament, which can be traced backwards, from the fourth centunr of the Christian em, to the very time of the Apostles; and these very testimonies are ecjually applicable to prove its uncorrupted preservation. These sacred 63 standard of. truth, were received by evCTy class of dtristians with peculiar respect, as bomg divine com- Doaitions, and possessing an authority belonging to no Sher books. Whatever cotroversies, therefore, arose among different sects, (and the church was ver> oarlyrent with fierce contentions on doctrmal points, ) the Scriptures of the New Testament were received and appealed to by every one of them, as bemg con- elusive in all matters of controversy ; consequently it was moraUy impossible that any man, or body of m^, should comipt or falsify them in any fundamental article, should foist into them a smgle expression to favour l^eir peculiar tenets, or erase a smgle sentence, without being detected by thousands. . , , If any material alteration had been attempted by the ortiiodox. it would have been detected by the heretics ; and. on the other hand, if a heretic hod inserted, altered, or falsified anythmg, he would have been exposed by the orthodox, or by other heretics. It is wdl known that a division commenced, m the fourth century, between the eastern and west^ Churches, which, about the middle of the ninth century, became irreconcilable, and subsists to the present day. Now it would have been impossible to alter ..11 Ae copies in the eastern empire ; ^d if it had been possible in the east, the copies in the west would have detected the alteration. But, m f act both the eastern and western comes agree ; which could not be expected, if either of them was altered or falsified. The uncorrupted preservation of tne New Testament is further evident, from the^4m» nnntsdn onlv the Gosnels : others the Wospeis, 54 Acts of the A;^XNil6fl, and the Epistles ; and some contain the ApocaJypse, or Revelation ot John. But they were all written in very different and distant parts of ''he world ; several of them are upwards of twelve huncbed years old, and give us the books of the New Testament, in all essential points, perfectly accordant with each other. The various readings in no degree whatever affect the general credit and integrity of the text. Y. I am satisfied as to the uncorrupted preserva* tion of the Bible ; but in estimating fho credibilit/ of a history, is it not also proper to Inquire into the character of the writers ? T, It is ; and the inquiry will serve to establish you greatly in the truth of their narrations. They were manifestly good men ; this was acknowledged by their enemies ; and they coul<^ not therefore knowingly deceive others. Nor could they be deceived tfiemaelvea, Tliey could not roiLfcake the facts in the case of the feeding of the five thousand, and jbhe sudden healina of lepers, and lame and blind persons ; they could not but know whether he with whom they conversed for fojrty days was the same Jesus, as he with whom they^had daily. and familiar intercourse long before his crucifixion. They could not be mistaken as to his aacension into heaven ; nor as to the fact whether tiiey- themselves were suddenly endowed with the power of speaking in languages which they had never studied ; nor as to their being able to work miracles, and to impart the same power to otiiiers. Their worldly interests, too, lay in concealing the truth. B^ only not bearing testimony, they might have avoided all their sufferings, and have lived quietly. Would men in such circumstances pretend to h&ve seen what they never saw ; assert tacts of which they had no knowledge ; go about l^jdng, to teach virtue ; and though not only cdnvinc(3 of C^ifist'i beisg an impoitor, but li^viru^ seen thd XMiip^ 56 of his imposture in his crucifixion, yet persist in c$wy- in« it on; and so persist as to bring upon themselves, for nothing, and with a fuU knowledge of the conse- quences, enmity and 'aatred, danger and death ? Y This was impossible ; but is it not also agreav confirmation of the truth of the Evangelical history, that it is so circumstantial ? T. false where iiu*u> ui»«.ti\>i*x«*K. «.*« *«^*— >,v. — , ^ , persons, &c., there is always a strong presumption of truth, and /;n the contrary. Here the evidence is more than presumpUve. The history of the Evan- gelists and of the Acts of the Apostles la so fuU of references to persons then living, and often to persons of consequence, a^d to places in which imr^les and other transactions took place pubhdy and not in secret,— and the application of all these facts by the first propogatoTB of the Christian religion to give credit to its divine authority was so frequent and explicit, and often so reproving to their opposers,— that if they had not been true, they must have been contradicted ; and if contradicted on good evidence, the a^ithors must have been overwhelmed with confusion- Ahw argument is rendered stronger when it is considered that "these things were not done in a comer ; ^nop was the age dark and illiterate, and prone to adnut fables. The Augustan M;e was the most learned the world ever saw. The love of arts, sciences, and literature, was the universal passion in almost every part of the Roman empire where Christianity wm tirst taught in its doctrines, and proclaimed m its facts ; and in this inquisitive and discerning era, it rose, flourished, and established itself, with much resistance to its doctrines, hnt without being once queatUmed as to tlie truth ofits historical facta. . 7. Are we not then at the end of the argument? ji. . • ««» m.w%A ^aitli^irfH^lf/H f\t flllA nOOJU of ' as Une gemSm^ftfiOa SKSU vrnvmrrinrr—^^^ — — — - — 56 Soriptiire have been Mtisfactorily established, tben their relations of miracles^ and their record of pro- pk/eciiei, must of course be tme ; and^if the miracles were actoallv wrought, and the prophecies were reaUv fulfilled, which no one can reasonably doubt, then it must certainly follow, tibat the Bible contains a cUarlffauthmtkated revelation of the toill of God, T, l>oubtless a ground has alrefhdy been laid suffi- the doctrine ot Scripture that this future junishmeJt of the incorrigible shall he final and «nv iimUed. That atonement for the sins of men, wtocn was nade by the death of Christ, is represented m the Chr .iaki system as the means by 7^<^^ "^"^^P mr be delivered from this awful catastrophe. This end it professes to accomplish by means which, with respect to the Supreme Governor himself, preserve lus chiScter from being mistaken, and maintain the au- thority of his government ; and with respect to man, ffive lam the strongest possible reason for hope, and ?^der more favourable the circumstances of his earthly probation. , . -r • Y, This is so deeplv important, that I am anxious to hear the matter fuUy explained. T. Attend then: — , ,. . , •How sin may be forgiven without leading to such conceptions of the divine character as wouxd encourage disobedience, and thereby weaken the mfluence of the divine government, must be considered as a problem of very difficult solution. A government which ad- mittecT no forgiveness, would sink the guilty to des- pair; a govermnent which never nunishcs offence, is a aontiadiction,-it cannot exist. Not to punish, is to dissolve authority; t:> punish without mercy, is to dX)7; and w&ere alf are guUty, the destruction would be universal That wecamiot sm vijth m^^ ity, is a matter determined. The -^^H''^ *^® ^^^^^^^ not careless of the conduct of his creatures ; for that penal consequences are attached to offence, is rot a Sibject of argument, but is madf» evident from daJ ^ observation of the events and mrcumstancea of the present life. It is a principle, tiierefore, already es- toblished, that the authority ot God must be pre- ^ . *^A it Aimht to be remarked, that m that >_ BKii' T »»«* , 60 kind of ittrnmitwation which restrains evU by penal- tv. and encourages obedience by favour and hope, we imd all moral creatures are the interested parties, wad not the Divine Governor himself, whom, beca ae of hw independent and perfect nature, our tranwressions camSt^jure. The reasons, therefore, which comi»pl him to maintain his authority, do not tCTmmate m himself. If he becomes a party against offenders, it is for our sake, and for the sake of the moral order of the universe, to which sin, if encouraged by a nejjh- sent administration, and by entire or frequent im- munity, would be the source of endless disorder and iiise^ : and if the granting of piurdon to offence be Btrondy and even severely cuarded, we are to r^fer it to the moral necessity of &e case, as ansinc out of the general welfare of accountable creatures, liable to the deep evil of sin, and not to any reluctance on the part of our Maker to forgive, much less to anythmg Vindictive in his nature,— charges which hayej)^n most inconsiderately and unfairly brought against the Christian doctrine of Christ's vicarious sufferings. If it then be true that the reUef of offending man from future punishment, and his restoration to the divine favour, ought, for the interests of mankmd th^- aelves. and for the instruction and caution of other beims, to be so bestowed, that no lichee shall be ffivS to offence ; that God himseK, whilst he mam- fests his compassion, should not appear less just, less holy, than the maintenance of an efficient and even a^ml authority regjiires ; that his commmda AaU be felt to be as compelling, and that disobedience shall as truly, though not so uM divine them- )f other hall be 3 mani- ist, leas id even riiallbe shall as I to the ^veness iQr save tf these icessary an im' the universe, a point which no reasonable man will contend for ; and if not, th^*- ^e must allow that this is strong internal evidenc oi tl ' truth of the doctrine of Scripture, which maJ e * the offer of pardon con- sequent only upon the seen Mm /e have before men- tioned. If it be said that k; . -^y be pardoned in the exercise of the divine pn^rogative, the reply is, that if this prerogative were exercised towards a part of mankmd only, the passins by of the others would be with difficulty reconcfled to the divine character ; and if the benefit were extended to all, government nvould be at an end. Were this prin- cipisJ to regulate human govei^mients, every criminal would escape, and judical forms would become a subject for ridicule. Nor is it the principle which the Divine Being in his conduct to men in the present state acts upon, though in this world punishments are not final and absolute. Repentance does not restore health injured by intemperance, property wasted by profuson, or character once stained bv dishonourable practices. If repentance alone could secure pardon, then all must be pardoned, and government dissolved, as in the case of forgiveness by the exercise of mere Srerogative : if a selection be made, then different and iscordant principles of government are introduwd into the divme administration, which cannot be main- tained. To avoid the force of^these obvious difficulties, some have added reformation to repentance, and would restrain forgiveness to those only, who to their p^- tence add a course' of future obedience to the divine law. But a change of conduct does not, any more than repentance, repair the mischiefs of former mis- conduct. Even in this world we see that the sobriety of the reformed man does not always restore health ; and the industry and economy of the formerly neg- ligent and wasteful, repair not the losses of extra- vaeance. Nor is it necessary to dwell upon the 62 eontradiction which this theory involTes to aU the sX^t cLes never euspend punishment m«ntici- TOti^a Sge of condu^ ; but in the inflioti^ of S^ ook Btei&ily to the c™"^?^"^? TT^ Sdtothe necessity of vindicatingthe violated majesty of the laws. T. These are great difficulties. _i„j^ T Ym- the question, how may mercy he extended to oS^ oLureB the subjects of the divme »vemmentfwithoutencouraging vice by lo^o™**" ^hteous ^d holy character otGo^J^U^ thoritv of his government, m the miuntenance oi Sthe wholeWerse o£ »><»?»',««' «*^¥iv" ^ «ttce one of the most important and one of the mort dkcult which can employ the t^"^ f^*- Sre of the theories which have been opposed to CJhristianity afford a saturfactory !»l"t'°° ^^^^'^ blem. They assume principles either d^taictive to moral Bovemment, or which cannot m the oircum- ZZSot^ h^ acted upon. The only »»J« » STmd in the holy Scriptu^s. Jhey alone show^a^ indeed they alone profess to show, how God may De i^rand yet the*^/. «.yJer of the ""^y-. «*«' 'schemes show how he may be merciful ; but ^e Sulty does not Ue there. This meets 't. by Hariri "*he righteousness of God, at the same torSSt it proofs hk. mercy. The volunta^ .offerings of m incarnate dijme person " for us m our room aad stead, magnify the justice ot^, dSpUy his hatred to sin; prodatai "tbe ^f^^ Siliess" of ti^^nsgression, ^y the de«p andps^ BufferiuKS of the substitute ; warn the persevemw offiS?of theterribleness » '"11 as the cert«n^y ^ Ws punishment ; and open the gates of "flvation to eveiTbelieving penit^ it. It is a part of the swne SeXu tofrSmise the influence of the Holy Spint ?! ." .Ci* ™.n^t«n««. and to lead the wandering soul lUthe which antici- tiion of litted, lajesty bended divine ingihe he au- nce of ted, is of the mind. )sed to bepro- (tive to iiroum- iwer is w, tind Diay be Other rat the it, by e same luntary lis" in t God; ceeding painfm leverinff ainty ra ationto ^e same ly Spirit ing soul 63 t)ack to himseft ; to renew the fallen n «u.0 of man in righteousness, at the moment he is justified throudi faith ; and to place him in circumstances in 7hich he may hencef orA "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." All the ends of government are fiere anmered. No licence is given to offence ; the moral law is unrepealed ; a day of Judgment is still ap- pointed ; future and eternal pumshmentB itill exhibit their awful sanctions; a new and singular Jisplay of the awful purity of the divine character is aflforded ; yet pardon is offered to all who seek it ; and the whole world may be saved ! y". These are indeed glorious discoveries, and ought-to kindle supreme and everlasting love to God in cur hearts, and to inspire our lips with ceaseless praises. , . , . . ^i. T, And had I time, I might give you other m- stanoes of the excellent doctrines which the Scnptures contain ; as that respecting th£ infliwfuxs of the Holy /Spin*, which give a strength to men which they have not by nature ; the doctrine of ft Providence, divine, universal, tender, and watchfal ; and especially the views afforded us of man's immortality and of a future life. These, however, you must conr.der at your lAifluro Y, But you said something of the moral tendency of the Scriptures, as a part of the internal evidence of their truth. ^^ , j. • xv T, This tendency is obvious. Nowhere tiat m tne Scriptures have we a perfect system of morals ; and the deficiencies of Pagan morality only exalt the purity, the comprehensiveness, the practicability of ours. The character of the Being acknowledged as Supreme must always impress itself upon moral feebng and practice ; the obligation of which rests up^inis will. We have seen the views entertained by Pagans on this all-inyportant point, and their effects/ The God of the Bible is "holy," without 64 gpot; "jnstf** withoat iiitennussion or ''good," bomidleBsly benevolent and beneficent : an< his low is tiie imago of himself, "h«ly, just, md good." These great moral qualities are not, as with them, so far as Siey were apprehended, merely abstract and therefore comparatively feeble in their mfluence. In the person of Cniist, onr God incarnate, they are seen exemplified lu action, displaying iJiemselves amidst human rdations, and the actual circumstances of human life. With them, the authority of moral rules was either the opinion of the wise, or the tradi- tion of the ancient, confirmed, it is true, in some degree, by observation and experience ; but to us, they are given as commands immediately from the Supreme Governor, and ratified as his by the most solemn and explicit attestations. With them, mBuy great moral principles, being indistmctly apprehended, were matters of doubt and debate ; to us, the explicit manner in which they are given excludes both ; for it cannot be questioned whether we are commander'' to love our neighbour as ourselves ; to do to others e > we would they eJioiQd do to us, a precept which compre- htods almost all relative morautv in one plain princi- ple ; to forgive our enemies ; to love all mank in d ; to five * * righteously" and * * soberly, " as well as * * codly ; " or that Magistrates must be a terror only to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well ; that subjects are to render honour to whom honour, and tribute to whom tribute, is due ; that masters are to be just and merciful, and servants faithful and obedient. By Christianity, impurity of thought and desire is re- strained in an equal degree as their overt act iu the lips and conduct. Humanity, meekness, gentleness, puMsabUity, disinterestedness, and charity, are a)l as dearlv and solemnly enjoined as the grosser vices are prohibited : and on the unruly tongue itself is impressed ' ' the law of kindness. " Nor are the injunctions feeble : they are strictly ijlw, and not mere advke and re« 65 commendations. •* Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" and thus our entrance into heaven, and our escape from prdition, are made to depend upon this preparation of mind. Y. But IS there not a species of evidence in favour of Christianity, which ia called collateral ? T, There is : and it arises from so many sources, that it cannot be fully exhibited in this conversation ; but I will give you one cr two examples of it. T, You will oblige me. T, The marvellous propagation of ChristianUy in the first three centuries is evidence of this Hnd, and intimates to us that its /octe could not be disputed ; that miracles were really wrought to produce con- viction in the minds of men so rai)idly and eflfectuaUyj; and that a divine power accompanied the promulgation of its doctrines. Y. But did not the doctrine of Mahomet spread rapidly and extensively ? T. Yes ; but that was propagated by the sword, and entitled all who embraced it to hmours and privileges, and, above all, encouraged men in their vkes : but in less than three centuries, Christianity overturned Paganism in the Boman empire, and spread itself through the civilized world, in opposition to human power ; and when, through a great part of this period, its professors wero exposed to continual reproach, and often to terrible pertecviions ; and ^iihxm^ it disc mraged, reproved, and forbade every kind of vice. The first Preachers of the Gospd, though unsupported by human power, and unpatron- izedby philosophic idsdom, and even in opposition to both, succeeded in efiecting a revolution in the opinions and manners of a great portion of the civilized world, to which there is no parallel in the history of mankind. Though aspersed by the slandei of the malicious, and exposed to the sword of the powerful, in a short period of time they induced mul- d/Q Ti tdtudes of variooB nations, "who were equally duitm- Siiahed by the peculiarity of their manners, and the versityof their language, to forsake the religion of their ancestors. The converts whom they made deserted ceremonies and institutions which were defended by vigorous authority, sanctified by remote 5, and associated with the most alluring gratification the passions. .1.. After their death, the same doctrmes were taught, and the same effects followed, though successive and grevious persecutions were waged against all who Srof essed their faith in Christ, by successive Emperors and inferior Magistrates ; so that about A.D. 1^ Justin Mar^ wntes,— " There is not a nation, Greek or Barbarian, or of any other name, even of those whc wander in tribes, and live in tents, among whom prayers and thanksgivings are not offered to the Father and Creator of the universe in the name of the cruci- fied tfesus.'* _ . . , x^ X * x-L F. The success of Christianity, and that of the religion of Mahomet, I now plainly perceive are not parallel, but contrary, oases. T, The actual ^ect j^roduced by this new religion upon society, and which it is still producing, is another point in the collateral evidence. In every Pagan country where it has prevailed, it has abolished idScUry, with its sanguinary and polluted rit^s. It also effected this mighty revolution,— tb ib t^e (sanc- tions of religion should no longer be in favour of the worst passions and practices, but be directed against them. It has raised the standard of morality, and by that means, even where its full effects have not been suffered to display themselves, has insensibly improved the manners of every Christian state. What heathen nations are, in point of monds, is now well known ; and the information on this subject, which for several years past has been increasing, has put it out of the *^»r^«. rxf i*AiAtAa fn ni>flrA ill A unnfirior mauners of either I 67 the not China or Hindostan. It has abolished infanttt-uU and htmobu sacrificeMf so prevalent among ancient and modem Heathens ; put an and to polygamy and di- vorce ; and, by the institution of marriage in an indis- soluble bond, "has given birth to a felicity and sanctity in the domestic circle which it never before knew. It has exalted the condition and charac" er oi woman, and by that means has humanized man. It aboHshed do- mestic slavery in ancient Europe ; and from its i^rln- ciples the stru^le which was maintained wiiih African slavery drew its energy, and obtained a triumph as ,. complete. It has given a milder character to war, and taught modem nations to treat their prisoners with humanity, and to restore them by exchange to their respective countries. It has laid the basis of a jurie' prudence more just and e(]^ual ; given civil rights to subjects ; and placed restramts on absolute power. It has crowned its achievements by its cJiarity, Hospi- tals, schools, and many other institutions for the aid of the ased and the poor, are almost exclusively its own creations, and they abound most where its iimuonce is most powerful The same eflfects to this day are re- sulting from its influence in those heathen countries into which the Gospel has been carried by Mission- aries sent out from this and other Christian states. Y. These effects surely prove, that so benevolent, holy, and beneficial a system of religion i^ worthy of U acceptation. CHAPTER VI. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Y. I THANK you for this account of the evidences of the truth of the Scriptures, which has greatly con- firmed apd established my faith ; but I have occasion- ally heard otjectiom to the Scriptures, which I will thank you to enable me to answer, should I again meet with them in reading or in conversation. T. State those of them you recollect. 68 K Agaixiflt the evidence from miracles I have heard it urged, that the Egyptian ma^cians, mat veral m- «tan(m; wrought the ea ose miracles as Moses. L'the woj gan. Popish, and o I pre- tended miracles, witto exception, shrink ; » i they are not for a moment to be brought into Goir . -^son with works wrought publicly,— in the t^: ^f ihmtands, and those often opposers of the systci., no be established by them,— works not by any ingt ty wlBitever to be resolved into artifice on the one part, or mto the effects of imagination on the other,— works performed b^ore soholu«. wtataamen. 69 eecutors ;— of which the instances are numerous, and the places in which they occurred various,— works published at the time, and on the very spot,— works not in favour of a ruling system, but directed a^unst eveiy other religious establishment under heaven; and, for giving their testimony to which, the ori- ^al witnesses nad reason to expect, and did in most instances, incur reproach, stripes, imprisonment, and r. This is very convincing as to miracles ; but as to the prophecies of Scripture, I have heard them jompared to the heathen oradea, which pretended to foretell future things, and whose predictions are in some mstances said to have been remarkably accom- plished. , T. No contrast can be greater. The first great distinction lies in this, that none of the predictions ever uttered by the Delphic or other oracles, went deep into, futurity. They relate to events on the eve of takinc place, and whose pre- paratory circumstames were known. The oracles did' not even pretend to foresee things a the distance of a few years ; thpu^h even a hundred years had been a very limited period in comparison of the range of the prescience of inspired Trophets, who Iroked through the course of succeeding ages, to the end of time. A second contrast lies in the ambiguity of the oracular responses. The prophecies of Scripture are sometimes obscure, though this does not apply to the most eminent of those which have been most signally fillfilled, as we have already seen ; but they never eqwvocate. For this the Pythian oracle was notorious. Historians relate that Crcksos, who had expended larcje sums upon the, agents of this delusion, was backed by an equivocation, through which, interpret- ing the response most favourably for himself, he was induced to make an unsuccessful war on Cyrus. In mmmmmmmmKimKm 70 his subsequent captivity he repeatedly reproached the oracle, and charged it with falsehood. The response delivered to Pyrrhus was of the same kind ; and was so expressed as to be true, whether Pyrrhus should conquer the Romans, or the Komans Pyrrhus. Many other instances of the same kind are given ; not to mention the trifling, and even banterins and jocose, oracles which were sometimes pronounced. The venality, wealth, and servility of the managers of the Delphic oracle, present another contrast to the poverty and disinterestedness of the Jewish Prophets, whom no gifts could bribe, and no power awe in the discharge of their duty. Demosthenes, in one of his speeches to the Athenians, publicly charges this oracle with being "gained over to the interests of King Philip ;" and the Greek historians give other instances in which it had been corrupted by money. Can then the prophecies of Scripture be paralleled with these dark, and venal, and delusive oracles, without impiety ? And could any higher honour be wished for the Jewish Prophets, than the comparison- into which they are thus brought with the corrupt agents of Paganism at Delphos and other places. F. Ridicme has been sometimes cast upon the Presets by profane writers, for those si^iidcant actions by which they illustrated their premctions ; as when Jeremiah hides his girdle in a hole of the rock, and Ezeldel weighs the hair of his head in bfUances. How is this explained ? T. Tliis ridicule can only proceed from ignorance. In the early ages of the world, the deficiency of lan- guage was often supplied by signs ; and when langoaga was improved, the practice remained after the neces- sity was over ; especially among the Easterns, whose natural temperament inclined them to this mode of conversation. The charges, then, of absurdity and fanaticism, brought against the Prophets vanish of A^ — .^ ^»mm»J3ZSj^m d-^X ^»«« ^^^%imm^\^r^ A^^%«i lilieinBoiViSS. XiiU ViAfSwru/wy v& i&u avvxvxx wusabvs m a Its being extravagant and insignificant ; but use, ana a fixed^applica^on, made t£e actions mquestaan both sober and pertiaent We may add, that wveial of these actions weie performed m vunon; and that considering the genius of the people who were ad- dressed, t£ey were calculated 5t«>°«V *<> «^^^*^ ^^^ attention, which was the end for which they were *^^*tt' is objected to the Bible, that it represwits God as giving command to the Israelites to exter- minate the nations of Canaan. T. This objection cannot be argued upon the mere ground that it is contrary to the divme justice or mercy to cut off a people indiscrmunately, from the eldest to the youngest, since this is done m earth- quakes, pestilences, &c. The character of the God of £ature is not therefore contradicted by tha.t ascribed to the God of the Bible. The whole objection re- solves itseH into this question : W»iS it consistent with the character of God to employ human agents in this work of destruction? Who can prove that it was not? No one ; P'^d yet here lies the whole stress of the objection, .he Jews were .^^o* rej^®'^ more cruel by their bt^m^ so commissioned, f or w© find them much more merciful in their practice than other ancient nations ;-nor can this "^atance be Dleaded in favour of exterminatmg wars, smce there was in the case a special commission for a s^ial Vnrpo^, by ^Mch it was limited. Other considera- li^^ie rl to be included. The sms of the Canaanites were of so gross a nature, that it was n^^ to mark them with signal P^^hments f or the admonition of surrounding nations ; the emploj- ma of the J sraelites as instruments, under a specwl an^ publicly-prochumed coimmssion, c^nn^d the puniAment more visibly with the offence, tl^ Jf i* Ld been inflicted by ttearray of wwrmg elj^^^fj whilst the Israelites themselves wo. M be more deeply 72 impressed with the itailt of idolatry, and its ever accompanying pollnted and sanguinary rites. Finally, the Canaanites iiad been long spared, and in the meantime both .amed by partial judgments, and reproved hy the remaining adherents of the patri- archal reli^oD ,/ho resided among them. r. The mtent: jnal offering of Isaac by Abraham has often been objected to. T. The answer is, 1. That Abraham who was in tile habit of sensible communication ^vith God, could have no doubt of having received a divine command ; and the right of God to take away the life he had given, cannot be questioned. 2. That he proceeded to execute the command of God in faith, as the Apostle Paul has stated, that God would raise ] =i 8on from the dead. The whole transaction was extraordinary, and cannot therefore be judged by common rules ; and it coulRICES ISriBT. > « ♦ » < • ■ Anniversary Dialogues. Packages Nos. 1 and 2, each ...... 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