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What is Christianity ? r^^Tl!:^' T^i ^loctrines, morals, and manner of worshm taught by Christ and his apostles, and re- corded in the New Testament. Y. What is Judaism ? T. The religioii and laws of the Jews, a people de- j^eended from Abraham. These are contained t ho books of the Old Testament. J/ iP^J^ ^v }^^ religion of the Patriarchs ? r.f fi' r^.*"^^?^ ^'^^4 worship of the early prooenitora of the different nations and families of men before th^ introduction of idolatry. The Patriarchs, eminently 80 called, lived before the giving of the law by Morcs^ and the most illustrious of these were Adam, Aboi; a.^aAb''^^' '^^^^^^^^^"^^ ^^-^-' ^--; Y. What is meant by Revelation ? 7. A supernatural communication* of truth from fn ^ ^'^^''' ^^ ^'^"^^ ^"^ are instructed in the will of God rt^pectmg us, both as to what v.o arc to l>e- iit>ve, and to do ; how we are to worship him ? what mi wo may hope from his mercy, or fear from hia dis- pleasure. r. Does God make revelations of his will to evcrv man ? ' •nV-^?*. T?^^^**® revelations. He revealed his will lirst to Adam ; then to Noah, and Abrdham, and others among the Patriarchs ; to Moses and the Prophets ; and finally by Christ and his Apostles. We acknowledge no other revelations ? and these were intended, m diiferent degrees, for the benefit of man- Kind at large. r. Have all these revelations been recorded ? T. No : revelation is distinguished into oral and wi:iTTEN The revelations which were made to the Patriarchs were transmitted by word of mouth, and handed down from one age to another. For this reason revelation among them is said to be oral, or traddional ; and the long duration of their lives pre- served it from being corrupted. These original truths, doctrines, and traditional facts, were thus trans- mitted to Moses, who wrote them, and the laws which he received from God in the wilderness of bmai, in the five books which bear his name, and arccaUedthe Pentateuch. The other books of the Old Testament, whether historical, poetical, or pro- phetical, were written by inspired men called Pro- phets l^y tliecom d of God, and compose the book called the Old Testament. Our Lord committed nothing to writing ; but his life and discourses were written after his resurrection by four of his disciples, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who "brought all things to their remembrance. The book of the Acts of the Apostles, which contains an account of the first planting of Christianity in the world, was wntteu by bt. Luke; the Epistles and the Revelation by different Apostles, all under the influence of the ILoiy hpirit - These collectively arc denominated the New Testament ; and the Old and the New Teata- meuta we emphatically call the word of God. /. Haa this collection of divine revelations anv otJier name ? ^ T. Yes; it is also called the Bible, which signifioa THE 1300K, to denote its eminence and supremo ex- ccllonce. The Christian religion is also called " the (xOSPEL, which signifies "the good news." Tho Jewiah rehgion is called " the Law," because of the commands, imral, ceremonial, xaH Judicial which were given to the Jews by Moses. XT ^' ri^ °^* *^^ ^^^^® sometimes called "the Old and New Testaments ? " T. Yes ; because in them God enters into covenant with man, and engages to bestow certam blesBinra upon hiin of his own good pleasure. This covenant under the law was made spciaUy with the Jews, but under the Gospel with both Jews and GentUes. Ihc former is for this, and for some other reasons, called THE Old Testament, or Covehant ; the latter the iNew, and is perfect, universal, and shall never pass away. Y. Pray explain another term often used.— dis- pensation. ' T" •'^ xif ^^^^ signifies a dispensing or bestowing : and, m the theological sense, means the truth and grace which have been dispensed in different periods ot the world by successive revelations of the will and mercy of God to mankind. For this reason we say the Patriarchal, the Mosaic or Jewish and the Chris- tian dispensations .—the first commencing with Adam and reaching to the giving of the law by Moses ; the second, from that event to the death of Christ : the taird from the death of Christ to tb^ end of the world. Y. All this I comprehend : but I would now be more fully instructed in tho proofs that these dis- pcu^aLiuna are from God ; in other words, how the 6 i 1.1 mr ntioTi. rntitamcd h, the 01,1 ariil New Testa- m. Ill;, tan l.e slmwi, to l)o of diviiu^ nutliorit v. /. liua IS a la-.ul.vl.lo dcsiro ; mul vo Mill pmconl t| llu'.cMM,.uf.s.ln. l.y «tq,, that "you n.ay kn<.^r ii^tiictiidl''^ ' ^ ""^" wlicrciu you have been OHAPTKR 11. A RVrtTLATION PUOM OOD IiroilLY PROBABLE AND NKCKSSAKV. iJ} , ^^'''^/"'^, first inq«iry l>o, whether it \b nrohable of r il'" '11^'" ^'r ^?^';"* ''^ revelation o/tho will ot ( ,o,l I nfek you, lirst, what is Moral Aiiencv ? ™.? '«>e doing of what is good over;/, right or ,^nt S"l . f"" '^re called ,«r,m/ acts, hi oppoHition to latural acts, as walking, tlying, eating, &c, which in themselves, arc neither good nor eviir and' hica, abS of being praiped or blamed. ^»i'»uio iiZ: f^^^''-' ''•* ^'''" f'?^^ ®*'™° ^«*i"n8 gf'od or evil, and thtn-cforo i)ra]so or blame them ? 1. l^ccanso they are agreeable or oppf)sed to some rule (,r huv, which determines their n.al'ura r.r^ i' ^'yj^^'^ ^^"^ d'» y"u mean the law of your own or any other country? ^ " .iZ' ^'*'[*']i"^^ ^.'^^ ' ^^^ ^^ "^^^ national laws were abolished, the actions which mankind have generaUy agrj^d to call good or evil would still be regarded al such, and be praised or blamed accordingh^ n,n,;]-,i 1 ? ^'^^,.^f?" *^"« g^n^^'-*! agreement among wS h^^V "^*'•'^*^"^^ ^Sree to form those rule! V 7P ' ♦''citain actions good or evil'' ,.J,; ^V*^*-^:^'/^^,^ so agree, it must have been at a ^ cry early i)en()d, even ])efore the forming of mankind der] t^ nations; for the laws of states are ciu.Tiy built ui.on a previous aorecment among men. tnat eunic actions are ajood and benelicial, and that othcn aro ov.l ami inj„rio„8, rnd on^ht to l>o ro- d,«cu.H...n of HO wd^;1,iy a Hul.jcct. or of any a rco i..ont among ,na,.kln.l to lay do vn nlos or^fvvn' jvl^joh^ .l,outcl iir«t dctcnxnni; the good ^/'ovir^f 7;. But is there no proof that mankirfrl iu +!,« cSrhest agc3 of the worlfl. considtcS'^^^rbn; a ti >ns as acttrnnnod to bo irood a,,.l ..vll 1 / 'r.^' •"' authority than that of ivuN? '^ ^ ^"^'''"' K. Yes certainly : all antiquitv atrrccs in mik;,!,, a distinction between thing, good aS Jl ? ^nd n tEir*T^'r"V'' ^'' I'''-"^^'"'' and the^iher lis" pic imng, to (io,l ; one to be the object of reward and the other of punishment; and conso-iuentTv iA acknow edguiL. A will or law of God on t eao sub J. J hat all the cvidenco which arises from human history goes to establish this l)oint,-that a nilo waa always known m the world bv whi-^h nu.n'a nl- ascertainable by his creatures. ' m rru '^ ^^?^^ ^"^ ^'^ indisputable. J. Ihen this makes it h' -iv nmlioM^ +%,„4. • Jus^n^w^nJntii.'^^'^^ ^""^"^^ '^'^ *^^ ^-t« created ti^"/'^" ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ °^^ - not a r. This is certain ; for he is bom and cliances and dies and is therefore dependent upcm Se power which lie cannot resist. ^ T. Then there must have been a first niir f,./^T« whom we all have descend..! ' ^^ ^''^'"^ ^"^""^ 1. Thia aiao ia dear; and as they could uot w. create thcnwclvcs, thcv must hivr, »w.««. ;~ j- ^ t crcatoil by CJod. ^ ^''^ immediately therefore a subject of reward and pui,"shi<:„t ?hat ?»%5\'"'P'''''°,';' '^''«<*ing with liea°uro"r diaitis* fartjou upoa his action which 'faculty we Sjl y. Docs not, then, the very nature whfch I,;. jt_;^^Si.rtfcc*iS4":h„Tt' of m„,^!^ " ^ """y ""*"™ ^OMtitutcd ti be ^mbk of moral government, must, from the beSmiJS „1 mfi S1^rfrro^i;'^^*':,^'°J-PeH^ wii|'-of"su"ffi'".i^t3 o^^ttHnf t* is::L*'i linosr^^iyr »* " w^i" »^a^„": n^nfoT^ T?4 '*^' ^- T^a* *^e° the will of God on moral subjects must have been more imnp^n^*? ihZlZ't ^''' '^'' *?^^ ^^ thalTowS^Sltfd? tlio world, because men bad had less tii^^k^u vmgnatiire andlesaexperience of thLoTrL of fc^ Sot 2'''^ltZ'^T'^\f'''^^^^^^^^^ amon. ^. iijat by inference they coiiJd onlv of ^t\ 3. That the wiD of God would thus be mn.l« + i * pond upon tho opinions of men, thtriaX^tL* iut to k ness Mi(T faimees ot their inferences, and wonW therefore, bo a chflcrent rule of actio i in lir'^ut th^|z.rr^i^K:^i?w;KS from the works of nature, and the coursa ,f r < ! government of the world, without a S.rmvl;! there is nothing in either to indicate tlmtGoJouS to bo worshipped j that he will hear our pravcri - ments, or that God wUl pardon those who hivo broken his laws, or how that pardon miist be sot X On all these Bvibjects, which are essentia to, nS^ J* religion, ^dhoj^e, the worka of naturraXhe d^^' pensation of Providence are totally silentTand t us there could have been nosj/stem ofcomphtc a dii Z eniial morality, and no aithoriid reU^Zs^^r^ velatZT ^ '^' ^'^'' ^''''^"' «« e.JZlle: y. All this appears very manifest • and v^f r i».« muchof thesuffidency o7/»ona« ;U^^ to disc^^^^^ the bemg and perfections of God from his works hll will respecting us, the immortality of the^oul and other important subjects. ' ^ T. This is the constant theme of ii!hdels • and v*»* do you not perceive that none of tW iaVe^ainecl their know edge of these truths from rm.orbuTihat they are allindebted for them to revelatio7? ** r. Certainly this is the case with the Deists of +!,« present age; but how does that apply to the nhdo enS* n?lTf ' ^'''■"^^^5^' ^^* ^y «f the most enlight. ened of them, whose writings remain or w& opmions we know, ever pretended t^ ,e the dTscov erers of these truths. They spe.k of th.m s ' nS': Luiic^mgiy, aoxuctimcs doubtfully, but arway3"M 10 J^. You fjuppose, thereforp fTn'f •j-t,^ • . ^^^^l^<^^uUko.rn:;T^o^, these opuxons ca^ri^eTfo""^ '^''^ ^^^° transmitted from an ^monfi^^^^^^ «^ -^^^ tlie super, facts of tho MoJic h,-H^f ""'^ ''' recognizing certain tliey arc but i^^^^^^^^^ %?tP"S proof that and most Iciirncrl of +T.o ',««• ^ r, ^ °* *^® Ansest says. "After a cert\Si]nfi '"*! ^.'''?^ P^^i^osophers. on the increr^ of man£ ^* ?T ^^'^^^-^P^^ stitutions of th Jr f.f W« T"^ *^^ manners and ml separated f'om thtm f?;'' ^^f ' ^^^^ ^^^"^ <^oIonies leader niirl ? fi^^ • ' ^^'^^ ^"^^^ '"^^ elder for their cv^l^msTACir'i^^L^Z If ^«^^-H retained the forms of goycrnment - ' ^""'^ ""^ *^^ ^^^^^^^t tra' al ttH? nSl^n^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^* -- ^e affords an emiS ,W .? .^ remotest antiquity, relimnn . ,-«o ? ^ °^ *^^ *^^ Common origin of • can be sivpn f.^'f ' "^ '"° ^.'•''"■ns'anoea of men. thfeffcr*' -^on"]™ 'fifes'"?'!""'- "=™"- "f bo traced .■,,«?„/ the * 2 Li '"-"?'"■•''> "'■''y "bo , ,..u(i |,xie Avoiaan Gyaiama of 11 mythology. Such ai-c, the FomiA-nos or the worn d • Tlxa PALI. AND COTlIlurTION 01? ^I IX • t^i- 1 nt illi f f ' powerful ana snpcrn.cur.l a^t of tdu^^i: under Ins appropriate aiiJi sovptuval emLTcm t^;'^ SERPENT ; THE DEdTIiLX'TiON OF THE ^vS':LD BY wlrr- the RE-I-EOPLINO OF IT LY THE SOn/oF Ko\ ? the EXPEC1.VTI0N OF IT. FINAL DESTUUCTION^Y VirE? ««1: '^^^"^'^"^^.^^^'^•^^^^Persedfr . the patriirchal mm. ol^h^' MHhr -Perstitious, a^rco il\ ilm- mcm oiigm. All the groat masters of hnm•^n r--s-n morVi V ,ri\f '?"-^' r instance, w4 he LI bv ffc r ''" ^^^ '^^ prientalichools; who tholhfitS^^; J^^^^^ the thit anvthinrr RimnM 1 *= T "'"^°"^^cly inino33i jIo sense and Jf^S*«p\re"cr^^^^^^^^ - ^*« P^er excelled twTeaS^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^-l many these were wefwLfi^'? providence of (Jod, a5 Jho Epicur^^n teet in^^^^^^^^^ «*^-- Won'i: down as a lAaxim - Th J t^ ^f ^""^' ^'^^^^ ^aid it immortal gaveZithJ.t what was blessed and others;" a^notiorw^^^.^l^^^ *" ^"^^-^^^ ^^°r system of the moderTH^doos'ThnC^^^ ""^^^ ^^^ ed for a Providence • butin ^^'o; - ^^P'""^ contend- fceracted by the Srine o^nn oi ^^ w^ '^ ™ <^oun- fate, to which Sa^nfA/''' absolute necessity, or consists, as tiey tholh^^^^^ subject ; and whU they al lol^^^^^^^^ immutably ^^/.^godstogr^at'a&oSV '^ ''"'^' *^" of iTt^reTa e'^^Sard "^^^ ^*^^ ^^^-e though in some W it Trfnn^"^ Punishment ; and temsfand the tradSon. of th^ P" '"?• '^ ^''^San sys- traced in their extravalnf ^ P^^'^t^ve ages may be evidence was e^W £1?^^- ^^^^ mixed up with Sofa enH.«r"''f^^^'.«^ ^* ^aa moral effect which Jt^^Ts ^^^^OSt^^ ^v^s^^cSlnlct^t11t'^^^ -^^^ r-P'-^tetics rmmortality, or ev^n of^V? ''^?"°'' "^ *^° «°^^^'« Democritus and hfs fnllnl '*^*^^'«tence after doath. material ^nTi^^IiflZ:.'ST'' i^f *^^' ^^"^ ^^ soul is purified from rr^nf^ ' ^^^* ^^^en tlm P .-_ea nom moisi; vapours, it returns into 15 the soul of the univGi'qr • if r.^^- ,-4. ■ i ^ ?o.th than tfcro t^^.TlZ'Ts ""n."?- bg^ond death there fa Liw pfer eSor t- the tortures o" Ti^IrTs tut boir^V. ^'^'f""' '^■^'J poets regarded them^" Vulgar foWes'^'"'"""!*"^ »<> fc.s^£S««-tS-t:ii^ in tiie first chapter of the fiSle f:^ contain no exaggerations ^ "^ *" *^' ^^"^^°«» 16 sistcdof three couples; but afterwards the number greatly increased. Julius Otesar presented 300 pairs oi gladiators ; and the Emperor Trajan, 10 000 of them for the entertainment of the people. Sometimes these horrid exhibitions, when the practice has at- tained its height, deprived Europe of 20,000 lives in one month. • 2. This is further illustrated by the treatment of slaves, winch composed so large a portion of the population of ancient states. They Inew and ac- knowledged the evil of murder, and had laws for its punishment ; but to this despised class of human beings they -did not extend the rule ; nor was killing them accounted murder, any more than the kiUing of a beast. The master had absolute power of life or death, or torture ; and their lives were therefore Bcicnhced m the most wanton manner. The youth of bpai-ta made il their p. stime frequently to lie in ambush by night .or the slaves, and sally out with daggers upon every Helot who came near them, and murder him m cold blood. It was the custom of Veduis Pollio, a Roman, when his slaves had com- mitted a fault, sometimes a very trifling one to order them to be thrown into his lish-ponds, to feed his lampreys . It was the constant custom, as we learn from Tacitus, wh«n a master was murdered in his own house, to put all the slaves to death indis- crimmately- 3. In many heathen nations it was allowed to strangle, or drown, or expose infants, especially if sickly or deformed j and that which in. Christian states IS considered as the most atrocious of crimes was, by the most celebrated of ancient Pagan nations* esteemed a wise and political expedient to rid the state of useless or troublesome members, and was even cnjomed by some of their most celebrated sa^es and legislators. The same practice continues to this day in a most affecting extent, not o»ly among l( ir u^iv^M Pagans, but aonoiig the Hindoos a.rd the T^'ctf ^a full Z^^^ authority of their moral teachers K;;r n ;- ^° i"^?' S^^-en for the iudul-cnce of "V'. ' "f ^ice, and insatiate revenoe Onn ^f +t? qualities of the rjood man desj^d by Cicero is' tW no hints no one oynrr^f t,« i.^ • • "-y ,'-'/v'^ro is, tiiat he declares as To hfm4& - 1 111^^"""^ ^^?,«?^^' ^<1 according as 1 am pToloLd b^aiv'^'T f i°^'""^«' speaks of meeW?qo« o 1 ? f^V ^''^ Anstotlo man will n?t avenge hmset^n'd o^^^^^ *^^ "^''^ Du?;nii''r>f ^?'? yV "^^^^^^ a^«^ connected with the pur3xut of sinful pleasure, lawmvers ato+P«Trmt! u- losophcrs, and moralists gaveXsa?ctiorn?%?^-" a-finst'tlfem t Jf/^^ tJ9<^^^Von of the statutes mS saul to bo soaropiv m,^\ „ JJ^ougnout India, there is 1 r)P,-n,„ . !? •'^ ™ * *''"'S as common honestv of aU pi^anlf,?-''^''*'™?" I'''™ »">™ tho 0hS« day!" ?£f:i"t rSa;;lrc''Tho S-'" """ *" ^^ ^Jv,^a.ii 01 truth la uniform and sys- 18 i «oraaf ic. ^Vlien discovoi-ed, it causes no snrpn'sc in tUo ono party, or humiliation in tlio other. Even when they have truth to tell, they seldom fail to bolster it up with sohdo appended falsehoods* • * It ia the business of all," says Sir John Shore, *'fronj the Royt to the Dewan, to conceal and deceiA-o. Ihe 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 oflFering human sacei^ FiCES prevailed throughout every region of th* heathen w6rldtoa degree which is almost incredible"- and it still prevails in many populous countriesi where Christianity has not yet been male known. There are incontestable proofs of its havin-^ subsisted among the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Persians, the rhoDnicians, and all the various nations of the East* It was one of the crying sins of the Canaanites. Ihe contagion spread over every part of Asia, Africa, and l^urope. The Greeks and Romans, though less involved in thi» guilt than many other nations, were not alto^ther imtainted with it. On great and extraordmaiy occaoiona they had recourse to what was esteemed the most efficacious and most meritorious eacrifice that could be offered to the gods, the efiusion of hum?.n Wood. But among more barbarous nations; this practice took a firmer root. The Scythians anci Thraciaus, the Gauls and the Germans, wero atroncrly addicted to it j and our owii island, under the gloomy and ferocious despotism of the Druids,, was poUuted with the reli^ous murder of its inhabitants. In the flemi-civilizecl kingdoms on the western side of Africa, asDahoray, Ashantee, and others, many thousands fall every year victims to superstition. In America* Montezuma offered 20,000 victims yearly to the eun ; and modem navigators have fotin«l tho nrpctic- llixottgliout the wh£>le extent of the vast Pacific Ocean, nrpnse ia T. Even tn fail to . "Itia i, "from deceiva / covered diug can ) univer- lexity. N SACK!' of tha credible ; ountries; knowTi. ubsisted :ans, the be East, laanites. j Africa;, ugh les(* cs, were •cat and to what ritorious effiusion nations; ans and strongly 3 gloomy poUuteil In the E'Africaj lousanda Lmericaj ho Biin y practicK cOccAiXy 19 ^^:; Lt^i^ii^d???^^Vv^^ -«' ear3 of t!io British nubL nr,^] ,> '5»«^:^*«fthcirS tho^^n.^ '"^ character and prcasin- «m'.«iVr/?r o "L *^^*.*^ero was a most part of t;od? to L hci'^e^^th?, "/ ?*^^P°«ition on tho wait for your next step tr^rSj,':^:^^:^:' CHAPTER III. on which "Jankikrtd l^st er^iT°i'*'|f «"¥ot, necessary ; a„d you vory^Cerly ewt tW i^" liaums system which malisi.To'ff?/?"! ■'**," ■?: bo .upportcl by aclequat" evidence •ktm^'?l.*°"'? w^^h.r you think it'possible t God'trve'^Trnt 20 «ble to communicate Imowledge to us in various ways —by scusiblo appearances,— by voices, -by aiiKcls,— or by bia secret and invisible illumination of the mincl of man ; thus introducing ideaa into tho under- standing, which it could not, by its own efforts, have acquu'cd. A.1 ^Vp¥^*', ^"* ^^"^ suppose any mail to profess that God had thus spoken to him by a Aoico, or to liavc sent an angel to him with a message, or to have Uhumnated his mind in tho way ju^t described ; WT Mid you admit the teaching and writing cf Kuch a man to bo of divme authority, on his own declaration 1 ^^ i^'l^?"i^7 f^"*' ^^ ^e were even a e exertion, which iiS,« ^. ^^''^^ ^^^^^t^ of ita which, i iToverrSlesX 'VlvT'. ^^^ ^^efined,-^ must argue thla^n^^^^^^^^ ^«"^^ «/ ^«^^'W, is so cotJerf with t^hP « '''T ^^r^'^^-and which revelation asclelr v tl\IT'''^^''/T ^^ '-* Profossed y- The fiLstTon o.nlV '"'^'^'^^ S*' authenticate it. ^'. The -^u^ent^tThr^^rLrrta 22 establiehcd course of nature has been fixed by liiin who IS tlio Creator and Preserver of all things, it can never l>c violated, departed from, or controlled, l)ut cither immediately by himself, or mediately by other beings at his command, and by his assistance or per- mission ; for if this bo not allowed, we must deny that God governs all things. Every real miracle, therefore, is a work of God, done by hia permission, and with hia concurrence. y. BtTt how do you connect such miracles with the authority of the teachers of a professed rovektion ? 2. In the following manner : — When such unequivocal miracles as those we have pointed out occur only at the time when certain persons profess that they have a divine authority to teach and command mankind, this is a stron'* pre- "•^Pti^n that the works are \vrought 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 authenticatini? and visible seal upon their commission. Y. This is satisfactory ; but it still remains for you xt show that such miracles have been actually wrought by tho agents employed by God to communicate to men the revelations of the Scriptures. 2\ This might be done at great length, but it yviV* DO sufficient to examine a few of the miraclet, of il/o.ses and of Christ; for if their divine commiaaioa bo thuH proved, all the rest follows. Y. This of course. ^ T. ^>Vell, then, to begin with Moses, — 1. ' i KOi> cast from the hand of Moses became a Bcrpcnt Ax::e thr subject was well known ; it was a — } t>- uv, .\c.' vvpftrawCd xxoni Si (.rce. mid it was 23 obvionsly contrary to tlk) Itnnwn and ost.ibhM.f^ rou:^oofuaturo that it should undeigo loBrnar* Fxod^i! V t"!? '"^ ^^^ 'f^^?^°^ 8^^*^^ ^f this ovent iu tho Fc?vJf '*^°f"»"«^ tlircc clays; and it afflicted tXn nl?n'^ *^' most pttblic kind ; and had it not Sr^Xf"'?''^-^^ ^ eclipse of the snn, for no what iM^ f n ^""^^'^^5' ?^ ^^^^^^^ «« ^«n« 5 a"* ™«o tJ.c mirack Ko no™l ;°^,?f Jl"r="">- "^''M^^ m tlic 01 rStamcnt l"""^"'""' '"^''''''■' ^^^"^^^^ in(lubita])ly impressed T?\S ^'^-^i^^^^^^ ^"^re aa their eircumsta^cer ft f]l''"r'L'^^^ ^^^^^'^ ^'" wido.;^s so^ a 1 L™ daughter of Jairu.s, the of miraculousTo vcr u^h~l T -^^ other instances anyingeuuo^'S'Tl^^t^Il the r^'* *." ^'^"'^'^^-^^ miracles meet in th n The IreS mirf I'^n? ''^ ''""^ rcction of our Lord 1,-mc. \f ^'.S^^'^^fiiraclo, tlic rcsur- appealed to VthefiS^f i/''''^V-' '^f^'^' '^ ^'^"tcn thi whole. ^ l^^st Icxchera of his religion, crov.-na coiR^su^^aucd by the Author of nature "himcif. ^Lut ]fi (I rli I 26 ie not evidence from PRcypnECY also rdiol on in proof of ^ho (liyino autbority of the Scriptures? T. It is ; and with rea ;on, Y, But tell mc what you understand hy propliccy? T, Your question ia important ; for wo do not un- derstand by prophecy an ingenious auiklpailon of future events, wh: ok sometimes may be realiztjd ; nor dark and equivocal rjoicrat prediction s, which may often have a plausible application to dilTerent events; Bor the ivise conjcrturcn of observant men, founded upon experience. \V.o luire, as in the case of miracles, take open ground with our opponents, and appeal to prophecy oUily as it bears the following characters :— 1. That it sball have been delivered before the event said to be a fullilment of it ; 2. That 'it shall have a particular, and not a geueral, agreement with that event; ;t That the event shall be such as no human sagacity or foresifjht could possibly conjecture and foriell ; and, 4. That these predictions shall be con- nected with those ^yho profess to give revelations from God to mankind, in the same manner as in the case of miracles. Y. Tlva brings tlie matter to an easy issue j but in •what way is the fullilment of prophecy proof of a divine commission in him who utters it 3 T. In the following : — When, for instance, the events arc distant many years or ages from the uttering the prediction itself, deijcndiug *)u causes not so much as <)xisting when the prophecy was spoken and recorded, and likewise ui>on various circumstances, and a long arbitrary scries of things, and the iiuctuatiiig uncertainties of lauman volitions ; and csiMicially when they depend »ot at all upon any external ch-eumstajuces, nor uj)on any created being, but arise merely froi^i the counsels and appointment of God himiself :— such events can lie farcluiov.-u only by that Being, one of whose a-ttribiitea ia oiauiaeieiice, and can be foretoLi by liiui ^I ^7 ?u-n,*''.o'''+r/^'? "^""^^'^ ^^ ^'S^*«" «^*'^ reveal t:ttm, so that whoever is manifestly endued ,vith laat prcclict.ve power, must, in that instance, speak ami act by divmo mspiration, and what he pronounces ot that kind must be received aa the word of God • nothmg m()re }x;ing necessary to assure us of this' than credible testmiony that such predictions were uttered before the event, and conclusive evidence timt the records which contain them are of the antiquity to which they pretend. Y. Can you give any instances of this kind of prophecy, and its fulfilment? T. The instances which the Scriptures supply are very numerous; but a few will convince you of the irresistible force of their claim to divine inspiration. 1. VVetakc first, thecelebrated prediction of Jacob before his death : - The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until feiiiLoii come," &c. ' The word SniLOH signifies, "He who is to be sent, or, '-Ttc peace-maker ;" in either sense, the application of It to that great Person to whom all the Patriarchs looked forward, and all the Prophets gave Witness, IS obvious. Before a certain event, a certain penon was to come, to whom the people should bo gaL].e.-ed : ta« ovent has certainly arrived, but who is the person? The applicaiion of the prophecy to Ivleasiah 13 not an invention of Christians. The anaient Jews as appears from their commentators, so understood It ; and th(, modern ones are unable to re f ui^ the evidence d rawn from it in favour of the claims fuZ^ 1 T^* -^ '' "^ Prediction, is proved from ns lorm, and the circumstances under which it was plis imont in thejperGon of Jesus of Nazareth, is also cciiaiu ; and it u c(iually certain that no individual bcouic can be produeed in whom it has been in any Bcuj;c whatever accomplished. Judali, as a tribe, 28 El' i remainecl till after tbe advent of Jesus Curist, which cannoo be saul of the loi^g-diapcrsed ton tribes, and frj'ircdy of Leujairon, which was merged in the tribe ot J IK lah. Till ( .ur Lord came, and had accomplished his work on earth, the tribe of Judah continued. Ihis 13 matter of un(iuestionab]e historic fact. In a Siiort tune afterwards it was dispersed, and minded with the common mass of Jews of all tribes and countries : this is equally unquestionable. Now aoain wc ask Could either human foresight determine tliis. r '-ri, ^PJ*^-''^*io^ of the event to the prophecy tancif ul ? a ho prediction was uttered in the verv in- fancy of the state of Israel, by the father of tlie fathers of the trilxis of that people. Aires passed away ; the mightiest empires were annihilated : ten ot the diosen tribes themselves were utterly dis- persed into unknown countries ; another became so insignihcant as to lose its designation : one only remamed which imposed its very name upon the nation at large, the object of public observation until the Messiah came,-and that tribe was Jctdaii, the tribe spoken of m the prediction, and it remained as lb were only to make-the fulfilment manifest, and was then confounded with the relics of the re&t What prescience of countless contingencies, occurring in tlie intorveniug ages, does this imply !-a prescience truly winch can only belong to God: ^ M \ 7}^? '"^P^stasies and idolatries of his people were foretold by Moses before his death. " I know that alter my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way whieh I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter days ;" ( Dout. XXXI. 2J> ;) and he acconlingly propheticallv declares thoir punishment. Let us lovok into the detail of these threatened punusnraeiits. Besides the ordinary lutHotiono of fail- ingiiarvests, and severe diseases, in their own country, they were, according to the prophecies of Moses* 29 JDent. xxviii.,) to be "scaltcml amou// aU people, from the one cud of tlie cai-th to the otiicr.'^ /-nd wlicrc IS the trading nation in which they are not, in ^,^'?,' w'*"!' T^'l •-^'"'■"i''' • ^^^y "^<^ ^'^^cn to be found int.ie West Indies, and in the commercial i.arfs of America. \\ho could foresee this but God ; especially when their singular preservation as a distinct ijcople a solitary mstance in the history of nations, is also implied? lliey were to find "no ease- amoim tliese nations ; and the almost -constant and luno-coutinucd persecutions, robberies, and murder of Jews, not only r!i+t^''^''''L?''^'"''-''i'iJ'^* especially among Christ i.^^ nations of the middle ages, and in the Mahcmetca f?/ii -^ ^""Jr^ *^^y' "''<^ "^ wonderful aecomrlishnient of this. They vrere to be "a proverb and a by-wc id among all nations ;" which has been in cvciy pkco lultiilcd, but was surely above human intelli'^nco io foresee It was added, "The stranger that i° with "n thco shall ^et above thee very high, and thou sha^t come very low." For a comment on this, let t .c ccu- • I iv^^*?^ '/stranger," the Turk, and othero, who inHabit lalestme, towards the Jews who rcmauitlKie be recollected : the one party is indeed " very hiuh '' and the other -very low." Other parts oftlii,. dn- gu.ar chapter present equally striking prcdicticr.- uttered more than three thou&and years tA and dnce remarkably accomplished ; but there arc^ .:ome ass? ages in it, which refer in terms so ])ariicular to a Ihcu a.stant event,- the utter subversion of their rol'lv and nation by the Romans,— as to demcustratc in the most unequi vocal manner the presence of Jlim to whom all events, the most continguent, minute, and (irstant, arc known with absolute certainty. 'U-at thel.omans are .ntended, in ver. 49, by tlio nat ■" n brougnt from " the end of the earth," dist-nguished by their well knoA->Ti ensign "the eagle/' and by thcu- f^Keand cruel aispoislLon, h exceeding; v proLablc; und it lb remarkable, that the accuio^t which Moses 30 W: IS .f If gives of the horrora of the "siege" of which he speaKa, h exactly paralleled by those well-known passages in Joscphus, in which he describes the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army. The last verso of the chapter seems indeed to fix the reference of the foregoiug pass- age to the final distruction of the nation by the I-lo- 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 1 si)ako unto thee. Thou shalt see it no more again : and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no mjin shall buy you." On this t)r. Hales remarks, on the authority of their own liational historian Josephus, "Of the captives taken at the siege of Jerusalem, above seventeen years of age, Bome were sent to Egypt in chains ; the greater part were distributed through the provinces, to be destroyed in 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- Ehecy of Moses was fulfilled,—' And no man shall uy. 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 thither through Asia and Greece,— a circumstance 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,' and several of the ships were wrecked on the coast. " Thus, at a distance of fifteen centuries, were these contingent circumstances accurately recorded l)y tlic prophetic spirit of Moses,— the taken of innumerable Jews captive,— their transport to Egypt,— their being sold till the markets for slaves were glutted, and no more buyers were found,— and embarked on board 1 ili ;< 31 r^Tj x' ^^:^^'^ *^ grace the triumph of their conquer- 01, or to tmd a market in diffcreni maritime ports 1= It poasiole that these imracrous and mS circuni W^XetSr^^ *^ ^^^- ^^^^^ conjLt^^^; As to Babylon, even when it was the moot i,oteni empire Isaiah predicts its capture by Cvrus ^men tionmg,hmiby name more thin oae LnS vca^a boforc ho was born,) and its utter destruct^n Now ^"7^^^ slt^N*!:;' this prophecy remains t^Z SiV. J?? 1 ? ^«^o» s Dissertations on the l>rp. phecies, which 1 recommend to your perusal, you >vill tvLT" iTi °^ .CT^lic Scri/ture striktg^y 1 li^- trated. And stiU further proofs of the wondirfu llv exact acwmphshment of those prophecies ma vb« seen m a highly interesting MemSr on the Ss o? Babylon, by Claudius J. ^ich, piibShed in ?8I?. site of ancient Babylon, which probably are thoi-h mainn tbat'^r * ^? ^^^ainl? ascertLed,' the ^ ttie '" bPc^nl 5^^''°?^'°?"*^' now indeed swept with tiie besom of destruction.'^ He tells us ton ih.l owis snail d-well there, and satyrs shall dance tl erp »' The present rums of that cit.vlj.o 4.j>jojf.i!°.^.^'^/,^- , ^0 course of the Euphrates las bcercho!^^^^^^^^^^ tt My m conscauence of the chamicl formed by cVnL; m', r I 32 and tho yielding nature of tlic soil dcmoiialratcs tli, t Bucli tin Dpcnitiou ooiuM liavo Ixjcu p'jifomit'd l)y a larifo urmy willi .i^rcat faoLlily and dcvspatcli. Ihu ruiaa examined hy JNlr. Jvicli beiu* icslimony to tlio immeiuio extent «if tin; eity an cleseribed hy aroient authors. Vast masses «>f niaaonry, ef Ixith burnt and unburnt bricka and bitumen, Avero observed in various excavations in theso huge ■.'uoiin/u'uifi of ruins, which are separated from caoli other by aeveral miles. (.)no is called by tho Arabs, Birs JViinroiid ; another tho Katii; or i'ahvco ; and a third, whieli some liavo thought ;to bo tho ruins of tho Tower «jf Uelus, is called by the natives Miundihc, oveiituunkd, which expressive term is also sometimes a2)plied to tho mounds of tho Kasr. 4. Daniel distiiMitly predicts tho overthrow, in .suc- cession, of tho./uwr (jrcat anpltrnoi antiijuity, tho Jj, vvliich .0(1 to tho ow, in snc- ..y, the Jul' liOiiian ; rhe of tho u foreaeen relate to ])r()plictio slance, or d only iu •■ adduced ; encrally of cf erring to h the ap- his niinis- vduslve of which iu termiiiato these pre- olishmeiit. , — Lorn in 1 of Deity, 1 teachoi* ; 33 - ho \yas to open tlio cycf; of tlm Mind I„..,l n. i nud mek, an.l rai«o the dead ;--]/o J t i!.!^^ '^^ time,- that this Divine IYtsoii Xm]t^w/.•^•''"*^ work miracles, he unjustly rmtti-t'^^ "^'^ •"' and estahlish his relig onl^ &far1, ?h l/JT ""f^^ never enter into the minds of ?«.» i *^"'"fe'^J? ^''^'-^^ suggested hy no oxVericte a^.T^^^^^^^^^^^^ ftnsing out of the usual course of h J,au Jr J^f ^^? yet If the Prophets were notinspi^S tUnnlflV'''''^ been as impossihle for tliem to Ce coned v. J "'S expectations, as for us ; and inJeed Zoh more «o seeing we are now familiar Math a relip io? J?r ? ^''' serts that such events have once occuS l^tZ' such events lay heyond not only human fo;esiihtb°t even human thought, they can only he referred tot epiration. But tlie case docs not close here llZ shall we account, in the next place, for these eireum stances all having met, strange as they are n o?« person, and m one only among^all the mlllS of men who have hcen horn of woman — aiif Yw , Jesus of Nazareth ? He was of ?ho h^L ^ V'''''°"' of David, he was hori ^n^c? t^^^T^^^^^ mBethlehcm,--he professed to he ''(Jo.l d')?"^,'?*', and vvrougiit imracxes to subatantiate his claim". At 2)4 f i hh worn or touch, the " cj^cs of the >)lin(l avcio open- ed," ♦'the lamo Icapcil aa a liart," tho duml) «ial:c, tho sick were hcrxlcil, .ami tho ilcad lived, an tho i ro- phet8 liad foretold. Of tho whdom of las teaching, his recorded discourses bear witness. His reject i:)n and unjust death hy his countrymen aro niattcra of historic fact ; his resurrection and w^censlon stand upon tho lofty evidences which have been already adducei I ; tlio dcstniction of the Jewish nation, according to hw own predictions, followed as the proof of the terror of hia olfended majesty; and his "kingdom among men continues to this day. Tliero is no possible meaua of evailin^ the evidence of tho fulldmcnt of those predictions in the person of our Lord. To all these iM-edictions tho words of a modern writer are applicable : "Let now the infidel, or the sceptical reader, meditate thoroughly a^., 8ol)er.y upon these predictions. The priority of t.ie reconls to the erents admits of no question. Tho completion is obvious to every competent inquirer. Here then are facts. We are called upon to account for those facts on rational and adequate principles. Is human foresight equal to the task? Enthusiasm? <^on- jecture? Chance? Political contrivance? If none of these, neither any other principle that may be de- vised by man's saD:acity, can accoimt for the facts ; then true philof^opliy, as well as true religion, will as- cribe them to iJio inspiration of tho Almighty. Every eflfect must have a cause." Y. Tliis is evidence not to be controverted ; but how shaft I know that these miraculous works did m reality take place, and that these proplie^cies were uttered and recorded before the events which tJiey foretell? , ... , T. This is the third step in our demonstration ; ana on this subject you sJiall receive satisfactory mtorma- tiott. 35 w'cvo 0!)cn- mb s^ahe, 13 tho Pro- i tcacli'ing, is rcjccthii matters of stand upon y ad(Tuce(l ; ding to liia lie terror «f in" among [10 possible dlUmcnt of ' a modem idcl, or tlie .-,1 soberly tlie records 1 completion Hero tlicn it for those la human ism? Con- 3? If none i may be de- r the facts ; ;ion, will as- lity. Every iverted ; but works did in pheclcs were which they fcration ; and ;ory informa- i I CHAPTER IV. THE ANTrQUnr, GENUINENESS, AND Al'THifiNTICITY OP THE BOOKS OF SClilPTUKE nf Ti.A'^ ^^'"^^ P^."^'^ '^"^ ^^^^''^ become the lernalator J' A&xr"4"hi;T^ '^'T^ ^^'^^'^ ^-^^^^^'^'^ ^. ivioses gave his Jaws about lOOO veara brfnr- ried'tSVonvsoTi^ 'T ^"fi¥ writers have car- irn',n\r^fT: i^f- '^' ^^ to question their existence ^0 aayo the testimony of numerous Pa-an Srs a' r Havlf k'TP*^ *'^^i*^«"' t'' confT™ it ''' ""^ T To iS kindness to give me some instances SrftABO, who Hourished in the century before cS Sn,;; '"S't'ng divine worship to One Invisiblt »?. SM h„„f ^"S; "^T'-"' " KS^™ histori^ in o;h,i'''f X'':retT*?4*^';n,*'' "° ''°"°""" °V*° ton3on3of-wi:'a;;f^SorSo.'^/rti;fX" ' • ■ 36 Tnandov of the Jews, who went out if 1^71*^ "^ ^^** institution of the t^^ahbath, and tlio Priesthood oi Aaron. Pliny sper.k3 of Mosca, as giving,' rise to n '3cct of magicians, probahly ^vit]l reforLncc to his contest with the ma^jiciaiis of Egypt. Tacitus sayw, "Mosca gave a now form of Avor^jiiip to the Jews, and a system of religious ceremonies, the i-evcrse of every thing known to any otiicr age or country." Juvenal, in his 14th .Satire, mentions Moses as the author of a volume, which was preserved with great care among the Jews ; by which the worship of images and eating swine's ilcsh were forbidden ; and circumcision, and the observation of the Sabbath, strictly enjoined. LoNGiNUS cites Moses as the lawgiver of the Jew ti, and praises the sublimity of his style in the account he gives of the creation. — As to CiiiiiST, it is only necessary to give the testimony of two historians whose antiquity no one ever thought of disputing. Suetonius mentions him by name, and says that Claudius expelled from Home those who adhered to his cause. Tacitus records the i)rogress which the Christian religion had made, and the violent death its founder had suffered ; that he flourished under the reign of Tiberius ; that Pilate was then Procurator of Judea ; and that the original author of this pro- fession was Christ. Thus not only the real existence of the founder of Christianity, but the period in which he lived, is exactly ascertained by writings, the genuineness of which has never been doubted. Y. Proceed now to show me on what ground I am to admit the professed antiquity of the sacred Scrip- ture, which appears also to be an important pomt. T. It is ; for if the writings in question were com- posed at, or very near, the time in which the mira- culous acts recorded in them were performed, then the evidence of those events having occurred is ren- dered the stronger, for, in that case, tliey were written at the time when many weru living vvho mi^ht ,'[tt, of iLo }sthoo(l oi I'f rise to n O ncc to his ^-iTUs sav.s, Jews, aiid JO of every Juvenal, uitbor of a arc among aud eating jision, ana • enjoined. tlic Jewtt, he account it is only historians disputing. says that adhered to which the jlent death i under the Procurator if this pro- al existence od in which •itings, the ted. round I am icrcd Scrip- it point. L were com- i the mira- irmed, then .rrcd 13 rcn- they were I who miijht 37 Wrnrr*rf^^'*"l *^^ narration, if false ; and tho uni lohabihty 13 also fTcater, that, in the very ago and place when and where r,oa«f1 fV^f fi,^o„ book, of ISIoscs were forged in 8omi>^ag;s aftr Mo S It la impossible they could have been received S 40 II' l:i tm(^, 'unless the forgers conld liavo made tho wliole nation Ixlicvo that they had received these })nok» h'om their uthei-s, had been instruetetl in them v.hcTi they were chihlren, and had tanj^ht them to t!:eir children; moreover, that they -had all hecn circumcised, and did eiveumeise their children m jnirsuanec to what Avas cfunnianded in these boohs j that they had ol)serveil the yearly paisaover, the weekly Sahhath, the new moam, and all thtac several fcuists, fatits, and ceremonies, commanded in these books. )13ut, v/a3 it possible to havo persuaded a whole nation of men that they had knoAATi and practised all these thin2;s, if they had not done it V or, secondly, to have received a book for truth, wluch said tliey had practised them, and appealed to that pr.ictice ? . ''But now let ua descend to the utmost degree ot supposition, namely, that these tidings were practised before these books or Moses were forged ; ar.d that those books did tmly impose upon tho nation in nvilt- iug thfin believe, that they had kept these olbcr- vanees in 'Jieniorj of such and such things as were m- eertcd in those books. . . " Well, then, let us proceed ni>on . Js supposition, (however groundless,) and now, will not the same impossibilitiea occur as in tho former case? tor, first, this must suppose that the Jews kept all thoiio jibservanees in memory of nothing, or Avithout know- ing anything of their original, or the reason v/hy t-iey kept theni. AMiereas these very observances did express the ground and reason of theirbcinc;l:e'^>t ; aa tho Passover, in memory of (Uul's i)a3.smg_ over ho eluhlren of tho Ismelites, in that night Avhercm lie slew all the hrst-born of Egypt ; and so '^f the r:;^t. •'But, secondly, let us supjiosc, contrary both to y,,^^,.,-^ ^x\d matter of fact, that tho Jo\\>s did not know any reason at'all why they kept thcso obscrvaiiccs ; yet waa it iwssible to persuade them tliat they had the wIioTe •icao hooka L in thoni it tliem la il all been :liiWrcn in cso books ; jsovcr, tlio litac several d in these )crsuaclecl a kno^^Ti and ,ot done it '/ rutli, wkich tied to tliat ist degree of TO practised I ; ar.d lliat iou in m^\]i- iLcsc ol^bcr- 5 as wore in- supposifcion, lot llio same caso ? For, cpb all tkc:50 thout know- ra v.Iiyt^ioy rvancci did l)cinc;ke^>t ; ,ing over .lie 1; v/'aerciu Tio iftlxer:;:;!. rary 1;ui;h to lid not luKUV observances ; linit tlicy bad 41 novSsaw bli^- .?'•" ^''\^?.'^' ^"^ "^^^^ they othen Gospel ? ^^ ^*^ "^^^^ ^^^ any tills ^cte""^ S """^ Ir "^ !^°^^^^^ ^^^'"Pl^ "lore in xma case. Ihero is the Wtonehenge in 8alisburv IvZr^ ^ ^^^ fc'^*"^* ^*0"e3 were set there or hv «?S' "^ ^'^ memory of what. ' ^^ 4cs siZ ;-!!po 'eofe- --^'''''*'- ^ reputation in all Km* n m Wiwiinwrwiti *!»b 42 our clilldrcn, ftUillLvl boon tanylib ifc muMolvcn wlinn •wo wero cliildrcu. 1 ask any Dciat whoUicr lio tlunka this could pass upon Engl ;wul"? juuUvliotlRr, if 1, or.'iiiy otlior, bIiouUI iuaist upon it, avo oUoukl not, instead of being bcliovcd, bo scut to Bodlam V" This ablo reasoning has never been refuted, nor can bo ; and if the bodes of tlio law must have been written by Moses, it is as easy to prove that IMosca himself could not in the nature of the thin-j have de- ceived tlio people bjr an imposture, and a pretence of miraculous attestations, in order, like some latter lawgivdra among the Heathens, to bring the people moru willingly to submit to his institutions. The hind of miraclca no gives as instances rendered this im- possibla **Sup]>ose," says the same writer, "any manfihould pretend, that yesterday ho divided the Thames, in presence of all the people of London, and carried the whole city, men, women, and children, over to Southwark, on dry land, the water standing like walls on both aides : I say, it is morally imposaiblo fliat ho could persuade the people of London that ihis waa true, when every miau, woman, and child could contradict him, and, say, that this was a notorious falsehood, for that they 'had not seen the Thames so divided, nor had they gone over on dry laud. '•As to Moses, I suppose it will bo allowed mo, that ho could not have persuaded 000,000 men that ho had brought them out of Egyi^t, through tho Ked .Sea, fed them forty years, without bread, by miraculous manna, and the other matters of fact recorded in his books, if they had not been true ; bccauao every man's aenses then alive must have contradicted it. And vacreforo he must have Imposed upon all their senses, if ho could have made them believe it, when it was false, and if no such things were done." By these arguments, the genuineness and authen- ticity of the books of Mioses are established : aud as to those of the Prophets, which, with some p. ^ctiona ilvon \A)v.n r l»o thinka if l.or.iiiy oi, instead Dtl, Mor can have l;ccn that Closes r; have a\o imposod upon them. I licrctoro here wero Iho two llrst vulc^i bcforc-incutioncd. " Thou for tlu) two srcoud : haptiBnvaiul the Lord 3 supper wore instituted as porpetual mcmonala of thcJo things; and they were not uibtituted in aftrr- asca, but at the very time when these tlungs wero said to bo done ; and have been observed, without in- terruption, in all ages throughout the whole Christian world, down all tho way from that time to thia. And Christ himself did ordaui Apostles and other Ministers o his Gospel, to preach and administer the incnts, an.l to govern his church ; and that always, oven unto the end of tho worhl. (Matt, xxvui. 20.) Accordinc^ly, thoy have continued by rcg|dar succea. sion to thi/day ; and, no doubt, ever shall, while tho earth shall last. So that the Christian Clergy are aa notorious a matter of fact as tho tribe ot Levi omong tho Jews. And tho Gospel is as much a law to the Christians, as the Book of Tyloses to the .Tews ; and it being part of the matters of fact related ni the Gospel, that such an order of men were appointed by Christ, and to continue to tho 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 bo no such order of Clerg^y, as derived themselves from the institution of Christ ; which must give the he td tho Gospel, and demonstrate tho whole to bo false. And tho matters of fact of Christ being pressed to ho true no othcrwiae than as there was at tliat time jj3Pn+. to a^^mii^istf-r thcmT and it being impossible there couid be any such things before they w<^o invented, it is as imposaiblo that thoy should bo what had riin itwaa Tliorcforo icd. L the Tjord'a •mo vials of (I ill aftcr- hings wero without in- o Christian this. And :r Ministcra tlie sacra- lat always, xxviii. 20.) liar succcs- 1, while tbo Clergy are ibe of Levi much a law o the Jews ; latcd in the ppointed by ,vorld ; con- ad invented st. then, at cro could bo iselves from ^'0 the lie tO to bo false, rcssed to ho ,t that timo Jospel to be irist's inati- his appoint- X inipossiblo ' they wero r should bo 45 reooiv(;d when iuvontod An!,•'' ''^'^^'"" ^'^^'^s*' ^he in the reign of T bSLm T^ "''V" ^''' ""ciiixinn of Pontiut Pilate thrtirnn *^"'"^f'>^° I>rocurp.t.r«hip place that evenfotter X nc^ ^|f 'i the Evangelist^ who incidentally alhidcftT ?^»«^«« <>/ the books o the learned LaSr in hi^! .??,^V\-'"'";*^««^^^^^ ^^^ Heathen testimonS '" S^.. ^^"^ction of Jewish and Christianity vS we h.7^^ ''"n*^.^ *««ti«ionies to none are mL/vSuabfc J' l?'^'"^ ' 1"?^'^ ^^^«* ^--^es. monies of tliosc learned i.hni"r'*^''i ^^'^"^ *^« tc^ti'. - -^ *:. .^^^"^^'^ philosophers who wrote against n 1^ i'f ' 46 us,— Celsus in tho second century, Porpliyr:5r in the third, and Hieroclea and Julian in the fourth." Celsus wrote against Christianity not much above one hundred and thirty years after our Lord's as- cension, and his books were answered by the celebrated Origen. He was a most bitter enemy of Christianity, and i^roduces many passages out of the Gospels. He represents Jesus to have lived a few years before. Ho 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 child 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 going about with his disciples ; his healmg the sick and lame, and raising the dead ; his fore- telling his own sufferings and resurrection ; his b^g betrayed and forsaken by his own disciples ; his suffer- ing both of his owr 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 vmegar and gall, aiid his being scourged and crucified ; his bemg seen aiter his resurrection by a fanatical woman, (as he caUs her, meaning Mary Magdalen,) and by his own companions and disciples ; and his showing them his hands that were pierced, the marks of his pumshment. He also mentions the angels being seen at his sepulchre. It is true, he mentions all these things only witH a design to ridicule and expose them. But they furnish us with an uncontested proof that the Gospel was then extant. Accordingly, heexpressly t^ells the Christians, "These things we have i»rovtUce« out o* your own writings. ry in the ich above iord'a as- elcbrated istianity, Dels. He tore. Ho e angel's >ed at his liim when ; Joseph's imonition ; on Jesus ; and the bhe Son of lis healing ; his fore- his being his suflFer- Qce to his I his pray- pass from h,the robe 3, the reed 1 gall, and seen after 3 calls her, ompanions bands that ;. He also ulchre. I only with But they the Gospel ly tells the 47 Porjprrrny flourished about tho year 270 amannf great abilities ; and his work agaiTt the Ch?iShns ^//ff "^ h^oks, was 1 ng esteemed by theStS an I thought worthy of being answered by EusS and others in great repute fo? learning, lie was weU acauaznted with the books oftheW Jd New r^i . A ^""^ ^.^^ acquainted with our Scriptures ana made many objections to them, therobr^S wSrw^as^Wn^^"^*?' andtothrp!;:^ C refp^rS WW S^'^^^y *^6 Christians ; for he Jias leferred both to the Gospels and to the EnistW S°nrtheTruth^*S "^^ f^^'^^ namr^dTft Sof i^l^^.^VZXt'-'''''' '^'-''' '' in the V^f^n '^''^T' 7^'' succeeded ..nstantius JSd in iM-tw J' 1,™*^ f^'° ^g^"^«* tlie Christians, t^stimonvrf? \^^"^designedly borne a valuable tament ^H *n^f ^'^^^ T^ ^°^^« «^ **»« ^^^^ Tes- rise S hV i^ ?^* *^® Christian religion had its Roma^ Frnf" ^'^ be propagated, in the tSnes of the wrtnes3 fo ?hr' ^'?''"^"' ^"^^ ^^^^^^■«*- H^ tears witness to the genumeness and authenticity of thf to in wf Al4r'^''' ^".^ ^^ «^ ^^°*«« tl^em as receh'^bv rw?''^ were the only historical bool^s ISSl^^Sijif^^'-^^/v^^ of authority _; and the only and the^WhS^" "-^""^ P^^'^^' »^^ ^^^ Apostles, and tiie aocfcnncs preached by them. - He auiws the ! (« 48 early dato of tlio Gosiicla, and c-.-cn vjr;r\icH for ilicm. Ho (luotea, or plainly rcfura to, llio Acta of tho Apostles, as already said ; audto.S7. Paul s Lp titles io the Romans, io the ConnUdans, and to theOaiatians. Ho does not deny tlic miracles of Jesus Christ, but allows liim to have healed tho blind, and the lame, and the demoniacs, and to have rcbuho-d tho wmds, and to have walked upon the waves of the sea. lie endeavours, indeed, to dcmini^h those works, but in vain He endeavours also to lessen the number of the early believers, but acknowledges that there were multltudefi of such men in Greece and Italy, before bt. John wrote his Gospel. And he often spooks with creat indignation of Peter and Paul thoBo 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 thm-s recorded in the books of the New Testament. He a .med to over- throw the Christian religion, but has inhrmcd it. ^ These testimonies "prove that neither Celsus in the second, Porphyry in the third, nor Julian m 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 thi3 subiect different from that which is holden by Chris- tians. And when we consider how much it would have availed them to cast a doubt upon this point, if they could, and how ready they showed themselves to take every advantage in their power, and that they were men of learnmg and mquiry, their^ concession, or rather their suffrage upon the subject, is extremely ^Vhat^'the facts and statements recorded in the evangelic history were not forgeries of a subsequent period, is made also still more ludubitable from the fact that the f'^ur GnsT)els and the Acts of the Apostles are quoted' or alluded to by a series of Chris- for ilicm. a of tho Epistles to kdatlans. irist, but blio lame, he winds, Bca. He is, but in ber of the bcro wero before St. o^lis witli two crcat srs of his iesignedly ecorded in jd to over- tncd it. Cehus in lian in the y of these were mis- bed them. upon this n by Chris- ;li it would this point, themselves cl that they concession, 3 extremely led in the subsequent le from the cts of the es of Chris- 49 with the Apostles, or who immediately follo^^X aiS proceeding m close and regular successiJnf rom 'the^ time to tho present. - The medium of proof stated m this propos tion," obserA^es Dr. Paley '• 3 c^ all others the most unquestionable, and is not dlmin shed ot His own Times, inserts various extracts from Lord Clarendon a History. One such insertion is^ proof that Lord Clarendon's History was extant wli on Bishop Burnet wrote, that it \Ia S readan I re reTrded'^ W^l'm V^ ""' t''^ Clarendoi^rand regaraecl by t.m as an authentic account of tho transactions which it relates ; and it will be a nroof PiCtfon Kv " *^"^^^"^^ y^'^« hence. tIic^ an! obvion? h}l^ argument to the Gospel history is obvious. If the dilFereno books which arc received by Christians as containing this history, are qiioted a^hnr'' f '^'*'.7' ^«..^/^"""^« in relpect o?lS authora and ns authentic in x-espect of their narrative up to the a,ge m which the writers of them Hvcd' then It 18 clear that these books must havrhad an which they are quoted, and that they were then admitted as authentic. ^ hZ'I^^% testimonies are very satisfactory ; but the Bible are a;^ sacred, and that those mentioned in c";;; testmxomes have not been alter^'^^l T. With respect to the Scriptures of the Old Tes- tfoT^'U.wV^'V^ '^rP^^if' *^^ Septuagint trausla- proofs thft %l tT^'^^i^ Pentateuch, are sufficient ?i ? n?!i ^ ^"""^^ ^^'^^ ^^« received by us as sa- cred, are the same as those received by the Jews and Samaritans long before the Christia/ era. Fo^the New Testament : beside tlie quotaii.ms from nlmr^? aU the books now mcluded in that volumo, and ref-T- 50 t* cnces to tlicm by namo, in tlio earliest CbnstiJin writers, catalofjuen oi autlicntic scriptures were mi D- liahed at very early pcriocla, Avliich, says Dr. i aluy, "tliougli numerous, and made in countries atawKla distance from one another, differ very Irttle. dillcr la nothing material, and all contain the four Oospels. Y. But what say you as to their uncorrupted pre- T As to the books of the Old Testament, the regard which was paid to them by the Jews, especially to tho Law, would render any forgery or material change in their contents impossible. Inirther, at certam stated seasons, the law was publicly read before all the people of Israel; and it was appointed to be kept in the ark, for a constant memorial against those who transgressed it. Further after the people were divided into two kingdoms, both the people of Israel and those of Judah still retained the same book of the law : and the rivalry or enmity which subsisted between the two kingdoms, prevented either (.f them irom altering or adding to the law. After the 1 raelites were carried captive into Afisyria, other nations were placed in the city of Samaria in their stead ; and the Samaritans received the Pentateuch, as well as the Jews, but with this difference, that the Samaritan Pentateuch was m the Old Hebrew oi* Phoenician chara ters, in which it remains to this day ; whereas the Jewish copy was changed into Chaldee clia- racters, (in which it also • -mains to this day,) wlucli were fairer and clearer x .an the Hebrew, the Jews having learned the Chaldeo language during tlieir seventy years' abode at Babylon. The jealousy and hatred which subsisted between the Jews and Sa- maritans, made it impracticable for either nation to corrupt or alter the text in anything of conseciuence _^j.T J. j.-.'_ ,i:„««,.f,Y.Tr . oT.fl tVifi (Tfiiiei'al acrree- ment between the Hebrew and Samantaii coines ot tho Pentateuch, which are now < xtant, is such, as 51 Cliristican were pub- )r. Talcy, at a wiclo , dilTcr ia ospels." upted pre' tnent, the especially p material irtlier, at •ead before nted to b& linst those ?(>plo were J of Israel )ook of the tjd between bhem from 1 Israelites itions were itead ; and as well as Samaritan Phceniciaix J ; whereas laldee cha- ay,) which r, the Jews iring their ialousy and vs and Sa- r nation to ;onsec|uenco leval agrce- m coj;nes of is such, as plainly dctnonstratofi that the copies from which each was taken were originally the same. Nor can any better evidence be desired, that the Jewish iJiblcs have not been corrupted or intenjolated, than this very book of the .Samaritan ; which, after more than two tlioutjand years' discord between the two nations, varies as little from ^ho other as any classic work in a less tract of time has disagreed from itself by the un- avoidable slips and mistakes of so many transcribers. After tl>e return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, the Book of the Law and tlie Prophets was publicly read in their synagogues every Sabbath-day ; which v/as an excellent method of securing its purity as well as of enforcing the observation of the law After the birth of Christ, the Old Testament was hchl m high esteem both by Jews and Christians. The JcM's also frequently suffered martyrdom for their Scriptures, which tlu ,^. ikl not have done had they suspected them have been corrupted or altered. Besides, the Jews and Christians were a mutual guard upon each other, which must have ren- dered any material corrui)tion impossible, if it had been attempted: for if such an attempt had been made by the Jews, they would have been detected by the Christians. ^ Lastly, the agreement of all the manmcripfs of iha Old Testament, (amounting to ntarly eleven hundred and fifty, ) which are known to be extant, is a clear proof of its uncorrupted pre="^rvation. These manu- scripts, mdeed, are not all entire : some contain one part, and some another. But it is absolutely im- possible that ( oery manuscript, whether in the original Hebrew, or in any ancient version or paraphrase should or could be designedly altered or falsified in the saw e passages, without detection, either by Jews or Christians. Although the various readings, which Lave been discovered by learned men, who have applied themseh es to the collation c-f every known 52 ¥l ..' ' I manuscript of the Hebrew Scriptures, amount to many thousands, yet these differences are of so little real moment, that their laborious collations afford us scarcely any opportunities of correcting the sacred text in important passages. Equally satisfactory is the evidence for .the integrity 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 facts, and the very same doctrines, universally received by Chris- tians, which we of tha present day believe on the credit of the New Testament. An universal corruption of those writings was im- possible, nor can the least vestige of such a corruption be found in history. They could not be coiTupted during the life of their authors ; and before 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 corrupted during the life of their respective authors, and while 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, with- out being detected while the original manuscripts were preserved in the churches. — The Christians who were instructed by the Apostles, or by their im- 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 century of the Christian era, to the very time of the Apostles ; and these very testimonies are equally applicable to prove its uncorrupted preservation. These sacred records, being universally regarded as the supremo nount to [ 80 little afford us le sacred integrity ss in any ttturies of i, and the jy Chris- 3 on the was im- orruption 30iTupted ore their rent com- through- 3orrupted md while ittest the any ma- se, with- nuscripts ians who iheir im- s of the writings ; and pre- } have an mineness rhich can mtury of Lpostles ; licable to ie sacred supremo 63 standard of truth, were received by every class of Christians with peculiar respect, as Leing divine com- positions, and possessing an authority belonging to no other books. Whatever cotroversies, therefore! arose among different sects, (and the church was very early rent with fierce contentions on doctrinal points.) the fecriptures of the New Testament were i^ceived and appealed to by every one of them, as being con- elusive in all matters of controversy ; consequently it was morally impossible that any man, or body of men should corrupt or falsify them in any fundamental article, should foist into them a single expression to lavour their peculiar tenets, or erase a single sentence without bemg detected by thousands. If any material alteration had been attempted by the orthodox, it would have been detected by the heretics ; and. on the other hand, if a heretic had inserted, altered, or falsified anything, he would have been exposed by the orthodox, or by other heretics. It 13 well knoMTi that a division commenced, in the fourth century, between the eastern and western Churches, which, aljout the middle of the ninth century, became irreconcilable, and subsists to the present day. Now it would have been impossible to alter all the copies in the eastern empire ; and if it had been possible in the east, the copies in the west JJ'oulfl liave detected the alteration. But, in fact both the eastern and western copies agree ; which r.^P} i^ expected, if either of them was altered or faJ^ified. The uncorrupted preservation of the /^7/ , **™*^^* 18 further evident, from the agreement q/ all the manuscripts. The manuscripts of the New lestament, which are extant, are far more numerous than those of any sin(/le classic author whomsoever : upwards of three hundred and fifty were collated by vxnesbacn, lor his celebrated critical edition. These manuscripts, it is true, are not all entire : most of them contain only the Gospels ; others the Gospels, mtrntmimm 64 ^i ■ * k X. : , > Acta of the Aposlcs, and the Epistles ; and some contain the A.pocalypse, or Eevclation of John. But they were all written in very different and distant parts of tiic world ; several of them are npwards of twelve hundred years old, and give us the books of tl:^ New Testament, in all essential ^)oint3, 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 tl o credibility of a history, is it not also proper to inquire into the character of the writers ? 7\ It is ; and the inquiry will serve to establish you greatly in the truth of their narrations. The^ were manifestly good men ; this was acknowledged by their enemies ; and they could not therefore knowingly deceive others. Nor could they be deceived themselves. They could not mistake the facts in the case of the feeding of the five thousand, and the sudden healing of lepers, and lame and blind persons ; they could not but know whether he with whom they conversed for forty 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 hia ascension into heaven ; nor as to the fact whether they 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 others. Their worldly interests, too, lay in concealing the truth. By only not bearing testimony, they might have avoided all their sufferings, and have lived quietly. Would men in such circumstances pretend to have seen what they never saw ; assert facts of which they had no knowledge ; go about lying, to teach virtue ; and though not only convinced of CUriat'a being an impostor, but having seen the failure 65 xnd some )hn. But tant parts of twelve : tl:^. Now accordant no degree begrity of preserva- Jibility of into the ibli.sh you riie^ were idged by cnowingly hemselves. iaae of the en healing hey could conversed ith whom ng before 1 as to hia \, whether with the had never . miracles, ealing the bey might ave lived 8 pretend b facts of lying, to vinced of he failure f)f \\\h imposture in his crucifixion, yet pcralst in carry- ing it on, and so persist as to bring upon themselves, and with a full knowledge of the conse- for nothin^^f, quences, enmity and hatred, danger and death ? Y. This was impossible ; Imt is it not also a great confirmation of tlie truth of the Evangelical history, "that it is so circumstantial ? T. Certainly it is ; for wo never find that forged or false accounts of things abound in 2i(irticiUarities ; and wlicrc many particulars are related of time, place, persons, &c. , there is always a strong presumptiop of tinith, and on 'he contrary. Here the evidence is more thai sumptive. The history of the Evaa- gelists a' ; the Acts of the Ai)optle3 is so full of rofcrencoo i-i> persons then living, and often to persons •of consefiuence, and to places in which miracles and other transactions took place publicly and not in secret,— and the application of all these facts by the first propogators of the Christian religion to give credit to its divine authority was so freq[uent and explicit, and often so reproving to their opposers, — that if they had not been true, they must have lieen contradicted ; and if contradicted on good evidence, the authors must have been overwhelmed with confusion. This ;argument is rendered stronger when it is considered that "these things were not done in a comer;" nor was the age dark and illiterate, and prone to admit fables. The Augustan age was the most learned the world over saw. The love of arts, sciences, and literature, was the universal passion in almost every part of the Roman empire where Christianity was first taught in its doctrines, and proclaimed in its facts ; and in this inquisitive and discerning era, it rose, flourished, and established itself, with much resistance to its doctrines, but without being onee questiotied cis to the truth of its Jmtorical facts, V. Are we not then at the end of the argument? f ujr as tke gt^^mncutHH and autkenticity of the books uf 56 ^1 I '*] Scripture have been satisfactorily established, then their relations of miracles, and their record of pro- phecies, must of course be true ; and if the miracles ^ere actually wrought, and the prophecies were really fulfilled, which no one can reasonably doubt, then it must certainly follow, that the BibFe contains a dearly authenticated revelation of the will of God. 5r. Doubtless a ground has already been laid suffi- ciently fi. m for your entire faith in the divine au- thority of the Scriptures ; but other evidence, confirm- atory of your belie.f, yet remains to be stated :— so abundant, is the proof. CHAPTER V. ' ^^ " i^ INTERNAL EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE. T. What is the internal evidence of the truth of bcripture 1 I. The excellent nature and tendency of its doc- trines ; a subject on which I desire to be furnished "omth some illustrations. T. Consider, first, the explicitness, sublhnity, and evident truth of the representations which the Scrip- tures make of the nature and attributes of God, res- pectmg which the wisest Heathens fell into errors so gross and fatal. He is there exhibited as the great and the sole First Cause of all things, external, self- existent, present in all places, luiowing all things j infinite m power and wisdom ; and perfect in goodness, justice, holiness, and truth. These discoveries of revelation have satisfied the human mind on this great and primary doctrine ; and have given it a resting- place which it never before found. Y. Views so just and clear as to the divine nature, I acknowledge, were never acquired by Heathens. T. Consider also the representations which the Scriptures make of the moral condition of man. Y. But how does this prove the exceltenr.t^. of th« Sci'iptures ? * led, then d of jjro- mivacles ere really t, then it >utains a 'od. laid suffi- Lvine au- , confirm' ted : — so iptuhe. truth of its doc- urnished lity, and le Scrip- Jod, res- jrrors so be great lal, self- things J Qodness, eries of lis great resting- nature, sns. lich the I. of the 57 T. By proving their truth; for all the representa- tions M'hich they make of our moral condition are substantiated by universal observation and experience j and to know our fallen and corrupt state, is the first Btep to the remedy. Y. How does it appear that the account the Scrip, tures give us of man^s moral state, which is indeed sufficiently humbling, is confirmed by observation and experience ? T. The Old and New Testaments agree in repre- senting the human race as actually vicious, and capa- ble, when without moral check and control, of the greatest enormities ; so that not only individual bap- piness, but social also, is constantly obstructed or endangered. To this the history of all ages bears wit- ness, and present experience gives its testimony. But they not only assume men to be actually vicious, but vicious in consequence of a moral taint in their nature,— originally and peiinanently so, but for those provisions of grace and means of sanctity of which they speak. What is thus represented as doc- trine, appeals to our reason through the evidence of unquestionable /ac<. The strmg tendency of man to crime, cannot be denied. Civil penal laws are enacted for no other purpose than to repress it ; they are mul- tiplied in the most civilized states to shut out the evil in all those new directions towards which the multi- plied relations of man, and his increased power, aris- ing from increased intelligence, have given it its impulse. Every legal deed, with its seals and wit- nesses, bears testimony to that opinion as to human nature which the experience of man has impressed on man ; and history itself is a record chiefly of human guilt, because examples of crime have, everywhere and at all times, l>een much more frequent than ex- amples of virtue. This tendency to evil the Scriptures tell ua arises from "the heart,'*— the nature and dis- position of man ; and it is no L otherwise to be account- ^|i 58 ccl for. Some indeed Lave represented the comiption of the race as the result of association and example • but if men were nrturally inclined to good, and averse to evil, how IS It that not a few individuals only, but the whole race, have become evil by mutual associa- tion? This would be to make the weaker cause the more efficient, which is manifestly absurd. Y. Is it not a peculiar excellency in the Christian reh^on, that it points out clearly the means of the pardon of sin, and of our recovery from our fallen and corrupt state ? 7\ It is ; and this leads me to notice the next leading doctrine of the Scriptures, which is the re- storation of man to the divine favour, through the merits of the vicarious and sacrtj-jcml death of Christ, the incarnate Son of Ood ; nd that you may rightly understand this most important doctrine, you must attend to the following particulars :— The Christian doctrine of atonement is grounded npon the liability of man to punishment in another life, for sins committed against the law of God in this. Men are capable of committing sin, and sin is pro- ductive of misery and disorder. These positions can- not be denied. That to violate the laws of God, and to despise his authority, are not light orimes, is clear from considering them in their general effect upon society and upon the world. Nor is there any foun- dation to suppose that the punishment assigned to bin by the judicial appointment of the Supreme Governor, is confined to the present life. The obvious reason of the case is in faror of the doctrine of future punishment ; for not only ia there an unequal admin- istration of punishments in the present life, so that many eminent offenders pass tlirough the present state without any visible manifestation of the divine dis- pleasure against their conduct, but there are strong and convincing proofs that we are placed in a state di trial, v/hich contmuea ^hroiMhout life, and the result of oiTnptlon exaini)le ; Lid averse only, but I ossocia- iause the Christian 18 of the alien and the next I the re- )ugh the EATII OF you may rine, you grounded another lin this. I is pro- ons can- jrod, and is clear ct upon ny foun- gned to Supreme obvious f future [ Aclmiu- so that iiit state ine dis- ! strong state o} 59 which can only be known, and consequently wo our- selves can only become subjects of reward or punish- ment, after our existence in this world has terminated. It is al\ » the doctrine of Scripture that this future punishment of the incorrigible shall bo final and tin- limited. That atonem^jrii for the sins of men, which was made by the death of Christ, is represented in the Christian system as the means by which mankind may be delivered from this awful catastrophe. This end it professes to accomplish by means which, with respect to the Supreme Governor himself, preserve his character from being mistaken, and maintain the au- thority of his government ; and with respect to man, give him the strongest possible reason for hope, and render more favourable the circumstances of his earthly probation. Y. This is so deeply important, that I am anxious to hear the matter fully explained. T. Attend then ;— ' How sin may be forgiven without leading to such conceptions of the divine character as would encourage disobedience, and thereby weaken the influence of the divine government, must be considered as a problem of very difficult solution. A government which ad- mitted no forgiveness, would sink the guilty to des- pair; a government which never punishes oftence, is a contradiction, — it cannot exist. Not to punish, is to dissolve authority; to punish without mercy, is to destroy ; and where all are guilty, the destruction would be universal. That we cannot sin with impun- ity, is a matter determined The Ruler of the world is not careless of the conduct of his creatures ; for that penal consequences are attached to offence, is rot a subject of argument, but is made evident from daily observation of the events and circumstances of the present life. It is a principle, therefore, already es- tablished, that the authority of God must be pre- served ; and it ought to be remarked, that in that u\ A i i GO kind of aamimstration which restrains evil hy i^enal- ty, and cncoura ;e3 obedience by favour and hope, wc and all moral creatures are the interested parties, and not the Divine Governor himself, whom, because of his independent and perfect nature, oar transgressions cannot injure. The reasons, therefore, which coiipcl him to maintain his authority, do not tcrminata in himself. If he becomes a party against ofienders, it is for our sake, and for the sake of the moral order of the universe, to which sin, if encouraged by a negli- gent admi^stration, and by entire or fre!;iuent im- punity, would be the source of endless disorder and misery : and if the granting of pa don to offence be strongly and even severely guarded, we are to refer it to the moral necessity of the case, as arising 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 anjrthing vindictive in his nature, — charges which have been moat inconsiderately and unfairly brought against the Christian doctrine of Christ's vicarious sufferings. If it then be true that the relief of offending man from future punishment, and his restoration to the divine favour, ought, for the interests of mankind them- selves, and for the instri tion and caution of other beings, to be so bestowed, that no licence shall be given to offence ; that God himself, whilst he mani- fests his compassion, should not appear less just, less holy, than tne maintenance of an efficient and even awiul authority requires ; that his commands sftiall be felt to bo as compelling, and that disobedience shall as truly, though not so muonditionally, subject us to the deserved penalty, as though no hope of forgiveness had been exhibited; — I ask, on what scheme, save that which is developed in the New Testament, these necessary conditions are provided for? Necessary they are, unless we contend for a licence and an im- jpunity which shall annul the efficient government of te 61 the nniverse, a point which no rear enable man will contend for ; au^if not, then he must allow thTt thiL of tS"^^^"^lV^videnee of the tnith of the doct h e of Scripture, which makes the offer of pardon con- tS T/ff "r" the securities we have Lfore m^n- exercise Jf It 'r ^- *^'^* '"^ "^^7 ^^ pardoned in the fw •/ ,u- *^° *^''''^® prerogative, the reply is mrtn15al\PT°^?*'''!.'^'^^ exercised towards a part of mankind only, the passing by of the others would be with difficulty reconciled^to the dS character ; and if the benefit were extended to aS government would be at an end. Were this prin- cipal to regulate human governments, every criminal ruW?''^'f ^"^ ^^^^^^ ^«""« would^become a subject for ridicule Nor is it tb 3 principle which the Divme Being m his conduct to men & the present state acts upon, though in this world punishments So not final and absolute. Repentance Ws not rest^e health injured by mtemperance, property wasted by profuson, or character once stained bv dishonourable practices. If repentance alone could secur^Zdon I« fn fL be pardoned, and government dissolved,' as m the case of forgiveness by the exercise of mere prerogative : if a selection be made, then difTerent and fnto +1?P "l vP^^'T^^'- ?^ ^"^^^^nt are introduced tained admmistration, which cannot be main- To avoid the force of^these obvious difficulties, some have added reformation to repentance, and woiUd restram forgiveness to those only, who to their peni- tence add a course of future obedience to the divSe law. But a change of conduct does not, any more than repentance, repair the mischiefs of former mis- conduct. Even m t£is world we see that the sobr^ty fJl reformed man does not always restore health ; and the industry and economy of the formerly neg- ligent and wasteful repair not the losses of extrf - vagaiice. Nor as it necessary to dweU ujjon the 62 i ei i contra Hction which this theory involves to all the piiuciplcs of govcrnmc. bcptalilinhcdamougmcn, which m llagrant cases never suspend punishment in antici- pation of a change of conduct ; but in tho infliction of penalty look steadily to the crime actually committed, and to the necessity of vindicating the violated majesty of the laws. Y. These are great difficulties. T. Yes : the question, how may mercy be extended to offending creatures, the subjects of the divine govemment, without encouraging vice by lowering the righteous and holy character of God, and the au- thority of his govemment, in the maintenance of which the whole universe of beings arc interested, is at once one of the most important and one of the most difficult which can employ the human mind. None of the theories which have been opposed to Christianity afford a satisfactory solution of the pro- blem. They assume principles either destructive to moral govemment, or which cannot in the circum- stances of man be acted upon. The only answer is found in the holy Scriptures. They alone show, and indeed they alone profess to show, how God may be just, and yet the jmtijier of the ungodly. Other schemes show ho\sr he may be merciful ; but the difficulty does not lie there. This meets it, by declaring "the righteou^ness of God, at the same time that it proclaims his mercy. The voluntary Bufifermgs of an incamate divine person "for us" in our room and stead, magnify the justice of God; display his hatred to sin; proclaim "the exceeding sinfulness " of transgression, by the deep and painful sufferings of the substitute ; warn the persevering offender of the terribleness as well as the certainty of his punishment ; and open the gates of salvation to every believing penitent. It is a part of the same divine plan to promise the influence of the Holy Spirit to awaken penitence, and to lead tho wandering coul 63 1— y are eih iolvcs mstancca ot moral ,ho tradi- , in some it to 1X8, from tho tlio moat m, many chendcd, B explicit will ; for landed to ers as we I compre- in princi- kind ; to 'godly;" v'il-doers, 3t3 arc to to ■wliom just and Dnt. By jire is re- let iu tlie mtleness, are all as vices are m])ressed 18 feeble : :c aud re- 65 aer?hTtrr' and'I£l^'^"r'' "" ^^ «»^^« and our eVca^Kj f rom r.«! i ^. • '' *'°*'''^°*' mto heaven, •upon this PrraLToFSr' ^ ""^^ *" ^^^-^ of ohiS;*.:^^^ ij^r r ^'' '^^^^ ^^ -^^^^^ r. You wUl oblige me. "• iotimiites to ua tw f* . 1?. T'^'\f "t this kind, and privilege,, and -We embraced it to W«m »nd SfcM .• but S less thtn^i,,™".??^* ""»" iotk™ overturned PaBL-mii^ oentnnes, Christianity n-readitself tl^^h theeirilLdZS, "=?'l""- "^^ to human power ■ Md wb^L ti ''°/'''' '" "pl'oiUion to both, VmSi TtZ','^''^ *^"" ^ opiJasitFon opimona anTtoSiiS« nf^^'^ * rcvohjtion'in the cfvilized w^rld t^hlwi,* ^^* P«^^^^ «^ tl»e history of mankind T^niK^'^ " ''^ ^*^*"^* ^" *J»e of the mS-f :.^i^-"«^ ^'P^'«^-'i V the slander powerfnl-i. a-shirT-p^^lTin:; ^ySed^^^^! 6o etudes of various nations, who were eqtially distm- Siiished by the peculiarity of their planners, and the iversity of their language, to forsake the religion of their ancestors. The converts whom they made deserted reremonies and institutions which were defended by vigorous authority, sanctified by remote ace, and associated with the most allurmg gratification of the passions. ■ . . v,i. After their death, the same doctrmes were taught, and the same effects followed, though successive and greviou^ persecutions were waged against all who professed their faith in Christ, by successive Emperors and inferior Magistrates ; so that about a.d. 140 Justm Martyr writes,—" There is not a nation, Greek or Barbarian, or of any other name, even of those who 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 Jesus." , , x-L i r x-U Y. The success of Christianity, and that ot tne religion of Mahomet, I now plaioly perceive are not parallel, but contrary, cases. T. The actual effect produced by this new religion upon society, and which it is still producmg, is another point m the collateral evidence. In every Pagan country where it has prevailed, it has abolished idolatry, with its sanguinary and polluted ntes. It also effected this mighty revolution,— that the sanc- tions of religion should no longer be in favour of the worst passions and pnictices, but be directed against them. It has raised the standard of morality, and by that means, even where its full effects have not been Buffered to display themselves, has insensibly improved the man-'^rs of every Christian state. What heathen nations are, in point of morals, is now well known; and the information on this subject, which for several I'oaTe TV -«■ ^^n" 1t=»op in/ir/a-'iainor. has T)Ut it OUt Of the power Ot Infidels to urge the superior manners of either ly distin- I, and the religion of ley made lich were ay remote atiiication re taught, 3ssive and i all who ) Emperors A.D. 140 ion, Greek I of those Long whom the Father the cruci- lat of the ve are not BW religion ducing, is In every 3 abolished rites. It } the sanc- vour of the ted against Uy, and by ve not been y improved Lat heathen ell known ; , for several 1; out of the ers of either 67 Chma or Hindostan. It has abolished infantteide and M'man sacnjices, so prevalent among ancient and modem Heathens ; put an and to polygamy and rl- ^ vorce; and, by the institution of marriage in an indis- soluble bond, has given birth to a felicity and sanctitv m the domestic circle which it never before knew It has exalted the condition and character of woman, and by that means has humanized Tmn, It abolished do- inestic slavery in ancient Europe ; and from itb >rin. cjples the stru^le which was maintained with 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 i-espective countries. It has laid the basis of a juris- prudence more just and equal ; given civil rights to subjects ; and placed restraints on absolute power. It has crowned its achievements by its charity. Hospi- tals, schools, and many other institutions for the aid of the aged and the poor, are ahnost exclusively its own creations, and they abound most where its influence is most powerful The same effects to this day are le- Bultmg from its influence in those heathen countries mto which the Gospel has been carried by Mission- aries sent out from this and other Christian states. r. These effects surely prove, that so benevolent, noly, and beneficial a system of religion is worthv of U acceptation. CHAPTER VL '^ OBJfBCnONS ANSWERED. *t. ^: I,™AKK you for this account of the evidences of thetrath of the Scriptures, which has greatly con- Imned and eatabhshed my faith ; but I have occasion- ally heard objections to the Scriptures, which I will thank you to enable me to answer, should I acain ,_ T. State those of them you recoUoct. !■ !| 1-1 ? I y r li >t CM 1^ i1 11 08 Y. Against tho evidence from miracles I have heard it urged, that the Egyptian magicians, in Bcveral in- Btauces, wrought tho eamo niiraclcs aa Moses. T. Tho wonders wrought by tho magicians wero , n^aUyJugqlltigtrkkif. These idohitoTrawcrciierhapa issisted m'their sleights of hand by evil spirita : but when they went beyond what could by any fjlci^Tht ot hand or subtle contrivances bo imitated, as m tho plague of licCy they wero themselves obliged to contess the*"interposition of ' ' tho finger of God. ' Y. But several pretended heathen miracles, as wtiil as those said to tako place in the Church of Rome, are often mentioned by infidels. T. They are ; yet even they hesitate to founrt any Berlous argument upon them. A learned Divine has laid down some just rules for tiying miracles, and observes : — j. r . .That we may reasonably suspect any accounts oi miracles to be false, if they are not pubbshed till iovg after the time, when they are said to have been per- formed,— or if they were not first published in thejilace where they are said to have been wrought,— or if they probably were pufferetl to pass without examination, m the time and at the place where they took their rise. These are grcnem^ grounds of cuspicion ; to which may be ad<^^.d particular ones, arising from any circum- utancci which plainly indicate imposture and artiiice on the one hand, or credulity and imagination on the ^ Before such tests all Pagan, Popish, and other pre- tended miracles, without exception, shnnk ; and they are not for a moment to be brought into comparison with works \^T0Ught puhUcbj,— in the sight of tlwmams, and those often opposera of the system to be established by them, -works not T)y any ingenuity whatever to The resolvtMl into aitifice on the one i ai t, or into the effects of imagination on the other,— worka performed beforo scholar&, stafecsmen, rulers, per- 60 lavo heard jcveral in- 8. sians were , ?re iierhapa lirita : but f Blci^TJit of . as m tlio L to confess les, as well 1 of Rome, fotmrl any Divino has iracles, and accounts of bed till long ^Q been pcr- . in the 'place — or if they mination,^ in k their rise. 1 which may my circum- and artifice ,tion on the 1 other pre- k ; and tliey . comparison le sight of e system to ly ingenuity be one i avt, :her,— works rulers, per- secutors ;— of which tho instances arc numowms, and the places in which they occurred various. — works puhliahcd at tho time, and on the very sjwt, — works not in favour of a ruling system, but directed against every other religious estaljlishment under heaven ; and, for giviue their testimony to which, tho ori- ginal witnesses had reason to expect, and did in most instances, incur reproach, stripes, imprisoninent, and doatli. Y. This is very convincing as to miracles ; but as to the prophecies of Scripture, I have heard them compared to the heathen oracles^ which pretended to foretell future things, and whose predictions are in «ome instances said to have been remarkably accom- plished. T. No contrast can bo greater^ The first great distinction lies in this, that none of the predictions ever uttered ' y the Delphic or other oracles, went deep into futurity. They relate to events on the eve of takiEz place, and whose 2>^e- paratory circumstances were known. Tlie oracles did not even pretend to foresee things a*^ the distance of » few years ; though even a hundred years had been a very limited period in comparison of the range of the prescience of inspired Prophets, who lookwl through the course of succeeding ages, to the end of time. A second contrast lies in the ambiguity of tho oracular responses. Tho prophecies of Scripture are sometimes obscure, though this does not apply to the most eminent of those which liave been most signally fulfilled, as we have already seen ; but they never equivocate. For this the Pythian oracle was T>otoriou8. Historians relate that Crcesus, who had expended largo sums upon the agents of this delusion, was backed by an equivocation, through which, intorprct- ing tho resiwnHo most favourably lor himself, he was induced to make an unsuccessfxi! war on Cyrus. In 70 I ^1 H id his subsequent captivity be repeatedly reprQacLed the oracle, and cLarged 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 Romans Pj^rrhus. Many other instances of the same kind are given ; not to mention the trifling, and even bantering and jocose, oracles which were sometimes pronounced. The venality, wealth, and servility of the managers of the Delphic orade, present another contrast to the poverty; and disinterestedness of the Jewish Prophets, whom no gifts could bribe, and no power awe m the discharge of their duty. Demosthenes, in one of his speeches to the Athenians, publicly charges this oracle with being "gained over to the interei^ts of King Philip ;" and the Greek historiniis give other instances in which it had been corrupted by money. Can ^en the prophecies of Scripture be paraUalcd with these dam, and venal, and delusive orp,cle3, without impiety ? And could any higher honour be wished for the Jewish Prophets, than the comparison into which they are thus brought with the corrup*. agents of Paganism at Delphos and other places. Y. Ridictde h&s been sometimes cast upon the Prophets by profane writers, for those significant actions by which they illustrated their predictions ; as when Jeremiah hides his girdle in a hole of the rock, and Ezekiel weighs the hair of his head in bAlances. How is this explained ? 2\ Tin's 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 languaj^ was improved, the practice remained after the n . - fiity was over ; especially among the Easterns, v uc d natural temperament inclined them to this moxle ' conversation. The char,f;;es, then^ of absurdity nd fanaticism, brought agamst the Prophets vanish of themjaelvea. The absurdity of an action qos^sists in a )aclied the 3 response dnd ; and r Pyrrhua Pyrrhus. ire given; ;ering and anceo. managers ast to the Prophets, ,we in the one of his irges this iterests of give other 3y money. paraU 3lod '■e or?,clea, honour be iomparison he corrup*. aces. npon the significant •eofictions ; ole of the s head in ignorance, cy of lan- nlangujiflre the n . .' •ns, V nc d 3 moJe • ': ir Jid vamEih of QOSkGlistB id its heLDg extravagant and insignificant ; but use, and a fixed application, made the actions in question both sober and pertinent. We may add, that several of these actions were performed in mion; and that considering the genius of the people who were ad- dressed, they were calculated strongly to excite their attention, which was the end for which they were adopted. I. It is objected to the Bible, that it rep/^^ents 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 indiscriminately, from the eldest to the youngest, since this is done in earth- quakes, pestUences, &c. The character of the God of nature is »ot therefore contradicted by that ascribed to the God of the Bibl& The whole objection re- solves itself into this question : Was 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; and "t here lies the whole stress of the objection. The • jv/s were not rendered more cruel by their being so commissioned, for we find them much more merciful in their practice than other ancient nations j — nor can this instance be pleaded in favour of exterminating wars, since there was in the case a special commission for a special purpose, by which it was limited. Other considera- tions are also to be included. The sins of the Oanaanites were of so gross a nature, that it was necessary to mark them with signal punishments for the admonition of surrounding nations ; the employ- ing of the Israelites as instruments, under a special and publicly-proclaimed commission, connected the punishment more visibly with the offence, than if it rti«v%* 97w*;i v'jtiai'vu^-^i. Mr v-'Jutv exxxcAjr Vi rrurxxixig vxvxxxvxivo ^ ,irhilet the Israelites themselves would be more deeply 72 k :: V -;*♦ r:" fju N i impressed with the guilt of idolaf^ f and its over accompanying polluted and 8 'i ;guinar ;' r: les. Finally^ the Canaanites had been long spared,, and in tho meantime both warned by partial ju{'a;m;uts, iind reproved by tlie remaining attherents of t lie patri- archal religion who resided among them." Y. TJk l-Jiontionai offering of Isaac by Abralnam has often v.* id .1 jectad tn. T. The anavex is, 1. Tliat Abraham who was in the habit oi < ;.';d, could >mn;and ; ) he had jrcKceded ',, O^A th6 raise his ion -was dged by objected e human guardij. en ; the ity; and s human E^ill save 5r objec- 1 against Judges, igle con- moral or •e merely Ehud, of istances. bed, rc^ id ti. y '■ Ee Fi'sti i.» 73 The conduct of David also towards the Ammonites, in putting them ** under saws and harrows of iron," has been the subject of severe animadversion. But the expression means no more than that he employed them m laborious works, as sawing, making iron harrows, hewing wood, and making bricks; the Hebrew prefix signifying to as well as under. "He put them to saws and harrows of iron," (some render it iron mines,) " and to axes of iron, and made them to pass through the brick-kiln." With respect to the imprecations found in many parts of Scripture, and which have been represented as expressions of revenge and malice, it has been often and satisfactorily observed that they are pre- dictions, and not anathemas; the imperative mood being put for the future tense, according to the Hebrew idiom. With respect to all other objections, it has been well observed, "that a little skill in the origiixal languages of the Scriptures, their idioms and pro- perties, and in the times, occasions, and scope of the several books, as well as in the antiquities and customs of those countries which were the scenes of the transactions recorded, will always clear the main difficulties." F. These general observations will be of use to me in future. But what say you to the conmion objec- tion, that the Scriptures require us to believe things incomprehensible to human reason ? T. I answer, that many doctrines and duties are comprehensible enough ; no mystery at all is involved in them ; and as to incomprehensible subjects, nothing is more obvious than that a fact may be the subject of revelation, as that God h eternal and omnipresent, whilst the mode may still remain mysterious and incomprehensible. The fa^t itself is not hidden, or expressed ia language or in symbol so equivocal as to tlirow the meaning into difficulty,— the only sense ' f1 -■ if I 13 ■ !1 ■;■ ti ■* Il.l; I ' 1 J- I * r I Ji i i I 74 in which the objection could be valid. As a fact, it is cleaxly revealed that these are attributes of the divine nature ; but both, notwithstanding that clear and indubitable revelation, are still incomprehensible. It is not revealed how God is eternal and oxtmi- present,— nor is such a revelation pretended; but it 18 revealed that hb is so ; not how a Trinity of persons exists in a Unity of essence, but that such is the mode of the divine existence. If, however, men hesitate to admit incomprehensible subjects as to matters of faith, they cannot be permitted to Ay fo' relief frota revelation to philosophy ; and much less to assert its superiority, as to clearness of manifesta- tion, to the holy Scriptures. There too it wiU be seen that mystery and revelation go inseparably together ; that he who will not admit the my^ tery, cannot have the benefit of the revelation, and that he who takes the revelation of facta, embraces at the same time the mystery of their causes. The facts, for instance, of the attraction of gravitation, of cohe- Bion, of electricity, of magnetism, of congelation,_of thawing, of evaporation, are all admitted. The experimental and inductive philosophy of modem times has made many revelations of the relations, wid, in some instances, of the proximate causes of these phenomena ; but the real causes are all confessedly hidden. With respect to mechanics, says a writer who ha* devoted his life to philosophical studies, "This science is conversant about force, matter, time, motion, space: each of these has occasioned the most elaborate disqtfisitions, and the most violent disputes. I^t it be asked, What is fcyrce ? If the answerer be candid, his reply will be, ' I cannot tell, so as to sa- tisfy every inquirer, or so as to enter into the essence of the thing.' Again, What is rmtter? 'I cannot tell j' What is motwn? * I cannot tell ;' And so of the • Dr. Gwgory'a "Letters on the Christian B«l e allowed, they are found to prove nothing. M. r . > ^, an eminent French mathematician, * Cuvler'8 "Theory of the Earth." f IWd. Ml \f '^''* I re has recently fixed the date of the n'^^v ' of them at only 71 <> years before Christ. Y. Geologists have jometimes contended that the period of time requisite for the formation of the primitive structure of the earth, argues that the world 18 mTrh older than the Mosaic account seems to intimate. T. But Geologists of equal eminence have been of a CO iLrary opinion ; and the great differences among those who profess this science, render objections of this kind of little weight. Besides, two things are assumed m tlve objection without any proof : 1. That the primitive strata were not cre-^^eti m their present composite form : 2. That if progrtasively formed, the processes were always as slow as at present :— neither of which can be proved. Y. Has ncv the general dduge been objected to ? ' T. It has ; but the whole earth bears testimony to the fact. It is not only preserved in the traditions of all nations, but after all the philosophical argnments which were formerly urged a-ainst it, philosophy has at length acknowledged that tLa present sr rf ace of the earth must have been submerged mder water. "Not only," says Kirw;, *'in very r aon of Europe, but also of both tne <.-ld and new continents, immense quantities of marine shells, either dispersed or collected, have bee»^ ''iscovared." This an?^ several other facts seem to pro^^e, that at least a greai part of the present earth was, before the last general cc^t vulsion to which it has been subjer* i, the bed of an ocean which at that time wag wiiiidrawn from it. Other facts seem also to prov^ "th <= iTacient evidence, that this recession of the wat j, lich once covered tho par' 3 now inhabited by m. , w - not gradual but vloknt, such as may be suppo^^ed from the brief b'»t emphatic relation of Moses. The violent action of v/avor aas left its traces in various undisputed phe- nomena. J' Stratified raouataina of various heights 77 exist in different parts of Europe, and of both con-* tiucnts, in and between whose strata various substances of marine, and some vegetables of terrestrial origm repose either in their natural state or petrified. "* ** To overspread the plains of the Arctic Circle with the shells of Indian seas, and with the bodies of elephants and rhinoceri, surrounded by masses of submarine vegetation ; to accumulate on a. single spot, as at La Bolca, in promiscuous confusion, the marine pro- dictions of the four quarters of the globe ; what conceivable instrument would be ef&oacious but the rush of mighty waters ?"t These facts, about which there is no dispute, and which are acknowledged by the advocates of each of the prevailing geological theories, give a sufficient attestation to the Deluge of oah, in which the foimtains of the great deep were broken up, and from which precisely such phenomena xnigl t be expected to follow. Has it not been supposed that the ark could not contain t1 living creatures which are said to have been rec 1 into it ? T. Yes , out without reason. Dr. Hales proves the ark to have been of the burden of 42,413 tons ; and asks, "Can we doubt of its being sufficient to contain eight persons, and about two hundred or two hundred and fifty pair of four-footed animals, — a number to which, according to M. BufFon, all the various distin'^t species may be reduced, — together with all the sub- sistence necessary for a twelvemonth, with the fowls of the air, and such reptiles and insects as cannot live under water?" All these various animals were also controll'^d by the power of God, whose special agency is supposed in the whole transaction, and "the lion was made to lie down with the kid." Y. Is it not objected, that all the natioiis of men, s'> * Kirwan's " Geological Essay " t Gisbomo's "Testimony 'fNiiiural Theology." mJ "T^ «♦> 1 I I Ml 78 /Oifferent in colour and featttre, conld not, as tlie LScnptures declare, descend from one common pair 7 I T. Pormely this was objected ; but now even infidel ;and sceptical' pbilosophers acknowledge that colour and /Other dyereiuxa indicate only vcmeties in man, but do not pore distinct species ; and so this objection may be , considered as given up. ^ K These are certainly the most weighty objections I have met with, and I see that they admit of satis- factory answers ; and that even if they presented ns with greater and real difficulties IJiey would weigh nothing against that great mass of emlsnce which establishes the holy Scriptures to be m truth thfn WOIUD OVQOD. ^ T. Go then, youth, and "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest' these sacred writings. Let no so- phistry of wicked men lead you from the truth, and rob you of your birthright to salvation and immor- tality. The Bible will be your guide through life, your comfort in a£Eliction, and your hope in death, if you embrace the doctrines it teadies, and believe on the Saviour it sets before you. It is a book which none bat "Bold, bad men despise ;" and which the wisest and best men of all ages have loved and reverenced as " the word of trath* and the Gospel of salvatiozL." as the [Mvir? 1 infidel our and but do maybe jectionf }f aatia* ntedoB L wei^ '■ which iUh thn m, and < noBO- "H, and irnmor- ?h life, eath, if lieve on c which eshave uid the