BIBLE CLASS MANUAL; A SYSTEM OF THEOLOGY, IN THE ORDER OF THE WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM, ADAPTED TO BIBLE CLASSES. BY JOHN McDowell, d. d. PASTOR OF THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. VOL. I. PHILADELPHIA: WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, 1838. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by JOHN McDOWELL, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Penn- sylvania. PREFACE. The following work was originally pre- pared for the pulpit; and was preached, in a series of sermons, to the First Presbyterian Congregation of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, of which the author was then the pastor. In this form it was first published. It has been revised, and is now offered to the public in the form of a continued treatise, divided into chapters, in- stead of sermons. In preparing it in this form, the introduction to the several sermons and the practical observations at the close of them have generally been omitted. The special object of the author in this edition has been, to prepare the work for the use of his own Bible Class, that the Scriptures may be studied in connexion with our excellent Catechism, and the great doctrines of religion, in systematic order. To facilitate this object, he has made out a course of ques- tions on each chapter. The questions on each chapter are preceded by a portion of Scripture as the subject of the Bible lesson in which por- tion, the doctrine of the chapter is the promi- nent subject. The plan of the author, in his Bible Class, is to ask general questions suggest- ed by the portion of Scripture, which is given as the lesson ; and then to take up the doctrine of the chapter in the system, and dwell particu- larly on this. If any pastor should see proper to introduce this work into his Bible Class, he can, according to his judgment, give any other portion of Scripture, as the foundation of the lesson on any particular doctrine. TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BIBLE CLASS OF THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, THIS BIBLE CLASS MANUAL OR SYSTEM OF THEOLOGY, REVISED AND ARRANGED WITH A SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THEIR INSTRUCTION AND BENEFIT, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, AS AN EXPRESSION OF AFFECTION, BY THEIR PASTOR, THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS Chap. I. — The being of a God, Chap. II. — The Scriptures the word of God, Part I. Part IT. Part III. - Part IV. Part V. Chap. III.— The Perfections of God, Chap. IV,— The Trinity, Chap. V.— The Divinity of Christ, Chap. VI.— The Divinity of the Holy Ghost, Chap. VIL— The Decrees of God, Chap. VIIL— Creation, Chap. IX. — The Primitive State of Man, Chap. X. — The Immortality of the Soul, Chap. XI. — Angels, .... Chap. XII. — Providence, Chap. XIII.— The Covenant of Works, - Chap. XIV.— The Fall, Chap. XV. — Adam a Federal Head, Chap. XVI.— Sin, .... Chap. XVII.— Original Sin, - Chap. XVIII.— The Punishment of Sin, Chap. XIX.— The Covenant of Grace, • Chap Page. 13 19 28 37 45 54 62 71 79 88 93 105 110 116 121 129 138 145 151 •159 164 170 178 XX.— Difference of the Old and New Testaments, 185 XU CONTENTS. Page. Chap. XXL— The Old Testament, - - - - 192 Chap. XXII.— Jesus the Christ, ----- 199 Chap. XXIIL— Two Natures and one Person in Christ, - 208 Chap. XXIV.— The Prophetical Office of Christ, - - 213 Chap. XXV.— The Priestly Office of Christ— Atonement, 219 Chap. XXVI,— The Priestly Office of Christ— Intercession, 225 Chap. XXVIL— The Kingly Office of Christ, - - 232 Chap. XXVIIL— The Humiliation of Christ, - - 249 Chap. XXIX.— The Resurrection of Christ, - - - 255 Chap. XXX. — The Ascension and Session of Christ, - 263 Chap. XXXI.— Union of Believers with Christ, - - 269 Chap. XXXII.— Vocation, 275 Chap. XXXIII.— Convictions, 283 Chap. XXXIV.— Regeneration, 289 Chap. XXXV.— Faith, 295 Chap. XXXVL— Justification, 301 Chap. XXXVII.— Adoption, 307 Chap. XXXVIII.— Sanctification, - - - - 313 Chap. XXXIX.— Repentance, 319 Chap. XL. — Assurance, - - - • - - 326 Chap. XLL— Peace and Joy, 332 Chap. XLII.— Increase of Grace, ----- 337 Chap. XLIII. — Saint's Perseverance, - - - - 345 BIBLE CLASS MANUAL, &c. CHAPTER I. THE BEING OF A GOD. The doctrine which lies at the foundation of all religion, whether natural or revealed, is the Being of a God. Though there have been some in our world, so foolish and presumptuous, as to advance the sentiment, " there is no God ;" and avow their belief in it ; yet, it is questionable, whether there is, or ever has been, such a human being as a real Atheist in principle. Many doubtless have wished there was no God. But whatever the wishes of depraved men may be, it is at least doubtful, whether any one has been able to attain to a belief, excluding all doubt, that there is no God. A real Atheist in principle, if there be such a being, is blind, through the exceeding wickedness of his heart, to the plainest dictates of reason and common sense ; an enemy to the happiness of mankind ; and merits universal execration. And indeed, in some nations, tlie avowal of atheistical prin- ciples has been so execrated as to be punished with death. Is there a God? or in other words, is there an eternal, self-existent, necessarily existing, active, and intelligent Being, the cause of all things ? To answer this inquiry is the object of the present chapter. The affirmative answer to this question, so immediately, and irresistibly forces itself upon the mind, that we ought rather to admit it as a self-evident principle, than attempt to prove it. But the folly and madness of some in our world, who advance the sentiment, that "there is no God;" and who endeavour to persuade themselves and others of its truth, render this inquiry proper. The mode of proof used by the Apostle Paul, Rom. i. 20. 2 14 BEING OF A GOD. [cH. I. " the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead," is obvious to all ; and must irresistibly carry conviction to the minds of all, who are not determined to resist the plainest dictates of reason and common sense. The same mode of reasoning will be pursued in this chapter, and the being of a God be argued from the works of creation. The principle is assumed, that we ourselves exist, and that there are beings around us. This principle is so self- evident, that it cannot possibly be made clearer by any rea- soning. And if any can be so foolishly sceptical, as to assert that we cannot be assured of our own existence, it would be equally foolish to attempt to argue with them. This then we take for granted as a first principle, and self- evident truth, that we ourselves, and those things around us which impress our bodily senses do exist. We observe next, that no being or thing, which now ex- ists, could make itself, or come into being of itself; for this would be a gross contradiction and palpable absurdity. Nothing can never produce something. This is a plain, self-evident truth. And therefore if any thing create itself, it must be something, and exist before it is created ; for crea- tion is an act, and a non-entity cannot act. And at the same time to be created, it is necessary that it should not exist; for if it does already exist, it cannot afterwards begin to exist, or be created. Hence we see, that any thing to create itself, must exist in order to create, and not exist in order to be created ; that is, it must exist and not exist at the same time, which is a most gross and palpable contradiction and absur- dity. Indeed these absurdities, that nothing can produce something, or that any thing can have made itself, are so pal- pable, that I am authorized to say, no Atheist, either ancient or modern has dared to assert them. Hence we observe again, that every thing which begins to be, must have a cause. This, Atheists themselves must allow, or run into the absurdity just mentioned, that some- thing made itself. And, indeed, they do allow it; but to avoid the necessity of supposing a first cause, or a God, they have asserted that there is an eternal succession of causes and effects ; or that one thing produced another from eter- nity. But this will run us again into an absurdity ; for each cause must depend for its existence on the one immediately preceding. But there is no end to infinity, and therefore we CH. I.] BEING OF A GOD. ■ 15 never can arrive at the first in the train ; but without a first, it is evident, there cannot be a second, or any succeeding cause. Or if we suppose ourselves to arrive at a first cause, to which we are necessarily driven, to account for the exis- tence of all the others in the series, we must either suppose a cause prior to this, on which it depends for its existence, which is absurd, to suppose a cause prior to the first cause ; or else we must suppose that this first cause created itself, which involves the old absurdity of being, and not being at the same time ; or else we must suppose that this first cause is eternal, and never began to be, and therefore God ; which is the only possible way in which we can consistently ac- count for the existence of all things. Thus we are necessarily driven to the conclusion, that something always existed. For if there had been a time when nothing existed, it is certain not any thing ever could have existed ; for nothing could never produce something. And therefore, as it is certain something now exists, it is equally certain something always has existed, and never began to be. We cannot possibly deny the latter, without denying the former. We cannot deny the existence of an eternal being, without involving a denial of our own exis- tence, and the existence of all things else. And if any man is so foolish as to run into this absurdity, he is not to be reasoned with. Hence, the existence of an eternal being, the cause of all things else, is as certain, as that any thing now exists. We cannot consistently account for the exis- tence of any thing in any other way ; and every other suppo- sition runs us into contradictions and absurdities. This eternal Being must be s elf- exist ent ; by which is meant, not that he derived his existence from himself, or that he created himself; for this would lead us into the ab- surdity of being and not being at the same time ; but that he is uncaused, and independent on any other being for his ex- istence. It is evident, the eternal First Cause must be such a being ; because there is no other from whom he can derive his existence. He must also necessarily exist. That is, existence is es- sential to his nature, and it is impossible that he should not have always existed, or that he should cease to exist ; for as he could not come into existence by his own will, or the will of another, he must necessarily exist. He must also be an active being ; for without activity he could not be the cause of all things else. And to suppose 16 BEING OF A GOD. [CH. I. the first Cause inactive, or incapable of activity, is to sup- pose him incapable of producing an eflect. And therefore as without a first cause, not any thing could ever have existed, so equally vv^ithout an active first cause. Further this Being must be intelligent ; for we see intelli- gent creatures ; and as well may we suppose nothing capa- ble of producing something, which is absurd, as to suppose a being without intelligence capable of producing an intelligent creature. From the preceding reasoning we see, that the existence of an eternal, uncaused, necessary existing, and active being, is necessary to the existence of any thing else, and that without the existence of such a being, not any thing could possibly now exist ; and further that this Being must be in- telligent, in order to produce intelligent creatures. Such a Being we call God ; and therefore, there is a God, which was the point proposed to be proved. To impress the foregoing reasoning more forcibly upon the mind, I will briefly repeat its outlines. Something now exists. The things which are, could not create themselves ; and therefore every thing which begins to be must have a cause extrinsic to itself. An eternal succession of causes, without a first is absurd ; and therefore we must look for the cause of all things in a first cause, without which nothing could now exist. As this first cause could not create him- self, he must be eternal, self-existent, and necessarily exist- ing ; and as he must be the cause of all things else, and of mind as well as matter, he must be an active and intelligent being. Hence the existence of such a being, or of God, is as certain as that we or any thing else now exist; and we cannot consistendy deny the being of a God, without deny- ing our own existence, and that of all things else. Here perhaps the Atheist may object, since the existence of such a being is necessary to the existence of other things, why may not matter be such a being ? and why may we not suppose, that the things which now exist took their pre- sent form from a fortuitous concourse of atoms of matter ? This indeed is the manner in Avhich Atheists have accounted for the existence of things. They see the necessity of an eternal being, and therefore they give this eternity to matter ; and suppose the present form of things to be owing to chance, or a fortuitous concourse of atoms of matter which had from eternity floated through the immensity of space. To this objection we may answer; it is absurd to attribute CH. I.] BEING OF A GOD. 17 such great perfections as eternity, and self-existence, to such a sluggish and inert being as matter, which we know is in- capable of motion unless impressed upon it by a cause ex- trinsic to itself, or produced by fixed laws, which indicates a being superior to itself, who made it subject to these laws. Besides, if matter be eternal and the cause of all things, it must be the cause of mind, and intelligent beings. But it is not possible, that inert and unintelligent matter should pro- duce an immaterial, essentially active, thinking, and intelli- gent being, entirely different, and more noble in its nature and operations. For we might as well suppose, nothing capable of producing something, as that a being without activity and intelligence, should produce a being active and intelligent. But the sentiment that matter is eternal, and the cause of all things, will appear still more absurd, if we attend to the manner in which Atheists, on this principle, account for the present form of things, viz : that this world, and the hea- venly bodies, assumed their present appearance, and their orderly and harmonious situation, from atoms of matter, floating at random through the immensity of space, and coming together by chance. And that all the things upon this earth, even men, have originally sprung from it. This contradicts the most obvious dictates of common sense, that such unity, order, harmony, and appearance of intelligence and design, should be the effect of chance. If a building constructed according to the rules of art, with com- modious apartments, were found in a wilderness, or on an uninhabited island, would even Atheists, though it were not known that ever man had been there, suppose that this build- ing was owing to chance, or had assumed this form from floating atoms ? would they not immediately conclude that some intelligent' architect, though unknown to them, had, before, been in this place, and reared this edifice? On this subject, Cicero, a heathen writer, conclusively reasons as follows : " AVho can be so mad that when he looks up towards the heavens, does not believe that there is a God ? The beauty of the world, the order of the celestial bodies, the revolution of the sun, the moon, and stars, suffi- ciently indicate by the sight of them, that all these things are not by chance ; and force us to confess that there is some excellent and eternal nature, worthy the admiration of man- kind. If any one should go into a school, and view the order and discipline therein, he would immediately conclude 2* 18 BEING OF A GOD. [cH. !„ that there was some one who presided in 'this institution. In like manner let any one contemplate the perpetual and certain motion, the vicissitudes and order of the heavenly- bodies, so many and so great, he must necessarily confess that all these things are governed by some intelligence. But since neither human mind nor power could effect these things, God alone can be the architect and ruler of so great a work.'' In another place, the same author observes, " I cannot understand why the same persons who suppose that this order could arise from chance, might not suppose, if the forms of the letters of the alphabet were cut in metal, and scattered about, that histories might be formed in this way, so as to be read. Because if the fortuitous concourse of atoms could produce a world, why not a house, a temple, a book, (fee, which are far less difficult." Thus justly spake a heathen on this subject. These sentiments clearly expose the inconsistency, folly, and absurdity of supposing the eternity of matter, and that things assumed their present form from chance, or a fortui- tous concourse of floating atoms. Hence we are driven to the necessity of admitting an intelligent, eternal, uncaused first cause, to account for tiie existence of all things. And although we cannot comprehend how eternity, self-existence, and necessary existence, can belong to any being ; yet our reason teaches us that without the existence of such a being, nothing could possibly ever have existed. We have additional evidence of the being of a God in the universal consent of nations. This doctrine that a God of some kind or other exists, has, I believe, been received by all nations. Whether this is an innate idea, impressed upon our nature, by the author of our existence, or whether it im- mediately forces itself upon the mind from a view of the works of nature, or whether it was received by early revela- tion and handed down by tradition, is immaterial to our pre- sent purpose. Be this as it may ; this universal consent of nations is an additional proof of the being of a God. It shows that there is one common source from which this im- pression arises ; and this can be none other than God. "There is (said Cicero) no nation so savage, as not to ac- knowledge that there is a God, though they maybe ignorant of what he is." " What nation is tliere (said Velleius, another heathen writer) or what race of men, that has not, without instruction, some notion of a God? But that, con- CH. I.] BEING OF A GOD. 19 cerning which, all nature agrees, must necessarily be true." And Plutarch, also a heathen writer, said, if you should travel through the earth you may find cities without walls, without letters, and sunk into the grossest ignorance ; but you will find none where a God is not worshipped. But I forbear. All nature cries aloud, there is a God. We cannot open our eyes without beholding indubitable proofs of his being. We cannot rationally believe our own existence, witliout believing there is a God. And surely he must indeed be a fool, as the Psalmist asserts, deaf to the voice of reason and common sense, who makes the assertion, " there is no God ;" the voice of universal nature contradicts him, and brands him with consummate folly. CHAPTER II. THE SCRIPTURES THE WORD OF GOD. PART I* We have seen that the voice of universal nature, pro- claims the being of a God, eternal, self-existent, active, intel- ligent, and the cause of all other beings. But while the light of nature teaches the existence of this being, it is not sufficient to give us, in our present state, just notions of his character, and of the worship and service which will be ac- ceptable to him, and secure our own happiness. Humili- ating facts in the different ages of the world, have taught, that the world by wisdom, or by the efforts of human reason, have not known God, By reason of the depravity of the heart, which has blinded the perception, and perverted the judgment, men, left to the light of nature, have not even known that of God, and of the worship and service due to him, which they might have known; but have universally formed wrong notions of him, and of the worship and ser- vice acceptable to him. The declaration of the Apostle on (his subject, Rom. i. 21-23, is confirmed by the history of the world in all ages. " When they knew God, they glori- fied him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. * This chapter is divided into several parts for the convenience of Bible classes ; each part is intended for a lesson. 20 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools : and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds and four footed beasts and creeping things." Men, left to the light of nature alone, have universally formed wrong notions of God, and of the worship and service due to him ; and with their belief has corresponded their practice. Nor has improvement in human science led to more correct views of God or duty, or made men more virtuous. History indubitably proves the reverse of this to be the fact. Besides, facts prove, that men under the light of nature, had some notion of their accountability, and of a future state of retribution, according to the actions of the present life; and further reason taught them that they had done many things for which they deserved the anger of God ; but rea- son never could discover to them, whether an offended God would be reconciled ; or if he would, in what way this re- conciliation could be effected. From these considerations among others, we infer the im- portance and necessity of a special revelation from God, to guide men into truth, duty, and happiness. Such a revelation is not impossible. For God is certainly able in a variety of ways, to reveal himself unto men. As a revelation from God we receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Tiiese we hold to be the word of God, given by inspiration of him. Inspiration literally signifies, a breathing into. The meaning of the word, as applicable to the Scriptures, is that God infused into the minds of those who wrote them, what they penned, and so impressed their minds as fully to con- vince them that tliey were moved to speak and write what they did. " Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. i. 21. This explanation of in- spiration applies to the doctrines, precepts, promises, threat- enings, and prophecies of the Scriptures. As it respects the historical parts, which narrate facts with which the writers were well acquainted, these were written at least so far un- der the influence of inspiration, that the penmen wrote by divine direction, and under such superintendence of the Holy Spirit, as kept them from all mistake. The doctrine that the Scriptiires of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, we have contained in that excellent form of sound words, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, in the answer to the second question. CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 21 " TVhat rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him f^ The word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how ive may glorify and enjoy ImnJ''' In the former part of this answer is stated the doctrine. To prove this doctrine is the object of this chapter. The following arguments will be adduced and considered, viz. the majesty of the style, the harmony of the parts, the mysteries contained in this book, its antiquity and wonder- ful preservation, the character of the penmen, the wonderful establishment, success, and progress of the Christian reli- gion, the purity of the doctrines, and precepts, the scope of the Scriptures, their happy influence, their light and power to convince, convert, and comfort the soul, miracles, and prophecy. 1. Tiie majesty of the style, in which the Scriptures, particularly some parts of them, were written, aff'ords an ar- gument in favour of their divine original. This, it is ac- knowledged, is an argument of inferior importance ; but it is worthy of mention. Throughout the Scriptures, an un- paralleled simplicity of style is found ; and in some parts, especially in the book of Job, in the Psalms, in Isaiah, and some of the other prophets, and in the Revelation, we find a majesty of style and sentiment, far surpassing any thing contained in the writings of Homer or Virgil ; authors justly celebrated, and admired in all ages for their sublimity. The natural simplicity of the style of the Scriptures, and at the same time, its unequalled majesty, superior to that of any other writings, afford an argument that the authors were inspired with a spirit more than human ; that their writings were the burst of inspiration; and that they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2. The harmony of all the parts of the Scriptures, fur- nishes an argument in favour of their divinity. In human writings we sometimes find the same man contradicting one part of his writings in another : and frequently we discover a want of harmony, in some points, between two writers on the same subject. But in the Scriptures, though written by different men, in different languages and countries, and at diff'erent times far distant from each other, there is a perfect harmony prevailing in all their parts, historical, doctrinal, practical, and prophetical. This harmony strongly indicates 22 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. that every part of the Scriptures was dictated by the same unerring and divine Spirit. I know that contradictions have been charged upon the Scriptures ; but tliis charge cannot be supported. It is ad- mitted there are some texts which taken by lliemselves, may appear at first view to contradict some others. But when these apparently contradictory texts, are taken in connexion with their contexts, and are impartially examined by it ; and when the occasion on which they Avere spoken, and other circumstances connected with them are duly considered, the apparent contradiction vanishes, and their harmony is mani- fest. To mention two or three instances in illustration of these remarks. In one place Christ says, " Me ye have not always," Mat. xxvi. 1 1, but in another place he says, " Lo I am with you alway." Mat. xxviii. 20. These texts at first view appear to contradict each other; but they perfecUy har- monize, when we consider what the Scriptures elsewhere teacli, that there are two natures, the divine and human, united in the person of Christ. In the former text quoted, Christ spake of his human nature; and in the latter of his divine nature. Again Paul tells us, " A man is not justified by the works of the law." Gal. ii. 16. But James tells us, "By works a man is justified." James, ii. 24. These texts appear to contradict each other. But the contradiction dis- appears, when we examine their respective contexts, and see the different subjects on which the two AposUes were speaking. Paul was speaking of a justification in the sight of God, which is not by works; and James was speaking of the justification of the reality of our religion before men, which is by works. In like manner all the apparent contra- dictions in Scripture may be removed, and all the parts be shown to harmonize with each other. And this perfect har- mony is a proof that the whole was written under the inspi- ration of the same divine Spirit. 3. Another argument proving the Scriptures to be the word of God is the mysteries therein contained. In the Scriptures are contained several mysteries, far above the dis- covery of reason. Such are, the doctrine of the Trinity, or of three persons in the Godhead; the introduction and cause of sin and misery ; the incarnation of the Son of God ; the union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ. Salvation for sinners through his obedience unto death ; the renovation of the soul by the operation of the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of the dead. It is not possible that CH. II.1 THE WORD OF GOD. 23 these sublime mysteries could be the invention of men ; and much less of the illiterate men by whom, some parts of the Scriptures were written. The mysteries of the Scriptures, I know, have sometimes been made an objection, to their divine original. But these mysteries rather are a proof, that the book which contains them is a revelation from an incom- prehensible God. 4. The antiquity and ivonderful preservation of the Scrip- tures, form another argument to prove them a revelation from God. The writings of Moses are much the oldest now extant, or of whicli we have any knowledge. To him are ascribed the first five books of the Scriptures usually called the law. On account of the little connexion the Jews had with other nations, the antiquity of the books of Moses must be proved from the Jewish authority. It is evident these books were extant in the time of tlie kings; for they are frequently mentioned. And they are also mentioned by Joshua, at an earlier period, so that these hooks were extant in his time. The writings of Moses are far more ancient than any which have come down to us ; and the whole of the Old Testament, has a claim to antiquity, which can be made by few other books. It is certain the whole of it was written, before the commencement of the Ciirislian era; for Jews as well as Christians have it. And it is also certain, that the completion of the Old Testament, could not have been later, than a little after the Babylonish captivity ; for then the Hebrew, in which all, except a very small part, of the Scriptures of the Old Testament were written, ceased to be a living language. But notwithstanding the antiquity of the Scriptures, many books of much later date have perished, while they have been preserved. Besides no book has been more exposed to destruction than the Scriptures. To the Jews was com- mitted the keeping of the oracles of God. But the Jews experienced many revolutions and disasters. At times al- most the whole nation fell into idolatry, and the few who ad- hered to the worship of the true God were persecuted. In these times we have every reason to believe the Scriptures were neglected and destroyed. And so scarce had copies of the Scriptures become, during the wicked reigns of Manas- seh and Anion, that king Josiah, until the eighteenth year of his reign, appears never to have seen a copy. After this the country of Judea was laid waste by the Chaldeans, Jerusa- lem and the temple therein were destroyed, and the survivors 24 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II, of the nation were carried captive to Babylon. But still the Scriptures were preserved. After the return of the Jews, they experienced many distresses under the Persian and Grecian monarchs. Antiochus Epiphanes particularly, greatly persecuted them. He took away the daily sacrifices, suspended the temple service for three years and a half, en- deavoured entirely to extirpate the .Jewish religion, made di- ligent search for all copies of the Scriptures, burned all he found, and threatened with death those who concealed them. Similar methods were afterwards, in the beginning of the fourth century of the Christian era, used by the Roman Em- peror Dioclesian, to effect the entire destruction of the Scrip- tures ; but still they escaped. yV.fterwards almost all books and monuments of learnnig were destroyed by the Goths and Vandals, and other barbarous nations, who overran the greater part of the civilized world. And all these exposures of the Scriptures, and attempts to destroy them took place before the art of printing was invented, when all the copies were in manuscript, and when therefore they must have been comparatively very few. The books of antiquity which have escaped the ravages of time are k\v. But the Scrip- tures notwithstanding the hatred of the wicked ; and their active, powerful, and repeated attempts to destroy them, have escaped and been handed down to us. This wonderful preservation can be consistently accounted for in no other way, than from the peculiar care of Divine Providence, which shows his approbation of this book, and that he is therefore its author. 5. Another argument in favour of the divinity of the Scrip- tures, may be drawn from the character of the penmen. An appearance of ostentation, or of a desire of applause, is not discoverable in their writings. They take no pains even when penning the most wonderful facts, or the most myste- rious doctrines, to secure the belief of their readers ; they deliver their message, witliout apology and leave their rea- ders to believe or not as they please ; but at their peril. They sufficiently show by their writings, that they were men of piety, candour, and integrity. Although they had the infirmities which are inseparable from human nature, and although some of them occasionally fell into great sins ; yet, by the general tenor of their lives, tliey proved themselves to be eminently pious men. And their writings also prove them to have been, men of candour and integrity. They without reserve recorded the faults of others, even of kings CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 25 and rulers. They recorded national vices, and reproved them, and denounced the judgments of heaven on account of them. They recorded the sins of their near friends and re- latives ; as, for instance, Moses recorded the sin of his bro- ther Aaron in making the golden calf at Horeb. And they not only recorded the vices of others, but also their own sins and infirmities. Moses recorded an account of his own un- belief and disobedience at the rock in Kadesh ; for which he was prohibited an entrance into the land of Canaan. David, in his Psalms al hides to his grievous fall in his conduct to- wards Uriah and Baihsheba. Solomon in the Ecclesiastes has informed the world that he was much addicted to sen- sual pleasure. Paul has left on record of himself, that his bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible ; and that he had been a blasphemer, a persecutor and injuri- ous. Thus the writings of the penmen of the Scriptures sufficiently prove them to have been, men of great candour and integrity. If they were not divinely inspired, they must have had in view, either the honour or advantage of their nation, or of themselves. Their writings sufficiently prove, that their object was not the advancement of their nation, the Jews. For if this had been their object, they would have cast a veil over their vices, and have concealed their adversities. But they give a faithful account of these as well as of their vir- tues and prosperity. Moses records them to have been, an obstinate, stiff-necked, rebellious, unbelieving people, amidst the most astonishing miracles which God wrought in their favour; and that for their wickedness, the whole generation that came out of Egypt, came short of the promised land, and fell in the wilderness. This instead of exalting the nation, remains on record, as a perpetual reproach. The historical books of the Old Tes- tament, record many and great calamities, which fell upon them; and these are represented as judgments of God for their sins. The prophetical books represent them as greatly corrupted, and denounce the divine vengeance against them for their sins. The writers of the New Testament freely record the corruptions of their nation, and condemn them. They unequivocally charge them with the atrocious crime of the murder of the Son of God; and they threatened them with the most dreadful judgments. Thus it is evident that their object in writing the Scriptures could not have been the advancement of their nation. 3 26 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. Nor could their object have been their own temporal ad- vantage. Some of them, as Moses, Joshua, David, and So- lomon were already at the head of the nation, and they could expect no more. And with respect to the first two it is worthy of remark, that, although in their power so to do, neither of them made provision for their children, to succeed after their death to the honour and authority which they pos- sessed ; or even to secure for them any peculiar privileges above the rest of the nation. Further the penmen of Scrip- ture, took a strange method to advance their own interest if this had been their object. For the course they pursued was calculated to bring down upon them the odium of both Jews and Heathen. And indeed many of them spake and wrote at the imminent hazard of their property and lives ; and some of them sealed with their own blood the truths they penned. Hence we cannot give any satisfactory reason why they wrote as they did, unless it be that they were di- vinely inspired, and moved by the Holy Ghost. 6. That the Scriptures are the word of God, may be proved from the iconderful establis/iment, success, and pro- gress of the christian religion. That there was such a per- son as Jesus Christ ; who appeared in the land of Judea, about 1800 years since, professed himself to be a teacher come from God, and founded the christian religion, no one can consistently deny who gives any credit to historical tes- timony. For of the existence of such a person we have as certain proof, as of the existence of any man who lived be- fore our times. No one can doubt that there was such a person as Mahomet who founded the Mahometan religion ; nor that there were such men as Luther and Calvin from whom the denominations of christians called Lutherans and Calvinists took their names. Neither can any one reasona- bly doubt that there was such a person as Jesus Christ, from whom christians derive their name. The question is, not whether there was such a person ; but whether he was, what he professed himself to be, a teacher sent from God ; and whether the religion which he founded is of divine authority. I will not here consider, the proofs in favour of the divine mission of Christ, which are furnished by the purity of his doctrines and precepts, by the miracles which he performed, by the fulfdment of ancient prophecy in him, and by the pro- phecies which he delivered. These shall be attended to in their proper place hereafter. I v/ould here only show that the power of God is manifested, in the wonderful establish- CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD, 27 ment, success, and progress, of the christian religion, and that he has hereby owned it as divine. Jesus Christ, the founder of the christian religion, was a person, in the estimation of the world, of mean birth, in respect of worldly wealth, honour, and power. He lived in obscurity until he was thirty years old. When he appeared as a public teacher, he had but few disciples, and these gene- rally of the lower class of the people. The twelve apostles whom he chose to be the witnesses of his ministry, and the publishers of his doctrine, were fishermen, and publicans, with- out human learning, wealth, power, or friends to give them influence. The doctrines, which he and his Apostles after him taught, were opposed to all the religions of the Gentile world, and also to the Jewish religion, as it was then gene- rally corrupted. They were opposed also to the passions, the prejudices, the education, and the worldly interests of the men to whom they were addressed. Christ was hated and persecuted by the Jews, and was finally apprehended by them, and put to an ignominious death as a notorious malefactor. In his name, after his death, the Apostles went forth under all these disadvantages, to establish the christian religion. The most determined opposition was made against them, both by the Jews, and by the powerful Roman em- pire. They were threatened, fined, imprisoned, tortured in almost evey way that malice could devise, and many of them were put to death. Is it probable, or possible, that the chris- tian religion, under all these discouraging circumstances, will be established ? We may answer in the words of Ga- maliel, " if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will eome to nought ; but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it." Acts V. 38, 39. But what was the result? The christian re- ligion surmounted every obstacle. It triumphed over the passions, the prejudices, the education, and the worldly inte- rests of men. It triumphed over the arms, and the persecu- tions of the powerful Roman empire ; and it triumphed over the empire itself, so that in less than three centuries from the death of its founder, christianaty became the established reli- gion of that very empire which had exerted all its power to crush it. Surely nothing short of the power of God could under such circumstances, have so established, succeeded, and maintained Christianity ; and this exertion of divine power in its favour, argues that God approves of it, and that there- fore it is, what it professes to be, of divine originai* 28 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. It has been objected to this argument, that the Mahometan religion, arose from as small beginnings, and has become as extensive as the christian. But the objection is not valid ; for the circumstances attending the propagation of the two religions were very different. The Mahometan religion was propagated by force of arms ; the christian without, and in opposition to arms. The Mahometan religion was grati- fying to the passions and corruptions of human nature; it allowed of many impurities in this life, and promised a Para- dise of sensual pleasure to its votaries in the next. The christian, on the contrary, made no compromise with the corrupt propensities of human nature ; but forbade every sin, and inculcated holiness under the severest penalties. As Mahomet was at the head of an army, self-interest, doubtless, influenced many to join him. But the christian religion, unsupported and persecuted by the civil powers, could not be embraced, but at the imminent hazard of properly and life. The two cases were entirely dissimilar. The one was established by the power of man ; but in the establish- ment of the other, the power of God is clearly manifest, by which he has owned it to be divine. And as God extended his power to establish the christian religion, so his power is manifested in its continuance and progress in the world, notwithstanding the subtle, powerful, persevering, and determined attempts, which its enemies on earth, aided by the powers of darkness, have made to destroy it. It has withstood, repeated and long continued shocks of bloody persecutions. It has passed through the more dan- gerous trial of courtly favour, the formal homage of the great, and of being surrounded with external splendour. It has had to contend wdth superstition, enthusiasm, and fanaticism assuming its name. It has often been exposed to prejudice and reproach by the defection of its professed friends ; and it has been assailed by infidelity, prepared and strengthened for the combat by human science. But it has stood all these mighty eftbrts ; and it still stands, and is gaining ground. Surely an Almighty arm supports it ! surely the Lord is on its side, or it must long since have been driven from the earth ! PART II. 7. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of God by the purity of their doctrines and precepts. These CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 29 are all holy. The Scriptures leach us that God is holy, that he hates sin, and that he will punish it. Thus we read, " I the Lord your God am holy." Lev. xix. 2. " Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." Is. vi. 3. " Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not loolv on iniquity." Hab. i. 13. "Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness : neither shall evil dwell with thee. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity." Ps. v, 4, 5. " God is angry with the wicked everyday." Ps. vii. 11. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." Is. xlviii. 22. " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Ps. ix. 11. "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." Ps. xi. 6. These are a few specimens of the declarations, with which the Scriptures abound, proving that God is holy, that he hates sin, and that he will punish it. And they record many ex- amples of punishments indicted upon sinners in this life, for their sins, all of which show the holiness of God, and his utter abhorrence of sin and disposition to punish it. The Scriptures also teach us that Jesus Christ is a holy Saviour. He " did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." 1 Pet. ii. 22. He " is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." Heb. vii. 26. " He was manifested to take away our sins." and, " that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John iii. 5, 8. And he " gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto him- self a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Tit. ii. 14. They teach us that the people of God are holy. They are " an holy nation, a peculiar people." 1 Pet. ii. 9. They also teach us that the law of God is holy, giving no license for the least sin : but forbidding every sin, and requiring per- fect holiness in heart and life, under the severest penalties. They teach us that the gospel is holy, requiring of all who are saved by it, to " depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. ii. 19. And " that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, rigliteously, and godly in this present world." Tit. ii. 12. They teach us that the worship which God requires of us is holy. " God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." John iv. 24. And they teach us that heaven is a lioly place, into which, " shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth." Rev. xxi. 27. We do not find such holy doctrines and precepts, in the 3* 30 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. best of human writings, except those which are drawn from the Scriptures. If we examine the systems of religion among tlie Heathen, we shall find their gods represented as examples of moral impurity, instead of forbidding sin, and requiring holiness in mankind. And as were the supposed gods, so was the worship rendered to them. It is true, there are excellent moral precepts in the writings of some of the Heathen moralists ; but even the best of them allowed of some sins which the Scriptures forbid. Again, if we examine the Koran, esteemed the best book among ttie Mahometans, we shall find it conniving at many impurities in this world, and promising to the good a Para- dise of sensual pleasure in the next. And if we examine the writings of Deists, we shall in these find no such holy sys- tem as the Script\ires contain. They indeed admit the being of a God; but lioliness is generally omitted in the list of his perfections. Their system of morality is very imperfect; and the moral precepts they inculcate, want the high sanc- tions with which the moral system of the Scriptures is en- forced. Such a book as the Scriptures, the like of which we no where find ; which every where considers God as a perfectly holy being, which contains none other tlian holy doctrines and precepts, and which inculcates perfect holiness under the severest penalties, could have for its author, none other than a holy God. For if it had been the invention of man, it would have been more congenial with the natural inclina- tion of his corrupt heart. If the Scriptures were not given by inspiration of God, they could not have been written by good men ; because good men would never have imposed them upon the world as the word of God; for by acting thus, they would have proved themselves to be deceivers, and therefore very wick- ed, instead of good men. And to attribute the invention of such holy doctrines and precepts to bad men is absurd ; for it is contrary to their opinions, their disposition, and their practice. Hence we conclude that the men who wrote the Scriptures were holy men, and that they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The Scriptures themselves ex- hibit in every part of them, in the purity of their contents, that they are the word of a holy God. 8. The Scriptures prove themselve to be the word of God by the scope, of the tvhole of them, which is to give all glory to God. The whole scope of the Scriptures is to advance CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 31 the glory of the divine perfections, and to abase the creature. As exemplifying the general scope of the Scriptures, in ascribing all glory to God, take the following texts. " Of him, and through him, and to him are all things : to whom be glory for ever." Rom. xi. H6. "For mine own sake, even for mine own sake Avill I do it ; for how should my name be polluted ? and I will not give my glory unto another." Is. xlviii. 11. "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another." Is. xlii. 8. " Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. x. 31. In like manner the general scope of the Scriptures is to abase man. In his natural state according to this book, his "mind is enmity against God ; not subject to the law of God." Rom. viii. 7. " He receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, be- cause they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. ii. 14. " There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become un- profitable. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; the poison of asps is under their lips ; whose mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness." Rom. iii. 10 — 14. " The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live." Eccl. ix. 3. Such is the humiliating representation which the Scriptures give of the natural state of man. And further thej* teach the christian, who has been brought out of this deplorable state, that he owes all he has and is, to the sovereign grace of God, and that to him is all the glory due. " By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God : Not of works lest any man should boast," Eph. ii. 8, 9. " No flesh should glory in his presence. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Cor. i. 29. 31. Such is the general scope of the whole of the Scriptures. This proves that they are a revelation fron'i God. If the Bible had been merely a human production, and this too of wicked men, purposely deceiving the world, as it must have been, if it is a mere human production, for good men would not have practised such imposition, the glory of the creature would naturally have been aimed at more than that of the Creator. Man would not have been debased so low, and stripped of all goodness, and represented as prone to all evil ; and all glorying would not have been denied him. This is 32 THE SCniPTCRES [CH. II. contrary to human nature, as it appears in the exhibition we have of it, on the historic page, in the conduct of men in the world around us, and in the exercises of our own hearts be- fore they were renewed by divine grace. Since then the scope of the whole of the Scriptures is to humble man, and advance the divine glory, which is contrary to the whole bent of a wicked man's disposition ; and since a good man would not have composed the Scriptures, and then imposed them upon the world as of divine authority, they cannot be a human production, but must be of divine original. 9. An argument in favour of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, may be drawn from their happy influence in meliorating the state of society and of individuals. It is a rational expectation, that a revelation from God should have a tendency to make men better and happier. This the re- ligion taught in the Scriptures, as far as it has operated, with its own influence, has done, and still continues to do. Of this we may be convinced, by contrasting the state of society in nations, while they were Heathen, with what it was after the introduction of revealed religion among them. In na- tions where the Scriptures have not been known, idolatry has universally prevailed ; and this has been attended with the most absurd, immoral, and cruel practices. Idolatry, with its attendant abominable rites, has been banished, where the Scriptures have been received. Further, contrast our state with that of Heathen nations of the present day ; in regard to civilization, knowledge, morality, humanity, be- nevolence, and temporal happiness ; and if we are candid we must acknowledge that the comparison is greatly in our favour ; and what has made the difference ? Doubtless it is chiefly owing to the influence of revelation. They who deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, may extol the power of human reason, unassisted by revelation to guide men into truth and happiness; but the greater part of that very knowledge, which they boast as having acquired by the power of reasen, they have derived from revelation, " Hav- ing grazed," as one expresses it, " in the pastures of revela- tion, they boast of having grown fat in the meadows of reason." We have no sufficient cause to suppose that with- out the Scriptures we would be in a better state than our Pagan forefathers; but on the contrary we have every reason to believe that with them, we should now be worshipping the sun and moon, bowing down to graven images, paying religious homage to the inferior and inanimate creation, CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 33 sacrificing even our children to our gods, and living in all the other enormities of the Heathen world. Human reason, be it ever so much cultivated, is insufficient without the aid of revelation, to lead men to renounce idolatry, and make them virtuous. This is proved by the history of the most enlightened of the Pagan nations. For Eg\pt, Greece, and Rome, as they improved in human science, increased the number of their gods, became more and more absurd in their idolatry, and more immoral in their practice. Facts unquestionably prove that the state of society has been greatly improved by the introduction of the Scriptures into a country, and the reception and belief of them by the people. And the happy inlluence of the religion of the Scriptures on the state of society is further evidenced, by a comparison of those places which enjoy the stated preaching of the word, and are attentive to it, with those places in a christian land, where they are destitute of the stated minis- trations of the word, and love to have it so. The difference must be apparent, to even a superficial observer. It is equally evident that the Scriptures have been and are a source of happiness to individuals. Their influence has often prevented men from doing that injury to one another, which otherwise they would have done. They have often prevented persons from injuring themselves, by keeping them from those courses which lead to mischief and ruin in this world. They have raised the female sex to that rank in society, and those enjoyments, which they ought to have ; but which have been uniformly denied them, where the Scriptures were not known. They have regulated and re- fined the social feelings, and thus increased social happiness. They have promoted industry, frugality, economy, tempe- rance, and the like virtues, and thus have prevented temporal misery, and increased the temporal happiness of individuals. And they have by their spiritual supports and consolations, greatly lessened the weight of trials, and afTorded unspeaka- ble happiness to the soul. But of this we shall speak more in the illustration of the next argument. Thus the Scriptures have unquestionably meliorated the state of society and of individuals. It is true the religion taught in the Scriptures, has been the occasion of much misery to mankind from contentions, and wars, and persecutions. But these are not to be ascribed to the Scriptures as their cause; for they inculcate directly the contrary spirit and conduct. It is not the religion of the 34 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II, Scriptures, but the want of this religion, that is the cause of contentions, wars, and persecutions. The Scriptures incul- cate universal benevolence ; love to all men, even to enemies. The religion which they teach, " is first pure, then peacea- ble, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy." Jam. iii. 17. They enjoin, "let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice ; and be ye kind one to another,' tender hearted, forgiving one another." Eph. iv. 31, 32. They who reject the divine authority of the Scriptures, ought not to charge upon them the contentions and persecutions which may have prevailed among diflerent sects towards each other; or the wars which may have orignated from quarrels and disputes about religion. If they have read the Scriptures they must know that they do most unequivocally forbid such a spirit and such conduct. The cause of these things is found not in revealed religion ; but in the want of it, and in the corruption of human nature. That which is calculated to produce the best effects, may be and has been perverted by wicked men to answer the worst of purposes. This has been the case with the Scriptures ; but this is no argument against them. It is asserted without fear of contradiction, if the Scrip- tures influenced the hearts and lives of all mankind, if all obeyed the precepts of the Bible, the sword would be beat into the plough-share, and the spear into the pruning hook, and wars would cease to the ends of the earth. Our lives would no more be in danger from the midnight assassin; our property from the robber, the incendiary, or the dishonest dealer ; nor our character from the envenomed tongue of detraction and slander ; our ears would no more be assailed with the language of the pit, proceeding from profane lips ; nor would men any more drown reason, distress families, ruin character and estate, and shorten life, by the intoxicat- ing draught. On the contrary, righteousness and peace and happiness, would every Avhere prevail in our world. Any one acquainted with the Scriptures must be convinced that this representation is not exaggerated. And can a book which breathes so much benevolence, and which is pro- ductive of such blessed effects, be an imposture ? It bears the image of him who is love, and by its happy influence is proved to be what it professes to be, a revelation from him. 10. That the Scriptures are the word of God is proved from their light and power to convince, convert, and com- CH. n.] THE WORD OF GOD. 35 fort the soul. It is certain the Scriptures have often been made the means of convincing persons of sin, and converting them from an evil course of life to the practice of virtue. Many have known by experience, that they are indeed "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. iv. 12. Many have felt them to be " mighty to the pulling down of strong holds : casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exal- teth itself against the knowledge of God." 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. Consider the history of this and that man, in the circle of your acquaintance. Is he not visibly and greatly changed from what he once was ? Not long since, he lived as though there was no God, to whom he was accountable. He was unconcerned about his eternal welfare. He wholly minded earthly things. He gave free scope to the gratification of his selfish and corrupt passions. He disregarded the counsels of his friends. He neglected prayer. He took the name of God in vain. He disregarded his Sabbaths. He delighted in wickedness. View him now ; and must it not be acknow- ledged, even by the enemies of religion, that a great and im- portant change has taken place ? He now fears God. He grieves over his past life. His great concern is the salvation of his soul. His chief delight is in the service and enjoy- ment of God. The worship of God is maintained in his family and in his closet. He fears to injure his fellow men. He is just in his dealings. He is tender of the good name of others. He is charitable to the poor. His lips avoid de- ceit and speak the meaning of his heart. He is temperate in all things. He forgives his enemies. His heart is ex- panded with benevolence towards all men. He is the affec- tionate partner, the tender parent, the dutiful child, the friend in need, the good citizen, and the universal philanthropist. Ask him, whence this change? and he will tell you it was effected by the truths of the Scriptures as the means. This is not an imaginary picture ; but it is one, the original of which we frequently see. And as the Scriptures are powerfully instrumental to the conviction, and conversion of sinners, so also to the comfor- ting and establishing of believers. Many by precious expe- rience know this. By the Scriptures they have been estab- lished in the faith, and have continued steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. From the Scrip- 36 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. tures they have derived comfort, which they would not ex- change, for all that the world can afford. The religion of the Scriptures has sweetened the bitter potions of life. It has enlightened a dungeon ; and it has imparted contentment to every situation. Visit the cottages of the pious poor, and there you may see the smile of contentment, under circum- stances the most abject; there you may hear the expression of gratitude to God for their coarse and scanty fare. Search into the cause of such a frame of mind, and you will find it in the religion of the Scriptures, which they have chosen as their heritage. Listen to the expressions which break from the lips of that pious person who has just been bereaved of an affectionate partner, or of a beloved and perhaps an only child. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job. i. 21. Visit the sick bed of ihe christian, and witness his composure, pa- tience, and resignation. Ask him whence these arise, and he Avill tell you from the instructions and promises of the Scriptures. Go to the dying bed of the christian, and you will frequently hear from his lips such language as the fol- lowing. " Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Ps. xxiii. 4. " I know whom 1 have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim. i. 12. " O death, where is thy sting." 1 Cor. xv, 55. Thus have some christians been enabled to meet death. The principles of infidelity give no such triumph or support. It is true, infidels have sometimes died with composure ; but their composure has generally arisen from insensibility. Of triumphs they cannot boast, and generally even composure has failed them ; their consciences have been awakened, their fears have been excited, and their principles have failed them in this honest hour of trial. Many have in that hour renounced their infidelity, and expressed their deep regret at their former principles and conduct; but no real christian has ever in that hour, renounced his principles for some other, or regretted that he was a christian. And the religion of the Scriptures, has enabled persons to meet death with composure, and triumph not only in its ordinary course ; but in its most terrific forms. The martyrs through its in- fluence have rejected every offer which was not consistent with a good conscience, and have preferred torture and death, rather than life and worldly honours, at the expense of the CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 37 answer of a good conscience ; and have been composed, and even triumphed on the rack and the scaffold, and at the stake, to the amazement and confusion of their cruel persecutors. And is it possible, that such a religion, which brings forth such fruit, and affords such consolations, can be the inven- tion of impostors? No ! the power of the Scriptures in dis- covering the sinner to himself, and in transforming the soul into the image of God, and in giving support and comfort in the most trying seasons, proves that they have a higher ori- gin, even from above, and that they were given by inspira- tion of God. PART III. 11. That the Scriptures are the word of God is proved by the miracles they record. A miracle, signifies an effect con- trary to the established course of things, or a deviation from the laws of nature. The world is evidently governed by general laws. And when effects are produced according to the natural course of Dllings ; or when we do not know, but there may be a natural connexifn between the cause and ef- fect, however new or strange such effects may be, we have no right to call them miraculous. As for instance, should we see a blind man restored to sight by an ointment, of which we had never before heard, or of the qualities of which we were entirely ignorant; this might be wonderful to us ; but we would have no right to pronounce the cure miracu- lous, or a deviation from the laws of nature ; because, for ought known to us, the restoration of the sight might be tlie natural effect of the ointment upon the eyes. But should we see one restored to sight, ^ the word of another, we would with confidence pronounce the cure miraculous; because we know the human voice, has, naturally, no power to produce such an effect. In like manner, we know, it is a natural property of fire to burn and consume. Therefore should a person be cast into the fire, and be, for a considerable time surrounded with the flames, without receiving any injury, we would consider the event miraculous, because it would be a deviation from the known laws of nature. Miracles, doubtless are within the sphere of divine power ; for most assuredly, he who established and upholds the laws of nature, can, if he please, suspend their operation, and act contrary to them. And they are not inconsistent with his infinite wisdom ; for the wisdom of God will always be in 4 38 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. 11. agreement with that infinite benevolence which is essential to his nature. If therefore the good of his creatures can, on certain occasions, be better promoted, by deviating from the established laws of nature, than by adhering to them, it will be consistent with infinite wisdom to deviate, and work mi- racles. Man is unquestionably the principal creature in this world, and as far as we can judge, the only creature in it endowed with reason, or that has a knowledge of the Crea- tor ; and therefore such of the laws of nature as extend not their influence beyond this earth, were ordained, chiefly, if not solely, for the good of man, in subserviency to the divine glory. Hence, when a greater good to mankind, can be ef- fected by deviating from the established laws of nature with i-espect to them, it is an act of benevolence, and therefore consistent with the wisdom of God to do it. Hence, we may make this inference, that the object to be obtained by the working of a miracle ought not to be trivial : as it wculd be derogatory to infinite wisdom, to suspend or interrupt that order of things which he has established, un- less the end to be answered be imporlant. From the preceding remaiks the conclusion is drawn, that miracles or a deviation from the established laws of nature, are possible, and admissible, provided the end be worthy of infinite wisdom. Such an end is the reception among men of a revelation from God, to guide men into truth, duty, and happiness. For if the being of man was an end worthy of God, most certainly his well-being. But a divine revelation was necessary to his well-being. For owing to human de- pravity the light of nature is insufficient to guide men into truth, duty, and happiness. But on the contrary, as long continued experiment sufficientlv proved, man left to the light of nature sunk deeper and deeper into error, immorality, and misery. A revelation from God was therefore necessary for the good of mankind ; and if this could not be received among men without the attestation of miracles, the working of miracles to attest such a revelation was well worthy of infinite wisdom. Supposing then God designed to give a revelation to man- kind, and that certain men were inspired by him, to be the instruments to deliver this revelation to their cotemporaries, and to hand it down to posterity ; if these men were to deli- ver truths as they were taught by God ; their assertion that they had a commission from God so to speak, though sup- ported by the purity and general scope of the truths they de- CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 39 livered, and their own unblemished lives would not be suffi- cient to carry full conviction to the minds of those to whom they delivered their message, that they were inspired of God. Because every man from his own experience, would be sen- sible that such intimate communion with God, was contrary to the established course of things ; and therefore, unless the teachers could give some other proof, their message would probably be rejected. In this state of things, the only probable, and I might add the only possible way which we can conceive of, in which full conviction of the divine mission of the teachers, and of the truth and divine authority of their message could be car- ried to the mind, would be by miracles. Prophecy might convince future generations ; but as prophecy is generally long fulfilling, it could not secure present assent. But mira- cles would be sufficient to effect the desired end. For if the doctrines contained nothing immoral or contrary to known truth, nothing could hinder, in a mind disposed to receive truth, assent to the teacher' s assertion as credible, except its implying such an intimate communion with God, as was contrary to every one's experience, and the established con- stitution of things. If then the teacher asserting a divine inspiration was to give a sensible evidence of his divine mission, by calling a dead person to life, or by doing some other thing out of the ordinary course of nature, in which it was evident, no natu- ral connexion existed, between the means used and the effect produced, the teacher would prove his assertion that God was with him. For, as we shall presently see, the power of God alone can work a miracle. And if it was obvious, a supernatural power was communicated to a person, there would be no difficulty in admitting him to be divinely in- spired to communicate supernatural knowledge. From what has been said the conclusion is now drawn, that since a revelation from God is possible ; and since it is necessary to lead us into truth, duty, and happiness ; and since miracles, in confirmation of such a revelation were ne- cessary to gain a full assent to it ; therefore, miracles, or effects contrary to the established laws of nature, in confir- mation of divine revelation are admissible as consistent with the divine wisdom, which established the laws of nature, in this world for the good of man. Miracles can be wrought only by the power of God. This is proved from this consideration, that the l^ws of nature 40 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. were established by God himself for the wisest and best of purposes ; and to suppose that these laws can be controled, and effects be produced contrary to them, without the agency or permission of God, is to suppose a power able to act in opposition to his will, and superior to his control, which supposition is derogatory to the divine power, wisdom, and goodness, and therefore cannot be admitted. Agreeably to this position, that the working of real mira- cles is solely the prerogative of God, they, who in Scripture are said to have wrought miracles, ascribe them not to their own power, but to that of God. Thus, Moses performed his miracles in the name of God. In one instance, it is true, he seemed to assume the power to himself, in saying, "ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock." Num. xx. 10. But for this assumption of the prerogative of God, lie was punished, by being refused admission into the land of Canaan. Joseph when asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream, an- swered, " it is not in me, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Gen. xli. 16. Daniel also, ascribed his inter- pretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream to God. So also the miracles which the Apostles are said to have wrought, are ascribed to the power of God. Thus it is said, " God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul." Acts, xix. 11. And of the other Apostles, it is said, " God bearing them witness with signs and wonders and, with divers mira- cles." Heb. ii. 4. In further confirmation of this truth, that miracles can be wrought only by the power of God, the history of the Scrip- tures teach us that this was the common sense of mankind, and that the working of miracles was deemed a sufficient proof, and the highest kind of evidence of the divine mission of a person, and of the truth of the message he delivered. Thus, Pharaoh demanded of Moses, when he told him the Lord had sent him, "show a miracle for you." Ex. vii. 9. Elijah when opposing the prophets of Baal, appealed to miracles to decide whether he or they Avere right in the re- ligion which they respectively taught ; "the God that an- swerelh by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, it is well spoken." 1 Kings, xviii. 24. So also when Jesus appeared, and announced himself to be a teacher come from God, they asked him, " what sign showest thou unto us?" John, ii. 18. And Nicodemus, seeing the miracles which he wrought, said, " we know that CH. n.l THE WORD OF GOD. 41 thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." John, iii. 2. And on a certain occasion, the rulers said, " this man doelh many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him." John, xi. 47, 48. And it is recorded of the Samaritans, when Philip preached to them that they " with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." Acts, viii. 6. Thus it appears to have been a common sentiment that none but God can work a miracle ; and that miracles wrought in favour of a divine mission, and the truth of doc- trines, are sufheient evidence to warrant a belief in them. It is true the magicians of Egypt are said with their en- chantments to have imitated the miracles of Moses and Aaron. But it is doubtful whether they wrought miracles. Some suppose that they produced the effects they did, by legerde- main or sleight of hand. But supposing they wrought real miracles, which is the more probable opinion, this does not militate against the position that miracles can be wrought only by the power of God ; for God permitted the effect to be produced which they attempted at the command of Pha- raoh, contrary to their own expectations, to carry on his designs of judicially hardening Pharaoh's heart. It is true also that the Jewish rulers, while they allowed that miracles were wrought by Christ, to avoid the conclu- sion that he was a teacher come from God, ascribed them to the agency of the devil. But this they did in opposition to the general consent of mankind ; and instigated by malice, evidently in opposition also, to their own convictions. And Christ's reply to them, " if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand," Matt. xii. 26, unanswerably exposed the absurdity of the sen- timent. For if Satan had a power of working miracles, which however, cannot be allowed, unless he is permitted of God ; yet admitting this, it is absurd to suppose that he Avould exer- cise this power, to confirm holy doctrines, which undoubtedly are calculated to make men better and happier; for this would be contrary to his malignant nature and subversive of his kingdom. If therefore the doctrines be of a holy nature, the miracles wrought in support of them must be ascribed to God. And they sufficiently prove, that the person working them is inspired of God ; for God will not give his seal to confirm an imposture. But all the doctrines of Scripture are evidently of a holy nature. It follows therefore, if the mira- 42 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. cles which are related in Scripture were really wrought, the Scriptures are what they profess to be, the word of God. It is, I believe, generally admitted even by infidels, that if the miracles recorded in the Scriptures were really wrought, they were sufficient to convince those who saw them, that the persons by whom they were wrought, were sent of God, and that what they taught was true ; and that if they could see the same miracles now wrought in support of the same doctrines, they would readily assent to their truth. But the objection is that human testimony is not sufficient to con- vince us that miracles were really wrought. This indeed is the principal, and the only plausible objection that can be made to miracles as a proof of the divine authority of the Scriptures. This objection therefore requires particular consideration. It has been shown that God is able to work miracles ; and that for the sake of a greater good, it is consistent with his wisdom, and an act of benevolence, thus to deviate from the established laws of nature. It has also been shown, that a revelation from God to men was necessary to lead them into truth, duty, and happiness ; and that such a revelation needed to be attested by miracles to be received by those to whom it might at first be delivered. Hence it is evident, miracles are possible, and they involve no inconsistency. Why then may we not admit historical testimony in support of the miracles of Scripture, as well as of any thing else which has taken place before our time ? We know nothing of past events but from historical testimony. And most cer- tainly the Scripture historians have claims to our belief of the facts which they have recorded, equal to any other. Their characters for candour, integrity, and morality, were at least as unimpeachable as those of any odier historians. And their mode of narration has nothing in it suspicious ; for they relate things, however wonderful, without apology, and leave the reader to judge for himself. It has been asked why miracles are not still performed ? It is answered they are unnecessary. In addition to all the evidences which have been considered, we have the testi- mony of credible men, delivered under strongly corroborating circumstances of its truth, that miracles were wrought; and we have also the evidence of numerous prophecies, which have been fulfilling in all ages since they were delivered. And they who with these evidences, do not believe the Scriptures to be the word of God, would not believe, should CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 43 one rise from the dead and bear his testimony. Besides, if miracles were wrought in every age, they would become so common as to be considered mere natural events ; and thus lose their force ; and the end intended to be answered by them would be defeated. But further if we allow that it is difficult to believe that the miracles of which we have an account in Scripture were wrought ; we must either believe this or stranger things. If we deny that the miracles related were really performed, we must believe one of two things ; either that the men, on whose testimony we have received an account of these mira- cles, were themselves deceived, or that they were intentional deceivers. They could not have been deceived ; for they relate things of which they say, they were personally the witnesses. The Apostles certainly knew whether Christ raised Lazarus after he had been dead four days. They could not have been deceived about the resurrection of Christ himself, after he had been put to death by the Jews. For they had been long and intimately acquainted with him, and knew his person perfectly. And they tell us that after his resurrection, they saw him a number of different times for the space of forty days, conversed and ate with him, handled him, and after receiving from him a blessing, saw him ascend towards heaven until a cloud received him out of their sight. They could not have been deceived in what they relate about the gift of tongues on the day of Pentecost ; for they most certainly knew whether they received a power to speak many languages, which they had never learned. If they were deceived, no confidence can be placed in the senses ; not even when the testimony of the senses of many others, agrees with that of our own. It must therefore be admitted that the witnesses who related the Scripture miracles were not themselves deceived. It remains then to show that they had no design to deceive others, and that if they had attempted such a thing they could not have succeeded. If the Aposdes intended to re- late falsehoods and deceive others, they must have had some object to answer by such deception. But supposing their testimony was false, what could have been their object? Not reputation, or honour, or emolument ; for the miracles of which they give an account, they declare were performed openly, before many witnesses, and before enemies. And therefore they must have foreseen, if their narration was false, the falsehood would be readily discovered, and ex- 44 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. posed, and their objects defeated. Besides, the religion in support of which these miracles were said to have been wrought, was opposed to the corrupt passions of human na- ture ; and also to the rehgionof the empire, and would make no compromise with it, but demanded its extirpation. And therefore they must have expected disgrace, and persecution, and the loss of every temporal blessing which men esteem dear, instead of reputation, and honour, and wealth. And this was the result. They were considered " as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things." 1 Cor. iv. 13. They were persecuted, and suffered the loss of every thing of a worldly nature ; and most of them lost their lives for their testimony. Besides, if what they related was false, what reason can be given, why, when they were scourged, imprisoned, tortured, and threatened with death, unless they renounced their testimony, not one of them retracted ; but all willingly preferred the most cruel tortures and death to the renunciation of their testimony ? The Apostles cer- taintly were not fools. Their writings screen them from this imputation. But we must suppose them to have been fools and madmen, if they could relate known falsehoods, and persevere in them at the expense of reputation, ease, property, life, and also their eternal happiness, for no other purpose, than the pleasure of telling and persevering in a known falsehood. But further, if they who testified to the miracles of Scrip- ture had an intention to deceive, and to palm falsehoods upon the world, it is impossible that they should have obtained belief, and not have been discovered to be deceivers. Ac- cording to their testimony, the miracles were done openly. The miracles of Moses were performed before the whole Jewish nation. If, in the record he has made of them, he did not tell the truth, the whole Jewish nation could have exposed his falsehood. But some perhaps may say, they were privy to the falsehoods, and wished them to gain credit, to give the greater dignity to their nation. But unfortunately for the objector, the conduct of the Jewish nation as related by Moses, was such under these miracles, that it remains on record a lasting stigma on their national character. And therefore if the record of Moses, concerning these miracles was false, they not only had it in their power to expose them, and prevent their gaining any credit ; but it was their interest so to do. And as to the miracles said to have been performed by Christ and his Apostles, the witnesses declare CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 45 they were done openly, in the most public places, and the most public manner. The raising of Lazarus from the dead they testify to have been done before many of the Jews, and many who were enemies of Christ. When they testified that Christ fed five thousand persons, with five loaves and two fishes, an appeal for the truth of their testimony was made to the whole five thousand. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians concerning the resurrection of Christ, he as- serted that he was seen of more than five hundred brethren at once, the greater part of whom he told them were then alive, living witnesses of the truth of his assertion. And in the account which is given of the miraculous eftusion of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, enduing the Apostles with the gift of tongues, it is recorded there were present to witness this event, " men out of every nation." Acts, ii. 5. And that when the multitude were drawn together by the report of what had taken place, " every man heard them speak in his own language," verse 6. Now we know that both Jews and Heathen were violently opposed to the Chris- tian religion, and used their utmost efforts to suppress it. If therefore, the writers of the New Testament related false- hoods, they had it in their power by thousands of witnesses to whom these writers appealed, to detect these falsehoods, and to brand their authors with infamy as notorious liars. And if they could, they doubtless would have done it. Considering all these things, the rejection of the miracles of Scripture does not relieve us from tiie difficulty of believ- ing strange things ; for in disbelieving these miracles we are compelled to believe what is far more strange and improba- ble. Hence, on the principle of the objector himself, as well as for other reasons mentioned, we are constrained to believe that the miracles recorded in Scripture were really wrought. It follows that as a miracle can be wrought only by the power of God, and he would not communicate his power to confirm an imposture, the Scriptures, which were confirmed by numerous miracles, are the word of God. PART IV. 12. That the Scriptures are the word of God, is proved by the prophecies they contain. Prophecies have been, ever since they were fulfilled, and are in the present day, one of the strongest proofs of the di- vine inspiration of the persons who delivered them, and that 46 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. the Scriptures in which they are contained are the word of God. Miracles were calculated to gain immediate assent. Prophecies were addressed to future generations, and are standing miracles of knowledge. The meaning of prophecy is, a prediction of future events. With certainty to foretel future events must be the preroga- tive of the omniscient God alone. No man can, by the ex- ercise of the powers of his own mind alone, look forward through many years and ages, and infallibly predict what is to come. This can be done, only by him who knows all things, who sees the end from the beginning, and who has all events under his control and direction. This all must readily admit. It therefore follows, if persons have been enabled to look forward into futurity for many years, and ages, and foretel things to come, when there was nothing in natural causes then in operation, which could give a clue, by which to pronounce with certainty on these events, they must be inspired with a supernatural knowledge. A con- siderable portion of the Scriptures is professedly prophetical. If these prophecies have been fulfilled, it will follow, that as none but God can foretel future events, they who delivered these prophecies were divinely inspired ; and the Scriptures in which they are contained are the word of God. The prophecies contained in the Scriptures are numerous. A few of the most important will be attended to. The following will be considered, viz : The prophecy re- specting the Ishmaelites ; the prophecies relating to Egypt ; those concerning the destruction of Babylon ; Daniel's pro- phecies of the four monarchies ; the prophecies respecting the Messiah ; the prophecies of Christ concerning the destruc- tion of Jerusalem ; the prophecies about the rise and fall of antichrist ; and those respecting the Jews in the latter days. With respect to most of these prophecies, we learn their accomplishment, not only from the history of past ages, but we see them still fulfilling in our own day. And therefore, against most of these prophecies, the unreasonable objection which has been made against prophecies in general, viz : that they were written after the events which they pretend to predict had taken place, can have no weight. 1. The first prophecy from which I would argue that the Scriptures are the word of God, is one delivered in the early ages of the world, concerning Ishmael and his descendants. Before he was born, the Lord, we are told, spake to his mother concerning him. " He will be a wild man ; his CH. 11.] THE WORD OF GOD. 47 hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." Gen. xvi. 12. This prophecy related not only to Ishmael personally, but also to his descendants. This appears from other parts, of what the Lord said to his mother and to Abraham respecting him. It is evident from the Scripture history that the Ishmaelites settled the country which is now called Arabia ; and the Arabians consider themselves as descended from Abraham by his son Ishmael. Has this prediction, made almost four thousand years since, concerning the descendants of Ishmael, been fulfilled ? History abundantly proves that it has been fultilled and ful- filling in all ages since it was delivered. And the present state of that people still answers to these ancient predictions respecting them. Their general character, always has been, and still is, that of a wandering, and wild people. Their hands always have been and still are against every man, and every man's hand against them. From time immemo- rial their character has been, that of robbers by land and pirates by sea. And notwithstanding all the provocations they have given to other nations, they have still continued an independent people, dwelling, according to the prophecy, in the presence of all their brethren. The greatest conquerors in the world, have in their turn attempted to subdue this people ; but they all failed. Cyrus, the conqueror of the Babylonian empire, failed in his attempts upon the Arabians. Alexander the Great, who overturned the Persian empire, and conquered almost the known world, never conquered this people. The Romans who extended their conquests still further than Alexander had done, at different times, sent against the Arabians some of their greatest commanders, but they could obtain no permanent advantage. Still they main- tained their liberty and independence. And they still main- tain them until this day. The prediction respecting the descendants of Ishmael, has therefore, in all ages, since it was delivered, been a standing evidence, that the Scriptures in which it is contained, are a revelation from God. 2. There are some remarkable prophecies concerning Egypt, which are a standing evidence that the Scriptures were given by inspiration of God. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel both foretold the conquest of Egypt by Nebu- chadnezzar king of Babylon. And Ezekiel prophesied con- cerning their state after this conquest, as follows: "They shall be a base kingdom. It shall be the basest of the king- 48 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. 11. doms ; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the na- tions ; for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations." Ezek. xxix. 14, 15. And there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt." Ezek. xxx. 13. Have these prophecies been fulfilled ? Two Heathen histo- rians, Megasthenes and Berosus, and one Jewish historian, Josephus, inform us that Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt. And if we examine history from that time down to the pre- sent, we shall find, that there has not reigned in Egypt, since shortly after its conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, a prince of their own nation. After the Babylonian, they were sub- jected to the Persian monarchy. During the reign of the Persian kings, they made some efforts to regain their inde- pendence, and at different times, for a few years, they par- tially succeeded. But after this they were completelely subjugated, and have ever since been in subjection to foreign princes and foreign powers. After the Persians, they wese governed by Alexander the Great, and the Ptolemies his successors, who were Grecians. From these they passed under the Roman yoke. Their next masters were the Sara- cens. Then the Mamalucs. And then the Turks, to whom they are now in subjection. And that they have long been among the most abject, servile, and base nations of the earth, their history abundantly establishes. And it is well known that this is their character at the present day. So exactly has this prophecy been fulfilled. And although delivered upwards of two thousand years since, it is still fulfilling. And the state of the Egyptians has been, for many ages, and is at this day a standing evidence, that the Scriptures are the word of God. 3. The next prophecies to which I would direct atten- tion, are those which relate to the taking and destruction of Babylon. The prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied near two hundred j^ears before the taking of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Babylon was then in great glory, insomuch that it Avas called " the glory of kingdoms." Is. xiii. 19. And " the golden city." Is. xiv. 4. Isaiah pro- phesied that this city should be taken, and foretold the very name of the king who should take it, upwards of one hun- dred years before he was born. He calls him Cyrus. Is. xlv. 1. Historians all agree, that Babylon was taken by Cyrus the Persian. Jeremiah prophesied about one hundred years before the taking of Babylon. Both he and Isaiah pointed out the manner in which this city should be taken. CH. n.] THE WORD OF GOD. 49 To human reason it must have appeared impregnable. Its walls were 350 feet high, and 87 feet thick. To attempt to beat down these walls, would have been madness in an ene- my. And it was almost equally impossible that the city could be taken by scaling the walls. Through the midst of the city ran the river Euphrates, the banks of which were fortified with walls of the same height and thickness as those around the city. Where the streets crossed the river, there were massy gates of brass which opened to the river. These gates were all carefully shut at night. Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied, that this city notwith- standing its great strength, should be taken, and they partic- ularly predicted the manner. Isaiah prophesied " Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden. I will open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut." Is. xlv. 1. And Jeremiah prophesied. " A drought is upon her waters ; and they shall be dried up." Jer. 1. 38. " In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the Lord." Jer. li. 39. " And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men : and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts." Jer. li. 57. According to these prophecies, Babylon was to be taken by Cyrus, in a time of feasting and drunkenness, and by its waters being dried up, and its gates left open. Let us now attend to the accounts of the taking of Baby- lon, which we find in profane historians. Cyrus the Per- sian besieged the city. At this time there was a strong force within, and provisions sufficient for twenty years ; besides there was vacant ground within the walls, sufficient to pro- duce provisions for several more years. The inhabitants therefore felt perfectly secure, and from the walls they scoffed at Cyrus and his army. Cyrus at first attempted to raise works to scale the walls ; but after having spent some time in this attempt, he relinquished it as impracticable. He then proposed to besiege the city, until he should starve its inhabitants into a surrender. And after having spent some time in the prosecution of this plan, he fell upon an expedi- ent, which succeeded. Understanding that a great festival was to be kept on a certain day by the Babylonians, and that it was usual at this festival, to spend the night in revelling 5 50 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II. and intemperance, he resolved to attempt to get into the city and take it on this night. To get into the city, he sent a party of men to break down a dam at the entrance of a canal, which led into an artificial lake, which the Babylonians had made, to drain the river, so as to prevent the overflowing of its banks at certain seasons. This being done early in the evening ; by midnight the channel was so far drained, that Cyrus with his army, marched under the walls in the channel. Then was fulfilled the prophecy, " a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up." After Cyrus had thus entered the city, if the gates which led from the river had been shut, his design must have been frustrated. But we are informed that that night the king of Babylon and the principal men of his court, had been engaged in feasting and drinking, until they were intoxicated and the city was filled with disorder. In the disorder winch prevailed, some of the gates which led from the river into the city were neglected and left open. By this means, Cyrus gained admission into the city, surprized and slew the king, and most of his court, and took the city. Then were exactly fulfilled the prophecies. " I will open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut." And, " I will make them drunken, and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep." Such were the prophecies of Scripture concerning the taking of Babylon by Cyrus ; and so completely were they fulfilled as we learn from Heathen historians. These same prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah went further, and predicted, not only that Babylon should be taken ; but that it should also become desolate. In the prophecies of Isaiah we read ; " and Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inha- bited, neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there : neither shall the shepherds make their fold there : But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there ; and their houses shall be full of dole- ful creatures ; and owls shall dwell there ; and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the Islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces." Is. xiii. 19 — 22. "I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water : and I will sweep it with the be- som of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts." Is. xiv. 23. In the prophecies of Jeremiah, we find similar predictions. Such are the following : " It shall not be inhabited, but it CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 51 shall be wholly desolate. The wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the Islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein : and it shall be no more inhabited for ever ; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to gene- ration." Jer. 1. i3, 39. " Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing without an inhabitant. The sea is come up upon Babylon : she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. Her cities are a desolation, a dry hmd, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby." Jer. li. 37. 42, 43. Such were the prophecies concerning Babylon, in the midst of its glory ; and when it was perliaps the gieatest, most populous, and most opulent city in the world. Have these predictions been fulfilled ? We learn from history, that after the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, it by degrees declined and fell into ruins, until in the fourth century of the Christian era, it was used as a park in which wild beasts were kept. A part of the adjacent coun- try was overflowed by the water of the river, which had been diverted from its usual course, and thus according to the pro- phecy became a possession for the bittern, and pools of water. Another part became dry and barren, so that it was not tilled. Writers and travellers, later than the fourth century inform us, that the place where the city of Babylon was supposed to have stood, was so infested with poisonous creatures, that it could not be passed through. And we are told by still later travellers, that even the place were Babylon once stood cannot be exactly ascertained. Thus completely have been fulfilled the predictions of Scripture respecting this once fa- mous and proud city, the mistress of the world and the glory of kingdoms. It has been for many ages, and is at this day, a standing evidence of the accomplishment of prophecy, and that the Scriptures are the word of God. 4. The prophecies of Daniel respecting the four succes- sive monarchies, aflbrd clear evidence that the Scriptures are the word of God. From the second chapter of the book of Daniel, we learn that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had a dream, which had gone from him when he awoke, and which greatly troubled him. The wise men of Babylon were summoned before the king to make known to him the dream, and its interpretation. This they could not do, in consequence of which, a decree was issued to destroy all the wise men of Babylon, Daniel hearing of the king's per- 53 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. plexity, and of this decree, asked and obtained admission to the royal presence ; and related to Nebuchadnezzar his dream, and told him what was the interpretation. In doing this he distinctly avowed that the secret had been revealed to him by the God of heaven. The dream was, " Thou king sawest, and behold a great image. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." Dan. ii. 31 — 35. This was the dream. The interpretation which Daniel gave was to this effect. The gold in the image represented the Babylonian monar- chy, then in its glory. After this, he informed Nebuchad- nezzar, there should arise another kingdom, represented by the silver in the image, which would be inferior to the Baby- lonian. Then a third kingdom of brass, which should bear rule over all the earth. And after this a fourth kingdom which should be as strong as iron. And that in the days of the kings of the fourth kingdom, the God of heaven should set up a kingdom, which should never be destroyed. This was the prophetic interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. According to this prophecy, there were to be four suc- cessive monarchies, which were to bear almost universal rule ; and that in the time of the fourth of these monarchies, the God of heaven was to set up a kingdom. The same was the import of the vision which Daniel had of four beasts coming up successively from the sea, which vision and its interpretation are recorded in the 7th chapter of the book which bears his name. Have these prophecies been fulfilled ? Let history answer the question. The Babylonian monarchy was then existing. The Medo- Persian monarchy succeeded, by which the Babylonian was overthrown. This second kingdom according to the pro- phecy was to be inferior to the first. From history we learn, that it was inferior, both in extent of dominion, and great- ness of military deeds. The kingdom of the Medes and Persians was overthrown by Alexander the Great, who es- tablished the Grecian monarchy, represented in the image by brass, most probably in allusion to the brazen armour which the Grecians wore. This monarchy, according to CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 53 the prophecy, was to bear rule over all the earth. Alexan- der's conquests according to history, extended over almost all the then known world. And according to the vision of the beasts, this kingdom was to have four heads. All ac- quainted with history know that the Grecian empire after the death of Alexander, was divided into four parts among his four captains. According to the prophecy a fourth power was to arise, represented by the iron in the image, which was to be more mighty than any of the preceding. This was fulfilled in the Roman empire, which overturned the Grecian, and which was more extensive and powerful, than either of the three prececding. In the days of the kings of the fourth kingdom, the God of heaven, according to the piophecy, was to set up a kingdom, which was never to be destroyed. In the days of the Roman emperors, a kingdom was set up by Jesus Christ, which he called the kingdom of heaven. I mean the Christian church. This like the stone cut out of the mountain was small in its beginning, and as the stone was cut out without hands, so this kingdom had not the arm of human power to establish it. This kingdom according to the prophecy was never to be destroyed. And the gospel kingdom has stood the most powerful and deter- mined attempts to destroy it, and it yet stands. Thus exactly have these prophecies of Daniel been ful- filled. And indeed there is such an agreement between the prophecies of Daniel, and the history of the times to which they relate, that infidels to avoid the conclusion thence drawn in favour of the inspiration of the Scriptures, have been driven to take refuge in this subterfuge, that his prophecies were written after the events whicli they piofess to predict had taken place. This was the plea of Porphyry, who lived and wrote against Christianity in the third century of the Christian era. Several reasons might be oflfered to show the invalidity of this objection. I would mention however only one ; Por- phyry himself admits that the book of Daniel was written as early as in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, about 200 years before Christ; and it is certain that many of Daniel's pro- phecies relate to times after this period, and have been ful- filled since. Therefore according to the admission of Por- phyry himself, Daniel was a prophet. And the exact ac- complishment of the prophecies which he delivered, proves that the Scriptures in which they are contained are the word of God. 5* 54 THE SCRIPTURES [CH. II, PART V. 5. The prophecies in the Old Testament, concerning the Messiah to come, prove the Scriptures to be the word of God. The Scriptures of the Old Testament are received by- Jews as well as Christians. It is therefore certain that the prophecies respecting the Messiah, contained in these Scrip- tures, could not possibly have been written after the ap- pearance of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians hold to be the promised Messiah. For the Jews have always been the bitter opposers of Jesus and his cause, and have most obsti- nately, and perseveringly refused to acknowledge him, as the Messiah that was to come according to the prophecies of their Scriptures. If therefore. Christians had wished to have introduced into the Scriptures of the Old Testament as prophecies, some things respecting the Messiah, which were accomplished in Jesus of Nazareth, and had made the at- tempt, it is not possible they could have succeeded. The Jews would never have received into their Scriptures, these pretended prophecies ; but on the contrary M'ould have eagerly, and successfully exposed them to the world as spu- rious. The prophecies, therefore, of the Old Testament, respecting the Messiah, were certainly delivered, before the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth. And if these prophecies have been accomplished in him, it will follow, that they who delivered them were inspired of God ; and that the Scrip- tures, in which they are contained are a revelation from God. Let us then attend to some of the prophecies respecting the Messiah, found in the Old Testament, and see whether they have been fultilled in Jesus of Nazareth. Isaiah prophesied ; " Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Is. vii. 14. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. The prophet Micah foretold, that the Messiah should be born at Bethlehem of Judah. Mic. v. 2. At this place was Jesus born. Jacob predicted, " the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come." Gen. xlix. 10. By Shiloh the Jews understood the Messiah to be meant. The sceptre, we know, departed from the Jews, and a lawgiver ceased from among them, just about the time that Jesus was born. Daniel prophesied that the Messiah should come and be cut off, in seventy weeks from the go- ing forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusa- CH. n.] THE WORD OF GOD. 55 lem. Dan. ix. 24 — 27. Jesus appeared and suffered death at the end of seventy weeks of years, that is four hundred and ninety years, from the decree given by the Persian monarch to Ezra, to restore and build Jerusalem. Isaiah (xl. 3.) and Malichi (iii. 1.) both prophesied that the Mes- siah should have a forerunner, to prepare his way. This Jesus had in John the Baptist, who is called, " the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;" Mat. iii. 3. Isaiah prophe- sied (chap. 5H,) that the Messiah should be neglected, de- spised, rejected, and put to death. All this was literally fulfilled in Jesus. The Psalmist foretold that he should be betrayed by his own familiar friend, in whom he trusted, and who did eat of his bread. Ps. xli. 9. Jesus was be- trayed by Judas, one of his Apostles. The Psalmist further prophesied, that the persecutors of the Messiah would give him gall for his meat, and in his thirst vinegar to drink. Ps. Ixix. 21. The crucifiers of Jesus gave hiiu vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah should be numbered with the transgressors, and have his grave with the rich. Is. liii. 9. 12. Jesus was crucified between two thieves, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, an honour- able counsellor. David foretold that they should part his garments among them, and cast lots upon his vesture. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus. So exactly have the pre- dictions of the Old Testament, respecting the Messiah, been accomplished in Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, since it is the prerogative of the omniscient God alone to foretel future events, we must conclude that the prophets were inspired of God ; and that the Scriptures, which are thus confirmed are a revelation from God. 6. The Scriptures are proved to be the word of God from the prophecies of Christ respecting the destruction of Jeru- salem. These prophecies are recorded in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 13th of Mark, and the 19th and 21st of Luke. In general Christ foretold to the Jews, " behold your house is left unto you desolate." The signs that this deso- lation was near, were to be, that nation should rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom ; that famines and pestilences and earthquakes should be in divers places ; that false Christs and false prophets should appear ; that there should be signs in the sun, moon, and stars ; and that Jeru- salem should be encompassed with armies. With respect 56 THE SCRIPTURES []cH. II. to the time of the seige, Christ calls it " the days of ven- geance,'' and foretold that there should be great distress up- on the land and wrath upon the people. And the result, we have contained in the prophecy in these words. " And they shall fall, by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations ; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, and laid even with the ground, and there shall not be left in it one stone upon another." Were these predictions fulfilled ? Every one acquainted with the history of Josephus knows they were. Josephus was a Jew, and was a principal actor in the wars between the Jews and Romans, and wrote a particular account of these wars. Let us compare each particular of the pro- phecy just cited, with the histories of Josephus, and other historians who notice these wars, and the events of that time. As signs of the approoching ruin of the Jews, Christ fore- told, that nation should rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and that there should be famines and pesti- lences and earthquakes in divers places. From the history of Josephus, we collect that there were, previous to the de- struction of Jerusalem, great commotions, wars, and blood- shed, among different nations and provinces. From the same history we learn, that there was a famine in the reign of Claudius Cesar, and a great pestilence in Babylon, about the year 40. Tacitus, a Roman historian and a Pagan, makes mention of a great mortality in the city Rome, and other parts of the Roman empire in the year 65, which was just before the Jewish war commenced. As to earthquakes predicted by Christ, Tacitus and other historians speak of several in different parts of the Roman empire, previous to the destruction of Jerusalem. Another sign foretold by our Lord was, that false Christs and false prophets should ap- pear. The history of Josephus proves that this prediction was accomplished. Christ also foretold that there should be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Both Josephus and Tacitus in- form us, there were many wonderful signs. In the history of Josephus we read, that a blazing comet in the form of a sword hung over the city Jerusalem, for the space of a whole year ; and also that on a certain day, before sun-set, there were seen in the air, chariots, and troops in armour, carried upon the clouds and surrounding cities. Tacitus, who lived about the same time has these words ; " prodigies happened, CH. 11.] THE WORD OF GOD. 57 which a nation exposed to superstition, and averse to reli- gion, had power to expiate, neither by victims, nor by prayers. Armies were seen to run together through the sky, and the temple to shine w^ith the fire of the clouds. The gates of the temple were suddenly thrown open, and a voice more than human was heard, that the gods were departing." Thus we have the united testimony of two approved his- torians, the one a Jew and the other a Heathen, that the prodigies, which, according to the prediction of Christ, were to precede the destruction of Jerusalem, did really appear. Again our Lord foretold that Jerusalem should be encom- passed with armies, and calls the days of the siege, " the days of vengeance" and of " great distress in the land, and wrath upon the people." According to Josephus, Jerusalem was besieged and harassed by the Romans from without. At the same time, a civil war prevailed within, which de- stroyed perhaps, nearly as many of the inhabitants, as the arms of the Romans. They were also afflicted with famine to such a degree, that they even ate human flesh. In vari- ous ways above eleven hundred thousand of the Jews lost their lives. These were truly the days of vengeance, dis- tress, and wrath. Christ further predicted that the Jews should fall by the edge of the sword, the remnant be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem be trodden down of the Gentiles, and laid even with the ground, and that there should not be left one stone of the temple upon another. Every part of this prophecy has been literally fulfilled, and with respect to some part of it, we see the accomplishment in our own day. Titus, with the Roman army took the city, and we are informed that the soldiers slew of the inhabitants until the blood ran in the streets, and the soldiers were weary of slaughter. The city and temple were set on fire and burned down. After this Titus ordered that they should be demolished, which order was executed, and so com- pletely, says Josephus, that the place appeared as if it never had been inhabited. And we are informed in history that afterwards the very ground on which the temple stood was ploughed up, most probably in quest of treasure. So com- pletely was the prediction of Christ fulfilled that not one stone should be left on another. And that the prediction, that the remnant of the Jews should be led away captive into all nations, has been fulfilled, we have not only the testimony 58 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. 11. of the writers of that day ; but we know that that people are at this day dispersed throughout the nations of the earth. 7. That the Scriptures are the word of God is further proved from the prophecies concerning the rise and fall of Antichrist. A large portion of the Revelation given to John, in the Isle of Patmos, respects this power. It is there repre- sented as a beast, with seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads were explained to John, to signify, seven moun- tains, which should be the seat of this power, and the ten horns, ten kings, which should give their power and strength to the beast. Upon his heads was to be the name of blas- phemy ; and the number of his name was to be six hundred, three score and six. This power was to speak great things and blasphemy ; and to make war upon the saints and over- come them, and be drunken with their blood. The kings of the earth were to give their power and strength to the Beast. The world was to wonder after the beast, and no man was to be permitted to buy or to sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast, This power was to continue, for a time, times, and half a time, or forty and two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. These prophecies have been fulfilled, and still are fulfilling in the papal power. The bishop of Rome gradually rose in the church, until in the year 606, he was declared universal bishop or head of the church ; and in the year 756, he be- came a powerful, temporal prince. The anti-christian power was to have its seat on seven mountains. The city of Rome was built on seven hills. The Beast was to have ten horns signifying ten kings, devoted to his interest. The western empire was divided by the northern nations, which subdued it, into ten kingdoms, which were devoted to the interests of the Pope. Upon his heads was to be the name of blasphe- my ; and he was to speak great things and blasphemy. The Pope has assumed divine titles, holiness, and infallibility, has claimed to be Christ's vice-gerent upon earth, and on his mitre has had inscribed the blasphemous name of" Vicarius Filii Dei,''' that is, " the Vicar of the Son of God." The number of the name of the Beast was to be six hundred sixty and six. The numerical letters in the Latin inscrip- tion just mentioned, added together, make exactly this num- ber. So do also the numerical letters in the Greek word Lateinos or the Latin man, and the Hebrew word Romiith or the Roman man ; both of which names are properly ap- plied to the Pope. The anti-christian power, according to CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 59 the prophecy, was to make war with the saints, and over- come them, and be drunken with their blood. This has been done by the Papal power. It has persecuted the saints, and put millions of them to death. The kings of the earth were to give their power and strength to the Beast ; and the world was to wonder after the Beast. At a certain period, almost all the princes of Christendom were subject to the dominion of the Pope, and acknowledged his supremacy ; and he at his pleasure, excommunicated kings, absolved sub- jects from their allegiance, and laid whole kingdoms under interdict from the word and sacraments. No man was to be permitted to buy or sell, save he that had the mark or name of the Beast. To show how exactly this prophecy has been fulfilled in the Papal power, the words of a bull issued by Pope Martin 5th against the Waldenses and Albigenses, is here given. " We will and command by our authority apos- tolical, that professors of the catholic faith, as emperors, kings, dukes, princes, &c. expel from their dominions, all, and all manner of heretics ; that they suffer none such in their shires or circuits to keep either house or family, either yet to use any handicraft, occupation, or other trades, or to solace themselves in any way, or frequent the company of Christian men." The anti-christian power was to continue, a time times and a half, or forty and two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. Each of these expresses the same period of time. This period has generally been interpreted to signify, twelve hundred and sixty real years. And this interpretation is warranted by other parts of Scripture. In the year 606, the Bishop of Rome was declared universal Bishop and head of the church. If we are to date the commencement of the reign of the Beast, at that time, he has been reigning a little more than twelve hundred years, and his reign must be nearly expired. The power of the Pope, we know, is greatly diminished. It has been for a long time declining. And the events which have for some time been taking place with respect to that power, warrant the hope, that before long, we shall have an additional evidence of the completion of prophecy, and of the divine authority of the Scriptures; when it may be said, " Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen." Rev. xviii. 2. " Alleluia ; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God ; for true and righteous are his judgments. Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Rev. xix. 1,2. 6. 60 THE SCRIPTURES [cH. II. 8. The last prophecies, I will consider to prove that the Scriptures are the word of God, are those which respect the Jews in the latter days. The one delivered by Christ, has already been considered. Your attention will be confined to those delivered by Moses, about fifteen hundred years be- fore the birth of Christ ; and which are recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. This chapter was delivered to the Jews, before they had entered the land of Canaan. It con- tains a great many prophetic threatenings against them, in case of disobedience to the divine commandments. We shall attend only to those which relate to the latter days. " Because (said Moses) thou servedst not the Lord thy God ; the Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth. And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons, and of thy daughters in the siege. The Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continu- ance. And ye shall be plucked from oft' the land, whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest ; but the Lord shall give thee there, a trembling heart, and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind. And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee ; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life." A noted Deistical objection to prophecies is that they were written, after the events had taken place. This objec- tion cannot possibly gain any credit, with respect to the pro- phecies, concerning the Jews in the latter days ; for we see the accomplishment of these prophecies in our own days. Of the great antiquity of the writings of Moses, we have the most unquestionable evidences. According to the Scripture chronology he must have written 3300 years since. But the prophecy which has been quoted, although delivered so long since, has been fulfilling for near 1800 years; and is, at this day, still fulfilling before our eyes. And so exactly has this prophecy of Moses been fulfilled, that had he been in the city of Jerusalem when it was besieged and taken by the Romans; had he continued with the Jews, in all their dispersions since, down to the present time ; and was he now living upon earth to be an eye-witness of their present CH. II.] THE WORD OF GOD. 61 state; and were he to attempt to write a history of this peo- ple during all this time in as small a compass as his prophecv is contained, he could scarcely have more accurately de- scribed their state. But let US more particularly examine the prophecy and its accomplishment. " The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth.'' This Avas true of tlie Romans, and especially of that army which Avas sent against the Jews. For Vespasian, who first command- ed in this war, was with his army, previous to their march- ing against the Jews, in Britain ; which might well be called the end of the earth, as no countries were known beyond it, in that direction. " And they shall beseige thee in all thy gates. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons, and of thy daugliters in the siege." Ac- cording to Josephus this part of the prophecy was literally fulfilled. The prophecy proceeds: " And ye shall be pluck- ed off from the land, whither thou goest to possess it ; and the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth, even unto the other." This part of the pro- phecy has also been exactly fulfilled. The land has, for a long time been possessed and inhabited by strangers, and the Jews have been for near 1800 years, and are at this day, dispersed, into all countries of the world, as far as our know- ledge extends. And what is very remarkable, and a stand- ing miracle, notwithstanding all iheir dispersions, and their great temptations to lose their national character, they still remain a distinct people. Where is the nation in the world, that under such circumstances have continued a distinct people ? The other nations wliich have been conquered and dispersed abroad, have soon lost their national character, and been incorporated with the nations among whom they dwelt. But the Jews still remain a distinct people, a stand- ing evidence of the truth of prophecy, and of the divine au- thority of the Scriptures. And one object of divine Provi- dence in dispersing them over the earth appears to be to con- found infidels in every part of the world ; and to be, in the day of judgment, swift witnesses against those, who can, under such evidence, continue to disbelieve the truth of the Scriptures. But the prophecy went still further, and de- scribed the state of the Jews in their dispersions. " Among these nations, thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest ; but the Lord shall give thee there, a trembling heart, and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind : 62 THE SCRIPTURES THE WORD OF GOD. [CH. II. and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt have none assurance of thy life." Every one acquainted with the history of the Jews since their dispersion, must know that this prophecy has exactly described their condi- tion. Their history is one of scorn, oppression, confisca- tion of property, and banishment from country to country. And although their afflictions have been greater at some times, and in some nations than others ; yet in every period, and every land, they have been despised ; and with perhaps the exception of this country since we became an indepen- dent people, oppressed. How wonderfully have the predictions of Moses been ful- filled ! and how could he, at the distance of more than three thousand years, have so exactly foretold the present state of this people unless he was inspired of God ? Such evidence must carry conviction of the divine inspiration of the Scrip- tures, to the minds of all, except those, who are determined to persist in iutidelity, let the evidence be what it may. And such are referred for conviction to the evidence v/hich will be exhibited, in the judgment day. CHAPTER HI. THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. Having proved the Scriptures to be the Avord of God, the doctrine next in course is, the divine perfections. This doc- trine we have contained in our Shorter Catechism, in answer to the question, '^What is God? '■'■God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, ivisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." The attributes or perfections of God have been divided into communicable, and incommunicable. By the communi- cable are meant those, of which there is, at least, some faint shadow in the creature, although there is an infinite dispro- portion between them as they exist in God, and as they are found in the creature. Such are wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. By the incommunicable per- fections are meant those, of which there is not the least sha- dow in the creature, but which rather represent God as CH. III.] THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 63 opposed to the creature. Such are infinity, immutability, independence and the like. Modern divines give another division of the divine perfec- tions; viz. natural and moral. By the natural perfections of God, are meant those, which, abstractedly considered, are not necessarily connected with goodness of disposition. For although these perfections, as they exist in God, who is an infinitely perfect being, are necessarily connected with goodness of disposition, yet a being might possess these attributes, and still be very wicked. The moral attributes are those which are necessarily con- nected with goodness of disposition. Writers on the subject of the divine perfections, sometimes arrange them also under the two general classes of ^reo^wes* and goodness; comprehending the natural perfections under the head oi greatness, and ihe moral under that of goodness. The natural perfections enumerated in the answer quoted from our Catechism are, spirituality, infinity, eternity, im- mutability, wisdom, and power. 1. God is a spirit. By the spirituality of God is meant that he is an immaterial substance, without body or bodily parts, as said our Saviour to his disciples, "a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." Luke xxiv. 39. This, it is true, is rather saying what spirituality is not, than what it is ; but it is as good a definition as we, in our present state, can give. The divine spirituality is expressly asserted in the two following texts, "God is a Spirit." John iv. 24. "The Lord is that Spirit." 2 Cor. iii. 17. It is true, God is spoken of in Scripture, as though he had bodily members. Thus it is said, " the eyes of the Lord run to and fro," 2 Chron. xvi. 9. " The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil." Ps. xxxiv. 15, 16. But these and all similar texts are to be understood figuratively and not lite- rally. In them the Lord speaks after the manner of men, in condescension to our weakness, to assist our feeble concep- tions. 2. God is infinite. He is infinite in his being, and in all his perfections. By the infinity of God is meant that he is without bounds or limits. That this attribute belongs to him, may be proved from his being before all things, and self-ex- istent, and independent. There was nothing before him to bound him. He is dependant on no other being for his exis- 64 THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. [CH. III. tence ; and he gives being to all others. He must therefore be unlimited or infinite. And we read, Ps. cxlvii. 5, " his understanding is infinite." Under the head of infinity, may be comprehended, the divine immensity and omnipresence wliich are the infinity of God with respect to space. Tlie difference between immen- sity and omnipresence appears to be this. Immensily is that attribute by which God fills universal space, or is wliere any thing else can be; his omnipresence is that attribute by which he is, where any thing else is, or present to each particular thing. These perfections of immensity and omnipresence, even the Heatheji attribjpted to the Supreme Being. "All things are full of tet^i"" said one. And another said, " God passes through all lands, and tracts of sea, and the high heaven." The Scriptures frequently ascribe these attributes to God. "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord." Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. " The eyes of the Lord are in every place." Prov. xv. 3. " Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morn- ing, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy riglit hand shall hold me." Ps. cxxxix. 7 — 10. 3. God is eternal; that is, without beginning, or end, or successive duration. He never began to be ; he will never cease to be ; and days and years and ages are not applicable to him as they are to created beings. " One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Pet. iii. 8. He exists in one eternal now; vi^ith him there is no past or future, but all is present. The eternity of God is necessarily connected with his ex- istence. Yis every thing whicli begins to be must have a cause, and as there was no being before him from whom he could derive his existence, he never could have begun to be, and therefore must have been from eternity. And as he ex- isted from eternity, existence must be essential to his nature, and therefore he can never cease to be ; but must exist to eternity. The eternity of God is also clearly proved by many pas- sages of Scripture ; such as the following. " The King eter- CH. III.] THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 65 nal, immortal." 1 Tim. i 17. " From everlasting to ever- lasting, thou art God." Ps. xc. 2. " Thou art from ever- lasting." Ps. xciii. 2. " Thou shalt endure, and thy years shall have no end." Ps. cii. 26, 27. 4. God is unchangeable. By this is meant, that he is always the very same. This perfection is also frequently ascribed to God in his word ; as in the following texts. " Thou art the same." Ps. cii. 27. " I am the Lord, I change not." Mai. iii. 6. " The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James i. 17. 5. God is infinitely ivise. The wisdom of God is that perfection, by which he knows all things, and by which he so lays his plans for the government of the universe, and so orders all events, as best to effect the best ends. Wisdom includes knowledge ; but it goes further. There can be no wisdom without knowledge ; but there may be much know- ledge, where there is very little wisdom. It is the union of knowledge, and of judging rightly, as to the best course of conduct to effect an end, which constitutes wisdom. That God perfectly knoweth all things is frequently taught in Scripture, as in the following passages. " Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight : but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Heb. iv. 13. " O Lord thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down sit- ting and mine up rising, thou undergtandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord thou knowest it altogether. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shin- etb as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." Ps. cxxxix. 1 — 4, 12. " Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering." Job. xxvi. 6. " The Lord searciieth all hearts, and understandeth all the imagina- tions of the thoughts." 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. " God knoweth all tilings." 1 John iii. 20. Tiie infinite wisdom of God is proved from several consi- derations. It is manifested in the order and harmony of the works of creation, and the subserviency of one thing to an- other. It is exhibited in the works of providence. It is eminently shown in the work of redemption, in which all the divine perfections harmonize in the salvation of the sin- ner. And the Scriptures expressly ascribe this perfection to 6^ 66 THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. [cH. III. God, as in the following texts. " His understanding is infi- nite." Ps. cxlvii. 5. " Tlie manifold wisdom of God." Eph. iii. 10. " He is wise in heart." Job ix. 4. " He is mighty in wisdom." Job xxxvi. 5. "God only wise." Rom. xvi. 27. " O the depth of the riches both of the wis- dom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judg- ments, and liis ways past finding out." Rom. xi. 33. 6. God is almighty in power. The power of God is that perfection by which he can do all things possible to be done, or whatever does not involve a contradiction. That this per- fection belongs to God is proved by his creating all things out of nothing, and by his preserving and upholding all things ; and the Scriptures frequently ascribe this perfection to him, as in the following passages. " Great is our Lord, and of great power." Ps. cxlvii. 5. " I am the Almighty God." Gen. xvii. 1. " The Lord God omnipotent reign- eth." Rev. xix. 6. "Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard fur thee." Jer. xxxii. 17. "All the inha- bitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand." Dan. iv. 35. The moral perfections of God are holiness, justice, good- ness and truth. 1. Holiness. This perfection of God signifies his infinite love to his law, and therefore his infinite removal from all moral impurity, or his infinite opposition to sin which is a transgression of his law. That this perfection belongs to God is proved, from the abhorrence of sin which he has manifested, in the evils which he has sent upon our world for its punishment ; from the prohibition in his word of every sin, under pain of his wrath ; from the atonement which he required for sin to open a way for its forgiveness ; and from many express declarations in his word. Such are the following, " Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." Hab. i. 13. "I the Lord your God, am holy." Lev. xix. 2. " The holy one of Is- rael." Is. i. 4. " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." Is. vi. 3. " There is none holy as the Lord." 1 Sam. ii. 2. " Thou only art holy." Rev. xv. 4. 2. God is just. This may be defined to be his determi- nation to maintain his law, or to render to every one that which is right. That God is just is proved by the obedience CH. III.] THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 67 and sufferings of Christ to maintain and magnify his law, and render it consistent with his justice to pardon and save the sinner ; and also by many texts of Scripture. Such are the following: " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right." Gen. xviii. 25. "All his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." Deut. xxxii. 4. " Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee." Dan. ix. 7. " The Lord is righteous in ail his ways." Ps. cxlv. 17. " Rigliteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." Ps. xcvii. 2. " The Lord is upright, and there is no unrighteousness in him." Ps. xcii. 15. " Who will render to every man according to liis deeds." Rom. ii. 6. " Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. XV. 3. 3. God is good. Goodness, taken in a more general sense, embraces all the moral perfections of God. But it is also to be taken in a more limited sense, as a particular at- tribute, and may be defined to be, the disposition of God to impart to his creatures, those things which they need to make them happy. Of the goodness of God, we have abun- dant evidence, in the works of creation, providence, and re- demption. In the Scriptures, this perfection is so frequent- ly mentioned, tiiat it is unnecessary to quote particular pas- sages. The goodness of God includes his mercy, grace, and patience. The mercy of God is his goodness to the miserable. Mi- sery is the object of mercy. Hence, we may remark, every instance of goodness towards us who are miserable sinners, is mercy. The perfection of mercy is eminently manifest- ed in the plan of redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ ; and the Scriptures frequently ascribe this attribute to God. He is, " the Lord, the Lord God, merciful ; keeping mercy for thousands." Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7. " He delighteth in mer- cy." Mic. vii. 18. He is " plenteous in mercy." Ps. Ixxxvi. 5. He has a " multitude of tender mercies." Ps. li. 1. And "his tender mercies are over all his works." Ps. cxlv, 9. Tiie grace of God is his goodness to the undeserving, or to creatures void of merit, such as we are. This perfection also is proved from the plan of redemption, through Jesus Christ, and from many passages of Scripture. Such are the following. " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- cious." Ex. xxxiv. 6. " I will hear; for I am gracious." Ex. xxii. 27. " Thou, O Lord, art a God, full of compas- 68 THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. [cH. III. sion and gracious," Ps. Ixxxvi. 15. "The Lord is gra- cious, and full of compassion." Ps. cxi. 4. The patience, or forbearance, or long suffering of God, is his goodness to those who abuse it. That vengeance was not executed upon the human race immediately after the fall ; that sentence against the evil works which are daily prac- tised, and beheld by the eye of omniscience, is not speedily executed ; and that we are permitted to live and enjoy com- forts, all prove the patience of God. And so also do the fol- lowing texts of Scripture among others. "The God of pa- tience grant you to be like minded one toward another." Rom. XV. 5. " The riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering." Rom.' ii. 4. " The Lord is long-suf- fering to US-ward." 2 Pet. iii. 9. 4. God is true. By this perfection is meant, that he is perfectly free from all deceit and falsehood, sincere in all his promises and threatenings, and faithful in the performance of them. The truth of God is proved from the following pas- sages of Scripture among others. " The Lord abundant in truth." Ex. xxxiv. 6. "A God of truth." Deut. xxxii. 4. "All the paths of the Lord are truth." Ps. xxv. 10. He " keepeth truth forever." Ps. cxlvi. 6. " All whose works are truth." Dan. iv. 37. " Thy law is the truth." Ps. cxix. 142. " Thy word is truth." John xvii. 17. "God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Num. xxiii. 19. " God that cannot lie." Tit. i. 2. The moral perfections of God consist with goodness and are essential to it. Most of sinners will generally allow that God is good. But many form very wrong notions of good- ness. They attribute to God a goodness which is incompa- tible with holiness, justice, and truth; and from his good- ness infer a license to go on in sin. Such are in a great error. God is the ruler of the universe ; and his goodness must have for its object not only this or that particular indi- vidual, but his creatures generally. The general good must unquestionably be the greatest possible object of tbe divine goodness ; and from the iutinite perfection of God, Ave must conclude, that whenever the happiness of individuals comes in competition with the general good, the former will be sa- crificed to the latter: and that his goodness will be no fur- ther manifested towards individuals than as it consists with the general good. Wc would not call a man placed in au- CH. 111.] THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 69 thority a good ruler, if he were to sacrifice the public good to avoid the punishment of individual offenders. If then it can be shown that all the moral perfections of God are essen- tial to the general good, it will follow that the Lord is good, in being holy, just, and true ; and that he would not be good without these perfections. The Scriptures teach us that all the moral attributes of God are consistent with his goodness and make a part of it. The Lord promised Moses, " I will make all my goodness pass before thee." Ex. xxxiii. 19. And what was his good- ness which he proclaimed ? " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in good- ness and truth, and that will by no means clear the guilty." Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7. In this text, truth and not clearing the guilty, or hating and punishing sin, are made a part of the divine goodness, as well as mercy, grace, and patience. Further we read " God is love." 1 John iv. 8. His very nature is love, and therefore all his perfections, and conse- quently his holiness, justice and truth must be lovely or good. How is each of these perfections reconcilable with goodness ? 1. God is holy. He has an infinite love to his law, and consequently an infinite hatred of sin. This perfection is consistent with goodness, and essential to it. For it is a truth obvious to every reflecting mind, that the natural con- sequence of sin is misery. We daily see proofs of this. For instance, what are the effects of the sin of intemperance ? It impairs the constitution, wastes estate, lessens character, injures the peace of families, and shortens life. So also the sins of malice, envy, and revenge, often hurry men into ac- tions, which precipitate themselves and others into misery. And to what cause are we to trace the wars which have dis- tressed our world, but to sin ? to the pride, ambition, ava- rice, and revenge of men? We see many evidences conti- nually before our eyes that sin leads to misery. And the Scriptures teach us that all the misery in the universe, arises from sin as its cause. Therefore a good being who loves and desires the happiness of the universe must hate sin which has a tendency to impair and destroy this happiness. Hence it appears that the holiness of God, which is his in- finite hatred of sin, or of that which makes his creatures mis- erable, is essential to his goodness, and that God would not be good, if he were not holy. 2. God is just. With respect to that branch of the jus- 70 THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. [cH. Ill, tice of God, which consists in rewarding those who do well, it will readily be allowed that this is essential to goodness. The difliculty with sinners is, to reconcile what is called the punitive justice of God with his goodness. By the punitive justice of God is meant, his punishing the transgressors of his law. In human governments, a ruler without punitive justice would not be esteemed a good ruler. In all govern- ments, the punishment of oflenders has been considered ne- cessary to the well being of society. And Avill we deny to be good, in the Ruler of the universe, that attribute which we consider essentially necessary to a good human ruler? What opinion would we form of a human ruler, who would connive at the public disturbers of the peace of society? Who would suffer robbers, incendiaries and assassins to range at large, and plunder, burn, and murder with impunity, and thus impair and destroy the happiness of the peaceable citizens? Such a ruler, though he might be applauded by offenders, certainly would not be considered a good ruler, by his well disposed subjects. Tiie case is similar with re- spect to the Supreme Being. His goodness to his creatures in general requires that he should punish offenders. And if, out of compassion to individual sinners, he were to connive at sin, which, as we have seen leads to misery, and were to permit it to go unpunished, disorder and misery, evidently would ensue ; and for the sake of a iew individuals who richly deserved punishment, the whole universe might suffer. These remarks show the consistency of the punitive justice of God with his goodness ; and not only so, but that it is essential to goodness, and that God would not be good with- out it. The punitive justice of God may be divided into re- claiming and vindictive. The former is exercised with a view to reclaim the offender, as well as for an example to others to deter them from transgression. The latter is taking vengeance on the criminal for his crimes without any view to his reformation. In the former of these, the goodness of God appears from the salutary tendency of punishment to reclaim offenders from courses which necessarily lead to misery, and to prevent transgression in others, that they may avoid unhappiness. In the latter, or his vindictive jus- tice, such as is exercised upon devils, and upon wicked men, in eternal misery, his goodness appears, in placing them in a situation in which they cannot injure others, and in making them an example to deter others from sin, which leads to CH. III. J THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 71 misery. Such obstinate offenders as will not be reclaimed, are fit only to be confined, where they cannot injure others, but may be of some use in affording to others a warning against sin. And we know not how many worlds, and millions of rational beings may be witnesses of the punish- ment of sinners, and by their example be deterred from sin, and from misery, its consequent. And for aught we know, the number of those who may become the objects of the vin- dictive justice of God may bear no greater proportion to the number of holy and happy beings, throughout the wide ex- tent of God's dominions, than the number of criminals, capitally punished, in a well regulated government, does to the number of peaceable and orderly citizens. Hence it ap- pears that even the vindictive justice of God is consistent with his goodness, and is exercised with a view to the good of his rational creatures in general. 3. God is true. Therefore he will fulfil his threatenings as well as his promises, and punish sin. That this perfec- tion is also consistent with goodness, and essential to it, is proved on the same principle, as that on which holiness and justice are reconciled with goodness; viz. that the natural consequence of sin is misery, and that therefore every thing which has a tendency to discourage and prevent sin, con- duces to the general good. But the faithfulness of God to his threatenings, in punishing transgressors has a tendency to restrain from sin. CHAPTER IV. THE TRINITY. Some of the doctrines contained in the Scriptures, are highly mysterious. They cannot be fully comprehended by human reason. This, some have made an objection against the Scriptures ; but, without just reason. For mys- teries must be allowed in the natural world. We are a mys- tery to ourselves. The union of the soul and body, and the manner in which they mutually act upon each other, we cannot explain, or comprehend. And the smallest insect and vegetable present mysteries, which baflle human reason. And if we must allow mysteries in natural things, why not in religion? To be consistent in rejecting the doctrines of religion, because some of them are mysterious, we ought to 72 THE TRINITY. [cH. IV. disbelieve every thing in nature, which we cannot compre- hend and explain. But further, the mysteries of the Scriptures, so far from] militating against the truth of their doctrines, are rather presumptive evidence in its favour. If God is intinite, he^ must be incomprehensible by finite beings. The Scriptures in containing mysteries therefore, bear in this respect a re- semblance to their mysterious and incomprehensible author. And if in any thing we may reasonably expect mysteries, it must be in those doctrines which relate to the manner of the existence of an infinite and incompreliensible God. Among the mysteries contained in the Scriptures, the doc- trine of the Trinity in Unit}/, holds a chief place. The word Trinity is not found in the Scriptures, but was adopted by the ancient fathers to express the scriptural doctrine of three persons in the Godliead. The Trinity is a doctrine not discoverable by reason. It is a doctrine purely of Revelation. And it is a doctrine, which though revealed, we have no where so explained as to render it comprehensible by our finite understandings. And to attempt to explain it as some have done, is only dark- ening counsel with words without knowledge. But though, the doctrine of the Trinity is not compre- hensible by our reason, it is not, as some have said, contrary to reason. We do not say, there are three Gods, and yet but one God. This would'be an evident contradiction. But we say, there are three persons in one essence. God is three in person, and one in essence. This doctrine does not con- tradict our reason; for it does not come within its sphere. There is a great difference between a thing being contrary to reason, and being above it. But they are often confounded. What is above our reason cannot be measured by it ; and our reason is entirely incompetent to decide whether it is contrary to it or not. Of this nature is the doctrine of the Trinity, For it cannot be expected that finite creatures should comprehend the manner, in which an infinite and in- comprehensible God exists ; and therefore, it is folly to say that this doctrine is contrary to reason, when reason is en- tirely incompetent to scan it ; and therefore, to determine whether it is contrary to it or not. The Unify of God, is taught in our Catechism, in the answer to the 5th question. " .^re there more Gods than one? " There is but one only, the living and the true God.^^ CH. IV.3 THE TRiMTY. 73 This doctrine may be argued, from the harmony and unity observable in the works of creation, which indicate that there is but one first cause or God. And it is abundantly proved from the express declarations of Scripture ; as in the following texts. " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Ex. XX. 3. " Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord ; Deut. vi. 4. " The Lord he is God ; there is none else beside him." Deut. iv. l-sS. " Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God ;" Is. xliv. 6. " I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none else." Is. xlv. 5, 6. " There is none other God but one." 1 Cor. viii. 4. The doctrine of the Trinity, or that there are three per sons in this one divine essence or Godhead, we have con- tained in the answer to the 6th question in our Catechism. " How many persons are there in the Godhead? " There are three persons in the Godhead ; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. ''^ As hath been already remarked, the Trinity is a doctrine purely of Revelation, and therefore its proofs must be drawn from the Scriptures. It is true, in almost all nations of antiquity, with whose religious sentiments we are acquainted, as the Chinese, the Persians, the Chaldeans, the Egyptians and the Grecians, we find some vestiges and hints of the doctrines of the Tri- nity. And the further we go back, and the nearer we ap- proach, to the first dispersion of mankind, and the original of the nations, the clearer do these vestiges appear. These facts prove, not that the light of nature taught this doctrine ; but that it was an ancient revelation from heaven, made to the world before mankind were scattered abroad from each other, and by tradit'on handed down to posterity. In the Old Testament, we find many proofs of a plurality of persons in the Godhead, and some evidences that this plurality is a Trinity. In the very first verse of the Bible, we are taught, that there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead. " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." In the original Hebrew, the word translated God, is in the plural number, Elohim, or Gods. And lite- rally translated the verse would read, " In the beginning the Gods created the heaven and the earth." And we are told 7 74 THE TRINITY. [CH. IV. by those, who have taken the pains to examine, that in thirty- different places in the book of Genesis alone, the plural Elohim or Gods, is used instead of the singular, Eloah, or God ; and that in the five books of Moses, there are one hundred places where we find this expression in the original Eloheha, the literal translation of which is, " the Lord thy Gods." And in many other passages, throughout the Old Testament, the name given to the Supreme being is, in the original, in the plural number, as in the following. " Re- member now thy Creator (original Creators) in the days of thy youth." Eccl. xii. 1. " Where is God my maker" (original, makers.) Job. xxxv. 10. " Thy maker (original, makers) is thy husband." Is. liv. 5. And it is remarkable, that the word Elohim, Gods, is throughout the Old Testa- ment, uniformly joined, with a verb or noun in the singular number. For instance Joshua said " ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God." Josh. xxiv. 19. Literally translated from the original the passage would read, " ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is the holy Gods.'' So also we frequently find the phrase, which literally translated would be, " the Lord or Jehovah, thy Gods." How can we account for this peculiar mode of expression, unless we sup- pose, that tlie plural noun Elohim, Gods, is intended to sig- nify a plurality of divine persons ; and that the singular noun Jehovah, and the verb in the singular number, are intended to teach that there is but one divine essence ; and that these Gods or divine persons, are but one Lord, or Jehovah? In what other way, can we understand them, than as teaching a plurality of persons, and unity of essence ? The doctrine of a plurality of persons in the Godhead was also taught, in the early ages of the world by such expres- sions as the following, contained in the book of Genesis. " And God said let us make man in our image after our likeness." Gen. i. 26. Here is evidently a plurality of per- sons signified, by the words us and our. But in the next verse we read, " so God created man in his own image." Here the pronoun his is in the singular number, teaching us that this plurality of persons taught in the preceding verse by the words us and our is but one essence. Gen. iii. 22. we read, "the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of t