the New Testament, as a divine attestation to the doctrine contained in them. The destruction of Jerusalem, with all the circumstances predicted in the evangelists, (an account of which may be seen in Josephus's History of the Jewish wars,) the series of ages, during which that city hath been " trodden under foot of the "Gentiles;" the long continued dispersion of the Jews, and the conversion of the nations to christianity; the many anti-christian corruptions of the gospel; the superstition, uncommanded austerities, idolatry, tyand persecution of the Roman hierarchy; the division of the empire into ten kingdoms; their con. currence during many ages to support the usurpations of the church of Rome; and the existence of christianity to this day amidst so many enemies, who have used every possible method to destroy it; when diligently compared with the predictions of the New Testament, do not come short of the fullest demonstration which the case will admit of, that the books containing them are the unerring word of God.

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V. Only the Scriptures (and such books as make them their basis) introduce the infinite God speaking in a manner worthy of himself, with simplicity, majesty, and authority. His character, as there delineated, comprises all possible excellence without any intermixture; his laws and ordinances accord to his perfections; his works and dispensations exhibit them; and all his dealings with his creatures bear the stamp of infinite wisdom, power, justice, purity, truth, goodRess, and mercy, harmoniously displayed. The de

scription there given of the state of the world and of human nature, widely differs from our ideas of them; yet facts unanswerably prove it to be exactly true. The records of every nation, the events of every age, and the history of every individual, confute men's self-flattery in this respect; and prove that the writers of the Bible knew the human character, better than any philosopher, ancient or modern, ever did. Their account teaches us what men are actually doing, and what may be expected from them: whilst all who form a different estimate of human nature find their principles inapplicable to facts, their theories incapable of being reduced to practice, and their expectations strangely disappointed. The Bible, well understood, enables us to account for those events, which have appeared inexplicable to men in every age: and the more carefully any one watches and scrutinizes all the motives, intentions, imaginations, and desires of his own heart, for a length of time; the clearer will it appear to him, that the Scriptures give a far more just account of his disposition and character, than he himself could have done. In short, it is capable of the fullest proof, that man is such a being, and the world in such a state, as the Bible describes: yet multiplied facts, constant observation, and reiterated experience, are insufficient to convince us of it, till we first learn it from these ancient records; and then, comparing all that passes within and around us with what we there read, we become more and more acquainted with our own hearts, and established in the belief of the divine original of the scriptures.

The mysteries contained in scripture rather confirm than invalidate this conclusion; for a pretended revelation without mystery would confute itself. Incompre. hensibility is inseparable from God, and from all his works, even the most inconsiderable, as the growth of a blade of grass. The mysteries of the scriptures are sublime, interesting, and useful; they display the divine perfections, lay a foundation for our hope, and inculcate humility, reverence, love, and gratitude. What is incomprehensible must be mysterious: but it may be intelligible as far as revealed; and though it be connected with things above our reason, it may imply nothing contrary to it. Sothat, in all respects the contents of the Bible are suited to convince the serious enquirer, that it is the word of God.

VI. The tendency of the scriptures constitutes another unanswerable proof. Did all men believe and obey the Bible as a divine revelation, to what conduct would it lead them? and what would be the effect on society? Surely, repentance and renunciation of all vice and immorality, joined with the spiritual worship of God in his ordinances, faith in his mercy and truth through the mediation of his Son, and all the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as visible in the life of every true believer, would form such characters, and produce such effects, as the world has never yet witnessed. Men would then universally do justice, speak truth, shew mercy, exercise mutual forgiveness, follow after peace, bridle their appetites and passions, and lead sober, righteous, and godly lives. Murders, wars, bitter contentions,

cruel oppressions, and unrestrained licentiousness, would no more desolate the world, and fill it with misery; but righteousness, goodness, and truth would bless the earth with a felicity exceeding all our present conceptions. This is, no doubt, the direct tendency of the scriptural doctrines, precepts, motives, and promises: nothing is wanting to remedy the state of the world, and to fit men for the worship and felicity of heaven, but that they should believe and obey the Bible. And if many enormous crimes have been committed, under colour of zeal for christianity; this only proves the depravity of man's heart: for the scripturé, soberly understood, most expressly forbids such practices; and men do not act thus, because they duly re gard it, but because they will not believe and obey it.

The tendency of these principles is exhibited in the characters there delineated; whilst the consistency between the doctrines and precepts of Scripture, and the actions of men recorded in it, implies another ar gument of its divine original. The conduct of ungodly men, as there related, entirely accords with the abstract account given of human nature: and it appears that believers conducted themselves exactly in that manner, which the principles of the Bible might have led us to expect. They had like passions with other men; but they were habitually restrained and regulated by the fear and love of God, and by other holy affections. Their general behaviour was good, but not perfect; and sometimes their natural proneness to evil broke out, and made way for deeper humiliation and bitter

repentance: so that they appear constantly to have perceived their need of forgiveness and divine assistance; to have expected their felicity from the rich mercy of God; and, instead of abusing that consideration, ta have deduced from it motives for gratitude, zeal, patience, meekness, and love to mankind.

But one character is exhibited, in the simplest and most unaffected manner, which is perfection itself. Philosophers, Orators, and Poets, in their several ways, have bestowed immense pains to delineate a faultless character: and they have given us complete models of their own estimate of excellence, and sufficient proof that they laboured the point to the utmost of their ability. But the four Evangelists, whose divine inspiration is now frequently doubted on the most frivolous pretences, without seeming to think it, have done that which all other writers have failed in. They have shown us a perfect human character, by recording facts without making any comment on them, or showing the least ingenuity in the arrangement of them. They have given the history of one, 'whose spirit, words, and actions were in every par'ticular what they ought to be; who always did the very thing which was proper, and in the best manner imaginable. Who never once deviated from the most consummate wisdom, purity, benevolence, compas'sion, meekness, humility, fortitude, patience, piety, 'zeal, or any other excellency. And who in no instance let one virtue or holy disposition entrench on 'another, but exercised them all in entire harmony,

and exact proportion.'' This subject challenges