as contained in other books which the prophets wrote; and sometimes the names of these prophets are mentioned; and yet these writings are not extant in the canon which the Church of God receives. The reason of which," says Augustine, "I can account for no other way, than by supposing that those very persons to whom the Holy Spirit revealed those things which are of the highest authority in religion, sometimes wrote only as faithful historians, and at other times as prophets under the influence of divine inspiration; and that these writings are so different from each other, that the one sort are to be imputed to themselves as the authors, the other to God, as speaking by them; the former are of service to increase our knowledge, the other of authority in religion, and canonical."* In regard to this subject generally, I remark,

11. 1st, That the citation of a book in a canonical writing is no evidence that the book referred to was written by inspiration, and canonical. For we find that the apostle Paul quotes passages from Aratus, Menander, and Epimenides. 2d, The greater number of the pieces supposed to be lost are still remaining in the Scriptures, though under different names. 3d, We have no evidence whatever for supposing that the books alluded to which are not to be found there, were written by inspiration, or were designed for the religious instruction of mankind. On the contrary, we have every reason to believe, that every book that ever was written by inspiration, or that ever was received as the Oracles of God, has been preserved, and is now a part of the volume of Divine Revelation. We have good reason to entertain this opinion, not only on the ground already assigned, but, 4th, Because of the very high estimation in which the canonical writings were always held by Jews and Christians. They were willing to sacrifice every thing, even life itself, rather than part with them, or suffer them to be injured or destroyed.

* De Civitate Dei, lib. xviii. c. 38.

12. I conclude this dissertation on the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures by observing, that the books of the New Testament, with the exception of the writings of the apostle John, were all in circulation twenty or thirty years before the end of the first century, or the death of the apostle John. It is supposed that the gospel of Matthew was written first, and in Hebrew. As it is evident, however, that neither Mark nor Luke had seen it, it is not likely that it was published long before they wrote the gospels that bear their name. Clement, the apostolic father, whom Paul in his epistle to the Philippians calls his fellow-labourer, whose name is in the book of life, is the author of the only Christian writing, connected with the first century, except the Scriptures. He presided over the church at Rome, and long survived the apostles Peter and Paul. The epistle of which he was the author was written in the name of the church of which he was pastor, and addressed to the church of Corinth, where the original copy was probably long preserved it was publicly read in the churches, according to the testimony of Eusebius. The fact that this epistle, notwithstanding the profound veneration of the whole Christian community for its author, was not admitted into the canon of Scripture, though it was occasionally read in the churches, shows the extraordinary care which was taken to admit only such writings as were unquestionably given by inspiration of God.

13. This epistle, though of a practical nature, and not designed to give a regular exposition of doctrine, contains all the great and fundamental principles of Christianity. The allusions contained in it to the books of the New Testament prove that they were then in general circulation, and that they were regarded by all Christians as much a part of inspired Scripture as the books of the Old Testament. In consequence of the epistle to the Hebrews, the epistles of James and Jude, and the second epistle of Peter, not having been so widely circulated as the other

writings of the apostles, they were not received in distant churches till due inquiry was made as to their respective authors, and their canonical authority. At length, however, they were received in every church, and their genuineness being proved, was universally admitted. The same remark is applicable to the book of Revelation, which was written at a late period of the life of the apostle John, and the canonical authority of which, therefore, was ascertained at a later period than the other books of the New Testament.

BOOK IV.

ON THE DIVINE ORIGIN AND

AUTHORITY OF THE

SCRIPTURES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE EVIDENCES OF DIVINE REVELATION. THE DIVINE ORIGIN AND AUTHORITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: ON THE MIRACLES WHICH WERE WROUGHT IN ATTESTATION OF THE DIVINE LEGATION OF MOSES.

1. HAVING established the genuineness and authenticity of the Old Testament Scriptures, we shall now proceed to prove that they were written under the inspiration of God, and consequently are of divine authority. Here, as formerly, we shall direct our chief attention to the Pentateuch. The evidence by which its divine authority is attested is derived from the miracles and prophecies which accompanied the establishment and progress of the Mosaic Dispensation,-from the contents and general design of the record, and from certain circumstances of an auxiliary nature.

2. The Mosaic economy was founded on miraculous attestations. The reception of its doctrines and institutions was an acknowledgment that Moses was divinely commissioned; and the validity of his claims was proved by the miracles which he wrought from the day in which he appeared before the children of Israel in the character

of the Messenger of Heaven until the day of his death. The ancient books, in which these mighty works are circumstantially recorded, give an account of supernatural events accomplished at the command of Moses in the presence of Pharaoh, and of the Israelites before they were released from captivity; of their miraculous transit through the Red sea to the wilderness,-of the miracles which attended the giving of the law,-of those which were wrought for their sustenance and preservation during forty years in the wilderness,-of the visible symbols of the presence of God which accompanied them all this period, of the miraculous providence which put them in the possession of the land of Canaan, and which protected them in the observance of the institutions of the Mosaic dispensation nearly a thousand years.

3. When it is considered that the religion taught by Moses existed from the earliest times,-that it was observed almost by a single people until the commencement of the Christian era," that it is the only religious doctrine in the ancient world which will bear to be examined by the human understanding,-that it claimed from its commencement to its latest period the sanction of a positive revelation ;" and that this claim was sustained by what numerous and competent witnesses regarded as miraculous interpositions: this religion" carries, in its first aspect, a pledge of its authority to which there is nothing similar or analogous in the history of all or of any of the ancient nations."

4. As the miracles wrought by our Lord were suited to the benevolent design of the gospel dispensation, so those which were performed by Moses were peculiarly adapted to that economy which they were intended to establish. The Mosaic dispensation, compared with that of the gospel, was severe, that it might attain its design in acting as our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. The miracles effected by our Saviour were in their nature benevolent, and in this respect accorded with the beneficent and