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Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, are the only writings which have been acknowledged by that nation to be the inspired word of God. And this acknowledgment on the part of the Jews, was not because they did not possess the works of other authors, and had not their men of learning and talent. The Apocryphal writings teach us, that many correct histories, and beautiful moral treatises, were in circulation among this people. But we have it indisputably proved to us, that they admitted none to the privilege of Divine inspiration, except those to which we attach that high distinction.

Before we take leave of our subject, as far as concerns that part of holy writ, which we distinguish by the appellation of the Old Testament, let us once more address our readers in the language of entreaty; let us again persuade them to weigh well our proofs; to consider with attention our arguments, in the spirit of anxious inquiry; to accompany this consideration with a lifting up of the heart to Him who " is always more ready to hear than we to pray." If, when they have so done, they will turn from this small volume to the sacred book itself, and in the same spirit "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest," I feel assured that the full brightness of Divine truth will be no longer hid from their minds, and that the clouds

which prejudice may have raised around their understandings, will vanish before the power of God's word, as the morning mist gives way to the splendid beams of the meridian sun; while they will not hesitate to acknowledge with the Psalmist, that it is the Lord, who "made known his ways unto Moses, and his acts unto the children of Israel *.” And I earnestly pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest on these pages, so that all who begin to peruse them in a doubting or unbelieving spirit, may, before they arrive at their conclusion, not only be brought to a conviction of the truth of revelation, but that they may joyfully exclaim still further with David,

66 PRAISE YE THE LORD.

GREAT IS OUR LORD, AND OF GREAT POWER, AND HIS UNDERSTANDING IS INFINITE†.”

Psalm ciii. 7.

+ Psalm cxlvii. 1, 5.

PART II.

ON THE TRUTH AND INSPIRATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

CHAPTER I.

A CONCISE EXAMINATION OF THE PREJUDICES OF THE JEWS AGAINST THE GOSPEL.

WE have, in the first part of this work, proved the truth and Divine inspiration of the Old Testament, in opposition to the arguments of the Atheist, and in complete refutation of all the other enemies of revelation.

We now undertake as clearly to establish the truth and holy authority of the New Testament, in contradiction, not only, to the assertions of the infidel, but of the Jews themselves. It is not my intention here to enter into the objections, which the Jews may have raised as to the Person of Christ. Discussions on that subject would lead us into far greater length than our present

limits would allow. Our question now is, as to the truth and Divine authority of the Gospel; and to the consideration of that alone I shall confine myself.

My first argument will come, with all the weight and clearness of an actual demonstration, in opposition to the prejudices of the Jews. Let any candid descendant of Abraham read our proofs in favour of the Old Testament. Strong and convincing as they are on this point, every argument acquires double force, when applied to the confirmation of the religion of Jesus: those very demonstrations, which securely establish the Law and the Prophets, render the Gospel immoveable as a rock. If the Jew should be tempted to call our arguments weak, in support of the Christian religion, let him consider what they must be in regard to the Mosaic dispensation: let him remember, that, with the same weapon, with which he would endeavour to pull down the fabric of Christianity, he is laying in utter ruins, even to its very foundation, that covenant which God made with his forefathers.

Let the subject be what it will, we must admit the same principles of reasoning into our arguments we cannot beat down with one hand and build up with the other; we cannot argue on certain rules in favour of the Old Testament, and refuse to the proofs in favour of the New, the

benefit of similar conclusions. We will suppose that a piously disposed Jew, who, unhappily, through the prejudices of his nation, which he has imbibed from his parents, and the instructors of his youth, rejects the promised Messiah in the person of Jesus Christ: we will imagine such an one reading our first part of this volume on the truth of that Book, which he has been taught to revere as the word of God: we will suppose him rejoicing over the proofs which we have brought forward to demonstrate the Divine origin of the Law and the Prophets, in opposition to every argument of infidelity: when he has done this, we must further admit him to be led by curiosity, or by some other motive, to the examination of this, our second part; and as he proceeds, discovering that the establishment of the Law, is the building up of the Gospel; that every demonstra

tion which we have advanced in favour of the Old Testament, produces two in support of the New. What will such a man do? Will he reject the Bible, because its very proofs establish the Gospel with certainty? or will he embrace the Gospel because he sees, that by refusing it he also refuses every argument which proves the authenticity of that Revelation which he acknowledges as the word of Jehovah ?

If this man be, according to our supposition,

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