Fourthly, If the books of the Old and New Teftaments were written by the perfons to whom they were afcribed above, i. e. if they be genuine, the moral characters of thefe writers afford the ftrongest affurance, that the facts afferted by them are true. Falfehoods and frauds of a common nature shock the moral fense of common men, and are rarely met with except in perfons of abandoned characters: How inconfiftent then must those of the moft glaring and impious nature be with the highest moral characters! That fuch characters are due to the facred writers, appears from the writings themfelves by an internal evidence; but there is alfo ftrong external evidence. in many cases; and indeed this point is allowed in general by unbelievers. The fufferings which fevera. of the writers underwent both in life and death, in atteftation of the facts delivered by them, is a particular argument in favour of these.

Fifthly, The arguments here alleged for proving the truth of the fcripture history from the genuineness of the books, are as conclufive in refpect of the miraculous facts, as of the common ones. But befides this we may observe, that if we allow the genuinenefs of the books to be a fufficient evidence of the common facts mentioned in them, the miraculous facts must be allowed alfo, from their close connexion with the common ones. It is neceffary to admit both or neither. It is not to be conceived, that Mofes fhould have delivered the Ifraelites from their flavery in Egypt, or conducted them through the wildernes for forty years, at all, in fuch manner as the common history reprefents, unless we fuppofe the miraculous facts intermixed with it to be true alfo. In like manner, the fame of CHRIST's miracles, the multitudes which followed him, the adherence of his difciples, the jealoufy and hatred of the chief priests, fcribes, and pharifees, with many other facts of a common nature,

are impoffible to be accounted for, unless we allow, that he did really work miracles. And the fame obfervations hold in general of the other parts of the fcripture hiftory.

Sixthly, There is even a particular argument in favour of the miraculous part of the fcripture hiftory, to be drawn from the reluctance of mankind to receive miraculous facts. It is true that this reluctance is greater in fome ages and nations than in others, and probable reafons may be affigned why this reluctance was, in general, lefs in ancient times than in the prefent (which, however, are prefumptions that fome real miracles were then wrought :) But it must always be confiderable from the very frame of the human mind, and would be particularly fo amongst the Jews at the time of CHRIST's appearance, as they had then been without miracles for four hundred years, or more. Now this reluctance must make both the writers and readers very much upon their guard; and if it be now one of the chief prejudices against revealed religion, as unbelievers unanimoufly affert, it is but reasonable to allow alfo, that it would be a strong check upon the publication of a miraculous hiftory at or near the time when the miracles were faid to be performed; i. e. it will be a ftrong confirmation of fuch an hiftory, if its genuineness be granted previously.

And, upon the whole, we may certainly conclude, that the principal facts, both common and miraculous, mentioned in the fcriptures, must be true, if their genuineness be allowed. The objection against all miraculous facts will be confidered below, after the other arguments for the truth of the fcripture miracles have been alleged.

The converfe of this propofition is alfo true; i. e. If the principal facts mentioned in the fcriptures be true, they must be genuine writings. And though

this converse propofition may, at firft fight, appear to be of little importance for the establishment of Christianity, inafmuch as the genuineness of the fcriptures is only made ufe of as a medium whereby to prove the truth of the facts mentioned in them, yet it will be found otherwife upon farther examination. For there are many evidences for the truth of particular facts mentioned in the fcriptures, fuch, for inftance, as thofe taken from natural hiftory, and the cotemporary profane history, which no ways prefuppofe, but, on the contrary, prove the genuineness of the fcriptures; and this genuinenefs thus proved, may, by the arguments alleged under this propofition, be extended to infer the truth of the reft of the facts. Which is not to argue in a circle, and to prove the truth of the fcripture hiftory, from its truth; but to prove the truth of thofe facts, which are not attested by natural or civil hiftory, from those which are, by the medium of the genuineness of the fcriptures.

PROP. XVIII.

The Genuineness of the Scriptures proves their Divine Authority.

THE truth of this propofition, as it refpects the book of Daniel, feems to have been acknowledged by Porphyry, inafmuch as he could no ways invalidate the divine authority of this book, implied by the accomplishment of the prophecies therein delivered, but by afferting, that they were written after the event, i. e. were forgeries. But the fame thing holds of many of the other books of the Old and New Teftaments, many of them having unquestionable evidences of the divine foreknowledge, if they be

allowed genuine. I referve the prophetical evidences to be difcuffed hereafter, and therefore fhall only fuggeft the following inftances here, in order to illustrate the propofition; viz. Mofes's prophecy concerning the captivity of the Ifraelites, of a ftate not yet erected; Ifaiah's concerning Cyrus; Jeremiah's concerning the duration of the Babylonifh captivity; CHRIST's concerning the destruction of Jerufalem, and the captivity that was to follow; St. John's concerning the great corruption of the chriftian church; and Daniel's concerning the fourth empire in its declenfion; which laft was extant in Porpybry's time at least, i. e. before the events which it fo fitly represents.

The fame thing follows from the fublimity and excellence of the doctrines contained in the fcriptures. Thefe no ways fuit the fuppofed authors, i. e. the ages when they lived, their educations or occupations; and therefore, if they were the real authors, there is a neceffity of admitting the divine affiftance.

The converfe of this propofition, viz. that the divine authority of the scriptures infers their genuinenefs, will, I fuppofe, be readily acknowledged by all, And it may be used for the fame purposes as the converfe of the laft. For there are several evidences for the divine authority of the fcriptures, which are direct and immediate, and prior to the confideration both of their genuinenefs, and of the truth of the facts contained in them. Of this kind is the character of CHRIST, as it may be collected from his difcourses and actions related in the gofpels. The great and manifeft fuperiority of this to all other characters, real and fictitious, proves, at once, his divine miffion, exclufively of all other confiderations. Suppofe now the genuineness of St. Luke's gofpel to be deduced in this way, the genuineness of the Acts of the Apostles may be deduced from it, and of St. Faul's Epiftles from the Acts, by the ufual critical methods.

And when the genuineness of the Acts of the Apostles, and of St. Paul's Epiftles, is thus deduced, the truth of the facts mentioned in them will follow from it by the laft propofition; and their divine authority by this.

PROP. XIX.

The Truth of the principal Facts contained in the Scriptures proves their Divine Authority.

THIS propofition may be proved two ways; Firft, exclufively of the evidences of natural religion, such as those delivered in the last chapter; and, Secondly, from the previous establishment of the great truths of natural religion. And, First,

It is evident, that the great power, knowledge, and benevolence, which appeared in CHRIST, the prophets, and apostles, according to the fcripture accounts, do, as it were, command affent and fubmiffion from all those who receive thefe accounts as historical truths; and that, though they are not able to deduce, or have not, in fact, deduced the evidences of natural religion; nay, though they should have many doubts about them. The frame of the human mind is fuch, that the fcripture history, allowed to be true, must convince us, that CHRIST, the prophets, and apostles, were endued with a power greater than human, and acted by the authority of a being of the highest wisdom and goodness.

Secondly, If natural religion be previously eftablished, the truth of the principal facts of the fcriptures proves their divine authority in an easier and more convincing manner.

VOL. II