This

and in the Psalms concerning me."* Now, it is well known that the Jewish Scriptures were divided into three parts; the first containing the five books of Moses; the second, comprehending Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve smaller prophets; the third, comprehended the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Solomon's Song, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the two books of Chronicles. division was in use long before the time of Christ, and the Jews were in the habit of referring to the first, under the titles law and Moses; the second was called. the Prophets; and the third David, or the Psalms or holy writings. And to these several divisions our Saviour evidently alludes under the terms the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms; thus giving his sanction to the received canon of the Jewish Scrip

tures.

The apostles, also, in their epistles, constantly appeal to the Scriptures that were received and acknowledged by the Jews, as of divine authority. They also say, when referring to them, "It is written;" they call them the word of God; and Paul says expressly that they were given by inspiration of God; and Peter declares that the prophecy came not, in old time, by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ; thus indicating the manner in which this inspiration was given by the Holy Ghost moving upon the minds of the writers, and di

* Luke 24: 44.

† 2 Timothy, 3: 15, 16. 2 Peter, 1 : 19-21.

recting them how and what to write. Peter likewise recognizes the epistles of Paul as belonging to the sacred Scriptures, speaking of them in connection with the other Scriptures, showing that he regarded them of equal authority.*

I have only quoted a small portion of the testimonies to the Old Testament contained in the New, nor of the assumptions of divine inspiration on the part of the New Testament writers. If these are not suf

reader, a personal I should not have

ficient to satisfy the mind of the examination cannot fail to do so. dwelt so long on this subject, but for the fact that it is a fundamental point, and one that is disputed; the views which I have been combatting being openly advocated and preached among us by those who profess to be Christian ministers-views which would destroy the foundation of our hopes, and leave us destitute of any certain standard of faith and practice.

The Scriptural idea of inspiration then, is, that the sacred writers were under such an influence of the Spirit of God, that what they wrote is truly and properly the word of God, communicated to mankind through them.

2. My second preliminary remark is founded on the foregoing; and it is this,—that the question of the truth of the Scriptures cannot be separated from that of their divine inspiration; for, if they are not inspired they cannot be true, because they profess to be inspired. The Scriptures contain the narrative of facts and the statement of doctrines, which the writers

* 2 Peter, 3: 15, 16.

profess to have received by divine revelation; and these facts and doctrines are of such a nature that they could not be mistaken concerning them. Therefore, if we prove that the writers were honest men, and entitled to credit for their veracity, we prove their inspiration.

3. If we prove the authenticity and genuineness of the New Testament, we also prove the same concerning the Old; as it has already been shown that the inspiration of all the books of the Old Testament is established by the writers of the New. And this may be narrowed down still more; for, if we prove the truth of Luke's gospel, we have this point conclusively established. It is true, however, that the books of the Old Testament are capable of being authenticated by separate and independent evidence; but the object in this place is, to narrow down and simplify the argument, so that its force may be more clearly

seen.

4. There are some sects who hold that inspiration is common to all men ; and that any one, by improving the light that is in him, may receive directly from God all the revelation that he needs. This is the doctrine of the Quakers, and of some other sects; and if I understand them, it is the doctrine of the Transcendentalists; though, perhaps, in a modified form, with less of anything supernatural in their ideas of inspiration. But this does not appear to be consonant with the plans of divine wisdom. It does not appear from the works of God, or from anything we know of his operations, that he ever makes a useless expenditure of energy or power. So obvious is this fact, that it

has passed into a proverb-" There is nothing made in vain." But, a particular revelation to every individual of the human race would be, if I may so speak, an extravagant expenditure of power, when one revelation, well authenticated, would answer equally as well. Yet one written revelation, well authenticated, is better than a particular revelation to every individual would be. This the apostle Peter intimates, when, after referring to the vision which he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration, he says, alluding to the written word, "We have a more sure word of prophecy." There never were so many false prophets and impostors as during the time when the revelation was given; and if inspiration were continued, it would give advantage to Satan to deceive men with false visions, and for men to deceive one another with pretended prophecies; while the mind of man would in a great measure he deprived of its freedom of action, and motives for investigating the truth.

The next inquiry is,--how a revelation from God could be authenticated, so as to commend itself to the people to whom it was immediately given. That God could so communicate information to the mind of a human being as to make it perfectly sure and certain to the individual himself that it was a divine revelation, cannot be doubted by any one who regards God as the Almighty Creator of man. But the word of the man to whom it was communicated might not be sufficient to satisfy the minds of others. It is necessary, therefore, that some visible sign should be given to prove his divine mission; and that this should be given

in such a manner that there could be no mistake or possibility of deception.

5. But, after a revelation has been so given, in order to render it available, for the use of subsequent generations, it must come down to them accompanied by such proof of its genuineness and authenticity, as cannot be disputed.

Having prepared the way, by these preliminary observations, we will proceed to examine the evidence by which the several books of the New Testament are authenticated as a revelation from God; bearing in mind, that if we prove that these books are true, they must be what they profess to be, a revelation from God; and that, if they are a revelation from God, the books of the Old Testament are likewise. And, let me here also remark, that the difficulty lies not in the want of evidence, but in selecting from the mass of evidence that which may be condensed and brought before the mind of the reader, within a reasonable compass.

I. The first question to be determined is, how do we know that the several books of the New Testament were written by the persons whose names they bear; and that these persons lived in the age attributed to them, and were the disciples of Christ? This will appear,

1. From the impossibility of their having been forged, and imposed as authentic, either upon the age in which they profess to have been written, or upon any subsequent age. Would it be possible now for any person to forge and palm off upon this community,