they are of neceffity obliged, in every sphere and scene of life, to rely on the credit and veracity of each other, and to receive the largest and the most úfeful proportion of truth, of many kinds, from information and tradition. These are the most general and extensive fources or means of truth; and, whether they are capable of understanding it or not, men are obliged to found upon it the most important thought and the most eventful conduct. By this light they have been led from age to age; and never have had reason to complain that they have been led wrong. If fuch be 'the credit and authority of men, fo extensive and infallible, as the experience of every one muft convince him, in regard to many of the most interesting and important truths; how properly, and how pointedly does the reafonting of the infpired Apostle, enforcing the authority of a divine communication, come home to our felf-conviction ?" If ye receive t "the witnefs of men; the witnefs of God “is greater".

r

The nature of Teftimony, as a principle of truth, has been ftated and difcuffed in the

* 1 John v. 9.

first volume, where it was found to operate with more univerfality and extent than any other, being a general vehicle by which truths of every kind were communicated and conveyed and if we will make ufe of the clue held out to us by the Apoftle, which leads, us from earthly to heavenly things, reafon will conduct us fafely by a close and obvious analogy, (the only logic by which divine truths can be conveyed to men), from this human principle to the divine: from this teftimony of men, from which is derived the greatest fhare of natural or human truth, to the TESTIMONY OF GOD, which is the fource, and vehicle of thofe truths which are fupernatural or divine, and which, being communicated by the word of God, are Theologic.

All truth, whether natural or fupernatural, proceeds alike from God, only in different ways, and by different difpenfations. However various in appearance and multiplex in form, it is connected, like all his works, by a wonderful and confiftent chain, one main link of which, is this Principle of TESTIMONY which is common to

both; by which an eafy and familiar tranfition is made from truths that are human to thofe that are divine. Whether the Almighty act through the inftrumentality of his creatures, or more immediately by himself; whether he convey truth to the minds of men through the natural organs of the fenfes, or by a fupernatural communication of his will, he is always uniform and confiftent with himfelf and one part of his divine government is made introductory to another, and illuftrative of its œconomy. Thus earthly things are the expreffive types and refemblances of heavenly, on which resemblance a fublime Analogy is founded, which is the great inftrument of Theologic Truth; and it is upon reafoning by this analogy from human Teftimony to divine, that its Principle is conftituted.

Such is the true nature and foundation of that Logic, which is peculiarly appropriated to fubjects of Theology, and which has had the fanction and approbation of Him, who is its origin, its inftrument, and end. Je"fus departed into the coafts of Tyre and "Sidon: and behold a woman of Canaan

σε

66 came

66

came out of the fame coafts, and cried "unto him, faying, Have mercy on me, "O Lord, thou fon of David, my daughter

66

is grievously vexed with a devil-But he " answered and faid, it is not meet to take "the children's bread and to caft it to "the dogs. And fhe faid, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table." This anfwer made to his allufive obfervation of the children's bread, poffeffed a quality fo fingularly excellent, as to extort from him an animated eulogium, accompanied with a grant of her request; O woman, great is thy faith! be "it unto thee even as thou wilt." This anfwer, fo highly applauded and honoured by our Lord, was the refult of reafoning by Analogy,That as the dogs eat of the crumbs of the mafter's table, after the children are fupplied and fatisfied; fo fhe, though an alien from the house of Ifrael, and not entitled to the first overtures of his grace, might hope for fome fmall portion of his fuperabundant favour, after the children of that houfe were ferved: and, upon this rational ground, fprung

7

the excellency of her faith. And we have another very fingular inftance upon record of the fame high approbation accorded to this mode of reafoning, and to the effect which it produced." And when Jefus was entered "into Capernaum, there came unto him a "centurion befeeching him, and faying, "Lord, my fervant lieth at home fick of the "palfy, grievoufly tormented. And Jefus "faith unto him, I will come and heal him. "The centurion anfwered and faid, Lord, "Eam not worthy that thou fhouldest come “under my roof: but fpeak the word only,

and my fervant fhall be healed For "I also am a man fet under authority, *having under me foldiers, and I fay unto

one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my fer36 vant, Do this, and he doeth it. When "Jefus heard these things, he marvelled and “faid unto the people, I fay unto you, I "have not found fo great faith no not in If

rael" This fublime wonder of our Lord was, doubtlefs, excited by the centurion's arguing, from parity of reasoning, that, as he Luke vii. 8, 9.

• Matth. viii. 5, &c.

himself,