given by Moses^fc^intended only to prefigure and introduce. The inte^sffion of Christ, now pleading for you at the right hand of God, was to the Jews altogether unknown. The sanctifying aid of the Holy Spirit of God, to enable you to will and to do what is acceptable to tha Deity, was by the Jews very imperfectly understood. Do you admit the magnitude of those your obligations to Heaven? Ask yourself then, in the second place, whether you are leading such a life as corresponds with an avowed fense of those obligations: such a life as corresponds with a conviction of the extraordinary blessings conferred upon you by the Almighty of his own sree grace. While you are wondering that the Jews, enlightened by immediate communications from above, could relapse with such frequency into the darkness of idolatry; ask yourself whether, in the full enjoyment of greater light, you are not deviating into the paths of darkness. "The covetous "man," faith the Scripture, " is an idolater (h)," and " hath no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ "and of God." The glutton is branded in the sacred volume with the same stigma (/'): and his end is declared to be " destruction." Whenever you permit any inclination, any passion to predominate in your heart over the fear and the love of God; you incur the guilt of idolatry. And unless through the Divine grace you sincerely repent, and turn from sin unto habitual holiness; you shall have "no inheri"tance in the kingdom of Christ and of God:" "your end shall b» destruction."

(h) Ephcs. v. 5. CO Philipp. iii. 19.

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

I

N the preceding Chapters the Scriptures of the Old Testament have been regarded as sacred records of unquestionable authority. As the faith of Christians ought in every particular point to be established on rational evidence and sober conviction; it will be proper in the present Chapter to lay before the reader a brief statement of the grounds, on which the claim of the Jewish Scriptures to his belief and reverence is established.

The Old Testament resolves itself into two leading divisions; the canonical books, and the apocryphal books (a). The canonical books are those which were written by the aid and under the guidance of Divine inspiration. The apocryphal books were composed by uninspired men; and are therefore liable to error: but, on account of the religi

o

OUS

(a) These general terms, together with many of the modern names, as Genesis, Exodus &c. by which the books of the Old Testament are distinguished, have been borrowed from the dcnominations used by the Greek translators and commentators. The words " canon," and "canonical," are derived from K«v«y, a rule 3 and imply that the authenticity and inspiration of the books of Scripture to which they are applied have not been hastily taken for granted; but have been examined and ascertained by the proper rule or criterion. Apocrypha and apocryphal, words derived from aitux^mru, to hide, denote that the writings to which they are affixed are not of manifest and indisputable authority.

ous instruction and the historical facts' which they contain, were subjoined by the Jews, yet separately and as a detached appendix, to the sacred volume; and hace been for the same reasons continued in that place and character by the Christian church.

The canonical books were again subdivided by the Jews, for the fake of convenient reference and quotation, into three classes; not so distinguished through any difference in the authority assigned to them, (for in that respect they were all held perfectly equal,) but through a degree of difference in the subjects of which they respectively treat. These classes were denominated " the Law," "the Pro"phets," and "the Psalms." "The Law" contained the five books of Moses; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (£): and received its name from the subject most prominent in those books. In "the Prophets" were compre« hended not only the books of Isaiah," and of all the other prophets to Malachi inclusively, together with the book of Job; but likewise the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther: these books also having been written or revised by prophets. "The "Psalms (c)," included Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,

and

(i) The five Books of Moses are frequently termed the Pentateuch, a word of Greek etymology, implying a collection of Jive volumes.

(c) This class was also termed emphatically by the Jews "writings" (chetubim) ; and by the Greeks hagiographa, sacred writings. In latter times we have become accustomed to *pply the terms " Scriptures," that is to fay, "the writings,"

by * *

and the Song of Solomon, together with the book of Psalms; from which book, as being placed first, and of primary importance, this concluding subdivision received its appellation (d).

What proof-then of the inspiration and authenticity of the canonical Scriptures of the Old Testa* ment, in the very form in which we have them at this hour, is the utmost which even an objector -could reasonably demand? He might require this and this only: satisfactory evidence that those Scriptures were written under the superintendence of inspiration: and that they have been transmitted in their primeval integrity to the present day. That proof, I apprehend, may be demonstratively furnished.

It will, however, be proper antecedently to state with precision what we mean, when we affirm that the books in question were written under the superintendence, of inspiration. We do not mean that the Holy Spirit of God dictated to the inspired writer every word, or every sentence, of his compo

G sition. sition. The Divine interference to such an extent was not requisite, as far as we may presume to judge, for the attainment of the objects which inspiration was designed to accomplish. And the opinion of its interference to that extent appears to be contradicted by the great similarity of style and manner, which is found to pervade the writings of any one of the inspired penmen considered singly; and by the striking difference in sentiment and language, by which the several writers are distinguished from each other: circumstances which indicate that each writer was permitted to follow in an ample degree the natural bent of his faculties and thoughts as to the mode of expressing the Divine communications. Neither do we mean that the mind of the prophet or historian was in every cafe supernaturally impressed with the full knowledge of facts, which, by his own present observation, or by his distant recollection, or even by true and sufficient intelligence received from others, he already was thoroughly competent to describe. We mean that inspiration was given so far as it was essentially necessary to effect all the purposes, special and general, for which it was bestowed; namely, to encourage the righteous and reclaim the guilty; to confirm the truth and unfold the import of the Jewish dispensation; and when that introductory system should be done away, to demonstrate the Divine origin, illustrate the nature, and forward the universal dominion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. For these purposes it seems essentially necessary that, in communicating religious truths, in declaring a

revelation