spirit of piety, which may serve to enliven the devotion of the faithful in every age and nation of the world. The Proverbs of Solomon are replete with the wisest and most prudent maxims for the conduct of life, and surpass any thing to be met with in the writings of philosophers, either ancient or modern. The book of Ecclesiastes delivers many just observations on the comparative value of wealth and honour, wisdom and pleasure, which are found to be verified in the experience of mankind. Isaiah and the rest of the prophets, unfold in some of their descriptions the most sublime ideas of the Deity, and the most affecting denunciations of his vengeance, against the sins of nations and individuals, which should influence all who read them, to abandon the practice of wickedness, that they receive not of its plagues.-Together with these occasional intimations of the divine administration, the prophets deliver a series of predictions concerning the appearance of a divine person in our world, who came to seek and to save us who were lost. If we compare these prophecies with their accomplishment, and examine their exact coincidence in every particular; we must be impressed with a conviction, that prophesy came not of old time by the will of men, but God hath revealed these things by his Holy Spirit. Thus, the Old Testament contains an account of the divine dispensations to mankind, and prepares us for the reception of the Messiah, who should introduce a better order of things by the establishment of Christianity.

The books of the New Testament open to us the execu tion of this great design. The gospels record his superna tural birth and exemplary life, his wonderful miracles and gracious doctrines, his atoning death and glorious resurrec tion. All these were witnessed by men, whom he had chosen to attend him during his earthly pilgrimage, and are therefore entitled to our undoubting belief.-The Acts of the Apostles relate the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the first preachers of Christianity, by whose inspiration they were enabled to speak all the languages of the world; to understand and explain the mysteries of that faith in which they had been instructed; and to confirm their

This supernatural aid by

words by signs following. which they acted, is the only credible account which can be given of the cause of the rapid success of the gospel in the first ages of the church, notwithstanding the opposition it received from kings and counsels, priests and philosophers, who combined against it. But, because God was with his ministering servants to uphold them in all their ways; therefore the cause in which they were engaged, grew and prospered, till many nations were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.That those who had embraced the true religion, might be instructed completely in the knowledge of every truth which could make them wise unto salvation, several epistles were written by the apostles under the influence of divine inspiration, and transmitted to the several churches which they had established in different quarters of the globe. These epistles both explain the doctrines of Christianity, and render them more intelligible to the human understanding; while they inculcate the most necessary and useful precepts, for the due regulation of the conduct of life. They are equally valuable to Christians in all succeeding ages, and are left with the church to the end of the world, as a complete directory for faith and practice, to which we do well to take heed, as we shall be judged by the things that are written in these books. Such is the outline of that scheme which the scriptures contain, which is indeed worthy of its divine. author, and calculated for the edification and salvation of mankind.

But, notwithstanding the acknowledged utility of scripture in general, several objections have been brought against particular parts of it, by infidels and others, who disclaim the imputation of unbelievers. In order to vindicate the excellence of the sacred canon, it may be requisite to consider and obviate some of these objections, and shew how futile and unfounded they are. Thus it is said, that very imperfect notices are given of many important transactions, such as the creation of the world. the fall of man, the deluge, and other things recorded in sacred writ. But it is likely that the writer knew no

thing more than he relates, and it was not to be expected that God would communicate in a supernatural manner such knowledge as would serve merely to gratify curiosity. We are informed of many facts respecting the creation and the fall, and find them confirmed by our own experience, which is all that is requisite for every reasonable purpose.-But, it is alleged, that many passages are very uninteresting, and yet they occupy a considerable place in the sacred writings. Thus, the genealogies of the patriarchs, the Mosaic economy, the divisions of Canaan, the pedigree of the Levites, and the posterity of David, are, it is said, not necessary to us Christians. But it should be recollected, that they were of great utility to the people and generations for whom they were recorded; and remain as an evidence of the truth of that ancient dispensation which has now been superseded. It is farther objected, that there are many wicked actions said to have been done by eminent saints, by which we are apt to be misled in following their example. But are they not condemned as sinful, and represented as faults which we ought to avoid do they not furnish us with motives to circumspection, and admonish us who think we stand fast in our integrity," to take heed lest we fall?"—But it is pretended, there are several injunctions delivered in scripture by divine authority, such as the command given to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, the instructions by which the Jews were ordered to exterminate the Canaanites, and other instances of a like nature, which contain a high degree of immorality. But it should be considered, that God hath a sovereign right to dispose of his creatures as seemeth good in his sight; that he hath reasons for such procedure, of which we are ignorant; and that he may employ any person or people to execute his purpose, in the same manner as the civil magistrate appoints an executioner to inflict the penalty of the laws on the person of an offender.-It is however alleged, that God is even represented as doing things that are inconsistent with his moral attributes, such as hardening Pharaoh's heart, and blinding the minds of the Jews, lest they should be converted and saved. But scripture, in

these cases, attributes to God such actions as he permits his creatures to perform, and because his providence afforded them an occasion of hardening their own hearts, and blinding their own eyes, therefore by a figure of speech, he is said to have done, what his dispensations led wicked men to execute of their own accord.-Still, there have been exceptions taken against certain passages of the sacred writings, as if they conveyed sentiments of an improper and pernicious tendency. Thus, it is said, there are several imprecations against David's enemies in the book of Psalms, which are inconsistent with the spirit of benevolence and charity. But according to the Hebrew idiom, these are predictions against the workers of iniquity, and denunciations of the divine judgments, unless men turn from their wickedness, and avoid the punishments which are threatened against them.-It has been also objected, that the book of Ecclesiastes contains many expressions which savour of irreligion and immorality, But these are the false opinions of libertines, which the wise king introduces that he may confute them, or the hasty notions which he conceived in his early years, and which he afterwards renounced as the dictates of folly and inexperience.-The Song of Solomon has also given offence to many readers who pretend to delicacy of taste. But it should be understood, that the intimate relation betwixt Christ and the church is represented by that between a husband and wife; that the devotional affections of oriental nations is warm and animated; and that the sentiments contained in this book are descriptive of the feelings of piety expressed in the style of pastoral poetry. -With respect to the prophetical books, it is alleged, that directions are often given in them, which would be unfit and improper to execute. But it is believed by the Jews themselves, that several of these things were exhibited in vision; and a supernatural impression was made on made on the minds of the prophets, by which they seemed to do what was only imaginary, that so they might be enabled to deliver their message in a more affecting manner. Thus, all the objections usually brought against the writings of the Old

Testament, will be found on examination futile and groundless.

But this is no proof of conover things, because another

The same may be justly said of the exceptions taken against the New. Thus, in the history of our Lord's life written by the four evangelists, it is said, that their narrations differ from each other, and that one mentions facts which another omits. tradiction. For one passes had related them. Hence St. Matthew and St. Mark, leave out several particulars which St. Luke who wrote first, has recorded. And St. John who wrote his gospel last, supplies many transactions which the others have not mentioned, so that we have among them all a complete history both "of what Jesus did, and of what he taught."-But it is objected, that in St. Paul's epistles, "there are many things hard to be understood." It is indeed no wonder that we who know so little of the opi nions entertained by Christians when the apostle wrote, should be at a loss to understand his meaning. For he sometimes refers to the state of the church, at other times to the various questions which were proposed to him for solution; sometimes to customs entertained by the Gentiles; and again to erroneous persuasions which he endeavoured to refute. Now, though these several causes render his writings obscure to us, yet they might be sufficiently perspicuous to the persons for whose benefit they were originally intended. And if there be some from their connection

parts difficult to be apprehended, with the controversies which then subsisted, we are little interested in them, and should therefore be satisfied, though we understand them not perfectly. But the passages which are of general and practical use, are easily comprehended; and it would be well that we were careful to act according to the measure of information which is plain and unequivocal.-There is however a passage in St. James, which cannot be forgotten, since it is produced as an evident discrepancy betwixt him and St. Paul, respecting the terms of our justification. The latter says, that "we are justified by faith without the works of the law," by which he signifies that neither the observance of