been the contrivance of good men, otherwise they must have been the grossest forgers and impostors in the world, and guilty of deceptions perfectly inconsistent with their character, for they speak in the name of God, and profess to have received their doctrine from him. 74 2. By miracles and prophecies.-These are the two grand criteria, on which most stress is laid in the Scriptures. Prophecies are the language of inspiration, and miracles are the operation of that Divine agency by which the prophet is influenced. Miracles convinced the minds of the first believers, whilst prophecy gives the means of conviction to those who have been enabled to compare predictions with events. The ancients, who beheld the miracles, had reason to believe that the prophecies would be accomplished; the moderns, who have seen many of the prophecies fulfilled, have thus a strong presumption that miracles were performed. 75 3. By its own authoritative language.-Numerous texts in the New Testament Scriptures, which we have already proved to be authentic, credible, and inspired, testify also, by their own authoritative language, their own inspiration, and the Divine origin of Christianity. "The works that I do," said Jesus, "bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me," John v. 36. "Rabbi," said Nicodemus to Jesus, 66 Iwe know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him,"* John iii. 2. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," 2 Tim. iii. 16. "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but *Comp. also Matt. xi. 2-5; Acts ii. 22; Heb. ii. 3, 4; John v. 39; Acts x. 43; xxviii. 23; Luke xviii. 31; xxiv. 44; Rom. i. 2; iii. 21; 1 Pet. i. 10, 11; John vi. 14; and the prophecies, types, and intimations of the Messiah in the Anal. and Summary of Old Test. Hist. p. 256. holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy "And I will pray the Father, and Ghost," 2 Pet. i. 21. he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth . . . . . . But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you," John xiv. 17, 26. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come," John xvi. 13. "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ," Gal. i. 11, 12.* IV. BRIEF OUTLINE OF OUR SAVIOUR'S LIFE ANALYSIS. Our Lord's sayings and doings arranged: viz. 1. His private life. 2. His preparation for the public ministry. 3. His sermons. 4. His conferences. 5. His miracles. 6. His parables. 7. His sufferings. 8. His triumphs. SUMMARY. Our Lord's sayings and doings arranged.—The say- 76 ings and doings of our Lord and Saviour, as recorded by the four evangelists, may be arranged under the eight following heads: viz. 1. His private life. 2. His preparations for the public ministry. 3. His sermons. Comp. also Acts i. 3; ii. 4; 1 Cor. ii. 10-13; and Eph. iii. 2-5. 77 4. His miracles. 5. His parables. 6. His conferences. 7. His sufferings. 8. His triumphs. 1. His private life, previous to his baptism, extending over a space of about thirty years, including the following circumstances. 1. The preparation of John the Baptist to be his forerunner, of the blessed virgin Mary to be his mother, and of Joseph to be the guardian of his infancy and pupillage. 2. His holy nativity in a stable at Bethlehem Ephrata, with the welcome of the quire of angels, the visit of the shepherds, and his circumcision. 3. His mother's purification, with the open testimonies of Simeon and Anna concerning him in the Temple. 4. The visit of the Magi. 5. His flight into Egypt, which was followed by Herod's slaughter of the innocents. 6. His return and settlement with his parents in Nazareth in Galilee. 7. His going with them to Jerusalem at the passover and questioning with the doctors, from whence he again returned to Nazareth, and subjecting himself to his parents, perhaps worked with them at the trade of carpenter. 78 2. His preparation for the public ministry, in which the following particulars are the most remarkable. 1. His public baptism by John in the Jordan. 2. The testimony of his Father from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" which was afterwards reiterated to the three apostles, on the Mount of Transfiguration, with the addition of the words, "Hear ye him." 3. The descending of the Holy Ghost, like a dove, and abiding upon him, who thereupon led him into the wilderness. 4. His fasting there forty days and forty nights. 5. His three temptations offered him by the devil, whom he vanquished. 6. His return to Galilee, and gathering disciples, where we have the distinct calling of Andrew, Peter, James, and John, and afterwards of Matthew from the receipt of custom, to be his follow ers. 7. His ordination of twelve to be with him, and of seventy to go forth two by two before him. 3. His sermons, of which the following are the most 79 prominent. 1. His catechetical, declaring the necessary qualifications of those who aim at blessedness, and the means that lead to it (sect. 63-88). 2. His concio ad clerum, or sermon to the clergy, instructing them what to do, how to teach, and what to expect (sect. 143–148). 3. His concio pro clero, or sermon in behalf of the clergy, wherein he justifies John the Baptist and his doctrine, reproves perverse and censorious readers, and invites the meek and lowly in heart to come to him, and bear the gospel yoke (sect. 110-113). 4. His popular sermon to the promiscuous multitude, concerning the various effects produced by the preaching of the word, and the necessity for embracing it (sect. 131-135). 5. His irenicon, or sermon for composing differences, wherein the authority of the church is asserted, and a heavy doom denounced against those who slight it, and against those who will not, for the sake of the forgiveness which God extends towards their trespasses, forgive those who trespass against them (sect. 179-187). His elenchical, or sermon of reproof against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, in which he enjoins his hearers to follow their precepts, but not their practice (sect. 321-333). 7. His prophetical, or discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and his own second coming (sect. 335-343). 8. Final discourse with his disciples in the supper chamber (sect. 356-366). 4. His conferences, which may be arranged according 80 to the parties with whom he conferred, who were as follows. 1. Nicodemus, with whom he discoursed on the new birth, and the necessity for believing in him (sect. 41-43). 2. The woman of Samaria, with whom he discoursed on living water and spiritual worship (sect. 49-52). 3. The Pharisees, whom he reproved for setting aside God's commands by their tradition (sect. 161— 163). 4. The Sadducees, with whom he discoursed concerning the resurrection (sect. 314). 5. The lawyers, whom he told which was the first and greatest commandment, and who was our neighbour (sect. 315). 6. The people, with whom he spoke concerning the bread of life, and the spiritual manna, and their senselessness in not acknowledging him to be the Messiah (sect. 155-159). 7. His disciples, whom he reproved for struggling for supremacy (sect. 352). 1. 81 5. His miracles, of which we here reckon 36, exclusive of those not particularized, and we have arranged them according to the places in which they were performed. In Cana of Galilee, the water made wine, and the healing of the nobleman's son. 2. On the Sea of Galilee, the first draught of fishes, the stilling of the tempest, the walking on the sea, the fish with the tribute money, and the second draught of fishes. 3. In Capernaum, the raising of Jairus's daughter, the stopping of the issue of blood, the healing of the two blind men, of the dumb demoniac, the paralytic, the leper, the centurion's servant, the man with an unclean spirit, the mother of Peter's wife, and the blind and dumb demoniac. 4. In Galilee, the raising of the son of the widow of Nain, the healing of the woman with an 18 years' infirmity, of the man with the dropsy, of the lunatic child at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration, and of the daughter of the SyroPhoenician woman. 5. Beyond Jordan, the dispossession of the Gadarene or Gergesene demoniacs, the feeding of five thousand at Decapolis, the deaf and dumb healed, and the four thousand fed there, and the healing the blind man at Bethsaida. 6. In Samaria, the cleansing of the ten lepers. 7. In Jerusalem, the giving sight to the man who was born blind, the healing of the ear of Mal |