and who have pleasure in unrighteousness. Of such persons | remarkably to the success of the impostor. While the once it is said, that none of them shall understand."

formidable empires of Rome, on the one hand, overwhelmed (3.) A third objection to the prophecies that announce the by the fierce incursions of the northern barbarians, and of universality of the Christian religion, is founded on the fact, Persia, on the other, distracted by its own intestine divisions, that a considerable part of mankind, both in Europe and Asia, were evidently in the last state of decay, Arabia was in every now embrace Mohammedism, and receive the Koran of Moham-respect prosperous and flourishing. Naturally populous in med as an inspired book: which they would not do if Chris- | itself, it had received a very considerable accession of inhatianity were really from God. bitants from the Grecian empire; whence religious intoleAnswer. We conceive that the prophecies are fulfilled rance had driven great numbers of Jews and Christians to when all parts of the world shall have had the offer of Chris- seek an asylum in a country, where they might enjoy their tianity; but by no means that it shall be upheld among them opinions without interruption, and profess them without danby a miracle. This is contrary to the whole analogy of na- ger. The Arabians were a free but illiterate people, not deture. God gives increase to the tree, but does not prevent voted like other nations to the extravagances of sensual pleaits decay. He gives increase to a man, but does not prevent sures, but temperate and hardy, and therefore properly his growing infirm. Thus religion, when planted in a coun-qualified for new conquests. This brave people were at that try, is left to the natural course of things; and if that country time divided into separate tribes, each independent of the grows supine, and does not cherish the blessing, it must take other, and consequently connected by no political union:—a on itself the consequence. We conceive, therefore, that, circumstance that greatly facilitated the conquests of Mowith regard to all those countries which receive the Koran, hammed. The pseudo-prophet himself was descended from where the Gospel once flourished, the prophecy has already a family of much power and consequence; and, by a fortubeen fulfilled. Indeed, their present state is an accomplish-nate marriage with an opulent widow, was raised, from inment of prophecy, inasmuch as it was foretold that such a digent circumstances, to be one of the richest men in Mecca. falling away should take place. Not to enter into too minute He was, moreover, endowed with fine and politic talents; details, it may be remarked, that the seven churches of Asia and from the various journeys which he made in prosecuting lie, to this very day, in the same forlorn and desolate condition his mercantile concerns, had acquired a perfect acquaintance which the angel had signified to the apostle John (Rev. ii. with the constitution of the country. These, added to his iii.); their candlestick is removed out of its place, their churches high descent and family connections, could not fail of attractare turned into mosques, and their worship into the grossesting attention and followers to the character of a religious superstition. The prevalence of infidel principles on the teacher, in an age of ignorance and barbarism. No such adContinent is notorious; and equally notorious are the at- vantages of rank, wealth, or powerful connections were postempts making to disseminate them in this highly favoured sessed by Jesus Christ. Of humble descent, bred up in country. Yet all these countries have had the Gospel, and if poverty, he continued in that state all his life, having frethey should hereafter expel it, as the French did a few years quently no place where he could lay his head. A man so since, it will be their own fault. The prophecy has been ful- circumstanced was not likely, by his own personal influence, filled. to force a new religion, much less a false one, upon the world.

The opposers of revelation have not failed to contrast the rapid progress of Mohammedism with the propagation of Christianity; and have urged it as an argument, to show that there was nothing miraculous in the extension of the religion of Jesus. But, in making this assertion, they have either not known, or have designedly suppressed, the connections and means of assistance which favoured Mohammed, and which leave nothing wonderful in the success of his doctrine. That success, however, is satisfactorily accounted for by the religious, political, and civil state of the East at the time the pseudo-prophet of Arabia announced his pretensions, and by the nature of his doctrine, as well as by the means to which he had recourse for its propagation. Mohammed came into the world exactly at the time suited to his purposes, when its political and civil state was most favourable to a new conqueror.

In forming a new religion, Mohammed studied to adapt it to the notions of the four religions that prevailed in Arabia; making its ritual less burdensome, and its morality more indulgent. From the idolatry of the Sabians and Magi, he took the religious observance of Friday, and of the four months in the year, together with various superstitious fables concerning the resurrection of the dead and the last judgment. From the Jews, to whom he announced himself as the Messiah, the conqueror in whom their prophecies centered, he borrowed many tales, particularly concerning angels, numerous purifications and fasts, the prohibition of certain kinds of food, and of usury, and the permission of polygamy, and of capricious divorce. From the jarring and corrupted Christian sects (to whom he proclaimed himself as the Paraclete or Comforter, that was to accomplish the yet unfulfilled system of revelation) he derived a variety of doctrinal tenets, both false and true, concerning the divine decrees, the authority of Jesus, and of the evangelists, the resurrection of the body, and the universal judgment of mankind, together with many moral precepts. By this artful compilation he united all the four religions of his country, and thus procured a more easy admittance for his new doctrine.

In Arabia Felix, religion was at that time in a most deplorable state. Its inhabitants were divided into four religious parties, some of whom were attached to the idolatrous worship of the Sabians, who adored the stars as divinities; while others followed the idolatry of the Magi, who worshipped fire. The Jewish religion had a great many followers, who treated the others with much cruelty; and the Christians who were at that time resident there, formed principally an assemblage of different sects, who had taken re- Further, Mohammed established his religion in such a fuge among this free people because they were not tolerated manner, that it did not excite against itself the passions of in the Roman empire. Among the Christian sects in the men, but on the contrary flattered them in various ways. It eastern part of the empire, bitter dissensions and cruel ani- was easier to perform certain corporeal ceremonies and mosities prevailed, which filled great part of the east with purifications, to recite certain prayers, to give alms, to fast, carnage, assassinations, and such detestable enormities, as and to undertake pilgrimages to Mecca, than to restrain lusts, rendered the very name of Christianity odious to many. The to suppress all sinful appetites, and to confine those which pure doctrines and holy precepts of the Gospel had been de- are innocent within proper bounds. Such a system of docgraded into superstitious idolatry; and the decay of morality, trine, so accommodating to every bad passion,-accomin every class, had kept equal pace with that of piety. Un-panied by the permission of polygamy and capricious divorce, der such a distracted state of religion, it would have been and by the promise of a full enjoyment of gross sensual highly wonderful if in a short time, Mohammed had not pro- pleasures in a future life, could not fail of procuring him a cured a numerous train of followers. The Christian religion, considerable accession of followers, and in no long time on the contrary, received its origin in a country where the brought the brave and warlike tribes of Arabia under his only true God was worshipped, and the Mosaic ceremonial standard. Far different was the holy and pure doctrine of law (which it abrogated) was universally revered. Christ. He and his apostles strictly forbade all sin, required of all, without exception, the mortification of their most beloved lusts, cancelled the ceremonies of the Jews, and all the foolish superstitions of the heathens. Christ made no allowance, granted no indulgence; and yet his religion has continued to prevail against the strongest corruptions and most inveterate prejudices. Mohammed changed his of doctrine, and altered his laws and ceremonies, to suit the system dispositions of the people. He sometimes established one law, and then suppressed it; pretending a divine revelation

If the corruptions and distresses of Christianity were thus signally favourable to the aspiring views of Mohammed, the political state of the world at that time contributed not less Jortin's Discourses on the Christian Religion, disc. i. pp. 91-94. In the preceding part of that discourse, the learned author has discussed, at ength, the causes of the rejection of Christianity by the Gentiles, which we have necessarily treated with brevity. That "No valid Argument can be drawn from the Incredulity of the Heathen Philosophers against the Truth of the Christian Religion," has been proved by Mr. J. A. Jeremie, in his Norrisian Prize Essay, Cambridge, 1826. 8vo.

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for both, though they were inconsistent. But Christ was always the same, and his laws were and are invariable. Conscious that his pretended revelation would not bear the test of examination, it is death by one of the laws of Mohammed to contradict the Koran, or to dispute about his religion. The Gospel, on the contrary, was submitted to free inquiry: the more strictly it is examined, the brighter do its evidences appear; and the rude assaults, which at various times have been made against it, have served only to demonstrate its divine origin beyond the possibility of refutation.

quicker and more efficacious mode of conversion. It was alleged by the deceiver, that, since a disobedient world had disdained or rejected the ineffectual summons, which divine mercy had sent in former times by the prophets, who came with appeals to the senses and reason of mankind; it had now pleased the Almighty to send forth his last great prophet, by the strength of his arm and the power of his sword, to compel men to embrace the truth. A voluptuous paradise and the highest heavens were the rewards of those who fought his battles, or expended their fortunes in his cause; "The pretensions of Mohammed were not accompanied and the courage of his adherents was fortified and sharpened by any of those external evidences, which may always be by the doctrine of fatalism which he inculcated. From all expected to confirm and to distinguish a divine revelation. these combined circumstances, the success of the arms and To miraculous power, that most infallible test of divine in- religion of Mohammed kept equal pace; nor can it excite terposition, he openly disclaimed every pretence, and even surprise, when we know the conditions which he proposed boldly denied its necessity to confirm the mission of a pro-to the vanquished. Death or conversion was the only choice phet. He deemed it sufficient to appeal to a secret and offered to idolaters; while to the Jews and Christians was unattested intercourse with an angel, and above all, to the left the somewhat milder alternative of subjection and tribute, inimitable sublimity and excellence of the Koran. To the if they persisted in their own religion, or of an equal particiformer of these pretences no serious attention is due; for, pation in the rights and liberties, the honours and privileges instead of affording any evidence in support of the claims of of the faithful, if they embraced the religion of their conMohammed, it notoriously wants proofs to establish its own querors. authenticity." With regard to the boasted sublimity and excellence of the Koran, which the pseudo-prophet alleged, bore strong and visible characters of an almighty hand, and was designed by God to compensate the want of any miraculous power, it has been satisfactorily shown not only to be far below the Scriptures, both in the propriety of its images and the force of its descriptions; but its finest passages are acknowledged imitations of them, and like all imitations, infinitely inferior to the great original.2 The Moslems in proof of their religion appeal to the plenary and manifest inspiration of the Koran. They rest the divinity of their book upon its inimitable excellence; but instead of holding it to be divine because it is excellent, they believe its excellence because they admit its divinity. There is nothing in the Koran which affects the feelings, nothing which elevates the imagination, nothing which enlightens the understanding, nothing which improves the heart. It contains no beautiful narrative, no proverbs of wisdom or axioms of morality; it is a chaos of detached sentences, a mass of The continued prevalence of this baleful system of religion dull tautology. The spirit which it breathes is in unison may be satisfactorily accounted for by the profound ignorance with the immoral and absurd tenets which it inculcates, of the nature of the human heart, in which Mohammedism savage and cruel; forbidding those who embrace the Mos- leaves its votaries, the want of right moral feeling, which lem faith to hold any friendly intercourse with infidels or those accompanies inveterate and universal ignorance,—the vices who reject it, and commanding them to make war upon the in which it allows its professors to live, and the climates in latter. Such is the Koran as now extant; but it is well which they live, the chilling despotism of all Mohammedan known that it has received alterations, additions, and amend-governments, and the cunning fraud and extortion which ments, by removing some of its absurdities, since it was universally prevail in them.? first compiled by Mohammed. The Christian revelation, on the contrary, remains to this day as it was written by its inspired authors; and the more minutely it is investigated, the more powerfully does it appeal to the hearts and minds of all who examine it with honesty and impartiality.

Of the prophetic spirit of Mohammed, we have this solitary instance. When he went to visit one of his wives, he says, that God revealed to him what she desired to say to him he approved of one part and rejected the other. When he told his wife what was in her will to speak to him, she demanded of him who had revealed it to him? "He that knoweth all things," said Mohammed, "hath revealed it to me, that ye may be converted; your hearts are inclined to do what is forbidden. If ye act any thing against the prophet, know that God is his protector." There is not a single cir

cumstance to render this relation credible.

How different the conduct of Christ! "He employed no other means of converting men to his religion, but persuasion, argument, exhortation, miracles, and prophecies. He made use of no other force, but the force of truth-no other sword, but the sword of the spirit, that is, the word of God. He had no arms, no legions to fight his cause. He was the Prince of peace, and preached peace to all the world. Without power, without support, without any followers, but twelve poor humble men, without one circumstance of attraction, influence, or compulsion, he triumphed over the prejudices, the learning, the religion of his country; over the ancient rites, idolatry, and superstition, over the philosophy, wisdom, and authority of the whole Roman empire. Wherever Mohammedisin has penetrated, it has carried despotism, barbarism, and ignorance; wherever Christianity has spread, it has produced the most beneficial effects on nations and individuals, in the diffusion of knowledge, in morals, religion, governments, in social and personal happiness."

"Let not then the Christian be offended, or the infidel triumph, at the successful establishment and long continuance of so acknowledged an imposture, as affording any reasonable ground of objection against our holy faith. Let these events rather be considered as evidences of its truth,-as accomplishments of the general prediction of our Lord, that false prophets and false Christs should arise, and should deceive many; and especially of that particular and express prophecy in the revelations of his beloved disciple (Rev. ix. 1, &c.), which has been determined by the ablest commentators to relate to the impostor Mohammed, and to his false and impious religion, which, arising like a smoke out of the bottomless pit, suddenly overshadowed the eastern world, and involved its wretched inhabitants in darkness and in error."s

(4.) Lastly, it is objected that Christianity is known only to a small portion of mankind, and that if the Christian revelation came from God, no part of the human race would remain

Such were the circumstances that contributed to promote the success of Mohammedism; circumstances that in no degree appertained to the origin of Christianity. During "Mohammed established his religion," says the profound Pascal, " "by the first seven years, indeed, when the Arabian impostor killing others;-Jesus Christ, by making his followers lay down their own lives; Mohammed, by forbidding his law to be read,-Jesus Christ, by comused only persuasion, and confined his exertions to Mecca, manding us to read. In a word, the two were so opposite, that if Moit appears that he could reckon no more converts than eighty-hammed took the way in all human probability to succeed, Jesus Christ three men and eighteen women. Contrast with this the took the way, humanly speaking, to be disappointed. And hence, instead of concluding that because Mohammed succeeded, Jesus might in like rapid spread of Christianity during the same period. But manner have succeeded, we ought to infer, that since Mohammed has sucno sooner was he enabled to assemble a party sufficient to ceeded, Christianity must have inevitably perished, if it had not been sup support his ambitious designs, than he threw off the mask, ported by a power altogether divine." Thoughts, p. 197. London, 1806. And yet, notwithstanding the facts above stated (such are the shifts to which was no longer necessary; and disclaiming the softer which infidelity is driven), it has lately been asserted by an antagonist of arts of persuasion and reasoning, immediately adopted a revelation, that "of the two books" (the Bible and the Koran), "the latter" (the Koran) "has the most truths, and a more impressive moral code !!!" The topics above hinted are fully illustrated by Mr. Jowett, in his Christian Researches in the Mediterranean, pp. 247–276.

1 Hence no credit is due to the miraculous stories related of Mohammed by Abulfeda, who wrote the account six hundred years after his death, or which are found in the legend of Al Janabi, who lived two hundred years. Professor White's Bainpton Lectures, pp. 241–252.

3 See Koran, ch. ii. pp. 22. 25. ch. iii. p. 50. and ch. v. p. 89. Sale's translation, 4to. edit.

See pp. 130, 132. supra.

• White's Bampton Lectures, p. 99.; from which masterly work the pre ceding sketch of the progress of Mohammedism has been chiefly drawn. Less on the Authenticity of the New Testament, pp. 377-385. Bp. Porteus on the Christian Revelation, proposition viii. See also Bp. Sumner's Evidences of Christianity, chap. vii. on the Wisdom manifested in the Christian Scriptures, compared with the time-serving policy of Mohammed.

ignorant of it, no understanding would fail to be convinced | (Isa. xi. 9.) Through the divine blessing on the labours of by it.

Answer. The opposers of the Christian revelation cannot with propriety urge its non-universality as an objection; for their religion (if the deism or rather atheism, which they wish to propagate, may be designated by that name,) is so very far from being universal, that, for one who professes deism, we shall find in the world one thousand who profess Christianity. Besides, we clearly see that many benefits which God has bestowed on men are partial as to the enjoyment. Some are given to particular nations, but denied to the rest of the world: others are possessed by some individuals only of a favoured nation. A moderate knowledge of history will be sufficient to convince us, that in the moral government of the world, the bounties of Providence, as well as mental endowments, and the means of improve ment, are distributed with what appears to us an unequal hand. When the objections to this inequality of distribution are considered and refuted, the objection arising from the partial knowledge of Christianity is answered at the same time. The subject, however, may be viewed in another light. Some blessings flow immediately from God to every person who enjoys them: others are conveyed by the instrumentality of man; and depend on the philanthropy of man for their continuance and extension. The last is the case as to the knowledge of Christianity. When it was first revealed, it was committed into the hands of the disciples of Jesus; and its propagation in the world ever since has depended on their exertions in publishing it among the nations. That a melancholy negligence has been too often betrayed, must be acknowledged and deplored. But at the same time it will be found, that in numberless instances the most violent opposition has been made to the zealous endeavours of Christians; and that it is owing to the sanguinary persecutions by the rulers of the world, that the Gospel does not now enlighten the whole habitable globe. If a conqueror, followed by his powerful army, desolate a country, and burn the cities and villages, and destroy the cattle and the fields of corn, and the people perish for cold and hunger, is their misery to be ascribed to a want of goodness in God, or to the superabounding wickedness of man? The answer will equally apply to the subject before us.1

hundreds of faithful missionaries, who have been and are now employed in carrying the Gospel into all lands, WE SEE great advances actually made in spreading Christianity; and we doubt not but the Gospel will be planted, agreeably to the divine predictions, in all the vast continents of Africa, Asia, America, and in the islands of Austral Asia.

The sincerity and piety of fallible men, it is true, can never do justice to the means which God has graciously vouchsafed; and it will always be a real grief to good men, that, among many, there exists little more than the name of Christian. But the advocates of Christianity do not pretend that its evidence is so irresistible, that no understanding can fail of being convinced by it; nor do they deny it to have been within the compass of divine power, to have communicated to the world a higher degree of assurance, and to have given to his communication a stronger and more extensive influence. But the not having more evidence, is not a sufficient reason for rejecting that which we already have. If such evidence were irresistible, it would restrain the voluntary powers too much, to answer the purpose of trial and probation: it would call for no exercise of candour, seriousness, humility, inquiry; no submission of passions, interests, and prejudices, to moral evidence, and to probable truth; no habits of reflection; none of that previous desire to learn and to obey the will of God, which forms the test of the virtuous principle, and which induces men to attend with care and reverence to every credible intimation of that will, and to resign present advantages and present pleasures to every reasonable expectation of propitiating his favour. "Men's moral probation may be, whether they will take due care to inform themselves by impartial consideration; and, afterwards, whether they will act as the case requires upon the evidence which they have. And this, we find by experience, is often our probation, in our temporal capacity."

Further, if the evidence of the Gospel were irresisti ble, it would leave no place for the admission of internal evidence;3 which ought to bear a considerable part in the proof of every revelation, because it is a species of evidence which applies itself to the knowledge, love, and practice of virtue, and which operates in proportion to the degree of those qualities which it finds in the person whom it addresses. Men of good dispositions, among Christians, are greatly affect

on their minds; and their conviction is much strengthened by these impressions. It is likewise true that they who sincerely act, or sincerely endeavour to act, according to what they believe, that is, according to the just result of the proba bilities (or, if the reader please, the possibilities) in natural and revealed religion, which they themselves perceive, and according to a rational estimate of consequences, and above all, according to the just effect of those principles of gratitude and devotion, which even the view of nature generates in a well-ordered mind, seldom fail of proceeding further. This also may have been exactly what was designed. On the contrary, where any persons never set themselves heartily and in earnest to be informed in religion, or who secretly wish it may not prove true, and who are less attentive to evidence than to difficulties, and more attentive to objections than to what has long since been most satisfactorily said in answer to them; such persons can scarcely be thought in a likely way of seeing the evidence of religion, though it were most certainly true, and capable of being ever so fully proved. "If any accustom themselves to consider this subject usually in the way of mirth and sport: if they attend to forms and representations, and inadequate manners of expression, instead of the real things intended by them (for signs often can be no more than inadequately expressive of the things signified): or if they substitute human errors, in the room of divine truth; why may not all, or any of these things, hinder some men from seeing that evidence which really is seen by others; as a like turn of mind, with respect to matters of common speculation and practice, does, we find, by experience, hinder them from attaining that knowledge and right understanding, in matters of common speculation and practice, which more fair and attentive minds attain to? And the effect will be the same, whether their neglect of seriously considering the evidence of religion, and their indirect behaviour with regard to it, proceed from mere carelessness, or from the grosser

But the objection will appear less cogent, when it is con-ed by the impression which the Scriptures themselves make sidered that Christianity is not the religion of a day, nor of an age; but a scheme of mercy, that gradually attains its triumphs, and which, overcoming all opposition, will ultimately be propagated throughout the earth. The most enlightened and best civilized nations of Europe, Asia, and Africa, have been biest with the Gospel; and with regard to the others, to whom it has not yet been carried, this favour has been withheld from them, because it is ordained that the spreading of the Gospel should keep pace with the improvements of reason. The wisdom of this appointment is evident. Revelation is most properly bestowed after the weakness of human reason, in its best state, has been demonstrated by experience. Besides, it would not have answered the design intended to be produced by the Gospel, if it had been universally spread at the beginning. The conceptions which the converted heathens formed of the true religion were necessarily very imperfect; hence sprang the great corruptions of Christianity which so early prevailed. Had the Christian religion been universally propagated in the first ages, it would have been diffused in an imperfect form. Nor is this all. The partial propagation of the Gospel, with the other objections that have been brought against Christianity, having rendered its divine original a matter of dispute, the tendency of these disputes has been to separate the wheat from the chaff (which at the beginning necessarily mixed itself with the Gospel), and to make Christians draw their religion from the Scriptures alone. It is thus that Christianity, in the course of ages, will acquire its genuine form. Then, also, it will be surrounded with the greatest lustre of evidence; and although, for the reason just stated, the Gospel has hitherto been confined to comparatively a few countries, yet we are assured that in due time it will be offered to them all, and will be diffused over the whole earth, with all its attendant blessings. The predictions of the prophets, of Christ, and his apostles, relative to the extension of the Gospel, expressly announce that it is to be thus progressively diffused, and that it will finally triumph, when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

1 Bogue's Essay on the Divine Authority of the New Testament, p. 235.

2 Butler's Analogy, part ii. chap. vi. p. 227. The whole of that chapter, which treats on the objection now under consideration, will abundantly repay the trouble of a diligent perusal. This sort of evidence is fully stated in the following chapter. • Paley's Evidences, vol. ii. pp 340-352,

penetration could have foreseen, is a great confirmation and standing monument of the truth of the Gospel, and demonstrates the divine inspiration of those persons who wrote these books, and circumstantially predicted future events and future corruptions of religion, infinitely beyond the reach of all conception and discernment merely human.

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vices; or whether it be owing to this, that forms and figura- the purity and simplicity of the Gospel, which no human tive manners of expression, as well as errors, administer occasions of ridicule when the things intended, and the truth itself, would not. Men may indulge a ludicrous turn so far, as to lose all sense of conduct and prudence in worldly affairs, and even, as it seems, to impair their faculty of reason. And, in general, levity, carelessness, passion, and prejudice, do hinder us from being rightly informed, with respect to com- The other instance alluded to, is the present spread of infimon things; and they may, in like manner, and perhaps in delity, in various parts of the professedly Christian world, some farther providential manner, with respect to moral and the efforts of which to subvert the Christian faith (we know) religious subjects, hinder evidence from being laid before us, will ultimately be in vain, "for the gates of hell shall not and from being seen when it is. The Scripture' does declare, prevail" against the church of Christ. Among the various that every one shall not understand. And it makes no differ- signs of the last days, that is, during the continuance of the ence, by what providential conduct this comes to pass Messiah's kingdom, or the prevalence of Christianity in the whether the evidence of Christianity was, originally and with world, it is foretold that "there shall come scoffers and mockers, design, put and left so, as that those who are desirous of walking after their own lusts, who separate themselves by aposevading moral obligations should not see it; and that honest-tasy, sensual, not having the spirit, lovers of their ownselves, minded persons should; or, whether it come to pass by any covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, other means."2 Now, that Christianity has been established unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, in the world, and is still spreading in all directions, God does false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, not work miracles to make men religious; he only sets the traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers truth before them, as rational and accountable beings. It of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power was and is the merciful design of God, not to condemn the thereof." (2 Pet. iii. 3. Jude 18, 19. 2 Tim. iii. 2—5.) world, but to save it, even to save all, without exception, These predictions point out the true source of all infidelity, who will listen to the overtures of his Gospel. He that be- and of men's motives for scoffing at religion. lieves and obeys the Gospel shall not finally be condemned, The gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and holy; it requires but will obtain a complete pardon: while, on the other hand, holiness of heart and of life, and enjoins submission to civil he who wilfully rejects this last great offer of salvation to government as an ordinance of God. The safety of all states mankind, must expect the consequence. And the ground of depends upon religion; it ministers to social order, confers his condemnation is, that such a person chooses to remain igno- stability upon government and laws, and gives security to rant, rather than to submit himself to the teachings of this property. Religion, unfeignedly loved, perfecteth men's heavenly revelation. Light (Jesus Christ, the Sun of Right- abilities unto all kinds of virtuous services in the commoneousness, the fountain of light and life) is come into the world wealth;" while infidelity, immorality, and sedition usually go (diffusing his benign influences every where, and favouring hand in hand. In the present state of the world, infidelity is men with a clear and full revelation of the divine will): and closely allied with the revolutionary question; and, generally yet men have loved darkness rather than light, have preferred speaking, those who are eager to revolutionize all existing sin to holiness-and why?-Because their deeds were evil. governments, under the ostensible pretence of promoting the The bad man avoids the truth which condemns him; while liberty and prosperity of mankind, are alike infidels in prethe good man secks it, as the ground-work and proof of his cept and in practice. The one is a necessary consequence actions.3 of the other, for scepticism subverts the whole foundation of It were no difficult task to adduce other examples of the morals; it not only tends to corrupt the moral taste, but also fulfilment of prophecy, if the limits necessarily assigned to promotes the growth of vanity, ferocity, and licentiousness." this section would permit: we shall therefore add but two Hence, presumptuous and impatient of subordination, these more instances in illustration of the evidence from prophecy." scoffers" and "mockers" wish to follow the impulse of The first is, the long apostasy and general corruption of their own lusts and depraved passions, and consequently hate the professors of Christianity, so plainly foretold, and under the salutary moral restraints imposed by the Gospel. such express and particular characters, in the apostolic writ-religion of Christ is a code of laws as well as a system of ngs; which, all the world may see, has been abundantly ful- doctrines; a rule of practice as well as of faith. It has cerfilled in the church of Rome. Who that had lived in those tain conditions inseparably connected with the belief of it, to days, when Christianity was struggling under all the incum- which there is but too often a great unwillingness to submit. bent weight of Jewish bigotry and pagan intolerance and Belief, to be reasonable and consistent, must include obedipersecution, could from the state of things have possibly con-ence; and hence arises the main objection to it. Cherishing jectured, that a rising sect, every where spoken against, would unchristian dispositions and passions in their bosoms, and ever have given birth to a tyrant, who would oppose and exalt very frequently also devoted to unchristian practices which himself above all laws, human and divine, sitting as God in they will not consent to abandon,-men pretend to decide the temple of God, and claiming and swaying a sceptre of upon the evidences of a religion from which they have little universal spiritual empire? Who, that beheld the low estate to hope and much to fear, if it be true." Therefore, they of the Christian church in the first age of its existence, could labour to prove that the Gospel is not true, in order that they ever have divined that a remarkable character would one day may rid themselves of its injunctions; and, to save themarise out of it, who should establish a vast monarchy, whose selves the trouble of a fair and candid examination, they copy coming should be with all power, and signs, and lying won- and reassert, without acknowledgment, the oft-refuted objecders (pretended miracles), and with all deceivableness of un- tions of former opposers of revelation. And, as ridiculing righteousness, commanding the worship of demons, angels, religion is the most likely way to depreciate truth in the sight or departed saints; forbidding to marry, and commanding to of the unreflecting multitude, scoffers, having no solid arguabstain from meats? In short, we see the characters of the ment to produce against revelation, endeavour to burlesque beast, and the false prophet, and the harlot of Babylon, now ex- some parts of it, and falsely charge others with being contraemplified in every particular, and in a city that is seated upon dictory; they then affect to laugh at it, and get superficia! seven mountains: so that, if the pontiff of Rome had sat for thinkers to laugh with them. At length they succeed in perhis picture, a more accurate likeness could not have been suading themselves that it is a forgery, and then throw the drawn. The existence of these monstrous corruptions of reins loose on the neck of their evil propensities. The hisDan. xii. 10. See also Isa. xxix. 13, 14. Matt. vi. 23. and xi. 25. and xiii.gion, morbid insensibility to morals, desecrated Sabbaths, tory of revolutionary France, the avowed contempt of reli

11, 12. John iii. 19. v. 44. 1 Cor. ii. 14. and 2 Cor. iv. 4. 2 Tim. iii. 13. an

that affectionate as well as authoritative admonition, so very many times in culcated, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Grotius saw so strongly the thing intended in these, and other passages of Scripture of the like sense, as to say, that the proof given to us of Christianity was less than it might have been for this very purpose: Ut ita sermo evangelii tanquam lapis esset Lydius ad quem ingenia sanabilia explorarentur. De Ver. Rel. Christ. lib. ii. towards the end.

Butler's Analogy, part ji. ch. vi. pp. 272, 273,

The

and abandonment to amusements the most frivolous and dissipating, which still prevail in that country, as well as on other Kett on Prophecy, vol. ii. pp. 1-61. A compendious view of these predic⚫ tions may also be seen in Macknight's Truth of the Gospel History, pp. 576-600.

The topics above alluded to are illustrated with unequalled argument and eloquence by the Rev. Robert Hall, in his discourse on Modern Infideli The topics above considered are ably discussed and illustrated in vari- ty, considered with respect to its influence on society, The experience of ous other points of view, in Mr. Lonsdale's three discourses, entitled "Some more than thirty years, which have elapsed since that discourse was de popular Objections against Christianity considered, and the general Cha-livered, has confirmed the truth of every one of the preacher's observa racter of Unbelief represented." 8vo. London, 1820. tions.

On the New Testament prophecies respecting the papal antichrist (as well as those of Daniel) see Bp. Newton's Dissertations, vol. ii. Bp. Hurd's Introduction to Prophecy, sermons 7. and 8. (Works, vol. v. pp. 171—232.)

Soon after the return of Louis XVIII. to the throne of his ancestors, the French compelled him to repeal his decree for enforcing a more decent observance of the Sabbath.

parts of the Continent,-the rapid strides with which infi- | veil was gradually drawn aside, and they were more clearly delity is advancing in various parts of the world, and the ef- seen, and better understood. Another class of predictions forts which at this time are making to disseminate the same looked forward to the latter ages of the church. These apdeadly principles among every class of society in our own peared obscure both to the first Christians and to those who country, are all so many confirmations of the truth of the New lived in the middle ages: but, when that generation appeared, Testament prophecies. But the spirit which predicted these for whose use it was the Divine Will that they should be left events is the very same which was poured out upon the on record, light began to shine upon them; and the minds apostles, and enlightened their minds with the knowledge of men were awakened to look out for their accomplishof the Gospel; therefore the apostles, who wrote the New ment in some great events, which would display the glory Testament, had the Spirit of God, and were enlightened of God, and advance the happiness of his servants. In by it. this way the obscurity of many prophecies will be accounted The preceding instances of prophecy and its accomplish- for. ment are only a few, in comparison of those which might 3. Another reason for throwing a veil over the face of prohave been adduced: but they are abundantly sufficient to phecy, whether by its peculiar symbols or by a dark represatisfy every candid and sincere investigator of the evidences sentation, will appear, on considering the NATURE OF THE of divine revelation, that the writings which contain them SUBJECT. Some of the events predicted are of such a nature, could only be composed under divine inspiration; because that the fate of nations depends upon them; and they are to they relate to events so various, so distant, and so contingent, be brought into existence by the instrumentality of men. If that no human foresight could by any possibility predict the prophecies had been delivered in plainer terms, some perthem. The argument from prophecy is, indeed, not to be sons would have endeavoured to hasten their accomplishformed from the consideration of single prophecies, but from ment, as others would have attempted to defeat it: nor would all the prophecies taken together, and considered as making the actions of men appear so free, or the providence of God one system; in which, from the mutual connection and de- so conspicuous in their completion. "The obscurity of propendence of its parts, preceding prophecies prepare and illus- phecy was further necessary to prevent the Old Testament trate those which follow, and these again reflect light on the economy from sinking too much in the estimation of those foregoing just as in any philosophical system, that which who lived under it. It served, merely to erect the expectashows the solidity of it is the harmony and consistency of tion of better things to come, without indisposing men from the whole, not the application of it in particular instances. the state of discipline and improvement, which was designed Hence, though the evidence be but small, from the comple- to prepare for futurity. The whole Jewish dispensation was tion of any one prophecy taken separately, yet that evidence a kind of prophecy, which had both an immediate and ultibeing always something, the amount of the whole evidence mate end. It immediately separated the Jews from the other resulting from a great number of prophecies, all relative to nations, and preserved the holy oracles, committed to their the same design, is very considerable; like many scattered custody, from being corrupted by idolatrous intercourse; and rays, which, though each be weak in itself, yet, concentred it ultimately maintained the hope of the Messias and his into one point, shall form a strong light, and strike the senses reign. The illustration of this view of the ancient Jewish very powerfully. This evidence is not simply a growing law and constitution is the subject of the epistles to the Galaevidence, but is, indeed, multiplied upon us from the number tians and Hebrews; that "the law was a schoolmaster to of reflected lights, which the several component parts of such lead men to Christ"-" that it was the shadow of good things a system reciprocally throw upon each; till at length the to come, but the body was Christ." conviction rises into a high degree of moral certainty.1 V. OBJECTIONS have been made to the darkness and un-commodated with great wisdom to the state of the church in certainty of prophecy; but they arise from not duly considering its manner and design. The language has been assigned as one cause of its obscurity, and the indistinctness of its re- | presentation as another, but with how little reason or propriety the following considerations will evince.

ANSWER.-1. As prophecy is a peculiar species of writing, it is natural to expect a peculiarity in the LANGUAGE of which it makes use. Sometimes it employs plain terms, but most commonly figurative signs. It has symbols of its own, which are common to all the prophets; but it is not on this account to be considered as a riddle. The symbols are derived from the works of creation and providence, from the history of the Jews, and of the nations with whom they were most closely connected, or by whom they were most violently opposed. These symbols have their rules of interpretation, as uniform and as certain as any other kind of language:2 and whoever applies his mind with patience and attention to the subject will be able to understand the general scheme of prophecy, and the colour of the events foretold, whether prosperous or calamitous; though he may be utterly unable to discover to what person, or precise time and place, they are to be applied.

2. With regard to the alleged objection, of want of clearness in prophecy, arising from an INDISTINCT REPRESENTATION OF THE EVENT, it should be remembered that, if some prophecies be obscure, others are clear: the latter furnish a proof of the inspiration of the Scriptures; the former contain nothing against it. In many instances, the obscurity is accounted for, from the extensive grasp of prophecy. Some predictions were to have their accomplishment in the early ages of the church, and were peculiarly designed for the benefit of those to whom they were immediately delivered: on which account they were more plain. This remark applies more particularly to the prophecies contained in the New Testament. There are other predictions, designed for the benefit of those who lived in after-ages, particularly the middle ages. To the first Christians these were obscure; but when the time advanced towards their accomplishment, the

1 Bp. Hurd's Introduction to the Study of Prophecy. (Works, vol. v. p. 39.) On the Interpretation of the Prophetic Language of the Scriptures, see vol. ii. part ii. book ii. chapter v.

"The dispensation of prophecy appears to have been ac

every age, to comfort the people of God and to confirm their faith, according as they and the state of religion required it. On Adam's fall, on Abraham's separation from an idolatrous world, on the dispensation of the new economy by Moses, on the Babylonish captivity, and on the commencement of Christianity, prophecies were communicated with a growing light; and they will become more and more luminous with the progress of events to the end of the world."3

But though some parts of the prophetic Scripture are obscure enough to exercise the church, yet others are sufficiently clear to illuminate it; and the more the obscure parts are fulfilled, the better they are understood. In the present form of prophecy men are left entirely to themselves and they fulfil the prophecies without intending, or thinking, or knowing that they do so. The accomplishment strips off the veil; and the evidence of prophecy appears in all its splendour. Time, that detracts something from the evidence of other writers, is still adding something to the credit and authority of the prophets. Future ages will comprehend more than the present, as the present understands more than the past; and the perfect accomplishment will produce a perfect knowledge of all the prophecies. Men are sometimes apt to think that, if they could but see a miracle wrought in favour of religion, they would readily resign all their scruples, believe without doubt, and obey without reserve. The very thing which is thus desired we have. We have the greatest and most striking of miracles in the series of Scripture prophecies already accomplished:-accomplished, as we have seen, in the present state of the Arabians, Jews, Egyptians, Ethiopi ans, Tyre, Nineveh, Babylon, the four great monarchies, the seven churches of Asia, Jerusalem, the corruptions of the church of Rome, &c. &c. "And this is not a transient miracle, ceasing almost as soon as performed; but is permanent, and protracted through the course of many generations. It is not a miracle delivered only upon the report of others, but is subject to our own inspection and examination. It is not a miracle delivered only upon the report of others, but is open to the observation and contemplation of all mankind; and after so many ages is still growing, still improving to futureages. What stronger miracle, therefore, can we require for Dr. Ranken's Institutes, p. 350.