the Old Testament was translated into Greek: but even taking it for granted that they derived their accounts from the version of the Septuagint, their evidence is of no small importance, as it shows the honour which was paid by the most learned persons of the East to the sacred records of the Jews; and that they looked upon them as the purest and the most authentic sources of history.

The transactions and literature of the Jews were too remarkable to escape the attention of the learned and inquisitive Pagans, when Judea became a province of the Roman empire. Many particulars relative to the eminent character of Joseph, as a minister to Pharaoh, and as an inspired prophet; to the emigration of the Jews from Egypt, their miraculous passage through the Red Sea, their settlement in the Holy Land, the institutions and ceremonies of the Law, the splendour of Jerusalem in its most flourishing times, the magnificence of the Temple, and the supreme, eternal, and immutable nature of the great object of their worship, are related by Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Pliny the Elder, Tacitus, and Justin. These eminent writers, however erroneous in some particulars, are sufficiently correct in others; and however they may differ in some circumstances from each other, they agree in the great outlines of history. They show that the Jewish records were in their times thought worthy of high credit ;-and that facts, well known in the world to be true and important, were faithfully related in those records.

The greatest care was taken of the books of the Old Testament in every period of the ancient church of the Jews. The original copies were deposited in the temple at Jerusalem, to serve for a sacred memorial to posterity. They were read in all the synagogues as long as the Jewish government remained; and the Jews themselves were so scrupulously observant of the strict purity and integrity of the sacred Text, as to number every letter, and remark how often it occurred. They were actually transcribed in every age, and translations were made into different languages; so that, as copies were multiplied, securities for the purity of the text increased; and forgery and corruption, in any passage of importance, became in the course of time impracticable. The whole religion, and all the civil and sacred establishments of the Jewish people, were founded upon the books of Moses in particular, which were addressed to his contemporaries, that is to those, who had seen his miracles, and heard his laws from his own mouth, and guarded with the most zealous care the volumes which recorded them. The institutions of Moses

were incorporated into the commonwealth of the Jews; the existence and support of their government depended upon them; and their religion and laws were so interwoven, that they could not be separated. Stillingfleet, book ii, chap. i. Their right to the land of Canaan depended upon their confession of the Sovereignty of God, who gave it to them; and on the truth of the Mosaical history relative to the divine promises made to the Patriarchs. The dissensions which prevailed among the Jews and Samaritans, were such checks upon both parties, as to preserve the text of the Law in a state of purity; and the disputes which prevailed between the Pharisees and Sadducees, served equally to prevent any interpolations in the other books.

Mahomet, the founder of a new religion in Arabia, the acute and determined enemy both of Jews and Christians, who was raised up by Providence to be the scourge of the degenerate Christians of the sixth century, professed his veneration of the Patriarchs and of Moses, and revered the sanctity of the Jewish institutions. (Sale's Al Coran, p. 6, 16, 497, &c.) Sensible of the high esteem in which they were held among all the nations of the East, he has not only intermixed the most important facts related in them, with the absurd contents of his Law, but has endeavoured, from their expressions, to draw arguments in favour of his own mission.* But what is the sanction of the author of the Koran to that given by the writers of the New Testament? The Evangelists and Apostles constantly refer to these sacred books, and more particularly to the Prophecies. They apply, illustrate, explain, and quote abundant texts, not merely as human productions, then popular among their countrymen; but because they contained the commands of God, and were the immediate declarations of the divine will. And, to bring forward an evidence of the highest authority in their favour, the Saviour of the world himself, even He who came expressly from heaven to bear witness of the truth, exhorted the Jews to search the Scriptures for that they testified of him. Frequently has he reproved the Jews for their erroneous doctrines and tradition; he never laid to their charge any corruption of their sacred books. At once to prove their

"They say, become Jews, or Christians, that ye may be directed. Say nay, we follow the religion of Abraham the orthodox, who was no idolater. Say, we believe in God, and that which hath been sent down unto us, and that which hath been sent down unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes; and that which was delivered unto Moses, and Jesus, and that which was delivered unto the Prophets from their Lord, &c." Al Koran, chap. 2. entitled the Cow.

authenticity and divine inspiration, beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he expounded unto his disciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. In his final instructions to them before his ascension, he reminded them, (I again quote his own most sacred and most decisive expressions,) These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you; that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. (Luke xxiv, 44.) Our Lord, by thus adopting the common division of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, which comprehended all the Hebrew Scriptures, ratified the Canon of the Old Testament; and by declaring so expressly that those books contained prophecies which must be fulfilled, he established their divine inspiration; since it is an attribute of the Almighty alone to enable men to foretel future events with certainty.*

Abundant witnesses in all succeeding ages can be brought to confirm the authenticity of these holy Scriptures. The Jews, dispersed since the destruction of Jerusalem over all parts of the world, have ever been prepared to suffer any hardship, rather than renounce the commands of their great Lawgiver, and reject the records of their inspired Prophets. They have, in common with the numerous Christian converts, laboured in this pious work of preserving the sacred volume unimpaired by the accidents of time, and uncorrupted by artful interpolation. One generation has transmitted a regular testimony to another, and the chain of evidence has remained unbroken for a series of ages. But where are the pure and unmixed descendants of the Greeks or Romans, to attest the genuineness of their most esteemed books? Where are the subjects of Solon, Lycurgus, or Numa, who at this present time conform to the institutions, and are governed by the edicts of these ancient legislators? As no such evidences are known to exist, vain is it to require them.

To the testimony we derive from the living descendants of the Israelites, we have nothing similar in the world for the support of ancient writings, because they not only from age to age have asserted, and still continue to assert, their authenticity, under such peculiar circumstances of oppression and foreign dominion; but adhere to the laws contained in the books in question. Their practice is a demonstrative proof of their belief; and this double evidence, consisting in their conviction of the genuineness of the books, and in the

* Bishop of Lincoln's Elements of Christian Theology, vol. i, c. i.

direction of their conduct by the rules those books contain, ascends higher and higher into antiquity, till passing through successive ages, we reach the precise times in which Moses and the Prophets flourished.

Convinced by the clearest arguments of the authenticity of the Old Testament, the great Newton esteemed it the proper introduction to the knowledge of profane antiquity. He found that the periods of Judaical generations and descents, which answered to the fabulous ages of Grecian history, were exactly of the same length with those which have been measured in later times, since history has been considered as authentic. He ascertained likewise, that the Hebrew accounts coincided with the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, and the general course of nature; and were not like the Grecian and Roman chronology, which is in many cases founded upon improbable and arbitrary suppositions. Furnished with such an important clue to his discoveries, this great astronomer applied the principles of his favourite science to the elucidation of history. By considering the relation which subsisted between the precision of the equinoxes and the lapse of time, he rectified the whole system of profane chronology.* Thus he diffused light over a region of darkness, and rendered the records of the Greeks and Romans clear, consistent, and probable, by the application of these principles: but so far was he from disturbing the order of events, or contradicting the computations of time stated in the sacred Books, that their truth and accuracy were invariably confirmed by his researches. Priestly's Lectures on History, p. 89, &c.

Such are some of the proofs which confirm the authenticity of the Old Testament; and from a review of them we are justified in the conclusion, that in point of strength and authority these proofs are superior to those that can be adduced to support any other ancient writings.

III. THE SUBJECTS OF THE BOOKS, AND CHARACTERS OF THE WRITERS.

The subjects of the Books of the Old Testament are truly wonderful and striking, and of such a nature as to surpass all

The equinoctial points are found by astronomers to change their places, and go backward or westward, contrary to the order of the signs of the Zodiac. This is called their precession. Dr. Bradley supposes it to be a degree in about seventy years: the calculation of Sir Isaac Newton does not amount to so much.

monuments of profane learning, equally in importance as in antiquity. And of all the parts which compose the sacred canon, none are more curious than Genesis, the first book written by Moses.; because it contains a sketch of the earliest history of mankind. There stand recorded the creation of the world and its inhabitants, the fall of our first parents from their state of innocence and happiness, and their banishment from the garden of Eden; the repeated and signal promises of a future restorer of the lost blessings of mankind; the history of the Patriarchs, honoured by the Revelations of Jchovah; the description of the general deluge; the dispersion of the progenitors of the human race over all the earth; the adoption of a particular family to perpetuate the remembrance, and establish the worship of the true God, and their prosperous settlement in Egypt. Instances indeed are mentioned of early depravity, and the violence of the passions, attended with suitable punishments; yet society appears under its simplest form in point of manners, and we discern no traces of the luxury and false refinement of subsequent times.

In the sacred books of the Jews is recorded an account of the descendants of Israel; a race of men selected from all others, and favoured with successive relations of the divine will. Here are shown the instances of their infidelity, perverseness, and disobedience; their glory, and triumphs; their disgraces, and their subjection to foreign powers. Here is seen the superintendance of a divine and especial Providence watching over innocence, suspending wrath, and taking the most signal vengeance upon unrepented offences. Here are developed the failings of the most virtuous persons, and the obdurate wickedness of confirmed sinners. Here are displayed the mixed characters even of the most excellent men, the eminent examples of faith and piety, of courage and patience, in the conduct of Abraham, Lot, Job, Joseph, Moses, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, and Daniel. And most interesting is it to observe, that the knowledge of the one true God was communicated to this people, and preserved by them alone; that they had the most sublime ideas of his nature and attributes; that a magnificent temple was erected to his honour; a regular service was instituted; holy ceremonies were performed; an order of priests of one particular family was consecrated; a pure worship was established by his express command, and regulated by his particular laws. Thus were the Jews enlightened by a knowledge of the true object of divine worship; and thus were the purity and holiness of their religious ordinances conducted at a time, when all other na