I referred to the 11th chapter of the Hebrews, where St. Paul takes a review of the principal pious men who lived in the earliest ages. As far as external evidence goes, the writings of Moses were proved beyond a doubt, and the accuracy and perfect preservation of them are proved by the fact, that the Samaritan copy, made in the time when Israel was separated from Judah, agrees with the copies preserved by the Jews; while the translation of the Scriptures made into the Greek language, called the Septuagint, in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt, two hundred and fifty years before the Christian era, affords another source of ascertaining the accuracy of the writings of the Old Testament, since all these copies, when compared, agree perfectly in every respect, making only an exception for verbal discrepancies, on points of inferior moment, and that too without often affecting the sense.

I informed them that, at our next meeting, the subject of our conversation would be miracles, a subject to which I requested their earnest attention; for, unless they gave me this, all I could read or say would be useless. After some observations, I found my hearers were more disposed to talk than be attentive. I read a passage from Dr.

Priestley some discussion arose at first about its meaning, which branched out into other topics. Some of them got very warm, and one of them, forgetting all his former information, and acknowledgments of it, exclaimed that the whole was a mystery, and that the more he read and heard of the subject, the more mysterious and incomprehensible it became. Observing this frame of mind, I did not wish to press the subject further that night, and contented myself with stating, that the incomprehensibility did not arise from the subject, but from want of attention and study in themselves; that they judged from their own ignorance, and the time I hoped would come, when they would be astonished at their obstinacy and blindness. We then joined the ladies, and the conversation turned on other topics.

Although I did not finish the subject with my hearers, I may be permitted to offer a few observations for my reader's satisfaction *.

Next Sunday, M., M., M., S., and myself met at S.'s house. I proposed the consideration of the Prophecies, and I added, "I hoped it would interest them more than the Miracles, a subject which I was not disposed to continue at present, because of their * See Appendix. Note on page 98.

former inattention." I remarked, "that surely they could not deny, that if events were predicted hundreds and thousands of years before they had really taken place, those who had predicted them must have been inspired. And whatever difficulty might have occurred, if one prophecy only had been made, as to the conclusion respecting this inspiration,-there could be none where there were many prophecies, and where these had been literally fulfilled. Great sagacity, or great genius, or even some fortunate conjectures, might seem, as it were, to predict changes and events which were afterwards realized; as in the case of Lord Chesterfield, who, forty years before the French revolution, expressed in a private letter his opinion, that he saw, in the then state of France, all the signs of a general revolution. These happy conjectures have taken place, and may hereafter take place; but," I added, "they were totally different from prophecies, at least from the prophecies of the Scriptures, where things most unlikely to happen were predicted, and that, with a minuteness of circumstance as to time, and place, and name, that the greatest sagacity or the most profound genius in the most fortunate conjectures could never pre

may

tend to equal. If the power of prophecy in this manner was within the compass of the abilities of man, and if any one had ever possessed it, I should like to know where his name is recorded. The prediction of certain events, to take place in futurity, belongs certainly to Omniscience. Neither angels nor devils can possess it, unless so far as it be revealed, since everything that concerns created beings is to them contingent as to futurity, and no contingency can afford certain knowledge. To the Creator, however, this peculiarly belongs, because every thing in existence now, or that will exist in time to come, depends on His will, and that will is omnipotent, independent, and uncontrollable by any agent, act, or volition of every created being or thing. This certainty, therefore, of what will occur, belongs to Him alone and to no other. That it can belong to man is clearly impossible, from the imperfection of his nature. He may conjecture that such an event may or may not happen, but he has no certain knowledge of this till the event take place, since it depends on circumstances over which he has no control."

After some other observations, pointing out the important and irresistible evidence arising from

prophecy, I said I would entreat their patience while I read to them. I began with the first prophecy in the Scripture, and read it with Scott's comment. At the fall, the Lord himself predicted the following events. The Lord said unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust thou shalt eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel." Unto the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." And unto Adam he said, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of the woman, and hast eaten of the fruit of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat; cursed be the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground."

This includes a prophecy and a promise which