350, 351 SEC. 11. Prophecies relating to the first advent of The two-fold course of prophecy, the chief rela- ting to the Messiah, the other to the Jews Its scattered and enigmatical structure The promise to Eve and Abraham SEC. III. General Prophecy. pp. 374-405. Secondary prophecies relating to the Jewish Reason for not entering on arguments from the And its suitableness to the wants of man + All objections against Christianity fatal to every + Difficulties in theory may arise from the nature N. B. The chapters, sections, and paragraphs distinguish- wwwwwwww... UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA INTRODUCTION. Various religious systems in the world.—The claim of Christianity exclusive.-Distinction between Evidences and Divinity-Existence of Christianity the ground work of our argument.-Design of the present treatise. IT has been almost universally agreed that there is in man an innate disposition to believe in the existence of an order of beings, superior to himself, in one or more of whom he recognises the attributes of a Deity. History and experience go far to establish this hypothesis on a basis which admits of no reasonable controversy: for though it were vain to deny that many have defended, and perhaps really entertained, the notion of absolute atheism, there can be no doubt that the general bias of the human mind is to su→ perstition. The practical opposition with which the founders of a new religion have had to contend, has usually assumed the form of a zeal for established institutions, rather than that of a disinclination to receive any religion at all. Even the philosophic sceptic has more commonly concealed his true principles under some mask, which the general feeling of mankind would have rendered it hazardous to fling away; and it has been left, for the most part, for a few apostates from Christianity to raise the standard of open infidelity. Except, therefore, in Christian countries, those who would undertake the defence of any one system of religious belief, must be prepared to encounter the opposition raised against it by the advocates of every other, as well as by those who exert their influence equally against all. B The present generation has little concern, directly, with the theories which have already become extinct; and the inhabitant of Hindostan as little with those which still maintain their ground in distant countries. But the native of India is brought into almost daily contact with Heathens, of various denominations, with Mahometans, Parsees, Romanists, Syrian Christians, members of the English Church, and Protestants of other names, and sects, each and all assigning a divine origin to their system; and grounding its authority on some express declaration of the divine will. Most, if not all of these religionists, claim for their respective systems the exclusive possession of absolute and undivided truth; and Christians, more especially, jealously deny to every other scheme a co-equality with their own, teaching that "he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John iii. 18.) It is, therefore, incumbent upon all to be provided with satisfactory proofs in support of their pretensions, that men may come to a fair and rational decision, and determine for themselves to what religion they can, most safely, commit the interests of their souls. Truth never shrinks from inquiry; but while sedulously avoiding any approach to an ostentatious display, it modestly but firmly invites investigation; and when under scrutiny, it courts the application of the most searching tests; for the more varied and penetrating the trial, the more imposing will be the exhibition of its spotless purity, and intrinsic power. The advocates of Christianity, sustained, as they persuade themselves, by the full force of truth, claim, for their Scriptures the exclusive title of the Book of God, and press them on the earnest consideration of others. Their object is not, in the wanton trifling of speculative pleading, and philosophic pride, to assail the tenets of their adversaries. But serious in the firm conviction of the stability of their faith, and deeply concerned for the eternal happiness of imperishable souls, they cannot, consistently with true charity, and the obedience which they owe to their heavenly master, abstain from an effort to break down the strong holds which are opposed to them; and they are prepared to establish their own by a mass of proof which they esteem infallible;—or rather, in building up their own, they are confident that the rest must crumble before them unassailed; for if the truth of Christianity, in all its fulness, can be made out, its nature is such that every other religion must necessarily be false. Christianity, it should be clearly understood, is not a religion of mere outward observances, but of the understanding, and of the heart. It is, indeed, a religion, by its first principles, based on faith; but its faith is a rational and intelligent belief, and not one of thoughtlessness or superstition. Its appeals, therefore, are addressed to the reason, as well as to the feelings of those who approach to hear its pleadings, and in the right use of reason it has no→ thing to fear, every thing to expect. From what I have just said, it will be seen, that my purpose is to conduct my argument in such a way as to place the fundamental supports of Christianity in a clear and orderly point of view; and not directly in the form of an attack upon other religions, the assailable positions of which will be best exposed by contrasting them with the soundness of the corresponding portions of our own defences. But an allusion having been made to the differences which exist among Christians themselves, it may be well, briefly, to state that any further reference to these dissensions does not fall within the design of the treatise on which I am now about to enter. In some cases they are serious and fundamental:-in others so trivial as almost to vanish before an attempt to define them: but, except to avoid a possible cavil, they might have been altogether passed by, because they do not extend to the authenticity of the Scriptures, which all parties are agreed ought to be received as of divine authority. When the reader can go so far with us as to acquiesce in this common belief, he may proceed to investigate the Scriptural faithfulness of the distinctive tenets of our several sects. He will thus be enabled to judge whether, and to what extent, the Romanist or the Syrian, the Jacobite or the Nestorian, has departed from the simplicity of the truth; and the exhibition of the soundness of Protestant doctrine will direct him, among Christians, with whom he may, with the greater security, enter into communion. Our present inquiry, however, leads us no further, at least directly, than to qualify ourselves to choose between infidelity, or heathenism, or |