In

The connection between Christianity and the hiftorical part of the Old Testament is alfo confirmed by our Saviour and his Apoftles, who frequently enforce the duties of religion from the facts there recorded. matters only mentioned by way of illuftration in proverbs or parables, the facred writers may ufe words in the common acceptation, and allude to facts according to the received opinion, without examining whether they be philofophically true, or adding the fanction of their own authority. But in effential doctrines of religion, and truths which are delivered for our inftruction, to fuppofe, that they taught or encouraged us to believe, what they neither knew nor believed themselves, would be to represent our faith erroneous, defective, and inconfiftent; and to leave us in fuch a state of uncertainty, and fo much under the influence of our paffions and imagination, as feems impoffible in a revelation from a gracious God. I proceed,

Thirdly, to answer fome objections to

the

the doctrine, that the Apoftles were affifted by the spirit in thofe writings, which were not prophetical.

We are told by a modern author, that "the notion is very erroneous, which is in general maintained by the profeffors "of Christianity, that the facred writings were compofed under the immediate in"fluence of divine infpiration. This no

tion," fays he, "is highly improbable in "itself, plainly contradictory to the general "tenor of scripture, and wholly deftitute of proof, excepting fuch as may be derived "from a grofs perversion of a few detached

paffages *.* If this author would have us understand by the immediate influence of divine infpiration, that every word was fo directed by the Holy Spirit, that the Prophets and Apoftles could have expreffed the fame meaning in no other phrafes, he charges the profeffors of Christianity with an opinion, which few of any knowledge have entertained. If he intends to allow

* Effays Hift. and Lit. vol. i. p. 110.

their inspiration, as far as was necessary for the propagation of the fublime truths of religion, the word immediate feems likely to mislead the reader, and favour the objections of the infidel. For the effect and authority of every part of the canonical Scripture with regard to us is the fame, whether the facred writers delivered the truth from their own knowledge, or had their deficiencies fupplied from the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit; fince those parts, where the pofitive inspiration of the Holy Ghoft, not being neceffary, was not vouchfafed, were written however under the controul and direction of the fame unerring guide. The whole volume therefore carries the feal and ftamp of omniscience, as well where the Holy Spirit, ever present to aid those whom he had previously moved to write, secured them from error in relating what they themselves knew, as where they delivered the immediate dictates of Heaven. Let us then examine more particularly how this author fupports his affertions. "The Apostles and Evangelifts,”

fays

fays he, "never pretended, like that great impoftor Mahomet, that their writings

were dictated by the angel Gabriel, or "ever urged the perfection of their own "compofitions, as a decifive proof of the

authenticity of the Chriftian religion." We may grant, that the Apostles did not make use of the pretence of that impoftor. They no where boaft, like him, of the purity of their style, as furpaffing all other writings. But this affords no proof, that they were not infpired. We fpeak, fays St. Paul, the wisdom of God in a mystery. We have received, fays he again in the fame chapter, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth. but which the Holy Ghoft teacheth. (1 Cor. xxvii. 12, 13.) "The teftimony they gave to the truth of

Christianity was" not therefore, as this author afferts, " to all intents a human tef"timony;" though we agree with him in his commendation of their fidelity, integrity,

and opportunity of knowing the truth. The affertion then of St. Paul, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, (2 Tim. iii. 16.) the testimony of the fame Apostle, that he received not the knowledge of the gofpel of man, but by the revelation of Jefus Christ, (Gal. i. 12.) the declaration of St. Peter, that holy men of old fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, (2 Pet. i. 21.) and the promise of our Saviour, that the Spirit fhould guide the Apostles into all truth, (John xvi. 13.) prove without force or perverfion, that the Scriptures are to be obeyed in all precepts, believed in all their doctrines, and

relied upon in every point that concerns religion.

Since then we have fuch fatisfactory proofs from the promise of Christ and the testimony of the facred writers, that they were affifted by the Holy Spirit; let us draw our knowledge of religion from the Holy Scriptures in preference to the conjectures of fallible men, fupported only by their own natural abilities or the maxims

of