let him say whether they are not true representations.

5. These scriptures give a sublime and consistent account of many subjects which are not discussed elsewhere, or if discussed at all, it is evidently in

a manner either imperfect or absurd. Such is the account which they give of the character of God, of the origin of the world, and of the plan of redemption. We are not ignorant that traces of all these truths are to be found in other writings; and it is a corroboration of our argument, that they are; because these traces have undoubtedly been borrowed from revelation. But what is the consistency and dignity of these hints of heathen writers, when compared with the representations of the Bible? The heathen character of God is that of a changeable, unjust, and impure tyrant. They imagined, among other things, that the world was hatched from an egg, and that men had their origin from the teeth of serpents. And, for the notion of redemption, they actually seemed to have retained none of it, further than in the symbol of sacrifices, which they have abused to every cruel and obscene enormity. Now, were we to compare with these, the sublime, consistent and clear revelations of scripture, on the same points, we should be prepared to believe

that these are the teachings of God; and that the reason why other writers have not succeeded here, is because these subjects were confessedly above them.

6. It is another remarkable proof of the divinity of the scriptures, that the writers seem entirely indifferent to the opinions of men. They record their own faults as frequently, or more frequently, than the faults of others; they never stop to explain apparent difficulties in their doctrines and representations, which other writers so often think it necessary to do; and they give no ornament, no exagerated description of the character of their heroes.

Jesus Christ is the hero of the New Testament; but if you reflect, you will remember that there is scarce a verse directly descriptive of his character in the book, except in those instances where other writers are quoted, to show that he had been predicted. The writers of the New Testament do not indulge in description; they simply tell you of the acts and sayings of Jesus Christ, and leave you to infer his character. These, I confess, have always appeared to me among the strongest proofs of the truth and honesty of these writers; it looks so much like sincerity, like a consciousness of being right,

and of regarding a higher object than that of satisfying men, that it must have weight with every observing reader. They seem, in fact, to have entirely disregarded the opinions of men.

7. The harmony of these writers, is another proof. There is not a contradiction, or a counter sentiment or representation in the whole Bible. Not even a plausible representation can be made out to establish such a blemish; for there are no appearances of such discrepancies, which cannot easily be, and have not been repeatedly reconciled. Now, in so great a number of books, this harmony is remarkable; and it is the more remarkable, when we consider the great variety of writers, and compass of time, which have been occupied to furnish the Bible. About 30 different writers were its authors, and about 1800 years intervened from the commencement to the finishing of this book; and yet this unbroken thread of harmony runs throughout the whole. Is this accountable on any other supposition, than that these men spoke as they were inspired of God?

8. Some of the expressions and conceptions of the Bible, seem, evidently, to be more than human. Read Moses' description of God's appearance to the seventy Elders of Israel on

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Mount Sinai: read Ezekiel's visions of the cherubim read Isaiah's prophecy, and Habbakuk's prayer: read, especially, and ponder well, David's description of the descent of the Almighty in the 18th Psalm; and if you are not ready to acknowledge, that there is a sublimity, both of thought and expression, more than human in the scriptures, I am much mistaken. No; these are figures and illustrations which never sprang from human intellect alone; they came from above; they are the eloquence of heaven!

9. We might further mention, in proof of the authenticity of these scriptures, that the accounts they incidentally give of the manners, customs, history, and geography of the countries, where they were written, are found to be true. We cannot go into this subject; but you may receive the fact on authority; it is really so; and I have to recommend, my young friends, that if you ever meet with a book called Harmer's Observations, or another, on Oriental Manners and Customs, by the Rev. George Burder, you will give them a reading, for this purpose.

10. The concluding argument which I have to offer, for the inspiration of the scriptures, is, that they tend to honour and glorify God. Every book that has been written by man has some leading object, and, without

much difficulty, that object can usually be seen. The object and tendency of the Bible is to give honour and glory to God. It puts him at the head and origin of all things, and of this Bible among the rest; it contrives to illustrate his wisdom, and power, and goodness, by every institution it describes, and every event which it records. It places all creatures; angels, men, and beasts, in humble dependence at his feet; and it represents the working and tendency of all these creatures, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities and powers; whether they be things in heaven, or things in earth, as finally setting up his own august and never failing dominion, that God might be all in all.

This is not a low, or partial, or unhallowed object; it is extended, holy, and worthy of God; and the book which tends to promote this object, must be heavenly. Such, and so many are the proofs from which we establish the inspiration of the scriptures. Some of them directly establish their inspiration, and others only that the apostles and some other writers of scripture were true and honest men. But this last is to the same purpose; for if these men were true and honest, then they spoke the truth; they cer