LECTURE VI.

MIRACLES, p. 155.

Have we satisfactory Evidence that genuine Miracles were wrought by the

Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles? p. 155.

This Question is settled by the Proof of Credibility.

Another line of Argument adopted.

The Religion of the Bible is the only one which, in its first Introduction, ap-

pealed to Miracles for Evidence of the Divine Authority of its Teachers, p. 156.

I. Supposing the Works related of Christ to have actually occurred, many of

them must have been genuine Miracles, p. 159.

Il. The alleged Miracles of Christ were such as admitted at once of the Test of

the Senses, p. 160.

III. They were performed in the most public Manner, p. 160.

IV. They were very Numerous and of great Variety, p. 161.

V. The Success was in every Instance Instantaneous and Complete, p. 162.

VI. There is no Evidence of an Attempt on the part of Christ or His Apostles

to perforin a Miracle in which they were accused of a Failure, p. 163.

VII. The Length of Time during which they professed to perform miraculous

Works, p. 164.

VIII. Their Works underwent the most rigid Examination from those who had

every Opportunity of ascertaining their Character, p. 165.

IX. Their Adversaries had every Advantage in the Fact that these Miracles

were published and appealed to immediately after, and in the Places where they

occurred, p. 166.

X. These Arguments derive important Aid from a Consideration of the Agents

whose Works were subjected to such Scrutiny, p. 168.

XI. None of those who were Eyewitnesses of what Jesus or His Apostles

wrought, were ever induced to confess themselves deceived, or that they had

ever seen anything but Truth in those miraculous Gifts by which they had been

persuaded to embrace the Gospel, p. 169.

XII. The Character of the Miracles themselves, p. 171.

XIII. Evidence from the primitive Adversaries of Christianity, p. 172.

XIV. Testimony of all who were converted to Christianity. Such Testimony

shown to be stronger than that of Adversaries, p. 176.

The Absurdities which must be believed by those who maintain that the Mira-

cles were Fictions, and, consequently, that their Authors were Deceivers, p. 179.

LECTURE VII.

PROPHECY, p. 184.

In having proved the Genuineness of the Miracles attesting the Divine Mission

of Christ and His Apostles, we have made out a complete Proof of the Divine Au-

thority of Christianity. But our Object being, not only to prove this, but to show

by how many Ways it may be proved, we take up a new Line of Argument derived

from Prophecy, p. 184.

What a Prophecy is. The Application of fulfilled Prophecy to the Proof of a

Divine Revelation, p. 185.

Prophecy furnishes an Argument which, in point of Force, is continually grow

ing, p. 186.

In much of the Argument from Prophecy, the Evidence is before our Eyes, ad-

dressed to our Senses, p. 188.

The Religion of the Bible is the only one which, on its first Introduction, ap

pealed to Prophecy for the Credentials of its Founder, p. 190.

The Weight of the Evidence from Prophecy, and the moral Grandeur with

which it appears in Evidence of Christianity, can be appreciated only by a full

View of the immense Scheme and Extent of the Prophecies in the Bible, p. 193.

The Fulfilment of a Selection of miscellaneous Prophecies exhibited, p. 198.

Prophecies concerning Zedekiah, p. 198; the Destruction of Babylon, p. 198; and

of Tyre, p. 199; concerning Egypt, p. 200; concerning the Country and Cities of

Judea, p. 201; concerning the Jews, p. 202; concerning the Empires of Chaldea,

Persia, Macedon, and Rome, in Daniel, p. 206.

The Fulfilment of Prophecies concerning Christ, p. 208.

1st. Those which relate to the Time and Circumstances of His Advent, p. 208.

2d. Those which speak of His Life, Sufferings, Death, Resurrection, and In-

crease of His Kingdom, p. 209.

The Idea of Chance, as explaining the Coincidences mentioned, p. 213.

Three Conclusions from the prophetic Argument, as exhibited, p. 215.

LECTURE VIII.

PROFHECY, p. 216.

Christ was the Author, as well as the Subject, of Prophecies.

By Prophecy, as well as Miracles, He proved His Divine Mission. None of

His Prophecies more Impressive than those concerning the Destruction of Jerusa-

lem. These selected for present Consideration, p. 216.

Is it well ascertained that these were published before the Event? p. 217.

1st. The Prediction of the appearing of False Christs, deceiving Many, by

Signs and Wonders, prior to the main Event, p. 219.

2d. Of Wars and rumours of Wars preceding the Siege of Jerusalem, p. 220.

3d. Of Famines, Pestilences, and Earthquakes, in divers Places, p. 221.

4th. Of fearful Signs from Heaven, p. 222.

5th. Of the Persecution of Christians as one of the Signs of approaching Des.

olations, p. 224.

6th. A consequent declension of Religion among the professed Disciples of

Christ, p. 225.

7th. The preaching of the Gospel in all the World for a Witness before the

Event should come, p. 225.

8th. Jerusalem compassed with Armies, and the Escape of the Christians, p. 227.

9th. The Method of the Siege, p. 230.

10th. The unparalleled Tribulation, p. 231.

11th. The complete Destruction of the City and Temple, p. 234.

12th. The Captivity of the Jews in all Nations, p. 238.

Jerusalem trodden down of the Gentiles, p. 239.

Attempt of Julian to rebuild the Temple, p. 240.

Brief View of the Condition of Jerusalem to the present Time, p. 242.

Reflections on the preceding Particulars, p. 245.

Postscript, containing an Application of the Theory of Probabilities to the Proph

ecies considered above, showing the Argument negatively, p. 247.

LECTURE IX.

THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY, p. 251.

The Proof of Christianity as a Divine Revelation has already been twice finish-

ed: first, by the Argument from Miracles; secondly, by that from Prophecy, p. 251.

A third independent Proof is now to be undertaken.

In estimating the propagation of the Gospel as an Evidence of Divine Attesta-

tion, consider,

1. The Difficulties which its first promulgators encountered, p. 252.

1st. The Novelty of the Idea of propagating a new Religion, to the Exclusion

of all others, p. 252.

2d. The Peculiarity of the Gospel, as a System of Doctrine, and a Rule of Heart

and Life, p. 254.

3d. From the above, it results that the Propagation of Christianity must have

been opposed by all the Influence of every Priesthood, Heathen and Jewish, p. 256.

4th. The Opposition of the Magistrate was added to that of the Priest, p. 258.

5th. To these associated Powers were added the opposing Prejudices and Pas-

sions of all People, p. 259.

6th. The Wisdom and Pride of the Heathen Philosophers were not the least for-

midable Opponents, p. 260.

7th. All these Opponents derived the greater Influence from the peculiar Charac-

ter of the Age, p. 261.

8th. They appear the more formidable in contrast with the peculiar Character of

the Men to whom the Propagation of the Gospel was committed, p. 262.

9th. And by a Consideration of the Circumstances of Depression and Discourage-

ment under which those Men began their Work, p. 263.

10th. And of the Mode they adopted, p. 264.

11th. They were met everywhere by the fiercest Persecution, p. 265.

It is certain that they understood the Difficulties and anticipated the Dangers

of their Undertaking, p. 267.

II. The Success of the Apostles in propagating the Gospel, p. 268.

A brief View of the Progress of Christianity during about seventy Years from

the Commencement of its Promulgation, p. 268–274.

This rapid Extension compared with that of the Doctrines of Heathen Philoso-

phers, p. 274.

And with the Propagation of Mohammedanism, p. 275.

And with the Success attending Efforts at the present Day for the Establish-

ment of Christianity among the Heathen, p. 278.

The Propagation of the Gospel by the Apostles was a Miracle, p. 280.

The Absurdities necessarily attaching to any Effort to account for it on other

Grounds than that of the Power and Favour of God, p. 280.

The Argument from Propagation is not yet Complete. It is yet to receive im-

mense additional Force from the Success which is yet promised to the Gospel,

p. 283.

LECTURE X.

THE FRUITS OF CHRISTIANITY, p. 284.

A fourth Line of Argument, and a fourth independent Proof commenced in this

Lecture.

The true Results of any System of Doctrine are always a correct Exponent of

its Character, as True or False.

This is a Test to which the Saviour Himself directed us, p. 284.

It were well if Infidelity were more frequently tried by this Test, p. 285.

The Consideration of the Fruits of Christianity divided into,

1. The Effects of Christianity on Society in general.

II. Its Effects on the Character and Happiness of its genuine Disciples, p. 285.

The Former made the Subject of this Lecture.

A brief Survey of the moral Condition of the World at the first Publication of

the Gospel, p. 285.

1st. The Religion of the Heathen in the Age of the Apostles, p. 286.

2d. The Spirit of Cruelty that reigned among them, p. 288.

3d. Their degrading Vices, p. 291.

The striking Contrast wherever genuine Christianity has reigned, p. 294–299.

There is no possible Way of accounting for this Contrast but by ascribing it to

the direct Influence of Christianity, p. 299-302.

Confessions of Infidels, p. 302.

Illustrations of the Fruit of Christianity in modern Missions among the Hea-

then, p. 302.

Defence of Christianity against the Charge of being the Cause of the Wars,

Persecutions, &c., which are connected with its History, p. 306.

Application of the Argument. The Absurdities necessarily involved in the

Creed of the Infidel, p. 312.

LECTURE XI.

THE FRUITS OF CHRISTIANITY, p. 317.

The Trial of Christianity by its Fruits is as Philosophical as it is Scriptural.

Eighteen Centuries have afforded all conceivable Opportunities of ascertaining

what are its genuine Fruits, p. 317.

The present Lecture confined to the Fruits of Christianity in the Character and

Happiness of its genuine Disciples, p. 318.

Reason for placing such Fruits among the external Evidences, p. 318.

I. The moral Transformations which the Gospel in all Ages has notoriously

wrought cannot be accounted for but on the Supposition of a Divine Power ac-

companying its Operations, p. 318.

II. The Fruits of Christianity in the Lives of its genuine Disciples contrasted

with those which notoriously characterize the Lives of its Opposers, p. 326.

III. The Fruits, &c., as displayed in the Deaths of its genuine Disciples, con

trasted with those exhibited in the Deaths of its Opposers, p. 341.

Practical Conclusion, p. 356.

LECTURE XII.

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT AND APPLICATION TO OBJECTIONS, p. 357.

The Recapitulation of the Argument in the preceding Lectures, p. 357-369.

This Review leads to the Consideration of,

1st. The Plainness and Simplicity of the Evidences of Christianity, p. 369.

2d. Their great Variety and Accumulation, p. 370.

3d. Their Impressiveness, p. 372.

4th. The whole Array is strictly Philosophical, p. 375.

The Objection founded on the Mysteriousness of certain Things in Christianity

answered, p. 382.

The Objection that we cannot understand the Reason of certain Things for

which Christianity is responsible answered, p. 385.

The Injustice done to Christianity by placing her so exclusively on the Defen-

sive. Let Infidelity be placed in the same Position, p. 389.

LECTURE XIII.

INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES AND CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS, p. 392.

Christianity and the Scriptures are essentially Associated. But the Proof of

Divine Revelation in the Former is no Proc of Divine Inspiration in the Latter.

Need of Inspiration in the Book which teus what Christianity is, p. 392

The Proposition to be sustained in this Lecture is, that

All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, p. 393.

Inspiration defined, p. 393.

Having Established the Credibility of the Saviour and His Apostles as Messen-

gers sent of God, our direct Reference in the present Inquiry is to what they have

asserted, so that our simple Question is, Does the New Testament bear Witness that

the several Books of the Bible were treated by the Saviour or His Apostles as Divinely

inspired? p. 394.

1. The Inquiry begun with regard to the Books of the Old Testament, p. 394.

1st. The Saviour and his Apostles regarded the Old Testament with at least as

much Reverence as did the Jews in their day, p. 394.

2d. We have the direct Assertion of the Inspiration of the Books of the Old

Testament by St. Paul, p. 396.

II. The Inquiry continued with regard to the Books of the New Testament.

1st. The Inspiration of the New Testament may be naturally and reasonably

inferred from that of the Old, p. 397.

2d. The same Conclusion necessarily follows from the evident Inspiration of

the Apostles in their Preaching and other official Acts, p. 399.

3d. If the Apostles did not intend to produce this Conviction, and it be not

well founded, they adopted the most likely Means of leading us into a most im-

portant Heresy, p. 401.

Practical Address to Readers in Conclusion, p. 405.

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