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tongues, and when many mocked the Apostles, saying they were full of new wine, Peter makes a speech in Publick, wherein, after saying they were not drunk, because it was but the third hour of the day, he endeavours to show them, that this was spoken of by the Prophet Joel, and he concludes with proving the resurrection of Jesus from the Book of Psalms.

Peter, and John, tell the people assembled at the Temple, "that God had showed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer," Acts 3: 18.

Peter to justify his preaching to the Gentiles, concludes his Discourse with saying, Acts 10: 43" To Jesus gave all the Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever (i. e. Jew, or Gentile) believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins."

Paul also endeavours to prove to the Jews in the Synagogue of Antioch, (Ib. v. 13) that the History of Jesus was contained in the Old Testament, and that he, and Barnabas were commanded in the Old Testament, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

On the occasion of a dispute among the Christians whether the Gentile Converts were to be circumcised after the Law of Moses, and to observe the Law, we find, that after much disputing, the point was settled by James by Quotation from Amos.

The Bereans are highly extolled (Acts 17: 11,) for searching the Scriptures, i. e. the Old Testament, daily, in order to find out whether the things preached to them by the Apostles were so, or no: who if they had not proved these things, i.e. Christianity from the Old Testament, ought, according to their own principles, to have been rejected by the Bereans, as teachers of false Doctrine.

Paul, when accused before Agrippa by the Jews, said (Acts 26: 6,) "I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers," i. e. for teaching Christianity, or the true Doctrine of the Old Testament and to this accusation he pleads guilty, by declaring in the fullest manner, that he taught nothing but the Doctrines of the Old Testament. "Having therefore (says he) obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small, and great, saying none other things than those which the Prophets, and Moses did

say should come, that the Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first who should rise from the Dead, and should show light unto the People, and unto the Gentiles."

The Author of the first Epistle to the Cor. says, 15 eh. v. 4, that "Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, according to the Scriptures," that is, according to the Old Testament, and he is supposed to ground this ou the History of the Prophet Jonas, who was three days and three nights in the fish's belly: though the cases do not seem to be parallel, for Jesus being buried on Friday evening, and rising on Sunday morning, was in the tomb but one day and two nights.

But most singular is the argument of the Apostle Paul (in his Epistle to the Galatians) to prove Christianity from the Old Testament. "Tell me (says he, Gal. 4: 21,) ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law? For it is written, that Abraham had two Sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bond woman, was born after the flesh; but he who was of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an Allegory. For these are the two Covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. But this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her Children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all. For it is written (Isiah 54: 1,) "Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not, break forth, and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband." Now we Brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the Promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted born after the spirit, even so it is now. the Scripture (Gen. 21: 10, 12,) Cast out the bond woman, and her son, for the Son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the Son of the free woman. So then Brethren we are not the children of the bond woman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

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In Lue, the Author of these Epistles reasons in the

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same singular manner from the Old Testament throughout; which is, according to him, (2 Tim. iii : 15.) ble to make men wise unto Salvation :" asserting himself and others to be ministers of the New Testament, as being ministers, not of "the letter" but of "the Spirit," (2 Cor. iii: 6.) That is, of the Old Testament, spiritually understood; and endeavouring to prove, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that Christianity was veiled and contained in the Old Testament, and was implied in the Jewish History, and Law, both which he considers as Types and Shadows of Christianity.

CHAPTER II.

How Christianity depends on the Old Testament, or what proofs are to be met with therein in behalf of Christianity, are the Subjects of almost all the numerous Books written by Divines, and other Apologists for Christianity; but the chief, and principal of these proofs may be justly supposed to be urged in the New Testament itself, by the Authors thereof; who relate the History of the first preaching of the Gospel, and profess themselves to be Apostles of Jesus, or companions of the Apostles.

Some of these proofs, as a specimen, have been already adduced. And if they are valid proofs, then is Christianity strongly and invincibly established on its true foundations.

It is established upon its true foundations, because Jesus and his Apostles did, as we have seen, ground Christianity on those proofs; and it is strongly, and invincibly established on those foundations; because a proof drawn from an inspired Book is perfectly conclusive. And Prophecies delivered in an inspired Book are, when fulfilled, such as may be justly deemed sure, and demonstrative proof; and which Peter (2 Peter i: 19) prefers as an argument for the truth of Christianity, to that miraculous attestation (whereof he, and two other Apostles are said to have been witnesses,) given by God himself to the Mission of Jesus of Nazareth.

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His argument appears to be as follows. "Laying this foundation, that Prophecy proceeds from the Holy Spirit, it is a stronger argument than a miracle, which depends upon external evidence, and testimony." And this opinion of Peter's is corroborated by the words of Jesus himself, who, in Mat. xxiv: 23, 24. Mark xiii: 21, 22, affirms, that miracles wrought in confirmation of a pretender's being the Messiah are not to be considered as proof of his being so," though they show great signs and wonders, believe it not," is his command to his Disciples.

Besides, Propliceies fulfilled seem the most proper of all arguments to evince the truth of a New Revelation which is designed to be universally promulgated. to men. For a man who has the Old Testament put into his hands, which contains Prophecies, and the New Testament afterward, which is said to contain their completions, and is once satisfied, as he may be with the greatest ease, that the Old Testament existed before the New, may have a complete internal, Divine Demonstration of the Truth of Christianity, without long, and laborious enquiries. Whereas, arguments of another nature, such, for instance, as relate to the authority and genuineness of the Books, and the Persons, and Characters of Authors, and witnesses, require more application, and understanding than falls to the share of the bulk of mankind; or else are very precarious in themselves, since we know that in the first centuries there were numberless forged Gospels, and Apocryphal writings imposed upon the credulous as apostolick, and authentick; and there were in the Apostles times, as many, and as great Heresies, and Schisms as perhaps have been since in any age of the Church. So that, setting aside the before mentioned internal proofs from prophecy, (which were the Apostle's proofs and in their nature sufficient of themselves) we should have no certain proof at all for the Religion of the New-Testa

ment.

ON THE OTHER HAND, if the proofs for Christianity from the Old Testament, are not valid, if the arguments founded on that Book be not conclusive, and the Prophecies cited from thenee be not fulfilled, then has

Christianity no just foundation; for the foundation on which Jesus and his Apostles built it is then invalid, and false. Nor can miracles, said to have been wrought by Jesus, and his Apostles in behalf of Christianity, avail any thing in the case. For miracles can never render a foundation valid, which is in itself invalid; can never make a false inference true ; can never make a prophecy fulfilled, which is not fulfilled; and can never designate a Messiah, or Jesus for the Messiah, if both are not marked out in the Old Testament; no more than they could prove the Earth. to be the Sun, or a mouse a lion.

Besides, Miracles said to have been wrought, may be often justly deemed false reports, when attributed to persons who claim an authority from the Old Testament, which they impertinently alledge to support their pretentions. God can never be supposed often to permait miracles to be done for the confirmation of a false, or pretended mission. And if at any time he does permit miracles to be done in confirmation of a pretended mission, we have express directions from the Old Testament (acknowledged by Christians to be of Divine authority) Deut. xiii. 1, 2, not to regard such miracles; but to continue firm to the antecedant Revelation given by Himself, and contained in the Old Testament, notwithstanding any "signs or wonders;" which, under the eircumstance of attesting something contrary to an antecedant Revelation, we are forewarned of as being no test of truth. No New Revelation, however supported by miracles, ought ever to be received as coming from God, unless it confirms, or at least does not contradict the preceding, standing Revelation, acknowledged to be from God:

Accordingly, we find from the New Testament, that all the recorded miracles of Jesus could not make the Jews believe him to be the Messiah when they thought that he did not answer the description of that character given by the Prophets; on the contrary, they procured him to be crucified for pretending to be what to them he appeared plainly not to be.

Nor had his miracles alone any effect on his own brethren, and kindred, who seem (Mark vi. 4. Jo. vii. ,) to have been more incredulous in him than other

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