The religion of the Bible is the only one which, on its first introduc-

tion, appealed to prophecy for the credentials of its founder, . 244

The weight of the evidence from prophecy, and the moral grandeur

with which it appears in evidence of Christianity, can be appreci-

ated only by a full view of the immense scheme and extent of the

prophecies in the Bible,

. . 248

The fulfilment of a selection of miscellaneous prophecies exhibited.
Prophecies concerning Zedekiah, the destruction of Babylon, and
of Tyre; concerning Egypt; concerning the country and cities of
Judea; concerning the Jews; concerning the empires of Chaldea,
Persia, Macedon, and Rome, in Daniel, .
254-267

The fulfilment of prophecies concerning Christ,

267

1. Those which relate to the time and circumstances of his ad-

vent,

268

2. Those which speak of his life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and

increase of his kingdom,

268

The idea of chance, as explaining the coincidences mentioned, 273

Three conclusions from the prophetic argument, as exhibited, . 276

LECTURE VIII.

PROPHECY-Continued,

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 Jerusalem. These selected for present considera-

tion,

278

It is well ascertained that these rere published before the ent, 278

1. The prediction of the appearing of false Christs, deceiving many,

by signs and wonders, prior to the main event,

. 281

283

2. Of wars and rumors of wars preceding the siege of Jerusalem,

3. Of famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places, 284

4. Of fearful signs from heaven,.

. 285

5. Of the persecution of Christians as one of the signs of approaching
desolations,

•

tians,

9. The method of the siege,

10. The unparalleled tribulation,

287

6. A consequent declension of religion among the professed disciples

of Christ,

289

7. The preaching of the gospel in all the world for a witness before

the event should come,

289

8. Jerusalem compassed with armies, and the escape of the Chris-

291

295

297

277

.

11. The complete destruction of the city and temple,

12. The captivity of the Jews in all nations,

Jerusalem trodden down of the Gentiles,

Attempt of Julian to rebuild the temple,

Brief view of the condition of Jerusalem to the present time,

13. The time between the prophecy and its fulfilment,

Reflections on the preceding particulars,

LECTURE IX.

301

306

307

. 309

312

315

315

THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY,

319

The proof of Christianity as a divine revelation has already been twice

finished: first, by the argument from miracles; secondly, by that

from prophecy,

319

A third independent proof is now to be undertaken.

In estimating the propagation of the gospel as an evidence of divine
attestation, consider,

I. The difficulties which its first promulgators encountered, .

320

1. The novelty of the idea of propagating a new religion, to the exclu-

sion of all others,

320

•

2. The peculiarity of the gospel, as a system of doctrine, and a rule

of heart and life,

322

3. From the above, it results that the propagation of Christianity

must have been opposed by all the influence of every priesthood,

heathen and Jewish,

325

4. The opposition of the magistrate was added to that of the

priest,

329

5. To these associated powers were added the opposing prejudices and

passions of all people, .

... 330

6. The wisdom and pride of the heathen philosophers were not the

least formidable opponents,

331

7. All these opponents derived the greater influence from the peculiar

character of the age,

332

8. They appear the more formidable in contrast with the peculiar

character of the men to whom the propagation of the gospel was

committed,

334

9. And by a consideration of the circumstances of depression and

discouragement under which those men began their work,

€ 335

10. And of the mode they adopted,

. 336

11. They were met everywhere by the fiercest persecution,

337

It is certain that they understood the difficulties and anticipated the

dangers of their undertaking,

341

342

II. The success of the apostles in propagating the gospel,

A brief view of the progress of Christianity during about seventy
342-349

years from the commencement of its promulgation,

This rapid extension compared with that of the doctrines of heathen

philosophers,

349

And with the propagation of Mohammedanism, .

351

And with the success attending efforts at the present day for the

355

establishment of Christianity among the heathen,

The propagation of the gospel by the apostles was a miracle, 357

The absurdities necessarily attaching to any effort to account for it

on other grounds than that of the power and favor of God, 358

The argument from propagation is not yet complete. It is yet to

receive immense additional force from the success which is yet

promised to the gospel,

361

LECTURE X.

THE FRUITS OF CHRISTIANITY,

. .

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 expo-

nent of its character, as true or false.

This is a test to which the Saviour himself directed us,

362

It were well if infidelity were more frequently tried by this test, 363

The consideration of the fruits of Christianity divided into,

I. The effects of Christianity on society in general,

364

II. Its effects on the character and happiness of its genuine dis-

ciples,

364

.

The former made the subject of this lecture.

A brief survey of the moral condition of the world at the first publi-
cation of the gospel,

362

1. The religion of the heathen in the age of the apostles,

2. The spirit of cruelty that reigned among them,

3. Their degrading vices,

The striking contrast wherever genuine Christianity has reign-
375-382

ed,

There is no possible way of accounting for this contrast, but by ascrib-
ing it to the direct influence of Christianity,
382-385

Confessions of infidels,

386

Illustrations of the fruit of Christianity in modern missions among

387

the heathen,

Defence of Christianity against the charge of being the cause of the

wars, persecutions, etc., which are connected with its history, 391

Application of the argument. The absurdities necessarily involved

in the creed of the infidel,

399

364

365

368

372

LECTURE XI.

THE FRUITS OF CHRISTIANITY-Continued,

405

The trial of Christianity by its fruits is as philosophical as it is scrip-

tural. Eighteen centuries have afforded all conceivable opportuni-

ties of ascertaining what are its genuine fruits,

405

acter and happiness of its genuine disciples,

The present lecture confined to the fruits of Christianity in the char-

406

Reason for placing such fruits among the external evidences, . 406

1. The moral transformations which the gospel in all ages has noto-

riously wrought, cannot be accounted for but on the supposition of

a divine power accompanying its operations,

406

2. The fruits of Christianity in the lives of its genuine disciples, con-

trasted with those which notoriously characterize the lives of its

opposers,.

418

3. The fruits, etc., as displayed in the deaths of its genuine disci-

ples, contrasted with those exhibited in the deaths of its op-

posers,

438

455

Practical conclusion,

LECTURE XII.

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT AND APPLICATION TO OBJEC-

TIONS, . :

458

The recapitulation of the argument in the preceding lectures, 458-474

This review leads to the consideration of,

1. The plainness and simplicity of the evidences of Christianity, 474

2. Their great variety and accumulation,

475

3. Their impressiveness,

. 478

4. The whole array is strictly philosophical,

. 482

The objection founded on the mysteriousness of certain things in

Christianity answered,

491

The objection that we cannot understand the reason of certain things

for which Christianity is responsible, answered,

495

The injustice done to Christianity by placing her so exclusively on

the defensive. Let infidelity be placed in the same position, . 500

LECTURE XIII.

..

INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, AND CONCLUDING OBSER-

VATIONS,

505

Christianity and the Scriptures are essentially associated. But the
proof of divine revelation in the former is no proof of divine

inspiration in the latter. Need of inspiration in the book which

tells us what Christianity is,

505

.

The proposition to be sustained in this lecture is, that

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,

Inspiration defined,

. 506

. 507

Having established the credibility of the Saviour and his apostles as

messengers 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? 508

I. The inquiry begun with regard to the books of the Old Testa-

ment,

. . 508

1. The Saviour and his apostles regarded the Old Testament with at

least as much reverence as did the Jews in their day,

. . 508

2. We have the direct assertion of the inspiration of the books of the

Old Testament by St. Paul, .

510

II. The inquiry continued with regard to the books of the New Testa-

ment,

512

1. The inspiration of the New Testament may be naturally and

512

reasonably inferred from that of the Old,

2. The same conclusion necessarily follows from the evident inspira-

tion of the apostles in their preaching and other official acts, . 514

3. 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 important heresy,

Practical address to readers in conclusion, .

. 518

523