a repetition of the fame words, attended with the fame carnal ideas; from which no spiritual information can poffibly be derived. They all fhew, and most of them confess, that the effentials of Christianity are wanting; and that they do not attempt to make their converts rational creatures. How then can we expect the Divine influence to interfere towards the promoting of a defective and irrational worship?

II. CON

II.

CONCERNING THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE, AND THE AUTHORITIES IN ITS FAVOUR.

No have been

O hiftories whatever, that have been

tranfmitted from ancient times, are supported with that variety of proofs, with which the facred writings are attended. Jofephus a learned Jew, who was born about five years after the death of our Saviour, has given us a lift of the Books of the Old Testament; as they stood in his time; and as they had been transmitted for ages. He has likewife afforded us the history itself, which he wrote in the Greek language. And though it is modified, and adapted to the taste of the Grecians, yet it contains most of the principal events, as described in the original. But of all the verfions, however numerous, that of the Septuagint is of the greatest confequence.

It is a tranflation of the Old Testament in the Greek language; which was performed in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, about three hundred years before the birth of Chrift. One proof of its antiquity may be seen in its being quoted by the Apostles. As we find here all the prophecies of the Old Teftament, particularly those which related both to our Saviour, and to the Jews, and which were afterwards manifeftly compleated; it shews, that these prophecies could not be the invention of man. They must originally have proceeded from Divine infspiration; for they were antecedent to the event. The Books of Mofes are of great confequence and these have been additionally preserved by the Samaritans, who received them near seven hundred years before the birth of Chrift. As they hated the Jews, and were detefted by them, they never could co-operate towards any material alteration. Their mutual jealoufies prevented any collufion. In confequence of this we find a general conformity between their copies, and those of the Jews. The Samaritans

Samaritans remain at this day; and by fome are supposed to have the original copy, which they received, when they first settled in Samaria. There are alfo Gentile writers, who give evidence to fome of the principal histories, fuch as the antediluvian state of man, and the deluge, and to many fubfequent events. But above all others the Jews themselves afford the strongest proof to the present purpose. For they remain a standing miracle, being, as was foretold, fcattered over the face of the earth; and every where retaining those facred records, in which their future rejection was denounced. Nothing but a judicial infatuation can prevent their feeing, what so nearly concerns their happiness. But this cloud must remain, till they have fulfilled the high purposes of the Deity. That the whole is mysterious and of divine appointment we may learn from St. Paul's addrefs to the Jews of his time at Rome. For I would not, brethren, that you Should be ignorant of this mystery (left you Should be wife in your own conceits) that blindness in part hath happened to Ifrael:

1

until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Romans xi. 25. In confequence of this blindness the Jews, who are the greatest enemies to Christianity, have preserved the strongest proofs in favour of the Gospel. They fhew to a demonftration, that the Chriftians have not altered the books of Mofes and of the Prophets.

The prophecies thus preferved are various; many of which relate to kingdoms and nations, long fince ruined, and annihilated, according to the doom denounced upon them. Those upon Tyre were ac complished in a most wonderful manner : and those upon Babylon still more wonderfully compleated. But there are two, with which I fhall chiefly concern myself at prefent; as they are clofely connected with the miffion of our Saviour, and the events which were to enfue upon his coming. Of these the one foretold the rejection of the Jews, to which I above alluded: and the other the calling of the Gentiles, and their admiffion to the church of Chrift. The purport of thefe prophecies is plain and obvious to the last degree:

but