us and Clement of Alexandria, who wrote about the middle of the second century, quote several passages out of Mark's gospel, and prove that he wrote it, and that it was seen and commended by the Apostle Peter Paul himself has given his sanction to Luke's gospel, by quoting a passage from it in his first epistle to Timothy. The ancients generally apply to Luke these words of Paul to the Corinthians, "We have sent the brother, whose praise is in the gospel through all the churches." Origen declares, that Luke's gospel was approved by Paul. It is quoted by Justin and others in the second century, near the times of the Apostles. Irenæus, who was acquainted with Poly carp, a disciple of the Apostle John, has with great accuracy proved the genuineness of the gospel received under the name of that Apostle. Several other early fathers ascribe it to him, and say, that the authority of it was never controverted in the church. Eusebius informs us that John read and approved the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and added his own as a supplement to them. The book called the Acts of the Apostles, compared with Luke's gospel, appears to have been written by the same author. All the ancients agree that it was composed by Luke, and received in the church as an authentic history. As such it is quoted by Clement of Rome, who was a companion with Paul; by Papias, who conversed with men of the Apostles' times; by Polycarp, who was John's disciple; and by Irenæus, who lived in the second century.

Thirteen of Paul's epistles, with the first of Peter, and the first of John, were never questioned; for there were particular churches, or persons, to whom all the originals, except the two last mentioned epistles, were directed. These originals were carefully preserved in the churches which received them, as Tertullian says, down to his time: which was the third century. They were acknowledged, without hesitancy, by the whole Christian church, as Clement and Origen affirm. They

were cited as Paul's epistles, in the very age in which they were written, and in the next succeeding age, and so on in every age since.

The epistle to the Hebrews, that of James, and that of Jude, the second of Peter, the second and third of John, and the Revelation, were not, at first, universally received: But we find, by the testimony of a number of the before mentioned fathers, that, after some inquiry, they were admitted as genuine and authentic in the earliest times. As these books were written either to Christians dispersed abroad, or to private persons, it, was not so easy at once to ascertain their authority, as it was that of the other books, which were directed to particular churches; for there the author's handwriting, and the character of the messengers who brought them, were well known, and there they were immediately and repeatedly read.

'The caution with which the churches received some of the books of the present canon, shews that, in this important matter, they did not act with a hasty credulity, but with a just concern to avoid imposition, So that the canon of the New Testament stands on better footing, than if no doubts had arisen about any part of it.

Not only were these books universally received by Christians of the early ages, but publicly read in the churches. Paul orders his first epistle to the Thessalonians to be read to all the holy brethren; and his epistle to the Colossians to be communicated to the church of the, Laodiceans. And Peter, in his second epistle, signifies, that Paul had written a number of epistles, which were generally known in the churches. Justin Martyr, in a book which he wrote about forty years after the Apostolic age, speaks of the writings of the Apostles, as read every Sabbath in the Christian congregations.

From these testimonies it appears, that the books of the New Testament were, in that age in which they were written, and in the next succeeding age, received

as the genuine works of the men whose names they. bear. And from age to age the testimonies of their reception became more and more numerous. Yea, we find, within about fifty years after the Apostles, the testimonies of heathens and infidels, that there were such books extant as those which we now receive, and that these books were acknowledged and revered by Christians.

These writings were, early, probably within forty or fifty years after Christ's ascension, collected into a volume, and treated by Christians with peculiar marks of faith and reverence.

Now if these books had not been genuine, it is impossible that they should have gained such universal credit among Christians. If there had been no such men known as their reputed authors, they never could have obtained any credit at all. The authors appear under appropriate names and characters, call themselves apostles and disciples of Jesus; relate many remarkable facts as then recent and notorious; mention many miraculous works performed, and supernatural gifts exercised by them, in such places, and in the presence of such persons and churches; appeal to the public for the truth of many of the facts related; represent themselves and other apostles as having been present in those places, and there preached, wrought miracles, made converts, formed churches, and imparted supernatural gifts. Now it is impossible that any persons, especially societies, should have received these books, if they had never seen such men, known such facts, or heard of such churches. Every one who saw the writings would naturally inquire, Where are the churches which are here addressed? Who are the men that speak of themselves as so generally known? Who has ever been acquainted with the matters which they relate with so much assurance? Ask yourselves : Would the history of the late American war, and the revolution which followed, be received with any regard

among the people of America in the present age, if no such events had taken place? Or would such a fictitious history go down with credit to succeeding ages? The reception of a history relating to facts of recent existence and public notoriety, is an evidence of its truth.

If any man doubts the genuineness of these books, let him say when they were forged. It was not while the apostles were living; for they would have detected, and suppressed, the fraud. It was not after their death; for then the cheat would not have succeeded. The books pretend to have been sent abroad by the authors, themselves. Paul's epistles, for example, profess to have been written by him, at such a time, and in such a place; to have been sent to such churches, by such messengers; and to have been signed by his own hand. Now if these churches had never received such letters, or seen such messengers, or if Christians in general had never heard of such writings, until some years after they pretend to have been sent abroad and publicly read; this would have been a sufficient reason never to have admitted them.

Most of Paul's epistles were written to noted churches in populous cities; and, consequently, if they were genuine, they must have been known before his death. If they had not appeared until after his death, the churches to which they pretend to have been sent, would have declared, they never received them, and thus have exposed the deception.

In short, if we suppose the books of the New. Testament to be spurious, we must suppose, that the Christians, in the Apostolic and succeeding ages, among whom were many learned, and, doubtless, many honest men, did all, in the several different countries of Christendom, without any conceivable motive, confederate in a fraud, and agree to impose on the world. A supposition this, which, if admitted, puts an end to all historical credit.

- Besides; as one well observes, "It is easy to dis cover the writings of the New Testament, particularly Paul's epistles, to be original. His very soul speaks in all his writings. There is that undissembled zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of mankind ; that courage that disregard to his own interest, when it interfered with higher views-that boldness of expression-that life and spirit which are hard to be counterfeited. The same force and energy, which animated all his actions, and empowered him to spread the gospel from east to west, ennobles all his compositions; and it would be almost as impossible for ant impostor to write as Paul did, as it would be to act as he did. It is very difficult to personate such a warm, affectionate and interesting writer. There is an exact resemblance in his speeches and in his epistles. In both there is the same greatness of spirit, the same glowing language, the same elevated thoughts, warm from the heart. In both, he speaks and writes with too animated a zeal, to be a cold deceiver; with too much sense, solidity and consistence, to be an enthu. siast."

Of our preceding reasonings this is the result;

THE RELIGION OF THE GOSPEL IS DIVINE.

This religion, if it be divine, must be supremely im. portant. Do you believe, that God has sent into the world a Saviour from heaven-has borne witness to him by miracles and wonders-has subjected him to death for our redemption, and raised him from the dead by his mighty power-has given support to the religion which this Saviour taught, and by a wonderful providence has conveyed it down to our day with full evidence of its heavenly origin? Do you believe all this?--Surely you must believe, that this is a religion in which mankind are infinitely concerned.-Come forward then; make an open profession of it, and tell the world, you are not ashamed of it.

VOL. III.

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