II. Examine the evidence of Divine Truth, furnished by the the Scriptures; and the advantages which they possess for convincing, and persuading the mind.

In this examination the

1st Thing that meets us is, that the Scriptures were written by GOD; and were, therefore, written in the best manner, that was possible, to accomplish their end.

It will, I suppose, be admitted without a question, that the end, for which the Scriptures were written, is to persuade mankind to repentance and reformation. Much less can it be questioned, that the wisdom of God enabled him to discern the best manner of promoting this end, or that his goodness induced him to adopt it. The Scriptures, therefore, are actually written in this manner; and are in the highest degree fitted to effectuate this persuasion.

2dly. The things which are communicated in the Scriptures concerning our future existence, are in their nature the most solemn and impressive which can be conceived.

They are such, as God thought it wisest and best to communicate; and are therefore, certainly, the wisest and best possible. In their own nature also, and as they appear in themselves to our eyes, they possess an immeasurable solemnity and importance. The account which is there given of the judgment, of the final sentence, and the grounds on which it is uttered, of the glories of Heaven, and the miseries of Hell, is fraught with an awful and amazing grandeur, and a superlative interest, which overwhelm the imagination, and spread far beyond the utmost comprehension of the understanding. No objects can affect the mind equally with these; and no method of communicating them, equally with that contained in the Scriptures.

A person risen from the dead, might, I acknowledge, disclose a variety of particulars concerning this subject; and inform us of many things, which God has not thought proper to unfold in the Scriptures. I will readily admit, that in all probability they would be universally interesting. But, when the Scriptures assert, that they contain all things necessary for life, and for godVOL. II.

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liness, I cannot admit, that these communications, made by an inhabitant of the unseen world, would, upon the whole, be profitable to us. The secret things, we are told, belong to God; but those things, which are revealed, belong unto us, and to our chil dren, forever; that we may do all the words of his law. The se cret things are those, which GOD has hidden from us, or chosen not to reveal to us and these he has kept secret for the same benevolent purpose, for which he has revealed others: to wit, that he might enable and incline us to do all the words of his law. Had more been revealed; we should be less able and less inclined to perform this duty, as truly, as if he had revealed fewer. In other words, Revelation has stopped at the point, which, if we were competent judges, we should pronounce the best.

The communications, made by a person, risen from the dead; those, I mean, of which I have been speaking; would undoubtedly gratify in a high degree our curiosity; and might in an equal degree affect our hearts. But it can scarcely be doubted, that they would also awaken in us a thousand perplexities concerning a state of existence, so little like our own; and the particulars of which it must be so difficult to reconcile to our apprehensions of what is wise and proper, and to explain to our entire satisfaction. That, which was disclosed, would demand another disclosure, to unfold its nature and propriety; and that, another, and another, without end. The mysteries even of the present world are innumerable: and the efforts of Philosophy, after all its labours, have left most of them as it found them. They are mysteries still. In almost every science we find, after advancing a little way, scarcely any thing but perplexity, doubt, and despair. If this is the case in a world, in which we, and those who have gone before us, have lived so long, and laboured so much; what must be the case with regard to the disclosures of a single individual concerning the future world; a world so unlike our own; where all must be new, wonderful, and to such beings as we are chiefly inexplicable? Information, like this, could scarcely be favorable to the faith or reformation of mankind.

At the same time, there is no small reason to believe, that such amazing scenes, as those of futurity, when disclosed by one of its inhabitants, would in the proper sense, overwhelm our minds; and leave us utterly unqualified for rational thought, and useful exertion. When the mind is wrought up to a very high pitch of feeling; neither its views, nor its determinations, are usually of much value. As these things are presented in the Scriptures; they are certainly sufficiently awful. Few persons can meet them with a steady eye, or hear them without a tingling ear. Most attend to them, only when they are compelled; and turn away their attention from them as soon as it is in their power. Upon the whole, it may well be questioned, whether any thing would be gained towards the reformation of mankind by a further disclosure of these subjects, either more extended, or more minute.

3dly. Beside the things, which a person, risen from the dead, could unfold, the Scriptures afford many others pre-eminently important, and affecting.

In the Scriptures we are taught innumerable doctrins concerning the character, works, and government, of God; the character, mission, and mediation, of the Redeemer; the character, and offices, of the Holy Spirit; the ruin and recovery of man, the renovation of his soul, the justification and adoption of his person, and the purification of his life; concerning the dangers and duties, the hopes, comforts, and joys, of the Christian; his access to God by prayer for all blessings; and the communion with him, which it is so much the duty and the privilege of the Christian to maintain. All these doctrines are at once instructive, endearing, and persuasive; and have proved the means of salvation to many a sinner. To these must be added a long train of precepts and ordinances, naturally conspiring to promote, and actually promoting, the same important end. All these are advantages, of pre-eminent consequence towards the accomplishment of this great purpose, which are peculiar to the Scriptures; and could not be challenged by a person, risen from the dead. 4thly. All these things come directly from God himself, and are invested with his authority.

It will not be believed, that a person, risen from the dead, would, in any sense be an object, equally interesting with our Maker. Every thing, which is said in the Scriptures, is either expressly, or implicitly, prefaced with "Thus saith JEHOVAH." GOD, the Maker, and Disposer, of all beings; the Giver of life and death; the Ruler of Heaven, Earth, and Hell; the Judge, and Rewarder, of the good and the evil; has spoken to us every thing which is contained in the Scriptures. The Son of GOD, the Maker of men, himself the Judge and the Rewarder, actually spoke in person a great part of the doctrines and precepts contained in the Scriptures. All the instructions of this wonderful person were fraught with supreme wisdom and goodness; were delivered with unrivalled meekness and gentleness, with unlimited tenderness and condescension; and were enforced by an example, of transcendent beauty and glory. Surely, if the character of the teacher, the spirit displayed in his instructions, and the manner in which they were delivered, could persuade; persuasion would here be irresistible.

5thly. The Scriptures were attested by miracles, very numerous, and certainly not less solemn, and impressive than the resurrection of a man from the dead.

The Scriptures are sustained by a mass of evidence, wonderfully various, complicated, and affecting. A great multitude of its Doctrines and precepts, and all, which we are able to examine, are seen to be true in their own nature: and these lend a powerful support to the truth of those, which lie beyond our reach. History strongly sustains the whole. Another stable column is furnished to this great building by prophecy. It is also immoveably cemented, and strengthened, by the Harmony of its innumerable parts. Its superlative grandeur and sublimity compel us to refer it to a divine Architect. To the same reference we are still further directed by the purity of its materials. The portrait of the Saviour, and even those of his Apostles, and prophets, which adorn the walls of this magnificent temple, were also plainly drawn by a divine pencil, dipped in the colours of Heaven.

To all these, and many other, proofs of the divine origin of the Scriptures, Miracles add their peculiar strength. These as you know are almost endless in their multitude, and in their nature of supreme force and solemnity. Such are the Deluge; the confusion of Languages; the destruction of Sodom; and the wonders of Egypt, the Wilderness, and Canaan. Such, also, in an eminent degree were the Miracles wrought by Christ, and his Apostles.

Of this list not a small number were more solemn and more affecting, than the resurrection of a man from the dead. Such was the giving of the law from Mount Sinai; the appearance of the Angels to the Shepherds of Bethlehem; the descent of the Spirit, and the voice of GOD, at the baptism of our Saviour; and the awful events, which attended his crucifixion. Not a small number also were repetitions of the very miracle in question. Such, particularly, was the resurrection of the children of the widow of Zarephath and the Shunamite, of the daughter of Jairus, of the son of the widow of Nain, of Lazurus, and of Tabitha. Such in a still more affecting manner was the resurrection of the numerous saints, whose bodies ascended from the grave, to glorify him who is the Resurrection and the Life. Such finally, with a superlative solemnity and force, was the resurrection of Christ; attended by circumstances, awful and sublime without a parallel.

All these miracles, it is to be remembered, were events, accompanied with the highest evidence; were acknowledged without a question by those, who were witnesses of them; and have been evinced to be true, beyond every reasonable doubt, to the minds of those who have lived in succeeding ages; particularly of the great body of the wise and good, since the commencement of the Christian era.

Such, summarily, is the evidence of Divine Truth, furnished by the Scriptures and such are their advantages for convincing and persuading the mind. We are now prepared for a fair examination of the doctrine, declared in the text. I shall, therefore, III. Attempt to show, that the doctrine is true.