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tion of the Hindoos. In the classical story of the garden of the Hesperides, we may equally discover a tradition of the Mosaical Paradise, and of the promised Saviour who should bruise the head of the infernal dragon.

III. The FALL OF MAN and the Introduction of Sin into the World.

The Mosaic Narrative of these events agrees in the most striking manner, both with the obvious facts of labour, sorrow, pain and death. Whatever some may assert to the contrary, and however they may attempt to explain away that narrative, or attempt to prove it false; yet the evidently ruined condition of the human race would still remain as an undeniable fact; and the Mosaic Account of the Fall is confirmed by various historical traditions. Thus,

1. From the Fall of the Angels, in all probability, originated the Tradition of the Titans, and giants invading heaven.

2. The Disobedience of Eve is plainly alluded to in the legend of Pandora.

3. The Corruption and Depravation of Human Nature are frequent subjects of complaint among the ancient heathen moralists, philosophers and poets.

4. The form, assumed by the Tempter, has been handed down in the traditions of the most ancient nations, particularly the Persians, Hindoos, Greeks, Egyptians and Scythians, or Goths.

5. A conviction of the necessity of an Atonement for sin has universally prevailed, together with the practice of devoting piacular victims.

IV. The TRANSLATION of ENOCH

May be traced in the Grecian fables of the translation of their heroes and demi-gods, particularly of Hesperus and Astræa; and in the translation of Dhruva among the Hindoos; of Buddha among the Ceylonese, and of Xaca, among the Calmucks of Siberia.

V. The LONGEVITY of the Antideluvians

Is confirmed by various heathen writers, mentioned by Josephus: (Ant. Jud. lib. i. c. 3,) and the Mosaic account of Men of a Gigantic Stature is confirmed by the Greek and Roman poets and historians, particularly Pausanias, Philostratus, and Pliny.

VI. The Fact of the DELUGE is most completely attested both by Natural and Civil History.

1. Testimonies from NATURAL HISTORY.

The Mosaic narrative of the Deluge is confirmed by the fos

silised remains of animals belonging to a former world, which are found in every quarter of the globe, frequently on the summits of the most lofty mountains: and it is worthy of remark, that the remains of animals, belonging to one part of the globe, are often found in another part very distant. Further, the deep southern indentations on the different continents of the terraqueous globe, and the bold projecting capes on the north, corroborate the account of the ark drifting northwards.

2. Testimonies from CIVIL HISTORY.

[i] The paucity of mankind, and the vast tracts of uninhabited land, mentioned in the accounts of the first ages.

[ii] The late invention and progress of arts and sci

ences.

The fabulous nature of early history shows how little credit is due to the pretences to antiquity, made by the several nations among the heathens:-pretences, which have no support whatever from authentic history, but are grounded only on the uncertain calculations of astronomy, in which science they actually had but little or no skill.

[iii.] The universal tradition of this event, which has obtained among mankind in all ages.

The Chaldæans, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Goths, and Druids, the Persians, Hindoos, Burmese, Chinese, Mexicans, Peruvians, Brazilians, Nicaraguans, the inhabitants of Western Caledonia, the Otaheitans, and Sandwich Islanders, all bear testimony to this fact. The deluge is also mentioned by Berosus, Hieronymus the Egyptian, and Nicolaus of Damascus, according to Josephus; and by Alexander Polyhistor, Plato, Diodorus Siculus, and Lucian. It is most evidently alluded to in Ovid's description of Deucalion's flood, and Plutarch relates the same particulars of a dove sent out by Deucalion, as Moses records of the dove sent out by Noah.

Notwithstanding all these testimonies, the Mosaic narrative of the deluge has been objected to, as an improbable event, contrary to matter of fact.

OBJECTION 1.-The Ark could not contain all the anımals which are said to have entered it.

ANSWER.-The contrary has been satisfactorily demonstrated. Reckoning the cubit at eighteen inches, Dr. Hales has proved that the Ark was of the burden of 42,413 tons. (Analysis of Chronology, vol. i. p. 328.) Larger calculations have

been made, but the preceding is abundantly sufficient for our purpose.

OBJ. 2.-As the same causes produce the same effects, the Rainbow must have existed before the flood.

ANSWER. So it may, but not as a sign of the Covenant. The Hebrew word, which in Gen. ix. 13, is rendered set, ought to be rendered appoint; in which case the passage would run thus:-" I do APPOINT my bow in the cloud to be a sign or token of the covenant between me and the earth."

ОвJ. 3.-If all mankind sprang from one white pair, (Noah and his wife,) it is impossible to account for the origin of the blacks."

ANSWER.-This difference of colour does not invalidate the Mosaic Narrative: for it has been ascertained that the influence of climate, and the local circumstances of air, water, food, customs, &c. are abundantly sufficient to account for the dissimilarity in the appearance of different nations.

OBJ. 4.-The peopling of America and of several islands, in which mischievous terrestrial animals have been found, has also been urged as an objection to the universality of the deluge.

ANSWER.-The straits that divide North America from Tartary are so narrow, as to admit of a very easy passage from one continent to the other: and the resemblance found between the inhabitants of the opposite sides of that passage, and their uncivilised state and rude ignorance of the arts, prove them to have had one common origin.

VII. The BUILDING of the TOWER of BABEL

Is circumstantially mentioned by Berosus, a Chaldæan historian: according to Josephus, it is mentioned by Hestiæus and one of the ancient Sybils; and, as Eusebius informs us, by Abydenus and Eupolemus. That it was constructed with burnt bricks and bitumen, is attested by Justin, Quintus Curtius, and Vitruvius, and also by the relations of modern travellers.

VIII. The HISTORY of the DESTRUCTION of SODOM and GOMORRAH

Is attested by Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Solinus, Tacitus, Pliny, and Josephus, whose accounts mainly agree with the Mosaic Narrative: and their reports concerning the physical appearance of the Dead Sea are confirmed, in all material points, by the relations of all modern travellers.

IX. Ancient historians, cited by Josephus and Eusebius, make mention of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

X. The DEPARTURE of the Children of Israel from Egypt, and their miraculous passage of the Red Sea,

Are attested by Berosus, Artapanus, Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

XI. The HEATHEN WRITERS borrowed images from the accounts communicated in the Scriptures.

Such are the representations of their deities being veiled in clouds, &c.; together with several religious institutions, and other particulars.

XII. Many other occurrences related in the Old Testament appear to have given rise to various stories among the ancients

Thus, the Story of Iphigenia being sacrificed by her father Agamemnon, was borrowed from the circumstance of Jephthah's devoting his daughter. The story of Scylla having cut off the purple lock of her father, Nisus, and given it to his enemy, Minos, was in all probability taken from the history of Sampson's being shaved. Herodotus relates the departure of the sun from its course four times, which seems to refer to the times of Joshua and Hezekia. Numerous other instances occur, in which scripture characters and events are mentioned by heathen writers.

XIII. Lastly, the FERTILITY of the Soil of Palestine

Is confirmed by the unanimous testimony of ancient writers, as well as of most, if not all the travellers who have visited that country and, if Palestine were as well inhabited and as well cultivated as formerly, its produce unquestionably would exceed all calculation.

Besides the attestations from natural and profane history, we may consider the Jews themselves as bearing testimony, to this day, in all countries of the world, to the truth of their ancient history, that is, to the truth of the Old Testament. Allow this, and it will be easy to see, why they still persist in their attachment to that religion, those laws, and those predictions, which so manifestly condemn them, both in past times and in the present. Suppose, however, that any considerable alterations have been made in their ancient history, that is, any such alteration as may answer their purposes of infidelity, and their present state will be inexplicable.

$ 2.-Testimonies of Profane Writers to the Credibility of the NEW TESTA

MENT.

I. Testimonies of Jewish and Pagan Authors to the AcCOUNTS of PRINCES and GOVERNORS mentioned in the New Testament.

Thus, Josephus, the Jewish historian, and various ancient writers, mention Herod, Archelaus, Pontius Pilate, and other persons, whose names occur in the New Testament; and they differ but little from the Evangelical Historians, concerning their offices and characters.

II. The Evangelical Writers agree with Josephus, and with profane Authors respecting the SECTS, MORALs, and CUSTOMS of the Jews.

III. The CHARACTERS and PURSUITS of Heathen Nations, for instance, the Cretans, Athenians, &c. which are occasionally introduced in the New Testament, are corroborated by the testimonies of profane writers.

IV. Testimonies of JEWISH ADVERSARIES to the Name and Faith of Christ.

1. JOSEPHUS bears testimony to the character, miracles, and doctrines of Jesus Christ, in the eighteenth book of his Jewish Antiquities, Chap. iii. Sect. 3, which passage, though rejected by some writers as spurious, has been satisfactorily demonstrated to be genuine.

2. The TALMUDS, or Books containing the Jewish Traditions, the rabbinical constitutions, and explications of the law, though blended with falsehood, refer to the nativity of Jesus Christ; they relate his journey into Egypt; and do not deny that he performed numerous eminent miracles.

V. Testimonies of HEATHEN ADVERSARIES to the Christian Name and faith.

1. Mention is made of the LIFE and CHARACTER of JESUS CHRIST in the Acta Pilati, (which were an account sent by Pilate to Rome of the transactions that occurred in his province, and to which the Christian writers, Justin and Tertullian, appealed in their apologies;) and also in the writings of the heathen historians, Suetonius, Tacitus, Pliny, and Ælius Lampridius. And Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, who were the earliest learned opposers of the Christian Religion, bear evidence to the genuineness of the books received by Christians, and consequently to the truth of the history of the Life and Character of Jesus Christ.

2. To the INNOCENCY of LIFE, and constancy of the first Christians in the profession of their faith, explicit testimony is borne, during the Neronian persecution (A. D. 95,) by Tacitus Suetonius, Martial, and Juvenal: and the celebrated epistle of the Younger Pliny, which was written to the emperor Trajan,

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