XCI. In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. Matthew, xviii. 16. A FACT is always strengthened by the number of witnesses, if their evidence agree. In this view, it is a great argument in favour of Christianity, that the truth of it is proved by so great a number for every book of the New Testament, in all twenty-seven, may be considered as a separate witness. These books were written from various parts — at various times — on various occasions and to various people. Yet they all agree in favour of the great facts and doctrines of Christianity; and this seems to form a very decisive proof of its truth. If so many witnesses, so gathered together, should unite, without faltering, in proving the several particulars of a falsehood, it would be little less than miraculous. Truth only can connect them. It may be objected, that St. Paul's epistles should be considered only as the evidence of one person. But as these epistles were written at different times on different occasions - and to different people, each may well be considered as a single witness. If, however, we reduce their several testimonies to one, we shall have eleven witnesses still left, which, if none of them are challenged, are enough to prove any fact. XCII. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. vii. 24. ST. PAUL, who is often exceedingly animated, is no where more so than in this passage. After lamenting the inability of man in the pursuit of moral perfection after bewailing the perverseness of his will -the violence of his bad passions, and the inactivity of every religious principle in controlling them - the apostle seems to clothe death, which follows all this mischief, into a frightful monster; and, as if terrified with the horrid image he had conceived, cries out, in the distress of nature, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? — Then, as if looking round for assistance, and seeing nothing on any side able to protect him, he embraces the redemption by Christ, as the only thing on which he can depend. I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. This This subject might be detailed by considering man first in a state of nature, and afterwards in a state of grace; comparing the evils of the one with the advantages of the other. XCIII. Now we see through a glass darkly. - THE ignorance of man, rightly considered, leads him often to his truest wisdom. The observation, indeed, respects every part of human knowledge. In arts, in sciences, as well as in religion, when a man with full confidence in himself thinks he knows every thing, his knowledge is always superficial, and his progress at a stand. I shall confine my observations, however, on this subject, to the study of the Scriptures, the difficulties of which arise chiefly from our ignorance of the state of things when the Scriptures were written. - Difficulties from this source we ought to expect, and, therefore, should not be surprised to find them. Let us first take the book of Genesis into our hands. The history of the fall is undoubtedly full of wonder. But the introduction of evil hath always |