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CHAP. XIV.

CHAP. XV.

The self-evident authority of the Scriptures-The view the
Scriptures give of God-of his character as manifested in

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AFTER the view that has been taken of the History, Miracles, Types, and Prophecies, of the Old Testament Scriptures, it is of importance to attend to the effect which, by their means, was produced. This effect, as might be anticipated, was very great. A general expectation was excited throughout the world, that at the period determined by the Prophets, a great King would appear in Judea, whose dominion was to be universal.

The whole nation of Israel was full of this expectation. Luke, the sacred historian, speaking of John, the forerunner of the Messiah, says, "The people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he was the Messiah or not." On the appearance of John, "the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, "Who art thou? but he confessed, I am not the Christ.-And they which were sent were of the Pharisees." On witnessing one of the miracles of Jesus Christ, the multitude exclaimed, “Of a truth, this is that Prophet that should come into the world."

Celsus, the philosopher, who lived in the second century, in opposing Christianity avails himself of this

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general expectation of the Messiah that existed among the Jews. Assuming the character of a Jew, he says, "How could we, who had told all men that there would come one from God, who should punish the wicked, despise him when he came?" "The prophets," he adds, "say that he who is to come is great, and a Prince, and Lord of all the earth, and of all the nations and armies." In another place he observes, "The contentions between the Jews and Christians are very silly, both sides believing that it had been foretold by the Spirit of God, that a Saviour of mankind is to come. But they do not agree whether he who has been prophesied of is come or not,"

A proof of this expectation is found in the appearance of false Messiahs. At the period when the true Messiah appeared, a great number of pretenders to that character started up. No false Messiahs are heard of before that age, nor have there been so many in any subsequent age. But when the prophetical weeks of Daniel drew to a conclusion, these pretenders were very numerous, and deceived many, both of the Jews and Samaritans.

This expectation was not confined to the Jews. It was general throughout the world. By means of the seventy years of captivity in Babylon, from which many of the Jews never returned, together with the subsequent revolutions that befell their nation, they were dispersed all over the world. But wherever they went, they retained their religion, and carried with them the Scriptures, which were publicly read in their synagogues every Sabbath-day. The prophecies thus repeated by the Jews, became familiar to their heathen neighbours, and were received as predictions of their own oracles. By this means also, the glimmering light

of the ancient patriarchal traditions began to be revived. Poets and others, reminded of the "golden age," and adopting the magnificent ideas of Jewish prophecy, foretold that it would be again restored to the world.

It is not surprising that the early promises concerning the Messiah, and the important changes he was to produce, should have been handed down among the nations, especially throughout the East among the different descendants of Abraham. Various traditions, more or less distinct, such as that which perpetuated the original form of worship by sacrifice, still subsisted in all quarters of the world. Whether or not the first Sibylline oracles at Rome contained any of these original predictions, cannot now be ascertained, as they were always kept secret, and only brought forward to serve the purposes of the government. Although the Sibyls were probably imaginary persons, and the story of the manner in which Tarquin possessed himself of these books was entirely fabulous, they may have contained, along with much fiction, a mixture of traditional truth, derived from the early ages. But however this may be, it is certain that there were such prophetical intimations in the second Sibylline books.

About a century before the Christian era, the first Sibylline books were destroyed by a fire which broke out in the Capitol, and consumed the temple where these writings were deposited. The Roman senate deemed it of so much importance to repair the loss, that they sent some of their number to make a new collection of them in different parts of Asia, in the islands of the Archipelago, in Africa, and in Sicily. The deputies after some time returned, with about 1000 verses in the Greek language, which they had collected from

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