CHAPTER VII.

POSITIVE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY.

Having considered the objections both to the general scheme of Christianity, and to particular doctrines in it, it only remains to consider the positive evidence of its truth; _i.e._ what analogy teaches with regard to that evidence.

There are many evidences of Christianity, beside those from miracles or prophecy, which are the principal; embracing a great variety of proofs, direct and collateral, and reaching through all past time. We shall now consider the proofs from MIRACLES and PROPHECY.

I. _Miracles._

=1.= Bible history gives the same evidence for the miracles described, as for common events.

1.) The miracles are evidently not put in for ornament, as speeches are by historians and poets put into the mouths of heroes.

2.) The accounts of them have been quoted as genuine, by various writers, from that day to this.

3.) These accounts are confirmed by subsequent events; and the miracles alone, can account for those events.

4.) The only fair way of accounting for these statements, and their reception in the world, is that the things really happened.

5.) The statements should be admitted till disproved, even if doubtful.

=2.= Paul’s Epistles have evidences of genuineness, beyond what can attach to mere history.

1.) _Additional._ His evidence is quite detached. He received the gospel not in common with the other apostles, but separately, and direct from Christ, _after_ his ascension.

2.) _Peculiar._ He speaks of Christ’s miracles and those of others _incidentally_, as familiar facts, fully believed by those to whom he wrote.

=3.= Christianity demands credence on the ground of its miracles, and was so received by great numbers, at the time and on the spot; which is the case with no other religion.

1.) Its first converts embraced it on this ground.

2.) It is not conceivable that they would have done so, at such fearful sacrifice, unless fully satisfied of the truth of these miracles.

3.) Such a profession and sacrifices furnish the same kind of evidence as if they had testified to the truth of the miracles in writing.

4.) It is real evidence, for they had full opportunity to inform themselves.

5.) It is a sort of evidence _distinct_ from direct history, though of the same nature.

6.) Men are suspicious as well as credulous, and slow to believe _against their interests_, as these did.

=4.= It lies upon unbelievers to show why all this array of proof is to be rejected; but in such an important concern we shall proceed to notice some possible objections.

_Objec._ 1. Enthusiasts make similar sacrifices for idle follies.

_Ans._ 1. This objection ignores the distinction between opinions and facts. Suffering for an opinion is no proof of its truth; but in attestation of observed facts, it is proof.

2. Enthusiasm _weakens_ testimony, it is true, even as to facts; and so does disease, _in particular instances_. But when great numbers, not weak, nor negligent, affirm that _they_ saw and heard certain things, it is the fullest evidence.

3. To reject testimony on the ground of enthusiasm, requires that the things testified be _incredible_; which has not been shown, as to religion, but the contrary.

4. Religion is not the only thing in regard to which witnesses are liable to enthusiasm. In common matters, we _get at the truth_ through witnesses, though influenced by party spirit, custom, humor, romance, &c. &c.

_Objec._ 2. Enthusiasm and knavery may have been combined in the apostles and first Christians.

_Ans._ Such a mixture is often seen, and is often reproved in Scripture; but not more in religious than in common affairs. Men in all matters deceive themselves and others, in every degree, yet human testimony is good ground of belief.

_Objec._ 3. Men have been deluded by false miracles.

_Ans._ Not oftener than by other pretences.

_Objec._ 4. Fabulous miracles have historical evidence.

_Ans._ 1. If this were equal to that for Scripture miracles, the evidence for the latter would not be _impaired_. The objection really amounts to this, that evidence proved not to be good, destroys evidence which is good and unconfuted! Or to this, that if two men, of equal reputation, testify, in _cases not related_ to each other, and one is proved false, the other must not be believed!

2. Nothing can rebut testimony, but proof that the witness is incompetent, or misled.

3. Against all such objections must be set the fact that Christianity was too serious a matter to allow the first converts to be careless as to its evidence; and also that their religion forbid them to deceive others.

II. _As to the evidence from prophecy._

=1.= Obscurity as to _part_ of a prophecy does not invalidate it, but is, as to us, as if that part were not written, or were lost. We may not see the whole prophecy fulfilled, and yet see enough fulfilled to perceive in it more than human foresight.

=2.= A _long series_ of prophecies, all applicable to certain events, is proof that such events were intended. This answers the objection that _particular_ prophecies were not intended to be applied as Christians apply them.

Mythological and satirical writings greatly resemble prophecy. Now we apply a parable, or fable, or satire, merely from seeing it _capable_ of such application.

So if a long series of prophecies be _applicable_ to the present state of the world, or to the coming of Christ, it is proof that they were so _intended_.

Besides, the ancient Jews, _before_ Christ, applied the prophecies to him, just as Christians do now.

=3.= If it could be shown that the prophets did not understand their own predictions, or that their prophecies are capable of being applied to other events than those to which Christians apply them, it would not abate the force of the argument from prophecy, even with regard to those instances. For,

1.) To know the whole meaning of an author we must know the whole meaning of his book, but knowing the meaning of a book is not knowing the whole mind of the author.

2.) If the book is a _compilation_, the authors may have meanings deeper than the compiler saw. If the prophets spoke by inspiration, they are not the authors, but the writers of prophecy, and may not have known all that the Divine Spirit intended. But the fulfilment of the prophecy shows a foresight more than human.

REMARK.

This whole argument is just and real; but it is not expected that those will be satisfied who will not submit to the perplexity and labor of understanding it; or who have not modesty and fairness enough to allow an argument its due weight; or who wilfully discard the whole investigation.

THE GENERAL ARGUMENT

We _now_ proceed to THE GENERAL ARGUMENT embracing both direct and circumstantial evidence. A full discussion would require a volume, and cannot be expected here; but _something_ should be said, especially as most questions of difficulty, in practical affairs, are settled by evidence arising from circumstances which confirm each other.

The thing asserted is that God has given us a revelation declaring himself to be a moral governor; stating his system of government; and disclosing a plan for the recovery of mankind out of sin, and raising them to perfect and final happiness.

I. _Consider this revelation as a history._

=1.= It furnishes an account of the world, as God’s world.

1.) God’s providence, commands, promises, and threatenings.

2.) Distinguishes God from idols.

3.) Describes the condition of religion and of its professors, in a world considered as apostate and wicked.

4.) Political events are related as affecting religion, and not for their importance as mere political events.

5.) The history is continued by prophecy, to the end of the world.

=2.= It embraces a vast variety of other topics; natural and moral.

1.) Thus furnishing the largest scope for criticism.

2.) So that _doubts_ of its truth confirm that truth, for in this enlightened age the claims of a book of such a nature could be easily and finally shown to be false, if they were so.

3.) None who believe in natural religion, hold that Christianity has been thus confuted.

=3.= It contains a minute account of God’s selecting one nation for his peculiar people, and of his dealings with them.

1.) Interpositions in their behalf.

2.) Threats of dispersion, &c. if they rebelled.

3.) Promises of a Messiah as their prince; so clearly as to raise a general expectation, &c.

4.) Foretelling his rejection by them, and that he should be the Savior of the Gentiles.

=4.= Describes minutely the arrival of the Messiah, and his life and labors; and the result, in the establishment of a new religion.

II. _As to the authenticity of this history._

Suppose a person ignorant of all history but the Bible, and not knowing even that to be true, were to inquire into its evidence of authenticity, he would find,

=1.= That natural religion owes its establishment to _the truths_ contained in this book. This no more _disproves_ natural religion, than our learning a proposition from Euclid, shows that the proposition was not true before Euclid.

=2.= The great antiquity of revelation.

=3.= That its chronology is not contradicted but confirmed by known facts.

=4.= That there is nothing in the history itself to awaken suspicion of its fidelity.

1.) Every thing said to be done in any age or country, is conformable to the manners of that age and country.

2.) The characters are all perfectly natural.

3.) All the domestic and political incidents are credible. Some of these, taken alone, seem strange to _some_, in _this_ day; but not more so than things now occurring.

4.) Transcribers may have made errors, but these are not more numerous than in other ancient books; and none of them impair the narrative.

=5.= That profane authors confirm Scripture accounts.

=6.= That the credibility of the _general_ history, confirms the accounts of the miracles, for they are all interwoven, and make but one statement.

=7.= That there certainly was and is such a people as the Jews; whose form of government was founded on these very books of Moses; and whose acknowledgment of the God of the Bible, kept them a distinct race.

=8.= That one Jesus, of Jewish extraction, arose at the time when the Jews expected a Messiah, was rejected by them, as was prophesied, and was received by the Gentiles, as was prophesied.

=9.= That the religion of this Jesus spread till it became the religion of the world, notwithstanding every sort of resistance; and has continued till now.

=10.= That the Jewish government was destroyed, and the people dispersed into all lands; and still for many centuries, continue to be a distinct race, professing the law of Moses. If this separateness be _accounted for_, in any way, it does not destroy the fact that it was _predicted_.

CONCLUSION.

=1.= Recapitulation of the preceding ten observations.

=2.= Add the fact that there are obvious appearances in the world, aside from the Jews, which correspond to prophetic history.

=3.= These appearances, compared with Bible history, and with each other, in _a joint view_, will appear to be of great weight, and would impress one who regarded them for the first time, more than they do us who have been familiar with them.

=4.= The preceding discussion, though not thorough, amounts to proof of something more than human in this matter.

1.) The sufficiency of these proofs may be denied, but the _existence_ of them cannot be.

2.) The conformity of prophecies to events may be said to be accidental, but the _conformity itself_ cannot be denied.

3.) These collateral proofs may be pronounced fanciful, but it cannot be said they are _nothing_. Probabilities may not amount to demonstration, but they remain probabilities.

=5.= Those who will set down all seeming completions of prophecy, and judge of them by the common rules of evidence, will find that _together_ they amount to strong proof. Because probable proofs, added together, not only increase evidence, but multiply it.

=6.= It is very well to observe objections; but it should be remembered that a mistake on one side is far more dangerous than a mistake on the other; and the safest conclusion is the best.

=7.= Religion, like other things, is to be judged by all the evidence taken together. Unless _all_ its proofs be overthrown, it remains proved. If no proof singly were sufficient, the whole taken together might be.

=8.= It is much easier to start an objection, than to comprehend the united force of a whole argument.

=9.= Thus it appears that the positive evidence of revelation cannot be destroyed, though it should be lessened.