ii PREFACE.
pelled to receive his proofs at second hand, and
to content himself with a degree of conviction
inferior to that which would result from personal
investigation.
In arranging the historical evidences, it has
been usual to begin with establishing the authen-
ticity of the Scripture books, and on this to found
the argument for their credibility. This method
is liable to a grave objection, on account of the
obscurity that rests on the authorship of some of
the books. The foundation of the argument
ought to be undoubted truth, in order that the
conclusion may be received with unhesitating and
unwavering faith.
The method adopted in this work, founds the
first arguments on facts of which all men of ordi-
nary information have knowledge. It begins
with noticing some prominent singularities of the
Bible, discoverable by common observation, and
the aid of commonly received history ; and these
it notices, not so much for. the sake of argument,
as of inducement to enter on the study with ear-
nestness. We judge of a man's character by
what he does ; and the method here adopted
begins the inquiry into the character of the Bible,
by an examination of what it has done in the
