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and Thummim. His account of the original and design of that oracle considered.
The attempt he makes to destroy the credit of it, because of the part it had in
the war against the Benjamites for the injury done to the Levite and his concu-
bine at Gibeah. The whole transaction particularly considered. His account
of the ceasing of that oracle, and the reasons he assigns for it, examined. The
order of prophets, by his own confession, a wise and excellent institution. The
strange inconsistent representation he gives of their character and conduct. The
way he takes to account for their foretelling future events, shown to be insufficient.
Their predictions not merely general and ambiguous, but clear, express, and cir-
cumstantial. The difference between the false prophets and the true, considered.
No argument to be drawn from the former to the disadvantage of the latter.
Some general reflections on the attempt the author makes, to show that the prophets
were the great disturbers of their country, and that they were of persecuting prin-
ciples, enemies to toleration and liberty of conscience. It is shown that they were
the truest friends to their country, and that if their counsels had been hearkened to,
its ruin would have been prevented. His invective against the prophet Samuel,
whom he represents as the founder of the prophetic order. His pretence that
he kept Saul twenty years out of the exercise of the royal power, after he was
chosen king. The account he gives of Samuel's quarrel against Saul for deposing
him from the high-priesthood, and of the several plots laid by him for the destruc-
tion of that prince, especially in the affair of the Amalekites, considered. In what
sense it is said that it repented God that he had made Saul king. That this was not
a pretence of Samuel to cast his own follies and want of foresight upon the Al-
mighty. David's character considered and vindicated. His behaviour towards
Saul shown to be noble and generous. Notwithstanding the faults he was guilty
of, in his general conduct he was an excellent person. Concerning his dancing
before the ark. The author's base representation of it. Lord S- -y's account
of it, and of the saltant naked spirit of prophecy considered.
The author's charge against the apostles, examined. His pretence that they them-
selves were far from claiming infallibility, considered. It is shown that they did
profess to be under the unerring guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in
publishing the gospel of Jesus; and that they gave sufficient proofs to convince
the world of their divine mission. The attestations given to Christianity and to
the doctrines taught by the apostles, by the extraordinary gifts and powers of
the Holy Ghost, considered and vindicated, against our author's exceptions.
His pretence that those gifts of the Holy Ghost might be used like natural facul-
ties and talents, according to the pleasure of the persons who were endowed with
them, either for the promoting truth or error; and that the false teachers, as
well as the true, had those extraordinary gifts and powers, and made use of
them in confirmation of their false doctrines, examined at large.
The miracles wrought by Moses vindicated against the author's objections. The
case of the Egyptian sorcerers, and their miracles, considered. His attempt to
prove that Moses might have been assisted by some supernatural evil power, be-
cause his miracles were wrought not for the good, but for the destruction of man-
kind, and were done out of a particular partiality to the Israelites. The nature
of those miracles, and the end for which they were wrought, prove they could
not be the work of an evil being. The miracles of Jesus Christ vindicated. Not.
merely wrought to procure attention from the people, but designed as proper
proofs and attestations to his divine mission, and the truth and divine authority
of his laws and doctrine. The wonderful effects of Christ's miracles not owing
to the strength of imagination. The extraordinary miraculous facts, wrought in
attestation of the Mosaical and Christian dispensation, come to us with sufficient
evidence to make it reasonable for us to believe the truth of these facts.
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