The Author of the first Epistle to the Cor. says, 15 ch. v. 4, that “Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, according to the Scriptures,” that is, according to the Old Testament, and he is supposed to ground this on the history of the prophet Jonas, who was three days and three nights in the fish’s belly:  though the cases do not seem to be parallel, for Jesus being buried on Friday evening, and rising on Sunday morning, was in the tomb but one day and two nights.

But most singular is the argument of the Apostle Paul (in his Epistle to the Galatians) to prove Christianity from the Old Testament.  “Tell me (says he, Gal. 4:  21,) ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law?  For it is written, that Abraham had two Sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman.  But he who was of the bond woman, was born after the flesh; but he who was of the free woman was by promise.  Which things are an Allegory.  For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  But this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her Children.  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all.  For it is written (Isaiah 54:  1,) “Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not, break forth, and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.”  Now, we Brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the Promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now.  But what saith the Scripture (Gen. 21:  10, 12,) Cast out the bond woman, and her son, for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.  So then, Brethren, we are not the children of the bond woman, but of the free.  Stand fast, therefore, in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

In fine, the Author of these Epistles reasons in the same singular manner from the Old Testament throughout; which is, according to him, (2 Tim. iii:  15,) “able to make men wise unto Salvation:”  asserting himself and others to be ministers of the New Testament, as being ministers, not of “the letter but of “the Spirit,” (2Cor. iii:  6.) That is.  Of the Old Testament, spiritually understood; and endeavouring to prove, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that Christianity was veiled and contained in the Old Testament, and was implied in the Jewish history, and Law, both which he considers as types and shadows of Christianity.

CHAPTER II.

STATEMENT of THE QUESTION IN DISPUTE.

How Christianity depends on the Old Testament, or what proofs are to be met with therein in behalf of Christianity, are the subjects of almost all the numerous books written by divines, and other apologists for Christianity, but the chief and principal of these proofs may be justly supposed to be urged in the New Testament itself, by the authors thereof; who relate the history of the first preaching of the Gospel, and profess themselves to be apostles of Jesus, or companions of the Apostles.