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GffliSTlANlTY.
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IN THRiC PART*.
■ ■ (■ ■•- i>' J. :
BY WiujiUlI PALBI, »J).
;■■ A NEtr BmiioNJ
I^INTKDtl^D PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM MI LNEE,
1
H
cr
";#
«3
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f ■ ,v
CONTENTS,
BVlDKirCES OF CHBkSTIANITt.
DkDICATION to, . . '
*^P«««nrC!««MerMloo..-OftI»«rt«e«l«
^-^^ .■ ■■ . V V;- -^^ ■ •...••;j. • • • •■•>•»
'.'■'• ■■■"■"•• ■. ■■ PAST L '- '- " '.'
°1™" ^"X"'^"*^*' »VID.IIC. or CH«MT,AM,TT,
ALLKafDrOB6TB»BIUSACI.BS .'. ■
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■'■ ■-':'■ '-y,<: ■--[■■'■ •'Proposition L ,^.:. ■:■■;-!
mltt«I,fh»lh.««.«^,^tonewnU«ofcon4oi. . .
CHAF.IV.»Dli»e»«Cfcieiieoflli,^* * * ^ * *S
^L zT^l'** "*^' •^ '^w* «^ 'ta.* p»oi««^
CI»to»taiil«ywft»wI,WM«i*wnilM» , •■"i-pmw" or
CHAP. VIL-1*., It w«, to Ih. «,.. .i, ^ -^^ „-^ ^»
now woTod by tadinet ooaddinttow . , . . ; .ft*'
J-
'#•■
vl CONTENTS.
Chaf. VIIL— TktHHMprarad.lkiBiUieanlbaillyoroarliktort-
Ml Bcriptuiw • ' • ••
CHAVi IX.— OfUw«ahwrtMtroftl»liltiori«agerijlBW«.iaal»-
A SWT. L-QogtMioM of tlw.^lila«jteal Seriv*^
tiMiwrlttn • • • ^*^-^»* • * • •.■• •■•
* SacT. IL— orttepMoUwiitpAt'wIthwbUhlbty w«« VMled . 1«
' ncT. IIL— TlwSerlplBrMfrenlavif7«ftrirliiBM«eUaetMltato
adMineltolaBM . . • . vl'*
ISCT. IV—AnadittlfHttlrtwd bjr apgnvrtaU bmbm aad tfOw «r
IMpMl • • • •» • •«• • ••. ••7>
SBCB. ▼.— Wen pnbUdjr nwl aad nremm in Om nUfioas ■■•
MBiUlMantewrtyOkfialiMH . . 'Hi
SiOT. VL—OoHUMntailat, ace. w«n ■ndwtly vriMni npon fib*
u Seriptnm • . •*• • . H
■BCT. VIL~Tlwy wwi— elwdtey—ctoBtCl iri i H MMofdMfciwtt
^.-
SBCT. TIIL-TlM fkNir OoqM^ «m Aeli •! tht AyoMlM. OdilMlk
BpbOM «r 8«iM FMd, Om Flnt SpUtUi oT Mm, Mid tlw Pint
or PMtr. w«n nMind wMmhI don^ by flMM who dMMtd ^M- /
crtah^lfatcttwrboolMofaig pn M iit Maoa . ./m
SBCV. IX.-OMr«i«niitOaiv«to tnn i w m Mi i n i l by m» tOnamf '
riM or ObiMiMKy. •§ eoottiiilaf ih* JMOooBts cvw tAkh tk^
vrtigioawMllmiidad ... ]• IV^
SaoT. X.— roma flUtakfqM or aottmite Seriplium «oi« pi^
llahed.iaani*bieboiir|w«MiilCk>ipdaw«nindnded . . Ill
SBCT. XL— Tho aboni ptopo olO oM ««MMt bt pndlsoM «r thon
bodkawhidian oonilap^ eallodafoaqrvbtf boolu or lb* Now
'..VnluiMBk • • p • • • •■* « lu
CMAf. X.— EocopitaUtioa .' . .,1M
J
PBCMPOSITION IL
I ' '^
OOAP. L— That then to rnVsMilMMtory orldaieo. tiiak
pntondlm IB bo ortgiaal wltwoim or any otfaor riBOlar talnOM,
ban aolod ia tiM nan BMOBtr. tai altiiltfliM or tho aooooMs
wbtab tboy dollf«nd, and nMy to oaOoeqiMaoo or OMtar brlioT or
IbotralhoraMMoaBMaali .
CHAVi IL— OoaiHontlBii vtmm
iWS
^ TBI AOZILUmT BTIOiMCai Or ClUUmAinTT. ^ j
Crap. 1. Piopbtty « . .. . .'•• 181
CHAP. II.-tbtnoralityoribeOkMfel . . . . . It|
ChaP. II L— The eatuUur of (be wrtten of tbe Now Teitament . Sit
hlrtHK
v%.
. . IM
. . lt|
Bcnt . HI
■ it.
'J
I ' TO THU
HONOURABLR AND RlQHT REVEREND
JAMES YORK, D.Dl
LOBD BISBOP OP BLY.
MY-I4ORD, ^ ■ - ^," . ■ / ''. ^ . ' ^-
Whbn, live yean ago, m impormnt statioi^ in thej^
Unlverrity of Cunbiidge awaited your Lordship's disposal,
you were pleased to offer' it to me. Tlie drcumstantces
ubder which' this offer was made, cFemand a public acknow-
ledgment. I, had never seen yQ;ur Lorddiip; 'I possessed
no coimexibn which could possibly recommend me to your
favour ; I was known to youj only by my endeavours, in
common with many Qthen, to discbarge my duty as a tutor
in the Univerrity ; and by s^me Very imperfect, but cer--
tainly well-intended, and,' as you thought, iueful publica-
tions since. In an a|^e by no means wanting in examples
ofhopourablepatrona^, although this deserves not to be
mentioned in respect of the object of your Lordship's choice,
it is faiferior to none in the piuityand disinterestedness of
the molivtM Miiich suggested it.
How ihe following work may be recrtved, I pretend not
to foretel; My /^rst prayer concerning it is, that it may do
^ood (o anyymy second, hope, that it may assist, what It
nalJi always/oeen my earnest wish to promote, the reH^ous
part 'of an;acadeniteal edtil&ation. If in this latter view it
might sMfm, in any degree^ to excuse your Lordship's judg-
ment of its author, I shall be gratifted by the reflection, that,
to a If^uubaess flowing from public principles, L have made
the /best public retfamipi my power. * '
in the mean time, and in ^very vfmt, I ri^ioice in ttie
c^portunity here afforded me, of testifying the sense I
entertain of your Lordship's conduct, and (tf a notice which
1 regard as tiie most flattering distinl|||on of my life.
lam, MyLobd,
. Witl> sentiments of gratitude and respect,. '
. "I y Vour Lorasliip*s fliithfiU
* / * And most obliged servant,
" V -, - * W. PALEY.
EVIDENCES OF CHRI
TY.
;-^-
■^
PRKPAaAtOBT 00KSn>EBATION& '
I DBBM it unnecesi^ary to prove, that mankind
stood in n^ed of a revelation, because I ;have met
with no serious person who thinks that, even under
the Christian revelation, \vp have too much light, or
any degree of asyuance^ which is superfluous. I de-
sire, moreover, that in judging df Christianity, it
may M remembered, that the question lies between
this reli;|iOn and none : for if the Christian religion
be not credible, no one, with whom we have to dp^
will support the pretensions' of any pther^^,
Siqpjpose, then, the world we liye i£rto have had
It Creator; suppose it to appear, from the predominant
aim aiid tendency or the provislonfS and cttj^jtivances
observable in the universe^Jhat the Deity, when he
formed it, consulted for the happiness of his sensitive
creation ; suppose the d»p<Kiition which dictated this
counsel to continue; sid^poscirapart of the creation
to have received faciUtie^ from tlieir Maker, by which
they are c^[>able of rendering a moral obedience to
his will, and of voluntarily pursuing any end for
which he has designed them ; suppose the^Creator to
intend for these, his rational and accountable agents, -
a second state of existence, in which theif situation
will be regulated by their behaviour in the first, state,
by which stqpposition (and by no otherV the objection
to the divine government in not puttii^a di^ren^
between Ihe gjwd and the bad, and the inconsistency
of this omfiision with the .care and benevolence di»-
*»
%-l
# , ■
^
T it
.2
EVIDENCES OF
n
» ' •» e»
■)»*■
^
coverable in the works of the Deity, is done awiv
suppose it to be of the utmost importance to the sui!
jects of this dispensation to loiow whit is intended
for them; that is, suppose the knowledge of it to be
highly conducive tp the happiness of the species, a
purpose which so many provisions of nature are 4l-
culated to promote; suppose, jnevertheless, almost the
whole race, either by the imperfection of their fiwjul-
ties, the misfortune of their situation, or by the loss of
some prior revektion, to %ant this knowledge, and
not to be likely without the ai^ of a new revelation to
attam it:— under these circumstances, is it improba-
ble that a revelation should be made ? is it incredible
tiiat liod should interpose for such a purpose ? Sup-
pose him to design for mankind a future state; is it
unlikely that he should acquaint them with it ?
Now in what way can a revelation be made but by
miracles ? In none which we are able to conceive
Consequently in whatever degree it is probable, or not
very improbable, that a revelation should be com-'
munioited to mankind at all ; in the same degree is'
it probable or noti^very improbable, that miracles
shoiUd be wrought. Therefore when miracles are re-
/ated to have been wrought in the promulgating of
a revelation manifestly wanted, and, if true, of ines-
timable value, the improbability which arises from the
miraculous nature of the things related, is not greater
than the original improbability that such a reveUtion
should be imparted by God.
I wish it however to be correctly imderstood, in
what manner, and to what extent, this argument is
alleged. We do not assump the attributes of the
l^eity, or the existence of a future state, in order__:
to prove the reality of miracles. That reality always
must- be proved by evidence. We assert <mly tlwt
m miracles adduced in support of revelation, there is
WQt a n y wnffh antec e dent improbabilHy^iwirtrtestimonr
«ih surmDwit. And for the purpose of maintainlntf
this assertion, we contend that the incredibility of
miracles related to have been wrought in attestation
.■ >\
r CHRISTIANFTY, fi
of a message firom.God, conveying intelligence of a fu-
ture state of ren^-ards and punishments, and teaching
mankind how to prepare them^elvds for that state,
is not in itself greater than the event, call it either
probable «r improbable, of the two following proposi-
tions being true: namely, first, that a future state. of
- existence should be destined by God for his human
creation; and, secondly, that being so destined, he
should acquaint them with it. It is not necessary
fur our purpose, that these propositions be ci^le of
proof, or even that by arguments drawn from thelUbt
of nature, they can bo made out td be^ probable ; ^p
enou^ tiuki we are able to say concerning them, that
they are not so viplentty improbable, so contradictory
to what we ab-eady believe of 'the divine power and/
character, that either the propositions themselves, or
facts strictiy connected with the propositions (and
therefore no farther improbable than they are impro-
bable), ought to ^ rejected at first sight, and to be
rejected by whatever strength or complication of evi-
dence they be attested.
This is the prejudication we would resist. For to
this length does a modem objection to miracles go,
vii., that no human testimony can in any case render
them credible. I think vthe reflection above stated,
that if there be a reveUtion, there must be n^iracles,
and that under the circumstances in which the human
species are placed, a revelation is not improbable, or
not improbable in any great degree, to be a fair an-
swer to the whole objection.
But since it is an objection which stands in the
very threshold of our argument, and, if admitted, is
a bar to eveiy proof, and to all future reasoning upon
the subject, it may be necessary, before we proceed
ftrther, to examine the principle upon which it pro-
S^ ,*f*, ^ ^*^^^^ i "^H hlth principle is coocisely this,
That it I»4)«ntrary to experience tlut v^mlruis lAbuld
be true, but not contrary to experience that testimony
should be fi^se. '
Now there Appears a small ambiguity in the term
^
'"4
'.■R "V'^s'f^^r't'
^
EVIDENCES OF
-*i
'i^xperience,' aiid in the phrases ' contrary to experi-
ence,' or 'contradicting experience,' which it may be
necessary to remove in the first place. Strictly spealc-
ing, the narrative of a &ct is ihen only contrary to ex-
perience, when the fact is related to have existed at
a time and place, at which time and place we being
present did not perceive it to exist; as if it should
be asserted that, in a particular room, and at a particu-
lar hour of a certain day, a man was raised from the
dead, in which room, and at the time specified, we'
beipg present, and looking on, perceived no such
event to have taken place. Here the assertion is con-
trary to experience, properly so called: and tliis is
a contrariety which no evidence can surmoimt. It
patters nothing whetlier the fact be of a miraculous
nature or not. But ialthough this be the experience
and the Contrariety, wliich archbishop Tillutson al-
^ged in the quotation with which Mr Hume opens
his essay, it is certainly not tliat experience, nor tliat
contrariety, wliich Mr Hume himself intended to ob.
ject. And, short of tliis, I know no intelligible sig-
nification which can be aflixed tO' tlie term * contrary
to experience,' but one, viz., that of not having our-
selves experienced any thing similar to the tjn'ng
related, or such things not being generally experi-
enced by others. I say *hot generally,' for to state
concerning the fact in question, that no such thing
was ever experienced, or tlut universal experience is
against it, is to assume the subject of tlie controversy.
Now the improbability which arises from the want
(for this properly is a want, not a contradiction) of ex-
perience, |i only equal to the probability there is that,
if the thing were true, we should experience things
similar to it, or thafc such things would be generally
experienced. Suppose it then to be true that mira-
cles wore wrought on the first promulgation of Chris-
tianity, when nothing but miracles could decide Its
'^authority. Is It certain IhJEtl such mirMTe¥wdii1dl>ei^
peated so often, and in so many places, as to become
objects of general experience ? Is it a prubability
CHRISTIANITY. 6
approaching to certainty ? is it a probability of any
great strength or force ? la it suc^ as no evidence caii
encounter ? And yet this probabilify is tlie exact .
converse t and therefore the exact measure, of the '
improbability which arises from the want of experi-
ence, and-which Mr Hume represents as invincible
by human testimony.
, It is not like alleging a new law of nature, or a
new experiment in natural philosophy ; because, when
these are related, it is expected that, uitder the same cir-
cumstances, the same effect wJll follow universally ; and
in proportion as this expectation is justly entertained,
the want of a corresponding experience negatives tlie
history. But to expect concerning a miracle, that
it should succeed upon repetition, is to expect that
which would make it cease to be a miracle, which
is contrary to its nature as such, and would totally ^
destroy the use and purpose for which it was wrought. ^
The force of experience as an objection to miracles,'
is founded in the presumption, either that the course
of nature is invariable, or that, if it be ever varied,
variations will be frequent and general. Has the neces-
sity of this alternative been demonstrated ? Permit
us to call the. course of nature tli© agency of ,,an in-
telligent Being; and is there any good reason for
judging this state of the case to be probable ? Ought
we not rather to expect that sucha Being, on occa-
sions of peculiar importance, may iittemipt the order
which he had appointed, yet that such occasions
should return seldom ; that these interruptiona con-
sequently should be confined to the experience of a
few; that tlie virant of it, therefore, in many, should
be matter neither of surprise nor objection ?
But as a continuatiqp of the argument from expe-
rience, it is said, that, when we advance accounts of
miracles,, we assign efl^ts without causes, or we at-
trlbute effects to causes inadequate to the f u rp ose, or
s
to caiuM of the openttJon of which we have no ex-
perience. Of what causes, we may ask, and of what
effects does the objection speak ? If it be answered,
W ^ EVIDENCES OF
that when w« ascribe the cure of the palsv to a touch
of blindness to the ano^ting of the eyes with clayi
or the raising of the dead to a word, we lay our-
selves open to this imputaUon ; we reply that we as-
cribe no such efltets to such causes. We perceive
no virtue or energy in these things more than in
other things of the same kind. They are merely
^^ signs to connect the miracle with its end. ' The et
feptwe ascribe simply to the volition of the Deity :
of whose existence and power, not to say of whcwe
presence uid agency, %e have previous and indepen-
dent piroof. We have therefore all we seek for in
. the works of rational agents,— a sufficient power and
an adequate motive. In awoifd,,once believe that
It M* » ^^ niiiracles are not incredible.
Mr Hume states thb case of miracles to be a con-
test of opposite improbabilities ; that is to say, a ques-
tion whether it be more improbable that the miracle
shjwld ^ true, or the testimony fidse : and this I
tWnk a &ir account of the controversy. But herein
I remark a want of argumentative justice, that, in
describing the improbability of miracles, he supprea.
ses aU those circumstances of extenuatidrt which re-
sult from our knowledge of the existence, power,
and disposition of the Deity; his concern in the crel
atlon, Uie end answered by the miracle, the impor-
tance of that end, and its subserviency to the pUm
pursped in the work of nature. As Mr Hume has
represented the question, miracles are alike incredi-
ble to him who is previously assured of the constant
jgwicy of a Divine Being, and to him who believes
that no such Being exists in the universe. They are
equaUy incredible, whether related to have been
wrought upon occasions the most deserving, and for
purposea the most beneficial, or for no assignable end
whatever, or for an end confessedly trifling or pernio
«*<*"• 3J«»"rely^ can n ot be ^ mrxwX s t n t e m c nt.
- , -■ —-:z3--—"jt--rT^? '' y-''™.«i villi wj fc ■ wem e nfe ^
in MUuiting also the other side of the balance, the
ilrength and weight of testimony, this author has pro-
vided an answer to eveiy possible accumulation of
CHRISTIANITY , y
historical proof by telling us, that we are not obliged
to explain how the story or the evidence arose. Now
I think that we are obliged; not, perhaps, to show
ty positive accounts how it did, but by a probsble
hypothesis how it might, so happen. The eaistence
'of the testiimony is a phenomenon; the truth df the
ftct solves the phenomenon. If we reject this solu-
tim, we oug^t to have some other to rest in; and
none, even by our adven^ies, can be admitted,
which^not inconsistent with the principles that reg-
ulate Ipnan affiurs and human conduct at present,
or which makes men then to have been a diflerent
kind of bemgs from what they are now.
But the short consideration which, independently
of eveiy other, convinces me* that there is no solid
foundation ui MV Hume's conclusion is t^e following.
When a theorem is proposed to a mathematician, the
first thing he does with it is to try it upon a simple
case, and if it prpduce a &lse result, he is sure that
there must be some mistake in the demonstration.
Nowto proceed In this way with what may be caUed
Mr Hume'a theorem. If twelve men, whose probity
and good sense I had long known, should seriously
and circumstantially rehtte to me an account of a mir.
acle wrought before their eyes, and in which it was
impossible that they should be deceived ; if the gov.
ernor of the country, hearhig a rumour of this account,
should call these men Into his presence, and ofler
them a short proposal, either to confess the imposture,
or submit to be tied up to a gibbet; if they should
refuse with -one voice to acknowledge that there ex-
isted any fiUsehood or imposture in the case; if this
threat were communicated to them separately, yet
with no difierent eflbot; if it was at last executed;
if I myself saw them, one after another, consentfaig
Jj ''JJ^'wJ.Jl>umt, or strangled, rather than give up
he mir guide, I am not to believe them. Now I un
derUke to «ay, that there existe not a sceptic in the
aS]
8
%^1DENCES OF
loWoi]
world who would not believe them, or who Would de-
fend such incredulity. :
Instances of spurious miracles, 9upportecl by strong^
apparent testimony, undoubtedly demand examina-
tion ; Mr Hume has endeavoured to fortify his argu-
ment by some examples of this kind. I hope in a
proper place to show that none of them, reach the
strength or cu-cumstances of the Christian evidence.
In these, however, consists the weight of his objection.
In^^ pruiciple itself, I ani persuaded, there is none.
li
PART L
OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIAN-
ITT, AND WHEREIN IT/IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE
EVIDENCE ALLEGED FpR OTHER MIRACLES.
The two propositions jWhich I shall endeavour to es-
tablish are these :
I. That there is^^tisfactory evidence that many,
professing to be or/gmal witnesses of the Christian
miracles, passed their livesr in labours, dangers, and
sufferings, voluntarily undergone in attestation of the
accounts which they delivered, and solely in conse-
quence of their belief of those accounts; and that
they also submitted, from the same motive, to new
rules of conduct.
II. That there is noi satis&ctory evidence, that
persons professfng to be original witnesses of other
miracles, in their nature as certain as these are, have
ever acted in the same manner, in attestation of the
accounts which they delivered, and properly in con-
^.th^^hqll^f <^ these aeeewrttr
The first of these propositions, as it forms the ar-
gument, wJU stand at the* head of the followfaig nim
chapters. — ^^ — -
ho Would de-
vour to es-
. -J CHRISTIANITY.
CHAP. I.
:_ a
Vmt u tatirfaelarif evidence thai mmg, profeuing to bn origimMl mttitAita
of the Ckrietum mirmiUi, patted their livet in labom, dangnt, and tuf.
firmgi, vobmiariljf undtrgoM in atieittftioH «jf tht uccoMtt which VAm
^WmI. «.<< toMif^incontegumce of their belief <if thote account,, oZ
^ ^ ■ ««»«m*<hI from the tame motitet, to imw rulet t^eonduel.
to support this proposition, two points i&e necessary
to be mJMle out ; first, that the founder of the insti-
tution, his associates and immediate followeig, acted
the part which the proposition imputed tqi them ; se-
condly, that they did so in attestation of the miracul-
ous history recorded in our Scriptures, and solely in
consequence of their belief of Oie truth of this history.
Before we produce any particular testimony to the
activity and sufferings which compose the subject
of our first assertion, it will be proper to consider the
degree of probability which thfe assertion derived
from the nature of the case, Umt is, by inferences from
those parts of the case which, m point of fact, are on
all hands acknowledged.
First, then, the Christian religion exists, and there-
lore by some means or other was established Now
it either o^es the principle of its establishment, I e
its firat pubUcation, to the activity of the person who
was the founder of the institution, ai^d of those who
were joined with him in the undertaking, or we are
driven upon the strange supposiUon, that, althouidi
they might lie by, othere would take it up ; although
they were qdiet and silent, other persons busied them-
selves in the success and propagation of their story.
This is perfectly incredible. To me it aopean UtOe
less than certain, that, if the first announcfaiir of the
religion by the founder had not been foUowed up bv
^\^\ ^mM^T,^ "fH'/ '°"*^'**^ disciples, the
the kind and degree of exertion which wuemplmd^
and the mode of life to which these persons vubmiti
ted, we reasonably suppose it to.be like that Which we
10
EVIDENCES OF
*l
observe in all others who voluntarily become mis-
sionaries of a new feith. Frequent, earnest, and
laborious preaching, constantly conversing with reli-,
gious persons upon religion, a sequestration from the
common pleasures, engagements, and varieties of life,
and an addiction to one serious object, compose the
habits of such men. I do hot say Uiat this mode of
life is without eiyoyment, but 1 say that the eiyoy-
ment springs from sincerity. With a consciousness
at the bojtiom of hollowness and falsehood, the &-
tigue aiA restraint would become insupportable. I
am apt to believe that very iwr hypocrites engage in
these undertakings; or, however, persist in them
long. Ordinari^ speaking, notl|ing can overcome
the indolence of tifupkind, the love which is natural
to m5t tempers of cheerfrd society and cheerful
scenes, or the desire, which is comm^on to all, of per^
sonal ease and freedom, but conviction.
Secondly, it is also hi^y pirobable, from the taa^
ture of the case that the propagation of the new reli-
gion was attended with difficulty and danger. As
addressed to the Jews, it was a system adverse not
only to their habitual opinions, but to those opinions
upon which their hopes, their partialities, their
pride, their consolation, was founded. This people,
with or without reason^ had worked themselves into
it persuasion, that some signal and greaUy advanta^
geous chmge was to be eflected in the condition of
their country, by the agency of a long promised mes-
senger from heaven.* The ruters of the Jews, their
leadhig sect, their priesthood, had been the authors
of this persuasidn to the common people; so that it
was not merely the conjecture of theoretical divines,
or the secret expectation of a few recluse devotees,
but it was become the popular hope and passion, and,
"Ptww t mnit oitoitetoto trtm et ednrtwit <fftf»
InAuti.
UtMt
*^'piuribm Mnoulo ln«i»t, anaqato. HMrdotuin IHerU eonUneri. m
IMO tempora tan. ut wteteerat oriem, protecUque lufimk rerum pott-
- Ttclt. HUfUb. T.««p.»^l».
Ill
11
on
^misfortune
tidocaiitiiig, and impatient
jlung to tliii^ hope under
-eounti^r, and with mora
P^^_^»^?l«^|ps or calamities increased;^
ytWBf Upt^^ lmt expectations so graUfying
Y^n^^f^ll^gj/gl^San disappointed; that they wero
.to end m the diflusion of a mild unambit^ws reUgion,
whicii, instead of victories and^iumphs, instead of
exalting their naUon and institution abdve the rest of
the world, was to advance those whom they despised
to an equality with themselves, m those very pointi
of comparisoit in which they most valued their own
distinction, could be no very pleasing discovery to a
Jewish mind; nor could the messengers of such in-
telligence expect to be well received or easily crediU
ed. The doctrine was equally harsh and novel.
JiM extendmg of the kingdom of God to tl^pse who .
did not conform to the law of Moses, was a notion
that had never before entered into the thoughts of a
Jew.
The character of the new institution was, in other
respects also, ungrateful to Jewish habits aiid princi-
pes. "IJeir own region was in a high degree tech.
nical. Even the enlightened Jew placed a greaMeal
of stress upon the ceremonies of his law, sftw in them
a greaMeal of virtue and efficacy ; the gross and vul-
gar had scarcely any thing else: and; the hypocritical
and ostentatious magnified them afi^ve measure, as
being the faistruments of their own reputation and
influence. The Christian scheme, without formally
repealing the tevitical code, lowered its estimation
extremely. In the place of strictness and zeal hi per-
forming the observances which thjt code prescribed;
or whidi tradition had added to it, the „ew sect
preached up faith, well re'gulated aflections, inward
purity, and moral rectitude of disposiUon, as the
round, oa-4J».pafft-o f^
r, of meriT
and acceptance with God. This, however niUon-
ai It may appear, or recommending to us at present.
im not by aoy means facilitate the plan then. On
^y
,\>1
Ji.
_^
EVIDENCES
H
r
\12
■\ ■ -- ■ ■
tbe ctrntruy, to disparage those qualities which the
hig^st characters in the countiy ^ued themselves'
- most upon, was a sure way of making powerAil ene^
mies. As if (he frustration of tlie national hope was
not\ enough, the long-esteemed merit of ritual zeal
and\ punctuality was to be decried, and that by Jews
preaching to Jews. >
The ruling party 'at* Jerusalem had just before cn»-
cified the founder of the religion. That is a &ct
w^ch will not be disputed. They, therefore, who >
stood forth to pre&ch the religion, must necessarily
reproach these rulers with an execution, which they
could not but represent as an uigust and cruel mur*
der. "t^ would not render their office more easy,
or iheir situation mere safe. ,
With regard to the interference of the Roman
goremment which was then established in Judea, I
should not expect, that, despising as it did the reli-
gion of the country, it would, if left to itself, ani-
madvert, either with much vigilance or much sever-
ity, upon the schisms and controvei^ies Which arose
witibin it. Yet there was that in Christianity which
mi^t easily i^rd a handle of accusation, witii a
jealous government. The Christians avow^ an mi-
qualified obedience to a new master. They avowed
also that he was the person who had been foretold to
the Jews under the suspected title of king. The
spiritual nature of this lungdom, the consistency of
tids obedience with civile. subjection, were distinc-
tions too refined to be enteftftined by a Roman presi-
dent, who viewed the business at a great distance, m
throu^^ the medium of very hostile representations.
Our histories according^ info|rm U9, thai this was
the turn which the eneialbs of Jesus gave to his char-
iwter and preteu^ons in^their remonstrances with
Pontius Pilate. And Justin Martyr, about a hun-
-dn a dyears afterw M rdg, comptoi
V take prevailed in his time; **Y« having heard that
'we are waiting for a kingdom, suppose, without dis-
tinguishing, tj^t we mean a human kingdom, when
CH|«STIANITY.
13
ving heard thai
se, without dis-
kingdom, when
in truth we ^,
it was undoijibi
misconstructii
The pi
tend with p)
come fo
possessing
and actual
sentment;
govemmei
sions,
jpnemies.
fate of re:
some reij
change
of acoun
pose, thai
salem,
enemies
titute as
that which is with God.' * And
ly a natural source of caiumnj and
s of qhristianity had therefo^to con-
dice baclied by power. Th^ had to
a disappointed people, to a pri^thood
(judii
siderable share of municipal auuH
Y strong motives of opposition an!
they had to do this under a for^'gn
' whose &vour they made no pr«r
:h was constantly surrounded by tni
J.J well iuiown, because the experienced
Jersj whenever the reformation subverts
*" opinion, and does not proceed upon a
» already taken place in the sentiments
,. wiU not aUow, much leto lead us to supu
U iiret propagators of Christianity at Jeru-
in Judea, under the difficulties and the
ey had to contend with, and entirely des-
, ; - y**y ^*^'^ <« «>rce» authoritv, or protecUon
ej^d ex£ute their mission with ^Is^^^'^i
J^ ^ "^i*" *"^"*'?' '^^} "*«** reasonably be ex.
El^/i^ *®, preachers of Christiani^, when th^
taiTieJth.mselves to the h«ithen public NowtS
^^S^^'^irr"*^'^**'*- It denied witK
JM^ethi, faruth of every article of heathen mythl
l^J^^^ compromise; it admitted no compr£l
henslon. It m\Bt prevail, if It prevailed at alL^
P^??t l*?*?^*** ^^ **««^"<»» with 1^1^
|_# "___ 1 w ^JHB^Binnng 4tM Ouafacter and'wonhtB
of som« i^,com]K»jJtor for a place in the PaJTST
I f. r J -.A.,- _.
%
■'*--...
.'"J
%
EVIDEMCBSW-
I pretensions might be <tjscii8sed or asserted with*
out questicming the reality of any' others ; it" was pro-
nouncuig all other feeds to be false, and all othi^r
worship ^aiiu From the £M;ility With which the
' polytheism 4)f ancient nation^ admitted new objects
of wonhip into the number of their adaiowledged
divinities, or the patience with whifeh they might
entertain proposals of this iiind, we can argue
nothing as to their toleration of a system, or oy
the publishers and active propagatm^ d a systos
which swept anfay the veryfoun^tiJlof the existing
establishment. The one was nothing more tlun ^^t
it would be, in popish countri^, to add a saiiit to the
calendar; tibe other was "toilbolish and tread pind^r
foot the calendar itself. /, •
Secondly, it ou^also Wbp considered,
was not the case of philpsophers propoundinj
books, or in tiieir schoolte^lDubts conce^
truth of the/ popular cr^jpor, even avc
disbeUef of it. Theie philosophers did
about from place to plice to collect proselytes from
amongst the common people; to form in- the
heart .of the country societies professing their tenets ;
to provide for tjie order, instruction^ ahd permanency
of these societies-; nor did.th^yeiyom their followers
to Withdraw tliemselves from? the p>ublic worship of
the temples, or refuse a compliance with rites insti*
tuted by the laws.* These tUngs/ture what the Chris-
thuais did, and wbat the philosophers did not.; aniJii,,
these consisted the actiyit^^d/danger of the<
prise. ,' "^y
Thiirdty, it o^t also to be considered, .„„„„,„^.
; daii|^ proceeded not merely from soleijui acts and
public resolutions of the state, but from sudden bursts
[^ violence at particular puces, from the lit^nse of
|«r ttw aiMlmt v^^teopiMn. mto, Ckmo, «■& Bplelelu.
f wonhip flw tO^ of Uw Bwnrtty,
%t this
^in their
ling the
ring' their
not. go
lipSmtaa,
' fund.
hf pr CteriHh MM. okl Biv. IM. pi. ISO. td. v.
UielMtl^||{Hifh»ltwlaar to ooinply wiUi ttaetewi
I-
CHRISTIANITY.
IS,
thepopubce, the ndiness of some num'stnites and the
negUgence of otb^Mcom the influence and insliin.
t^ «{.i«te«Mg^|warie8, and, in general. fronL
^^S^^'!S'*WP'«f<¥hiio^ anerraiid
!» '^^fJSi^*^^*'^ ^^ **"' ^" °^ excituig;
iJS^'^^W*^ *he teachers bf Christianity migh^
i*<***MU'>and «i^r much from these caoses, without
^-JP*""!* P«*ye^ti<>» bein^f denounced against them
ty il&perial^iuaiority. Some length of time, I should
wppose, might pass, before the vast machine of the
Roman empire would be put in moMon, or ita^Jten^^
tion be^btained to religious controveiW: butJdurin^
- *?f «n»e,» great deal of iU usage miiht be eidured!
I>r« set of friendless- unprotected thivellers, telling
men, Wherever tfipy came, that th/ religion of their
ancestors, the religion in which th6y had been brought
up. we reli^onfcof the «tate and of the magistrS,
the ritM which they frequented,ihe pomp which the*^
• MWired, was throughout asysteim of folly and delusion.
N«r do I thfaik that the ^hereof Christianity
would iiiid protection in that general disbelief of the
popular theology, wjiich is supposed to have prevailed
amonpt the inteUigent Wt of the heathen Tmbllc.
It is by no .means true that unbelievers are-4isuaUy
tolennt Ttoy are not/disposed (and why should
tft^fO to endanger thf present state of things, by
juffenng a religion of wkch they believe nothiS^, to
he disturbed by anothijr of which they believe as
UtUe.JIW»Brea^ themselves to conform to any
^i^jomaad^, «fto^times, amongst the foremost H
fS?!5TS!!^*3[f **°* '•'***"' ^y "y method whic3
they think likely t/be efficacious. >henwasever3
chjoge oTreligioii patronised by infidels? HoJ
little, no^thsta^dfaig the reigning scepticism, and
■JWfui^r uH)i^,^u4y be ^thend frimi two eminent
jndmicontested enmplea. The younger Plj^, po-
elegant penod, could gravely pronounce this mon-
..x
.-/
ft
■^ — ■ ■ .1 «■ - ■ .
EVipENG^OF
inTthem^lTes Christian., I ordered to be led awj^
S^pTtahment (i. e. to execution) fori vw^
DOTOT, whatever Uwae thi^hey ~jA'«?f' '^' "JT
Stnaw andtn/le*ibleobiHna^ ought ^^^J^^^f-
HiTiSster Trwan, a mild and accompUshed princ^
tnodemtionrtind equity, than Mrhat appears inytne
foSS J^ript : » The Christians are not M be
^i;r^f if any are bn«gt^»>t::i3S'Sf '^
convicted, they are to be punished.^ ^d tW$ di-
roctiSi hJ gives, after it had been^ reiJIwrted toi Wm
iyLr*^ Fes dent, tiiat. by the most strict ex«nin.
atirnSng could be discovered in the princ pies of
£^?^«oJ,b«t ^abadandexcessivesuperftitioiV
wcompanied, it seems, within oatii or mutual federa-
Uou^to^oVtiiemselvesinnocrime, orimmor^con-
duct whatever.' The truth is, Uie ^cient heatiie^
consideredreligionentirely as an 'fll'jLT'ai^
*much under tiie tuition of the magistrate, as any
Sher put of tiie police. The.reUgion of tiiat age
tw nSTm^ely allied to tiie state; it wm incorpwr-
rtedCto it. Many of ite offices were administered
Jy ti« magistrate, 'its titles of poiitiffl, ""g^. "J?
ftanensT^ere borne by senators, consuls, «»^ g«^
X Without discussing, tiierefore tiie tiutii of
tiieology, tiiey resented every affiront put upon ti^B
eL>liSid worship, as a direct opposition to tiie au-
: ^dS to S'^t'tiie religious systems of 1^^
tii^s. however iU supported by evidence, had been
^ SkiB^lished. Tto«nci«»mliglqn of a country
. hi riways many votaries, and 8om<aimes not tiie
fewer lIlXsTits^origin is hidden in remote^^^^^^
obscurity. Menhaveanatuiylven^ration^fgr^anti-
qu]ty7eiMcTiUy in mailers of tuWb— ^
dtJsayTof tiie Jewhh, was more applicable to ti^e
heaSien estobUshment; ' Hf ritus. quoquo modo in-
did and aumptuous worship. Ithad ito prlesmooa
CHRISTIANITY.
17
its endowments, its temples. Statuary, painting, ar>
.' chitecture, and music, contributed their effect to its
ornament and magnificence. It abounded in festival
>riiows and solemnities, to which the common people
are greatly addicted ; and which were of a nature to
engage them much more than any thing of that sort
among us. These tUngs would retain great numbera
on its side by the fascination of spectacle and pomp,
as wW as interest many in its preservation by the ad-
vantage which they drew from it. * it was moreover
interwoven,' as Mr Gibbon rightly represents it,
' with every circumstance of business or pleasure, of
public or private life, with all the offices and amuse-
ments of society.' On the due celebration also of
its rites, the people were taught to believe, and did
believe, that the proisperity of their country in a great
measure depended.
I am willing to accept jiie accoimt of the matter
which is given by Mr Gibbon: * Th»/^9f^oaa modes
of worship which prevailed in the RoAian world, were
all cfmsidered by the people as equUly true, by the
friiilosbpher as ecjpaally falser, and by the magistrate as
equally useful:' and I would ask from which of these
three classes of men were the Christian missionaries
to look for protection or impunityi^ Coukl they ex-
pect it from the people, ' whose acknowledged confi-^
dence in the public religion ' they subverted from its
foundation? From the philosopher, who, * consider-
ing all religions as equally false, would of course rank
theirs amon|; the number, with the addition of regard-
ing them as busy and troublesome aealots? Or from*
the magistrate, who, satisfied with the ' utility' of the
subsisting religion, would not be likely to countenance
spirit ef' proselytism and innovation ;— a system
which dedaied war against every other, and which,
if it prevailed, must end in a ioM rupture ni pub-
p~lfc l^iiam; ah upstan rougion, ma word, which wii^
not content with its own authority, but must disgrace
all the settled religions in the world? It was not to
be imagined that he would endure with patience, that
is
EVIDENCES OF
the religion of the emperor and of the state should be
calumniated and borne down by a csompany of super-
jititious and despicaM^ Jews.
-; : Lastly, the nature qf the case affiyrds a strong
< proof, that the original teachers of Christianity, in
coosequence of their new profession, entered upon a
new and singular course of life. We may be allow
ed to presume, that the institution which .they
preached to others, they conformed to in their own
perstms ; because this is no more than what every
teacher of a new religion both doe9, and must do, in
iH'der to obtain either proselytes or hearers. Th^
change which this would produce was very consider-
able. It ft a change which we do not easily estimate;,
because, ourselves and all about us being habituated
to the institution from our infancy, it is what we nei-
ther experience nor observe. After pen became Chris-
tians, much of their time was spent in prayer and de-
votion, in religious meetings, in celebrating tlie eu-
charist, in coi^erences, in Exhortations, in preachingj
in an aflectionate intercourse with other societies.
Perhaps their mode of life, in i^ form and habit, was
not very unlike the Unitas Fratrum, or the modern
Methodists. Think tlien what it was to become sttch
at Corinth, at Ephesus, at Antioch, or even at Jeru-
salem. How new 1 how alien from all their former
habits and ideas, and from those of every body about
tliemi What a revolution there must have been of
opini<xis and prejudices, to bring the matter to this I
' We know what the precepts of ttie religion are:
how pure, how benevolent, how disinterested a con-
duct they ei\join; and that this purity Mid benevolence
-^Mre extended to the very thoughts and afiections. We
are not, perhaps, at liberty to take for granted that the
lives of the preachers of Christianity were aa perfect as
their lessims: but 'we are entitled to contend, that the
olM|0iTible~pirt4jftheii behaviour must liave i
in a great measure with the duties which they taught.
There was, therefore (which is all that we assert), a
course of nfe pursued by them, diilerent from tliat
•./ CHRISTIANITY.
Ill
which they befwe led. And this is of great import-
ance.^ Men are brought to any thing almost sooner
than to change their habit of life, especially when the
change ia. either inconvenient, or made against the
force (^natural inclination, or with the loss of accus-
tomed indulgences. ■ *It is the most difficult of all
things to convert mei^ from vicious habits to virtuous
ones, as eveiy oqe may judge from what' he feels in
himself, as well as from what he sees in others.'* It
is alQ||04t like making men over again.
.I^plthen to myself, tfnd without any more infor-
4|ii|^iQfi^ than a knowledge of the existence of the re-'
l(jgkl|9,' of the general story upon which it is founded,
and that no act of power, force, and authority, was
concerned in its first success, I should conclude, from
the very mivare and exigency of the -case, that the
Author of the religion during his life, and his im-
mediate disciples after his death, eoferted themselves
in spreading and publishing the institution through-
out the country in which it began, 4nd into whibh
it was first carried^ that, in the pilosecution of this
purpose, they underwent the labours and troubles
which we observe the propagators of new sects to un-
dergo; that the attempt must necessarily have also
been in a high degree dangerous ; that, from the sub-
ject of the mission, compared with the fixed opinions
and prcijudices of those to whom the missionaries
were to address themselves, they could hardly fail of
encountering strong and frequent opposition; that, by
the hand of government, as well as from the sudden
fury and unbridled license of the people, they would
oftentimes experience injurious and cruel treatment;
that, at any rate, they must have always had so much
to fear for their personal safety, as to have passed
their lives in a stato of constant peril and anxiety;
and, lastly, that their mode of life iwd conduct, visi-
JQr at leaiit, corresponded wiOi the TnstitutioiTwIiicEr
they delivered, and so fiur, was both new and required
continual self-denial
*H»t:,%r* E««r« on Man, 9, 109.
so
EVIDENCES OF
CH^P. II.
n
Mi.
»/th* CkrUtitm mincU$, paned thtir tive$ i» labour*, dmgtn, amd tmf-
fermfi, vchmtarilg wtdtgrnu in •tUttmliM vf th» fueomnU whUsk Ikfjf
dttiMTtd, and toUlg U eoHttqumAff thrir Muf 4/° tho$t aeeoimtt 1 mid
that lAqr aha iubmHtfd,/nm tki tama molivet, to urn* rnUt o/eonduct.
I j^FTBR thus considering what was likefy to happen,
'We are next to inquire how the ti'ansaction is repre-
• sented In the several accounts that have' come
down to us. And tills inquiry is properly preceded
by the other, forasmuch as the reception ^ these ac-
counts may depend in part on the crediMlity of what
they contain. ^"^
The obscure, and distant view of Christianity,
which some of the heathen writers of that age had
gained, and which a few passalges in their remaining
works incidenially discover to us, oilers itself to our
notice in the first place: because, so far as this evi-
dence goes, it is the concession of adversaries; the
source from which it is drawn is unsuspected. Un^er
, this head, & quotation from Tacitus, well knowA to
every scholar, must be inserted, as deserving par-
ticular attention. 'The' reader will bear in mind that
this passage was written about seventy years after
Christ's death, and that it relates to transactions which
' took place about thirty years after that event. Speak-
ing of the fire yrUch luppened at Rome in the time
of Nero, and of the suspicions which were entertained
that the emperor himself was concerned in causing
it, the historian proceeds in his narrative and obser-
vations thus:
' But neither these exertions, nor his largesses to
, the people, nor his offerings to the gods, did away
the InfMnous imputrftion under which Nero lay, of
having ordered the city to be set on fire. To put an^
end, ^refore, to this report, he laid the guilt, and
^inflicted the most cruel punishments, upon a set of
people who were holded in abhorrence fo( their crimes.
CURIStlANlTV.
21
•nd called by the vulgar, Chrinianf. The founder of
that name was Christ, whp suffered death in the reigu .
(rf Tiberius, und^r his procurator Pontius Pilate^-^
This peridcious superstition, thus checked for a while,
broke out again ; and spread not only over Judea, where
the evil originated, but throu^ Rome also, whither
every thing bad up<Mi the earth finds its way, and is
practised. Some who confessed their sect, were seiz-
ed, and afterward, by their information, a vast mul-
titude ^ere apprehended, who were convicted, not so
niuch of the cYime of burning Rojme, as of hatred to
manldnd.' Their suflerings at their execution^ were
aggravated by insult and mockery ; for some were dis-
guised in the skins of wild beasts, and Worried to
death by dogs; some were crucified, and others were
wrapped in pitch shirts,' and set on fire when the
day closed, that they might serve as lights to illuminate
the night Nero lent his own gardens for these ex-
ecutibns, and exhibited at the same time a mock
Circensiai) entertainment ; being a spectator of the
whole, in the dress of a charioteer, sometimes loi^
gling with the crowd on foot, and sometimes viewing
the specta<;le from his car. This conduct made the
suflbrers pitied ; and though they were criminals, and
deserving the severest punishments, yet they were
considered ^as sacrificed, not so much out of a regard
to the public good, as to gratify the cruelty of one
inan.'
Our concern with tliis passage at present, is only so
hr as it aflbrdis a presumption in support of the pro>
position which we maintain, concerning the activity
and sufleriftgs of the first teachers of Christianity.
Now considered in this view, it proves three things:
1st, that the Founder of the institution was put to
death; 2dly, that jn the same country in which he
was put to death, the religion, after »■ ■bnrt ^ i^K,
15.
broke out again and spread ; that it so spread, as that,
I Thte to nOMT a pamphfiw, bat to JattiScd bjr wta«} Om SdiolfaHt
upon JuTtiud Myi ) • Nwo malafleoa bomlnn tadiet pspjrro ct cvrA
■uiwrvMttatait, at alo ad Igatn ad mavwl Jutabak' fiud. Jawtoh and
Hsath. T«t f oL L p. 8a«. r
V'''
. V *»■
22'
EVieteNCESOF
u ^-
««*.) were C^ .. n ^*^ (''«»»' «»™« WW-
tnat if,„in the space of thirtir-four veai4 fi.«!« •/ '
Siwtoaius,aMrriterl^temporaivwithTftPi»«« j
Cliristiaiis, or that thev wer« f h« r^i^^J * Sf *"®
hos Uio foUowing lines:* gOTenunent,
oS^ir""^"*'^ '""<*'• "It •
■"■"m medto utemn artii.lt« ««M..
;»^Tig.Uto« (. cn»t„n, of N,„o. ,^l„
"g m meir own Su aa m d «nu^a^ t^i^i^ j,,^ j |, ^
A Shu* v._ ..
»*i»i Kero. cap. i«, ag,* , _., ,,.
*Bat. i.Ter. 155. < Foiwn'deduoto.'
Jt.
Foiwn'deduols.'
CHRISTIANITY. 21$
ing held up by a stake fixed to their chin, till they make
a long stream of blood and melted sulphur on the
ground.'
If this passage were considered by itself, the sub-
I ject of allusion might be doubtful ; but, when coontect"^
ed with the testimony d Suetonius, as to the actual
punishment of the Christians by Nero, and with the
account given by Tacitus oi the spedet of punishment
which they were made to undergo, I think it suffi-
cienthr probable, that these were the executions to/
which the poet refers. '
Th^ things, as has been ahvady obsierved, took
place within thirty-Hcme years after Christ's death,
that is, acpwding to the course of nature, in the life-
time, probably, of some of the apostles, and certainly
in the lifetime of those who were converted by ihe
apostles, fflr who were converted in thej| time. If then
the Founder of the religion was put to death in the
execution of his design ; if the first race of cmverts to
the religion, many of them, suflered the greatest ex-
tremities for their profession ; it is hardly credible, that
those who camis betiveen the two, who were compan-
ions of the Author of the institution during his life,
and the touchers and propagators of the institutitm
after his death, could go about their undertaking with '
ease and safety.
The testimony of the younger Pliny belongs to a
later period ; for although he was contertiporaiy with .
Tacitqg and Suetonius, yet his account does not, like
theirs, g^ back to the transactions of Nero's reign, but
is confined to the .aflaire of his own time. His cele-
brated letter to Tnjan was written about seventy years
after Christ's death; and the information to be drawn
I from it so far as it is cmmected with our argument,
I relates principaUy to two points: first, to the number
of Christians in Bithynia add Pontus, which was so
considerable as to induce the governor of these pro-
VS^.. ^ T*^ '^ ^*"° '° ^ foUflwing terms;
'Molti, omfflsi^lls^l^rlvaque sexus etiam; — nequ#
I enim olvltatee tantum, sed vices etiam et agros, '■«-
iperstftlonis istlus contagio pervagata est.' * Tliere are
^laate
ur
eVIDBNCES OF
niMiy of every age, anfl of both sexes ^h-«)r has the
contagion of this superaUtion seized cities only, but
smaUer towns also, and the open bountiy.* Great ex-
ertions must have been used by the preacheis of Chris-
tianity to produce this state of thhigs within this time
_ Swondly,^to a pomt which has been already noticed,*
.and which I think of iml^ortance to be observed, name-
ly, the suflerings to ivhich ChfisUans were exposed
wlWou^any public persecuUonbeing denounced against
them by sovereign authority. For, froii Pliny's
doubt how he was to act, his silence conceiving wiy
subsistmg Uw on the subject, his requesting the em-
peror'd rescript, and the emperor, agreeably to his re-
quest, propounding a rule for his direction, without '
reference to any prior rule, it may be inferred, that
there was, at that time, no public edict in force
against the Christians. Yet from this same episUe of
J'liny it appears * that accusations, trials, and examina-
tions, were, and had been, going on agamst them in the
provinces over which he presided ; that schedules were
dehvered by anonymous informers, containing the
names of persons who were suspe<ited of holding or of
favouring the religion; that in consequence of these
informations, many had been approhended, of whom
some boldly avowe^ thehr proibssion, and died in the
cause ; others denied that they wer^ Christians ; others,
acknowledging that they had once been Christians, de-
clared that they had long ceased to be such.* AU
which demonstrates, that the profession of Christian- "
i^ was at that timp (in that country at least) attend-
ed with fear and danger: and yet this took place
without any edict from the Roman sovereign, com-
manding or authorizing the (Airsecutfon of ChrisUans
•Ihis obsenraUon is farther coniirmed by a rescript of
Adrian to Minucius Fundanus, the proconsul of Asia*
from which rescript it uppears that the cmam of the
people of Asia was to proceed agahist the ChrisUans
with tumult and uproar. This disorderly praciice I
•itfoins, that for the lutureT'jf tt7 CWsUawTwere
a Lurd. HMth. Ttmthol 11. p. 110.
J^^&m;^^^
CHRISTIANITY
25
s, contajning the
ail^, thiby should be legaUy brought to trial, and not^
> pursued by impwtunitjr and clamour.
Martial wrote a few years before the younger Plfny ;
nd, as his manner was, made the suflerings of the
phristians the subject of his ridicule * Nothing,
owever, could show the notoriety of the fiujt with
•ore certelnty than this does. Martial's testimony
weU indeed as Pliny's, goes also to another point,
nz. that the deaths of these men were martyrdoms in
TO strictest sense, that is to say, were so voluntaiy,
tot it was in, their power, at the time of pronoun-
ling the sent^ce, to have averted the execution, by
'onsenting to join In heathen sacrifices.
The constancy, and by consequence the sufferings,
the Christians of this period, is also referred to by
Epictetus, who imputes their intrepidity to madness,
^ to a kind of fashion or habit; and about fifty yeare
terward, by Marcus Aurellus, who ascribes it to
stinacy. ^ Is it possible (Eplctetu? asks), that a man
ay arrive at this temper, and become indifferent to
ose things, from madness or from habit, a$the GaU-
T*^ * ^®' ^^ preparation of the mind (to die)
ise from its own judgment, and not from obstinacy
^ethe ChrisHaru.** '
CHAP. Ill
the primitive condition of Christianity, a distant
fly and general view can be acquured from heathen
* In matatiiw nupOT ipeetatM arau
, Mueiiu,imponUqulraaiiMinbrafiwlii, -77^^^ -^^"
SI iwUeu AirUM|u« UM dunuqw Tidataiv
Abdcritaiui pMlon pleUa babM t
Nam emn dleatnr. timiM pnMtnto molMla.
Pw||iii«uiimp;y mtdliii.i», M^fl,j|^
'■•^ *•*»•«•'- •MaR.Aar.M<d.l.k«.&
linmaa'dianiiuuiiim/ 1 ^
86
EVIDENCES OF
V,
' writers. It is in our own books t^t the deteil and in-
terior of the transaction must be sought for. And
this is nothing different fronr what might be expected.
' Who would write a histoiy of Christianity, W a
Christian? Who was lilcely^to record the fravels,
suflerings, labours, or successes, of the apostles, but
one of theii^/owninumber, or of their followers? Now
these books come up in their accounts to the full ex-
tent of the prqH»ition which we maintain. We have
four histories of Jesus Christ. We have a histo^ ,
taking up the narrative from his death, and carryingy
on an account «f the propagation of the religion, anrf '
of some of the most eminent persons engaged in it,
for a space of nearly thirty years. We have, what
some may think still more original, a collection of
letters, writteui by certain principal agents in the
business, upon the business, and in the midst of their
concern and connexion with it. And w*^ bave these
writings severally attesting the point w%[ii we con-
tend for, vi2. the suflerings of thb wifaM^si^^f the
history, and attesting it in every variety of form in
which it can be c<»icejved to appear: directly and in- •■
directly, expressly and incidentally^ by assertion, re-
_cital, and aUusion, by narratives of facts, and by ar-
guments and discourses built upon these facts, either
referring to them, or necessarily presupposing them.
I remark this variety, because in examining ancient
i^ords, or indeed any species of testimony, it is, in
mj^opinim, rf the greatest importance to attend to
the infbrmation' or grounds of argument which are
ceuualfy and undesiynedfy disclosed; forasmuch as
this species of proof is, (tf all others, the least liable to
be corrupted by firaud qr misrepresentation.
I may be allowed, therefore. In the inquliy which
is now before us, to suggest some conclusions of this
sort, as preparatory to more direct testimony.
1. Our books relate, that Jesus Christ, the founder
of the religi on, w as, in conaequenre of his imd nrtak
tag, put to death, as a mal9fiu:tor, at Jerusalem.
This point at least will be granted, liecauso it is no
i^Mli
CHRISTIANITY.
87
lore than what Tacitus has recoiPded. They then
roceed to toll us, that the religion was, notHthtUmd-
^7, set forth at this same city of Jerusalem, propagat-
thence throughout Judea, and afterward preached
I other parts of the Roman empire. These points
so toeiiilly confirmed by Tacitus, who informs us,
at the religion, after a short chedc, brolce out again
the countiy where it took its rise; tliat it not only
kead throughout Judea, but had reached Rome, and
kat it had there ^at multitudes of converts: and all
lis within thirty yeaS after its commencement.
low these £icts afford a strong inference in behalf of
N proposition which we maintain. What could the
ciples of Christ expect for. themselves when tW^
f their Master put to death? Could they iwjMto
cape the dangers in which he had perished? If
ey have persecilted me, they wiU also pereecute you.
Its the Wanung of common sense. Witli thfs ex-
jple before their eyes, they could not be without a
II sense of the peril of their future enterprise.
p. Secondly, all the histories agree in represent-
^ Christ as foretelling tlie persecution of his fol-
rers:—
h Then shall they deliver you up £o be affliated, and
^U kill you, and ye shall be hated of aU nations for
j^ name's sake.' *
fWhen affliction or persecution ariseth for the
was sake, immediately they are offended.' "
r They shall hiy haiids on you, and persecute you.
livering you up to the synagogues, and into priins
Ing brought bfefore kings and rulers fer mv
ae s sake :--and ye shall be betiayid both by pi
ts uid brethren, and kinsfolks and friends; imd
f e of you shall they cause to be put to death ' • -^
iil l™«/o«»«5» "»t he that killeth you will
^ that he doeth God service. And thes^ thiniM
^ j^^ »^yaua« mey iiave not Known tha
', nor me. But UiMe^ngs have I told vou?
■LnkeaO.
•' n
*lll
-'•'. Sci> alsoohwp. xl. 49. c *- -*
■■•-;:■; ./
■'-U
28 .' 'evidences o^
that when the time shaU ^<mie, ye may remember
that I told yeu of them.* V ' ""^^
I am^notenUtled# argue from these passages,
that Christ actually SKN'foretell tliese events, an^
that they did accordingly come to pass: because' that
would be at once to assume the truth of the religion:
but I am entitled to contend, that, one side or other
of the foUowing di^unction is true; either that the
evangelists have delivered what Christ really spqke,
and that the event corresponded with the prediction;
or that they put the prediction into Christ's mouth,
because at the time of writing the histoiy, the event
had turned out so to be: for, the only two remaining
suppositions appear in the highest degree incredible;
wWch are, either! that Christ fiUed the mind^ of
his followers with fears and apprehensiotos, without
any reason or authority for what he said^ and/con-
trary to the truth of the case; or that, altyo"f
Christ had never foretold any such thing, afd the
event would have contradicted him if he had, yet
historians, who Uved iii thd age when the ev^nt was
known, felsely as weU as officiously, ascribed these
words to him. . ^ ^ L .. t
3. Thirdly, these books abound with exhortations to
patience, and with topics of comfort undei; distress. ^
• Who shaU separate us from the love/bf Chnstr"
Shall tribulation, or distress, orpersecutiod, or fcmine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay/ in aU these j
things we are more than c<toquerors through him|
that loved us/' /.■,,_* j '
' We are troubled on eVfery side, yet hot distressed ; ^
we are perplexed, but not in despair; i»ersecuted, but|
not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; alwajj
bearing about tf the body the dyirig of the tord^
Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made mapi-|
fest in our body, ^—knowing that h^ which raised up|
the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus, and|
shall present us with you, »^ For whichj t ftimwe foW|
not; but, though our outward ii|iap perish, yet the
AJohnxvl. 4. Set«lroeh»p.*'.».XTl./88. • Rom. Tttl.3»-*.,
CHBISTLANITr.
99
e.inay remember
Krithexho^tionsto
)rt under^distress.
jinward man is renewed day by day. /For our light
lafflictioo, wliich is but for a moment,/Worketh for us
la ^ more .exceeding and eteraal ^e^t of gloiy »
\ * J'*^» my bretiuren, Uie prophets/who have spiken
lathe name of the Lord, for an ex^iple of suSm
TicUoi^ and of patience. BelH^, we count thw
JW which endure. Ye have Wd of tlie patience
Job, and have seen the end of tlie Xord: that th«:
-ord is very piUftO, and of teikler mercy.'
<CaU to remembrance the/former days in which
ker ye were illuminated, y^ endured a great fight of
lictions, part^ *rlUlst ye/were made a gazinir-stocJt
h by reproaches and afflictions, and parUy whilst ye
me compamons of th^m that were so used ; for ve
compassion oC me M my bonds, and took joyfully
_8poiluig of your jro^, knowing in yourselves that
I have in lieaven a better and an enduring substance
pttt not away, ther^ore, your confidence, whidi hatli
•^at recompense /of rew/^d; for ye have need of
tience, that, aft^r ye haVe done the will of God,
might receive^the promise.'*'
'So that we ciurselves glory in you In the churches
r Ood, for youi- patiepce and faith in aU your perse-
!SSJ^^ T"**?*?*"** ****' >^ «»**"«• Which is a
anifest toWn of the righteous judgment of God, that
^^^^^'^^"^yofthekiagdom for which
^WeiSiceinhopeoCthegloiyof God; and not
K w:5r ^® «*?y »«» tribuhitions also; knowing that
gidafan worketh patience, andpaUence experience,
U expenence hqje."* '
Li^kI!!?',***!^*** "^ "^^^ concerning the fiery
ag happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch m
SrS^*"/ ^**^^'' 8«»ring8.-l-WhWfo^
1 '
'• 8
«
■■ — * ■ i . '
ll' '' '.0 ' " ■^,
- ' -. > .•
■ 1 "
- M
V.' *
■ f ..
"
<
. ' ../
*■■» ' .
' *
-
1
i '
»
-
■, * „ .
1,
'
so
EVIDENCES OF
;4 ■ ,'
What could all these texts mean, if tliere was no-
thing in the circumstances of the times which re-
quired patience, — ^which called for the exercise of
^constancy and resolution? Or will it be pretended,
that these exhortations (which, let it be observed,
•^ come not froni (me author, but from many) were put
in, merely to induce a belief in after-ages, that the
Christians were exposed to dangers which they were
not exposed to, or underwent sufierings which they
did not undergo? If these bboks belong to the age to
which they lay claim, and in y/iACh age, whether
genuine or spurious, they certainly did appear, this
supposition cannot be maintained for a moment; be-,
cause I think it impossible to believe, that passages,
which must be deeme'd not only unintelligible, but
fidse, by the persons into whose hands the books upon
their -publication were to come; should nevertheless be
f inserted, for the pur)H)se of producing an e^ct upon
remote generations. In forgeries which do not appear
till many ages after that, to which they pretend to be-
long, it is possible that Jame contrivance of that sort
may take place ; but in no< others can it be attempted.
k.
^# ;■,
CHAP. IV.
Tktn ii mtufiicltrg tvidtne$ Ikml mmtg, pr^iitif M l« onguul wilttium
^th» CkrUlim mirmdM, puind tk$ir livm in la^9un, dangtn, mm! itffir.
imgt, vthmttfrilg undtrgm* i» attmtotimo/ tht tuemmU whkh tk»$ Mi-
vmri, mm! Ml*lf/ in pumi fw ww if tktir tJUf m IhoH aeeammtit tutd th»t
Miy alM |iifai«lf(i,/i«M /At MMM awMMKl <^ a«w rate ^cmAm<;
Thc account of the treatment of the religfoo, and of
the exertions of its first preachers, as stated in our
Scriptures (not in a professed MsUay of persecutions,
or In the connected manner in which I am about to
recite it, but dispersedly and occasionally in the course
of a mixed general histoiy, which circumstance alone
jaeg a tives the supposition iif Any fraiidulent d e sign), j s^
the following: < That the Founder of Cluristianity, finim
CHRISTIANITY.
31
es, that the
the •cbmmencement of hi^ ministry to the time of
hig violent^ death, employed himself wholly^ ia^
publishing/ the institution in Judea and' Galilee;
that,^ ih (irder to assist him in this purpose, he
made-chOice, out <^ the number of his followers, in
twelve persons who might accompany him as he
travelled from place to place; that except a short
absence upon a journey in which h» sent them, '
, two by two, to announce his mission, 4nd^bne, of «
fpw days, when they, went before him to Jerusalem,
these Arsons were statedly and constantly intending
upon him; that they were with him at Jerusalem
when he was apprehended and put to death; and that
they were commissioned by him, when his own min-
istiy was concluded, to publish his gospel, and col-
lect disciples to it from all countries <d the. world.'
The account then proceeds to state, ' that a few
days after his departure, tiiese persons, with some of
his relatiQus, and some who had regularly frequented ,
their society, assembled at Jerusalem ; that consider* .
ing the office of preaching the religion as now devolv-
ed upon them, and one of their number having de-
serted the cause, and, repenting of his perfidy, having
destroyed himself, they proceeded to elect another
^ into his phtce, and that they were careful to make
their election out of the number of HaoBe who had ao-
. companied thefr Master from the first to the bst, in
order as they alleged that he might be a witness,
together with themselves, of the principal facts whiob
they Ulcere about to produce and relate concerning
him.;* that they began their work at Jerusalem by
publicly asserthig that this Jesus, whom the mien
and inhabitants of that place had so lately crucified,
was, in truth, the person in whom all their prophecies
and long expectations terminated; that he had been
•ent amongst.them by God, and that he was appointed
by God the fiiture Judge of the human species; thai,
ail wiM>-wer6==f ^"""^
i
piuea after death, ought to receive him u such, iDd
> Aeto L tMS.
•v.
'38
' EVIDENCES OF
,UJ
to make professiim <^ their belief, by being baptised
in i)is name." The histoiy goes od' to relate, ' that
considerable numbers accepted this propocial, and
that they who did so, formed amongsC themselves
a strict union and society," that the attention of the
jJewi^ government being soon drawn upon them,
two of the principal persMis of the twelve, and who
also had lived most intimately and constamly with the
Founder of the^ religi<m, were seized as they were
discoutaing to the peqrfe in the temple; that after
being Icept all ni^t in prison, they were brought the
next day before an assembly composed of , the chief
persons <^ the Jewish magistracy and priesthood;
that this assembly, after some consultation, found
nothing at that time better to be done towards sup-
presshig the growth of the sect, than to thiieaten their
prisonera witii punishment if they persisted; that
these men, after expressing in decent4>ut firm lan-
guage, the obligatiMi under which they considered
themselves to be, to deckce what they knew, .** to speak
the things ^iriiich they had seen and heard," re-
turned from the council, and reported what had pained
to their companicms ; that this report, whilst it ap-
prised them of the danger of their situation and un-
dertaking,, had no other eflbct up<Mi their conduct than
to produce in them a general resolution to persevere,
and an earnest prayer to God to furnish them with
assistance, and to inspii^ them with f<Nrtitude pro-
portioned to the increasing exigency of the service/ *
A veiy short time af^ tUs, we read, ' that all the
twelve apostles were seised and cast into prison;'
that being brought a secona time before the Jewish
Sanhedrim, ttiey were upbr^ded with their disobedi-
ence to the icjjunctifm which hjtd been laid upon
them, and beaten for their contumacy; that being
durged onoe m<Nre to desist, they were atf^red to
depart; that however dhey itotther quitted Jenualem,
nor cewed frinn preaching» J>o**rjlally in ^ temple.
•Asia It. SI.
«AeUll^ • Aott T. 18.
nrnii lirriTiiMftiiirfHrtNfi^anmitiitrfrimTiinthft'iif fTB^
CHRISTIANITY
S3
and from house to house ;* and that the twelve codt
si'dered theittselves as so entirely and exclusirely de-
voted to this office, that they now transferred w;)iat
knay be called the temporal aflkirs of tlie society to
other hands/* • ' '
Hitherto the preachers of |the new religi<m seem to
have' had the commtm people on their side; which Is
assigned as the reason why the Jewish rulers did not,
at this time, think it prudent to proceed to greater
extremities. It was not long, however, befin^ the
enemies of the institution found means to represent it
to the pei^le as tending to subvert their law, degrade
their lawgiver, and dishonour th^ir temple." And
these insinuations were dispersed with so much suc-
cess, as to induce the peq>le to join with their supe-
riors in the stoning oi a very active member of the
new community.
The death of this man was tiie signal of a general
persecution, the activity of which may be judged of
from^e anecdote of the time: VAs for Saul, he
mademvock of the church, entering into evety hmoe,
and, haling men and women, committed them to
prison.' ' This persecution raged at Jerusalem with
• Aeli ▼. M.
M do aot kncm dii« it bM «r«r kwn liHiaiul|d, that the ChrMlatt »!»•
•Ion, lathohandiorthoapotllM, WMSMhoAlfor OMkiaf • §oitaam,.
or Aur foMtng money. Bat It nay neTertbelow bo Jit to mnufc upoa
thiiponaffe of their Iditorjr, taow peiflMay flteetliey avpeartolwToboeB
irom any pecvaiury or iatenoled views whatever. TlienMMttaniplint
opportnolty whidi ooearrad, of auklog a galnof tlwlr eoaTorta, waa by
the enitody and oaaaacenieiit of the puMIe ftnide, when aamo of the
rielier maabefSi hitendiiit to eoatribote their Ibrtanee to the ooaiiiMm
support of the eoeioty.eold their yoeMMiow and laid down the p ri eee
at the apoeiloir feel Tet,eoineenilble,oruiideilioaa,weretheyoftha
adTaatage which that eoofldeneo afltord^ ttiat we Ind they very eoon
diipoeed of the ti^ by poltlai H ialo the haadai aet of newiaeea
of their owii.bat of atowardeaiiaMUy elceled for the pnipoio by the
•oelety at Uuie.
We may a^ alio, that ttibexeeia of goMroiity, whleheait private
property into tlM publie itoeh, waa m tu flrom betaf nqolved by tho
apoetlee^ or Iwpeeed m > law of OhiWtlaaky. that fetor wwbiii An-
aalaa that he had bees golMy, hi hie behaviour, of an oAeloM bad vol
uatary prevaHaatleat 'Ibr whilet.' laye he. ♦ thy eetate wahied lamnlii^
was it tiol thlae owai aad atter it waa eoldt «■■ M aot la thhw owB yowerl*
■ Aals e l. It. «A i «B » Ml.a,
M
EVIDENCES OF
A^\
80 much fury atf^^ ddye ,BUMt cf the new converts out
of the plac^uetcept thfs twelvO «postles.>* The con-
verts^thus < scattered libroad/ preached the religion
• wherever they caniej and their preaching was, in ef-
fect, the preaching of the twelve; for it was so far
-- carried on in coacert and corresp<ndenc6 with thenif
tliat when they heard of the success d their .emis-
saries in a particular country, they sent two of their
number to the place, to complete and amRrm the .
missi(«u
- An event now took place, of great importance in the
future history of the religicm. The persecution"
which had began at Jerusalem, followed the Chris-
tians to (^er cities^ in which the authority of the
Jewi^ Sanhedrim over those of their own nation was
allowed to be exer0ised. A 'young man, who hud
signalized himself by his hostility to the profession,
'and had procured a commission, from, the council at
Jerusalem to seize any converted Jews whom he
might find at Damascus, suddenly became aprosel}rte
■ to the religion which he was going about to extirpate.
The new convert not only shared, on this extraor-
dinary change, the fate of hi^'compaoioiN, but brought
upon himself a double measure of enmity from the
party which he had left. The Jews at Damascus,
Ion his return to that city, watched the gates night and
day with so much diligence, that he escaped from
their hands only by being let down in a basket by the
wall. Nor did he find himself in greater safety at
Jerusalem, whither he immediately repaired. At-
tempts were there also soon set wi foot to destroy him ;,
from the danger of which he was j)reserved by being
sent away to Cilicia, his native countiy. ^
For some reason not menti^ed, perhaps not known,
but probably connected with the civil histoity of th€
>»A«lsviU. I. • Andlhty w«M«BMMMM««akiMd>lmtaw«tm 'air
know I think, to b* uken ■trtetty u denotlnff mora thu thagtMnUlu
inlikcnuniwr u iir Aeii Ix. S5 'And •« thai dwrtt la LvMa and
Saran l aw hli a , awl t iinwa «»<li»-l,w ^»=^ — —
^
CHRISTIANITV. >
Jews, or with some danger" whiefa engrossed tli«
public attentidn, an intermission about this tiiiie toolc
place in the suflerings of the Christians. Th^ hap.
pened, at the most, only seven or eight, perhaiis Only
three or four, years aftejf Christ's death. >Vithii
whichperiod, and notwithstanding that the late per-
secution Occupied part of it, churches, or societies, of
believers,/ had been formed in all Judea, Galilee, and
Samaria; for ^e read that the churches in these '
countries * had now rest, and were edified, and walk-
ing in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the
Holy Ghost, were mulUpUed.'" The original preach,
ers of the religion did not remit their Jabours or ac^
tivity during this season of quietness, ioVwje find one,
and he a very principal person among |hem, ]Mtssing
throughout aU quarters. #e find also those who had
been before expeUed Iroin Jerusalem by the persecu-
tion which raged tliere, travelling 4s far as Phenice,
j . Cyprus, and Anti^h;^* and lastly,, we find Jerusalem
f again in the centre of the mission, the ptaM:e whithef
the preachers returned froin their several excursions,
where they reported the conduct and eflects of their
ministry, where questions of public concern wer«
canvassed and settled, whence -dlrecUons were ^ught.
and teachers sent forth. . 1
The time of this tranquiUity did not, however, coo.
tinue lon^. Herod Agrippa, who had lately acceded
to the4jovemment of Judea, * stretched forth his hand
to v*x certain of the church."* He began his crueltr
hy beheading one of the twelvef"^ original apostles,, a
Unsmaii and constant companion of- the Founder of
the religion. Perceiving that this execution graUfied
the Jews, he proceeded to seice, in order to put te
-death, another of the number,— and him, like the
[former, associ^d with Christ during his life, and
-Aot»*l.|«. "A^iaii
«•
■^
S8
BVIDENCES OF
'>'
eminenUy active in the service since' hiisd^th.% This
man was, however, delivered from prison, as the ac-
count states,** nllFaculously, and made his escape from
Jerusalem. ^ .
These things are related,' not in the general teriQS
under which', m giving the outlines of the history,
we have here mentioned them^ hut with the utmost
particularity of names,- peraons, places, and cfrcum-
staqces ; and, what is deserving of notice, without the
smallest discoverable pn^nsity in the historian to
magnify the fortituile or exaggerate the sufl&rings of
his parhr. When they "fled -for their lives, he tells
us. When |he churches had rest, he remarks it.
When the people took t^^ir part,, he does not leave
it without notice. When the ajtostleft vrere carried
a sec<nd time before the S&nhedrim, he is carefril^ to
observe that Uiey were brought without vidlisnce,!
When milder cpunseb were suggested, he gives -us
the authw df the advice, and the speech which con-
tained it. " When, in consequence of this advice, the
'rulers contented themselves with threatening tiie
apostlQS, ami comniianding them* to be l^aten with-
stripeii,' without urging at that time the persecution
iiuther, the historian candMly and distinctly records
their forbearance, ^hen, therefore, in other instances,
lie states heavier persecutions, or aqtual martyrdoms,
it is reasonablrto believe that he stot^s them because
they were true, an4 not from any wish to a^pravate,
in his account, the suflerings which Christians sus-
tained, or to extol, more ^ than it deserved, Uiefr
patience under them.
Our hiiit<Nry now pursues anarrower path. Leay-
' ing the rest ^ the apostles, and the original associates
of Christ, engaged in th? propagation of the new fidth
(and trho there is not the least reason to beUeve
_abated in thefar diligence or courage), tne narwive
~j^bceed8' wiChlfie leparate memoln «f that emiii$0iC
teacher, whose extra(nrdinaiy\and audden conversion
to the r ellgiWi an d corresponding cliang6 o| c on^n ct^ "
"^ , MAotoxU.8.-.i7.
CHRISTIANITY.
St
had before lieen«circiiiiistaiitiftUy; Ascribed. Thie
persra, in coigunctioii 'w^ith anc^er, who jy^peared
among the earlier members of the ttociety kt Jem-,
salem, and amongst tiie immediate adherents*' <tf
the tv^lTO iqpostles, set out from Antioch upon the
express business of carrying the new religion tlurougli
the various provinces of the liosser Asia ^ During,
this expedition, we find, that in almost everyplace to,
which they came, their persons were insulted, and
their lives endangered. After being expelled from
Aptioch in Pisi^ they repaired to Iconium.** At
Idonium, an attempt was, made to stone them; at
Lystra, Whither they fled from Iconium, one of ti^em
actually was stoned' and drawn out of the city for
dead.". These two men, thovj^h not themselves tni-
ginal apostles, -were acting in connexion and coqjuno-
tion with the Original apostles; fw alter the complex
tion.of their journey, being sentgfn a particular oon|-
inission to Jerusalem, t^y there related to the apot-
tles" and elders the events and success of their min-
istry, and weire, in return, recommended by them to
the churches, * as men who had hazarded their litet
In the caused' ^ " ^
The t^atment which they had experienced in the
first pronbss,' did not deter them from pre^i^ring for
a seconff.' 'jOpon a dispute, howevei^ jurisidg between
them, but not connected with the common subject ol
their labours,' thjey acted ts wise and sincere nen
. would act ; they did not retire in disgust frran the ser-
vice in which they were engaged, but, each' devoting
his endeavours to the advyicement of the religioo, they
parted from one another, .uid set forwards upon separattt
routs. ^The history goes along with one>of them; and
the second enterprise to him was attended wiUi the
the .^gean Sto, and carries virith him, amongst othera,
nuuif.m. '» Acu .lu^a^^ »^H|^ija. n. ioArti.i,.i».
>^
88
EVIDBNCtiS OP
\
»
'^^
^
Wte pereon whoae *ccounfc^sui>ply the information ijre
are stating* The first plac^ in Greece at which he
appears to have stopped, was PhiUppl in Macedonia.
Here himself and one- of his companions were crueUy
whipped, cast into prison, and Itept there under the
most rigorous custody, being thrust, whilst yet smarU
ing with their wounds, into the inner dungeon, and
their feet made fiut in the stwaa." Notwithstanding
this unequivocal specimen of the usage which they
had to look for in that countrV, they went forward in
the execution of their errand. After passing through
AmphipoUs and ApoUonia, they came t»Thessalonica ;
in which city, the house in which tiiey lodged was
assailed by a party of their eiiemies, in order to bnng
ihem out to the populace. And when, fortunately
for their preservation, they were not found at home,
the master of the house was dragged before the ma»-
\ gistrate for admitting them within his doors." Their
\ raception at the next city was something better: but
neither here had they continued long befo^ their turbu-
lent adversaries, the Jews, exoited against them such
commotions amongst the inhabitants, as obliged the
apostle to make his escape by a private journey to
Athens."* The extremity of the progress was Cot-
"inth. His abode in this city, for some time, seems
to have been without molestotion. At length, how- ,
ever, the Jews found means to stir up an insurrec-
tion against him, and to bring him before the tribunal
of the Roman president." It was to the contempt
which that magistrate entertained for the Jews and
their controversies, of which he accounted Christian-
ity to be one, that our apostle owed his deliverance.
This indefiitigable teacher, after leaving Corinth, re-
turned by Ephesus into Syria; and again visited Jeru-
salem, and the society of Christians in thatcity, which,
as hath been repeatedly observed, still conthiued the
centre of the mission." It suited not however, with
^
••AettlfLII.
"AetiXTiL 18.
■*A«tei(Tl.tS.M,as.
M Aeto xVill. IS.
MAetaxvll. l>a.
•lAeUsviil. 1&
)ors.*» Their
.4,., ■'^■■
CHRIStUNlTy.
M
v^
the activity of his zealV winaiu long at'Merusalem.
We find him going thfl|i<*eto Antloch, and, after 8om«i^
stay there, traversing on0 more the northern .pro- \^
vinces of Asia Minoj?.* This progress ended afc^ ^^^;
Ephesus; in which cily,the apostle continued in the
daily exercise of his ministry two years, and until his
success^ at length, excited the apprehensions of those
who were interested in the support of the national
worship. Their clamour produced a tumult, in \vhich
he had nearly lost his life » , Undismayed^ however, by ^^
the dangers to which he saw himself exposed, he was. -
driven ficrtn Ephesus only to renew hisolabourd in
Greece. After passing over Macedonia, he then
proceeded to his former station at Corintlu* When
he had formed his design of returtiing by a direct
course ft^m Corinth into Syria, he was compeUed, by
a conspiracy of- the Jews, who were prepared to in-
tercept him on Bis way, to trace back his steps
throu^ Macedonia to PhiUj^i, and thence to take
shipping into Asia. Along the coast of Asia, he pur-
sued hif voyage with all the expedition he could com-
mand, in <«rder to reach Jerusalem against the feast
of Pentecost." His reception at Jerusalem was of a
piece with the. usage he had experienced from the
. Jevs in other places. He had been only a few days in
that city,' when the populace, instigated by some of
"his old exponents in Asia, who attended this feast,
seized him in the temple, forced him out of it, and ^^
were ready irajnediately to have destrcyed him, hiid
not the suddep presence of 'the Roman guard rescued
him out d their hands." The officer, however, who .
had thus seasonably interposed, acted from his. care of
the public peace, with the preservation of which he
Miks charged, and not from any &vour to the apostle,
(^ indeed any dispositira to exereise either justice or
humanity towards Um ; for'he had no sooner secured
his person in the fortress, than he was proceeding to
examine him by torture."
■* Acts sx. lA.
•> AelixxirS7-33.
»' ATO M L h 'W
MAetouit. S4.
I
! ,
40
EVIDBNCES OF
\ »
' From thid time to the c<Miclusioa of the history, tbe
apostle xemiiins in public custody of the RonMa go*
vemment After escaping assassinatioo by a fortu-
nate discovery of the plot, and delivering himself from
the influence of his enemies Jiy an appeal to the
audience of the emperor," he i«s sent, but not bntii
he had suflbred two years* imprisonment, to Rome.
He reached Italy, after a tedious voyage, and after
encountering in his passage the perils of a desperate
shipwreck." But although stiU a prisoner, and his
&te still depending, neither tlw various and long-con-
tinued sufierings which he had undergone, nor the
danger of his present situation, deterred him from
persisting in preachiag the reUgion: for the historian
closes the account by telling us, that, for two years, he
received all that came unto him in his own hired
ho4se, where he was permitted to dwell with a Soldier
^ that guarded him, ' preaching the Jtingdom of Qod;
and teaching those things which concern the Lord
< Jesus Christ yrith all confidence.'
Now the historian, from whom we have drawn this
account, in the part of his narrative which relates to
Sahit Paul, is siipport^d by the strongest corroborat-
ing testimony that a hlstiny can receive. We are in
/ possession of letters written by Saint Paul Umself
upon the subject of his ministry,, and either written
during the period which the history comprises, or, if
'written afterward, recitii^ and referring to the trans-
^ acUons of that period. These letters, without bor-
rowhig from the. history, or the history firom them,
' unintentionally ooifirm the account which the history
delivers, in a great variety of particulars. What he- •
longs to our present purpose is the description ex-
hibited of the apostle's sufierings: and the represen-
tation, given hi the history, «f the dangers and dis-
tresses which he underwent, not only agrees, in
general, with the hmguage which he hin^self uses
whenever he speaks of his life or ministry, but is also,
in inaiiy instancesi attest** »y*~^pec4fl©-^
■* Aett xxT. ^ 11.
w AoUulT. 27.
n Aeto nvU.
CHBIStlANITY.
41
•®
J ■■.■.■■
«ncy of time, placf , and order of events. If the his-
torian put down in his narrative, that at. Philippi the
^pestle ' was beaten with many stripes, cast into
prison, and there treated with rigour and indignity;^*
we find him, in a letter to a neighbouring church,*
remindlhg his converts, that, ' after he had suffered be-
focB, and was shamefuUy entreated at Philippi, he wad
bold, nevertheless, to speak unto them (to whose city
he next came) the gospel of God/ If the history
relate,* that^ at Thessaloni(», the house in which the
apostle wasjodged, when he first came to that phtce,
was assaulted by the pqpulace, and the master of it
dragged before the magistrate for admitting such a
guest within his doors; theaapostle, in his letter to
the Christians of Thessalonieja, calls to their remem-
brance 'how Uiey Bad received the gospel in much
afiUction.'** If the histoiy deliver an account of ia,
insurreption at Ephesus, which had nearly cost the
apos^ his life; we have the apostle himself, in aleU
ter im^n a short time after his departure from that
city, describing his de^Salr, and returning thanks for
his deliverance.* Ifibo history inform us, that the
apostle was expelled from AnUoch in Pisidia, at-
tempted to be stoned at Iconiuiii„ and actually stoned
at Lysti^; there is iHreserve4 a letter frpm him to a
fitvourite convert, whom, as the same histoiy tblls us, '
he first.met with in these parts; in which letter he
appeals to that disciple's knowledge < of the peisecu-
Uqds which befell him at Antiodi, at loonium, at
Lystra.'* If the history make the apostle, in his
speech to the £phesian elders, remind them, as one
proof of the disinterestedness of his views, that, to
their kiiowtedge, he' had supplied his own and thfe
necessities of Us companions by personal labour ;* we
find the same apostle, in a letter written during his
residence at Ephesus, asserting of himself, < that even
— «^TIIMH. >r=^^ ,
A> 19. t Urn. Ul. 10, 11. *^AitU ax. S«.
iV
EVIDENCES OF
to that hour he laboured, working with his own
hands.**
These coincidences, together with many rOMveh
to other parts of the apostle's histoiy, and aff drawn
froih independent sources, not only "toniirm the truth
of the account, in the particuhur points as to which
they are observed, but add much to the credit of the
narrative in all its parts; and support the author's
profession ol being a contemporaiy of the person
ifhose histwy he writes, and throuj^t a material
' fbrtion oi his narrative, a companion.
. What the epistles of the apostle^dechtrd of the suC.
fcring state of Christianity, the writings which rei^
main of their^companions and imikiediMte followeni
e:q>res8ly confirm. T
Clement, who is honourably mentioned by SaioL,
Paul in his Epistie to tiie Philippians> hatii left u4!s
ftttestatioQ to this pointy ht^e following woids: * Let
ut take (says he) the examples of our own age.
Through ceal and.efiVy, the most fidtiifiii and right-
eous piUars,of the church have been persecuted even
to the most grievous deaths. Let us set before our
^thekofy apottkt. Peter, by unjost envy, un-
derwent, not one, or two, but many sufferings; till at «
-iastf^belng n^ptyred, he went to the>place of ^wy ?
that was^ai^ktohin. F» tiie same cause did KuIk
in like uianner, receive tiie rew^ of his patience. ^
Seven times he was in bonds; he vras whipped, waS
^ned; he preached botii in the East and in the
West, leaving behind him tiM gloriooi report of his
mUk; and so having taught the whole world right-
eousness, and for that end traveUed even unto the ut-
most boun«|8 of tiie West, he at hut suAied martyr-
don^ by tii^ comm^ of4he governors, and departed
out of tiie worid, and went unto his ho|^ place, being
become a most ernkmit pattern of patience unto all
H^' To these holy lyostles were joined a very f ^reat
nu m b e r
frfiMHn, who, having through eingr und^
gone, in like manner, many pains and torments, have
•lC«.ti.II, 11 WPhlllpp. It. a
CHRISTIANITY. 43
left a glorious example to ^s. For this, not only
pen, but women, have been persecuted ; and, hav-
ing sitffered veiy grievous and cruel punishments,
have finished the course of their feith with final
ness.
Hwnas, saluted by Saint Paul in his Epistle to
tte Romans in a piece, very little connected with
historical recitals, thus speaks: 'Such as have he-
lieved and suffered death for the name of Christ, and
^ve endur^ with a ready mind, and have given up
their lives with all their hearts.'*
Polycarp, the disciple of John (though all that re-
maiiM of hfa works be a Vteiy short epistle), bs not
left this sul^ect unnoticed. * I exhort (says he) all
of you that ye obey the word of righteouiess, and^
exercise aU patience, which ye have seen set foi^S
LorimiM, Imd Rufiis, but in others among yourselves,
^nfi5 ^fY^^T^'^^dthe rest of the ajnitlesi bein^
butinfiuthand righteousness; and are gone to the
phice that was due to them from the Lord, with
^om also they suffered. Fo/ they loved not this
S!^ ^y ^^ ***' wwirection, and being con-
with Peter at Chn^^s appearuice) despised death, and
were focuad to be above it.'** «uw«i,ana
Would the reader know what a persecution M4ese
iTh:^' ^ r"? 1^ ^ **> «^ «^»>« letted wir
rl ^_ ^^"^^ of Smyrna soon aft«r th^^ V^>k v>f
1 «lj««p, who, u wm be remembered, had lived with
'A,
t1
c
V,; :
©^
44
EVIDENCES OF
' \
\
S&int Jdin ; and which letter is 'entitled a rebtfdo el
that bishop's martyrdom. ■* The suilbrings (say they)
(tf all the c^er martyrs, were blessed aiui generous,
which they miderwent according to the will of God. For
so it becomes us, who are more religions than others, to
.ascribe the power and ordering ot all tidngs unto him.
And indeed who can choose but admire the greatness
ui their minds, and that admirable patiimce and love
of their Master, which tb^n appeur«d hi them?
Who, when' they were or fiayed with shipping, that
the frame And structure of their bodies ^rere laid open
to their very inward veins and arteries, nevertheless
endured it. ^n lilce manner, those whiD were ccrti-
demned to the beasts, and kept a long time in prison,
underwent many cruel torments, beiqg forced to lie
upon sharp spikes laid under their bodies, and torment-
ed withMlvers other sorts of punishments, that so, if
,itr were possible, the tyrant, by the length of their ^
IsuWngs, might have brought them to deny Christ.'^*
V:
/:
CHAP. V.
.,v.
rkmv^Mt^fiul$rjf Miimn thmt moftjr. phtfk$itng to ht ortgimtt wUiumi
If IM\pkri$4iwt mirmd»$, pu$td thtir livu in Uttmn, dunjg^rtt m4 mf.
^ fifhtgit-^/Phmt^ag imd»rgm» in mlf$t*tUm of Oi* muMinta wkidk tkag
dM9trtd, imd »»k^ in ooimfHmet ^ thtir My^f of thorn meeowt*/ and
IkalMqr alw liUmitpid,,f^om tko «mm motiMt, to mw mlu ^ eoHduel.
On the histoiy, <^ i»hich the last chi^ter contains an
abstract, there are $! few observations which it may
be proper to miike, by way of applying its testimony
to the part{du]t4|r propositions for which we contend.
I. Although kmr Scripture hi^torjr leaves the gen-
eral account <u the apostles in an early part of the nanv>
tive, ind proceeds with the separate account of one
particular apostle, yet the information which it dell-
vers so far extendi to the rest, as it shews tk0 naimt
of the »ervi€9. When we see one apostle suflbring
persecution In the di scharg e of his commission, we
^S^^^e^with^OTldeiSTthatSes^e
•I fi«I. M M>. FoL a. iU
CHBISTIANITY,
45
ofllce eould, at the same time, be attended with ease
and safetjr to others. And this fidr and reasonable in-
ference is confirmed b^ the direct attestaUon of the
tottOTi, to which we have so often referrad. The writer
of these lettersnot onlyaUudes, in numennis passages,
to his oim suflbrings, but qK>ak8 of ^ rest of them^
ties as enduring Uice suflerings With himselt » I think
that God hath set forth w tk§ apinilet hut,, as it were,
appomted to death; for we are made a spectacle unto
the world, and to angels, and to men ;— even unto this
present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are
nalLod, and are buifijted, and have no certain dweU-
jng-j)lace; andUAour, working with our own hands:
being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we sufibr
"L V*?^«»n»e*»^« entreat: we are made as the
filth of the world, and as the o&couring of all thima
unto this day/» Add to which, that in the short a«-
comit that is given of the other apostles in the former
put of the history, and within the short period which
tbat account comprises, we find, firet, two of them
■eized, imprisoned, brought before the Sanhedrim, and
threatened with farther punishment ; • then, the whole
7S*^' ^"P'^ned «»d beaten:" soon afterwaid, one
of their adherents stoned to death, and so hot a perx
secution raised against the sect, as to drive mortoT
them out of the pUuse; a short time only sucoeedinc
Ijefore one of the twelve was beheaded, and anothS
sentenced to-the same fete ; and aU this passing in the
singte city of Jerusalem, and within ten years after
tartiSS"*' «*«^ "d the commenoement of the
11. Wb take no credit at present tat the miraculous
part rffte nanmtlve, nor do we insist upon the coiwct-
ness of single passages of It. If the whole story ha
not a novel, a romance; the whollaotioa a dream; if
feter, and James, and Paul, and the rest of the
aposUes mentioned in the aocowH, be notall imaginary
p erson s; ff their lett ers b s not aU fmge il es, aS fw iS
is more, forgeries of names and oharactora which
• 1 Oor. It. », »«. •Aotolv.aill. •Aeliy. II^Mk
46
EVIDENCES OF
never existed; then is there evidence in our hands
sufficient to support the only &ct we ctmtend for (and
whic^ I repeat again, is in itself/ highly probable),
that the original fd^owers of Jesus Christ exerted
great endeavours to propagate His religioi, and undeiv*
went greatlabours, dangers, and sufibrings, in con-
sequence of their undertaking.
III. The general reality <ff the apo6t6lic history is
strongly confirmed by the consideration, that it, in
'truth, does no more than assign adequate causes for
eflfacts which certainly were produced, and describe
coiisequences naturally resulting from situfktions which
certainly existed. The eM*cU were certainly these,
of which this histoiy sets forth the cause, and origin,
'\dA progross. It is acknowledged on aU hands, be-
cause it is recorded by other testimony than that of
the Christians themselves, that the religion began to
prevail at that time, and in that country. It is very
difficult to conceive how it could begin, or prevail at
all, without the exertions of the Founder and Ids fol-
lowers in prq>agating the new persuasira. The. his-
tory now in our hands describes these exertions, the
persms emplc^d, the means and endeavours mad»,
use of, and the labours undertaken in the prosecution
,of this purpose.' Again, the treatment which the
history represents the first propagators of the religion
to have exjperienced, was no other than what naturally
resulted from the situation in which they were con-
fessedly placed. It is admitted that the religion was'
adverse, in a great degree, to the reigning opinions, and
to the hopes and wishes of the nation to which it was
first introduced; and that it overthrew, so fiut* as it
was received, the established theology and worship
' |tf every other country. We cannot feel much reluc-
"tance in believing, fliat, when the messengers of such,
a system went alraut not only publishing their (pin-
ions, but collecting proselytes, and forming regular
looi e tl e s of pro se lyt e s. th n y4Jiould-m e et
tion in their attempts, or that this opposition should
sometimes proceed to &tal extremities. Our histoiy
CHRISTIANITY. ' 47
details examples of this opposition, and of the suf-
ferings and dangers which the emissaries of the reli-
gion miderwent, perfectly i^greeable to what' might
reasonably be expected from the nature of their
imder(akhig, compared wiUi.the character <tf the age
and country in which it was carried on.
' '-^ IV. The record? before us supply evidence of
what formed another member of our general proposi-
tion, and what, as hath ibeady been observed, is
highly probable, and ajMap necessaiy consequence
of their new profe|^Hgriz. that, together with
activity and couragM^ibpagating the religion, the
• primitive followers vi Jesus assum^, upon their con-
version, a new and peculiar course of private life.
Immediately after their Master was withdrawn from
them, we hear of their ' contfaiuing with one accwd
in prayer and supplication ;"* of their conthiuing daily
with one accord in the ^mple;'* c^ 'many being
' gathered together praying.'" We IqioW what strict
iiuunctions were kid upon the converts by their ^
teachers. Wherever they came, the first word of theirf
preaching was, « Repent!' We know that these ia-
junctions obliged them to refrain from many specif of
licentiousness, which were not, at that time, replied
criminal We Imow the rules of purity, and the max-
ims of benevolence, which Christians i«ad in their
books ; concerning which rules, it is enough to observe,
that, if they were, I willnot say completely obeyed, but
in any degree regarded, they would produce a system
of Conduct, and, w)iat is more difficult to preserve, a
disposition of mind, and a regulation of aflections.
dilferent from any thing to which they had hitherto
be^n accustomed, and dififerent from what they would*
see in others. The change and distincUod of mamiers,
which resulted from their new character, is perpeto-
^ ally referred to hi the letters of their teachen. * And "
you hath he quickened, whn «»h^ A^ ^^ *ntffpiBwci
and Shis, wherein in Hmupatt ye walked, according
to Uie coursD of this world, accoidlng to the prince of
•Aelii.14. •A««iU.Mb tAeUxlLil
#
48
EVIDENCES OF
^*
■h
the povrer <tf ;the tSr,JbB Sfirit Uiat now worketfa'
.in the diUdreil of disobedience: among whdin,ftl8o
we had our convenatloa in times past, in the lusts
of our flesh, ftilfilling the desiresotf the jflesh, and of the;
mind, and were fay nature the children of wrath, even'
4^ as others."— ^f For t^ time pott iff^itvr life may suffice
us to hive wronght the will of the Gtotiles, when we
wallced in lasdvieusness, lusts, excess of wine, roTell.
ings, hfuqtwnngs, an4 abomini^)^ idolatries ; wherein
they tkink it strange that ve run not with them to the
tame eMcees of riot.'* Saiht Paul, ikihlslftrst l^ter ho
the Cdrinthialis, after enumerating,a^ his manner was,
a qitalogne of vleioi^ characters, adds, ' l§uch were
some of you; but yet are washed, but ye are sancti- '
fied.?* In like nu^er, and alluding to the sajne
% change of practices and sentim«tKa» he adkS the R«-
tean Christians, * what fruit thw had \n th^ things, .^
whereof they are n^ ashamed!'* / The phrases which '
the same writer employs to describe the ^^oral con-
ditfrai of Christians, compared with their coi!idlt}on
' before they became Christians, such asfc^' nei^mess of
life,' being ' freed from siq,' being Mead to sm ;' ' tko
destruction of ^e body of sin, that,/or tmfutwre, th^y
diould not senre sin;' < children of li|(iit, and of Ifhe ,
day,' ad opposed to ' children of darkness and of the
night;' * not sleeping as others ;' impiy,.«t.least) a new
system of obligation, and, pnrimblv. a nev dories of
conduct, commencing with theic djmversion.
. The testimony which Pliny beuis to the behaviour
of the new Sect in hh time, and which testimony
eome^oot m<ve than ^ky years after that of Saint
Paul, is veiy appUcM>le to the subject under consider,
ation. The chavicter which this writer gives of thfrT
Christians of that age, and wUtoh was drawn from a
pretty Mcurate ipquiiy, becattse he considered their
jneral prindplet^H the potet in whi«li *!■• msfiti^^
e point
ouow8:<
was interested, ts as foUows:-- He teUin£e~emp«i^
< that som^ of those who had relinquished the soole^i
«ii*.u.i~s.
•i Oar. vi. 11.
8m alM Tit Hi a.
• lFM.iT.iL4.
>• Ran. vL u.
II
■^;
CHklSTlAtinY. . *
• or ^i, tp sure themselves; t>reteiMied>iii^ they £ad
relinquidied it, Afllrmed that they wera w0iit to meet
together, on a stated day, before it was light, and saas
aiDong themselves alternately a hymn lo Christ asa
God; and toHUnd themsely^ by an odOi, not to the
commission of any wickedness, but t^Ithey wouM
m be gniltjf of. theft, or robbeijr, or / adulteiy; that
they would never &lsify Unir w<>rd, dr deny a i^ledgo
committed to them, when called upbn to retUm it.
This proves tM » moraUty, more pute and stri^ than
was ordinaiy, prevailed at that ti^e in Christian
.^societies. And to me it appears, that we are autho-
riaed to cin^ this testimony back to the age of the
apostles; because it is npt probabk) thai the immei^iate
heauers and disciples of Christ wfere more rehxed than
their successors in Pliny»s time, or the misBiimaries
of the religion than those whom they taught *
i ,.,*■ ' /, . ' • •? ■ "' V ■ " ^-''"'-
-*M
Whkn we consider, first, the prevalency of the reli-
gion it this hour; secondly, the only.credlbte aocJunt
which can te giv^n of its origin, vias. the activity <if
Uie Founder and his Aociates; thirdly, the op^d-
tion ^hich that activity must aaturaUy have exdted •
fourthly, the fale of ^ Fouhder of the nligion. at-'
tested by heathen writers as weU as our own; fifthlv
the testimony of the same writers to the suiBrinn ^
Christians, eitiier contemponuty with, or immeiSSteL
succeeding, tiie original n^ttien of tiie institution*
sixtWy predictions of tiie suflbrings of his ibUowvn
!f«»?!?.!!!?!^.?n"°^'^ of thereUgion, which ascription
:*tono prevM, ftiu«ir that such pnHUeuou w^ra dell-
vered and fulAUed. or tittt tiie writers of Christ's life
were induced by the event to attribute such predio-
tions to him ; seventiUy, letteii now in our possession.
,.' ^.
vV'
f.'
50
bvid£nces j6p.
wntten^ some of the principal agents iu the tnms-
^L^'^llf '*P"*^^>^ to extreme laboun,,^
gere,ai]d8uff8i1ngs, sustainedby themselves and l&ir
companions, tostly, a histo^r punmrting to be^^l
ten by a feUow traveUer of one, of fte new teache«:
and, by ,ts misophisUcated correspon*«icy with JteS
?v i^f "^ still-extont, proving itselfle b*. wS
by some one^weU acquainted with the subject of the
^^r' ''^^^^'^'y «>°tein5 accounts of traveb!
. f^cutions, and martyrdoms, answering to what the
*<»"««»^ ^reasons led us to expect: when we ky to!
'I S^'nL ?' correctly, such as I have stated^emln
i ^e preceding chapters, there cam»ot much doubt li?
at that time appeared in the world, publicly ad^
pajjting the belief of that stoiy, yoluntarily inaJin^
great pemmal. dangers, trave«ing seas and kinXms
i":ri?!u^.!r';S'^' and sustfining great SS
"»*f ™ ^ usage and persecution. It is al«> proved
Jhat the same persons, in consequence of their p^!
suasion, ot preluded persuasion,^ the truth of ^l
they asserted, entered upon a coune of life in \Wv
respects new and singular. ^
- 1 tSXit't ^Ti,"S *^J^r^«d««d parts of the case,
^{"'JfiJJ?*«/»^«^sein the highest degree prob!-
able, that the story, for which these persons volunl
tjjrily exposed themselves to the fatigS^r^d harSl
mean, that they pretended to miraculous evideZ i
, Bome kind or other. Thev had nothing elLtoTtLd
upon The designation of the person?tlSris to SS^
was the Messiah, and as such the subject rf^thelJ
ininistiy, could only be founded upon sSperaatu«l
tokens ajtributed to him. hL wer^no vKes ni
conquests, no revolutionf,. no mirpri.ing elcS ^
\
\ ' ■*.-
■
.^ ■!■ •
i
■ *
-., -r V . -
•_■' ^ ■
1
•
1
PoUqr, t« ivp,.! U.J no dl«OT.ri«, in ^^ «
\
:/-
■son, ^ * 1
ural ;
i,no ',
B of :
rof.
A-
CHRISTIANITY,
■I
Science; no gseat eflitrts of gen^Kor leaniineto pro-
duce, or.
A Galilean peasant was aimouniced to the world as a
divine Uwgirer. A young man of mean condition
of a private and simple life, aiid who had wrought n^
. deliverance for the Jewish natidn, wa^ declared to be
their Messiah. This, withodt ascribing to him at
the sam&^ime some proo& of l^s mission, (and what
other but supernatural jvoofs could there be?) was too
absurd a claim to be either imagined, or att^mpt^d, or
credited. In whatJever degree, or in whatever part
the reli^on was wrgwtnmaHv^ yrhen it came to the
question, 'Is the carpenter's son of Nazareth the
person whom we are to receive and obey ?» there
was nothing but the miracles attributed to him, by
which his pretensions could be maintained for a
moment Eveiy controversy and eveiy question
ttiust presuppose these; for, however such controver*
sies, when they did arise, might, and naturaUy would,
be discussed upon their own grounds of argumenta-
tion, without citing the miratulous evidence which
had been asserted to attend the Founder of the reli-
gion (which would have been tp enter upon another
and a more general question), yet we are to bear in
mmd, that without previously suppoMng the exist,
ence, or the pretence pf such evidence, there could
have bebn no place for the discussion of the argument
**..?".: ™8» *» example, whether the pi-ophecies,
which the Jews interpreted to belong to the Messiah
were, or were not, appUcable to the histoiy of Jeso^
of Nazareth, was a natural sul^ject of debate in those
times i and the debate would pi^oeeed, without recur-
ring at everjr turn to his miracles^ because' it set out
with supposing these; hiasmuch as witho^ miracu-
lous marks and tokens (real or pretended), or without
some such great change elibcted by his m^ans in the
public condition of the country, as might h«.v« b^«i «-
^ «!«„
., ■ ~ ->~-.w^, mfa MMimi, iMiVii Hang.
the themeceiveff mterpretatlon of these pm.
phecies, I do not see how the question could ever
have been eQtertained. ApoUos, we read, ♦ mightily
1*
«
6i
BVJOENCES OF
>.'»
M
oonvinced the Jews, shewing by the Scriptures that
Jesus was Christ;" but unless Jesus had exhibited
some distinction of his person, some proof of superna-
tural power, the argument firom the old Scriptuivs
could have had no place. It had dMhing to attach
W>^ A young inan calling himself the Sonof God,
gathering a crowd about him, and delivering to them
lectures of morality, could not have excited so much as
a doubt among the Jews, whether he was the d^^et^tn-
. whom a long series of ancient prophecies termhiated,
fipom the oompletioD of whicH they had formed sUch
magnificent expeciatio9s, andexpectations of a haturo
80 opposite to what appeared; I mean, no such doubt
could exist when they had the whole case before
them, when they saw him put to death for his offi-
ciousness, and when fcy^his death the evidence con-
cerning him was closecL Again, the e>rt of the
Messiah s comings, supposing ^sus to have been he, .
ujMki Jews, upon Gentiles, upon their relation to each
other^ upon their acceptance with God, upon their duties
«nd their expectations; his nature, authority, office,
•nd agency; were likely to become sulgects of much
^ consideratlotfwith the early votaries of the religion, and
Jo occupy their attention and writings. I should not
however expect, that in these disquisitions, whether
preserved in thcf form of letters, speeches, or set treat-
ises, frequent or veiy direct mention of his miracles
would occur. Still, mli^aeulous evidence lay at the
bcrttom of the argument. In the primary question,
miraculous pretensions, and miraculous pretensions
alone, were what they had to raly upon. "
^ That the original stoiy was miraculous, is very
ftirly also InfernHl from the miraculous powers which
;, were laid claim to by the ChrisUans of succeeding
ftges. If the accounts of these miracles be true It
was a continuation of the same powers; if they be
false, it was an imitation, I wiU not say, of what had
been wrought, but of yhat had been ropnrti>H in ^|v^
-totjii wrought, b^wiose who preceded them. That
*Act«XTili. St.
CHRISTIANITY.
53
'*<f-
imititioil should follow reality, fiction . should be
grafted i^ipoQ truth; that, tf miracles were performed
at first, miracles should bo jnreteiided alterward,
agrees so well with the ordiioaiy course of hnmao af-
fairs, that we can have no great diiBculty in beUev-
ing it. The contrary siq)positi<Mi is veiy improbable,
namety, that miracles should be pretended to bv the
followers of the apostles and first emissaries of reli. ,
gion, when n<ne were pretended to, either in tibeir
own persons or that <si their Maflt^iyby these apostles
and emissaries themselves.
•//A* CkrUlUut miraeU$, j
ditiatnd, mtd tMg i» i
that thugtim mikmUltd, j
JHAP. VII.
Ikat MMBiy, pnfi$aHg tt It tHuikd wOhtttu,
] ihtir li»t$ M UtMin, dmigtri, cmd ntf- '
net 0/ tMr tdXtf ^ tkm tKeetrntt i €md
I tkt tmmi wtttiMt, tQiumruhiffemdiKt,
It being then once pnrt^d, that the first propagators
of the Christian instituticni did exert activity, and
subject themselves to great dangers and sufibrings, in
consequence, and for the sake ef an extracurdinaiy, and,
I think we may say, of a miraculous sUny of some
kind or other; the next great question is. Whether
the account which our Scriptures contain, be that
stoiy ; that which these men delivered, and for which
they acted and suflered as they did ? This question
is, in' efibct^ no^other than whether the stray which
Christians have now, be the ttUxry which Christians
had IJbm t And of this the following proob may be
deduced from general consideraticMis prior to any in-
quiiy into the particular reasons and testimonies by
which the authority of our histories issiq^iNHrted.
. InlJie first place, there exists no trace or vestige
of any other story. It is not, Mke the death nf Cytug,
the tireat, a competition betwedh opposite accounts,
, or betw^n the credit of diflerent historians. There
is not a document, or scrap of account; either con-
64
EV'mBNCBS OP
\
tetaporary with the commencement of Christianity^
S^Vr , remote, brief, and incidbntal notices of
the affair, which are found in heathen write^ w ii
^theydogo,«)along with us. They'beal- testf
mony to these Sets :..-that the institutiii originTt^
from Jesus; that the.Founder was put to dea£ aTa
malefactor, at Jerusalem, by the authority rf the
Roman governor, Pontius Pilate; that the rellirlon
^y;rth,le^ spretid in that cit^.^dX^fc
il?''"l'^*J''^P'°P*S*ted'thence to diCt
comitnes; that theconvertswerenumen)U8;thatlSBv
suffered great hardships and i^jm-ies for their pS
sion,- and that JO* this took place in the age of S
j^dwhich^ourlKKdarhaveisigned^ Thfy ^^
Z^'' !? ^!'^^ the manner, of Christian, in
terms perfectly conformable to the accounts extant in
dur ^j that they wero wont to assemble Sicer-
tt^ fK^'i^i^/ «"« ^j^ *« Christ M to a^':
that they bound themselves by an oath not to^i^it*
Wy crime, but to abstain from theft and^^te^to
adhere strictly to Aeir promises, and not S&^
ney deposited in their hands;' that they wor^n^
first hiwgiver had taught them thi^t they werTSl
S'cfVh^' "!7 *^ * great conteKtS
things of this world, and looked upon them as com!
»Jon; thatjU^y flew to one inotheffleiS^tSt Z^
^^^^''T "y"*^^'?^; that they Tl
inSt Tw'- ^k'""*"**'^^,**»«^«*^«« to suffer,
ings.^ This IS the account of writers who viewed
expMted. ™™*"*"y •• •™*»y« «»«1 -ll the affloity Out eoaWb.
CHRISTIANITY.
56
the Sttly'ect at & great distance j who were uniufurmed
and uninterested about it. It bean the characten of
such an account upcn the &ee of it, becauBe H de^
scribes eflbcts, namely, the aiipearance in the world of
a new Religion, and the conversioii of great multi-
tudes to it, without descending, in the smallest degree
to the detaU of the ,transaction upon which it was^
founded, the interjor ^ the institution, the evidence
or argument^ offered by those who drew over othera
to it. Yet still here is no cootradicticni of our story j
no other or difierent stoiy set up against it ; but so &r
A confirmation of it, as that, in the general points on
which the heathen account touches, it agrees with
that whidi we find in our own books.
The same may be observed of the veiy few Jewish
writers, of that and the adjoining period, which hav<^
come down to us. Whatever they omit, or what-
ever difilculties we may find in explaining the omis^
sion, they advance no other history of the transaction
than that which we acknowledge. Josephus, who
wrote his AnUquiUes, or Histoiy of the Jews, about
sixty years alter the commencement of Christianity
in aj»a8SMe generally iwimitted as genuine, makes
mention of John, underthe name of John the Baptist •
that he was a preacher of virtue ; that he bwtized his
proselytes; that he was weU |^ived by the people;
that he was imprisone4 and put to death by Herod;
and that Hero^ lived in a criminal cohabitatioa with
Herodias, his brother's wife." In another passage
•Uowed by many, although not without coosidenlli
question being moved about it, we hear of * James
the brother of him who was called Jesus, and of his
being put to death.** In a tUrd passage, extant
into OiMnMlvw to MflMiwib lioNonr, thair int UwclMr Jim
•nd nMnMd tiMgodi of tb. OimIu. «mI tranMp iu. Mm^
^K*^ 7^ ?y"?^ •«» -«• to lb« .MoiSiag to wTuw"
Ww.. h,«. .!■« ^ -TTTHtn imfrmiif Ihr il l Hw mUtt TTf ili U wi.ij
p.fita,td.Qmf.
• ABUq. L will. «•». T. Mrt. 1, 1.
* Antiq. I. ix.np.ix.Mei I.
66
EVIDiENCES OP
In eveiy copy that remtins of Josephus's Hiatnnr h..ft
. ^a«tfeeaticitKofwlUchJii«rSi^&,oS
d^pjjted we have an explicit testiSoortolh^ ^
t^^Jjy inan, if ho may be calledTZi!
fj he performed many wondeiftil worJis. He^
. te«5her of sudi men «e received the truS w^
^:J--^^ t^ cr^^they XtS;^^
SiIImJ^**" ^1^"' ^'^ °*^ cease to ad.
S^'J'^,-'"^*™ go tl» wtote length «f our iK'
we asserted is tnie, that he gives noother or difleraht
i^^kTu^T^^. **•**""*» *?» Ws account of ^nerimi •
to ^<A Josephs was nearly thirtyyea«rfii^
?* '^ f ^ »«»Itltad6 oY ChrisuS- wIS'cS!
HOD irom Ohrist, who, in the nl«n of rpthm^^J^^
«H8 riiate; that the superstition had anwi^ «i» iT
Honm """ ' - "l-n 8 . «il«Ju«, «. hUiorir^^
* ^«** '• »»ltt eap. Ui. stet. «,
CHRiiSTIANITY.
5f
\
poraiy with Tacitos, relates that, in thd time 61
Clai«diiis, the Jews were maidng disturbances at
^ Rome, ChrestiB being their leader; and that, during
the reign of Nero, the Christians were^Mbhed*
" under botii which emperors Josephus njHH^Stlva-
Piiny, wlu> wrote his celelmtM epist
than thirtjr years after the publication b^n
historf, found the Christians in kich numE
province of Bithynia, as to draw j&«m.hi^.,„ «y„.,
plaint, thsit the contagion had seized citi<^, towns,
and villages, and had so seized them as to produce a
feneral desertion of the public rites; and when, rT
hag ahf«ad]( beeq observed, there is no reason for im-
^p'ning that the Christians were more numerous i»
f Bithynia than in many other parts of thto Roman
empire: it cannot^ I should suppose, afler this, be
believed, that the religion, and the traiisaction upon
which it was founded, were too dttscure to engage tho
attention of Josephus, or to obtain a place in his his- •-
toiy. Perhaps he did not know how to represent the
business, and disposed of his difficulties by passing it
over in silence. Eusebius wrote the life of Constan-
tine, yet omits entirely the moat remarluble circum-
Htance in that life, the death of his son Crispus ; un-
doubtedly for the reason here given. The reserve of
Josephus upon the subjectT»f Christianify appean also
in his passing over the banishment of the .fows by
Claudius, which Sueto^us, we havti seen, has record,
ed with an express reTerence to Chrial. This is at
^t as remaricabie as his silence about' the in&nts of
Bethlehem.* Be, however, the foct, or the cause of
the omission in Josephus,' what it may, no other or
• Midiadli hM oonpated, mmI. M K abotiM Mem. iWrty aneuh «tM
iailMlerauleiBTUnMd.MiniplMalNmttlwTnrMa mma maHZ!^
't^y
¥
%
/:)
58
EVIDENCES OF
:'%
difierent histoiy of the subject hu beeo giVm by
him, or is pretended to have been given.
^^ But l^rther; the whole series of Christian writera,
*om the fifnt age of the institution down to the pre-
sent, in their discussions, apologies, arguments, and
controversies, proceed upon the general stoiy which
^ our Scriptures obtain, and upon no other. The •
main facts, the principal agents, are alike in all. This
argument wiU appear to hi of great force, when it is
known that we are able to trace back the series of writers
y to a contact with the historical books of the New
Testament, and to the lige of the first emissaries of
the religion, and to deduce it, by an unbroken con-
tinuation, from that end of the train to the present.
The remaining letters of the apostles (and what
more original than th^r letters can we have?) though
written without the remotest design of transmitting
the histoiy of Christ, or of Christianity, to future
ages, or even of making it known to their contempo-
raries, incidentaUy disclose to us the following cir-
cumstances:— Christ's descent and family; his inno-
«ence; the meekness and gentleness of his character
(a recognition which goes to the ^hole Gospel his-
tory) ; his exalted pature ; his circumcision ; his trans-
figuration; his life of opposition and suflering; his
patience and resignation; the appointment of the
eucharist, and the manner of it ; his agony; his con-
fewion before Pontius Pilatft; his stripes, cruciOxion,
and burial; his resurrection, his appearance after it,
first to Peter, then tothe rest of the aposUes ; his asl
.censionintohtaven; imd his designation to be the
future judge «f mankind ,^-the stated residence of
the apwUes at Jerusalem; the working of miracles
by the iirst preachers of the «ospel, who were also the
hearers of Christ;^— the successful propagation of
wbMw at Um
.. M n .,. ., ,., ,. ^^rx.a ~ A.,.-ys>s;'i::;ga:^
CnaiSTIAKlTY.
59
!#'
the religioD; the peraecuUon of its followers; the
miraculous conirenioD of Paul; miracles wrought by
himself, and alleged in Ids controrersies with his ad-
rersaries, and in letters to the persons amongst wh^m
they w«re wrought; finaUy, thai miraclbs were tke
^ e^pt* qf an apottle.* : :
tb an epistle bearing the name of Baitiaba^, the
companion of Paul, probably genuine, certainly be-
longing; to that age, we have the sufl^rings of Christ,
his choice of apostles and their number, his passion,
the scarlet robe, the Tinegar and gaU, the mocking
and piercing, the casting lots for his coat, "• his
V resurrection on the eighth (i. e. the first day of the
. week, " and the commemorative distinction of that '
day, his manifestation after his resurrection, and,
lasUy, his ascension. We have also his miracles
generaUy but posiUvely referred to in the foUowing
words: 'FinaUy, teaching the people of Israel, and
dotnff manjf leondert and tigru ammg them, he
preached to them, and shewed the exceeding great
love which he bare towards them/ "
In an epistle of Clement, a hearer of Saint Paul,
although written for a purpose remotely connected
with the Christian history, we have the resurrection '
or Christ, and the subsequent mission of the apostles,
recorded in these satis&ctory terms: 'The apostles
^S!f P"***®** ^ »» from our Lord Jesus Christ, from
«od:-- for, having received their command, and be^
tag Oummghlsf aeeured by the reeurrection of our
l>ord Jeetu ChrUt, they went abroad, publishing that
may tof. ten tM .bout iti «itbor. tli«. «« b. nont MaMmiw
tt» .(P. In wl>l«i> it wu written. No epUtl. In the JolU«tS?S5S
lAout It mo« Inaubltabto m«ki of tttlqulty th« thtoZTn .^^
s?ii^ ^Ts^.!? «»«» «»-«««to,.-HA. Till. «! x. tfi;
wan on outh, ho ahouM notb* a hImI; moIiIc than •» nruJ. <kl*
:E;:rs! *• *• '•-••-^^•-^ hS. 3rioX7.;?r.?tS
iienw. In • xn*. .nd wonder*, and miirhtr deed..' > Cor. xii. II.
K '" r?. l!.->r. c. vll n lb. c. vl. •» n, c ».
60
BVIDENCBS OF
,m:
Si»,
the kingdom of God was ^ haiid.» « We find noticed
^ also, l^e humiUtjr, yet the porer of Christ, «« his de-
scent from Abraham, his ciucUon. We have Peter
and J>apl represented as fiUthfid and ri^teous |(iUars
of the chui!ch; the numerous sufl^rings rf Peter; the
bonds, stripes, and stoning of Paul, and, more parti-
cuhurly, liis extensive and unwearied travels.
In an epistle of Poljrcaip, a disciple of Saint Johft,
thoughonly a brief -hortatojy letter, » we have the
Jiumili^, patience, sufierings, resurrection, and as-
cension, of Christ, together wltli the apostoUc char-
acter of Saint Paul, distinctly recognised. » Of this .
same father wie are al^o assured by trenieus, that he
(Irena»iis) had heard him relate, » what he had receiv-
ed from eye-witnesses concerning the Lord, both
concerning hit miracht and his doctrine.' »• .;
. In thfi ren^alning works of Ignatius^ the contei^S
raiy of Pblycarp, larger than those of Polycaip (ySI
like those of Polycarp, treating of subjecta in no wise
leading to any recital of the Ch]f|s^ian histoiy,) the
occasional allusions are proportionably more numer-
ous. The descent of Christ from David, his mother,
Maiy, his miraculous conception, the star at his
birth, his baptism by JtAm, the reason assigned for it,
his appeal to th^ propl^ets, the ointment pourpd on his
^ad, his mxikrbM^ under PoriMuf Pilate and Herod
the tetrarch, hiipssurrectioq, tho Lord's day caUed
«nd kept in commemoraUon of i(, and the eucharist
in both its parts— are unequivocaUy rdened to. Upon
the resurrection, this writer is even, cfrcumstantial
He mentions the aposUes' eating and drinking with
Qhrist after he was risen, thefr feeling and their han£
^g him ; from which last cireumstance Ignatius raises
Uils just reflecUon :—« They beUeved, beivg convinced
Mth by his ^h«Qd spirit ; for this ckuse, they despised
death, pnd were found t» be abovo^ it.' " . •
Quadrattts, of the same age With Ignatius, has left'
Jt». Hi Phil. e. f.yUl H. Ult t Ir. ad nor. ay.
" Ad Smjrr. e. III.
..•.Wk
^ _./.
CHRISTIANITY.
61
- / =
' H8 the foUovdng noble testimony :~* The works of our f
SaTiour were always conqticuoiis, flfcr tii^y were real;
/ both those that were healedj and thos(|,that were raised '
from the dead; who were seen not only when they
yi were healed or raised, but for a long time afterward;
not only whilst he dwelled on this earth, but ilso after «
his departure, and for a goodwhile after it, insomuch
that some of then hare reached to dur times.*'*
Justin Martyr came little mwe |bui thirty years
■ after Quadratys. From Justin's %orks, which aro
sUU extant, might be collected a tolerably complete
account of Christ's life, hi aU poii^p, agreeing with
. that which is delivered in our Scriptures; taken
indeed, in a great measure, from thott^criptures,
but sUU proving that this account, and no other, was
the account known and extant hi that age. The
mhi^les in particular, which form the part of ClMst's
history most material to b^ traced, stand fuUy and
distincUy rec^Knised/^n the following passage :---< He
healed those who had been blind, and deaf, an4hune,
fitJin their birth ; causing, by his word, one to leap,
Mother to hear, and a third to see: and by i^Oni
the dead, and making them to live, he induced, b
his wqrks, the men of that age to know him.*'* ^ ^
It is UnneceottSy to cany these citations lower,
because the histoiy, after this Ume. occurs In ancient
Christian writings as fitmiliarly as ft is wont to do in
modem iermpns;»K)ccurs always the same in* sub-
stance, and always that which ou^ evangelists repre-
_ This Is not only true of those writings of Chrto-
tfans, which are genuine, and of acknowledged
aulhority; but it is, in a great measure, true of atf
their ancient writings which remafai; although |ome
of these may have been prraaeously ascribed toauthon
to whom they did not belong, or mv contain false
•ocounts, or mavUppear to be undeserving of credit,
or never indeed to havn nht^in^ m y WhatflTcr
'^
/ .J
M
62
.>
\..'
BVIDENOBS OF
frblM thejrlhave mixed with the luumtiYe, may pre*^
•enre the ouiteriid parfs, the leading fi^tf, as we have
ihefa; and flo fiur ta they do. this, although they be
•vidence of joothing else, they are eTidenoetha^these
points were 1/ftwd, were received and acloiowfidged
by all Christians in the age in which the hwtka w^re
written. At leasit, it may be asserted, that in the
places where we were most likely to meet with such
thingsflf such things Imd existed, no relics iq^pear of
any story substantially diftrent from the present, as
the cause or as , the pretence of the institution.
jF Now that Ihe original story; the ^toiy delivered by
the first preachers ^ the institution, should have died
awHg^jo entirely as to lunre left no record or memorial
jC its existence, although so mMiy records and memo, i
IPals of the time and transaction remain; and that -
another story should have stepped into its place, and
gained exclusive possession of the belief of, all who
proTessed themselves disciplies of the institution, is
beyond any example of the corruption of even oral
tradition, and still less consistent with the experience
of written history: and this improbability, which is
very great, is rendered still greater by the reflection,
that no such change as the oblivion of one story, and
the substituti<m of another, took place in any future
period of the Christian era. Christianity hath tra-
■ veiled through dark and turbulent ages ; nevertheless,
it came out of the cloud and the storm, such in sub.
stance, as it entered in. Many additions were made
to the primitive history, and these entitled to dlfler-
ent degrees, of credit; many doctrinal errors Use
were finom time to time grafted into the public creed ;
but still the original story remained; and remained
the same. In all its principal parts, i| has been fixed
from the beginning.
Thirdly. The reHgimw rites and ,i i^g^ thlt prft-
vailed amonfit ttai early disciptet of Christianity*
were such as belonged tO| and sprung out of, the
narrative now in our hands; which accordancy shews,
thai it was the narrative uj^on which ihese pe#ions
r
w
r f
CHRISTIANITY.
63
acted, and wUch thvf. had w*^^** fr"» ^•^'LS^
era. Our account makes the Foun^ff oTtherebglon .
direct that his disciples should be baptised : we know
that the first ChristiJns were baptlwd. Our account
makes him direct, that they should hold reUgious
assembliett w^ find that they did hold rdif^ous as-
sembUer. Oi* awjounts iKkke the apostles assemble
' #, upon a stated day of the week: we find, and that firm
information perfectly independent of our accounia,
that tlM Christians of the first centuiy did obeerre
stoted days of assembling. Ouii histories reward the
institution of the fite which we call the Lord's sup-
per, and a command to repeat it in vefp^^ ■«-
cession: we find amongst the e«fly ^kris^ns, tiie
celebration of this rite universal. And, indeed, we
find, concurring in all the aboye-menUoned obser-
Tances, Christian societies of many diflbrent naUons
and lamniages, removed from one another by a great
distanwof place, and dissimiUtude .of sltuatioo. It
is also extremely material to remark, that there is no
room for insinuating that our books were »»'«*«;
with a studious accomnwaation to the usages wbioii
obtained at the Ume ^y were^fapj; thirt the
authon of the books fouiid the iMa#l?«rt«hlished, and j
framed the stdry to account for theilrorignaL Tiia
Scripture accounts especially of the L<**^ «VPW •»•
too short and cursoiy, not to piqr/too ohKurjMttd, in
this view, deficient, to allow a plice for THiy such
""Amrait tiio prooto of thii truth of our propoaitiop,
vis that the story which we have now is, In sub-
stance, the story which the Christiana had *km, or.
in other words, that the aceounU in our GespetoM**
as to^their principal parte at least, ^ *«»!»SJ^J»
the aposUes and original teachers oltheiellgim deM
vered. one artip from ciiserving t>iat it appears by
If ■-•■
^v-jiwi''.
Vi',
\.-:t:.
{Witfmd; that the (
JPlHwemwiofthe.
ue narrative. The iu«nafa
^^ arfe moit iureL
. «^. delivered ihenk\
♦Jtouit to write T;™* ,V 'Y™<» the evaiunljst wm %
...jccount of their mZTj^^^L^T^^ ^ *
. '-••ructedi that ^ ^^^'^J^^^^'f ^e™
.• poMd to himself ^ T^^ r^ *W8torian pro-
: ' origin, aJTfii Z.^r?T*? *^ pabular to ite
T>» ««Mprindpal&cL to^^S ^**' ''^ **»«»
' .but wJUch he dZ^J^^'i ^ ^»*«rian refefti,
Of this Jdnd fa S J^^' Jh'JT^^*'-*^^^^
by Saint John TS^^'J^ ^ *»?* T^^^^
btotoiy, but whick la SSJi / Ponclusion of hfa
which Chr^y5»S ]P<**«^ely In the
W«y tfter jBi ^SRi **»?• •^^««>«»M8t, ip<
^■^/'V7««^«<»«^/Toudr me noC
CHHISTI AMITY.
e^
X
miiot yet ascended to my'Fathef : but go unto my
"*bSeiQtjmi 8»7 untothem^ I ascend unto mv Father
your Faiher, unto my God and your (Sod.* '^
^^ ^ uis can only.be accounted for by the supposition that
|«'^nt John wrote under a stase. of the notoriety of
' IIP^**^''' "fcensioii, amongst those by whom his boolc
>>as lilielj^to be |^. The same account must also
be given>f Saint Matthew's omission of the same
-important feet. The thing was Tory weU icnown,
%«nd it di4not occur to the historjata that it was ne-
^ Xiessary to add any particulars boncefning it. (^
agrees also with this solution and with no other, that
neither. Matthew nor John disposes of the perspn of
• our Lord in any manner whatever. Other intima-
tions in Saint John's Gospel of the then general no^
torietj^j*^ the rtoay are the following: His manner of
introdfidM his narrative, (ch. 1. ver. 16.1Kfohn
' bare witness of him, and cried, saying '—eyidenUy
presupposes that his readers knew who John was
His rapid parenthetical reference to John's impri-
sonment, 'for John w«s not yet. cast into prison/"
could only come from a writer whose mind was in the
habit of considering John's imprisonment as mifeteUy
notorious. The description #^ndrew by the addi-
tion 'Simon Peter's brother,' »i takes it for granted,
that Simon Peter was weU known. His nune had
not been mentioned before. The evangelist's notic-
ing" the prevailing misconstruction of a discourse,
which Christ kBld with the beloved disciple, proves
Iteri paid the d|f<M)|j^i»ere alivady
instance* '
iver'were th^ j^^SpJr the U^
that the c
public. And
afibrd, is of e
sent argumen
tories.
These/<
of the
ircumstances^Lfirst, the
Ition
; V.
'1 ;
it in its priiv;ip|Lptrt8,bya seriesof ^"^
succMtfnc writon ; secondly, Be total absem^of any a,
ft6co««ft of the origin of the religion substaaiiallv diL.
ferent fromoun; thirdfy, theeJlyand^S^rti^r-^
a.-
66
EVIDENCES OPs
ts
^i ^:
valence of rites aiu^ institutioiis wWch result frnm
our account; fourthly, our ncZZt^nL^f^^
were toomi and believed at the tiine,v-«re sufficient
ChrS-^ *?"? "°T» »'' *" ««»««»' «>• stoiy which
• ^^"J" i»»d at the beginning. I say inZen^j
JK which term I mean^ that it is the same in itetexl
no doubt, for the reasons above stated, but thaTthp
resunrectionofthe FoMerofthe rSoi'vL riw^J
ttwremamuponUie mind of any one who reflects that
rrfer3"i:;*'"'° ^' ^^"" ^*»™ «^ ^^'* »««erteS
referred to, or assumed, in eveiy Christiai writinir
. of evey descripUon, which hath come doS^ to ^"^V
.. «trl/ ""^ fvidence stopped here,, we should have
ii.^T^.^.^ °?'5 '°'* ^« *o«ld have to aUeST
that in the reign of Tiberius C«sar, a certain numSr
of persons set about an attempt of esUbSig^^
religion in the l^orld: in the prosecut^ rf* wW^ .
puyose, they voluntarily encountered great daZf
undertook great labours, sustained ts^sSnl
«« for a muiMsulous story, which they pubuZd
jrhereverth^rcam*. and that the resSreJC^a
dead matt, wKom durin,? his life they had^filTowed
jnd accompwied, was a%onstant pa|t rftW s s^
I know nothing in the rfH.ve stateSt which t?*
with any appearance of reason, \fe disputed- aSl I
■'''' ' " CkAP.VIII. ,..r-,:|--
tTr.T *^* ■^u"'?*'** ^« *»*^« «w^ i«. In the main
the <toiy whiqh the apdstles published, is. 1 SiS;
r/*' 1
-Sll:
CHRISTIANITY.
67
nearly certain, from the codaiderations which hare
been pro|)osed. But whether, when we come to the
particulars, and the detail of the narrative, the histor-
ical books ol'the New Testi^ment be deserving of credit
«B, histories, so that a iu^ ougl^t to be accounted true,
because it is found in then^; or whether they are en-
titled to be considered as i^epresenting the accounts,
which, true or false, the apostles published ; — ^whether
their authority, in either of these views, can be trusted
to, is a point which necessarily depends upon what we
laiow of the books, and of thei^ authors.
" Now, in treating of this part of our argument, the
first and most material observation upon the subject
is, that such was the situation (^the authors to whom
^e foiu: Gospels are ascribed, that, if any one of the
four be genuine, it is sufficient for our purpose. The
j(ef eived author'of the first was an original apostle and
emissuy of the religion. The received author of the
second was an inhabitaitt of Jerusalem at the time, to
whose house the ^)oetles were wont to resort, and
himself an attendant vifKia. ope of the most eminent efthifit
number. The received author of the third, was astated'
companion and fellow traveller of the most active of all
the teachers of the religion, and, in the course of his tra-
vels, frequently in the societjr of the (uriginal apostles.
The received authw t^the fourth, as well<as cf the first,
was one of these iq^tles. No stronger evidence <^
the trut^ of a histoiy can arisllrom the situation of the
historian, thtmwhat is here omred. Hie auUuNRs of
all the histories lived at the time and upon the <spotJ
The authors of two of the histories were present at
many of thd scenes which they describe ; eye-wit-
nesses of thefacts, ear-witnesses of the discourses;
writing fhraP personal jjjjg wledge ' aod recollectiwi ;
and, what strengthens^BRestimony, writing upon a
subject in which theif^Rncfo were deeply engaged,
and in^hich, as they most have been very frequently
repeating the accounts to others, the passages of the
hist<Mry would be kept cqatinually alive in their mem<»y. "
1I7U j-.i--^. *i (ttua th e y ought tuA -w t dfq^
■^
II
'SrtT
.?*■.
68
BVIDENCESdj^" '
V.A
not mer^•
■>•*
letwpprobabljr.
if'
i
Jto l^icuiar purpdee), wiU find in
"^'teaUong of time, plwe, ^i3 SraST. ^d
•ccounto many and variow. ifSTGiiib "
these narntires, if they teaUy proceed^
advanta^ , ,. ""#!r^P™«IPect dT honour «r
^society and coiTe^K«MieiS*^th^ #'
% present at the transifttiata. Sii^JLTT ***** iS*"* '^^
^^latter«fthemac3Sai^»,ite^'*^- The ^
^^f*?*"' •* t»>e trantteoohswliih thev
»tter of them acconiinffly teMf /mS .i*!. ~:
8ia»^, because lie tou. iPRSf **** »PP««!Pnt
w»A gieaier autliltirth.™ i5^ claiming ibr liif
iHtnejs*. and miolsteSrf tte%?^X Tl
traced accounts up to thWtaouree^i ^ l ^^
*
CHRISTIANITY.
60.
£iigl whicb he related.' Very few historiei lie so
Be to their fiwte; my few histiMrians are so nearly
inected with the subject of their narratiTe, m pos-
sesi.|M d i iBMuis of auUientic iotonoMmi, as these.
Tw ftftoatioD of the writers applies to the truth of
^ feiSts which thejr record. But at prraent we use
Iheir tertimony to a point soanewliat divt of this,
namely, that the fects recorded in the Craqiels, whe-
ther tnWor felse, are the.fects, and the sort of fects,
which tnS|pri|^nal pnachers of the religion allef^.
Strictly speaking, I am concerned only to shew, that
what the Gospels contain is the same as what the
IposUes preadied. Now^ how stands the prottf dT
this mpt? A aet of men went about the^ world,
publi^K| a stoi^ c6mp(^iM of miraculous accounts
(for^nmHlous vom fHa veiy nature and exigency of
the case^ff must have been), and, upon the strength
^ts, called iqpqii numUnd to quit the
^ ich they had been eBucated, and to
of these
religions
titke vg>, thencefe^ljka new', system of opinions, and
nciw rules of actplp^What is more in attestation d
these accounts; that is, In supp<»rt of an institotioa of
which these accounts were the foundation, is, tliat
the same-'men yoluntarily exposed themselves to
harassing and perp^ltual labomii, dangers, and suflbr-
ings. We, want to know what' these accbunts were.
W<e have the particulars, i, 0. many particuhurs, firom
two of their own number. Weliave them from an
attendant, of one of the number, and who, there is
reason to believe, was an inliabitant of Jerusalem at
the tfane. We hai|= tliem from a frnirth writer, who
accompanied the m^ laborious missionary of the in-
stitution in Ids trav^ who, in the course of these
travels, wasire^oentty brouf^t into the society of the
rest; aiod who, let it be observed, begins his nanr^
* Why riMdd Bol tlw eMiMd aad gMdM* pfdte* or this htatavlMi bt
tollwvMdt M wcttMlhat whiab Dlaa CMrimpitSsMtohis Li|iorOoai«
I Silkmiac I write aot arm tb* npott o(
od|tn,bakfkaaiBy«iniltaowMg*ndotairrttioB.' I w ■a.wnw
A3
70
EVIDENCES OF.
WnextiW)rdinMy things 4ichtiyrelJ^
derttf pettoa WW Juid appeared UJ^^V^,
?r^S>n"?tf ^ Pr^, that, In tS'Sl^*
prosj-uMon of their ministiy, these men Jad subi^^
ed themselves to extreme hardship ]S^
penlj but suppose the ^ccooZ^^'t^^^
^n^b^n committed to writing till soJ^^'X
We^times, or at least that no histories, hS^L
wr hands; we should haJe saidrand wSlS^
rn^^fMr. '" ''^'* they delivered tiSr teS!
inonjr,butthatwedid not; 6 this dav W^
we received the parUcuhurs of it fiwn wy rf ^Sr
«^ any of their contemporgries, we should have had
«^metWng to rey ^. Now, if ourTdSTiT
ulne, We liaye aU these. We have the vervm^
"^S^^.^^"^ ^ '' -PPeMrto^meTTu?^
J^ion would have carved out ibr «, If i had K
But I have said, that. If «»y «,« of the four Go..
\.
CflSISTIANlTY.
71
written bjr Matthew, we hive the namtive of one of
-the niunber, from which to judge what were the
miracles,,and the Undo! miracles, which the apostles
attribultd to Jesus. AUhough, for argument's sake,
and onljr for argument's sake, we shculd allow that
this Gospel had been erroneously ascribed to Matthew ;
yet, if the Goqwl of Saint John he genuine, the
obsenration holds with no less strength. Again,
although the Gospels both of Matthew and John could
be 8U{^NMied to be spvrious, yet, if the Gospel of Saint
Luke were truly the composition of that person, or of
any persttq, be his name what it Alight^ wIk> was
actually in the situation in which the author of that
QaspA pn^esses himsel(^to have been, or if the Gos^
pel whidi bears the name of Marie really proceeded
from him ; we still, even upon the lowest supposition,
possess the accounts of one writer at least, who was
not only contemporary with the a|kistles, but associ-
ated with tiiem in tiieir ministry; which authority
;peems sufficient, when the question is simply what it
was iniiich these apostles advanced.
I think it m^erial to have this weU noticed. The
New Testuncoit cratains a great number of distinct
^writings, the genuineness of any one of ivhich is
almost sufficient to prore the truth of the lellgjMi: it
cwtains, however, four distinct histories, the genu-t
inwiem of any mm of which is perfef^y suflkient. If,
tlMrefore,'ife must be considered as-encountering the:
.risk of «rror in assigning the aiiUiors of our boplu,
we are entitled to^the adv^uotage of sojWny separate
INrobabiUties. And alth(au^it ^^ifiiKpev that '
some of the evangelists had seen ai^ms^iiM^ dUier's
winrks, this discovery, whUst It smni^^U^eed from
their 'characters as testimonies strictly, inclependent,
diminishes, I csocelve, little, either their separate
authority (by which I mean the authwity of any one
that is genuine), or their mutual conarmation. i For, *
let the most disadvantageous supposition possible be
made concerning ttem ; let it be allowed, what I
s h miM hav e no great difliculty in admitting, ^ tfait—
♦-r*
&
^w
• a
,S>
*(t
•
I
^'Kf-
(Pi
r *
i'\^' '«■
■'•■,■ ....
4.;
■to' '^- ■ / ' • '^
teVlDENCfesOP / .
be supposed that Si wio2I *^ ** » "oment
Afark, A contemporanr rf fi:.^ ' ./' be true that
Md feUow labourer with LtSfytl*^*"**"^ '™^«"w
. be true that this Z^^J"^,^ ti>^m;if, I say, it
lows„thatthe wriW^rfr^tS^.^^^Pil^tion/it fol,
: « ehetime of theaZa^^a^K^^'l'^^
, a^y we then in sS^e^i^ "^f ^» but that
' ' Tanion of t^ie aposZ fo^ "u? *"®*^' *bat a coia.
I^et'the G^pei^S'l*^*? ;bi8t^ »^ them.
Marie ivfcbeS to t^l^^T ''^^*«» ^"^bich ,
* epitome, ij afford tfie1I?o„«"t' ^'^J' "^•^« "»« , ' '
toUiechar^ter of tiIli,SS"' ^ "* •ttestationk.
:,Qoepfel of Mithe; aStKatof^l^M': between the
*ence cannot easily JTe^rolLnLi'^*!''^*'*** «<»«««•- <
. SJ'P-^^. either Clf^etSt^^^ »>y
history, or^Iyit apbJwirifff'*^^
th»t tainu^i,5fnrj;J» »f S; no'^iw incnidibie,
brief memXcf'^S^^^^ ■
committed tJv wriunip JTSf «1 ^^ ^' ^ been *
Jlly admitted Z,toXi?iSS^^ ^«^^«»- -
is Periectiy.cofcsiieat wfih Vil! . .**•*'' «?PPosition ^ .
n*te as •fey^witnMTS f S' 7^** P«>foS8?8 not to
words, to We coES *r^1^ ^"^ ^^^^^'^ i in other .
9f making^uquiries Sd^S > l?** ^ opportunities ' **
'^sv
bo)
'■» «f Goi^iwhich we call MmtSu^a' '
vre aflowinir. fnr ♦».„ li ../" ^™^'8,
aijd oajjTinore annwiTITi'^^f* ^® <»" Matthe
''^ ■"'■■.M„ . ,. ^- ; ;;;^;a?'^y, S y ;,.
W
'"■ rV
CHRISTIANITY.
VtS
«
fn Saint Lukci's Gospel, a history given by a writer
immediately connected with the transacticn, with *
the witness«s <tf it, with the persons engaged in it,
and composed from materials which that personj thus "
situated, deenied to be*.safe sources of 'intelligence {.*
in dtber words, whatever Supposition be mad^ cmv.
coming any or all the other GkMpels, if Saint Luke's
Gospel be genuine, we have in it a credible evidence
of the point which' we maintain. : ^ '
The Gospeljaccording to S4jnt Johh appears^ to be,
and iv on all hands allowed to be, ain independent
testimony, strictly anSd properly so called. Notwith.
staadinff, therefore, apy connexioh, or^supposed coh
nexion, between some of the. Gosp^, I sgiin repeat '
what I before sal^, that if any. one of the four.be '
genuine, we have, in that one, strong reason, from *
the character and situation of the writer, 4o believe ,
that we possess^the accotmts which the original emis-'
faries^the rlligi(^delivered. - ^
Secondly: In treating of tlie wf|^n evidences of
wyknity, oext to their separate, w^ are to qou-'
stdenlpir aggregate authority)r Now, there is in the
evaiiMMhistory a cumulation- of testimony which
belongftlSmlly to any other history, but which our
habitual mode of reading the Scriptures sometiqaes
* cAuses us to overlook. When a passage, Jn any wj^
relating tp the history of Christ, is read to us oup8F"
this epistle loi Clemenf Romanus, the epistles ai tgha-
|ius, ot Polycarp, or flrom any other writing of that
age, we are immediately sensible of the confirmation
which it affqrds to the Scripture account* Aere is a
new witness. »^ Npw» if we had been accustomed to
ifad the«Gosp«l (if /MlHtthew alone,' and had known
that of Luke only as the genenllty of Christians know
the writingf of the apoetqlical fathers, that is; hadi
known that ^ch a writing was extant and acknowv
lodged j^iwhen we came, for the first time, to look
Jntfl^JitJt contained, and fo nni^ «»«»y ftf fffw %'tii4
wlilullMaUJUew recorded, recorded also (hkre, many
other nets of a similar nature i^dded, and ulrough- ,
•4-
/^
"^TT
M»
\^
74
\..' EVIDENCES OF
j.<t i
» ■ (
Aut the wholV work tlio ««;.-
Impreased by tUs discoverv S / T '"''^ strongly
_ should feel iirZ^TZ ll'"^ T'^^'^^'- ^ L--
M»rk perhup, woffi 8trik^»S J^^V •?'* ^^ ^af „t
W^toiy -withwhicXrCre Z«^ abridgment of the
; we should natunUly ye£ t^Lt^'T^''^^ ' ^lit
^;*ridged by such ^^SnL^Jl ^rl^^*^ ""^
of 80 ewly an age, it^ordlrf ^ v I ^^ '^^ P«"on
alble attestationftolhSe Xhf ^l^^»h««t pes-
^ ee>Wive disclopjp,^ of pH ^IS",^*^'^' This suc-
^^ that there must hai^CatT^f "''^^ "" '^"'**''
•toiy which not one^ut^vtHT.' '^^^^^^
«ommit to writinir tLw^' . **''®" in ha«d to
jrate histories ioSd ^KuTr '!t°^ of forsep-
foundaUon; «„d when aS."f f?** *^^ ^^^^^^ had a
different informatlTS S^X*^%^'^'^^J' ^^'^^
plied to their accouiToTw^^^^ "^Ht"' ^^ «"P-
«d judgment in s^itTn^X*^"'" ^^'^^''ent choice
duced, we o^ervermanv J??/ ™**^"'*^^ ^a^Pro-
»I1; of these 4T at S^^^*; '^"** ^^^ «an»e ip
they were fixed fn^tftedTt^^r'lr^^^^^^ ««^'
this, we should come to th« L "'^IP^blieity. ^ ^fter
history, and that a^o o^fe J^"""^^^^" ''^ '' ^*««oct
taking up the subject where ro'tf^' u'H" ?« '^^t'
carrying on a n^iy^^^ZTeS^'" *''? '"^ '^' '^^
world by the extraordinl'^au^t 7^^^^^^^ '^'
already been informed ^ i.: I ' "'hich we liad
jw. A we 4rin^^„"^:xtfi'*/'' "
"oiy in no llui. degree esZhShirf i. ^ ""^"■^
knewledge, one ifter mT„p k.. '' '""« *» °"
«n. in IV«MnSlniffl2Z ."h'' ««'% •>«» ™n-
^te rsi f r g yg
i\
'-y:*,*' #
\
76
CHRISTlAJfm-.
giving advice and dii^rtion^i) those who acted upon it
I. conceive that we should find, in eveiy one of these '
a still farther support to the conclusion we had formed
At present, the weight of this^ successive confirma-
tiori is, in a great measure, unperd6ived by us The
evidence does not appear to us wjjat it is; for* beinc
from our infancy accustomed to regard the New TesiS
ament as one book, we see in it only one testi
t "??: J}^ '^*'**'® °''*'"''^ to us as i» singl^ evidence ;
and Its diflerent parts, not as distinct attes^tions, but .
asdifferentportionsonlyofthesame. Yet in this con-
ception of the subject, we are certainly mistaken- for .
the veij discrepancies among the several documents
which form.our volume, prove, if all oth«r proof were
>antmg, that m their original composition they were '
, separate, and most of them independent productions
It we dispose our ideas in a diflerent order. tl» '
matter stapds thus: Whilst the transaction Wrtu .
certt, and the original witnesses were at hand io m^ 9
late it ; and whilst the apostles were busied in preiicldnin
and travelling in collecting disciples, in forming andt.
regulating societies of converts, in suppqrtinif^em
sel)ffis against opposition ; whilst they exerci^d thei^
ministry ttnder the lum^sings of frequent persecutiom ^
and In a statO of almost continual alarm, it Is not pro-' V
babliTthat in this engaged, anxious, and unsettled con-
ditioh of life, thoy would think immediately of wrifc-
iiig histories for the information of the public or of 4V
pc^terity.. But it is vey probable that Lrgenci^''^/
might draw from somd ol^them occasional lette» upon - •
the subject of their liiisslpn, to converts, or to societies
erf convertji with Which tliey were comiected ; or that ''
t^ey might address written discouraei and exhorta-
tioHs to ^ dbeiples of the in.at«tion allege, w^
would be received and reld Virith a rbspect prwi^rtlon^
ed to the charter of th^ writer. Mca^^nZ ^
.-'«.
jai
■!»'
"7?
76
EVIDENCBS OF
' tL ! T.if^ 5^ ' f""^™' intercourei with the mos!
-. would ftlljDtidisns. andDeSt ALl"""™"!'''
ea.uiey would do) under the tMfAfHwv.^ • .'""""-
«.d wfth Z'tS" ""r'. l"-"*™'" «"» •>«»'»ei;
•ua wim uiis the records in ©ur Dossp<!<jinn «„j ♦!:
S^^"«' .'." ?• "'^' rf*«>i»..ny letters oftheS
;^Xt™"tr.Ttri'?a:^;s^,---„S"
>n which we regM^ tl..t quesUon ; *„r li "oZrT
wrSt^a r^\°' "''''^*"» •» "l-™ SJe «.^"
were wiittenhad been previouslv infnrmo/i. »„„
able, however, to gather from these docSmente vark ^
ous particular attestations which have bZ alrl«rft '
enumerated; and thls^saspedeso Tlttenevitnce^
«« far as it goes. In the hiS^iest degree satisSnr!' '
nm rn rtr aimotautial In fu. .naU un, We hrve. in Z
next place, nve ^direct k(.t^ies, bearing IJi ^^l
CHRISTlANItY.
77
of persons acquainted, by their situation/ivith the
tnith of what ihey relate, and three pf thm purport-
ing, in the very body of the narrati ve j to be written by
8iich|iersons ; of which booira we know; that sbme were
m the hands of those who were contemporaries of the
aposUes, and that, in the age inftmediateiy posterior
to that, they were in the hands, we may say, of evenr
one, and received by Christians with somuchrjBspect
and deference, as to be constantly quoted and referred
' to by them, without any doubt of the truth of their
. accounts. They were treated as such histories, pro-
ceeding from such Authorities, might expect to be
treated. In the preface to one of our histories, we have
intimations left us of the existence of some ancient
accounts which are now lost. There is nothing in this .
circumstance that can surprise us. It was to be ex-
pected, from the magnitude and novelty of the ocr
casion, that such accounts would swarm. When
better accounts came forth, these died away. Our
present histories superseded others. They soon ac-
quired a character and established a reputation which
does not appear to have belonJsed to anf other: that,
at leas^ can be proved concenMng them, which can-
not be proved concerning any other.
But to return to the point which led to these
reflections. By considering our records in either of
the two views in which we have represented them,
^e shall perceive that we possess a collection of proofs,
and not a naked or solitary testimony"; and that the
writte^ evidence is of such a kind, and comes to us
irfsuch a sUte, as the natural order and progress of
things. In the Infancy of the Institution, miaht be
expected to produce. , *
Thirdly: The gonuhienew of the historical beekt
of th«r New Testament Is undoubtedhr a point ol
importance, because the 8tr?ngt|i of their evidence is
augmented by our knowledge of the situation of tliieir
m
authorfi, th o tr r u latlou tu the Hubjmt, tftd the part
which they susuined in the transaction; afld the
testimonies which we are able to produce, coihp^ .
78
EVIDBNCES OP
/'^
^^nnground of persuasion, that the Go8peU^^„
writtoB by the persons whose names they bear
werertheless, I must be aUowed to state, that to/ the
Kfunent which I am endeavouring to maioiaini this
point ik^ot essential; I mean, so eSentrTtStS
fate of the argument depends upon it. The! quiis
St^ ^' whether the Gospels exhibit the/stQlSt.
r K?unf *P*?*^ ■"'* ^^ emissaries of thiUeiirfitE
publlslf d, and/or which they acted and JffeMT
#«makiner In wWch,ibr some mi«cuIoi,i stSir or
IJJher, jbey did act and sufler. Now let I s^^
SlTI!J5T*r^ 1** «*^' information ^cTK
ftese>oIai «.♦„ that they were writteS by early
^iptesofChrlstianify. that thfey were knoin S
, , wad d^ng the Jime, or near the time, of the oriirinal
*P« «^ of the religion; that by Christians wh^mTe
ap^Uy instructed, by societiej of Christians which"
tte ap^tles founded, these books were received (by
which, term 'received,' I mean that they wirJ
heliev^ to contain authentic accounts of the transac-
TJ^^ r^ accordingly used, repeated, and relied
^n), tWs reception Would be a valid proof that these
^^*'T.*"' r"* V »"«»or8 of them, must have
accord^ with what th?aposUes taught. A reception
by ^ first race of Christians, is evidence KeJ
agreed witii what tiie first teachers of tiie religioJ
^ K r?i?* '° P^*c«»»r. if they had not agreed with
what tiie apostles tiiemselves preache^ "
they have gained credit in chunhM
which the aposties established?
Now tiie fitct of tiie early existence,
of tiieir existence but tiieir reputation
by some ancient testhnonies which do upt nappen to
yedfy tiie names of tiie writers: add to which; what
hatii been already hinted, tiiat two out of tiie iom
^^ r^'lu^'^T''^^ in Uie body if tiie histo^
lU^ .14«di^ (TTKraathoii, via. tiiat one wm
«vri^ by an eyewwitnew of tii« sufferings of Glirist
how could
id societies
id not only
is made out
it happen to
CHBI8'^?iANITY. 79
^ Other V» contempoimiy of the •postfes. In the
Gcqjel of St JJn, («x. 35.) .fteT describing Z
crucifixioo, ynth UhT, j>8rticul»r circumstan^ of
- P^^«W ChriBt'g Bid^ym a spear, the histoid
l^f f-'^^Wmgelf, '«,atothat'««^^
and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith
true, .that ye might believer' Again, (xxi 24 ^
^L"*f ??».* S?°^*"«^i*'n ^Wch passed between
?wSL"? '^f ^^^'^P***' "^ *' » therTexpressed, .
JJ?t *^l'*''^^'' it is added, 'this Is the disciple
J^-*^*-*u *"! *«8*'nM»y. let itMM) remarked, is not
imLryi?^ £'"*«»^» *»««*"» " «» in one view,
imperfect. The name is not mentioned; which, if
ftfraudulent, purpose had been intended, would have
been done. The third of our present Gospels purports
A.^''%*^'' "I"^"*" ^ ***« P«.™ who w?ote the
' ^Lt^'' ^jn^V *" ^^*» »*»*«' histov, or
u«mg in various places the li«t person plitZ
declares himself to have been a contemporary rfaS .
OF THE AUWHBNTICITT OV THB SORIPTtTRBS
iJoT forgetting, therefore, what credit is due to the
^VMigellcal history, supposing even any one of the
foiir Gospels to be genuine ; what credit is due to the
Gospels, even supposing nothing to be known con-
S?I^^^ St^ thmTwentwri rt e n hy early
by early Christian churches; more especially not
forgetting what credit is due to the N«w TestLTnJ .
■J':
J,
m
' L
EVIDENCES OF
In its capacity of cumulative evidence; we now pi^
cwd to state the proper and distinct proofs^ which
i shew not <mly the gene^ value of these records, but
their specific authority, and the high probability there
-—IB that .they actually came from the persons whoair
' names they bear. ^
.,. Tterj^are, howev^, a few preUminaiy reflection^
by which we may draw up with more regularity to
the propositions upon which the close and particular
• discussion of the subject depends. Of which nature
>. are the following: ,
' I. We are able to produce a great number of "ani
tient manuscripts, found in many different countries*
* end m countries widely distant from each other, all
of them anterior to the art of printing, some certainly*
J^ven or eight hundred years old, and some which have
been preserved probably above a thousand years.' We
have also man* awcient versims of these books, and
•ome of them mto languages which are not at present,
nor for many ages have been, spoken in aay part of
the world. The existence of these manuscripts and
vereions proves that the Scriptures were not the pro-
duction of any modem contrivance. It does away also
the uncertainty which Imngs over such publications as *
-the works, real or pretended, of Ossian and Rowley.
_Jn which the editors are challenged to Drodiice theiJ
manuscripts, and to shew where they obtained their
^pies. The number of manuscripts, far exceeding
^ose of any other book, and their wide dispersion, af-
ford an argument, in some measure, to the senses, that
the Scriptures ancienUy, in like manner as at this
day, were nuire road and sought after than any other
^ books, and that also in man^ diflerent countries. The
jpreatest put of spurious Christias writingsiare utterly
^t, Uie rest preserved by mm single manuscript.
There 18 weighl«i«, In Dr Bentley's observation, that
the New Testament has suflered less ii^ury by th*
fftnm nf traMBxiborst than the wuiks^xifTtny
pnwiMf Ml tte fourth w sail eratury. ^^^
'CHRISTIANITY; > ' gi
authcrofthe same size and antiquity; that is. there
TZT.:""^ '"li""^' ^'" ***" P'-Wation and'pur^
of which the world was so interested or so careful
.J!*j 'r!I*"®°'2' ^*^ weight with those who
are J"««es of the proofs upon which it is founded, and
capable, through their testimony, of being addressed
to eveiy understanding, is thatwluch ariSs from the
style and language of the New Testament. It is just\
such a language as might be expected from the apoa*
ties, from person^ of their age and in their sitiwtion. '
J?,i- fi" '^^^*' P^?°"^' ^* " ^^»« style neither of
ITr *"^°'^' ".*'*■ ""i *^® ""'^'^"^ Christian fathei-s,
J"', ^reek coming from men of Hebrew origin
aboundmg, that is, with Hebraic and Syriac idi<^^
' l^fn "'7«»!? naturally bd fourid in the writings of^
^v^h'^S .""^^ a language spoken indeed where they
^ Th^oV ""' ''^ ''°""'^" **»^ect o^ the couiitiy.
This happy peculiarity is H strdng proof of the eeL
^rcTlr'^'nTK^''^'^ for who%Luld forge the%
The Chnstian fathers were for the most part totiM
^omjt of Hebrew, and therefore were nSt like^S^
^iTf^w'STJ *1** ^y^^*^ ^"*<» «*'*^ Waitings,
m iew who had a knowledge of Hebrexv, as JusUn
.Martyr, Ongen, and Ep.phanius. wrote in 1 lang^l""
ment Th^K '^'^'^^'^'^^ *« ^^at of the New T^C .
ment. The Na^arenes, who understood Hebrew, nSi
ttw^'^Th "'T' '"'"''y^ '^' ^^P^' of Saint
Matthew and therefore cjmnot be suspected of forgihff
the rest of the sacred writings. The argument a?
any rate prores the antiquity rf these jLkTraUhe'
belonged to the age of the ajostles; th«t iey coul^bfc.
«>mpo«^ indeed in no other • » ' ' °**
the"'l.oItl^ f^i^'f ''!,r?''>« t^« genuineness of
^mTthfrZT ^•Pr »^«"d that this, at the hot-
Ik '*;V ? ' "^ougl* secret, cause, of our howktion
about them; f or, had the writing - ""^ ilSaiKLOn
<»
82
BVIDBNCES OF
to other
not de
the
^MJj«;W Matthej^ and John, ,^d notl^ni M
NoWi;?^' there would have been no doubtaTaT
mj-muX.^ other auth..'' ^^^^hltyTJel
» otter Jwjks in some sort similar to oim: we do
Itoiittincness rftte Konm; „, admit tl«
fPlulortratus, was reaUy written ^
of Chris?^J5?r "^ '"">' W^ing in tl.e naSle
, ~tirs.t„/"avi^;|;'rd Xtt^"^'" '
geiy. Yet have we heard but of one attemnt nf ♦».•
sor^ deserving of the smallest notice! Sa pi^e
of a.y^ fe^ lines, and so far from^oSedlSl ? •
mean;from obUining acceptance and^^^^^^
acceptance and reputAUon in any wise simZ^ tht?
whiclrcan be proved to have atteLed thi"ol rf 1**
epistle of Christ to Abgarus. ^nsi^Ed^Lf^ i^
wbctth^wi.^''"*^''*'' :^outconsiderabledoubt
^hctlyi the whole passage b^ riot an JntprynlnMon, m
» Hist. Kccl. lib. J. e. 1&
%\
.■V.
. CHRISTIANITY.
it is most certain, that, after the publication
bius's work, this epistle was universally rejea
V. If the ascription of the Gospels to their n
_ tive authors had been arbitraiy or conjectural, i\mm
vmMJ^x^ been ascribed to more eminent^J
This observation holds concerning the first three'C^os.
pels, the reputed authors of which were enabled, bv
th6k situation, to obtain true int*»lliffence, and werV
Jikely to deliver ^honest jiCcount of what they knew
but were persons not distinguished in the history by
extraordinaiy markd of notice or commendation. Of
the apostles, I hardly know any one of whom less i»
said than Matthew, or of whom the Uttle that is said
is less calculated to magnify his character. Of Mark,
nothing is said in the Gospels; and what is said of any
person of that name in the Acts, and in tl^e Epistles,
m n,o part bestows praisp or eminence upon him.
.rhename of Luke is mentioned only in St Paul»g
EpisUes, ^d very transiently. The judgment,
therefore, which assigned these writings to thes^
authors proceededKjt may be presumed, upon proper
kno^vledge ,and evidUiicpi. and not upon a voluntanr
choice of names. ^^l ^'
VI. Christian writers and ChrisUan churches appear ;
to have soon arrived at aTery general agreement uwwi
the suluect, and that ^vithout the interposition of any
.public auUiority. When the diversi^of opinion^
which prevailed, and prevails among Christians in
other points, is considered, their concurrence in thA
canon of Scripture is remarkable, 4uid of grei^ weight.
especiaUy as it seems to have beed the remit of privati
JJkj n Baik.J ii l.4.i Tha-
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and free inquiry. We hare no knowledge d any
mterferenc* of authority in Uie question, before tiw
pouncil of Laodicea in the year 363. Probably £
decree of this council rather declared than regulated
the publiwudgment, or, more properly speaking, Uie
judgment of some neighbouring churches ; the council
Itself consisting of no more than thirty^r forty bishops
of Lydia and the adjoining countries. • Nor does its
authority seem to have extended farther; for we lind
numerous Christian writers, after this time, discussing
the question, ' What books were entitled to be received
as Scriptui-e,» with great freedom, upon proper grounds
of evidence, and.witlwut any reference to the decision
at Laidicea. * .
I ^Thsse considerations are not to be neglected ; but *tT
''aii^argufnent conceming^e genuineness of ancient
writings, the substance, undoubtedly, and stren^^h. is
ancient testimony. ;. " '
This testimony it -is necessary to exhibit somewhat
m det^I: for when Christian advocates merely tell
us, that we have the same reason for believing thd
•Gospels to be written by the evangelists whose names
they hett^ we hivefor believing the Commentaries
to be Caesar's, the iEneid Virgil's, or the Orations
Ciciros, th^ content themselves with an imperfect
representatioii. They state nothing more than what
is true, but th^y do not state the truth correctly. In
the number, variety, and early date of our testimonies,
we &r exceed all other ancient books. For one, which
the most celebrated work of the most celebrated Greek
or RomanwriterWn allege, we produce many. But
then it is more requisite incur books, than in thein
to separate and distinguish them from spurious com-
petitors. The result, I am convinced, will be satis-
factory to eveiy fair inquirer: but tUs circumstance
renders an inquiry necessary. ^
A,m ''u'^Th 5?^«^«'"' "ke the present, there is a
<Hfficulty In finding a place for evidence of this kind.
• l<«nliier, Oed. wL Till, p. Ml. *«.
CIlftlSTIANItY.
85
y
To pursue the details of proofe throughout, would'te
to transcribe a great plart of Dr. Lardoer's eleven
octavo volumes: to leave the argument without proofs,
is to leave it without effect ; for the persuasion produced
by this species of evidence depends upon a view and
introduction of the particulars which compose it. .
The method which I proposie to tanyself is, first, to
place before the reader, in one view, the propositions
which comprise the several heads of our testimony,
and afterward to repeat the sanfb^|f^opositions iii
;^^ many distinct sections, With the necessaiy authorities
subjoined to each.*
The following, then, are the allegatimis uprai the
subject, which are capable of being established by
proof: —
I. That the historical books of the New Testa-
ment, meaning thereby the four Gospels and the Acts
of the Apostles, are quoted, or alhided to, by a series
^ of Christian writers, beginning with those who were
contemporary with the apostles, or who immediately
followed them, and proceeding in close and regular
succession from their time to the present.
II. That when they are quoted, or alluded to, they
are quoted or alluded to with peculiar respect, as
books net jTtfiieriry as possessing An authority ^jgrhich
belonged to no other books, and aa| conclusii^ hi' all
questions and controversies among^ Christj|iii£
III. That they were, in very early times^ collected
into a distinct vdlume.
IV. That they were distinguis^hed by appropriate
names and titles of respect. • •
y . That they wore publicly read and expounded fn
the religious assemblies of the early Christians.
y I. That commeiitaries vrere written upon them,
harmonies formed out of them, diflbrent copies care-
fully collated, and versions of them made into dif-
ferent languages.
I' ■.'■■»-'
• Tht nadw, wliai he hat ttM prapotltioiM bclbra him, will olM^mi
that tiM MrgunMnt, If bt ■liould omit Um wcUou, praeNdi eonnnl'
9^1 ftraat tbif point
m^M^yt ^ m mm^mriirifmiim
86
l^VIDENCES OF
.\l
1
. VII. That they we<(» received by Cluistiangoif dif-
fei^nt sects, by mtny heretics aa.weU as cathoUcs.
and usually appealed to by both sidlS*in the control
versies which arose in those days.
A ^^}}' "^tfi ^® £*" Gospels,' the Acts of the
Apostles, thirteen EpisUes of Saint Paul, the first
Epistle of John, and the first of Peter, were re-
ceived, without doubt, by those who doubted coa-
-^eraing the other books whfeh are included ihoui-
present canon. ' .
IX. That the Gospels yere attacked by tiw earlv
adversaries of Christianity, as books containing the
ac^unte upon which the reUgion was founded. ^
X. That formal catalogues of authentic Scriptures
were published; in all which our present sacced his-
tories were included. | -
XI. That these proplsitlons cannot be affirmed of
any other books claiming to be books of Scripture-
by which are meant those books which are commonli?
called apocryphal book«4)f^ieN^TMtament.
.#
I.
«M<f lh,Acl, ./I*. ApMl^ «» guoied. or Mild to l^m JZ,tZ'^
The inediuni of proof stated in this proposition is of
all othdrs, the most unquestionable, the least liable
to any practices of fraud, and is not diminished by
tha tapse of ages. Bishop Burnet, in the History it
hls^n Times, inserts various extracts from lord
ClardhdoDS Histoiy. One such insertion'ii a proof,
tl»t lord Clarendon's Histoiy was ei^tant at the time
wlwn bishop Burnet wrote, that It had been read by
bishop Burnet, that it was received by Bishop
Burnet as a work of Iprd Clarendon, .and also
regarded by him as an authentic account of the trans-
actions whidi it relates; and it, vrillbe aprool o» thes«
CHRISTIANITY.
Bt
^nts • Uiousand years hence, or as long as theboqks
t-ift Q"»"««",having quoted as Cicero's* Imt
well known trait of dissembled yaiiity ,— ^
.'JSi??* •* *" ■• •'««»^ *««"* «i»od ~«u. vuun .it «i.
S^ ' i^. '*** *"*'^°* ^^'^^'^^ «P«»« ^ith this
•d^njw, actually came from Cicero's pen. These
I°^S3!f^^'7T ?™P**' ""y ^'^^ to point out t<*
^^V* "^^^ "."**' accustomed to suchresearches,
the nature and value of the argument
..„ J**Mf ""^'? ''*"''* ^« '^^^ to Wng forward
under this proposition are the following-
1. There is extant an epistle ascribed to Bama-
has, the companion of Paul. It is quote<bas- the
episUe of Barnabas, by Clement of Alexandria, i
P^Im ^'y 9"S«"' -*• «• ^^^ It is mentioned b^
Eusebius, 4^ D. cccxv, and by Jerome, a. D.cccxcri
« « anc^nt work in their time, bea;ing ti,^ S
ChSr^V "^t ■" ^*" ^^'^ ««* '««» amongst
Christians, though not accounted a part of Scripture
It purports to have been written sZ^afterK d?-*
SwT.K 5^?"'*"' *'"^»« *^« cahunities which
followed that disaster; and it bbars the character 5
the age to which^it professes to belong
In this epistle appears the foUowing remarkable
pass4ge:-«Let us, thertfore, bewareTest it wme
upon us, « « f, „,ritten; There are many callS
ten,' we infer with certainty, that, at the time
vrhen the author of this episS; lived, Se« w^"
ilS^J"*::*"'' ""*" ^""'"^ to Christians, i^ rf
auUi«% amongst them, containing the*; wo«h,
—• Many are caUed, few chosen.' Such a bookia
our pre«,ntGo.pel of Saint Matthew, in ^icTthfa
t, _. ^ ' Quint 1H». al. 0. i.
as
EVIDBNCES OF
.*f.-
\
text is tvrice found,* ahid is found in/no otiier liodlc
novr Imown. Tliere is a &rther observation t4^ he
made upon the terms of the quotation. , -^he writer
of the epistle was a Jew. Tlie phrase * it is writ-
ten,' was the very form in which the Jews quotecf
their Scriptures. lit is not probable, therefore, that
he would iiave used this phrase, and without qualifi-
cation, of any books but what had acquired a Idnd of
scriptural authority. If the passage remt^rlced in this
ancient writing had been found in one q£ Saint Paul's
Epistles, it would have been esteemed by every one a
high testinnony to Saint Matthew's Gospel. It ought,
therefore, to.be remembered, that the writing in
which it i* found was probably by very few years
posterior to those> of Saint Paul. '
Beside this passage, there are also in the epistl^
before us, several others, in which tha sentiment is
the same with wliat we meet with in Saint Matthew'l
Gospel, and two or three in which we recognise the
same words. In particular, the author of the epistle
repeats the precept, * Give^ to every one that asketh
thee;'* and saith tliat Christ chose as his apostles,
who were to preach the gospel, men who were grei^t
sinners, that he might shew that he came ' not to call
tlie righteous, but sinners to repentance.''
, II. We are in possession of aiv epistle written by
Clement, bishop of Rome," whom ancient writers,
without any doubt or scruple, assert to have been the.
Clement wj»om Saint Paul mentions, Phil. iv. 3. ;
* with Clement also, and other my fellow Udbourers,
whose names are in the book of life.' This epistle is
spoken of by the ancients as ui epistle aclcnowledged
by %U ; and, as Irenaeus well represents its value, * writ-
ten by Clement, who had seen the blessed ^^les,
and conversed with them ; who had t|ie preaching <^
the apostles still sounding in his ears, and their tradi-
t\on3 before hi9 eyes.* It is addiressed to the church
\
"Matt.;
19. xxli. 14. « Matt. Y. 49. . • Mat^ Ix. IS.
• Lardner, Crctl. vol. I. p. 62, ft'e.
VV|
v>
CHRISTIANITY.
K"
89
of Corinth ; and what alone may seem almost decisive
^L ^r'^"""'*^^' Dionysius, bishop of Corinth
about the year 170, i. e. about Eighty or ninety v^
after the epistle wj^written, beaS^iif^eT^iirS
^^h^en wont to^Tread in that church from,Sn!
vaiSlL'^Sfe «- ^<-i"g
worTnf tC^?*^ !.T ^J^'""y remembering the
words of the Lord Jesus which he spake, tewhmff
gentlene^ and long^uffering: for thus he skid -^"b!
ye mercifiJ, that ye may obtain mercy; forrfv; tS
rt may be forgiven unto you; as you do, S/i £,
done untayou; as you give, so shaU it bTrfC un^
you; as ye judge, so shall yo be judged rafrshSw
kindness, so ,^haU kindness be' shiwnunto^ou wTth
Again ; * Remember the words of the Lord Jesus
for he said, " Wo to that man by whom offeS
^™'Vi' ""T ^^"^^ ^°»- ^"^ that he had no" S
bom, than that he should offend one of X elect^Tt
were better forlum that a millstone shoSd S^ tied '
about his neck, and that he should be dro^d in he
oJ^ . i these passages, we perceive the hiirh re-
sect pa,d to the words of Christ as recorded by ^e
evangel sts ;' iimem^er the words of the Lo!S W
^-by this command, and by these rules, let us estl' '
"BIe««Ml are the merclftil, for they «l»iiobUlniHei»» w.m •
r"AT2-;sr ::ir-'r? i'MH'
f*'
90
EVIDENCES OP
•?^
blish ourselves, that We may always walk obediently
to his holy words/ We perceive also in Clement a
total uncraisciovsness of doubt, whetlier these were
the real words of Christ, which are read as such in
the Gospels. This observation indeed belongs to the
whole series of testim(«iy, and especially to the most
ancient part of it. Whenever any thing now read
in the Gospels, is met with in an early Christian
writing, it is always observed to stand there as acknow-
ledged truth, t. e. to be introduced without hesitation,
doubt, or apology. It is to be observed also, that as
this epistle was written in the name of the church of
Rome, and addressed to the church of Corinth, it
ought to be taken as exhibiting the judgment not only
of Clement, who drew up the letter, but of these
churches themselves, at least as to the authority of
the books referred to.
It may be said, that, as Clement has not used
woi'ds of quotation, it is not certain that he refers to
any bode whatever. , The words of Christ, ^ich he
has put down, he might himself have heard from the
apostles, or might have received through thc^rdinary
medium of oral tradition. vThis has been said: but
that po such inference can bedra>vi#fr6i£rthe absence
of words of quotation, is pr(au^hy the three following
considerations :; — First, thi^Clement, in the very
same manner, namely, without any marie of reference,
uses a iMissage npw found in the Epistle to the
Romans f which passage, from the peculiarity of the
wi6rds which compose it, and from their order, it is
manifest that 'he <" must have taken from the book.
The same remark mif be repeated of some very
singular sentiments in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Secondl)s that ther^ are many sentences of Saint
Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians standing in
Clement's epistle without any sign of quotation,
which yet ccrtistinly are quotalic|i8 ; because it appears
that Clement had Saint Paul's epistle before him,
inasmuch as in one place he mentions it in terms too
' 1 •RoDMns I. S9.
CHRISTIANITY.
PI
Mpwa to leave us iii any doubt:— « Take into your
hands the epistle of the blessed a2okle Paul '
Thirdly, that this method of adopting vvbrds of Scriii-
ture without reference or acknowledrirnent, was as
wiu appear in the sequel, a method In general use
amongst the most ancient CliristianYriters. These
analogies not only repel the objecti^, but cast th«
presmnption on the other side, and i^ord a consider-
able degree of positive proof, that the words in ques-
tion have been borrowed from the places of Scripture
m which we now find them.
But take it Jf you wiU the other wajj, that Clement
had heard these words from the apostles or .first
teachere of Christianity ; with respect to the precise
point of our argument, viz. that the Scriptures con-
tain what the apostl^ taught, this supposition mav
serve almost as well: . ^
III. Near the conclusion of the Epistle to the Ro-
mans, Saint Paul, amongst others, sends the followinir
wlutation:* Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, HermJ,
Fatrobas, Hermes, and the^rethren which are with
them.
Of Hermas, who appears in this catalogue of Ro-
man Christians as contemporaiy with Sai|tt ~
a book bearing Uie name, and it is most pr
rightly, is still remaining] It is called^ the onin.
herd" or Pastor of Hermas. Its antiquity is incSi-
tMtable, from the quotayons of it in Irenieus, a. d
178; Clement of Alexandria, a. d. 194; Tertul-
lian, A. D. 200; Origen, a. d. 230. The notes of
InT *f»?^l*°*^.*P*""* ^^^* •«"« ^*«» its title,
and with the testimonies concerning it, for it pur-
Sient ^*° ^^^^ ^"^* **** "^*"'"* °^
«&?n1 ?\Pi««« •«> ^" aUusions to Saint Matthew'g. •
Skint Luke's, and Saint John's Gospels; that is t^ >
f"Si.i^"».f* applications of thoughts and expressions
jMmd in these Gwpete, without citing the place or
writer from which they were taken. In this form
mm
n ,
Evidences OF
appear in Hennas the confessing and denying ta
Christ;" the parable of the seed sawn;" the compar-
ison of Christ's disQfples to little children ; the saying,
' He that.,putteth4i^ifi^his wife and'marrieth another,
committeth adulCei^*' the singular expression,
* having received all power from his Father, in pro-
bable allusion to Matt, xxyiii. 18.; and Christ being
the * gate,' or only way of cominjg; * to God,* in plain
allusion to Jo&i xiv. 6. X. 7, 9. There is also a pro-
bable* allusion to Acts v. 32.
This piece is the representation of a vision, and
has W many been accounted a weak and fanciful per-
. formtace. I therefore observe, that tlie character
of tiie writing has little to do with the purpose for
which we adduce it. It is the age in which it was
composed, that gives the value to its testim(my.
ly. Ignatius, as it is testified by ancient Christian
writers, became- bishop of Antioch about thirty-seven
years after Clu-ist's ascension; and therefore, . from
his time, and place, and^^tion, it is probable that he
had known and cmversed with many of the apostles. ,
Epistles of Ignatius are referred to by Polycarp, hiSL
contemporary. Passages found in the epistles now
extant undei* his name, are, quoted by Irenseus, a. d.
178 ; by Ori^n, a. d. 230; and the occasion of writ-
ing the epistles Js given 'at large by Eusebius and
Jerome. What are called the smaller epistles of
Ignatius, are generally deemed to be those which
'were read by Irenseus, Origen, and Eusebius.'*
In these epistles are various undoubted allusions to
the Gospel^ of Saint Matthew and Saipt John ; yet so
far of the same form with those in the preceding
articles, that, like them,^ they are not accompanied
with marks of quotation.
Of these allusions the following are clear speci
mens:
/ '<*M«tt.x.SS./88. or, Liikezil.,8.91 X
,M' >fitlatxiiL8.oi;LakeT«Lft. u^uke xrl. 18.
"W:' MLgnbwr^ Cred. vol. L p. 147.
03
CHRISTIANITY.
r,
who in his youth had se^S .?''*" ^'^ '"'°«'«»
(saith Irenius) inwhlA^iT/ JS" ^11 the place
manner of his life aS t?I T *°?'"« *"' wd the
the discourses ^^e^ J;™ «^*»i« Pem.ll, «,d
.related his co iJ||Sn ^th , P^^^^^ ^^ he
*«> seen the 3I^«Jr /"*^» ^^ others who
and what he hid wl °^ ''^ ™^»^^ «»eir sayiniS
concerning Ws^r,^SlnTJ^":;"« ^ ^o*-**^
received toem froiT^^i?!,^"*^. •• hi had
™ ide eye-witnesses of the Word ol
"* i«^*> ■ '"^f ■■■• IHwDUQM Mm
«i»«d.'
"Chapb iij.it «'ni«»tii-ii-i -^ ^
/^
>
04 teVIDENCESOF .
life; all; which Polycir|t related ag|?eeable to Iho
Scriptures.' ^^
Of Polycarp, whose proximity to the agb aal coun-
try and piersons of the apostles is thus attested, we
have one undoubted epistle ren^tihing. And this,
though a short letter,' contains nearly forty clear
allusions U> books^ the New Testament; which is
strong evidence of the respect which Christiaidsrf
that age bore foftheW books. '- . /^ '
' Amongst these,, although the writings of Saint
Paul are more frequently used by Polycarp than any
other parts of Scripture, there are copious aUusions to
' the Gosjwl of Saint Matthew, 8om<v to passages found
in ihe Go^ls both of Matthew and Luke, and spme
which ihore nearly resemble the words* in Luke.
I select the follojying, as fixing the authority of the
Lord's prayer, and the use of it amongst the primitive
Christiai^: 'If therefore we /^ay the Lord, that he
uriU forgive tw, we ought also to forgive* ^^
« With supplication AcwecAtiiy the aU-seemg God
not to lead «* into temptation* ^
And the following, for the saike of repeating aff
observation already made, that words of our Lord,
found in our Gospels, were at this early day quoted
as spoken by him; and not^nly so, but quoted with
so little quMtion or con^iousness of doubt diout their
being really hi» words, as not even to mention, much
leso to canvass, the authority from; which they Mrero ,
* * But remembering what the Lord sai^, teaJching,
Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and ye
shaU be forgiven; he ye merciful, that ye may obtain
mercy; with what measure ye mete^ it shall be ni^a/
sured to you again.'" _/
Supposing Polycarp to have had these words ^m
"Tihe iMwks in which we now find them, it is manifest
that these books were considered by him, and/ as he
thought, considered by his readers, as ^Uthentic
- ■ . '■ / ■ ■■ ■
w Matt tH. 1, «. T, 7 ; Lwke^t. »?, 38.^ ,
CHHISTIANITY. /^
accoupto of Christ's diacowsea • aiwifi..* *i- j'' .
was incontestable.^ ^^^•■:"*"****'>»*PO»nt
-^ T^ *?"*''^ J8 a.decl8lve, though whit wto pall .
loosed the pahis of ^eath.'» ' /' ^"*
from wiat ™torids..M3lf collected to kj^,^
from Peter'a preaching, and in 'kYm^^^-
con^Jl^ ^'^ f T^' »«^ »" "ved and ?
-SC whSl'""'?^ therapt^iles. The worts/
sa^m which remain, are in general venr short
Faeces yet rendered extr4ely%aluTble K £
antiquity; and none, short as ^thfey a?e bS wS
county tor br thro&i:ni?£rsiiiL*Tsi r^" «-
their I«»mw upon iSSS'wSeSi^"**''''^ ""*•»* *'»
"^ I«»«n>4 o. II. iect tt
■■^^
p7
■/
V-:.
m
ETIDEKCES OP
'.y
• •
ij
:■' VII. Not long after these, tbat is, not much more
thsn twenty years after the las^ folloits Justin Martyr."
His remaining worlcs are' much larger" than any
that have yet been noticed. Although the nature of
his two principal writings, one of which was addressed
to heiithens, and the other was a conference with a
Jew, did not lead hini to such frequent appeals to
Cliristian books as would haTB appeared in a discourse
Intended for Christian readers; we nevertheless
reclcon up in them between twenty and tiiirty quotar-
tions of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, certain,
distinct, and copious: if each verse be counted sepa-
rately, a much greater number; if each expression,
a very great one."
We meet with quotations of three of thd Gospels
within the compass of half a page: ' And in other
words he says. Depart from me into outer darkness,
which the Father hath prepared for "Satan and his>
angels,' (which is firom Mi^thew xxv. 41.) * And again
he said in other words, I give unto you pbwer to tread
upon serpents, and scorpions, and venomous beasts,
and iq)dn all the power of t&e enemy.' (This from
Luke X. 19.) ' And before he was crucified, he said.
The Son of man must suflbr many things, and be
rejected of the Scribes and Pharisees, and be crucified,
and rise again the third day.' (This from Mark viii.
31.)
In another place, Justin quotes a passage in the
history of Christ's birth, as delivered by Matthew and
John, and fortifies his quotation by this remarkable
testimony: * As they have taught, who have written
the history of- all things concendng our Saviour
Jesus Christ ; and we believe them.'
Quotations are also found from the Gospel of Saint •
John.
;' What^ moreover, seems extremely material to be
■• I ndmr, 0i«4 vol. I. p. tSt.
•• • R* eitM oof pTMcnt eanoa, and pftvUndutf our (bar CkMptl%
r, liumauf abot* two buiiditid tInM.* tammtB.fkm Ml
ooBtiniullyi
roUMathod.
awmml vol. l p. sis. •«. im
■ - - 'm"
CHRISTIANITY. ^ fyf
olMMjnred is, that in aU Justin's woria, from which
might be extracted almost a complete liferfCW
Itr *"*'!? '^° *°«tances, in wWchhe refers to^
thing as said or done by Christ, which is nTr^liZ
cc«cerni„g him i^our present Cfospels: wWch Jhet?
that these Gospels, and these, we liay say. alone wS
drew the information upon which they ^enende/
with in any bodLnow extant. »• The other of a
circumstance iiArist's baptism. nameT a fierj
or luminous appeSSSce upon the water, wldch, acco^
' whiK* ; ^^^ ^^"^ "'#fe^ ^ *™^- bit Which.
^hether true or false, is fintioned by Justin. wS
Z^l marJc of diminution when compared with
what he quotes as resting upon Scripture authority
The reader will advert to this distincUon: * And2*
^en Jesus came to the river JoT^an, whe?e ?^
was baptizing, as Jesus descended inti the wate/; -
up out of the water, the apostles ojF this our ChH^ <
Monmg the author; which proves that these books
accounts of Christ then extant, or, at least, no others
•1111.4 M B ,»«.„, 1,^ ,„ J~J|*V»~- »ta*|, JM. fc
.c
/'
'-~^
-■-—t.
98 ; ^ y EVIDENCES 01^ ^ ^' \ 'u\
-so received and credited, as to iiia%.it necessary
to distinguish these from the rest.
But although Justin mentions not the author's name,/
,he caUs the books, ' Memdrs composed by ih/ j
Apostles;' *Meinoira composed by the Apo8t|fci L_
and their Companions ;' which descriptions, the lattdf
especially, exactly suit with the titles which the
Gospels and Acts of the Apostles now bear.
Vlll. Hegesippus "" came about thir^ years after
'Justin. ^His testimony Is remarkable only for this
particular; that he relates of himself, that travelling
froip Palestine to Rome, he visited, on his journey,
many bishops; and that * in every succession, and in
_ every city, the same doctrine is taught, which the "^
Laur,- and tlie Prophets, and the Lord teacheth/ .
This is an important attestation, from good authority,
and of hl^h antiquity. It is generally understood that
by the word • Lord,^ Hegesippus intended some writ-
' ing or writings, containing the teaclftig of Christ, in
which sense alone the term combines with the oUier
' terms *>Lawand Prophets,' which denote writings;
and, together ^th them admit of the verb * teaeheth'
in the present tense. Then, that these writings were
some or all of the books of the New Testament, is ren-
dered prMtable from hence, that in the fragments of
his works, which are preserved in Eusebius, and in a
nrriter of the ninth century, enough, though it be little,
is left to shew, that Hegesippus expressed divers
things in the style of the Gospels, and of the Acts of
the Apostles; that he referred to the histoiy in the
second chapter of Matthew, and recited % text of
1^ that Gospel as spoken by our Lord.
IX. At this time, viz. about the year 170, the
churches of Lyons and V ienne, hi France, sent a rela-
tion of the suflbrings of their martyrs to the churches
«f Asia and Phiygla. " The episUe is preserved en.
tire by Eusebius. And what carries In some meas^uv
the testimony of these churches to a higher age, is, that
CHRISTIANITY., J 99
thejr M mm for their ^bishop, Pothii«iig,^ho was4
Dinpty yeun old, and whose early life ciolsequently
must have immediately joined on" with the times of
the apoetles. In this episUe are^exact references to
A ^P*^y t*** "^ ^"^^ «»d to the Acts of the
- AposUes; the form of refereiice the same as in aU
toe preceding articles. That from Saint John is in
these words: 'Then was fliilfilled that which was
8pokenJ»y the Lord, that whosoever killeth you, wiU
think that he doeth God service.'" N
X. The evidence now opens upon us full and clear
Irenaus* succeeded Pothinus as bishop of Lyons*
In his youth he had been a disciple of Polycarp, who
was a disciple of John, In the Ume in which he
lived, he was distant not much more than a century
from the publicaUon of the Gospels; hi his inrtruc-
tion, only by one step separated from the pereons of
theaposUes. He fcsserte-ef himself and his contem-
poraries, that they were able to reckon im in all
the principal churches, ihe succession of bishops from
the first. I remark these particuUu^ concemin«
Irenieus with more formality than usual; because the
testimony which this writer aflhrds to the historical
books of the New Testamenl, to their authority, and
to the titles which they bear, is express, posiUve, aiki
exc usive. One principal passage, in which this
tesUmony is contained, opens with a precise asser.
Mon of the point which we have laid down as the
foundaUon of our argument, viz. that the stoiy which
the^ Gospels exhibit, is the stoiy^ which the iipostles
told. We have not received,' saith IrenatuT « the
knowledge of the way of our salvation by any othera
than toose by whom the gospel has been brought to
««., ,Which gospel they first preached, and after-
ward, by the wiU of God, committed to wrIUng, that
it might be ibr Ume to come the foundaUon and pilhtr
«f our faith. For after that our Lord rose from the
dead, and they (the aportles) nm flndnwad from
"Jflkanrt. a
•• Urterr. ToL L ». t«4.
* , *
100
EVIDENCES OP
above with the power of the Holy Ghost cominff
down upon them, they received a perfect knowledge
rf all tilings. They then went forth to aU the endi
of the earth, declaring to men the blessing of heave^
peace, having aU of them, and every one, aUice. the
Gospel o! God. Matthew then, among the Jews,
wrote a Gospel In their own hmgoage, 'while Peter
and Paul were preaching the Gospel at Rome, and
founding a church there: and after their exit, Marie
also, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, delivered
to TO in writing the things that had been preached
by Peter; and Luke, the companion of Paoijput
down in a book the gospel preached by him (Paul).
' Afterward John, the disciple of the Lord, who also-
leaned upon his breast, he likewise published a
Gospel while he dwelt at Ephesus in Asia.' If any
modern divine shbuld write a book upon the genuine,
ness of the Gospels, he could not assert it mora
expressly, or sUte their original more distinctly, than
Irenieus hath done within little more than a hundred
years after they were published.
^^The correspondency, in the. days of Irenieus, of
Uie oral and writtei^ tradition, and 'the deduction of
the Oral tradition through various channels from the
age of the apostles, wJUiph was then lately passed,
and, by cohsequence, the probubility that the books
truly delivered what the apostles iaught, is inferred
also with strict reguUuity from another passage of his
works. * The tradition of the apbstles,' thfi lather
■aith, 'hath spread Itself over the whole univerae:
. ind aU they, who search after thi sources of truth,
irill find this tradition to he held sacred In eveiy
church. We might enumerate all those who have
been appohited bialiopa to these churches by the
apostles, and all their successore up to our days. It
is by this uninterrupted succession that we have
receiVM the tradition which actually exists Ih the
ehurch, u also the doctrines of truth, as It was
pm rh ad hy th e apo s ti e s.' ■ The wader wiU ul— if e =
* Itm. in Iter. 1. ill. e. «.
CHBISTIANITY. ^^^
iiipon thli, iat the same Irenaua i»,h^u
before seen recognisinir. fa th«fMii!i ' * **'^*
entitledVooadS; 1^1^*4??^^^ a™
to OMh other ^ * "*'* conformable
which wXJ^ireJ^L.fJj*'' 5^^' ^^*'*« *^
Matthew begiL iST^**^* ??.rL^^^ ^
. ands his, and their sSL\I^" ^^ "**«*"' "^
He enumerator at iSTI"*'"" ***" »« «Jo*n«.
-U.J '?^*^ -^T' m*' -^ '^
--<s::r«r«:S^-
iOg^^.^ EVIDENCES OF .
ftpociyphal Ch^stian writing whatever. This is •
broad line of distinction between our saclned books, and
thepretensi(»is of all others.
The force of the testimony of the period which we
have considered, is greatly strengthened by the
observation, that it is the testimony, and the coneur-
riitg testimony, <^ writers who lived in countries
remote £rom one another. Clement flourished at
Rome, Ignatius at Antioch, Polycarp at Smyrna^
Justin Martyr in Syria, and Irenseus in France.
XI. Omitting Athenagoras and Theophilus, who
lived ab^ut this time ; "^ in the remaining works of
the former of whom are clear references to Mark and
Luke ; and in the works of the latter^ who was bishop ,
ot Antioch, the sixth in succession from the apostles,
evident allusions to Matthew ipd John, and pr<d>able
allusions to Luke (which, considering the nature of
the compositions, that they were addressed to heathen
readers, is as Inuch as could be expected) ; observing
also, that the works of two learned Ctulstian writers
of the same age, Miltiades and Pantsnus, * are now
lost; of which Miltiades, Eusebius records, that his-
writings ' were monuments of zeal for the divine
oracles;' and which Pantsenus, as Jerome testifies,
was a man of prudence and learning, both in the'
divine Scriptures and secular literature, and had left
many commentaries upon the Holy Scriptures then
extant: passing by these without farther remark, we
come to one of the most voluminous of ancient
Christian writers, Clement of Alexandria. " Clement
followed Irenaeus at the distance of only sixteen years,
and therefore may be said to maintain the series of
testimony in an uninterrupted continuation.
In certain of Clement's works, now lost, but of
which various parts are recite4 by Eusebius, there is .
given a distinct account of the order in which the
four Gospels were written. The Goqwls which con-
tain the genealogies, were (he says) written ftrst;
' UnlBMr, v^l.TpTiiO^in. •• lUd. vol. i. n. iia. tfa
^ 891Ud.vol.U.p. M). .
1 Christianity.
iSS'i't ?«^* »* the instance of Peter's followen-
Thi^^^^il'^^ *nd this account he telJsrS
he had received from presbyters of more ancientiii^s
ixospeis were the histories of Christ then nubWiiv
I^'nT^'^^""*'*"^^"' »nd that iTterSici^
iuhit'SmrST'?^'* "^ their pubUcation wer^
SS^ot"S«.Jr '^ ^°rks of Clement whi7hr3,
ifte four GospaJs are repeatedly quoted hv the nftm««
. of their authors, and the Act? of^Ap^ l
expressly ascribed to Luke. In Sne ^^11
mentioning a particular cWcia^si^^Ti^^^ ^'
remarkable words: ' We have nouSs Z^^in2
JJjE»Trt^;'^ch puts ^mariced distS<m
Between the four Gospels and all othitv ii{.»».4o<.
pretended histories/S Ch^t if ^ie, ^S oJ
lus works, the perfect confidence JritTwhSTbi
1 bat thii IS true, appears from hence, that it wa^
^tten m the Gospel acconiing to Sain iS^e ? ^
again, I need not use many words, but only to all^o
the evangelic voice of the Lord.* , HlHu^tn?!
are numerous. The saying, of CM^,% ""^^^Z
alleges many, are all taken from our Gospels • the
single exception to this observation appeX to bj
^^ quotation - of a passage ,n sJSStM^th^^^
All. In the age in which they lived ■ Tah..ii{.»
olns on with Clement, The nlZTii tll^Web
then received, the names of the ev«^sSr^
•f>^^ Piae. in the «ZaJ^S^^L!T i^^^!!^'' '"^ *'
^0w
mm
104
EVIDENCES OF
their pro^r descriptions, are eithlbfted by thfe writer
lu one short sentence: — ' Anumg the apoitlu, John
and Matthew teach us the &ith; aoMmg t^ttMicai
fiiMi, tuke and Marie refresh it' The next passage
to be taJcen from TertuUian, aflbrds as complete m
attestation to the authentici^ c^ our bodes, as can be
well imagined. After enumerating the churches
which had been founded by Paul, at Corintk m
Galatia, at Philippi, Thessalonica, snd Ephesus; the
churchxtf Rome established by Peter and Paul, and
other churches derived from John ; he proceeds thus:
<^«i-* I say, then, that with themr but not with them
only, which are apostoUcal, but with all who hare
fellowship with them in the ssme &ith, is that Gospel
of Luke received from its first publication, which we
so sealously maintain:' and presently alterwaid addst;
' The same authority of the apostolical churcherWJfUl'
support the other Gospels, which we have from them
and according to them, I mean John's and Matthew's •
although that Iilf»wise which Marie published may
be said to^be Peter's, whose interpreter Mark was*
In another plao» TertuUian a%m^ that the three
other Gocpeb were in thu hands of ib» churches from
the beginning, as weU as Luke^ This noble
testimony fixes the universaUty With which the •
Gospels were received, and their antidulty ; that they
were in the hands of all, and had beeh so from the
first. And this evidence ^>pears not taiore than one
hundred and fifty years after the publication of the
iweks. The reader must be given to uiiderstand, that
when Tertullian speaks of maintaining or defending
fiuendi) the Gospel of Saint Luke, he only meaiu
m^ntaining or defending the integrity of the copies
of Luke received by Christian churehes, in opposition
to certain curtailed copies used by Mkroion, against
whom he writes. ^ -
Thisauthor frequenUy cites the Acts of the Apostles
under that tlUe, once^calls it Luke's Commentary^
i?y?* ^-?^°^ ^'»M«»«« confirm IL
/
thfe writer
tUu, John
>xt p«sn|;e
»mplete Med
, as ctn be
drar^bes
!orinU4 m
hesiis; tho
Paul, and
wddstiuis:
^th them
who hare
tiat Gospel
which we
vardadda:^^
rcheri^
rem them
[atthew's;
shed inajr
ark was.'
the three
'chesfipom
bis noble
rhich the v
that they
from the
I than one
on of the
tand,that
ly means
he copies
opposition
', against
Apostlea
mentar|^
rmJL •-—
' /■ ^^ chkistianity; • C
add particularquotaUonsA Thesa h.^^^ i
numerous and amnto.Stolii^'^TrT'' ^ ^^
observe, 'that tberTj^r^^^ ?** ^' ^*'Jw»r to
ChHstil^nCTtZSr!^*:^^
— ?Ofcero in writeii 5Sl cS^ I *" ^'^ ^<»'k8 of
TertuIUan W^tcS^^.Z'"'"^ '?''''*''
t »U; Vbroad STe of dStSr** °" '^"^*»'« ^^
^ ob«,rve, between oii^JtSs l^d"^^ ^r '"'^'^
n^emavanin lilr»«,jo« ^ ^" *" ®*^e«.
tju^^gh wLTSe ^jSSo^^^ -'?*» extent
the Acts ofthe ApostliTiS sprSS ^f^ "5 '^^
consent, in this noint „f ^.f™» *°** ^h© perfect
aocietiei It isSJf'ji,^2^'«dm^^
fi% years since cS ^n^-fl 5"* ^"°*'«^ »»<»
period, to say noS ofU»e^t^r* T^.'^'"*'" '^^ -
hiive been noticedSSv w/E^^"/'*' '^^^ ^^o
I Neapolis, TWiirTAnr **? •^"'"» ^'^Y^ «t
CieZnt' at AJexZiSa, T^^^^^^ P««c^» '
quoting the same Cw Sstori^9 'J .^'^^^
' ^y* ^'l"<'«ng these alone ^^^ ^'''^"^»' •»«*' ^
occuiYibt noTnTnlS^of S fr^ "'^ «-* ^
whose works onlvremSntr/ ^^*^««» witere, " '
preserved in ThiMdnn.* ^r- ^. * " VPolytus, as
-4^™-to». '■«^«aA^Z,1^J^^'^
Bssaiy to
-^■WMlll. UrbiStfiTAIwuidtf
^^ffi^M^
EVIDENCES OF
Eusobius; * That the four Gospels alone Are received
without dispute by the whol? church of God under
heaven:* to which' declai^ooJs immediately sub-
joined, a brief hi8t(»y of the respective authors, to
whom they were then, as they are now, ascribed. Hie
language holden concerning the Gospels, throu|^out the
worlcs of Origed which remain, entirely corresponds
with the testimony here cited. His attestation to ^the
Acts ^ the Apostles is no less positive: ' And Liike
also once more sounds the trumpet^ relating the acts of
the apostles.' The imiversality>f|Uiwhich the Scrip-
tures were then read, is well signi^d by tlus writer,
in 'a passage in wliich he has occasicm to observe
against Qelsus, * That it is not i|i ai^ private books,
or such as are read by a few only, and those studious
persons, but in books road by every body, that it is '
written: The invisible things of God from the Creation
of the world are clearly secga, being understood by
things that are made.' It is to no purpose to single
out 'quotations of Scripture from such a writer as this.
We might as well make a sdection of the quotations
of Scripture in Dr Clarke's Sermons. They are so
thickly sown In the works of Origen, that Dr Mill
says, ' If we had all his works remaining, we should '
have before us almost the T«4iole text of the Bible.' "
Origen notices, in order to censure, certain^ apo-
cryphal Gospelsw He also uses four writings of this
sort; that is, throughout his large works he once or
twice, at the most;, quotes each t^thefomr ; but always
with some mark, either of direct reprobation or of
i cautWto his readers, manifestly esteeming them of
1 little or no authority.
XIV. Gregory bishop of Neocssarea, and Diony-
' i aius of Alexandria, were scholars of Origen. Their
J testimony, therefore, thou^^fuU and particular, may
^ be recktmed a repetition only oC his. The series, how-
^ ever, of evidence is continued by Cyprian, bidiop of
Carth^, who flourished within twenty y^ars after
> ' ^ '
»MULFroias.rap. vl. p.«.
1"
CHRI8TlA|r|TYi
^07
drewSlo S,!!««^T^ As these arguments were i*^
«n»ed to Gentiles, the authors abstain from quotfag
I. ^VBt. A n «ia
'*!^.
J-*
X
1#- ~«
f
m
- ChiistianlMNda igir naffM; one of them giving this veiy
#««son for his resenre ; but when they come to state, for
the infbnnatioQ.of their readers, the outlines of Christ's
hlstoiy, it is apparent that they draw their accounts
from our ttospels, and from no othelr sources ; for * '"
-^HrtfitemMtts exhibit asummaiyof almost eyery^
. which is related of Christ's actions and mirac}
four oTangelists. Araobius vindicates, wit
tinning their name^. tJie credit of thty »»' j |^"« ; yfr"^^
servings that thejr were eye-witnesses ^i|y||HHwhicH
they relate, and that tjieir ignftisfece o^lhe-ar^ <rf
composition was rather a confirmation of their testi-
mony, than an objection to it. lactantius also argues
in defendce of the religion, from the consistency, sim-
..plicity, disinterestedness, and sufferings, of the
Christian histodans, meaning by (hat term our
evangelists.
, XVH' We close the series of testimonies with thit
mEusebius, « bishop of Ciesarea^wfao flourished in the |
nip 315, ctmtemporary with, or ^posterior only. W
piHn years to, the two alithors test cited. This vo-
■.' iijminous writer,, and most diUgent collector of the
writings of others, beside a variety of large works,
composed a history of the afliiirs of Christianity from
Its origin to his own time. His testimony to the
Scriptures is the testimony of a man much conversant
in the wwks of Christian authors, written during the
first three centuries of its eja, and whdhad read many
whicfa'are how lost. In a passage of his Evangelical
Demonstration, Eusebius remarks, with great nicety,
the delicacy of two of jg|ggng|ll8ts, in their mamieK
4)^tlcingany circ uqHHlMb ich refl^i^sathrtr#
sbms ; and of Mark, «0Hpr PeteM&eetion,
in the circumstances lVHm!«|EMed him. The iUus-
ti^on of this remark leads him to bring together long
«tMtations from each of the ev9agelists ; and the whole
passage is a proof, that Eusebius, and the Christians of
those days, not only read th^ Gosfiels, bkit studied
thwB with attwntfr^ ffnH ni^yvftflff |n a pawage of
' *.f^/riii.^al.
CHRISTIANITY^
|/>>
'^ intended^ suppiv^JTr'. •?^ **»* ^» GowS
•specially in the SSt «* omissions of the oth!«. *
^ J SECT.II.
- 7
,,^
it"":
*<-,l\
f lj(> EVIDENCES OP
■■■-■. ^ '■ ■ ■■ , . "^
tioiu the f<dlo^Nring may be vegMded M sp^^
'^ I. TheopiiUiH* bishop of Antioch,tiMsixtbJn8uo-
eenloa from the apcetles, uid wjho Boiirished litUe
more tfavi a ceatuiy after^^ l>o^ <tf ^ ^«^ ^m-
Ument w^ written^ hfiHag ocduioii to>quote one ofi
our CS«ep«W^^te8jtlbiis: 'These things the Holy
Scriptures teecbjM^l^ all who were moved by the
Holy Spirit, among wlipm John says, In the begin-
»{ng was the Word, aikl the Word was with God/
A|^: * Concerning the righteousness which the.
law teaches, the like things are^to be found in the
Profdbetsan^ the Gotpds, because that all, being in.
spiled spokit^y oneuid the same Spirit of Gi)d,**.
^0 words can testify more strongly than these do, the
high and peculiar respect in whidi these books were
holden. ,
II. A writer against^ Artemon,* who may be mxp-
^posed to come about one hundred and iifiy-eight
years after the publication of the Scriptures, in a jpas-
sage quoted by Eusebius, uses thrae expressions:
* Possibly what they (our adversaries) say, mi|^t have
been credited, ifjrtt of all tha Divine 'Scriptures
did not contratUct them; and then the writings of
certain brethren more ancient than the times of Vic*
t<Mr.' The brethren mentiwoed by name, are Justin,
Idiltiadss, Tatian, Clement, Irenaus, Melito, with
a general appeal to ttlany more not named. This
passage proves, first, that there was at that time a
collection cailed DMnt Scripiuru/ secondly, that
these Scriptures were esteemed of higher aiUhority
thai> the writings of the most early and celebrated
Christians.
III. In a piece ascribed to Hipjwlytus,* who lived
near the same time, the author professes, in giving
his oorrespoildent^instraction in the things about whi<£
he inquires, * to draw out of tbo *aertd/ouHiaim, and
~lo lA ISefifeTlXm^trom the iicred- S<^plurai^ whi^
•LMdBar.Crad.p«TtU.Tol.kpill9. ■ n>. Cnd. f oL L p. 44S.
fWPi "VS# See* In ^^M isw Twat vest ve •w(fc
■ S
^HUIBTIANITY.
HI
^i«te»F Pwl'i epirtles to TimoS^gS^S^^^
«J«»f IhkJm of th? New Te8uiS«L^''Sfa n^^
t V. • Owr assortloDS and diacourma /B.jjK /^-»
V, Cyprian, bishop of Cartham • whn». .«. h
«lb.Tol.T. MOi. "^"^
113
BYIDENCBS OF,
VII. At the distance of. twenty yeiiv finom tht
iNTriter last cited, AnatoUiis,* a learned Alexaacirian,
and bishop of Laodltiea, speaking of the rule ibr keep-
ing Easter, a quesUon at that day agitated with mudi
r earnestness, s^ of those whom he opposed, * They
can by no means ^rore their point by the anthoritv of
the divine Scripture/ *
VIII. The Arians, who sprang up about iiilyyeari
after this, argued strenuously against the use of the
^ords consubstantial, and essence, and like phnises;
* becaute they were not in Scripture.'^ And in the
same strain, one of their advocates opang jHfc^^*"'-
ence with Augustine, after the following |qSK: If
you say what is reasonable, I must submit i^|f|ou al.
lege anything from the Divine Scriptur^, ^vHiich are
common to both, I must hear. 'But unscriptural expres-
■ions (qusB extra Scripturam sunt) deserve no regard.*
^ Athainasius, the great antagonist of Arlanism, after
naving enumerated the bdoks dfthe Old and New
Testament, adds, * these are the fountain of salvation,
that he who thirsts mty be satified with the oracles
contained in them. In these alone th? doctrine of
salvation is proclaimed. Let no man add to them,
or take any thing from them.'**
IX. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem," who wrote about
twenty years after the appearance of Arianism, uses
these remarkable words: 'Concerning the divine
and holy mysteries of faith, not the least article ought
to be delivered without the divine Scriptures.' We
are assured that Cyril's Scriptures were the same as
^rs, for he has left us a catalogue of the books in-
cluded under .that name.
X. Epiphanius," twenty vears after Cyril, chal-
lenges the Arians, and the followers of Origen, ' to
Sroduce any passage of the Old and New Testament,
ivouring their sentiments.' -
XI. Pflsbadlua, a GalHa MAnp, mt ^tf }l,^ |,^ff^|
•Lmliitr. Ond.vol.v.v.lM. • lb. raL tU. pMSL Ml
>• Ilk ««L III. ^ let. " n>. vol. Till. |h in
_„_.__^__,_.... '» lb. p. Sll __£__________.i.__„:
, PHRlSTIANITr. „3
Sf^JT" ^ ^ «»»mcU of Nice t^m^ *i. .
. Hhe bishop, of that council first S^itS/ZTi.*^
XII. Basil, bishop of Casarea. fa C«»n^ :
, cootempmiy wi^h ^iphaniTlL . SS't^^**'
S instructed in the Scrirttnr«r^„ u!v* - "^ hearers
Is siid by thSr teSieT ^^^ ^ t""»*~ ''^
•greeabte to Se ^rip?^s L^!"*^^ "^ '»
""t>Uier*rfSe.»M ' °c"P*"ros, and to reject what is
chapter: *The fruth wHt*i« »« *? * *' **"*" ?"»«»'
J^gospel, ifa^L^rS^" ' N^^
ih,mitno;addJftoit wiluf ^-
Jho were «»«>„< in (Sryr 4S S^ JjJSf '^^?"'
distinction betweeh book«!^!^\u '^ "^« »
authority, and Shers fiS'J^r*; 'S*^ «"**»**•» «'
to the bSks of sSuT? nn^ '''* Observation roiales
• ■ •■■'
• , * , ' *■'
SECTiIH.
•I" Gov*, tni k7tiETlS! 5?!!'.. "'•"» ««
114
/
EVIDENCES OF
I^lW.? f f^ P"«^yteor of the church;' that fs»
. believed ^' Sfi^; ^^"^ g«P£» ]2?t?e
whom he esteemed as the prashvSiPv ^tuT^rf*
e^tyyears after this, we have dlnnjt pr<< iHSe
SS?? u ^^^\ •^^ * Apostles,* were the names
Wj^ch the^ writings of the New TestamLt^
iJut the gospel has somewhat in it more excellent
been manifested, to im. and th« >l««r««l. ^"*
m1 » .T« ♦ki- 1 ■ * ' • ® "funection perfect
are put in conjunction; and as IgnaSL undoiAtedlw
probable thai he meant the »me by thTSl tkl
tjo terms standing in evident'^ell^ ^'^^
This interpretaUon of the word 'Gosnel 'In A.
P^sa^ve quoted from Ignatius ^iJU^
?AuSfin« i ^J^«fP by the. church of SmyrmT
w« me iiord might shew us a martyidom according
to the gospel, for he expected to be dellveronn i
tbe Lofd also did.'« iQ in anoS»r pH " wf i!
j^>n:'wir5r.Sed"r^^^
the h,^ of Jesus Christ, and ofir-'^°"^'>>
doctrine.
be lh« true sense of the pasia^, they^
• Urdntr. c««l toI. It p, u*.
*it m.*p.% ,.
• ». 0. tr.
•\
■w
CHRISTIANIfy.
H5
«M« only evidences of our proDoaitioh h..» o.
ywy ancient proofe of the wT-cI ' f *''**"« '^
publhhed: and It hl^LH^. i?" ^y *««
time), Ittve b^ in -»„.'?**'•' 1°"« •»'»" «il»
««>y wore noir JnS ^ u^f"' '»"»>»<* u
•to iounla^',;^^"^.';'''' W.» volume, «d
Uw tad UiTKL. ^''.'" «««»»1"H with the
•» the other eiomZdThrij^ *" ""^ wriUnn,
•«™l wriUiS^Ul^ «cou«.tloo.r Jewffi
t.!^ Oa;i'Sl%.'''**<*1Hl.. wri«„g
«f tha tern oitf Te,tal Z "" i f '' iH "^ ' t'"****
prore, and it i^^ii j "*' **•■ "^n brought to
P ^'•"''"certainiydoesprove, that there wi then
116
EVIDENCES OF
5^^^««w OT coUection of wriUugs caUed the New
V. Id the time d Clement of Alexanairls. about
fifteen years after the last quoted tesUm^^ ^t
apparent that the Christi«i Scriptures "^^5^13
into parts, under the general tittes of the Gosib wd
the highest authori^. On^ out of manJex^^ow
llS^r^^rf ""^'r* "^ *^^« distributionrfaTfr
W £7 Jh'*'J V *^T^"* •^^ *»^W between /
G^^lT. "^^ *^* Prophets, the ApoetleJ and the
1.LV. ^^® *^"*® division, ' Prophets, Gospels, and
Ap^Ues.'appeapinTertulltan,'.. thi Sjo^
of C lement. The coUection of the GospSs fa
^ZTuT^^^."^'' ^^'^^ ^« 'Evangel^JL^L'
^I^A.C^'' '"^^'^ YQlume, the *New Testain^
•nd toe tjrorpaits, the 'Gospels and Apostles/« '
vii. From many Mrrlters also of the third centurv
* tJ^^^.T?T^' ^ ^ ^^^^^'^^ Scripture^
the * Gospels, or Scriptures of the Loid,» the Xr
Vffr^**''J*'*^P*«"«^«»^'»»« Apostles.'?* C •
^JUI. Eusebius, as we have already seen, takes
wme-pains to shew, that the Gospel of St John h^
been justly nlaced by the ancients 'Se fSh^
order, and after the other three/ '« These Z^tl^
terms of his p«,posiUon: and thi veJi^^ctSS
W ^rr?!"' P"^~ incontesSLlyTXTlS
four^eepels had been collected into a vdumrto ^ '
exclikon of eveiy other; that their orSr fa th!
IS'STSJ "r; ^"^ ^^ muS co^e^tio^
ancients i&^ time of Eusebius.
iJo^S** iMetian persecution, in the year 303.
th^ Scriptures Vera mghtmt snd burnt Ji m^
— Ik. wi. rti Ik S14, a* '^ •**• '•_'*!•!«>• ♦"». !«. «i
L.
» 'f''
I the New
Iria, about
lonjr, it is
re divided
rospels Mid
rded as of
•xpressions
is the fol-
f between "'.
I and tbe
■'•:.;■/ ■
ipels, and
temporaiy
oq>els is
ic Instru-
sUunent;'
I century,
le middle
Scriptures
ae called
lie otlier, .
IS «•
»n, takes
rohn had
fourth in
Are the
'oductioq
tllat the .<
e, tothe '
r in the
leration;_„
re called ;
lar 803,
Ib.p.iM.
H11.P.MI
■^
CHRISTlANlti lyf
WneTafter Ws^v!!;- ""**»°"»erhand, Constan-
tipij^nT^X Tr^xi: 'oi^'ir ^»?-
«»^lficentlyadornii«them «?*!,*'' "** *»'
imperial treJsury™ WhS%tf «w expense of the
•«e 80 richly ^bellish^^n'Sf/^'^'"'^ «f*^
'Thich is mor^ so tn.«- if'** prosperity, and
pen«cutionr^'the\e^S fT'Z'^ "»*»"
ment which we now re3 "' *^ "^ ^*'" ^est*.
SECT. IV.
S:»n^Trw";:iri^ --«» ^^^ n&suLV^dti
im^rLt: Z^ it pT^vesZT, 'l "''*»''^>^
Polycarp. who hTuvJ»^wf *?**»'" '^^ "«>« «f
ChrisJiS mitinl**d7sti.7JS^^^^^
'HolyScripSros^ori^iw^^^ "»* P»»« of
the t/xt quoted b; I?lyt^'l^"'tlTi. ^"'^^•••'
collection at this day wT^tii f?*' ^"^ **> '»»•
hath elsewhe« quoted J^e^^Jt '*"*' ^"*^*T»
considered as proi^d to iJZf* tK"*""*""' °»»y he
this Wh,hi^ Satot S?5t?,^^^
Saint Luke's GosmI Vh- a! * ?» *"** probably
yIst!esofP:,SXVm ^k
First of John ■ In.„Sk '^i « ^*'«'^ •»<» the
word.: -wLvJ-per^'S^J^yc-P^J-^-.
to his own lusts, and uvu th«« i- ^ ^ '** ''^''
nor j...,« „ „., i;yaf,^ygig;.Tg.^' " »
i»ot appear what else PoIv«h»^ - 7^ * ^^"does
.':J«^'
l^J
■:m^wt.
m
fiVlDENCES OF
" a: '' "^ ""^^^^ of which Whad ^p<to
G«P«i., and tS^J^^^^' ^ «tle of
to them, but M^ i^*,nSlS ^ «^~cribed
- ally known in his timT^S- *? ''**^ '^^ «»«»-
commanded them to t»kri»».!/^ J 3 *^ •^««««
Then, exists no?oiS InttK'T* «*^* '*»^-'*
mentioned. JusUn ZlnV« ' ^y the memohrs above
no othew. "^"«"o»* ^» ^otka he quotes these, a£
(for his worte l^e'lSty a' FTTr^'^E-^bS
the Lord.'» ^' '^"' 0^ t**® Scriptures of
•l>ivlne Scriptuni?!!;©^!!"^ they are cauS
hu«8 of the LW^Ev«« JIi! 9T'®*.'— 'Scrip,
logs.'' The qtutl^'5^!ilT:f ^P«^«« Writ
that our pres^GoS^ijn^P'T ^««Wedly.
with the Acts of WLSi^* **?»•' *«««'»»"
books comprehended by iS^JZi**' "'^«^^
V. Saint Matthew's b^i^fw^ yv^n^tioos.
bishop of An«<S;ccIitS±^'2S?f^^*^*»""»»
the title of the^^^iWS o ."* 'T*""' «»d«'
works of Clement rf A f "IS» ""^ the copious
the New TestameSTS. L"**^'* to the books of
B<H,ks/«.*K"^ri^Lr5!:!;Di'!r f i^-^*^
Scriptures/-* ScriS Tth7Lor?^^^ i"^'"**
IJvangelical Ca^^in.^*^ Lord^*-.* the true
.vZIZTT— r-"-.i.^.71. ~Tlb.^«» .li.l^„„^
o b w TM the •'mntwuM'iif a,' ._ *"" "^ "*^ * vm nadir will.
__„_x-.
ihad apokan
(prenlf cites
the title of
fiiM ascribed
were gener-
them, tfkick
t,th«t Jesos
Ire thanks/*
•moirs abirve
Drical Scrip.
I these* sod
./■. V'.
came thirty
in Eusebibs
sriptures of
irly'so, hy
'are called
'—'Scrip,
olic Writ-
decidedly,
I, together
historical
peUatioos.
heophilus,^
BUS, mider
M copious
Ml withiu
B books of
'Sacred
inspired
the true
it. bwW ft
■driiiiMian.
> Ik. vol. 11,
■A-
CBlllSTIANITir. 1,^
auis me Uospeb 'our Digosta,' in allusion m tt
shjjjJdjem,to««ecolle<ir^^
tZIIu ^.P*^**"' ""^o came thirty yeara after
Tertullian the same, und other no tess stoS^ ti^.
^ai^^^^ to the Christian ScriptumTLd. ?„
^i^?SJ^7^^* ^^ ^tor freqSsnUy s^ rf
nL Tr^n^ New Te8tament,'-.i^i„, /nc^and
VinTT'r"^ the Ancient «,d New Oracles/ 2
»i^ r« ^JT*"^"* ^*H> was not twentr years later
""' ^««»tain of the Divine Putoess/« '
of h^h*2?^'T, "^ ^"^ ^"^ ««»tod, nn eridencet
01 high and peculiar respect. They aU occur witlZ
two centmles from the pSlication JSl K W
aLstt^aTtr"?^"* the compani^'orS:
apostlM, and they increase in number and wietir
£S^ »"'£! ^ r^te" touching,^^^ ;S'
and deduced from the first age of tiie i^D^^
'-■'■'/ ' SECT. V. /' / ■-■ •" ■■;■■■ '•^''■'
Jtotin Marty*, who wrote in the year 140 wKlnh
'^jeven^ or eighty years after ^e^Lfe^^
1^\t:C:Ll'^^^'' were'pSU^:
5 ti5r£ilJi S?J*^' " •«*»«»* to the emperor
' TlS^*^ ''**'?**P' **■ this remarkable pa^'
the pSLifr^'"' ^ ?• ^^^^^^ <* the WriS^of
and ^iL^ ««rf according ms the time aK
Iffij^ *** r****' *»" «"*»d. the president m«S
^ few^dMirt o bsen r ation s w ill .he w th e vd ue of UUs
l^he 'Memoirs of the Apostles/ Justin in
*
A
•• LwdMr. end. TDl. iL p, saOk " ih. mI mi -
120
BVIDRKCB8 0P
CJirlsulnchu^ . -** «*"«'^ «»«• «rf the-
/ Mtobliahed customT ""* "* '^'»*<* "en speak of
^-^^^ot'^^JL'^^JJ the «Hgio«a
Ws time, says * W^^^ S^'^®" conducted in -
Origeo, thaTw^hA ». l^^*^***"?*"^ with
year 818^i]l ■ *•* 'T*"' ^^'^ ^•tesUnrabout ^
• bishop, of thai cJ^^di^ouT ^^'"^ ^^ ^
Scriptures publidkrih\i.^i.!^^
yet onIained?pS,^e^^^ ^t ^ '^ »o»
the usage, not WofreadiW hT^S^ '*^*«°***«
J^ Scriptures, anSl^th^eSsfal^^'^
Origen also himself bews^JZ S?hi" ^ *^-
ttce: ' This rsavs h«w-^I^^^ *• '"® **n»e prac-
-^.in rTuS,^L2*'^;»^eS^ript»nSare
explication is deliveiil to ^7 ?*1 ^^Mscourse for
isastillmoreSetertfmtv'*'''^'*\ And ^hat
, .r»*^ Script of^NTiTV^^T^W^'e' his
by him in toe assembLs ^ I^?*"*^ delivered
extant «»s8emblies of the church, are stiU
* Uranv; Oh«d. vol 11
P«». «ib.^.iii.p.«, ,i^^
A-
CHRISTIANITY.
181
V i«*i«. ♦» > f WHICH martyrs are made * •
V. InUmaUons of the same custom mavZiL^
come witbin it, because we aUow them to Im ♦tl !«r^
ine wriUngsof .po^toUcalmen. tS, fanotlSe?^
we iWe^r^ "^l ^^'' wiTthe rr^K
we receive, was ever admitted to this^stincUon.
■. . ■■ *■' ' • ""
SECT. V|.'
No greater proof can be given of du, esteem In which
^^
\
r
• ■ V
I8t
WlDVL^ckipTf
» ■ «•
\¥
. ■ »' -
— »7 "A. >^ ■■ '■
tbese^ books were hofden by the andent ChrittiiM,
or of thfr sense then entertainM of their Taliie and
Importance, thin the Industry' bestowed upon th^.'
. AndAit ought to be obserred, that the value and fm*^
^ portanoe of these bopks'dDnsisted entirely in their
genuineness and truth. There was nothing in them«
as works of taste, or as compositions, which could
hare induced any one to have written a note upon
them. Moreover it shews that they were «Tenl««i
eonsMered as ancient books. Men do not write
comments upon publications of their own Umes:
therefore the testimonies cited under this head aflifrd
an evidence which carries up the evangelic writinos
much beyond the age of the testimonies them8elv<»,
pnd to that of thef r reputed authors.
I. Tatian, a foUower of Justin Martyr, and who
Qourfshfd about the year ITfl^ composed a harmony,
of eoUatioo of the Gospels, which he called Diatesi
taron, Of the four. » The title, as well as the work
fa remarkable; because it shews that then, as now,
there were four, and only four, Goipels in genenl
use with Christians. And this was little more than
* "f™ ywufs after the publication of some of tiiem.
II. Pantaenus, of the Alexandrian school,.a man of '
great reputation and learning, who came twenty years
^r Tatian, wrpte many <^mmentaries upon the
Holy Scriptures, which, as Jerome testifies, were
extant hi his time."
HI. Clement of Alexandria wrote short expUca«>
tiomi of many books of tiie Old and New Testament."
IV. TertuUian appeals from the autiiority of a
I4ter version, then in use, to tiie autiientic Greek.*
V. An anonymous author, quoted by ESusebius, and
who appears to have written about the year 212, ap
peals to the ancieni copies of the Scriptures, in refuta-
tion of some corrupt readings alleged l»y Uie foUowen
of Artemon.*
itls, ment|6uiag by na^"
I S?!Sl*'^ ^' '■.'.."'• •»»»•?•«»• • lb. TOt It p.
•Wi^Sa^ • Ibi, ▼ol. ill. jpi, M, '^
**
CHRISTIANITY.
wvertl writers of the church 7ho lived tt this time
Mdopooemlngwhom h^ says, '^hen simV^'
ancient and ecclesiastical men' (i * «r rWrilS?^
m1terswhowereconslde.jd^
800), adds, VThere are, besides, treatise* ^ mmv
others, whose names we have not been aWe to l^
orth^ox j«d ecgeslastical men, as tlL l^^rpret^^
^ tlM^IoS^*^^f^!"*^""»y^ ^^ to
J^^ pericKl 0^
Jlulius Africanus, wKo wrote an tolstle nnnh «^
S.ir^ »«* <ioiie, . larmony «f «, /„„, o<m«^
fc«0««»^ «d^«« mire, rt thl, MrinlTto^
^mA K "ftrd. also „ liBtanc, of the ^ rf
c^^^tt ^ " ^ ^ ' ' ' " ? ^ ' «^ > mi, ,i H.
fcmr r!?' T"*,*^ •ccuraw, the lecounto In tha
fc«r GMpeh of th. tim. o? Chrirt', rwu^iT
\
• Urdiwr. Cwd. »ol. H. p. jji.
• «». r- IS*. IW. 208. «45. I
*■■•
*n>.Toi.iii.p. 170. « Ik. Mat
Ui
EVmENCES OP
adding a roflectiou which shewed his oplnim of their
authority: 'Let us onk thinic that the evaogelisfes
disagree, or coatradict each other, although there be
some small diflerence; but let us honestljr and^.&ithv
fiiUy endeavour to rec<Micile what we read."*
y ictorin, bishop of Pettaw, in Germany, who wrote
comments upon Saint Matthew's Gospel. '*
Lucian, a presbyter oi Antioch; and Hesychius,
an Egyptian bialiop, whoput forth editions of the New^
Testament.
IX. The fourth century suf^^ies a catalogue '* of
* fourteen writers, who expended their labours upon the
books of the Nevf Testament, and whose works or
names are come down to our times; amongst! which
number it majr bft sufficient, for the purpose of shew-
ing the sentimetats and studies of learned Christians
of that age, to notice the following:
Eusebius, in the^.trery begiiining of the century,
wrote expressly upon the discfepancies observable, in
the Gospels, and likewise a treatise, in which he
pointed out what tilings are related by four, what by
three, what by two, and what by one evangelist. ■*
This author also testifies, what is certainly a material
piece of evidence, * that the writings <^ the apostles
had obtained such an esteem, as to be translated into
every hmguage both of Greeks and Barbarians, and
to be diligently studied by all nations.' '* Tliis testi-
mony was given about the year 300 ; how loat btfvrt'
. tliat date these transitions were made d«s not
appear.
, Damasus, bishop of Rome, corresponded with Saint'
Jerome 'upon the exposition of difficult texts ofScrip-
>• LudMr, Cred. vol. It. f >«l
**£iifert>iua. A. O. . . .. 31ft
Jttvanoui. Spain . . . SSO
Thaodora, ThraM . . S34
Hilujr. PoleUet* ... 864
A po UlMrlu i^ra
DuaMui, Rom* ... SOS
Mngatf, NyMMO . . . S7I
>' lb. p. IM.
Dtdymiu of Ales.
AnbniM of Milan .
Diodora of TuTMU . .
Oaudantlui of Brewla
m
V*
STB
m
JaraoM
ObrrMMtom
13 Lardnor, Ored. vol. vU. p. M.
H IK p. 901.
:(
CHRISTIANITY. 123
«riJ^«/ *. '^^ ^* *'^*«»» s***'^ *»»« number Md
^ virietjr of temmentaries then extant. ^^^
Grego^ of Nyssen, at one time, appeals to thn !»».»
•«n»«tod, «t lout u to aL &InS^^° '*?"•
tag «».«,ota «p« .nr Xrtl^KSririt
tr. buDd b ttw N.W TmJmZl .!S«if ,!'
>biteDOn<.TCLIi.|il«
Mlb. p. Ma
126
BVIDBNCBS OF
Of the anci*Hij^Hotu of the New Testament, one
of the moit valuable is the Syriac. Syriac wa^ the
languagB of Palestine wiien Christianity was there first
established. And although the books of Scripture were
written In Greek, for the purpose of a more extended
circulation than within the precincts of Judea, yet, it
is probably that they wouU soon be transbtedlnto the
T61gar language of the countiy where the rjiligion
first prevailed. Accordingly, a Syriac transhtion is
flow extant, aU along, so &r as itappears, used by the
inhabitants of Syria, bearing many internal marks of
high antiquity, supported in its pretensions by the uni-
form traditions of the east, and confirmed by the
discovery of many very ancient manuscripts in the
libraries of Eui^M. It is about two hundred yearasiniie
a bishop of Antioch sent a copy of tills translation Into
Europe, to be printed; and this seems to be the first
time that the translation became genenlly known to
these parts of tiie world. The bishop^ Antioch's
Testament was found to contain all our books^lexcept
the second episUe of Peter, the second and third of
John, and tin Revelation; which books, however,
nave since been discovered in that lang^utge In some
ancient manuscripts of Europe. But In this collection,
no other book, beside what is In ours, appears ever to
have bad a phMie. And, which is wortiiy of observe.'
tion, the text, though preserved In a remote countiy,
and without communication with ours, diflbre from
ours veiy little, and In noUUng that is important " i«
*■
SECT. VII.
Igf three jMst iii n lgnt t ^fei of cmitrovefiy amoniat
---- ^,~ .»«HL - ugiHajt ^■vi'iyii i nniironmy^amoniar
~;:^«ltflstlans, were tiie autiiority of Um Jfewish^onST
, I-
17JoimonllMC«^igii.Tol. I.t.i4 __i^_„
CHRWTIABnTY. jgy
UpoB tlM fini of thMt W6 find, in veiy ewly Uidm.
. Me eton of hentics rejecting the Old TestMnent
enUr^; another contending for the obUgation of ite
i»w, in aU itf puts, throughout its whole extent, and
ovor eveiy one wlio aought acceptance with God.
^Pf*.*** ^'*tter su^flects, anatund, perhaps, and
venial, bu^ a fruiUess^ eager, and impatient curiodtir.
[•rompted^by the philosophy and fay the schoMc
ftahits of the age, which carried men much into bold
Hypotheses and oo^jeetural solutions, raised, amonnt
8t.me who professed Christianity, veiy wild and
unfounded opinions. 1 thi^ thero i A) roason to
believe that the number of^these bore any considenbie
r™???2? \^ ^y"^ ^ Christian church; and
amidst the disputes which such opinions necessarily
occasioned, it isik great sttis&ction to perceive, whaL
2^L wi"^'*^ ^^ *"^*~»*'~' ^« do^perceiVe,^
•idtes lecurring to the saAie Scriptures.
, I. Basilldes lived near the age of the anosths.
ajout the year 120, or, perhaps sSier.» HeAfeSS
the Jewish insUtution, not as spurious, but as proeeej
Jng from a being in&rior to the true God ; and in other
ISd^"*^ *. ^»n»of theology widely ^SK:
ent from (he general doctrine of the Christian church,
Md which, as it gained over some disciples, was
wn^ opposed by Christian writers of thTMoond
■Jidthii^i century. In these writfags, Ihsr. toVoS
of Matthew; and then is no suAoient preef thaths
tt ^^S:^^'"^:? «- other three : « ^JS^,
» m>m that ho wrote a oomjBMotaiy nnen '^i
l^^eo espieus M to he dIvldidtoMiiS^4Sf
11. The Valentinbns appeared about thesm* tfaa*.*
"Thai
Mrtaty oT SM HmMw oT Mm Snt im
■J"* ■■• Molh TtboM or hli mch^ or Mm I
vA li. cd. lysiL p^.sri. •n^i.ioa.;
^ttim.
188
EVIDENCES OF
Their hensy consisted in certain notions concerning
. ansellc natures, wWch can hardly be rendered tetel-
Uglbie to a modem reader. They seem, however, to
have acquired as much importance as anv of the^
separatiste of that early a&e. Of this sect, Irenieus,
wiw wrote, A. D. m, expressly records that thev
endeavoured to leUik ariuments for their opiniein
^ from the evangelic and apostoUc writings. • Herac
leon, one of the moat celebrated of the sect, and who
lived probably so early as the year 185, wrote com-
mentaries upon Luke and John. • Some observations
Jteo of his upon Matthew are preserved by Origen »
, Noir is awre any reason to doubt that he raceived th*
whole New Te^ent.
II J"*.?"^ Cajiiici^ians were klso an early heresy,
"/its''^'?» J«»*«»' tlwm the two pre<M»ding. • Some
of tljfr cfWons nsembled what we at this day mean
Jr Socinianism. With respect, to the Scriptures.
tt«y are specificaUy charged, by Irenaus and blf
Epiphanius, with endeavouring topenrert apassagein '
Matthew, which.amounto to a positive proof that thev
" a^t^f^"^^' " Negatively, they are not ac-
cused, by their adversaries, of refecting any nart of .
the New Testoment. - / r«* "«. ,
. '7«S* i?!?*'S?' ^- "• **<>'*• *^ Montanlsts.
A. D. 166; >» the Marcosians, a. d. 160; " Hermol
A. D. 800;« Ttawdotus, A. D. 800; aU indudS
upder the denominaUon of hereUcs, knd aU eniaced
in conteoversies with CathoUo Ch«|sUans, reoeWtM
the Scriptures of the New Testament.
V. TWan, who Uved in tlJe year 178, went faito
many extravagant opinions, was the founder of a sect
SX^if^SHf' "? ^ ^^y Involved-in disputes
^S^^JS^^'^^^i yetTattansoiecJi^ed
ttofour Gospels, as to compose a harmbny from
"ik.«a »iKSNi "lb.*:*. ««ib.m «ib.«8i
• ft;
CHRISTIANITY.
129
VI. From a ynritef, quoted by Eusebius, of about
the year 300, it Is i^parent that they who at that time
cfHitended for the mere humanity of Christ, argued
T from the Scdptures; for they are accused by this
writer, of making alterations in their c^qples, in order
to hrmar their opinions. *•
VII. OrigenV sentiments excited great ccntroyer-
sies, — the bishops of Rome and Alessandria, and many
others, condemning, the bishops of the east espousing
them ; yet there is not the smallAt question, but that
bojth the advocates and adversaries of .these opinions
acimowledged the same authority of Scripture. In \
. his time, which tlie reader will remember was about
one hundred and fifty years after tJ^ Scripttures were
published, many dissensimis subsisted amongst Chria- ^
tians, with wliich they were reproached by Celsus;
yet Origen, who has recorded this accusation without
contradicting it, neTortheless testifies, that' the four
Gospels were received wUhoiet tttaptOe, by the whole
church of God under heaven. " .' .
VIII. Paul of SamoMta, about thirfy years niter'
Origen, so distinguished himself i^ tlie controversy
concerning the nattire of Christ, as to be the subject
of two councils or synods, assemblM at Antioch upon
Ids opinions. Yet he is not charged by his adversa^
ries withYeJecting any book of the New Testament.
' On the cfmtrary, Epiphanius, who wrote a histoiy o^
lieretics a hundred years afterward, says that Paitf
. endeavoured to support liis doctrine by texts of Scrip*
t*ire. And Vincentius Lirinensis, a. d. 434v speak-
'. ing of Paul a&d other heretics of the same age, has
these words t * Here, perlutps, some one may ask, '
whether heretics also urge the testimony of Scripture.
They urge it indeed, explicitly and vehemently; for
you may see them flying through every book of tht
sacred law/ w ■ ' ■
I X. A controversy at the same time existed with ^
the Noetians or Sabelliaiu^who seem to have gone
l«EwlB«r,Tol.UI.|*.«. 17 lb. ToL Iv. lyMa M tb. toL kI. ^ IM.
r
\ V
^ 130 ,
EVIDENCBS Of
. mto the opposite extrame ftum that of P.ui ^ q.
Scriptures. And with both sec^ r^S? Zi*^
Tgumente SthSt ^SIZ'h •^'il?!' *• '^
»un» and w£m hli^cs jf^^!L^
woeived. ™"™*"J'T'»'^ypervert«lthey
•nd before tha^ Wnie rand hi vT ^^^*«Wi, al
»me rigid lenSSTci^Vn^^i' ?,i"^^
lk«M tfl^ had huwed in?S^7^"*L tiw^reoeption of
^th Am same re«HH;t ts other rh22f *'^,?«P«'
'•'••»*»»'. vol. »i.p Ma
•^
■U
• •-
**iiK.«AiT.p^in
L:.u
CHftlStlANlTY. 131
«»?"• T*^ ^^«»Ms^» who ispnuig up to the vetr
328, used the same Scriptures „ we X ' pJod^
(saith AugusUne) some piwf from tto ScriiSST
whose^authoritjr ia ccwninoi to us both «^ °*^P*™*^
XIII.ItfeperfectJjrn<teoU8thiiL In the Arfan
controveigy, which arose sooo afte/the war^
. both sides^appealed to the same Soripturas, sod ^
«qu|l professions of deference and rogidT m
Arians, in their council of Antiocb, a. dTmi. wS!
•MHmce. that, Mf any one, contrskr to toe scES
doctrine of the, Scri^m»; say,^ttt6^Ta
creature, as ono of the creit^s, let him be «
•mthema.'-. They and the Atha^adan. mutwT
»M, A. D. 4tMi, •• reeeired the same Scriptures aswe
> tiie^T^ ««»t»n»«»y £ Chiy^tom, who lived near/
«Si?f^ SP'u*** P**"*^** *" *«rmation of the pr2
PWJoq which we maintain, thiltmavformanJuI^
of «e Gospeta ira proof that their htatory is true «ad
T^^'^i^*^^ the writingTtLT oSLS^
rnwy heresies have arisen, holding%inio« SSSi
to what is contained in them, whJ wt inSLSnS
Gojeb either entire or In parti'- iLTSTlireJ
by what^may s^ a deducMod. from ClSJloSSlS
^HH^'^i^ '»«~orlnpart;'irrau'
Cerinthus is said by Uplfihanius to Eti SSi
NoeiTed
r>«Hik ■•'VM.U.^flS. «* Ik. ^L » j„ m^
A
132
EVIDBNCBS OP
tought that the Holy Ghwt (whether he mMnT S
^fabytlsm; that Jesus from this timJ^oZJ
ottlS hLto,;* '^'^"^'^ ^'^^*>" ^^
rf^OM^J! ^»« «f Ws tenets was the^cuS
1?L i^?*?"**'' •^ proceeding from an iS«
J^itaperfect deity: and in pu«uaSce of Ss hZf
thesis he erased from the New, and that, as it shJSd
Jjam,withou^^^^^
Kf^J^Wch recognised the Jewish ScriitarS^
He spared not a text which contradicted hfa onS*
2d^ lh,l? ^'***' containing the leading fcS
This^^nt ^iSf^**^ ?*"**»«»««**« 'h* ""«»«^
someSS a^f* proof, that there wen, al^^-
some points, and those the main points, which neither
wiidness nor rashness, Neither the W of ^l^^ '
SarM«^?rI JJT",^" "« "««»» to believe
C^thnH!^?L?°"«^ ^ «^ resentment against the
SSfcSJL ""**¥;: 'r*" ""^^"^ *»»«» ^^ Swing
E^mt^'th. J K* ^P** *»' »•*»* MatthewTthS
KplsUe to the Hebrews, with those of Saint Peter
but for Jews. » This dedarotion shews the ^3
I
•u
CHRISTIANITV,
133
?fc'**€'!?*i?* ^»«a piweeded Wws mutilation of
Iwdo. Marcio^^ flourished about the yrarl30
Dr LMdner,in hfa- genewl Review, sums tip this
5<Md <rf evidence lii the ibUowin|r woids: 'Nwtus.
^^^^•"f^ SmiiuB, Ma;Suu8, PhoMnus, £
N»vjti«,, Donatistsi Manicheans, • PristiUla^rts.
fcejide Artetoon, the Aqdians, the Arians, and diven
ghers; aU recelred most ^ aU the same bodes of the
New Testament which thfr Catholics received Aand
agreed in a like respect for thf m as written by amnUes
or their disciples and com^jL..' i« ^ ^^ *
I STAtj this proposition, because, if made" out. it
;S;Z?^,!?''^f***'?.^"'^ "^ theiriooics wasaSject
iSSf ^A T^ C'»'*«««' of consideraUon and
iSi^2J/^}^' ''^"' **»«™ was cause of doubt,
ttey-diddoubt; f circumstance which strengthens veiv
I. Jerome, in hisVcount of Caius, who was pro-
S? ^ * ^SS^^' «^ ^*^«' •»'* '^ flourished ^
theyptt 200, records of him, that, reclconingup X
li inscribed to the Hebrews, is not his- and then
^th*tr*"P~';^J!^''-' This agree, in £^,Ln
r«2««^ .^u^^^^r-n IV E«»Wu8 cf the Sme
andont author •ndTiiawwl ; except that bLSSS
L
-F
/:
m
BVIDBNCBS OP
V
.. *t; *^ngei», about twenty vetn mkt»7^^ ^« ^
- dispute the authority of i^^jTZ^'^fi'^
proceeds to auotA t/fil •Ptt"«; and therefore
Acts of the A^4r1.I?SP\, Sf*"^^^^^^
speaks of t^EoiaH^rl *!. ^JP*«^' **»»» »««hor
•Wnt come d^'to^i?fa"!S*'^ thus:^*The
-that Clement, wTtSs WsL rfT' "^"^ ^^^^^
wrote the Gospelwll LXh '^ '^^^ **"* ''^<»
the same panuoi^Jf k* •.*.®P®'**°« 'K in
M IwUKne to fatrahm t„ tim m^,, ,,,
^ liMSHML Mtl ill -I. A>^
/■•^^]
CH^ISTIANITir.k ^ 134
ad Hiatoiy. The fim pusage opens with these
7 K Tu^* "■ **^*^® **»* Writings of the apostle
^ ^ which are uncontradieted,' and firat of aU must
be mentioiied, as acknowledged of all, the Gospel
according to him, |r«U kno^m to aUnhe chto^
under heaven.' The author then proceeds tolnelate
far placing Saint John's the last, manifesUy speakinjr
ofanthe?ouras parallel in their authority, wd^
the certainty of their original* The second passage
fa t^n from a chapter, the title of which iV*Of
the bcriptures iiiilverta^y «eA»<wfec^rf, and of those
.*!."; ?^ V^^ Eijsebius begins his enumeration
to the foUowing manner:— */» /Ae >rfj^«,, aro to
ijB ranked the sacred four Gospels; then the book of
S! v^/ **? ^P?"''! ' after th»t are to be reckoned
the EpisUM of Paul. In the tiett place, that called
the First Epistle of John, and th6 Epistle of Ste^
. are to be esteemed authentic After this is to be
flJf?^' K ? ^ "'°"«*** ^^* ^ RerehiUon of John,
^ut which we shaU observe the diflerent opinions
at proper seasons. Of the contr^rted, but rot well
kngwn or approved by the most, are, that called the
JfipisUe of James, and that of Jiide, and theSecond
rf Peter, M the>Second and Third of John, whether
they are written by the evangelist, or another of the
T* "!i!5*; "* ^"^ P"***** to i^koo up five
others, not In our canoo, which he caUs fa one place
Wwiow, ih another eoniromHed, meaning: as apMara
to me, nearly tiie same thfag by these t»iS wordJj»
G<yeli, and the Acts of the AposUes (the parte of
Scripture with which our cooceVrpriniipalSTues);
^nu »«MjrfWMt MM* fey it.lt wkht lam ^Omm la
M.^^».j ^S^^r .■•'^ •^*7 •»• tm M mMNi M to to .
130
EVIDENCES OF
«»«e other v£uTthT J''**"^'^ ^^Z S
SS?*"^ extremely confe^ -"^S* ^^' TJw
CJiii8«aM, which bid ^ ^I '".'J* ^W-g* ^
t'on,uid that he htn««r J"**"*™» «f infonnai
ofyKfS*^**' ^« •« quoSnTl'n^i (***«« *n the
otthTSLr^'* he X ^til^'l^J?' I^akiog rf
. « Uie ecclesiastical wrif^^T . » ^«»e (savs hn^
Vortles. have v^SS"; ^ «»e «»cceMir^ ^>
iJem in their wSTf^JS "»«** "7 mentil rf
K«f«e of thesaCfo^k^' *^*^' »»J^ «nSwr
Firrt EpisUe ofPeteT «t?T"' "P^-S ofSfe
ten. of ancient UjMhi.y^^^jT- ^> thTpres^!
some other writings beapf„- #i. ****"' "Peaking o/
downlJoiM fa the numbe/of rifi. .?' "^®° delivered
01 our times, has madftnLvl *" **»* ancien* or
'But in ti,; pr^Tfl*?''^"^*''^"'^? them'
proceeds, 'we^s^J^ «"« histoiy,^ the auC
*;5%' with tlMTsucSrSML^ r^ ^
««desiastical writer ^„*^ ^«n the apostles Thli
j^i^ .s thej:ti^ici'^*2L:s,^^^' «^^
J^i^:* said With ^tTtoT^^* '^ what
Jj the New Te8tameS?«L^^ Scriptures Reived
*»^th regard to thosTwM^T ***^*«^«rf«y a# a»rf
B»*ij stat^'tS SrSS^^^ iS^r i^ When
Apostles, as uncontradirt«JT^ ' **° **»« Acts of the
'^««d by aU J «nd^^*t'p^^**^' •ndacW
°ot on^ to those whiTj^^^^ l^P^
••«».p.in.
-^i-i..
/
/
/ '
5k-^
•"lytt. WDW «f hi, mm itThi^ f^wento not
eridenc. which tto wrtHnS!rf .,*• "*"" of U»
SECT. IX
•bout nffy Ln after him «.S: ?'!«*"» ^^« «•«•
the words of CelsiM *w-?*^ *** '^^^ «»^«n la
fag so, tiu, i 'o^, CK,2S;L"*^ *«• «^^^^
/i*
f38
BVIOBNCB^QP
•
4*
V«bu8 wrote about one hmind vear. .ft.- *i.
Gospels wen» published • andTi^^ ^ ^ "*•' **»•
these books C Sm'Jjf.J^? "y notioe. of
■*'*n»Br8 and bv eiMmi«. i* . opposition by
'womi to aU the »«rM SJ^' ' '^'^J' '^®*^ »»«*»
«^eve^t;^J;::S- --™^- " wen a.
those wJSen ^Te* fcipter^ ti '"'"T'''. '••"™
rIghUy observed, that It is not J[!m.l *^ **^"
Cebug could hiy7iJ;t^TieTVS7' "^ ^'
good evidence in any materl»J LJJf Ji«='P'«» «Pon
omitted to do -.T^^K^.^rtL'? '^?'' if^«
•^Jired to be wrltt«. byS dSdS^^
fcjrf»igtyoed%JU.t«VofiS^^
•»^, C^ui dMi iMH mean the IbltoLw J5^ fT"
•u^r. /^ A..H«.r.«^;s rj5!-- ^^^-
CHRISTIANITY.
139
OrtjBii, aJt CebinS^Hi^ ^*™* P«n»l»e from
•oOM, wUck wan mea then of Mm. JJI^Tj. ' .
ntUm ntdinn ind ntrJZii ?^ »««ndlng: for,
"•cent liXXr ^^"°"*<"»"^ Ptac. ta
q«otttlon.hw,tlit.tShrf^JIl ' ""^ P"""*
ness. " "*"• «> t*»eir goaulne-
, 'These tii„tii;:s::^rvrr^d't vT^'r
^ your oum miHmu nni nZlf "'®8®*».w> you out of
,#«»» denounced ^C^fat rf^. !SS "^^ ^^ «»•
^pun>ien>be,tir;:;:!;.^
/^
t
•Ik.w*li.Mjit
140
EVIOBNCBS OP
ir
W» hand J of the Wood ihftt flowed ft««*i..i.«j
f lUTHwe for wUch wi prodSreTorf Z^?*r ^ ^
JJJ^so^ojentleoi^gtwoang^l.^^
large and formiTtreatise a«lnlt £7r?'. !^*"*'^ """ •
gather his obJecUoDs fr«mri. • ,?*^»' therofore to
Mion of . St froTl.^!^^' "" i «• the q«o.
«. «yW fa the wlld.!i^/MSh:' TmnJu?."'
Iwhil, Muk from tlu BmTk-^r^r «™>ig itfrom
'uncorded
um Hit Urn
i&reno* in
Um wng^ _
sepvlchr*,
^t Celma
tsofCfariat
referred t«
his olyec:
liivered in
tuiy, Por-
lich was •
nrvligimi,
leiofore to
• v/hohave
(t) remains
mpletely,
«dagaiiist
the Acts
to oyer*
Thus ho
in Saint
' the quo-
n a Malm
of Tibo-
•w, « the
fttion In
voice of
git from
plicaUon
intention
ohn vH.
M upon
CHIIISTIANITY. » ^^
^aH^^PP'^^ -WcJ^hecaUsanlmp^caio,
•ttentirwffihTw5?.^„S**^V'*^ "»*•«< ^
them as the^p^lX "^'^J^VljJ^^^
attacked. BesidVthH , ?***"«**»' ^*W| h«
In the writ^'rf^^e^rdSS!!""' there SsJ?
*»ence. tiiat ^phu^ot^^^^*^"^' «»»«*»' •▼«-
^^^."s^tn^ts^'ir^^
fa the Miy words of Um •«»;«j^^ . *"■ Wstonr,
Marft hartdamdtoo3jirS?r^il?*'~«'
later than the other e^j^S --!? -^^'^^''^
avannaii^ an d at a U i lr _l_
"'^--■strn-^-^m^
U9
EVIDENCES OF
Italy were ceovei«4d; that he aUudes to the odnyer.
•ion of Cornelius and of Sergiua Paulus, to Peter's
▼isIon,-to the circular letter sent by the apostles and
elders at Jerusalem; which are aU reconled '|it the
Acts of the AfKMtles: by which quoting of the four
Gospels •and the/ Apostles, ^uid by quoting no other,
Julian shews that thbse were the historical books, and
the oqly historical booki; received by Christiana as of
dtathori^^ and aa the authentic memoirs of Jesus
ChriM, of his aposUes, and of the ddctriii^ tau^t by
them. But Julian's testimony does something mora
than rapreftent the judgment rf the Christian church
In his time. It discovers also his own. He him-
self expressly sflates the early date of thes6 records;
^^ calls Ihem by the names which tlity now bear.
. m all along supposes, he no where attempts to ques-
tion, fheir genuineness.
The argument in fiivour of the booki of the New
5 TesUment, drawn fh>m the notice taken of thei^con-
tenti by the early writers against the religion. Is very
'consldersble. It proves that the accounts, which
Christians had then, were the accounts^ which ^ we •
have now; that .our present Scriptures were theira.
It prom, moreover, that neither Celsus In the second^
Perphyiy in the third, nor Julian In the fourth cen-
tury, suspected the authenticity of these books, or*
even Insinuated ihat Christians were mistaken In the
authors to whom they ascribed them. No| one of
thern^ expressed an opinion Uiion this subject dlfler-
•^ from jthht which was hol(|en by Christians. And
.nffen we consider how much It wduld have availed
them to have cast a doubt upon this point. If tkey -^
couM i and how ready they shewed themselves to be,
to take eveiy advantage in their power; and that they
were aU men of learning and inquiry; their conces-
sion, or nUher their suflHge, upon the subject. Is
•xtren^y valuable. -^ •»
^
- ,^ . . „^,Tnf made suu stronaer,
by the consideration that he did in &ct support him-
•elf bjr this species of ol)|eotioo, when he saw any room
t •
ft
^ CBRISTIANITT. i^^
it WM written after the Ume of Ai»Mocliu»Ep!|&nas.
jnd malntaint hii charge of Weiy ly some fc4fetS
indeed, J»ut very 8ub|le£ri«cfan«. .Coijcemlng the
writtap of the Nfw l-estameatAo trace dT this .
■usp«cian is any whelie to De fouid in hiiti. "; ,
#
SECT. X.
This species of evidence eoaiei filter thatt the> n»t:
•j'it^wM not natural that catalolues of w partlcStf
ch« of books should > put forth unuT Chrirtlatt
witlngs beci^e niunerous: or untiLsome wriUnes
Jewed thems^ves, iJlaimIng titles which d}d i£
belotog to them, Md thereby rehderliig ttneceswyW
MptVate b<;bks c/withority frepi otheS^^ BEJen
It does appear, itis extrpihely Satisfcctoiy ; Um catfr.
Joguesj tJoiMhnumerous, and m^ in countries at a
wide distance from one another, differing veiy little,
2£^;fK"r*n« ""^"^ 5 miterial» tiid Vbon!
tAining the four Gospels. To this Uut a^icle then
it no exception. L
I. In the writings of OHgen which ramain. and
5 !T^!i^ preserved bf Eusebiu3, from worlis
?L •!J!?**'?r*."'^ ^"^^ ^" •^ enumenrtioos df
the books of ScrlDture,. in wli^ch the four Oospels and
^*? "^^ ^Vo^tm arelistincqyairfhiiiwablj
^cifled, and in which no l£oks appear beST^
are now received.* The^Serl Rf^
TS"^^'""'^ 'T the d* ,«! <5rigen»s wX Ji
II. Athanariws, about a ^sintury aibirw»rd, ^^">
I UidM, ClH. *•!. IM.^ i«, *«. wrt. ,1ft. ^ IN^
„»iiaCTi*wii(#«,
"<#-
Hi
'EYIDftNCfiSOV
. tred a catdogue ol the bookg of tlm Kew Testwient
in form, contaifilng oat Scri)(ttiir«i and no otlien: of
wMch he says, 'In these alone the doctrine of rellgim
tt tau|^t; let noman ddd to them or take any thine
lr«mi them/ • ' •
III. About twenty yem after Athanasloa, Cyril,
piabop of Jerusalem, set forth a catalogue of the books
of Scrij^un», publicly read at that time iii the church
of Jerusalem, exactly the same as ours, except that
the « Revelation' Is omitted. ■ ^
IV. And fifteen years after Cyril, the council of
Liaodfcea delivered an authoritative catalogue of
canonical Scripture, like CyriPs, the same as ours.
wiUitheomisskAQfthe 'Revehtion.'
V. Catalogues now become frequent. Within
Uiirty years after the last date, that Is, from the year
363 to near the conclusion of the fourth centikry, we
have catalogues by Epiphanius, ♦ by Gregoiy Narian-
wo, by Piiilaster bishop of Brescia In Italy, • by
Amphilochlus bishop of Iconium, all, as they ara
sometimes called, clean catalogues (that is, they
admit no' books into the number beside what we noi
receive), and all, for every pw-pose of historic
eividence, the same as ours.*
f ^'- ^^t^'tt ^e same period, Jerome, the most
learned Christian writer of his age, delivered a cat*.
logu6 of the books of the I^ew Testament, lecognisinff
every boojc now received, with the Intimation of a
doubt concerning the Epistle to the Hebrews alone.
an»l taking not the least notice of any book which is
not now received. *
_ yil. Contemporaiy with Jerome, who lived In
^i"5'„r" ^^* Augustine, in Africa, whb
published likewise a catalogue, without joining to the
Scripture, as books of authorf^, any other ecdesias.
• Lwdwnr. Orad. VOL vlll. p. m,
• n. vai.>iii. pk t»ei
• Lwdntr, OvM. voL s. p. 77.
t>
U6
^s; ijss.'s^ ^l& "d^sjs^r^
/ i- .SECT. XI.
'^Sri?- •«•* •»
Wliere they an, mentioned u ooUerbyl ihT*^^*
Kev. J AtkfBMo, wlU nuuToirtS. tk^.
P«,K«lt.on to tk -tlifcctW :;l.;?VX^^^
the
om-
,(£* 'v..
.A)
U0
EVIDENCES OF
potent judgmeirt. If Uiere be uty book whieli mar
Jjem to form tn exception to the*&«>mttoii.1I K
^^i/lr*^ Naawne8, of the Eblonlte., .pme:
SSS^rSf^^Twelte, by some tacribedio^
Matthew. Thl8Gofl)elisiMM»,MMlootyo«cS.dSl
ly Clemens Alextnrfrinus, wh6UTed, thTJeSrSiU
^member, In^e l»t^r p«t of the WoS,?SSJ^"
JBd which samVcjeiptot quotes one or other rfoS
four Gospels in almost eveiy page of hfsWoA ll
ttis is the groWd upon irhich itht» exception stanT
But whiu is s«U more material to observS TthSZ;
Now if/with this account of the apociyphal GosDels
we compare what we have read a^S^S^^'
^onicjJ Scriptures in the preceding secUoJjT e^n
SJl?2le^*ffri"' -eil-fLuled^rtir5
^^^ 7\\^^*^}!^^ remaining worlo of Irenajus/
^tS^S f *i'*'^'^*' "^ TertulHan, who all MrS
to the first ^o wnturies, there are more and larger
S!^fS^ ^ the «maU volume of the New Te8ta3'
than of ^ the works of Cicero, by liters of aU charl
acten, for several ages; '• and if to this we ^
that, notwithstanding the loss of many #pr J of iha
primitive Umes of Christhudty, we hfvriiUiin Z
thoyo-menuoned period, the remains of ChristikJ
Egyp^ the part of Africa that used the Latin tongw
»mS«?' f '***^*' **^^ *^ ^»"»» to aU whteh
remains, references are found to our evangelists: I
•pprehend, that we shaU perdfeive a dear iSd bJid
0««ptl, wlM^AoritiMl or vmioo. »bi«h w»«i« «S«fc^
> Untmr. end. Tol. HI. p. as. "^**
-v...^-'
J-
''I
.147
t« wiM second cIms of wr««»«. ¥ u *
"eribed U, tb.1Z1^^ to . w«* «ui „um.
I conoeiw, therefor,, thM Ow i>mi«iti» _ i
Wore .dvMMWl, .»ea rterlttaTSS?^" i*^»
•"■7 «cep«l«o, of ,»er/I&rTk.^ ">I*>«»«1 to.
of the same subject. ^ " account
We^be ptoiittklumever to add,
apio?^fe:t^trter;^^^„2ff^^^^^
of tho Christian en in whih - *. ***? '^ *«n*"«y
&««»«, by whom I me^S^^Cte.i^* W"***
H^nnw, Ignatius, and pSraJm^^^.!' '^^^^
fr«in about the velrof WlSS 5S^ ^«n«»"wh
(tnd some of whZ t^^^ Ihi^ST ^^ '««
«f our historical ScriDtS.Sv1 "^.^ •^^'T •«•
-' S. Wore M, ,d„,„;, ^^ „^,^ ^^^^
J
148
ISVIDBNCES OP
* <.
pettUon with iiU- ScriDtiS 2f i?^ ^",^" *^°»-
to iMritora that CteiSnt i»i2S - . '! *°°* "»«»
* <.
rfes;
IMurties u of
lom in com..
n, finom the
nich existod
ling it. It
account for
expUcation
^ a design
treated of
sanadvan.
Ded Ghrjs-
they were
[pinions of
>mote their
I (pinions,
tscurethan
iiif to the
more than
Md reason
xandriain
universal
cording to
b of this
. i>. 200,
oolc being
a CiUcia;
. ~ '■■■■■. 4
' ;f OBRISTIANITT. .^
Gospdto. " "•jvenea, concerning eur
^^ as that which is diwkL «„ *J^ '"» •P"tK
♦ «»i«'on of Christ, C'Cfer^.^^^^
communication of thaTZf IT^k"* miracles, hi.
P«i<«.- death, and reCecti^ * ''^^» ^
asserted by Brerv 1b Tl^l 'J^ assumed or
which soiL, ofTher<iLefo,;K ^^.r***' *^^^^^
men Of eminence in ouTws Ji^' Wh^T, J!!™ *^
gve,an>notcont«d^tion7h^. . j'^^ *Mp book.
the same J which ABmTT^h^^'l'^^'f^^
""Tttf^ ^ •t:S'<i!tis^rd ^^"'^ "^ ^
«f learned ChrisK KSLirn?^*''^^* "^"^ '
when we reflect uj^'^e 'St m.Y"*°* *'"«''*^«' »»»*»
***«1 that importer w««Sj^**"*^'^'»^<*^iii-
«^ «»e attemptTSlu^^ r^>»,7°«»«r either
V ^rsally uud!n«ood IL^h /k^u**.^* «">« "»»-
isted.. Its c^^'i^'Si J»rophetlc wrltfag ex-
•«^edto^^7^„t^E"^"»*. '^^••i'SMon
to giveout a wriJ^ undi tt^i^riJ^i^'^'y-
^ •hready estabUsbid n«!I„. I ^!t ^^^ounAle to
'^W** writinT^ JL"?*^" **' Ci»rf8tians, .^
J->le, b?^^^' 5?^*«^t Je«n«. it is ,lri:
h«t little: what i. i,ow »!&' '"if'y '^^ W
<yii»ien. hare impoS «£r^.L?^; "^ '« my
e^w^ t han the Ousg l Sff ^^eTi . ^ * ' " " "^"i
-i-^^lngenuity.m^^e'trr^^
\
^m^mtmiHtm
no
n
BVIDBNCES OF
CHAP. X.
tun reader wiU now be pleased to recollect, that the
two points whieh form the subject of our present dis-
cussion, are, first, that the Founder of Christialiify,
his associates, nd immediate Mowers, passed their
lives in labours, dangen^ and suibrings; secondly,
that they did so. In attestation of the minctflous his.
toiy recorded In our Scriptures, and solely in conse-'
quence of their belief of the truth oi |hat history.
The argument, by whidlFthese two prqiosiUoiii
have been maintained by us, stands tiius: * >
No historical fiict, I apprehend, is more certain,
. than that the original propagat^ of ChH^anity vo-
luntarilysubjected themselvca to lives of fatigue, dan-
ger, and suffering, in' the prlbcution of their under-
taking. The nature of the undertaking; the cha-
ncter«of the persons employed in it; the opposition of
their tenets to the fixed opfnions and expectations of
the country in which they first advanced them ; their
undissembled condemnation of the religion of all other
countries; their total want of power, authori^, ^
force ; render it in the highest degree probable that
this must have been the case. The probability is in-
dressed, by what we know (i)E the iate of the Founder
of the instUution, who was jttt to death for his at-
tempt; and by what we also know of the ciSel treat- v
ment of the converts to the institution, wit^n thirty
years after its commencement; both which points are
attested by heathen writers, and, being once ad.
mlttedj l^ave it very incredible that the primitive em-
issaries of the religion, who exercised theii" ministiy,
fint, amongst the people who had destroyed their
Master, and, afterward, amongst those who peiMCUted
Innir coy e rts, should ChomselTea escape wl ffi"
punity, or pursue their purpose in ease and safety.
This probability, thus sustained by foreign testimony
CHRISTIANITY.
writer who WIS th« WAm^TT* K ^ •ccounts of «
■on Hli^^S^ iT J" "^^ Uttoiy, mud,
"«"he of lho« TlrtwT "'~'^''*y «aa for th,
««(««>. ill couaeo^oTrf IL. «»™rt««f the «.
Sf 1^^*^ a JTli' r^*J?^ ^'^•^ this .oa.
other, fa to my iipprSTL^ f **"** *^*°'« <«•
•f Naarpth. ought He rece^'2TJT3^ •'«»"»
Ha messenger from gS.^^,^?!? Messiah, or
l»Te, my thing but n^^iu?^. "**' *»^» "or coi&i
tjf »*«y which we taw«!lw r •P**t'«« '^ero/^
rtdei^tloo that tS JSS fa 'S.^K *^ '^ «^
«f their own nunAw^Zd hS^^? *" »" V two
'''^"•'cted with ttM».^TK!^ «*»»•'» P^iliallr* .
Sj^wirtwitlal teS^^|>»5!? to Poa«e«
they had Jbu iH iiMBrtSr^ V ^^ rP"* ^^ ■"^ttm
iii» .K.. :r ■Tin™^!'^ or *u,ulring mch Infenali. .
se
j^^ . EyiPBNCBS OF ' ' '
fore be genuiae, it is •ufficieot; that the genuiiieneM,
however, of all of them is made out, w well by tte
eaneral arguments which evince the genuineness oC
Se most iLdisputed remains ef antiquityy as also by
S^uUar and specific proofs, ^i*;^^f^^f^
them in writings belonging to a ^riod i™«diate^
contiguous to that in w& they were published; \>y
the ^stinguished regard paid by early ChrisUa«r.'to
the a^ority of these books (which regard was mani-
fested by their collecting of them into a volume, ap-
oroWiaUng te- that volume tHtoa of pecuhar respect,
Lnslating them into various^ languages, digestmg
them intS harmonies, writing commentaries Jon
them, and stiU more conspicuously, by the readinf ot ^
Zm iTtheir pubUc assemblies in all parto of t^
world); by a universal agreement with respect to
ttwe books, whilst doubts were entertained concern-
ing some others; by contending sects »PPej^^^« *«
them; by the early adversaries of the religion not
disputing their genuineness, but, on the contrary,
?;eJting them as the depositaries of the histonru^
which Uie leUgion wm foui^ed; by ^Y^Vf^^
taloffiies of these, as of «rtain ai.d authoritative writ-
cSistian world; lastly, by the absence or defect d
the above-cited topics of evidence, when sppUed to
ftny other histories of the same 8wl\iect. ,. ^ i*^.
These are strong arguments to prove, that the IWoki
actually proceeded froittlhe autjiors whose names they
bear (and have always borne, for there is not a parti-
cle of evidence to shew that they ever went under any
other) ; but the strict genuineness of the books is per-
haps more thatt is necessary to the wppprt of our
-prJpositioa. For even supposing thst, by rettouirf
. SrSenoe of annuity, or'the loss of records, wi,
knew not who wero the writers of the four Goyels.
■ ' ^ '•--' they were received as authenUc
t^i^atbi^mmiU» upon ^^wcnjj ""«*';;
Sd, and weie na^W^ as such hv Christians, al
erW th« ap of the Apeatlts. by tUe whom tUt
^ CnaiSTIANITY. ' ; J53
general story, and, as often m occasions jLthemtd
IrlfT f ?^«''o°» that if the aposUes delivered
ftv>™ ♦! t '"''>'* ^"«« «f Christian writers, dovm
STJ^t •*? •'*' r ^^°' »>«%«l'ewise reioi^ii^
in a variety of institution., whiXprevailed «2Sv im3
i^emlly, ,„ongstthe di'scipi^^toTSrgffi ^^
Sum nn# K *°f *"**'^*''' "n^Je*-*"^ circumstances:
^^^il ^'/^oeV*' ^«" «»e authors of thera!
ttoy exhibit Uie story which the aposUes toM. and f^
could not S'd^^^^""5Sr^Tv '^^'^'^''^
S^^pi^^^Srhatj^^eeltt'r '^
fact. wUch Sy W nTETw^rf^^
to teach virt«7»n^»i^I[®''*®**'»«^'*o"'*y*^^
wccewofhiilmnLS!?!' *»«' ^7^n« «»n the
theiuMivM L JL^ ~ perrfst, a. to bring udod
j-^^MiimBci, uttuiiij^ «ua~i«e^ dMifw and
fl ' ,
« ..
'ammi
lu
EVIDENCE OF
OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF
CHRISTIANITY.
<t-..;
PBOPOSITION IL
CHAP. 1.
rm
Our lint propotitlon wai, • That Mere it tatbflKtorif tvidtnct Mof mmv,
pnindbq[tobevriginiawaneuS'lifa»eCMtUanmbra6U*,pai»edtMr
Uvet in iobowrt, dangen, and mifirint*, rolwnlaray undtriaken and
undgrgvn»iHaUeilationi^theaiilMmt$tMehtheydeUi)ered,a»d»(Mv
ineon$eqiieneeiirtMrbtli^<iftketnUh«fthfeaee(mnbi and that thn
dko$utmiiUdJrmn e ^ ^ mmmMi)ti,tnniniruUttftond»iii:
' Our leemid propoiillon, ud which now mnaini to be treated of, \\
• Thid Mnv i* not mititfittiory evidence, tKal penem pretending ta te^
miginet witnnm^ any eOm tinOar mbraOee, have acted in the tame
mwnm, in attettaHan vf the aeeeuntt ttUeh they dMfiend, and teUty
in coiiM«M«MC* ^»eir htUeftfthe tnUh eflhote aoeowilf.* , ^ ' \
i
I SNTKR upon this part of my argument, by declaring
how far my belief in miraculous accounts goes. If
the reformers in the time of Wicklifib, or of Luther ;
or those <^ England, inthe time of Henry tlie Eighth, or
of queen Mary; or the founders of our religious sects
" ^ince, such as were Mr Whitfield add Mr Wesley
in our own times; had undergone the life of toil and
dxertion, of danger and suflbrings, which we know
^ thai many of them did undergo,/or a miraculous story ;
that Is to say, if they had founded their pubfic minisUy
upon the allegation <^ miracles wrought within their
own knowledge, and upon narratives which could not
be resolred into delusion or mistolie ; and if it had
^ appeared, tlut their conduct really had its origin in
these accounts, I should bare believed them. Or, to
borrow an instance which tHll be fitmiliar to eveiy
nf my ma d f rt, ff <hf U *^ ^^ Wy*H M »"^«"^-
IDENCE OF
teitatloD, Mid In
^ CHRISTIANITY. . \^
thing ^^mrTiv^2:\Z'?P!^T,*^^^^
•>«» Ptopi«rte kb doctrine^: Md if S'thh^ 1*5
come to our kawledm in ikT. " """^ ""^
which the liK SoSlJ; ?l^T '^y-'OMb,
apostolic hlstoiy " *^"*« «P to th^
wlriinitr.i^irh.'rpj^SLj'if-- '
Id «M.ng the compri«» £SS* ,., VridoM,,
'-.■■
mmmmmm^
■iiip
166
EVID^MCES'OF
■S , 4
and what our«drenarie9 may bring itato competitioa
witili ours, we will divide the distinctions which we
wish to propose into two IdndSt^H^ose which relate
to the proovftn^tbose which relate to the miracles.
Under the fonu# head we ma; lay out vS. the case,
X, Sudh accounts ^ supernatural events as are fovu|4
only in histories by some ages posterior to the thucus-
aition, and orwhich it is^evident that the historian «i
could know little more than his reader. Ours is con-
temporary history. This difiTerencti^ alone removes
oat of our way, the miraculous history of Pythago;ras;
whp, lived five hundred years before the Christian era»
written by Porphyry and Jamblicus, who lived three
hundred years dter that era; the prodigies of Livy's
history ; the fables of the heroic ages ; the whole Of the
Greek and Roman, as well as of the Gothic mytho-
logy ; a great part of the legendaiy history of Popish
saints, the very best attested of which is extracted
from^the ceilificates that are exhibited during the_^.
process of their canonization, a ceremony which seWl^'
dom tak6s place till a centui^ after their deaths. It^^
applies also with considerable, force to the miracles oHf
ApoUonius Tyaneus, which are contained in a solitary
history of his Ufe, published by Philostratus, above a
himdred years after his death; and in which, whether
Philostratus had any prior account to gnide him, de-
pends upon his single unsupported assertion. Also
to some of the miracles of the third century, especi-
ally to one extraordiuaiy instance, » the account <tf
Gregory, bishop of Neocesarea, called Thaumaturgus, ~
delivered hi the writings of Gregoiy of Nyssen, who
lived (me hundred and thirty yean after the subject
of his- panegyric. ^
The value of this circumstance is shewn t» have
been accurately exeraplifted in the histoiy of Ignatius
Loyola, founder of the order of Jesuits.' Hisu llfe|
wrlfan by a companion o f hi s , a n d b y wu e o ih-tba-
onier, w^ published about fifteen years after his death.
In which life, the author, so far fivm ascribijng any
'Oomlu't CrlMrion of Miraelti. p. 74.
r ■•
chriIrtianity. ^w,
; life w« ren^ns^T^^^^yj^^erl tS
the author says, of fiuiheTiS Tjk '^«n> »» fruit,
r««, the JesuS/XSviJ*"!*?? °«^S sixty
£««der of their -Jer Z^'^S LT *« M« ««
J«»«Mi» as it should seetofo! 11 « ?**"" cMkndar,
J«te to hin, a cat,d<Z imlZ,'*"* .""»*' K^
J«n be distWljTdW^^^ not
those who fioXrned thlvT' f*' '^^^^ ™« 'fc. in
^thout «y mirf tLriSf*'** H» distant^T
*n» of the mission. ThTrtoiTST***! "^ **» ^
£^ in which it wa. iSed^^lT 'L"^"*! 4 *»-
^ first^ted at JervLet^ufTW ^^
prfmlMve teacheni 3Tfa2tuiiL"*° T'^
tter th?y assemble" The^J ,T*^ *
the several churcMfeJf iS^W''^"*^*",
•wne books and the «Sf^ **** 'I 'WK^^ tbo
dfdU ■■ "o me same accounts,! ■™^- ^
■tWs distinction disposes am.
t ^^ ^7 oi ine mission. Th^ -ti
erd^u
that
the
thi.
and
the
■A
. <^". of lie
lonlui 7>a4«»
^PorfcrtteJi^
• 'i^- -
ilM'
wk
ltsri'?''=^'^"i
1
'§i .\
f
^•M
1
L
m. We
« Upon the
irs* •.
[burs.
;count, ^.
2 know whether it Ute ?^ Qr fiJ^e, because any
may publMU any story. It fe in the future con.
firtn^i/or^ntr^ktl^P, of the a.c<m^
pennanency, or its #appearance; ite dying away.
Klen^ or its' ii^iog in t»toriety ; ite ^.ng
foUowed up by ?Vl»s»nt accounts, and being «;-
4H»^»d i« differeJl Mindependent accounts; that
SSStruth is diWinguiad from fugitive ^Kes Th«
Xtinctionis altogethery the side of Christjanity.
i^^ty did nS^^ropfOn the contraij, it was
succeeded by a train of action an^ evento dependent
Tp^ TL«ccounts,%hi^^e have inourhands^
Xe tompoeea after the fir?t fef rts must f ave sub^ „
' Xed. T^ were followed ^ a train of writings
i^v^ihe subject. The histor/cal testimonies of ttie
* SSon iere man»4ild jfaripus, and connected
with letters, discourses, conti^ovirsies, apologies, suc-
> T, V^ssively produced by the same ^^^^ff-.. .J
IV We may lay out of Ah^case what I <JaU mkea
history. It haSvbeen said, that if the prodigies of the
ir ^ * JevShistory had i»en found only in fragments of
M^SinBeXus, we' should Imve paid .io- regard
to them: and I a^willing to admit this. If we knew
nohing oTuie f,;ct\^^^^
{
^i$ssjk
ses^ed no proof that\|
•lid acted «ipon, froi
the ■ccoimts themsel
eonnectedwithj "
toral testimpoj
irtanceSflthiB'
Cthis cert
I evidence
Butt
^counts had beeoN;redited
J, probably> 9» ancient as
fwe had no visible efforts
^ no subsequent or coUan'
it; under these circumy
I be undeservidji of aoidii.
our casOi In appini^ng
ilty, the books ai'o. to be comf-
rith the prevalent fi the
LCrit. ». u>
^
^ - CHRIjSTIAJf ITyJ < „ y, 159
rellgiqn at tWs day; with the ^jpij and plioe iTm <
N^rigin, which, are acknowledged poltotsl^^lth tlw
^mata^ces of fti rise and^rogSs, as^iecteS
^ exj^rnai histoiy; with th«^ hot o£^our iSwent
- Jroto Uie be^nning; with that of other bbokscoS
.. after these, filled with accounts of effecfa^d cZ^ .
-JWgces resulting h^m the transaction, or refe»ri«to
SLSff^'y^i.'*'' built upon it; histly, WitI, the fcbn^
•ideraUon of the number and yarieti of the b^
fr^JT.: 'iL^'^^*^*"' writers, froi which^
proceed, the different views with :whlch the^ were
* r?T' ■" <*>sagreeing as to repel the suspicion of
C^tT^Z^'^''^'^'^ '^^^i^ they were !
«r«!n 7?! *«"»«»o« original, ,'. e. in a stohrsub-
tory or not, itis ^rop^rly a cumulation of evidence
by no means aWked or solitaiy record. . '''•™^»
i^J:- """"^ «>wtorical truth, although only In a
in names, dates, places, circumstances, and inTi
^wMo* Idnd, for instance. Is the iJartlcularltv in ik^
STsTh""!.''.^'"/ ^"Avoyage^^sh^^^^^
the 27th chapter of the Actk which nJmaS, I think
S^?«;.^ »h S!. "i**^ accounty the cure and eiam-
^8K^K%P"J **^ '^^^^'^W*'"* I*»"not
butWiS^Si^r'* ?\ Wicularity of truth;
Since! however^ ex|H,r jloe pioi^ IhailwIrtte^iSK;
b^ot^onfined ta Vuth^ I L^ ^^^*^^^
proof #truth only to a certain i^tenL? • if lid^
,>■
X
,^>*(». .
i
. I V,
160,
EVIDENCES OF
:i
•ble advance In our pre^ot argument; for an eitfurin
attempt to deceive, in which case. alone paiticubritf
can i^pear without truth, is charged upon the evan^
gelicts by few. If the hist<Hrian adunwledge himself
to hav<B received his intelligence from others, the par-
ticularitjr of the narrative shewsi jM^^fia /aeie, the
accuracy of his inquiries, aiiid the fulness fd his
information. This remark belongs to Saint LuIm's
hi^ry. Of the particularity which we allege, many
examples may be found in all the Gospels. And it is
very difficult to CMiceive, that such numerous partir
cularities, as ar^ almost every where to be met with
in the Scripture^,' should be raised out of nothing, or
be spun out of the imagination without any £M;t to go
upon.'
It is. to be remariced, however, that this particu-
larity is only to be looked for in direct hiit&ry. It is
not natural in references or allusions, which yet, in
other rcHspects, often afibrd, as far as they^o, the
most' unsuspicious evidence^
VI. We iky out of the cij^ such stories ai super*
natural events, as require, en the part of the heuvr,
nothing more than an otiote assent ; st(||ries upon which
nothing depends, in which no interest is involved, no-
thing is to be done or changed in consequence of believ-
ing them. Such rtories are credited, if the careless
assent that is given to themi deserve that name, mwe
by the indolence of Uie heai^r, than by his judgnfents
or, thoujg^ not much credited, are passed from one
to another without inquiryW resistance. To this^
case, and to this case alone, pelongs what is called the«
•'TlwntoalwtjrstoiMtnidiwlMnllMniu* eonskUnkble puttctim
latitiM niatedi aadtlMgr alwajri mcb^ Ho bnv mnm praportloo to Sm"
moHfOmt. ThmtlMntoagraMwaMof tiMjMliealwrtor UoM. plMi^
•wl ptnoni. la MaiMtiM'B ceeoaiUolillM B^ptiaa Ujrnaitita. Ctiriu'a
of (ha AHyiiABKIagib «■& tbma whlAtht twhnltfriehronidflfwhaf:
|l«m of llM laelaBt Ungdona «r OMtiti and agNMblj th««ta2i|^ M
Mvati IMV* BNwii Sotloa and fUadtoiA »itl> mom t»tt < «Mi«aa^>
ttaMfdidara HMory of Uw PMovoniHiiiaa War. awl^ Cawr'a of tiM
War la Oaul, la both which tlia partieulaiaof tiaia,plua. aadparaoM^
mm* Bartlty ToLUp. lOS
CHRISTUl^iTY.
lil
^ we are J^lfd^^L, ,*?^ indifferent nature
being tie TfiSr^* J^^'^^^P^ds «pon their
11 a Jew took uo thn stnnr i,.jw j; . ® ** tiu»^
he found his idolatrv anH n^il^r • ' , ** GenMle,
the truth and crediwfltv if ♦?!?*** *"** convinced i"
truied But ThS ^ ? **"* riarrative to whicJM.
the express businetJrfZ^iT^ 5 J'*"^ "»'^« **
WgenJ. It wasTdSi^l*** Jewish the intel-
intelligence. to ch^S^T? JIl ,T "^^ *dmitted that
their p^nd^K ^X S^ d S *!P'' "«*^"«'' "^
^%w set <^ i^es7and mte^"1^*rr*"^ ^»
„Katle8,atW,werernte^^tS^^'*^*°"''- ^h*
iW, their fortunes, Zd^^^^^l^'^'^^^^^ir^
Multitudes besides'remt;to?i^'?;SI'«"*-e;
t»ie, to encounter QDnoritlnn !ilr^ ' V *^ ■*»*
,* answiji^ that the men? promise qf
i&2
■.'■ft:.
?
^
•■«¥ ■ .
EtflbENCES OF ''.
X-/ •-.■■,.--'■■ ^ ■.
1, v^9Ut4# evidence to five credit or
as^inutice to it, i^ouldlo noihiDg. A few wandering
fishermen toUcing of ,a riipwrrection of the d<^^ could
produce no e'flect. If it be ferther said, Ikt men
•adly believe what thejr aniKously desire ;JI again
answer that, in my opiniim, the very contrar|r of this
is nearer to the truth. Anxiety of desin-, earnestness
of expectation, the vastnesso^an event, rather ^us^a
men to disbelieve, to doubtC,to dread a faUa«% to
distrust, and to examine. . When our Lord's rertir-
rection was first reported to the apostles, they did pot
betteVe, we ar* told, for joy. This was* natural, and
is agreeable to experience.^A^ ^4^
VII. We have laid out sPm case those WuntI
which require no more th&n a simple assent ; ^^^^ftwie
now also lay out of the case those which come' imi||ly
(n affirmance of opinions already formed. This
circumstance is of the utmost impo^nce to m
. well. It has long been observe^ thaf Pq)ish min
i,ppen in ^ish countries; Um they make no coa-
iTB^: whi(S proves that stori^ are accepted, when
AmftM^n ^th principles already fixed, with the
pflkc sentineiktsy or with the sentiments oS a par^
already engag^ c» the side the miracle supports,
which would n^lS^ attempted to be produced in the
hoiM en^mi^in oppfwition to reigning tenets or
fiMiite li^udices, «yphen*if,tli©y be believed, the
beUelliHst draw mennfmruj^^m their preeooceived
pinions, frottT^ir modes of life and
i\Mmi action. In the Umaer case, men may not
|hh||^eive a miraculous account,vbut may both act
.^.^lodlbfier on the side and in the cause, which the
^^miracle suppiMts, yet not act or su^ for the miracle,
but in pursuance^ of a prior persuasion. The miracle,
' like any (^her argument which only confirms what
was beK>r« IwUeved, is admitted with4ittle examina-
tioD. In the m<Hral, as in the natural world, it is
okatifft which requires a cause. Men are easily
fortified in their old opinions, driven fcomthein with
gi^t diffl<!»tlty. f4^ how doer uus apply lo liie
ds ftppiy 10 ihe
CHBISTIANITV. jg,
uid vehementlv adverse tn ♦i.^It^j . ^' "«cWedJy
rsions which tll1^^"'*?i;'^^ '" '^ P"'**'^
a change; they establliedTiSl ^^';°^"*^•'
adhering to the belief of them • thev S ^ ^'
wd those who were COD vertS^vfS to S! ,!!?r*'^ »
, They who acted and sudered in .." "*^'"*P**J»w»ceg.
. ^uflemJ for the miraSS for S>SS STLT**? T^
"^perBuasion to induce th^m « ^ " "° anterior
one foUowe^r whenL^t ^ his euL ''l?? ^ "<>*
«5fe birth^ his sect No JLt^f\, """Sf^^*^
belongs to So orfinaiy evidenc^nf n- i ^''^^^iJPUon
been wrformed by Christium in^! ^** *** ^^«
«entiiS5 ef its e« want th^' ?* '^*'*^ "** '^^W
stitutS^indeeda^iirS^^L J?*^"^ I* con-
conduct that wo are acquaiXd J?f SMt"*"
«Wst to the first pZ^ill"'-, "jK'^ould
«»Peci.lly to fishemenfSnSr««'aS^"'^^^
men, such a thought as'that rf Sn^i^S^ '
«fthe world; what ^uld beaTSfm fk ^«*"»
difficulties in whichiheiitoin2^».!L.*^'*^ **»
could p«c„n. an>7eX rf T^cSrSl,!^"^* '^^
•re questions wWch applv with ^ ^ attempt,
setting out of the insuffi^JSiCto^* ? *•
•tage of it; ' *"* **"» w> •▼eiy f utui«
To hear some m^n talk onA »«. u
setting up of a wliZa bvm*!.^- !"^ ''Wowi <»»•
every d. ^. o » pcrg,t l ^^S ,*;j^, " "^" ' "^
^yHI
V
164
, EVIDENCES OF
sect ^OD^ Christians pretended to mirwulou,
powers, and succeeded by his pretensions? * Were
these powers claimed or exercised by the founders of
WiJI^^f the Waldenses and Albigenses? Did
WickliO, in England pretend to it?" Dia^Huss or
Jeronw in Bohemia? Bid Luther in Germany.
ZutaigUus in Switzerland, Calvin in Frtnce, orgJr
of Ua reformers, adtance this plea?" The FrS-^
prophets, in the beginning of the present century »
▼entured to aUege miraculous evidence, and immi^
diately ruined their cause by their temerity. * Con*
cerningihe religion of ancient Home, of Turicey. of
Siam, of China, a single miracle cannot be named.
that was ever oflered as a test of any of those reHglons
before their establishment/ • " . *'"**'
JVe may add to what has been observed of the
distinction which we are consideruig, that, where
miracles are alJeg^ merely in affirmance of a prior
opinion, they who1)eliifVo the doctrine may sometimes
propagate a belief of the'^miracles which they do not
themselves entertain. This is the case of what are
^ed piotu frauds; but it is a case, I apprehend^
which takes pUce solely in support of a pereuaslorf *
ftl»«ady estabUshed. At least It does not hold of the
apostolical history. If the apostles did not believe
theCmhracles, they did not believe the religion; and ,
with^t this belief, where was the piety, what iSS^^
was there for any thing which could bear the name
Z ''^Z.^^^i}''. publishing and attesting mirecles
k^ ito behalf? If it be said that any prJmote the
n?i ^^i ^^"^ they think them, whether well or
iU AHUded, of public jmd political utility; I answer,
that if a^character exist, which can with less justice
than another be ascribed to the founders of the Chris-
tian religidta; it is that of politicians, or of men canable
l;!?^*^"l!,P*"*^*** ^*^- The truth fe/Xt
there Is no tegnri>le character which will aci^uut
^A4M«j|oji||ir.|fc7»k
-r^
»,•
K
/^
CHRISTIANITY.
«^m to take n^pZ\ ±^^^1 ^^ i«S
»S' ^ ^»"W norhave^!^-^^''^? I' good
ft? -^^^^^^
TJiere are other distlnrtlZ 3^ *** '^^ eWdeSS
Of Which Jatte7ld%e LtJl '"^'**'i»^^^^^^^^^^
be retained. "*® foUowing ougj^ carefeUjr to
i^^^-J^^ - •i»^, what
turn «&.. ♦u.^ °*® ^faUe perceoiUM At .7?*
^^^^^^i^'^r^^ what
demon of sWerS?^- ^' ''^i'
rf««anyothS!*:;:5!,!l*??^8^»t
«^»*lSf*'^'*^°«"»onofSoo«te«.«4.rL'Zr* ^' ""»
Anthony and of many oWTjlS'/^'^^^fiWnt
Herbert of Cherbunr dSteV M ^!i~ t***** Lord
Cdoael Gardiner'^virf ^'nasetf to We seen •
•ccounted for bv a »/ *^*. '^^ tbeseWir hA
characteristic sjSpLri^"''^ ''^'^^
T^ objeet is hardly ^y^ru& S?«" *»' ^o^ooe.
«»»ito oot to be JtandLd oJ^T^* J^« ^^s^on sub.
•""otber. TheSi»^»: T°® **"«» does not cnnft^T
•««^ witaJfeS "^r^ •'most aiw.r^j?^
J««»X. these are alwBw^S?^? **** "^^ objecta.
. ^wluch term I m^to^^-T-"*^ ^^^;
2ljMe existence ^SfS^tSj^^*^ ^ '^'^i'
"actio n ro m ira o le.,.iyuf ^^«n. fa r ^^ ^ ^
X.
:i !>.
• ♦
1
-j>.-l-
i
.- ■^■%.., ,o "/, ■
„V.:-
,%^
iV
''y^wfj-
ili^
EVipiNCES OF
't<
••■>■■„-••■• 't . . , ■
neat effects. The appeanmciB of a spectre, the hearing^
of a supernatural sound, is ft momentary inirade.
The sensible proof is §im6, when the apipariticNa or
^ sound is over. „ But ^ a person bom bUnd be restored
to sight, a notorious cripple to the use of his limbs, .
or a dtead man to Ufa, here is a permjoient^ eflect ; ;
produced by supemlranil means. The vhAnge mdeed
was instantaneous, .but the proof continues. Tlw
subject of .the miracle remains., The man ci^ed or
~ restored 19 therd: his formei*^ condition* was known,
and his present condition may^.be examine^. This
can by no.possibility be resolved into false perception: '
and of this kind are by Ujr the greater part of th«
miracles recorded in the '^ New Testameni. When. ^
Lazarus was raised from the dead, he did not, merely
.; move, and speak, and die again; pr come^t of tiui
grave, and -vanish away. He' l-etilfned to hisf^onia ^^
and family, and there continued; for we find htm, ,
^.some ti/ne afterward in the same to^vf^j^ag; at
'table witli Jesus and his sisters; visfted jliNnwaA
multitudes df the Jews,, as a subject of
^dving by ,|ds presence fl|o much uneasiness
> Jdwish rulers as to^beget in them a design of destroy-
ing him." No dfeliwion can account fer this. The
;Prench(prbphe,ts in England, some time since, gave
. out thlit one of their teachers would come to life agaio ; '
but their enthusiasm never *m^e them believe that
• they actually iaw him alive. The blind Man, Whose "
restoratij^n to sight at 'Jerusalem is )^corded in th4
• ninth «hap)ier of 9t Jtohn»s Gospel, did not quit th|%,
• place or oJkiceal himielf fitom inquiry. On tho'^otf*
: trary, he was forthcoming trt answer the cWl, to satisfy
. tiie st'.rutiny, ant} to sustain the brow-beating of Christts
angry and powerfHl enemies. When the cripple lit
the gatft of the te4ple was suddenly cured by Petel",^*
H ,he did not immediately relapse into his formeuU^me- ,
ness, or disappear .biivlbf the city ; but boMp and
hoaestly prodUci|Mffl||nelf along with the a^tle!*,
when they . w«r||P^pht the next day before ths
■:*:. .
.\
CHRISTUNIT^.
%
%^
'1G7
nwmentarv but P.ni'o ki- ^f ^^'^"ascus, were
' I*™""""!*'/- out ram s .blindness for three^c^ava* .•«
consequence of what haa haofienPfl . Vi,. « *^^^ '"
tion madfl tn A «*!r^ • nappened ; the communica-
far .,,s«. ^taS'irr.x'Tirs
. the moment; and. ythtmnJ^T \ «*amined at
influence to «aln^ci4itT .„ waJmcultfor men of
.. .V^
Pr«ri(?ft|y the paic i if
•-•'■'*
, »;. '"
.•■ .-^ , ;'.., .■
4 .;
J '
■^ it '
- t
,4 •*-
I .
II'
I
168
EVIDENCES OF
one of the best attested of the mirBcles of Old Rome,
the appearance of Castor and Pollux in the battle
fought by Posthumius with the Latins a^t the lake
Regillus. There is no doubt but that Posthumius
after the battle, spread the report (if such an appear-
ance. No person could deny it whifbt it was said to
last No person, perhaps, had any jnclination to
dispute it afterward; or, if they had; tfbuld say with
positiveness, what was of what was not seen, by some
or other of the army, in the dismay and amidst the
tumult of a battle.
In assigning false perceptions as the origin to which
some miraculous accoimts maybe refenpfed, I have not
mentioned claims to inspiration, illuminations, secret
notices or directions, internal sensations, or conscious-
nesses of being acted uponbjr spiritual influences, gpod
or, bad; because these, appealing to no extcfrnal proof,
however convincing they may be to the persons them-
selves, form no part of what can be accounted mira-
culous evidence. Their own credibility stands upon
their alliance with other miracles. The discussion,
therefore, of all such pretensions may be omitted:
II. It is not necessary to bring Into the cbmparisOh*
what may be calM tentative miracles ; that B,iirhere,
out of a great number of trials, some succeeded ; and
In the accounts of which, although the narrative of
^ the successful cases be alotie preserved, and ' that of
the unsuccessful cases sunk, yet enough is stated to
f hew that the cases produced are only a few out of
Ulnany in which the same means have been emplgyed.
.This observation bears, with conSidiraWe force, upon
the ancient oracles and auguiri«9, iti which a ^single
coincidence df the event with the prediction i^ talked
of and magnified, whilst failures are forgotten, or
suppressed, or accounted for It' is also applic«bto to
the cures wrought by relics, and at the tombs of saints:
Th* boasted eflWacy .ef the ling's touch, upon which
\Mr Hume >y«i suiite stress, falls under th^ same
r deserfptloii. NotMin| is alleged QoqewT iin gft, wh l r h
' is not alleged of various nostrums, namely* out of
CHnH3TlANIT*».
«.. ..^ 7-;- ' ^ ieg
oC thiSf sort is mlSZif^' '^."^- No solution
There is nml^lnZ^ti'::'X^n''^'<'<-P-^'
Pr eren allow, us to he^ .u'.^J^l^^ ^"'^ induce.
cures in many i^ta^ceJa^H.^ ^^«' attempted
profess to heal :;:^^^^™P* ^^-^ He did nS
contrary, he told Uirje^*"i??,' T««*«^k,. on the
"present his own case, th^'/^h "*i^ "**'^»« *<»
'^ere in Israel in thelai of EH« "^? "^P^ ^^^^o'"
was shut up three yeiTrnd fll^ ""i?" **»* ^«*^«n
famine was thVughouUuTS?e1^™*^'J«f ^1^^ .
Sidon, unto a Voman.toa^^i^^ Jj'"*', * «% of
;niany.^epe« wire in Wf,^ L ^.^'^'^^ .^^ "»»'
Jh« Pwphet, arid none ^idlt ^® *>«»« *of ^liseus
tj«"» to unde/tarid that 7J***'^"*™Pi«8 J»e ga^S
*vine interDORfHn^ ^** ^^ ^^ nnture of »
.ni/ght be made, whiSi wSftS'^ ^'^^^^S* that
faith upon Uiese exSint? J.Sf'*'**^"*^*'' "
wounced the word hT*uT Jr p^ist nerer pro-
«ot a thous^Sk tfat^! *?^L' u^"^'*^^*'-'' It w2
; few that were ti^l'd^S *i' '^»«'l»«tion, and
''own in his bed rjeS4 wT PT'y*'' i« let
2"^"nding multitude! Jesus MH S "'^ '"^^^ ^^ •
^^^ ««>.'• A man wii a " i*^ ^"^ ^^» Wd he
[•E-^^ue; Je«« bid'wm\^£r.?i*'J^ '? i«. "- =
r«o«ue;%.rbirL\;::{ir?'j--^^
J '*0«««^«idoiil»M^j«.^'''**'^»- » *
•<■.
"' :.
>' - li
• *
#
1 *,»■.
■!>P«PI*"WW**
170
EVIDISNCES OF
\
whole like Ow other/ " There was nothing tertlativ^
in these cui^; nothing that cart be explained by the-
power of accident. / . . . '
We may observe also, that many of the cures wtUcn
Christ wrought, such as that of a person blind from
his birth, alk many miracles beside cures, as raising
the dead, walking upon the sea, feeding a great
multitude with a few loaves and fishes, are of a nature
( which does not in any^wise admit of the suppteition
ofa fcrtunate experiment.
m. We may dismiss from the question all accounts
in which, allowing the phenomenon to be real, the fact
to be true, it still remains doubtful whether k miracle
were wrought. This is the case with the ancient
history of what is cjilled the thundering legion, of the
extraordinary circumstances which obstructed the
rebuilding of tlie temple at Jerusalem by Julian, the
circling of the flames and fragrant smell at the mar-
t^dom of Polycarp, the sudden shower that extinguish-
ed the fire into which the Scriptures were thrown in
Uie Diocletian persecution ;' Constantirie's dream;
his inscribing in coniwquence of it the cross uponi his
standard and the shieUs of his soldiers; his victoiy,
•and the escape of th^ standard-beaf er ; perhaps also
the imagined appearance of the cross in the heavens,
though this last circumstonce is veiy deficient in
historical evidence. It is also the case with the
modem annual exhibition of the liquefaction of the
Wood of St Januar4u8 at Naple* It is a ^oubt lJk(^-
wisei' which ought to be excluded by very special
circumstances, from these narratives which relate to
the supetnatural cure of hypochondriacal and nervous
complaiqts, and of all diseases which are much affected
by the.Iiiagination. The miracles of the second and
Uiini ce&iry arp, usually, healing the sick, and
M^ing «ut evil spirito, miracles in which there is
room ror ^me error and deception. We hear nothing
of causing tlie blind to see, tile lame to walk, the
deaf to h^ar, the lepers td be cleansed." Th^ are
iVMjittlUriO. .»• jortln'i itm»rki, »ol. U. p. U.
■' ' ' * t .
• •. CHRISTIANITY. jjj
afte^thel.sofa^eaVp:^S^;;L^^^^^^ speech
^. -^-^ S.^ Su!i:1ntl^ «e.^ may
small circumster.r«m£'i, ^* ""^ J^® variation of a
V may be resolved into exlVJr^f' '° * ^*»'"'^' ^^^ch
Ihe Oo.p«| c^b^ nJ SbSv^' ^''? ™''^les of
this manner. 'LK«tw ^ m^
, thing; but no str:ti of e^I^LonTi ^ "^^
parallel in other histories n^f « { ? *^' ^"^ *"/
circumstances, could^Suce fhfn 1^'^ "P°" '«»*
now We. ThefS^ofThrfi T"*'"^®"^^^ "
loaves and mLsurXsTC^^^^^^
Th^ raising of LmJSTof th^T? <>/ exaggeration,
•s weU as many o^he 'cure whTohTn • ? '' ^'^•"'
come not withk, thfecoZ^rof J^»^ '"''''^^^'
I mean, that it is imp3e to ±!^'''^P'^'^^^thn.
circumstances howeverTeri^.V^ ^ "^7 »'**''"«» ^^
howeveWtraorfHn..l peculiar, any accidental effects
could s^m^^^ ^h'«^
counts. ^ ^"^ ^'^ foundation to these ac-
cosiAr wLrwf r« J /k '^c ^"^^ °^ miracles, it is ne- „
mindZtClne^l^^^'liP'"''"'' *« »»«*••'•" Pur
miracles r^cSoZ Nei.T'.'^'^^^^^ ^^«^« »»«
^vithln some or Other of thlT ^^'.^"??t' ^Wch fall
yet that they ar? uni^l* ■?.**"^P.^**'°« ^«'« assigned,
of the sameLcLil^'* 7'^! °^^«'«. to which noni
bintystandr^K7i*«^'ii"^ that ^lieir credl!
revelations which Saint pi?.' ^"' '''^ ^'^'^-^ ""d
r^d to him, may tot In .SS''"* ^^»^«beenlm-
^ ^i^^lBh^f^ llJ^'. ■«P*'^ evidence;
"t
i:^>^'
172
EVIDENCES OF
wrought in the cause to which these visions relate;
or, to speak more properly, the same historical au-
thority which informs us of ooe, inf<Nrms us of the
other. This is not atilinarify^ true of the Tisions oi
enthusiasts, or even of the accounts in which they are
contained. Again, some olChrist»8 own. miracles
were momentary g as the tridiiguration, ihe appear-,
ance and voice from Heaven at his baptism, a voice
from the clouds on <|ne occasicm afterward, (John xii.
28,) and some otf^els. It is not denied, that the dis-
tinction which we luiVe proposed concerning miracles
of this species, applies, in diminution of Jhe force of
the evideiiice, as much to these instances as to others.
But this< is the case, not with all the miracles ascribed
to Christ, UOT with the greatest part, nor with many.
Whatever force therefore there may be in the objec-
tion, we have numerous miracles which are free from
it; and even these to which it is applicable, are little
affected by it in their credit, because there are few
who, admitting the rest, will reject them. If there
be miracles of the New Testamentyvhich come with-
in any of the other heads into whien we have distri-
buted the objections, the same remark must be re-
peated. And this is one way, in which the unex-
ampled number and variety of the miracles ascribed
to Christ strengthens the credibility of Christianity.
For it precludes any solution, or conjecture about a
solution, which imagination, or even w^^ich expe-
r — rience, might suggest concerning some particular
* miracles, if considered independently of others. The
miracles of Christ were of various kinds," and per-
formed in great varieties of situation, form, and
'manner; at Jerusalem, the metropolis of the Jewish
« Mt onW healinc trwr ipMlai oT diiMW. tMt taming water lata
■■ wiM (John fl.Jv fewUnc multiurflai wWh a few loavei and llihes (Matt.
xlT. Iftt Mark »I. VS\ Luka te. 11( John tL 6.)» walking on the loa
(Matt xlT. I&)t calming a (torm (Matt Till. SBt Luk« viU. M.)l • «•-
tottlat *olc« at hta haptUm, and miraculous appearance (Matt III. 1«»
•fterward John xll. 9A.)i hli traniflgurallon (Matt mrti. 1— 8t Mark im.
%\ Luke Ix. 88» « Peter I. 16, I7.)» railing the dead In throe dUUnat to-
■tancei^Mait to. IS. Mark t. Mt Luke ttll. 41t Lukeytt Mj Jobnii.),
CHRISTIANITY.
173
•hi. Seal s^iSi^Hft'S't™ b z'°' rjp"'
<leli».?ed, L pro»rl?fa ,„"'*""'" l^-^^X
CHAP. II. " ^
Wsto^r <rf the »orS&„SSvt^K*"! •"."=!' "»
» «iy Mute and lMm,d SS '^ ° '"^"'ri.s of
followtog: "IverMiy, m the Uiree
»'*^
♦#
174
EVIDENCES OF
\Vs
, I. The narrative of Tacitus is delivered in these
terms: •One of the common people of Alexandria,
knovm to be diseased in his eyes, by the admonition
of the god Serkpis, whom that superstitious nation'
worship above aU other gods, prostrated himself be-
, fore the emperor, eamestlyvimploring from him a re-
j^ medy for his blindness, and entreating that he would
dei^ to anoint with^ his spittle his cheeks and the
balls of his eyfes. Anotlier, diseased in his hand, re-
quested, by the admonition of the same god, that he
. might be touched by the foot- of the emperor. Ves-
pasian at first derided and despised their application;
afterward, when they continued to urge their peti- "
tions, he sometimes appeared to dread the imputation
of vanity; at other times, by the earnest suppli(;ation
of the fwtients, and the persuasion of his flatterers, to '
:=^ be indoced to hope for success. At length he com-
manded an inquiry to be made by' the physicians,
whether such a blindness and debility were vincible
by hunun aid. The report of the physicians contained
varioiK points ; that in the one the power of vision
wsas not destroyed, but would return if the obstaOles
were removed', that in the other, the diseased joints
might be restored, if a healing power were applied ;
that it was, perhaps, agreeable 1^ ifae gods to do this ;
~~^*ifei^ the tJQiperor wis..«tected by ^ivine assistance;
lastly, that the credit of the success would be the
emperor's, the ridicule of the disappointment would
^^fiill upon the patients. Vespasian, believing that
'■ every thing was in the power of his fortune, and tjiat
1|othing was wny longer incredible, whilst the muiti-
, tude, which stood by, eagerly expected the even^
with a countenance expressive of joy, executed what
'*be was desired to do. Immediately Uie hand was
restored to its use, and light returned to the blind
^ man. They who were present relate both these
cures, even at this time, when there is notliing to be
" gidned by lying.*
- Now, though Tacitus wrote this account twenty*
M TMtt. Hilt, lib. W.
CHRISTIANITY;
^f.
jevenyears after fte mfricle is s^id to hav6 been nef
fonned and wrote at Rome of what passed at Ale^
andna, and wrote also from report: Sjthoulh ^^
thTri*;?*"''>* ^' ^ exliierthe sZ or
S^^M '^''T^y sufficient to prove thS sud^ [
._ transaction took place: by which I meiuTtho! ViJ?
laiea, and that a cure was reported to have fniinw-^
the operation. But th« affair li^uTuS IS
and just suspicion, that the whole of it wL a Z*
certed mposture brought about by ^U«siS,etw^n
solution IS probable, because there was everv ihiuJZ
suggest, and eveor thing to facilitarsuchTifee^
The •""•acle was calculated to confer honour SnTe
Z Tit \r "*® ^^Peroifiiterers and followerst
Shia;erest*r?f^tp^'^^
iT«I ■? L^**' ^^ to the worship of the god • whei*
Jt^ould have bfeen tre^n and blasphemy t,;iX7
counterfeited, vl,. that in the first «f oJZaiJ^l'^
•TffuM of yi^y, „„, net dest,Z^,°LrtrS,l'
Of the second was in his ioln# tj.- -♦ '^e**"***
■ log « ..."P'-fg^fr'gMd.st^.t oountr^,.^ dur-
that the mala4y of the i
nature and (fegree of I
ycrtained; a. case by^ibi^
or it mi^t be Irutt
notorious^ yet that the
b had>Dever been as-
Irihnmmon. Tim «m-
.■V;
/^f'^
:■ • ■<♦
176
EVIDENCES OP
peror»8 reserve was ewily aflected ; or it Is possibte
lie might not be i9tt,»84-i,t. Ti^ere dLs^nKm
^^T^r'^^^^ '^ observation onS.i^,lS
a7J^ "?" Fr"*"'' «>°M««ed even tlien to /elate
toe stopr when there was nothing to be gained by ^
Ue. It only proves that those who had Sd the gtoS
for m«,y years persisted in it. The state of miK
S^L Ih^L"? ^ '^'*^" «* ^^^^* is the point
to be attended to. SUilless is theiC of UrtinenS^Tn
Mr Hume>s eulogium on the cautious £S leSu
ng ^genius of tiieWstoriM,; for it does nTapK Sa^
toe histormn belieM it. The terms in wS he
jpeaks of Serapis, the deity to whose inte^i«on tte
miracle was attributed, scarcely suflfer us to su?p^
"f * Tacitus thought the miracle to be real? 'byT
iTo^/d^H?^*" ^"^ Serapis, whom thatsupe«ttt
njtion (dedita superstitionibus gens) worsCo abov«
aU other gods.' To have brougfe liis^pi'T?
of Christ, It ought to have appeared, that a person of
wito the whole power of the country opposing hm
rAlrhT/nt-r'^l, ^m prejudiTedTl„^rfsted
against his claims and character, pretended to ner .
Mn^T\*;l''^'^'^ the'specSJo^^J^on*
the strength of what they saw, to give up their firm
lf^';^'^f^^Pi^om,f^d folio^Y U through a S;
^tv .^7«^^. J?*" ^'"T^i'^ "^ *°^ of^their tJ,
safety, and refutation; and that by these beginniniTk
rt^J^ 7",J!^"<^^» the worli the effect 7wWch
remain to this day: a case, both in its circumstenies
Ti:^H«rsr ^*? "^''^ -y thi.g we;^?r;L'
hJ^^Tm^ l\ the second example alleged by Mr
Horte, is this: /In the church of Saragossa in Snaln
to light the hmipsi telling me, that he had h!^
• -' "v ■ — . ; . . ' ■, ' ".',..■. ' .. '■ '
1 • ^ -t .
177
eg only. I saw
•everal years at
Mm with two/« -
It is statefl by Mm^^^kt th^ _j. .
. relates tliis stoiy, didno^HP^. cardinal, who
*i>Pears, that he either «3ir*i.: *"" **' "® where
the patient, or i^e^an ™"*^ .'^« ««»«>. or asked
^e matte?. AnSfal L' '^^ T *"°" '*<^
- wojJd be 8«fficient,Ta lei Le^;:^^' ^'"» "^•
Vance had ever before hSin L \f ®r "^^ *"*'*» «ontri-
•nd currency to ZZ^ tk"*^ ^^ ^ ^'^ <»-*«in •
place would, it is iSJJSSrV ^® fclesiasUcs of the
. « it advance? Zw'of t^ '^ ''^^^ ^'"««»«*
. And if they paZniSd it „?^'fi.'™'«*' '^ "^"^^
«ossa, in Z middte of tl« i **^'' ^'^ ^ Sar*.
to dispute it. The storv^?t '^'*'"^' '^^^-I** ere
^ith the wishes a^d^^eiif,^;*^ ""'^f *.^' »°'^^«
"»an with the interelK ^^*'''T ^^ "»« P«>Ple,
«o that therrCprJuSlcfSlI^t^'^K^^^^^^^ '^^^
, »H.th operatingX»n ex^^e^^** ^^ *""»«•"/» •«!
the success ofWim^SirrT'^/?'"'^^
the contrivance of T^Sfidal L^'h' have suggested,
would not occur to the^Si ? '^f '^^ °«^» «
•specially undeir the clS^s rf ^f h*" '^^' "»
he heard the tall khd^lS , k *°? '^^^^ ^hich
i«- tonS S^ ?sr isjr ^-» --^t -t
solution. The patiente wh«^ fr "" »*"^™* «^ "^«» '
', W so affected by Sdel^H^^.?"*^^ the tomb
" flie place, the solemnUv tT^Z' ^^'' ««PcctatiOn,
^ pathy of: the su^SL m„i?;^^ '"\''>^ ^« «y»-
them w^re throWn iio^vlln^^^^^ many qf .
convulsions, in c^iniLr^"' convulsions, which
•t tKM dv, havTSe irdiffi^'?'":. ^« *•»?
Jbove account, becausf u fa^^Jli? '^"*"«»« ^hi
\
^d-
i\:::'im
1^
:■«-■ -■ ■ m
;- k>
■MC
":}^'-^-"i ';-
■/■.• A.
'iis*t
/
■>■;-"••»*-
J
Sr '
-V
- '
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M
" ■ ,. ■■■■'■ -'
,".■'* '- ''-. ' ^ ■,■•.•■■."■'>'',■■ f .*■'!"■ " 'i. .■...■■' ■ ;-■' , •- '■ ■ ! ,■
' -■''-'■■■■ '-,/ •■.,*" /^ i ,'■ '•'";■..;-'■'■■'. ■■C-\,'- : i '•■ ' ■■■.■', .y ' '
■ . >'■.. ■,. ' ".■' ^ -■,
',.",, ■''"', '.■■*■.■.'■,■■ .
" '^A^.' '"•:'.';■■ ' .^^ ■',■• ' ".■'■■'■'•: '-"'"-■'' vi;.:/-'": '■' ■ '•;•■ ■ ' •'.■■.
'- ' ': Kv • ■ -. •-,-'■*-;- ^;:;i^-;-kT- ■■-;::-- , ;' ;- y-^fr. y ■ ' '- , ''
■
■«.■'." ..'l ■"'^".■. /.■..; •/',!;''.;■/.•,'-'>#. .V' '■'.'.:..■'■ ■■ ' ■"■ *
^'S' ' ...*>,■.„.
M^<
^
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
♦•.^
^.
r- : ^ — : ^ ; -, ^ « :
i . .. . " . ' " . ¥ I ■''
178
EVIDENCES OF
^.
to the present consideration, vi». tliat the pretenders
to the art, by working upon the imaginations of their
patients, were frequently able to produce convulsions ;
that convulsions so produceit* a<e amongst the most
^werful, but, at the same time, most uncertain and
unmanageable applications to the human frame whidi
' tan be employed. •
Circumstances, which indicate this ex^Hcation in
the case of the Parisian miracles, are the following:
1. They were tentative. Out of maii^ thousapd
sick, infirm, and diseased persbns, wlio resorted to
the tomb, the professed history of the miracles con-
tains qnly nine cures. ♦ ~--^ '
' 2. The convulsions at the tomb are admitted.
3. The diseases were,, for the most part, of that
sort which depends upon inaction and obstruction, as '
dropsies, palsies, and some tumours.
4. Thj? cures^Were gradual; some patients attend-
ing many days, some several weeks, and some se-
veral months.
6. The cures were many of them incomplete. v^
6. Others were temporary."
" So that- all the wonder we are called upon to ac-
count for, is, that, out of an almost innumerable mul-
titude which resorted to the toihb for the cure of their
complaints, and many of whom were there agitated
by strong convulsions, a very small proportion expe-
rienced a beneficial change in their constitution,
especially in the action of the nerves and glands.
Some of the cases alleged, do not require that we
should have recourse to this solution. The first case
in the catalogue is scarcely distinguishable from the
progress of a natural recovery. It was that o^ g
young man, who laboured^ under an inflammation of
one eye, and had lost the sight of the other. The
inflamed eye was relieved, but the blindness of the
other remained. The inflilimation had before been
^, ** The raadar will And theM pArtieuUn Terifled In ttw detail, ly the
Meurate inquiriea of the preeent Miiiop of Swum, in liU Oritcrtga of
Miracles, p. 181, *o.
^
CHRISTIANITY.
ltd
abated by medicine rand the^ung man, at the tim«
of his attendance it. the tomb, was using a lotion of
laudanum. And, what is a stiU more material part
of the case, the inflammation after some interval re-
^ u7f\ , ^°?''?«'^ «a^e ^ that of a young man who
■ 5?^ »ost his sight by the puncture of i^n awl, and the
discharge of the aqueous humour through the ^ound.
1 he sight, which had b^en gradually retumftig, was
much improved during his visit to the tomb, that is.
probably, in the same degree in which the discharged
humour was replaced by fresh secret^ And it is
observable, that these two are the onlir cases which,
from their nature, should seem unlikely to be afleoted
by convulsions.
In one material respect I allow that the Parisian
njiracles were diflerent from those related by Tacitus,
wad from the Spanish miracle of the cardinal de
Retz. They had not, like them, all the power and
all the prejudice of the country on their side to begin
with. They were alleged by one party against
another, by the Jansenists against the Jesuits. These
were of course opposed and examined by their adver-
saries. The consequence of which examination was,
that many falsehoods were detected, that with ;some-
thmg really extraordinary much fraud appeared to be
mixed. And if some of the c^»g«upon which.^e-
signed misrepresentation could m^he charged, were
not at the time satisfifetorily ^counted foi*: it was
because the efficacy of strong spasmodic aflecttons
was not then sufficiently kndwn. Finally, the cause
of Jansenism, did not rise by the miracles, but sunk,
although the miracles had the anterior persuasion of
al the numerous (tdherents of that cause to set out
With. y.'*!;?,,.
» Jk*!J''*?, ? fememWr, are the strongest examples,
which the history of ages supplies. In none of them
rriSl"^'*"'? wt^yKiVofa/y by none of them, were
established prejudices and persuasions overthrown; of
none of them, did the credit make its way, in opp^i.
tion to authority and power; by noM of tliemTwero
"-:%
180
EVIOENCEdvOF
manjr induced to commit them^lves, and that in
contradiction to prior opinions, to alke of mortification,
danger, and suflerings ; none were called upon to attest
them, at the expense of their fortunok and safety. "
**It mmj b* tfaoatbt diat tha hlftorian of dMXParbiaa Biinele%
M. MontgcroB, fonni^anraeeptiontothUUitaiMim ~
hi* book (with • nupietoo. u it ibould leein, or the I
vat diBiiig) to tha kinc ; Mid wu ihortljr aftenraid eo
.>»^ Anjini^liieh ha nevar eaniv out Had tba miraelaa
- and bad M. MontcefDO baen orifinally eooTlnead by
■ bava allowad thit oeepUon. It wot)ld taava itood. 1 1
the aifument of our adTenaries.' But, besidrwhat baa 1
of Iba dubious natura. oT the liiiraelea, the account wiiieh ._
has bimwif left of bit emiTenion. aliewt both the atate of hUj
Mat M}«muwim tnu mt 6mII Mpmi exIeriMf iiwtMley.— • 8c-
he entered the ebnTebjrant, when be iraa atruelt (be tells U8)%ith awe
and reveTence. having ncTcr before heard prajren pranounee^Mth ao
mudi ardour and tranaport a* he pbtenred amongst the auppli^u at
, the ^omb. Upon thi^ throwing bimseir on bis k'nees, resting his^
on t^ tomb-«tane,(aDd covering his laee with his bands, be spak^tba
followtaig prayer t—'O thou, 6y MJtose fyUeneuitm to inany miraele$^
I'ldtabtptr^trmtd.ifUbetnutkataparti^theamndMeithe gra^,
*uid that UouMoHii^lMmxwm Ike JImigUy, have pUy on IhtiarkneA
Vfmt mtdemamUng, and through U$ meiry obtain the nmeoat ^ »»A
Havhig prayed thus, 'nuuiy ttaoughu (as |ie saith) began to open them.^
I so profound waa hU aSenUon, that be eoniinu-
, not in ta« least disturbed by the vast crowd
. During this time, all the argumenu which
'favour of Christianity, occurred to him with so
, I so Strang afid eonvincing, that he went home
fttlly aatittted qC the truth of religiott in general, and of the holiness and
power of thal^ person, who (aa he supposed) had en^cd the Divine
Ooodness to enlighten bii understanding so suddenly.* Douglas's Ciit.
er Mir. p. SIC
selves to his mind \^
ad on his knees I
ofsurroundini^su
he ever beard or«
much ftme, aiyl'Men
'-\
'N,
I •^
CHBiSTIANITY.
181
PART ir.
/
J
a? THE AUXILIARY EVIDJlNCEB OP ^
CHRISTIANITY. *» *"
\-
CHAP. I.
PBOPHBCr.
^>
IsAUH lii. 13. liii.. '^Behold, my Servant shaUdeAl
veiy high. As many were astonished at thee r his viZ
more than the sons of men ); so sLu he SDrinkI« m.\^
nations ; the kings shall shit thecal: W^-Z
that which M.not been told them, shaU ttoy iee'
■^wt^r^K^S*^ Y "°' ^'""^^ ^^*» they SSTr;
^^^i ^'^i*'^^ *'"'• '^P*"^? »°d to whom is thi
wm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow un h^'
fore him as a tender plant, and as a root o^of a dVj
oesire him. He is despised and rejected of men a
man.of sorrows, and acquainted with gtlj. ^d'Jl
hid, as it were, our faces from him; he wMde^fsJd '-
SlrL'^^TrlS^"*!' Surelyheha^fff^; .^
gneis, ana carried our sorrows- v«t wa ma - . '
him stricl^n, smitten of^SSrij;^^'* S^T
was wounded for^ our transg^SonTKts SlS^^ *
foroinr Iniquities: the chastisement Wjti^^^-ik •
upon him; and with his stripes we are heaKT^ aS W^
r«^itf****P have gone astray, weCSSeJev^ ^
Sii . K*"' ^f "^ oppressed, and he was
S*'»"«» ««. '^V'^ughter, and as a sheep befbreTr '
I thearors is dumb, so he opined not his mouth He
182
EVIDENCES OF
- ^^i
*'.
I J^»:
ir.,^T^I^ prison and from judgtn/ntjiid who
shall declare Us geaeraUon? for he was cut =off out of
, the and of Uh» living: for the transgression of nS
'^ TA ^"f *»« "t'^?^"- And hrSade his gntvj
with the wicked, imd with the rich In his deathl be-
cause he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in
his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord ftvl>ndse him"
soul .L „r r"f *** ^**t ^^*" "*«" ^^
sou an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall
prdong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shaU
prosper in his hand. He. shall see of the travail of his
soul aijd shall be satisfied: by his knowledge ahallmy
nghteous sery^t jiMtify manyj.for he shall bear their
na^u. les. Therefore wiU 1 divide him a portfon
with the great, and he shaU divide the spoil with the
strong ; because he hath poured out his soul unto deaS • /
and he was numbered with the transgress^, and hi
bare the sm of many, and made intercession for th«
transgressors.' ^
These words are extant in a book, purportinir
contain the predictions of a writer who uVed sevej
centuries before the Christian era.
That material part of every argument from pi
phecy, namely, that the words alleged were acti
spoken or written before the fact to which they
apphed took place, or could by any natural mea
foreseen, is, in the present instance, incontes
1 he record comes oift of the custody of adversades
TJe Jews, as an ancient father well observed/are
oiir librarians The passage is in their copies, WweU
as in ours. With many attempts to exptain it aVay.
Sntir' "^' '^ ''*™ *" '^'*^f '^
thi^f "Jf'srl^if '^? ^ "'^ ^'*''*'^ «^ ^ quotatfo^ is.
that it IS taken from a writing declaredfy prophetic)
a writing, professing to describe such fotuiS tTaW
Uons and changes in the world, as were connw^
with the fate and interests of the Jewish naUon. It
Luinl ^^ I" "* ^'^^ °' devotional com-
position, which, because it turns out to be appllcabfo
CHRISTIANITY.*
183
ii.-i
:^''
to some future events, or to some future situation of
uiaira, is presumed to have been oracular. The
words of Isaiah were delivered by him in a prophetic
characjer, with the solemnity belonging to that char-
acter: and what he so delivered, was aU alonir
jmderstood by the Jewish reader to refer to somethii5
m was4o tak0 place after the time of the autho*
7 he public sentiments of the Jews concemims the
design of Isdah's writings, are set forth in the book
of EcclesiMticus: • « He saw by an exceUetit spirit,
what should come to pass at the last, and he Comforted
Uiom that mourned in Sion. He Shewed what should
come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they
came. - '
It is also an advantage which this prophecy posse»
808, that It IS intermixed with no other subject. It is
entire, sepvate, and uninterruptedly directed to one
scene of things. ■■•>,■ ■ _.^7
The amplication of the proplifecy to the evanjelic
histoiy is plain and appropriate. Here is no double
w m* ?^. "fiwaUve language, but what is sufficiently
intelligible to every reader of every country. The
obscurities (by which I mean the expressions that re-
quire a knowledge of local diction, and of local aUur
Jion) are few, and not of great importance. Nor have
1 found that varieties of reading^ or a diflerent con-
struing of the original, produce any material alteration
in the sense of the prophecy. Compare the common
translation with that of bishop Lwth, and the
di^rence is not considerable. So&r as they do difler
Wshop Lowth»g corrections, which are the faithful
Z^r ♦!!!***!?* *^*"^*°"' bring the description "
nearer to the Ne^ Testament history than it was
what our Bible renders 'stricken,' he translatM^ju! -
hZ^It^""^ ??" P'**" •"** *~" judgment.' thi
SS? Sr V> ■" 0PP«»«»ive judgm«f hi y^
«««« off' The next words to these^^^ who fthall
> Chsp. xiviii. v«r« f<
l84
EVIDENCES OF
/>V.
./
declare his generrtion?' are much clearad up In thefr
meaning by the biahep's version; * his mam£»r ofWfe
defence? The former part of the ninth verse, ' and he
his death/ which inverts the circuibstaucS of C^t'a
«SrS ^ ?« «:««*; ' and his grave was aSpSS
.h^ r^i t"^' «l«^«»th. verse, ^ by his km^M^^
•haU my righteous servant justify many,' are in tS
righteous servant justify many.' #^ ^ ^ .
selvli'mV^thl^^"*;" ''^' *r» ^^^-^^'^ ^^
selves give to this prophecy^* There is eood nroof
Messiah,' but their modern expositors conSir I
ir^i ? «md intended restoration o| the Jewish
ffiCof r^^?''' ''^•^^^y* exhib^HndeS ^
5w^^ ^ * */"«f'® P*"<»- I J^ve not discovered
that their exposition rests upon any critical «-«^n?
or upon these in any other Em a veTiSnKSi;'
t^t^r *» *5ijS««» ve"e. which we render?*?;
rea? ' foj^^' t^ **"" «.'^«''VP«'» him,' the Je4
reaa, for the transgression of my peoole was thA
8U»ke upon /^.' And what the/Xge in^™J*J
• Hidw, Thert. JimL p. 4aM
.^ —-_ ^^ — — 1 - _ , . -
CHRI^TlANlTy, ,-i
contended for: the rant i>r tu^
wii do. The pioSiil^ t^f ^"^^ ^^7 road u
lj> subject <S SS; S:t'S;^^''S^*^'^^^^^
tJi«^inseIves. This iiid^» • ^^^^ "^ -^"^g^nff M
«*h the Jews cltnd fo;"ti, .^^ W^^^ation
H*'^ insuperable dJ•ffic^IHe^f^riS/^"'* ** **^''
deiknded 7{ them tTeSn f P*?**^"^""* «' may be
sonTlf the Jewish %oD?i t' S ""^T "*"« °'- P**-
p-pi«t speak, wL'^rsa^, *?j,:tr^^^^^^
gnefs, and carried ttu^ ^^ "**^ ^'^^ our
himTstricJcen^^tteroT^r^^^
was wounded for o«r tn^'J^ afflicted; but he
for .«r iniquities, le SCT'.*'* '''« **™*«'^
ed aiid he was afflicted v«f kV ' , '^ oppress-
" Into ^u nS^^^li^'T* *" »«»ertbe«S iEJSS
to. o!^«i • !^ •'•'^ **« *•« •mlttenVBR.^!^ on. «,». bat
S3St Si*:-^.'»^'tr Of Si'^±l!^-^»?r•.•'.«>?^•
Ahu te «k. ».. — ■ ^wm only „ ,„^ ,, ,. . 'I* ■■"■a
tea
EVIDENCES OF
■:/r
-^
theep before her shearers is dumb, so lie opened not
his mouth/ ^utdniite^ with no part (tf the Jewish his-
tory with #hich we are acquainted. The mention of
the * grave/ and the < tomb,' in the ninth verse, is not
very applicnble to tlie fortunes of a nation; and stiU
less so is the conclusion of the prophecy in the twelfth
verse', which expressly represents the suflerings as
voluntary, and the su^rer as interceding for tlie
offenders; * because he hath poured out his soul unto
death, and he -was numbered with the transgressors,
and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession
for the transgressors/
There are other prophecies of the Old Testament,
interpreted \by Christians to relate to the Gospel
history, which are deserving both of great regard,
and (H a veiy attentive consideration: but I ^content
myself with stating the above, as yvell because I think
it the deur^ and the str<»igest of all, as because
most of the rest, in order that their value might be
represented with any tolerable (degree of fidelity,
require a discuss{<« unsuitable to'the limits and nature
of this wor]ju The reader will find them disposed in
order, and^distinctly explained, in bishop Chandler's
treatise. on the subject; and he will bear in mind, what
has been often, uid, I think, truly, urged by the advo-
cates of Christianity, that there is no other eminent per-
son, to the history of whose life so many circumstances
can be made to apply. They who object that much
has been done by the power of chabce, the ingenuity
of accommodation, and the industry of research,
ought to try whether the same, or any thing like it,
ce«dd be done, if Mahomet, or any other person, were
prc^KMsed as the subject of Jewish prophecy.
II. A second head of argument horn prophecy, is
founded upon our Lord's predictions concerning the
destruction of Jerusalem, recwded by three out of the
four evangelista.
Luke xa^. 5—25. 'And as some spake of the
temple, how it was adwned with: goodly^stones and
gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold,
1^.-
..A.
CHRISTIANIXr.
187
the days wiU come, in wbich tJiere shall not be left
one stone upon another, that ahall not be thrown down •
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall
these things be? and wliat sign will there be whea-
these things shall come- to pass? And iie said, Take
heed that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in
my name, saying, I am Christ ; and the time draweth
near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye
shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:
for thfse things must first come to pass; but the end
isnot by-and-by. Then said he unto them. Nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against king- '
dom; and great earthquakes shall be in divers places,
and famines and pestilences"; and feariiil sights, and
great signs shall there be from heaven. But before
all these, they shall lay theiir hands on. you, and per-
secute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and
into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers
foe my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a
testimony. Set|le it therefore in your hearts, not to
meditate before, wliat ye shall answer: for I will give
you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries
shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall
be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kins-
fojf* and. friends; and some of you shall they cause to
JHj^ to death. And ye shaU be hated of aU men
l^lny name's sake. But there shall not a hair of '
your head perish. In your patience posset ye yoiif
■oute. And when ye shaU see Jerusalem compassed
with aimies, then know tliUhe desoUtion thereof is
nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the
mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it
depart out: and let not then^that are in the countries ^
enter thereinto. For these beTthe days of vengeance,
toat all things which are written may be fulfilled.
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them
that give suck, in those days: for there shall be great
distreM In the land, and wrath upon Uiis people.
it^i^n^^ **" ^y "»® «^«« "^ "»e 8word,1md
Wmll be^wl away captive into all nations: and Jen*.
f -•
•^'
ff--
'*'P^!^?5?Pi^
188
EVIDENCES 6
r'ry
salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, 4intil the
times of the Gentiles befiiUUled/
Intenns newljr similar, this discourse is rekted
In the twenfy-fourtli chapter of Matthew, and tlie
thirteenth of Marie The prospect of the isame evils
drew from our Saviour, on anotl^K^casiMK the
following.i|fifectingex]NressieDsof CMicem^ whi^ ar«
preserved by Saint Lulie (xix. 41-- 44.): * And when
he was come near, he beheld th6 citjr, and wept over
it, saying, If thouhadst Imown, even thtni, at least
in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy
peace! but now they are hid from tlv'ne eyes. For
the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies
shall cast a trench about thee, aidd compass thee round, .
and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay theeeVen
with the ground, and thy children within thee ; and
they shall not leave in thee one a(one upibn another;
because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.'
—These passages are direct ancT explicit predictions.
References to the 'same event, some plain, some
• parabolical, or otherwise figurative, are found in divers
, other discourses of crar Lord.*
The general agreement of the d^criptim wfth the
event, viz. with the ruin of the Jewish nation, and
the capture of Jerusalem under Vespasian, thirty-six
years after Christ's death, is most evident4 and the
accordancy in various articled of detail and circu«(.
stances has been shewn J)y many learned writers. It
is also an,advantage to the inquiry, and to the argu-
' ment built upon it, that we have received a c(^ious
account of the transactioi^ from Josephus. a Jewish
and coAtemporaiy historian. This pak of the case is
perfectly free from doubt. The wJy question which,
in my q>in|^, can be raised upon the Subject, is
whether th^prq>hecy was really delivered le/ore the
event; I shall apply, therefore, my observatiimstothis
point solely. ^
1. The Judgment of antiquity, thqugh varying la
. *U>IL'*mL lt-46. nU, 1-7. MMk ill. l-is. Lute bW. I-* u.
•-4S.UL S~1S. " ~ I-
'tv-
CHRisariANiTir,
169
^^ i
Jon of the three Gos-
im ft date prior to the
^dbjrft strong proba^
' tlw precise year of the pttbU
pels, amewrt in assignini
destruction of Jerusalem. •
2.^hi« judgment is coiiorn
;"% •rising frcan the course W human life ■ Th«
^ destruction, of Jerusalem, toolc pLe in the Wv«„S!
S? ^^liT^^ "^ ^ immediate Wwudn^aS t£
other two associated with his comteoM^!^** i
.«. probabte, not much younge^iS hl^r!irte^l^^^^^^
wh^SL r*.]^^' '"'^ "*» **««» h«^^ »H>en given
why «.ey should defer writing their histories so lo^
rJLi K***! r*"«^«»^» •! the time of writing ^b
•G«pel8 had known of the aSsOiH?tion of JenSem
predictions, they would have dropped some wn»i^
^rreMng U» deuuncfattoa of .dearth by ilmta,
C«sw. • whereu the I>rq>hecies Wriwn dhttartl.
. '«,«"«l>Vter«feMh'rfthe«ml^^-S^
*L • ^ *^ ■" '^*«" ^ "»e world, they tbou^S'
^ least of providing against d^lectioo; iJ^vfr
^ wtS ? their Jbating writte^ prior to the jjidsh
w pretend. They have done neither one thing nor
•«.t^iS^''^ Art.^S*^'^ Di«. III. - Q««. !*«,.
.•3. '
> ^»f
490
EVIDENCES OF
■. - V-
-A -^
'"*.
the other: they have neither interted a&y words which
might signify to the reader that° their accounts wdre
written ^or« the destructimi of Jerusalem, which a
sophist would have done; nor have th^ dropped a
hint of the completion of the prophecies recorded by
them, which an undengning writer, writing after the
even^ could hardly, on some or c^her of the many
occasi<His that presented themselves, have missed of
doing.
4. The admonitions* which Christ is represented
t%> have given to his followers to save themselves by
flight, are not easily accounted for, on the supposition
of the prophecy being fabricated after the event.
Either the Christians, when the siege approached,
did make their escape from Jerusalem, or they did
not: if they did, they must have had the prophecy
amongst them: if they did hot know of any such pr^
diction/at the time of the siege, if they did not take
notice /of any such warning, it was an improbable
fiction, in a write/ publishing his work near to that
time (which, on any. even the lowest and most disad-
vantageous supposition, was the case with the Gospels
now in our hands), and addressing his work to JeWs
and to Jewish converts (which Matthew certaiiHy
did), to state that the followers of Christ had received
admonition, of which they made no use when the
occasion arriv^^, and of which experience then recent
proved, that tho|se, who were most c<mcemed to know
and regard them, were ignorant or negligent. Even
if the prophecies came to the hands of the evangelists
through no better vehicle than tradition, it must have
been by a tradition which subsisted prior to tAe event.
• * H^lMB ye dull M« leiunlem eonpaned with armlM, then know
that the detotatlanthmeorie nigh I then Itt them whleh are to Judea
flee tD the mountain I thenlet them which an hi the aaklM of it depart
uut, and letnoc theiA that an in the eountrim enter thenlnto.' I.Mke
nd. 1^ tl.
^Mibc in iii^ See unto the mmutefaiet let hhn whieh ie on the
home-top not eome down to take any mn| out oT hia liouwi neithet
let Mm whl«h ia in the fleld ntum baek to uke hli elolhee.*
«l*. II.
/
CHRISTIANITY.
191
And to suppose that, without anyauthoHty whateTer.
without so much as eren any tradition to guide them,
^they had forged these passages, is to impute to them
a degree of fraud and imposture, from eveiy appew.
s ance of which their composiUdns are as &r removed
as possible. «■
6. I think that. If the prophecies had been com-
posed after the event, there would have been more
spegjgatibn. The names or descriptions of the
^''^^P the general, the emperor, would have been
founds them. The designation of the time would
Ittve been more determinate. And I am fortified in
this opifaion>ly observing, that the counterfeited
prophecies or the Sibylline oracles, of the twelve
patriarchs, and I am inclined to believe, most others
of the kind, are mere transcripts of the history,
moulded into a prophetic form. n
It is objected; that the prophecy of the de^^^rufction
of Jerusalem is mixed, or connected, with expressions
vrhlch relate to the final judgment of the world; and
so connected, as to lead an ordinary readei> to expect,
that these two events would not be far distant from each
other. To which I answer, that the objection does
not concern our present argument. If our Saviour
ictually foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, it Is
sufficient; even although we should allow, that th«
ittiTation of the prophecy had combined what had been
said by him on kindied subjecte, without accurately
preserving the order, or always noticing the transitloo
of the discourse.
.*
!>
CHAP. II. -
Tk* MormMif Iff tk* ChMffl
Iwrtatliig
ta an argument
H**»k'^' Ir ""l"*"* ^ '^^ ^"^ points, drat,
that the. teaching of moraUty was not Oie primaiT
design of the mission ; secondly, that moraUtyrMHliw
198
EVIDENCES OF
•^-'T^k
■A
in the Gospel, aor ia any other hook, can be a tnibjec^
properly speaking, of discoveiy.
If I were to deseribe in a very few words the scope
of Christianity, as a revekftion^^ I shquld say, that it
was to iufluence the conduct of hunuui life, by esta-
blishing the proof of a fiiture state of reward fnd
punishment,—* to bring life and immortality fo light.'
The direct object, therefore, of the design is, to sup.
ply motives, and not rules ; sanctions, and not precepts.
And these were what mankind stood most in need of. ,
The members of civilized society can, in all ordinaiy
cases, judge tolerably well how they ought to act: but
without a future state, or, which is the same tiling,
without credited evidence of that state, they want a
motive to their duty; they want at least strength of
motive, sufficient to^fear up against the force of pas-
sion, and the temptition of present advantage. > Their
rules want authority. The most important service
that can be rendered to l^uman Ufe, and that conse-
quently which one might expect beforehand, would
be the great end and office of a revelation from God,
is to convey to the world authorized assurances of the
realitjr of a future existence. And although in doing
this, or by the ministry of the same pers<Hi by whom
this is done, moral precepts or examples, or illustr»*
tions of moral precepts, may be occasionally given,
and be higlUy valuable, yet still they do not f((Nrm^the
original purpose of the mission. * f?
> Ora>t md iiMttlaublr baneeeUl efllMti nwy Merne Ikon tbt mil.
aloB of Christ, and MpMially tma hU deaih. whldi do not Iwlaaf to
Ohriftlanitjr ai • mtlaUomi that is. they might havo ozisted, and they
might haTo beon aeeomplbhed. tiMragh wo had iwvor, la this llih, booa
nada aoqnainlod with thom. Those efllMtt majrbe Tonr eztensfVei tttKf
may be interesting. Of ao to other orders or Intelllgeat belago. Ithlalt.
It Is a general otrfnioo. and one to whieh I have loinr want, that tlM
beoefleialefllNts of Christ's death extend to the whole hnmaa speeles.
It was the redemption of «»«worM. • He Is the propltiatlan Air our
aln^ and not Ibroan only, hot IkMr the whole wofldi'l John II. t. Pro-
and more gradonstMrwor aeeeptanae entended to •■. might depend
■pan It. or be proenrsd by'H Now these eObet*. whatever they be.
do not belong to Christianity as a mnlaNtm/ Ihmmi they niat with
towhaatKiiwI—— *-' '^
CHRISTIAfflTY
108
^ Secondly; monOity, neither in the Gospel, nor in
•ny .other book, eailbe a subject of discovery, properly
^fio caUed. By which proposition, I mean that there
cannot, in m<mditv, be any thing simiJair to whi^ are
called discoveries in natural philosophy, in the arts
of life, and in some sciences; as the system of th«
universe, thlB circulation of the blood, the polarity of
the magnet, the laws of gravitation, alphabetical
writing,. decimal arithmetic, and some other things
of the same sort; facts, or proofs, or contrivances,
before totally unknown and unthought of. Whoever,
therefore, expects, in reading the New Testament;
to be struck with discoveries in giorals in the manner
in which his nifirid was affected when he first came
to t)^ knowledge of the discoveries above-mentioned;
or rather itf the manner in which the world was aflec.
ted by them, when they were first published; expects
what, as I apprehend, the nature of the subject renders*
it impossible that he should meet. with. And the
foundation of my opinion is this, that the qualities of
actions depend enUrely upon their eflects, which
effects must aU along have been the subject of human
experience.
When it is once settled, no matter upon what prin-
ciple, that to do good is virtue, the rest is calculaUoo.
But since the calculation cannot be instituted concern.
Ing each particular action, we establish Intermediate
rules; by which proceeding, the business of moraUty
IS mych &cilitated, for then it is concerning our rules
alone that we need inquire, whether in their tendency
they be beneficial; concerning our acUons, we have
only to ask, whether they be agreeable to the rules.
We refer acUons to rules, and rules to public happi-
ness. Now, In the formation of these rules, there is
no place for discovery, properly so caUed, but then
Mjunple room for the exercise of wisdom. Judgment,
As I wish to deliver argument rather than pane-
gyric, I shaU treat of the inorality of the GospeLin
Ml^ection to these obsenratlons. And after all, I
/■'
m
EVIDENCBSOP
I
%
.^*
A>«.«««w
think it such a morality, as, considering torn whom
it came, is most extrBordinaiy ; and such as, wilhout
aUowing some degree of reality to tlte character and
pretensions of the reUgion, it is difficult to account
for: or, to place the argument a litUe lower in the
scale, it is such a morality as completely repeb the
supposition of its being the tradition of a barbarous
age or of a barbarous people, of the religion, being
founded in foUy, or of its being th^production of craft;
and itjepels also, in a great depee, the supposition
«f Its having been the effusion of an enthusiastic mmd.
The division, under which the subject may be most
convenienUy treated, is that of the things taught, and
the manner of teaching. , , ^ . •
Under the first head,' I sluiiild wiUingly, if the
hmits and nature of my worlc admitted of it, traa.
■cribe into this chapter the whole of what h^ been
said upon the morality of the Gospel, by the author of
The Internal Evidence of Chrietianity; because it
perfecUy, agrees with my own opinion,, and because
It is impossible to say the same^^hings so well. This
acute observer of human nature, and, as I believe
sincere convert to Cliristianity, appears to me to have
made out ditis&ctorily the two loUowing positions,
I. That the Gospel omits some qualities, which
Jttye^tisuSll3h|ng%d the praises and admiration of
taankind, but whiii,7tt reality, and in their general
elTects, have been prejudicial to human happiness.
II. That the Gospel has brought forward some
virtues, which possess the highest intrinsic value, but
which have commonly been overlooked and con-
temned.
; The first o^these propositions he exemplifies in thr
instances of friendship, patriotism, acUve courage:
in the sense in which these qualities are usually un.
derstood, and in the conduct which they often produo.
* - «. r— '"• courage dr
endurance of sufferings, patience under affronts and
iiUiVries, humility, irresistaaoBy^lacability. _,^____
CHRISTIANITY.
105
truth is, there are two opposite drawiriptions of
riuur&cter, under which mankind may generally be
classed. Th6 me possesses Tigour, firmness, resolui^
tion;lis daring and active, quiclc in its sensibilitieV
Jealous of its &me, eager in its attachments, inflexi.
ble iiUts purpose, violent in its resentments.
Tl» other, meek, yielding, complying, forgiving,
not ph)mpt to act, but willing to sufler; silent and
gentldunder rudeness and insult, suing for reconciliu
ation Where others would demand satislKtioo, givii^
way to the pushes of impudence,^ conceding and
indul^^nt to the prejudices, the wrongheadedness,
the intlractability, of those with whom it has to deal.
Theiformer rf tliese characters is, and ever liath
been, Uie favourite of the world. It is the character
<tf great men. There is a dignity in it which uni veiw
sally commands respfct.
The latter is poor-spirited, tame, and abject. Yet
so it liaih happened, Uiat, with the Founder of Chris-
tianity, this latter is the subject of his commendation,
his prectots, his example; and that the former is so^
In no pa^ of its composition. This and nothing else^
"acter designed in the following remarkable
' Resist not evil ; but whosoever shall smite
^e right cheek, turn to him the other also:
iiy num will sue thee at the law, and take
away thy ipoat, let him have thy cloak also: and who-
soever shi^l compel thee to |jo a mile, go with him
twain: We your enemies, bless them that curse yon^
do good tc^ them that hate ^ou, and pray for them
which despiitefully use you and persecute you.* Thif
certainly is' not common-place morality. It is ver?
original. I^ shews at leasL(and it is for this purpose
we produce it) that no twiMiings can be more differ,
ent than the Heroic and the Christian character.
Now t^ fji^or* to whom I refer, has not only
■rlrnil tkIiL_^.ltn:.- _ i . .1 jny jn^
Is the cl
passages :|
thee on
and if
^ceding writer, but has proved, in coBtradlction to
first impressions, to popular opinion, to the encomi-
uma of oratorsand poets,andeven totheauflhigea of
v;
196
BVIOBNCES OP
historiaar and moraUsts, that the latter chanuster
poMesses the most of true worth, both as being most
T < f -T^^J*' *^'^®' ^ ^ acquired or sustained, and as con-
^, tributing most to the happiness and tnmquillit^ of
^•W*^ "'*• The state of his argument is as foUows:
-^jf 1. If this disposition were universal, the case is
clear; the world would be a society of friends.
Whereas, if the other disposition were universal, it
would produce a scene of universal contention. The
world cdtild not hold a generaUon of such men.
\e r "v^**** " '*»e ^«5t. the disposition be partial,;
if a few be actuated by it, amongst.a multitude who
are not; m whatever degree it does prevail, in the
«amep^oportio^it prevents, allays, and terminates,
quarrels, the great disturbers of human happiness,
and the great sources of humaa miseiy, so fer as
mans happiness and miseiy depend upon man.
Without this disposition, enmities must not only be
ftequent, but, once begun, must be eternal: for, each
retaliation being a fresh Irguiy, and, consequently,
requiring a fresh toHsf action, no period can be assign-
ed to the reciprocation of affronts, and to the progress
of hatred, but that which closes the Uves, or at least
the intercourse, of the parties.
I would only add to these observations, that
although the former of the two characters above de-
•cribed may be occasionally useful ; although, perhaps.
» great general, or a great statesman, may be form^
jy It, and these may be instruments of important
benefits to mankind, yet is this nothing morV than
3I5!li^^•5,"*'°5' qualities, which are acknow.
ledged to be vicious. Unvy is a quality of thiMort j
1 know not a stronger stimulus to exertion; m&ll^i
icholar, many an arUst, many a soldier has beenW
duced by it; neverthelts*, since in its general effects
It to noxious, it is properly condemned, certainly Is
»»t praiaed, by sober moralists. '
11 was a portion of the same character' as that w»
are defending, or rather of hte love of the same ch».
racter, which our Saviour dispteyed, In his repeated
CHRISTIANITY.
I9T
eorractioD of the ambitioo of his disciples ; his frequent
admonitioos,.that greatness with them was to consist
m humility; his censure of that love of distinction,
^d greediness of superiority, which the chief persons
n^ongst his countrymen were wont, on all *casion8,
geat and little, to betray. *They (the Scribes and
Pharisees) love the upperm^ist rooms at feasts, and
the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in
toe markets, and to b<J»caUed of men. Rabbi, Rabbi.
But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Master,
even Christ, and all ye are brethren ; and call no man
your father upon the eai[|h, for one is your Father,
which is in heaveo,; neither be ye called masters, for
one48 your Master, even Christ ; but he that is greaU
est among you, shall be your servanti and whosoever
shall exalt himself, shall be abased : and he that shall
humble himself, shall be exalted." I make no far.
ther remark upon these passages (because they are,
in truth, only a repetition of the doctrine, different
expressions of the principle, which we have already
stated), except that some of the passages, espteially
our Lord's advice to the guests a^an entertainment/
seem to extend the rule to what we call manner* f
which was both regular in pdnt of consisten<y, and
not so much beneath the dignity of our Lwd's mis-
sion as may at first sight be supposed, for bad mannen
are bad morals.
It is sufficienUy apparent, that the precepts we have
cited, or rather the disposition which .these precepts
inculcate, relate to personal conduct i|rom personal
motives ; to cases in which men act from impulse, for
themselves, and firom themselves. When it comes to
be considered, what is necessaiy to be done for the
sake of the public, and out of a reganl to t)ie general
welfare (which considei^on, for the most part ought
exclusively to govern the duties of men in public st».
UM i ^JLeom e a-to^A^aa e to which the nilei to=iim=
belong. Ti^^distinctioD is plain j and if-tt were less
•lfatt.nUi.e SMalwIlarkxILia Lak«s«.«|d?. r.
SMalwIlarkxILia
ti
m
BVIDENCES OF
•0, the conseqoefaee would not be mucl^ felt: fonft is
▼eiy seldom that, in the intercourse of private life,
men act with public views. The personal moUves.
jpom which they do act, the rule regulates. ^
•I> preference of the patient to the he^c cha-
racter, which we have here noticed, and which the
"Tt^ ^? find explained jtt large in the worlt to
whghwffiiavrreferred him, is ft peculiarity In the
ChriiOln insUtuUon, which I propose as an argument
of wisdom very much beyond the situation and
natural character of the person who delivered it.
* ^b ^r *?***"' argument, drawn from theJ^oralftr
of the New Testament, is the stress whiolris laid by
our Saviour upon the regulation of the thoughts.
And I place this consideration next to the other be-
cause they are connected. The other related to th»
;maUcious passions ; this, to the voluptuous. Together
I uiey comprehend the whole character.
* 'Out of the A0ar< proceed evil thoughts, murdera,
adulteries, fornications,' &c.—« These are the things
which defile a man.** ^^^
'Wo unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocritesi *
for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the /
platter, but within they are fuU of extortion and ex- /
cess.— -Ye are like unto whited sepulc%es, which
indeed appear beautiful outward, but ara within faU of
dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness; even so ye
also outwardly appear righteous unto men, hn%winin
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." I
-And more parUcularly that strong expression,*
■Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his^
heart.' '
' There can be no doubt, with any reflecting mind. ^
but that the propensities of our nature must be sub-* ^
ject to regulation; but tiie question is, wktn the
check ought to be placed, upon Uie " --
^B^W^^nrafiq^l^^'^I^'toS^
texts here quoted, has pronounced a decisive Judg-
•"•**• «»• »»• Mb, nut m n. At^i^M,
CHRISTIANITr. |gg
ment. He nukes the control of tfaoucht essenti.i
Internal purity witfrhim is ereiy thinir.^NowT^
l!ntSr ul^* ^^ a moral system, which prohibits
actwns, but leaves the thoughts at liber^*^^! S
neffectual, and is therefore ,S.ise I k2r„^h«w
experience, and upon a knowledge of the human con
sutution, better than by citing the judgment S^
r^ fffT ^^.'^^^ ^^^^'^ «^ attentSnto theS '
^ ^r*^ ^"**^*^*'* ^ '«"» » 'r«« opinions
it. Boerhaare, speaking of this veiy declarfction^S
Xr^:jTit;'^*^T^«' ''^^«"» on^wSi::::rto"^usl
SThi. kI' i ?* •5'®*^^ committed adulteiy with her
in^his heart/ and understanding it as we do teoZ
tain an irgunction to lay the chfck ^nl^ei^^Z'
117^%^^ "?' «T Saviour'^new 3nd
^^nJ^Til^^^' .?*"*'■' ^^« ^ "corded this
ui lus own: It did not escape the obsemtlnn «r
TJZ^^^. f"" -iection^ryt'l'^^hU
Xfo u^^^ **®^®"<'® *«a*»8* ♦ice: for when a
debauched person fills his imagination with ImLe
pictures, the Ucentious ideas which • he r^^uSS
not to stimulate his desires with .tXZToLn^
^ch he aumot resist. This wiuTfoUowTS
S?e^w™'/r**f. '^"* "'*'™^ obst«de XuS
EtiiSS fr»«»,«»,«»n;mi«ion of a shi, which h«
111. Thirdly, Had a teacher of mocalitv been mOtt^
Mitttm teUf Dn«htci; ,
fr
too
BVIQBNCBS OF
.^f *i:"^'^
3v
i
iCifS^ ^^'f^^^ ***• hVI»tee« and comfort of
ttow about him/he would havo lieon thought. I
r* 2?? *n>P«»v«d, state of morals, to ha^e delivered .
L^;^l"!L'S!r*'i ^^r*' 'y'"»« «"* direction,.
I» suggested the only motiye which acts steadily and
J^^^ '^K^ ^ out Pf sight, in fiiiSS
JBcurrences and under pressing temptations;' and in
>^ second, he corrected, what, of all tende^icios in
the human character, stands most in need of coiroc-
Uoa, gelfitkne**, or s contempt of other men's con-
vemency and satisfaction. In estimating tiie yalue
iij"1 7^' T^ "* '^ '"^^^ regardnot onlyto tiia
gu^c^ 4«tyv but the general spirit; not W to
^^JL^^.^u^.^'"' *»"' ^ ^ «*«^t«r which a
oomplittce wiUi its direction is Ukely to form in us.
S^CJr aS /*"**?' Instance, the rule here recited will
ZwJt^J^'' v*^"* r*^*» obeys if ««„Vfenrte, not
onj^^of the righai, but of the feeUngs of otiier men
bcdily ttrf mental, in great matte«^d in sl^ d
«Jtl!^*A"*^"?*^***"» the seifH-omplacency,
wl^. ? ^'*"" ^ ^ *^y *^«"?*"'» especiiuy of H
wjw are in his power, or dependent upon his wiU
thT^^' S ^. most applauded philosopher of
JS!nT^ *5*«***1^ "ge of tiie world, would hare
been deemed worthy of his wisdom, and of his cha-
racter, to say, our Saviour hatii said, and upon just
■uch .in occasion as that which we haVe feign*e!i
M«T T "1 ****"' ^"** ^ » ^»^'» asked
2LJ ?"*5o»' tempting him, and sayini Master
I^^ the great commMidmJnt in tJtow'? Je^^
^i ^u^?* ^~ Shalt love tiie LonI thy God
t^ mind; thfa is the firrt and great coimiandment •
^Jt"^^ ^ "^^ "'Thou shaltTvr%
nel^ibour as thyself: on these two commandmiS
hang alllhe law and the t irrt»iui«»s «"•««»«»'«>»
inT "^ P**'"'* oc^ln Saint Matthe^Todi^
16.) on another occasion similar to this; and boS S.
; •MM.MMU.U.-m. />
CHRISTIANITY; gof
them, oa a third similar occasioo, in Luke (x 27 ^
^ WM, WhaiahaU I do to inherit eternal life?> ^*^
Upon aU these occasion*, I consider the words of our
Sailour as expressing precisely the same thing m
f^S' xV*** '°''^«'"' **«»* ^«s« precepts aro extant '
In the Mosaic code ; for his laying his fiLrTif I mv
the greatest and the sum of aU the others; in a wor?
h« proposing of them to his hearers for their S
•nd^prmciple, was our Saviour's own V ""»
And wha|our Saviour had said upon the suWect
^Saint Paul has it expressly, * If there be any othw
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in ihS
sayjng, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thmtf .'?
and again, »lFor all the law is fulflllerin one^orf
ev«jto this, Thou Shalt love thy ndg^ras S^!:
.^^^ John, fai like mamwr, 'This comrnandment
l:X\S:"?^"*^ '^ *" '^^^ '^^^'^^ God, love his
lu.S^n ' ?^^'' ™* ''*'y diflferently: ' Seeing that ye
^JsE ir" T!" ^^y^8^ trut^ throuS
toe Spirit, unto unfeigned, love of the breUiien, se»
^S n ""' T?*' with apure heart fe^thr!^
Tf"^ "» r^ t^ds love, or charity, or. in oDmr
w. fonw tJunough aU the preceptive parts of^
•et out, and into which they return. *™"'"«»«w
•-- -lUlf. -«Ori.T.|«. H,,,tal|T.SI. »lPMwil|
W"
;.^-*''
mSj*
■
r
202
Ei<II>BNCE8 OF
«. ^"
And that this temper, ibr some time^t i
sbended in its pority to succeedin^i^ri
attested by one of the earliest ahd|(lipw|ya>t^wiJn-
Ing wriUogs of the apo8toU<al^.JjPr^yJ^
the Roman Clement. TJ^6d§|||[bf the Chris-
tiaii clwacter rei|riM.thrJgteut>^ of that
excellent piece. Th#<ygP caUed,f<^ it, It yna
to compose the dlsa^nslonCl' the jRh Vch of fcorinth.
And 'the venerable hearer of the apostles does not
faU short, in thrdisplay of this principle, of the finest
pMSages of their writings. He caUs to the reme^^
brance of the Corinthian church its former chara<itor.
in which *ye were aU ofyini,' he teUs themr^um-
ble-minded, riot boasting of any thing, fiesirinr rather
to be sul^ect than to govern, to give than to receive,
being content wi^^he portion God ha^ dispensed to
you, and hearlcepfng diligently to Hts word ; ye were
enlarged in yotir bowels, having his sufferings always
before your eyes. Ye contended day and night for
the wh(ile brotherhood^ that with compassion and a
good cqi^ience the number of his elect might be
^^f^' . " ^*™ sincere, and without oflence, towards
wch other. Ye bewailed every one his neighbour's
jins, esteeming their defects your own.'" His prayer
for them w^ for the »retum of peace, Itong-sufferine.
and patience.'" And his advice to those, who mkht
* '»«^t*»e occasion of difference in the society' tt^
^S^'^jBm^'^ Jttl^tefi^ho is them
TTfHW^™*'^^^'^^^^ *^^ ^ compassion.
ji. "rf" "® *^y **^^ ^ ^•^ *»*^ »y» w this
Mdltioo, this contention, and these schisms, be upon
my iccount, I^m ready to depart, to go away whi-
thersoever ye please, and do whatsoever ye shall
ccjnamand me: only Jet the flock of Christ be in peace
with theehjers who are set over it. He that shall
do this, shaU get tii{ himself a very great honm ir in
ihe^Lwd; ua uuir^is no' place Vt whif^U?
ready to receive U^. for the earth is the Lord's, and
» Ep. Cttnk. Rom. e fl$ Abp. Wake'c TrkMlatlon, ^ n,, ^ 5^^
;■!*•■
w
?\
\-^.
^ V CIIRIsl-IANlTY. ^ ^(>«
I. the fulness tliere^ < These \\x\^ they, who have
*^^/;^f/«J«'«;'P^ towards God, not to Ik> repented
of, bjrth have done, and will always be ready to do ' »
This sacred prineiple, this earnest recommendation
^forbearance, lenity, and forgiveness, mixes with
sA the writings of that a^e. There are more qait».
:P^ in the apostoliciil fathers, of texfe which rehte
to th<Me points, thanrf»^„«ther. Christ's sayings
><8truck them^-^mTrendefing,' «aid Polyca^.
/ railtejr, or striking for striking, or ciraing JT^ure-
tag. Again, speaking of some whose behaviour
had given-great offence, 'Be.ye toodeiiti^^s he.
but caU them back ^ suffering and erring member,
that ye save your whole body/ "
*Be ye mild at their anger,' .uth IgiwtliiB. tl»
J^i^i™^*?"!? rotum your prayers, tp their erroi
'CtS^?i: Tk T'*»^*»""*«g to instate tMr wiys,
^h^.t?o* ^!!'^!:"'^" ^5*'^ kindneswd modenUlin
but let (» be followers of the Lord ; ftr Who was evei
more uyustly used, more destitute, ii»re despised?'
oiLt?*';?*'*??^' by ^Wch the morality of the
^pel fa disUnguished, is the exclusie* of regard to
nme and raputatiooi. ' »-^a * -^
" tn 'J^ b^^ttat jfe do not your alm» before men, '
to be seen of them, otherwise ye have m reward of
your Father which is id heaven.' '• ^^
«,K* ^^ *?**" prayest, enter into thr deset, and
^X ?*? **** "*»"* •*» d^r. prayTaTpa^r
secret, shall reward thee openly ' » ^
1 do D« think, itat iKlher in «k», «• |„ ,„, »ttiir
^f
v^.V. ':
204
EVIDENCES OF
r i
stated as a vice ; it is only said tliat an action, to l^e
virtuous, must be injiependent of it. I would also
obsenre, that it is not publicity, Init osteiitetion, which
is prohibited; not the mode, but the motive, of the
acUon, which is regulated. A good man wiU prefer
that mode, as weU as those objects of his beneficenetr.
By which he»can produce the grea^t,eflect; and the
view of this purpose may dictate Sometimes publica-
tion, and sotodtipes concealment./ Either the obe or
the other may be the mode of the action, jaccoMIng
as the end to be promoted by iti^pears to reqk're.
But from Ithe meiive, the reputation of the deedTand
^ Mts and advantage of that reputation .to- our-
selves, must be shut 6ut, or, in whatever pnportion
they ara'Sitt so, ihe action in that pntportion fitils bf
being tirtuous. > , / f^;
^ This exclusion of regard to human opinioi^ is i
. difference, not so much, in the duties to wMi<^ the
teachers of virtue would persuade manir^^^ ^ jq ^^
manner and topics of persuasion. And in this View
the diiierence is great: When w» s^t about to give
advice, our lectures are full of t^ advantages of
character, of the regard that is due to appearances and
to opinion; of what the worlds especiaUy of what the
good or great, wiU think and say; of the valiie of
public esteem, and of the qualities by which men
acquire it. Widely different from this was our
Saviour's instruction; and the difference was founded
upon the best reasons. For, however the care of
reputation, the authority of opinion, or even of the
opinion of good men, the satisfiMstion of being >ell
»jeceived and well thought of, the benefit of being
known aiid distinguished, are topics to which we are
ttin to have recourse in our exhortations; the true
virtue is that which discards these considerations
absolutely, and which retires from them all to the
■ingle internal purpose of pleasing God. This at least
was Uw vlnuw wniefr our Savio^ taughi AridTin"
teaching this, he not only confined the views of his
•iDllowent to the proper measure and piinciple of
■v-^
CHRISTIANITY^, 2Qg
human duty, but acted in consistency with his office
as a monitor from heaven. /
T Nbxt to what our Saviour tau^ihayltecisid
ered the mamier of his teaching: which wV^,"'emt
ly pecuhar, yet, I thinle, precisely adaptedTX
peculiarity of his chamcfer a!id situaUon. hTs iessSj
did not consist of disquisitions; of any thinir liS
moral essays, or like sermons, or lilce get treaUaw
upon the sevei^ points which he menUoned. wC
he delivered a precept, it was seldom tint he adcM
any proof w argument: stiU more seldom, that b»^
accompani^ it with, what all precepts requ re, linS
tetions^nd distinctions. Hh instructions w^
conceived in short, emphatic, sententious rules, fa
^nlTl :??«*'"«™'' «' *» ™«»Hl maxims. I do not
think «ut this was a natural, or would have been ^
nJTJ^t?:!? ^"T • P»»»««»Pher or amonUist; or ^
It is a method which can be successfully imitated bv '
!L- M l^*?"** that it was suitable to the chai;
•cter which Christ assumed, and to the situatirTn
^^J^^lf^'^^^^^^^^^^pi*^. He produced
himself M a mewenger from God. He put the truth
rf what he teught upon authority." In the choicT
therefor^ of Ws mode of teaching, the v^r^bi ^
U^ wh^hT"'''!''" .>prr«.V«.; becaiieWiZ
v^' ^ '^ ^o"»' tho principal end of our discoumes,
im to arise in the minds of his followem from i
f^rrJfv'^T' '7"»,^''- ™»Pect to hi. perwm and
authority. Now, for the purpose of impreSon sinirlr
and exclusively (I repeat agaiVthat wi aroVot hf«
to consider the convincing of the understai^fagW
know nothing which would have «> greanS m
strong ponderous maxims, freauenUfurgeT^S
frequently brought back to the thoughts rf tKui„
I know nothing that could In tWsTlew be «3d bJZ*
than « Do unto nt h e i^ as y , woul d tha t ut heri S
do unto you:' •Thefl„rtWi;;i';L;Zdm.Ti^
<.
i-
's.
206
EVIDENCES OF
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; and the second is
like unto it, Thou shalt-love thy neighbour as thyself.*
It must also be remembered, that our Lord's minis-
-_liyy upon the supposition eiUier (tf one year or,three,
compared with his work, was of short duration ; tha^
within this time, he had many places to visit, various
audiences to address; that his person was generally
besieged by crowds of foj^Mjers: that he* was, some-
times, driven awayJrora^Mie place where ne was
teaching by per8eci^^||Lai|ld at other times, thought
i|t to withdraw himself mm tlie commotions' of the
populace.! Under these circumstances, n<^ng ap-
pears to hiVe been so practicable, or likely to be
so efficacious, as leaving, wherever he came, concise
lessons of dufy. These circumstances at least shew
the necessity he was under ^ comprising what he
delivered within a small compass. In pairticular, his
semion upon the mount ought always to be consider-
ed with a view to these observations. The question
Is not, whether a fuller, a more accurate, a more
systematic, or a more argumentative, discourse upon
morals might not have been pronounced ; but whether
more could havis been said in the same room, better
adapted to the exigencies of the hearers, or better cal-
culated for the purpose of impression? Seen in this
li j^t, it has always ^>peared to me to be admirable.
Dr Lardner thought that this discourse was made up
«f what Christ had said at different times, and on
different occasions, several of which occasions are
noticed in Saint Luke's narrative. I can perceive no
reason for this opinion. I believe that our Lord de-
livered this discourse at one time and place, in the
manner related by Saint Matthew, and that he repeat-
ed the same rules and maxims at different times, as
mportunity or occasion suggested; that they were
often In his mouth and were repeated to diflirent
audiences, and in Yarious conven«atlnn«.
Itli IncidJBntal to this mode of moral instruction,
which proceeds not by proof but upon authority, not
by disquisition but by precept, that ijm rules will be
I •
\\
CHRISTIANITY.
207
conceiTed in absolute terms, leaving the applicatf^,
and the'distinctions that attend it, to the reason of the
hearer. It is likevriseto be expected that they will
be delivered in terms by so much the more forcible
and energetic, as they have to encounter natundf or
general propensities.. It is farther also tp be remark-^
,ed, that many of those strong instances, which appear
in our Lord's sermon, such as, • If any man will smite
the© on the right cheek, turn to him the other also:'
' If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away
thy coat, let him have thy cloak also:* * WhosoeVer
slull compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain:*
though they appear in the form of specific precepts,
are intended as descriptive of disposition and charac-
ter. A specific compliance with the precepts would
be of little value, but the disposition which they
inculcate is of the highest. He who should content
himself witli waiting for the occasion, and withjiter.
ally observing the rule when the occasion ofiered,
would do nothing or worse than nothing:' but he who
considers the character and disposition which is here-
by inculcated, and places that disposition before him
as the model to which he should bring his own, takes,
perhaps, the best possible method of improving the
benevolence, and* of calming and rectifying the vices
of his temper. ,
If it be said that tlds disposition is unattainable, I
ans«ver, so is aU perfection: ought therefore a moralist
to recommend imperfections? One excellency, h<hr-
ever, of our Saviour's rules, is, that they are either
never mistaken, or nfiver so mistaken as to do harm.
I could feign a hundred cases, in which the literal
application of the rule, • of doing to othera as we
would that others should do unto us,* might mislead
us : but I never yet met with the nian who was actually
misled by it. Notwithstanding thaC our Lord bade
his followc— * — ''^ -
LreHlstevil '^and i-
enemy who shd&ld trespass against them, not till
■even times, but till seventy times seven,' the Chris-
tian world hM hitherto suffered little by too much
208
EVIDENCES OF
X'
' -i
placabm^ or forbearance. I would repeat once more,
what has already bee^ twice remarlojd, that these
rules were designed to regulate personfl conduct from
^raonal motives, and for this purpose alone.
. I think that these observations wiU assist us «reatly
to placing our Saviour's conduct, as a moral twcher
to a proper point of view ; especially when it is con-
sidered, that to deliver moral disquisitions was no
part of his design,— to teach moraUty at aU was onlv
a subordinate part of it; his great business being to
supply, what was much more wanting than lesso^ of
monUi^, stronger moral sanctions, and clearer assur-
ances of a ftiture judgment.^ .
' The paraUee of the New Testament are, many of
them, such as would have done honour to any book
w the woy-Id ; I do not mean in style and dicUon, but
in the chbice of the subjects, in the structure of the
nartnUves, in the aptness, propriety, and force of the
circumstances woven into them; and in some, as
Miat of the good Samariton, ,Uie prodigal son, the
Fharisee and the publican, in k union of pathos and
simplicity, which, in the best productions of huinan
genius, is the fruit only of a mi«h exercised and well
cultivated judgment. /
Tke Lord** Prayer, for a succession of soleihn
tiioughfa, for fixing the attenti mi upon a few great
pomts, for suitableness to ever r condition, for suffi-
ciency, for conciseness without obscurity, for tlie
McurrenM that nur artie. Thl^ m, th. y. U nMOMrr to SaklT.
WfWlation pMrfeet, MpeeMly one which ha i for iteobJcet Um r^latiaii
unaraUinf . mk an attempt niut bar* bee n. h prsred by aaTnotaU*
UoM which eome under die eomisaaae (if the magiatimte. And i»
what 1«»U. detail, of thi. kind ate neeem lly ewZTwK oi^ *
s ua, maybe undewtood flrwa an aniwdot, upM»- "..-..i^
Wilch wt ba«« naeived K«B the nKMi reai tetaMe aalhoriiy.
IfM than m,,nly^tkmmnd tradiUonal pi Mept. h»nUm» ra'
|»ted.« Cll«Blllon'.lVanWatio«orileday^VattklIi3 "^
CHRISTIANITY.
soa
- weight and real importaDce of its petitions, is without
Ml dqual or a rival. ^
Fi-om whence did these come? Whence had this
man his wisdom? Was our Saviour, in fiwt, a well
instructed philosopher, whilst he is reprepnted to us
as an iUiterate pe^faint? Or shaU we say that some
early Christians of taste and educaUon, composed
these pieces and ascribed them to Christ? Beside all
other incredibilities in this account, I answer, with k.
Dr Jortin, that they couid not do it. No specimens
• of coinposition, which the ChrisUans of the firet pen. '^
tuiy have left us, authorize us to believe that they
were equal to the task. And how little quaUfledthe
Jews, the countiymeh and companions of Christ, '
#ere to assist him in the undertakmg, may be judged
of from the traditions and writings of theirs which
were the nearest 'to that age. The whole coUecUon
m the Talmud is one cmtinued piroof, into what folliea
Hhey fell wlienever they left their Bible; Vd hew
little capable they were of furnishing out such lessoM
as Christ delivered.
Bot there Is still another view, in whlchour LordV
. djscouraes deserve to be considered; and- that is, in
their negtoht character, — not in what they did, bu|
in what they did not, cj^ntaln. Under this head, Uw
fallowing reflections appear to me to possess 8om«
>3Bight.
I. TJiey exhibit no particular description of the
Invisible world. The fiituro happiness of the good,
and the miseiy of the bad, which Is aU we want to he
assured of, is directly and positively aflirmed, and it
roiiresented by metaphors and comparisons, whioU
were plainly intended as metaphors and comparisons,
and as-nothing more. As to the rest, a solemn reserve .
[; J"» jpy Md. The qu estion coneemfag the woman
=«aa boon married"to' sewn bnitiisnr~*'WliOH —
—-——-- .wu umnaa -«v MINI WJUUWCS, '^immi
•awl she be on the resurrection?' was of a nature
calculated to have drawn from Christ a more ciroum-
ftantial account of the state of the human species in
^'.
210
kviUENCkSOF
their future existence. He cut short, hoxvever, the
mquiiy b3ra^,answer,/ which at once rebuJied intrud-
ing curiosity, ai^d wis agreeable to the best apprehen-
sions we are able to form upon the subject, viz. ' Tiiat
Kl'*^!'^'''*""^'*^"'**^^**^ ^^ resurrection,
rfiaU be as the ang^is bf God in heaven.* I Uy a
S'!.^^!l'^*' ''"'V* ^"^"^ " "'V^^ the suspi-
cion of enthusiasm: for enthusiasm is wont to expati-
ate upon Uie condition of the departed, above 4U ottier
subjects; and with a Wild particularity. It is mor^
nIL' *Tf t"^^?*" 'lu^'y^ "'**""'* ^ ^^^"» greedi-
ness The teacher, therefore, whose principal purpose
t ^^^^^"^ Wmself attention, is sure tTbe'^iK
■ •„ A T*'**"°^^'^°"™®'"*'a'^n»deupofit
11. Uur Lord enjoined no austerities. He not inly
enjoined none as absolute duties but he recbmmended
none as carrymg men to a higher degree of divine
favour Place Christianity, iS this 4spec" by the
side of aU institutions which hav* beerfoSnded in
the fanaticism, either of their author, or of his first
flowers; or rather comparefin this '«spe<3t, Ciu-S
Ir ^^'l n ?"** ^'**'™ ^^''^' ^"h the same religion
a^r it feu into other hands; with the extravafant
merit verjr soon ascribed to celibacy, solitude, voTun-
taiy poverty; with the rigours of an ascetic, ind the
I ™'^A»^* P'^ye"' thrf obmutesetnce, the irloom
aspired to religious perfection. f
m. Our Saviour uttered no impassioned devotion.
TJere was no heat in his piety, or in the language i.^
which he expressed it; no vehement or ilptSroS
?;!S''? r* ™/^'°^e°t urgency, in his prayers" The
Z^ A A P^®" ■** "naflfected expression?, of a
deep indeed, M sober, piety. He never appeis to
ed In mZ f7i,"' "P •***« J^^ich is oSc»ionaIly observ;
**" *'L*'?y.i!ir?_«^b« applied. I feel a respect for
' \
/
,. /
CHRISTIANl^. 211
MeUiodists, because I believe ihat there is to be found
amongst them much sincere piefy, and availinff.
though not always well-informed, Christianity: yet I
nev^r attended a meetin|( of theirs, but I came away
with the reflection, how different what I heard was
from what I read; Jdo not mean in doctrine, with
which at present I ^ve no conceni, but in manner;
how diflerent frorii the calmness, the sobriety, the
good sense, and J may add, the strength and authority,
of our Lord's discourses. ' .
.., • I' '^ ^^'y "sual with the human mInJ, to sub,
stitute forwardness and fervency in a particular cause,
for the merit of general and regular morality; and it
IS natural, and politic also, in the leader of a sect or
party, ^ encourage such a disposition in his foUowers
Chri^ did not overlook this turn of thought; yet,
though avowedly placing himself at the head of a new
ii^itution, he, notices it only to condemn it. < Not
jVery one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is ita heavett. Many will
say unto me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done manySronderful
works? And then wilt I pr<;fess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, y« tta# wor* iniguUvJf*
9o far was the Author of Christianity from courting
tlie attachment of his followers by any sacrifice of
principle, or by a condescension !b the errors which
even zeal in his service might have insbiredl This
was A proof both of sincerity and judgment
V. Nor, fifthly, did he faU in with anV of the de-
praved fiishions of his country, or with the natural
bias of his own education. Bred up a Jew, under a
religion extremely technical, in an age and amongst
.* n^^^- J°!?!Jifx"**'!!*!f **^ ^ ceremo nies than of any
4VU.W i»rt of that reUgidnTBOelTveied an iostiUitlon;
containing less of ritual, and that more simple than is
- ■""***" *W ««Wg*<« which ever prevailed
•* AUtt Til. SI, tt
. *;
V>.
■m'-
\
212
EVIDENCES OF
wntogst mankind. W« liare known, I do »Uow
examples of an enthusiasm, which has swept away all
external ordinances before it. But this spirit certainly
did not dictate our Saviour's conduit, either in hi^
treatment of the religion of his countiy, or in th^tfor-
mation of his own institution. In both, he disp&ed
the soundness and moderation of his judgment. He
<^»sured an overstrained scrupulousness, or perhaps
an affectation of scrupulbusness, about tiie sabbathi
but how did he censure it? not by contemning or
decrymgthe institution itself, but by declaring that
Sf *?^*^ "^ '"■^® for man, not man }or tiw
sabbath; tikat is to say, tluit the sabbath was to be
subordinate to its purpose, and that tiiat purpose was
va» row good of Uiose who were the subjects of the
tew.~ ihe same conceroin^4he nicety of some of the
Fharisees, in paying tithes of tiie most trifling articles,
accompanied with a neglect of justice, fideU^, and
merey. He finds &ult with them for misplacing Uieir
anxieUr He does not speak disrespectfully of tiie
law of titiies, nor of their observance of it; but he
•ssigns to each class of duties Its proper station in tiie
scale of moral importance. AU tills might be expect-
ed perhaps from a well-instructed, cool, and judicious
ptalosopher, but was not to be looked for from an
iS^st. * "*'^"*^ "^.^"^ an impetuous
VI. Nothing could be more qmlibUng, tiian were
the comments and expositions of tiie Jewish doctors
at Uiat time; notiUng so puerile as tiieir disthictiOns.
Their evasion of tiie fifth commandment, tiieir exposi-'
Mon of tiie law of oaths, are specimens of tiie bad teste
in morals which tiien prevailed. Whereas, in a
mtfnerous coUection of our Saviour's apophtiiegms,
many of tiiem referring to sundry precepts of tiie
Jewishlaw, there Is not to be found one example of
VII. The natli«al temper of tiie Jews was intoler-
ant, narrow-mlndejl, and exc liriing. In Jesus, on
CHRISTIANITY. ^13
l^nlSl'"^' ''****^' ""^ ™«*«* Ws lessons or hi,
fen A ZT rt^»y »««»volence. but benevt/
pwrabte of the good Samaritan, the veiy point of the
r^!* •»«* ^^iSiom enemy of his linefcctor OuJ
Loixi declared the equity of the divine adStration
when he told 'the Jews (what, prXwy7S«rwere
suiyris^ to hear). * That many should iefromS^
east aad^west. and should sit down witTAbShaT
^olSf -^"Tlt '? "^"^ ^^""^^^ of heavenfbrSSj
Z^'"S "h?" ^'"^'^r. W*' »« ^~" '«to outer
darkness,' His reproof of the hasty seal of his dis-
ciples, who would needs caU down fire from hLvcn
IT^?' ru'^T ^' '""^ theiriVfXX^
the leni y of his character, and of his religii; and
^ opmion of the mamier iii which the most unri^
•ble opponents ought to be treated, or at least Sthe
yaaimej. i„ which they ought not ti be treS. Ti J
^Ttiild^^'^^^'r '"^ ^ conveyed, detJt
tLol^' Ye know not what manner of spirit ye
relS!n* h"."^' wnongst the negative quaUties of our
I^S*h?^ !L*f "^^ **"' *»^ ^^ *>«»*' ^ its Founder
tod his apostles, we may reckon its complete abstrac-
tion from aU views either of ecdesi Jical oTcWlf
poUcy; *r, to meet a language much hi fashion wUh^
T: Thrit??H'^,'^l?" eTther of priesTTsJ;^''
raun.Christrf declaration, that *his kingdom was
not (rf this world,* morfed by Saint JohnjTs^s^^
of the qu«,tion whether it was lawful or not to g JJ
Jribute unto Cosar, mentioned by the threToUiw
tn^-' ^M^T Ws authority in a question of pro!
S* J5fil7 M°*~? T * ™*«' ** • J«»f» over
of the woimm taken in adulteiy, as reUted bvjST
•re aU inteUiglble sIgnificatioSrf ou^nHi^. S
'fK\
%
-J. , -«v-
814
EVIDENCES OF
mdnts upoD this head. Aiid with respect to poliHc$,
|n the usual sense of that word, or discussions cdn-
ceminf different fonhs of government, Christianity
declines erery question upon the sidtject. Whilst
politicians^ite disputing about monarchies, aristocra-
Cies, and lipublics, the gospe|. is alilce applicable,
useful, aofl^fdendly, to them aU; in|smuch as, 1st, it
tends tQ<tiiiiike men virtuous, an<f as it is easier to
govern goed men than bad men under any constitu-
tion; as, 2dly; it ptates obedience -to government in
ordinary cases, to Jie not merely a submission to foite,
but a duty, of .<?cmscience ; ss, 3dly, it induces disposi-
; tions fitvourable to public tranquillity, a" Christian's
W ^**^*^*'"* **«^"Jf to pass quietly through this world to
'Sm"- **®'*®"^' ■*' ^^^y* *' P"*)^ for communities, and for
'* *!?*« governors rf communities, of whatever description
bi" denomination they be, with a soUcitude and fervency
proportioned to the influence which they possess upon
human happiness. All which, in my opinion, is just
as it should be; Had there been more to be found in
Scripture erf » political nature, or convertible to
poUtical purposes, the worst use would have been
made of It, on whichever side it seemed to lie.
When, therefore. We collider Christ as a moral
teacher (remembering that tiiis was only a secondary
part of his oflice ; and that morally, by the nature of
the subject, does not admit of discovery, properly so
called),'— when we consider either what he taught,
or what he did not teach, either the substance or the
manner of his instruction; his preference of solid to
popular virtues, of a character which is commonly
despised to a character which is universally extolled ;
his placing, in our licentious vices, the check in the
T right place, vi». upon the thoughts; his collecting of
human duty into two well-devised rules, his repeti-
tion of these rules, the stress he hdd upon them,
wpeclally in comparison wit h positive duti i wi. anH hh
fixing thereby the senUments of his fbUowers; his
exclusion of all regard to reputation in our devotion
*"'* «^nw, and, by parity of reaion, in our utlier vir*
/
CHRIStlANITV. 215
tues,w.i„rlien we consider that his insti-uctions were
deliTored ia a form calculated for imprassion, Uie
precise purpose in his situation to be consulted; and
that they were iUieirated by parables, the choice and
structure of which would have been admired in any
composition whatever;— when we observe him free
from the usual symptoms of enthusiasm, heat and
vehemence in devotion, austerity in institutions, and
» wild particiUarity in the description of a futura
state; free also from the depravities of lus age and
country; without superstition amongst the most
superstitious of men, yet not decrying positive dis-
tinctions or external observances, but soberly dtllins
them to the principle of their establishment, and t«
their place in the scale of human duties; without
sophistiy or tiifling, amidst teachers remariuible for
nothing so much as friv^olous subtilties and quibblins
•*P«i"«>'J candid and liberal in his judgmebt of tim^
rwt of maakind, although belonging to a people wk^
•fleeted a separate claim to divine favoi^, and, In
consequence of that opinion, prone touncharitablenete,
partiaUty, and restitution ,^— when we find, in G
religion, no scheme of building up a hienu-chy, dr of
ministering to the views of human governments $— .in
a word, when we compare Christianity, as it came
from its Author, eitiier with other religions, or with
. Itself in other hands, the most reluctant understand-
ing will be induced to acknowledge the probity I
think also the good sense, of those to whotfi ifr owes
its origin-; and tiiat some regard is due td the -testi-
mony of such men, when they declare their know-
ledge that the reUgion proceeded froii God; *and
^ when they appeal, for tiie truUi o^ their assertion, to
i^Iracles which they vrrought, or which they saw ,
^ Perhaps the qualities which we observe in the reli-
gion, may be thought to prove sonit^Uiing more
Af hiy wnnld have been OKtreo H Ht»iyi-had--thrTclt:—
,^i(Mi come from any person; from the person from
/ whom it did come, they are exce^ingly so. What
' iraflJesu^ in external appearance? A Jewish peas.
- ■ t
21S
!VIDENCES"OF
anty the^Bon of i carpenter, living with his father
and mother in a remote province of Palestine, until
the time that h^ produced himself in his public cha-
racter. He had 60 master to Instruct or prempt him';
he had read no^ books, T»ut the worics of Moms and
the prophets; he had visited np polished cities: he
had received no lessons from Socrates or Plato.-*
fr^Tif ^rff" *° H^, * ^^ or judgment diflbwnt
from that of the rest of his countiymen, and of persons of
the same lai^ of life with himself. Supposing It to be
true, which it is not, that all his points of monUty
might bet picked out of Grdelc and Roman writings
they were writings which A« had never seen. Siml
posing them to be no more than what some or other had
>ught in various times and places, he could not coi-
]pcl them together. '.
Who were his coadjutors In the undertaldng,— th»
persoM into wh«e hands the religion came after, his
deathi' A few fishermen upon the lake of Tiberias,
persons just as uneducated, and, for the purpose d
franjing rules of morality, as unpromising as himself.
Sup^ithe mission to be real, aU this is accounted
fOT; the unsuitableness of the authors to the production,
of the characters to the undertaking, no longer suiv
pnaes us : but without reaiity, jt is very difficult to
explain, how such a system should proceed from such
K!''"!^. ^^^^ "^ "^ "^ any other ckipentert
the apostles were not like any other fishermen:
But the subject is not exhausted by these obser.
vatipns That portion of It, which is most reducible
to points of argument, has been stated, and, I trust,
trujr.^ There are, however, some topics, of a more
d^fliise nature, which yet deserve t7be proposed to
the reader's att^tlon. *^ "!»««« w
_ The ckaracter of ChriH is a part of the morality of
the gospel: one strong observation upon which is,
Sl^.g^^'^yy '^P'yented by h|s followfln., nor as
•^«dwb oy ms ewmies, is he charged with inyper-
wnjl vice. This remark is as old as Orl«n:
Though ihnumei-able lies and calumnies had been
^
CIiniSTlANITY.-
817
forged against the Tenemble Jetog. none had dLr^A ^
**arge^hlm^iUiJ,,tempemM^' SSareS^
- -Py^'^i'^oSl characterVnot ^m^S»Sc^"^''J^
-ppeara for five hundied yeare after hi«1hJr*KaiK'
fffr«r ii S^ ^ teacher, and of eveiy other law,
nVht rf JS -^««"e nwUntained the cenenJ
'owe prineiple is found in almniit aii ^k- d
to«totheirdi«.hS^ . .*^*" ^ recommend-
Whiph ly^ came .?n «^i. ?? ^^""'O' «"*• '
new 4nlm„.- " speaking of the founders of
Ifoentious transcressinnii «f kio "lanomet. His
the power wI^^*'i,!S;^^!„'r;«J«*» «>d of
personal and nriv«i«-»j ?"■ . ' «"^"»e Ptoses of
cWmof a^w iitSf .*"^"»«««»ce ; his avowed
7 perceive, beirtTj^^T^^J P^O^'«.
\
•■ a '***'• *>• C*'*- 1. «. ana. M mi » .
i . ;^
218
kviden'ces op
./; ' s^
ness, patience, prudence. I speak of traca of thoee
qualilies, because the qualities themselres are to be
coilected from incidents; inasmuch as the terms are
never used of Christ in Uie Gospels, nor is any
formal character of him drawn in any part of the New
Testament.
Thus we see the devoutneg^ of his mind, in his
frequent retirement to solitary prayer;" in his habit-
ual giving of thanks ;" in his reference of the beauties
Kud operations of nature to the^unty of Providence ;"
1^ his earnest addresses to his Father, more particii-
Jarly that short but solemn one before the raising of
Lazarus from the dead ;* and inlhe deep piety of his
behaviour ih the garden, on the last evening of Ms
life:" his humility, in Kis constant reproof of contiAi-
Uma for superiority.: ** the bettigni^ mi aflbctiodate.
, ness of his tempei*; in his kindness to children; " in
the tears which he shed over his ftiUing country,**
and upon the death of his friend;" in his noticing
of the \ridow*s mite;"!* in his parables of the good
Samaritiun, of the ungrateful servant, and of the Pha-
risee and publican, m which parables no one but a
man of humanity could have been the author:, the
miUnetf.md lenity of his character is discovered, in
his rebuke of the forward<rfeal of his disciples at the
Samaritan village ;" inliis expostulation with Pilate ; "
in his prayer foe; his enemies at the moment of his
iuflbrinf, ^ which, though it has been since venr pro.-
periy a^ frequently imitate<d, was then, I appruiinid,
new. His pmdence is discerned, where prudent is
most wanted, in his conduct on trying occasitms, aitd
In answers to artful quesUous. Of these, the follow,
ing are examples: — ^His withdrawing, in various in.
stances, from the fijist symptoms of tumult,** and
with the express car«^ as appears from Saint Mat-
M Ma l t. Hi. 9 k=
Mark Tlil. <LkJ
•• John irt.".
iokB Tl. n. Luke xxll. IT. ** Matt tI.
•• Matt uvl. M-47. ** Mark Ix. IS.
■•IUrk]Ll& M Luke xlx. 41. MJohnxl.SA. m Markali. 41
■*Luk«lx.A6. ■• Jaim xlx. 11. « Luke xxlll, S4.
•> Matt xlT n Luke v. l\ 16. Jokn v. IS. tL Ift.
'.' CHRISTIANITY. g,g
case of the Roman tribute •« in\Ko^S?^l'* "*
ceming the interfering i^StiJXfS^^^
proposed to him in th? inrtw^of tJ^T S^l *1
J«ply to thoso who dem;„ded C hZt^^^
Mon of the wthorily by wWch he < cte? wh» I*^
J«»i8ted. la pn»po«Wng»q«J3J^S^^^
sidiously endeavouring to draw hil « ^ "* *'*'
penor^ or rather the aupreme, importance of ^J^
"» wlw of aDi^^Tu^t *3^''"><» In God,"
that ohMliAnV. *r*u "^'•"<»» •«w the directing of
tlooofltsteriMT" •
N.W ;L2^:i^ tST^i *<> oti- P«t. of th.
"^ w iw, or, which ii th» ■.two
*»lfaA»||.«. ^T^^i, "^■"'M. «llMiii||.I9L
*>■
-T
t
820
SVIOENCBSOF
f
\l
\
^
it.
*
thing, descripti(ms of virtue, that have ever been 6»- ■
livered^ the following passages:
' Pure religion, and undlefiled, before God and the
Father, is this; to^isit the fatherless and widows in
their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world.' •• y
' Now the end of the commandment is, charity,
out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and Haith
unfeigned/"
'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world/ "
ESnumerations of virtues and vices, and those suf-
ficiently accurate, and unquestionably just, are given ,
^ Saint Paul t</*his converts in three several
.Epistles." Xy
The relative duties of husbands and wives, of pa- XT'
rents and children, of masters and servants, of Chris-
tian teachers and their flocks, of governors and their
subjects, are set forth by the same writer, •• n<i in-
deed with the copiousness, the detaili or tlie distinct*-
ness, of a moralist, who should, in these days, sit
down to write chapters upon the subject, but with
the leading rules and principles in each; and, above
all, with truth, and with authority. ^
Lastly, the whole volume of ^ the New Testament
Is replete with piety i with, what were almost un-
known to heathen moralists, devotional virtuee, the
most profound veneration of the Deity, an habitual
sense dT his bounty and protection, a Qrm confidence
in the final result of his counsels and' dispensations, a
disposition to restNrt, upon all occasions, to his mercy,
for the supply of human wants, for assistance. in dan-
ger, f<M- ^lief (i'om piin, for the pardon of atf).
CoL Uk It 1 Cor. »l«. •• »P*». T. tS. vl. I, & i OH. tk •. 7*
Roni. siU. • - ,
*K^
CHRISTIANITY.
■CHAP, m.
n. OU^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^
I MAKK this candour to ctmai»t *« tu *
"wy passages, and n JJSif' "***' P"'*?"« ^'o'*"
which noTtei JSteve^ is iST ^'"'"-Suices,
jnd which no Writer w^SdCe^J^^n Jj-e forged!
Ws book, who had bt£ni^J^l\ ^'^^^PP^ in
Jo the most uneSspfo^foi^r!?? "^^^r
Wmself at liberfyTwJe iS^^^^**" ^ ^^^^
Christ's resurrecuidnllLii * Jn their account of
•t*tlng, thatX^£'f!?t^ ^-.'h**' unanimously
di«cipfes alowTJi nTJ!*"',J« •PP«^«» ^ hiJ
the ewlusir^rd^ luve «ed
which thy.4ve rj^ oth^ *" *•** ^'"'^•'^
•tances/Mpeanu^rfS
-Jf-^fng-uiS?^^ that their
thlssuppodUon; .id Sit^^^^i? *^*^ ^
»»»• mule wlih mm ii,^i/r ,7^»»«!««n muld
PN*
aaawi
A
2^
•ETIDENCESOr
Dresent They could hav» represented it in one way
LTeti^ the Jther. And if their point had been. U,
S^ve^S^reUgion believed, whether true or fabe; if
thirhad fabricated the story ah initio i or if they had
^iSiiioSdeithertohavZdeliveredthei^^^
ft8 Witnesses, or to have worked up their matenaJs
^d taformation as Wstorians, in surli a inanner as ^
render their narrative as specious and unobjectionable
MX.y o^uldTS word, if they had thougW of «j
Siri W of ie truth of the c«e. as they undersi^^
widbelieved itj they would, hitheir account of Christ s
several appiafinces after his resurrection, at teast
SToii^Sd^ restriction. At Uus distance o^
time, the account as we have it, is perhaps more cre-
di?te than it would have been the other way ; because
this manifestation of the ^^^''^\^Z*mJ
more advantage to their testimony, than the dWbr-
r^in ttod^Sumstances of the account would have
S tS the nature of, the evidence. But this is an
effect which the evangelists would not ^Tf = •"«, *
thinlc that it vras by no mefcns the case at the Ume
when the books were composed.
Mr Gibbon has argued for the genuineness of the
Koran, from the confessions which it contains to tlie
apparent disa^vantoge of the Mahometan cause.'
ThTsame^efevce vindicates the genuineness of our
GospeUi, and Without prejudice to the catae at aU.
There are some other instances in which the evan-
gelists honestly relate nhal, they must have perceived,
would make against them.
Of tliin kindis John the BapUst*. m*"^ F*"
Mhred by Saint Matthew, (xi. 2) and Safat Luke
Jvii 18V * Now when John had heard in the prison
the wori' of Christ, he ««t two of hi. dimsipUs, wd
said untahim. Art (^ he-that should come, or took
we for another?* To confcsa, stni more to ttate,
- that John the Baptist had hii doubts concemlij the
character of Jesus, could not btrt afford a hMdto to
cavil and d^ection. But truth, like honesty, neglMts
• VM. ia. e. BO. note OS.
CHRISTIANITY.
223
.^.-,1.
appearances. The same oteerratioii.perhMg.hoM-
concenUng the apostesy of Judas • '^^^ ^^
■ John vi. 66. 'From that time many of his disrf
Was it the part of a writer, who dealt in supp««foi
•nd-disgmse, to put down <*i<anecdote? *^*^™*'°"
' l?J^^' "^^^ ^'^^ hM preserved? (xii. 68 )
Again, in the same evangelist- ^v 17 i« ^ <Ti.t»i,
piiets, I am not come to destroy, but to fuim- foT
yenly, I say unto you, till heaven and e^^^^
jot, or one tittle, shaU in no wise pass from^kw
writl'^.^"''*' ^' '^' time tSS^*^7;
written the apparent tendency of Christ^rmiBion
WM to diminish the authority^ theMcLif^J^
18 veiy improbable, therefore, that, without th« ««!
ZTA'"^^' ^i*"*" ^^"^ hkve HSbe^a^?^
ng to Christ, which, prima intuitu, militated *£
the judgment of the age in which Ws cSpel^
lli^' u^T^ **»°"«^' »"« text so oSecSUte
Once more: (Acts xxv. 18, 19.) 'Theybwurfit
iK-ie accusaUon against him, of such thin7a. I^fL
MM upon th* Oalilcaa laomitalAi •AndW^T.^-^*?.?**'*'-
•oaWncwl br what it obMr»»de«LliJL^? ^"^ >«ow«Ttr, bmi
■•M upon Ui btin* Mta at m dlataoML >■..■ -.. il__^ . • ■»•>■»•■••
xaM«tiuttiJ',*Srt.'S"i?- ♦'•«•"».
liM» Una Mnw ^TmL --^ ■ " ~*W»«'*^ lt,,»M M • iHttaiw at
. ■»■
S24
EVIDENCES 6P
posod, tut had certain queStibos against him d Mt
Wn superititioA, and of ope Jem jWch ^w Jj^
whom Paul affirmed to «e alive/ Nothing could W
more in the character of a Roman governorthan these
woMs. But that is not precisely the.pomtiamcoo-
cemed. with. A mere panegyrist, or a ^^^^
narrator, would not, have represented nw^c*f«' ®'
have made^a great "magistrate represent it, in thir
manner; XScin terms not a little dispju»ging, and
bespeaking, on his part, much unconcern and indif-
fererice a£>ut the matter. Thesame observation may
be repeated of the speech which is scribed to GaUi^
(ActTxviii. 16.) 'If it be a question of ^ords «md
names, and of ypur law, look ye to it; fo? I wiU be
no judge of such matters. ^.' ^ .
Lastly, where do we discern a stronger mk uf,
'candour, or less.disposition to extol and magnify, than .
in the cwclusiop of the same history ? in ^hich tiie
evangelist, after relating Uiat Paul, on his first arri-
val at Itbme, pre4ched to the Jews fro"J. «»"J»°«
until Jvenhig, adds, • A;<d some believed the things
wliich were spoken, and some believed not. -.^
The following, I think, are passages which were
teiy unlikely to have presented themselves to the
mind of a forger or a fabulist. -a ^^tn!'
.Ma&. xxi. 21. 'Jesus answered and said unto
them. Verily, 1 say unto you. If ^e have ^^j'^
doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is d«e.
unto ^ fig-tree, but also, if ye shaU ^ay unto this
mountSn, Be thou removed, and be thou cast ii^^
tbe ^\t shaU be .^one; all things w\iat«Jever yj
•haU ask in prayer, believing, it shaU be done. •It
appear* to\ me very improbable that tibese words
sh^d have been put into Christ's mov^*^ J^ h»d
not actually ^ken them. The torn ;fi^«»' f«^^«;«
used, ii perhJi righUy interpreted of «»Mence to
- that ii^mia nStice, by which the apostlea were admon-
ishedlf tlieir power to perform any particular miracle
And tWf exposition renders the sense of the text
» fc» Mi ll emg. * y ii» >* • t* * * * * *tt»-^
CIIKISTIAKITy.
-225
/ . :
more easy. But the woi-ds, uhdoubtedJy, in their
devious constnwtion, carry with them a difficulty,
which no writer would liave brought upon himself
officiously. .
Luke ix. &9\ * And he said unto another. Follow
me: but he; said, Lord, sulier me first to go and bury
my father. Jesus said unto him, liet the dead bury
their dead, hut go thou and preach the kingdom of
God.t* This answer, though very expressive of the
ti^cendent importance of religious concerns, w^
Apparently harsh and repiHsive; and such as would
n^t have been made for Christ, if he had not really
u^ed it. At least some otiier instance would have
befeq chosen.
)» foUoHring passage, I, for the same, reason,
MiiuK^mposslble to have been the production' of arti-
fice, o\of a cold forgeiy:^ — ' But I say unto you,
That wftosoeyer is angiy with his brother without a
cause, sh^be in danger of the judgment;' and who-
soever 9lia1l say to his brother, Raca, shall be indan-\ '
ger of the council ; but whosoever shall say. Thou
fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire (Gehenna).'
Matt. V. 22. It is emphatic, cogent, and well cal-
culated for the purpose of impression ; but is incon-
sistent with the supposition of art or warii^ss on tlie
part of the.relater. s >
This short reply^^ our Lord to Mary Magdalen,
after his resurrectiop, (John xx. 16, 17.) * Touch '
me not, for I am not yet ascended unto my Father,'
in my.opinion> must have been founded in a reference
or allusion to some prior conversation, for the want
of Jinowing v^hich, his meaning is hidden from us. ^
Ihis Very obscurity,* however, is a proof of genuine-
"ess. No one. would have forged such an answer.
John vi. The whole of the conversation recorded
in this chaj)ter, is, in the highest degree, unlikely to
be fabricated, especially the part of our Saviour's re-
ply between the fiftieth and the fifty-<}ighth Terse. I
ueed only put down the first sentence: * 1 am the Uv-
* fc* aim Mtt f ML H. . "^
:■■#•
%fl
«20
EVIDENCES OF
-i
ing bread which came down from heaven: ^VV >***^
eat <tf this bread, he shall live for ever: aad tli*
bread that I will give him is jay flesh, whichxl wjjU
^ve for the life of the world/ Without c^ng'io
Jiuestimi the expositions that have been giveift'i^^this
passage, we may be permitted to say, that it labours
under an obscurity, in which it is impossible to be>
lieve that any one, who made lElpeeches for the per--
sons of his narrative, would have vohmtarilyin^rolyed
them. That itaa discourse was obscure,. <|ven at the
time, is confessed by the writer who had preserved
it, .when he tells us, at the conclusion, that many oi
our l^ord's disciples, when they had lieard this, said,
* Tins is a hard saying; who can hear it?*
Christ's taking of a young child, and placing it in
the midst of his contentious disciples, (Matt, xviii.
2.) tluNigh as decisive a proof as any cbiild be, of the
benignity tii his temper, and very expressive of the
character of the religi^iQ which ho wished to incul-
cate, was not by any Weans an obvious thought.
Nor am I a<iquainted wiUi aJny thiqg in any ancient
writing which resembles k. • j^
Tlie account of tlie inkitutloa of tiie eucharist
bears strong internal marks of genuineness. If it had
been feigned, it would have Men more full; it would
have come> nearer to t£e actuk mode of celebrating
th^ rite, as that mode obtained very early in ChristiaQ
churches; aod it would have beeii more formal than
it is. In the iorged piece, called Um Apostolic Con.
stitutiops, the apostles are made to «ajoin many parts
"-of the ritual which was in use in the second and third
centuries, with as much particularityx as a modem
.nri»ric could have done. Whereas, in Uk^ History of
the Ltnrd's supper, as we read it in Saint ^atthew's
Crospel, there is not so much as the coi]d«n>nd to
repeat it. This, surely, hioks like undesjgnedness;-
I think also Uuit the difficulty arising trim the con-
ciseness of Christ's expression, * This is my body/
would have been avoided in a n»de-up story. I allow
that the explicaUon of these wor^« given by Fkk
■iflf
X
CHlJISTIANIXy.
227
fest^ts, is 88ti8facto^; but it is deduced from a
Jiiig^^t comparison of the words in qSonTiti!
«wrms «»f jxpreasion used in Scripture, 2.Tei^raSv '
Brbitrariljr and unnecessarily have thus cast in hte
reader's way a difficulty, which, to say tSTlewt U
__requ.red res^^ch and erudition to cleanup* ' '
tih^r 'l*^f^^' **» ^ ^««'^«<J» that th* argument
2i aitS,„^S"L^.^^* ***™P5««' extenders
the authenticify of the books and to the tmth^ »im
» torjr m the name <if*poth«r should have iMerted «»nh
pas^jges into it: an^ it is in^pr^r^^XT^
fKL7^*^ "^"^ ^^ ^ bearTiJrhave
fabncated such passages; or oven have aUowed S
^ The foUowing oteervation, therefore, of Dr Lard-
wut.oi« of aU mquirers, seems to be weH-founded-
Z, ?.^''' *^ ^^ induced to belioVe the writera of
the Gospel by observing the evidencesof pSy and
TnoXS e'r^r "^"'^ -itings, in whEJ ^4
M no qeceit, or artifice, or cunning, or desien » ^o
remarks/ as Dr Beattie hath p^periy Sd *are
^r^ ^' ^»>«cipate objecUoSs?^,l^g ;f tZ
m^T^f 7^^^ T'^' ^^ *« disuiguish X teS?!
mony of tfeese who are conscious rf impose -nn
endeavoiirto reconcile the Hauler's minTHji?;,;; '
>^extraordinaiyinthenamrtive' '^^J'^^'^f
I beg leavj» to cite atao another author* wh« h*.
well expressed the reflection which ZTL7^^
brought forwani were intended to8u«£wt«uS
uunk whether they w«^uld appear credible or not. If
I
-y
228
EVIDENCES OF
the reader will not believe their testimony, there is
no help ipr it: they tell the truth, and attend to no-
thing else. Surely this looks like sincerity/ and that
they published nothing to the world but w^t they
believed themselves.' /
As no improperr-sui^plement to this diapter, I
crave a place hereicr observing the extreme naturtU-
nes* of some of the things related in tlie New Testa- :
ment.
Mark ix. 23. * Jesus said unto him, If thou canst
believe, all things are possible to hbn that believetb.
And strai^tway the father of the child cried out,
and said with tears, Lord, I believe ; help thou mine
unbelief.' TMs struggle in the father's heart, be^
tween solicitudo for the preservation of his child, and a
a kind of involuntary did^rust of Chrises power to^
heal him, is h^e impressed with atiH^ir of reaHty,
which could hardly be counterfeited. \ ^ ^ '
Again, (Matt. xxi. ^.) the eagerness of the^ople
to introduce Christ into Jerusalem, and their Remand,
a short time aftenvard, of his» crucifixion, when he
did not turn out what they expectedi, him. ti»>be<^
far from affording matter of objection, represe/iM po-
pular ilEivour in exact agreement with nature and
with experience, as the flux and reflux of a wave.
The rulers and Pharisees rejecting Christ, whilst ^
many of ttie common peop^d .received him, was the
eiTect which, in the then State of, Je\i^sh prejudices,
. 1 should have expected. And the reason with which
they who rejected Christ's mission kept themselves
in countenance, and with which also they answered-
the arguments of those who favoured it, is precisely
the reason which such men usually give: — 'Have
any of the scribes or Pharisees believed on him?'
(John yii. 480 '
In our Lord's conversation at the well (John i v.
29). Christ had surprised the Samaritan woman with
an i^llusion to a single particular in her domestic
situation, <Thou hast had five husbands; and he,
whom thou now hast, is not thy husband.' The wo.
<^HRISTIANiTY^ ggfl
llie behaviour of Gallio (Acts xviii i^-.i'tn* j
of Festus (XXV is io\ ^„ "* *^"'- /*^— 17.)tad
already ■ '' *^*^ ^*''® '^«« observed upon
verv llt«^\^ K°^ ^*''-*® '^^ ?'**«*»» has given us
very Uttle of his history prior to that daH«^ « i *
^ «■ Hartley^ Obwnr«Uoo^ ypi. h. ,^0^
'R!-I
'\
V
230
EVIDENCES OP
elders: and when they come from the market, except
they wash, they eat not: and many other thjngs there
be which they have received to hold, as the washing
of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables/ Now
Saint Matthew was not only a Jew himself, but it is
evident, from the whole structm-eof his Gospel, espe-
cially from iaa numerous references to the Old Tes-
tament, that he wrote for Jewish readers. The above
explanation, therefore, in him, would have been un-
natural^ as not being (ranted by the readers whom he ,
addressed. But in Marie, who; whatever use he
might make of Matthew's Gospel, intended his own"
narrative for a general circulation, and who himself
travelled to distant countries in the service of the
religion, it was properly added.
<^
CHAP. IV.
tdentOffi^^^n$ei Characler.
The argument expressed by this titlei I apply princi-
^ally to the comparison of the first three Gospels with
that of Saint John. It is known to every reader of
Scripture, that the parages of Ciirist's history, pre-
served by Saint John, are, except his passion
and resurrection, for the most part, difierent from
those which are delivered by the other evangelists.
And I think the ancient account of this difibrence to
be the true one, vias. that Saint John vrrote after the
rest, and to supply what he thought omissions in their
narratives, of which the principal were our Saviour's
conferences with the Jews of Jerusalem, and his dis.
courses to his apostles at his last supper. But what
I observe in thd comparison of these several accounts
is, that, although actions and discourses are ascribed
to Christ by Saint John, in general different from
what are given to him by the otbusr evangelisU, yet,
under this diversity, there is a similitude (^ manner^
whirii indicates that the actions and discourses pro-
)4
CHRISTIANITY. / JB31
' 2*^«f fr««» the samp person. I should have laid
•Mke, or of discourses coutaiiiing many of the same
Sf I? *"\^'**' in a lalse one. Nor do I defy
S,H„\"'"f \''"*'*' " aWe to^ustein propriety Zi
^mS inni '^^**r» "^'^ugh a gr^at varied j
wi^»;^*°'^'"'**""*'^*>'«- Bnttheev^nieiisU
pected, that they studied uniformity of chaicter or
iitL i! 1*^*'' *"''°"*'- Such uniformity, if it
^i^J^H ° '^'"' P"* ^^''"^ ' '"^^ »^ there beVas 1 '^
contend there i8».a perceptible resemblance t^fmJf
in P^ges, and between discourses, whST^l
historians writing without any imitation of, or t«fer-
2«ce to, one another, it aflbJds a just pS^uLuon
t^^ are, what they profess to bef^e a?S
•ad the discourses of the same real person; that'tlie'
erangeliste wrote from fact, and no^from im'agh^ion*
atil^ .'!^«»« ^"/^I'Wch I find thi> agn^ement m^ '
2T?5'"/"'*''^'°'"'^ ™«*«°^ te«^nft and in
arawmg of l^rdoctrine from the occasion : or. which
^f^^r^ '^'^ "^««« reflections from tJe
^n'L'r^lSiJ!:!"^^"*' ^'^ - «ppo^-'y «^
in JL^li?**!!"^ *""*"**' *** point out this manner
whSLr^H *! *^»°«o««*»? apd then to Inquh^,
Christ's discourses, preserved by Saint Johi.
»W ♦L'JJ^f 7*" **"^« *■» •*» foUowing quotations.
sT.rfri2. ^ '"^i**®"^ or occasion from which it
unto him.
jr.
Matt. xil. 47—50. 'Then one said
232
EVIDENCES OP
Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without,
desirini; to speak with thee. But he answered and
said unto him that told him, Who is my motlier ? and
who are my brethren ? And he stretched forth his
hand toward his disciples, and said. Behold my
mother and my brethren: for whosoever shall do the
will of my Father which is in heaven^ the same m mu
brother, and sister f and mother.* : f
Matt. xyi. 5. 'And when his disciples were come
to the btheirside, they had forgotten to take bread;
||ien Jesus said unto Xhstm, Take heed, and beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is
; because we have taken no bread. — How is it that ye
do not undei-staud, that I spake it not to you concern-
ing bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees, and of the Sadducees? Then understood
they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven
of bread, but qf the doctrine of the Pharisees and
of the Sadducees.*
Matt. XV. I, 2. 10, 11. 15t-20. « Then came to
Jesus Scribes and" Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem,
saying. Why do thy discipieS transgress the traditions
of the elders? for they wash not their hands >*hen they
eat bread. ^And he called the multitude,* and said
unto them, Hear and understand: Not that whibhffoeth
into the mouth defileth a man, but that which eometh
out of the mouth, this deJUeth a man. ^Then an-
swered Peter, and said unto him. Declare unto u^ this
parable. And Jesus said. Are ye also yet without
understanding? Do ye not yet understand, that what-
soever entereth In at the mouth, goeth Into the Jjelly,
and is cast out into the draught? but those things
which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from Se
heart, and they defile tlie man: for out of the heakt
proceed evil thoughts, murders, adultenes, fomica\
tions, thefts, false witness, blasphemies : these are ih^
J^^^* *f^'g^ diifile a man: but to kat with pwwa^i^h- ^
TIM HAIfDS DEFILKTH NOT A MAN.' Qw Savlour, OH
this occiwion, expatiates rather more at large than
> CHniSTIANITV. 233
3 thought^ CS^S Sf'^^f ^« t«m of
^ evideSt tSt Z «rn,i . * Piuurisees, and r^ndeni .|t
rebuked th<^ UwrbronliT^^T » '^^ ^' *«C'PJes
the little cwSa to cZ- ' *".'^ '*'*' "°*^ *'»«"»' S»ff«r
not ;/or o/TcH^Jr ;!"^° T' •"** ^^'•'"•d them
Mark i. 16 17 7<T*'' '^'^[^ "*'' '^'«^'' 'A«v»».'
Galilee/he saiv simn„^°!; "f *!? ^*'''*^ ''3^ "»« ~a of
mganitltoLnrtt^'*^^^^^^
-aid unto them ^!l?'^'*y '*'*'** ^''•«'^- "»<» Jesus
the^e'tl„"i Y'cer^?^ ^' '"™%**' P"^ «« ^e spake'
"phervoTe^andSuZT °^^»»« '''>"»PanyC
that bare theefand the „-,**'^ ^^T^^ is.the womb
I'Uke xiii i q t'ri
•eason, Wme'ui^ild hTi. fTu'V™*"* »* that
Wood Pilate C't,^^^ whose
Jesus answerineSunto S.^**o''^"'^«'''5 '^^ ^
2«*t With hlmfheafdlri^iir^ l^"f *^' ^ »'
Blessed is he that smori^^Jt\^t'^ ^""^
0«i. Then said he unto him ^ i?^? ^"«*»«n» o^
is father ^Lfot t^rtT'i'^''' '^^^ P^hle
rom the occasion. oZ"veako ^JL * * *'*'^°"'^
twoolherexamplesofa^^
234
EVIDENCES OF
, ipj,, ^ . .. , ^
%aaces of tlie entertainment and the beliaviour of the
*^" We wiU now see, how this manner discovers itself
in S» John's history of Christ. ^ , .: ^^ w^ ^
John vi. 25. * And when they had found hTm on
the other side of the sea, they said unto liim, Rabbi,
when earnest thou hither? Jesus »nf '«'^«'> *f«™' "'"^
said, Verily I say unto you, ye seek me n(Jt because
ye »w the miracles, but because ye did eat of the
.: lorfves, and were filled. Mour not for the f^^^
'which perisheth, bfi^/or that meat whtch ^dureth
unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shaUgive
^'IfohT^V. 12. 'Art thou greater than our father
Abraham, who gave us the well, and dnuik thereof
Smself. U his'children, and his cattle? Jesus an-
8wei-ed,and said unto her (the ^vom^r of Samarw),
Whosoiver drlnketh of tWs water shall thirst again,
but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him, ihaU never thirst; btU the water that Ishatlgne
him, shaU be in him a weU qf water, sprtngmg up mto
"ZtXi 'In the mean while, his disciples
. prayed him, saying, Master, eat; but J%s»'? ^^
them, I haye meat to eat that ye know not of. 1 here-
fore said the disciples one to another. Hath »«/ jnan
brought lilm ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them.
My meat is, to do the wiU of him that sent me, and
' to finish his work J j u u* ««,
John ix. 1-5. ' And as Jesus pwsed by, he saw
a man which was blind fh.m Iiis births and his discU
pies asked him, saying. Who did sin ilils man or hjs
parents, that he ias born blind? Jesus answered
Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, bttt
that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
/ must work the works of him that sent me, while iti*
dnvj the nipht Cometh, when no yian can work. W«
I
•
^■5
t
\
r»; ' «7/ "^i fa7;;;'.;,w4 , i .». i»> %*< '/ ""
vmrld.
John ix. 35—40. • J«sus*^ard tliat they had cast
CHttlSTI/iNlTY.. 236
him (the blind man above mentioned) out: and when
he liad. found him, lie said unto h|m, Dost thou believe
on the' Son of God? And he answered, and said. Who
is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus
said unto him. Thou hast both seen him, and it is he
tiiat talketh with thee. And he said, Lord,' I believe ;
and he worshipped him. And Jesus said, Forjudgl
inent I am come into this' world, that they which see
not, miffht see; and that they which see, mightbe made
Hind.* \ .
All that the reader hasnow to do, is to compare the
series of examples taken from Saint John, withth©
series of examples taken from the other evaq#feK
and to judge whether there be not a visible agr^ment
of manner between them. In the above-quoted pas-
sages, the occasion is stated, as well as the reflectttin.
They seem, therefore, the most proper for the purpose
of our argument. A large, however, and curious
collection has been made by different writers, • of in-
stences, in which it is extremely probable that Christ
spoke in allusion to some object, or some occasion,
then"before him, though the mention of the occasion,
or df the object, be omitted in the histoiy. I only
observe, that these tustmces are common to Saint
John's Gospel with the other three. , •
I concNide this article by remarking, that nothing
of this manner is perceptible in the speeches recorded
in the Acts, or in any other but those which are
attributed to Christ, and that, in tmth, it was a very
unlikely manner for a forger or fabulist to attempt ; and
a manner very di/ficult for any writer to execute, if
he had to supply all the materials, both the incidents
and the observations upon them, o«it of his own head,
A forger or a fabulist would have made for Christy
discourses exhorting to vlrtu«^ and dissuading from vice
in general terms. U would never have entered into
^^■^■llA^Jf^i? of either, to have crowded' togetlier such
ihishius lu rime, place, and other HttlT
1 Nawtoii OD DmiIcI, p. 148. noU «. Jortin, Dig. p. SIS,
%, BMtoop Uw'i Lib of ObrUl,
236 • / ' EVIDENCES OP,
drcw»sti(nce8, as occur, for. instance, in the sermon
SiXi^nt, and which nothing but the ^actual pre-
sence/M th6 objects could have suggested.
^1S?Thero»peawtometoexistan.affinitybetw^^^ ^
the histoororEhrist's P^^^^f /, f »!,f ^,*»h^e '
midst of his disciples, te related by the first three
r^geSsts, • and the history of Christ'^ wj8h.n« his
disciples' feet, as 'given by Saint Joh*,.* ^n the
^ries themselves there is no resemblance. _But the
Affinity ivhich 1 would point out consists m these t%xo
artiples: First, that both stories denote the emulation
^ch prevailid amongst Christ's disciples, and h^
oi^h cw!e and desire to correct it ; the moral of both is
L same. Secondly, that bo5i stories are specimens
«f the same^manner of teaching, viz. bjracMon ; a njode
dF emblematic instruction extremfely ^9^^^"^'^^:
these passages, ascribed, we see, to our Saviour, by
Se fiiSt three evangelists, and by Saint John in instan-
Ss totoUy unlike, wid wiUioiit the smaUest suspicion '
of their borrowing from each ether.
, in. A singularity in Christ's language, which runs
' through\jl L evangelists, and whiih »J^.^^
thosediscourses W Saint John thatliave^nothihg sinv..
iS^jDthem in die other Gosjtels, is the appellation
of'the Sonof nan;' and it is in all the evangelist^ -
found under the peculiar circumstance of "bemg ap-
plied by Christ i » himself, but of never being used .of
' h m! or towirds 1 Am, by any other pei-son. It occurs-
S^^e'nte^n times n Matthew's Gospel, twenty imes
i " Mark's, twenfer-one times in LuJce's, and eleven
y"mes m Jihn's, ?nd always with this restriction
"^ Tv. A point ofVgwement in the conduct of ChHst,
ts represented by his diflerent historians, is that pf
Ss^ithdrawing himself out of the way, ^henever the
behTviourof the multitude hidicated a disposition to
* ^ l tt v«^. g g ' A nd strai ghtway Jesm constrain ed
S: '1
rightway .
hip. and
bis dLcipVw to^et h.to a ship, ani to go Deiore.flir
• SM BJihop UWi Life of Chfirt. ^' '_^ _ •
♦ \
CHRISTIANITY.
AKI'
837
Jinto the othdf side, while''he sent the multitude away.
' . And when Ik h^d sent> the multftude away, he ^ent
Up into a mountain^yiHui; td pray.' •
^ , V _ Luke V. 15^ 16. i But so much the more wl>nt
there a fkme abroad of him, an^ great multitudes came
together to hear, and to be healed by ^imo/ their
. infirmities: and he withdrew^ himsel/ intQ the wiL
■ demess, and prayed.' * /\ ^ i
With (hese quotations, cempara the following Ironi
qaint Jottn: . ^ ,
I Chap. V. 13., 'And he that was' healed wist not
"lyho it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away a
.multitude being in that placp/ .
Ghap. vi. 15y* When Jesus therefore perceived that
- they would come and taker him by fotee to make him
a king, he departed again iqto a mountain faimselt
alone.? , . . * '^
' e I? '^^ ^^^ instance. Skint John gives the motive
of Christ's conjluct, which is left unexplained bv the
otlMr evangelists, who have related the conduct itself,
^j"; Another, anji a more sihgular circiunstaiyc^ iii ,
Christ's mikistry, was the reserve, whitSi, foT' ^bme
. time; and upon kdme occasfons at least, he us«d in
declaring his j^vn character, and his leaving it to be
collected fronf hii works rather than his professions,
Just reasons for this reserve have- been assigned. •
But it is UQt wh^t one would have eypeqtcd. We
meet with it in Saftat Matthew's Cospel; chap. xvi.
no. « Thea charged he his disciples, that they should
tell no man thj^t he was Jesus the Christ.' Again,
and upon a different occasion, in Saint Mark's: chap.
^ iii. 11. * And unclean spirits, when they sayf him, fell
» down before him, and cried, saying. Thou art the Son
- of God: and he straitly charged them that they
should not mUce him ko&Wn.' Another instance
similar to this last l|frecoAled tar Saint Luke, chap,
i'^. 41. What- we &M find in the ' ^
•ppearsalsSTn a passage of Siint John, chap.^x. 24.'
if 5. Then came the Jews round about him, and said
_: :_ •■•• I^ke'i RrawMublenMiorchrlftiaiilty. — :_— :
, ■ ^
'^
2381 ^ ■ EVIDENCES OP > V
unto him, How long dost thou make us to douht? IC
.thou be the Christ,. teU us plainly.V The occasion
her^ was different from any of the rest; and it was
indirect. We only discover Christ's conduct through ,_
the upbraidings of his adversaries. But all this
stren^eiis the argument. I had rather at any time ;
surprise a cmnddence in 8*me oblique allusion, than
read it in broad assertions. . ^
VI la ow Lord's commerce with his disciples^
one viry observable particular is the difficulty which
.they found ii understanding him. when he spoke to
them of the foture part of his history, especially of ,
whkt related to his passion or resurrection. 1 his dii-
ficulty produced, as was natural, a wish in them to
ask for farther Explanation; from whiih, however,
thev appear to have been sometimes kept back, by
the^fear of giving offence. AU these circum8tanc|^
are distinctly noticed by Mark and Luke «P0«» «»
» occasion of his informing .them (pr«*ably for the first .
Ume), that the Son of, man shoujd be, delivered int^
' the hLids of men. * Tlhey understood Hot' the evw^
gelists tell us, * this saving, and it wm hid fr»m4hem,
that the^ perceived it not: and they feared to^ him
of that saying.' Luke ix. 45. Mark ix. 32. In
Saint John's Gospel we have, on a different^^casion,
and in a different instance, the same difficulty of ap- ^
, prehension, the same curiosity, and the same re^i
Jtraint:— ' A little while, and ye shall not see me:
ahd again, a little while, a«d ye shall see me i; ^
^ cause 1 ao to the Father. - Then said some of his di«.\
: Ss a^on^ themselves. What is this that he saith
unto U3? A little while, and ye shall not see me:
and again, A little while, and ye shaU see me: and.
SecX i go to the Father? They saui therefore.
What is this that he saith, A little while? we caiu ,
not tell what ho saith. Now Jesus knew that they
y ^r. HA>.iroiia to ask him, and said unto them, &o.
r
V
''''virTto mtekness of Christ during his last sijf.
ferings*, which Is conspicuous in the narratives of the
/
, v-^, '
ams
CHBISTI^NITY.
239
I u ^^ evangeliata la preafepved in that of Saint
John, under sei^rate exampij^s. The answer given
/by Inin, in Saint John,* wh^b the high priest asked
/ I,
Wm of his disciplek and his/doctrine; * I spake openly
to the wortd; I ever laught in the synagogue, a^d in
the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in
, «ecret have I said nothing; why askest thou me? ask
\ them which heard me, Miat 1 have said unto them *
tjs very much of a piew^ with his reply to the armed,
/ party which seized hiih, as we read in Saint Mark's
oospel, and in Sainl/ Luke's:' *Are you come out
as against a thief, Vith swords and with staves to
take me? - I was daily wi^ you in the temple teach-
ing, and ye took me not.f In both aiUwers, we dis- "
cern the .same tranquillity, the same reference to his
public teachlngV' His mild expostulation with Pilate,
on two several, occasions, as related by Saint John, «
is delivered >*ith the same unruffled temper, as that
which conducted him through the last scene of his ,
life, as desiiribed by his other evangelists. His an-
swer in SJaint Johft's Gospel, to tlie offiijer who struck
him wjtii the palm of hi!i hand, af I have spoken
evil, bear witness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest
. ?^?l' '^'« 8"ch an answer, as might have been
looked foK from the person, who, as he proceeded to
the place of. execution, bid his companions (as we ara
^old by Saint Luke)," weep not for him, but for
themselves, their posterity, and their countiy; and
who, whilst he was suspended upon the cross, prayed
for his murderen, «for they know not,» said he,
'what they do/ The Urgency also of his judges and
his prosecutors tp ejttort from him a defence to the ,^
accusation, and his unwillingness to make any (which
was a peculiar circumstance), appears in Saint John's
account, as well As in that of the other evangelists. "
_1 here are moreover two other correspondences
between Saint John's history of the transacti on and
'--fe.
• Chap. x#lll. «V «1. ^ ,
■ Qhvii. XTfU. «4. six. II.
MHc " Sm Jttta xii. «.'
» Hark «lT. 48. Luke nil. 5&
• CJhap. XTiii. jO. •• Chap. niii. ML
Malt, xxfii. 14. Luke sxlU, «,
240 EVIDENCES OF ^^^^^^^;^^^^^. .
f theirs, of » kind somewhat diflerent from those which
we have been now mentioning.
The first three evangelists record-what is called .
our Saviour's agony, f . e. his devotion in^ the garden
immediately Ytefyuy he was apprehended; m wlflcb
narraUve they aU make him pray, * that the cup might
pass frjfc him/ This is the particular metaphor
which they aU ascribe to him. Saint Matthew wJds,
* O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from
me, except I drink it, thy wiU be done.^" Now
Saint John does not give the sc<?ne in the garden: but
, when Jesu9 was seized, and some resistance was at-
tenfiited to be made by Peter, Jesus, according to his
account, checked' the attempt with this reply: * Put
up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my
Father hath given me, shall 1 not drink it? This
A is something more than consistency ; it is coincidence : /
because it is extremely natural, that Jesus, who^ be-
♦ fore he waa apprehertded, hjid bceft praying his Father,
,that * that cup might p^^from^hip,' yet with such a
pious retniction of his request, i» to haVe added,* U
this cup may not pass from me, thy will be done ;» it /
was natural, I s&y, for the same person, when he ac->»
tually was apprehended, to express the resignation to
which he had already made up his thoughts, and to
^express it hi the form of speech which he had before i
used, *The cup which my Father hath given, me,
shall I not drink it?» This is a coincidence between
writers, in whose narraUves there is ho imitation, but
great diversity. ,. , „ .
A second similar correspondency is the foUowiug*.
iMatthew and Mark make a charge, upon which owt
• Lord was condemned, to be a threat of destroying tho^
temple; * We heard him say, I wiU destroy thij
temple made with hands, and within three days!
WiU build another made without hands:' " but they
neith er of t hem info rm us. upon what circumstances
this calumny was founded. Saint John m the early
part of the histoiy, " supplies us with this information ;
» Clu^ sstL 18. » Chap- w>M» ". '* '*"'' «I». »• " <**• «• »»•_
/
t CHRISTIANITY. g^f
, on our Lord's first joumey,to Jeru-
salem, when the Jews, asked him,' * What si^ stew.
*st thou unto us, seeing that thdu doest the^ things?
he answered. Destroy this temple, and in three days
1 will raise it up.» This agreement could hardly
arise from any thing but the truth of the case7 From
Vty care or design in Saint John, to make his narra-
tive tally with the narratives of other evangelists, it
certjiiniy did not arise, for no suqh design appears,
but the^sence of it. «
A sfi-ong and more general instance of agreement
Is the foUowing.— The first three evJ^lgelistshaye re-
lated the appointment of the twelve apostles, « and
--ive given a catalogue of their names in form. John
without ever mentjjmihg the appointment, or givin*
the catalogue, supposes throughout Ids whole namu
tive, Christ to be accompanied by a select party of
his disciples; tlie number of those to be twelve-"
and whenever he happens to notice any one as of that
number, » it is one included in the catalogue of the
other evangelists: ind the names principally occur-
ring in the course of hit histoiy of Christ, are the
liames extent in their list. This lasl agreement,
which is of considerable moment, runs through every
Gospel, and through every chapter of each.
^ All this bespeaks reali^. ^^ _v--
l:r-r-~-_
CHAP.V.
The Jews, whether right or wrong, had undentood
their prophecies to foreteU the advent of a person
who by some supernatural assistance should adv^c^
their nation to independence, and to a supreme de-
gree of splendour and prosperity. This was tlm
i-eigningi^lnionMiaeicpecUlidnofthetimes
•• MaU. I. I. Mark ill. U. Luke vl. Ii:
M Ciup. u. S4. Ti. n.
"CliiH^H.nL
S42
EVIDENCES OV
\ NoW, liad Jesus been aa ^thusiast, It is probable
Nttiat his enthiisiasm would-bave fallen in with the
^ujar delusion, and tlbit, whilst he gave himself out
. to b^ the person intend^db^\these predictions,, he
~ ^ouid have assumed the cfefact^r to which thqr^^wereu
inlversally supposed to relate.
Had he" been an impostor, it was^his business to have
" nattered the prevailing hopes, because these hopes were
to ie the instruments of his attraction and success.
Put, what is better than conjecture, is the fact,
that all the pretended Messiahs actually did so. H e
leain from Josephus, that ther« were many of these.
Some of themi it is probable, might be impostors, who
bought that an advantage was to be taken of the stkto
of public opinion. Others, perhaps, were enthusiasts,
whose imagination had been drawn to this particular
object, by the language and sentiments which pre- ,
• vailed around them. But, whether impostors or en-
thusiasts, they concurred in producing themselves in
the character which their countiymen looked for, that
. is to say, as the restorers and deliverers of the nation, v
in that sense in which .restoration and deliverance,
were expected by the Jews.
Why therefore Jesus, if he was, like them, either
an enthqsiast or impostor, did not pursue the same
conduct as they did, in framing his charaiter and
pretensions, it will be found difficult to explain. A
mission, the operation and benefit of which was to
take place in another life, was a thing unthought of
' as the subject of these prophecies. Tha^ Jesus, com-
ing to them as their Messiah, should come under a
• character totally difTepnt from that ii;i which they ex-
^ pected him; should deviate from the general persua-
sion, and deviate into pretensions absolutely singular
and original ; appears to be inconsistent with the im-
putation of enthusiasm or imposture, botli which, by
tlieir nature, I should expert would, and both which,
w hich this very subject
th ro ughout^ the jexperience.
furnishes, in fact *ow, followed the opinions that ob-
tained at the time.
"^
CItRISTlANITY.
243
If it be said, tha^ Jesus, having Uied the other
plan, turned at length to this; I answer, that thp
thing is said without evidence; againgt evidence;
that it was competeht to the rest to have ddne the*
same, yet that nothii^ of this sort was thought of by
«ny. '^ : ^ -o /
t
OTAP. VI.
One argument, which has been much relied upon
(but not more than its just weight' deserves), is the
conformity of the facts occasionally mentioned or re-
ferred to in Scripture, with the state of things in those
times, as represented by foreign and independent ac-
counte; which conformity proves, that the writers of
the New Testament possessed a species of local
knowledge, which could only belong to an inhabitant
of that country, and to one living in that age. , This
argument, if well made out by examples, is yery little
short of proving the absolute genuineness of the wriU
ings. It carries them up to the age of the reputed
authors, to an age in which it must have been difficult
to impose upon the Christian public, forgeries in the
^ names of those authors, and in which there is no evi-
dence that any forgeries were attempted. It proves,
at least, that the books, whoever were the authors;^(tf
them, were composed by persons living in the time
y and country in which these things were transacted;
and coiwequently capable, by their situation, of beine
well informed of the facts which they relate. Ami
the argument Is stronger when applied t<Lthe New
Testament, than it is In the case of almost any other
writings, by reason of the mixed nature of the allu-
slons which this book contains. The scene of action
is not confined to a single country, but displayed in
the greatest cities ef the Roman empire. Allusions
a r e m ade to Uie inanueia and prludples of ttm Greek sT"
the Romans, and the Jevrs. This variety renders a
forgeiy propoitionably more difficult, especially td
A.^i.K^^''
244
EVIDENCES OP
writers of a posterior hgb. A Greek or Romui
Christian, who Uv«d in the second or tliirE centurjTt •
would have beep wanting in Jewish literature; a :
Jewish convert in those ages would have been equally
deficient in tbe^ knowledge of Greece and Rome. '
This, however, i|__to argument which depends
entirely upon an induction of particulars ; and bs>
consequent^, it carries with it little force, witlumt a
view of th^ instances upon which it is built, I ^ve to
request tiie reader's attention to a detail of examples,
distjinctly and articulately pjroposed. In collecting
these examples, I have done no more than epitomize
the fii^t volume of the fi^t part of Dr^I^ardner's -
Credibility of the Gospel jHtstory. And I have^rought
the/argument within ite^pfesent compass, first, by^as- *
over some of his sections in whic^ the accordanicy
yyf^hied to Dae les^ certain, or upon subjects not
sufficiently appropriate or circumstantial; secondly, by
contracting every^ section into the fewest words pos.
sible, contenting myself for the mest part with a mere
apposition oV passages; and, thirdly, by omitting
many disquisitions, which, though learned and accu-
>ate, are not al^solutely necessary to the understand*
ing or verification of the argument.
The writer principally made use of in the inquiry,
is Josephus. Josephus was bom at Jeru^lem four
years- after Christ's ascension. He wrote his history
of the Jewish war some time aft* the destruction of
Jerusalem,'which happened in im year of our ^m^
70, that is, thirty-seven years after the ascensToia;
and his history of the Jews he finished in the year
93; that is, sixty yedrs after the ascension.
Attbe head <tf each article, I have referred, by fig-;
ures included inl>rackets, to the pagje of Dr Lardner's
volume, where the section, from which the i^ridg-^
piAfit jg m«de. begjpg. Thftjedition used, is that rf
I. [p. 14.>Matt. ii.82. * When |he.( Joseph) heard
• MiehMlWi Introducdoa tottas New TMUaniit iMarab't Tran^.
lion), e. t. MCt xl.
CHRISTIANITY.
84a
thai Archelaus did reign ia Judea^ in the room of liis
&ther Herod, IvB was aiiraid to go thither: notwitH-
fltanding, being warned of God in « dream, he turned
aside into the parts of GaKlce.'
In this
succeede
powei'
Josephi
include
his succei
dominioAs
ge it is asserted, that Archelaitt
Judea ; and it is implied, that his
d to Galilee. Now we learn firom '
the Great, whose dominion^
of Israel, appointed Archelausif
"dea^ and assigned the rest of IgpT
sons ; and that this disposition was
ratified, ai to the main parts of it, by the Roman
emperor.'
Saint Matthew says, thit Archelaus reignedf was
king in Judea. Agreeably to this, we are ii^ormed by
Josephus, not only that Herod appointed Archelaus c
his successor in Judea, but that he also appointed him
with the tiite of KlDg;''and the Greek verb B«(r«Xi«< ,
which the evangelist uses to denote the government
and rank of Archelaus, is used likewise by Josephus. '
The cruelty of Archelaus's character, which is not
obscurely intimated by the evangelist, agrees, with
divers particulars in his history, preserved by Joseph^ '
us :— * In tlfe tenth year of his government, the chief of
the Jews and Saitaaritans,noMikfe able to endure his .
cruelty and tyranny^^es^ntecral^laints against him
to Ciesar.'*
II. [p. 19.] Luke iil. 1. <In the fifteenth year of
the reign of Tibeiilus Caesar ,--^Herod being tetrareh
of Galilee, and his brother Philip, tetrarch of Iturea *
and of the region of Trachonitis,— the word of God
came unto John.' _"
By the will of Herod the Great, and the decree of
Augustus thereupon, his two sons were appointed, ^
one (Herod An|ipas) tetrarch of Galilee uidTPenea,
and the other (Philip^ tetraijh of Trachonitis and the
neighbouring countries.^ We 'have tiiereS>r(nE^^
two persons in the situatipns in which 'Saint Luke
• ibis BdL Ub. i. e. 39. wet 7.
• Ant. lib. xvil. c. 8. Met U ,
• Ant lib. nU. a. a^iNt 1.
« Ant lib. xviL e. 13. Mat 1
■,>■
■ !' l I I ' <
-:^,l3
2f6
EVrmiNCES OF
> ■
places them; ^d also, that they were in these situa-
tions in the .^^en/A year of Tiberius; in other words,
that they continued in possession of their territories
and titles until that time, and afterward, appears from
a passage of Josephus, which relates of Herod, * that
he yrvni "removed by Caligula, the successor of Tibe-
rius ;* uid of Philip, that he died in the twentieth year
f^'-Tibei^ius, when he had governed Trachonitis and
liiatanea and Gaulonitis thirty-seven years.' '
III. [p. 20,] Mark vi. 17. " * Herod hn^^ sent forth,
and laid hold upon John, and bound hiin in pri§on,
tibr Herodias* sake, his brother Philfp's wife; for he
had married her.' , " >^
With this compare Joseph. Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 6.
gect. 1. — * He (Herod the tetrarch) made a visit to
Herod his brother. — Here, fallitig in love wiUi He-
rodias, the wife of the said Herod, he ventured tl make
her proposals of marriage." «
Again, Mark vi. 22. •* And when the daughter of
IA« said Heroditu came in and danced .'
VVith this also compare Joseph. Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 6.
«ect. 4. * Herodias was married to Herod, son of
Herod the Great. Thep had a daughter, whose name
was Salome; after whose birth, Herodias, in utter
violation of Uie laws of her countiy, left her husband,
then living, and mi^ried Herod the tetrarch of Ga-
liiee, her husband's brother by the father's side.*
iV. [p. 29.] Acte xii. 1. ' Now, about that time.
* lb. e. &. Met 6.
■ SeeslM
• Ant lib. XTiil. c. 8. laet S.
Malt xiT. 1—18. Luke ill. 19.
• The afBnity of the two mecowitt ii unquestionable ; but ttiere U »
dUferenee in the name of Hvodiai'i flrat huaband, which, in the e*an-
gelM, U Philip ; In Josephit« Herad. The dlfBculty, howerer, will not
appear eontldemble, when we reeolleet how eommon it was in those
times fbr the same person to bear two names. * Simon, whieh i^ ealled
Peter i Lebbeua, whose lunlanie is Thaddeus \ Thomas, which U called
Dtdymus ; Simon, who was called Niger { Saul, who was also called'
Paul.' The aoluUon Is fendcred likewise easier in the present ease, by
^^ .^Mm^fjon, thrt HOfod tfie '&reat bad c"""*" ^y-^ "'''**
wiiwii I that Jfosephu|menaonB Uir^ oThls sons under the name oT Rk-
rod i that it is nsTertKlfsshlRhly probable, that the brothers bore some
additional name, by whIeh they were dlstin(uished tnm ooe anot^r.
Lanlnsf , TOl. ii. p. 807 * '
:i
%
^
CHRISTIANIXy.
£L! *« '^I^^* ^» '^^ conclusion of the smw
chapter, Herod's <fea/A is represented to have S
^, place soon after this persecJtioiJr Th^aSaT rf
wnicli truth of its own accord orodurAo i» in ♦k.-^ •
' Ih«r«^^^ *^***''®' ''°'" ""^ afterward, in which
S^aurorL*rJud-'''^*'*"\*P^"^
S^!„?r S^ •'"?®*' **'' ^° ^^on» that title could
be app led, except the three last yeare of this Her^V
•fe, within which period the tniLactiwi «LrdeSln
w-as the grandson of Herod the Great. In the Arte
he appears under his family name of HerS by JoJ^'
phus he was called Agrippl For prorf that he^*
a*.»ij, properly so called, we have the testhnon^f
Josephus in f.Ul and direct terms:-* Sending forhim
appointed him king of the tetrarchy of Philip intend
Wi i^: "?f* ^ *' ^'«*' •»"' not until the tot
tt'fof L"*!' ^''"t'^T '^PP*'^ Va suSeqS^^i
cSus hv fS' •'"'"^P**"'' wherem he teUs us? that
t-iaudius, by a decree, confirmed to AgriDna th«
o$f hts grandfather Herod.^^ i «'/'<'**«*««»
wJ;J^*^*/^ "^"J^/"- *^23. 'And he (HerodV
went down from Judea to Cesarea, and thefe abSl
.at upon his throne, and made an oration SoC
a god aSStt S? ' «h«"S«^y'n». It is the voT^l of
nf*Jho r J^L**{ *.""*"' *"** immediately the anirel
lit '^"i** '^note i^im, because he gave not GodTe
gloj^: and he was eaten of worm,,^d g^e ^ t
T: i"«'Pn- Antfq. Jib. xix^ c. 8. sect; 2 'He wi^
to the city of Cesarea. Here he ce.ehrlted S^JTS
2i^#l
" Anttq. irlli. e. 7. iMt, 10.
"'•^M* *••«». I.
248
.r*;-! EVIDENCES OP
>».-<
m
hoDour of Caesar. On the seqond day of the abowf ,
early in the momiog, he came into the theatre, dress-
ed in a robe of silver, of most curioua workmanship.
J^The rays of the rising sun, reflected from such a
splendid.garb-,- gave him a majestic and awful appear*
ance. They called him a god ; and entreated him to
be propitious to them, saying, Hitherto we have
respected you as a man; but now we acknowledge
you to be more than mortal. The king neither
reproved these persons, nor rejected the impious
flattery.~Immediately after this, he was seized with
ipains in his bowels, extremely violent at the very
first.— He was carried therefore with all haste to his
palace. These pains continually tormentine him, he
expired in five days* time.' *'*• ^
The reader will perceive the accordancy of these
accounts in various particulars; The place (Cesarea),
the set day, the ^j;geous dress, the acclamations of
the assembly, th^^culiar turn of the flattery, the
reception of it, the sudden and critical incursion of
the disease, are circumstances noticed in both nan^a^
tives. The worms, mentioned by Saint Luke, are
not remarked by Josephus ; but the appearance of these
is a symptom, not unusually, I believe, attending the
diseases which Josephus des^ibes, vi». violent afl^o>
tions of the bowels, -— r^ ";™^>- "" ■"■ ^ ^^
VI. [p. 41.] Acts xxiv. 24. * And after certain
days, when %lix came with his wife Drusilia, which
was a Jewess, he sent for Paul.'
Joseph. Antiq« lib. xx. c. 6. sect. 1,2.' Agrippa
gave his sister Drusilia in marriage to Azizus, king
of the Emesenes, when he had consented to be cir.
cumcised. — But this marriage of Drusilia with Azizua
was dissolved in a short time after, in this manner:
•~-When Felis tea* procurator of Judea, having had
% sight of her, he was mightily taken with her.-'-She
WM indiiftftd to tr a nsgreg g th e la ws of h er c ou n try ^
ftnd marry Felix.
Here the public station of Felix, the name of hisC
.V
CHRISTUNITV.
219
\
• i-^
wife, and the singular ciPcumstan* oflier n-liirlnn • ^
"aJ?* ^®J -^"^^ aft* certain davs kinA^«*
g. ajjJ^ernice came to Cesarea S^^^^t ^pt^**: —
By this passage we are in effect told, thaT aSL •
was a king, but not of Judea; for he rawa fA f ??
Icingdom, nor ever recovered Judea wh.VK Lh S I
ICJY' TJ*'^.'*^ *^« infoStion of i^eph!"
r? i*'*'®^ ^'^'™ '^**' ^h«n his father wm Tad
Claudius intlir^ed, at first, to have put him^medl'
ately |n possession of his father's dominion, but th* "
Agrfppa being then but seventeen ^eZZf agl^e
emperor was persuaded to alter his mind, and anoint!
Kingdom , which Fadus was succeeded by Tiberius
Alexander, Cum^ius, Felix, Festus.« Bu Iha
though disappointed of his father's kingdom in Jhirh
was included Judea* he was neverthelesY^K^^J ^J
Kpf Amppa, and that ^ was in possession oflon
siderable territories bordJring upon Judea, we gaS
from ne same authority; for, Jter seve^ Z^
donatioi^s of ccfuntor, 'Clai^ius, at the wme? me
that he sent Felix to be proclato; of JpdeHromTu
3d Agrippa from Chalcis to a greater A4rfoi»,Xne
o him the tetraichy whlcluJiad been PhZ's and
he adited moreover the kingZm of Lmniis ,^d t «
provinre that had belonged to Varus ^o' ^K
Saint Paul addresses this person as a Jew- -Klnir
Agrippa, bellevest thou the prophets? I know thS
??,,'!!'^ry . A« the son of HeroA Agripr It
i H dp g cri bo d by JoaebhiM in h.i,A k^^ ^ --T. g^^
■ j; f^^ rlbod b > Josephus t o hav6 b een >3 ous 'J effi
ameofhl.1 I ^ ^.^'^^''^^ ^ «"PP<«« that he maint^«edTe imi
M^ U. «. II. Ml Oa.
li lb, M . I>t BtU. lib. 11. u D« BtU£
♦ ,4 J
/'
rr^
j850
EViDteNCES OP
professioo.. But what is more material to remark, *
i because it is niore; close and circumstantial, js, thair >.
' Saint Liike, speaking of the father, {A^s xii. 1 — 3.)
calls him Herod the king, and giv^ an example of
the exercise of his authority at Jerq^em: speaking
' of thb son, (XXV. 13.)'he^alls him king, but not of i
. Juddi; which distinction agrees corrfe^ljr, .pith the
• histor)^ ; . t ■■•■- . \ -'y^r-; ■■'
Vnp^ [p. 6i J Acts Xiii. 6. * And whea lie had
• gone through M isile (C)^prus) to Pa^o^Key found
V
*-N
The word, .Vhichii?,W«B translated deputy,, signi
ties proconsul t aftd up<m this word our observation I
founded. The pirotihces of the Roman empire were
of two kinds; those Mi«nging to the emperor, in
which the governor wai called propraestor; and those
belonging to the senate, in which ihe governor, was
called proconsul. And this was a regular distinction.
Now it appears from Dio Casfiius," tliat the province
of Cyprus, which in the oiiginal distribution was
assigned to the emperor, had been transferred to the
senate, in exchange for some others ; and that, after
this exchange, the appropriate title of tlie Roman
governor was proconsul. ^___ : ,__:^ _:|||_
lb. xviii. 12. [p. 65.] « And when GalUo wHi
deputy (procoruul) of Achaia.' .
The propriety of the title * proconsul,* is in this pas*
sage still more critical. For the province of Achaia,
^fter passing from the senate io the emperor, had been
restored agidn by the emperor Claudius to the senate
(and consequently its government had become procon*
- «tt/ar) only six or seven years before the time in which
this transaction J9 said to have taken place." And
what confines with strictness the appellation to the
time is, that Achaia under the ^^^owing reign ceased
_ii,
to he a Bomui province at all.
19 Dt Bell, Ub. Ilv. ad ▲. U. rss,. ^»« Cutt. lo V'toud. ortfc l)io.
'T-
>v
251
IX. [p. 152^ It appears, as well trom th^«feneriU
constitution of a Roman province/as fronfwW
Josephus delivers concernliig the state of JudeaT
rarticular..' that the powers of life.anLeath^sfdS
exclusively in the R^an governor; Init Zt tS^
Jews nevertheless, had magistrates and a council
favestea witfy a subordinate and municipaJ auuS:
Ihis economy is discerned in eveiy part ofthe Gosue
narrative of our Saviour's c-ucifixZi. ^ ^
X. [p. 203.] Acts ix. 31. 'TlieiUiad the chunhes
' mt throughout air Judea and Gaiol and Samarta /
*« i ""& synchronizes with the attempt of Caligula
SrSlTnf "i^'f "'.^" *^« *«™»^'« «^ Jerusalem S
' ^^^f «;h»ch outrage produced amongst the JeWs
a consternation that, for a season, diverted their atten-
tion from every other object." /
XI. [p. 2ia^.] Acts xxi. 30. ' And thejUook Piul
and drew hi^ out of the temple; and foCth^t'
doors were sW. And asthey\ventaboutrSrhim
t.dmgs came to the chief captain of the A«„rf, that ™l
Jenmlem was in an upr<jar. Then the chief «mt.j" '
eame n4r. and took him, and commanded WmtoT
bound with two chains, and demanded, who he w,«^
and what he ha^ done; and some cried one thing and
some anotfier, among the multitude: apl w£ S
^Scame^''.^ ""T^'^ '^'^ the c«./fe^„d S
. he came ipbb the rfair,, so it wa.^ that he was borne
of the to diers for the violence of the people.'
In this quotiSon, we have the band of Roman
T'^^ J?"«»»«P«»eir office (to suppr^s tumuZ
J^e castle, tlie stai^oth, as it 4ir- ^ -" ^'
>lMf seem, adjoin
TaTu"" "*'"H'''- *^et "8 inquirSpiicther we ran
tfpte.^"''"''" "'^^*'^'^' Xd 0? urata"?
jTt-. i ^"* "•*• ^- ''• ^- »«ct. 8. ' Antonia was
f*"*fa<» at the angle of the western artd '*"'''"'* '^»«
-*i«««i-
Jjorthern jH t^
>ud. ons. l>io.
empTe. "Ttl^irbijllt «j,^n a roi-k
». 0. 13. iwor, I. », 4. V' '• '*"• * » Jospph, de Bell; VO^
\
^
re %..
■^-were
¥■1 •.
tttafside
highi st&pSia all sides. -. , ^
,i„edT*ltiSptotii!oes <<f'the teijiii^^J*ere,
reachfti^>i«ftch portico, tar^ich^<t^^
mild 'sm^m^^^'^Ml^ io«d here, a
..^A i^iJmMmm& the|n^v|l%i thiir armour
^ ?!KTfflIC^ffiAlSfii^pt a watch
% J^r ^^ *«!!^i^^«3foard!^#thV city> so was
TOT as th(B ienlller? i^-^v^^ .
^ntonia to the tempielf *^^^^^^^^^ , ,
priests, and the Captain of the
(ucees, came upop, them.* Here
jcer; under the title of captain of
•obably a Jew, a& he accomi^anied
lefes in apprehending the aj^tles.
I. ii. Ci 17. sect. 2. * And it the
*.♦
• t •
--».
'•?'>
. x»,ii. [>.,2a4.
unto the people,'
'■^mpki'vcA the Si
lire bitve.a public
the temple', and 1
. the priests and Si
Joseph, de Bell. «,....- -•• — ;, ~- . , .jii . ^
towflfo, Eleazar, the mi of. Ananias, the higMf est, *
Zmg Van of^a.bolFand resolute dis^«M then
ca»to1n, pdi-suaded those who perfprtned the bacred
. Vfnistritipns not to rSeive the gift or sacrificelof any
'•^1cm;4^^^^^ Acts 5lxv. 12. 'Then Festus,
when he Kd conferred with the council, answered,
Hast thou Appealed unto Cfassar? unto Csesar shalt thou
' io ' That it was usual fdr the Roman presidents to ^
1.^ haie a council, consisting of their friends, and otl*^
Chief Romans in the* prqvince, appears expressly m
• the following passage of Cicero's oiation against Ver-
ges—' Iliad negate posses, aut nunc negabis, te, con-
' cili'o tuo djmisso, viris primariis, ilui in consilio O.
SacerdoUs fuerant, tibique esse Volebant, remotis, de
re judicata judicftsjj^:^^^ ,3, , ^n^ ^at M) ,,,
«ut of the city by a river ^r
jt. to be made/ or wherelta
n place of prayer was alu)Wi
be remarkld, is the situatton of
f'
XIV. [p. 235
oil the sabbath
where pra
jrhepai'ti
/
^ the place
% river si
lie conduct of the Jews of Altx-
^
k>\
v
-&>,
CHRISTJANItV,
253
0? tile cS S,? '^Prning, flocking out of the gates
the wfa^,,;^., were destroyed), and, steudS^ i.. !
' most pure plac6 IKfev lif^ a« k^"'' standing m a
accord.' •• ' ^ ^'^ *^®"' ^?'c©s wUh one
Jbsephus gives usta decree of the cJtvof H«i,v..
j "?^;?» y«nnitU„g the Jews to build Slrfes^ i '^^^^
sabbaS li °if *" *""* '^*'"^' ^o observe the!
s^a^and perform sacred rites according to ha
Tertul^an, among other Jewish ritds and i.mt«m,
XV. [p. 255.1 Acts i^xvV 6 « Aftpr ♦!,»
,.J«epl,. de Bell5ib, i. 0. 6. Met. 2 "tZ" PI, J
nsew we™ reakoned the most roUg Ls W S^bf fc
eh^»eh^L%^re;e??^rK^^^^^^^
^^XJII^^ many 4tit«tJ^
«/tii2tfe' ^fil^*' ^*«'- ^^ ' For the Sadducees
IVrift ^L^ £ #"s"«''-e<*ion,^ther aacer nor
'Pirit: but theJ^'harTsees cdifesfl^y.*^ • *"fi®'' "^•f
■ „
V'
•'>
\
'1
, '■ . :
«ph. d e So il, li b. II. ^^i Tsm. ^4^/1^ (tl^,
■^
<*••■*>".
*•**
» u.
J'
•fe*1
i
■-V.
'\ .^''
I..-
.^m
H.
•>'Si
254
EVIDENCES OF
Pharisees) believe eveiy soul to be immortal, but that
the sdul of the good only passes into another body,
and that the soul of the wicked is punished with
eternal punishment/ On the other hand, (Antiii.
lib. xviii. c. 1. sect. 4.),* It is the opinion of tlie
Sadducees, that souls perish with the bodies.'
XVin. [p. 268.] Acts V. 17. * Then the high
priest rose up, and oil they that were with him (which
is the sect of the Sadducees), and were filled with
indignation.' Saint Luke here intinmtes, that the
^'high priest was a Sadducee ; which is a character one
would not have expected W meet with in that station.
The circumstance, remarkable as it is, was not how-
ever without examples.
Joseph. Antiq. lib. xiii. c. 10. sect. 6, 7, ' John
Hyrcanus, high priest of the Jews, forsook the Ph^
risees upon a disgust, and joined hims^ to' the party
of the Sadducees.' This high priest died one hun-
dred and seven years before the Chiistian^era.
• Again, (Antiq. lib. xx. c. 8. sect. 1.) • This Ana-
nus ^e younger, who, l&we have said just now, had
received the high priesthood, was fierce and haughty
in his behaviour, and, above all men, bold ahd daring,
and, moreover, tea* of the ied of the SadduceesJ'
This high priest' lived little more than twenty^ years
'ftfi^r the transaction in the Acts.
XIX. [p. 282.] Luke ix. 61. 'And it came to
. pass, when the time was come that he should be
rieceived up, he stedfastly set his foce to go to Jeru-
sm^m, and sent messengers before his face. And tliey
went, and entered into ^village of the Samaritan^ , to
make ready for him. ^^hd they did not receive him,
because his fece was as though he would go to^^^jjipt-
salem.' ' \.
Joseph. Antiq. lib. xx. c/5. sect. 1. ' It was the
^ custom^of the G al Ue ftntf , ghftwe n luRio thpo i y ci^
at the feasts, to travel thihoughthe country KiiBamaria.
As they were in their jisuniey, som^e inhabitants of
the village called GJnoea, which lies on the holders of
*S£;
CHRliiltUNITY.
255
Samaria and tlw gi^jjuii, falling upinthe^tilled
a great many of them.* . ej-uswuem, kujed
"«1 ye eay, ft.t J.S.lJ^^'S'r^p'SS^SIlr „:;(
ought to worship.' *^ "®" "«"
prfest by Va.erlusG^j:^^'^:^ Jllf e. "^
ar&:JfciS^.at^^jj^
/.r Rom,, Lvtag b«aS vHei^T j'S!a
a dreuiistance which SS. ^.T^"^ " "*""
yuncenung
ihmgs, fie
XXII. (Michaelis/critl. sepr li V A-*- u. ^
"Antl,.Hb.„|,l.c^|,ol.X, ««Ib.i.„li.c:5.«K,t.8.
a^f
^
^
256
"T
EVIDENCES OP
I that Stood by, said, Revilest thoa God's
«„.priesl? fffcen^id Paul, I wist not, brethren,
thi ie -was the^ high priest.' Now, upon inquiry
into the history of the *ge, it turns out, thi^Anauias,
of whom this is spoken, ww, in truth, wa the high
priest, though tie was sitting in judgment in that
assumed capacity. The case was, that he h^
formerly' holden the officej and had been deposed;
that the person who succeeded him had been murder-
ed ; that another was not j/et appointed to the il|tion ;
■■and, that, during the vacaiicy, he had, of his own
authority, taken upon himself the, discharge of the
Sice."* This singula*-«tuation of the Wgh priest-
hood took place during tMoterval betwe^e death
of Jonathan, who was ^murdered by order
and the accession of Ishmael who was inve
the high priesthood by Agrippa; and precbel
interval it happened that Saint Paul was apprel
and brought before the Jewfsh council. ' ■,
XXIII. L>* 323.] Matt^xxvi. 6p. * N
; f^At^sHI^ and elders, and ail tixe qouncil, sought^
Iklse^ydtn^ against 'Jesus.%'
* Joseph. -Antiq. lib. xviii. c. 16. sect. 3,4. *Theu
^might be seen the highprUsts themielves^ with ashes
• onlheir heads^fand Iheir breasts naked.' ^ ^1
^Th^ ^agriMpaent here consists in speaking pf the
• Mh priestsw chief priests (for the name in the
• orifli«#l8.the-sainllHii tJ^^plufal number, when, in
^dgSmrn there wa| jpify one high priest: which
inay- be. considered i^ i proof, that the evangelists
Xre habituated to the i|mnner of speaking then inE*,^
s, because thfey retain it when it is neither accurate
nor just. For the sake of brevity, 1 have put down,
from Joseplitfs, only a single example of the applica-
tion of this title in the pluin^l number; but it is his
usual style
lb. [p. 87LjTufeiTn:X * JNow in the Meenih
year of the reign of Tiberius Cajsar, Pontius Pilate
being governor pf Judea, and Herod* being tetrairdi
M AnUq. L u. e. ft. M«t X; c 9. Met ft
m God's
brethren,
1 inquiry
Anauias,'
'the high
t in that
; he had
deposed;
1 ^urder>
le nation ;
his own
ge of Uie
gh priest-
death
Felix,!
with
'Now theyjk
cil, souglit ^p.
4. 'Then
with asiies
ing pf the
ne in the
', when, in
sst: wlkich
evangelists
ng then in^,;*:^^
er accurate
put down,
;he applica^
It it is his
lie fifteentS^
itius Pilate
ag tetrMxh
CHRISTIANITY.
25:
of Galilee, Annas and Caiajphas beiriffthe high priests,
the word of God came unto John.' There is a pas>
"sage iu Josephus very nearly parallel to this, and
which may at least serve to vindicate the evangelist
from objection, with respect to his giving the title of
high priest specifically to two persons at the same
time: ' Quadratus sent two others of the most power-
ful men dMhe Jews, as also the high priests Jonathan
and ^nanias."^ That Annas was a person in an
eminent station, and possessed an authority co-ordinate
with, or next to, that of the high priest properly so
'called, may be inferred from Saint Jolm's Gospel,
which, in the history of Christ's crucifixion, relates
that 'tlie soldiers led him away to '^Annas first.' *
And thii^- might be noticed as an example of unde-
signed coincidence in the two evangelists.
Again, [p. 870.] Acts iv. 6. Annas is called the
high priest^ though Caiaphas was in the office of the
high ^priesthood. In lilce manner, in Josephus,^
'Joseph, the .son of Gorion; and the high priest
Ananus, >vere ch(»en toT)e supreme governors of all
tilings in the city.* Yet Ananus, though here called
the high priest Ananus, was not then in the office of
the high priesthood. The truth is, there is an inde-
terminateness in the use of this title in the Gospel;
iometimes it is applied exclusively tc
held the office at the time; sometime
more, who probably shared with
powers or functions of the office; t_-^ , _
such of the priests as were eminent by their station or
character;"" and there is the very same indetermin-
ateness in Josephus.
XXIV. [p. M7.2 John xix. 19, 20. ' And Pilate
wrote a title, and put it on the cross!' That such
was the custom of the Romans on these occasions,
appears from passages of Suetonius and Dio Cassius:
person who
le or two
le of the
letimes, to
-Patrem familiaa conibus-ebjeeity-eum-hoe-fftirfe r
impie locutus •parmulaiius.' Suet. Domit. cap. x.
■» De Bell. lib. is. c. W. teet «. " John xtUI. 19. " Lib. H. o.
a». sect. 3. H Mark xiv. Orr—^r———^ .. '. :':,;
T~
tm
EVIpENCES OF
And in-Dio Cassjus we have the foUowing: ' Having
led iiim through the midst of the couart or assembly,
with a writing Hgnifying the cause of hisdeatht^'^
aftenvard crucifying him.' Book liv. ;
XXIV. [p. 347.J ' And it was written in Hebrew,
Greek, and Latin.' That it was also usual about
this time, in Jerusalem^ to set up advertisemehte in
different languages, is gathered from the accoimt
wiiich Josephus gives of an expostulatory message
from Titus to the Jews, when the city waa almost in,
his hands ; in which he Says, * Did ye not erect pillars
with inscriptions on lheri»,m the Greek and in oMf»
language, ' Let no one pass beyond these bounds?' ,/^
XXV. [p. 362] Matt, xxvii. 26. ♦ When he had;^
scourged Jesm, he delivered him to be crucified.'
The following passages occur in Josephus:
* Being beaten, they were crucified opposite to the
citadel.'*
1 * Whom, having first scourged with whips, he cru-
cified.'" > ,
* He was burnt alive, having been first beaten. "•
To which majr be iijjfded one from Livy, lib. xi. c.
5. *Productique omnes, virgisque casi, ac securi
[>ercussi.'
I A modern example may illustrate the use we make
lof this instance. The preceding of .^ capital execu-
;ion by the corporal punishment of the sufferer, is a/
)ractice unknown in England, but retained, in some
nstances at least, as appears by the late execution pi
regicide, in Sweden, This circumstance, thei^e-
ire, in the account <rf an English execution, purpart-
ihg to come from an English writer, would notVonly'
llring a suspicion upffu the truth of the accouidi, but
Would, in a considerable degree, impeach its preten-
sions of having tteen written by tiie-author who^e vame
ii bore. Whereas the same circij^mstance/ in the
account of^a Swedish execution would vj6rify the
account, and support tlie authenticity of th6 book in
CHRISTIANITV.
■959
'■at-
jvhich it was found; 01^ at least, would prove thdt
^VlfD iSS^? ^'^""^^^ to posset
ApkVl. Xp 353 J John xix. 16. • And thev took
\ P ^""^h ^^^ q«i serfc puniuntur, p. $54- k
3 ^w, 1624 ^ Every kind oTwickedni/^p^i^
Its own particular torment, jusr ^ every malXtnr
„ -hen^he is bi^ught forth ti LeutioC^)^!?^
/^ «n?2^/*?°*^* ^' v' Then came the soldiers.
and ^akethe Uga of the first, and of the other wS
WM crucified with him/ ***
. Constantine abolished the punishment of the cross-
n commending wM^h edict, a heathen write/noS
^IJisicer,^ circumstance of 4r«a«n^ /A. fe^,; 'E6pX
^4\^?t •^"P""''^' P"™^ removerit/ Aur
Vict. Ces. cap. xli. , ,-
^ XXVIII. [p. 457.] Acts iii. 1. «Now Ater and
John went up together into the temple, at ^eho^
^rt^ prayer, being the ninth X^o®.* ' ' ^
1 Joseph. Antiq. lib. xv. c. 7. sect. 8.. 'Twice
every day in the morning and at the ninth hour S
P^'^'^ P^'-^"™ their duty at the altar.' '
AJS^X. Q). 462.] Acts XV. 21. « For Mosm tA -
oW time, hath, in e^eiy city, them thai preJcriL^
hex^ read in the ^naffoffue. every Mlth-daJ '
thff'^^l'J''^^"' ^^' *• "*• 'He (Moses) ^ve m
the law thp most excellent of all institutions ; nor did
he appomt^at it sImjuW be heard once only, ir °wice
^nuWtW^^'' ^^ «ee6 to hear it read, and
S^^naPcpfiinderstandingQfit.'
mpn ii.- Tu^^'^ ^""^ *^^- 23. * We have four .
Zt'k ^^^'^'^.^^e a «'*'«' on them; them take, and
pm^^ thyself with t hem, that they may .kave t^J»t
Jorq.I,. dc Bell., 1. xi. c. 15. ' It is customary for
'4
i, •
J*N
-^:.
i>
/ s
jt \
'• V
F'f.
260
EVIDENCES Of
those who have been affiteted with some ^istemper«
vr have laboured under any other difficulties, to make
A vow thirty days before they ofler sacrifices, to
abstain from wine, and shdve the hair of their heads.'
XXX. [p. 465.] Acts xxi. 24. * Theitv take, an*
. purify thyself with them, and ile at, charged with them,
that they may shave their heads.*!
Joseph. Antiq. l.xix. c. 6, *He\( Herod Agrippa)
coming to Jerusalem, ofiered up isacriftces of tbanks-
giving, and oipitte^nothing that w?^ pr^scrlbid by
the law. For which reason he also ordered a good
number .of Nazarites to be shaved.* We here find
thiat it WM an aet of piety ^ihongst the Jews, to de-
fray for those who ji^ere under the Nazarite vow the
expenses which attended its Completion ; antf tha( the
phrase waJs, ' that they miffht be shaved.' ^ The cusr
tom.and the expression aret)oth remarkable'^ and both
in close conformity with the Scripture account.
XXXI. [p. 474.] 2 Cor, xi. 24, ♦ Qf*ftie" Jewsj
' five times received I forty stripes' *avc one* ^
8. sect. 21. *He th^icts
f
^X'
^-
Joseph.' Antiq. iv. c.
contrary 'hereto,, let him receive forty ^if^jjlfaj^wanting
-'one; froin>the public officer.* , -y MJ^ ' '-'
The coincidence here is singular, because'/
> alhwed ipiiy stripes: — 'torty stripes he
him, and not exceed,' Deut. xxv. 3. It proves
the author of the Epistle to the Corinthians was gufd-
,ed, not by'booki, but by facts; because his statement ;
agrees 'with the actual custom, even when that custOQ^
deviate^ from the written law, and from what hcf must
«have learnt by 'Consulting the J&iVish code, as set forth
• in the Old Testament.- » " I
• XXXfl..[p. 490.TiLuke iii.' 12. 'Then cameals%
• publicans tib be' bapttSed.'^ From this quotation^ a^ ,
• well as from the history jof L^vi or Matthew (Luke v.
°. 29.) and of Zaccheus, (Luke xix. 2.) it appears, tha|,
the publicans or tai^tgatherei's were , frequently at leasf,
,4V if not al-^vays, Jew<tl which, asHhe country .was therf.
-•^..^iindur a Roman govcrnttient, aiid the taxes wepjipaij :
\o the Jlomans, w^ji^il^ytnstauce notttoho cxp||ttidr <7
-tv,
! T-
.W^
.f.'
JL
\f.M,
"TT"
«:»
CnRISTlANITY.
#=
261
That it %vas the trulh^ however of the case, appears,
from a short passage of Josephus/ *f
Pe Bell. lib. ii. c. 14. §ect. 45. 'But, FJorus not
resti^iiiing these pracUceS^by his authority, the chief
men. of the Jews, aflion^ t^A6«» wa, JbAn ttff omwL„.
not knowing, well what <ipurse to take, wait upon
.Jlorus, and give himeight^ents of silver to stop the
bujMmg.' I \\ ^ ^
I. . ?^"'CP-^96.]Actsxxii.25, 'Andastliey
bound him with thongs, PsAil said uiito the centurioh
JM stood bj^, Is it lawful for you to scourge a vmn
mat ts a Roman, and uncondemue4P'
' Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum ; stelus ver-
berari/ Cic. in Verr. -•
'Cajdebatur virgis; in medio foro Messan», civis'
Komanus, Judiees: cum idterek nuUus gemltus, «ulla
! vox alia, istius miseri intendolorem crepitAnqufe pla- • '
^v^v'i'll®''?^'*' "■'' ^*<?» pivMJiomanusgujnJ .
XXXIV. [p. 513.] Actd\xii. 27. <Tlier. the
chiet captain came, and said unto him (Paul) Tell
me, art thou a Roman?' He said, Yea.' The cir-
cumstaifce here $0 be noticed is, that a Jew was a °
li«(|nan citizen.
Joseph. Antiq. lib. ^iv. c. TO. sect. 13. *Luciiis
Lentulus, the consul, declarei'l have dismissed fiom *
Um service thfi Jeufish Roman citizeng, ivho observe
Uie rites of the Jewish aligion at Ephesus.*
lb ver. 28. « An<ilhe cljief captain 'answered,
ff ttA a great sum obtai»icd I this freedom *
Dio C,issius, lib. Ix. « Tills privilege, which had '
been ^^o^ght formerly nt a great price, became so
cheap, that it. was commonly said, a man ritfgUt^be
made a Roman citizen for a few pieces of broken
glass.' • ^ to
XXXV. [p. 621.] Acts xxx^ 16. « And when
we came -to Ronje, the cenliurion delivered the prison-
ers to the captain of th«j guard ; but Paul was suflered r
^ ?,^r^ ^y *»i»nself. with a soldier that kept him.' *$ ;
. Wipi-which join ver 20jfMi'ortbe hope of IsilM^^^ "
lam bound with, rtwcAam.' "^ •
•^^f
a."
^^
■^
4
.■*M"'
*Vi'-,
A
l i ': ! i m.- i II I . I, p i
^■'
Stv
2G2
EVIDENCES OP
* Qiiemadmodiim ^adetti catena et custodiam et
nulitem copulat; sic ista, qwe tam dissimilia sunt,
pariter inceduut.' Seneca, Ep. v.
' Proconsul sestimare solet, utrbm in carcerem reci-
pienda sit persona, an militi tradenda.' Uipiw^ii')'
i. sect. De Custod. et Exhib. Reor. Jp ^
In tiie confmement of Agrippa by the order of Ti-
berius, Antonia managed, that the centurion who
presided over the guards, and the soldier to whojn
Agrippa was to be bound, might be men. of mild clia^
racter. (Joseph. Antiq. lib. xviii. c. J. sect. 6.)
After the accession of Caligula, Agrippa also, like
Paul, was suiTered to dwell, yet as a prisoner, in his
own house.
XXXVI. [p. 531.3 Acts xxvii. 1. * And when it ,
was determined that we should sail into. Italy, they,
delivered Paul, and certain other prisoners, unto one
named Julius.' .Since not only Paul but certain other
prisoners Avere sent by the same sliip into Italy, the
xt must be considered as cairying with it an int^*- «.,.,
tion, that the seiiding of persons from Judea to be
tri^d at Rome, was an ordinary practice. That in
trutnNit was so, is made out by a variety of examples
which ihe writings of Josephus furnish ; and, amongst
others, by tlie following, which comes neai>* both to
tlH) time and the subject of the instance in tlie Acts.
' Pelix, for Sonie slight offence, bound anc^sent to *
Rome several priests of his acquaintance, and very
good and honest men, to answer far themselves to
C!iesar.' Joseph, irt Vit. sect. .^.
XXXVII. [p. 639.] Acts xi. ETJ * And in these
days came prophets from Jerusalem unio Antioch;
and there stood up qne of them named Agabus, and
tigiijried by the SpfMt that there should^ be a greiat
deavth throughout all the world (or all. the countrys) ;
which came to pass in the days of Claudius dxsttf*
Joseph.^Antiq. 1. xx. c, 4. sect. 2. 'In their timft
(1. 0. about j,he fifth or sixth year o& Claudius) a great
deurth ha|>pened in Judod..'
X)^X VIII. Q). j656.1 Acts xxlil. 1,2. * Becjliise
dllHI$TlANITY.
2fJ3
tfeat Claijdius had commanded all Jews' to depart from
Rome.' '
Suet. Claud, c. xxv. Vjudseos, Jmpulsore Chresto
ftssidud tumultuantes, Romft expulitr ' *
XXXIX. [p. 664.] Acts V. 37. ' After this man^
rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing,
and drew away much people after him.^
Joseph, de Bell. 1. vii. ' He (viz. tlie person who
in another place is called, by Josephus, Judas tho
Galilean or Judas of Galilee) persuaded not a few not"
• to ^rol themselves, when Cyrenius the xensor was
seiit into Judea.' "
XL. [p. 942.] Acts xxi. 38. * Art not thou tiia^.
Egyptian which, before these.days,madest an uproar,"
and leddest out into the wilderness four Uiousand
men that were murderers?*
Joseph, de Bell. 1. ii. c. ,13. sect. 5. * But the
Egyptian false prophot bVou^ht a|^et heavier disaster
upon tiie Jews; for this impostor, coming into the
countjy, and gaining l^|l|s^reputatlon of a ^propheti
gathered togeUier thirty mte#jd men, who<were de-
ceived "by him. • Having bivjught them rouhd out of
the wilderness, up to the moH»t of OUves, he intended
from thcncfe to make his attacit upon Jertisalem ; Kit
.Felix, coming suddenly upon him with the Roi^ap
, soldiers, prevented the attacR'— A great wumljcr, oif .
(as it should rather be renaTefed) tl^ greatest part, of '
those that were wit^i him, were either slain or taketi-
..prisoners. : ' ff. -
In these two passages, thq^de^ation of tliis im-
postor, an « Egyptian/ without the proper nriin^;, ' the
wilderness;' his escajie, though his followers were
.destroyed; the time of the transaction, in t^e' presi >
dentship of Felix, which could ndt be any long. time '
.before the Vrprds ir» Luke are supposed to, have teen/
spoken; are circumstances of close corrospondencyv/
There is one, and only one, poii\t of disagreeBteht,'
and that is, in tlie number of hllf followers, wlndi la
the Acts are caHod four thdusand, and by Josephna
tliirty thousand; but, beside that thp rtjwHes of num-
ii'
■i
■''H.
i
■ I
:.\
-f 1.
2&1
"EVIDENCES OF
■ 4
bei-s, n^pre than any other words, are liable to the
errors of ti-anscribers, we ai'e, in the present instinct,
under the less concern to reconcile "the evangelist
with «Fosephus, as Josephus is not, in this pointy con-
sist€£nt with himself. For whe^reas, in the passag<t*
he're quoted,- he calls the number thirty thousand, and "
tells us that the greatest paft, or a great number '
(according as his words are rendered), of those that
were with him, were destroyed; in his Antiquities,
he represents four hundred to have been killed upon,
tliis occasion, and two hundred taken prisoners:""
which certainly was not, the ' greatest part,', nor * a-
gnaat part,' nor ' a great number,' out of thirty thou-
sand/ It is probable also, that Lysias and Josephu^
spqke of the expedition in its diflerent sU^ges: Lysias,
of those who followed the Egyptian out of Jerusalem; . .
Josephus,: of all who were collected about him after-
ward, from diflerent quarters.
XL I|. (Lardner's Jewish and Reathen Testimonies, ^
vol. iii. p. 21.) Acts xvii. .82. *Then Paul stood iii
,the mids|; of Mars-hill, and said, Ye men of Athens,
I perceive that iu all things ye are too superstitious;
, for as I passed by and beheld your devotions, //ouncj
an altar with this inscription, TO THE UN-
KNOfFN GOD. Whom therefoi^e ye ignw-^tly
> worship, him declare I unto you.' '
i Diogenes Laertius, who wrote about the year 210,
ih the history of Epimcnides, who is su]tposcd to hav^
flourished nearly six hundred years before Christ,
relates of him the following story : that, being invited
to Athens for the purpose, he delivered the city from
a pestilence in this manner: — ' Taking several sh,eep,
some black, others white, he had them iHjp to the^
Areopagus, and then let them go where they would,
and gave orders to those who followed them, wherever
any of them should lie down, to sacrifice it po the god
to whom it belonged: and so the plague ceased. —
Hence," says the historian, * it has come to pass, that
p tofihis present tinie, may he found in the boroughs
c«-'
• • •■*•••
ciiRisTiAmTyi'
-805
qf the Athenians AHosYMovs altars: A memorial of
the expiation then made.' » These, altars, it may be
presumed, were called anonymous, because there
wksnot the name of any ^jarticular deity inscribed,
upon thcsm. •
PaM*a»iff*, who wrote before the ^nd* of the se-
cond century, in his descrijiti on- of Athens, having
mentioned an altar^f Jupiter Ol ympius, adds, '^n3
niffh unto it is on altar of unknomn gods J ** And
in another place, he splaks ' of altars of gods called
unknown.*^
Philostratus, who wrote ih the beginning of the
third century, recoids it as ah observation of Apollo-
nlus Tyanaeus, * That it was wise to speak well of all
the gods, especially at Athens, where altars of tin-
known demons were erected;* '^
The author of the diulogu^Philopatris, "by many
supposed to have been Luciai^.who wrote about the*
year 170, by others some ananymous Heathen writer
of the fourth century, makes'r!j|tias swear by the un-
known god of Athens; and, near the end of the
dialogue, has these words, * But let us find out the un-
known god of Athens, and, stretching our hands to
heay6n, offer to him our praises and thanksgivings.'*
This is a very curious and a very important coin-
cnlence^ It appears beyond controversy, that altars
with thi^ Inscription were existing at Athens, at the
time when Saint Paul is alleged to have been there.
It seems also (which is very worthy of ol>servation, )
Uiat this inscription was peculiar to the Athenians.
There is no efidence tliat there were altars inscribed
' to the unknown god ' ixi any other country. Sup-
posing the histoiy of Saint Paul to have been a fable,
how is it possible that such a writer as the author of the
Acts of the Apostles, was, should hii upon a circum-
stance so extraordinary, and introdure it by an allu-
sion so suitably to Saint Paul's office and <iharacter?
aajn Epimenlde, 1. 1. mgm. 1 l(J. 34 l»au«. I. v. p. 4ia. 3S P«ui
I, I. p. 4. M PHiloB. Ap„ll. Tjiin. I. vl. c. a. 37 LucljM). In. Phli«m,'
. ibiB. u.xiftty. p. 7(17, jud^ . ^
-* "
■I
*■ h
i-
26G
KVIDENCES OF
4^«
J^
\
\
The examples here collected \vill he sunUicut, T
. hope, to satisfy us, that the ^vritcl's pf tlie Christian
history knew, something of what tliey were writing
about. The argument is also strengtl^eued. by the
following consideratioOB: —
I. Tliat these agreements appear, not only in articles
qf public history, b^tsomeiJmes, in minute, recondite,
and very peculiar ciroiim^tances, in which, of all
others, a foiger is mostlpliely to have* been found
. tripping. Y ' , ,* W
II. That. the destruction of Jerusalem, which took
' place forty yea^ after the commencement of the
Ciu-istian institmj^on^^pidduced such a change in" the
state of the countiy, and the^ condition of the Jews,
that a writer who was Unacquainted with the circum-
stances of the nation bgfbri that evtnt, woiild find it
difficult to avoid mistakes, in endeavouring to give
detailed accounts of transactions connected with those
f ircumstances, forasmuch as he could no longer luive
a living exemplar to copy from.
III. That there appears, in the writers of the New
Testament, a knowledge of the aflairs of those times,
which we do'not find in authoi-s of later ages. In
particular, ' many of th$ Christi|,n writers of' the se-
cond and third centt|ries, and of the following ages,
had false notions coricerning the state of Judea, be-
tween the nativity of Jesus ajid the destruction of
Jerusalem.'" Therefore M^ could not have com-
posed our histories.
.Amidst so many conformities, we are^ot to wonder
that we meet with some difficulties. The principal
of these I will put down, together with the solutions
which tliey have received. But in doing this, I must
■be contented with a brevity better suited to the limits
of my volume than to the nature of a controversial
argument. For the historical proofs of my asser-
iS) and for the Greek criticisms upon which some of
m are founded, I refer the reader to the second
i VoluiiM^ of tlic first part of Dr Lardner's lajTse work.
\ , "^v=, » Ltr<ln»r, |wn ». vol. U. |t. QiO. i ,^ ,^^
CIiniSTIANITY.
2^
^ I. The taxing during wluch Jesus was bom, was
Rtst made,' as we read, according toour translation,
in Saint Lulce^ * whilst Cyrenius was governor of
byria. ■ J^ow it turns out that Cyrenftis was not
governor of Syria until twelve, or, at the soonest, ten
years after the birth of Christ; and that a taxing, cen-
sus, or assessment, was made inJudea in the begin-
mng of his government. The- charge, therefore,
brought against the evangelist is, that, intending' to
refer, to this taxing, he has misplaced the date of it by
an error of ten or twelve years. "
The answer to the accusation is found in liis using
th^. %vord ' first:'—' And this taxing was>*^ made%
for accordnig to the mistake iflpputed to the evangelist :
this v^rd could have no signification, whatever : it
, could have had no place in his narrative: because! let
It reUte to what it will, ^xing, census, enrolment, or
assessment,, it ipiports (that the writer had rtbre thari
^ne of those in contemplation. It acquits &m there-
tore ^Ihe charge: it is! inconsistent with the supposi-
tion^if jus knowing only of the taxing in Uiarbegin-
• "'If ,°f Cyrenju^'s government. And if tfiTevan:
-gelist knew (which thi^ word proves that he did) of
some other taxing beside that, it is too much, for the
sake of convicting him of a mistake, to lay it down as
certain Uiat he intended to refer to that.
The sentence in Saint Lul^e mayS c'onstrued thus:
Ihis was the first assessment (or enrolment) of Cv-
renius, governor of Syria;'" the words ' governor oi
Syria being used after the name of Cmniusas his
addition or title. And this title belonging to him at
the time of writing the account, was naturally enoudt
.tubjoined to his name, though acquired after th«
■» Ch«p. ii, Ter. S.
l«lVl""m"l *'•'''*' ** ■■•""*" *"""•' ^ 'end^wd ' b«forc.' which it
diffleulty TMirt... : for then the p..M«e would be.-- Now thi. twin,
r^^^'nh™ '". '''""'»'" :- *"'"""' °' «y^* •• ''••"'h correspond*
word . flr. . be rendered, to give It a me«.i„, .t all. it mllltateii with
Ike uliKction. In thig I thinli Uiore ean b» bo pHitalte.
.•:
: •■ I
C
V
(
26d
EVIDENCES OF
; -
transaction which the account describes. A modern
writer who. was not very exact in the choice of his
expressions, in relating the a&irs of the East Indies,
might easily say, that such.a thing was done by Go-
vernor Hastings ; though, in truth, the thing had been
done by him before his advancement to the station from
which he received the name of governor. And this,
as we contend; is precisely the inaccuracy which has
voduced the difficulty in Saint Luke.
any rate, it appears from the form of the expres-
sion,>diat he had t^o taxings or enrolments in con-
^templabion. And if Cyrenius had been sent upon
this busii^ss into Jiidea, before he became governor
of Syria (against which supposition there is no proof,
but rather exWn&l evidence of an enrolment going on
about this time^ under some person oi: other), *' then
the census, on all hands acknowledged to have been
made by him iii the beginning of his government, woulc}
fdhan a second, so as to occasion the oth$ir to be called
thejhvt
II. Another chronological objection arises upon a
date assigned in t^e beginning of the tliird chapter of
Saint Luke. *" ' Now in tlie fifteenth year of the
reign of Tiberius Csesar,' — Jesus began to be about
thirty years of age. for, supposing Jesus to have been
bom, as Sajnt Matthew, and Saint Lnke also himself,
relate, in the time of Herod, he must, according to
tlie dates given in Josephus and by the Roman histo-
rians, have been at least thirly^ne' years of age in the
fifteenth year of Tiberius. If he was born, as Saint
Matthew's narrative intimates, one or two years
before Herod's death, he would have been thirty-two^
or thirty-thr^e years old at that time.
This is the difficulty: the solution turns upon an
«* Josepbut (Antiq. xvii. e. t. MCI 6.)hu this lemarkable pawi^ei
• When therefore the whole JewUh ration took an oath to be faithful to
Cgetwt, and the InterWts of the kinf .' Thia transaction corresponds in
the course of the history with the time of Chriit^irth. What it called
« census, and which we render taains, was deHveWng upon oath an ac-
count of their property. This miifht be accompanied with an oath of
AdeHty, or miKhtbe mistaken by Josephus ibr it *' Lardncr. part i
wL 11. p. raa. ,
"\
'\-;'i'-.
^ OHBISTIA!^rIt;v^^
V,,, y^KViv..;,.
• ; 'A
pp
-(
\
alteration tn the construction of the Gi-eeii. Sikt
Luke's words in the original are alloived, by tie
general opinion of learned men, to signify, not • that
Jesus began to be about thirty years (tf age/ but * that
he was about thirty years of age when he began his
ministry.' This construction being admitted, (he
adverb * about' gives us aU the latitude we want, and
more especially when applied, as it is in the present In^
stance, to a decimal number j for such numbers, even
without this qualifying addition, are often used In a
, laxer sense than is here contended for. *■ " .
ir}^h ^^^^ ^' ^^' * ^°^ '^^^"•e thesi days rose Ciri
IheudaS, boasting himself to be somebody j to whom
a number of men, about four hundred, joined them-
sehres: who was^fain; and all, as many as Obeyed
hiih, were scattered and brought to nought '
Josephus has preserved the account of aii impostor
of the name of Theudas, who created some dfcturban,
f'es, and wasslaiu ; but according tp the date assigned
to this manVppearance (in which, however,, it is
veiy possible that Josephuiroay have beep mistaken**).
It must hate been at thj^^, seven years after Ca.
ma^W^s^pe^ch of which this text is a part. <.va8
delKered, |t has been feptied to the objection <• that
^aiere might be two impostors of this namft: audit
has been observed, in order to give a general proba-
bility to the solution, that the sam« thing appeare to
hav» happened in othen instances of the same kind. .
It js proved from Joseph^s, that there were not fewer
than four persons of the tiame of Simon within forty
• years, and not fewer tluui three of the name of JudM
within ten years, who were all leaders of insurrectional
procured to the ^te. durinff the whole reign of hi* succAMOr r^£mrt
hM thes, word. : .-. Ab lUoenIm profecti. viribu. dXISJum^Tt.' *
ut, l«^^„^„,„ delnde »nrios. tuUo. pacem haberet .'Y^t XrS^ ^
annos. Niima tre» et qu«dr««inU.' /
.,.-'"'!"?"'?'V'»»"^"«'toM«>the NewTe.t«menV (!!.«.•, TnHuU S.
""«;. TOl. I. p. Bl. *VHBl»pJir«i. vol. II. n.9«t.
* '! ■■ ■ f t.,.c. I. gect. 10. >
M.
.M - ,
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EVIDBNCES OF
and it is likewise recorded by the histdrlan, that, upon
tlie death of Herod the Great (which agrees very well
with the time of the commotion referred to by Oa^
maliel, and with &ii^ manner -of statiag that time,
* before tibese days*)* there were innumerable distur-
bances in Judea« ** Archbishop Usher was of opinion,
that one. of the three Judases above mentioned was
Gamaliel's Theudas ; *' ttnd that with a less variation
of the name than we actually find in the Gospels,
where mje of the twelve apostles is called, by Luke,
Judas ; and by Mark, Thaddeus.** Origen, however
he came at his information, appears to <aat% believed
that there was an impostor of the name oi Theudas
before the nativity of Christ.*
iIV. Matt, xxiii, 34. * Wherefore, behold, I send
unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and
some of them ye shall kill and crucify ; and some of
them shall ^e scourge in your sjmagogues, and perse«
cute Uiem from city to city; that upon you may come
all the righteous bipod shed upon the earth, from the
blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of' Zacharias,
son of jparachias, whomiye slew Between the ten^fe'.
and the a^r.* "\ i ,
There is a Zacharias. whose death is relat^ inl^e
second book of Chronicles^ '^ in a manner which per-',
iectly supports our Saviour's allusioQ. But this
ISacharias was the son 0f «feAota(2<>. .
There is also Zaclia||'ias the prophet;, wlio was the
son of Barachiah, And | is so (described in the super,
scription of his prophecy, but of whose death we liave
oo account. . '
I have little doubt, hut that the first Zacharias was
^
« AnUq. 1. viJLX. e. IS. leet 4. «> Annali. p. tJT. ' <• Luke Ti. 10.
, Mwk iii. IS. <• Qriff. eont Celf. p. 44.
•* • And the Spirit of Ood came upon Zechariab, tite ion of Jehoiada
the prieit, which ■too^'aboTe the people, and laid unto tlieni, Thus
laith Ood, Why traiugKM ye the eoinn|uuidmentf ofthe'I^rd, that ye
cannot proepet ! because ye hav^ foraaken the Lord, he hath alee for ea •
ken you. And they oonipired againit him, and itontd him with tl&ntt,
at tht commandnuni <tf tht king, in tht court «f iht houu qf tht Lard,'
tChron.xiiT.ao,ill. ,
urias yyas
271
iour; and that the'
idded, or changed,
ile of the prophecy, '
to him than the
thd person ^]
name of the i
by some one, w_
which h^peneld
history in the C ..,,
Zi^t^r^^^^^^'^^^' the jwm of Banich,
related by Josephus toll^ been slain, in the temple
a few years before^lie destruction of Jei-usalem. Ik
has been insinuated, tlmt the words put intq our
Jayiour's mouth contain a reference to this transaii-
fion, and were composed by some A^riter, who either
confounded Uie time of the transaction with our
Sayiour'srage, or inadvertenUy overlooked the ana-
chrbnism. . ^
Now suppose it to have been so; suppose these
words to have been suggested by the transactipn re-
lated m Josephus, and to have been fals.ely ascribed
to Christ; and observe what extraordinaiy coinci-
dences (accidentally, as it must in that case have
. been) attend the forger's mistake.
First, that we have a Zacharias in the book of
Chronicles, whose death, and the mariner of it, cor-
responds with the allusion.
Secondly, that although the name of this person's
father be erroneously put down in the Gospel, yet we
have a M^ayW, accounting for the error, by shewing
another Zacharias in the Jewish Scriptures, much
better kno^vn than the former, whose patronymic was
actually that which apncars in the text. '
. Every one who thinks upon the subject, will find
these to be circumstances which could not have met
together iq a mistake, which did not proceed from
"the c^'rcumstances themselves.
I >^« noticed, I think, aU the difficulties of this
kind. They are few: some of them admit of a clear,
.others^ of a probable solution. .The reader will com-
l>kirethem with the number, the variety, the close-
ness, and the satisfactoriness, of the instances which
are to be set against them ; and he will remember
tlie scantiness, in; many c^s, of our intelligence.
»
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272
Evidences of
^.■.
and that difficulties always attend imperfect infor-
mation. \
!••■
i
CHAP. VII.
Vndei^mti Cii(neidtitcu.
Bbtwekn the letters which bear the name of Saint
Paul in our collection, and his history in tlie Acts of
the Apostles, there exist many notes of correspon-
dency. The simple perusal of the writings is suffi-
cittit to prove, that neither the history was taken
from the letters, nor the letters from the history.
And the* undesignedness of the agreements (which
undesignedness is gathered from their latency, their
ihinuteness, their obliquity, the suitableness of the
circumstances in ^hich they consist, to the places in
which those circumstances occur, and the circuitous
references byi which they are traced out) demonstrates
Ihat they have not been produced by meditation, or
by any fraudulent contrivance. But coincidences,
from which these causes are excluded, and which are
too close and numerous to be accounted for by acci-
dental concurrences of fiction, must necessarily have
truth tor thleir foundation.
This argument appeared to my mind of sounuch
value (especially for its assiiiuing nothing beside the
existence of the books), that I have pursued it through
Saint Paul's thirteen epistles, in a work published by
me foiM- years ago, under the title of Hone Pauliip
1 am sensible how feebly any argument which depends
upon an, induction of particulars, is represented with-
out examples. ' On which account, I wished to have
abridged my own volume, in the manner in which I
have treated Dr Lardner's in the preceding chapter.
But, upon making the attempt, I did not find it in
my power to render the articles inteUigible by fewer
words than I have there used. I must be content,
therefore, to refer the reader to the work itself.
/
CHRISTIANITY.
278
And I would particularly invite his attention to the
observations w^ch are made in it'upon the first three
epistles. I persuade myself that he will find the
proofe, both 'of agreement and undesignedness, sup-
^ ~ plied by these epistles,^ sufficient to support the con- •
elusion which Is there maintained, in &vour both of
tiie genuineness Af the writings-and the truth of the
narrative.
it remains only, in this place, to point out how the .
argument beart upon the general question of the
Christian hist<»y. *
First, Saint Paul fn these letters affifns in une-.4l
qui vocal terms, his own performance of miracles, * '
and, what ought particularly to be remembered,'
* That miracles were the tignt of an apoetle,** |f
this testim(my come from Saint Paul's own hand, it
is invaluable. And that it does so, the argument
iiefore us fixes in my mind a firm assurance. ,
Secondly, it shews that the> series of action repre.
sented in the epistles of Saint Paul, was real; which
alone lays a foundation for the proposition which forms
the subject of the first part of our present work* vit.
that the original witnesses of the Chrliftian history
devoted themselves to lives of toil, suffering, and
danger, in consequence of their belief of the truth of
that history, and for the sake of communicaUng the
knowledge of it to others. ^> »
Thirdly, it proves tha( Luke, orjwltiever wis the .
author of the Acts of the Apostles (|for the argument
does not depend upon the name of the author, though
I know no reason for questioning it), was well ac-
quainted with Saini Paul's history; and tint he pro- -
bably was, what he professes himself to be, a com-
panion of Saint Paul'<6 travels ; which, if true, estab-
lishes, in a considerable degree, the credit even of
his Gospel, because it shews, jthat the writer, from
his time, situation, and connexions, possessed oppor-
tunities of informing himself truly concerning the i
* trausActions which he relates. 1 have little diffi-
1 Bom. sv. ta, 19. 1 Cor. tiU l>.
L^
I *
J^^
I
274
EVIDENCES
culty in anplVinif t^ the Gospel of Saint Luke what
is proved concerning tiie Acts of the Apostles, con-,
sidering them as two parts of the same history; for,
though there are instances of second parts being for-
geries, I know none where the second part is genuine, ^
and the first not so. . , . *
1 will only obsenre,'as a seqxiel of the argument,
though not noticed in my work, the remarkable si-
militude between the style of Saint John's Gwpel,
mi U Saint John's EpisUe, The stylo ^ Saint
John's is not at all the style of Saint Paul s Epistles^
though both are very singular; nor is it the style of
Satht James's or of Saint Peter's Epistle: buj it bears
a resemblance to the style of the Gos\ie\ inscribed
with Saint John's name, so far as that resemblance
can be expected tp appear, which is. not in simple
narrative, so much as in reflections, and in the repre-
sentation of discourses. Writings, so circumstanced,
prove themselves, and one another, to be g€touine.
This correspondency is the more valuable, as the
epistle itself asserta^i Saint John's manner indeed,
but in terms suflJMly explicit, the ^•t«'f « Per-
. sonal knowledgS«Phrist's history: 'That which
. was from the bo^flnnSg, which we have heard, which
we have seen With our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands » have handled, of the word of
life ; tbat which we have seen and heard, declare we
unto Voa* * Who would not desire,— who perceives
not the value, of an account, delivered by a writer so
well informed as this?
i/ CHAP. VIII.
(ythe Wdory <\ftht RewmeUon.
I
Th» history of the resurrection of Christ is a part ol
the evidence of Christianity: but I do not know^
whether the proper strength of thiS passage of tlie
aCbap. I. »er. 1— B. »
-^>- .., r-. ■ 4.., »-...., „.__,_ ^Jk^^
m ■ ' ■ A-
■/
CHRIST^4N1TT.
275
Christfan history, or wherein its peculiar value, as a
head of evidence, consiste, be generally understood.
It is not that, as a miracle, the resurrection ought to
be accounted a more decisive proof of supernatural
agency than other mij;^les are; it is not that, as it
stands in the Gospels, it is bettor atfe'sted than some
others; it is. japt, for either df> these reasons, that
more weight belongs to it than to other miracles, but
for the follpwing, t/iz.^ That it is completely certajn
that the apostles of Christ, and the first .teachers of
Chriatiani^, asserted the fact. And this Would
have been certain, if the four Gospels had been lost,
or never written. Everypiece of Scripture recog-
nises the resurrection. Every epistle of every apostle, '
eveiy author contemporary with the apostles, of the
age immediately succeeding the apostles, every writ-
ing from that age to the present, genuiilV or spurious,
on the side of Christiani^ or against it, concur in
repreynting the resurrection of Christ as an article
of his history, received without doubt or disagree-
ment by all who call themselves Christians, as alleged
from tliu beginning by the propa|;ators of the institu-
tion, and alleged as the centre of their 'testimonyv
Nothing, I aipprehend, which a' man does not himsell^
see or hear, can be more certain to hyn than this
point. I do not mean, that nothing can be more ob-
tain than that Christ rose from the dead; biit th»t
nothing can be more certain, than that his apostles,'
and the t first teachers of Christianity, gave out that
he did so. In the other parts of the gospel narrative,
a question may be ma^e, whether the things related
of, Christ be the very things which the apostles and
first teachers of the religion delivered concerning
him? And this question depends a good deal upon
the evidence we possess of the genuineness, or rather,
perhaps, of the aptiquity,' credit, and reception, of the
books. On the subject of the resurrection, no such
discussion is necessary, because no such doubt can be
entertained. The Qnly points which can enter info
uur consideration are, whether the i^iostlea knowingly
1 ^S'
876
EVIDENCES OF
*'■
ubliahefd a fklsebood, or whether they were^them.
liKvs deceived^ whether either of these suppositibns
possible. 4, Tnb first, I thiok, is pretty generally
n up. The nature of the undertakings and of the
. men ; the extrenfe unlikelihood that such men should
engage in such a measure as a scheme} their personal
toil«, and dangers^i and su^rings, in the causej their
appropriaticm of their whole time to the object; th^*
warm, and seemingly unaflectcd, zeal and earnestness
with which they .profess their sincerity ; exempt their
memory from the suspicion of imposture.; The solu-
tion Qiore deserving of notice, i^ tliat wMch. would
' retolvd the conduct of the^ apostles into enthusiasm^
which would class the evidence of Christ's resurrec-
tion with the numerous stories' that ire extant of tlie
apparitions of dead men. There are circumstances
in the narrative, as it is preserved in our histories,
. which destroy this comparison entirely. It was not <
one person^ but many, who saw him ; they saw <him
not only separately but together, not only by idght
but by day, not at a distance but near, npt once but
several times; they not only saw him, but touched
him, conversed with him, ate with him, examined
his person to satisfy their doubts. These particulars
are decisive: but they stand, I do admit, upon the
credit of our records. I would answer, therefore,
the insinuation of enthusiasm, by a circumstance
which.fti'ises out of the nature of Uie thing ; and tiid
realit}^of which must be confessed by all who allow,
what I believe is'not denied, that the resurrection of
Christ, whether true or false, was asserted by his dis-
ciples from the beginning; and that circumstance is^
the non-production of the dead body. It is'related in
the history, what indeed the story of the resurrectioD
iiecessarily implies, that the corpse was missing out
of the sepulchre: it is related also in the history, that
^e Jews reported that the followers of Christ had
^Ijl^ieit it a^vay.' And this account, though loaded!
1 'And thU Mytnt (Saint Matthew wrltei) it commMly rcportad
•BodgM tha Jewa odUI tiila iaf,' (eliM>. u*UL 16.) Tlu evanialUt I
.t\
■-•V •i.W' *■
CHRISTIANITY ^
277
■:»
with great improbabilities, such as tliu situation of
the disciples, their fears for tlieir own safety at the
time, the unlikelihood of their expecting to succeed,'
the difficulty of actual success, •and the inevitable
, cohsequence'of detectii>n and failure, was,' neverthe-
less, the most credible account that could be given bf
the matte/r. But it proceeds entirely upon the Sup-
position "bf fraud, «s all tlie old objections di^. What
' acci^n^ 6an be given of the Aorfy, upon the supposi-
tion of enthusiasm? It is impossible our Lord's fol-
lowers could beljeve that he was risen fron> the defid,
if his corpse was lying before them. Nq enthusiasm
ever reached to such a pitch of extravagaiiiicy as that:
a spirit may be an illusion ; a body is a real thing, aii
object of sense, in which there can be no mistake.
All accounts of spectres leave the body in the grave!
And, although the body of Christ might be removed
m fraud, and for- the purposes of fraud, yet, without
ahy such intention, and by sincere but deluded men
(which is the representation of the apostoUc character
wt are now examining), no such attempt could be
mMe. The presence and the absence of the dead
body are alikp ii^consistent with Uie hypothesis of en-
thusiasm; for;^ i^ present, it must have cured their
enthusiasm at once ; if absent, fraud, not enthusiasm,
.must have parried it away.
But fartlie/^ jf We admit, upon the concurrent te*.
timony of allthe histories, so much of the account as
states that the religion of Jesus vras set up at Jeru-
salem, and set up^with asserting, in the very place
may be thoufht good auth^rtty u to thU point, twa by thoM who do
not admit bit evidenM In eyery oUier point i and tUi point la •uffleiont
to proTc that the body was Mulnff.
It hae been rightly. I thinL obwrred by Dr Towndiend. (Difc upon
the Ret. p. IM.) that the ttoifir oT the guaidt carried eoHiulon upon the
face of it !-• Hit diwsiplet eai^e by night and ttole him away, while we
•lept.' Men itt their eireumtbneei would not have made tuch an ac-
knowledgment of their negUgenee, wittiout prerloua aaturancea of
proteetion and Impunity. T
■ • Bn»«!«ally at the ftill moo^ the city Itall of praple. many probably
patting the whole night, at Jekua and hit diiciptet had done, in the
open air. the teputchre to ne«r\the city at to be now eneloted within .
the walla.' Pnettley on the Re^urr. p. 84.
V-
/
278
« '1'
.■?«*:
EVIDENCES OF
in which he had been buHed, fnd a few days after he
had been buried, his resulrrection out of the grave, it
is evident that, if his bbdy could have been found,
the Jews would have pi/oduced it, as the shortest and
completest answer possible to the whole stoiy. The
attempt of the apostles could not have survived this"**
refutation a moment. If we also admit, upon the
authorify of Saint Matthew, that the Jews were ad-
vertised of the expectation of Christ's foUowers, and
that they had taken due precaution, in consequence of
this noti<^e, and that the body was in marked and"
public cuiitody, the observation receives more force
stm. For, notwithstanding^their precaution, and al-
though thus prepared and forewarned ; when the story
of the resurrection of Christ came forth, as it imme-
diately did ; when it ^ras publicly asserted by his dis-
ciples, and made the^ground and basis of their preach-
ing in hisnanie, and collecting followers tkhis reh-
gion, the Jews had not the body to produce : f)ut \wre
obliged to meet the testimony of the apostles M an
answer, not^containing indeed iay impossibility in it-
self, butjibs^uteiy inconsistent with^the sup^ition
of their jjntegrityfcthat is, in other words, inconsistent
with the supposition which would resolve their coni
duct into enthusiasi
-^atjfs*.^
-* \^ CHAf . IX. .
In this argument, the first consideration is the fact;
in what degriee, within what time, and to what ex-
tent, Christianity was actually propagated.
^ The accounts of the matter, which can be collected
from our books, are as follow: A few days ther
Christ's disappearance out of the world,^ we find an
assembly of disciples at Jerusalem, to the number of
• about one hundred and twenty j' ""which hundred and
- .;.» Aru t Ifc ' ^...V
^i^RISTlANITY.
279
twenty were, prpbably, a little associaiion of believers,
met together, not merely as believers in Clirist, but
as personally connected with the apostles, and with
one another. Whatever was the number of believers
' then in Jerusalem, we have n(f reason to be surprised
tliat so small a company should assemble : for there is
no proof, that the followers of Christ were yet formed
into a society; that the society was reduced itfto any
order; that it was at this time everi understftod that a
new religion (in the sense which that term conveys to
^/«s) was to be set up in the world, or how the profess
sors of that religion were to be distinguished from the
rest^of m&tdiind. The death of Christ had left, we °
may supposj^, the generality of his disciples in great
doubt, both as to what they were to do, and concern-
ing what was to follow. -^
Tips meeting was holden, as we have already said,
a few days after Christ's ^ascension: for, ten days,
after that event was the day of Pentecost, when, as
sdir history relates, 'upon a signal display of Divine
agency attending the persons of the:^ apostles,' there
were added to the society 'about tiiuree thoinand
souls.'* But here, ii is not, I thinkVtP be taken,
that these three thousand were all comgiRted by this
single mir^le; but rather that man^mho before
were believers in Christ, became now pnfessors of
Christianity; that is to say, when they found that a
religion was to %e established, a society formed and
set up in the n^me of Christ, governed by his laws,
avowing their belief in his mission, united amongst
them.9i»lves, and separated from the rest of the world
by visible' distinctions; in fgivsuance of their former
convicUon^'and by virtue of what they had heard and
seen uxd laiown w Christ's history, they publicJIy be-
came members of it
We read in the fourth chapter* of the Acts, that,
soon after this, 'the number of the men,' i. e. the
society openly professipg their belief in Christ, * was
about five thousand.' So that here is an increase of
• AeU it. tt:
•Acta 11.41.
*V*r «.'
•^ 2«0
EVIDENCKS OF
■\'.-
k
j^iwo, thousand within a very short time. And it M
probable that there were many^ both now and after-
ward, who, althlnigh they believed in Christ, did not
thinlc it necessary to join themselves to this society •
or who waited to see what was filtely to become of it'
GamaUel, whose advice to the Jewish council is Ire^
corded Acts v. 34, appears to have been rf this de-
scription; perhaps Nicodemus, and perhaps i^so
Joseph of Arimathea. This class of men, their cha-
racter and their rank, are likewise pointed out by
^ Saint John, in the twelfth chapter of his Gospel-
Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also, many be-
lieved on him: but because of the Pharisees, they
• <|id not confess him, lest they shquld be put out k
the syMgogup,^ for they loved the praise of mep more
than the praise of God/ Persons, such as these
might admit -the miracles of Christ, without bfeinir
immediately convinced that they were under' oblim^
Uon to mike a public profession of Christianity, at the
risk of idl that was dear to them in life, and eveq of
life itself.* , ■ jr . ■
Christianity, howevei-, proceeded to increase in Je-
rusalem b^ a progress equally rapid with its first
success; for, in the next* chapter of our history, we
read that 'believers wfere the more added to the
Lord, muUxtudes both of men^and women/ And
» • BetWe dHMe w1m> proftwd. and tiiow who njeeted md m»««^
neither pnf«et Cbristians. nor yet unbelievers. They haU • lk«oiindriI
think that Chrtetiani^ wai a DiWne reTeUUon. but then »»!».„.
J2J?*J!.*5f"r*"" "*""«• •«««•» ««» bear them, to dUoMlS ttiS
Uber^ and their Ufe. for the like of the new ralidon. 'nterefw*^
wwirlUtos to hop^ that If they endearouml V^JnTi. ««-*
SSi^r^^S?!!^**."'."''^* «rU.*yiho«,htho«oK?S
the gwpel. If they offered no fa^ury to the Chriatlani, if thev did JMm
l!«X'^ thatjhey «,„ld ^^ perform. ^ wem wSiTS
the rut.' Jortia'a Dta. on the Chrii. Rel. p. 91. «d. 4. T^ "^T*
'.■ I .^ , / . ; • Activ. M. ' ^
-V-..,.
CHKIStlANITy. «81
this eiilargement of the new society appears in the
first verse of the succeeding qhapterf wherein we are
told, that, 'when the number of the disciples was
muU^Uedy there arose a murmuring of the Grecians
against the Hebrews, because their widows were ne-
glected:" and, aflenvard in the same chapter, U is
declared expressly, that *the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greaUy, and that a great
company of the priests were obedient to the fiuth!'
riS? '•?" 'tf *^' ^^'"^ *^ '**« propagation of
Christiani^. It commences with the ascension of
Christ, and extends, as may be collected from inci-
dental notes of time, 'to something more than one
yea^ after that event. During which term, the
prejchmg of Christianity, so far as our docbmeilts
I j"" T* ^** confined to the single city of Jerusa-
lerri. And how did it succeed there? The first as-
senibly which we meet with of Christ's disciples, and
that a few days after his removal from the world,
coijsisted of 'one huindred and twenty.* About a
wefek after this, * three thousand were added in one
day; and the number of Christians, publicly baptised
and publicly associating together, was very soon ihl
creased to • five thousand.' •Multiludesboth of men
and women continued to be added;* 'disciples multl-
pUpd greallv,'iind«manyof the Jewish priesthood. .
ff."^H ?WF"' ^ctme obedient to the faith;* and
this withHlt space of Idss than two years from tba
commencement of the institution.
By reason of a persecution raised against the
church at Jerusalem, the converts were diivenTrom
tliAt city, and dispersed throughout the regions of
Judea and Samaria.* Wherever they came, they
brought their religion with them: for, our historian
informs us, •• that * they, that were scattered abroad,
w^nt eveiy where preaching the word.* The efleet
of this preaching cQmes afterward to be noticed, where
tiMki.p.148.
-»
• AcU tUI. 1.
. *• Vn. 4.
T"
■•1
8H«.
EVIDENCES OF
z«]6, ■ ■- ■ y
U. historian isj«l, in t^^ '
observe, that th^ («. ,'-^^"4tUroughout all ^dea '
this, ") 'the ch^f^^^^Jf^JS'Vere edified, and ^alk-
fitons. And I jr°±3!f Mr Biymt, «Wch ap- ■
. Ulis ptaee, ""t, ScUy »ill founded :-'««
pews to me to •». If ^w Lldom is it that «e can
Sews sUll remain; ••"' V \tore is re«»io to Uiink,
„akeasinglepr<«Vytel J^"»J^,e,i„«* .
■t ''r-I yet to.^, *tiSf i^inSl
were at liberty to propose *« ""S™,"^,, .. ,„d
' as it then -«• J^^J^ „«„ « dK,i seven yews
miracle. It J^ppears w i» Gosnel was preacKid
^r Christ J as^^^Mhatth^^^^
to the Gentilea of Cesarea.^ ^ ^ ^ Antioch in
tauUitttde of Gentiles ^f «^T^J^ the historian
are these:— * A grew nuro ,
the Lord ;»>uch people v^Maaaea ^^^^
*^'i'irXo?Hfod?sdriw^^^^
people.* » ^Tu u Xerved, that ' the wprd of God
the "eH/**^; " !f J^'S^tSo years from this time,
I «»»w f^ ""^S^^ P.«i^c(^um, the metropolis
^. unonthe P7'^^^"f^;P^«uitude both of Jews and
J
ijarfative, to
posterior tfi'
it all <}udea
d,andwalk-
wnfort of the
us Uie \frork
} au^ four
jel had been
(tiid to Sama-
Ung down in
at, which ap- •
nde^:— 'The
t that we can
ason to think,
apostles in one ^
the last thou-
ties, that thoy
to mankind at
calls it, *' and
by an especial
out seven years
>1 was preached
ter this, a great
at Antioch in
ly the historian
3, and turned to ^
unto ihe Lord;' -
i taught much .
ch happened in "
the wprd of God
B from this time,
a, the metropolis
th of Jews and
n the course oi
troth of tlieChristlMi
lenMO. book U. p. 48«.
«; HActtsll. **•
■■'■■♦
CHRI8TIANITV
283*
r
Uus very progress, he is represented as «makiiiir
matny disciples 'at Derbe, a principal cItyTS
same district. Three yea;s-,aLrtiU^3^^h brines
us 1« sixteen after the icension, the «p<Ss viJote^i
travelled throHgh these countries; and found the
qhurc^s .established in thS faith, ftnd incrSff in
numM^ daily.'- ; Fmfi. Asia, the' apostle Cefdd
into Greece, where soon after his arrival Ktfw*.
doma, w-e find him at Thessalonica; in which
some of the Jews believed, and of the devout i
? great njulUtude. «• We meet also here with an a
adental hmt of the general progress of the Ghristia.
m^3.on,,n the- exclamation of the tumultuous Jewi
of Thessalonicai '^ that they, who had tm-ned tteworli
upside down, were come tUther also.' » At Bferei
Uie rttext city at which p7uI arrives, the h sS,
who wa^ present, informs us that .«w„y of the Je^5
beheyed.- The neit year knd a half of Saint PauK
mmistry was spmt at Corinth. Of his success In
«f„ ^'^r^'*'"'? thefollowiag intimations; 'tLl
many of the Connthians believed and were l«ptizX^
^t h?t i "^/^^^aled to the apostle by ChXt,
that he had much peojile in that city.'- Within/Jes^
wL;r" *^'' ^^^^P^^'H-e from CorSZ
SV''^ *.^*"'"'^' ^ lecension. Saint /paul
fr^r "f/^ f r"*'°« "»*»•'«• The effect of hi^min-
i^nrin that city and neighbourhood drew froL the
r^"*? * "««c«^' ^^ * mightUy grew the Ird of
G^andpr^ailed.." And^the cfnclusioiffSi^
Si!^^.^^ ^® P'^"«'«^« 0' *h« reli^ionf com-
out aU ^sia (,-. e. the provinq^. of Lydia, ajad tKe
" JrSJ HUtor, oCChrl.^ iHK.k HI. p. «,. .^ « Aci.«i: ft.
•'AcU«iM..^-W. » Beiuon. book HI. p. ,60. * TJiiJ! »
V^cUxii 80.
<.
284 ^ EVlDE^iCES OE ii „ .
countiy adjoining to Ephesus), this„ Paul hath per-
suaded and turned away much people. » Beside
these'accounts, there occurs, incidentally, mention of
•converts at Rome, Alexandria, Athens, Cyyi-us,
Cyren«i Macedonia, Philippi. . . . ,
This Is the third period in the propagation of
Christianity, setting off in the seventh year after the
ascension, and ending at the twenty^ighth. Nov^
lay these three periods together, and observe how the
progress of the religion by these accounts is represent-
ed The institution, which properly %ai» only after
^Sts'author'sremovalfrom the world, before the end
of thirty years had spread itself through Judea,
^; GaUleiJ, and Samaria, almost all ?»«"«»«» <>«l^'*;
- trIctB of the. Lesser Asia, through Greece, and the
; islands of the iEgean Sea, the. seit^oast of Africa,
and had extended^ itself to Rome, ««d»nto Italy.
At Antiooh in Syria, at Joppa, EphqsUs, ConnUi,
Thessalonica, Berea, Iconium. Derl^, Antioch in
Pisidia, at Lydda, Saron, the number of converts is in-
timated by the expressions, * a great number, .great
• multitudes," much people' Converts are mentioned,
without any designation of their number,* at lyre,
Cesarea, /ms, Athens, Philippi. Lystra. ^^^12
During all this time, Jerusalem continued not only
the centre of the mission, but a principal seat of the
relirion; for when Sftint Paul turned thiUier at the
conSusiin of the period of which we are now c«a.
sidering the accounts, the other apostles pointed out
to him, as a reason for his compliance with Uieir
ft AeU »bL «. ^ L, .
• « CoMlderlni the extreme conclwnea of mtoy P»rt. of the W.U.rjr.
ih. «iienee about the numbers of conwrt. li no proof of their p«icUy .
£r':; PhmppT. no meaUon whatever U --^^^^ZTJo^S.
Paul addretied an epJrtle to that church. J*** f™"*"*" " "" ,^1
• ..!?ii»^lr. or thMe churchM. were considerable enough to be the
"" iSjelt o?SStSer l^er «d «f much of Saint Paul'. «,Uolt«de: yet
'^ S^ntTp".eU in the hiyory of hiesiucegi^ or eren of hU
=M; y^- .- J- :... ...**»» th. rilaht notlM-alllsh theie WorO L
• preS« m thit cuuuuy «*>«Pt the riUht t > ^^M^ I ' T^ - .^
V S^tS^'When they had r«e """rK'^T-'^A^uil"
rtO«V|«»-they essayed to go into BUhynla. Actsafl.6.
^JX CHRISTIANITY, 285
advice, Vhow many' thousands rrnvriads ipn a„
Upon this abstract, and the writing from whirh it
« djuj., theMc^ observat^^ 4m mS ^
was contemporanr with ^eThl^tX^^^'^^
^sdem. andiequentedthe so^^'oTLI^"^
1^^^' WT »««»ft^ chief partTS, toe •
J^nsaction "Wiy down this p5nt positi^iyf fS ^
th^ ancient attestations to this vahmh « «!? * ? u
lei^ satisfiM-toiy than they are the .^1 ?^
«n,isituation of the author is of more imTrtimce S,^
t.-ue also. For, although the nSratirrSm whir^
our information is derived, has been entUleJtoe S
aLSf ^P?"f ' " ** ^" ^«'» • histoor of U,e twelve *
apostles only during a short time of toeir cont|-nutaJ
together at Jerusalem; and even of^s wiod h!
account is veiy concise. The wo^ 1^?^.^-
k:
.hi. <j.f-'f -""•■• '■" »w« Mieniw l ram-
jj» Acta »l. flo,
28g ■ - EVIDENCES OP
cooversion, •'»J""S',J1 i„ which historjr, also,
very reason more credible ^,1 progress of Chris-
design to have *v'«f ''J^^® K collected, or, at
; tianity he wou^d uadoubW^^^^^
i least, have ««' forth, accountejMin p ^^^^^^^
rest of the apostles, "^^/^^"^T remained silent
improbability, be ^^PPT „ ^.f^th J^re of that
and inactive, or ^^^^^^r^^^^ZZx^s To vvhich
'""^'z ^^^ r^':Js^5fti:f :?s;r-me und,
.erts, and of \'^^Zla^: ^ITi^^LfUaUs,; /
apostles, come out ^^^^J^^^ ^J occasion; such/
. are drawn from ^^^^V^f^Tf^Ji, converts ; the re^
as the murmuring of theG^^^^^^ sipding of
from persecution; Herod s aewn , ^
Barnabas to Antioch, ;md ^^^^'^J^.JSi finding
his assistance^ Paul coming to f J^ews the eom-
there disciples; ^^^^^r'^ n\he tup J^^ the
that notice now appears. J^^1J^;J^^"° deceive. "
the suspicion of a design to e^g^f.^* ^^ "l ^e the
^ Parallel T«TiMON.K9 with the l»p.^^^^^^
letters of Saint Paul, and of Aeother ap«t ^,^^^ ^^
have come down to us. J»«*;^ Philippi, Thes-
^dn»s ,ed i.,thjLclm rchesirf
:^-
■addres i ed t^ tMLcn urj.» ^^^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^
salonica. the churc¥oreaiaiia. awu, » r- ^
be ritfht of Ephesus ; his ministry at all r'»»«'' P"^^^
to «cordcd in Uie history: to Uie church of Coh» se.
f the iDBcrl ^ifla=
CHRISTIANITY.
^»7
or rather to the ohurches of Colosse and Laodicea
jointly, which he had not thl^n visited. They recog-
nise by reference the cliurches of Judea, the churches
of Asia, and *aU the churches of the Gentiles.»"
In the Epistle to the Romans," the author is led to •
deliver a remarkable declaration concerning the"
extent of his preaching, its efficacy, and the cause
tft which he ascribes it,-~*to make the Gentiles
obedient by word and deed, through mighty signs
and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so
that from Jerusalem, and round about unto^lUyri-
cum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ.'
In tlie Epistle to the Cdo-jsians," we findan oblique '
but veiy strong signification of Uie then general state
of the ChrisUan nii^ion, at least as. it appeared to .
Saint Paul:— « If ye continue in the faith, grounded
and settled, and he not moved away from the hope
of the Gospel, which ye have beard, and which too*
preached to every creature which it under heaven f* ,
which Gospel, he had reminded them near the begin-
ning »• of his letter, * Vas present with them, ae it
was in all Me world.*' The expressions are hyper-
bolical; but they are hyperbofes wluch could only be
used by a writer who entertained a strong sense of
the subject. The first epistle of Peter accosts the '
Christians dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
It, comes next to be considered, how fer these
accdtmts are confirmed, or followed up by other evi-
dence.
Tacitus, in delivering a relation, which has ah-eady
been laid before the reader, of the fire which happened '
at Rome in tlie tenth year of Nero (which coincides
with the thirtieth year after Christ's ascension),
asserts, that the emperor, in order to suppress the
rumours of liaving been himself the author of the
niiscluef, prociired the ChrlsOans to be accused. "
Of which Christians, thus brought Into his narrative,
•' I Thenftjl. u. » Rom. XT. 18. ta » Col. t. «. MOoLLtk
ggg " EVIDENCES OF ——
belongs to.<>«r Pijsentjpurp^^ .^ V^ ^j^ ,j
curator Pf "us PijU^te. ^^» P^^^^^ out ag»dn, and
Uiough c*^«<'^** r j*inUreachedtheclty*teo.
spread not only oVer J^**®*;^ ""I'TaJdlwho confessed
At first, they o4 ^^^.'^JT^I ra*« n^uUHude
themselves of tjat sert ^aftem^ ^^^^^^^ ^ ^^
were discovered by them. ^^^^,^ ^^^
early propagation of ^^^^^'^^ great reputati<Jn,
riai: It is from an )^^^lZ.^rinA an enemy
living near tiifi time; [~™^«^^diately v^ith^the
to the religion; J?* " f^^^ture accounts extend.
period tt^«g\^*"''*'i:^. S tihe religion began at
K establishes these po^:J^^«^^^^ ^at U
Jerusalem; Jat it ^J^J" JT^iJ go, but that it had
had reached Rome, wfd not only w,
there obtained a K-^^X «»« that Saint PaiA
WIS about six y«'^^'*^n«^s and something more
• wrote his Epistleto the Ron«a«,«^^^^^^^ The
than two years •^^.^^'^^^^ then so numerous at
converts to UiereUgton^^^^^
Rome, that, of *^«® 'V^.^--ecuted, a great multi-
mation of the F"o*« fift^P^JSgc^^^^
Sde Cmultttudo in^ns) we^e^iscover^ ^^^^^ ^^^^
It seems pr<*abte,tt»tti^e^^^^^ ^^^,^^d
Tacitus '•P''«««'*^v^STto the persecution at
' ^'«P"rJ"S?^iowKed^athofVenCAc^
Jerusalem, ^i*** ^^^^Isnersinir the converts, caused
vili.) ; •^ ^Wch, ^y^^^Sre, to disappear. Its
the insUtution, in ^me mewure, i ^j^^ ^^
-. Tcond eruption at the 3™^ P^-^;^^, of truth. It
time, has much in tt ^^^^^ ^ ^^n who knew
was the firmness and perseverwii.^
^ ha t th s y r.li ^;y ' ^ an d pei^pi . ■T ^" ''!"
TiTlT^ or «m^ .ad p^^^the'^unger.
Importance, is the testimony w ^"^y ^ githy-
CHRISTIANITY.
839
iccount ts <^
had their
e reign of
y the pro-
iiperstition,
again* »oA
le city also.
confessed
tt mtiUihide
aony to the
mely mate-
reputati<$n,
d an enemy
jly with the
ants extend,
ion began at
idea; that it
; that it had
iverts. This
at Saint Patll
nothing more
limself. The
numerous at
1 by the infor-
i, great multi-
,d and seized.
y check which
lave received
persecution at
Stephen (Acts
mverts, caused
disappear. Its
{ within a short
ir of truth. It
men who knew
-».
Asia Minor. The situation in which he found liis
province, led him to, -apply to the emperor (Trajan)
, for his direction as to Uie conduct he was to hold
^towards the Christians. The letter in which this
application is cmitained, was written not quite eighty
years after Christ's ascension. The president, in this
letter, states the measures he had already pursued,
and then adds, as his reason foi^^esorting to tlie
emperor's counsel and authority, the following words-
•^'Suspending all judicial proceedings, I have re.,
coilirse to you for advice ; for it has appeared to me a
matter highly deserving consideration, especially on
account of the great number of persons who are in
danger of suiTering: for, many of all ages, and of
every rank, of both sexes likewise, are accused,
and will be accused. Nor has the contagion of this
superstition seized cities oiily^ but the lesser towns
also, |nd the open country. , Nevertheless it seemed
to nte, that it may be jrestraintd and corrected. It
is certain that the teniple^, which were almost for-
saken, begin to be more frequented ; and the sacred
solemnities, after a long intermission, are revived.
Victims, likewise, are every w^re (passim) bought*
up ; whereas, for some time, there were few to pur
chase them. Whence it is easy to imagine, that
numbers of men might be reclaimed, if pardon were
granted to those thit should repent.' *
It Ss obvious to observe, that the passage of Pliny's
letter, here quoted, proves, not only that the Chris-
tians inventus and Bithynia were now numerous,
but that thby lutd subsisted there for some considerable
time. 'It.lf certain,' he says, 'that the temples,
which were Inmost forsaken (pl^nly ascribing this
• desertion of the popular worship V the prevalency oi<
Christianity), begip to be more frequented, and the
sacred solemnities, after a hnt/f intermission, are
revived.' There >re\also two ckuses in the former
""pwroflhe letten wfiicfiTindicate the ilme tfiTng ; oiiip
in which he d«eU)«s that he liad * never been present
** C. PUn. TnJaQo tnp^ lib. x. ep. levii.
\
'•/
'-*)
EVIDEKULS OP
*t ahv trials of Christians, .and tlierefore knew not
wCVaL he usual subject of inquior ^ pun.^h.
\ nr how far either was wont to be urged.* Tlie
seconu w»«^* - confessed themselves
" to writes. His first ^n''"" «°»"=t,T^, SJ'
arSt^-rr^frta^Hif^^
person to wliom it was addressed Had H notbeen
So Plinv would naturaUy have begun his letter by
DoSg the emperor «-' he l^dm^wUh^a certain
set of men in the proviuce, called Clu-istians^
Here then is a very singular ovidej^ce^of the pro-
irrSs of the Christian religion in a short «pace It
C no fo^core years after the crudfixlon of Jesu ,
Xn?l ny wrote this letter; nor seventy years smce
Ihe aJosttes of Jefus began to mention his name to
S^Sleworld^ Bit^laandPontuswereata
J^^at distance from Judea, the centre ^oni whichj^e
Sllicion spread; yet in these provinces, Christianity
hXng subsisted, and Christians were t«>w in such
Smnbei? as to lead the Romaa governor to report U>
the emperor, that they were found not o«ly ^^f «J
K.tt in villages and in open countries; of all ages, oi
«;U mi^dcondiGon; that they abounded so
mSirtohave produced a visible desertion of the
temolis • that beaSts brought to market for victims
Z^ neSlected:-.lrcumstanc-^^^
^^^SSS^ of the new instltuWon.
No^idence remiins, by which It can be pi^^*
that the Christians were xn^ jmmm }^ J^<>'^
CHRISTIANITY.
291
and Bith3n[iia than in other parts of the Roman
empire; nor has any reason bee^ offered to sh^lv why
they should be so. Christianity did not begin in
these countries, nor near them. I do not lender,
tlierefore, that we ought to confine the description ip
Pliny's letter to the state of Christianity in these
provinces, even if no other account of the same subject
had come down to us; but, cei|ainly, this letttr may
fdirly be applied in aid and confirmation of the repre-
sentations given of the general state of Christianity
in the world, by Christian writers of that and the
next succeeding age. " .,
Justin Martyr, who wriie about thirty years aOer
Pliny, and one hundred* and six after the Ascension
has these remarkal>leWords : * There is not a nation^
either of Greek Of^arbaiian, or of any other name,
even of those wh6 wander in tribes, and live in tents
amongst whom prayers and thanksgivings are not
offered to the Father and Creator of thb Universe by
the name of tiie crucified Jesus. »* Tertullian,
who comes about fifty years after Justin, appeals to
the governors of the Roman empire in tliese terms:
♦ We werebut of yesterday, and we have filled your
cities, islands, towns, and boroughs, the camp, the
senate, and the forum. They (the heathen adverearies
of Christianity) lament, tliat every sex, age, and con-
dition, and persons of every rank also, aro. converts
to that name.* » I do allow, that these expressions
are loose, and may be called declamatory. Bii even
declamation hath its bounds: tliis public boasting upon
a subject which must be known to eveiy reader was
not (Ally useless but unnatural, unless the truth of tho
case, in a considerable degree, correspond with the
description; at least, unless it had been both true ai\d
notorious, that great multitude^ of Christians, cf all
^Oiiks and orders, were to |lj,e, found in most parts of
th^ Roman empire . , ThttB a mBTertulUan, inanodiof ^
passage, by way of setting forth the extensive dlfiiision
of Christianity, enumerates as b^j^miging to Christ,
" Diai. eum Tryph. 87 TertfUl. Apoll. e 87.
, -"'V
«9«
jaVIDENCES OF
lisideinMiy Other countries, the 'Moors and Gatw-
^JThCth. borders of Spain, severj nations,
rf France, and parts of Britain, inaccessible to the
-Romans, the SamariUns, Daci, Germans, and Scy-
mZ^' and, whidi Is more material thjj the exteijt
. of the institution, the nmiber of Christians in tlie
several countries inlfhich it prevailed, « "^ «^;
Tressed by him: * Although so great a multitude tl^t
In almost evtry city we form the greater part, we
pLsTur time modeWjffd i" ^^^r* k^*!Tw
' Alexandrinus, who^re^ed TertuWian by a few
years, introduces * ffcnparison between the success
if Christianity and that of the most celebrated phUo-
sbphical institutions: « The philosophers were coi^
to Greece, and to their particular retainers; but the
aoctrin^ of the Master of Christianity did not remain
t ^ Judea, as philosophy did in Greece, but it spread
I throughout the wholfl^world, in every nation, and
• JSlagt, and city, both of Greeks and Barbarians,
converting both whole houses and separate individuals,
having already brought over to the truth not a few of
the pWlosophers themselves. If the Greek philosophy
be prohibited, it immediately vanishes; whereas,
from the first preaching^f our doctrine, kings aiid
tyrants, governors and presidents, with their whole
train, and with the populace on their side, have
endeivourtd with their whole might to exterminate
it. yet doth it flourish more and more.' • Onge"*
who follows TertuHian at the distance of only thirty
.f^krs, delivers nearly the same account: * In every
. part of the world (says he), throughout aU Greece,
' and in all other nations, tiiere are inimmerable and
immense multitudes, who, having left the laws of
tiieir country, and tiiose whom tiiey esteemed gods,
have given Oiemselves up to tiie law of Moses, and
the reUgion of Christ: and tiiis not without the
tiitt e n wt n«entm«nt from the idolaters, bywto^ ^
were frequently put to torture, and someTimes w
•• Ad. IwL •. 7. •» Ad. Seap. •• 111. *• Clem. k\. Strum. lite,
vl, ad fla. - ^'- — --.-..~,,-,~---^ — ^- .--.- ----....-
CHRISTIANITY.
893
41. Slnim. Uh.
death: and it is wonderful to observe, how/ iu so
short a time, the religion has in^'reased, amidst
punishment and death, and every kind of torture/^
In another passage, Origen dntws tlie following
ca4did comparison between the state of Christianity
in his time, and the condition of its more primitive
ages: * By the good providence of God, the Christian
religion lus so flourished and increased continually,
that it is now preached freely without molestation,
although there were a thousand obstacles to the
spreading of the doctrine of Jesus in the world. But
as it was tlw iVill of God that the Gentiles dioiild
have the ben3it of it, all the counsels of men against
the Cliristians were defeated: and by how much the
more emperors and governors of provinces, and the
people' eveiywhere, strove to depress them, se much
the more have th^y increased, and prevailed exceed-
ingly.' «
It is well known, that within less than eight years
after this,>^the Roman empire became Christian under
Cons^tantine: and it is probable that Constantino
declared himself on the side of the Christians, because
they were the poweriul fvrty; for Amobius, who
wrote immediately before Constantuie's accession,
speaks of the whole world as filled with Christ^ doc-
trine, ni/ila difllision throughout all countries, of an
innumerable body of Christians in distant provinces,
of the strange revolution of opinion of^ men of the
BSt l^nius, orators, grammarians, rhetoricians,
-jiyyen, physicians, havins come over to the institu-
tion, and that also in the &ce of threats, executions,
and tortures.** And not more than twenty years after
Constantino's entire possession di the empire, Julius
Firmicus Matemus calls upon the emperors Constan-
tlus and Constans to extirpate the relics of the ancient
religitm; the reduced and fallen condition of which
is described by our author^ in tfie following words
*Licdt adhuc'in quibusdain regionibus idoloktrin
«• Ori(. In Gels. Ub. L *» Orif. eont Cell. lib. viL «• Amob. ia
<>«»««i !• L 0- %J|lll«. 4S. 44. edit Luf. Dirt. 160%
}
294 . EVIDENCES bl^ \
morientiapalpitent membra; Um«sn Itt «) reo est, ut
& Christianis omnibus terris pestiferum hoc malum
funditJis amputetur:' and in anotherplaco, * Modicum
tantum superest, ut legibus vestrisf-ei^ncta idolola-
tria pereat fimesta contagio.' •• ItwiU not be thought
that we quote this writer in order to recbinmend his
temper or hist-Sudgment, but to shew the comparative
state of Christianity and of Heathjijnism.at ftis period.
Fiay years afterward, Jerome represente the .declme
of Paganism in language which conveys the same idea
of its approaching extinction: 'Solitudinem patitur
iretih urb^ gentilitas. IXii quondam nationum, cum
■ bubonil»UB et noctuivin soils culminibus remansert
unt.*%^^erome here indulges a triumph, natural
and aliowable in a iealous friend of the cause, but
which could only b^ suggested to his mind by th^
consent and universality with which he saw the reli-,
ffion received. * But now (says he) the pa^ion and
insurrection of Christ are celebrated in the discourses
and writings of aU nations. I need not. mention,
> Jews, Greeks, and Latins. The Indians, Persians,
^ Goths, and Egyptipns, philosophize, and firmly believe
thelmmortality of the soul, and future; recompenses,
which befo/e the greatest philosophers had denied,
or doubted of, or perplexed with their disputes.
The fierceness of Thracians and Scythians is now
softened by the gentle sound of the Gospel jijJid
eveiywhereChristisldl in all.'«» Were therefiwe
the motive of Constantino's conversion ever so pro-
blematical, the easy establishment of Christianity,
and the ruin of Heathenism, under him and his
immediate successors, is of itself a proof of the pro-
gress which Christianity bad made in the preceding
period. It may be added else, * that Maxentius, the
rival of Constantino, had shewn himself friendly to
the Christians. Therefore of those who were con-
tending for worldly power and empire, one actuaUy
favoured and flattered them, and another "tnay be
- 4*i>« Snw. PPoJtai. R«ll». e. wl. m \1% quale* *yLM«iitn itA, tIH
Vft**' *» Jer. *il L«c»- *P- *• 7- «» Jer. Bp. 8. wHWIod.
I
CHRISTIANITY;
295
Juspected to have joined himsel/ tp them, partly from
codsideration of interest: so considerable were they
become, under external disadvantages of all sorts ' *'
This at least is certain, that /throughout the whole
transaction hitherto^ the great seemed to foUow, not
to lead, the public opinion.
It may help to convey to us some notiiJh of the
extent and progress of Christianity, or rather of Uie
character and quality of many ear^y. Christians, of
their Jeammg and their hibours, to notice the number
2'S'"stiana»«ter# who flourished in these ages.
Saintf^erome 8 catalogue contains suc^-Mut wrUers
within the first three centuries, and the firet six years
of ^e fourth: mAjifty-four between that time and
his own, viz. A. D. 392. Jerome introduces his
catalogue with the foUowing just remonstrtnce:—
Let those who say the church has had no philoso-
phers, nor eloquent and learned men, observe who
and what they were who founded, established, and
adorned it: let them cease to accuse our faith of
rusticity, and confess their mistake.' • Of these
writers, several, as Justin, Irenieus, Clement of
Alexandria, TertuUian, Origtn, Bardesanes, Hippo-
litus, Eusebius, were voluminous writers. Christian '
writers abounded particularly about the year 178
Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem^ founded a libraiy jii
that city, A D. 212. Pamphilus, the friend of
Origen, founded a library at Cesarea, a. d. 294.
Fublic defences were also set forth, by various advo-
^^atcs of the religion, in the course of its first three
centuries. Within one hundred years after Christ's
ascension, Quadratus and ArisUdes, whose works
except some few fragments of the first, are lost; and
about twenty yean afterward, Justin Martyr, whose
works remaiq, presented apologies for the Christian
reugion to the Roman emperors; Quadratus and
ArisUdes to Adrian, Justin to Antoninus Pius, and
a sw5ond to Marcus Antoninus. Melito, bishop of
Saidis, and Apoljinaria, hishnp of Hierapolis, and—
■■■KW >
* Lardnwr. »ol. »H. p. Wft « j„. Pni. i„ nb. d, Scr. UetL^
#
m.
.296
EVIDENCES OF
tlie
"work
^"MiUliireirHe^nsrii^ did the »i»^to^
Mav:us Antonitoufc, twenty xears afterward :»^A tern
years after this, ApoUonius, who suffered — "^*'
under the emperor.Commodus, compose'^
for his laith, which he reac^n the seiir*'
' was afterward published* "1^0"^^^- . -.
apology of Apollonius,Tertuf9nJM|wed
%^ch now remains under that igjHP the goyernors
of provinces in the Roman empiSj ; andj^^aBout the
same time, Minucius Felix composed a defence of
' the Christian religion; Vhich is still extant; and
shortly after the conclusion of this century, copious
defences of Christianity Were published by Arnobius
and Lactantius.
■•-'!»i';,
',
sect; II. -^
' ' ■ . ■ ■
ReJUcUoHB upon the prneding AamM.
In viewing the progress of Christianity, our first
attention is due to the number of conveits at Jeru-
^em, immediately after its Founder's death ; becftiwe .
this success was a success at the time, and uppn the
spot, when and where the chief part of the history
had been transacted. „ , . */ \» 4«
We are, in the next place, caUed upon to attend to
the early estaWishpient of numerous Christian socie-
ties in hi^TM^rW' which co^untrieM»ad been
the scene flg|Hiemira«^JiiiJ^ miwtry and
where ^he WPiP^ hadpied, and the know-
ledge of wSW?& alleged, must have yet been fresh
arid ceirtain. ;■ i ■ .
We are, thirdly, invited to recollect the success of
the aposUes and of their companions, at the several
places to which they came, both within and without
Judea; because it was the credit given to original
witnesses, appeaUng for the truth of their accounts to
• Euwb. I H»i:»b.W. ' c. 86. secitw Lii uu Bi . »p LU. p < — ■
»• Lardoer, toI. ii. p. 687.
-^ CHaiSTumTv. m
J*al thenrolvra h^^ The efleol
klso of their preaching strongly confirms the truth of
what our.histoiy posttirely and circumstantiUly relates,
that they were able to exhibit to their hearera super-
natural attestations of their mission. .
^ We are, lastly, to consider the tubgegueni growth^
aqii spread of the religion, of which we receive suc-
cewive intimatioMjiipd satisfactory, though general
and occasional, ac&unfi^until ^ts fuU and final MUb-
lishment. • • -^^^^m^m^Mw
parairel:/for iOauatJie^dSserved, thik we hare ilot '
now beeh tracing the progress, and describing the pro-
valency, of an opinion, founded upon philosophical^
critical arguments,- upon mere deduction of reason /
or the construction of ancient Writings (of which kind^
are the several theories which have, at different times
gained possession of the public mind in various del
partments of science and literature; and of one w •"
other of which kind are the teniefe also which divide
the vanous sects of Christianity); but that we speak
or a system, the very basis and postulatum of which
wSs a supernatural character ascribed to a particulaiV
person ; of a doctrine, the truth whereof depends en-
irely ujJ&n the truth ofa matter of &ct then w^nt.
lo establish a new religion, even anwngst • few '
people or in one sfngle nation, is a thing in ftself
. exceedingly difficult. To reform some wrruptfoiis
which may have spread in a religion, or to makVii^>r
regulations in it,, is not perhapslso harf, when tlie '
main and principal part of that religion is preserved
entire and unrfmken ; and yet this veiy often cannot
* be accomplished without an extraordiifiry concv
rence of circumstances, and may be^tterabted *
thou^d times without success. But to introduce a
new faith, a new wajrof thinking and acUng, aiid-to*
persuade many nations to quit the religion' ia whi J
Oieir ancestors have livecj and died, which had' be3
at
eaai
Mi
■ -jSv
*.'■
298
EVlDElifCES OF
had been accustomed to reverence' arid worship ; this
is a work of stiU greater difficulty.* The resistence
of education, worldly policy, and superstition, is al-
-.--^ most invincible.' —^ ^ ^"'''■'
X' If men, in^these days, be Christians in consequence
of their education, in submission to authority, or in <
compliance with fashion, let us recoMect that the veiy
contraiy of thisi at the beginning, wm the case. The
first race of Christians, as well as millions, who suc-
ceeded them, becanje^such in formal opposition to all
• these motives, to the whole power and strength of
• this influence. Every argument, therefore, and every
instance, which sets forth the prejudice of education,
and the almost irresistible efllcts of that prejudice
(and no persons are more fond.of expatiating upon this
:.,' - suhsject than deistical writers), in fact confirms the
evidence of Christianity. ^ . . , .
But, in order to judgev<)f;4he argument which is
" drawn from the early propaj^on of ChiisUanity, 1
know no fairer way of proceeding, than to compare
what we have seen on the subject, with the success
" of CliristiMi missions in modem ages. In the Last
India mission, supported by tlie Society for promot-
ing Christian Knowledge, we hear sometimes of
thirty, sometimes of forty, being baptized in the
* ciourse of a year, and tliese principally children. Ut
converts properly so called, that is, of adults volunta-
rily embi-acing Christianity, the number is extremely
small. • Notwithstanding the labour of missionaries
for upwards of two hundred years, and the esUblisli-
ments of different Christian nations who support them,
' Cheraare not twelve thousand Indian Christians, and
those almost entirely outcasts.''
_^.:^i_ ' nament, as much as any man, the little progress
. 'which Christianity has made ip these countries, and
the inconsiderable effect that has followed the tabours
S\^
I JorUa ' ^ IK K oB I M C W nt . ««• P - W. rt. I t . • j -
• flkeldiM ntatlng to Ihe hiitory. learning, mhI muinen, or me
H.udoo«. p. 4§» quoUd by Dt BObertton, HUt. l>.». concemlnf Miclettl
ImilA, p. SM> .
of its missionarii^s: but I see in it a strong proof of
tlu/ Divine origin of the religion. What had the ^.
apostles to assist them in propagating Christianity '
which the missionarlies have not? If piety and zeal/ ~ r^V
had been suf||cient, 1 doubt not but that our mission-
aries possep t!ie% qualities in a high degree : for,
nothing ^ept pleUr and zeal could engage them in
the undertaking. If sanctity of life and manners was
the allurement, the conduct of these men is unblama-
ble. If the advantage of education and learning be
looked to, there is not ond of the modern missionaries,
who is not, in this respect, superior to all the apostles:
and that not only absolutely, but, what is of more im-
portance, re/aftve/y, in compai'ison, that is, with those
amongst whom they exercise their office. If the in* '
trinsic excellency of the religion, the perfeiition of *te'
morality, the purity of its precepts, the eloquence or
tei^d^ess or sublimity of various parts of its wiit-
injgs;! were the recommendations by which it made its
i^t these remain the same. If the character and
cncumstances, under which the preachers were intro-
duced to the countries in which tliey taught, be
accounted of importance, this advantage is all on the
side of the modern missionaries. They come from a
. country and a people to which the Indian \^v\A look
up with sentiments of deference. The apostles came
forth amongst the Gentiles under no other name thati
that of Jews, which was precisely the character tliey
despbed and derided. If it |)e disgraceful in India
to become a Christian, it could not be much less so
to be enrcdledanioflgst those, 'quos per flagitia in* .v
vises, vulgus Christianos appellabat.' If the religion
which they had to encounter be considered, the dif-
ference, I apprehend, will not be great. The theo-
logy of both was nearly the same: < what is supposed
to be pdrform^ by the power of Jupiter, of Neptune,
of ^olus, of Mars^ ofVenu|t^ according to the my-
Uioiogy ot the^ West, is ascribed, in the East, to the *
•gency.of A^io the god of fire, Varoon the god of J:
oceans, Vayoo the god of wind, Cama the god of . ,^
300^
'■feviOENCEs or
!«'
44-.
;:\
love.'* The sacred rites of the Western Pdythefsin
were gay, festive, and licentious ; the rites of the public
religion in the East partake of the same character,
with a more avowed indecency* * 'In ey^ry function
performed in the pagodas, as well as *in every public
procession, it is the office of these women (t. e. of
women prepared by the Brahmins for the purpose),
to dance before the idol, and to sing hymns ib his
praise ; and it is difficult to say wh^er they trespass
most against decency by the gestiMi|2they exhibit,' or.
by the verses which they recM^. ™i»e waUs of the
pagodas were covered with ijpMl^i^ ^^ a style no
. less indelicate.'* ''
On both sides of the comparison, the popular reli-
gion had a strong establishment. In ancient Greece
and Rome, it was strictly incorporated with the
state. The migis^r^e was the priest. The highest
officers of government bore the most distinguished
part in the celebration of the public rites. In India,
a powerful and numerous ca§t possess exclusively the
administration of the established worship ; and are, of
. consequence, devoted to the service, and attached to
its interest. In both, the prevailing mythology was
destitute d any proper evidence: or rather, in both,
the origib of the tradition is run up into ages long
anterior to the existence of credible lustoiy, or of
written language. The Indian chronology computes
eras by millions of years, and the life of man by
' thousands ;f and In these, or prior to these, is placed
the history of their divinities. In both, the estab-
lished siqwrstition held the same place in the public
• BaihTst Oteta, p. M. qoolad bjr Dr HobmtMNi, Ind. DU. ^ SOS.
« OtiMnorthedeltlnortti* BattaraoTan Mutera and iloonydw.
: raeter, to ba propittatad by vietimf, aomatiBMi by human uerUle««i
and toy voluntary tonnma at tha moat axenieiating kind.— Voyaga da
Oenttl. VOL i. p. tU-SMi PraIMb to Coda of Oentoo Laws. p. 67.
auotad by Dr Sobaitaon, p. SW.
* ' Tha Suflbc Jofua. or ago of puHty. to JM to hata lartad ttm
nllUon two ttuaona ihouavid ytan i and they M» U-i Uw iJfc ^
nan waa aitanded in that afa to ooa hundrad thouaand ytan ( b
than to a diflbnnea amongit the Indian writan, of tU BiUloM af yai
tathaaomoutatloaofthtoan.' Ut,
CHjaiSTlANlTY,
301
opinion J that is to sair, in both it was credited by the
buUt of the people,' but by the learned and philoso-
pWcal part of the cottimunify, either derided, or ra-
gged by thenwas onlj^ m to be upholden for the salce of
its political uses.' I
Or if it should be allowed, that the ancient heathens
believed m their religion less generaUy than the pre-
sent^ndians do, I am far from thinldng that this cir-
cumstance would afford any hciUty to the worit of the
aposUes, above that 6! the modern missionaries To
me it appears, and I think it ma^rial to be remarked
that a disbelief of Jie established religion of theii
country Ims no tenancy to dispose men for the re-
ception of another; but that, on the contnuy, it gen-
erates a setUed contempt of aU religious pretensions
whatever. General infidelity is the hardest soil
wWch the propagators of a new religion can have to
work upon. Could a Methodist or Moravian promise
liimself a better chance of success with a French
e^t/ort, who hac^ been accustomed to kugh at the
mer an netirtd, in erary ai« and flountry. with mUiatitaUw aiMnt.
dtftr widely from our own. we an ratranwl, apt to mt. Hk»iL h^n
imtruetwloumWe. In tiw prinaiplaa oTa aeiJi w!Sit to .JJlJtl
.p«*oftlutDlTin.wlKlo«lvwl,l«htl.«rwS^eSw?iS.u;
Il«r wbirh appMv to uf M dinedy npugnant tojiilit mu^ V^ -l^L
««Ut with thm. But espariene. n»y iaUrtyi. U«,Sh^, •«
d«««r*,pleion.a«w.Ilfcund«l. NoaSteoTtti^uSl «lIS;
S^ ^rVL*!. •»»» 0» «•»• othar hand. .T.,y StotoTihSl
or to allanato than tton Ihoir worriilp, anitod. am>n« thTorMkHZi
««W thatlndlfMBttaarf which I. WaTto «S!J SLto^iZf
- -V? ** '*^ '-*-* BrahnUna oTtha Kaat ara latlonal TiSairta. and
taticeMhMatBMMMdtti
*«dad upon ttieo^ or raOw aoBrtdtr thain aa aontriraiii tohi «Z
JJ«I Ibr tt..ir poUUaal «... ^ Dr a^rttolSTraTSiTw!:
popeiT of his counti:^ than With a believing Mahome-
tan or Hindoo? Or are our modem unbelievers in
Christianity, for that reason, in danger of becoming
Mahometans or Hindoos? It does not appear that
the Jews, who had a body of historical evidence to
ofler for their religion, and who at that time undoubt
edly eutertoined^and held ferth the expectation of a
future state, di(rived«my great advantage, as to the
extension of their system, from the discredit into
which the^pular religion had foUen with many of
their heifthen neiglibours. ' .
We^ave particularly directed our observations to
lie iate arid progress of Cluristianitv amongst the
ira^itants of /«rfw; but the history of the Christian
Eoft in other countries, where the efficacy of the
jnission is left solely to the cpnviction wrought by the
^preaching of strangers, presents the same idea, as the
Indian mission does, of the feebleness and inadequacy
of human meatis. About twenty-five years ago, was
published in England a translation from the Dutch,
-of a History of Greenland, and a relation of the mis-
sion for above thirty years carried on in tl»t countiy
by the Unitas Fratrum, or Moravians. Every part
of that rotation confirms the opinion we have stated.
Nothing could surpass, or hardly equal, the zeal and
patience of the missionaiies. Yet their historian, in
Uie conclusion of his narrative, could find place for no
reflections mdre encouraging than the following:—
* A person that had known the heathen, that had seen
the little benefit from the great pains hitherto taken
with them, and considered that one after another had
abandoned all hopes of the conversion of those infidels
(and some thought thSy wbuld never be converted,
till they saw miracles wrought as in the apostles days,
and this the Greenlanders expected and demanded of
their instructors) ; one Uiat considered this, 1 say,
would not so much wonder at the past unfruitfulness
"Steadfast^
^STtRese young l>egiiuiei-,
verance in the midst of noUiing but distress, difficuU
.ties, and InipctUmenU, internally and externally; and
.■ . \
CHRISTIANITY.
m
that they never desponded of the conversion of those
poor creatures amidst aU seeming impossibib'ties.'*
Prom the widely disproportionate eflects which
attend the preaching of modem missionaries of Chris-
tianity, compared with what foUowed the ministry of
Christ and his apostles under circumstances either
-ali|ce, or not so unlike, as to account for the difierence
; a conclusion is fairly drawn, in support of whal our
histories deliver concerning them, viz. that they pos-
sessed means of conviction, which we have not; that
they had pi-oofs to appeal to, which we want.'
• ■,>■ ■■>--.-.. ' ■■■■■■-■.. '.
SECT. III. . :
(y the Religion (If Mahomet. ■ _^
The only event in the history of the human species,
which admits of comparison with the propagation of
ChrisUanity, is the success of Mahometanism. The
Mahometaq iostitutlon was rapid in its progress
was recent in its history, and was fomided upon a
supernatural or prophetic character assumed by its
author. In ■ these articles, the resemblance with
ChrisUanity is confessed. But there are points of
diflerence, which separate, ^e apprehend, the two
cases entirely.
I. Mahomet did not found his p};ptension8 upon
miracles, properly so caUed; that IsTupon proofs of
supernatural agency, capable of being known and at-
tested by others. ' Christians are warranted in this
assertion by the evidence of the Koran, in which
Mahomet not only does not aflect the power of work-
ing miracles, but expressly disclaims It. The follow. .
ing. passages of that book furnish direct proofs of the '
truth of what we allege ^— 'The infidels say. Unless
* "gP Pg WPt down ynto him from his lord, we will
nut bel i e Tff
•r
♦ thoujart a preicEer only.»' Agidof
> Salt'a konm, e. illl. |i
• Hiitoryor OrMnlaad, toI. il. p. 876
#01. ed. oiurto.
[^'S' '
l».
304
EVIDENCES OF
{
-N
•Nothbg hindered us from sending thee with mlrt,.
cles, except that the former nations have charged
them with imposture,*" And lastly ; * They say, ua-
less a sign be sent down unto him from his lord, we
wiU not beBeye: Answer^, Signs are in the! power of
God alone, and I am no more than a public preacher.
Is it not sufficient for them, that we have i^nt down
unto them the book of the Koran to be' i^ad unto
thein?'" Besides these acknowledgihaiBntsi-I have
observed (kiHeen distinct places, in wMch Mahomet
put^ the objection (unless a sign, &c.) into the mouth
of the unbeliever, in not one rf which does he allege
a miracle in reply. His answer is, * that God giveth
the power of worlting miracles, when and to whom
he pleaseth}** • that if he should work miracles, they
would ^ot believe;'* 'that they had before rejected
Moses, and the Prophets, who wrought miracles;'*
* that the I^oran itself was a miracle."*
The only place in the Koran in which it can be
pretended that a sensible mira<;le is referred to (for I
do not aUow the secret visitations of Gabriel, the night
journey of Mahomet to heaven, or Jtlie presence in
batUe of invisible hosts of angels, to deserve the name
of eenaible miracles), is the beginning of the fifty-
fourth chapter. The words are these:— * The hour
of judgment ^>proacheth,' and the moon hath been split
in sunder: but if the unbeUevers see a sign, they turn
aside, saying. This is a powerfiU charm.»t The Ma-^
hometan expositors disagree in their interpretation of
this passage; some explaining it to be a mention of
the mo(in, as one of the future signs of the approach
of the day of judgment; others referring it to a mir»-
-^culous appearance which had then taken phice.*. It
seems to me not improbable that Mahomet might
have taken advantage of some extraordinaiir halo, or
other unusual appearance of the moon, whicUhad hap-.
pened about this time ; and which suppMed a fimnda'
• lb.e.T.«.j5ri.»wl«. »4b.e.*i. • lb. «. lU. ni wW.
___,l^IIMk..«!k .^.„ A Vlit jWWtoU*,, _.._.__ ., : _ ,_^^ ^^
CHRISTIANITY.. 305
tjon both for tWs passage, and for the stoiy which in
*fter times had been raised out of it
co^wW(m# of the Koran, we are not to be moved^
with miraculous stories rekted of Mahomet by Abul-
feda who wrote his life, about ^ix hundred yeL after
I **®JJ*»'7r which are found in the legeml of AU
'^I^Uyrho Clime two hmdredyemlBUir? On the
eontrary, from comparing what Mahomet himself
v^teajrfsaid,withwhat;asafterwarfreJS^^
by his followers, the plain and fair ooncliSon is. ^
^*;j??u*i^'" ""^ ««^K8hed by conquest, then,
ifnd not Uti then, came out the stories of ids mirS
JNow this diflerence alone constitutes, in myApio.
ion, a bar to a^ hjasomng from one case to the/other
Th6 success of* religion founded upou a miiiculouS
history, shews the credit which was given to/Se his-
wJT'h?* ^Ws credit, under the circums^TSs in
1^ iA'^K^^'^T.*- *• ^y l«»^«sjc«pabli^f know,
ing the trMth, and interested to inquiro/2ler It. is
evidence of the reality of the histoid, and, by conse-
quenc^e of the truth of the religion. Wher/amht
cidous history ^s not alleged, no part of this argumert
can be applied. M'e admit, that mulUtudes SoyT.
ledge the pretensions of Mahomet; but, these preten-
sions being destitute of miraculous evidence. wS k«»w
that the grounds upon which they were ackiiwled«jd.
could not be secure grounds of persuasion to his foil
Admit the whole ef Mahomet's authentic Idstoiy. so
far as it was of a nature capable of being knowi or
witMssed by others, to be true (which is cerSi^r to
Jdmit aM that the reception of' the religion ca/te
breughtto prove), and Mi^omet might still be an
impostor, or-enthusiist, or ajunion of both. Admit
iliVIr!!"^ «*«•*. W~r.tlttt th^ hUtariwa had u. writtM
S^-SSS?wi?!i-iS^i*'*l^- "•«»"' Al-Boetari. oiTof
306
EVIDENCES OF
to be true almost any part of Christ's history, of that
i mean, which was public, and within the cdgniz&nce
of his followers, and he must have come from God.
Where matter of fact is not in questiwi, where mira- _
cles are not alleged, 1 do not see that the progress of
a religion is a better argument of its truth, than the
prevalpncy of aay system of opinions in natural reli-
gion, morality, or physics, is a proof of the tJiith of
those opinions. And we know that this sort of argu-
ment is inadmissible in any branc^. of philosophy-
whatever.
But it will be said. If onfe religion could "make its
way without miracles, why might not another? To
which I reply, first, that this is not the question*, the
proper question Is not, whether a religious institution
could be set up without miracles, but whether a reli-
gion or a change of religion, founding itself in
miracles, could succeed without any- reality to rest
upon? I appreliend these two cases to be very difler-
ent ; and I apprehend Mahomet's not taking this course, {
to be one proof, amongst others, that the thing is dif-
ficult, If not impossible, to be accomplished: certainly
it was not fropri an unconsciousness of the value and
impcHlaiice of miraculous evidence: for it is very obser-
vable, that in the same volume, and sometimes in the
' same chapters, in which Mahomet so repeatedly dis-
claims the power of working miracles himself, he Aa
incessantly referring to the miracles of preceding
prophets. One would imagine, to hear, some men
talk, or to read some books, that the setting up of a
religion by dint of miraculous pretences was a thing of
every day's experience ; whereas I believe, that, extfep-
the Jewish arid Christian religion, there is no toler-
ablyywell authenticated account of any such thing
having beep accomplished.
/ II. The establishment of Mahomet's religion was
^ eflected by causes which in no degree appertained to
the g rligm of C h r i st i anit y. ^
Dm-ing the first twelve years of his nussion, M^-
homet had recourse only to persuasion. This is
t
CHRISTIANITY.
307
aUowed. Ami there is sufficient reason from the
ei^ct to believe, that, if he had confined himself to
this mode of propagating his religion, we of the pre-
sent day should never have heard either of him or it "
* Three years were silently employed in the convert
sion of fourteen proselytes. For tenyeal^, the religion
advanced with a slow and painful progress, within
the walls of Mecca. The number of proselytes in the[
seventh year of l^s mission may be estimated by the
absence of eighty^ree men ahd eighteen women, who
retired to Ethiopia.' «» Yet this progress, such as it
was, Appears ^ have been aided by some very impor.
tant advantages which Mahomet found in his situa-
tion, in his mode of conductiqg his design, and in his
doctrine. .
1. Mahomet was the grtodson of the most powerful
and honourable family in Mecca: and although the
early death of his father had not lef^ him a patrimony
suitable to his birth, he had, long before the com-
mencement of his mission, repaired this deficiency by
an opulent marriage. A person considerable by his
wealth, of high descent, and nekiiy allied to the chie&
of his country, taking upon himself the character of a
religious teacher, would not fail of attracting attention
and followers.
2. Mahomet conducted his design, in the outset
especially, with great art and prudence. He conduct,
ed it as a politician would copduct a plot. His first '/
application was to his own family. This gained him
his wife's uncle, a considerable person in Mecca,
togethei-^with his cousin All,- afterward the celebra,ted
CaUph, then a youth of great expectation, and ev«n
aU-eady distinguished by his attachment, impetuosity,
and courage. " He next expressed himself to Abu
»• Oibboni Hi(t toI ix. p. U\, *e. ; ed. Dub.
. ^^ *""'' **' Glbboi. hu preserred the following speeliMii i—
Wfcen Mabomei called out in an anmnbly of bli Aunily, Who amonc
jiria TTiai vm —J wt^fmnwn-wnor oiy ymr r Alif tHBB nBly III H|* BMtf^
teenth year of hit. age, luddenly replied. O prophet I I am the man t—
whoaoeTer rieei acainet thee. I will daih out bii teeth, tear out hit tTca.
!r ,'"l'?*^ "'' "" ''•■ '^"y- ^ Pro»*«* ' * *»» »>• thy '«««r over
Uumi.' Vol ii. p. tti, ,- -,
EVIDENCE S OF
=dt
ape
t^vr, a man amongst the first of Uie Koi'eish in wealth
and influence. TU« interest and example of Abu Beer,
drew in five other principal persons in Mecca; whose
sdJicitaticms prevailed upon''five more cStbe same rank.
This was the woric of three years ; during which time,
every thing was transacted in secret. Upon the
strength of these allies, DPtd under the powerfiul protec-
tion of his &mily, who, ^pvt^ever some of them might
. disapprove his enterpr^i^or deride his pretensif^i^,
would not sufler the ^pixi of their hous6, the relic
j^of thefir favourite brotheis .to be insulted; Mahomet
now commenced his public preaching. And the ad-
vance which he made during the nine or ten remain-
ing years of his peaceable ministry, was by no means
greateif than what, with these advantages, and with
the additiwMil abd singular circumstance of there being
no MtaA^^ltf religion at Mecca at that time to con-
tend. witH*^ Alight reasonably have been expected.
How, soon his primitive adherents were let into the
secret of his views of empire, or in what stage of his
undertaking these views first opened themselves to bis
own mind, it is not now easy to- determine. The
event however was, that thtee his first proselytes all
ultimately attained to riches and honours, to the com-
mand of armies, and the government of kingdoms. "
3. The Arabs deduced their descent from Abraham
through the line of IshmaSl. The inhabitants of
Mecca, in common probably with the other Arabian
tribes, acknowledged, as, I think, may clearly be
collected from the Koran, one supreme Deity, but
had associated with him many objects of idolatrous
' worship. The great doctrine witii which Mahomet
«et out, was the strict and exclusive vanity of God.
Abraham, he told them, their illustrious ancestor;
Ishmael, the father of their nation; Moses, the law-
giver of the Jevra; and Jesus, the author of Christi-
anit y ; h id > U a swrtfld the n ame thi n g; that their
followers had universally corrupted the truth, and that
ie was now commissioned to restore it to the world.
^ — - CHRlflTIANITY. — ^^0t
ZTl^f^ «>ewondered it, that adoctriw so specious,
wem^SSpn^ ^TT' ""»* "' other of ^hicb
were holden in the highest veneration by every de-
wription of his hearers, should in the LK,f a
Mahomet succeeded by his pacific ministry?
.v V !, "*® institution which Mahomet jiined with
that institation is deUvered, we discover, I think, t*Vo
purposes that pervade the whole, w*., ti mX con-
verts, and to make his converts soldiera. ThefoUowr
ing particuhrs, amongst othera, may be considered
as PjW^ent indications of these d^gS:
rt-f ®^ Mahomet began to preach, his address to
the Jews, to the Christians, and to the Paian A^
was^that the religion which he tai^t, iTno^J
than wh^ had been originally theiro^.-. WeZ
lieve in God, and that which hath been sent domi
r^V^SSt"' *^ '**™'*i' "d Isaac, a«d W
and the Tribes, and that which was delivered^
Moses imd Jesus, and that which was delivered unto
tte prophets frem their Lord: we make no distinction
between any of themsJ" * He hath ordained you th"
rehgion which he commanded Noah, and which we
have revealed unto theei^O Mohammed, and which
we commanded Abraham, ind Moses, and Jesus
saymg. Observe this i-eligiSv and be not divided
Jherem/u f He ^h chosen ^iiu, and hatknot iiJu
pwed on you any difficulty in th^religion which he
o «S?° m the religion of your fiuherAbndiam.^
A .7r^ V^^?'^ ^^ *^ Koran nW ceases from
descnbfaig the future ahguish of uii^lievers, their
despair, regret, penitence, and tormdnt. It is the
point which he UOiours above aU others. And these
descripUons are conceived in terms, which wiU appear
m no smaU depiee impressive, even to the modem
™er of a n EngUsh traoslaUon. DoubUwa thev ^
would operate with much greater force upon the
>• Stle-i KwwB. e. H. p. ly. »« n^ ,. „„ _ ,jj^
*, I'
%;
'%:
EVIDENCES OF
mindsof those to whom they were immediately directed.
The terror which'they seem well calculated to inspire,
would be to m*ny tfeiripers a powerful application.
3. On the other hand ; his voluptuous paradise j his
i-ol^s of silk, his palaces of marble, his rivers/and
shades, his groves and couches, his wines, his dain-
ties; and above all, his seventy-two virgins assigned
to each of the faithful, of resplendent beauty and eter-
nal youth; intoxicated the imaginations, »nd seized^
the passions of his Eastern foUowei-s. , ^
^ 4. But Mahoropt's highest heaven was reserved
for those who fought his battles, or expended their
fortunes in his cause.—* Those believers "^rho sit stiU
at home, not having any hurt, and those who enjploy
their fortunes and their persons for the religion of God,
shall not be held equal. God hath preferred those
who employ their fortunes and thwr persons »n thrt
cause, to a degree above those who Sit at home. God
had indeed promised every one Paradise; but God
had preferred those yrhojffhtfor the faith before those
who sit still, by adding unto thena a great reward;
V degree of honour conferred upon them from him,
and by .granting them forgiveness and mercy.' ••
Again; * Do ye reckon the giving drink to the pil-
grims, and the visiting of the holy temple, to be ac-
tions as meKitorious as ihose performed by him wh©
believeth in God and the last day, mdjightethforthe
religion of God ? They shall not be held equal with
God. ^They who have believed and fled their coun-
try, and employed their substance and their persons
in the defence of God's true religion, shall be in the
highest degree of honour with God ; and these are
they who shallibe happy. The Lord sendeth them
good tidings of mercy from him, and good wUl, and
of gardens wherein they sludl en|oy lasting pleasures.
They shall continue thereih for ever j for with God is
„ great rewurdt^ " And opco more ; * Verily Qfld.
hath purchased of the true believers tjieir souls and
their substance, promising them the enioyment of Par-
Sale'* Konn, c It. p. 73. «' lb. c is. p. IM. --
t
CHRISTIANITy.
^I
rodise, on jsonditlon that iheyjightfor the catue of God:
whether they sUy or be slain, the promise for the
iSTth^K^!^ ^°^f
6. Hisdoctrineof predestination was applicable, and
1^ applied by hint, to th#same purpose of fortifying and'
of exalting the courage of his adherents.—' If any thing
of the matter had happened unto us, we had not been
slain here. Answer : If ye had been in your houses,
' verily they would have gone forth to fight, whose
slaughter was decreed to the places where they died ' »
6. In warm religions, the appetite of the sexes is
ardentj the passion for inebriating liquors nibderate.
In compliance with this distinction, although Maho-
met laid a restraint upon the drinking of wine, in the
use of women he allowed an almost unbounded indul-
gence. Four wives, with the liberty of changing
them at pleasure," together with the persons of ill ■
his captives, «» was an irresistible bribe to an Anibian
waVrior. '^od is minded (says he, speaking of this
very suly'ect) to make his religion light unto you; for
man was created weak.' How different this from
the unaccommodating purity of the Gospel! How
would Mahomet have succeeded with the Christian
lesson in his mouthy^* Whosoever looketh upon a
woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery .'
with her already in his heart?' It must be added,
that Mahomet did not enter upon the prohibition of
wine, tiU the fotirth year of the Hegira, or seveu-
teeuUi of his mission," when his military successes
tad completely establishe^d his authority. The same '
observation holds of the fast of the Ramadan, »• and '
_ ** Sale's konn. e, ix. p. 164.
° The nronl (ftith HataoRwt) U the key of heaven and of hell t a
Jfop of Mood ihed In the eaiue or God. a nifhi epent to anwi to of more
avail than two moaOuf Iktttof or prayer. WhoMMver fUU in battie.
-_ . "I* *" t'nfirm at »e day of jndgment ; hto woundt ehall be ».
■plend i
. irtret^wH lHu ii . anu i muflftniui m muu ; Mid the l ow of Ms ilmg
•hall be supplied by the wines of angels and cherubim. Qibbo^ toI
u'^ , ••Sale's Koran, c. III. p. 54. ' "lb. e. I». p. m]
Gibbon. Tol. iK. p. SIM. " Mod. UnlT. Hist Vol. i. n. IMl
•*Ib.p. 118.
31%
Evu Fences OF
of the most laborie^ Jart of ^is iiutitutioa the piU
grimage to Mecca.f* I "
W^t has hitherto heen collected firam the records
of. the Mussulman historjr, relates to the twelve or
thirteen years d Mahomet's peaceable preaching}
which part alone of his life and enterprise admits of
the smallest comparison wiUi the (Higin of Christian-
ity. A neVr scene is now unfold(>d. The city^ ci
Medina, distant about ten days' journey from Mecca, '
was at that time distractedby the hereditary coatedk
iions of two hostile tribes. These feuds were exas-
perated by the mutual persecutions of the Jews imd^
Christians, aiid of the different Christian sects hyf
which the city was inhabited." The religion qS
Mahomet pjresented, in some measure, a point of
vadoa or compromise to these^ divided (pinions. It
■* embraced the principles which were common to them
^ ' alL Eai^ party saw in it an honourable acknowledg-
ment of Jj&e iiihdamental truth of their own qrstem.
To the P^^jtin A^^f somewhat imbued with the sen-
timents and|kaowl^d9a..of his" Jewish or Christian
fellow-citizeiTTt qflbred no offensive, or very impro-
Irable theologkr. ' This i^commendation procured to
Mahometanism, a more fiivourable reception at Me-
dina, than itslauUior had been able, by twelve years'
painful endeavours, ,to obtidn for it at Mecca. Yet,
after all^ the progiress of .the religion was inconsider-
able. His missionary could ooly ooUecWa congre-
gation of forty persons. ** It wM not a reUgious, but
a politiciJ,» association, which ultimately introduced
Mahomit into Medina. Harassed, as it should seem,
and disgusted by the long continuance of Actions and
disputes, the inhabitants of that city saw in the ad-
-missien ol the prophet's authority, a rest from the
miseries wMoh th^ had suflered, and a suppression
of the violence and fury which they had learned to
n ThU IMtor*
Mm AnH aM
Uw. In tUi — „--.
Salel Pralini. dIm. p, |te'
« Mod. Wiv. Biat vol. i. o. lOOl
CHRISTIANITY. gj^
cdQdemii. After an embassy, therefore, composed of
tribes, with whom a treaty was concluded of strict^
liimce and support, Mahom^ made his p,*h^^enLv
^ and was received as the «»Tereign of ^4 T ^'
rrom this time, or soon after this tine, the im
poster changed his huiguage and his coS^S Har-
ingnow a town at his command, whW^ » anf J^^
party, and to head them with seciity, he . ratera^na!
newcounsels. He now pretends tlit ad St X^
idolatiy, and to set up the true fiuth by tl e swcS^
An earjr victory over a veor superiorLc l ^^y'ed
his anm, and of his personal character. » Every year
a^r th^ was marlced by battles or ass^iS^
*tTif, °*'r *"^'*'""^^ ^ Mahomet's fttrnTex^:
tioM may be estimated from the computation ttit
in the nine foUowW years of his life, TZS^d
Ws army in person ,n eight generel^ng2ZX«
and undertook, by himself or his lleuteT
military enterprises. ^ ^
From this time we have nothing left
out that Mahomet should collect an ain
jrmjrshould conquer, and that his reli«on should
proceed togeUier with his conquest|. tS ordSv
experience of human aflUrs, leWus u£e V^
^Z ^?* *^^'^,^y P««»ll'^ fcclUtirf From ^
rtdes, toe roving Arabs crowded round tike standard
rfrellgion and plunder, of freedom •ndTvlcto.y, rf
arms and rapine. Beside the highly pairited jovs 3
• carnal paradise, Mahomet rewS WfoUoi^ In
^th T'" "^"^ • liberal, divirioa of SLfilZ! «3
with the persons of their female captlij* Tl«
n!^!!il^!fT^Jl!^^ impression, and yj eldedto the
.fterthe wc~
uts, fifty
cconnt for,
/, that his
ion should
PH olut e a i in^
7^'^."H^r„j;r^r'^*-v„srb.'tir
314
'^ .^A
EVIDENCES OF
duction of his native peninsula, the weakness also of
Uie 'Roman provinces on the nortlt and the west, as
well as the distracted state of the Persian empire on
the e&st, facilitated the successful invasion of neigh-
bouring countries. That Mahomet's conquests should
can^ Ids reUgion along with them, will* excite little
surprise, when we know the conditions which he pro-
posed to the vanquished. Death or conversion was
the only choice oflered to idolaters. 'Strike off
their heads! strike bff all the ends of their fingers! ""
kill the idolaters wheresoever ye shall find them!' "*
"To. the Jews and Christians was left the somewhat
milder alternative of subjection and tribute, if they
persisted in their own religion, or of on equal f)artici-
pation in the rights and liberties, the honours and
privileges, of the faithful, if they embraced the reli-
gion of their conquerors. *Ye Christian dogs, you
know your option, the Koran, ^e tribute, or the
sword.? "* The corrijipted state ofThristianity in Uie
seventh centluy, and the contentions of its sects, un-
happily so fell in with men's care of their safety, or
their fortunes, as to induce many>to forsake its pro-*
fession. Add to all which, that Mahomet's victories
not only operated by the natural eflect of conquest,
but that they were constantly repres^ted, both to his
friends and enemies, as divine declarations in his fla-
vour. Success was evideno^^ Prosperity carried i^iUi -^
it, not only influence, but proof. ' Ye have already
(says he, after the battle of Bedr) had a miracle shewn
you. In two armies which attacked each other ; one
army fought for God's true religion, but the other
were infidels.' " Again : * F« slew not those who
were slain at Bedr, but God slew them.~If ye desire
a decision of the mMter between us, now hath a deci-
sion cope unto you.-* " ' .
Many more passages might be collected out of the
Koran to the same effect. But they are unnecessaiy.
*lla | «>KorM».e. Tin. |t.l40.' w lb. *. lit. tt 111. . ''
f ** Qibbon, TOl. ix. p. 337. *• Sale'* Koran, e. iif. p. 96.
, •) lb. e. Till. p. Ul,
|:*^ OftRISTIANITY. jj^
msUess ^of Mahometaaism duiing this/ and
. ?*^' f^ foture period of its hi8to5^ teir^o
jnily th« no inference whatever can justly be drnwn
- from it t5 the prejudice of the ChrislSa^r^^
For, MThaiju, ^ eomparing? A 6aUIean*bZSt
accompanied by a kvr iishlmen, with a^^S^!
?nrS* ^ '^.*"*' ""^- We compare jiiHrlS
force, witi^out power, without support. withotH^
external cii^umstam* of attn«tion'^5r inflCrpr
^^J!^u*^'^ ^ prejudices, the leaning 'SJl
hierarchy, of his countiy; against the anciiTroLn™
opini«w, the jKjmpous roli^ous rites, i^tJZ^
the wisdom the authority of the Riman empj? hT '
the most polished and enlightened period rfiteeil^
tenoB.;^ with Mahomet .Sking ffs ^y ^onJs^
^rL^^'^^fT!? ^ "^ midstic^queft.
we world, and i^hen suc^wss in arms not onlv onenit
edby that command of men's wills and pe^LS
« a s^rJTsiron""'^*^!'?^^' *»"' "«" «««W««d
m..Ju !i testimony of divine approbaUon. That
S^?^*"; P^^^ded by this argSaent. should jofa
ll«!il«li ' ^'^**?' '^y argument, bow down before
5^ffin^" "^"T^^y '^Wch the establisS
Jxr?""*'/ ^^W eiTected. .
The Wess, therefore, of Mahometanism, stan^
not in the wav of this Important conclusl^thatth.
tKH™.£^'^'^^"» manner «d IS:
the circumstances In which it was propanted is I
^nigut Id the hlstoiy of the snecieaTA fii! ?
peM^tjPerthrewthe^religiSiJSSw^^^^ ^'''''^
1 have, nevertheless, pUu»d the pnvalency of the
rrt^ amongt the «uUl«y arguSient. 7ir^S*
jwcawe, w h et ho rJtJuui pma He^ r» »™w r
ix,' ' ;^"— ffiJu-iMtt prevaii e a or uot^ ef whether
«■ prevalency can or eannot be accounted for th«
direct argument remMnist^. It Is s^tue ita 4
316
EVIDENCES OF
\ great number of meDinpoii the.8pot^]}ers<malIy c<m-
Wected with the ^mty and with tha author of the
religion, werei^iuced by wliat they heard, and saw,
uid knew, mitonly^to change their former opini(«is,
"^Tit to l^enap their time, and sacrifice their ease, jto
vre^ttwas and kingdoms without irest and without
Safiness, to commit themselves to extreme dangers,
to undertake in^es^ant toils, to undergo grievous suf-
ferings, and all this, soljely in consequence, and in
support, of their belief qfc&cts, which, if true, estab-'
lish the truth of the reJMon, whioh, if false, they
must have known to be aI.
«#
H
> ?c.
v\„ ■■"•■■.'"■; .,-1-. V'' ■■ ■'• ^■
•■?■ ' ■■ .1/ \ -^:' ^
' A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF SOME POPULAR
. OBJECTIONS. /
♦i CHAP. f. ,'
, #■'■■':" / , _ . . /
' J ' ^' Difer^Mnciet between the tevf mi GoiiH'U,
1 Kxow not a more rash or unpbilosophical conduct
of the understanding, than 16 reject the substance of
a story, by reason of some ^diversi^ in the circum-
stances with which it is refatted. The usual character
• of human testimony is'Bubstantial truth under circiun-
,^ stantial varietur.! This is what the daily experience
4^ court* of justice teaches. MThen accounts of a
' transaction comie from the mouths of different witness-
es, it is seldom that it is not po^ible to pick out
^ apparent or real Inconsistencies between them, lliese
inconsistencies are studiously displayed by an adverse
pleader, but i '
the minds of the judges. On the contrary, a clo6#
and minute agreement induces the suspicimi of con-
%
.^
chbistianity: 4 ' «,-
r^^XSilZ'ij^ touch
themselves; n^SmX^ir""^ P"»^nV
tradictioM; yetn^thTn * ***^'"*« «»<» final con-
ed sufficient rsJS^^^SeTreSJh'.^^tf. »™ ^««^
.^e embassy of the Jeirn '^^ "''^^ "»»*» fact.
temple, PhiJo places S wL t '**u"* *" "»«'«•
time; both contemporanr wS« -^rP**"" '" «»«d.
.by this inconsisteS^i;^di^S* ii^^'^*' '« ^«<'
embassy was sent, Tr wheSLr -..i*"^' "^^ ««
given. Our own hiS,,^ J^ooLr'' "* ""'^^ ^"^ *
ArgyU's death, in the S of Ch ^i! ¥*C?"" ^^
i ^e have a riry remIrS ^^^^^^cond,
Cla«„donreht2:u^rh?w^U?«'^i;*'°»- "^^'^
ed, which was perKed S.^ «" *T^ *<» "^ ^u^ng-
I "tatbg that he W^SS' ^^' «»nc"r in
condemned uponX sJtu^*^' "S^ '^*' *»« ^^
. the Monday.! W^'^^t'^'y* and executed upon
erer sceptic^nough to^ise fr2f ^^"''^ '^A
I whether the Marfuis ofT^^y? ''*"~ * 'iwstion.
Vet this o«ght4o i left t f " !?1 ««^ted or not? ,
the PrincipjSuw« wh^^^^^ »ccoitiing to
wmetimes'^been'SLS^^ DrMw5?r
"»^ the diflerent houra of tL J *****^*««M
cniciiixlon of Christ hvi^® ^*^ ""'gned to the
ievan2Usts.did^^S^rfr^ '
iwnedmon had proD«^, i«J^f"**'"®^««t'^Wch '
eoniq«,„ees oTmtoSi I'^^f*''*^** ^*"» a" th^
«ing of the 3S^*'!: tii fK™'"?'^ the discrtd-, .
'•^B.^ Brju. • P'*"'"P'^ *«^i' by a
\
'»T I
\m4
r
51$^
EVn>BNC£9 OF
repugnahcy:*(eveAi supposljfig UiaVrapugnaiuy notto1ie»-|~.^„
rraolvi^le into diflbreot modea of computfttiop) in Uie
time of (be dayi in which it is said to have takeii
place. " ' .- '.
^ A grqatdeal of the discrepancy observable in the I
Ckkspels, arises from omitrim $ vom a &ct cur a pas-
sage ;of Christ's life "being noticed by one writer, .~
which is unnoticed by ano^er. . Now, onrfssion' is at
all times a very uncertain ground of olgection. We
perceive it, not (Moly in tlw comparison 6f difl^rent
writers, but even in the' same writer when compared
. with himself. There are a, great many particuliurs,
, and some cl th^m of; imjportance, mentioned by
Josephus in his Antiquities, which, as we shoula
have supposed, ou^t to have been put down by hin^
la their jigace iq the Jewish wars.* Suetoniusi/
Tacitus, :0io Cassius, have, all three, written of the
reign of Tibwius. Each has mentioned many thin^^
omitted by;the rest,* 'yet no ol^ecticto is from thenc<k
taken to*the respective credit dP their histories. WJb
have in our own times, if there were not somethinjg
indecorous in the comparismi, the life of an eminent
peijMm, written by three, of his friends, in which the^
is veiy. great varied in 4he incidents selected by
them; some ^>parent, aqd perhqw some rei4 contria-
dictlons; yet without any impeachflaent of the siib-
stantial truth of their accounts, of ihe authenticity of
the hooka, of the competent informatitm vt general
fidelfty of the writers. ^ >' f
But these discrepancies will be still more^numerc^,
when men do not write littstories, but mtmutrti which
is periuqM the true name and prqier descr^iob^of
our Goqieb: thit ts, when they do not undertake, or
ever meant, to deliver, in order of time, a regulsr
and complete account of otf the things of importance,
which thjupersoo, who is the sul^Iect of their histoiy,
did or wmi but |only, out of many simibur cnes, to
g l w such p a ii a ge i er such acU e M and diiwui i ei, m "
offered themselves, more immediately to their atten-
'• Untawr, Crtd-'put i. voL-li. p. 73ft, *«. « IMd. p, 748
■'•
^CHRISTIANITY.
319
S"t *^ ''*"*** ^'^^ Matthew had-r^w St
Jttest the &ithful perfonnance of Christyprolnise to
his disciples to go before them into ^eJrb^J;
he alcmej except Mark, who seems to have SSS^
from him, hM recorded this promise, S \elj«e
h» confined ^s namttive to that singte^^^Sm "to
Lord's person.' R was tte thin^ which dwelt udod
10 It. But, that thera is nothing in Saint Matthnw**
(Um^i *^ hi8-aj,p,iarance ^ his disciples in
juy appeartoce, is made prethr evident bv Saint
Mark's Gospel, which uses Uie Ine teZs Sn«^*
Zf^x?'^^^'^ ^" ^'^^ " Siint Mitthew«Sr
yet itself recowis t,ro other appetSn^ prSrto Sfa '
l£;>?»f ^y. tell his disciptes aCpeten Srtt;
goeth b^ you into GaUlee: theTshiTjS ^him
J8 he said until you' (xvi. 7). wTnSS/Ie^t S
infer from these words, that this -^ * - ^
they were to see him: at least,
^th as much reason as we drew
ir'S* ^*"J«*«» Matthew: ^t i
»a did not perceive that he was 1«
toanjrsoch conclusion;- for in the
MUowIng verses of this chapter, he ii
the jbrH time
• might infer It
inference from
historian him.
>g his readers
(welfth and two
us of two
t^*^. which, Ijrcompari'ngtheTSr of e^Sj
Uwin. « they iSSbd, aSl ^J iSTthe c«S« .
KSe^/tr^lr* '"^S tt -»to the resid«e,^S;
Mieved they them: altelrward he appeared ^to^«
m
EyiDENCBS OF
if
/rieven, as they sat at meat, and upbraided^ I^Qivrlth
their unbelief, because they beUeved iit^ i|i«mHbat
had seen him after lie was risen.'
Probably the same observation, concerning the
particular design which guided the historian^ may be
of use in comparing many other passages of the Gos*.
pels. ^ ' ,
CHAP. II.
A r m mu i Opi^tnu trnputtd H U» J/t mU m,
A SPKCIBS of candour which is shewn towards every
other book, is sometimes refused to the Scriptures;
and that is, the placing of a distinctifm between judg-
ment and testimony. We do not usually question the
credit of a writer, by reason of ip q)inion he may
have delivered upon subjects. uncynnected witti his
evidence: and even upon subjects cnmected with his
account, or mixed with it in the same discpurse or
writing, we naturall;^ separate hcta from opinions,
testimc»ny^£rom observation,'narrative from argument.
To apply 'Ihip equitable consideration to ithe Ciuls-
tian reoorwi, much controversy and mudi objection
has beeii raised ctmceming the quotations of the Old
Testament found intiie New; some of which quota-
tions, it is said, are aoplied in a sense, and to events,
qiparently different Inom that which they bear, and
from those to which they belong, in the original. It
is probable to my apprehension, that many <^ those
qu0tati<ms were inteinded by the writers of the New
Testament as nothing more than accommodatiotu.
They qw^d passages of their Scripture, which suited,
and fell in with, the occasion before them, without
always iinderUking to assert, that the occasion was
Uk iBfl v iew of t b» authur uf Uis irarch^—S wih Bcwim«~
modatioDS of passages from old authors, from booJk»
especially which are in eveiy one's hands, are common
with writers of all countries; but in non«, perhapf
finom bookr
CHRISTIANITY.^
381
were more to |>e expected than in the writings of the
Jews, whose literature was almost entirely confined to
their Scriptures, Those prophecies m^ch are alleged
with more solemnity, and which are accompanied
with k precise declaration, -that they originally re-
spected the event then related, are^ I think, tjruly
^leged. But were it otherwise ; is the judgment of
the writers of the Ne^ Testament, in interpreting
. piwsagefi of the Old, bt>ometimes, perhapd, in re*
cemng established interpretations, so connected either
with their veracity, or with their means of information
concerning what was. passing in their own times, as
that a critical mistake, even were it clearly made out,/
should -overthrow their historical credit ?~-Does i%
diminish it ? Has it any thing to do with it ?
Another error imputed to the first Christians, was .
the expected approach of the day of judgment. I
would introduce this objection by a remark upon what
appears to me a somewhat, similar example. Our'
Saviour, speaking to Peter of John, said, « If | will
that he tarry till I come, what is tUb to thee ?'»
These words, we find, had been so miiconstr^d, as
that a report from thence * went abrmd among the
*J«'*»*'f»r*^t *^t disciple should not ^.'/Suppose
that this had «ome down to us amongst the {Prevailing
opinions of ihe early Christians, and that the particu- »
Jar circumstance, from which the mistake sprang,
had been lost (which, humanly speakin^was most
likely to have been the case), some, at tMs-day, would
have been ready to refurd and quote thO error, as an
impeachment of the whole Christian/system. Yet
with how little justice such a conclusion would have
been drawn, or rather such a presvimptioQ taken up,
the informaticm which we h^pen^ possess enables
«8 now to perceive. To those who think that the
Scriptures lead us to bel ieve , that tha «drly Pi^rf.-
of the day of judgment in their own times, the same
^reflection will occur, as that which we have made
1^ •Johaxii.tt. . •^"'
^
32d'
KVIDBNCBS OP
tdth respect to the more pwrtlsl, perh»|)8, and tem-
pomy, but etiU no less aiwjient enror, cooceming the
duntioa of St J>rffi*8 Ufe. It was en error, it may
be Ukewise sal^ which would efFectually hinder those
who entertained it from acting the part of impostors.
The difficulty which attends the subject of the pre-
ient chapter, is contained in this question; If we
once admit the faUibility of the apostolic judgment,
where are we to stop, or in what c^n we rely upon it ?
To which question, as arguing with unbelievers, and
as arguing for the substantial truth of the Christian
Wstoiy, and for that alone, it is competent to the ad-
vocate of Christiani^ to reply. Give me the apostU*
testimony, and I do not stand in need of their judg- .
ment; give me the facts, and I have complete secilir-
ity f«r every conclusion I want. ^
But, although I tWnk that it is competent to the
Christian apologist to return this answer; I do not
think'that it is the only answer which the objeCflon is
capable of receiving. The two foUowin^T cautions,
founded, I apprehend, in the most reasonable distinc-.
tions, wiU exclude all uncertatoty upon this head
which can be attended with danger. ^
First, to separate what was the object of the apos-
tolic mission, and declared ,lqr them to be so, from
whit was extraneous to it, or only incidentaUy con-
nected with it. Of pointe clearly extraneous to th*
religion, nothing need be said. Of points incidentaUy
connected with it, something may be added. Demon-
iacal postession is one of these points: concerning the
reality of which, as this i^Iace will not admit the
examination, or even the production of the argument
on either side «f the question, it would be arrogance
In me to deUver any judgment. And it it unneces-
, 8^. For what I am concerned to observe is, that
even they who think it was a general, but erroneous
op ininn . nf *bn M t imes : a n d th a t the writers ef the
*,ew Teitttnent, in eommon with ether JtwisF
writers of that age, feU into the manner «f speaking
and of thinking upon the subject, which then univer-
CHRISTIANITY.^
S8S
sally preTftiled, need not be alanned by the concession
•s though they had any thing to fear from it, for the
truth of Christianity. The doctrine ma not whal
Christ brought into the world. It appeara in the
ChrisUan reco^, incidentally and accidentaUy^vas
being tlu> subsisting opinion of the age and county fa
which his ministiy was exercised. It was no part of
the object of kU revelation, to regulate men's opinions
concerning the action of spiritual substances upon ani.
mal bodies. At any rate it is unconnected with
testimony. If Mumi»l>er8on was by a word restored
to the use of his ipe«d^it signifies little to what cause
the dumbness ^n^nmhsd ; and the like of eveiy other
cure wrwighti^gpnttijw* who are said to have been
possessed The malady was real, the cure was real,
whether the popuhur explication of the cause was well
founded, or not. The matter of fact, the change, so
nr as it was an object of sense, or of testimony, was
in either case the same.
Secondly, that, in reading the apostoUe writinn.
we distinguish between their doctrines and their
arguments. Their doctrines came to them by revela.
tioq properly so called; yet in propounding these
doctrines k their writings or discourae^, they were
wont to iUustrate, support; and en^trw them, by such
analogies, arguments, and consideAtions, as their own
thoughts suggested. Thus the caU jof the Gentiles,
that is, the aidm^ssiteof the GentUes to the Christian
profession without a prerious subjeptioa to ^e law of
Moses, was imparted to the aposties by retelatioo, and
was attested by the miracles which attended the
Christian minis^ among them. The aposUes' own
usurance of the matter rested upon this foundation.
Nevertheless, Saint Paul, when treating of tihe snl^.
ject, oObrs a great variety of topics in its proof and
vindication. The dofstrine itself must be roeeived*
but it ie nut ^^.^m^^ h. ^.., >^ jj^m^^ Tu^rJitr
V
.Iff-
Mi^, to defend the tnioriety of every co^pari^T «
the validity of eveiy argiiment, whidi the apoetie has
bro^l^to the^discussIoD. The same daNrvation
324
EVipENCES OF
appUes to some other instances ; and is, iu my opinion,
very weU founded ; ' When divine writers argue upon
an/point, we are always hound to believe the cone u- '
sions that their reasonings end in^ as parts of divine
revelation: but we are not bound to be able to make
out, or even to assent to, aU the premises made use
of by them, in t^eir whole extent, unless it appear
plainly, that they affirm the premises as wpressly as
they do the conclusions proved by them.
CHAP. III. '
* VuOonnexkMtirChritliaHavmthlheJemikmtenf. ^ ' ■
UNDOffBTKDLY our Saviour assumes the divine ori^a
of<^enMdsaic institution: and, independently of his
autiTority, I conceive it to be very difficult to assign
any other cause for the commenfeement or existence
of that institution; especiaUy for the singular circum-
stance of the Jews' adhering to the unity, when every
other people slid into polytheism ; for their being men
in reliVion, children in every thing else ; behind other
nations in the arts of peace and war, supenor to the
most improved in their sentiments and doctnnes re-
toting to the Deity. » Undoubtedly, also, our Sa-
• Buraetl topofc art. &
I • In the dooirin.. tor eumple. of tlie unity. *^ •*^7Ji!LS"
pot«ee. the omnl«!l««ft the onmlp^etence. «» *««>°^'2* ^^SS
SMTof Ood; to their opinion, eone&ntaf P">»»«>«»f'.?»*»*?,"~*iS'
SJ^*X^«dlOTeS.mentofXe world.- ^^^l^'^.
pulled either with eraelUet or fanpariUeet In the "^••"j"**!?""*?-
■onatar relliloM of the endont world, endwhlch to tohetowdpeiwwe
" taE «S«» that have their ori«ln h> h«««n "^^^J^^
9iM. Itadtal eoonealoM between eertain •PP«*»«»r^,"*^ ^
Kd«to,ofnaUon.orlndlfld«ato. Upon theee «°«t««,'^««5,II;l
■ertooi part of the rellglooaof OreeeeandBoiie. and "".y^™
ineantat l Bni wBlim went vnmi^" ■" "— S^IZTZimM ml —i Fffii^
people ftwn ewry thtaf of thli wrtthe ielir<» ««r'r^a. rf ^
Jew. alone, wae f^. Vide Priertleye Leeturee on the Truth of the
Jevtob and Chrtotlfa Ber^elatiaa. 1794.
CHRISTIANITY;
3?5
OMTrathof tiM
viour recogiO^ the prophetic character of many of
theirjmcient writers. So fer, therefore, we are boJind
M Christians to go. But to make Christianity an-
swerable with its life, for tKb circumstai^tial truth of
^each separate passage of the Old TestanM»nt, the miL
uineness of every book, the information, fideUty. and
judgment, of eveiy writer in it, is to bring, 1 ^u not
Z£ 'ri? T*?"*^ difficulties, into the whole
system. These books were universally read and re- .
ceived by the Jews of our Saviour's time. He and
his aposUes, in common with aU other Jews, referred
to. them, alluded to them, used them. Yet, exmS
where^ he expressly ascribes a divine authorify to par-
5°^: predictions, I do not know that we can stricMv
.T '^?'^T*^'"'°" ^"^ **»« *»«>ks being so used
and appUed, beside the proof, which it unquestionably
18, of their notoriefy, and reception at that time. In
this view our Scriptures afford a valuable testimony
I those of the Jews. But the natur« of this testi-
tony might to be understood. It is surely veiy dif-
ferent fi^m, what it is sometimes represented to be.
a specific raUfication of each particular fiwt aS
pinion; and not only of each particular fact, but of
the motivea- assigned for every action, together with
the jud^ent of praise or dispraise bestowed upon
? S* /iu"* •^""'^' *" ^ ^P""e» • says, • Ye h^e
■ ^T^ i the patience of Job, and have ieen the end
^ I }?!.M?f*^* Notwithstanding this text, the reality
^ I ^ ^JJT^^l"^^ ^^^'^ the «istence of such^?
"^ "S'^f ^-'^'^5^''*«"*^*fi"*'8'*JectofinqSry
and discussion amongst ChrisUan divine«r:AiS
James^authority is considered asgood e^dS^
^ existence of the book of Job al that time, and of
£inr?**V"? ft the Jews; and of nothing mo^.
_2M£Sl' 5* ^J^^^ Et>»«»tle to Tim<Sy, • has,
^^toffilude: «Kow, as Jannes ind JambreswiUi-'
fwoa oioaer, 10 do iiMse also resist the truth.' T^e
. g m ^ranntfriyUntheOldTo s to i ueut . Audit
is uncertain, whether Saint Paul took them from some
■Chap. ▼. II. »CI»i».UL8.
f
,**
32G \
EVlDBMCESbF
ftpoci|phBl writing then extant, or from tradition.'
But no one erer iriaagined, that Saint Pfeul is here a»>
terting the authority of th» writing, If it was a written
account which he quoted, or making Umself answer,
able for the authenticity of the tradition : much less,
that h» so involves himself with either of these, ques-
tions, as that the credit of l|is own histoiy and mission
should depend upon the fact, whether Jannes and
Jambres witi^fitood Moses, or not. For what reason"
a more rigwous interpretation should be put upon
other references, it is difficult to know. I do not
; mean, that other passages of the Jewish history stand
upon no better evidence? than the histoiy of Job, w of
■ Jannes and Jambres (I think much otherwise); but 1
mean, that a reference in the New Testamf)nt, to a
passage in tiie Old, does not so fix. its authority, as to
exclude all inquiiy into its credibiUty, or into the se-
parate reascos upon which that credibilitjr is found-
ed ; and that it is an unwarrantable, aa well is unsafe
rule to lay down concerning the Jewish histcny, what
was never laid down concerning any other, that either
eveiy paJrUcuIar of it must be true, or the whole false.
I have thou^t it necessary to state this point ex-
pliciUy, because a fashion, revived by Voltaire, and
pursued by the disciples of hit school, seems to have
much prevailed of late, of attacking Christianity
through the sides of Judaism. Some objections of j
this class are founded in misconstruction, some in ex-
aggeration; but all proceed upon a supposition, which
has not been made out by argument, viM. that the at-
testation, which the Author and first teachen of
Christianity g^ve to the divine mission of Moses and
the pn^hets^ extends to eveiy point and portira of the
Jewish history; and so extends as to make Christi-
anity responsible in its own credibility, for the cir-
cumstantial truth (I had almost said tor the critical
Testament.
.6?
V . UHRISTtANITY. ^7
/ CHAP. IV.
' ' K^feeHm^Clk^tanttM -■'
Wb acldunrledl^ that the Christian religion, although
it coDverted ipneat numbers^ did not pro|duce a univer-
sal, or even a general, conviction in the minds of
men, of the age and countries in which it appeared.
And this want of a more complete and extensive suc-
cess, is called the r^fecHon of the Christian histoiy
and mirusles; and has been thoudit by some to form
a strong oltjectioa to the reality of the facts which the
histoiy contains.
The matter d the objection divides itself into two
parts; as it relates to the Jews, and as it relates to
Heathen nations: .because the minds of these two
descriptions of men may have been, with respect to
ChristianiUr, under the influence fA rery diflbrent
causes. The case of the Jews, inasmuch as our Sa-
viour's mioJsby was originally addressed tp themi
oflers Itself first tor our consideratlcm.
' Now, upon the subject of the truth of the Chris-
tian religion; with tw, there is but one question, vi».
whether the ]q||racle8 were actually wrought ? From
acknowledging th(S miracles, we pass instantaneously
to the acknowledgment of the whole. No doubt lies
between the premises and the conclusloo. If we be-
lieve the works or any one of them, we believe in
Jesus. And this order of reasoning is become so
universal and fimiiUar, that we do not readily appre-
hend how it could ever have been otherwise. Yet it
appeara to me perfectly certain, that the state of
thoui^t, in the mind of a Jew of our Saviour's age,
was totaUy difliirent from this. After aUowing the
reality of the miracle, he had a great deal to do to
penuade himself that Jesus wu the Mesdah. This
%
iuUma ie d B y v inoui piHq g^
It appean Uiat. In the appreh
writers of the New 'Testament, the miracles did not
-v.*^
388
EVIDBMCES OP
..
irrasistibly cany, even those who saw them, to the
conclusion intended to be drawn from them ; or so
compel assent, as to leave no room irar suspense, loi ^
the exercise of candour, or the eflects, of prejudice.
And to this point, at least, the evangeliste may be al-
lowed to be good witnesses; became it is a point, in
which exaggeration <w disguise would have been the
other way. Their accounts, if they could be Suspect-
ed of fiOsehood, would rather have magnified, than
diminished, the eflects of the miracles.
'John vli. 81— -81. * Jesus answered, and
unto them, I have d«ie one work, and ye all mar
— If a man on the sabbatth-day receive oircumcisi
that the law of Moses should not be broken ; are ye
angry at ^le, because I have made a man every lirhit
whole on the sabbafii-day ? Judge not according to>
the ^>pearance, but judge ri^teous judgment. Then
' said some of them of Jerusalem, U not this he whom
they seek to kiU ? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and
they say nothing to him:- do the rulers know indeed
that this is the very Christ ? Howbeit toe know thi*
> man, whence he is, but when Chriet cometh, no man
V knoweth whence he is. Then cried Jesus in the tem-
, pie as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye
know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, ,
but he that sent me 1% true, whom ye know not.
But I know him, for I am from him, and he hath
sent me. Then they sought to take him: but no '
man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet
come. Jind many of the people believed on him, and
eaid, fFken Christ cometh, wiU he do more miracks
than those which this man haA done f*
. This passage is very observable. It exhibits the
reasoning of diflbrent sorts of persons upon the occa-
sion of « miracle, which persons d all sorts are re-
presented to hav(> acknowledged as real. One sort
ftf mun thwigMi ^^•^ *^*^ wM.jomething very ex
inmiimry tn all this ;^ut that still J^sus could not
be the Christ, because there was a circumstance in
his appearance which militated with an opinion con-
/v
■■»*-■-■
CHRISTIANITy. * ggg
niJ'
TT
I
't-
< '.
ggj, RvpwicBS or ;
• tv In the next ehifter, we we * ^ a, j^j '
'botUwo^;!" »»*^" Sm'' TkeeTMige- ,
U^ y«* ^•'[I'^l^fte defeet rf their be-
. UDt dees net me" «• '"/"".J^. i^it to thrirnet
the truth of W8 PWtonJoj*; , q,,,^ coDtoins
i^^3Sr.tt-'AS;^«
i^Mwer which «tthetfmiD« ^^ ^ ^ yield^t
of much pr^udlce, wd ff»» "J^ ,^ j^
"^^"--^SeilS^'^-^
I .
*»"
^thnot sinners:
^
CHttlSTIANITY.
*'?f.'^;.^y "»?*»•• '^o'^^MPPei-'^God, aqd doethhis
wUchim he Keareth. Siqce Che world begia, was it
not heaid, that any man opened the ejres of one that
was bom blind. If thb .man were not of Ck>d.; he
coul* do nothing.' We do not find,, that the Jewish^
rulers had any other reply to mike to this defence,
than pax which authority is iometimfas apt to make
to argument, « Dost thou teach vs?' , ;:
If it 8h»U he inquired, how a turn of thought, so dif-
ferent from what prevail at pivsent, should obtain cur. '*
rency with the ancient Jews; the answer Is found in
two opinioiff which are jjAroved tahave subsisted in that
a|p» mdconntxy. The o<ie was/their expectation of
a Messiah of a kind tobOly ebntraiy to yhat t^ impear-'
ance of Jesus 4)espoke,him to be ; the otjier, their per- •
suasion of t^ agency of demons in the production of
supematqril eflects. These opinions are not nm.
•posed t^ us for tike purpose of .vgumenL>«ft are
eyidently recqgnired in- Jewish writtags, Is well A 1
m ours. An4 it ought .moreover to be «oasideredC *
that ih these opinions the Jewa of that age had been
from theipinfancy brought up;, that they were opin-
ions, the grounds of which they hiwl probably few of
them inquired' into, and of the trUthof^^hich they en-
tertained no doqbt. Ahd I think that tllesfttwo opin. *
Jons co^joinUy afford an ex(»lanatibn of theik- conduct.
The first put^ them upoik seeking out some^excuse to
themselves for net receiving Jesus in the character in '
which he claimed to be received; an^ the sedond
supplied them with just such an excuse as tiiey wanted.
Let Jesus work what miracles ho^w0uld, still thd an^"
iiwer was in readiness, J that he wrought them by the
assistance of BeelzebiA;.' And to this answer no re- .
ply coidd be nWe, but thai which our Savftfui^ did
make, by showiftg that the tendency of his mission
#as so adverse to the views with which this beins was
' ' "th e ji i tf e ct egy-lfaef — ^— ^— ^ -
could not reasonably he sapposed tiiat he would assist
in carrying it on. The power displaye(| in the mire-
cles did not alone refute the Jewish solution, because
332
EVIDENCES OF
the ii^rposition of invbible tgents lieliig opoe admit- ;
ted, it is inipossible to'ascertain the limits by which
their efficienqr. Lr circumscribed. We of this day
may be disposad, possibly, to think such opinioiu too ;
absurd to have oeeo ever seriously entertidned. I am
not bound to contendfoT the credibility of the opinions.
They were at leaft as reasmiable as tho belief in witch-'
craft. They were q[>inions in which the Jews of that
age had fimm their infancy been instructed ; and Uiose
wh6 cannot see isnough in the force of this reason^ to
account fw their conduct towards our Saviour/ do not
sufficiyi^ly consider l^w such opinions may sometimes
become very gene^ in a country, and with what per-
Unadity, when oofO become so, they are, Imf that rear-
son lalone, adhered to. InJthe suqwnse which these
notions, and the' prejudices resulting fivm them, might '
occasion, the bandid and docile and humble-minded
would prdbably decide in Christ's favour; the proud
and obstio&te, tof^ther witl^ ^le giddy and the thought-
less, almost universally agaifkst hjim. #
This state of q>inion discovJBrs to lis also the
reason (tf what sdme choose to wonder at, why the
Jews should reject miracles when they saw them, yet
relyso<much upon the tradition of them in their own
histoiy. It does not appear, .that it had ever entered
Into the minds of tiiose who lived in tl^e time of Moses
and the prophets, to ascribe ^eir miracles to the su-
pematvnl agency of evil beings. The solution wais
not then, invented. The authority of Moses and the
prophets being established, and become thjs foundation
of the n^ional polity and religion, it was not probable ,
that tke later Jews, brought up in a veverSnt^ for
that religion, and the subjects of that p<|Uty, should
apply to their history a reasoning which tended to
overthrow the foundation of botl^.
II. The infidelity of the Gentile world, uid that
resolved into a principle which, in my judgment, will
account for the inefficaey of any argument, or any evi-
dence whatever, W*., contempt prior to examinatiou.
#
' CHRiarriANiTy. 333
The state of religloo amongst the Greeks and Romans,
had^a nati^ tendency to induce this dispositiS
Dlimysius Hdicanuasensrs remarks, that there were
six hundred different kinds of religions or sacred ritea
exercised at Rome." The superior classes of t^
community treated them aU as Abies. Cahweironl
der then, that Christianity was included in the n6m-
ber, without inquiiy into its separate merits, or the
particular grounds of its pretensioqs? I> might U
T?*" 'ft "'J^ ^ '^y ^"8 ^y ^^ «*0Mt it.
Ihe religion had nothing in its/character wiich Im.
'^rnSl^*^ «ng»ged their notice. It mixed with no
poUthjs. It. produbed np fine writers. It contained
uo furious specuUitions. When it did reach their
J^owledge, I doubt not but that it appeared to them
a very strange system,— so unphilosophical,— dealuur
so litUe in anjument and discussion, in such argumedS
liowem and discussions as they were accustomed to
w^rtain. What is said ofJesus Christ, of his nature,
office, and ministry, would be, in the highest degree,
alien from the conceptions of their theologyl The
Redeemer and the destined Judge of the human race,
a popr young man, executed at Jerusalem with two '
thieves ^upott a cross! Still more would the hmguaso
in which the Christian doctrine was deUvered, be dis-
sonant and barbarous to their ears. What knew they
!r ^*' ^ redemption, of justification, of the kood
OS Christ shed for the sins of mep, of reconcilement,
of mediaUon? Christianilj; was ibade up of point^
they had nem thought of j of ierms which theV had
never heard.
1 '* ^M presented also to the imagination of the
learned Heathen under additional disadvantage, by
reason of ite real, and still more of ite nominJ. con-
nexioti with Judaism. It shared in the obloquy and
ridicule ^ which that people and their reUgion
were tiiwiiu k»» ♦!•«» /!i__.i — — 1 r» — mn
g»nled Jehbvah himself only as the idol of the Jewish
wtion^ and what was related of Jiim, as of a piece
* JwMat BMMTka (w Eed, Utat.,ToL i. pi, srU
■\ \
EVIDENCES OP
,,,-■■..- •«^- . - * ■ ■ . ,
uk whut was told of the tutelar deities of other
**^r"S' mZ^V^ 2ey heard ,of Chria..
as &lse ud f^^^' /*"*" ^ J^j amongst this
tlanlty,th^ h«^<(^^^y^*^'^ ^pe„ti.
P^P^^'i^-iTL^foS M ttoydid, the whole
""^;m^^ not^Sle 1* Sey would eater,
5?*?"' LrL rf Mri^ness or attentioii, into the
of Tacitus, who, ^ • «^J* '•JJ^ Sat they wor-
which tta* people t»« H*»: ,^p,"™!„'?™
ZTSSe^^TSi^c^Sn. which ri<7.,"»
S^S M ,^ie the Ubertiiie chan««et; wm the
and poiisnea c»w u. j» had to do was to
53to!L^ iMilrJo< » habit of thinking, Ubferal w »»
■ /
CHRISTIANITY.
335
•ntertdn igainst any thing that ^riffimitu nrlth the
vulgar and lUiterate; which prejudice Is known to
be ar obstinate as any {nrejudice whuever.
Y^t ChrisUanity was still ^^Udng its way: and,
amidst so many iiiipedimen|rteits progress, so much
difficulty in procuring atidienoe and attention, its
actual success is more t6 be wondered at, than that
itshould not have iitiaiyersally conquered scorn and
indiflbrence, fixMlthe levity of % voluptuoua^ age, or,
-^through a dou^ adverse prejudicattions, opened for
itself a pasaige ^ the hearts and uhdentandinn of the
scholars ofihe age.
Ai^ the cause, which is here assigned for the re-
jection of Christianity by men of rank and learning
among the Heathens, namelv, a strong antecedent
contempt, accounts also for Uieir Hknce cebceraing
it. If they had rejected ,it upon examination, they
would have written about it; they would have given
their reasons. Whereas, what ro^n repudiate upon ^
the strength of some prefixed persuasion, or froai a
setUed contempt of the subject, of the peraons who
propose it, or of the manner in which it is propoM
they do not naturaUy write books about, or notice
much in what they write upon other subjects
Tiu, letters of the Ybunger Pliny furnish an exam-
pie bf the silence, and let us, in. some ineasui^, into
the cause of it. From his celebrated corr6spohu|ence
witii Tr^{an, we know that the Christian leUgion pre-
vailed in a very considerable degree in the province
over which he presided; that it had excited his afc.
tention; that he had inquired into Uie matter, just so
much as a Roman magistrate might btf expected to
inquire, «te. whether the religion contained any opin-
ions dangerous to government; but that of its doo-
trines, its evidences, or its books, he had not taken
the trouble to inform hir - '^ "'
i'hristianily in a nearer position than most of his
lj»rned countrymen saw it in; yet he had regarded
Uw whole with racb negligence and disdain (ftrther
■r.i
■J
336 EVIDENCES OF
fhui as It Vemed to concern hi« •dministratiqn), that,
rii^ SSo bundled »id forty letters of hi.
which have come down to us, the subject is never
- once .grfn mentioned. U «1 «{ *"? J^^^^ ^ -
two iSers between him and Tr^bad been lost;
♦ M ' with what confidence would the obscurity of the Chns-
* S!n iJ^UgSrSire been argued fit,m Plin/s sUenee
about it, and with how Uttie truth!
- / The name and character which Tacitus has given
, to Christianity, • exitiabilis superstiUo/ (a pernicious
' superstition), and by which two words he dwpojs «l
the whole question of the ments or demerits of the
religion, afford a stirbng proof how lUUe he knew, or
SnSJnid himself to liow. about the matter. I ap-
prehend that I shall not be contradicted, when I take
uDon me to assert, that no unbeUever of the prwent
ajewould apply this epithet to the Christianity of the
X New Testament, or nbt allon that it was entirely un-
merited. Read the instructions given by a great
teacher of die reUgion. to those very Roman converts
«f whom Tacitus speaks ; and given also a very few
years before the time of which he is speaking; and
which are not, let it be observed, a collection of fine
sayings brought together from diflferent PM«f o^ »
larVTworie. fiit stand in one entire ™«iMSe of k pub.
lie teher, Without the interinixtiire of asinglethought
which is frivolous or exceptionable:--* Abhor ttoty
which is evil, cleave to ^ '^^t.t}^,^.
kindly aflecUoned one to another, with br^wly love ,
in honour piefeiring one another: not slothful in busi-
TOwVforvL in spirit; serving the Lord: ngoidng
in hope: paUent in tribulaUon; continuing instant In
Saw distributing to the necessity of saints ; given
to CiitS^. Bless them which pe«eclite you;
Sew^tSse not. Rejoice with them t^ do «-
joS and weep with them ttiat wejp. Be of Ae
i!L;n. indone'^towai^«aothei r. Mmd not high
wise ii your own conceits. Recompense to no man
^vU for Jvil. Provide things honest in the sight of
CHRISTIANITT.
837
■amen. If it be powible, is much as lieth in yoa,
L7^r*S^'^"* *""•"• Avenge ndtyoureelW,
b«t rather give i*ice unto wrath: for it h written
SXTff «Sl~*' * '^l! WW, 8dth the Lord'
Ud«t, give him drink: for, in so doing, thou shalt
heap coals of are on his head. Be not overcome of
evil, but overcfAne evil with good/
F«l^* e»«y soul be suldect unto'the higher powen.
For t^ce is no power butof God: the powers £at be.
Jje ordained rf God. Whosoever theXd reslsteS
the power, resisfiBth the ordiiianoe of God: abd thev
toat rMist, shall receive to themselves damnation
:^^ T»!?u "1* ^""^ ^P^ ''"•*«» but lo thi
^ul' J^i^**»«» then not be afraid of the power? Do
that which is good, and thou shalt have praise df the
»me: for he is, the minister of God to thee for good.
But If thou do that which Is evil, be afi=aid; for he
bearoth not the sword in vain; for he Is the Minister
J ^»» revenger to execute wrath upoi% him that
doeth «,il. Whewfow ye must needThe subject,
not 9nly for wrath, but also for conscience* sake. Pw
fcr ma cause pay ye tribute also: foi\they are God»J
ministers, attending conUnuaUy upon this veiy thing.
Render therefore to aU their dues: tribute, th whom
tribute IS due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to
whom fear; honour, to whom honour.
'Owe no man anything; but to love one another:
p ^.**^.^''*"* •'mother, hath fulfilled the law
i' S."' J?°" Shalt not commit adulteiy. Thou shalt
not klU, Thou Shalt not steal, Thou-shilt not iSlr
Wse wl^, Thou Shalt not covet;'and if there be
any _other commandment, it Is briefly comprehended
fa this^saylng, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy-
self. Love fvorketh no 111 to Us neighbour; therefore
love Is the fiiimUng of the-kw.* «w«aore
' And that, knowing the time, that now It Is hich
time to awak^ g^ pf , 1 ^^ . for nn w i. 4^^^£,^
■ "" -"—■ r -www w nin|ii mr gmiw IS ^Hg-SaiVg tWtt
nearer than when we believed. The plght is &r
^nt, the day is at hand ; l«t us therefore cast ofl'the
V
338
EVIDENCES OF
f
ynA» of darkaess, .nd Jet u^ put on the armour of
Usfai. Let us walk honestly, as in the iday, not in
riSong and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wanlonness. not in strifi^ and envying.
^^nSs, and then think of • exitfaWUf si^er- -
gtittoU*^^-Or if we be not alkwed, in contending with
heathen authoriUes, to produce our hooka agintt
theirs, we may at least be permitted to confiM^^irs
with iie another. Of this ' pernicious superstition,
what could PAwfind to blame, when he was led, by
his office, to institute something Uke «»«f^»^>J»
into tiie coitduct and jprinciples of the secty He dis-
coYored nothing, h»*^«-» '^^^yj^'^ ,7^* tiT^
together on a stated day be«wre ft w^ light, and rfng
among tiiemselves a hymn to Christ as a God, and to
bhid 5«mselves by an oWh, not ^^t»*»,S*^~^'
any wickedness, but, not tobe guilty of theft, rob^iy,
oridultery ; nerer UflUsify t^*^ word, nor to deiqr
> a pledge committed to thpm, when called upon to
• " U^ the words of Tacitus we may build the foUow^
ing observations ;—!• ^ / . ,
First : That we are weU wanrantej m c^ing the
view under which the learned men of that age beheld
Christianity, an obscure and distant view. Had
Tacitus kiiwn mow of Christianity, of ite precepts,
duties, constitutiobior design, howetfer he had discre-
Sited the story, he tohaveriespectedtheprincip e.
Srwould have d&ibed the religion d Iftrently,
though he had rejected it. I* »«« »>Sr,"f *«^**»?*y
8hel^,.tittt the * superstition' oTUieChristianconsist-
ed in worshipping a person unknown to ^f "^ITi^h
oatendar; and tiiat the »pemiciousness» witti vhich
they were reproached, was nothing else but their
opiLtion tothe estabUshed polytEShm ; wd ifeis view
of the matter was just such a one as might be expec-
ted to occur to a mind, whfch held Uie sect in too
^ much ^OBtampt 4»«>nc e m it s elf a bout tttf grou n gL
and reasons of tiieir conduct.
i Romtm sil. 9. zUi. Mi
^ ci/ristUnity. 3S9
relian^ dan be pkced upon the most acute judmnenta
Z.mS MBm *' ! Pgnrfcioug superttitloi^j* andjhat
J!S^3K!^rl5;c'^^^^^ ^ "^ writer, ^^th.
I- J'l*^'?/ 1^ *"■ PUntempt prior to examination
«es o? m ^ ^'^ *?"^ ^'^ '*^ '^^ reatestfecS:
ti«i of mind are not free. I know not, indeed
whether men of the gi*atert fiiculties of iSnd, a«^
the most subject to it: Such men feelSdrS
seated upon an eminence. Looking down^Zthfeir
height upon the follies of mankindrthey^hS ^
wiother with the common disdrin of ttoabsiSSt^f
te« rf'Sr'I*^*** ™*^ ™'P'^«^ •* »«y wri-
ters of ^tliat a^not mentioning Christianity at all •
when they who dM mention it/a5pe™2^?i2^^
sj^uence of this nd8conception> have ««iarfed Jt
wth negligence and contempt. «^«™ea n
wZfi."** ^'^¥«* **^> ««**«»' P^ rf the learned
Heathens, the facts of the Christian WstonTcSuM
only come by report The books. proK tt^
Irfi'i!!!!!?***'^*^" *»^*"crimipate rejection *
j^„T?_f*^,y°^' With these sw««pi^y •::;?'
they be convinced? It Jaight be founded, in truth!
340
EVIDENCES OF
i'
^ough they, who made no search, might not dis-
cover it.
* Men of rank and fortune, of wit and abilities, are
often found, even in Christian countries, to be suiv '
prisingly ignorant of religion, a^d of every thing that
relates to it. Such were many of the Heathens.
Their thoughts were all fixed upon other things; upon
reputation and glory, upon wealth and power, upon
luxury and pleasure, upon business or learning.
They thought, and they had reason to think, that the
. religion of their country was fiible and forgery, a heap
of inconsistent lies; which inclpopd them to suppose
that other religions were no better. Hence it came
to pass, that when the aposUes preached the Gospel,
and wrought miracles in confirmation of a doctrine
every way worthy of God, many Genres knew little
or nothing of it, and would not take the least pains to
inform themselves about it. This appears plainly from
ancient history.'*
I thhik it by no means unreasonable to suppose,
that the Heathen public, especially that part which is
made up of men of rank and education, were divided
into two classes; those who despised Christianity be-
forehand, and those who received it. In corrpspon-
dency with which division of character, the writers
of that age would also be of two classes; those who
were silenCabout Christianity, and those who were
' Christians. • A good man, who attended sufliciently
to tlie Christian afl'airs, would become a Christian ;
after which his testimony ceased to be Pagan, and
became Christian." _ . .. ,
I must also add, that I think it sufliciently proved,
that' the notion of magic was resorted to by the
Heathen adversaries of Christianity, in like manner
as that of diabolical agency had before been by the
Jews. Justtn Martyr alleges this as his reason for
^rg..tng.fr«m prnp hflcy^ rathgr than from miracles.
*Origeiilmpute8 this evasion to CeTsus ;' Jerome w
-' ^ < Jortln'i Djie.onthe Christ. Rel. p. M. td- *»•«• ; i'-te*
' - "' ," --^■' . ,. « Hartley. Obi. p. »»
i
CHRISTIANITY. *
Jjy^; and Lactantius to the Heathen in gJ^
^i -nf ? P^8*"' wh%cimtain these S^
^^f^^'ir^^^^^o'scerUin in what deg^e thfa nof
of the Heathen communities, another, and! SfSTS
oJl^iKt^iL^' '-»any cases the twocauses wo&
CHAP. V.
Testament; and secondly, aS it applies to the r^
maining writings of othe? early Chrirt/SL. *"
The epistles of the apostles are either hortatorv or
trgynentative. So far as they were occup^S iX
vering lessons of duty, rules o?p«bUc orde^r^^mont
t^M« against certain prevailing corruptions, ^S
vice or any particuhur species of it, or in foXiiSr
and encouraging the const«icy of thi disiip leTS
the trials to, which they were exposed, there ap^aJs
^^:: iJ;sn;rr" '^' "^^ '^^ ^^^^ "^---
tn^^'nf"*!," ^"^ ^P^"*" "^ argumentative, the na-
ture of the argument which they handle accomits for
the infrequpncy of these allusions. These eplst ei
were not written to prpve the truth of ChJistt '
The subject under consideration was not that which
the m racles decided, the reality of our Lofd's ml*^
8^; but it was that which the mi«cles didni det
ciqe, me mnn nf hi s jwton^^po w efr the design of
his advent, it« effects, and of those eflicts the vihiT
kind, and extent Still I maintain, that mlnJS
evidence lies at the bottom of the argum^n^ F^
^„
342 EVIDENCES OF ,
nothing could be go preposteirous as for the di8cipj«»
' of Jesus to dispute amongst thiemselvee, or with
^others, concerning his office or character, unless they
belieyed that he had shewn, by supernatural proofe,
that there was something extraordinaiy in both.
Miraculous evideiice, therefore, forming not the tex-
ture of these arguments, but the ground and substra-
tum, if it he occasionaUy discerned, if it be inuiden-
* tally app^ed to, it is exlwstly so much as ought to
Uke pkce, supposing the history to be true.
Ms, farther answer to the objection, that the
apostolic epistles do not contain so frequent, or such
direct and circumstantial recitals of miracles as might
be expected, t would add, that the apostolic epistles
resemble in this respect the apostolic speeches f which
speechflBifre given by a writer who distinctly records
nUmer^^iracles wrought by these apostles thenS-
selves, and by the Founder of the institution in their
presence: that it is unwarrantable to contend, that
the oinission, or infrequency, pf such recitals in the
^ speeches of the apostles, negatives the existence of
the miracLs, when the speeches are given in imme-
diate conjunction with the history of those miracles:
and thak a conclusion which cannot be inferred from
the ^eches, without contradicting the whole tenor
of the book which contains them, cannot be inferred
from letters, which, in this respect, are similar only
to the speeclies.
To prove the similitude which we allege, it may
d remarked, that altliough in Saint Luke's Gospel
Jie apostle Peter is represeuted,to have been present
at many decisive miracles wrought by Christ; and
althou^ the second part of the same history ascribes
other decisive miracles to Peter himself, particularly
the cure of the lame man at the gate of the temple,
-Metg^t. l^thft^death^nLJLa a afaa,i !M i^^^
wfe i
(Acts V. 1.) the cure of -Sneas, (Acts ix. 34.) the
resurrection of Dorcas; (Acts ix. 40.) yet out of six
speeches of Peter, preserved in the Acts, I know but
t\vo in which reference is made to the inln>riP«
CHRISTIANITY. 343
wroi^t by Christ, ami only «ie in which he refers
Uyniraculous powera^possessed by himself. In hS
speech upon the day of Pentecost, f eter^s^ ^
aud„snce with great solemnity, thus: •^m^rf
Israel, hear these wonis: JesVL of Nasare^.TL^
approved 0^ God among you, by miracles, ^d^
ders, and signs, whi* God did by him in the midSi
of you, as ye yourselves also know.' • &c. In his
^^ upon the conversion of Cornelius, he dellve^
bj^timony to the miracle, performed by Christ, i?
1^ ?7SJ^T* "« '^''"«^» «f •" tWngswhich
XJ'^V^ ^ Utter speech, no aUusion appeJ^
^t thl^- "* .™f** ^y ^"^^^ notwithstiSng
Si ♦!« -^"^J^f .'*^^* enumertited aU preceded
the time m which it was deUvered. In his soeech
is made to any of the miracles of Christ's history, ex-
cept his resurrection. The same also may be obsorv.
SHtl^T^^T? "i" """ ^•^ ^« ^« «»»" »t
fn^ S « ?? '^^P** • '"^^ "»"»« J« Ws speech be.
fore the Sanhedrim;* the same in his secoJapolofflr
in the presence of that assembly. ^ Stephen'? loS'
•tCtri^"* noiwference whatever to miracleij
though it be expn^ly rotated of him, in the book
t^^ ?[T™ i** 'P**'^'*' "d- •*««•' immediacy
before the'speech. «th«Jt he did gn«u wondem and
mih^es amon J the pei^e.' • Again, although mira-
cles be expressly attributed to Saint Paul inX Acts
L q ^r *^ 5f * «r '*"y' " •* ^«»>J«™' (Acts
*Jv. 3.) during the wftle tour through the Upper
Asia, xiv 27. xv. 12.) at Ephesu.: (xix. 11. l| J
Elymas at PapW,' the cure of the cripple at
' Aoto ii. 19.
^AotiTl. S,
Bulydius, " the prddicUons of his sWp^^Fls;
IS
the min>pi*"
• «. »». • I. Ift. 4 HI. 12.
'•III. II. »%UT». •■▼LIS.
'• ««. 10. " u^tH, I. .
•I» 8.
••wl. ««,
■■i^'
•'-*
■.■-.*
«
-%■■
'"\'
i-
^344 - EVIDENCES OF #* ^
the vfper at Malita, « the cure of i^ublius V Ither. h
at «1 which miracles; etbept the firet two, the his-
"^IJS*" ^.7**^ "^^ P"**"'" not'^ithstanding, I say,
thii^positlve.ascription of miracles to Stint piu|. yJt
Tlvered by him, in the same book ifa Vhlch the mim.
t^TJ^!^'^^^^^ tniraqulous p^ers asserted;
the l^als to his own miracles, or indeed to any
^ miracles at aU, are rare and incide^ In hia
yeech at Antioch in Piaidia, " thei^ is nokUuslon
but to the resurrection. In his discourse at Miletus »•
none to any miracle; none in his speech before Pi-
?.uL .,"°°® *° *'* *P***'*» ^^ Festus;» except to
Christ s resurrection, and his own conversion '
Agreeably hereunto, in thirteen lettera asc'ribea to
Saint Paul, we have incessant references to Christ's
resurrection, frequent references to his own conver-
sion, three indubitable references to the miracles
which he wrought;? four other references to the
same, less direct, yet highly probable ;" but more -
copious or cireumstantial recitals we have not. The
consent, therefore, between Saint Paul's speeches and
letters, is in this respect sufficiently exact: and the
reason in both is the same; namely, that the mira-
culous histonr was all along prw^Rpwerf, and that the
question, which occupied the speaker's and the
writer's thoughts, was this: whether, aUowing the
hlstoiy of Jesus to be true, he was, upon the strength
jtfit, to be received a«i the promised Messiah; and,
if he >vas, what were the consequences, what was the
object and benefit of his mission ?
The general ob|ervation which has been made upon
the apostolic wrlUngs, namely, that the subject of
which tlwy treated, did not lead them to any direct
recital of the Christian histoiy, belongs also to the
writings of. the apostolif^fathers. The epistl« of
namahAfl la In l*a ■..M^»» j ^^^ aan a i M rl .
"niriiie «.,iii.ia. H^ij, »«u.ia
•» 0«L III. 6. Rom. xw. 18, 19. t Cor. M. l%
l|*.HI.r. Gil. il.«. ITIWMi.^
'du*'
.o:
^ A CHRISTIANITY/ ^^ 3^
much like the epistle to the H<iiirAi»o. ..♦ ^
Gospels. The finiB««o «r» 7^^^^ ^ ™*" *" our
forTeir ffriX^l^lct I^l^^ •nd'Ignatius had
the churles ..WchXy i^? 't^f '*'?"* «^
these ciiSmstaneesrfiJSv^i ,/ *' "!!^*'' ^^
I«tiibeen^8hejm in its proper •plie.'*^'*'**** ^^^^
whi£®I^ ^' *»»^^«''» another class of witers i^
whom the answer above ffiven «#• ♦kI wiiep, to
ness of any such ^L^I \ "* ^^ "nsuitable- *
treated, does not •^VTS^hltT^ hITI*"^ ^
cle^»oAy^^, whJsJ dXS deJW *
h.^^heT«'alfe;^^^^
,dratus lived aboS wZtv ^'.X?"^!**"'- Q"W-
and presenteThi.vJJrL^f.*^*'^® M6emio31P
•• Set pHe 80, ftc , ' &
•<^
■■
tleaied^'ntd^they ifaat vTer^ raised l^iii the dead, wer«
'^^ ' pSiled, or raised^ but
Inly whilst )\e dwelt
departure, and for a
S<^^'Wf'^'^'''¥^'^'^'^1HI'''^^PIik'^ ^^ some of thetn
lyi^r^P |i^ ^Ib*'^ tra^.^ir^Nothing caa be more
/ratk__r,,„l._„--' ,"'■""
Justin Miurtyr, ihe next of the Christian i^logists^^
wriioto wo^ i«i not lost, -and ,|{irho followed Quadratus,
«t the )||itai^ce vji about thirty years, has touched upon
passage
.toleri
colled
he asset
words as
.« Christ h(
and deaf.
Chi^ist's history 'in so many places, tliat a
implete account of Christ's life might be
It of his works. In the following quotation,
,t^e performance of miracles by Christ in
og and positive as the language possesses:
idMose who from their birth were blind, '
,..- «»,»., „Jiaine; causinc by his word, one to 16ap,
another to hear^ and a third to see: and having raised
ithe dead, aM caused them to live, he, by his works^
excited attentionXu^d induced the men of that age to.
' know him. Who^hioweTer, feeing these things done^
> said that it wgas » magical af^pearance, and dared to call
him a magician, and l^ deceiver qf the people."
In his first apology,** Justin expressly assigns tH&
. reason for his having recourse to the ar^^ent from
Iprophecy, ntttter than alleging the miracles of the""^^
Christian histoiy: which reason was, that Uie persons
with wl^om he contended would ascribe thdse miracles
to magic; VLest any of our opponents slt6uld say.
What hinders, but that he who is called Christ by us,
sprung from mei\. performed rtli
e attribtttjB to him, by nutti^
n of this reason meets, as lyi^prehepd,
of the present objection; n^ especially
Justin followed in it by ojftier writers of
^iiennus, wlo came about ferty years after^
is' the samg evasionv ijF. the adversaries of^
I. iv. c. S. •* Juit our. p. ttS. eA Thiriby
»♦ Apiiliw. prim, p." 48. «l. Thirib^. !,'
-t
A
CHRISTIANITY. o.-/
tog 44 .6j„3y^'W^" W^^
.from them, that all »!,.•«-» P™Pnecw8, wer will gheVr
' ^ vainly imSdfromJi ^"*^ ""^"^ '^^ Jews
; «f^^Miel^?mei JLtT rf*^V«i««ted devils o«?
the ifprou^I s^eSeK tothe blind, cleansed
the palsy, 8^7 S "IS " ** °^ '^'^ **»»' had ^
, Written to SsJ^cl^WfTt!?. 'V *■«" "
"i™.!."-* "^ '**'"• •«<•.' B»rth«he
€'.<*»*. ..,j^
_!.■•■.> -«..#«»»JU&-
•A :
^^'^
»*,
>«^'.
//'■
^^.
348
BV1DBNCE«^F
«1)M nised the dead; and that it is not a ficti
these Drfao wrote the Go^i$» is evident firom/^nce,
/that, if it had been a fiction, there would |iaye been
many recorded to be i^iaed u^, and such ae^ Iiad been
a ItMig time in their graves. But, it jnot being a
fictim, few have been recorded: for instance, the
daughter of the riiler o| a synagogue, of /whom I do not
know why he 8aid,^e is not dead but sleepetii^
expressing something peculiar to hei;^ not commoHro
all dead persons: And the only son of a widow, on
whom he liad conlpassion, and raised him Uyme, after
he had bid the bearers of the corpsie to s^p; anid the
tiiird, Lazani^ who had been /bur|ea' four days.'
This Is, positively to assert the
it is also to^m^ent upon the:
siderable ^gree of accuracy
, In anc^r passage of
with t)N) old solution of n^gip
of Christ by the advei
saitii Origen, * well
es of Christ, and
llnd tiiat with a con-
candour.
e author, we meet
plied to the iniracles
of/the religion. ' Celsus,'
iwinf^ Yfbai great w<Mrk»may
^ alleged to hav^/lieen done by^ Jesus, pretends to
grant that the ttwngs related of him we true; such ar
healing diseasel^ rising the dead, feeding multitudes
with a few loaves, of which large fragments were left.'!"
And then Celsm gives, iti seems, an answer to these
proo& (tf.bur Lwd's mission, which, as jOrigen under-
stood it, resolved the phenomena into magic; for
Origen begins his reply by observing, * You see tjkat
Celsus in a mi^iner allows that there^ is such a tmng
as magic' "" \ ' T
It appears aW from the te8tim<my of Saint Jeroine,
that Porplqny, \the most learned and able of the
Heathen writersUgainst Christianity, resorts to the
isme solution: HJnless,' says he, speaking to Vigil-
antiui^ 'according to ths manner of thi^Jmntiles an^
the profime, of Potphp/try and Eunomius, you pretenj
that these are the tricks of demons.' **
This ro^giCt these demons, this iiljasory appearanc^
*• Otig. Coat. Cell. f^<H wet M. •* Lardiier>t JewUh uid HcMb
Tftt. vol. il, vp*- ed 4to< ** Jcntoie ront, Vigil,
1.."
t
CHBI8TUNITY
^»y of that .ge «^te?^^e.SiJS^t£ S^I^^^^^
««ity often thought it neS^ar/L^*.!.^.'*^**:
Prophecy (to i^hfcCTZ«S' ^Slf^?^'^^^.
That such r«««« wl« be grow subterfagesi
It appears, therefore, that toe iSi^i/ r ^..I,
understood as we und^ratT™^ fu "^^ o^ Christ,
-d historical sILTtTltSi 'i^^ ^P
asserted and appealed to bv S^I . ^. *°? Pn«i«ly
•nity; -iii«i.^.J I'^l^X 1 1^
I am ready, howevar t^Alu ?l "* Wction.
was owing neither to UieirTm<SSSrii^»i^'"f ***'
of the facts, it is, at aw r»te ^TS?*-?* "**' ^^^^'^^
J;;Hhofthehist;^K:5^^
iiiV
^'>-':cvv;:-':;r-,:".CHAP.Vi;-'\
rom^jgnorint of r „ ***,'*«^"™aH^P«;ie8 would
»>«i«g XSllt. '^«"^«»» «o«lc| fall 3
'Mr
•'7'
:-■*•.
350
EVIDENCES OF
The advocated <A Christianity do qot pretend that
le evidence of their religion possesses these qualities.
'h^lo nOl deny UjAt we can conceive it to be withhi
the compass of divine power, to have communicated
tp the world a higher degree of Mowice, aad to have
given to his comi|gunication a strmig^r and more ex-
tensive influence. For any thing we are able to dis-
cern, God could hav^e,8o formed men, as to have per-
'oeived the truths of religion intuitively; or to have
carried on a conununication with J^e other world,
whilst they live4in this; or to hai^seen the indi-
viduals of the species, instead of dying pass to lieaven
by a sensible transUttion. „ He could have printed
a separate miracle to each ^^'s senses. He could
in
He could have!?
^rydifl^rent agel^
lethods, which
to our^ima-
»racticable.
have establish^ftistanding mi
caused miraclt^lo be wrouf^t
and country. These, and many m
we may imagine,' if, we once give
ginations, are, so &r as we can iud
The question, Uierefore, is, not wh<PKChristian
ity possesses the finest possible degile of c^imce,
JbMl whether the n^hkvipg inoro evidence hMBif-
^tlMit reason for ejecting that which we have.^ -*'1!
'i Now there appears to be no fiJrer method of judg-
ii%, concerning any dispensation which is alleged to
comei, fi^om God, when a question is made y^ther
> sv^ia dispensatitAi could come froih God or not, than
^ l)p^mparing it with other things which are .acknow-
#ledged tOjptDcee^from the same counsel, and to be
^^ jJrdiiiced by ttid^^ agency. If the dispensation
in quQBtionh^ir under no defects but what appar-
ently belong t6 other dispensatiiMos, these ^ming
defects do not Justify us in setting asjde thirjjroofs
whith i^re oflbred-\)f its authenticity, if they be^er-
wi8e,entitled to credit. '^^^
Throughout that order then of nature, of which God
is the authw, what yr6 find is a system of beneficence:
we ate seldom or ever able to make out a system of
eptimUtn, I mean, tEalllvefeare few
if we permit ourselves to rjnge in possibilities, wo
^ CHRISTIANIty. i6l
cann^ suppose something more peifect, and more
«noyectidw.ble, than what we see.^The'ra" S
descends from heaven, is confessedly amoLrtS
Z^T^ ^' "^ S™'^'"' ^°' "^ sustentatiof of Z
an mals and vegetables which subsist upon the surfed
supphed! How much of it falls upon the 8ea,Uere
it «u^ of no use! how often is it wanted whTre it
are rendered deserts by the scarcity of it! Or. dot
^ifff?/**^"*"** «^»' how much, someUmw do
-l^etl r^r*^^ ^'' ^'y ^*^ defiJien^ 6r diLty?
the matter to be otherwise regulated. We could iW^
nj;^^," *" ^*"' •'*'^* ^^^'« •«'» when they wS
1 1^1 t^T"^* seasonable, every where sufficient:
so distributed as not to leave a field upon the to of
S^ flfS. T"^/ by drought, or eveiaphmt X?-
Sf J '^J ^^ . moisture. Yet, does L difference
between the real case and the imigined case o/the
^ to say, that the present disposition of the atmo-
TZ n •;3o'"S«'' ^ preductious or the desi^^
of the DeiJ^? Does it check the inference whiS
^LnT^T the confessed beneficence of ?he pi^
vision? or does it make us c^se to admire th«
eontriva«ce?-The observationJlbkhTe ^^^^^^
ven, may be repeated concerniu JHKf the pheno-
meiui of nature ; and the true coSEon to which it
toads u this: that to inquire what the Deity might
^ve done, could have done, or, as we even wS-
J^Ju***?""™® ^ ^'^^ «"«»»* to have done, or. in
nJ^!"^ ^''' "^"^ have done, and tobiild;ny
fiT^iT T" '"^'^ '"^"^'•*«'' •«»»*««* «^dence o(
ft^to. is wJioUy unwarrantoble. It is a mode of rea.
s«wng which will not do in natural histoiy, which
will not do jo natural rpliginn, whiph cann o t^ thuriM
^^
fore be apJUed with gaiety to revelation. It may
h»ve some foundaUon, in certain speculative dprioH
'. ./
m
EVIDENCES OF
ideas of the divine attributes; but it has none in ex-
perience, or in analogy. The general character of
the works of nature is, on the on0 hand, goodness |
both in design and eAct; and, on the other hand, a
liability to difficulty, and to ofetjections, if such object
tionS b« allowed, by reason of seeming incompleteness
or uncertidnty in attaining their end. Christianity
participates of this character. The true similitude
between nature and ravelation consists in this; that
they each bear strong marks of their original; that
tliey each also bear appearances ef irregularity and
defect. A system of strict optimism may neverthe-
less be the real system in both cases. But^what 1
contend is, that the proof is hidden from twy that we
ought not to expect to perceive that in revelati<m,"
whichwehardlyperceive in any thing; that beneft-
cence, of which vn^cdn judge, ought to satisfy us,
'XhMt optimism, of which we cannot judce, ought not
to be sought after. We can judge of beneficence,
: be<iause^it dewnds upon eflects which we experience,
and upon the h»lation between the means which we.
See acting and the ends which we see produced^ We
cannot judge <tf optimism, because it necessarily im-
plies a comparison of that which is tried, with that
which is not tried; of consequences which we see,
witE others which we imaglntf, and concerning many
of which, it is mot« than probable we know nothing;
concerning some, that we have no notion.
If Christianity be compared with thsugtate and pro-
gress of natural religion, the argument of the objector
will gain nothing by the comparison. I remember
hewing an uidieliever say, that, if God had given a
revelation, he would ha^e vrritten it in the skies.
Are the truths of natural rsligioa written in the iskies,
or in a language which every diie reads ? or is this
the case with the most useful arts, <nr the most neces-
sary sciences of human life ? An Otaheitean or an
yequimaux-knowa^ nothing -otilh ri tt i awlty ; does he
ihow more of the principles of deism or moraHty?
which, notwithstanding his ignorance, are neither
'^m'--
CHRISTIANITY.
353
• untrue, nor unimportant, nor uncertain: TIw exiat-
ence of the Deity is left to be collected fnnn observa-
tiooBf which every man does not malce, which eveiy
man, perh^, is not capable of making. Can it be
argued, that God does not exist, because, if he did,"
he would let us see him, or discover himself to man-
kind by proob (such as, we may think, the nature of
the subject merited), which no inadvertency could
miss, no prejudice wltibdtand ?
If Christianity be regarded as a providential instni^
ment for the melioration of manjdnd, its progress and
diffusion resemble that of other causes by which h\i-
man life is improved. The diversity ^ not greater,
nor the advance more slow, in religion, than we find
it to be in learning, liberty, government, laws. The
^Deity hath not touched the order of nSture in vain.
The Jewish religion produced great and permanent
effects; the Christian religion hath done the same. '
It hath disposed the world to amendment. It hath
put things in a train. It is by no means imprdiwble, [
that it may become universal: and that the world
may continue in that, stage so long as that the
duration of its reign may bear a vast proportion to
the time of its partial influence: -"
When we argue concerning Christianify, that it'
must necessarily be tifue, because it is beneficial, we
go, perhaps,, too far (m ond side: and we certainly go
too &r <Hi the other, when we conclude that it must
be false, because it is not so efilcacious, as we could
hams suppose^.' The questiim of its truth is to be
trifettupon its proper evidence, without deferring
- thM sort of argument, on either side.> * The
>,' as Bishq) Butler hath ri^tly observed,
end| upon tlie judgment we form of human con-
duct, under given circumstances, of which it may be
presumed that we know something; the objection
stands upon the supposed conduct <tf the Deity, under
relaffons wit h which we a r e n < A a cq u a inted*
Wliat would be the real effect of that overpowering
evidence which our adverssries require in a revela
tm
EVIDENCES OF
'tion, it is difficult to foretflj at least, we must speak'
of it as of a dispensatiou of which we have na experi-
ence. Some cbosequence^ however would, it is pro^ '
bable, attend this '^conomy, which do not seeiri to*
befit a revelation that proceeded Irom God. One is,
that irresistible proof would restrain the volutitary
powers too much ; woul^ not answer the purpose of
trial and probation; would call for no exercise! of can-,
doiir, seri{|usnes3, humilitj^, inquiry; no submission^
of ptlseion; interests, and prejudices, to moral evidence
and tbprobablei truth; no habits of reflecticm ; none of
• that previous desire to learn and to«Dbey the will of
"God, which fofms perhaps the test of the virtuous
principle, and wliicli induces mento attend, wijth car^
.and reverence, to ^eveiy- credible intihiatioa of thiit'
will, and to re^ga present advantages and prlsent;
' pleasures to every reasonable expectation of propitiat-
ing his favour. * Men's mora|(|> probation may be,
whether tltey wlU take d|ie care toii^rm th^selves
by impartial consideration ; and, aftwward,lMrhet|^r
they will act as the case requiij^s, upon the evid^ce
which they have. - And this W(
often our probation in our tempori
}I. Tliese modes. of communica
' piace for" the admission of internal
ouglit, perhaps,, to bear a considerable . part in the
proof of every revelation, because it is a species of
evidence, which applies itself to the knowledge, love,
•. an<^ practice of Virtuft, and whicfh operates in propor-
tion to the degre^ of pilose qualijties which it "finds ilnt
the pei'sonwhom it addresses. Men of. good disposi^
^ ,tions, amongst Chrf^ans, aire greatly aflecied by the
jmpresaioi^Vvhich thO' Scriptures fJ^ems^lVBs make
Apon their' minds^ 'Hieir conviction is invch atre jigth jfi
ened by these iiV>pressions. And this figBrhaps was
ii^nded to be one effect to be produced by the reli.
gion. li is likewise true, to whatevei^cause we as-
cribe it^ffor I arti not in thiif work at Inefty to intra*,
diice- the Cni'||tian doctrine of grace^ assistance, or
• /||ji^i/w',*»W«''» An»lo#^ part il. c^Pl y ^ . r^; ',
experience, is
Id leave no
"wluch
*•'<.*
,vV.
, ^ CHRISTIANITY. 85^^
Uie Cbristim promise, that,4if any man wiU^o his *
wiH, he^knc^v of the doctrine, whet^^^ ^ S
n^r^nr • ", *""!: ' ''^' '*•*' '*»«y ^ho sincerely
act, or smc^rely endeavovr to act, aJcor<iinff to what
nahH »nf *•' TJ '^>^°" please, the possibilities!
Ll7i r**^«d religion, which they themselves
perceive, and according.to ft rational estimate of coi^'
sequences, and, abbve all, a^Wdingto the jW eS
ev«iT/""''P'f °^ eratitnde and devotion, wS '
S /';"'^^^./"^"''«e«"«*^« '" a welUrdered
mind ,e/tfom/ai/o/^o««,tf;^/artAer. this also
may have been exactly what was designed.
Whereas,,may itnotbe said that irresistible evf
dence would confound all characters wTrdisp J I
t.ons? would subvvt, rather than 1>romot? thi Ze
Sr*^^."'" '¥^^°^*^"«««>«.5 ^hich is, not tS. p^^
duce o^*«,c« by.a force littlfe short of mecL?^
constraint (which obedience would be regSST'tSl *
Virtue, and w^Id hardly perhaps difle? from ^
IT. wh^ch inanimate bodies pay to the laws imZs^d.
upon their naturo), but to^reat moral a^nS'^Z©^
ably to what tixey are;.which is done, whe^LhtanT
motives are of such Kinds, and are imparted in sJch
measures that the iKfluence of jthem depeqjs u3
the recipients themselves? ' It iS not meet to govern
rational free igfats in vid by sight and sense It
wretch to forblar sinning, if heaven and hell wore
g>en to his sight. That spiritual vision and LS
t.^«^o|j state mp^riV (Baxter's Reasons, p. SSTj
-There may be truth in this thiught, though rouriilv"
that we (the human species) should U the hlS
Soll„':!S^ in the4iverse: that animat:d3u^
Should ascend froni the lowest rept le to us. and all at
once stop there. *If there be classes above i? of rt
"^to JJlrtl^^*!!? "*'2kf^^^^^^ manifestations may belong
to them-^ -^hls mlJy U one jof the distinctions. AqS
•ilk-
hV
L,i-.'
^'
IK
AJohnTii, 17«
*
":,**'
•<-
.»
I
4
."V'^..
356
EVIDENCES OF
it may be one, to which we ourselves heraafter slialt
attain. . , ■ ' './";■
^ III. But may it not also be asked, whether the/
perfect 'display of a future state of existence would be
compatible with the activity of civil life, and with th^
success of human aflairs? I can easily conceive thi^t
this impression may be overdone ;xihat it may to seiaSe
and fill the Thoughts, as to leave no place for the cares
__and offices of men's several stations, no anxiety ror
worldly prosperity, or even for a worldly provision,
and, by consequence, no sufficient stimulus to secular -
industry. Of the. fli-st Christians we read, ' that all
that believed were together, land had all things com-
mon; and sold their possessrons and goods, and parted
them to all men, as every man had need ; and, con-
-tinuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat
with gltUlndss and singleness of hejirt.' ' This was
extremely natural, and just what might be expected
from miraculous evideriee coming with full foftee upon
the senses of mankind; b^ I much doubt whether,
if tliis state of mind had bebn universal, or long con-
tinued, the business of the world could have gone on.
The necessary arts of social 11 e would have been little
cultivated. The plough and the loom would have
stood still. Agriculture, manufactures, trade, and
navigation, would not, I think, have flourished, if
they could have been exercised fit all. Men would
have addicted tliemselves to contemplative and ascetic
lives, instead of lives of business and of useful in-
dustry. We observe that Saint' Paul found it neces-
9ary, frequently to recall his converts to (he ordinary
iiUMiurs and domestic duties pf their condition : and
to give them, in his own ex'ample, a le^n of con-
tented application to their worldly employments.
By the manner in wh|;t;h Uie religion id |piow pro^
• ^sed, a grea,t portion of the hpmah species is en-
jiMed, and of these multitudes of every generation are
llnduced, to seek and to eflectuate their salvation.
•AetliK44-^M.
c
»•;
\
CHRISTIANITY.
357
through the medium of Christianity, without inter-
ruption of the prosperity or of , the cegufau- course of
human affairs. t •
'::^
: %
■Si;
CHAP. VII.
The ntppiteJ egixt$ (tfChritUanlty.
That a Jjeligion, which, under every fotm injwhich
it IS taught, holds forth the final reward of virtue «hd
punishment of vice, and proposes those distinctions oli
virtue and vice, which^thewisestand most cultivated
part of manldnd cbnfeM to be just, should not l»
believed, is veiy possible; but that, so fiir as it libe^
Ueved, it should not proddce any good, but rather a
bad effect upon pUbl|p happiness, is a ' proposition
which it requires veiy^trong evidence to render cre-
dible. Yet mtoy h»ve been found to contend ibr thitf "
paijdox, and f||r^coflfidentapppal| have been ^madeip*.
to histoiy, and to observation, for jthe truth of it. ''
In the conclusions, however, which these writ^n
draw from what thif call eiperience, two wftiircea, I
think» of mistake, may be perceive^. • * ,
Oup is, that theyjoolc fof thj) influence of relirion
in the wrong plaobul , '. ■4 , '
The other, that lltey clttlrge Christianity with many'
cohsemieiitesy for which it is not responsMiW.
I. The influence of religion is not io be sought for
in the councils of ^inces,.in the .debates or resolu-
tions of popular assetnbli«8, in the conduct of govern-
ments towards their subjects, or of states and sove-
reigns towards one another ; of coiiquerors at the ted
of their armies, or of parties intriguing for powdTat
home (topics which alone alihost occupy ihe attention,
and fiU the pages of history); but must be perceived.
If perceived at all, in the silent ooui^etf private add
demesne life. Nay liore; even then iti influence
may not be veiy obvious to obscpraUon. If it check,
m some degree personal dissoluteness, if it beget a
-'■■.A.
■ ' > -^
y If ■*
■■>#-^
■"("■•■•WWilllsNWIIIP*
■wwwiilWliiM J i'il f i - i Jfti liii^ iii»tiiiii
353
EVIDENCES OF
■J^'
general probity in the transaction of business, if it pro-
duce soft and humane manners in the mass of the com- ^'
munity, and occasional exertions pf.Jabwious and ex- •
pensive benevolence in a few individualsjit is all the
efiect wliicli can off^r itself to external notice.- The.
kingdom of heavei/is within us. That which is the
substance of the religion, its hopes uid -consolations,
its intermixture with the thoughts by day and by.
night, the dovotion of the heart, the control of appor
tite, the steiuly direction of the will to the commands
of ^od, is necessarily invisible. Yet upon these de-
pend the virtue and happiness of miJUions. Thfs
I cause rqnders the representations of history, with re-,
^ spect to religion, defective and fallacious, in a greater
degree than they are upon any other subject. Reli-
Igion operates most upon those of whom history linows
the least; upon fathei-s and mothers idtlieir families,'
upon men-servants and maid-servants, upon the or-
derly tradesmfui, the quiet villager, the manufac-
turer at his loom, the husbandman in his fields.
Amongst such, its influence collectively may be of
\iikestimable value, yet its effects, in the mean time,
l^tle upon those ^ho figwe upon the stage of the
World. They may know nothing of it; they may be-
lieve nothing of it; they may be actudted by motives
"Indra impetuous than those which religion is able to
exi^. It cannot, therefore, be thought strange,
that this infliuence should elude the grast) and touch
of public history: for, what is public hist^, but a
register of the successes and disappointments, the
vices, the follies, and the quarrels of those who en-
gage in contentions for power? ^ ^
I will add, that much of this influence may be felt
in times of public distress, and little of it in times ot
public wealth and security. This also increases the
uncertainty of any opinions that we draw from histo-
rical representations. The influence of Christianity
is commensurate with no effects whidi history states.
We do not pretend that it ha^ any such necessary and
V
\w^
:*.'
!■
? CHBlfiTlANItY. ' 359
irresistible power over the iSkirs of nations, as to sur-
mount the force of other °<»use8.
The Christian religion also acts ^pon public usaMs
and institutions, by^an operation which is oMy second-
aiy and indirect. Christianity is no£ a code of civil
law. It can only reach pubBc institutions through
^ private^ character. Now its influence upon private
character may be considerable, yet many public us-
ages and institutions repugnant to its principles may
remaih. ^p get rid of these, the reigning parti
the community mlist act, and act together. But it
may be lorfg before the persons who compose this
body be sufficiently touched with the Christian cha-
racter, to join in the suppression of practices, to
which they and the public have been reconciled by
causes which will reconcile the human mind to any
thing, by habit an^nterest. Nevertheless, jlhe effecte
of Christianity, even in this view, have b^en impOr-
tant. It hi^ mitigated the conduct of war, knd the
treatment of captives It has softened the adminis-
tration of despotic, or of nominally despotic govern-
ments. It has abolished polygamy. It has restraint
the hcen^iousness of divorces. It has put an '6nd to
the febcposui-e of children, and the immolation of skves.
It has suppressed the combats of gladiators, * and the
<^ impurities of religious rites. It has banished, if not
unnatural vices, at least the toleration of them. It
has greatly meliorated the condition of the laborious
part, that is to say, of the mas? of every community,
by^ procuring for them a day of weekly rest. In all
countries in which it is professed, it has product '
numerous establishments for the relief, of sickness and
, poverty; and, in some, a regular and general provi-
sion by law. It has triumphed over the slaveiy estab-
lished m the Roman empire : it is contending, and.
I trust, will one day prevail, against the wois« slavery
of^he West Indies. '
fon.i n/.^ ! • "*^**" *'" *"'*""» "' "*« «•>•«• .wore pM.loniitc?,
fomi or the * show*, iifcr Mi»h«p r-Hom^H Honnom, xi,f '"•'""**'''
y
360
EVU^igNCES OP
*!f
A Cluristian writer, "so eailjr as iti die s^con^ceti-
tury, has testified the resistance which Cliristianitjr
maide to wiclted and licentious practices, though
established by law and by pubHc usage:— •* Neither
in Paithja, do the Christians, though Parthians, use
polygafnyt nor in Persia, though Persians, do they
mairr^ thejr owA dJau^^ters^ nor among the'Bactlri,
or Galli, ap thar^iolate the sanctity of marriage ; nor,
^yw^i do they sufler themselves t^
|>y ^U-constituted laws and manners.*
did not destroy the idolatry of Athlns,
argument to which I recur, fs, that
wherever
oveifcome
S>oc|tite:
or #<iiuc€( the slightest revolution in the manner^ oi
hislcoui^ti
Butthi
benefit of/religi<ni, being felt chiefly in the obsciirity
of brivata stations, necessarily escapes the observation
of fiistom From the first general notification of Chris- k
tialnity to the present day, there have been in 9ver#^
age maiw- millions, whose names were never hetJd o^ 'A
made be|tter by it, not only in their conduct, but in/^^
their disposition; and happier, not so much in /their'
externiu circumstances, as in that which iajhiter
pttBcordia, in that vi|||ich alone deserves th
of happiness, the tranquillity and consolation
thoughts. It has been, since its commenCemi
author [of happiness and virtue to millions ai
lions of the human race. Who is there thai
^ not w|ih his son to be a Christian?
Christianity also, in every country in which
fessedi hath obtained a sensible, although no
^ plete influence, upon the public judgment otf morals
And this is very important. For without ttie occsr
sionalj correction which public opinion receivisj^y re-
.forring to some Axed standard of morality] no man
cani^retel into what extravagances it mi ghl wander.
/>^ Assassination might become as honourable n«ueliiug ;
' unnatural, ci;imes be accounted as venial as fornication
is wont to be accounted. In this way it is possible,
" Vtiwt many may he-Icept in order by Christianity, who
>• BardcMnrv ap. Sunob. Traep. Bvimg. «!. 10.
[name
their
it the
mil-
would
is pro-
a com-
V
CHB1;BTIANITY, ggj
•re^not themselves Christians. They may be miidpH '
by the rectitude which Hc^municlTpm^^t
i^»i,Z^*'^'*°*=^ majsuggest their duly trulv^
i £ilf • ^^mityof the human intellect, wS
r Jr? }7 "* l?"'^"^ "'^^^ **»n 'he public opinion
S'^k!""; '^"^'' own. minds; and opimo^^ni
tiT^"^}%^''^^^* '""^•^^^ V the lessJns of Chris!
Mani y. « Certain it is, and thi J is a great deaJ to sav
at tie generality, even of the mean Ji and mol?^!
!^fS r^"^^ P®?P**» ^^« '™« «nd worthier no-
ri„T^"^\rr J""' ^^'^ apprehensions co^
nuni^his attributes and perfections, a deefler sense
.o^'lw"'^ °^T** "•'* *^"' » heater KtS
luties of life, ani a more firm and universal^peT^
ftion of a^ture st i\e of rewards and pimishmehte S
i« any rieathenfcountry, any consi^gnoTnuSibenf
men weri found L have had.'* number of
« '^i^^'^T' H^al"« of Christianity i^not to be ao-
whS !!^ ". rf ® ^l"™*" ^<*"^"«' '°^t»»'S life: but *
wlmt s gained io happiness by that influence, can only
be estimatcid byfcakingin the whole of human ^istence
Then, as hath/ already been observed, the^mr,^ ^
also great conatquences of Christianity which d7ncJ
belong to ,t as k revelation. The effeJte iSon humw
salvation, of tjie mission, of the death, ofXpresenT
of the fiiture a^ncyVChrist, may be ukiversal.^S
the religion b^ not universally knoini ^
Secondly, If assert that Chris^anity is feharged with
many conseqi^ences for which it is not responsible ? ^-
believe that rlligious motives have l«d no^mZto dj
m the formaiion of nine-tenths of the intolerant and
vlT"^'^- f?' ""^'^'^ '» ^^'^^^ countries h^e '
been esUbUsied upon the subject of religion, than they
SZrJa^?'T'^'' 'L"'""8*' '*»«J^ »»^« *»»« Chris,
tian rehgioa fo.- their sulyect, are resolvable into a
^ Jctark,lr. - -
N«t Rel. p. 808. ed.
».
'"W^..
"M
36iS
EVIDBliCES OF
.prilnciple wbwh Christianity certainly did not plant
'(and which Christianity could not univei-^ally con-
demn, because it is not universally wrong), which
principle is no- other than this, that they who are in
possession of power do what they can to Iceep it.
Christianity is answerable for no part of the mischief
which has been brought upon the world by persecu-
tion, except that wliich has arisen from conscientiowt
persecutors. Now these perhaps have never been
either qumerous or powerful. Nor is it to Christian-
ity that even their mistadce can fairly be imputed.
They have been misled i by an error not properly
Christian or religious, butjby an error in their moral
philosophy. They pursue^ the particular, without
adverting tothe general consequence. Believing cer-
tain articles of faith; dr a cfertain mode of worship, to
be bighly conducive, or perhaps essential, to salvation,
they thought themselves bound to bring all they could,
by eveiy means, into t^em. And this they thought,
without considering what would be the effect of such
a conclusion, when adopted amongst mankind as a
geneiiU rule of conduct. Had there been in the New
Testament, what there are in the Koran, precepts
authorizing coercion in the propagatidn ot the religion,
~and tlie use of violenae towards unbelievers', the case
would have been differeqlt. This distinction could
not have been taken, nor this defence made.
I apologize for no species nor degree of persecution,
but I think that elven th^ fact has been exaggerated.
The slave-t^ade destroys Inore in a year, than the m- /
quisitipn doeB in a Imadrajdy^nr perhaps hath done sinc^
-its foimdation. . I . #.
If it be objected, as i apprehend it win be, tti^t
Christianity is chargeable with eveiy mischief/ of
which it has beei^ the occasiorif though not the motive ;
I adswer, that. If the malevolent passions be ^ere,
the ivorld will h^vei* w^iitoccasions. The noxio^ ele-
ment will alwi^ys find a conductor. Any pomt will
^produce an explosion. Did the applauded intercom-
innnity of the /Pagan theoloj^ preserve thcA)eace of
/'• '#
■■1' «•;
)■*:■
W
CHRISTIANITY,
^ Roman worid? did It prevent oppressioS^i.,^"
scriptionsi massacres, devastations? Was It I, 4^
that carried Alexander into the East, or broufihtcZ
sar ipt« Gaul? Are the nations <rf the 3, fn to
which Qhristianity hath not found its way, or frbm
which it hath been banished, free from c^'tStions^
Are their contentions less ruinous and sariguinaiy?
Is t o^ng to Christianity, or to the want of it/St
SL "fU^^r^^'***^*' thecomitriesf«/^'S£^
iuor rnm-ta, the peninsula of Gi-eece, together with a
gr^ part of the Mediterranean coast, a?e at thTs daJ
a desert? or that^the banks of the Nile, wh^'cZ
stoutly renewed fertility is not to be impaired T
for the scene of a ferocious anarchy; or tlie supply 5
unceasing hostilities? Europe its^'has kno^Tre!
Ijglous wars for some centuries, yet has hardly eve^'
day afflict it, to be imputed to Christianity? Hath
Poland faUen by a^Christian crus«de?^Hath X
'•fc*^l "^ by the Stories of our religion, orby the t
a^Jthp r"^' */ J'^'^' lessons which Ae crimes
and the miseries of thit country afford to mankind
Uus isone; that, in order to be i persecutor^iu^Sol
dr*i;;^rde«r ' - """ ^^^^^^"^ '^^^"^'
Finally I/war,^ it is now carried onbetweenna-
tions, produces less' misery and ruin than formerly
we are indebted perhaps toChristianity for the oTanie'
more than to any othsj P»"««- ^ie^^ed therfefpreTf n
m Its relation to thi Jl^bject; ft appears to havi blen
of ^vantage to the world. It hath Jiumanized thS
conduct of wars ; it hath ceased to ,.citeS • •
nri ., ^'^«':«'^«es of opinion, that have in aJl a^s
prevailed amongst Christians, fall yeiy much nvitft,!
the »l^eniativ||y|b^has been stated. ^ If wepo^^ss^ ^
«n !^,^^'«PlMpNrhich Christianity labdurS ahov^
-' n«aIft«bin<!uloate, these diflermces ^Z]d
■■■ .*- •■ 7^»-/ ■'■■■. _.
J. '
364
EVIDENCES OF
it-K
l,,V
do little hiCrm. If that disposition be wanting, other
causes, even were these absent, would continually
lise^pibeaU forth the matevolent passions into ac-
tion; j^ifierences of opinioos, when accompanied
with mutual charity, which Christiani^ forbids them
t» violate, are Cor the most part innocei^, and for
some purposea useful. They promote inquiry, dis-
cussion, and knowledge. They help to keep up an
aftention to religious subjects, and a concern about
;thein, which mi^t be apt to die away in the\ calm
and isiteltice of universal agrectment. I do not -know
tl^ H is in any degree true} that the influence (^
jrdi^^:fs jthe gr^test, where there are the fewest
'd^nters^ -'■ ■. .. \ \, .
%■
CHAP. VIII.
TAe CoNclMiM.
V
r
In religion, as in every other subject of human rea
soning, much depends upon the order in which we
dispose our inquiries. A man who takes up a sj^stem '
of divinity with a previous opinion that eithecN^ery
part musit be true, or the whole false, approaches
discussionwrtli great disadvantage. Np o^ier system,
which is founded upon moral evidence, wdiild bear to ),
be treated in the same manner. Nevertheless, in a
certaiik degree, we are t^\ introduced to our religious
studies, under Uiii pr^udication. And it cannot be
avoided, . The weakness/^ the human judgmeni^ in ;
the early part of youth, yet its extrerue susceptibility
of impression, renders It necessaiy- to furnish it' with
fomei opinions^ and with some principles or other.-
^^Or indeed, without much express care, or much en-
deavour for this purpose, the tendency of the mind of
maiTto assimilate itself to the habits of thinking and
'speaking ^hich prevails around him, produces the
same effect. That indiflerency and suspense, that
.waiting and equilibrium of the judgment, which some
' require in religious matters, and which some woul^
j^Nixri
365
iduct W education, »e
•Tlieytfre Dot gireq to
Jmpossil
the condit
Mtl^f ^'^P^^^P^ institution that the doe-
ferencesfronfff!^^^
^^in^'^^f^^ ^"« presented to the undeSS
. ing in this form, is, that when any articles vJhJrh
appear as parts of it, contradict the^iZeK„ ^^^
the persons to whom it is proposed menrf^h .^
the whole. But is >t^ to do justice, eithw- to «Sm
selves or to the «li^<te? TheSu^^i;; rf^eSl
attend, in the first place, to the general and substan
w« once feel a foundation; when we once wrceive 2
SSrM?^'^'"^ in its histoiy, welh^ S^5
ynih safefy to inquire into the inteT)reta«rofunr
, cords and into the doctrines whidi havrCn d^
duced from them. Nor will it Ai»i«.,r: j
^th, o. diminish o/Xr^LS J^U;1S„S'
If we ^ould di^over that these conctoilte S
ed withVery different degrees of probability mdn^
se^veiy di^rent degrees of impSrtim?^ '^^ ^^ ^"^
eve^'ruirrf"^,!?/ '^« "?^««tanding, dictated by
ChXw! "^^ reasoning. wiU uphold personal
, esteblished under forms the most Uable to difficult^
: •"^^Jection. It WiU also Dave the faJther e£ o^
' UH^X ^^T ^ r^'"^ ''^^^^ -"wont to
Vise in our minds to the. disadvantage of reliirfon^
W^rving the numerous, controv^^^^^^^^^^
-^ dicing •*" *SrTJ *** P'**^*^"' ^ likewiw Of S
ment *« *P'n ^ °^, '*°^*J^ *"^ modemtion in our judjl
WlSt ?"^™^«"r; «Pon sidtes opposite to riJ*
What is crear in Christianity, we shall find to be mfi "
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EVIDENCES OF
?•■.,
ficient, and to be infinitely valuable ; sfvliat is dubfous,
unnecessary to be decided, or of very subordinate im-
portance; and What is most obscure, will teach us ta
bear with Ae opinions whieh others may have formed
upon the ^e subjcjijt. We shaU say to those who
the most widely dissent from us, what Augustine
said to the worst herfatics of his age: « iUi in vos mb-
▼iant, qui ne8ciunr,>um quo labore veyum in^eni-
atur, et qukm difficiW caveantur errore^,^— qui ne-
sciunt, cum quanta difficujtate sanetur oculus interi-
oris hominis;— qui nesciunt, quibus suspiriis et
gemitibus fiat ut ex quantulftcunque parte ponit in-
telligi Deus.» » , . .^ „
A judgment, moreover, which is once pretty well
satisfied of the general truth of the religion, will not
only thug discriminate in its doctrines, but wiU pos-
sess sufficient strength to overcome the reluctance of
thd imagination to admit articles df faith which are
attended with difficulty of apprehension, if such ar-
ticles of feith appear to be tru^ parts of the revelation.
It was to be expfjcted beforehand, that what related to
the economy, and to the persons, of the invisible world,
which revelation professes to-do, and which, if true,
it actually does, should coirtain some points remote
from our analogies, and from the comprehension of a
min^ which hath acquired aU its ideas firom sense and
from experience.
It hath been my care, in the preceding work, to
preserve the separation between evidences and doc-
trines as inviolable as I could; to remove from the
primary question all considerations which have been
unnecessarily joined with it; and to offer a defence
to Christianity, which every Christian might read,
without seeing the tenets in which he had been
brought up attacked or decried: and it always afford-
ed a saUsfection to my mind to observe that tWs was
practicable; that few or J?>one of our many coillrover-
sies with one another affect or relate to the proofs of
"^ . ■ M, • Au|. eontra Bp. Fund. e«p. U. n. 2, S.
4
CHRISTIANITY 307
BO^ never descends to tlie
the
rei
our religion; that
foundation.
fcol^* ^^ "^ Christianity depends upon its leading
&cte, and upon them alone. No^ of these we hivf
Z^il^^rfi ^ *"^ ^' »* leastZtir Tt
wme. We have some uncontested and incontestable
points, |« which the histonr of the hunTaS^ieS
has nothing similar to oflfer. A Jewfah T^t
t^^^-l^ **«©•<« of the World, and ttS, St
force, withBUt power, ^itho>t support ;™i?ut one
natural source, or circumsSnce JittiaSw influ
•tter he himself had bee/put to death for his attempt
•Merted Jus iupernaturafcharacter, founded upon ffi
t^^r? '^'^^^•- »«d. In testimony T 52
J^^u^^^H^"*^"^' •• '• *° consequence of th^
S^' i?*' 'Jr » •»*' ^« «'d«' to communfc^S
their knowledge of^t to others, roluntarily entemJ
kst^tlt??' '^ilP"''' committed themselves to Z
tost extremities 0^ persecution. .This hath not a pa-
pi^n .^<»™ P^^Wcularly, a veiy few days after Ms
Sn^ ^. ^^? P"*'"''*^ «««"^^' "-d in the ve^
J^liiid S J^* T 'If'^u' '^"^ ^ companion
him . « 'J^y j^*^ seen him, handled him, ate tMth
persuasion of the truth of what they told Dre&rhMl
werS'al^ ^^J^ '**'^ ""^ *»»^ ^"»«d Wm, who
were armed with the power of the country, and neces-
lltnS? 7^" «>V^ent took phM5e,^ed the inS-
them pfldiing to expect but derision, Insult, andVut-
rage.— Tius u wiUiout example. These three &ots.
■■Ve.
I
mmiammUmtm
3G8
* EVIDENCES OF
I thirdc, are certain, and would have been nearly so,
if the Gospels had never been writ|en. The Chri9tiau
story, as to these points, hath never varied. No other
hath been set up against it. Eveiy letter, every dis-
. course, every omtroversy, amongst the followers of
the religi<«i; everfrbook written by them, from the
age of it»commencement to the present time, in every
part of the world in which it hath been professed, and
with every sect into which it hath been divided (and
we have letters and discourses written by contempo-
raries, by witnesses of the tran^tion, by persons
themselves bearing a share in it, and bther -writing^
following that age in regular successi<m), concur h^
representing these facts in this manner. A religioii,
which now possesses the greatest part of the civilized
world, unquestionably sprang up at Jerusalem at this
time. Some account must be given of its. origin;
some Qfiuse assigned for its rise. All the accounts of
this origin, all tiie explications of this cause, whether
taken from the writings of the early followers ot the
religij^n (in which, and in which perhaps alone, it
couild be expected that tliey should^^distinctly va^
folded), or from occasional notici^^Bther writings
of that or the adjoining age, eiiflHRcpressly allege
the facts above' stated as tlie miqod .Vjr which the re-
ligion was set up, or advert to |ts commencement in a
manner which agrees with the supposition of these
Htusts Jbeing true, and . ;|rhic.h testifies their q>eration
and effects. /
These propositions alqne lay a foundation for obr fitith;
for they prove the existence of a transactiitt, which
cannot even in its most general parts be accounted
for, upon any reasonable' supposition, except that <^
the truth of the missitm. .But the pa^iculars, th^
detail ol the miracles,^ or miraculous pretences (for v
s^ch there necessarily must have been), upon.whidT
this unexampled transaction rested, and /df which
' these men acted and suflbred as they did act and suf- '
fer, it is undoubtedly of great importance to us to>
know. We ha»e this detidl from tiie fountain-head.
^
CHRISTIANITV.
S69
from the persons themselves; in accounts vmtten by
iye-vritnesses of the scene, by contemponuies and
/companiwis of those who were so; not in one book,
but four, each containing enough for the Terification
pf the religion, all agreeing in the fundamental parts
of the histoiy. We have the authenticity of Uiese
books established, by more and stronger proo& than
belong to almost any other ancient book whatever, and
hy proofe which widely distinguish them from any
^others claiming a similar authority to theirs. If there
were any good reason for doubt concerning the names
to which these books are ascribed (which there is
not, for they were never ascribed to any other, anud
we have evidence not long after their publication of
their bearing the Qunes which they now bear), their'
antiquity, of w||ich there is no question, their repur
tation and authority amongst the early disciples of
the religion, of which there is as little, form a valid
^roof that they must, in the main at least, have
agreed with what the fi^t teachers of Che religion
delivered.
When we open these ancientTolumes, we diacover
in them marks of truth, whether we consider each iu
itself, or collate them with <me axiother. TUe'Vnriters
certainly knew something pf tvHk£ they were' writing
about, for they manifest an acquaintance with local
circumstances, with the histoiy and usages of the
times, which could only belong to an inhabitant of
that country, living in that age. In every narratiye
we perceive simplicity and undesignedness ; the air
and the language of reality. When we compare the
dilTerent narratives together, we find them qp varying '
as to repel all suspicion of confederaqr; sp agreeing
under this varie^, as to shew that the accounts had
one real transaction for their common foundatiw;
often afft-ibuting different actions and discourses to
the person whose history, or rather memoirs of whose
history, they profess to relate, yet actions' and dis-
courses so similar, as very much to bespeal^ the same
character; which is a coincidence, that, in such
37a
EVIDENCES OF
,'V
-writers as they were, could only be the consequence
of their writing from fact, and not from imagination.
These four narratives are confined to the history
of the Foundei: df the religiqn, and end with hi^
ministry. Since, however, it is certain that the
aflair went rai) we cannot help being anxious to
know how it proceeded. This intelligence hath
come down to us in a work purporting to be written
by a person, himself connected with the business dur-
ing the firat stages of its progress, takhig up the story,
where the formei!' histories had left it, canying m
the narrative, oftentimes with great particularity, and
throughout with the appearajDice of good sense, ' in-
formation, and candour; fitating all along the origin,
and the only probable origin, of eflbcts which unques-
tion^iy were 'produced together with the natural'
' consequences of situations which unquestionably did
- exist; and confirmed, in the substance at least of the '
account, by the strongest possible accession of testi-
mony which a history can receive, origituU letters,
written by the person who is the principal subject of -
the history, written upon the business to which the '
history relates, and during the period, or soon after
the period, which the history comprises. No man
can say that this all together is not a body of strong
histoMcal evidence. _-,...'*' ,
r When we reflect that some of tbo^e from whom
the books proceeded, are related to have themselves
wrought miracles, to have been the subject of mira*
des, or of supernatural assistance in propagating
the religion, we may perhaps be' led to think, that
more credit, or a different kind of credit, is due to
these account;^ , than what can be claimed by
merely human testimony. But this is an argument
which cannot be addressed to sceptics or unbelievers.
A man must be a Christian before he can receive it.
• See Peter*! tpeeehupon miring the cripple (Acts III. 18). theeoanetl
nf the epostlef (xt,), Paure diieuune at Athens xtH. U), befora
AKnppa. (xxvi.) I notice tneie puMgei, both u thni«ht with good
aenie. and a* hree ttom the illicit tincture of enthutiatm.
CHRISTIANITY.
371
r Tlie inspiration o^the histbrical Scripturesi the nature,
Megree, and extent of that inspiration, ar6 questions
undoubtedly of slierious discussion; but they are ques-
tions amongst Christies themselves, and not between
Mi^m and others. The doctrinejfcjelf is by no means
necessary to the belief of Christianity, which must,
in the first instance at least, depend upon the ordinary
maxims of historical credibiVty. ■ » '
In viewing the <detail of miracles recorded in these
books, we find eVeiy supposition negatived, by which
they can be resblved into fraud or delusion. They
were not secret, fiot momentaiy, not tentative, hor
ambiguous; nor performed under the sanction of au-
thority, with the specto^rs on their side, or in affir-
mance of tenets and practices ahready established
We find also the evidence alleged for them, and which
evidence was by. great numbers received, difleront
from that upon which other miraculous accounts rest.
It was contemporary, it was published upon the root,
it continued; it involved interests and questidnsofthe
greatest magnitude; it contradicted the most fixed
persuasions and prejudices of the persons to whom it
was addressed ; it required from those who accepted
it, not a simple, indolent assent, but a change, from
thenceforward, of principles and conduct, a siibmis-
sion to consequences the most serious and the most
deterring, to loss and danger, to insult, outrage, and
jwrsecution. How such a story should be false, or,
if false, how under such circumstances it should make
its way, I think impossible to be explained ; yet such
the Christian stoiy was, such were the circumstances
under which it came forth, and in opposiUon to such
difficulties did'it prevail.
An event so connected with the religion, and with
the fortunes, of the Jewish people, as one of their race
one bom amongst them, establishing his authority
and his law throughout a great portion of the civiUzed
world, it was perhaps to be expected, should be noticed
in the prophetic writings of that nation; especially
. *St« Puweir* DltoourtM. (Um. X7. p,S4(k
372
EVIDENi
OF
- A-
'wjien this l^erson, together with his own mission,
caused also to be acknowledged the divine original of
their institution, and by those who before had
altogether 'r6ject(pd it. Accordingly, we perceive ii
thSse writings various intimations concurrirtg in t^
person and history of Jesus, in a manner, and iu a
^ degree, in which passages taken from these books
. could not be made to concur in any person arbitrarily
assumed, or in any perscm except him who has been
the author of great changes in the affairs anci opinions
of mankind. Of some of these pi:edictions/Ue weight
depends a good deal upon the concurrence. Others
possess great separate strength: one in pmicular does
this in an eminent degree. It is an entii^ description,
manifestly directed to one character and to one scene
of things: it is extant in a writing, 6r collection of
writings declaredly prophetic ; and it applies to Christ's
character, and to (lie circumstance^ of his life and
death, with considerable precision, foA in a way which
no diversity of interpretation ham, in my opinion,
been able to confound. That thb advent of* Christ,
and the^nsequences of it should not have been more
distincjt^ revealed in the Jewi^ sacred books, is, I
think, in some measure accoumed for by the cotuj-.
der^tioti^ that for the Jews to /have forc^Mp the f4ll
of li^ir. institution, add that it was l^merge at
' length into a more perfect and.comprehensive dispen-
-~ sation, would- have cooled /too much, and. relaxed
tlieir zeal for it, and their adherence to it, upon which
zeal and adherence the preservation in tiie world of
any remains, for many ^qL of religious truth might
^in a great measure depend.
Of what a revelation discloses to mankind, one,
and only one, question cah properly be asked, Was it
of importance to mankind to know, or to be better as-
sured of ? In this question, when we turn our thoughts
to the great Christian doctrine of the resumction of
the dead, and of a future judgment, no doubt can
possibly be entertained j He who gives me riches or
honours, does nothing;/ he who even gifes n^e health,
■M.*.,
CnRISTIANIXy)
373
lerceive ii
does little in comparison with that! which hys before
ZTafT^' ^' 'Tf""« » ^stonuion to life^
rhrii- ^'^t wcount and retribution: which thini
Christianity hath done formlUions \ ^
iJ!^\*^^^ **^ ^"^ ChrisUan iith, althouafcof
infinite importance when placed besjde any otWto?
pic of human inquior, are only the Adjuncts anTck^
cumstances of this. They are, however, sucrSTp-
Th"^ r^l"^ f e^origi^U to which ^e iscrKemT
The morality^of the religion, whethei^, takenS toe
precepts or the example of Jts Founder, or frSm the
lessons of its primitiVe teachers, derivted Is TZ\M
seem, from whaj had been inculkted ijy ihT£^
t\tZ '^I^' ''''^ "^ P"'*^ °«!^er aiiaptedto
vulgar prejudices, nor flattering popuP noSoM no?
matter of its instruction, truly to promX^ humkn
happiniiss, and m the form in which itf WasWreS^
to produce impression and eflect; a mbrality; wWch'
wUf" «^V^sfectorjr evidence of his ^od seie and
TS\^^ it somidndss of his undLtandS^ Zi
the probity of his designs; a^nonUity,7n every view
^it much more perfect than.could hiX beenex^^
ted from the natural cireumstances anj characteTof
the person who deUvered it j a moralitk iHWrd
n^M!"** ^^. *^"' "~' beneficialtto mJnSn^'
sio^'Tni^*' ^^***'*» therefore, of Sa ^ssible occa-
^Tho n ?f » P«nx»e of inestimable vSue, it pleas-
^ Uie Deity to vouchsafe a mihuiuloiS attestation
Ha^ng done this for the mstitution, wWta this ^oZ
could fix its authority, or ^ive to it a begin^inj^ he
committed it» future progrls to the natKSS, rf
human communi,»tion, and to the influence of those
causes by which human conduct and hiTaii affidJ!
Ute^Tr,"^- ^^«r'*»>«-««o^n,vAtov^"
and both according to the laws of natui-e: laws, never-
theless, disposed and controlled* by that Providence
«^uch conducts the affair of the uJiverse, thoiXb^
374
EVIDENCES dF
\.
an influence inscrutable, and generally uudistinguish- ^
able by us. And in this, ChrisUaiiity is analogous to .
most other provisions for happinesis. The provision
is made ; and, being made, is left to act according to
laws, wlQch, forming a part of a more general 8]rstem, ;
regulate this particular subject, iiat^ommoa with many
others.
Let the constant recurrence to our jobservj^tiofii of
contrivance, design, and wisdom, in the works of na-
ture, once fix uporik our minds the. belief of a God,
and after that all is easy. In the counsels of a being
possessed <k the power and di8positi<m whichthe Cre-
ator of the universe must possess, it is not improb-
able 4hat there should b^ aiiiture state; it is not im-
probable that we* should be acquainted with it. A
future state rectifies every thing; because, if moral
agents be made, in tl^e last event, lu^py or miserable,
accoinAng to their conduct iA tho stations and under
the circumstances in which they are placed, it seems
not very material by the operation of-what causes,
according to what rules, or even, if you please to call
it so, by what chance or caprice, Uiese stations are
assigned, or these circuinstances determined. This
hypothesis) therefore, solves all that objection to the
divine carta and goodness, which the promiscuous dis-
tribution of good and evil (I do not meah in the doubt-
ful advantagJBS of riches and grandeur, but in the ub-
questionably important dis^j^tions of health and sick-
ness, strength and infirmity, bodily ease and pain,
ment&^ alacrity and depression) is apt on so many oc-
casions tp create. This one ti-uth changes the natui'e
of things; gives order to confusion; makes the moral
world of a piece with the natural.
Nevertheless, a higher degree of assurance than
tliat to which it is possible to advance this, or aiiy ar-
gument drawn from the light of nature, was necessary,
especially to overcome the shock wjbich the imagin.
ation and the senses receive from the effects and' the
appearancd^h^t^eath, and the obstruction which thence
arises to the ekpectation of either a continued or a
CHRiSTIANITV.
376
future\ existence. This difficulty, although of a ubA
ture, rio doubt, to act very forcibly, will be found. I
think, iipon reflection, to reside more in our habits of
•pprehehsion, than in the subject; and that the giving
way to It, when we have any reasonable grpuiids for tMfe-
contraiy, is father an indulging of the imagination,
than, any thing else. Abstractedly considered, tlUit
is, considered without relation to the diflerence which
habit, and merely habit, produces in Our faculties and
modes of apprehension, I do not see any thing more
in the resurrection of a dead man, than in the concep-
, tion of a child ; except it be this„that the one comes
into this world with a Jiystem of prior consciousness
about him, which the other doe^ not: /and no person
will say, that he knows enough of either subject to
perceive that this circumstance maki^ such a diflcr- -
ence m the two cases, that the one should be easy,
and the other impossible: the one natural, the other
not so. To the first man, the succession of the spe-
cies weuld be as incomprehensible, as the resurrec-
tion of the dead Is to us.
Thought is different from motion, perception from
impact: the individuality of a mind Is hanily con-
sistent with the divisibility of an extended substance:
o? Its volition, that is, its power of originating mo-
lion, with the inertness which cleaves to eveiy por-
tion of matter which our oteervatioB tr our experi-
ments can reach. These mmiioDs lead us to an
M»«uiferia/ principle: at lelti* they do this ; they so
negative the mechanical properties of matter, in the
constitutloh of a sentient, stIU more of a rational be-
ing, tl^t no argument drawn froin these properties,
cwi bo of any great weight in^ opposition to other
reasons, when the question respects the changes of
which such a nature is capable, or the manner in
which these changes are effected. Whatever thought
be, or whatever It depend Upon, the regular experi-
ence of */e^ makes one thing concerning it certain,
that It can be completely suspended, 4md completelv '
restored. ' '
37fi.
EVIDENCES OF
»t
If any one find it too great a strain upon bif
thoughts, tcradmit the notion of a substance strictly^
imnuterial, that is^ from which extension and solidi-
. ty are excluded, he can 0nd no difficult in allowing, ;
that a particle as small as. a particle of light, minuter
than iJl ctmceivablo dimensions, may just as easily '
be the depositaiy, the organ, and the yehicle, of con- ^
sciogsness,' asi the congeries of annual substance
which forms a human body, or t^[ human brain ; ^
that, beii^g so, \t may transfer a pripper idenM^^ito-
whatever shall hereafter be united to it; may ber^afe
amidst the destruction of its integuments; may con-
nect the natural with the spiritual,/ the corruptible
with the glorified, body. If it be a^ that the mode
and means of all this isjmperceptil^le by our senses,
it is only what jis true of the most ii^iportant agencies
and operations. The great powerflj^ of nature are all
invisiblel Grayitation, electricity, miignetism, though
constantly present, and constantly exerting their inr
iluence; though yvithin us, near us, and about us;
though diffused throughout all space, overspreading
the siurfiice, or penetrating tlie contexture, of all
bodies with which we fure acquainted, depend upon
i^ubstances and actions which are totally concealed
from our senses. The Supreme Intelligence is so
hiibself.
But vj^ether these or any other attenipts to satisfy
the imagination, Jiear anv resemblance to the truth,
^ or whether the imagination, which, as I have si^id
before, is a mere^slave of habit, can be satisfied or
not; when a future state, and the revelation of a fii-
ture Aate, is not only perfectly consistent with tho
attributes of the Beiug who governs the universe;
but when it is m<Mne, when it alone removes the ap-
pearances of cdnti|riety which' attend the operations
of his will toward! creatures capable of comparative
merit and demerit, of reward and punidiment; y|rhen
a strong body of historical evidence, pmifinned by
many internal tokens of truth and authenticity, gives
us just reason to believe that such a revelatioa hath
-/■■■^t-^i^'SV.i,'-"- ■-■
new
V witli
il^- tTi Tj •^«<*iente cannot be wanted to
Cjny into U&ct what the Deity hath purposed: thj?
S?wr'' '^J^^'^'y *^««°ce will defend Jp^
the human-world to resuscitate extin|ui8Bed conscioT
wiU;%hiSr*r''n''^^**"^^^^ contTanct
iZiTV^"* "*® universe^: abounds, and by some of
S^* "Sr *"'' r"*^^^- in#instance^s,1s"L,
tog Improved forms of existence, acquiring iew or-
g«2j new perceptions, and new sources of emoyment
S^M S t?«*^ r!!: ^°"«5 "^ methodsS to
us (as aU the great prwjesses of nature are), for corii
wSKil'^f ^ °^ ^PP^^^^ •«<» misery,
wjuch he hath declared to be reserved for obedience
m«„» %^?**.*'*' ^* ''S^ •»«* the w/ong e'mpl^
hT&h w' Sf "'"^i "^ opportuniUes with wS
he ^th bee^ pleased, severally, to ultrust, and to
^THR END.
^"•W^"-M.B, PBINTW, chkI^SID., HALiIx"/
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