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diff --git a/15968.txt b/15968.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a4d6b45 --- /dev/null +++ b/15968.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8162 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Grounds of Christianity Examined by +Comparing The New Testament with the Old, by George Bethune English + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Grounds of Christianity Examined by Comparing The New Testament with the Old + +Author: George Bethune English + +Release Date: June 1, 2005 [EBook #15968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GROUNDS OF CHRISTIANITY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Klingman + + + + + +The Grounds of Christianity +Examined by Comparing +The New Testament with the Old + +by George Bethune English, A.M. + + +"First understand, then judge." +"Bring forth the people blind, although they have eyes; +And deaf, although they have ears. +Let them produce their witnesses, that they may be justified; +Or let them hear their turn, and say, THIS IS TRUE." + ISAIAH. + + +Boston 1813 + + +To the Intelligent and the Candid +Who are +Willing to Listen to Every Opinion +That is Supported by Reason; +And +Not Averse to Bringing their Own Opinions +To the Test of Examination; +THIS BOOK +Is Respectfully Dedicated +By +The Author + + + +CONTENTS + +Chapter I. +Introductory,--Showing that the Apostles and Authors of the +New Testament endeavour to prove Christianity from the Old. + +Chapter II. +Statement of the Question in Dispute. + +Chapter III. +The Characteristics of the Messiah, as given by the Hebrew +Prophets. + +Chapter IV. +The character of Jesus tested by those characteristic marks of the +messiah, given by the Prophets of the Old Testament. + +Chapter V. +Examination of the arguments from the Old Testament adduced in +the New, to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. + +Chapter VI. +Examination of the meaning of the phrase "this was done that it +might be fulfilled." + +Chapter VII. +Examination of the arguments alledged from the Hebrew Prophets, +to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. + +Chapter VIII. +Statement of Arguments which prove that Jesus was not the +Messiah of the Old Testament. + +Chapter IX. +On the character of Jesus of Nazareth, and the weight to be +allowed to the argument of martyrdom, as a test of truth, in this +question. + +Chapter X. +Miscellaneous. + +Chapter XI. +Whether the Mosaic Law be represented in the Old Testament as a +temporary, or a perpetual institution. + +Chapter XII. +On the character of Paul, and his manner of reasoning. + +Chapter XIII. +Examination of some doctrines in the New testament, derived from +the Cabbala, the Oriental philosophy, and the tenets of Zoroaster. + +Chapter XIV. +A consideration of the "gift of tongues," and other miraculous +powers, ascribed to the Primitive Christians; and whether recorded +miracles are infallible proofs of the Divine Authority of doctrines +said to have been confirmed by them. + +Chapter XV. +Application of the two tests, said in Deuteronomy to have been +given by God as discriminating a true prophet from a false one, to +the character and actions of Jesus. + +Chapter XVI. +Examination of the evidence, external and internal, in favour of the +credibility of the Gospel history. + +Chapter XVII. +On the peculiar morality of the New Testament, as it affects +nations and political societies. + +Chapter XIX. +A consideration of some supposed advantages attributed to the +New, over the Old, testament; and whether the doctrine of a +Resurrection and a Life to Come, is not taught by the Old +testament, in contradiction the assertion, that "life and immorality +were brought to light by the Gospel." + +Conclusion + +Appendix + +Addenda + + + +PREFACE + +The celebrated Dr. Price, in his valuable "Observation on +the Importance of the American Revolution," addressed to the +people of the United States, observes that, "It is a common +opinion, that there are some doctrines so sacred, and others of so +bad a tendency, that no public discussion of them ought to be +allowed. Were this a right opinion, all the persecution that has +ever been practised would be justified; for if it is a part of the duty +of civil magistrates to prevent the discussion of such doctrines, +they must, in doing this, act on their own judgments of the nature +and tendency of doctrines; and, consequently, they must have a +right to prevent the discussion of all doctrines which they think to +be too sacred for discussion, or too dangerous in their tendency; +and this right they must exercise in the only way in which civil +power is capable of exercising it--'by inflicting penalties upon all +who oppose sacred doctrines, or who maintain pernicious +opinions.' In Mahometan, countries, therefore, magistrates would +have a right to silence and punish all who oppose the divine +mission of Mahomet, a doctrine there reckoned of the most sacred +nature. The like is true of the doctrines of transubstantiation, +worship of the Virgin Mary, &c. &c., in Popish countries; and of +the doctrines of the Trinity, satisfaction, &c., in Protestant +countries. All such laws are right, if the opinion I have mentioned +is right. But, in reality, civil power has nothing to do in such +matters, and civil governors go miserably out of their proper +province, whenever they take upon them the care of truth, or the +support of any doctrinal points. They are not judges of truth, and if +they pretend to decide about it, they will decide wrong. This all +the countries under heaven think of the application of civil power +to doctrinal points in every country, but their own. It is indeed +superstition, idolatry, and nonsense, that civil power at present +supports almost every where under the idea of supporting sacred +truth, and opposing dangerous error. Would not, therefore, its +perfect neutrality be the greatest blessing? Would not the interest +of truth gain unspeakably, were all the rulers of states to aim at +nothing but keeping the peace; or did they consider themselves +bound to take care, not of the future, but the present, interest of +man; not of their souls and of their faith, but of their person and +property; not of any ecclesiastical, but secular, matters only?" + +"All the experience of past time proves, that the consequence of +allowing civil power to judge of the nature and tendency of +doctrines, must be making it a hindrance to the progress of truth, +and an enemy to the improvement of the world." + +"I would extend these observations to all points of faith, however +sacred they may: be deemed. Nothing reasonable--can suffer by +discussion. All doctrines, really sacred, must be clear, and +incapable of being opposed with success." + +"That immoral tendency of doctrines, which has been urged as a +reason against allowing the public discussion of them, may be +either avowed and direct? or only a consequence with which they +are charged. If it is avowed and direct, such doctrines certainly will +not spread; the principles rooted, in human nature will resist them, +and the advocates of them will be soon disgraced. If, on the +contrary, it is only a consequence with which a doctrine is charged, +it should be considered how apt all parties are to charge the +doctrines they oppose with bad tendencies. It is well known that +Calvinists and Arminians, Trinitarians and Socinians, Fatalists and +Free-Willers, are continually exclaiming against one another's +opinions, as dangerous and licentious. Even Christianity itself +could not, at its first introduction, escape this accusation. The +professors of it were considered as atheists, because they opposed +pagan idolatry; and their religion was, on this account, reckoned a +destructive and pernicious enthusiasm. If, therefore, the rulers of a +state are to prohibit the propagation of all doctrines, in which they +apprehend immoral tendencies, an opening will be made, as I have +before observed, for every species of persecution. There will be no +doctrine, however true or important, the avowal of which will not, +in, some country or other, be subjected to civil penalties." + +These observations bear the stamp of good sense, and their truth +has been abundantly confirmed by experience; and it is the peculiar +honour of the United States, that in conformity with the principles +of these observations, perfect freedom, of opinion and of speech, +are here established by law, and are the birthright of every citizen +thereof. Our country* is the only one which has not been guilty of +the folly of establishing the ascendancy of one set of religious +opinions, and persecuting or tolerating all others, and which does +not permit any man to harass his neighbour, because he thinks +differently from himself. In consequence of these excellent +institutions, difference of religious sentiment; makes here no +breach in private friendship, and works no danger to the public +security. This is as it should be; for, in matters of opinion, +especially with regard to so important a thing as religion, it is +every man's natural right and duty to think for himself, and to +judge upon such evidence as he can procure, after he has used his +best endeavours to get information. Human decisions are of no +weight in this matter, for another man has no more right to. +determine what his opinions shall be, than I have to determine +what another man's opinions shall be. It is amazing that one man +can dare to presume he has such a right over another; and that any +man can be so weak and credulous, as to imagine, that another has +such right over him. + +As it is every man's natural right and duty to think and judge for +himself in matters of opinion; so he should be allowed freely to +bring forward and defend his opinions, and to endeavour, when be +judges proper, to convince others also of their truth. + +For unless all men are allowed freely to profess their opinions, the +means of information, with respect to opinions, must, in a great +measure, be wanting; and just inquiries into their truth be almost +impracticable; and, by consequence, our natural right and duty to +think and judge for ourselves, must be rendered almost nugatory, +or be subverted, for want of materials whereon to employ our +minds. A man by himself, without communication with other +minds, can make no great progress in knowledge; and besides, an +individual is indisposed to use his own strength, when an +undisturbed laziness, ignorance, and prejudice give him full +satisfaction as to the truth of his opinions. But if there be a free +profession, or communication of sentiment, every man will have +an opportunity of acquainting himself with all that can be known +from others; and many for their own satisfaction will make +inquiries, and, in order to ascertain the truth of opinions, will desire +to know all that can be said on any question. + +If such liberty of professing and teaching be not allowed, error, if +authorized, will keep its ground; and truth, if dormant, will never +be brought to light; or, if authorized, will be supported on a false +and absurd foundation, and such as would equally support error; +and, if received on the ground of authority, will not be in the least +meritorious to its professors. + +Besides, not to encourage capable and honest men to profess and +defend their opinions when different from ours, is to distrust the +truth of our own opinion, and to fear the light. Such conduct must, +in a country of sense and learning, increase the number of +unbelievers already so greatly complained of; who, if they see +matters of opinion not allowed to be professed, and impartially +debated, think, justly perhaps, that they have foul play, and, +therefore, reject many things as false and ill grounded, which +otherwise they might perhaps receive as truths. + +The grand principle of men considered as having relation to the +Deity, and under an obligation to be religious, is, that they ought to +consult their reason, and seek every where for the best instruction; +and of Christians and Protestants the duty, and professed principle +is, to consult reason and the Scripture, as the rule of their faith and +practice. + +But how can these, which are practical principles, be duly put in +practice, unless all be at liberty, at all times, and in all points, +consider and debate with others, (as well as with themselves,) what +reason and Scripture says; and to profess, and act openly, +according to what they are convinced they say? How can we +become better informed with regard to religion, than by using the +best means of information? which consist in consulting reason and +scripture, and calling in the aid of others. And of what use is it to +consult reason, and Scripture at all, as any means of information., +if we are not, upon conviction, to follow their dictates? + +No man has any reason to apprehend any ill consequences to truth, +(for which alone he ought to have any concern,) from free inquiry +and debate.--For truth is not a thing to dread examination, but +when fairly proposed to an unbiased understanding, is like light to +the eye; it must distinguish itself from error, as light does +distinguish does distinguish itself from darkness. For, while free +debate is allowed, truth is in no danger, for it will never want a +professor thereof, nor an advocate to offer some plea in its behalf. +And it can never be wholly banished, but when human decisions, +backed by human power, carry all before them. + +We ought to examine foundations of opinions, not only, that we +may attain the discovery of truth, but we ought to do so, on this +account, because that it is our duty; and the way to recommend +ourselves to the favour of God. For opinions, how true soever, +when the effect of education or tradition, or interest, or passion, +can never recommend a man to God. For those ways have no merit +in them, and are the worst a man can possibly take to obtain truth; +and therefore, though they may be objects of forgiveness, they can +never be of reward from Him. + +Having promised these observations in order to persuade, and +dispose the reader to be candid, I will now declare the motives, +which induced me to submit to the consideration of the intelligent, +the contents of this volume. The Author has spared, he thinks, no +pains to arrive at certain Truth in matters of religion; the; sense of +which is what distinguishes man from the brute. And in this most +important subject that can employ the human understanding, he +has been particularly desirous to become acquainted with the +Grounds, and Doctrines of the Christian Religion; and nothing but +the difficulties, which he in this volume lays before the public, +staggers his faith in it. + +It may perhaps add to the interest the Reader may take in this work +to inform him, that the Author was a believer in the religion of the +New Testament, after what he conceived to be a sufficient +examination of its evidence for a divine origin. He had terminated +an examination of the controversy with the Deists to his own +satisfaction, i.e. he felt convinced that their objections were not +insurmountable, when he turned his attention to the consideration +of the ancient, and obscure controversy between the Christians and +the Jews. His curiosity was deeply interested to examine a subject +in truth so little known, and to ascertain the causes, and the +reasons, which had prevented a people more interested in the truth +of Christianity than any other from believing it: and he set down to +the subject without any suspicion, that the examination would not +terminate in convincing him still more in favour of what were then +his opinions. After a long, thorough, and startling examination of +their Books, together with all the answers to them he could obtain +from a Library amply furnished in this respect, he was finally very +reluctantly compelled to feel persuaded, by proofs he could neither +refute, nor evade, that how easily soever Christians might answer +the Deists, so called, the Jews were clearly too hard for them. +Because they set the Old and New Testament in opposition, and +reduce Christians to this fatal dilemma.--Either the Old Testament +contains a Revelation from God; or it does sot. If it does, then the +New Testament cannot be from God, because it is palpably, and +importantly repugnant to the Old Testament in doctrine, and some +other things. Now Jews, and Christians, each of them admit the +Old Testament as containing a divine Revelation; consequently the +Jews cannot, and Christians ought not to receive and allow any +thing as a Revelation from God which flatly contradicts a former +by them acknowledged Revelation: because it cannot be supposed +that God will contradict himself. On the other hand--if the Old +Testament be not from God, still the New Testament must go +down, because it asserts that the Old Testament is a revelation +from God, and builds upon it as a foundation. And if the +foundation fails, how can the house, stand? The Author pledges +himself to the Reader, to prove, that they establish this dilemma +completely. And he cannot help thinking, that there is reason to +believe, that if both sides of this strangely neglected controversy +had been made public in times past, and become known, that the +consequences would have been long ago fatal at least to the New +Testament. + +The Author has been earnestly dissuaded from making public the +contents of this volume on account of apprehended mischievous +consequences. He thought, however, that the age of pious frauds +ought to be past, and their principle discarded, at least in Protestant +countries. Deception and error are always, sooner or later, +discovered; and truth in, the long run, both in politics, and religion, +will never be ultimately harmful. If what the Book states is true, it +ought to be known, if it is erroneous; it can, and will, be refuted. + +The Author therefore makes it public, for these reasons,--because +he thinks, that the matter contained in the book, is true, and +important,--because he wished, and found it necessary to justify +himself from contemptible misrepresentations uttered behind his +back; and to give to those who know him, good and sufficient +reasons for past conduct, of which those to whom he is known, +cannot be ignorant; and finally, he thought it right, and proper, and +humane, to give to the world a work which contained the reasons +for the unbelief of the countrymen of Jesus; who for almost +eighteen hundred years have been made the unresisting victims of, +as the reader will find, groundless misrepresentation, and the most +amazing cruelty; because they refused to believe what it was +impossible that they should believe, on account of reasons their +persecutors did not know, and refused to be informed of. + +If the arguments and statements contained in this volume should be +found to be correct, he believes that every honest and candid man, +after his first surprise that they should not have been made known +before, will feel for the victims of a mistake so singular and so +ancient as the one which is the subject of the following pages; and +will think with the author, that it is time, high time, that the truth +should be known, and justice be done to them.* + +There is not in existence a more singular instance of the +mischievous mistakes arising from taking things for granted which +require proof, than the case before the reader. The world has all +along been in total error with regard to the reasons and the motives +which have prevented the Hebrew nation from receiving the +system of the New Testament. They have been successfully +accused of incorrigible blindness and obstinacy; and while +volumes upon volumes have been written against them, and the +arguments therein contained, supported and enforced by the power +of the Inquisition, and the oppressions of all Christendom, these +unfortunate people have not been willingly suffered to offer to the +world one word in their own defence. They have not been +allowed, after hearing with patience both arguments, and "railing +accusations" in abundance, to answer in their turn; but have been +compelled, through the fear of confiscation, persecution, and death, +to leave misapprehensions unexplained, and misrepresentations +unrefuted. + +Is it then to be wondered at, that mankind have considered their +adversaries as in the right, and that deserted by reason, and even +their own Scriptures, they were supported in their opinion only by +a blind and pertinacious obstinacy, more worthy of wonder than +curiosity? Alas! the world did not consider, that nothing was more +easy than to confute people whose tongues were frozen by the +terror of the Inquisition!! But, thanks to the good sense of this +enlightened age, those times are past and gone. There is now one +happy country where freedom of speech is allowed, where every +harmless religious opinion is protected by law, and where every +opinion is listened to that is supported by reason. The time, I trust, +is now come when the substantial arguments of this oppressed, +and, in this respect, certainly calumniated, people, may be +produced and their reasons set forth, without the fear of harm, and +with, and with the hope of hearing from the intelligent and the +candid. They, we believe, will be fully convinced, that their +adversaries have for so long a time triumphed over them without +measure, only because they have been suffered to do so without +contradiction. + +The reader is assured, that, notwithstanding the subject, he will +find nothing in this volume but what is considered by the author to +be fair and liberal argument; and such no honest man ought to +decline looking in the face. He has endeavoured to discuss the +important subject of the book in the most inoffensive manner; for +he has no wish, and claims no right, to wound the feelings of those +who differ from him in opinion. There is not, nor ought there to be, +a word of reproach in it, against the moral character of Jesus, or the +twelve Apostles; and the utmost the author attempts to prove is, +that their system was founded, not upon fraud and imposture, but +upon a mistake. After the deaths of Christ and his Apostles, it was +indeed aided and supported by very bad means; but its first +founders, the author believes, were guilty of no other crime than +that of being mistaken; a very common one indeed. + +He hopes, therefore, that such a discussion as the one now laid +before the public, will be fairly met, and fairly answered, if +answered at all, and that recourse will not be had to dishonest and +ungentlemanly misrepresentations, and calling names, in order to +prevent people from examining things they have a right to know, +and in order to blind and frighten the public, the jury to which he +appeals. It is infallibly true, that the knowledge of truth is, and +must be beneficial to mankind; and that, in the long run, it never +was, and never can be, harmful. It is equally certain, that God +would never give a Revelation so slightly founded as to be +endangered by any sophistry of man. If the Christian system be +from God, it will certainly stand, no human power can overthrow +it; and, therefore, no sincere Christian who believes the New +Testament, ought to be afraid to meet half way the objections of +any one who offers them with fairness, and expresses them in +decent language; and no sensible Christian ought to shut his ears +against his neighbour, who respectfully asks "a reason for the faith +that is in him." + +The author has been told, indeed, that, "supposing the Christian +system to be unfounded, yet that it is reasonable to believe, that the +Supreme Being would view any attempts to disturb it, with +displeasure, on account of its moral effects." But is not this +something like absurdity? Can God have made it necessary, that +morals should be founded on delusion, in order that they might be +supported? Can the God of TRUTH be displeased to have men +convinced that they have been mistaken, or imposed upon, by +Revelations pretended to be from Him, which if in fact not from +him, must be the offspring either of error or falsehood? And if the +Christian system be, in truth, not from God, can we suppose, that +in his eyes its doctrines with regard to Him are atoned for, by a few +good moral precepts? Can we suppose, that that Supreme and +awful Being can feel Himself honoured, in having his creatures +made to believe, that He was once nine months in the womb of a +woman; that God, the Great and Holy, went through all the +nastiness of infancy; that be lived a mendicant in a corner of the +earth, and was finally scourged, and hanged on a gibbet by his own +creatures? If these things be, in truth, all mistakes, can we +suppose, that God is pleased in having them believed of Him? On +the contrary, can they, together with the doctrine of the Trinity, I +would respectfully ask, be possibly looked upon by Him (if they +are not true), otherwise, than as so many--what I forbear to +mention. But this is not all. The reader is requested to consider, +that the Christian system is built upon the prostrate necks of the +whole Hebrew nation. It is a tree which flourished in a soil watered +by their tears; its leaves grew green in an atmosphere filled with +their cries and groans; and its roots have been moistened and +fattened with their blood. The ruin, reproach, and sufferings of that +people, are considered, by its advocates, as the most striking proof +of the Divine authority of the New Testament; and for almost +eighteen hundred years the system contained in that book has been +the cause of miseries and afflictions to that nation, the most +horrible and unparalleled in the history of man. + +Now, if that system be indeed Divine, all this may be very well, +and as it should be. But if, perchance, it should turn out to be a +mistake if it be, in truth, not from God; will not, then, that system +be justly chargeable with all those shocking cruelties which, on +account of it, have been inflicted on that people? + +If that system be verily and indeed founded on a mistake, no +language, no indignation, can do justice to its guilt in this respect. +All its good moral effects are a mere drop of pure water in that +ocean of Jewish and Gentile blood it has caused to be shed by +embittering men's minds with groundless prejudices. And if it be +not divine; if it be plainly and demonstrably proved to have +originated in error; who is the man, that, after considering what has +been suggested, will have the heart to come forward, and coolly +say, "that it is better that a whole nation of men should continue, as +heretofore, to be unjustly hated, reproached, cursed, and plundered, +and massacred, on account of it, rather than that the received +religious system should be demonstrated to be founded on +mistake?" No! If it be, in fact, founded on mistake, every man of +honour, honesty, and humanity, will say, without hesitation, "Let +the delusion (if it is one) be done away, which must be supported +at the expense of truth, of justice, and the happiness and +respectability of a whole nation, who are men like ourselves, and +more unfortunate than any others, in having already suffered but +too much affliction and misery on account of it." No! though the +moral effects ascribed to this system of religion were as good, as +great, and ten times greater than they ever have been, or can be, +yet, if it is a delusion, it would be absolutely wicked to support it, +since it is erected upon the sufferings, wretchedness, and +oppression of a people who compose millions of the great family +of mankind. + +It is remarkable, that the ablest modern advocates for the truth and +divine authority of the gospel, as if they knew of no certain, +demonstrative proof which could be adduced in a case of so much +importance, seem to content themselves, and expect their readers +should be satisfied, with an accumulation of probable arguments in +its favour; and it has been even said, that the case admits of no +other kind of proof. If it be so, the author requests all so persuaded +to consider, for a moment, whether it could be reconciled to any +ideas of wisdom in an earthly potentate, if he should send an +ambassador to a foreign state to mediate a negotiation of the +greatest importance, without furnishing him with certain, +indubitable credentials of the truth and authenticity of his mission? +And to consider further, whether it be just or seemly, to attribute to +the Omniscient, Omnipotent Deity, a degree of weakness and folly, +which was never yet imputed to any of his creatures? for unless +men are hardy enough to pass so gross an affront upon the +tremendous Majesty of Heaven, the improbability that God should +delegate the Mediator of a most important covenant to be proposed +to all mankind, without enabling him to give them clear and, in +reason, indisputable proof of the divine authority of his mission, +must ever infinitely outweigh the aggregate sum of all the +probabilities which can be accumulated in the opposite scale of the +balance. And to conclude, I presume it will not be denied, that the +authenticity and celestial origin of any thing pretending to be a +Divine Revelation, before it has any claims upon our faith, ought to +be made clear beyond all reasonable doubt; otherwise, it can have no +just claims to a right to influence our conduct. + +And as for the opinions and the arguments contained in this +volume, I have but trembling hopes that they will meet with +favour, merely because the author is sincere, and wishes to do +right. Conscious that I make a perilous attempt, in daring to +defend myself by attacking ancient error supported by multitudes, +with no other seconds besides Truth and Reason, it would be +bootless for me to ask indulgence for them on account of my good +intentions; and as they can derive no credit from the authority of +the writer, I am sensible they must fall by their own weakness, or +stand by their own strength. I must leave them, therefore, to their +fate; and I can cheerfully do it, without fear for the issue, if the +reader will only be candid, and will comply with my earnest +request--"first to understand, and then judge." + +Before I conclude these prefatory remarks, I would observe, that as +the contents of this volume will be perfectly novel to nine hundred +and ninety-nine out of a thousand, it is but justice to the public, and +to myself, to avow, that I do not claim to have originated all the +arguments advanced in this book. A very considerable proportion +of them were selected, and derived, from ancient and curious +Jewish Tracts, translated from Chaldee into Latin, very little +known even in Europe, and not at all known there to any but the +curious and inquisitive. And I reasonably hope, that discerning +men will be much more disposed to weigh with candour the +arguments herein offered, when they consider that they are, in +many instances, the reasonings of learned, ancient and venerable +men, who, in times when the inquisition was in vigour, suffered +under the most bloody oppression, and whose writings were +cautiously preserved, and secretly handed down to the seventeenth +century in manuscript, as the printing of them would assuredly +have brought all concerned to the stake. Some few other arguments +were derived from other authors, and were taken from works not so +much known as I hope they will be. + +Finally, I commit my work to the discretion of the good sense of +the reader, believing that if he is not convinced, he will at least be +interested; and hoping that he will discover from the complexion of +the book (what my own heart bears witness to) that the author is a +sincere inquirer after truth, and perfectly willing to be convinced +that he is in error by any one who can remove the difficulties, and +refute the arguments, now laid by him before the public, with +deference and respect. + +September 28, 1813. + + + +THE + +EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY + +Examined by Comparing the + +NEW TESTAMENT WITH THE OLD. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Introductory,--showing that the Apostles and the authors of the +New Testament, endeavour to prove Christianity from the Old. + +Christianity is founded on Judaism, and the New Testament upon +the Old; and Jesus of Nazareth is the person said in the New +Testament to be Promised in the Old, under the character and name +of the Messiah of the Jews, and who as such only claims the +obedience, and submission of the World. Accordingly, it is the +design of the authors of the New, to prove Christianity from the +Old, Testament; which is said Jo. 5:39, to contain the words of +eternal life: and it represents Jesus and his Apostles, as fulfilling by +their mission, doctrines and works, the predictions of the Prophets +and the Law: which last is said to prophecy of, or to typify +Christianity. + +Matthew, for example, proves several parts of Christianity from +the Old Testament, either by asserting them to be things foretold +therein as to come to pass under the gospel dispensation; or to be +founded on the notions of the Old Testament. + +Thus he proves Mary's being with child by the Holy Spirit, and the +Angel's telling her she "shall bring forth a son, and call his name +Jesus;" and the other circumstances attending his miraculous birth; +Jesus' birth at Bethlehem; his flight into Egypt; the slaughter of the +infants; Jesus Dwelling at Nazareth, and at Capernaum, in the +borders of Zabulon, and Naphtali; his casting out devils, and +healing the sick; his eating with Publicans and sinners; his +speaking in parables that the Jews might not understand him; his +sending his disciples to fetch an ass, and a colt; the children's +crying in the Temple; the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; +Jesus' being betrayed by Judas, and Judas' returning back the +thirty pieces of Silver, and the Priest's buying the Potter's Field +with them; and his hanging Himself; &c. &c. All these events, and +many more, are said to be fulfillments of the Prophecies of the Old +Testament, see Mat. 1, 2: and 4 chapters, and ch. 8: v. 16,17, and +ch. 9: 11,13, and ch. 13: 13, ch. 21: 2--7. 15,16, ch. 22: 31, 32, ch. +26: 54, 56, ch. 27: 5--10. + +Jesus himself is represented as proving the truth of Christianity +thus. He, joining himself to two of his Disciples, (Luke 28: 15-- +22,) after his resurrection, who knew him not, and complaining of +their mistake about his person, whom they now took not to be the +Messiah, because he had been condemned to death, and crucified; +he, observing their disbelief of his resurrection, which had been +reported to them by "certain women of their acquaintance," upon +the credit of the affirmation of angels, said unto them, "O Fools, +and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken. +Ought not Christ (i.e. the Messiah) to have suffered these things, +and to enter into his Glory? and beginning at Moses, and all the +Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things +concerning himself." + +Again he discoursed to all his Disciples, putting them in mind, that, +before his Death, he told them (Luke 24: 44, 46, 47,) that "all +things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, +and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning him;" adding, +"thus it is written, and thus it behoveth Christ (1. e. the Messiah) to +suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance, +and remission of sins should be preached in his name, beginning at +Jerusalem." + +When the people of several nations, Acts 2:12, were amazed at the +Apostles speaking in their several tongues, and when many +mocked the Apostles, saying they were full of new wine, Peter +makes a speech in public, wherein, after saying they were not +drunk, because it was but the third hour of the day, he endeavours +to show them, that this was spoken of by the Prophet Joel, and he +concludes with proving the resurrection of Jesus from the book of +Psalms. + +Peter, and John, tell the people assembled at the Temple, "that +God had showed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ +should suffer," Acts 3:18. + +Peter to justify his preaching to the Gentiles, concludes his +discourse with saying, Acts 10: 43--"To Jesus gave all the +Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever (i.e. Jew, or +Gentile) believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins." + +Paul also endeavours to prove to the Jews in the Synagogue of +Antioch, (Ib. v. 13) that the history of Jesus was contained in the +Old Testament, and that he, and Barnabas were commanded in the +Old Testament, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. + +On the occasion of a dispute among the Christians whether the +Gentile converts were to be circumcised after the Law of Moses, +and to observe the Law, we find, that after much disputing, the +point was settled by James by quotation from Amos. + +The Bereans are highly extolled (Acts 17: 11,) for searching the +Scriptures, i.e. the Old Testament, daily, in order to find out +whether the things preached to them by the Apostles were so, or no: +who if they had not proved these things, i.e. Christianity from the +Old Testament, ought, according to their own principles, to have +been rejected by the Bereans, as teachers of false doctrine. + +Paul, when accused before Agrippa by the Jews, said (Acts 26; 6,) +"I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God +unto our fathers," i.e. for teaching Christianity, or the true doctrine +of the Old Testament, and to this accusation he pleads guilty, by +declaring in the fullest manner, that he taught nothing but the +Doctrines of the Old Testament. "Having therefore (says he) +obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to +small, and great, saying now other things than those which the +Prophets, and Moses did say should come, that the Christ should +suffer, and that he should be the first who should rise from the +Dead, and should show light unto the People, and unto the +Gentiles." + +The Author of the first Epistle to the Cor. says, 15 ch. v. 4, that +"Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, according to the +Scriptures," that is, according to the Old Testament, and he is +supposed to ground this on the history of the prophet Jonas, who +was three days and three nights in the fish's belly: though the cases +do not seem to be parallel, for Jesus being buried on Friday +evening, and rising on Sunday morning, was in the tomb but one +day and two nights. + +But most singular is the argument of the Apostle Paul (in his +Epistle to the Galatians) to prove Christianity from the Old +Testament. "Tell me (says he, Gal. 4: 21,) ye that desire to be +under the Law, do ye not hear the Law? For it is written, that +Abraham had two Sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free +woman. But he who was of the bond woman, was born after the +flesh; but he who was of the free woman was by promise. Which +things are an Allegory. For these are the two covenants, the one +from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. But +this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem +that now is, and is in bondage with her Children. But Jerusalem +which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all. For it is +written (Isaiah 54: 1,) "Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not, break +forth, and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath +many more children than she which hath an husband." Now, we +Brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the Promise. But as then he +that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the +spirit, even so it is now. But what saith the Scripture (Gen. 21: 10, +12,) Cast out the bond woman, and her son, for the son of the bond +woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, +Brethren, we are not the children of the bond woman, but of the +free. Stand fast, therefore, in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath +made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of +bondage." + +In fine, the Author of these Epistles reasons in the same singular +manner from the Old Testament throughout; which is, according to +him, (2 Tim. iii: 15,) "able to make men wise unto Salvation:" +asserting himself and others to be ministers of the New Testament, +as being ministers, not of "the letter but of "the Spirit," (2Cor. iii: +6.) That is. Of the Old Testament, spiritually understood; and +endeavouring to prove, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews, +that Christianity was veiled and contained in the Old Testament, +and was implied in the Jewish history, and Law, both which he +considers as types and shadows of Christianity. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +STATEMENT of THE QUESTION IN DISPUTE. + +How Christianity depends on the Old Testament, or what proofs +are to be met with therein in behalf of Christianity, are the subjects +of almost all the numerous books written by divines, and other +apologists for Christianity, but the chief and principal of these +proofs may be justly supposed to be urged in the New Testament +itself, by the authors thereof; who relate the history of the first +preaching of the Gospel, and profess themselves to be apostles of +Jesus, or companions of the Apostles. + +Some of these proofs, as a specimen, have been already adduced. +And if they are valid proofs, then is Christianity strongly and +invincibly established: on its true foundations. + +It is established upon its true foundations, because Jesus and his +Apostles did, as we have seen, ground Christianity on those proofs; +and it is strongly and invincibly established on those foundations, +because a proof drawn from an inspired book is perfectly +conclusive. And prophecies delivered in an inspired book +are, when fulfilled, such as may be justly deemed sure, and +demonstrative proof; and which Peter (2 Peter 1: 19) prefers as an +argument for the truth of Christianity, to that miraculous +attestation (whereof he, and two other Apostles are said to have +been witnesses,) given by God himself to the mission of Jesus of +Nazareth. His argument appears to be as follows. "Laying this +foundation, that Prophecy proceeds from the Holy Spirit, it is a +stronger argument than a miracle, which depends upon eternal +evidence, and testimony." And this opinion of Peter's is +corroborated by the words of Jesus himself, who, in Mat. xxiv: 23, +24, Mark xiii: 21, 22, affirms, that miracles wrought in +confirmation of a pretender's being the Messiah, are not to be +considered as proof of his being so--"though they show great +signs and wonders, believe it not," is his command to his disciples. + +Besides, prophecies fulfilled, seem the most proper of all +arguments to evince the truth of a new revelation which is +designed to be universally promulgated to men. For a man who has +the Old Testament put into his hands, which contain prophecies, +and the New Testament afterward, which is said to contain their +completions, and is once satisfied, as he may be with the greatest +ease, that the Old Testament existed before the New, may have a +complete, internal, divine, demonstration of the truth of +Christianity, without long, and laborious enquiries. Whereas, +arguments of another nature, such, for instance, as relate to the +authority and genuineness of the books, and the persons, and +characters of authors, and witnesses, require more application, and +understanding, than falls to the share of the bulk of mankind; or +else are very precarious in themselves, since we know that in the +first centuries there were numberless forged Gospels, and +Apocryphal writings imposed upon the credulous as apostolic and +authentic; and there were in the Apostles times, as many, and as +great heresies and schisms as perhaps have been since in any age +of the Church. So that, setting aside the before mentioned internal +proofs from prophecy, (which were the Apostle's proofs and in +their nature sufficient of themselves) we should have no certain +proof at all for the Religion of the New Testament. + +On the other hand, if the proofs for Christianity from the Old +Testament, are not valid, if the arguments founded on that Book be +not conclusive, and the Prophecies cited from thence be not +fulfilled, then has Christianity no just foundation; for the +foundation on which Jesus and his Apostles built it is then invalid, +and false. Nor can miracles, said to have been wrought by Jesus, +and his Apostles in behalf of Christianity, avail anything in the +case. For miracles can never render a foundation valid, which is in +itself invalid; can never make a false inference true; can never +make a prophecy fulfilled, which is not fulfilled; and can never +designate a Messiah, or Jesus for the Messiah, if both are not +marked out in the Old Testament; no more than they could prove +the earth to be the sun, or a mouse a lion. + +Besides, miracles said to have been wrought, may be often justly +decided false reports, when attributed to persons who claim an +authority from the Old Testament, which they impertinently +alledge to support their pretentions. God can never be supposed +often to permit miracles to be done for the confirmation of a false, +or pretended mission. And if at any time he does permit miracles to +be done in confirmation of a pretended mission, we have express +directions from the Old Testament (acknowledged by Christians to +be of divine authority) Deut. xiii. 1, 2, not to regard such miracles; +but to continue firm to the antecedent revelation given by Himself, +and contained in the Old Testament, notwithstanding any "signs or +wonders;" which, under the circumstance of attesting something +contrary to an antecedent revelation, we are forewarned of as being +no test of truth. No new revelation, however supported by +miracles, ought ever to be received as coming from God, unless it +confirms, or at least does not contradict, the preceding standing +revelation, acknowledged to be from God. + +Accordingly, we find from the New Testament, that all the +recorded miracles of Jesus could not make the Jews believe him to +be the Messiah when they thought that he did not answer the +description of that character given by the Prophets; on the +contrary, they procured him to be crucified for pretending to be +what to them he appeared plainly not to be. + +Nor had his miracles alone any effect on his own brethren, and +kindred, who seem (Mark vi. 4; Jo. vii. 6,) to have been more +incredulous in him than other Jews. Nor had they the effect, they +are supposed to have been fitted to produce, among his immediate +followers, and Disciples; some of whom did not believe in him, but +deserted him, and particularly had no faith in him when he spake +of his sufferings; and thought that he could not be their Messiah +when they saw him suffer, notwithstanding his miracles, and his +declaration to them that he was the Messiah. And so rooted were +the Jews in the notion of the Messiah's being a temporal Prince, a +conquering Pacificator, and Deliverer, even after the death of +Jesus, and the progress of Christianity grounded on the belief of his +being the Messiah, that they have in all times of distress, +particularly in the apostolic sera, in great numbers followed +impostors giving themselves out as the Messiah, with force, and +arms, as the way to restore the kingdom of Israel. So that the Jews, +who it seems mistook in this most important matter, and after the +most egregious manner, the meaning of their own Books, might, +till they were set right in their interpretation of the Old Testament, +and were convinced from thence that Jesus was the Messiah, might +I say, as justly reject Jesus asserting his mission, and Doctrines +with miracles, as they might reject any other person, who in virtue +of miracles would lead them into idolatry, or any other breach of +their law. + +In fine, the miracles said to have been wrought by Jesus, are, +according to the Old Testament, the gospel scheme, and the words +of Jesus himself, no absolute proof of his being the Messiah, or of +the truth of Christianity; and Jesus laid no great stress upon them +as proving doctrines, for he forewarned his disciples, that "signs +and wonders" would be performed, so great and stupendous, as to +deceive, if possible, the very elect, and bids them not to give any +heed to them.* + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MESSIAH, AS GIVEN BY +THE HEBREW PROPHETS. + +Having shewn from the New Testament, and proved from the +nature of the case, that the whole credit and authority of the +Christian religion, rests and depends upon Jesus' being the Messiah +of the Jews; and, having stated the principles which ought to +govern the decision of this question, and established the fact, that +the pretensions of any claiming to be considered as this Messiah, +must be tested solely by the coincidence of the character, and +circumstances of the pretender with the descriptions given by the +prophets as the means by which he may be known to be so--it is +proper, in order that we may be enabled to form a correct opinion, +to lay before the reader those passages of the Old Testament +which contain the promise of the appearing, and express the +characteristics of this "hope of Israel," this beneficent saviour, and +august monarch, in whose time a suffering world, was, according +to the Hebrew prophets, to become the abode of happy beings. + +Leaving out for the present the consideration of the Shiloh +mentioned in Gen. xlix., the first prophecy we meet with, supposed +to relate to this great character, is contained in Num. xxiv. 17,19, +"There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out +of Israel, shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy the children +of Seth." Geddes interprets the latter clause--"shall destroy the +sons of esdition;" but it probably means, according to the common +interpretation, that this monarch was to govern the whole race of +men, i. e. the children of Seth; for Noah, according to the Old +Testament, was descended from him; and of the posterity of Noah, +was the whole earth overspread. And in verse 19, it is added "out +of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion."* + +God says to David, 2 Sam. vii. 12, "And when thy days shall be +fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed +after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels; and I will +establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I +will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his +Father, and he shall be my Son--if he commit iniquity, I will +chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the +children of men. But my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took +it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thy house, and thy +kingdom shall be established before me, and thy throne shall be +established for ever." Mention is made of this promise in several of +the Psalms, but it certainly suggests no idea of such a person as +Jesus of Nazareth, but only that of a temporal prince of the +posterity of David. It implies, that his family would never entirely +fail for though it might be severely punished, it would recover its +lustre again. And connecting this promise with that of the glory of +the nation in general, foretold in the books of Moses, it might be +inferred by the Hebrews, who believed them to be of Divine +authority, that after long and great calamities (the consequences of +their sins,) the people of Israel would be restored to their country, +and attain the most distinguished felicity under a prince of the +family of David. This is the subject of numberless prophecies +throughout the Old Testament. + +Passing over all those prophecies in which the national glory is +spoken of without any mention of a prince or head; I shall recite, +and remark upon the most eminent of those in which mention is +made of any particular person, under whom, or by means of +whom, the Israelitish nation, it is said, would enjoy the +transcendent prosperity elsewhere foretold. + +The second Psalm is no doubt well known to my readers, and +supposing it to refer to the Messiah, it is evident, that it describes +him enthroned upon mount Zion, the favorite of God, and the +resistless conqueror of his enemies. + +The next prophecy of this distinguished individual is recorded in +Isaiah ix. 6--"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and +the government shall be upon his shoulder; and the Wonderful, the +Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father shall call his +name* the Prince of Peace." [For thus it is pointed to be read in the +original Hebrew, and this is the meaning of the passage, and not as +in the absurd translation of this verse in the English version.] "Of +the increase of his government there shall be no end upon the +throne of David, and his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it +with judgment, and with justice from henceforth and for ever: the +zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this." Here again we have a +mighty monarch, sitting upon the throne of David, upon earth; and +not a spiritual king placed in heaven, upon the throne of "the +mighty God, the everlasting Father." + +The next passage which comes under notice, is in the eleventh +chapter of Isaiah, in which a person is mentioned, under whom +Israel, and the whole earth was to enjoy great prosperity and +felicity. He is described as an upright prince, endued with the spirit +of God, under whose reign there would be universal peace, which +was to take place after the return of the Israelites from their +dispersed state, when the whole nation would be united and happy. + +"There shall spring forth a rod from the trunk of Jesse, and a scion +from his roots shall become fruitful. And the spirit of the Lord +shall rest upon him; the spirit of wisdom, and understanding; the +spirit of counsel, and strength; the spirit of knowledge, and the fear +of the Lord. And he shall be quick of discernment in the fear of the +Lord; so that not according to the sight of his eyes shall he judge, +nor according to the hearing of the ears shall he reprove. With +righteousness shall he judge the poor, and with equity shall he +work conviction# on the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the +earth with the blast of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips +shall he slay the wicked one. And righteousness shall be the girdle +of his lions, and faithfulness the cincture of his reins. Then shall +the wolf take up his abode with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie +down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling +shall come together, and a little child shall lead them. And the +heifer, and the she bear shall feed together, and the lion shall eat +straw like the ox. And the suckling shall play upon the hole of the +asp; and upon the den of the basilisk shall the new weaned child +lay his hand. They shall not hurt, nor destroy in my holy mountain, +for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the +waters cover the sea. And it shall come to pass in that day, the root +of Jesse which standeth for an ensign to the people, unto him shall +the nations repair, and his resting place shall be glorious." + +As the scion here spoken of is said to spring from the root of Jesse, +it looks as if it were intended to intimate, that the tree itself would +be cut down, or that the power of David's Family would be for +some time extinct; but that it would revive in "the latter days." + +The same Prince is again mentioned, chap xxxiii. 1, 3, where the +people are described to be both virtuous, and flourishing, and to +continue to be so. (v. 15--17.) + +"Behold a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule +with equity. And the man shall be a covert from the storm, as a +refuge from the flood, as canals of waters in a dry place, as the +shadow of a great rock in a land of fainting with heat. And him the +eyes of those that see shall regard, and the ears of them that hear +shall harken, * * * * till the spirit from on high be poured out upon +us, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field +be esteemed a forest. And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, +and in the fruitful field shall reside righteousness. And the work of +righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness +perpetual quiet, and security. And my people shall dwell in a +peaceful mansion, and in habitations secure, and in resting places +undisturbed." + +The same Prophet, chap. lxii 1, speaks of a person under the title of +"God's Servant," of a meek disposition, raised up by God to +enlighten the world, even the Gentile part of it; to bring prisoners +out of their confinement, and to open their eyes; alluding, +probably, to the custom too common in the East; of sealing up the +eyes, by sewing or fastening together the eyelids of persons, and +then imprisoning thorn for life. It is doubted, however, whether the +Prophet meant, or had in view, in this passage, the Messiah, or his +own nation. + +"Behold my servant whom I will uphold, mine elect in whom my +soul delighteth; I will make my spirit rest upon him, and he shall +publish judgment to the nations. He shall not cry aloud, nor raise a +clamour, nor cause his voice to be heard in the public places. The +bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning flax he shall +not quench, he shall publish judgment so as to establish it +perfectly. His force shall not be abated, nor broken, until he has +firmly seated judgment in the earth, and the distant nations shall +earnestly wait for his Law." + +"Thus saith the Lord, even, the Eternal, who created the heavens, +and stretched them out; who spread abroad the earth, and the +produce thereof, who giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit +to them that tread thereon. I the Lord have called thee for a +righteous purpose,* and I will take hold of thy hand, and I will +preserve thee; and I will give thee for a covenant to the people, for +a light to the nations; to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the +captive out of confinement, and from the dungeon those that dwell +in darkness. I am the Eternal, that is my name, and my glory will I +not give to another, nor my praise to the graven images. The +former predictions, lo! they are to come to pass, and now events I +now declare; before they spring forth, behold I make them known +unto you." See also chap. xlix. 1,12, and chap. liv. 3, 5. + +In the 3d chapter of Hosea, verses 4 and 5, it is said by the Prophet, +that "the sons of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and +without a prince, and without sacrifice, and without a statue, and +without an ephod, and without Teraphim. Afterward shall the sons +of Israel return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and DAVID +their King, and shall fear the Lord, and his goodness in the latter +days." + +Micah chap. v. speaks of the Messiah thus, "And thou Bethlehem +Ephratah, art thou too little to be among the leaders of Judah? Out +of thee shall come forth unto me, him who is to be ruler in Israel; +and his goings forth have been from old, from the days of hidden +ages. Therefore will He (God) deliver them up, until the time when +she that bringeth forth, hath brought forth, and until the residue of +his brethren shall return together with the sons of Israel. And. he +shall stand and feed his flock, in the strength of the Lord, in the +majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide, for +now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth, and he shall be +Peace." Jeremiah also speaks of the restoration of the Israelites +under a Prince of the family of David, chap. xxiii. 5, 8. + +"Behold the days are coming, saith the Lord, that I will raise up +unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign, and act +wisely, and shall execute justice, and judgment in the earth. In his +days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell in security, and +this is the name by which the Eternal shall call him, OUR +RIGHTEOUSNESS."# [Heb.] The same is mentioned in chap. xxx. +8, 9. "And it shall be in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, I will +break his yoke from off his neck, and his bands will I burst +asunder, and strangers shall no more exact service of him. But they +shall serve the Lord their God, and DAVID their King, whom I +will raise up for (or to) them. * * * The voice of joy, and the voice +of mirth, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, +the voice of them that say. Praise ye the Lord of Hosts, for the +Lord is gracious, for his mercy endureth for ever, of them that +bring praise to the house of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, +yet again shall there be in this place that is desolate (Jerusalem and +Palestine,) without man and beast, and in all the cities thereof, an +habitation of shepherds folding sheep, in the cities of the hill +country, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, +and in the land of Benjamin, and in the environs of Jerusalem. * * +* Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform the +good thing which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel, +and concerning the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, +[he that readeth, let him observe] I will came to grow up of the line +of David a branch of righteousness, and he shall execute judgment +and justice in the earth. In those days Judah shall be saved, and +Jerusalem, shall dwell securely, and this is he whom the Lord shall +call--'OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' [Heb.] Surely, thus saith the +Lord, there shall not be a failure in the line of David, one to sit +upon the throne of the house of Israel, neither shall there be a +failure in the line of the Priests, the Levites, of one to offer before +me burnt offerings, and to perform sacrifice continually." See ch. +xxxiiii. 14. In this place, the perpetuity of the tribe of Levi, as well +as that of the house of David, is foretold. See also Jer. ch. xxx. 9. + +Contemporary with Jeremiah was Ezekiel. He likewise describes +this happy state of the Israelites under a king of the name of David, +chap. xxxiv. 22. + +"Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey: +and I will judge between cattle, and cattle. And I will set up one +Shepherd over them, and be shall feed them, even my servant +DAVID: he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd, and I +the Lord will be their God, and my servant DAVID a Prince +among them. I the Lord have spoken it. And I will make with them +a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of +the land; and they shall dwell safely in' the wilderness, and sleep in +the woods. And I will make them, and the places round about my +hill, a blessing, and I will cause the shower to come down in the +season: there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field +shall yield her fruit; and the earth shall yield her increase; and they +shall be safe in their land; and shall know that I am the Lord, &c." + +In another passage this prophet says, that the two nations, Israel +and Judah, shall have one king, and that this king shall be named +DAVID, who shall reign for ever, chap. xxxvii. 21--28. "Say unto +them, thus saith the Lord God, behold I will take the children of +Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will +gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And +I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of +Israel, and one king shall be king to them all, and they shall be no +more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms +any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with +their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their +transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places +wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them, so shall they be +my people, and I will be their God. And DAVID my servant shall +be king over them, and there shall be one shepherd. They shall +also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes and do them. +And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my +servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell +therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children +for ever, and my servant DAVID shall be their prince forever. +Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them: it shall be an +everlasting covenant with them, and I will place them, and +multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them, for +evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them, and I will be +their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall +know, that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall, +be in the midst of them for evermore." + +The natural construction of this seems to be this, "that a descendant +of David, called by that name, should reign over the Israelites for +ever." + +In the very circumstantial description which Ezekiel gives of the +state of the Israelites in their own country, yet expected by the +Jews, he speaks of the prince, and the portion assigned him, chap. +xlv. 78. And in his description of the temple service, he moreover +speaks of the gate, by which the prince is to enter into it. See chap. +xlvi. 1, 2. + +The next, and last, passage I shall quote, is from the book of +Daniel, who, in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, had a +vision of four beasts, representing the four great Empires. At the +close of his account of which, he speaks of "one like the son of +man" being brought into the presence of God, and receiving from +the Eternal an everlasting kingdom (chap. vii. 13)--"I saw in the +night visions, and behold one like the son of man came with the +clouds of heaven, and come to the ancient of days; and they +brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, +and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, +should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which +shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be +destroyed." + +I have now gone through the prophecies which are allowed both by +Jews and Christians to relate to one person whom they call the +Messiah. It must be evident from all these passages, that the +characteristics of this, to both parties, highly interesting personage, +as described by the Hebrew prophets, are these:-- + +1. That he was to be a just, beneficent, wise, and mighty monarch, +raised up and upheld, and established by God, to be the means of +promoting universal peace, and happiness. That Israel should be +gathered to him, and established in their own land; which was to +be the seat of dominion, and the centre of union, and of worship to +all the people, and nations of the earth; who were to live under the +government, and receive, and obey the law of this beneficent +prince; and enjoy unspeakable felicities on the earth, then changed +to a universal paradise. And for all this happiness, they were to +worship, and glorify the true God only, and glorify the Eternal, and +give thanks to Him "because He is good, and his mercy endureth +forever." + +2. That this prince was to be of the line of David, and as it should +seem, called by that name, and was to reign on his throne in +Jerusalem. + +3. That according to Micah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, (see the +quotations) + +his manifestation, and (and the restoration of Israel) were to be +contemporaneous. See Hosea, chap. iii. 4, 5. And from Jeremiah +xxxiii. 15, and from Micah v. 2, it should seem also, that he was +not to be born, till the time of that restoration should be nearly +arrived. + +The prophecies concerning the Messiah of the Jews being now laid +before the reader, we have only to apply these descriptions to know +whether an individual be their Messiah, or not. For, (according to +the principles laid down, and established in the preceding chapter) +where the foregoing characteristics given by the prophets do centre +and agree, that person is the Messiah foretold; but where they are +not found in any one claiming that character, miracles are nothing +to the purpose, and nothing is more certain, than that he has no +right to be considered as such; and could he with a word turn the +sun black in the face, in proof of his being the Messiah, he is, +nevertheless, not to be regarded; for, whether such a person has yet +appeared, can certainly only be known by considering, whether the +world has ever yet seen such a person as this Messiah of the +Hebrew prophets. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE CHARACTER OF JESUS TESTED BY THOSE +CHARACTERISTIC MARKS OF THE MESSIAH GIVEN BY +THE PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. + +Had Jesus of Nazareth come into the world merely as a person sent +with a revelation from God, he would have had a right to be +attended to, and tried upon that ground. And if his doctrines and +precepts were consistent with reason, consistent with one another, +and with prior revelations, really such, and all tending to the +honour of God, and the good of men; his miracles, with these +circumstances, ought to have determined men to believe in him. + +But since he claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews, foretold by +their prophets, it is requisite, that that claim should be made out; +and it is reasonable in itself, and just to him, and necessary to all +those who will not take their religion upon trust, that ho should be +tried, by examining whether this claim can be made out, or not. +The argument from prophecy becomes necessary to establish the +claim of the Gospel: and as truth is consistent with itself, so this +claim must be true, or, it destroys all others. + +Besides, what notions of common morality must he have, who +pretends to come from God, and declares (Jo. v. 37,) "that the +Scriptures testify of him," if, in fact, the Scriptures do not testify of +him? What honesty, or sincerity could he have, who could "begin +at Moses, and all the prophets, and expound unto his disciples in +all the Scriptures the things concerning himself," if neither Moses +nor the prophets ever spake a word about him? The prophets, +therefore, must decide this question, and the foundation of +Christianity must be laid upon them; or else, to avoid one +difficulty, Christians will be forced into such absurdities, as no +man can palliate, much less can extricate himself out of. + +Furthermore, this claim must be made out to the satisfaction of the +Gentile, as well as the Jew. For since the fundamental article of +Christianity is, that Jesus is the Christ; (Jo. xx. 31) that is to say, +that he is the Messiah prophecied of in the Old Testament; +whoever comes into the world as such, must come as the Messiah +of the Jews, because no other nation did expect, or pretend to, the +promise of a Messiah. Moreover, whoever comes as this Messiah +of the Jews, must at least pretend to answer the character of their +Messiah plainly delivered in the writings of their prophets. And the +Jews themselves receiving those writings as divine, were not +bound to, neither could they consistently with their duty, receive, +any, who did not answer in all points to the description therein +given. + +Let us now test the character of Jesus of Nazareth by the +description of the Messiah given by the Hebrew prophets. If his +character corresponds in all respects with that given by those +prophets, he is undoubtedly to be acknowledged as the king of +Israel foretold; but if they do not exactly correspond, if there be the +slightest incongruity, he certainly was not this Messiah. For it is +evident, that some of the characteristic marks given may belong to. +many illustrious individuals, but the whole can belong to, and be +found in, only one person. + +The first characteristic of the Messiah, the reader will recollect, +was, according to the prophets, that he was to be "the Prince of +Peace," in whose times righteousness was to flourish, and +mankind be made happy. That he was to sit upon the throne of +David judging right; and that to him, and their own land, was Israel +to be gathered, and all nations serve and obey him; and worship +one God, even Jehovah. + +But of Jesus we read, that he asserted, that his kingdom was "not +of this world." Instead of effecting peace among the nations, he +said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth, I have +come to send a sword, I have come to put division between a son, +and his father; the mother, and the daughter; the daughter-in-law, +and her mother-in-law." "Think ye, (said he to his disciples) that I +have come to put peace on earth, I tell you nay, but rather +division." Again, "I have come to put fire on the earth." These are +not the characteristics of the Messiah of the prophets of the Old +Testament. For of him Zechariah (ch. ix.) says, that "He shall +speak peace to the nations;" and of him Isaiah says, "Nation shall +not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war +anymore." And so far from being the author of division, sword, and +fire; according to Malachi, in the times of the Messiah, "the heart +of the parents was to be converted to the children, and the heart of +the children to their parents." + +In the times of the Messiah, wars were to cease, righteousness was +to flourish, and mankind be happy. Whether this has yet taken +place, the experience of almost nineteen centuries, and the present +state of the world, can enable every one to determine for himself. + +In the times of the Messiah, Israel was to be gathered, and planted +in their own land, in honour, and prosperity. But not many years +after the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish nation underwent +the most dreadful calamities; and to this day, so far are they from +being gathered, they are scattered to the four quarters of the globe. +Instead of being in honour and prosperity, their history, since his +time, is one dreadful record of unparalleled sufferings, written in +letters of blood by the hands of murder, rapine, and cruelty. + +Again; the true Messiah was, it seems, to be called DAVID, and +was to reign at Jerusalem, on the throne of David; but the name +"Jesus" is not the same as "David," and Christians have assigned +him a spiritual kingdom, and a throne in heaven! But was the +throne of David in heaven? No! it was in Jerusalem, and no more +in Heaven, than that of the Caesars. + +Lastly, it appears from the prophecies of Hosea, Micah, and +Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, quoted in the last chapter, that the +manifestation of their Messiah was to be contemporaneous with +the restoration of Israel, and from the quotations adduced from the +three first mentioned prophets, it should seem that his birth was not +to take place many years before that glorious event. But Jesus of +Nazareth was born almost two thousand years ago; and the +children of Israel yet expect a deliverer. And to conclude, it was +foretold by Malachi, and believed by the Jews then, and ever since, +that Elias the prophet, who did not die, but was removed from the +earth, should precede the coming of the Messiah, and prepare them +for his reception. But the prophet Elias certainly has not yet +appeared! + +Indeed, nothing appears to be more dissimilar than the character of +the Messiah, as given by the Hebrew prophets, and that of Jesus of +Nazareth. It seems scarcely credible, that a man who, though +amiable and virtuous, yet lived in a low state, was poor, living +upon alms, without wealth, and without power; and who (though +by misfortune) died the death of a malefactor, crucified between +two robbers, (a death exactly parallel with being hanged at the +public gallows in the present day) should ever be taken for that +mighty prince, that universal potentate, and benefactor of the +human race, foretold in the splendid language of the prophets of +the Old Testament. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +EXAMINATION OF THE ARGUMENTS FROM THE OLD +TESTAMENT ADDUCED IN THE NEW, TO PROVE THAT +JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS THE MESSIAH. + +But since one would esteem it almost incredible, that the apostles +could persuade men to believe Jesus to be this Messiah, unless they +had at least some proof to offer to their conviction, let us next +consider, and examine, the proofs adduced by the apostles and +their followers, from the Old Testament for that purpose. + +Of the strength or weakness of the proofs for Christianity out of the +Old Testament, we are well qualified to judge, as we have the Old +and New Testament in our hands; the first containing what are +offered as proofs of Christianity, and the latter the application of +those proofs, and we should seem to have nothing more to do, but +to compare the Old and New Testament together. + +But these proofs taken out of the Old Testament, and urged in the +New, being sometimes not to be found in the Old, nor urged in the +New, according to the literal and obvious sense, which they appear +to bear in their supposed places in the Old, and, therefore, not +proofs according to the rules of interpretation established by +reason, and acted upon in interpreting every other ancient book-- +almost all Christian commentators on the Bible, and advocates for +the religion of the New Testament, both ancient and modern, have +judged them to be applied in a secondary, or typical, or mystical, +or allegorical, or enigmatical sense; that is, in a sense different +from the obvious and literal sense which they bear in the Old +Testament. + +Thus, for example, Matthew, after having given an account of the +conception of Mary, and the birth of Jesus, says (ch. i.,) "All this +was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the +prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring +forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel." But the words +as they stand in Isaiah ch. vii. 14, from whence they are taken, do, +in their obvious and literal sense, relate to a young woman in the +days of Ahaz, King of Judah, as will appear, considering the +context. + +When Rezin, King of Syria, and Pekah, King of Israel, were +confederates in arms together, against Ahaz, King of Judah, Isaiah +the prophet was sent by God, first to comfort Ahaz and the nation, +and then to assure them by a sign, that his enemies should in a little +time be confounded.--But Ahaz refusing a sign at the prophet's +hand, the prophet said (see the chapter,) "The Lord shall give you +a sign. Behold a virgin, or 'young woman' (for the Hebrew word +means both as was truly and justly asserted by the Jews in the +primitive ages against the Christians, and is now acknowledged, +and established beyond dispute by the best Hebrew scholars of +this age,) shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name +Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to +refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child shall +know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land which thou +abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings." And this sign is +accordingly given Ahaz by the prophet, who, ch. viii. v. 2, 18, took +two witnesses and went to the said young woman, who in due time +conceived, and bare a son, after whose birth the projects of Rezin +and Pekah were, it appears, soon confounded, according to the +prophecy and sign given by the prophet. + +And the prophet himself, puts it beyond dispute, that this is the +proper interpretation of the prophecy, by express words, as well as +by his whole narration; for he says, "Behold I, and the children +whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs, and for wonders in +Israel from the Lord of Hosts, that dwelleth in mount Zion." Isaiah +viii. 19. + +This is the plain drift and design of the prophet, literally, +obviously, and primarily understood; and thus he is understood by +one of the most judicious of interpreters, the great Grotius. Indeed, +to understand the prophet as having the conception of Mary, and +the birth of her son Jesus from a virgin mother literally, and +primarily in view, is a very great absurdity, and contrary to the +very intent and design of the sign given by the prophet. + +For the sign being given by Isaiah to convince Ahaz that he +brought a message from God to him, to assure him that the two +kings should not succeed in their attempt against him, how could a +virgin's conception, and bearing a son seven hundred years +afterwards, be a sign to Ahaz, that the prophet came to him, with +the said message from God? And how useless was it to Ahaz, as +well as absurd in itself for the prophet, to say, "Before the child, +born seven hundred years hence, shall distinguish between good +and evil, the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both +her kings," which would be a banter, instead of a sign. + +But a prophecy of the certain birth of a male child, by a particular +female within a short time, seems a proper sign, as being not only +what could not with certainty, be foretold, except by a person +inspired, but considered as soon coming to pass, it, consequently, +evidences itself to be a divine sign, and answers all the purposes of +a sign. And such a sign is agreeable to God's conduct on like +occasions; witness his conduct to Gideon and Hezekiah. Jud. vi.; 2 +Kings xx. + +This prophecy, therefore, not being fulfilled in Jesus, according to +the literal and obvious sense of the words as they stand in Isaiah, it +is supposed that this, like the other prophecies cited in the New +Testament, is fulfilled in a secondary, or typical, or mystical sense; +that is, the said prophecy, which was literally fulfilled by the birth +of the son foretold by the prophet, was again fulfilled by the birth +of Jesus, as being an event of the same kind, and intended to be +secretly and mystically signified either by the prophet or by God, +who directed the prophet's speech. If the reader desires further +satisfaction that the literal and obvious sense of this prophecy +relates to a son to be born in Isaiah's time, and not to Jesus, he is +referred to the commentator Grotius, and to Huetius' Demonstrat. +Evang. in loc., to the ancient fathers, and to the most respectable of +the modern Christian. commentators, who all allow and show, that +the words of Isaiah are not applicable to the birth of Jesus in their +literal sense, but only in a mystical, or figurative, or allegorical +sense. + +Again, Matthew gives us another prophecy, which he says was +fulfilled. He tells us, that Jesus was carried into Egypt; from +whence he returned after the death of Herod, (Mat. ii.) "that it +might be fulfilled, which was of the Lord by the prophet, saying, +'out of Egypt have I called my son.'" Which, being word for word +in Hosea, (ch. xi. 1) and no where else to be found in the Old +Testament, are supposed to be taken from thence; where according +to their obvious sense they are no prophecy at all! but relate and +refer to a past action, viz., to the calling of the children of Israel +out of Egypt, which will, I think, be denied by few. This passage, +therefore, or as it is styled, prophecy, of Hosea, is said by learned +men among Christians to be mystically, or allegorically, applied, +in order to render Matthew's application of it, just; and they say all +other methods of some learned men to solve the difficulty arising +from Matthew's citation of this passage, have proved unsuccessful. + +Again, Matthew says, (ch. ii.) "Jesus came, and dwelt at Nazareth, +that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying, +'he shall be called a Nazarene;'" but as this passage does not +occur in the Old Testament at all, we are precluded from +ascertaining whether it be literal, mystical, or allegorical. + +Jesus says of John the Baptist, (Mat. xi. 14) "This is Elias that was +for to come," wherein he is supposed to refer to these words of +Malachi, (ch. iv. 4) "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, +before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord," which, +according to their literal, and obvious sense, are a prophecy, that +Elijah or Elias was to come in person (which we know from the +New Testament, as well as elsewhere, was the constant expectation +of the Jews.) Besides, this Elijah was to come "before the great and +terrible day of the Lord," which has not yet arrived; and, therefore, +this prophecy of Malachi, referred to by the evangelist, was +certainly not literally, but only mystically, fulfilled in John the +Baptist. + +Again, Jesus (Mat. xiii.) cites the prophecy of Isaiah (Is. vi. 9,) "By +hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;" and he assures us, +that it was fulfilled in his time in those to whom he spake in +parables, (which, by the way, he did, it is said, in order to fulfil a +passage of the Psalms) though it is manifest that the prophecy of +Isaiah quoted, according to its literal sense, undoubtedly relates to +the obstinate Jews who lived in the time of Isaiah. + +In fine, these, and the many other passages cited as prophecies +from the Old Testament by the authors of the New, do so plainly +relate, in their obvious and primary sense to other matters than +those which they are adduced to prove, that it is allowed by the +most learned defenders of Christianity, that to pretend that they +prove in a literal sense what they are adduced to prove, is to give +up with both hands the cause of Christianity to the enemies thereof, +who can so easily show in so many undoubted instances, the Old +and New Testament to have no manner of connection in that +respect, but to be in an irreconcilable state. + +These proofs from the prophets being so different from what we +should expect, it behoves us to enquire what could induce Jesus +and his apostles to quote the Old Testament in such a manner? + +The Jews shortly answer this question, by saying, that they did so, +because they did not understand the meaning of the books they +quoted. But it has been answered by some learned Christians, that +Jesus and the apostles did not quote in the manner they did through +caprice or ignorance bat according to certain methods of +interpretation, which were in their times of established authority +among the Jews. + +The rules of interpretation, which were supposed to be +irrecoverably lost afterwards recovered to the world by the learned +Surenhusius, professor of the Hebrew language in the illustrious +school of Amsterdam. He made an ample discovery to the world of +the rules by which the apostles cited the Old Testament, and +argued from thence, wherein the whole mystery of the apostles +applying scripture in a secondary, or typical, or allegorical sense, +seems to be unfolded. I shall, therefore, state this matter from +Surenhusius. + +He (Surenhusius) says, "that when he considered the various +opinions Of the learned about the passages of the Old Testament +quoted in the New, He was filled with grief, not knowing where to +set his foot; and was much concerned, that what had been done +with good success upon profane authors, could not be so happily +performed upon the sacred." + +He tells us, "that having had frequent occasions to converse with +the Jews (on account of his application to Hebrew literature from +his youth) who insolently reflected upon the New Testament, +affirming it to be plainly corrupted, because it seldom or never +agreed with the Old Testament, some of whom were so confident +in this opinion, as to say, they would profess the Christian religion, +if any one could reconcile the New Testament with the Old. "I was +the more grieved, because, (says this honest and well meaning +man) I knew not how to apply a remedy to this evil." But the +matter being of great importance, he discoursed with several +learned men about it, and read the books of others, being +persuaded that the authors of the books of the New Testament had +written nothing but what was suited to the time wherein they lived, +and that Christ and his apostles had constantly followed the +method of their ancestors. After he had long revolved this +hypothesis in his mind, at last he met with a Rabbi well skilled in +the Talmud, the Cabbala, and the allegorical books of the Jews. +This Rabbi had once embraced the Christian religion, but was +again relapsed to Judaism on account of the idolatry of the Papists, +yet not perfectly disbelieving the integrity of the New Testament. +Surenhusius asked him, what he thought of the passages of the Old +Testament quoted in the New, whether they were rightly quoted or +not, and whether the Jews had any just reason to cavil at them, and +at the same time proposed to him two or three passages, which had +very much exercised the most learned Christian commentators. + +The Rabbi having admirably explained those passages, to the great +surprise of Surenhusius, and confirming his explications by +several places of the Talmud, and other writings of the Jewish +commentators, and allegorical writers, Surenhusius asked him +what would be the best method to write a treatise in order to +vindicate the passages of the Old Testament quoted in the New? +The Rabbi answered, that he "thought the best way of succeeding +in such an undertaking would be to peruse a great part of the +Talmud, and the allegorical and literal commentators; to observe +their several ways of quoting and interpreting scripture, and to +collect as many materials of that kind, as would be sufficient for +that purpose." + +Surenhusius took the hint immediately: he read such books as were +recommended, observed every thing that might be subservient to +his design, and made a book upon the subject. And in the third part +of that book he gives us the rules so long sought after, viz., the ten +ways# used, he says, by the Jewish doctors in citing scripture. And +here they are:-- + +1. The first rule is--"reading the words of the Hebrew bible, not +according to the points placed under them, but according to other +points substituted in their stead," as is done by Peter, Acts iii. 3; by +Stephen, Acts vii. 43, and by Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 54; 2 Cor. viii. 16, +and Heb. iii. 10; ix. 21; xii. 6. + +2. The second rule is--"changing the letters, whether those letters +be of the same organ (as the Hebrew grammarians speak,) or not," +as is done by Paul, Rom. ix. 33; 1 Cor. xi. 9; Heb. viii. 9, and x. 6; +and by Stephen, Acts vii. 43. + +3. The third is--"changing both letters and points," as is done by +Paul, Acts xiii. 41, and 2 Cor. viii. 15. + +4. The fourth is--"adding some letters, and taking away others." + +5. The fifth is--"transposing words and letters." + +6. The sixth is--"dividing one word into two." + +7. The seventh is--"adding other words to those in the text, in +order to make the sense more clear, and to accommodate it to the +subject they we upon." + +8. The eighth is--"changing the order of words." + +9. The ninth is--"changing the order of words, and adding other +words." + +10. The tenth is--"changing the order of words, adding words, +and retrenching words," which, (says he) is a method often used +by Paul. Of the application of all these rules, he gives examples +taken from the New Testament. + +It is not necessary to make many observations upon these rules, +they speak for themselves most significantly; for what is there that +cannot be proved from the Old Testament, or any other book, yea, +from Euclid's Elements! or even an old almanac! by the help of +"altering words and sentences; adding; retrenching; and +transposing, and cutting words in two," as is stated above by a +learned and good man, and sincere Christian who found out, and +brought forward, these rules, as the best means of getting the +authors of the New Testament out of a difficulty, which had long +shocked and grieved their best friends. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +EXAMINATION OF THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE "THIS +WAS DONE THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED." + +It may be objected from divers learned authors, who have been +very sensible of the difficulties stated in the preceding chapters, +and have, sensible of the difficulties stated in the preceding +chapters, therefore, taken other ground than their predecessors, in +order to defend themselves the better; I say, it may be objected to +what I have advanced, that Christianity is not in fact grounded on +the prophetical, or other, quotations made from the Old, in the +New, Testament; but that those quotations being allegorically +applied by the authors of the New Testament, are merely +arguments ad hominem, to convince the Jews of the truth of +Christianity, who allowed such a method of arguing to be valid, +and are not arguments to the rest of mankind. + +To which I answer--That this distinction is the pure invention of +those who make the objection, and not only has no foundation in +the New Testament, but is utterly subverted by its express +declarations; for the authors of the books of the New Testament +always argue absolutely from the quotations they cite as +prophecies out of the books of the Old Testament. Moses and the +prophets are every where represented to be a just foundation for +Christianity; and the author of the Epistle to the Romans expressly +says, ch. xvi. 26, 26, "The gospel, which was kept secret since the +world began, was now made manifest by the scriptures of the +prophets (wherein that gospel was secretly contained) to all +nations," by the means of the preachers of the gospel who gave +the secret or spiritual sense of those scriptures; for to the ancient +Jews, according to them, the gospel was preached by the types of +their law, and, therefore, must have been considered as truly +contained in it. + +Besides, the authors of the books of the New Testament were +convinced long before the publication of them, that the gospel was +to be preached to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, to both of +whom, therefore, they reasoned allegorically in their books, as +Peter and others did in their sermons, though with greater success +on Gentiles than on Jews; and as Paul did before Felix, when he +said he took his heresy, or Christianity, from the law, and the +prophets. Acts xxiv., as also he did before Agrippa. It would, +therefore, seem strange, that books written to all the world by men +equally concerned to convert Gentiles as well as Jews, and that +discourses made expressly to Gentiles as well as to Jews, should be +designed to be pertinent only to Jews, much less to a very few +Jews! Indeed, I am ashamed at being thus long engaged in showing +what must be self evident; and did I not fear being further tedious +to my readers, I would undertake to bring together passages from +the New Testament, where the meaning and intention of the writers +is obvious, in such abundance, as would immediately and entirely +put the hypothesis of our opponents out of countenance. + +These quotations from the. Old Testament are certainly urged, and +spoken of as direct proofs, as absolute proofs in themselves, and +not as mere proofs ad hominem to the Jews; for if these prophecies +are only urged by the apostles as proofs to the Jews, and intended +only as proofs founded on the mistaken meanings of the Old +Testament of some Jews of their time, what sense is there in +appealing upon all occasions to the prophets, and recommending +the reading and search of the Old Testament for the trial and proof +of what was preached? for that was to proceed on weakness itself, +knowing it to be so. Certainly nothing, but a real persuasion, that +the prophecies of the Old Testament were really fulfilled in Jesus, +could make them every where inculcate and appeal to the fulfilling +of prophecy. In order to support their hypothesis, Christians have +been forced to seek evidence to prove, that the phrase--"this was +done that it might be fulfilled," so frequent in the New Testament, +meant no such thing, but was only a habit the Jews had got of +introducing by such phrases a handsome quotation, or allusion, +from the Old Testament. But this evasion must be given up, upon +two accounts. 1. Because most of the European biblical critics of +the present day (the learned annotator on Michaelis' Introduction +to the New Testament, Dr. Marsh, among others) frankly +acknowledge it not to be tenable; and 2. Because it can be proved +not to be so from the New Testament itself. For example, when +John represents (Jo. xix. 28,) Jesus upon the cross saying, "'I +thirst' that the scripture might be fulfilled," doth he not plainly +represent Jesus as fulfilling a prophecy which foretold that the +Messiah should thirst, or say, "I thirst," upon the cross? Nay, does +he not suppose him to say so, in order to fulfil, or that he might +fulfil, a prophecy? Is it not also suitable to the character of Jesus, +who founded his Messiahship on the prophecies in the Old +Testament, and could not but have the accomplishment of those +prophecies constantly in view to fulfil, and to intend to fulfil them? +And is it not unsuitable in John, in describing his master dying +upon the cross, to represent him as saying things, whereby he only +gave occasion to observe, that he fulfilled, i. e., accommodated a +phrase! not a prophecy!! + +Besides, they who set up this accommodating principle of +accommodation, do, in some cases, take the term fulfilled in its +proper sense, and do allow it, (when convenient) to relate to a +prophecy really fulfilled. But I would ask them, what rule they +have to know when the apostles mean a prophecy fulfilled, and +when a phrase accommodated, since they are acknowledged to use +the strong expression of fulfilling in the latter case no less than in +the former? + +In a word, unless it be granted, that the citations were intended by +the authors of the New Testament, to be adduced, and applied, as +prophecies fulfilled; if you do suppose them not intended to be +adduced, and applied, as prophecies; then, the whole affair of Jesus +being foretold as the Messiah, is reduced to an accommodation of +phrases! and it will, assuredly, follow, that the citations of Jesus +and his apostles out of the Old Testament, are like and no better +than the work of, the Empress Eudoxia, who wrote the History of +Jesus in verses put together, and borrowed out of--HOMER! or +that of Proba Palconia, who did the same, in verses, and words +taken out of--Virgil! + +In fine, one of two things must be allowed, either (which is most +probable) the authors of the New Testament conceived their +citations to be indeed prophecies concerning Jesus, and then they +were ignorant and blundered, and, therefore; were not inspired; or, +they knowingly used them as means to deceive the simple and +credulous into a belief of their being testimonies sufficient to prove +what they themselves knew they had no relation to;--and then +they were deceivers: there is no other alternative, and each horn of +the dilemma, must prove as fatal as the other. + +Perhaps it may be said, "It is to no purpose for you to object to the +quotations or the arguments of Jesus and his apostles, for God was +with them confirming their doctrine by signs following, they had +from God the power of working miracles, and, consequently, their +interpretations of Scripture, however strange they may appear to +your minds, must be infallible, they being men inspired." + +To this argument it can be justly answered, first, that the question +whether Jesus be the Messiah, entirely depends, as proved before, +upon his answering the characteristics given of that personage by +the Jewish prophets; and all the miracles in the world could never, +from the nature of the case, prove him to be so, unless his character +does entirely agree with the archetype laid down by them, as had +been already abundantly proved. + +Secondly,--That whether these miracles were really performed, or +not, depends entirely upon the credibility of the authors themselves +who have thus quoted! which, as shall be shown hereafter, may be +disputed; and, thirdly, it could be retorted upon Protestants, that +this same argument is the same in principle with the often refuted +popish argumentation. The Papists pretend to derive all their new +invented and absurd doctrines and practices from the scriptures by +their interpretations of them; but yet, when their interpretations are +attacked from scripture, they immediately fly from thence to the +miracles wrought in their church, and to the visions of their holy +men and saints, for the establishment of their interpretations, by +which they support those very doctrines and practices. And +particularly they endeavour to prove thus the doctrine of +transubstantiation, from the numerous miracles affirmed to have +been wrought in its behalf, which reasoning Protestant Christians +assert to be an argument absurd and inconclusive, therefore, they +should not use it themselves. + +We allow, that if these interpretations of the sense of the Old +Testament had been in existence before the Christian era, it might +be something. But we beg leave to remind them, that it is certain, +that these interpretations were not published till after the events to +which they are referred took place, which is a circumstance of +obvious significancy. + +In fine, to this argument I would answer, as in Cicero (de Natura +Deor. Ed. Dav. p. 209) Cotta did to Balbus--"rumoribus mecum +pugnas, ego autem a te roitones requiro." + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +EXAMINATION OF THE ARGUMENTS ALLEGED FROM +THE HEBREW PROPHETS, TO PBOVE THAT JESUS WAS +THE MESSIAH. + +But it may be asked, how it was possible, that wise and good men +could have been led to embrace the religion of the New Testament, +if there were not in the Old Testament some prophecies which +might be conceived by them to supply, at least, plausible +arguments to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah? Are +there no other passages in the prophets besides those quoted in the +New Testament, and are there not a few passages quoted in the +New Testament, which appear more to the purpose than those we +have been considering? To this I candidly answer that there are, +and this chapter will be devoted to the consideration of them. + +Two of these prophecies, one from Genesis, and the other from +Daniel, are thought by the advocates of Christianity, (because they +conceive them to point out and to limit the time of the coming of +the Messiah,) to be stronger in their favour than any of those +quoted in die New Testament. If so, it is a very singular +circumstance, that the inspired authors of the New Testament did +not make use of them, instead of others not so much to the purpose. +This circumstance of itself should teach us to examine the +prophecies in question with caution, and also with candour, since +many worthy and religious men have thought them sufficient to +prove that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. These prophecies I shall +reserve last for consideration, and shall now begin with the others +usually adduced, taking them up pretty much in the order in which +they stand in the Old Testament. + +The first passage is taken from Deut. xviii. 15, "The Lord thy God +will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, like unto +me, unto him ye shall hearken. According to all that thou desiredst +of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying. +Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me +see his great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto +me, they have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will +raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, +and I will put my words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto +them all that I command him. And it shall come to pass, that +whosoever will not hearken unto my, words which he shall speak +in my name, I will require it of him." + +This passage is pertinaciously and solely applied to Jesus, by many +Christian writers, because it is so applied by Peter in the 2 chap. of +Acts, in his sermon to the Jews, just after he had received the full +inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and of course must be considered as +infallible. Nevertheless, these words of Moses are supposed by +many learned men, both Jews and Christians, to be spoken of +Joshua, whom Moses himself afterwards, at the command and +appointment of God, declared to be his successor, and who was +endowed with the spirit which was upon Moses, (see Deut. xxxi. +33, xxxiv. 17,) and to whom the Jews then promised to hearken, +and pay obedience to, as they had done before to Moses. But others +understand them to be a promise of a succession of prophets, to +whom the Jews might upon all occasions have recourse; and one or +the other of these seems to be the certain meaning of the place. +From this consideration, that from the context it appears Moses +was giving the Jews directions of immediate use; and, therefore, in +promising a prophet to them, to whom they should hearken, he +seems to intend an immediate prophet who might be of use to the +Jews, and answer their common exigencies, and not a prophet two +thousand years to come. + +But I take the words to promise a succession of prophets, and for +that sense wherein Grotius and Le Clerc, and most of the Jews, +take them. I shall give my reasons, for this, and show that they do +not necessarily refer to Jesus Christ. + +Moses, in the verses preceding this prophecy in the same chapter, +(Deut. xviii. 9--14) tells the Israelites from God, that "when they +came into Canaan, they should not learn to do after, the +abominations of the people thereof; and, particularly, that there +should not be found among them any one that useth divination, or +an observer of times, &c., or a consulter with familiar spirits, &c. +For all, says he, "that do these things are an abomination to the +Lord; and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth +drive these people out from before thee. For these nations which +thou shalt possess hearkened unto observers of times, and unto +diviners. But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee to +do so." Then follow the words about the prophet, "The Lord thy +God will raise unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee of thy +brethren like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken." All which is as +much as to say, "When you come into Canaan, do not hearten to a +diviner, &c., as the Canaanites do, for the Lord will give you a +prophet of your own brethren inspired like me, to guide any +instruct you, to whom ye shall hearken." Or rather, "Do not +hearken to diviners, &c., but to prophets, who shall be raised up +among you." + +Now that the words cited must relate to a succession of prophets to +begin upon the Israelites taking possession of the land of Canaan, +is manifest; because, the raising up of a prophet, to whom they +were to hearken, is the reason given why they should not hearken +to a diviner, &c., when they came to that land; which reason could +have no force unless they were to have, 1st,--an immediate +prophet in Canaan; for what sense is there, or would there be, in +saying, "Don't hearken to such diviners as are in Canaan, when +you come there, for you shall have a prophet of your own, to +whom ye shall hearken two thousand years after you come there!" + +Secondly,--As the context shows that the prophet to be raised up, +was an immediate prophet, so it also shows, that the singular +number here stands for the plural, according to the frequent +custom of the Hebrew language, as is shown by Le Clerc and +Stillingfleet, in loco; for one single prophet to be raised up +immediately, who might soon die, could not be a reason why Jews +of succeeding generations should not harken to diviners in Canaan. + +Finally,--The words of God by Moses, which follow the promise +of a prophet, evidently show that by that promise prophets were +intended, in laying-down a rule for the test or trial of the prophets +before mentioned, in such a manner as implies, that that rule was to +be applied to all prophets pretending to come from him. See the +words in Deut. xviii., 19--22. + +I shall conclude this explication, by adducing, in confirmation of it, +the paraphrase of the words given in the Targum of Jonathan. "The +nations you are about to possess, (says the Jewish paraphrast) +hearken to jugglers and diviners; but you shall not be like them; +for your priests shall enquire by Urim and Thummim, and the Lord +your God shall give you a true prophet." And this explication is +the one adopted by Origen,--[Contra Celsum, p. 28.] + +As to the difficulty that is raised against this explication from the +words at the end of Deuteronomy--"that there arose not a prophet +since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face. +In all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do," &c.-- +it is nothing at all. For every one perceives, that the word "like" +may be, and frequently is, used in scripture, and in common +language, to signify, similarity in some, though not in every, +particular; and every prophet, who speaks by God's direction, is a +prophet "like unto Moses," who did the same, though he be not +like, or equal to, him "in doing signs and wonders," which is all +that is affirmed in the last chapter of Deuteronomy. + +And, finally, there is nothing to limit this prophecy to Jesus of +Nazareth, if we allowed (what we reject) the Christian +interpretation; since God might to-morrow, if such were his will, +raise up a prophet like unto Moses in every respect, which Jesus +certainly was not; therefore, it cannot be applied and restrained to +the purpose for which it is quoted by Peter. + +There is in the same sermon, in the 2 chap. of Acts, another +passage quoted by Peter from the Psalms, and applied by him to +prove the resurrection of Jesus, and on which he lays very great +stress, which after all seems to be nothing to the purpose. Peter +says, "Him (i. e., Jesus) God hath raised up, having loosed the +pains [or bands] of death, because it was not possible that he +should be holden of it." And why? "For [because] David speaketh +concerning him, ' I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for +he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did +my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh +shall rest in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, +[the place of departed Spirits] nor suffer thy holy one to see +corruption, thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou +shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.' Men and +brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that +he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this +day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn +with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins according to the +flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne. He, seeing +this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was +not left in Hades, neither did his flesh see corruption." + +How imposing is this argument! How plausible it appears! And yet +it is irrelevant, as Dr. Priestly frankly confesses, who tries to save +the credit of the apostle by the convenient principle of +accommodation! The whole force of Peter's reasoning depends +upon the word "corruption." David did see corruption; therefore, +he could not mean himself, but "being a prophet," &c., he meant +Jesus Christ. Now, the whole of Peter's argument is grounded +upon two mistakes; for, 1st, the Hebrew word translated +"corruption," here signifies "destruction, perdition;" and in the +next place, instead of being "thy holy One," in the singular, it is in +the Hebrew "thy saints," in general. The passage is quoted from +the 16th Psalm; and I will give a literal translation of it from the +original, which will make the propriety or impropriety of Peter's +quotation perfectly obvious. The contents and import of the Psalm, +according to the English version, are as follow; "David, in distrust +of his merits, and hatred of idolatry, fleeth to God for preservation, +He showeth the hope of his calling, of the resurrection, and of life +everlasting." And the passage in question, according to the +original, reads thus:--"I have set the Lord always before me: +Because he is on my right hand, I shall not be moved: Therefore +my heart is glad, and my glory [i. e., tongue] rejoiceth: My flesh +also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, +neither wilt thou suffer thy saints to see destruction. Thou wilt +show me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy, and at +thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." That is--"Because I +have ever trusted in thee, and experienced thy constant protection, +therefore I will not fear death; because thou wilt not for over leave +my soul in the place of departed spirits, nor suffer thy saints to +perish from existence. Thou wilt raise me from the dead, and make +me happy for ever in thy presence."# + +In the 4th chap. of the Acts, the apostles are represented as praying +to God, and referring in their prayer to the 2d Psalm "why did the +heathen rage," &c., as being a prophecy of the opposition of the +Jews to Jesus; with how much justice may be seen from these +circumstances. + +1. That "the nations," as it is in the original, did not assemble +together to crucify Jesus, as this was done by a few soldiers. 2. The +"kings of the earth" had no hand in it, for they knew nothing +about it. And 3rdly, Those who were concerned did by no means +"form vain designs," since they effected their cruel purposes. And +lastly, From that time to the present, God has not set Jesus as his +king upon the "holy hill of Sion," as the Psalm imports, nor given +him "the nations for his inheritance, nor the uttermost parts of the +earth for a possession." + +The next prophecy usually adduced to prove that Jesus is the +Messiah, is The passage quoted from Micah v. 2, in the 2d chapter +of Mat.--"But from Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little +among the chiefs of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto +me, that is, to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from +old, from the days of hidden ages." This passage probably refers to +the Messiah, but by no means signifies that this Messiah was to be +born in Bethlehem, as asserted by Matthew; but only, that he was +to be derived from Bethlehem, the city of Jesse, the father of David +of famous memory, whose family was venerable for its antiquity, " +being of the days of hidden ages." And this interpretation is +known, and acknowledged, by Hebrew scholars. But in order to cut +short the dispute, w will permit the passage to be interpreted as +signifying that Bethlehem was to be the birth place of the Messiah. +What then? Will a man's being born in Bethlehem be sufficient to +make him to be the Messiah foretold by the Hebrew prophets? +Surely it has been made plain in the beginning of this work, that +many more characteristic marks than this must meet in one person +in order to constitute him the Messiah described by them! + +In Zechariah ix. 9, it is written, "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of +Sion, Shout, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy king cometh +unto thee, the righteous one, and saved, or preserved [according to +the Hebrew] lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the +foal of an ass." This has been applied by the evangelists to Jesus, +who rode upon an ass into Jerusalem. + +But in the first place, it is to be observed, that there seems to have +been a blunder in this transaction; for according to the Hebrew +idiom of the passage quoted above, the personage there spoken of, +was to ride upon "an ass' colt;" whereas, the apostles, in order to +be sure of fulfilling the prophecy, represent Jesus as riding upon an +ass, and the colt, too! "They spread their garments upon them, +and set him upon them."[See the evangelists in loc.] In the next +place, a man may ride into Jerusalem upon an ass, without being +thus necessarily demonstrated to be the Messiah. And unless, as +said before, every tittle of the marks given by the prophets to +designate their Messiah, be found in Jesus, and in any other +claiming to be that Messiah his being born in Bethlehem, and +riding upon an ass into Jerusalem, will by no means prove him to +be so. Besides, those who will take the trouble to look at the +context in Zechariah, will find, that the event spoken of in the +quotation, is spoken of as contemporaneous with the restoration +Israel, and the establishment of peace and happiness, which seems +to cut up by the roots the interpretation of the evangelists. And to +conclude the argument,--Jesus being born in Bethlehem, and +riding into Jerusalem, allowing it to be true, would not, we think, +frustrate these prophecies of a future fulfillment--for no one can +disprove, that if so be the will of God, such a person as +the Messiah is described to be, might be born in Bethlehem +to-morrow, and ride in triumph into Jerusalem, twenty years +afterwards. + +The next passage which has been offered, as a prophecy of Jesus, +is to be found in the 12th chap. of Zech. v. 10, and part of it has +been misquoted by John. "And I will pour upon the house of +David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace +and supplications, and they shall look on me whom they have +pierced." So it stands in the English version; but, before I state +what it ought to be, I would observe, that before the evangelist, +(who in his account of the crucifixion applies this passage as +referring to Jesus' being pierced with a spear) could make this +passage fit his purpose, he had to substitute the word "him" for +"me," as it is in the Hebrew; confirmed by, I believe, all the +versions, ancient and modern, without exception. Yet, with this +change, it will by no means answer his purpose; for the Hebrew +word here translated "pierced," in this place signifies +"blasphemed," or "insulted," as it is understood by Grotius, who +confirms this rendering from the Hebrew of Levit. xxiv. 11, where +in this passage "the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name +of the Lord." The Hebrew word translated "blasphemed" is from +the same root with the Hebrew word translated "pierced" in the +passage in Zechariah quoted above. So that the passage ought to be +translated thus:--"I will pour upon the house of David, and upon +the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications, +and they shall look towards me whom they have blasphemed." +[To "look towards God" is a phrase frequently met with, and well +understood.] Now, to enable us to understand more perfectly this +passage, let us consider the context, where we shall find that it +states, that there was to be a war in Judea, and a siege of +Jerusalem, and then a deliverance of the Jews, by the destruction of +all the nations, that should come up at that time, against Jerusalem. +Immediately after which matters, follows the prophecy under +consideration--"I will pour upon the house of David," &c. Now, +from these things thus laid together, I crave leave to argue in the +words of Dr. Sykes [Essay, &c., p. 268]--"Did any one +circumstance of all this happen to the Jews about the time of the +death of Jesus? Or rather, was not every thing the reverse of what +Zechariah says; and instead of all nations being destroyed that +came about Jerusalem, Jerusalem itself was destroyed: instead of a +spirit of grace and supplications, the Jews have had their hearts +hardened against the Christ; instead of mourning for him whom +they have pierced, they condemn him and his followers even until +this day." + +But it is tiresome thus to waste time in proving that parts and ends +of verses, disjointed from their connexion, and even the words +quoted, some of them changed and some transposed, (though even +done according to the rules given by the venerable Surenhusius) +prove nothing. We must, therefore, devote the remainder of this +long chapter to the consideration of the three famous prophecies, +on which Christians have not hesitated, with triumphing +confidence, to rest the issue of their cause. These are the prophecy +of Shiloh, Gen. 49; the 53d ch. of Isaiah; and Daniel's prophecy of +the "seventy weeks." I will consider them in order, and thus wind +up the chapter. + +I have some where read in a catechism, the following question and +answer:--Q. "How can you confound the Jews, and prove, from +prophecy, that the Messiah is already come?" A. "From these two +prophecies--'The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,' &c.--Gen. +xlix.; and this--'Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people,'" +&c.--Dan. ix. 24. + +But, notwithstanding these overwhelming proofs, the stubborn +Jews refuse to be confounded! on the contrary, they in fact laugh at +Christians for being so easily imposed upon. + +The prophecy concerning Shiloh, the Jews acknowledge, refers to +their Messiah. But they do not allow that it defines or limits the +time of his coming. + +And that it in fact does not, will be perfectly, evident to all who +will look at the place in the Hebrew bible, which they will find +pointed to read not--"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, +and a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come," &c.; but +thus--"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver +from between his feet, for ever; for Shiloh shall come, and to him +shall the gathering of the people be." So that the prophecy does +not intimate that the Messiah should come before the sceptre be +departed from Judah; but that it should not depart for ever, but +shall be restored when Shiloh comes. This is the plain and obvious +sense of the prophecy; and, moreover, is the only one that is +consistent with historical fact. For, in truth, the sceptre had +departed from Judah several hundred years before Jesus of +Nazareth was born. For from the time of the Babylonish captivity +"Judah" has never been free, but in subjection to the Persians, the +Syrians, the Romans, and all the world. + +If my readers desire further satisfaction with regard to this +interpretation of this famous prophecy, I refer them to the dispute +upon this subject between the celebrated Rittangelius, and a +learned Jew, (preserved in Wagenseils' "Tela Ignea,") where he +will find Rittangelius first amicably inviting the Hebrew to discuss +the point, who does so most ably and respectfully toward his +Christian antagonist, and unanswerably establishes the +interpretation above stated, by the laws of the Hebrew language, by +the ancient interpretation of the Targum, by venerable tradition, +and by appealing to history. Rittangelius begins his defence by +shuffling, an ends by getting into a passion, and calling names; +which his opponent, who is cool, because confident of being able +to establish his argument, answers by notifying to Rittangelius his +compassion and contempt. + +The next prophecy proposed to be considered, is the celebrated +prophecy of Isaiah, consisting of part of the 52nd, and the whole of +the 53rd, chapter. It is the only prophecy which Paley thinks worth +bringing forward in his elaborate defence; and it must be +confessed, that if this prophecy relates to the Messiah, it is by far +the most plausible of any that are brought forward in favour of +Jesus Christ. It merits, therefore, a thorough discussion, and I shall +endeavour that it shall be a candid one. This prophecy is quoted by +Jesus himself in Luke xxii. 39, and by Philip, when he converted +the Eunuch, (Acts 8,) for "beginning at this prophecy, he preached +unto him Jesus." + +It will not be necessary to cite the passage at length, it being one +perfectly familiar to every Christian. I will, then, before I consider +it, first premise, that since it has been heretofore abundantly made +evident, that the Messiah of the Old Testament was not to suffer, +and die, but to live and reign, it is according to the rules of sound +criticism, and I think sound theology too, to interpret this solitary +passage, so that it may not contradict very many others of a +directly contrary import. Now, if this passage can relate only to the +Messiah, it will throw into utter confusion the whole scheme of the +prophetical scriptures. But if it can be made to appear, that it does +not necessarily relate to him; if it can, consistently with the +context, be otherwise applied, the whole difficulty vanishes. Now, +the authors of the New Testament have applied this prophecy to +the Messiah, and to Jesus as the Messiah; and for doing so, they +have been accused of misapplication of it-from the earliest times; +since we know from Origen, that the Jews of his time derided the +Christians for relying upon this prophecy; alleging that it related to +their own nation, and was a prophecy of their suffering and +persecuted state, and of their ultimate emancipation and happiness. +And this interpretation of the prophecy the learned Vitringa, in his +commentary upon Is. in loc., allows to be the most respectable he +had met with among the Jews, and, according to him, "to be by no +means dispised." + +In order that the fitness or unfitness of this application of the +prophecy may be made apparent, and evident, we will new lay +before the reader this famous prophecy, part by part, each part +accompanied by the Jewish interpretation. + +Isaiah lii. 13, "Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be +exalted, and extolled, and be very high." Interpretation--My +servant Israel, though he be in great affliction for a time, yet +hereafter shall be released from captivity, and be honoured and +raised to elevation very high among the nations of the earth. [That +the Jewish nation is spoken of, in the singular number and under +the title of God's servant frequently in the Old Testament, is well +known, and will be here made certain by a few examples. Isaiah +xli. (the chapter preceding the prophecy,) "But thou Israel my +servant, thou, Jacob, whom I have chosen," presently afterwards, +"saying to thee, thou art my servant." Again, chapter xliv.-- +"Now, therefore, hear Jacob my servant," and so frequently in the +same chapter. See also ch. xlv., and Jer. ch. xxx., and Ps. cxxxvi., +and Isaiah throughout, for similar examples.] + +"And many were astonished at thee (his visage was so marred +more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.)" +That is--And many were astonished at thee, on account of thy +abject state, and miserable condition, being squalid with misery, +and suffering more than any men. + +"So shall he sprinkle many nations, the kings shall shut their +mouths at him; for that which had not been told them, shall they +see, and that which they had not heard, shall they consider." + +Interpretation--As the Gentiles wondered at their abject state, so +as to make them a proverb of reproach, so shall they admire at their +wonderful change of circumstances, from the depth of degradation +to the height of prosperity and honour. So that they shall lay their +hands upon their mouths, which had beforetime reproached them, +when they shall see their felicity to be so far beyond what had been +told them, and they shall attentively consider it, and they shall say +to each other-- + +"Who hath believed our report, and the arm of the Lord to whom +was it revealed? For he grew up [Hebrew, not "he shall grow up," +as in the English version] before him as a tender plant, and as a +root out of a dry soil; he had no form nor comeliness; and when +we saw him, there was no beauty that we should desire him." + +The sense is--The Gentiles shall say to each other in wonder, +"Who believed what we heard concerning them? And to whom +was the interest the Lord took in them made known? For it was a +dispised people, feeble, and wretched, like a tender plant springing +up out of a thirsty soil. Their appearance was abject, and there was +nothing attractive in their manners." + +"He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and +acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it were, our faces from him; +he was despised, and we esteemed him not." + +That is--They were despised, and held in abhorrence: they were +men of sorrow, and familiar with suffering. We looked upon them +with dislike: we hid our faces from them, and esteemed them not. + +"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." + +Interpretation--Surely their sufferings are as great as if they had +borne the sins of the whole world; or, they are, nevertheless, the +means appointed to remove the sufferings of an afflicted world, for +God hath connected universal happiness with their prosperity; and +the end of their sufferings, is the beginning of our joys. + +"Yet did we esteem him smitten of God, and afflicted." + +Interpretation--Nevertheless, we considered them as a God- +abandoned race, and devoted to wretchedness by him, for having +crucified their king. + +"But he was wounded for [or by] our transgressions, he was +bruised [for or by] our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was +upon him; and through his stripes we are healed." + +That is--But, instead of being the victims of God's wrath, they +were wounded through our cruelty, they were bruised by our +iniquitous treatment, we being suffered to do so, to chastise them +for their sins, and to prove their obedience; and this chastisement is +that by which our peace is to be effected; for their chastisement +and probation being finished. God will by them impart and diffuse +peace and happiness. + +"All we like sheep have gone astray, we, have turned every one to +his own way, and the Lord hath caused to meet upon him the +iniquity of us all." + +But it is we who have sinned more than they: we have all gone +astray in our ignorance, being without the knowledge of God, or of +his law. Yet the Lord hath permitted us to make them the subjects +of our oppressive iniquity. + +"He was oppressed, [or "exposed to pecuniary exactions"] and he +was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he was brought as a +lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, +so he opened, not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from +judgment, and who shall declare his generation, ["into his manner +of life, who stoopeth to look?" according to the Hebrew] for he +was cut off out of the land of the living; for, [or by] the +transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave +with the wicked; but with the rich were his deaths, [or tomb] +because he had done no violence, neither was deceit in his mouth." + +Interpretation--How passive and unresisting were they, when +oppressed!--They were afflicted, and they complained not; when +through false accusations, and mistaken cruelty they were +plundered, and condemned to die, they went like a Iamb to the +slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so they +opened not their mouth. They were taken from the dungeon to be +slain, they were wantonly massacred, and every man was their foe; +and the cause of the sufferers who condescended to examine; for +by the thoughtless crimes of my people, they suffered. Yet +notwithstanding their graves were appointed with the wicked; yet +they were rich in their deaths. This did God grant them, because +they had not done iniquity. + +Rabbi Isaac, author of the famous Munimen Fidei#, renders the +original--"on account of impieties was he given to his sepulchre, +and on account of his riches was his death, because he did no +violence, neither was deceit in his mouth"--which he interprets +thus:--We (the former speakers) raised against them false +accusations of impiety, on account of their religion, and refusing to +worship our idols; but their riches was the real cause why we put +them to death. Nevertheless, they used no violence in opposition +to our oppressions, neither would they forsake their religion, and +deceitfully assent to ours in hypocrisy.* + +"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him: he hath put him to grief. +When thou shalt make his soul a propitiation for sin, he shall see +his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord +shall prosper in his hands." [This proves that this prophecy cannot +refer to any individual, but may refer to the Jewish nation, because +one individual cannot be put to death, and yet "see his seed," and +"prolong his days."] "After [or on account of] the travail of his +soul, seeing he shall be satisfied, by his knowledge shall +my righteous servant make many righteous [or show them +righteousness,] and he shall bear the burden of their iniquities." + +That is--After and for their sufferings, they shall be abundantly +rewarded; by their superior knowledge of religious truth, shall they +make many wise, "for many nations shall go, and say, come ye, +and let us ascend to the mount of the Lord, and to the house of the +God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways"--Mic. iv. ch. + +"Wherefore, I will give him a portion with the great, and with the +mighty shall he divide the spoil, because he poured out his life +unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors, and himself +bear the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors." + +Interpretation--Therefore, their reward shall be exceeding great, +because for the sake of their duty, they willingly exposed +themselves to death, and were accounted as transgressors, and bore +the cruel afflictions inflicted by many, and made intercession for +them who afflicted them. + +Such is the explication given by the Jews of this prophecy. I have +made no important alterations of the common English translation; +except, that in some passages, I have made it more conformable to +the original by substituting a verb in the past tense, instead of +leaving it in the future, as in the English version. Those translators +have taken certain liberties in this respect to make this prophecy +(and several others) more accordant to their own views, which are +not supported by the Hebrew: many of these expressions, however, +we have left unaltered, as they are quite harmless. But if any of our +readers desire further information with regard to the propriety of +this interpretation of this prophecy of Isaiah, we refer him to the +"Munimen Fidei," contained in Wagenseil's "Tela Ignea," where +he will find it amply illustrated, and defended. Here, in this work, +we shall content ourselves with proving, that this prophecy can by +no means relate to Jesus, from these circumstances:--1. Jesus +certainly was not exalted and magnified, and made very great upon +earth, which, as has been shown, was to be the scene of the +exaltation of the Old Testament Messiah; but was put to a cruel +and disgraceful death. 2. He was not oppressed by pecuniary +exactions, as is said of the subject of this prophecy. 3. He was +never taken from prison to die, for he was never in one. 4. He did +not "see his seed," nor "prolong his days," since he died childless; +and we will not permit the word "seed" to be spiritualized on this +occasion, for the word "seed" in the Old Testament, means +nothing else, than literally "children," which it is not pretended he +ever had; and how could he "prolong his days," when he was cut +off in his 33d year. 5. Besides, who were "the strong and mighty," +with whom he divided the spoil? Were they the twelve fishermen +of Galilee? and what was the spoil divided? In a word, the literal +application of this prophecy to Jesus is now given up by the most +learned Hebrew scholars, who allow, that the literal sense of the +original can never be understood of him. [See Priestley's notes on +the scriptures, in loco; and the context before and after.] + +We have now come to the last subject proposed to be considered in +this chapter, viz., Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks, the +"instar omnium" of the prophetical proofs of Christianity, and +which was for ages held up to the view of "the unbelieving race," +as cutting off beyond doubt their "hope of Israel" from ever +appearing, since the time so distinctly foretold had elapsed. But +such is the instability of human opinions, that it was at length +suspected, and at last ascertained-by the learned, that "the stubborn +Israelites" had some reason for denying that prophecy, any voice in +the affair. + +During many years, one learned man after another, had amused +himself with destroying the system of his predecessor, and +replacing it with his own, not a whit better, but tending to the same +end, viz., to make the prophecy of the seventy weeks tally and fit +with the event of the crucifixion. At length Marsham, a learned +Englishman, declared, and demonstrated, that his predecessors, in +this enquiry, had been grossly mistaken, for that the prophecy in +all its parts was totally irrelevant and irreconcileable with the time +of the crucifixion. The appearance of his book put all the +theologians of that age in an uproar! But many learned Christians +in the last, and present, century, now freely acknowledge, that +Daniel is not on their side, but as much a Jew as his brethren. + +This celebrated prophecy, literally translated from the original, is +as follows:--Dan. ix. 24, &c.--"Seventy weeks are determined +upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, +and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, +and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and +prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy, [i. e., the sanctum +sanctorum, or Holy of Holies.] Know, therefore, and understand, +that from the going forth of the word to restore and build +Jerusalem, unto the anointed prince, shall be seven weeks; and (in) +threescore and two weeks, the street shall be built again, and the +wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks +shall the anointed (one) be cut off, and be without a successor; +(Heb. "and not, or none to him") and the city and the sanctuary +shall be destroyed# by the people of the prince that shall come; +and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the +war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant +with many for one week, and half the week (i. e., in the midst of +the week) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and +for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, +even until the consummation and that (is) determined, be poured +upon the desolate?" + +This is the prophecy on which such stress has been laid, as +pointing out the precise time of the coming of the Messiah; and I +shall fully demonstrate that it hath not the most distant reference to +that event. And for the better explanation of the prophecy, it is +proper that we attend a little to the context. + +*In the preceding chapter of Daniel it is said, that when Daniel was +informed of the vision of the two thousand and three hundred days, +he sought for the meaning; but not rightly understanding it, he +judged, that that great number was a contradiction to the word of +God as delivered by Jeremiah, concerning the redemption at the +end of seventy years; (Jer. xxv. 11, 12, and ch. xxix. 10) and from +thence he concluded that the captivity was prolonged on account of +the sins of the nation. This doubt arose from his not understanding +the prophecy, and, therefore, the angel said unto him,--"I am now +come forth to give thee skill and understanding." And he proceeds +to inform him, that as soon as he began to pray, and God saw, his +perplexity, the royal command went forth from him, that he should +come to Daniel to make him understand the truth of those matters, +that were to come to pass in future time. And as the angel Gabriel +had explained to him the vision from whence his doubt arose, it +was incumbent on him to perfect the explanation; and that is what +is meant by the expression "to show," i. e., as I began the +explanation, the commandment was, that I should finish it. + +Before I proceed to give the Jewish explanation of the prophecy, it +is proper to show in what manner the answer of the angel in it, +agreed to Daniel's question, and also the reason of his using the +term weeks, and not years, or times, as in the other visions. + +It appears, that Daniel, from the words of Jeremiah, perceived that +God. would visit all the nations, and punish them for their sins, as +may be observed from the following words:--"Thus saith the +Lord God of Israel unto me, Take the wine cup of this fury at my +hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee, to drink it"-- +Jer, xxv. 15. He then mentions first Jerusalem, afterwards the king +of Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and all the Isles beyond the sea, and many +others; and at last the king of Sheshak, or Babylon. + +He also further perceived, that the visitation of each nation would +be at the end of seventy years, as Isaiah observes of Tyre: "And it +shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy +years." Isaiah xxiii. 15, the same of Babylon: "And it shall come to +pass, when seventy years are accomplished, I will punish the King +of Babylon." Jer. xxv. 12, And as it is observed in the next verse: +"All that is written in this book which Jeremiah hath prophecied, +against all the nations." From whence it appears, that as the +visitation of Babylon was to be seventy years, so was that of the +other nations to be; for so had the wisdom of God decreed to wait +according to this number. For which reason, and because the +prophets say that the restoration of Israel is to be contemporaneous +with the destruction of their enemies, Daniel appears to have. +judged, that the sins of his nation would be done away by the +seventy years of the captivity of Babylon; and, therefore, the angel +informed him of his error, by telling him, that this was not to be the +case with his nation, for that their wickedness was come up before +God, and their sin was very grievous; and that, therefore, their sins +would not be atoned for by seventy years, as in the case of the rest +of the nations, to whom he allowed seventy years to see if they +would repent; and, if not, then he would punish them. But as for +Israel, he would not only wait seventy years, but seven times +seventy years; (for thus it is literally, in the Hebrew, the words +translated "seventy weeks," are, literally, "seventy sevens") after +which, if they had not repented and reformed, their kingdom +should be cut off, and they return into captivity, to finish an +atonement for their transgressions. Hence the cause of Daniel's +question is evident; and the propriety of the angel's answer to the +question, is manifest; as also the expression of weeks or sevens. + +These seventy weeks are, without doubt, four hundred and ninety +years, the time elapsed from the destruction of the first temple, till +the destruction of the second. + +This, it seems, was the more necessary for the angel to inform him +of; because Daniel judged, that after their return from Babylon, by +means of that visitation only, all their sins would be done away. +For which reason the angel showed him that it would not be so, +[for the return from Babylon was not a perfect redemption, +because there was not a general collection of all that were in +captivity, even all the tribes, save only a few of Judah and +Benjamin, and those not the most respectable. And after their +return, they were not free, but were under the dominion of the +Persians, Greeks and Romans. And although they, at one time, +threw off their yoke, and had kings of the Asmonean and Herodean +families, yet was there no king among them of the seed of David, +neither had they the Shechinah, nor the Urim and Thummim, all +which is a manifestation that it was not a perfect redemption, but +only a visitation, with which God was pleased to visit them; so that +they were allowed to build a temple to the Lord, by the permission +of Cyrus, and according to the measure given by him. This was +that they might be the better enabled to do the works of repentance +during the time allowed, and thus "make atonement, and thus +finish the transgression, and make an end of sins, and make +reconciliation for iniquity;" and thus, at the end of the time +assigned, even "seventy weeks," they would bring in "everlasting +righteousness," i.e., universal virtue and felicity, throughout the +world, when the Eternal should be known, worshipped, and obeyed +by all mankind. But if they did not repent, and amend, if they did +evil, as their fathers, then their kingdom was to be cut off at the +expiration of the seventy weeks; which, in fact, took place.] + +After the angel had thus expressed himself in general terms, he +descended to particulars; and laid down three propositions (if I +may be allowed the term,) or periods. + +First. "Know, therefore, and understand, (that) from the going +forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the anointed +prince, (shall be) seven weeks." + +That is, it shall be seven weeks or forty nine years from the +destruction of the first temple, to Cyrus, "the anointed prince," +who shall give leave to build the second. [With regard to the +import of the phrase "the going forth of the word," I refer the +reader to Levi's Letters to Priestley, and shall here only concern +myself with settling the meaning of the expression of "the +anointed prince."] Many Christians have objected to the term +Messiah, or anointed, being applied, as in our interpretation to +Cyrus a heathen prince; and they apply it themselves to Jesus of +Nazareth. But that the term, or appellation, Messiah, can be applied +to Cyrus, is evident; since we find it so applied by God himself in +the xlv. ch. of Isaiah. "Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to +Cyrus. 2. It is a singular fact, that the appellation "Messiah" is +never applied to the expected deliverer of the Israelites in the +whole bible, except, perhaps, in ii. Psalm. It is an appellation +indifferently applied to kings, and priests, and prophets; to all who +were anointed, as an induction into their office, and has nothing in +it peculiar and exclusive; but the application of it to the expected +deliverer of Israel, originated in and from the Targums. 3. In order +to make this prophecy, and this phrase, "Messiah the prince," or +"the anointed prince," apply to Jesus of Nazareth, Christians +connect, and join together, this first member of the prophecy with +the second, in open defiance of the original Hebrew; and after all, +they can reap no benefit from this manoeuvre; for the term +"Messiah Nagid," or "the anointed prince," can never apply to +Jesus, in this place, at any rate; because he certainly was no prince +or "Nagid," a word which in the Hebrew bible always, without +exception, denotes a prince, or ruler, one invested with temporal +authority, or supreme command. Now, as it is allowed on all +hands, that Jesus had no such temporal power, as a prince, or ruler; +it, consequently, follows, that he can by no means be the +"anointed prince" mentioned in the prophecy. + +Second Period. "And (in) threescore and two weeks, the street +shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times," + +Here the angel gave him to understand, that after the seven weeks +before mentioned, there would come a time in which the building +would be hindered, (and which was on account of the letter written +by Rheum and Shimshai to Artaxerxes, who, in consequence +thereof, made the building to cease-See Ezra and Nehemiah) till +the second year of Darius, who gave leave to finish the building: +which continued till the destruction by the Romans, sixty-two +weeks, beside the last week, at the beginning of which, the Romans +came, and warred against them, and at length entirely destroyed the +cities of Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple. For, from the time that +Cyrus first gave leave to build the temple, till its completion, was +twenty-one years; and its duration, four hundred and twenty; in the +whole, sixty-three weeks, or four hundred and forty one years. But +the angel made his division at sixty-two weeks, as he afterwards +described what was to come to pass in the last week (and with +reason, for the horrible Jewish war lasted seven years!) And by the +words, "in troublous times," he informed Daniel, that during the +building of the temple, they would have continual trouble and +alarms from their enemies, as is mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah, +where we find, that while some worked, the others held the shield +and spear. And even after finishing it, they were almost continually +in trouble, and persecuted, as is evident from the books of +Maccabees, and from Josephus. + +Third Period. "And after threescore and two weeks shall the +anointed be cut off, and have no successor--[Heb. "and not, or, +none, to him"]--and the city and the sanctuary shall be destroyed +by the people of the prince that shall come; and the end thereof +shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are +determined." + +That is, and after that period, shall the High Priest (or "the +anointed one") be cut off--[The High Priest is called "Messiah," +witness Lev. iv. 3--"If the Messiah Priest, (or anointed priest) +doth sin," &c.]--and have no successor; and the city and the +temple shall be destroyed by Titus and the Romans, and until the +end of the war, your country shall be swept with the besom of +destruction. + +The angel finishes the prophecy with these words:--"And he (the +prince that shall come) shall strengthen the covenant with many, +for one week. And in the midst of the week (i. e., the seventieth +and last week,) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to +cease." + +This prediction was fully accomplished; for 1. Titus, "the prince +that should come," was continually offering peace to the Jews, and +tried to "strengthen the covenant"--i. e., their old treaties made +with the Romans, and in fact did bring over many. 2. On account +of the distress of the siege, the daily sacrifice did in fact cease to be +offered in the temple some time before its destruction; and the +angel further observes, that all this was to come upon them for +their sins, "for the overspreading of abominations, it should be +made desolate." + +This is what appears to be a plain and fair explication of this +prophecy; but since Christians, seeing mention made in it of a +Messiah to be cut off, have eagerly endeavoured to press it into +their service, it remains for me to show, that it is impossible to +make this prophecy refer to "the cutting off" of Jesus. + +The difficulty that learned Christians have met with, in their +attempts to do this, will be easily conceived by any person, when +he knows, that more than a dozen different hypotheses have been +framed by them for that purpose; but that they have lost their +labour, will be obvious from this single observation, that "the +anointed one, or Messiah," who, the prophet says, was to be "cut +off," was to be cut off "AFTER the threescore and two weeks," i. +e., at the destruction of Jerusalem, or within the seven years +preceding that event! Now, we know from the Evangelists, and; +from profane history, that Jesus was crucified more than forty +years before the destruction of Jerusalem. In addition to this, +nothing need be said, for this circumstance lays flat their +interpretation at one stroke. + +Those who desire to see a more elaborate discussion of this +prophecy, and an ample defence of this interpretation, are referred +to "Levi's Letters, to Priestly;" and those who are desirous of +seeing an account of the various, contradictory, perplexed and +multitudinous contrivances, by which it has been endeavoured to +apply this prophecy to Jesus, are referred to Prideaux, Michaelis, +and Blayney. + +We have now gone through an examination of the evidence +adduced from the prophets of the Old Testament, to prove that +Jesus is the Messiah of the Old Testament; and those of our readers +who love truth, are, we trust, now made sensible that the religion +of the New Testament, if built upon such proofs as these, is, +evidently, founded on--a mistake. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +STATEMENT OF ARGUMENTS WHICH PROVE THAT +JESUS WAS NOT THE MESSIAH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. + +Most of our readers have, no doubt, heard from the pulpit, many +exclamations and declamations against the "blindness of the Jews," +in not recognizing their Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth. The reasons +of this "blindness" are made, I think, by this time pretty +intelligible. + +Nevertheless, for the further satisfaction of the reader, I will here +set down the principal reasons given by Rabbi Isaac, in his +"Munimen Fidei," which cause the Jews to deny the Messiahship +of Jesus. + +"At a certain time, (says he,) a certain learned man of the wise men +of the Christians said unto me:--'Wherefore are you Jews +unwilling to believe Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, when yet +your veritable prophets testified of him, whose words you profess +to have faith in.' + +"I gave him this answer. 'How, I require, could we believe him to +be the Messiah, when you can produce no genuine proof from the +prophets in his favour, since all those things adduced by the +evangelists from them, to prove Jesus the Messiah, are nothing to +the purpose? And we have many and evident reasons to prove that +he was not the Messiah. And of these, I will bring forward a few, +arising, 1, From his genealogy. 2. From his works. 3. From the time +of his appearing. 4. From the prophecies of the things to take place +in the time of the Messiah not having seen fulfilled in his age. And +in these things are contained the genuine marks characteristic of +our Messiah.' + +"1. As to what concerns his genealogy; it does not prove this +necessary thing, that Jesus was the son of David, because he was +not begotten by Joseph, as the Gospel of Matthew testifies; for in +the first chapter of it, it is written, that Jesus was born of Mary +when she was yet a virgin, and had not been known by Joseph; +which things being so, the genealogy of Joseph has nothing to do +with Jesus. The descent and origin of Mary, is still less known, but +it seems from Luke's calling Elizabeth, who was of Levi, her +cousin, that Mary was of the tribe of Levi, and not of Judah, and, +consequently, not of David; and, if she were, still Jesus is not the +more the son of David; descents being reckoned from the males +only. Neither is the genealogy of Joseph rightly deduced from +David, but labours under great difficulties. Matthew, and Luke +also, not only disagree, but irreconcilably and flatly contradict +each other, in their genealogies of Joseph. Now, it cannot be that +the testimony of two witnesses, who directly contradict each other +in the matter to be proved by them, can be received as true. But the +prophets have directed us to expect no Messiah but one born of the +seed of David. + +"2. As to the works of Jesus, we object to what he said concerning +himself:--'Do not consider me as come to establish peace on +earth, for I have come to send a sword, and to separate the son +from the father, and the daughter from her mother, and the +daughter-in-law from her mother-in-law,' which words are written +in Mat. ch. x. But we find the prophecies concerning the Messiah +to attribute to him very different works from these; nay, the very +opposite. For, whereas Jesus testifies concerning himself, that he +did not come to establish peace in the earth, but 'division,' 'fire' +and 'sword,' Zechariah says, concerning the expected Messiah, ch. +ix.:--'He shall speak peace to the nations.' Jesus says he came to +send 'fire and sword' upon the earth, but Micah says, ch. ii., that in +the times of the true Messiah they shall beat their swords into +ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not +lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.' +Jesus says that he came 'to put division between the father and the +son,' &c. But in the time of the true Messiah, Elias, the prophet, +shall come, of whom Malachi prophecied 'that he shall convert the +heart of the fathers unto the children, and the heart of the children +to the fathers.' Jesus says 'that he came to serve others, not to be +served by them' - Mat. xx. 29. But of the true Messiah it is said, +Psalm lxxii.:--'All kings shall bow themselves before him, all +nations shall serve him.' The same also is said by Zechariah, ch. ix.:-- +'His dominion shall be, from one sea to the other, and from the +river unto the ends of the earth;' and so Dan., ch. vii.:--'All +dominions shall serve and obey him.' + +"3. As to the time, we object to the Christians, that Jesus did not +come at the time designated by the prophets; for the prophets +testify, that the coming of the Messiah should be 'in the end of +days' or, in the latter days, (which, surely, have not yet arrived) as +it is in Isaiah ch. ii.:--'It shall come to pass in the latter days, that +the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of +the mountains, and all nations shall flow unto it;' and it +immediately follows, concerning the king Messiah, 'that he shall +judge among the nations, and rebuke many peoples, and they shall +beat their words into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning +hooks.' See also Hosea, ch. iii, and also Dan., ch. ii., where it is +written:--'God hath made known unto king Nebuchadnezzar +what shall come to pass in the latter days,' (or, in the end of days.) +And this pertains to what follows, viz., to this:--'In the days of +those kings, (i. e., of the kingdoms that arose out of the ruins of the +Roman Empire) the God of heaven will raise up a kingdom, which +shall never be destroyed.' Thus you see, that the prophets +predicted, that the kingdom of the Messiah should be after the +destruction of the Roman Empire, not while it was in its vigour; +when Jesus came; in 'the latter days,' and not before.* + +"4. Besides all these difficulties, neither were the promises made +to us by the prophets, concerning the things to come to pass at the +coming of the Messiah, fulfilled in the time of Jesus. For examples, +take the following:--'1. In the time of the king Messiah, there was +to be one kingdom only, and one only king upon earth, viz., the +king Messiah--see Daniel, ch. ii.; but behold, we see with our +eyes, many independent kingdoms, distinct, and distinguished by +different laws and customs, religious and political, which things +being so, it follows, that the Messiah is not yet come. + +"2. In the time of the king Messiah, there was to be only one +religion and one law throughout the world; for, it is written in +Isaiah, ch. lii. and lxvi., that all nations shall come at stated times +to worship the Eternal at Jerusalem. See also Zechariah, ch. xiv. +and ch. viii., and indeed throughout the writings of the prophets. + +"3. In the time of the king Messiah, idols were to be cut off, and +utterly to perish from the earth; as it is said in Zechariah, ch. xiii., +and so in Isaiah, ch. ii., it is written, 'And the glory of idols shall +utterly pass away;' and so in Zephaniah, ch. ii., 'The Lord shall be +terrible among them, when he shall make lean (i. e., bring to +nothing) all the gods of the earth; and all the countries of the +nations shall bow themselves to Him, each out of his place.' + +"4. In the times of the Messiah, there shall obtain no more sins and +crimes in the earth, especially among the children of Israel, as is +affirmed in Deut. xxx., Zephaniah, ch. iii and in Jeremiah, ch. iii. +And l., and so in Ezekiel, ch. xxxvi. and xxxvii. + +"5. In the times of the Messiah, there shall be peace between man +and beast, and between the tiger and the tame beast; and the little +child shall stroke, with impunity, the variegated skin of the serpent, +and,--as one of our own poets has beautifully said,--'and with +his forked tongue shall innocently play.' See in Isaiah, ch. xi. and +lxv., the original from whence he derived his beautiful poem. + +"6. In the time of the king Messiah, there are to be no calamities, +no afflictions, no lamentations throughout the world. But the +inhabitants thereof are to lead joyful lives in gratitude to the good +God, and in the enjoyment of his bounties. See Isaiah lxv. + +"Lastly. In the time of the king Messiah, the glory of God was +again to return to Israel, and the spirit of the most High God was to +be liberally poured out upon them, and they were to be endowed +with the spirit of prophecy, and with wisdom, and knowledge, and +understanding, and virtue; and God will no more hide his face from +them; but will bless them, and give them a ready heart and a +willing mind to obey his laws, and enjoy the felicities consequent +thereupon. And the Shechinah shall inhabit the temple for ever, +and the glory of God shall never depart from Israel; but they shall +walk amid the splendours of the glory of the Eternal, and all the +earth shall resound with his praise, as is written in Ezekiel, ch. +xxxvii., and xxxix., and xliii.; and in Joel, ch. ii., and in Zech., ch. +ii., and Isaiah, ch. xi., and throughout the latter part of his +prophecies, and in Jer. xxxi." + +And now, reader, let me ask you this question, has any one of the +foregoing prophecies been yet fulfilled, either in the days of Jesus, +or ever since? Thou canst not say it! Now, then, hear the +conclusion, which, in sincerity, and with the hand upon the heart, I +am compelled to draw from these precedents. "Since these +distinctive characteristics predicted by the Hebrew prophets, as to +be found in their Messiah, were certainly, and evidently, never +found in Jesus; and since these conditions and circumstances, and +many others beside, which, to avoid prolixity, have been omitted, +most assuredly did not take place in the time of Jesus, nor ever +since, and since they were according to those prophets, certainly to +be expected in the time of their Messiah; therefore, from all this, it +seems to be demonstrable (allowing the prophets to be true,) that +Jesus of Nazareth was not this true Messiah." And I would ask the +candid Christian, in which link of this chain of proofs he can find a +flaw? And I would ask him, too, as a moral and honest man, +whether any Jew, in his right mind, could, without setting at +nought what he conceived to be the word of God, receive him as +the Messiah? The honest and upright answer, I believe, will be, +that he could net. And, accordingly, it is very well known, that the +Jewish nation have never done so. And this their obstinacy, as it is +called, will not by this time, I think, appear unreasonable to any +sensible man; and he will now be able to appreciate the justice of +that idle cant about "the carnal Jews," and their "worldly-minded" +expectation of a temporal prince, as their Messiah. Certainly, the +Jews had very good reason, from their prophecies, to expect no +Messiah but a Messiah who should sit on the throne of David, and +confer liberty and happiness upon them, and spread peace and +happiness throughout the earth, and communicate the knowledge +of God, and virtue, and the love of their fellow-men to every +people. Whether this (carnal or not,) would have been better than a +spiritual kingdom, and a throne in heaven; together with the ample +list of councils, dogmas, excommunications, proscriptions, +theological quarrels, and frauds, and an endless detail of blood and +murder, I leave to the judgment of those capable of deciding for +themselves. + +Neither, in fact, is it true, that the Jews were so "carnally minded" +as to refuse Jesus as their Messiah, because he was poor and in a +low estate. On the contrary, did they not ask him not to evade, but +to speak plainly? "How long (said they) dost thou mean to keep us +in suspense? If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly." These very +men were willing to hazard, in his favour, their fortunes, their +families, and their lives, in his cause, against the whole power of +the Roman empire. Nay, so urgent were they, that they were going +to make him their king by force, and he concealed himself from the +honour. The evasions he used to avoid their pressing questions +upon the subject, are known to all who have read the evangelists; +and so timed was he in acknowledging himself as the Messiah, that +he did not do so, till Simon Peter told him that he was. And can +any candid man, after all this, wonder at, or condemn, "the +blindness," as it is called, of the Jews? or can he refrain from +smiling at the frothy declamations in which divines load that nation +with so much unmerited reproach? These Jews had just reason, we +think, to doubt his Messiahship; and they had a right to satisfactory +and unambiguous proof of his being so: even the proofs laid down, +by their prophets. And this, it must be now acknowledged, they +wanted; and, certainly, the wise and learned of the Jewish nation, +might be allowed to have understood their sacred books upon the +subject, as well, at least, if not better, than the illiterate apostles, +who manifestly put new interpretations upon them, and those, +confessedly, not agreeable to the obvious and literal meaning of +those books; but contrary to the sense of the Jewish nation. And +for this scepticism they might plead the example of the apostles +themselves, who, at first, like other unbelieving Jews, expected a +temporal prince; and did disbelieve Jesus to be the Messiah on +account of his death, notwithstanding his miracles. And they +continued in these thoughts, till it seems they come to understand +the spiritual sense of the scriptures; which spiritual sense, it is said, +they obtained by "the traditionary rules of interpretation in use +among the Jews." Yet, it is rather inconsistent and singular, that +they should place so much dependence upon these traditionary +rules, and yet pay so little regard to the traditionary explication of +the scriptures, with respect to the temporal kingdom of the +Messiah--inconsistent and singular is it, that they should "cry +aloud" for that which would support their peculiar views, but reject +it when militating against these views.* + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ON THE CHARACTER Of JESUS OF NAZARETH AND THE +WEIGHT TO BE ALLOWED TO THE ARGUMENT Of +MARTYRDOM AS A TEST OF TRUTH IN THIS QUESTION. + +I am now about to consider a subject, to which, notwithstanding +the harsh ness of my language in some of the preceding chapters, I +approach with feelings of great respect. Far be it from me to +reproach the meek, the compassionate, the amiable Jesus; or to +attribute to him, the mischiefs occasioned by his followers*. No, I +look upon his character with the respect which every man should +pay to purity of morals: though mingled with something like the +sentiments which we naturally feel for the mistaken enthusiast. +Jesus of Nazareth appears to have been a man of irreproachable +purity, of great piety, and of great mildness of disposition. Though +the world has never beheld a character exactly parallel with his, yet +it has seen many, greatly similar. Contemplative, and melancholy, +it is said of him by his followers, "he was often seen to weep, but +never to laugh." He retired to solitary places, and there prayed: he +went into the wilderness to sustain and to vanquish the assaults of +the devil: In a word, he appears by such means to have persuaded +himself, as hundreds have done since, that he was the chosen +servant of God, raised up to preach righteousness to the hypocrites, +and sinners of his day. It is remarkable, that he never claimed to be +the Messiah, till encouraged to assume that character by Peter's +declaration. And it is observable, that in assuming that name, he +could not assume the characteristics of the august personage to +whom it belongs; but infused into the character all that softness, +meekness, humility, and passive fortitude, which were so +eminently his own. The natural disposition, and character of Jesus, +could not permit him to attempt the character of a princely +Messiah, a mighty monarch, the saviour of an oppressed people, +and the benefactor of the human race. He could not do this, but he +could act as much of the character as was consistent with his own. +He could not indeed bring himself to attempt to be the saviour of +his countrymen from the Romans, their fleshly foes; but he +undertook to save them from the tyranny of their spiritual enemies. +He could not undertake to set up his kingdom upon earth; but he +told them that he had a kingdom in another world. He could not +pretend to give unto his followers the splendid rewards of an +earthly monarch: but he promised them instead thereof, +forgiveness of sins, and spiritual remuneration. + +In a word, he was not a king fit for the, then, 'carnal Jews,' but he +was, from his mildness, and compassionate temper, worthy of their +esteem, at least, of their forbearance. The only actions of his life +which betray any marks of character deserving of serious +reprehension, are his treatment of the woman taken in adultery; +and his application of the prophecy of Malachi concerning Elias, to +John the Baptist. + +As to his conduct to the woman, it was the conduct of a mild, and +merciful man, but not that of one who declared, "that he came to +fulfil the law." For God commanded concerning such, "that they +should surely be put to death." Now though Jesus was not her +judge, and had no right to pronounce her sentence; yet the +contrivance by which he deterred the witness from testifying +against her, was a contrivence directly calculated totally to +frustrate the ends of justice; and which, if acted upon at this day, in +Christian countries, would infallibly prevent the execution of the +criminal law: For what testimony would be sufficient to prove a +fact, if the witnesses were required to be "without sin?" Instead, +therefore, of saying unto them, "whosoever of you is without sin, +let him cast the first stone at her;" he should have said, 'Men! who +made me a judge, or a ruler over you? carry the accused to the +proper tribunal.' + +As to his conduct about the matter of Elias, it was as follows. It is +said, in the 17th chapter of Matthew, that at his transfiguration, as +it is called, Moses, and Elias appeared to his disciples on the +mount, talking with Jesus. Upon coming down from the mount, the +disciples asked Jesus, "how say the scribes that Elias must come +first, (that is, before the Messiah.) Jesus answered, Elias truly +cometh first, and restoreth all things; but I say unto you, that Elias +has come already and they have done unto him what they would;" +meaning John the Baptist, who was beheaded by Herod. (See the +parallel place in Mark.) And he says concerning John, (Mat. vi. +14,) "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to +come." + +Now certainly no one will pretend that John was the Elias +prophecied of by Malachi, as to come before "the great, and +terrible day of the Lord," which has not yet taken place. And +besides, that he was not Elias is testified of, and confirmed by, +John himself, who in the gospel of John, chapter 1, to the question +of the Scribes, asking him, "if he was Elias?" answers "I am +not." It is pretty clear that Jesus was embarrassed by the question +of the Apostles, "how say the Scribes, that Elias must come first?" +for his answer is confused; for he allows the truth of the +observation of the Scribes, and then refers them to John, and +insinuates that he was "the Elias to come." However, it must be +acknowledged, that he does it with an air of hesitation, "If you +will receive it," &c. + +But are these all the accusations you have to bring against him? +may be said by some of my readers. Do you account as nothing, +his claiming to forgive sins? his speeches wherein ho claims to be +considered as an object of religious homage, if not to be God +himself? Do you consider these impieties as nothing? I answer by +asking--the following questions: What would you think of a man +who, in our times, should set up those extraordinary claims? and +who should assert, that "eating his flesh, and drinking his blood" +were necessary to secure eternal life? Who should say, that "he +and God were one?" and should affirm (as Jesus does in the last +chapters of John) that "God was inside of him, and dwelt in him; +and that "he who had seen him, had seen God?" What should we +think of this? Should we consider such a man an object of wrath, or +of pity? Should we not directly, and without hesitation, attribute +such extravagancies to hallucination of mind? Yes, certainly! and +therefore the Jews were to blame for crucifying Jesus. If Christians +had put to death every unfortunate, who after being frenzied by +religious fasting and contemplation, became wild enough to assert, +that he was Christ, or God the Father, or the Virgin Mary, or even +the Holy Trinity, they would have been guilty of more than fifty +murders; for I have read of at least as many instances of this +nature; and believe that more than two hundred such might be +reckoned up from the hospital records of Europe alone. And that +the founder of the Christian religion was not always in one +coherent consistent mind, I think will appear plain to every +intelligent physician who reads his discourses; especially those in +the gospel of John. They are a mixture of something that looks like +sublimity, strangely disfigured by wild, and incoherent words. So +unintelligible indeed, that even the profoundest of Christian +divines have never been able to fathom all their mysteries. To +prove that I do not say these things rashly, wickedly, or out of any +malignity towards the character of Jesus, which I really respect and +venerate, I will establish my assertions by examples. For +instance-- + +--Many instances might be adduced of conduct directly +subversive of the very design, to promote which, he said that he +was sent into the world. For example, he said that he came to +preach glad tidings to the poor, and uninformed; and yet he +declares to his disciples, that ho spake to this very multitude of +poor and ignorant people in parables, lest they might understand +him, and be converted from their sins, and God should heal, or +pardon them. In the 26th chapter of Matthew, Jesus says to his +disciples, in the garden at Gethsemane, these strange words, " +Sleep on now, and take your rest--Arise! let us be going," The +commentators endeavour to get rid of the strange contradictoriness +of these words, by turning the command into the future; and +rendering the Greek word translated "now" thus--"for the rest of +your time," or "for the future." And that he asked them "whether +they slept for the future"? which appears to be just as rational as +to have asked, "how they do to-morrow"?!! + +Jo. viii. 51, "Verily, verily.(said Jesus) I say unto you, if a man +keep my saying, he shall never see death "Reader, what dost thou +think of this saying? Has believing in the Christian religion, at all +prevented men from dying as in afore time? And should we be at +all astonished at what the Jews said to him, when they heard this +assertion--"Then said the Jews unto him. Now we know that thou +hast a demon [i. e. art mad.] Abraham is dead, and the Prophets, +and thou sayest if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of +death?" So said the Jews, and if in our times, a man was to make a +similar assertion, should we not say the same? + +Many instances might also be given of strange and inconsequent +reasoning; but I shall only adduce the following. He reproaches the +Pharisees, Luke xi. 47, 48, for building and adorning the +sepulchres of the Prophets, whom their wicked fathers slew; and +says to them, "Your fathers slew them, and ye build their +sepulchres," and he adds, "that thus they showed that they +approved the deeds of their fathers!" Surely this is absurd! Did +the Athenians by setting up a statue to Socrates after his unjust +death, show to the world that they "approved" the deed of them +who slew him? did it not show the direct contrary? and was it not +intended as a testimony of their regret, and repentance? + +Again, "Upon you (says Jesus to the Jews) shall come all the +righteous blood that has been shed upon the earth, from the blood +of Abel the righteous, to the blood of Zechariah," &c. Now, herein +is a marvellous thing! how could a man really sent from God, +assert to the Jews, that of them should be required the blood of +Abel, and of all the righteous slain upon the earth? Did the Jews +kill Abel? or did their fathers kill him? No! he was slain by Cain, +whose posterity all perished in the deluge; how then could God +require of the Jews who lived four thousand years after the murder, +the guilt of it; nay more, "of all the righteous blood that had been +shed upon the earth," were they guilty of all that too? If such +assertions, and such reasonings do not prove what I asserted, what +can? + +It is said, that Jesus, by giving himself up to suffer death, proved +the truth of his mission and doctrines, by his readiness to die for +them. But this is an argument which will recoil upon those who +advance it. Are there no instances upon record of mild, zealous, +and amiable men who preached to the savages of America that +they ought to worship the Virgin Mary? and did they not +cheerfully die by the most excruciating torments to prove it? Yes +certainly! and let any Protestant Christian read the accounts of the +preaching, sufferings, deaths, aye! and miracles too, of the Roman +Catholic missionaries in Asia, and America; and then let him +candidly answer whether he is willing to rest the issue of his +controversy with the Papists upon the argument of martyrdom? We +all know the power of enthusiasm upon a susceptible mind; and we +have read of, and perhaps sees, its effects in producing martyrdoms +among people of all religions, in all parts of the world. Nay, more, +such is the power of this principle, that even now, women in India +burn themselves alive on the funeral piles of their husbands, to +prove, as they say, their love for them, and their determination to +accompany them to the other world; when it is well known, that +they burn themselves from the impulse of vanity, and the fear of +disgrace, if they should not do so. Nay, more still, so little support +does martyrdom yield to truth, that there are more martyrdoms in +honour of the false, ridiculous, and abominable idols of Hindostan, +than any where else. You may see men hooked through the ribs, +and supported, and whirled round in the air in honour of their gods, +clapping their hands, and testifying pleasure, instead of crying out +with pain. You may see in that country, the misguided enthusiastic +worshippers of misshapen idols prostrate their bodied before the +enormous wheels of the car of Seeva, and piously suffering +themselves to be crushed in pieces by the rolling mass. And any +man who has been upon the banks of the Ganges, can tell you of +the Yoguis, and of their self-inflicted torments, compared to which, +even the cross is almost a bed of roses. Indeed the argument of +martyrdom will support any religion; and it has, in fact, been +cheerfully undergone by enthusiasts and zealots of all religions, in +testimony of the firm belief of the sufferers not only in the +absurdities of Popery, and Brachinanism, but of every, even +the most monstrous system that ever disgraced the human +understanding. There have been martyrs for Atheism itself. + +This argument of martyrdom has been more particularly applied to +the Apostles and first Christians. "How can it be imagined, (say +Christian Divines,) that simple men like the Apostles could be +induced to leave their employment, and wander up and down, to +teach the doctrines, and testify to the facts of the New Testament, +and expose themselves to persecution, imprisonment, scourging, +and untimely and violent death: unless they certainly knew, that +both the doctrines, and the facts were true? Besides, what honours, +what riches, could they expect to get by supporting false doctrine, +and false testimony?" + +To this argument 1 might reply as in the preceding pages, for I +would ask, have we not seen simple and honest men quit their +employments, and wander up and down to preach doctrines which +they not only had no means of certainly knowing to be true, but +which they did not even understand? Have we not seen such +men submit to deprivations of every kind, and exposed to +imprisonment, and the whipping post? And do we not certainly +know that some such have cheerfully suffered a most cruel death? + +Is it possible that any sensible man, after reading the History of the +Roman Catholic Missionaries, the Baptists, the Quakers, and the +Methodists, can be convinced of the certain truth of the Christian +religion, or seriously endeavour to convince another of it, by such +an argument as the above? + +But, much more than this can be said upon this topic; for it can be +shown, that the Apostles in preaching Christianity, did not suffer +near so much as some well meaning enthusiasts in modern times +have suffered, to propagate religious tenets, notoriously false and +absurd. And that the Apostles could expect to get neither fame, nor +honour, nor riches by their preaching is doubtful. This is certain +that they could not lose much. For they were confessedly men of +the lowest rank in society, and of great poverty--poor fishermen, +who could not feel a very great regard for their own dignity, or +respectability. And it was by no means a small thing for such men +to be considered as divine Apostles, and "in exchange for +heavenly things," to have the earthly possessions of their converts +laid at their feet. Peter left his nets, his boat, and boorish +companions, and after persuading his disciples to receive his words +for oracles, go where he would, he found ample hospitality from +them. This, at least, was an advantageous change, and though they +did not acquire fame, or respect from the higher ranks of society, +they were at least had in great respect by their followers. Neither +George Fox, nor Whitfield, nor Westley were honoured by the +nobility, or gentry, or scholars of England; nor Ann Lee, by the +most respectable citizens of the United States. Yet among their +disciples, the Quakers, the Methodists, and the Shakers they were +held by the most implicit veneration and can any man believe that +they did not think themselves thus well payed for the trouble of +making converts? + +It is true that the Apostles did not acquire riches, for they were +conversant only with the poor. But neither had they any to lose, by +taking up the profession of Apostles, and Preachers. At least by +preaching the gospel, they obtained food, and clothing, and +contributions; as is evident from many places in the Epistles, +where they write to their converts, "It is written, 'thou shalt not +muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn;'" and Paul tells them, +that they must not think from this place, that God takes care for +oxen, "for, (says he,) it was undoubtedly written for our sakes." +Thus we see that the gospel was by no means altogether +unprofitable, and many men daily risk their lives for less gain than +the Apostles did. + +As to the dangers to which it is said they exposed themselves, they +had none to fear, except in Judea, which they quickly quitted, +finding the Jews too stubborn, and went to the Greeks. From the +Greeks, and likewise from the Romans, they had not much to fear, +who were not very difficult or scrupulous in admitting new gods, +and new modes of worship. Besides this, the Romans for a great +while seem to have considered the Christians merely as a Jewish +sect who differed from the rest of the Jews in matters not worth +notice; as is to be gathered from Tacitus and Suetonius. And if the +Apostles did speak against the Pagan gods, it was no more than +what the Roman poets and philosophers did; and the magistrates +were not then very severe about it. And it is evident from the Acts +of the Apostles, that the Roman praetors considered the +accusations against Paul and his companions, as mere trifles. But +in Judea, where the danger was evident, it was otherwise. When +Paul was in peril there, on account of his transgressions against the +law, after being delivered from the Jews by the Roman garrison at +Jerusalem, he pleaded before Festus and Agrippa, that he was +falsely accused by the Jews; and he asserted that he had taught +nothing against the Law of Moses, and his country, but that he only +preached about the resurrection of the dead; and that it was for this +that the Jews persecuted him; and ended by appealing to Caesar. +When yet he knew that this was not the reason of the hatred of the +Jew against him; but that it was because he taught that +circumcision, and the Law of Moses were abolished, and no longer +binding: which is evident to any one who will read the Acts, and +the Epistle to the Galatians. So you see by what manoeuvre he got +out of the difficulty: first, by at least equivocating, and then by +refusing to be tried by his own countrymen, and appealing to +Caesar; thus securing himself a safe conduct out of Judea, which +was too dangerous for him. Among the Gentiles, their doctrine had +a better chance of success, for they taught them marvellous +doctrines, such as they had been accustomed to listen to, viz. how +the Son of God was born of a virgin, and was cruelly put to death; +and that his Divine Father raised him from the dead. The idea of +God's having a son of a woman did not shock them, for all their +demigods they believed had been so begotten; and a great part of +their poems are filled with the exploits and the sufferings of these +heroes, who are at length rewarded by being raised from earth to +heaven, as Jesus is said to have been. These doctrines were not +disrelished by the common people, but were rejected by the wise +and learned. Accordingly we see that Paul could make nothing of +the philosophers of Athens, who derided him, and considered him +as telling them a story similar to those of their own mythology, +when he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. And in +revenge, we see Paul railing against both the stubborn Jews, and +the incorrigible philosophers, as being unworthy of knowing "the +hidden wisdom," which was to the one "a stumbling block," and +to the other, "foolishness," and which he thought fit only for "the +babes," and "the devout women," with whom he principally dealt. + +That the New Testament inculcates an excellent morality, cannot +be denied; for its best moral precepts were taken from the Old +Testament. And if the Apostles had not preached good morals, how +could they have expected to be considered by the Gentiles +as messengers from God? For if they had inculcated any +immoralities, such as rebellion, murder, adultery, robbery, revenge, +their mission would not only have been disbelieved, but they +would have undergone capital punishment by the sentence of the +judge, which it was their business to avoid. Mahomet, throughout +the Koran, inculcates all the virtues, and pointedly reprobates vice +of all kinds. His morality is merely the precepts of the Old and +New Testaments, modified a little, and expressed in Arabic. They +are good precepts, and always to be listened to with respect, +wherever, and by whomsoever, inculcated. But surely that will not +prove Islamism to be from God, nor that Mahomet was his +prophet! + +That the Apostles suffered death on account of their preaching the +gospel, if allowed to be fact, as said before, proves nothing. Many +have suffered death for false and absurd doctrines. "But whether +any of the Apostles, (besides James who was slain by Herod,) died +a natural, or a violent death, the learned Christians do not certainly +know. For there is extant no authentic history of the Apostles, +besides the Acts. There are indeed many fabulous narrations +published by the Papists, called Martyrologies, stuffed with the +most extravagant lies, which no learned man now regards; and who +therefore will credit what such books say of the Apostles? Peter is +said in them to have been put to death at Rome by Nero, +nevertheless most of the learned men of the Protestants assert, that +Peter never was in Rome, and as for Paul, no one certainly knows +where, when, or how ho finished his days. So that if we were even +to allow the feeble argument of Martyrdom, all the influence and +weight given to it, it would not apply to the Apostles, who, we are +sure, derived some benefit, by preaching the gospel, and are not +sure that they came to any harm by it. + +I will conclude this long chapter, by laying before my reader some +extracts from the book written by Celsus, a heathen philosopher, +against Christianity, preserved by Origen in his work against +Celsus. That the entire work of Celsus is lost, is to be regretted; as +he appears to have been a man of observation, though too sarcastic +to please a fair inquirer; and from the picture given by him of the +first Christians, their maxims, and their modes of teaching, and the +subjects they chose for converts, it appears, that they were the +exact prototypes of the Methodists and Shakers of the present day, +both sects which contain excellent people, with hardly any fault +but credulity. + +"If they (i. e. the teachers of Christianity,) say 'do not examine,' +and the like: it is however incumbent on them to teach what those +things are which they assert, and whence they are derived." + +"Wisdom in life is a bad thing, but folly is good." + +"Why should Jesus, when an infant, be carried into Egypt, lest he +should be murdered? God should not fear being put to death." + +"You say that God was sent to sinners: but why not to those who +are free from sin? What harm is it not to have sinned? + +"You encourage sinners, because you are not able to persuade any +really good men: therefore you open the doors to the most wicked +and abandoned." + +"Some of them say 'do not examine, but believe, and thy faith +shall gave thee.'" + +"These are our institutions, say they, let not any man of learning +come here, nor any wise man, nor any man of prudence: for these +things are reckoned evil by us. But whoever is unlearned, ignorant, +and silly, let him come without fear! Thus they own that they can +gain only the foolish, the vulgar, the stupid slaves, women, and +children." + +"At first, when they were but few, they agreed. But when they +became a multitude, they were rent, again and again, and each will +have their own factions: for factious spirits they had from the +beginning." + +"All wise men are excluded from the doctrine of their faith; they +call to it only fools, and men of a servile spirit." + +"The preachers of their divine word only attempt to persuade silly, +mean, senseless persons, slaves, women, and children. What harm +is there in being well-informed; and both in being, and appearing a +man of knowledge? What obstacle can this be to the knowledge of +God? Must it not be an advantage?" + +"We see these Itinerants shewing readily their tricks to the vulgar, +but not approaching the assemblies of wise men, nor daring there +to show themselves. But wherever they see boys, a crowd of +slaves, and ignorant men, there they thrust in themselves, and show +off their doctrine." + +"You may see weavers, tailors, and fullers, illiterate and rustic +men, not daring to utter a word before persons of age, experience, +and respectability; but when they get hold of boys privately, and +silly women, they recount wonderful things; that they must not +mind their fathers, or their tutors, but obey them; as their fathers, +or guardians are quite ignorant, and in the dark; but themselves +alone have the true wisdom. And if the children obey them, they +pronounce them happy, and direct them to leave their fathers, and +tutors, and go with the women, and their play-fellows, into the +chambers of the females, or into a tailor's, or fuller's shop, that +they may learn perfection." + +Celsus compares a Christian teacher to a quack--"who promises +to heal the sick, on condition that they keep from intelligent +practitioners, lest his ignorance be detected." + +"If one sort of them introduces one doctrine, another another, and +all join in saying, 'Believe if you would be saved, or depart:' what +are they to do, who desire really to be saved? Are they to +determine by the throw of a die, where they are to turn themselves, +or which of these demanders of implicit faith they are to believe." + +Omitting what Celsus says reproachfully of the moral characters of +the Apostles, and the first teachers of Christianity, for which we +certainly shall not take his word; it is easy to perceive from the +above quotations, that they had more success among simple, and +credulous people, than among the intelligent, and well-informed. +Their introductory lesson to their pupils, was, "Believe, but do not +examine;" and their succeeding instructions seem to have been a +continued repetition, and practice of the dogma of implicit faith*. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +MISCELLANEOUS + +In Matthew, ch. v. Jesus says, "ye have heard that it was said, that +shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.'" But this is no +where said in the Law, or the Prophets; but, on the contrary, we +read directly the reverse. For it is written, Ex. xxiii. "If thou find +the ox of thine enemy or his ass going astray, thou shalt certainly +bring him back to him." "If thou meet the ass of him that hateth +thee, lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, +thou shalt surely help him." Again, Levit. xix. "Thou shalt not +hate thy brother in thine heart; rebuke thy neighbour, nor suffer sin +upon him. Thou shalt not revenge, nor keep anger, (or bear any +grudge,) against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy +neighbour as thyself; I am the Lord." So also in Prov. xxxiv. " +When thine enemy falleth, do not triumph, and when he stumbleth, +let not thine heart exult." So also in ch. xxv. "If thy enemy hunger, +give him food; if he thirst, give him to drink." These precepts are +to the purpose, and are practicable; but this command of Jesus, " +Love your enemies," if by loving he means, "do them good," it is +commanded in the above passages in the Hebrew Law. But if by " +love," he means to look upon them with the same affection that we +feel for those who love us, and with whom we are connected by the +tenderest ties of mature, and friendship, the command is +impracticable; and the fulfillment of it contrary to nature, and +those very instincts given us by our Creator. And therefore, +whoever thinks he fulfills, really fulfills this command, does in fact +play the hypocrite unknown to himself; for though we can, and +ought to do good to our enemy, yet to love him is as unnatural as to +hate our friends. + +In Mark ch. ii. 25, Jesus says to the Pharisees, "Have ye not read +what David did when he hungered, and those that were with him. +How that he entered into the house of the Lord, in the time of +Abiathar the High Priest, and did eat of the shew-bread, &c." See +the same also in Matthew, ch. xii. 3. Luke vi. 3. Now here is a +great blunder; for this thing happened in the time of Achimelech, +not in the time of Abiathar; for so it is written, 1 Sam. xxi. "And +David came to Nob, to Achimelech the Priest, &c." And in the 22d +chapter it is said that Abiathar was his son. + +In Luke ch. i. 26, The angel Gabriel is said to have come from God +to Mary, when she was yet a virgin, espoused to Joseph, who was +of the house of David, and announced to her that she should +conceive, and bear a son, and should call his name Jesus; that her +holy offspring should be called the Son of God, and that God +should give unto him "the throne of David his father, and that he +should rule the house of Jacob for ever, and that to his kingdom +there should be no end." Now this story is encumbered with many +difficulties, which I shall not consider; but confine myself to +asking wherefore, if these things were true, did not the Mother of +Jesus? and his brethren, knowing these extraordinary things, obey +his teachings. For it is certain, that they did not at first believe him, +but, as appears from the 7th chap. of John, derided him. Besides, +neither did his mother nor his brethren, when they came to the +house where he was preaching to simple and credulous men, come +for the purpose of being edified, but "to lay hold of him," to carry +him home, for said they he is mad, or "beside himself [Mark iii. +24] which certainly they would not have dared to do, if this story +of Luke's were true. For their mother would have taught them of +his miraculous conception, and extraordinary character. Moreover, +how was it that God did not give him the throne of David, as was +promised by the Angel to his Mother? For he did not sit upon the +throne of David, nor exercise any authority in Israel. Moreover, +how comes it that David is called the Father of Jesus, since Jesus +was not the son of Joseph, who, according to the Evangelists drew +his origin from that king. Finally, the saying "that to his kingdom +there should be no end," is directly contradicted by Paul in the 1st +Epis. to the Cor. ch. xv: for he says therein, that "Jesus shall +render up his kingdom unto the Father, and be himself subject unto +him." Here you see, that the kingdom of Jesus is to have an end; +for when he renders up his kingdom to the Father, he certainly +must divest himself of his authority. How then can it be said, that " +to his kingdom there shall be no end? + +Jesus says, John v. 39, "And the Father himself which hath sent +me, hath borne witness of me; ye have neither heard his voice at +any time," &c. But how does this agree with Moses, who says, +Deut. iv. 33, "Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out +of the midst of fire, as thou hast heard?"--"And we heard his +voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day, that God +doth talk with man, and he liveth." Deut. v. 24. + +Luke, ch. 4, 17, "And they gave to Jesus the Book of Isaiah the +Prophet, and he opened the Book, and found this place, where it +was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, therefore hath he +anointed me to preach the Gospel; to the poor hath he sent me, that +I should bind up the broken in heart, proclaim liberty to the +captives, and sight to the blind; that I should preach the acceptable +year of the Lord.' And shutting the Book, he gave it to the +minister, and afterwards addressed them, saying 'This day is this +Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Here you see the words which +gave offence; and by turning to Is. in loco. ch. lxi. you may see the +reason why the inhabitants of Nazareth arose up in wrath against +him. For these words alledged in Luke, are somewhat perverted +from the original in Isaiah; for these words, "and sight to the +blind," are not in Isaiah, but are inserted in Luke for purposes very +obvious. And 2. he neglects the words following, "and the day of +vengeance of our God, and of consolation to all who mourn. To +give consolation to the mourners of Zion; to give them beauty +instead of ashes, and the oil of joy instead of grief; a garment of +praise instead of a broken heart," &c. to the end of the chapter. +From this it is very clear, that this prophecy has no reference to +Jesus: but Isaiah speaks these things of himself; and the words " +the Lord hath anointed me," signify, "God hath chosen, +established me to declare"--what follows. This exposition of +anointing is confirmed from these passages;--1 Kings, xix ch. + +"Anoint a prophet in thy stead," where the sense is, "constitute a +prophet in thy place." Again, "touch not mine anointed ones, and +do my prophets no harm," i. e. "Touch not my chosen servants"; +and so in several other places. The meaning, therefore, of Isaiah is, +that God had appointed, and constituted him a prophet to announce +these consolations to the Israelites, who were to be in captivity, in +order that they should not dispair of liberation; and that they +should have hope, when they read those comfortable words spoken +by the mouth of Isaiah, at the command of God. For he calls the +subjects of his message "the broken in heart," "the captives," " +the mourners of Zion," &c. all which terms are applicable only to +the Israelites. That this is the true interpretation, will be made +further evident to any impartial person, by reading the context +preceding, and following. + +Jo. ch. ii. v. 18. "The Jews said to Jesus, what sign showest thou to +us, that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto +them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The +Jews answered, saying, forty and six years was this temple in +building, and wilt thou build it in three days?" The Jews could +never have spoken these words, here related; for the temple then +standing was built by Herod, who reigned but thirty-seven years, +and built it in eight years. This, therefore, must be a blunder of the +Evangelist's. + +Jo. xiii. v. 21. Jesus says to his Disciples, "a new commandment I +give unto you, that ye love one another." This is not true, for the +love of man towards his neighbour, was not a new precept, but at +least as ancient as Moses, who gives it, Levit. xix. as the command +of God, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." + +Acts vii. v. 4. "When he (Abraham) went out of the land of the +Chaldees, he dwelt in Charran; from thence after his father was +dead, he led him into this land in which ye dwell." This directly +contradicts the chapter in Genesis where the story of Abraham's +leaving Haran is related; for it is certain from thence, that Abraham +left his father Terah in Haran alive, when he departed thence. And +he did not die till many years afterwards. This chronological +contradiction has given much trouble to Christian Commentators, +as may be seen in Whitby, Hammond, &c. &c. + +V. 14, Stephen says, "Jacob therefore descended into Egypt, and +our Fathers, and there died. And they were carried to Sichem, and +buried in the sepulchre which Abraham bought from the Sons of +Hemor the Father of Sichem." Here is another blunder; for this +piece of land was not purchased by Abraham, but by Jacob. Gen. +xlix. 29; so also see the end of Joshua. But it is evident, that +Stephen has confounded the story of the purchase of the field of +Machpelah, recorded in Gen. xxiii. with the circumstances related +concerning the purchase by Jacob. + +In v. 43 of the same chapter, there is another disagreement between +Stephen's quotation from Amos, and the original. [In the Acts the +quotation is,--"Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and +the Star of your God. Remphan, figures which ye made to worship +them, and I will carry you away beyond Babylon." In Amos, ch. v. +26--"But ye have borne the tabernacle of Moloch and Chinn your +images, the Star of your God which ye made," &c.] + +So also there is in the speech of James, Acts xv. a quotation from +Amos, in which to make it fit the subject, (which after all it does +not fit,) is the substitution of the words, "the remnant of men," for +the words, "remnant of Edom," as it is in the original. + +All these mistakes, besides others to be met with in almost--I was +going to say in every page, of these Histories of Jesus and his +Apostles, sufficiently show how superficial was the acquaintance +of these men with the Old Testament, and how grossly, either +through design or ignorance, they have perverted it. Indeed from +these mistakes alone, I should be led strongly to suspect, that the +Books of the New Testament were written by Gentiles, as I can +hardly conceive that any Jew could have quoted his Bible in such a +blundering manner. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +WHETHER THE MOSAIC LAW BE REPRESENTED IN THE +OLD TESTAMENT AS A TEMPORARY, OR A PERPETUAL +INSTITUTION. + +A very great part of Dogmatic Theology among Christians is +founded upon the notion that the Jewish Law was a temporary +dispensation, only to exist till the coming of Jesus, when it was to +be superseded by a more perfect dispensation. + +On the contrary, the Jews are persuaded that their Law is of +perpetual obligation, and the Doctrine of the Trinity itself is hardly +more offensive to them, and, as they think, more contradictory to +the Scriptures, than the notion of the abrogation of it. Now, that the +Jews are on the right side of this question, i. e., arguing from the +Old Testament, I shall endeavour to prove by several arguments. +They are all comprised in these positions, 1. That the Mosaic +Institutions are most solemnly, and repeatedly declared to be +perpetual; and we have no account of their being abrogated, or to +be abrogated in the Old Testament. 2. They are declared to be +perpetual by Jesus himself, and were adhered to by the twelve +apostles. + +1. Nothing can be more expressly asserted in the Old Testament +than the perpetual obligation of those rites which were to +distinguish the Jews from other nations. It appears, for instance, +(from the 17th ch. of Genesis,) in the tenor of the covenant made +with Abraham, that circumcision was to distinguish his posterity, +to the end of time. It is called "an everlasting covenant" to be kept +by his posterity through all their generations. See the ch. where the +condition of the covenant is, that God would give to Abraham and +his posterity, the perpetual inheritance of the promised land with +whatever privileges were implied in his being their God, on +condition that their male children were circumcised in testimony of +putting themselves under that covenant. There is no limitation with +respect to time; nay it is expressly said that the covenant should be +perpetual. + +The ordinance of the Passover is also said to be perpetual, Ex. xii. +14, &c. "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and you +shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. +You shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." This is repeated +afterwards, and the observance of this rite is confined to Israelites, +Proselytes, and slaves who should be circumcised, v. 48. + +The observance of the Sabbath was never to be discontinued, Ex. +xxxi. 16. "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath +throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign +between me and the children of Israel for ever." + +The appointment of the Family of Aaron to be Priests, was to +continue as long as the Israelites should be a nation. See Lev. vii. +35. + +The Feast of Tabernacles was to be forever. Lev. xxiii. 41. "It +shall be a statute for ever, in your generations." The observance of +this Festival is particularly mentioned in the prophecies, which +foretell a future settlement of the Jews in their own land, as +obligatory on all the world; as if an union of worship at Jerusalem +was to be, according to them, effected among all nations by the +united observance of this Festival there, see Zech. 14; what he +there says is confirmed by what Isaiah prophecied concerning the +same period. Is. 2. "It shall come to pass in the last days, that the +mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the +mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations +shall flow unto it. And many people shall go, and say, Come ye, +and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the +God of Jacob, and He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk +in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word +of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, +and rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into +ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation. shall not +lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any +more." + +With respect to all the Laws of Moses, it is evident from the +manner in which they were promulgated, that they were intended +to be of perpetual obligation upon the Hebrew nation, and that by +the observance of them they were to be distinguished from the +other nations, see Deut. xxvi. 16. + +The observance of their peculiar Laws was the express condition +on which the Israelites were to continue in possession of the +promised land; and though on account of their disobedience they +were to be driven out of it, they had the strongest assurances given +them that they should never be utterly destroyed, like many other +nations who should oppress them; but that on their repentance God +would gather them from the remote parts of the world, and bring +them to their own country again. And both Moses, and the later +Prophets assure them, that in consequence of their becoming +obedient to God in all things, which it is asserted they will, (and +which may be the natural consequence of the discipline they will +have gone through,) they shall be continued in the peaceable +enjoyment of the land of promise, in its greatest extent to the end +of time. See to this purpose Deut. iv. 25, &c.; also. Deut. 30, +where it is thus written. + +"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon +thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and +shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the Lord thy +God hath driven thee; and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and +shall obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, +thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; that, +then, the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have +compassion upon thee, and will return, and gather thee from all the +nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of +thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence +will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch +thee. And the Lord thy God will bring thee unto the Land which +thy Fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it, and He will do +thee good, and multiply thee above thy Fathers. And the Lord thy +God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the +Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou +mayest live; and the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon +thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. +And thou shalt return, and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all +his commandments which I command thee this day." &c. + +"What an extent of prophecy, and how firm a faith in the whole of +it do we see here! (says Dr. Priestly.) The Israelites were not then +in the land of Canaan. It was occupied by nations far more +numerous, and powerful than they; and yet it is distinctly foretold +in the 4th ch. that they would soon take possession of it, and +multiply in it: and that afterwards they would offend God by their +idolatry, and wickedness, and would in con-sequence of it be +driven out of their country; and without being exterminated or +lost, be scattered among the nations of the world; that by this +dispersion, and their calamities, they would at length be reformed, +and restored to the divine favour, and that then (as in the quotation) +in the latter days they would be gathered from all nations, and +restored to their own country, when they would observe all the +laws which were then prescribed to them. Past history, and present +appearances, correspond with such wonderful exactness to what +has been fulfilled of this prophecy, that we can have no doubt with +respect to the complete accomplishment of what remains to be +fulfilled of it." + +What was first announced by Moses, is repeated by Isaiah and +other prophets, assuring them of their certain return wherever +dispersed, to their own land in the latter days; and that they should +have the undisturbed possession of it to the end of time. + +It has been objected, that the term "for ever" is not always to be +understood in its greatest extant, but is to be interpreted according +to circumstances. This for the sake of saving time I will +acknowledge. But the circumstances in which this phrase is used in +the passages already adduced, and in a number of others of similar +import which might be adduced, clearly indicate, that it is to be +understood in those passages to mean a period as long as the +duration of the Israelitish nation, which elsewhere is said to +continue to the end of the world. + +For this reason, among others, this final return of the Jews from +their present dispersed state, cannot at any rate be said to have +been accomplished at their return from the Babylonish captivity. + +For that captivity was not by any means such a total dispersion of +the people among all nations, as Moses, and the later prophets +have foretold. Nor does their possession of the country subsequent +to it, at all correspond to that state of peace, and prosperity, which +was promised to succeed this final return. + +Figures of speech must, no doubt, be allowed for. But if the whole +of the Jewish polity was to terminate at the destruction of +Jerusalem by Titus, (as is maintained by Christians,) while the +world is still to continue, the magnificent promises made to +Abraham, and his posterity, and to the nation, in general, +afterwards, have never had any proper accomplishment of all. +Because with respect to external prosperity, which is contained in +the promises, many nations have hitherto been more distinguished +by God, than the Jews. Hitherto the posterity of Ishmael has had a +much happier lot than that of Isaac. To say, as Christians do, that +these prophecies have had a spiritual accomplishment in the spread +of the Gospel, when there is nothing in the phraseology in which +the promises are expressed, that could possibly suggest any such +ideas, nay, when the promise itself in the most definite language +expresses the contrary, is so arbitrary a construction as nothing +can warrant. By this mode of interpretation, any event may be said +to be the fulfillment of any prophecy whatever. + +Besides, it is perfectly evident, that these prophecies, whether they +will be fulfilled, or not, cannot yet have been fulfilled. For all the +calamity that was ever to befall the Jewish nation is expressly said +to bear no sensible proportion to their subsequent prosperity: +whereas, their prosperity has hitherto borne a small proportion to +their calamity; so that had Abraham really foreseen the fate of his +posterity, he would on this idea, have had little reason to rejoice in +the prospect. + +It may be said, that the prosperity of the descendants of Abraham, +was to depend on a condition, viz., their obedience, and that this +condition was not fulfilled. But, besides that the Divine Being must +have foreseen this circumstance, and therefore must have known +that he was only tantalizing Abraham with a promise which would +never be accomplished; this disobedience, and the consequences of +it are expressly mentioned by Moses, and the other Prophets, only +as a temporary thing, and what was to be succeeded by an effectual +repentance, and perpetual obedience, and prosperity. + +Among others, let the following prophecy of Isaiah (in which the +future security of Israel is compared to the security of the world +from a second deluge) be considered, and let any impartial person +say, whether the language does not necessarily lead those who +believe the Old Testament, to the expectation of a much more +durable state of Glory, and Happiness, than has, as yet, fallen to the +lot of the posterity of Abraham. + +Is. 54, 7. "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great +mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee +for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on +thee, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of +Noah unto me. For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should +no more go over the earth, go have I sworn, that I would not be +wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall [or +"may"] depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not +depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be +removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.--All thy +children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of +thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established. Thou shalt +be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for +it shall not come nigh thee. No weapon formed against thee, shall +prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, +thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the +Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." + +Here, as also in Moses, and other Prophets, an establishment in +righteousness is promised to the Israelites, such as shall secure +their future prosperity; and this promise has not yet been fulfilled. +The promise of future virtue as connected with their future +happiness, is also clearly expressed in Jer. ch. iii. 18. + +Had the Jewish nation become extinct, or likely to become so, it +might, with some plausibility, have been said by Christians, that +the purposes of God concerning them were actually fulfilled, and, +therefore, that the words of the promise must have had some other +signification than that which was most obvious. But the Jews are as +much a distinct people as they ever were, and therefore seem +reserved for some future strange destination. + +On the whole, it must be allowed, that the settlement of Israel in +the land of Canaan, foretold with such emphasis by the Prophets, is +a settlement which has not yet taken place, but may take place in +that period so frequently, and so emphatically, distinguished by the +title of "the latter days;" and therefore that whatever is said of +Jewish customs, or modes of worship in "the latter days?" is a +proof of the meant restoration of their ancient religious rites. + +That the institutions of the Mosaic Law are to be continued on the +restoration of the Jews to their own land after their utter dispersion, +is asserted by Moses himself in one of the passages already quoted; +but is more clearly expressed by the subsequent Prophets. In some +of their prophecies, particular mention is made of the observance +of Jewish festivals, and of sacrifices; and in Ezechiel we find a +description of a magnificent Temple, which being closely +connected with his prophecy of the future happy state of the +Israelites in their own land, cannot be understood of any other than +a Temple which is then, according to the Hebrew Prophets, to be +reared with greater magnificence than ever. Mention is also made +of "the Glory of the Lord," or that effulgent Shechinah which was +the symbol of the divine presence, filling this Temple, as it did that +of Solomon. + +Ezech. xliii. 1, &c. "Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the +gate that looketh toward the East; and behold the glory of the Lord +came from the way of the East, and his voice was like the noise of +many waters, and the Earth shined with his Glory.--And the Glory +of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate, whose +prospect is toward the East. So the Spirit took me up, and brought +me into the inner court, and behold the Glory of the Lord filled the +house.--And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my +Throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in +the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name shall +the house of Israel no more defile," &c. + +Towards the end of the same chapter we read an account of the +dedication of this new Temple by sacrifices; and particular +directions are given in the succeeding chapters for the Priests, and +for the Prince. If, therefore, there be any truth in these prophecies, +the Jews are not only to return to their own country, and to be +distinguished among the nations, but are to rebuild the Temple, and +to restore the ancient worship. + +Having proved that the Old Testament declares the perpetuity of +the Mosaic Law, I proceed, 2dly, to prove that it is declared to be +perpetual by Jesus himself. + +But before I adduce my proofs, I beg leave to premise, that when +any Law is solemnly enacted, we expect that the abrogation of it +should be equally solemn, and express, in order that no room for +dispute may remain upon the subject. Accordingly, it is the +custom, I believe, in all countries, not to make any new Law, +contradictory to another before subsisting, without a previous +express abrogation of the old one. And certainly it appears to me a +strange notion to suppose, that the elaborate and noble Law given +from mount Sinai amidst circumstances unexampled, awful, and +tremendously magnificent, and believed to have been declared by +the voice of God to be a perpetual and everlasting Code, should +vanish, perish, and be annihilated by the mere dictum of twelve +fishermen!! + +But the fact is otherwise, for Jesus was so far from teaching the +abrogation of that law, that he expressly says--" Think not that I +am come to destroy the law, or the Prophets, I am not come to +destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and +earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, +till all be fulfilled." This is a most explicit declaration that not the +smallest punctilio in the law of Moses was intended to be set aside +by the Gospel. Nay more, he expressly commanded his disciples to +the same purpose--"The Scribes and Pharisees (says he,) sit in +Moses' seat; all therefore whatsoever they command you, that +observe, and do." + +It is said in answer to this by Christian Divines, that his discourse +relates to things of a moral nature, and that he only meant, that no +part of the Moral Law was to be abolished. But besides that the +expression is general, there could be no occasion to make so +solemn a declaration against what he could not have been +suspected of intending, viz. of abolishing the moral law. He seems +in his discourse to have had in view the additions that had been +made to the law. These he sets aside, but no part of the original law +itself. + +It has also been urged that by fulfilling, may be meant such an +accomplishment of it as would imply the superseding of it when +the purposes for which it was instituted should be answered. To +silence this explication it will be sufficient to produce a few out of +many passages of the New Testament where the term fulfil occurs +in connexion with the term law. Thus Paul says, Gal. v. 14, "All +the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy +neighbour as thyself," and again. Rom. xiii. 8, "He that loveth +another, hath fulfilled the law." But certainly, notwithstanding this +fulfilment of the moral law, it remains in as full force as ever. + +The Apostles understood Jesus to mean as we have asserted. For it +is evident from the Acts, that the Christians at Jerusalem were +zealous in attachment to the law of Moses; this is evident from +their surprise at Peter's conduct with regard to Cornelius; and in +the dispute about imposing circumcision upon the Gentiles; +observe there was no dispute about its being obligatory upon Jews. + +Paul was indeed vehemently accused of teaching a contrary +doctrine, as we find in the history of the transactions respecting +him in his last journey to Jerusalem. Acts xxi. 21," They (i. e. the +Christians) are informed of thee (says James to Paul) that thou +teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles, to forsake +Moses, saying that they ought not to circumscise their children, +neither to walk after the custom." Here James gives Paul to +understand that he considered the report as a calumny, and +accordingly, to convince the Jewish Christians that it was a false +report, he advises Paul to be at charges with some Jewish +Christians, who were under a vow of Nazaritism, (which is an +instance in point to prove that the first Christians kept the law,) and +thus publicly manifest that he himself "walked orderly, and kept +the law." Paul complies with this advice, and purified himself in +the temple, and did what was done in like cases by the strictest +Jews. He also circumcised Timothy, who was a convert to +Christianity, because he was the son of a Jewish Mother. And he +solemnly declared in open court. Acts xxv. 8, "Against the law of +the Jews, neither against the Temple, have I offended any thing at +all," and again, to the Jews at Rome, Acts xxviii., 7, he assures +them that "he had done nothing against the people, or the customs +of the fathers." + +But some men will say," did not Paul expressly teach the +abrogation of the law, in his Epistles, especially in that to the +Galatians?" I answer, he undoubtedly did; and in so doing he +contradicted the Old Testament, his master Jesus, the twelve +Apostles, and himself too. But how can this be? I answer, it is +none of my concern to reconcile the conduct of Paul; or to defend +his equivocations. It is pretty clear, that he did not dare to preach +this doctrine at Jerusalem. He confined this "hidden wisdom," to +the Gentiles. To the Jews he became as a Jew; and to the +uncircumcised as one uncircumcised, he was "all things to all +men!" and for this conduct he gives you his reason, viz. "that he +was determined at any rate to gain some." If this be double +dealing, dissimulation, and equivocation, I cannot help it; it is none +of my concern, I leave it to the Commentators, and the +reconciliators, the disciples of Surenhusius; let them look to it; +perhaps they can hunt up some "traditionary rules of interpretation +among the Jews," that will help them to explain the matter. + +Lastly, it has been said that there was no occasion for Jesus, or his +Apostles to be very explicit with respect to the abolition of the +laws of Moses, since the Temple was to be soon destroyed, when +the Jewish worship would cease of course. + +This argument, flimsy as it is, is nevertheless the instar omnium of +the Christian Divines to prove the abolishment of this Law: (for the +other arguments adduced by them as prophecies of it from the 1 +ch. of Isaiah, and some of the Psalms, are nothing, to the purpose; +they being merely declarations of God, that he preferred obedience +in the weightier matters of the Law; Justice, Mercy, and Holiness, +to ceremonial observances; and that repentance was of more avail +with him than offering thousands of rams, and fed beasts,) and this +argument like so many others, when weighed in the balance, will +be "found wanting." + +For, as the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar certainly +did not abolish the Law, so neither did the destruction by Titus, do +it. And as it would be notoriously absurd to maintain the first, so it +is equally so to maintain the last, position. Besides, a very +considerable part of that Law can be, and for these seventeen +hundred years, has been kept without the Temple. As for example, +circumcision, distinction of meats, and many others. And when, if +ever, they shall return to their own land, and rebuild the Temple, +they will then, according to the Old Testament, observe the whole, +and with greater splendour than ever. + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ON THE CHARACTER OF PAUL AND HIS MANNER OF +REASONING. + + +As Christians lay great stress upon their argument for the truth of +their Religion, derived from the supposed miraculous conversion +of Paul; and since almost the whole of Systematic Christianity is +built upon the foundation of the Epistles ascribed to him, we shall +pay a little more attention to his character and writings. + +Paul was evidently a man of no small capacity, a fiery temper, +great subtilty, and considerably well versed in Jewish Traditionary, +and Cabbalistic Learning, and not unacquainted with the principles +of the Philosophy called the "Oriental." He is said by Luke to have +been converted to Christianity by a splendid apparition of Jesus, +who struck him to the ground by the glory of his appearance. But +by the Jews and the Nazarene Christians, he is represented as +having been converted to Christianity from a different cause. They +say that being a man of tried abilities and of some note, he +demanded the High Priest's daughter in marriage, and being +refused, his rash and rageful temper, and a desire of revenge, drove +him to join the "sect of the Nazarenes," at that time beginning to +become troublesome to the Sanhedrim. However this may be, +whether he became a Christian from conviction, or from ambition; +it is certain from the Acts that he always was considered by the +Jewish Christians, as a suspected character; and it is evident that he +taught a different doctrine from that promulgated by the twelve +apostles. And this was the true cause of the great difficulty he was +evidently under of keeping steady to him, his Gentile converts. For +it is evident from the Epistles to the Galatians, and the Corinthians, +that the Jewish Christians represented Paul to them as not "sound +in the Faith," but as teaching a different doctrine from that of the +Twelve, and so influential were these representations, that Paul had +the greatest difficulty in keeping them to his System. + +That there were two Parties, or Schools in the first Christian +church, viz. the adherents of the Apostles, and the Disciples of +Paul, is evident from the New Testament, and has been fully, and +unanswerably proved by the learned Semler, the greatest scholar +certainly in Christian Antiquities, that ever lived. The knowledge +of this secret, accounts for the different conduct of Paul when +among his Gentile converts, from that which he pursued when with +the apostles at Jerusalem. He had a difficult part to act, and he +managed admirably. He was indeed, as he says, himself, "all +things to all men," a Jew with the Jews, and as one uncircumcised +among the uncircumcised. To the Jews, he asserted, that he " +taught nothing contrary to the Law, and the Prophets," and when +brought before the Sanhedrim for teaching otherwise than he said, +he dexterously got himself out of tribulation, by throwing a bone of +contention among the Council, and setting his Judges together by +the ears. "And when Paul perceived that the one part (of the +Council) were Sadducees, and the other, Pharisees, he cried out in +the Council: Brethren, I am a Pharisee, and the son of a Pharisee; +concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am now +judged. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the +Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. For +the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; +but the Pharisees confess both. And there was a great cry, and the +Scribes that were on the part of the Pharisees, arose and strove, +saying, "We find no evil in this man" &c. This, indeed, was a +masterly manoeuvre, and produced the desired effect; and Paul by +this shows his knowledge of the human heart, in trusting to make +his Judges forget what he was accused of, by making an appeal to +their sectarian passions. For, in truth, he was not accused +concerning his opinion about "the hope, and the resurrection of the +dead," but for the following cause, as his accusers vociferated (in +the xxi. ch.) when they seized him in the Temple, "Men of Israel, +Help! This is the man, who teacheth all men every where against, +the people, and the Law, and this place." + +These strokes of character enable us to understand the man; and I +shall now go into the consideration of some of the arguments he +has deduced from passages in the Old Testament in support of his +opinions; after premising, that the truth of the story of the manner +of his conversion depends entirely upon his own assertion; and +whether his credibility be absolutely unimpeachable, can be easily +determined by an impartial consideration of the history of his +conduct already mentioned. I will only add upon this subject, that +in telling the story of his conversion, he ought to have had a better +memory; for in telling it once in xxvi. ch. of Acts, he says, in +describing his miraculous vision, that "those that were with me, +saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but heard not the words of +him that spake to me;" and thus he directly contradicts the story of +it recorded in Acts ix., where it is said, "that the men who +journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing +no one." + +In the 9th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, v. 24, he thus +proves; that the Old Testament prophecied of the conversion of the +Gentiles, to the Gospel--"Even us whom he hath called, not of the +Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, as he saith also in Hosea "I +will call them my people, which were not my people; and her +beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in +the place where it was said unto them, you are not my people, there +shall they be called the sons of the living God."--Is not this to the +purpose? yet, in applying this passage to the Gentiles, Paul has +wilfully, (yes wilfully, for Paul was a learned man, and knew better) +perverted the original from its proper reference, and has passed +upon his simple converts., who did not know so much of the +Jewish Scriptures, as he did, a prophecy relating entirely to the +Jews, as referring to the Gentiles!! By turning to Hosea, Reader, +you will find this to be verily the case; here is the passage, "Then +said God, call his name (Hosea's son) Loammi, for ye (the +Israelites) are not my people, and I will not be your God, yet the +number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, +which cannot be measured, nor numbered. And it shall come to +pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my +people, there shall it be said unto them, ye are the sons of the living +God." Hosea chapter i + +"Again v. 33. "As it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stone of +stumbling, and a rock of offence, and every one who believeth in +him shall not be ashamed." Here Paul has pieced two passages +together, which in the originals are disconnected. For in the 8th +chapter of Isaiah it is written, "Sanctify the Lord of Hosts +himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And +he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a +rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel; for a gin, and for a +snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." And in the 28th chapter it is +written, "therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold I lay in Zion +for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a +sure foundation, he that believeth shall not be ashamed," (or +disappointed) Here "you see, reader, that he jams two distant +passages together no ways related; and alters some words, and +applies them to Jesus, with whom, it appears from the context of +Isaiah, they have no concern. + +Ch. x. v. 6. "The scripture saith, 'say not in thine heart, who shall +ascend into Heaven? (that is, that he may bring down Jesus from +above.) Again, 'who shall descend into the abyss?' (that is, that he +may bring up Jesus from the dead.) But what saith it? ' The word +is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart.' (that is the +word of Faith which we speak.) For if thou confess Jesus with thy +mouth, and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the +dead, thou shalt be saved." Here you will see another instance of +misapplication of Scripture by Paul, in order to dazzle the eyes of +his simple and credulous converts, for let any one took at the place +in the Scripture whence the quotation is taken, arid he will +immediately see the inapplicability of the words, and the +adulteration of those of the original, in order to make them apply. +For the Scripture quoted speaks of, and refers to penitence, and. +not at all about believing on, or bringing down Jesus from Heaven, +or up from the dead; for here are the words, Deut. 30.--"If thou +be converted to the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all +thy mind."--Immediately is subjoined--"For this Law which I +command you this day is not far from thee; neither is it afar off. It +is not in Heaven, that thou shouldst say, who shall ascend for us +into Heaven, that he may bring it unto us, and declare it to us that +we might do it," &c. The sense of the whole is, that God wills us to +repent of sin; and that you may know when you have sinned, you +have only to look at his Law, which is not in Heaven, nor afar off, +but is put in your own hands, and is perfectly familiar with your +heart, and lips. + +1 Cor, ch. v. 1. Paul accuses one of the Christians of the church of +Corinth of the crime of incest, because he had married his +step-mother, and orders them to excommunicate him. But Paul, in all +his Epistles and teachings to the Gentiles, pronounced them free +from the Law of Moses. Wherefore then for the violation of one of +those Laws interdicting such a marriage, does he so vehemently, +blame them? Such a marriage is not forbidden in the Gospel: it was +forbidden to them no where in the Scriptures but in the Mosaic +Code. Therefore, Paul must have founded his judgment against the +criminal upon the dictum of that law in such cases. Paul puts the +man under a curse; and it is the Mosaic Law which says, Deut. 27, +"Cursed is he who lieth with his father's wife." It seems, +therefore, that Jesus did not deliver his followers from "the curse +of the law," as Paul taught them it did in Gal. iii. 13. + +1 Cor. ch. x.:--"And let us not pollute ourselves with fornication, +as some of them were polluted, and fell in one day to the number +of twenty-three thousand." Here is a blunder, for it is written " +twenty-four thousand."--Num. 25. + +Gal. iii., 13, Paul says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of +the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is every +one that hangeth on a tree." What he says of the Christ, or the +Messiah redeeming from the curses written in the law, that by no +means agrees with truth; for no Jew can be freed from the curses of +the law, but by repenting of his sins, and becoming obedient to it. +And in alledging the words "cursed is every one that hangeth on a +tree," from Deut. xxi., he, as usual, applies them irrelevantly. + +Paul says, Gal. iii, 10:--"For as many as are of the works of the +law, are under the curse; for it is written, Deut. xxvii. 26, ' Cursed +is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of +the law to do them.'" And he interprets this to mean that all +mankind, Jews and Gentile, are liable to damnation, (except those +who are saved by faith) because no man ever did continue in all +things written in the law. Now, in the first place I would observe, +that Paul has inserted the word "all" in the passage he quotes from +Deuteronomy, (in the original of which it is not) in order to make it +support his system; for the whole of his argument is built upon this +one surreptitiously inserted word. 2. The words according to the +original are simply these:--"Cursed is he that continueth not the +words of this law to do them;" i. e.,--He who disobeys, or neglects +to fulfil the commands of the law, shall be under the curse +denounced upon the disobedient. But who would conclude from +this that repentance would not remove the curse? Does not God +expressly declare in the xxx. ch. of Deut., that if they repent, the +curses written shall be removed from them? And have we not +innumerable instances recorded in the Old Testament, of sinners, +and transgressors of this very law, received to pardon and favour, +upon repentance and amendment? So that this argument founded +upon an unwarrantable undeniable interpolation, and supported by +bad logic, is every way bad, and insulting to God and his (by Paul +acknowledged) word. + +Gal ch. iii. 16:--"To Abraham, and his seed were the promises +made, He saith not ' and to seeds,' (as of roomy) but as of one, ' +and to thy seed,' which is Christ." Here is an argument which one +would think too far-fetched, even for Paul; and it is built on a +perversion of a passage from Genesis, which Paul, bold as he was +in these matters, certainly would not have ventured, if he had not +the most assured confidence in the blinking credulity of his +Galatian converts. His argument in this place is drawn from the +use of the word "seed" in the singular number, in the passage of +Genesis, from whence he quotes. And because the word seed is in +the singular number, fag tells the "foolish Galatians," as he justly +calls them, that this "seed" must mean one individual (and not +many,) "which," says he, "is Christ." Now, let us look at the xv. +ch. of Gen., from whence he quotes, and we shall see the force of +this singular argument, derived from the use of the singular +number. "And He (God) brought him (Abraham) forth abroad, and +said. Look now towards heaven, and tell the stars if thou be able to +number them, and He said unto him, so shall thy seed be.--And He +said, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that +is not theirs, and they shall afflict them, &c., afterwards they shall +come out with great substance.--In that same day the Lord made a +covenant with Abraham, saying, unto thy seed have I given this +land," &c. Again, ch. xxii., God said to Abraham by his Angel, "I +will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which +is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his (or +its) enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be +blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice! Reader, what do you +think now of Paul's argument from the use of the singular number? +Which is most to be admired? His offering such an argument to +the Galatians; (for being a learned man, he certainly knew that the +argument was nought,) or their credulity in receiving such +reasoning as Divine? Really, I fear there is some reason for +admitting as true what Celsus maliciously says of the simplicity of +the Primitive Christians, if Paul could with impunity feed his +"spiritual babes" with such pap as this! + +I intended to have concluded this subject, by bringing under +examination some of the arguments and quotations in the Epistle +to the Hebrews; but upon looking over that Epistle, and +contemplating my task, I confess I shrink from it. That Epistle is so +replete with daring, ridiculous, and impious applications of the +words of the Old Testament, that I am glad to omit it; and I think +after the specimens which have been already brought forward, that +my reader is quite as much satiated as myself. I will, therefore, +bring forward only one quotation, which is alledged in that Epistle +to prove the abolition of the law of Moses; and as for the rest, I +content myself with referring those who want to know more of it, +to the pieces written by the celebrated Dr. Priestley upon Paul's +arguments in general, and those in that Epistle in particular, +preserved in his Theological Repository, where he will see +absurdity in reasoning, and, something worse, in quotation, +exposed in a masterly manner. Indeed, some learned Christians are +so sensible of the insuperable difficulties attending every attempt +to reconcile that Epistle to the Doctrine of inspiration, or even to +common sense, that they avoid the trouble, by denying that Paul +could have been the author of such a work, and attribute it to the +same, or a similar, hand, with that which forged the marvellous +Epistle ascribed to Barnabas. + +The quotation brought forward in the Epistle to the Hebrews, to +prove the abrogation of the Mosaic Law, and the substitution of a +new one, is taken from Jer. xxxi. 31, &c.--"Behold the days +come saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the +house of Judah. Not according to the covenant which I made with +they fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them +out of the land of Egypt, (which my covenant they brake, although +I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord.) But this shall be the +covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days +saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it +in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people; +and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, saying +know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them +unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their +iniquity, and will remember their sins no more." Upon this passage +the author of the Epistle observes "in that he saith 'a new +covenant,' he hath made the first old;" and he sagely concludes " +now that which decayeth, and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away!!" +and takes the quotation to be a prophecy of the abolition of the +old law, and the introduction of the Gospel Dispensation. + +Now, I would observe on his reasoning, in the first place, that, +allowing for a moment his interpretation of the prophecy to be +correct, (i. e., that it signifies the abolishment of the old, and an +introduction of a new law) the prophecy, at any rate, cannot refer to +Jesus, or the Gospel; for so far from having been fulfilled in the +time of Jesus, or his Apostles, it has not been fulfilled to this day; +for certainly God has not yet made a new covenant with the Jews, +to whom the prophecy refers, nor has he yet "put his law in their +hearts;" nor "caused them to walk in it;" neither has he yet " +forgiven their sins, or forgotten their iniquities," since they are +even now suffering, the consequences of them. + +I will now retract what I granted, and assert that the prophet did not +mean an abolition of the Mosaic, and the introduction of a new, +law; for though the prophet speaks of a new covenant, he says +nothing of a new law; but on the contrary, asserts that this new +covenant would be effectual to make them obey the law. God +promised to put his law within their hearts (not out of +remembrance, as the catechisms say;) and in this alone this +covenant differs from the one entered into at Mount Sinai. For, +then, though the law was given them, it was not "put within their +hearts," but they were apt, to their own controul, to obey it, or not, +being assured, however, that happiness should be the reward of +obedience, and death and excision the punishment for revolt +and disobedience. And you will moreover observe, that, +notwithstanding what is here called a new covenant, nothing is +here said of the abrogation of any former covenant, or constitution, +or of any new terms, that would be required by God on the part of +the Israelites. The prophet, by expanding his idea, sufficiently +explains his whole meaning, which is evidently this, viz.: That God +would make a new, and solemn promise to the Israelites, that they +should be no more out of favor with him; that their hearts would be +hereafter so right with God, that in consequence of it, they would +continue in the quiet possession of their country to the end of time; +and all this is intimated by Moses, in the quotation from +Deuteronomy, quoted in the last chapter. + +Thus is the passage perfectly consistent with those in the Old +Testament, which affirm, (whether right or wrong is not my +concern) the perfection and perpetuity of the Mosaic Law. " +Remember," are the last words of the last of the prophets, +Malachi,--"Remember the Law of Moses, my servant which I +commanded unto him in Horeb, with the Statutes, and Judgments." +Also in the Psalms:--"The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting +the soul. The Testimony of the Lord is faithful, bringing wisdom +to the simple. The Precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the +heart, and enlightening the eyes." "The works of his hands are +Truth, and Judgment. All his Precepts are sure. They stand fast for +ever and ever: being done in Truth and Uprightness." + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +EXAMINATION OF SOME DOCTRINES IN THE NEW +TESTAMENT DERIVED FBOM THE CABALLA, THE +ORIENTAL PHILOSOPHY, AND THE TENETS OF +ZOROASTER. + +I have said in the preceding chapter, that Paul was well versed in +Cabbalistic Learning, and not unacquainted with the principles of +the Philosophy styled "the Oriental;" and to prove and exemplify +this assertion, is the subject and intention of this chapter. None but +the learned know, how much of Systematic Christianity is derived +from the Cabbalism of the Jews; the Religion of the Magi of +Persia; and the Philosophy of the Bramins of Indostan. I shall +attempt to lay open these Theological Arcana, and make them +known to those who ought to know what they have been kept in +ignorance of. + +Many of my readers have, no doubt, frequently puzzled themselves +over these words of Paul's, Eph. v. 30:--"For we are members of +his (Christ's) body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Because of this, +a man shall leave his father, and mother, and shall cleave to his +wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great, +but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." This passage +exemplifies the connexion between Christ and the Church, by that +which subsists between a man and his wife; and this Paul calls "a +great mystery;" and it no doubt must be a very mysterious passage +to all those who are unacquainted with the cabbalistic notion to +which it alludes, and refers. To illustrate the passage, and to prove +that Paul raised his Cabbalism with his religion, I shall set down +here the note of Dr. Whitby, the Christian Commentator, upon the +text of Paul. + +"The learned Dr. Allix saith, The first match between Adam and +Eve, was a type of that between Christ and his Church; and in this, +saith he, the Apostle follows the Jewish notions. The Jews say, the +mystery of Adam, is the mystery of the Messiah, who is the +Bridegroom of the Church. These two persons, therefore, confirm +the observation of Munster, that the creation of the woman from +the rib of the man, was made by the Jews to signify the marriage of +the celestial man who is blessed, or of the Messiah, with the +Church; whence the Apostle applies the very words which Adam +said concerning Eve his spouse, to the Church, who is the spouse +of Christ; saying, "for we are members of his body, of his flesh, +and of his bones." For the explanation of these words, take what +follows:--"The profoundest of the Jewish Divines, whom they +now call Cabbalists, having such a notion as this among them, that +sensible things are but an imitation of things above, conceived +from thence, that there was an original pattern of love and union, +which is between a man and his wife in this world. This being +expressed by the kindness of Tipheret and Malchut, which are the +names they give to the invisible Bridegroom and Bride in the upper +world. And this Tiphiret, or the celestial Adam, is so called in +opposition to the terrestrial Adam; as Malchut also (i. e., the +kingdom) they call by the name of Chinnereth Israel the +Congregation of Israel, who is, they say, united to the celestial +Adam as Eve was to the terrestrial." So that in sum, they seem to +say the same that Paul doth, when he tells us, that "marriage is a +great mystery, but he speaks concerning Christ and his Church." +For the marriage of Tipheret and Malchuth, is the marriage of +Christ, "the Lord from Heaven," ("the first man was of the Earth +earthly, the second man is the Lord from Heaven," says Paul I Cor. +xv.,) with his spouse the Church, which is the conjunction of Adam +and Eve, and of all other men and women descended from them. +Origen also seems to have had some notion of the relation of this +passage to Adam and Eve, when he speaks thus:--"If any man +deride us for using the example of Adam and Eve in these words, +'and Adam knew his wife,' when we treat of the knowledge of +God, let him consider these words--'This is a great mystery.'" +Tertullian frequently alludes to the same thing, saying--"This is a +great sacrament, carnally in Adam, spiritually in Christ, because of +the spiritual marriage between Christ and the Church." + +Thus far Dr. Whitby, and the intelligent reader, who is acquainted +with the dogmas and philosophy of Indostan, will not fail to see +through this cloud, of words the origin of this analogy of Paul. The +fact is, that in India and in Egypt, the Divine creative power which +produced all things and energizes in everything, was symbolized +by the Phallus; and to this day, in Hindostan, the operation of +Diety upon matter is symbolized by images of the same; and in the +darkest recesses of their Temples, which none but the initiated +were permitted to enter: the Phallus of stone is the solitary idol, +before which the illuminated bowed. This symbol, though +shameful and abominable, is yet looked upon in India with the +profoundest veneration, and is not with them the occasion of +shame or reproach. It is, however, a blasphemous abomination; and +the marriage between Christ and the Church ought not to have +been thus illustrated by Paul, who reproached the heathen +mysteries as "works of darkness," which mysteries, in fact, +consisted principally in exhibiting these symbols, and similar +abominations. + +But, it may be asked, what is the meaning of the other clause of the +verse--what could Paul mean by the strong language, "We are +members of his body? of his flesh, and of his bones?" Why, my +reader, he meant, that Christians were really part of the body of +Christ and if you desire to know How he imagined this union to be +effected, I request you to see the 10th ch. of the 1st Epistle to the +Corinthians, where at the 16th verse he thus writes to them:--"The +cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation of the blood +of Christ? The loaf (according to the Greek original) which we +break, is it not a participation of the body of Christ? for, Because +the loaf is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake +of that one loaf." Again, ch. xi. 19, "For he that eateth, and +drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not +distinguishing (or discovering) the Lord's body;" and in ch. xii. +27, he says to them, "Ye are the body of Christ, and his members +severally." (See the original of these passages in Griesbach's +Greek Testament.) Thus you see, reader, that Paul considered +Christians "as members of his (Christ's) body, of his flesh, and of +his bones," because they partook of one loaf, which was the body +of Christ. The Papists are in the right, and have been much +slandered by the Protestants, for the doctrine of Transubstantiation, +or at least the Real Presence, is as plainly taught in the New +Testament, as the doctrine of the Atonement. You have seen what +Paul believed upon this subject, and I shall corroborate the sense I +put upon his words, by the words of Jesus, his master, and by +quotations from the earliest Fathers. + +Jesus says, John vi.--"I am the living bread which came down +from Heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, +and the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for +the life of the world." The Jews, therefore, contended among +themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" +Jesus, therefore, said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, +unless ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye +have not life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my +blood, hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. +For my flesh is verily food, and my blood is verily drink. He that +eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in +him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, +(here is an oath) so he likewise that eateth me shall live by me." + +This strange doctrine was the faith of the Primitive Christians, as is +well known to the learned Protestants, though they do not like to +say so to their "weaker brethren." + +Ignatius says, "There is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and +one cup in the unity of his blood;" and of certain heretics he says, +"they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus +Christ." + +Justin Martyr, in his Apology, asserts that the consecrated bread +"is, some how or other, the flesh of Christ." + +In the dispute with Latimer about Transubstantiation, it is +acknowledged by the most candid writers, that the Roman +Catholics had much the advantage. It must have been so, where +quotations from the Fathers were allowed as arguments. For what +answer can be made to the following extracts?--" What a miracle +is this! He who sits above with the Father, at the same instant, is +handled by the hands of men." [Chrysostom.] Again, from the +same, "That which is in the cup, is the same which flowed from +the side of Christ." Again, "Because we abhor the eating of raw +flesh; therefore, it appeareth bread, though it be flesh." +[Theophylact.] Or to this?--"Christ was carried in his own hands, +when he said 'this is my body.'" [Austin,] Or to this?--"We are +taught, that when this nourishing food is consecrated, it becomes +the body and blood of our Saviour." [Justin Martyr.] Or, lastly, to +this? [from Ambrose]--" It is bread before consecration, but after +that ceremony, it becomes the flesh of Christ." + +Another doctrine which Paul derived from the Oriental Philosophy, +and Which makes a great figure in his writings, is the notion, that +moral corruption originates in the influxes of the body upon the +mind. + +"It was one of the principal tenets of the Oriental Philosophy, that +all evil resulted from matter, and its first founder appears to have +argued in the following manner:--"There are many evils in the +world, and men seem impelled of a natural instinct to the practice +of those things which reason condemns. But that eternal mind, +from which all spirits derive their existence, must be inaccessible +to all kinds of evil, and also of a most perfect and beneficent +nature; therefore, the origin of these evils with which the world +abounds, must be sought somewhere else, than in the Deity. It +cannot abide in him who is all perfection, and, therefore, it must be +without him. Now, there is nothing without or beyond the Deity but +matter; therefore, matter is the centre and source of all evil, of all +vice." + +One of the consequences they drew from this hypothesis was, that +since All evil resulted from matter, the depravity of mankind arose +from the pollution derived to the human soul, from its connexion +with the material body which it inhabits; and, therefore, the only +means by which the mind could purify itself from the defilement, +and liberate itself from the bondage imposed upon it by the body, +was to emaciate and humble the body by frequent fasting, and to +invigorate the mind to overcome and subdue it by retirement and +contemplation. + +The New Testament, though it does not recognise this principle of +the Oriental Philosophy, "that evil originates from matter," yet +coincides with it in strenuously asserting that the corruption of the +human mind is derived from its connexion with the human body. + +To prove this proposition, I shall show that Paul calls all crimes the +works of the flesh." "Now, the works of the flesh are manifest, +(says he, Gal. v. 19,) which are these: adultery, fornication, +uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, +rivalries, wrath, disputes, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, +drunkenness, revellings, and such like." He also describes the +conflict between the flesh and the spirit, or mind, in these terms:-- +"For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good, for +to will is present with me, but to perform that which is good, I find +not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. For I delight in the +law of God according to the inner man, but I see another law in my +members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me +into captivity to the law of my sin in my members. O wretched +man that I am! who will deliver me from the body of this death?" +(or this body of death.) And he goes on to observe, "That I, the +same man, with my mind serve the law of God, but with my flesh +the law of sin."--Rom. vii. "For the flesh desireth against (or in +opposition to) the spirit, and the spirit against "the flesh, and these +are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things +that ye would." + +"Those that are Christ's (says Paul, Gal. v. 24) have crucified the +flesh, with its passions and desires." And they are commanded +(Rom. vi. 12 and viii. 13) "to mortify," or, according to the +original, "put to death or "kill their members;" and Paul himself +uses language upon this subject exceeding strong. He represents (1 +Cor. ix. 27) his mind and body as engaged in combat, and says, "I +buffet my body, and subject it." The word here translated " +subject," in the original, means "to carry into servitude," and is a +term taken from the language of the olympic games where the +boxers dragged off the arena, their conquered, disabled, and +helpless antagonists like slaves, in which humbled condition the +Apostle represents his body to be with respect to his mind. + +From this notion of the sinfulness of "the flesh," we are enabled to +apprehend Paul's reasonings about the sufferings of Jesus "in the +flesh." "Since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Christ +himself also in like manner partook of them"--Heb. ii. 14. "For +(says Paul) what the law could not do in that it was weak through +the flesh, God hath done, who by having sent his own son in the +likeness of sinful flesh, and on account of sin, hath condemned sin +in the flesh."--Rom. viii. 3. "But now, through Christ Jesus, ye +who formerly were far off, are brought near by the blood of Christ. +For he is our Peace who hath made both one, and hath broken +down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished by +his flesh the cause of enmity."--Ephes. ii. 16. "You that were +formerly aliens, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet he +hath now reconciled by his fleshly body, through his death."--Col. +i. 20. + +Though these notions are sufficiently strange, yet they are not so +very remarkable as the one I am about to consider. It is a singular, +and a demonstrable fact, that the fundamental scheme of +Christianity was derived from the religion of the ancient Persians, +The whole of the New Testament scheme is built upon the +hypothesis, that there is a powerful and malignant being, called the +Devil and Satan, the chief of unknown myriads of other evil spirits; +that he is, by the sufferance of God, the Prince of this world, and is +the Author of sin, woe and death; the Tempter, the Tormentor of +men, and the Tyrant of the Earth; that the Son of God, to deliver +mankind from the vassalage of this monster, descended from +heaven, and purchased their ransom of the Tyrant, at the price of +his blood; for observe, my reader, that the idea of the death of +Jesus being an atonement to God for the sins of men, is a modern +notion; for the Primitive Christians, all of them, considered the +death of Jesus as a ransom paid to the Devil, as may be proved +from Origen and other Fathers. That the New Testament represents +this character as the sovereign of this world, may be proved by the +following passages:--"All this power will I give thee, and the +glory of them, (said the Tempter to Jesus, when he showed him all +the kingdoms of the earth,) for it is delivered unto me, and to +whomsoever I will, I give it." Luke iv., Jesus calls him "the Prince +of this world;" John xii., and elsewhere. In his commission to Paul, +he calls embracing his religion, "turning from darkness unto light, +and from the power of Satan to God."--. Acts xxvi. 18. +Accordingly we find, that to become a Christian was considered as +being freed from the tyranny of Satan. "God hath given life to +you, (says Paul) who were dead in offences, and sins; in which ye +formerly walked, according to the course (or constitution) of this +world, according to the Prince of the Power of the air."-- +Ephesians ii., 1. And again:--"If our gospel be covered, (or hid) +it is covered among those that are lost, among those unbelievers, +whose minds the God of this world hath blinded, to the end that the +glorious gospel of Christ should not enlighten them."--2 Cor. iv. +4. John says in his Epistle, that "the whole world lieth in the +power of the wicked one;" and Jesus in the gospels compares him +to "a strong man armed, keeping his goods;" and himself to one +stronger than he, who strippeth him of the arms in which he +trusted, and spoileth his goods. "For this purpose was the Son of +God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil."--1 +John iii. 8. And it is said, "that he came to send forth the captive +into liberty, and to heal those who were oppressed of the Devil." +Men are also said to have been "taken captive of the Devil, to +fulfil his will."--2 Timothy ii. 26. And we find that the Christians +attributed all their sufferings to the opposition of this Being. "Put +on (says Paul) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to +stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we struggle not against +flesh and blood only; but against principalities, against powers, +against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked +spirits in high places."--Ephesians vi. 12. Christians are also said +to be delivered by God from the power of darkness, and to be +translated into the kingdom of his dear son. That is, as Christians +were considered as being the subjects of Jesus, and the rest of the +world as being of the kingdom of Satan, when a man became a +Christian he was translated from the kingdom of one, to the +kingdom of the other. Jesus accused the Devil as being the author +of all evil, as a liar, and the father of lies, and a murderer of men, +and of women, too, as appears in the Gospel, from the account of +that one, whose back the Devil had bowed down for eighteen +years--Luke xiii. 10--(on what account it does not appear.) In +short, the New Testament represents to him as being the source of +all evil and mischief, and the promoter of it; and the whole world +as being his subjects, and combined with him against all good. + +But how does all this prove that these notions were derived from +the religion of the ancient Persians? I answer by requesting you, +my reader, to peruse, attentively, the following account of the +fundamental principles of the religion of Zoroaster, the prophet of +the Persians. + +The doctrine of Zoroaster was, that there was one Supreme Being, +independent, and self-existing from all eternity; that inferior to +him, there were two Angels, one the Angel of Light, who is the +Author and Director of all Good; and the other, the Angel of +Darkness, who is the Author and Director of all Evil; that these +two are in a perpetual struggle with each other; and that where the +Angel of Light prevails, there the most is good; awl where the +Angel of Darkness prevails, there the most is evil. That this +struggle shall continue to the end of the world; that then there shall +be a general resurrection, and a day of judgment, wherein just +retribution shall be rendered to all according to their works; after +which, the Angel of Darkness, and his followers, shall go into a +world of their own, where they shall suffer in darkness, the +punishment of their evil deeds. And the Angel of Light, and his +followers, shall also go into a world of their own, where they shall +receive, in everlasting light, the reward due to their good deeds. + +It is impossible but that the reader must see the agreement of the +doctrines of the New Testament with all this; and since it is +undoubted, that these tenets of Zoroaster are far more ancient than +the New Testament, and since, as we have seen, that that book is +much indebted to oriental notions for many of its dogmas, there is +no way of accounting for this coincidence (that I know of), besides +supposing the Devil of the New Testament to be of Persian origin. +It is, however, in my power to make this coincidence still more +striking from the words of Jesus himself, who says, (Matthew xiii. +24), "The kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed +in his field, but while men slept, his enemy (mark the expression) +his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat; but when the +blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares +also. So the servants of the householder came near, and said unto +him, ' Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence, +then, hath it tares?' And he saith unto them, an enemy hath done +this." You know the rest of the parable. The explanation of it is as +follows:--"He who soweth the good seed is the Son of Man, and +the field is the world; and the good seed are the sons of the +kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the Evil One, and the enemy +who sowed them is the Devil." Here you see, as far as it goes, a +precise agreement with the doctrine of Zoroaster; and to complete +the resemblance, you need but to recollect, that at the day of +Judgment, according to the words of Jesus, the wicked go into the +fire prepared for the Devil and his angels; and the righteous go into +life eternal with the Son of God. + +But is there not a Satan mentioned in the Old Testament, and is he +not there represented as an evil and malevolent angel? I think not. +This notion probably arises from the habit of interpreting the Old +Testament by the New. The Satan mentioned in the Old Testament, +is represented as God's minister of punishment, and as much his +faithful servant as any of his angels. The prologue to the book of +Job certainly supposes that this angel of punishment, by office, +appeared in the court of Heaven, nay, he is ranked among "the +Sons of God." This Satan is merely the supposed chief of those +ministers of God's will, whose office is to execute his ordered +commands upon the guilty, and who may be sometimes, as in the +case of Job, the minister of probation only, rather than of +punishment; and there is no reason why he should be ashamed of +his office more than the General of an army, or the Judges of the +criminal courts, who, though they are not unfrequently ministers of +punishment are not, therefore, excluded the royal presence; but on +the contrary, their office is considered as honourable;--i. e., +punishment without malevolence, does not pollute the inflictor. +Consider the story of the destruction of Sodom, Genesis xix.; of +Egypt; Exodus xxii.; of Sennacherib, 1 Kings xxix. 35; also Joshua +v. 13. The term Satan signifies an adversary, and is applied to any +angel sent upon an errand of punishment For example, Numbers +xxii. 23, "The Angel of the Lord stood in the way, for an adversary +(literally, for a Satan) against Balaam, with his sword drawn in his +hand." "Curse ye Meroz, saith the Angel of the Lord," whose +office is to punish. So also Psalms xxxv. 5, "Let the Angel (of +punishment) of the Lord chase them, (i. e., drive them before him +in a military manner; pursue them:) let their way be dark and +slippery, and the Angel of the Lord following them." + +2 Samuel xxiv. 16:--"The Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel--the +angel (of punishment) stretched forth his hand and smote the +people."--1 Chronicles xxi. 16:--"David saw the angel (of +punishment) having a drawn sword in his hand." + +This notion is referred to, in the Apocryphal History of Susannah, +verse 69. "The Angel of the Lord waiteth with his sword that he +may cut thee in two." + +Thus we see, that the term Satan is in the Old Testament applied to +any Angel of the Lord sent upon an errand of punishment. And the +term itself is so far from being reproachful (for David is said, 1 +Samuel xxix. 4, to have been "a Satan to the Philistines,") that I +am not sure, that if I had by me a Hebrew concordance, but I could +point out places, where God himself is represented as saying, that +he would be an adversary or a Satan to bad men and wicked +nations. And though there is in the Old Testament a particular +angel styled, by way of eminence, "The Satan," it is so far from +being evident that he is an evil being, that I would undertake to +give good reasons to prove that this distinguished angel is the real +prototype, from whence the impostor Mahomet took the idea of his +"Azrael," the "Angel of Death;" who, in the Koran, is certainly +represented as being as much the faithful servant of God, as any of +the Angelic Hosts. + +In fine, the doctrine of the Old Testament upon this matter may be +thus expressed:--"These be spirits created for vengeance, which +in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction, they +pour out their force, sad appease the wrath of him that made them. +They shall rejoice in his (God's) commandment, and they shall be +ready upon earth, when need is: and when their time is come, they +shall not transgress his word." Ecclesiasticus xxxix. 28. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A CONSIDERATION OF THE "GIFT OF TONGUES," AND +OTHER MIRACULOUS GIFTS ASCRIBED O THE PRIMITIVE +CHRISTIANS; AND WHETHER RECORDED MIRACLES ARE +INFALLIBLE PROOFS OF THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF +DOCTRINES SAID TO HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY THEM. + +Paul, in his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, speaks to them as +possessing several spiritual gifts, conferred on them by his +ministration; such as the gift of prophecy, discerning of spirits, and +speaking in unknown tongues. He gives them directions about the +proper use of their gifts, and speaks to them as absolutely +possessing those gifts, with the utmost confidence. Dr. Paley, in his +Defence of Christianity, lays great stress upon the manner in which +Paul addresses the Corinthians upon these miraculous powers; and +he considers it as an absolute proof of the truth of Christianity-- +because, he says, it is not conceivable that Paul could have had the +boldness and presumption to speak to these men concerning the +use and abuse of these gifts, if they really had them not. + +I am ready to confess, that this argument of Dr. Paley puzzled me; +for though I was satisfied that Paul had imposed upon their +credulity many irrelevant passages from the Scriptures as proofs of +Christianity, yet I could not imagine that he could presume so +much upon their stupidity, as to give them directions about the +management of their miraculous powers, which being matters of +fact known to themselves, therefore, if false, I conceived must +place Paul in their minds in the light of a banterer, when he told +them of gifts, which their own consciousness, I thought, must +make them sensible they had not. I say I was puzzled with this +argument, until I happened to meet with some extracts from +Brown's "History of the Shakers," which convinced me at once, +from the obvious likeness between these Shakers and the primitive +Christians, that Paul might have written to the Corinthians " +concerning their spiritual gifts," with perfect impunity. + +This Brown had been a Shaker himself, and while with them, he +was as great a believer in his own and their gifts, as the Corinthians +could be; and since it must be obvious, that the gifts of these +Shakers are mere self-delusions, there is, then, in our own times an +example of the gifts of the primitive Christians, which enables us +to comprehend their nature and character perfectly well. + +"Many of them," (the Shakers) says Mr. Brown, "professed to have +visions, and to see numbers of spirits, as plain as they saw their +brethren and sisters, and to look into the invisible world, and to +converse with many of the departed spirits, who had lived in the +different ages of the world, and to learn and to see their different +states in the world of spirits. Some they saw, they said, were +happy, and others miserable. Several declared, that they often were +in dark nights surrounded with a light, sometimes in their rooms, +but more often when walking the road, so strong, that they could +see to pick up a pin, which light would continue a considerable +time, and enlighten them on their way. Many had gifts to speak +languages, and many miracles were said to be wrought, and +strange signs and great wonders shown, by the believers. + +And these poor creatures believed, and at this day do believe, all +this. They are not, you will observe, artful impostors, for the +Shakers are, certainly, a harmless and a moral people, and yet they +confidently asserted (and continue to assert), that they had these +miraculous powers of "discerning spirits, speaking with tongues, +and doing great signs and wonders" Nevertheless, it must be +evident, that these powers were conferred upon them only by their +enthusiasm and heated imaginations. + +I have heard of the Shakers before, and have been informed, that +those in New England are so convinced of their miraculous +capabilities, that they have been known, in order to save their +neighbours the trouble of applying to the tinman, charitably to +offer to join the gaping seams of their worn-out tin coffee-pots, and +other vessels, "without the carnal aid of solder," merely by a +touch of their wonder-working fingers. + +Mr. Brown, in describing their mode of conduct, in their religious +assemblies, unwittingly gives a striking exposition of the 1st +Epistle to the Corinthians. He describes "the brethren and sisters" +praying, singing, dancing, and preaching in known and unknown +tongues, and sticking out their arms, and extatically following their +noses round the church. + +He says, respecting such as speak in unknown tongues, "they have +a strong faith in this gift, and think a person greatly favoured who +has the gift of tongues; and at certain times, when the mind is +overloaded with a fiery, strong zeal, it must have vent some way or +other; their faith, or belief, at the time being in this, gift, and a will +strikes the mind according to their faith, and then such break out in +a fiery, energetic manner, and speak they know not what, as I have +done several times. Part of what I spake at one time was-- + +"Liero devo jerankemango, ad sileambano, durem subramo, +deviranto diacerimango, jasse vah pe cri evanigalio; de vom grom +seb crinom, os vare cremo domo." + +"When a person runs on in this manner for any length of time, I +now thought it probable that he would strike into different +languages, and give some words in each their right pronounciation, +as I have heard some men of learning, who were present, say a few +words, were Hebrew, three or four Greek, and a few Latin." + +In another place he gives an account of his maiden speech in an +unknown tongue; and it is easy to conjecture how he came by his +gift, by attending to what passed before he broke out. Here it is:-- +"We danced for near an hour, several turned round like tops, and, +to crown all, I had a gift to speak in some other language; but the +greatest misfortune was, that neither I, nor any other, understood +what I said." + +My reader will not be surprized after this, at hearing them say, that +the spectators of "these signs and wonders," instead of being +properly affected, considered the performers as "out of their wits." + +Let us, now, compare this account with what Paul says upon +similar subjects, in the 14th chapter of the 1st Epistle to the +Corinthians. He advises them, in exercising their gifts, to a discreet +use of them, as follows:--"He who speaketh in an unknown +tongue, speaketh not to men, but to God, for no man understandeth +him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." Again: "For if +the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to +battle? So, likewise, unless ye utter by the tongue words to be +understood, how shall it be known what is spoken, for ye will +speak to the air?" And as others did not understand the +Corinthians speaking in unknown tongues, so it seems, too, that the +Corinthians themselves were in the same unfortunate predicament +with the Shakers, in not knowing the meaning of what they +themselves said on these occasions. This is clear from this +argument of Paul:--"Wherefore, let him that speaketh in an +unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret." Why, pray that he +may interpret, if he understood himself? Does a man who speaks +with understanding a foreign language, need to pray that he may be +enabled to interpret what he says in his mother tongue? Surely +every man who understands himself, can naturally do this? After +more to the same purpose, Paul wisely concludes his argument by +declaring, "that he would rather speak in the church five words +with understanding, (i. e., knowing what he said) that he might +instruct others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown +tongue." And he fortifies his reasoning by this sensible remark, "If, +therefore, the whole church come together into one place, and all +speak in unknown tongues, and those that are unlearned, or +unbelievers, come in, will they not say, that ye are mad?" as the +spectators said of the Shakers. + +He advises them, therefore, to conduct their assemblies with less +uproar than formerly, and exhorts them as follows:--"How is it, +then, brethren, when you come together, hath each of you a psalm, +hath he a doctrine, hath he an unknown tongue, hath he a +revelation? Let all things be done to edifying. Now, if any man +speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at most by three, +and that in succession, and let one interpret; but if there be no +interpreter, let such keep silence in the church, and let him speak to +himself and to God. And let two or three prophets speak, and let +the others discern. But if any thing be revealed to another who +sitteth by, let the first keep silence. For ye may all prophecy, one +by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted." + +I presume it will be needless to point out more particularly, the +perfect correspondence between "the spiritual gifts" of the +Corinthians, and those of the Shakers. And I would ask the +venerable Paley, if it were now possible, whether an apostolical +epistle of Ann Lee, William Lee, or Whitaker, (the spiritual +mother and. fathers of the Shakers,) addressed to them, and +seriously giving directions about the use of "their gifts of working +miracles, and speaking with tongues," would be sufficient to prove +that they really had those gifts? And, moreover, (to make the cases +more analogous) suppose that the Shakers from this time become +the dominant sect throughout the religious world, and kept the +upper hand during a series of a thousand or two thousand years, +taking especial care to collect and burn up every writing of their +enemies and opposers. How should we, (supposing ourselves all +the while invisible spectators of the thing), how should we pity our +posterity, who, at the end of that period, should be gravely told by +the learned and mitred advocates of Shakerism, that the miracles of +the founders, and first followers of their religion were certainly +true, for that they were honest and good men, with no motive to +deceive, and had addressed letters to their first converts, wherein +they make express mention of their possessing these gifts; and give +in the simplest and most unassuming manner, directions for using +them. Suppose, then, that our posterity, having been deprived by +the prudential care of the old fathers of the then established church, +of the means of detecting the fallacy which we possess; suppose +that they should believe all this, and devoutly praise God every day +for confirming the doctrines of his servants Lee and Whitaker, " +with signs following"--how should we pity their delusion, and. +what should we think of the unlucky authors of it. + +From all this, I think my reader must be sensible how extremely +fallacious are all proofs of doctrines, pretended to be from God, +derived from Miracles said to have been wrought in proof of their +Divine authority. + +Miracles are related to have been performed in support of all +religions without exception; even the followers of Mahomet, +though he did not claim the power of working miracles, have said +that he did. And they will tell you, that in proof of his mission, he, +in the presence of hundreds, divided the moon with his finger, and +put half of it in his pocket!* + +Speaking of the gift of healing diseases, which the Primitive +Christians claimed. Dr. Middleton, in his Free Inquiry, observes-- +"But be that as it will the pretence of curing diseases, by a +miraculous power, was so suc-cessfully maintained in the heathen +world by fraud, and craft, that when it came to be challenged by +the Christians, it was not capable of exciting any attention to it +among those who themselves pretended to the same power; which, +although the certain effect of imposture, was yet managed with so +much art, that the Christians could neither deny nor detect it; but +insisted always that it was performed by demons, or evil spirits, +deluding mankind to their ruin; and from the supposed reality of +the fact, they inferred the reasonableness of believing what was +more credibly affirmed by the Christians, to be performed by the +power of the true God. "We do not deny says Athenagoras, "that, +in different places, cities, and countries, there are some +extraordinary works performed in the name of idols, from which +some have received benefit, others harm." And then he goes on to +prove that they were not performed by God, but by demons. +Doctor Middleton then proceeds, (p. 77.) "whatever proof, then, +the primitive Church had among themselves, yet it could have but +little effect towards making proselytes among those who pretended +to the same gift; possessed more largely, and exerted more openly, +than in the private assemblies of the Christians. For in the Temple +of Esculapius, all kinds of diseases were believed to be publicly +cured by the pretended help of that deity: in proof of which, there +were erected in each temple columns, or tables of brass, and +marble, on which a distinct narrative of each particular cure was +inscribed." He also observes that--"Pausanias writes, ' that in the +temple at Epidauras there were many columns anciently of this +kind, and six of them remaining in his time inscribed with the +names of men and women cured by the god, with "an account of +their several cases, and the method of their cure; and that there was +an old pillar besides, which stood apart, dedicated to the memory +of Hippolytus, who had been raised from the dead!' Strabo, also, +another grave writer, informs us, that these temples were +constantly filled with the sick, imploring the help of the god: and +that they had tables hanging around them, in which all the +miraculous cures were described." Dr. Middleton then proceeds +thus--"There is a remarkable fragment of one of these tables still +extant, and exhibited by Gruter, in his collection, as it was found in +the ruins of Esculapius' Temple, in the island of the Tyber, at +Rome, which gives an account of two blind men restored to sight, +by Esculapius, in the open view, and with loud declamations of the +people, acknowledging the manifest power of the god!!" Upon +which he remarks, that "the learned Montfaucon makes this +reflection, ' that in this, are seen either the wiles of the Devil, or +the tricks of Pagan priests, suborning men to counterfeit diseases, +and miraculous cures.'" He then proceeds, (p.79)--"Now, though +nothing can support the belief, or credit of miracles more +authentically than public monuments erected in proof, and memory +of them at the time they were performed, yet, in defiance of that +authority, it is certain all these Heathen miracles were pure +forgeries, contrived to delude the multitude; and, in truth, this +particular claim of curing diseases miraculously, affords great +room for such a delusion, and a wide field for the exercise of +craft." + +I need not observe, that by far the greater part of the miracles +recorded in the New Testament, are casting out devils, and healing +diseases, powers claimed by the heathens as well as these +Christians: and these miracles, (undoubtedly false) are as well, if +not far better authenticated than those of the New Testament: for +books may be forged, but public monuments of brass and marble +are not so capable of being so: and these are always con-sidered +as better evidence for facts than books. What then will the +Christian say to this? for since these miracles, recorded on brass +and marble, inscribed with the narratives of them almost +immediately after the occurrence of them, are unquestionably Lies; +what can he pretend to say of those recorded in books certainly +written many years after the events they record, and, as will be +proved hereafter, more than suspected to be apocryphal? +And what would become of truth? and who would be able to +distinguish truth from falsehood, in matters of religion, if attested +miracles, such as these, are sufficient to establish the divine +authority of doctrines said to be confirmed by them? Miracles are +as numerous, and better authenticated on the part of Jupiter, +Apollo, and Esculapius, than on the part of Christianity. They are +strong on the part of Popery against Protestantism: for the Roman +Catholic Churches in Europe are full of monumental records of +miracles wrought by the Virgin Mary and the Saints, in favour of +their worshippers. Nay, there never were miracles better proved, as +far as human testimony could prove them, than the famous miracle +mentioned by Gibbon in his History of the Roman Empire, where +he relates the story of the Arian Vandals cutting out the tongues of +a great number of orthodox Athanasians, who, strange to tell, +preached as much to the purpose, in favour of the Trinity, without +their tongues, as they did with them! Never was there a miracle +better authenticated by testimony than this. It is mentioned +by all the Christian writers of that age. It is mentioned +by two contemporary Roman historians, one of whom lived in +Constantinople, and who says he looked into the mouths of some +of these confessors, who had in fact their tongues cut out entirely +by the roots; and it is recorded in the archives of the Eastern +Empire. + +Is not this testimony enough; and yet, is it sufficient to prove the +doctrine of the Trinity? Is it adequate to prove, that "the ancient of +days" became a little child; was born of a woman, suckled, +*******, &c., &c.; and that "He who liveth for ever and ever," +was whipped, was hanged, and died upon the cross, and was buried? +Can this miracle, well attested as it is, prove for truths, such +strange, such shocking things as these? + +The miracles of the Abbe Paris, too, are proved to be true, as far as +testimony can prove any thing of the kind. For they happened +within a hundred years, were seen by many, and were sworn to +before the magistrates; by some of the most respectable inhabitants +of the city of Paris. How can men, who pretend to believe the +miracles of the New Testament upon such meagre evidence as they +have in their favour, consistently reject the miracles of the Abbe +Paris? attested by evidence recent, respectable, and so strong, that +to this day, the juggle, and the means by which so many +respectable people were imposed upon, have never yet been +thoroughly developed, and explained. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +APPLICATION OF THE TWO TESTS, SAID, IN +DEUTERONOMY, TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY GOD, AS +DISCRIMINATING A TRUE PROPHET FROM A FALSE ONE, +TO THE CHARACTER AND ACTIONS OF JESUS. + +In the 18th chapter of Deuteronomy God says,--"The Prophet +which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not +commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other +gods, even that Prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, +how shall we know (or distinguish,) the word which the Lord hath +not spoken?" Here is the criterion. "When a Prophet speaketh in +the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass; that +is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken. That Prophet hath +spoken presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." + +Again, Deuteronomy 13, "If there arise among you a Prophet, or a +dreamer of dreams, and give you a sign or a wonder (i. e. a +miracle,) and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spake +unto thee saying, let us go after other gods, which thou hast not +known, and let us serve them: thou shalt not hearken unto the +words of that Prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord +your God proveth (or tryeth) you, to know whether ye love the +Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul." + +And now Christian reader, I ask you what you think of miracles, or +"signs and wonders," as proof of a divine mission, to teach +doctrines novel and innovating, after such clear and unequivocal +language as this, from such high authority? I am sure, that if you +are a sincere lover of truth, you must certainly abandon that ground +as untenable. For, from these direc-tions, the Jews were +commanded these things#. 1. That the Prophet who presumes to +speak a word, as from God, which God hath not commanded him +to speak, must be put to death. 2. That the test, or criterion by +which they are to discern a false prophet from a true one, is this: +not his miracles, but the fulfillment of his words. If what he says +comes to pass, he is a true prophet; if the event foretold does not +take place, he has spoken presump-tuously, and must die the +death. 3. "If any man arise in Israel," and advise, or teach them to +worship any other besides the Eternal; and in proof of the divinity +of his mission promise a sign, or a wonder, and in fact does bring +to pass the sign or wonder promised, he is nevertheless, not to be +hearkened to; but to be put to death. And these criteria given by +God, or Moses, as the means whereby they might know a true +Prophet from a false one, most exquisitely prove his wisdom and +foresight. For if he had not expressly excluded miracles, or "signs +and wonders," from being proof of the divinity of doctrines, the +barriers which divided his religion from those of idolaters, must +have been broken down; since, as we have seen, well attested +miracles (meaning always by miracles, "signs and wonders," +brought to pass by human agency,) are related to have been +performed in proof of the divinity of every religion under Heaven. +But veritable prophecy is, and can he a proof proper only to a true +Revelation, because none can know what is to come but God, and +those sent by him. Accordingly, we find that the Jewish Prophets +were not acknowledged as such, but on account of their foretelling +the truth, or being supposed to do so. + +Thus, it is said, 1 Samuel iii. 20, "And all Israel, from Dan even +to Beersheba, knew, that Samuel was established to be a Prophet +of the Lord." Why? Because he performed miracles? No! he +performed none. But he was known as a Prophet because "the +Lord was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground," i. +e. fail of their accomplishment. The same, may be said of all the +Hebrew Prophets, from Nathan to Malachi. For though Elijah and +Elisha performed miracles, yet it was not in proof of their mission, +for that was established before; but these miracles were occasional +acts of beneficence, or protection, but were never considered, or +offered by them as proofs of their being sent from God. + +These things being by this time, it is hoped, made plain and +evident, let us now test the character of Jesus as a true Prophet, by +the criteria, by Christians, and by the Jews, believed to be given by +God. If his prophecies were fulfilled, and if he taught the worship +of no other being besides the Eternal, he was, according to the Old +Testament, a true Prophet. But if any of his prophecies were not +fulfilled, or, if he taught the worship of any other Being besides the +Eternal, he was not a true Prophet. + +And here it must be recollected, that those prophecies of Jesus +only, can be brought forward in this question, which were +committed to writing, before the event foretold came to pass; and +therefore all Jesus' prophecies concerning the manner and +circumstances of his death, &c., must be set aside, as all those +events are allowed to have taken place before any of the Gospels +were written; and of course it is not certain that Jesus did actually +foretell them. This is acknowledged by Christians; and accordingly +they confine themselves to bringing forward as conclusive +evidence in their favour, his Prophecy of the Destruction of +Jerusalem, and the events following. Here it is. Luke xxi. 21. +"When ye shall see Jerusalem com-passed with armies, then +know, that the desolation 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 them which are in the counter, enter +thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which +are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, +and to them which give suck in those days. For there shall be great +distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall +by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all +nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until +the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in +the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth +distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and waves roaring, +man's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those +things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of the +heavens shall be shaken. And then, shall they see the Son of Man +coming in a cloud, with power, and great glory. And when these +things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; +for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable, +Behold the fig tree and all the trees. When they now shoot forth, ye +see, and know of your own selves, that summer is now nigh at +hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know +ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, +this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and +earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." + +Such is the prophecy, and on it I would remark, first, that what +Jesus here foretells concerning Jerusalem did in fact come to pass. +But that was not a fulfillment of his prophecy, but of Daniel's, who +did, as is set down in the 7th chapter of this work, expressly +foretell the utter destruction of the city and the temple. And it was +from Daniel that Jesus obtained his know-ledge of the approach of +that event. For he expressly cites Daniel, Matthew xxiv. 15; Mark +xiii. 14; and you will please to observe reader, that he refers to him +in this quotation from Luke, in the words, "these be the days of +vengeance that all things which are written, may be fulfilled. So +that in foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem he did no more than +any Jew of that age, who attentively read their Scriptures, could +have done, and. been no prophet either. + +2. It would have been better for his reputation as a Prophet, if he +had stopped short where Daniel stopped. For what he goes on to +foretell has not been fulfilled. For he proceeds to say, that "there +shall be signs in the sun, and the moon, and the stars," &c. All this +is taken from the 2nd chapter of Joel, who says that such things +shall take place; not, however, at the destruction of Jerusalem, but +in "the latter days," at the time of the restoration of Israel. So that +here Jesus has been rather unlucky. For, in truth, there were no +signs in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, at that time; neither +was there upon earth any "great distress of nations," except in +Judea. Nor were "the powers of heaven" shaken. Certainly, they +did not see Jesus "coming in the clouds of heaven, with power, +and great glory;" and most assuredly, that generation did pass +away, and many others since, and "all these things" have not been +fulfilled. + +I know very well, and have very often smiled over the contrivances +by which learned Christians have endeavoured to save the credit of +this prophecy. They say that--it is a figurative prophecy relating +entirely to the destruction of Jerusalem, which did in fact take +place in that generation; that the expressions about the "distress of +nations," and "the sea and waves roaring," the "signs in heaven," +&c., are merely poetical; and that the shaking of the powers of +heaven was merely the shaking and pulling-down the stones of the +temple, figuratively called heaven; and that the glorious coming of +Jesus "in the clouds of heaven, with power, and great glory," +meant merely, that he sent Titus, and the Romans to destroy, +Jerusalem, or perhaps might have been an invisible spectator +himself. + +The reader will easily see, that all this is nonsense. And the +Commentator Grotius, after meddling a great while in this +troublesome business, at length ventures to insinuate, that God +might have suffered Jesus to be in a mistake about the time of his +second coming, and to tell the Apostles what he did, for the sake of +keeping up their spirits! + +But to annihilate the figurative hypothesis of these well-meaning +Commentators at once, it will be only necessary to bring forward +the testimony following. 1. The other Evangelists make an express +distinction between the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of +Jesus; and not only so, but represent him as saying, that after that +event, (i. e., the destruction of Jerusalem, "in those days," i. e., in +the same era in which that event took place,) "the son of man shall +come," &c. Witness for me, Mark, chapter xiii. 24:--"But in those +days, after that tribulation, (i. e., the destruction of Jerusalem) +shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, +and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven +shall be shaken. And then shall they see the son of man coming in +the clouds, with power and glory; and-then shall he send his +angels, and shall gather his elect from the four winds, from the +uttermost part of the earth, to the uttermost part of heaven Verily, I +say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things +be accomplished." This is decisive, and cannot be evaded. + +2. The Apostles and Primitive Christians believed that Jesus would +come in that generation, as is evident from many passages of the +New Testament. Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians prove this, +and contain an argument to them, intended to allay their terrors, or +their impatience. John says in his first Epistle, chapter ii. 18, +"Little children, it is the last hour; and as ye have heard that +Antichrist should come, even now (or already) there are many +Antichrists, whereby know that it is the last hour." Many passages +of similar import might be brought forward. The meaning of it is +this--It appears from Paul's 2nd Epistle to the Thessalonians, that +just before the second coming of Jesus, there was a personage to +appear who was to be called Antichrist, i. e., an enemy to the +Messiah. (This notion they got from the interpretation given by the +angel of the vision of the "little horn" in Daniel.) John, therefore, +seeing many Antichrists, i. e., opposers of the pretensions of Jesus, +considered the sign, and thus knew that it was ''the last hour," and +that his master was soon to appear. + +It appears from the 2nd Epistle of Peter, chapter iii., that there +were many in his days who scoffed at his master, saying, +contemptuously, "where is the promise of his coming?" And Peter +replies by telling them that their contempt is misplaced, for that +"one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand +years as one day." John, in the 1st chapter of Revelations, says, +concerning the coming of Jesus, "Behold he cometh with clouds, +and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and +all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." And in the last +chapter of Revelations he represents Jesus, as saying, "Surely I +come quickly"! + +In short, the Apostles, when they wanted to encourage their +desponding proselytes, they usually did it with such words as +these,--"Be anxious for nothing, the Lord is at hand."--"Behold! +the Judge standeth before the day."--"Be patient, therefore, +brethren, (says James) for the coming of the Lord cometh nigh." +And this persuasion did not end, as might be expected, with that +century; for we find that the heathens frequently laughed at the +expec-tations of the Primitive Christians, who, till the fourth +century, never gave up the expectation of the impending advent of +their master. Nay, so rooted was the idea in their minds, that, +understanding the words of Jesus concerning John, "if I will that +he tarry till I come, what is that to thee," to mean that that disciple +should not die, but survive till the glorious appearance of his lord, +so far were they from being convinced of the vanity of their +expectations by that Apostle's actual decease, that they insisted, +that, though he was buried, he was not dead, but only slept, and +that the earth over his body rose and fell with the action of his +breathing!! + +It is now hardly necessary to add, that Jesus did not at all answer +the character of a true prophet, when tested by the criterion laid +down in Deuteronomy for ascertaining the truth of the claims of a +prophet to a divine mission. + +Let us now see, whether he taught the worship of other beings +beside the Eternal, for if he did, the other test laid down in +Deuteronomy will also decide against him. Now, did he not +command the worship of himself in these words, "All men should +honour the Son, even as they honour the Father?" This, certainly, +commands to render to Jesus the same homage which is rendered +to God. I might prove that his disciples did worship him, by +referring to many passages in the New Testament, especially in the +Revelations, in the latter part of which, Jesus is represented as +saying, "I am the Alpha, and the Omega, the beginning, and the +end, the first, and, the last," terms applied to the Eternal in Isaiah, +where God says, (as if in express opposition to such doctrine) that +"there is no God with him: He knows not any; there was none +before him, neither shall there be any after him." I could also +adduce many passages relating to the Eternal of Hosts, quoted +from the Old Testament, and applied in the New to Jesus. Witness +"the following:--John xii. 41, alludes to Isaiah vi. 5; Revelations +i. 8,.11, 17, and ii. 8, to Isaiah xli. 4, xliii. 11, and xliv. 6; John +xxi. 16, 17, and Revelations ii. 23, to 1st Kings viii. 39; John vii. +9, Jeremiah xi. 20, and xvii. 20, Revelations xx. 12,. to Isaiah xl. +10; and, to crown all, Jesus, in Revelations i. 13, 14,15, 16, 17, is +described in almost the same words as is the Supreme God; "the +Ancient of Days" in Daniel, 7th chapter; and were there not other +proofs in abundance to this purpose, this resemblance alone would +decide me. + +I now leave it to the cool judgment of the reader, whether Jesus +prophecied truly, or did, or did not, teach the duty of paying +religious homage to other beings besides God? and, if so, it is +consequent, according to the tests by Christians acknowledged to +be given by God himself in Deuteronomy, that if Jesus was not +sent by, or from, him; for if he was--God's own words would be +contradicted by God's own deeds. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +EXAMINATION OF THE EVIDENCE, EXTERNAL AND +INTERNAL, IN FAVOR OF THE CREDIBILITY OF THE +GOSPEL HISTORY. + +In the preceding chapters, I have taken the New Testament as I +found it, and have argued upon the supposition that Jesus and the +apostles really said, and reasoned, as has been stated. I will now +endeavour to show, by an examination of the authenticity of the +four gospels, that it is not certain that they were really guilty of +such mistakes as are related of them in those books. + +*The life and doctrines of Jesus, and his followers, are contained in +the pieces composing the volume called the New Testament. The +genuineness of the books, i. e., whether they were written by those +to whom they are ascribed, must be judged of, from the external +testimony concerning them, and from internal marks in the books +themselves; for the miraculous acts therein, and therein only, +contained and related, cannot prove the truth and authenticity of +the books, because the authority and credibility of the books +themselves must be firmly established, before the miracles related +in them can reasonably be admitted as real facts. + +Now, the external evidence in favour of these books, is the +testimony of those men called "the fathers;" and as the value of +testimony depends upon the character of the witnesses, it would be +proper, first, to state as much as, can be learned of these men. As +time will not permit me to adduce all that might be said upon this +subject, I shall here only take upon me to assert, that they were +most credulous, superstitious, and weak men, and, what is worse, +made no scruple of falsifying, to support and favour what they +called "the cause of truth;" for they were writers of apocryphal +books, attributing them to the apostles, and, moreover, great +miracle-mongers, who vamped up stories of prodigies to delude +their followers, and which they themselves knew to be false. I say, +I take upon me to assert this; and to confirm and establish this +accusation, I refer the reader to Dr. Middleton's "Free Enquiry," a +learned Christian, who, therefore, had no interest to misrepresent +this matter; and he will there find these accusations amply verified, +and traits of character proved upon them. By no means favourable +to the credibility of their testimony. + +The first of these Fathers whose testimony is usually adduced to +prove the authenticity of the Gospels, is Papias, a Disciple of John. +The character given of him by Eusebius is, that "he was a +superstitious, and credulous man." And this is easily proved by +recording some of the stories, concerning Jesus, and his followers, +written by this Papias in a book extant in the time of Eusebius. One +of these stories is mentioned by Irenoeus, who says, that Papias +had it from John; who, according to Papias, said, that Jesus said, +that--" The days shall come, in which there shall be vines, which +shall severally have ten thousand branches; and every one of these +branches shall have ten thousand lesser branches; and every one of +these branches shall have ten thousand twigs; and every one of +these twigs shall have ten thousand clusters of grapes; and every +one of these grapes being pressed shall yield two hundred and +seventy-five gallons of wine. And when a man shall take hold of +any of these sacred bunches, another bunch shall cry out "I am a +better bunch, take me, and bless the Lord by me!" There's a +Munchausen for you, reader! Well! this Papias is the first witness +who lived after Matthew, who has spoken of his Gospel. He lived +about the year 116 after Jesus. And what does he say of it? Why +this. "Matthew composed a writing of the Oracles (meaning +without doubt the Doctrines of the Gospel,) in the Hebrew +Language, and every one interpreted them as he was able." So far +as this Testimony goes it is positive evidence, that the only Gospel +of Matthew extant in 116, was extant in Hebrew; and there was +then no translation, of it, for "every one interpreted as he was +able." The present gospel called of Matthew was then not written +by him, for it is in Greek. And that it has not at all the air of being +a translation is asserted by most of the learned. As it stands then, it +was not written by Matthew: and that it cannot be a translation of +Matthew's Hebrew, is not only plain from the circumstance of its +style, and other marks understood by Biblical Critics, but can also +be proved by another story related by this same Papias concerning +the manner of the death of Judas. "His body, and head (says +Papias) became so swollen, that at length he could not get through +a street in Jerusalem, where two chariots might pass abreast, and +having fallen to the ground, he--burst asunder. + +Now though this ridiculous story is undoubtedly false, yet it is not +credible that Papias, who had so great a reverence for the Apostles +as to collect and gather all "their sayings," would so flatly by his +story of the death of Judas contradict the story of Matthew, if the +Hebrew Gospel of Matthew contained that part of the Greek +Gospel of Matthew which relates the manner of Judas' Death. + +Justin Martyr lived after Papias, in the middle of the second +century; and though he relates many circumstances agreeing in the +main with those recorded in the Gospels, and appears to quote +sayings of Jesus from some book or books; yet it is substantially +acknowledged by Dr. Marsh, the learned annotator on Michaelis's +Introduction, that these quotations are so unlike the words, and +circumstances in the received Evangelists to which they appear to +correspond, that one of two things must be true; either, that Justin, +who lived 140 years after Jesus, had never seen any of the present +Gospels; or else, that they were in his time in a very different state +from what they now are. + +The next Christian father who mentions the Gospel of Matthew is +Irenoeus, who says also that "Matthew wrote his gospel in the +Hebrew Language." The character of Irenoeus is discoverable +from his work against the Heresies of his time, to that I refer the +Reader, who will find him to have been a zealous, though a very +credulous, and ignorant man; for he believed the story of Papias +just quoted, and many others equally absurd. He however furnishes +this important intelligence, that in the second century, the Christian +world was overrun with heresy, and a swarm of apocryphal, and +spurious Books were received by many as genuine. + +The next witness in favour of the Gospel is Tertullian, who lived in +the latter end of the second century. And the soundness of his +Judgment, and his capability to distinguish the genuine Gospels +from among a hundred apocryphal ones, and above all his regard +for truth, may be judged of from these proofs given by himself. He +asserts upon his own knowledge, "I know it," says he--"that the +corpse of a dead Christian, at the first breath of the prayer made by +the priest, on occasion of its own funeral, removed its hands from +its sides, into the usual posture of a supplicant; and when the +service was ended, restored them again to their former situation." +(Tertul. de anima c. 51.) And he relates as a fact, which he, and all +the orthodox of his time credited, that--"the body of another +Christian already interred moved itself to one side of the grave to +make room for another corpse which was going to be laid by it." +And it is on the testimony of such men as these, that the +authenticity of the gospels entirely depends as to external +evidence; for these are all the witnesses that can be produced as +speaking of them, who lived within two hundred years after Jesus: +Three men, (for Justin cannot be reckoned as a witness in favour of +the gospels.) Three men, who are all of them evidently credulous, +and two of whom are certainly *****. + +To convince a thinking man that histories recording such very +extraordinary, ill supported, improbable facts as are contained in +the gospels are divine, or even really written by the men to whom +they are ascribed, and are not either some of the many spurious +productions with which (as we learn from Irenoeus) that early age +abounded, calculated to astonish the credulous, and superstitious, +or else writings of authors who were themselves infected with the +grossest superstitious credulity; of what use can it be to adduce the +testimony of the very few writers, of the same, or next succeeding +age, when the very reading of their works shews him that they +themselves were tainted with that same superstitious credulity, of +which are accused the real authors of the New Testament? + +It is an obvious rule in the admission of evidence in any cause +whatsoever, that the more important the matter to be determined +by it is, the more unsullied and unexceptionable ought the +characters of the witnesses to be. And when no court of Justice, in +determining a question of fraud to the amount of six pence, will +admit the' testimony of witnesses who are themselves notoriously +convicted of the same offence of which the defendant is accused; +how can it be expected, that any reasonable, unprejudiced person, +should admit similar evidence to be of weight, in a case of the +greatest importance possible, not to himself only; but to the whole +human race? + +But there is still a greater defect in the testimony of those early +writers, than their superstitious credulity, I mean their disregard of +honour, and veracity, in whatever concerned the cause of their +particular system. + +Though Luke asserts, that many (even before he wrote his histories +for the use of Theophilus,) had written upon the same subject: +(who of course must have been of the Jewish nation,) and many +more must have been written afterwards, whose writings must have +been particularly valuable yet so singularly industrious have the +fathers, and succeeding sons of the orthodox church been, in +destroying every writing upon the subject of Christianity, which +they could not by some means, or other, apply to the support of +their own unholy superstition, that no work of importance of any +Christian writer, within the three first centuries, hath been +permitted to come down to us, except those books which they have +thought fit to adopt, and transmit to us as the canon of apostolic +scripture; and the works of a few other writers, who were all of +them, not only converts from Paganism, but men who had been +educated and well instructed in the Philosophic Schools of the +latter Platonists, and Pythagoreans. + +The established maxim of these schools was, that it was not lawful +only, but commendable to deceive, and assert falsehoods for the +sake of promoting what they considered as the cause of truth and +piety, and the effects of this maxim, which was fully acted upon by +both orthodox Christians, and heretics, produced a multiplicity of +false, and spurious writings wherewith the second century +abounded. + +Nay, they did not spare from the operation of this maxim, the +scriptures themselves. For they stuffed their copies of the +Septuagint with a number of interpolated pretended prophecies +concerning Jesus, and his death upon the cross; forgeries as weak, +and contemptible, and clumsy in themselves, as they were impious +and wicked. Whoever desires to see a number of them; may find +them in the dispute, or dialogue of Justin with Trypho the Jew; +where he will see the simple Justin bringing them out passage after +passage against the stubborn Israelite, who contents himself with +coolly answering, that these marvellous prophecies were not to be +found in his Hebrew bible! + +There is also another well known, incontrovertible proof of the +deceit and falsehood of the leading Christians of early times, of +which every person in the least conversant with the ecclesiastical +history of those times must be convinced--their pretended power +of working miracles! On this subject I shall say nothing, but refer +the reader to the work of Dr. Middleton already mentioned, for an +ample account of their lying wonders, which they imposed as +miraculous upon the simple people. + +With regard to the internal evidence for the authenticity of the +writings; composing the New Testament, it is still less satisfactory +than the external evidence. And this may be well believed, when +the reader is informed that the great Semler, after spending his life +in the study of ecclesiastical history; and antiquities, which he is +allowed to have understood better than any before him, affirmed to +his astonished coreligionists, that, except the Gospel of John, and +the Apocalypse, the whole New Testament was a collection of +forgeries written by the partizans of the Jewish and Gentile parties +in the Christian church, and entitled apostolic, in order the better to +answer their purpose. This opinion has been in part adopted in +England, by a learned and shrewd clergyman named Evanson, who +has almost demonstrated, that the Greek Gospel of Matthew was +written in the second century after the birth of Jesus by a Gentile. +For he proves that it could not be written by a Jew, on account of +geographical mistakes, and manifest ignorance of Jewish customs. +He also gives good reasons for rejecting the authenticity of some +of the epistles. In short, he has poured such a flood of light upon +the eyes of his terrified brethren, as will, ere long, no doubt enable +them to see a little clearer than heretofore. + +He gives several instances of geographical blunders in Matthew. I +shall mention only one. Matthew says, in the 2nd chapter, that +when Joseph, the husband of Mary, returned from Egypt, "hearing +that Archelaus reigned in Judea, he was afraid to go thither, and +therefore turned aside, into the parts of Galilee." Now this, as will +appear from a map of Palestine, is just like saying, "a man at +Philadelphia, intending to go to the State of New York, on his route +heard something which made him afraid to go thither, and +therefore he turned aside--into Boston!" + +That the author of that Gospel was ignorant of Jewish customs will +be evident from the following circumstances. He says Jesus told +Peter, that before the cock crew he would deny him thrice; and that +afterwards, when Peter was cursing and swearing, saying "I know +not the man! immediately the cock crew." Now it is unfortunate +for the credit of this story, that it is well known, that in conformity +with Jewish customs, at that time subsisting, no cocks were +allowed to be in Jerusalem, where Jesus was apprehended. This is +known, and acknowledged by learned Christians, who have +extricated themselves from this difficulty, by proving that the +crowing of the cock, here mentioned, does not mean, as it appears +to mean, absolutely the crowing of a cock, but that it means--what +dost thou think reader? why it means---the sound of a trumpet!!* + +According to Luke, as soon as Jesus was dead, Joseph of +Arimathea went to Pilate, and begged his body, and hasted to bury +it, because the Sabbath (which began at sunset,) drew on; that his +female disciples attended the burial; observed how the body was +placed in the sepulchre, and returned and prepared spices and +ointments to embalm it with, before the Sabbath commenced; and +then rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment. + +The pretended Matthew, however, tells us, that "when the even +was come (i. e., when the Sabbath day was actually begun,) Joseph +went to beg the body--took it down, wrapped it in linen, and +buried it; and that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, were +sitting over against the sepulchre. From the time that this writer has +thought fit to allot for the burial of Jesus, it is evident, that he was +not only no Jew, but so ignorant of the customs of the Jews, that +he did not know that their day always began with the evening, or +he would never have employed, Joseph in doing what no Jew +would, nor dared to have done, after the commencement of the +Sabbath. He takes no notice at all of the preparation made by the +women, mentioned by Luke; for that would not have agreed with +the sequel of his story. But to make up for that omission, he +informs us of a circumstance not mentioned at all by the other +Evangelists. For he tells us that "on the next day which followeth +the day of preparation, the Chief Priests, and Pharisees came +together unto Pilate," &c. "The next day which followeth the day +of preparation!!"--such is the periphrasis that he uses for the +Sabbath day! It is well known that among the Jews it was, and is, +customary to prepare, and set out, in the afternoon of the Friday, +all the food and necessaries for every family during the Sabbath +day. Because they were forbidden to light a fire, or do any servile +work, on that day; and therefore Friday was very properly called +"the day of preparation." But it appears to me next to impossible, +that any Jew would call the sabbath "the day that followeth the day +of the preparation." Yet this singular historian so denominates it, +and moreover, goes on to inform us, that the chief priests, and +Pharisees went to Pilate to ask for a guard to place round the +sepulchre, till the third day, to prevent his disciples from stealing +away his body, and then saying, that he was risen from the dead; +and that after obtaining the governor's permission, "they, went, +and secured the sepulchre by sealing the stone that was rolled +against it; and setting a watch." Though there appears nothing very +strange in this account to a Christian, yet, I assure my reader, that +to the Jews, it ever did, and must appear utterly incredible. For it is +wonderful! that the Jewish rulers, and the rigorous Pharisees +should in so public a manner thus violate the precept for observing +the Sabbath day; for the penalty of this action of theirs was no less +than death! More wonderful still is it that they should have so +much better attended to, and comprehended the meaning of the +prediction of Jesus to his disciples, than his own disciples did; and +most wonderful of all, that a Roman Proconsul should consent to +let his troops keep watch round a tomb, for fear it should be +thought that a dead man was come to life again. + +But though our author's history of these extraordinary facts is +neither consistent with reason, and probability, nor with the other +histories of the same event; it proceeds in pretty strict conformity +to the manner in which it sets out. For to convince us still more +fully that the author was totally ignorant of the mode of computing +time in use among the Jews, and habituated to that in use among +the Greeks and Romans? He reckons the Sabbath to last till day +light on Sunday morn, and says, (chapter xxviii.), "that in the end +of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn, towards the first day of the +week," the two Marys before mentioned, came, (not as in Luke, to +embalm the body, for, with a guard round the sepulchre, that would +have been impracticable, but) to see the sepulchre. "Whilst they +were there, the author tells us, there was another great earthquake, +and an angel descended, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it, at +whose sight, the soldiers trembled, and were frighted to death. But +to prevent the like effect of his appearance upon the women, he +said unto them, fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus who was +crucified. That the women as well as the soldiers were present at +the descent of this angel, appears not only from there being nobody +else, by whom these uncommon circumstances could have been +related, but also by the pronoun personal ye, inserted in the original +Greek, which in that language is never done, unless it be +emphatically to mark such a distinction, or antithesis, as there was +on this occasion, between them and the Roman guard. Here, +however, the author is inadvertently inconsistent with himself, as +well as with the other evangelists; and forgetting that the sole +intent of rolling away the stone, was to open a passage, absolutely +necessary to the body of Jesus to come forth out of the sepulchre; +and that if he had risen and come forth after the angel had rolled it +away, both the women and the soldiers must have seen him rise, he +makes the angel bid them look into the sepulchre, to see--that he +was not there! and tell them that he was already risen; and that he +was gone before them into Galilee, where they should see him! In +their way, the author adds, Jesus himself met the women, and said, +"be not afraid, go tell my brethren to go into Galilee, and there +shall they see me." He says that the eleven apostles went +into Galilee, to an appointed mountain, and saw him there; +notwithstanding that some of them were so incredulous, as not +to believe even the testimony of their own senses. + +In the interim, whilst the women were going to the apostles, the +author tells us, "some of the watch;" some strictly disciplined +Roman soldiers left their station to bring an account of what had +passed, not to the Governor their General, nor to any of their own +officers--but to the chief priests of the Jews! that they assembled a +council of the elders upon the occasion, and after deliberating what +was to be done, induced the soldiers, by large bribes, to run the risk +of being put to death themselves, upon the highly improbable +chance of the Jewish rulers having influence sufficient with the +Roman Proconsul to prevail on him to submit to the indelible +infamy of neglecting the discipline of the army under his +command, to such a degree, as to suffer an entire guard of soldiers +avowedly to sleep upon their station, without any notice being +taken of it! and to say "his disciples came and stole him away +whilst we slept." This incredible story is another instance how +necessary it is, that those who do not adhere closely to the truth, +should have extraordinary good memories to enable them to keep +clear of absurdities, or palpable contradictions in their narrations. +For, consider the circumstances. How were the tongues of these +soldiers to be restrained among the inquisitive inhabitants of a +large city, (at that time too, greatly crowded on account of the +paschal feast,) not only in their way to the chief priests; but also +during the whole time while the priests assembled the Sanhedrim, +and were deliberating what was to be done? And if that part of the +watch, who, the author says, came to inform the chief priests, were +poltroons enough for the sake of a bribe to undergo so shameful a +disgrace to themselves, as well as to hazard the resentment of their +General, how could they undertake that all their comrades who +remained at the sepulchre would do the same? and to what +purpose could the Jewish council bribe some, without a possibility +of some one knowing how the rest of the corps would act? And +even supposing all these difficulties surmounted, and that the +whole guard had agreed, and persisted in saying, "his disciples +stole him away while we slept," of what service could that be to +the Jewish rulers? For if the guards were asleep, they could be no +evidence to prove that the body was taken away; and it might be +just as probable that he might rise to life again while the watch was +asleep, as it was if no watch had been set. + +In a word, it appears from the numbers of Latin words in Greek +characters, which this book contains; from the numerous +geographical blunders; and the author's evident ignorance of the +customs of the Jews: from the form of Baptism enjoined at the +conclusion, which was not in use in the first century, as appears +from the form mentioned as then used in the Acts; from the Roman +Centurion's being made to call Jesus "a Son of a God," which +words in the mouth of a Pagan could only mean that he must be a +Demigod, like Bacchus, Hercules, or Esculapius: it is clear that this +Gospel is the patched work composition of some convert from the +Pagan schools. At any rate, his gospel flatly contradicts the others +in several important particulars in the history of the Resurrection. +For he represents the apostles as being commanded by the Angel +and by Jesus, to go to Galilee, in order to see him; and that they +went there, and saw him on a mountain. Yet it is said by the other +Evangelists, see Luke, ch. 24, and Acts 1, that he appeared on the +saw day of the resurrection to Peter at Jerusalem; to two other +disciples as they went to Emmaus; and on the succeeding night to +this whole congregation of the Disciples, not in Galilee, but in +Jerusalem, and that by his express command the apostles did not +go into Galilee, but remained at Jerusalem till the feast of +Pentecost. + +But as this author differs from the other Evangelists, so they also +differ among themselves. And the latter part of the last chapter of +Mark is so irreconcilable to the other historians of the resurrection, +that in many Manuscripts it is found omitted. And that gospel ends +in them, at the eighth Terse of the last chapter. And Mr. West, in +his attempted reconciliation of their accounts of the resurrection, is +obliged to make a number of postulates, to take a number of things +for granted, which might be denied: and after elaborately arranging +the stage for the performance, he sets the women, and the disciples +a driving backwards, and forwards, from the city to the sepulchre, +and from the sepulchre to the city, and so agitated that they +forgot to know each other when they cross in their journeys. +Notwithstanding his great ingenuity in reconciling contradictions, +in which he beats Surenhusius himself, he makes but a sorry piece +of work of it after all. He had much letter have let it alone; for his +work upon the resurrection which he calls "the main fact of +Christianity," displays these contradictions in so glaring a light, +that the very laboured ingenuity of his methods of reconciliation, +inevitably, suggests "confirmation strong" to the keen-eyed +reader, of that irreconcilability which the author endeavors to +refute. What rational man therefore can reasonably be required to +believe the story of a resurrection pretended to have been seen and +known, only by the party interested in making it believed! when in +their testimony even, they do not agree but contradict each other? + +There is really an immense number of discrepancies and +contradiction in the New Testament which the acumen of learned +Christians has of late discovered, and pointed out to the world. +And Mr. Evanson, in his work on "the Dissonance of the four +Evangelists," has collected a mass enough, I should think, to terrify +the most determined Reconciliator that ever lived. It is a little +remarkable, that Mr. Evanson has asserted, and has proved, the +spuriosness of the Gospel ascribed to John, which Semler spared, +in the general wreck which he made of the authenticity of the +other books of the New Testament. Mr. Evanson says, in his +examination of it, what has been said before, that the speeches +ascribed to Jesus in it, are most incoherent, contradictory, and +falsified by well known facts. And indeed the author of the book +itself, sterns to be sensible of this; for he very naturally represents +the Jews repeatedly accusing Jesus of being mad. "He hath a +devil, and is mad, (say they to the multitude) why hear ye him?" +and so in other places. Mr. Evanson considers this work as the +composition of a converted Platonist or of a" Platonizing Jew; the +latter we think to be the most correct opinion; since it is evident +that the author of that gospel had the works of Philo at his fingers' +ends, which is more than can be supposed of John. As Semler +excepted the Gospel of John only, so Mr. Evanson excepts the +Gospel of Luke only from the charge of spuriousness: though he +says that it is grossly corrupted, and interpolated. From these +corruptions and interpolations, he endeavours to purify it; in which +attempt wo think he has had very indifferent success. In short, his +work has proved, (what he did not himself contemplate) that the +providence of the God of truth has taken care, that so many +absurdities and contradictions, should be contained in these books +of the New Testament which were written to establish a mistake, as +must I conceive, satisfy any man, who has them once pointed out +to him, that the doctrine of those books is not, and cannot be from +God. + +But it may be still asked, "how did this notion of the resurrection +of Jesus become current?" "How can you account for the apostles +believing such a thing?" We answer sincerely--we cannot +absolutely ascertain. The Jews of that age have left no documents +upon this business. The origin of the Christian religion is so +extremely obscure, that Josephus takes no notice of it at all, (for +the passage relating to Christian affairs now found in Josephus are +notorious interpolations.) And it is evident from the Chronological, +and other mistakes about Jesus, in the Talmud, that the curiosity of +the learned Jews had never been interested by Christianity, till so +long after Jesus, that the memory of him, and his, was almost +entirely lost among that nation. And it appears from the last +chapter of the Acts, that when Paul was received by the Jews at +Rome, he had not been considered by the Jews of Jerusalem as of +sufficient importance, as to cause them to warn their brethren of +the Dispersion concerning him; for these Jews tell Paul, on his +enquiring, that they had not received any letters concerning him +from Jerusalem. So that we can offer nothing but conjecture, to +solve the difficulty. + +It has been said by some, (and it is by no means an hypothesis +destitute of plausibility) that Jesus was indeed crucified, but did +not actually die on the cross. It is evident that Pilate was extremely +desirous to save his life; and is it impossible that the Roman +soldiers, who crucified him, had secret orders? Consider the +ciscumstances. He was crucified at our nine in the morning, and +was taken from the cross at about three in the afternoon. Now, +crucifixion is not a death which kills men in six hours, and men +have been known to have lived fastened to the cross for more than +two days. Consider, besides, that when the soldiers gave the coup +de grace to the two robbers, that they did not break the legs of +Jews. This, the author of the Gospel according to John says, they +did, in order to fulfill a prophecy; but I leave it to my reader, +whether it is not more likely that they did so in order to fulfill +secret orders? But to make up for that omission, the author adds, +that they pierced Jesus with a spear. Now, besides that this is not +mentioned by the other Evangelists, the very manner in which this +circumstance is mentioned, and eagerly affirmed by him, looks as +if the author was aware of the likelihood of a suspicion of the fact +we are trying to prove probable, and that he wrote this in order to +obviate it. And after all, the gospel according to John was certainly +not written by him, and, therefore, what the author of it observes, +may be true, or not. You will observe also, reader, that the body of +Jesus was given by Pilate to his friends immediately; a favour +never vouchsafed by the Romans in such a case, except "speciali +gratia." You will observe also, that the body was taken down by +his friends, no doubt with great care; probably was washed from +the blood, and rubbed perfectly dry; and was deposited in the cave +or sepulchre, with a large quantity of spices, and aromatics. Now +suppose that Jesus only swooned on the cross, and that his naked +body, after being cleansed as aforesaid, was laid in the new +sepulchre where the air was cool and fresh, wrapped in a +considerable quantity of dry linen, together with many spices, and +aromatics, what could be more opportune, or proper, to stimulate +his drowsed senses, and recall the unfortunate sufferer to life? +Suppose then, that on awaking from his trance, he disengaged +himself, and took himself away as secretly as possible, might not +all this have happened? Is it impossible? And does it not look +plausible? It is not improbable that he might after this have +shewed himself privately to his particular disciples; for you will +recollect, reader, that the appearances of Jesus to his disciples after +his crucifixion were to them, only, and for the most part in the +night. And it is by no means impossible, that the twelve apostles, +who were, I doubt not, well meaning men, though extremely +simple and credulous; I say it is thus by no means impossible, that +they might have believed sincerely, that their master had risen +from the dead. This hypothesis must not be considered only as the +brain work of an unbelieving sceptic; for it has been (in its main +principle) advanced, and elaborately defended by Dr. Paulus the +professor of divinity in the principal University in Bavaria. + +It is true, that it may be said, that this is all hypothesis, and mere +conjecture. We allow it; it is true; and we assert that the account +given by the Evangelists is no better, nay, worse than conjecture, +as it is a mere forgery of the second century! For no man, we think, +who knows all that has been made known by biblical critics, in +later years, will now seriously contend for the literal truth of that +account. [See Appendix A.] + +If all this will not satisfy the man that "believeth all things," our +last resource is to demy the act of this resurrection. And this we +can do with perfect sang froid, as we know very well that it cannot +be proved; for the only testimony in favour of it, are the four +evangelists; four witnesses, the like of whose written testimony, +with reference thereto, (being as contradic-tory as that is,) to say +no more, certainly would not, we believe, be received in a modern +court of justice, to settle the fact about a debt of five dollars. And if +it be still urged, that such a story is unparalleled, and therefore +respectable; we say that it is not unparalleled; as we have an +account of a false Messiah, who applied the prophecies to himself, +had a forerunner, and more than two hundred thousand followers, +who publicly acknowledged him for the Messiah, raised +contributions, and supported him magnificently. He too, quoted the +prophets as speaking concerning him, and was said to have worked +divers miracles, and was ultimately put to death by the order of the +Grand Seignor at Constantinople; yet nevertheless was said to have +been, seen again by certain of his followers, who wrote books in +favour of that fact, and of his Messiahship. Many learned Rabbins +enrolled themselves as his disciples, and wrote controversial works +in his cause, as Paul did. And to conclude, his party was not +entirely extinct within a very few years. Yet, notwithstanding all +this, he was an impostor; and no man now believes the stories of +his miracles, or his resurrection; notwithstanding that both are +affirmed by more recent, more learned, and more respectable +testimony than is, or can be, offered, in favour of the Messiahship +of Jesus. The name of this famous impostor was Shabathai Tzevi, +and his history is given by Basnage, in his history of the Jews, [and +by other writers of Jewish history. See on this subject the Sepher +Torath Hakenaoth, page 2. The learned Mr. Zedner has extracted +the life of Shabetai Tsebi from tins book, and published it, with a +German translation, in his Auswahl historischer Stucke aus +Hebraischen Schriftstellern, Berlin, 1840.--D.] + +I wish the Christian reader to peruse carefully, and cooly, that +account; and if he then persists in believing the history given by +the evangelists; with such faith as his, he certainly ought to be able +to move mountains; and I have no doubt at all, that with such a +good natured understanding as his, if he had found in his New +Testament the story of Jonah misquoted, and and by a small +transposition a la mode de Surenhusius, representing that "Jonah +swallowed the whale!" this sturdy "confidence in things not seen," +would, I doubt not have enabled him without difficulty to swallow +the prophet with the whale in his belly. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +OF THE PECULIAR MORALITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, +AS IT AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS. + +I have already expressed my respect for the character of Jesus. And +I again declare, that I request it may be distinctly understood, that +by nothing that I have said do I intend to impeach, or to deprecate +his moral character. Whatever may have been his defects, or +whatever were his foibles, they must have been the faults of his +mind, not of his heart. For, though he may hare been a mistaken +enthusiast; yet I do firmly believe, That, with such a character as +he is represented to have possessed, he could not have been either +a hypocrite, or a wilful impostor. And if it be replied, that I have, +by some observations on his conduct, indirectly impeached the +perfection of his moral character; I answer, that if so, it is certainly +my misfortune, but it may not be his fault. To explain this +observation, I request the reader to recall to mind, that Jesus wrote +nothing himself! that the only accounts we have of him, are +contained in books, probably apocryphal, certainly not generally +known till after the middle of the second-century from his birth. +The gospels now extant do not appear to have been known to +Justin Martyr; and the earliest fathers, in their writings, generally +quote traditions concernng Jesus, instead of histories. Since these +things are so, who knows, but that the authors of the histories of +him now extant, have attributed to him words and actions of which +he was guiltless. We know how prone mankind are to invent +falsehoods concerning eminent men; for instance, Mahomet +expressly disclaimed the power of working miracles, and yet the +writings of his early followers ascribe hundreds to him. Why may +it not be possible then, since Jesus wrote nothing himself, that +these books ascribe to him words and actions he neither spake nor +performed? God grant that this may one day be proved! For I +should rejoice to find the meek, gentle, and amiable man of +Nazareth proved guiltless of the follies and impieties attributed to +him in the New Testament as I find it, and to reason concerning the +works and words of Jesus, as I find them there expressed, yet I +would earnestly request the reader to consider me willing and +desirous to exempt the author, or rather the cause of the Christian +religion, from the reproach of the sentiments I am bound by my +regard for one God, and his attributes, to express for the system +itself. Yes! I can in my own mind separate Jesus from his religion +and his followers. I read with admiration many of his beautiful +parables. I shall ever contemplate his mildness, and benevolence +with respect; and I peruse, with pity, the recital of his sufferings, +and cruel death. All this I have done, and I believe I shall ever do; +but I cannot! I cannot, in effect, deny the one living and true God, +and renounce my reason, and common sense, by believing all the +contradictory and strange doctrines contained in the New +Testament. + +Having unburthened my mind upon this subject, and frankly +expressed my sentiments and feelings with regard to the character +of Jesus; I hope I may now be allowed (without incurring the +charge of maliciously exposing him, or the twelve apostles, to +reproach) to state my opinions with regard to the merit of the +moral maxims, ascribed to him and them, in the New Testament. +And I again caution the reader, that he is not obliged to lay to his, +or their, charge, the mischievous consequences that originated +from acting upon these maxims and principles, since it is by no +means impossible that they may have been falsely ascribed to him +and to them. + +Now then, let us attend to the subject of the chapter, viz., the moral +maxims ascribed to Jesus. These moral maxims consist of 1st, +Those which were adopted by him from the Old Testament. 2d, +Those of which he himself is described as the author. With the +consideration of those of the first class I shall not trouble the +reader, but shall devote this chapter to the examination of those +which are supposed to have originated from him. These are, 1st, ' +Do to others what you would that others should do to you.' 2d, ' +Resist not the injurious person; but if a man smite thee on one +cheek, turn to him the other also.' 3d, If a man ask thy cloak, give +him thy coat also.' 4th, ' If thou wouldest be perfect, sell all that +thou hast, and give to the poor; and come follow me.' 5th, ' Unless +a man hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and +possessions, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.' +6th, ' Take no thought for the morrow.' + +With regard to the first of these maxims, it does not belong to +Jesus, as the author. It is found in the book of Tobit, chapter iv. +15, and it was a maxim well known to the Rabbins. It is found in +the Talmud verbatim. "What thou wouldest not have done to thee, +do not thou to another." (Tal. Bab. Schabbat. fol. 31.) So also +Hillel addressed a proselyte thus, "What is hateful to thee, do not +thou to thy neighbour." Several other expressions of Jesus were, it +appears from the Talmud, proverbial expressions in use among the +Jews. For instance, the original of that saying recorded Matthew +vii. 2. "With whatsoever measure ye mete," &c., is found in the +Talmud of Babylon (Sanhedrim fol. 100, Sotah, chapter 4, 7, 8,9.) +"With whatsoever measure any one metes it shall be measured to +him. So also the original of that expression of "Cast out the beam +out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast the +mote out of thy brother's eye is to be found in the Talmud*. + +What is called by Christians "the Lord's Prayer," is merely a few +clauses taken from Jewish prayers, and put together. Very many +instances of a similar nature to these might be produced; but, as I +must be brief, the reader is referred for further satisfaction to the +works of Lightfoot, where he will learn, by extracts from Jewish +writings, the source, and meaning of many more of the sayings of +Jesus. + +I now proceed to the most disagreeable part of the subject, viz.: +The consideration of the other maxims mentioned, which, it must +be allowed, do belong to Jesus, or at least to the New Testament, +since they are the peculiar moral principles of Christianity, and the +honour of them can be challenged by, I believe, no other religion. + +These precepts are so extremely hyperbolical, that they are not, +and cannot be perfectly observed by any Christian, who does not +detach himself completely from the business of society; and these +maxims, (which, as I said before, are the only parts of the morality +of the New Testament, which are not borrowed,) never have been +obeyed by any but the primitive Christians; and by the Monks, and +Anchorets; for even the Quakers and Shakers, eminent as they are +in Christian morality, have never been able to come quite up to the +self denial required by the New Testament. + +Indeed, the moral maxims peculiar to Christianity are +impracticable, except by one who confines his wealth to the +possession of a suit of clothes, sad wooden platter, and who lives +in a cave, or a monastery. They bear the stamp of enthusiasm upon +their very front, and we have always seen, and ever shall see, that +they are not fit for man: that they lift him out of the sphere in +which God designed him to move; that they are useless to society, +and frequently produce the most dangerous consequences to it. In a +word, in these maxims we find commands, the fulfillment of +which, is impossible by any man who is a husband, a father, or a +citizen. + +It is an outrage to human nature, and to common sense, to order a +virtuous man, in order to reach perfection, to strip himself of his +property; to offer the other cheek to receive a new outrage; not to +resist the most unjust violence, injury, and insult; not to defend +himself, or his property, when "sued at the law;" to quit his house +and goods, and to hate his parents, and brethren, and wife, and +children, for the sake of Jesus; to refuse and reject innocent +pleasures; to deny himself lawful enjoyments, appointed by the +Creator to make the existence of man a blessing to himself and +others. + +Who does not see in these commands the language of enthusiasm +of hyperbole? These maxims! are they not directly fitted to +discourage, and debase a man? to degrade him in his own eyes, and +those of others? to plunge him into despair? And would not the +literal fulfillment of them prove destructive to society? What shall +we say of that morality which orders the heart to detach itself from +objects, which God, and reason, and nature order it to love? To +refuse to enjoy innocent and lawful happiness,--what is it but to +despise the benefits of God? What real good can result for society +from these melancholy virtues, which Christianity regards as +perfections? Will a man become more useful to society when his +mind is perpetually inquieted by imaginary terrors, by mournful +thoughts, which prevent him from fulfilling the duties he owes to +his family, his country and those with whom he is connected? + +It may be safely said, that enthusiasm is the base of the morality of +Christianity; I say, the morality of Christianity, meaning thereby, +not the morality of those called Christians, but the morality +expressed, and required in the New Testament. The virtues it +recommends, are the virtues caricatured, and rendered extravagant; +virtues which divide a man from his neighbour, and plunge him in +melancholy, and render him useless, and unhappy In this world we +want human virtues, not those which make a man a misanthrope. +Society desires, and wants virtues that help to maintain it, which +gives it energy and activity. It wants virtues which render families +industrious, and united; and which incite, and enable every one to +obtain lawful pleasures, and to augment the general felicity. But +the peculiar virtues of the New Testament, either debase the mind +by overwhelming fears, or intoxicate it with visionary hopes, both +which, are equally fitted to turn away men from their proper duties. + +In truth, what advantages can society derive from those virtues +styled by Christians, Evangelical? which they prefer to the social +virtues, the real and the useful, and without which, they assert, a +man cannot please God, Let us examine these vaunted perfections, +and let us see of what utility they can be to society, and whether +they really merit the preference which is given them by their +advocates. + +The first of these Christian virtues, which serves as a base for all +the others, is faith. It consists in believing the truth of dogmas, of +absurd fables, which Christianity (according to the catechisms) +orders its disciples to believe--dogmas, as absurd and impossible +as a square circle, or a round triangle--from which we see, that +this virtue exacts an entire renunciation of common sense; an +assent to incredible facts, and a blind credulity in absurd dogmas, +which, yet, every Christian is required to believe, under pain of +damnation. + +This virtue, too, though necessary to all men, is, nevertheless, the +gift of heaven! the effect of special grace. It forbids doubt and +examination; it "forbids a man the right to exercise his reason; it +deprives him of the liberty of thinking, and degrades him into a +bearded baby. + +This faith vanishes when a man reasons; this virtue cannot sustain +a tranquil scrutiny. And this is the reason why all thorough going +Christians are naturally, and, consequently, the enemies of science. +This miraculous faith, which "believeth all things," is not given to +persons enlightened by science and reflection, and accustomed to +think. It is not given but to those who are afraid to think, lest they +should offend God. + +The next Christian virtue which flows from the first, is hope, +founded upon the promises which the New Testament makes to +those who render themselves miserable in this life. It nourishes +their enthusiasm, it makes them "forget the things that are on earth, +and reach forward unto the things" which are in another world. It +renders them useless here below, and makes them firmly believe +that God will recompense in heaven, the pains they have taken to +make themselves miserable on earth. How can a man, occupied +with such expectations of heavenly happiness, concern himself at +all with, or for, the actual and present happiness of those around +him, while he is indifferent as to his own? And how can he help +this, when he believes that "friendship with the world is enmity +with God?" + +The third virtue is charity. We have elsewhere said, that if +universal love or charity means only general benevolence, and a +desire to makes others happy, and to do them good, all this is +commanded by reason and the ancient revelation; but if by this +precept it is commanded to love those who hate, oppress or insult +us, we do not at all scruple to assert, that the thing is impossible, +and unnatural. For, though we can abstain from hurting our +enemy; or even can do him good, we cannot really love him. Love +is a movement of the heart, which is governed and directed by the +laws of our nature, to those whom we think worthy of it, and to +those only. + +Charity, considered as general benevolence of disposition, is +virtuous and necessary. It is nothing more than a feeling which +interests us in favour of our fellow beings. But how is this feeling +consistent with the peculiar doctrines of the gospel? According to +its maxims, it is a crime to offer God a heart, whoso affections are +shared by terrestrial objects. And besides, does not experience +show, that devotees obliged by principle to hate themselves, are +little disposed to give better treatment to others? + +We should not be surprised that maxims, originating with +enthusiasm, should aim at, and have the effect of, driving man out +of himself. In the delirium of its enthusiasm, this religion forbids a +man to love himself. It commands him to hate all pleasures but +those of religion, and to cherish a long face. It attributes to him as +meritorious, all the voluntary evils he inflicts upon himself. From +thence originate those austerites, those penances, destructive to +health; those cruel privations by which the inhabitants of the +monastic cell kill themselves by inches, in order to merit the joys +of heaven. Now, how can good sense admit that God delights in +seeing his creatures torment themselves? + +It may be said to all this, perhaps, that this is mere declamation, for +Christians now a days do not torment themselves, but live as +comfortable as others. To this I answer that Christianity is to be +judged not by what Christians do, but by what it commands them +to do. Now, I presume it will not be denied that the New Testament +commands its professors to renounce the world, to be dead to the +world, to "crucify the flesh with its passions, and desires." +Certainly these directions were literally complied with by the +primitive Christians; and, in doing so, they acted consistently. In +those times, the deserts, the mountains, the forests were peopled +with perfect Christians; who withdrew from the world, deprived +their families of support, and their country of citizens, in order to +lead unmolested "the divine life." It was the New Testament +morality that spawned those legions of monks and cenobites, who +thought to secure the favour of heaven, by burying their talents in +the deserts, and devoting themselves to inaction and celibacy. + +And at this very day we see these very same things in those +Christian countries, which are truly faithful to the principles of +their religion. + +In fine, Christianity seems from the first, to have taken pains to set +itself in point blanc opposition to nature, and reason. If it admits +and includes some virtues ordered and appointed by God, good +sense, and universal experience; it drives them beyond their +bounds into extravagance. It preserves no just medium, which is +the point of perfection. Voluptuousness, adultery and debauchery +are forbidden by the laws of God and reason. But Christianity not +content with commanding, and encouraging marriage, as did the +Old Testament, must forsooth go beyond it, and therefore +encourages celibacy, as the state of perfection God says, in +Genesis, "it is not good that man should be alone. I will make a +companion for him." And he blessed all his creatures, saying, " +increase and multiply." But the gospel annuls this law, and +represents a single life to be most pleasing, to the very being, +whose very first command was, "increase and multiply"! It advises +a man to die without posterity, to refuse citizens to the state, and to +himself, a support for his old age. + +"It is to no purpose to deny that Christianity recommends all this; I +say, it substantially does! and I boldly appeal,--not to a few +Protestant Divines,--but to the New Testament; to the Homilies +of the Fathers of the Church; to the History, and Practice of the +Primitive Christians; to the innumerable Monasteries of Europe, +and Asia; to the immense multitudes who have lived, and died +hermits; and, finally, (because I know very well, the Protestant +divines attribute these follies to the influence of Platonism, +Pythagoranism, and several other isms upon pure Christianity) I +appeal to living evidence now in the world, to the only +thoroughgoing Christians in it, viz., to the Society of the Shakers, +who I maintain, and can prove, to be true, genuine imitators of the +Primitive Christians, and a perfect exemplification of their +manners, and modes of thinking. I adduce them the more +confidently, because, being simple, and unlearned, their character +has been formed by the spirit of the New Testament, and perfectly +represents the effects of its principles fully carried out, and acted +upon. They never heard of Platonism, or of Pythagoras in their +lives, and, consequently, the polemic tricks, and evasions, which +have been, as hinted just now, resorted to by Protestant divines, to +shift from the shoulders of Christianity to those of Plato or +Pythagoras, the obnoxious principles we have been considering, +are of no use in this case, as, whatever the characters of these +Shakers may be, they were formed by the New Testament, and by +nothing else; and I believe, that every scholar in ecclesiastical +history, who reads Brown's history of the Shakers, will be +immediately and powerfully struck with the resemblance +subsisting between them, and the Christians of the two first +centuries. + +As examples of the effects of those precepts of Christian morality, +which command us to hate father, and mother, and sister, and +brother, for the Bake of Jesus, take the following extracts from the +history referred to. + +"According to their faith, natural affection must be eradicated; and +they say they must love all equally alike, as brothers, and sisters in +the gospel. It would exceed the limits of this work to give a +particular account of the various schemes that have been contrived, +to destroy all natural affection and social attachment between man +and wife, parent and child, brothers and sisters; especially towards +such as have left the society. Two instances that occurred about +this time, as specimens of others, may suffice. A mother, who had +renounced the faith, (i. e. left the society,) come to Niskeuna to +see, her daughter. Eldress Hannah Matterson told the daughter to +go into the room to her carnal mother, and say, ' What do you +come here for? I don't want you to come and see me with your +carnal affections!' 'The mother being grieved, replied, 'I did not +expect that a daughter of mine would ever address me in that +manner.' + +'The daughter, in obedience to what she was taught, replied again, +'You have come here with your carnal fleshly desires, and I don't +want to see you,' and left her mother." + +"Some time after, one Duncan Shapley, who had belonged to the +society, called to see Abigail, his sister, at Niskeuna, whom he had +not seen for six or seven years; but he was not admitted: he waited +some time, being loath to go away without seeing her. At last she +was ordered to go to the window and address him in the language +of abuse and scurrility. The words she made use of, it would be +indecent to mention. For this she was applauded, and that in the +author's hearing, when he belonged to the society." + +This man gives a very curious account how the elders treated " +their babes," in their spiritual nursery; but I shall notice only one or +two examples, which illustrate what I have advanced concerning +the natural hostility of the spirit of the New Testament towards +science. "I know of several, who, soon after they joined the +Church, have been counselled by the Elders to dispose of their +books; and have accordingly done it. Elder Ebenezer being at my +house one day, on seeing a number of books, he said--'Ah! +Thomas must put away his books if he intends to become a good +believer.' + +As an instance of its effects upon the human understanding, take +the following:--"A short time after, being at a believer's house, +at eleven o'clock at night, they all having retired to rest, and I +laying awake in a dry well finished room, in which was a stove and +fire, there fell a large drop of water on my temples; on +examination, I could not discover where the water came from. I +told the believers of it in the morning." + +"One said, ' Ah! it is a warning to you respecting your unbelief.' + +"I then assigned some inconclusive reason, how the drop might +have become formed in the room, and its falling." + +"One replied, 'Ah! that is the way you render a natural reason for +the cause of every thing, and so reason away your faith and +yourself out of the gospel.'" + +As another proof, that genuine Christianity discourages marriage, +and considers celibacy as the only state of perfection, the Shakers +allow of no marriages at all. + +Thus you see that, among these people, to become a "good +believer," you must insult your parents, revile your brother, depise +learning, and never render a "natural reason" for any thing, lest +you should "reason away your faith, and yourself out of the +gospel." + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +ON THE PECULIAR MORALITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, +AS IT AFFECTS NATIONS AND POLITICAL SOCIETIES. + +After having seen the uselessness, and even the danger, to +individuals, of the perfections, the virtues, and the duties, which +Christianity peculiarly commands; let us now see whether it has a +more happy influence upon politics; or whether it produces real +happiness among the nations with whom this religion is +established, and the spirit of it faithfully observed. Let us do so, +and we shall find, that wherever Christianity is established and +obeyed, it establishes a set of laws directly opposed to those of a +well ordered national society; and it soon makes this disagreement +and incompatibility distinctly to be felt. + +Politics are intended to maintain union and concord among the +citizens. Christianity, though it preaches universal love, and +commands its followers to live in peace; yet, by a strange +inconsistency, consequentially annihilates the effect of these +excellent precepts, by the inevitable divisions it causes among its +followers, who necessarily understand differently the Old and New +Testaments, because the latter is not only irreconcilably +contradictory to the former, but it is even inconsistent with itself. +From the very commencement of Christianity, we perceive very +violent disputes among its founders and teachers; and through +every succeeding century, we find, in the history of the Church, +nothing but schism and heresy. These are followed by persecutions +and quarrels, exceedingly well adapted to destroy this vaunted +spirit of concord, said by its defenders to be peculiar to Christianity; +and the existence of which is, in fact, impossible in a religion +which is one entire chaos of obscure doctrines and impracticable +precepts. In every religious dispute, both parties thought that God +was on their side, and, consequently, they were obstinate and +irreconcilable. And how should it have been otherwise, since they +confounded the cause of God with the miserable interests of their +own vanity? Thus, being little disposed to give way on one part or +the other, they cut one another's throats; they tormented, they burnt +each other: they tore one another to pieces; and having +exterminated or put down the obnoxious sects, they sung Te Deum. + +It is not my intention to pursue, in this place, the horrid detail of +ecclesiastical history, as connected with that of the Roman empire. +Mr. Gibbon has exhibited in such colours this dreadful record of +follies, and of crimes, that it is difficult to see how the maxim of +judging the tree by its fruit, will not fatally affect the cause of the +Christian religion. I refer to Mr. Gibbon's history as a cool and +impartial narrative; for I am well satisfied that, so far from having +reason to complain of him, the advocates of Christianity have very +great reason, indeed, to thank him for his forbearance, since, with +his eloquence, he might have drawn a picture that would have +made humanity shudder. For, throughout the whole history, if a +man had wished to know what was then the orthodox faith, the best +method of ascertaining it, would have been, undoubtedly, to ask, " +What is the catechism of this public executioner." + +The Christian religion was, it is evident from his history, the +principal, though by no means the only cause of the decline and +fall of the Roman empire. Because it degraded the spirit of the +people, and because it produced monks and hermits in abundance, +but yielded no soldiers. The heathen adversaries of Christianity +were in the right when they said, that "if it prevailed, Rome was no +more!" The Christians would not serve in the armies of the +emperor, if they could possibly avoid it. They justly considered the +profession of a soldier, and that of a Christian, as incompatible. +Celsus accuses them of abandoning the empire, under whose laws +they lived, to its enemies. And what is the answer of Origen to this +accusation? Look: at his pitiful reply! He endeavours to palliate +this undutiful refusal by representing that--"the Christians had +their peculiar camps, in which they incessantly combatted for the +safety of the emperor and empire, by lifting up their right hands-- +IN PRAYER!!" (See Origen contra Celsum, Lib. 8, p. 437.) This is +a sneaking piece of business truly! But Origen could have given +another answer, if he had dared to avow it, which is, that his +co-religionists, in his time, had not ceased to expect their master +momentarily to appear; and, of course, it little mattered what +became of the emperor, or the empire. This notion was the +principal engine for making proselytes; and it was by this +expectation that many were frightened into baptism. + +That Christianity was considered incompatible with the military +profession, is evident from many passages of the fathers. And one +of them, I believe, Tertullian, ventures to insinuate to the +Christians in the legions, the expediency of deserting, to rid +themselves of "their carnal employment." Nay, to such a height did +this spirit prevail, that it never stopped till it taught the Roman +youth in Italy the expedient of cutting off the thumbs of their right +hands in order to avoid the conscription, and that they might be +allowed to count their beads at home in quiet. + +If we examine, in detail, the precepts of this religion, as they affect +nations, we shall see, that it interdicts every thing which can make +a nation flourishing. We have seen already the notion of +imperfection which Christianity attaches to marriage, and the +esteem and preference it holds out to celibacy. These ideas +certainly do not favour population, which is, without contradiction, +the first source of power to every state. + +Commerce is not less obnoxious to the principles of a religion +whose founder is represented as denouncing an anathema against +the rich, and as excluding them from the kingdom of heaven. All +industry is equally interdicted to perfect Christians, who are to +spend their lives "as strangers, and pilgrims upon earth," and who +are "not to take care of the morrow." + +Chrysostom says, that "a merchant cannot please God, and that +such a one ought to be chased out of the church." + +No Christian, also, without being inconsistent, can serve in the +army. For a man, who is never sure of being in a state of grace, is +the most extravagant of men, if, by the hazard of battle, he exposes +himself to eternal perdition. And a Christian who ought to love his +enemies, is he not guilty of the greatest of crimes, when he inflicts +death upon a hostile soldier, of whose disposition he knows +nothing: and whom he may, at a single stroke, precipitate into hell? +A Christian soldier is a monster! a non-descript! and Lactantius +affirms, that "a Christian cannot be either a soldier, or an accuser +to a criminal cause." And, at this day, the Quakers, and +Mennonites refuse to carry arms, and, in so doing, they are +consistent Christians. + +Christianity declares war against the sciences; they are regarded as +an obstacle to salvation. "Science puffeth up." says Paul. And the +fathers of the church, St. Gregory, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine +denounce vehemently astronomy, and geometry. And Jerome +declares, that he was whipped by an angel only for reading that +Pagan Cicero. + +It has been often remarked, that the most enlightened men are +commonly bad Christians. For independent of its effects on faith, +which science is exceedingly apt to subvert, it diverts the Christian +from the work of his salvation, which is the only thing needful. In +a word, the peculiar principles of Christianity literally obeyed, +would entirely subvert from its foundations every political society +now existing. If this assertion is doubted, let the doubter read the +works of the early Fathers, and he will see that their morality is +totally incompatible with the preservation and prosperity of a state. +He will see according to Lactantius, and others, that "no Christian +can lawfully be a soldier." That according to Justin, "no Christian +can be a magistrate." That according to Chrysostom, "no Christian +ought to be a merchant" And that according to several, "no +Christian ought t study." In fine, joining these maxims together +with those of the New Testament, it will follow, that a Christian, +who as he is commanded, aims at perfection, is a useless member +of the community, useless to his family, and to all around him. He +is an idle dreamer, who thinks of nothing but futurity; who has +nothing in common with the interests of the world, and according +to Tertullian "has no other business but to get out of it as quietly as +possible." + +Let us hearken to Esebius of Caesarea, and we shall abundantly +discover the truth of what has been said. + +"The manner of life, (says he,) of the Christian church, surpasses +our present nature, and the common life of men. It seeks neither +marriage, nor children, nor riches. In fine, it is entirely a stranger +to human modes of living. It is entirely absorbed in an insatiable +love of heavenly things. Those who follow this course of life, have +only their bodies upon earth, their whole souls are in heaven, and +they already dwell among pure and celestial intelligences, and they +despise the manner of life of other men" Demonstrat. Evang. vol. +ii. p.29. + +Indeed a man firmly persuaded of the truth of; Christianity cannot +attach himself to any thing here below. Every thing here is "an +occasion of stumbling, a rock of offence." Every thing here, diverts +him from thinking of his salvation. If Christians in general, +happily, for society, were not inconsistent, and did not neglect the +peculiar precepts of their religion, no large society of them could +exist; and the nations enlightened by the gospel would turn +hermits, and nuns. All business, but fasting and prayer, would be at +an end. There would be nothing but groaning in "this vale" of +tears;" and they would make themselves, and others, as miserable +as possible, from the best of motives, viz; the desire to fulfill what +they mistakenly conceived to be the will of God. + +Is this a picture taken from the life, or is it a fanciful representation +of something different from the peculiar morality of the New +Testament? This serious question demands a serious answer. If it +be such as it is represented above and such it really appears to me, +and such I have unfortunately experienced its operation to be on +my own mind--I would respectfully ask--can such a religion, +whose peculiar principles tend to render men hateful, and hating +one another: which has often rendered sovereigns, persecutors, and +subjects, either rebels, or slaves: a religion, whose peculiar moral +principles and maxims, teach the mind to grovel, and humble, and +break down the energies of man; and which divert him from +thinking of his true interests, and the true happiness of himself and +his fellow men. Can such a religion, I would respectfully ask, be +from God, since where fully obeyed, it would prove utterly +destructive to society? + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A CONSIDERATION OF SOME SUPPOSED ADVANTAGES +ATTRIBUTED TO THE NEW, OVER THE OLD, TESTAMENT; +AND WHETHER THE DOCTRINE OF A RESURRECTION, +AND A LIFE TO COME, IS NOT TAUGHT IN THE OLD +TESTAMENT; IN CONTRADICTION TO THE ASSERTION, +THAT "LIFE AND IMMORTALITY WERE BROUGHT TO +LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL." + +From the preceding chapters, you may judge, reader, of the justice +and truth of the opinion, that "the yoke of Christian morality is +easy, and its "burthen light;" and also of the veracity and fairness +of that constant assertion of divines, "that Jesus came to remove +the heavy yoke of the Mosaic Law, and to substitute in its room +one of easier observance."--Whether this, their assertion, be not +rash, and ill founded, I will cheerfully leave to be decided by +any cool and thinking man, who knows human nature, and is +acquainted with the human heart. I say, I would cheerfully leave it +to such a man, "whether the Mosaic Law, with all its numerous +rites, and ceremonial observances, nay, with all "the (ridiculous) +traditions of the Elders," superadded, would not be much more +bearable to human nature, and much easier to be observed and +obeyed, than such precepts as these, "Sell all thou hast, and give it +to the poor." "If a man ask thy cloak, give him thy coat also." +"Resist not the injurious person, but if a man smite thee on one +cheek, turn to him the other also." "Extirpate and destroy all carnal +affection, and love nothing, but religion." "Take no thought for +to-morrow;"--I am confident that the decision would be given in +my favour; and have no doubt, that with thinking men, the contrary +opinion would be instantly rejected with the contempt it merits. + +Whether the Mosaic Code be the best possible, or really divine, is +of no consequence in this inquiry, and is with me another question +from that of its inferiority to that of the New Testament. I do by no +means assert the former; but have no hesitation to give my opinion, +after a pretty thorough examination of the subject, that the +reflections of Paul, and those usually thrown out against the +Mosaic Code by Theologians, when comparing it with that of the +New Testament, in order to deprecate the former, appear to me +extremely partial and unjust; and so far from true, that I think, that +the ancient law has the advantage over the precepts of the New +Testament, in being, at least, practicable and consistent.* + +Another unfounded reproach which Theologians, in order to +magnify the importance of the New Testament, cast upon the Old, +is this: They say, that the Old Testament represents God only as +the tutelary Deity of the Israelites, and as not so much concerned +for the rest of mankind. To show that this is a very mistaken +notion, and to manifest that the Eternal of the Old Testament is +represented therein, not as the God of the Jews only, but also of the +Gentiles, I refer to these words:--"The Lord thy God is God of +gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible; who +regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute the +judgment of the fatherless, and widow, and loveth the stranger, in +giving him food and raiment. Love ye, therefore, the stranger. +Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him, for ye know the +heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. +Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously +between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. +One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that +sojourneth among you. The stranger that dwelleth with you shall +be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself. I am +the Lord your God." + +Indeed, so little truth is there in the notion, that the law and +religion of the Old Testament were established with the intention +of confining them to one people, exclusive of all others, that the +Old Testament certainly represents them in such manner, as +shows, that they were intended to be as unconfined as the +Christian, or Mahometan; its religion, in fact, admitted every one +who would receive it. And what is more, it can be proved that the +Old Testament dispensation claims, as appears from itself, to have +been given for the common advantage of all mankind. And it is +asserted in it, (whether truly or not, is not the question; it is +sufficient for my purpose, that it asserts it), that the religion +contained in it, will one day be the religion of all mankind. For it +declares that Jerusalem will be the centre of worship for all +nations, and the temple there, be "the house of prayer for all +nations;" that the Eternal will be the only God worshipped; and his +laws the only laws obeyed. It represents Abraham and his posterity +as merely the instruments of the Eternal to bring about these ends; +it is repeatedly declared therein, that the reason of God's +dispensations towards them was, "that all the earth might know that +the Eternal is God, and that there is no other but Him." According +to its history, when God threatened to destroy the Israelites for +their perverseness in the wilderness, and offers Moses, interceding +for them, to raise, up his seed to fulfil the purposes for which he +designed the posterity of Abraham; he tells Moses that his purpose +should not be frustrated through the perverseness of the chosen +instruments; "but, (saith He), as surely as I live, all the earth shall +be filled with the glory of the Lord," Numbers xiv. 21. Many +passages of similar import are contained in the Psalms, and the +Prophets. In fact, there is no truth at all in the statement of the +Catechisms, that the Old Testament was merely preparatory, and +intended merely to prepare the way for "a better covenant," as +Paul says; even for another religion, (the Christian) which was to +convert all nations; for, (if the Old Testament be suffered to tell its +own story,) we shall find, that it claims, and challenges the honour +of beginning, and completing, this magnificent design solely to +itself. I was going to overwhelm the patience of the reader with +quotations from it, to this purpose; but being willing to spare him +and myself, I will only produce one, which, as it is direct and +peremptory to this effect, is as good as a hundred, to demonstrate +that the Old Testament at least claims what I have said. Zech. viii. +20, "Thus saith the Eternal of Hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that +there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; and the +inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying: "Let us go +speedily to pray before the Eternal, and to seek the Eternal of +Hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people, and strong nations shall +come to seek the Eternal of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before +the Eternal. Thus saith the Eternal of Hosts: In those days it shall +come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all the languages +of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, +saying, we will go with you." + +Be it so, it may be said;--"Still, it is to Christianity the world +owes the consoling doctrine of a life to come. Life and immortality +were brought to light by the Gospel," say the Christian divines; and +they assert, that the doctrine of a resurrection was not known to +Jew or Gentile, till they learned it from Jesus' followers. The Old +Testament, (say they,) taught the Jews nothing of the glorious +truths concerning "the resurrection of the body, and the life +everlasting," their "beggarly elements" confined their views to +temporal happiness, only." These assertions I shall prove from the +Old Testament itself, to be contrary to fact; for the Jews both knew, +and were taught by their Bibles to expect a resurrection, and +believed it as firmly as any Christian can, or ever did. For proof +hereof, I shall, in the first place, quote the 37th chapter of Ezekiel, +and which is as follows, "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and +carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the +midst of the valley, which was full of bones. And caused me to +pass by them round about, and behold there were very many in the +open valley, and behold they were dry.--And he said unto me. +Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord God, +thou knowest. Again he said unto me. Prophecy upon these bones, +and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. +Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, behold I will cause +breath to enter into you, and ye shall live, and I will lay sinews +upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you; and cover you with +skin, and put breath into you; and ye shall live, and know that I am +the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded, and, as I +prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a shaking, and the bones +came together, bone to his bone. And "when I beheld, lo, the +sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered +them above; but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto +me. Prophecy son of man, and say unto the wind, thus saith the +Lord God, come from the four winds, O breath! and breathe upon +these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded +me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up +again upon their feet, an exceeding great army." + +A plainer resurrection than this is, I think never was preached +either by Jesus or his followers. Again, Daniel the prophet says, +"Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some +to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt," +Daniel xii. 2. Now Ezekiel lived almost six hundred years before +Jesus, and Daniel was contemporary with the former; and is it not a +little surprising, that the Jews should learn, for the first time, the +doctrine of a resurrection of the followers of Jesus Christ, when +they knew of the resurrection almost six hundred years before he +was born? Isaiah also, (who lived before either Ezekiel or Daniel), +in the 26th chapter of his prophesies, (exciting the Jews to have +confidence in God, and not to despair on account of their captivity, +and the troubles and afflictions which they should suffer therein), +foretells to them that death would not deprive them of the reward +of their piety and virtue; for God would raise them from the dead, +and make them happy. "Thy dead men shall live, my dead bodies# +(i. e., the bodies of God's servants) they shall arise. Awake! and +sing! ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs," +The meaning of the last clause is--that, as the grass, which in +Oriental countries becomes brown and shrivelled by the heat of the +sun; from the effects of the dew it changes and springs up, as it +were, in a moment, green and fresh and beautiful; so, by the +instantaneous influence of the word of God, the dry and decayed +remains of mortality shall become blooming with immortal +freshness and beauty. See also Hosea xiii. 14. I might easily +multiply passages from the Old Testament, to prove that the +doctrine of a resurrection was familiar to the ancient Israelites, but +I suppose that what I have already produced, is sufficient. Those, +however, who wish to see the subject more thoroughly examined, +are referred to "Greave's Lectures on the Pentateuch," a work +lately published in Europe, highly honourable to the author. See +also a Tract upon this subject, published by Dr. Priestley, in 1801. + +I shall only add one observation more on this subject, viz., that it is +very singular that Christian divines should assert, that "life and +immortality were first brought to light by the Gospel," when the +New Testament itself represents the resurrection of the dead as +being perfectly well known to the Jews, and describes Jesus +himself as proving it to the Sadducees out of the Old Testament!!! + + + +CONCLUSION. + +I have now finished my work, which I have written in order to +exculpate myself, and to do justice to others; and having +re-examined every link of the chain of my argument, I think it amply +strong to support the conclusions attached to it. Though there +might have been drawn from the Old and New Testaments, many +additional arguments corroborative of what has been said, yet, at +present, I shall add no more; as I think that what has been brought +forward has just claims to be considered by the impartial as quite +sufficient to prove these two points--that the New Testament can +neither subsist with the Old Testament, nor without it; and that the +New Testament system was built first upon a mistake, and +afterwards buttressed up with forged and apocryphal documents. + +Let the candid now judge, whether the author, knowing these +things, or, at least persuaded of their truth, could have persisted in +affirming, (in a place where sincerity is expected), in the name of +the Almighty, that the claims of the New Testament were valid, +without being a hypocrite, and an impostor. + +Let them also consider, whether, after being unable to obtain a +satisfactory refutation of the objections contained in this volume, +his resigning a profession whose duties obliged him to say what he +was convinced was false, was conduct to be reprehended. And +lastly, he appeals to the good sense of the public, for a decision, +whether, with such objections and difficulties weighing upon his +mind, as he has now exposed, his conduct in that respect can +reasonably be attributed to the unmanly influence of caprice and +fickle-ness, (as has been circulated by some who had an interest in +making it believed;) or to the just influence of motives deserving a +better name. + +With regard to the unfortunate people whose arguments have been +brought forward in this volume, we have, reader, now gone over, +and distinctly felt, the whole ground of the controversy between +them and their persecutors, mentioned in the Preface. And as they +make use of the Old Testament as a foundation, admitted, and +necessarily admitted by Christians, to be of divine authority, and +are surrounded by the bulwarks they have raised out of the +demolished entrenchments of their adversaries, I do not see but +that "their castle's strength may laugh a siege to scorn." And after +reviewing, and revolving, over and over in my own mind the +arguments on both sides, I am obliged to believe, that the stoutest +Polemical Goliath who may venture to attack it, especially their +strong hold--their arguments about the Messiahship, will find to +his cost, that when his weak point is but known, the mightiest +Achilles must fall before the feeblest Paris, whose arrow is--aimed +at his heel. + +The author hopes, and thinks he has a right to expect, that whoever +may attempt to answer his book, will do it fairly, like a man of +candour; without trying to evade the main question--that of the +Messiahship of Jesus. He fears, that he shall see an answer +precisely resembling the many others he has seen upon that +subject. Except two--those of Sukes, and Jeffries. (who +acknowledge that miracles have nothing to do with the question of +the Messiahship, which can be decided by the Old Testament only;)-- +all that he has ever met with, evade this question, and slide +over to the ground of miracles. Such conduct in an answerer of this +book would be very unfair, and also very absurd. For the case is +precisely resembling the following--A father informs by letter his +son in a foreign country, that he is about to send him a Tutor, +whom he will know by the following marks; "He is learned in the +mathematics, and the physical sciences; acquainted with the +learned languages, and an excellent physician; of a dark +complexion; six feet high, and with a voice loud, and +commanding." By and by, a man comes to the young man, +professing to be this tutor sent to him by his father. On examining +the man, and comparing him with the description in his father's +letter, he finds him totally unlike the person he had been taught to +expect. Instead of being acquainted with the sciences, therein +mentioned, he knows nothing about them; instead of being "six +feet high, of a dark complexion, and with a voice loud and +commanding," he is a diminutive creature of five feet, of a light +complexion, with a voice like a woman's. + +The young man, with his father's letter in his hand, tells the +pretended tutor, that he certainly cannot be the person he has been +told to expect. The man persists, and appeals to certain "wonderful +works" he performs in order to convince the young man, that he is +acquainted with the sciences aforesaid, and that he is also six feet +high; of a dark complexion; and talks like an Emperor! The young +man replies. "Friend, you are either an enthusiast, a mad man, or +something worse. As to your ' signs and wonders,' I have been +warned in my father's letter to pay no regard to any such things in +this case. Besides, you ought to be sensible, that your identity with +the person I am taught by my father's letter to expect, can be only +determined by comparing you with the description of him given +therein. Whether your 'wonderful works' are real miracles or not, I +neither know, nor care. At any rate, they cannot, in the nature of +things, be any thing to the purpose in; this case. For you to pretend, +that they prove what you offer them to prove, is quite absurd; you +might as well, and as reasonably, pretend, that they could prove +Aristotle to have been Alexander; or the Methodist George +Whitfield to be the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte!" + +To conclude, if any person should feel inclined to attempt to refute +this book, let him do it like a man; without evading the question, or +equivocating, or caviling about little things. Let him consider the +principal question, and the main arguments on which he perceives +that the author relies, and not pass over these silently, and hold up +a few petty mistakes and subsidiary arguments as specimens of the +whole book. Such a mode of defence would be very disengenuous, +and with a discerning reader, perfectly futile and insufficient. It +would be as if a man prostrate, and bleeding under a lion whose +teeth and claws were infixed in his throat, should tear a handful of +hairs out of the animal's mane, and hold them up as proofs of +victory. + +In fine, let him, before his undertaking, carefully consider these +pungent words of Bishop Beveridge, "Opposite answers, and +downright arguments advantage a cause; but when a disputant +leaves many things untouched, as if they were too hot for his +fingers; and declines the weight of other things, and alters the true +state of the question: it is a shrewd sign, either that he has not +weighed things maturely, or else (which is more probable,) that he +maintains a desperate cause." + +FINIS. + + + +APPENDIX A.# + +As reasons for this assertion, (that "the account of the resurrection +given by the evangelists is no better, nay, worse, than conjecture, +as it is a mere forgery of the second century.--Vide page 86) take +the following facts, which are now ascertained, and can be +proved:--1. Several sects of Christians in the first century, in the +apostolic era, denied that Jesus was crucified, as the Basildeans, +&c. The author of the epistle ascribed to Barnabas, I think, denied +it, and the author of the gospel of Thomas certainly did. 2. The +Jewish Christians, the disciples of the twelve apostles, never +received, but rejected every individual book of the present New +Testament. They held in especial abomination the writings of Paul, +whom they called "an apostate;" and there is extant, in " +Cotelerius' Patres Apostolici," a letter ascribed to Peter, written to +James at Jerusalem wherein he complains bitterly of Paul, styling +him "a lawless man," and a crafty misrepresenter of him (Peter,) +and his doctrine, in that Paul represented, every where, Peter as +being secretly of the same opinions with himself; against this he +enters his protest, and declares that he reprobates the doctrine of +Paul. (See Appendix B.) 3. It is certain, that from the beginning, +the Christians were never agreed as to points of faith; and that the +apostles themselves, so far from being considered as inspired, and +infallible, were frequently contradicted, thwarted, and set at naught +by their own converts: and there were as many sects, heresies, and +quarrels, in the first century, as in the second or third. 4. Jesus and +his apostles were no sooner off the stage, than forgeries of all kinds +broke in with irresistible force: Gospels, Epistles, Acts, +Revelations without number, published in the names, and under the +feigned authority, of Jesus and his apostles, abounded in the +Christian church; and as some of these were as early in time as any +of the writings in the present canon of the New Testament, so they +were received promiscuously with them, and held in equal credit +and veneration, and read in the public assemblies as of equal +authority with those now received. 5. The very learned and pious +Dodwell, in his Dissertations on Iraeneus avows, that he cannot +find in ecclesiastical antiquities, (which he understood better than +any man of his age,) any evidence at all, that the four Gospels were +known or heard of, before the time of Trajan, and Adrian, i.e. +before the middle of the second century, i. e. nearly a hundred +years after the apostles were dead. (See Appendix C.) Long before +this time, we know that there were extant numbers of spurious +gospels, forged, and ascribed to the apostles; and we have not the +least evidence to be depended on, that those now received were not +also apocryphal. For they were written nobody certainly knows by +whom, or where, or when. They first appeared in an age of +credulity, when forgeries of this kind abounded and were received +with avidity by those whose opinions they favoured, while they +were rejected as spurious by many sects of Christians, who +asserted that they were possessed of the genuine apostles, which, +however, those who received "the four," denied. 6. All the +different sects of Christians, without a known exception, altered, +interpolated, and without scruple garbled, their different copies of +their various and discordant gospels, in order to adapt them to their +jarring and whimsical philosophical notions, Celsus accuses them +of this, and they accuse each other. And that they were continually +tampering with their copies of the books of the New Testament, is +evident from the immense number of various readings, and from +some whole phrases, and even verses, which for knavish purposes +were foisted into the text, but have been detected, and exposed by +Griesbach, and others. They also forged certain rhapsodies under +the name of "Sybbiline Oracles," and then adduce them as +prophetic proofs of the truth of their religion. They also +interpolated certain clumsy forgeries as prophecies of Jesus into +their copies of their Greek version of the Old Testament. 7. The +present canon of the New Testament has never been sanctioned by +the general consent of Christians. The Syrian church rejects some +of its books;--some of its books were not admitted until after long +opposition, and not until several hundred years after Jesus. The +lists of what were considered as canonical books, differ in different +ages, and some books now acknowledged by all Christians to be +forgeries, were in the second and third centuries considered as +equally apostolic as those now received, and as such, were publicly +read in the churches. 8. The reason why we have not now extant +gospels, different and contradictory to those now received, is, +because that the sect or party which finally got the better of its +adversaries, and styled itself Catholic, or orthodox, took care to +burn and destroy the heretics, and their gospels with them. They +likewise took care to hunt up and burn the books of the pagan +adversaries of Christianity, "because they were shockingly +offensive to pious ears." 9. Semler considered the New Testament +as a collection of pious frauds, written for pious purposes, in the +latter part of the second century, (the very time assigned for their +first appearance by Dodwell.) Evanson adopts, and gives good +reasons for a similar opinion with regard to most of the books +which go to compose it. Lastly. The reason why the New +Testament canon has been so long respected, seems to have been +purely owing to the credulity of the ignorant, and the laziness, +indifference, or fears of the learned. + +Douglas, in his famous "Criterion," gives us, as infallible tests, by +which we may distinguish when written accounts of miracles are +fabulous, the following marks:-- + +1. "We have reason to suspect (he says) the accounts to be false, +when they are not published to the world till after the time when +they are said to have been performed." + +2. "We have reason to suspect them to be false, when they are not +published in the place where it is pretended the facts were +wrought, but are propagated only at a great distance from the +supposed scene of action." + +3. "Supposing the accounts to have the two fore-mentioned +qualifications, we still have reason to suspect them to be false, if in +the time when, and at the place where, they took their rise, they +might be suffered to pass without examination." + +These are the marks he gives us as infallible tests by which we +may distinguish the accounts of miracles in the New Testament to +be true; and accounts of miracles in other books (though supported +by more testimony than the former,) to be false; with how much +justice, may be evident from the following observations:-- + +1. If "we have reason to suspect the accounts to be false, when +they are not published to the world till long after the time when +they are said to have been performed," then we have reasons to +suspect the accounts given in the four gospels; for we have no +proof in the world, that any of them were written till nearly one +hundred years after the supposed writers of them were all dead. + +2. If "we have reason to suspect them to be false, when they are +not published in the place where it is pretended the facts were +wrought, but are propagated only at a great distance from the +supposed scene of action," then it is still further evident that the +accounts in question are not true. For they were apparently none of +them published in Judea, the scene of the events recorded in them. +But it is pretty clear that they were written in countries at a +distance from Palestine. And the facts recorded in them were-no +where so little believed as in Judea, among the people in whose +sight they are said to have been wrought, where they ought, if true, +to have met with most credit. It is, however, evident from the +histories themselves, that these stories were laughed at, by the +learned and intelligent of the Jewish nation, and disbelieved by the +great body of the people. In truth the first Christians were merely +one hundred and twenty Galilaeans, who asserted to their +co-religionists, that Jesus of Nazareth was the ejected Messiah. It +was a mere national quarrel between the great body of the Jews, and a +few schismatics. This is evident from the Acts, where we find that +for several years they confined their preaching to Jews only. Till +the conversion of Cornelius, they do not appear to have thought the +Gentiles any way interested in their dispute with their countrymen. +So that it is not improbable, (as the Jewish Christians dwindled +very rapidly,) that had it not been for the Gentile proselytes to +Judaism, Christianity would have perished in its cradle. These +people were very numerous, and formed the connecting link +between the Jews and the Gentiles. And it was through the medium +of these people, that Christianity became known to the heathens. +For we find that after the apostles could make nothing of the +stubborn Jews "they shook their garments, and told them that from +henceforth we go to the Gentiles."--Accordingly, when the +apostles preached in the synagogues, and the Jews contradicted, +and blasphemed," and made fun of their mode of proving from the +prophets, "that Jesus was the Christ; yet the "proselytes and devout +women" listened, and believed. + +3. If "supposing the accounts to have the two foregoing +qualifications, we still may suspect them to be false; if, in the time +when, and in the place where, they took their rise, they might be +suffered to pass without examination," we have still less reason to +believe the gospels. For one reason why they might be suffered to +pass without examination is, where the miracles proposed +coincided with the notions and superstitious prejudices of those +whom they were reported, and who, on that account, might be +prone to receive them unexamined. Now, we have documents in +plenty, which abundantly prove, along with the virtues, the +extreme credulity and simplicity of the Primitive Christians, whose +maxim was, "believe, but do not examine, and thy faith shall save +thee." Another very good reason why they might be suffered to +pass without, examination is, that the miracles of the gospels were +entirely unknown to, or at least acknowledged by, any heathen or +Jew of the age in which they are recorded to have happened. +Nobody seems to have known a syllable about them but the +apostles and their converts. Even the books of the New Testament +were not generally known to the heathens until some hundred years +after the birth of Jesus; and it seems from the few fragments of +their works come down to us, that the only notice they did take of +them, was to accuse them of telling lies and old wives fables. And +as for the Jews, the origin and early propagation of Christianity +was so very obscure, that those who lived nearest the times of the +apostles, do not seem to have known any thing about them, or their +doctrines. + +Though a little out of place, yet I will here adduce a fact which +illustrates and exemplifies the power of enthusiasm, to make +people believe they saw what they did not see. Lucian gives an +account of one Peregrinus, a philosophist very famous in his time, +who had a great number of disciples. He ended his life by throwing +himself, in the presence of assembled thousands, into a burning +pile. Yet such was the enthusiastic veneration of his followers, +that some of his disciples did solemnly aver, that they had seen +him after his death, clothed in white, and crowned; and they were +believed, insomuch that altars and statues were erected to +Peregrinus as to a demi-god. See Lucian's account. + + + +APPENDIX B. + +See Cotelerius "Patres Apostolic," Tom. 1, p. 602. +Extract of a letter from Peter to James, prefixed to the +Clementines. + +"For, if this be not done, (says Peter, after entreating James not to +communicate his preachings to any Gentile without previous +examination,) our speech of truth will be divided into many +opinions, nor do I know this thing as being a prophet, but as seeing +even now the beginning of this evil. For some from among the +Gentiles have rejected my legal preaching, embracing the trifling, +and lawless doctrine of a man who is an enemy; and these +things, some have endeavoured to do now in my own lifetime, +transforming my words by various interpretations, to the +destruction of the Laws: as if I had been of the same mind, but +dared not openly profess it, (see Galatians ii. 11, 12, &c.,) which +be far from me! For this were to act against the law of God, spoken +by Moses, and which has the testimony of our Lord for its +perpetual duration; since he thus has said, "Heaven and earth shall +pass away, yet one jot, or one tittle, shall not pass from the law." +But these, I know not how, promising to deliver my opinion, (see +Galatians as above) take upon them to explain the words they +heard from me, better than I that spoke them; telling their disciples, +my sense was that of which I had not so much as thought. Now, if +in my own life time, they dare feign such things, how much more +will those that come after, do the same." + + + +APPENDIX C. + +Extract from Dodwell's Dissertations on Irenaeus, Diss. 1, p.p. 38, +39. + +"The Canonical writings (i. e. of the New Testament), lay +concealed in the coffers of private churches, or persons, till the +latter times of Trajan, or rather perhaps of Adrian; so that they +could not come to the knowledge of the church. For if they had +been published, they would have been overwhelmed under such a +multitude as were then of apocryphal and suppositious books, that +a new examination and a new testimony would be necessary to +distinguish them from these false ones. And it is from this new +testimony (whereby the genuine writings of the apostles were +distinguished from the spurious pieces which went under their +names,) that depends all the authority which the truly apostolic +writings have formerly obtained, or which they have at present in +the Catholic Church. But this fresh attestation of the canon is +subject to the same inconveniences with those traditions of the +ancient persons that I defend, and whom Irenaeus both heard and +saw; for it is equally distant from the original, and could not be +made except by such only as had reached those remote times. But +it is very certain that before the period I mentioned of Trajan's +time, the canon of the sacred books, was not yet fixed, nor any +certain number of books received in the Catholic Church, whose +authority must ever after serve to determine matters of faith; +neither were the spurious pieces of heretics yet rejected, nor were +the faithful admonished to beware of them for the future. Likewise, +the true writings of the apostles used to be so bound up in one +volume with the apocryphal, that it was not manifest by any mark +of public censure which of them should be preferred to the other. +We have at this day, certain authentic writings of ecclesiastical +authors of those times, as Clemens Romanus, Barnabas, Hermas, +Ignatius, and Polycarp, who wrote in the same order wherein I +have named them, and after all the other writers of the New +Testament, except Jude, and the two Johns. But in Hermas you +shall not meet with one passage, or any mention of the New +Testament; nor in all the rest is any one of the evangelists called by +his own name. And if sometimes they cite any passages like those +we read in our gospels; yet, you will find them so much changed, +and for the most part so interpolated, that it cannot be known, +whether they produced them out of ours, or some apocryphal +gospels; nay, they sometimes cite passages which it is most certain +are not in the present gospels. From hence, therefore, it is evident +that no difference was yet put between the apocryphal and +canonical books of the New Testament, especially if it be +considered, that they pass no censure on the apocryphal, nor leave +any mark whereby the reader might discern whether they attributed +less authority to the spurious than to the genuine gospels; from +whence it may reasonably be suspected, that if they cite sometimes +any passages conformable to ours, it was not done through any +certain design, as if dubious things were to be confirmed only by +the canonical books, so as it is very possible that both those and the +like passages may have been borrowed from other gospels besides +these we now have. But what need I mention books that are not +canonical, when indeed it does not appear from those of our +canonical books which were last written, that the church knew any +thing of the gospels, or that the clergy made a common use of +them. The writers of these times do not chequer their works with +texts of the New Testament, which yet is the custom of the +moderns, and was also theirs in such books as they acknowledge +for scripture; for they most frequently cite the books of the Old +Testament, and would, doubtless, have done so by those of the +New, if they had then been received as canonical." + +So far Mr. Dodwell, and (excepting the genuineness of the writings +of Barnabas and the rest, for they are incontestably ancient,) it is +certain that the matters of fact with regard to the New Testament +are all true. Whoever has an inclination to write on this subject, is +furnished from this passage with a great many curious disquisitions +wherein to show his penetration and his judgment, as--how the +immediate successors and disciples of the apostles could so grossly +confound the genuine writings of their masters with such as were +falsely attributed to them; or since they were in the dark about +these matters so early, how come such as followed them, by a +better light; why all those books which are cited by the earliest +fathers with the same respect as those now received, should not be +accounted equally authentic by them; and what stress should be +laid on the testimony of those fathers, who not only contradict one +another, but are often inconsistent with themselves, in relating the +very same facts; with a great many other difficulties, which +deserve a clear solution from any capable person. + +I have said the ancient heretics asserted that the present gospels +were forgeries. As an example of this, take the following, from the +works of Faustus, quoted by Augustine, contra Faustum Lib. 32, c. +2. "You think, (says Faustus to his adversaries,) that of all the +books in the world the Testament of the Son only, could not be +corrupted; that it alone contains nothing which ought to be +disallowed; especially when it appears, that it was not written by +the apostles, but a long time after them, by certain obscure persons, +who, lest no credit should be given to the stories they told of what +they could not know, did prefix, to their writings, the names of the +apostles, and partly of those who succeeded the apostles, affirming, +that what they wrote themselves, was written by these. Wherein +they seem to me to have been the more heinously injurious to the +disciples of Christ, by attributing to them what they wrote +themselves so dissonant and repugnant; and that they pretended to +write those gospels under their names, which are so full of +mistakes, of contradictory relations and opinions, that they are +neither coherent with themselves, nor consistent with one another. +What is this, therefore, but to throw a calumny on good men, and +to fix the accusation of discord on the unanimous society of +Christ's disciples." + + + +ADDENDA. +There is, in the Gospel ascribed to John, a passage, quoted as a +prophecy, which, as it has been looked on as a proof text, ought to have +been mentioned in the 7th chapter. It is this. The evangelist (John xix. +23) says, "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his +garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his +coat--now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They +said, therefore, among themselves, ' Let us not rend it, but cast lots +for it'; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, 'They +parted my raiment among them and for my vesture they did cast lots.' +"Now, however plausible this prophesy may appear, it is one of the most +impudent applications of passages from the Old Testament that occurs in +the New. It is taken from the 18th verse of the 22d Psalm, which Psalm +was probably made by David, in reference to his humiliating and wretched +expulsion from Jerusalem by his son Absalom, and what was done in +consequence, viz., that he was hunted by ferocious enemies, whom he +compares to furious bulls, and roaring lions, gaping upon him to devour +him; that his palace was plundered, and that they divided his treasured +garments, (in the East, where the fashions never change, every great man +has constantly presses full of hundreds and thousands of garments, many +of them very costly: they are considered as a valuable part of his +riches), and cast lots for his robes. This is the real meaning of this +passage quoted as a prophecy. In the same Psalm, there is another verse, +which has been from time immemorial quoted as a prophecy of the +crucifixion, (v. 16,) "They pierced my hands and my feet." In the +original, there seems to have been a word dropped importing "they +tear," or something like it, for it is literally, "Like a lion--my hands +and my feet," and there is there no word answering to "pierced." The +meaning, however, of the verse is not difficult to be discerned, "dogs +have compassed me; the assembly of wicked men have enclosed me; like a +lion--(they tear) my hands and my feet." The meaning may be discovered +from the context, where David represents himself as in the utmost +distress, helpless, and abandoned amidst his enemies, raging like wild +beasts around him; then, by a strong, but striking Oriental figure, he +represents himself like a carcass surrounded by dogs, who are busied in +tearing the flesh from his bones; their teeth fixed in his hands and +feet, and pulling him asunder. This is the import of the place, and this +interpretation is at last adopted, for the first time, I believe, by +Christians, in the new version of the Psalms used by the Unitarian +Church in London. + +There is not a more palpable instance of the facility with which good +natured and voracious piety is made to swallow the most flimsy +arguments, if only agreeable to its wishes and wants, than the case +under consideration. This Psalm, containing these passages, "they +parted my raiment among them;" and "they pierced my hands and my feet," +is read, and for ages has been read, in the name of God, to the good +people of the Church of England, on every Good Friday, as undoubtedly a +prophesy of the Crucifixion; when yet the learned divines of the Church +of England (and of these it can boast a noble Catalogue indeed) +certainly know, and are conscious that the Psalm, which contains these +passages, has no more relation to Jesus, than it has to Nebuchadnezzar. + +A reference ought to have been subjoined at the end of the 10th chapter +to the dialogue, called "Philopatris" in Lucian's Works, for an account +of the customs, habits, and personal appearance of the early Christians, +corroborative of what is said in the 17th and 18th chapters of this +work. Lest, however, Lucian's testimony in this matter should be +objected to, because he was a satirist, and, of course, may have been +guilty of giving an overcharged picture of the subjects of his ridicule, +I request the reader to peruse, if he can obtain it, "Lami's Account of +the domestic habits and personal appearance and practices of the +primitive Christians." Lami was a very learned and sincere Christian, +and of course his testimony cannot be objected to, and the reader will +find, on a perusal of his work, that what I have asserted in the 17th +and 18th chapters is altogether true, and not the whole truth neither. +Indeed, that the statements in those chapters, as to the effects of the +peculiar maxims of the New Testament upon the heart and understanding, +are substantially correct, will, I believe, be discovered by asking any +honest individual among the Methodists, who is an enthusiast, i. e +sincere, and thorough-going in his religion. I have no doubt that he or +she will avow, without hesitation, to the enquirer, and glory in it, +that chastity is more honourable than marriage; that faith is every +thing; that doubt is damnable, and a proof of "an unregenerated mind;" +that all the goods and pleasures of this world are "trash;" that human +institutions are mere "carnal ordinances;" and that human science and +learning is a snare to faith and an abomination to a true disciple of +the cross. + + + +Published 1785. + +* In the present day, various-attempts, insidious and powerful, have +been made, even here, to coerce in matters of conscience, and to +overthrow those wise barriers to the destructive effects of sectarian +fanaticism and intolerance, which the great founders of the Republic, to +their everlasting glory, erected.--D. + +* Do you know (says Rousseau) of many Christians who have taken the +pains to examine, with care, what the Jews have to say against them? If +some persons have seen any thing of the kind, it is in the books of +Christians, A fine way, truly, to get instructed in the arguments of +their adversaries! But what can they do? If any one should dare to +publish among us, books, in which be openly favours their opinions, we +punish the author, the editor, the bookseller. This policy is +convenient, and sure always to be in the right. There is a pleasure in +refuting people who dare not open their lips"--(Emilius.) In the same +work he says that "he will never be convinced that the Jews have not +something strong to say, till they shall be permitted to speak for +themselves without fear, and without restraint." It was this hint of +Rousseau which first excited the author's curiosity with regard to the +subject of this book.--E. + +* There are a great many persons who conceive that Christianity is +sufficiently proved to be true, if the miracles of Jesus are true, even +without any regard to the prophecies, so often appealed to by him. But +supposing the miracles to be true; yet no miracles can prove that which +is false in itself to be true. If therefore Jesus be not foretold as the +Messiah in the Old Testament, no miracles can prove Jesus to be the +Messiah foretold. Nay, it would be a stronger argument to prove Jesus to +be a false pretender, that he appealed to prophecies as relating to him, +when in fact they had no relation whatever to him; and by that means +imposed upon the ignorant people; than it would be that he came from +God, merely because he worked miracles; for "False Christs and false +prophets may arise, and may show such great signs and wonders as to +deceive, if it were possible, the very elect." Matt. xxiv. 24. Yet no +Christian would allow it to be argued from thence, that those false +Christs were true ones: nor would any one conclude; that a man came from +God, (notwithstanding any miracle he might do) if he appealed to +Scripture for that which is no where in it. In fine, if miracles would +prove the Messiahship of Jesus, so also they would prove the Messiahship +of the false Christs, and false prophets spoken of above. Nay more, they +would demonstrate the Divine mission of Antichrist himself; who, +according to the epistle to the Thessalonians, (2 Thes. ch. ii. 8, 9,10) +and the Revelations, ch. xiii. 13, 14, was to perform "great signs and +wonders," equal to any wrought by Jesus, for the same Greek words are +used to express the wonderful works or "great signs and wonders" of +Antichrist, which are elsewhere used to express the miracles, or "great +signs and wonders" of Jesus himself. + +It is a striking circumstance, that the earliest apologists for +Christianity laid little stress upon the miracles of its founder. + +Justin Martyr, in his Apology, is very shy of appealing to the miracles +of Jesus in confirmation of his pretentions; he lays no stress upon +them, but relies entirely upon the prophecies he quotes as in his favor. +Jerome, in his comment on the eighty-first Psalm, assures us, "that the +performance of miracles was no extraordinary thing: and that it was no +more than what Appollonius, and Apulias, and innumerable impostors had +done before." + +Lactantius saw so little force in the miracles of Christ, exclusive of +the prophecies, that he does not hesitate to affirm their utter +inability to support the Christian religion by themselves. [Lactan. Div. +Inst. L. v. c. 3.] + +Celsus, observing upon the words of Jesus, that "false prophets and +false Christs shall arise, and show grant signs and wonders," sneeringly +observes, "A fine thing truly! that miracles done by him should prove +him to be a God, and when done by others should demonstrate them to be +false prophets and impostors." + +Tertullian, on the words of Jesus, here referred to by Celsus, says as +follows; + +"Christ, foretelling that many imposters should come and perform many +wonders, shews, that our faith cannot without great temerity be founded +on miracles, since they were so early wrought, by false Christians +themselves." [Tertul. in Marc. L. ii. c. 3.] + +Indeed, miracles in the two first centuries were allowed very little +weight in proving doctrines. Since the Christians did not deny, that the +heathens performed miracles in behalf of their gods, and that the +heretics performed them as will as the orthodox. This accounts for the +perfect indifference of the heathens to the miracles said to have been +performed by the founders of Christianity. Hierocles speaks with great +contempt of what he calls "the little tricks of Jesus," And Origen, in +his reply to Celsus, waves the consideration of the Christian miracles: +"for (says he) the very mention of these things sets you heathens upon +the. broad grin." Indeed, that they laughed very heartily at what in +the eighteenth century is read with a grave face, is evident from the +few fragments of their works written against Christianity which has +escaped the burning zeal of the fathers, and the Christian emperors; who +piously sought for, and burned up, these mischievous volumes to prevent +their doing mischief to posterity. This conduct of theirs is very +suspicious. Why burn writing they could so triumphantly refute, if they +were refutable? They should have remembered the just reflection of +Arnobius, their own apologist, against the heathens, who were for +abolishing at once such writings as promoted Christianity.--"Intercipere +scripta et publicatam velle submergere lectionem, non est Deos +defendere, sed veritatis testificationem timere."[Arnob. contra +Gentes. Liber ni.]--E. + + +* Before going into the consideration of the following prophecies, the +author would warn the reader to bear in mind, that whether these +prophecies ever will be fulfilled, is a question of no import in the +world to the question under consideration, which is--whether they have +been fulfilled eighteen hundred years ago, in the person of Jesus +Christ, who is asserted by Christians to be the person foretold in these +prophecies, and to have fulfilled their predictions. This question can +be easily decided, and only, we think, by appealing to past history, and +to the scenes passing around us, and comparing them with these +predictions.--E. + + +* The word in the original being Vayikra, in the Kal or Active form of +the verb, and not Vayikare the Niphal or Passive form.--D. + + +# reprove or argue.--D. + + +* Or, in righteousness.--D. + + +# Mr. English very properly takes notice of the disjunctive accent +(Pasek) occurring here in the text.--D. + + +# For a more correct enumeration of the thirteen cabalistic rules of +exposition, the English reader is referred to vol. 1, page 209, of the +"Conciliator" of B. Menasseh ben Israel, translated by E, H. Lindo, +Esqr.--D. + + +# Mr. E. was, doubtless, aware that this is an exposition given by +Jewish Commentators.--D. + +# There exists an English translation of this work by Abraham de Sola. +--D. + + +* The person here spoken of by Isaiah is said to make his grave with the +wicked, and be with the rich in his death. Whereas Jesus did exactly the +contrary. He was with the wicked (i. e., the two thieves) in his death, +and with the rich (i.e., Joseph of Arimathea) in his grave, or tomb. In +the original, the words may be translated that "he shall avenge, or +recompence upon the wicked his grave, and his death upon the rich." Thus +does the Targum and the Arabic version interpret the place, and Ezekiel +ix. 10, uses the verb in the verse in Isaiah under consideration +translated (in The English version)--"He made," &c--in the same sense, +given to this place in Isaiah, by the Targum, and the Arabic, as said +above. See the place in Ezekiel, where it is translated--"I will +recompence their way upon their head." See also Deut. xxi. 8, in the +original. The Syriac has it--"The wicked contributed to his burial, and +the rich to his death." The Arabic--"I will punish the wicked for his +burial, and the rich for his death." The Targum--"He shall send the +wicked into hell, and the rich who put him to a cruel death."--E. + +# Or, shall destroy.--D. + +* The remainder of this chapter is taken from Levi and Wagenseil.--E. + +* The reader is requested to consider the reasoning in the last +paragraph. The prophecy in the second chapter of Daniel, is commonly +supposed to relate to the four Great Empires, the Babylonian, Persian, +Grecian and Roman. This last, it is (according to this interpretation,) +foretold, should be divided into many kingdoms, and that 'in the latter +days of these kingdoms,' (which are now subsisting) God would set up a +kingdom which would never be destroyed,--that of the Messiah. Of course, +according to this interpretation, the kingdom of the Messiah was not to +be not only sustain after the destruction of the Roman Empire, but not +till the latter days of the kingdoms which grew up out of its ruins; +whereas, Jesus was born in the time of Augustus, i. e., precisely when +the Roman Empire itself was in the highest of its splendour and vigour. +This is a remarkable, and very striking, repugnance, to the claims of +the New Testament, and, if substantiated, must overset them entirely.--E. + +* The sum of our argument may be expressed thus. God is represented in +the prophecies of the Old Testament as designing to send into the world +an eminent deliverer, descended from David, the peace and prosperity of +whose reign should far exceed all that went before him, in whom all the +glorious things foretold by the prophets should receive their entire +completion; and who should be distinguished by the character of the +Messiah or Christ. This is an article of faith common to Christians and +Jews. But that Jesus of Nazareth should be esteemed this Messiah, and +that Christians can support that opinion, by alledging the prophecies of +the Hebrew scriptures as belonging to, and fulfilled in, him, is what we +can by no means allow, and that especially on account of these +inconsistencies. + +1. Because, these prophecies, acknowledged on both sides to point out +the Messiah, could not otherwise answer the end of inspiring them than +by an accomplishment so plain and sensible as might sufficiently +distinguish the person meant by them to be that Messiah. But no such +accomplishment, we contend, can possibly be discerned in Jesus, and, +consequently, he cannot be the person meant by them. + +2. Because, several predictions which Christians apply to Jesus, are +wrested to a meaning which quite destroys the historical sense of +scripture, and breaks the connexion of the passages from whence they are +taken. Thus many shreds and loose sentences are culled out for this +purpose, which do not appear to have any relation to Jesus, or to the +Messiah either; but to have received their proper and intended +completion in some other person, whom the prophet, as is manifest, had +then only in view. + +3. Because, in their forced applications of the prophecies, Christians, +finding themselves hard pressed by the simple and natural construction, +forsake the literal, and take shelter in spiritual and mystical senses; +fly to hyperboles and strained metaphors, and thus expound the true +meaning and importance of the prophecies quite away; the intent whereof +being to instruct men in so necessary a point of faith as that relating +to the Messiah, it is reasonable to think they would be delivered in the +most perspicuous and intelligible terms. Since ambiguous expressions +(capable of such strange meanings as they pretend,) would be too +slippery a foundation to build such a point of faith upon; would be of +no use, or worse than none; would be unable to teach the clear truth, +and apt to ensnare men into dangerous errors, by leaving too great a +latitude for fanciful interpretations, and introducing darkness and +confusion, and contradiction inexplicable. + +4. Because, admitting (as indeed it never was, or can be denied) that +many passages of scripture, and of prophetical scripture especially, +must be figuratively taken; yet, we must always put a wide difference +between a sense not just as the words in their first signification +import, and a sense directly the contrary of what they import. And yet +we complain that this latter is the sense which Christians labour to +obtrude upon the gainsayers. We say, that a kingdom of this world, and +not of this world; contempt and adoration; poverty and magnificence; +persecution and peace; sufferings and triumph; a cross and a throne; +the scandalous death of a private man upon a gibbet, and the everlasting +dominion of a universal monarch, must be reconciled, and mean the self +same thing, before the prophecies appealed to, can do their cause any +service. Granting, then, the goodness of God (according to them,) to +have been better than his word, by giving spiritual blessings, instead +of temporal; yet, what will become of the truth of God, if He act +contrary to his word, even when it would be for our advantage, if He +misleads people by expressions, which, if they mean any thing at all, +must mean what the Jews understand by them? + +In short, it seems to me, that if Providence has, in truth, any concern +with the predictions of the Old Testament, it could not have taken more +effectual care to justify the unbelief and obstinacy of the Jews, than +by ordering matters so, that the life and death of Jesus should be so +exactly, and so entirely, the very reverse of all those ideas under +which their prophets had constantly described, and the Hebrew nation as +constantly expected of their Messiah, and his coming; and to suppose +that the Supreme Being meant to describe and point out such a person as +Jesus by such descriptions of the Messiah as are contained in the Old +Testament, is certainly substantially to accuse him of the moat +unjustifiable prevarication, and mockery of his creatures. + +In order that the subject we are examining, and the arguments we make +use of, may be clearly understood by the reader, he is requested to bear +in mind, that the author reasons all along upon the supposed Divine +authority of the Old Testament; which is admitted by both Jews and +Christians. Whether the supernatural claims of the Old Testament be +just, or not, is of no consequence in the world to the controversy we +are considering. For the dispute of the Jew with the Christian is one +thing, and his dispute with the sceptic is another, totally different. +For whether such a personage as the Messiah is described to be, has +appeared eighteen hundred years ago, is quite a different thing from the +question, whether such a personage will appear at all. The Christian +says, that he has appeared in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. This the +Jew denies, but looks forward to the future fulfilment of the promises +of his Bible, while the Sceptic denies that the Messiah has come, or +ever will. + +But the subject at present under consideration is the dispute of the Jew +with the Christian, who acknowledges the Old Testament to be a +Revelation, upon which a new Revelation, that of the New Testament, is +founded and erected. To him the Jew argues, that if the Old Testament be +a Divine Revelation, then the New Testament cannot be a Revelation, +because it contradicts, and is repugnant to, the Old Testament, the more +ancient, and acknowledged Revelation. Now God cannot be the author of +two Revelations, one of which is repugnant to the other. One of them is +certainly false. And if the Christian, conscious of the difficulty of +reconciling the New, with the Old, Testament, attempts to support the +New, at the expense of the Old, Testament, upon which the former is, and +was, built by the founders of Christianity; then the Jew would tell +him, that he acts as absurdly as would the man who should expect to make +his house the firmer, by undermining, and weakening its foundation. + +So that whether the Christian affirms, or denies, he is ruined either +way. For he is reduced to this fatal dilemma. If the Old Testament +contains a Revelation from God, then the New Testament is not from God, +for God cannot contradict himself: and it can be proved abundantly, that +the New Testament is contradictory, and repugnant to the Old and to +itself too. If, on the other hand, the Old Testament contains no +Revelation from God, then the New Testament must go down at any rate +because it asserts that the Old Testament does contain a Revelation from +God, and builds upon it, as a foundation.--E. + +* There was nothing which gave the author, in writing this Book, so much +uneasiness, at the apprehension of being supposed to entertain +disrespectful sentiments of the Founder of the Christian Religion. I +would most earnestly entreat the reader to believe my solemn assurances, +that by nothing that I have said, or shall be under the necessity of +saying, do I think, or mean to intimate the slightest disparagement to +the moral character of one, whose purity of morals, and good intentions, +deserve any thing else but reproach. That he was an enthusiast, I do not +doubt, that he was a wilful impostor I never will believe. And I protest +before God, that from the apprehensions above-mentioned alone, I would +have confined the contents of this volume to myself, did I not feel +compelled to justify myself for having quitted a profession: and did I +not, above all, think it my duty, to make a well meant attempt, which I +hope will be seconded, to vindicate the unbelief of an unfortunate +nation, who, on that account, have for almost eighteen hundred years, +been made the victim of rancorous prejudice, the most infernal +cruelties, and the most atrocious wickedness. If the Christian religion +be, in truth, not well founded, surely it is the duty of every honest +and every humane, man, to endeavour to dispel an illusion, which +certainly has been, notwithstanding any thing that can be said to the +contrary, the bona fide, and real cause of unspeakable misery, and of +repeated, and remorseless plunderings, and massacres, to an unhappy +people; the journal of whose sufferings, on account of it, forms the +blackest page in the history of the human race, and the most detestable +one in the history of human superstition.--E. + +* Jerome, in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, says, that +"The Church of Christ was not gathered from the Academy, or the Lyceum, +but from the lowest of the people." [Vili Plebecula.] And Coecilius, in +Minutius Felix, says, that the Christian assemblies were made up "de +ultima faece collectis, imperitioribus, et mulieribus credulis sexus +suae facilitate labentibus," i. e. "that they consisted of the lowest +of the mob, simple and unlearned, men, and credulous women." + +The president of a province is introduced, by Prudentius as thus +addressing a martyr:--"Tu qui Doctor, ait, seris novellum Commenti +genus, ut Leves Puellae, Lucos destituunt, Jovem relinquant; Damnes, si +sapias, ANILE DOGMA." + +The Christian Fathers confess, and glory in it, that the greater part of +their congregations consisted of women and children, slaves, beggars, +and vagabonds. + +The Jewish Christians were, as appears evidently from the New Testament, +exceedingly poor, and therefore there is frequent mention made of +contributions for "the poor Saints at Jerusalem." From thence it was +that the Jewish Christians got the name of Ebionites, i. e. Poor. The +Jewish Christian Church consisted of the dregs of the Jewish people, +simple and ignorant men, Samaritans, &c. No person in Judea of eminence, +or learning, appears to have joined the sect of the Nazarenes, except +Paul; after the destruction of Jerusalem they gradually dwindled in +number, and became extinct.--E. + +* I will here lay before the reader the arguments advanced by the +Mahometans in behalf of the miracles of their prophet, extracted from +the learned Reland's account of Mehometanism. They say that--"the +miracles of Mahomet and his followers have been recorded in innumerable +volumes of the most famous, learned, pious, and subtle Doctors of the +Mahometan Faith, who let nothing pass without the strictest and severest +examination, and whose tradition, therefore, is unexceptionable among +them; that they were known throughout all the regions of Arabia, and +transmitted by common and universal tradition from father to son, from +generation to generation. That the books of Interpreters and +Commentators on the Koran, the books of Historians, especially such as +give an account of Mahomet's life and actions, the books of annalists +and lawyers, the books of mathematicians and philosophers, and, last of +all, the books of both Jews and Christians concerning Mahomet, are full +of his miracles. That if the authority of so many great and wise doctors +be denied, then, for their part, they cannot see but that a universal +scepticism as to all other accounts of miracles must obtain among people +of all persuasions. For authority being the only proof of facts done out +of our time, or out of our sight, if that be denied, there is no way to +come to the certainty of any such, without immediate inspiration; and +all accounts of matters recorded in history, must be doubtful and +precarious." + +"And these witnesses would not have dared to assert these miracles +unless they were true; for such as forged any miracles for his, which he +really did not, lay under a hearty curse from the prophet. For it was a +received tradition among the faithful, that Mahomet denounced hell and +damnation to all those who should tell any lies of him. So that none who +believed in Mahomet, durst attribute miracles to him which he was not +concerned in; and those who believed not in him, would certainly never +have given him the honour of working any, unless he had done so." +Christian reader, thou seest how much can be said, and how many +respectable witnesses and authorities can be adduced to prove that +Mahomet wrought miracles. Canst thou adduce more, or better, authorities +in behalf of the miracles of the New Testament? Art thou not rather +satisfied how fallacious the evidence of testimony is in all such cases? + +This is not all that the Mahometan might urge in behalf of his prophet, +for he might tell the Christian, boasting that Jesus and his Apostles +converted the Roman world from idolatry, that they overthrew one system +of idolatry, only to build up another, since the worship of Jesus, the +Virgin Mary, and the Saints, and their images was established in a few +hundred years after Jesus, and continues to this day; an idolatry as +rank, and much more inexcusable than the worship of the ancient Greeks +and Romans. Whereas, Mahomet cut "up root and branch, both Christian and +Pagan idolatry, and proclaimed one only God as the object of adoration; +and if the Christian should urge the rapid propagation of Christianity, +the Mahometan might reply, that Mahomet was a poor camel-driver, but +that Islamism made more progress in one hundred years, than Christianity +did in a thousand; that it was embraced by the noble, the great, the +wise, and the learned, almost as soon as it appeared; whereas, +Christianity was skulking and creeping among the mob of the Roman Empire +for some hundred years before it dared to raise its head in public view. +If the Christian should reply to this, by ascribing the success of +Mahometanism to the sword, the Mahometan might reply, with truth, that +it was a vulgar error; for that vastly more nations embraced Islamism +voluntarily, than there were who freely received Christianity; and he +might remind him, how much Christianity owed to the accession of +Constantine; to Charlemagne; and the Teutonic Knights; and bid him +recollect that the monks were assisted by soldiers to convert to +Christianity almost every nation in Modern Europe.--E. + +# Compare the above with Maimonides, Hilchot Yessode Hattorah, from +chapter 7.--D. + +* The reader is requested by the author to understand, and bear in mind, +that it is not at all intended by any of the observations contained in +this chapter on the histories of the four evangelists, to reflect upon, +or to disparage, the characters of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, under +whose names they go; because he believes, and thinks it is proved in +this chapter, that the real authors of these histories were very +different persons from the Apostles of Jesus; and that, in fact, the +accounts were not written till the middle of the second century, about a +hundred year's after the supposed authors of them were dead. Of course, +none of the observations contained in the chapter relative to these +histories, ware considered, or intended, to apply to any of the twelve +apostles, who were not men who could make such mistakes as will be +pointed out. These mistakes belong entirely to the authors who have +assumed their names.--E. + +* That the pretended Gospel of Matthew was not written by Matthew, or by +an, inhabitant of Palestine, may also be inferred, I think, from the +blundering attempts of the author of it to give the meaning of some +expressions uttered by Jesus, and used by the Jews, in the language of +the country, which was the Syro Chaldaic; and which the real Matthew +could hardly be ignorant of. For instance, he says that Golgotha +signifies--"the place of a skull." Matthew xxvii. 33. Now, this is not +true, for Golgotha, or as it should have been written, Golgoltha, does +not signify "the place of a skull," but simply "a skull." The Gospels +according to Mark, and John, are guilty of the same mistake, and thus +betray the same marks of Gentilism. Again, the pretended Matthew says, +that Jesus cried on the cross, "Eli Eli lama, sabackthani," which he +says meant, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew +xxvii. 46.) If the reader will look at what Michaelis, in his +introduction to the New Testament, says upon this subject, he will find +the real Syro Chaldaic expression which must have been used by Jesus, to +be so different from the one given by the supposed Matthew, that he +will, (and the observation is not meant as a disparagement to the real +Matthew, who certainly had no hand in the imposition of the Gospel +covered with his name) I suspect be inclined to believe, that this +pretended Matthew's knowledge of the vulgar language of the Jews, used +in Christ's time, must have been about upon a par with the honest +sailor's knowledge of French; who assured his countrymen, on his return +home, that the French called a horse a shovel and a hat a chopper!--E. + +* See Addenda, No. 2. + +* The author had prepared, in order to subjoin in this place, an +examination of the Mosaic Code, and a development of its principles, +which he thinks would have satisfied the reader of the truth of what he +has said in the last paragraph. But as it would have too much increased +the bulk of the volume, it has been omitted. It is an institution +however curious enough to be the subject of an interesting discussion, +which he should be happy to see from the hands of one able to do it +justice.--E. + +# Mr. English, it will be perceived, differs in his translation of the +Hebrew word 'nebelati,' which is, certainly, in the singular number, and +not plural. The correct rendering is, doubtless, "with my dead body +they," &c.; but this weakens not at all his argument, which is +essentially a Jewish one. See the Commentators, Chizoook Emunah, &c. +&c.--D. + +# This was, originally, a note; but, in order not to divert too much the +reader's attention, it has been thought advisable to insert it here.--D. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Grounds of Christianity Examined +by Comparing The New Testament with the Old, by George Bethune English + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GROUNDS OF CHRISTIANITY *** + +***** This file should be named 15968.txt or 15968.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/6/15968/ + +Produced by Charles Klingman + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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