wished to persuade them; he wished himself * accursed from Christ, for the sake of his brethren; and he sometimes did not know whether he was in the body or out of it; and we should remember that he wrote this assertion to the Corinthians, (believers in similar stories,) who lived at a great distance from Jerusalem, where these events took place; and though this epistle might be publicly read before the disciples at Corinth, yet owing to the difficulty of writing in these days, copies of it would be in the hands of very few, consequently few would be able to detect this falsehood, and still fewer willing, as superstitious people are fond of the marvellous; and though the Jews who lived at Corinth probably did expose the falsehood of this assertion, as they have done many others concerning Jesus Christ; yet it would still be believed in despite of their word, in the same manner as all the stories related by the Evangelists, are believed for divine truths, although they have been often exposed for falsehood, and shewn to contradict one another in every particular.

No religion is entitled to respect, when its foundation abounds with so many contradictions; and these accounts of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, abound with so many, they have little appearance of truth or accuracy in them; if they are really a revelation from God, it appears as if he meant to confound our reason with inconsistencies, and to outrage the judgment by commanding us to believe impossibilities, and thus to destroy the noblest faculties we possess. But his ways are not as our ways.

CHAPTER VII.

General observations on the Four Gospels.

After a careful examination of the four gospels, the foundation of the Christian religion, the errors and imperfections contained in them appear to be so many, that it is almost impossible to conclude from our reason alone, that they are the revealed will of an Omnipotent God, After the most impartial consideration, it is difficult to believe, that it is necessary for our improvement, to follow the directions they contain, or that it is essential to our happiness hereafter to believe them for a divine revelation; it is unreasonable to think, and pernicious to teach, that those who doubt their divine authority, or disbelieve their testi.

* Rom. ch. 9. v. 3.-t2. Cor. ch. 12. v. 2.

Josephus, a writer much better known in these times than Paul, relates as great a falsehood as this, though much easier of detection; he says, (Antiq. Book i. chap. xi.) that Lot's wife remained a pillar of salt until the time when be wrote, and that he had seen her! Could salt be preserved so long without melting when exposed to the weather?

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mony, deserve to be punished with fire and brimstone for ever; such a doctrine, is the parent of bigotry and intolerance, it stifles humanity, and renders mankind savage and cruel, as the punishment would be far too severe for the offence.

To consider these inconsistent books as the undoubted word of God, which it is necessary to believe, bewilders the mind with sophistry to reconcile their manifold contradictions, this perplexes the mind instead of enlightening it; but mankind are more credulous and dogmatical in their religious belief than on any other subject; no man of sound judgment would believe such improbable stories on evidence so doubtful, in any of the ordinary affairs of life,

After considering the immense system which is founded on the authority of these books, the great importance attached to them, and the veneration in which they are held; it is our duty to enquire, if it can be clearly proved who were their authors, and if they have been preserved entire and unchanged, amidst the knavery of the Priests and barbarism of the people in the middle ages? This is a matter which it is difficult to believe, and impossible to prove, as we have no clear and full accounts concerning any of these Gospels, or their authors, for some centuries after the time of Christ. The first notice that is taken of any of them, is only vague and indefinite hints, by obscure authors, the nearer the time of Christ, the more imperfect is the notice, until all information completely fails, and we cannot learn with certainty either when or where they were written, nor who were the authors.

As none of the original manuscripts are now to be found, it is impossible to prove that they are entire, and difficult to know what is genuine from what is spurious; so inaccurately are we informed concerning the originals, that Papias, one of the earliest writers who mentions the book of Matthew, says it was written in Hebrew; which is now considered by every one to be false.

The greater part of these books appear however to be very old, and were probably written soon after the time of Christ's death, but they are certainly both altered and enlarged in subsequent times, to suit the views and opinions of different sects or transcribers; yet as all the original copies are lost and gone, this cannot be clearly either proved or refuted: now, as there is so much obscurity and uncertainty concerning their origin, we ought to divest ourselves of all superstitious veneration for them, and estimate their value by their intrinsic merit, and their truth by comparing their evidence with one another.

The author of Matthew's gospel appears to have been a very devout, credulous, superstitious man, his narrative abounds with contradictions, more than sufficient to destroy the authority of Paley Evid. chap. 9, sect, 1.

any book that is impartially examined, with miracles, prodigies and incredible stories, quite unequalled in any authentic history; and only paralleled by the legends of superstition, and if originally written by the apostle of that name, it certainly contains many passages inserted at a later period.

Mark's narrative is shorter than Matthew's, and is more abrupt and unsatisfactory, to those who take an interest in the story. It exhibits in many places the same superstitious credulity as the other, and has also an abundant share of inconsistencies, miracles, and incredible stories; but as the author was not an apostle or companion of Christ's, he was not a witness of the actions he relates, consequently his narrative must have been composed from the report of others, and is of very little authority.

Luke appears to have been a man of more learning than the others, and pretends to more clearness and greater accuracy in his narrative; but he has also his share of superstitious credulity, and his pretended accuracy will not stand the test of close examination; he is more incorrect than the credulous Matthew; his minute genealogy of Jesus Christ is either manufactured by himself, or else the essence of revelation, for the greatest part of it has not shadow of proof or support from any collateral testimony; he has also an ample share of contradictions, miracles, and improbable stories in his narrative, to exercise the faith of believers. As this author was neither an apostle nor follower of Jesus Christ, his narrative, like Mark's, must have been composed from the report of others, which is perhaps an infallible proof of inspiration.

John seems to have been a very devout superstitious man, more earnest to establish his opinions, than correct in his statement of facts; his narrative supplies us with fewer particulars concerning the life of Jesus Christ than any of the other gospels; it appears to have been written for the purpose of inculcating more earnestly the doctrine of Christ's divinity, yet he has not ventured to assert it plainly as a fact; he leaves that important point as doubtful as any of the rest. His story abounds with speeches and sayings ascribed to Jesus Christ, the opinions advanced in which, are in many instances very questionable; it has also a divine share of inconsistencies, miracles, and prodigies, which are no doubt meant for a constant trial of the faith and patience of believers.

The proofs of divine inspiration which these gospels contain, are of a peculiar kind. Their origin is so concealed in a thick cloud from mortal eyes, that we know not who were their authors, or if they were written by the persons to whose names they bear; and without faith and divine assistance, such an immense system as Christianity, could not have been raised and supported upon so loose and doubtful a foundation: and the

modesty of the writers is very conspicuous, for they lay no claim to inspiration themselves; they seem to have written their separate stories unconscious of any such thing.

Their different narratives, when compared with one another, exhibit so many apparent contradictions, that one half of them would have destroyed the credit and authority of any book not supported by divine power. No authors in laying the foundation of a religion, would have written so many inconsistent statements, except by direction from above, for the trial of our faith, and certain of divine assistance and support.

They relate so great a number of incredible stories concerning miracles and prodigies, that one half of them would destroy the evidence of any author whose testimony was not supported by Almighty power.

To the unbeliever, indeed, it may appear singular, that an Almighty God could not enable his inspired servants to write his revealed will in a clear and consistent manner, without so many improbable stories, and seeming contradictions, which are a stumbling block to many, and the cause of much unbelief.

It may seem very doubtful if these writings are worthy to be called the revealed will of an infinitely wise and Omnipotent God; we might expect that the writings dietated by such a Being would be worthy of himself, that his written revelation would be without a fault, and free from all imperfections; that it would contain every instruction necessary for mankind, and all knowledge useful to them in the utmost perfection, without requiring a priesthood to explain its meaning; that it would be as much superior to every human writing, as the sun is superior to a candle; but these writings display no such superiority; they bear indelible marks of a rude age and ignorant authors; they are evidently a collection of the writings of a very barbarous and superstitious people; and would sink into insignificance, if compared with a collection of the authors of Greece or Rome, Britain or France: instead of being superior to every human writing, they are greatly inferior to many of them in every kind of useful information and instruction; the knowledge contained in the bible, although the collected writings of a whole nation, is immea sureably inferior to what is contained in one of our Encyclopædias; the four gospels, the particular object of the foregoing remarks, are weak and imbecile compositions, there are many biographical memoirs of eminent individuals, both in ancient and modern times, which, if compared with them, would cast them completely into the shade.

If the scriptures had been written with one half of the care and ability with which they have been explained and defended, they would not have been the cause of so much contention and mischief, and they would not have stood in need of so much ex-

planation and defence. If they had been attacked with half of the zeal and ability with which they had been defended, they would have fallen long ere now; but severe laws, superstitious veneration, and able defenders, have protected and supported them.

The contradictory manner in which they are written, and the doubtful and inconsistent doctrines founded upon them, has been the cause of so much strife and persecution, that for many centuries after the establishment of Christianity, mankind became more barbarous, ignorant, and miserable than before, instead of assisting the human mind in its progress to improvement, that system completely retarded it; a gloomy superstition, which sprung out of these gospels, cramped its energies, and fettered its exertions; instead of guiding society to freedom, peace, and happiness, there was founded on the authority of these writings a system of the most horrible and debasing oppression.

It would be much better for all men, to depend upon their own exertions and good conduct, to promote their happiness, than to believe that these inconsistent books will direct them to it; and if there is a future life, and a state of rewards and punishments therein, it would be better for every one to deserve happiness in that life, by a just and upright conduct in this, than to trust for it to a system of faith liable to so many objections, that its warmest admirers, and most zealous supporters, are afraid when its foundation is examined.

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