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fubject worthy his attention, whether, if the Canonical books of the New Testament had been the productions of artifice or delufion, they would not have resembled those, which are avowedly fo, in fome of their defects. Suppofing it, for a moment, to be a matter of doubt, by whom the Canonical books were written; or allowing them the credit, which is granted to all other writings having the fame external authority, that of being written by the authors whofe names they have always borne; upon either of these suppositions, the writers of the New Teftament could not, either in fituation or attainment, have had any advantages, humanly speaking, which the authors of the Apocryphal books were not as likely to have poffeffed as themselves: confequently, if the first books had been founded upon the basis of fiction, it is furely most probable, that fubfequent attempts would have equalled, if not improved upon, the first efforts of impofture. If, however, it appears upon a candid and close investigation, that one set of compofitions betrays no proofs of a defign to impofe upon others, and no marks that the authors were themselves deceived; while on the contrary, the others

evince,

evince, in every page, the plainest symptoms of mistake and fraud; is it fair, is it reasonable, to ascribe to a common origin productions fo palpably and effentially different? or rather, is it not more just, and even philofophical, to respect truth in those performances, which bear the fair stamp of her features; and to abandon those, and those only to contempt, which have indubitable traces of imposture?

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CHAPTER II.

ON THE PROOF ARISING FROM THE NATURE AND STRENGTH OF THE PREJUDICES OF THE JEWS.

Peculiarities in the character of the Jewish people.-Prophecies concerning the Meffiah.-Expectations formed in confequence of them.- Appearance of falfe prophets.-In what manner Jefus appeared, in the character of the expected Meffiah. His conduct and doctrine.-Gospel, how preached after his death.-The Chriftian religion not founded in imposture, or enthusiasm.-The actions of Jefus confidered with reference to each of these fuppofitions. -Jewish zealots.-Inference from the foregoing facts.Recapitulation.

I

T is an undoubted fact, that the Jewish Nation has, from the earliest ages, received the books of Mofes, and the writings com*prehended under the name of the Old Teftament, as of divine authority; and that it has regarded them, as containing an authentic narrative of tranfactions, and an inviolable rule of faith. Nor is it lefs certain, that the disciples of Mofes were distinguished from all the other inhabitants of the earth, before the publication of the Christian reli

gion,

gion, by this particularity of opinion and conduct, and by other peculiarities, founded upon, or proceeding from it. The important advantages which they conceived themselves to enjoy, as the chofen people of God, raised them fo high in their own eftimation, that they looked down with contempt upon all their fellow creatures: from the fuperiour purity and correctness of their notions refpecting the Deity, they entertained an averfion to every species of Polytheism: and the strict and repeated injunctions, contained in their laws, prohibiting all communication with idolaters, caufed them by degrees to imbibe a most unfocial and illiberal fear of polluting themselves, by any intercourfe with the nations of the earth*.

AMONGST

Nec illud omittendum videtur, à Judæis, non eos tantùm à quibus læfi effent ullo modo, fed omnes etiam idololatras in hoftium numero effe habitos. Undè ab alienigenis adeò liberalitatem fuam arcebant, ut ne communia quidem humanitatis officia illis præftarent, quale eft viam monftrare comiter. Juvenal. Sat. xiv. 103. Rofenmuller. ad Matth. v. 43. To the fame effect Mofheim expreffes himself. Humanitatis et amoris officia nullis fefe debere putabant, nifi aut fanguinis et naturæ, aut religionis faltem et facrorum communitate fecum junctis: in quo modum omnem ita excedebant, ut fummis alienigenas injuriis afficere, fibi licitum ducerent, et omnem eorum confuetudinem et convictum, quantùm poffent, fugerent. Quapropter non immeritò à Græcis et Romanis edii generis humani poftulabantur. De Reb. Chriftian. ante Conftantin,

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AMONGST the writings, esteemed by the Jews to be of divine authority, there were many, which they confidered as prophetic of future events. In the claffification of the writings held facred by them, a place was expreffly affigned to thofe of the prophets: nor were there any, which they appear to have studied with more affiduity or eagernefs. In confequence of the numerous and marked intimations, which some of these prophetic writings conveyed, a general expectation prevailed, that a perfonage was to be born among them, to execute various purposes of favour, and kindness to their nation: and this perfonage was looked for under the name of the Meffiah, or, the Anointed of God. That he was to be poffeffed of confiderable power, and atchieve fome remarkable deliverance for them, was confidently pronounced to be the fenfe of these prophecies. And fo perfuaded were they of the truth of this interpretation, and fuch anxiety did it occafion, that a notion

was

Conftantin. p. 40. See Elfner. Obfervat. Sacr. in N. F. libb. in Epift. 1. ad Theff. ii. 15. See alfo the precept of a Jewish doctor, quoted by Schoettgenius in his Hora Hebraica ad Matt. v. 43. Noli gentilibus benevolentiam aut mifericordiam exhibere.

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