is, or is not, to be found among those very persons who share fully in all the advantages of those institutions: we shall content ourselves with enabling our readers to compare the entire spirit and purpose of the preceding representation, with the declaration of the learned Author in the following extract. It should be observed that the Romans, by the destruction of Jerusalem, made way for the establishment of Christianity, which was not to be implicated with a political institution, but was designed to preserve a spiritual church, capable of administering to the moral and spiritual interests of men under every government.' Vol. i. P. 118. A more correct delineation of the nature and design of Christianity, language cannot convey. But how entirely is it opposed to the statements and opinions contained in the Dedication! Whenever occasion shall present itself for trying the merits of such questions as involve the nature and design of Christianity, we shall appeal to no other principles than those which are so admirably exhibited by Dr. Gray. There is, we are well convinced, much higher authority than even his, for maintaining the position, that Christianity was not to be implicated with a political institution, but was designed to preserve a spiritual church, capable of administering to the moral and spiritual interests of men under every form of government.' This is a concession, however, for which, we imagine, Dr. Gray will not receive the thanks of his brethren, the dignitaries of the Church of England. The subject of Dr. Gray's work, is one of much curiosity, of considerable importance, and, it must be granted, of great difficulty. Nothing, it is true, could be more easy, than to collect from the copious sources of ancient literature, passages of a striking and interesting character, imbodying facts and opinions that might be successfully used for the purpose of Scriptural illustration. For such an undertaking, scarcely any higher qualifications are requisite, than the ability to read the numerous works of heathen writers which have come down to the present times, and which are almost every where accessible. Services of this kind, we would by no means undervalue, as we cannot but be sensible how much the evidences of the truth of the Bible history are multiplied and confirmed by the testimonies which they have been the means of eliciting. The fidelity of the Jewish and the Christian records, is strongly supported by the details of writers who, in their selection and transmission of facts, were not governed by any feelings of interested regard in favour of the cause of Revelation. To collect those details, and to exhibit them in connexion with the circumstances in the Scriptures which they corroborate or explain, is unquestionably a service worthy of being warmly commended, and which, we would gratefully remember, has been frequently and well performed : it does not, however, require the employment of extraordinary 'talents. But to examine ancient literature for the purpose of tracing to their sources, the facts, the circumstances, the opinions, the rites, and the institutions which the various writings of antiquity disclose ; to shew the origin of such as are unborrowed, and to render evident the manner in which others bave been derived from the records of Scripture; is an undertaking of the most arduous description. In addition to very extensive learning, it would require the exercise of a judgement unusually discriminating, a high degree of natural penetration and acuteness, and the individual should have been trained to habits of accurate and comprehensive comparison. A correspondence inay often be found to exist between ordinances which had their origin in Divine communications, and observances which rest solely on human authority.—Resemblances may be traced between the sentiments of inspired writers, and those of moral teachers who bad never received the illumivations of the Spirit of God. There may be detected a coincidence between the institutes and the worship of a people among whom they had been established by the supreme authority of the Most High, and thuse of nations who were not witbin the circle of its directions.-Tbe fears of mankind may have suggested the practice of religious ceremonies, in some particulars identical with the customs of a revealed ritual. - Many of the heroes celebrated in Pagan fables, may be found to have had their prototypes in the eminent persons wbose names are preserved in the sacred records ; and the exploits of the former, to be only exaggerated or distorted representations of the achievements of the latter. Now, to treat these several cases, and others of a similar kind, so as that what is imitation, may stand out distinctly from what is original, and that posterior circumstances may not be invested with the attributes proper to anterior ones, would seem to be the bounden duty of an author who should undertake, according to the higher view we have suggested of the subject, to establish a connexion between sacred and profane literature. And the coinpetent execution of such a work, would require the exercise of talents far above mediocrity. Dr. Gray occasionally enters this higber walk of the Biblical scholar, but his progress in it is slow and hesitating: its obscurities are too dark to be dissipated by the light which he carries with him, and its difficulties are too formidable to be overcome by his strength. His mind is too little imbued with the spirit of philosophical research, to afford the promise of results that shall delight us by their novel and felicitous character. Where the subject is so intricate, and where the facilities of arriving at satisfactory conclusions are by no means obvious or abundant, a writer has, however, every claim to our indulgence; and it is but equitable, that our judgement of his work should be governed by the consideration of the design which he has proposed to execute, rather than by any ideal standard. The following statement of the Author's plan, it will be perceived, does not altogether limit it to the inferior department of authorship to which we have referred, but very fairly places it, in some measure at least, in relation to the higher class of objects. Dr. Gray proposes to sketch out from Jewish and Heathen literature, an abstract of some of the particulars which throw a light on the history, the prophecies, the doctrines, and the institutions of religion, following, where it may be, the order of time in the production of the extracts. He trusts that he shall be able to shew, that the whole range of ancient learning presents a wide scope for such important disquisitions, though it is his intention to take rather a popular view, than any elaborate survey of the subject. He is desirous-not to investigate every circumstance which bears a resemblance to objects described in Scripture, or to examine all the channels of intelligence which the heathens possessed, but only to give a general relief to particulars which exemplify the connexion between the sacred and profane writings; and by interesting the attention of the classical student, to lead him to prosecute enquiries, which may be carried with advantage far beyond the limits of the present work In proceeding to explore what remains of the structures of ancient times, it is not meant to search for every broken or defaced character, or to consider all the just maxims of Pagan philosophy, as transcribed from entablatures on the Jewish or Christian temples; but only to bring forward a general collection of the proofs, which the Heathen writings afford, of an acquaintance with many of the circumstances described in the Scriptures, and of the extent of information, which they derived from them, and which proofs occasionally are to be discerned, half concealed in mythological and corrupted accounts.? Introd. pp. 5, 29. If, on entering the field of inquiry before us, we put ourselves under the guidance of the early Christian writers, we shall be, in the easiest possible manner, conducted to the most ample conclusions. They do not hesitate to attribute to the whole system and apparatus of Gentile philosophy, a Jewish origin. To their conclusions, we should not offer the least objection, would they but have condescended to our infirmities so far as to reveal the steps by which they may be safely reached. The assumptions of even Justin Martyr and Clemens Alexandrinus, are but sorry substitutes for propositions resting upon proof. We must therefore try in other directions, to obtain a clew that shall guide us through the mazes of a subject most perplexing in the investigations which are related to it. It is obvious, that, to whatever extent a correspondence is supposed or proved to exist between the accounts of profane writers and the records of the Scriptures, the methods of ac counting for the former, as being derived from, or coincident with, the latter, must be the following: the early circulation or knowledge of the Scriptures among the other nations of the world; the opportunities afforded by migration, and other means of intercourse between the Jews and other people; or, the knowledge of particular facts and truths, received in both cases from very early traditions. This last source we are disposed to regard as the most prolific of the apparent or real coincidences. Dr. Gray apprehends that there is reason to believe, that the Law and The Prophets, if not other parts of the Scriptures, were translated into Greek before the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus. For our own part, we see no reason to believe this. It is, however, admitted on all hands, that, towards the beginning of the third century before Christ, the Greek version known under the name of the Septuagint, was in existence, though of its history, little that can be depended upon, has been preserved. It is very remarkable, that so early a writer as Clemens Alexandrinus should speak with so much indefiniteness of this translation: The Scriptures of the law and the prophets were translated into Greek in the time of Ptolemy Lagus, or, as others say, in the time of Ptolemy 'Philadelphus.' We are inclined to think that this version was made for the service of the Alexandrian synagogue, and that the exaggerated accounts which ascribe so large a portion of its merits to the patronage of the sovereign, originated with persons who were quite as much disposed to flatter him as to speak the truth. The history of some other Bible translations, affords sufficient ground for believing, that anterior facts may be so concealed, and subsequent ones so misrepresented, that the honours due to a primary version, may be transferred to the editor and patron of a more fortunate, but less meritorious, publication. In whatever manner, the Septuagint was produced, it laid open the sacred writings to all who could speak and read a language in extensive use; and from this source, it is extremely probable that profane writers drew several of their representations. Nor is it altogether devoid of probability, that where the circumstances which are supposed to correspond to Scriptural accounts, were not immediately copied from the Bible, they may have been transmitted to the writer through the medium of documents which had received, with great alterations and colouring, the most striking incidents of the sacred records. There are, in some of the pages of classic authors, passages of so remarkable a kind, that we scarcely know in what other manner the details which they contain, could have found a place in them. From the intercourse which subsisted between the people of foreign nations and the Jews, and which was probably less limited than many persons suppose, an acquaintance with the laws and history of the latter, could not but be obtained by the former, to some cou siderable extent. During the captivity in Chaldea, and in subsequent changes of their fortunes, the knowledge which the descendants of Jacob possessed, could not be so completely concealed from their neighbours or their masters, as that no part of it should be directed into new channels. In every instance, then, in which the details of the classic authors can be traced to the Scriptures as the immediate or remote sources of the facts which they narrate or the opinions which they deliver, a testimony is furnished to the authenticity of the Bible. In other cases, where the coincidence is to be accounted for by traditionary statements, the classic authors become independent witnesses the agreement not being the consequence of any derivation of accounts from the sacred writings, proves the truth of its history by a distinct species of evidence. The business of a writer who attempts the investigation of these several cases, is not, therefore, merely to collect from the various works in which the materials of his inquiry are to be found, instances of apparent agreement with the facts and doctrines of Revelation, but, by comparison, to separate or identify the respective sources of testimony. In this department of his labours, the present Author has been but partially successful; and he has principally failed, where the subject is most intricate, and stands in the greatest need of being cleared from the obscurities in which it has so long been enveloped; where, consequently, investigation was most desirable, and the assistance of an able expounder most wanted. Chapter I. treats very briefly, of the connexion subsisting between the religious opinions of different nations, which demonstrates often a common origin. It contains scarcely any other remark than, that with respect to the religious opinions and religious rites of antiquity, a sufficient outline may be drawn from the various records which have been preserved, to establish an original identity as to facts, and a common correspondence as to many fundamental convictions. In the following chapters, the Author proceeds to illustrate at large this leading proposition. They exhibit considerable industry; and the work, on account of its interesting and useful contents, is well entitled to our recommendation. We cannot, however, but express how much its value would have been increased by a minute examination into the credibility of the authorities which are so copiously adduced. Alexander Polyhistor may possibly have been a man highly esteemed among the Grecians for his erudition (p. 43.); but we should have been glad if he had provided us with the means of estimating the credit due to him when he represents Artapanus to have related, that Abraham went from Syria to Egypt, and remained there twenty years, teaching the Egyptians astronomy. (p. 72.) We are not disposed unnecessarily or hastily to reject |