صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Rochester*; for in all history he could find no one but Jesus Christ, with whose character the fifty third chapter of Isaiah could agree. There can be no deception here, as every prophecy relating to Christ was written, and promulged, in different ages, long before his appearance in the world. The Jews, though their blindness prevents them from beholding in Christ the promised Messiah, have always been severe guardians of their own scriptures; of course, the objection is futile, which ascribes to the followers of our Lord, the forgery of these prophecies. The dispersion of the Jews throughout the world, a dispersion particularly foretold by their own prophets, has preserved them entire and uncorrupted, and is in itself one of the strongest confirmations of the truth of revelation. The Jews, even at this day, acknowledge, that the Old Testament which we believe in, is the same which has been delivered down from age to age among

*Burnet's Life of John Wilmot, Earl of R. and Gilpin's Moral Contrasts.

them

themselves. Is it likely, is it possible, that Jews and Christians should unite in forging those books which pass under this name? If any one can imagine this, no argument of reason can be expected to make any impression upon him.

3. That Jesus came from God is manifest from the miracles which he wrought. To enter into the full discussion concerning miracles is not my intention. If the truth of the New Testament be proved, the miracles of our Saviour will be believed: and on the other hand, if we believe these miracles, which we cannot but do if there

be

any faith in history, we cannot dispute his authority. Even the earliest enemies of Christ did not deny the miraculous exertions of his power: though they ab surdly ascribed them to the influence of evil spirits. But it could not possibly be supposed, that an evil spirit should support such doctrines as Jesus taught. "If Satan "cast out Satan, how shall his kingdom "stand?"-We are reduced to this alternative, either to admit, with Nicodemus, that "no man could do the things which F 6 "Christ

"Christ did, except God were with him;" or to imagine that the Almighty, by allowing such miracles to be performed in his name, should give his sanction to a lye-an impious and improbable conclusion!.

4. That Jesus came from God is evident from the innocency and integrity of his life, and the excellency of his doctrines. It is amazing that mankind, who cannot but be sensible of the infirmities of their nature, and the imperfections of their lives, should not look with rapturous delight on the unspotted character of Christ! Do they not see something above humanity in every occurrence in which he was engaged, an emanation of divinity in the whole tenour of his conduct? However the religion of Christ has been disputed, no man has presumed to arraign the innocency of his life. Is it then to be believed, that he who was confessedly free from sin, who employed every moment in doing good to the bodies and souls of men, and at last, in conformity to his doctrines, died to promote their salvation, should falsely pretend that he had a commission from heaven? Above all, can we imagine

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

Jesus to be an impostor, who delivered to mankind a system of morals and belief superior in purity and wisdom to that of the most celebrated philosophers and legislators of ancient and modern times? That his birth was obscure and his education mean, are circumstances which add to the importance of the argument; for how could so humble, so illiterate a person as Jesus have introduced, have propagated so widely, a religion which was to supersede all others, even that of the Jews in the midst of whom he preached, unless he had received powers from him" who turneth the hearts of all

men as the rivers of waters ?"

5. The wonderful propagation of the gospel is another proof that Jesus came from God. It has been the fashion of this day to impute the propagation of the gospel to natural causes; but surely he who considers the argument referred to in the last paragraph, will hesitate in subscribing to the sentiments of an historian whose elegant and imposing language has been as much admired, as his sceptical insinuations are to

be

"

be dreaded *. Let the unprejudiced but reflect, what success was to be expected from the apparent son of a carpenter, uneducated and unsupported, preaching a new religion, in the midst of a people peculiarly biassed in favour of their own established opinions; and he will not think that ordinary means were likely to produce so important an effect. Let him reflect on Jesus, foretelling that "the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world ;" and again, that "if he should be lifted up from the "earth, he will draw all men unto him;" let him reflect that these improbable predictions (as they might seem) have been fulfilled, and are fulfilling, in the most wonderful manner; and that he who is now addressed as an inhabitant of a country formerly barbarous, but at present abounding with christian virtue and christian exertions, is an instance, of the very circumstance which the sceptic affects to doubt; and he will acknowledge that this is one of the

* Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, particularly his 13th and 14th chapters.

3

strongest

« السابقةمتابعة »