child, and unite their testimony in confirmation of this supernatural event.

But it will be asked, how are these things known, but by bare hearsay upon hearsay?"

I answer, these are facts related by the chosen disciples of this same child, who was thus born king of the Jews. They accompanied him, during his ministry, and received their knowledge from his own information, as well as that of Joseph and Mary, and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. These are facts related by them, not in a secret history, or in a corner; not for their private or personal advantage in this life, but at the risk of their reputation, peace, comfort, and even of their lives. Arnobius, as early as the third century, says, "that it is extremely impro

bable that men should be so absurd and infatuated, as to agree together to pretend that they had seen things, which they had not seen; especially if we consider, that they were so far from making any advantage of such an imposture, that they exposed themselves to the hatred of the world in general."—Not hundreds of years after the events, but during the life of their master, and immediately on his death-in the life time of Mary, if not of Joseph too; and most likely of the shepherds and other witnesses of these extraordinary circumstances, which they relate of numbers who must have been privy to the visit of the wise men, priests, scribes, and pharisees-to the cruel slaughter of the innocent children by the relentless Herod→→→ many an inconsolable mother, and weeping father, must have been living witnesses of these important facts, when first published by the disciples of the crucified Jesus, to an astonished world. On no other

natural principle, can you account for the amazing success, that attended the preaching of a poor illiterate fisherman, when three thousand men were brought over to the faith, at one sermon. It is most likely, that not only these, but thousands more, did then testify to their truth, otherwise the apostles must have been detected in the most shameful imposition on mankind, if they had been false. But so far from this, neither scribes, nor pharisees, with other learned Jews, who always discovered so much inveteracy to the Christian faith, ever pretended to controvert, in that day, the great leading facts of the Gospel history.

These opposers of the Christian church, had the most urgent reasons for using every means in their power, to expose the falsehood or forgery of the apostles, if such had been the case. The apostles condemned both scribe and pharisee for their unbelief, hypocrisy and formality-the whole body of the Jews, for their darling partiality to their own nation, and ceremonial law; and threatened the most dreadful punishment in a future state, upon all. Dr. Priestley very properly observes, that "We believe the facts recorded in the New-Testament, not on the evidence of four persons, but on that of thousands, who were well acquainted with the facts, and by whom it cannot be denied, the contents of these books were credited.. The books called the Gospels, were not the cause, but the effects of the belief of Christianity in the first ages: and these were received by the primitive Christians, because they knew beforehand, that the contents of them were true; consequently the leading facts of Christianity will always remain deserving credit,

whatever may be found to be the truth concerning the authenticity of particular books. The circumstances of the Christian church, which received these books and transmitted them to us, were such, as there cannot be a doubt with respect to the competency of their evidence; because they were published in the life time of thousands and myriads, who were as competent witnesses of the facts, as the writers themselves; and there cannot be any question of their veracity, unless we suppose they all combined to tell and to propagate a falsehood, to their own prejudice, and merely to impose on all posterity-which would be a greater miracle, as being more contrary to what we know of human nature, than any thing recorded in these books.”*

But what can our author say to the confirmation of all these great events, by the after life and conduct of Christ himself, who is acknowledged to be "a virtuous and amiable man, and a preacher of the most excellent morality." He acknowledged his mother on the cross, and declared his supernatural birth and high original, publicly and openly, before friends and enemies.

Let any candid man, with a mind open to conviction on rational evidence, take up the account of this transaction, as related by the apostle, and confirmed by all the attendant and concurring circumstances contained in the sacred writings, and let him say, he could then presume to assert, without a shadow of truth, that the birth of Jesus Christ of the Virgin Mary, as related by the evangelists, is mere hearsay,

if

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or rather hearsay upon hearsay. Did not the writers of the Gospels testify, by their whole conduct, that they were men of integrity, impartiality and virtue? Did they not teach and inculcate the most pure and strict morality ever taught to man, and that on pain of the utmost displeasure of Almighty God? Christ's disciples, says the learned Jortin, were examples of fervent zeal for the welfare of mankind-of an inoffensive behaviour of disinterestedness and self-denial-of indefatigable industry-of the most extensive charity-of patience, courage and constancyand of a regular practice of all they taught. The first Christians resembled their teachers in their good qua lities, and it was no small advantage to them, in their apologies for themselves and their religion, to be able to appeal boldly to their innocence and integrity.That we may have a right sense of this, we should consider what it was to be a Christian in that day, lest we be deceived by the vulgar use of the word, and by the notion which we at present entertain about it. To be a Christian at that time, was to be an example of well-tried virtue-of true wisdom and consummate fortitude; for he surely deserves the name of a great and good man, who serves God, and is a friend to mankind; and receives the most ungrateful returns from the world; and endures them with a calm and composed mind; who dares to look scorn, infamy and death in the face. Whoever stands forth unmoved, and patiently bears to be derided as a fool and an ideot-to be pointed out as a madman and an enthusiast; to be reviled as an atheist, and an enemy to all righteousness; to be punished as a robber and a murderer-He who can press through these

trials, is a conqueror indeed; and what the world calls courage, scarce deserves that name when compared to this behaviour.*

Some of these disciples who afterwards wrote the Gospels, were personally acquainted with Jesus Christ, attended him during his life, and were actually concerned in many of the events they relate. They were intimately acquainted with Joseph and Mary; and one of them took Mary to his own house after the crucifixion, at the request of his dying Lord, and she dwelt with him for fifteen years. The brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ after the flesh, were among his disciples, and several of them sealed their faith with their blood. If these circumstances did not constitute the Apostles the most proper historians to record the life, actions and doctrines of their master, and do not operate as a strong confirmation of the facts they relate, I know not what human testimony, can amount to proof: neither can I see; what reason there can be, for giving credit to the most approved testimonies either of nations or individuals.

ses."

Our author, with all his infidelity, will allow in page 8, "that no one will deny or dispute the power of the Almighty, to give such a revelation, if he pleaHe acknowledges that there was such a man as Jesus Christ; and that he was a virtuous and amiable man. "That the morality he preached and practised was of the most benevolent kind." These are. concessions, more than sufficient to overthrow our author's whole system of objections, and his infidelity founded thereon.

Discourse on the trials of the Christian Religion, 113.
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