which they differ from each other have their use, as they tend to prove that there was no plan preconcerted by the writers, with a view to excite wonder, and obtain credit by any studied uniformity of representation.

He who peruses the Gospels and Epistles with attention, must be struck by a remarkable peculiarity of narrative and argument, which runs through every part of them. There is no appearance of artifice or duplicity in the sacred Writers; no endeavour to raise the reputation of friends, or depreciate the characters of enemies. There is no effort made to reconcile the mind of the reader to what is marvellous in their narrative; no studied attempt to fire his imagination, or rouse his passions in their cause. All is fair, temperate, and candid. Vain, it is true, were the search for those ornaments which distinguish the classical writers: but still in their works there is frequently a pleasing simplicity, and sometimes a sublimity of expression, although these beauties seem rather to rise naturally out of the subject, than to result from the labour of composition, or any choice or arrangement of words. One circumstance there is, in which the New Testament rises to an elevation, which no other book can reach. Here presides the majesty of pure and unsullied truth, which shines in unadorned but awful state, and never turns aside to the blandishments of flattery, or listens to the whispers of prejudice, or defamation. Here alone she invariably supports the same dignified and uniform character, and points with equal impartiality to Peter now professing his unalterable fidelity, and now denying his Lord;—to the Apostles at one time deserting Christ, and at another, haz. arding their lives by the bold profession of his Gospel. And these plain characters of truth afford the clearest

evidence of the inspiration of the sacred books. The Holy Spirit, whose assistance was promised to his disciples by their heavenly Master, guarded them from error in their narratives, in the statement of their precepts, and the developement of their doctrines. Upon such momentous points, as contribute to form an infallible rule and standard of faith and practice, they were guided by the divine wisdom, and thus are raised to a degree of authority and credibility unattainable by all other writers.*

"It doth not appear, that ever it came into the mind of these writers, how this or the other action would appear to mankind, or what objections might be raised upon them. But without at all attending to this, they lay the facts before you, at no pains to think, whether they would appear credible or not. If the reader will not believe their testimony, there is no help for it; they tell the truth, and attend to nothing else. Surely this looks like sincerity, and that they published nothing to the world, but what they believed themselves." Duchal, quoted by Paley, vol. ii. p. 182.

An inquiry into the authenticity of the books of the New Testament is of great importance, If they are as ancient as they are reputed to be; if they were certainly written by the persons to whom they are ascribed, and have all the requisite characters of genuineness, we may venture to assert with confidence, that the facts contained in them are undeniably and substantially true. For supposing such actions as have been attributed to Christ never to have been performed, so great must have been the effrontery, as well as the ingenuity of the fabricators of this imposture, if they proceeded to

* See Gibson's Pastoral Letters in the Enchiridion Theologicum, vol. iv. p. 235.

publish as true what they knew to be false, as to exceed the bounds of belief: and if, even for the sake of argument only, we suppose them to have combined in a confederacy for such a purpose, what would have been the consequence? They would only have given the desired advantage to their acute, active, and implacable enemies, who would quickly have detected the falsehood, sacrificed the abettors of it to their just indignation, and stigmatized the Christian Religion forever as an imposture and a fable.

In the preservation of the New Testament, we may observe a very striking instance of the superintendance of divine Providence, ever watchful for the happiness of mankind. Notwithstanding the various dissentions which have continued to prevail in the Christian Church, ever since its first establishment, the Books containing the principles of the Religion itself, are come down to us who live at the distance of nearly eighteen centuries from the time of their Authors, in a pure and unadulterated condition: so that whenever the Christian faith has been corrupted, its deviation from a state of purity could always be detected by an appeal to the most indisputable authority. Nor has the stream of time merely conveyed to us this divine treasure, uninjured and secure; but even in the midst of the most violent persecutions, and the darkest superstition, the Christian faith has been so protected by divine care, that it has never been wholly lost to the world. The spark of heavenly fire, although it has been covered by the ashes of Error, has still remained alive, and although in the obscure ages, previous to the Reformation, its light could be with difficulty discerned, yet it was always accessible to those, who wished to fan it into a flame.

II. THE CHARACTER OF OUR LORD.

This character, as represented in the plain and energetic narratives of the Evangelists, is marked by qualities the most extraordinary, and the most transcendent. Every description of every other personage, whether embellished by the fancy of the poet, or pourtrayed by the accuracy of the historian, leaves it evidently without an equal, in the annals of mankind.

If the conduct of those who bear a resemblance to Christ as the founders of religious establishments be examined, these assertions will receive the fullest confirmation. They all accommodated their plans to human policy, and private interest—to existing tenets of superstition, and to prevailing habits of life. The Christian Lawgiver, more sublime in his object, and more pure in his motives, aimed at no recommendation of his precepts by courting the prejudices, or flattering the passions of mankind. The institutions of Numa the second king of the Romans, of Brama the Lawgiver of the various tribes of India, and of Confucius the great philosopher of China, were evidently adapted to the existing habits, and prevailing inclinations of their people. They seem indeed to have been founded altogether upon them. Mahomet, the great impostor of Arabia, accommodated the rules of his Koran, and the rewards of his paradise, to the manners and desires of a warlike and a sensual people. In his character and conduct he presented a striking contrast to Christ. Ambition and lust were the reigning passions of his soul. He maintained, that he received his Koran from heaven: but its frivolous and absurd contents sufficiently indicate the falsehood of his pretensions. With a degree of effrontery still more

impious, he pleaded a divine authority for the boundless gratification of his sensuality: and unable to appeal to miracles, which give the most certain proofs of a teacher sent from God, he extended his faith by force, and reared his bloody crescent amid captives, who were the victims of his passions, and cities that were desolated by his sword.*

* "Mahometanism is a borrowed system, made up for the most part of Judaism and Christianity, and, if it be considered in the most favourable view, might possibly be accounted a sort of Christian heresy. If the Gospel had never been preached, it may be questioned whether Mahometanism would have existed. Its author was an ignorant knave and a fanatic, who had neither skill nor genius to form a religion out of his own head." Jortin's Sermons, vol. vii, p. 369.

See Paley's Evidences, vol. iii, p. 70, sect. ii. Taylor's Moral Demonstrations, vol. ii, p. 383, and Prideaux's Life of Mahomet.

The contrast between our Lord and the Prophet of Arabia is drawn in a style of such rich and appropriate eloquence by Sherlock, that I cannot deny myself the pleasure of presenting it to my readers.

"Make the appeal to natural religion, or, which is the same thing, to the reason of man. Set before her Mahomet, and his disciples, arrayed in armour and in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and tens of thousands, who fell by his victorious sword. Shew her the cities which he set in flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed, and the miserable distress of all the inhabitants of the earth. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirements; shew her the prophet's chamber, his wives and concubines; let her tee his adulteries, and hear him allege revelation and his divine commission to justify his last and oppression. When she is tired with this scene, then shew her the blessed Jesus, humble and meek; doing good to all the souls of men, patiently instructing both the ignorant and perverse. Let her see him in his most retired privacies; let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and supplications to his God. Carry her to