the history should have been the writer of the preliminary chapters.

"2. The first and second chapters of this gospel were wanting in the copies used by Marcion, a reputed heretic, who flourished very early in the second century. His gospel was undoubtedly that of Luke, though he does not mention the Evangelist's name: and he maintains its antiquity, authenticity, and integrity. Marcion was one of those, who being ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospel, blended it with the wild speculations of an erroneous philosophy. But his character was unimpeached even by his bitterest enemies, till it was calumniated by Epiphanius two hundred years after his death. He is accused by his enemies of mutilating and corrupting the Scriptures. The falsehood of many of the charges alleged by Epiphanius is exposed by Dr. Lardner. But at any rate, it would be the most egregious trifling to argue that those who appeal to the testimony of Marcion in a particular case, are bound to follow him in all the eccentricities of his opinions.

"3. The Evangelist, in his preface to the history of the Acts of the Apostles, reminds his friend Theophilus, Acts i. 1, that his former history contained an account of the public ministry of Jesus, but makes no. allusion to the remarkable incidents contained in the two first chapters: which therefore probably were not written by him.

"4. If the account of the miraculous conception of Jesus be true, he could not be the offspring of David and Abraham, from whom it was predicted, and by the Jews expected, that the Messiah should descend.

5. There is no allusion to any of those extraor

dinary facts in either of the succeeding histories of Luke, or in any other books of the New Testament. Jesus is uniformly spoken of as the Son of Joseph and Mary, and as a native of Nazareth, and no expectation whatever appears to have been excited in the public mind by these wonderful and notorious events.

"6. The style of the two first chapters is different from the rest of the history; the date of the enrolment, chap. ii. 1, 2, is a great historical difficulty; that John the Baptist should have been ignorant of the person of Christ, is not probable, if this narrative be true, John i. 31, 34. And there are many other circumstances in the story which wear an improbable and fabulous aspect."

Evanson's Disson. chap. i. sect. 3. p. 57. (See likewise the Note upon the two first chapters of Matthew, and the references there.)

"It has, however, been alleged, that the narrative of Luke does not necessarily imply the miraculous conception, and consequently, that the prefatory chapters to this Gospel may stand, though those in Matthew were given up. And much ingenuity has been displayed in explaining Luke i. 26-38, consistently with this hypothesis. To which it seems sufficient to reply, that the words have hitherto been universally understood as plainly asserting the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ, and that no other interpretation was heard of, for seventeen hundred years. A sense so novel, therefore, is not likely to be the true meaning of the passage. At any rate, the chronological difficulty remains the same; and the fabulous circumstances, such as a host of angels singing in the air, &c. &c. give a cast of improba

bility to the whole narrative. See Dr. Carpenter's Unitarianism the Doctrine of the Gospel, Ed. 2. p. 353.

"It has been objected, that so large and gross an interpolation could not have escaped detection, and would never have been so early and generally received.

"In reply to this objection it is observed, that this interpolation was not admitted into the Hebrew copies of Matthew's gospel, nor into Marcion's copies of Luke: that it is notorious, that forged writings, under the names of the Apostles, were in circulation almost from the apostolic age. See 2 Thess. ii. 2. That the orthodox charge the heretics with corrupting the text; and that the heretics recriminate upon the orthodox: also that it was much easier to introduce interpolations when copies were few and scarce, than since they have been multiplied to so great a degree by means of the press and finally, that the interpolation in question would, to the generality of Christians, be extremely gratifying, as it would lessen the odium attached to Christianity, from its founder being a crucified Jew, and would elevate him to the dignity of the heroes and demigods of the heathen mythology."

Note to the Unitarian Version.

No. 1.

LUKE i. 28.

"Blessed art thou," &c.

(ROMAN CATHOLICS.)

The dignity and pre-eminence which the Roman Catholics ascribe to the Virgin Mary, are founded on these passages.

For her veneration and invocation consult what is said of angels and saints.

(See Notes on Luke i. 48.)

No. 2.

Pope John XXII. ordered Christians to add to their prayers those words with which the angel Gabriel saluted the Virgin Mary.

Mosheim.

No. 1.

LUKE i. 48.

"Shall call me blessed."

(ROMAN CATHOLICS.)

"These words are a prediction of that honour which the Church of all ages should pay to the blessed Virgin. Let Protestants examine whether they are any way concerned in this prophecy."

Note to the Roman Catholic Version.

No. 2.

(THE ROSARY AND CROWN.)

Towards the conclusion of the tenth century a custom was introduced among the Latins of celebrating masses, and abstaining from flesh, in honour of the blessed Virgin, every Sabbath-day. After this, was instituted, what the Latins called the lesser office, in honour of St. Mary, which was, in the following century, confirmed by Urban II. in the Council of Clermont. There are also to be found in this age manifest indications of the institution of the rosary and crown of the Virgin; by which her

worshippers were to reckon the number of prayers they were to offer her. The rosary consists in fifteen repetitions of the Lord's Prayer, and an hundred and fifty salutations of the blessed Virgin; while the crown consists in six or seven repetitions of the Lord's Prayer, and six or seven times ten salutations or Ave Marias.

Mabillon Præf. ad acta S. S. Ord. Bened. Sæc. v. p. 58.

No. 3.

"The fifteen mysteries to be meditated upon in saying the rosary.

The five joyful mysteries. 1. The annunciation of the angel Gabriel, and the incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the blessed Virgin. 2. The visitation of St. Elizabeth. 3. The nativity or birth of our Lord. 4. The presentation of our Lord in the temple, and the purification of his blessed mother. 5. His being found in the temple in the midst of the doctors, after having been lost three days by his mother and her chaste spouse St. Joseph.

The five dolorous or sorrowful mysteries. 1. The prayer of our Lord in the garden, with his agony and sweat of blood. 2. His being scourged at the pillar. 3. His being crowned with thorns and abused by the soldiers. 4. His carriage of the cross. 5. His crucifixion and death.

The five glorious mysteries. 1. The resurrection of our Lord. 2. His ascension into heaven. 3. The coming down of the Holy Ghost. 4. The assumption of the blessed Virgin. 5. Her eternal felicity, and that of all the blessed in the kingdom of heaven. See The Garden of the Soul, or Manual of Spiritual Exercises and Instructions for the Roman Catholics..