"It may now be useful to recapitulate those particulars in which Jesus deceived the expectations, and frustrated the views, of his own countrymen; and which rendered it so highly improbable, that the gospel should have originated in man's invention. Various prophecies had foretold that an extraordinary character would arise, for the benefit of the Jewish nation in particular, and the world in general. The epithets of a prince and a saviour, which were applied to the future Messiah, were interpreted by the Jews in a worldly sense; as they were at all times a gross and carnal people, and fancied themselves exactly in the circumstances which called for the intervention of a deliverer, in their sense of the word. They were in bondage to an enemy whom they hated, and against whom the least encouragement readily disposed them to rebel. They expected that the Messiah would deliver them from this bondage; restore their religion, with all its ceremonies, to more than its ancient splendour; add a new lustre to their favourite temple, and convert the nations of the world to the Jewish religion, or subject them to the Jewish yoke. As this great personage was, in their opinion, to unite the character of a conqueror with that of a prophet, they expected him to exhibit the dignity of the one, as well as to practise the austerity of the other. Purity of manners, spirituality of worship, and unbounded liberality of doctrine, were the last qualities which these unbending votaries of the law of Moses seemed to look for or value. Jesus Christ at length appeared to assume the title, and execute the office, of the long expected Messiah. He was born in a part of the country the most dishonoured and despised; his reputed parents were mean and obscure in their circumstances, though really of royal extraction. He set at nought that rigid adherence to the ceremonial law, in which, indeed, the religion of the Jews at that time almost entirely consisted, and from which alone they assumed to themselves so much merit. He associated with publicans and sinners; and chose for the confidential ministers of his high office, the most obscure and illiterate of his countrymen. He inculcated submission to the Romans; he expressly asserted the rejection of the obstinate Jews, and the admission of the believing Gentiles to the privileges of his kingdom; he led the life of a poor destitute, not having where to lay his head; he expressed the most honest indignation against the rich and the powerful; the interpreters of the law, and the leaders of the sects. He repeatedly incurred the charge of violating the sabbath, and of profaning the dignity of that proud object of their implicit reverence, the temple at Jerusalem. And Snally, what is still more extraordinary, as he ANN. REV. VOL. I. excited the displeasure of the Jews, by ap-. pearing in a manner inferior to what they imagined beforehand, so he roused their indignation, by assuming pretensions superior to what they expected. They expected the Messiah to be a prophet, indeed, but not "the holy one of God," and therefore, when they heard the extent of his claims, they cried out-" By our law he ought to die, because he made himself the son of God." So that in the eyes of this blind people, he seemed to add the outrage of insult to the bitterness of disappointment: though hẹ seemed not to equal in dignity the meanest of the prophets, he asserted his superiority over Abraham; and though he failed to realize their gross conceptions of the charac ter of Christ, he assumed the still more extraordinary and more dignified title of the Son of God. If any one, after viewing the deep root which national pride and prejudice had taken in the minds of the Jews, after examining the nature of the expectations they had formed, and the manner in which they were disappointed, can still consider the rejection of Jesus, by the Jews, as a matter incredible or unaccountable, he must have accustomed himself to view the relation of cause and effect with no very accurate eye. Certainly it was impossible for him to appear in a way more contradictory to their expectation, and to propagate doctrines more distaseful to their wishes. An enthusiast could not conceive such a scheme; an impostor could not adopt it; consequently the gospel, if preached by a Jew among the Jews, could not originate in human artifice or error, but must have had its source in the unsearchable wisdom, and comprehensive benevolence, of the Almighty Governor of the universe." The third chapter treats on the conduct of the apostles. "These persons," says Mr. Maltby, "form a singular exception to the generality of their countrymen, by not only readily admitting the testimony of Jesus, but by persevering, in spite of every discouragement, and every danger, to preach to the world at large the doctrines which Jesus had taught. The motives which shall ap pear upon strict inquiry to have directed their conduct, must assist us in determining how far the gospel is true; and if their actions shall be conformable to what might be expected from men in their peculiar circumstances; and if they shall themselves be found capable of forming a right judgment of the facts to which they bore witness, and actuated by no wrong bias whatever, we cannot refuse their evidence as credible and competent witnesses." P. 118. M Mr. Maltby then proceeds to trace the leading features of the character of the disciples, as they are delineated in the gospel narrative. He selects the most striking instances of their incredulity, their ignorance, and their ambition; he shews the strength of their prejudices, the frequency of their disappointment, owing to the wrong conceptions they had formed of their master's kingdom, the gradual removal of their deeplyrooted prepossessions, and their final more enlarged views and disinterested zeal. He demonstrates that their conduct is in every respect such as might be naturally expected from a previous knowledge of their peculiar circumstances, but considered in its whole gress incapable of solution, but upon the supposition of the truth of the facts recorded in the gospel history. pro extending through such a period of years and including such a variety of characters; at once so completely consistent, yet wearing in short, a maze of human actions, reathe appearance of inconsistency; presenting, dily unravelled with the proper che, destitute of which the mind must wander in endless and inextricable difficulty." The miracles wrought by the disciples, dur ing the life of our Lord, form the next subject of investigation, chap. iv. In examining their conduct, it was necessary to produce some instances of their giv ing way to doubt, respecting the character and pretensions of Jesus; these, at first sight, seem hardly reconcileable with the power which they themselves had received, of working miracles. Maltby, however, undertakes to prove Mr. "that the fact is to be accounted for upon the same principles by which the rest of their conduct appears to have been guided, and instead of affording any just pretence for incredulity, will corroborate the arguments already ad"Such is related to have been the con- vanced in behalf of the Christian reli The whole of this very satisfactory argument is summed up in the follow. ing forcible words: na to Jesus during his life, and after his death duct of the persons who joined themselves sealed their testimony in his favour, by the sacrifice of every worldly good-connections, interest, reputation, health, and even life itself. And I think it may be said, that the narrative contains an accurate and striking representation of men, tainted with the strongest possible prepossessions, and acting not only for a considerable time, but amidst most peculiar circunistances, under a mistake, in consequence of those prepossessions. Their conduct at any instance of disappoint ment, the manner in which they acted when they discovered, by infallible proof, the foundation of their mistaken opinions, and the slow degrees by which they gave way to complete conviction, display the tural progress of minds yielding reluctantly to irresistible evidence while the perifs which awaited them, when they thus yielded, prove that nothing but the force of truth could extort from them a testimony which they could not utter but at the hazard of incurring every worldly inconvenience. If we admit this history of their conduct to be futhfully recorded, are we not constrained to admit the truth of the gospel, since such conduct cannot be fully accounted for, with out the supposition that their Master taught, acted, and suffered, precisely as he is described to teach, act, and suffer. Is it then to be supposed, that the account thus given was invented? It would surely exceed the usual limits of human ingenuity, to assign a reason why it should be invented; and it appears beyond the reach of human art to fabricate such an accɔunt, so minutely circumstantial, ing miracles was actually imparted and gion," p. 164. That the power of workexercised, is demonstrable from scripture. The purpose for which it was bestowed, was the establishing of their claims to the attention of their country. men, and the effect it produced upon themselves, was to secure their attachment to a cause in which they could not then be fully instructed. The bestowment of this power is shown to have been a wise and important measure; and the subsequent doubts of the apostles, and even their desertion of their Master in the hour of danger, are properly attributed to the almost incontroulable influence of deeply-rooted national preju dices. The fifth chapter is on the scheme of the Gospel. It has been urged by unbeliev ers, as an objection to the truth of the gospel, that the disciples, after the death of their Master, adopted a system in their preaching totally different from that which he had pursued and authorized. Jesus, they assert, confined the blessings of his kingdom to his country men; he never went beyond the limits of Judea, nor gave any commission to his apostles to teach and baptize such as were not Jews. Very soon, however, after his departure from them, in direct op position to the directions and the prac tice of Jesus, they make converts from the Gentiles, and proclaim the abolition of the Mosaic law. "These, writers," Mr. M. observes, p. 208, "plainly found their argument upon the information they have derived from the books of the New Testament, alleging, in proof of them, the supposed silence of Jesus Christ as to those material parts of the Christian scheme, upon which it is allowed that the disciples acted. It will, however, be discovered, upon an attentive examination of the sacred volumes, that they must have been perused cursorily, and superficially, by these objectors, since it appears that those parts evidently did belong to the dispensation of which Jesus was the author. The plan of that dispensation was managed in such a manner, that the first knowledge of it, and the first offer of the blessings attending it, should be communicated to the Jews. Upon their rejetting the Gospel, which was foreseen and provided for by the Father of the Universe, it was to be announced to all other nations; and from that period (the necessity for the peculiar institutions of Moses being done away) the principles of a religion fitted for the acceptance of the whole human race were to succeed. Consistently with this design, the labours of our blessed Saviour were, during the short time of his ministry, confined to Judea; nevertheless he revealed more fully the will of the Deity, and signified the greater extent of his plan upon various occasions, and in a very direct manner; insomuch, that any subsequent notification of this intention to his disciples, would have been unnecessary, if their understandings had not been so darkened by worldly views, and obstinate prejudices, that they were scarcely capable of comprehending the plainest declarations." All this is shown in a very clear and satisfactory manner; and we conceive that to every impartial inquirer it must appear," that instead of any contradiction, the most complete harmony prevails, in reality, throughout the system, as taught by Jesus, and acted upon by his disciples; nor is there any other difference than what may be supposed very naturally to exist between the various parts of a comprehensive scheme, which is gradually matured to perfection." P. 222. Having thus vindicated the scheme of the gospel, the author very ably proves that the conduct of the apostles in this instance furnishes a striking evidence of the the truth of the Christian scrip tures. The next chapter, on the character of Jesus, we recommend to the serious perusal of every adversary to Christianity; especially of those who acknow ledge the excellence of Christ's moral character; with which it is here clearly demonstrated, that "all the hypotheses that have been framed to account for the origin of the Christian religion, independently of its truth, are utterly irre concileable." The whole chapter is deserving of the most attentive consideration; and we will not weaken the force of the argument by endeavouring to reduce it to a smaller compass. It is certainly remarkable that the most determined enemies of revelation have in general professed to admire the character of Jesus. Vanini, Bolingbroke, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Gibbon, strenuous as they were in opposing his doctrine, have contended that he was "a good man," though they professed to believe that "he had deceived the people." "Amongst the few," observes Mr. M." whose moral feelings have been so little in unison with those of the rest of mankind, as to lead them to impeach the character of our blessed Saviour, is Mr. W. Godwin," page 285. He accuses him of introducing intole rance and bigotry into the world; of laying an improper stress upon faith, and of betraying a morose and vindictive temper. It is the object of the seventh chapter of the work now before us, to examine and confute these misrepresentations. And this important object we deem to be completely attained. The argumentum ad hominem was never applied with more propriety or force than in the following passage: "But on what account, may we ask, are Godwin against the conduct of Jesus Christ? these sarcastic invectives directed by Mr. and whom is he endeavouring to shield from the fury of a malevolent assailant? No doubt he is espousing the cause of some enlightened philosophers, whose generous attempts to enlarge the understanding, and increase the happiness, of their countrymen, were opposed intolerance of a bigot! No doubt he is proby the power of a tyrant, and defeated by the tecting, from the attack of ignorance and error, some whose doctrines breathed the purest benevolence, and who were indefatigable in their disinterested researches after truth? He is defending a virtuous few from the inc naces and insults of one who substituted authority for evidence, and counteracted the efforts they made for the melioration or perfectibility of their species! The very reverse of all this. Mr. Godwin heroically steps forth in defence of fanatical and cruel priests, of crafty and interested politicians, to protect them from the reproaches of a person who inculcated the purest lessons of morality, and practised the most exalted benevolence. He is vindicating prejudice, selfishness, and bigotry, against him who was devoted to the generous purpose of delivering the human race from these and all other mo ral evils. He is defending "hypocrites, who devoured widows' houses, and for a pretence made long prayers;" who " paid tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, but omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and truth;" men who perverted divine and human laws to the purposes of their own selfish and cruel policy. These enemies to reform, these oppressors of truth, these persecutors of virtue, has a modern philosopher valiantly, but inconsistently, undertaken to defend against the honest indignation of him "who went about doing good;" "who did no sin; neither was guile found in his mouth;" who, even "when he was reviled, reviled not again, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." Surely when we reflect upon the spirit and the tendency of Mr. Godwin's accusations against Jesus, as containing, indirectly but substantially, a plea for scribes and pharisees, we may retort upon the adversaries of Christianity the charge which they have again and again levelled against Christians. In the opinions of philosophers, it should seem, as well as priests, the end justies the means: the convert to deism is not more anxious to set bounds to his zeal, than the convert to Christianity; and by that zeal infidelity, as infidels themselves have sometimes said of orthodoxy, is supposed by its votaries to atone for the want of precision, impartiality, and candour." The concluding chapter is thus introduced: "Among other objects proposed by this work, I have endeavoured, wherever it has been practicable, to bring the substantial support of facts to the aid of arguments. In the execution of my design, I have been occasionally led to consider in what way persons actually influenced by the motives which have been imputed to Jesus and his apostles, by the adversaries of Christianity, have invariably conducted themselves, and to shew in what particulars of times, and of circumstances, these persons, whether The defects of the evidence in the favour of the Mahometan religion, are therefore pointed out. He adverts, as briefly as possible, to some of the most discriminating circumstances, under which the prophet of Arabia was enabled to execute his portentous designs, and these he collects chiefly from Sale and Gibbon, sources to which the most obstinate unbelievers can offer no objection. Our limits will not permit chapter; we must content ourselves with us to follow Mr. Maltby through this observing that he has made a judicious selection of facts, which, illustrated by his remarks, most clearly prove that the success of Mahomet affords no argument whatever to affect in the slightest degree the evidence of the Christian religion. The volume concludes with a thesis on the insufficiency of human reason, fully to discover the proper worship of God, the extent of human duty, and the future life of man; and with a concio ad clerum upon the much disputed subject of Jeptha's vow. In this Mr. M. defends with considerable skill the hypothesis which removes from this Jewish warrior the charge of having taken away the life of his daughter, and refers that misfortune to the being devoted to a state of perpetual virginity. The argument in both these tracts is ably sustained, and the latinity correct and classical. In these Mr. Maltby discovers himself a good critic, and an ele. gant scholar, as in the former part of the volume he has earned the more distinguished praise of an enlightened ands zealous Christian. ART. XVII. LESLIE's Short and Easy Method with the Deists; wherein the Certainty of the Christian Religion is established by some infallible Marks, (in a Letter to a Friend). To which are subjoined four additional Marks from the same Author's subsequent Tracts, entitled "The Truth of Christianity demonstrated." Compressed by FRANCIS WRANGHAM, M. A. pp. 37. THE tracts which are here presented to the public, in an abridged form, have been so long known, and their character so justly appreciated, that we consider it needless to enter upon an analysis of their contents. Mr. Wrangham is entitled to the thanks of every friend of revelation, for having compressed these valuable works into so small a compass; and furnished those who have not either leisure or inclination to study larger treatises, with arguments in defence of the Christian faith "so short and clear, that the meanest capacity may understand them, and so forcible that no man has yet been found able to resist them." By the the horrors of the French revolution as an incitement to avoid delay. In order that our readers may have some idea of the manner in which this well meaning work is conducted, we shall select the following as a proper specimen, and as containing some serious truths, which all who are interested in the welfare of religion ought seriously to consider. ART. XVII, A Plea for Religion, and the Sacred Writings; addressed to the Disci ples of Thomas Paine, and wavering Christians of every Persuasion; with an Appendix, containing the Author's Determination to have relinquished his Charge in the Esta blished Church, and the Reasons on which that Determination was founded. Reverend DAVID SIMPSON, M.A. 8vo. pp. 351. THIS appears, from the advertisement prefixed to it, to be an enlarged edition of a work of so miscellaneous a nature, 2s to be scarcely capable of being reduced to an orderly arrangement. It is the production of a singular, but evidently honest mind; a book of religious anecdote, discovering some reading, but more observation and knowledge of the world. We shall endeavour to give our readers, in a few words, some idea of its contents. The first object which the author seems to have had in view, is to shew the different effects of infidelity, and faith in the gospel, upon the last moments of life. For this purpose twelve examples are given of dying unbelievers; the same number of persons recovered from their infidelity, several instances of dying Christians who had lived in the spirit of the world; and several of persons living and dying either with confidence, or the full assurance of faith. The author next inquires into the causes which induce men to reject the gospel; he allows the existence of many deplorable corruptions in the Christian church, but properly shews that they furnish no argument against Christianity itself. He then enters upon a defence of the sacred writings, and of revealed religion, but with little attention to arrangement and method. He makes great use of the prophecies; from which he concludes that every thing antichristian will be shortly overwhelmed in destruction; he therefore urges the necessity of a speedy and complete reformation of the abuses which exist in our established church, and holds up church livings. Some of my readers may be "I have spoken above of the patronage of in a great degree strangers to the state of it. I have taken some pains to inform myself upon the subject, and I find that it stands nearly in the following proportions. I speak generally, but yet accurately enough for the purposes of common information. It is well known then, that the church livings of England and Wales make together, speaking in near 1000 are in the gift of the king. It is customary, however, for the lord chancellor to present to all the livings under the value of twenty pounds, in the king's book, and for the ministers of state to present to all the rest. Those under twenty pounds are about 780, and those above near 180. Upwards of 1000 pieces of church preferment, of different sizes and descriptions, are in the gift of the 26 bishops: more than 600 in the presentation of the two universities: about 1000 in the gift of the several cathedrals, and other clerical institutions: about 5700 livings are in the nomination of the nobility and gentry of the land, men, women, and children: and 50 or 60 there may be of a description different from any of the above, and nearer to the propriety of things. These are all so many heads of the church, in a very strong sense of the words, the king or queen of the country being a kind of archbead. round numbers, about 10,000. Of these |