CONTENTS. Of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. By DAVID This Tract is printed from the second volume of Doctor Hartley's Of the Truth of the Christian Religion. By JOSEPH This posthumous Treatise of Mr. Addison has been much ef Vol. V. A a Of Of the Argument for the Truth of Chriftianity arising from the fulfilment of our Saviour's predictions concerning the destruction of the Temple, and the City of ferusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews. Being the third chap- ter of the first vol. of a Collection of Jewish and Heathen Testimonies to the Truth of the Christian Religion. By N. LARDNER, D. D. 1764. p. 103. The argument for the truth of Chriftianity which is taken from the history of the destruction of Jerufalem as related by Jofephus, com- pared with our Saviour's prediction of that event recorded by the Evangelifts Matthew, Mark, and Luke, has always been confidered as one of the strongest which can be urged, either against the Jews in particular, or against unbelievers in general. In modern times this argument has been illustrated by Jackson in the first volume of his works, 1673; by Tillotson in the 12th vol. (8vo ed.) of his Ser- mons; by Kidder in his Demonstration of the Meffiah; by Whitby in his Commentary on St. Matthew, and in his General Preface; by Sharpe in a discourse intituled, The Rise and Fall of the Holy City and Temple of Jerusalem, preached at the Temple Church, 1764; and, to mention no others, by Jortin in the first vol. of his Remarks on Ecclefiaftical History. This author has also well proved, not only that the Gospels, in which the predictions of Chrift relative to the deftruction of Jerusalem are delivered, were written before that event ; but that the predictions themselves could not have been inferted into the Gospels, as interpolations, after the event: the reader will not esteem this to have been an un- necessary labour, who recollects the confidence with which Voltaire, with a view probably of evading the force of the argument in quef- tion, declares that the Gospels were written after Jerufalem was destroyed-fans doute après la destruction de Jerufalem. Many an unbeliever is apt to think and say, that he would have faith in the Gospel, if he could fee a man raised from the dead, or any one notable miracle performed in attestation of its truth. Now the completion of an ancient prophecy is, to us who fee the completion, a miracle; and I would fincerely recommend it to every one, who is not steadfast in the faith, to examine carefully, and liberally, whether the prophecies-concerning Jerufalem being trodden under foot of the Gentiles-concerning the fterility of Palestine the state of the Jewish people the introduction of the Gentiles into the Church of God-the apoftafy of the latter times-the independency of the Arabs-the fervitude of Ham's pofterity, &c. have not been literally fulfilled. These things are facts which fall within our own observation; and if we fearch the Scriptures, we shall find that these facts were predicted long before either we or our fathers were born. The present constitution of the world, with respect to the civiliza- All the Actions recorded in the Gospels are probable, This Tract is the 4th chap. of the ift book of the Truth of the Of the Argument for the Truth of the Christian Religion That great multitudes out of every nation in the then known Of the Argument for the Truth of Chriftianity arifing from the fulfilment of our Saviour's predictions concerning the destruction of the Temple, and the City of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews. Being the third chap- ter of the first vol. of a Collection of Jewish and Heathen Testimonies to the Truth of the Christian Religion. By N. LARDNER, D. D. 1764. p. 103. The argument for the truth of Chriftianity which is taken from the history of the destruction of Jerufalem as related by Jofephus, com- pared with our Saviour's prediction of that event recorded by the Evangelifts Matthew, Mark, and Luke, has always been confidered as one of the strongest which can be urged, either against the Jews in particular, or against unbelievers in general. In modern times this argument has been illustrated by Jackson in the first volume of his works, 1673; by Tillotson in the 12th vol. (8vo ed.) of his Ser- mons; by Kidder in his Demonstration of the Meffiah; by Whitby in his Commentary on St. Matthew, and in his General Preface; by Sharpe in a discourse intituled, The Rise and Fall of the Holy City and Temple of Jerufalem, preached at the Temple Church, 1764; and, to mention no others, by Jortin in the first vol. of his Remarks on Ecclefiaftical History. This author has also well proved, not only that the Gospels, in which the predictions of Christ relative to the deftruction of Jerufalem are delivered, were written before that event; but that the predictions themselves could not have been inferted into the Gofpels, as interpolations, after the event: the reader will not esteem this to have been an un- neceffary labour, who recollects the confidence with which Voltaire, with a view probably of evading the force of the argument in quef- tion, declares that the Gospels were written after Jerufalem was destroyed-fans doute après la destruction de Jerufalem.-Many an unbeliever is apt to think and say, that he would have faith in the Gospel, if he could fee a man raised from the dead, or any one notable miracle performed in attestation of its truth. Now the whether the prophecies-con foot of the Gentiles-conce of the Jewish people-t Church of God-the a of the Arabs-the ferv literally fulfilled. T observation; and if facts were predicted! ate o the pendency not beer nin our ov ind that t were born. |