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CONTENTS.

Of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. By DAVID
HARTLEY, M. A. Lond. 1749. p. 1.

This Tract is printed from the second volume of Doctor Hartley's
Observations on Man; it is written, as all the other parts of that
work are, with fingular closeness of thought; and to be well un-
derstood, must be read with great attention. Grotius; Abbadie;
Fabricius; Limborch Jacquelot; Houtteville; Pascal; Stillingfleet;
Stackhouse; Benson; Clarke; Leland; Lardner; Macknight; Chand-
ler; Jenkins; Stebbing; Fortin; Foster; Nichols, and a great many
other authors, have taken laudable pains in proving the truth of
the. Christian religion; but I know not any author, Grotius ex-
tepted, who has, in so short a compass, said more to the purpose
on that fubject than Doctor Hartley has done in the tract which is
here republished.

Of the Truth of the Christian Religion. By JOSEPH
ADDISON, Efq. p. 76.

This posthumous Treatise of Mr. Addison has been much ef
teemed both at home and abroad: the general argument contained
in it has been carried to a greater length by other authors since his
time; especially by Mr. Correvon of Geneva; by Professor Bullet
of Besançon, and by Dr. Lardner, who has treated it in all its parts
with great accuracy in his Collection of Jewish and Heathen Tefti-
monies to the Truth of the Christian Religion. There is, unfor-
tunately, in many men, a strange prepoffeffion against every thing
written by churchmen, in defence of the Christian religion ;-
that "Priefts of all religions are the fame" that " they defend
altars on which their lives depend," with an hundred other expref-
fions of a fimilar tendency, are frequent in the mouths of un-
believers: we fincerely forgive them this wrong; but as the charge
of felfishness and hypocrify cannot, with any shadow of propriety,
be brought against Mr. Addifon, and fuch other laymen as have
written in fupport of Chriftianity, we intreat them to give a fober
attention to what these unprejudiced writers have advanced on the
fubject: furely eternal life is too important a concern to be jested
away in farcastic witticism, and frothy disputation.

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-
tion, the religion, the liberty, or flavery of the different empires
which fubfift in it, is but one stage of the completion of the va-
rious prophecies, which were of old delivered, concerning the for-
tunes of individuals, nations and countries. We in our days may
fay what Tertullian, speaking of the accomplishment of Scripture
prophecy, faid in his Quicquid agitur prænunciabatur, quicquid vi-
detur audiebatur. The reader may find these subjects discusled by
Bp. Newton in his Differtations on the Prophecies; by Whiston in
his Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecy; by Sharpe in his second
Argument in defence of Christianity; by Lardner in his three Ser-
mons on the Circumstances of the Jewish People, an Argument for the
Truth of Chriftianity; by the author of the Principes de la Foi Chré-
tienne; by the author of an Essay in the Universal History, on The
Independency of the Arabs; by Bishops. Hurd, Hallifax, and Bagot,
in their Sermons preached at Warburton's Lecture; by Joseph Mede,
and Henry More, in their respective works; and by Worthington in
his Sermon preached at Boyle's Lecture, 1766, &c.

All the Actions recorded in the Gospels are probable,
P. 177.

This Tract is the 4th chap. of the ift book of the Truth of the
Gospel History, by Macknight. Young men should render this short
tract familiar to them by a frequent perusal of it; they will find in it
very concise, but fatisfactory answers to many objections respect.
ing some parts of our Saviour's conduct, the possibility and the
credibility of miracles, &c. which are, sometimes seriously, oftener
in wanton mockery of religion, made subjects of common conver-
sation, and which never fail to leave a bad impression on the minds
of those who know not how to reply to them.

Of the Argument for the Truth of the Christian Religion
arifing from the conversion of the world to Chriftianity
taken from the Truth of the Gospel History. By JAMES
MACKNIGHT, D. D. 1763. p. 199.

That great multitudes out of every nation in the then known
world were converted from Heathenism to Christianity, within a
few years after the death of Jesus, is a fact allowed on all hands;
the question is, whether this fact can be properly urged as a decisive
proof of the divine origin of the Christian religion. And, with
out doubt, the fact, abstractedly confidered, cannot. The exten-
five propagation of a religion, how rapidly foever it may have been
made,

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

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