But before I enter on this fubject, let me premife once for all, that I understand every thing faid in Scripture concerning JESUS CHRIST to relate to this Globe only. That GOD has ordained him the Guide, the Prophet, the Judge, the Prince, the Saviour, and the Redeemer of the Race of ADAM only: that as man he fuffered only for men, and on earth for fins only committed on earth that God hath united him to himself in a peculiar manner for those purposes; as he may have done other intelligent Beings in other planets for fimilar ends. That the Son of DHVID has not, nor ever will have, more authority there, than they have or can have here. And we may as well expect a Saviour or Prophet from Mercury or Jupiter, as they one from hence.

This is, and ought always to be thought, the genuine interpretation of Scripture: and we fhould not draw any other conclufions from any general expreffions. found there for to make it contradict Nature is to destroy its authority; and to cause that, which rightly understood is most rational, to be. most abfurd and incredible.

That there was such a person as JESUS of Nazareth can no more be doubted, than that there was such a prince as Augustus Cæsar, in whose reign he was born. His life is proved by the writings of his own disciples, who were eye-witnesses to the particulars of it, which they have related; by the concurrent teftimony of other authors, both Jewish and Pagan; by the admiffion and confeffion of even the most inveterate enemies to Christianity; and by the number of Christians, who have ever fince professed this Reli

gion, which could not have been at first taught and established without fome real author of it.

The life of JESUS was not (like that of MOSES) written by himself, but by others. The four Evangelists are his biographers; and there are the ftrongest reasons to convince us of the truth of their relation; and that it is come down to us without any mate rial alterations.

1. Two of the Evangelifts were his Difciples and Apostles, and eye-witnesses of the facts they relate. A third was a compa nion of St. PETER, who was fo: and the fourth of St. PAUL, who had been miraculously converted and inftructed. Their accounts, though published in distant places and different periods of time, all agree in the principal facts: and yet evidently appear not to be copied from each other, because each in some instances supply circumstances omitted by the reft. The writings of the other Apostles in the New Teftament bear witnefs of their truth; as cotemporary Jewish and Pagan authors do to the truth of those. facts, which in their nature are of public notoriety, and which could not escape their notice, if true. The Apoftles, while on Earth, spent their whole lives in convincing the rest of mankind of the truth of it. They difperfed themselves over great part of the Globe to propagate the story; in which, how distantly foever difperfed, they all continue to agree. They told it in languages; they had never learned: they confirmed it by miracles, which · none elfe could perform; and though most of them, men of mean fortune and education, courageously afferted the truth of it before. the Rulers of the Earth; and voluntarily exposed themselves to

perfecution

perfecution and to death to fupport the credit of it. Is it poffible to conceive that men generally fo illiterate and low should invent such a story, and be at fuch labour and pains, and perfist so obftinately to impofe it on mankind, without any view of worldly advantage to themselves, but even to their own destruction? or that whole armies of Martyrs in or near their times, who had recent evidence of what had paffed, fhould feal it with their blood?

2. As the Evangelifts and Apostles were careful to preserve the memory of the life and actions of their LORD and MASTER in their writings; their followers were no lefs careful to preserve those writings. As foon as the Gofpels were published, they carried copies of them to the Churches then established; where the perfons converted by the Apostles found them to agree with the traditions before delivered to them. Such copies were kept with great care and in what distant and different parts foever they have been fince found, they have been found to agree with each other, and with the quotations made from them by the fathers and other ancient writers of the church. And whatever little variations may have crept in by the error of transcribers or translators, or have been attempted by the blind zeal of late ages, no writing of antiquity is come down purer to us than the Gospel, nor has any fo many proofs of being genuine and authentic.

This being premised, let us examine whether the character of JESUS, as fet forth in the Gospel, answers to that of the promised MESSIAH.

The

The MESSIAH was to be of the House of DAVID JESUS, in the pedigrees fet forth by St. MATTHEW and St. LUKE, is derived from that prince and his house.

The MESSIAH was to be born of a Virgin: JESUS is related to have been fo. This is a miracle; that is, an event out of the common course of Nature. Nor are miracles to be wondered at on fo important and folemn an occafion: and that it pleased GOD to point out to mankind their Head and their Guide by peculiar marks of distinction to notify his arrival amongst them..

Many other prophecies there are concerning the MESSIAH, which the Evangelists and Apostles (who were best acquainted with them) fay were fulfilled in JESUS. Such was his very name : the place of his birth: the massacre of the children in Bethlehem: his return out of Egypt: his refidence at Nazareth: the preaching of JOHN in the Wilderness: his leaving Nazareth to dwell at Capernaum: his riding into Jerufalem on an afs with her fole: the cafting out those who bought and fold in the temple: his being fold for thirty pieces of filver, which bought the potters field: the parting of his garment, and casting lots on his vesture: his being crucified between thieves, and numbered with tranfgreffors: the giving him gall to eat and vinegar to drink: the not breaking his bones: the piercing his fide: and his not seeing corruption in the grave.

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And God was pleased ftill more manifeftly to declare his pearance on earth by miracles. An Angel foretold it to the Virgin: Angels notified it to the Shepherds: A Star (i. e. meteor) conducted

conducted the Wife Men to the place of it: Voices from Heaven proclaimed him the Son of God and a Prophet, at his baptism, at his transfiguration, and at his appearance to St. PAUL: Unnatural darkness covered the earth at his Death: A great Earthquake rent the veil of the Temple: He fasted forty days: He walked on the Sea: Was transfigured before fome of his Disciples: Was seen by them and five hundred others at once after his Death: Vifibly ascended from earth, and disappeared from amongst men: And afterwards appeared in a vision to St. PAUL going to Damafcus: And last of all to St. JOHN in the Ifle of

&

Patmos.

If any further proof is required that JESUS was the MESSIAH, we may appeal to his Character, his Life, his Miracles, his Prophecies, and his Doctrine.

1. He was himself a pattern of those virtues which he recommends to his followers; and the only person of the race of ADAM free from fin. His fuperior worth drew on him hatred, malice, and perfecution; to which he made no other return than patience and forgiveness. And when he could have called for legions of Angels to his aid, he yielded himself up to the most cruel indig

ities and torments, and prayed for his enemies at his death. He was, as the Prophet defcribes him, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He was despised, and we esteemed him not. He was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the flaughter; and, as a fheep before her fhearers, was dumb. He did no violence, neither deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise

was any