Evidences of the Christian Religion Briefly and Plainly Stated (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1786 Excerpt: ... Speclaior .--So much for prophecy. The argument arising from the excellency, and singular nature, of the Christian doctrine, will be considered by and by. Section in. THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. The faith of thefirji disciples was the effiecl, not of weakness, but of wellgrounded conviclion. THE historical part of the New Testament was written by men, who were eye-witnesses of many of the facts they See also Butler's Analogy, part II. chap. 7. they relate, and had the rest from the authentick information of eye-witnesses. Those men either Did Not Believe what they wrote, or Did Believe it. I. If they did not believe what they wrote, they were impostors, and wanted to deceive the world. Now men never form a plan of that nature, unless with a view to gain some end; that is, to obtain some good real or imaginary. For it is inconceivable, that a rational being should give himself the trouble to invent an imposture, and support it through life; a work of great difficulty, and, in a case like that before us, of the greatest danger; in order to draw down mischief upon himself: and it is not more probable, that that he should do all this by chance, and without any purpose or intention whatever. When Psalmanaazar forged his fable of the island Formosa, can we imagine that he had no meaning in it, or that by so doing he intended to hurt his own interest? Is it not more likely, that he hoped to make his fortune by it? What then was the motive, that could induce the apostles to deceive mankind? what fortune did they hope to make? what good, real or imaginary, could they have in view, if they were conscious, that what they affirmed was falsehood? Certain it is, that, when their Lord left them, they could no longer expect to advance their temporal interest, terest, by adher...