of the age in which his gospel was written. Marcion thought this text so objectionable, that he altered the words, so as to invert the fenfe*.

Once more, Acts xxv. 19. They brought none accusation against him, of such things, as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." Nothing could be more in the character of a Roman governor than these words. But that is not precisely the point I am concerned with. A mere panegyrist, or a dishonest narrator, would not have reprefented his caufe, or have made a great magiftrate reprefent it, in this manner, i, e. in terms not a little disparaging, and bespeaking, on his part, much unconcern and indifference about the matter. The fame observation may be repeated of the speech which is afcribed to Gallio (Acts viii. 14.) " If it be a question

* Lard. vol. xv. p. 422.

of

of words, and names, and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters."

Lastly, where do we discern a stronger mark of candour, or less disposition to extol and magnify, than in the conclufion of the fame history ? in which the evangelist, after relating that Paul, upon his first arrival at Rome, preached to the Jews from morning until evening, adds, "And fome believed the things which were spoken, and fome believed not."

The following, I think, are passages, which were very unlikely to have presented themselves to the mind of a forger or a fabulist.

Mat. xxi. 21. " Jesus answered and faid unto them, Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this, which is done unto the fig-tree, but alfo, if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou caft into the fea,

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sea, it shall be done; all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, it shall be done*." It appears to me very improbable, that these words should have been put into Christ's mouth, if he had not actually spoken them. The term " faith," as here used, is perhaps rightly interpreted of confidence in that internal notice, by which the apostles were admonished of their power to perform any particular miracle. And this expofition renders the sense of the text more easy. But the words, undoubtedly, in their obvious construction, carry with them a difficulty, which no writer would have brought upon himself officiously.

Luke ix. 59. "And he faid unto another, Follow me; but he said, Lord, suffer me, first, to go and bury my father, Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." This answer, though very ex

* See also xvii. 20. Luke xvii. 6.

+ See also Mat. viii. 21.

pressive

preffive of the transcendent importance of religious concerns, was apparently harsh and repulfive; and fuch as would not have been made for Chrift, if he had not really used it. At least, some other instance would have been chofen.

The following passage, I, for the fame reason, think impoffible to have been the production of artifice, or of a cold forgery : -"But I say unto you, that whofoever is angry with his brother, without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire (Gehennæ)." Mat. v. 22. It is emphatic, cogent, and well calculated for the purpose of impreffion; but is inconfiftent with the supposition of art or wariness on the part of the relator.

The short reply of our Lord to Mary Magdalen after his refurrection (John xx. 16, 17.) "Touch me not, for I am not

yet

yet afcended unto my Father," in my opi nion, must have been founded in a reference or allusion to fome prior conversation, for the want of knowing which, his meaning is hidden from us. This very obscurity, however, is a proof of genuineness. No one would have forged such an answer.

John vi. The whole of the conversation, recorded in this chapter, is, in the highest degree, unlikely to be fabricated, especially the part of our Saviour's reply between the fiftieth and the fifty-eighth verse. I need only put down the first sentence, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give him is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Without calling in question the expositions that have been given of this passage, we may be permitted to fay, that it labours under an obfcurity, in which it is impoffible to believe that any one, who made speeches for the perfons of his narrative, would have voluntarily in

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volved