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AUTHENTICITY 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT 
 
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 AUTHENTICITY ^<*~fi*t- /<f<» 
 
 OF THE A>* ^ /^? /*^*-*--C/fcJL 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT, 'i*^ 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH 
 
 V 
 
 J. E. CELDERIER, Jr. 
 
 PROFESSOR OP CRITICISM AND SACRED ANTIQUITIES, IN THE ACADEMY 
 OF GENEVA. 
 
 NOTES AND REFERENCES, 
 
 A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER. 
 
 Le dessein de ceux qufexercent cet ait (la critique sacree) n'est pas 
 dc detruire, mais d J etablir.— -R. Simon; Hist. Oft. dutexte du JV. T. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 WEEKS, JORDAN AND COMPANY. 
 
 1838. 
 
"BS5L352, 
 
 ■JJ 1 3 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1838, 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 JSS3 
 
 Tuttle 3 Dennett & Chisholm, Printers . 
 
TO THE 
 
 TEACHERS AND PUPILS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WARREN STREET CHAPEL, 
 
 AND 
 
 SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL, 
 
 THIS LITTLE TREATISE 
 is 
 
 RESPBCTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 INSCRIBED, 
 
 BY 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR, 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The translator of this work, being desirous of 
 introducing to his class an interesting treatise on 
 the evidences of Christianity, which should engage 
 the attention of his young friends, and at the 
 same time ensure a good result, from the study 
 of what he considered an essential part of a tho- 
 rough religious education, was led to examine 
 various books upon the subject. His researches 
 and his impressions soon caused him to doubt 
 whether a work suitable to be introduced to his 
 class could be found. Many good treatises upon 
 the subject have been issued from the press, but 
 few or none adapted to the Sunday School. 
 The translator wished to rind a work, which 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 clothed in a simple and plain language, and writ- 
 ten in an easy and interesting style, would pre- 
 sent this great subject under such a varied point 
 of view, as should render every side of the ques- 
 tion familiar to his pupils. The admirable works 
 of Paley and Norton seemed best adapted to the 
 purpose. But the innumerable examples and dry 
 details of the former, and the close reasoning and 
 logical deductions of the latter, deduced from a 
 long series of propositions, difficult to be follow- 
 ed and understood by the young, induced him to 
 look farther before a decision should be made. 
 
 At this period of his search the little work of 
 Cellerier was placed in his hands. At the first 
 examination of its contents it appeared to be the 
 the very book desired. It, was translated ; and 
 the interest with which his pupils listened to its 
 pages, the joy and animation which beamed from 
 their countenances, as the work developed the beau- 
 tiful character of the Saviour, the wonderful his- 
 tory of the Apostles, and the powerful proofs for 
 the authenticity of their works, and the honesty 
 of their intentions, convinced him that his first 
 impressions were not erroneous. 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 The interest which his own pupils manifested 
 in the work led the translator to think, that it 
 might be useful to other children ; and in the hope 
 that it might prove an auxiliary in the important 
 labors of the Sunday School, he was induced 
 to send it to the press. 
 
 Several additional references and notes have 
 been made to the original, both in the body of 
 the book and at its close. Several quotations have 
 likewise been made from the works of Professor 
 Norton and others. This was done for the pur- 
 pose, of making additional illustratious, and to in- 
 troduce also to the reader other works upon the 
 same subject The treatise of Cellerier, by no 
 means, exhausts the subject. It may, perhaps, 
 be all that is necessary to be studied in the 
 Sunday School, but to those who wish to examine 
 the subject more completely and thoroughly, it 
 can be considered, as an introduction only to 
 larger and more comprehensive works. 
 
 To such persons — and every Sunday School 
 Teacher should be included in the number — the 
 " Evidences " and " Horae Paulinas, " of Paley, 
 will possess the highest interest. The noble work 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 of Professor Norton, also, when completed, will 
 probably be a text book to every enlightened 
 and sincere christian, as it will undoubtedly be, 
 an honor to the literature of our country and 
 age. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 DlSCOUBSE UPON THE AUTHENTIC AND DlVINE ORIGIN 
 
 of the New Testament, ... 1 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 Certainty of the Authenticity of the Gospels, 4 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 The Certainty of the Knowledge of the Evange- 
 lists, ..... 12 
 Proof drawn from their persons, . . 12 
 Proof drawn from their writings, . . 14 
 Proof drawn from their testimony, . . 16 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 The Certainty of the Evangelical Histqey, 18 
 
 Illustrations, .... 27 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 Propositions Relative to the Gospels, . . 29 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Propositions Relative to the Authenticity o? thb 
 Gospels, ..... 29 
 
Xll 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Sec. i. The General Proofs for their Authority, . 2$ 
 
 II. Historical Proofs, ... 35 
 
 Gospel of Matthew, . . .37 
 
 Gospel of Mark, ... 42 
 
 Gospel of Luke, . . .44 
 
 Gospel of John, ... 47 
 
 Canonical Books, . , .51 
 
 in. Critical Proofs, ... 60 
 
 Positive Proof, . . . .60 
 
 Negative Proof, ... 67 
 
 Indirect Proof, . . . .74 
 
 Objections of the Incredulous, . „ 75 
 
 Objections of the Learned, . .76- 
 
 CHAP TER II. 
 
 The Veracity of the Evangelists, . . 83 
 
 Sec. i. Marks of the Truth of the Gospels, . 84 
 
 Sermon on the Mount, . . 85 
 
 Denial of St. Peter, . . .91 
 
 ii. Comparison of our Gospels with the Apocryphal 
 
 Books of the New Testament, . 99 
 
 Art. i. Employment of the Miraculons Power, . 102 
 
 ii. Nature and Form of the Narration, . 109 
 
 in. Lessons and Examples of Virtue, . .114 
 
 iv. Design of the Authors, . . 118 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 Pbopositions Relative to the 
 Gospels, 
 
 III. 
 
 Integrity of the 
 
 122 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Propositions Relative to the Particular Nature 
 
 of each Gospel, . . . . 128 
 
 Sec. i. Gospel of Matthew, . . . 129 
 
 ii. Gospel of Mark, . . . 132 
 
 in. Gospel of Luke, « . . 134 
 
 iv. Gospel of John, . . „ 135 
 
 v. The Acts of the Apostles, . . 140 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
CONTENTS. Xlll 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 Propositions Relative to the Epistles, . 143 
 
 CHAPTER I . 
 Authenticity, ..... 145 
 Sec. i. Historical Proof, . . . 145 
 
 ii. Critical Proof, . . . .147 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Character and Good Faith of the Writers, 152 
 
 Sec. i. St. Peter, . . . .153 
 
 ii. St. James, ...» 159 
 
 in. St. John, . . . .166 
 
 iv. St, Paul, .... 170 
 
 Form of his Lessons, . . .172 
 
 Tendency of his Instructions, . . 174 
 
 Principles of his Apostleship, . . 176 
 
 Striking Traits of his Character, . • 178 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Special Nature of the Writings, . .184 
 
 Sec. i. Epistles Relative to the Jewish Christians, 184 
 
 ii. Epistle to the Hebrews, . . : 187 
 
 in. Epistles to the Churches of Asia Minor, 188 
 
 iv. Epistles to the well beloved Churches, . 189 
 
 v. Epistles to the Bishops of the Church, . 190 
 
 vi. Particular Epistles to Individuals, . . L91 
 
 vn. The Catholic Epistles, . . 192 
 
 viii. Apocalypse of John, . . .194 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 Propositions Relative to the Entire Canon of the 
 New Testament, .... 199 
 
 CHAPTER I . 
 
 Direct Proof, ..... 200 
 Sec. i. Nature of the book drawn from the circumstances 
 
 of its origin, . . . 200 
 
XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 # 
 Sec. ii. Destiny of the Book, . . . 204 
 
 in. Triumphs of the Book, • • 210 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Removal of Doubts and Obscurities, . 216 
 
 Sec. i. Errors upon the Nature of the Inspiration of the 
 
 Sacred Writings, . . . 217 
 
 ii. Errors from the Nature of the Language of the 
 
 New Testament, . . .229 
 
 in. Errors concerning the design of the Lessons of 
 
 the New Testament, . . 234 
 
 Appendix, ..... 243 
 
 The Gospel History, ... 245 
 
 Variations, . . . . . 249 
 
 James the Less, • 253 
 
 T '<de, . . . . ,254 
 
DISCOURSE. 
 
DISCOURSE 
 
 UPON 
 
 THE AUTHENTIC AND DIVINE ORIGIN 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order, 
 a declaration of those k thin^s which are most surely believed 
 among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the 
 beginning were eye witnesses and ministers of the word ; it 
 seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all 
 things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most ex- 
 cellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of 
 those things wherein thou hast been instructed. — Luke i. 1—4. 
 
 To know the certainty of those things in which 
 he has been instructed is the first duty of a chris- 
 tian. It is often necessary for him amid the trials 
 and shoals of life, to have a knowledge of those 
 things which he believes. In the midst of the darkness 
 which envelopes his whole existence, he requires an 
 infallible guide to regulate his conduct, ra his 
 courage, and direct his steps in safety. He has 
 need of having the truth of the gospel convince 
 his reason and satisfy his heart, Such, my friends, 
 is the impression which will result from the words 
 of our text, if, in our weakness we are able to ex- 
 plain them aright. 
 1 
 
2 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 In the preface to his gospel, St. Luke addresses 
 a distinguished christian named Theophilus. He 
 declares and proves to him, in a few words, the 
 truth of those great events which he is about to an- 
 nounce. It is to us, also, these words are address- 
 ed. We will commence the interpretation of the 
 gospel history, in demonstrating to you its truth, 
 by the same means which the sacred historian em- 
 ploys. Although, like Theophilus, you are not 
 able to assure yourself with your own eyes, yet if 
 you approach this inquiry with a sincere heart and 
 right mind, you will carry away with you that un- 
 shaken confidence, so necessary for a christian. 
 
 First of all, let us examine as briefly as possible, 
 the words of our text, as they furnish the means 
 and plan of our undertaking. 
 
 " Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set 
 forth in order, a declaration of those things." It 
 is generally believed that this is an allusion to cer- 
 tain apocryphal writings of great antiquity. Let it 
 be remembered, however, that two^ only of these 
 writings can be traced back as far as the time of 
 the apostles ; and that the sacred author had in 
 view other relations of the evangelical history, writ- 
 ten by faithful christians, is neither affirmed nor 
 denied by any testimony. Taking these circum- 
 
 *" The Book of the Hebrews," and "the Book of the Egyp- 
 tians." The first is, without doubt, a disfigured copy of the 
 gospel of St. Matthew ; the second is but little known. The 
 fragments which remain are far from being imbued with the 
 spirit of the gospel. 
 
THE KEW TESTAMENT. 3 
 
 stances into consideration, and reflecting also upon 
 his design, it would seem more probable he had 
 principally in his mind, the gospels of St. Matthew 
 and St. Mark. 
 
 " Which are most surely believed among us." It 
 appears from this, that in Palestine and the coun- 
 try around, the truth of the gospel was known and 
 acknowledged. 
 
 " Even as they delivered them unto us, which 
 from the beginning were eye witnesses and minis- 
 ters of the word.' 5 A new allusion to the writings 
 of Mark and Matthew, a new testimony that Luke 
 gave them credit, and gave it as to eye witnesses. 
 
 " It seemed good to me, also having had perfect 
 understanding of all things from the very first, to 
 write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophi- 
 lus." If St. Luke commences then a new gospel, 
 it is because he wishes to make a complete work, 
 having all the events wihch should be contained in 
 it, placed in their proper order. 
 
 " That thou mightest know the certainty of those 
 things wherein thou hast been instructed." This 
 then is the design of the evangelist. And in or- 
 der that it may be accomplished, he immediately 
 places his own gospel in the hands of Theophilus, 
 and at the same time appeals in it to others as to 
 works of the ministry of the word ; he then declares 
 that they and he were eye witnesses, or exactly in- 
 formed concerning each event. From these cir- 
 
4 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 cumstances, Luke believes himself right in conclu- 
 ding that the evangelical history is true. Let us 
 follow out and develop the same train of thought. 
 The certainty of the authenticity of the gospels. 
 The certainty of the knowledge of the event, as re- 
 corded by the Evangelist. And, resulting from 
 these, the truth of the evangelical history. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 Certainty of the authenticity of the Gospels. 
 
 The certainty of the authenticity of the gospel ! 
 Is it then necessary to have this proved ? What 
 ancient work is authentic, if the gospels are not? 
 Indeed, if any circumstance is embarrassing in our 
 undertaking, it is the choice of proof. What kind 
 of demonstration do you desire ? Is it of testimony, 
 of sentiment, of criticism, of authority ? Do you 
 wish historical testimony ? Behold the immediate 
 disciples of the apostles, and many other witnesses. 
 Behold those learned and wise men, or those dis- 
 tinguished for their good faith. Providence has 
 preserved to us some precious fragments of their 
 writings. Some of these appeal to the words of 
 the gospel as to sacred authority ; some name their 
 authors, and all proclaim with a powerful voice, 
 their authenticity, which no one indeed, in the first 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. O 
 
 age, thought of denying. If the authority of the 
 defenders of Christianity does not appear to you to 
 be sufficient, we will call to our aid that of its ad- 
 versaries. Those famous heretics, and formidable 
 enemies who attempted to stifle in its infancy, and 
 obscure by their errors, the new born Christianity. 
 Celsus Marcion, Valentine, Basilides, and many 
 others, whose names alone recall their audacity or 
 incredulity. These are the witnesses we have sum- 
 moned. The proof we draw from their works, is 
 complete. These men, who made so many efforts 
 to enfeeble the authority of the gospels, who, if the 
 books had not been authentic, would have neces- 
 sarily known, and could have easily proved, these 
 men, whose interest urged them so strongly to the 
 work, did not perceive the possibility, they did not 
 indeed think of it. It is from the writings of Mat- 
 thew, of Mark, of Luke, and of John, they wish to 
 draw the objections and contradictions, which are to 
 convince us of the weakness and error of the apos- 
 tles of Christ. What is the result of their labors ? 
 They not only fail in casting the least shadow over 
 the truth of christiantity, but they demonstrate to 
 our day its authenticity. They are condemned to as- 
 sure its triumph. 
 
 Do you wish proof of another kind ? Do you 
 wish with the critic to analyze even the words 
 of the sacred writings, and descend to the most in- 
 significant details, in order to discover from their 
 
6 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 secret reports, the presence of error or the seal of 
 truth ? This examination is so much the more de- 
 cisive, since it never fails in detecting imposture. 
 For there never yet has appeared an imposter, who 
 has been able completely, to imitate the language 
 and conjecture the situation of him, under whose 
 name he wished to pass off his own writings. The 
 most celebrated historians, indeed, when they 
 have spoken of former times, have not been able 
 to avoid those mistakes of names, of manners, of 
 years or of places, to which a distance of some 
 ages necessarily renders them liable. It is here, my 
 friends, that the triumph of the gospel and its authen- 
 ticity is completely made manifest. These gos- 
 pels which bear the names of men surrounded by 
 such extraordinary circumstances — placed between 
 the Jewish and Roman manners — between the 
 Hebrew and Greek languages — between the first 
 invasion of the Romans and the overthrow of Ju- 
 dea under the Csssars — these gospels, which, if 
 they are authentic, oughfto carry the seal of a coun- 
 try, of an age and a position, to which we can find 
 no parallel, have, for a long series of years, under 
 this point of view, been the object of the most pro- 
 found discussion, and the most industrious re- 
 searches. And yet they stand firm against all op- 
 position. 
 
 Let us glance at several of the remarkable coin- 
 cidences we find in the gospels. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 7 
 
 1. Coincidences of time. Here are several towns, 
 the names of which were changed twice ; a few 
 years before, and a few years after the coming of 
 Jesus Christ, and which bear in our gospel precise- 
 ly the names they bore at the time it was written, 
 and at that time only. There are the Jewish and 
 Roman coins, which we behold in use at the same 
 time, the former, however, for the tribute which 
 was paid to the priests : the latter for that which Cae- 
 sar demanded. These are remarkable circumstan- 
 ces, which could not have been met with excepting at 
 that time, and which an imposter would never have 
 considered. 
 
 2. Coincidences of persons. Antiquity informs 
 us that Matthew wrote for the Hebrews, and we 
 behold him appealing constantly, and more than 
 any other, to the ancient oracles of the Hebrews. 
 Antiquity tells us that Mark wrote for the Romans, 
 and we behold him employing Latin words, and 
 describing particularly the situation and distances 
 of various parts of his country, as if his readers 
 were strangers to the customs of Palestine. An- 
 tiquity informs us that Luke was a physician, being 
 of course, more learned than the other evangelists ; 
 and we have a more complete and methodical work, 
 written indeed as a learned man would write after 
 obtaining exact information upon this subject. 
 
 3. Coincidences of deeds. There is the wife of 
 Pilate, who, according to the Evangelist, was at 
 
8 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Jerusalem ; and we learn from Tacitus,^ that if 
 Augustus had forbidden the proconsuls bringing 
 their wives with them, the prohibition had been re- 
 moved by Tiberius. There are the publicans whom 
 Jesus called or converted at Capernaum, and at Jer- 
 icho, and we learn from another source, that the Ro- 
 man customs were established precisely in these 
 two cities, and that the Jews were the agents. 
 
 But of what consequence is it, to pursue any far- 
 ther this long and always incomplete enumeration. 
 As regards coincidences of places, manners and lan- 
 guage, the riches of the gospel are immense ; but 
 by pursuing this point farther, we should weary 
 your attention, long before we finished our task. 
 
 What do you now demand, my friends ? Do 
 you wish an imposing authority, and a long pos- 
 session of glorious triumphs ? St. John had not 
 left the earth when the gospels, designated by the 
 names of their four authors, ruled every where in 
 the church, the conduct and faith of believers. 
 Ages passed away. Each generation, in its turn, 
 brought to them its tribute of homage; each gen- 
 eration received them as the report of the min- 
 isters of the word. Soon, however, the church ex- 
 tended and was divided ; sects were created and 
 multiplied ; Greeks and Barbarians, the nations of 
 the east and the west, were opposed to each other 
 in government, in manners and in faith. All 
 
 * Tacit. Annal, I. 40, 41 ; II. 54, 55 ; III. 33, 34. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 9 
 
 christians, however, of the known world, agreed in 
 receiving" as undoubted and authentic, the writings 
 of the disciples, and to them they went, to seek, 
 alike, a foundation for their faith, and an excuse 
 for cheir errors. 
 
 In the midst of this clashing of opinions and pas- 
 sions, what voice is elevated against the gospel ? 
 Not one. Friends and enemies render it equal 
 homage. But in our day, we have beheld that 
 which our fathers did not. We have beheld men, 
 some blinded by hate, others puffed up by imaginary 
 knowledge, or rather led astray by example, by au- 
 thority and by false lights, mingling falsehood with 
 truth, answering to proofs by doubts, to reason by 
 supposition, overthrowing all received ideas — carry- 
 ing against the gospels an audacious hand, and de- 
 nouncing them to the world as a collection of false 
 traditions. But wherefore should we be aston- 
 ished ? This same frenzy for maintaining opinions 
 different from the rest of the world, has endeavored 
 to wrest from the greatest geniuses of ancient times, 
 their renown and most glorious works. And what 
 have all these labors effected ? What have they ac- 
 complished, uniting against the gospel, science, ge- 
 nius, audacity and celebrity ? They have amused 
 the curious, frightened the feeble minded, and se- 
 duced some to their belief. A controversy has at 
 length commenced. Assertions have been reduced 
 to their proper value, the torch of truth has been 
 
iO AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 lighted, the edifice which had just begun to be ele- 
 vated has fallen, and its scattered ruins render a 
 new homage to the authenticity of the gospel — 
 the homage of science conquered by science itself 
 and of hate reduced to silence.^ 
 
 Are not these united proofs sufficiently strong ? 
 If not, we have those more powerful, yes, more pow- 
 erful, since they rely upon human nature and 
 the language of truth. Read, read the gospels — 
 and then ask yourselves if they are the work of 
 an imposter ; read those narrations marked by so 
 much candor and simplicity. Behold the mau- 
 ner in which the apostles relate those things they 
 had witnessed. They make no comment ; they 
 do not seek to create any effect ; and so far from 
 endeavoring to prevent any doubts arising upon 
 the subject, they do not seem even to have anticipa- 
 ted them. Read those discourses of the Saviour, 
 so superior to the prejudices of the synagogue, 
 
 * In reading the above, we must remember under what cir- 
 cumstances our author wrote. The meaning will then be per- 
 fectly obvious to all. He resides at Geneva, in the neighborhood 
 of France, in the very centre, as it were, of the theatre of that 
 terrible convulsion in religion and opinion, which agitated this 
 unfortunate country at the period of the first revolution. The 
 effects of the writings of Voltaire and his school upon a nation 
 were so remarkable that they must ever be regarded with aston- 
 ishment by the sincere christian. That period of darkness has 
 passed away. A brighter day has dawned upon France, and in 
 the foremost rank of the champions of Christianity, we behold 
 those whose early labors and opinions placed them among her 
 adversaries. The great work of Constant, which has done so 
 much on the continent of Europe, to stay the tide of infidelity, 
 we are informed, is the result of labors commenced with the de- 
 sign of opposing those great truths,, which it has so ably advoca- 
 ted. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 11 
 
 and the doctrines of the pagans. Read those dis- 
 courses reported without comment, without any 
 word of astonishment or even of admiration, but 
 which carry, however, on their front the impress 
 of the heaven from which they have descended. 
 Read those lessons which the gospels teach — so 
 extraordinary, so simple, so noble, so easy to be 
 comprehended by all, and then say, if you can, that 
 it is a work of the imagination. Would an impos- 
 ter have written with such simplicity ? Would he 
 not have erased many of the particular details, and 
 materially altered others ? In a word, is it thus 
 any one would have invented ? 
 
 If you approach this work with a heart that is 
 peaceful and right, if you carry to it, the sure and 
 calm judgment of him who seeks the truth, and 
 possess those qualifications which it is necessary 
 for him to have who would find it; if you do not 
 pretend to understand every thing upon this great 
 subject, but know how to recognise the language of 
 truth, and appreciate objections at their proper val- 
 ue ; if you draw near to God in this work, and 
 abandon yourself to the impressions which will be 
 excited, we have nothing more to say to you. No, 
 my friends, truth has not two languages. She 
 makes herself felt in the heart of him who loves 
 her, with a power it would be impossible to imi- 
 tate. Yes, our gospels are authentic. Never was 
 there a history better demonstrated. They are 
 
12 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 authentic, or there is nothing certain in criticism or 
 history ; — or the moral sense leads us astray, and 
 common sense deceives us. They are true. Af- 
 ter so many ages — so many researches — so many 
 proofs — ignorance, disquiet, thoughtlessness and 
 pride can only doubt. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 The certainty of the knowledge of the Evangelists, 
 
 The gospels are authentic, but were the Evan- 
 gelists well informed in those things, concerning 
 which they have written ? We will not yet an- 
 swer as fully as a christian can answer. We will 
 first judge the Evangelists as ordinary historians, 
 and make it manifest that even then the knowledge 
 they possessed, should place them beyond suspi- 
 cion. 
 
 For a corroboration of this assertion, I appeal to 
 their persons. Who are they, these, the historians 
 of Christ ? They are his neighbors, his friends, his 
 companions ; they live with him, accompany him 
 in his journeyings, are witnesses of his miracles, 
 they are indeed his apostles or the friends and as- 
 sociates of the apostles. The first who presents 
 himself dwelt at Capernaum, in the same village 
 where Jesus sojourned, near to Nazareth where he 
 was brought up, upon the border of the lake of 
 Tiberias, the theatre of his preaching and miracles ; 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 13 
 
 called by Jesus almost at the commencement of his 
 ministry, he from that time constantly followed 
 him, and can present himself with confidence as 
 his historian. 
 
 The second is a young man brought up by the 
 apostles, and a witness perhaps, with them, of those 
 things he was afterwards destined to recount. A 
 son of that devout woman whose house served as 
 an asylum for the disciples of Christ, a cousin of 
 Barnabas, the companion of Paul, and being more- 
 over the associate and secretary of Simon Peter. 
 Mark has written not only those, things which he 
 knew or beheld, but that which Peter dictated to 
 him. On this account, Peter, the most zealous of 
 all the disciples and the privileged witness of the 
 transfiguration, has been regarded by all ancient 
 authorities, as the true author of the gospel ac- 
 cording to St. Mark. 
 
 The third Evangelist is early associated with the 
 apostles in their labors. We cannot however, af- 
 firm that he beheld the facts which he has related ; 
 there is nothing in his writings which affirms it, 
 nor is there anything which proves the contrary. 
 But it is certain, that, consecrating to the work of 
 Christ, his time and his life, a friend of the apos- 
 tles and companion of Paul, writing his gospel af- 
 ter thirty years of friendship and union, he had no 
 want of opportunity to become well acquainted with 
 those things which he has related. 
 
14 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 The last is John, the disciple who reposed upon 
 the bosom of Jesus, the well beloved disciple who 
 shared the privileges of Peter, who alone had the 
 courage to follow his master under the cross, who 
 received his last sigh, ran the first to the sepulchre 
 and to whose care Jesus left his mother. These 
 are our historians. 
 
 I now appeal to their writings. The relations of 
 an eye witness have a life and naturalness peculiar 
 to themselves. The narrator omits neither the 
 movements of the actors, nor the aspect of the 
 scene. He retraces a thousand little circumstances, 
 which his memory constantly associates with the 
 principal deed, but of which another would never 
 have dreamed. Who has not remarked in our 
 gospels, this circumstance, which can be perceived 
 even through a translation ? How can it be de- 
 nied, that the Evangelists knew as eye witnesses, 
 the transactions which they have related, or at 
 least were exactly informed even in the smallest 
 particulars. Look at the account which John 
 gives of those affecting scenes which followed the 
 resurrection of Jesus. What ingenuousness, what 
 perfect simplicity in the emotion of that holy wo- 
 man,^ who sought the Saviour, turned back, saw 
 him, yet did not know him, so much the last 
 shadows of night and her own tears obscured her 
 sight. How much does that simple, yet sublime dia- 
 logue of two words express, " Mary," " My master." 
 
 * John xx, 10—17. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 15 
 
 Moreover how much do those scenes in which 
 the Evangelist had been himself a spectator, or ac- 
 tor, carry by their artlessness and minute fidelity, 
 the evidence of an eye witness and exact narrator 
 The apostle is not named, but see how he discloses 
 himself, in speaking of the " other disciple " who 
 ran with Peter to the sepulchre from which Jesus 
 had lately risen. ^ Give that scene to a writer of 
 fiction ; he will describe to you, without doubt, in 
 lofty language, or with a sensibility, perhaps clev- 
 erly imitated, the emotion of the apostles in ap- 
 proaching the sepulchre of their Master — their un- 
 easy look scrutinizing with eagerness the opened 
 tomb, the trouble of the guilty and penitent Peter, 
 and the august scenes which awaited the disciples 
 at that moment of the triumph of Jesus, when he 
 was solemnly declared the Son of God, But 
 these, the artifices of a skilful and ready imagina- 
 tion, are unknown to our true historian. He re- 
 counts simply his own actions and feelings, and 
 those circumstances which he himself beheld. The 
 two apostles departed together ; John arrived first, 
 but did not enter ; Peter, coming more slowly, ar- 
 rived afterwards, and entered the sepulchre ; the 
 linen clothes are upon the ground, the napkin is 
 folded up and laid apart. It is easy to imagine, 
 perhaps, the troubled mind of the son of Jonas, but 
 John says nothing concerning it, he does not ap- 
 
 * John 20, 3—8. 
 
16 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 pear to have perceived it ; he has given us an ac- 
 count of that only which he personally experienced. 
 He says that he u saw and belie ved." They de- 
 parted without having seen Jesus. 
 
 Open St. Mark, and read whatever first meets 
 your eye. What truth and life in all his relations. 
 It is of little importance whether they are to be at- 
 tributed to him or St. Peter ; the result is the same. 
 This character of minute fidelity is imprinted upon 
 the whole book ; in all those portions at least, where, 
 instead of slightly recalling to his recollection the 
 transactions, he relates them with considerable de- 
 tail. Does he speak of the woman healed by touch- 
 ing the garment of Jesus,^ or of the unhappy son 
 whom an evil spirit tormented, — he appears yet to 
 behold the movements of the Saviour — the eager- 
 ness, the tears, the emotions of the actor ; his ears 
 yet preserve the impression of the voice of the Sa 
 viour, when he had command over nature, and 
 snatched from the sepulchre its prey : " EfTata, Tal-. 
 isha koumi !"t He repeats these words in the same 
 language in which Jesus pronounced them, as he 
 heard them at first, and as he afterwards, when wri- 
 ting, seemed still to hear. 
 
 I appeal to their testimony. St. Luke tells us 
 that these things were " most surely believed 
 amongst them ;" he declares that he had " a per- 
 fect understanding of all things from the very first ;" 
 
 * Mark v. 25—34. tMark v. 41 ; vii, 34. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 17 
 
 and with regard to the other evangelists. M that 
 from the beginning, they were eye witnesses." 
 Why should this testimony be doubted ? Indeed, 
 after what principles do you appreciate the decla- 
 rations of a profane writer ? If they are in agree- 
 ment with his writings and his situation, if they 
 demonstrate his good faith, they are precious docu- 
 ments, and carry their own proof. Is not the tes- 
 timony of our evangelists, at least, as good as that of 
 an ordinary writer? Under what circumstances, 
 moreover, do they render that testimony. They are 
 at the foot of the cross, ready to follow their master. 
 They are able, however, they are able with one 
 word, to extinguish the pile and break their chains. 
 But in this position, and to defend their preaching, 
 even when dying, they exclaim, " That which we 
 have heard, which we have seen with, our eyes, 
 which we have looked upon, and our hands have 
 handled, declare we unto you/'* "For we have 
 not followed cunningly devised fables, when we 
 made known unto you the power and coming of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his 
 majesty."! " For one cannot but speak the things 
 we have seen and heard. "t And shall we not be- 
 lieve them? Indeed, if they speak otherwise, if 
 they accuse themselves of ignorance and imposture, 
 even then we ought to refuse them our credit, and 
 
 * I John i. 1. t2 Peter, 1— 16. iActs iv. 20. 
 
18 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 impute their denial to the executioner. But this 
 is not required — they continue firm and die. 
 
 I ask you now, my friends, are we not right in 
 affirming that they are well informed ? Can there 
 yet remain any doubt ? But if on the one hand, 
 the gospels are authentic, and on the other hand the 
 evangelists are well informed, is it not yet possible 
 to doubt that the evangelical history is true. This 
 remains for our examination. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 The Certainty of the Evangelical History. 
 
 If you wish to judge aright, my friends, convey 
 yourselves in imagination to the country of Theo- 
 philus, or rather suppose in that, wherever you may 
 be, separated by time and distance from the origin 
 of Christianity, you have had only a confused ac- 
 count of Christ and his religion. Suddenly, a fol- 
 lower of Jesus presents to you the gospels, and in- 
 forms you of the proof for their authenticity. What 
 would be the thoughts which would crowd upon 
 your mind in examining them ? Here then is the 
 history of Christ. It is authentic and dates from 
 the time of the Saviour. It is the work of the com- 
 panions of his labors. But wherefore do I speak of 
 one history alone. Behold in my possession, four 
 different and parallel histories, written by four con- 
 temporaneous historians, who give a relation of the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 19 
 
 same transactions, but with some particular circum- 
 stances, or in an order a little different, precisely, in- 
 deed, as they appeared to each. Where shall I find 
 any facts so well authenticated ? Have I ever had 
 any doubts concerning the history of Alexander or 
 Augustus, and yet no contemporary historian has 
 transmitted it to me. But here we have four con- 
 temporaneous historians, four associates of the Sa- 
 viour ; men who beheld all this themselves, and con- 
 stituted an important part of that which they relate. 
 We certainly can find no other actions so w^ell 
 attested. 
 
 Can I believe that they wished to deceive ? They 
 deceive ! with that tone of good faith, that genuine 
 simplicity, that absence of artifice and ostentation ! 
 They, poor, suffering, persecuted, deceive to obtain 
 contempt and death ! 
 
 Did they not, however, deceive themselves ! — 
 What, during sixty years they believed that mira- 
 cles were performed, the church believed it with 
 them, and they were deceived ! Was he also de- 
 ceived, that lame person, w 7 ho, in the name of 
 Jesus of Nazareth, recovered the use of his limbs 1 
 Was she deceived, that mother, who saw her son 
 lying in death, then pressed him in her arms full 
 of life ? Never has history rested upon like foun- 
 dations ; we say farther, it is not possible for his- 
 torical truth to be better demonstrated. 
 
 Moreover, when examining these books still more 
 closely, you will find in the nature of the things 
 
20 AUTHENTICY OF 
 
 they contain, that which is at once an important 
 result, and a new proof. These books contain the 
 positive declaration, that it was the Spirit of God 
 which enlightened the apostles. These things which 
 the ministers of the word relate, are the things which 
 the Spirit of God gave them the power of doing. 
 These men of themselves were ignorant and timid ; 
 the Spirit of God changed them into prophets and 
 martyrs ; God himself was w ? ith them. This truth 
 is inseparable from the history ; it is, in fact, its 
 foundation and essence ; and if then these things 
 are certain, if the evangelical history does not rest 
 upon falsehood, it is evident that God himself was 
 the instructer of these writers. Divine inspiration, 
 a necessary, though mediate consequence, of the au- 
 thenticity of the gospels, is an important doctrine, 
 which being the rampart of Christianity, the foun- 
 dation and support of the protestant faith, forms a 
 decisive boundary between all classes of the skep- 
 tical on one side, and all sects of christians on the 
 other. This divine inspiration, proved by a series 
 of facts, confirmed by the declarations of the Saviour 
 and his apostles, reacts in its turn upon this same 
 history of w hich it is the consequence, giving us a 
 firmer faith, a more entire confidence, and a sweet, 
 er and profounder peace. Yes, it is not upon the 
 word of man, it is upon the word of God himself* 
 that you rely. Let us give thanks to him that he 
 has given us an evidence equal to his revelation. 
 He has willed that if man has yet some labor to 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 21 
 
 perform, in order to assure himself of the authen- 
 ticity of that revelation, he shall be able to recog- 
 nise it by certain and undoubted signs. The gos- 
 pel is true. It comes, bringing consolation to the un- 
 happy whom the world abandons, assuaging the 
 grief of the sick, sustaining the dying. How much 
 joy must Theophilus have experienced in reading 
 these divine writings, in contemplating one after 
 another, the powerful proofs for their truth and di- 
 vine origin, in discovering thus, at once, that he 
 was a child of God, saved by divine grace, and ren- 
 dered immortal. My friends, we also have been 
 declared heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. 
 For us also is the chart of safety, and the good 
 news. For us also the gospel is true. Let us be 
 of good cheer, and, retaining firmly the hope which 
 is in us, our sorrows will be changed to a voice of 
 hope and love. You, whom a troubled conscience 
 deprives of rest, let your repentant heart elevate it- 
 self with confidence to him who has attached to his 
 cross the act of our condemnation. You, who weep 
 under a load of misery, recollect that the gospel is 
 announced to the poor, and that the gospel is true. 
 You, whom an unquiet mind has not yet permitted 
 to find at the feet of Christ, conviction and faith, 
 know that the gospel is true, and that doubt is not 
 permitted to him who examines, reasons and feels. 
 Be of good cheer, children of the dust, there are no 
 more doubts without conviction, no more griefs 
 
22 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 without a remedy, no faults without pardon ; the 
 good tidings are proclaimed, and the gospel is true. 
 Yes, my friends, as surely as we are now alive, 
 and are soon to die and pass to the judgment, as 
 surely as for our sins we have need of pardon, so 
 surely Christ has died for our transgressions, and 
 risen for our justification, so surely our master has 
 suffered, leaving us an example, that we may fol- 
 low in his footsteps, so surely is he sitting at the 
 right hand of the Father, and preparing for us pla- 
 ces by his side. 
 
 My friends, fellow travellers through the journey 
 and trials of life, it is necessary to preserve and de- 
 fend as our most precious treasure, it is necessary 
 to study and love as our highest title of glory, that 
 gospel which is the gift of God. Let us be careful 
 and never permit that confidence in its truth, that 
 fervor of thankfulness and of faith, that boundless 
 submission of a sincere and devout heart, without 
 which it will avail us nothing, ever to become en- 
 feebled and extinguished. How can the gospel 
 console us in adversity, if it be not our constant 
 companion, always maintaining its power over our 
 hearts, always present to our thoughts ? How can 
 it make us victorious over the world, if it has not 
 taught us to subdue ourselves? It is necessary to 
 render its lessons familiar, to recur to them fre- 
 quently and with pleasure, to have them, if I may 
 so say, impressed upon our heart, in order that they 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 23 
 
 may maintain a constant influence, and exercise a 
 kind control. If it be a stranger who counsels in- 
 stead of a master who commands, it cannot aid us 
 in contending against the enemies of our soul ; if 
 we behold it with indifference and treat it with neg- 
 lect, it will not metamorphose itself suddenly, at the 
 day of need, into a hopeful, intimate, and powerful 
 friend. Let it not be to us a useless and lifeless 
 book ; may it be a precious pearl which it is nec- 
 essary to obtain at any price ; — the tree, whose 
 refreshing shade shelters the whole human family. 
 While we hide the treasure in the earth, it is car- 
 ried by pious hands to the east and the west, its 
 blessed words scattered liberally wherever man is 
 found, are'making, day by day, by their own inward 
 power, new conquests to the faith. Already, distant 
 islands are peopled by christians. Already, those 
 savage shores, which eternal snows cover, or which 
 are burnt up by the scorching sun, resound with 
 the name of Christ. Already, in another hemis- 
 phere, the surprised navigator beholds faithful and 
 holy churches arising from the bosom of the ocean. 
 A witness to their charity, their probity, their pu- 
 rity and their zeal, he thinks he has discovered 
 those early christians who had only one heart and 
 one soul, and he seeks to discover by what power 
 a perverse, cruel and dissolute generation have be- 
 come in one day, a pure, upright and humane peo- 
 ple. It seems as if God wished to renew the an- 
 
24 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 cient miracles, and to give to his word a second de- 
 monstration of power. And shall we, called at the 
 first hour, the eldest in faith, forget our privilege, 
 and neglect those powerful means of salvation ? 
 Shall the good tidings be to us useless ? God grant 
 that we may be preserved from so great a blind- 
 ness. May he grant that his gospel may retain 
 over our souls its power, and be the subject of our 
 dearest thought and greatest joy. May it be our 
 support in affliction, our strength in temptation, the 
 guide of our reason, the light of our life. May we 
 study it by day, reflect upon it by night, meditate 
 upon it in our journeyings, explain it to our chil- 
 dren, and be obedient to it always. Father in hea- 
 ven, we implore thy favor upon our intentions and 
 feeble efforts ; we implore it upon these religious 
 exercises, upon these thy servants who love to as- 
 semble here, and upon those whose duty it is to 
 instruct them. May we hear with devotion the 
 touching and sublime history. May we listen as 
 we ought, to the history of the salvation of the hu- 
 man race. May it fill us with love, with zeal, and 
 with faith. May it transform us into new creatures, 
 and cause us to live, die, and rise christians. 
 
PART FIRST. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE 
 GOSPELS. 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 To make amends for the brevity of the preceding discourse. 
 a series of chapters is added, which are designed to recall some 
 interesting facts and important ideas, and nnfold several argu- 
 ments and new results. 
 
 The illustrations will be relative to the Gospels, the other 
 looks of the l\ew Testament, and to the whole revelation con- 
 sidered under one general point of view. They will thus be 
 presented in three distinct parts. 
 
PART FIRST, 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOSPELS. 
 The propositions which are now to occupy our attention re- 
 late— 
 
 1. To the authenticity of the Gospels; 
 
 2. To the veracity of their authors ; 
 
 3. To their integrity; 
 
 4. To the particular nature of each GospeL 
 
 CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE AUTHENTICITY 
 OF THE GOSPELS. 
 
 THE GENERAL PROOFS FOR THEIR AUTHENTICITY. 
 
 Our limits will not allow us to unfold them all, 
 I shall confine myself in this chapter, to the men- 
 tioning of the various kinds, and shall in the next 
 point out some of the most important. 
 
 Before admitting the authenticity of the sacred 
 book, we have a right to demand the same proof 
 and the same certainty, which we demand for the 
 authenticity of profane writings ; and we have no 
 more right in one case than in the other, to refuse 
 our assent to the strength of particular proof. The 
 
30 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 nature of the book causes no change. We how- 
 ever readily acknowledge that the importance of 
 the subject, and the number and seriousness of the 
 consequences, should render the examination more 
 rigid when it acts upon sacred subjects. The de- 
 fenders of the sacred books have no cause to fear 
 enlightened, sagacious and impartial adversaries. 
 
 The proofs demanded are external and internal, 
 or in other words, historical and critical. These 
 two classes are divided into many others. 
 
 Historical proof rests upon testimony ', when learn- 
 ed and competent witnesses, worthy of credit, and 
 connected with the author by time, place or circum- 
 stance, are summoned^ in favor of the authenticity 
 of any book. 
 
 It rests upon authority, when the authenticity has 
 been admitted without contradiction, in all places 
 and at all times ; or, at least, in those eras and in 
 those places sufficiently proper to decide the ques- 
 tion. 
 
 Upon the nature of things, when circumstances 
 give a strong probability to the hypothesis of their 
 authenticity, and render an error impossible or at 
 least very improbable. 
 
 Critical proof rests sometimes upon a resem- 
 blance of style and ideas, between the book under 
 examination and other writings by the same author. 
 Sometimes, upon the absence of anachronisms and 
 errors. Sometimes, upon that tone of candor and 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 31 
 
 naturalness which imposture cannot imitate, and 
 upon those confessions and ingenuous expressions 
 which are impressed with such good faith, that they 
 necessarily carry conviction to the mind of the 
 reader. 
 
 To these two great classes of proof we can yet 
 add an indirect one, more decisive and excellent 
 than is generally supposed, namely the small num- 
 ber and feebleness of objections. 
 
 There is perhaps no ancient and profane work, 
 which unites all these proofs, at least, in a high 
 degree. In order that a book be recognised as au- 
 thentic, it is sufficient if it have some of these proofs 
 clearly and decidedly in its favor ; and that others, 
 if they be wanting, at least do not prove any thing 
 against it. As regards the gospels, we can affirm 
 that their authenticity rests upon all, and it is not- 
 withstanding the agreement of all that some still 
 obstinately doubt ; a perseverance which seems 
 necessarily to suppose a want of judgment, of 
 knowledge or of impartiality. Indeed, if one pos- 
 itive and well established proof be able to satisfy 
 the most rigorous criticism in the absence of all oth- 
 ers, what strength must there be in all united. It 
 would seem impossible to regard the gospels as the 
 work of imposture, if even no ancient document 
 rendered its testimony ; but the most ancient writ- 
 ings exhibit to us, without dispute, the strongest 
 testimony of the friends and enemies of the faith, 
 
32 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 from the east and the west, among christians and 
 pagans, the fathers, and interpreters. 
 
 When we pass from historical to critical proof 
 we discover inthese books,withyet stronger evidence, 
 the seal of truth : we find also those touches of nat- 
 uralness and feeling, that intimate connection be- 
 tween the facts and the style, which a sensible, im- 
 partial and judicious man cannot resist. When, 
 at last, we examine the objections of adversaries to 
 discover what powerful motives they can have to 
 doubt against such strong evidence, we have exhib- 
 ited to us only insignificant difficulties or light ob- 
 scurities, from which no book is exempt. 
 
 These different proofs of the authenticity of the 
 gospels do not remain the exclusive property of a few 
 learned men. The result of numerous, various, 
 successive researches, of animated and contradic- 
 tory discussions, they have been deposited with all 
 their developments, in numerous works, for the ex- 
 amination of the whole world. My design in this 
 volume is to develop only a small number of the 
 most important, and most worthy our attention. For 
 the remainder, I would direct my readers to the 
 works of the following authors. 
 
 First of all, I would recommend Paley. He has 
 given considerable space to the question of the au- 
 thenticity of the gospels, in his treatise upon the 
 evidences of Christianity, and there, as in all his 
 writings, he is distinguished by the double merit of 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 33 
 
 logic and perspicuity. If he was not the first to 
 discover by his own researches, the citations and 
 facts which he has appealed to, as testimony to 
 his assertions, lie shows at least all the judgment 
 and knowledge necessary in selecting from the 
 works of others. He excels in the talent of making 
 himself understood; and his calm and methodical 
 reasoning, his sincere and convincing logic, exer- 
 cise a powerful control over his readers. He 
 quotes upon the authority of Lardner, the critical 
 coincidences of the gospels, and the numerous tes- 
 timonials which were rendered to these books dur- 
 ing the second and third centuries. He classes these 
 evidences and arranges them in an order the most 
 clear and persuasive. He exhibits these writings 
 from their origin, quoted with veneration, distin- 
 guished by particular titles, read and publicly ex- 
 plained in religious assemblies, the object of com- 
 mentaries, of versions and harmonies, universally 
 received by all sects and all parties as authentic 
 documents of the faith of christians. This work 
 is within the reach and should be read by every 
 christian. 
 
 Michaelis has discoursed concerning the same 
 question in his "Introduction to the New Testa- 
 ment," in a manner undoubtedly less methodical 
 and even less complete. But this disadvantage is 
 in a great measure compensated by the superiority 
 of the author in originality and learning, In read- 
 3 
 
34 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 ing his work, we perceive, immediately, that he 
 speaks in his own name and does not make any 
 statement, the truth of which he has not examined for 
 himself. He throws a new light upon his subject 
 by familiar examples; he gives reasons for his 
 doubts, and makes the reader a witness of his labors 
 and fidelity. If Paley is better adapted to general 
 readers, Michaelis, it appears to me, is particularly 
 adapted to theologians. 
 
 Within a few years new adversaries have de- 
 clared themselves in Germany. They have labori- 
 ously raised against the authenticity of the gos- 
 pels, spiritual, learned and frivolous hypotheses, 
 the sad products of an erudition abounding with 
 sophisms. Notwithstanding their temporary success, 
 they can be regarded only as the misplaced exer- 
 tions of ingenious minds, more desirous of novelty 
 and proud of their own theories, than regardful 
 of reason and truth. As we ought to expect, new 
 defenders have undertaken to refute these new ene- 
 mies. Hug* among others, has opposed them with 
 skilful reasoning and in a manner peculiar to him- 
 self. He has also added some direct proofs in favor 
 of the authenticity of the gospels; but urged on- 
 ward, perhaps without his knowledge, as the men 
 with whom he had to contend, by his taste for in- 
 genious and new things, he has handled this subject 
 in a powerful, ingenious and interesting manner, 
 but not so completely as could have been desired. 
 
 * Einleitung die Schriftcn des Neun Testament. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 35 
 
 He is bound and limited by two striking proofs — 
 the critical coincidences, and the testimony of the 
 enemies of the faith. 
 
 Olshausen, who is limited to the discussion of 
 historical proof, has left far behind all his predeces- 
 sors within this narrow field. He has fully ex- 
 amined the subject with all the good sense, know- 
 ledge and fidelity desirable. Free from pretension 
 and display, he has conscientously sought the 
 truth. He has laboriously examined, what others 
 have been contented in slightly glancing at ; and 
 without any exaggeration or evasion, has so combin- 
 ed the testimony and facts, as to create entirely new 
 results, and decisive and unexpected proofs. Un- 
 happily this remarkable work has not been trans- 
 lated ; it is perhaps too exclusively designed for 
 learned men ever to be so. The following section 
 is mostly extracted from this work. I ask indul- 
 gence for the critical and historical details upon 
 which I am about to enter ; the importance and 
 nature of the subject absolutely demand them. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 HISTORICAL PROOFS. 
 
 Since the middle of the second century only, the 
 primitive church has left numerous and clear doc- 
 uments ; from this period we also find the four 
 
36 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 gospels generally admitted. The church regarded 
 them as authentic, having received them from the 
 preceding generation, to which they had been trans- 
 mitted by the apostles themselves, or by their im- 
 mediate disciples. Before this, the Christians num- 
 bered few learned men, and their teachers were 
 engaged in acting more than in writing. Moreover 
 some pages only, or some lines of the few works of 
 the early fathers have descended to us, and we 
 cannot expect to find in them positive testimony in 
 favor of the authenticity of the gospels. The authors 
 of the apostolic age appeal oftener to the preachings 
 than to the writings of the apostles ; for they had 
 heard the first, and the want of the other was hardly 
 yet perceived. Already however, in the first half 
 of the second century, we discover some positive 
 homage paid to the evangelical writings. To one 
 who knows how to examine, analyse and compare, 
 the history of the church and of the fathers, furnish, 
 at this period, satisfactory arguments, although often 
 isolated and incomplete. 
 
 I will commence by pointing out some of the 
 most striking arguments relative to each gospel 
 separately. After which I will select others relative 
 to the union of the gospels ; and then point out some 
 general proofs, not the only or most powerful, but 
 those least know r n, and those also which extend 
 to the remotest period. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 37 
 
 GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. 
 
 We find, at the first investigation, a singular phe- 
 nomenon, which seems to obscure the origin of this 
 gospel and raise a doubt as to its authenticity. It 
 is necessary to say a few words with regard to it. 
 
 In our collection of the New Testament, the gos- 
 pel of Matthew is written like the other gospels, in 
 Greek. The style and all the internal proofs tend 
 not only to persuade, but to demonstrate, that this is 
 truly the original work of Matthew, and not a 
 translation. But the earliest testimonies of the 
 fathers agree in affirming that this apostle wrote 
 in Hebrew, and that in their time his book existed 
 in that language. 
 
 We remark, in the first place, that this difficulty 
 does not relate to the authenticity of the gospel, but 
 to the original language of the authentic gospel. 
 External evidence tells us that this gospel was 
 written in Hebrew ; internal, that it was written in 
 Greek. This is the only contradiction. It does 
 not bear upon the fundamental question. This is 
 not the less decided by numerous and varied argu- 
 ments, from which it results in the first place, that 
 Matthew has written a gospel, then, that this gospel 
 in whatever language it may have been written, 
 contains precisely the same statements and facts 
 which we find in the first of our collection. 
 
 This difficulty, when examined and placed within 
 
38 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 proper limits, is not necessarily a contradiction. 
 For who indeed has informed us that Matthew did 
 not write both in Greek and Hebrew ? In Hebrew, 
 for the Hebrews of whom he was a particular apos- 
 tle ; and in Greek, for the church in general. Why 
 should this be improbable ? Does not this hy- 
 pothesis find a sufficient motive in the circumstances 
 and wants of the primitive church ? Are we not 
 almost driven to this supposition by the strength of 
 opposing evidence ? Or may we not rather suppose 
 that this gospel, originally written in Greek, was 
 immediately, and with the approbation of the apostle, 
 translated into Hebrew by some disciple. It could 
 thus be regarded as the original work of Matthew, 
 and delivered as such to the churches. In either 
 case the contradiction disappears, the difficulty is 
 explained, and the evidences have all their force. 
 They are indeed strengthened by this difficulty, for 
 we now find that the authenticity of this gospel rests 
 upon two different copies, both positive, ancient, and 
 ascending to the same source. 
 
 From the first origin of the church, a sect of He- 
 brew Christians existed at Jerusalem, called Nazar* 
 enes, who, wishing to preserve the law, adopted into 
 it the whole gospel. Separated from the church 
 by their faith, their language, and yet more by their 
 origin, their national prejudices and their habits, 
 they remained always isolated and but little known. 
 They suffered doubly from Roman tyranny, as Chris- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 39 
 
 tians and as Jews, and finished their course by di- 
 viding into small sects, which shortly afterwards 
 disappeared ; history never having deigned to in- 
 form us when and how they became extinct. 
 
 History however has furnished us several impor- 
 tant results upon the subject. 
 
 These sectaries, who were established in Palestine, 
 declared themselves and were believed to be, the 
 depositaries of the gospel of Matthew. We find 
 that this is in accordance with a tradition preserved 
 by Eusebius, which was generally admitted in his 
 time, and confirmed by the internal evidence of the 
 first gospel. According to this history, Matthew, 
 the first teacher of the Hebrew Christians of Pal- 
 estine, had written for his disciples. The Nazarenes 
 possessed and read this gospel in Hebrew. What- 
 ever was the origin of this Hebrew form, it assumed 
 it necessarily among those who were not well 
 acquainted with Greek, but spoke Hebrew constant- 
 ly, and retained their national language through 
 patriotism and pride. Being Jews rather than 
 Christians, they wished no other gospel than that, 
 because Matthew alone had been the particular 
 apostle of their country. When these sects, iso- 
 lated from the universal church, were destroyed 
 under the persecution, their Hebrew gospel could 
 not survive them. Written in an unknown idiom, 
 and disfigured by numerous interpolations, it per- 
 ished with its guardians. .2. The gospel was altered 
 
40 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 in the hands of the Ebionites or Nazarenes, who 
 being an ignorant and small sect and moreover 
 hardly Christian, were not the right persons to 
 watch over its integrity. The Nazarenes also en- 
 larged by degrees this gospel by inserting in the 
 history of Jesus Christ many words and facts pre- 
 served only by a doubtful tradition. But (an im- 
 portant circumstance for the proof which this altered 
 gospel is able to furnish us) they added and did not 
 retrench. It is necessary to except, however, the 
 suppression of the first two chapters, which were 
 admitted by a part of their number only. 
 
 The apocryphal gospel celebrated in the first 
 church under the name of the gospel of the He- 
 brews, is no other than the disfigured work of Mat- 
 thew. 
 
 3. These alterations were introduced slowly. 
 The higher we ascend in the history of this Hebrew 
 gospel, the fewer we find. As we descend they 
 become more and more frequent. At first, this 
 gospel was identical with the Matthew which we 
 possess. We perceive at once all the strength 
 which this fact adds, or rather restores, to the testi- 
 mony of these Nazarenes. 
 
 We conclude from these facts that we have, in 
 favor of the gospel of Matthew, the testimony of a 
 church composed of the immediate disciples of this 
 apostle. Proud of this gospel, the only one writteo 
 
THE NEW TESTA3IENT. 41 
 
 in their idiom and by their apostle, the Nazarenes 
 adopted this alone. 
 
 We remark, moreover, in passing, that this tes- 
 timony explains the origin and nature of the gospel 
 of the Hebrews. 
 
 Whilst the Jewish Christians are furnishing this 
 ancient and singular testimony, the universal church 
 of the second century does not render a less posi- 
 tive, in favor of the Greek text of the same evan- 
 gelist. 
 
 We have, then, in favor of the gospel of Matthew 
 a second witness, the Catholic or general church, 
 an ancient and clear evidence, and so much the 
 more worthy of credit, as it agrees with that of an 
 opposing and despised sect. If the Catholic church 
 had not been certain of the authenticity of the gos- 
 pel of Matthew, it is not with the Nazarenes that 
 they would have sought it. I repeat ; we have in 
 favor of this gospel two isolated and concordant tes- 
 timonials, derived from two different traditions and 
 two hostile churches. A state of things which 
 cannot be explained only by a common source, by 
 a gospel really authentic and truly the work of 
 Matthew. ^ 
 
 * The Nazarenes and Ebionites -were different sects of that 
 class of Christians termed Jewish Christians. They haYe been 
 by many confounded together. This is probably owing to the 
 circumstance of their possessing m common the gospel of St. 
 Matthew written in Hebrew, as weil as from their having given 
 a preference to this gospel above the others. This is a "fact to 
 which, the ancient authorities unanimously give their testimony, 
 
42 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 GOSPEL OF MARK. 
 
 This gospel, being less complete and original 
 than the others, has, owing to this circumstance left 
 fewer traces in the monuments of the ancient church. 
 Of all the gospels, this alone, was not exclusively 
 preferred by any particular sect, and did not repre- 
 sent any religious tendency. It is probably owing 
 to this, that it has not been subject to any consider- 
 able alterations, nor frequent or very ancient quota- 
 tions. We find however, a remarkable testimony 
 which is rendered for it by an immediate disciple of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Papias, a disciple of St. John and bishop of Hi- 
 erapolis, knew in Asia two disciples of the Saviour, 
 Aristeon and John the presbyter. He obtained 
 from them the most exact relations concerning the 
 Saviour and his apostles, and deposited them in a 
 book, some fragments of which Eusebius has pre- 
 served. One of these relates to St. Mark which I 
 will translate literally. " Behold" says Papias, 
 "what the presbyter said;" Mark having become 
 
 It was undoubtedly the common belief of all Christians. But 
 this concurrence 01 opinion between the Nazarenes and Ebion- 
 ites with regard to the gospel of St. Matthew, should not lead 
 us to the belief that they were the same sect. In some respects 
 their opinions were similar, but mothers, widely different. The 
 most marked distinction is found in their views of the connection 
 between the old and new dispensation. The Ehionites wished, 
 to maintain the Jewish law in all its rigor. The Nazarenes, 
 while they wished to have the law observed, did not esteem it 
 to be essential, that all who were converted to Christianity should 
 be bound by its forms. They were also distinguished by other 
 differences of a simular nature. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 43 
 
 the interpreter of Peter, placed carefully in writing 
 all that he remembered ; he did not however place 
 in order the discourses and actions of Jesus Christ, 
 for he had not been the disciple of the Lord ; he 
 had only followed Peter who gave his instructions 
 according to circumstances, and without forming 
 under a regular arrangement, the discourses of the 
 Lord. We cannot, therefore, reproach Mark with 
 any thing peculiar in this gospel, for Peter dictated 
 it. Mark's only solicitude was not to omit or 
 alter any thing which he had learned." ^ 
 
 Some one may perhaps answer that this 
 relation has descended to us, through the hearsay 
 of a man of little judgment; and that his work 
 contains many vague and probably incorrect state- 
 ments. Without wishing to deny or discuss these 
 assertions, I believe however with Olshausen that 
 we can attain from hence the following conclusions ; 
 
 1. We have an exact and very ancient testimony 
 in favor of the gospel of Mark. 
 
 2. This testimony does not rest upon a vague 
 tradition, but upon the assertion of a known person, 
 designated by name, presented as a guarantee of 
 its truth, and as far as we are able to judge, an im- 
 partial witness. 
 
 3. If we call in question the relation of John 
 the presbyter, this testimony nevertheless proves 
 
 * Papias flourished about the year 116. He is the first writer 
 by whom any of the gospels are mentioned. In the fragment 
 preserved by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History he terms 
 them oracles. 
 
44 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 that at the time of Papias, the gospel of Mark was 
 generally known ; or in other words, that in the first 
 third of the second century there was no doubt 
 with regard to its authenticity. 
 
 GOSPEL OF LUKE. 
 
 As the gospel of Matthew, so the gospel of Luke 
 presents in favor of its authenticity, the exclusive 
 preference of an heretical sect and the general sup- 
 port of the true church. Only as the Marcionites 
 did not exist at the time of the apostles, their testi- 
 mony has much less of force than that of the Naz- 
 arenes. It proves only the conviction of their chief, 
 a presumptuous and learned man, and the universal 
 belief of his cotemporaries. 
 
 The sect of the Marcionites was entirely opposed 
 to that of the Jewish Christians. Marcion not only 
 refused to receive the law, but also the Jewish rev- 
 elation. He attacked the whole old Testament, and 
 excluded from the New, all which he could not 
 bend to his own doctrine. As Matthew had been 
 the apostle of the Hebrews, as his gospel insists 
 moreover upon works of obedience, and as he was 
 for this double reason preferred by those portions 
 of the church, which gave to Christianity a Jewish 
 and legal complexion, so Paul who had been the 
 apostle of the calling of the Gentiles and of justifi- 
 cation by faith, was held in greater veneration by 
 those christians who exalted the opposite tendency. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 45 
 
 Marcion also maintained that all the apostles ex- 
 cepting Paul, had altered the doctrine of their Mas- 
 ter, and that he had, therefore, adopted for his sect 
 the gospel of Luke, the disciple of Paul. This 
 gospel, addressed to a Roman, written as is gener- 
 ally believed, under the eye of Paul, and in the 
 bosom of that celebrated church of Rome which had 
 been so strongly prejudiced by the epistles and 
 preaching of Paul, against the doctrine of Jewish 
 justification, was that indeed which Marcion would 
 necessarily prefer. If he rejected the others, he 
 did not however deny their authenticity, and this 
 is, consequently, a striking testimony which he has 
 rendered in their favor. He rejected them only as 
 opposed to the true doctrines, that is to say, to his 
 own. He pushed still farther this singular preten- 
 sion to decide absolutely in a matter of faith. 
 Without attacking the authenticity or purity of the 
 only gospel which he deigned to admit, he permitted 
 himself daringly to suppress whatever was not 
 agreeable to him. He erased nearly all the passa- 
 ges which contradicted his new dogmas; he per- 
 mitted some to remain which he could turn to his 
 own purpose, and thus interpreted those which he 
 dared not retrench. Then, reuniting this gospel 
 thus modified to the ten Epistles of St. Paul, he 
 formed a New Testament at will, and gave it to 
 his disciples, as the only Bible whose precepts 
 ought to regulate their belief. 
 
46 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 We shall show in another article the real testi- 
 mony which Marcion rendered to the canonical 
 book. The question now is with regard to St. 
 Luke, and it is very evident from what precedes 
 that Marcion regarded his history of the Saviour, 
 as authentic. The audacity with which he sup- 
 pressed some words is another affair, and does not 
 in the least weaken the testimony of which I speak. 
 It is the historical opinion of Marcion and the gen- 
 eral opinion of his time now under consideration. 
 This testimony ascends at least to the year 140, for 
 already before this epoch, Marcion, the son of a 
 bishop of Sinope, had arrived at Rome, excom- 
 municated by his father, and ten years after, 
 his sect had expanded and his pretended New Tes- 
 tament was adopted by his followers. 
 
 Whilst Marcion renders, in this manner, testimo- 
 ny in favor of the gospel of Luke, the universal 
 church receives it also, but treats it with more re- 
 spect. We will prove this when speaking of the 
 evangelical books. We will now content our- 
 selves in affirming that the most ancient documents 
 of the history of the church, the quotations of Irse- 
 neus in the second half of the second century, as 
 well as those of Justin in the first, show us the 
 gospel of Luke admitted without dispute in all the 
 known churches. 
 
 This testimony, joined with that of the Marcion- 
 ites, appears to me to have all the power desirable. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 47 
 
 GOSPEL OF JOHN. 
 
 It would be easy to form a volume from the con- 
 siderations and historical proofs, upon which the 
 authenticity of this gospel rests. I limit myself to 
 one only. 
 
 John, the teacher of Ephesus, composed and sent 
 forth this gospel from that place, and also died there 
 at the end of the first century. All this is at least 
 highly probable. A long career, filled by the 
 high functions of the apostleship, full of virtue 
 and zeal, surrounded by honor and celebrity, had 
 multiplied in Asia Minor the disciples of the holy 
 apostle. Fifty years had passed away after his 
 death. Those who had formerly received his in- 
 structions, proud of that privilege, did not neglect 
 occasions for calling them to memory. Now, is it 
 probable, is it even possible, that under such circum- 
 stances, the remembrance of the apostle being yet 
 alive in his church, a supposititious gospel under his 
 name would have been received into the midst of 
 those who had personally known him. Would any 
 circumstances have caused to be received at Ephe- 
 sus, as written by John and for the Ephesians, as 
 published amongst them by himself, a history, which 
 John had not in reality written, and which the Ephe- 
 sians had never in reality received. By what pro- 
 digy could this apocryphal gospel have found 
 itself received, known and acknowledged by the 
 immediate disciples of the supposed writer ? 
 
48 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Such indeed was the state of affairs fifty years 
 •after the death of the son of Zebedee. This is 
 proved by the history of the second and third cen- 
 turies. I cannot give here, all the developments of 
 this proof; I limit myself to some particular details. 
 And I do not affirm any thing in this article which 
 has not been proved and sufficiently revealed by 
 Olshausen. 
 
 Polycarp bishop of Smyrna, and Papias, bishop 
 of Hierapolis, had both been disciples of John, both 
 lived and taught in the first part of the second cen- 
 tury, in that same Asia Minor where John had 
 lived and taught. They both were acquainted with 
 the gospel of John, were surrounded by those who 
 knew and acknowledged its claims, and they never 
 expressed any doubts as to its authenticity. We 
 possess, it is true, a few lines only of the writings of 
 these fathers, and in those lines there is no ques- 
 tion raised with regard to the gospel of John ; this 
 want is sufficiently supplied from other indications. 
 Thus, for example, Polycarp quotes the first epis- 
 tle of this apostle, and according to Eusebius, Pa- 
 pias has likewise quoted it. Now we have a right 
 to affirm that no one could have received the epis- 
 tle without also receiving the gospel. Too many 
 critical and historical arguments bind these two 
 writings together, to permit them ever to be sepa- 
 rated. Even at present the authenticity of one and 
 the other is, by common consent, constantly defend- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 49 
 
 ed or denied. No one believes it possible to sep- 
 arate them. Moreover, Eusebius who knew and 
 had carefully studied the writings of Polycarp and 
 Papias, as he had those of all the fathers, constantly 
 affirms that all admitted the authenticity of this 
 gospel, and that it had never been contested. 
 
 Irenseus, bishop of Lyons, was a disciple of Poly- 
 carp ; he preserved a remembrance full of venera- 
 tion for his master ; he loved to recall his precepts 
 and his virtues. Now, this same Irenseus enters 
 with considerable detail into the question of the 
 authenticity of the gospels, he defends them with 
 zeal, and says that he had never heard it asserted 
 that any doubt had ever been raised against that of 
 John in any of the churches, scattered over the sur- 
 face of the extensive Roman empire. And yet Ire- 
 nasus was contending with the Gnostics, while they 
 were making use of this very gospel, endeavoring 
 by misusing it, to defend their errors. It is to the 
 Gnostics that in our day this gospel has been at- 
 tributed. If Irenasus had had any doubts upon the 
 authenticity, or divinity of this work, would he 
 have permitted such easy means of confuting his 
 enemies, to have escaped him. Polycarp himself 
 was their adversary, and has added by his silence, 
 a powerful testimony. Would he have silently con- 
 sented that these detested heretics should defend 
 themselves in the name of his master, attributing 
 to him an apocryphal work in order to trace to 
 such a source their errors. 
 4 
 
50 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 We could perhaps draw a new proof from the 
 testimony of another sect which arose in Asia, at 
 the death of Polycarp. I refer to the Montanistes, 
 who likewise endeavored to support their errors by 
 the gospel of John. But not being able to dwell 
 upon all, I pass to a very different sect, which, on 
 the contrary, rejected all the writings of the apos- 
 tle of Ephesus. It may seem that the testimony 
 of this singular sect may be an objection to our 
 thesis ; nevertheless, the nature and motives of 
 these attacks furnish us in reality an irresistible 
 argument. It discovers indeed the subtleness and 
 partiality of those weak adversaries, who alone in 
 those early days, believed it possible to reject the 
 gospel of John. 
 
 The Aloges formed a sect but little known — 
 they were without power, and of short duration. 
 It appears that Eusebius and Irenseus had never 
 heard them mentioned. Enemies of the Monta- 
 nistes, they rejected the gospel of John entirely 
 through dogmatical motives, in order to triumph 
 over those sectaries. That which the love of 
 truth and respect for the memory and mission of 
 the apostle, had prohibited to lrenseus and Poly- . 
 carp, the Aloges more passionate and less instruc- 
 ted were driven to do. Urged onward by the same 
 spirit of dispute, they denied even all the gifts of 
 the Holy Spirit, and as they excluded from their 
 faith, a belief in the divine protection promised by 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 51 
 
 Jesus, they excluded it from the book of the law, 
 where it was more specially announced. Acting 
 from such motives, these sectarians, for this alone, 
 merit little attention. Even then, in denying the 
 fourth gospel, could they have defended themselves 
 by historical argument and plausible objections, 
 their reasons would have been always suspected., 
 But they were not able to make any attack worthy 
 of the least credit. All that we are able to gather 
 proves that they drew no objection from history, 
 and did not support themselves by any previous 
 doubts ; they sought only critical difficulties, and 
 the most miserable which can be imagined. These 
 were chiefly the differences between St. John and 
 the* other evangelists in the order of narrated 
 events. After having examined their objections we 
 cannot but conclude that such adversaries are val- 
 uable to their opponents. 
 
 CANONICAL BOOKS. 
 
 Having pointed out some of the principal histor- 
 ical truths of the gospels separately, we will now 
 seek those of the whole collection. 
 
 From the conclusion, and even from the middle 
 of the second century, we find numerous positive 
 and exact testimonies. Irenseus, Clement of Alex- 
 andria, and Tertullian, speak of the canonical books 
 as of a collection generally and for a long period 
 admitted, and venerated ; of the contents and au- 
 
52 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 thenticity of which no one had, or could have 
 any thought of doubting. We find by their writ- 
 ings that from Africa to Gaul, from Rome to Syria ? 
 from Asia Minor to Egypt, that every where, in a 
 word where Christianity had spread her churches^ 
 this collection was the only one received, which 
 causes it to be retraced to the origin of the diffusion 
 of the faith, that is to say to the origin of Christian- 
 ity. Besides, by another hypothesis, it would be 
 necessary that one gospel had been declared 
 preferable to others, after a public and positive de- 
 cision, and by an authority sufficiently powerful 
 to make this choice universal and marked. Now 
 we cannot find any trace of this decision and au- 
 thority ; we do not know to what period and what 
 place it can be assigned. We are powerfully led 
 to the idea that this collection is as ancient as the 
 apostles ; that these writings, by the fact alone of 
 their known origin, were placed apart from all apo- 
 cryphal books, from all profane writings, and com- 
 pared, brought together and united by faithful 
 persons without any agreement or effort. 
 
 The testimony of Irenseus is particularly worthy 
 our attention. The nature of this testimony, indeed, 
 and the character of the witness, are all we ought 
 or can require. The writer is well informed, and 
 his assertions are clear and particular. 
 
 Irenseus was the follower of Polycarp, the dis- 
 ciple of St. John, and also of the other apostles. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 53 
 
 He had surveyed the churches of half the chris- 
 tian world ; he was born and had been edu- 
 cated in Asia ; he was a bishop among the Gauls, 
 and had been on a mission to Rome. 
 
 Irenasus * declares, m the strongest terms and 
 with all the desirable minuteness, that there are 
 four authentic gospels, the works of the apostles and 
 
 * Irenaeus was one of the earliest writers "upon Christianity 
 with whose works we are acquainted. He was torn in the first 
 hafofthe second century, and suffered martyrdom about the 
 year 202. In his treatise against Heretics, a work in fire books, 
 we find the following" interesting and important remarks refer- 
 red to above. The quotation is taken from Profesor Norton's 
 n Evidences of the Genuineness of the Gospels. 55 
 
 ;: We ;; says Irenaeus " have not received the knowledge of the 
 way of our salvation by any others than those, through whom the 
 gospel has come down to us ; which gospel they first preached, 
 and afterwards by the will of God transmitted to us in writing, 
 that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith." {; For 
 after our Lord had risen from the dead, and they, (the apostles.) 
 were clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit descending upon 
 them from on high, were filled with all gifts, aDd possessed 
 perfect knowledge, they went forth to the ends of the earth, 
 spreading the glad tidings of those blessings which God has 
 conferred upon us. and announcing peace from heaven to men ; 
 having all and every one alike, the gospel of God. Matthew 
 then among the Hebrews, published a gospel in their own lan- 
 guage : while Peter and Paul were preaching the gospel at Rome, 
 and founding a church there. And after their departure. 3Iark, 
 the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself delivered to us in 
 writing what Peter had preached ; and. Luke, the companion of 
 Paul, recorded the gospel preached by him. Afterwards John, 
 the disciple of the Lord, who leaned upon his breast, likewise 
 published a gospel, while he dwelt at Ephesus in Asia. And 
 all these have taught us that there is one God, the maker of 
 heaven and earth, announced by the law and the prophets, and 
 one Christ, the son of God, and he who does not assent to them, 
 despises also Christ himself, the Lord, and he despises like- 
 wise the Father and is self-condemned, resisting and opposing his 
 own salvation ; and this all heretics do.' 5 
 
 The various passages quoted from the gospels by Irenaeus, 
 may be found in Lardner's works. They occupy eleven cloself 
 printed folio columns. 
 
54 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 their companions. He undertakes to prove even 
 that there could not have been any more or less. 
 He names these four gospels and relates particular- 
 ly how and by whom each one was written.* He 
 makes by the union of the four one unique and 
 divine whole,! to which he gives the generic 
 name, " The gospeh" 
 
 " The relative authenticity of the gospels is so 
 great," he says, " that heretics themselves render 
 their testimony, and endeavor to make them assist 
 to support their errors. ,? Having then mentioned 
 that the Ebionites defended themselves by Mat- 
 thew, the Corinthans by Mark, Marcion by Luke, 
 and Valentine by John, he concludes as we have 
 done, that our faith in the authenticity of these four 
 books ought to be immovable since we have as evi- 
 dence, our enemies. % 
 
 Before the time of Irenaeus, even before the mid- 
 dle of the second century, we are able to discover 
 decisive tokens of the existence of the collection. I 
 will mention two. 
 
 1. The writings of Justin Martyr furnish us the 
 first. This converted philosopher flourished before 
 the middle of the second century \ he is quoted by 
 Irenaeus as an author already ancient. He 
 had become acquainted, through his own obser- 
 vation, with the ecclesiastical customs of a great 
 
 * Cont. Heres Lib. iii. c. i. 
 
 + Cont. Heres Lib. iii. c. ii. s. 8* 
 
 % lb. Lib. i. c. viii. s. i. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 55 
 
 part of the empire. He was born in Palestine, and 
 had been at Alexandria, wrote at Rome and Ephe- 
 sus, and had travelled through Italy. He knew 
 then the three principal churches of this period, 
 Rome, Alexandria and Ephesus. He appears to 
 have had personal communications with the prin- 
 cipal learned men of his time, as Polycarp, Marcion, 
 and Ancinet, bishop of Rome. He ought, conse- 
 quently, to be better informed than any one, of the 
 existing opinions upon the gospel and canon. It 
 will be interesting therefore, to examine his testi- 
 mony under this point of view. It is true that we 
 have preserved a small part of his writings ; but 
 the expressions of Eusebius, who was acquainted 
 with his work, will be able of themselves alone to 
 supply the deficiency. They prove indeed, that the 
 writings of Justin had for their basis, the sacred 
 book which we acknowledge and reverence. More- 
 over, the fragments which remain to us of these 
 writings, afford very clear and positive testimony. 
 Justin speaks often of the " Memoir by the Apos- 
 tles/' as of books which contain the history of Je- 
 sus. The adversaries of Christianity have regard- 
 ed them as entirely different books. An impartial 
 examination would have prevented the error. Ac- 
 cording to Justin, these memoirs had many authors 
 for he says, somewhere in speaking of them, 
 "Those who have related to us the life of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ." Among- these authors there were 
 
56 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 at least two apostles, for in another place he says, 
 " the memoirs which have been written by the apos- 
 tles" He associated necessarily to these at least 
 two companions of the apostles, for he says, " writ- 
 ten by the apostles and by their companions."^ 
 Justin also speaks of what is written in the gosrjel, 
 and finally he exhibits to us himself the identity of 
 these two expressions by saying that " the apostles 
 in the memoirs which they have left us, and which 
 they have named the gospel." How can any one 
 doubt after this, that he knew and acknowledged 
 the canonical books ? t 
 
 We are also able to arrive at the same result by 
 another method. If we seek to discover what the 
 " Memoirs by the Apostles " contain, by the quo- 
 tations which Justin has made, we shall necessarily 
 recognise our gospel. We shall find in this man- 
 ner, about thirty fragments of our four histories of 
 Jesus Christ, fragments composed of many verses, 
 and well identified. 
 
 If in the passages extracted from Matthew, any 
 one is surprised at meeting with some variations 
 
 * The singularity of this title, Memoirs by the Apostles, 
 'ATZOfAvn^ovevftara twv AnocrToltov , 5 given to our gospels, 
 by Justin alone, can he easily explained. Justin was a philos- 
 opher, he had been brought up in the Grecian school, and was 
 educated by the disciples of Socrates. A remnant of pedantry 
 caused him to designate the history of Jesus Christ, written by 
 his apostles in four gospels, by a term similar to that which the 
 history of Socrates bore, which had also been written in four 
 books, by his disciple Xenophon. 
 t Dial, cum Tryph. p. 36, 1st ed. Thirlb. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 57 
 
 from the commonly received version, let him re- 
 collect that Justin was a Samaritan by birth, that 
 the Hebrew was his mother tongue, that he had, 
 in consequence, read the gospel of Matthew, as 
 preserved by the Nazarenes, its only depositaries, 
 and at this period the alterations by which they af- 
 terwards disfigured their gospel, began already to 
 be introduced.^ 
 
 The second proof which we intend here to pre- 
 sent, results from a new combination of testimony 
 and history. This alliance is the work of Olshau- 
 sen. 
 
 In an examination which we are not able to pur- 
 
 *The opinion that Justin quoted from the gospel of the He- 
 brews, is thought by Prof. Norton not to be tenable. He sup- 
 poses, on the contrary, that Justin quoted from the gospels 
 which we now possess, and that the variations from this text, 
 which are found in these quotations, are to be attributed to a 
 want of verbal accuracy ; Justin having probably quoted from 
 memory. That this w T as the practice of many of the fathers, 
 and ancient writers, is evident from their writings, for we find 
 that many of ihe profane, as well as the sacred writers, are often 
 quoted with great inaccuracy. Thus we find words transposed, 
 one word substituted for another, parts of sentences omitted, and 
 sometimes the entire passage expressed in a different manner 
 and form. That Justin's quotations were thus carelessly made, 
 is very evident. In his works there are seven quotations from 
 P!ato,'none of which are verbally accurate. A quotation from 
 Xenophon is given in his own words without any regard to the 
 original. 
 
 Prof. Norton supposes that the term " Memoirs by the Apos- 
 tles," was given to the gospel of Justin, in order that the nature 
 of the book might be understood by those to whom he was wri- 
 ting, namely the Emperor Antoninus Pius, and the Roman 
 senate and people. The term " gospel " had probably been ap- 
 plied to the histories of Christ, but a short period. And it was 
 so far removed from its original signification, that the name 
 could not possibly convey any meaning, to the minds of the per- 
 sons for whom his works were intended. 
 
58 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 sue, he has shown that about the year 140 or 150, 
 many celebrated and learned men, of different opin- 
 ions and countries, had assembled at Rome. At this 
 period oar gospel was positively admitted; these 
 learned men, moreover, not only did not protest 
 against its authenticity, but, on the contrary, agreed 
 to recognise it, although sectarian interest and opin- 
 ion might have led them to have taken a different 
 course. This agreement of men who, upon every 
 other point, were in opposition, proves the univer- 
 sal, ancient and clear conviction of the different 
 churches to which they belonged, and of which 
 some of their number were the leaders. There 
 were, in the first place, Ancinet, bishop of Rome ; 
 Polycarp of Smyrna, the disciple, as we have said, 
 of John and the other apostles ; Justin, of whom 
 we have just spoken, who belonged to the church 
 of Palestine, and had visited that of Alexandria ; we 
 find also two heretics equally celebrated, but of very 
 different opinions ; Marcion of Sinope, a city of 
 Pontus, and Valentine of Alexandria. These five 
 persons were born before the death of St. John, and 
 if the gospel had not been deemed authentic in the 
 different churches of which they were the followers, 
 it is not upon the evidence of the church of Rome 
 alone, that four of their number, the disciple and 
 leaders of the eastern church, would have sudden- 
 ly admitted it. The history of the primitive church 
 proves that this was not the case. " If the evan- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT 59 
 
 gelical gospel," says Olshausen upon this occasion, 
 11 had been the work or the property of one church? 
 or of a party, it is impossible that the others would 
 have agreed in its admission. Would the Marcionites 
 as the true Christians, for example, have acknowl- 
 edged the books of the Valentinians, the books upon 
 which they founded their doctrines ? Would the Al- 
 exandrians, the Syrians and the Asiatics have ac- 
 cepted the gospels of Rome, without assuring them- 
 selves beforehand of their authenticity ? Would this 
 collection have been easily introduced into Asia, if 
 the disciples of John had not been certain, if the 
 churches of that province had not been well assured, 
 that the gospel placed in that collection, under the 
 name of John, was in reality his work? Would Rome 
 have admitted the canon, if her christians had 
 learned from their fathers that Luke had not writ- 
 ten the gospel, or had written a different one from 
 that introduced ? If the faithful of Syria, of Pal- 
 estine, of Alexandria, had heard the same said with 
 regard to Matthew, would they have easily been 
 persuaded to adopt this pretended collection in which 
 another book had been invested with that venera- 
 ble name ? 
 
 I stop and limit myself to the repetition of that 
 which I have before declared, that the preceding 
 remarks by no means comprehend or even indicate, 
 all the historical proofs of the existence and uni- 
 versal admission of the gospel during the second 
 
80 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 century. I have not spoken of Celsus, Ptolemy, 
 Tatian, Heracleus, Basilides, Isidore, and many 
 others. I believe however, that sufficient has been 
 said to convince every impartial and enlightened 
 person. I have confined myself in this chapter, to 
 historical researches alone ; nevertheless, I believe 
 myself already right in affirming that the authen- 
 ticity of the gospels is proved. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 CRITICAL PROOFS. 
 
 I place under three heads, the critical proofs 
 which are now to be unfolded. Positive proof, or 
 coincidences, which directly confirm the authenti- 
 city of the gospels.^ Negative proof drawn from 
 the absence of anachronisms and errors. Indirect 
 proof, resulting from the feebleness of objections. 
 As to the proof of sentiment, drawn from the can- 
 dor of the writers and the naturalness of their re- 
 lations, I defer this to the following section, where 
 it more properly belongs. 
 
 Positive Proof. 
 We must not expect here a regular demonstra- 
 
 * In this section I have united the Acts to the gospels. It 
 is indeed the work of an evangelist ; the sequel or second part 
 of a gospel. The authenticity of all these books, the subjects 
 of the same reasoning, should be proved after the same man- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 61 
 
 tion. The critical coincidences to which this arti- 
 cle is consecrated, consist in a minute and particu- 
 lar resemblance between the book under considera- 
 tion, and the cotemporaneous manners, the facts re- 
 lated by history, and the style of the other writings, 
 by the same author. Resemblances of this kind, 
 do not form, by themselves alone, a rigorous proof, 
 but they are tokens of truth, which satisfy the 
 mind and remove suspicion. And they are so much 
 the more worthy of attention, as the coincidences 
 are less striking, for then it becomes much more 
 improbable than they should have been designed. 
 When, in opening an apocryphal book, say 
 the fourth of Esdras, I read in the first verse the 
 name and genealogy of the distinguished person to 
 whom it is attributed ; this proves absolutely noth- 
 ing for the authenticity of the book, for it is to be 
 supposed, that the first object of an imposter will 
 be to persuade the reader of the truth of his narra- 
 tive by such means. But when, near the com- 
 mencement of St. Matthew,^ I behold Joseph fear- 
 ing to go to Judea, because Archelaus reigned there, 
 without the sacred historian explaining to us even 
 the cause for that fear, when I learn afterward, by 
 profane history, that this prince rendered himself 
 hateful to his subjects, by his barbarity, I am neces- 
 sarily struck by this resemblance, which has not 
 the appearance of having been prepared, and I feel 
 
 * Matt. ii. 32. 
 
02 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 disposed to give my confidence to the historian. 
 This confidence will be stronger yet, if the coinci- 
 dence is less evident, and demands more labor to 
 be discovered. For the less likelihood there is 
 that it will be observed, makes it the more improb - 
 able, that an imposter would have placed it by de- 
 sign in this book. 
 
 The seventh chapter of St. Luke, for example, 
 speaks to us of a miracle performed by Jesus Christ 
 in the small village of Nain, but it does not tell us 
 where it was situated. Profane authors inform us 
 that it was upon the road from Capernaum to Sa- 
 maria, about midway between these two cities. Jo- 
 sephus informs us, moreover, that the Galileans in 
 going to Jerusalem by Samaria, pass txhrough Nain. 
 If now we seek in the narrative of St. Luke, all 
 that can be found in agreement, or otherwise, with 
 this information, we discover by the first verse that 
 Jesus Christ came probably from Capernaum ; and 
 by the seventeenth verse, that he was approaching 
 Judea : an agreement truly remarkable, and yet 
 difficult to be perceived. If there is any thing ev- 
 ident in this chapter, it is that the evangelist had 
 not the slightest intention of tracing the journey of 
 Jesus Christ, and it is, in a manner, notwithstand- 
 ing him, that we have discovered the principal 
 points. 
 
 Without doubt, such coincidences are not com- 
 plete proof. Each critical argument taken by itself, 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 63 
 
 adds only a degree of probability to the authenticity 
 of the book ; it does not assure us of its certainty. 
 But if these marks of sincerity are multiplied and 
 combined, and materially enlighten and strengthen 
 each other, it is otherwise. Then, indeed, it be- 
 comes absurd to explain all, by the art of impos- 
 ture or by accident. The number of these coin- 
 cidences can become so great and their agreement 
 so remarkable as to render this proof the most per- 
 suasive of all. It is thus, that in the opinion of an 
 enlightened tribunal, the incidents which often 
 throw an unexpected insight upon a crime, weigh 
 even stronger than the testimony, because these el- 
 ments of conviction are less accessible to imposture. 
 It is, also, slight proofs which make generally more 
 impression upon learned and judicious men than 
 critical proofs. Now what book had ever to so 
 great an extent, this kind of proof in its favor. 
 
 Lardner,Paley, Michaelis and Hug have unfolded 
 this class of argument and collected a large num- 
 ber of the coincidences. But the subject is not ex- 
 hausted ; we can easily collect many others. I 
 cite a very small number in order to make the na- 
 ture and efficacy of this kind of demonstration bet- 
 ter understood. 
 
 I commence by borrowing from Paley two or three 
 relative to the passion of Jesus Christ. 
 
 According to the gospels, the high priest who 
 presided at the condemnation of Jesus Christ, was 
 
64 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 named Caiaphas ; at the same period Pilate was 
 the Roman governor. This is confirmed by Jose- 
 phus. He mentions the elevation to the high 
 priesthood of a certain Joseph, called also Caiaphas* 
 and immediately afterwards adds that Pilate be- 
 came governor. He apprises us afterwards of the 
 removal of Pilate, and shortly after, of the removal 
 of Caiaphas. According to Josephus then, Caiaphas 
 was high priest before the arrival of Pilate and re- 
 mained in office until after his banishment. 
 
 Two different persons Annas and Caiaphas bear 
 at the same time the title of high priest. This is 
 somewhat surprising. But Josephus gives this 
 same title to many persons at the same time. 
 This necessarily leads us to believe that there are 
 some circumstances attending this office unknown 
 to us. 
 
 Pilate caused a writing in Hebrew, Greek and 
 Latin to be attached to the cross of the Saviourt ; 
 and we learn from passages of Suetonius and Dio 
 Cassios that the Romans were accustomed to attach 
 to the condemned, the cause of their punishment. 
 
 Jesus Christ was scourged before his crucifixion. X 
 Three passages in Josephus and one in Livy in- 
 form us that this was a Roman custom. 
 
 Jesus carried his cross. § Plutarch informs us 
 that this was an accustomed refinement of cruelty. 
 
 * Jos. de Bell. 2. c. xx, sec. 3. t John xix. 19,20. tMatth. 
 xxvii. 26. § John xix. 16. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 65 
 
 * Then came the soldiers and brake the legs of 
 the first, and of the other which was crucified with 
 him."^ Aurelius Victor relates this circumstance 
 in the punishment of the cross, when praising Con- 
 stantine for having abolished it. 
 
 Every part of the evangelical history, by reason 
 of the allusions to ancient geography, and to the 
 manners and laws of the Romans or Jews, furnishes 
 similar coincidences. I pass to another kind of 
 resemblance drawn from the comparison of the au- 
 thors themselves. I borrow the following example 
 from a dissertation of Professor Weber, t 
 
 In order to be understood, we can pursue this 
 kind of research even to a certain degree of finesse, 
 without falling into subtilities. 
 
 We remark that the name of Peter occurs very 
 frequently in the fourth gospel, and that we find ma- 
 ny new and interesting details concerning this apos- 
 tle, of a nature to make us acquainted with his zeal 
 and sincerity. X It appears that the author had for 
 this apostle a particular affection, and that he well 
 knew and carefully collected all the traits of his 
 zealous and loyal character, and was led by instinct, 
 as it were, to recall them. Now, other signs, not 
 less delicate, lead us to the belief that an intimate 
 
 * John xix. 32. 
 
 t Authentia capitis ultimi Johannis, hujusque Evangelii to- 
 tius, etc. Arg. intern, usu vindicata, a Michaele Webero, etc. 
 Halle, 1823. 
 
 t John i. 43. vi. 68. xiii. 6, 10, 24, 36, 37. xx, 3, 4. xxi, 
 7, 15—20. 
 
 5 
 
66 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 connexion had indeed existed between Peter and 
 John. Already, upon different occasions, when 
 these two apostles with the other son of Zebedee had 
 enjoyed the privilege of accompanying Jesus alone, 
 it was manifested that they were becoming, mutu- 
 ally, better acquainted with each other. Moreover 
 Jesus Christ had sent his apostles, two by two,* 
 and afterwards in like manner the seventy disciples, t 
 He probably wished to find for each a counsellor 
 and brother, whose enlightened advice and tender 
 friendship would assist him, in better fulfilling his 
 task. It is probable that Peter and John were thus 
 associated ; they went together to prepare the 
 Passover for their |mastert ; they followed him 
 in company to Caiaphas§ ; they ran together to 
 his sepulchrell ; they went together to the temple 
 to heal the l^me manTT ; they appeared together 
 before the Sanhedrim and braved its power^; both 
 were sent by the apostles to Samariatt ; upon the 
 sea of Tiberias it w r as John who informed Peter of 
 the approach of the Lordtt ; and when Jesus Christ 
 announced to Peter a cruel death, he, instead of be- 
 ing absorbed by this terrible event, hastily demand- 
 ed, speaking of John, " Lord and what shall this 
 man do."^ All this proves at least that there was 
 between the apostles an intimate connection and 
 
 * Mark vi. 7. t Luke x. 1 . t Luke xxii. 8. § John 
 xviii. 15. || John xx. 2, 9. IF Acts iii. 1, 11. **Acts ir. 
 tt Acts viii. 14. XX John xxi. 7. §§ John xxi. 21. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 67 
 
 much sympathy. Does not this fact agree with our 
 remark upon the last gospel ? Does it not make 
 manifest a real harmony between the different por- 
 tions of the evangelical history ? Does it not indi- 
 cate that the more fully we examine a gospel, the 
 more we discover the marks of good faith? Does 
 it not exhibit, with a new probability, the apostle 
 John as ihe author of the fourth biography of Jesus ? 
 These marks are certainly not without force, and 
 yet they are not sufficiently striking to have been 
 inserted by design and by an imposter, in the evan- 
 gelical history ; but it is for this very reason, that 
 they excite interest, and are able to become the ele- 
 ments of a powerful demonstration. 
 
 Negative Proof. 
 When, after a careful and minute examination, 
 a. writing presents no anachronism or error in the 
 narration of contemporaneous events; when learning 
 and criticism are not able to discover the marks of 
 a later period, its authenticity is certain, at least 
 if it be an historical work. Criticism has too many- 
 resources, for a supposititious book to be able to 
 withstand the successive investigations of learned 
 men, who compare it, by turns, with the books of 
 the same period, with the most ancient monuments, 
 and more recent facts ; who examine it as regards 
 the time, the manners, the place, and the language, 
 and coming one after the other, always re-com- 
 
OS AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 mence the examination with new ardor, sagacity 
 and learning. We are able to affirm, and expe- 
 rience proves its truth, that no historical imposture 
 has entirely succeeded. The most skilful have 
 finally been detected.^ 
 
 I cannot give here the catalogue of all the ex- 
 amples which I might cite. I prefer to place a sin- 
 gle one before my readers. It is so much the more 
 striking, as the book which is the subject of it, is 
 represented as prophetical, not historical, and might 
 therefore confound the time without exciting sus- 
 picion. 
 
 The apocryphal book which in our Bible bears 
 the name of the fourth of Esdras,t is excluded from 
 the canonical book by the Koman, Greek and our 
 own churches. Having fallen for a long time into 
 obscurity, it has but little attracted the attention of 
 learned men, and the best way of becoming acquain- 
 t?d with its history will be to make a critical exam- 
 ination for ourselves. 
 
 In the first verse, the author is called Esdras the 
 Prophet, a title in appearance very natural to be 
 
 * The ancient poets and historians 3 however learned they 
 may have been, almost always permit some similar errors to es- 
 cape thei^ notice, when they speak of a time anterior to their 
 own. Thus in the 366th verse of the 6th Book of the iEnied, 
 the shade of Palinurus says to iEneas " Portus require Velin- 
 os" (< Seek the harbor of Velia." It is well known, however, 
 that the city of Velia was a seaport on the shore of Lucania, 
 betwee l the promontories of Palinurus and Posidium, and was 
 founded by Servius Tullus more than six hundred years after 
 iEneas. 
 
 t In the English Bible the 2d book of Edras in the apocrypha. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 69 
 
 applied to inspired men writing the prophecies. 
 This title however causes us to doubt. We per- 
 ceive, indeed, in the authentic writings of Esdras, 
 that he never took this title, and that it was never 
 bestowed upon him. He was termed the priest and 
 ready scribe, but never prophet. In the remainder 
 of the first chapter, if we except the last verse, no- 
 thing confirms very positively this first doubt; all 
 the words might have proceeded from the mouth of 
 Esdras. Yet in place of the powerful and direct 
 lessons which we ought to expect from a prophet, 
 we here remark a singular affectation to imitate 
 other writers and to recall to memory, occasionally 
 and without any design the miraculous history of 
 the first Israelites. Now if we find that most of the 
 supposed apocryphal books, under the name of sa- 
 cred writings, furnish the same kind of filling up 
 (remplissage) our suspicions are necessarily in- 
 creased. Moreover, in verses 39 and 40, the author 
 enumerates twelve minor prophets. But Malachi, 
 with whom he terminates, did not commence his 
 ministry until a quarter of a century after the death 
 of Esdras. From this, we are certain, that Esdras 
 could not have written this book, and that the title 
 conceals a fraud. We would observe that this, 
 although a decided, is not a palpable fraud. Even 
 an ingenious imposter might have very easily suf- 
 fered himself to be detected if he had not possess- 
 ed a thorough knowledge of Hebrew chronology. 
 
70 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Esdras and Malachi had both exercised their min- 
 istry, upon their return from the captivity ; some 
 centuries afterwards their distinct ages might have 
 been very easily confounded, and the general opin- 
 ion, which made Esdras the arranger of the canon- 
 ical books of the old Testament, tended to the belief 
 that he was the last writer. 
 
 The second chapter gives us more positive light. 
 We immediately behold it full of facts borrowed 
 from the prophets. One feature of the thirtyfirst 
 verse confirms us in the conviction that the work 
 cannot be authentic. Esdras speaks there of a rev- 
 elation which he had received upon Mount Horeb. 
 It would seem very easy to an author possessing lit- 
 tle knowledge, and ignorant of oriental geography, 
 to cause Esdras to be initiated into his mission, in 
 the same place where Moses had received his own. 
 But Esdras could not have coasted along the shore 
 of the Red Sea, in going from Assyria to Palestine ; 
 and his history shows us, that neither before nor 
 after this epoch, he had any better opportunity of 
 visiting that sea and Mount Horeb. 
 
 From this verse, to the end of the chapter, the 
 imposture betrays itself more openly. The author 
 wishes to predict Jesus Christ, and he does it with 
 too much clearness not to be suspected. He speaks 
 in express terms of the Saviour, of the kingdom of 
 heaven, of the elect clothed with white garments ; 
 he goes so far even, as to exhibit to us the Son of 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 71 
 
 God, distributing palms and crowns to the mar- 
 tyrs. It is not thus that the prophets announced 
 the event ; with them it is always somewhat ob- 
 scured. From this we feel assured that the author 
 was posterior to Jesus Christ, and was himself a 
 Christian. 
 
 If we study, in the same manner, the remainder 
 of the book, we easily discover that this author 
 wrote in a time of persecution, in order to encour- 
 age the faithful, after the twelve Caesars and the 
 first division of the empire, probably some time after 
 the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
 
 This is what a rapid and superficial examination 
 has caused us to perceive, at the commencement of 
 the apocryphal book. Can it be possible, that a 
 thorough, learned, and minute examination, a hun- 
 dred times retaken by critics of all opinions, and 
 all ages, could not have unveiled something analo- 
 gous in the gospels, if they are not authentic ? The 
 place and the times of which these books give us 
 the history, augment the improbability of this sup- 
 position. There is not perhaps in all ancient times, 
 an era and a country to which it would be more 
 difficult to accommodate exactly, a history invented 
 at a later date. Indeed, there is no period, prob- 
 ably, in which successive conquests and revolutions 
 produced so rapid and varied changes, in manners, 
 laws, government and language. I will give one 
 example only, drawn from the family of the Herods. 
 
72 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 That dynasty was composed of seven princes, com- 
 prising not only regular descendants, but also broth- 
 ers and nephews. They were all comprised with- 
 in four generations only, and were admitted to pow- 
 er during the short space of one century, or a little 
 more. How easy it would be to confound them. 
 Four of their number bore the same name, that of 
 Herod, and two that of Agrippa, which makes it 
 still more easy for errors to be committed. They 
 did not succeed in a regular order, but they govern- 
 ed sometimes two at a time, sometimes three, some- 
 times one. Some had the title of king, others that of 
 tetrach, others had successively both. Their em- 
 pire changed as continually as their title, and, as 
 it is important to observe, without conquest, without 
 eclat, but according to the will of the emperor, 
 according to some decree, which did not leave, as 
 a victory would have done, deep traces in the mem- 
 ory of men and in their books. These changes 
 took place nof only at the accession of a new 
 king, but during the lives of the same rulers. By 
 turns these princes ruled over the whole of Judea? 
 a single province, a single city or even a temple. 
 Sometimes they were deprived of all command, and 
 had only an honorary title without power, or were 
 banished or imprisoned. One generation lost the 
 empire which another had acquired; the succeeding 
 regained it, after an interregnum, with new combi- 
 nations, a new capital, and change of provinces* 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 73 
 
 Indeed, to embarrass yet more this singular dynasty, 
 with these seven princes we find three princesses 
 of the same family, who married either with their 
 own relations or foreigners, and who occupy a 
 place among the events of this period. What a 
 labyrinth. How could an author not contemporary 
 have succeeded in delivering himself from it ? If 
 criticism has succeeded in emerging from this lab- 
 yrinth, it is by the aid of longresearches, by study- 
 ing and comparing with great care, the profane 
 authors who have spoken of this period ; it is w T ith 
 the assistance of this methodical, patient and ingen- 
 ious science, which is peculiar to modern times 
 only. But, certainly, no one will readily believe, 
 that an imposter, a writer of false gospels in the 
 second century, could have succeeded in bringing, 
 frequently into view these various princes, with- 
 out being deceived as to the title, power, person 
 or period. Now we find, that in five passages of 
 the gospels or the Acts, mention is made of some 
 one of the members of this dynasty. No one is 
 mentioned twice, and only one is omitted, Yet 
 these five passages do not present the least error, 
 which might almost be considered miraculous, if 
 our books were not contemporaneous. I deliver with 
 confidence, this result to those accustomed to his- 
 torical studies, and capable of appreciating this kind 
 of proof. 
 
74 AUTHENTICITY OP : 
 
 Indirect Proof. 
 
 If there is one fact universally acknowledged, by- 
 all those accustomed to the study of ancient books, 
 it is, that in no instance can every circumstance be 
 clearly explained. The presence of some obscuri- 
 ties, and, on account of these, the possibility of some 
 objections even, cannot then be a sufficient argu- 
 ment against their authenticity. 
 
 The nature and number of such objections, never- 
 theless, ought to have great weight in the discus- 
 sion. If they are numerous, if they bear upon es- 
 sential points, if the errors, moreover, which they 
 pretend to discover, are of a nature to prove not the 
 ignorance but the fraud of the authors, if, in fine, 
 the learned and successive researches to which they 
 give rise confirm instead j^of weakening them, it is 
 impossible, but that they should greatly shake our 
 confidence. But if they bear upon small and tri- 
 fling facts ; if the objections, when admitted, create 
 new difficulties, greater than the original; if they 
 are small in number and are to be explained better 
 by the error of writers than imposture ; if, in fine, 
 they badly sustain the discussion, are unable to 
 form the base of any hypothesis and always create 
 greater obscurities ; then, far from furnishing a 
 motive for questioning the ^discussed authenticity, 
 they form, in reality, a very strong although indirect 
 argument in its favor. 
 
 It is this argument, to which we now appeal, in 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 75 
 
 testimony of the authenticity of the gospels. We 
 apprehend that we can only point it out; it is here 
 especially, that the development would demand de- 
 tails without end. 
 
 The authenticity of the gospels has been exposed 
 to two classes of critical attacks entirely distinct ; 
 the objections of the incredulous, and the hypothe- 
 ses of the learned. Both furnish in reality, the 
 argument of which I speak. 
 
 1. The incredulous have brought against the 
 gospels positive objections, founded upon those er- 
 rors which they have believed to have discovered. 
 There remain three of these objections perhaps, 
 which can be explained in a manner very probable, 
 but to which we cannot give decisive answers. All 
 three relate to the chronology only of the gospels, 
 or rather to that of St. Luke alone. When we 
 grant to all these, the importance which is sought 
 for them, and which they are far from possessing, 
 there results against this evangelist, and against 
 this evangelist only, who wrote, as is well known, 
 more than thirty years after Jesus Christ, a 
 suspicion of ignorance of dates and confusion 
 with regard to time, but nothing of fraud and 
 error. The other gospels are not affected by this 
 circumstance, and the authenticity of that of St. 
 Luke cannot be farther shaken. I ask now all who 
 are practised in criticism if such poor objections do 
 not afford a sure triumph for that authenticity, 
 against which they have been raised. 
 
76 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 2. Within thirty years, German and English 
 critics have published a great number of successive 
 hypotheses, upon the origin of the gospels. They 
 have attacked their authenticity, not only in general, 
 by positive objections, but by ingenious suppositions 
 presented with much knowledge and genius. They 
 have displayed a talent, sometimes very remarkable, 
 in inventing new explanations of the existence of 
 these books, in adorning their scientific reveries 
 with plausible livery, and in disguising the feeble 
 sides of the frail edifices which their self-love had 
 constructed. By reason of the novelty of these 
 ideas, and a talent often very distinguished, they 
 have attracted the attention of learned men, and 
 in some countries or rather in some universities, 
 voices of admiration have been heard. Let not 
 . Christians be disheartened. These holy histories, 
 the objects of our veneration, and which speak so 
 powerfully to the hearts of those who know how to 
 read them, have not been more moved by these 
 singular theologians than by the weak efforts of the 
 preceding century. 
 
 It will be well, at the commencement to make 
 some general remarks upon these new aggressions. 
 1. Notwithstanding their zeal for their hypothe- 
 ses, notwithstanding the great learning they have 
 acquired from the history and criticisms of the 
 gospel, the learned men of whom I spake, have 
 not been able to find any direct objection against 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 77 
 
 their authenticity worthy of consideration. I repeat, 
 they have, by no means, succeeded in rendering 
 that authenticity improbable — hardly indeed can 
 they be said to have labored to this end. They 
 appear to have aspired only to render their new 
 and strange hypotheses piquant and probable. 
 
 2. Moreover, had these hypotheses been true, 
 our gospels undoubtedly would not have been all 
 authentic ; but they would have yet been ancient ; 
 they would have been, in a great measure, com- 
 posed from the writings or the lessons of the au- 
 thors whose names they bear ; our inventors of 
 hypotheses were too learned to dare to proceed fur- 
 ther ; in general, also, they did not write in a spirit 
 of hostility. Many of their number did not ex- 
 pect by their labors to destroy the authority of the 
 books they attacked. And all, in declaring them 
 not authentic, did not accuse them of imposture : 
 sometimes they even truly recognized and venera- 
 ted their divine origin, without endeavoring to 
 gainsay it. 
 
 3. The authors of these systems have refused to 
 support them by historical testimony, and, indeed, 
 it would have been entirely against them. This 
 concession alone is a defeat. 
 
 4. Many among them seem to consider their 
 hypotheses as theories without any application, so 
 much do they forget them in practice. After hav- 
 ing in their prefaces (prologomenes) contested the 
 
78 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 authenticity of the gospels, in the commentary 
 which follows, they do not, in the least, call in 
 question that authenticity but seem often to be- 
 lieve it certain. 
 
 Let us leave now these general considerations 
 and trace a rapid sketch of this extraordinary learn- 
 ed crisis, which the union of knowledge to error, of 
 criticism to sophism, and the contrast of the seri- 
 ousness of the subject with the levity of its manage- 
 ment, have rendered so interesting and sad to the 
 observer. 
 
 It has not been marked by a progress of clear- 
 ness, of certainty, or of probability ? even,in the suc- 
 cession and discussion of the proposed hypotheses. 
 That result has not been obtained, which we always 
 expect when old errors yield to increasing intelli- 
 gence, and fall under the attacks of true knowledge. 
 We have not seen conjectures made clear, correct- 
 ed, formed by degrees into those more probable and 
 permanent, finally take the form of regular theories 
 or positive facts. We have not seen the ancient 
 evidences sought after and discovered for this oc- 
 casion, mutually supporting, explaining and com- 
 bining themselves with critical observations to 
 spread suddenly an unexpected light upon doubtful 
 points. We have not seen hypotheses becoming 
 continually more complete, — reconciling opposing 
 facts, and finally united into one whole, more clear, 
 more simple, more natural than any which had pre- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 79 
 
 ceded. It is thus however that truth is discovered 
 in criticism and history ; it is by such traits that we 
 recognize its approach. 
 
 This step has been here inverted. Instead of 
 going from the less to the more probable, and from 
 difference to agreement, the discussion has caused 
 the hypotheses under consideration to pass from 
 brightness to obscurity, from the natural to the af- 
 fected, from one to many. 
 
 An ingenious system was put forth under the 
 name of the primitive church. It acknowledged 
 an unknown and unique gospel, which no one had 
 even heard mentioned, and which was to be con- 
 sidered as the true source of our first three gospels. 
 The celebrated author of this chimerical hypothe- 
 sis succeeded, somewhat, in making this appear 
 quite plausible ; his name, among other things, had 
 been sufficient to bring it into notice and attract the 
 attention of a large school. It penetrated even in- 
 to England, where a learned prelate republished it 
 with some modifications. But this success chal- 
 lenged discussion. Then, the feeble sides of the 
 hypothesis which had been adroitly left in the 
 shade attracted all eyes. It was necessary to re- 
 build, and at each new breach its supporter endea- 
 vored to sustain its feebleness by another hypothe- 
 sis engrafted upon the preceding. These succes- 
 sive emendations, becoming more and more forced, 
 might have soon destroyed the little of probability 
 
80 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 which remained. But, animated by the contro- 
 versy, the learned men of the time rushed to the 
 subject with a zeal, which seemed to be excited by 
 passion and party spirit. Employed in building, 
 overthrowing, and rebuilding systems, they never 
 agreed ; always commencing by overthrowing with 
 success what others had raised, and finishing by 
 vainly endeavoring in their turn, to construct some- 
 thing of their own, shaking sometimes the autho- 
 rity of the first three gospels together, sometimes 
 that of each by turns, defending that which was 
 attacked, for the purpose of immediately attacking 
 that which was defended, disputing with the same 
 ardor, the same feebleness, and often with the same 
 forgetfulness of historical documents, upon the 
 order in which our gospels had been written, and 
 upon other accessary questions, they have furnish- 
 ed the learned world, a singular spectacle, sufficient 
 to prove at least, that truth w T as not their aim. But 
 in the midst of this contention, knowledge, good 
 sense, and good faith, at last make themselves 
 heard. From the commencement moreover, many 
 learned men mingled in the contest, to give sensible 
 explanations of perplexing difficulties, or plead in 
 favor of that authenticity, established upon so many 
 proofs and so vainly called in question. They have 
 now nearly succeeded in terminating the strife ; 
 they have discovered, and caused to be observed, 
 that their principal adversaries have much disfigur- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 81 
 
 ed facts, disguised circumstances, and left in the 
 shade much evidence. They have brought back 
 the discussion to the point from which it commenc- 
 ed. Hug, in interrogating criticism, Olshausen in 
 making history speak forth, Hemsen and others, in 
 discussing especially the authenticity of the fourth 
 gospel, and all in consulting good sense, which had 
 been terribly bruised in the contest, have decided 
 the question for all those who do not belong to any 
 school, and have not taken any particular side. 
 Now their works exist, their discoveries are spread 
 abroad — light re-appears and establishes order 
 from chaos. Soon, the attacks of these unbending 
 theologians, will have had no other effect, than that 
 of establishing the authenticity of the gospels upon 
 new and solid bases, by means of the discussion 
 which these attacks have provoked. It is to these 
 aggressions that we at present owe a clearer con- 
 viction, new discoveries and arguments, and some 
 excellent books in which they are contained. Have 
 I not reason in saying that these menacing expres- 
 sions, furnish us a genuine proof, of which the de- 
 fenders of the gospels have a right to avail them- 
 selves ? 
 
 If we unite now the critical proof which we 
 have just pointed out with the historical, which we 
 presented before, we have in favor of the authen- 
 ticity *of the gospels a force of demonstration, 
 which ought, I think, to satisfy every intelligent 
 6 
 
82 AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 
 
 mind. I cannot perceive how a Christian has a 
 right in demanding more. 
 
 We have, however, as yet, said nothing of those 
 characters of candor and good faith, or, in other 
 words, of those proofs of sentiment which abound 
 in our gospels. We will speak of these in the fol- 
 lowing chapter, only remarking here, that the di- 
 rect proof of the truth, of the credibility, of the in- 
 tegrity, and of the divinity of these books, proves 
 equally their authenticity. This is an increase of 
 demonstration, for which we have not believed that 
 there is any need, but which can, however, be de- 
 duced partly from the sequel of this work. 
 
CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 THE VERACITY OF THE EVANGELISTS. 
 
 The gospels are authentic ; the mind is convin- 
 ced, but the heart is yet cold. It is necessary to 
 feel, to be convinced that the evangelists have 
 spoken, in the rectitude and simplicity of their soul, 
 and that they have related what they knew and 
 beheld. It is not testimony or logic, which will 
 attain this end. In order that the heart may be 
 convinced, it is necessary to read the gospels, to 
 read them with attention, stopping at each phrase 
 in order to consider the position, the thought, the 
 impression of the writer, the design and aim of the 
 Master, the relation with the people, the age, the 
 enterprise. There will result from this such de- 
 monstration of the candor and veracity of the evan- 
 gelists, such an intuition of their good faith, that 
 certainly nothing will be better suited to attach 
 to our holy books, all reflecting and sagacious 
 minds. Every instructed Christian ought to do 
 this work for himself, but we will endeavor to con- 
 vince the hearts of our readers. 
 
86 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 We will now pass from these generalities, and 
 endeavor to render a reason for the admiration 
 which this sermon excites. 
 
 The first distinguishing trait which attracts our 
 notice, is its opposition to the ordinary maxims of 
 the Jews, and its superiority over their most eleva- 
 ted doctrines. 
 
 Among the Hebrews, the oracles of wisdom, and 
 even of inspired wisdom, directed the consideration 
 of men, to the present life only; they proposed 
 moreover to their hopes an outward and material 
 felicity. The happy man, according to the Jews, 
 was he, who, beloved by numerous friends, feared 
 by his enemies, and honored by all, rejoiced in his 
 abundance under the shade of his own vine and fig 
 tree, and satisfied with his lot, slept at last with his 
 fathers, leaving to his children a blessing in his 
 memory. The wise man was he, who considered 
 all his proceedings, became, by his experience, the 
 oracle of the people, and the counsellor of the fee- 
 ble, and united the knowledge of men to sedate and 
 polished manners and the science of the holy law. 
 The just, was the sincere in his words, the right- 
 eous in feeling and design, he who walked upright 
 before God, rendered to each his due, opposed his 
 enemies with calmness, the counsellor of the afflict- 
 ed, and the orphan's father. The Jews went not 
 beyond this. All their philosophy, as all their re- 
 ligion, was comprised in a lofty and upright sphere 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 87 
 
 of action, which was, without doubt, admirable for 
 a people but just arrived at the first limit of civili- 
 zation, but was temporal, visible and limited. It 
 comprehended nothing abstract, immortal or celes- 
 tial. In glancing at their doctrines and thoughts, 
 we appear to behold fertile fields covered with abun- 
 dant rural treasures, but we do not perceive the 
 plains of heaven, the eternal mansions of the bless- 
 ed, or the sublime throne of a spiritual God. 
 
 But on the hills of Galilee a voice proclaims 
 i6 Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be 
 comforted. Blessed are they which are persecuted 
 for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of 
 heaven. " Assuredly these are not the Hebrews, 
 the fishermen and publicans of Genesareth who 
 receive from their teacher such lessons and 
 motives. It is necessary that a stolen ray from 
 some unknown star should have diffused over these 
 simple men its dazzling and pure brightness. 
 Could they have invented these lessons ? Among 
 those, who crowded around that hill to hear th$ teach- 
 ings of the Saviour, was there one, whose imagina- 
 tion could have arisen to the grandeur of those words ? 
 They astonish them without doubt, they undermine 
 their prejudices and cause them to perceive truths 
 little suspected ; but they can understand, with dif- 
 ficulty only, that after death and the resurrection, 
 the Redeemer shall found his Church and create in 
 men new hearts and minds. 
 
88 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 If we find nothing Jewish in these doctrines, 
 there is likewise nothing which recalls the wisdom 
 of Greece. Among what wise men of Greece, in 
 what libraries, in the bosom of what academies was 
 the publican of Capernaum instructed in the science 
 of human salvation ? No, these are not the words 
 of a Hebrew or sage, or even of a prophet ; for John 
 the Baptist, superior to all the prophets, was yet 
 inferior to all in the kingdom of God.* They were 
 not the words of an apostle ; for the apostles, 
 instructed by their master, and full of his Spirit, 
 have never equalled his language. These aYe not 
 the words of a man, but of him only, who was at 
 the same time, the son of man and the Son of God. 
 
 I remark, in the next place, that in the first 
 words, this discourse bears the impress of two prin- 
 cipal foundations of christian virtue ; — self-denial 
 and righteousness ; new and fertile principles, to 
 which Jesus Christ frequently directed his disciples 
 and upon the action of which he almost entirely 
 established his doctrines. But it is necessary to 
 remark, that they are not here so clearly expressed 
 and developed as they were afterwards. Jesus 
 Christ opened the way to a renouncement of the 
 world, and removes from earthly prosperity the 
 power of bestowing happiness. In his placing 
 happiness in heaven, he teaches his disciples to fix 
 their regards upon that holier sphere while they 
 
 *Matt. xi. u. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 89 
 
 yet remain upon the earth. But this is an impres- 
 sion, which he sought to produce, rather than a 
 doctrine which he taught The doctrine came 
 afterwards — he then only sought to enlarge their 
 hearts. If he had, in the first instance, ordered 
 these uncultivated men to take up the cross and fol- 
 low him, they would have been surprised, alarmed 
 and perhaps irritated by such language. It was 
 necessary to commence by showing them that his 
 cross was light, and that heaven in which they 
 were required to place their hopes, is preferable to 
 the earth, where they placed their treasure. There 
 is something in this combination too particular, too 
 closely united to the epoch of the discourse, to the 
 views of the Saviour and the feelings of his audi- 
 ence, not to cause us to recognize the voice of Jesus 
 himself. There is too much unity and wisdom for 
 the ill-jointed work of imposture. 
 
 We observe in this discourse, in the third place, 
 a knowledge of the human heart, and moral and 
 social views, too deep and extended, to be attributed 
 to any other than Jesus. 
 
 The human heart was, at first, alarmed at the 
 strange view of happiness, to which the Redeemer 
 wished it to be summoned — because it did not 
 know itself, so well as it was known by Jesus. We 
 can consult the experience of those who have taken 
 it as a guide, and whom Providence has called to 
 prove its value. They all agree that they have 
 
90 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 found faith in those trials, the precious fruits of 
 affliction, and obtained a peace and happiness they 
 never expected. They enjoy already the rewards 
 of a future life. " Happy the afflicted," they repeat 
 atter their Master; but who would have dared 
 utter these words had they not been first announced 
 by Jesus. 
 
 As regards myself, when I read these lessons so 
 full of wisdom, so superior to the weakness of our 
 nature, and yet so well adapted to our wants ; 
 when, at each reading, I discover some new trait 
 of knowledge concerning the human heart, the hap- 
 piness of society, the destiny of man, and true 
 virtue ; when I hear the noble, popular language 
 so full of the power of him who spoke as no man 
 ever spake ; then when I represent to myself the 
 rural scene, the first theatre of the labors and les- 
 sons of the Saviour, the Galileans attentive and 
 astonished at the hearing of those words, worthy 
 to be addressed to the hearers of Socrates, and in 
 the midst, this young carpenter of Nazareth who, 
 at the age of thirty, perplexed the wisdom of the 
 doctors, announced the gospel to the poor and taught 
 the world, I desire no other proof — this is sufficient. 
 Transported in imagination to Mount Tabor, with 
 the son of Jonas, I contemplate, hear and worship 
 an inhabitant of the skies, who, clothed in the 
 human form and surrounded by angels, has come 
 to reveal good tidings to man and bless the world. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 91 
 
 II. We will pass to a development of another 
 kind. We will endeavor to analyze those natural 
 and profound marks of truth with which the evan- 
 gelists have sown their narrations. We shall per- 
 ceive immediately, that they paint from nature. 
 I select for this purpose the character of the apostle 
 Peter, that hasty, indiscreet, precipitate, but sensi- 
 ble and sincere man. I limit the examination to 
 his denial and reconciliation.^ We shall not even 
 insist upon the truth of the details, in all that relates 
 to the circumstances, (a truth which is very strik- 
 ing,) but shall hold to that which arises from the 
 character. 
 
 At the first glance, the principal fact of the nar- 
 ration appears little probable. The most zealous 
 of the apostles denies Jesus at once, and then, not- 
 withstanding his faults, is appointed by his Master 
 to a glorious and important ministry. But this 
 seeming improbability is itself a pledge of truth, 
 for how could the evangelists have imagined such 
 a history ? Is it in presenting the most ardent and 
 devout of the companions of the Saviour and one 
 of the most celebrated preachers of the gospel, as 
 an apostate, that the envoys of Jesus would have 
 believed that they could advance their interests ? 
 No, certainly, it is not thus an imposter would 
 have invented, but if he had, he could not, at least, 
 have invented those fresh and simple details, in 
 
 * Compare Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. Lukexxii, and John xiii. 
 xviii. xx. and xxi.. 
 
92 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 which, as we study them more and more, we gradu- 
 ally discover and belter appreciate the faithful des- 
 cription of a zealous and sensible mind. 
 
 The character of Peter is composed of two prin- 
 ciples which are always observed. A liveliness of 
 imagination which prevents thought, and makes 
 every thing yield to the first impression, and a 
 tender and ardent devotedness to the Saviour. By 
 these two elements the whole history of the apostle 
 is unfolded. 
 
 At the approach of the last scene in his life, Jesus 
 informed his disciples of the terrible temptations 
 which were about to menace them, and the dis- 
 graceful misfortunes which they would bring.* 
 Peter said " Although all should be offended yet 
 will not I." Such was this man, prompt, confident, 
 self-deceived. He loved his master more than every 
 thing else in the world, and perceived in himself a 
 power of tenderness and devotion which appeared 
 to him boundless. He considered only the present 
 moment, and had never known distrust or fear of 
 the future. Jesus Christ informed him that he was 
 mistaken, and gave him a particular detail of the 
 fault he would that very night commit. But in vain, 
 the words even of him who knew all things did 
 not terrify him. Something told him that he loved 
 Jesus too well to abandon him ; he believed it im- 
 possible to be faithless. Then yielding, without 
 
 *Mark xiv. 29-31. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 93 
 
 reflection, to the influence of the late hour, the cool- 
 ness and shade, he slept. Jesus, in great sadness, 
 had said, " Tarry ye here and watch. "* And a 
 second and third time Peter fell into the same 
 heaviness, notwithstanding the repeated counsel of 
 the Saviour. He, upon whom the present had so 
 much power, and knew so little how to fear a 
 peril, when it was not presented to his view and 
 did not move his heart, yielded in the hour of 
 danger. 
 
 The decisive moment arrived. Peter, being yet 
 troubled by his sleepiness, but retaining in his re- 
 membrance the desire of defending his master, and 
 not having well understood his orders or compre- 
 hended his intentions, but impetuous and devoted, 
 beholding the enemies, drew his sword, rushed for- 
 ward, and struck at random. The other disciples, 
 as zealous perhaps, but more reflecting, said unto 
 Jesus " Shall we smite with the sword." f " See- 
 ing," says St Luke, "what would follow." Peter 
 did not wait but struck before Jesus could answer. 
 61 Then said Jesus unto Peter, " Put up thy sword 
 into the sheath: the cup which my Father has 
 given me, shall I not drink it ? " t He immediately 
 healed the wound the sword had made. What an 
 effect this unexpected miracle and singular defence 
 should have produced upon this hasty man who had 
 as yet heard and understood nothing ! It is the 
 
 * Mark xiv. 34-41. t Luke xx. 11, 49. + John xviii. 10, 
 
94 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Master himself, who prohibited resistance and de- 
 livered himself to the executioners. Jesus is bound, 
 they lead him away, he does not wish to be de- 
 fended. Ought not this, to have perplexed and ob- 
 scured that judgment, in which impressions were 
 more powerful than ideas, and where the art of ex- 
 amining circumstances and distinguishing shades 
 of difference, was unknown ? Jesus did not wish 
 to be defended, they led him away — he is a 
 captive. All that was positive and clear in the 
 plans of Peter must needs fail him at the time. 
 Even then, he declared that he would be faithful to 
 his Master, defend him, fight by his side, follow 
 him to prison and to death. He is prohibited, and 
 he knows not in what his duty now consists. Pas- 
 sive, inert, and submissive fidelity, to which he is 
 now called, did not enter his imagination. There 
 were no more contests and victories, no miracles to 
 confound the enemies of the Messiah. Instead of 
 those beautiful images which quickened his blood, 
 and doubled his ardor, he discovered in the ob- 
 scurity of his thoughts, chains, a tribunal, furious 
 and triumphant judges, opprobrium and death. 
 What must he do ? For want of clear ideas and 
 fixed projects, his heart guides him, he follows 
 Jesus. He follows, but not as formerly, encouraged 
 by his regard, walking by his side and in prospect 
 of reward. He follows, not with glory, hope and 
 courage, but at a distance, accompanied by John 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 95 
 
 alone, in darkness, avoiding the looks of a savage 
 horde. It is through favor, and by stealth, that he 
 is admitted into the enclosure of the palace. For 
 such a man, this manner of following and entering, 
 is, already, dissimulation, I had almost said, infi- 
 delity. This is not all ; at each moment some new 
 circumstance terrifies his wavering mind, and fills 
 it by degrees with constraint and terror. The ob- 
 scurity of night, the light of flambeaux and fires, 
 the doorkeepers, the savage priests who arrive, in 
 order, as vultures at the odor of carnage, the brutal 
 boastings of subalterns eager to take part in the 
 passions of their masters, each moment, each ob- 
 ject, each word, more and more troubles and terri- 
 fies this hasty being, who had no control over his 
 first impressions and his imagination. Self-control 
 is gone, his intelligence is obscured, and he endeav- 
 ors in vain to recollect himself. Now when an un- 
 known voice struck upon his ear harshly demand- 
 ing, " Were you not also with this man ? " what 
 could he do ? The doorkeepers who had seized his 
 master encompassed him, and the sword which had 
 wounded Malchus hung still bloody by his side. 
 From whence, in this crisis, could he derive suffi- 
 cient judgment and calmness to distinguish be- 
 tween prudence and apostacy, to speak what was 
 necessary and to act with boldness ? If he could 
 however have met at this moment, the look of his 
 Master, if his noble and melancholy figure could 
 
96 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 have recalled his promises, or if it had been a more 
 authoritative voice, before the assembled Sanhedrim, 
 that he was called upon to answer, the solemnity of 
 the appeal would have aroused his conscience, and 
 supported him in escaping from the abyss. But it was 
 a servant, an impertinent and babbling woman, from 
 whom it was necessary to be free. As usual, with- 
 out reflection, he yielded to the impulse of the mo- 
 ment and circumstances, — and said "I know not 
 the man." 
 
 Can one be surprised that this fault should have 
 been twice repeated ? And that the unhappy Peter 
 should shortly come to positive denials and affirma- 
 tions ? Once fallen into the precipice, from whence 
 could he have derived the force of character neces- 
 sary for his liberation ? His grief for the fault 
 • increased his agitation, and assisted his feebleness 
 in sinking him yet deeper in the gulph. For his 
 rescue there is need of a friendly hand, and he is 
 alone with the hateful images of that horrible 
 night. His heart however is right and the in- 
 stant that he repents, he will become again 
 himself. In order to accomplish this, there is no 
 need of punishment or reproaches ; — words even 
 will be superfluous, for his heart will say what they 
 cannot express : one look of Jesus is sufficient for 
 this tender, ardent and changeable being. He de- 
 parts, he weeps, and through the power of grief and 
 love, has already expiated his fault. One look 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 97 
 
 causes him to triumph over his fears and weakness. 
 This is an admirable denouement, and partakes 
 too much of the sublimest feelings and truth, to be 
 the invention of an imposter. 
 
 Let us now seek Peter on the border of the sea 
 of Tiberias, in the chapter with which St. John 
 terminates his gospel. There we shall be able to 
 admire still further the inimitable truth of his char- 
 acter, still the same, although modified by grief and 
 shame. 
 
 Peter is engaged in fishing, when he hears these 
 words which John addressed to him ; " It is the 
 Lord."* The Lord whom he had deceived, and to 
 whom he had sworn fidelity even unto death. He 
 is there — the apostles are there — Jesus is about 
 to speak. What will he say? How must his 
 troubled mind have been kept in suspense between 
 hope and fear — shame and love; and with what 
 true and natural simplicity, the plain recital of the 
 evangelist permits us to perceive these impressions. 
 
 It is the Lord : Peter immediately rushes into 
 the waves on the side where Jesus is. It is towards 
 him that his first movement hurries him, but more 
 than ever respect is joined to love. He resumes 
 his raiment when casting himself into the sea. 
 Jesus expresses a wish and immediately, first of alh 
 Peter has crossed the water and re-ascended the 
 vessel, wishing to prove his zeal but not daring to 
 
 * Verse 7. 
 7 
 
98 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 speak. How heavily must the thought of his crime 
 have filled and oppressed the heart of him, whom 
 formerly nothing could have restrained from ex- 
 pressing his feelings or doubts. 
 
 Jesus speaks; then commences that sublime 
 scene, in which, without one word of reproach, by 
 a simple'question three times repeated, the Saviour 
 found means to recall to his disciple his fault, and 
 to punish him by appearing not to have a very 
 strong belief in his love ; thus causing him to 
 express all the ardor of his repentance, and to know 
 that he was forgiven.^ But what is most im- 
 portant for us to remark here, are the answers of 
 the apostle : they are as sincere and ardent as ever, 
 but for the first time delivered with timidity and 
 brevity. If before his fault, Jesus had three times 
 successively appeared to doubt his tenderness, with 
 what hasty and precipitate vehemence would he 
 not have justified himself? But now, ashamed, 
 humbled, and disquieted, he could only think upon 
 his punishment, the more severe because it was 
 merited. He appeals to the knowledge of his Mas- 
 ter, to testify to that, which his words alone have 
 no more the right of asserting. u Lord thou 
 knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love 
 thee." How simple and true ! We recognise 
 the human heart — the heart of the apostles — 
 the language of nature and not of fiction. 
 
 * Verses 15—17. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 99 
 
 This scene, so remarkable for the change effected 
 upon Peter, finishes by a trait of a nature less 
 elevated, which exhibits to us however the same 
 character. Jesus announced to the apostles his 
 martyrdom and says " Follow me :" Peter seems 
 hardly to have given attention ; the only answer 
 which he makes to the prediction of the Son of 
 God, foretelling that a bloody death would afford him 
 an opportunity to retrieve his fault, is a misplaced 
 question, as to the apostle John, M Lord, and what 
 shall this man do ?*' At this solemn moment his 
 indiscretion well merited him a severe rebuke. Is 
 not one such trait as this a sufficient pledge of truth ? 
 
 We have examined a discourse and a character, 
 selected almost at random from our gospels. We 
 might draw the same consequences from all the 
 narrations and facts, and from those natural recitals 
 with which the book abound. But it is necessary 
 to have a limit. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 COMPARISON OF OUR GOSPELS WITH THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS 
 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 Natural and genuine beauties are not generally 
 the best appreciated. Where all is harmony, sim- 
 plicity and truth, no striking part awakens the dis- 
 tracted attention, and it requires a pure taste, a sa- 
 
100 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 gacious mind and an elevated soul to recognize the 
 full value of such an uniformity. Experience con- 
 firms this truth in an hundred different ways. Gre- 
 cian architecture makes but little impression upon 
 those accustomed to observe gothic monuments, and 
 the verses of Racine seem to novices of easy con- 
 struction, precisely, because no fault recalls the 
 conquered difficulty. A similar illusion often pre- 
 vents us from discovering the divine beauties of our 
 gospels. 
 
 That which distinguishes them the most from all 
 human writings, is, in the first place, their harmony 
 with the heart and wants of man, in all countries 
 and in all ages. It is also their perfect simplicity, 
 exempted from effort and false brilliancy, and their 
 grandeur, the principal elements of which are purity 
 and truth. But these are beauties which general 
 readers seldom perceive. In order to do so, there 
 is required a habit of reflection and analysis. It 
 is clearly observed that the gospel is useful in consol- 
 ing, instructing and elevating us, and that it is adapt- 
 ed indeed to our heart ; but few think how marvellous 
 it is, that this gospel should be equally adapted to 
 the heart of man, in all times and in all places. 
 This is the wonder, which is offered to our obser- 
 vation, and which we do not know how to perceive. 
 A contrast will aid us perhaps in accomplishing 
 this, and the apocryphal books of the New Testa- 
 ment furnish it. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 101 
 
 Two or three centuries after our gospels, the 
 church was inundated by a mass of false writings 
 which received the names of the apostles, and were 
 given to the world as their works. These false 
 gospels were the work of men educated in Christi- 
 anity and were composed in the presence, and in 
 imitation of the true gospels. They have of course 
 borrowed some of their beauties. Notwithstanding 
 the efforts of the writers however, the difference is 
 such, that it is sufficient, I here affirm, to prove the 
 divinity of the authentic history of the Saviour. It 
 is by comparing these writings, that we discern 
 clearly the language of truth and imposture. One 
 particular circumstance will give more interest and 
 force to this conclusion. These apocryphal writ- 
 ings appear to be frequently the fruit of popular 
 traditions concerning the infancy of Jesus Christ, 
 and his mother and relations. We find also, not 
 only the works of individual imposters, but the 
 successive and in some manner the national works 
 of the compatriots and companions of the Saviour, 
 the result of the imagination, the opinions and pre- 
 judices of the time, we behold with what our gos- 
 pels would have been infallibly filled, if they had 
 not been divine. But so many traits of human pas- 
 sions and imperfections are exhibited in the apo- 
 crypha, that the absence of all these faults, causes 
 us to see clearly the astonishing sublimity displayed 
 in our gospels. 
 
102 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 This comparison will be fully developed. We 
 shall sketch it under four heads. 
 
 1. Relative to the employment of miraculous 
 power. 
 
 2. Relative to the nature and form of the narra- 
 tive. 
 
 3. Relative to the lessons and examples of vir- 
 tue. 
 
 4. Relative to the views of the writers, and the 
 tendency of the writings. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Employment of the miraculous power, 
 
 Man has a natural inclination for the marvellous, 
 but this is subjected to a double law, the influence 
 of which is readily observed in literary fictions* 
 We love the marvellous surrounded by magnifi- 
 cence and eclat. Without these, it does not long 
 satisfy the imagination ; and reason recovers her 
 sway. In the second place, man loves in the mar- 
 vellous the ground which he would have himself 
 given to it if it had been at his disposal. It is in 
 the service of his desires, his curiosity, and his am- 
 bition that he wishes it to be placed. Moreover,, 
 when the marvellous is introduced into his books, 
 it always leaves the deep impress of some one of 
 these passions, at the same time that it reflects the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 103 
 
 genius and the prejudices of the country in which 
 the writer has lived. 
 
 Now we do not remark any thing similar in the 
 miracles of the New Testament. With a very small 
 number of exceptions the miraculous power is de- 
 prived of all pomp. It moves the heart, but it leaves 
 the imagination sufficiently calm. It tends to save, 
 console and convince, never to amuse or dazzle. 
 But the cotemporaries of Jesus were not more than 
 half satisfied. The lepers were healed, the para- 
 lytic raised, the dead called to life; these benefi- 
 cent and quiet miracles excited the gratitude of the 
 immediate subjects of the benefit, but the Pharisees 
 and the multitude were not converted. They de- 
 manded signs from heaven.* 
 
 * The following excellent remarks on the disbelief of the Phar- 
 isees, are taken from Mr Furness' " Remarks on the Four Gos- 
 pels." As they are so satisfying and convincing upon this point, 
 the translator thought they might gratify the reader of this trea- 
 tise. 
 
 " We are given to understand with the utmost explicitness in 
 these books, that Jesus was possessed of the most extraordinary 
 powers — that he could heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and 
 raise the dead by a word. Numerous instances are detailed 
 with remarkable particularity, in which, in the most public and 
 satisfactory manner, he exercised these miraculous gifts. But 
 on more than one occasion, we are told that some of the princi- 
 pal men of the community came to him and requested him to 
 perform a miracle, to give them a si^n, thus affording him an 
 opportunity, as it would seem, of convincing them of his author- 
 ity as a messenger from heaven. * How long, 5 said they with 
 apparently great plausibility, i how long dost thou make us to 
 doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.' On these occa- 
 sions, as the historians have not hesitated to inform us, he di- 
 rectly and uniformly refused to comply with the requests made 
 to him. They give us no explanation of the reasons of his re- 
 
104 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Moreover, in the miracles of the New Testa- 
 ment, we find no marks of those passions which do 
 not fail to leave their traces upon the works of man. 
 There is nothing to excite ambition or desire. The 
 
 fusaL They leave him open to the charge of having evaded an 
 appeal apparently very fair. 
 
 " It is not my immediate purpose to state the grounds of the 
 conduct of Jesus in these cases. Still, as it admits of an expla- 
 nation at once sound and rational, not only in accordance with, 
 but illustrative of, the dignity of his character, and the spirit- 
 uality of his object, I may be permitted to hint at it in passing. 
 The Jewish nation, as I have already had occasion to state, cher- 
 ished the fond expectation of the appearance of a military lea- 
 der and king, who should deliver them from Roman bondage, 
 and place them where, as the peculiar people of God, they fan- 
 cied they belonged, at the head of the human race. The exis- 
 tence of this expectation is proved incidentally, and therefore 
 the more satisfactorily, by the christian records. So we need 
 not resort to other witnesses to establish this point, although 
 they are not wanting. How tenaciously this hope clung to the 
 minds of the Jews, may be attested from the conduct and feel- 
 ings of the adherents of Jesus. They evidently expected him to 
 establish a worldly kingdom, and to distribute among them its 
 chief offices and honors, and out of this expectation there fre- 
 quently rose among them jealousy and strife. After all he had 
 said and done to the contrary, they still cherished this hope to 
 the very last. And just before his final disappearance, their lan- 
 guage is ' Lord wilt thou now restore the kingdom to Israel ? y 
 As confidently as the Jews looked for a Messiah, they looked 
 for him to be a temporal prince and deliverer. 
 
 " Seeing then that this expectation existed so widely and 
 deeply, is it not natural to infer that those who demanded of 
 Jesus a sign from heaven, failed of being convinced by what he 
 did actually say and do, because, although it proved him to be 
 no ordinary man, still it did not carry out and realize their dar- 
 ling idea of the Christ? They wanted him to assume a charac- 
 ter and to perform miracles conformable to their cherished and 
 pre-established notions. Indeed it may be gathered from the 
 Jewish writings, that an idea was entertained that the Messiah 
 when he came, would give some peculiar token or signal — some 
 extraordinary display of power, to point him out to the people 
 as the Messiah beyond the possibility of a mistake. It was 
 not he that made the Pharisees to doubt. Their doubts result- 
 ed from their own preposessions." Page 53, 54. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 105 
 
 miracles of Jesus Christ are benefits, and these ben- 
 efits never endanger virtue. If in multiplying the 
 loaves of bread, he excited for an instant the gree- 
 diness of a rude crowd, he deprived it quickly of its 
 eagerness, and soon repelled it, by permanent 
 truths ; elsewhere, he refused to change the stones 
 into bread to abridge his own sufferings ; he did 
 not descend from the cross when challenged by the 
 railleries of his enemies; the winds and the waves 
 were obedient to him, but his whole life, not less 
 than his precepts, called his disciples to humility, 
 simplicity and moderation. Nothing was perform- 
 ed to excite curiosity ; the Saviour sought on the 
 contrary to subdue and destroy it. He who was 
 able to read the heart, and foresee future events, 
 did not grant one word to the wishes of this pas- 
 sion. 
 
 The miracles have also, in general, a character 
 of seriousness, dignity and decorum, which we 
 ought little to expect meeting among the Jews. 
 There is nothing misbecoming the Son of God. 
 His cotemporaries could not perceive and appreciate 
 the sublime and beautiful simplicity of his remark 
 to Lazarus, " Come forth ;" to the leper "I will it, be 
 thou clean;" to the thief, (i This day shalt thou be 
 with me.' 3 After the lapse of eighteen centuries, 
 this language is better understood. The philoso- 
 pher who meditates upon it, and the theologian who 
 analyzes it, find there alike the seal of divinity. 
 
106 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 If we do not always perceive this, it is through 
 want of reflection, and the contrast which would 
 detach these noble scenes from the common ground 
 with which we are tempted to confound them. This 
 contrast is furnished by the apocrypha. 
 
 We recognize here the ordinary impress of man, 
 and that species of the marvellous which is pleas- 
 ing to him. This impress, is however, somewhat 
 diminished by the imitation of the true gospels, un- 
 der the influence of which these false histories 
 arose. They have preserved of course, to a cer- 
 tain extent, the character and spirit of Jesus and 
 his apostles, for it is of them they discourse. We do 
 not find as in the second book of Macabees,* celes- 
 tial cavaliers clothed in gold and fire, but the sick 
 are cured, and the dead raised. These authors 
 wished to complete our gospels by the aid of popu- 
 lar tradition. The imagination, the feebleness and 
 the passions of these writers, however, betray them 
 in every part of their writings. 
 
 The striking and universal character of all the 
 apocryphal books of the New Testament, is the 
 multitude of useless and ridiculous miracles in con- 
 formity with the taste of the Jews, or the imagina- 
 tion of the Greeks, but unworthy of the Saviour, 
 and far removed from the sublime simplicity of 
 his history. The apocrypha, for instance, surround- 
 
 *Chap. iii, 24 — 27; v. 1—4. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 107 
 
 ed the birth, infancy and betrothment of the virgin 
 with disguised imitations of the miracles of the 
 Bible — principally of those which accompanied 
 the birth and infancy of the Saviour.* A miracle 
 is necessary to give a husband to Mary ; Joseph 
 is chosen like Aaron by the miraculous vegeta- 
 tion of his rod, and a dove represents the Holy 
 Spirit descending upon him in order that he may 
 be designated.! Shortly after his birth Jesus 
 makes a speech to his mother, and afterwards the 
 games of the divine infant are miracles ; the potter's 
 clay being kneaded under his hand, becomes ani- 
 mated ; he amuses himself in thus creating spar- 
 rows and causing them to walk, fly and eat at 
 command. t We can open the book and the first 
 page, taken at random, will present some trait of 
 this kind or perhaps some score, even less worthy 
 of the history of a holy and pure Being. 
 
 In the second place we frequently meet in all the 
 apochryphal books the marvellous surrounded by 
 magnificence. These dazzling and useless won- 
 ders are frequent in human fictions, but rare in the 
 New Testament. The oriental imagination has 
 greatly inspired the pages of the false writings we 
 are examining, and certain passages recall much 
 more readily the Arabian Nights than the gospels. 
 
 * See the Gospel, of Mary and James. 
 
 t Gospel of Mary, v. vi. 
 
 + Gospel of the Infancy, xv. 1—4. 
 
108 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 A light more brilliant than the sun filled the cavern 
 where Jesus Christ was born. 5 * The holy infant 
 disenchants a young man who had been changed 
 into a mule.t He punishes his comrades for their 
 malicious games by changing them into kids.t 
 Thirty years after, when he appeared before Pilate, 
 the Roman standard bent down in worship.^ 
 
 If we find in the apocryphal writings the bad 
 taste of the Jews and the imagination of the orien- 
 tals, we shall not fail meeting also the traits of human 
 passions, curiosity, vanity and revenge. Without 
 doubt the imitation of the gospels has preserved the 
 apocrypha from many shameful extravagances, 
 without which their pages would have been cover- 
 ed. But deprived of the divine succor, the apoc- 
 ryphal biographers have not been able to appreciate 
 and retrace the character of Jesus. All is human, 
 that is to say, all is vain and selfish in the traits added 
 to the history oftraditions.il If our gospels were the 
 
 * Gospel of the Infancy, i. 9, 10. t Idem, xvii. t Idem, 
 vii. 
 
 § Gospel of Nicodemus. 
 
 fl My pen was on the paper ready to trace the words of our 
 author in several additional quotations from the apocryphal 
 book, but recollecting for whom I was translating — my Sunday 
 School class — I refrained, believing that the reading of such 
 ridiculous narrations, although it must make a powerful im- 
 pression on their young minds, would be superfluous. The 
 quotations already made are sufficient, in clearly manifest- 
 ing the falsity of these pretended works. I would refer those 
 however who are desirous of pursuing the investigation further, 
 to the Gospel of the Infancy, chapter xix, 20 — 24 ; xx, 13 — 18 ; 
 or to Cellerier's Treatise, page 190. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 109 
 
 work of man, it is probably under similar views 
 that they would present the life of our Master, the 
 mild and humble of heart. Is not this a proof that 
 they are really the work of God? 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 Nature and form of the narration. 
 
 The comparison of the gospels and the apocry- 
 phal books under this new point of view is not less 
 striking than under the first. Besides, these two 
 parts of the parallel which engage our attention, 
 although really distinct, have much analogy. 
 
 There are in the evangelical narrations certain 
 characteristics which distinguish them from human 
 books, and are the sublime and remarkable tokens 
 of their true and celestial origin. 
 
 The evangelists do not yield any thing to curi- 
 osity. They proceed directly to the point under 
 consideration, and keep in view the design of the 
 revelation. Thus they all keep an almost absolute 
 silence as to the infancy, the youth and private life 
 of the Saviour. They are not disquieted at excit- 
 ing curiosity, and have no desire to satisfy it. 
 
 They relate every thing with the same simplicity, 
 calmness and, I had almost said indifference. They 
 had beheld the miracles and they relate them with- 
 out any reflection, as ordinary and well known 
 
110 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 events to which Jesus had accustomed them. 
 They love their master and they prove it; but 
 they do not speak of their affection ; they well 
 know that it is not with them and their opinion that 
 the reader is concerned. They have heard the 
 discourses of Jesus and they repeat them, but 
 almost mechanically and sometimes as if they had 
 not understood them. They are little anxious in 
 leaving gaps in their narrations, in culling forth 
 objections, in astonishing or offending. They have 
 not written their memoirs — they have not written 
 a book — they are not authors. Ingenuous and 
 sincere witnesses, they are satisfied in giving their 
 testimony. 
 
 In fine, these simple and unpretending deposi- 
 tions, are all impressed with a minute exactness 
 peculiar to a faithful eye-witness. However in- 
 complete may be their narration, the evangelists 
 add in abundance the small details, which, in their 
 remembrance, encompassed the events they recount. 
 It is true these details appear useless, but how 
 important they are as pledges of naturalness and 
 truth ! The authors do not relate them to amuse 
 or reveal their knowledge. It is simply for the 
 sake of exactness and fidelity. They have seen 
 and heard the fact, or lessqn, with its accompanying 
 circumstances, and it requires some art or labor to 
 separate them. But this they do not attempt. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. Ill 
 
 They simply report whatever they have remem- 
 bered and as they remembered ; as they yet seem 
 to behold and hear. What faith, accordingly, do 
 not these narrations inspire ! 
 
 These narrations, indeed, so simple and little 
 labored, are found to be in remarkable agreement 
 with historical facts. We discover no anachro- 
 nisms or errors. These writers were not learned 
 but they were faithful. They have spoken only of 
 those things which took place in their time, and 
 under their eyes ; they were, also, never deceived. 
 
 Such are the ordinary characteristics of the 
 evangelical narrations. Let us now compare them 
 with the apocryphal histories. These will pre- 
 sent to us entirely opposite traits. 
 
 The apocryphal books seem designed entirely 
 to satisfy curiosity, for which our gospels are so 
 little adapted. The Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of 
 the Infancy, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of 
 Nicodemus, all, in this respect, have one design 
 and one spirit. They are full of those useless and 
 curious details which our evangelists do not give, 
 and which inconsiderate minds demand. The 
 history of the infancy of the Virgin Mary, the nu- 
 merous details upon the infancy of Jesus, upon his 
 voyage into Egypt, upon Zacharias, the recital 
 of the actions of the divine spirit of Jesus in heaven 
 while his body was captive to the tomb, comprise 
 their narrations. They add nothing which is 
 
112 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 satisfactory or useful. Our gospels, however, have 
 not told all ; they recount the history only of some 
 portions of the ministry of Jesus. There is, 
 without doubt, a multitude of lessons and actions of 
 our Saviour forever lost to us, and which the pious 
 Christian sometimes surprises himself in regretting, 
 with too much anxiety. Not one of these precious 
 fragments has been recovered from the apocrypha. 
 They seem to have place only for curious, absurd, 
 or coarse trifles. These traditions which they 
 gather, undoubtedly preserved nothing more inter- 
 esting or more true. What a demonstration of the 
 natural tendency of man, at least of those men of 
 that age, and of the fate which would have awaited 
 our gospels had they been written by these per- 
 sons. 
 
 There is not among these writers, either sim- 
 plicity, self-forgetfulness, naturalness in the details, 
 or exactness and precision in the narration, but a 
 continual mingling of pretension, affectation, and 
 oriental bombast. We find, also, an evident solici- 
 tude in preventing objections and obscurities, and a 
 desire to relate more clearly, more completely, and 
 more elegantly than the fishermen of Galilee have 
 done, or knew how to do. Misbecoming trifles 
 have also taken the place of the simple, natural, 
 and chaste narrations of our gospels. 
 
 The apocryphal histories abound in anachro- 
 nisms and errors. They continually present opin- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 113 
 
 ions and customs admitted in the time of their 
 authors, but unknown in the time of the Saviour, 
 and for some ages after. The Virgin is called Our 
 Lady, and St. Mary.^ She intercedes, with her 
 son, for those who invoke her assistance, and she 
 promises them pardon. The sign of the cross is 
 practised ;t the relics of Jesus are guarded, and wor- 
 ship rendered them ;t miracles are performed, or, at 
 least, the swaddling clothes of the infant Jesus and 
 the water in which he has been washed, cure the sick 
 and expel demons. § We can, perhaps, attribute 
 the anachronisms to secret views, and the errors, 
 to the design of supporting certain customs or 
 doctrines ; but we discover an historical error which 
 is undoubtedly occasioned by the ignorance of the 
 writer. The third chapter of the Gospel of Nico- 
 demus is entirely borrowed from our gospels, ex- 
 cepting one verse only, which was undoubtedly 
 designed by the author to explain what appeared 
 obscure. It is remarkable that this verse, the only 
 one added for his own views, should betray an 
 entire ignorance of the political state, and even of 
 •.he religion and laws of the Jews at the time of 
 Jesus Christ. It is found in the narration of the 
 complaint of Pilate, and the inquiries of Jesus ; 
 " It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," 
 
 * Gospel of the Infancy, i. 11, 17. 
 t Gospel of Nicodemus, xii. 24. 
 + Gospel of the Infancy, ii. 1, 3; iii. 
 §Idemvi. 16, 17; ix— xiii. 
 8 
 
114 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 say the accusers, in St. John, 3 * and in the apoc- 
 ryphal writer. But this last, instead of beholding 
 in those words the loss of the independence of the 
 Hebrews, has known how to explain them only by 
 the sixth commandment. He has concluded that 
 the law of Moses interdicted the punishment of 
 death ; and finding, moreover, that the silence of 
 Pilate on this occasion was not seemly or probable, 
 he has placed in his mouth an answer, which 
 would have better become a rabbin, " This com- 
 mandment — ' Thou shalt not kill,' — concerns you, 
 but does not regulate my actions." 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 Lessons and examples of virtue. 
 
 We ought to discover here one of the most im- 
 portant criterions of the divinity of our gospels. A 
 divine religion should excite man to divine virtue. 
 We know in general, how the gospels accomplish 
 this task, but we do not know how under this point 
 of view, they compare with the apocryphal writ- 
 ings. 
 
 The apocrypha were written last. Their authors, 
 acquainted with the canonical gospels, undertook 
 to imitate them and called themselves Christians. 
 If they had faithfully embraced the sublime 
 beauties of the lessons and the life of Jesus and the 
 
 * John, xviii. 31. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 115 
 
 apostles, their works would not have been on this 
 account worthy of the same admiration. The 
 gospels would always have had a great superiority 
 in having been the first to relate that which the 
 others could only have repeated. We perhaps even 
 think that this last task is very easy — these writ- 
 ers did not succeed. How could they have invent- 
 ed what they have not been able to relate ? 
 
 What do we find that is useful and good in 
 these books, which pretend to be the history of 
 Jesus, the work of his apostles, the deposit of the 
 light of the world ? Absolutely nothing. This 
 distinguishes them more than any thing else from 
 our gospels. Their authors thought only of satisfy- 
 ing human curiosity. 
 
 In the second place, their books have disfigured 
 the character of Jesus. They make him a vain 
 being, who takes pleasure in showing his power 
 and science, by teaching natural philosophy, 
 metaphysics and astrology, instead of announcing 
 the good tidings; he is also represented as a 
 cruel divinity, who revenges himself without pity 
 and without justice. 
 
 In the third place, these writings everywhere 
 display instead of the divine virtues which Chris- 
 tianity inspires, human passions and [frailties. 
 There is nothing elevated, grand, pure or mild in the 
 spirit which inspires them. The soul is continu- 
 ally grieved, at finding the divine name of the 
 
116 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Saviour mingled with ideas, narrations and actions, 
 unworthy of him. There is a perpetual disagree- 
 ment which rends the heart, instead of that celestial 
 harmony, which in our gospel encompasses the 
 Saviour. Sometimes improper fictions and coarse 
 details betray impure minds. We recognise the 
 orientals, whose effeminate hearts Christianity has 
 not been enabled entirely to sanctify, but not the 
 apostles, in whose soul the spirit of their Mas- 
 ter would never have permitted an impure thought 
 to dwell. Sometimes human avarice is plainly 
 exhibited, in the pretended history of him who 
 had no place where to lay his head. It seems, 
 in the apocryphal writing, that Mary negociated for 
 gold, the miracles of her son ; and sometimes the 
 historian is pleased to speak of rich presents which 
 recompensed him. Indeed, the only virtue which 
 these writers appear to recognise, are the arrogant 
 and proud w T hich Jesus came to unthrone, and the 
 monastic, which in their age the Christian church 
 had commenced borrowing from the pagans. 
 
 What a veneration for our gospels must this 
 contrast inspire in the thoughtful reader. From 
 whence then did they obtain these traits, at the 
 same time, so pure, so mild, so simple, and so sub- 
 lime, with which they clothe the christian virtues. 
 This is not a brilliant work which attracts our regard 
 and dazzles at first view; but it is one which 
 deeply affects the heart and produces a mighty 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 117 
 
 change. The multitude despises it, perhaps, but 
 the sensible and enlightened man loves and adores it. 
 
 It is to our gospels, alone, that the glory of a 
 constant, useful and beneficent end, is due. It is 
 there only, that all tends to the holiness and regen- 
 eration of man, that all elevates, that all purifies, 
 that nothing is designed to amuse his curiosity or 
 flatter his passions. 
 
 It is to our gospels alone, that the character of 
 Jesus Christ belongs, a type of christian virtue, 
 revealing an admirable harmony of sweetness and 
 dignity, of reason and love, of prudence and sim- 
 plicity. Where have we ever beheld so much de- 
 votion joined to so much calmness, and such an 
 heroic life so strongly marked with wisdom and 
 good sense ? But this grandeur, deprived of pomp 
 and splendor, and veiled under such humble traits, 
 is not easily appreciated by common men. To 
 admire worthily, it is necessary to reunite in a con- 
 siderable degree, elevation of sentiment with rich- 
 ness of thought, and I had almost said purity of 
 taste. 
 
 Far, then, very far from our gospels, are these 
 false and absurd apocrypha, which, written after- 
 wards, in the bosom of Christianity, and sometimes 
 by ingenious men, have disfigured whatever they 
 have handled. They are the work of man, with 
 his corruption and weakness ; but our gospels are 
 the inspiration of him who is Spirit and Truth. 
 
US AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Design of the Authors. 
 
 An author who delivers his thoughts to the pub- 
 lic, is always influenced thereto, by some powerful 
 motive. In other words, he has a design, of which 
 his writings will bear the impress, and the know- 
 ledge of which will powerfully aid the reader in 
 appreciating the writer and his works. In studying 
 a book under this point of view, we shall attain a 
 much better knowledge of its author than he sup- 
 poses. Sometimes we behold him aspiring to the 
 success of a genius, sometimes simply to the small 
 enjoyments of vanity, and sometimes giving a body 
 to his thoughts, and a voice to his feelings, only 
 through the most urgent want. He wishes some- 
 times to promulgate an idea, sometimes to lessen 
 an abuse, sometimes to overturn a doctrine. Often, 
 with a perfidious talent, an imposter conceals his 
 march, insinuates what he dares not declare openly, 
 and lays down principles, leaving it to his readers 
 to draw consequences. He raises with affected 
 indifference the question which is nearest to his 
 heart, and spreads abroad the germs of evil, which 
 the passions do not fail in nourishing. It is of 
 little importance whether the author has written 
 for interest, conscience, zeal, or any other motive ; 
 he is always depicted in his book, and if he has 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 119 
 
 wished to masque himself under borrowed plumes, 
 to the eye of the intelligent reader he is surely- 
 betrayed. How important and interesting must 
 such a study be when applied to our gospels, espe- 
 cially if we bring them in contrast with the apocry- 
 pha. 
 
 It would be easy, it would even be amusing, to 
 discover in each of these the ill-disguised tokens of 
 all human imposition. But this examination would 
 be of very little advantage. It is not these books, 
 but our gospels, we wish to examine. It is suffi- 
 cient to recall to memory the constant character of 
 the one, in order to make apparent the sincerity of 
 the other. I have said enough in another place to 
 prove this, and it is not necessary to resume the 
 question in this new form. We will now draw our 
 remarks to a conclusion. The most attentive ex- 
 amination of our gospels, do not disclose any human 
 design. They neither flatter any passion, or seek 
 to satisfy curiosity. They are evidently strangers 
 to the motives which influence ordinary writings, 
 and are continually governed by a unique and sub- 
 lime design — the regeneration of man. This is a 
 result forced upon our conviction at every page 
 and line. They announce the good tidings, and 
 do not trouble themselves with anything else. A 
 compassionate love for suffering and corrupted hu- 
 manity, is the divine principle of which they are 
 the result, and no impure alloy can mingle itself 
 
120 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 with this pure element. Is not this character, 
 alone, sufficient to convince us of their divinity ? 
 
 The comparison which we have now made, will, 
 undoubtedly, prove much, in the view of every 
 sensible and sincere mind. If we cannot find a 
 rigorous demonstration, there is, however, a moral 
 conviction which persuades the heart and reason. 
 
 What must we think, after this examination, of 
 those blind enemies of the faith who have wished 
 to put upon the same footing the apocryphal writ- 
 ings and our gospels ? Without having studied, 
 without having read, perhaps, one or the other, and 
 in opposition to all historical criticism, they have 
 dared to attribute both to the same origin ; and, 
 in order to explain the preference given to our 
 sacred books, they have wished to discover no other 
 cause than accident or superstition. How clearly 
 does this make manifest their want of knowledge 
 and good faith. 
 
 The wise and impartial reader has, undoubtedly, 
 no need of comparing the gospels with the apocry- 
 pha in order to admire the first. Historical and 
 critical study is sufficient to convince him of their 
 truth. But if he has made a comparison, the con- 
 trast is too astonishing not to be instantly observed, 
 and cause him to distinguish, at once, the work of 
 God and of man. He believes the gospels, and 
 perhaps imagines that he knows and perceives their 
 beauty ; but the contrast of so much purity and 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 121 
 
 impurity, of so much grandeur and weakness, of so 
 much wisdom and foJly, causes them to appear so 
 much the more beautiful. It seems as if faith had 
 penetrated his whole soul ; his heart throbs with 
 that pure joy, which the undoubted conviction of 
 an important truth excites, and full of gratitude he 
 exclaims with the Apostle, " I knovj that which I 
 believe" 
 
CHAPTER THIRD. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE 
 GOSPELS. 
 
 Our conviction of the authenticity of the gospels 
 and of the veracity of the evangelists, will be of little 
 value, if we have any doubts regarding the actual 
 state of the purity and integrity of these writings. 
 It is necessary for our faith, that they should have 
 descended to us without any important alteration, 
 and that they should be free from suspicion. This 
 is, indeed, the true state of the case, and my plan 
 will not be completed if I do not indicate the proofs. 
 These rest, in the first place, upon the vigilance of 
 pious and learned men, who in all times have 
 labored in preserving the sacred text, in multiply- 
 ing copies, in comparing words, and in discussing 
 differences ; and they rest, in the second place, 
 upon the positive and evident result of these labors. 
 Their nature does not permit me to undertake their 
 explanation. I limit myself to a relation, as brief 
 and clear as possible, of the most important facts 
 which are useful to be known, and I ask my 
 
AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 123 
 
 reader's indulgence and patience for this dry, but 
 short and important chapter. 
 
 The text of the gospels was spread, with the 
 religion of Jesus, over the whole Roman empire. 
 The numerous churches which a divine hand had 
 rapidly spread over the surface of every civilized 
 region, venerated these books as the foundation of 
 their faith. The text was read, commented upon, 
 translated, and diffused, wherever the faithful 
 were found. Learned and industrious men had 
 no other occupation than to transcribe the New 
 Testament ; cities made a trade of these copies ; 
 learned critics employed their time in searching 
 after, and in collecting different copies. The 
 slightest, and even the most insignificant differences 
 of the text, excited contradictions, accusations, sus- 
 picions, and sometimes violent disputes and anath- 
 emas. Never has a profane work found itself so 
 universally diffused, guarded by so many hands, 
 and subjected to such an active and troublesome 
 inspection. 
 
 This excessive multiplication of copies, in guar- 
 antying the preservation of the text, introduced, 
 necessarily, slight alterations. The thousands of 
 copyists who transcribed, of commentators who 
 explained, and of preachers and doctors who 
 quoted it, could not avoid making errors, through 
 want of attention, of judgment, or of memory; it 
 was impossible that the errors due to these four caus- 
 
124 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 es, and often countenanced by passion or party spirit, 
 when introduced, should not be repeated and often 
 propagated. From thence have arisen the numer- 
 ous differences in the hundreds of manuscripts, 
 commentaries, and versions, which we yet possess. 
 These differences critics call variations or read- 
 ings. 
 
 For several ages these variations have been care- 
 fully sought after and collected. We have wished, 
 or ought to have wished, to know all, although 
 many are very insignificant. The text was a sacred 
 deposit, and, in order to render the sense inviolable, 
 it is necessary to regard, as equally inviolable, the 
 words and letters. In consequence of observing the 
 omissions, the additions, and the transpositions of 
 an article or particle, more than thirty thousand 
 variations have been recorded. 
 
 Does this numerous array of variations weaken 
 the integrity of the New Testament ? Can it 
 trouble the security of the faithful ? On the con- 
 trary it strengthens and guaranties both. We can 
 hardly convince ourselves. In order to have confi- 
 dence we must have knowledge ; and if the then 
 different manners in which the same word has been 
 written, or certain phrases turned, are unknown to 
 us, we may well fear of being ignorant of the truth. 
 We can affirm, with regard to each verse of the 
 gospels, that we know at least how they were read 
 in different ages and in various churches. We are 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 125 
 
 certain that no interpolation has been able to be 
 introduced without being perceived. Who dares 
 say as much for the verses of Homer, or even the 
 phrases of Tacitus ? The mistrustful man, who 
 suspects an error in the text of the gospels preserved 
 in five hundred manuscripts, reads, however, with 
 entire faith, some classic writer who has not been 
 preserved in five. 
 
 If, moreover, we examine these variations in 
 order to appreciate their importance, we immedi- 
 ately perceive that they have none. In limiting 
 ourselves to those which are able for an instant to 
 sustain the examination, we reduce our thirty 
 thousand to ten thousand. Of these, three or four 
 hundred, at the most, would be observed in one 
 version, and there are not more than one hundred 
 which have, in reality, any influence upon the 
 meaning. And I do not know in the gospels but 
 one or two, and in the rest of the New Testament 
 hardly a dozen, which bear upon any material 
 point. 
 
 These variations, moreover, important or other- 
 wise, have been studied and discussed for some 
 years with an industry, a method, and an erudition, 
 of which those unacquainted with criticism, have 
 no idea. 
 
 This work again, has caused to be disclosed a 
 fact of the greatest importance, and which by its 
 consequences is sufficient of itself, alone, to guar- 
 
126 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 anty conviction and faith. By this laborious and 
 continual application of a gigantic labor to micro- 
 scopic results, some celebrated critics have proved, 
 that the writings under consideration were natu- 
 rally divided among particular classes in certain 
 regions ; that those of Constantinople, for example, 
 or rather of Alexandria, present almost always the 
 same text and the same variations. From this 
 circumstance these ingenious men have been able, 
 with patience and time, to classify these, to give in 
 some manner their history, and to point out those 
 which have been used in each church and in each 
 country. They have been able also to separate the 
 copies into geographical groups, between which the 
 discussion has been conducted and the decision 
 made more easy. This important fact permits us 
 to neglect all those variations in copies which are 
 found not to be peculiar to any church or age ; it 
 affords us, moreover, the proof so interesting to ob- 
 tain, that no lesson of any importance remains 
 unknown. In other words, the integrity of our 
 gospel is forever secured ; but to prove this with suf- 
 ficient clearness, some details are necessary, upon 
 which we will now enter. 
 
 Let us no longer fear that the investigations of 
 the critics may threaten to overthrow our belief in 
 the integrity of our gospels. We are convinced 
 that science cannot support an attack against this 
 precious truth. New versions and new manu- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 127 
 
 scripts will always be useful and interesting for 
 consultation ; but we can affirm, beforehand, with 
 truth, that they can bring no new, important, or 
 weighty variation. This necessarily results from 
 the fact that the different classes of copies are 
 known, and that the text used in each country and 
 in each age has been sufficiently studied. It is of 
 little importance, therefore, how many manuscripts 
 may yet be unknown. The integrity of the gospels 
 is, then, placed above all doubt, and the same 
 good Being who gave us these books, has watched 
 over their preservation. 
 
CHAPTER FOURTH. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE PARTICULAR NATURE 
 OF EACH GOSPEL. 
 
 We have hitherto considered the gospels as a 
 homogeneous work, which is not in reality the case. 
 It is necessary now to indicate the principal marks 
 which distinguish them from each other. 
 
 This investigation is not simply an affair of curi- 
 osity. To judge correctly of the gospels, it is neces- 
 sary to have a distinct knowledge of them. And 
 this knowledge will add much to the force of the 
 proof for their authenticity, for it will reveal to us 
 many traits of naturalness and sincerity, which 
 would otherwise have passed unnoticed. In invest- 
 ing each of these books with its own color and in- 
 dividuality, it impresses them with that variety, 
 without which there would have been neither truth 
 nor resemblance, for all the works of God, which 
 are known to us, are thus impressed. In causing 
 us to perceive the striking differences, it displays to 
 us the marvellousness of their agreement. It ex- 
 plains to us, indeed, the reasons for the omissions 
 and diversities which have given rise to doubts, and 
 
AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 129 
 
 often furnishes a complete solution. But it would 
 be sufficient, in order to obtain favor for this inves- 
 tigation, simply to say, that it furnishes more exact 
 and clear ideas concerning the gospels. 
 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. 
 
 We are acquainted with but three circumstances 
 concerning the date and origin of this gospel : it 
 was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 for the Christians of Palestine, and before the 
 others. These facts have been called in question, 
 but the critic and historian agree in maintaining 
 their truth and in deriving from them some impor- 
 tant consequences concerning our knowledge of the 
 primitive church, the apocryphal gospels, and the 
 mutual relation of our evangelists, and conse- 
 quently for the truth of their inspiration. The 
 plan of this sketch will not allow me to explain 
 these consequences. I have enumerated them only 
 to show the reader, how much can be gained by the 
 researches, which this section is designed to com- 
 mence. 
 
 Matthew, regarded as a writer, has a very 
 marked character. His style is without art, care- 
 less, but rapid and well sustained. The evangelist 
 9 
 
130 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 seems to disdain minute details, and is continually 
 hastening onward to important and useful facts. 
 In the discourses of Jesus Christ, he selects, or 
 retains, in preference, whatever is practical and 
 popular, and which tends to regulate the conduct 
 and establish the morals. Nothing can better 
 manifest this character of his gospel, than a con- 
 trast of it with that of John. These two apostles were 
 with Jesus when he spoke upon the mountain, 
 and in the temple ; both had listened to the same 
 discourses, but how differently they repeat them ! 
 if we compare the relation of Matthew with those 
 of Mark and Luke, the difference is less striking, 
 but it is yet real ; it is not discovered in the selec- 
 tion of the recitals or discourses, but in the details ; 
 Matthew is, in general, more concise, and it is in 
 his gospel, that we more frequently find the 
 essential ideas and facts. He reports the mi- 
 racles of his Master, but, contrary to the other 
 evangelists, he seems more attentive to report his 
 lessons. He alone has given the whole of the 
 sermon upon the mount. He often proportions the 
 illustration of the recital to the importance of the 
 subject. — Thus when he relates the condemnation, 
 the sufferings, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 
 changing his first method, he abounds in facts, 
 words, and precious details ; causing the heart of 
 the Christian to rejoice, so much of the character, 
 the teachings, the virtues of his master are dis- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 131 
 
 played in all their brightness. Then resuming his 
 rapid and abridged style, Matthew passes rapidly 
 over all the facts succeeding the resurrection, and 
 in three short verses gives a summary of the last 
 instructions of the Saviour. But this brief sum- 
 mary is so full of matter that each word conveys an 
 idea, and we find in it the christian morality and 
 religion, the authority of the Saviour, the benefits 
 promised to believers, the universality of Chris- 
 tianity, and the particular nature of its operation. 
 The other gospels, united with the Acts, furnish 
 us, without doubt, more facts with regard to the 
 Saviour after his resurrection, but they contain 
 fewer lessons of instruction. 
 
 The gospel of Matthew, then, tends essentially 
 to christian virtue. This gospel was also cherished 
 by the Jewish Christians, to whom Matthew was 
 the especial apostle. From the special character 
 of many of the sacred writings, arises the wonder- 
 ful privilege of the Bible in containing what is 
 necessary for all minds and for all circumstances. 
 From hence arose the preference which certain 
 churches and ages seem sometimes to have mani- 
 fested for particular books. Amid these different 
 tendencies, those parts of the holy writings which 
 recommend works above everything else, and give 
 a greater value to faith, hold the first rank. The 
 christian doctrine, we all know, is composed of 
 many elements, which, being deposited in some 
 one or another portion of the sacred books, ought 
 
132 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 always to be combined in the faith, as they are in 
 the Bible, in producing, without exaggeration and 
 excess, precisely the desired effect ; for thus Divine 
 Wisdom has ordained, and the infinitely varied 
 wants of the human soul demand. There is op- 
 position between these different elements. Theol- 
 ogy compels us to examine them separately, but 
 faith reunites them to acl upon the human heart. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 GOSPEL OF MARK. 
 
 It is believed that the second evangelist wrote for 
 the Romans and, according to the dictation of Peter. 
 Besides some corrections in the order of events, 
 the narration of Mark is distinguished by a great 
 number of small and exact details, such as give life 
 to history, naturalness to testimony, and confidence 
 to the reader. Whether the gospel proceeds from 
 Peter or Mark, we cannot but recognise in the 
 author of the recital, an eye-witness, and a candid 
 and faithful narrator, who remembers with exact- 
 ness, and wishes to declare all, not even omitting 
 immaterial circumstances, fearing lest the facts 
 should be in the least changed. Compare, in 
 Mark and in Matthew, the history of the demoniac 
 of the Gadarenes ;* how many circumstances does 
 
 * Mark v. 1—20, and Matthew viii. 28—34. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 133 
 
 the second evangelist add ! He relates his history- 
 anterior to his misfortune, he speaks of the tombs 
 where he abode, the stones with which he wounded 
 himself, and the name by which he was desig- 
 nated. When Jesus predicted the ruin of the 
 temple, Matthew says simply,* that the disciples 
 put certain questions upon the subject. Mark 
 carefully informs us that four apostles only at this 
 time addressed Jesus, and he tells us who they 
 were. Peter, the guide of Mark, was one of the 
 four, and he perhaps discloses himself as the au- 
 thor of this gospel by the detail. In another place, 
 Mark, recounting the arrest of Jesus, speaks of a 
 young man who fled, leaving his linen garments in 
 the hands of the soldierst. The name of this 
 young man is not given, and the fact is of no con- 
 sequence, but seems entirely useless and foreign to 
 the narration. The evangelist relates it because 
 he loves details, and maintains the most minute 
 fidelity, wishing, without doubt, to preserve entire 
 the narration of Peter. 
 
 In fine, Mark adds few lessons and important 
 facts to the narration of Matthew — but he has 
 done much for the frank and natural character of 
 our evangelical history. It is interesting to com- 
 pare him with the other evangelists, although he 
 has nothing particular in his choice of the instruc- 
 
 * Matthew xxiv. 3 ; and Mark xiii. 3. 
 tMarkxiv. 51, 52. 
 
134 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 tions which he has reported, represents no special 
 religious tendency, and has not been preferred by 
 any sect. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 GOSPEL OF LUKE. 
 
 We do not know with certainty the period or 
 the place of the writing of this gospel. We possess, 
 however, a very particular and unique account of 
 the designs of Luke. It is the preface prefixed by 
 St. Luke to his work. We learn that he wrote to 
 a Roman, wishing to furnish him with a complete 
 and methodical biography of Christ. The style of 
 this gospel is very correct and written with much 
 care. The order of events is evidently very exact 
 and complete. Luke divides, separates or trans- 
 poses many of the lessons and narrations otherwise 
 placed by his two predecessors. He reports many 
 new circumstances and gives the history of an en- 
 tire voyage of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem.^ 
 By these different traits we readily discorer a more 
 practised writer. The profession and country of 
 Luke tend to strengthen this presumption. He is 
 said to have been an inhabitant of Antioch and a 
 physician. 
 
 If the third gospel has more order and method, 
 
 * Luke ix, 51 — xriii, 14. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 135 
 
 it has on the other hand a fainter coloring and less 
 of life. We perceive in reading that the author 
 was not a stranger to the art of writing, and that he 
 was exactly informed ; but we seem also to perceive 
 that he was not an eye-witness, and that he wrote 
 according to the relations of others. Although in 
 general, inclined to considerable detail, he omits 
 many circumstances. The history of the passion, 
 in particular, is less complete than with Matthew. 
 As the gospel of Matthew w r as essentially the 
 gospel of the Jewish Christians, the gospel of Luke 
 belonged to those Christians who had withdrawn 
 themselves from the ranks of paganism. We have 
 seen that Marcion did not wish any other. In 
 reality, however, this work has no real tendency 
 and no peculiar character to justify this preference. 
 It was occasioned only by the fact that Paul was 
 the apostle of justification by faith, and that Luke 
 his companion and assistant was wrongfully sup- 
 posed to have written under his direction. 
 
 SECTION FOURTH. 
 
 GOSPEL OF JOHN. 
 
 We pass to the fourth gospel, an admirable 
 book, from which is reflected as from a brilliant 
 mirror the celestial and holy greatness of the Sa- 
 viour. 
 
136 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 This gospel was written a long time after the 
 others, at the close of the first century, by the apos- 
 tle of Ephesus, being then nearly a hundred years 
 old, for the triple design of correcting some details 
 in the evangelical history, of adding some new facts 
 and lessons, and opposing some growing errors. 
 
 This of itself should impart a great interest to 
 this gospel ; but how much is this interest aug- 
 mented by our knowledge of the author ! John, 
 was, with James and Cephas, the privileged witness 
 of a small number of scenes from which the other 
 disciples were removed. He was alone the coura- 
 geous beholder of the passion of his master, he fol- 
 lowed him even to the cross, assisted at his cruci- 
 fixion and received his last words. The adopted 
 son of the virgin Mary, he received her into his 
 house, and must have obtained from his conversa- 
 tion with her a more entire knowledge of the his- 
 tory of the Saviour. He was moreover the well- 
 beloved disciple of Jesus, and more intimate with 
 him than any other. He owed this privilege with- 
 out doubt to the circumstance that he resembled 
 more than any other his divine model, and under- 
 stood and knew better how to raise himself to that 
 degree of love and charity to which the Redeemer 
 called his disciples. It is this happy disciple, who, 
 last of all, has written the life of his Master, and 
 bequeathed to us the finishing work of that history, 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 137 
 
 already three times recounted. With what relig- 
 ious emotion should we not open his book? 
 
 At the first reading this gospel engages our 
 attention, and the more we read the more we dis- 
 cover its richness in those qualities which tend to 
 piety and faith. 
 
 As a history, it is the most faithful of the four. 
 In the slight differences which distinguish their 
 parellel narrations the greatest exactness appears 
 always on the side of the fourth. It transmits to 
 us a multitude of new facts and entire portions of 
 the history of Jesus Christ before unknown. In 
 reality, excepting the solemn scenes which termin- 
 ated the ministry of Jesus Christ, the three first 
 evangelists recount but few of the events which 
 took place out of Galilee. In the journeys of the Sa- 
 viour to Jerusalem they conduct him to the gates 
 of this city and await his return to resume their 
 labors as biographers. John, on the contrary, 
 attaches himself principally and almost entirely to 
 the ministry of Jesus within the compass of the city 
 of David. It is from this circumstance that he trans- 
 mits to us many new facts and precepts, and that 
 his gospel, so different from the other three, forms 
 a perfect completion of the gospel history. But 
 that which especially distinguishes this book from 
 those of Luke, Mark and Matthew, is the new 
 character with which he clothes the instructions of 
 the Saviour. Undoubtedly John has better re- 
 
138 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 membered what the others had not so well under- 
 stood ; his elevated soul had been more astonished 
 at those sublime precepts which perhaps the others 
 did not even comprehend ; without doubt also the 
 lessons of Jesus were more developed and of a 
 higher character when he stood in the presence of 
 his enemies in the centre of Jerusalem and in the 
 courts of the temple, than when he was upon the 
 mountains of Galilee or among the rude fishermen 
 of Capernaum. In place of the positive and prac- 
 tical character of the lessons collected by St. 
 Matthew, the completion of the details joined 
 together by St. Mark and the order and number of 
 facts reunited by St. Luke, the gospel of John is 
 distinguished by the numerous discourses of Jesus 
 Christ heretofore omitted. It is no longer a learned 
 man, it is no longer a prophet who speaks to man 
 in their language, it is the Son of God who causes 
 to be heard the language of heaven from which he 
 is descended, but where he yet seems to dwell. 
 John, occupied solely in displaying to us in Jesus 
 Christ, the Prince of Peace and the Son of God, 
 seems to forget to behold in him the son of Mary ; 
 he neglects the narration of his terrestial life and 
 his humble birth. This character of his gospel is 
 very apparent. Sometimes it is expressed, by the 
 giving to his book the name Pneumatique, or 
 spiritual ; sometimes by saying that the three first 
 evangelists having written the history of the human 
 
TEE NEW TESTAMENT. 139 
 
 nature 01 Ohrist, John has consecrated his work to 
 the divine nature. The different portions of the 
 church have manifested for this gospel the highest 
 degree of respect, and the faithful among christians 
 have from thence drawn the profoundest and sweet- 
 est inspirations for their piety. On this account, 
 various sects, churches and learned men, who are 
 strongly attracted to a religion of sentiment and 
 mystery, have been sometimes tempted to elevate 
 it above others and to give it an exclusive prefer- 
 ence. This is without doubt a heavy fault, since 
 the entire Holy Word has been given to us to reg- 
 ulate our faith. And to preserve this pure and 
 right before God it is necessary to receive with care 
 all the gospel. The person who attaches himself 
 in preference to one portion of the New Testament, 
 proves by this that he follows his feelings rather 
 than the real doctrine of the revelation. 
 
 Our rapid examination of the four gospels is 
 finished; and how many sublime pages has it 
 renewed in the memory! From the sermon on 
 the mount to the pardon of St. Peter, in other 
 words, from the first chapters of St. Matthew to 
 the last lines of John, how many benefits and beau- 
 ties ! Happy is the human race in possessing such 
 a treasure ! It contains all that is necessary for 
 man in any situation and circumstance of life. It 
 can satisfy the wants of the cold reason, the feeling 
 soul, the pure heart, the vivid imagination, the 
 
140 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 vigorous and ambitious mind. Throughout we 
 discover the same God, the same Saviour, the same 
 truth, the same virtue. What diversity and yet 
 what harmony ! 
 
 SECTION FIFTH. 
 
 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 
 
 The Acts of the Apostles belong to this division 
 of our work. As an historical book, the companion 
 of the gospels, and the second part of the gospel of 
 St. Luke, they cannot be separated from the history 
 of the Saviour. 
 
 They do not, strictly speaking, contain the his- 
 tory of the apostles, that of St. Paul, or of the primi- 
 tive church : they relate to all these subjects. They 
 are in reality, memoirs written by the evangelist 
 Luke, upon the first apostolic labors and the first 
 progress of the reign of Christ. The author appears 
 to have limited himself to what he beheld or par- 
 ticularly knew. He develops many narrations 
 relating to particular countries or persons. Some- 
 times he speaks in his own name, associating him- 
 self with his narration, and multiplying the details, 
 and then passes to the third person, at the same 
 time, contracting the limits of his recital. He is 
 thus, so to speak continually approaching and 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 141 
 
 withdrawing from the scene, accompanying St. 
 Paul or remaining separated from him. We must 
 not then expect to find in the work, method or com- 
 pleteness. It is however of great value. It fur- 
 nishes us with the fundamental facts of the primitive 
 and sacred history of the church, the conversion of 
 St. Paul, and the principal facts of his glorious apos- 
 tleship. It assures us moreover of the authenticity 
 of many of the epistles, by their hidden and singu- 
 lar coincidences with history. A reflecting man 
 will be struck by the true union of enthusiasm and 
 reason, of energy and mildness, of power and pa- 
 tience, of success and humility. We seek in vain 
 the traces of human passions : it is evidently the 
 work of God. 
 
PART SECOND. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE 
 EPISTLES. 
 
PART SECOND. 
 
 We will now perform for the remainder of the New Testa- 
 ment what has been accomplished for the Gospels. This task 
 however will be speedily terminated, for the most important 
 work is finished, and that which has been proved, with respect 
 to the Gospels, in a great measure is applicable to the Epistles. 
 We will preserve the same order as before. We will speak in 
 the first place of the authenticity of this part of the gospel, then 
 of the character of the authors, and finally, of the particular 
 nature of the writings. 
 
 CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 AUTHENTICITY. 
 
 HISTORICAL PROOF. 
 
 In favor of the authenticity of the epistles we 
 have nearly the same, or even stronger proof than 
 in favor of the gospels, for the agreement of wit- 
 nesses and critics has been constant and unanimous. 
 There is however a distinction to be made. There 
 have been from the most ancient times two 
 classes of writings, those universally received, and 
 those contested in certain places or by certain 
 churches. These last were the epistle to the He- 
 brews — that of James, that of Jude, the second of 
 10 
 
146 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Peter, the second and third of John — anu the 
 apocalypse. It is, consequently, of the others only 
 which we speak when we prove the authenticity of 
 the epistles by the universal agreement of the 
 churches. 
 
 The first three epistles of Paul, the first of Peter 
 and the first of John, have for their authenticity the 
 strongest historical proof which can be desired. 
 And most of the others had in their favor at the 
 period of the definite formation of the gospel canon 
 the constant tradition of the special churches to 
 which they had been directly addressed. Lardner 
 believed that in the remains of the works of Irenaeus, 
 of Clement of Alexandria, and of Tertullian alone 
 we find more numerous and extended quotations of 
 the small volume called the New Testament, than 
 we are able to discover of the works of Cicero dur- 
 ing many ages and in the writings of^all mankind. 
 The epistles of Paul in particular, are quoted or 
 mentioned, in nearly all the writings of the holy 
 men and learned Christians of the generation which 
 succeeded him. If there is any thing historically 
 proved concerning the New Testament, it is that 
 these epistles of the first century were read in the 
 public worship as works of Paul ; and we are not 
 able to discover before the commencement of the 
 fifth century, any attempt to force upon the public 
 other writings, under his name. 
 
 As to the contested writings, the cause of doubt 
 has been in general well known and completely 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 147 
 
 refuted; it is after a thorough examination of proof 
 and testimony that the ancient church has univer- 
 sally admitted them. The reformers, faithful to 
 their principles, submitted again the whole Bible to 
 a close examination, and excluded from it the apoc- 
 rypha of the Old Testament, which had been ad- 
 mitted by the Roman church; they however pre- 
 served the contested epistles, notwithstanding the 
 strange doubts of Luther as to that of James. 
 Calvin strongly doubted the authenticity of the 
 epistle to the Hebrews and the second of Peter, but 
 he admitted the apostolic authority of both. Since 
 then the subject has been much discussed and clearly 
 explained. Iu my opinion, according to good criti- 
 cism, there is no longer any material for objection, 
 than against these two. And they are moreover 
 far from wanting plausible proofs and answers to 
 difficulties. If the epistle to the Hebrews was not 
 the work of St. Paul, it was probably written under 
 his direction by one of the companions of his labors. 
 Finally, let us not forget that the visible care of 
 Providence for the whole canon of the New Testa- 
 ment, and the great benefit of which this collection 
 has been the source, seem to constitute a moral 
 proof for its perfect purity. 
 
 II. — Critical Proof. 
 
 We shall enlarge but little upon this kind of 
 proof. In the examination of writings constantly 
 
148 AUTHEKTICITY OF 
 
 known, it seems almost useless, under agreement 
 of historical testimony. Of what consequence 
 is it to seek in the JEniad, or Orations against 
 Cataline, the proof that Virgil was, indeed, the 
 author of the first, and Cicero the second ? 
 The father Hardouin, alone, doubts. As to the 
 writings formerly contested, it would be interesting, 
 I confess, to discover the critical coincidences which 
 we have observed in the gospels ; but the nature of 
 the writings does not permit us to have any such 
 hope. In the first place, coincidences in the epis- 
 tles, which unfold ideas, cannot be so much ex- 
 pected as in the gospels, which relate facts. In 
 the next place, the same causes which have for- 
 merly exposed to objections these contested writings, 
 are found to be incidental in removing the desired 
 coincidences, or at least in preventing their being 
 perceived. These causes, by a strange contrast, 
 find themselves exactly suited to two opposite cases. 
 These are, the vagueness of some epistles addressed 
 to all the world, and the particular nature of others 
 addressed to obscure persons. In the first case, no 
 church being particularly charged to preserve such 
 or such epistle, that of St. James for instance, and 
 not bearing the testimony of that mission, the 
 judges of its authenticity in the first ages, discover- 
 ing that it failed in some one of the ordinary 
 guarantees, hesitated to admit it. In the second, a 
 trust, committed to unknown individuals, to Caius, 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 149 
 
 for example, or the Elect Lady* remained unknown 
 to some churches and whole regions. Now the 
 first case greatly diminishes the probability, that 
 the author, in writing the epistle, endeavored to 
 create critical coincidences ; for in addressing it to 
 ^numerous and scattered churches, he was not ena- 
 bled to make allusion to circumstances peculiar to 
 certain readers or himself. The second case easily 
 draws forth coincidences, but it also prevents them 
 from being discovered. The circumstances to 
 which allusion is perhaps made in these writings, 
 are often, in reality, too obscure and too individual 
 to enable us to detect them. It is right for us, 
 then, to declare that, as regards certain epistles, the 
 critical proofs are little striking, few, and not well 
 known. Happily, however, in general, the proofs 
 of sentiment and character of good faith, supply 
 this want. 
 
 Among the epistles not contested, those of St. 
 Paul have in their favor critical proofs of great 
 strength. One singularly favorable circumstance 
 carries this proof to its highest point. We have 
 in the Acts the almost complete narration of the 
 life of this apostle, at the period when these letters 
 were written, and we have in these letters continual 
 allusions to the same facts. Paul wrote always 
 with great freedom; he speaks much to his disci- 
 ples both concerning them and himself; he brings 
 
 * 2 John, i. ; 3 John, i. 
 
150 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 himself into view, recalls the past, and writes, 
 without doubt, his history. Now there can be 
 nothing better than these two kinds of parallel 
 writings, in permitting us to judge of the authenti- 
 city and truth of both. They are, as two different 
 biographies, in constant agreement, and the more 
 that one of them is indirect, so much the more 
 powerful are the confirmations which it brings to 
 the support of the other, and so much more pre- 
 cious and pure is the light which it receives in 
 return. The author of the letters evidently had no 
 thought of writing his life, or of creating a resem- 
 blance with the book of the Acts ; if he had 
 thought thus, he would have necessarily taken an 
 entirely different course. A book, known, without 
 doubt, to nearly all my readers,^ has developed 
 this proof in a manner so clear and complete, that 
 it would be impossible to make any addition. I 
 shall, therefore, leave the subject, recommending 
 the study of this book to those who may not be ac- 
 quainted with its contents. They will not only 
 find the development of the critical proof, which 
 we have indicated, perfect, but numerous and im- 
 portant consequences, from the authenticity of the 
 epistles, for the truth of Christianity. 
 
 This agreement, so fortunate for the critical proof 
 of the epistles of Paul, cannot benefit the rest, since 
 the Acts do not give the history of Peter, of James, 
 
 * Palsy's Horae Paulinae. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT, 151 
 
 and of John, or of the period in which they wrote 
 their epistles. And, moreover, they did not have 
 the habit or occasion of introducing themselves to 
 their readers so much as Paul. There is, however, 
 another critical proof, almost as powerful, which 
 will serve any of these four apostles ; it is the evi- 
 dent distinction of style, method, and even of 
 thought, proper to each, and their remarkable and 
 different characters of originality. But as the de- 
 velopment of this proof, is entirely confounded 
 with that of the character of good faith impressed 
 upon these writings, we shall undertake in the fol- 
 lowing chapter the simultaneous development of 
 both. 
 
CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 CHARACTER AND GOOD FAITH OF THE WRITERS. 
 
 If there ever was a writing impressed with that 
 simple and sincere coloring, which attracts confi- 
 dence, and brings conviction ; if ever there was a 
 book which caused a reader, capable of reflecting, 
 to say, " This language is that of a man convinced 
 of the truth of his assertions " ; it is surely the 
 epistles of the apostles. The ideas and sentiments 
 come immediately from the heart, without altera- 
 tion, ornament or labor ; and that heart, of which 
 these writings give so plain a testimony, is always 
 pure, humble, withdrawn from earthly things, and a 
 stranger to imposture. 
 
 We will endeavor to add something more partic- 
 ular to these general remarks, and consecrate a 
 few pages in searching, in these writings, for the 
 traits by which the four principal authors are dis- 
 tinguished. I trust that the diversity of character 
 we shall meet, the truth of the ideas, and their 
 agreement with the history of the writers, will 
 establish, upon a solid foundation, our conviction of 
 their good faith, and obtain for us the proof for the 
 authenticity of their works; 
 
AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 153 
 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 ST. PETER. 
 
 In the first part of this work we contemplated the 
 character of Peter as a man and disciple ; we wish 
 now to consider him as a writer. This examina- 
 tion will be conducted only upon the first epistle, 
 as being more considerable, characterisic, and un- 
 deniably authentic. 
 
 The most striking characteristic of the writing 
 under examination, and which, at the very first, 
 attracts the attention and touches the heart, is the 
 transport of the apostle in announcing the redemp- 
 tion. His opening words^ are those of thankful- 
 ness and joy. The idea of the salvation brought 
 by Christ, the recollection of his promises, and his 
 example, rule all his thoughts, govern all his 
 lessons, and lead to his most particular precepts. t 
 Am I deceived when I behold, in the manner which 
 this writer employs in speaking of the redemption 
 by the blood of Christ, the inquisitive but noble and 
 elevated ardor which characterized the apostle 
 Peter ? We behold him, in the gospels, incessantly 
 interrogating his master, impatient to comprehend 
 his predictions and his lessons. In the epistle, we 
 recognise the same apostle by the impetuous ardor 
 
 * Peter, i. 3. t 1 Peter, i. 2, 3—12, 13—15, 18—21, 23, 25 ; 
 
 ii. 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 21—25, &c. 
 
154 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 with which he describes the efforts of the prophets 
 to penetrate the destinies of the Messiah.^ There 
 is, moreover, a deep sense of the price which the 
 reconciliation of man hath cost, of the blood shed 
 upon the cross,! of the danger of neglecting so 
 great a safety, of the folly of disregarding the judg- 
 ment of Him who shall judge without respect of 
 persons. t His work is, also, essentially practical. 
 Almost the entire epistle is consecrated to precepts 
 and moral teachings. It is this very striking char- 
 acter, together with the perspicuity of his lessons, 
 which most plainly distinguishes him from St. 
 Paul. In general all is simple and positive ; St. 
 Peter does not dwell upon the mysteries of the 
 faith ; he has the appearance, at least, of being in- 
 terested in ideas, results, and sentiments. Those 
 which he brings forward are not always his own, 
 he borrows a great number of phrases from James 
 and Paul, and seems, indeed, more ready to speak 
 from the abundance of an overflowing heart, than 
 to explain dogmas and labor for new thoughts. If 
 then he is so much employed concerning the re- 
 demption, it is not because he has meditated much 
 upon the subject, but because his soul is interested ; 
 in other words, because he loves Jesus Christ. 
 Here, then, we recognise St. Peter, the apostle who 
 had lived with Jesus, and who loved, in him, not 
 
 * 1 Peter, i. 10—12. t 1 Peter, i. 2, 18, 19, 23 ; ii. 24, &c. 
 
 t 1 Peter, i. 15—17. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 155 
 
 only the Saviour, but also the master and friend. 
 In one of his epistles^ he thus addresses his hear- 
 ers : " Whom having not seen, ye love." He is 
 astonished at this affection, which is not attached 
 to the remembrance of a venerated image ; he had 
 lived with Jesus, and he perceived that the remem- 
 brance of his master, speaking, loving, reprimand- 
 ing, pardoning, was the life of his soul and the 
 support of his faith. If his remembrance had been 
 taken away, he would have believed all to be lost ; 
 he therefore congratulates and admires those, who, 
 never having seen, were yet able to believe and 
 love. We find no such remark made by Paul. In 
 another place Peter lays claim to regard, as having 
 been the witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a 
 partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.! He 
 places thus his hopes — his certainty of obtaining 
 heaven — upon the circumstance of having person- 
 ally seen Christ reviled, crucified, and raised from 
 the dead. There is, if I am not deceived, an 
 association of local opinions, a union of time and 
 place, between his hopes and remembrances. He 
 still beholds himself at the feet of Jesus, saying to 
 him " Lord thou knowest that I love thee," and the 
 Master answering, " Follow me." 
 
 This last word of Peter conducts us to a new 
 characteristic trait of his writings. It is the liveli- 
 ness of his hope, his contempt, or rather his insen- 
 
 * 1 Peter, i. 8. tl Peter, v. 1. 
 
156 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 sibility to present sufferings. He exhorts his 
 disciples to endurance ; he expects to suffer himself, 
 but without any appearance of discouragement ; he 
 is full of power and joy, and for this reason finds it 
 no effort to endure.^ He has the appearance of 
 throwing a disdainful regard upon the terrors by 
 which the adversaries of the cause of Christ under- 
 take to stop his rejoicing. " The God of all grace, 
 who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ 
 Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you 
 perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you."t Paul, 
 likewise resigned, manifests his faith in an entirely 
 different manner ; he equally triumphs over suffer- 
 ing, but not without a contest, and if he is 
 victorious, it is not forgotten. Nothing is able 
 to separate him from the love of Christ,^ but 
 he has a thorn in his flesh, and he has need that 
 the power of Christ may rest upon him.$ He seeks 
 to throw off that burden of misery, of the weight of 
 which Peter seems ignorant. In reading Paul, we 
 seem, without doubt, to behold him enter the circus 
 with a firm step, and his eyes directed to the 
 heavens ; but his features express an acquaintance 
 with suffering, and the resigned lamentation of a 
 martyr appears upon his lips. Peter, on the con- 
 trary, is pictured to our imagination, in his writings, 
 as insensible to the afflictions of nature. We seem 
 
 * 1 Peter, i. 6, 7, 13; ii. 19,20; iii. 14— 18 ; iv. 12—19; r. 10. 
 t I Peter, v. 10. t Romans, viii. 35. § 2 Cor. xii. 7—9. 
 
THE JCEW TESTAMENT. 157 
 
 to behold him nailed upon the cross, with a happy 
 and pleasant aspect. A hymn of gratitude breaks 
 from his lips ; the executioners surround him with- 
 out attracting his regard ; the image of Christ 
 brings joy to his heart. This diversity is owing, 
 probably, to two causes, both valuable pledges of 
 the authenticity of the epistles, and the veracity of 
 the writers. The first is the difference of character. 
 In that of Peter, there is much less reflection and 
 much more impetuosity than in that of Paul, fewer 
 ideas but more imagination ; he is all action and 
 motion, while the soul of St. Paul is full of medi- 
 tation and thought. Paul receives a lasting im- 
 pression of the same objects which Peter forgets, or 
 does not perceive ; of the same griefs, over which 
 this last apostle passes without reflection. 
 
 The second cause, is the difference of position. 
 Paul suffered during each hour of a long ministry. 
 He contended, in detail, against the troubles to which 
 the Jews, his constant enemies, were continually 
 subjecting him. Peter does not appear, to have 
 been thus ill used. He expected martyrdom and 
 foresaw that it was the lot of his disciples. For a 
 great and decisive sacrifice, an energetic mind 
 assembles all its forces and meets the occasion ; 
 while another, is continually suffering during the 
 whole of life. The martyrdom of Paul lasted 
 twenty years. His sufferings moreover were real; 
 those which Peter braved were yet in perspective. 
 
158 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 The first contended and wearied himself with con- 
 tinual trials, the last made preparation for the fu- 
 ture. He said, formerly, " I am ready to go with 
 thee both into prison and to death."* 
 
 If now we collect together these different traits, 
 our imagination will picture a character very natu- 
 ral, unique, and such as is well calculated to inspire 
 confidence. We shall behold a man, ardent, sin- 
 cere in speech, impetuous in action, full of sensibil- 
 ity and life, little habituated to reflection, but know- 
 ing how to love Jesus Christ, as probably the heart 
 of man never before loved him. Is not this such a 
 representation of the apostle Peter as the gospels 
 have exhibited ? 
 
 Many other traits in these writings, which have 
 been neglected by us, would have increased the 
 resemblance. But such as it is, this sketch appears 
 to me very striking. I cannot read this epistle, with- 
 out recognising the Peter of the gospels, modified 
 without doubt by the spirit which he had received, 
 and by the faith which had been more deeply rooted 
 in his heart, but nevertheless the same Peter. 
 Was there ever a character more removed from 
 imposture and better adapted to inspire confidence ? 
 Where shall we look for sincerity if it is not here 
 discovered, and under what better features can it be 
 recognised ? 
 
 This analysis will probably appear subtile to my 
 
 * Luke xxii. 33. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 169 
 
 readers, but it appears to me so much the more 
 true, the farther it is carried. It convinces me more 
 than all testimony, of the authenticity of the epistle 
 and the sincerity of its author. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 ST. JAMES. 
 
 We will pass to the epistle of James and study 
 the character of this apostle. Every practised 
 reader will discover instantaneously in this epistle, 
 greater marks of originality than even in that of 
 Peter, and tokens not less remarkable of the sacred 
 origin of the writing, and the perfect good faith of 
 the writer. 
 
 At the first glance, we are struck with the multi- 
 tude of precepts, expressed in general with conci- 
 sion and neatness, and arranged in order without 
 preparation or correction. It seems as if the writer 
 had wished to exclude every superfluous sentence 
 and useless word. He is overflowing with senti- 
 ments and ideas. It is the same with St. Paul, 
 and yet there is not a shade of resemblance between 
 these two writers. The ideas of Paul, arising one 
 from the other as he wrote, seem sometimes to 
 embarrass each other, and, as it were, contend for 
 the possession of the paper. From hence we hare 
 
160 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 an intricate style, numerous parentheses, and long 
 periods of which we do not always easily distin- 
 guish the commencement or the end. The phrases 
 of James on the contrary, neat and precise, follow 
 each other generally with rapidity, and are arranged 
 without transition or natural affinity as much as 
 the sentences and articles of law. It is not a prac- 
 ticed writer we behold, but a clear head and an 
 understanding heart. All alive to the importance 
 of his precepts and the sacredness of the Christian 
 calling, he remains however master of his impres- 
 sions and words, and it is with a voice constantly 
 dignified, calm and severe that he offers the oracles 
 of the Holy Spirit. Peter, John, and even Paul, 
 speak sometimes of their persons or ministry, but 
 never James ; he seems to regard himself only as 
 the voice which cries in the desert, to publish there 
 the holy lessons of Christianity. 
 
 Another curious and decisive character of this 
 epistle is the almost total absence of any thing like 
 dogmatism. All is moral both as regards action 
 and feeling. The apostle wishes to control senti- 
 ments as well as acts ; it is in the depths of the 
 human heart rather than in great deeds that his 
 power consists. In fine the whole epistle is a col- 
 lection of precepts : dogmatical lessons, considered 
 as dogmas, occupy but little space. The redemption 
 is not even indirectly called to mind. The name of 
 Jesus Christ eight times repeated in the first chap- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 161 
 
 ter of Peter alone, is not found but twice in the 
 five chapters of James.* We cannot conclude 
 from this, that he regarded the truths of the faith 
 as of little importance, or that he did not recognise 
 their influence. To prove the contrary, I need only 
 his frequent allusions to the assistance of the Holy 
 Spirit, and his recommendations of prayer.t 
 He vigorously maintains that we should seek this 
 assistance as the indispensable support of our feeble- 
 ness, and the necessary condition of christian virtue. 
 If then he speaks but little concerning doctrine, it 
 is owing to the posititive and practical character by 
 which he is evidently governed. Doctrine is the 
 basis, but virtue is the edifice to be constructed, and 
 James in particular, wishes to elevate certain virtues 
 and attack hand to hand certain vices. It is to this 
 result alone, that the apostle would consecrate his 
 short and weighty sayings, so much he appears to 
 fear, that if he held to principles, his readers would 
 not make sufficiently vigorous and close applica- 
 tions, so much he seems resolved to employ as 
 usefully as possible every word and argument. The 
 epistle of James has an appearance of vigor and 
 life when contrasted with that of Paul and John 
 and even with that of Peter, although this last has 
 also a very practical character. 
 
 Another marked character of our epistle is , an 
 
 * James i. 1 ; ii. 1. 
 
 t James, i. 5—7, 17; iii. 15, 17; iv. 5, 6; viii. 15, 16 — 18. 
 
 11 
 
162 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 intimate knowledge of the human heart, and, in 
 general, a depth of view in seeking in man the 
 secret causes of his actions and the sources of his 
 afflictions.^ This is peculiar to James ; Peter and 
 John are removed as far as possible from any such 
 course. We observe, moreover, a marked predi- 
 lection in our author for certain subjects, of the 
 importance of which, the position or faults of his 
 readers, his own experience and disposition have 
 caused him to become acquainted. We have, for 
 example the vanity of riches and splendor,! the im- 
 portance of governing our speech, a subject which 
 occupies nearly one third of his epistle,t patience 
 under affliction and the salutary lessons to be drawn 
 from them. But the subject which James treats 
 with the greatest consideration is the importance of 
 practical virtue and the danger of having faith inde- 
 pendent of it. He makes sanctiflcation, the essential 
 and summary of the christian religion, II because in 
 reality, without this consequence imperiously pre- 
 scribed, religion fails in its design. 
 
 How r remarkable is this tendency of the apostle, 
 and with what a vivid and pure splendor does the 
 thought of the Holy Spirit sparkle in this beautiful 
 epistle ! 
 
 James wrote in the first warmth of the new born 
 
 * James i. 14, 15, 20, 25, 26 ; iii. 2, 13, 16 ; iv. 1, 2, 4. 
 
 t James i. 9—11 ; ii. 1—7 ; iv. 13—16; v. 1, 6. 
 
 t James i. 19—26 ; iii. ; v. 9—12. 
 
 || James i. 22—26, 27 ; ii. 8—11, H— 26. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 163 
 
 Christianity. He was one of the preachers of that 
 religion which promises pardon to those who be- 
 lieve, who made faith the means and condition of 
 safety. Commissioned to announce the good news 
 to others, if he had been only an ordinary man, 
 would he not have been inclined to exaggerate the 
 value of faith of which he was the herald ? In 
 his enthusiasm would he not have permitted others 
 to forget the importance of works ? would he not 
 have himself forgotten it? But he beheld faith 
 under a right point of view, with its designs and 
 tendency, he assumes the work of a christian in its 
 sublime and complete development ; and far from 
 being an enthusiastic preacher, he exhibits himself 
 as being more in reality, than a theologian, mission- 
 ary or philosopher — an inspired apostle. 
 
 We cannot become wearied, in admiring the just 
 and elevated views with which he reveals to us the 
 true spirit of Christianity. As we examine, one by 
 one, the different, sublime subjects to which he loves 
 to return ; the importance of works, a withdrawing 
 from the earth of our hopes and affections, patience 
 under afflictions, prayer, seeking the assistance of 
 God, contrasting the thoughts and words, we shall 
 perceive that they all tend to that point which he 
 regards as the most efficacious and indispensable 
 in true Christianity. These are, in part, the objects, 
 in which the incredulous philospher, the ordinary 
 moralist and the superficial christian are but little 
 
164 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 interested, and which perhaps they do not know- 
 how to understand; but the christian who has 
 wrestled with success against the world and against 
 his own heart, who has unceasingly sought to 
 follow in the footsteps of Christ, and labored to be- 
 come perfect as his heavenly Father, perceives their 
 importance. He is continually brought to their 
 consideration by his experience and meditations, 
 he reads with astonishment the writing by an artizan 
 of Nazareth. 
 
 I have, as yet, said nothing concerning the end 
 of the third chapter,^ of that truly divine portion, 
 (morceau) so astonishing, both as regards place 
 and time ; it is, as it were, an eagle's glance thrown 
 from the high heavens, over those religious dissen- 
 sions and human passions, which, insinuating 
 themselves under the masque of zeal, seldom fail of 
 becoming blended with it. We behold here the 
 true spirit of Jesus Christ, the spirit of succor, of 
 gentleness, and of peace ; a spirit which it would 
 have been impossible for man, by his own exertions, 
 to have advanced. Moreover, is it, at the com- 
 mencement of Christianity, in the first fervor of the 
 faith, and when, to propagate its doctrines, it is 
 necessary to resist even to blood ; is it then, that we 
 ought to have expected that the effects of bitter zeal, 
 would have been judged with such justice and dishon- 
 ored by a preacher of the new doctrine, as changing 
 
 * James, iii. 13—13. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 165 
 
 tTUth into falsehood ? He is, indeed, a teacher of 
 the newly risen sect struggling against persecu- 
 tions and martyrdom ; a fisherman become apostle, 
 and speaking to the earth with the authority of 
 God himself, in the midst of inspirations and mira- 
 cles ; it is he, who, in place of condemning resist- 
 ance by anathemas, or punishing them by prodigies, 
 marks, with a peaceable, mild, and gentle modera- 
 tion, the wise character which he has received 
 from on high, 
 
 We know but little concerning the history of 
 the author of this epistle. James, brother of the 
 Lord, is probably the same as James, the son of 
 Alpheus; from the facts, however, which the 
 primitive church has transmitted to us, and those 
 which the epistle itself leads us to believe, the 
 resemblance is striking, and we cannot but recog- 
 nise a new token of truth. 
 
 The Acts^ inform us, that in the council of the 
 apostles, this same James united all opinions, by a 
 moderate and conciliatory proposition, worthy of 
 that mild wisdom which the epistle so vigorously 
 advocates. 
 
 The first ecclesiastical writers have described to 
 us James, the pastor of Jerusalem, as a holy man, 
 entirely occupied with good works, continually 
 having resource to prayer, surnamed the Just, and 
 the Defender of the People, dear to the Church, and 
 
 * Acts. iv. 13—21. 
 
166 AUTHENTICITY OP 
 
 venerated by the Jews themselves. Are not these 
 different characters of his virtues in exact accord- 
 ance with the beautiful traits of the epistle, such as 
 we have indicated above. Surely, if the epistle of 
 James fails in other critical proofs, those which we 
 have just unfolded should suffice, and I cannot 
 understand how a reflecting man can doubt its- 
 authenticity. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 We shall not enter here into a prolonged ana- 
 lysis. The style peculiar to this apostle is such, 
 that one chapter alone is sufficient to attract our 
 attention, and long details would be of little service. 
 There are, indeed, some critical results, some 
 curious resemblances, which it would be interesting 
 to submit to an investigation, but they would 
 occupy too much room, or be of a nature too scien- 
 tific. 
 
 The epistles of John are not, as the others, 
 isolated writings, to which we come seeking to dis- 
 cover the author, and to conjecture concerning his 
 good or bad faith. They are attributed to the 
 same writer as an authentic gospel, and are in 
 accordance with that gospel. These resemblances 
 are striking, incontestable, and decisive for the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 167 
 
 authenticity of the epistles ; but their indication 
 would carry us too far, and delay the researches to 
 which we are limited — the character of the writing 
 and its author. The agreement of the principal of 
 the three epistles with history, will be more in 
 accordance with our plan. 
 
 Evangelical history has made us acquainted 
 with John, as one full of tender devotion for his 
 master, more nearly allied to him than any other 
 by character and sympathy, and yet not wanting in 
 rigor or courage ; witness his presence at the cross 
 of the Saviour, the surname Son of Thunder, and 
 his wish, repressed by Jesus, to cause fire to 
 descend from heaven upon the inhospitable Sama- 
 ritans.^ The ancient ecclesiastical narrations 
 assure us, on their side, that John wrote in extreme 
 old age at Ephesus, where he was pastor, and 
 where he was much beloved ; that charity formed 
 the predominant feature of his character, and dic- 
 tated all his words ; that the aged dying apostle 
 caused himself to be conveyed into the church, in 
 order to repeat, with a trembling voice, these few 
 words, " My little children, love one another/' 
 They tell us, moreover, that around him were many 
 new sects in agitation, more pagan than christian, 
 who gainsayed the precepts of the Saviour, denied 
 his nature, and ridiculed his mission. 
 
 The form and ground-work of the epistle, respond 
 
 * Luke, ix. 51 — 56. 
 
168 - AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 to these two classes of indications, with remarkable 
 exactness. 
 
 The form gives the idea of a father speaking to 
 his children ; of an old man instructing freely, and 
 without constraint, his younger friends. He has 
 not sought any plan, or even any order ; the same 
 ideas frequently occur, for they are the result of a 
 deep and habitual feeling, by which the author 
 permits himself to be influenced without seeking to 
 regulate the expression. My little children, says 
 the apostle, and his familiar and benevolent tone is 
 always in agreement with his words, so simple and 
 so tender. 
 
 The ground-work is reduced, by degrees, to four 
 precepts, which are continually brought back with 
 conviction and zeal, and presented together, or by 
 turns, as forming the essence and summary of 
 religion, — faith in Christ, love of God, love of 
 man, obedience. The writer here, as well as in 
 the gospel, loves to contemplate the redemption as 
 effected by Jesus Christ, and bring to the mind of 
 his readers the divine nature of his master. More- 
 over, a very remarkable and essential character of 
 this epistle is, that we do not find a single precept 
 or a single lesson of practical morality with its 
 accompanying details. 
 
 It is true that the apostle, with his attention 
 directed to the great and necessary principles of all 
 virtue, and having his heart entirely moved by 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 169 
 
 their holy influence, did not stop to descend to par- 
 ticulars and pursue the application. It pleased 
 him, also, to invest his lessons with those brilliant 
 but undecided figures, which the gospel of the same 
 author presents in abundance. The words life, 
 light, union, grace, truth, recur continually in 
 those touching pages. They seem sometimes even 
 borrowed from profane and rival doctrines, which 
 the apostle wishes apparently to rectify, by making 
 a more just application of the terms which they 
 have abused. We cannot, indeed, but perceive, in 
 this epistle, the more or less direct refutation of 
 those adversaries,^ concerning which history speaks 
 to us; the severe invectives, now and then mingled 
 with the tender expressions of charity, denote to us, 
 also, the presence of those fearful corruptions of the 
 faith. They reveal to us, also, the ancient vigor 
 of this old man, nearly an hundred years old. In- 
 deed, the apocalypse and the two small epistles 
 reveal to us, yet more clearly, the Boanergei of 
 former times, in the mild apostle of Ephesus. We 
 would remark, in conclusion, with regard to the 
 teachings of the principal epistle, that the apostle 
 supports them by his situation, as having been an 
 
 * Since the publication of the admirable work of Prof. Mather, 
 it is no longer permitted us to doubt of the existence of the 
 Gnostics at Ephesus ; of the intention of the apostle to contend 
 with their errors, or of the use which he has made of their lan- 
 guage in order to accomplish his design. 
 
 t The Son of Thunder. Mark, iii. 17. 
 
170 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 ocular witness of the life of the Saviour.* In 
 truth, in relating this life, who could have an- 
 nounced, better than John, that which his eyes had 
 seen and his hands had touched ? I now conclude, 
 and demand from those who have studied this 
 epistle, if the character which it indicates of its 
 author, is not that which history gives us ; if it is 
 not very distinct from the two preceding, and even 
 in direct contrast with them ; if it does not, in fine, 
 inspire confidence, and permit us to see as with the 
 eye, the sincerity of a pure, loving, and elevated 
 soul ? 
 
 SECTION FOURTH. 
 
 ST. PAUL. 
 
 We have arrived at the epistles of Paul.t The 
 matter here is very copious, and our task difficult. 
 To analyze these writings, so full of life, would 
 require a volume, and a mind moreover, burning 
 with the same zeal. 
 
 This apostle had been a persecutor, and all the 
 energy of his ardent character had been directed 
 against that religion, to the propagation of which 
 he was now devoted. A singular contrast, which 
 
 * l John, i. 1—3. 
 
 1 1 have not comprehended, in this examination, the epistle to 
 the Hebrews, as it has a character less marked, and its authen- 
 ticity has been contested. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. I 71 
 
 of itself is a demonstration of Christianity.^ This 
 demonstration is foreign to our plan ; it is only the 
 apostle Paul whom we ought to study, in his 
 writings. We shall not be able to comprehend in 
 our examination, the agreement of the epistles with 
 the historical character of the writer. The epistles 
 are too numerous and long, and the resemblances 
 too multiplied. Without undertaking, therefore, to 
 consider the identity of the Paul of the Acts with 
 the Paul of the episties, we shall limit ourselves to 
 the unfolding of those traits of beauty, sincerity ? 
 and originality, which are apparent in the latter. 
 It appears to me impossible, when I make for my- 
 self this examination, that any one can do the same? 
 without being filled with confidence, as to the 
 authenticity of the epistles and the good faith of 
 the apostle. 
 
 There are too many things to say upon this 
 subject, and too many relations between them, to 
 make it possible to follow in this examination a 
 very methodical plan. 
 
 In order, however, that some regularity may be 
 observed, I shall present successively the form of 
 the lessons of the apostle, the characteristic ten- 
 dency of his instructions, the moving principles of 
 his apostleship and life, and the striking traits of 
 his character. 
 
 * See the work of Lord Lyttleton upon the conversion of St. 
 Paul. 
 
172 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 The epistles of St. Paul differ much from the 
 preceding in form and style. We have already 
 pointed out the most striking contrasts. We have 
 already spoken of the parentheses of Paul, of the 
 accumulation of his ideas, the encroachment of his 
 phrases upon each other, and the obscurity which 
 is in consequence the result ; but we have said 
 nothing of the deep feeling, which causes this ap- 
 parent disorder and produces so much life and 
 interest. We are overwhelmed by the multitude 
 and rapidity of ideas, and the power of his affec- 
 tions, but at the same time, there is an elevation, a 
 purity and life, which ensures attention and touches 
 the heart. In the heart of an uncultivated moun- 
 tain, there is a secret fire which consumes and 
 agitates the surface. Sometimes the volcano seems 
 suppressed and the fire extinguished, but it is only 
 restrained ; shortly it rekindles, it raises the weight 
 by which it was compressed and at last breaks 
 forth, destroying every thing which attempts to 
 resist. This appears to me to be an exact image 
 of the style of St. Paul.* Every thing was evi- 
 dently written without correction, we are not able 
 to discover in the phrases either labor or artifice, 
 and the arrangement of the words indicates rapidity 
 of conception. Exclamations, comparisons, and a 
 great variety of turns in the expression, animate 
 
 * See for example, 1 Corinthians iii. iv. ; xii. 12 ; xiii. 13 ; xv. 
 29—34 : 2 Corinthians xi. 12. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 173 
 
 the writings and disclose the energetic feeling of 
 inspiration. Dramatic forms often break the mo- 
 notony of the instruction, and by their vivacity 
 supply what is wanting in clearness of detail.* 
 The writer places before us, those with whom he 
 speaks, and recalls their history, but he also recalls 
 his own history and readily surrenders himself to 
 his own impressions. If he speaks also frequently 
 of himself, it is not through vanity ; no one who 
 has read his writings can for a moment suspect 
 this, but it is through Openness of heart, through 
 zeal and thorough affection. t The feeling which 
 unites him to his disciples is so powerful, that the 
 apostle cannot keep it concealed ; he almost always 
 writes under the inspiration of the joys or sorrows, 
 which come to him from them ; in vain does he try 
 to suppress for a moment the frank expression ; 
 after a slight restraint he concludes by yielding 
 himself entirely to his emotions. The early history 
 of St. Paul forms moreover an essential element of 
 his preaching, his trials and virtues were an argu- 
 ment and model of such importance to his disciples, 
 and his life had been so strictly in agreement with 
 his lessons, that under fear of leaving them incom- 
 plete the apostle thought it necessary to bring upon 
 himself frequently the attention of his readers. I 
 
 * Romans ii. ; iii. 1, 5, 9, 27—31 ; iv. 1, 9 ; vi, 1—3 ; vii. 1, 7, 
 14—25; viii. 31—39; ix. 14—19, 30; xi. 1—15; Philippians 
 iii. 13, 14 ; 1 Corinthians x. 22, 23. 
 
 t Epistle to the Philippians, passim, 
 
 t Galatians, i. 11 j ii. 14. 
 
174 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 Let us pass now to the principal tendencies of 
 the instruction of Jesus. There are three peculiar 
 to this apostle. 
 
 The first is the careful reunion of doctrinal teach- 
 ings with precepts of virtue. Paul takes delight 
 in establishing dogmas, and in unfolding and apply- 
 ing them. In order to cause them to be better ap- 
 preciated, sometimes he has resource to the methods 
 of the ancient fathers of the synagogue,^ sometimes 
 to the riches of an exalted imagination,! sometimes 
 to the lessons of a powerful imagination and to the 
 analogies of nature,! but more often to those of faith.§ 
 He is not only an apostle, he is a theologian and 
 divine. But he has too much zeal and places too 
 much importance in the safety of the soul, not to 
 urge the consequences of the religious theory which 
 he loves to unfold. He preaches morality with the 
 same warmth, the same perseverance, the same 
 energy. He always regards doctrine as the cause 
 of morality, and morality the consequence of doc- 
 trine ; nor does he know how tc separate them, so 
 truly his great mind and great intelligence observe 
 the whole tendency and character of Christianity. 
 He generally divides his epistles into two parts, the 
 first consecrated to truth, the second to duty. II He 
 unites the fruitful principles of John, to the severe 
 
 * Galatians iii. 15—18, 21—31. t 1 Corinthians iii. 9—15. 
 
 t 1 Corinthians xv. 33 — 50. 
 
 § 1 Corinthians xv. 1—34 ; Romans viii. 12—21. 
 
 || Epistles to the Romans, Ephesians and Colossians. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 175 
 
 and philosophical consequences of James ; and the 
 constant harmony of these two elements, is perhaps 
 one of the most remarkable characteristics of his 
 writings.^ 
 
 A second general character of the precepts of 
 Paul, is found in the extent and elevation of his 
 religious views. Christianity is always to him the 
 universal religion, destined to reconcile the entire 
 human race with heaven. This thought has pos- 
 session of his whole soul, it nourishes his zeal and 
 leads him into action. The calling of the Gentiles 
 is the subject to which he returns with the greatest 
 pleasure, he has called it the Mystery of Christ, 
 declares himself its especial apostle and rejoices in 
 the thought that his sufferings will aid in its ac- 
 complishment.! I consider also, as a new proof 
 of the elevated view under which Paul contemplates 
 the religion of Christ, his continual care in reclaim- 
 ing the essential and important, and distinguishing 
 them from the external or accessory. This was 
 greatly obscured by his cotemporaries with their 
 foolish questions, their minute discussions, their 
 gnostical genealogies, and their disputes concerning 
 forbidden food. Paul will not suffer the law of 
 Christ to be thus confounded. He feels the need 
 of elevating the soul to something higher and no- 
 
 * Philippians ii. 3—7 ; iii. 10, 11, 18—21 ; Tit. ii. 11—15; 
 iii. 1—8. 
 
 t 1 Timothy iii. 16; Romans i. 14; Galatians iii. 26—28 ', 
 Ephesians ii. 11—22; iii. 
 
176 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 bier and more christian. " The kingdom of heav- 
 en," he exclaims, " is not meat or drink, but right- 
 eousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."^ 
 
 The last trait which appears to me to character- 
 ize the lessons of the apostle, is his profound feeling 
 of the dignity of the sincere Christian, and the 
 grandeur which Christ has restored to him. Even 
 when he does not think of making these appear, 
 his expressions and images, always show how 
 deeply they have penetrated into his mind. 
 Through the redemption, man has become a being 
 endowed with all that is grand in sentiment, know- 
 ledge and destiny. " Ye are bought with a price/' 
 he writes to the Corinthians,! " be not ye the ser- 
 vants of men." If the heroes of Homer appear 
 giants to his reader, man appears in the writings 
 of St. Paul, as an immortal, dwelling yet upon the 
 earth, but whose thoughts are in heaven. He 
 bears the burden of this lower world ; but he is not 
 the less already raised up and sitting in the heavenly 
 mansions with Jesus Christ.t 
 
 We will now go farther, and endeavor to discov- 
 er what passes in the heart of the apostle. We 
 will seek in his writings the reigning sentiments, 
 the foundation of all his affections and principal 
 movers of all his ministry. These sentiments ap- 
 
 * Rom. xiv. 17, 18, 20. See also analogous lessons in Gal. 
 vi. 15, l6 ; Col. ii. 17; Tit. iii. 8, 9. 
 t 1 Cor. vii, 23. t Eph. ii. 6. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 177 
 
 pear to me to be his love for Christ, his zeal for 
 the faith, his affection for his disciples. It is for 
 Christ that he labors, he loves him with all the 
 power of his soul, but differently from Peter and 
 John. They had seen him, he had not. His 
 imagination therefore does not invest him with in- 
 separable individual traits. He loves him as the 
 Eedeemer, the Lord of glory, calling his persecutor 
 upon the journey to Damascus. 
 
 In the example of Jesus, Paul found support in 
 doing the will of God. He is all zeal. The ad- 
 vancement of the kingdom of Christ is his first, 
 his only concern. He does not lose sight of this 
 great object for an instant ; a prisoner, shipwrecked 
 and even stoned, he yet finds means of preaching 
 Christ, and turning his own sufferings to the safety 
 of others. Provided that the end may be attained 
 it is of little consequence what price is paid. His 
 manly and noble soul, casts itself willingly into the 
 midst of griefs. He takes pleasure in humiliations 
 and outrages,^ provided that he brings any to a 
 knowledge of Jesus Christ.t 
 
 It is with difficulty that we distinguish from this 
 sentiment, the affection Paul has for his dis- 
 ciples, so much he addresses himself to their soul 
 and aspires to make them perfect, so much the 
 
 * 2 Cor. xii. 10. 
 
 t Rom. i. 8—16 ; 1 Cor. ix. 16—27 ; Col. iv. 3, 4 ; 2 Tim. ii. 
 9, 10. 
 
 12 
 
178 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 apostle performs for all those who love the Lord 
 Jesus Christ with a pure heart.* Yet this affec- 
 tion has also its peculiar coloring. After having 
 admired the manly and vigorous zeal of the apostle, 
 we experience a new charm in beholding this 
 brave man, so sensible to everything which respects 
 his disciples, and so easily moved by all their con- 
 cerns. Their intercourse diverts him from the 
 continual griefs to which his heart is subject, he 
 reposes himself with confidence upon their love, a 
 sweet joy arises at the spectacle of their progress, 
 and each of their names awakens in him a remem- 
 brance or a hope. For them he experiences the 
 griefs, the transports, and even the illusions with 
 which the heart of a mother is, in general, 
 alone acquainted.! " What is our hope, or joy, or 
 crown of rejoicing ?" he writes to his faithful Thes- 
 salonians ;t " are not even ye in the presence of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? For ye are 
 our glory and joy." Love of his disciples, love for 
 Christ, and zeal for his glory, are the three senti- 
 ments which mutually unite and fortify themselves 
 in the soul of Paul, and make, as it were, its 
 essence. Thus united and predominant, what sub- 
 limity and power they give to his whole life. 
 In order to accomplish this interesting analysis, 
 
 * Ephesians, vi. 24. 
 
 + Epistle to the Philippians ; the salutations, Romans xvi., 
 1 Cor., xvi., &c. ; Col. iv. &c. ; 1 Thessalonians, ii. 8—13 ; iii. 
 1 1 Thessalonians, ii. 17—20. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 179 
 
 we will now endeavor to observe yet closer the 
 character of Paul, and certain striking characteris- 
 tics which his writings indicate. They present 
 the union of opposite extremes and continual con- 
 trasts, which are rarely joined in the same man, 
 and which give to the manner of St. Paul so much 
 attraction and originality. We will develop some 
 of these, as it will be the best means of discovering 
 all which his extraordinary and intelligent mind 
 comprehended. 
 
 We have spoken of the frequent disorder of the 
 phrases and ideas. Notwithstanding this disorder, 
 however, we easily perceive that the head of the 
 writer is entirely methodical and meditative. The 
 whole of each epistle almost always indicates a 
 plan, and often the subdivisions unfold a regular 
 argument, constantly pursued through digressions 
 and parentheses. 
 
 Paul is zealous for the truth. His courage is 
 never in fault when it is necessary to combat error. 
 If opposition is made to the lessons of faith ; if any 
 one wanders from the apparent and shining path- 
 way to which Christ calls the redeemed, or endea- 
 vors to corrupt Christianity by an alloy of a false 
 philosophy, or the strict doctrines of Judaism, it is 
 impossible for the apostle to remain silent. He 
 will resist to his face even St. Peter,^ and for a 
 want of a better understanding of his nature, we 
 
 * Galatians ii. 11—14. 
 
180 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 are liable then to regard him, as a man incapable of 
 discretion on account of his zeal. But change the 
 circumstances, and for those attacks by which the 
 foundations of Christianity even were shaken, 
 substitute differences of opinion upon subjects of 
 less importance and of temporary interest, and Paul 
 becomes another man. We behold in his nature 
 only forbearance, protection, and regard for the 
 conscience of others. " Let every one," he says, 
 " be fully persuaded in his own mind. Him that 
 is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful 
 disputations. Who art thou that judgest another 
 man's servant ?"* 
 
 If we knew Paul from this view only, we should 
 believe that he had but little zeal for the truth, and 
 that through excess of mildness he did not know 
 how to devote himself to its defence. His powerful 
 mind knew how to adapt itself to all occasions, 
 
 What a fearful energy there was in this man, 
 when his orders were resisted or his laws were 
 despised ! What power in his reproaches, what 
 impetuosity in his censures, what bitterness in his 
 irony !t And moreover, who ever possessed such 
 grace, or exhibited such a tender and delicate 
 address of a loving and sensitive heart, as Paul 
 does, when he speaks to men worthy of hearing, 
 
 * Romans xiv. 1, 4, 5 ; Philippians iv. 5. 
 t 1 Corinthians, iv. 8—13, 18—21; v. 3— 5 ; ix. 1—7; xi. 
 17—22. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 181 
 
 and when he does not wish to command. The epistle 
 to Philemon is an example. 
 
 But a contrast yet more remarkable, because 
 more striking, is that forgetfulness of himself, his 
 wants and his rights, joined with such a delicate 
 and lively susceptibility lest it should be forgotten 
 that his heart is capable of so much devotion and 
 love. There is also, a strong contrast between his 
 complete renouncement of the earth, and the sor- 
 rowful impression produced by those sufferings 
 which he does not, however, cease to brave. The 
 examples are numerous.* The sufferings of the 
 heart are singularly vivid with this man, who, 
 however, at the same time, has no tie to bind him 
 to the world. t " He uses the things of the world 
 as not abusing them ;"t he lives a doomed man, 
 who has no longer upon the earth his home or 
 country ; after the example of his master, he bends 
 in silence before outrage and blows, but if among 
 these clamors of injustice he distinguishes a cher- 
 ished voice, if one of those whom he has brought to 
 Jesus Christ is joined to his accusers, his ardor is 
 aroused, his heart bleeds, and full of grief he claims 
 the affection of his children, or rather, he elevates 
 his humbled head with pride, and exclaims, " From 
 henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in 
 
 * 2 Timothy, i. 8, 12. Philippians, i. 20—24 ; ii 27, 28. 
 t Philippians, i. 12—18. 1 Corinthians, iv. 8—13, 14—17. 
 t 1 Corinthians, vii. 31. 
 
182 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 my bonds the marks of the Lord Jesus. ^ We 
 might greatly multiply these contrasts of the 
 heart of the apostle, if I did not fear of creating 
 weariness, by thus yielding myself to the course of 
 details. What an influence such a man possesses 
 over those whom he loves ! Is it not easy to un- 
 derstand, why men, capable, at the same time, of 
 feeling and meditating, find so great a charm in 
 reading his epistles? 
 
 I had a desire, in order to complete this investi- 
 gation, to exhibit Paul's character as displayed in 
 times of action, by some fragments of his writings, 
 and designed to analyze, for this end, the second 
 epistle to the Corinthians, one of the most remark- 
 able of St. Paul's, for its variety, its rapidity of 
 movement, and the nobleness of its sentiments. 
 But I fear lest I have already dwelt too long, and 
 must, therefore, invite my readers to make this 
 examination for themselves. I have purposely 
 avoided drawing many examples from this beautiful 
 epistle. 
 
 Are we not now able to perceive the proof which 
 results, both for the authenticity of the writings, and 
 for the good faith of the authors, from the agreement 
 of these four characters. They are all varied, 
 original, distinguished from each other by their 
 manner of perceiving and presenting religion to 
 their disciples, and yet, at the same time are perfectly 
 
 * Galatians. vi. 17. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 183 
 
 united in design, in sentiment, and in hope. What 
 stronger proof do we demand for the authenticity 
 of their writings, than this original and decided 
 diversity joined to so strong a union ? What better 
 guarantee can we have, for their entire sincerity, 
 than that holiness of principle and life, that simpli- 
 city of speech, that forgetfulness of self, that language 
 of the heart, that elevation of sentiment and desire, 
 that ardent charity, which, notwithstanding their 
 differences, so strongly characterize all ? 
 
 As a critic and Christian, no study was ever 
 more interesting to me, than that in which I am 
 now engaged, or more strongly served to strengthen 
 my faith in the holy messengers of Christ. In 
 analyzing their writings, and in discovering at each 
 page such sincere sentiments and holy virtues, it 
 appears as if I had been peculiarly privileged to 
 read these great souls, and closely admire such 
 pure and devoted men. I seem to behold and hear 
 them repeat the precepts of that Saviour whom they 
 glorified by their life and death. 
 
CHAPTER THIRD. 
 
 i 
 
 SPECIAL NATURE OF THE WRITINGS. 
 
 We cannot expect here to arrive at a complete 
 examination. Minute details would take up too 
 much room and carry us too far from our pre- 
 scribed course. The preceding section moreover 
 has in part accomplished the design of this. Our 
 task will then be limited to a few words upon each 
 of the apostolic writings, such as are necessary to 
 .enable the reader the better to understand the posi- 
 tion and design of the writer. We will class them 
 in separate groups according to their analogy. 
 
 I. — Epistles relative to the Jewish Christians. 
 
 In all these, Paul wrestled more or less against 
 the tendency of these men, to restore the servitude 
 and ceremonials of the Mosaic law; against the 
 importance which they attached to the externals of 
 religion ; against the divisions which they intro- 
 duced into the church ; and finally against the re- 
 sistance which they sometimes opposed to the au- 
 thority of the apostle, pretending to rest in prefer- 
 
AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 185 
 
 ence upon that of James or Peter. Paul is the 
 special preacher of the Gentiles, the defender of 
 their right to the Christian faith, and consequently 
 the forced adversary of the Jewish Christians, their 
 attachment to the Mosaic law, and their stubborn- 
 ness in endeavoring to make it a condition and 
 means of safety. The apostle also vindicates the 
 faith in Jesus Christ, the faith of the heart, the 
 faith which purifies, improves and saves. He 
 claims for himself the authority which belongs to 
 him, and which some endeavored in vain to dis- 
 pute. It is principally these epistles which have 
 caused Paul to be regarded as the special apostle 
 of justification by faith. 
 
 They carry, moreover, the proof of their authen- 
 ticity even in their object. In what other period 
 would the question of the pre-eminence of Mosaic 
 ceremonialism have been discussed with such 
 warmth ? 
 
 The first of these epistles was that to the Gala- 
 tians. It is addressed to a poor and ignorant people 
 of Phrygia, of Gaulic origin, and whom Paul had 
 twice visited. He learnt that in his absence the 
 doctrines of the Jewish Christians had taken the 
 place of the faith formerly preached by himself, 
 and in the trouble of his soul he hastily wrote to 
 them in order to recall them to the true gospel.^ 
 
 * This epistle was written on Paul's third missionary tour to 
 the churches of Asia Minor. His first mission took place about 
 the year 45, A. D. He was sent by the elders of the church at 
 
186 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 The epistles to the Corinthians follow. In order 
 to understand it correctly, it is necessary to distin- 
 guish two parts and two designs, in conformity 
 with the different views, by which Paul had been 
 instructed in the wants and afflictions of the 
 church. He had learned indirectly its discords 
 and disorders, and in the first part is grieved and 
 rebukes, but with hesitation as not being well as- 
 sured upon the state of things. He had received 
 from the Corinthians a direct message and various 
 questions upon discipline ; in the remainder of the 
 epistle he answers them with considerable detail, 
 not however without returning at times to his 
 
 Antioch, as a messenger to the Gentiles. On this mission he 
 was accompanied by Barnabas, and visited Cyprus, Perga, An- 
 tioch in Pisidia, Lystra, Derbe and Attalia. Upon his return to 
 Antioch he discovered that some Jewish Christians had arrived 
 from Jerusalem and by the preaching of their doctrines had ex- 
 ' cited considerable disturbance. It was important therefore that 
 the question in dispute between them should be definitely settled. 
 Paul and Barnabas were accordingly sent to Jerusalem to lay 
 the subject before the apostles. The elders and apostles decided 
 that the Christian religion was a universal religion and that the 
 observance of the ceremonial law was not necessary for salva- 
 tion. This was an important decision, especially for Paul, who 
 after this could bring forward the authority of the apostles to 
 support his own preaching. The Jewish Christians, however, 
 who thought differently continued their bitter opposition. 
 Shortly afterwards, Paul, in company with Silas, undertook his 
 second journey. (53 A. D.) They first visited the churches 
 founded on Paul's first mission, and passed onward to Galatia 
 and Troas, on the western coast of Africa. From thence they 
 went to Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth. 
 
 In the year 57, Paul commenced his third mission. He went 
 first to Galatia and from thence to Enhesus, where he resided 
 more than two years. It was at this time and from this place 
 that the epistle to the Galatians was written. From Ephesus, 
 Paul proceeded to Macedonia, Corinth, Philippi, Miletus and 
 about the year 60, A. D., arrived at Jerusalem. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 187 
 
 griefs, and raising himself at intervals with his 
 ordinary vigor, to the great doctrines of faith by 
 which he is constantly occupied. Chapter thir- 
 teenth is perhaps the most beautiful lesson of virtue, 
 and chapter fifteenth the most remarkable doctrinal 
 explanation, which can be found in the apostolic 
 writings. 
 
 The epistle to the Romans was written after- 
 wards. It is worthy of attention for its length, its 
 method, its importance, its sublime lessons of piety, 
 and its eloquent and practical teachings which the 
 reader meets at every moment. It is addressed to 
 a church divided into two parts, by the Jewish 
 Christians. It humbles their arrogance in calling 
 to mind the equality of all men before the compas- 
 sions of God, and the efficacy, the superiority of 
 the Christian faith designed by God himself to save 
 the earth. 
 
 II. — Epistle to the Hebrews, 
 
 Although addressed to the Jewish Christians, 
 this epistle cannot be united to the preceding, being 
 distinguished from them by its design. 
 
 In the midst of the political fermentation, which 
 was a prelude to the revolt of the Hebrews against 
 the Romans and aroused their patriotism, the 
 Christians of Palestine seemed sometimes to regret 
 the worship of their fathers, and the pomp of the 
 temple. Paul, or his secretary wrote to them, in 
 
188 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 order to animate their zeal, extol their privileges, 
 and recall to their mind the superiority of the faith 
 of the Son of God over that ceremonial law, which 
 had for its ministers only men and angels. 
 
 III. — Epistles to the churches of Asia Minor. 
 
 The ground is here changed and the design 
 different. St. Paul unfolds his lessons in a manner 
 less polemical, and brings before us the whole doc- 
 trine and morality of the revelation of Christ. He 
 has nevertheless opponents in view, but he attacks 
 them indirectly and by allusion. They are with- 
 out the pale of the church, and if they threaten to 
 corrupt it, they cannot inflict so great an injury as 
 the Jewish Christians. These new opponents are 
 the first Gnostics, the inheritors of the doctrines of 
 - the East, united to the platonist philosophy. They 
 seek, like the apostle, to elevate man above the 
 earth and direct his thoughts to God, but they do 
 not understand the maladies of the heart which 
 they wish to cure, they remove the Word of Christ 
 and nourish vain chimeras. The apostle contends 
 with them in an indirect manner; he borrows 
 sometimes their expressions in order to bring them 
 to a more exact meaning, as St. John has done in 
 his gospel. 
 
 The group includes the epistle to the Ephesians 
 and that to the Colossians. Paul wrote them in 
 prison at Rome and sent them by the same ship. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1S9 
 
 They are almost identical in their plan, their de- 
 sign, their argument, and sometimes even in their 
 phrases. But the first is the more extended; it is 
 also more general, being a circular addressed to 
 several churches of Asia Minor. The other on 
 the contrary was sent directly to the church of the 
 Colossians and is of a more particular character. 
 
 IV. — Epistles to the well beloved Churches. 
 
 I venture to place under this head the epistles to 
 the Thessalonians and Philippians, churches re- 
 markable for the confidence and affection which St. 
 Paul bears towards them and for the joy which 
 they inspire. In these epistles he does not cen- 
 sure ; he encourages and warns, his heart is open- 
 ed by confidence and he is all tenderness. Happy 
 Macedonia, whose churches merit such eulogiums 
 and were the objects of such love. VTe cannot dis- 
 cover here any certain traces of Jewish Christians 
 or Gnostics, 
 
 The epistles to the Thessalonians were written 
 before all the other epistles of St Paul. The first 
 was designed to strengthen the rising church in the 
 midst of the storms excited by the rage of the Jews. 
 Paul who had laid the foundation was not able to 
 abide near it only three weeks : he is grieved at 
 beholding his new converts already exposed to per- 
 secution, but his heart is moved with joy at behold- 
 ing them firm and faithful. The second epistle, 
 
190 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 shorter and more obscure, was written a little while 
 after, for the purpose of correcting a mistake,^ the 
 cause of which we are unable to determine. The 
 second chapter has never yet been satisfactorily ex- 
 plained. Nor will we be surprised at this if we con- 
 sider that the apostle refers his readers to explana- 
 tions given orally.t Upon being understood by 
 those to whom he addresses himself, he appears to 
 have some motive in not expressing himself more 
 clearly. 
 
 The epistle to the Philippians was written ten 
 years after, in the prison of Nero. It is an effusion 
 full of the tenderness and confidence of a father 
 writing to his beloved children, whose love he has 
 proved, whose gifts he has received, and to whom 
 he wishes to give counsel. He writes with too 
 great an intimacy and freedom to seek a plan. 
 But in return, what useful and sublime lessons do 
 we receive from the mouth of the apostle. t 
 
 V. — Epistles to the Bishops of the Church. 
 
 The nature of the subject calls the same apostle 
 to new precepts, and gives to those epistles a par- 
 ticular interest. All three appear to have been 
 written at a late period and after the book of the 
 Acts was completed. The exact time is not easy 
 to determine. They make allusion to the presence 
 
 * 2 Thess. ii. 2. t 2 Thess. ii. 5, 6. 
 
 t See, in particular, chapters ii. iii. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT, 191 
 
 of the Gnostics and the dangers by which the 
 church is menaced. The epistle of Titus and the 
 first to Timothy appear to have been written at the 
 same epoch on account oi the close resemblance. 
 The second to Timothy, is written as it were, at 
 the entrance of the bloody arena where Paul nar- 
 rowly escaped immolation. It terminates by a cry 
 of deliverance from the martyr apostle^ at the sight 
 of the crown of justice. We can unite to these 
 three epistles the introduction of the apocalypset 
 which addresses such solemn lessons to the bish- 
 ops of Asia. The whole ought to be the man- 
 ual of the minister of Jesus Christ. 
 
 VI. — Particular Epistles written to Individuals. 
 
 The epistle to Philemon and the second and 
 third of John, were not addressed to the church. 
 They are indebted to the useful lessons they unfold 
 and to the known inspiration of their authors for 
 their insertion into the canon. They all truly dis- 
 play to us their authority ; that to Philemon will 
 be an eternal witness of the mildness, charity and 
 tenderness of St. Paul.t 
 
 * 2 Tim. iv. 6—8. t Apoc. i. iii. 
 
 t " This delightful little epistle," says Olshausen. il so clearly 
 exhibits ail the characteristics of the great apostle, and is so 
 utterly free from everything which would make it probable that 
 any person could have a motive in forging it. that no one would, 
 ever entertain the idea of denying that Paul was its author. 
 Philemon, to whom the epistle is addressed, probably lived in 
 Colosse, for that Archippus, who held an office in the church at 
 
192 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 VII.— The Catholic Epistles. 
 
 This title, even, is somewhat obscure, and we 
 are not certain of the meaning given to it by the 
 first collectors of the canon. It is generally believed 
 that it served to characterize the destination of the 
 epistles of James, Peter, Jude and John, addressed 
 as they were, to whole regions or the universal 
 church, while those of Paul were sent to a single 
 church. 
 
 What we have already said concerning the most 
 remarkable of the writings leaves little to be added. 
 
 The epistle of James is addressed from Jerusalem 
 to the twelve scattered tribes,^ that is to say, to the 
 Jews who have become Christians dispersed 
 throughout Asia, and whose rallying point was 
 ' Jerusalem. His frequent allusions to passages of 
 St. Paul, to his doctrines and his arguments, give 
 us reason to believe that James had some design of 
 
 Colosse appears here as his son, and Appia, as his wife. (Phil. 
 v. 2.) Paul wrote this epistle, likewise in confinement (v. 13,) 
 and sends salutations from all those who, according to the Acts 
 and the epistle to the Colossians, were in his vicinity, (v. 23, 24.) 
 Onesimus, who had fled from the relation of bondage which he 
 had sustained towards Philemon in Colosse, Paul sends back to 
 his master, whom he informs that his slave had been led by him 
 to obey the gospel • so that Philemon is to receive back again as 
 a brother, him whom he had lost as a slave. The whole of this 
 small epistle comprises, indeed, no important doctrinal contents ; 
 but it is an exhibition of interior, deep feeling, and delicate re- 
 gard to circumstances on the part of the apostle, and as such has 
 always been very dear and valuable to the church. (Fosdick's 
 Translation.) 
 
 * James i. 1 . 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 193 
 
 rendering them more clear and preventing their 
 abuse. James placed too much importance in 
 sanctification and works, to permit, against these 
 doctrines, the abuse of a too absolute or partial 
 interpretation of any passages of St. Paul. 
 
 The first epistle of Peter is addressed from Bab- 
 ylon to the Jews, who had become Christians, dis- 
 persed throughout Asia Minor. The apostle 
 appears to have written to them after the burning 
 of Rome, in the height of the persecution which 
 followed, and when he was fearful for their safety. 
 It is against these that he had previously labored to 
 strengthen them. This epistle contains allusions 
 and even quotations from those of Paul and James. 
 
 As to the second of Peter, it appears to be ad- 
 dressed to the same men, but the place, the time 
 and the design are uncertain. What is more re- 
 markable, it is in singular agreement with the 
 epistle of Jude which it has imitated or rather de- 
 veloped.* Both of these epistles contend against 
 the deceitful teachers, probably more or less Gnos- 
 tical, who endeavored to corrupt Christianity. 
 
 The epistle of Jude is not much clearer than the 
 second of Peter, of which it is, as it were, the 
 counter part. But it is shorter, and the study of 
 the internal character of both places its authenticity 
 beyond doubt. Moreover, notwithstanding its ex- 
 treme brevity, it has been quoted by numerous 
 
 * 2 Peter ii. 
 
 13 
 
194 AUTHENTICITY OJ 
 
 learned men among the church. It contains strik- 
 ing passages,^ and has in the favor of its authen- 
 ticity, many more internal and external proofs, 
 than we ought to expect fo ra letter so brief. 
 
 VIII. — Apocalypse of John. 
 
 This prophetic writing will detain us but a short 
 time. Its obscurity sometimes recalls the second 
 chapter of the second epistle to the Thessalonians, 
 and is partly owing to the same causes. Its con- 
 tents alone, have given rise to questions concerning 
 its authenticity, as is proved by the origin and his- 
 tory of doubts. In making an examination, we 
 are convinced that this writing has in its favor 
 numerous historical testimonies and internal evi- 
 dences. It is evidently designed to elevate the 
 courage of Christians, broken down by persecution, 
 and to promise a final triumph to the afflicted 
 Church. Chapters second and third furnish as 
 useful lessons as any other part of the New Testa- 
 ment ; and the remainder, though less clear, is far 
 from being deprived of instructive lessons. In the 
 midst of the solemn and fearful obscurities of this 
 mysterious book ; among the animated and nume- 
 rous imitations of the prophets of the ancient faith, 
 the faithful, capable of perceiving, and resigned to 
 
 * See in particular, verses 20 and 21, a complete and concise 
 summary of the Christian life. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 195 
 
 their not being able to comprehend the whole, have 
 found enough to nourish their piety and quicken 
 their hopes. Is it possible to forget the grandeur, 
 the beauty, the purity of some figures, under which 
 this book represents to us the happiness of heaven, 
 and the celestial world of spirits ? 
 
PART THIRD. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ENTIRE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 
 
PART THIRD. 
 
 PROPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE ENTIRE 
 
 CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 After having examined separately the Gospels and the Epistles, 
 it will be necessary now to give explanations and proofs relative 
 to the whole. But the design and the limits of this small trea- 
 tise, will not permit me to stop long at this task. I can only 
 copy or abridge several good works, with which my readers 
 ought to be acquainted. 
 
 1 shall limit myself, in this third part, as in the two preceding, 
 to certain indications or known bonds of union, which I shall 
 attempt to render clear and useful. These will have a bearing 
 rather upon the books themselves, than upon their doctrines. 
 
 I propose, then : 
 
 1. To unfold some tokens of the divinity of the New Testa- 
 ment, drawn from the nature and design of the book. 
 
 2. To lay down some of the principal criticisms of interpreta- 
 tion, designed to prevent doubts rather than to combat objections. 
 If the application of these principles is able to remove the obscu- 
 rity and uncertainty of which some of the readers of the New 
 Testament greatly complain, I shall as well have served the 
 cause of this book, as if I had defended it against more metho- 
 dical and learned attacks. 
 
200 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 DIRECT PROOF. 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 NATURE OF THE BOOK DRAWN FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF 
 ITS ORIGIN. 
 
 The book which we are examining, is the fruit 
 of a religious revolution. It had its birth in the 
 midst of a violent crisis, when all minds were deeply 
 agitated ; it endeavored to effect a complete and 
 sudden change in the ideas and sentiments of the 
 age. It had its origin, moreover, among a people 
 having but little learning or experience, and its 
 authors belonged, in general, to this class. This 
 book, consequently, ought to carry a deep impres- 
 sion of this state of affairs. And surely a reader 
 but little skilled in such matters, will perceive, 
 without difficulty, a faithful image of the opinions, 
 agitations, and views of the society, in the bosom of 
 which it was written. Its origin was encompassed 
 by all those circumstances most fit to raise the ideas 
 and sentiments above their common sphere, and 
 place them beyond the line of truth and good 
 sense. Persecution surrounded the authors of this 
 work, and martyrdom was continually presented to 
 their view. They believed that the end of the world 
 was near at hand, they abandoned to the poor their 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 201 
 
 goods, and changed not only their religion, but 
 their profession, habits, and country. They had, 
 for the most part, received no education, and had 
 none of that experience of the world which would 
 have aided them in judging of their new position. 
 They believed, moreover, that they had the power 
 of working miracles, and beheld them frequently 
 performed in the name, and by the authority of 
 that Christ, whom they declared that they were 
 commissioned to announce. They were convinced 
 of the possession of divine inspiration, and that 
 God spoke by their mouth and that of others. 
 Some wish to suppose that they were,»in part, or 
 altogether, imposters — a supposition, nevertheless, 
 the most absurd of all ; no one can deny, at least, that 
 the Christian society of which they were the mem- 
 bers, did not believe in a divine inspiration imparted 
 to a great number of its members, and often com- 
 municated to ne^ T prophets, and that it was not met 
 with, in perfection, under the circumstances just 
 related. This fact is sufficient, and I would ask 
 all enlightened men the following question : In the 
 natural order of things what ought to be the spirit 
 of a book, written by different members of a society 
 in the epoch of its most violent fermentation ? 
 What idea would it give us of its authors, and of 
 the sect which brought it into existence ? Every 
 learned man, who, without having read the New 
 Testament, is acquainted with history and the 
 
202 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 human heart, would instantly answer, (i This book 
 will surely give the idea of a society in the utmost 
 confusion, or perhaps may mingle some beautiful 
 sentiments with ridiculous precepts, grotesque ac- 
 tions and public madness. We shall see, probably, 
 a skilful imposition, bearing, nevertheless, the 
 impressions of fanaticism, in order to disguise the 
 fraud. We shall, moreover, behold ridiculous 
 boastings, and gigantic projects without results. 
 In this society, we shall undoubtedly behold men 
 out of their senses, women and children in extacies, 
 admiring a host of unintelligible prophecies, and 
 performing the most extraordinary, foolish, and 
 wicked actions. In connexion with acts of devo- 
 tion and virtue, we shall not fail of observing 
 selfish frauds and unlicensed disorder, under the 
 mask of inspiration and charity. 
 
 In one word, this society, its leaders and its 
 books, will give to us exactly such a spectacle as 
 all religious societies, similarly placed, have pre- 
 sented." 
 
 Now let any one open the New Testament, and 
 study the book of the Acts, in order to judge of the 
 state of society, and the epistles in order to judge 
 of the writers, let him compare his expectations, 
 with what he finds, and then if he can, reveal this 
 enigma, by any other word than Inspiration ; — 
 the inspiration of the men and consequently of the 
 books. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 203 
 
 The four distinguishing traits which have been 
 sketched in the second part of this book, relieve 
 me from the necessity of developing this assertion, 
 as respects the epistles. The book of the Acts, 
 also, is not less remarkable for the picture which it 
 furnishes of the first Christian society. These 
 men, whose head and heart would have been 
 troubled, agitated, and exalted almost to madness, 
 if they had been common persons, are models of 
 wisdom, calmness and moderation. They believed, 
 it is true, that they were inspired to work miracles, 
 but it has never been proved that they were wrong 
 in thus believing. They believed that they were 
 inspired, but at the same time they declared in 
 their discourses that faith is nothing without char- 
 ity, and that this is even preferable. These men, 
 so devoted and desirous of another life, are, on the 
 other hand, full of patience and judgment. They 
 do not hesitate, at the first call, to leap into the 
 arena of martyrdom, but at the same time they 
 know how to watch prudently over a life, which, 
 can yet be useful to their brothers. I entreat my 
 reader to examine the twentyseventh chapter of 
 the Acts, and then to ask himself whether he finds 
 the wisdom, presence of mind and good sense with, 
 the sailors or St. Paul? 
 
204 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 DESTINY OF THE BOOK. 
 
 In the midst of a religious crisis some ignorant 
 peasants to whom are joined, it is true, two men, 
 endowed with an incomplete and badly directed edu- 
 cation, undertake to make several books. Some of 
 their number relate those things which they have 
 beheld, and the others write that which they had 
 formerly preached. This work is made without 
 agreement and without concert. Their narrations 
 and epistles have no plan. They die, and others 
 take the pains of collecting these writings, even 
 those the most scattered, forming a work the least 
 methodical and labored, perhaps, which has ever 
 existed. This book is the New Testament. 
 
 Now, according to all human probability, what 
 will be the destiny of this book ? 
 
 If by some remarkable accident it has obtained 
 success, it will be withqut doubt partial and mo- 
 mentary, resulting from curiosity and fanaticism. 
 At least in a short time the book will be neglected, 
 and coming ages bringing new knowledge and 
 ideas will bury it in eternal oblivion, or it will 
 remain as one of those literary curiosities w 7 hich 
 obtain almost all their value from their singularity 
 and uselessness. 
 
 How different is the reality. The book lives 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 205 
 
 and occupies the first rank even in the midst of a 
 developing- and progressive civilization. While the 
 works of the greatest geniuses have become obso- 
 lete, are regarded as more curious than useful, or 
 are known only to learned men, this book is in the 
 hands of the whole world, it is found alike with the 
 monarch, the peasant, the old, the young, the 
 learned and the ignorant. An immense number of 
 sincere and enlightened persons read it not only 
 once or twice, as they would any other work, but 
 every day and throughout their whole life ; they 
 affirm that they feel at each reading a greater inter- 
 est, and discover new ideas and more sublime 
 beauties. 
 
 This is not an affair of fanaticism or party ; par- 
 ties and fanaticism do not exist for eighteen hun- 
 dred years. Sometimes the world has neglected 
 this book, but never without repentance, and sooner 
 or later returning to it with yet more eagerness and 
 profit. It has also been attacked with much ani- 
 mosity by men who undertook to diminish its glory 
 and stay its success. They have by turns employ- 
 ed ridicule and argument, science and frivolity, and 
 have raised in its opposition the most powerful and 
 contagious passions. They have pronounced their 
 blasphemy amid the shoutings of a crowd of enthu- 
 siasts, which have been repeated by a delirious mul- 
 titude. But this triumph lasted only for a day. 
 These bold adversaries are dead and the book 
 
206 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 lives. Modern ages, however, witnesses and judg- 
 es of these contentions, are, in reality, judges of 
 books the most noble and most difficult which have 
 ever been beheld. Wo to the writer who without 
 style and method, undertakes to find a public and 
 readers. The New Testament has neither method 
 nor style, and yet it reigns with more power over 
 our age than over preceding generations. In one 
 word, at the end of eighteen hundred years this 
 book is as applicable, as important, and as respected 
 as in the first ages of the church. It is even more 
 so, because being contemplated from a greater dis- 
 tance and by more enlightened spectators, its unity 
 and characteristic features are more readily seized. 
 Its cotemporaries have termed it an inspired book ; 
 since then sixty generations have passed away and 
 the civilized world bestows upon it the same name. 
 Profound and impartial thinkers declare that of all 
 existing books it is that which contains the most 
 useful truths and the true philosophy. I do not 
 know, for my own part, how to explain this pheno- 
 menon only by divine inspiration, and this proof 
 alone is able to satisfy me. If I had nothing else to 
 rely upon in favor of this great doctrine, the mira- 
 cles, the predictions, the rapid success of the relig- 
 ion, the character of Christ, that of the apostles, 
 and their declarations and martyrdom, this fact 
 of the destiny of the book, with its moral and intel- 
 lectual excellence in conjunction with the incapacity 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 207 
 
 of its authors would alone convince me. I know 
 by whom this book has been made, I know also 
 what the Jews were able to accomplish at this 
 epoch ; I study this book and I behold it in agree- 
 ment with the wants of our learned and skilful age, 
 I perceive it at the head of civilization, still serving 
 as a guide to the human race. I see that in- 
 stead of tending to bring me back to those ages 
 of ignorance in which it was written, it urges me 
 onward towards an indefinite progress in know- 
 ledge, virtue and philanthropy. I behold it finally, 
 not Jewish, as its authors, but universal, eternal, 
 celestial. My conviction is hence absolute, and I 
 name it with respect, the Word of God. 
 
 One other analogous fact impresses still more 
 strongly this conviction. This book is not only 
 the most extraordinary in its nature and its success, 
 it is also that which has diffused the greatest num- 
 ber of benefits over the earth. For eighteen hun- 
 dred years wherever it has been carried, that is to 
 say, into the bosom of almost every civilized society, 
 it has comforted the afflicted, opened the heart to 
 hope, prevented misfortunes and crimes, and given 
 birth to numerous virtues. In dungeons and pala- 
 ces, cities and deserts, in the abodes of innocence and 
 the asylums of repentance, it alike consoles and 
 sanctifies ; in the hours of danger and death all 
 those who have been faithful prove its power, and 
 their grief is changed to joy. We have seen the 
 
208 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 sailor about to sink into the depths of the ocean, 
 the traveller expiring on the sands of the desert, 
 and the soldier called to immolate himself for his 
 country, in recalling some lines to their remem- 
 brance, meet their end with serenity and hope. 
 The balm of all wounds, it wipes away all tears, 
 subdues temptation and when any good work is to 
 be performed, is present to promise and act. It is 
 moreover, upon the poor, the humble, the oppressed, 
 and the miserable, that it sheds its benefits. It is 
 the first book which is principally and decidedly 
 engaged in their interests. The master has de« 
 clared this and has made it a striking characteristic 
 of his new religion. " Go and show these things 
 which ye do hear and see. The blind receive their 
 sight, and the lame walk ; the lepers are cleansed 
 and the deaf hear ; the dead are raised up, and the 
 poor have the gospel preached to them." Before 
 insulting this book, let the incredulous and ration- 
 alist declare what benefits of a like nature, have 
 been the result of their writings or doctrines. If 
 they have a heart to feel, before publishing their 
 doubts, their sophisms or their subtilties let them 
 remember the consolations, the virtues, and the 
 hopes which have been scattered by this book, for 
 many ages, over millions of unfortunate beings 
 whom the world has abandoned; and then let 
 them blush that they have arisen not to bless but to 
 curse, and have, as it were, constituted themselves 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 209 
 
 the representatives of all the ingratitude of the 
 human family. 
 
 Society is not under less obligation to this book 
 than individuals. It has preached to man, peace, 
 equality of laws, respect for mankind, brotherly 
 love, zeal for the general good. It has introduced 
 those truths which sooner or later grow and yield 
 fruit, and those movements of public spirit and hu- 
 manity which have excited humble, private indi- 
 viduals, to devote their lives, in diminishing the 
 sufferings of the great family of man. 
 
 There is no abuse in human society which this 
 book has not condemned, by its spirit. There is no 
 real amelioration which it has not called forth by 
 its tendencies and effects. It has been the most 
 powerful and holy source, of that enlarged and 
 beautiful social philosophy, which respects in man, 
 that which he has a right to be, and can become, and 
 which claims for all, the greatest possible know- 
 ledge and happiness. Religion, it is true, has been 
 accused of great evils, but we all know, that the 
 gospel, instead of being an accomplice, labors to 
 prevent them. It is only when it has been forgot- 
 ten or neglected, that religion has wandered. 
 
 And can this remarkable book be the work of 
 simple Galilean mountaineers, when Socrates or 
 Plato never produced or dreamed of such truths ? 
 Indeed in order to be satisfied with such a solution, 
 it is necessary to become, I do not say very skepti- 
 " 14 
 
210 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 cal, but on the contrary very credulous. What an 
 idea does this give us of the good sense of the hu- 
 man family, when man can believe that such poor 
 instruments have exercised such an influence. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 TRIUMPHS OF THE BOOK. 
 
 I have in view two different periods when this 
 book has obtained remarkable victories, notwith- 
 standing the energy of opposition or improbability 
 of success. 
 
 The first is that of the reformation. A period 
 when ignorance was universal, religion perverted 
 and this book forgotten. As soon as a return of 
 knowledge caused it to be restudied, this circum- 
 stance, alone, produced a revolution, which changed 
 the face of the Christian world. Multiplied pow- 
 ers and interests resisted and endeavored to restrain 
 the torrent. The power of priests, the interest of 
 despotism, the terror of innovations, the superstition 
 of the multitude, and inveterate habits, protected at 
 once by ignorance, violence and passion, were the 
 obstacles to be surmounted. But the book was more 
 powerful than all. It was known and placed upon 
 its throne. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 211 
 
 Since the establishment of Christianity, never had 
 a like revolution of opinions taken place. The tri- 
 umph under consideration was obtained in an age 
 of ignorance. There is another, less brilliant, 
 without doubt, but yet worthy of attention, which 
 has been obtained in our days over an incredulous 
 age. Both of these events are due to the same 
 cause — a book. From whence comes this great 
 power ? 
 
 I do not wish to speak of the holy movements 
 which deeply agitated the religious community, 
 and brought it indeed to the foot of the cross. It is 
 one of the incidents of this regeneration alone, 
 which I wish to call to mind, and that which most 
 nearly relates to this very book. I mean the suc- 
 cess of biblical societies. This is not indeed pre- 
 cisely a victory or a miracle, it is not even a proof; 
 but it is an event which supposes a particular ope- 
 ration of Providence and seems to indicate a visible 
 blessing upon the book of his choice. 
 
 It is now eighteen years, since a few religious 
 friends who had accidentally met together, resolved 
 upon the project of sending some Bibles to a poor 
 country. This idea was executed, extended, and 
 the Bible society founded* Feeble at its commence- 
 ment, silent in its progress, this obscure association 
 found itself, ere it was aware, active, influential 
 and powerful. Its steps from the beginning were 
 surrounded by obstacles. At the first rumor of its 
 
212 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 existence a thousand voices cried in unison, that 
 the enterprise was useless, extravagant and absurd ; 
 these general objections, however, died away be- 
 fore the record of its transactions. Some resisted 
 the new society, indirectly, by a silent repugnance, 
 and directly by open attacks. The incredulous re- 
 garded it with pity, the crowd of Christians could 
 not appreciate its greatness, and the leaders of the 
 church feared its invading march and the false 
 views of many of its friends. It pursued its way, 
 however, enlarging at every step like the shadow 
 cast by the setting sun. Wherever it was intro- 
 duced, without external force, and without any 
 other power than its book, the same obstacles were 
 presented, over which it triumphed with the same 
 success. The right, and even the false views of 
 some of its defenders, were not able to injure it. 
 In less than ten years its cause was gained ; it ex- 
 tended its arms over two worlds, uniting Europe to 
 India, and Lapland to Otaheite. Its revenues are 
 those of an empire, and its pacific armies have 
 overrun Christian Europe, and are still on the 
 march. 
 
 This success is, certainly, such as no one would 
 have expected, not even the founders of the society, 
 much less its enemies. We would ask the inge- 
 nious men of the age to unriddle this enigma. 
 
 According to our belief, the solution is to be 
 found, as in the times of the reformation, in the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 213 
 
 book and in Providence ; in the great power of this 
 book to which the world has given its faith, and ill 
 the will of God to preserve and bless it. 
 
 The Biblical Society has drawn its power from 
 one principle alone — that of not adding to the 
 Bible one word of human explanation, but leaving 
 the book to perform its work unaided. This prin- 
 ciple unites the association to the book alone. It 
 is isolated from human passionSj in order that it 
 maybe supported upon Christ and his book. From 
 hence it results, that the strength of the association 
 is no other than that of the holy book, and that it is 
 necessary to attribute to this the triumphs of that. 
 This principle has not yet produced all its fruits. 
 It has not even been generally understood. Its 
 consequences seem often as difficult to be foreseen 
 by the defenders as by the enemies of the biblical 
 cause. I have the hope that at some future day 
 they will be displayed over the whole face of the 
 Christian world ; for this principle is not of those 
 which tarry in their progress, and there is no sec- 
 tarian barrier which it ought not necessarily to 
 break. But we will leave the future to Providence, 
 and content ourselves in admiring what it has ac- 
 complished before our eyes. 
 
 Often forgotten, sometimes misconstrued, this 
 principle has not less efficaciously and constantly 
 labored, in bringing into brotherly union those men, 
 who, without this aid, would have been engaged in 
 
214 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 a vindictive war. It has placed in agreement be- 
 lievers of all countries and all communions, and has 
 united them in the same action, (I had almost said 
 sanctuary,) astonished and excited in finding them- 
 selves aiding instead of contending with each other. 
 From hence victory must come. In this principle 
 is the necessary pledge and real instrument of 
 success. The only obstacles a little formidable 
 which the biblical society has encountered, the only 
 real checks it has experienced, the only dangers 
 which yet threaten it, are real or presumed blows 
 given to the principle from which it draws its gran- 
 deur and its life. The members of the society are 
 only men, but the principle and the book are divine. 
 From hence a new consequence is derived. With 
 the inevitable imperfections of those, who extended 
 the bible societies to a great distance, and the luke- 
 warmness and incredulity of the people with whom 
 they were founded, it is necessary, in order to ex- 
 plain such a rapid and wonderful success, to 
 attribute it to something more than the divinity of 
 the principle and the book. We can attribute it 
 only to the special intervention of Providence, by 
 whom it has been given to man as the depository 
 of the means of salvation. Without this interven- 
 tion, the problem cannot be entirely solved. In an 
 undertaking so beautiful and holy, and which 
 thirty years since seemed so strange, the Christian 
 cannot but behold the divine operation, the indif- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 216 
 
 ferent cannot prevent himself from being amazed, 
 and the incredulous ought at least to be astonished 
 in beholding human probabilities thus confounded. 
 The considerations developed in this chapter, are 
 not, I acknowledge, rigorous demonstrations. But 
 is he a sensible or impartial man who can forget 
 the force of sueh circumstances ? Is he worthy 
 of the name of a philosopher, who is determined to 
 see nothing but what is accidental, and of human 
 contrivance, in the origin, spirit, destiny, and tri- 
 umphs of the New Testament? 
 
CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 THE REMOVAL OF DOUBTS AND OBSCURITIES. 
 
 Among those who read the Bible, nothing is more 
 common than false ideas upon its true nature, 
 causing doubts and obscurities which even sincere 
 and convinced Christians lament. 
 
 We will endeavor to discover the origin of these 
 sad errors. I think that they arise from three 
 sources : 
 
 1. A misunderstanding of the nature of the 
 inspiration of the sacred writers. 
 
 2. A misunderstanding of the nature of their 
 language. 
 
 3. A misunderstanding of the nature of their 
 lessons. 
 
 If, in the development of these three causes, I 
 am led into some details a little foreign to the pre- 
 cise subject of this chapter, I hope, at least, they 
 will not be irrelevant to its ultimate design. I 
 propose to place my readers in. a situation to read 
 the Bible with profit, and interpret it with wisdom. 
 Indulgence will, therefore, I hope be extended to 
 those digressions which tend to this result. 
 
AUTHENTICITY, ETC. 217 
 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 ERHOHS UPON THE NATURE OF THE INSPIRATION OF THE 
 SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 We have here one of the most common sources 
 of those confused objections, which arise in the 
 mind of religious readers, and which, suppressed 
 rather than resolved, often return to trouble their 
 piety, and strike with barrenness their studies. 
 When, in reading the Bible, a singular image, an 
 obscure phrase, a careless expression, the least his- 
 torical contradiction, or such other trace of human- 
 ity is observed, the reader, who, under the title of 
 " The Word of God," seeks in the text lessons 
 addressed from God to him, without any marks of 
 human agency, is astonished and grieved, and 
 begins, it may be, to doubt ; but wherefore ? only 
 because he expects from divine inspiration what he 
 ought not to expect, and what, very wisely, did not 
 enter into the views of God. I refer my readers 
 to what I have formerly said upon the same sub- 
 ject, and with the same design, in a former volume.^ 
 Without entering, in this place, into the same 
 details, I will, however recall the principles and 
 apply them to the New Testament. 
 
 Inspiration enlightened, directed, and improved 
 holy men, but it did not transform them. It refined 
 
 * De ^origine authentique et divine de PAncien Testament^ 
 p. 239—259. 
 
218 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 and enlarged their minds; it purified, and, so to 
 speak, consecrated that intelligence which became 
 the depository of divine thought, but it left it active 
 and capable of advancing onward towards perfection. 
 Inspiration revealed to them many new things in the 
 sacred writings, but it did not reveal to them all pos- 
 sible truths. It placed them in possession of doc- 
 trines, but it left them to instruct themselves in 
 facts. It preserved the historians from error, but, 
 although aided by it, they do not relate only that 
 which they had seen and heard, but that of which 
 they had been informed. There are those who tell 
 us this, and the first Christians confirm it. Not- 
 withstanding inspiration, the apostles preserve a 
 distinct character, and have particular powers and 
 opinions. We behold them in the Acts, doubting, 
 deliberating, acquiring information, and, upon cer- 
 tain subjects, remaining in uncertainty or ignorance. 
 
 The evangelists preserve their individuality. 
 Although inspired, they relate, each according to 
 his own manner, as they have understood and 
 remembered, with some diversity in the order and 
 detail. There is also a pledge of their good faith, 
 a character of naturalness, which, without that, 
 would have been wanting. Their narrations are 
 different, but the ground-work, the lessons, the 
 results are the same, are true, and, in so being, 
 make manifest their inspiration. 
 
 The authors of the epistles equally preserve their 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 219 
 
 individuality. Certainly Peter and Paul, James 
 and John, heirs of the same doctrine, were not 
 affected in the same manner, and did not thus 
 communicate their impressions. They were in- 
 spired, but they remained men. It is this which 
 ever gives to their character such touching and 
 varied developments. Had they become inspired 
 machines, all this would have disappeared. They 
 preserved, then, an intelligence, at the same 
 time active and circumscribed ; they could be 
 ignorant of the period of the last judgment, so as to 
 possess false ideas as to the probable nearness of 
 this great event, and have, moreover, received from 
 the Holy Spirit the certainty of its future reality. 
 In their style, in their narrations, and even in their 
 arguments, they carry some impress of their char- 
 acter, their education, and their former opinions. 
 It is here we discover one of the ordinary causes of 
 the faults of manner, language, or perspicuity, of 
 which we hear so much complaint, and through 
 which the divinity of their book is manifested with 
 so much the more splendor, for him who knows 
 how to see and think. And have they not them- 
 selves said, that this is the treasure which they 
 carry in earthen vessels.^ Instead of denying, 
 therefore, the celestial origin of the holy word, be- 
 cause it tells us in human language of divine things, 
 let us observe the operation of the Holy Spirit, in 
 
 * 2 Corinthians, iv. 7. 
 
220 AUTHENTICITY Of 
 
 the imperfection even of the instruments which it 
 has chosen. 
 
 In the second place, the God of revelation makes, 
 in the expressions, the images, and even the rea- 
 sonings of the revealed books, necessary conces- 
 sions to the limits of human intelligence. God 
 speaking to man must, in order to be understood, 
 assume the manner of a father speaking to his son, 
 a master to his scholar, or an orator to the multi- 
 tude. Truth lies not in the words but in the ideas, 
 and it is the ideas which are necessary to be under- 
 stood, seized, and retained. But it is not a philo- 
 sophical or rigorous language, which could have 
 obtained this end with the Corinthians, the Colos- 
 sians, the Hebrews, or mankind in general. There 
 was an absolute necessity for a language and train 
 of reasoning, in agreement with their intelligence, 
 without which, revelation would have failed in its 
 purpose. When Jesus Christ announced, that 
 " Many would come from the east and the west, 
 and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, 
 in the kingdom of heaven,"^ and when he recom- 
 mends to cut off an arm or pluck out an eye, 
 because " it is profitable for thee that one of thy 
 members should perish, and not that thy whole 
 body should be cast into hell,"t in this vivid, intel- 
 ligible, but plain language, he makes concessions 
 and accommodations of this nature. If, then, the 
 
 * Matthew, viii. 11. t Ibid, v. 29, 30. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT, 221 
 
 apostles employ figures common at that remote pe- 
 riod, and arguments convincing to his contempo- 
 raries, but less conclusive for our minds, they do the 
 same, and instead of being astonished, we ought to 
 recognise the necessary progress of divine wisdom 
 acting upon human intelligence. We ought to 
 distinguish the matter from the form, the ideas 
 from the plan, the perfect thought from the imper- 
 fect expression, and then we shall believe instead of 
 doubting. 
 
 In the third place, the books of the New Testa- 
 ment — destined to sanctify the whole human race 
 — were, however, more particularly addressed to 
 certain churches or to certain individuals. They 
 were written a long time after the foundation of 
 the church, successively, and in times of need ; 
 sometimes to answer questions, sometimes to con- 
 test an error, sometimes to strengthen a disheartened 
 church, and always for some particular design. 
 
 Without doubt they do not the less contain the 
 whole faith ; undoubtedly the Holy Spirit designed 
 them, at the same time, for all the disciples of 
 Christ, in all places, and in all ages. But these 
 remote disciples and future churches, have no right 
 in being astonished or lamenting, if the things 
 taught are those especially adapted to the wants of 
 their ancestors. The Christians of Corinth and 
 Thessalonica have received, it is true, more espe- 
 cial directions than ourselves, but our lot is yet 
 
222 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 sufficiently favorable, and perhaps better, for we 
 possess the instructions given to them, to others, to 
 all ; we possess the whole. We should not be 
 astonished, for instance, that Paul dwells so much 
 upon the dangerous or lawful custom of sacrificing 
 animals to idols, or upon the propriety of having 
 the head covered or uncovered in the temple. 
 There is no cause here of doubting, or of being 
 surprised even ; they are circumstances useless to 
 us, it is true ; but Paul wrote them to the Corinth- 
 ians and not to us. This must not be forgotten, 
 and then these same details, which seem so super- 
 fluous when we think of them in connection with 
 ourselves, read under this new point of view, will 
 resume their importance, and, in the faith which 
 gave them being, in the grand principles which 
 surround, in the elevated sentiments which animate 
 them, we shall easily discover the traces of divine 
 inspiration. In rightly searching, we shall also 
 discover a number of things profitable for ourselves. 
 These are incontestable and clear principles, 
 based upon an examination of the writings, that is 
 to say, upon facts. Highly applied, they bring to 
 the ground the apparently specious objections 
 against our holy books, and the facility with which 
 they cause the obscurities to disappear is not a 
 small proof in their favor. This is the inspiration 
 which the holy books themselves reveal to us, 
 which the first church had learned, which the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 223 
 
 pious and enlightened theologians of the same time 
 have explained, and which sacred criticism has 
 adopted and proved. If we withdraw in any de- 
 gree from this point of view, by attributing to the 
 expression, " Word of God," a more absolute or 
 less comprehensive signification, we shall equally 
 and necessarily fall into difficulties and contradic- 
 tions even, from which it will not be easy to with- 
 draw. Thus when any one has denied these 
 principles, he has always acted as if he admitted 
 them ; the writings of those who call them in ques- 
 tion are a proof of this. 
 
 It is more common with those who do not dare 
 exactly to deny them, to refuse to recognise them, 
 through fear of their abuse. Indeed, abuse is easy, 
 and it has been very great. With these three 
 principles, we will not deny, endeavors have been 
 made, by turns, to destroy all the doctrines of the 
 gospel, and finally to suppress the revelation. 
 This, however, is no reason for throwing ourselves 
 into the opposite extreme, and, surrounding this 
 revelation with obscurities, and removing its char- 
 acter of universality and truth, making it, in fact, 
 otherwise than it is. Let us admit the principles, 
 since they are important and incontestable, but let 
 us prevent their abuse. We cannot yield without 
 passing limits which ought to be well defined, 
 since we find truth on one side and falsehood on 
 the other. Let us seek these limits ; let us join 
 
224 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 them to the principles, and never permit them to 
 be separated. Now these limits are easy to be 
 discovered. They flow from the same source with 
 the revelation. God has supernaturally intervened 
 to declare them to man, and has caused the know- 
 ledge of them to be deposited in our holy book. 
 This is the fact ; let us contemplate the conse- 
 quences. As a divine and supernatural work 
 cannot fail in its design, we shall certainly find in 
 our holy books the work and the will of God, and 
 we can seek them with confidence, without fear 
 that they will lead us astray. Whatever, then, 
 they may possess, which is temporal, imperfect, 
 and human, can relate only to the form ; the foun- 
 dation, the design, the ideas, are divine. Let us 
 remember, then, that God was with these writers, 
 that he lent his assistance to these books, and that 
 his thoughts are there contained, and that when 
 God speaks, it is necessary to believe and obey. 
 We shall not perhaps always understand the rea- 
 sonings in the metaphors of the sacred authors, 
 but we shall see well enough when they teach or 
 when they command. Our task, then, consists in 
 seeking with sincerity of heart, what was the faith 
 which they sought to establish or diffuse, for this 
 faith ought to be our own. Our way is easy and 
 marked ; our limits are known ; what then have 
 we to fear from the principles in question, when 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 225 
 
 once thus circumscribed ? What objection, at least, 
 can be raised against their evidence ? 
 
 Let us not be deceived ; it is not in reality by 
 these principles that certain theologians have been 
 led into error. If they had been convinced, in their 
 consciences, that the revelation was divine, and that 
 God had supernaturally interposed in its promulga- 
 tion, 1 doubt very much whether these principles 
 would have appeared to them to lead to the same 
 consequences. It is evident that they did not pos- 
 sess this conviction, and the principles were only a 
 pretext. We have a proof of this in their writings. 
 
 From these developments, certain practical con- 
 sequences result, upon the manner of reading the 
 New Testament. 
 
 We ought to give but little time, and place but 
 little importance upon the explanation of obscure 
 passages. 
 
 There are, in our holy books, obscurities caused 
 by the individuality and position of the authors, 
 and that of the readers for whom these books were 
 immediately designed. But these obscurities are 
 of little importance. All that relates to the design, 
 can be comprehended without difficulty. All that 
 is universal, and calculated to touch the heart, 
 direct the conduct, and establish the faith, is clear, 
 positive, and, above all, frequently repeated. It is 
 this which ought to be cherished in preference. 
 
 Does not the faithful reader often spend much 
 15 
 
226 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 time in vain, in endeavoring to pierce an obscurity 
 of detail, or explain, often very unsatisfactorily, an 
 allusion to the history or the manners of the times, 
 by consulting upon this subject commentators and 
 books, which mislead as often as they aid ? Their 
 time would have been, almost always, better em- 
 ployed in meditating upon the remainder, and 
 applying it to practice. You read the sermon of 
 Jesus upon the mount, and the words Raca and 
 Mora embarrass you. The severity of the anathe- 
 mas pronounced against the injurious^ words? 
 astonishes you. Why do you stop to unravel the 
 obscurities ? You are ignorant of the cause, and 
 those who explain them to you with the greatest 
 clearness, can, after all, know but little more. 
 There is, undoubtedly, an allusion to the manners 
 of the Jews, and the allusicn cannot be understood 
 by us. This, however, is of little importance. 
 There is that which interests us more. Have you 
 meditated upon, have you considered the remainder 
 of the chapter ? These words : " Blessed are they 
 that mourn, blessed are the peace makers, blessed 
 are the merciful," and many others, are they 
 retained in your hearts ? Do you love your ene- 
 mies ? Are you persuaded, subdued, converted ? 
 This is what is essential and necessary to be known. 
 It is, then, the clear, and not the obscure, that the 
 pious reader should love to contemplate, and to 
 which he should learn to conform his life. 
 
 * Matthew, t. 22. 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 227 
 
 Consider, also, the idea rather than the form. 
 Seek the design in preference to weighing and 
 pondering the expression. Study the expression 
 rather than the terms. In the passage which we 
 have just considered, the obscurities relate to the 
 letter of the precept and its accidental form, but the 
 spirit is plain, the design of the sentence is certain ; 
 all Christians condemn anger and hate. Under- 
 stand this spirit, and the lesson sought will not be 
 less strong for you, although it may be accom- 
 panied by some obscure words. In order to 
 discover with the more certainty the general spirit 
 and purpose of each lesson, do not isolate it ; en- 
 deavor to discover, if, in that which precedes or 
 follows, there may not be something which will 
 determine its meaning. Undoubtedly, in our holy 
 books, all parts are not thus closely connected ; the 
 sermon on the mount, for example, is composed of 
 detached sentences, but in the other discourses of 
 our Lord, and in most of the epistles, it is very 
 important to study the context. Earely are the 
 passages presented as the articles of a code, by 
 separate propositions. The meaning is usually in 
 the spirit of the author, in his design, in the course 
 of his argument, in the paragraph, or in the entire 
 chapter, and it is there above all that it should be 
 sought. 
 
 There is also some advantage to be derived in 
 comparing the passages to be explained with par- 
 
228 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 allel passages, for the frequency of the precepts is 
 evidently a proof of importance, and a source of 
 clearness. But this method is particularly liable to 
 abuse, and if we neglect to join a strict examina- 
 tion of the context with the compared fragments, 
 it almost invariably misleads ; so easy is it to be 
 mistaken as to the meaning of a phrase when 
 removed from its proper place. We isolate it, and 
 then endeavor to bring it into reconciliation with 
 other phrases written often upon another occasion, 
 for other men, in another age, and for a different 
 end. We neglect these essential differences, al- 
 though but little apparent and often unknown to 
 the reader, and attach ourselves exclusively to 
 some resemblances in the words or turns of expres- 
 sion, and from thence conclude that the meaning 
 is identical. Are we not with certainty exposing 
 ourselves to error ? And this method has also so 
 much the more danger, as its attraction is the 
 greater ; the apparent and sudden perspicuity 
 which it spreads over obscure passages, the unfore- 
 seen and curious results which it seems to obtain 
 almost without labor, exercise a singular seduction 
 upon minds desirous of clear ideas, and distinct 
 knowledge in religion; but, indeed, nothing is 
 more easy than thus to turn the scripture into all 
 significations ; it is in this manner that we can be 
 always armed for all opinions and all parties. The 
 faithful reader should recur to these numerous and 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 229 
 
 parallel comparisons or references, with the diffi- 
 dence and precautions which every pious and 
 sensible critic employs. If we believe that the 
 sacred writings were inspired by God, let us re- 
 member lest we make them say that which they 
 have not said, and let us carefully seek their true 
 intention, by studying each of their words by itself 
 and in its place. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 ERRORS FROM THE NATURE OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW- 
 TESTAMENT. 
 
 The design of this section is entirely united with 
 that of the preceding, and the consequences, in 
 some respects, are the same. 
 
 The New Testament is written in a dead, and 
 also in an ancient and popular language. 
 
 It is written in a dead language, and we cannot 
 think sufficiently upon the consequences of this 
 fact. It has been said that every dead language 
 cannot be translated ; and this assertion, undoubt- 
 edly false, if we limit ourselves in seeking for the 
 principal idea of the ancient text, becomes true if 
 we wish to express its varied shades. We render 
 the words ; yet cannot always understand them, 
 without a lingering uncertainty as to their signifi- 
 cation or office ; and the character of the style, the 
 
230 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 delicacy of the sentiment, the effect of the figures, 
 and precise shades of expression cannot be ren- 
 dered. Undoubtedly there is, in the holy word, 
 such a concentration of warmth and light, that its 
 influence is perceived, and its brilliancy manifested 
 through every obscurity ; the most imperfect trans- 
 lation is useful in instructing and reforming, for it 
 yet transmits, with a dazzling clearness, the will of 
 God and the lessons of the Saviour ; the nobleness 
 of the teachings is too intimately allied to their 
 sublime nature, for an imperfect version to cause 
 this trait of their divinity to disappear, but in the 
 details how many of the more delicate tokens are 
 effaced, how many images changed and beauties 
 disguised ! Moreover, could it be possible to pre- 
 sent to modern readers an exact counterpart of a 
 work such as the New Testament, there would yet 
 be wanting those intellectual and natural habits, 
 which, in reality, modify the impression produced 
 by the metaphors or common proverbs, those habits, 
 which, in fact, change the signification of the lan- 
 guage. All these imperfections and difficulties 
 which the reader has to encounter, do not prevent 
 him from recognising, loving, and admiring the holy 
 word, but they are an obstacle to its true apprecia- 
 tion, and sometimes also to its right interpretation ; 
 they spread obscurities and blemishes over its sub- 
 lime and pure simplicity ; they call up, perhaps, 
 criticism and doubt, upon that which ought to have 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 231 
 
 excited only admiration and love. This is a source 
 of objections which it is necessary to bear in mind. 
 
 The New Testament is in an ancient language. 
 From hence arise, also, many other inevitable 
 obscurities, at which we have no right in being as- 
 tonished. Every book makes more or less allu- 
 sions to the manners, history, and laws of the time 
 when it was composed. This book is, moreover, 
 simple and popular, and contains numerous allu- 
 sions. How is it possible that all these should be 
 explained with our imperfect knowledge of anti- 
 quity. Those even which have been explained 
 with certainty by the learned, are not more clear 
 for the multitude. We have then reason for 
 regretting our ignorance, but more for attributing 
 the errors to the holy book. 
 
 The New Testament is also in a popular language. 
 When Jesus Christ declared that he had come to 
 preach the gospel to the poor; when he thanked 
 his Father that he had revealed it unto children, it 
 was likely that he wished to unfold that revelation 
 in a language adapted to their capacity, and have 
 it thus explained by his apostles, who had them- 
 selves gone forth from the ranks of the poor and 
 humble. 
 
 The New Testament is, therefore, eminently 
 in a popular language, or, in other words, 
 it is simple, vivid, figurative, full of maxims 
 and parables, addressed to the heart rather than 
 to the mind, and is, consequently, less precise, 
 
232 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 less exact, less rigorous than the language of 
 science. We should not be astonished, there- 
 fore, in discovering vague expressions, and images 
 more poetical than exact. Among those things 
 which compose the language of the heart, are the 
 words which gifted men speak to a passionate 
 multitude, and inspired men address to sinners. 
 Let us receive the scripture as it has been given to 
 us, we shall then understand it ; we shall do better, 
 we shall feel its truths, for we also are men, and 
 our heart has more need of being persuaded than 
 our mind convinced. It is thus, that just ideas upon 
 the nature of the language of the New Testament,, 
 will dissipate many obscurities, and, at the same 
 time, will prevent many objections. They will 
 also in another manner add to the utility of the 
 holy book, by their consequences upon the methods 
 of interpretation, which, in passing, I ought to 
 mention. 
 
 The first, much too often forgotten, appear to me 
 very important. Theology has extracted from the 
 holy books a great number of striking and signifi- 
 cant terms, which are used to express fundamental 
 ideas. It has determined and defined them. As a 
 science, it was its duty so to do. But we cannot 
 take the Bible for a treatise on theology, the lan- 
 guage of the apostles for that of learned men, and 
 the public places where Jesus pardoned sins, for 
 the benches of a school. The error would be 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 233 
 
 great. The language of the authors of the New 
 Testament was popular, that of the theologians is- 
 scientific, and the words which have, and ought. 
 perhaps, to have the exactness of science, have a 
 signification necessarily more enlarged and varied 
 in the mouth of the apostles. I appeal, for a corro- 
 boration of this assertion, to every sincere and 
 enlightened critic ; he will be convinced that in the 
 New Testament many terms of this kind have a 
 variable meaning, more or less extended, determi- 
 nate, and dogmatical, according to the passage and 
 occasion. As, for example, the words charity, 
 faith, works, law, justice, spirit, safety, &c. When 
 we read the New Testament, let us be careful to 
 apply to them their theological and exact significa- 
 tion, and instead of seeking in a theological dic- 
 tionary the particular meaning of a certain word 
 in a certain passage, let us above all seek it in the 
 passage itself, in its context, and in its spirit. 
 
 The second consequence flows immediately from 
 the preceding section. It will not do to press the 
 words too closely for fear of error. These words 
 have been translated from a dead language, and 
 sometimes contain an allusion to unknown customs. 
 or perhaps enclose a figure. It is the general idea 
 of which they are the expression, and which it is 
 especially necessary to seek. In a comparison or 
 simile, instead of urging the details, it is necessary 
 to adhere closely to the spirit and precept. All is 
 
234 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 error in the opposite method, and the imagination 
 of the interpreter is substituted by the action, for 
 the thought of God. Through respect for the holy 
 books, moreover, let us fear lest we cause them to 
 say that which we are so little sure that they have, 
 in reality, said. The more we adhere to a partic- 
 ular detail, and to an isolated fact, the more do we 
 run the risk of encountering error. The more we 
 adhere to the general spirit, to the best idea of the 
 passage, discourse, or figure, the more certain is it 
 that we are in the right, and that we have seized 
 the divine thought. It is by enlarging the base of 
 the pyramid that we give to it solidity and grandeur. 
 The requisite quality, then, for rightly interpreting 
 the scripture, is not a subtile and ingenious spirit, 
 but a sincere and subdued heart, joined to a judi- 
 cious and clear mind. Let us labor to acquire 
 both, and let us feel a greater interest in under- 
 standing the scripture, in explaining it, and, above 
 all, in profiting by it than in exercising ourselves in 
 analysing phrases and discovering, under each word, 
 a new idea or mystery. 
 
 SECTION THIRD. 
 
 ERRORS CONCERNING THE DESIGN OF THE LESSONS OF THE NEW 
 TESTAMENT. 
 
 It is too common, especially in times of religious 
 discussion, to forget the true design of the scrip- 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 235 
 
 tures, and thus deceive ourselves as to the effect it 
 ought to produce. 
 
 The scriptures do not labor to make us learned, 
 but to convert, sanctify and save us. To be a 
 Christian and to be a learned man, do not imply 
 the same thing, nor are the terms, religion and 
 theology, synonymous. It is undoubtedly necessary 
 that there should be theologians : and it is impor- 
 tant that they should be learned and laborious men. 
 God forbid that after their having always maintain- 
 ed the science, I should now endeavor to separate 
 them from it, but it is not to them that these things 
 are especially addressed, it is still more important, 
 that all the members of the church should be re- 
 ligious. I shall not inquire here even to what 
 extent it is proper for these to study theology ; in 
 every case, that which is certain and important, 
 which is essential to be frequently and vigorously 
 studied, in order to understand the views of the 
 Creator, should not be sought by the faithful in the 
 works of theologians, but in the scriptures them- 
 selves. 1 have no desire to deny or restrain the 
 right and duty of examination; but this duty or 
 right does not alter the spirit of the Bible or the 
 disposition necessary to a right understanding of 
 its meaning — a disposition which renders them on 
 the contrary more important. Now the Bible de- 
 mands obedience and not learning, love and not 
 inquisitiveness. Let us not place devotion in for- 
 
236 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 mulas, and the gospel in theological theses, this 
 would be the means of destroying at once both the 
 signification and the good results. Jesus did not 
 die to create dissertations, but to save souls. Let 
 his disciples seek in his word opinions rather than 
 theories. Let the Christian in opening the Book 
 of books, commence by saying ; God himself deigns 
 to instruct and guide me, his precepts ought then to 
 enter my heart, regulate my conduct and make me 
 a new man. This is the view, in which and by 
 which, we ought to understand the Bible. It is 
 this which teaches us to observe and discover with 
 gratitude and conviction, the admirable conformity 
 of the scripture with our secret and intimate works. 
 Studied in this manner, it exercises its true influ- 
 ence, and is proved even by its efficacy. It is when 
 the word of God sanctifies the soul, that it is, above 
 all things, the truth. Placed without this point of 
 view, we make it otherwise than it is ; the won- 
 derful harmony which exists between it and our- 
 selves is destroyed, and from thence come shadows, 
 mistakes, errors, and finally, objections and doubts. 
 
 I terminate this section and work, by some reflec- 
 tions designed to confirm this truth. 
 
 I have said that the scripture tended to produce 
 a powerful effect upon the heart, rather than to 
 frame in the mind a system of theology. This is 
 indeed so evident that it is needless to stop a long 
 time to prove the assertion. What chapter in the 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 237 
 
 New Testament does not speak directly to the 
 heart, and place the essential principles of 
 religion, in love and obedience, or in faith, 
 composed of the most complete obedience and 
 devoted love. Let us examine in particular the 
 discourses of Jesus Christ. These discourses are 
 such, that their beauty, clearness, and efficacy, 
 possess, in a special manner, the point of view in 
 question. In Matthew and Luke we find energetic 
 and striking precepts which are calculated to move 
 the heart, and make a decisive impression upon the 
 multitude, but which do not admit of being exam- 
 ined letter by letter. 5 * He who reads them with 
 an open and subdued heart is improved, enlight- 
 ened, changed. He has received a strong, useful, 
 and truly divine impression, such as answers 
 exactly to the nature of man, and to his social and 
 individual wants. The seed has fallen upon good 
 soil, and the word has brought forth its fruit. But, 
 on the contrary, he w T ho reads the lessons of Jesus 
 only to discuss the signification, to measure the 
 language, and weigh the words, runs the risk of 
 misundestanding the spirit and design. When 
 Jesus spoke to the Jews, to what faculties of their 
 soul did he especially address himself, and what 
 dispositions did he demand in them ? What dis- 
 positions, consequently, does he demand of us, in 
 
 * Matt., v. 22, 29, 30, 34, 37, 39— 41, 48 ; *i. 3, 17, 31, 32, &c. 
 
238 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 order that we may rightly understand his precepts 
 and ideas ? 
 
 Let us bless God in having demanded for the 
 efficacy of His word, rectitude and sensibility rather 
 than knowledge. If this had been necessary, the 
 fruits of this word would have been, Jike most 
 earthly benefits, the heritage of a few. But it de- 
 mands above everything else, docility of heart, and 
 immediately it becomes the treasure of the poor 
 and the humble, as much or even more than that of 
 the rich and learned. All are able to acquire an 
 honest and good heart, but to study, analyze, and 
 explain, there is required a learning and knowledge 
 which a great majority of mankind do not enjoy. 
 
 Let us, moreover, remark, how this spirit of sub- 
 mission gives the true key of scripture, and causes 
 all objections to disappear. We are not able, with 
 our limited understanding, to establish a complete 
 theological system. There will always remain 
 obscurities and things difficult to be reconciled, 
 because they concern the infinite, and we behold 
 only a part. The truly enlightened theologian 
 often says, if he be honest, " I do not know." 
 These obscurities astonish and even vex men more 
 curious than pious, who wish to class all in chap- 
 ters and arrange in syllogisms. But if we take the 
 Christian view, and study the scriptures in order to 
 apply them to the conduct and the life, all is in- 
 stantly clear, harmony re-appears, contradictions 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 239 
 
 are removed, the heart receives a single impression, 
 and all the teachings and truths are in agreement 
 to sanctify and change. Paul promises salvation 
 by faith, and James by works ; the theologians 
 endeavor to reconcile them, and undoubtedly it is 
 not difficult, and a reader who is not a theologian, 
 may indeed be startled at this apparent contradic- 
 tion. But instead of discussing the theory, let him 
 put in practice that which is commanded him as 
 the apostles have ordained, and nothing is more 
 easy, and the two lessons united, instead of contra- 
 dicting, afford mutual aid. Will the living faith of 
 the one be, by any chance, useles to the spotless 
 religion of the other ? And he who believes that 
 Jesus Christ " was delivered for our offences and 
 raised for our justification,"^ will he not have a 
 greater resolution and zeal, " to visit the fatherless, 
 and widows in their affliction, and keep himself 
 unspotted from the world ?"t And, on the other 
 hand, will not charity, in transporting into a divine 
 atmosphere his thoughts, his affections, and his 
 wishes, cause him to love and seek in faith the 
 divine model which he has already imitated, and 
 to whose laws he is subjected ? 
 
 This is a demonstration, indeed, as persuasive as 
 sublime, of the divinity of our book. Theory does 
 not always permit itself completely and easily to 
 understand, but the proof is always clear, always 
 
 * Romans, iv. 24, 25. t James, i. 27. 
 
240 AUTHENTICITY OF 
 
 in agreement with itself, always in perfect accord- 
 ance with the depths of the human heart, and 
 abounding in fruits of peace and life. If the scrip- 
 tures had been the work of man, it would have 
 been otherwise. The theory would have been so 
 well arranged, that nothing would have failed. 
 All would have seemed plain, reasonable, proved. 
 But experience would have contradicted the sys- 
 tem, the machinery would have worked badly, 
 fatal and unforeseen consequences would every- 
 where have sprung forth, and the hearts of the 
 ignorant and unhappy, would have in vain de- 
 manded peace and repose. For thus have termi- 
 nated all philosophies and systems of morals up to 
 the present, which have not been based upon the 
 gospel. 
 
 Happy, then, the Christian, who joins to an 
 entire conviction of the celestial origin of the New 
 Testament, the honest, and good heart, alone 
 capable of understanding its teachings, and capable 
 of placing its precepts in practice. He alone 
 knows how to read the " law of the Eternal/' and 
 meditate upon it with joy, by night and by day, 
 continually approaching nearer to God, " the Father 
 of light," and the Father of all perfection. In this 
 holy exercise, his intelligence and his love are 
 unitedly developed. His faith, moreover, enlarges 
 and extends, for it thrusts its roots deep into the 
 appropriate soil, and near the running waters 
 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 241 
 
 designed to nourish it. It will yield its fruit in 
 time of need, and in every season its shade will 
 afford refreshment and safety. This faith could 
 only languish in the midst of discussions and 
 theories ; the words of man could have furnished 
 it only a feeble aliment and imperfect moisture ; 
 but in a diligent and sensible reader of the word of 
 God, it draws a vigor and a new prosperity from 
 those touching and intimate beauties, those secret 
 harmonies, those discoveries of the heart, those 
 convictions of sentiment and experience, even more 
 persuasive than the demonstrations and testimony 
 of history. 
 
 " If any man will do His will, says our Lord* 
 he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God* 
 or whether I speak of myself."^ 
 
 * John, vii. 17, 
 
 16 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 THE GOSPEL HISTORY. 
 
 " Read, read the gospels, and then ask yourselves if they ar® 
 the work of an impostor." — Page 10. 
 
 The following excellent remarks, by Mr Furness, will un- 
 doubtedly be read with great interest, by those who may not 
 have met with them before : 
 
 " In works upon the Evidences of Christianity, the question 
 commonly discussed concerning the four gospels is, ' Were they 
 written by the persons whose names they bear V as if the settle- 
 ment of this point were the strongest possible confirmation of 
 our faith. But, I confess, all that I can learn of Matthew, 
 Mark, Luke, and John, does not give me so lively a confidence 
 in the authors of these histories as is created in me by the histo- 
 ries themselves. To say merely that they are honest and 
 impartial, appears to me most inadequate praise. By studying 
 them in the manner which I have now attempted, I find my 
 conceptions of the honest, the true, the candid, enlarged and 
 enlightened. The character of Jesus is not more truly a revela- 
 tion of moral greatness, than these wonderful writings are, in 
 their style and structure, of the quality of truth. That this is 
 strong language I am aware ; and perhaps there is little in the 
 foregoing pages that seems to justify it. Still I do not wholly 
 despair of having given the candid and intelligent reader some 
 idea of the grounds upon which rests the conviction I have 
 already expressed, that nowhere in the writings of the dead, or 
 
246 APPENDIX. 
 
 in the characters of the living, do I discern evidences of integrity 
 and singleness of mind so luminous and affecting as those pre- 
 sented in the four gospels. 
 
 " I beg the reader to pause for one moment, and consider the 
 character of the events which constitute the sum and substance 
 of these narratives. How tremendously exciting they must have 
 been ! The blind seeing, the lame walking, the dead raised, the 
 wretched and the profligate collected in crowds, listening to 
 words of mercy and hope, multitudes thronging the highways 
 bringing their sick, and pressing upon one another like the bil- 
 lows of a heaving sea ! If Jesus of Nazareth spoke and acted 
 and suffered as he is here represented, how must the minds of 
 men have boiled around him ! How closely and with what 
 power must he have approached their passions, prejudices, sen- 
 timents ! How must he, as with a giant's hand, have broken 
 up all the fountains of wonder and fear and awe and hope, and 
 made all hearts overflow with one or another passion ! 
 
 " Could you have been present, and by some strong philoso- 
 phic effort, could you have torn off your attention from the 
 absorbing interest of those scenes, and asked yourself the simple 
 , question, how can any idea of these things ever be communi- 
 cated to those who do not see them, you would have exclaimed 
 at once and aloud, { It is impossible !' You might have glanced 
 around upon those eager multitudes, but where would you have 
 discovered a single calm observer ? Where would you have 
 seen a single eye that was not like a burning coal, a single 
 bosom that was not heaving in tumultuous and overpowering 
 sympathy with the unprecedented spectacle? You would 
 indeed have seen One there, all calm and collected, the pro- 
 ducer of all this emotion ; but the dovelike serenity of his 
 demeanor would only have tended to deepen in your eyes the 
 mystery and excitement of the scene. I repeat it, you would 
 have felt that it was impossible that any accounts could ever be 
 given of events so exciting, save such as were wretchedly 
 inadequate, or so colored and exaggerated as to convey no just 
 conception of the truth. When we witness anything that stirs 
 up our feelings — any uncommon burst of eloquence for instance 
 — we either give up in despair every attempt to describe what 
 
APPENDIX. 247 
 
 we have witnessed, or, in the attempt to describe it, the reality 
 is most sadly marred and dwarfed, and we take that single step 
 which separates the sublime from the ridiculous. 
 
 " Look now at the accounts which have come down to us of the 
 wonderful words, works, and sufferings of that unrivalled being 
 who appeared some ages since in Judea. Perhaps they give us but 
 a faint idea of the strange and stirring events of which they treat, 
 and with all our efforts, our impressions, in distinctness and inten- 
 sity, must fall far, very far short of those which were made upon 
 the actual witnesses of the life of Jesus. The power of language 
 was not equal to so great a subject. Still from these records, 
 such as they are, we derive ideas of moral beauty and greatness, 
 to which no page in the world's history furnishes anything that 
 we can compare. An instance of moral life is disclosed to us 
 which stands alone and unapproached in its wholeness and 
 symmetry. At the same time abundant evidence is afforded in 
 the course of these narratives, that all around Jesus, were more 
 or less the creatures of feeling, ignorance, and prejudice, fettered 
 by superstition, beguiled by coarse hopes and dreams of outward 
 splend or. Who were they—our curiosity is immediately aroused 
 to ask, — who were they that, among those excitable and excited 
 crowds, were able to observe so calmly, and report so correctly ; 
 to look on and listen with eyes and ears and hearts so true, 
 that, with a slight effort, we are able, in some few instances at 
 least, to feel almost as if we were present on the spot, and the 
 things related were passing visibly before us ? To this question 
 there is only one answer. The character of Jesus must have 
 created his biographers. Whoever they were, whatever were 
 their names, they must have been persons who by intimate 
 association with him had imbibed some measure of his spirit^ 
 and that spirit, calm and true, had wrought upon their minds, to 
 subdue the tumults of feeling, to chasten their imaginations, to 
 subordinate their sensibility to the Wonderful, to their sensibil- 
 ity to the True, in fine, to qualify them to see and hear aright, 
 and to impart what they saw and heard. Upon examination we 
 find throughout these writings, the most touching indications of 
 precisely that calm and elevated tone of mind and feeling which 
 association with such an one as Jesus was fitted to produce. la 
 
248 APPENDIX. 
 
 their unguardedness, in their unsuspecting simplicity, in their 
 pervading unconsciousness, we see that these authors had com- 
 pletely lost themselves, lost all anxiety about effect, every dispo- 
 sition to embellish, in the abiding and absorbing sense of truth. 
 The facts — facts of which they had such full knowledge,— filled 
 their minds to the exclusion of all self reference, all fears and 
 misgivings. They tell right on what they know, taking no 
 credit to themselves, and unconscious that there can be anything 
 meritorious in a faithful relation of what so entirely possesses 
 their minds. To the authors of the gospels, so far as they are 
 disclosed in their writings, may be applied the language of 
 Wordsworth in his Ode to Duty : 
 
 «' There are, who ask not if thine eye 
 
 Be on them, who in love and truth 
 Where no misgiving is, rely 
 
 Upon the genial sense of youth ; 
 Glad hearts ! without reproach or blot, 
 Who do thy work and know it not." 
 
 Not indeed " upon the genial sense of youth " did the evange- 
 lists rely, but upon a kindred spirit. Between him and the 
 young, of whom he said, " of such is the kingdom of heaven," 
 there was the greatest congeniality. His spirit had gradually 
 infused itself into the mind of these writers, until it became as 
 their life-blood, unconsciously animating all their thoughts, 
 inspiring their words, and producing in them the simplicity, the 
 " unchartered freedom " of childhood. It cost them no effort to 
 tell the truth. They could as well have ceased to breathe, as 
 ceased to tell it, let the objections and difficulties it created be 
 what they might. Their reverence for Jesus was so great, their 
 confidence in him so entire, that they never appear to have 
 thought that the most imperfect representation of any part of 
 his conduct was not enough — that he could ever need to be 
 indebted to their pens to save him from being misunderstood. 
 With the poet just quoted, they seem to have thought that their 
 tligme 
 
 " might demand a seraph's tongue, 
 
 Were it not equal to its own support ; 
 
 And therefore no incompetence of theirs 
 
 Could do it wrong."* 
 
 • The Excursion. Book 8. 
 
APPENDIX. 249 
 
 Accordingly they never think of explaining or setting off any- 
 thing they relate concerning him. Thus they show how genuine 
 was their love of their master. This love it was which was 
 their " unerring light," their security against every false bias, 
 enabling them to see what they saw so nearly at the true point 
 of view." 
 
 VARIATIONS. 
 
 " These differences critics call variations or readings. More 
 than thirty thousand have been recorded."— Page 124. 
 
 The variations in the text of the New Testament are placed 
 by our author at thirty thousand, and other authorities have 
 stated the number at one hundred and thirty thousand. But 
 when it is remembered that for thirteen hundred years the Tes- 
 tament was preserved in manuscript, and that all the copies 
 were transcribed in writing, and were translated into many 
 languages, this large amount of different readings should not 
 surprise us. All ancient books have been exposed to similar 
 errors, from a like cause, and we can examine no ancient classic, 
 without discovering numerous variations in the reading of various 
 copies. Of the variations in the works of Terence, Dr Bentley 
 remarks : " I, myself, have collated several, and do affirm, that 
 I have seen twenty thousand various lections in that little author, 
 and am morally sure, that if half the number of manuscripts 
 were collated for Terence, with that niceness and minuteness 
 which has been used in twice as many for the New Testament, 
 the number of the various readings would amount to above 
 fifty thousand." This same author also states, that the varia- 
 tions in the poet Manlius are twice as many as the lines. 
 
 The New Testament, then, does not stand alone with its nu- 
 merous readings. To those unaccustomed, however, to reflect 
 upon this subject, the immense number of these variations may 
 appear extraordinary. In order to account for them, we must 
 remember under what circumstances the book has been trans- 
 mitted to our day. The original manuscripts have long since 
 disappeared. The oldest manuscripts now extant, are copies 
 
 
250 APPENDIX. 
 
 of copies, and the others, are copies taken from copies down to 
 the invention of printing. During a portion of this period, the 
 Christian religion was making rapid progress. Copies of the 
 New Testament must, consequently, have been in great demand, 
 and were therefore probably written in haste, and by those who 
 were not well qualified to undertake the task. Under such cir- 
 cumstances, how many slight errors must have been made. We 
 ail know that in writing a letter, or copying a printed passage 
 from a book, every one is continually making slight mistakes* 
 Sometimes a word is omitted, or repeated twice, and sometimes 
 a word of a similar signification is substituted for the one em- 
 ployed. Thus it is in the various manuscripts of the New 
 Testament, but in order to swell the amount of variations to the 
 number which has been recorded, slighter mistakes than these 
 were noticed. Even the omission to dot an i, or cross a t, were 
 not passed. 
 
 Alterations in the division of the various parts of the 
 Testament were made at different times, and from hence, also, 
 have arisen many of these errors. Originally there were no 
 separations of the text into chapters and verses, or even into 
 • words. The letters of ancient books were all united, so that 
 from the beginning to the end, there was no division into words ; 
 the book was, as it were, one combined word. The invention of 
 our present chapters, was by Cardinal Hugo, about the year 
 1240. And the plan of distinguishing the verses by figures, was 
 accomplished for the New Testament, by Robert Stephens, a 
 French printer, about the year 1580. 
 
 From these continual copyings and changes, then, have arisen 
 these errors. But these are all unimportant ; so much so, that 
 it is said, " that even in the worst manuscript now extant, not 
 one article of faith or moral precept is either perverted or lost 
 by it." Perhaps some of my young readers may ask, whether, 
 since the introduction of the present text of the New Testament, 
 other manuscripts have not been examined, so as to present to 
 the world a better reading of some passages than the common 
 version now gives ? This is undoubtedly the case. In no pe- 
 riod of the world's history, has the text of the New Testament 
 been more carefully or laboriously examined than in the present 
 
APPENDIX. 251 
 
 Scholars have devoted their whole lives to the subject, and while 
 their labors convince us, that no material change of the text of 
 the received version can take place, yet we know that in some 
 few passages another reading might be substituted. It is not 
 probable, however, that these new readings will be introduced 
 very quickly, nor is it important, since they are known and 
 recorded, and can be read and examined by the whole world. 
 The importance of a change is also diminished, by the real 
 value which they possess being inconsiderable. Were it oth- 
 erwise, the whole Christian world would undoubtedly demand 
 another version. But as this is not the case, and as many 
 honest and sincere Christians attach an almost sacred regard 
 to the present text, and would look upon its alteration as a 
 work of sacrilege, it will probably continue to be used by the 
 present generation. The time, however, will undoubtedly come, 
 when another version will be substituted. 
 
 The text which at the present day presents the purest reading 
 of the New Testament, is that of Prof. Griesbach. It has been 
 prepared with immense labor, about four hundred manuscripts 
 having been examined and collated, in order to arrive at the true 
 and original words of the text, as they were written by the 
 apostles. This great labor has, however, not been bestowed in 
 vain. All denominations of Christians acknowledge its claims 
 to their regard, and confess that there is no doubt as to its being 
 more pure than the commonly received version. Nor should we 
 be surpised at this, for when we are acquainted with the history 
 of the present text, we instantly perceive that it can have no 
 peculiar claim, excepting its antiquity, to our respect. The 
 present Greek text was adopted from the edition of Elzevir, the 
 printer, principally on account of the beauty of its execution. 
 It was formed, with some amendments, from the preceding edi- 
 tions of the New Testament which had been edited by Erasmus 
 and Beza, and these distinguished men, in their preparation for 
 the important task, had examined about twenty manuscripts 
 only. In order, however, that the readers of this work may be 
 able to behold for themselves the wonderful purity of the texts 
 of the gospels, I have quoted from the work of Prof. Norton, a 
 few of the variations from the received text, which have been 
 
252 APPENDIX. 
 
 adopted by Griesbach, and are considered the most important 
 In some cases the change is expressed in English. Where th-. 
 Greek is used, a corresponding change in the translation is im 
 possible, on account of the variation being so trifling. 
 
 Received Text, Variations by Griesback. 
 
 Ch. i. v. 1. Ja6ld Javtd ) the name of David 
 
 - ;■«' i - v^i«. r„. r and Solomon dif- 
 
 6. 2olo(i<ovm 2olo[iuva $ ferently gpeU> 
 
 18. Jesus. perhaps to be omitted. 
 
 19. to expose to shame, to expose. 
 
 Ch. ii. v. 8. carefully search out. perhaps search out carefully. 
 11. they found. they saw. 
 
 17. vtco perhaps did. 
 
 22. snl perhaps to be omitted. 
 
 Ch. iv. v. 4. a man. perhaps man. 
 
 5. sets. perhaps set. 
 
 10. go from me Satan, go behind me Satan. 
 
 18. Jesus. omitted. 
 
 Ch. v. v. 28. wbxrfi probably atorp 
 
 47. brethren. perhaps friends, 
 
 publicans. Gentiles, 
 
 do thus. do the same. 
 
 Ch. vi. v. 21. your treasure. thy treasure, 
 
 your heart. thy heart. 
 
 24. fiafau&vq fia/LiQdvq 
 
 34. ra omitted. 
 
 Ch. vii. v. 9. law omitted. 
 
 14. "Or* Tfr 
 
 Ch. viii. v. 8. Uyov Uyco 
 
 28. Gergesenes. Gerasenes. 
 31. suffer us to go. send us. 
 
 Such are some of the most important variations. 
 
 With regard to the present translation of the Bible, it is pro- 
 bably as perfect a version as was ever made by man. It was 
 made, as is well known, by order of James I., at the commence- 
 ment of the seventeenth century. The king appointed fiftyfour 
 learned and faithful men to perform the work. They were 
 divided into six companies, and to each company was assigned 
 a particular portion of the Bible, which was to be trans .ated by 
 
APPENDIX. 253 
 
 tach individual. The portions thus translated, were sent to the 
 other companies, to be again thoroughly examined by them. 
 The whole Bible was in this manner subjected to the scrutiny 
 of all the translators. Three entire copies of the work, were 
 then placed in the hands of a committee of six, who examined, 
 revised, and corrected it for general use. Three years were 
 spent in performing the task. 
 
 JAMES THE LESS. 
 
 11 We know but little concerning the history of the author of 
 this epistle. James, brother of the Lord, is probably the same 
 as James, the son of Alpheus." — Page 165. 
 
 In the early history of the church, considerable discussion took 
 place, in order to discover and settle the exact relationship be- 
 tween James and our Saviour. In the gospel of Mark, we learn 
 that his mother's name was Mary. " Mary, the mother of 
 James the less and of Joses." And in John she is thus men- 
 tioned: " There stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his 
 mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magda- 
 lene." From Matthew we learn that " James was the son of 
 Alpheus. (Alpheus being the Greek pronunciation of the He- 
 brew name, Cleophas.) Combining therefore, these various 
 passages, we infer, that James was the son of the sister of Mary 
 Magdalene, or the cousin of Jesus. The term brother, was often 
 applied by the Hebrews to near relations ; thus in Genesis, 
 Abraham and Lot, who were only cousins, are called brothers. 
 But little information can be derived from the gospels concern- 
 ing James ; in the Acts of the Apostles he is frequently and 
 honorably mentioned. He resided at Jerusalem, and was the 
 bishop of its church. He appears also to have been at the head 
 of the Jewish Christians, and was, therefore, favorably inclined 
 to the observance of the ceremonial law. He, however, did not 
 consider it necessary, for at the council of Jerusalem, which was 
 held in the year 49 or 50, and where he was the presiding officer, 
 he decided that the Gentiles should be received into the church 
 
254 APPENDIX. 
 
 upon their conversion, without being required to have its rites 
 administered upon them. He was much beloved by the Jews, 
 and for his integrity obtained the name of The Just. He suf- 
 fered martyrdom, being stoned to death, about the year 62. 
 
 The epistle which bears his name was early read in the 
 churches, and is mentioned by Eusebeus, Clement, and Irenaeus 
 as a genuine epistle. 
 
 JUDE. 
 
 " Moreover, notwithstanding its extreme brevity, it has been 
 quoted by numerous learned men among the church." — Page 193. 
 
 There are two Judes mentioned in the New Testament, 
 " Judas the brother of James," and Judas Tscariot. The former 
 is called by Mark, Thaddeus, which surname is added, to dis- 
 tinguish him from Judas Iscariot. This Judas had his surname 
 from Carioth, his birth-place. Jude is an English abbreviation 
 of Judas. It means, " the praise of the Lord." Eut little is 
 said concerning Jude, the author of the epistle. And it is not 
 known whether he died a natural death or suffered martyrdom. 
 It is supposed, by some writers, that he travelled into Persia, 
 and was put to death by the magi. He was probably a hus- 
 bandman. The authenticity of his epistle has been called in 
 question, but without any good reason. It was known in the 
 first century, and was quoted by Clement, of Alexandria, who 
 flourished about the year 194. 
 
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