http://www.archive.Org/d, 
 
ENQUIRY 
 
 INTO THE 
 
 •DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST, 
 
 AND 
 
 JESUS CHRIST; 
 
 so FAR AS THEY CAN BE PROVED 
 
 FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR BIRTHS, 
 THEIR CONNEXION WITH EACH OTHER. 
 
 To which are frefixed, 
 
 ARGUMENTS 
 
 IN PROOF OF THE AUTHENTICITY 
 
 OF THE NARRATIVES 
 
 OF THE BIRTHS OF JOHN AND JESUS, 
 
 CONTAINED IN THE TWO FIRST CHAPTERS OP THE 
 
 GOSPELS OF ST. MATTHEW AND ST. LUKE. 
 
 BY WILLIAM BELL, D.D. 
 
 PREBBNDARY OF ST. PETEtl's, WESTMINSTER. 
 
 A NEW EDITION, 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 fRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTO 
 
 62, ST. Paul's church-yard 
 1810. 
 
8S^ 
 
 ^ . -. > .j: ;..i U .i /. .- 
 
 Printed by Lnw nvd CUbcrty St. Jokn^s 5(juure, London. 
 
ARGUMENTS 
 
 IN PROOF OF 
 
 THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE NARRATIVES OF THE 
 KXTRAORDINARY CONCEPTION AND BIRTH OF 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION AND BIRTH OF 
 
 JESUS CHRIST; 
 
 CONTAINED IN THE TWO FIRST CnAPTERS OP TII^ 
 
 GOSPELS OF ST. MATTHEW AND ST. LUKE. 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 \V HEN the following Enquiry into the 
 Divine Miffions of John the Baptist, 
 and Jesus Christ, was firft fubmitted to 
 the Public, it was not introduced by any 
 arguments, intended to prove, that thofe 
 Paffages, from the contents of which it is 
 deduced, are genuine parts of the Two 
 Gofpels in which they are found. Thofe 
 Paffages being not only of great length, but 
 likewife in their contents extremely remark- 
 able; and having been tranfmitted, from 
 the firft ages of Chrittianity, as certainly 
 authentic ; notwithftanding it was univer- 
 fally known to the Church at large, who 
 tranfmitted them, that their contents were 
 
 re- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 garded as impoffible, and therefore difbe- 
 lieved, by fome of the earlieft Chriftiati 
 Se6ls ; their authenticity was confidered 
 as neceffarily included in that of their re- 
 fpe6live Gofpels ; and, therefore, as not 
 ftanding in need of any feparate proof. 
 
 But as there are perfons who entertain 
 a perfuafion, that even thefe palTages ; fo 
 remarkable in theinfelves, and fo peculiarly 
 circuniftanced ; are in reality nothing better 
 than fpurious interpolations ; and the very 
 obje6t of the Enquiry into the Divine 
 Miffions of Jefus, and the Baptift, is to 
 fliew, that the particulars recorded in thefe 
 paffages, confidered by themfelves alone, 
 fupply us with one complete, and inde- 
 pendent proof of the Divine Character of 
 Jefus, and the truth of the Chriftian Reve- 
 lation ; it cannot but be of fervice to the 
 caufe of Chriftianity in general ; as well as 
 
 confirm 
 
. PREFACE. vii 
 
 confirm the propriety, and promote the de- 
 fired effe£t, of this Enquiry in particular ; 
 to prefix to it a dire6l, and fpecial proof, 
 that thofe Narratives, on the contents of 
 which it is founded, mull certainly have 
 been authentic parts of the two Gofpels, in 
 which they have been tranfmitted to us. 
 
 Whether the following Arguments, 
 now firft advanced in proof of this point, 
 will be found fufficient to eftablifti it, the 
 event alone can determine. But as they 
 are the refult of the Author's endeavours 
 to ftrike out, for himfelf, fuch lights upon 
 the fubje6l, as might give even abundant 
 fatisfadlion to his own mind ; and he has 
 not been able to difcover any particular in 
 which they are fallacious ; he fubmits to the 
 confideration of others, what appears abfo^* 
 lutely conclufive to himfelf. 
 
 AR- 
 
ARGUMENTS, &c 
 
 Jl HE relations contained in the two firft chap- 
 ters of the Gofpels of St. Matthew, and St. 
 Luke, of a variety of miraculous events, there 
 affirmed to have accompanied the conceptions, 
 and births, of John the Baptift, and Jefus, muft 
 cither. 
 
 First, have been written by the two Evangelifts 
 refpeclively ; of whofe Gofpels, as they have been 
 tranfmitted to us, thefe relations form a part; 
 Or, 
 
 Secondly, they muft have been forged, by 
 fome perfons unknown ; and clandellinely inferted 
 in the genuine Gofpels of thofe Evangelifts. 
 
 To form a fatisfa6lory judgement, therefore, 
 of the authenticity of thefe relations, the moft di- 
 re6b, and decifive method will be, to enquire, 
 Whether it is credible, that fuch forgeries, as 
 thofe in queftion, could have been devifed, and 
 attempted; and further, fuppofmg it poffible for 
 them to have been devifed and attempted, Whether 
 
 a it 
 
t ARGUMENTS, ScC. 
 
 it is credible, that they could have efcaped a fpeedy 
 and efFe6lual dete^lion. 
 
 In the firft place, therefore, is it credible, that 
 the forcjeries under confideration could have been 
 devifed and attempted ? 
 
 I. It is obvious, that the very defign, which 
 mult have been intended to be anfwered by them, 
 could not have been formed by any one who h^d 
 not embraced the faith in Jefus. And the only 
 motive that can be fuggefted, as capable of having 
 urged any believer in Jefus to fo ftrange, and ini- 
 quitous a forgery, muft be a fuppofed, over zealous 
 dcfire to inculcate more exalted ideas of the nature 
 of Jefus, than the genuine Gofpels, as they were 
 written, and delivered to the difciples, by the two 
 Evangelifts themfelves, would afford any ground for 
 entertaining. 
 
 Is it then credible, that ajiy believers- iil Jefus ; 
 and efpecially in that early age of Chriftianity, in 
 which alone the forgeries in queftion muft t)e 
 fuppofed, if at all, to have been invented; tiiat 
 is, at the lajteft, within a few years after the death 
 of the Apoftle, ^nd Jilvangelift, St. John ; could 
 become animated witih fo e^^travagant, and at the 
 feme time fo impious, a zeal ; as to break tjirough 
 every moral, and religious, prijuciple whicb Jefus 
 had inculcated, by thus endefi,vouring to eoa?rupt 
 
 the 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 3 
 
 the Gofpels ; thole very Gofpels in which they muft 
 themfelves have believed, and on the genuine 
 contents of which they muft have founded their 
 own faith ; for no other end, than to deceive 
 their fellow Chriftians into the reception of more 
 exalted ideas of the nature of Jefus, than the 
 genuine, unadulterated, Gofpels afforded any 
 ground for entertaining ? We may venture to af- 
 firm, that fuch a fuppoiition, though it does not 
 imply an abfolute, natural impoflibility, is how-* 
 ever utterly incredible. 
 
 And this utter incredibility of the forgeries in 
 queftion, ariling from their extreme impiety, will, 
 if poffible, be exceedingly heightened, if we add 
 the confideration of the great number, and afto- 
 nifhing nature, of the particulars they contain ; 
 and that part of the two Gofpels in which they are 
 introduced. For, in the fnft place, we muft be 
 forced to believe, that the author, or authors, of 
 thefe fuppofed forgeries, for no other end than to 
 accompliih this wicked impofition upon their fel- 
 low Chriftians, aftually invented all thofe mi- 
 raculous particulars relating to the conceptions, 
 and births, both of John the Baptift and Jefus, 
 which are recorded in the firft and fecond chap- 
 ters of the Gofpel of St. Matthew; and take up al- 
 moft the whole firft and fecond chapters of that 
 of St. Luke, And, in the next place, we muftu 
 a 2 like- 
 
^ 
 
 4 A R G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 likewile believe, that they fcrupled not to inferf 
 all thefe moft aftonifhing particulars of their own 
 inventing ; no one of which could ever have been 
 heard of till they invented, and inferted them ; 
 even in the very beginning of the two Gofpels 
 which they determined to corrupt ; where it was 
 abfolutely impoiBble for fo many miraculous 
 events, of fo fingularly altonifliing a nature, not 
 to excite the particular notice of every one al- 
 ready acquainted with the genuine contents of 
 thofe Gofpels ; that is, of every Chriftian ; im- 
 mediately upon perufmg them, or hearing them 
 read, after their infertion. When it is delibe- 
 rately conlidered, that we cannot fuppofe the paf- 
 fages in queftion to have been furreptitiouily 
 added to the genuine Gofpels, without admitting 
 like wife fuch abfolutely incredible fuppofitions as 
 thefe; it muft furely be acknowledged, that all 
 ideas of the forgeries under confideration muft be 
 given up, and utterly exploded. 
 
 Besides, the palTages themfelves contain in- 
 ternal evidence, that they could not be forged. 
 It cannot be believed, that any one who fat down 
 to forge an interpolation of the Gofpels, in order 
 to exalt the divine chara6ler of Jefus, could in 
 that interpolation apply to him any prophecy, 
 which was fure to be interpreted by the Jews a» 
 foretelling, that Jefus would condud himfelf, 
 
 . I with 
 
A R G U I^I E N T S, Scc. 5 
 
 with refpeO; to a molt ftriking, and important 
 particular, in a manner directly oppoiite to that 
 conduct, wiiich the Gofpels Ihewed he actually 
 had oblerved. But if the narratives in queltion 
 had been forged, this is wiiat the authors of thefe 
 forgeries muft knowingly, and defignedly have 
 done. For in tlie Gofpels it is recorded, that 
 when, more than once, the Jews had endeavoured 
 to excite Jefus to declare himfelf againlt, and to 
 oppofe the Roman power ; he had fliewn it to be 
 his determined refolution, not to give occafion even 
 to the fmallelt oppoiition to it*. But in the narra- 
 tives under confideration, Zacharias is introduced, 
 ?5pplying to Jefus, at the time of giving John his 
 name, the prophecy, that he " would fave the 
 *' Jews from their enemies, and from the hand 
 '' of all that hated them ;" wdiich prophecy, it 
 was certain would be underftood by the Jews as 
 foretelling, that Jefus would refcue them from their 
 ftate of fubjeclion to the Romans. As the intro- 
 duction of this particular prophecy could not, there- 
 fore, be the forgery of any one, who was defirous of 
 exalting the character of Jefus ; it is, in fact, an 
 abfolutely decifive internal proof, that the narratives 
 in queftion could not be forged additions to the 
 Gofpels. 
 
 ♦ Matthew xxii. 15—21. Mark xii. 13—17. Luke xx. 
 '2Q — '25. John vi. 15. 
 
 a 3 II. 
 
6 ARGUMENTS, kc. 
 
 II. But, that in a concern of fo great im* 
 portance to the authenticity, and genuine con- 
 tents of the Gofpels, we may be properly aware of 
 all the confiderations which will unite in proving the 
 abfolute incredibility of the forgeries in queftion ; 
 let us, for the fake of enquiry, fuppofe it pofTible, 
 notwithftanding all thefe infuperable difficulties, 
 that fome one, or more, moft extravagant enthu. 
 fiafts might conceive this incredible defign ; and 
 aflually proceed to the execution of it ; by invent- 
 ing all the particulars juft referred to, and foifting 
 them into fome copy, or copies, of the Gofpels of 
 St. Matthew, and St. Luke, in the places where 
 we now find them ; and let us enquire, whether 
 it would have been pofTible for thefe forgeries, fo 
 foifted in, to have efcaped dete6l;ion ; and to have 
 been tranfmitted to us as genuine parts of thofe 
 Gofpels, in the manner, in which they actually 
 have been. 
 
 This queftion will admit of a fatisfa6lory de- 
 termination, by attending to some circumftances 
 in the conduct of the Apoftles, during the period, 
 in which, by means of their preaching, the re- 
 ligion of the Gofpel was firft eftablilhed in the^ 
 world. 
 
 The particulars recorded by St. Luke, in the 
 A6l;s. of the Apoftles, give us abundant reafon to 
 believe, that the Apoftles in general, if not all the 
 
 Apoftles, 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. T 
 
 Apoltles, continued to r -fide at Jerufalem, and in 
 Judea ; and to preach the Gofpei, not only there, 
 but likewife in tlie feveral countries round about ; 
 for the fpace of lixteen^ or leventeen, years after 
 the Afcenlion; tliat is, till after the council held 
 by tlie Apoftles and Elders at Jerufalem, upon the 
 coming of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, with a 
 queftion for the decilion of the Apoftles, in the 
 year 49, or 50*. ^ 
 
 It appears likewife, that during this period 
 Peter and John, in particular, among the Apoftles ; 
 as well as fome chofen difciples, fuch as Philip and 
 Barnabas, who were not Apoftles ; made it then* 
 employment [to preach the Gofpei in Judea, 
 Samaria, Galilee, Phenice, &c. ; and that, where- 
 ever they eftablilhed Congregations of believers, 
 they appointed Elders to prefide over them, for 
 their conftant regulation ; and that they did not 
 even then leave them to themfelves, but from time 
 to time went round to vifit them ; in order to corre6l 
 whatever improprieties might have taken place 
 among them ; and to inftruct, and confirm, them in 
 the faith f . 
 
 It 
 
 • See Lardner's Works, Ed. 1788. Vol. VI. That is, the 
 Supplement to the Credibility, &c. ch. vi. particularly from 
 p. 6? to the end of the chapter. 
 
 f For thefe particulars, which cannot be given here in de- 
 kail, fee the Supplement to Lardner's Credibility, ch. vi. on the 
 
 a 4 time 
 
S ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 It further appears, that St. Paul; who, from 
 being a violent perlecutor of the Chriftian faith, was 
 miraculoufly converted to it, about the year 36, or 
 three years after the Afcenfion ; and who, three 
 years after his converfion, that is about the year 39, 
 commenced the moft indefatigable, as well as able 
 preacher of it ; came feveral times, in the courfe of 
 the firft feventeen years, to Jerufalem, upon the 
 bufmefs of preaching the Gofpel/ And that about 
 nine years after the Afcenfion, that is about the 
 year 42, Paul and Barnabas eftabliihed a very con- 
 fiderable Chriftian Church at Antioch in Syria. 
 That St. Paul Ukewife eftablifhed churches in a 
 great number of other places ; and w ith unremitted 
 diligence and care vifited, from time to time, all 
 the churches, or congregations, which he had 
 eftablillied '^. 
 
 From the fame Afts of the Apoftles it like- 
 wife appears, that very foon after the Afcenfion 
 James, called the Juft, was appointed Head, or 
 Biftiop, of the church at Jerufalem, and in Judea; 
 and that, from the time of his being fo appointed, 
 he continued to refide at Jerufalem, fuperintend- 
 ing the Church ; till at length, as is related by 
 
 time when the Apoftles left Judea; ch. xviii., on St Peter; and 
 ^h. xvi. on James the Lord's Brother ; in Vol. VI. of his Works, 
 
 ♦ See Lardner's Supplement, ch. xi. on St. Paul ; particu- 
 larly from fed. 7. i" Vol. VI. of his Works. 
 
 ancient 
 
A R G U M E N T S, &C. 9 
 
 ancient authors, he was put to death in a tumult 
 tiiere, in the year 6Q ; that is about twenty nine, or 
 thirty, years after the Afcenlion *. 
 
 Such was the manner in which the Apoltles 
 proceeded in eftabliHiing the Gofpel in Judea, and 
 afterwards wherever they preached it. It is our 
 bulinefs therefore to confider, what hght thef^ cir- 
 cumftances Avill throw upon the queftion before us ; 
 • — Whether it is credible, that the particulars relat- 
 ing to the conceptions, and births, of John the 
 Baptift, and Jefus, contained in the two firft chapters 
 of the Gofpels of St. JMatthew, and St. Luke, as we 
 have them, could have been forged, and clandeftinely 
 added to them ; and yet have been delivered down 
 to us as genuine parts of thofe Gofpels, as they 
 actually have been ? 
 
 III. None of the Gofpels having any authorita- 
 tive date affixed to them, either of the time w-hen, 
 or the place where, they were firft delivered to the 
 difciples by their refpe6iive Evangelifts ; and it not 
 being certainly known, therefore, at v»'hat particular 
 time, or place, either of them was firft made public; 
 a variety of opinions have almoft unavoidably 
 been embraced, by different writers, upon tiiefe 
 particulars. 
 
 * See Lardner's Supplement, as before, ch. xvi. on James 
 the Lord's Brother : Vol. VI. of his Works. 
 
 WiTPI 
 
JO A R G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 With refpe^l to tiie country where St. Matthew 
 wrote his Gofpel, and jfirft delivered it to the difci- 
 ples, there has indeed been but one prevailing 
 opinion. The univerfal tradition is, that he wrote 
 it for the ufe of the Jewifli converts in particular, if 
 not at their requeft ; though, at the fame time, un- 
 doubtedly, for the ufe of all Chriftians in general ; 
 and that he delivered it to them, fomewhere in, or 
 near, Judea*. 
 
 With regard to the particular time at which 
 St. Matthew made his Gofpel public, there have 
 been a great variety of opinions ; founded upon the 
 different circumftances which have happened to 
 make the ftrongeft impreffion upon diiferent writers. 
 One fmgle author has fuppofed it to have been 
 made public even fo very early as about three years 
 after the Afcenfion ; fome, about five ; others, eight 
 or nine ; fome, fifteen ; and others ftill, about thirty 
 years after that event ; that is, about the years 63, 
 64, or 65 f. 
 
 Supposing, therefore, agreeably to the univer- 
 fal tradition, which there is not any reafon what- 
 
 * See Lardncr's Supplement, ch. v. fec^. 2, 3. Vol. VI. of 
 his Works. 
 
 t See thefe particulars treated at large in Lardner's Sup- 
 plement, ch. V. on St. Matthew ; Vol, VI. of his Works. — 
 Michaelis's Introdudory Ledurcs to the New Teftamcnt, 
 Englifti Tranflation of 1759, feft. 88.— -Benfon's Hiftory of th<? 
 Planting of the Chriftian Religion, B. II. ch. iv, feiSk. 1. 
 
 ever 
 
AKGUMENTS, &C. 1 1 
 
 ever to controvert ; that this Apoftle firft delivered 
 his Gofpel to the Jewilh diiciples, fomevvhere in, or 
 near, Judea ; and at either of thofe dift'erent p|f iods 
 of time, which have been affigned lor it ; (f even 
 at any other time which can poflibly be fuppofed ; 
 the point to be confidered is, Whether it was 
 poflible for thole particulars, relating to the concep- 
 tion, and birth of Jefus, which have been delivered 
 down to us in the firft and fecond chapters of it, to 
 have been afterwards forged, and clandefiinely 
 added to it, without being almoft immediately ex- 
 ploded ? 
 
 At whatever place St. Matthew firft made his 
 Gofpel known, it cannot be doubted, but that it 
 muft have been fome confiderable Congregation 
 of believers to whom he firft imparted it; and 
 that he muft have delivered it to the Elders ; or 
 prefiding, and moft refpe^table perfons of the 
 Congregation ; not only in order that its authen- 
 ticity, as well as its contents, might with indifpu- 
 table authority be made known among them ; but 
 likewife, that it might be carefully preferved; 
 for the continual, authentic inftruclion of the 
 difciples, both there, and elfewhere. As little 
 can it be queftioned, whether all the difciples of 
 that Congregation, to which it was delivered by 
 the Apoftle, would be eagerly difpofed to read it, 
 or hear it read ; and that in confequence of this 
 
 uni- 
 
12 ARGUMENTS, ScC. 
 
 univerfal, and unavoidable defire, and the evident 
 propriety of the thing itlelf, the Congregation, to 
 whotfc keeping it was delivered by St. Matthew, 
 would certainly agree upon having it read publicly ; 
 either at the times of their affembling together for 
 religious woriliip, as it feems highly reafonable to 
 fuppofe ; or elfe, at meetings appointed for 
 that particular purpoie only ; or, perhaps, even 
 at botli. 
 
 Nor can it be doubted, but that fuch of the 
 difciples as were themfelves able to copy it, or in 
 circumftances to afford the expence of having it 
 copied ; which, as it was not a long work, could 
 not be very great ; would be no lefs defirous of 
 taking, or procuring copies of it, for their own pri- 
 vate ufe ; under the control, and infpeclion, of thofe 
 Elders, to whofe immediate keeping the Original was 
 committed ; either by the Apoftle himfelf, or thofe 
 to whom he had delivered it. 
 
 And further, we cannot but believe, that as 
 foon as it became known to other Congregations ; 
 which it very foon would; that St. Matthew had 
 delivered his Gofpel to any particular Congre- 
 gation of difciples; copies of it would be ap- 
 plied for, and by degrees procured, by at leaft 
 every Chriftian Congregation round about; as 
 well as by That at Jerufalem itfelf above all 
 others ; if it w^s not at Jerufalem that the Apoftle 
 
 firlt 
 
ARGUMENTS, Scc, 15 
 
 firft made it public ; in order that it might be read 
 in the lame manner among them likewile ; even be- 
 fore the copies could be fo multiplied as to be per- 
 mitted to come into private hands. 
 
 By thefe obvious means, as St. Matthew's Gofpel 
 was not a work of fuch length as to require a great 
 lime for tranfcribing, many authentic copies of it 
 muft, within a very few years, have come into 
 the poffefiion of the leveral Chriftian Congrega- 
 tions, which were in, and round about Judea; 
 as well as, more efpecially, of That at Jerufalem 
 itfelf; where, till the year 62, James the Juft 
 refided. 
 
 AxD, as thefe copies, and more efpecially the 
 Original itfelf, would certainly be kept with the 
 greateft care; and the copies be univerfally read 
 in their religious aflemblies ; as other copies gra- 
 dually taken in the fame manner, would likewife 
 be* in private families ; the genuine contents of 
 this Gofpel muft foon have become extremely 
 well known to all Chriftians, in general, through- 
 out Judea, and all the neighbouring countries; 
 wherever the Apoftles had already eftabliihed, or 
 by degrees came to eftablilh, Chriftian Congre* 
 gations. 
 
 That this muft have been the cafe will be ftill 
 further evident from other confiderations. The 
 early converts to Chriftianity were partly from 
 
 among 
 
14 ARGUMENTS, ScC, 
 
 among the Jews, and partly from among the Gen- 
 tiles. Such as had been Jews had always been 
 accuftomed to hear their own Scriptures read in 
 their religious aflemblies, as well as to read them 
 diligently at home. As foon therefore as the 
 Chriftian Church became poffeiTed of any Chriftian 
 Scriptures ; and efpecially of any of thofe Gofpels, 
 which contained the very foundation of the faith, 
 in the hiftory of the words and actions of Jefus ; 
 all fuch of the difciples as had been Jews would 
 moft certainly be defirous of having them read 
 publicly at their religious aflemblies : as well as 
 of obtaining copies of them for their own private 
 perufal. And thofe converts who had been Gen- 
 tiles ; as well as the children of the firft converts, 
 whether Jews or Gentiles, who had been bred up 
 in the Chriftian faith; would no lefs certainly 
 be defirous of having the contents of tl^e Gofpels 
 thus publicly, and privately, made known to all ; 
 on account of the felf-evident utility of the 
 practice. 
 
 Besides, if it were conceivable, that tliey could, 
 of themfelves, have neglected to caufe their 
 Chriftian Scriptures to be publicly read to all 
 the members of their feveral Churches, we have 
 proof, that this pradice was enjoined them by 
 St Paul, and tliat they did in fad adopt it. 
 
 So 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 15 
 
 So early as the year 52 ; only nineteen years 
 after the Afcenfion, and the firft preaching of the 
 Gofpel by the Apoltles ; St. Paul, writing his firft 
 Epiftle to the Theflalonians ; which is fuppofed 
 to have been the firft written of all his epiftles ; 
 clofes it by faying, " I charge you, by the Lord, 
 " that this epiftle be read unto all the holy bre- 
 *' thren*." And ten yeai's after this, in his 
 epiftle to the Coloffians, he fpeaks of th^ir read- 
 ing that epiftle among them, as a thing of courfe, 
 without giving them any direction to do it; and 
 then directs them to caufe it to be read to the 
 church of the Laodiceans ; and to take care ta 
 read themfelves the Epiftle which he had written 
 from Laodicea f* And that the intention of 
 St. Paul was fimilar with refpecl to his other 
 epiftles is evident from his manner of addreffing 
 them. The firft to the Corinthians is addrefled, 
 " Unto the Church of God which is at Corintli, 
 *' — with all that in every place call upon the 
 " name of Jefus ChriftJ." The fecond, '' Unto 
 " the Church of God which is at Corinth, with 
 *' all the Saints which are in all Achaia§." That 
 to the Galatians, " Unto the Churches of Ga- 
 *' latia H." That to tlie Romans, " To all that 
 
 * 
 
 Ift Theflalonians v. 27. t Coloflians iv. l6. 
 
 J 1ft Corinthians i. 2. J 2d Corintliiaiis L 1. 
 
 H Galatians i. 2. 
 
 '' be 
 
16 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 " be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be 
 *' faints'^." That to the Philippians, " To all 
 *^ the faints in Chrift Jefus which are at Philippi, 
 *' with the Biftiops and Deacons f." And though 
 thofe to Timothy, and Titus, are addrelled to them 
 only; that to Philemon is addreli'ed not only to 
 him, but likewife, " To the Church in his houfe X'' 
 And from the Second Epiftle of St. Peter, ad- 
 dreffed to all Chriftians, and written in the year 
 {^4, it appears, that the contents of St. Paul's 
 Epiftles were then become well known to all 
 Chriftians in general \ ; and, confequently, that 
 copies of them muft by degrees have been tran- 
 fcribed for the ufe of all Chriftian Congregations ; 
 and that the various Churches muft have adopted 
 the cuftom of having thefe epiftles read publicly ; 
 either at their ftated meetings for religious worihip, 
 which is on every account in the higheft degree 
 probable; or at particular meetings held for this 
 purpofe only ; or poffibly at both. 
 
 And when it is feen that the feveral Chriftian 
 Congregations, in all places, certainly made it a 
 pra6lice to read St. Paul's Epiftles in this manner ; 
 as copies of them could be procured ; no doubt 
 can poffibly be entertained, but that as foon as 
 
 * Romans i. 7- t Philippians i. 1. 
 
 ^ Philemon v. 2. § 2d Peter iii. l6. 
 
 Either 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 17 
 
 Either of the Evangelifts had prefenled any Con- 
 gregation with the Original of hii Gofpel ; which 
 was of a nature fo much more neceffary for, and 
 fo much better adapted to, the inftruaion of all, in 
 the very grounds and reafons of the faith in Jefus, 
 than any of the Epiftles ; they would certainly caufe 
 copies of that Gofpel to be tranfcribed for other 
 Congregations ; as well as, by degrees, for private 
 perfons likewife ; and would all have them pub- 
 licly read, in the fame manner, as foon as they 
 could be obtained. 
 
 The neceffity of this pra6lice, in that early age 
 of the Church, muft have been fo ftrongly felt, 
 that it could not be omitted. For, as the Chriftians 
 had not then any large buildings fet apart for 
 the purpofe of religious woriliip; but were ob- 
 liged to meet at the private houfes of fome of the 
 difciples, where but few could aflemble together 
 at one time ; and there muft therefore have been 
 feveral of thefe fmall Congregations in the larger 
 cities, wherever the difciples were numerous ; till 
 fo many copies of the Gofpels could be taken, that 
 each Congregation might have one, either they 
 muft have been under the neceffity of carrying 
 the Original, or rather fome copy, to the different 
 houfes of meeting ; that each Congregation might 
 hear it read ; or elfe, all the different Congrega- 
 tions muft have aifembled, at different times, at 
 
 b tliQ 
 
18 A R G U M E X r S, &C. 
 
 the fame houfe, for tliat piirpofe ; and the in- 
 convenience, and even danger, attending both 
 thefe expedients, and efpecially in the times of 
 perfeciition, muft have been fo fenfibly felt, that 
 this circumftance alone muft certainly have fet 
 the ChriftiaRs to work, to caufc copies to be 
 tranfcribed, as faft as might be, for the ufe of all 
 Congregations. 
 
 AxD in addition to thefe confiderations it is of 
 importance to obferve, that all thofe pcrfons who 
 were thus continually employed in tranfcribing the 
 Gofpels, muft unavoidably have had the genuine 
 contents of them fo accurately imprefled upon their 
 minds, that no falfification of, or addition to them, 
 of any confiderable length, or at all ftriking in its 
 particulars, could poiTibly have efcaped their inftan- 
 taneous detection. 
 
 Such then being the circumftances of the cafe. 
 Was it poffible for thofe particulars relating to tlie 
 conception and birth of Jefus, which are recorded 
 in the firft and fecond chapters of the Gofpel of St. 
 Matthew, as it has been delivered down to us, to 
 have been forged, and clandeltinely added to any 
 copies of it ; and then to have been produced as 
 genuine parts of that Gofpel ; without being imme- 
 diately condemned as forgeries, and exploded ; let 
 this Gofpel have been firft made public by St 
 Matthew at whatever time, and place, it miglit? 
 
 If 
 
A RGUMENTS, &C. 19 
 
 If St. Matthew firft delivered it to the difciples 
 cither very early ; or at any time before the coun- 
 cil held at Jerufalem, upon the deputation of 
 Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, in the year 
 49, or 50 ; that is, at any time within fixteen, or 
 feventeen years after the Afcenfion ; while the 
 Apoftles in general, as well as fome other chofen 
 difciples, were engaged in preaching the Gofpel, 
 not only at Jerufalem, but throughout Judea, 
 and in the neighbouring countries ; ,any attempt 
 to add the particulars in queftion, as they have 
 been delivered down to us, muft have been im- 
 mediately dete6led ; not only becaufe it muft 
 have been perfe6l:ly well known to all in general, 
 that the fa^ls fo related were till then abfolutely 
 unheard of, and therefore certainly falfe ; as well 
 as becaufe the Original Goi^el given to the difciples 
 by St. Matthew himfelf, and many undoubtedly au- 
 thentic copies of it, muft have been extant, and well 
 known, and would at opce have proved the fuppofed 
 addition to be a forgery ; but likewife, becaufe 
 fome or other of the Apoftles ; who were all at this 
 time employed in preaching the Gofpel through- 
 out Judea, and in the countries round about it ; 
 muft very foon have been informed of thefe forged 
 narrations, and appealed to upon them ; and would 
 immediately have fought out, and condemned, the 
 copies in which they were inferted ; and have made 
 the moft public declarations, that the particulars in 
 
 b 2 quef- 
 
20 A R G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 queftion were forged, and void of all foundation in 
 truth. 
 
 And whether the Gofpel of St. Matthew was 
 made public by the Apoftle before, or after, the 
 year 4y, or 50 ; if the particulars in queftion were 
 added to it at any time before the year 62 ; that is, 
 not later than nine and twenty years after the Afcen- 
 fion ; the forgery muft have been no lefs certainly 
 detected ; not only becaufe the greater number of 
 authentic copies, which muft have been taken in 
 this longer interval ; as well as the Original itfelf, 
 which muft have been preferved to a much later 
 time ; would indifputably have proved it a forgery ; 
 but more efpecially, becaufe James the Juft; who 
 relided at Jerufalem, as Head, or Bifliop, of the 
 Church in Judea, till he was put to death there, in 
 the year 62 ; muft very foon have been informed of 
 the remarkable addition in queftion, containing ac- 
 counts of fuch aftoniihing miraculous tranfa6lions ; 
 and would certainly, by his ojvn authority, have con- 
 demned, in the moft public and effe6^tual manner, fo 
 flagitious a falfification ; as foon as the attempt to 
 obtrude it upon the belief of the Church had come 
 to his knowledge. 
 
 And w^hat, is it reafonable to believe, would 
 have taken place ; if, agreeably to the moft ancient 
 teftimony, and the judgment of fome of the moft 
 refpecldble Writers *, St. Matthew did not make 
 
 ♦ See I^rdner's Supplement, ch. y. as before; and b. i. 
 ch. xiii. p. 511—513, of Vol. VI. of his Works. 
 
 his 
 
&c. 21 
 
 bis Gofpcl public till about the year 63, 64, or 
 65 ; that is, about thirty years after the Afcen- 
 fion ; when James the Jult, the firit Biiliop of the 
 Chriflian Church in Judea, was now dead • and the 
 Apoftles in general were difperfed in other coun- 
 tries, and occupied in preaching the Golpel 
 there ? 
 
 In this cafe it is evident, that the forgery in 
 queftion could not poflibly be attempted till many 
 years after the year 64, or 65 ; the time at which 
 we are now fuppofmg St. Matthew to have made 
 his genuine Gofpel pubHc ; becaufe if it had been 
 attempted fooner, St. ^Matthew's Original Gofpel, 
 which muft have been well known, and prefer ved 
 many years, would immediately have refuted it. 
 And during that number of years, the authentic 
 Copies taken from the Original, in the more en- 
 larged ftate of the Church at that later period, 
 would have become fo numerous, that no con- 
 fiderable, or remarkable forgery ; and certainly 
 none fo very confiderable, and fo extremely re- 
 markable, as that in queftion ; introduced into a 
 very few copies only ; (and into a very few copies 
 only could fuch a forgery be introduced ;) could 
 have efcaped being dete8;ed, and exploded, by all 
 thofe Chriftian Congregations, as well as indivi- 
 duals, under whole infpe6tion any fuch fuppofed 
 interpolated copies had come. 
 
 b 3 Let 
 
l22 A R G U M E N T $, &C. 
 
 Let us put the cafe, that the experiment had 
 a6bually been tried : let us fuppofe, for a moment, 
 that the paflages under confideration are not ge- 
 nuine ; but were clandeftinely added, no matter 
 by what means, to fome copy, or copies ; and let 
 us confider, what muft have been the fuccefs of the 
 attempt to get them received as genuine, either by 
 thofe private Chriftians, or thofe Chriftian Congre- 
 gations, to whofe perufal the fuppofed interpolated 
 copy, or copies, were in any artful manner fub- 
 mitted ; and fo, in procefs of time, by the Church 
 at large. 
 
 Could any Chriftian whatever have been 
 brought to believe, upon perufmg one of thefe 
 fuppofed interpolated copies, that he had always 
 before read in the Gofpel of St. Matthew, — That 
 " Mary the Mother of Jefus had been found with 
 " child, before Jofeph and She came together ;" — ^ 
 if, when this Gofpel was firft made public by the 
 Apoftle, and till the very time when this inter- 
 polation was firft inferted in fome copies, no 
 fuch fa6l had been mentioned in it ? Or, that he 
 had always read in it, — That " an Angel of the 
 " Lord had appeared unto Jofeph in a dream, 
 " faying, Jofeph, thou Son of David, fear not 
 " to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that 
 " which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghoft : 
 *' and Ihe fhall bring forth a Son, and thou Ihalt 
 
 '' call 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 20C^' 
 
 ^' call his name Jelus ; for he ihall fave his people 
 ^' from their fms ;** — if no fuch • moft aftoniiliing, 
 miraculous facls had till then been there related ? 
 Could any one have been brought to believe, that 
 this Gofpel had always informed him, — That " in 
 *^ the days of Herod the King, there had come 
 " Wife Men from the Eaft to Jerufalem, faying, 
 ^^ Wliere is he that is born King of the Jews; 
 *- for we have feen his ftar in the Eaft, and are 
 *' come to worihip him ?" — That on account of 
 this applicaticn, '^ Herod affembled the Chief 
 ** Priefts, and the Scribes of the people, and 
 '^ demanded of them, where Chrift lliould be 
 *' born!" — That in confequence of their deter- 
 mining that Bethlehem ^vas the place, Herod 
 fent the Wife Men thither; and that there, by 
 means of the fame fupernatural light -which they 
 had feen in the Eaft, the W^ife iNIen actually 
 found him ; and that Herod foon after caufed all 
 the infants in Bethlehem, and all its coasts, to be 
 put to death ; merely with a view to deftroy him ? 
 — Was it even naturally poffible for any one, 
 upon reading fuch particulars ^s thefe, in any inter- 
 polated copies of St. Matthew's Gofpel, to have 
 become perfuaded, that he had always read thefe 
 particulars in that Gofpel ; when no fuch parti- 
 culars had in fact been related in it, till the time 
 when tliey were forged, and clandeftinely added 
 
 b 4 to 
 
24 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 to fome very few copies of it? It is abfolutely felf- 
 eyident, tliat no perfon in his fenfes could be fo 
 deceived. 
 
 There was like wife another very important 
 circumftance, by means of whicii any fuch at- 
 tempt, as that in queftion, muft inevitably have 
 been exploded, if it had been tried at any time 
 between the death of James the Juft, in the year 
 62, and the year 100. The Apoftle and Evan- 
 gelift St. John lived to that period. Either there- 
 fore the forgery would immediately have been 
 exploded, by the decifiv6 teftimony of the difciples 
 where it was firft brought forward ; or elfe, thofe 
 difciples who refifted the impofition would, no 
 doubt, have fent a deputation to the Apoftle 
 John, with a copy of thefe interpolated palTages ; 
 for his Apoftolical determination upon them ; and 
 St. John would at once have pronounced them a 
 forgery ; by a judgment which even the very con- 
 ti'ivers of the forgery could not have dared to 
 controvert. 
 
 All ideas of the forgery in queftion muft 
 therefore be totally give n up ; or elfe, as a laft 
 refource, it muft be contended, that it was not 
 contrived and executed till after the death of the 
 Apoftle and Evangeliftv St. John. But to fuppofe, 
 that accounts of :luch events as thofe in queftion 
 could be invented, and added to the genuine 
 
 Gofpel 
 
A RGUM ENT9, &C. 25 
 
 Gofpei of St. INfatthew, after the year 100; that is, 
 at a period of no lefs than feventy years after the 
 the faith in Jefus had been preached by all the 
 Apoftles ; and full fix and thirty years, at the leaft, 
 after St. Matthew's Gofpel had been made public 
 by its author ; and been read both publicly in the 
 Chriftian Congregations, and privately in Chriftian 
 families ; as well as after a very great number 
 of faithful copies muft have been tranfcribed, 
 by perfons properly employed, from the uncor- 
 rupted Original; and further to imagine, that a 
 forgery fo exceedingly remarkable in itfelf, and 
 fo circumftanced, fliould ^not have been immedi- 
 ately exploded ; nay, and even that it fliould have 
 been received, and delivered down to us as an un- 
 doubtedly genuine part of the Gofpel concerned ; 
 as it aftually has been ; would Jbe a fuppofition fo 
 extravagantly abfurd and incredible, as not to need 
 rcfutation. 
 
 Besides ; without having recourfe either to 
 tfie Original, or the authentic copies, of St. Mat- 
 thew's Gofpel ; it muft have been fo obvious to 
 the common fenle of every one. That any fafe of 
 a moft aftonilhing, and miraculous nature, and 
 afcribing an immediate divine origin to Jefus ; 
 which no one of the Apoftles had ever made men- 
 tion of, from the time of their beginning to 
 preach the Gofpel even to theif deaths ; through a 
 
 ^ perio4. 
 
26 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 period of no lefs than feventy years ; muft have 
 been forged; — This mufl have been fo obvious; 
 that fuch a forged narration, added to St. Matthew's 
 Gofpel, at any fuch late period of time as after the 
 death of the Apoftle John, or indeed many years 
 earlier, could not poffibly have been permitted 
 to gain the fmalleft degree of credit ; or to have 
 efcaped the moft determined, and immediate 
 r.eje6tion. 
 
 IV. Having feen the impoffibility of the fuccefs 
 of the forgery in queftion, as it relates immediately 
 to the Gofpel of St. Matthew ; we muft now go on 
 to enquire, whether it can be at all more credible 
 witli refpe^ to that of St. Luke. 
 
 It is not certainly known at what particular 
 time, or in what particular place, St. Luke made 
 his Gofpel public. It has been generally thought, 
 that it was iirft publilhed in Achaia ; but by 
 Some, either at Antioch, or in fome part of 
 Syria, or in Paleftine *. And though Some have 
 fuppofed it to have appeared about fifteen, and 
 Some about two and twenty years after the Af- 
 cenfion ; the more prevailing opinion is, that it 
 was not delivered by the Evangelift to the difci- 
 
 • See Lardner's Supplement, ch. riii. fed:. 6. p. 132, of 
 Vol. VI. of his Works.— But fee likewife Dr. Campbell's 
 Preface to hisxTranflation of St. Luke's Gofpel, p. 178, 179. 
 
 pies 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 27 
 
 pics till towards the year 64 ; that is, about thirty 
 years after that event *. 
 
 The fame kind of confiderations, which have 
 proved the utter incredibility of the forgeries in 
 queftion in relation to the Gofpel of St. Matthew, 
 will no lefs ftrongly prove its utter incredibility with 
 regard to that of St. Luke likewife. 
 
 No attempt to introduce a forgery of fuch a 
 kind, fo aftonifliing in its particulars, and fo 
 ftriking by its length, could be hazarded till, 
 many years after this Gofpel had been made pub- 
 lic ; becaufe the Original, given by Luke him* 
 felf, which muft have been preferved for many 
 years, would immediately have refuted it. And 
 when many years had elapfed, from its being 
 made public for the general ufe of the difciples, 
 fo many copies of it muft have been tranfcribed; 
 as well for the purpofe of being publicly read in 
 the different Congregations, as for the private 
 perufal of different families ; that any forgeries in- 
 ferted in a very few copies ; (which was all that 
 could poffibly be done ;) if they were of any con- 
 fiderable length, and contained any remarkable 
 particulars, muit have been taken notice of, as 
 foon as they were made public, and effectually 
 exploded. 
 
 * Sec Lardner's Supplement, ch. iv. fe(^. 4; and chap, 
 viii. fedt. 4. in Vol. VI of bis Works. 
 
 And 
 
JCS A RGU MENTS, &C. 
 
 And what then is the length, as well as the re- 
 markablenefs, of the particulars of the fuppofed 
 addition to St. Luke? No lefs than the whole 
 firft, and nearly the whole fecond chapter of his 
 Gofpel, as it has been delivered down to iis ; con- 
 taining — The account of the appearance of the 
 Angel Gabriel to Zacharias in the Temple ; — The 
 Angel's predi6tion that Elizabeth, hitherto bar- 
 ren, and now pall the time of child-bearing, 
 ihould bear a Son, who fliould be named John ; — 
 That this John Ihould be great in the fight of 
 the Lord ; be filled with the Holy Ghoft even 
 from his Mother's womb ; and go before the 
 Lord in the fpirit and power of Elias, to make 
 ready a people prepared for the Lord ; — The 
 Angel's punillaing Zacharias, by ftriking him inftan- 
 taneouily dumb, for doubting the truth of his pre- 
 diction ; — The appearance of the fame Angel foon 
 after to Mary : — his prediction to her likewife, that 
 ihe Ihould conceive a Son ; and That, above all, 
 in a fupernatural manner ; even by the operation of 
 the Holy Ghoil, and the power of the Higheft; 
 — ^That that Son Ihould therefore be called the 
 Son of God ;— That he Ihould fit upon the throne 
 of his father David, and reign over the houfe of 
 Jacob ; and, that of his kingdom there iliould be 
 no end ; — The verification of thefe predictions 
 both to Elizabeth, and Mary, and their inter- 
 
 courfc 
 
ic 
 
 A R G U M E N T S, &C. £9 
 
 courfe in confequence of it ; — The birth, and the 
 circumltances accompanying the naming of John ; 
 more efpecially Zacharias's fudden recovery of his 
 fpeech on that occafion ; and his immediately fore- 
 telling, that John lliould be called the prophet of 
 the highelt, &c. — The miraculous circumftances ac- 
 companying the birth of Jefus ; — The appearance 
 of an angel, attended by a multitude of the heavenly 
 hoft, to fome Shepherds near Bethlehem ; declaring 
 to the Shepherds; " I bring you good tidings of 
 great joy, which ill all be to all people ; for 
 unto you is born this day, in the city" of 
 ** David, a Saviour, which is Chrift, the. Lord ;" 
 and inftru6l;ing them where to find him, Avhich 
 they immediately did : — And, in the laft place, 
 the prophetic declarations of Simeon and Anna 
 in the temple ; announcing Jefus for a light fent 
 to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of 
 Ifrael. 
 
 Such particulars as thefe, not only fo numerous 
 and aftoniihing, but ftri^tly miraculous ; which, 
 if they were a forged addition to Luke's genuine 
 Gofpel, never could have been made mention of 
 l)y any one of the Apoftles, in the courfe of their 
 preaching ; nor ever have been heard of by any 
 perfon, till they were found added to fome copy, 
 or fome very few copies, of St Luke's Gofpel ; 
 'u whidi we are to fuppofe tliem to have been 
 
 clan- 
 
so ARGUMENTS, 8CC, 
 
 clandeftinely inferted ; could no fooner have hem 
 brought out for infpeaion, in order to iinpofe them 
 on the credulity of the Chriftian world, than they 
 would have been exploded by anyone to whom they 
 were fliewn ; as a moft unqueftionable, as well as 
 unparalleled falfification. 
 
 Nor is the particular place, and manner, in 
 which thefe relations are introduced in the Gofpel 
 of St. Luke, much lefs incredible ; fuppofing 
 them to have been forged, and clandeftinely in- 
 Yerted ; than even the forgeries themfelves. St. 
 Luke's Gofpel opens with the following introduc- 
 tion. — " Forafmuch as many have taken in hand 
 " to fet forth, in order, a declaration of thofe 
 ** things, which are mofifurely believed among us ; 
 " even as They delivered them unto us, which from 
 ** the beginning were eye-witnejfes, and Minifters of 
 '' the Word ; it leemed good to me alfo ; having 
 '' had perfect undcrftanding of all things from the 
 *' very Jirft : to write unto Thee, in order. Moil 
 " Excellent Theophilus ; that Thou mightefl know 
 *' the certainty of thofe things wherein thou haji 
 " been injiructedy 
 
 This is evidently an exprefs, and decifive de- 
 claration ; to the very perfon to whom St. Luke 
 addreiies his Gofpel ; not that the hiftory, with 
 which he was going to prefent him, would con- 
 tain any extraordinary^ or miraculous events, 
 
 which 
 
AKGU ME NTS, &C. 31 
 
 Hhich he had not heard of before ; but, on the con- 
 trary, that it would o ily give him a particular, and 
 latisfaClory account of all thofe important fa6is, 
 xchich had already been made know)i, as well to 
 him, as to all the difciples; and which had been 
 conjlantly affirmed by the Apojiles themfelves, from 
 their Jirji beginning to preach the Gqfpel ; and, in 
 confequence of their affirmations, jirmly beliexedy 
 from the "very begifining, by ail whom they had ever 
 converted to the Chriftian faith. 
 
 Yet, if it be fuppofed, that the particulars in 
 queftion, relative to the conceptions, and births, 
 of John the Baptift, and Jefus, were not a genuine 
 part of this Gofpel ; the Authors of this fuppofed 
 forgery muft have chofen to infert all thefe moft 
 aftonifliing particulars of their own inventing ; 
 which no one could have heard of till they were fo 
 inferted ; immediately after this very introdu6lion ; 
 which, in that cafe, muft not only have given the 
 lie, in the moft direO; and ftriking manner, to 
 the whole interpolation ; but mult have pointed it 
 out fo plainly for an interpolation, as to render it 
 impofTible for it to have efcaped the notice of even 
 the moft dull, or inattentive reader. And this, 
 certainly, we may venture to affirm, is utterly 
 incredible. 
 
 So enormous, indeed, and extravagant, would 
 fuch an interpolation as that in queltion have 
 
 been. 
 
5^ ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 been, that, in whatever part of St. Luke's Gofpel 
 it had been introduced, it muft have been ob- 
 ferved, and detected. But certainly, if it had 
 been poffible for any one to refolve to try the 
 experiment of inferting it at all, he could never 
 have chofen to do it immediately after that par- 
 ticular declaration of St. Luke, which muft ren- 
 der the forgery more exceedingly ftriking, and 
 confpicuous, than it would have been in any other 
 place. 
 
 In" fact, if it had been poffible for any one to 
 have determined to make this interpolation, ia 
 this particular place ; he muft, at the fame time, 
 have determined to add to it another ; by alter- 
 ing St. Luke's introdu6lion, to fuit it to his pur- 
 pofe ; and making him inform Thcophilus, that 
 he Ihould lay before him, not only a full and fa- 
 tisfaclory account ®f all thofe particulars, relating 
 to Jefus, which he had before heard ; but like- 
 wife, feveral moft important miraculous fa8;s, 
 which he had never before been informed of. 
 And this fmgle circumftance, therefore, that the 
 particulars in queftion are placed immediately 
 after fuch an introduction as they directly follow, 
 is alone a decilive proof, that they muft have been 
 a genuine part of St. Luke's original Gofpel ; and 
 that the fa6ts which they contain muft have been 
 related by the Apoftlesi^ as occafion required, to 
 
 all 
 
ARGUMENTS, &<:• 53 
 
 all the difciples they made, from the very time of 
 tlieir beginning to preach the Golpel. 
 
 V. But wavins: for a moment all thefe con- 
 fiderations, and fuppofnig the forgeries in qucf- 
 tion to have been attempted, what mult: have been 
 the confequence ? No fooner could the contrivers 
 of them have brought them forward, tiian they 
 muft have been exploded by all who were not 
 concerned in the forgery of them ; iince no perlon 
 could poffibly give credit to relations fo extremely 
 remarkable as thefe, which no one of the Apoftles 
 could ever have made mention of; and for which 
 no authority whatever could be pretended. And 
 wherever the experiment had been tried ; whe- 
 ther in Paleftinc, Syrici, or Achaia ; if notwith- 
 ftanding their immediate rejeftion by thofe to whom 
 they were propofed, they had ftill been contended 
 for, as authentic, by thofe who conti'ived, and 
 produced them ; an account of them would cer- 
 tainly have been tranfmitted to Jerufalem, for the 
 judgment of that Church upon them ; and there 
 they would certainly have been authoritatively con- 
 demned. 
 
 When there arofe a difpute among the difci- 
 ples at Antioch, about the neceffity of circum- 
 cifion, they fent Paul and Barnabas' to Jerufalem, 
 tQ have the point authoritatively decided by the 
 
 G Apoftles 
 
54 A R G U M E N T S, &(?. 
 
 Apoftles there ^. And in the fame manner, no 
 doubt, if St. Matthew's and St. Luke's Gofpels 
 were made public early enough to permit the for- 
 geries in queltion to be attempted at any time 
 during the life of James the Juft; who prefided 
 over the Church in Judea for about thirty years 
 after the Afcenfion ; that is, till tlic year 62 ; to 
 him, undoubtedly, an account of them would have 
 been fent ; if they were at all perfifted in ; and by 
 him the falfehood of them would have been dcci- 
 fively declared. 
 
 And if we lliould fup})ofe the attempt not to have 
 been made till after the death of James the Juft, in 
 the year 62 ; but before the death of the Apoftlc 
 and Evangelilt St. Jolm^ who lived to about the 
 year 100 ; it cannot be doubted, but that as foon as 
 thefe moft aftonilliing, and before unheard of 
 relations were made public, the Billiop, and other 
 molt confiderable members of the ChiuTh at Je- 
 rufalem would have fent a deputation to St. John ; 
 with copies of the fuppofcd interpolated parts of 
 IMatthew's and Luke's Gofpels ; for his Apoftolical 
 'judgment upon their authenticity, and truth. And 
 after St. John had authoritatively condemned them 
 as furreptitious, and falfe; as lie would, and 
 muft have done ; it would have been utterly im- 
 
 * Ads of the Apoftles, ch. xy. 
 
 poffibU 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 35 
 
 pofTible for them to have been tranfmitted to us, as 
 genuine parts of the Gofpels concerned, in the 
 manner they actually have been. (3n the contrary, 
 either the very memory of thefe forgeries would 
 have died away, and we ihould never have heard of 
 them ; or elfe St. John's apoftolical condenniatioh 
 of them would certainly have been tranfmitted 
 to us, together with an account of the forgeries 
 tliemfelves. 
 
 Or if, for argument*s fake, we put the fup- 
 pofition, that the contrivers of the fuppofed for- 
 geries might ftill endeavour to keep up a party 
 in their fupport ; it cannot be queftioned, but 
 that the fame heads of the Church at Jerufalem, 
 Vv'ho had applied to St. John for his judgment 
 upon them, would immediately have informed 
 him of the fupport ftill attempted to be given to 
 them, even in oppofition to the judgment he had 
 pronounced againft them ; and that St. John would 
 then have addrelfed an Epiftle to all the Chrif- 
 tian Churches, to prevent the poiFibility of their 
 being milled by fuch an impious attempt. And 
 certainly, That Epiftle, written upon fo very ex- 
 traordinary an occafion, could not but have been 
 delivered dov^m to us; together uith the three 
 Epiftles of his writing which we now have. And as, 
 after this Epiftle of St. John had been made jjub- 
 lic, no C'hrifiians, except the fuppofed ilipporters 
 
 c Q of 
 
56 A R G U M E N T S, ^C. 
 
 of the forgeries, would either have added the paf- 
 fages in queftion to thofe copies of the Gofpels of* 
 St. Matthew and St. Luke, 6f Mhich they were 
 already pofleffed; or would have prefixed them 
 to any copies of thofe Gofpels, which might after- 
 wards have been tranfcribed ; the confequence inuft 
 have been, that it would have been only not 
 abfolutely impoffible for fo much as even a fingle 
 copy of thofe Gofpels, to which the forgeries 
 were added, to have come down to us ; and we 
 fhould not have known what the contents of thefc 
 forgeries were; except from the Epiftle of St. 
 John written purpofely to condemn them ; and 
 whatever the early Chriftian Writers might have 
 mentioned concerning them. Whereas the a61;ua?l 
 fad is, that no fuch Epiftle was ever written by 
 St. John; and all the copies of the Gofpels 
 concerned, which have been tranfmitted to us; 
 except thofe, the beginnings of which are mani- 
 feftly loft ; are found to contain the paffages in 
 queftion *. 
 
 VI. If then the forgeries in queftion fliould 
 be ftill conceived pofTible, it can only be by 
 fuppofmg them to have taken place at fome time 
 
 * See Dr. Campbell's Note on Matt. ii. 23: Vol. II. 
 p. 308, of his Tranflation of the Gofpels. " It is proper to 
 %bferve," &c. 
 
 after 
 
ARGUM^ENTS, 5cc. 37 
 
 ftfter the death of the Apoltle John ; when there was - 
 no longer any perfon living, who could on his own 
 apoltolical authority condemn them. But fuppofing 
 even this to have been. the cafe, what muft have been 
 the iflue ? 
 
 The lateft time afligned for the publication of 
 St. IMatthew's and St. Luke's Gofpels is about the 
 year 63, 64, or 65* ; and the Apoftle and Evan- 
 gelift St. John lived to about the year 100 ; that is, 
 about tive, or fix, and thirty years after this 
 lateft time of their publication. During this in- 
 terval of five, or fix, and thirty years ; and efpe- 
 cially in that advanced ftate of the Church, near 
 the beginning of the Second Century ; very many 
 copies of Matthew's and Luke's Gofpels muft 
 have been tranfcribed, and carefully kept ; not 
 only for private perufal, but, more efpecially, to 
 be read at the religious meetings of tlie difciples. 
 Several years, therefore, before the death of the 
 Apoftle and Evangelift St. John, the genuine con- 
 tents of thefe Gofpels muft have been fo perfectly 
 well known ; and there muft have been fo many 
 copies of them, whofe completenefs, as mcII as 
 authenticity, would not admit of doubt; and fo 
 many perfons who knew that to be the cafe ; that 
 if any one could have been wild enough to invent 
 
 * See the authorities referred to in the note in page 27. 
 
 c 3 the 
 
38 A Pv G U M E X T S, &C, 
 
 the paiTages in queftion, and fdilt tlieni into any 
 copies of the Crolpels concerned, which he could 
 get into his polieflion ; after the death of the 
 Apoftle John ; and then bring thofe copies into 
 pubhc notice ; and fubniit them to public infpec- 
 tion as unadulterated ; and therefore, as the only 
 authentic, and complete copies of thele Gofpels ; 
 it would have been abfolutely impoffible, but that 
 fuch impudent forgeries muft have been immedi- 
 ately exploded ; and the interpolations themfelves 
 could not have been delivered down to us, as they 
 actually have been, as genuine parts of the Gofpels 
 in which they are found. 
 
 Besides, at whatever time, whether early or late, 
 after the death of the Apoftle John, we may fuppofc 
 the attempt to have been made, to pafs the narra- 
 tions in queftion for genuine upon the Chriftiaii 
 world ; the particulars related in them muft have 
 been abfolutely unheard of till that very time, by all 
 except the few a\ ho were concerned in forging them ; 
 and no one copy of the Gofpels concerned could at 
 that time have been found to contain them ; ex- 
 cept thofe very few, into which the contrivers of 
 the fuppofed forgeries had been able to foift 
 them. 
 
 What then muft have been the cafe, -e^s fbon 
 as the attempt to pafs them upon the difciples in 
 general v.as brought forward; wherever it may 
 
 be 
 
A R C U M E N T S, &C. S9 
 
 be fuppolcd to have been made ? ('hriftians, by 
 being cither converted to the Chriltian faith, or 
 educated in it, did not become deltitute of common 
 fenfe: and they muft therefore liave a6ted, upon 
 this very particular occafion, as perfons ^vho were 
 poilciicd of common fenfe certiiinly would have 
 acled. If the copies, to which the fuppofed forged 
 narrations were added, were in private hands, the 
 perfons to whom they were dire6lly Ihewn, or to 
 whofe notice they were iu any artful manner fub- 
 inittcd, in order to get thefe aftonilliing additions 
 received, Mould immediately have compared 
 them, not only with other copies in private hands 
 likeuife ; but efpecially w ith thofe copies, which 
 were read in their religious meetings, at thofe 
 places, where the fuppofed corrupted copies were 
 brought into notice.— Or if the forgers could 
 have found means to corrupt fome copy, or evea 
 more than one copy, made ufe of at their reli- 
 gious meetings ; the prefiding, and moft intelli- 
 gent members of thofe Congregations to which 
 thefe copies belonged, as foon as they canie to 
 hear thefe before unheard of, and aftonilliing re- 
 lations read among them, at their religious meet- 
 ings, would certainly have looked for them m 
 their own private copies, as well as ia the private 
 copies of all to whom they had accefs ; and would 
 likewife have enquired, whether thofe,, till ther^ 
 
 c 4 unheard 
 
40 ARGUMENT S, &C. 
 
 unheard of, narrations were to be found in the 
 copies made ufe of in other Congregations, as 
 well as their own. And as the number of copies, 
 which the contrivers of the fuppofed forgeries 
 could have found meails to corrupt, muft have 
 been very fmall ; and every other copy, without 
 exception, would have borne teftimony againft 
 them ; while every perfon not concerned in the 
 fuppofed forgeries muft have known with abfo- 
 lute certainty, that he had never feen, or heard 
 of, any fuch relations as thofe in queftion, till 
 the time when the forgers of them produced 
 them into notice;' the attempt to fupport thefe 
 forgeries muft either have been immediately 
 given up, and the forgeries themfelves have been 
 totally rejected ; or elfe, if the perfons who 
 forged them, and fuch as they might have gained 
 over to their party, (if indeed they could have 
 gained any ;) continued obftinaiely to contend for 
 them as genuine ; and to ufe thofe copies into 
 which thefe narrations had been foifted, as the 
 only complete copies of the two Gofpels con» 
 cerned ; — If this, merely for the fake of argu- 
 ment, be fuppofed not abfolutely impolTible ; 
 then This Party muft immediately have become 
 noticed as a Small New Se6l of Chriftians ; who 
 diftinguiihed themfelves from the great body of 
 the Chriftian Church, by the peculiarity of re- 
 
 ceiving 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 41 
 
 ceiving the pailages in queftion as genuine, while 
 every one elfc rejeded them as forged. 
 
 This mull at all events have proved the cafe. 
 And this circumftance will furniili us with another 
 (atisfadory proof, that if is abfolutely impofiible 
 for the fuppofed forgeries to have been contrived, 
 and executed, at any time after the death of the 
 Apoftle John. 
 
 If the attempt fuppofed had been made after 
 the death of John ; who lived to the end of the 
 firft century ; there muft have been a time, after 
 the beginning of the Second Century, ^vhen the 
 particulars in queftion, contained in the two firft 
 chapters of the Gofpels of IMatthew and Luke, 
 as we have them, firft began to be heard of. — 
 There muft have been a time, after the begin- 
 ning of the Second Century, when they who 
 received thefe pafTages as genuine, firft became 
 known, as a Small New Se6l of * Chriftians ; 
 diftinf^uiiliins^ themfelves from all other Chriftians 
 by that very peculiarity; and w-hen the whole 
 Chriftian Church, except this very Small New 
 Se6t, univerfally reje6led thefe palTages as noto- 
 rious interpolations. And fince all the unmu- 
 tilated copies of the two Gofpels concerned, which 
 have come down to us, contain the pailages in 
 queftion ; there muft likewife have been, at Ibmc 
 period ftill later in the Second Century, a far 
 
 more 
 
42 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 more remarkable epocha ftill ; — a time, when the 
 great body of Chriftians, in all places, muft have 
 come over to the diftinguilhing peculiarity of this 
 Small New Sccl ; and when, agreeing to receive the 
 paflages in queftion as genuine, they mult ac-lually, 
 and by concert, have corrupted all their authentic 
 copies of the two Gofpels concerned ; by prefixing 
 imiverfally thefe paliages to them, as original parts 
 of them. 
 
 And if the Chriftian Church produced any 
 Writers upon the affairs of the Church, ^t, or 
 not very long after, that time ; thofe Writers 
 muft inevitably have recorded thefe aftonilliing 
 events ; to which ther(^ is nothing fuiiilar in the 
 hiftory of mankind. Whether they could have 
 given a fatisfaclory account of the means by which 
 fo unparalleled a revolution was brought abaut> 
 or not ; they would, at all events, liave recorded 
 the revolution itfelf; and we ihould have been 
 explicitly informed by them; — That during a 
 long period the Gofpels of Matthew and Luke 
 were not known to have contained thole pal- 
 fages relating to the conceptions and births, of 
 John the Baptift, and Jefus ; which, at the tiiiQ^ 
 when they wrote, w^ere univerfallv placed at the 
 beginning of them :^— That the Chriftian Church 
 had poffeffcd thofe Gofpels without the palfages 
 concerned, till fuch a certain period in the early 
 
 part 
 
-ARGUMENTS, ScC. 43 
 
 part of the Second Century : but tliat not long 
 before that time, a New Se6t of Chriftians had 
 fpruug uj) ; who then produced fome copy, or 
 copies, of thofe Gofpels, containing the paflages 
 in queftion; and contended, that they had been 
 originally contained in them ; by what means fo- 
 ever it had happened, that they had been left out 
 of all the copies, except thofe which they had pro- 
 duced containing them. — lliat at length, this New 
 ScCl found means to perfuade tl:e whole Chrillian 
 Church to adopt this belief; ^id that then, accord- 
 ingly, the copies of thefe Gofpels were all by 
 degrees altered, and the palTages in queftion inferted 
 in them, as they h^ve been delivered down from 
 them to us. 
 
 Such muft have been the hiftory of thefe mar- 
 vellous events, which the Chriftian Writers, who 
 Hourillied but a very few years after they muft have 
 taken place, would certainly have given us ; if the 
 palfages in queftion had been forged, and added to 
 their refpeftive- Gofpels, at any time after the death 
 of the Apoltle, and Evangelift, St. John. 
 
 But fo far is this from being the ca(e, that 
 the hiftory of the Church is an abfolute, and di- 
 rect contradiction to every idea of this kind ; and 
 proves ail fuch fuppofitions to be as falfe in facV, 
 as they are, in their very nature, abfurd and im- 
 polhble. 
 
 The 
 
44 AROUMEXTs, Arc. 
 
 The Chriftian Writers, who flouridied not 
 long after tlie death of the Apoftle John, do not 
 fuggeft any fuch notion, as that there ever was a 
 time ; either after tlie deatli of John, or betbre it; 
 when the Gofpels of Matthew, and Luke, did not 
 contain thofe palfages relating to the conceptions, 
 and births, of John the Baptift and Jefus, Avhich 
 they now do contain. They give not the leaft 
 hint of any time, at which the Chriftian Church, 
 from having the Gofpels of Matthew and Luke 
 >nthout thefe pafiages, were firft made acquainted 
 with them ; and, from being prevailed on to con- 
 fider them as genuine, agreed to admit them ; and 
 accordingly added tlicm to all the copies of tliefe 
 Gofpels ; of none of wliich they had before made 
 a part. 
 
 But, in direct; contradiction to every fuch 
 idea, they explicitly fhcw, that very early in tlie 
 Second Century, not long after the death of the 
 Apoftle John, there was indeed grown up into 
 public notice a New'Se6l of Chriftians, known 
 by the name of Ebionites ; who (in agreement 
 with a fomewhat earlier fe6l, the Cerinthians,) 
 differed from the Church at large, with refpeci 
 to the Miraculous Conception of Jefus, recorded 
 in the paflages in queftion : but that tliis Sect, 
 inftead of being tlie firft publilliers, and defenders, 
 of thefe paflages ; and the lirft to perfuade the 
 
 Church 
 
A R G U M E X T S, &C. 4S 
 
 Church at large to receive them, and add them to 
 the two Goipels concerned ; were a^ually diftii*- 
 cuiihea as a Seft, oppofed to the Catholic Church, 
 bv diibdieving the particulars recorded in th^ 
 paiTages, and therefore rejeSmg them ; while the 
 Church it large continued to receive them, as un- 
 doubted parts of their refpeSive Gofpels ; known 
 to be fi, firom the very time when thofe GofpeU 
 were firf delivered to the difciples, by the Evange- 
 lifts who wrote them *. 
 
 They mention likewife an important particular 
 in tlie conduct of this Sect ; wliich may ferve to 
 jhew, tiat their dilbelief of the miraculous Con- 
 ceptioi of Jefus ought not to be regarded as & 
 circuofttnce of any moment, in judging of the 
 authenicity of thofe paflages in the Gofpels, ia 
 which he particulars relating to it are recorded. 
 They flew, that this SeS, on account of the 
 ilrong dillike they entertained to the do&ine of 
 
 ♦ See Moflieim's Ecclefiafiical Hiftoiy, ift Century-, p. ?. 
 th. V. ftcl. 17; and 2d Centniy, p.2, ch. v. fea. 3. Tbat 
 one brauch of the Ebioiiites denied the miraculous Concep- 
 tion, fee the paffages from Eufebins, qnoted by Lardner, 
 Vol. II. of his Works, p. 307; 9Xtd Vol. Vlh p. SC; ami 
 particulaly Vol. III. p. 541, note H.— Of the beginning of 
 the Gofpei of the Ebionites, fee the reference to £pipbaniii% 
 Lardner's Works, Vol. U. p. 143; that is, Credibility, p. S, 
 th. xiv. \9 H. 
 
 the 
 
46 A B G IT M E V t S, Sec. 
 
 the abolition of the Jewifli Law by the Gofpcl ; 
 which was very particularly inlilted on by ^t. 
 Paul ; rejeded entirely both St. Paul himfeif, and 
 his Epiftles*. From which fa8: alone it is abjndantly 
 evident, that their diibelief of the niiraculais Con- 
 ception of Jefus cannot afford even the fnialeft pre- 
 fumption againft the authenticity of thofc lailages, 
 of the firft and fecond chapters of the G<fpcls of 
 St. Matthew and St. Luke, in which the paticulars 
 of it are recorded. 
 
 And they fliew further, that though his Se^ 
 peififted in diibelieving the contents of tlefe paf- 
 fages; the Church at large were not, evci in the 
 fmalleft degree, influenced by their condi6t, to 
 diibelieve them likewife ; but continued to receive 
 them ; as it is evident from thefe facls tby muft 
 have done from tlie beginning ; and, acccrdinglv. 
 delivered them down to us, as of the iameuaquel- 
 tionable authority with any other palTage wluAx 
 thofe Gofpels contain. 
 
 Having now feen, in the firft place, tiat the 
 Narratives in queftion are in themfelvesof fuch 
 a nature, as to render it abfolutely incredible, 
 
 ♦ That the Ebionites rejeaed St. Paul, and his Fpiftles, fe« 
 Lardner's Works, Vol. II. p. 354 ; That is, Crc(i;iilit3% p. 2 
 ch. xxix. fed. iv. 20; and the quotation from Eufebius in 
 Vol. VII. p. 20.— And MariVs Trannation a Michaelis's 
 Introduftioii to the New Teft. Vol. I. p. 36, 27. 
 
 that 
 
^ R G C M E N T S, &C. 47 
 
 that they could be invented, and forged, by any 
 perfons whatever ;— In the next, that if they 
 could have been forged, they could not have been 
 made public at any period of time, either during 
 the hfe, or after the death, of the Apoftle and 
 Evangelift St. John, without being inevitably ex- 
 ploded ; — And further, that even if they could have 
 been forged ; and matters could have been fo ma- 
 naged by thofe who forged them, as to procure their 
 reception by the Chnrrh at large, as genuine 
 parages of the two Gofpels concerned ; the 
 hiftory of the Church relating to them muft then 
 have been diametrically oppofite to what it 
 aftually is;— Having feen all this, we might 
 here reft the queftion ; as having abundantly 
 proved, that the narratives under confideration, 
 relating to the births of Jefus and the Baptifi, mult 
 have been authentic paffages of their refpective 
 Gofpels. 
 
 But becaufe fome of the earlieft Chriftian Se6ls 
 difbelieved the contents of thefe relations ; and 
 that circumltance has probably been the radical 
 caufe of whatever doubts about them, or actual 
 dilbelief of them, may at tlii« day be entertained ; 
 it will certainly be ufeful, to lliew, furtlier, that 
 their authenticity is very fatisfa6lorily confirmed, 
 not only by an early Writer of the Church at 
 isirge, who, with the Church, held their autho- 
 rity 
 
4S ARGUMENTS, Scc. 
 
 rity to be beyond all doubt; but even by thofe 
 very Se6fcs, who did not believe their contents, 
 and rejected them ; as well as by the moft diftin- 
 guifhed of thole profeiTed Enemies to the faith 
 in Jefus, who exerted all their abilities to over- 
 throw it. 
 
 VII. And that thefe paflages were certainly au- 
 ilientic ; as the Church at large, without the fmalleft 
 dotibt, held them to be ; the mannpv in which they 
 are mentioned in the writings of Juftin Martyr, the 
 lirft Apologift for Chriftianity, will afford us very 
 fatisfa6):ory corroborating proof. 
 
 Justin wrote, and prefented his Firft Apology, 
 at the lateft within fifty years after the death of 
 the Apoftle John *. In it he repeatedly infifts upon 
 the fa6t, that Jefus was born of a Virgin ; which, 
 he likewife contends, it was foretold by Ifaiah, 
 that Jefus ftiould be ; and for the truth of this 
 faO: he refers to the particulars recorded, in the 
 paffages in queftion ; and exprefsly affirms, that 
 thefe paffages were written by the fame Evange^ 
 lifts w^ho had written the whole hiftory of Jefus ; 
 and without judging it requilite to fay a fy liable 
 
 • Cave's Life of Juftin, feft. «i.— Lardner's Works, Vol. II. 
 p. 117 ; that is, Credibility, p. 2, ch. x. — Juftiu's Firll Apology, 
 N»46, p. 71. Ed. Paris, 1742. 
 
A R G U M E N T S, &C. 49 
 
 in fupport of tlic truth of this aflertion *. This is 
 what he could not have done, if any doubts of the 
 authenticity of thefe palTages had been at that time 
 entertained ; or if tlie Se6ts, who diibelieved the 
 particulars related in them, had attempted to pro- 
 duce any evidence, by which their authenticity 
 could be brought into queftion. 
 
 Justin's Apology was addreffed to the Em- 
 peror, the Senate, and the people of Rome ; and 
 was writterf, and prefented, for the very purpofe 
 of exciting in the Emperor a favourable opinion 
 of the Chriltians, and procuring a celfation of 
 thofe cruelties, which were at that time exercifed 
 againft them. But had Juftin attempted to de- 
 ceive the Emperor, with the Senate, and People 
 of Rome, by baldly aflerting the genuinenefs of 
 thefe relations, w^hen he knew their authenticitjr 
 was called into queftion ; (and if it had been, he 
 muft have known it;) he could have had nothing 
 to expe6l, but that fome of the very numerous 
 and powerful enemies of the Chriftians would have 
 taken advantage of a condu6t fo highly culpable, 
 to encreafe both the odium, and the perfecution, 
 which the Chriftians laboured under. This was 
 fo extremely obvious, that it was impoffible for 
 Juftin not to refle6t upo^ it. His having written 
 
 * See Juftin's Firft Apology, N'' 35, 33. Ed. Pari^, 1742. 
 
 d of 
 
50 ARGUMENTS, kc. 
 
 of tliefe paffages, tlierefore, in the manner he has; 
 that is, his having pofitively allcrted, as an acknow- 
 ledged faft, which required no proof, that they 
 were written by the fame perfons, who wrote the 
 whole of thofe Gofpels, of which they have been 
 tranfmitted to us as genuine parts ; in an Apology 
 for the Chriftians ; addrefled, and delivered to the 
 Emperor ; purpofcly to excite a favourable dif- 
 pofition in the Emperor towards the Chriftians ; 
 is an ample proof, that their authenticity was 
 not even queftioned, (though the fa6ls related in 
 them were not believed by the Seels already 
 mentioned ;) when he wi'ote this Apology ; that 
 is, within fifty years after the death of the Apoftle 
 John. 
 
 And this conclufion is very ftrongly confirmed 
 by Juftin's condu6l in his Second Apology. Had 
 the authenticity of thefe pailages been at all 
 doubtful, when in his Firft Apology he referred 
 to them as of unqueftioned authority ; juft as he 
 would have referred to any other pailages of the 
 fame Gofpels ; this artifice w^ould quickly have 
 been obferved, and urged againft him. And it^ 
 after this, he undertook to write, and prefent, a 
 Second Apology, to the then Emperor ; in order 
 to induce him to mitigate the feverities ftill exer-> 
 cifed againft the Chriftians ; he muft have made 
 it his bufinefs in that Second Apology, to vin- 
 dicate 
 
A R G U M E X T S, &C. ,5 1 
 
 dicate the pafTagcs in queltion from whatever doubts 
 had been raifed againlt them ; and to prove fatis- 
 fa^torily that they were authentic ; as in liis Firit 
 Apology he had, in the moft unqualified manner, 
 and without the lealt mention of any proof, affirmed 
 them to be. But fo far is this from being the cafe ; 
 that in his Second Apology ; being led to mention, 
 that Jefus was made man, by being born, in con- 
 fcquence of the will of God, and the Father ; he 
 refers to what he had faid before upon this point, 
 as fully fufficient ; without adding any thing to 
 confirm his former aiTertion*. And this cer- 
 tainly is a proof, that no objection had been 
 niade to his unqualified alfertion of the authen- 
 ticity of thefe paflages, in his Firft Apology ; and 
 confequently, that no doubts were entertained con- 
 cerniniT it. 
 
 o 
 
 Nor is this all. The fame conclufion which is 
 thus eftabliflied by Juftin's two Apologies, is ftill 
 iurther confirmed by his Dialogue with Trypho 
 the Jew. If any doubts had been entertained of 
 the authenticity of thefe pafiages, when Juftin 
 wrote this Dialogue, thofe doubts muft have been 
 perfectly well known to the Jews in particular ; 
 
 ♦ See Juflin's Second Apology, N^ 6, p. 93, fame Edi- 
 tion ; and compare it with what he has faid. Firft Apology, 
 
 d 2 and 
 
5^ A 11 G U BI E N T S, Scc 
 
 and miift have been alleged by them in their oppd*- 
 fitlon to the faith in Jefiis. And this Dialogue 
 ()eing defigncd by Jultin as a profeffed proof of 
 t[ie truth of the Chriftian Revelation ; and more 
 efpecially as a refutation of fuch objections as 
 were alleged by the Jews againft it ; if thefe paf- 
 fages had been objected to as fpurious, at the time 
 \then this Dialogue was compofed, and made pub- 
 lic, it would not have been poffible for Juftin to 
 have aiierted tlieir authenticity, and argued from 
 them, as he does in this Dialogue ; without, at 
 the fame time, introducing Trypho alleging fuch 
 objcclions^ to pi'ove then} fpurious, as were known 
 to be urged againft them ; and then, in reply to 
 Trypho, producing fuch arguments as he thought 
 valid ; to iliew that the objections urged by Trypho 
 were of no force. 
 
 Just in this manner w^e actually fmd, that 
 when Jufthi has alleged the prophecy of Ifaiah, — 
 A Virgin Jhall conceive^ &c. he immediately intro- 
 duces Trypho replying to him, that he miitranilated 
 the Mord in the Original ; that it is not laid by 
 Ifaiah, that a Virgin^ but merely that " a young 
 rkioman^ lliall conceive, &c. ;" and Juftin then fets 
 himfelf to refute tliis objection *. But though 
 
 * See tlie Dialogue \vith Trypho, N°6"(j, 67 i p. 1^3, l^-i j 
 and N^ 84 ; p. 181, fume Edition. 
 
 Juftin 
 
A.HGUM ENTS, Scc, 5^ 
 
 Juftin argues repeatedly, and at great length, from 
 this prophecy ; and appeals particularly to the 
 events recorded in the two firlt chapters of the 
 (rofpels of St. Matthew and Luke *, as of decifive 
 authority, for the completion of it ; and though 
 he introduces Trypho obje61;ing, that the fa6l, which 
 Juftin wants to eftablilli upon the authority of thefe 
 pallages ; that is, Jefus's having been born of a 
 Virgin ; was in itfelf almoft, if not altogether, im- 
 pofliblcf ; yet he has not introduced Trypho fug- 
 gefting fo much as an idea, that the authenticity of 
 the palfages in which thofe mii'aculous events arc 
 recorded, and upon the authority of which Juftin 
 fo entirely relied, was fubjc6t even to the fmalleft 
 doubt J. 
 
 There can fcarcely be conceived a ftronger cir- 
 cumftantial proof than this, that when Juftin ^^ rote 
 this Dialogue; which is judged to have been not 
 long after his Firft Apology § ; no doubts of the 
 authenticity of thefe pallages had ever been enter- 
 tained ; (though it was univerfally known, that 
 ]\Iarcion, the Ebionites, and fome other Sects, 
 did not believe their contents;) and much lefs 
 
 * DiaL.guc witli Trypho, NV7, 7S, 84; p. 174-, 5, (), 
 and 181. 
 
 t Ibid. N°68; p. 1C)5. 
 
 t This appears from the pafiagos jufl; rofcrrod to. 
 
 $ Sec Lurclner's Works, Vol. H. p. 117. 
 
 d 3 apy 
 
54 A U G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 any idea of there having been a time, when thei6 
 palTages were firft brought to light, by any fmall 
 New Se6t of Chriftians ; and when, in confe- 
 quence of their arguments in favour of them, they 
 had been received by the Church at large, and 
 inferted in all the copies of the two Gofpels con- 
 cerned ; which till that time had not contained 
 them. 
 
 Justin iliews, that before he wrote, it was the 
 efiabiiihed practice to read the Gofpels publicly 
 in the Chriftian Congregations^ : and his referring 
 to thefe paffages, juft as he would have referred to 
 any other paffages of the fame Gofpels, as 
 having certainly been written by the writers of 
 the whole Gofpels to which they belong ; without 
 referring to any proof of the point, or confider- 
 ing it as requiring any ; is an abfolute proof, not 
 only that the copies of the Gofpels of Matthew 
 and Luke which were read in- the Chriftian Con- 
 gregations, and Gonfequently thofe which were 
 kept, and read, in private families, muft have 
 contained thefe paffages ; but tliat thefe paffages 
 were then, as well as before Juftin wrote, held to 
 be of juft the fame unexceptionable authority, as 
 any other paffages of thofe Gofpels. And as this 
 
 ♦ See the Firft Apology, N° 67, p. 8:3. And Lardncr's Woiks, 
 Vol.11, p. U'l, 122, ;28, 129, 
 
 could 
 
ARGUMENTS, Scc. o5 
 
 could not have been the cafe, if they had been 
 firlt brought into notice, and added to the various 
 •copies of thofe Gofpcls, at any tune between the 
 death of the Apoftle St. John, in the year 100, 
 and the time when Jultin wrote, before the year 
 IJO; or, indeed, feveral years fooner ; the man- 
 ner in which Juftin has referred to thefe paffages ; 
 in his two Apologies, and his Dialogue with 
 Trypho ; is a fatisfactory proof, that thefe palTages 
 could not have been brought into notice, and added 
 to the various copies of the Gofpels concerned, 
 either at any time after the death of the Apoftle 
 and Evangelift St. John ; or for feveral years 
 before it. 
 
 Besides, Juftin was born, according to Some, 
 in the year 89 ; or, according to Others, in the 
 year 103; or, ' perhaps, between thofe periods; 
 and after applying himfelf to the ftudy of the 
 doctrines of all the principal Se6ls of Philofophers, 
 without being able to obtain fatisfaction from any 
 thing which they taught ; at length fet himfelf 
 to examine the evidence, and the doftrines of 
 Chriftianity ; and became a convert to the Chrif- 
 tian faith, when about thirty years of age ^. His 
 Converlion muft have been founded upon his 
 conviction of the authenticity of the Gofpels, and 
 
 ♦ See Larduei's \Yorks, Vol. |I. p. 115, ll6. 
 
 d 4 the 
 
56 ARGUMENTS, kc, 
 
 the truth of the fa6l:s related in them. What^vei* 
 
 opinions any particulars in his writings may hava 
 
 given occafion to, either of his judgment, or his 
 
 credulity ; his fmcerity is abfolutely unimpeached. 
 
 And as his enquiries into the authenticity, and 
 
 truth, of the Gofpels, previous to his converfion, 
 
 muft have been carried on, according to the above 
 
 accounts, either about the year 130, if he was born 
 
 in the year 103 ; or about the year 120, if he was 
 
 born in 89 ; or in the interval between thofe 
 
 y^ars ; that is, not more than thirty years, at the 
 
 moft ; and perhaps not more than twenty, aftey 
 
 the death of the Apoftle John ; if the paflages in 
 
 queftion had been firft produced, and received, 
 
 at any time after his death ; or, indeed, feveral 
 
 years before it ; Juftin, as well as every one elfe of 
 
 his time, muft have been fully acquainted with the 
 
 whole hiftory of their firft publication, and fubfe- 
 
 quent reception ; and muft certainly have made 
 
 fome direct mention of, or at leaft, fome allufion 
 
 to, thofe circumftances, of fo very fingular a nature; 
 
 not only in his firft Apology, but more efpecially in 
 
 his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew. There is not 
 
 even a poflibility of conceiving that he could have 
 
 omitted it. 
 
 The firft production' of thefe moft remarkable 
 narratives, at any diilance of time after the pubr 
 lication of their refpe6liye Gofpels ; and the fub- 
 
 fequent 
 
A U G U ^C E N T S, &C- 57 
 
 fequent reception of tbem, as authentic, by the 
 Church at large ; together with the inlertion of 
 them in all their copies of tliofe Gofpels ; would 
 have been events fo exceedingly aftonifhing ; as to 
 render it abfolutely, and utterly incredible, that 
 Juftin could appeal to the miraculous fa6ls related 
 in thefe paffages as unqueftionably authentic ; 
 without feme exprefs mention of, or at leaft fome 
 evident allufion to, their moft unparalleled difcovery, 
 and introdu6tion ; and the evidence upon which 
 they had been received as authentic by the Church 
 at large. 
 
 Justin's referring to thefe paffages, therefore, 
 and exprefsly affirming, that they were written by 
 the fame perfons who wrote the whole hiftory of 
 Jefus ; juft as he would have referred to any other 
 paffages of the Gofpels to which they belong ; 
 without even the flightcft hint of their having been 
 firft brought to liglit, and at length adopted, at 
 fome time fubfequent to the firft publication of 
 thofe Gofpels ; whether after the death of the 
 Apoitle John, or before it; is an abfolutely de- 
 cifive proof, that no fuch difcovery, and recep-^ 
 tion, of thefe paffages had been heard of, in the 
 time of Juftin ; and confequently, that they muft 
 have made a part of their refpe6live Golpels, 
 juft as they now do, when thofe Gofpels were 
 
 firft 
 
SS ARGUMENTS, BcC, 
 
 firft delivered to the difciples by the Evangelifts 
 who wrote them. 
 
 VIII. And to this pofitive evidence of the au- 
 thenticity of the pafiages in queftion, drawn from 
 the unquahiied affertion of it by Juftin ; without 
 any reference or allufion Avhatever, to their firft 
 introduction, or the evidence upon which they 
 had been, received as genuine, by the Church, 
 when iirft produced ; (which it is utterly incredible 
 that Juftin could have omitted, if there had been 
 a time, when the feveral copies of the Gofpels 
 concerned, in public and private ufe, did not 
 contain them ; and after which time the paffages 
 in queftion had been inferted in them ;) we may 
 add almoft as ftrong a confirmation of it, from the 
 condu6l, as well of thofe Seels of Chriftians, who 
 dilbelieved the fa6ls related in thefe palTages, and 
 therefore rejected them ; as of the moft diftin- 
 guilhed of thofe profeffed Enemies to the Chrif- 
 tian faith, who exerted all their abilities to over- 
 throw it. 
 
 e One of the earlieft Seels of any note, who 
 dilbelieved the Miraculous Conception of Jefus, was 
 that of the Cerinthians ; whofe founder is judged 
 to have begun to fpread his doClrJnes, if not 
 very near the end of the full Century, at the 
 
 lateft 
 
A n C. U M E N T S, &C, 59 
 
 biteft in the beginning of the Second*. It 
 appears highly probable, that Cerinthus, and his 
 followers, though they received the Gofpel of St. 
 Matthew, yet diibelieved that pait of the firft 
 chapter, in which it is related that the Virgin 
 Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghoft ; 
 and held, that Jefus was the Son of Jofeph and 
 ]\fary; fnice it is certain, that they believed 
 Jefus to be nothing more than a mere man f. 
 But this doarine of their Se^ affords not any 
 reafon for fuppofmg, that they diibelieved tliis 
 part of the firll chapter of the Gofpel of St. IVIat- 
 thew, becaufe they alleged any evidence, to prove 
 that it was not an authentic part of his Gofpel ; — 
 for the fame authority which informs us, that 
 they rejected this paflage of St. Matthew's Gof- 
 pel, informs us likewife, that they rejected St. 
 Paul, and his Epiftles ; and That, not becaufe 
 tliey alleged any evidence to prove that St. Paul 
 was not an authorized Apoftle, which he moft 
 certainly was ; or, that the Epiftles made public 
 in his name were not really his, which they molt 
 
 * Sec Marfh's Tranflation of Michaelis's Introduclion to tlie 
 New Teftament, Vol. I. p. 06. And Lardncr's Works, Vol. IX. 
 p.3C3, 324 ; and 330 near the vnd. 
 
 f Sec the quotations from Irenaeus, and Epiphanius, in Lard- 
 hcr's^'orks, Vol. IX. p. 319, 321; and from Thcodoret, p. 322, 
 and note x ; and 325, 3^ ; and 329, note g. 
 
 un- 
 
60 ARGUMENTS, kc. 
 
 undoubtedly were ; but merely becaufe they could 
 not bring themfelves to admit the do6i:rine of the 
 abolition of the Jewiih Law by the Gofpel*; 
 tvhich St. Paul, in his preaching, and Epiftles, very 
 ftrongly enforced. And juft in the fame manner, 
 we have reafon to conclude, they rejected the part 
 in queftion of the firft chapter of St. Matthew's 
 Gofpel ; and of courfe the correfpondent pafiage of 
 St. Luke's ; not becaufe they were pofleffed of any 
 evidence to prove that thofe palTages were interpo- 
 lations ; but merely becaufe they could not bring 
 themfelves to believe the reality of that particular 
 miraculous fa6l, which is in thofe palTages afBrmed 
 to have come to pafs ; but which they regarded as 
 impolTible. 
 
 And the fame obfervation is equally applicable 
 to another Sect of note, the Ebionites ; w^ho 
 exifted early in the fecond Century ; though they 
 are not judged to have fprung up fo foon as the 
 Cerinthians. The Ebionites w^ere divided into 
 two parties^ One of which received the firft 
 chapter of St. Matthew's Gofpel, and believed that 
 Jcfus was of the Ploly Ghoit, and the Virgin 
 Mary; while the Other, like the Cerinthians, 
 
 ♦ Lardncr's Works, Vol. IX. p. 322, from Epiphanius ; and 
 p. 3'27, from Epiphanius and Jerora. And Ma,rfli'b Tranflation, 
 ^c. us before, Vol. I. p. 3(>. 
 
 held 
 
A R G IT M E N T S, ^'C. 6| 
 
 held that Jcilis was born, of Jofcph and ^lary ; and 
 mult therefore have dilbelieved tliat part of the tirft 
 chapter of Matthew's Gofpel, in which the Virgin 
 is faid to have been found with child of the Holy 
 Cihoft ; if not, as it is affirmed, the whole two firil 
 chapters * ; and of courfe the correfponding paliages 
 of St. Luke's. But we have no reafon to imagine, 
 lliat their diibelief of thefe paflages was occalioncd 
 by any tiling more than tlieir perfuafion, that tiie 
 miraculous Conception was impoffible; or, more 
 efpecially, that it arofe from any evidence, which 
 induced them to believe, tliat thefe chapters, 
 or any part of them, iiad been forged ; ihv 
 Tiiey, like the Cerinthians, would not pay any 
 regard to St. Paul, as an Apoftle ; or to his 
 Epiftles ; merely becaufe they would not admit the 
 dodlrine, that the Law of ]\Iofes \va3 fuperfedcd. 
 by the Gofpelf- 
 
 IX, 
 
 • Lardner^s Works, Vol. VII. p. 19—23. A'ol. II. p. 307, 
 308, and l-i3. 
 
 t Marlh's Tranflation, &c. Vol. I. p. 36, 37, The quota- 
 tion from Eufebius in Lardner's Works, Vol. VII. p. 20, and 
 Vol. II. p. 35-1-. — It has now been alTumcd, that both the 
 Cerinthians, and the Ebionitcs, knew not only what dot^h'ine 
 St. Paul had preached, but likewife what he had infifted on 
 in his Epiftles ; and that on account of that dodrine, they 
 rejeded both Him, and his Epiftles. — That this was the cafe 
 tvith the Cerinthiivps is ftrorvgly implied by EpiphanJus ; 
 
 in 
 
62 A R G U ]\I E N T S, $CC, 
 
 IX. And that, in fact, neither thefe, nor any 
 other of the eailieft Se6ts, who diibelieved the 
 
 nar- 
 
 in the paflage quoted from him, in Marfli's Tranflation of 
 Michaelis's Introdaclion, Szc. Vol. I. p. 36 ; and exprefsly 
 affirmed by Eufebius, with regard to the Ebionites, in the 
 paflage qHotcd from him, in Lardner*s Works, Vol. I. p. 20. 
 — But whether they were acquainted with any of St. Paul's 
 Epiftlcs, or not, is in reality a point of no moment whatever 
 to the prefent argument. For fince it is certain, that they 
 rejedled St. Paul himfelf, for teaching, in his Difcourfes, that 
 the Law was fuperfcded by the Gofpel ; no doubt can be en- 
 tertained, but that they rejected his Epiftles, likewife, for in- 
 fifting on the fame doftrinc ; if the fad was, that the contents 
 of his Epiftles, at the lead, did come to their knowledge; And 
 that That was the cafe, appears very highly probable. St, 
 Paul's Epiftles are judged to have been written between the 
 years 52 and 63. They were defigncd by the Apoftle, as we 
 have already feen, (p. 15, l6,) to be communicated to all the 
 difciples, as extenfively as might be ; aiid it appears from 
 ch. iii. l6, of the 2d Epiftle General of St. Peter ; judged to 
 have been written about the }• ear 64; that the knowledge of 
 them was even at that time very generally fpread. The Scd 
 ©f the Cerinthians did not fpring up into notice till juft the end 
 of the firft Century, or the very beginning of the Second ; 
 and that of the Ebionites not till the Second. And in this in- 
 terval, between the year 64 and the end of the firft Century, 
 the knowledge of St. Paul's Epiftles mull have become fi> 
 much more general ftill, as to render it very highly impro- 
 bable, that the Cerinthians and Ebionites fliould not, at leaft, 
 have heard of them ; and efpecially, of their inflfting very 
 ftrongly on that doilrine, of the Law's being fuperfcded by 
 
 the 
 
A R G U M E N T S, &C. 63 
 
 nari'atives contained in the firft and fecond chapters 
 of the Gofpels of St. Matthew, and St. Luke, either 
 had, or even pretended to have, any evidence, to 
 prove that thofe narratives were not authentic 
 parts of the Gofpels in which they are found, 
 will fully appear, from confidering the condu^:, 
 as well of fome of the moft diftinguiflied Se- 
 paratifts from the Catholic Church ; as of fome 
 of the moft determined Oppofers of the Chriitian 
 faith. 
 
 So early as foon after the year 1 30, Marcion, 
 who was the Son of a Biihop, and himfelf a prieft, 
 quitted the Catholic Church ; and became a moft 
 violent preacher of peculiar do6trines, of his own 
 invention *. Before this time the Se61;s of the 
 Cerinthians, and the Ebionites, had become efta- 
 bliilied, and their do8;rines well known ; and if 
 they had founded their diibelief of the firft and 
 fecond chapters of the Gofpels of Matthew and 
 Luke, upon any evidence which they alleged, to 
 prove them furreptitious ; That evidence muft 
 
 the Gofpel, for which they rcjeded St. Paul himfelf, as a falfe 
 Apoftle. — Whoever would receive pleafure from a new, and 
 convincing proof of the authenticity of St. Paul's Epiftles, 
 v,\\\ do well to perufe the Horae Paulinae of Archdeacon 
 Paley. 
 
 * Marfli's Tranflation, &c. Vol. I. p. 37, 38. — Lardner's 
 Works, Vol. IX. p. 359—361. 
 
 have 
 
64 AUGUMENTS, ScC, 
 
 have been perfectly well known to Marcion ; and 
 Maccion, who agreed with them in rejecting thofe 
 chapters*, would certainly have alleged it, to 
 add {o much ftrength to his own reafons, what- 
 ever they might be, for rejecting them likewife. 
 But that Marcion did not allege any evidence 
 of this kind againft thofe Chapters ; and confe- 
 quently, that neither the Cerinthians, nor the 
 Ebionites, had alleged any before him ; the 
 manner in which Tertullian has written ai^ainft 
 him, in relation to this particular point, will fully 
 convince us. 
 
 Marcion rejecled all the Gofpels, except that 
 of Luke t ; and of this he left out the two firft 
 chapters, as well as a great number of other pal^ 
 fages ; and altered many more :};. Tertullian, 
 when, in the courfe of his treatife againft Mar- 
 cion, he comes to confider his conduct in this 
 particular, argues againft him in the following 
 manner. " 1 fay, that my copy is the true one ; 
 " Marcion, that his is fo. I affirm, that Mar- 
 " cion's copy is adulterated ; Marcion, that mine 
 " is fo. Who fliall determine between us, if not 
 •^ a regard to the age of the copies in queftion ; 
 *' adjudging That to be of authority, which Ihall 
 
 » Larclner*9 Works, Vol. IX. p. 35 Jr. 
 
 t Ibid. Vol. IX. p. 392'-^95. J Ibid. 
 
 *' be 
 
ARGUMENTS, Sc* 6.5 
 
 '•* be found to be the moft ancient ; and con- 
 " demning That as corrupted, wliich Ihall be 
 *• found to have been the molt modern. For as 
 '^ certain as it is, that the falfe muft be a corrupt 
 " tion of the true ; fo certain is it, that the true 
 " mult have preceded the falfe*." Then, after 
 obferving, that That Gofpel of St Luke, which 
 was received by the Catholic Church, was indif- 
 putably prior to that of Marcion ; fnice ]\Iarcion 
 himfelf had originally received it, before he 
 quitted the Catholic Church ; and before he 
 framed his own copy ; which was new, and 
 had no exiftence till he himfelf had framed it; 
 after obferving this, Tertullian proceeds to fay ; 
 ** In a word, if it is certain, that That is the 
 ** moft genuine, which is the moft ancient; 
 *' That the moft ancient, which is from the be- 
 " ginning ; and That from the beginning, which is 
 " from the Apoftles ; it is no lefs certain, that 
 ** That mull have been delivered down from the 
 " Apoftles, which has been held facred in the 
 " Churches founded by the Apoftles f." — And 
 prefently after he adds, — " I affirm, therefore, 
 " that That Gofpel of Luke, the genuinenefs of 
 
 • Tertull. contra Marcion. Lib. iv. c. iv. p. 415. B. Ed. 
 Paris, 1664>. 
 
 t Ibid. D. 5« 
 
 e " which 
 
66 A R G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 " which ^^•e moft earncltly defend, has been ac- 
 '' knowledged, not only by all the Churches 
 ^^ founded by the Apoltlcs ; but Hkewife by every 
 " Church in Comniuiiion with them ; from the 
 ^'. very time of its being firft made public : but that 
 *'' That of iVIarcion is not fo much as known 
 '' to many of them ; and is known only to be con- 
 '* demned, by every one of them to which it is 
 '' known*." 
 
 Nothing can be more obvious, than that if 
 jMarcion had alleged any evidence, to prove 
 tjiat the two firft chapters of Luke's Gofpel were 
 an interpolation, Tertulliaii could not have written 
 as he here has. If that had been the cafe, he 
 could not but have ftated, in this very place, the 
 evidence which iMarcion had produced for that 
 })urpofe ; and have fet himfelf to refute it. Or, if 
 he had before ftated, and, as he thought, refuted it, 
 in any other palfage ; he muft in this place have 
 referred to his itatcment, and refutation of it, in 
 that, pail age. 
 
 At the tinie wlien Tertullian wrote, and made 
 public, his treatife againlt Marcion, the followers 
 of Marcion were very numerous f ; and his wri- 
 tings were not only in all their hands, but like- 
 
 * Ibid. D.5. 
 
 -^ Lardnei's Works, Vol, IX. p. 36^, S67. 
 
 wife 
 
A R G t; M E JJ T S, &C. 67 
 
 wife very generally known to thofe of the Catholic 
 Church. Under thefe circumftances, Tertullian 
 could not fet hinifelf down to write, at great 
 length, a full, and argumentative refutation of 
 the errors of Marcion ; without being confcious, 
 that if he peremptorily afierted the genuinenefs of 
 that copy of the Gofpel of Luke, which was re- 
 ceived by the Catholic Church ; but, at the fame 
 time, palled over unanfwered, and even unnoticed, 
 any evidence, which Maixion had alleged, tO 
 prove that the two firft chapters of it were fpu- 
 rious; heivould not only have injured the caufe 
 which he undertook to defend ; but muft have ren- 
 dered himfelf the obje6l of defer ved ridicule and 
 contempt. 
 
 When-, therefore, we find Tertullian putting 
 the queftion, Who fliall decide between Marcion 
 and me, Whether that copy of St. Luke's Gofpel, 
 ^'hich is received by the Catholic Church, or 
 That which Marcion fettled for himfelf, is the 
 genuine and true copy; and aiTerting, that the copy 
 received by the Church had been held facred by all 
 the Churches founded by the Apoftles, as well as 
 all thofe in Communion with them, from the 
 time of its having been firft made public by St. 
 Luke ; without fo much as mentioning, that 
 Marcion had urged any evidence whatever, to 
 prove that the two firft chapters of that copy were 
 
 e 2 forged ; 
 
6S ARC U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 forged ; we cannot but be fatisfied that the fa6l 
 was, that though ]\Iarcion had rejected tiiofe 
 chapters, as not believing their contents ; he had 
 not alleged any evidence, to prove them lurrep-' 
 titious. 
 
 And that this was the cafe, will farther appear, 
 from fome other, very particidar, circumftances. 
 Marcion received, in a certain manner, the Gofpel 
 of St. Luke ; but he rejefed the two hrft chapters, 
 and feveral other paifagcs ; altered many more ;. 
 and added fuch particulars as he chofe * ; be- 
 fore he propofed it to his foUowerSj as the Gofpel. ^ 
 proper to be adopted. But, after having made it, 
 in this manner, fuch as he chofe to have it ; 
 he did not prefume to call it the Gofpel of St. 
 Luke ; or prefix to it the name of any otlier perfon, 
 as its author '|' : a plain, though tacit proof, that 
 he did not reject the two iirlt chapters in confe- 
 f|uence of having alleged any evidence, to prove 
 that they were not authentic paliages of that 
 Gofpel, which St, Luke had written, and delivered 
 to the Church. 
 
 And that Marcion was capable of rejecling, 
 without fcruple, whatever paliages of St. Luke's 
 Gofpel he difliked, without having any evidence 
 
 * Lardncr's Works, Vol. IX. p. 3(>3— 40^. 
 t Ibid. p. 324. Tcrtullian againft. Marcion, Lib. iv. cli, it. 
 .(lp»414. Ed. Paris, l6'o4. 
 
 of 
 
A E 6 U M E N T S, kc. 6$ 
 
 of their being fpuiious ; is beyond queftion evident, 
 from his finiilar condud in other inftances. He re- 
 jeded the Gofpels of ]\Iatthevv, Mark, and John ; 
 and the A^ts of the Apoftles *. Whereas the au- 
 thenticity of thofe books, which he was pleafed to 
 reje6l, w^as jiift as well afcertained as that of the 
 Gofpel of Lnke, which he, in a certain nmnner, 
 received ; but, at the fame time altered, juft as 
 the notions, which he entertained, led liiia to 
 filter it f. 
 
 In reality, the fituation and concJuC^t of Mar- 
 cion; when confidered, as they ought to l>e, to- 
 gether; affonl an abfolutely decifive proof, that 
 thofe paiTages of the Gofpels of IMatthew and 
 Luke, which contain the accounts of tlic concep- 
 tions, and births, of John the Baptift, and Jcfus, 
 muft have been authentic parts of their refpe6tive 
 Gofpels. ]\Iarcion reje6led thefe accounts as falfe; 
 he would certainly therefore have produced evi- 
 dence, if he could have produced any, to prove 
 that they were forged : and he was fo circum- 
 ftanced, that if, in fact, they liad been forged, he 
 muft have known it, and have been able to give 
 the world an authentic account of the forgery. 
 He was the (on of a Eifliop ; was educated pur- 
 
 • LarHiicr's Works, Vol. IX. p. 393, 4. — 103—5. 
 t Ibid. i).oi)6^i0'2, 
 
 e 3 pofely 
 
70 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 pofely for the church ; became a Prieft ; and after 
 having continued feveral years in the difcharge of 
 the duties of that clerical office, revolted from 
 the Cliurch ; and began preaching his own doc- 
 trines, not much later than the year 130. If 
 the narratives in queftion had not been contain-cd 
 in the original Gofpels ; but had been firft brought 
 forward in the beginning of the Second Century, 
 after the death of the Apoftle John, the laft of the 
 Apoftlcs ; (fooner than which, we have feen long 
 af^o, they muft have met with St. Johti's autho- 
 ritative condemnation ;) — Or even if they had been 
 brought forward before the death of St. John ; 
 and by the management of thofe who forged, and 
 pi'oduced them, had been admitted as genuine by 
 the Church ; and then inferted in all their copies 
 of the Gofpels concerned ; — If even this had been 
 the cafe ; Marcion, from his fituation in the family 
 of the Bifliop his father ; (who muft have been 
 in the Church, at the very time when thefe forge- 
 ries were brought forward ; and muft have known 
 all the circumftances which had accompanied 
 their reception ;) as well as from his own edu- 
 cation for, and admiffion into the Church, very 
 fliortly after their reception muft have taken 
 place ; could not but have been fully acquainted 
 with the whole hiftory of this moft unparalleled^ 
 tranfaction. And when at length he came to revolt 
 
 from 
 
A R Cr u ar E *N' T s, 8cc. 7 1 
 
 from the Church ; and among the numerous altera- 
 tions which he thought ht to make in the (jofpcls, 
 rejeQ:efl tiiefe very remarkflble paiTages, which had 
 been lb introduced ; he would, no doubt, have 
 given the world a particular detail of the time, and 
 manner, of their firft iiltroduclion ; to convince 
 everv one that they had been forged. And as his 
 followers were numerous, and his writings were not 
 only in their hands, but read by tliofe of the Church 
 likewife ; (feveral of whom wrote in anfwer to him ;) 
 if Marcion hkd given any fuch account of the firft 
 introduction of thefc paiTages, evident it is, that 
 no writer of the Church could afterwards have 
 contended for them as authentic, without making 
 particular mention of Marcion's account of their 
 firft inti^oduction, and forgery ; and endeavouring 
 to refute it. 
 
 ly particular, it would have been ablblutely 
 impolfible for Tertullian, when writing exprefsly 
 in reply to Marcion, to have aflerted ; as we have 
 fcen he has ; that That Gofpel of St. I.uke, in 
 which the longeft, and moft remarkable, of thefe 
 paifages -w4s contained, had been received by all 
 the Ciunxhes founded by the Apoftles, anil all thofe 
 in communion with them, from the very time of its 
 having been fnit made public by St. Luke ; with- 
 out taking any notice whatever of Marcion's 
 charge of their late introduction, and forgery. 
 
 e 4 And 
 
7^ ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 And no lefs impofflble would it have been for Julthi 
 
 Mart3T ; who wrote but a few years after Marcion 
 
 hirafeli ivrpte^ and even while he was ftill living; to 
 
 have ailerted the genuinenefs of thefe paffages, in 
 
 the maiiner we have feen he has ; both in his Firft 
 
 Apology, and his Dialogue with Try pho ; without 
 
 making the leaft mention of any evidence brought 
 
 by I^Iarcion ^gainft them, 
 
 Since therefore, if the paffages in queftion had 
 
 been forged, and added to the genuine copies of 
 
 their refpective Gofpels, after the death of the 
 
 Apoftle John ; or indeed feveral years before it ; 
 
 Marcion muft have known the whole hiftory of their 
 
 introduction ; and would certainly have publilhed 
 
 an account of it, as an abfolutely unanfwerable rea^ 
 
 fon for rejecting them ; and fmce it is no lefs certain, 
 
 from the manner in which both Juftin Martyr, and 
 
 Tertullian, have afferted the genuinenefs of thefe 
 
 paffages, that Marcion had not alleged any evidence 
 
 to impeach their authenticity; though he diibelieved 
 
 their contents, and rejected them ; the confequenca 
 
 is unavoidable, that thefe paffages muft have made 
 
 a part of their refpeClive Gofpels, when thofe 
 
 Gofpels \\ere firft made public by the Evangelifts 
 
 who wrote them ^. 
 
 X. Not 
 
 * In fad, the reveries of Marcion, relating to Jefus, are 
 ^\Q^c fuflficient to fliijw, that his rejection of thofe paffages \n 
 
 which 
 
ARC U MEUTS, Sec. 73 
 
 X. NcKT long after the middle of tbe Second 
 Century flouriflied Celfus, one of the moft ablC; and 
 iiialicious adveriaries of tliQ Chriitian caule *. But 
 j&'om bis manner of writing againft it we iliall una- 
 voidably be convinced, that neither he, nor any one 
 who preceded him, made any attempt, or alleged 
 any evidence, to prove, that tlie hiilory of the con- 
 ceptions, and births, of John tlie Baptift and Jefus, 
 /contained in the two firft chapters of tlie Gofpels of 
 3t. IMatthew and St. Luke, were not genuine parts 
 of thofe Gofpels. 
 
 The work of Celfus, indeed, in which he en- 
 deavoured to overthrow the credit of the Gofpel, 
 is not extant : but Origen's anfv/er to it is written 
 in fo regular a manner, and furnifhes fo many 
 
 V'hich the Miraculous Conception, and birth., of Jcfus, are 
 Tecorded, ought not to be confidercd as of any weight what- 
 ever, in judging of the authenticity of thofe paflTages. For 
 though jie rejected the hiftorics of Jefus's Miraculous Concep- 
 tion, he did not regard him as the Son of Jofeph and Mary, 
 borij in the natural way; on the contrary, he taught, that 
 Jefus, not having any real body, but only the appearance of 
 one, was not born at all ; but defccnded from above, already 
 in that ftatc, in which he publicly addrefled himfelf to the Jews; 
 and immediately entered upon the duties of his Miflion. See 
 Lardner's Works, Vol. IX. p. 371—380. That is, B. ii. oh. x. 
 fed. 19. 
 
 * Lardner's Works, Vol, VII I. p. 57, fub fin.— Marfli's 
 Trajiflation, &c. Vol, I. p. 40. 
 
 extra6i:* 
 
74 ARGUMENTS, ScC. 
 
 extra6ts from it, as to be abundantly fufficient to 
 prove this point. 
 
 From the pains taken by Celfus to fix the charge 
 of falfeliood upon a great variety of fads related 
 in the Gofpels, it will not admit of a doubt, but 
 that if he could have produced any evidence, to 
 prove that the paflages, in which any of thofe 
 fa^ts are related, were forged, he would moil 
 certainly have brought that evidence forward, to 
 convict the Ghriltians of fuch forgeries. It is like- 
 wife no lefs certain ; as well from the neceffity of 
 the thing, as from the very regular manner in which 
 Origen produces, and replies to, his objections ; 
 that if Geifus had alleged any fuch evidence, 
 Origen muft, and would, have extracted the paf- 
 fa"es in which it was contained, and have fet him- 
 felf to refute it. This cannot be doubted ; fmce it 
 is not only manifeft, that he would have betrayed 
 the caufe he had undertaken to defend, and ex- 
 pofed himfelf to contempt ; but likewife, that he 
 would fhamefully have failed of fulfilling his own 
 remarkable and voluntary promife ; if he had not 
 done fo. 
 
 Origen exprefsly fays, that " left any one fliould 
 *^ imagine he purpofely palTed over, without any 
 " notice, fuch of Celfus's objections as be was 
 " confcious he could not make any replv to ; he 
 *' wptild anfvver to every one of them, in the beft 
 
 ^' manner 
 
A R G U ]M E N T S, kc. 75 
 
 " manner he was able ; and That, not in the o^'der 
 .** which the natural connexion of the fubjo6ts 
 '* would })oint out ; but in the very fame order in 
 "Which Celfus had introduced them in his own 
 " work *." 
 
 After this voluntary promifc it cannot be 
 imagined, if Celfus had objected to any remarkable 
 paiTages as fpurious additions to the original Gof- 
 pels, and alleged any evidence to prove the charge, 
 that Origen could have omitted to ftate thofe ob- 
 jections, or the evidence by which Celfus endea- 
 voured to fupport them ; and to give them fuch 
 anfwers as the circumftances of each particular 
 charge ihould have fuggefted to him. Evidence, 
 a^^ainft the authenticity of any remarkable parages, 
 would have been the moft fatal of all objedions to 
 fl\6' credit of the Gofpels ; and that particular 
 objection, therefore, which it is utterly incredi- 
 ble, that Origen could pafs over without notice. 
 But the fa6l is, that Origen has not made mention 
 of any charge of this kind, as having been brought 
 forward by Celfus. The arguments produced Iby 
 Origen, as alleged by Celfus, to difcredit thofe 
 relations of fa^ls, which he confidercd as utterly 
 falfe, were intended to ihcw, that the particulars 
 related were, either in themfelves, or their cir- 
 
 * Oxi^incs cojitra Cclfum, Lib. i. foci. 41. 
 
 cumftances. 
 
76 A R G U M E JT T S, &C. 
 
 cumftances, incredible ; not that the paffages in 
 which they are related were fpurious additions to 
 the Gofpeis jo which they are found. 
 
 Thus, with refpect to the very palTages under 
 confideration, Cellus particularly mentioned, That 
 it was pretended, that Jefus was born of a Vir- 
 gin ; — that an angel appeared to Jofeph, on ac- 
 count of Mary s being fou d with child, to alTure 
 him it wa of the ';oly hoft ; — that a ftar ap- 
 peared at his birth, which occafioned certain 
 Chaldeans to c me to woilliip him while an in- 
 fant ; — that Hejod maliacred certain children 
 with a view to deftro him;— and that an Anijel 
 had before appeared to Jofeph, directing him to 
 go with Jefus into Egypt, in order to preferve 
 him*. — But, though Celfas regarded all thefe 
 afferted facls, as well as a great number mofc 
 throughout the Gofpeis, as fo many mere pre- 
 tences, and abfolute falfehoods ; and ftarted fuch 
 obje6lions to the facts themfelves, as he thougiit 
 fufticient to prove, that they could not have taken 
 place ; Origen makes no mention of his having 
 fuggcfted even fo much as a fufpicion, that the 
 paifages, in which tiiefe la6ls are aflerted to have 
 
 * See Dr. Doddridge's Epitome of Origen againft CcHus; 
 Lardner's Works, Vol. VJII. p. 63 ; and Dr. John Lvland's 
 E|»itome, p. 66', and efpeciali.y, p. (^". 
 
 come 
 
ARGUMENTS, kc. 77 
 
 come to pais, were not authentic parts of tholb 
 Gofpels in nhich they are found. Nay, on the 
 contrary, it actually appears, that Celfus men- 
 tioned the relations of the fafts contained in thefe 
 paii'»gcs, as having been warranted by Jefus him^ 
 lelf * ; from which it is evident, that Celfus muft 
 have regarded the paifasfes containing them as au- 
 tlientic parts of thofe hiftories of Jelbs, which were 
 written by his chofen difciples, and their afiiltants 
 in preaching his Gofpel f. 
 
 OuiGEN has, indeed, preferved a palTage, an^l 
 llicwn his integrity by prefcrving it, in which 
 Celfus accufes the Chriftians, " of chai)gino;, and 
 " perverting, the original text of the Gofpel,^ 
 *' three times, four times, and oftcner, in order 
 *' to defeat objedions urged againft them J." 
 But this charge, it is evident, could not relate to 
 any paiTages, but fucU as might have their diffi- 
 culties cittempted to be removed by various read- 
 ings §. It is, iu its very nature, totally inappli- 
 
 * See the pafiage from Origcn againft Celfus quoted in LavJ- 
 nei's Wovks, Vol. VJII. p.. 19, N"* 3.— p. 20, N° 7- 
 
 I See Lardner's Works, Vol. VIII. p. 67 ; and the paflages 
 cited from Origen, Ibid. p. 19, N° 3 ;— p. 20, N^7;— p. 21. 
 :>?8;— p.22. N^9. 
 
 X Contra Celfum, Lib. ii. 27» 
 
 ^ In relation to tbe import of this cliargc of Celfus, fcQ 
 MarU/s Tvanllution, <5cc. Vol. I. p. 40, 4K 
 
 Qable 
 
7S ARGUMENTS, Scc. 
 
 cable to the queftion before us. Whether the ac- 
 counts of the conceptions, and births, of John tlie 
 Baptift, and Jcfus ; contained in the firft and fecond 
 chapters of the Gofpels of St. Matthew, and St. 
 Luke, as they have been delivered down to us ; 
 are authentic parts of thofe Gofpels ; or were clan- 
 deftiiiely foifted into them, at fome time after they 
 had been made public by the Evangelifts who wrote 
 them; The fa6ls recorded in thefe relations are 
 fuch, that no alterations of the original text 
 could poffibly remove any objedions which might 
 be raifed againft them : fo that it is certain, thi3 
 charge of Celfus ; whether true, or falfe, with re- 
 gard to any pallages whatever ; could not be alleged 
 againft the relations of Jefus's Miraculous Con- 
 ception. 
 
 And as it appears, from Celfus's repeated men- 
 tion of thefe relations, that he was particularly de- 
 firous of difcrediting them ; but that he levelled 
 his obje6lions to them, againft either the truth, 
 or the probability, of the facts themfelves ; with- 
 out fuggeiting even a fufpicion againft the au- 
 thenticity of the pallages in which they are re- 
 lated ; and that, in reality, he certainly confidered 
 thofe pallages as authentic * ; we are not only 
 
 war- 
 
 * See tlic pafTage from Origcn againft Celfus quoted m 
 L»rdiier's Works, Vol. VIII. p. 19, N° 3, 4, 5,— And p. 20. 
 
 No 
 
ARGUMENT S, &C. 79 
 
 warrantGcl in concluding, but ^^c arc abfolutely 
 obliged to conclude, that Celfus knew not of any 
 evidence to be alleged againlt their authenticity ; 
 and therefore, that neither Marcion, nor the Se^t 
 of the Ceriuthians, nor that of the Ebionites ; with 
 all of whom Celfus agreed in dilbelieving the parti- 
 culars contained in thefe relatiens, and with whofe 
 objections to them Celfus niuft have been acquaint- 
 ed ; had produced any *. 
 
 XI, If then the leaft countenance for any fuf- 
 picion, that the paifagcs in queftion might be 
 forged, can be derived from the dii])elief of any 
 of tiiofe Avho rejected them ; it nuift be founded 
 on the objections of the two moft virulent ene- 
 mies of Chriftianity after the time of Celfus ; 
 
 K5'7.-~And p. 21. ^^''8. And Dr, John Leland's Epitoma 
 of Celfus, Ibid. p. Or. 
 
 * Accordingly it is obfervable, of the Writers of the Churcfi 
 at large, whoafferted the truth of the ^liraculous Conception ; 
 in oppofition to the fevcral Seds, of the beginning of the 
 Second Century, who difl^elieved it ; that they generally fuggeft 
 fume confidoration, with a view to flicw^ that fuch a Concep- 
 tion was not inipofiible ; without alleging a fyllable in fupport 
 of the authenticity of ihe palFages in which it is recorded. — A 
 very remarkable corroborating proof, that, though the fevcral 
 Scds denied the pollibility of fuch a fad, they brought no 
 evidence to impeach the authenticity of the pafiiiges in which 
 it was recorded. 
 
 Por- 
 
SOt A-B^'GU MENT S, &C.' 
 
 Porphyry, and Julian. But the only evidence' 
 afforded us, by what happens to be preferved of 
 their writings, will be found, on the contrary, 
 to confirm the authenticity of the paiTages con- 
 cerned. 
 
 The writings of Porphyry againft the Chrif- 
 tians having been over zealoully deftroyed, and 
 the feveral profefled anfwers to them being loft, 
 only a very few palfages of them have come down 
 to us ; by being incidentally inferted, and replied 
 to, in the Works of fome of the Chriftian 
 Writers. But from fuch of the objections of Por- 
 phyry as are thus preferved, it appears, that they, 
 like thofe of Celfus, were levelled at the parti- 
 cular fa& related in fuch paffages as he objeded 
 to, not at the authenticity of the palfages them- 
 felves *. 
 
 Thus Porphyry accufed Matthew of committing 
 a miftake, in ch. i. 11, 12 ; that is, in his account 
 of the genealogy of Jefus ; which is immediately 
 connected with the different paffages under con- 
 fideration. And as Jerom has preferved, and 
 replied to, this accufation of a miftake | ; and 
 if Porphyry had objected to this firft chapter 
 
 * See Lardner's Works, Vol. VIII. 207—215. 
 f See the objedlion of Porphyry, and Jerom's anfwer, in 
 Lardncr's Works, Vol VIII. p, 207. N° VII. note y. 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 8 1 
 
 as fpurious, Jerom would at the fame time have 
 noticed, and replied to, that charge more efpecially ; 
 but he has not given the leaft intimation, that 
 Porphyry had alleged any fuch charge ; we are 
 mder a necelTity of concluding, that he certainly 
 had not. 
 
 AxD that this was the fa8; will be abundantly 
 evident from the writings of Julian. 
 
 As Porphyry's work againft the Chriftians was 
 extant even long after the time of Julian * ; and 
 was written with the fame zealous defire to deftroy 
 the credit of Chriftianity, with which Julian 
 himfelf wrote ; no queftion can be made, but 
 that Julian was perfectly well acquainted with its 
 contents, when he fat down to wTite againft the 
 Chriftians himfelf It muft therefore be allowed, 
 that if he had found any evidence produced by 
 Porphyry, which could impeach the authenticity 
 of any palTages of the Gofpels, the contents of 
 which Julian himfelf regarded as falfehoods ; he 
 would certainly have urged that evidence againft 
 thofe paftages, or at leaft have referred to it, in 
 his own work. 
 
 * See Lardner's Works, Vol. VIII. p. 2, 181, 182; and 
 356. — Coiiftantine ordered Porphyry's Work againft the 
 ChriftiaHS to be deftroyeJ, before the year 325 ; but that 
 order could not have had its intended effed ; fince Theodofius 
 the Younger iflTued a decree for abolifhing Porphyry's Works, 
 in the vear 4i9 : whereas Julian died in the year 36'3. 
 
 f It 
 
83 ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 If therefore Julian ; inftead of alleging any evi- 
 dence, to prove that the accounts of the Miraculous 
 Conception of Jefus were fpurious, or even of 
 doubtful authority ; did »ot even fuggeft any 
 fufpicion, of the idnd; but, on the contrary, ar- 
 gued againft the faCls related in them in fuch a 
 manner, as to Ihcvv, that he regarded thofe ac- 
 counts as genuine parts of the Gofpels in which 
 they are contained ; if this is the cafe ; it mult be 
 agreed, that neither Porphyry, nor Julian, kncAv 
 of any reafon for calling the authenticity of thefe 
 paiTages into queftion ; aiKi therefore, that their au- 
 thority is as unexceptionable, as that of the Gofpels 
 of which they- are a part. 
 
 And from fome paffages of the Work of Julian, 
 which Cyril, in his anfwer to it, has preferved, this 
 appeiirs to have been the fa6l. 
 
 Ir^ one paffage, where he is contending, that 
 certain prophecies of the Old Teftament, which 
 the Chriftians applied, to Jefus, did not relate to 
 him; Julian proceeds to fay; — '^ But that .none 
 " of thefe things belong to Jefus is manifeft; for 
 ^' neither is he of Judah : and how lliould he be 
 *' fo ; when, according to you, (Chriftians) he 
 '^ was not born of Jofeph, but of the Holy 
 '' Ghoft ? When you reckon up the gisnealogy 
 ^^ of Jofeph, you carry it up to Judah : but you 
 ** have not been able to contrive this dexteroufly ; 
 
 " for 
 
ARGUMENTS, StC. 83 
 
 ^* for Matthew, and Luke, have been iliewn to 
 '* differ witli one another, about the genealogy '*." 
 Here it is manifeft, that Julian not only fpeaks of 
 the Miraculous Conception of Jefus, as the ac- 
 knowledged do6lrine of the Chriftian Church ; but 
 of Matthew, and Luke, as the authors of the 
 genealogies, which are immediately conne6led with 
 thofe accounts of the. Conception of Jefus, which 
 are contained in the pafTages under confideration^ 
 For if Julian had regarded thefe accounts as 
 forgeries, which had been clandeftinely inferted in 
 the Gofpels of St. Matthew, and St. Luke, no 
 queftion can be made, but that he would here have 
 exprelTed that opinion of them ; together with fome 
 allufionj, at leaft, to the evidence upon which he 
 embraced it ; in order to brand the Chriftians with 
 the infamy of not only believing accounts of mira- 
 cles, which he held to be wholly fictitious ; but even 
 of forging the very paffages in which thofe miracles 
 were related. 
 
 And that Julian had not a doubt of the authen- 
 ticity of the fecond chapter of the Gofpel of St. 
 Matthew, is evider^t from another paiTage, which 
 has been preferved by Jerom, in his Comment 
 on Hofea, ch. xi. 1.-— In Matthew ii. 14, 15, it 
 
 ♦ S^e the paffage ia Lardner's Works, Vol- VIII. p. ^97, 
 and p. 398, note/?. 
 
 f St ' i:* 
 
84 ARGUMENT S, &C. 
 
 is faid : — TFhen lie (Jofeph) arofe, lie took the young 
 child and his Mother, h\j night, and departed into 
 Egypt, and xvas there until the death of Herod: 
 that it might be fulfilled, which was fpoken of the 
 Lord by the prophet ; faying. Out of Egypt hav& 
 I called my Son. — And upon this palTage Jerorrr^ 
 fays ;— " The Emperor Julian, in the feventh- 
 " volume of his malicious work againft the Chrifti-"^ 
 ^^ ans, vents his calumny upon this paiTage, and fay?, 
 " that the Evangelift Matthew has here transferred 
 " to Chrift, what was wi'ittcn of Ifrael ; in order 
 " to impofe upon the fimplicity of the Gentile 
 " converts to Chriftianity */' — It is evident, that 
 Julian could not have brought this accufation 
 againft St. Matthew, if he had not regarded this 
 paflage as an authentic paflage of his Gofpel. If 
 he had confidered the palfage as fpurious, he 
 would have laid the fuppofed miftake to the 
 charge of the forgers of the paflage, not of the 
 Apoftle : and if he had confidered it even as of 
 doubtful authority, he muft on this occaiion have 
 made fome mention of thofe doubts. And, in 
 either cafe, it would not have been poffible for 
 Jerom to have reprefented Julian as laying this 
 attempt, to impofe upon the Gentile Converts, 
 
 * See the pafiage quoted from Jerom, in Lardner'? Works, 
 Vol. VIII. p. 398, note ^. 
 
 to 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 85 
 
 to the charge of JMattlicw himfclf, inftead of his 
 fuppofed interpolator. 
 
 In ^another pailage, which happens to have 
 been preferved, Julian fays, — " Jefus, whom you 
 '' celebrate, was one of Ca^far's fubje6ts. If you 
 • difpute it, I will prove it by and by ; but 
 '*' it may as well be done now. For yourfelves 
 " allow, that he was enrolled, witli his father 
 " and mother, in the time of Cyrenius *." — ' 
 Here Julian alleges a pailage, which is in the 
 midft of the hiftory of the Miraculous Concep- 
 tion, and birth, of Jefus ; contained in the two 
 iirft chapters of the Gofpel of Luke ; as an au- 
 thority decifive of the fa6l which he brings it to 
 prove. And this he certainly could not have 
 done, unlefs he had regarded the narratives con- 
 tained in thofe chapters as authentic parts of that 
 Gofpel. 
 
 XII. Here therefore we may clofe our enqui- 
 ries ; and take a lliort review of the evidence with 
 which the circumftances of the cafe have fupplied 
 us, in proof of the authenticity of the paliages 
 under confideration. 
 
 Ix the hrft place it has been found, not only 
 ^at the forgeries in queftion are, in their very 
 
 * See the paflage quoted, Ibid. p. 388, 389. 
 
 f 3 nature 
 
86 Arguments, See, 
 
 nature, utterly incredible ; but likewife, from the 
 circumftances, and the manner, in which the 
 Gofpel Mas firft preached by the Apoftles, that 
 no time whatever can be affigned for the intro- 
 duQ:ion of thefe fuppofed forgeries, at which it is 
 not abfolutely incredible, that an attempt to intro- 
 duce them could have fucceeded. 
 
 They could not poffibly have gained admit- 
 tance during the firft fixteen, or feventeen, years 
 after the Afcenfion ; while all the Apoftles in 
 general continued in, and round about Judea ; 
 engaged in the very bufinefs of preaching the 
 Gofp'el. 
 
 They could not have efcaped being detected 
 by James the Juft ; the firft Head, or Biiliop, of 
 the Chriftian Church in Judea ; if they had been 
 brought forward within thirty years after the Af- 
 cenfion ; that is, at any time before the year 69, ; 
 in which year James was put to death at Jeru- 
 falem. 
 
 They would certainly have been exploded by 
 the authority of the Apoftle, and Evangelift, St. 
 John ; if the attempt to impofe them upon the 
 belief of the Church had been made at any time 
 before the dole of the firft Century ; to which 
 period St. John lived. 
 
 It is felf-evident, ' that the common fenfe of 
 Chriftians muft have caufed them to be reje6ted, 
 
 with 
 
A R G U M K NTS, ^C. 87 
 
 with difdciin ; if tliey iiad been forgeci, and firft 
 made public, lb late as after ^he death of the 
 Apoftlc, and Evangelift, St. John ; that is, after 
 the beginning of tiie Sedond Century ; or even 
 feveral years ear Her. 
 
 And it is indifputably certain ; froni the man- 
 ner in which the facts related in the palTbges in 
 queftion are repeatedly mentioned by Juftin Mar- 
 tyr; that thofe pailkges were aclually held, by 
 the Church at large, to be of juft the fame au- 
 thority as any other parts of the Gofpels to which 
 they belong ; in the very early part of the Second 
 Century ; not merely before Juftin wrote ; but 
 likewife before he began to make thofe enquiries 
 into the evidence for the truth of Chriftianity, in 
 confequence of which he became a convert to the 
 faith in Jefus. And this could not poffibly have 
 been the cafe, unlefs they had made a part of thofe 
 Gofpels, and been regarded as an unqueftionably 
 authentic part of them, before the end of the Firfl 
 Century ; when they muft have been known to, and 
 confirmed by the authority of, the Apoltle, and 
 Evangelift, St. John. 
 
 Ix addition to this connected feries of evidence ; 
 which abfolutely precludes all poffibility of the 
 forgeries in queftion ; another particular has been 
 pointed out, which is alone of fufficient weight 
 to be abfolutely decifive of the queftion. Tha 
 
 f 4 hiftory 
 
88 ARGUMENTS, kc. 
 
 hiflory of the Church, with refpeCl: to thefe palTages, 
 is juft the very reverfe of what it muft have 
 been, if they had not been authentic. If the 
 Gofpek of Matthew, and Luke, had been originally 
 made public, by thofe Evangelifts, without the 
 paiTages under confideration ; and thefe paflages 
 had been forged at fome fubfequent period, when- 
 ever that might be ; one of the following circum- 
 ftances muft have taken place.- — Either the Church 
 at large muft have rejected thefe forgeries ; and 
 it muft have been only fome particular Se6i:s who 
 admitted them ; and then they could not have 
 been tranfmitted to us, by the Church at large, 
 as autlientic parts of their refpe6live Gofpels ; as 
 they a6lualiy have been ; — Or elfe, there muft 
 have been a certain time, at which the Church 
 at large firft came to acknowledge them ; and, ac- 
 cordingly, firft inferted them in all their copies of 
 thofe Gofpels, of which tliey have been tranf- 
 mitted to us, by the Church at large, as authen- 
 tic parts. — And if that had been the cafe, fome 
 account of thefe moft remarkable events muft 
 have been given, by thofe early Chriftian Wri- 
 ters, who were the firft to defend the Chriftian 
 caufe, or to preferve the hiftory of the Church. 
 Whereas the real facl is, that the hiftory of the 
 Church is directly contradictory to every idea of 
 this kind. It is incontrovertibly certain, tiiat it 
 
 was 
 
ARGUMENTS, &C. 89 
 
 was only feme well known Se6is, not the Cliilrch at 
 large, who ever did difbelieve the particulars con- 
 tained in the paflfages in queftion ; and there is not 
 tlic leaft imaginable hint of tliere having been a 
 time, after the original publication of the Gofpels 
 concerned, w hen the Church was not in poffellion 
 of thefe pafTagcs, and did not regard them as 
 authentic parts of the Gofpels to which they 
 belong. 
 
 The aggregate force of this fcries of evidence is 
 far more than fufficient to determine the point in 
 queftion. But becaufe it is certain, that the con- 
 tents of thefe pafTages were dilbelieved by fome of 
 the early Chriftian Sefts ; as well as by the profelibd 
 Enemies of the Gofpel ; we have procefided to en- 
 quire further, Whether this diibelief of theirs was 
 founded upon any fuppofed evidence, that the paf- 
 fages concerned were fpurious. — And with regaid 
 to this point it has appeared ; 
 
 That the Cerinthians, and one branch of the 
 Ebionites, reje6led the Miraculous Conception of 
 Jefus, as falfe ; regarding it as impoflible ; bat 
 without alleging any evidence, to prove that the 
 pailages containing the accounts of it were forged : 
 juft as they rejeCted St. Paul, and his Epiftles ; 
 not becaufe they alleged any evidence^ to prove 
 that St. Paul was not an Apoftle ; or that the 
 Epiftles attributed to him were not authentic ; but 
 
 becaufe 
 
S^O ARGUMENTS, &C. 
 
 becaufe St. Paul preached, and his Epiftles very 
 ftrongly inculcated, fome doctrines, which they 
 could not bring themfelves to receive. 
 
 That next after thefe Se&, the Miraculous 
 Conception was rejected by Marcion. But that 
 neither did Marcion found his reje8;ion of it upon 
 any fuppoled Evidence, that the paffages containing 
 the accounts of it were forged, is abundantly evi- 
 dent; as well from TertuUian's manner of reply- 
 ing to him ; and Juftin Martyr's manner of 
 referring to the paffages concerned ; as from 
 Marcion's rejecting like wife the Gofpels of Mat- 
 thew, Mark, and John ; and the A8;s of the 
 Apoftles ; the evidence in favour of which is not 
 lefs fatisfa6i:ory, than that for the Gofpel of Luke; 
 the only one which it pleafed Marcion, in a certain 
 manner, to admit. And befides, with regard to 
 Marcion, it has ftill further appeared ; that if 
 thefe paffages had been forged, lie muft have 
 been perfe61;ly well acquainted with the hiftory of 
 their firft introduction ; and would certainly have 
 publiihed it, to fliew the propriety of his own 
 conduct in reje6iing them. 
 
 That not long after the time of ^Marcion, 
 Celfus exerted his abilities in a work, the pro- 
 feffed objeCl of which was to explode the Chri{^ 
 tian faith. But by means of fome paffages of that 
 
 work, 
 
A R G U IM E isr T S, &C. S^ 
 
 work, which have been preferved by Origfen'Si Ws 
 anfwer to it, it appears, that though Celfus utterly 
 diibelievcd the Miraculous Conception of Jefus ; 
 and muft have been perfe6i;ly well acquainted with 
 the objedions made to it both by Marcion, and the 
 other Secbs abovenientioned, who dilbelieved it like- 
 wife ; y€t he knew of no evidence to be alleged 
 againft the authenticity of the palTages in which it is 
 related ; and himfelf regarded them as authentic 
 parts of their refpe6live Gofpels. 
 
 And that, in fine, Celfus was fucceeded by 
 the two moft virulent writers againft the Chriftian 
 caufe, Porphyry, and Julian. But that from fome 
 paflfages of the works of Julian ; who muft certainly 
 have been well acquainted with all the objedlions 
 urged before him, by Porphyry, Celfus, and Mar- 
 cion ; it is manifeft, that Julian likewife, though 
 he regarded all the particulars related of the 
 Miraculous Conception of Jefus as fo many 
 abfolute falfehoods; yet confidered thofe paffages 
 of the Gofpels, in which thefe particulars are re- 
 lated, as having been written by the Evangelifts 
 themfelves. 
 
 From all thofe circumftances, therefore, the 
 joint evidence of which can alone decide the 
 queftion; and the joint evidence of which is, in 
 fa8;, far more than fufficient to decide it ; the 
 
 au- 
 
9i A R G U M E N T S, &C. 
 
 >authenticity of the paiTages concerned appears not 
 only afcertained, but full as -abundantly afcertained, 
 as that of any other palTages of the Gofpels, the 
 contents of which were never diibelieved by any of 
 the early Chriftian Se6i:s. For thefe paiTages have 
 not only the unexceptionable teftimony of the 
 Church at large, juit as much as any other 
 paflages of the fame Gofpels, in their favour ; but 
 as their contents were difbelieved by fome of 
 the earlieft Chriftian Sects; who regarded the 
 faQ;s related in them as impoffible ; there cannot 
 be a doubt, but that if any evidence could have 
 been produced to impeach their authenticity, it 
 would certainly have been brought forward, and 
 enforced, by thofe Se6ls who diibelieved their 
 contents, at the very time when it could have been 
 fubftantiated ; and they muft inevitably have been 
 cxplod^d^ 
 
AN 
 
 ENQUIRY 
 
 INTO 
 
 THE DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN THE baptist; 
 
 ANP 
 
 JESUS CHRIST; 
 
 so FAR AS THEY CAN BE PROVED 
 
 FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR BIRTHS, 
 
 AND 
 
 THEIR CONNEXION WITH EACH OTHEIU 
 
 THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 FIRST EDITION. 
 
 In perufing the Evangelic Writings, the 
 Author of the following flieets imagined, 
 that he had difcovered an argument of 
 their truth, which had been hitherto over- 
 looked, or very {lightly mentioned. He 
 caught it with joy, and purfued it witli 
 eagernefs. He found the proof, which at 
 firft gUmmered faintly as it lay difperfed, 
 grow brighter as the fparks were brought 
 nearer together. He traced the ditfereht 
 lines of inference, and perceived that they 
 met at laft in one central truth. And he 
 flatters himfelf with having Ihewn once 
 
 g more, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 more, what was more than fufiicientljr 
 fhewn before, that our Rehgion is from 
 God, He hopes, that he has added an- 
 other ray to the fplendor of its evidence; 
 and another motive to the power of its in- 
 fluence. 
 
 If the argument be really conclulive, 
 it will ftand the tell of examination ; if 
 not, it is for the intereft of truth and 
 religion, that its weaknefs be deteiSled. 
 Whatever judgment be paffed upon it, the 
 Author has at leaft this fatisfaftory confi- 
 deration; that every other proof will re- 
 main uninjured, and unimpaired. And he 
 therefore fubmits this Effay to the Public, 
 as the attempt of one whofe defign is good; 
 and who will have done no harm, though 
 his performance prove defective. 
 
 CON- 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 Introductory conjidemtwns. - Page i 
 
 PART 1. 
 SECTION 1. 
 
 The miraculous evpits recorded of the birth and 
 
 ciixumclfion of John the Baptift cannot have 
 
 been forged, either by ie(\i% or any of his difci- 
 
 pies; or by John himfelf or any oj his difciples, 
 
 •'■' * Page 15 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Suppqfivg there was any deceit at all in the cafe ; 
 what the nature and defign of the whole impofture 
 mujl have been; and who muji have been con- 
 cerned in planning it, and carrying it on. 
 
 Page 52 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth could not be the contrivers 
 
 of that wicked impofture^ zvhich the fuppoftion 
 
 of any deceit at all, in this cafe, nec€;ff(xrily 
 
 pbliges us to admit of ----- Page 70 
 
 * g 2 SEC- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth could not be the authors 
 of any fuch double impojiure, as muji here he 
 fuppofed. _--- Page 90 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 If Zacharias and Elizabeth could have been the 
 authors of fuch a double impofture ; they could 
 not have applied to Jofeph and Mary, to take 
 part with them in carrying it on, - Page 107 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Neither Zacharias and Elizabeth, on the one part ; 
 nor Jofeph and Mary, on the other ; could con- 
 trive Each their refpeBive plots, in this double 
 impofture; nor could Jofeph and Mary be the 
 contrivers of the whole joint undertaking. 
 
 Page 131 
 
 PART II. 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The whole impofture in queftion is, m its own na- 
 ture, fo exceedingly abfurd, that it was not pof 
 fible to have been conceived^ or undertaken, by 
 any person whatever. ----- Page \5% 
 
 SEC- 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Some particular fadts, previous to the births of 
 John and J e(uSf cou/zdered, - - - Page 185 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Several very remarhable faBs, fuhfequent to the 
 births of John and J efus, cojijidered. Page 199 
 
 PART TIL 
 
 Tlie dejign of this part ; to confider the conduB of 
 John and Jefus ; with a view to their connexion 
 with each other, - - - - - - Page 229 
 
 SECTION I. 
 John wrought 7io miracles. - - - - Page 234 
 
 SECTION IL 
 
 The different external characters of John and Jefus 
 conjidered. -------- Page 245 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 A prophecy o/*- John's, concerning Jefus, confi- 
 
 :e 262 
 
 SEC- 
 
 dered. - -- Page 262 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 Jefu5 baptized by John. ----- Page ^75 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 John s anfwei^ to the deputatmi from the Sanhe- 
 drims mid a partiQular in Jefuss cotiduS r..e:la- 
 tJ^'tie to it. - - - Page 289 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 J* very peculiar character, and office, afcribed to 
 Jefus by John. - Page 303 
 
 SECTION VIL 
 
 A remarkable particular in John's Qondu6t to 
 Herod, confidered in its ixlation to Jefus. 
 
 Page 307 
 SECTION VIII. 
 
 John's very re^narkable meffage to Jefus cori/idered. 
 
 Page 313 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 The conduct of Jefus in confequence of his haviiig 
 purified the tmiple* - - .- ^ - Page 324 
 
 CONCLUSION. - , * . . . Page 333 
 
IT iTiay not be improper to mention, that befides the two 
 Works cited in the firfl: Note in the following Enquiry, 
 there is an elegant Treatife, entitled, ** Confiderations on 
 •* the Life and Death of John the Baptist ;" by Dr. 
 Home, Prefident ©f Magdalen College, Oxford ; who 
 became Bifhop of Norwich. But the objeft of that Trea- 
 tife is, to deduce moral and religious refleflions from the 
 circumftances and conduft of the Baptist; not to fug« 
 geft any arguments to prove the truth of his Miflion. 
 
tHE 
 
 DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 ^v. % 
 
 \ 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST 
 
 A]^D 
 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS*. 
 
 W HEN we confider, and compare together/ 
 thofe ihort hiflories of the life arid actions of 
 Jefus Chrift, which were written by his chofea 
 difciples, and their fellow labourers in the gofpel ; 
 the great events, that firft engage our attention, 
 
 • * Whoever is clcfirous of feeing what may have been written 
 upon this fubje(5t before, may confult Dr. Jortins Fifth Difcourfc 
 toticerning the truth of the Chnjiian Religion; entitled, " The 
 " Tcftimony of John the Baptift :" and Part 4. Chap. 5. of a 
 work written originally in French, but tranflated into Englifh, 
 under the title of, " The Principles of the Chriftian Religion.'* 
 The'fe two are the only trads upon the fubjeft, which the au- 
 thor of the following argument has happened to meet with. 
 
 fi arc 
 
^ INTRODUCTORY CON^SIDERATI^NS. 
 
 are the remarkable birth and miniftry of John the 
 Baptift. Tlie accounts indeed, which the evange- 
 lifts have given of him, are extremely ihort, and 
 Teem intended, as far as concerns John himfelf, 
 only to afford us a clear precife notion of his 
 prophetic charafter, and to aflure us of his divine 
 commiffion to ; preach repentance . to the Jews. 
 But the particulars comprifed even in thefe very 
 concife relations, are in themfelves fo extraor- 
 dinary, and fome of them, at tirft appearance at 
 leaft, fo truly miraculous, that we cannot refle6t 
 on them without admiration. .The feverc fan6lity 
 of his manners, the benevolent and pious labours 
 of his public lifcj and the cruelty of his martyrdom 
 in the caufe of virtue and religion, joined to all 
 thofe aftonilliing events that accompanied his con- 
 ception and birth, are particulars of fo ftriking a 
 nature, that they not only claim, but extort our re- 
 gard, upon their own account alone. 
 
 But the difciples of Jefus had a more impor- 
 tant defign to ferve, by their accounts of the- 
 Baptift, than merely making known his peculiar 
 life and chara6ler, and the circumftances which 
 •attended his appearance in the world. In the77i 
 they purpofely tranfmitted to mankind the hiftory 
 of a prophet, M'ho had borne the fulleft teftimony 
 to the divine character of their own mafter. And 
 'tlie chief end they propofed to ferve, by making 
 
 fuclf 
 
INTRODUCTORY C0NSlDt:RAT10NS* 5 
 
 fuch particular mention of John in their hiftories 
 of Jefus, was to confirm the divine miffion of 
 Chrift by the teftimony of that prophet, whofc 
 coming, it was the univerfal opinion, had for 
 fome ages been foretold, in the character of his 
 forerunner *. 
 
 Agreeably to this defign, Mark begins his 
 gofpel by acquainting usf, " The beginning of 
 *' the gofpel of Jefus Chrift the fon of God," was, 
 ** as it is written in the prophets ; behold I fend 
 *' my mefienger before thy face, which ihall pre* 
 " pare thy way before thee." And then he im- 
 mediately proceeds to relate the public miniftry 
 of John. Matthew likewife declares J, that John 
 the Baptift was, " He that was fpoken of by the 
 " prophet Efaias, faying, the voice of one cry- 
 " ing in the wildernefs, prepare ye the way of the 
 *' Lord, make his paths ftraight [|." The fame 
 
 fays 
 
 • " Bekold I will fend my meflenger, and he (hall prepare 
 " the way before me : and the Lord whom ye feck fliall fad* 
 ** deiily come to his temple : even the meflenger of the cove- 
 •* nant, whom ye delight in : behold he fhall come, faith th« 
 ** Lord of hofts," Mai. iii. 1. It is notorious, that, at the time 
 of John's coming, the Jews univerfally expeded fome fuch ex- 
 traordinary meflenger to precede the Mefliah ; and that this, 
 among others, was one of thofe prophecies on which they 
 founded their expectations. 
 
 + Mark i. 1, 2. J Matt. iii. 1—3. 
 
 11 Ifa. xl. 3. <' The voice of him, that crieth in the wilder- 
 
 B 2 " ncfs, 
 
4j. introductory COXSIDERATrONS. 
 
 fayS Luke*. And the evangel ilt John exprefily 
 affirms -j", that '' there was a man font from God^ 
 '' whofe name was John; and that the fame came 
 '^ for a witnefs, to bear witnefs of the light, that 
 " all men through him might believe." 
 
 From all thefe teftimonies it evidently appears, 
 that the chief defign of the evangelifts was not to 
 make us acquainted with the divine chara6ler of 
 the Baptift on his own account ; but to complete 
 the evidence of the divine miffion of Jefus, by the 
 unexceptionable teftimony of that extraordinary 
 prophet, whofe appearance in the chara6ler of his 
 forerunner had been univerfally expected, becaufe 
 explicitly foretold. 
 
 In purfuance of this defign, it was natural for 
 them to be fcrupuloufly exact in recounting thofe 
 particulars, by which the prophetic character of 
 John himfelf was eftabliflied ; and circumftantial 
 in their relations of the teftimony he bore to 
 the divine miffion of Jefus. But for the reit of 
 John's life and actions, as a! minute knowledge of 
 thefc was riot neceffiary fqr the chief end in view, 
 they would, of courfe, only furniffi us with their 
 true general idea. Accordingly it will be found, 
 
 f nvf§, J)repai:e ye the ^vay of the Lprd ; make ftraight in the 
 *' dcfart a highway for our God." 
 
 * I,uke iii. 2 — 4. 
 
 ^ Jolin i. 6V7. 
 
 upon 
 
INTRODUCTORY CONSltJERATIONS. 5 
 
 upon companion, that the cvangelifts have followed 
 this plan. Luke has given a very particular detail* 
 of all tlie feeniingly miraculous events, which at- 
 tended John's conception and birth ; and which, if 
 they truly came to pafs as related, muft fully prove 
 him to have been fent by a fpecial acl of the divine 
 providence, purpofely to lultain that peculiar pro- 
 phetic character he afterwards aflumed. And, not 
 to cite each evangelift, or have recourfe to every 
 thing they have recorded, wiiat follows will fufli- 
 ciently prove how defirous they were to confirm the 
 divine authority of Jefas, by the exprefs teftimony 
 of Joim. 
 
 *' And this is the record of John, when tli/) 
 " Jews fent priefts and levites from Jerufalem, to 
 *' alk him, who art thou ? and he confefled, and 
 " denied not, but confeiled, I am not the Chrift. — 
 " I am the voice of one crying in the wildernefs, 
 *^ make ftraight the way of the Lord, as fa id the 
 ** prophet Efaias. — I baptize with water ; but there 
 '* ftr.ndeth one among you, whom ye kno^v not, 
 ** he it is, who coming after me, is preferred be- 
 *' fore me, whofe fh(X3's latciict I am not worthy to 
 *' unloofe. — The next day John feeth Jefus corn- 
 " ing unto him, and faith, behold the lamb of 
 *' God, which taketli away the lin of the world. 
 ^' This is he, of Mhom I faid, after nie comcth 
 
 • I.uke i. from vt'iic 5 to SO. 
 
 B 3 ^^ a man 
 
6 INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 *' a man which is preferred before me; for he was 
 " before me. And I knew him not ; but that he 
 " ihould be made manifeft to Ifrael ; therefore am 
 *' I come baptizing with water. And John bare 
 " record, faying, I faw the Spirit defcending from 
 " heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And 
 ^' I knew him not : but he that fent me to baptize 
 *' with water, the fame faid unto me, upon whom 
 ** thou fhalt fee the Spirit defcending, and re- 
 ** maining on him, the fame is he, which bap^ 
 " tizeth with the Holy Ghoft. And I faw, and 
 " bare record, that this is the fon of God. And 
 '^ again, the next day after, John ftood, and two 
 ^* of his difciples ; and looking upon Jefus as he 
 " walked, he faith, behold the lamb of God, And 
 *' the two difciples heard him fpeak, and they fol- 
 '' lowed Jefus*'." 
 
 Thus full and particular have the evangelifts 
 been, in tranfmitting to us the feveral proofs of 
 the divine character of John the Baptift, and his 
 repeated exprefs teftimony in confirmation of the 
 divine miffion of Jefus. But at the fame time that 
 they were fo felicitous to eftablifh the divine 
 chara6ler of John, and to preferve fo many dif-» 
 tind pofitive declarations, pubHcly delivered by 
 
 ♦ John i. from Ip to 37. To the fame purpofc fee Matt, 
 iii. 11, &c. Mark i. 7, &c. Luke iii. 15, kc, John i. 15, 
 &c. and more efpecially John iii. C5— 3^. 
 
 him, 
 
IXTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIO^jia. 7> 
 
 him, that Jefus was the true Meffiah ; they have 
 tranfmitted to us Jiothmg more of. John's tranfac- 
 tions, than what was abiblutely requifite to give us 
 a true idea of his extraordinary character. 
 
 We may venture to conclude then, that the 
 principal intention of Jefus s difciples, in making 
 fuch mention as they have of John, was, in reality, 
 to eftablilli the divine character of their mafter, fo 
 firmly, upon his teltimony, " tliat all men through 
 '* him niidit believe." And in this it nmft at leait 
 be confefled, tliat they acted a very prudent part ; 
 fmce it is impoflible for any teftimony to l^e 
 more clear, or more decifive, than that with 
 which tlie Baptift confirmed the high pretenfion^ 
 of Jefus. 
 
 On the otiier hand, we find Jefus on every op- 
 portunity employing all his credit with the people, 
 to perfuade them, that John was indeed the very 
 perfon, which he pretended to be ; and the 
 greateft of all the prophets, that had ever ap- 
 peared among tliem. The charaQ;er which the 
 Baptift had from the beginning aflumed, was 
 " the voice -of one crying in the wildernefs, niake 
 "*' ftraight the way of the Lord, as faid the pro- 
 " phet Efaias/' And when, upon a particular 
 occafion, he thought fit to fend fome of his dif- 
 ciples to Jefus, to alk him publicly, whether He 
 Kas the Alelfiah* Jefus improved t}ie opportu- 
 
 B 4 nit^ 
 
8 IT^TRODUCTORY CONSIDERATION'S. 
 
 nity this afforded him, to addrefs the people ia 
 favour of John ; by declaring, in a manner the 
 moft emphatical, " that John was a prophet ; yea, 
 " I fay unto you, and much more than a prophet, 
 " For this is he, of whom it is written, behold I fend 
 " my meffenger before thy face, which Ihall pre- 
 " pare thy way before thee. Verily I fay unto you, 
 *^ among them that are born of women, there hath 
 *' not arifen a greater than John tlie Baptift. — 
 ^' And, if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which 
 * ^' was for to come. He that hath ears to hear 
 " let him hear ^.'' Full and frequent as John 
 had been, in witnefling the truth of Jefus's pre- 
 tenfions to the high character of the Meffiah ; his 
 alfertions, we fee, were not more exprefs or ein^ 
 phatical, than thefe declarations of Jefus, in which 
 he publicly affirmed John to be his divine fore- 
 runner. 
 
 Had they not thus reciprocally fupported each 
 other's claim to divine infpiration, the characters 
 which they each aflumed were in themfelves fo 
 diftin^l, though relative to each other, that lit- 
 tle, perhaps, could have been drawn from them 
 alone, to eftablilh the truth, or detect the falfe- 
 hood, of their pretenfions. Had John only de- 
 clared himfelf the forerunner of the MefTiah, 
 without pretending to point him out perfonally to 
 * Matt. .^i. 9, &c, 
 
 the 
 
INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS; "9 
 
 tlic people ; and had Jefus kft the Jews to judge 
 for themfelves, concerning the reality of the Bap- 
 tift's infpiration ; the divine authority of Both 
 could not necellarily have been determined by 
 tlie veracity of Either, But fince we find them 
 reciprocally bearing teftimony to the truth of 
 each other's divine coniniiflion ; and the difciple's / 
 of Jefus appear likewife to have given us no far- 
 ther account of John, than was neceflary to avail 
 themfelves of his authority, in eftabliihing the 
 credit of their own mafter ; hence we are enabled 
 to draw this certain conclufion; that they mult 
 Both have been impoftors ; or Both, in reality, 
 thofe divine perlbnagcs, wliofc characters they 
 refpeclively alTumed. And this conclufion, firft 
 cftabliilied, will immediately point out a very na* 
 tural method to bring the claims of Both to a deci^ 
 five examination. 
 
 Their mutual endeavours to pcrfuade the peo- 
 ple into a belief in each other, muft either have 
 been the effect of fome fupernatural knowledge, 
 which affured them of each other's divine mif- 
 fion ; or the refult of a previous agreement be- 
 tween them, to fupport their double impofture. 
 The nature of the cafe will not admit us to fup- 
 pofe, that Jefus may have been the true Meffiah, 
 but John an impoftor ; or John, that propliet, he 
 declared iamfclt, but Jefus a deceiver. 'J'heir 
 
 claims 
 
W iNTRODUCTORr C0^*SlDEtlATIONS, 
 
 claims to any thing divine muft now ftand or fall 
 together. 
 
 Had either of them alone been a counterfeit ; 
 the true prophet, it muft be allowed, could not 
 have borne witnefs in his favour ; unlefs the other 
 had found means to deceive him into a firm 
 belief of his pretenfions. As the real melTenger 
 of the God of truth could not be fent into the 
 world to fupport a lie; fo it was impffible for 
 him knowingly to abett the defigns of an infamous 
 deceiver. 
 
 If then only One of them was really the divine 
 perfon he pretended to be, nothing can account fof 
 his condu6l in fupporting the Other, but his having 
 been deluded by him into an opinion, that that divine 
 chara6ler did truly belong to him, which he had im- 
 pioufly alTumed. But this fuppofition cannot be ad- 
 mitted in the prefent cafe. 
 
 The appearance of the long promifed Meffiah 
 was an event of fuch importance to the general 
 happinefs of mankind, and in which, the good- 
 nefs, veracity, and juftice of God were fo inti- 
 mately concerned, that He could not be fent into 
 the world, in fuch a manner, as would lay man* 
 kind under an abfolute necefTity to difown and 
 reje6t him, without the leaft fault in themfelves. 
 The divine wifdom could not therefore fend that 
 iafpired meflenger, whom he had long promifed, 
 
 pur- 
 
INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS, 11 
 
 purpofely to prepare the Meffiah's way before him ; 
 without enhghtcning Jiim with that ample portion of 
 his dilcerning ipirit, which would enable him to 
 diltinguifli the true Meffiah, without a poffibility 
 of miltake, from every counterfeit of his chara6ler ; 
 or at leaft fecure him from bearing witnefs to 
 any impoftor. Had he been fent without this 
 neceflary qualification, inftead of preparing the 
 Meffiah's way before him, he might, and in the 
 prefent cafe muft, have been the moft effectual 
 obftru6tor of it. He might involuntarily have 
 mifapplied his divine authority, in abetting the 
 defigns of an impious deceiver; and thus have 
 thwarted thofe eternal counfels he was fent pur- 
 pofely to fultill, through the defects of his own in- 
 fpiration. 
 
 Supposing then that tlie Baptist was, in facl, the 
 divine meflenger in queftion ; Jefus mult, likewife 
 have been the true Meffiah. 
 
 On the other hand, fhould we allow Jefus to 
 have been the long expelled Meffiah; his tefti- 
 ^mony will furnifti us with as fatisfactory a proof of 
 the divine authority of John. Nothing can be 
 more evidently abfurd, than to fuppofe, that a 
 being of confummate wifdom and power, would 
 render the authority of his divine infpirations 
 liable to be brought into queftion, by being 
 connefted with the Ihort-fightcd and inconfiftent 
 
 fchemes 
 
12 INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 fchemes of hun^n impolture. Intricate plans of 
 deceit, efpecially iuch as alTecl the general in- 
 terefts of mankind, and are of the moft extenfive 
 nature, are ever liable to be difcovered. Nor 
 have we need of any other reafon for reje6ting all 
 pretenders to divine authority, than the finding them 
 defu'ous to encreafe their credit by the aiTiftance of 
 a deceiver. Jefus, therefore, if he was the true 
 MelTiah, niUft unqueftionably have diftinguifhed 
 the true Elias, from every counterfeit, who might 
 alTume his name : or, at leaft, he muft have refrain- 
 ed from bearing witnefs to any one ^vhom he 
 did not infallibly know to be the divine perfon 
 in queftion. 
 
 Besides, had the Baptilt alone been the coun- 
 terfeit, as Jefus muft then have been preceded by 
 fame trulij divine forerunner, to whom the character 
 which John aliumed did really belong ; Jefus would 
 undoubtedly have appealed to the teltimony of that 
 true prophet, if to any, inftead of the falfe ; and we 
 could never have found him endeavouring to efta- 
 bliih the credit of John. 
 
 It is evident therefore beyond queftion, that if 
 ive admit the divine miflion of Jefus, his telti- 
 mony will oblige us alfo to acknowledge the in- 
 fpiration of John. And thus the evidence they 
 have borne to the truth of each other's divine 
 pretQnfions reduces us to the ncceffity of rejecting 
 
 them 
 
INTROPUCTORY GpN&IDERATI0X9* 13 
 
 tlicin Both as impoftors ; or fubniitting lo Both, in 
 in thofc very characters they alilimed, as the fpecial 
 inelVengers of God, and immediate reyealers of his 
 will to mankind. 
 
 ^ This iiidiflbluble connecbion bet^veen Jefus and 
 the Baptift, naturally points out a particular method 
 of eftablilliing the truth and certainty of tlie; 
 Chriftian revelation ;. in its own nature, ftrong.a]i4 
 conclufive * and independent of all that variety of 
 other arguments by which its f^ivine original may 
 be clearly proved. If thofe particulars, which 
 the evangelifts have recorded, relating to John's 
 birth and tranfaclions, and fuch others concerning 
 Jefus as are neceffarily connected with them, will 
 enable us_ to Ihevv fatisfa6torily, that the Baptilt 
 himfelf could not be an impoftor ; then will they 
 afford a complete and equally fatisfedory proof 
 of the divine million of Jefu^ ; fmce, it wi,ll tjien be 
 certain, that he could be np lefs than what John 
 declared him to be, the promiied ]\Ieffiah, and the 
 Son of God. 
 
 The profecution of this particular point is th^ 
 firit and more immediate object of the following 
 enquiry. But, as we proceed in it, the argument 
 will likewife be found attended with this farther, 
 and very material advantage; that in illuftrating 
 the evidence of the divine original of John, we 
 ftiall at the fame time unavoidably trace out a fe- 
 
 par ate. 
 
14 INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 parate, dire6l, and equally full proof of the divine: 
 chara6ler of Jefus ; drawn from the nature of 
 thofe particulars which relate immediately to him- 
 felf alone. 
 
 The chief of thofe materials, which muft ferve 
 for the foundation of this enquiry, are but few in 
 number, and little more than a feries of aftonifhing 
 events, affirmed to have accompanied both the 
 Baptift's and Jefus's birth. But thefe, when conli- 
 dered in their feveral circumflances, and neceflary 
 conne6lions ; and w^hen joined likewife with fome 
 remarkable particulars in the conduct of John and 
 Jefus towards each othei*, which muft greatly contri- 
 bute to their farther illuftration ; will appear, it is 
 hoped, fully fufficient to anfvver the end propofed ; 
 and afford us a proof, at leaft, as fatisfa6lory as in 
 fuch a point can rationally be defired, that John was 
 indeed a man fent from God, and Jefus beyond all 
 doubt the true Meffiah. 
 
 iH^i^'- 
 
DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 OP 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST 
 
 AND 
 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Tlie miy^aculous events recoi^ded of the birth a7ii 
 -circumcifion of John the Baptilt cannot have bce^ 
 forged, either by Jefus, or any of his difciples ; Qr 
 by John himfelj] or any of his difciples. 
 
 1 HE feveral miraculous events reported to hav^ 
 accompanied the conception of John the Baptift, 
 are related by Luke as follows * : 
 
 *' There was in the days of Herod, the king 
 f^i'of Judea, a certain prieft named Zacharias, 
 
 * Luke i. 5—25. 
 
1^ THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part la 
 
 " of the courfe of Abia : and his wife was of 
 " the daughters of Aaron, and her name w^as 
 " Elizabeth. And they were both righteous be- 
 *' fore God, walking in all the commandments 
 '* and ordinances of the Lord blamelefs. And 
 '* they had no child, becaufe that Elizabeth was 
 *' barren, and they both were now well ftricken in 
 *' years. And it came to pafs, that, while he 
 " executed the prieft's office before God, in the 
 " order of his courfe, according to the cuftom 
 " of the prieft's office, his lot was to burn 
 " incenfe, when he went into the temple of the 
 ^' Lord'. And the whole multitude of the people 
 *^ were praying without at the time of incenfe. 
 " And there appeared unto him an angel of 
 *' the Lord, ftanding on the right lide of the 
 " altar of incenfe.^ And when Zacharias fa\<' him^ 
 " he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But 
 '* the angel faid unto him, fear not, Zacharias: 
 *' for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth 
 " ihall bear thee a Son, and thou Ihalt call his 
 ** name John. And thou Ihalt have joy and glad- 
 *^ nefs, and many lliall rejoice at his birth. For 
 *' he Ihall be great in the fight of the Lord, and 
 *' Ihall drink neither wine, nor ftrong drink ; 
 " and he Ihali- be filled with the Holy Ghoft, 
 ** even from his mother's wonib. And many of 
 •■l\ the children of Ifrael fliall he turn to the Lord 
 
 " thek 
 
Se6l. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 17 
 
 *' their God. And he (hall go before him in the 
 " ipirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the 
 " fatliers to the children, and the difobedient to the 
 ** vvilllom of tlie juft, to make ready a people pre- 
 " pared for the Lord. And Zacharias faid unto 
 " the angel, whereby Ihall I know this ? for I am 
 *' an old man, and my wife well ftricken in years. 
 *' And the angel anfwering faid unto him, I am 
 " Gabriel, that ftand in the prefence of God ; and 
 *' am fent to fpeak unto thee, and to Ihew thee thefe 
 " glad tidings. And behold, thou ihalt be dumb, 
 */ and not able to fpeak, until the day that thefe 
 *' things ihall be performed ; becaufe thou believeft 
 *' not my words, which ihall be fulfilled in their 
 " feafon. And the people waited for Zacharias, 
 ^' and marvelled that he ftaid lb long in the temple. 
 " And when he came out he could not fpeak unto 
 " them : and they perceived that he had ieen a 
 " vifion in the temple ; for he beckoned unto them 
 " and remained fpeechlefs. And it came to pais, 
 *' that as foon as the days of his miniftration were 
 " accompliilied, he departed to his own houfe. 
 *^ And after thole days his wife Elizabeth conceived, 
 ** and hid herfelf five months, faying, thus hath the 
 " Lord dealt with me, to take away my reproach 
 " among men." 
 
 Xhe evangcliit, having thus related the circum- 
 ftances of John's conception, Itops here to give 
 
 C an 
 
18 THE DIVINE MissioKs OF Parti. 
 
 an acconnt of many other events, no lefs aftonifti- 
 ing, which foon after accompanied the conception 
 of Jefus ; and then goes on uith the following 
 hiftory of the birth of the Baptift *. 
 
 *^ Now Elizabeth's fall time came, that fne 
 '^ fiiould be delivered, and Ihe brought forth a 
 *' fon. And her neighbours, and her coufms, 
 ^^ heard how the Lord had lliewed great mercy 
 " upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And 
 ^' it came to pafs, that on the eighth day they 
 *' came to circumcife the child, and they called 
 '^ him Zacharias, after the n^me of his father. 
 " And his mother anfwered, and faid, not fo ; 
 " but he ihall be called John. And they faid 
 ** unto her, there is none of thy kindred that ia 
 *' called by this name. And they made figns to 
 '<^ his father, how he would have him called. And 
 " he alked for a writing table, and wrote, faying, 
 *^ his name is John. And they marvelled all. And' 
 " his mouth w-as opened immediately, and his 
 " tongue loofed, and he fpake and praifed God. 
 ". And fear came on all that dwelt round about' 
 "" them ; and all thefe fayings were noifed abroad, 
 " throughout all the hill country of Judea. And 
 " all they, that had heard them, laid them up in 
 *^ their hearts, faying, what manner of cliild lliall 
 ^' this be ? And the hand of the Lord was with 
 
 * Luke i. 57 — to the end, 
 
 *' hiim 
 
Seft. 1. J0H5r feAPTtSf AND JfiSuV^IRIST. 
 
 him. And his father Zacharias wa^Nfilled witli 
 the Holy Ghoft, and prophefied, rayingi"^Bieffed 
 be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he hath vifited 
 and redeemed his people ; and hath raifed up 
 an horn of falvation for us, in the houfe of his 
 fervant David, as he fpake by the mouth of his 
 holy prophets, which have been fince the world 
 began. That we lliould be faved from our ene- 
 mies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To 
 perform the mercy promiled to our forefathers, 
 and to remember his holy covenant ; the oath 
 which he fware to our father Abraham ; that he 
 would grant unto us, that we, being delivered 
 out of the hands of our enemies, might ferve him 
 without fear, in holinefs and righteoufnefs before 
 him all the days of our life. And thou, child, 
 111 alt be called the prophet of the Higheft ; 
 for thou llialt go before the face of the Lord to 
 prepare his way, to give knowledge of falvation 
 to his people, by the rcmififion of their fms ; 
 through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby 
 the day fpring from on high hath vifited us, to 
 give light to them that fit in darknefs, and in the 
 Ihadow of death ; to guide our feet into the way 
 of peace. — And the child grew, and waxed ftrong 
 in fpirit, and was in the defarts until the day of 
 his ihewing unto Ifrael." 
 
 C S Si;cH, 
 
20 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 Sucir, and fo aftoniiliing, are the particulars 
 tranfmitted to us of the conception and birth of 
 John the Baptift. The evangelilt himfelf, by his 
 manner of relatino- theui, feems to have thouo-ht 
 they contained evidence fully fufficient to con- 
 vince mankind of the truth of his prophetic cha- 
 racter, and divine infpiration. And if thcfe ac-. 
 counts may be relied on as true hiftories of fads, 
 which a6kially came to pafs, in the manner they 
 are related ; it muft at once be confeffed, that 
 their teftimony is abundantly fufficient to alTure 
 us of John's divine miffion ; and there can be 
 no room to doubt whether Jefus was the true 
 ]\Iefiiah. 
 
 The appearance of an angel to Zacharias ; his 
 prophetic declaration, that things in the highelt 
 degree improbable would very fliortly be brought 
 to pafs ; his punifliing Zacharias, by ftriking him 
 inftantaneouily dumb, for queftioning the trutli 
 of what he. foretold ; the fubfequent conception 
 and birth of John, at a time when, humanly 
 fpeaking, Elizabeth could not have had children ; 
 the fudden reftoration of Zacharias's fpeech, at 
 the period when the angel declared it would be 
 reftored to him; and his breaking-out into pro- 
 phecies the inftant after, through the furce of 
 divine infpiration ; thefe events, confidered to- 
 gether, are fo apparently beyond the power of 
 
 human 
 
Stol. 1. JOHN r>ArTI3T AND JLSUS CIIItlST. SI 
 
 buinan artifice to accompliih, that, if it be allowed 
 tliey really came to pais, all farther argument is 
 at an end. The Baptilt mult at once be fub- 
 mitted to as the true Elias ; and Jefus, upon 
 his repeated teltiinony, be acknowledged the Son 
 of God. 
 
 This then is the queftion ; Whether we have 
 lufficient reafon to lluisfy us, in a point of fo 
 great importance, that this relation of the evan- 
 gelifts is free both from impolture and miftake;- 
 and that all the facls contained in it are unquef- 
 tionably true * ? 
 
 If this miraculous hiftory of the birth of John 
 is not to be Fclied on, as a true account of what 
 did adually happen ; it muft either have been in- 
 
 * Before we enter upon the argument propofed, it feems 
 iieceflary to premife, that it is not here intended to prove, 
 that the gofpels were really written by thofe perfons, whofc 
 names they bear; hut taking thh Jin gk point for granted, as 
 having been fully eihibli/hed by thofe, who have written pro-- 
 fefledly upon it ; the defign of this inquiry is to prove, that 
 the facts in queftion, recorded in the gofpels, could not pof- 
 fibly be forged ; but muft really have come to pafs, in the 
 manner that they are there related. And this, not by argu- 
 ing from any fuppofcd authority of the cvangelifts, but from 
 the very nature and circumftances of their relations them- 
 felves. — The authenticity of the gofpels may be feeu proved 
 at large by Lardner^ in his Cred. of the Gofp.IIiJl. ; and others, 
 who have fet themfelves exprcfsly to examine the canon of the' 
 New Teftament. 
 
 C 3 vented 
 
S2 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 vented by Luke, or forne other of Jcfuss apofileSy 
 ill order to ftrengthen the credit of their own 
 mafter; — or it muft have been forged by John 
 himfelf] ov Jvme of his dlfciples, to deceive the 
 people into a belief of his divine infpiration ; or 
 laftly, it muft have been a contrivance of Zacha- 
 7^ias and his affociatcs^ in order to pafs his Son upon 
 the Jews for that honourable prophet, who was ex- 
 peeled to come before-hand to prepare the ^vay of 
 the Lord. 
 
 Now that it could not be forged by Lulic^ w ill 
 very evidently appear. Though the exa6t time of 
 the publication of his gofpel is unknown, nor is 
 it certain whether it came abroad before or after 
 thofe of Matthew and Mark, the nature and end of 
 the work itfelf, and Luke's own words, oblige us 
 to acknowledge, that it could not be made public 
 immediately after the death of Chrift. Till the 
 church was fo enlarged, that the pcrfonal tefti- 
 mony of the apoltles, and the eye-witneiies of 
 Jefus's life and acrlions, could not often be had ; 
 and their verbal accounts, through a courfe of 
 fome time, were expofed to the danger of being, 
 even involuntarily, corrupted ; the evangelifts were 
 under no great neceffity to write hiftories of the 
 life of Jefus their mafter ; and were much too 
 fully employed in making converts to chriftianity, 
 to hav^ leifurq for compofing them. In faSt, 
 
 Luke 
 
Sect. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 25 
 
 Luke himfelf has exprefsly declared % that he did 
 not compofc his gofpel, till after ^' many had taken 
 ** ill hand to fet forth, in order, a declaration of 
 " thofe things, which were nioft aiiuredly believed 
 *' among them." This declaration, efpecially w hen 
 joined to the nature of the thing itfelf, would make 
 it in the higheft degree unreafonablc to fuppofe^ that 
 the gofpel in queftion could have come abroad, till 
 fome confiderable time after the death of Chrifl. 
 And thus far all the different opinions about it are 
 agreed. 
 
 But after fuch a time had elapfed, the evan- 
 gelilt could not but know and confider, that it 
 would be impoffible for him to forge a feries of 
 facts, fo aftonifliing in themfelves, and of fuch 
 confiderable moment, without being immediately 
 detected ; and ruining at once the prevailing cre- 
 dit of Jefus, and all who preached in his name. 
 Could the apoftles, from the ilrft of their miniftry, 
 have appealed to fo wonderful a feries of events, 
 which had accompanied the birth of John ; no 
 man could poilibly believe, that they would till 
 this time have ftudioufly fuppreffed them ; or. 
 could, through neglect, have forgot to relate them. 
 For John, we have feen bore the moft exprefs 
 teftimony to the truth of Jefas's preteniions ; and 
 
 ♦ Luke i. 1. 
 
 C 4 we 
 
24 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 %ve know likewife, that all the people held John to 
 have been a prophet indeed. 
 
 The evangeliit therefore could not pofiibly have 
 prefixed a relation fo aftonilhing, as this hiilory of 
 the birth of John, to his account of the life and 
 a6tions of Jefus ; unlefs the particulars contained 
 in it had not only been publicly knoum and beliet'cdy 
 before he wrote ; but publicly taught likewife,- by 
 all the apoftles, to every convert they had made, 
 from their lirft beginning to preach the gofpel. 
 Becaufe it was evident, that, if he had, not only 
 his own gofpel, but, Mith it, all the pretences of 
 bis party, muft, on this very account, have been 
 univerfally exploded. 
 
 Neither can this relation have been a forgery 
 concerted between all or any of Jefus s dlfciples, at 
 their very firft beginning to preach the gofpel, 
 after Jefus's death. Such a furprifmg feries of mi- 
 racles fuppofed to have accompanied John's birth, 
 but never made known till fo long a time after his 
 death ^' \ and then firft reported by a fet of men, 
 whofe intereft was fo nearly and fo evidently con* 
 
 * According to Mr. Macknight, John was beheaded before 
 the third paflbver of Jefus's public miniftry ; and Jefus hiinfelf 
 was put to death at the fifth. So that the death of Jefus did 
 not hapJK'ii till full two years after the death of John. Some 
 computations nnikc the dillance greater ftill ; and it could not 
 be lefs, 
 
 cerned 
 
^cEt. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. S5 
 
 cerned in promoting the belief of them ; muft ne- 
 celfarily have carried with it fo ftrong an appear- 
 ance of impofture, that thofe, who did not reject 
 them at once, as apparently liditious, would no 
 doubt have examined into the truth of them, with 
 fo much fcrupulous care, that, had they not been 
 founded on unqueftionable fact, their talfehood 
 muft have been prefently detected. 
 
 Hqw zealous and active the rulers of the Jews, 
 and the whole fynagogue continued, for a long 
 time after they had put Jefus to death, in en- 
 deavouring to filence the apoftles, and prevent 
 even the name of Jefus from being named among 
 the people, is well known. At the very time, 
 when the apoftles muft have firft publillied thefe 
 forgeries concerning the birth of John ; if in 
 reality they were forgeries, and the apoftles the 
 perfons who forged them ; the chief priefts and 
 rulers were watching every opportunity to deftroy 
 them. Pirft, they imprifoned Peter and John * ; 
 tlien all the apoftles at oncef ; not difmiffmg them 
 without ftripes, and threats of the fevereft puniih- 
 ment if they ftill continued preaching in Jefus's 
 name ^ ; and, very foon after, they even put 
 Stephen to death II . So circumftanced, in the midft 
 
 ♦ Ads of the apoft. iv. 1—3. 
 
 t Afts of thcapoft. V. 17, 18. 
 
 X A(5>s of the apoft. iv. 18, 21. — v. 28, 40, 
 
 II Ibid. vii. 58, 59; ^0. 
 
 of 
 
"$(S THE DIVINE MISSIONS Of I^art f. 
 
 of fuch perfecuting foes, what can be more incre- 
 dible, than that the apoftles ihould voluntarily court 
 not only the utter extin6i:ion of their Mafter's credit, 
 but even their own Ihame and deftruclion ; by now 
 firft publilhing fo extravagant and ill-founded a 
 forgery, as muft neceffarily make their veracity not 
 fufpe6ted only, but exploded, by every one of the 
 leaft judgement or refie6tion ? 
 
 Or, were it conceivable, that the apoftles them- 
 felves could act fo foolilli a part ; how can it be 
 believed, that the chief priefts and rulers would 
 quietly acquiefce, in fuffering them to fpread abroad 
 thefe hitherto unheard-of divine revelations ; fo evi- 
 dently calculated to raife the credit of Jefus ; whofe 
 name and memory they were at this very time ex- 
 erting all their authority to deftroy ? Had the cir- 
 cumftances of John's birth, Avhich Luke has related, 
 been unknown till this time, and now firft publilhed 
 by Jefus's difciples ; the fanhedrim could not have 
 failed to make the ltriQ:eft enquiry into the evidence 
 alleged in their fupport ; and if that had proved in- 
 fufficient, as it certainly muft, would have punifhed 
 the apoftles to the utmoft extent of their power ; 
 and by laying open their villainy to the public view, 
 have extinguilhed for ever the growing credit of the 
 
 fea. 
 
 Since therefore, on the contrary, it appears, 
 that though they not only threatened, but beat, 
 
 and 
 
SeQ:. I. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 27 
 
 and imprironed the apoftlcs, and even put one of 
 them to death, for perfifting to preach in the name 
 of Jefus ; yet they never accufed them of the leaft 
 forgery, in thofe miraculous accounts of the birtli of 
 the Baptift, which they were now every where 
 fpreading among tlieir converts to Chriftianity ; we 
 are neceihtatcd to acknowledge, that this account 
 of the birth of John, which Luke has recorded, 
 muft have been publicly known, and univerfally 
 believed before the time of Jefus's death. It 
 could not therefore be forged by the apofdes, 
 when they firft began to preach the gofpel, imme- 
 diately after it. 
 
 If then the miraculous account under confide- 
 • ration was forged by Jefus's difciples, Jefus himfelf 
 muft have been concerned with them in it, and they 
 muft jointly have publifhed it foon after the death of 
 John. But not to repeat arguments, which have 
 been but this moment alleged ; the very fame rea- 
 fons, which have lliewn it impoffible for Jefus's dif- 
 ciples to have done this, foon after his death ; prove 
 it equally certain, that neither could Jefus, in con- 
 junction with them, have firft publiflied fuch a for- 
 gery, at any time after the death of John. Becaufe 
 the teftimony of Jefus more efpecially, with that of 
 his difciples, would neceffarily have been expofed 
 to all the fame objeciions in this cafe, as the tefti- 
 mony of his difciples alone, in the former. 
 
 Since 
 
^S THE DIVINE MISSIO^'S OF Part L 
 
 Since therefore this account of the miraculous' 
 birth of John, whether we fuppofe it true or falle, 
 mult have been publicly known and received, while 
 John himfelf was alive to confirm or contradict it ; 
 if it w^as a forgery, we mult next fuppofe John 
 himfelf to have been the true author, and chief 
 propagator of it. But neither could this poffibly 
 be the cafe. 
 
 John's whole chara6ler, life, and do6lrine, 
 were fo eminently diftinguilhed by a religious 
 adherence to the very ftri6lelt rules of piety and 
 virtue ; that, according to Jofephus, the Jews in 
 general were firmly perfuaded, that particular 
 divine judgements were inflicted upon Herod for 
 putting him to death ^. But, not to infift on this, 
 
 the 
 
 * Jofephus having related the total defeat of Herod*s army, 
 and mentioned the caufe of it, that they were betrayed by 
 fomc deferters, goes on as follows. 
 
 TiiTt ^£ tcoy la^cciuv t^oan oXcoXevxi rov Hpw^a r^oJo vtto ra Qsa, 
 
 liTH' xlEi"" y^P Talf K H^w^'/;?, uycc^ov aio^cc, xai rag la^ocmg ZEAayoyla, 
 cip2l'y)i> eirac-Kovvlccq, xtci rv '^^oq aXPvvjAa? ^izxiocrvvvif y.tn TiXfo; rot 
 Qiov ivai&iict xi^l^^vsq, ^a.7f\ia^u3 crvHsvan' hro yag xoci nr-nv ^ciifliai^ 
 airoh-A-nv ccvlu (payEicrSaj, [xr, iVi, Tivuv eci^x^u^uv 'ffra^aci\r,a-ei ^^Ufxivuf, 
 ctXK E^' aynia, rov (Tuiuciloc, ccrs ov x«» rr? -^vxyi? ^r/.snQa-jvr) 'vr^osy.- 
 y.izocU^y.ivr,c^, — — Jofeph. Antiq. Jud, L. 18. 5. Ed. Haverc. — 
 *' But many among the Jews were perfuaded, that the d.e- 
 ftruaion of Herod's army was owing to the particular inter- 
 polition of God ; who, they thought, took this method to 
 
 punifli 
 
SeR. I. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. £§ 
 
 the feveral particulars related are of fuch a nature, 
 as prove beyond contradiclion, that thefe accounts 
 could not have been lirlt invented, nor even tirlt re- 
 lated, at any time after Johns birth; and confe- 
 quently, that it is impoffible for John himfelf, or any 
 of his difciples, to have been the contriver, or firit 
 propagator of them. 
 
 . Zachaeias's feeming lofs of fpeech, and his 
 fignifying to the people his having feen a vifion 
 in the temple, were fa6is, that, if true, muft have 
 been notorious to great numbers ; as is evident 
 from the occafion on which they are faid to have 
 happened *. Again, Zacharias s no lefs furpri- 
 
 punifh him, as he very highly deferved, for his cruelty to Jokn, 
 commonly called the Baptiji. For Herod had put him to 
 death, no twith Handing he was a good man, and exhorted 
 riie Jews not to come to his baptifm, without firft preparing 
 themfelves for it, by the pradice of viitue; by a Itrid ad- 
 herence to the rules of juftice and equity in their dealings 
 with one another ; and by manifefting a fincere piety towapds 
 God. For their being baptized, he taught them, would then 
 only be acceptable to God, when, having firft purified the mind 
 with righteous difpofitions, they had recourfe to baptifm, as 
 nothing more than an emblem of their freedom from fonfual 
 pollutions ; not when they made ufe of it as a commutation for 
 their fins." 
 
 ■ * " And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that 
 *' that he tarried fo long in the temple. And when he cam* 
 " out he could not fpeak unto them : and they perceived that 
 ^ he had feen a vifion in the temple : for he beckoned unto 
 " them, and remained fpeechlefs." Lujce i. 21, 22. 
 
3d THE DIVINE MISSIONS OT Part L 
 
 fmg, inftantaneous recovery of his fpeech, at the 
 time of John's circumcifion, M^as another fact, which, 
 if true, muft have been known likevvife at the very 
 time, to no lefs than ten feveral relations of the 
 family who, according to the conltant cuftom of the 
 Jewilh nation, muft have been prefent upon that 
 occafion *. 
 
 Now it is inconceivable, that an impoftor 
 lliould choofe to forge fuch fads as thefe, the 
 falfehood of which might prefently be detected ; 
 and add likewife, that the whole country round 
 about was, at the very time, made acquainted 
 with, and furpifed at them ; when, if the fa6t3 
 
 * The occafion was the circumcifion of John. " And it came 
 ** to pafs, that on the eighth day they came to circiimcife the 
 ** child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his 
 " father, &cc." Luke i. 59' — Upon this occafion the cuftom of 
 the Jews was as follows. 
 
 ** Upon the day of circumcifion the father makes a feaft. 
 Ten muft be the number of the invited guefts ; and one or two 
 of the learned Rabbis make a long prayer and fermon 
 at the table ; while the others freely fet the glafs about 
 and drink plentifully. This feaft they obferve, by the ex^ 
 ample of Abraham, who made a great feaft, the fame day that 
 Ifaac was weaned (Gen. xxi. 8.) : they pervert the text, 
 and fa}^ when he was circumcifed." Lewis's Heb. Antiq. 
 B.4. Ch.l. 
 
 The number of perfons to be invited to this feaft, at the cir* 
 curacifion, was not limited to ten ; but there were always to be 
 fai at t/tc kajl, Buxtorf. Syn. Jud. cap. 2, 
 
 them- 
 
Sc6l. 1. JOHN- BAPTIST AXD Ji..:it > CHRIST. 31. 
 
 tlieinfelves were not true, it would immediately 
 have appeared, upon enquiry, that none of the 
 neighbouring inhabitants had ever heard any thing 
 of them. * " And fear came on all that dwelt 
 ** round about them ; and all thefe fayings (thai: 
 *^ is, all thefe tranfadions D were noifed abroad, 
 •* throughout all the hill country of Judea. And 
 *^ all that heard thcni laid tliem up in their hearts^^ 
 
 • Luke i. 65, 66. 
 
 •f- To prevent any fufpicion of having interpreted this paf- 
 fage in a more comprehenfive fenfe, than it ought to be takea 
 in ; it is proper to obferve, that the words in the onginal are. 
 -—'UTuvlct. Toc ^YifA,oclx Totvix \ which in the tranflation are rendered 
 *' all thefe fayings'* Now it is certain^ that t« ^-n^oclci, figni- 
 fies indifferently things as well as xvords ; and is as often ufed, 
 for the former as tlic latter. Thus in this very chapter, ver. 
 37. *Oti ovk alvvalr^cri 'crapa t« 0£« 'mccv ^-^^a, ; in the tranfla- 
 tion, " For ii:ith God nothing JJiall he impoJjMe** And in 
 chap. ii. 15. AiaXQw^-j* ^n iu<; B>39A£e/x, XDH io0{ji.iv TO ^'/j/Aflt 
 Tovro TO yeyovQi:, 6 5 Kt/fto^ Eyvu^ictv Y,yi,iv* ** Let US now go even 
 " unto Bethlehem, and fee this thing which is coYne to pafs, 
 " which the Lord hath made known unto us." From thefe.. 
 inftances only it is fufTiciently plain, that in the pafiage befora 
 "US, Tc-avla Ta fnuxlcc rccvlu, would have been more properl/ 
 tranflated, **all thefe cxcnts ;' inftead of, *' all iYm^itfayiifgs ;** 
 and that Luke meant by tlicm, not only Zacharias's pro- 
 phetical declaration, but all the fads he had juft been re- 
 Liting. See more on the word ^viuoc in Hamm. on Matt. 2.— 
 Wolf. Cur. Phil, in Luc. i. 37.— Gataker de St>lo N. T. 
 p. 14.6*. Rof^'s Eflay for a new Tranfl. (from Le Cene), p. 2, 
 ch. 4. 
 
 " laying, 
 
52 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 *' faying, what manner of child fliall this be?" 
 Unlefs thefe events had apparently come to pafs, 
 in the manner, and at the time, they are related to 
 have happened ; they could not at that time have 
 been noifed abroad through the neighbouring coun- 
 try ; nor could John himfelf, or his aflbciatcs, at 
 any time afterwards have ventured to alTert that 
 they were. 
 
 The nature of the faQs themfelvcs was fo dir- 
 prifing, that upon this account alone, fome re- 
 membrance of them muft have been preferved, in 
 the neighbourhood where Zacharias had lived, had 
 they really happened, much later than it was poffi- 
 ble for John himfelf, or any of his difciples while he 
 w as living, to have contrived and publifned thefe 
 accounts. The hiftory of fo many divine revelations, 
 reilecling fo much honour upon all thofe to whom 
 they had been made, muft without doubt have been 
 preferved in the family, with great care, at leaft 
 as long as the perfon, whom they immediately 
 concerned, was alive. The hopes and expecta- 
 tions of feeing them accompliilied in John's fu- 
 ture life and a6lions, muft have kept them in 
 the remembrance of Zacharias's friends and re- 
 lations at leaft ; and rendered it impoffible for the 
 memory of them to have been loft, while there 
 was a poinbility remaining of feeing them one 
 day fulfilled. 
 
Sc6i, 1. JOIIK BAPTIST AND JESOS CHRIST. 3d 
 
 No fooner, it is related, had Zacharias fignified 
 that his fon Ihould be named John, than his ipeech 
 was perfeclly reftored, and he was immediately 
 filled with the Holy Gholt, or at leaft pretended to 
 be fo, and prophefied : foretelling, belides the 
 fpeedy coming of the Mefiiah himfelf, and the 
 glories of his reign, that his own Jb?i, at that time 
 but a few days old, was fent to difcharge the office 
 of his immediate forerunner. 
 
 So unexpected a prediction, delivered by Zacha- 
 rias, after having been, as he pretended, for fo long 
 a time miraculoufly ftruck dumb, and but the inftant 
 before as miraculoufly reftored to fpeech ; and this 
 too concerning a child born to him when he could 
 have no hopes of children ; and to whom he had 
 juft given a name, in oppofition to the delire of 
 all his relations prefent, and the prevailing cultom 
 of his country; fuch a prophecy, pronounced in 
 circumftances fo remarkable, and full of pro- 
 mifes fo defirable, could not have been forgot 
 in John's life-time, had it really been delivered ; 
 nor could John's affirming fuch a ftory have been 
 able to procure it belief, if it had not been re- 
 membered. 
 
 If therefore, upon enquiry, when John affumed 
 his public character, no account, not even the 
 leaft tradition, of thefe miracles and prophecies 
 could be learned from the family of Zacharias, 
 
 D and 
 
34 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I, 
 
 and the neighbourhood * where he lived ; and if 
 they were forgeries of John's own, or any of his 
 difciples, it is evident this muft have been the 
 cafe ; they muft at once have been effectually ex- 
 ploded, John's own reputation muft have been 
 abfolutely blafted ; nor v/ould the hiftorians g^' 
 Jefus have dared afterwards to publifti tliefe re- 
 lations, in order to fupport the credit of their 
 ]\lafter. On the contrary, it muft have been theit 
 delire^ by all means, totally to fupprefs all memory 
 of them ; fince any known faliehood in John muft 
 fo neceffarily bring the credit of Jeliis into queftion. 
 Not to fay^ that in this cafe it would have been 
 impoffible for the credit of Jeftis to have outlived 
 that of John. 
 
 * It may not be rmpropor to take notictv on thh oeca^on^ 
 that the Jews were from the beginning fettled in their pof- 
 felllons,, according to their tribes and families (See M. Low- 
 man's Civil Goverivment of the Hebrews, ch. 4.). By this 
 means a whole neighbourhood, being in fome meafure related 
 to each other, iitnil have been moFC neaTly connected, than m 
 other countries ; where no fuch regulation had originallv 
 taken place ; and their tribes were not kept diflin^. An<I, on 
 this accoi^nt, it muft have been looked on as ftill more highly 
 incredible,. that the neighbourhood, where Zacharias had lived, 
 could at this time be found abfolutely ignorant of any fuch 
 aftonifliing events as thofe before us ; had they ever reaKy cortie^ 
 to pafs, and been related among them. 
 
 But 
 
Se6b. 1. jony BAPTIST AND jiLStrs chuist. S3 
 
 But befides this conclufive argument, drawn from 
 the ieveral circumftances attending the fuppofed re- 
 velations themfelves ; it appears, on many other 
 accounts, abfolutely impoffible for them to have been 
 forged by John himfelf, or confequently by his 
 difciples. 
 
 It rnuft at once be allowed, that before he 
 could contrive, or enter upon a defign fo intricate, 
 fo bold, and fo iniquitous, he muft, at leaft, be 
 drawing very near to man's eftate. This is thd 
 very earlielt period we can poffibly affign for it. 
 He could not then begin to publifh thefe ftories, 
 in order to prepare people for receiving him, in that 
 divine character, which he muft have intended after^ 
 wards to aflume, till he was at leaft about twenty 
 years of age. Now, at this time either Zacharias 
 and Elizabeth, and all the ten perfons who had 
 been prefent at the feaft of John's circumcifion, 
 about twenty years before, muft have been ftill 
 alive ; — or elfe only fome of them were yet living ; 
 — or laftly, they muft all have been already dead. 
 And which ever of thefe fuppofitions we may 
 choofe to embrace, it will be found incredible, 
 that John could attempt fetting on foot fuch an 
 impofture, at this time ; or, if he had attempted 
 it, that he could have efcaped immediate and public 
 dete^ion. 
 
 D 2; Js" 
 
$6 THE DIVINE MISSION* OF Part L 
 
 Iv Zacharias and Elizabeth, and all thofe who 
 had been prefeat at their fon's circumcifion, were 
 yet alive ; it is evident, that John could not at- 
 tempt to publilh any forgeries of his own, giving 
 an account of fuch remarkable revelations, as 
 having been made to all of them, fo many years 
 before ; unlefs he had firft feduced them all to 
 corroborate his relation, with their own evidence ; 
 and confpire witli him in the profecution of the 
 whole plot. 
 
 But what an extravagant and incredible fup- 
 pofition is this! Was it poffible for John to en- 
 tertain a defign of engaging his very parents them- 
 felves, perfons of fuch virtuous converfation as 
 he knew them to be, in fo wicked an impofture ? 
 Could he conceive hopes, that they, who, he well 
 knew, had ever walked " in fill the commartd- 
 " ments and ordinances of the Lord blamelefs ^','' 
 
 would 
 
 ♦ As it is not allowable here to take tlie good charafter of 
 5!acharias and Elizabeth upon truft, it is neceflary to obfcrve, 
 that the circumftances of the cafe will prove the charaflers 
 given of them to be true i without confidering Luke's relation 
 as of any authority, on his own account.— It has ju-ft new 
 been proved, that if the circumftances of John's birth, re- 
 lated by Luke, had been forged ; they could not, however^ 
 be forged, and firft made known, either by Luke himfclf, or 
 any of Jefus's difciplos, after the death of Jefus ; or by Jefas* 
 in conjunftioii with his own, or John's difciples, after John's 
 
 death* 
 
Se6t. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. S7 
 
 would encourage, and even aflift Iiim, in the mod 
 impious of all undertakings? Or could he ima- 
 gine, 
 
 death. This beiug the cafe, it neceflarily follows, that the 
 particulars concerned, even if they were forged, muft hav^ 
 been made known, at the Lateft, while John was yet alive. It 
 is evident likewife, that thcfe particulars were of fo marvel- 
 lous a nature, that, whenever they were firft related, they 
 would undoubtedly caufe many, and the chief priefts more 
 efpeciaJly, to recoiled, or enquire into, the received charac- 
 ters of Zacharias and Elizabeth ; who were reprefented as fo 
 intimately concerned in them. And as this, we have fecn, 
 muft have been while John was yet alive ; and confequcntly, 
 long before the received characters of Zacharias and Eliza- 
 beth could be forgot, in the neighbourhood where they had 
 lived ; hence it appears, that the reputation they had really 
 maintained, whether good or bad, muft have been fo well known 
 and cftablilhed during the public miniftry of John, that it 
 could not be in the power of Luke to attribute 'dfalfe charac- 
 ter to tliem, and above all, one fo remarkably good, when he 
 came to write his gofpel fome years afterwards. — Befides, it 
 would be manifeltly abfurd to fuppofe, that the people in ge- 
 neral, or the chief priefts in particular, ihodld not enquire 
 who John was, and from what parents he arofe; when firft 
 he began to baptize, and drew all orders about him. Curi- 
 ofity alone would lead the generality to make this enquiry ; 
 and the chief priefts muft have done it on other motives. Nor 
 could they poflibly remain ignorant of the true chara<^ers of 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth ; fincc all the other priefts, who 
 had lived in the fame neighbourhood with them, muft cer- 
 tainly have known very well, what reputation they had in 
 fact maintained ; and were the very perfons, to whom the 
 
 1) .3 chief 
 
38 THE DiviisfE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 gine, that among no lefs than ten of his fathers 
 fele6; friends, and two Rabbis, whom he had 
 chofen to rejoice with him, at the feaft for the 
 circumcifion of an unexpected fon, there ihould not 
 be one, who Ihould have common honefty enough 
 to refufe becoming an accomplice in fo wicked a 
 confpiracy ? Nothing can farther exceed the bounds 
 of credibility, than this fuppofition would ; except 
 what we mull at the fame time fuppofe, in order to 
 convift John of the forgery in debate ; that he not 
 only determined to attempt corrupting them, but 
 actually fucceeded. 
 
 Though the evangelifts have given us no ac- 
 count of thofe perfons who were prefent at the 
 Baptift's circumcifion ; the occafion of the meet- 
 ing itfelf is fufiicient to convince us, that they 
 inuft certainly have been perfons of good moral 
 characters, and virtuous reputations. Zacharias 
 called them together, in compliance with the 
 Cuftom of his country, to rejoice with him for 
 
 chief pricfts and rulers would have applied, for information 
 about them. — On both thefe accounts therefore it muft be aU 
 lowed, that that exemplary charader, which Luke has without 
 fcruple afcribed to Zacharias and Elizabeth, could be no other, 
 than what had always been admitted as their true character ; 
 but more efpecially from the time when John began firft to 
 baptize ; at which time, it is cejrtain, no falfe account of them 
 would have been fuffered by the chief priefts to gain ground. 
 
 the 
 
SeQ;. |. JOHN baptist and jesus Christ. 39 
 
 the birth of a fon, born after he had loft all hopes 
 of having children. This was an event, which mult 
 have given fo much pleafure to Zaciiarias, and more 
 efpecially to Elizabeth *, that it cannot be doubted, 
 but tliey would certainly invite fuch of their moft 
 intimate friends to rejoice with them upon it, as 
 would render the family meeting as fatisfaclory as 
 poffible. Whoever they were then, that met to re- 
 joice with Zacharias upon this occasion, they could 
 not be any of his mere common acquaintance ; 
 perfons whofe lives and converfations he might 
 know but little of, and be as little foHcitous 
 about; but, on the contrary, they muft have 
 been fuch of his beft friends and relations, as he 
 Icnew would take part moft fincerely in his prefent 
 fatisfaction. 
 
 Now from hence it is certain, that they muft 
 have been perfons of integrity, and unblemillied 
 reputation. For how can it be imagined, that a 
 pi'ieft, who had maintained to old age an exem- 
 plary character, could have formed his moft in- 
 timate connections with perfons of abandoned 
 principles, and diilolute lives ? How is it poffible 
 lie fliould have formed friendlliips, and kept up 
 an intimate correfpondence, with thofe, whofc 
 company would have been a di (grace to his pro- 
 
 ♦ See Lske i. 24, 25. 
 
 D 4 felTion, 
 
40 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 feffion, and whofe condu6b muft have been oppofite 
 to his own ? Had he condu6led himfelf in this man- 
 ner, he could neither have acquired, nor preferved, 
 that virtuous reputation, which he died pofleiTed of. 
 He was now likewife arrived at that advanced time 
 of life, when other caufes of intimacy lofe their in- 
 fluence, and good men value their friends, more 
 than ever, for the internal difpoiition and good prin- 
 ciples of the heart. Thofe friends therefore, whom 
 Zacharias felecled to rejoice with him upon this 
 occafion, we may reft fatisfied, muft have been, like 
 himfelf and Elizabeth, perfons of approved probity 
 and worth. 
 
 What then can be more incredible, than that 
 John Ihould imagine he could prevail with no 
 lefs than twehe perfons, of fuch worthy charac- 
 ters as his parents and their friends certainly were, 
 to become, all on the fudden, extravagantly 
 wicked, and affift him in the profccution of a 
 moft impious impofture ? And even had it been 
 poffible for him to have refolved upon attempting 
 this, by what ftrange fatality could it happen, 
 that they iliould all, without exception, approve 
 his wicked dengns, and all become at once fo 
 hardened in iniquity, that neither the cuftomary 
 ftings of remorfe, nor even the fcverer terrors of 
 a death-bed, ihould induce any one of them, ever 
 after^ to hiake confeffiqn of his crime ? No ex- 
 pedients 
 
Se6:. i. John baptist and jesus christ. 41 
 
 pedients whatever can render fuch fuppofitions even 
 in the very lowefl degree credible, or capable of 
 being allowed. 
 
 And what views of advantage could John have 
 to propofe to his parents and relations, in order 
 to engage them in fo iniquitous an undertaking; 
 which, on fo many other accounts, it muft have 
 appeared to him plainly impoffible for them to ap- 
 prove ? Some furely he muft have thought neceffary 
 for this end ; and yet his defign, planned as we 
 muft fuppofe him to liave planned it, could not ad- 
 mit of any. 
 
 The pr5phecies and revelations which they at- 
 tefted, and which muft either have been his con- 
 trivance alone, or the joint produce of all, were 
 fuch as would at all times have made it requifite 
 for h'u7i to refufe all earthly power and honours. 
 He was to be great indeed * ; but then it was to be 
 in thejight of the Lord, not of man. His life and 
 manners were to be diftinguiilied from thofe of 
 other men ; but, inftcad of being rendered re- 
 markable by a more fplendid poiTeflion of human 
 enjoyments ; '^ he was to drink neither wine nor 
 *^ ftrong drink;" and to live in a continued 
 courfe of abftinence and mortification. He was 
 to afl'urae the character of an inftru6tor of man- 
 
 ' Lukei. IS, 
 
 kind ; 
 
4^ THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 kind; but, far from being to poffefs the allure- 
 nients of hjLiman wifdom and philofophy, " he was 
 ** to be filled with the Holy Ghoft from his mo- 
 " ther's w omb." He was to preach the do6lrine of 
 repentance ; of all others the moft dire6tly calcu- 
 lated to draw upon him a general hatred and aver- 
 fion ; and, " to give knowledge of falvation by the 
 '* remiflion of their fms" to that people, who va- 
 lued themfelves fo highly on being the fons of 
 Abraham. In fine, he was profefledly to renounce 
 the high character of the Meffiah ; and to lay claim 
 to no other honour, than that of a meffenger, who 
 Tvas to prepare his way before him, in the referved 
 and retired manner of Elias. 
 
 This being the plot he contrived ; if it was in- 
 deed a plot of his own contrivance ; what rewards 
 could he poffibly propofe to Zacharias and Eliza- 
 beth, and their friends, fufiicient to induce them 
 to embark in fo iniquitous an impofture? It is 
 evident he could have none to offer. And to fup- 
 pofe, notwithftanding, that he could think it pof- 
 fible, that fo many perfons of virtuous reputation 
 iliould all agree to join in carrying on fo wicked, 
 and, at the fame time, fo ufelefs a defign ; and, 
 in confequence of this opinion, that he could at- 
 tempt to feduce them ; and farther, that, in fa6l, 
 they all heartily embraced it, and ever after ad- 
 hered to it ; would be contradicting the firft prin- 
 ciples 
 
Sefl;. I. JOHN BAPTIST and JESUS CHRIST, 4S 
 
 ciples of common fenfe, and all experience ; and 
 utterly confounding all diftin6tion between fallhood 
 and truth. 
 
 But, incredible as the fuppofition muft un- 
 doubtedly be allowed, let us fuppofe thefe twelve 
 perfons, of unblemiftied integrity, to have become, 
 all ^i once, the moft accomplilhed impoftors. Evea 
 this conceffion itfelf will not yet make it poiTible for 
 the impofture in debate to have been firft contrived, 
 and thus fet on foot by the Baptift. For, had 
 it been his contrivance, even the joint teftimony 
 of all thefe in its fupport would have been utterly 
 infufticient to prevent it from being prefently ex- 
 ploded. 
 
 It has been already obferved, that John muft 
 at leaft have arrived at man's eftate, before he can 
 be conceived capable of entering upon fuch a de- 
 fign. So that, whatever afibciates he might then 
 engage in it, muft till that time have been totally 
 ignorant of every particular of the plot; and, 
 confequently, could never have made mention of 
 any of thefe divine revelations, as having accom- 
 panied the birth of John, during the long interval 
 of about twenty years, which muft have elapfed 
 fmce he was bom. But after fuch a filence as 
 this, had they all agreed to publiili relations of any 
 fuch miraculous events ; it cannot be doubted, 
 what iiiuft have been the fuccefs of fo foolilh an 
 
 attempt 
 
44 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Parti. 
 
 attempt to impofe upon the common fenfe of 
 mankind. 
 
 Who could poffibly have given credit to fto- 
 ries of fo extraordinary a nature ; which, if 
 related at the very firft, required to have been 
 fo well attefted ; when it fhould appear, that not 
 one of thofe witnefles, upon whofe teftimony only 
 they muft ftand or fall, had ever made the leaft 
 mention of them, for fuch a feries of years ? It 
 would have heen utterly impoflible for any of 
 them, and more efpecially for Zacharias, to ac- 
 count fatisfaclorily for their entirely fupprefling 
 fuch events, at the time they came to pafs ; when 
 aftonilhment alone would have led every honeit 
 undefigning fpectator to reveal them ; as well as 
 for making them known at laft, when they were 
 plainly calculated to ferve an interefted view, 
 after having fo long fupprefled them. Such a con- 
 du6t, it muft have been clear to all, could have 
 proceeded from nothing Icfs than fome diflionell 
 agreement between them ; and, confequently, 
 muft have deprived Iheir teftimony of all regard, 
 however credible witnefies they might otherwife 
 have been. 
 
 What more natural, nay, what more unavoid- 
 able, than tiiis enquiry ; how fo many honeft men 
 could have agreed among themfelves, abfolutcly 
 to fupprefs fuch extraordinary revelations of the 
 
 will 
 
Seel. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 45 
 
 "vvill of God, as, according to their o^^n account 
 of them, it was of the utmoft importance, lliould 
 be publiflied to mankind ? " Pie lliall be great," 
 liiid the angel to Zacharias, " in the fight of the 
 " Lord ; — and many of the children of llrael 
 " Ihall he turn to the Lord their God. And he 
 " iliall go before him, in the fpirit and power of 
 " Elias ; to turn the hearts of the fathers to the 
 " children, and the difobedient to the wifdom of 
 " the juft, to make ready a people prepared for the 
 *' Lord *." Zacharias himfelf too prophefied, 
 ** And thou, child, Ihalt be called the prophet 
 " of the higheft, for thou Ihalt go before the 
 " face of the Lord, to prepare his v/ays, to 
 ** give knowledge of falvation to his people, by 
 " the remiffion of their fms t-" Thefe were diC- 
 penfations, which, the moft fimple could not but 
 at once perceive, required the proofs of John's 
 divine commiffion to be publillied to mankind. 
 It muft therefore have occurred to every one, 
 that whoever could agree among themfelves to 
 fupprefs thofe miraculous events, by which alone 
 thefe difpenfations could be confirmed, mufi; have 
 been perfons of no lefs abandoned principles, than 
 fuch as could deliberately combine together, to 
 oppofe the merciful difpenfations of God, and 
 
 • Luke i. 15, 17. t Ibid. i. 76, 77. 
 
 obftruft 
 
46 mt DIVINE MISSIONS OF 'Parti, 
 
 6bftru6l the univerfal happinefs of man. So that, 
 had it been poffible for John himfelf to have en- 
 tered upon, and engaged his parents and relations 
 in fo foolilli a defign, their long unavoidable filence, 
 ilvith regard to all thefc aftoniihing events, which 
 they muft now at length have attefted, was abun- 
 dantly fufficient to prevent any one from paying the 
 ieaft regard to their reports *. 
 
 Above all the reft; the credit of Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth, though hitherto unfufpecl:ed, muft on 
 this account have been eiFe6lually deftroyed. For 
 ^very honeft motive, that could polTibly influence 
 their conduct upon fuch an occafion, would have 
 (:<)nfpired together, in forcing them to publilh 
 thefo divine revelations, had they ever really been 
 made. If he was a man of probity and virtue, he 
 could not have refolved to conceal from mankind 
 fuch fmgular manifeftations of the over-ruling pro- 
 vidence of God. If a prieft of piety and reli- 
 gion, he could not have dared to withhold from 
 
 * Nay, their teftimony would not only have been rejefted on 
 all thefe accoiints ; but their charaders would unavoidably 
 have become infamous, in the judgement of all the people. 
 tor, amoBg the Jews, all fuch as concealed any revelations, 
 iSiat had been made to them, were looked upon as one particu- 
 lar fpecies of faife prophets ; and they believed that God would 
 execute fevere judgement upon thenv, as fuch. — See Selden de 
 Synedr. Eb. 1. 2. c. 6. .And Lewis's Hcb. Aiitiq. B. 2. l6. 
 
 hi^ 
 
Seft. 1. JOftN BAPTIST AND JESUS tllRlST. 47 
 
 his whole nation thofc divine revelations concerning 
 his own fon ; the very fubftance of which evidently 
 fliew^d, that God certainly defighed them to be 
 made known to all. As a defcendant of Abraham, 
 and an inheritor of the promifes m*ade to his fore- 
 fathers, he could not but have been extremely 
 delirous to be the firft publiflierof the joyful tidings 
 of the long-expe^ed Meffiah ; he could not but 
 have rejoiced exceedingly at the high honour con- 
 ferred upon himfclf, in bleffing him with a fon 
 to be the Mcffiali's immediate forerunner. And 
 on all thefe accounts together, if he ^va.'^ not pre* 
 vented by any diihoneft defigns, he muft hav^- 
 burned with impatience, to make ktiown to all 
 the ^neighbourhood where he lived, thefe certain 
 aifurances of the approaching deliverance of their 
 whole nation, and his own great favour with 
 God. 
 
 The dtefn-e even of encreafmg his own reputation 
 muft have concurred wath his regard to virtue 
 and religion, and forced him to make known fuch 
 miraculous revelations, had they really accompa- 
 nied the birth of his fon. Thefe confiderations 
 likewife were fo far from remote, that they muft 
 naturally have occurred to every Jer. , upon the 
 firft mention of the cafe. So that though, for 
 argument's fake, we lliould fuppofe Zacharias, 
 and all the reft, to have entered into a plot to bear 
 
 witnefs 
 
 y 
 
48 THE DIVINE MISSIONS GB* Part L" 
 
 witnefs to thefe revelations, at tlie inftigation of 
 John ; this fingle circumftance, that they had never 
 made the lealt mention of them, for the long in- 
 terval of near twenty years, after they were affirmed 
 to have come to pafs^ mult effe6tually have betrayed 
 the impofture, and caafed it to be univerfally ex- 
 ploded. 
 
 Thus it appears impolTible for John himfelf to 
 have been the contriver of any fuch impofture, as 
 that in queftion, if we fuppofe his parents, and all 
 thofe who had been prefent at his circumcifion, to 
 have been ftill living, when he w^as capable of con- 
 triving it. 
 
 If now we fuppofe, what is far more probable to 
 have been the cafe, that only fome of them re- 
 mained alive, when John may be thought capable 
 of forming fuch a defign ; the inipoffibility of his 
 fetting the plot on foot, without its being pre- 
 fently reje6:ed, becomes more evident than before. 
 .For, in addition to' all the arguments already al- 
 leged, which muft effeclually have deftroycd the 
 credit of fuch of them, as were yet alive to publiih 
 theie relations; the abfolute filence of all thofe, 
 who had even died without ever makina: mention 
 of fuch miraculous events, would have rendered 
 it ftill more apparent, that, no fuch revelations had 
 ever really been made. Tiiat thofe, who now at 
 
 len£th 
 
Se6t. I. JOHT^ BAPTIST AND JESUS ClltllST. 49 
 
 length attefted them, fhould have concealed them 
 fo long, was what no man could believe ; but that 
 any of thofe, who were prefent when they happened, 
 Ihould even die without revealing them, was doubly 
 incredible. 
 
 Can it appear poffible then, for John to have 
 fucceeded better in the fuppofed defign • if, in the 
 laft place, we Ihould imagine, that Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth, and all who had been prefent at his 
 circumcifion, were dead before he entered upon 
 it ? Could he take advantage of the death of all, 
 and fuccefsfully publilh fuch forgeries as thefe ; 
 when there were no longer any witnefles to be had, 
 who could exprefsly declare his pretenlioris to be 
 falfe ? On the contrary, it is apparent from what 
 has jull now been faid, that this fuppofition, the 
 only one remaining, muft be, of all, the moft un- 
 favourable for his plot. For, could John himfelf 
 have been fooliih enough to lay claim to a divine 
 character, upon the mere ftrength of thefe pre- 
 tended revelations ; at a time, when he himfelf was 
 the only perfon, who aflerted he had ever heard a 
 fyllable of them ; and when every one of thofe- 
 perfons to whom, he faid, they had been made, 
 v^ere at length dead ; and* dead too, without having 
 ever revealed the leaft hint concerning them ; it 
 is apparent he muft at once have been reje6i;ed, 
 
 E a5 
 
50 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I- 
 
 as the moft fliamelefs and abandoned of all in55- 
 poltors *^ 
 
 Since therefore, on the other hand, it is cer- 
 tain, that Jolin was not only efteemed a true 
 prophet, by the people in general, but that even 
 the Pharifees themfelves, his avowed and early 
 enemies, had no fuch argument to allege againft 
 his pretenfions to a divine commiffion ; it muft ne- 
 cefl'arily be acknowledgpd, that there could be no 
 room for this decifive objection. And thus, to 
 convince us that thefe revelations, faid to have 
 accompanied the conception and birth of John^ 
 were undobutedly noifed abroad, by Zacharias 
 and his friends concerned in them, throughout all 
 the hill country of Judea, iminediately after John\ 
 circumcifion ; and confequently, that it is abfolutely 
 impoffible for them to have been forged by. John 
 
 • It would be idle to fuppofe here, that John miglit fuborn 
 witnefics to corroborate his own teftimony, by afferting, that 
 they had heard of thefe revelations, as well as himfelf ; an* 
 that by this means his account might gain ground. For, not 
 to infill on the great apparent difficulty and danger of fuch aiv 
 attempt, it muft have been utterly impoffible for. John to have.. 
 procured fuch a number, as would by, any means have been 
 fufiicient to give even an air of probabiHty to their relations ; 
 while the contradi£lory evidence of others, of no lefs authority, 
 muft have eff«6lually prevented, their teftimony from being re- 
 ceived^ after fo long an interval had clapfed as that of twenty 
 ycar^^ 
 
 him- 
 
ScQ;. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 5\ 
 
 himfelf, or any perlbns at all conne6ted with him, 
 q/'ter that time; we have, at once, the exprefe 
 affurance of the evangelift, the obvious nature of 
 the thing itfelf, and the unqueftionable teftimony of 
 the very enemies of John, 
 
 
 E 2 SEC- 
 
52 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 SECTION IL 
 
 Suppofing there was any deceit at all in the cafe; 
 what the nature and defign of the whole impofiurt 
 mujl have been; and who mujl have been con- 
 cerned in planning it out, and carrying it on. 
 
 e 
 
 X HE miraculous events, faid to have accom- 
 panied the birth of the Baptift, having thus ap- 
 proved themfelves fuch as could not pofTibly be 
 forged, either by Luke, or any of Jefus's difciples, 
 after John's death ; or by John himfelf, or any one 
 elfe in conjunction with him, feveral years after his 
 birth ; there remains but one fuppofition more, 
 which can polTibly account for them on the foot of 
 an impofture. 
 
 If the events in queftion did not really come 
 to pafs, in that fupernatural manner in which they 
 are related ; then the whole mult have been a plot, 
 concerted before the Baptift's birth, between his 
 parents Zacharias and Elizabeth, and whoever elfe 
 ihall appear to have been concerned with them in 
 carrying it on. And all this muft have been con- 
 trived purpofely to impofe their fon upon the Jews 
 
 for 
 
Se6t. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. * 53 
 
 for that prophet, whom they expelled God would 
 fend to proclaim the coming of the Meffiah. 
 
 It is now therefore neceifary to confider, whether 
 this fuppofition is at all more capable of being ad- 
 mitted, than either of the former. And to proceed 
 in this enquiry with clearnefs and certainty, it will 
 be requifite, in the firft place, to take a full view of 
 the whole fcheme of that impofture, in the profecu- 
 tioti of which, Zacharias muft, on this fuppofition, 
 have been engaged • as well as to know certainly, 
 what aifociates he muft have been connected with, 
 in carrying it on. 
 
 This done, we may be enabled to determine the 
 truth or falfehood of the fuppofition itfelf; from 
 confidering the natiii^e of the fuppofed deiign -; the 
 c'lrcumjiances midjituation of all the perforis- con- 
 cerned ; and the manner in which, it ihall appear, 
 they muft a6J:ually have conducted it. 
 
 For, if the feveral circumftances of all thofe, 
 who, on this fuppofition, muft have contrived 
 the plot in queftion, Ihould make it incredible for 
 them to have been engaged in fuch an undet^ 
 taking;— if, befides, the fuppofed impofture it- 
 felf lliould prove fo abfurd in its own nature, as 
 to make it impoflible to believe, that any one 
 could be foolilh enough to have planned it;— ^ 
 and again, if feveral particulars lliould occur in 
 the progrefs of it, fuch as could not poifibly have 
 
 E 3 * been 
 
54 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 been adopted by them, if they had ; Zacharias, and 
 ail concerned, muft be acquitted of all fufpicion of 
 deceit, jand the prophetic charaQ:er of the Baptift 
 will be completely eftablilhed. 
 
 By laying together fome circumftances of im- 
 portance in the cafe, it will im mediately > be feen, 
 that if Zacharias was really engaged in the con- 
 trivance we have juft been fuppofmg, he could not 
 be the only perform who planned, and carried it on. 
 On the contrary it will be found, that whatever 
 forgeries were made public by Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth relating to Jphn ; Jofeph and Mary muft 
 not only have been thoroughly acquainted with, 
 and acceifaries to them, but the plot itfelf muft, 
 from the beginning, have been concerted between 
 them all. 
 
 Jt will appear likewife, that if the impofture fup- 
 pofed with regard to John had any real exiftence, 
 this alone was not the whole defign Zacharias muft 
 have been engaged in concerting ; but there muft 
 have beep, at the fame tipie, dijimilar plot laid, and 
 put in execution, relating to Marys fon ; in the 
 proje6tion and fupport of which, Zacharias and 
 illizabeth muft have been jointly engaged with 
 Jofeph and Mary themfelves. The truth of thefe 
 afferfions will prefently appear. 
 
 Supposing all the circumftances recorded of 
 Johii's birth, to have been no more than the fe^ 
 
 veral 
 
Se6i. fi. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 65 
 
 vei'al particulars of a deep-laid impofture ; Zacha- 
 Tias, we find, entered upon his defign, by pre- 
 tending to have feen an angel in the temple, who 
 foretold even the conception as well as the birth of 
 his fon ; commanding Zacharias, when the time 
 came, to name him John ; and declaring him or- 
 dained of God to be the immediate forerunner of 
 the MelTiah. That to prevent people from ques- 
 tioning the truth of fo extraordinary a revelation, 
 he immediately feigned himfelf dumb ; fignifying, 
 that the angel had deprived him of fpeech, for 
 a certain period, which he affigned as a punifh- 
 ment for his having doubted the truth of this 
 aftoniihing prediction. That, in due time after 
 this, his wife Elizabeth was delivered of a fon, as 
 he pretended the angel had foretold ihe fliould be. 
 That to confirm ftill farther the angel's appearance 
 in the temple, which was to ferve for the foundation 
 of the whole impofture ; Zacharias, at his fon's 
 circumcifion, named him John ; and immediately 
 pretending to have had his fpeech inftantaneoufly 
 reftored, according to the angel's pretended decla- 
 i-ation, he began to return thanks to God for his 
 gracious dilpenfations. And, in fine, to give a 
 liill ftronger fanclion to the future divine charac- 
 ter of his fon, and to cover the whole plot with a 
 greater air of folemnity, he himfelf immediately 
 affumed the ftyle of infpiration, and broke out 
 
 E 4 into 
 
$6 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I, 
 
 into a pretended prophecy; foretelling, that the 
 MefTiah himfelf was at length on the point of ap'- 
 pearing; and, as before, that John was ordained 
 to be his immediate forerunner *. 
 
 Such was the part Zacharias muft have a6led, 
 in that feheme of impofture, which we are now 
 fuppofnig him to have contrived with regard to 
 John. 
 
 As to his. wife Elizabeth^ the very nature of the 
 cafe evidently ihews, that Ihe muft unavoidably 
 have been a party to the defign ; and her beha- 
 viour, at the time of John's circumcifion, fuffi- 
 ciently proves it. " And it came to pafs, that on 
 ^; the eighth day they came to circumcife the child; 
 *^ and they called him Zacharias after the name of 
 *' his father. And bis mother anfwered, and faid, 
 ** not fo ; but he lb all be called John. And they 
 *' faid unto her, there is none of thy kindred, 
 " that is called by this name. And they made 
 *^ figns to his father how he would have him called ; 
 ■^ and he afked for a writing-table, and wrote, 
 " faying, his name is John. And they mar- 
 " vel)ed allt." 
 
 Had not Zacharias already engaged Elizabeth 
 in the profecution of whatever defign he had in 
 view, with regard to John ; we could not have 
 
 f Luke ch. ij t Luke i. 5p. 
 
 found 
 
Se6t, 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 57 
 
 found her, on this occafion, breaking through the 
 cuftom of her country, to the no fmall furprize of 
 all their relations prefent * ; evidently for no other 
 end, than to obey the pretended commands of 
 the angel to Zacharias, and by that means con- 
 firm the belief of his appearance in the temple. 
 Elizabeth therefore tnuft certainly, from this time 
 at leaft, have been engaged in promoting the 
 plot, which Zacharias had contrived, to ferve for 
 the foundation of the future impofture of their 
 fon. 
 
 But if all this extraordinary condu6i of Zacha- 
 rias and Elizabeth was really the eife6l of fub- 
 tlety and deceit; there muft likewife have been 
 
 * " The name was ufually given to the child at the time of 
 circuracifion :*' (as we fee was the cafe with John.) — ** They 
 always had regard to the name of fome perfon of diflindion, 
 who had been of the family/' — Lewis's Ileb. Antiq; B. 4, 
 ch. i. 
 
 " God at the fame time inftituted circumcifion, and changed 
 the names of Abraham and Sarah : hence the cuflom of giving 
 names to their children at the time of their circumcifion." 
 
 ** Amongft the- feveral accounts, why this or that name wa3 
 given to the fons, this was one that chiefly obtained, viz. 
 For the honour of fome perfon, whom they efleemed, they gave 
 the child his name. Which feems to have guided them in this 
 cafe here ; whenZachaiy himfelf, being dumb, could not make 
 his mind known to them. — Lightfoot on Luke i. 59. — Vol. IL 
 p. 387. and likewife Vol. L p. 42L 
 
 another 
 
SS THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 another fimilar impofture carrying on, at the fame 
 time, by Jo feph and Mary ; and they miift «//have 
 been engaged together in the joint profecution of 
 both. This the connexion of the plots themfelves, 
 and the whole conduct of all the parties, will oblige 
 us to acknowledge. 
 
 Zacharias began his pretended prophecy, at 
 the time of John's circumcifion, thus : " Blefled 
 *' be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he hath vifited 
 4f .and redeemed his people ; and hath raifed up 
 *' an horn of falvation for us in the houfe of his 
 *^ fervant David; as he fpake by the mouth of 
 '* his holy prophets, which have been fmce the 
 ^* world began ^." This declaration, it is plain, 
 could not poflibly relate to John, who was not 
 of the houfe of David ; nor to any other per- 
 fon, than the Meffiah himfelf And in it Za- 
 charias prophetically declared, that the God of 
 Ifrael had, at that time, raifed him up among 
 them. 
 
 If then Zacharias was carrying on fuch a plot, 
 as we now fuppofe, it is certain he muft, before 
 that time, have found out fome of David's de- 
 fcendants, who had embarked with him in this 
 deep-laid defign ; and, in concert with him, had 
 already fixed upon fome defcendant of their own 
 family^ who Ihould afterwards aflfume the facred 
 * Luke i. 68. 
 
 cha* 
 
Se^. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST, 59 
 
 charader of the Meffiah. To have uttered fuch 
 a prophetical declaration, without firft providing for 
 its accomplifhment, would have been purpofely be- 
 traying his want of real infpiration, and publiihing 
 the whole deceit. 
 
 And that in fa6t Zacharias was not guilty of fo 
 great an overfight as this, will immediately appear, 
 from the following account of feveral extraordinary 
 events, faid to have come to pafs above three months 
 before the birth of John ; and confequently fome 
 little time longer before Zacharias delivered this 
 pretended revelation. 
 
 " And * in the fixth month," after bis ap- 
 pearance to Zacharias, " the angel Gabriel was 
 " fent from God, unto a city of Galilee, named 
 " Nazareth ; to a virgin efpoufed to a man whofe 
 " name was Jofeph, of the houfe of David ; and 
 " the virgin's name was Mary. And the an- 
 ** gel came in unto her, and faid. Hail, thou 
 *' thgit art highly favoured, the Lord is with 
 " thee; blefled art thou among women. And 
 " when Ihe faw him, Ihe was troubled at his fay- 
 *' ing, and caft in her mind what manner of falu»- 
 ■' tation this fhould be. And the angel faid unto 
 " her, Fear not, Mary, for thou haft found fa* 
 ^ your with God. And behold, thou ibalt cpn* 
 
 ^ Luke i, 26^66, 
 
 f« ceivc 
 
160 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF ' I'art I. 
 
 i^' ceive ii^-thy womb, and bring fof tJi' a ' Ton, and 
 '^'ftialt call, his name Jefus. He fhall be great, 
 >-" Jaiid Ihall be called the fon of the Higheft ; and 
 J^^ the L<)rd God iliall give unto hin^ the throne of 
 " his father David. And he fliall reigri ov^ the 
 <*' houfe of Jacob fof 'ever ; • and of his kingdom 
 " there fhall be no end. Then faid Mary unto 
 f *i the angel, How fhall this be, feeing I know 
 ^flj^of a-iftan? And the' angel' anfwered^ and faid 
 *' uht9 her, The Holy Ghoft ihair come upon 
 ** thee, and the power- of the Higheft fhall over- 
 " fhadow thee ; therefore, alfo, that bbly thing, 
 ^* that lliall be born of thee, ihall tie called the 
 «^^ Soft of (God. And behold thy coufiri Elizabeth, 
 ^^ihe hath' 'aifo conceived a fon in h^v old age, 
 *' and this is the fixth month with! her, who was 
 ■* called barren. For with God nothing fhall be 
 *^impoffible. And Mary faid. Behold the hand- 
 " maid of the Lord, be it unto me according to 
 ^' thy'wdrd. And the ^^^hgel departed from Her. 
 - And Mary arofe in thofe days, and went 'into the 
 " hill-iountry with hafte, into a city of Juda, 
 " and entered into 'the houfe of Zacharias, and 
 <^- fainted 'Elizabeth. And it came to pafs, that 
 *^'wteh*^ Elizabeth heard 'the falutation of Mary, 
 *^ the' ^bMbc' leaped in hdr'^vomb ; arid Elizabeth 
 ** was filled with the Holy Ghoft. And fhe 
 " fpake out with a: loud VOi^e, and faid, BlelTed 
 ' —■ " art 
 
Se6l. 2; JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS ClfRIST. (5f 
 
 *' art thou among women, and blefled is th6 fruit 
 " of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that 
 " the mother of my Lord ihall come to me ? For 
 ** lo ! as foon as the voice of thy falutation 
 ** founded : in my ears, the babe leaped in my 
 ** womb for joy. And blefled is ihe that be- 
 ** lieved ; for there lliall be a performance of 
 *' thofe things, which were told her from the 
 " Lord. And Mary faid. My foul doth magnify 
 " the Lord, and my fpirit hath rejoiced in God 
 " my Saviour. For he hatli regarded the low 
 •' eftate of his handmaiden; for behold, from 
 ** henceforth all generations fliall call me bleflfed. 
 " For he that is mighty hath done me great things, 
 ** and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them 
 *' that fear him from generation to generation. Hs- 
 *' hath fhewed ftrength with his arm, he hath fcat- 
 " tered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 
 ** He hath put down the mighty from their feats,* 
 " and exalted them of low degree ; he hath filled 
 " the hungry with good things, and the rich he 
 " hath fent empty away. He hath holpen his fer- 
 ** vant Ifrael, in remembrance of his mercy ; as 
 " he fpake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to 
 " his feed for ever. — And Mary abode with her 
 *^ about three months, and returned to her own 
 '' houfe." 
 
 The 
 
6^ tHE DIVIJ7E MISSIONS QF Part I. 
 
 The particulars of this extraordinary relation 
 will not lufFer us to doubt the truth of the following 
 conclulions. Firft, that if that part of the events 
 here recorded, which relate to John, were the 
 effe6bs of contrivance and deceit ; there muft 
 unqueftionably have been two conne6led, though 
 diftind fchemes of impofture, fet on foot by the 
 fame perfons, at the fame time ; which, taken 
 together, formed the whole of their plot. — And 
 fecondly, that though 07ie part of this contrivance 
 was more immediately under the direction of Zacha- 
 rias and Elizabeth, becaufe it was of fuch a nature, 
 that they only could condu6b it ; and the other , for 
 the fame reafon, was principally executed by Mary 
 and Jofeph ; yet the whole dejign muft from the be- 
 ginning have been planned, and agreed upon, be- 
 tween All the Four. 
 
 The clofe connection between the angeVs two 
 melTages to Zacharias and Mary, one of which 
 exprefsly makes mention of the other ; joined to the 
 ftill more immediate dependance of Zacharias's 
 prophecy upon both ; (hews plainly, that if the 
 iirft of thefe revelations was a forgery, the fecond 
 jnuft have been fo too ; and that both muft have 
 been jointly contrived by all the parties concerned. 
 Had either appearance of the angel been real, 
 and, confequently, either meflage a divine reve- 
 lation ; whichever it was, it could not have borne 
 
 tef- 
 
Sect. I- JOHN BAPTIST ANiD JESUS CHItlST. ^5 
 
 teltimony to the truth of one that was forged. 
 Nor could tuv diftin6l fchemes of impofture have 
 been fo contrived, that one ihould neceflarily pre- 
 fuppofe, and depend immediately upon the other ; 
 but by the original agreement, and joint confpiracy 
 of the authors of both. 
 
 The intercourfe likewife between Elizabeth and 
 Mai*y; their mutual declarations of the immediate 
 interpolition of God, in making one of them the 
 mother of the Mefliah, and the other of his imme- 
 diate forerunner ; their reciprocal congratulations 
 upon this remarkable account ; and their prophetic, 
 declarations in confequence of it ; all thefe particu- 
 lars prove to demonftration, that from the beginning 
 they muft have aded in concert to fupport each 
 other's pretenfions ; and, confequently, that what- 
 ever impoftures were carrying on among them, Mary 
 muft, from the firft, have been jointly engaged with 
 Elizabeth and Zacharias in the contrivance of the 
 whole deceit. 
 
 That Jofeph likewife muft have been a prin- 
 cipal in the plot, both the nature of the cafe, and 
 feveral particulars in his condu6l:, will undeniably 
 prove. When Mary began the part Ihe performed, 
 (he had been already for fome time efpoufed to 
 Jofeph, and was fliortly to become his wife *. 
 
 So 
 
 • As the particular here taken r.otice of made a part of th« 
 matrimonial rites among the Jews, to which we have nothing 
 
 firailap 
 
64 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 So circumftanced, it is plainly incredible, that 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth fhould attempt to engage 
 Her in a contrivance of fuch a nature as this, witli- 
 out firft engaging Jofeph to affift in the fame de- 
 lign. The obvious and necelTary confequence 
 muft otherwife have been that Jofeph would im- 
 mediately have become their profelTed enemy ; 
 Mary's reputation muft very foon have ^been 
 
 fimilar ourfelves ; it may be proper here to obferve, that 
 among the Jews no one could be onarrkd, who had not been 
 before efpovfed. That the ceremony of the efpovfal was as 
 much 2ijixedy and iiecejfary rite, as thofe more immediately 
 obferved at the final completion of the marriage. The dif- 
 ferent/onw* ofefpoufing were all minutely prefcribed ; they were 
 to,, be tranfa6led before witnefles; and they were celebrated with 
 a feafl. The efpoufal was a folemn engagement between the fe- 
 veral parties concerned, ejfentially preparatory to thfi marriage ; 
 and the times which were to elapfe between them, were limited 
 in fome refpcds. From the time of the efpoufal, the woman 
 was confidered as the wife of the man to whom (he was efpoufed ; 
 in every refpedl, except that they did not live together ; and 
 the utmoft care and caution were obferved in the regulation 
 of her condu6l ; as the fame capital pumffi?nents were inflicted 
 on her, on account of any failures in it during this interval, 
 before the marriage, as after fhe was actually married ; and were 
 «ven extended, in fome degree, to thofe under whofe care fhe 
 now remained. — See all the particulars relating to this point 
 at large, in Selden's Ux. Hob. 1. 2. c. 3, and 8. — Bafaage's 
 Hift. of the Jews, B. 5, 19, feft. 0, &c.— Lewis's Heb. Antiq, 
 
 B. 6. c. 33, 35, 36, Allix*s Rcflea. on the O. T. ch. 20, 
 
 p. 21.2, 244.^ 
 
 blafted ; 
 
Si^6t, 9. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 65 
 
 blafted; and the integrity of Zacharias and Eliza- 
 beth theinfelves would have been rendered, at leall, 
 ib extremely fufpicious, that, though their iniqui- 
 tous deiigns iliould not have been plainly detected, 
 yet their whole intended impofture muft have been 
 effe6lually put an end to. 
 
 Nor is it more certain, from the very nature of 
 the cafCj that Jo/ephy as well as Mary, muft, from 
 the beginning, have been engaged in the profecu- 
 tion of the plot ; than it is clear, from his own 
 conduct, that he was at leaft as a^live in promoting 
 it, as any of them all. No fooner had Zacharias 
 played his part at the circumcifion of John, than 
 Jofeph began his ; with an account of ftill more 
 divine revelations made to himfelf ; all evidently 
 calculated to ferve the fanle defign, and promote 
 the credit of thofe already given out by Zacharias 
 and Mary. 
 
 " Now * the birth of Jefus was on this wife. 
 '^ When as his mother Mary was efpoufed to 
 " Jofeph, before they came together, llie was found 
 " with child of the Holy Ghoft. Then Jofeph her 
 " hufband, being a juft man, and not willing to 
 " make her a public example, was minded to put 
 " her away privily. But while he thought on 
 ^' thefe things, behold, the angel of the Lord ap- 
 
 ♦ Matt. i. 18—24. 
 
 F " peared 
 
66 THE piviNE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 '^ peared unto hiin in a dream, faying, Jofeph, 
 '' thou Ton of David, fear not to take unto thee 
 " Mary thy wife ; for that which is conceived in 
 '* her is of the Holy Glioft. And Ihe fhall bring 
 '' forth, a fqn, and thou flialt call his name Jefus ; 
 " for he fliall fave his people from their fins. — Then 
 *'' Jofeph, being raifed from fleep, did as the angel 
 " of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him 
 '' his wife." 
 
 Thus did Jofeph endeavour to ftrengthen the 
 authority of what Mary had already related, con- 
 cerning her future fon ; fome months before Jefus 
 was born. And to this revelation, we find, he after- 
 wards added two more, admirably fitted to promote 
 the fame end. 
 
 *' And * when they," the w^ife men, " were de- 
 " parted, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth 
 " to Jofeph in a dream, faying, Arife, and take the 
 " young child, and his mother, and Hee into Egypt ; 
 *' and be thou there until I bring thee word ; for 
 " Herod will feek the young child to deftroy him. 
 *' When he arofe, he took the young child, and 
 " his mother, by night, and departed into Egypt. 
 /' " — But, when Herod was dead, behold the angel 
 " of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Jofeph in 
 '*' Egypt, faying, Arife, and tal^e the young child, 
 
 *Matt. ii. 13-.21. 
 
 « and 
 
Se6l. 2. JOim BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 67 
 
 *' and his mother, and go into the }and of Ifrael. 
 *' And he arofe, and took the young child, 
 ** and his mother, and came into the land of 
 " Ifrael." 
 
 If then there was any deceit contriving among 
 them, Jofeph, it is certain, muft have been full 
 as active as the reft, in promoting the common 
 caufe \ fmce he muft have forged no lefs than three 
 revelations in its behalf. Nay, it appears, he 
 muft have put himfelf to all the inconveniences, 
 of banifhing himfelf and his family from his own 
 country, for a confiderable time, purely to gain 
 credit to thefe ftories, of his own inventing, for it§ 
 fupport. 
 
 At length, therefore, we may venture to affirm, 
 what the very nature of the cafe, as well as the 
 clear evidence of facts, have fo fully proved ; that, 
 if the events recorded of the birth of Johji were 
 only the feveral particulars of a deep-laid deceit ; 
 thofe relating to the birth of Jefus muft have been 
 fo too ; that the fuppofition of One of thefe im- 
 poftures neceflarily includes the Other ; and that 
 Zacharias, Elizabeth, Alary ^ and Jqfeph, muft All 
 have been jointly engaged in the planning, and 
 profecution of Both. 
 
 Tpiis conclufion immediately points out, in 
 what method we muft now proceed, to enquire 
 into the real cxiftence of the impofiures in debate. 
 
 F2 Should 
 
68 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 Should it appear impoflible for Thefc four per fans 
 to have been connected together, in the joint con- 
 trivance of this double deception, the queftion will 
 then be decided. All ftdpicion of Zacharias's in- 
 tegrity muft be reje6led as groimdlefs and falfe ; 
 the Baptift muft be fubmittcd to, as one infpired 
 from above ; and Jefiis confequently be received as 
 the undoubted Meffiah. 
 
 At the fame time it muft become equally evi- 
 dent, from the very nature of the cafe, and with- 
 out any regard had to the teftimony of Johii ; 
 that all the circumftances recorded of the birth of 
 Jefus muft a61:ually have come to pafs, in that fu- 
 pernatural manner, in which they are related ; and 
 therefore, that on this dijt'inci: account likewife, we 
 have the fulleft affurance, that Jefus Chrift was the 
 true Meffiah. 
 
 Now fuppofmg the contrivances juft explained 
 to have been really undertaken, by all thofe, who, 
 we have juft feen, muft have confpired together to. 
 carry them on ; one of the following fuppofitions 
 muft unavoidably be allowed. Either, 
 
 Ift, Zacharias and Elizabeth muft have beeii 
 the original and real contrivers of Both thefe de- 
 figns ; as well that relating to Mary's fon, as their 
 own ; and by means of fome advantages, which 
 Jofeph and Mary might be made to hope for from 
 the One, muft have perfuaded thena to become their 
 accomplices in Both. Or, 
 
 2dly, 
 
Se6l. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CIItllST. 63 
 
 2dly, Zach ARIAS mult have been the projeClor 
 of that defign only, wl)ich immediately concerned 
 his fon ; and Jofeph and Mary, in like manner, 
 have firft planned the impofture in favour of their 
 Ton. Or, 
 
 3dly, Joseph and Mary muft have contrived 
 Both the plots ; and fo have perfuaded Zacharias to 
 confpire with them, in promoting that immediately 
 relating to Clary's fon ; in hopes of fome advantages 
 to be drawn from the fuccefs of the other, relating 
 to his own fon. 
 
 If they were All thus united in thefe fchemes of 
 iniquity, one or other of thefe fuppofitions muft of 
 neceffity be true; fince the cafe itfelf will admit of 
 no more. It muft now, therefore, be our bufmefs 
 to evince the incredibility of them all; and this, in 
 the tirft place, from confidering the particular cha- 
 radersy and other material circum^ianccs, of all 
 the partks Qoncer7icd, 
 
 V 5 SEC 
 
yO THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Pait L 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Zach arias and Elizabeth could not be the contrivers 
 of that wicked impofiure^ which the fuppojitlon 
 . of anil deceit at all^ in this cafe^ neceffarili^ 
 obliges us to adjnit of, 
 
 X HAT Zacharias himielf and his wife Eliza- 
 beth were efteemed, by all who knew them, per- 
 fons of fincere virtue and integrity, we may be fure, 
 as there has already been occafion to prove % 
 from the remarkable good character Luke has 
 given them, in the very opening of his gofpel ; 
 that " they were both righteous before God, 
 *' walking in all the commandments and ordi* 
 *^ nances of the Lord blamelefs." The evange- 
 lift could not have ventured on this aflertion, were 
 it capable of being difproved. And as Zacharias 
 was a prieft, one of that particular order of men, 
 in which a more exemplary condu6i; is naturally 
 required to eftablifh an univerfal good name ; and 
 whofe failings are naturally cenfured with greater 
 feverity, than thofe of any other profeflion ; fo 
 his unblemifhed chara6ber could not have been 
 
 ♦ See note, p, 3(). 
 
 fup- 
 
Se6J:/ 5* john baptist and jf.rus chuist. 7i< 
 
 fupported by any other means, than an uniform 
 difcharge of all the nfK)ral arid religious duties of 
 the JewiOi law. 
 
 • Among the Jews, it is well known, that the 
 priefthood was abfolutely confined to one family 
 only. No one could be admitted to exercife the 
 prieftly functions, till he had clearly pi'oved his 
 immediate defcent from fome prieft of the family 
 of Aaron, and was found to be free from every, 
 the leaft perfonal blemiih. When a candidate had 
 undergone thefe examinations, he was capable of 
 being admitted to perform fome duties in the temple, 
 at twenty years of age ; and from that time conti- 
 nued, in his turn, a kind of probationer in all the 
 employments there, till the age of thirty ; when he 
 became qualified to difcharge every part of the 
 prieftly office*. 
 
 Under 
 
 • " The fucceflion of the Hebrew priefthood was cHabliilied 
 in the family of Aaron; the jyontijical digniti/ was lixed in tlie 
 line of his iirft-born. All others of his pofterity were priefts, 
 fimply fo called ; or priefts of the ftcond Order. The fixed and 
 confiftent tim6 of the prieft's entering into the fervice, was at 
 the age of thirty ; but at five and twenty they wei-e proba- 
 tioners, and might do fome offices, but not all." (And even 
 from the age of twenty, after David's time ; as Lightfoot 
 proves from 1 Chron.- xxiii. 24—27.) "Their inftalmcnt 
 •and admifiion into the fervice, was in this manner. The great 
 Sanhedrim fat daily in the room Gazith, to judge con<:erning 
 the priefts that came to age, and were to be admitted : and if 
 
 F4 ' they 
 
70 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OP Parti.' 
 
 Under fuch an inftitution it would be abfurci 
 to iuppofe, that no attention was paid to a prieft's 
 moral character ; and much more fo to imagine, 
 that one of this order ftiould be able to preferve 
 from youth to old age, the reputation of exem-. 
 plary goodnefs ; had not his actions themfelves 
 plainly Ihewn him to have deferved it. As cerr 
 tainly as the fmalleft blemiili in his perfon, which 
 was prohibited by the law, would have prevented 
 Zacharias from officiating in the temple worfhip * 
 fo certainly would any vicious irregularities in his 
 condu8; and converfation have deprived him of 
 that amiable chara6ler, vvhich, it appears from the 
 evangehft, he muft have died pofleiTed of. It 
 was impoffible for the Jews in general not to agree 
 in this particular with Mofes their law-giyer ; who 
 
 they proved duly qualified, they clothed them in white, and 
 enrolled them among the order, and they went in and mini- 
 ilered ; and the great council rejoiced to find them peried, 
 and blelTed God for it with a folenin prayer. But if the per- 
 fon proved to be of the right line, and had any of the ble- 
 mifhes, which rendered him incapable of the miniftry;" (of 
 which were reckoned 140) *' he was fent into the wood-roo^i 
 to worm the wood for the altar ; and had his portion of the 
 things with the men of the houfe of his father, and did eat with 
 them."— Lewis's Heb. Antiq. B. 2. ch. 6\ See the chapter; 
 and Lightfoot, vol. I. p. 915. Seldeu de SuccelT. in Pontif. 
 Ebras. 1. 2. c. 5. Lev. xxi. l6. ad finem. Spencer de Leg, 
 }ieb. 1. 1. c. 10. p. 177. 
 
SeQ;. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 75 
 
 defigtied, '' that the priefts ihould be not only in 
 every vefpe6t fayltlefs, in the difcharge of their la- 
 cred. functions ; but that they iliould exert their 
 carneft endeavours to approve themfelves un-r 
 blameable in their daily converfation, and common 
 intercourfe with the world *." And, had not this 
 been the rule of Zacharias's conduct, he could not 
 poiiibly have obtained, and left behind liim, fo fair 
 a reputation, 
 
 ELizABETirs fphere of action muft have been 
 much lefs public than that of Zacharias. But her 
 alliance with a man of fuch approved worth, when 
 confidered jointly with her having, in fact, main- 
 tained the lame virtuous charade r as himfelf, which 
 it appears ^he did, deprives us, at once, of the 
 Jeaft fliadow of a reafon for calling her integrity 
 into queftion. Befides, the very prufeflion of her 
 hulband aftbrds no inconfiderable teftimony to her 
 virtue. 
 
 There was nothing, we are informed, about 
 which the Jews were more fcrupulous, than the 
 marriages of their priefts ; not only to prevent 
 fuch alliances as would taint their blood, but fuch 
 likewife as might tend to corrupt their morals, 
 
 tPt^t rri» av\uv ^iccvTuVy uTi av\r\v ocixsiattIov sivai, — — Jofcphi Antiq, 
 
 Jud. 1.3. 12, fub. init. 
 
 and 
 
74 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 and leilen their reputation. The law * itfelf ex- 
 prefsly prohibited them from marrying, not only 
 fuch as were of known ill chara6ler, or whofe in- 
 tegrity could be thought in the leaft fufpicious ; 
 but even thofe, whofe fituations in life expofed 
 them to more danger of being vitiated than others ; 
 and even the children of all fuch perfons. By 
 means of which precautions, it became at length 
 even a proverbial expreffion among the Jews, to 
 denote a woman of an exemplary character ; " that 
 *' {he deferved to marry with a prieft." And the 
 moft honourable alliance a prieft could enter into 
 was with one of prieltly extraction, which Elizabeth 
 herfelf was f. 
 
 To argue from thefe cautious reftriCtions only, 
 however remarkable, that the wife of every Jewifh 
 prieft muft neceifarily have been a perfon of an 
 excellent moral character, would be drawing a 
 conclufion, which the weaknefs of human nature 
 could not poffibly bear. But when we confider, 
 in addition to the character of Zacharias her 
 hulband, and all thefe circumftances fo much in her 
 favour, the pofitive reputation of fo unexception- 
 
 ♦ Levit. xxi. See Lewis's Heb, Antiq, B. 2. 6» — ^ 
 
 Jofephus's Jew. Antiq. 1. 3. 12. fub. init, Idem contra 
 
 App, 1. 1. 7. Lightfoot, vol. II. p. 375. 
 
 •f " And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her 
 f* name was Elizabeth." Luke i. 5. 
 
 able 
 
Seft. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 75 
 
 able a life, as Elizabeth left behind hfer ; we can no 
 longer doubt of her integrity, withont preferring a 
 mere groundlefs and obftinate prejudice, to the plain 
 reafon of the thing. 
 
 So circumftanced then as Zacharias and Eliza- 
 beth were, notliing can be more unreafonable than 
 to fufpe6t, that their virtue might be no better 
 than hypocrify, and their reputation maintained 
 by fome artful difguife. To obtain the applaufe 
 of numbers for a time, by means of fome re- 
 markable anions of a fpecious nature, may, 
 perhaps, be no very difficult talk. Extraor- 
 dinary fits of zeal, and inftances of fevere mor- 
 tification, have at times been able to cftabliili 
 a chara6^ter for virtue, where the piinciple was 
 certainly wanting. But to preferve an uninter- 
 rupted reputation for goodnefs and piety, through 
 the feveral fta^^es of life, even to advanced ase. 
 without laying claim to any uncommon flights of 
 virtue, or aiming at fach a6tions as are plainly 
 calculated to procure popular applaufe, feems far 
 beyond the power of any thing lefs than the peace- 
 able confcientious difcharge of all the duties of our 
 ftation. 
 
 That fucli was the condua of Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth, we have good reafon to believe from 
 their very charafter itlelf. The evangelilt fa}-s 
 nothing of their extraordinary fits of devotion, 
 
 and 
 
76 HIE DIVINE MfSSlONS OF Parti. 
 
 and pious zeal. But *' they were both righteous,'* 
 we are told, '^ before God, walking in all the 
 ^' commandments and ordinances of the Lord 
 " blamelefs." A chara6ler, equally remote from 
 all afFe6ied dazzling difplays of more public vir- 
 tue ; and all the feverer rigours of fan6fcilied en- 
 thufiafm. A character, which, as it plainly lliews 
 they made it their chief care and ftudy, to live 
 void of offence, towards God and man ; fo it as 
 evidently implies, that they never attempted to 
 eftablifli an ill-grounded reputation, by any in- 
 direct means. And indeed, had they attempted 
 it, their middle ftation in life, by expofmg the 
 general tenour of their condu6t to the familiar 
 obfervation of all their neighbours, would have 
 made it impoffible for them to have fupported, 
 through life, this peculiar kind of good fame, 
 by any other means, than the real pra6tice of that 
 goodnefs, they had the reputation of poffeffing. 
 From all thefe reafons laid together, we are there- 
 fore bound to believe that Zacharias and Elizabeth 
 muft have really merited the good name they main- 
 tained ; that is, that they muft have been juft and 
 benevolent in all their dealings with man, and fm- 
 cere worfhippers of God. 
 
 Can it then be conceived, that any perfons of 
 this virtuous and religious difpofition could be 
 capable of deliberately forming (o iniquitous a 
 
 fchemcj 
 
Se^. 3. JOHN- BAPTIST AND J£SUS CHRIST. 77 
 
 fcheme, as we are now to enquire, ^vhether it is 
 poflible for Zacbarias and Elizabeth to have con- 
 trived ? Can it be imagined, tiiat a prielt of the 
 God of Ifrael, who was likewife a man of approved 
 piety and goodnefs, could conceive and profecute 
 fo impious a defign, as that of fetting up his own 
 fon for the MelTiah's forerunner ; and prevaiHng 
 "with another perfon to fet up his, to counterfeit 
 the moft facred and awful charafter of the JMeffiah 
 himfelf? 
 
 Zacharias, a devout prieft of the God of Ifrael, 
 muft have been thoroughly inftru6led in all his mi- 
 raculous and merciful difpenfations to his fore- 
 fathers, as well as his feve re judgements executed 
 upon them for their impieties. He muft have be- 
 lieved the predictions of Mofes and all the pro- 
 phets. He muft at this very time not only have 
 expected, but wilhed to fee the arrival of the true 
 Elias, and the manifcftation of the long promifed 
 IMefliah. And he muft unqueftionably have be- 
 lieved, that God would alluredly accomplilh the 
 the plans of his divine providence ; and not permit 
 any counterfeits of thefe facred and important cha- 
 racters to go off undetected, or the abettors of 
 fuch impious undertakings to efcape without lignal 
 puniiliment. 
 
 Was it then poflible for a good man, furnilhed 
 with this knowledge, guided by this belief, and 
 
 ac- 
 
78 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 actuated by thefe hopes and fears, to have con- 
 trived lb execrable a defign, purely to pull down 
 the vengeance of God upon hhn? Could fuch a 
 man doom his own fon, even before his birth, to 
 be the perpetrator of One fuch impious impofture ; 
 and, as if that were not wickednefs enough, per- 
 fuade his friends to engage as deeply in the pro- 
 fecution of Another? If fo, he who ferved de- 
 voutly at the altar of the God of truth, muft vo- 
 luntarily have contrived and publiihed the moft mif- 
 chievous and Ihocking falfehoods ; he who be- 
 lieved all the miraculous interpofitions of God's 
 power, fo frequently difplayed in the deliverance 
 and eftablilliment of his own nation, and Ijved in 
 hopes of a ftill greater deliverance, which God had 
 promifed lliortly to fend them ; muft voluntarily 
 have fet himlclf up to oppofe the accomplifliment 
 of thofe gracious promifes ; which, at the fame 
 time, he both hoped and believed, would cer- 
 tainly be fulfilled. In ihort, he, who expeded 
 the reign of the ]\Ieliiah to be productive of the 
 utmoft glory and happinefs to his whole na- 
 tion, muft purpolely have endeavoured to pre- 
 vent the happy confequence of his appearance ; 
 by fctting up, before he came, an impoftor in 
 his Head. But thefe are fuppofitions in their 
 own nature evidently contradi6^tory and abfurd. 
 And indeed, the whole of this fuppofed con- 
 trivance 
 
Sect. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 79 
 
 trivance is of fo very iniquitous a nature, that 
 none but tiie moft abandoned of men could ever 
 polfibly conceive or undertake it ; and therefore 
 impoflible to have been dcvifed or carried on, by 
 One, who, we have fufficient reafon to bcUeve, 
 muft have been eJiiinently good. 
 
 But had not Zacharias's and Elizabeth's cha- 
 racter, and fituation, proved it fo clearly impofli- 
 ble for Them to have been capable of engaging in 
 fuch a plot ; Itill their age would have rendered it 
 utterly incredible, that they Jliould. 
 
 At the time when we muft fuppofe them to be 
 entering upon the execution of this defign, they 
 were neither of them young, nor even in the 
 vigour of life ; but, on the contrary, thei/ were 
 both well Jlncken in years ; a circumftance of the 
 greateft importance to illultrate their innocence 
 with regard to this particular impofture. What- 
 ever ambitious views we may imagine capable of 
 prompting any one to fo defperate an undertaking, 
 muft naturally have cooled, and died away, in 
 the decline of life; however warmly they might 
 have been a6tuated by them before. That daring 
 fpirit of enterprize, and defiance of danger, whicli 
 fometimes engages men in the moft defperate at- 
 tempts, to gratify the wilhes of ambition, in the 
 active and vigorous parts of life, generally gives 
 way to cautious and timid apprehenfions, when 
 
 age 
 
80 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Pali L 
 
 age, has bounded the profpcscl before them, and 
 checked the current of the blood. Then too reli- 
 gious apprehenfions begin to intrude themfelves 
 upon the mind ; and make men little inclined to 
 embark in hazardous plots of extreme wickednefs 
 and impiety, whatever they may have done before. 
 So that could we fuppofe them capable of having 
 formed fuch a plan of impofture, and refolved to 
 put it in execution, at that active age, when a 
 vitious ambition has fometimes led men into the 
 moft extravagant enormities ; yet their having con- 
 tinued childlefs till they were now well Jiricken 
 iiiyearSy and all hopes of an opportunity to execute 
 it were at length at an end, muft unqueftionably 
 have caufed them long lince to drop all thoughts of 
 their former defijxn. 
 
 To imagine, that after this, upon the unex- 
 pected birth of a fon, they ihould relume it again, 
 in their old age ; and profecute it with fucli a feries 
 of unheard-of devices, as forged revelations, feigned 
 lofs of fpeech, and pretended prophecies ; would be 
 fuppohng them to have arrived at fuch a hardened 
 pitch of iniquity, as nothing lefs than a life of con- 
 tinued and notorious wickednefs was able to bring 
 them to. But after what has been feen already of * 
 their true character and conduct, we may venture 
 to fay this would be a fuppofition, that nuift cer- 
 tainly be falfe. 
 
 Farther, 
 
Scft. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. Si 
 
 Farther, tlie incredibility of their rcfuming 
 the plot fuppofed, becomes ftill more undeniable, 
 when we confider, that it was now likewife too late 
 for them to indulge any of thofe ambitious deCgns, 
 for the fake of which only, even obftinacy itfelf can 
 [jretend, fuch an impofture could be contrived, and 
 undertaken. Had the birth of their ion happened 
 while they were in the vigour of life, they might 
 conceive hopes, it may be faid, of deriving great 
 honour and advantage to themfelves, from being 
 the parents of the reputed " prophet of the 
 *' higheft ; who was to go before the face of 
 " the Lord to prepare his ways; to give know- 
 *' ledge of falvation to his people." But John was 
 not born till Zacharias and Elizabeth were fo ad- 
 vanced into the decline of life, that all fuch hopes of 
 enjoying the fruits of their iniquity muit neces- 
 farily have expired. 
 
 From the very nature of that character, which, 
 according to this fuppofition, they muft have de- 
 figned him to counterfeit ; nothing could be more 
 probable, than that they themfelves might not 
 live till the very earlielt period, when it could be 
 proper, or even poffible, for John to undertake 
 it. He, who, by Jheir own predictions, was *' to 
 '' go before the Lord in the fpirit and power of 
 " Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to 
 *' the children, and the difobedient to the wif- 
 
 G '-' doni, 
 
8^ THE DIVINE MissroKs 01" Part I. 
 
 *' dom of the juft, to make ready a people pre- 
 " pared for the Lord ;" could not take upon him 
 the awful name of fo exalted a prophet, and at- 
 tempt to fulfill the great purpofes of this divine 
 commiflion ; till he was arrived at that age, which 
 was requifite for the compleat performance of even 
 the duties of a common prieil. And accordingly 
 it appears in fa6l, that neither John nor Jefus af- 
 fumed their public characters, till they were juft 
 approaching the age of thirty years. This very 
 di/iant period therefore was the earlieji at which 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth could hope for even the 
 fmall fatisfaciion, of bringing their long-planned 
 irapofture to the trial, and feeing whether there 
 was any probability of impofing thus on the world. 
 Or Ihould it be imagined, they might not think it 
 neceffary for John and Jefus to pay this fcru- 
 pulous regard, in point of time, to the legal 
 age of a prieft ; they muft, however, be fenfible, 
 that the impoftors they were contriving to raife 
 up, could not poffibly appear in thofe difficult 
 characters they intended them to fuftain, at the 
 foonejl, till they had already paft the fiffl age of 
 a man. 
 
 But what can be more inconceivable, than that 
 they, who were already old and icell Jlricken in 
 years^ Ihould fet themfelves to lay the foundation of 
 fuch an impofture, to gratify their own afpiring 
 
 de- 
 
Se6t. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 8S 
 
 dellres, as could not be fet on foot, till no lefs 
 than between twenty and thirty years after, and 
 then muft be extremely uncertain of fuccefs? 
 Should they have happened to live to this period, 
 and even have feen their wicked artifices fucceed ; 
 fuppofitions both of them in the higheft degree 
 improbable ; what advantages could they then 
 expe6l to reap from them ; when extreme old age 
 would fcarce have left them the perception of any 
 thing the world could beftow ; and they were juft 
 tottering into the grave? Had they therefore been 
 wicked enough to be capable of contriving fuch a 
 defign^ as well as of executing whatever plot might 
 feem to flatter their ambitious defires ; it is utterly 
 incredible, that at their advanced age, they fliould 
 plan, or determine to wait the ifTue of a project fo 
 tedious as this. 
 
 As to any advantages to be procured from the 
 contrivance before John Hiould be old enough to 
 aO: his defigned part ; it is evident they expected 
 none. They neither endeavoured to make him be 
 perfonally taken notice of, before that time ; nor 
 took pains to fpiead far and wide, their accounts 
 of fo many miracles, as having attended his birth. 
 Both which they would certainly have done, had 
 they been influenced by any fuch expe6tations. 
 On the contrary, we find, that " John was in the 
 " defarts until the day of his Ihewing unto If- 
 
 G 2 *' rael." 
 
$4 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 " rael*.'* And fo far were they from affiduoully 
 fpreadinjT abroad, et'ery where^ the miracles juft 
 mentioned ; that when John afterwards began to 
 baptize, ** all men muled in their hearts whether 
 *' he were the Chrht or notf." And fome time 
 lifter this, even after he had baptized Jefus, and 
 declared him to be the Mefliah, *' the Jews fent 
 *' priefts and levites from Jerufalem, to alk him, 
 V who art thou;}:?" Upon both which occafions, 
 as well as many others, the majority appeared fo 
 inclined to think he niight be the Ciu'ill, that John 
 himfelf thought it ncceffary to tell them plainly^ 
 *^ he was not the Chrift ;" but only " the voice of 
 *' one crying in the wildernefs, make ftraight the 
 *' way of the Lord§.'' 
 
 At the time then, when John was preaching 
 among them, it is plain the Jews in general 
 formed their conjeciures of his character, merely 
 from his appearance as a great pro-phet, and their 
 own expectations of the Meffiah ; not from divine 
 revelations of the particular character he was to 
 bear, affiduoully fpread abroad, among all the 
 people, by his parents, from the very time of his^ 
 birth. From whence it is plain, that though they 
 
 * Luke, ch. iii. 15.— John began to appearinhis public cha- 
 rafter about the thirtieth year of his age. 
 
 t Luke, ch. iii. 15. X John, ch. i. Ip." 
 
 ^ John, ch. i. 20, Id. 
 
 did 
 
Se6l. S. JOMN" BAPTtST ANt) JKSU^ CliniST. 8,i) 
 
 (lid not conceal thofc aftonilliing events, with which 
 he was introduced into the world ; yet they had not 
 made it their biifinefs, as impoftors would have 
 done, to make them univerfally known ; but, in 
 compliance with the natural fuggeftions of an honelt 
 and upright mind, had publiflied them, as we have 
 already feen, in all the neighbourhood, where they 
 lived ; and waited, with a pious refignation, for 
 the accomplifliment of thofe ])redi6tions, w hich they 
 knew afluredly were divine. 
 
 And thus it feems evident, that Zachar'ias and 
 Elizabeth could not polTibly have fet on foot, any 
 fuck iniquitous impofture, as that in queftion ; w hich 
 was to be carried into execution afterwards by Joh/h 
 Zacharias's religious profeffion, and ftation in life ; 
 the reinarhahle good character, which both He and 
 Elizabeth always maintained, and at length died 
 pollefled.of ; and the advanced age they had already 
 arrived at, at the time of the birth of John ; con- 
 fidered jointly with fome very material particulars 
 in the fuppofed plot itfelf ; are all fo many convinc- 
 ing arguments of the utter incredibility of their 
 iiaving been the authors of fuch an impofture ; and 
 when laid together in one view, prove the fuppofed 
 fa6t, with fatisfactory evidence, to have been morally 
 impoffible. 
 
 But befidcs, did not the circumftances and fitu- 
 alion of Zacharias render it fo highly incredible for 
 
 G 3 him 
 
86 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Parti. 
 
 him to have been the contriver of fuch a plot, as that 
 in debate, relating to hisi own/on ; ftill it would be 
 on all accounts inconceivable, that he could choofe 
 to add to' it fuch another, as that we are now 
 fuppofing him to have contrived for the fon of 
 Mary, 
 
 It will be freely confefled indeed, that if Za- 
 charias had been wicked enough to plan owe of 
 thefe defigns, no fcruples of confcience could 
 have prevented hiip from entering upon the other. 
 But, what honefty would not have prevented, policy 
 would ; and his concern for the fuccefs of the 
 enterprize intended for Johri^ would not have 
 permitted Zacharias to have rendered it dependant 
 upon the fuccefs of fuch another, as that relating 
 to Jefus, 
 
 Zacharias cannot be imagined to have con- 
 trived the impofture in debate for Mary's fon, and 
 to have connected it fo clofely with that irelating 
 to his own ; unlefs he thought it would prove be- 
 neficial to Johns, undertaking, and ferve to pro- 
 mote his fuccefs. The fuccefs of his own fon was 
 "what he n^uft have had riioji at heart ; nor could he 
 therefore join any other plot with this ; which he 
 did not imagine would make Johns impofture 
 more likely to fucceed, than it would have been 
 without it. 
 
 But 
 
ScS. 3. JOHN 3APTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. $7 
 
 But is it poflible he could hope for any ad- 
 vantage, of this kind, from the fuppofed inipof- 
 tare of Jefusf In other words, could he believe 
 That more likely to fucceed, than the undertaking 
 he had planned for John ? On the contrary, it is 
 evident at firft fight, Zacharias mull have known, 
 that, difficult as Johns enterprize might prove, 
 , That of Jefus muil be infinitely more fo : und con- 
 fequently, that the profecution of Both, in a mutual 
 dependance upon each other, would be fo far from 
 affifting John, that it mult unavoidably render hk 
 attempt far more hazardous, than it would have 
 been alone. 
 
 The defign we are fuppofmg him to have 
 planned for John, was only to counterfeit the 
 iVfefliah's forerunner ; whereas the enterprize he 
 muft have intended for Jefus, was nothing lefs 
 than to fupport the chara6ter of the Mefliah him 
 felf. The moil; particular idea the Jews had been 
 able to form of the Melliah's /brer2/72wer, w^s little 
 more, than that he would appear among them, 
 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord ; with 
 all that fpirit of piety, feverity, and mortification, 
 Mrhick had remarkably diftinguillied one of their 
 former prophets. But fuch was their univerfal 
 interpretation of the various prophecies, concern- 
 ing the life and anions of the Aleffiah ; that who- 
 ever fl\ould alTume his character, it was well 
 
 (jr 4 J^nown, 
 
8S THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 known, would be expe6led to make himfelf their 
 king. 
 
 Thus the pretended Forerunner might conduQ; 
 himfelf in the moft peaceable, and leaft dangerous 
 manner ; whereas the counterfeit MefTiah, in or- 
 der to be received, would be under a neceifity of 
 laying claim to the fupreme power ; and wrefting 
 it out of the hands of thofe, who already pofleiTed 
 it. The earneft preaching of repentance, joined to 
 the continued practice of mortification, and a per- 
 fe6l freedom from all fufpicion of any vice, might 
 be fufficient to eftablilh the character of the One ; 
 whereas nothing lefs than the exertion of fuperna- 
 tural powers, in uttering great prophecies, and 
 working great miracles, w^ould anfwer the expecta- 
 tions of the Jews, or induce them to give credit to 
 the Other. All this Zacharias could not but be 
 well apprized of, and refletb upon. And confe- 
 quently, the fuperior dangers and difficulties una- 
 voidably attending this laji undertaking, prove it 
 abfolutely impoflible, for Zacharias to have laid the 
 fcheme of the fuppofed impofture of Jefus, in order 
 to facilitate the fuccefs of the other defign, to be 
 executed by John. It is apparent, that he himfelf 
 muft have known, that this would be the readieft 
 way to defeat it. 
 
 So that, in addition to what has been already 
 proved, that Zacharias could not poflibly be ^ 
 
 man 
 
Se6l. S. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 8^ 
 
 man of fuch abandoned principles, as to have been 
 capable of conceiving thefe impious deligns; and 
 moreover, that, if he had, his ag^ alone would have 
 eftectuaily prevented him from felting them on foot ; 
 it now appears farther, to be equally incredible, 
 that he could be fooljjh enough jointly to adopt 
 th^ni. And fince it is undeniably certain, that both 
 thefe tranfa6lions proceeded, from the beginning, in 
 a mutual and clofe dependance upon each other; and 
 that belides, whether they were the effects of divine 
 providence or human iniquity, Zacharias was, from 
 tiie tirft, intimately concerned in Both; we muft 
 be forced to acknowledge, that the divine pretenfions 
 of John and Jefus could not be founded upon any 
 fuch deceits ; or at leaft, that Zacharias and Eliza- 
 beth could not be the contrivers of them both, if 
 they were. 
 
 SEC- 
 
so YpE pivxNE MISSIONS OP Part L 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 2acharias and Elizabeth could not be the authors 
 of any fuch double impojlwx, as miiji here be 
 fuppofel 
 
 OHOULD we now for a while negled all that 
 lias been proved in vindication of Zacfiarias^ inno- 
 cence, and fuppofe him to have been wicked 
 enough to be dejirous of fetting up his fon for 
 the Meffiah's forerunner ; ftill his intimate com 
 ne6tion with Jofeph and Mary, throughout the 
 whole of thefe tranfdclions, is fuch a particular 
 as will not permit us to believe he aBualiy did. 
 Had he been ever fo defirous of carrying into 
 execution this plot relating to John ; it was of fo 
 dangerous a nature, that he could not have ventured 
 to conne6t it with any other undertaking, whether 
 advantageous or not, which would oblige him tq 
 iay open his impious defign, to any perfon whatever. 
 He would certainly have contrived it fo as to carry 
 it on by Elizabeth's help alone,' without any other 
 aflbciates ; or, if he thought this could not be 
 effe61;ually done, he would entirely have laid afide 
 the defign. 
 
 The 
 
SeCl. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JE6US CHRIST. ^1 
 
 The impofture in debate relating to John only^ 
 was in every rerpe6b of fo very bad and unpromifing 
 a nature; that Zacharias himfelf muft have believed 
 tie was ahnoft certain of being betrayed, fooner or 
 later, by any one to whom he might venture to im- 
 part it. Such only, as were of the moft abandoned 
 principles, could be at all expelled to join in a con- 
 fpiracy for fruftrating the molt ancient and received 
 predictions of the prophets, by counterfeiting the 
 fchara6i:er of the Meffiah*s forerunner. At the 
 fame tiine Zacharias well knew, that the fucceft 
 of his plot muft appear to all next to impoffible, 
 on account of the uiyiverfal expectation, at tlii& 
 time, of the fpeedy arrival of the true Meffiah 
 himfelf; and likewife, that the utmoft advantages 
 he could propofe to obtain by it, even if it 
 could fucceed, were n^oft exceedingly dubious and 
 remote. 
 
 This being the apparent nature of the cafe, 
 Zacharias could not but believe, that all thofe, 
 who were the only perfons capable of confpiring in 
 fo wicked a defign, would without hefitation re- 
 je6l This we are confidering. Such veterans ia 
 iniquity would certainly require a plot, that had a 
 rnuch furer, and a much nearer profpe6l of fuc- 
 cefs ; as well as more ample rewards to allure 
 them to fo hazardous an enterprise. For in This^ 
 they all knew, that no lefs than certain death 
 
 would 
 
9^ THE DIVINE MISSIONS 01 Part I. 
 
 would be the inevitable confequence of dete6lioni 
 It was a law God himfelf had given * them, *' That 
 '' the prophet, which Ihould prefume to fpeak a 
 " word in his name, which he had not commanded 
 " him to fpeak, Ihould die." And we are well in- 
 formed, " That when once any one Avas convi6led 
 of fuch an impofture, and of pretending a divine 
 commiffion, when God had not fent him ; no 
 character or intereft was powerful enough to fave 
 him from punifhment f.'' And certainly he who 
 ihould dare to publiili falfe prophecies, to promote 
 fo impious a fraud as this, above all others, could 
 t:xpe6l no mercy. 
 
 * Deut. xviii. 20 ** The prophetic fpirit being fo com- 
 
 tnon among the Hebrews, it was neccflary there fliould be a 
 method of trial eftabliflicd, to prevent impoftors, and to difcern 
 the falfe prophet from the true. For it could not be expected 
 butj in a nation where there was fuch a number of prophets, 
 raany pretenders would arife ; who would endanger the faith 
 of the people, unlefs there were fome certain way to find them 
 out. The more effedually therefore to deter men, either from 
 counterfeiting a prophetic fpirit, or hearkening to them that 
 did ; God appointed a fevcre puniflimcnt for every fuch pre- 
 tender ; who, upon legal convi<5tion, was to fuffcr death. 
 
 The Jews generally underftand this of ftrangling; as they do 
 always in the law, when the particular manner of death is not 
 
 exprcffed." They were tried by the fanhedrim. Lewis's 
 
 HQb.Antiq, B. 2. lO'. — Selden do fynedr. lib. 3. c. 6. 
 
 4 Lewis, ibfd, near the end. 
 
 Nor 
 
Se6l. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 9? 
 
 Nor was it the only, or even the ftrongeft realbn^ 
 that muft have deterred Zacharias, from attempt- 
 ing to procure ajjociates in fiich a plot ; that its 
 dangerous nature would have deterred every one 
 from engaging in it ; there were befides the 
 ftrongeft tcmptatmis imaginable to betray it. 
 Nothing could be more diftant, precarious, and 
 chimerical, than any advantages to be expelled 
 from its fuccefs. But he might affure himfelf of 
 immediate and ample rewards, who ihould dete6b 
 fo impious and facrilegious a prieft of the moft 
 high God ; as had not only contrived a plot for 
 fetting up his own fon, to counterfeit the Me/JiaJis 
 forerunner ; but would have perfuaded another 
 to fet up an impoftor, even for the Meffiah himfelf. 
 The detection of fuch complicated and enormous 
 villainy, direclly calculated to make the nation 
 reje6t the true Meffiah, when he Ihould come; 
 and fet on foot at the very time when he was fooii 
 expected to appear; would unqueftionably have 
 met with a reward, proportionable to the im- 
 portance of the difcovery. The whole nation, 
 priefts and people, would have confidered their 
 own fafety as intimately concerned, in the putting 
 a ftop to fuch aftonilhing wickednefs, in the very 
 fan6tuary itfelf ; and would immediately have re- 
 warded whoever laid it open, in a far more am- 
 ple 
 
94 THE DiviNt MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 pie manner, than the impofture itfelf, even if 
 fuccefsful, could ever be expe6led to do. 
 
 Zachauias, therefore, had he actually refolved 
 upon any fuch deceit with regard to John ; could 
 never have added to it any other plot, which laid 
 him under the neceffity of attempting to procure 
 qffbciates at fo imminent a hazard of his life. He 
 knew very well, that to whomfoever he laid himfelf 
 open, they would have all the moft powerful temp* 
 tations poffible, to betray him ; but none to engage 
 with him in fo defperate an undertaking. 
 
 Let us, however, fuppofe him fuch art able de- 
 ceiver, that he might think to perfuade fome, into 
 the hopes of inconceivable advantages, to be gained 
 by this contrivance ; and to reprefent it in fuch a 
 light, as to make it appear in the end almoft certain 
 of fuccefs. Not withftan ding thefe large concefiions, 
 we Ihall find him ftill under the fame dilemma as 
 before. 
 
 It was impoffible he could expe6l to gain con- 
 federates in his defign, by the h©pes of any ad- 
 vantages it might produce ; fmce the impofture 
 was of fuch a nature, that it could not even be 
 brought to the trial till about twenty years after. 
 Such as w^ade the deepefl in iniquity to gratify 
 their reftlefs delires, are but little able to brook 
 even accidental delays. IVIuch lefs can they be 
 fuppofed to enter into defigns, profelTedly cal- 
 culated 
 
SeB. 4. johI^ baptist ajtI) JEsts citRisT. ^S 
 
 culated for fo tedious a procraftination. Men of 
 lincere virtue indeed, and extenfive benevolence, 
 tre fometinies feen to labour contentedly through 
 life, for the accomplilhment of whatever ufeful 
 «uid generous purfuits they have in view. That 
 felf-complacency, which attends the profecution 
 of all virtuous defigns, carries them calmly 
 through every difficulty ; and keeps alive the 
 vigour of application to fuch undertakings, as 
 require a long feries of time to bring them to 
 perfe61;ion. But fchemes of iniquity, and dark 
 proje61;s of deceit, keep the thoughts even of the 
 abandoned themfelves in fo uneafy a fufpenfe, that 
 they cannot but be defirous of foon determining 
 the event. 
 
 To fuppofe men knowingly to confpire toge- 
 gether in a moft impious undertaking, of fuch a 
 nature, as to render it abfolutely impoffible for 
 them to detivfe the leaft benefit from it, for the 
 long interval of wore than tzventy years^ would 
 be fuppofmg, what is dire6lly oppofite to the nature 
 of a depraved and vicious heart, and inconfiftent 
 ivith the frame of the human mind. Not to 
 obferve, at the fame time, that however furc of 
 fuccefs any fuch confpiracy might appear, the 
 uncertainty of life itfelfy for fo long a period, 
 would render any benefits to be expefted from it, 
 in the higheft degree precarious. So that laying 
 
 afide 
 
96 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part 1. 
 
 afide erery other confideration ; this Jingle circum* 
 llance of the plot, that the whole muft necelTarily 
 lie dormant from the birth of John, at the leaft till 
 he V/3.S full twejitij years of age, was ineonfiitent 
 with every motive that could poflibly induce any 
 one to join in fuch an impofture. Nor could 
 'Zacharias therefore have hazarded his own fafety 
 fo far, as foolilhly to reveal ^cA a delign, in hopes 
 of procuring accomplices in his guilt. 
 
 It is likewife ftill more mcredible, that he fhould 
 have ventured on this dangerous experiment, could 
 he even have believed it poffible to gain over fome 
 parties to his plot ; on this farther account, that he 
 muft know he had little lefs to fear, from whoever 
 he might prevail with to aj)ift in his defigns, than 
 thofe who Ihould at once 7'eject them. This long 
 interval of inore than twenty years, w^hich muft of 
 neceffity elapfe, between the contrivance, and the 
 execution of the impofture ; aftbrded room for fo 
 many viciffitudes in the circumftances, and fuch 
 a change of the inclinations, of whoever might 
 at firft join with him in it ; as would give him the 
 greateft reafon to apprehend a difcovery of it, even 
 from them; before it could have a chance for 
 fuccefs. 
 
 If an exaggerated reprefentation of the advan- 
 tages to be expelled from it, had at lirft warmed 
 them in the purfuit; and from what has been 
 
 proved 
 
Se6b. 4. JOHN BAPTIST A^i> JESUS CHRIST. 97 
 
 proved already, it is certeiin, nothing elle could ; 
 this was a length of time, in which they muft fre- 
 quently cool, and reflect upon the folly and un- 
 certainty of the attempt. If they entered into it 
 through licentious confidence, and the overween- 
 ing prolpeQ:s of artificial joy, and temporary fits 
 of refolution ; here was full time enough for the 
 frequent defpondencies of an evil fpirit to undo the 
 charm, and place the folly of fo flrange a defign 
 full before their eyes. And what then could be 
 expelled from them, but that at leaft in the de- 
 fpondencies of ficknefs, and at the approach o^ 
 death, circumftances very highly probable to attend 
 them within fo long a period, they would naturally 
 be led to make an ample difcovery of fo wicked a 
 contrivance ; and bring the authors of it, if alive, 
 to condign punifhment, before it could be put to 
 the trial ? 
 
 Nay, neither death nor ficknefs would have 
 been at all requifite to bring on this difcovery. 
 Whoever was capable of entering into fuch a con- 
 federacy as this, for any fuch diflant and preca- 
 rious advantages, as it might feem at firfl to pro- 
 mife, must certainly have been capable of betraying 
 it, when their firft fanguine hopes of its benefits 
 died away; and they faw good reafon to expeCl a 
 far better, as well as immediate reward, for reveal- 
 ing it. 
 
 H ' It 
 
98 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 It is evident then, on various accounts, that this 
 fappofed impofture was oi fiich a nature, as not 
 only to deprive Zacharias of all hopes of engaging 
 any one to confpire with him in it, but even to 
 render it almoft certain, that whoever he Ihould 
 impart it to, 'Whether they became ajfoclates i?i it or 
 not, would fooner or later betray his impious defigns. 
 Hence it muft readily be allowed, that if the 
 plot, we have been fuppofmg, with regard to 
 John, could have any real exiftence ; and Zacha- 
 rias could have been the contriver of the deceit ; 
 he certainly would not have joined to it any other 
 plan of impofture, which would lay him under a 
 neceffity of procuring fome accomplices, who muft 
 be made privy to Both. He would have profe- 
 cuted the Ji?^ defign, which was what he was 
 chiefly concerned for, alone; and his wife Eliza- 
 beth would have been found his only affiftant in car- 
 rying it on. 
 
 Nor is there room to object here, that though 
 the truth of all this must be owned, yet perhaps it 
 might not occur to Zacharias; who might be fo 
 poiTefled with the hopes of fucceeding in this ex- 
 traordinary defign, by the help of fome aflbciates, 
 as to overlook the imminent danger he muft in- 
 cur, in endeavouring to procure them. True in- 
 deed, it is, that impoftors are fometimes off their 
 guard, and found to ^61 inconfiftently, when their 
 
 con- 
 
Se6l. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 99 
 
 condu6l is dete6led. But, in the fuppofed cafe be- 
 fore us, the danger of being betrayed was on many 
 accounts fo great, and on all accounts fo obvious, 
 that it could not have efcaped the notice even of 
 a raw beginner in the practice of deceit. In this 
 cafe, therefore, nothing can make it credible, that 
 Zacharias, above all others, could be guilty of 
 fo total a want of circumfpe6bion, in a particular, 
 which fo nearly concerned, not his fuccefs only, 
 but his fafety; not his reputation alone, but his 
 life. 
 
 Should we imagine him to have been capable 
 of planning the deceit before us, we ihould be 
 forced to own, at the fame time, that he muft 
 have been the moft cautious and careful con- 
 cealer of his true chara6ter and a6lions, that ever 
 lived. If at his age, and in his religious profef- 
 iion, he was capable of fetting on foot fo im- 
 pious an undertaking ; it is evident he muft have 
 been long hardened in wickednefs, and have grown 
 old in fm. Yet fure we are, that both He and 
 Elizabeth had found means to fupport an exem- 
 plary character, which was never called in quef- 
 tion. And this too, notwithftanding that the wit- 
 nefs, which John afterwards bore to Je/hs, mull 
 naturally have led many of the Jews, and more 
 efpecially the rulers, to enquire fcrupuloufly into 
 their life and converfation. But He, who could 
 thus manage to advance in efteem for virtue, in 
 
 II 2 pro- 
 
100 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 proportion as he proceeded to greater lengths in 
 iniquity, and never drew on himlelf the lead fufpi- 
 cion of his guilt, muft have been far too cautious a 
 veteran in deceit, to have run the hazard of betray- 
 ing himfelf in the manner now under confidera- 
 tion. 
 
 A PLOT, which, we have feen, he muft origi- 
 nally have contrived, fo many years before the 
 birth of a fon gave him an opportunity to attempt 
 it ; and which he muft fo often, in the mean time, 
 have revolved every particular of, when the fond- 
 nefs of conceit and the warmth of expectation were 
 over, could not poffibly draw fo wary a deceiver 
 into an overfight fo obvious and fo dangerous as 
 this. 
 
 After all, it plainly appears from the fuppofed 
 contrivance itfelf, that he could have no end to 
 anfwer by this ftep, in the leaft degree adequate 
 to the danger incurred by it. None indeed could 
 be of fufficient moment for an impoftor to purfue, 
 which could not be obtained without expofmg him- 
 felf to almoft certain dete6lion. If Zacharias had 
 even fo laid his principal plan with regard to 
 John, for the fake of which only he could fet him- 
 felf to contrive any other, as to make fome alTo- 
 ciates neceifary for its profecution ; the great dan- 
 ger of attempting to procure any would certainly 
 have made him alter his defign. But, in fact, the 
 
 fuc- 
 
Sect. 4. john baptist and jesus christ. 101 
 
 fuccefs of the plot in queftion relating to John, Jack 
 as we now find it, could fcarcely be at all promoted 
 by any teftimony, bolides that of Zacharias and 
 Elhabeth themfelves. 
 
 All that He could poffibly defire, at the time 
 of his fon s birth, muil have been, to eftablifli the 
 credit of that divine meflage, which, he affirmed, 
 had been delivered to Him by an angel from hea- 
 ven ; and upon the authority of which, Johns whole 
 claim to infpiration was neceflarily to depend. Now 
 this divine meflage was publiihed as having been 
 delivered to Zacharias alone^ and confequently 
 could not admit of being attefted by any other 
 perlbn whatever. Ail, therefore, that any accom- 
 plices could poffibly do to ftrengthen the caufe, 
 M-as, to publilh the accounts of other divine meflages 
 revealed to themfelves ; calculated to confirm the 
 truth of Zacharias's own relation. But if his account 
 of his vision ihould not be believed upon the 
 Itrength of his aflfertion; enforced by fo refined an 
 artifice, as his pretended loss of fpeech, for a li- 
 mited time only, in confequence of it; Zacharias 
 could have no hopes of eftabliffiing its credit, by the 
 teftimony of any other perfons, oi far lefs weight 
 and authority than himfelf. 
 
 At this time, it muft be remembered, he was 
 far advanced in years, and pofTefied the chara6ler 
 of a man of true probity and religion. His facred 
 
 H 3 pro* 
 
102 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 profeffion likewife would of itfelf, in great mea- 
 fure, fecure him from being thought capable of 
 contriving a forgery of fo heinous a nature, His 
 own teftimony therefore, he well knew, came fo 
 ftrongly recommended to the public, by his age, 
 his. profeffion, the general opinion of his virtue, 
 and his feeming miraculous lofs of fpeech, that if 
 This alone proved unable to gain belief for the fa61;s 
 he related, the addition of one or two corrobo- 
 rating, hut far lefs creditable, witneiTes muft be 
 ufelefs and vain. If the people difbelieved him 
 himfelf, he knew afluredly, they muft regard the 
 reft as inferior accomplices in the fame crafty de- 
 fign, and reject all their pretended revelations with 
 difdain. 
 
 In the mean while it is incredible, that Zacha- 
 rias ihould imagine, the people would, at this time 
 in particular, prove averfe to the reception of fuch 
 a revelation, as he made public among them : or 
 confequently, that his own eftabliihed chara61;er 
 would now, more than ever, be i^fufficient to pro- 
 cure him their belief. 
 
 In other nations indeed, whofe hiftories pre- 
 tended to no more, than a few uncertain accounts 
 of divine interpofitions ; whoever had made pubhc 
 a revelation of this kind, might with good reafon 
 apprehend, it would require the teftimony of more 
 than one, to gain credit to fuch an impofture. 
 
 But 
 
Sccl. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 103 
 
 But with the Jews the cafe was quite different. 
 Their religious and civil hiftory being woven to- 
 gether in the fame records, and confifting of little 
 elfe than a continued feries of immediate revela- 
 tions from God, authenticated in the moft unquef- 
 tionable manner ; fuch divine interpofitions w^ere io 
 far from appearing, to thdr apprehenfions, ftrange 
 or improbable, in the nature of the thing, that they 
 were familiarized to the conceptions of even the 
 loweft of the people. 
 
 They had been favoured likewife with a long 
 fucceflion of prophets, whole predi6lions had been 
 verified, in the moft fignal revolutions of their ftate 
 and nation ; and on whofe authority they now con- 
 fidently expelled the fpeedy manifeftation of the 
 Meffiah. Their liberty too had been at length 
 fwallowed up by the Roman power, and they be- 
 gan more eagerly to look for the arrival of that 
 long promifcd prince, with whom they expected 
 nothing lefs than univerfal dominion. Thus im- 
 patiently were the Jewifh nation at this time ex- 
 pe6l;ing the fudden appearance of their mighty de- 
 liverer. 
 
 And could Zacharias apprehend, when the 
 people were in fuch a temper as tliis, that they 
 would be, rww, more than ordinarily averfe to be- 
 lieving any divine revelation, upon the report of 
 
 H 4 one 
 
104 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 one of his profeffion, and eftablilhed good character ; 
 and more particularly, a revelation which proclaimed 
 the actual arrival of the Meffiah's immediate fore- 
 runner? Could he think, that they would now at 
 lait begin to call in queftion the honefty of one, 
 whofe piety they had ever till this time revered ? 
 On the contrary, muft he not rather have expected, 
 that they would receive with joy the glad tidings 
 of the Meffiah's approaching manifeftation ; and, 
 inftead of now firit fufpe6ting his veracity, wait, 
 with a plcafmg hope, for the accomplifhment of 
 the predi6lion? And with this opinion, founded 
 upon the well-known expectations of the whole 
 people, joined with the confcioufnefs of his own 
 eltabliflied character, it would be abfurd to ima^ 
 gine, that fo artful an impoftor could fooliOily 
 run the riik of being almoft inevitably betrayed, 
 merely to procure afibciates, whofe concurrence 
 was fo far from neceiTary, that they could not 
 at all affilt him in the execution of his fuppofed de-^ 
 figns. 
 
 It has appeared then, that the fuppofed im- 
 pofture of Zacharias, relating to his own fon, was 
 of fo peculiar a nature, that he himfelf could not 
 entertain hopes of procuring any aiTociates in it, 
 iliould he make the attempt ; and muft have been 
 fenfible, that if be could, it was next to certain 
 
 they 
 
Se8;. 4. john baptist and jesus christ. 105 
 
 they would betray him, long before the plot could 
 be put in execution. It has appeared likewife, 
 that he could not but believe, that his own character 
 was fufficient to bear him out ; or, if That fhould 
 prove infufficient, that the affiftance of any aflb- 
 ciates, he could procure, would be ftill more un- 
 able to fupport his caufe. And farther we have 
 feen, the fuppofed plot itfelf^ if there was one, was 
 fo contrived, that in fa6t he ftood in need of no 
 aflbciates at all. 
 
 From all thefe particulars we cannot but draw 
 this conclufion, that if Zacharias had been a 
 wicked deceiver, and the contriver of fuch a falfe 
 revelation concerning his own fon, he certainly 
 would not have fet on foot, at the fame time, any 
 other confpiracy, which would oblige him to re- 
 veal to any one his chief defign, relating to John, 
 This muft have been his only attempt; and his 
 wife Elizabeth would have been found the only 
 perfon concerned with him, in carrying this on. 
 And confequently, fmce it has before indifputably 
 appeared that two other perfons, Jofeph and Mary, 
 were as intimately concerned in the whole tranfac- 
 tion relating to John, as Zacharias and Elizabeth 
 the77ifelves; and likewife, that they were All en- 
 gaged together, at the fame time, in another fmiilar 
 tranfa6tion relating to Jejus ; we are reduced to the 
 
 neceffity 
 
106 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I, 
 
 neceffity of acknowledging, that there could be 
 no impojiure at all in the cafe; or at leaft, that 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth could not be the original 
 contrivers of Both the plots, if any fuch iniquitous 
 deception can Jiill be fuppofed. 
 
 SEC-' 
 
)Se&. i. ^OHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 107 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 If Zacharias and Elizabeth could have been the 
 authors of fuch a double hnpojiure, they could 
 jiot have applied to Jofeph and Alary, to take 
 part with them in carrying it on, 
 
 tlAVING proceeded thus far in proof of Za-^ 
 chariass innocence of the impoftures in de- 
 bate, in order to place the incredibility of his 
 having contrived them, in that 'clear and ftrong 
 light, which the nature of the cafe allows, it will 
 now be neceflary to take fome more particular no- 
 tice of Jofeph and Mary, who, we have feen, muft 
 from the beginning have been privy to Zacharias s 
 defigns. 
 
 For the prefent then, let us wave all that has 
 been proved to the contrary, and ftill fuppofe it 
 poiTible for Zacharias to have contrived both the 
 plots in queftion ; and to have refolved to run the 
 hazard of procuring fome aiTociates to carry them 
 on. After all, it will yet be found, that Jofeph and 
 Alary were in feveral, the moil material, circum- 
 ftances, perfons abfolutely unfit for his defigns; 
 
 fiich 
 
10$ THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 fiichy as it is utterly inconceivable he Ihould ven- 
 ture to make acquainted with his plots, or in the 
 leaft expe6b to affilt him in them ; and fuch, in- 
 deed, as he could by no means think capable of 
 ever conlenting to abet them. 
 
 A MORE unanfwerable argument cannot be de- 
 iired, to fliew the impoffibility of ZachariasV* 
 fmgling out Mary, for a confederate in the con- 
 fpiracies fuppofed, than the confideration of her 
 youth. 
 
 The moft authentic writers inform us, that 
 marriage was, ftri6lly fpcaking, fo truly univerfal 
 among the Jews, that they efteemed it an abfolute 
 command of God, which every man was indifpen- 
 fably obliged to comply with, as foon as he came'' 
 to years of maturity. That, on this account, it 
 was reputed among them highly finful, for a man 
 to remain unmarried after he was arrived at twenty 
 years of age. And that, in confequence of this 
 opinion, the men were all married by that timey 
 and generally fooner ; and the women even much 
 younger JlilL For though a pofitive command laid 
 upon the man only, was thought fufficient ; and 
 therefore they did not hold, that a fimilar com- 
 mand was laid upon the woman alfo ; yet w^e are 
 aiTured, what indeed will fcarcely be doubted, that 
 in fa61; the women were always married, at firft, 
 much younger than the men. They were gene- 
 rally 
 
Se6l. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 109 
 
 rally betrothed^ when only ten years old ; and even 
 married, in the higher ranks, extremely young. 
 And judging upon a very fair average, we may be- 
 lieve their nuptials were completed about the age of 
 fifteen, at the lateft, through the whole body of the 
 
 people *. 
 
 This 
 
 * As this is a point of no fmall importance in the queftion. 
 and the fads here aflerted are ^o different from what obtains in 
 this part of the world ; it will be proper here to eftablifli the 
 truth of them, by more good authorities than one. 
 
 ** The JetDs are very warm affertors of the honour and 
 fanftity of marriage ; they extol it infinitely above a fingle life, 
 and hold it a condition more fuitable to nature, more advan- 
 tageous to mankind, and more acceptable to God ; fo that 
 they admit of no unmarried fe6l among them ; but, on the 
 contrary, look very jealoufly upon fuch of their nation, as 
 cither marry not at all, or long defer it. " Wedlock they 
 ** efteem among the affirmative precepts, which they make 
 ** obligatory upon their whole nation. Every male coming to 
 " years of maturity, is bound to take a wife to increafe his 
 " family. — Upon this account their efpoufals are very early, 
 " their daughters being ufually betrothed at ten years of age ; 
 ** and if they are rich, are married very young.'' Lewis's 
 Heb. Antiq. b. vi. 35. — See alfo particularly, b. vi. 24. 
 
 " The Jews are obliged to marry, becaufe God's precept 
 to the firft man, of peopling the earth, " increafe and mul- 
 " tiply," ftill continues in all its force. " Woe to the man 
 " who lives in a houfe without a wife." They come not under 
 this law till they are twenty years of age; " but then they 
 " muft marry, otherwife they fin againft God and his ordi- 
 " iiance. They become murtherers ; they deftroy the image 
 
 "of 
 
110 tHE mv'iNE MISSIONS OF Parti 
 
 This being the cafe, we are warranted to con- 
 clude, that at the time, when Zacharias muft have 
 
 fingled 
 
 " of the firft man ; and caufe the Holy Spirit to withdraw 
 " himfelf from Ifrael." It is a queftion in the Talmud, " Wiio 
 " is he that proftitutes his daughter ?" and the anfwer is, " the 
 " father that keeps her too long at home, or marries her to au 
 " old man." — The Jews do not generally wait twenty years* 
 They make contra61;s betwixt their children betimes, and ex- 
 ecute them as foon as poflible. — In the mean time, a daughter 
 married by her father, before Jhc is twelve years old and a half, 
 has the privilege of feparating upon a fimple difguft at her huf- 
 band, becaufe fhe was not then at the age of choofing/' — Baf- 
 nage's Hift. of the Jews, b. v. 19. — For want of the original I 
 have quoted from Taylor's tranflation. 
 
 " Certainly among the Jewijh nation, they were £0 far from 
 accounting the vow of virginity a piece of devotion and reli- 
 gion, that they accounted it a reproach for a woman to be 
 childlefs ; nny, a reproach for a woman not to be married/' 
 — " And a greater reproach it was for a woman not to be mar- 
 ried/' — Nay, the Jews, in their traditional law (by which they 
 •were led too much), did not only account it a Jhame not to be 
 married, but a fin, and a breach of God's command. For 
 thofe words (Gen. i. 28), " be fruitful and multiply," they 
 account ni)t only a bleiling; but a command; and reckon it the 
 firft command of the fix hundred and thirteen commands that 
 are in the law."— Lightfoot, Vol. II. p. I2l6. 
 
 On another occafion he quotes the following paflage from 
 Maimon. — " The man is commanded concerning begetting 
 and multiplying, but not the woman. And when doth the 
 man come under this command? from the age of fixteen or 
 feventeen years. But if he exceeds twenty years without marry- 
 ing, 
 
Se6t;. 5. john* baptist and ^esus Christ. Ill 
 
 fingled out Mary^ as a proper perfon to affift liim 
 in carrying on his impious defignu, and one whom 
 
 he 
 
 ing, behold he violates, and renders an affirmatvce 'precept vain." 
 ■ — Lightfoot, V. ii. p. 7S7» 
 
 " Amongft the people of the Je^s, the defire of iflue made 
 them marry very young : mofi of the men were married at eigh- 
 tteii years of age. — AUex's Reflec. on the four laft books of 
 Mof^s, ch. 20. 
 
 " Mafculi omnes tenentur uxorem ducere, ubi attigerunt 
 fexdecem aut ftptemdecem annos," — " The men are all obliged 
 to marry, when they arrive at feventeen or eighteen years of 
 age J* Lamy, App. Bibl. p. 140. — " At eighteen a fon is to 
 marry." Lewis's Heb. Anliq. b. v. ch. 3^, 
 
 In confirmation of thefe authorities a great variety of regu- 
 lations, which were obferved among the Jews, prove the ear- 
 linefs of their marriages beyond all difpute. — It was provided, 
 that a woman betrothed before fJie was twelve years old, could not 
 be taken to her hufband's houfe without her own confent, till 
 Jhe was twelve complete. — If a woman was completely married 
 before the age of twelve and a half fhe might obtain a divorce 
 upon a fimple difguft. A man of thirteen years of age, and a 
 woman at twelve and a half was at full liberty to enter into a 
 contrart of marriage without the confent of pareiits or guar- 
 dians. — If a woman was betrothed before the age of twelve, (he 
 had a power of deferring the marriage for a twelvemonth ; when- 
 ever the hufband propofed to her to complete it, — U betrothed at 
 the age of twelve and a half (he might put off the marriage till 
 Jhe was a year older. But if fhe was thirteen and a half, or 
 older, at the time of betrothing, fhe had no power to delay the 
 marriage for more than thirty days, after the man propofed to 
 her the completing of their marriage. — If the man deferred 
 
 the 
 
112 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 he fuppofed likely to undertake the part he intended 
 for her in them, She could not he more than about 
 fourteen years of age. 
 
 From the hiftory itfelf it plainly appears, that 
 even after the birth of John., which mult have 
 been near a twelvemonth after Zacharias's firfi ap- 
 plication to Mary, Ihe was ftill only betrothed^ 
 not yet married to Jqfeph, " The birth * of Jefus 
 " Chrift was on this wife. When as his mother 
 " Mary was efpoufed to Jofeph ; before they came 
 *' together fhe was found with child of the Holy 
 ** Ghoft." In confequence of which it follows, 
 that " Jofeph was minded to put her away pri- 
 vily." But it is plain likewife, that Jofeph was not 
 apprized oiMarys fituation till juft after the birth 
 
 the completion of the marriage, longer than the expiration of 
 thefe legal times (except in cafes of necefTity), he was bound 
 to fupport the woman he had betrothed, till he finally married 
 her. 
 
 Thefe peculiar regulations prove clearly, that jfrow before 
 the age of ten, to about thirteen years, was the period, in which 
 the •women among the Je-ws were cuftomarily betrothed. And 
 when we confider this, jointly with the authorities juft pro- 
 duced, it cannot be doubted, but that marriage was, llrictly 
 fpeaking, univerfal among the Jews ; and that in naming even 
 the age of fifteen years for that limit, in which the Jewijk wo-' 
 men were Jirjt married, we have allowed, at the lead, full as 
 long a period as the cafe can require. 
 
 * Matt. i. 18. 
 
 of 
 
Se^l. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CIIHIST. 1 13 
 
 of John. For upon the angel's appearing to Mary, 
 and informing her *, as we are told, that her coufin 
 Elizabeth was then fix months gone with child ; 
 ^ Mary, we fmd, immediately left her own home, to 
 go to Elizabeth ; " and abode with her three 
 " months, till licr fall time came, and ihe brought 
 *' forth a fon f ." Then it was, at her return home 
 from Elizabeth, upon the birth of John, and while 
 her marriage with Jofeph remained yet to be com- 
 pleted, that He became acquainted with her preg- 
 nancy, and began to think of putting her away. 
 Nor did he take her home to his own houfe, which 
 was part of the matrimonial ceremony among 
 the Jews, till at lealt fome little time after this ; 
 when, as he alTerted, the angel had appeared to 
 him, arid told him, to fear not to take unto him 
 Mary his wife J. From all which it is abundantly 
 evident, that even fo late as after the birth of John, 
 Mary was not yet actually married to Jofeph; 
 though they had been for fome time bety^othedXo 
 each other. 
 
 It has been proved already \, that Jofeph and 
 Mary muft have been engaged by Zacharias in his 
 deligns, if they were engaged in them at all, be- 
 fore the time of his own vifion in the temple. It 
 
 * Luke i. 36. t Idem. i. o6, 5/. 
 
 \ Matt. i. i20,. , 5 See pages b^—^7, 
 
 I ' is 
 
114> THE DIVINE MISSIONS oT Parti;; 
 
 is indeed appai^ent, from the nature of the cafe 
 alonej that he who had fuch an extraordinary parfc 
 to play, aiid made ufe of fo much refined artifice at 
 tjie opening of the plot, muft certainly have taken 
 eare to fecure fuch aflbciates, as he had made ab-» 
 folutely requifite for its fuccefs, before the time, 
 when the plan was actually to be put in execution i 
 So that it appears, Zacharias muft have fingled out 
 Mary, as a perfon both likely and proper to carry 
 on that impofture he had contrived ; and muft have 
 communicated to her his whole defign ; and actually 
 liave engaged her to affift, as ihe afterwards did, 
 in the profecutioii of it, about a twelvemonth^ at 
 leaft, before her marriage with Jofeph was 
 completed ; ai which time ilie could fcaixely be 
 more than between fourteen mid fifteen years of 
 age. 
 
 With regard to Mary then, the argjumeiit is 
 reduced to this ihort queftion; wlietlieir this v can 
 be allowed a probable, or even a poflible feppo- 
 iition? Whether it is conceivable, that an ai-ch 
 impoftor, grown grey in U^ prai6lice of fi'aud 
 and dillimulation, and ikiUed in all the aitifice^ 
 necejlary to carry on a deceit; us Zacharias,'' if 
 ^deceiver, muift havie beea ; ihould ^efteem ^ girl, 
 who was not arrived at the full ufe of her under- 
 itanding, a fit pei^fdn to carry on a long and 
 intricate ti;;^in of the mofl impious impoflures? 
 
 ;' Whether, 
 
Sect . 5. joim baptist anp jesus christ. tli 
 
 Wliether, in fliort, he who had projefiled fiacb a 
 defign^ as he knew was iftCftpable of being eijtered 
 into by ant/, who Ixad not their confcienoes feared 
 with; the long praCiice of iniquity, in all its ftiapes, 
 iliould fingle out one, as e^ Ukely perfon to approve 
 and abet it; whofe youth, and fex% apd inexp^ri- 
 cuce of ?the world, would neceifarily mate her terri^ 
 fied at the n>entioji of fo villainous a pi'opofal; and 
 lliocked at the monitor, who CQuld attempt to feduge? 
 her into it? 
 
 ^. T|ie iacretU^Uty of.^e fuppofitipu ,wqa?^ coufiderji^, 4f 
 greatly inhanced, by tjie rj^fer-ved manner in which thq Jewi/k 
 wojnen, Jike thofc of moll o^her £all^rn nations, were brought 
 
 -'•'*'' It -Was the eiiftom for 'pai:^<its.amortfr-'the Jews, neVer'«* 
 Ut Ae^r nir^m dav^hters ' go o\Xt of theii lwHf(ts y. >v\fejpl| cuftpin 
 i^ii^e them be called CQi^e^ikd, in opgoftt^o^ tfX.flioXe that vea^ 
 abroad. i that is, t;Jia< \v^.re prpliiUites/'-T-Allix pu the Old 
 Teftafncnt, Vol. f. c. 20. .' ' ^ 
 
 "-' TO tlife^ &me ^piifpofe,- fe^'irty,-''i4t^liariit. 'feM^cJu^, 'ci'lS. 
 " Virgines multa cura fervantur abditae intra dottitiiii ; UTuit 
 
 virgo cjicitui^ hebraice-, gnaltma ; hoc eft, abfcondita/'- 
 
 " Thp virgins arp with ^-eat care kept cpncealed withi^ 
 doorsi^froip wh(fi)c,e a virgin is called in Hebrew, gnalenju; 
 that IS, hidden, 
 
 ** The daughters are inlftrufte^ by tlie mofthei-s, ^Vifli ^ea?t 
 caHe, in the bufinefs that belongs to their fex. They were fel- 
 dom allowed to go abroad ; and on this account a daughter in 
 the Hebrew language is called Alma ; which fignidos as much 
 as a perfon concealed, and clofe ca;2/?7i«/,"-*-t,ewis'» Meb. Arttiq. 
 
116 tiiE BiviXE MISSIONS OF Parti. 
 
 These furely are queftions we cannot hefitate 
 how to anfwer. We, may with confidence pro- 
 nounce it i^z^r^f/^ impoilJble, for him, who, if de- 
 tected, was fure to pay for his villainy with his 
 life, voluntarily to lay it open to one, whofe t/oiitk 
 and inexperience abfolutely difquaUJied Her irom 
 giving him -'affiftance; and whofe timidity^ and 
 native abhorrence of fuch crimes, would m all 
 human f rob ability induce her to publilh them to 
 the world. 
 
 Nothing can render it poffible for Zacharias 
 to have pitched upon a \)evhx). fo young eiS Mary, 
 to make a confederate in /wcA a fcheme, or account 
 for Her engaging in it, but the fuppofition, that fhe 
 had already given very plain proofs of fo profligate 
 a difpofition, that it might naturally be fuppofed, 
 Ihe was Capable bf entering into any villainous eYi- 
 terprize, he could poftibly prbpofe to her. A fup- 
 pofition on all accounts abfurd, and impoffible to 
 have been true. 
 
 Had this been the cafe, it muft certainly have 
 been much better known at Nazareth^ the place 
 where Mary * lived, than it could be to Zacha- 
 rias, who dwelt at, Hebron f, which was a great 
 
 dif. 
 
 * Luke i. 26. 
 .:), -f-j It is a generally .received opinion, that Zacharias dwelt at 
 Hebron; — " For though it is true indeed, the priefts after 
 <he return from Babylon wore not all difpofed and placed in 
 
 all 
 
Se6L 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JLSUS CHRIST. 117 
 
 diftance off*. But had the neighbourhood, 
 where Mary relided, known, or only lurpe6led, 
 her to have been guilty, not of any enormous 
 crimes only, but of any vicious conduct what- 
 ever, it would unqueftionably have been reported 
 about, and her reputation deftroyed ; at leaft as 
 foon as (lie began to fct up for a publiilier of di- 
 vine revelations, and the moft honourable mother of 
 the Meffiah. The pleafure, which people of all 
 ranks and ftations are univerlally found to take, 
 in e^pofmg the faults and failures of all within 
 their knowledge, efpecially when they make pre- 
 tenfions to fomething more excellent than all about 
 them, will not allow us to fuppofe, that, if Marx^ 
 had given figns of fo bad a difpofition, thofe who 
 lived near, and were upon a level with her, would 
 have fuffered her to efcape without this public 
 condemnation. 
 
 Her inferior rank in life too will not fuffer us 
 to imagine, that ihe could have been guilty of 
 
 all thofe very fame dwellings they had poffefled before the 
 captivity ; yet is it probable that Zachary, who was of the ia^idi 
 of Aaron, being here faid to dwell in the hill country of Judea, 
 might have his houfe in Hebron, which is more peculiarly faid 
 to be the city of Aaron's offspring, Jo(h. xxi. 11." — Lightfoot 
 no Luke i. Sp. Vol. II. 386. Allix on the N. T. ipS. 
 
 ♦ The hill country of Judea was about feventy miles from 
 Nazareth, where Mary lived. Macknight's Comment on his 
 Harmony, fedt. 4. 
 
 I 3 fuch 
 
lis TH« DIVINE MISSIONS 6t Parti. 
 
 fuch crimes, and yet have found means to conceal 
 them. In the more exalted ftations wealth may 
 fometimes fupply means and opportunities of con- 
 ceahncf our true chara6lers, and fuch a6iions a* 
 are not fit for the puhHc view. But That clafs of 
 the people, who are obliged to labour for their 
 fupport, and in which the intended wife of Jofepk 
 wa?, are deftitute of fuch refources. Their habita- 
 tion j, and the general tenour of their lives, are fo 
 far, at leaft, unavoidably expofed to the obfervatiort 
 of all about them, that they cannot go any confider-' 
 able lengths in vice, without bringing themfelves into 
 general fufpicion at leaft, if they are not even actu- 
 ally dete6led, 
 
 It is therefore utterly inconceivable, that Mart/ 
 could already have been guilty of any thing fo bad, 
 or indeed of any bad conduCl at all, which could 
 make Zacharias believe her capable of undertaking 
 fo iniquitous a part, as he muft have defigned her to 
 a6l, without having become proportionably wz/Jr- 
 mous; cr at leaft of a "cery fufpicions character, in 
 the neighbourhood where ihe lived. Whereas we 
 have fufficient reafon to believe, that no objections 
 were ever raifed to Mary^ virtue and integrity. 
 
 If any could have been urged, as they would 
 unqueftionably have been made public, and handed 
 down to us ; fo would they have rendered Mary 
 abfolutelt/ unfit for Zacharias to have applied to, 
 
 for 
 
Se^. ^. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 119 
 
 for an aiTociate in his plot. Had her charafler 
 been in the leaft degree fufpicious, any apparent 
 conne6lion with Her, in a feries of amazing events, 
 great part of which were fo circumftanced, as to 
 depend upon her veracity for their only imme- 
 diate proof, at that time, muft unavoidably have 
 made every one appreheniive of fome deceit. The 
 fuppofition of Mary's being engaged by Zacharicts 
 to carry on his fuppofed impolture, is therefore 
 plainly inconfiftent with, and deftrufitive of itfelf. 
 It necciTarily fuppofes her reputation to have been 
 fufpicious, at leaft, in order to account for his 
 judging her a proper perfon to carry on his de- 
 figns ; though it is evident, that the leaft impu- 
 tation upon her chara6ler, muft have made his 
 aftbciating with her, the readieft way to prevent 
 his fuccefs. 
 
 As for Zacharias himfelf, we have already feen, 
 he had always found means to fupport an exem- 
 plary character. For Him therefore to have picked 
 out an.aftbciate, whofe integrity was looked upon 
 as of a dubious nature ; would have been pur- 
 pofely leftening his authority, and fooliihly biing- 
 ing his cftabhihed credit into queftion. A con- 
 duct, it muft be owned, too apparently abfurd^ 
 to fuppofe him capable of purfuing ; and which 
 the event has fhewn he did not in fa6l adopt, had 
 he been capable of it. Had Mary'^ integrity beeri 
 
 14 but 
 
120 THE DiviXE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 but of a queftionable nature, the Jewifh rulers, 
 who had never hearkened to John., and at length 
 crucified Jefus, would not have failed to expofe //er, 
 with the utmoft virulence and malice. This they 
 would aflliredly have done, to convince the people 
 of the wifdom of their own condu6l, and to Ihew 
 them, that the whole feries of miraculous events, 
 attefted both by Zacharias and Hei\ were, at the 
 bottom, nothing better than a moft audacious im- 
 pofture. 
 
 In Ihort, to render it poifible for Zacharias 
 to have attempted making Mary an accomplice in 
 the plot fuppofed, we muft refolutely maintain the 
 truth of one or other, of the following moft abfurd 
 fuppofitions. 
 
 Either Mary, while flie was yet quite a girl, 
 and before ihe was betrothed to Jofeph, muft have 
 been guilty of fuch crimes as fhewed her to be fit 
 for Zacharias's defigns : and thefe crimes, though 
 well known to Zacharias^ who lived at a confider- 
 ble diftance from Nazareth, were never, at any time, 
 fo much as fufpefted in the very place where She 
 herfelf refided. 
 
 Or elfe her wicked condu8: was really 'well 
 known to her neighbours and acquaintance at 
 Nazareth ; but they were all fo firmly attached to 
 her intereft, and the two grand impoftures Ihe fo 
 foon engaged in, that 7Wt one of them ever betrayed 
 
 the 
 
Se6l. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 121 
 
 the haft hint of her mifdemeanors, even though the 
 laying open her true character, would certainly have 
 been recompenCed with very great rewards. 
 
 Or, thirdly, though Mary had aClually gone 
 great lengths in iniquity, neither Zacharias, nor 
 any one elfe, had any caufe to fulpe6t it ; and yet 
 Zacharias pitched upon Her for acting a principal 
 part in his plot ; and imparted it to her, without 
 any reafon whatever for imagining ihe could be 
 capable of entering into it. 
 
 Or, in the laft place, Mary's) conduct had 
 ixaliy been irreproachable, till Zacharias thus 
 unaccountably laid open to her his flagitious de- 
 figns ; but then, all at once, flie willingly con- 
 fpired with him, in publilhing the moft impious 
 forgeries, for divine revelations ; and ever after 
 continued fo hardened and undaunted, as never 
 to make the leaft confeffion, or acknowledgment of 
 her crimes. 
 
 Such are the conditions, and the only condi- 
 tions, on which it is allowed us to believe, that 
 Zacharias attempted to make Mary a confederate 
 in the profecution of his fuppofed impotture ; 
 and that Mary really became an accomplice with 
 him in it. But as each of thefe conditions 
 abounds in abfurdities, impoflible to be admitted ; 
 it mult at length be acknowledged, that, had Za- 
 charias 
 
122 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Parti? 
 
 charias aQually planned fuch an impofture, he 
 could not have applied to Mary, to affift him in 
 carrying it on ; nor Mary have complied with his 
 propofal, if he had. And fince it is likewife unde- 
 niably plain, that Mary was as much a principal m 
 the whole tranfa6iion, as Zacharias himfelf; we are 
 obliged to confefs, from the evidence of incontefti-. 
 ble fa6ls, that tiie two impoftures fuppbfed muft 
 be all a mere groundlefs imagination ; or, at leaft, 
 that Zacharias and Elizabeth could not be the aur> 
 thors of them Both, if in fa6l there could be any 
 deceit at all in the cafe. 
 
 With regard to Jofeph, we cannot iargue in ex- 
 a6tty the fame manner as we have concerning 
 Mary, becaufe his age, at the time of his mar- 
 riage with Mary, is a difputed point. The ma» 
 jority indeed fuppofe her to have been his jirjl 
 wife*; in which cafe we might fafely rely upon 
 his being fcarcely above twenty years old * at' the 
 time when Zacharias muft have applied to Him 
 likewife to take part in his plot. But fome au- 
 thors not only imagine him to have been married, 
 and to have had children before this time, but 
 have even thought he was already a very old 
 
 * As will appear upon confidering the conclufion eftabliflied 
 from p. 58, to p. 07 ; together with the particulars contained in 
 the note p. 109, & feq. 
 
 man. 
 
Sett. S, JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 123 
 
 man *. However, choofe which of tliefe opinions 
 we pleale, either of them will afford us fufiicient 
 evidence of the incredibility of His being applied 
 to by Zacharias, to affiit in his fuppofed impofture. 
 
 If we embrace the Jrr/i fuppofition, and the 
 moft commonly received, his youth itfelf, con- 
 fidered in all its , confequences, which need not 
 here be infifted on, will be fuch a circumftancei 
 as is alone fufficient to render Zacharias's apply- 
 ing to Himf with the defign in queftion, very 
 highly improbable. Suppoie him, with the other 
 fide, very far adva?iced in yehrs^ and it will be but 
 plunging into one infuperable difficulty, in order 
 to get clear of another. The older we fuppofe 
 him to have been, the more glaringly impoffible 
 it muft appear, for one in his low ftation of life ; 
 and who, before he could be thought capable of 
 confpiring in fuch a deceit, muft have been well 
 hardened in the pra6tice of vice ; to have kept his 
 ti'ue character fo efFe6t:ually concealed, that not 
 even his enemies ihould ever call his integrity in 
 queftion. Yet this it is certain he muft have 
 done, fince the evangelift has not hefitated to 
 
 ,. ♦ See EpiphaniHs, as ref«rrcd to by Lardner, Vol. IV, 
 pp. 315, 3l6Vof The Complete Edition of iis Works, For 
 the more receivecj opinion, confult Grot, on Matt, xxiii. 55. 
 Lightfoot, Vol. I. p. 2^8. 
 
 affirm, 
 
124 THE DIVINE MISSIOKS OF Part L 
 
 affirm, he was a jajl man * ; and the Jews have 
 never contradicted the all'ertion; notwithftandingwc 
 know very well how defirous they mult have been to 
 blaft his reputation. And to this we muft add, that 
 if Jqftph was now eighty years of age, as fome au- 
 thors report, or even many years younger ; all the 
 various abfurdities of his entering hi to fo tedious a 
 plot, as that in queftion, muft have appeared (o 
 obvious to ZachariaSf as well as Jofeph himfelf\ 
 that it is clearly incredible He could apply to Jofeph 
 to take part in it, or that Jofeph could have con- 
 fented to it, jf he had. 
 
 It muft therefore be given up as an incredible 
 imagination, that Jofeph could be feduced by Za- 
 chay^ias to take part in the confpiracy in queftion ; 
 or elfe we muft maintain, that even more moral im- 
 poffibilities, than thofe which have juft now fhewn 
 the falfehood of this fuppofition, with regard to 
 Mary^ ought not to be allowed their natural weight 
 and influence, in determining its credibility with 
 relation to Jofeph. 
 
 But befides, can any thing be much more \\\y 
 probable, than that a Jea;//^ j&r/^, who had con- 
 ceived a defign no lefs ambitious, than that of 
 fetting up his own fon for the forerunner of the 
 Mejfiah^ Ihould choofe for his aflbciates in the 
 
 ♦ Matt. i. ip* 
 
 pro- 
 
Sc6t. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 125 
 
 profecution of fuch a plan, perlbns of fo obfcure a 
 Itation as Jofeph and Mary were? Could the fame 
 man, who was capable of forming fo iniquitous a 
 device, to gratify an unbounded pride and ambition, 
 choofe to be connected, in the profecution of it, 
 with an obfcure carpc?iter and his wife ? Nothing 
 could induce him to fmgle out fuch aififtaiits as 
 thefe, had: his favourite plot really Itood in need of 
 ariy ; h\/t his imagining, either, that it. would be 
 more difficult to procure any confederates of a 
 higher rank in life ; or that, if they could be found, 
 their alliftance would not be fo likely to gain fuccefs 
 to his undertaking. But as to the Ji?^ of thefe 
 fuppofitions, how could he imagine, that the lower 
 ranks of the people o?ili/ were capable of fur- 
 niihing him with aflbciates in fuch a villainous 
 impofture ? It has never been fuppofed, that the 
 plain fundamental principles of moral honefty and 
 religion, are not as well known to the mechanic 
 and artificer, and have not as general an influ- 
 ence over them, at leaft in fuch cafes, where guilt 
 rwbuld be highly flagrant, as they are to, or have 
 ^over, thofe who are placed in much higher ftations 
 gflife. 
 
 And if there is not even an imaginary con- 
 ne6tion between induftry, and falfehood, or im- 
 piety, and an humble fiation ; certain it is, there 
 4rre fome vicious, undertakings, -which thole who 
 
 labour 
 
126 THE DIVINE MTSSlO:fC«' G9^ Part I. 
 
 labour for their lupport, are rendered much more 
 unlikely to enter into, by their very fituatiori 
 itfelf. Such, above all others, are thofe iniquitous 
 plots, which owe thfeir birth to ■infatiabk ^(imbitioUy 
 the very nature of the Ji^ppofed impofture before us. 
 The fphere, in which men a6l, prefcribes in great 
 meafure, the limits of their ' attempt^'- It fets 
 bounds t6 the dangers they dare encounter^ and 
 fte' prize they will encount^- them tt) obtaim 
 The^ fofgmg of divine revelations, • in order to ^t 
 up. a coimterfeit ^f the promifcd Meffiah, was a 
 proje8; too f^r removed abo^e the ^4€ws of a com^ 
 mon carpenter, to make' it probable he cotiW be 
 at aM deiirous of ent^ritifg- into %^ Saa well as too 
 iiifScult and dangerous an attempt,'^ for* oae in 
 his low fiaiion to care to engage in, for what re- 
 wards it had to offer. Whereas it wdiS, fo far, a 
 defign not unworthy the enterprizing am.bition of 
 thofe its the moi^e exalted fphere^- of life; isiad 
 confequently far more likely to ^gage tiUm'mits 
 purfuit. ' /v.. iKn'.j 
 
 What motive thea <:ould pofiibly determine 
 Zacharias to attempt procuring his^ aflbciates, 
 from fo loxv a rank of the people ? Could he- think, 
 tiiat the influence of fuoh as were of Ibmc figure 
 and fafhion, would not fo effedually contribute 
 to erown his enterprize with fuccefs? On the 
 contrary, it is apparent, that the afliftance of 
 
 thofe, 
 
Se6t> 5. JOrfN* BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 127 
 
 thofe, whole rank would fecure them from coiVt 
 temft, was what an'mipoftor, embarked In fuch 
 a caufe, muft have been particularly desirous of. 
 The fti'ongeit teftiftiony of an ohfcure mechanic, 'm 
 matters relating to the higheft points of divide re- 
 velation, Zachcnias well knew, was likely to have 
 but little tvT^ight indeed, with the haughty rukris 
 of any ol^ thofe fefts, iin to which the-'Jet^ ^ei^e 
 divided; and by fome of which the whole people 
 were held/ 4s \K were, in bohdage, Neither could 
 Zacharias expert tQ iiniiv in the narrow fphem of 
 j6/^/i's ftate and' education, that comprefoefiftvi 
 fubtlety, and • reiri^d .diflimqlation, fo'tiecje^^f^ 
 for can-yiRg ^ito' foch intsficate impoituiresi ; Ibut 
 fcarcely to be acquired wittiout a more mifeeltenel 
 ous, and general" >inJ;ercourfe with vaiiousnortlor^ 
 of mankind. :'>' : - y^'- '> v.^ ^ ) n\'?iio 
 In the meaii time,' at can fcarcely be beiiewed, 
 tha,t aniy: one could have itFavelled fo loDgvin^vi^ 
 "iligh roads- of iniquity, ais ZacJiarkSy. if he was! the 
 contriver of this plot, muft havei dbne, ■ without 
 iQfi^\!% faithful companion^ to divide the dangers, 
 ^nd 4bare the rewards of his crimes, ^t ieaftji il^ 
 this could otherwife be believed, ^fo lo»g afrv^ve 
 futppofe Zacharias to have fought ouifibr.an^s«g<^ 
 'ciate, on the prtfent occa/zb«, we Ihall findouii- 
 felves obliged to grant, that, he muji frequently 
 have done fo beibre, If. in the many jwicked 
 
 plots 
 
128 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 plots he muft have devifed and executed before thiSf 
 he had made it his invariable rule, never to admit a 
 partner into his counfels, for fear of difcovering at 
 length his true character and condu6b, it will be 
 abfurd to fuppofe, that he ihould 7iow, after all, 
 fo fooliihly lay himfelf open to detection, in the very 
 wickedeft, and moft hazardous, of all the attempts 
 he could ever have undertaken ; and, above all, the 
 moji likely to be betrayed. 
 
 :' ; His being fuppofed to have fought out for af- 
 fcciates at this time, plainly implies, therefore, that 
 he muft have done fo before, on many other occa- 
 lions ; and, confequently, that he muft have 
 had fome approved fellow-workers of iniquity, 
 from whofe former fidelity he had good reafon 
 to think, that whether they joined in his prefent 
 defign or no, they, above all others, would not 
 betray him. Thefe, therefore, if ftill living, muft 
 have been the perfons he would have applied to ; 
 and whom, if any, we ihould have found a0:ing 
 their parts in this impofture. For, if they fhould 
 have thought it too hazardous, and unpromifmg 
 an enterprize to engage in, Zacharias could not 
 have imagined any others would riik their fafety 
 upon it. And even if he had already outlived all 
 his faithful accomplices, it was now much too 
 late in life to incur the danger of making more. 
 Yet certain it is, that Mary was a prmcipal in the 
 
 whole 
 
Seel. S, JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 129 
 
 whole tranfa6lion before us; and as certain, that 
 She, who was then fcarce fifteen years of 'age, could 
 not be one of thofe long-tried alTociates of him, who 
 muft at this time have been fo old a pra6litioner in 
 the arts of deceit. Her youth alone, not to repeat 
 here any other circumftance of her character and 
 fituation, renders it abfolutely impoffible, that llie 
 could. 
 
 In one word therefore, to clofe the evidence 
 that has been produced on this head, it has plainly 
 appeared, that if Zacharias was the contriver of 
 Both the confpiracks in queftion, and feduced Jo- 
 feph and Ma)y to a6i the parts they fuftained in 
 them ; in the firft place, he muft knoxvingly have 
 expofed himfelf to abnof certain deftru^tion, by 
 adding the plot concerning Jefus to that relating 
 immediately to John^ as by this means only he laid 
 himfelf under a neccffity of making known his vil- 
 lainous defigns, in order to procure accomplices to 
 carry them jointly on; and this, notwithftanding 
 his firft and favourite impojlure was fo contrived, 
 that its fuccefs was rendered more precarious, by 
 being connected with the Other, tiian it would^ 
 iave been alone. In the next place, to crown the 
 whole, he nmft purpofely have fingled out fuch 
 perfons, to apply to for their alliftance, in this 
 double impofture, whofc youth and character, whofe 
 exery circumftance in life, rendered them, he xvdl 
 
 K knexi)^ 
 
150 THE DIVINE MISSIONS ol" Parti. 
 
 knew^ the moft likely perfons to reject his pro* 
 pofals, and betray his villainy; and even ihould 
 they not, the leajl capable of promoting their fuc- 
 (iefs. 
 
 But as thcfe are fuppofitions, which it is evi- 
 dently impoffible to admit, we may at length ven- 
 ture to affirm, that the exiftence of any fuch plotSy 
 as thefe in debate, is a mere groundlefs iinagina- 
 tioti ; or, at leaft, if they did exift, that Zacharias 
 And Elizabeth could not be the original co7itrivers 
 of them Bothy and for the fake of promoting the 
 fuccefs of One^ have procured Jofeph and Mary to 
 undertake the profccution of the Other, 
 
 
 SEC 
 
Scft. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 131 
 
 SECTION VL 
 
 Neither Zacharias 7ior Elizabeth, on the one part } 
 nor Jofeph and Mary, on the other ; could con* 
 trive Each their refpeSiive plots in this double 
 inipojiure ; nor could Jofeph and Mary be the 
 contrivers of the whole joint undertaking, 
 
 JL HE Jirfi of thefe three fuppofitions we were 
 obliged to make *, in order to account for the ex- 
 iftence of the impoftures under confideration, having 
 thus proved incredible, on fo many accounts ; let 
 us now proceed to the fecond^ and enquire whether 
 it is poffible. 
 
 " That Zacharias might be the original pro- 
 jector of that defign only, which immediately re- 
 lated to his fon; and Jofeph and Mary^ in like 
 manner, the contrivers of the other fcheme, in fa- 
 vour of their (rwnP 
 
 Had this been the true ftate of the cafe, fuice 
 it has been feen, that They were All^ from the be- 
 ginning, engaged together in the joint profecu- 
 
 • Sec page 68. 
 
 K 2 tion 
 
152 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 tion of Both impoftures, it will unavoidably foU 
 low, 
 
 Either that Zacharias mado known hk defigu 
 firji to Jofeph and Mary, and that, in conlequence 
 of it, they then made him acquainted with theirs ; 
 or, that Thty firfi difcloled their intended plot to 
 Zacharias^ in hopes of procuring his affiltance in 
 That alone \ upon which Zacharias laid open to 
 Them the fcheme he himfelf had in view ; and thus, 
 lyi^ich ever might happen to be the cafe, They Ail 
 immediately agreed to fupport each other in the 
 joint profecution of Both. 
 
 If each party contrived their own plot, one of 
 thefe fuppofitions r^iuft have taken place. But a 
 llisht attention to fome material circumftances will 
 prefently m^ke it appear, that neither of them can 
 be true. 
 
 With regard to the jirjt^ which fuppofes Za- 
 charias to have laid the fcheme concerning John 
 only, and to have applied to Jofeph and Mary, to 
 join with him in the profecution of That alom^ 
 nothing can be more plain, than that every argu- 
 ment which has been already alleged, to fliew that 
 Zacharias could not be the author of both defigns ; 
 or, if he had been, that He could not have apr 
 plied to Jofeph and Mary to confpire with him 
 in Both ; remains as ftrong as before^ upon this 
 fnppofition; nay, and proves even more forcibly^ 
 
 that 
 
Sc6t. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JE&U9 CHRIST. 133 
 
 that he could not have imparted to them One of 
 thefe fuppoled deiigns, had he been the contriver 
 of One only. 
 
 He could not have been wicked enougli to be 
 capable of a contrivance for counterfeiting the Mef- 
 fiah's Forerunner, without having been equally ca- 
 pable of fetting up an impoftor, even under the 
 character of the Mejfidh htm/elf. If his advanced 
 age, his religious profeffion, and his fmgular good 
 chara6ter, confidered in all their unavoidable con- 
 fequences, prove it utterly incredible, that he could 
 be the author of two fuch deteftable undertakings ; 
 they render it equally abfurd to imagine he could 
 be the planner of Either, If the length of time 
 requifite to put in practice the fuppofed impofture 
 relating to John only, is fuch a circumftance, as, 
 ■when confidered jointly Avith Zacharias^s age, ren- 
 ders the fuppolition of his contriving it, not only 
 unworthy of belief, but even highly indiculous, it 
 cannot ftand in need of any other plot of the fame 
 kind, to make it ftili more incredible. If it has 
 appeared likewife from confidering Mary's youth, 
 and the feveral otlier circumftances, both of her 
 fituation, and that oi Jofeph, that Zacharias can- 
 not be conceived to have difclofed to them, both 
 thefe defigns, if he had contrived them Both ; the 
 fame reafons will make it equally mcredible, that 
 he could venture to lay open to them his iniquity 
 
 K3 in 
 
134 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I, 
 
 in One of thefe devices, if he was the real author of 
 One only. 
 
 From what ha* been proved already therefore, 
 without any thing further, it might here be allow- 
 able to conclude, that this fecond fuppofition, as 
 far as relates to Zacharias, rnuft in every parti- 
 cular be as falfe and as groundlefs as thejirji. But 
 in reality, the evidence of his innocence will be 
 found much ftronger on this fuppofition than the 
 former. 
 
 In the firft place, it is apparent from the na- 
 ture of the thing itfelf, that if the plot relating to 
 John was the whole of Zacharias's delign, Elizabeth 
 and He w^e the only perfons at all requifite, and 
 indeed the only perfons capable of carrying it on, 
 Had this been the cafe therefore, they would never 
 have revealed their own impiety, as no ufe could 
 attend it, to any perfon whatever. To imagine, 
 that now at length Zacharias would voluntarily lay 
 open his wicked intentions, when they neither re- 
 quired, nor indeed could admit of any manage- 
 ment befides his own ; and, above all, that he ihould 
 thus betray himfelf to fuch perfons, fo circumftanced 
 as Jofeph and Mary were^ purely to lot them into 
 the fecret of his true concealed character, would 
 be the moft ridiculous and extravagant of all ima- 
 ginations. 
 
 AOAIN, 
 
Se6t. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 135 
 
 Again, ^vhile we fuppofed Zacharias to have 
 contrived a plot for the Son of another perfon^ as 
 well as one for his own, it might, at firft fight, ap- 
 pear poffible to procure alTociates, by giving them 
 hopes of great advantages to be drawn from the 
 fuccefs of their Son. But if he had no defign on 
 foot, more than that relating to John only ; even 
 this appearance of a poffibility of his procuring af- 
 iiftance from Jofeph and Mary, had his plot really 
 ftood in need of it^ is entirely vaniilied, and the 
 fuppoiition of his applying to them about it, be- 
 comes at once confelTedly incredible. 
 
 Certainly he could not hope to engage them 
 in fo dangerous, as well as iniquitous a defign^ 
 without having at leaft fonie very fpecious emolu- 
 ments to propofe to them from its fuccefs. But 
 what advantai^es could he make them imacrine 
 might probably refult to them, ihould his fup- 
 pofed defign in favour of John only prove ever ib 
 fuccefsful ? And this is the only defign we are now 
 fuppofmg him to have contrived. It might in- 
 deed be thought, that the parents of fo diftin- 
 guiihed a prophet, if they were ftill alive when 
 the plot Ihould take eff'e6b, would be held in ve» 
 Deration and efteem ; and this was the utmoft that 
 even they themf elves could hope for. But no t)e* 
 nefit could be expected on this account by his 
 moji dijiant relations, and efpecially fuch as were 
 
 K4 in 
 
136 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part I. 
 
 ill fo obfcure a fpiiere of life as Jofeph and Mary 
 ■were. 
 
 Greatness and fplendor were by no means 
 the apparent objects of this defign, even with re- 
 gard to John hiinfelf; who, inftead of affecting 
 rule and authority over the people, was to teach 
 them " the knowledge of falvation through the 
 '' remiffion of their fins," and preach to them the 
 baptifm of repentance. And however fuccefsful he 
 might be in impofmg on them as a prophet, an at- 
 tempt itfelf of no fmall difficulty and danger, it 
 would ftill remain in the higheft degree improbable, 
 that he Ihould ever be able to graft upon it the 
 attainment of wealth' and power. 
 
 In nations overrun with a fabulous religion, and 
 fuperftitious notions of the gods, the cftabHllied 
 credit of divine infpiration might, with reafon, be 
 expelled to afford means of gratifying the moft un- 
 bounded ambition. But among the Jews this was 
 by no means the cafe. Their clear and eftablifhed 
 Icnowledge of God's immediate providence, and 
 fettled belief in his will, already revealed to them, 
 freed them fo effectually from this blind enthufiaftic 
 admiration of whoever might pretend to an extra- 
 ordinary commiffion from above, as to make them, 
 on the contrary, fevere judges of all fuch preten- 
 fions. They had enjoyed like wife a long fucceffion 
 of perfons, univerfally acknowledged as the moft 
 
 approved 
 
Sect. 6, JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 137 
 
 approved prophets, who, though even workers of 
 miracles in fupport of their claims, had neitiier 
 fought for public honours, nor to aggrandize their 
 fortunes, but pcrfifted, to the laft, in quite a pri- 
 vate and reclufe fituation. Nay, the ve?y PtrfoiZy 
 whofe life and manner Jolui was profeifedly to 
 imitate, according to Zachariass own predi6iion, 
 was one at leaft of the moft eminent of them all, 
 for the abftemioufnefs and privacy of his courfe of 
 life. 
 
 Ir was therefore fo far from being natural for 
 a Jew to expect, that the Jezvijh people would be 
 at all inclined to beftow wealth and honours, upon 
 whomfoever they might actually efteem infpired 
 from above ; that, in reality^ there was great 
 reafon to fear, they would begin to call in quef- 
 tion the veracity of any one, and more efpecially 
 of the profefifed imitator of Elias, as foon as he 
 ihould begin to betray a defire of fuch kind of re- 
 wards. 
 
 Besides, //e, above all others, who fliould ap- 
 pear as the Forerunner^ of the expected Alcffiahy 
 could not propofe to himfelf, or his adherents, 
 any confiderable advantages. The Mejjiah him- 
 felf was the king, for whom the Jews io ardently 
 wifhed, and whom they fo foon expected. He 
 it was, who, they believed, would eftabliili them 
 in an univerfal dominion. And the nearer they 
 
IS8 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Parti, 
 
 apprehended his arrival to be ; that is, the more fuc- 
 cefsfuUy any pretender to the character of his Fore- 
 7m7iner ihould delude them into a belief in his own 
 divine miifion ; the farther would they be from be- 
 ftowing wealth and honours upon the pretended 
 -xneflenger himfelf. Their thoughts and expecta- 
 tions would unavoidably be fufpended till the ar- 
 rival of the Meffiah, and for him they would re- 
 ferve all their choiceil gifts ; while the Meffenger 
 and his adherents could have little or no hopes of 
 profit or exaltation. If they ihould believe his 
 report, it was naturally to be expected, that they 
 would behave to him, as in fa6l it appears the 
 Jews did to John, when they did believe him, and 
 he peremptorily declared himfelf only the harbinger 
 of the IMeiTiah ; that is, that they would reverence 
 him as a prophet, but not think of exalting him as 
 a ma?i. 
 
 To fuppofe then, that Zachaiias had only this 
 plot in view, and yet that he difclofed it to Jqfeph 
 and Mary, would be fuppofing him determined to 
 make known to them his own unparalleled iniquity, 
 though They could be of no ufc to Him in the exe- 
 cution of his plot; and it could not he of ayiy fe?^- 
 mce to Them, even if it iliould fucceed. But this 
 is a fuppofition too abfurd to be received, fmce 
 if ZacJiarias was capable of betraying himfelf in fo 
 fooliih a manner, he muft have been abfolutely in- 
 
 capable 
 
Se6b. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS C^ISt. JS9 
 
 capable o( conceoWng his true character, ^fi^^'^ioain- 
 taiiiing lb good a reputation as he did, till he Avas 
 well Itricken in years. 
 
 But though, for all thele reafons, it cannot be 
 believed, that Zacharias could betray himfelf in fo 
 tbolilli a manner to Jofcpli and Alary; poflibly 
 Jofeph and Mary might apply Jirji to Zacharias^ 
 to procure his affiftance in that impofture, which 
 i\'e are now fuppofmg Them to have planned out 
 for their Son. 
 
 And here the queftion immediately occurs, for 
 what reafon could They apply to Zacharias, if they 
 had only that plot in view, which related to their 
 oxvn Son ? Could they be desirous of laying open 
 their wicked intentions to him, when it was not in 
 the leaft necefikry to the profecution of their dcT 
 iign ; and when they could not poflibly imagine it 
 capable of being at all beneiicial to him ? Was the 
 impiety of fetting up an impoftor for the Meffiah^ 
 lefe Ihocking than that of counterfeiting his Fore- 
 runner ; that They fliould be more ready to lay 
 themfelves open to Zacharias, than He could be, 
 as we have already feen, to expofe himfelf to Themf 
 Or, in one word, would not the folly and danger 
 of this step have been fo great, and fo glaring, that 
 it is impolTible to conceive they could be capable of 
 overlooking it ? The plot itfelt^ as has been before 
 
 fully 
 
140 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part f. 
 
 fully Ihewn *, Avas of fo dangerous and dilcoii- 
 raging a nature, fo deftitute of all profpecls of ad- 
 vantage, and fo much more likely to induce any 
 bne to betray than promote it, that it cannot be be- 
 lieved they could venture to impart it to any pcrfon 
 whatever. 
 
 Waving, however, thefe confiderations, and 
 fuppofmg Them determined, though contrary to 
 every motive by which they could poffibly be de- 
 termined, to make fomebody privy to their intended 
 impofture, ftill it would have been impoffible for 
 them to have fixed upon Zacharias and Elizabeth, 
 above all others, to make acquainted with their 
 plot. 
 
 Nothing can be more inconceivable, than that 
 they lliould fmgle out a Prieji of the God of Ifrael, 
 grown venerable with years, and ftill more fo by 
 an unblemiihed reputation, as one who could be 
 pleafed with the authors of fo iniquitous a device. 
 They could not poiTibly hit on any perfon, in their 
 own opiniom, more likely to reveal their impiety 
 immediately to the rulers, and publifti it to the 
 whole nation; and by this means procure them 
 
 * This muft plainly appear, from confidering all that has 
 
 . been feeii of the unpromifmg nature of the defign fuppofed 
 
 with regard to John, jointly with the flill greater difficulties 
 
 and dangers, that muft neceflknly attend this relating to 
 
 Jefus, 
 
 that 
 
Seci. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 141 
 
 that condign puniiliinent they fo highly deferved, 
 and would have been fure to undergo. It muft 
 be ridiculous to fuppofe, they could expe6i any 
 thing better at his hands, though their defign had 
 been fuch, as even to have tempted him with lu^ 
 crativc and ambitious views. And what then could 
 they hope for, or how could they lay open their 
 own guilt to him, above all others, when it was 
 abfolutely impoffible, that their fuppofed Jingle 
 impofture in favour of Jefus could procure Zacha- 
 rias any benefit at all ? 
 
 But, infurmountable as thefe difficulties muft 
 be owned, the fuppofition we are examining, labours 
 yet witli one more, if poflible, ftill greater than all 
 the reft. 
 
 We have feeii long ago, that if there was any 
 contrivance in the cafe, all the parties concerned 
 muft have been engaged together in it, even from 
 the very planning of the whole joint tranfa6lion. If 
 therefore Mary and Jqfeph communicated their fe- 
 par ate defign, ^/y?, to Zacharias, they muft certainly 
 have taken this ftep, before Zacharias a6lually 
 counterfeited his vifion in the temple. Now thi^ 
 event we know, from the order of the feveral fa6i;s, 
 came to pafs no lefs than full fix months before 
 even the conception of Marys fon. So that, on 
 the fuppofition we are now confidering, Jofeph and 
 Mary muft have planned and communicated their 
 
 ftparate 
 
14fQ THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 feparate deiign to Zacliarias ; nay, and they muft 
 all have determined, that Zacharias ftiould actually 
 proceed to begin his part in the joint undertaking, 
 fulljix months htfore Jefus was conceived; and, 
 confequently, as long before Mary had any actual 
 profpe6l of a child, to act that part, they intended 
 him afterwards to undertake. But this is an agree^ 
 ment fo utterly incapable of being believed, that 
 •whatever fuppofition unavoidably includes it, muft 
 neceflarily be falfe. 
 
 To fay no more therefore upon this head, fmce 
 it has fo plainly and fully appeared, firft, that Z2- 
 charias could not be the author of Both the plots 
 in queftion together ; nor, fecondly, of One of them 
 alone^ while Jofcph and Mary were the real con- 
 trivers of the Other; let us enquire in the laft 
 place, 
 
 " Whether Jofeph and Mary may not have been 
 the real contrivers of both parts of this double im- 
 pofture, and have prevailed with Zacharias to un- 
 dertake the profecution of One^ in hopes of fome 
 gi'eat advantages to be drawn from the joint fuccefs 
 oiBoihr 
 
 This is the only poffible fuppofition remain- 
 ing, and even this muft be exploded, as well as 
 the two former, unlefs it Ihall appear credible, in 
 the firft place, that Jofeph and Mary could con- 
 trive two fuck dcfi^ns ; in the next, that tiiey 
 
 could 
 
Se6t. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 14J 
 
 could impart them to Zacharias, in hopes of his 
 ftpproving and becoming a principal in the joint 
 profecution of them ; and laftly, that He could 
 really engage in them, if they had. All thefe 
 particulars niuft, upon examination, api:)ear cre- 
 dible ; or this laft fuppofition, as it includes them 
 all, muft neceflarily be rejected as incredible and 
 abfurd. 
 
 And with regard to thefe particulars, abfo- 
 lutely neceflary to be firft eftablifhed, not to en- 
 large upon arguments that have been already in- 
 fifted on, it muft by this time be fully evident, 
 that neither of tliem can poffibly be admitted. 
 For if the ingenuity, artleffnefs, and timidity, na- 
 tural to Marys youth ; the modeft and referved 
 education of her fex ; the good charoBei^ free from 
 fell afperfion, which She as well as Jofeph, at this 
 time enjoyed, and ever after maintained ; together 
 with the confined views, and inexperience of the 
 World, neceffarily occafioned by their low ftation 
 in life ; render it utterly incredible, that They 
 could even have become parties to fuch impious 
 fend ihocking contrivances, when planned by an- 
 other, they muft unqueftionably prove it morally 
 impolTible for Them to have firft contrived fuch 
 Smpoftures Themfehes, After all then that has 
 been faid already, in proof of this point, the fup- 
 pofition of Their having been the true authors of 
 
 Both 
 
Hi THE DIVINE MISSIONS OP Part L 
 
 Both thefe impoftures, becomes fo apparently ex- 
 travagant, that it needs but to be mentioned, in 
 order to be exploded. 
 
 Nor, in the next place, can any ftronger ar- 
 guments be delired, than nhat the facred profef- 
 lion, advanced age, and exemplary character of 
 Zachaiias, have already furniOied, to convince us 
 of the impoffibility of his being applied to. for af-, 
 finance, in any wicked defign whatever, and much 
 ijiore of his becoming a confederate in thefe abpve 
 all others, had he actually been folicited to join in 
 them. 
 
 However, abundantly fufficient as the joint 
 force of all thefe confiderations is, to prove that 
 Jofeph and Mary could not be guilty of contriving 
 both the plots in debate ; the nature of the cafe 
 will fupply us with one argument more, which 
 muft needs put this point beyond poffibility of difi- 
 pute. 
 
 If Jofeph and Alary were the real contrivers of 
 both the fuppofed impoftures, and, confequently, 
 engaged Zacharias and Elizabeth to a6t the part 
 they afterwards did, in the profecution of them; 
 then They muft in the beginnieg have laid open 
 thefe deiigns to Zacharias, in hopes of inducing 
 liim to undertake the management of that half of 
 the plot, which he afterwards carried on. An(J 
 finc(? it is inaniMIy impolTible for Zacharias tQ 
 
 have 
 
Sea. 6, Jdnis tAPtnt Akd Skst^ dHRisti 145 
 
 'lave been acting his part, till after he had been 
 thus folicitedj and agreed to undertake it, Jofeph 
 and Mary muft have applied to him on this ac- 
 count, and He muft have agreed to their propofal, 
 fome time before he a6tually opened the plot, with 
 iiis pretended vifion in the temple* That is, in 
 other woirds, fome time before even the cofiception 
 f)f John, 
 
 But AVhat was the fituatlon of Zacharias and 
 FJhabeth at that time? Elimbeth had always hi- 
 therto continued abfolutely chiidlefs / and both She 
 and Zacharias were now too old, to entertain the 
 leaft hope of ever having children. So that upon 
 this fuppofition, Jofeph and 3Idri/ muft have foli- 
 cited Zacharias and Elizabeth to begin an impof- 
 ture for the fake of their oxvn &;?,' and they muft 
 have agreed to it with this view 5 not only at a time 
 when they really had no fon^ but when they mull 
 likewife have been fully peffuaded that they rtever 
 Ihould-have any. But how was it pofllble, in fuch 
 circumftances, for one party to make the applica- 
 tion, or the other to comply with it ? This at leaft, 
 it muft be confeiled, was abfolutely impoffible, and 
 the contrary fuppofition would have been evidently 
 abfurd. 
 
 Had it therefore ftill remained a matter of 
 doubt, w^hether Jofeph and Mary might not have 
 planned the two impoftures in qucftion ; fure we 
 
 L arQ, 
 
1^6 THE DIVINE M1S3I0KS OF Part L 
 
 are, Zachanas and Elizabeth were fo fituated, that 
 They could not have been applied to, to afiift in 
 carrying them on, nor have attempted to do it, if 
 they had. Nor does this concluiion reft wholly, 
 even upon a variety of the ftrongeft mortal proofs^ 
 but likewife, upon the cleareft natural impofiibility, 
 that the contrary could be true. 
 
 In fine, to conclude this argument, it appears 
 not only certain, that Jofeph and Mai^y were inca- 
 pable of contriving fuch execrable plots ; as well as 
 from feveral circumftances of the laft importance, 
 that they certainly did not contrive thofe in debate ; 
 but likewife, that they could have no aflignable 
 motive whatever for fetting ,fuch contrivances on 
 foot. 
 
 The only caufes, which either obftinate infi- 
 delity can invent, or impiety fuggeft, to account 
 for their concerting fuch a Itrange impofture, 
 muft be, either the hopes of advantages to accrue 
 from the impoftures themfelvcs, or the dcfire of 
 preventing all farcaftic reflections upon Marys un- 
 expected conditiony before her marriage with Jofeph 
 \vas finally completed. But as to any advantages to 
 be derived from the fuccefs of thefe impoftures 
 themfelves, though the polTibility of fuch hopes 
 has been all along fuppofed, for the fake of allow- 
 ing the fuppofition of their guilt every imaginable 
 advantage ; yet they, have in fad appeared far too 
 
 remote 
 
SeCt. 6. JOrf^ fiAPTTSt A^D JESUS CftRTST. 147 
 
 remote ftncl chimerical, and the clangers of the plots 
 too great and imminent, to admit of any one's coil- 
 triving them on fuch motives as thefe. After all 
 that has now been feen^ this account of the matter 
 mull neceflarily be given up. 
 
 As for the remaining fuppolition, that the Avhole 
 might be a contrivance to fare Mary*s reputation, 
 the fa6ls themfelves will Ihew this to be, of all 
 others, the moft ridiculous,, and indeed^ ftri6tly 
 fpeaking, injpofTible. Nothing cati be a more extra- 
 vagant imagination, at firft light, than this ; that a 
 carpenter and his intended wife, lliould agree to fet 
 tip a child of theirs, yet unborn, for a counterfeit 
 of the great M?[jiah ; and moreover attempt to 
 perfuade fome otie of their acquaintance, to 
 fet up another for his Forerunner ; and all this 
 far no other end, than merely to prevent their 
 Neighbours from throwing out reflections to their 
 difadvantagG. 
 
 But bolides, if the favihg of Mary\ reputation 
 Has the point they aimed at, there was a certain, 
 fafe, eafy, and efte6^tual, method of doing it, 
 \vhich they could not poflibly be ignorant of, or 
 forget, and which therefore they would unquef- 
 tionably have adopted, inftead of fetting tiiem- 
 felves to contrive plots of fo dangerous, fruitlefs, 
 tind ftrange a nature, as thofe before us. In $^ 
 word, as it is plain, that they had been for fome 
 
 L 2 time 
 
148 THE mxist MISSIONS 0$* Part L 
 
 time betrothed to each other, before Marys patti^ 
 cular fituation took place, the mere completion of 
 their marriage, upon tlie very firft, flighteit fuf- 
 picion of it, would have fecured Her effectually 
 from all reproach, and was indeed the only expe- 
 dient capable of doing it. 
 
 Still the fa6ls will fupply us with another 
 confideration upon this point, that can admit of 
 no reply. Had both the plots been contrived by 
 Jofepli and Mary^ to fave her from difgrace, on 
 account of her lituation, before their marriage was 
 complete, it is plain They themfelves could not have 
 fettled the plan of them, till they had fom& reafoi> 
 to apprehend the ftate Ihe might be in. At leaft, 
 this muft unqueftionably be allowed, that They 
 could not apply to Zacharias and Elizabeth to 
 undertake o?ie of the joint plots they had contrived ; 
 and, above all, that Zacharias could not proceed to 
 the a^ual executwn of any public ftep in it, tilj 
 That eventy on account of which only the whole 
 contrivance was agreed on, could be certainly known 
 to have taken place. 
 
 These points confidered, it muft neeelTarily 
 be acknowledged, that if Jofeph and Mary con- 
 trived both thefe impoftures, for tl>e end now fup- 
 pofed, Zacharias could not have brought on his 
 pretended vifion in tlie temple, which muft have 
 been the public opening of the whole defign, tiU 
 
 »t 
 
Se6b. 6, JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 149 
 
 at leaft fome little time after Mary's particular fitu- 
 ation had been fully conjinned. 
 
 Does it then in fact appear, that Zacharias did 
 not begin the part he acbed, with the vilion juft 
 mentioned, till Mary might have been found with 
 ciiild, the very earlieft period v\ hich the nature of 
 the cafe can poliibly aduiit ? So far from it, that, 
 on the contrary, we find, lie pretended, at leaft, 
 to have feen tlie vifion in queftion, and to fliew the 
 'vi/ible effefts of it, no lefs than /i///yZr months^ be- 
 fore Mary alierted ihe had iiiQw a fimilar vifion, 
 and confequently, as long before even the conception 
 of Je/as, 
 
 We may therefore confidently pronounce it 
 impoflible for Zacharias's vifion to have been 
 the opening of a plot contrived by Jofeph and 
 Mary^ and entered into by Zacharias at their iVir 
 ftigation, in order to refcue Mary from reproach, 
 Qn account of her being found with child, be- 
 fore her marriage with Jofeph was completed, 
 Becaufe it was tranfa6ted fo many months before 
 the fuppofed occafion fov it had any cxiftencc, 
 to bring her character into queftion, and confe* 
 
 ♦ That it was not poflible to falfify the time of Zacharias's 
 firfl appearing dumb, and pretending to have feen the vifion 
 jviil mentioned, or to forge the fad itfelf, if it had never hap- 
 pened ; fee proved more at largo in ]»p. 1j6", 157, 358, &c. 
 9U4 thp notes, 
 
 L 3 qucntly, 
 
150 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part L 
 
 quently, before any impofture whatever could, on 
 that account, be carried into execution. 
 
 At length then we niay be permitted to affirm, 
 that the fuppolition, that Jofeph and Mary were 
 the real authors of the whole defign, and the fe- 
 ducers of thofe concerned with them in carrying, 
 it on, appears on various accounts abfurd, and im- 
 poffible to be true. And this fuppofition being 
 what we were unavoidably driven to, as the very: 
 luft * that could be made in fupport of any impofr 
 ture at all, we are now under a neceffity of laying 
 afide all fufpicion of any deceit in the cafe, as 
 contrary to the clear evidence of a great variety of 
 fa6l;s, and deftitute of every the leaft rational foun- 
 dation or fupport 
 
 And fmce it has appeared plainly, from the 
 feveral circumjtcmces^ jituations^ and characlers, of 
 All the parties concerned in the tranfa6tions under 
 confideration, that neither J7iy of them alone^ nor- 
 All of them together, could contrive and enter upon 
 fuch an impofture, as that in queftion, if it was 
 one, muft have been ; we are indifpenfably bound 
 to acknowledge, that the concept ions, and births^ 
 of John the Baptiji and Jefus Chriji, were /n//j/ 
 accompanied ^ith all thofe jjiiraculous events, 
 which the evangelifts have recorded of them . 
 
 * S-e page 68* 
 
 and 
 
Seft. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 151 
 
 and confequently, that thofc prophetic and crtvi?ie 
 chara6lers, wliich, agreeably to the angel's pre- 
 di6lions, they afterwards ailumed, were unquef- 
 tionably their true characters, and what had been 
 of old ordained for them by the ftupendous provi- 
 dence of God, 
 
 L 4 THE 
 
TUB 
 
 DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 OP 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST 
 
 AND 
 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 PART IL 
 
 SECTION L 
 
 The whole iinpofture in quefiion is, iii its cw7i nature^, 
 fo exceedingly ahfurd, that it was not pojible to 
 hax'e been conceived or undertaken, hy any perfon 
 whatever, 
 
 X HE circumftances and chara6ler of every 
 perfon at all concerned in the births of John 
 the Baptiji and Jefas Chri/i, having, upon a clofe 
 examination, aiforded fo full a proof of their 
 divine miffions and authority ; let us now proceed 
 to confider, whether as ftrong an argument, in 
 (upport of the fame conclufion, may not be drawn 
 
 from 
 
154 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part 11. 
 
 from the internal nature of thefe remarkable events 
 thenifelves, and the feveral fubordinate tranfaftions, 
 that were either previous to, or any way conne61;ed 
 with them. Upon an attentive confideration, per- 
 haps the main fa6ls themfelves, as well as the 
 circumltances attending them, w^ll be found of 
 fo peculiar a nature; as to furnifli the moft 
 convincing proofs we can defire, that they could 
 not poffibly arife from, or even admit of any 
 impofture. 
 
 It is needlefs to repeat here the detail of e'veri/ 
 particular conne6ied with the 7?iam events in de- 
 bate, fmce the evangelift's own account of the 
 whole feries of thefe tranfa8;ions has been quoted 
 at large already *. We may therefore proceed at 
 once to the examination oi fuch particulars only, as 
 feem fully fufficient to place beyond doubt the ' 
 truth and certainty of all the reft. And this they 
 will enable us to do, by fhewing, firft, " That the 
 ** plot fuppofed is, in its own nature, fo very ridi- 
 " culous and abfurd, that it is utterly inconceivable 
 "" any one could ever contrive or engage in it.** 
 And, in the next place, " that if we could fup- f 
 " pofe it capable of being undertaken, the expe- 
 " dients by which it appears it muft have been 
 ** carried on are fuch, as it is abfolutely incredible 
 *' could ever have been adopted." 
 
 • See page 15 — 20, and p. 59 — 5l. 
 
Se6l, 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 155 
 
 The only foundation necelT^'y to be laid, beforo 
 ^ye enter upon tliis argument, is lb obvious a prin* 
 ciple, that we may fafely venture to fuppofe it will 
 be very readily allowed. And this is, tluit 
 
 All impostors must ever be supposed to 
 act upon motives of human cunning, and 
 to govern themselves by views of human 
 
 FORESIGHT ANJ? PROBABILITY. AnD CONSE- 
 quently, avhenever a plot in question 
 vould, if taken for granted, be abso- 
 l^utely destitute of the one, and the 
 conduct of the supposed impostor be found 
 opposite to the other ; that then right 
 reason and common sense oblige us to 
 acknowlj:dge, there could be no deceit 
 in the case. 
 
 By tliis touchftpne therefore let us now try tlie 
 impofture in debate. 
 
 It is related, that an angel appeared to Zacharias 
 in the temple, and foretold to him the conception, 
 birth, and divine character of his fon. That to 
 pupifli hjm for miftrufting the truth of thefe pre- 
 dictions, as well as to convince him in the ftrongeft 
 manner of their divine authority, the angel at 
 once ftmck him dumb; affuring him at the fame 
 tune that he fliould continue thus deprived of his 
 fpecch, till that fpn, whofe birth lie had then 
 J)een forewarned of, iliould be actually born. 
 
 That 
 
166 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OJP Part IL 
 
 That in a few days after this, when his miniftration 
 at the temple was over*, Zacharias returned home; 
 *' and after thofe days his wife Elizabeth con- 
 *' ceived." That in fa6l Zacharias did continue 
 dumb, till, in the natural courfe of time, Joh?i was 
 accordingly born ; and fliortly after, agreeably to 
 the angel's predi6lion, his fpeech was as inftanta- 
 neoufly reftored to him, as it had been before taken 
 a^yay. 
 
 This therefore now becomes the point in debate, 
 whether the fa6ls here related mijrht not be fa 
 many particulars of a fubtil impofture ; or whe- 
 ther, that fuppofed impofture, of which only thefe 
 particulars could be part, muft not have been of 
 fo abfurd a nature, that it is impofTible to believe it 
 could ever exift ? 
 
 And here, firft, it is obvious, that Zacharias 's 
 pretending, at leaft, to have been fuddenly ftruck 
 diimby at the particular time mentioned, is a fa6t 
 which cannot haye been forged ; becaufe, if true, 
 
 • The whole body pf the Jewiih priefts was divided into 
 twenty-four parts, called courfes ; each ^f which, in a fixed 
 rotation, attended in the temple to perform the whole worfliip 
 there, and the attendance of each courfe was a week at a 
 time, and that twice in a year. Such was the miniftration of 
 Zacharias here mentioned, at the expiration of which he 
 returned home from Jerufaleni, — See Lewis's Heb. Antiq, 
 b. ii. c, 7. 
 
 great 
 
Seft. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 15? 
 
 great numbers muft have been witneffes of it, and 
 could not be deceived about it. More efpecially a a 
 it is affinned to have happened on fo remarkable an 
 occafion, and in circumltances lb particular, that it 
 muft unavoidably have engaged the attention of 
 every one, who was prefent at the temple fervice at 
 the time. 
 
 " According to the cuftom of the priefts 
 <** office, his lot was to bum incenfe % when he 
 " went into the temple of the Lord. A^d the 
 " whole multitude of the people were praying 
 " without at the time of incenfe. And the people 
 ** waited for Zacharias, and marvelled, that he 
 ** tarried fo long in the temple. And when he 
 •* came out he could not fpcak unto them; and 
 " tiiey perceived that he had feen a vifion in the 
 ^' temple, for he beckoned unto them, and re- 
 " mained fpeechlefs f." 
 
 This was fo remarkable an event in all its cir- 
 cumftances, that it could not but aftoniili every 
 one prefent, and be immediately noifed about 
 through the whole city of Jerufalem. A vifion 
 
 * " As the courfes of the pricfts were (originally) decided^ 
 by loty fo every particular prieft had his office appointed him 
 by the fame method. The lot determined, who ftiould attend 
 the altar of incenfe, who (hould feed the fire, who carry out the 
 allies, and all other parts of the fervice." — Lewis, ibid. 
 
 t Lukci. 9, 10, 21: 22. 
 
 from 
 
i58 tHE t)IVI^^E Missions of Psirt ll; 
 
 from heaven, appearing to a prieft of venerable 
 fige, and exemplary cliara6tef, while he was ac- 
 tually performing duty in the temple itfelf; and 
 depriving him oi fpeech, fo as to di fable him from 
 going on with the moft public, and remarkablt 
 part of his office, that of difmiffmg the people with 
 their appointed folemn bkjjing'^^ was an incident 
 
 fo 
 
 ♦ This Is a partieulur which dcfcrTes our cfpecial notice; 
 as it muft have rendered Zacharias's apparent fuddcn lofs of 
 fpecch, fo extremely remarkabk-, that not one pcrion, who 
 •was then attending worfliip in the tomple, could remain igno- 
 rant of it. •* The people/' we find, *' waited for Zacharias^*^ 
 to come out from the holy place, where the incenfe w»s 
 burnt, and bkfs them ; for fo the pricfts ufed to do after bump- 
 ing the incenfe. (Sec Lightfoot's Temple \torflnp, ch. 9* 
 iLewis, b. iv. 13.) *' And they raarvcilcd that he tarried fo 
 " loftgi And when he came out Jie could not fpeak unt6 
 ** them," to give them their accuftomed blefling before thej 
 departed. " And they perceived that he had feen a vifion in 
 •' the temple ; for he beckoned unto them, and remained 
 ** fpeechlefs." Now this laff pari of his ofllce, which Zacha- 
 Tias on this occafion appeared unable to perform, and adually 
 <iid not perform, was that for which the Jews entertained t. 
 
 much greater veneration than any other. " The bejiediSiion 
 
 ,4vas to be pronounced by the prieft, ftanding fo that he. might 
 be feen, with his hands lifted up and f])read, an<l fpeaking 
 with » loud voice, with his face towards the alfembly. Ihis 
 was the form of the blefling, as it was eflabliflied by God 
 himfelf (Numb, vj, 24, &c.). " The Lord blefs thee and 
 " keep thee ; the Lord make his face to fhine upon thee, 
 '* aad be gracious unto they ; the Lord lift up his counte- 
 
 " nance 
 
Se^. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 159 
 
 fo very uncommon, that thofe who were prefent 
 would naturally make it known, and render it im- 
 poflible for any one afterwards to publifh fuch an 
 account, had the fa6b never happened, or fallify the 
 time on which it did. 
 
 And befides this confideration, relating to the 
 people in general, it muft likewife be remembered, 
 that the whole number of the Jewiih priefts 
 was divided into feveral diftin6l bodies, each of 
 which performed the worlliip at the temple, in 
 
 •* nance upon thee, and give thee peace.*' When this bene- 
 diction was faid in the fandtuary, if we may believe the Jews, 
 it was but one, and pronounced without any paufe, the people 
 keeping profound filence ; but out of the fanduary, in their 
 fynagogucs, they made three of it; the pricftpaufmg at the end 
 ^f every vcrfe, and the people faying Amenj to each of them/' 
 
 ■■' " The divine bleffing was always fuppofcd to depend upon 
 
 the blcflTing of the prieft, which they thoughtyo iiecejfary, that 
 iuch priefts as were admitted to no other fcrvice might perform 
 thiSf left the people fliould at any time want it. And it was a 
 maxim, that the bkjftng pronounced by a prieft who had fomc 
 blemifti in his body was always to be accounted lawful. There 
 is nothing performed among the Jexcs with fo ?nuch/olemmti/f 
 and in which they place fo much fandity, as in this folemu 
 Benedidion,*' — Lev.ib's Hob. Antiq. 1. ii. 7.— After this account 
 of the folemnity of that part of his office, which Zacharias did 
 Tiot perform; fignifying at the fame time, to the whole congre- 
 gation, that he had feen a vifion and w«.s dumb; we cannot need 
 ^ny other argument to convince us of the great notice, that 
 muft have been taken of it, by every one who was prefent at the 
 time it came to pafs, 
 
 their 
 
150 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part it, 
 
 their appointed weekly courfes, and at no other time. 
 So that as Zacharias could not poffibly officiate 
 there, from the moment he appeared dumb, tift 
 he had his Ipeech to all appearance reftored ; the 
 time when he Jirjl ccafed to fpeak muft have been 
 fo well known to all the relt of his own courfe, 
 who were upon duty at the temple at the fame 
 time, and who were always a very confiderable 
 number; that it muft have been impoffible for 
 him ever after to falfify the period of this re- 
 inarkable event *. 
 
 Ik 
 
 ♦ It cannot fail of iiluftrating this argument very greatly, 
 to confuler how many priefts there might be in their week of 
 duty at the temple, together with Zucharias, and who muft 
 ell have been well acquainted with what pafled at this timc.~* 
 Each of the twenty-four courfes had their weekly turn of duty 
 in the temple, twice in the year; ami the diftinO; families of 
 eacli courfe had their appointed days in the week. — " Now the 
 priefts in every one of tlje twenty- four courfes were exceeding, 
 -^^ny. For Jofephus relateth, that there were thoufands inr 
 ^very courfe. And this we are fure of, from evident fcrip- 
 ture, that at the crowning ^ JoaHi, when an infurre^lion by 
 Athaliah was feared, ,thc priefts of two courfes otilj/ were 
 reputed as a fuihcient guard fo^ the king, and about the tern* 
 pie. — 2 Kings, xi. 5, 6", 7- — And ^vhen Uzziah would haver 
 burned incenfe, there were eighty priefts ready to withhold hini< 
 2 Chron. xvi. 17. — So that among fo great a multitude tbereiu 
 iiutoiie being permitted to burn incenfe, it was ncceflary, that 
 h$ ftiould be chofen from among them by lot, and the lot at 
 this time fell to Zacharias.*'— UgWoot, VoL I. 406.— Thu* 
 
 we 
 
SeC^. 1. JOHN BAPTIST A^'t) JESUS CHRIST. 161 
 
 In fine, were there no other confiderations to 
 alTure us of this important point, the very fervice 
 tvhich Zacharias at this time performed, would 
 alone be fufficient to preclude the leaft doubt about 
 it. For oh this day, his lot was to burn inceiifc ; 
 and this was a particular fervice, which no prielt 
 had the honour to perform more than oiice in his 
 wiiole life*. It was efteemed the moft honour- 
 able 
 
 \vc fee, that a very large number of the priefts of Zachariass 
 own courfe muft have been witneflbs of his remarkable beha- 
 viour at this time. But thefe were a few in comparifon of the 
 tell of the fpcdators.-^" There were conllantly in the temple, 
 at the hour of prayer, Tivjt, the priefts of that courfe that 
 then ferved. Secondly^ the levites that ferved tinder the priefts. 
 Thirdly, the men of the ftation, as the rabbins fcall them ; 
 that is, certain men, that were to reprefent the whole con- 
 gregation, in putting their hands upon the heads of the facri- 
 lices. Fourthly^ thofe whom deVotion moved to leave their 
 employments, and to be prefcnt at thie fervice of God. AH 
 thefe might amount to a great number indeed. But tlie evan- 
 gelift, in naniing the icliole midtitudc of the people^ fcemeth to 
 have fome further meaning, as i^he. would intimate, that this 
 Was not lipon aii ordinary day of the week, but upon the 
 Sabbath-day^ when the Congrc^gation was full ; not only of the 
 priefts of the feventh courfe, but alfo of all the multitude of the 
 city, which were tied that day in a more fpeCial manner, to 
 the public worfliip." Idem, i. 407. — See thefe things more 
 at large in Light foot's Temple Worfliip, ch. vi. 7. Lewis, b. iv. 
 Ch. 13. 
 
 * " Nbvi fomper accedebant facerdotes, ut fortiantur ad 
 fuftiendum. Et nullus bis fuffitum adolebat." — ** Whenever 
 
 INI the 
 
l6'J THE divine: missions of Fart II. 
 
 able of all tlie offices, which the ordii>ary prielts- 
 had to perform; and as their numbers were fo 
 
 gi-eat^ 
 
 tlie lot was drawn to determine the priefl who fliould burn the 
 incenfc, it was drawn by tholti oivly who had not burnt inccnfc 
 before. Th« Jiime perfon n(*ver burnt incenfe ficiee" — Sigon. 
 Rep. Ileb. 1. iv. la Not. EcL Nkolai. 
 
 " Sacriricium juge vefpertinani iifilem ritibu5 quibus ma- 
 tutinum peragebatur, exceptis fortibus, quaj denuo non du- 
 ccbantur,. et bcn€diH:ione ; led eadein tu-ne^io iifdeni mane et 
 vefperi obtingebat, fi fuffifam excipias, ad q'ucm novo fortium 
 duHu opiis erat ? — The etennig ftiGiiliec was ofcourfe performed 
 with the fame forms as the morning, except the ceremony of 
 dpawini^ lot»., und the Mijjnig ; avery one difcharged the AiUic 
 office ill the evening, tiiat had fallen to him in the morning, 
 except tht' ofcriug of incenfe ;. for ivhick it alvsays "xas- neccfarii 
 ikat Jbme other jx'vjoii Jhmdd be chojhi,"- — Keland, Autiq. Heb. 
 p. ii. c. 5. 5^ 
 
 Ligb'tfoot indeed makes menition of an exceptiorr,- when 
 tjie Jame perfon miglit burn incenfe twice: hwl this, it w^lt 
 wnmediately be feen, cannot in the lead invalidate the argu-- 
 ment we have drawn from the rule itfelf. — " In the even- 
 fng they (the priefts) caU not lots for their feveral employ- 
 ments, but thufe that the lot had aligned them in the morn- 
 ing they retained in the afternoon ; " only about the mat" 
 ^^ ter of burning the incenPj they caft lots anew, amongft 
 " thofe of the houfe of the father, that ferved that day, that 
 *' had NEVER burnt incenfe in their lives." But if all of 
 tlicm bad, at one time or other, been' upon that employment^ 
 then he that had it by lot at the morning fervice, did alfu per- 
 form it in the evening." — (Temple Worftiip, c. p. near the 
 end.) — Befides that this> was the cafe, which, from what we 
 Have feen of i\m prieftly families, could fcarce ever happen, it 
 
Se6l. 1. JOHX BAPtlST AND JESUS CHRIST. l63 
 
 great, none were fuffered to draw lots for it, 
 who had ever performed it before. As this there- 
 fore was fo very particular an occafion, one even 
 that had never happened to Zacharias before^ and 
 never could again; and as his apparent lofs of 
 fpeech rendered it impoffible for him to officiate 
 again in the temple, till a twelvemonth after this 
 happened, and three months after the birth of JohUy 
 there was not even a pofTibility left him, to falfify 
 the iirne of his appearing, at leaft, to have been 
 Itruck dumb in the temple, on the occafion re- 
 lated. 
 
 Whether then, for the prefent, we fuppofe 
 this account of the angel's appearance and dif- 
 courfe to have been founded in truth, or a mere 
 fiction, and confequently Zacharias s lofs of fpeech 
 real, or pretended, this we are bound to believe as 
 an unqueftionable JaB, that Zacharias became in 
 appearance dumb, on the occafion, and at the time 
 
 is plain that it could not happen at this time; becaufe, if 
 Zacharias appeared dumb in the morning, he could not 
 poffibly officiate again in the evening ; and even if he could 
 have done it, \l is obvious, that the conclufion which this 
 particular has been brought to eftablifh, muft remain as valid 
 as before. 
 
 It may not be improper to add here one remarkable par- 
 ticular, that a prieft, who had been guilty of any great crime, 
 was ncctr after permitted to perform this office. See Reland, 
 as above. 
 
 M 2 related. 
 
164 THE PlViNt MISSIONS ot' P^rt ll.- 
 
 related. And that was, as the evangelift has ex-' 
 prefsly informed us> fome little time before the 
 conception oi John. For "it came* to pafs, that 
 " as foon as the days of his, Zacharias's, mini-' 
 ** ftration were accompliibed," during which he 
 became dumb, " lie departed to his own houfe, 
 " and after thofe days his wife Elizabeth con- 
 ** ceived." 
 
 Supposing it poffible then for Zacharias to 
 have invented this refined expedient, and deter- 
 mined to make ufe of it, the more effetlually to 
 conceal his projected impofture, was it poflible for 
 him to put it in practice V?/!' this time? Or, on 
 the contrary, will not the very time only of his 
 apparent lofs of fpeech unanfwerably prove, that it 
 could not be the effect of any fuch concerted de-* 
 fign ? 
 
 We are exprefsly informed f, that Elizabeth 
 had till this time continued abfolutely barren; 
 and both She and Zacharias were now fo far ad- 
 vanced in years, that all thoughts of their having 
 children muft have been at an end. This being 
 the cafe, though we fhould fuppofe him to have 
 planned the whole contrivance, in queftion, year? 
 before; and to have been fully refolved to exe- 
 cute it, whenever an opportunity Ihould oifer, 
 
 * Luk« i. 22. + Luke i. 7—18. 
 
 ftill 
 
SeCt. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. l65 
 
 liill it will be confeflTedly impo//ibk for Zacbarias to 
 have beguu executing this part of the plot, at the 
 fooneft, till he knew with certainty, that Elizabeth 
 wa^ actually with child. 
 
 Nothing can be more ridiculous in itfelf, or 
 more inconliftent with fo mafterly a ftroke of im- 
 pofture as this would have been, than to imagine 
 he Ihould begin executing a plot, the very exiftence 
 of which necelTarily depended upon Elizabeth's 
 being actually with child, at a time when he had 
 every reafon, the nature of the cafe would admit of, 
 to conclude, that She nexer would have children. 
 To believe him all on the fudden forging a divine 
 revelation, and feigning himfelf dumb, with an ex- 
 prefs prediclion, that he lliould continue fpeechlels 
 till his wife lliould bring forth a fon ; and all this 
 with no other view, than to fet up this future fon 
 for the Meffiah's Forerunner, notwithftanding Eli- 
 zabeth had hitherto continued barren, and he him- 
 felf muft have believed, at the very time, that llie 
 would always continue fo ; is fuch a fuppofition, as 
 the more Ave confider it, the more abfurd and ridi- 
 culous it muft appear. 
 
 Yet, impoffible as this evidently is, we muft 
 believe every particular of it to have been true, 
 before we are at liberty even to fuppofe, that Za- 
 chariass interview with the Angel might be a fic- 
 
 M 3 tion, 
 
166 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 tion, and his apparent lofs of fpeech a deceit. 
 For it has juft been obferved, that this remarkable 
 tranfa6lion came to pafs even fome time before 
 Zacharias could have the leail expectation of a 
 child. 
 
 From the very nature of the thing itfelf, there- 
 fore, it appears abfolutely impoffible for Zacharias 
 to have forged the angel's appearance, and have 
 feigned himfelf dumb, at that time when it is cer- 
 tain he apparently became fo, in order to facilitate 
 any preconceived impofture relating to his fon. It 
 is likewife apparent, that the whole of this tranfac-. 
 tion related entirely to the future birth and cha- 
 racter of his fon, and confequently could not be 
 forged on any other account. From whence it in- 
 evitably follows, that Zacharias muft really have 
 converfed with an Angel, and have been a6lually 
 deprived of his fpeech, in the manner related by 
 the evangelift, becaufe the time when it happened 
 proves fuiiiciently, that there could be no deceit in 
 the cafe. 
 
 But, notwithftanding, for the prefent let us ima- 
 gine him already apprized of ElizabetKs unex- 
 pected, though doubtful fituation, and determined 
 at all eventg to profecute this long premeditated 
 impoiture. Still it will be utterly incredible, that 
 he fhould venture to rilk any fteps of a public na- 
 ture, apd efpecially que fo remarkable as this be- 
 fore 
 
Sett. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESL^S CHRIST. \67 
 
 Ibre us, at the very earlielt period, till the birth of 
 the child was foj'tly over. 
 
 Elizabeth was already at an age when Ihe cpuld 
 jio longer be expected to be the mother of chU- 
 dren. And Zacharias, if he was the cunning im- 
 poftor fuppok^d, uiuft have governed himfelf with 
 regard to the uncertain event of her unexpected 
 iituation, by tlie common rules of probability in 
 cafes of the ikme kind. The point he had to con- 
 sider was nothing more tlian a pimn matter of fa^, 
 of daily obfervation ; and Zacharias had all the ex- 
 perience of an advanced age to direSi his judge- 
 ment about it Can it then be conceived, that he 
 could immediately enter upon the execution of his 
 propofed impofture ; as if it was an abfolute certain 
 point, that the hero of this intended plot, muft 
 ihortly after be brought alive into the world, merely 
 becaufe Elizabeth was now, in her old age, and, 
 contrary in alt expectation^ with child ? 
 
 It is notorious he muft have known this to be, 
 at beft, but an imcertaiu event, even when all fa- 
 vourable circumftances concurred ; and in the pre- 
 sent cafe, on account of Elizabeth's advanced age, 
 more particularly doubtful than in common. So 
 that, had he been already alfured of the Jif^ ne- 
 cefjdry point, with regard to Elizabeth" s ftate and 
 Situation; which, however, we have feen he was not; 
 it was 'impoffible for him to be guilty of fuch ex- 
 
 AI 4 treme 
 
168 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IF, 
 
 tj-eme madnefs and folly as to proceed at once to 
 the forgery of a divine revelation^ and to puniili 
 himfclf with this pretended lofs of fpeech, for a 
 long and jived period of time, purely to introduce 
 an impofture, relating folely to a child, who was 
 not only yet unborn^ but whofe h'lrth^ on fome pe-? 
 culiar accounts, was an event of more than ordi" 
 nary hazard and uncertainty. 
 
 Farther, what rnuft we think of this extra^ 
 vagant fuppofition, when we recolle6t, that the di- 
 vine charaStery which, according to the angel's 
 prediction, the future child of Elizabeth was to 
 appear in, neceffarily determined of which fex it 
 muft be ? 
 
 Certain it is, the Forerunner of the Meffiah 
 was always exprefsly prophefied of as a man. " Be- 
 ■ ' hold I will fend yqu Elijah the prophet, before 
 ** the co^nipg qf the great and dreadful day of the 
 " Lord ; and he ftall turn the heart of the fathers 
 '^ to the children, and the heart of the children 
 V to the fathers, left I come and fmite the earth 
 " with a curfe*." And agreeably to this, the 
 Angel aiTures Zacharias^ in that revelation, which, 
 if it was forged, he hinifelf muft have planned ; 
 ■' thy w^ife Elizabeth ihall bear thee" (not a 
 child, but) " a SON, and thou ihalt call his name 
 John," 
 
 • Mai. ch. iv. 5, 6. 
 
Sect. 1. john baptist and jesus christ. 169 
 
 Suppose then, that at the time of this vifion, 
 -wlien Zacharias became apparently dumb, Eliza- 
 beth's pregnancy had been clearly afcertained ; and 
 that Zachaj^ias was determined to begin his part 
 in the plot, notwithftanding the greateft uncertainty 
 of the birth of the child, upon which the whole niuft 
 depend. After all, the exiftence of the plot fup- 
 pofed will remain ftill as incredible as before. Be- 
 caufe no one can be conceived fo ablurd, as to 
 forge a prediction under the pretence of its being 
 divme, which abfolutely pronounced, that a par- 
 ticular child yet unborn., and even but very lately 
 conceived, iliould infallibly prove a fon. Above 
 all, he who was cunning enough to introduce an 
 impofture, with fo refined an artifice as the pre- 
 tended miraculous lofs of fpeech, can never be 
 believed to have adopted fo apparently foolifh a 
 defign. A defign, which unavoidably required the 
 certain foreknowledge of an event, that it was ab-^ 
 folutely impoffible for him to foreknow ; and the 
 contrary of which it was equally probable might 
 take place. 
 
 Should w^e, contrary to all reafon, fuppofe that 
 Zacharias miglit be capable of fo wicked an at- 
 tempt, it can never be imagined he could contrive 
 one fo exceedingly limple, M'hich nothing lefs than 
 a mere ideot, or an abfolute madman, could under- 
 take or conceive. It muft not be forgot, tliat the 
 
 very 
 
170 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II. 
 
 very fuppofition of any deceit in this cafe, necef- 
 larily implies, as has been ah'eady Ihewn, that Za- 
 charias muft have been one of the nioft fubtil im- 
 poftors the world ever produced. Till fuch a one 
 therefore can be fuppofed to contrive a deceit of 
 the moft dangerous nature, in the direct way to 
 betray it; Zacharlaa can never be believed to 
 have foretold, under the niaik of dmnc revelation, 
 that his child, yet unborn^ would certainly prove a 
 Son. 
 
 But thefe are not all the abfurdities which the 
 nature of Zachariass fuppofed inipofture muft un- 
 avoidably have been attended with. Could we 
 even grant this moft ridiculous conceffion, that Za- 
 charias might unaccountably refolve upon this pre- 
 tended prediction, though he knew at the fame time, 
 that the accompliihment of the event foretold, was 
 in the higheft degree uncertain ; ftill it will be found 
 impoffible to believe, he could be fo extremely 
 foolifli, as to pretend to prophefy publicly as he 
 <^id *, but a *cery Jew days after Johns birth, that 
 his then inj'ant fon was to be the Forerunnei^ of tlie 
 long-expected Meffiah. 
 
 To be thoroughly falisfied of this, we need only 
 recollecct, what the nature of this character was, 
 and how lon<^ it muft be before John could enter 
 
 * Luke i. C)7t to the end, 
 
 upon 
 
SeS.. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 171 
 
 upon it. As a very remarkable prophet, who was 
 to preach the baptilm of repentance, to reclaim the 
 people from their fins, and make known the ac- 
 ceptal)le year of the Lord ; Zacharias well knew 
 it would be impoiFible for his fon, to enter upon 
 his talk, till he was betzveen tiventy and thirty 
 years of age*. So that the publidiing, at the time 
 he did, a pretended divine revelation, foretelling 
 that his fon was to be the Meffiah's Forerunner^ 
 was, in fa6t, no lefs than affirming it to have been 
 revealed to him from above, that an infant^ who 
 was then only eight days old, would infallibly live, 
 at leaft, till he was above twenty years of age. 
 
 But among all the deceivers that the world has 
 ever produced, where fhall we find one fo extrava- 
 gantly fooliih, fo bent upon procuring his own de- 
 ftru6tion, as voluntarily to have ftaked the fuccefs 
 of all his defigns, and with his credit, even his 
 Ife itfelfy upon his being able to afcertain the life 
 of a mere infant, for the long term of txventy 
 years f To forge a revelation, foretelling the cer. 
 tain continuance of the life of any perfon what- 
 ever, for no lefs than full twenty years to come, 
 did even every poffible circumftance of age, health, 
 and fituation, confpire to render the continuance 
 qf it, for fuch a period, as probable as human na- 
 
 * See p. 81—83, 
 
 ture 
 
i72J THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 ture could permit, would be too glaring an ab- 
 llirdity for any one in his fenfcs to be capable of 
 x:omn}itting. 
 
 AV HE RE AS in the prefent cafe, fo far was Za^ 
 charlas from having even any fuch probabilities to 
 ground tliis fiippofed forgery upon, that, on the 
 contrary, he could not but know, that the conti- 
 nuance of Johns life, at the time when he uttered 
 this predi6tion, was not only a matter of the ut-r 
 inoft uncertainty, from the general nature of the 
 thing, but like wife on a peculiar account, more 
 than ufually improbable. Zacharias could not 
 have lived to old age, without being well apprised, 
 how very large a proportion of thofe who are born 
 into the world, die even in infancy itfeif; how 
 many more never pafs the bounds of childhood ; 
 and what great numbers of the remainder ftill 
 fall off, about the firft years of maturity ; and, in 
 lliort, that from infancy till towards tlie age of 
 thirt if ^ years, that very interval which he mult 
 have undertaken to pronounce for, is, of all others, 
 except old age, the moft uncertain and dangerous 
 period of human life. This he could not but 
 linow was undoubtedly the cafe with mankind 
 in general ; and he had befides a peculiar reafon 
 tp believe it woul<j prove fo with his oxen [on m 
 particular. 
 
 Iff 
 
Sefl. 1. JOHN BAPTIST A^TD JESUS GHTIIST. 17^ 
 
 If there was nothing miraculous in the cafe, John 
 was the unexpected, and almolt unnatural child of 
 his old age ; brought into life when Both his pa- 
 rents had already outlived the ftrength of their con- 
 ftitutions, and began to feel fenlible approaches of 
 decay. From whence it was more particularly pro- 
 bable, in the natural courfe of tilings, that he might 
 very foon give manifeft tokens of a weak conftitu- 
 tion, and ihortly after decline. And can any thing 
 be more exceedingly ridiculous, than it would be 
 to imagine, that a crafty veteran deceiver, fiiould 
 plan a laboured fcheme of impofture, ablblutely 
 requiring him to pretend to prophefy, that fuch a 
 particular infant, but a fexv days old^ lliould cer- 
 tainly live to abovt twenty years of age ? If this 
 is not abfolutcly incredible, it will be no ealy talk 
 to allign any thing that can be fo. Yet muft the 
 poffibility of all this be entirely acquiefced in, be- 
 fore we are even at liberty but to fupix)fe, that 
 Zacharias could be a deceiver, and his lofs of fpeecii 
 a pretence. 
 
 But befides the great uncertainty, and even 
 improbability of Johns living to the age, which 
 Zacharias's prediction required, there was another 
 difficulty in the plot, impoffible to be removed, 
 and which alone would have been fufficient to 
 deter any man, in iiis fenfes, frona adopting fuch 
 a defign. 
 
 It 
 
174 THE BivixE MISSI0^'3 or I^art IL 
 
 It is notorious, that the temperS; abilities, and 
 difpoiitions, of different men, are fo various and 
 oppofite, that nothing lefs than a knowledge far 
 fuperior to all human forehght, could poffibly form 
 even the remoteft guefs, of what would prove the 
 future charaBer of an infant, only eight days old^ 
 when he iliould be advanced to the full age of a 
 man. And he muft have arrived at a degree of 
 folly, not eafily to be conceived poffible, who 
 ihould dare to foretell this, when confcious of \m 
 utter ignorance about it ; and by pretending to 
 fpeak from divine authority, purpofely contrive to 
 lay open his own deceits to almoft certain detec- 
 tion. Yet if Zacharias was the counterfeit fup- 
 pofed, fuch muft have been the ftrange conduct he 
 purfued. 
 
 On" the day oi John^s circumcilion, no fooner 
 did Zacharias s fpeech appear to be reftored, than 
 he peremptorily pronounced this prophetical de- 
 claration. *' And thou, child, fhalt be called 
 ** the prophet of the Higheft; for thou flialt go 
 " before the face of the Lord, to prepare his 
 ** ways ; to give knowledge of falvation to his 
 " people by the remiifion of their fms *." Nay, 
 the Angel, even when he foretold John's concep* 
 tion and birth, is reprefented as defcribing his fu- 
 
 * Luke i. 7(?, 77. 
 
 ture 
 
Sect. I. JOHN BAPTIST AXD JESUS CHRIST. 175 
 
 ture character and employment, witli ftill greater 
 exaclnefs. ** He lliall be great in tiie fight of the 
 " Lord, and ihall drink neither wine nor ftrong 
 *' drink; and lie ihall be filled with tiie Holy 
 *' Ghoft, even from his mother's womb. And 
 " n)any of the children of Ifrael iliall he turn to 
 *' the Lord tlieir God. And he ihali go before 
 *' him in the fpirit and power of Elias; to tmni 
 *^ the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the 
 " difobedient to the wifdom of the juft ; to make 
 ** ready a people prepared for the Lord." 
 
 Thus did Zacliarlas very minutely defcribe a 
 mo ft fingular character, and pronounce, as by di- 
 vine authority, that it was the very character which 
 his Jon would afterwards appear in ; not only when 
 when it was yet but a few days fmce his birth, but 
 even fliortly before the time of his cotiception. He 
 foretold, that even from his childhood he would be 
 remarkable for his fmgular good underftanding, 
 great abftemioufnefs, and irreproachable condu^; 
 that he would preach to the whole people the necef- 
 fity of repentance and reformation, w ith all the bold- 
 nQ.i<> and freedom of the old prophets ; and that by 
 the force of his own virtuous example, together with 
 the goodnefss and energy of his doctrine, he would 
 bring great numbers to a true fenfe of religion and 
 their duty. 
 
 This, 
 
176 THE DIVI^^E MISSIONS Of t^arf IL 
 
 This, it must be confelled, was no common cha- 
 racter, but one which requh'cd the joint poffef- 
 fion of many rare endowments to fulfill. To fup- 
 port it, he muft be poiiefled of great quicknefs 
 of underftanding, and a judgement improved by 
 an extenfive knowledge of mankind. He muft 
 have wifdom to extricate himfelf from the embar'- 
 raifments, and fortitude to encounter all the dan- 
 gera, to W'hich fuch an attempt would unavoid- 
 ably expofe him* In lliort, he muft be expert \tx 
 inculcating the neceflity of a good life upoft 
 others; and fo able a hypocrite, as to appear iii 
 all refpe6ts to praQ:ife it himfelf; and yet, at the 
 fame time, fo thoroughly wicked at heart, as to 
 undergo all this drudgery in order to deceive 
 the world by a moft profligate and mifchievous ini- 
 pofture. 
 
 BcT how can we believe it poffible for Zacha-* 
 rias to have deliberately contrived fuch a plot, as 
 laid him under the neceffity of foretelling, that a 
 particular infant but juft horn into the world, nay, 
 one not yet horn^ would certainly become a man of 
 fuch unconunon abilities, and fo depraved a dif- 
 pofition as this ? Could he take pleafure in rilking 
 his credit, and even his life, on the accomplifli- 
 ment of fuch events, as were not only impoilible 
 to be foreknown, but in the higheft degree in>^ 
 probable to happen ? Yet this muft have been 
 Zachariass deliberate and fettled choice ; if in the 
 
 €afcf 
 
Se(*l. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESL'S CHKIST. 177 
 
 cafe under conlkleratioii he was guilty of any de- 
 ceit at all. For fhould Johi have turned out, as 
 it was moft probable he would, a perfon of only 
 common abilities, it would have been far beyond 
 his power to fupport f/m/" character, which his fa- 
 ther had prophefied he would maintain. And 
 unlefs he fhould be brought likewife to a very 
 uncommon pitch of the moft daring wickednefs, 
 it was very plain he could never be induced to 
 tindertake it. 
 
 And here a ftill farther difficulty ftarts up be* 
 fore us. How was it poffible for Zacharias to de- 
 pend upon the certainty of {o evidently precarious 
 an event, as his fon's becoming zvicked aiough to 
 engage in the profecution of fo impious a defign, 
 even fhould he prove able to carry it on ? We 
 muft indeed allow^, that if he defigned John to 
 carry on this impolture, he muft certainly have 
 propofed likewife to educate him in fuch vicious 
 principles, as would fit jiim for the undertaking. 
 This the nature of the thing itfelf requires. But 
 then, this neceflary fuppofition, will be (o far 
 from removing the difficulty juft mentioned, that 
 it renders it infurmountable, and the whole 
 defign, if poffible, even more incredible than 
 before. 
 
 Can it be believed, that when Zacharias was 
 already within the confines • of old age^ he could 
 
 N deliberately 
 
J7S THE DIVINE MissToxs GF Part IL 
 
 deliberately enter upon Inch a plot, as plainly re- 
 quired, that he himlelf Hiould live at leaft twenty 
 years longer, in the vigorous enjoyment of all his 
 prefent abilities and cunning? Yet this he muft 
 have done, if he fet on foot the plot fuppofed. 
 Por it necelTarily required, that he Ihould live to 
 educate his infant fon, in fuch principles of vice 
 and irreligion, as would prepare him for under- 
 taking the plot he himfelf had begun ; and to inftill 
 into him, fo much artifice and hypocrify, as 
 would enable him to carry it on ; and, laftly, to 
 convince him of fuch advantages to be drawn 
 from it, as would make him enamoured of th« 
 defign. 
 
 In the natural courfe of things, Zacharias\ 
 only rule of judging in this whole matter, it was 
 a point of the greateft uncertainty, whether he 
 himfelf might live to fee John arrive at half the 
 age of manhood. And Ihoukl he furvive that, 
 and even a much later period, he had nothing to 
 expe6i, but that his prefent activity would long 
 have left him, and his former cunning and abili- 
 ties have been fo far deftroyed, as utterly to dif- 
 able him from training up this intended impoftor. 
 And Ihould this prove the cafe, as Zacharias muft 
 have expeSied it would, what muft at length have 
 enfued from all hife deep-laid deligns, and the 
 predidions he had fo fooliihly publillied, at tlie 
 
 time 
 
5e6t. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 179 
 
 time of Johns conception and birth ? Jok?i could 
 nev€r have undertaken to perlbnate that chara6ber 
 which Zacharias had foretold, as by divine au- 
 thority, that he would infallibly appear in; and 
 Zacharias^ long-concealed iniquity muft at luft have 
 been detecled, and puniftied witli, at iealt, its due 
 infamy and reproach. 
 
 John might indeed have become abandoned 
 enough for any undertaking, by being fuffered to 
 grow up in the unreftrained indulgence of all his 
 appetites, and the total negleO; of all rational 
 inftru6tion. And in this manner he might have 
 arrived at manhood, while Zacharias experienced 
 the ufual infirmities of extreme old age, and was 
 in all refpefe unable to corrupt hiin. But then 
 this would have been quite infufficient for the exe- 
 cution of Zacharias s defign; nay, it would ne- 
 cellarily have prevented John from ever attempt- 
 ing to puriue it. 
 
 Insufficient it mult have been, becaufe a 
 moji extraordinary chara6ter was already particu- 
 larly marked out for him to fupport ; and in 
 which therefore it was abiblutely neceilkry, tliat 
 he fhould be completely inftru6bed, aiid befides, 
 prevailed with to afllime it. That it muft have 
 difabled him from ever adbing his intended part, is 
 equally plain ; becaufe the iiipport of it requireii 
 the exertion of all thofc abilities, whidi a total 
 
 N 2 negled 
 
180 ruE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part If. 
 
 negleft of his education, and his unreftrained indul- 
 gence in every vicious inclination, muft inevitably 
 have deftroyed. And what motives could prevail 
 with One, who from his very infancy had grown up 
 without all reftraint, to affume aiid perfift in a 
 character of moft extraordinary abftemioufnefs, 
 fe verity, and virtue ? 
 
 Unless therefore we can believe, that at the 
 time of Johis birth, Zacharias was ignorant, 
 even of the common period of human life, and 
 the ufual decays attendant upon great age, and 
 firmly perfuaded of the continuance of his own 
 life; nor of that 07ilif, but of all his active facul- 
 ties, to a moft uncommon and improbable length 
 of years ; unlefs we can believe all this, it muit 
 be clearly incredible that he ihould, about the time 
 of Jokns conception or birth, forge fuch a revela- 
 tion concerning the future character of his fon, as 
 made it neceflary for him himfelf to live to train 
 him up in vice and hypocrify, for full twenty years 
 to come. 
 
 But, in addition to all the particulars already 
 mentioned, how muft the impoffibility of this 
 whole contrivance increafe upon us, when it is 
 cpnfidered, that, in reality, Zacharias himfelf could 
 not believe,- that John would ever have an opportii- 
 7iity to profecute his fuppofed defign, even if lie 
 himfelf Ihould live long enough to train him up 
 
 com- 
 
Sect. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 181 
 
 completely for it ; and moreover, muft have 
 apprehended, that the worlt punilhmeiit would 
 overtake him himfelf, iliould he live io long. 
 Yet this is nothing more than a true ftate of the 
 cafe. 
 
 About the time of the birth of John f the whole 
 Jewilh nation was firmly perfuaded, that the tj^ue 
 Meljiah himfelf, and much more his Foreninnery 
 would very fpeedily appear. This is fully evident 
 from the gofpel-hiftory in general ; but more efpe- 
 cially from the remarkable conduct of Herod, in. 
 confequence of the appearance of the wife men at 
 Jerufalem ; and tlie cruel maifacre of the children, 
 which he thought it neceflary to proceed to, imme- 
 diately after their departure. A cruelty which he 
 could never have refolved. on, had he not known, 
 that the expeftations of the people were fo univer- 
 fal and eager, a£ to think they endangered the fafety 
 of his throne. 
 
 At fuch a time as this, when the arrival of the 
 true Me(jiah himfelf was looked on as an event 
 that might every day come to pafs, and could not 
 be far off, how could Zacharlas imagine John 
 would have any opportunity to counterfeit the cha- 
 racter of the Forerunner ; when it was plain that 
 John could not appear upon the ftage, till full 
 tzventy years afterwards? Z^c//r/n^5* could expe6t 
 nothing elfe, than that the ii^uc harbinger of the 
 
 N 3 Meffiah 
 
182 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II. 
 
 Meffiah would have appeared in the mean time, 
 and have proved his divine commiffion, long be- 
 fore John would have been old enough to fet him- 
 felf up in his ftead. And then Zacharias had good 
 reafon to think, that if he himfelf Ihould be ftill 
 alive ; which, as this might happen very foon, 
 might very probably be the cafe ; his own for- 
 geries of divine revelations, and the pretended iofg 
 and recovery of his fpeech, would immediately be 
 called to mind ; and that he ihould meet with that 
 infamy and punilhment, which crimes of this 
 particular nature, and among the Jews above all 
 others, could not but incur. So that whether 
 he himfelf lived or died, and whatever vicioufnefs 
 and cunning he might be able to inftil into his 
 fon ; He could not but think it extremely im- 
 probable, that John fliould ever have an oppor- 
 tunity to carry on the fuppofed impofture ; and 
 confequently, it is utterly incredible, that he 
 could proceed to fuch dangerous and lliocking 
 forgeries, merely to lay a foundation for it, if he 
 Ihould. 
 
 When w^e lay together thefe moft remarkable 
 particulars, all neceilarily included in the very 
 nature of the fuppofed impofture itfelf, its abfur- 
 dities mult appear at once Jo man]/, m\^ fomanifeft, 
 as to lliew it plainly impoffible for any one but a 
 (downright ideot, or an abfolute madman, to have 
 
 eq- 
 
Se6t. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 185 
 
 engaged in it ; at the fame time that it is equally 
 impolllble even for thcfe to have contrived it. 
 And to fuppofe ftiil, that fuck a plot could be the 
 deliberate defign of an old, fubtil, and fuccefsful 
 impoftor, fuch as Zachainas, if any at all, muft 
 have been ; would be judging in direct oppofition 
 to the plaineft dictates of common fenfe, and io 
 reality believing what is, humanly fpeaking, im- 
 poffible. 
 
 And here, to conclude this part of the argu- 
 ment, it is neceilary to obferve, that every con- 
 clufion we have now drawn from the nature of the 
 plot in debate, to prove the impoffibility of its 
 exiltence, as far as relates to John, is equally ap- 
 plicable to all the circumftances of the birth 
 of Jefus like wife ; which, we have feen long ago, 
 muft have been the counterpart of the fame de- 
 fign. His future hirth was openly predicted by 
 his parents themfelves foon after his conception ; 
 his life was pofitively qffured for the fame term of 
 years ; his whole employment and public charaB.er^ 
 were defined even more exa6lly than that of John ; 
 though they were of fuch a nature, that no human 
 accomplilhments whatever could poffibly fulfil 
 them ; and Jofeph and Alary themfelves muft havq 
 thought, at the very time, that in all probability 
 Jefus would never have an opportunity to ail u mo 
 them. 
 
 N 4 Though 
 
184 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II. 
 
 Though therefore the whole impofture, as it 
 relates to Jefus as ^vell as Johriy is rendered utterly 
 incredible, by confidering its numerous abfurdities, 
 as far as they concern John c/nly ; the impoffibility 
 of the plot becomes, as it were, doubly evident, 
 when we add the conlideration of the feveral cir- 
 pumftances of the birth of Jefus to that of John^ 
 and furvey the whole connecte4 tranfa^lion in 
 one view. 
 
 SEC- 
 
Se^. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 18.5 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Some particular facts previous fa the births of 
 John and Jefus, coirfidered, 
 
 1 HUS far have we been proving the impofli- 
 bility of the impofture under confideration, merely 
 by examining its own internal nature and confti- 
 tution. But the point in debate will ftill admit of 
 no fmall additional illuftration, from confidering 
 fome particulars that occur, in feveral diftin6l fteps 
 of thefe complicated tranfa6lions. For if the whole 
 was an impofture, all the parts mull have been h 
 many diftinft fteps, deliberately agreed on by thofe 
 who devifed and carried it on. Whereas feveral of 
 thefe^ W'hen clofely attended to, will be found fuch 
 as the contrivers of the whole defign could not be 
 capable of adopting.* 
 
 Ne- 
 
 ♦ To prevent an objedion, which might otherwife arife, 
 it is here proper to apprize the reader, that in the remainder 
 of this part, as well as in the laft, the arguments are fre- 
 quently drawn from various particulars related by the evan- 
 gelifls, without giving immediate proofs, that the particulars 
 thcrafelves muft certainly have come to pafs as they are re- 
 lated. This may polTlbly appear at firfl, like relying upon 
 the authority of the Evajigdifls for their truth. But when we 
 
 recoiled, 
 
ISG THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 Neglecting then for the prefent tvhat has 
 been fo fully proved to the contrary, from the 
 internal nature of the whole defign ; let us fuppofe 
 it not impofiible for Zacharias, Elizabeth, Maryy 
 and Jofeph, to have forged fome fuch revelations as 
 they actually pretended to have had made to them ; 
 and at the very time too, M^hen they declared them 
 to have happened. Are there not ftill fome im- 
 portant particulars occurring in the progrefs of 
 the plot, which they could not have agreed on, 
 had the whole been an impolture of their joint 
 contriving ? 
 
 In the account of Zachariass vifion^ befides 
 the prediction of the future conception, birth, 
 and divine chara6ler of John ; we are told of a 
 very lignal punilliment inflicted upon Zacharias, by 
 the Angel, for prefuming to doubt the accomplilh- 
 ment of his predictions. That he was inftantaneoully 
 ftruck dumb, for B^JiTed period of -about tiine 7no?ithSy 
 at the expiration of which time he was as initanta- 
 neoufly reftored to fpeech. 
 
 recolle<9;, that it has been already proved, both from the cir- 
 cumftances of every perfon concerned, and from the internal 
 jiature of the thing, that there could not be any impofturc in 
 the cafe ; for the fake of which only, any of thofe particulars, 
 which may hereafter be made ufe of, could be forged ; this 
 fecming objedion falls immediately to the ground. 
 
 Here 
 
Sed. il. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIvST. 187 
 
 Here it is obvious, that if the Angel's ap- 
 pearance >vas nothing more than a fi6bion, Zacha- 
 rias's lois of fpeech and recovery of it, could be 
 no better than a downright deceit. And this he 
 muft have put in practice merely to gain credit 
 to the pretended vifion itfelf, by the appearance 
 of an actual miracle in its fupport*. A mafter- 
 piece of cunning it mult be confeiTed, and fuch 
 as muft prove its author to have been very clofely 
 attentive to every circumfiance of what he was 
 about. But, at the fame time, fo dangerous and 
 defperate an expedient, that however delirous he 
 might be to contrive feme artifice or other for this 
 end, it is impoffible to believe he could venture 
 upon This. 
 
 For what muft this have been, but devoting 
 himfelf to an ahfolate and U7nnterrtipted Silence, 
 while he was in full enjoyment of the powers of 
 fpeech, for a continued feries of no lefs than rniie 
 months ? A reftraint, than which, it is plain, none 
 could be more painful in itfelf ; none more incon- 
 x^enicnt to the profecution of his defigns ; none more 
 likely to be the means of betraying them. 
 
 * Wc muft not forget, that the truth of the external fa6t, 
 i. c. Zacharias's having publicly appeared dumb, in the man- 
 ner Luke has related, has been fully proved already, p. 136' 
 
 The 
 
IBS THE DiviKE MISSIONS OF Part II? 
 
 The mere painfulnefs of fach a reftraint, for fo 
 long a continuance, was alone fufticient to have 
 deterred any one from voluntarily laying himfelf 
 under an obligation of fo very irkfome a nature. 
 And had it not been fo, fuch a refolution would 
 have interfered fo directly, with the profecution 
 of the plot ; that on this account alone he could 
 never have adopted it. lie was now only laying 
 the foundation of a long and intricate impofture, 
 in which Jofeph and Mary were intimately con- 
 cerned with him, and had their part likewife foon 
 afterwards to act. Nothing could be more de- 
 iirable, and even ncceffary, in fo dangerous and 
 even difficult an undertaking, than fecuring each 
 other's courage and fidelity, by conferring to- 
 gether, as often as might be, upon the plot they 
 had agreed on, and the dangers they were to 
 guard againft. Whereas the Ji range expedient 
 before us muft either have effectually prohibited all 
 inter courfe of this kind between them ; or conti- 
 nually have expofed Zacharias, and with him the 
 whole confederacy^ to imminent danger of de- 
 tection. 
 
 Above all, can it be thought credible, that 
 Zacharias could be fo confident of his own per- 
 petual watchfulnefs and care, as to believe, that 
 a bare refolution to appear fpeechlefs, would ena-r 
 ble him to continue abfolutely dumb, for fo con- 
 
 fiderable 
 
Se6l.. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 189 
 
 liderable a length of time? That upon no oo 
 cafion whatever, during fo long an interval he 
 lliould be fo far off his guard, as to utter a fingle 
 inadvertent word, and betray the cheat? Or is 
 it credible, tliat Zacharias, in particular, with all 
 his long experience and peculiar caution, iliould 
 choofe to rilk the detection of his iniquity upon 
 fuch a manifeft hazard as tliis ? Scarce any fup- 
 pofition can be more ridiculous and incredible. 
 Could he not have hit upon fome other expedient 
 to anfwer the fame end ; certainly he would much 
 rather have left his interview with the Angel, to be 
 received upon his own long-eftablifhed credit, and 
 authority only, than have attempted fupporting it 
 by fuch a contrivance, as he himfelf muft have 
 thought, at the very time, was almoft fure to 
 betray it*. 
 
 * The argument here is purpofely confined to the fuppofi- 
 tion, that Zacharias was o«/y, to all appearance, dumb, becaufe 
 our tranflation is confined to this fcnfe only. But forae of the 
 bcft commentators areftrongly of opinion, that he appeared not 
 only dumbf but deaf likewifc. (See Hamm. on Luke i. 62. 
 Lightfoot on Luke i. 22. See alfo Lamy on Luke i. 22.) And 
 fliould this interpretation be allowed, the abfurdilies already 
 mentioned on ihcfirji fuppolltion, will become at once fo ex- 
 ceedingly magnified, that one cannot fcruple to pronounce, 
 without the leaft hefitation, that it was irnpojjible for any deceiver 
 to run the hazard of fuch an e.xpexlient as This, 
 
 But 
 
190 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II. 
 
 But the evidence to be drawn from this particu- 
 lar, will be found of ftill greater weight, by confi- 
 dering, that nery remarkable difference we find 
 between the confequence of the Angel's interview 
 with Zacharias, and his appearance to Mary. 
 
 Zacharias, it is faid ^, was terrified at this in- 
 terview, and expreffed great doubtfalncfs of the truth 
 of the Angel's meflage ; and as a punifhment for 
 his unbelief, was immediately ftruck dumb, in the 
 manner juft now related. Mary likewife is repre- 
 fented as having been exceedingly aftoniflied at the 
 angel's appearance, and wonderful declarations to 
 her^ and plainly fignifying her opinion, that it was 
 impolTrble they fliould come to pafs ; but at length, 
 as acquiefcing in the expe6tation of feeing them ful- 
 filled, and as having efcaped all kind of punifhment 
 for firft doubting of their truth. 
 
 Now if thefe appearances of the Angel, and 
 of courfe all the circumftances related, were mere 
 fictions of Zacharias and his AfTociates, contrived 
 for a foundation to their fubfequent impofture ; it 
 feems incredible, that Zacharias Ihould have been 
 reprefented di'njlruck dumb in this manner ; and yet 
 Mary, at the fame time, as having efcaped all 
 *vifible rebuke. It fliould feem, had there been any 
 deceit in the cafe, either that jBo/A of thena would 
 
 ♦ Sec Luke i. 12—20. 
 
 have 
 
Se6l. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 191 
 
 have appeared in fome manner vifibly puniibed; 
 or ii' One of tlieni only, that it then muft have 
 been Mary inltead of Zacharias. 
 
 From what has been obferved already, it is 
 certain, that if we grant itpqDible for Zacharias to 
 have laid hinifelf under this ftrangc and painful 
 neceiiity, of appearing totally deprived of fpecch, 
 for io long a time ; it could be on no other accomit 
 than becaufe he thought it abfolutely neceiiary to 
 add the fanftion of an apparent miracle, to the rela- 
 tion of fo uncommon an event, filled with fuch ex- 
 traordinary predictions. It mult be owned, that 
 Zacharias could not have hazarded this extraordinary 
 expedient, which expofed him to fo much danger of 
 beti'aying the whole, unlefs he thought it abfolutely 
 iiecelJary, in order to procure credit to his own 
 relation. But if Zacharias him/elf', with all the 
 advantages of his facred profeffion, his advanced 
 age, and long-eftablillied reputation, thought his 
 own teitimony inlbfficient to gain credit to his re- 
 lation of fuch a fa6l; how was it poflible he could 
 imagine, that the angel's appearance to Mary, 
 with a prediction even ftill more wonderful tliari 
 his own, would be received upon only the mere aliir- 
 ination of Mary ? 
 
 Had the faEls themfelves been but alike im- 
 probable, the credibility of the wiinejfes was very 
 far from being equal, Zacharias had good realbn 
 
 t^ 
 
192, THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 to expe6i, that his teftimony would have a coiiii- 
 derable weight; and influence with the people in 
 general. But if he thought his 02i;w credit, infuffi- 
 cient to warrant an event of this extraordinary na- 
 ture ; what regard could he think would be paid 
 to the mere witnefs of an obfcure, igtiorant girly 
 not yet arrived at years of judgement and difcre- 
 tiofi ? What more obvious, than that fo improba- 
 ble a tale, fupported only by the evidence of fo 
 contemptible, and at the fame time fo interefted 
 a witnefs, would be turned into ridicule; or, at 
 the beft, be regarded as the mere delufions of 
 fear and fuperftition, fo generally attributed to 
 her fex. 
 
 Besides, with regard to the faEts themfelves ; 
 the appearance of an Angel in the holy place of 
 the temple, charged with a divine revelation to a 
 prie/i of refpe6lable character, was an event fo 
 fimilar to wdiat, all the Jews knew, had feveral 
 times happened, fmcc the fettlement of their na- 
 tion, that, on this account alone, they would be 
 more favourably inclined to believe it. Whereas, 
 a ftill more aftonilliing revelation, made to a mere 
 girl, bred up in obfcurity, and deftitute of all 
 external caufes of refpe6l, it muit naturally be 
 expelled, would be heard jvith prejudice, and 
 reje6ted with contempt. And while no obvious 
 motive whatever could lead them to fufpe6i Za- 
 
 charias 
 
SeCt/^ JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 193 
 
 charias of any fuch deceit ; Alary s fituationy be* 
 tore lier marriage was concludedj would very fliortiy 
 have furniihed lb probable a caufe for her forging 
 the revelation in queftion, as was enough to bring 
 ^er veracity into univerfal fufpicion. 
 
 It was not at all oppofite to any received opinion 
 of the Jtxvs, that the JMelfiah's Forerunner ihould 
 be the fon of a refpeclable prieft ; fo tliat thus far 
 Zachariass account was very likely to be well re- 
 ceived. But notiiing could be more incortfiftcnt, 
 with all their acknowledged notions concerning 
 the Me[jiah hiinfelf, than the fuppolition, that lie 
 Ihould be born of one of no higher ftation, than 
 the intended wife of a carpenter. This was fucli a 
 ftumbling block as Zacharias had little reafon to 
 think they could ever get over, efpecially when 
 joined to the reafon juft mentioned for fufpe6ting 
 Marys veracity. How then can it be conceived, 
 that Zacharias and his allbciates ihould think it 
 abfolutely neceffary to ftrengthen his mm tcjtimony, 
 with the pretence of a miracle ; even at fo n:iani- 
 feft a liazard of his inadvertently betraying the 
 whole impofture ; and yet, at the fame time, 
 leave the teftimony of Mary quite unguarded, to 
 ftand or fall by its own fufpicious credit and au- 
 thority ? 
 
 It is manifeft, that if they had Jointly (Jeter- 
 -mined it to be neceffary to make ule of any ap- 
 
 parent 
 
1<^4 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III 
 
 parent miracle at all, they would either have con- 
 trived one to confirm Alary s revelation, as well as 
 ZachariasSy ov Jlfari/^s alone ; imce That Itood ^o 
 much more in need of fome external fupport. So 
 that had thefe revelations been forged, for the onttf 
 purpofc for which they could be contrived, we 
 Ihould either have found, that Mary pretended 
 to have been ftruck dumb , inftead of Zadiarias; 
 or that fome other, no Icfs apparent, miraculous 
 punifliment, was as evidently inflicted upon Her 
 likewife. 
 
 Nor can it be here objected, that impoftors are 
 frequently inconfiftent witii themfelves, and often 
 betray their plots by flagrant follies in fome par- 
 ticulars, while they guard againf^ detection by thiB 
 moft refined cunning in others. For, not to repeat, 
 what it has been fo often neceflury to rilention, that 
 if Zacharlas was a deceiver, i/rMiiuft unqueftion- 
 ablv have been' the molt fubtil and cautious im- 
 poftor the ^^orId ever produced, the particular 
 now before us did not allow room for any fuch 
 inconfiftency. 
 
 From the very nature of the thing, it fe^^uis ma- 
 nifcftly impoflible, that He coidd take fo much 
 thought to fecure a good reception for his oxmi 
 ftory, and pay no regard whatever to the fuccefs 
 o^Marys; by far the moie likely to be rejected of 
 the two. For an attention to both.vrds not U) t'&fo 
 
 (li/U/S 
 
SeCl. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 19S 
 
 (llft'mFt fteps of the plot ; one of which might pof- 
 fibly be overlooked, while the other was remem- 
 bered ; but in fad they were both neceliarily com- 
 prehended under one and the fame confideration. 
 And even had it been poflible for Zacharias to have 
 attended to the oiie, and not the other; it was 77ot 
 poffil)le for Jofepli and Mary, with whom it has 
 been already k^n the whole plot mult have been 
 concerted, to have been, at the fame time, totally 
 forgetful, of what fo immediately concerned their 
 fjzvn fafety and fucccfs. Zachariaiis taking tliis par- 
 ticular care for himfelf, rnuit at leaft have reminded 
 Them of their much greater want of fome iimilar 
 expedient, to procure credit to their part of the 
 plot. 
 
 To the decifive evidence of thefe confiderations, 
 *wc may add the corrobating teftimony of one fact 
 more, which happened before the birth of John^ 
 and which feems to afford as ftrong a proof, as the 
 nature of fuch circumflances can admit of, that there 
 could be no fuch plot on foot, as that we have ail 
 along been fuppofmg. The particular itfelf, is the 
 ftcp Mary took, immediately after her interview 
 with the angel. 
 
 The anorel, after revealing; to lier what would 
 very lliortly happen to herfelf, proceeded to in- 
 form her of what had already happened to Eliza- 
 beth. ''- Behold thy coufm Elizabeth, She hatli 
 
 2 *' alio 
 
196 THE DivixE MISSIONS OF Part II. 
 
 '^ alfo coiiceiycd a child, in her old age, and this 
 *' is tlie fixth month with iier, who was called 
 '^ barren." Upon receiving this inibrniation, we 
 find Mary inunediately lett her own home ; " and 
 '^ went into the hill-country with hafte, into a city 
 *' of Juda, and entered into the houlc of Zacha- 
 *^ rias, and fainted Elizabeth;" and there ftayed 
 with her, no lefs than three months, till the time of 
 John's birth was aim oft arrived. 
 
 Here we have a fa8:, which may ferve greatly 
 to illuftrate the integrity, and artlefs innocence of 
 every perfon concerned. Had ZachariaSj Eliza- 
 beth, Alary, and Jofcph, been engaged together, 
 in concerting fo daring and dangerous an impof- 
 ture as that in queftion ; we cannot but think, that 
 it would have been one of the tirft and principal 
 objects of their attention, to conceal their corre- 
 fpoiidcnce, at this particular tinie, as much as pof- 
 fible fi'oni the public view. They could not but 
 expe6b, that whenever their intended counterfeits 
 lliould appear upon the llage, and become objects 
 of the public attention, the ftriclelt enquiries woukl^ 
 probably be made into the families of tw o perfons, 
 whofe claims to divine charaftcrs, were fo very 
 extraordinary in themfelves, and fo clofely con- 
 nected with each other. For this reafon they 
 would ftudioufly have avoided all appearance of 
 any intimate connection, efpecially at this time ; 
 
 as 
 
Sect. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JFSUS CHRIST. 197 
 
 as that, ill fiich a cafe, more than any thing elfe, 
 might induce every one to fuipe6t Ibme concerted 
 inipofture. How then can the fa6t before us be 
 reconciled with the. fuppofition of the plot in quef- 
 tion ? Wliat can be more improbable, if they were 
 all engaged in the fuppoled contrivance, than that 
 Mary Ihould go to the houfe of Zacharlas^ and 
 He permit her to ftay in his houfe, for no lefs than 
 //z;*ee wo;zM5 together, at this critical time? It is 
 incredible, that the contrivers of fo artificial and 
 refmed a plot could be guilty of fuch an overfjght as 
 this. 
 
 Whereas, if we fuppofe their accounts of the 
 angel's appearances to be true, and the feveral par- 
 ties concerned innocent of all finifter defigns, the 
 whole difficulty is cleared up at once ; and nothing 
 could be more natural than this behaviour in con- 
 fequence of thefe events. An honeft and unde- 
 liiining heart could not but burn with a defne of 
 communicating to its friend, fuch an aftonitiiing 
 revelation as Mary had received concerning hcrfelj) 
 as well as of determining the credit it defer vcd, 
 by enquiring into the truth of what the angel like- 
 wife informed her, had already happened to her 
 friend. Nor could any eondu8; be more natural, 
 ■when Elizabeth and She certainly found themfelvcs 
 made the hapj)y inftruments of fulfilling thofe glo- 
 rious promifes, which had been revealed to their 
 
 O 3 fore- 
 
198 THE DIVINE AiissiQXs Of Part IL 
 
 forefathers, than thxir palliiig fome time together, 
 in admiring thofe aftonilhing events which were al- 
 ready come to pafs ; and thole more aftonifliing Itill, 
 which were now upon the point of being fulfilled. 
 And furely, when their conduct approves itfelf, in 
 every particular, the natural refult of innocence, 
 and is incompatible with the fuppofition of their 
 guilt, it would argue no fniall degree of perverfe- 
 nefs, ftill to fuppofe then> engaged in the profecu-. 
 tion of an im.pofture. 
 
 SEO 
 
Sccl. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 199 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Several "very remarliahle Tacts, fuhfequeut to the 
 Births of John and Jefus, conjidered, 
 
 J-F the few fa6ls juft confidered, preceding the 
 births of John and Jefus, bear witnefs in fo ftrong 
 a manner, to the innocence and veracity of all 
 thofe, who were moft immediately concerned in 
 tliefe events; much more will feveral aftonifliing 
 particulars, that ioow followed them, convince us, 
 that they could not poffibly be the effefe of hu- 
 man artifice and cunning; or arife from the fe- 
 cret machinations of Zacharias and his Affbciates ; 
 the only perfons who could poffibly have contrived 
 them. 
 
 Luke having particularly informed us of the 
 time and place of Jejiiss birth, and the means by 
 which it happened, that he was born at Bethle^ 
 htniy immediately goes on with the following narra- 
 tion. 
 
 *' And there were in the fame country," near 
 Bethlehem, '■ Ihepherds abiding in the field, 
 *' keeping watch over their flock by night. And 
 ^' lo, the angel of the Lord canjc upon them, 
 
 04 '' and 
 
<!J00 TiiE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 " and the glory of the Lord llione round about 
 " them, and they ^vcre fore afraid. And the 
 " an2:el faid unto them, Fear not : for behold, 
 '^ I bring you good tidings of great joy, Avhich 
 ^^ iliail be to all people. For unto you is born 
 ** this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which 
 " is Chrilt the Lord. And this fiiall be a fign 
 ** unto you ; ye fliall find the babe wrapped in 
 " fwadling cloaths, lying in a manger. And fud- 
 '* denly there was with tlie angel a multitude of 
 " the heavenly holt ; praifmg God, and faying, 
 " glory to God in the highelt, and on earth peace, 
 ** good will towa-rds men. And it came to pafs, 
 *' as the angels were gone away from them into 
 *' heaven, the fhepherds faid one to another, Let 
 " us now go even unto Bethlehem, and fee this 
 *' thing which is come to pafs,' which the Lord 
 ** hath made known unto us. And they came 
 " with hafte, and found Mary and Jofeph, and 
 ** the babe lying in a manger. And when they 
 *' had feen it, they made known abroad the fa}^- 
 " incT which was told them concernins; this child. 
 *' And all they that heard it wondered at thofe 
 " things, which were told them by the Ihepherds. 
 " But Mary kept all thefe things and pondered 
 " them in her heart. And the ihepherds returned 
 *' glorifying anc} praifmg God, for all the things 
 
 " they 
 
Se6t. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 20 1 
 
 " they had heard and feen, as it was told unto 
 '*' them*." 
 
 ' Here a new Icene opens upon us, crouded 
 with unexpected vilions, and divine revelations, 
 bearing witnels in the molt extraordinary manner 
 to the fdcred character and divine milfion oi Jcfus^ 
 But if the angel's former appearances, and predic- 
 tions of the births of JoJiU and Jefus, which have 
 already been conlidered, were in reality hut fi£t ions 
 of Thofe to whom they were pretended to have 
 been made ; then muft this aftonilliing account of 
 what happened to the Shepherds of Bethlehem, be 
 an impolture Hkewife. And if this be fo, it muft 
 have been brought about in one or other of the fol- 
 lowing ways. 
 
 Either the Shepherds muft have been deluded 
 by the Itrength of their own fuperftitious imagina- 
 tions into a belief] that they faw angels which never 
 appeared ; and heard the molt furprizing things re- 
 vealed to them, which in fa6fc were never fpoken : 
 Or elfe, they muft have been corrupted by Zacha- 
 rias, and his Confederates, purpofely to give out 
 tliis revelation, and to pretend to feek for Jofeph 
 and Marif and. the young child, by night, as if in 
 confequence of it ; and they knew, at the fame time, 
 that every particular of this relation was entirely 
 
 ♦ Luke ii. 8—20. 
 
 falfe. 
 
502 THE DIVINE MISSIONS 0? Part IL 
 
 falfe. But we lliall foon fee, that neither of thefe 
 fuppofitions can poffibly be true. 
 
 It is notorious, that nothing could be more in- 
 confiftent with the univerfal expectation of the JcxvSy 
 nor any thing more contradictorij to all the notions 
 they had formed of the long-expected MeJJiah, their 
 future king and deliverer ; than that he lliould make 
 his entry into the world, in the Jiable of an inn. 
 On the contrary, they expected him to appear with 
 fuch a glorious difplay of his fuperior dignity and 
 power, as might feem a fit introduction to that uni- 
 verfal dominion they believed he would aflume. 
 And it will readily be allowed, that the ftrength of 
 imagination, however overheated, could not feign 
 to itfelf divine appearances and revelations, dia-. 
 metrically oppqfite to all its ftrongeft prejudices and 
 conceits. 
 
 PI AD the force of enthufiafm therefore painted 
 this chorus of angels, and dictated the glad 
 tidings they brought, the Angels could not have 
 informed the iliepherds, that a particular moft 
 aftonifliing event had aCtua,lly taken place, which 
 could never have entered into their thoughts ; and 
 which, above all others, the]/ firmly believed it 
 impofiibk fhould ever come to pafs. And indeed 
 had it not been impoflible on this account alone, 
 what could be more difTicult to believe, than that 
 fcveral poor Ihcpherds, thus accidentally met to- 
 gether. 
 
Se6b. 3. JOHN baptist anp jesus christ. 203 
 
 gether, Hiould all be feizcd at once with fuch a 
 itrong enthufiaftic delufion, all be poflefied at 
 once with the fa?ne wild imagination ; M fee the 
 fame angels, and hear the fame revelation, and 
 fong of rejoicing ; and all this relating folely to a 
 matter fo extremely foreign from their common 
 thoughts and occupation, as the time, place, and 
 minuteft circumltances of the birth of the Mef* 
 fiah ? 
 
 ^ Not to iniift further therefore on the manifeft 
 incredibility of fucli a fuppofition ; if there was any 
 deceit in the cafe, it muft needs have been in the 
 Shepherds themfelves, /Ihey muft have been fe- 
 duced to afTift in the grand plot, and on this oc- 
 cafion only acled a part they had been before in- 
 Itrucled to perform. Let us fee then, whether this 
 fuppofition is, at bottom, at all more credible than 
 tlie former. 
 
 Os this oGcafion we might appeal to the uniform 
 practice of all impoftors, who, with good reafon, 
 are fo fearful of nothing, as of imparting their de- 
 figns to ino?*e perfons, than are abfolutely neccffari/ 
 for the profccution of their plots. We might ap- 
 peal to the conduct of that arch inipoftor, INlahomet 
 himfelf, who, though he was pra6tiling upon a peo- 
 ple ignorant even to barbarifm, and liable to all the 
 extravagances of the moft foolifh credulity, did not 
 4arc to feck ailiftance in hh plot from more than 
 
 one 
 
<204? THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 one or two perfons at the moft ; and concealed 
 his connection even with them, with fo mtich care 
 and circuiTifpe6tion, that it has colt even the 
 moft learned no little pains to find them out*. 
 Every argument likewife, that has been already f 
 drawn from the peculiar danger of the cafe in 
 the plot before us, to fliew the incredibility of 
 Zachariass attempting to make any aflbciates at 
 all in the plot fuppofed, might here be applied, 
 with double force, to the fuppofition of his having 
 made known his iniquity to the Shepherds in quef- 
 tion. 
 
 What more incredible, than that he Hiould 
 almoft provoke fome one to betray him, by laying 
 himfelf open to fo many, merely for the fake of 
 executing a contrivance, by no means neceflary for 
 the fuccefs of his grand defign? Or how was it 
 pofiible for him to choofe to corrupt thofe, above 
 others, whofe funplicity and great ignorance of 
 mankind, made them, of all orders of men, the 
 moft unfit to promote- his fchemes ; and the moft 
 likely to be lliocked at, and betray his propofals ? 
 It would be difficult to invent a fuppofition nnich 
 more inconceivable than this; that Zacharias or 
 Jofeph could attempt to corrupt a number oi Shep- 
 
 * See Prideaux's Life of Mahomet, p. 3^— 4<). Svo.— 2cl, 
 Edftion. 
 
 t See Part I. Sect. 4* 
 
 herds^ 
 
Se6i. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 205 
 
 herds, to bear the witnefs thefe did to the divine 
 cliara^Fter of Jefus ; or that Tlieij fliould have be- 
 come tiie zealous promoters of fuch an impofture, 
 'and ever after have remained the faithful concealers 
 of it, if he had. 
 
 But ftill new wonders rife up before us. Though 
 ■we have already difcovered fo niany perfons, wlio 
 muft certainly have been made partakers with 
 Zacharias and Mary, in wliatever impofture they 
 were now carrying on, more aftors are ftill 
 coming upon the ftage, to perform new parts in 
 the plot. 
 
 '' And when the days of her, Alary s, purifi- 
 " cation, according to the law of Mofes, were ac- 
 '•'■ compliflied," that is, about a month after Je- 
 fus's birth, " they brought him to Jerufalem, 
 " to prefent him to the Lord. As it is writ- 
 *' ten in the law of the Lord, every male that 
 " openeth the womb, ihall be called holy to 
 " the Lord. And to offer a facrifice, accord- 
 " ing to that which is faid in the law of the 
 '* Lord ; a pair of turtle doves, or two young 
 " pidgeons. And beiiold, there was a man in 
 " Jerufalem, whofe name was Simeon ; and the 
 ^* fame man was juft and devout, waiting for tlie 
 " confolation of Ifrael ; and the Holy Ghoft wjas 
 '*' upon him. And it was revealed unto him by 
 '' the Holy Ghoft, that he fliould not fee death, 
 
 *' before 
 
^06 THE BIVI^TE MISSIONS OF Part IL 
 
 *^ before he had feen the Lord's Chrift. And he 
 " came by the fpirit into the temple : And when 
 " the parents brought in the child Jefus, to do 
 " for him after the cuftom of the law, then took 
 *' he him up in his arms, and blefled God, and 
 ** faid, Lord, now lettelt thou thy fervant depart 
 ** in peace, according to thy word. For mine 
 ** eyes have feen thy Talvation ,* which thou haft 
 " prepared before the face of all people : a light to 
 ** lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy people 
 *^ Ifrael. And Jofeph and his mother marvelled 
 ^' at thofe things which were fpoken of him. And 
 *^ Simeon bleiled them, and faid unto Mary his 
 *■ mother. Behold this child is fet for the fall, 
 *^ and rifmg again, of many in Ifrael ; and for a 
 ^' fio;n, which fliall be fpoken againit ; yea a 
 " fvvord Ihall pierce through thy own foul alfo, 
 *^ that the thoughts of many hearts may be re- 
 " vealed. 
 
 " And there was one Anna, a prophetefs, the 
 ** daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aler ; Ihe 
 " was of a great age, and had lived with an huf- 
 ^* band feven years from iier virginity ; and ihe was 
 ** a widow of about fourfcore and four years ; 
 *' which departed not from the temple, but ferved 
 ** God with faftings and prayers night and day. 
 " And fhe coming in that inftant, gave thanks 
 ** likewife unto the Lord, and fpake of him to all 
 
 '' them 
 
Sect. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. Wt 
 
 " them that looked for redemption in Jerufalem. 
 " And when they had performed all things accord- 
 " ing to the law of the Lord, they returned into 
 " Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth." 
 
 Strange as this fuppofition will at once ap- 
 pear, it muft be owned, that if the circumfiances 
 recorded of the births of John and Jefus^ ^vere 
 only fo many parts of a deep-laid impofture; tlie 
 remarkable particulars juft related muft have 
 been a fubtil contrivance from one end to the 
 other. 
 
 Simeon and Aniia, of whom fo honourable 
 mention is made for their acknowledged piety and 
 goodnefs, muft at the bottom have been two moft 
 impious deceivers, who had been corrupted by 
 'Zacharias, or fome of his alTociates, to abett his 
 impofture in the manner juft related. Tlieir 
 coming into the temple at this particular time, as 
 it is faid, by the Spirit; Smeoiis taking Jb/ws inliis 
 arms ; his moft remarkable addrefs of thanlfgiving 
 to God, for the arrival of the Mcfflah ; and his 
 prophetic alTurances to Mary concerning lier fon; 
 together with Annas public thanks, and infpired 
 declarations, politively ailbrtuig the divine cha- 
 ra^ier of J^fus ; muft all have been the refult of 
 mere artifice and contrivance; and meafures fiiift 
 privately concerted between them. Nay, what is 
 ftill more, all the claims of Simeon and An?m to 
 
 diving 
 
£08 THE DIVINE MISSIONS ot Part II. 
 
 divine infpiration, before this time, and elpecially 
 Simeon's revelation, " that he Ihould not fee 
 " death, before he had feen the Lord's Chrift ;" 
 muft all have been mere forgery and pretence, 
 from the very firft ; and, purpofely given out, with 
 the view of tranfacting this particuhir fcene of the 
 plot. So that, though tlie part, which we muft 
 now believe, I^iej/ had undertaken to execute, did 
 .not bring them • into public view before ; The^ 
 muft in reality have been privy to the whole im- 
 pofture, and have agreed to act the part they did 
 to fupport it, fome time before they came upon the 
 ftage. 
 
 But how will it be poiTrble to folve fuch a ferie.s 
 of difficulties as here thruft tiiemfelves into view? 
 Can we fuppofe Zacharias refolutely bent upon 
 purfuing the molt certain means to betray his own 
 iniquity, and procure his deftru6lion? Could the 
 wickedeft and moft^fubtil impoftor that ever lived, 
 fmgle out thofe of the moft approved piety and 
 goodnefs, to make aifociatcs in his crimes ; and 
 choofe to lay open his impious devices, above all 
 Others, to the wife and good ? Could he fuppofe, 
 that they, who from youth to old age had per- 
 fevered in the pra&ice of piety and rehgion, 
 would at laft, on the fudden, become equally in- 
 duftrious in the fervice of impiety and vice? 
 Could he expe6l: to conquer the virtue of four- 
 
 fcoro 
 
Seft. 3. JOHN EAPTIST AXD JESUS CHRIST. 209 
 
 fcore years, and even without the leaft profpe6t of 
 reward ? Or could the fame perfons, who had ap- 
 proved themfelves fincere worfliippers of the God 
 of Ifrael, through the moft dangerous ftages of 
 human life, at length proceed to mock him with 
 homd blafphemies, in his very temple itfelf ; when 
 they could have no inducement for doing it^ at the 
 extremity of old age ? 
 
 If all this be allowed impoffible; and the nature 
 of the thing will not even admit of a doubt \ then is 
 it abfolutely incredible, that Zacharias or Jqfeph 
 could have attempted to corrupt Simeon and Anna^ 
 and equally fo that They could have agreed to abett 
 fuch an impofture, if either of them had. And fmce 
 their conduct was fo very remarkable, though on 
 this fingle occafion only, as to prove beyorid doubt, 
 that They muft have been principals in the plot 
 fuppofed, if in fa6l it had any real exiftence; the in- 
 tegrity of Zacharias^ and every perfon concerned, 
 appears inconteftibly proved, and all the miraculous 
 circamftances related of the births both of John 
 and of JefaSy muft be acknowledged as unqueftion- 
 •jjbly true *. 
 
 But 
 
 * In addition to what has been here urged, drawn from 
 the peculiar characters and circumjlances of Simeon and Anna 
 themfelves, it is likewife proper to obferve, that every argu- 
 ment which has been already alleged, in Part I. Sed. 4. 
 
 P drawa 
 
210 THE DIVIKE MISSIONS OF Pait IT, 
 
 But the amazing artifices of Zacharias and his 
 allociates to conceal their impoltai'e, if in truth 
 
 they 
 
 drawn from tho Jiah/re o{ tlie fiTppofed contrivance alone, to 
 prove the utter incredibility of Zacharias's communicating fuch 
 a plot to auj/ (me at all ; muft here be allowed their full weight 
 and influence in regard to Simeon and Anna, and clearly prove 
 it to have been impofiible for him to have made confederates 
 of ther/i. 
 
 But befides, the very fuppofition, that they had applied to 
 Simeon and Anna, and engaged them to aflift in their fchemc, 
 is in fa<5l iuTmediately and efibntially deftructive of their jV;j/ 
 plot itfelf. Fur, if fo, it muO: eitlier have been Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth on one fide, or Jofeph and Mary on the other, who 
 looked upon Simeon and Anna as lit perfons for their {)ur- 
 pofe, and, in confequencc of this opinion, applied to them to 
 alFift the caufe. But had Zacharias liad any knowledge of 
 iSimeon and Anna f and looked upon them in this Hght; cer- 
 tainly he would at firft have applied to T/iem alofie^ to aflift 
 him in feme fuch manner in favour of Jo/m, as they atSted 
 with regard to Jifjus ; and witji their afljftance he could have 
 carried on his own plan concerning John onlij ; nor fhould we 
 have found him conncded, in any of his tranfadions, with Jo- 
 feph and Mary; or his contrivance for JohHj burthened with 
 one of fo much more hazardous 'a nature, as that relating to 
 Jcfus. While, on the oihcr hand, had Jofeph and Mar^ been 
 Ithe perfons who knew the real charafters of Simeon and 
 Anna, and engaged them to ad the part they did, relating lo 
 J'j::s ; they could have had .no reafon whatever for laying 
 open their detigns to Zacharias and I'Jizabtth ; who, being 
 old and childlefs. wore evidrntlv incapable of carr}'! ng on the 
 oJIj tliat, take whi'ch lide we 
 
 pi cafe. 
 
SeCl« Si JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 9AI 
 
 they had any to conceal ; or, lo fpcak more pra« 
 perly, the mdifputable evidences of their innocence 
 and integrity, are not yet at an end. There ftiil 
 remains to be confidered another,* and a moft re- 
 markable tranfa^lion, which will afford, perhaps, as 
 decifive evidence, to determine the point in debate, 
 as any that has been hitherto taken notice of. It is 
 related by Matthew * as follows : 
 
 " Now when Jefus was born in Bethlehem 
 '' of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, 
 " behold there came Wife Men from the Eaft to 
 " Jerufalem, faying, Where is he that is born 
 '' kino: of the Jews ? For we have feen his ftar 
 *^ in the Eaft, and are come to worfl;iip him. 
 " W^hen Herod the king heard thefe things, he 
 " was troubled, and ail Jerufalem with him. 
 *' And when he had gathered all the chief priefts, 
 •^ and fcribes of the people together, he de- 
 ** manded of them, where Chrift Ihould be born ? 
 " And they faid unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea t 
 " for thus it is written by the prophet : And 
 " thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not 
 " the lead among the princes of Juda ; for out 
 *' of thee Ihall come a governor that fhall rule 
 
 pleafe, the fuppofition of either party's pcrfuading Simeon and 
 Anna to engage in their plot, is, at the bottom, abfolutely de- 
 ftrudive of the fuppofition of tlic'iv joint impofture itfclf. 
 * Matt. ii. 1—16. 
 
 P a / my 
 
212 THE DIVINE MISSIO^*S Of Part IL 
 
 " my people Ifrael. Then Herod, M'hen he had 
 " privily called the Wife Men, enquired of them 
 *' diligently, what time the fer appeared. And 
 " he lent them to Bethlehem, and laid, Go, and 
 " fearch diligently for the young child, and \vhei> 
 '* ye have found him, bring me word again, that I 
 *' may come and worfliip him alfo'. When they 
 " had heard the kkig, they departed; and lo, 
 " the ftar, which they fejw m the Eaft, went before 
 " them, till it came and ftood over where the 
 " young child was. When they faw the ftar, they 
 '' rejoiced with exceeding groat joy. And when 
 *^ they were come intO' th^ houfe, they faw the 
 ^' young ehild, with ]Mary his mother, and fel! 
 '^ down and worlliipped him : and when they had 
 " opened their treatnres, they prefented him with 
 " gifts, gold, and frankincenfe, and myrrh. And 
 " being warned of God in a dream, that they 
 ^' lliould not return to Herod, they departed into 
 ^* their own country another way. And when 
 *' they were departed, behold, the angel of the 
 '* Lord appeareth unto Jofeph in a dream, fay- 
 '^ ing; Arife, and take the young child, and hia- 
 " mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thoa 
 '* there until I bring thee word ; for Herod will 
 *' fcek the young child to deftroy him. When 
 '" he rofe, he took the young child, and his mo- 
 " ther, by night, and departed into Egypt ; and 
 
Se^. 3- JOHN BAPTIST AXD JESUS CHRIST* 5 13 
 
 ^^ was there until the death of Herod ; that it 
 '^ might be fulfilled, which was fpoken of the 
 ** Lord, by the prophet, faying, Out of Egypt 
 *' Jmve I called niy foh. Then Herod, ^hen he 
 *' faw that he was mocked of the Wife ]\Ieii, 
 " was exceeding wroth ; and fcnt forth, and flew 
 " all the children that w^ere in Bethlehem, and 
 *' in all the coafts thereof, from two years old 
 ^* and under ; according to the time which he had 
 " diligently enquired of the Wife Men." 
 
 The evangelilt makes no mention of the pre- 
 cife time when this remarkable event came to pafs, 
 nor is it material to the fubject in hand. But, as 
 far as may be collected from fome circumitances, it 
 feems at leaft very probable, that it happened about 
 a tzvelveniontk * after Jefuss birth. Various have 
 been the opinions propofed concerning the par- 
 ticular character and country of thefe unexpected 
 perfons, who, we are only tojd, were Wife Men 
 from the Eaji f . But, to pafs over this difquifition, 
 
 • See the notes on the 11th fed. of Macknight's Paraphrafe 
 on his Harmony of the Gofpcls. — Hammond's Obfervation on 
 Luke ii. 24..— See Lightfoot, Vol. I, 205. 
 
 + Sec the commentators on the phice, and note I on 
 the 11th feci, of Macknight's Harmony. Lightfoot, Vol. I, 
 
 P 3 it 
 
214 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OP Part II, 
 
 it will be fufficient to our purpofe to obferve, that if 
 the other miraculous circumftances related of the 
 bjrths of Zachariass and Marys fons, were only 
 the feverai parts of a plot, for deceiving the Jews 
 with a falfe prophet, and a counterfeit Mefliah ; 
 then muft thefe Wife Men from the Eqft have 
 been mere impodors, and nothing better than ac- 
 complices with Zacharias ; fent by him to Jerufakm, 
 purpofely to act that particular chara6tj3r, they there 
 appeared in. 
 
 This extraordinary device too muft have been 
 put in execution, in order by their aftoniihing 
 enquiry, even of Herod himfelf, after a young 
 JKifig of the Jews, lately born in his own domi^ 
 nions ; as well as by the religious worfhip they 
 were to -pay* the child when they found him; to 
 fix the thoughts and expe6lations of the whole 
 people upon Jefics ; that when he iliould after- 
 wards be old enough to begin a6iing his own part, 
 they might the more readily receive him for the 
 promifed Meffiah. The ftory of their being ap- 
 prized of the young king's births by the appear- 
 ance of a itar in the Eaft, and its appearing again 
 to them, and dire6ting them to the houfe where 
 Jefus lay ; muft all haye been forged, merely to 
 fupport their characters, and carry on the de- 
 iiiiion. Their being like wife warned of God, in a 
 
 dream^ 
 
Sea. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AXD ji-:sus cimisT. 215 
 
 dream, to depart from Bdhleliem witho'itrejjirn* 
 ing to Herod ; and Jofcph's carrying Alari/ aitd 
 the child into Egypt, immediately after, in con- 
 fequencc of a fnnilar divine command ; muft have 
 been foro^eries dven out to throw an air of myfter\ 
 over their fudden departure ; while, in fu6i:, exicrif 
 one of thefe fteps niuft have been concerted 
 between them All, long before thefe pretended 
 Wife Men from ike Eaji Uiade their appearance at 
 Jerufalem, 
 
 At len^lth then ^^•e are arrived at the fiuilhino; 
 ftroke of this marvellous combination ; which, at 
 lirft fight, might force one to acknowledge it, for 
 ingenuity of defign, not unuorthy of the completell 
 mafters in deceit. But a clofer infpection will pre- 
 fently convince us, that the fuppofition of this inge- 
 nious expedi?nt is on many accounts incredible, 
 n.nd flic h as cannot be received. 
 
 In" particular, the nature of the thing itfelf will 
 fully prove, that if Zacharias, and -thofc con- 
 nected with him, weie actually engaged in tlie 
 grand plot we have all along fuppofcd, ftill it 
 will remain incredible, that they could attempt 
 the expedient before us. But, above all, the \\ hole 
 .Tewiih Sanhedrim y and even Herod hiinfelj] \\i\\ 
 bear ample witnefi?, that the Wife JMtn in queition 
 were, beyond all doubt, the real nr-rrnii^ tlicv pre- 
 tended to be. 
 
 P 4 That 
 
£16 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II, 
 
 That fome fuch perfons as the evangelift has 
 defcribed, appeared publicly at Jenifakm^ en, 
 quiring for the young King of the Jews; tfiat Herody 
 in confequence of an application to him on this 
 account, fumn^oned a great council of all the 
 chief priefts and fcribes, to determine upon the 
 place where Ch^'iji Ihould be born ; that, in con- 
 fequence of their determination, he fent the 
 ftrangers to Bethlehem ; commanding them, when 
 they had found the young king^ to acquaint him 
 alfo, where he was ; that they there found Alary, 
 and her fon Jefus^ and paid homage to him, 
 acknowledging him to be the young king they 
 had fought after ; and that, becaufe they departed 
 without returning to Herod, as he defired, he imme- 
 diately put to death all the children about Jefus's 
 age, which were to be found in Bethlehem, 
 and the region round about; all thefe facls, re- 
 lated clearly, pofitively afferted, and never in any 
 part contradicted, are not now to be called in 
 queftion. 
 
 Had they not been true, the evangelift could 
 not have dajrd to aflert them ; and even if he 
 could have been guilty of fo much folly, their 
 falfehopd would have been foon dete6lcd, and 
 publicly laid open, and the credit of his gofpel 
 have been effectually dcftroyed. The facts are 
 of fo ^ftonilhingj and fo public a nature, that; 
 
 tills 
 
Sc6l. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 21/ 
 
 this m.uft inevitably have been the cafe. Not to 
 {ay, that the very fuppofition of a?uj deceit at the 
 bottom, necellarily imphes the exiftence of the 
 fafts themfelves ; and, that the malTacre of the 
 infants, which is the moft important of them all, 
 to confirm the truth of the reft, is elfewhere 
 recorded ■*, 
 
 The 
 
 * See L.irtlner*s Cred. of the Gofpel Hiftory, b. ii. ch. 2. 
 throughout. See likewife even the exprefs teftimony of a Jew 
 to the truth of this fad, quoted by Dr. G. Sharpe, in his " Ar- 
 gument for the Defence of Chriftianity, taken from the Con- 
 ceffions of its moft antient Adverfaries," p» 40. But the truth 
 of thefe extraordinary fa<5ls is fet in fo clear a light by a French 
 writer, that, upon this occafion, I hope to be forgiven the li- 
 berty of tranflating what he has faid about them. 
 
 ." Had the evangelift only told us, that the Wife Men faw a 
 flar in the Eaft, which they believed to be the ftar of the Kw<^ 
 of th« Jews, this would have appeared very fufpicious. If he 
 had faid no more, than that the Wife Men came to Jcrufalem, 
 neither would this have been fatisfadory. But he aflerts, 
 not only that they came there, but lliat they appeared 
 there in public ; and that the whole city of Jervfalau were 
 greatly moved and aitoniflicd on (heir account. Js it very 
 likely any one fhould take it into his head to attempt per- 
 fuading fo great a city as Jerufalom, tliat they had been 
 thrown into a general confternation, by the appearance of 
 certain Wife Men, who came purpofely to worthip the kin^^ of 
 the Jews ? When a man has determined to publifli any 
 falfehood, which it is of the utmoft importance to him to pro- 
 cure the belief of, will he finglo ont fiich circumftanccs to re- 
 late. 
 
$]S THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part 11. 
 
 The faQ:s then being indifputably eftabliilied, it 
 is certain, from the nature of that enquiry, whick 
 
 thefe 
 
 late, as t\ie people well know, arc all utterly falfe ? ^latthew, 
 who wrote this account, was liimfelf a Jew. And for whom did 
 he immediately defign it ? For many thoufand Jews, converts 
 to Chriftianity, who dwelt at Jeriifalemj and who were as well 
 acquainted with what had happened there, both in their own 
 days, and thofe of their fathers, as the people of Paris are with 
 what came to pafs there under the adminillration of Cardinal 
 Richlieuj or thofe of London, with what was tranfacled there 
 in the time of Oliver Cromwell; or the people of Stockholm, 
 with what happened in that city in the reign of Guftavus. 
 And let us only confider, whether it would be polTible for any 
 ©ne to publifh fuch falfehoods in thefe populous cities, with fuch 
 remarkable fuccefs as attended the relations we are now confi- 
 dering, fo as by their means to engage many thoufands to be- 
 come parties in his caufe." 
 
 " But granting, that the evangelift might have alTurance 
 enough to defcribe the Wife Men, and the aftonilhment they oc- 
 cafiohed in all the inhabitants of Jerufalem, even in direct oppo-. 
 fttion to the well-known hiftory of the times; it mufl at loaft 
 be allowed, that the fubfeguetit events, alferted to have happened 
 in confequence of this, were of fuch a nature, that not even the 
 moll impudent and abandoned writer could have dared to make 
 mention of them, had they not come to pafs." 
 
 " In reality, this tranfailion contains two or three facls fo 
 clofely connerted in their own nature, that if wg allow the 
 truth of one, it will be impoffible to deny the reft. If we 
 agree, that the arrival oi fome Wife Men induced Merod to 
 fumnion the great council of the Jews, in ordor to be allured 
 Inhere the Meffiah fhould be born, we cannot poflibly doubt 
 
 whether 
 
Se6l. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 219 
 
 thefe apparent Wife Men from the Eaft came to 
 Jerufakm to make, that they could not be im-^ 
 poftors. 
 
 For, 
 
 whether any fuch pcrfons did av^yally appear. And if we a,l- 
 low, that Herod really fcnt his people to Bethlehem, to put to 
 death all thq children ther« of two years old and under, there 
 can be no difpute about the anfwer given by the Sanhedrim to 
 this enquiry. If, therefore, the truth of the chief fact may be 
 relied on, there can be no need of any farther proof of the tvvo 
 ether." 
 
 " Now I will venture to afilrm, that if tliis chief event had 
 not really come to pafs, the cvangelift could never have related 
 it. For what wa» better known than the reign of Herod the 
 Great ? Even his moft infignificant adions wrre all got abroad. 
 How then could any one dare to charge hhn, falfely, with fo 
 allonilhing and uuheard-of a mafiacre as this ? Bethldiein itfclf 
 was ftill flourifliing when the cvangelift wrote his account of this 
 tranfadion. So that, if his relation wasj not true, every inha- 
 titant of that city could bear witnefs to its falfehood. Its 
 diftance from Jerufalem too was fo fmall, that the Chriftians 
 there could not polTibly be ignorant of tbe reception this account 
 met with at Bethlehem iffdf; efpecially as there was a very con- 
 fiderable intercourfe carried on between the two cities. Nor 
 was the time, which had clapfed between the birth of Jefus 
 Chrift and the writing of thisGofpcl, by any mean? fufiicientto-, 
 afford room for the reception of fo extravagant a falfehood. I 
 would only alk, whether we ourfclves could be perfuaded into- 
 the belief, that any particular monarch now reigning in Eurf)pe ; 
 or, if you pleafc, one who reigned thirty or forty ycajs fince ; had 
 paufed two or three thoufand children to be put to death in the 
 cradle, for the fake of dcftroying one in particular, whole future 
 
 fortune 
 
520 THE DIVIKE MISSIOX'S OF Part II. 
 
 For, fiY% fhould we fuppofe Jofeph and Za^ 
 charias actually engaged in the grand impofture, 
 nothing can be more incredible, than that they 
 iliould, at this time efpecially, be fo induftrious in 
 contriving the molt ready ways to betray it ; by ftill 
 making /o many more perfons acquainted with their 
 whole ddign. And how could thefe veteran de- 
 ceivers think of promoting their fuccefs, by fending 
 any of their accomplices upon fo dangerous, nay fo 
 mad an enterprize, as that of going purpofely to 
 acquaint Jthrod himfelf, with the a^ual birth of a 
 young King of the Jews ? Above all, where could 
 they expe^ to find adventurers, daring and foolilh 
 enough to engage in fo defperate an undertaking ? 
 
 fortune he was afraiA of? There is little likelihood iiifleed of our 
 liftcningto fuch an iiiipofition as this ; or indeed that any one 
 ihould publifli fuch a falfehood ; or even, that {o flrange a 
 thought fiionld even enter into any man's head. But that any 
 one fhould be able to perfuade the people of the fame kingdom,, 
 and even the inhabitants of the very place where the fcene is 
 laid, into the belief of j\ch a fa<ft, if it had never happened, is 
 above all incredible.*' — See Trajte ce la Verite de la Religion 
 Chr6ticrme, piir I. Abbadie ; Par. ii. fe<^. 3v ch. 2.— The rea- 
 foning in this pafiage is perfedly juft; but the number of 
 children here; mentioned, us fuppofed to have been put to 
 death, is named at random, without any foundation. It is not 
 rcafonable to fuppofe, that tlje ^vhole number of male childreq 
 only under two years of age, in Bethlehem and its neighbour- 
 hood, could be large. 
 
 Tin: 
 
Sc£l. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AlSTD JESUS CHRIST. SSfl 
 
 The leaft they could expe6l from the execution 
 of fuch an embafly was, that, if Herod Ihould re- 
 frain from putting them immediately to death, it 
 would only be in order to place fuch fpies upon all 
 their motions, as they could not efcape from ; that 
 fo, when he had by thefe means detected their infant 
 Jcing, he might cut them all off together, and thus 
 bring all their crafty devices to a very fpeedy con- 
 clufion. 
 
 XoK is it lefs evident from the condu^ of Herod, 
 and the Jewijli council, that the Wife Afen in queftion 
 really were not impoftors, than it is from the very 
 nature of that enquiry they came to Jerufalem to 
 make, that they could not be fo. 
 
 Can it be imagined, that a prince of Herod's 
 penetration, policy, and paffionate difpofition, 
 would fuffer three or four perfons, in the character 
 of Wife Men from the Eajly to throw himfelf, 
 and all Jerufalem with him, into fufpence and 
 aftonilhment, by daringly publilliing even the 
 actual birth of a new King of the Jews ; and 
 declaring they were come, by the guidance of 
 heaven itfelf, to woriliip him ; without immediate- 
 ly caufmg the very ftri8;eft enquiry to be made 
 into their true country and eharafter? Caa we 
 fuppofe Herod, above all men, would fuffer his 
 very throne to be lliaken under him ; without 
 fatisfyjng himfclf in the completeft manner, that 
 
 thefe 
 
222 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part II, 
 
 thefe unlooked-for and daring harbingers of the 
 nezv King, were not a fet of impoftors ? Could fo 
 politic a prince, on any account whatever, himfelf 
 add dignity to their chara61;ers, and authority to 
 their declarations ; by treating them with fo much 
 outward refpe6l, as even to fummon the great 
 Coimcil of the priefts *, to give a folemn anfwer 
 to their enquiry ; unlefs he had been thoroughly 
 convinced, that they were in truth the very perfons 
 they pretended to be? 
 
 Before he could refolve to follow fo dan- 
 gerous a courfe as this, which muft unavoidably 
 make the people in general fo much more prone 
 to tumults and revolts, he would certainly have 
 taken every ftep neceifary to detect fo bold an im- 
 pofition ; and would have condemned the impof- 
 tors, had they proved fuch, to the moft cruel 
 and ignominious deaths. Nor can it be believed, 
 that all the moft eminent members of the Jewiih 
 priefthood fhould be fummon ed, even by Herod 
 himfelf, to give their opinion upon the place of 
 
 ■* " The chief priefts were either thofe who had enjoyed the 
 dignity of the high priefthood, which was now become ele(flive 
 and temporary, or the chiefs of the facerdotal clafifes, the heads 
 of the courfes of priefts appointed by David. The fcribes 
 were the interpreters of the law, and the public teachers of the 
 nation."— Macknight, fed. ll.—See Lightfoot, Vol. I. 438, 
 
 &C. 
 
 Chriffs 
 
f^eB:. S. joiix baptist and jesus christ. 225 
 
 C/injl'^ biilh, on lb unlooked-for, and furpiizing an 
 occafion, ^vithout enquiring very curioufly into the 
 true clmraclers of thofe ftrangers, whofe amazing 
 declarations had been the 072/1/ caufe of HerccFs 
 call ins; them too;ether. 
 
 Besides, from the cruel malTacre of the in- 
 fants, which Herod inmiediately proceeded to, 
 upon the departure of the JFiJe Mem from Beth- 
 lehem, without returning to him, it is evident, 
 that his defign in treating their enquiry with fo 
 nmch refpe6l, was, merely to get the young King 
 into his power, that he might then cut off him, and 
 whocfver appeared conne6led with him, at once. 
 And this being unqueftionably his real intention, 
 had he not been moft thoroughly convinced, that 
 the Wife Men in queftion were not impoftors ; had 
 there been but the leaft room for any fufpicion 
 about it, his firft care would have been to befet 
 them with trufty perfons when he fent them to 
 Bethlehem^ who certainly would have fecured Them 
 and their infant Ki7?g, as foon as they pretended 
 to have found him, and have brought them all 
 back together to Herod, to be put to death at his 
 pleafure. So that had not the JVife Men, whoever 
 they really were, brought with them fuch clear 
 credentials of the truth of their ailumed chara6lers 
 and country, as freed them at once from the leaft 
 fufpicion of deceit, we may be fure they could 
 
 7lQf. 
 
224 THE BlvixE Missio^^s ot Part It. 
 
 not have efcaped, either undete^led, or unpu- 
 niflied. 
 
 But farther, had not fach an attempt itfelf been 
 far too dangerous for them to try, and had it beeii 
 pofilble for them t6 have efcaped ; ftill it appears, 
 that no impoflors could have been fent on this occa- 
 fion, with inftru6t.iofls to condu6b themfelves in that 
 manner in which the PFife Men before us are found 
 to have done. 
 
 It was now fome time fmce the birth of their 
 intended counterfeit king. It had fallen out like- 
 wife, in confequence of an edi8; of the Roman 
 Emperor, that he had been born in a city, where 
 Jofeph and Marl/ had not, otherzvife, any inten- 
 tion that he ihould *. Whence it plainly ap- 
 pears, 
 
 * That Jofeph and Mary liad not originally formed any de- 
 ficrn of their om?if that Jefus fhould be born at Befhlekem, is 
 evident, not only from the unexpe&cd occafion of their going 
 thither, AuguftUs's decree for the taxing, but likewife from 
 the other circumftanccs of his birth there. For it appears, 
 that they did not come to Bethlehem till/> lafe^ that no room 
 was to be had in the houfe, and 3Iar)/ was actually delivered 
 of Jcfus in ajabk. Whereas had Jofeph and Mary been en- 
 gaged in the plot fuppofed, and formed a de/igri of having 
 Jefus born at Bethlehem, in order to correfpond with any re- 
 ceived opinion of the birth-place of the Mefmh ; they would 
 Tinqueftionably have taken care to have been at Bethlehem, 
 efpccially upon the publication oifuch a decree, time enmrgh to 
 hfive fccurcd fome more convenient, and>/er place for Mary's 
 
 delivery 
 
Seft. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. S25 
 
 pears, that They knew nothing of an opinion, ge- 
 nerally knowii and agreed in, that Bethlehem was 
 certainly to be the birth-place of the Mtffiah. At 
 the fame time, Herod's affembling the great Coujicil 
 of the pricfts, upon this occafion, to give him their 
 opinion, where the Meffiah Ihould be born, affords 
 us another proof likewife, 'that this was a point 
 by no means univerfally known and determined^ 
 at the time when the JVife Men in queftion ap- 
 peared. 
 
 Now this point not being known to Jofeph and 
 his affociates; nor fo far determined, as to enable 
 them to judge before-hand, with any tolerable de- 
 gree of aflu ranee, iovwhat particular place Herod's 
 anfwer would declare; it is clearly impoffible that 
 they could fend counterfeits to Jerufalem, at this 
 time, to enquire of Herod where the Meffiah Ihould 
 be born? 
 
 For as to Herod, if he fliould choofe to dif- 
 femble fo far, as to return any anfwer to their en- 
 delivery, than the Jtahk of an inn. They knew before-hand 
 how extremely full the town would neceflarily be upon this 
 particular occafion ; and as Zacharias had already performed 
 his 'public part in the plot, and the farther profecution of their 
 defign fo abfolutely depended upon Mary's fafe delivery, they 
 would unqueftionably have taken this requifite and obvious 
 precaution, at leaft, in order to have fccuied it. 
 
 Q quiry. 
 
226 tHE civilTE MISSIONS o? Part II, 
 
 quiry, nothing lefs -vvas to be expected, than that 
 he would affemble the great Council of the priefts, 
 to determine the matter. And wliat muft have 
 been the confequence, if Their anlwer had fixed 
 upon any other place, than that particular city, 
 where, without the Icaft view to the plot fup- 
 pofed, Jefiis had been brought into the world? 
 It is obvious, and muft have been fo to them, 
 that the determination of this learned Body of the 
 priefts, whofe opinions in all matters of religion 
 were of the greateft weight and authority, would 
 have been fubmitted to, as deci/ive, by the whole 
 people ; and all this artful long-laid defign of fet- 
 ting up the fon of Mary for the Mejjlah, and the 
 counterpart of the plot " with regard to John, muft 
 at once have been effeClually qualhed/ and entirely 
 put an end to. 
 
 Had it therefore been poffible for any com- 
 pany of deceivers, engaged ni a confederacy with 
 Zacharias and Jofeph, to have come to Jerufalem 
 at this timCf under the alTumed chara6lers of fVife 
 Men frojn the Eaft ; which, however, we have 
 feen it was not; certain it is their errand could 
 not now have been, to enquire of Herod himfelf 
 where the Meffiah Jhould be horn ? But, to fpread 
 it among the people in general, xvhere he actually 
 tvas horn. ' And the fame ftar, which they pre- 
 tended had guided them from the Eaft to Jeru- 
 falem^ 
 
Seft. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JE&US CHRIST. 227 
 
 falem, would, without any difficulty, , have been 
 made to conduct them foon after 'to Bethlehem 
 like^\ife; and by this means have Taved them from 
 that dangerous application to Herod, as well as 
 from the hazard of receiving any fuch determina- 
 tion of the priefts, with regard to the birth-plac^ 
 of the Meffiah, as muft neceifarily have over- 
 thrown their long-laid defign of fetting up Jefus in 
 his ftead. 
 
 An© thus we have gone through the propofed 
 examination, as well into the internal nature of the 
 grand impofture in debate, as of feveral particulars 
 that occur in the courfe of the whole tranla6lion ; 
 and which, if there was any deceit at all in the cafe, 
 muft have been fo many fteps deliberately taken 
 by thofe who contrived and carried it on. And 
 while, on the one hand, the defign itfelf has ap- 
 peared, on every confideration, moft extrava- 
 gantly ahfurd, and impojfible to have been con- 
 ceived or undertaken ; on the other, the conduB 
 of every perfon concerned has proved ilfelf, in 
 feveral particulars, of the laft importance to their 
 iliccefs, directly oppofite to what they muft cer- 
 tainly have purfued, had they really been engaged 
 in the profecution of the fuppofed iniquitous de- 
 ceit. 
 
 Here therefore we may be allowed to repeat, 
 upon the ftrength of this argument ojily, what has 
 
 Q 2 already 
 
228 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part ll. 
 
 already been as fully proved, in the firft part, by 
 another, that the plot, which we have all along 
 been fuppofnig, could not poffibly have any real 
 exiftence. But on the contrary, that the revela- 
 tions, and other miracles recorded, as having ac- 
 companied the births of Zachariass and Marys 
 fons, prove themfelves to have really come to pafs ; 
 and confequently, that the facred and prophetic 
 characters to which John and Jefus laid claim, mult 
 unqueftionably have been their true characters^ and 
 in all refpecls divine. 
 
 THE 
 
part III. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 2^9 
 
 THE 
 
 DIVINE MISSIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST 
 
 AND 
 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 The dcfgn of this part ; to confider the conduct of 
 John ayid Jefus ; xvith a view to their conneciion 
 with each other, 
 
 jfVFTER having proved, in the firft place, from 
 tlie circumftances and lituation of all thofe, who 
 muft have been the only contrivers of the impofture 
 in debate, that They could not poffibly have en- 
 gaged in fuch a plot ; in the next, that the fuppofed 
 plot itfelf is, in its own nature, fo manifeftly abfurd^ 
 that it could never be entered into by any perfon 
 whatever ; and farther, that' fever a I of the moft im- 
 portant fteps in the courfe of thefe tranfaciions, 
 
 Q 3 are 
 
230 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF P^rt IIL 
 
 are fuch as could not have been taken, even if 
 the plot itfelf could really have exhted ; certainly 
 nothing more can be necellary to eftablilli the mi- 
 raculous conceptions and births, and confequently, 
 the divuie charafters of John the Baptift and Jefus 
 Chr'ifi. 
 
 But we have not yet produced all the evidence 
 in fupport of thefe points v»^hich the nature of the 
 cafe will admit of, and the fa6ts recorded in the 
 Gofpels afford. And fnice, in a matter of fuch 
 importance to the everlafting interefts of mankind, 
 as the truth and certainty of a particular divine re- 
 velation, no argument, which the cafe can furniih 
 to ilkiftrate the truth, ihould be fuffered to lie neg- 
 lecled ; let us now go on to the examination of fome 
 other particulars,, which naturally prefept themfelves 
 after thofe already coniidered, and which will prpve 
 a very confiderable illuftration of the points already 
 eftablifhed. 
 
 Since John and Jefus at length appeared to- 
 gether, in thofe connected characters, wtiich it was 
 prophetically alTerted, at the tinie of their birth?,f 
 they were afterwards to alTume, w^ may witl^ 
 good reafon expert, that their own condu6l, in all 
 fuch particulars as any ways affected each other^s^ 
 character and reputation ; or could have any in- 
 fluence on the final fuccefs of their Joi?2t defign^ 
 will ,^C(rd us fome very ftrong cireumftantial ^yi^ 
 
 dence 
 
Part III. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. t3l 
 
 dence of the truth or falfehood of their preten- 
 fions. 
 
 When any one has determined to attempt de- 
 ceiving mankind, by counterfeiting fome public 
 character of a very exti'aordinary nature ; it is in- 
 credible that he lliould begin to enter upon ac- 
 tion, without firft fettling, at lealt all the p7i?i' 
 clpal parts of that conduct, which he judges moft 
 likely to fecure him from detection. When more 
 than one have agreed to profecute jointli) any fuch 
 iniquitous defign, it is equally obvious, that they 
 cannot be fuppofed to appear on the public ftage, 
 without having firft jointl}/ fettled the whole fchemo 
 of tiieir conduct, and allotted to each his particular 
 plan. 
 
 The more important and difficult the charac- 
 ters, which they intend to affunie; and the better 
 the people, w^iom they defign to impofe on, are 
 quaUfied for detecting them ; the greater care they 
 will necelTarily take in adjufting tlieir diftui6i parts, 
 and contriving all the particulars of importance 
 in their public behaviour. More efpecially, as 
 nothing is fo apt to caufe an immediate fufpiciou 
 of fomo concerted deceit, as an apparent connexion 
 r^twcen fuch as lay claim to the characiers of 
 infpired mdfengers from God; it cannot be ima- 
 gined that fuch deceivers would determine to fay, 
 or do, any thing, w hich naturally tended to bring 
 
 the 
 
23S THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 the credit of Either into queftion. On the con- 
 trary, it muft readily be allowed, that they would 
 exert the utmoft care, to avoid doing any thing, 
 but what might help to promote the reputation 
 and fuccefs of Each Other, in their joint under- 
 taking. 
 
 Since therefore John and Jefus were fo pro- 
 felTedly connected together, that they reciprocally 
 bore the moft pofitive tcftimony to the divine cha- 
 racter of each other ; thefe confiderations point out 
 another method, in addition to thofe already made 
 ufe of, for eftablilliing the truth, or detecting the 
 falfehood, of their claims. For from hence it is 
 plain, that if we will fuppofe them to have been 
 impoftors, we muft allow their whole public con- 
 duct to have been concerted between them, before 
 they proceeded to the actual execution of their 
 plot. So that if it ftiould appear, that in feveral 
 particulars of their public management, they took 
 fuch fteps as they muft naturally think would pre- 
 vent their mutual fuccefs ; and that, in fome in^ 
 ftances of their joint and relative behaviour. Each 
 purfued a very likely and obvious method to deftroy 
 the Other s, and even his own reputation ; this like- 
 wife muft be allowed a very ftrong collateral proof, 
 that they could not be deceivers. With chara6ters 
 fo extremely difficult to fupport, as thofe laid claim 
 to by John oxid Jefus ; and before a people fo well 
 
 qualified 
 
Part III. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 233 
 
 qualified, and fo willing, as the Jews were to de- 
 tect them, had they been pretenders ; we may pe- 
 remptorily pronounce, that no impoltors whatever 
 could have adopted fuch a conduci as this. 
 
 The evangelilts indeed have recorded but few 
 inftances of any public intercourfe between the 
 Baptiji and Jefiis ; and as few public declarations 
 of Either^ immediately relating to the Other. Per- 
 haps becaufe there were in reality few more of im- 
 portance to mention; perhaps becaufe they were 
 fully fatisfied with mentioning thofe they have; in 
 addition to that abundant proof of John's divine 
 character, contained in the miraculous circum- 
 itances of his birth. But few as the particulars of 
 this kind, handed down to us, are, thefe, when it 
 is confidered, that on the fuppofition of an impof- 
 ture, they muft have been preconcerted between 
 them ; will add no little itrength to our former con- 
 clufion, and place the certainty of the divine origi- 
 nal of John and Jefus even in a ftill ftronger light 
 than before. 
 
 SEC- 
 
2^4 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part llli 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 John wroiisrkt no miracles. 
 
 '»b 
 
 JL HE condu6fc and characters of Jolm the Baptljt 
 aild Jefus Chr'ift, were in no particular more re- 
 markably diftinSl than this; that whereas Jefus fpent 
 great part of his time in performing the moft afto- 
 nifiiing miracles, without number ; the Baptiji, we 
 are exprefsly informed % 7iever attempted to work 
 any miracle at all. 
 
 Now fuppoiing them to have been joint im- 
 poftors, John muft have been as able to perform 
 all Jefns's miracles as Jefus himfelf was. For, on 
 this fuppofition, hosv aftoniihing foever thefe works 
 may appear to us, and plainly beyond the reach 
 of all power no lefs than the divine; to be con- 
 fiitent, we are obliged to confefs, that at the 
 bottom they could not be any thing more than 
 mere tricks and delufions. It is clearly impoflible 
 likewilfe, for two deceivers to have agreed to- 
 gether upon fo hazardous a defign, without lay- 
 ing open to each other all the wiles and artifices 
 
 • John's Gofp. X. ]4. 
 
 each 
 
SeCl. 1. JOHN BAPTIST ANP JESUS CHRIfT. 235 
 
 eaeh was mafter of, and by the help of \^ich onlif 
 they could hope to carry it on. ^ 
 
 If then they were deceivers, it muft be al- 
 lowed, that John knew how to wor^ as nriany and 
 as great apparent miracles as Jefis himlelf did. 
 And confequently we muft believe, that his never 
 attempting to perform any, ^^as in truth owing 
 to private agreemerit, previoafly made between 
 them, from a perfual^jn, that this artifice would 
 conduce moft to the Cuccefs of then joint de- 
 fign. 
 
 Is it then credible John and Jefus coild ima- 
 gine, that the fuccefs of their plot woild have 
 been at all obrtru6led, fhould John ha/e per- 
 formed any of thefe aftonilhing works? ^X firft 
 fight, it feems evident, that deceivers, wb were 
 determined to attempt fo difficult and unpro- 
 mifmg an impofture, would gladly have mde ufe 
 c)f t,very expedient that could gain the go«d opi- 
 nion of thofe they wanted to deceive. Ad fince 
 the peculiar part John undertook, was to )repare 
 the people for the reception of JefuSy by ii'uring 
 them of his divine authority, and prepoffeffn-^ them, 
 as much as pollible, in his favour ; whi more 
 natural, than for John himfelf to have 3xerted 
 fpme of thefe extraordinary powers ; the nore ef- 
 feftually to gain credit to his own pophetic 
 character; and confequently to all his decLrations 
 
 con- 
 
^36 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 cpncerniig his Aj/ociate, who was fo foon to ap- 
 pear? 
 
 If they tiought it neceflary for procuring Je- 
 fiis*s fuccefs o fend a meifenger before him, to 
 proclaim his Ijeedy arrival, and prepare the Jews 
 to receive him vhen he Ihould come; they mult 
 unqueftionably have been defbx^us to furnilh this 
 pretended divine htrald with the beil credentials 
 in their power, that his embiffy might be attended 
 with the w.^hed-for effe6l. Nor could they think, 
 that any other expedient would be fo eminently 
 ferviceahe for this ena, as the performance of 
 fome fu'h feemingly miraculous works as, we have 
 juft nov feen, John muft have been able to per- 
 form. Befides that great attention and reverence, 
 which works of this kind were fure to excite, on 
 their <wn account alone ; they were what feveral 
 of the Old Prophets had occafionally performed ; 
 and i particular, that very prophet Elijah % 
 in whfe fpirit ami power Zacharias had ex* 
 plicitlj foretold, th^t John would go before the 
 Lord. 
 
 Thb therefore would have been fo far from 
 
 inconfirent with that character, in which John him- 
 
 felf ws to appear, that it muft have feemed highly 
 
 probale to Jcfus and Himfelf, if impoftors, that 
 
 * iKings, ch. xvii. and xviii. 2 Kings, ch, i. and 2. 
 
 the. 
 
Se6l. I. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 237 
 
 the people might expe6l fomething of ,this kind at 
 his hands. And whether they fhould require this 
 or not ; thus much was evident and certain, that 
 nothing elfe could contribute fo efFeSlually to 
 Johns reception as a true prophet ; and confe- 
 quently to the eftabUihment of J e fuss character by 
 his means. 
 
 . Since then John and Jefus could not but be 
 fcnfible, that the performance of fome feemingly 
 great miracles would be highly inftrumental in fe- 
 curing Johns fuccefs, in his preparatory part of the 
 plot; their previous agreement, that, notwithftand- 
 ing this, John Ihould abftain entirely from making 
 ufe of them, muft have arifen from fome apprehen- 
 fion, that if he did not, this woidd interfere with 
 that part, which Jefus himfelf was foon after to 
 a6l ; and thus, in the end, obftru6l the fuccefs of 
 the whole undertaking. 
 
 From what then could fuch an apprehenfion 
 arife? No other aflignable foundation for it oc- 
 curs, than a doubt, whether, if John Ihould work 
 wonders as well as Jefus, the people might not be 
 fo far prejudiced in favour of John; efpecially as 
 He was to appear ^'r/? before them; as to believe, 
 for the moft part, that John himlelf was the Mef- 
 fiah ; and therefore pay little regard to Jefus, 
 when he came. Or, at leaft, that they might be 
 io far kept in fufpence between the Two, as never 
 
 to 
 
i3S THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III, 
 
 to give their hearty alTent to Either ; and by this 
 means efFe6lually prevent the final fuccefs of 
 Both. 
 
 But thefe apprehenfions, however plaufible afc 
 firft fight, could not poffibly have any real ex- 
 iftence. Had two fuch deceivers indeed itarted 
 up at the fame time, without any fecret connec* 
 tion, The^/ might have had fome reafon to appre- 
 hend the worft of thefe inconveniencies, unlef^ 
 they prefently agreed to a6l in concert, and fup- 
 port each other. But as it is certain, that \i John 
 and Jefus were deceivers, they muft from the be- 
 ginning have concerted every ftep they took to- 
 gether; fo we may be aliured, that They could 
 not be influenced by any fuch apprehenfions as 
 thefe. 
 
 The more fatisfa6lory proof? John could give 
 of his own infpiration, the more effe6tually muft 
 his teftimony have eftablifhed the belief of Jefus s 
 dimne m'lffion ; and not of his divine miiTion only, 
 but the precife nature and defign of his particular 
 office. Whatever influence Johns authority might 
 have, in determining the people, in one of thefe 
 ppints, the fame, it was to be expected, it would 
 have, in the other. As Johns declarations could 
 have no weight with the Jews, in either of 
 thefe particulars, but in confequence of their be^ 
 ing perfuaded, that he was commiffioned from 
 
 above^ 
 
SeCt. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 239 
 
 above, to make known to them whatever he de- 
 clared; it was natural to thhik, that his declara- 
 tions would have the fame weight, in ^ both thef^ 
 points as in either. So that if John and Jefiis were 
 agreed in opinion, that it would be ferviceable to 
 tlieir defign, for Joh?i to appear as a divine nief- 
 fenger before the anival of Je/us, and to bear wit- 
 nefs to Him at all ; and had not this been the cafe 
 Joh7i could not have appeared ; they muft, for the 
 fame reafon, have thought it beft for John to fup- 
 port his own divine character by even/ artitice 
 in his power ; and particularly, by thh of per- 
 forming great apparent miracles', in preference to 
 evei'y other. 
 
 Had they even conceived the leaft fufpicion of 
 any fuch ill confequence from this conducl, as 
 was juft now fuggefted, notliing would have been 
 eafier than to prevent their mutual credit from in- 
 terfering, by this means, in the leaft with each 
 other. What more obvious, than that they would 
 have agreed, tliat John Ihould perform many 
 works a})parently miraculous ; but that the 7?io/i 
 aftoniiliing of all thofe they were able to contrive, 
 fuch as fecming to give fight to thofe who had been 
 barn blind, and raifmg the dead; fliouid be invio- 
 lably refei-ved for Jefu^is hand alone. That John, 
 in tlie mean time, fhould on all thefe occafions in- 
 culcate upon the people, tlie great fuperiority of 
 
 power 
 
240 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 power with which they would Ihortly fee the Mef* 
 fiah himfelfenAowQ^; and prefs this upon them as 
 the infallible critermi of that fuperior divine cha- 
 ra6ler, which he was to teach them, belonged to 
 Jefus alone. This would have been fo riatural an 
 expedient, that they could not overlook it; and, 
 at the fame time, fo extremely ferviceable to their 
 caufe, that it is inconceivable they iliould decline 
 making ufe of it. 
 
 And befides this obvious and eafy reftri6tion, 
 with regard to the nature of the works themfelves, 
 various expedients would have been hit on, by men 
 of fuch fubtilty and contrivance, as thefe muft have 
 been, to render Jofms miracles far iefs ftriking, 
 than thofe even of the fame kind, worked by Jefus 
 himfelf] merely by means of their different mariners 
 of performing them. 
 
 In fome inftances we find Jefus himfelf making 
 ufe of apparent, though not adequate means to 
 accompliih his works; in others, not having re- 
 courfe to any. Sometimes he required certain 
 qualifications in the perfons themfelves for wdiom 
 he was about to work them, as neceifary affiftances 
 for the fuccefs of his own endeavours ; at others he 
 peremptorily pronounced the word, and the work 
 was performed. Some he chofe to complete in 
 an inftant, others were accompliihed but by de- 
 grees. Upon fome occafions he openly implored 
 
 affift- 
 
^e6t. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 241 
 
 aiTiftance from heaven, as if it was God alone who 
 really performed every thing he himfelf feeiiied to 
 do ; on others he thought fit to a6t, as if he himfelf 
 was a6lually endowed with the fulnefs of divine 
 power. 
 
 It is not only a probable fuppo/ition therefore, 
 that many different methods of working the fame 
 khid of miracles xvould have occurred to John and 
 Jefus, at the fettling of their refpe6bive parts, in 
 the execution of their plot; but it is an undeni- 
 able matter of fad: ^ that they actually muft. It is 
 evident likewife, that though every work con-» 
 ceived to be miraculous neceffarily implies the 
 exertion of dvcine power; yet fome miracles, in 
 the nature of the things themfelves, may be far 
 more aftonilliing than others ; and even the fame 
 kind of miracles may be performed by different 
 perfons, in a manner fo unequally calculated to 
 furprize, as to make the fpe8;ators naturally con- 
 ceive far more exalted notions of the One than 
 the Other. 
 
 So that, by taking in the performance of ap- 
 parent miracles to his aid, but confining himfelf, 
 all the while, to thofe of the leaft ftupendous and 
 aftonifhing nature, and working even thefe in the 
 moft diffident and humble manner ; John might 
 with much greater alTurance have expe61;ed to 
 eftablilh his own credit, and prepare the people 
 
 R for 
 
342 THB DIVINE MISSIONS QF Part IIL 
 
 for acknov/ledging the divine miffion of Jefmy tlian 
 he could hope to accompUfh thefe Qnds zcithout 
 thtm, Aiid the miracles, vvhich John might hav^ 
 perfoFmed under thefe obvious reftri^lions, would 
 have been fo far from involving the Jews in. doubt 
 and perplexity, about the difference between the 
 character of Jefus and His own, that his repeated 
 declarations of himfelf, as being o)ily the Mc/JiaKs 
 Forerunner ; and oi Jefus as being the true Mqffiah; 
 ftrengthened by Jefics\ more aftoniihing works, 
 and fuperior all-powerful manner of performing 
 them ; would have induced the Jews to acquiefce 
 with greater readinefs, and certainty, in Their 
 di/ilnB pretenfions. For, as Johns divine autho- 
 rity would, bi/ this means, have been more affuredly 
 eftabliihed ; fo it was to be expected, that his pe- 
 vemptory, explicit declarations of Je/us's pecuMar 
 chara61;er, as well as his own, would be more im- 
 plicitly believed. 
 
 How then can it be conceived, that They, who, 
 if impoftors, were mailers of fo complete an art 
 of working wonders, as no other impoftors ever 
 poifefled ; and who depended ultimately for fuc- 
 cefs, upon the ufe they ihould make of thefe 
 vvonderous works, more than any thing elfe, as 
 Je^s himfelf often declared ; how can it be believed 
 They could agree, that John lliould entirely abftaiit 
 from making the leaft ufe of them, when they 
 
 would 
 
Sefit. 1. JOHN BAPTIST AND JEStTfl CHRIST. 343 
 
 would have been fo immediately capable of doing 
 the greateft fervice to the caufe? Nothing lefs 
 than the moft evident dcwger refulting from them, 
 could perfuade an impoftor to forego the plealure 
 of putting in pra6lice fo exquifite an art; and 
 in the cafe before us, inftead of any ill confe- 
 quence to fear from it, there was a very evident, 
 and ftrong reafon for John's making ufe of it. 
 The benefit to be expe6led from it, was fo great, 
 that they rauft both have been exceedingly de- 
 firous to make John's application of it fubfervient 
 to the reft of their plot; and the expedients, 
 by which this might have been done, were fo 
 cbvimis and eaji/j that they could not efcape their 
 obfervation. 
 
 Had John and Je/ies been impoftors, we Ihould 
 therefore undoubtedly have received accounts of 
 manj/ miracles performed by John ; though neither 
 fo numerous, nor aftoniiliing as thofe of Jefus 
 himfelf. And had this ever caufed the Jews to 
 enquire, in a manner iimilar to what they did 
 upon another occaiion ; why He performed thefe 
 miracles, if he was not the MeJJiah 9 His anfwer 
 was ready, and would have been of fingular fer- 
 vice to the whole joint undertaking. — ^I indeed 
 (he would have faid) do perform thofe miraculous 
 works, which have excited yotir admiration, and 
 cauied this enquiry ; but there ftandeth one among 
 
 R 2 you. 
 
S44 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 you, whom ye know not ; He it is, who will per- 
 form much greater works before you than I am 
 able to do- But thefe works, that I do, "are abun- 
 dantly fufficient to convince you of my own divine 
 authority; and confequently to fatisfy you, that 
 He aloney whom I have fo often pointed out to you 
 as fuch, is the true MeJJiah ; as well as that Imyfelf 
 aw his immediate Forerunner, 
 
 4\ 
 
 SEC- 
 
Se6;. f. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 24^ 
 
 SECTION 11. 
 
 The different external charaElers of John and 
 Jefus confidered. 
 
 A F John and Jefm were jomt deceivers, it is 
 certain, not only from the nature of their defign 
 itfelf, but likewife from thofe very diftincl and 
 remarkable kinds of life, they Each adopted ; that 
 they did not begin to Ihew themfelves to the people, 
 without having firft deliberately agreed to aflume 
 /I^c^ particular characters, as appeared to thembeft 
 calculated for promoting their plot. For befides, 
 that this was a matter of fuch importance as they 
 could not negleQ: ; the characters, they actually 
 appeared in, were fo extraordinary in themfelves, 
 and fo directly oppofite to each other, that they 
 could not proceed from any thing but- a precon- 
 certed defign. 
 
 From the very beginning John pra^lifed all 
 imaginable aufterity ; making his firft public ap- 
 pearance in a covering * of camels hair, tied with a 
 leathern girdle ; living with the moft fmgular abftc- 
 mioufnefs, upon locufts, and wild honey ; and fe- 
 
 * Matthew iii. 4. 
 
 R 3 eluding 
 
J846 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part 11 f. 
 
 eluding himfelf, in great meafure, from the com- 
 mon intercourfe of life. Nor did he himfelf only 
 moft rigoroufly adhere to alj the religious rites and 
 ordinances, pra6lifed by the fevered fe6t among the 
 Jews, the Pharifees ; but he. obliged all hjs own 
 difciples, who affociated at all with him, to do 
 the fame. Whence the Pharifees themfelves put 
 the queftion to Je/as ; " Why do * the difciples of 
 " John faft often, and make prayers, and likewife 
 " the. difciples of the Pharifees ; but thine eat and 
 ** drink ?" Such was the folitary and mortified life 
 of John, from the beginning of his public appear- 
 ance in the character of the Baptift. 
 
 Jesu5, on the contrary, was the reverie of all 
 this. He affumed a character, not only void of 
 all. feverity and reftraint, but fpent his whole 
 time in a moft uncommon manner, in feeking the 
 fociety of, and converfmg familiarly with, all 
 ranks and orders of the people. And fo far was 
 he from complying with the fuperftitioi^s cere- 
 monial of any of the prevailing fe6ts, bul^ more 
 efpecially the rigid Pharifees ; or exhorting his 
 difciples to conform, in the leaft, to them ; thal^ 
 on all oqcafions, he himfelf conftantly broke 
 through them, and both publicly and privately 
 inveighed againft them. Society was what h^ 
 
 * tuk^ V, 35, 
 
 foughi; 
 
fought kh6ve all things ; even with the^ hioft defpifed 
 ibrt of men, and fueh as lay under a general re^ 
 proach j and with thefe, ^nd all others,^ h^ m^, 
 and drank, and cottverfedj juft as: opfKyrttinitiei 
 ofteredj witliout the l(?afi> re^ferv^nefd dr' reftrainti 
 Frorti his very firft aplpi^arance in the chfera^et of 
 iht Meffidh, he bade adie«, not only to rfeti^tofi^, 
 but* even- to dbmeftiG life; and rnight be faid^dliv^ 
 perpetually in the public view of 'maiiMnfd. So' timt 
 retirement >aHid aafteriHy did iiot? tttoVe retnarkaibly 
 diftingdiih tl'ie chara6tei^ oiJohH / thlan fdoiail ii^ter- 
 courfe with all ranks ©f men^ and a ri;ady com^ 
 Jyliah(5e;with ^1 their , various inditYcrdnt- cuftxDlins^ 
 may be ikid to inark; out the peouliar condii^ 
 Oi Je/usJ ')i iron.' 
 
 rj! Now^ it is plainly impoffible iox ^h conneBed 
 deceivers, to have refolved On two fuch Jtngular 
 and oppojite characters as tiicfe ; and raoi-e efpe^ 
 eially upon oifie fo fevere and difegreeatrle ai tliat 
 of the Bapt'ift ; unlefs they thouglut- them indif^ 
 penfably neceffary for the aiccompHQnuent of t&eir 
 defjgns, and for that very reafon pitched upon 
 them. It is evident likewife, that whatever other 
 confideratiom might contribute to determme theif 
 choice ; the firji and principal delign, which the^ 
 could never lofe fight of, miiift have been, to 
 fingle out fuch a character for Each, a« would 
 appear to correfpond with, and fulfill, thofe pirdi 
 
 R 4 phetical 
 
248 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 phetical revelations concerning them, which had 
 been publifhed by Zacharias wci^hMa?^, about the 
 time of tiieir births. While ^ve fuppofe them ~ to 
 have been impoitors, thefe priL;di6tions5 as we have 
 already feen, muft be acknowledged as the be- 
 ginning and foundation of the whole plot. So that 
 they were now under an abfolute neceffity of paying 
 th6 ltri6i;eft regard to them ; and could neither forget 
 nor negle6b to do it. 
 
 If then either of thofe fmgular chara6lers, which 
 vre find they aftually adopted, and efpecially that 
 oiJefuSy Ihould prove, upon confideration, in any 
 ftriking and capital particulars, wholly inconfiftent 
 with, and even contradiBot^ to, what they themfelves 
 muft know to be the commonly received fenfe of 
 thofe predictions, which had been at firft made 
 public concerning them ; this again muft be 
 allowed another very ftrong prefumptive argument, 
 and indeed a conclufke one, that they could not 
 be impoftors. 
 
 Zacharias's prophetical declaration concern^ 
 ing JefuSy at the time of John's circumcifion, was 
 as follows : " Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, 
 " for he hath vifited and redeemed his people, 
 *' and hath raifed up an horn of falvation for us, 
 " in the houfe of his fervant David ; as he fpake 
 •' by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have 
 *^ been fince the world began : that we fliould be 
 
 *' fayed 
 
Seft. f . JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 249 
 
 *' faved from our enemies, and from the hand ctf 
 " of all that hate us : to perform the mercy pro- 
 " mifed to our fathers, and to remember his holy 
 " covenant : the oath which he fware to our father 
 " Abraham ; that he would grant unto us, that we 
 " beinj^ deliverd out of the hands of our enemies. 
 " might ferve him without fear, in holinefs and 
 " righteoufnefs before him, all the days of our 
 '' life*." • -T 
 
 Agreeable to this, but more full and ex- 
 prefs, was the revelation of the Angel to Mary. 
 *'• And behold, thou Ihalt conceive in thy womb, 
 " and Ihalt bring forth a fon, and Ihalt call his 
 *' name Jefus. He Ihall be great, and Ihall be 
 ** called the fon of the Higheft ; and the Lord God 
 " fhall give unto him the throne of his father 
 *' David. And he ihall reign over the houfe of 
 ^' Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there Ihall 
 " be no endf." 
 
 In what fenfe the Jews at this time interpreted 
 the predictions of the Holy Prophets^ mentioned 
 by ZachariaSj and God's promifes to Abraham^ is 
 well known. In the perfon of the Meffiah, they 
 univerfally expefted a t€77iporal prince ; who {hou\d 
 deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, 
 and raife them to an univerfal monarchy, which 
 
 • Luke i. GB-'JS' t Luke i. 30—33. 
 
 could 
 
jliO THE DIVINE MISSIOITS OF / Part III. 
 
 Gould rievet be overturned *. And fififee the pro- 
 phelies concerning Jefas^ juft now qiKited, ivei'^ 
 plainly fuch as coincided with this general opinion; 
 and Zackarias and Mart/, who madte them puMi6, 
 could not but know, that they would be uftiverfally 
 underftood in this fenfe, and no other ; if they 
 were forgeriesy their defigm in them nifiift ndcelTarity 
 have been, that Jefus fllould affunie fuch);^ Chd- 
 raQ:er, as the predi6tions they delivered wbuld 
 be univerfally underftood to foi?etelL For the 
 feme reafon, when Je/iis himfelf came afterwards 
 to deliberate upon a plan for his owii public 
 €ondu61: ; he mult have been clearly cdhviniced; 
 that liO behaviour whatever would b© looked upoti 
 m slgreeable to thofe prophefies;, which he knew it 
 was abfolutely incumbent upon him to fuifiH j «ri- 
 iefs he plainly intimfated a deign of fetting himfelf 
 tip, at fojaie proper opp(i>rtlimity, for their iempdrdl 
 King. 
 
 Was that remarkaMe kir^d df life-, then, tliat 
 Jefus actually adoptedy fuch m mrght probably 
 i«du<je the Jews to condiidey he entertakied th'ti 
 deiign ; Or did he ever make any particular de^ 
 ^kratoi^is to promote- this belief? On^ the con-^ 
 
 • Thi<; is abundantly (ivHicnti not only from the behavjcmr 
 of the people in general to JefuSy but even of his difdplcs 
 themfelyes, io a yarioty.of inftances throwifhputitlifi Gofpels. 
 See likewifc Gardner's Cied. &c. b. i. ch. 5. 
 
 ' trary, 
 
Sc6l. Q. JOHN BAPTIST AND J£SUS CHfllST. 251 
 
 trary, his conftant and familiar intercourfe, not only 
 with the loweft orders of the people, but with the 
 Publicans more efpecially, who were looked upon 
 as infamous by the Jews ; was a principal part of 
 his condud, plainly calculated to deprive him 6f 
 all outward j:*efpe6l and honour ; and to prevent the 
 Jews, as much as poffible, from entertaining any 
 exalted notions about him. 
 
 At the fame time it appears, he never threw 
 out any fuch crafty infmuations, as an impofiof^ 
 in thb cafe, would not have failed to do ; calcu- 
 lated to lead the people oa with an opinion, that 
 he was not without fuch deiigns, as they believed 
 the MeJ}iak would certainly put in practice ; though 
 the proper feafon for their execution was not yet 
 arrived. Nay when, after having miraculoufly 
 fed a great multitude, he faw they began to be 
 perfuaded, that he mult be the Mejfiaii ; and for 
 that reafon were propofmg to {et him up immedi- 
 ately for their King ; he indufiriouflxj prevented it, 
 by difperling them ; and to avoid any farther at- 
 tempts of the fame kind, immediately left the 
 place * And at length, even Avhen his death was 
 juft approaching, he folemnly clofed the fcene with 
 an explicit declaration to Pilate, that he laid no 
 claim to any earthly kingdom-f. 
 
 * John iv. 15, &C. f John xviii. 3^. 
 
 Could 
 
5232 f HE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 Could any condu6lhave been more oppo/ite than 
 this to the fenfe, in which he ivell knew the Jews 
 rwuft have underftood thole remarkable prophefies 
 . pf his Hfe and a6lions, which had been made public 
 Jby Zacharias and Mary; as well as to their uni- 
 verfal opinion of that condu61:, which the Mcjfiah 
 was to purfue ? From beginning to end, it is evi- 
 dent, he perfifted in a regular oppojition to their in- 
 veterate opinions of both ; and yet never attempted 
 to convince them, or even fo much as iniinuated to 
 them, that they were at all miftaken in their in- 
 terpretation of either. 
 
 But perhaps a fufpicion may here arife,that be- 
 taufe thefe prophefies had been given out no lefs 
 than near thirty years before Jc^e^ began to appear 
 in public ; therefore he might on this account deter- 
 mine, that there was no neceffity to pay any regard 
 to them • as predi6iions long fince forgotten, and of 
 no concern. Or perhaps, it may poiTibly be ob^ 
 je6ted, Jefus might think the knowledge of theai 
 was. confined witliin fo narrow a circle, that oti 
 this account likewife they were not worthy of his 
 regard. 
 
 Here it is obvious to remark, what we have 
 feeathe truth of long ago, that all the events faid 
 to have accompanied J e fuss conception, his hirth, 
 his prefentation in the temple^ and efpecially his 
 being fought after by the JVife Men; muft certainly 
 
 Jiave 
 
S.eft. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 2'55 
 
 have been known, at the time, to great numbers- 
 of the Jews. It is likewile as confefledly obvious, 
 that JoJm and Jefus could not but expe6t the me- 
 mory of all thefe particulars to be revived, as foon 
 as the claim to the divine characters they affumed, 
 lliould become an obje6b of the public attention. 
 And as to the prophecies, in particular, which had 
 been at lirft made public about them ; the num- 
 ber of years which had elapfed, fmce the time when 
 they were given out, was a circumftance fo far from 
 making it the lefs defireable to fulfill them ; that, on 
 the contrary, it was the moft fortunate circum- 
 ftance, that could attend them. Such a one indeed, 
 as any impoftors, in their cafe, mult have wiihed 
 for, if it had not exiited. For the longer it had 
 been fmce fuch prophecies were delivered, before 
 the time, for their accompliiliment arrived ; the 
 greater certainly muft their authority be ; and con- 
 fequently the more delirous an impoftor muft have 
 been to fulfill them. 
 
 But, befides all thefe confiderations, the cha- 
 ra6ter alTumed by the Baptift will very clearly con- 
 vince us, that, in fa6l, Jefus and He did not look 
 upon it as unnecejfary for them to do all in their 
 power to fulfill the prophecies in queftion. 
 
 It is not now to be proved, that if John and Jefus 
 were deceivers, their public condu6l and cha- 
 ra6lei's muft in the beginning have been debated 
 
 and 
 
254 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 and agreed on, between them Both, And had they 
 been of opinion, for any reafons whatever, that it 
 was not necefiary for Jefiis hhnfelf to pay any regard 
 to thofe prophecies, which had been fo long before 
 fpread abroad concerning him ; for the fame reafons, 
 they would have determined it to be unneceffary 
 for John likewife ; efpecially as ht had but the infe- 
 rior part to a6t. 
 
 It muft be obferved too, at the fame time, that 
 John?> whole charajCter confifted in the practice of 
 fo much apparent fan6tity, at leaft, and real fever t 
 mortification, as it is incredible any impoftor 
 would have confented to undergo, unlefs he 
 thought it abfolutely requifite for the fuccefs of 
 his undertaking. Yet John^ we find, adhered 
 minutely to theft prophecies, which had been given 
 out by Zacharias concerning him; nay, he even 
 exceeded what could have been expe6led from 
 him, on their account, in the feverity of his life 
 and manners. 
 
 It had been foretold, that he ihould " go 
 " before the Lord in the fpirit and power of 
 " Elias :" And this he fo particularly fulfilled, as 
 even to appear like FMas, in his very garb itfelf *. 
 
 I* 
 
 * As appears from Matthew iii. 4. " And the faaie John 
 ♦^ had his raiment of camels hair, and a leath-ern girdle about 
 '^ hPs loins ;" when compared with 2 Kings, i. 7, 8. — " And 
 
 " he/' 
 
.Sect. 2. ijOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. Q55 
 
 It had been faid, that he lliould drink neither wino 
 nor ftrong drink ; and he lived in the defert upon 
 loGults and wild honey* ; and preaching the baptilin 
 of repentance for the reniifiion of lins, was, as it had 
 been foretold f , the conftant employment of his 
 public lite. So that while Jefm, as we have feen 
 already, was acting in dired; oppqfition to the re-* 
 ceived opinion of all the prophecies, which had 
 been given OHt concerning him ; and this, in thofe 
 parts of his conduct, which, muft be expected to 
 have the greatelt influence upon his fuccefs ; John 
 was pra6iifnig without interruption the mq/i fcvtr^ 
 mortiiications ; mereLij to fiUjill tiaofe prediftiona, 
 which had been originally made public concerning 
 him. 
 
 But what p-rinciples can poffibly explain, or 
 reconcile, fo oppolite a condu6l as this ; in two 
 iinpoftors jointlij embarked in the profecution of 
 
 ** he,** Akaziakf " fciid unto them, what manner of man was 
 " he, which came to meet you,, and tpUyoii thell? wyrcis ?, 
 " And they anfwered him, he was an hairy raan^ ^d girt 
 ** with a girdle of leather aboiit his loins. And he faid, it is* 
 ** Elijah the Tifhbite." John's garment of camels hair waS' 
 probably the fackcloth with which penitents and mouriiers 
 ufed to cover their luins, and fometimes their wholvi bpdies ; 
 1. Chroru xxi. l6. — Islackniglit's Harm. feci. 14. — See Hamm. 
 on Matthew iii. 
 
 * Compare Luke i. 15. with Matt. )ii. 4. and Mark i. 6, 
 t Compare Luke iii: 3i &c. with Luke i; 7^^ 77, 
 
 0?lC 
 
^36 THE DIVINE Missioisrs OF Paft III. 
 
 one and the fame defign? The adapting of their 
 characters to the prophecies in queftion, was evi- 
 dently a particular which all impoftors muft have 
 regarded, as of the utmoft importance to their 
 future fuccefs. It was likewife a point in which 
 the fuccefs of Both was egually concerned, with 
 this diftorence only ; that as the iiTue of the whole 
 undertaking depended finally upon tlie reception^ 
 which Jefus hlmftlf might be able to procure ; fo 
 the failure of Jefus, in this moft important par- 
 ticular, would have . been more follicitoufly 
 guarded againft by all impoftors, than that of 
 John, So that had John and Jefus been impoftors, 
 ive may reft fully fatisfied, that Both of them 
 would have contrived the chara6lers they affumed, 
 in fuch a manner as to anfwer the prophecies in 
 queftion ; or, had this been poiTible, Neither. And 
 even could the nature of the cafe have permitted^ 
 that One of them might negle6t this precaution, 
 w^hile they thought it was abfolutely neceflary for 
 the Other to obferve it; it muft certainly have 
 been Jo/m, who was left at liberty to choofe, inftead 
 of Jefus, 
 
 The conduct of Jefus therefore, in regard to 
 this important particular ; when coniidered, as 
 the nature of the cafe neceffarily requires it iliould 
 be, in conjun6iion with that of John; appears 
 abfolutely irreconcileable with the fuppofition of 
 
 their 
 
Sed. 2. JOItN BAtTIST AND J£SUS CHRI9T. £57 
 
 their joint iuipofture ; and this inconfiftency in their 
 diffei*ent chara6lers, \vhen viewed in its proper 
 light, affords us another decilive argument, that 
 they could not poffibly be deceivers. 
 
 But might they not entertain hopes of fucceed- 
 ing more univerfally, it may be faid, with all ranks 
 and orders among the Jexvs ; by means of thofe 
 contrary chara6:ers, which they ailumed ? Tiie 
 Jewilh people being divided, as it were, into fepa- 
 rate bodies ; of which the leading fe6ts were very 
 exa6l and rigorous in their obfervance of all faftings, 
 and numberlefs external rites of religion ; while the 
 reft paid much lefs regard to thefe rigid inftitutions ; 
 it may poffibly be conceived, that JoJrn and Jefus 
 purpofely ailumed thofe oppofite characters in which 
 they appeared, in order the more effe6lually to in- 
 gratiate themfelves with all feels and perfaafions. 
 Perhaps it may even be thought, that Jefus himfdf 
 feems to have betrayed fome fuch defign, in this 
 particular exclamation. *' Whereurlto fhall I liken 
 " this freneration ? It is like unto children littino; 
 " in ^the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 
 ** and faying ; we have piped unto you, and ye 
 ** have not danced; we have mourned unto you, 
 ** and ye have not lamented. — For John came 
 *^ neither eating, nor drinking, and they fay he 
 " hath a devil. The fon of man came eating and 
 ** drinking; and they fay, behold a man glut- 
 
 S " tonous, 
 
258 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 *' tonous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publi* 
 '^ cans, and fnmers : but wifdoni is jufiificd of ail 
 '' her children ^" 
 
 Now had tliis been their view, it \\ill not be 
 denied, that it muft have been Johns intended part, 
 to apply iiimfelf affiduoufly to gaining over the Fha- 
 rifci's, and other powerful feels, by means of his 
 conformity to their favourite fuperftitions : while 
 Jcfus was to win upon the people in general, by his 
 neglect of fuch rigid formalities, and unreferved 
 condefcenfion. In the mean time, it mull liave 
 been a conltant and principal part of the care of 
 Bothy to avoid every thing that had the leaft ap- 
 parent tendency to interfere with, and obitrucl the 
 iliccefs of Each Other, 
 
 Does it then in fa6t appear, that JoJin did ap- 
 ply himfelf more efpecially to procure the favour 
 and protection of the moft powerful and rigid 
 SeBs ? Quite' the contrary. lie had all the op- 
 portunity for attempting it he could hope for. He 
 no fooner begun to preach and ba[)tize, than the 
 Pharifees and Sadducees, ftruck with the novelty 
 of his appearance and manner, came in great num- 
 berS| with the reft of the people, about him. iJid 
 he then receive thefe haughty guefts \\ ith any pecu- 
 liar marks of reverence and relpe6t ? Did he do, or 
 
 * Matthew xi. iG— 19. 
 
 even 
 
Sect. 2. JOH>f BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 259 
 
 
 
 even fay, any thing, on this wiQied-for occafion, 
 that might flatter their pride, and difpofe them to 
 entertain a favourable opinion of him and his pre- 
 fions? 
 
 On" the contrary, he began immediately to re- 
 buke the???, and even the??i m pa?^tkidar, with the 
 greateft feverity, in the prefence of the whole mul- 
 titude ; as it were declaring Avar againft thertj, and 
 openly fetting them at defiance. " Then went out 
 " to him (JoJtn the Bapti/i) Jerufalem, and all 
 *^ Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, 
 " and were baptized of him in Jordan, confelling 
 " their fins. But when he faw many of the Pha- 
 " HisEEs and Sadducees come to his baptifm, he 
 " faid unto them ; O generation of vipers, who 
 " hath warned you to flee from the wrath to 
 *' come*?" Nothing could be more oppofite, than 
 this conduct, to the delign juft fuppofed; nor was 
 any thing elfe to be expe6ted from it, but what ac- 
 tually happened f ; that while the people, and the 
 publicans, fubmitted chearfuUy to his baptifm, the 
 Phatijees and ru/e?'s almoft univerfally reje6ted and 
 oppofed it. 
 
 Ix the mean time, fo far was Jefi^s from being 
 cautious of giving oflfence to the leading fects ; 
 that he might not obftru^l the Bapti/i, in his en- 
 deavours to gain them; that He likewife feized 
 
 • Matthew iii. 5, 6, 7. f Luke vii, 29, 30. 
 
 S a every 
 
2G0 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Pait III. 
 
 every opportunity of expofiiig even their pre- 
 tended virtues, as well as apparent vices : and 
 as his own conduct was in every refpecl diame- 
 trically oppofite to theirs; fo he was continually 
 pointing them out to~ the peo})le, as the proper 
 obje6ts of their averfion and contempt. Nor was 
 this behaviour, either in John or Jcfus, the fud- 
 den effect of unguarded paffion, or furprize; but 
 their cool, conftant, and deliberate choice. So 
 that, as nothing could be more inconliftent with 
 that conduct they would certainly have obferved, 
 liad they agreed on their refpeclive characters with 
 the defign juft fuggelted; and as this defign is the 
 only one capable of reconciling their characters to 
 the fuppofition of any impolture at all ; we mult 
 necciiarily confefs, that tlie peculiar conduct both 
 ^f Jefus and of John *, when confidered fepa- 
 
 ratcly 
 
 * Had the oppofite cliarartors and conduft of John and 
 Jcfus, with regard to all the reJigious rites and eereiuonies, 
 which were obferved by the iliflVreiit fects of the Jews, been 
 owing to any private agreement between them ; as it 7)wji havo 
 been if they were deceivers ; tiiis at leaft we might certainly 
 depend on, that Each would have taken care to prevent his 
 0W71 difciples from publicly raifmg objedions, on this account, 
 to the Other. But, on the contrary, we find, that when Jefii^i 
 was dining with Levi, and a great number were prefent; then 
 " came to him the difciples of John, faying, why do we and 
 ** the Phari fees fall oft; and thy difciples faR not?" Matt. 
 
 ix. 14. 
 
Seft. 2. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 26l 
 
 rately in its own nature, and jointly in their re- 
 lation to each other ; affords us one of the llrongeft 
 collateral proofs, we can poffibly dcfire, that They 
 could not be engaged in tlie profecution of a de- 
 ceit. 
 
 ix. 14. And from Mark ii. 18. it appears, that they joined 
 with the Vliarifecs in raifing this particular objection to de- 
 fuses condu<5t. Whereas had Tefus and John been aflociates, 
 it was impofTible that Either fliould have been fo negligent of 
 their common fuccefs, as to fuffer his own diiciplcs, for want 
 of proper information, to join with their cotnfrton enemits in 
 raifjng objcftions to the credit of the Other. For there is not 
 the lead- room to fuppofe, that this might be an aitful expe- 
 dient defigned.to make the Pharifces better plcafed with John; 
 ffiice we have feen, that the whole condudl oi John, as well as 
 Jtfus^ oil every important occafion, was fuch as they knew 
 would procure them the utter htitrcd and u^verfion of the Fha- 
 rifecs. 
 
 S3 SEC- 
 
263 THj: DIVIDE 3IISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 SECTION IIL 
 
 A prophecy of John^s, concernmg Jefus, con-- 
 fideredf 
 
 1 HE only defign John and Jefus could pofllbly 
 be engaged in, luppofmg there could be any plot 
 in the cafe, was a deep-laid defign of counterfeiting 
 the two laft prophets the Jews ever e:<})ecl;ed to 
 behold : and one of whom efpecially, was to be b^ 
 far the ir^oft accompliflied, in all prophetical en- 
 (Ipwipents, of any they had ever feen. And had 
 They really undertaken fuch an attempt as this; 
 nothing can be more obvious, than that it would 
 have been one conftant, and chief object of their 
 care, not to foretell any thing, and more efpecially 
 any thing relating to Each Other, by which their 
 prophetical knowledge might poffibly be brought 
 into queftion. 
 
 This was manifeftly a poiiit of fuch impor- 
 tance, as they could not but very carefully attend 
 to, frorn their very firft entrance upon the exe- 
 cution of thejr defign. If they were deftrous of 
 deeming to foretell any thing concerning Each 
 Other, as by divine jnfpiration ; in order the more 
 ^ffe6liiallY to fupport the delufion j they muft firft 
 
 privately 
 
Sefi;. 3. JOHN baptist and jkscs Christ. £63 
 
 privately liave agreed upon fome particular ac- 
 tions, which the One could fafely undertake to 
 perform ; and the Other might therefore fecurcly 
 venture to foretell. To have hazarded any pre- 
 difliofi, without this obvious and neceiiary pre- 
 caution, would have been contriving the fureft me- 
 thod of expofmg their want of all real infpiration, 
 and laying open their impofture to the public 
 view. 
 
 Should it appear then, that Jo/m a6lually fore- 
 told of Je/us, upon a very remarkable occahon, and 
 as an infallible token whereby to diftinguiib him for 
 the true Alejfiah ; that Jcfus would introduce a 
 certain moft remarkable kind of religious rite; to- 
 tally different from what Jolin himlclf made ufe of 
 for the fame purpofe : ^nd iliould it likcwife be 
 found, that Jefus, during his whole life, never fo 
 much as attempted to put in practice any fuch rite ; 
 nor ever alleged any reafon for declining it ; nay, 
 nor ever made the Icaft mention of it : this furely 
 muft be acknowledged as another convincing proof, 
 that John and Jcfus could not be the impoftors fup- 
 pofcd. '' 
 
 ^V'^Ex John made his firft public appearance in 
 the country round about Jordan, preaching the 
 baptifm of repentance for the remiliion of fms; 
 the whole multitu(;le, we find, came forth to be 
 
 S 4 baptized 
 
264 THE jDiviKE MISSIONS OF Part 1*11. 
 
 baptized of him, and to learn from him the 
 means of falvation *. '' And f," at this time, 
 *' as the people were in expe6i-ation, and all men 
 " mufed in their hearts of John, whether he were 
 *^ the Chrift or not; John anfwered, faying unto 
 /^ them all; — I indeed baptize :[; you with water; 
 *' but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of 
 *' whofe ilioes I am not worthy to unloofe : He 
 
 *^ SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HoLY GhOST 
 
 " AND WITH FIRE." And fooH after tliis pre- 
 diction, when Jefiis was ciome to John^ and like 
 the reit of the people had been baptized § by 
 him ; to prevent the poffibility of any doubt, about 
 his being the perfon, whofe inftitution of this un- 
 heard-of kind of baptifm, John had particularly 
 pointed out; in order that they might know Hhn 
 by this fign to be the true Meffiah ; " John bare 
 " witnefs of him, and cried, faying; this was 
 *' he, of whom I fpake, he that cometh after 
 " me is preferred before me; for he was before 
 '' me||." 
 
 * Matthew iii. 1, &c. Mark i. 3, &c. Luke iii, 2 — 14. 
 
 t Luke iii. 15, l6. Compare Matt, iii. 11. Mark i. 7, 8. 
 And John i. 2>3. 
 
 X For the nature and end of John's Baptifnn, fee Lightfoot, 
 Vol, II. p, 121, &c. Sec alfo Macknight's, fed. 14. note. 
 
 $ Matthew iii. 13—17. 
 
 y John i. 15. and i. 26—34. 
 
 Nothing 
 
Seci. 3. JOHN BArilST and JLSUS CilRlST. 265 
 
 Nothing could be more remarkable, on its 
 own account, than the particular kind of baptifm 
 here foretold ; nor could any occafion be of 
 greater importance, than that on which this pro- 
 phecy was delivered. John had juft begun to bap- 
 tize, in order to prepare the people for giving 
 Jefuss high pretenfions a more favourable recep- 
 tion, when, contrary to his views, they began al- 
 ready to imagine, that John himfelf might be the 
 Mcffidu 
 
 Such a perfuafion, lliould it have continued, 
 muft unavoidably have broke in upon their plan, 
 and prevented the fuccefs of their whole defign. 
 Since John^ who fi rft fet out as the IMeffiah's Fore-^ 
 runner, could not alTume the chara^er of the Mef- 
 fiah himfdf; how willing foever the people might 
 be to give it him ; without effectually proving hhn- 
 felf an impoftor, in fo barefaced a manner, as could 
 not long efcape the notice of any intelligent ob- 
 ferver. 
 
 It was therefore of the utmoft importance to 
 prevent this opinion from gaining ground. And 
 to Ihew how Icnlible John himfelf was of the ne- 
 celTity of doing it, in the molt effe6tual method ; 
 we lind him folcmnly declaring to all that came 
 to him; that though " he did indeed baptize 
 with water, he \\^as not the Meffiah ; but that 
 
^66 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 ** one mightier than he," who was indeed the 
 IMeffiah, would very Ipeedily appear. At the 
 fame time, to give them the Joweft comparative 
 opinion of his own character, and the moft ex- 
 alted one of Jefus ; he tells them, he himfelf was 
 fo far from being the Meffiah, that he was not 
 even worthy to unloofe the very latchet of his 
 ihoes. 
 
 It was impolTible to fet the fuperior excellence 
 and dignity oi Jefus s character above his owii^ in a 
 ftronger light. Yet left his own pofitile denial of 
 the high office which they were inclined to afcribe 
 to him, lliould not be fufficient to put an end to 
 their doubts; he proceeds likewife to give them 
 a fign, by which they might diftinguiili the JMef- 
 fiah, not from himfelf only, but from every pre- 
 tender to his character ; and by which they would 
 ihortly be convinced, that Jcfus was he. *' I in- 
 deed," fays he, " baptize you with water ;" a ce- 
 remony which you yourfelves have long fmce 
 adopted in the admiffion of profelytes into your 
 own religion * : thereby declaring myfelf a real 
 prophet, commiffioned from on high. But the 
 Mejfiak himfelf, when the proper time arrives, will 
 baptize you in a manner totally different from all 
 
 ♦ S^e Lightfoot, ii. 121; w^c. Lewis, Antiq, Ilcb. b. iv. 
 
 that 
 
SeQ:. 3. joiiN baptist and jksus christ. 267 
 
 that have gone before him ; namely, " with tlie 
 '' Holy Gholt, and Avith fire." 
 
 The only efte6t, which this remarkable prophecy 
 could have, upon thofe to whom it was delivered, 
 was, to make them believe, that the true MeJJiah 
 would, at fome time or other, inftitutc fach a kind 
 of baptifm, as this prophecy plainly delcribed ; and 
 conlcquently to make them reject every pretender 
 to this character, and Jcfujs among the reft, if He 
 iliould not. And as this was the only poffihle effect 
 it could be attended with, it muft have been the 
 only one, which Johit himfelf could will), or intend 
 it to have. 
 
 If therefore John was an impoftor he could not 
 have foretold this remarkable particular of his AJJb* 
 date in the deceit fuppofed ; unlefs it had been 
 before agreed on between them ; and the manner, 
 in which Jcfus was to perform it, had been ah'eady 
 determined. And had JoJin deliyei^ed this pro- 
 phecy in confequence of fuch a previous agree- 
 ment, Jefus could not afterwards have neglp^ed 
 to fulfill it, when at length lie appeared. It 
 is evident, this would have been purpofely be-^' 
 traying their plot, at their very entrance upon it. 
 For how could John hope to maintain the rep no- 
 tation of a prophet, when Jefus s conduct Ihould 
 appear plainly to falfify his moft pofitive, and 
 explicit predictions concerning hin)? Ov \i Johis 
 
 eitabliihcd 
 
268 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Paft III. 
 
 qftablillied credit iliould, notwithftanding, be able 
 to keep its ground ; what could poffibly fave 
 Jefus from being rejected; as a convicted im- 
 poftor? 
 
 John had not only affiired the people, that the 
 true Meffiah would baptize, with ttie Holy Ghoji . 
 and with Jire ; but likevvife, that Jefus was that 
 very Meffiah of whom he fpoke. And yet Jefus^ 
 from his firft public appearance to his death, never 
 lignified fo much as even an intention of intro- 
 ducing this new kind of baptifm among them *. 
 Had the people refle&d upon this apparent con- 
 
 tradi6i:ioii 
 
 * Perhaps it may not be improper to obferve, that the com- 
 pletion of this prophecy on the clay of Pentecofl, can be no 
 objedion to what has been faid ; futce this accomplifhment of 
 it happened not till after Jefus's (/eaM; whcretis John's pro- 
 phecy relating to it, was fo expreifed, and delivered on fucli 
 an occafion, that he miift think the people would underftand 
 him to mean, a particular kind of baptifm, which Jefus would 
 introduce during his life. Bcfides, nothing can be more abfurd 
 and ridiculous, than it would b6tafuppofe impojhrs foretelling 
 of one another fomething that they would do after their death; 
 in order to promote the fuccefs of their plots, while they were 
 ulivc. 
 
 Neither can it be any obje^ion to the force of this argu- 
 ment, that the true meaiiing of the prophecy itfelf is far from 
 being certain, as wc would feem to make it. For, with regard 
 to the prcfent point, the queftion is not, whether learned men 
 l^ave given the prophecy different iiiterprctatioiis, many ages 
 
 fUK9 
 
SeQ;. S. john baptist and jesus Christ. Q69 
 
 tradicfcion (and what more likely to have happened?) 
 it would alone have been fufficient to make them 
 reject the pretenfions of Both to all divine infpira- 
 tion ; if they had indeed been deceivers ; becaiife 
 then they could have had no means whatever of 
 reconciling the prediction, to the zvant of its ac- 
 complilhment. 
 
 Unless therefore we can believe, that two im- 
 poftors, who fet out upon a johit undertaking ; 
 the very being and fuccefs of which neceflarily 
 depended upon their mutually fupporting the credit 
 of Each Other ; Ihould agree to begin their parts 
 hi fuch a manner, as was evidently calculated to 
 deftroy the credit of Both ; this fmgle prophecy of 
 the Baptiji's, when confidered jointly with the con- 
 du6i of Jefiis, muft alone be fufficient to Ihew, 
 that Johi and Jefus could not poffibly be de- 
 ceivers. 
 
 fince it was delivered ; but what fcnfe John himfelf muft have 
 believed the people would underftand it in, when he delivered it. 
 This alone was what an mpqflor would have attended to, and 
 could not but attend to ; becaufe upon this muft depend 
 the future opinion of the people, whether it was really ful- 
 filled or not. And the flighteft confideration of the prophecy 
 itfelf, and the occafion on which it was delivered, ftiews at 
 once, that the JezvSy who heard John pronounce it, could not 
 but underftand it in that fenfe, in which it has here been reprc- 
 fented. As indeed, that this was its true fenfe, appears un- 
 deniably, from what Jefus fuid to his difciples after his refur- 
 redion, Ads i. 4, 5. 
 
 Nor 
 
270 THE DIVI^^E Missions of Part IIL 
 
 Nor was this all. John not only fcemed plainly 
 to foretell, that Jcfas would inftitiite a 7iew, and 
 very extraordinary kind of baptifui, which Jefus 
 during his life on eaith, never did ; but he likewife 
 exprefled himfelf fo as to leave it highly probable, 
 the people would underlland him to mean, that 
 Jefus would not make ufe of the fame baptifm he 
 himfelf had adopted ; which notwithftanding Jefus 
 foon after did. 
 
 When John declared ; in order to make the 
 people fully fenfible of the great difference, they 
 would perceive, between the Aleffiah and Himfelf; 
 that He indeed baptized them with xcater, but that^ 
 the Meffiah W'Ould baptize them with the Holy 
 Ghofi and w ith Jive; what more natural for John 
 to think the people would conclude him to mean, 
 than, that the Meffiah would 7mt make ufe of bap- 
 tifm with xvater, for the admiffion of his difciples ? 
 This the turn and manner of the declaration itfelf, 
 as w-ell as the occafion on which it was delivered, 
 it is obvious, feemed to render extremely probable. 
 Had John therefore been an impoftor conneBed 
 "with Jefus ; and had it been agreed between them 
 that Jefus Ihould neverthelefs baptize with water 
 too; it is utterly incredible, that Ji?/^// could have 
 omitted making exprefs mention of this particular; 
 that the people might not immediately judge him 
 convi6ted of having prophefied a lie; when they 
 
 iliould 
 
Sti6l. 3. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 271 
 
 Hiould fee Jefus baptizing with water as well as 
 Hiiniclf. 
 
 Had they been joint deceivers, inftead of faying 
 what he did, John would certainly have declared, 
 '^ I indeed baptize you with water, as the mes- 
 " siah himself likewise will; but he will 
 " MOREOVER baptize you with the Holy Ghoft 
 ** and with fire." For what opinion could John 
 otherwife exped the people to form of his own 
 infpiration ; when they lliould fee J e fuss difciples, 
 foon after, baptizing the people with water, under 
 the immediate infpe6lion of their Mafter ; and this 
 even in greater numbers than John himfelf had 
 done ? " After thefe thincrs came Jefus and his dif- 
 " ciples into the land of Judea, and there he tar- 
 ** ried with them, and baptized." And prefently 
 we are informed, that ^' Jefus made and baptized/* 
 thtn-e " more difciples tiian John*." 
 
 True indeed it is, that Jefus himfelf did not 
 baptize, but only his difciples ; as the evangelift 
 exprefsly faysf. But this circumftance could make 
 no difference either as to his adopting tins parti- 
 cular ceremony, for tlie admiffion of his own dif- 
 ciples ; or the interpretation, which the people muft 
 naturally be expe6i:ed to put upon it. It is plain, 
 from the e%^angelift's manner of relating this, that 
 
 ♦ John iii, 22. and iv. 1. f John iv. 2. 
 
 he 
 
i7^ THE DIVINE MISSIONS o^ Part III. 
 
 he had no conception, that this circumftance made 
 any alteration in the cafe ; for then he would have 
 taken care to remark it. Nor is it lefs evident, 
 that the Baptift's own difciples, and even the Bap- 
 tift himfelf] confidered it in the fame light, as 
 if Jefm had performed the ceremony with his 
 own hands. For, while Jefiis was ba])tizing in 
 this manner, Johns difciples came, and faid unto 
 him*; *' Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond 
 *' Jordan, to whom thou bareft witncfs, behold, 
 " the lame baptizeth, and all men come to 
 '^ him." 
 
 But, had they looked upon it as a circumftance, 
 which made any difference in the cafe, that Jefus 
 himfelf did not actually baptize, but only his dif- 
 ciples ; certainly they would not have failed to ob- 
 ferve it, on this occafion, to their mafter. As, on 
 the other hand, had this been an agreed particular 
 between Jefus and Jokn^ in order to fave the credit 
 of John's divine infpiration ; John would 7iaw at 
 leaft have made that ufe of it, for which it was 
 contrived ; by teaching his difciples to reconcile 
 his own predi6lions to Jefus' s condu6l ; which 
 was, feemmghj, in every particular, fo contradictory 
 to it. 
 
 * John iii. ?S. 
 
 And 
 
^ft. 1^ "jOH!? BAPtrST AND JESUS CHRIST. '275 
 
 And now confidering both thefe particulars, 
 as the nature of the cafe requires we fhould, ia 
 one connected view ; tirit, .that Jolui exprefsly 
 foretold, as a touchftone of Jcfass being the 
 true Mefiiah, that Jefiis would adopt a new and 
 very fingular kind of baptifm ; which however, 
 from his firft public appearance to his death, He 
 n^ver did, nor ever mentioned a defign of doing 
 it: and in the next place, that John expreifed 
 himfelf in fuch a manner, as he could not but 
 think, might very probably make the people un- 
 derftand him to mean, that Jefus would not bap- 
 tize with water ; which, however, Jefus prefently 
 after did, even in a greater degree than John him- 
 felf had done : when we confider all this, how is 
 it poffible to believe John and Jefus to have been 
 confpiring impoftors ? 
 
 Had they been fuch, John could not have 
 foretold any part of Jefus s conclu6:, in order to 
 convince the people, that He was the Mefjiah ; 
 wdiich Jefus had not belbre agreed with him, for 
 this very purpofe, to perform. Nor could Jefus^ 
 after fuch an agreement, lay alide the defign of doing 
 any thing, which he had before agreed, that John 
 iliould foretel ; without giving him timely notice of 
 the alteration of his defigns. For though we have 
 no authority to believe, that the Jews did, in fact, 
 ever object to the truth of their divine pre- 
 
 T tenfions, 
 
^74i THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 tenfions, on account of this leeming contradic- 
 tion, between Jt/us's baptiiin, and Johns pro- 
 phecy concerning it ; yet was it, from the nature 
 of the thing, fo extremely probable, that they 
 ■yvould ; and, at all times, fo very polTible that 
 they might ; that no Impojtors can be fuppofed 
 capable of deliberately expofmg themfelves, /or 
 no end whateceVy to fo manifeft a hazard of 
 dete^^ion. 
 
 SEa 
 
Seel. 4; JOHN" BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 275 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Jcfus baptized hi/ John. 
 
 V ERY foon after John had delivered the pro- 
 phecy juft conlidered, concerning the nature of 
 Jeftiis baptifm, we meet with a-iotiier very re- 
 markable tranfaction, which will ferve to throw ftill 
 greater light upon their true characters, and the 
 connexion really fubfifting between them. 
 
 .*' Then Cometh Jefus from Galilee to Jordan, 
 *' unto John, to be baptized of him. But John 
 '' forbad him, faying, I have need to be baptized 
 " of thee, and comelt thou to me? .And Jefus 
 "' anfwering, faid unto him, fuffer it to be fo 
 " now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfill all 
 '' rio-htcoufnefs. Then he fuffered him. And 
 ■" Jefus, when he was baptized, went up ftraight- 
 ^' way out of the water ; and lo ! the heavens 
 ♦' were opened unto him, and he faw the Spirit 
 " of God defcending like a dove, and lighting 
 *' upon him. And lo ! a voice from heaven, 
 ^' faying, this is: my beloved Son, in \\\\q\\\ I am 
 ^•- well plcafed ^^" 
 
 ♦ Matthew iii. 13— IT, 
 
 T 2 It 
 
0,76 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 It will readily be acknovvledged, that if John 
 and Jefas were joint deceivers, Jefus's coming to 
 defire baptifra of John, mult have been an artifice 
 firft privately concerted between them. It i$ plainly 
 incredible, that Je/iis Ihould apply publicly to his 
 Forerunner, on fo particular an account: unlefs 
 they had previoully agreed upon this ftep, for 
 the fake of fome advantages, which they hoped 
 to derive from it. So that, upon the fuppofition of 
 any impofture, John m\x^\> in reality have approved 
 of Jefuss requeft ; and his refufal at firft to bap- 
 tize Je/us, as if it were more proper that Jefus 
 fliould baptize Him, could be nothing more than 
 a well-chofen expedient; to prevent the people from 
 fufpecling any fuch preconcerted agreement be- 
 tween them. 
 
 AVhat then could thefe propofed advantages be? 
 A very little refle6tion upon the cafe will prefently 
 convince us, that Jefus's being baptized by John ; 
 confidered only as to the nature of the thing itfelf ; 
 was a ftep fo far from being calculated to promote 
 the fuccefs of their fuppofed impofture ; that, if it 
 ftiould have any effeft at all upon the opinions of 
 the people, it muft neceffarily tend to pre'cent it. 
 
 John's baptifm was plainly borrowed * from 
 that, which the Jews made ufe of, in the admif- 
 
 • See note, p. 2G6. 
 
 fion 
 
Se6i 4.' JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 9.17 
 
 lion of heathen prolclytes to the profeffion of Ju- 
 daifiu ; and John made ule of his, in st fimilar 
 manner, for the admiflion of his difciples into a 
 ftill purer profeflion. This ^urpofe, to which 
 baptifm among the Jews had always been applied ; 
 together with fome traditions generally received, 
 that they iliould all be baptized and purified, againit 
 the coming of the Meffiah ^ ; had naturally con- 
 tributed to make the Jews conceive a very high 
 opinion of the dignity and holinefs of any pro- 
 phet, who was commifTioned to baptize ; and 
 confequently to conclude, that there could not be fo 
 great a degree of purity and holinefs in thofe, who 
 themfelves Itood in need of bein^ baptized by him. 
 This opinion mult likewife have prevailed, particu- 
 larly with regard to all who ihould come to be bap- 
 tized of John ; as his was profefledly no other than 
 the " baptifm of repentance, for the remifTion of 
 '^' fm» ;" and of which therefore, thofe only who 
 had actually fmned could be thought to ftand in 
 ne^d. 
 
 * " Tlic Jews, it fecms, had conceived an opinion tli4it tliey 
 wera all to be baptized ; either by the Mejiak himCelf, or fome 
 of his retinue ; becaufe jt is faid, Zach. xiii. 1. " in that day 
 " there fliallj be a fountain opened to the houfe of David, and 
 ** to the inhabitants of Jerufalem, for fin and uncleannefs." 
 Macknigbt's Coram. f«?d. 18. Not, on John i. 25. See Light- 
 foot on the place, II. ^22. 
 
 T $ What 
 
273 TH£ DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 What comparifon tlicn inuft it neceflarily 
 have been expected the people would make, be- 
 tween the charaBers of John and Jefus ; nhen 
 they beheld JefiLs become a fuppliant for hapt'ifm- 
 to John? Was this a ftep calculated to prevent 
 that fatal miftake, which the people had already 
 Ihewn themfelves inclined to run into ; that of 
 regarding John inftead of Jcjiis as the true Meffiah ? 
 }Iow could impoftors expe6l the people to recon- 
 cile the feeming fuperiority of John o\er Jefn,^, 
 i^n point of holincfs and purity ; which to them 
 w^ould appear fo plain, by Jejuss fubmitting to be 
 baptized by John ; ^^ ith Johns own declaration, 
 fo lately made to them, that lie was not worthy to 
 do even the molt menial offices about the perfon of 
 Jefiis. 
 
 Could He who was unworthy even to unda 
 the latchet of Jefus s Ihoes, be a perfon of io 
 fuperior a chara6ler, as to \mke Jefus dehrous of 
 being baptized by him? Which of thefe public 
 declarations were the people to believe ; or rather 
 how could they give any credit to Him^ who waJ 
 the author of both r Above all, how could They 
 themfelves think it w^ould prove a more ealy tailc, 
 to make the people believe, that Jefus was the 
 true Meffiah ? ihould they give them reafon to 
 think, that he flood in fieed of baptifm from 
 
 One, 
 
SitCT. 4. JOHN BAPTIST A^D JESUS CHKIST. 279 
 
 One, Avho profefledly baptized into " repentance, 
 *' for the remiflion of fins?" ^ 
 
 *' John's hefitating% at firft, to comply with 
 Jefuss requeft, could Inake no alteration in the re* 
 quelt itfelf ; nor remove fo confiderable a ftumbling- 
 block out of their way. Nor was any other confe- 
 quence to be expected from this contrivance, but 
 that it would diftrad the opinions of the people very 
 rtutch about them ; and induce many, from this 
 time, to conceive but an inferior notion of Jefus^ 
 character ; and 'entertain the ftrongeft fufpicions of 
 the veracity of John. 
 
 * It may licl"e be worth while to obfcrre, that if John*s re- 
 Jufal to baptize JefUs upon his firft requeft, was purely a contri- 
 vance to prevent the Jews from fufpecling any deceit ; as it mujt 
 liavc been if John and Jefus wcvg deceivers ; it Hiould fcem, at 
 leaft, highly probable, that thofe of Je/?«*s difciples, who after- 
 wards wrote hiftories of his life and actions, would not have 
 given us accounts of Jefus's being baptized by John.; Mithout at 
 Jhe fame time recording this ref'ufai of the Raptill, at firft, to 
 Comply with his defire. If this artifice feemed'of moment 
 enough to be put in pradtice, nothing feems more natural^ thail 
 that they fliould all have thought proper to record it. Whereas 
 it appears in fact, that though cveri/ oweof the evangelifts havo 
 related Jefus's being baptized by John ; which is by:no means 
 the cafe in feveral of the moft important tranfadions ; yet ?iofie 
 but Matthew has made the leaft mention of John's refufal at firft 
 to do it. 
 
 See xMatthew iii. 15; 15. Mark i. 9'^ll, Luke iii. 21, 22, 
 John i. 32—34. 
 
 T 4 Since 
 
280 THE piyiNE MISSIONS Of Part III. 
 
 Since then it muft have occurred to John and 
 Jefus; who could not be ignorant of the molt pre- 
 vailing opinions of the whole people, that the ftep 
 now before us was of fuch a nature in itfelf] as to 
 threaten them with the moft fatal iniiuence on their 
 credit, inftead of contributing at all to its fupport : 
 was there any external rmfon^ which might promife 
 fo much benefit to their defign, as to induce them, 
 notwithftanding, to adopt it ? 
 
 A TRADITION of the fcfibcs, we are told * pre- 
 vailed univerfally, at this time ; that Ellas was not 
 only to appear as the MeJjiaKs Forerunner^ and to 
 preach concerning him ; but alfo, that he was to 
 bapti/e Him, in perfon, and make him known to 
 the people. Perhaps then they might think, that 
 the prevalence of this tradition laid them under ^ 
 neceffity of conforming to it ; and that great credit 
 would accrue to them from exa6tly fuliiliing it. But 
 plaufible as this objeQ:ion may at firft appear ; their 
 own conduct will fufficiently prove it to be utterly 
 groundlefs and falfe. 
 
 Hap JoJms baptizing Jefus been a ftep con- 
 certed between them with fuch a delign ; they 
 would unqueftionably have made this u{e of it, in 
 fupport of their particular pretenfions, when any 
 fair opportunity occurred. In particular, whei>- 
 
 * See Whitby on Matthew xi. 14* 
 
 ever 
 
5e£l. 4. . JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 281 
 
 fiiiriBr they thought proper to appeal to this traiifaiQian 
 at all ; which, but for the fake of foinie fucb 
 tradition as that juft mentioned, they could never 
 have agreed on ; tlie fulfilling of that tradition 
 iuuft certainly have been the chief point, of 
 which they would have reminded the Jews. If 
 they judged the fulfilling of this tradition fo ne- 
 ceflary to the fuccefs of their plot ; as, on this 
 account, to do, what might otherwife have been 
 attended with the moil prejudicial efFe61s to their 
 caufe ; it muft be abfurd to fuppofe, they could 
 neglect making that ufe of it, for which alo7ie it 
 wa* defigned, when it had been actually accom- 
 pliihed. 
 
 Yet is there nothing more certain, than that 
 they muft have done fo ; fmce, throughout all the 
 Gofpels, there is not the leaft hint to be met with, 
 either of this tradition itfelf, or of its accompl/Jh- 
 merit on this oecafion. 
 
 Very foon after Je/iis had been thus baptized, 
 we find John publicly bearing witnefs to the truth 
 of his divine pretenfions. " This is he, of whom 
 " I fpake, he that cometh aftei' me, is preferred 
 " before me* &c." Again, he gives the fame 
 teftimony to the deputation of Pharifees, whom 
 the rulers fent purpofely to enquire of him f, who 
 
 ♦ John i. 15—18. f Idem i. 19—28. 
 
 he 
 
S82 THE DiviNi: MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 he himfelf was ? But on neither of thefe remarkable 
 oecafions does he give them the leaft hint of his 
 having fulfilled any fuch tradition ; to ftrengthen 
 the authority of his own declarations. And though, 
 in anfwer to their farther enquiry ; ** ^vhy he bap* 
 " tized then, fmce he was neither the Chrift, nor 
 " Elias, nor that prophet?" John took occafion 
 to tell them, that there ftood one among them, 
 w4io was fo highly preferred before him ; yet did 
 he make no mention at all of his having baptized 
 Jefus ; and much lefs allege this tranfaclion, as 
 the accompliihment of any received tradition, 
 concerning the true Mejjiah, and his expected 
 Forerunner, 
 
 Nay, when he once actually reminded the 
 people of the tranfaclion itfclf^' ; not a Avord did 
 he utter, concerning any tradition, which by this 
 means had been fulfilled. Jefus himfelf likewife, 
 when, a long time after this, he put | the Jews 
 in mind of the witnefs which John had borne to 
 him, was as filent, with regard to the accompliih- 
 ment of this tradition, as John had been before 
 him. And even the evangelifts ; whofe frequent 
 cuftom it is to inform us, that fuch particular 
 things came to pafs, in order that certain pro- 
 phecies might be fulfilled ; have neither of them 
 
 * John i. 31—34, f Johu v. 32-*35. 
 
 made 
 
Seft. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 283 
 
 made mention of any tradition as liaving been ac- 
 complilhed by this event. 
 
 From the nature of this tranra8;ion then we 
 muft freely confefs, that j£>//7i and Je/w5 could not 
 be deceivers : becaufe othervvife we mull main- 
 tain, that they agreed upon this ftep without any 
 hope or intention of procuring the leaft benefit by 
 it ; at the fame time, that they could not but ex- 
 p^6l, that it would diftra6l and perplex the 
 people in general about their diJiiiiEt pretenfions; 
 which it was, above all things, their intereft, to 
 make them exactly comprehend ; and thus very 
 greatly obftru6i the fuccefs of their whole plot. 
 At leaft there is but one poffible way to avoid this 
 conclufion. And that is by fuppofmg, that the 
 aftonifhing voice and appearance, which was ob- 
 ferved immediately after Jefus was baptized, was 
 fiQthing more than the eife6l of Their exqui- 
 iite Ikill and cunning : and that the whole affair 
 was agreed on, merely for the fake of eltablilliing 
 their credit, by this wonderful contrivance. And 
 indeed, could it be believed, that what happened 
 on this occafion, might poffibly be the eife6i of hu- 
 man contrivance ; no more were to be faid. John 
 jnight well baptize Jefus; in order to have an 
 opportunity of impofmg upon the people, with 
 fo marvellous a deceit, if they could perform it; 
 
 how- 
 
284 THE DTVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 however prejudicial to their credit, fuch a ftep mi<yht 
 have been, without it. 
 
 But that this could not poffibly be, is evident 
 botii from the condud of Jefus, and ttie nature of 
 the thing. 
 
 Had They contrived and executed fo exquifite a 
 deception ; Jefus would certainly never after have 
 appealed to Jo/in^s teftimony in his favour, without 
 making particular mention of tliis ^nii^aculons ap- 
 pearance, at the time, when he was baptized . He 
 could not have reminded the Jews of John's anfwer 
 to the Pharifees, " ye fent unto John, and hk 
 " bare witnefs of me * ;" without appealing at the 
 fame time to the fa-6i: before us ; fo much more con- 
 vincing, than every thing elfe, tliat John had ever 
 witnefied in his favour. He could not have gone 
 on appealing to his own works, becaufe " they. 
 ^^ were f greater witneffes tiian that of JOHN ;" 
 without at the fame tinxe appealing to tim miracu- 
 lous appearance likewife ; which had been fo fuc- 
 cefsfuUy brought about, at the time when John had 
 baptized him. 
 
 As for the miture of the thing, we need only 
 repeat what aftually came to pafs to determine 
 upon it. " Now when all the people were bap- 
 *' tized, it came to pafs, that Jefus being alfo 
 
 * John T. 33, t John ¥• 3^» 
 
 " bap^ 
 
SeS. 4. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 285 
 
 ** baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened; 
 " and the Haly Ghoft defcended in a bodily ihape, 
 ft like a dove, upon him. And a voice came from 
 " heaven, which fuid, Thou art my beloved fon, in 
 ** thee I am well pleafed *." It would be idle to 
 go about to demonftrate, that \iJohn and Jefus were 
 impoftors, they could not have had the whole fyftem 
 of nature at their difpofal ; could not have caufed 
 tlie iky to open before a multitude, and fomething 
 vilible to defcend from it ; whicl:i, after lighting 
 gently on the head of JefuSy remained f upon him ; 
 could not have caufed a multitude to hear an articu- 
 late voice, coming as from heaven upon them. 
 Thefe were effects evidently beyond the reach of 
 human contrivance, fuch as the moft artful deceivers 
 could never entertain the leaft thought of accom- 
 pliihing. 
 
 Not to infift therefore on the evidence, which 
 the miracle Itfelf affords ; a confideration entirely 
 foreign to the defign of this enquiry ; all the con* 
 clufion we would here draw from it, is, that no 
 views of contriving fuch a marvellous appearance 
 as this, could be inftrumental in cauling John 
 and Jefus to agree, that Jefus Ihould come to Johny 
 in this manner, and be baptized. Their own con- 
 duct has likewife fliewn, that they certainly did 
 
 ♦ Luke iii. 21, 22. t Jo^n i- 33. 
 
 not 
 
$86 THE BivijfE MISSIONS OP Part III. 
 
 iiot agree upon this ftep, in order to fulfill any 
 tradition, that prevailed at that time. And as to 
 the 7iatural tendency of the tranfaclion itfelf ; that, 
 we have feen, was fo far from being likely to en- 
 creafe their credit, that they themfelves muft have 
 believed, if it had any effect at all, it would fill 
 the minds of the people with doubts and fufpi- 
 cions about them. So that as no reafons whatever 
 can be prod' 3d, for their agreeing to act in this 
 manner, conf) ent ^vith the point they had in 
 view, if they were impoftors * ; and, at the fame 
 
 time, 
 
 * After what has been fuggefted in this, and the preceding 
 article, it muft needs become in a very high degree improbii' 
 ble, that John and Jefus could be impoftors ; on this fingle 
 account only; that Jefus baptized as well as John. For 
 what clie could impoftors exped to follow, from Jefus % 
 baptizing the people, when they had already received the 
 baptifm of John; and after Jefus h'wtfelf too had been bap-^ 
 ti^ed by him ; but that it would unavoidably make the people 
 believe tiiat Jefus himfelf regarded Johfis baptifrij as of no 
 value or importance ; and, bcfides, by filling their minds with 
 doubt and perplexity at fo unufual a condu(51, be a great 
 means of preventing them from ever becoming hearty friends 
 to their caufe ? Deceivers could expeft nothing elfe, by this 
 means, but to weaken very greatly the authority they had 
 hitherto acquired ; and at all events to obftruc^ the fucccfs of 
 all their joint defigns. And accordingly thus it happened. 
 For foon after Jejhs began to baptize the people in Judea 
 (John iii. 22.), while John was doing the fame at Fnon, 
 «eJir to Siilim (C^.) ; — '* There arofc a qucftion between 
 
 " fora«. 
 
Sect. 4. JOllX BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. ^S'f' 
 
 time, many obvious and important confiderations 
 occur, %vhich muft have deterred them from it ; 
 
 it 
 
 " fome of John's difciples, and the Jews, ahout purifying, 
 (Ibid. 25.). That is, in other words, when the Jews faw Jtfns 
 baptizing as well asJobi ; he whom John had hinifelf baptized, 
 now taking upon liim to rebaptize the difciples of John, and 
 this too without any oppofition from him ; unable to account 
 for fo unufual a condud, any other way, they objedcd to John's 
 particular followers ; that if Jf//^5 was empowered to do thi's, 
 they muft no longer pretend, that the baptifm of their own 
 ^Maftcr was of any ufe or importance (See Macknight's Comm. 
 ii2&., 21.). That this would be the confequence of their Both 
 baptizing, in the manner they now did, was fo obvious, that it 
 J8 incredible any fuch impoftors could have agreed to do fo. 
 B-ut, even could this be thought pofiible ; it muft at leaft be 
 allowed, that thi'y would have taken care to furnilh their own 
 immediate folluwcrsy with fuch an anfwer to this obvious and 
 material objodion ; as might enable Thetn^ %t any time, to 
 filence the fcruples of the people about it. If they could not 
 do this, they would have laid aftde the defign. But even this 
 too they certainly did jwt do ; for John's dilciples, it appears, 
 were unable to give an anfwer to the objection ; and came to 
 their mafter complaining, " llabbi, he that was with thee be- 
 " yond Jordan, to whom thou barcft witncfs, behold, the fame 
 " baptizeth, and all men come unto him." — Thus remarkably 
 does every particular in the condud of John and Jefus C(uitri- 
 bute to prove, that they could not poftibly be deceiverA-. 
 
 \Vhat has here been obferved will likewife icrve to illuftrato 
 very greatly the truth of the conclulion eftabliflied in the firft 
 fedion of this Part , from the conlidt-ralion, that John never 
 
 at- 
 
288 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 it muft be confefled, that Jefms coming to John, 
 and being baptized by hiinj in the manner he was, 
 is indeed a very ftrong collateral proof, that they 
 could not be deceivers. 
 
 attempted to perform any miraculous works. The only fuppd- 
 fition capable of being there made, though at the fame time it 
 prove4 abfolutcly groundlefs, fo reconcile that facl with the 
 exiftence of an impofture, was, that John might refrain from 
 working wonders, for fear of diftrac^ing the judgement of the 
 people between Jefi/s and Hiwfclf. But now, when we fee that 
 John baptized Jefusy and yet Jefus rebaptized the difcipies of 
 John; a practice which it was obvious, could not fail to fill the 
 minds of the people with doubts and perplexity about them ; 
 this fad alone is fufficicnt to convince us, it could not have beert 
 agreed between them, that Jo^;? fliould deprive himfelfof lb 
 great an advantage, as that of working icovdcrs, upon any fucU 
 account* 
 
 SEC- 
 
vSect. 5. JOItN BAPTIST AND JESUS CjlRIST. 289 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 John's nnfwer to the deputation from the Sa?ihe^ 
 drim ; and a particular in Jefuss eonduEt vela-' 
 tive to iti 
 
 W HEN John had now continued to Ihew him- 
 felf to the people, for fome fpace of time, and 
 very foon after his baptizing Jefus, in the mariner 
 we have juft now feen; fuch an opportunity of- 
 fered itfelf to him, of making known his divine 
 pretenfions to the very chief of the pe6pl6; and 
 preparing the way for Jefus, who was now be- 
 ginning to appear; as, had they been joint de- 
 ceivers, John muft have been extremely defirous 
 to obtain. 
 
 "The Jews * fent Priefts and Levites from 
 " Jerufalem ;" to Bethabara beyond Jordan, 
 where John was then baptizing ; "to aik him, 
 "' who art thou?*' and it will be wxll worth our 
 while to obferve how he condu6ted himfelf upon 
 this critical occafion. " And he confefled, and 
 " denied not, but confefled I am not the Chrift, 
 " And they aiked him, what then? Art thou 
 
 * John i. 1!)— 28. 
 
 U "Elias? 
 
^90 THE oiviNi: Missios^ OF Part III. 
 
 *^ Elias? An<j[ he faith, I am not Art thou that 
 " Prophet? and he anfwered, no. Then faid they 
 " unto him, who art thou ? that we may give an 
 " anfwer to them that fent u&. What fayeft thou 
 " of thyfelf ? He faid, I am the voice of one cry- 
 " ing in the wildernefs^ make ftraight the way of 
 '* the Lord ; as faid the prophet Efaias. And they, 
 *' whicli were fent, were of the Pharifees. And 
 " they aiked him, and faid unto hrm ; why bap- 
 ^^ tizeft thou then ; if thou be not that Chrift, 
 " nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John anfwered 
 " them, laying; I baptize with water: but there 
 " ftandeth One among you, whom ye know not ; 
 " he it is, who, coming after me, is preferred be- 
 *^ fore me ; w^iofe fnoes latchet I am not worthy to 
 " unloofe." 
 
 When it is coniidered, tiho thofe perfons w^ere, 
 with whom we fmd Jt*/?//, on this occafion engaged; 
 it will readily be feen, in what manner an impoftor, 
 in his circumftances, muft have behaved. Inftead 
 of lx:ing cafually applied to by fome of the multi- 
 tude ; he was now addreifed by deputies fent pur- 
 pofely from the rulers tliemfelves: and thefe too 
 iiot iudifcriminately appointed, but Priefts and 
 Levltes; men of knowledge and ikill in all facred 
 njatters ; and in fine, men of the moft reputed ^nd 
 ikilfui feci, Pharifees. Inftead of being aiked for 
 his inftruclion iu an eafy point of fpiritual advice ; 
 
 the. 
 
Se6t. 6. JOHJf BAPTISt AND JEStS CHRIST. 251 
 
 the queftion, to which they required an immediate 
 and categorical anfwer, was no lefs than this; 
 what particular divine charadier he pretended to 
 affume ? 
 
 Questioned upon fo important a point, by 
 thofe who were belt able to judge of the truth of 
 his pretenfions, and would certainly examine them 
 with the utmoft rigour ; by thofe likewife, who 
 were capable of being his moft ferviceable friends ; 
 but otherwife were fure to be his moft potent 
 and inveterate enemies ; in what manner muft 
 John, if an impoftor, have replied to their de- 
 mands ? To give no determinate anfwer to fuch an 
 embafly, after having taken upon him to baptize 
 the people, and utter prophecies ; w^ould have 
 been betraying the caufe he was embarked in, and 
 a tacit confeflion of his deceit. He muft therefore 
 have declared, what divine charafter he took upon 
 him. 
 
 He would likewife have employed all his art 
 and ingenuity, not in enumerating only, but in 
 illuftrating all thofe proofs he had been able to 
 devife, for the foundation of his pretenfions ; and 
 in urging them to the beft advantage. And as 
 Jhe very well knew, that thefe deputies from the 
 Pharifees came prepoiTefled againft him ; if he was 
 able to allege any circumftances, likely to remove 
 their perfonal prejudices, he could not have ne- 
 U SI gleaed 
 
292 THE DIVINE xMissioys OF Part 11 L 
 
 gle8;ed to throw in thefe likewife ; in order to in- 
 duce thenr to examine the proofs, on which he 
 refted his claim to infpiration, with more candor 
 and impartiality than he could otherwile expc8;. 
 This attack was what he muft have looked for, 
 from the beginning ; and therefore muft have been 
 long provided w"ith his anfwer. And the oppor- 
 tunity it afforded him, to try what could be done 
 with the chief priefts and pharifees ; if not to de- 
 ceive, at leaft to puzzle and confound them ; was 
 what he could by no means have neglected. 
 
 Thus, had John been a deceiver, when he re- 
 ceived this embaliy from the rulers, his firft care 
 would naturally have been, to turn the facred pro- 
 feffion of the meffengers themfelves, as well as 
 thofe who lent them, to his own advantage; by 
 making them conceive of Himfdf with more re- 
 fpe6l than before. To this end he would have re- 
 minded them, that He too was by birthright a 
 prieft of the God of Ifrael, as well as themfelves; 
 and the fon, of no lefs honourable a prieft, than 
 Zacharias ; who muft yet have been well remem- 
 bered among them ; and who bad lived and died 
 with the reputation of unblemilhed virtue and in- 
 tegrity. 
 
 Then he would have recounted to them at 
 large, all thofe aftonilbing events that had hap- 
 pened to his Parents : or at leaft were by many 
 
 be- 
 
Seft. 5. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 293 
 
 believed to have happened to them ; from Zacha- 
 rias's lofs of fpeech in the temple, to his recovery 
 of it again, at the time of his own circumcifion. 
 And he would have referred them to tlie neigh- 
 bourhood where Zacharlas had lived, and where 
 all tliefe things had been noifed abroad at the very 
 time, for a full confirmation of the truth of all he 
 advanced. Above all, he would certainly have 
 given them a very paiticular account, both of the 
 Angels, and his Fatha^^s prophecy, concerning 
 Hiinfelf; aa thefe predi6lions were the fole foun- 
 dation of whatever he might pretend to ; and very 
 minutely pointed out that particular chara6ter, in 
 which he now appeared. ^ 
 
 Such would certainly have been the anfwer of 
 John to the Priefts and Levites, had he been a 
 deceiver. But John, it appears, adopted quite a 
 contrary part. He declined making ufe of even 
 thofe fair and obvious means in his power, to re- 
 move, or at leaft lefien, their prejudices againft 
 him. He chofe to fupprefs ; for on this occafion 
 it was impoffible for him to forget ; all thofe mar- 
 vellous events, which were believed to have accom- 
 panied his conception and birth; and which, if 
 he w*as a deceiver, muft have been the only, and 
 long-laid foundation of all his prefent attempts. 
 Nay, he not only refufed to allege Zachariass^ 
 and the Angets prophecies in his own behalf; but 
 
 U 3 even 
 
1294 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III, 
 
 even anfwered the meffengers in fiich a manner 
 as he knew n^ight be interpreted by the pharilees, 
 and indeed by any one, to be coptradi^bory to 
 them. 
 
 The angel, it had been publicly affirmed; had 
 foretold to Zacharias, ^' that * John fliould go be- 
 " fore the Lord, in the fpirit and power of Elias." 
 But when the meffengers put the queftion to John 
 himfelf, '' Art thou Eiias r" What anfwer did John 
 give? He faid, " I am not." 
 
 Now it is true indeed the Jews in general ex- 
 pected, that Elias '\ the Tyjibite, himfelf; he, who 
 had been fo diftinguiihed a prophet among them, 
 above eight hundred years before ; w^s to be the 
 identical perfon, who would appear again to ulhcr 
 in the Meffiah, And confequently, as the meffen- 
 gers, by their queftion, meant to alk John, whe^ 
 ther he was " that very Elias;" John, fmce he 
 l^new their meaning, might very truly declare, ** he 
 '' was not." But for this very reafon, fince the 
 Jews in general expelled Elias himfelf to come 
 againj and not any other perfon, in a chara6ler 
 Jimilar to his ; it was plain, that all who bad ever 
 heard of the revelations given out at John's birth, 
 plight have underftood them as fpoken immediately 
 
 ♦ Liilse i. 17. 
 
 t See Whitby on Matthew xi. 14» Lightfoot, TL 5C2, 183, 
 SO9 ; and I. 52.^. Pocock on Micah iv, 5. 
 
Sed. 5; JOHN baptist and jeslts ci^'Kist. s>95 
 
 of Elim himfelf; and, confequently. i -on- 
 
 fider Johns anfwer, upon this occafton, as (iii;c€^ly 
 contracliQ:ory to therii. And even fuch a« ne\^ 
 iieard of the Angel's prophecy to Zacharias, miglit 
 probably conlider this anfwer as a plain declara- 
 tion from Johii himfelf, that the office of Ellas be- 
 longed not to Him, Nor was it poflfible for John 
 himfelf to have been ignorant of this, or not awaro 
 of it 
 
 Can it then be conceived, that an impoftor, 
 laying claim to this very chara^er and office. 
 Mould have given an embally of the phariiees fuch 
 an anfwer as t\\\^ to an enquii*y which itruck di* 
 rec^ly at the very foundation of ail his claims? Or 
 could the fame deceiver, who mult have been fa 
 extremely deiirous to be like Elias, in hk whole 
 appearance and conduct, as even to imitate him 
 in the particularity of his drefs * itieif ; could He 
 fend the priefts back with fuch an aofwer to the 
 rulers, as he well knew would appear to fhon, to 
 be ail utter difclaiming of all connection \'vitli the 
 character and office of E/ias ? 
 
 It was the ellablilhed opinion, that EAlas muft 
 lirft come. If therefore John was only a deceiver, 
 his intention muft have been, either to pafs for 
 that xcrij Ellas, whom the whole nation thronu;'A 
 
 * S< p note, p. Jii-t. 
 
 L' 4 juilVake 
 
W6 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part HI. 
 
 miftake expected ; or he niuft have defigned to 
 convince the Jews, that tkei/ niilunderftood the 
 prophecies concerning El'ias; and that He himfelf, 
 though not that veri/ Elias, whom they expected, 
 and alked him after ; was in fa6i the ver^ perfoji 
 foretold under his name. Any pretender to tiie 
 chara6ler of Elias was under an abfolute neceffity 
 of adopting one, or the other, of thefe plans. 
 
 If he plainly denied himfelf to be the perfon, 
 whom they all expe6led; and at the fame time 
 made ufe of no endeavours to convince them, that 
 they expefted a perfon, who really was not to ap- 
 pear ; it is evident he did not try to procure him- 
 felf the leaft chance for fuccefs. The only confe- 
 quence of this conduct could be no other than 
 this ; that his prefent pretcnfions, as well as all 
 that had been before publilhed about him, would 
 be regarded as the effe6t of artifice and impofture. 
 
 His feeming to them to deny himfelf to be 
 either of thofe perfons, whom the Jews expe6led 
 to appear, before the coming of the MeJJiah him- 
 felf; joined to his giving them a very fhort ac- 
 count of what he really pretended to be; could 
 not but contribute very greatly to prevent both the 
 rulers and the people from believing in him, as 
 the MeffiaKs Forerwmer ; and confequently, to- 
 tally prevent his teftimony from inducing them 
 
 to 
 
Se6t. 5, JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 297 
 
 to receive Jefus in the charaSer of the Meffiah 
 
 View the thing in whatever light we can; is 
 it not utterly incredible, that a counterfeit of the 
 MeffiaJis Fo-ref^u/mer Ihould not profit himfelf of 
 the univerfal perfuafion ; by pretending to be that 
 very Elias, whom the wlK)le Jewilh people was al- 
 ready difpofed to acknowledge and believe? ^ That 
 he Ihouid refafe to apply fo important i prepoffef- 
 fion to the furtherance of his own iiiipoli:ure, which, 
 was abfolutely grounded upon it, is on all confi- 
 derations clearly incredible ; but certainly, not to 
 conform in this point, to the univerfal belief and 
 expe6t;ation ; and yet, at the fame time, to ufe no 
 means whatever to remove it ; would have been a 
 coudu6t fo apparently abfurd in an impoftor, as, 
 we cannot hefitate to pronounce, no impoltor could 
 purfue *, 
 
 How- 
 
 * At the fame time it is certain, that Johns denying him- 
 felf to be E/ifl*, on this occafion, is perfedly confiftent with 
 his true charadler, if he was really the divint Forerunner of 
 the Meffiah. *' That the BaptiJ, on being aflced if he was 
 EliaSf (hould have anfwered in the negative, needs not to be 
 thought ftrangc; if the perfons, who put the queflion to him, 
 believed, that Elias, the Tijhbite, was coming perfonally from 
 heaven to ufher in the Meffiah. For though the name of E/ias 
 did truly belong to John ; Malachi having called him thereby; 
 he was not the p«rfon whom the people expefied^ and the priejls 
 
 9nea7it, 
 
S95 THI:. DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part Ilh 
 
 However, for a moment let us negleO: this 
 confideration, and turn to a particular in the con- 
 du6t oiJefus, which relates immediately to this of 
 John. 
 
 Whatever chara6ler John publicly affumed, 
 or denied ; this at leaft is certain, that \i Jefas and 
 He were joint deceivers ; and we have feen long 
 ago, that they muft have been confederates, or 
 no impoftors at all; Jefus could never fpeak of 
 Johris peculiar divine chara6i:er, in fuch a man- 
 ner, as he knew would, in all probability, be inter- 
 preted, as dire6lly contradictory to what John had 
 
 meant, when they afked him, art thou Elias? ?'^ Mac^night'* 
 Comniv fed. 18. note. 
 
 ** His meaning therefore is only this : I am not that Elias 
 in perfoTij ivhom you expe(^ ; nor am I fuch a prophet as, in 
 the days of the MefTiah, you expe£l to rife from the dead." 
 Whitby on Matthew xi. 14. from Pocock, vol. I. p. 193. It 
 is plain therefore, that M John had anfwered, he was Elias ; 
 he muft iikewife have taken pains to fliew tlie priefts, that they 
 were miftaken in their notions of tJtat Elias, who was to come. 
 But to attempt convincing the Sanhedrim, that they were mif- 
 taken in the notions of that prophet, whom they fent to afk 
 him, whether He was; was what the true Forerunner of the 
 McfTiah, might well know would be fiuitlefs and vain. He 
 therefore referred this deputation of the priefts, and through 
 them the whole Sanhedrim, from whom they came, to Ifaiah, 
 for a true account of his Office; and left them to the honcft 
 life of thofe lights they were polfefled of, to determine who 
 ht was. 
 
 faid 
 
Sefl:. 0. JOHN baptist and JEstrs Christ. 299 
 
 faid of himfelf. Johns denying himfelf to be 
 Jllias in the manner he did, was a particular of 
 fuch confequence, as he could not have deter- 
 mined to put in pra6lice, without Jcfuss know- 
 ledge and confent. When therefore John had de- 
 clared, that he was not Ellas ; had they been im- 
 poftors, Jefiis could not afterwards have affirmed, 
 that he was. Yet this, it appears, Jefus aclually 
 did. 
 
 John, as we have juft leen, declared to the 
 priefts, without any particular explanation of his 
 meaning, that he was not Elias : and adding only, 
 that he was the voice of one crying in the wil* 
 dernefs, as faid the prophet Efaias ; left them to 
 determine farther about him, by themfelves. But 
 fome time after this, upon occafion oi Jefus' s re- 
 ceiving from him a very remarkable meffage, by 
 two of his difciples ; Jefus took the opportunity to 
 (Jefcant very minutely upon the real chara6ler of 
 John, And after having affirmed, *' that among 
 " all, who were born of women, there had not 
 ** arifen a greater prophet tlian John the Baptift ;" 
 he clofed his remarkable account of him, with 
 tliis moft emphatical declaration : " And, if ye 
 " will receive it, this is Elias which was for 
 " TO COME. He that hath ears to hear, let him 
 " hear*." 
 
 • Matthew xi. 14, 15. 
 
 Nothing 
 
300 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 Nothing could be more emphatical, than this 
 declaration ; nor, according to the notion, which 
 the people entertained of Ellas, could any affer- 
 tion feem more contradictory, to what John had 
 faid of himfeif. True indeed it is, that John was 
 not thaP EUas, about whom he was queftioned ; 
 and equally true, that he was that Elias who was 
 for to come. So that there was no real inconfif- 
 tency between what Jefus faid of John, and what 
 He had before faid of himfeif. But to the people, 
 Johi and Jefus were well apprized, that in this 
 there muft appear a plain contradiction, fo long 
 as they retained their prefent opinion of Elias. 
 Nor could they therefore, if impoftors, have af- 
 ferted any thing of fo much confequence, in terms, 
 which they knew, might be thought contradiclory- 
 to each other ; without at the fame time ufing 
 fuch arguments, as they muft have prepared for 
 this very purpofe, to convince the Jews, that 
 they had taken up a falfe opinion oi that Elias, 
 who was indeed to come before the arrival of the 
 Meffiah. 
 
 ' For what could they expecl the people to think, 
 if they ihould think at all upon the matter, con^ 
 cerning two pretenders to divine infpiration and 
 authority ; who fcemed to them plainly to con- 
 tradi6i: each other; and this too, in a point of 
 no lefs importance, tlian the very nature of that 
 
 pro- 
 
Se6l. v>. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. SOl 
 
 prophetical character, which One of them affumed ; 
 and upon tlie reality of which, his evidence, in 
 favour of the other, depended ? However this 
 feeming contradiction did, in fa6l, pafs unobferved ; 
 in the nature of the thing itfelf, it was very liighly 
 improbable, that both priells and people Ihould 
 all overlook it. Nor can any fuppofition be 
 much more incredible than this ; that two the 
 moft fubtil pretenders to divine infpiration, lliould 
 deliberately refolve to run the hazard of fuch 
 a feeming material contradiction ; and, for no 
 end whatever, ■ furnilh every one with fo ftriking an 
 argument for rejecting them^ as convi6led impof- 
 tors. 
 
 Ix fliort, John, who replied to the embafly of 
 the priefts in fuch a manner, as he knew, would 
 appear to them to be a refufal of any of thofe cha- 
 racters, in fome one of which, he likewife knew, 
 the whole nation expelled the MeJjiaKs Forerunner 
 to appear; and yet did not fo much as intimate 
 to them, that they themfelves had formed any er- 
 roneous expectations about him ; could not be 
 the crafty aflbciate of a counterfeit MeJJiah. Nor 
 could Jefus, who exprefsly attributed fuch a title 
 to Johii, as he knew might appear a plain con- 
 tradiction to the teftimony, that John had already 
 given of himfelf ; be. a pretended Meffiah, acting 
 in concert with John ; who was to prepare his way 
 
 before 
 
502 THE DIVINE MISSION'S 07 Part III. 
 
 before him, by alTuming the part of his Fore- 
 runner *. 
 
 * Befides what has been faid to fhew, that if John and jefus 
 had been impoftors, the Oi)e could not have refufed the cha- 
 rader of Elias, nor the Other have afterwards attributed it to 
 him ; without at the fame time entering into a particular ex- 
 planation of the exa6t charader, which they meant by that 
 name ; it is well worth our notice, that Je/us's manner of 
 fpeaking, on this occafion ; " if ye will receive it, this is Elias, 
 which was for to come;" plainly fhews, that he thought the 
 people would not believe John was the true Elias; and yet at 
 the fam-e time we find, that he took no pains to convince them 
 that he really was. What could be more oppofite than this-to 
 the iieceflary condu6l of an impoflor ? 
 
 SEC- 
 
Sea. 6. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESU3 CHRIST. SOS 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 A xtry peculiar charaBer and office afcnbed to 
 Jefus by John. 
 
 OO inconteftable does the divine infpiration of 
 Johii and Jefus appear, that there is fcarce a 
 word or a6fcion recorded of the Former ; which, 
 upon a clofer infpecVion, will not furniili us with 
 fome ftrong collateral proof of the integrity of 
 Both ; by multiplying the abfurditics, that muft 
 follow, from fuppofmg them to have been impof- 
 tors. 
 
 The next day; after the priefts and levites had 
 been fent by the Sanhedrim, to enquire oi John^ 
 who he was ; " John feeth Jefus coming unto 
 " him, and faith ; behold the Lamb of God, 
 " which taketh away the fms of the world *. 
 ** And again, the next day after, John ftood, and 
 " two of his difciples ; and loolcing upon Jefus, 
 ** as he walked, he faith, behold the Lamb of 
 " God f." 
 
 Now had John and Jefus been deceivers, it is 
 evident, that all fuch remarkable declarations of 
 
 Either^ 
 
304 THE DIVINE MISSIONS o^ Part fiL 
 
 Either^ concerning the peculiar divine chara6ler 
 and office of the Othe7\ muft have been firft fe-* 
 cretly agreed on between them; with a view of 
 promoting their reception, in thofe particular cha- 
 ra6ters, which they thought fit to afcribe, in this 
 manner, to Each Other. And this obfervation is 
 the more particularly applicable to the inftance 
 before us ; becaufe the very peculiar chara6ler 
 here given to Jefus', by his affociate, made no part 
 of any of thofe divine revelations, which were 
 given out, as having preceded, and accompanied 
 his birth. So that, as none of thofe prophecies 
 were at all concerned in the cafe, which they might 
 think themfelves under a neceffity to fulfill ; it 
 muft have been merely the benefits they expe61:ed 
 to arife, from publicly giving Jefus this very re- 
 markable appellation, that could induce them to 
 agree to do it. 
 
 Is it polfible then, that Johns unexpected and 
 repeated declaration of this new part of Jefus s 
 character, now before us, could be agreed on 
 between them, from the hopes of any advantages 
 to be derived from it? Could it be thought ca- 
 pable of inclining the Jews to receive Jefus the 
 more readily for the true Mejftah? The cha- 
 racter here afcribed to Jefus, that of " the 
 "Lamb of God, which taketh away the fins of 
 " the w^orld;" evidently and direCtly alluded to 
 
 the 
 
Seft, 6. JOHN BAPTIST AXD JESUS CHRIST. S05 
 
 the daily facrifices offered up in the temple at Jeru- 
 falem, for the \vhole people ; as well as the reft of 
 the Jin-ofhrings appointed in the Jewilli law ^. In 
 all wliicii the death of theviBiin was reprefented as 
 llie meanSy by wliich the Jin of thofe, for whom it 
 was offered, rvas taken axvay : for, in the Jewilh law, 
 xvithout Jheddlng of blood there xvas no rennjjmi f . 
 
 If therefore any notice fhould be taken of this 
 remarkable charaQer afcribed by the Baptiji to 
 Je/iis ; which, from its novelty, it was highly pro- 
 bable there would ; as Johns repetition of it plainly 
 Ihewed, he was very defirous there might ; it was 
 impoffible, for the Jews to put any other interpreta- 
 tion upon it, than this ; that Jefus was one day to 
 be publicly put to death, as an atonement for the 
 fins of all. 
 
 But was this fuch an account of the defiirn of 
 Jefus'a coming into the world, as an impoftor 
 could imagine, would make the Jews more ready 
 to receive him, for their long-promifed Jlfe//iah ? 
 Or even, was this fuch a cataftrophe, as would cor- 
 refpond with tlie received interpretation of thofe 
 prophecies, tliat had been given out concerning 
 Jefus, at the time of his birth? In particular, 
 
 * See Liglitfoot and Whitby on the place. Lewis's Ileb, 
 Antiq. b, iv. ch. 4 and O'. 
 
 I Kpilrl*' to the Hebrews, ix. 2^. 
 
 X could 
 
506 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III* 
 
 could Jefus imagine, that the Jews would confider 
 this as an accompUlhment of that prediction ; that 
 he ihould free them from all their enemies, and fit 
 on the throne of his father David? The contrary is 
 too notorious to admit of queftion. 
 
 How then was it poffible, that the falfe Foix-' 
 runner oi sl p7^etended Mejia/i^ could fet himfelf to 
 inculcate into the people, ftich an opinion con-- 
 cerning his AiTociate's real chara6ler and deligns, 
 as was alone fufficient, Ihould they believe it, to 
 jnake them immediately rejccl him ? Or what coulcj 
 be more oppofite to every conceivable defign, an 
 impoftqr could entertain ; and confequently, what 
 more impoffible for an impoitor to do; than to tako. 
 pains to make the people believe, that the very mo- 
 tive and defign of all his actions was, to procure 
 himfelf to he put to death ? This furely, if any thing 
 could be fo, muft have been impoffible : and there- 
 fore, neither John, who afcribed this chara6ter ancj 
 office to Jefus ; nor JefuSy whofe reception and fuc^ 
 cefs it fo immediatelv concerned, could poffibly be 
 a Receiver, 
 
 SEC 
 
Sc6b. f. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 307 
 
 SECTION VIL 
 
 A remarkable particular in JolmV coiiduB to 
 Herod, conjidercd in its relation to Jefus. 
 
 X HE evangelifts have not exprcfsly informed 
 us, how long John continued preaciiiag in public 
 and baptizing the people. But thus much is cer- 
 tain, that the purity of his do6i;rine, and the fanc- 
 tity of his life, had procured him the higheft efteem 
 and veneration ; as well with Ilcrod himfelf, as the 
 whole people; while he was ftill publicly converfant 
 with them. 
 
 What opinion Herod had of his integrity, and 
 how great an influence John Imd over him, wc 
 learn from the evangelilt Mark; who has not 
 fcrupled to alfert, " that Herod feared John, 
 " knowing that he was a jaft man, and an holy ; 
 *' and obferved hhn ; and when he heard him, he 
 '* did many things, and heard him gladly *." No 
 ftronger proof can be defired, of tliat great 
 veneration which Herod had conceived for him, 
 
 • Mark vi. 20. 
 
 X 2 thau 
 
308 THE DIVINE MISSIONS QF Part III. 
 
 than his being pleafed with, and liftening to, thp 
 advice of One in a ft^tion of life fo yery far belqvv 
 him, as the Baptift. 
 
 And how imiverfal his authority Avas with the 
 people, is evident from the conduct of the priefts • 
 who, fome time after his death, were afraid the 
 people would have ftoned them, ilioiild they vcn^ 
 ture to fay he wjis an impoftor *. Jojcphus like- 
 wife makes honourable mention '\ of him, as one 
 who taught the people the neceffity of virtue and 
 true holinefs ; and adds, that his influence over 
 them was fo great, that Herod himfelf was fearful 
 of him, left he ihould excite a revolt ; and |;herefore 
 confined hina. 
 
 Possessed of fuch credit both witji the prince 
 and the people, what condu6l would the fecret; 
 Affoclate of a pretended Mefliah, at this tjme, have 
 purfucd ? l Jcfus, who alTunied the charaCler of 
 the Meffjah himfdj] had not appeared fo long oi^ 
 the public ft^ge ; his credit remaiped yet to be 
 eftablilhed • and upon his fuccefs, at laft, muil 
 the event of their Joint undertaking unavoidably 
 depend. The crsiity J'ojxrinpier therefore woulc} 
 nozv, mqre than ever, haye employed all' his art, 
 to keep that influence he }iad already acquired; 
 git once, cunningly infiilling into the people fuch 
 
 f f^ukc x:?. 6,, I Spe note, p. 28^ 29. 
 
 potions 
 
Se^ f. J'OHN BAPTIST AXb JESUS CHRIST. SOfil 
 
 notions as were beft calculated to ferve his fecret 
 defigns ; and pra6tiling evei^y artifice upon Herod 
 to prelerve his protection and kindnefs uninterrupted. 
 The morie popular he was, the more cautious he 
 would certainly have been of incurrirg Herod's 
 jealoufy, or diipleallire ; for fear of blafting at once 
 all their preconcerted defigns, when they were, at 
 length, in fo fair a way for fuccefs. 
 
 But how oppofite to all this, was the conduct of 
 John the BaptjJ}, At this critical point of time, iii 
 this pecuhar lituation ; when both his own, and his 
 Confederates intereft abfolutely required him to a6b 
 in the manner juft defcribed ; he even proceeded to 
 reprove Herod h'wifelf^ for the wickednefs of his 
 life ; and charged him with the unlawfulnefs of his 
 jiiolt darUng pleafures, m fo particular an inftance ; 
 his marriage with Herodias *, his brother FhiUp's 
 wife ; that he could expe6t nothing lefs in return, 
 from Herod's violence of temper, and Her^odias's 
 influence, than imprifonment and death. And 
 accordingly we find, that Herod immediately im^ 
 prifoned John, on account of Herodias ; as well 
 as, according to Jofephus, for fear he might attempt 
 to bring on a revolt : and Herodias, as it was na- 
 tural to expert Ihe would, foon after accompliflied 
 his death. 
 
 ? Mark vi. 17, IS, I9. 
 
 X S Ax 
 
SlO THE DtvivE MISSIONS OF Part 111 
 
 An impoftor, in Johns particular fituation, 
 could not but have reflected, at the firft thought of 
 (o dangerous a ftep, as that Avhich occafioned 
 Johns death ; that it was not his own immediate 
 afllftance onlj/j of which his AJfociate would be 
 deprived, by his deftru6lion ; though this alone 
 would have been fufficient to prevent him from 
 adopting it. But he would befides have confi- 
 dered, that his own imprifonment and death, 
 would ' probably llrike fuch a panic into the 
 people ; however zealous they had before been in 
 his favour; as would reltrain them from liftening 
 afterwards to Jefus ; or paying the fame regard, 
 they might otherwife have done, to his preten- 
 iions. 
 
 Nay nothing ^vas more probable, than that 
 Johns public miniftry being put to fo ignominious 
 an end, would even deftroy that good opinion of 
 John himfelf, which they had hitherto entertained ; 
 knd induce them to believe that, notwithftanding 
 his fair outfide, he could be no better than an im- 
 ^oitor. For by what arguments could John think 
 it was poflible, that the Jews could perfuade them- 
 felves, he was really fen t to be the divitie ForeruTiner 
 of this triumphant MeJJiah ; when they fhould have 
 feen him feized, by HtrocVs order, imprifoned, and 
 put to death ? 
 
 Beside 
 
Sefl. 7. JOHN iBAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. Sll 
 
 Beside therefore Johns regard to his own fuc- 
 cefs, his liberty, and even his life itfelf; which 
 no impoftor can be thought defirous of expofing 
 to certain dcftruclion, for no reafon ; his connec- 
 tion with Jcfas^ if they were deceivers, and the 
 iieceflary dependance of Both upon the mutual 
 fuccefs and affiftance of Each Other ; muft un- 
 queftionably have reftrained John from provoking, 
 at this time, the inveterate hatred of Herodias ; and 
 drawing on liimfelf Herod's violent fufpicion and 
 difpleafure. So that the remarkable behaviour of 
 Joh?2j in this important particular, and at fo 
 critical a conjuncture*, aftbrds us one of the 
 
 ftrongeft 
 
 • Ilcrc we cannot but take notice of a very remarkable 
 particular in Jefus*s conduft, which is clofely conneded with 
 what has juft been confidered m Jvhn*s, No Iboner was Jefus 
 informed, that Herod had thrown John into prifon ; than He 
 quitted Jiidca, and went into Galilee, (See Matthew iv. 12. 
 to the end ; and Mark i. 14. to the end :) and travcrfing it all 
 over; as well that part of it, which was under Herod's jurif- 
 didion, as that under Philip's (Matthew iv. 53. Mark i. 39.) ; 
 he there began firft to preach continually to the people ; 
 cleded feverai of his difciples to accompany him wherever hd 
 went : performed the mod aflonifliing works ; and drew the 
 attention of the whole country upon him. But had Jefus and 
 the Bopiiji been ajjociatc impoftors, nothing feems more im- 
 probable, than that J< /hs iliould hiigle out this particular 
 time; and the dominions oi that particular prince, who had 
 h^ iljft then imprifoflcd his partner in the fame wicked im- 
 -'^.-^^ X 4 poftttxe ; 
 
51^ THE DIVINE Mi&sioxs OF Part 111 
 
 ftrongeft prefumptive proofs imaginable, that neither 
 He nor Jefus could poffibly be deceivers. 
 
 pofturc ; ill order there fuji to make trial of all his devices ; 
 procure more alfociatcs ; and, attended by them, to draw the 
 multitiule about with liim, from all parts of the country. lu 
 iin impollor, this would have been voluntarily feeking the fame 
 iate, that his Forerunner had but jull experienced ; and in 
 reality provoking Herod to put an end, at once, to all their 
 joint machinations. But this is what no impoftor whatever caii 
 te fuppofed defirous to have done. 
 
Se6t* 8; JOH57 baptist and JESU^ CHRIST. S13 
 
 SECTION VIIL 
 
 JohnV rery remar^kabk tneffage to Jefus con^ 
 fukrcd. 
 
 J\o fooner was Jo//« caft into prifoii, than 
 Jefus began to preach in a more public manner' 
 than before. Very foon after this, he felecled his 
 twelve difciples, to accompany him wherever he 
 went ; and excited the attention of the whole 
 people, by healing all difeafes, and ev'en railing the 
 dead to life. 
 
 When behold, after fome time fpent in thefe 
 employments, he was addrefled before all the 
 people, by a deputation from John. Tor " the 
 ** difciples of John fhevved him all thefe things ; 
 " having accefs to him, where he was ftill con- 
 " fined. And John calling unto him two of his 
 " difciples, fent them unto him, faying; art 
 " Thou he that Ihould come, or look we for 
 " another r When the men were come unto him, 
 ^^ they faid, John Eaptift hath fent us to thee, 
 ^ faying, art thou he that could come, or look 
 " we for another ? And in that fame hour He 
 ** cured many of their infirmities and plagues, 
 ^* and of evil fpirits, and unto many that were 
 
 " blind 
 
3l4 THE T>iymi, MISSIONS ov. Part lit 
 
 " blind he gave fight* Then Jefus anfwering faid 
 " unto them ; go your way, and tell John, what 
 " things ye have feen and heard :, how that the 
 *' blind fee, the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, 
 *' the deaf hear, the dead are raifcdj to the poor 
 '* the gofpel is preached. And bleifed is he, who- 
 *' foever fliall not be offended in me '^\ 
 
 Here we muft again recolleSi:, that if Jolm and 
 Je/iis were impoftors. Neither of them could take 
 any public ftep, that might at all affe6l the credit of 
 the Other, unlefs it had been before agreed on be- 
 tween them. Nor could they even agree to put in 
 practice any contrivance of this nature, but fuch as 
 they thought would ferve to impofe upon the people 
 more effeclually, and eftabliih their credit more 
 firmly than before. 
 
 Here therefore the queftion immediately pre- 
 fents itfelf ; whether, li John d^ndi Jefus had been 
 deceivers, this moft extraord'mar}} mcllage from 
 the Baptift to Jefus, could poffibly be agreed on 
 between them, from any hopes of its promoting 
 the authority of Either ? \i, on the contrary, the 
 obvious, natural, and only poflible effe6l of it 
 muft have been, exciting the people to call in 
 queftion the veracity of Both ; this unexpected 
 viejjagc will furniih us with another convincing ar- 
 
 * Luke vii. 18—23. 
 
 gument 
 
Seft. 8. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 3\S 
 
 gument of the truth of Jefuss divine charaSler, as 
 "vvell as that of his Forerunner, * 
 
 Could it then be the reputation of Jcfus^ which 
 they were in hopes of advancing, by means of this 
 public deputation from John ? Nothing can be 
 more certain, than that the only probable effect of 
 this contrivance ; Hiould it have any effe6; at all ; 
 muft have been, to undermine, inftead of eftablifh- 
 ing and encreafmg, whatever degree of credit Jcfus 
 had yet been able to acquire. John^ we know, was 
 at this time, in poiTeiTioh of an eftabliihed and uni- 
 verfal authority. Though the people had not agreed 
 upon any particular divine character to afcribe to 
 him ; all were thoroughly convinced that his cha^ 
 racter was really divine ; all believed him to be a 
 prophet ; and held him in the higheft cfteem and 
 veneration. 
 
 Thus perfuaded of Joints divine chara6ler, as 
 both Jefus and lie well kne^v the people were ; 
 what influence muft They themfelves expect it 
 would have upon the general opinion of Jefus, 
 Ihould the people find John fending his own dif- 
 ciples purpofely to declare, as it were, in public, 
 that John hinifelf was not fatisfied of the truth of 
 Jefuss divine pretenfions ! It is obvious that, as 
 far as Johns authority could influence the opinion 
 of the people, this ftep could only ferve to pre- 
 fcent any one from becoming a difciple of Jefus, 
 
 who 
 
516 THE BlVlNE MISSIONS OF P^ti't Ilf^ 
 
 who was not fo already ; and to bring his af- 
 fumed character '*'into fufpicion even with thole 
 who were* 
 
 Was It poffible then for this contrivance to 
 have been agreed on, with a view to increalc the 
 credit of John himfelf? So far from it, that they 
 mult certainly have expelled, it would be attended 
 with atlealt as fatal an influence upon his own repu- 
 tation, as that of Jefus. John had before publicly 
 borne fuch pofitive .and repeated teltimony, to 
 Jefuss divine nature, and particular character; 
 that thofe of the dulleft apprehenfions might be 
 expelled to condemn him at once, for an evident 
 and moft barefaced impoftor ; fliould he now, after 
 all, begin to profefs himfelf, in the leaft, doubtful 
 about him, 
 
 He it was, who from the beginning had do?* 
 dared, that " the law was given by Mofes ; but 
 grace and truth came by Jesus Christ *." He it 
 was, who had long before cried out, more than 
 once; " Behold the lamb of God, which taketh 
 *' away the fms of the world. This is he of 
 " whom I faid, after me cometh a man, which 
 " is preferred before me ; for he was before me. 
 " And I knew him not; but that he iliould be 
 '* made manifeft to Ifrael : therefore am I come 
 
 * John i. 17. 
 
 '' bap- 
 
Se6t. S. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CIIKIST. 517 
 
 " baptizing ^vith water. And John bare record, 
 ^ faying; I faw the .Spirit delcending from heaven 
 " like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I 
 *^ knew him not : but he that fent me to baptize 
 '^ with water, the fame faid unto me ; upon whom 
 ** thou ihaljt fee the Spirit defcending, and re- 
 *-^ maining on him, t|ie same is he who bap- 
 '' tizeth with the Holy Ghoft. And I faW and 
 *' bare record, that this is the Soi> of God*, 
 *^ And he that believeth on the Son h^h ever- 
 *' lafting life ; and he th-eit bplievetli not the Son, 
 *' fliall not fee life : but the wrath of God abideth 
 'f on him t/' 
 
 After fuch peremptory and repeated declara- 
 tions as thefe ; which, if true, place Jefuss di- 
 vine miffion and cliara61;er beyond doubt ; byt, 
 y falfe, inuft have been f^lfehoods, which Johu^ 
 at the very time of declaring them, knew to be 
 fuch; after all thefe declarations, what o|)inion 
 muft he now have expected the Jews would form 
 of his own integrity ; when, after all, they iliould 
 find him publicly declaring himfelf unfatisfied of 
 tlie truth of Jc/ius pretenfions ? And in no other 
 fenfe whatever could they be expected to inter- 
 pret the queftion before us ; thus publicly put 
 (o Je/hs, in Joh/fs qw7i na^ic, and by his ozvn 
 
 f fv\ii I, 2()— 34. f Idem, iii. 36. 
 
 difciples. 
 
318 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 difciples. " John Baptift hath Tent us to thee, 
 " faying ; art Thou he that fliould come, or look 
 " we for another r" 
 
 The only conclufion the people could be ex- 
 pelled to draw, from the ftrong appearance of a 
 contradiction of fo flagrant a nature ; in one, who 
 had fo often pretended to pronounce Jefuss 
 divine chara6ter, by a6tual infpiration; was evi- 
 dently this : That John hhnfelf had hitherto de- 
 luded them by his fpecious pretences ; and that 
 He, and whoever was conne6ted with him, muft 
 be an errant impoltor. This was fo obvious a 
 confequence of the mefliige before us, fhould it 
 be taken notice of at all; and iliould it not, it 
 could certainly do them no good ; that it muft have 
 occurred to every one, and more efpecially to two 
 fo artful deceivers, upon the firft propofal of fuch 
 aftep. 
 
 It is therefore utterly incredible they could 
 agree together before hand, that John ihould fend 
 a deputation to Jefics with fuch a meflage as This. 
 Let us invent as many fecret caufcs as we are able, 
 to account for it ; 7ione can ever make it poffible to 
 have been the contrivance of two pretenders to 
 divine infpiration ; after that public and remark'* 
 able teftimonV/ which Jefus had already fo often 
 received . from John. After that, the manifeft 
 
 and 
 
3ea. 8. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 319 
 
 find dired tendency of it could be no other, than to 
 blaft efteftually the reputation of Both, 
 
 Nay, could \ve even hit on any device, that 
 might fcem to anf^ver the purpofe, it would not be 
 allowable to urge it : becaufe Jefus's conduct, on 
 tliis occafion, clearly iliews, that, if he was an im- 
 poftor, he himfclf knew of none. 
 
 Had they themfelves provided any cunning 
 expedient for this end ; Jefus would certainly have 
 made ufe of it, immediately after he had given 
 his anAver to the meffage itfelf; to prevent the 
 people from drawing from it the moft natural 
 conclufions, to the utter difcredit both of John 
 and H'lmjhlf, No fooner would Johns difciples 
 have left him, to return to their m after ; than we 
 lliould have found 'Jefus artfully preventing thofe 
 fufpicions, that muft otherwife be expeclcd to 
 fpring up, in the minds of many, w ho had heard 
 the meflage delivered ; by infinuating fome plau- 
 fible pretence, to account for Johns fending hi$ 
 difciples, at this time, to make fo Jirange an 
 enquiry. 
 
 But JefuSj on the contrary, alleged nothing of 
 this kind. And though the doubting meffage, 
 which the people had heard, could have no other 
 effeft, than to make them conclude, that John 
 was certainly unable to point out the true Alcffiah^ 
 ftiould he aClually appear ; Jcjus took this oppor- 
 tunity, 
 
3!20 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III, 
 
 tunity, while the found of Johns melTage was fcarce 
 out of their ears, to aflbrt, that " John was that 
 " VERY meffenger, who was to go before the 
 *' Meffiah's face, to prepare his way before him; 
 ** and, if they would receive it, he was Elias 
 ** which was for to come." Adding, to clofe the 
 whole with the greateft folemnity ; " he that hath 
 ears to hear, let him hear "*." 
 
 What conclufion now muft we be forced to 
 draw, from a condu6l, on both fides, in every 
 refpe61: fo unaccountable as this ? If, indeed, Jefus 
 was the true Meffiah, and John his real Tore- 
 runner ; all this is very polfible to have come to 
 pafs. They, who were accomplifhing the eternal 
 counfels of God, by fulfilling a variety of explicit 
 prophecies ; in fuch a manner, as to afford man- 
 kind the moft ample proof of their divine miffions ; 
 and yet fo as to leave them to their own voluntary 
 and free conviclion ; it is to be expe6led, muft 
 have conducted themfelves, on feveral occafions, 
 in a manner not eafily to be accounted for, by 
 beings like ourfelves, utterly unable to compre* 
 hend the whole nature of fuch amazing difpcn- 
 fations- 
 
 But if They were mere human impoftors, who 
 qould act upon no other views than thofe of hu-^ 
 
 ♦ Mattficvv xi, 10, 14, 15, 
 
Se6l. 8. JOhN BAPTIST and JESUS CHRIST., 521 
 
 man cimning only, we may be bold to afTert, that 
 John could not at this time have fent/wc/^ a meiTage 
 to Jcfus ; nor Jefus have behaved thus to the people, 
 upon receiving it, if he had. They themfelves muft 
 have thought, that this would have been no lefs 
 than provoking the people to reje6l them, as un- 
 doubted impoltors. 
 
 How^EVER, though this meflage could not be 
 agreed on between John and Jefus^ with any view 
 to promote their joinj; credit, and conceal their 
 deceit ; it may be afked perhaps, might not John 
 fend it with a contrary delign ? John had now 
 been imprifoned fome time, and there appeared 
 no profpe6t of his releafe. It may poffibly be 
 thought he began at length -to be difgufted with 
 an undertaking, which had been the means of bring- 
 ing him into fuch a dilemma, and could afford no 
 hopes of extricating him from it. That, in confe- 
 quence of this, he had refolved to obtain what he 
 could for himfelf, by betraying that plot, in which 
 he had fucceeded fo ill : and fent his difciples to 
 deliver this fufpicious meflage to Jtfus^ before the 
 whole multitude; in hopes of deftroying Jefus's 
 credit, by means of his own more eftablifhed 
 authority. 
 
 Or at leaft, it may in general be fuppofed, 
 that he did it out of refentment ; owing to fome 
 mifunderftanding, that had arifen between them. 
 
 Y And 
 
S2Q XttE piv-mB MISSIONS OP Pan IIL 
 
 And furely it is very far from impoffible, it may l:>e 
 faid, for impoftors to betray themfelves, by their 
 quarrels with ^ach other. 
 
 But had Jo/ui been at length defirous to obtain 
 his own enlargement, and what other advantages he 
 could, by betraying fo iniquitous an impofture; in- 
 ftead of taking fuch a method as tfiis, to open the 
 eyes of the people-; he would certainly have difco- 
 vered the whole plot, at once, to //e;W himfelf ; 
 from whom every favotu', he could hope for, mult 
 be immediately derived. 
 
 From the beginning He had borne witnefs to 
 Jefas, as the true Mcffiahy in h remarkable a 
 manner, that by what means foever Jefus lliould 
 be convifted of imTK)fture ; John could not poffibly 
 efcape the fame condemnation. It was therefore 
 impofTible for ////??, to be deflrous of leading 
 the people theuafelves to convict Jefus, without 
 his a[)pcaring at ail voluntarily concerned in 
 betraying him ; for this evident reafon, that Jle 
 could then have no merit to plead in the dif- 
 coverv ; nor any thing to expect from it, but 
 that condign puniihment, which was due to him 
 for his own Ihare in the plot. Had John therefore 
 been defu'oiis of betraying Jefus, Herod himfelf 
 w as the only perfon to whom fx? would have ap- 
 plied^* and to whom he would have plainly con- 
 felTed the wlioie plan of tlieir impofture; m hopes 
 
 of 
 
Sect. S, joh2C baptist and jesus christ. 523 
 
 of obatining his own pardon, at leaft, if not fome 
 reward. 
 
 And thus, this remarkable! 7neffage from the 
 Baptlft to Jefas ; which, becaufe the motive^ that 
 really occalioned it, does not appear ; may at firft, 
 perhaps, be conceived as fome fmall obje8ion to 
 tlieir credit; approves itfelt, upon a clofer infpedion, 
 in every light it can be vieued^ one of the moft 
 fat is factory, circumftantial proofs, of the integrity 
 and divine character of them Both, which the 
 gofpels afford. And whether we can point out 
 thofe particular motives*, which a6i;ually induced 
 the true Elias, to fend his difciples, mthfuch an 
 en£[uiry, to the frwe Meffiah^ is an enquiry of no 
 real importance at all ; however it might gratify 
 our curiofity to be able to folve the queltion. Since, 
 in the mean time, it appears abundantly plain, that 
 no fuch meflfage could on any account have been 
 fent from John to Jefas, had they in reality been no 
 better than impoftors* 
 
 • The chief caufes which have been alTigned, as what might 
 'prohabhj induce the Baptijl to fend Ins difciples to Ji-fiis with 
 this enquiry, may be feen, in Jortin's Difcourfi's concerning 
 the Ch. Rcl. ch. 5. on John the Baptijl. — -Maclvnight's Comm. 
 to his Harmony, fed. 42. — Whitby, and Lightfoot, on Mat- 
 thew xi. 3. — And Dr: Home's Confiderations on the Li/c ai»d 
 Death of $t^ John the Baptift, fediion 7". 
 
 Y 2 SEC- 
 
324 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 TJie conduB. of Jefus in confequence of his havh7g 
 purifed the temple. 
 
 l\l OT long before Jefus s public miniftry, and 
 his life, were put an end to together, he nnade 
 a folemn entry into Jerufaleniy attended by great 
 multitudes, and amidft the general acclamations of 
 the people * ; in fo much that '' all the city was 
 *' moved, faying, who is this r" And going the 
 next day into the temple, he took upon him, 
 " to caft them out that fold and bought in the 
 ** temple; and overthrew the tables of the mo- 
 ^^ ney-changers, and the feats of them that fold 
 *' doves; and faid unto them. It is written, my 
 ** houfe fhall be called the houfe of prayer, but 
 " ye have made it a den of thieves f ." It would 
 have been wonderful indeed if the rulers had not 
 taken umbrage at his prefuming to do this. " And 
 " it came to pafs, that on one of thofe days, as 
 *' he taught the people in the temple, and preached 
 " thegofpel; the chief priefts, and fcribes, came 
 
 * Matthew, ch. xxi. Mark xi. Luke xxi. John xi. 
 t MaUhcw xxi. 12, 13. 
 
 " upon 
 
Sea. 9. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 3'Z5 
 
 " upon him, with the elders, and fpake unto him, 
 " faying ; Tell us by what authority doeit thou 
 :^* thefe things? Or who is he tliat gave thee this 
 '^ authority ? And he aniwered, and faid unto them, 
 ." I will alio aik you one thing, and anfwer me ; 
 <* and I will tell you by what authority I do thefe 
 " thintrs * : The baptifm of John, was it from 
 " heaven, or of men ? And they reafoned with 
 «?' themfelves, faying, If we lliall fay from heaven, 
 " he will fay, why then believed ye him not? But, 
 " and if we fay, of men ; all the people will ftone 
 *^ us ; for they be perfuaded that John was a 
 " prophet. And they anfwered, that they could 
 ■•.*^- not tell whence it was. And Jefus faid unto 
 " them. Neither tell I you by what authority I do 
 " thefe things j"." 
 
 * The remarkable tranfa^'^tion now before us will 
 ferve greatly to illuftrate the integrity both of John 
 nndJeJus ; by furnifliing us with another ftrong 
 'ar<mment to ihew, that the various teftimonies of 
 the Fo7'7ner, to the divine character of the Latter^ 
 'couVd not have arifen from any fecret impofture con- 
 certed between, them ; and confequently, that no 
 fudi impofture could exift. 
 
 When Jf/J/5 took upon him to prohibit all 
 that trafficking in the courts of the temple, which 
 
 > Mark XI. 1:9. t Liikc ^^-x. J —fc, 
 
 Y 3 the 
 
SM THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part IIL 
 
 the priefts and rujers had long permitted to be car- 
 ried on there ; the leaft he could expe6t was, that 
 jthey would foon come to enquire of him, by what 
 authority he pretended to do this, and from whom 
 he derived it? For this was afTuming a power, 
 which none, who were not commiffioned from God 
 ' himfelf, or authorized by Them, had any right to 
 exercife. It was openly invading their particular 
 province, and ftriking at their whole authority, even 
 in the face of the peoplp. Whatever then might be 
 the chief defign of Jefus in driving the traders out 
 of the temple, in this authoritative rnethod ; iince 
 ^t was, in a manner, certain, that the Sanhedrim 
 would at leaft fend him a deputation to make thk 
 enquiry, in confequence of it ; Jefus, if he was 
 aia impoftor, muft have determined what anfwer 
 to give them, before he put his defiga in exe- 
 cution. , 
 
 The nature of the cafe will likewife inform us^ 
 in what manner an impoftor in Jefm^ fituation 
 inuft have determined to anfwer them. He had 
 now been a long time trying to gain credit to hi« 
 divine pretenfions, and had at length niade a kind 
 of public entry into the city, amidlt the genersd 
 acclamations of the people.. And with them he 
 was now in fo high efteem, that " though the chief 
 ** priefts, and the fcribes, and the chief of the 
 " people, fought to deftroy him ; they eould not 
 
 "find 
 
Sed. 9. JOH^' BAPTT3T AXD JESUS CHRIST. 3S7'' 
 
 **ftind Mfhat they might do; for all the Pkople 
 " were iery attentive to hear him *." 
 
 But as the chief priefrs, and rulers, were a very 
 formidable body, and all fiill oppofed him ; Ihotild 
 he not be able to make good his claims, when 
 publicly challenged, in their name, to vindicate 
 them ; he had good reafon to expect, that by de- 
 grees the good will of the people alio would be 
 alienated from him. As, on the other hand, the 
 more advantageoufly he could fupport his divine 
 authority, in this particular encounter ; the more 
 immoveably he was fare to attach the people in 
 general to his interefts ; and the more likely to gain 
 over even fome of the rulers themfelves, if that were 
 poilible, to favour his caufe. 
 
 Thus circumftanced, Jefus, if an impoftor, could 
 not have wifhed for a more delireable event, than 
 to have the chief prufts, and fcrihes, and elders, 
 Gome publicly to demand of him, by what authority 
 he pretended to do what he had done ? Nay, ii 
 he was an impoftor, we may now ihc, that the 
 bringing aJDOut this public enquiry into his divino.- 
 (sommitiion, muft have been the very defigu he had 
 in view; in exercifing that unexpected authority, 
 which upon this oct'afion he aifumed. 
 
 y 4 Had 
 
328 THE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part III. 
 
 Had he been a deceiver then, he would eagerly 
 have feized this defirable opportunity, of his own 
 immediate contriving, to have enlarged upon every 
 circumftance that could be alleged, in fupport of 
 his divine authority. He would have related parti- 
 cularly, all thofe aftoniihing revelations, and other 
 wonderful circumltances, which had accompanied 
 his conception and birth. He would have reminded 
 them, on how many occafions the blind Mdid, by 
 his operation, received \\\e\Y fight ; the lame zvalked; 
 the lepers been clecmfed ; the deaf been made to 
 hear ; and even the dead themfelves been raifed 
 up. And in particular, had he been an impoltor 
 in eorifederacy with Johny he would have urged 
 to them in the hearing of the people ; who were all 
 zealous difcipies of the Baptiji ; and whofe divine 
 authority he knew the priefts could not dare to 
 deny ; thofe repeated and explicit teftimonies, 
 which John had fo often borne to his divine cha- 
 racter ; and in which he had even pofitively declar- 
 ed him to be the true Meffiah. And now, like wife, 
 when he had v/orked up the people, by all the 
 arguments he could allege, to the greateft fervour 
 in his caufe ; had he been an impoltor, he would 
 immediately have declared himfelf their Mejjlah 
 and King ; and have commenced at laft one deci- 
 five ftruggle, to determine the fate of the whole 
 impofture. 
 
 What 
 
SeCl. 9. JOHN BAPTIST AND JESUS CHRIST. 3^29 
 
 What then muft we be forced to conclude, 
 with regard to the true character of Jefus ; who 
 even upon this peculiar occafion, procured by his 
 own means ; though polVeffed oi fuch tefihnonies^ 
 to eftabliih his own divine authority, as he knew 
 the chief priefts could neither invalidate, nor 
 difpute ; would not, even at this time, produce 
 any of them in his own defence? How is it pofTible 
 we can believe him to have been the deceitful con- 
 federate of the Baptift ; M'ho, even on fo peculiar 
 an occafion, declined all appeal to Johns authori- 
 tative teftimony; and would not avail himfelf of his 
 univerfal credit ? 
 
 J^UT did he not in fad, it may be alked, ex- 
 prefsly put the priefts in mind of John the Baptyi ? 
 And might he not intend this as an appeal to John's 
 teftimony in his favour ? — True indeed it is, that 
 Jejiis did actually remind the priefts of John the 
 Baptift: but it is no lefs true, that he did this in 
 fuch a manner, as to make the juftnefs of our 
 conclufion even ftill more apparent, than it could 
 have been, had he not made the leaft mention of 
 Join. 
 
 For, inftead of reminding them of John, fo as to 
 make the leaft ufe of His teftimony, in his own de- 
 fence ; it is evident, he did it with no other defign, 
 than merely to procure himfelf an opportunity of 
 making fw defence at all, 
 
 '' I will 
 
330 TSE DIVINE MISSIONS OF Part TIL 
 
 *' I will alfo aik you one thing (laid Jefus), and 
 ** anfwer me ; and I will tell you by w^hat authority 
 " I do thefe things. The baptifm of John, was it 
 *' from heaven, or of men ? And they anfvvered, 
 " that they could not tell whence it was. And 
 *' Jefus faid unto them, Neither tell I you by what 
 ** authority I do thefe things." 
 
 The manner in which, we fee, Jefus on this 
 occafion made mention of John, proves to de- 
 monftration, that though he was by no means 
 forgetful of that explicit evidence, which John 
 had fo freqijjehtly borne in his favour ; yet that he 
 was determined to make no advantage of it, for the 
 eftabliihment of his own diving character ; even 
 at thitt very conjuncture, w'hen it would have been 
 of the moft fignal fervice to him, to alledge it. 
 Whereas, had Jefus been an impoftor in confe- 
 deracy with Johi ; inftead of making ufe of the 
 Bapti/i^s name, at this time, merely in order to 
 procure himfeff an opportunity to he f lent ; he 
 ^ould certainly have infifted on John's tcftimony, 
 with all the power of his eloquence ; to eftabliili 
 the people immoveably in their prefent favouraUfe. 
 opinion of kis onm divine miffion, and authority. 
 And indeed, when w^e coniider the whole of this 
 very remarkable tranfaCtion ; the refoiTnation in the 
 temple, which Je/i^s took upon him to make; 
 together with his anfwer to the chief priefts and 
 
 rulers, 
 
SeQ:. 9. JOHN baptist and jesus christ. 331 
 
 rulers, when they came upon him to demand by 
 what authority he pretended to do this ; it ap- 
 pears undeniably, froni that extraordinary manner 
 in which he chofe to make mention of John, upon 
 this very peculiar occafion ; that the Bapt'iji and 
 Jefus could not poffibly be affbciate deceivers ; and 
 confequently, that Jefus himfelf could be no lefe 
 than the true MeJJiah, and John the Baptift than 
 his divine Forerunner. 
 
 CON. 
 
( 333 ) 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 1 HE enquiry, we at firft fet out on, is now 
 brought to an end ; and the defired conclufion 
 eftablillied, it is hoped, by every argument at firft 
 propofed. But the peculiar nature of the tranfa6iion 
 confidered, and the various circumftances neceflary 
 to be attended to, in order to place every material 
 particular in its true light, and effedually clear 
 up the point in debate ; have unavoidably drawn 
 it out to an unexpe61;ed length. It may not 
 therefore, in the laft place, be improper to take 
 a Ihort iketch of the whole evidence produced, 
 in fupport of the important point to be proved ; 
 that, when confidered at once in a eolle6live 
 view, every diftind part may be allowed its due 
 influence and weight : and the certainty of the 
 conclufion be judged of, by the joint evidence of 
 the whole. 
 
 To ihew the utter incredibility of any fuch im- 
 pofture, as that in debate, nothing more can be 
 abfolutely requifite, than to prove one or other of 
 the following points. 
 
 Either 
 
334 coNCtusioj^. 
 
 Either that the plot fuppofed is of fo ahfurd a 
 nature in itfelf ; that it is impoffible to believe it 
 could ever be undertaken : — Or, however, if we 
 have not materials to prove this ; that all the parti- 
 cular perfons concerned, ^vere fuch, and fo circum* 
 Jimiced; that it cannot be believed pofTible for Them 
 to have contrived, or engaged in Juch a defign : — • 
 Or kftly, that the manner of coyiduBiing the plot 
 fiippoled, certainly was, in feveral important partis 
 culars during its progrefs, fuch as it could 7iot hav<^ 
 been ; had the only perfons concerned really coxxr 
 fpired in the profecution oi fuch an impofture. 
 
 To trace out a fatisfa6cory proof of Either of 
 thefe points, may in many cafes, for \rant of in- 
 formation, be extremely difficult; in many abfo^ 
 lutely impoffible. But in whatever inltance either 
 of them fingly can be clearly, and diftin6lly made 
 out ; by comparing the feveral eircumftances of the 
 cafe, with the moft obvious and allowed principles 
 of human nature ; there our doubts muft be at ari 
 end; and the fufpicion of any impofture muft una-. 
 Yoidably be given up. 
 
 When therefore the cafe confidered proves 
 fuch, that not one of thefe points only^ bat all of 
 them can be eftabliihed together ; when it can not 
 only be made to appear morally impoffible, for th^ 
 plot in queftion to have ever been contrived ; but 
 likewife, for thofe particular perfonSj who atom 
 
 are 
 
coNCLusioir. 535 
 
 are concerned, to have contrived it ; and moi:eov€r, 
 equally i?iC7xdibl€ for Them, if they had, to have 
 conducted it in the mannci^ in which it appears, from 
 the fa6ts themfelves, to have been condu6led : 
 when All thefe points can be made good together ; 
 then we have the eompleteii: proof the impqffibility of 
 the plot in ffueftion, that the nature of fuch points 
 can be ever capable of admitting. And, in, this 
 cafe the mind cannot but acquiefce without heii- 
 tation, and reft perfe6lly fatished with the con- 
 clufion. 
 
 Now by Each of thefe feveral kinds of proofs 
 have we been enabled to eftablifli the truth and 
 certainty of all thofe iniraculims events, which the 
 evan^elifts have recorded of the natmtks of John 
 the Bapti/i and Jefus Chrijl. 
 
 In the iirft place, it was obvious, that the va- 
 -rious aftonifhing circumftances, faid to have ac- 
 companied the conception and birth of John, are 
 in their own nature fo evidently miraculous ; that 
 if they really came to pafs. His appearance in the 
 world, and the divine chara^er he at length ai^ 
 fumed, miijl have been the immediate appoint- 
 ment of God, With regard to thefe faQ;s^ therefore, 
 the only point to be proved was, that they really 
 came to pafs. 
 
 Ix order to prove this, it was plainly Ihevvn^ 
 from a multiplicity of abfurdities, vvhicli muft 
 
 un- 
 
336 CONCLUSION". 
 
 unavoidably attend the contrary fuppofition ; that 
 they could neither be invented by Jefus, nor his 
 difciples, nor any one elfe, after the death of 
 JOHN ; nor by John himfelf, or any of his dif- 
 ciples, dunng his life. Tlmt fame of them, from 
 their very nature alone, muft alfuredly have come 
 to pafs, in the manner, and at the time related ; 
 and, upon the whole, that if ani/ of them did not, 
 or if there was the leaft deceit in the accounts of 
 any of them ; Zacharias and Elizabeth muft have 
 been the original and real managers of the plot. 
 
 The contrivance of the plot in queftion being 
 thus traced up, as high as Them; in order to 
 determine, whether They could really be the con- 
 trivers of it or not ; it was in the next place, fully 
 Ihewn, that, if fo, the defign they muft have 
 been engaged in, could not be confined to John 
 only ; nor could they themfelves be the 07ily perfons 
 concerned in carrying it on. But, that they muft 
 at the fame time have been engaged in promoting 
 another, fimilar impolture, which related in like 
 manner to Jefus ; and was the counterpart of that 
 concerning John. And likewife that Jofeph and 
 Mary muft have been intimately connected with 
 Zacharias and Elizabeth, in the joint profecution 
 of Both. 
 
 The foundation of the whole farther enquiry 
 being thus laid ; the next point was to prove the 
 
 in- 
 
t»s. 
 
 COXCLUSIOX. 537 
 
 credibility of the exiftence of thefe joint iiiipoftures, 
 in the manner firft propofed ; by confidcring the cir- 
 cumjianccs dild fUUation of Each of thofc perfons ; 
 who, it had ah'eady been clearly feen^ muft haVe 
 contrived, and carried them oh. 
 
 This argument therefore was the fait attended 
 to. And after having purfued it through the fevenil 
 tracks, which gradually opened to our view, it brought 
 us at length to this decifive conclufioil ; That the 
 U'hol'e fuppolition of thefe joint impoJiureS nmft be 
 given up, as in every particular abfolutely ground- 
 lefs, and falfc. 
 
 For, from an attentive confideration of the nioft 
 material circuwjlances attending Each Of the per- 
 fotis concerned ; but more efpecially, the advanced 
 age, facrcd profcjjion^ and exemplary character, df 
 Zach arias ; together with the ?/i}w//i, and m?iocence, 
 and ujifaUltd reputation, of Mary ; and from thefe 
 particdars, confidered jointly with the progrefi of 
 the fuppofed plots themfelves; it has been fully 
 made appear, That neither Ji?y of the Four pcr- 
 ibns concerned, whether fingly or jointly ; nov All 
 of them together; could poflTibly'be the contrivers 
 bf the impoftures fuppofed. 
 
 It has indifputably appeared, that neither Za- 
 
 tharids and Elizabeth, on one fide ; nor Jofcph and 
 
 Mary on the other ; could feparately have planned 
 
 cither the Two joint impoftures, relating to both 
 
 ^ Z par- 
 
S6S COXCllJSlOIv. 
 
 parties ; or that One, more immediately rela^tlng io 
 each. 
 
 And moreover, that even if it were credible, 
 that Each fide could have invented their own more 
 immediate plot ; it would ftiil, above all, remain 
 abfolutely incredible, that Either fide could have 
 attempted to make ajfociates of the Other ; as well 
 as that They could have been prevailed on, to en- 
 gage with them, if they had. 
 
 So that, as the only perfons, at all concerned m 
 the tranfaQions under conlideration, have plainly 
 turned out to be fiich perfons as could neither 
 have contrived, nor undertaken^ the impoftures in 
 debate; all fufpicion of any deceit in the cafe, 
 muft from this argument alone fall at once to the 
 ground ; the miraculous events in queftion muft be 
 acknowledged to have come to pafs, in the manner 
 they are related; and the characters of Thofe ex- 
 traordinary perfons, whole births they accompa- 
 nied, muft be fubmitted to, as unqueftionably di- 
 *vine. 
 
 Having thus, in the Firft Part, fully proved the 
 iricredibility of the impoftures in queftion, from con- 
 fidering all the circumjtances of the feveral Parties 
 concerned ; in the Second we proceeded to eftablifli 
 <fche fame point, by another argument ; of no lefe 
 real ftrength, and, at the fame time, more obvious 
 than the former. This was an illuftration of feveral 
 
 moft 
 
coNeLU8io>r. 559 
 
 rtoft ftriking ahfurdities, unavoidably contained in 
 the internal nature of tlie fuppofed impojiurcs them- 
 (elves. 
 
 Under this head it very plainly appeared, that 
 the iuppolition of any deceit in the cafe before us, 
 would indifpenfably oblige us to fuppofe the truth 
 of feveral particulars, all in the higheft degree ini- 
 poffible to be believed. 
 
 As for initancc, that an old, praftifed, and moil 
 fubtil deceiver, could plan an impolture to be car- 
 ried into execution by one particular perfon only ; 
 and even venture to feign himfelf dumb, for a long 
 fpace of time, merely to prepare the way for it ; 
 not only while the very pey^fon, for whom it was 
 contrived, remained yet unlwrn; but likewife be- 
 fore he was even conceived; nay, and while the 
 contriver himfelf had every reafon the thing could 
 admit of, for believing, that this perfon, for whom 
 he was contriving all thi3 iniquity, ivould ?iever ac^ 
 tually tx'i/i. 
 
 That befidcs, this fame veteran deceiver could 
 do all this, for the fake oi fuck a plot, fo contrived; 
 as, after all, he could not have the leaft hope of 
 ever bringing on the ftage ; unlefs he could infalli- 
 bly foretell, not only the future hirthy but even 
 the fex too, of a particular infant, even before it 
 ■was conceived, 
 
 Z 2 That, 
 
§40 CQXCLUSIO.V. 
 
 That, moreover, he could deliberately fix upon 
 fiich a plan for his intended iinpolture, as obliged 
 him publicly to foretell, under the pretence of 
 being divinely infpired ; that a certain infant, then 
 hut a few daijs old, would affuredly Jive till above 
 t}ie age pf tzvcntij years, 
 
 Anjd befides, that the fame infant, when ar- 
 rived at that age, would certainly appear m pubUc, 
 and exerpife the feyeral functiops of a moft evtra-. 
 ordinary dhlne char act p- ; which, hurnanlyfpeakr 
 ing, it was in the higheft degree doubtful, from the 
 i^ature of tl^e characler alone, whether He might 
 either be able, or inclined, to counterfeit; and the 
 true Oxvner of which, it was like wife univerfally 
 believed, would appear in the mean time; and ef- 
 feclually deprive this fuppofed intended (counterfeit 
 o,i any opportunity to afiume his part. ) 
 
 From the confideration of thefe, and other no 
 lefs incredible fuppofitions \ all neceilarily implied 
 in the plots in quefdon ; the nature of the cafe led 
 tjs next to point out fome remarkable particulars, 
 which we meet with in the courfe of thefe tranfac-: 
 tions; which plainly appeared impofiible to have 
 happened^ ha4 there really been any impollure on 
 foot. 
 
 And here it was fpon perceived, that had the 
 interviews of the Angel with Zacharias,^ and Mary^ 
 been factions of their own contriving, to gain a fa- 
 vourable 
 
coxcLusioy. 341 
 
 voiirablo reception for their intended impofiures ; 
 unqueitionably the Angel would not have been re- 
 prelented, as puniiliing Zacharias in that particular 
 manner,' in which Zacharias pretended to have 
 been punil'ied by him ; or indeed in any manner 
 at all ; and" yet at the fame time fuffering Maiy 
 to efcape, without any vl/ible mark of liis dif- 
 pleafure. 
 
 Here likewife, it Appeared evident beyond all 
 contradi6feion, that the furprizing relations of the 
 Shepherds at Bethlehem ; the behaviour of Simeon 
 and Anna in the temple ; and the appearance and 
 Gondu6t of the JFife Men from the Eajl ; together 
 ^vith the reception they met with from Herod him^ 
 felf; and that cruel maffacre^ which immediately 
 enfued upon their departure ; were all fo many 
 ^ftonilhing: events, which could not poffibly have 
 come to pafs ; had Zacharias and the Other Three 
 perfons originally concerned, been engaged in a 
 joint inipofture. 
 
 For it aj)pcared abundantly evident, from dk 
 variety of conjiderations ; that the feveral perfons, 
 who were the h?i mediate a6tors in all thefe un^ 
 looked-for events; w^ve fach Perfons, as neither 
 ZacliqriaSy nor any concerned with him, could 
 ^ave att^mptei feducing, .to take part with them, 
 \i\ carrying on their deligns \ and fuch likewife, 
 
542^ CONCLUSION. 
 
 as could never have become their affbciates^ if they 
 bad. 
 
 Thus the truth of all the miraculous circum- 
 ftances recorded of the conceptions and births of 
 John the Baptjfi and Jefus Chri/t^ %vere fully 
 proved ; by every kind of direct argument, which 
 the nature of the fa6ls themfqlves could admit. 
 For in them it had been ihewn, that neither were 
 the Perfons concerned capable of confpiring toge- 
 ther in the plot fuppofed ; nor was the plot it [elf 
 even capable of being contrived, and entered into ; 
 lior could feveral Jlepsy of the utmoft importance 
 which a6iually took place, have been adopted, had 
 there really exifted any fuch impojlure^ as That^ 
 which muft be fuppofed. 
 
 But to render the joint force of the whole ftill 
 more irrefiftible ; and that no argument, with 
 which the Gofpels could furnifh us, to illuftratc 
 fo important a point, might lie neglected ; the 
 delign of the laft Part has been, to examine into 
 the behaviour of John and Jefus Themfelves ; m 
 thofe inftances, in which they muH have had a 
 fecret, as well as thofe in which they had an ap- 
 parent conne6lion with Each Other ; and which 
 muft therefore tend to illuftrate ftill farther our 
 former conclufion, and their true charaBers and 
 de/igm. 
 
conclusioNt^^ 843 
 
 An0 upon this enquiry into the relative coth- 
 du6i of the fuppofed Impoftors Themfelves ; ijl 
 has appeared very plainly, in a variety of pj^rti- 
 culars, of the utinoft importance to tiieir cauft?^, 
 to have been fuch, as it is utterly ijia^edible they 
 could have adopted ; had the feveral afconiiliing 
 events, before confidered, he^nfiBuious ; and They 
 Themfelves nothing more than mere human knpof- 
 tors. 
 
 For, in this Part, it inconteftibly appeared, that 
 in many, even the moil remarkable particulars of 
 their public conduct towards Each Other, they 
 acted in fuch a manner, as, to thofe, who had 
 nothing more than human forefight to judge by, 
 muft have appeared the readieil way to obftru6t, 
 and overfet their w hole deiign ; and confequently, 
 in a manner, in which 710 impoftors could pofTibly 
 bave determined to act. 
 
 Here therefore it may be allowable to clofe the 
 whole argument, with that moft inoportant conclu- 
 fion, the eftabliiliment of which was it§ fole objeQ; 
 and dcfign. 
 
 By proving jointl^^ the truth of the pretenfions 
 of John the Baptiji, and Jefus Chrift, to divine aut 
 thority and infpiration ; as the very nature of the 
 facts to be enquired into, abfolutely require we 
 Ihould ; we have effc6tually vindicated, by two 
 
 Ml 
 
S44 CDNCLUSIO^i 
 
 dyiinB^ though conne6led proofs, the truth ahd Cer- 
 tainty of the Divine Miffion of Jefus, 
 
 For, firft, if Joh?i the Baptift certainly was, 
 ■what it has fo inconteftably appeared he muft have 
 been, the diviiie Foj^ertinner of the long-erpected 
 Alcffiah ; fent purpofely to prepare his way before 
 him, and point Him out to mankind ; then muft 
 Jefus ; whom J<9/i^? frequently in the moft public, 
 and peremptory manner, pronounced to be lliat 
 divine Ferfo?iage ; unqueftionably have been the 
 true Meffiah. 
 
 An'D though, from tlie firft entrance upon the 
 argument, the order of the fa6ls to be enquired 
 into, naturally led us to afcertain firft, the truei 
 character of the Baplift ; and by this means the 
 circumftances of Jefuis birth, which were equally 
 furprizing, have been attended to in the fecond 
 place only ; yet Thefe Two grand Events have 
 proved all along fo fimilar to Each Other, and 
 fo infeparably conneEted; that, in eftablilliing thd 
 truth of Onty we have neceflarily confirmed the 
 miraculous nature of Both. 
 
 The fame confiderations, which have fo fully 
 ftiewn, that no deceit can have been made ufe 
 of, by Zacharias and Elizabeth, in order to lay 
 a foundation for the divine pretenfions of John ^ 
 have proved likewife, at the fame time, that Jo" 
 Jeph and Mary could not poflibly forge any of 
 
 thofe 
 
CoNCLusioiTi 84S 
 
 thofe miraculous ''circumftances recorded of the 
 birth of Jefus ; to pave the way for His future 
 appearance under the aflumed character of the 
 MeJJiah, 
 
 And thus the Divine Mijfion of Jefus Chrijl 
 ftands firmly eftablifhed ; not only on the adequate, 
 and indifputable, becaufe in f pi red, teftimony of 
 John the Baptijl ; but likewife, independantly of 
 His witnefs, upon the unqueftionable truth and 
 certainty of all thofe miraculous events which the 
 evangelifts have truly informed us accompanied His 
 cnvn firft appearance in the world. 
 
 So confpicuoufly do the divine difpenfations of 
 perfect wifdom and truth, diftinguifli themfelves 
 from the Ihort-fighted fchemes of human artifice 
 and deceit. Plots of human cunning often appear 
 fpecious at firft fight, and well connected together ; 
 but, on a nearer infpe61;ion, foon betray evident 
 tokens of inconfiftency, falfehood, and difguife. 
 While, on the contrary, the ftupendous plans of 
 divine providence, appear, at a diftance, like a 
 number of unconnected, and perhaps even inter- 
 fering events ; but, when molt fcrupuloufly exa- 
 mined, never fail to manifeft the fupreme wifdom 
 of their all-perl^ct Author ; in that irrefiftible force 
 of evidence they all jointly produce. 
 
 FINIS. 
 tiinr tik^ Gilbert, Prmteri, St. John's Square, London. 
 
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