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Voltaire, endeavouring to account for the success of the gospel from human causes, says, 'If Jesus preached a pure morality; if he announced the approach of a kingdom of heaven for the recompence of the just; if he had disciples attached to his person and his virtues; if these very virtues drew on him the persecutions of the priests; if calumny caused him to die an ignominious death; his doctrine, preached with firmness by his disciples, must have produced a very considerable effect upon the world.'

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Mr. Paine, than whom no one has been more indecent in his attacks upon Christianity, professes his respect for the moral character of Christ.' He says, moreover, 'Jesus Christ founded no new system. He called men to the practice of moral virtues and the belief of one God. trait in his character is philanthropy.'

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Mr. Gibbon, no way inferior to Mr. Paine in hostility to Christianity, has borne his testimony in favour of Jesus of Nazareth,' by recording his mild constancy in the midst of cruel and voluntary sufferings, his universal benevolence, and the sublime simplicity of his actions and character.'

Mr. Lequinio, a French writer, quoted by Dr. Priestley, in his Letters to the French Philoso phers, represents Christ as the wisest and best man that ever lived; 'one who was actuated by the most sincere good will to all the human race, teaching the great principles of moral equity and the purest patriotism; braving all dangers, opposing the great, despising alike glory and fortune, equally temperate with respect to himself,

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beneficent to others, and sympathizing with all ; hated by the powerful, whom he provoked; persecuted by the intriguing, whose artifices he exposed; and put to death by a blind and deceived multitude, for whom he had always lived. This generous philanthropist, he adds, who wholly sacrificed himself to the public good, who gave his whole existence to the unhappy, and even to his persecutors, never lied but to teach virtue.'

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In this review, then, of the opinions of some of the most eminent unbelievers, the facts we have adduced respecting the character of Jesus are fully substantiated. The unbeliever confirms the testimony of the Christian. The latter asserts that the character of Jesus is original; and that the supposition of invention, herein, is merely the endeavouring to get rid of one difficulty by creating another equally great. The celebrated Rousseau asserts the same. The Christian says, that the character of Jesus exhibits traits of the most perfect consistency, benevolence, dignity, sincerity, uprightness, purity, simplicity, wisdom, and moral and intellectual sublimity. The most eminent unbelievers abundantly corroborate this statement. His life,' says one of them, 'was a beautiful picture of human nature, when in its native purity and simplicity; and showed at once what excellent creatures men would be when under the influence and power of that gospel he preached to them.' 'The great trait in his character,' says another, was philanthropy.' 'He was,' says a third, the wisest and best man that ever lived:' and yet, with singular inconsistency, this unbes

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liever charges him, in the same breath, with the mean vice of lying. Can it, indeed, be true, that a person who was just and honest, upright and sincere,' who was "the wisest and best man that ever lived, lied to his conscience, to God, and to the world, in claiming to be regarded as a messenger of the Most High? Can it be true, that a person who had no secular interest or design, whose gospel is one continued lesson of the strictest morality, who announced the approach of a kingdom of heaven for the recompence of the just,-who exposed the artifices of the pharisee,braved the hatred of the powerful,'-endured the persecutions of the priest,'and fell a sacrifice to the malignity of the bigot;1 say, can it be true, that such a one did have recourse, upon the mere ground of expediency, to the teaching of the great principles of moral equity,' and the strictest morality,' and the profoundest reverence of God, by means of falsehood and imposture? No! it is utterly impossible.

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We perceive, then, that the unbeliever-I quote standard authorities-agrees with the Christian as to the originality and transcendent excellence of the character of Jesus; but, he overlooks the source whence alone this originality and this excellence could have been derived;-nay, not only so, but, with singular inconsistency, he attributes to Jesus vices utterly inconsistent with the character he assigns to him: he asserts the excellence. of this character, he bears testimony to its truth,it exhibits, says he, a perfect specimen of human nature in its highest attributes and best aspects.

I leave it to such approvers of our Lord's character, to explain, how nature and truth can act the part of deceit-how a pure, sincere, and pious mind, can have recourse to a falsehood, for the honour of God. Suffice it to say, that the opposition of the unbeliever is inconsistent with his concessions. Out of his own mouth, his enmity to Jesus and the gospel is condemned. If, as according to his own showing, independently of any divine authority, the character of Jesus be so good, -and if the gospel have such beneficial tendencies, why does he not, as a friend to his fellowmen,-as a moral agent in God's creation, and, therefore, bound to advance the improvement and happiness of all the rational creatures of Godrecommend the example and doctrine of Jesus both by precept and practice?

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IX.-INTERNAL EVIDENCE.

PART II.

Christianity enjoins no unnatural mortification

Addresses itself to man's reason, and points out to him his duty to God, to himself, and to his fellow-creatures.-The character of Jesus and the Apostles suitable to the doctrines they taught.-Imposture and eminent virtue incompatible. Of the system of Numa.-Of Mahomet.-Manifestly unjust and absurd to compare these men and their systems with Jesus and Christianity.Of the first preachers of Christianity. Of the character of Peter. Of the Apostle John.-Of Paul.-The conversion of Paul an illustrious proof of the divinity of Christianity.—Testimony of unbelievers to the character of Paul-Charges against Paul incompatible with this testimony.--Christian precepts adapted to the circumstances of human nature.-Christian religion calculated to be a universal religiou.-Of the language and style of the authors of the Christian books. Of their candour and impartiality.

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IF Christianity inculcated mortification where the Divine Being had invited to rational enjoy-. ment-if it exhorted us to abstain from any of the innocent pleasures which are agreeable to our nature, and conducive to our comfort and happiness in our passage through this transitory life,we might reasonably suspect that the origin of

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