before the Christian era. This expectation of an illustrious character was definite both as to time and place. The deliverer was expected to appear, when Christ did appear, and from among the Jewish nation.

In Suetonius' Life of Vespasian are these words, which relate to a time previous to his obtaining the empire. "Percrebuerat vetus et constans opinio, esse infatis ut Judaea profuti rerum potirentur." There had prevailed generally in the East an ancient and fixed opinion, that those who came from Judea were destined by fate to have the dominion.'

The same idea is conveyed in nearly the same words by Tacitus. "Pluribus inerat persuasio antiquis sacerdotum libris contineri, eo ipso tempore fore, ut valesceret oriens, profecti que Judaea rerum potirentur."

On the ground of these two remarkable passages, Dr. Clark asserts that before the coming of our Saviour, there was a general expectation spread over all the Eastern nations, that out of Judea should arise a person, who should govern the whole world. With this well corresponds the account given by the evangelist of the wise men, who came from the East, when at our Saviour's birth, to enquire, saying, Where is he, that is born king of the Jews?

There are many passages in our Saviour's life, foretold by the prophets with the same minuteness which is observable in that prophecy, to which we have been attending. It was foretold, that he should perform many great and beneficial miracles; such as the removing of various disorders. These miracles were wrought, when the blind received their sight; when the lame walked; when the deaf heard. It was foretold that God would give him the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession; which was fufilled. in the extensive propagation of Christianity under the apostolic ministry. The town in which he should be born, was predicted by Micah; the bumble triumph in which he entered Jerusalem, by Zechariah. That he should be scourged and buffeted, was foretold by Isaiah, as was the piercing of his hands and feet, by

the Psalmist. We may add further, the gall and vinegar that were offered for drink ; the mockery, which he suffered as trusting in God to deliver him; the casting of lots for his garments; and his rising without seeing corruption.

Enough has now been said, it is believed, to show that Christianity is supported not only by miracles, and its own internal evidence, but by prophecy. Those who would see this subject treated at length, and with great judgment and clearness, cannot fail to be benefitted by a careful perusal of bishop Newton's celebrated Dissertations.

LECTURE XXV.

OBJECTIONS AGAINST CHRISTIANITY.

THE object of the present lecture is to consider some of the most plausible objections against the Christian religion. Previously to our doing this it is necessary to observe that the possibility of bringing against a proposition, some objections apparently considerable, is no proof that such proposition is not true. The natural world, according to the opinion of all but atheists, is the production of a wise, powerful, and benevolent Creator. It is, however, far from being true that this world is, in all respects, such as human wisdom would have anticipated. It is far from being true that no plausible objections may be made to the wisdom and justice of any of its parts. Why should part of the earth be scorched by intense heat, while other parts are rendered unfit for the support of animal life, by cold and darkness? Why should sandy deserts, rocks, and barren mountains constitute part of a globe, designed for habitation? Why are briers, thorns, and poisonous plants produced by a soil, the object of which would seem to be animal support? Why should a profusion of rain be sent at one season, and the earth, at another, be rendered fruitless by dearth? Why doth the Creator cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is? On the wilderness, where there is no man? Is it to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

We believe, on good ground, that the Supreme Being is uniformly benevolent. Yet it will not be said that the state of the world is such as we should previously have expected from a being of such character. We should have supposed, that creatures produced by a benevolent God, would have been virtuous and happy? We experience disappointment and pains. We witness the success of slander and unjust measures; the elevation of characters the most impious and profligate, and the depression of others, in whom are exhibited eminent virtues. Human life is maintained with anxiety and labor, and frequently terminated in agony which cannot be described, nor long endured. We observe prisons and the instruments of execution. We hear of wars in which thousands, and tens of thousands are instantly slain on the field of battle, or left with mutilated bodies to writhe under the anguish of their wounds.

Now if this world is part of God's dominion, and every particle of it is sustained by divine power, with all these appearances so different from what we should expect, it would be no important argument against the divine origin of the Gospel, should that likewise be found to contain some things, or be attended with some circumstances for which we are unable to account.

It is not only a fact, that in the divine proceedings, made known by the works of nature, there are many things, for which we can give no account; but it is equally true, that this can be no matter of reasonable surprise. To understand the propriety of any measure, it is necessary to have a knowledge of the end, in relation to which the measure is adopted. In this knowledge is implied an acquaintance with circumstances and objects which may be effected. But such a knowledge in relation to all measures, is that to which no human beings can make pretensions. There must, then, be some measures, of whose propriety we can- not judge. In the administration of an extensive civil government, many measures, wise and just, when viewed in all their connexions, would appear, if taken in an insulated view, unequal, imprudent, or oppressive. Now, as the divine government is, be

yond all comparison, more extensive than any concerted and administered by men, it is the more to be expected, that some of its measures should be unaccountable to us, if not seemingly unjust.

Christianity is part of God's universal government. It is itself as represented by its author and his apostles, a vastly extensive plan for the advancement of created happiness and divine glory. The full extent of its bearings and connexions is perhaps unknown to any created being. It would therefore be perfectly unreasonable to deny its divine origin, even should it be found that the design of some of its parts is unintelligible, or some of its measures seemingly incongruous.

I now proceed to notice particular objections; and

1. The want of clearness. This has in part, been anticipated; that having been said, from which it follows, that some parts of the divine administration must be obscure to us from the limited nature of our intellectual powers. It is, however, not to be questioned, that without any enlargement of human intellect, Deity might communicate more light than he has on the subject of religion; and that some subjects, treated in the Scriptures, which are now involved in much obscurity, might, had Deity seen fit, have been rendered more luminous. As the object of revelation must have been to supply the deficiency of nature's light, any want of clearness in the Christian religion appears to some persons a very strong proof that this religion is not divine.

It is utterly impossible to perceive the connexion between this conclusion, and the premises, from which it is drawn. Did we know beforehand the precise object which God would have in making a revelation, if one were made; and did we know that Christianity fell short of that object, I allow, that it would be a fair and certain conclusion, that Christianity is not from God; for he will always produce a wise proportion between ends and means. But that Deity should communicate no light in addition to that of nature, unless the greatest possible degree were imparted, is an opinion resting on no solid ground. To all VOL. I.

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