all the barbarian nations."* Athanasius, near a century earlier could say, that "among the Christian churches were to be numbered those of Spain, Britain, Gaul, Italy, Dalmatia, Mysia, Macedonia, Greece, Africa, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, Pamphylia, Lycia, Isauria, Egypt, Lybia, Pontus, and Cappadocia.”† Arnobius, at the beginning of the fourth century could say, "The open miracles, and the wonderful effect of his deeds and those of his disciples throughout the world, produced a general concord in faith among nations and regions of the most contradictory manners. We might recount what was done in India, among the Seræ, the Persians, and the Medes; in Arabia and Egypt, in Asia and Syria, among the Galatians and the Parthians, in Phrygia, in Achaia, Macedonia, and Epirus, in every island and province, from the rising to the setting sun, and in Rome, the mistress of them all. Tertullian, a century earlier, could say, "In whom else have all nations believed, but in Christ who has come? In him indeed have believed all people. The Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Armenia, Phrygia, and Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia and Pamphylia, Egypt and Africa beyond Cyrene, both colonists and natives, Jews of Jerusalem, and of other parts, with the various tribes of Getu. lians, the borders of the Mauritanians, the Oratio, Christum esse Deum. Op. t.vi. p. 625. Athanas. Epist. Synod.-Apud Theodoret. 1. iv. c. 3: limits of Spain, the different tribes of Gaul, the retreats of Britain, unapproached by the Romans, but subdued by Christ, the Sarmatians and Dacians, Germans, and Scythians with nations, and provinces, and islands, remote and unknown, over all which the name of Christ who has come, prevails."*"We are of yesterday, and have filled your empire, your cities, your provinces, your senate, your camp, we leave you nothing but your temples." Irenæus, at the end of the second century, could say, "There are many languages in the world, but one only faith. The churches in Germany neither think nor hold unlike, nor those in Iberia, nor those in the East, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Lybia, nor those in this centre of the world. As the created sun in the universe is one and the same, so the light of the preached Gospel shines through the world, and illumines all, who will come to the knowledge of the truth." And Pliny, a Roman, a heathen, in the year 112, but two generations after the crucifixion, was obliged to say, "The thing surely deserves attention from the number involved, for many of every age, of every rank, and of each sex, and not only the cities, but the villages, and the country, are infected with this contagious superstition."§ *Tertull. adv. Judæos, 1. i. Irenæus Adv. Hær. 1. i. c. 3. Tertull. Apol. c. xxxvi. § Plinii Epist. 1. x. ep. 97. For these authorities, except the last, and the second of Tertullian, the reader is referred to Grotius de Ver. 1. ii. § 18. where many others are given. For a The next prophecy is that of Micah v. 2. "And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Mr. English remarks upon this, that the coming forth' does not intend the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, but his derivation from Bethlehem, through David, who originated there. And this interpretation is known and acknowled, says he, by Hebrew scholars.† But the truth is, that the original word N is familiarly used of the birth of a man;-as "Mizraim begat Pathrusim, and Cashuhim, out of whom came Philistim." Who the 'Hebrew scholars' are that acknowledge this turn to the passage, I know not. Rabbi Isaac indeed proposes it,§ but Rabbi Lipman, T the other chief Chaldean, agrees with the common translation; as do also the Chaldee paraphrast, the Talmud in two places, the Midrach Tehillim, with Rabbies Jarchi and Kimchi, as respectable Jew ish authorities as could be produced. But Mr. English says, "he will permit the passage to be interpreted as signifying, that Bethle hem was to be the birth place of the Messiah. What then, will a man's being born in Bethle striking testimony to the same effect, from Cosmas Indicopleustes, too long to be transcribed, see Fabricii lux evangelii, p. 767. † Grounds of Christianity examined, p. 40. Gen. x. 13, 14. See Chandler's defence, p. 125, and Grotius in Mich. v. 2. § Chissuk Emuna, P. i. § 33. Nizzachonp 115. Apud Wagenseil's tela ignea. hem be sufficient to make him the Messiah, foretold by the Hebrew prophets."* Now if we were willing to be consistent, and cling to our principles, wherever they carry us, it would almost seem that this concession might decide the controversy. The Messiah is to be of Bethlehem. This reduces to a little span the number of those, among whom he can be found. Moreover, Bethlehem is now in ruins; to all moral purposes, its identity is gone. It is the habitation of Turks, of Arabs, of Christians; and if there be any Jews there, none will pretend that the divisions of the tribes are preserved among them, so that the tribe of David, from which the Messiah is to arise, is known in Bethlehem, from the rest. Neither can it be argued that hereafter when the Jews are restored, Bethlehem will be repeopled with Jews, the family of David be discriminated, and the prophecy admit of fulfilment; because Mr. English himself allows it to be the sense of prophecy, that the Messiah shall be born before the restoration. It only remains therefore to look back, and to see of all that have appeared in Bethlehem, which has the greatest claim to this character. And I ask whether this fact does not strike the mind with an irresistible force, viz. that the founder of a * This is from R. Isaac Chissuk Emuna, ubi sup. Apud Wa. gens. T. I. † Dr. Clarke's Travels in various countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, vol. ii. p. 336. Amer. Ed. "It should seem also that the Messiah was not to be born, till the time of that restoration should be nearly arrived.” Grounds of Christianity examined, p. 19., religion, which has existed for two thousand years, which exists now thoughout the civilized world, a master, to whom thousands of churches are reared, and millions of knees are bowed, that he should have descended from this little city of Bethlehem? Can a doubt exist that he is the character foretold by the prophet? Is it probable that another such unparalleled personage will arise from this village, which in every Jewish connexion has for centuries ceased to be? And above all is it not absolutely incredible, that if two such characters were destined to arise from this place, the one a true, and the other a false Messiah, no warning of the latter should have been given by the prophet, and that his coun-trymen should be left to struggle against the presumption, that Jesus of Nazareth must be the Christ; a presumption strengthened by the accumulated confirmation of eighteen hundred years? I envy not the constitution of that man's mind, who can answer these questions in the negative. ; Zechariah ix. 40. Rejoice greatly, oh daughter of Zion: shout, oh daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king cometh unto thee he is just, and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. 99 1. Mr. English, in giving this passage, instead of "having salvation," reads, "saved or preserved," adding in a parenthesis, "according to the Hebrew." The Hebrew, it is true, has the form of a passive part |