THE PROPHET OF NAZARETH. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. SECTION I.-IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT TO BE DISCUSSED. THE subject to be discussed in the succeeding pages is, principally, the truth of the Prophecies of Christ. A question intended to occupy a most prominent position in the inquiry is," Whether Christ did predict the Last Day of Judgment and Destruction of the World, as events inevitable during the then existent generation of men; and if so, what inferences, theistical, or the reverse, are fairly deducible from the non-fulfilment of that prophecy, so dreaded by them; it having been, as alleged, extensively and impressively inculcated by His apostles, as promotive of Christianity in its earliest ages.' "'* The correctness of Christ's predictions also, touching his resurrection on the "third day,"-his prophecy regarding the signs which were to follow those persons who would believe in him, as recorded in the Gospels,-together with his Doctrines, Precepts, and other particulars which are alleged to affect the proofs of his Divinity,—are likewise points proposed to be examined. The truth of the Prophecies of Christ is a question which lies at the very base of the Christian religion, and which, consequently, concerns all Christians,-nay the whole of the human race. For Christianity is proclaimed to the world as the only true religion-as a religion from God,— and as having a Divine being, namely Christ, for its originator and founder. If, therefore, his predictions are true, the Divine character of Christianity, so far as this question can affect it, stands unimpaired. But should it be discovered that his predictions are false, this would at once be fatal alike to his claim to deity and to the notion of the Divine origin of Christianity. For although to utter true prophecies is no proof that the prophet is a deity, or that he has any preternatural communication with Deity; yet, to utter false prophecies is, in the very nature of things, a * See the subject of the Prize Essay, in the preface to this Work. B 2 3 positive proof that the prophet is not a deity, and is not in any manner supernaturally influenced by the Supreme Being. To suppose the contrary would be to suppose God liable to mistake, or to falsify. And to imagine an imperfect, fallible deity, liable to error, or capable of misrepresentation, is to imagine an idol so mean, and so repugnant to common sense, that both the faith of the enlightened Christian and the reason of the discriminative Infidel, would alike recoil at the thought of doing it homage. If, therefore, Christ is a deity, his prophecies, as well as all other words he utterred, are true; and every act he performed is in perfect harmony with moral virtue ;-consequently the religion, of which he is the reputed founder, is of a divine origin. But if he has uttered even one prediction which has proved false, or has spoken one word, or performed a single act which is immoral, he cannot be a deity; nor can Christianity be a divine religion. Hence, the truth of Christ's prophecies is a question which lies at the very base of the Christian religion; and the right decision thereof is a matter of the greatest possible importance to all Christendom. If Christianity is true, the doctrines it teaches is of endless consequence, both to the Christian and the Infidel. If, on the other hand, it is false, the injury it inflicts on men can be exceeded only by the benefit it professes to confer upon them, if true. It is, therefore, every man's most imperative duty to institute a rigid, full, and impartial inquiry into a subject of such paramount interest to him. Some men, more orthodox than wise,-would however persuade us it is our duty to exercise such a degree of faith in Christianity as to take its truth for granted,-without submitting it to the test of inquiry and argument; for, as they gravely urge,-if it is not true the Christian has nothing to lose, while, if it is true, he has all to gain, and the Infidel all to lose,* But this is by no means a correct statement of the case; and, even if it were, it would furnish no argument against investigating the matter; for truth shines the brighter the more it is scrutinized, but error becomes the grosser the more it is examined ;-truth teems with happy results, but error is fraught with evil consequences. In the very nature of things, as proved by every day's experience, to embrace truth and act in conformity to it, is directly calculated to produce happiness; but to take an erroneous course on any point is productive of misery.-To err, accordingly, with regard to Christianity,-whether by rejecting it when true, or by embracing it when false, must entail upon man one of the greatest evils.-By rejecting it as coming from God who, as such, must be perfectly good as well as perfectly wise, he rejects a communication which must be teeming with goodness and wisdom, and calculated to introduce him into a state of perfect happiness. On the other hand, by embracing it as a revelation from God, when in reality it were but the fabulous production of man, the consequence to the individual would be very serious.-This would excite in his mind a thousand fears which had no foundation ;-make him regard The Mahomedans, the Brahmins, the Budhists, and other religionists,-by Christians considered pagan and false-may, and probably do urge precisely the same kind of argument in regard to their respective religions. But neither the Christians nor the Infidels of this country regard such reasoning of any weight. Still, if it is admissible in reference to one religion, it must be so in reference to others.-The believer in either of them has nothing to lose, if that religion is false; but if it is true, he has all to gain, and the unbeliever all to lose.-Will Christians allow the appli cation of such reasoning to other religions?-If not, why ?-The case is quite parallel in every instance. as virtuous and indispensable to happiness a vast number of useless and even injurious ceremonies;-make him waste his time, talent, and wealth upon delusive objects;—make him disgust the pleasures of science and all sources of real happiness, in the present life, while, full of care and anxiety, he pursues the dream of a glorious life in another world. Whatever side of the question we view, we are irresistibly driven to the conclusion that to examine the Credentials of Christianity, so as to form a correct judgment regarding their claims on our belief, is of paramount importance to our real interest. Dr. Collyer very justly observes, that "he who forbids you to reason on religious subjects, or to apply your understanding to the investigation of revealed truth, is insulting the character of God, as though his acts shrunk from scrutiny-is degrading his own powers, which are best employed when they are in pursuit of such sublime and interesting subjects."* With equal justness, also, does Mr. Rogers, the celebrated writer against Infidelity, remark, that "every candid mind must admit that the question of the truth of Christianity is a question of conflicting probabilities." Dr. Lardner, in his Credibility of the Gospels, makes a similar concession. To examine the grounds of these conflicting probabilities," and draw a true conclusion from them should, therefore, precede and dictate our adoption or rejection of Christianity.-Examination is man's security from error and its evil consequences. In order, however, that such examination may be productive of a right decision, it should be honest, free, and fearless. Its subject should be approached with a mind divested of all pre-adopted notions,-anxious to embrace the truth, on whatever side of the question it be found. Every point should be decided-not by the bias of sentiment-but the preponderance of evidence. Whatever doctrine is supported by sufficient evidence should require no other recommendation to be embraced, and whatever dogma has not the support of evidence should not be harboured, however venerable antiquity may have rendered it, or however sacred it may have been made by the advocacy of high dignitaries. Truth alone is worthy the homage of a rational being; and, in pursuing it, he should—as Dr. Chalmers directs—“train his mind to all the hardihood of abstract and dispassionate intelligence." But, although truth is a fixed, unchangeable, eternal principle, existing in the nature of things, and the relation which one thing bears to another, yet man-according to the constitution of his nature, and that of the external world-is able to perceive truth only by means of evidence, which, from a vast number of causes, may vary in the degree of conviction it carries with it into the minds of different individuals differently constituted and differently situated. No man can believe the truth of a proposition unless he has what he deems sufficient evidence; but when he perceives sufficient evidence he feels its force irresistible-he is compelled to believe. For example, I see a book.-Of this fact I have the evidence of my senses; and, having this evidence, I can no more avoid believing the truth it proves than I can, by a mere wish, cease to exist. Of a similar force is moral, as well as mathematical evidence. Man is more passive in believing and disbelieving than he is generally represented, or even thought to be.-He is entirely under the control of what he regards,-whether correctly or incorrectly,-as sufficient evidence. * Lectures on Miracles, p. 149. First Ed. Reason and Faith, p. 95. Fourth Ed. B 2 The sole aim of the writer, in the following chapters will, therefore, be to place, in the most impartial and simple manner, all the evidence and arguments that can be adduced, both in favour and against the truth of those prophecies of Christ proposed to be examined, before the reader; so that having all the evidence and arguments on both sides before him, he may the more easily and accurately judge for himself, and, according to his estimate of the preponderance of proof, determine on what side of the question the truth lies. The utility of such a course cannot fail, at once, to recommend itself to the most cursory observer of the present state of the Christian world. While the learned of the present age, both in Britain and on the Continent, are engaged in fierce debates on the truth of the Christian religion, the masses, from want of time, and other things requisite to an investigation of their Christian creed, leave the matter almost entirely in the hands of the priests of religion, and take for granted that these are right; instead of judging for themselves. This little work being designed to assist some of the thousands that are thus situated,— whom to mislead wilfully would be the height of cruelty,-it is trusted that the investigation of the subject in hand will be conducted with strict fidelity-free from the influence of either prejudice on the one side, or predilection on the other. SECTION II.-DEFINITION OF A PROPHECY.-CLEARNESS OF CHRIST'S PREDICTIONS.-VARIOUS VIEWS REGARDING ONE OF THEM. Whatever was anciently the function of a Prophet-whether he was merely a poet and "a man of letters," or something higher-is foreign to our present subject. It is sufficient for our purpose that,-in the general acceptation of the term-Prophecy is now understood to signify the prediction of a future event, which cannot be foreseen by human sagacity, and the knowledge of which must be communicated to the prophet by some supernatural being, or be possessed by him by virtue of his inherent supernatural powers. Nor will it on any hand be denied that, to constitute a true prophet, the events which he predicts must be stated in language sufficiently clear and specific to identify them ;-that the events must come to pass precisely in the manner the prediction represents,—and that they must be such events as cannot be foreseen by any degree of sagacity, unaided by supernatural power. There is in the character of Christ's prophecies much which answers to the foregoing requisites of real predictions. Very different from many obscure, loose, and ambiguous prophecies in the Old Testament,—which are capable of being applied to various events that have happened in different countries, and different ages of the world, those of Christ are comparatively clear, pointed, and definite in language. If, therefore, his prophecies can be proved correct, the fact of his deity, and the truth of the doctrines of Christianity-of which he is the reputed founder-will thereby, quoad hoc, be established ;—and no doctrine can have a higher authority than to be proved true. But it must be observed that, on the other hand, no doctrine can have a higher condemnation than to be proved false.-If Christ uttered erroneous or false predictions, this fact alone, if established, would conclusively prove that he was not a deity; for, as already observed, it is contrary to the nature of things to |