he scruples to call him a man, as being a doer of wonderful works, and a teacher of the words of truth: he names him Christ openly; and is not ignorant that he was condemned to the cross, and appeared on the third day alive; and that ten thousand other wonderful things were foretold of him by the divine prophets. He testifies also, that those whom he drew over to him, being many of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews, continued to love him; and that the tribe named from him was not then extinct. Now he seems to me, by this his relation, almost to proclaim that Christ is God. However, he appears to have been so affected by the strangeness of the thing, as to run as it were in a sort of middle way, so as not to put any indignity upon believers in him, but rather to afford his suffrage to them.

About A. D. 510. Cassiodorus Hist. Tripartit. e Sozomeno.-Now Josephus, the son of Mattathias, and a priest, a man of great nobility among the Jews, and of a great dignity among the Romans, shall be a truth of Christ's history: for he dares not call him a man, as a doer of famous works, and a teacher of true doc. trines; he names him Christ openly; and is not ignorant that he was condemned to the cross, and appeared on the third day alive, and that an infinite number of other wonderful things were foretold of him by the holy prophets. More. over, he testifies also, that there were then alive many whom he had chosen, both Greeks and Jews, and that they continued to love him; and that the sect which was named from him was by no means extinct at that time.

About A. D. 640. Chron. Alex. p. 514.-Now Josephus also relates in the eighteenth book of Antiquities, how John the Baptist, that holy man, was beheaded on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip, the brother of Herod him. self; for Herod had divorced his former wife, who was still alive, and had been his lawful wife: she was the daughter of Aretas, king of the Petreans. When, therefore, Herod had taken Herodias away from her husband, while he was yet alive (on whose account he slew John also), Aretas made war against Herod, because his daughter had been dishonourably treated: in which war he says, that all Herod's army was destroyed, and that he suffered that calamity because of the wickedness he had been guilty of against John. The same Josephus relates, that Herod lost his kingdom on account of Herodias, and that with her he was banished to Lyons, &c.

P. 526, 527.]—Now that our Saviour taught his preaching three years, is demonstrated both by our necessary reasonings, as also out of the holy gospels, and out of Josephus's writings, who was a wise man among the Hebrews, &c.

P. 584, 586.Josephus relates in the fifth book of the [Jewish] war, that Jerusalem was taken in the third [second] year of Vespasian, as after forty years since they had dared to put Jesus to death: in which time he says, that James the brother of our Lord, and bishop of Jerusalem, was thrown down [from the temple,] and slain of them by stoning.

About A. D. 740. Anastasias Abbas contr. Jud.-Now Josephus, an author and writer of your own, says of Christ, that he was a just and good man, showed and declared so to be by divine grace, who gave aid to many by signs and miracles.

About A. D. 790. Georgius Syncellus Chron. p. 339.-These miseries befell the Jews by way of revenge for James the Just, who was the brother of Jesus that was called Christ, on the account that they had slain him who was a most righteous person. Now as Ananus, a person of that character, thought he had a proper opportunity, because Festus was dead, and Albinus was but upon the road, so he assembles the sanhedrim of judges, and brings before them James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, and some of his companions; and when he had formed an accusation against them, as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned; but as for those that seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and those that were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they dis. liked what was done. They also sent to the king [Agrippa,] desiring him to

send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done could not be justified, &c.

About A. D. 850. Johan. Malela Chron. lib. x.-From that time began the destruction of the Jews, as Josephus, the philosopher of the Hebrews, hath writ. ten; who also said this, that from the time the Jews crucified Christ, who was a good and a righteous man (that is, if it be fit to call such a one a man, and not a God,) the land of Judea was never free from trouble. These things the same Josephus the Jew has related in his writings.

About A. D. 860. Photius Cod. lib. xlviii.-I have read the treatise of Joseohus about the universe, whose title I have elsewhere read to be, Of the Substance of the Universe. It is contained in two very small treatises. He treats of the origin of the world in a brief manner. However, he speaks of the divinity of Christ, who is our true God, in a way very like to what we use, declaring that the same name of Christ belongs to him, and writes of his ineffable generation of the Father after such a manner as cannot be blamed; which thing may perhaps raise a doubt in some, whether Josephus were the author of the work, though the phraseology does not at all differ from this man's other works. However, I have found in some papers, that this discourse was not written by Josephus, but by one Caius a presbyter.

Cod. ccxxxviii.] Herod the tetrarch of Galilee and of Perea, the son of Herod the Great, fell in love, as Josephus says, with the wife of his brother Philip, whose name was Herodias, who was the grand-daughter of Herod the Great, by his son Aristobulus, whom he had slain. Agrippa was also her brother. Now Herod took her away from her husband and married her This is he that slew John the Baptist, that great man, the forerunner [of Christ, being afraid (as Josephus says) least he should raise a sedition among the people; for they all followed the directions of John, on account of the excellency of his virtue. In his time was the passion of our Saviour.

Cod. xxiii.] I have read the Chronicle of Justus of Tiberias. He omits the greatest part of what was most necessary to be related; but as infected with Jewish prejudices, being also himself a Jew by birth, he makes no mention al all of the advent, or of the acts done, or of the miracles wrought by Christ.

The time uncertain. Macarius in Actis sanctorum, tom. v. p. 149, ap. Fabric Joseph. p. 61.-Josephus a priest of Jerusalem, and one that wrote with truth the history of the Jewish affairs, bears witness that Christ, the true God, was incarnate and crucified, and the third day rose again; whose writings are reposited in the public library. Thus he says:-Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonder. ful works, a teacher of such men as received the truth with pleasure: he drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles also: this was the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these, and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. still the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. Since, therefore, the writer of the Hebrews had engraven this testimony concerning our Lord and Saviour in his own books, what defence can there remain for the unbelievers ?

And

About A. D. 980. Suidas in voce Jesous.-We have found Josephus, who hath written about the taking of Jerusalem (of whom Eusebius Pamphili makes fre. quent mention in his ecclesiastical history,) saying openly in his memoirs of the captivity, that Jesus officiated in the temple with the priests. This we have found Josephus saying, a man of ancient times, and not very long after the apostles, &c. About A, D. 1060. Cedrenus Compend. Histor. p. 196.-Josephus does in. deed write concerning John the Baptist as follows:-Some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that he was punished

very justly for what punishment he had inflicted on John, that was called the Baptist; for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both by righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism. But as concerning Christ, the same Josephus says, that about that time there was Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, and a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure, for that Christ drew over many even from the Gentiles; whom when Pilate had crucified, those who at first had loved him did not leave off to preach concerning him, for he appeared to them the third day alive again, as the divine prophets had testified, and spoken these and other wonder ful things concerning him.

About A. D. 1080. Theophylact. in Joan. lib. xiii.-The city of the Jews was taken, and the wrath of God was kindled against them; as also Josephus witnesses, that this came upon them on account of the death of Jesus.

About A. D. 1120. Zonarus Annal. tom. i. p. 267.-Josephus, in the eigh. teenth book of Antiquities, writes thus concerning our Lord and God Jesus Christ-Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to cal him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles: he was the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that had loved him at first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them the third day alive again as the divine prophets had said these, and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him: and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinc at this day.

About A. D. 1120. Glycas Aanal. p. 234.-Then did Philo, that wise man and Josephus, flourish. This last was styled, The lover of truth, because he commended John, who baptized our Lord; and because he bore witness that Christ, in like manner, was a wise man, and the doer of great miracles; and that when he was crucified he appeared the third day.

About A. D. 1170. Gotfridus Viterbiensis Chron. p. 366, e Vers. Rufini.— Josephus relates, that a very great war arose between Aretas, king of the Arabians, and Herod, on account of the sin which Herod had committed against John. Moreover, the same Josephus writes thus concerning Christ.-There was at this time Jesus, a wise man, if at least it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as willingly hear truth. He also drew over to him many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles: he was Christ. And when Pilate, at the accusation of the principal men of our nation, had decreed that he should be crucified, those that had loved him from the beginning did not forsake him, for he appeared to them the third day alive again, according to what the divinely inspired prophets had foretold, that these and innumerable other miracles should come to pass about him. Moreover, both the name and sect of Christians, who were named from him, continue in being unto this day.

About A. D. 1360. Nicephorus Callistus Hist. Eccles. lib. i. p. 90, 91.Now this [concerning Herod the tetrarch] is attested to, not only by the book of the holy gospels, but by Josephus, that lover of truth; who also makes mention of Herodias his brother's wife, whom Herod had taken away from him, while he was alive, and married her, having divorced his former lawful wife, who was the daughter of Aretas, king of the Petrean Arabians. This Herodias he had married, and lived with her on which account also, when he had slain John, he made war with Aretas, because his daughter had been dishonourably used; in which war he relates, that all Herod's army was destroyed, and that he suf. ferred this on account of the most unjust slaughter of John. He also adds that John was a most righteous man. Moreover, he makes mention of his baptism, agreeing in all points thereto relating with the gospel, He also informs us, that

Herod lost his kingdom on account of Herodias, with whom also he was con 'demned to be banished to Vienna, which was their place of exile, and a city bordering upon Gaul, and lying near the utmost bounds of the west.

About A. D. 1450. Hardmannus Schedelius Chron. p. 110.-Josephus the Jew, who was called Flavius, a priest, and the son of Mattathias, a priest of that nation, a most celebrated historian, and very skilful in many things: he was certainly a good man and of an excellent character, who had the highest opinion of Christ.

About A. D. 1480. Platina de Vitis Pontificum in Christo.—I shall avoid men. tioning what Christ did until the 30th year of his age, when he was baptized by John, the son of Zacharias, because not only the gospels and epistles are full of those acts of his, which he did in the most excellent and most holy manner, but the books of such as were quite remote from his way of living, and acting, and ordain. ing, are also full of the same. Flavius Josephus himself, who wrote twenty books of Jewish Antiquities in the Greek tongue, when he had proceeded as far as the government of the emperor Tiberius, says, there was in those days Jesus, a certain wise man, if at least it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, and a teacher of men, of such especially as willingly hear the truth. On this account he drew over to him many both of the Jews and Gen. tiles he was Christ. But when Pilate, instigated by the principal men of our nation, had decreed that he should be crucified, yet did not those that loved him from the beginning forsake him and besides, he appeared to them the third day after his death alive, as the divinely inspired prophets had foretold, that these, and innumerable other miracles, should come to pass about hum And the famous name of Christians taken from him, as well as their sect, do stul continue in being.

The same Josephus also affirms, that John the Baptist, a true prophet, and on that account one that was had in esteem by all men, was slain by Herod, the son of Herod the Great, a little before the death of Christ, in the castle Macherus; not because he was afraid for himself and his kingdom, as the same author says, but because he had incestuously married Herodias, the sister of Agrippa, and the wife of that excellent person his brother Philip.

About A. D. 1480. Trithemius Abbas de Scripior. Eccles.-Josephus the Jew, although he continued to be a Jew, did frequently commend the Christians; and, in the eighteenth book of Antiquities, wrote down an eminent testimony concerning our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observations from the foregoing Evidence and Citations.

I. THE style of all these original testimonies belonging to Josephus is exactly the style of the same Josephus, and especially the style about those parts of his Antiquities wherein we find these testimonies. This is denied by nobody as to the other, concerning John the Baptist, and James the Just, and is now become equally undeniable as to that concerning Christ.

II. These testimonies, therefore, being confessedly and undeniably written by Josephus himself, it is next to impossible that he should wholly omit some tes. timony concerning Jesus Christ; nay, while his testimonies of John the Baptist and of James the Just are so honourable, and give them so great characters, it is also impossible that his testimony concerning Christ should be other than very honourable, or such as afforded him a still greater character also. Could the very same author, who gave such a full and advantageous character of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus of Nazareth, all whose disciples were by him directed to Jesus of Nazareth, as to the true Messias, and all of whom became afterwards the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, say nothing honourable of that Jesus of Nazareth himself; and this in a history of those very times in which he was born, and lived, and died, and that while the writer lived but a little

after him in the same country in which he was born, and lived, and died? This is almost incredible. And further, could the very same author, who gave such an advantageous character of James the Just, and this under the very appellation of James the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, which James was one of the principal disciples or apostles of this Jesus Christ, and had been many years the only Christian bishop of the believing Jews of Judea and Jerusalem, in the very days, and in the very country of this writer; could he, 1 say, wholly omit any, nay, a very honourable account of Jesus Christ himself, whose disciple and bishop this James most certainly was? This is also almost in. credible. Hear what Ittigius, one of the wisest and learnedest of all those who have lately inclined to give up the testimony concerning Christ, as it stands in our copies, for spurious, says upon this occasion:-"If any one object to me, that Josephus hath not omitted John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, nor James the disciple of Christ, and that therefore he could not have done the part of a good historian, if he had been entirely silent concerning Christ, I shall freely grant that Josephus was not entirely silent concerning Christ; nay, I shall further grant, that when Josephus was speaking of Christ, he did not abstain from his commendation; for we are not to determine from that inveterate hatred which the modern Jews bear to Christ, what was the behaviour of those Jews, upon whom the miracles that were daily wrought by the apostles in the name of Christ imprinted a sacred horror."

III. The famous clause in this testimony of Josephus concerning Christ, This was Christ, or the Christ, did not mean that this Jesus was the Christ of God, or the true Messias of the Jews, but that this Jesus was distinguished from all others of that name, of which there were not a few, as mentioned by Josephus himselt, by the addition of the other name of Christ; or that this person was no other than he whom all the world knew by the name of Jesus Christ, and his followers by the name of Christians. This I esteem to be a clear case, and that from the arguments following.

(1.) The Greeks and Romans, for whose use Josephus wrote his Antiquities, could no otherwise understand these words. The Jews indeed, and afterwards the Christians, who knew that a great Messias, a person that was to be Christ, the Anointed of God, that was to perform the office of a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, to God's people, might readily so understand this expression; but Josephus, as I have already noted, wrote here, not to Jews or Christians, but to Greeks and Romans, who knew nothing of this, but knew very well that an eminent per son living in Judea, whose name was Jesus Chrest, or Jesus Christ, had founded a new and numerous sect, which took the latter of those names, and were every where from him called Chrestians, or Christians; in which sense alone could they understand these words of Josephus, and in which sense I believe he desired they should understand them: nor does Josephus ever use the Hebrew term Messiah in any of his writings, nor the Greek term Christ in any such acceptation elsewhere.

(2.) Josephus himself as good as explains his own meaning, and that by the last clause of this very passage, where he says the Christians were named from this Christ, without a syllable as though he really meant he was the true Messiah, or Christ of God. He farther seems to me to explain this his meaning in that other place, where alone he elsewhere mentions this name of Christ, that is, when upon occasion of the mention of James, when he was condemned by Ananus, ne calls him the Brother of Jesus, not that was the true Messiah, or the true Christ, but only that was called Christ.

(3.) It was quite beside the purpose of Josephus to declare himself here to be a Christian, or a believer in Jesus as the true Messiah. Had he intended so to do, he would surely have explained the meaning of the word Christ to his Greek and Roman readers: he would surely have been a great deal fuller and larger in his accounts of Christ, and of the Christian religion; nor would such a decla