Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

mind that is at all scrupulous about the rec-| author, which he had rather been without, titude of its opinions. In these circumstan- because he finds it difficult to compute the ces, the mind gets suspicious of itself. It precise amount of its influence; and the feels a predilection, and becomes apprehen- consideration of this restrains him from that sive lest this predilection may have disposed clear and decided conclusion, which he it to cherish a particular conclusion, inde- would infallibly have landed in, had it been pendently of the evidences by which it is purely a secular investigation. supported. Were it a mere speculative question, in which the interests of man, and the attachments of his heart had no share, he would feel greater confidence in the result of his investigation. But it is difficult to separate the moral impressions of piety, and it is no less difficult to calculate their precise influence on the exercises of the understanding. In the complex sentiment of attachment and conviction, which he annexes to the Christian religion, he finds it difficult to say, how much is due to the tendencies of the heart, and how much is due to the pure and unmingled influence of argument. His very anxiety for the truth, disposes him to overrate the circumstances which give a bias to his understanding, and through the whole process of the inquiry, he feels a suspicion and an embarrassment, which he would not have felt, had it been a question of ordinary erudition.

There is something in the very sacredness of the subject, which intimidates the understanding, and restrains it from making the same firm and confident application of its faculties, which it would have felt itself perfectly warranted to do, had it been a question of ordinary history. Had the apostles been the disciples of some eminent philosopher, and the fathers of the church, their immediate successors in the office of presiding over the discipline and instruction of the numerous schools which they had established, this would have given a secular complexion to the argument, which we think would have been more satisfying to the mind, and have impressed upon it a closer and more familiar conviction of the history in question. We should have immediately brought it into comparison with the history of other philosophers, and could not have failed to recognize, that, in minuteness of information, in weight and quantity of evidence, in the concurrence of numerous and independent testimonies, and in the total absence of every circumstance that should dispose us to annex suspicion to the account which lay before us, it far surpassed any thing that had come down to us from antiquity. It so happens, however, that, instead of being the history of

The same suspicion which he attaches to himself, he will be ready to attach to all whom he conceives to be in similar circumstances. Now, every author who writes in defence of Christianity, is supposed to be a Christian; and this, in spite of every argument to the contrary, has the actual effect of weakening the impression of his testimony. This suspicion effects, in a more re-a philosopher, it is the history of a prophet. markable degree, the testimony of the first writers on the side of Christianity. In opposition to it, you have no doubt, to allege the circumstances under which the testimony was given; the tone of sincerity which runs through the performance of the author; the concurrence of other testimonies; the persecutions which were sustained in adhering to them, and which can be accounted for on no other principle, than the power of conscience and conviction; and the utter impossibility of imposing a false testimony on the world, had they even been disposed to do it. Still there is a lurking suspicion, which often survives this strength of all argument, and which it is difficult to get rid of, even after it has been demonstrated to be completely unreasonable. He is a Chris

tian.

He is one of the party. Am I an infidel? I persist in distrusting the testimony. Am I a Christian? I rejoice in the strength of it; but this very joy becomes matter of suspicion to a scrupulous inquirer. He feels something more than the concurrence of his belief in the testimony of the writer. He catches the infection of his piety and his moral sentiments. In addition to the acquiesence of the understanding, there is a con amore feeling both in himself, and in his

The veneration we annex to the sacredness of such a character, mingles with our belief in the truth of his history. From a question of simple truth, it becomes a question in which the heart is interested; and the subject from that moment assumes a certain holiness and mystery, which veil the strength of the argument, and takes off from that familiar and intimate conviction which we annex to the far less authenticated histories of profane authors.

It may be further observed, that every part of the Christian argument has been made to undergo a most severe scrutiny. The same degree of evidence which in questions of ordinary history commands the easy and universal acquiescence of every inquirer, has, in the subject before us, been taken most thoroughly to pieces, and pursued, both by friends and enemies, into all its ramifications. The effect of this is unquestionable. The genuineness and authenticity of the profane historian, are admitted upon much inferior evidence to what we can adduce for the different pieces which make up the New Testament. And why? Because the evidence has been hitherto thought sufficient, and the genuineness and authenticity have never been questioned. Not so with

the Gospel history. Though its evidence is | tion, too, and the time of its appearance, are precisely the same in kind, and vastly supe- far better established, and by precisely that rior in degree to the evidence for the history kind of argument which is held decisive in of the profane writer, its evidence has been every other question of erudition. Besides questioned, and the very circumstance of its all this, we have the testimony of at least being questioned has annexed a suspicion to five of the Christian fathers, all of whom had it. At all points of the question, there has the same, or a greater, advantage in point of been a struggle and a controversy. Every time than Tacitus, and who had a much ignorant objection, and every rash and petu-nearer and readier access to original sources lant observation, has been taken up and of information. Now, how comes it that the commented upon by the defenders of Chris-testimony of Tacitus, a distant and later histianity. There has at last been so much said torian, should yield such delight and satisfacabout it, that a general feeling of insecurity is tion to the inquirer, while all the antecedent apt to accompany the whole investigation. testimony (which, by every principle of apThere has been so much fighting, that Chris-proved criticism, is much stronger than the tianity now is looked upon as debatable other) should produce an impression that is ground. Other books, where the evidence comparatively languid and ineffectual? It is much inferior, but which have had the ad- is owing, in a great measure, to the principle vantage of never being questioned, are re-to which we have already alluded. There ceived as of established authority. It is is a sacredness annexed to the subject, so striking to observe the perfect confidence long as it is under the pen of fathers and with which an infidel will quote a passage evangelists, and this very sacredness takes from an ancient historian. He perhaps does away from the freedom and confidence of not overrate the credit due to him. But the argument. The moment that it is taken present him with a tabellated and compara- up by a profane author, the spell which held tive view of all the evidences that can be the understanding in some degree of restraint adduced for the gospel of Matthew, and any is dissipated. We now tread on the more profane historian, which he chooses to fix familiar ground of ordinary history; and the upon, and let each distinct evidence be dis-evidence for the truth of the Gospel appears cussed upon no other principle than the more assimilated to that evidence, which ordinary and approved principles of criti- brings home to our conviction the particucism, we assure him that the sacred history lars of the Greek and Roman story. would far outweigh the profane in the number and value of its testimonies.

To say that Tacitus was upon this subject a disinterested historian, is not enough to In illustration of the above remarks, we explain the preference which you give to can refer to the experience of those who have his testimony. There is no subject in which attended to this examination. We ask them the triumph of the Christian argument is to recollect the satisfaction which they felt, more conspicuous, than the moral qualificawhen they came to those parts of the ex- tions which give credit to the testimony of amination, where the argument assumes a its witnesses. We have every possible evisecular complexion. Let us take the testi-dence, that there could be neither mistake mony of Tacitus for an example. He as- nor falsehood in their testimony: a much serts the execution of our Saviour in the greater quantity of evidence, indeed, than reign of Tiberius, and under the procurator- can actually be produced to establish the ship of Pilate; the temporary check, which credibility of any other historian. Now all this gave to his religion; its revival, and the we ask is, that where an exception to the progress it had made, not only over Judea, veracity of any historian is removed, you but to the city of Rome. Now all this is restore him to that degree of credit and inalt sted in the Annals of Tacitus. But it is fluence which he ought to have possessed, also attested in a far more direct and cir- had no such exception been made. In no cumstantial manner in the annals of another case has an exception to the credibility of an author, in a book entitled the History of the author been more triumphantly removed, Acts of the Apostles by the Evangelist than in the case of the early Christian Lake. Both of these performances carry writers; and yet, as a proof that there really on the very face of them the appearance of exists some such delusion as we have been unsuspicious and well-authenticated docu- labouring to demonstrate, though our eyes ments. But there are several circumstances, are perfectly open to the integrity of the in which the testimony of Luke possesses a Christian witnesses, there is still a disposidecided advantage over the testimony of tion to give the preference to the secular hisTacitus. He was the companion of these torian. When Tacitus is placed by the side very apostles. He was an eye witness to of the evangelist Luke, even after the demany of the events recorded by him. He cisive argument, which establishes the credit had the advantage over the Roman historian of the latter historian has convinced the unin time and in place, and in personal know-derstanding, there remains a tendency in the ledge of many of the circumstances in his mind to annex a confidence to the account history. The genuineness of his publica- of the Roman writer, which is altogether

The effects of this same principle are perfectly discernible in the writings of even our most judicious apologists. We offer no reflection against the assiduous Lardner, who, in his credibility of the Gospel history, presents us with a collection of testimonies

disproportioned to the relative merits of his historical parts of the New Testament were testimony. written by the disciples of our Saviour. This Let us suppose, for the sake of farther il-is very decisive evidence. But how does it lustration, that Tacitus had included some happen, that it should throw a clearer gleam more particulars in his testimony, and that, of light and satisfaction over the mind of in addition to the execution of our Saviour, the inquirer, than he had yet experienced he had asserted, in round and unqualified in the whole train of his investigation? terms, that this said Christus had risen from Whence that disposition to underrate the the dead, and was seen alive by some hun-antecedent testimony of the Christian wridreds of his acquaintances. Even this would ters? Talk not of theirs being an intenot have silenced altogether the cavils of rested testimony; for, in point of fact, the enemies, but it would have reclaimed many same disposition operates, after reason is an infidel; been exulted in by many a sin-convinced that the suspicion is totally uncere Christian; and made to occupy a fore- founded. What we contend for is, that this most place in many a book upon the eviden- indifference to the testimony of the Chrisces of our religion. Are we to forget all the tian writers implies a dereliction of princiwhile, that we are in actual possession of ples, which apply with the utmost confimuch stronger testimony? that we have the dence to all similar inquiries. concurrence of eight or ten contemporary authors, most of whom had actually seen Christ after the great event of his resurrection? that the veracity of these authors, and the genuineness of their respective publications, are established on grounds much stronger than have ever been alleged in be-which should make every Christian proud half of Tacitus, or any ancient author? Whence this unaccountable preference of Tacitus? Upon every received principle of criticism, we are bound to annex greater confidence to the testimony of the apostles. It is vain to recur to the imputation of its being an interested testimony. This the apologists for Christianity undertake to disprove, and actually have disproved it, and that by a much greater quantity of evidence than would be held perfectly decisive in a question of common history. If after this there should remain any lurking sentiment of diffidence or suspicion, it is entirely resolvable into some such principle as I have already alluded to. It is to be treated as a mere feeling,-a delusion which should not be admitted to have any influence on the convictions of the understanding.

of his religion. In his evidence for the authenticity of the different pieces which make up the New Testament, he begins with the oldest of the fathers, some of whom were the intimate companions of the original writers. According to our view of the matter, he should have dated the commencement of his argument from a higher point, and begun with the testimonies of these original writers to one another. In the second Epistle of Peter, there is a distinct reference made to the writings of Paul; and in the Acts of the Apostles, there is a reference made to one of the four Gospels. Had Peter, instead of being an apostle, ranked only with the fathers of the church, and had his epistle not been admitted into the canon of scripture, this testimony of his would have had a place in the catalogue, The principle which we have been at- and been counted peculiarly valuable, both tempting to expose, is found, in fact, to run for its precision and its antiquity. There is through every part of the argument, and to certainly nothing in the estimation he enaccompany the inquirer through all the joyed, or in the circumstances of his epistle branches of the investigation. The authen-being bound up with the other books of the ticity of the different books of the New New Testement, which ought to impair the Testament forms a very important inquiry, credit of his testimony. But in effect, his teswherein the object of the Christian Apolo-timony does make a weaker impression on gist is to prove, that they were really written the mind, than a similar testimony from by their professed authors. In proof of this, there is an uninterrupted series of testimony from the days of the apostles; and it was not to be expected, that a point so isoteric to the Christian society could have attracted the attention of profane authors, till the religion of Jesus, by its progress in the world, had rendered itself conspicuous. It is not then till about eighty years after the publication of the different pieces, that we meet with the testimony of Celsus, an avowed enemy to Christianity, and who asserts, upon the strength of its general notoriety, that the

Barnabas, or Clement, or Polycarp. It certainly ought not to do it, and there is a delusion in the preference that is thus given to the latter writers. It is in fact, another example of the principle which we have been so often insisting upon. What profane authors are in reference to Christian authors at large, the fathers of the church are in reference to the original writers of the New Testament. In contradiction to every ap proved principle, we prefer the distant and later testimony, to the testimony of writers who carry as much evidence and legitimate

authority along with them, and who only If it were necessary in a court of justice differ from others in being nearer the origi- to ascertain the circumstances of a certain nal source of information. We neglect and transaction which happened in a particular undervalue the evidence which the New neighbourhood, the obvious expedient would Testament itself furnishes, and rest the be to examine the agents and eye-witnesses whole of the argument upon the external of that transaction. If six or eight concurand superinduced testimony of subsequent red in giving the same testimony-if there authors. was no appearance of collusion among

A great deal of all this is owing to the them-if they had the manner and aspect manner in which the defence of Christianity of creditable men-above all, if this testimohas been conducted by its friends and sup-ny were made public, and not a single indiporters. They have given too much into vidual, from the numerous spectators of the the suspicions of the opposite party. They transaction alluded to, step forward to falsify have yielded their minds to the infection of it, then, we apprehend, the proof would be their skepticism, and maintained, through looked upon as complete. Other witnesses the whole process, a caution and a delicacy might be summoned from a distance to give which they often carry to a degree that is in their testimony, not of what they saw, excessive; and by which, in fact, they have but of what they heard upon the subject; done injustice to their own arguments. but their concurrence, though a happy Some of them begin with the testimony of enough circumstance, would never be lookTacitus as a first principle, and pursue the ed upon as any material addition to the eviinvestigation upwards, as if the evidence dence already brought forward. Another that we collect from the annals of the Ro- court of justice might be held in a distant man historian were stronger than that of country, and years after the death of the orithe Christian writers who flourished nearer ginal witnesses. It might have occasion to the scene of the investigation, and whose verify the same transaction, and for this credibility can be established on grounds purpose might call in the only evidence which are altogether independent of his which it was capable of collecting-the testestimony. In this way, they come at last timony of men who lived after the transacto the credibility of the New Testament | tion in question, and at a great distance from writers, but by a lengthened and circuitous the place where it happened. There would procedure. The reader feels as if the argu-be no hesitation, in ordinary cases, about ment were diluted at every step in the pro- the relative value of the two testimonies; cess of derivation, and his faith in the Gos- and the record of the first court could be pel history is much weaker than his faith appealed to by posterity as by far the more in histories that are far less authenticated. valuable document, and far more decisive Bring Tacitus and the New Testament to an of the point in controversy. Now, what we immediate comparison, and subject them complain of, is, that in the instance before both to the touchstone of ordinary and re- us this principle is reversed. The report of ceived principles, and it will be found that hearsay witnesses is held in higher estimathe latter leaves the former out of sight in tion than the report of the original agents all the marks, and characters, and evidences and spectators. The most implicit credit is of an authentic history. The truth of the given to the testimony of the distant and Gospel stands on a much firmer and more later historians, and the testimony of the independent footing, than many of its de- original witnesses is received with as fenders would dare to give us any concep- much distrust as if they carried the marks tion of. They want that boldness of argu- of villany and imposture upon their forement which the merits of the question heads. The genuineness of the first record entitle them to assume. They ought to can be established by a much greater weight maintain a more decided front to their ad- and variety of evidence, than the genuineversaries, and tell them, that, in the Newness of the second. Yet all the suspicion Testament itself-in the concurrence of its that we feel upon this subject annexes to numerous, and distant, and independent the former; and the apostles and evangelauthors in the uncontradicted authority ists, with every evidence in their favour which it has maintained from the earliest which it is in the power of testimony to times of the church-in the total inability furnish, are, in fact, degraded from the place of the bitterest adversaries of our religion which they ought to occupy among the acto impeach its credibility-in the genuine credited historians of past times. characters of honesty and fairness which it The above observations may help to precarries on the very face of it; that in these, pare the inquirer for forming a just and imand in every thing else, which can give va- partial estimate of the merits of the Chrislidity to the written history of past times, tian testimony. His great object should be there is a weight and a splendour of evi- to guard against every bias of the underdence, which the testimony of Tacitus can- standing. The general idea is, that a prenot confirm, and which the absence of that dilection in favour of Christianity may lead testimony could not have diminished. him to overrate the argument. We believe

that if every unfair tendency of the mind should not be looked upon as nugatory when could be subjected to a rigorous computa- applied to the investigation of those facts tion, it would be found, that the combined which are connected with the truth and operation of them all has the effect of im- establishment of the Christian religion, that pressing a bias in a contrary direction. All every prepossession should be swept away, we wish for, is, that the arguments which are and room left for the understanding, to expaheld decisive in other historical questions, tiate without fear, and without incumbrance.

CHAPTER II.

On the Authenticity of the different Books of the New Testament.

doctrine of Socrates. Could all the marks of veracity, and the list of subsequent testimonies, be exhibited to the eye of the reader in parallel columns, it would enable him, at one glance, to form a complete estimate. We shall have occasion to call his attention to this so often, that we may appear to many of our readers to have expatiated upon our introductory principle to a degree that is tiresome and unnecessary. We conceive, however, that it is the best and most perspicuous way of putting the argument.

THE argument for the truth of the differ- tles, than in believing what he has never ent facts recorded in the gospel history, re-doubted-the history of Alexander, and the solves itself into four parts. In the first, it shall be our object to prove, that the different pieces which make up the New Testament, were written by the authors whose names they bear, and the age which is commonly assigned to them. In the second, we shall exhibit the internal marks of truth and honesty, which may be gathered from the compositions themselves. In the third, we shall press upon the reader the known situation and history of the authors, as satisfying proofs of the veracity with which they delivered themselves. And, in the fourth, we shall lay before them the additional and subsequent testimonies, by which the narrative of the original writers is supported.

I. The different pieces which make up the New Testament, were written by the authors whose names they bear, and at the time which is commonly assigned to them.

After the long slumber of the middle ages, In every point of the investigation, we shall the curiosity of the human mind was meet with examples of the principle which awakened, and felt its attention powerfully we have already alluded to. We have said, directed to those old writings, which have that if two distinct inquiries be set on foot, survived the waste of so many centuries. where the object of the one is to settle some It were a curious speculation to ascertain point of sacred history, and the object of the precise quantity of evidence which lay the other is to settle some point of profane in the information of these old documents. history, the mind acquiesces in a much And it may help us in our estimate, first to smaller quantity of evidence in the latter suppose, that in the researches of that case than it does in the former. If this be period, there was only one composition right, (and to a certain degree it undoubt-found which professed to be a narrative of edly is,) then it is incumbent on the defen- past times. A number of circumstances can der of Christianity to bring forward a greater be assigned, which might give a certain dequantity of evidence than would be deemed sufficient in a question of common literature, and to demand the acquiescence of his reader upon the strength of this superior evidence. If it be not right beyond a certain degree-and if there be a tendency in the mind to carry it beyond that degree, then this tendency is founded upon a delusion, and it is well that the reader should be apprised of its existence, that he may protect himself from its influence. The superior quantity of evidence which we can bring forward, will, in this case, all go to augment the positive effect upon his convictions; and he will rejoice to perceive that he is far safer in believing what has been handed down to him of the history of Jesus Christ, and the doctrine of his apos

gree of probability to the information even of this solitary and unsupported document. There si, first, the general consideration, that the principle upon which a man feels himself induced to write a true history, is of more frequent and powerful operation, than the principle upon which a man feels himself induced to offer a false or a disguised representation of facts to the world. This affords a general probability on the side of the document in question being a true narrative; and there may be some particulars connected with the appearance of the performance itself, which might strengthen this probability. We may not be able to discover in the story itself any inducement which the man could have in publishing it, if it were mainly and substantially false.

« AnteriorContinuar »