Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

ΤΟ

THE HONORABLE

HENRY P. BRODNAX,

THIS WORK

IS

MOST GRATEFULLY AND MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

BY HIS FRIEND,

THE AUTHOR.

MAY 11, MDCCCXLIII.

JUN 25 1801 150479

VOLUME I.

[ocr errors]

SECTION III.-Collateral testimony confirmative of the Mosaic account of the exode of

the Israelites from Egypt, their sojourn in the wilderness, and settlement in Canaan. Curi-
ous discovery confirmatory of the Mosaic narrative. Trogus' account of the origin of the
Jews. The account of their origin by Apion, an Egyptian writer. Manetho's account of the
shepherds who retreated from Egypt to Judea. Tacitus' account of the origin of the Jews.
Artapanus' relation concerning Moses. Janes and Jambres the Egyptian magicians, well

Efforts of Infidels to show that the books of the Old Testament are forgeries of comparatively

modern date. Their objections considered. Curious discovery illustrative of the antiquity and

exactness of the Mosaic writings. The utter impossibility of the books being forgeries proven.-

Mr. Olinsted's argument to prove that the book of the law was forged by Ezra. Confutation

of his argument. Proofs that the law could not have been forged by Daniel nor by any of the

captives in Babylon; that it could not have been forged by Isaiah. A forgery could not have

been effected after the revolt of the ten tribes. It could not have been forged by David; nor

by Saul; nor by any of the Judges who preceded Samuel. The law existed in Joshua's

time. Joshua could not have forged the law. The impossibility of practising a fraud upon the

Israelites during the sojourn in the wilderness.-The books of the Pentateuch have internal

marks, which demonstrate that they were written by Moses.-The book of Genesis included

by the Jews in the book of the law. Evidences of its antiquity and genuineness.-Profane

testimony to the genuineness of the Mosaic writings-Objection on the ground that although

Moses wrote a book called the book of the law, we have no evidence that it was the book now

current in his name. The objection considered and answered.
193

SECTION 1.-Objection of Infiels against the books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles, be-

cause they are anonymous. The objection answered.-The objections against the genuine-

ness of the other books of the Old Testament. In effect answered in the foregoing arguments.-

Mr. Paine's argument to prove that the Mosaic writings are spurious, founded upon the style.

Confutation of his argument.-His argument founded on the passage "Now the man Moses was

very meek," &c. Its confutation.-His argument founded on the statement that Abraham

pursued the four kings unto Dan. Its fallacy.-His argument founded on what is said of

the descendants of Esau. The argument considered, and confuted.-His argument founded

on the passage "The children of Israel did eat manna until they came to a land inhabited,"

&c. Its fallacy. His argument founded on what is said concerning Og's bedstead. The argu-

ment confuted.-The argument founded on the record of the death of Moses being contained in

the books attributed to him. The argument confuted-The evidences adduced establishes the

genuineness and credibility of the books.-Objection that Moses must have borrowed the his-

tory of the creation from the traditions which obtained in his time. Reply to the objection.-

The question whence did Moses derive the materials of his history? Answered by Mr. Horne.-

Objection on the ground that no dependence is to be placed in the present text of the Old

Testament Scriptures. Its fallacy.

SECTION I.-Infidels assert that the pillar of cloud and fire is a fiction. The assertion con-

sidered and answered.--The assertion that the Israelites crossed the Red sea at Suez. Vindi.

cation of the Scriptural account. Assertion that the tremendous scene upon Sinai was a

cheat. Its fallacy. Olmsted's objection founded on the length of time the Israelites were in

the wilderness Explanation of the design of the dealings of Jehovah with the Israelites.

Vindication of the dresses, rites, and customs enjoined by the ceremonial law.-Objection

founded on the repeated apostacies of the Israelites. The objection considered and answer-

ed. The objection founded on the treatment of the Moabites and Midianites. Considered and

answered.---Objection, on the ground that the Israelites were commanded to exterminate the

Canaanites. Considered and answered.-Assertion that the Old Testament Scriptures sanction

adultery and murder. Its falsehood.-Assertion that Jehovah kept false prophets, and violated

his promises. Mr. Horne's answer.-Objection founded on the speaking of Balaam's ass.

Considered and answered.-Mr. Paine's objection on the ground that the sun is represented

as standing still upon Mount Gibeon. Vindication of the Scriptural account of that miraculous

event. Dr. Clarke's very satisfactory reply to the objection.-Objection founded on the

passage, "Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord, and he brought the shadow ten degrees

backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz." Sleigh's reply.-Objection

founded on what is said of the witch of Endor. Considered and answered.

[merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small]
[graphic]

ON THE GENUINENESS OF THE BOOKS-Mr. Taylor's arguments to prove that the writings of the New

Testament are spurious. Exposure of his dishonesty in quoting from Dr. Lardner, Dr. P. Smith's ref

utation of his allegation that the Scriptures were altered by the emperor Anastasius. Exposure of his

dishonesty in quoting from Beausobre. Refutation of his allegation that the Scriptures were altered by

Lanfranc. Refutation of his argument drawn from the various readings. The passage of the Unitarian

New Version cited by Mr. Taylor in support of his allegation.-Dr. Bentley on the various readings.

Gaussen on the various readings. Tables illustrative of the various readings. Trouble of Bengel about

the integrity of the original text. The success of his labors in sacred criticism.
84

SECTION L-Taylor's dishonesty in referring to the works of Herbert Marsh, in support of his allega

tion that the manuscript from which the received text was taken was stolen by the librarian, &c.-Ex-

planation of the story of the sale of the manuscript to a sky-rocket maker. Taylor's falsehood in his

pretended reference to Bishop Marsh, in support of his allegation that for the principal passage of the

book of Revelation there was no original Greek. Notice of Mr. Taylor's charge, that the tendency of the

New Testament is immoral and wicked. J. J. Rosseau's testimony to the morality of the Gospel. Ex-

posure of Mr. Taylor's dishonesty in quoting from Mosheim, in support of his allegation that ecclesias-

tical historians admit their inability to show when, or by whom, the New Testament Scriptures were

written. Refutation of his allegation.-The apocryphal books collected and published by Jeremiah

Jones. Refutation of Mr. Taylor's assertion concerning what he terms the true and genuine gospels,

Refutation of Mr. Taylor's objection on the ground of the modernisms contained in some passages of

the New Testament, and the ignorance of the four evangelists of the geography and statistics of Judea.

The summing up of the argument on the genuineness of the New Testament Scriptures..
107

[graphic]

CREDIBILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.-The number of the witnesses who testify to

the facts detailed in the New Testament.-How the credibility of a historical book is to be ascertained.

The rule applied to the Christian writings.-Their genuineness proves their credibility.-The writers

of the New Testament could not have falsified the facts relative to Jesus Christ-The objection on

the ground that the Jews rejected the claims of Jesus Christ. Its confutation. The conduct of the

Jewish nation in rejecting Christ accounted for.-The conversion of many of the Gentiles proves the

credibility of the bility. Die character. circumstances, and conduct of the men who testify of Jesu
prove credibility. Difficulty to be
by those who maintain that the apostles and

evangelists were impostors.-Summing up of the argument on the credibility of the witnesses. 125

SECTION I-Collateral testimony of the truthfulness of the writers of the New Testament -Testi-

monies to the truthfulness of St. Matthew's statements concerning Herod and Archelaus.-Testimo-

nies to the truthfulness of the statement of Luke concerning Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother

Philip, tetrach of Itruria.-Testimony to the truthfulness of the evangelists relative to Herod marrying

Herodias, &c.--Josephus corroborates Luke's account of the death of Herod Agrippa. Testimonies of the

truthfulness of the statements in the Acts concerning Felix.-A number of notices, by profane authors.

of Pilate, confirmatory of the truthfulness of the evangelists.-Testimonies to the truthfulness of the

evangelists in their statements of the treatment of Jesus Christ when upon trial and when crucified.-

Testimonies confirming the statements of the evangelists concerning the burial of Jesus Christ-No-

tice taken of John the Baptist by Josephus.-What he says concerning Jesus Christ.-Notices of Jesus

Christ in the ancient Jewish Talmudical writings.-Testimony of the heathen adversaries to the lead-

ing facts detailed by the evangelists. Summing up of the argument.
140

SECTION II-The same ground retraced, and the objections of Mr. Taylor considered and answered.

Representation of Taylor's third and fourth propositions, The falsehood of Mr. Taylor's assertion that
no such person as Jesus Christ ever existed, proven by the testimony of Tacitus, of Suetonius, of Mar-
tial, of Pliny the Younger. Mr. Taylor's assertion that some. many, or all, of the events related of Je-
sus Christ by the evangelists, had formerly been related of the gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome.
Its confutation to be found in any of the Pantheons or mythological dictionaries.-Exposure of the ma-
lignity and falsehood of Mr. Taylor exhibited in his attempt to identify Jesus Christ with the Hindoo

« ÎnapoiContinuă »