Christianity over Infidelity displayed, OR THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, THE TRUE KEY TO THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THAT OUR LORD AND HIS APOSTLES PREDICTED THE NEAR APPROACH OF THE The Whole being intended as an Illustration of the Necessity and Importance of Considering the Gospels as Histories, AND PARTICULARLY As Histories of the great Controversy between our LORD and the JEWS, CONCERNING THE TRUE NATURE OF THE MESSIAH's CHARACTER. By N. NISBETT, A. M. Other Foundation can no Man lay than that which is laid, JESUS THE CHRIST- PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, Rivington and Co. St. Paul's Church Yard, B. White, [Entered at Stationers Hall.] PRINTED BY J. ATKINSON, DEAL. THECA OTH · 101. f. 152. •BO PREFACE. FROM a perusal of the Title Page, and of the Table of Contents of the Work which is here offered to the public Attention, it will appear that the Subjects treated of in it, are of no mean or trifling importance, but that they relate to the most essential Interests of Christianity, and to the Manner in which the New Testament is to be understood. As they are many of them viewed in a light very different from that in which they have hitherto been viewed by the generality of Christians-the Author most earnestly wishes they may be scrutinized with the utmost severity of genuine Criticism; for as the ascertaining the true Meaning of the Sacred Writers and the rescueing them from the suspicion of their having predicted a Falsehood, is his first Object; he shall feel equal pleasure in receiving information from others, and in retracting his own Opinion when it shall be made to appear that he is mistaken. The The Writers, from whom it has been the Author's misfortune to differ, are many of them numbered among the Dead, and are therefore unable to defend themselves but there are Those still living whose Learning and Abilities are equally respectable, and who are equally competent to detect any Errors into which he may have inadvertently fallen. From them he neither asks, nor expects any other quarter than what a candid and ingenuous Opponent will always be ready to give: And he is confident they will not, unnecessarily, wound the feelings of one, who has been ardently solicitous to establish, on the most solid basis, the credit of the Christian Religion, from a firm conviction, if full justice is, done to it, that it is worthy of all Acceptation. The Author begs leave to add, that his first object having been to endeavor to understand the New Testament himself; if he hath succeeded in obtaining a more accurate knowledge of it, than those who have gone before him; it is not owing to superior advantages of situation; still less, to superior learning and abilities. Indeed he cannot help considering it as one considerable argument in favor of Christianity, that it requires, not so much, a superior depth of learning, as an attentive perusal of it as an History, and particularly, as an History of the great Controversy between Jesus and and the Jews, concerning the true nature of the Messiah's Character. Viewing it in this light, discoveries have gradually been made by him, of which he had no conception, particularly with respect to St. Paul's Man of Sin, and the Antichrist of St. John. And he is firmly persuaded, that if the same plan is faithfully pursued; it will be followed by discoveries, still more important and satisfactory! ASH, 7th August, 1802. b |