not understand:" but still 1 think it rather curious that these people, the immediate receivers, and, as it were, the sole proprietors of these prophecies, should have concluded that they were all verified, except the promises of their prince, and that they should be looking for his coming, and the establishment of their kingdom, at the time they were about to be scattered as the very dust.

The circumstance of the Jews being a distinct people seems to be a point largely dwelt upon. Christophilus says, "I call upon the Deist to shew me any other people, from the beginning of the world to the present day, who, under such circumstances, have not been wholly extirpated," &c. I might say I call upon Christophilus to shew me any other people who have been circumstanced as they have, and then I will shew him what he desires. Oh, it may be said, but this difference which you allow, just amounts to what we have advanced; for if all the strange circumstances connected with this people have simply arisen from the free and undisturbed source of nature, surely from the creation to the present day, you can produce, if not a parallel, at least, a similar state of things. This I should call false reasoning; for it would go to argue that there were not degrees in prejudice and absurdity as well as in other things. Because the prejudices of other people have not led them quite so far as the Jews, it does not follow that their prejudices are not the natural consequences of supersti tious and mistaken views: nor that the whole of the singular events which have marked the character of this people, have not been the sure and certain consequences of the operation of those prejudices.

I will make free to say (borrowing a well-known phrase,) that "the stability of the laws of nature" is capable of accounting for every fact that can be demonstrated to have attended the Jews. In the first place there was nothing unnatural in adopting that external mark of distinction, which, in preserving them a separate people, has been so peculiarly useful. In the next place it was perfectly natural, that persons wishing to gain an ascendancy over the minds of other men, should adopt such means as to them would appear to be most likely to ensure success; and artifice being so efficacious in such a work, naturally they would have recourse to it. It was perfectly natural that an ignorant and unwary multitude should be the dupes of artful and designing men; it was perfectly natural that these people (the Jews), maddened with the fumes of superstition, and inflated with the preposterous idea of their being the chosen people of God, should become proud and imperious, and be led to acts of aggression ; and it

was natural that other people, not thinking exactly as they did, should punish them for their insolence; and that there should finally ensue those consequences which have ensued. Lastly, it is perfectly natural that the Jews in the present day, believing as they do, that they are the favourites of God, and that he will fulfil his covenant with them, in leading them to worldly power and dominion, should continue in the observance of their religious rites, and persevere in their (confessedly on my part) unparalleled state of distinction.

The attempt which Christophilus has made to demonstrate the genuineness of the New Testament comes now under consideration. My reasons for calling it an attempt must appear obvious; but I wish it to be understood, that although I am decidedly of opinion, that he has not succeeded, I am at the same time equally persuaded, that the fault lays not with him. No matter how well soever a man may perform his duty in these cases; for if the subject is radically inconsistent or false, all the logic in the world will not give to it the opposite qualities; and that this subject ranks in a similar class, is my conviction at present.

I believe the readiest way to get rid of the subject of Christianity would be to deny the existence of its author altogether, and pronounce the story about his apostles to be a fabrication; but as the information which I at present possess would by no means justify me in such conclusions, I must proceed upon different grounds.

For the present purpose, then, we must admit that those men, commonly called evangelists, or the apostles of Christ, did exist; and we must admit further, that those men did write and publish certain accounts, which they said contained the history of a man, whom they called Jesus Christ. These writings might be, and to serve the present end, we will say they were, the authentic records of the principal actions, and the general conduct of this person; or, in other words, the genuine evidences of Christianity. From the extreme probability of the case, but little evidence is requisite (and that little is more than amply supplied) to induce us to believe, that a short space of time gave birth to the most absurd and senseless imitations of these writings. The flagitious and the foolish kept promulgating their spurious trash continually; each year produced its share of new forged copies, and contributed its quota to the multifarious forgeries; and at the end of three centuries, the Christian world was literally inundated with the impious productions of these miscreants. At length it was resolved on, that these writings, manifold and diffused as they were, should be collected; and that an attempt should be made, to separate the genuine from the spurious.

And what a steep is here to climb, before the inquiring, the freethinking Christian can enjoy the comforts of his faith, unalloyed by the teazing whisperings of busy doubt!

When we picture to our minds the bulky heaps of scrips and scrolls, that the imperial edict would cause to be accumulated; when, in our thought, we survey the many bundles of mouldy manuscripts, that on this occasion there would be collected; when we consider that, perhaps, none of these writings were, or at most, that but few of them could be genuine; when we reflect upon the commixed nature of these writings; when we consider that they comprised all forms, all shades-every degree of aspect, from the nearest semblance, to the most distorted feature, that is conceivable; when these things are thought upon, can credulity or easy faith so far usurp the functions of our reason, as to induce us to believe, without the utmost scruple, that the compilers of the sacred writings, the voters of the word of God, were even capable of extracting the simple, the unadulterated truth from such a mass (I had almost said) of variegated falsehood? For my own part, if I had reason to believe that they were men of the utmost probity; and could I be convinced that all, or even more than all, the sagacity, discernment, and wisdom that ever yet adorned the mind of man, were centered in them, as in one common focus, still I should want a proof of their being adequate to such a point; and I will contend, that in the absence of a proof of their infallibi lity, it is highly irrational and absurd to enjoin a belief in the validity of scriptural testimony, or require a faith in any theological system which is built upon it.

As to their selecting a certain class of writings in preference to another, what does that prove? I will say it does not prove that they, by rejecting a description of evidence which we believe was false, necessarily hit upon that which was true. The circumstance might, indeed, support an inference, that they acted conformably to the will of the majority of Christians, in making the choice they did; but what proof have we that this majority among the Christians, at the end of three centuries, and amidst the contagion of the times, was free from contamination? But these writings "were valued and preserved with care by the first Christians;" there is no proof of this: "and they had been quoted by all the early writers;" nor is there any proof of this. But who were these early writers? The very men to whom Christianity is indebted for its conception-a host of Pagans, who, when they came over to Christianity, confounded their previous superstitious notions with the ideas imbibed from the doctrines of their new friends, and laid the basis of that system, which in the end brought

discord and disunion among the professors of Christianity; and has deluded the world with extravagant and baneful errors. These were the early writers, and so much for their quotations.

And I am here led to the consideration of the means employed to preserve what is called the word of God; and to re mark the feebleness and inadequacy of those means. A revelation of the will of God, made unto man for his universal information, and his universal good, is destitute of means to preserve itself from corruption, even in the earliest stages of its propagation! Is there any thing can more invalidate the truth of revelation than such a thought as this? or the circumstance admitted, could any thing tend more to misrepresent the character of the great and universal Author of creation? The word of God! What! shall this be abandoned to the mercy of a capricious copyer, a blundering translator, or a careless printer? shall these creatures have power to distort the word of God, and alter his divine commands? O, monstrous! I know it has been said that Christianity was not originally intended to depend either on writing, or on printing, for the preservation of its evidences. I should like to know what occasioned the mishap; for if an omniscient and omnipotent Being devised the scheme, one would think that he would not only appoint the likeliest means, but also take care that those means were employed which he did appoint. But if Christianity had not had the advantages of writing, then it would have been reduced to a miserable shift indeed; for imperfect as the means of writing is, and absolutely inadequate as it has been to the preservation of either the word of God, (as it is called), or the evidences of Christianity, it is infinitely superior to gossiping tradition.

"An attempt to prove the fact of the resurrection of the body of Christ." This subject is built so much upon the authority of the New Testament, that it must necessarily stand or fall with it: therefore, until the genuineness and authenticity of the writings of that book, are fairly and substantially proved, I must decline saying any thing about it.

Stepney,

Your's, &c.

A. B.

ON THE PRETENSIONS OF THE QUAKERS TO THE INFLU• ENCE OF THE SPIRIT.

To the Editor of the Freethinking Christians' Magazine.

SIR,

YOUR liberality and candour to all parties who wish to make enquiry after religious truths, have been often appreciated by the honest and disinterested, and as often has honour been reflected on your character. I am therefore not surprized that the obvious result of a mode so singular, of giving insertion, even to your opponents, should have excited the pens and the admiration of such numerous correspondents, who, 1 am happy to see, have not only esta blished the truth of Christianity, but have also stripped it of those incumbrances which have so long perplexed and bewildered the human mind, instead of diffusing that light and that excellence which belongs to the native loveliness and simplicity of the system.

My intention in thus addressing you, Sir, is not to pass judgment or condemnation on the faney or pretensions of any class; but the fact is this, I am at present situate with a young man, by profession a Quaker. As to his character, suffice it to say, I really think he endeavours to act worthy the profession he makes; but it so happens that the spirit of our religious opinions is often at variance; which, however, in no wise lessens our friendship to each other. I have, there fore, committed a few thoughts to paper respecting the conduct and principles of that body, to whom as a people, generally speaking, I would bow with respect, for the many conspicuous virtues I have seen emanating from them, which to me, I confess, seem to palliate the notions of the vulgar, who have assailed them with epithets disgraceful to the worst classes of society, such as forestallers, monopolizers, &c. In one respect, at least, they hold an honourable superiority over their opponents, as none of them make a gain of godliness by priesteraft and its concomitant evils, and they are considered a meek and benevolent people; and I have often thought, Sir, they were entitled to some notice in your Magazine, either by yourself or correspondents; but as they seem to have been passed by, or to have escaped observation, I propose to introduce them; and with your permission, it is my intention to treat them as friends, with honest candour, by stating what appears to me, in their conduct, to be inconsistent with scripture and reason.

First of all, as to the operation of the Spirit. That God has at various times communicated his divine will to man prior to the Christian era, Christians are all agreed; that he en