Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-09-30
COMMUNICATIONS.
ANCIENT TESTIMONIES
concerning Jesas Of .Nazarefh, &c.-NO. II.
FROM THE GAZE.

tiilS VI tie ndtttts AfTkA dnu lHStsttuHs do III
Josephus, is another argument, that Tacitus
took the account from him otherwise they
would have been written Chrea s. ChrestiaHs"
as they are in Suetonius and other old Roman
auhors.--We will now examine
ORIGEN.
This distinguished father of the Church was
born at Alexandria, A. d. i85-These are
bis words :--ss This James was 50 shining a
character among the people on account OF bis
righteousness, that Flavius Iosephus, when IN
his twenty books of Jewish Antiquities, he
describes the cause why the people suffered
such miseries till the sacred Temple was
demolished, says, that these things befel them
through the divine anger, for what they bad
dared TO do with James the brother of JESUS,
who was called CHRIST. He says farther,
that the people thought they suffered these
things for the sake of James.
Josephus testiies in his 18th book of Jew
ish Antiquities, That John was the Baptist,
and that he promised puri6cation to those
that were baptized. The same Josephus
also, when enquiring into the cause OF the
destruction of jerusalem, and the demolition
of the Temple. ought to have said. that their
inclinations against JESUS were the cause of
these miseries coming on the people, because
they had slain that CHRIST who was FORE
told by the prophets he, though as it were
unwiingly, yet, as one not remote from the
truth, says, $ these miserIes beieli the Jews
| !" by way of revenge for james the Just, who
g was the brother of Jesus, who was called
CHRIST because they bad slain him
g who was a most righteous person. Now
this James was he, whom that genuine disci-
| pie of Jesus, Paul, said he had seen as the
Lords brother (Gal /, 49, which relation
implies, not SO much neamess OF blood, or
sameness OF education, as it does agreement
of manners and preaching. If, therefore, he
says, the desolation of Jerusalem befell the
Jews for the sake of James, with how much
greater reason might he have said, that il hap-
pencd for the sake of Jesus To this Ori-
gen adds, 6 Titus destroyed Jerusalem ac-
cording 10 Josephus, on account Of James the
'ust, the brother Of JESUS, that was called
| CHRIST but in truth, on account of JESUS
| the Christ of GOD.
EUSEBIUS.
! This eminent historian was born al Pa'es
| tine, and hourished about the year A. ID. SO.
| His remarks are as follows.
| Certainly the aitestation Of those have al
ready produced concerning our Saviour are
sufficient. However, it may not be auiss, il
over and above, we make use Of Josephus the
Jew as an additional witness. Iii the 18th
book Of his antiquities, where he relates an
account Of what happened under PLATE, he
mentions our Saviour in these words: = Now
there was about this time JESUS a wise
g man, if il be lawful ID call him man, sol
g he was doer of wonderful works, 4 teach
= er of such men as had a veneration for
g truth He drew over to- him both many Of
the Jews, and many Of the GentiIes.- He
e was the CHRIST. And when Plate at The
suggestion OF the principle men among Us,
. had condemned him To The Gross, those that
g loved him al first did not forsake him, for he
s appeared to them alive again The third day,
q as the divine prophets had spoken of these,
G and many other wonderful things concern
9 ing him. Whence the title Of Christians so
e named from him, are not extinct at this day.
| If therefore, we have the testimony Of this
historian. that lie not only brought over to
himself the twelve Apostles, with the seventy
disciples. but many Of the Jews, and many OF
| the Gentilcs, he must manifestlv have had
somewhat in him extraordinary, above the
rest Of mankind for how otherwise could be
draw over SO many Jews and GentIles, unless
he performed admirable and amazing works,
aud used method of teaching thar was not
common Moreover, the Scripture Of the
| Acts oi the Apostles, bears witness that there
were many thousands Of Jews. who were per-
suaded that he was the CHRIST OF God,
who was foretold by the prophets.
For THE GAzETEF.
The advanced state OF the season, and the change
with which the face of nature presents as reminds
s that the revolving year il again rapidly hasea
ing to It's close Though at all Seasons the voice
ofwisdcm adsnonishes us ofsthe instability af all
earthly hopes, and of the transient aud pre-
casious nature OF ali earthly eroyments, yet at the
present. every object calls upon il the most sor
chile, though silent eloquence, and presents a. Nth
the most solemn and awful. the most uscf and ie-
poriaat Of Instructions Not only rrlis isi ard *
perience but itself, joins III brushing rs
with another IN addition tie nasAsFouS warnings
with which We daily prescpscd by frasideuce.
and vhch would render our c0nssart the iseseht ol
erininaslty and falls BY negIscsag y .aaPfoss
lhesa.
We are hastnning onward - the close Of seotheF
year. On Retrospective view Of our past lives,
sa xaI siouhf 3f<~fsvr many .lsulIrx OF