Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-10-30

ners of the people, and those particulars
which are connected with their religious
belief and ecclesiastical constitution
With many, it will be supposed 10 add to
the value of his testimony, that be was not
la Christian but that, on the other hand.
we have reason to believe him 10 have
been most jealous and determined ene-
fmy to the cause. Ii is really most USE
| full exercise, to pursue the harmony which
subssts between the writer's of the New
Testament, and those Jewish ana profane
authors, with whom we bring them into
comparison. Throughout the whole ex
animation, our attention is confined to
forms of justice; SUGGESTIONS OF govern
ors in different provinces manners. and
political institutions. We are therefore
apt to forget the sacredness of the subject;
and we appeal to all, who have prosecuted
this inquiry, if this circumstance Is no. IA
vorable to their having closer and more
decided impression Of the truth OF the
Gospel history. By instituting a compar-
ison between the evangelists and contem-
porary authors, and restricting our attea-
| ton to those points which come upder the
lcognizance Of ordinary history, we put
the apostles and evangelists on the footing
of ordinary historians and it is for those,
who have actually undergone the labor OF
| this examination, TO tell now much this
circumstance adds to the impression OF
their authenticity The mind gets eman-
cipated from the peculiar delusion which
attaches to the sacredness of the subject,
and which has the undoubted effect OF re-
straing the confidence of its inquiries
The argument assumes a secular complex
ion, aud the writers ofthe New Testament
are restored TO that credit, with which the
reader delivers himself up to any other
historian, who has a much less weight
and quantity OF historical evidence in his
favor.
We refer those readers who wish to
prosecute this inquiry, to the first volume
of Lardner's CredibiLity of The Gospels
We shall restrict ourselves to a few gen
eral observations on the nature and pre-
else effect of the argument.
In the first place. the accuracy of the
numerous illusions 10 the circumstances
of that period, which the Gospel history
embraces, forms a strong confederation o.
that antiquity, which we have already as
signed to its writer's from external testImo
: n.y. 1t amounts to proof, that 1t is the
production of authors who lived antece
dent 10 the destruction of Jerusalem, ant
: consequently about the time that Is ascrlb
ed TO them by all the external TESTIMONY
~ ol~naJ,, Aao ipc fod mn
is that accuracy, which could only b
maintained by contemporary historian
e 1t would be difficult, even for the autho
Il of some general speculation. not to betra
/ his time by some occasional alluslon I
!. the ephemeral customs and institutions {
u the period in which he wrote. But tn
u authors of the New Testament run
0 much greater risk. There are five di
u ferent pieces of that collection which al
IS purely historical, and where there is
IS continued reference to the characters, an
lie politics, and passing events Of the day.
The, destruction Of Jerusalem swept ava
ie the whole fabric of Jewish polity; and
re is not to be conceived, that the memory
ID future generation could have retain,
OF that minute. that varied, that intimate q
40 quaintance with the statistics Of a matte
y no longer in existence, which is evinc
3 in every page of the evangelical write
We find, In point of fact, that both [
20 Heather and Christian writers OF sub:
IS quent ages do often betray their ignoran
'f- of the particular customs which obtain
lte in Judea during the time of our Saw
nd And it must be esteemed a strong circu
Sc stance in favor of the antiquity OF the N
he Testament, that on a subject, in which
lie, chances Of detection are so numerous, a
ma where We can scarcely advance a SIM
ou1 step in the narrative, without the possi
ary ity of betraying our time by some mlsli
cy' en- allusion, it stands distinguished tr
H. every later composition, in being able
eni bear the most minute and intimate &C
parison with The contemporary hlstorl
sto- Of that period.
CTS The argument derives great addltio
Al strength, from viewing the New lie
IN ment, not as one single performance,
nm as a collection of several performan,
lder It is the work of no less than eight dit
tue ent authors, who wrote without any
ern- pearance of concert, who published 10
LOT ferent parts ofthe world, and whose v
afoa ings possess every evidence. both int
Xer- and external, of being independent
last ductions. Had only one author exh
con- cd tho soma minnie accuracy of allus
here !, wonld have haen esteemed very stl
litc- evidence Of bis an,iouity. But wher
,dea' see so many authors exhibiting sue
New weIl-sustained and almost unexpecte'
ming curacy through the whole of their VI
IN OF and distinct narratives, It seems diff
ter TO avoid the conclusion, that they
ho@ either the eyewitness of their own
n the torv or lived about the period of i
, and =.