THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For JANUARY, A Large Collection of ancient Jewish and Heather Teftimonies to the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, with Notes and Obfervations. Vol. I. Containing the Jewish Testimonies, and the Teftimonies of Heathen Authors of the first Century. By Nathaniel Lardner, D. D. 4to. 10s. 6d. Buckland, Waugh, &c. we EFORE we prefent our Readers with a view of what is contained in this volume, we cannot, as friends to the religion of our country, forbear expreffing the grateful fenfe we have of the eminent fervice our learned and worthy Author has done to the caufe of Chriftianity, by his excellent writings in defence of it. Of the many able Writers that have appeared in the prefent age, as Advocates for the truth of the Christian religion, there are none, in our opinion, that deferve to be preferred to Dr. Lardner; few, indeed, that can be compared with him. In point of learning, his merit is very confiderable; but, what is much more valuable than mere learning, there is a pleafing fimplicity in his manner of writing, and a very uncommon degree of candour and impartiality. He feems to have nothing in view but the difcovery of truth; fcorns the mean and contemptible arts of hifreprefentation, or concealing objections and difficulties, and gives his Readers a fair and full view of his fubject. How amiable is fuch a character! How worthy of imitation! In his preface to the work now before us, he gives a fhort account of the principal modern Writers who have made collections of this kind; and then goes on as follows: One fault in my work may be reckoned to be very obvious, which is the prolixity of it. In regard to which, I beg leave to Lay beforehand, that I aim to be diftinct and particular. Thefe VOL. XXXII. things B things have been already flightly touched upon by many. I propose to enlarge, and fet them in a fuller light. I alledge paffages of ancient Authors at length. I fettle their time; I diftinguish their works, and endeavour to fhew the value of their teftimonies. I intend likewise to alledge, the judgements of divers learned Moderns who have gone before me in this service. All the perfecutions of this time are a part of my fubject, as they were appointed by edicts of Heathen Emperors, and were carried on by Heathen Governors of Provinces, and Officers under them... I fhall have an opportunity to fhew the patience and fortitude of the primitive Chriftians; and the ftate of Judaism, Gentilifin, and Christianity, in the first four centuries. As most of the Authors to be quoted by me, are men of great distinction in the Republic of Letters, fome occafions will offer for critical obfervations, which cannot be all declined. But nice and intrieate questions will be carefully avoided, that the whole may be upon the level with the capacities of all, who are inquifitive, and difpofed to read with attention. In the first volume are the Jewish Teftimonies, and the Teftimonies of Heathen Authors, who lived in the first century. In the fecond volume are Heathen writings of the fecond century. Among which are the Letter of the Younger Pliny to Trajan, and that Emperor's Refcript; which will give occafion for many obfervations concerning the fufferings of the Chriftians at that time, and afterwards: and the remains of the work of Celfus against the Chriftians, preferved in Origen. Which afford an early and very valuable teftimony to the genuincnefs of the books of the New Teftament, and to the truth of the evangelical history. In the third volume will be Ulpian, Dion Caffius, Porphyrie, Hierocles, and other Heathen Writers, and a Hiftory of the feveral perfecutions of the Chriftians in the third century, concluding with that of the Emperor Dioclefian. The fourth and laft volume, (not yet finifhed) in which will be the Emperor Julian, Ammianus Marcellinus, Libanius, and other Heathen Writers of the fourth and fifth centuries, may be as entertaining as any of the reft: but it cannot be fo important. Julian, in his work against the Chriftians, may mention the names of the Evangelifts, and of the other Writers of the New Teftament, and quote the books more distinctly than Celfus. But his teftimony to the Scriptures in the fourth century, cannot be fo valuable as that of Celfus in the fecond. However, these alfo deferve to be collected, and put together in their proper order. We fhall there fee the laft ftruggles of expiring Gentilifm, and fome attempts to reftore it, after it had een for a while exploded with fcorn and difdain. And we may meet with more than a few men of great learning, and fine abilities, who were still tenacious of the ancient rites, and fond of all the fables, upon which they were founded, and by which they had been long upheld and encouraged. • The Author professes great impartiality. For which reason he is not without hopes, that his work, no withstanding some imperfections, may be approved by the candid of every denomination. If it fhall be of fome ufe to promote good learning, and true religion, he will have great reafon to be well pleased." The Jewish Teftimonies to the Truth of the Christian Religion, are contained in seven chapters; in the firft of which the Doctor fhews, from the books of the New Teftament, and from other ancient writings, that many of the Jews believed in Jefus as the Chrift; and obferves, that their teftimony well deserves our regard, fince they must have acted under as great difcouragements as can be conceived; muft have undergone the keenest reproaches from the unbelieving Jews their neighbours, for receiving a perfon as the Meffiah, who inftead of working out a great deliverance for their nation, as was generally expected, and earnestly defired, had himself undergone an ignominious death. For my own part, fays he, I always think of these early Jewish Believers with peculiar refpect. I am not able to celebrate all the virtues of their willing and steady faith, under the many difficulties which they met with. But I am perfuaded, that when the Lord Jefus fhall come again, he will bestow marks of distinction upon those who extricated themselves out of the fnares in which their clofe connections with others had involved them.' The fecond chapter contains a few paffages from ancient Chriftian Writers; fhewing the early and continued enmity of the unbelieving Jews to Chriftians of every denomination. In the third and fourth chapters, we have a very full and diftinct view of Jofephus's teftimony to the accomplishment of our Saviour's predictions, concerning the deftruction of the city and temple of Jerufalem, of his works and character, of the state of things in Judea, in the days of our Saviour, and fome time before; of the occafion of the Jewish war with the Romans, &c. &c. In the eighteenth book of Jofephus's Jewish Antiquities is the following paffage, as tranflated by our Author. At that time lived Jefus, a wife man, if he may be called a man. For he performed many wonderful works. He was a Teacher of fuch men as received the truth with pleasure. He drew over to B 2 him him many Jews and Gentiles. This was the Chrift. And when Pilate, at the inftigation of the chief men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, they who before had conceived an affection for him, did not ceafe to adhere to him. For on the third day he appeared to them alive again, the divine Prophets having foretold thefe, and many other wonderful things concerning him. And the fect of the Chriftians, fo called from him, fubfifts to this time.' This paffage is received by many learned men as genuine; by others it is rejected, as an interpolation. It is allowed on all hands, that it is in all the copies of Jofephus's works now extant, both printed and manufcript. Our learned Author, however, brings many ftrong arguments for calling it in queftion, the principal of which are thefe following: It is not quoted, nor referred to, by any Chriftian Writers before Eufebius, who flourished at the beginning of the fourth century. A teftimony fo favourable to Jefus in the works of Jofephus, who lived fo foon after the time of our Saviour; who was fo well acquainted with the tranfactions of his own country; who had received fo many favours from Vefpafian and Titus, could not have been overlooked, or neglected, by any Chriftian Apologift. But it is never quoted by Juftin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, or Origen, men of great learning, and well acquainted with the works of Jofephus. This paffage was wanting in the copies of Jofephus which were feen by Photius in the ninth century. Photius revised the works of Jofephus, as a Critic; he has in his Bibliotheque no lefs than three articles concerning Jofephus, but takes no notice of this paffage; whence it may be concluded, that it was wanting in his copies, or that he did not think it genuine. It interrupts the courfe of the narration, and therefore is not genuine. Jofephus is a cool and fedate Writer, very exact in Connecting his narrations, and never fails to make transitions, when they are proper or needful. If Jofephus were the Author of this paffage, it would be reafonable to expect in him frequent mention of Chrift's miracles ; whereas, he is every where filent about them. Jofephus was a Pharifee; he believed the miracles of Mofes, and the Jewifh Prophets; he believed a Divine Providence fuperintending human affairs, the immortality of the foul, and the rewards of a future ftate; and he is willing enough to relate extraordinary things, or fuch things as had an appearance of being fo. He tells a ftory of Eleazar's difpoffeffing a Demon by virtue of some incantations, and the ufe of a certain root called Baanas; he relates relates a dream of Archelaus, and another of Glaphyra, as confirming the doctrine of the immortality of fouls, and the belief of a Divine Providence concerning itself about human affairs; he relates, both in his Hiftory of the War, and in his Antiquities, another filly ftory concerning the accomplishment of a prediction of Judas, an Efen.-Would any man please himself with fuch poor things as these, and relate them to the world as matters of importance, fays our Author, if he had any refpec for the doctrine and miracles of Jefus Chrift? No. He was' either unacquainted with them, or refolutely filent about them. If it be afked, how this paffage came to be in the works of Jofephus; the Doctor answers, that probably fome learned Chriftian, who had read the works of Jofephus, thinking it. ftrange that this Jewish Hiftorian fhould fay nothing of Jefus Chrift, wrote it in the margin of his copy, and thence it came to be afterwards inserted into many copies of the works of Jofephus, tho' for a confiderable time not into all: accordingly, Photius did not fee it in that copy which he made ufe of. Suppofing Jofephus not to have faid any thing of Jefus Chrift, fome may afk; What could be the reafon of it? and how it can be accounted for? This qucftion, our Author thinks rather curious than judicious and important; and fays it may be difficult to propofe a folution that fhall be generally approved of. He hazards a few obfervations, however, upon the point, which may be acceptable to many of our Readers. It is easy to believe, fays he, that all Jews who were cotemporary with Chrift, or his Apoftles, and did not receive Jefus as the Chrift, muft have been filled with much enmity against him and his followers. We are affured by early Chriftian Writers, of good credit, fuch as Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, and others, that the ruling part of the Jewish nation induftriously spread abroad falfe and injurious reports, among the nations, concerning the Followers of Jefus. But the polite and learned Writers, fuch as Juftus of Tiberias, and Jofephus, might think it expedient to be filent. They had nothing to fay against Jefus, or the Chriftians, with any appearance of truth and credibility. They, therefore, thought it better to be filent, and thereby, if poffible, bury them in utter oblivion. It is not eafy to account for the filence of Jofephus any other way. Many things are omitted by him, of which he could not be ignorant. He must have known of the mafiacre of the infants at Bethlehem, foon after the birth of Jefus. The arrival of the Wife Men from the Eaft, who were conducted by a ftar, gave concern not only to Herod, but to all Jerufalem. Matt. ii. 8. Jofephus was a Prieft. He could not but have heard of B 3 the |