robe-Facility of divorce-Inference on general manners and`on literature-Juvenal, Horace, Sallust, Euripides--Plautus, Ter- ence, Aristophanes, Martial. Sect. 11. Hindu polygamy -- Easy repudiation of the wife-Domestic habits-Women in a state of perpetual tutelage-Prohibited from reading the Vedas-Rules for their guidance-Punishment for their transgressions-No material change in their manners from the earliest to the present times. Sect. 111. Almost unlimited polygamy or concubinage authorized by the Koran-Repudiation-Exclusion of women from the paradise of Mahomet-Effect of the degradation of the sex on society. Sect. IV. Equal and salutary laws for the government of the two sexes, under the Gospel-The husband and wife subject to the same rule, and bound by the same obligation-No domestic slavery nor despotism-Women restored to their proper rank in Sect. 1. Details of the poets-Homer-His Shades-Their charac- fused.—Sect. 11. Future recompence and retribution of the Hindus-Transmigration of gods and men-The Bagchat-Geeta -The Shasta-The doctrines of both incredible, repulsive, or -Sect. III. Final decree as described in the Koran- The day of judgment—The trial--The tribunal-The Bridge Sirat-The wicked chained to devils-Voluptuous paradise of the good-Virgil and Mahomet-Truth equally violated by both—An ancient superstition embellished by the one-Fanaticism and valour and obedience confirmed by the other. -Sect. 1V. The unvarying justice of the future allotments of the Gospel-The sinner-The tribunal before which he is to be tried-Circumstances of his trial- Equity of his punishment-The upright-Magnificent, though general declaration of the felicity that awaits them—More minute and less ambiguous views afforded of the happiness of heaven— Undisturbed repose-Celestial association-Progressive improve- Sects. I. II. III. Expiation and atonement of the Greeks-Sacri- fices-Oblations-Human victims-Lustrations-Vanity and cor- ruption of the service-The Hindu-His penances and pilgrim- ages-His minute and formal observances-His four redeeming probations-Results-The redemption of the Mussulman—Super- erogatory merits-The blood of the infidel-Prayers, fasts, pilgrim- ages, ablutions, penance-The ritual insulting to God, pernicious to man. -Sect. IV. Christian atonement-The law and its sacri- fices necessary but inadequate―The character of Christ not merely that of an inspired teacher—The redeeming efficacy of his suffer- ings-The mystery of the sacrifice no objection-Repentance not salvation-Three lights in which redemption may be viewed, and CHAP. XII. Sects. I. II. III. Founders and teachers of the religion of Greece, Italy, India and Arabia-Their defects as public instructors, and the inutility or mischief of their example. Sect. IV. The Legis- lator of the Gospel-Sublimity of his motives-Excellence of his life-Wisdom of his teaching-His modes of address-His para- bles-His impartiality, authority, patience, meekness, and for- bearance-Evidences thus afforded of a divine mission, and a divine VINDICIÆ CHRISTIANÆ. CHAPTER I. PREFATORY VIEW. Sceptics-The nature, the object, and the value of their discussions — Their principal objection to the credibility of the gospel- The sufficiency which they attribute to unassisted reason—The plan of the following work-Systems, theories, and controversy, rejected— The advice of Boyle-Authors consulted-Aid derived from their writings-Leland and White-How far their views adequate or useful-Conclusion. IT T has been the fate of the Gospel, in every age since its promulgation, to be misrepresented and maligned; and, in the present age, its opponents, if not numerous and learned, are, at least, sufficiently bold and persevering in their hostility. They have recourse, as far as their talents permit, to every mode of argument, and every species of objection, which they think most likely to gain proselytes to their cause. The sarcastic sneer, the sophistic subtilty, the plausible perversion of truth and fact, the sly, the laboured, and the artful comment, are all employed, with unabating industry, to accomplish the purpose of these self-constituted reformers; and the efforts which have been thus made, have not wholly failed B to seduce the ignorant or unwary from the creed, which, through so many centuries, has been thought to promote the edification of mankind, and has been adopted alike by the zeal of the martyr, and the wisdom of the sage. As men are often more tenacious of error than zealous for truth, and tenacious in proportion as the error is pernicious and absurd, they who are engaged in this warfare of infidelity, persevere in their labours with a vanity and an obstinacy worthy of their cause and of their sect*. In their own estimate, they alone are the philosophers, whose opinions deserve to be embraced by mankind. Yet, however bold and arrogant their pretence, they are indebted, for whatever name they may have acquired, to the objections which they have pilfered from the funds of antient scepticism; and they have done little more than given a new form to the sophistries of their predecessors, and varied, in terms, the fallacies and misrepresentations, which, advanced many centuries ago by the fathers of the school, have been since, on innumerable occasions, detected and exposed by the advocates of truth. In the cause which these men so strenuously main tain, they think it not enough to employ every means of bold denial and authoritative assumption. While they themselves pretend to the monopoly of genius and of erudition, they toil to disparage the learning of their opponents, talk of monks with more than the spirit of a monk, and pursue with inquisitorial malignity, those whom they arraign as persecutors and inquisitors. But with what justice the enemies of the A *The imputation is admitted by the candour of Bayle. Dict. Art. des Barreaux. |