lar. This matter deferves a more am

ple inquiry.

The Scriptures of the New Teftament are compofed in the Greek language. This agrees very accurately with the accounts we have of their authors, and of the time and defign of their compofition. The Greek language was at that period, in the firft century of the Roman monarchy, and had been, fince Alexander the Great, a kind of univerfal language, juft as the French is at prefent. It was underftood and spoken by Greeks, by Romans, and by Jews. The greater part of the Chrif tians alfo, especially of thofe to whom the Epiftles of the New Teftament are addreffed, would not have comprehended them fo univerfally in any other language. At Corinth, Theffalonica, Coloffe, and in Galatia, fcarcely was another language understood. Befides the Latin and Aramæan tongues, the Greek

C 2

Greek alfo was underftood at Rome, and by the Jews in Paleftine.

The Greek, in which the New Teftament is written, is not pure and elegant Greek, fuch as was written by Plato, Xenophon, Polybius, or Plutarch; but is intermixed with many Hebraic fignifications, phrafes, and conftructions. It refembles pure claffical Greek as much probably as the French or German, written or spoken by a native Englishman, which muft be conftantly mixed with fome Anglicifms, resembles the languages of Drefden or of Paris. This is a very striking mark of the authenticity of these writings. Had the Greek of the New Teftament been pure, elegant, claffical, it would be evident that the writers were either native Greeks, or scholars who had studied Greek; as the writings, of Philo or Flavius Jofephus betray the fcholar. But fince we find it intermixed with many peculiarities be

longing

cutions of the Chriftians are defcribeq in the words of the 44th Pfalm--As it is written, For thy fake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as Sheep for the flaughter: when the murder of the infants at Bethlehem is told alfo in the language of Jeremiah-In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted: when the writer of the Epiftle to the Romans expreffes the common fentiment, that he taught Chriftianity in no place where another had already taught before him, with a paffage from the Old Teftament-I ftrived to preach the gospel, not where Chrift was named -but, as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall fee; and they that have not heard, fhall understand: what attentive reader will not difcern from fuch conftant and unfolicited Chap. xv. 20, 21.

h

g Mat. ii. 17, 18.

accommo