The well-known Bampton Lectures for the year 1784 contain a view of the contraft between Christianity and Mahometanifm. To those lectures I am willing to think that these may be confidered as fupplemental. I have endeavoured to prove the truth of the Chrif tian religion by an inquiry into the wisdom which was displayed in its first establishment: and I have taken a line of argument which I do not recollect, to..have feen pursued elfewhere. In the profecution of this inquiry I have been led into a feries of hiftorical details concerning those teachers of falfe religions, or of a corrupted Christianity, from whose conduct I thought it most expedient to show that the conduct of Chrift himself may be diftinguished by infallible criteria. And, though I have purposely abftained from any particular animadverfion on the hiftory of the Arabian legiflator, ftill the topics which I have attempted to difcufs are fo fimilar to that of Profeffor White, that I may be accounted, not, indeed, as a writer of the fame class, but as a labourer in the fame department with him. Every author is entitled to flatter himself that he has done fomething for the queftion of which he has treated; and should he on this account be thought guilty of vanity, it is better to fubmit to that imputation than to incur the ftill more ferious charge of trifling, willingly, with the attention of the Public. I venture, therefore, to hope that the argument of these discourses, an argument, which, if just, is certainly of the greatest importance, will be found to have been usefully conducted. Should this hope be realized, your Grace, I am sure, will not repent the encouragement which you have been pleased to bestow on him, who has the honour to fubfcribe himself, with the most unfeigned respect, your Grace's most obliged and obedient Servant, C. C. C. June 14, 1808. JOHN PENROSE. CONTENTS. DISTINCTION between wisdom and craft (p. 1). This diftinction fupplies an accurate criterion by which dom of Chriftianity (8). Datum affumed (9). If Chrif tianity be falfe, its establishment muft neceffarily be re- ferred either to enthusiasm, or to impofture (11). Cafe of enthusiasm (ibid.) Cafe of impofture (15). Ability requifite to its fuccefs (17). Real ability confpicuous in the defign of Christianity (18): but the nature of that ability inconfiftent with the fuppofition that it could poffi- bly have been poffeffed by an impoftor (20). Equally or ftill more inconfiftent with the fuppofition of enthu- Preliminary obfervations (29). Origin of idolatry (31). Zoroafter, of all men, feems to have been thé moft favour- ably circumstanced for purifying the religion of his coun- try (35). Yet he was guilty of an undoubted compro- mise with the idolatry of fire (36). Farther obfervations refpecting the Perfic religion (37). Progress of idolatry to Egypt, Greece, and Rome (40). The ancient fages always inculcated an external compliance with the re- ceived fuperftitions of their times (41). They confidered religion as being a part of legislation, and fubfervient to the ends of government (42). If Christ had been an im- poftor and addreffed himself to the Gentile world, he alfo would have acquiefced in its received idolatries (43). Nor was his conduct such as might naturally have been expected from an impoftor who addreffed himself to the Jews (46). Conduct of those falfe Meffiahs who in an- cient or in modern times have abused the credulity of the Jewish nation. Barchochab, Sabatai Sevi, and others (48). Proofs that the conduct of Chrift, if an impoftor, cannot be accounted for on the fuppofitions of his having |