and earth is delivered unto me," recommending it as a sure proof of the deity of Jesus. I regret very much that the force of the expression "is delivered unto me," found in this passage, should have escaped the discerning notice of the Reverend Editor. Does not the term "delivered" show evidently an entire dependence of Jesus upon the Being who has committed to him such power? Is it consistent with the nature of an omnipotent God to exercise power delivered to him by another being, or to confess that the power he possesses has been received by him from another?

As to the question of the Editor, "Did Mohummud, arrogant as he was, ever make such a declaration as Jesus did, namely, that I am with you always even to the end of the world?" I will not renew the subject, as it has been already discussed in examining the first position. I only entreat the attention of the editor to the following assertions of Mohummud, known to almost all Moossulmans who have the least knowledge of their own religion: "Truly the great and glorious God raised me as mercy and guidance to worlds." "I was the first of all Prophets in creation, and the last in appearance." "I was a Prophet when Adam was in earth and water." "I am the

Lord of those that were sent God.

My shadow is on the

This is no

head only

boast to me." 66 of my followers." "He who has seen me, has seen "He who has obeyed me, has obeyed

God."

:

God and he who has sinned against me, has sinned against God."

It is however fortunate for Moosulmans, that from want of familiarity and intimate connexion between the primitive Mohummudans and their contemporary heathens, the doctrines of Monotheism taught by Mohummud, and entertained by his followers, have not been corrupted by polytheistical notions of Pagans, nor have heathen modes of worship or festivals been introduced among Moosulmans of Arabia and Turkey as a part of their religion. Besides, metaphorical expressions having been very common among Oríental nations, Mohummudans could not fail to understand them in their proper sense, although these expressions may throw great difficulty in the way of a European Commentator, even of profound learning.

CHAPTER IV.

Inquiry into the Doctrine of the Atonement.

ALL the texts collected by the Reverend Editor in his review, from the authority of the divine Teacher, in favour of the second important doctrine of the cross, implying the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus as an atonement for the sins of mankind, are as follow: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever." His giving his "flesh for the life of the world." "I lay down my life for my sheep." "The Son of man is come to give his life a ransom for many." Is any one of these passages, I would ask, in the shape of an explicit commandment, or are they more than a mere statement of facts, requiring figurative interpretation? For it is obvious that an attempt to take them in their direct sense, especially the first, ("I am the living bread ;—if any man eat of this," &c.) would amount to gross absurdity. Do they reasonably convey any thing more than the idea, that Jesus was invested with a divine commission to deliver instructions leading to eternal beatitude, which whosoever should receive should live for ever? And that the Saviour, foreseeing that the imparting of those instructions would, by exci

answers.

ting the anger and enmity of the superstitious Jews, cause his life to be destroyed, yet hesitated not to persevere in their promulgation; as if a king, who hazards his life to procure freedom and peace for his subjects, were to address himself to them, saying, "I lay down my life for you." This interpretation is fully confirmed by the following passages. Luke, ch. iv. ver. 43: " And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also; for therefore am I sent." Ch. ii. vers. 47-49: "And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and And when they (his parents) saw him, they were amazed and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Wherein Jesus declares, that the sole object of his mission was to preach and impart divine instructions. Again, after having instructed his disciples in all the divine law and will, as appears from the following text, " For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me," (John, ch. xvii. ver. 8,) Jesus in his communion with God manifests that he had completed the object of his mission by imparting divine commandments to mankind. "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finish

ed the work which thou gavest me to do." Had his death on the cross been the work, or part of the work, for the performance of which Jesus was sent into this world, he as the founder of truth would not have declared himself to have finished that work prior to his death.

That Jesus should ride on a colt, should receive an offer of vinegar to drink, and should be wounded with a spear after he had delivered up the ghost, as well as his death on the cross, were events prophesied in the Old Testament, and consequently these were fulfilled by Jesus. Vide Luke, ch. xxiv. vers. 26 and 27: "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." But we are unhappily at a loss to discover any other design in each of these events, which happened to Jesus before his ascent to heaven. I am therefore sorry that I must plead my inability to make a satisfactory reply to the question of the Editor, "Had ever Jesus transgressed his heavenly Father's will, that he underwent such afflictions." I can only say, that we find in the Scriptures that several other Prophets in common with Jesus suffered great afflictions, and some even death, as predicted. But I know not whether those afflictions were the consequences of the sins committed by them or by their parents, or whether these distresses were experienced by them through some divine purpose unknown to us; as some scriptural