From these passages it appears, that the indolence, which the heathens looked on with such contempt, was no more than that disregard to worldly interests, without which, in those ages, men could not have embraced Christianity; and was perfectly consistent with the greatest activity and earnestness in the assistance of their friends and the propagation of their faith: and that they were esteemed useless or mischievous to the public, only because they did not support the popular religion, nor connect themselves with those who adhered to it; but that they claimed themselves, and engaged to teach others, the most splendid virtues.

Observe then the amount of all these testimonies, when taken together, and reduced to as much consistency as can be given them. It appears to be this: that, not long before the days of these writers, a new religion had appeared among mankind, disagreeing so much with the opinions of the wisest and most learned in those ages, that they considered it as extreme folly and superstition; and contradicting so flatly all the ancient theology, that it passed with the generality for downright atheism : that this religion was received by vast numbers with unaccountable eagerness; chiefly, as was supposed, by that weak part of mankind, who fondly entertain any new doctrine, and presently desert it for a newer; but that they were no sooner admitted into this sect, than they laid aside their inconstancy, and adhered to it with such steadiness and perseverance, in opposition to dangers, and torments, and instant death, as appeared to be contrary, not only to the fickle dispositions of the vulgar, but even to the first principles of human nature: that the men, who thus deceived the world, were mean and illiterate; not instructed in philosophy, not versed in the finer arts; but nevertheless acquainted, either with some secrets of nature, or with the means of obtaining the assistance of those beings who can control nature, by which they performed many wonderful works: and, lastly, that, being wholly engaged in learning or teaching this doctrine, and attending to these works, they seemed to have no concern about the most important interests of themselves or others; but were active and industrious in persuading men to despise the public authority, and cast off the public religion.

Now it seems remarkable, that in all this charge against the Christians, and their answers to it, no one perceptible fact, nothing which is properly the subject of testimony, is alleged on one part, and denied on the other. The accusation and the defence rest intirely on the same acknowleged facts, the same external circumstances: the difference is only in the conclusions formed from these known facts concerning men's inward dispositions. That the doctrines taught by Christ and his apostles, and the forms of worship instituted by them, were new, and before those ages unheard of in the world, are facts, about which the witnesses, heathens and Christians, agree: but whether every thing new in religion be always folly and superstition, is a matter not to be decided by testimony, and too evident, it should seem, to admit any rational discussion. That the Christians refused to join in the Gentile worship, that they would not throw a little frankincense on an altar, or put their hand to their lips when they passed by a temple, are facts not more strenuously charged, than readily acknowleged. The conclusion from them, that these men must be atheists, we know to be false. That vast numbers very soon and very eagerly embraced Christianity, and adhered to it afterwards with astonishing firmness, we may learn either from the complaints of their adversaries, or their own apologies. That conduct, indeed, which is represented by one party as arising from attentive inquiry and steadiness, is imputed by the other to flexibility and obstinacy but it might be observed, even if we were unacquainted with the evidence of our religion, that the accusers are obliged to suppose in the same persons the contrary extremes of temper to be united; the defenders maintain, that they adhered to a uniform and rational medium. That the Christian preachers performed some extraordinary works, the unbelievers, when they called them magicians, plainly acknowleged: but by what power, natural or divine, these works were performed, by what means that power was obtained, for what purposes

* It is true, indeed, that an indolent turn of mind may produce both credulity and obstinacy, as has been observed in the first discourse; but the observation is plainly inapplicable to the case of persecution.

granted, to what uses applicable, are questions not to be determined by testimony. How far reason is able to answer them has been formerly considered. That the converts to Christianity were not very attentive to secular affairs, but were chiefly employed in converting others, was a charge they readily confessed: but, if we want to be informed whether their inattention rendered them useless, or their employment mischievous to the world, we surely ought not to inquire of men, who had neither considered the design, nor experienced the effects of their doctrine. If it was indeed a divine message, they could not have been engaged in any office equally important to mankind.

Thus, in every instance, when we apply that caution which is always necessary in judging from testimony, and separate the facts related from the opinions of the relaters, we find, that the calumnies of the heathens strongly support the history of the first propagation of Christianity, as delivered by the Christians themselves; and may presume that this was one of the views in which our Saviour declared to his disciples, that they should be happy, when men should revile them, and persecute them, and say all manner of evil against them falsely for his sake.'

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XII.

JOHN, CHAP. V.-VERSE 37.

THIS subject not improperly concluded by drawing into one view general heads of the arguments that have been offered to establish the truth and divine authority of the Christian religion. These arguments were three: one taken from the miracles recorded in the New Testament; another from the prophecies of the Old; and a third from the propagation of our religion, and the circumstances attending it.

I. In examination of the argument from miracles, first, the evidence of the facts is considered; secondly, the application of them.

II. Recapitulation of the second argument, taken from the prophecies of the Old Testament.

III. Recapitulatory consideration of the progress and establishment of Christianity; events, which cannot be contested, and which seem wholly inexplicable on any other supposition but that of its truth. Concluding remarks.

DISCOURSE XII.

RECAPITULATION OF ARGUMENTS BROUGHT IN SUPPORT OF CHRISTIANITY.

JOHN, CHAP. V.-VERSE 37.

The Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.

THE occasions of my discourses in this place return so seldom, and the subject of them has been found so extensive, that, although they have been confined to some principal parts of it, not many of you can have heard them all. It may, therefore, not be improper to conclude this subject by drawing together, into one view, the general heads of the arguments which have been offered for establishing the truth and divine authority of the Christian revelation. These arguments were three; one taken from the miracles recorded in the New Testament, another from the prophecies in the Old, and the third from the tion of our religion, and the circumstances attending it.

propaga

I. 1. In examining the argument from miracles, the evidence of the facts was first considered, and then the application of them. These facts, like all others which fall not under our own immediate notice, must be proved by testimonies; of which the principal are contained in the books of the New Testament. It was therefore necessary to inquire when, and by whom, those books were written. That they were not written in these latter ages, appeared indisputably from a number of ancient manuscripts now extant in almost every Christian country; from more ancient versions into languages, which for many centuries have not been spoken in any corner of the world; and from still more ancient quotations of them, and references to them, by the earliest Christian writers. Thus we traced them backwards