count from the original historian, and the falsehood have come down to us in the shape of an authentic and well-attested history. Presumptions may be multiplied without end; yet in spite of them, there is a natural confidence in the veracity of man, which disposes us to as firm a belief in many of the facts of ancient history, as in the occurrences of the present day.

the Christian miracles? There is nothing like this in common history,-the formation of a society, which can only be explained by the history of the Gospel, and where the conduct of every individual furnishes a distinct pledge and evidence of its truth. And to have a full view of the argument, we must reflect, that it is not one, but many societies, scattered over the different The history of the Gospel, however, countries of the world; that the principle stands distinguished from all other history upon which each society was formed, was by the uninterrupted nature of its testimony, the divine authority of Christ and his aposwhich carries down its evidence, without a tles, resting upon the recorded miracles of chasm, from its earliest promulgation to the the New Testament; that these miracles present day. We do not speak of the su- were wrought with a publicity, and at a perior weight and splendour of its evidences, nearness of time, which rendered them acat the first publication of that history, as be- cessible to the inquiries of all, for upwards ing supported, not merely by the testimony of half a century; that nothing but the of one, but by the concurrence of several power of conviction could have induced the independent witnesses. We do not speak people of that age to embrace a religion so of its subsequent writers, who follow one disgraced and so persecuted; that every another in a far closer and more crowded temptation was held out for its disciples train, than there is any other example of in to abandon it; and that though some of the history or literature of the world. We them, overpowered by the terrors of punspeak of the strong though unwritten testi-ishment, were driven to apostacy, yet not mony of its numerous proselytes, who, in one of them has left us a testimony which the very fact of their proselytism, give the can impeach the miracles of Christianity, or strongest possible confirmation to the Gos- the integrity of its first teachers. pel, and fill up every chasm in the recorded evidence of past times.

It may be observed, that in pursuing the line of continuity from the days of the apostles, the written testimonies for the truth of the Christian miracles follow one another in closer succession, than we have any other example of in ancient history. But what gives such peculiar and unprecedented evidence to the history of the Gospel is, that in the concurrence of the multitudes who embraced it, and in the existence of those numerous churches and societies of men who espoused the profession of the Christian faith, we cannot but perceive, that every small interval of time between the written testimonies of authors is filled up by materials so strong and so firmly cemented, as to present us with an unbroken chain of evidence, carrying as much authority along with it, as if it had been a diurnal record, commencing from the days of the apostles, and authenticated through its whole progress by the testimony of thousands.

In the written testimonies for the truth of the Christian religion, Barnabas comes next in order to the first promulgators of the evangelical story. He was a contemporary of the apostles, and writes a very few years after the publication of the pieces which make up the New Testament. Clement follows, who was a fellow-labourer of Paul, and writes an epistle in the name of the church of Rome, to the church of Corinth. The written testimonies follow one another with a closeness and a rapidity of which there is no example; but what we insist on at present, is the unwritten and implied testimony of the people who composed these two churches. There can be no fact better established, than that these two churches were planted in the days of the apostles, and that the Epistles which were respectively addressed to them, were held in the utmost authority and veneration. There is no doubt, that the leading facts of Every convert to the Christian faith in the Gospel history were familiar to them; those days, gives one additional testimony that it was in the power of many individu-to the truth of the Gospel history. Is he a als amongst them to verify these facts, Gentile? The sincerity of his testimony is either by their own personal observation, or approved by the persecutions, the sufferby an actual conversation with eye-witness-ings, the danger, and often the certainty of es; and that in particular, it was in the power of almost every individual in the church of Corinth, either to verify the miracles which St. Paul alludes to, in his epistle to that church, or to detect and expose the imposition, had there been no foundation for such an allusion. What do we see in all this, but the strongest possible testimony of a whole people to the truth of

martyrdom, which the profession of Christianity incurred. Is he a Jew? The sincerity of his testimony is approved by all these evidences, and in addition to them by this well known fact, that the faith and doctrine of Christianity were in the highest degree repugnant to the wishes and prejudices of that people. It ought never to be forgotten, that in as far as Jews are concerned

Christianity does not owe a single proselyte | renounced the faith of their ancestors, and to its doctrines, but to the power and credit embraced the religion of Jesus, they would of its evidences, and that Judea was the have been equivalent to a thousand adchief theatre on which these evidences were ditional testimonies in favour of Christianiexhibited. It cannot be too often repeated, ty, and testimonies too of the strongest and that these evidences rest not upon argu- most unsuspicious kind, that can well be ments, but upon facts; and that the time, imagined. But this evidence would make no and the place, and the circumstances, ren- impression on the mind of an infidel, and dered these facts accessible to the inquiries the strength of it is disguised, even from of all who chose to be at the trouble of this the eyes of the Christian. These thousand, examination. And there can be no doubt in the moment of their conversion, lose the that this trouble was taken, whether we re-appellation of Jews, and merge into the flect on the nature of the Christian faith, as name and distinction of Christians. The being so offensive to the pride and bigotry Jews, though diminished in number, retain of the Jewish people, or whether we reflect the national appellation; and the obstinacy on the consequences of embracing it, which with which they persevere in the belief of were derision, and hatred, and banishment, their ancestors, is still looked upon as the and death. We may be sure, that a step adverse testimony of an entire people. So which involved in it such painful sacrifices, long as one of that people continues a Jew, would not be entered into upon light and his testimony is looked upon as a serious iminsufficient grounds. In the sacrifices they pediment in the way of Christian evidences. made, the Jewish converts gave every evi- But the moment he becomes a Christian, his dence of having delivered an honest testi- motives are contemplated with distrust. He mony in favour of the Christian miracles; is one of the obnoxious and suspected party. and when we reflect, that many of them The mind carries a reference only to what must have been eye-witnesses, and all of he is, and not to what he has been. It overthem had it in their power to verify these looks the change of sentiment, and forgets, miracles, by conversation and correspond- that, in the renunciation of old habits, and old ence with by-standers, there can be no prejudices, in defiance to sufferings and disdoubt, that it was not merely an honest, but grace, in attachment to a religion so repuga competent testimony. There is no fact nant to the pride and bigotry of their nation, better established, than that many thou- and above all, in submission to a system of sands among the Jews believed in Jesus doctrines which rested its authority on the and his apostles; and we have therefore to miracles of their own time, and their own allege their conversion, as a strong ad- remembrance, every Jewish convert gives ditional confirmation to the written testi- the most decisive testimony which man mony of the original historians. can give for the truth and divinity of our religion.

One of the popular objections against the truth of the Christian miracles, is the gene- But why, then, says the infidel, did they ral infidelity of the Jewish people. We are not all believe? Had the miracles of the convinced, that at the moment of proposing Gospel been true, we do not see how huthis objection, an actual delusion exists in man nature could have held out against an the mind of the infidel. In his conception, evidence so striking and so extraordinary the Jews and the Christians stand opposed nor can we at all enter into the obstinacy to each other. In the belief of the latter, of that belief which is ascribed to the mahe sees nothing but a party or an interested jority of the Jewish people, and which led testimony, and in the unbelief of the for-them to shut their eyes against a testimony mer, he sees a whole people persevering in that no man of common sense could have their ancient faith, and resisting the new resisted.

faith on the ground of its insufficient evi- Many Christian writers have attempted dences. He forgets all the while, that the to resolve this difficulty, and to prove that testimony of a great many of these Christians, is in fact the testimony of Jews. He only attends to them in their present capacity. He contemplates them in the light of Christians, and annexes to them all that suspicion and incredulity which are generally annexed to the testimony of an interested party. He is aware of what they are at present, Christians and defenders of Christianity; but he has lost sight of their original situation, and is totally unmindful of this circumstance, that in their transition from Judaism to Christianity, they have given him the very evidence he is in quest of. Had another thousand of these Jews

the infidelity of the Jews, in spite of the miracles which they saw, is perfectly con sistent with the known principles of humar nature. For this purpose, they have en larged, with much force and plausibility, of the strength and inveteracy of the Jewish prejudices-on the bewildering influenc of religious bigotry upon the understand ing of men-on the woeful disappointmen which Christianity offered to the pride an interest of the nation-on the selfishness o the priesthood-and on the facility wit which they might turn a blind and fanatic multitude, who had been trained, by thei earliest habits, to follow and to revere then

In the Gospel history itself, we have a measure, a voluntary act; and that it is very consistent account at least of the Jew- often in the power of the mind, both to turn ish opposition to the claims of our Saviour. away its attention from what would land We see the deeply wounded pride of a na- it in any painful or humiliating conclusion, tion, that felt itself disgraced by the loss of and to deliver itself up exclusively to those its independence. We see the arrogance arguments which flatter its taste and its of its peculiar and exclusive claims to the prejudices. All this lies within the range favour of the Almighty. We see the antici- of familiar and every-day experience. We pation of a great prince, who was to deliver all know how much it insures the success them from the power and subjection of their of an argument, when it gets a favourable enemies. We see their insolent contempt hearing. In by far the greater number of for the people of other countries, and the instances, the parties in a litigation are not foulest scorn that they should be admitted merely each attached to their own side of to an equality with themselves in the hon- the question; but each confident and beours and benefits of a revelation from hea-lieving that theirs is the side on which jusven. We may easily conceive, how much tice lies. In those contests of opinion, which the doctrine of Christ and his apostles was take place every day between man and calculated to gall, and irritate, and disap- man, and particularly if passion and inpoint them; how it must have mortified terest have any share in the controversy, their national vanity; how it must have it is evident to the slightest observation, alarmed the jealousy of an artful and in- that though it might have been selfishness, terested priesthood; and how it must have in the first instance, which gave a peculiar scandalized the great body of the people, direction to the understanding, yet each of by the liberality with which it addressed it- the parties often comes, at last, to entertain self to all men, and to all nations, and raised a sincere conviction in the truth of his own to an elevation with themselves, those argument. It is not that truth is not one whom the firmest habits and prejudices of and immutable. The whole difference lies their country had led them to contemplate in the observers; each of them viewing the under all the disgrace and ignominy of object through the medium of his own preoutcasts. judices, or cherishing those peculiar habits of attention and understanding, to which taste or inclination had disposed him.

often dispose him to resist its influence, and, in the bitterness of his malignant feelings, to carry a hostility against it, and that too in proportion to the weight of the argument which may be brought forward in its favour.

Accordingly, we know, in fact, that bitterness, and resentment, and wounded pride, lay at the bottom of a great deal of the op- In addition to all this, we know, that position, which Christianity experienced though the evidence for a particular truth from the Jewish people. In the New Tes- be so glaring, that it forces itself upon the tament history itself, we see repeated ex- understanding, and all the sophistry of pasamples of their outrageous violence; and sion and interest cannot withstand it; yet this is confirmed by the testimony of many if this truth be of a very painful and huother writers. In the history of the mar-miliating kind, the obstinacy of man will tyrdom of Polycarp, it is stated, that the Gentiles and Jews inhabiting Smyrna, in a furious rage, and with a loud voice, cried out, "This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches all men not to sacrifice, nor to worship them!" They collected wood, and the dried branches of trees for his pile; and it is added, "the Jews also, according to custom, assisting with the greatest forwardness." It is needless to multiply testimonies to a point so generally understood; as, that it was not conviction alone, which lay at the bottom of their opposition to the Christians; that a great deal of passion entered into it; and that their numerous acts of hostility against the worshippers of Jesus, carry in them all the marks of fury and resentment.

Now, if we take into account the inveteracy of the Jewish prejudices, and reflect how unpalatable and how mortifying to their pride must have been the doctrine of a crucified Saviour; we believe that their conduct, ir reference to Christianity and its miraculous evidences, presents us with nothing anomalous or inexplicable, and that it will appear a possible and a likely thing to every understanding, that has been much cultivated in the experience of human affairs, in the nature of mind, and in the science of its character and phenomena.

There is a difficulty, however, in the way of this investigation. From the nature of the case, it bears no resemblance to any thing else, that has either been recorded in history, or has come within the range of our own personal observation. There is no other example of a people called upon to renounce the darling faith and principles

of their country, and that upon the authority of miracles exhibited before them. All the experience we have about the operation of prejudice, and the perverseness of the human temper and understanding, cannot afford a complete solution of the question. In many respects, it is a case sui generis, and the only creditable information which we can obtain to enlighten us in this inquiry, is through the medium of that very testimony upon which the difficulty in question has thrown the suspicion that we want to get rid of.

we do know of human nature, is not consistent with the conduct of the Christian party. Granting that we are not sure whether a miracle would force the Jewish nation to renounce their opinions, all that we can say of the conduct of the Jewish party is, that we are not able to explain it. But there is one thing that we are sure of. We are sure, that if the pretensions of Christianity be false, it never could have forced any part of the Jewish nation to renounce their opinions, with its alleged miracles, so open to detection, and its doctrines so ́offensive to every individual. The conduct of the Christian party, then, is not only what we are able to explain, but we can say with certainty, that it admits of no other explanation than the truth of that hypothesis which we contend for. We may not know in how far an attachment to existing opinions will prevail over an argument which is felt to be true; but we are sure, that this attachment will never give way to an argument which is perceived to be false; and particularly when danger, and hatred, and persecution, are the consequences of embracing it. The argument for Christianity, from the conduct of the first proselytes, rests upon the firm ground of experience. The objection against it, from the conduct of the unbelieving Jews, has no experience whatever to rest upon.

Let us give all the weight to this argument of which it is susceptible, and the following is the precise degree in which it affects the merits of the controversy. When the religion of Jesus was promulgated in Judea, its first teachers appealed to miracles wrought by themselves in the face of day, as the evidence of their being commissioned by God. Many adopted the new religion upon this appeal, and many rejected it. An argument in favour of Christianity is derived from the conduct of the first. An objection against Christianity is derived from the conduct of the second. Now, allowing that we are not in possession of experience enough for estimating, in absolute terms, the strength of the objection, we propose the following as a solid and unexceptionable principle, upon which to estimate a comparison between the strength of The conduct of the Jews may be consithe objection and the strength of the argu- dered as a solitary fact in the history of the ment. We are sure that the first would not world, not from its being an exception to have embraced Christianity had its miracles the general principles of human nature, but been false; but we are not sure beforehand, from its being an exhibition of human nawhether the second would have rejected ture in singular circumstances. We have this religion on the supposition of the mi- no experience to guide us in our opinion as racles being true. If experience does not to the probability of his conduct; and noenlighten us as to how far the exhibition of thing, therefore, that can impeach a testimoa real miracle would be effectual in in-ny which all experience in human affairs ducing men to renounce their old and favourite opinions, we can infer nothing decisive from the conduct of those who still kept by the Jewish religion. This conduct was a matter of uncertainty, and any argument which many be extracted from it cannot be depended upon. But the case is widely different with that party of their nation who were converted from Judaism to Christianity. We know that the alleged miracles of Christianity were perfectly open to examination. We are sure, from our experience of human nature, that in a question so interesting, this examination would be given. We know, from the very nature of the miraculous facts, so remote from every thing like what would be attempted by jugglery, or pretended to by enthusiasm, that, if this examination were given, it would fix the truth or falsehood of the miracles. The truth of these miracles, then, for any thing we know, may be consistent with the the conduct of the Jewish party; but the falsehood of these miracles, from all that

leads us to repose in as unquestionable. But after this testimony is admitted, we may submit to be enlightened by it; and in the history which it gives us of the unbelieving Jews, it furnishes a curious fact as to the power of prejudice upon the human mind, and a valuable accession to what we before knew of the principles of our nature. It lays before us an exhibition of the human mind in a situation altogether unexampled, and furnishes us with the result of a singular experiment, if we may so call it, in the history of the species. We offer it as an interesting fact to the moral and intellectual philosopher, that a previous attachment may sway the mind even against the impression of a miracle; and those who believe not in the historical evidence which established the authority of Christ and of the apostles, would not believe even though one rose from the dead.

We are inclined to think, that the argument has come down to us in the best possible form, and that it would have been en