CHAP. I.

There is fatisfactory evidence that many, profeffing to be original witneffes of the Chrif tian miracles, paffed their lives in labours, dangers and fufferings, voluntarily undergone in atteftation of the accounts which they delivered, and folely in confequence of their belief of thofe accounts; and that they alfo fubmitted from the fame motives to new rules of conduct.

To fupport this proposition two points are neceffary to be made out: first, that the founder of the inftitution, his affociates and immediate followers, acted the part which the propofition imputes to them: fecondly, that they did fo, in atteftation of the miraculous hiftory recorded in our fcriptures, and folely in confequence of their belief of the truth of this history.

Before we produce any particular teftimony

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mony to the activity and fufferings which compose the subject of our first assertion, it will be proper to confider the degree of probability which the affertion derives from the nature of the cafe, that is, by inferences from those parts of the cafe which, in point of fact, are on all hands acknowledged.

First then, the Chriftian religion exists, and therefore by fome means or other was eftablished. Now it either owes the principle of its establishment, i. e. its first publication, to the activity of the person who was the founder of the inftitution, and of those who were joined with him in the undertaking, or we are driven upon the strange suppofition, that, although they might lie by, others would take it up; although they were quiet and filent, other perfons bufied themfelves in the fuccefs and propagation of their ftory. This is perfectly incredible. To me it appears little less than certain, that, if the first announcing of the religion by the founder had not been followed up by the zeal and industry of his immediate disciples,

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the attempt must have expired in its birth. Then as to the kind and degree of exertion which was employed, and the mode of life to which these perfons fubmitted, we reafonably fuppofe it to be like that, which we obferve in all others who voluntarily become miffionaries of a new faith. Frequent, earneft and laborious preaching, conftantly converfing with religious perfons upon religion, a fequeftration from the common pleasures, engagements and varieties of life, and an addiction to one ferious object, compofe the habits of fuch men. I do not say that this mode of life is without enjoyment, but I say that the enjoyment springs from fincerity. With a consciousness at the bottom of hollownefs and falfehood, the fatigue and restraint would become infupportable. I am apt to believe that very few hypocrites engage in these undertakings; or, however, perfift in them long. Ordinarily speaking, nothing can overcome the indolence of mankind, the love which is natural to moft tempers of chearful fociety and chearful scenes, or the defire, which is

common to all, of perfonal eafe and freedom, but conviction,

Secondly, it is alfo highly probable, from the nature of the cafe, that the propagation of the new religion was attended with difficulty and danger. As addreffed to the Jews it was a fyftem, adverse not only to their habitual opinions, but to those opinions upon which their hopes, their partialities, their pride, their confolation was founded. This people, with or without reason, had worked themselves into a persuasion, that fome fignal and greatly advantageous change was to be effected in the condition of their country, by the agency of a longpromised meffenger from heaven*. The rulers of the Jews, their leading fect, their

*"Percrebuerat oriente toto vetus et conftans opinio, effe in fatis, ut eo tempore Judæâ profecti rerum potirentur." Sueton. Vefpafian. cap. 4-8.

"Pluribus perfuafio inerat, antiquis facerdotum literis contineri, eo ipfo tempore fore, ut valefceret oriens, profectique Judæâ rerum potirentur." Tacit. Hift. lib. v. cap. 9-13.

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priesthood

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priesthood had been the authors of this perfuafion to the common people. So that it was not merely the conjecture of theoretical divines, or the fecret expectation of a few reclufe devotees, but it was become the popular hope and paffion, and, like all pular opinions, undoubting, and impatient of contradiction. They clung to this hope under every misfortune of their country, and with more tenacity as their dangers or calamities increafed. To find therefore that expectations fo gratifying were to be worfe than difappointed; that they were to end in the diffusion of a mild unambitious religion, which, inftead of victories and triumphs, instead of exalting their nation and inftitution above the reft of the world, was to advance thofe whom they despised to an equality with themfelves, in those very points of comparifon in which they most valued their own diftinction, could be no very pleafing discovery to a Jewish mind; nor could the messengers of fuch intelligence expect to be well received or eafily credited, The doctrine was equally harsh and novel. C 4

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