labour assigned them by ecclesiastical writers. But it is mere conjecture, or at least uncertain tradition. This only is plain. All the Apostles, James perhaps excepted, together with the Evangelists, travelled more or less, and most of them laid down their lives in foreign countries. Many others, likewise, were active in propagating the Gospel, so that, as we are informed by unquestionable authority, it had extended, before the close of the first century, not only to almost every quarter of the Roman empire, but even beyond these vast limits, from India, East, to the shores of Britain, West, and from Ethiopia, South, to the farther extremity of Europe on the North. It is not however to be understood that the greater part of the population of these countries had become Christians. Far otherwise. But in almost every place, some believed, and numbers were daily added to the Lord.

It is proper to advert a moment to the causes of this astonishing success. Many have attempted to account for the establishment of Christianity on mere natural principles. It is readily granted that many circumstances conspired to favour its early progress. The world was at peace. The union under one government of the various nations comprehended within the vast Roman Empire, afforded to the missionary many facilities of access to almost all the known parts of the world. The state of the prevailing religions favoured his success. They were corrupt, and tending to change. The Jewish religion had become a mere form, and the heathen idolatries, always sufficiently base, were, perhaps, at that period, sunk some degrees below their usual pitch of degradation.

Nor was paganism deformed, merely; its deformity began to be apparent. The writings of some philosophers--the light of nature--and especially a partial distribution of the Hebrew Scriptures, had so far scattered the thick darkness which covered the people, that the more discerning not only began to discover the true features of idolatry, but to grow tired of their re

ligion. The moral necessities of our race called for divine interposition, and, while the Jews were expecting their Messiah, the whole world seemed to be waiting for a new and better dispensation.

But these things by no means account for the establishment of the Christian religion. If it had not contained within itself a principle of invincible force, it could never have prevailed against the opposition it always had to encounter. When we look at twelve illiterate fishermen the disciples of a crucified malefactor, without friends, without countenance, without power, going forth in opposition to the interests of priests, the policy of princes, the laws of kingdoms, to overthrow, by the foolishness of preaching, the most deep rooted prejudices, the strongest reasonings the most powerful passions, to change the morals, the suits, the thoughts, the very hearts of men, we must pronounce the undertaking hopeless, unless there be a divine hand in the work. That there was, and that the success which attended the first preaching of the Gospel, and which has attended it ever since, is satisfactorily accounted for, only by the doctrine of divine influence, is too evident to be doubted by any man not determined on infidelity.

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But this is the general reason. To what special cause are we to attribute the superior success of the first preachers of Christianity above that of their successors in the field of labour? To their miraculous. gifts, is the answer usually given. These indeed were important to the establishment of Christianity; they were the divine seal of infallibility on the doctrines. taught by the Apostles. Without such gifts, they could never have proved their mission to be from God. But, at the present day, is there not evidence of the divine. origin of Christianity, equally clear and forcible with the gift of tongues or of miracles? If so, where was the peculiar advantage of the Apostles. They had special gifts, but they had special difficulties to encounter, and if these are put into the balance with the

gifts and difficulties of a faithful missionary of the cross now, perhaps the advantage would not be so great in favour of the primitive teachers of Christianity, as we are ready to suppose. There is little question but we are inclined to attribute too much to the miraculous powers of the Apostles, without remembering that an exhibition of them could no more change the hearts of men, than can the simple preaching of the word now; and from this to conclude, unwarrantably, that nothing like Apostolic success can be expected in the present age, when miracles have ceased. It would be well to inquire if the want of success is not in consequence of some other deficiency. We might find it is because piety languishes, or zeal abates, that primitive success does not attend our labours, rather than because miracles have ceased. It can hardly be doubted, that the great secret of the special success which attended the labours of the Apostles is to be found in their unconquerable zeal, united with the matchless purity of their lives. They did not sit down coolly calculating how much ought to be done, and how much might be done. Still less did they fold their arms, expecting their master would build up his cause without them. No! They planned indeed, but execution trod on the heels of in vention. They acted!

Nor did they confine their labours to a single place. When they had planted the gospel in one city, they ap.. pointed elders and hasted to another. How different from the conduct of those who would have all teachers. remain in Christendom, till every parish is supplied with a minister; and almost, until every soul in the parish is converted.

Though Paul held that Charity begins at home, he did not hold that it ends there. He said to the Jews. "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you, but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, ko, we turn to the Gentiles."

CHAPTER II.

Christianity corrupted-Spreads in the West-Extended to Abyssinia-Story of Abraham-Female Missionary-Three thousand baptised at Rheims-St. Patrick

Augustine-Anecdote of Gregory-Character of Converts-Zeal of Nestorians-China-Missionaries in the West-Mahometanism-Age of MissionariesBoniface murdered-Military Converts.

IN leaving the Apostolic age to prosecute our history, we find ourselves gradually departing from an agreeable prospect, where on every side are fruitful fields, and smiling landscapes, and entering upon a barren heath, lined on each side with dry shrubbery, and fronted by a howling wilderness. But while our path leads over bogs and fens, and winds amidst the defiles of overhanging mountains, we shall now and then find a verdant lawn, and sometimes see the sun breaking through the clefts of the rocks and forming a bright spot in the midst of surrounding darkness. During the second and third centuries our prospect remains fair. Much of the Apostolic spirit continued in the church, and much of the Apostolic success accompanied exertions to spread the Gospel. Many," we are told, "distributed their estates among the poor, and leaving their own country, performed the work of evangelists to those who had never before heard of the Christian faith." Into what countries Christianity was extended during this period, is not very distinctly known, or who were the favoured instruments employed.

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In the second century, Iræneus, a Grecian, penetrated into France, and in concert with Pothinus, the Bishop of Lyons, whom he afterwards succeeded, was very active in extending the knowledge of Christianity in Gaul, from whence it spread into Germany. About the same time Pantænus, a Stoic Philosopher of Alexandria, is said to have gone into some country of India

to teach Christianity, in conformity with the request of certain ambassadors sent from that region. We are told that he endured incredible hardships, but lived to return to Alexandria.

In the third century the celebrated Origen, in conse quence of an invitation from an Arabian Prince, left his learned labours to visit that country. By his assiduity he converted a tribe of the wandering Arabs to the Christian faith.* Others, some of whom were carried captive by the tribes which ravaged Asia, and some went of their own accord, were successful among the barbarous nations of Europe, especially the Germans and the Goths, many of whom received the Gospel.

Besides the personal labour of preachers, the extensive circulation of various translations of the sacred writings, which commenced in the second century, did much to extend the influence of Christianity. While therefore the Church was harassed by the severest outward calamities, it continued to increase in strength. Collecting all its energies within itself, it rose in proportion to its depression, multiplied according to the number of its bereavements, and from the fires of persecution, caught many a brand to enlighten the nations. Perhaps Christianity has never been propagated with more rapidity, than when hunted down to the last extremity by its enemies. Certainly the Church has never shone brighter, than when passing through the ten fiery persecutions of the three first centuries. So true is it that "the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church." But the scene is now beginning to change. The power of vital godliness had sensibly declined even in the third century, and in the fourth, there was a still more rapid declension. Paradoxical as it may seem, this was hastened in some measure by the caresses which Christianity began to receive from the world. The Emperor Constantine, either from real conviction of its truth, or from motives of policy, having observed its happy effects in making his subjects obedient and

* Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. V. 2. p. 240.