quence of this mifconception, to have regarded it with negligence and contempt.

To the knowledge of the greatest part of the learned heathens, the facts of the Chrif tian history could only come by report. The books, probably, they had never looked into. The fettled habit of their minds was, and long had been, an indifcriminate rejection of all reports of the kind. With thefe fweeping conclufions truth hath no chance. It depends upon diftinction. If they would not enquire, how should they be convinced? It might be founded in truth, though they, who made no search, might not discover it.

"Men of rank and fortune, of wit and abilities, are often found, even in Chriftian countries, to be furprisingly ignorant of religion, and of every thing that relates to it. Such were many of the heathens. Their thoughts were all fixed upon other things, upon reputation and glory, upon wealth and power,

power, upon luxury and pleasure, upon bufinefs or learning. They thought, and they had reason to think, that the religion of their country was fable and forgery, an heap of inconfiftent lies, which inclined them to suppose that other religions were no better. Hence it came to pass, that when the Apoftles preached the gofpel, and wrought miracles in confirmation of a doctrine every way worthy of God, many Gentiles knew little or nothing of it, and would not take the least pains to inform themselves about it. This appears plainly from ancient history*.

I think it by no means unreasonable to fuppofe, that the heathen public, especially that part which is made up of men of rank and education, were divided into two claffes; those who defpifed Christianity beforehand, and those who received it. In correfpondency with which divifion of character, the

*Jortin's Dif. on the Chrif. Rel. p. 66, ed. 4th.

writers of that age would also be of two claffes; thofe who were filent about Chriftianity, and those who were Christians. "A good man, who attended fufficiently to the Christian affairs, would become a Christian ; after which his teftimony ceased to be Pagan, and became Chriftian *."

I must also add, that I think it fufficiently proved, that the notion of magic was reforted to by the heathen adversaries of Christianity, in like manner as that of diabolical agency had before been by the Jews. Justin Martyr alledges this as his reason for arguing from prophecy, rather than from miracles. Origen imputes this evasion to Celfus; Jerome to Porphyry; and Lactantius to the heathen in general. The feveral paffages, which contain these testimonies, will be produced in the next chapter. It being difficult however to afcertain in what degree this notion prevailed, efpecially a

*

Hartley, Obf. p. 119.

mongst

mongst the fuperior ranks of the heathen communities, another, and I think an adequate, cause has been affigned for their infidelity. It is probable that in many cafes

the two causes would operate together.

CHAP. V.

That the Chriflian miracles are not recited, or appealed to, by early Chriftian writers themselves, fo fully or frequently as might have been expected.

I SHALL confider this objection, first, as it applies to the letters of the Apostles, preferved in the New Teftament; and fecondly, as it applies to the remaining writings of other early Christians.

The epiftles of the apoftles are either hortatory or argumentative. So far as they were occupied in delivering leffons of duty, rules of public order, admonitions against certain prevailing corruptions, against vice, or any particular species of it, or in fortifying and encouraging the conftancy of the difciples under the trials to which they were expofed, there appears to be no place or occafion