gion. In oppofition to all thefe numerous and princely powers, in oppofition to the whole Roman empire, were placed thefe poor, unlettered fishermen, joined by a Paul equally poor and inconfiderable. And-they not only defended themfelves, but even conquered overthrew the united fubtlety and power of emperours, kings, goverhours, generals, merchants, fophifts, and of the people; and on the ruins of Judaifm and Paganifm founded-the religion of Jefus! It would have been apparently much easier for these thirteen men, alone and without any affiftance, to have overthrown the whole Roman force, and to have placed themselves on the imperial throne.

c See Franc. Balduini Ad edicta vett. principum Romanorum de Chriftianis, Moshemii Inftitut. hist. ecclef. maj., et Ruinarti Præf. ad a&ta martyrum.

a See Lyttleton On the Converfion and Apostlefhip of St. Paul, and Jortin's Difcourfes concerning the truth of the Chriftian religion, p. 87-116 of the 2d Edition.

VI. And although exciting the repugnance of the human heart.

BUT perhaps it may be faid-they knew how to intereft the finful inclinations of the human heart in their favour?-Directly on the contrary, Chriftianity excites all these inclinations without exception against itself. And what is the power of kings and emperours, when compared with the enmity of the ruling paffions of the human heart? The Religion of the New Teftament announces the moft irreconcilable hoftility to pride, ambition, vanity, avarice, revenge, impurity, and every other finful, that is, univerfallyinjurious inclination and appetite. It requires of its followers that they shall not poffefs any fuch appetites and thoughts even in their hearts. It requires that they fhall practice invariably and univerfally an unqualified, A A 4

un

unwearied, unrelaxed, and active philanthropy. It requires that they fhall be cordially benevolent even to their enemies, and win and make them happy by acts of beneficence and bleffings of every kind. It alfo requires us to facrifice all our innocent pleafures and profits, in a word, all our temporal advantages, even health and life, to the general good of mankind, nay of our moft mortal enemies; and fuffer for their fake every kind of calamity, trouble, danger, and torment. -It declares that neither any viva voce confeffion of certain formularies, nor the exercife of any corporeal ceremopies; but that fuch a virtue as is grounded in the heart, which continually acts, and inceffantly increases, is the only mean whereby we can obtain the favor of the Divinity, and the blifs of heaven. In this manner Chriftianity raifed against itself the ruling paffions of the human heart, and—the

whole

whole world. And, yet, this fmall grain of mustard-feed, as the author of our holy religion had many times prophefied, became a large tree, on whose branches the birds of the air lodged; and grew up, like the feed which is fown, unobferved, and rapidly to the full grain in the ear. Chriftianity converts millions in every part of the world; and though exposed to continually increafing dangers, extends itself abroad; and, lastly, at the present day, is embraced and confeffed by the tenth part of the human race.

e Matth. xiii. 31-33. Mark iv. 26-29.

f Robert Millar's Hiftory of the propagation of Christianity, London, 1731. 2 vols. in 8vo. contains much useful matter, particularly refpecting the miffions of Chriftians into heathen countries; but it is only a compilation from well known books; it cannot always be depended upon; nor is it by any means complete.-The reader will find in Fabricii Salutaris lux Evangelii toti orbi exoriens, in 4to. an account of the writers on the hiftory of Chriftianity.

CHAP.

CHAP. II.

That the old World was intolerant.

VOLTAIRE boldly afferts that the Gentiles in general, and particularly the Romans, were by no means intolerant. Nothing,' he exclaims, was more focial than the heathen religion: The Romans permitted the exercise of every religion, and confidered religious tolerance as one of the moft falutary laws of the ftate: This monfter, this peft of the world, Intolerance, is a daughter of Christianity!'

Traité de la Tolerance, Si les Romains ont été tolérans.

SECT.