ther we will follow what He has clearly revealed or not.

Indeed the opponents of Chriftianity labour to deftroy the miracle of its propagation, by producing a variety of natural caufes, through which they endeavour to explain it. But the greater part of these pretended causes are forged; and even if we unite them all together, this event remains incomprehenfible, unlefs we take into the account a higher fupport. 1ft. What they fay, in the firft place, of Fanaticifm, is amply refuted in page 280 f. -2d. The pretext of univerfal Tolerance under the Jews and Romans is evidently contradictory to history *.2d. And the fame may be faid in anfwer to the affertion, that the first fupporters of the chriftian religion 、were exclufively fimple and mean people'.Bolingbroke has chofen ftill another

*See above, p. 363. 3

k

1 See above, p. 342. mode.

mode. He fuppofes this to have been the cause of its rapid and extenfive progrefs, that the Apoftles used the artifice of receiving into the pale of Chriftianity all, without exception, both Jews and Gentiles". But what affiftance could that give to a religion which afforded not the leaft temporal advantage, but, on the contrary, placed its firft fupporters in danger of lofing every thing they poffeffed in this world, may even life itself? Suppose a poor, defpifed man, who could fcarcely find fupport for himfelf, were to publish a declaration, that he would receive every one without diftinction into his fervice; is it probable that a fingle perfon would be induced to enter into it? Another affertion, that a community of property was introduced in the earliest ages of the church, is ftated as a moft powerful caufe of the propa

m Works, vol. iv. p. 306.

gation of Chriftianity". Should we grant, as his Lordship pretends without any foundation and in oppofition to hiftory, that fuch a common stock exifted in the primitive church; this very circumstance would have rather hindered the rich and powerful from embracing the religion.

But the af

fertion is evidently falfe. Such a community of property exifted only in the beginning, and indeed only in the parent-community at Jerufalem. The converts from Paganism, who composed the far greatest part, were restrained from leaving their former condition and calling; that through their diligence they might obtain fupport for themselves, and a trifle for the affiftance of the neceffitous ; but were by no means allowed to afford nourishment

n Works, vol. iv. p. 422.

• Acts v. vi.

P 1 Cor. vii. 17-24. 30, 31. Tit. ii. 9, 10.

4 Ephef. iv. 28.

to

to the indolent'. And the Apoftles themfelves followed this precept; they never once permitted the communities to maintain them, but themselves procured their own fupport*.

Once more:-When we thus obferve Christianity arifing in the world, continuing and extending itfelf during eighteen hundred years, continually wider and wider; when we fee that neither the idolatry, fuperftition, and infidelity which furrounded it on all fides; nor the united power of the world, which fought to extirpate it; nor the heretics, who deformed it; nor the wretches, who betrayed it; nor even its unworthy followers, who, particularly fince the fourth century, fcandalized it by their vices; nor, laftly, time, the great deftroyer of all human things, have ever been in a condition, I will not fay to annihilate, but even to alter it; we cannot but recognise the

* 2 Theff, iii, 6—12.

• a Theff. iii. 7—3. traces

IRRAD

the New Teftament.

UNIN

393

traces of a Superior Providence; we cannot but acknowledge that the iner plicable propagation of Chriftianity is a feal of the truth of the hiftory of the New Teftament, and, I dare pro nounce, of the divine origin of its religion!

A fummary Recapitulation, and Con clufion, of the Credibility of the New Teftament.

THUS by the calm and temperate language in which the writers of the New Teftament relate their hiftory, we become prejudiced in their favour. They do not declaim on Jefus, they deliver over him no panegyrics; but they let him act and speak. And they inform us of his actions, particularly his miracles, in the moft fimple manner, without any laboured ornaments, without

D D