CHAMPIONS OF TRUTH.

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that a triumphant deliverer from Judea was about this time expected, would be emboldened, on hearing that Rome had now nothing to fear from that quarter, to opprefs them more rigorously, and even to take away' (as they themselves emphatically expreffed it) their place and nation *.' Whether the Romans were in any degree intimidated by what they heard of the Jewish prophecies concerning the Meffiah, is not known: but that it might be fo, it was natural enough for a Jew to fuppofe; especially if he knew, as he probably would know, that on the fubject of prophecy the Romans were not a little fuperftitious. How much Herod dreaded the coming of the Meffiah, appears from his murder of the innocents; an event which must have been well known at Rome; if it be true, as Macrobius relates, that Auguftus, on hearing of it, and that one of Herod's fons had fuffered in the maffacre, facetiously observed, that is was better to be the fwine than

on

the son of Herod. Some however suppose, the authority of Jofephus, that Herod had not then a fon under two years of age; and that the emperor's sarcasm was more probably occafioned by Herod's cruelty in putting to death Ariftobulus and Alexander, his two fons by Mariamne, *See JOHN xi. 48.

and his fon Antipater, for an alleged confpiracy

against his father's life. But this is of little importance in the present argument.

In a word: if it be in the power of prejudice, of pride, of ambition, of religious zeal, or of national partiality, to make men averfe to the reception of any system of opinions, we need not wonder at the obstinacy of the Jewish rulers. Their paffions, generally violent, were all in arms, and in the highest degree exafperated, against Christ and his religion. That fo many of that nation fhould have been his disciples, is therefore more wonderful, than fo many fhould have opposed him. In modern times it cannot apparently be the interest of any, hardened finners excepted, that the gospel fhould not be true. Yet even in these days, and in the most enlightened nations, a spirit of oppofition to the gofpel, and a want of candour with regard to its doctrines and evidence, are by no means un

common.

Ir fuch was the temper of the rulers of the Jews; and if we may warrantably fufpect them to have been as capable of falfehood, as they certainly were of injustice and cruelty; is it not strange that the events recorded in the gospel were not denied by any contemporary authority? Yet this is the

fact: for fuch authorities, if they had ever appeared, must have been preferved, and argued from by the enemies of the gospel, and replied to in the writings of Chriftians. And how is this fact to be accounted for? In no other way, I presume, than by fuppofing, that in Judea the particulars of our Saviour's life were fo well known, that no contradictory record would have obtained cerdit. And to publish such a thing, without being able to make the nation believe it, would have been

Their best policy

an injury to their own caufe. therefore was, to keep up the paffions and prejudices of the people, to encourage a spirit of per fecution, to confine themselves to violent and general affertions, and to avoid and discountenance minute inquiry. The truth is, that the ancient unbelievers never denied the miracles of Jefus : they imputed them to magic or the power of the devil: a doctrine, which our Lord himself condefcended to refute; and of which the modern infidel, as nobody now believes in magic, will not feek to avail himself.

BUT prejudice and paffion fubfide at laft, and leave the mind at leifure for calm investigation. If then the particulars of our Saviour's life had been as well known as is here fuppofed, must not the Jews, when the prefent ferment was over,

have come to their fenfes, and acknowledged the truth? That many of them did fo, is certain. But from other hiftories, as well as that of the Jews, we learn, that when the paffions of men are thoroughly inflamed, by matters of great and general concern, it may require the operation of years to cool them. And let it be observed, that the Jews had not now much time left for reflection and leifure. The generation that put our Lord to death had not paffed away, when the troubles of Judea began; and in lefs than forty years after the crucifixion, Jerufalem was levelled with the ground, the greater part of the nation exterminated, and the reft scattered abroad through the Roman empire.

BUT, if their rulers were as much exasperated against the new religion, as has been supposed, why, it may be asked, did they not destroy it at once, by putting all the apoftles to death? Stephen indeed they ftoned in a tranfport of fury, and Herod murdered James the brother of John but Peter, and Paul, and others, were permitted to live; and in a little time we find there was a church in Jerufalem, and another in Antioch. How is this to be reconciled with what is faid above of the extreme obftinacy and violence of the Jewish rulers?

İr may be answered, that these things were fo ordered by an over-ruling Providence, who, having determined that the religion of Chrift should not be destroyed, miraculously interpofed for a time in the preservation of his minifters. If this answer be deemed infufficient, the following confiderations are fubmitted to the reader.

FIRST; The Jews could have no reason to hope,' that, by putting to death all the apoftles, or all the Christians, that came in their way, they should annihilate Chriftianity: there might be others whom they had never heard of; for our Saviour, during his abode on earth, had many disciples; five hundred are mentioned by St. Paul as witneffes of his refurrection; and on the day of Pen→ tecoft three thousand were converted, and five thousand a few days after.-Secondly; Peter and Paul, though for a time permitted to live, did not live in peace, but underwent cruel perfecution; and the former, if he had not by miracle efcaped, would have been murdered by Herod, as James was.-Thirdly; Several of the apostles, foon after the defcent of the Holy Ghoft, left Jerufalem, and went to preach elsewhere.-Fourthly; It may be prefumed that the Chriftians of that age were quiet and inoffenfive; we know indeed for certain that they were fo: and the rulers might be afraid to declare open war against them, as