Aities, are often found, even in Christian coun- applies to the remaining writings of other early tries, to be surprisingly ignorant of religion, Christians. and of every thing that relates to it. Such cular species of it, or in fortifying and encouraging the constancy of the disciples under the trials to which they were exposed, there appears to be no place or occasion for more of these references than we actually find. The epistles of the apostles are either horwere many of the heathens. Their thoughts tatory or argumentative. So far as they were were all fixed upon other things; upon repu- occupied in delivering lessons of duty, rules of tation and glory, upon wealth and power, up-public order, admonitions against certain preon luxury and pleasure, upon business or learn- vailing corruptions, against vice, or any parti ing. They thought, and they had reason to think, that the religion of their country was fable and forgery, a heap of inconsistent lies; which inclined them to suppose that other religions were no better. Hence it came to pass, that when the apostles preached the Gospel, 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." So far as the epistles are argumentative, the nature of the argument which they handle accounts for the infrequency of these allusions. These epistles were not written to prove the truth of Christianity. The subject under consideration was not that which the miracles deI think it by no means unreasonable to sup-cided, the reality of our Lord's mission; but pose, that the heathen public, especially that it was that which the miracles did not decide, part which is made up of men of rank and edu- the nature of his person or power, the design cation, were divided into two classes; those of his advent, its effects, and of those effects who despised Christianity beforehand, and those the value, kind, and extent. Still I maintain, who received it. In correspondency with which that miraculous evidence lies at the bottom of division of character, the writers of that age the argument. For nothing could be so prewould also be of two classes; those who were posterous as for the disciples of Jesus to dissilent about Christianity, and those who were pute amongst themselves, or with others, con Christians. "A good man, who attended cerning his office or character, unless they besufficiently to the Christian affairs, would be- lieved that he had shown, by supernatura. come a Christian; after which his testimony proofs, that there was something extraordinary ceased to be pagan, and became Christian."+ in both. Miraculous evidence, therefore, forI must also add, that I think it sufficiently ming not the texture of these arguments, proved, that the notion of magic was resorted but the ground and substratum, if it be occato by the heathen adversaries of Christianity, sionally discerned, if it be incidentally appeal n like manner as that of diabolical agency had ed to, it is exactly so much as ought to take before been by the Jews. Justin Martyr al- place, supposing the history to be true. leges this as his reason for arguing from pro- As a further answer to the objection, that phecy, rather than from miracles. Origen im- the apostolic epistles do not contain so frequent, putes this evasion to Celsus; Jerome to Por- or such direct and circumstantial recitals of phyry; and Lactantius to the heathen in ge- miracles as might be expected, I would add, neral. The several passages, which contain that the apostolic epistles resemble in this respect these testimonies, will be produced in the next the apostolic speeches, which speeches are given chapter. It being difficult however to ascer- by a writer who distinctly records numerous tain in what degree this notion prevailed, es-miracles wrought by these apostles themselves pecially amongst the superior ranks of the and by the Founder of the institution in their heathen communities, another, and I think an presence: that it is unwarrantable to contend, adequate, cause, has been assigned for their infidelity. It is probable that in many cases the two causes would operate together. that the omission, or infrequency, of such recitals in the speeches of the apostles, negatives the existence of the miracles, when the speeches are given in immediate conjunction with the history of those miracles: and that a conclusion which cannot be inferred from the speeches, without contradicting the whole tenor of the book which contains them, cannot be inferred That the Christian miracles are not recited, or from letters, which, in this respect, are similar appealed to, by early Christian writers them-only to the speeches. selves, so fully or frequently as might have been expected. (HAPTER V. I SHALL consider this objection, first, as it applies to the letters of the apostles, preserved in the New Testament; and secondly, as it * Jortin's Disc. on the Christ. Rel. p. 66. ed. 4th. + Hartley, Obs. p. 119. To prove the similitude which we allege, it may be remarked, that although in Saint Luke's Gospel the apostle Peter is represented to have been present at many decisive miracles wrought by Christ; and although the second part of the same history ascribes other decisive miracles to Peter himself, particularly the cure of the lame man at the gate of the temple Acts 1.) the death of Ananias and Sapph version. Agreeably hereunto, in thirteen letters ascribed to Saint Paul, we have incessant references to Christ's resurrection, frequent references to his own conversion, three indubitable references to the miracles which he wrought;+ four other references to the same, less direct yet highly probable ;§ but more copious or circumstantial recitals we have not. The consent, therefore, between Saint Paul's speeches and letters, is in this respect sufficiently exact : and the reason in both is the same; namely that the miraculous history was all along presupposed, and that the question, which occupied the speaker's and the writer's thoughts, was this: whether, allowing the history of Jesus to be true, he was, upon the strength of it, to be received as the promised Messiah; and, if he was, what were the consequences, what was the object and benefit, of his mission? ira (Acts v. 1.) the cure of Eneas (Acts ix. lix; none in his speech before Festus ;+ ex34.) the resurrection of Dorcas (Acts ix. 40 ;) cept to Christ's resurrection, and his own con. yet out of six speeches of Peter, preserved in the Acts, I know but two in which reference is made to the miracles wrought by Christ, and only one in which he refers to miraculous powers possessed by himself. In his speech upon the day of Pentecost, Peter addresses his audience with great solemnity, thus: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know :"* &c. In his speech upon the conversion of Cornelius, he delivers his testimony to the miracles performed by Christ, in these words: "We are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem."+ But in this latter speech, no allusion appears to the miracles wrought by himself, notwithstanding that the miracles above enumerated all preceded the time in which it was delivered. In his speech upon The general observation which has been the election of Matthias,‡ no distinct reference made upon the apostolic writings, namely, that is made to any of the miracles of Christ's his- the subject of which they treated, did not lead tory, except his resurrection. The same also them to any direct recital of the Christian hismay be observed of his speech upon the cure tory, belongs also to the writings of the apos of the lame man at the gate of the temple ;§ tolic fathers. The epistle of Barnabas is, in the same in his speech before the Sanhedrim ;||| its subject and general composition, much like the same in his second apology in the presence the epistle to the Hebrews; an allegorical apof that assembly. Stephen's long speech con- plication of divers passages of the Jewish histains no reference whatever to miracles, though tory, of their law and ritual, to those parts of it be expressly related of him, in the book which the Christian dispensation in which the author preserves the speech, and almost immediately perceived a resemblance. The epistle of Clebefore the speech, "that he did great wonders ment was written for the sole purpose of quietand miracles among the people." Again, al-ing certain dissensions that had risen amongst though miracles be expressly attributed to St. the members of the church of Corinth, and of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, first, gene-reviving in their minds that temper and spirit rally, as at Iconium (Acts xiv. 3.) during the of which their predecessors in the Gospel had whole tour through the Upper Asia (xiv. 27. left them an example. The work of Hermas xv. 12.) at Ephesus (xix. 11, 12;) secondly, in is a vision : quotes neither the Old Testament specific instances, as the blindness of Elymas at nor the New; and merely falls now and then Paphos, the cure of the cripple at Lystra,++ into the language, and the mode of speech, of the Pythoness at Philippi,‡‡ the miraculous which the author had read in our Gospels. liberation from prison in the same city,§§ the The epistles of Polycarp and Ignatius had for restoration of Eutychus,|||| the predictions of their principal object the order and discipline his shipwreck,¶¶ the viper at Melita, (a) the of the churches which they addressed. Yet, cure of Publius's father; (b) at all which mi- under all these circumstances of disadvantage, racles, except the first two, the historian him- the great points of the Christian history are self was present: notwithstanding, I say, this fully recognised. This hath been shown in positive ascription of miracles to Saint Paul, its proper place. yet in the speeches delivered by him, and given There is, however, another class of writers, as delivered by him, in the same book in which to whom the answer above given, viz. the unthe miracles are related, and the miraculous suitableness of any such appeals, or references powers asserted, the appeals to his own mi- as the objection demands, to the subjects of racles, or indeed to any miracles at all, are rare and incidental. In his speech at Antioch in Pisidia, (c) there is no allusion but to the resurrection. In his discourse at Miletus, (d) none to any miracle; none in his speech before Fe which the writings treated, does not apply; and that is, the class of ancient apologists, whose declared design it was to defend Christianity, and to give the reasons of their adherence to it. It is necessary, therefore, to inquire how the matter of the objection stands in these. The most ancient apologist, of whose works | Lactantius, who lived a century lower deliv. we have the smallest knowledge, is Quadratus. ers the same sentiment, upon the same occaQuadratus lived about seventy years after the sion: "He performed miracles;—we might ascension, and presented his apology to the have supposed him to have been a magician, emperor Adrian. From a passage of this work, as ye say, and as the Jews then supposed, if preserved in Eusebius, it appears that the au- all the prophets had not with one spirit forethor did directly and formally appeal to the mi- told that Christ should perform these very racles of Christ, and in terms as express and things." confident as we could desire. The passage But to return to the Christian apologists in (which has been once already stated) is as fol- their order. Tertullian:-"That person whom lows: "The works of our Saviour were al- the Jews had vainly imagined, from the meanways conspicuous, for they were real; both ness of his appearance, to be a mere man, they they that were healed, and they that were rais- afterwards, in consequence of the power he exed from the dead, were seen, not only when erted, considered as a magician, when he, with they were healed or raised, but for a long time one word, ejected devils out of the bodies of afterwards: not only whilst he dwelled on this men, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the leearth, but also after his departure, and for a prous, strengthened the nerves of those that good while after it; insomuch as that some of had the palsy, and lastly, with one command them have reached to our times."* Nothing restored the dead to life; when he, I say, made can be more rational or satisfactory than this. the very elements obey him, assuaged the Justin Martyr, the next of the Christian storms, walked upon the seas, demonstrating apologists whose work is not lost, and who fol- himself to be the Word of God."+ lowed Quadratus at the distance of about thir- Next in the catalogue of professed apoloty years, has touched upon passages of Christ's gists we may piace Origen, who, it is well history in so many places, that a tolerably com- known, published a formal defence of Chrisplete account of Christ's life might be collect- tianity, in answer to Celsus, a heathen, who ed out of his works. In the following quota- had written a discourse against it. I know no tion, he asserts the performance of miracles by expressions, by which a plainer or more posiChrist, in words as strong and positive as the tive appeal to the Christian miracles can be language possesses: "Christ healed those who made, than the expressions used by Origen: from their birth were blind, and deaf, and "Undoubtedly we do think him to be the lame; causing, by his word, one to leap, ano- Christ, and the Son of God, because he healed ther to hear, and a third to see: and having the lame and the blind; and we are the more raised the dead, and caused them to live, he, confirmed in this persuasion, by what is writby his works, excited attention, and induced ten in the prophecies: Then shall the eyes the men of that age to know him. Who, how- of the blind be opened, and the ears of the ever, seeing these things done, said that it was deaf shall hear, and the lame man shall leap a magical appearance, and dared to call him a as an hart.' But that he also raised the dead, magician, and a deceiver of the people."+ and that it is not a fiction of those who wrote In his first apology, Justin expressly as- the Gospels, is evident from hence, that, if it signs the reason for his having recourse to the had been a fiction, there would have been many argument from prophecy, rather than alleging recorded to be raised up, and such as had been the miracles of the Christian history: which a long time in their graves. But, it not being reason was, that the persons with whom he a fiction, few have been recorded: for instance, contended would ascribe these miracles to ma- the daughter of the ruler of a synagogue, of gic: "Lest any of our opponents should say, whom I do not know why he said, She is not What hinders, but that he who is called Christ dead but sleepeth, expressing something pecuby us, being a man sprung from men, perform- liar to her, not common to all dead persons: ed the miracles which we attribute to him, by and the only son of a widow, on whom he had magical art ?" The suggestion of this reason compassion, and raised him to life, after he meets, as I apprehend, the very point of the had bid the bearers of the corpse to stop; and present objection; more especially when we the third, Lazarus, who had been buried four find Justin followed in it, by other writers of days." This is positively to assert the mirathat age. Irenæus, who came about forty years cles of Christ, and it is also to comment upon after him, notices the same evasion in the ad- them, and that with a considerable degree of versaries of Christianity, and replies to it by accuracy and candour. the same argument: "But, if they shall say, In another passage of the same author, we that the Lord performed these things by an il-meet with the old solution of magic applied to lusory appearance (pavraciades,) leading these the miracles of Christ by the adversaries of the objectors to the prophecies, we will show from religion. "Celsus," saith Origen, "well knowfrom them, that all things were thus predict- ing what great works may be alleged to have ed concerning him, and strictly came to pass."§ been done by Jesus, pretends to grant that the Euseb. Hist. 1. iv. c. 3. Just. Dial. p. 258. ed. Thirlby. * Lactant. v. 3. Tren. 1. ii. c. 57 + Tertull. Apolog. p. 20, ed. Priorii, Par. 1675. things related of him are true; such as heal- be so public and manifest, that no part of the ing diseases, raising the dead, feeding multi-human species would remain ignorant of it, no tudes with a few loaves, of which large frag- understanding could fail of being convinced by ments were left." And then Celsus gives, it. it seems, an answer to these proofs of our Lord's mission, which, as Origen understood it, resolved the phenomena into magic; for, Origen begins his reply, by observing, "You see that Celsus in a manner allows that there is such a thing as magic."+ It appears also from the testimony of Saint Jerome, that Porphyry, the most learned and able of the Heathen writers against Christianity, resorted to the same solution: "Unless," says he, speaking to Vigilantius, "according to the manner of the Gentiles and the profane, of Porphyry and Eunomius, you pretend that these are the tricks of demons."+ The advocates of Christianity do not pretend that the evidence of their religion possesses these qualities. They do not deny that we can conceive it to be within the compass of divine power, to have communicated to the world a higher degree of assurance, and to have given to his communication a stronger and more extensive influence. For any thing we are able to discern, God could have so formed men, as to have perceived the truths of religion intuitively; or to have carried on a com munication with the other world, whilst they lived in this; or to have seen the individuals of the species, instead of dying, pass to heaven This magic, these demons, this illusory ap- by a sensible translation. He could have prepearance, this comparison with the tricks of sented a separate miracle to each man's senjugglers, by which many of that age account-ses. He could have established a standing mied so easily for the Christian miracles, and racle. He could have caused miracles to be which answers the advocates of Christianity wrought in every different age and country. often thought it necessary to refute by argu- These, and many more methods, which we ments drawn from other topics, and particu-may imagine, if we once give loose to our imalarly from prophecy (to which, it seems, these ginations, are, so far as we can judge, all pracsolutions did not apply,) we now perceive to ticable. be gross subterfuges. That such reasons were The question, therefore, is, not whether ever seriously urged, and seriously received, Christianity possesses the highest possible deis only a proof, what a gloss and varnish fa-gree of evidence, but whether the not having shion can give to any opinion. It appears, therefore, that the miracles of Christ, understood, as we understand them, in their literal and historical sense, were positively and precisely asserted and appealed to by the apologists for Christianity; which answers the allegation of the objection. I am ready, however, to admit, that the ancient Christian advocates did not insist upon the miracles in argument, so frequently as I should have done. It was their lot to contend with notions of magical agency, against which the mere production of the facts was not sufficient for the convincing of their adversaries: I do not know whether they themselves thought it quite decisive of the controversy. But since it is proved, I conceive with certainty, that the sparingness with which they appealed to miracles, was owing neither to their ignorance, nor their doubt of the facts, it is, at any rate, an objection, not to the truth of the history, but to the judgment of its defenders. CHAPTER VI. Want of universality in the knowledge and reception of Christianity, and of greater clearness in the evidence. Or a revelation which really came from God, the proof, it has been said, would in all ages Orig. cont. Cels. lib. ii. sect. 48. more evidence be a sufficient reason for rejecting that which we have. Now there appears to be no fairer method of judging concerning any dispensation which is alleged to come from God, when a question is made whether such a dispensation could come from God or not, than by comparing it with other things which are acknowledged to proceed from the same counsel, and to be produced by the same agency. If the dispensation in question labour under no defects but what apparently belong to other dispensations, these seeming defects do not justify us, in setting aside the proofs which are offered of its authenticity, if they be otherwise entitled to credit. Throughout that order then of nature, of which God is the author, what we find is a system of beneficence: we are seldom or never able to make out a system of optimism. I mean, that there are few cases in which, if we permit ourselves to range in possibilities, we cannot suppose something more perfect, and more unobjectionable, than what we see. The rain which descends from heaven, is confessedly amongst the contrivances of the Creator, for the sustentation of the animals and vegetables which subsist upon the surface of the earth. Yet how partially and irregularly is it supplied! How much of it falls upon the sea, where it can be of no use! how often is it wanted where it would be of the greatest! What tracts of continent are rendered deserts by the scarcity of it! Or, not to speak of extreme cases, + Lardner's Jewish and Heath. Test. vol. ii. p. 294. ed. how much sometimes, do inhabited countries 4to. t Jerome cont. Vigil. suffer by its deficiency or delay!-We could imagine, if to imagine were our business, the and progress of natural religion, the argument matter to be otherwise regulated. We could of the objector will gain nothing by the comimagine showers to fall, just where and when parison. I remember hearing an unbeliever they would do good; always seasonable, every say, that, if God had given a revelation, he where sufficient; so distributed as not to leave would have written it in the skies. Are the a field upon the face of the globe scorched by truths of natural religion written in the skies, drought, or even a plant withering for the lack or in a language which every one reads? or of moisture. Yet, does the difference between is this the case with the most useful arts, or the real case and the imagined case, or the the most necessary sciences of human life? An seeming inferiority of the one to the other, Otaheitean or an Esquimaux knows nothing authorise us to say, that the present disposition of Christianity; does he know more of the of the atmosphere is not amongst the produc-principles of deism or morality? which, nottions or the designs of the Deity? Does it check withstanding his ignorance, are neither unthe inference which we draw from the confess- true, nor unimportant, nor uncertain. The ed beneficence of the provision? or does it make existence of the Deity is left to be collected us cease to admire the contrivance ?-The ob- from observations, which every man does not servation, which we have exemplified in the make, which every man, perhaps, is not capasingle instance of the rain of heaven, may be ble of making. Can it be argued, that God repeated concerning most of the phenomena of does not exist, because if he did, he would let nature; and the true conclusion to which it us see him, or discover himself to mankind by leads is this: that to inquire what the Deity proofs (such as, we may think, the nature of might have done, could have done, or, as we the subject merited,) which no inadvertency even sometimes presume to speak, ought to could miss, no prejudice withstand? have done, or, in hypothetical cases, would If Christianity be regarded as a providential have done, and to build any propositions upon instrument for the melioration of mankind, such inquiries against evidence of facts, is its progress and diffusion resembles that of wholly unwarrantable. It is a mode of rea-other causes by which human life is improved. soning which will not do in natural history, The diversity is not greater, nor the advance which will not do in natural religion, which more slow, in religion, than we find it to be cannot therefore be applied with safety to re- in learning, liberty, government, laws. The velation. It may have some foundation, in Deity hath not touched the order of nature in certain speculative à priori ideas of the divine vain. The Jewish religion produced great and attributes; but it has none in experience, or permanent effects; the Christian religion hath in analogy. The general character of the done the same. It hath disposed the world to works of nature is, on the one hand, goodness amendment. It hath put things in a train. both in design and effect; and, on the other It is by no means improbable, that it may behand, a liability to difficulty, and to objections, come universal: and that the world may conif such objections be allowed, by reason of seem-tinue in that stage so long as that the duration ing incompleteness or uncertainty in attaining of its reign may bear a vast proportion to the their end. Christianity participates of this time of its partial influence. character. The true similitude between nature and revelation consists in this; that they each bear strong marks of their original; that they each also bear appearances of irregularity and defect. A system of strict optimism may, nevertheless, be the real system in both cases. But what I contend is, that the proof is hidden from us; that we ought not to expect to perceive that in revelation, which we hardly perceive in any thing; that beneficence, of which we can judge, ought to satisfy us, that optimism, of which we cannot judge, ought not to be sought after. We can judge of beneficence, because it depends upon effects which we experience, and upon the relation between the means which we see acting and the ends, which we see produced. We cannot judge of optimism, because it necessarily implies a comparison of that which is tried, with that which is not tried; of consequences which we see, with others which we imagine, and concerning many of which, it is more than probable, we know nothing; concerning some that we have no notion. If Christianity be compared with the state When we argue concerning Christianity, that it must necessarily be true, because it is beneficial, we go, perhaps, too far on one side; and we certainly go too far on the other, when we conclude that it must be false, because it is not so efficacious as we could have supposed. The question of its truth is to be tried upon its proper evidence, without deferring much to this sort of argument, on either side. "The evidence," as Bishop Butler hath rightly observed, "depends upon the judgment we form of human conduct, under given circumstances, of which it may be presumed that we know something; the objection stands upon the supposed conduct of the Deity, under relations with which we are not acquainted." What would be the real effect of that overpowering evidence which our adversaries require in a revelation, it is difficult to foretell; at least, we must speak of it as a dispensation of which we have no experience. Some consequences however would, it is probable, attend this economy, which do not seem to befit a revelation that proceeded from God. is, that irresistible proof would restrain the One |