Antoninus, would not give any proper attention to any accounts of miracles, fo many things of this kind having been reported, which, upon examination, appeared to be tricks or illufions; though, had thefe men been fatisfied that the course of nature had really been controlled, it cannot be fuppofed but that they must have been convinced of the interpofition of the divine power and providence. Many of the Greeks and Romans, however, had a great opinion of the power of Magic, and, without confidering the nature and circumftances of the chriftian miracles, fuppofed them to have been performed by fome fuch means.

If we confider the ftate of the Gentile world, and of chriftianity in early times, we may very well account for the general rejection of it, without any impeachment of its truth.

The Gentiles in general could not reconcile the idea of the ignominious death of Chrift with the great power which his difciples afcribed to him. The more opulent

and

and politer part of them were alfo difgufted, because the first profelytes to christianity were generally of the lower fort, and many of them flaves, whom they held in extreme contempt, and with whom they could not bear the thought of affociating. The Greek philofophers were exceedingly fond of their knowledge and eloquence, and difdained to receive inftruction from fuch illiterate perfons as the apostles and the primitive christians in general were. They were also exceedingly offended at the spirit of chriftianity, as being at enmity with all other religions; they being of opinion that different modes of worship, and different religions, were even pleafing to the Gods.

The leading men in all the heathen states had a very high idea of the authority of the civil magiftrate, and had always confidered the business of religion as intirely fubject to his controul; and therefore thought that the mere obftinacy of the chriftians, in refufing to fubmit to the laws, was, of itself, deferving of capital punishment. In this manner Trajan reafons in his anfwer to

Pliny. Many of the Gentiles confounded the chriftians with the fects among the Jews, whom they held in contempt; and, therefore, they would not fo much as give any attention to their preaching or miracles. The common people confidered all thofe who were enemies to their fuperftitions as aikeifts, and to this term the greatest odium was ever annexed; and there are feveral proofs of their regarding the Epicureans, and the chriftians in the fame light. Befides, Paganifm had the advantage, which is common to every thing that has been long established, the fanction of antiquity; whereas christianity was defpifed as a novel, and upftart thing.

We are not, however, to fuppofe that all the impreffion which the evidences of chriftianity made on the minds of men, is to be eftimated by the number of the declared converts to it, fince many both of Jews and Gentiles entertained a favourable opinion of the gospel, but were unwilling to own it for fear of cenfure, ridicule, and perfecution, and hoped that God would overlook it, pro

vided they did nothing in direct oppofition to chriftianity, and did not themfelves join in the perfecution of chriftians.

It staggers fome perfons, that there should be fo many unbelievers in the prefent age; but those who know the world, and the circumstances in which infidelity gains ground, will fee nothing in it that is, in fact, unfayourable to the evidences of chriftianity. It would be unjust to unbelievers to rank them all in the fame clafs. I fhall, therefore, endeavour to point out the different fources of infidelity in the present age.

A great number of thofe who profefs to reject christianity, are not only fuch perfons as have never confidered the subject, or indeed have a fufficient ftock of knowledge to examine it with proper attention, but they are also known to be, in general, men of profligate lives and characters; and furely it cannot weigh much, with reasonable and thinking men, that a thing is not believed by those who are fo circumftanced, that they muft

muft neceffarily be exceedingly prepoffeffed against the belief of it, and who are known, for that very reason, to have taken no pains to inform themfelves concerning it. I do not think that I fhall be deemed uncharitable in concluding, that a very great majority of modern unbelievers are of this clafs. Many, however, I readily acknowledge, are of a different character; but thefe, I dare fay, will agree with me in my cenfure of the rest.

Others are men of fair and reputable characters, many of them men of taste and science, especially in Popish countries, who, taking it for granted, that what paffes for christianity is really fo, or who, from a curfory infpection of the books of scripture, conceive that fome of the things related of God are unworthy of him, think it fuperfluous to attend to any difcuffion of its historical evidence. They alfo see that the writers of the books of scripture have fallen into fome inaccuracies, that their narration is not, in all refpects, perfectly coherent

with