The reasonableness and certainty of the Christian religion by Robert Jenkin ...

CHAP. XXX. Of the Causes why the Jews and Gentiles rejected Christ, notwithstanding all the Miracles wrought by Him and his A∣postles.

THough the Christian Religion be most certain in it self, yet there is a Super∣natural Grace required to make us through∣ly and effectually convinced of the certainty of it. No Man can come to me, says our Sa∣viour, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him; and this is declared to be the Reason of the Infidelity of such as were of∣fended at his Doctrin, and departed from him. But there are some of you that believe not: for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not; and who should betray him; and he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no Man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of my Father, John vi. 64, 65. So that the Belief of the Gospel is stiled a Divine Faith, not only in respect of its Ob∣ject, but of its efficient Cause. In attaining to the Knowledge of the Truth of Religion, we must proceed upon the same Principles of Reason, by which we proceed in attaining to the Knowledge of any other Truth. But

Reason, when it comes up to the Evidence even of Demonstration, though it satisfies the Understanding, yet doth not necessarily gain that firm and lasting Assent of the Will, which is required in Faith; but when the thing proved to be true, is unacceptable, against the Inclinations of the Will, and against the former Opinions and Persuasions of the Un∣derstanding, the present Convictions of the Understanding are soon stifled and overpower∣ed by the prevailing Force of the Will and Affections, which carry the Mind off to o∣ther and contrary Objects, which it has been wont to think of and believe. Thus it was in the Academicks and Scepticks; they could not but have the same sense of Mathematical Demonstrations, and other clear Truths, which the rest of Mankind have, whilst they thought of them, and attended strictly to them: But by a constant Practice to amuse themselves with Subtilties, they had wrought themselves to a Persuasion, that nothing could be certainly known to be true; and this general and habitual Opinion soon stifled the Evidence of any particular Truth, which could be represented never so clearly to their Minds.

To as many therefore as lay under long and violent Prejudices, by reason of their former Opinions, and of their Pride and Vanity in contending for them; or by reason of any of those Lusts, which are so

contrary to the Purity of the Gospel; to such, an extraordinary and miraculous Pow∣er of Grace was necessary to establish them in the Faith, or else, though they belie∣ved for the present at the sight of some Miracle, yet this was no lasting or well-grounded Faith, John ii. 23, 24. And that Grace, which was necessary to their Faith, was denied to some for their Sins, that they should not see with their Eyes, nor understand with their Heart, and be converted, John xii, 40. So that Men of great Learning and worldly Wisdom might still continue Unbe∣lievers, and not submit to all the Evidence of the Gospel, because the Doctrin of the Go∣spel being so contrary to their Habitual Thoughts and Inclinations, there was some∣thing necessary to convert the Will and Af∣fections, and to subdue the former Habits which had been rooted in their Minds by fre∣quent Acts and length of Time, and which were too strong for any Convictions of the Understanding, that consisted but in tran∣sient Acts, and were soon lost and vanished, through the prevailing contrary Habits both of the Understanding, and Will, and Affe∣ctions. And therefore Faith must necessarily be an effect of Grace as well as of Reason; and where, because of former Sins and Provo∣cations, this Grace was not vouchsafed, there could be no Faith, though there might be some transient Convictions of Mind, some

faint Glimmerings, which were soon damped and extinguished, being overpowered by for∣mer contrary Persuasions. And for the same Reason, those who had less Wisdom and Knowledge, but were not under the Power of Habitual Lusts and Passions, and therefore were more easily persuaded to any thing, of the Truth whereof they were once convinced, were likewise the more easily converted.

The Causes why the Word became un∣fruitful, and so little prevailed with many Men, are in the Parable of the Sower declared to be either inconsiderate Negligence and Ig∣norance, and the Advantage taken from thence by Satan, or want of Constancy in Times of Tribulations and Persecutions, or the Cares of this World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, and the Lusts of other things, Matth. xiii. 18. Mark iv. 9. It was next to an impossibility for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God, or to become a Christian. They were not Natural so much as Moral Accomplish∣ments, not so much Parts and Learning, as an honest and humble Mind, which were the requisite Qualifications for Men to be∣come Christians: Because as God the more freely bestowed his Grace upon Men thus qualified, so they were the better disposed to be wrought upon by it; whereas others, though they wanted a greater measure of Grace, yet had less vouchsafed to them. For God resisteth the Proud, but giveth Grace to the Humble.

Thus much in the General, I now proceed to give a particular Account of the Causes of the Unbelief both of the Jews and Gen∣tiles.

I. Since there is so great Evidence, that our Saviour is the true Christ, it may seem a wonderful and almost an incredible thing, that the Jews should so generally reject him, notwithstanding all the Means and Oppor∣tunities which they had above other Nations of being converted. But,

1. The Jews and Proselytes were convert∣ed in vast Numbers. Besides the Shepherds, Simon and Anna the Prophetess acknowledg∣ed and adored our Saviour in his Infancy, as the true Messias, Luke ii. 25, 36. and it is probably (k) supposed that this was Rabban Simeon, the Son of Hillel, and Father of Ga∣maliel. The Title of Rabban was the high∣est of all Titles, signifying a Prince rather than a Doctor or Teacher, as Rabbi doth; and there were but Seven of the Posterity of Hillel who were dignified with it. Nicode∣mus, Joseph of Arimathea, and many others of Note and Eminency received the Christian Faith. About Three Thousand were converted at one time, Acts ii. 41. Great Numbers were converted not only of the People, but of the Priests also, Acts vi. 7. All that dwelt at Lydda and Saron, Acts ix. 35. Many of the Jews and Religious Proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, Acts xiii. 43. At Iconium a great

multitude of the Jews believed, Acts xiv. 1. Crispus, Chief Ruler of the Synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his House, Acts xviii. 8. And Sos••henes, another Chief Ruler of the Sy∣nagogue, Acts xviii. 19. 1 Cor. i. 1. Apollos an eloquent Man, and mighty in the Scriptures, was a Christian, Acts xviii. 24. Many Thou∣sands (or Myriads in the Greek) Acts xxi. 20. And the number of them which were sealed, was an Hundred and forty and four thousand of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel, Rev. vii. 4. The People were generally well-dis∣posed to receive the Gospel; and when the Chief Priests and Rulers would have Perse∣cuted our Saviour and his Apostles, they were often forced to desist for fear of the Peo∣ple. And if the Apostles did not depart (l) from Jerusalem in the space of Twelve Years (as there is Reason to believe) the number of Converts in all that time must needs be extreamly great. The Church of Jerusalem flourished exceedingly from the Beginning, and the Bishops of that City were of the Na∣tion of the Jews for (m) Fifteen Successions, even to the final destruction of it by Hadrian. Many of the Rulers being converted, the Scribes and Pharisees made their Complaints that the whole City of Jerusalem would turn Christians, as (n) Hegesippus informs us; and the Pharisees said of our Saviour, when he was upon Earth, Behold the World is gone after him, John xii. 19. The Epistles of St. Peter

and St. James, and that of St. Paul to the He∣brews, purposely directed to the Jews and Israelites, shew that their Conversions were very numerous both in Judea and in other Countries. (o) Eusebius takes particular no∣tice of the Multitudes of Believing Jews in the Bishoprick of Jerusalem, when Justus the Third Bishop succeeded to that See. And (p) at Antioch, and Rome, and Ephesus there was one Bishop of the converted Jews, and another of the Gentiles, and, as Dr. Hammond supposes, at Jerusalem like∣wise, but there is little Proof of it. And some of the most Learned Jews have been converted not only in these Times, but in latter Ages. Epiphanius was brought up in the Jewish Religion, as the Greek Menology testifies, and he acquaints us, that (q) Ellel the Jewish Patriarch sent for a Bishop to Bap∣tize him upon his Death-Bed. Samuel Moro∣chianus, Petrus Alphonsus, Paulus Burgensis, Nicolas de Lyra, Petrus Galatinus, Tremellius, and other Learned Men educated in the Jew∣ish Worship, upon their Conversion have been eminent Defenders of the Christian Religion. Hieronymus a S. Fide, after his Conversion, is said to have brought over many Thousands to Christianity.

And the Samaritans as well as the Jews be∣lieved, and were baptized both men and women, even Simon Magus himself, Acts viii. 12, 13.

2. Many even among the Chief Rulers were convinced that Jesus is the Christ, who durst not own him, Joh. xii. 42.43. But the Love of Riches, and the Praise of Men, made them dissemble their Convictions, and Act against their Consciences, as we see too many amongst us Act against their own Knowledge, and avowed Principles, every day.

3. Many had Blasphemed the Holy Ghost, and thereby rendred themselves un∣capable of the Mercies of the Gospel; and others by their other great Impieties, had brought them to such an Impenitent state; that their Eyes were blinded, and their hearts hardned, that they should not see with their Eyes, nor understand with their Heart, and be converted, Joh. xii. 40. Act. xxviii. 25. Rom. xi. 8. And this seems to have been one Reason, why Christ commanded his Disci∣ples to conceal his Person, and to say no∣thing of his Transfiguration till his Resur∣rection, Matt. xvi. 20. xvii. 9. that he might discover himself by degrees, and that the Jews might gradually be prepared to Ac∣knowledge him, and not Sin, beyond all pos∣sibility of Conversion, before his Resurre∣ction, and the manifestation of the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Apostles, which was the last means of Salvation, and those, who rejected this, were Self-condemned, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting Life,

Act. xiii. 46. or, in effect, they denounced the Sentence of Damnation against them.

4. The Jews had violent Prejudices aga•••••• the Gospel out of Zeal to their Law, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their Traditions, which were in so much E∣steem and Veneration amongst them, they feared that their Believing in Christ might prove an occasion to the Romans to come and destroy them. If we let him thus alone, all Men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come, and take away both our Place and Nation, Jo. xi. 48. And to prevent this, the Chief Priests, and the Pharisees, in Council agreed to the Expedient proposed by Caia∣phas, of putting Christ to death, imagining that would effectually put a stop to the sprea∣ding of his Doctrin among the People, who, above all things, could not endure to hear of Christ Crucified; for they had general and earnest Expectations of a temporal Messias, whom not only their own carnal Hearts inclin∣ed them to hope for, but their Religion, as they imagined, commanded them to expect. And the Family of the famous Hillel being in so much Power and Authority at that time, might be a great inducement to them, to confirm them in their hopes, and to har∣den them against the Belief of a Crucified Messias. For (f) Hillel himself held the Go∣vernment, or Presidentship, of the Sanhedrim Forty Years, and his Son and Grandsons af∣ter him in a continual Succession, for an

Hundred Years before the Destruction of Jerusalem: So that the Splendor and Pomp of this Family of Hillel, says Dr. Lightfoot, had so obscured the rest of the Families of David's Stock, that perhaps they believed, or expected the less, that the Messias should spring from any of them; and one of their Rabbins, in the Babylonian Gemara, was al∣most persuaded, that Rabbi Judah, of the Family of Hillel, was indeed the Messias. They were all very unwilling to find him in so low and afflicted a Condition, when the Lustre of this Family had for so long a time attracted their Sight and Expectation; inso∣much that Rabban Simeon, the Son of Hillel, is but slightly mentioned, and not with that Encomium, with which the rest of that Fami∣ly are wont to be Celebrated by the Jewish Writers; for this Reason, (g) if Buxtorf be not mistaken, because he was the same Sime∣on who declared our Saviour to be the Christ.

Tho' the Jews must have been convin∣ced (if they would have attended to them) by all manner of other Means and Evidence, that Jesus was the Messias, yet they esteem∣ed Temporal Pomp and Grandeur so essenti∣al to the Person and Character of the Messias, that they thought the meanness of our Savi∣our's Condition, and the Ignominy of his Death, was sufficient to overthrow all the Arguments which they could possible have, of his being the Christ; indeed their Minds

were so fixt upon this mistaken Indication, that they little regarded any other.

This bred in them that Ignorance, which was truly very culpable, but which yet was taken notice of in their Favour, as some mi∣tigation of so heinous a Crime, as the Cru∣cifying of the Son of God, Luke 23.34. Act 3.17. 13.27. 1. Cor. 11.8. But with∣all it made them exceeding obstinate, and Deaf to all the Arguments, that could be of∣fered to convince them. When St. Stephen had answered their Accusations, and fully argued the case with them, they gnashed on him, with their Teeth, and cried out with a loud Voice, and stopt their Ears, and ran upon him, and stoned him Act. 7.54 57. And when St. Paul had declared in all Particu∣lars, how he was converted, and appealed to the High Priest, and to the Estate of the Elders, for the Truth in part of what he rela∣ted; yet the People in a Rage and Tumult lift up their Voices, and said, Away with such a Fellow from the Earth, for it is not fit that he should live; they cried out, and cast off their Clothes, and threw dust into the Air, Act. xxii. 22.23. These are not the Actions of Reasonable Men, no wonder therefore, that they were not convinced by Reason.

5. False Christs and false Prophets, with their Signs and Wonders, were then very fre∣quent, insomuch that if it had been possible, they would have deceived the very Elect, Matt.

xxiv. 24. And the Jews were much more enclined to give Credit to these, who com∣plied with their Lusts and Desires, than to examine and consider the clearest Evidence, which must oblige them to take up the Cross, and follow a Crucified Saviour. The Cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling Block, and they would believe any thing ra∣ther than it.

6. Upon these and such like Causes, the Jews rejected their Messias, and still continue in Unbelief, whereby are fulfilled many Pro∣phecies concerning this very thing, and whilst they endeavour in vain to disprove all other Arguments, their Infidelity and Obstinacy it self is an Argument against them, the Prophets having foretold that they would thus reject their Messias as St. Paul proves, Rom. ix. 27. And it was no new, or strange thing, that the Jews should resist the Holy Ghost, they always did it, as St. Ste∣phen tells them, as your Fathers did, so do ye: Which of the Prophets have not your Fa∣thers persecuted? And they have slain them, which shewed before of the Coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the Betrayers and Murderers, Act. vii. 55, 52.

II. What great Numbers of the Heathen Nations, in all parts of the World, were converted to the Christian Religion, is evi∣dent both from Christian and Heathen Au∣thors of those Ages, in which the Gospel was

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

first Preached; and considering the general Depravation both of the Manners and Prin∣ciples of those Times, it is no wonder that many should be contented with any Religi∣on, or with no Religion at all, so that they might retain their Vices, rather than attend to any Arguments, which could be brought in proof of a Religion, that must oblige them to abandon and Crucify all their Lusts and Sins, and renounce their Ease and Safe∣ty, to live in Disgrace and Misery, and die in Torments. However, notwithstanding all these Discouragements, there was no Rank, nor Order of Men, nor Sect of Phi∣losophers, but divers of the best and wisest of them were early Converts to the Christi∣an Faith, such as Dionyssius the Areopagite; Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Tertullian, Ar∣nobius, and others. And as nothing but the clear Evidence and Force of Truth could convert these, so it is no unaccountable thing, that others should stand out and op∣pose it. For

I. The Greeks sought after Wisdom; they were only for high and Subtil Speculations, and were so possest with their own Notions, and a Conceit of themselves, that they would give no Attention to a Company of igno∣rant Men, who told them a plain Truth of one, that had been Crucified, and Rose a∣gain from the Dead. Christ crucified was unto the Jews a Stumbling-Block, and unto the Greeks Foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 22. 23.

And the several Tenets of Philosophy then in Vogue, were a great obstruction to all such, as thought themselves skilled in them, to hinder them from becoming Christians; and we find that some of them after their Conversion could not soon lay aside all their Philosophical Notions. The Epicureans, a confident and vain Sect, would receive no∣thing that could be said to them of a Resur∣rection and another Life, but with Scorn and Contempt: And some said, What will this Babler say? And when they heard of the Resurrection of the Dead, some mocked, Acts xvii. 18, 32. The Platonists held a Revolu∣tion of all Things into their former State, in some certain Term of Years, and therefore they by their own Principles must look up∣on all only as a Consequence of such a Revo∣lution and a Period of Time. The Peripa∣teticks were persuaded, that the World is eternal, and therefore laught at those who seemed to them to teach that it was now just at an end, and declared that it had a Beginning not many Thousands of Years be∣fore. The Stoicks, who mightily improved the Moral Part of Philosophy, by borrow∣ing from the Christian Doctrin, yet hold∣ing that all Things are under an inevita∣ble Fate and Destiny, had such a perpetual curb upon them, as left them no Liberty to think of changing their Opinions; one of which was that there is nothing Immaterial,

a plain Contradiction to the Fundamental Doctrins of the Christian Religion.

Besides there was a great deal of Pride in the very Composition of a Stoick. It (t) ap∣pears from the Account which Arrian has given of Epictetus, that neither the Jewish Law, nor the Christian Religion was un∣known to him; for in the Discourses which he has preserved of Epictetus, we find him sometimes using the same words with the Scriptures. But it appears likewise from those Discourses, that Epictetus was a great Admirer of Diogenes the Cynick, and imita∣ted him in his Pride and Haughtiness. For, magnifying himself as one sent by God to be an Example to the World, and to prove that the high Sayings of the Stoicks are not vain Boasts, but real and practicable Truths, he at last thus concludes,

How do I converse, says he, with these Men, whom you fear and admire? Do not I treat them as Slaves? Who, when he sees me doth not think he sees his King and his Master?

There could be little hope, that such a Man should be wrought upon by a Religion which enjoineth, That in lowliness of mind e••ch esteem other better than themselves, Phil. ii. 3. (u) Seneca in some places, writes as if he had been transcribing the Scriptures, but he

is not always the same, and he likewise dis∣covers a strange Vanity and Conceit of him∣self and his own Writings. For citing a Pas∣sage of Epicurus, where he told his Friend, That if he desired Glory, his Letters should make him more famous than all those things which he esteemed, or for which he was esteemed. (a) Seneca assures Lucilius, (x) That he could promise him as much as Epicurus had done his Friend: For he should be Fa∣mous in future Times; and could raise and perpetuate the Fame of whomsoever he plea∣sed.

The Pythagoreans were a superstitious Sect, and were apt to ascribe all to Magick; and besides they had given themselves up by a blind Obedience to their Master's Dictates, and therefore were to regard no Reasons nor Arguments against them. In short, the Phi∣losopers were all exceedingly prepossest and prejudiced by some peculiar Opinions of their own, besides the general Prejudices, which they lay under with the rest of the World. And all Men of any Learning and Education studied the Books of the Philoso∣phers, and were commonly addicted to one Sect or other.

It must be confest, that Vanity and the Praise of Men was the chief aim of many of the Philosophers, as Tertullian and others of the Fathers object, and therefore they were very unlikely to become Prose∣lytes

to a Religion, which was looked upon in the World with such Disdain and Con∣tempt. Philosophy in general, if we believe (y) Quintilian, was in his time by most used as an Artifice and Disguise to conceal the worst of Vices under a morose Look, and a Habit different from that of other Men. And from such Philosophers as these we must expect that the Scriptures should be read with no manner of Candor, or good and se∣rious Intention. (z) Origen gives Instances of the wilful Abuse of the Scriptures by some of his Time, who cavilled at half Sentences, without taking notice of the Coherence which they have of the rest. And he com∣plains that (a) Celsus seemed never to have read the Scriptures, though he pretended to a very exact Knowledge both of the Jewish and Christian Religion, but understood little of either. (b) Athenagoras, who before him had read the Scriptures with more care and sincerity, tho' with the same Design, became converted, and wrote in Defence of that Religion which he inten∣ded to oppose. (c) Hierocles like∣wise had read the New Testament with a design to write against it, but he who could believe the Miracles of Apollonius Tyaneus, and prefer that notorious Impostor to our Blessed Saviour, and Maximus Aegiensis, Damis the Philosopher,

and Philostratus to St. Peter and St. Paul, shews so strange a partiality as might be ex∣pected only in him, who opposed the Chri∣stian Religion by his Persecutions more than by his Arguments; for Hierocles was the chief promoter of the Persecution under Dio∣cletian.

2. The Gentiles looked upon the poor persecuted Condition of the Christians as an Argument against their Religion, and were not only prejudiced against a New Religion which must expose them to Sufferings, by that fondness which Men naturally have for their own Ease and Safety, but (d) when they saw the Christians in Distress they would upbraid them, as the Psalmist's Enemies re∣proached him, saying, Where is now thy God? They considered their own Religion as the Religion of their Country, and of their An∣cestors, which was what Tully said for it, when he ruined all the Grounds and Preten∣ces in behalf of it. They alleged that this had been the Religion of their Forefathers, and that the Roman Empire had arrived to so much Power and Greatness under its In∣fluence. This was so much insisted upon, as is to be seen in Zosimus, Symmachus and others, that Orosius set himself to answer it in a particular Work, and St. Austin, who put him upon Writing it, thought himself con∣cerned in his own Works to oppose so un∣reasonable, but fatal a Prejudice.

3. The Consequence of these Prejudices against the Christian Religion, both in Fa∣vour to the Religion of their Country, and in Fondness for their old Opinions, and out of an Abhorrence of Afflictions, and a Dis∣regard of those, who were so much exposed to them, as having but small pretence to any part of the Divine Care; the Consequence, I say, of these Errors and Prejudices was, that the Gentiles despised the Christian Re∣ligion before they understood any thing of it. For many Men of Learning and Obser∣vation were so little acquainted with it, that they did not distinguish Christians from Jews, as we see by (e) Suetonius. They knew not so much the true Pronunciation of the Name of Christ, or Christian, but were wont to write (f) Chre∣stus and Chrestianus. This the Apologists much insist upon, that they condemned and persecuted what they did not understand, the Chri∣stians desired no more than a fair Hear∣ing, and if they might but be suffered to make their Religion fully known to their Adversaries, they begged no further Fa∣vour.

4. It was believed (g) that the Heathen Oracles had delivered, that the Christian Religion should continue no longer than Three hundred and sixty five Years, and it is observable that Julian the Apostate died

A. D. CCCLXV. according to some Chro∣nologers, tho' others place his Death Two Years before. It seems the Devil had some great Expectation from his Reign, but at or near that very time, in which he had foretold that the Christian Religion should have an end (if the Computation were to be made from the Nativity of Christ) he saw an end of all his hopes in the Death of that Emperor, who was so zealous in his Service, and had given out severe Threatnings against the Christians of what they were to expect, if he had re∣turned victorious from that Expedition in which he perished. And this Prediction had respect probably to his Reign, though the Greek Verses in which it was delivered might be altered afterwards, or so contrived at first, as to extend it to a longer time, lea∣ving it uncertain from whence the Calcula∣tion was to begin. However this Oracle kept many of the Gentiles from being Chri∣stians, till they saw the time past, which they supposed to be meant by it, as St. Au∣stin assures us.

5. The Heresies and Schisms which soon arose in the Church, gave great Scandal and Offence to such, as judged of these things at a distance, and in the gross, without exami∣ning into the Occasions of them. The (h) Jews not only Blasphemed Christ in the Synagogues, but made choice of Men on purpose, whom they sent from Jerusalem in∣to

all Parts of the World to vilifie him and his Religion. (i) And because Christians spoke of Christ's Kingdom, this was under∣stood to their Prejudice, as if they had been for setting up a Temporal Kingdom by Re∣bellion. And the evil Doctrins and Practices of divers Hereticks confirmed Men in any ill Opinion, which they had conceived of Chri∣stians in general. The absurd Doctrins and Heresies of the Gnosticks and other Hereticks, were by the Enemies of the Gospel in their Censures and Invectives applied to all Chri∣stians without distinction, and were taken upon Trust by most Men. (k) Celsus makes Objections from the erroneous and wicked Notions and Practices of the Ophitae, the Va∣lentinians, the Marcionites and others. This caused the Christians in their Apologies to press earnestly for a fair and impartial Hear∣ing of their Cause, beseeching their Enemies that they would not be so injurious to the Truth and to themselves, as to despise and condemn what they did not understand: They were desirous to undergo any Tryal, if they might but be admitted to be heard.

6. Yet many, who did not actually be∣come Christians, had more favourable and just Thoughts of the Christian Religion. (l) Alexander Severus had the Effigies of Christ in his Chappel, and had designed to erect a Temple for the Worship of him, and to insert his Name among the Heathen Gods.

As it is reported, that Adrian likewise with the same Intention had commanded Temples to be built without Images in all Cities, but was dissuaded by some, who consulted the Oracles about it, which gave out, that all Men would then become Christians, and the other Temples would soon be forsaken. This, which is related concerning Adrian, has been by some supposed to be a mistake, because the Fathers say nothing of it. But Ael. Lam∣pridius (or rather Spartianus) who mentions it, being a Heathen, might perhaps have it from the Gentiles, for it was only in Adrian's Intention, to set up the Worship of Christ, which might be unknown by the Christians of his time, the design being laid aside upon consulting the Oracles. It was certainly re∣ported in the Historian's time, as he declares, and yet this Objection lies as well against the Report as against the Reality of the thing: For it is strange that a Report of this nature should be mentioned by no Christian Writer, though there had been no Truth in it. (m) Aemilianus the Prefect of Egypt ask∣ed Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, when he was brought before him, why, if he, whom the Christians Worshipped, be God, they could not Worship him with the other Gods? Many admired the Doctrin, and were convinced of the Truth of the Christian Re∣ligion, who could not free themselves from the Prejudices of their Education; they

would have been willing to have it taken in among others, but could not bring them∣selves to relinquish all their old Religions for it. The Calumnies raised against the Chri∣stians had caused the popular Odium and Rage against them, but they were Vindicated by (n) Pliny in an Epistle to Trajan, by Serenius Granianu•• Proconsul of Asia in his Epistle to Adrian, by Adrian himself in his Rescript, by Antoninus Pius in his Epistle to the Com∣mon Council or the Community of the Estates of Asia, though some ascribe this Epistle to M. Antoninus (not to mention his Epistle to the Senate of Rome.) (o) Trypho the Jew likewise frees them from the Crimes com∣monly laid against them, and owns the Excel∣lency of their Precepts contained in the Go∣spel. And it is observable, that those Crimes which had been wont to be objected against the Christians by their former Adversaries, were not mentioned by Julian, in Discourses written to oppose them; who (p) elsewhere speaks of them in such a manner, and so much to their commendation, as shews the mighty force of Truth which could ex∣tort it from him. But the Fear and Shame of Men hindred divers from embracing the Christian Religion, who had a truer Notion of Things, than to approve of their own. (q) Seneca exposed the Heathen Worship, and express'd himself with bitterness against the the Jews, but being able to find nothing to

blame in the Christian Religion, nor daring to commend it for fear of giving Offence to the Heathens, he made no mention of it at all.

These and such as these were the Occasions of the Unbelief of the Jews and Gentiles: Though it must be confessed, that there is nothing more difficult to be accounted for than the Notions and Actions of Men; it is as hard to give an Account how (r) Seneca and Plutarch should allow of the Murdering or Starving of poor Infants (as they certainly did) as why they were not Christians. No Phaenomena in Nature can be more variable and uncertain in their Causes than the Opi∣nions and Practices of Men, which differ ac∣cording to their Tempers and Capacities and Circumstances; it is sufficient, if we can find out any probable Solution, and have several to offer, which might take place according to several Cases. But the Writings of such as opposed the Christian Religion, were very slight and frivolous, containing a Confession for the most part of the principal Matters of Fact, upon which our Faith is established, and raising only some weak Cavils which never came up to the main Cause, or under∣took to disprove the Truth of the Miracles and Prophecies upon which it is founded. They could not deny the Miracles, upon which our Religion is established, and then let any Man judge what Reasons they could

have for their Infidelity. And indeed the prevaling of the Christian Religion under all manner of Disadvantages as to Humane Means, shewed that the Adversaries of it, had little to say against it, For they must be but poor Arguments, which could not dissuade Men from becoming Christians, when they must incurr all the Dangers and Sufferings of this World to be so.

The Books of the first Heathen Writers against the Christian Religion are frequent∣ly cited by St. Jerom, and St. Austin, and o∣ther Authors of their Time, as commonly known, and probably they were extant long after. So that their Arguments were baffled, and destroyed, long before the Books them∣selves, and they had Time and Opportuni∣ty enough to do all the Mischief that they were capable of. And their Writings are not yet so far lost, but that we still know their Principal Arguments, which the Christi∣an Writers have not concealed, but have given them their full Force, and common∣ly in their own Words. Origen was so care∣ful to omit nothing considerable which Cel∣sus had alleged, that he was often forced to make Apologies for mentioning the same things over again, rather then he would seem to let any things pass, which was Ma∣terial, that his Adversary had said, without taking Notice of it. (s) And some Pieces are preserved entire, as the Petition of Sym∣machus

among the Epistles of St. Ambrose, and the Epistle of Maximus Madaurensis a∣mong those of St. Austin. The Arguments of Julian are set down at large by St. Cyril; and we Learn from (t) St. Chrisostom that the Books of the Philosophers against the Christian Religion, were neglected and des∣pised by the Gentiles themselves, and were scarce to be found but among the Christians, before the Edict of Theodosius Junior, to pro∣hibit them.

There was a long Succession of Philoso∣phers and Sophists, who made it their busi∣ness to oppose the Christian Religion. The Shool of Platonists, which continued at A∣thens for some Ages, would revive, or rein∣force, any Arguments, that had been used by their Predecessors in Opposition to Christianity. Proclus and Damascius, who were of this School, lived about the middle of the Sixth Age, and the Writings of Dama∣scius were extant (u) in Photius's time, in the middle of the Ninth Age; the History of Eu∣napius was then likewise extant, and is (x) said to be preserved at Venice: We have the Abridgment of it by Zosimus and a sufficient Specimen of his malicious Invectives in his o∣ther Writings. And it is probable, that these, and many other Books of the like na∣ture, which are now lost, continued much longer, than any Accounts, which we have now remaining of them mention. Of about

Thirty Answers (y) which were written to Porphyry, by several Authors, not one of them is now to be found. When the World was satisfied of the insufficieny of his Ob∣jections, the Answers to his Books were as little regarded as the Books themselves, but underwent the same Fate with them.

The Jews, who from the beginning of Christianity, before, but especially since, the Destruction of Jerusalem, have in vast Num∣bers been spread all over the World, and have ever been the most implacable Enemies of the Gospel, had the greatest Opportunity to detect any falshood in it, and have never omitted any Advantage of improving and enforcing the Arguments against it; and and therefore would be sure to retain any thing considerable, which had been objected by their Fore-Fathers, or by the Heathens, with whom they conversed. The Jews have been a perpetual restless Enemy in all Parts and Ages of the World, and nothing mate∣rial in this Case, would escape their Obser∣vation. But out of the Writings of the An∣cient Jews, which are still extant, many things have been alleged by many Learned Men, of our own and other Nations, in confirmation of our Religion, from the Confession of the Jews themselves.

The Unbelief therefore both of the Jews and Gentiles of those Ages, is no material Objection; nor altogether so unaccountable

as the Unbelief of too many now, who were born among Christians, and have had their Education in the Christian Religion. The Truth is, Example is always the weakest Ar∣gument in any Case, and can be of no Force or Authority against the clearest rational Evi∣dence.

Notes

• (k)

  Bux∣torf. de Abbrev. Hebr.
• (l)

  Euseb. Hist. lib. V. c. 18.
• (m)

  Id lib. IV. c. 5. Sulp. Se∣ver. lib. II. c. 45.
• (n)

  Euseb. ib. lib. II. c. 23.
• (o)

  Euseb. Hist. lib. HI. c. 35.
• (p)

  See Mr. Thornd. of the Primit. Government of Churches, c. 5. and Dr. Hammond on St. John Epist. 2. and Rev. xi. 3.
• (q)

  Epi∣phan. Haer. 30. n. 4.
• (f)

  Lightf. Hebr. & Talmud. Exercit. in Matt. 11.1
• (g)

  De Ab∣brev. Hebr.
• (t)

  Arri∣an. Epict. lib. III. c. 22.
• (u)

  —Prope est a te De∣us, tecum est, intus est. Ita dico, Lucili, sacer intra nos spiritus sedet, bonorum, malorumq•• nostrorum observator & custos, &c. Senec. Epist. 41.
• (x)

  Epist. 21.
• (y)

  Instit. lib. I. c. 1.
• (z)

  Con∣tra Celf. lib. II.
• (a)

  Ib. lib. I.
• (b)

  Philip. Sidet. a∣pud Dodw. Append. ad Dissert. in Irenae. e. Cod. MS. Baroc.
• (c)

  Euseb. contr. Hier. & Lactant. Institut. lib. V. c. 2, 3. De Mortib. Persecut. c. 16.
• (d)

  Aug. Civit. Dei lib. I. c. 29.
• (e)

  Sueton in Clau∣dio, c. 25.
• (f)

  Nam nee Nominis certa est notitia penes vos. Tertul. Apol. c. 3. Sue∣ton. ib. Lactant. Lib. IV. c. 7
• (g)

  Aug. de Civit. Dei, Lib. XVIII. c. 53, 54.
• (h)

  Just. Martyr. Dialog.
• (i)

  Id. Apol. 2.
• (k)

  Orig. cont. Celf. lib. 6, 7, 8.
• (l)

  Ael. Lamprid. in Alex. Severo.
• (m)

  Euseb Hist. lib VII. c. 11
• (n)

  Plin. lib. X. E∣pist. 97. Just. Mar. Apol. 2. Eus. Hist. lib. IV. c. 8, 9, 13.
• (o)

  Just. Martyr. Dial.
• (p)

  Epist. 49. & Fragm. Epist. p. 305.
• (q)

  Aug. Civit. Dei lib. VI. c. 11.
• (r)

  Senec. de Ira. lib. I. c. 25. Plut. in Lycurg.
• (s)

  Ambr. lib. 2. E∣pist. 11. Aug. Epist 43.
• (t)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Vid. Span∣hem. in Julian. oper. Prae∣fat.
• (u)

  Phot. cod. CLXXXI. CCXLII. LXXVII.
• (x)

  Voss de Graec. Hist.
• (y)

  Hol∣stein. de Vit. & Script. Porphyt. c. 10.