Journies and Miracles of Thomas (a) and Andrew, and the other Apostles. And (b) Clemens, (c) Tertullian, (d) and others have observed, how far the Name

(a) And Andrew, &c.] See Eusebius in the Beginning of his forementioned Third Book, and Origen upon Genesis.

(b) Clemens, &c.] He says, Strom. V. that Christ was known in all Nations.

(c) Tertullian, &c.] In his first Book against the Jews. "In whom else have all Nations believed, but in Christ, who lately came? In whom have all these Nations believed, Par"thians, Medes, Elamites, and the Dwellers in Mesopotamia, "Armenia, Phrygia, Cappadocia; the Inhabitants of Pontus and "Asia, and Pamphylia: they that dwell in Egypt, and they "who live in the Country of Africa, beyond Cyrene; Romans "and Strangers; Jews and other Nations in Jerusalem; the "different Sorts of People in Getulia; the many Countries "of the Moors; all the Borders of Spain; the different "Nations of Gaul; and those Places of Britain, which the "Romans could not come at, are yet subject to Christ; the "Sarmatæ, and Daci, the Germans and Scythians; and many "other obscure Nations, and many Provinces and Islands un"known to us, so many that they cannot be reckoned? In all " which Places, the Name of Christ, who lately came, reigns." Presently after, he shows how much larger the Kingdom of Christ was in his Time, that is, the End of the second Century, than those of old, Nebuchadnezzar's, Alexander's, or the Romans' "The Kingdom of Christ overspreads all Places, is "received every where, in all the abovenamed Nations (he had "mentioned the Babylonians, Parthians, Indians, Ethiopia, "Asia, Germany, Britain, the Moors, Gertulians, and Romans) "it is in great Esteem: He reigns every where, is adored in "all Places, is divided equally amongst them all.”

(d) And others, &c:] Irenæus, who was ancienter than Tertullian, Book I. Ch. 3. "For though there be different Languages, the Power of Tradition is the same; neither the "Churches founded in Germany have any other Belief, or any other Tradition: For yet those in Iberia, nor those among the Celta, nor those which are in the East, nor those "in Egypt, nor those in Lybia, nor those that are established "in the Middle of the World: But like the Sun, which God, "created, and is one and the same throughout the whole "World: So the Light, the preaching of the Truth, shines every where, and enlightens all Men, who are willing to

66

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come

Name of Christ was famous in their Times, amongst the Britons, Germans, and other distant Nations.

"

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What

come to the Knowledge of the Truth." And Origen's Homily upon the ivth of Ezekiel: "The miserable Jews "confess, that these Things were foretold of the Presence of "Christ; but they are foolishly ignorant of his Person, though "they see what is said of him fulfilled; for when did the "British Land, before the coming of Christ, agree in the Worship of one God? When did the Country of the Moors, "when did the whole World together do so?" And Arnobius, Book II. "The Powers which they saw with their Eyes, " and those unheard-of Effects, which were openly produced, "either by him, or which were proclaimed, by his Disciples, "throughout the whole World, subdued those violent Appe"tites, and caused Nations and People, and those whose Manners were very different, to consent with one Mind, to the 66 same Belief: For we might enumerate, and take into our "Account those Things which were done in India among "the Sera, Persians, and Medes, in Arabia, Egypt, in Asia, "Syria, among the Galatians, Parthians, Phrygians, in Achaia, Macedonia, Epirus; in those Islands and Provinces, sur"veyed by the East and Western Sun; and lastly in Rome, "the Mistress of the World." And Athanasius, in his Synodical Epistle, which we find in Theodoret, Book IV. Chap. 3. mentions the Christian Churches in Spain, Britain, Gaul, Italy, Dalmatia, Mysia, Macedonia, Greece, Africa, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, Pamphylia, Lysia, Isauria, Egypt, Lybia, Pontus, and Cappadocia. And Theodoret, in his Eighth Discourse against the Greeks, speaks thus concerning the Apostles: "When they "were conversant in the Body, they went about, sometimes "to one Sort, and sometimes to another; sometimes they "discoursed to the Romans, sometimes to the Spaniards, and "sometimes to the Celtans; but after they returned to him "that sent them, all enjoyed their Labours without Excep"tion; not only the Romans, and they that loved the Roman "Yoke, and were subject to their Government, but also the "Persians and Scythians, and Massagetæ, and Sauromatæ, and Indians, and Æthiopians; and to speak in one Word, the "Borders of the whole World." And again in his Ninth Book, among the converted Nations, he reckons the Persians, the Massageta, the Tibareni, the Hyrcani, the Caspians, and Scythians. Jerom, in the Epitaph of Nepotian, reckons amongst the Christians the Indians, Persians, Goths, Egyptians, Bessians, and the People cloathed with Skins: In his Epistle to Lata, he reckons up the Indians, Persians, Goths, Ethiopians, Armenians, Huns, Scythians, and Getans: And in his Dialogue between an

orthodox

What Religion is there that can compare with it, (anten for the Extent of its Possession? If you answer, Brittany Heathenism: That indeed has but one Name, but is not one Religion: For they do not all he acqua worship the same Thing, for some worship the inted with Stars, others the Elements, others Beasts, others Things that have no Existence; neither are they 11 governed by the same Law, nor under one common Master. The Jews indeed, though very much scattered, are but one Nation; however, their Religion has received no remarkable Increase since Christ: Nay, their own Law is made more known by the Christians than by themselves. Mahometanism is settled in very many Countries, but not alone; for the Christian Religion is cultivated in those same Countries, and in some Places by a greater Number: Whereas, on the contrary, there are no Mahometans to be found in many Parts where the Christian Religion is.

orthodox Man and a Luciferian, he mentions the Britains, Gauls, the East, the People of India. The Iberians, the Celtiberians, and the Ethiopians. And Chrysostom in his Sixth Homily upon 1 Cor. says, "If they were not worthy to be be"lieved in what they said, how should their Writings have spread all over barbarous Countries, even to the Indians, "and those Countries beyond the Sea?" And again, in his last Homily upon Pentecost. "The Holy Spirit descended in "the Shape of Tongues, divided its Doctrine amongst the "several Climates of the World; and by this Gift of Tongues,

as it were by a particular Commission, made known to every 66 one, the Limits of that Command and Doctrine that was "committed to him." And again, in his famous Oration, concerning Christ's being God: "We must say then, that a

mere Man could not, in so short a Time, have overspread "the World, both Sea and Land; nor have so called Men to "such Things, who were with-held by evil Customs, nay, pos"sessed with Wickedness: Yet he was sufficient to deliver "Mankind from all these, not only Romans, but also Persians, " and all barbarous Nations." See also what follows, which is highly worth reading.

Considering

Considering the Weakness and Simplicity of those who taught it in the first Ages.

WE come next to examine, in what Manner the Christian Religion made such a Progress, that in this Particular also it may be compared with others. We see most Men are disposed to comply with the Examples of Kings and Rulers, especially if they be obliged to it by Law, or compelled by Force. To these the Religions of the Pagans, and that of the Mahometans, owe their Increase. But they who first taught the Christian Religion, were not only Men without any Authority, but of low Fortune, Fishers, Tent-makers, and the like: And yet, by the Industry of these Men, that Doctrine, within thirty Years, or thereabouts, spread not only through (a) all Parts of the Roman Empire, but as far as the Parthians men who and Indians. And not only in the very Beginning,pread the but for almost three hundred Years, by the In-Gospel one dustry of private Persons without any Threats,

without any Enticements, nay, opposed as much Fishers, endas possible, by the Power of those who were in malet Authority; this Religion was propagated so far, the divine that it possessed the greatest Part of the Roman Empire, (b) before Constantine professed Christie oud anity. They among the Greeks, who delivered the spake in Platonics, by the Study of Geometry; the Peri-a Longage patetics, by the History of Plants and Animals

Precepts of Morality, at the same Time renderedd themselves acceptable by other Arts; as

(a) All Parts of the Roman Empire, &c.] Rom. xv. 19. (b) Before Constantine professed Christianity, &c.] Tertullian said in his Time, Apology II. "We are but of Yesterday, "and have filled all Places belonging to you, your Cities, Is"lands, Castles, Towns, Councils, your very Camps, Tribes, Companies, the Palace, Senate and Forum; we have left "you only your Temples."

the

ey

the Stoics, by Logical Subtilty; the Pythagoreans, by the Knowledge of Numbers and Harmony. Many of them were endued with admirable Eloquence, as Plato, Xenophon, and Theophrastus. But the first Teachers of Christianity had no such Art. (a) Their Speech was very plain, without any Enticements; they declared only the Precepts, Promises, and Threats in bare Words; wherefore, since they had not in themselves any Power, answerable to such a Progress, we must of Necessity allow that they were attendwith Miracles; or that the secret Influence of God favoured their Undertaking; or both.

Gor himself influenced

the Propagand tion of ou Religion

SECT. XIX.

And the great Impediments that hindered Men from embracing it, or deterred them from professing it.

TO which Consideration we may add this; that the Minds of those who embraced the Christian Religion, taught by these Men, were not entirely free and unprejudiced from any established Rule of Religion, and consequently very pliable; as they were, who first embraced the Heathen Rites, and the Law of Mahomet: And much less were they prepared by any foregoing Institution; as the Hebrews were rendered fit for the Reception of the Law of Moses, by Circumcision, and the Knowledge of one God. But on the contrary, their Minds were filled with Opinions, and had acquired Habits, which are a second Nature, repugnant to these new Instructions; having been educated and confirmed by the Authority of Law, and of their Parents, in the Heathen Mysteries and Jewish Rites. And besides this, there

(a) Their Speech was very plain, &c.] This was wisely ob served by Chrysostom, on 1 Cor. i. 17. and by Theodoret, after the Words now quoted.

was