Creator, who was at present strange to them, though convinced by their reason of the existence of some Supreme Being.

The condemnation of idolatry, and declaration of the truth which follows, is delivered in a tone of authority arising from the speaker's own confidence, which is beautifully blended with the compassion which he feels towards the ignorant and erring objects of his address. He speaks in that decisive strain of conscious superiority, which a Christian of the present day would adopt towards a tribe of Indians or Chinese. Yet who was the speaker? A stranger from an obscure province of Syria. Where was he speaking? In Athens, the instructress of the world. Whom was he addressing? The philosophers of highest repute in their age, to whom the wisest of other countries came for illumination.

He does not, however, launch at once into the mysteries of the faith which he professed. His mind is not so enthusiastically filled with

the message of salvation which it was his office to convey, as to overlook the wisest method of imparting it. His object is, to prepare them to meet a future judgment: therefore he directs his blow towards their consciences and their fears. "The times of former ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent; because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all, in that he hath raised him again from the dead ","

The effect of this novel declaration was the very effect to be anticipated from all that we know of human nature, and of that particular audience. When they found that his doctrine involved the question of the resurrection of the dead, a part ridiculed the idea; a part postponed the consideration of it; while some adhered to him, and "believed."

9 Acts, xvii. 30.

He must have unusual confidence in the inventive powers of the early Christians, who can look upon these narratives, and the many others which are contained in the "Acts of the Apostles," as a mere fabrication: remembering, at the same time, the age to which the book indisputably belongs, and the persons by whom it must have been composed. When we consider the immense quantity of matter and the great variety of facts contained in it: the minute circumstances detailed: when we compare the speeches of Peter with those of Paul; and those of Paul to the Ephesians with those which he addressed to an unconverted audience: when we examine the conduct attributed to the Jews: their open persecution at Jerusalem, and their indirect accusation at Thessalonica; the ingenuity with which the adversaries of the apostles address themselves to the passions and interests of men in the different cities: the characters of Gallio, of Felix, of Lysias, of Agrippa: it seems impossible to suppose this an invented narrative of things which never took place, or of persons who never had a real existence. This argument,

indeed, can have no weight with a person who is not sensible of the air of truth and reality which pervades the whole history. But whoever is alive to this, whoever does perceive in almost every page the marks of a writer detailing the account of actual transactions and circumstances, should observe that the proof which arises from evidence of this kind, is not to be deemed far-fetched or imaginary, because it is incapable of being drawn out in words, or of being presented to the mind of the sceptic in any other way than by sending him to the books themselves 10.

To return, however, to the history. It is a point of some importance, that on the supposition of the facts being true, which form the basis of Christianity, 'every thing might have been expected to happen, which the history records as having actually taken place. Miraculous interference was to be expected, which might effect the sure, but gradual, establishment

1° See Paley's Hora Paulinæ, conclusion, p. 359.

of the religion. It was also to be expected, that it should be partially, and not universally received.

I. Whatever difficulties the moral state of the world presents at all times, no one who considers what that state was at the period in question can be surprised that God should devise a plan for its melioration. But supposing that he had devised such a plan, it is probable also that he would authenticate it by such visible interpositions of his power as are said to have accompanied the ministry of Jesus and his apostles. Because we cannot believe that without some co-operation of this kind, their preaching would have attracted the slightest attention, much less have effected what it did effect, the conversion of the civilized world. We talk with ease of the introduction of a religion. But if we set the case fairly before our minds, the obstacles will appear such as both justify and require the use of extraordinary means. However familiarly spoken of, it is not an occurrence of every day to change the religion of mankind.