crease of Christianity, in his life of the same emperor. And Pliny*, in a letter to the emperor Trajan, writes that the inquiry, which had been entered upon in order to persecute those who believed in Christianity, had extended to persons of all ranks and ages, and of both sexes; and that it was not confined to the cities only, but had spread its infection (as he is pleased to call it) to the country villages. Lucian † says, that in the time of the emperor Commodus, Pontus was filled with Epicureans and Christians. It is to be observed, that Christianity was thus early diffused over the Roman empire, notwithstanding the violent persecutions which opposed it; which arose, among other causes, from a maxim which always prevailed with the Romans, that it was dangerous and subversive of the state to admit of any innovation in religion. Christianity increased with the greatest rapidity in the Roman empire, though it was thought the welfare, the existence of the state, required its extirpation; which would never have happened, if it had not been founded on truth, if it had not been the word of God. If the report of the apostles had been false, in regard to the resurrection of their Master, it would have been very easy for the chief priests and rulers of the Jews to have proved its falsity to the world. If what they told the Roman soldiers, who watched the sepulchre of Jesus, to say, had been true; if his disciples had gone to it by night, and stolen away his body, when they were asleep (to steal which from a guard of soldiers, stationed at the very spot, without alarming them, must appear to every one utterly impracticable; especially, too, as the chief priests *Vide Pliny's letter to the Emperor Trajan on the progress of Christianity, lib 10, ep. 97. The words of Pliny are, Multi enim omnis ætatis, omnis ordinis, utriusque sexus etiam, vocantur in periculum et vocabuntur. Neque enim civitates tuntum, sed vicos etiam atque agros, superstitionis istius contagio perva、 gata est. + Vide Lucian in Alexandro, cap. xvi. + Vide Livi Histo. lib. 39, cap. xvi. and Valerius Maximus, lib. 1, cap. iii. had set a stone at the door of the sepulchre, which they had sealed); if the disciples of Jesus had done this, it would have been very easy for the chief priests to have sifted the whole matter to the bottom, and to have given satisfactory proofs of the deception to all mankind. But we do not find that they took any such steps, zealous as they were to oppose the preaching of the apostles. If the resurrection of Jesus did not happen, the apostles must have entered into a plot, they must have agreed together in regard to the minute circumstances of the report that they should make to the world. How, then, could it be, that not one among so many confederates in a cheat, or urged by conscience, or appalled by danger, or subdued by persecution, should have exposed the fraud, and avowed his criminality? What ceinent, if it had been a plot, could have bound the confederacy? What could have given perseverance to twelve dishonest men (for such they must have been in the extreme, if they had forged the story of their Master's resurrection) to continue in a falsehood, which must appear even to themselves an unprofitable one? Is it not strange, is it to be believed, that twelve such persons should abide by such a falsehood during their lives, that they should maintain it through every extremity, and obtrude themselves with it in their mouths into the presence of their Maker? And here I cannot forbear quoting the very words which the late ingenious Zachary Pearce uses on this subject, in his arguments against that weak and wild writer Woolston, in his Miracles of Jesus Vindicated." He says, upon the apostles unanimously asserting the fact of their Master's resurrection with their dying breath, and when expiring under the cruellest torturest, "This is naturally as strong a proof as a fact is capable of; for death is the utmost trial, the surest test, which human nature can be exposed to. And Vide Matthew, xxvii. 64, 65, 66. All the apostles, except John, sealed their testimony with their blood. it is no abatement to the force of this proof to say, that many cheats and criminals have asserted their innocence, and denied their guilt, in the utmost extremity of death; for the two cases are so far from being parallel, that they are exactly contrary; such cheats and criminals being tempted to this denial of their guilt by the hope of saving their lives; whereas, in the apostles' case, the only hope that they could Ive of saving their lives was by owning the falsehood (if it was one), and acknowledging themselves to be guilty; which is just the reverse of what they did." And now I will express my rapturous joy that there are such strong unanswerable arguments in favour of the resurrection of our Saviour (for, I trust, if we review this whole chain of reasoning, it will appear complete and satisfactory), by which it naturally follows, that the dreary, cheerless idea of our annilifation, is as false as it is horrible. We can prove by the resurrection of Christ, that our frame will not beconte, after death, like the kneaded clod; the tender parent, who is bowed to the earth for the loss of his beloved child, may raise his depressed head, as he may from hence be assured he will again view the object? upon which his eyes were wont to gaze with heartfelt joy; for we shall find (to use the triumphant fanguage of the apostle) that "We shall not all sleep,. but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory? The sting of Death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." -Cor. xv. 51-57. BOOK THE FIRST. THE ARGUMENT. The Poem opens with reflecting on the vanity or imperfection of Philosophy, and being delighted with the cheerful hope which the Gospel inspires of happiness in another state--A cursory description of several sects of Philosophers-Of the first school of Epicureans-the second the Stoics the Plato nists, or followers of Plato-the Academics of the Lyceum and of Aristotle-Cicero-Of the modern Sceptics who have been averse to the principles of the Gospel-Hobbes-Boling broke Voltaire-Hume-The disservices they have done to societyOf the aim of Christianity-It gives all the sound doctrines of the various schools of Philosophy, without any of their errors-It restrains or subdues the dangerous pas sions of Ambition, Lust, Pride, Avarice, Revenge-It inspire us with more than Roman fortitude-Some Roman heroes mentioned The otherwise splendid character, but the cowardly and buse death of Cato-The propriety, for the bet ter understanding the principles of Christianity, to attend to the life of the great Author of our faith-The awfulness of investigating his character, and viewing him in his inhu man death. NO more by vain Philosophy misled, From erring Reason or from Fancy bred; Where fears depress not, nor afflictions shock.hu" Which of perennial comfort can impart, In boundless measure, to the troubled heart: 10 15 But it will seem, will prove, as we descant, 20 No more inquiring roams th' unsettled mind, And thought of this short life the fev'rish dream Who learnt from them their speculative lore, 40 Some truths relating to the great First Cause: 50 Now to this school, and now to that inclin'd, 55 |