evil, and through a feries of ages, to execute the gracious purposes of his providence, by the operation of causes apparently the most adverse to them. This last point, is intended to be illuftrated by an enumeration of fome of the chief difficulties, which our religion encountered in it's infant state, and continued to encounter till the commencement of the reformation, and by endeavouring to point out the good effects with which they have been attended.

WITHIN a fhort time after our Saviour's afcenfion, the animofity of the Jews against his Disciples, occafioned the violent death of the first martyr, Saint Stephen; and raged fo vehemently against the church which was at Jerufalem, that all, except the Apostles, were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. No event could promise to be more fatal to the infant church than the early difperfion of its members,

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bers, before they could have been well instructed in the principles of their religion. Yet to us, to whom the view of God in permitting this difperfion has been explained by it's actual confequences, it appears to have contributed greatly to the enlargement of the church, perhaps to have been essential to it's preservation. Had the difciples been allowed to continue unmolefted at Jerufalem, the chief priests, at fome moment favorable to their purpose, might have enflamed the paffions and prejudices of the multitude, and, by instigating them to the deftruction of the Apostles, have at once annihilated the christian name: for though they had been obliged, because of the people, to releafe Saint Peter and Saint John without punishment, yet the popular opinion might turn against the Apoftles, as it had done in the cafe of their divine master: but when, in confequence of this difperfion on Saint Stephen's death, those

those who were fcattered abroad went every where preaching the word, and the people with one accord gave heed to them; fuch an attempt, however compleatly executed, would no longer appear likely to effect their object, ignorant as they were of the particular ends which the Apostles were destined to ferve: and this may poffibly account in fome measure, for the Apostles continuing fo long in fafety in that very city to which Saul was commiffioned to bring those bound, whom he should find profeffing the fame faith at Damascus.

THE reluctance which the Jews in general shewed to embrace chriftianity, was, in a very striking instance, eventually favorable to it's establishment. If that people had received the gospel readily, and their rulers had fupported it, the preachers of it would have immediately proceeded to propogate it in other parts of the Roman empire; this,

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this, accompanied by fuch a change in Judea, would have foon alarmed the fufpicious jealoufy of the government; the rifing fect would have appeared fo formidable, that measures would have been early taken for it's utter extirpation; especially as the indignation with which the Jews fubmitted to the yoke impofed on them, and the erroneous notions they entertained respecting the Meffiah, were not unknown to their conquerors. But by the oppofition which the Gospel met with among the Jews, to whom it was to be first preached, the Apostles were detained in Judea and the neighbouring countries; their proceedings were litle observed, and less regarded by the Roman government, as no alteration appeared in the conduct of the ruling powers at Jerufalem: and their followers, being confidered only as a fect of the Jews, were tolerated till they had diffused their doctrines into almost every province of the empire.

empire. At length the attention of the emperors was roufed, and the moft malicious infinuations were employed to exasperate them against the followers of Chrift, on one hand by the Jews, who faw the estimation in which the ceremonial law had been held daily declining; and, on the other, by the heathen priests, who in the prevalence of the new religion, beheld the fubverfion of their own. During above two centuries and a half, the chriftians enjoyed no affurance of ease or safety, and frequently endured the most dreadful fufferings of every fort: contempt, reproach, torments, and death, every where awaited the profeffion of the Gospel, learning and sophistry were exerted against it.

SUCH, indeed, is the nature of the human mind, that oppofition, and even perfecution, confirm it in the principles which it has embraced. And, as they never fail to interest others

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