as he has given an account of other religious-sects in Judea, and even of John Baptist.

2d. Heathens. Celsus, Porphyry, Hierocles, and Julian, were the chief heathen opponents of Christianity, during the first four centuries, by their writings. Although they were its most learned opponents, they were compelled to admit the facts of Christianity, and also the miracles by which it had been attested. Eusebius, Tacitus, Suetonius, Trajan, Pliny the younger, all bear their testimony to the principal facts of Christianity. The above Jews and heathens, had the best means of refuting the facts, and suppressing Christianity if it could have been done. The fact of Christ's resurrection, is inseparable from Christianity, and it is a fact invalidated by no contrary testimony. The apostles, publicly and boldly asserted it in the very city where it happened; and immediately after it took place a church was founded there, the chief article of their creed being that Christ was risen from the dead. This fact was rapidly spread throughout the whole Roman empire, by the writings, preaching, and persecutions of those who believed it. If the Christian religion was true, all other religions were false. To put it down, was of course a matter of deep concern to all. But let it be noticed, that the general facts of Christianity, and the miracles attending it, were on all hands admitted, and reasoned on both by friends and foes, Jews and Gentiles. A statement, under the authority of the Jewish and Roman governors, contradicting the facts and the miracles of Christianity, would have done more to suppress it, than all the reasonings of philosophers, and persecuting edicts of the Roman emperors. But nothing of this kind appeared. It is not even surmised that the facts of Christianity were false, the miracles a piece of deception, and the writings of Christians

spurious. Not a vestige of evidence appears in all antiquity of any contradictory statement like this, either by high or low, rich or poor, a false friend or declared enemy. It was an easy matter to have done this, could it have been done, for all the power of doing it, was in the hands of the enemies of Christianity. Besides, there was no vagueness in the events, facts, or miracles related, but on the contrary they are related with minuteness. Time, places, and circumstances are related. They are connected with other facts, and with public men, public places, and public measures. The persons on whom the miracles were performed, are often named, the places where performed, and the occasions of them are distinctly stated. In short, Jews and heathens, are deeply involved in guilt and disgrace, if Christianity cannot be proved false. The conduct of the Jewish rulers for hypocrisy, covetousness, and wickedness, is exposed, yea, the whole nation is disgraced if what they said was true. The Roman government was also deeply implicated in their statements. But whoever came forward and attempted to prove, that the apostles were liars and deceivers, and that the whole of Christianity was a piece of artful imposture. But if it can now be done, let deists gird themselves to the task. If they are sharp sighted enough at this distance of time, to expose the fraud, which those at the time and on the spot when Christianity arose could not detect, why not do it?

In concluding this topic, it may be further noticed, that we have-1st. The writings of the New Testa-. ment in our hand. Well how came these writings in existence? They surely did not make themselves. Who then were the authors? Allowing a copy of this book had never been heard of on the continent of America, but was found yesterday by a man digging a cellar. The book is examined, and refers to

transactions which happened eighteen hundred years ago. Well, the history of those times, and all succeeding ages to the present day, are carefully examined, and what does it furnish, showing that the matter of the New Testament is false? Nothing; on the contrary the books of the New Testament are found to have existed from so early a period; churches in various parts of the world have been their depositories; and the doctrines they teach, have been believed and the precepts inculcated obeyed by multitudes in every age since. The very opposition shown to them by enemies, and the controversies of Christians relative to the true meaning of their contents, prove their existence. All past writings must be denied as genuine before this can be denied.

2d. We have also the observance of the first day of the week by Christians. Well how came this observance to be first introduced? And why has it been so long and extensively observed in various quarters of the earth? Begin with the present day, and trace this matter backward, and all antiquity shows, that the observance of the first day of the week took its rise from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If he did not rise from the dead, this observance originated in a falsehood; but whether a fact or a falsehood, there cannot be a doubt that this was its origin. If the fourth of July is observed by Americans for eighteen hundred years to come, a man then, might just as well assert, that the observance of this day did not originate from the independence of America, as for one now to say, the keeping of the first day of the week did not originate from the resurrection of Christ.

3d. We have also the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper observed by Christians.Well how came they ever to be introduced? For it is certain they are in use, and have been in com

mon use, so long as any man now living can remember. Trace this matter back, as critically as you please, and you find them in use from the days of Christ and his apostles. From them they took their rise. They were unknown before this period, and at no subsequent period do we find a trace of their invention.

That the Christian religion took its rise from Jesus Christ, no Jew, deist, or any other man who has examined the subject will deny. Whether you trace this matter forward from the commencement of the Christian era to our day, or from our day backward to it, we must come to this same result. The exam

ination in either way will show, that the whole of Christianity rests on the fact, that Christ is risen. from the dead. The mass of evidence, and its variety, in support of this fact, is what we should call overwhelming evidence. The man would be deem-, ed insane, or beyond the reach of conviction by the force of evidence, who would remain sceptical with such evidence before him, on any civil, political or scientific subject. All that we have produced, is an imperfect sketch of the evidence, and we refer our readers to larger works where the subject is taken up in detail.

3d. Let us now notice the importance of the fact of Christ's resurrection. Some facts are of little importance. It is very different here, for, 1st, this fact was of great importance in proving Christ's claims to the Messiahship. To this he laid claim, but the Jews deemed him an impostor. To decide this point they repeatedly asked him for a sign. "Jesus answered and said unto them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body," John 2: 18—22.

See also Matt. 12: 38-40, and 16: 4. Here the decision of the controversy is placed on his rising on the third day. That the Jews perfectly understood this, is plain from their address to Pilate, to grant them a guard, and their sealing the stone for the greater security. See Matt. 27: 63-66. If Jesus

rose the third day, as he predicted, his claim to the Messiahship is established; but if he did not, he is proved an impostor, as the Jews alleged. If any imposition is practised, the power is in their own hands to prevent it; and we see they used every possible precaution that the question might be fairly tested. How then was it decided? Christ's apostles testified that God raised him up the third day, and that he was declared or determined to be the Son of God, by his resurrection, Rom. 1: 4. If God raised him from the dead, he must have borne testimony to an impostor, or it must be admitted he is the true Messiah.

2d. Christ's resurrection, and his rising on the third day, was of great importance in fulfilling the Old Testament Scriptures, and his own predictions respecting it. The following are all the places in which his rising the third day is mentioned.— And the reader, by consulting them, may see that no small degree of importance was attached to this circumstance, both by his enemies and the Scripture writers. His resurrection was predicted by himself, and his rising the third day was particularly specified, Matt. 16: 21. 17: 23. 20: 19. Mark 9: 31. 10: 34. Luke 9: 22. 18: 33. Mark 8: 31. John 2: 19, 21. His predicting he should rise on the third day, was made an accusation against him on his trial, Matt. 26: 61. Mark 14: 58. Jesus was insulted on the cross, about his rising the third day, Matt. 27: 40. It was his predicting this, which led his enemies to place the guard and seal the stone at the