NOTES. Ir would be a very easy thing to produce evidences from all contemporary historians of the sufferings of the apostles, of their unshaken firmness, and of the undiminished and resistless attraction of christianity: but we shall content ourselves with the selection of a few. Tacitus relates the fact of the persecution raised against the Christians by Nero, and describes it as attended by "circumstances of "the utmost rigour and cruelty." Tacit. Annal. lib. xv. cap. 44. Suetonius bears the same testimony to the sufferings of these primitive saints, when he says, "The Christians were severely punish"ed-a class of men devoted to a novel and mischievous super"stition." Suet. Nero Claud. Cæs. cap. xvi. Pliny describes their worship, while he condemns what he calls their obstinacy, and confesses that they were harmless in their deportment. "They were accustomed," he says, " to assemble, and "to sing hymns to Christ, as to God." Soliti essent convenire, carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere. Plin. in Epist. An ancient superstition, the worship of Jesus Christ as God is, if it be indeed what it is represented by Unitarians-idolatry! The ancient fathers bear the same testimony with these profane historians and they indeed shared the calamities which they described. Justin Martyr says-" So far from repenting of your sins" (in crucifying the Saviour) " ye sent men of distinguished talents : "through every land, to represent Christians as atheists, and to dis"seminate in their discourses all those evil reports of us which those "have raised who knew us not!" Just. Mart. Dial. cum Tryph. p. 171. Thirlb. Yet, amid all this virulence of opposition, the cause of christianity grew; and while their enemies raved," To the lions with them," the whole world beheld them rising on every side as willing to suffer, as their adversaries were eager to afflict. But we shall say nothing further. If any man desires a confirmation of the preceding Lecture, he has only to read Justin Martyr, and Tertullian. To the existence and the writings of Paul, Longinus bears testimony, when he ranks him among the most distinguished men that have ever appeared. Κορωνίς δ ̓ ἔστω λόγω πανὸς και φρονήματος. Ελληνικό Δημοσθένης, Λυσίας, Αισχίνης, ̓Αριστείδης, Ισαῖος, Τίμαςχος, Ισοκράτης, Δημοσθένης ὁ Κρίθινος, Ξενοφῶν, πρὸς τέτοις ΠΑΥΛΟΣ ὁ Ταρσεύς, ὅν τινα και πρῶτον φημι προϊστάμενον δόγματος ἀναπο δείκτε. Fragment. I.-E. Cod. MS. to Vat. -Pearce's Longinus, LECTURE XIV. CONCLUDING LECTURE. THE UNSEARCHABLE GOD: OR, AN AT- EQUALLY OVERSPREADS NATURE AND JOB XXXVI, 14. Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power, who can understand? MAN is a needy, dependent creature, from his birth to his death. His first cry is the voice of want and helplessness; his last tear flows from the same source; and in no one intermediate period of his life, can he be pronounced independent. His eye, the moment it is opened, is turned upon another for assistance. His limbs must be sheltered from the cold: his nutriment provided, and his wants supplied by the care and exertions of others: or he would perish in the hour of his birth. A few months expand his limbs; and then a new train of wants succeeds. He must be watched with incessant vigilance, and guarded with unceasing care and anxiety, against a thousand diseases which wait to precipitate him to a premature grave. The quivering flame of an existence scarcely communicated, is exposed to sudden and furious blasts, and it requires all a parent's skill to interpose a screen which may prevent it's extinction; and, alas! after all, such interpositions as human skill and tenderness can supply, are often ineffectual, and the prevailing blast extinguishes the sickly fire. The child begins to think, and a new field of exertion is opened to the mother. He needs direction, and is dependent upon her wisdom and affection for his earliest sources of information. She watches and facilitates the dawn of reason. She teaches her child for what end he came into the world; and in language adapted to his capacity, exhibits to the enquiring mind, and pours into the listening ear, his high and immortal destination. Oh, then with what anxiety she watches the speaking countenance! With what skill she directs the passions! With what assiduity she strives to eradicate, or at least to bring into subjection his visible propensity to evil, and the impulses of a depraved nature! Who among us cannot look back to this early period, and remember a mother's short, impressive conversation-her entreaties-her caresses-her restrictions-and her tears? The boy advances in wisdom, and in stature, and in strength: but he is still dependent. And now he must pass into other hands. There are many things which it is necessary for him to know, and to learn, in order to his passage through life with respectability, which it is not a mother's province to teach him. Besides, it is needful that he should sojourn for a season with strangers, to prepare him for the approach of that time, when he must quit the paternal roof for ever, and force his way through the wide world! Grown up at length to manhood, he is still dependent. He lives by conferring and receiv ing mutual offices of kindness. It is not good for him to be alone. He links his fortunes and his interests, his hopes and his fears, his joys and his sorrows, with those of another. His |