every thing worthy recording relative to the Jewish nation, both in its former state, and in the degradation to which it had sunk in his days; should have omitted to speak of an event, nearly contemporary with himself, which was in every one's mouth, which excited such a ferment in his own nation; and while a new sect, springing from this very event, attracted the notice and the persecntion of both Jews and Gentiles, and boldly, perseveringly, successfully, disseminated their tenets around him. 5. Origen, who flourished about 200 years after Christ, appeals to this testimony when he says, Εν γαρ τω οκτωκαιδεκάτω της Ιεδαϊκής αρχαιολογίας ο Ιωσσηπος, &c. ο δ' αυτός, και τοιγε απίστων τω Ιησε ως Χρισίω, &c.

Orig. contra Cels. lib. i, p. 35. Cantab. edit: 1677.

NOTE 6 Testimonies of Justin Martyr, and of Tertulian, to the facts of the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ. JUSTIN MARTYR, speaking of the parting of our Lord's vesture, &c. appeals to the acts of Pilate then extant. Δε ταυτα οτι γεγονε, δύνασθε μαθειν εκ των επι Ποντιος Πιλάτε γενομένων ακτών.

Just. Martyr. Apol. prima, p. 56, Thirlbii. edit. 1732. This Apology was addressed to the emperor Antoninus Pius. Again, he challenges Crescens to a public contest on the

merits of christianity before the Roman senate.

Και οτι αληθη λέγε,

ει μη ανηνέχθησαν υμιν αι κοινωνίας των λόγων, ετοιμος και εφ υμων κοινωνείν των ερωτήσεων παλιν βασιλικον δ' αν και τότο εργον είη.

Just. Martyr. Apol. secunda, p. 122, Thirlbii edit. 1722. This apology was addressed to the Roman senate. Epiphanius also speaks of the acts of Pilate, and is quoted by the learned and accurate Grotius. See Grot. de Ver. Rel. Christ. lib. ii, sect. ii, in not. 5.

TERTULLIAN thus speaks of the opinion which Tiberias had formed of Christ, and of christianity, from the authentic records which he had received from Palestine, respecting him:

Tiberius ergo, cujus tempore nomen Christianum in seculum intravit, annuntiata sibi ex Syria Palæstina quæ illic veritatem istius divinitatis revelarant detulit ad senatum cum prærogativa suffragii sui. Senatus, quia non ipse probaverat, respuit: Cæsar in sententia mansit, comminatus periculum accusatoribus Christianorum-Consulite commentarios vestros! Tertull. Apologet. p. 6. Lutet. edit. 1634.

He explains why the will of the emperor alone could not prevail to enrol Christ among the number of the gods, to which

he was so decidedly inclined-Vetus erat decretum, ne qui deus ab imperatore consecraretur, nisi a senatu probatus. There was an ancient decree that no god should be consecrated by the emperor, unless approved by the senate. Tertullian would not have dared, at that time, to have,affirmed these things, had they not been true: much less would he have thrown out the challenge, "Consult your records!"

NOTE 7.-ORIGEN mentions Phlegon's testimony to the darkness at our Lord's crucifizion, as also to the earthquake. Περι δε της επι Τιβέριο Καισαρος εκλείψεως, ο βασιλεύοντος και ο Ιηςός εοίκεν εσταυρώσθαι, και περί των μεγάλων τότε γενομένων σεισμών της γης, ανέγραψε και φλέγων εν τω πρισκαιδεκάτω οιμαι των Χρονικών.

Orig. contra Cels. p. 80. Cantab. edit. 1677.

NOTE 8. To what has been translated from PLINY in the Lecture, may be added his testimony of the rapid spread of Christianity.

"Many of every age, of every rank, and of both sexes, were brought into danger. The contagion of this superstition had spread, not into cities merely, but also into villages, and into fields. The temples were nearly desolate. The most sacred rites for some time were suspended. And scarcely any one was found to purchase victims for them.

Plin. Epist. lib. x. epist. 97.

LECTURE XIII.

It 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 attractions 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 rigor 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. punished-a class of men devoted to a novel and mischievous superstition."

Suct. Nero Claud. Cas. 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 Unitariansidolatry!

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 Savior) "ye sent men of distinguished talents through every land, to represent Christians as atheists, and to disseminate 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.

LECTURE XIV. ́

WE have described the sun as a body of fire. Such it has long been considered: but modern astronomy has shaken this opinion of antiquity. The ingenious Dr. Herchel supposes "that it is an opaque body surrounded by an atmosphere of aphosphoric nature, composed of various transparent and elastic fluids, by the decomposition of which light is produced, and lucid appearances formed of different degrees and intensity." And he concludes that it is even probably an inhabited world. We venture not to hazard an opinion upon this novel hypothesis: the name of Dr. Herschel ranks.high in the department of literature which ne has chosen. But may I be permitted to recommend to the attention of young persons, studying the principles of astronomy, "Gregory's Lessons Astronomical and Philosophical."—from which the above statement is extracted? They are familiar and instructive, amusing and scientific, at one and the same time.

THE END.