MR. B.

Celsus is supposed to have written his work against the Christians, entitled "The True Word," about the year 176; Porphyry wrote nearly one hundred years subsequently; and Julian about the year 361 so that sufficient time elapsed for the arguments of each to have their weight with the public.

BEATRICE.

Does it appear, from the remains of these authors, that they were men of sufficient acuteness to be regarded as able opponents of Christianity?

MR. B.

They have generally been considered as such. The arguments they make use of are of the kind that reasonably might be expected from persons situated as they were. There can be no doubt that they were most anxious to overthrow the Christian religion; and if the arguments they adduce be not sufficient so to do, we have far more reason to impute their failure to the weakness of the cause than to the folly or negligence of its advocates.

EDWARD

The talents of the emperor Julian are so well known, that it seems only reasonable to infer that nothing more could be adduced against Christianity, in his days, than what he himself brought forward.

MR. B.

Porphyry also appears to have been a man of no common talents or attainments. Of Celsus we know little, but from his work cannot think meanly of his abilities.

BEATRICE.

And what is the sum of the information derived from their works respecting Christianity?

MR. B.

Celsus informs us, that the Christians were at first few in number, but had increased greatly, and divided into parties among themselves; that they were in a state of persecution-their assemblies being forbidden, and the punishment of death hanging over them; yet they continued performing and teaching those things agreeably to their sentiments privately, and that they even died for Christ's sake, for which he derides them. He also fully establishes many of the leading events of the life of Christ. Porphyry speaks of the Christian religion as “Barbarian temerity,” as "contrary to the laws;" and in a work of his on Abstinence, we find him alluding to "some mean people, who, having embraced rules different from their former way of life, will endure to be torn limb from limb, rather than return to their old course; who abstained from some animals, which they once eat greedily, with more care than from human flesh;" meaning the Christians, who abstained from things

offered in sacrifice to idols. Julian speaks of Jesus as the Founder of Christianity; as having been born in the reign of Augustus, at the time alleged by the Christians, and in many other important particulars confirms the truth of the Christian

statements.

EDWARD.

We may therefore certainly conclude, that, in the main, the Christian account of the origin of this religion is correct; for it cannot be conceived, that so many acute adversaries would all pass over a false statement on this point, and even confirm it.

BEATRICE

And though the Christians suffered persecution in consequence of their attachment to this religion, yet it prevailed over all opposition.

MR. B.

As we shall have occasion to return to the testi

mony of these authors again, I shall hasten to give you some specimens of the third class of writers who have given us information on the subject of Christianity.

Spartian, who wrote at the commencement of the fourth century, says, that

"Septimius Severus forbade, under a severe penalty, that any should become Jews. A like edict was published by him against the Christians."—LARDNER, c. xxiii.

Lampridius, who flourished about the same time, informs us, that

"Alexander Severus tolerated the Christians; that he designed the building a temple to Christ, and receiving him into the number of the deities, which Adrian also is supposed to have thought of before, who ordered temples without images to be erected in all cities; which temples, at this very time, because they have no deities in them, are called Adrian's. And he is said to have prepared them for that purpose, but was forbid by those who consulted the oracles; they having found, that, if that was done, all men would become Christians, and the other temples would be forsaken."—LARDNER, c. xxv. Again, speaking of Alexander

"When he was about to appoint any to the governments of provinces, or to other like offices, he published their names, inviting the people, if they had any crime to lay to their charge, to produce their evidences; at the same time declaring, that if any charged what he could not prove, he should be put to death. And he said, 'It was a miserable thing, that when the Christians and Jews observed this method of publishing the names of their priests before they were ordained, the like care should not be taken about the governors of provinces, with whom the lives and fortunes of men were entrusted.'

"When the Christians had seized a spot of ground which was public, and, on the other hand, the victuallers said it ought to be granted to them, he gave this rescript, 'That it was better that God should be worshipped there, in any manner, than that the ground should be granted to the victuallers.'

"He would often use a saying, which he had heard from some Jews or Christians, and which he well remembered; and when any one was corrected, he ordered the crier to proclaim, 'What you would not have done to yourself, that do not you to another:' which saying he so highly esteemed, that he ordered it to be engraved upon his palace and upon public buildings." —LARDNER, c. xxv.

BEATRICE.

These circumstances, though interesting, are

however related by authors who lived subsequently to the events.

MR. B.

We will ascend, then, to a more remote period. Galen, blaming a person for not giving a demonstration of certain things which he had advanced, says,

"So that we seem rather to be in a school of Moses, or Christ, where we must receive laws without any reason assigned, and that in a point where demonstration ought not by any means to be omitted."-LARDNER, c. xxi.

And elsewhere,

"It is easier to convince the disciples of Moses and Christ than physicians and philosophers, who are addicted to particular sects."-LARDNER, c. xxi.

Contemporary with Galen, were Ælius Aristides, and Dion Chrysostom, who are supposed to allude to the Christians in passages expressive of contempt and dislike to a new sect at variance with the philosophy and religion of the times. Much more important than their testimony is that of Lucian, who appears to have been acquainted, not only with the Christians, but also with the book of Revelation. In one place he speaks of them along with "atheists and Epicureans," and says that Pontus was full of them. In another, we have the following passage, speaking of a person named Peregrinus:

"At which time he learned the wonderful doctrine of the Chris