*

Christianity, however, proceeded to increase in Jerufalem by a progress equally rapid with its first success; for, in the next chapter of our hiftory, we read that "believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. And

bability, multitudes between both, neither perfect Chriftians, nor yet unbelievers. They had a favourable opinion of the gospel, but worldly confiderations made them unwilling to own it. There were many circumftances which inclined them to think that Christianity was a divine revelation, but there were many inconveniences which attended the open profeffion of it; and they could not find in themselves courage enough to bear them, to disoblige their friends and family, to ruin their fortunes, to lose their reputation, their liberty and their life, for the fake of the new religion. Therefore they were willing to hope, that if they endeavoured to obferve the great principles of morality, which Christ had reprefented as the principal part, the fum and fubftance of religion; if they thought honourably of the gofpel, if they offered no injury to the Chriftians, if they did them all the fervices that they could fafely perform, they were willing to hope that God would ac, çept this, and that he would excufe and forgive the reft." Jortin's Dif. on the Chrift. Rel. p. 91, ed. 4.

*Acts v. 14.

P 3

this

this enlargement of the new fociety appears in the first verse of the fucceeding chapter, wherein we are told, that, "when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected * ;" and, afterwards in the fame chapter, it is declared exprefsly, that "the number of the difciples multiplied in Jerufalem greatly, and that a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."

This I call the first period in the propagation of Christianity. It commences with the afcenfion of Chrift; and extends, as may be collected from incidental notes of time t, to fomething more than one year after that event. During which term the preaching of Chriftianity, fo far as our documents inform us, was confined to the fingle city of Jerufalem. And how did it fucceed there? The first affembly which we

*Acts vi. I.

+ Vide Pearson's Antiq. l. xviii. c. 7. Benson's Hift. of Chrift. book i. p. 148.

meet

meet with of Chrift's difciples, and that a few days after his removal from the world, confifted of "" one hundred and twenty." About a week after this "three thousand were added in one day; and the number of Chriftians, publicly. baptifed, and publicly affociating together, was very foon increafed to "five thousand." "Multitudes both of men and women continued to be added:" "difciples multiplied greatly," and

many of the Jewish priesthood, as well as others, became obedient to the faith ;" and this within a space of less than two years from the commencement of the inftitution.

By reafon of a persecution raised against the church at Jerufalem, the converts were driven from that city, and difperfed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria *. Wherever they came, they brought their religion with them; for our hiftorian informs ust, that "they, that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word."

The effect of this preaching comes afterwards to be noticed, where the hiftorian is led, in the course of his narrative, to observe, that then (i. e. about three years * pofterior to this)" the churches had reft throughout all Judea, and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified, and, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghoft, were multiplied." This was the work of the fecond period, which com prifes about four years.

Hitherto the preaching of the gospel had been confined to Jews, to Jewish profelytes, and to Samaritans. And I cannot forbear from fetting down, in this place, an obfervation of Mr. Byrant's, which appears to me to be perfectly well founded:-"The Jews ftill remain, but how feldom is it that we can make a fingle profelyte! There is reafon to think, that there were more converted by the apoftles in one day, than have

Benfon, book i. p. 207.

fince

fince been won over in the last thoufand years*."

It was not yet known to the apostles, that they were at liberty to propose the religion to mankind at large. That "mystery," as St. Paul calls it †, and as it then was, was revealed to Peter by an especial miracle. It appears to have been about seven years after Chrift's afcenfion, that the gospel was preached to the Gentiles of Cefarea. A year after this, a great multitude of Gentiles were converted at Antioch in Syria. The expreffions employed by the hiftorian are thefe"A great number believed, and turned to the Lord;" "much people was added unto the Lord;"" the apoftles Barnabas and Paul taught much people §." Upon Herod's death, which happened in the next year |, it is obferved that "the word of God grew