fpifed and detefted nation. Nay, so strong and forcible was the received opinion, fo much were the eyes of all men upon the watch, that neither the mean and obfcure condition of his reputed parents, nor even a ftable and a manger were fufficient to conceal their Sovereign from their notice. This then was the fullness of time; this was the most favourable and convenient season to usher the Meffiah into the world, fince Providence had now fo wonderfully difpofed and prepared the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, for the expectation of him.

A fifth reafon, why Chrift was born at that precife season, was, the peculiar temper and difpofition of that particular age; which was certainly the moft fitting and proper for him to be born in; as several very striking fingularities confpired together in it, which not a little conduce to the proof of the certainty of the religion, which he came down from heaven to establish. That æra is fo confpicuously remarkable, and the history of it has been handed down to us by fo many eminent writers, that it is more ftudied, and generally better known, than perhaps any period of

time befides. And it was highly fitting that a matter of that nature and confequence should come to pass in fuch an age; to the end that it might be thoroughly enquired into in any age afterwards, and that no diftance of time might occafion fuch doubts to be raised concerning it, as should render it the less certain to any, who are willing to acquaint themselves with the truth of it. And fuch, I trust, it will ever approve itself to every candid and impartial judgment. If it had been an imposture, this furely had been the most unlikely time of any for it to fucceed in. No prince could be more jealous than Herod, who was fo greatly alarmed and incenfed at the report of our Saviour's birth, that he very plainly fhewed how ftrongly he believed it. And no age perhaps, fince the creation of the world, was lefs liable to be impofed upon than this; wherein learning and all the polite arts and liberal fciences flourished, which enlighten men's underftandings, and make it a most difficult and improbable enterprize to put a cheat upon them. Policy might boaft its highest perfection in the courts of Auguftus and Tiberius; infomuch indeed, that they have been looked

P4

looked upon as the completeft patterns of it ever fince. The Scribes and Pharifees were in very great power and authority at Jerufalem, who were a moft fubtle generation of men, and the most dangerous enemies any man could have to deal with. Wickedness, which was likely to give the greatest obstruction to a pure and undefiled religion, was abfolutely the fashion of the age; nor indeed was that empire ever fo totally abandoned to work all manner of iniquity with greediness as at the time of the firft promulgation of the Gospel. And as men were then most capable of detecting any impofture, fo must they also have been very defirous to find the chriftian. system false, which attempted to put such a curb upon licentiousness, and laid the axe to the root of all their much-beloved and longaccustomed vices. Vice would be fure to make a most eager defence, and put in its ftrongest plea and no forgery could be fo artfully contrived as to escape its interested researches, when it had fuch a number of cunning and devoted advocates.

The pride of the philofophers, too, could not fail being piqued at the fetting forth of

thefe

these new and upstart doctrines: and indeed we know, that it was the profeffed design of the Eclectic fect of philosophers in that age, to examine every opinion, without prejudice or partiality, by whomsoever it was propofed: and the philofphers of those times were inferior to none, either in their obftinacy in adhering to their old opinions, or in their art and skill in oppofing new ones. For, with the permiffion of the deifts and atheists in our own days be it fpoken, the chriftian religion met with its fubtileft and most dangerous enemies at its first publication.

Nor was the religion of peace to be eftablished fword in hand: it was not to take advantage of any troubles and combuftions in the empire, as that of Mohammed afterwards did but it was to recommend itself by its own intrinfic excellence and efficacy to the serious and impartial examiner. In this conjuncture of time, therefore, the Saviour of the world appears: and he appears in a mean and low condition, defpifed by his own people, who quickly became as much despised themselves by all the world befides. The Prince of Peace is born in a time of fettled

and

F

and univerfal peace, when men had most leisure and opportunity to weigh and confider things; and when, by the establishment of the Roman empire in its meridian height and fulleft extent, the communication between nation and nation was thoroughly free and open, and the apoftles and their followers might find an eafy admittance to preach the Gospel in all parts of the world; yet to be alike derided and perfecuted in all! But, notwithstanding thefe difadvantages, Chriftianity foon made its way into the court of the em peror himself, where craft and luxury, and every thing that is most contrary to the purity of the Gospel, reigned unawed and uncontrolled. "A little one," faith God by his prophet Ifaiah," shall become a thousand, " and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord "will haften it in due time." And accordingly we find, that St. Paul could glory of his profelytes even in Cæfar's household: and his bonds in Chrift were manifeft throughout the whole palace, and in all other parts of Rome. And it was the boaft of the primitive Chriftians, that they were but of yesterday, and yet filled the court, the fenate-house, and every place of public refort.

Thus