philofophic indifference; and in Felix, the predominant paffion is made up of curiofity

and avarice.

BESIDES this preservation of likeness in individuals, the exact and uncommon propriety, with which the fentiments of particular bodies of men, and even national foibles, are characterized, deferves to be diligently remarked. To mention only one ftriking inftance, I would boldly afk every intelligent reader, who is acquainted with the opinions of Heathen philofophers, and with the turn and humour of the Athenians, whether he does not acknowledge ftriking proofs of reality in the following paffage.

"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his fpirit was ftirred in him, when he faw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore difputed he in the fynagogue with the Jews, and with the devout perfons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philofophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And fome faid, What will this babbler say? other fome, He feemeth to be a fetter forth of ftrange gods: because he preached unto them Jefus, and the Refurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Arco

pagus,

pagus, faying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou fpeakeft, is? For thou bringest certain ftrange things to our ears: we would know therefore what thefe things mean. (For all the Athenians and ftrangers which were there, fpent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear fome new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and faid, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things, ye are too fuperftitious. For as I paffed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this infcription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD*."

Now we learn from the beft fources of information, that Athens was, of all the cities in Greece, the moft remarkable for a blind and fuperftitious attachment to the objects of popular worship; and that there were actually altars in that city, erected in honour of GODS UNKNOWN. It is certain also, that the Athenians were peculiarly jealous in regard to the introduction of new, or ftrange, gods; and that any offence against

the

* A&ts xvii. 16, &c. See a variety of the most unqueftionable authorities for the truth of all the affertions which follow, in Wetflein's copious notes upon this paffage. This coincidence will not fail to be more ftriking to the learned reader, who will fee many of the fame terms employed by profane writers, as by St. Luke.

D 2

the prevailing religious belief, or ceremonies, came more peculiarly under the cognizance of the Arcopagus. The thirft of this people for information, and their passion for novelty, are the fubject of complaint in their own countrymen, and of wonder in foreigners. It is a no less curious coincidence that the forum, or market, was the scene of their difputations on philofophy, and religion, as well as the common refort of the idlers, who were anxious "to tell, or to hear, fome new thing." In addition to the marks of authenticity contained in this paffage, we may further urge the pride and fupercilioufness, which were distinguishing features in the character of the antient philofophers: and with respect to thofe, who are here mentioned, there certainly was no doctrine more completely at variance with the notions, both of the Stoics and the Epicureans, than the refurrection of the body: fince the former held that the human foul, immediately after death, would be refunded into the univerfal foul, and thereby lofe it's individual existence*; while the Epicureans maintained that it perished entirely. Confequently it

was

See Leland on the Advantage and Neceflity of the Chrif

tian Revelation, Vo p.285.

was probable, that no one affertion of the infpired teacher would excite fo much difguft in those proud and bigotted difputants, as that, which we here find them exploding in terms of the most bitter contempt.

FROM the style and contents of these volumes, we have the ftrongest reafons for concluding, that the authors of them were Jews, in an humble way of life, unacquainted with the arts of compofition *. Now it feems inconceivable, that any writers of this description should gain such an accurate and complete knowledge of human nature, and be fo thoroughly acquainted with the characters and tranfactions of the times, as to introduce fo many diftinguished actors, in a variety of feigned fituations, and yet betray no fymptoms of inconfiftency, nor by any lapfe of memory or judgement, shock our belief of the reality of the incidents, or the identity of the characters. The difficulty is greatly increased, when we confider, that it is not a single writer, whofe veracity is called in question; but that a variety of writers, upon the fuppofition of a fraud, must have agreed to relate

Vid fup. pag. 10, &c.

late different particulars of the fame imaginary tranfactions, and to introduce the fame character in different fictitious fituations. For, if a story be really untrue, the chance of difcovering it's fallacy, must be increased in exact proportion to the minuteness of the detail, and the number of perfons who relate it feparately. Where fuch a ftory is told very circumftantially, and by a variety of witneffes, the probability of fome palpable contradiction is fo great, that it seems scarcely poffible to efcape detection. Yet furely it will be owned by every careful enquirer, that the difference obfervable in the accounts of the facred hiftorians, whether we regard character, or incident, is no other than what might naturally be expected, when writers of different parts and difpofitions, give an account of the fame tranfactions: nor is it fuch, as would be thought to impeach the credibility of any other hiftorian, in any other fubject.

IT feems therefore plainly impoffible, that these writers fhould have concurred in inventing the narratives, which appear under their names: it seems equally difficult to believe, that they should have been prevailed upon by any other perfon to record that,

which