d

but in all thofe various and remote regions where the twelve tribes were fcattered. abroad. Thefe Jews retained a great regard for the Law, and obferved it along with the Gospel for a confiderable time; but after the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the calamities which befel the nation, first under Vefpafian, and then under Adrian, thefe Jewish Chriftians, partly through difufe of the ceremonial Law, and partly through marriages with Chriftians of Gentile extraction, may be fuppofed to have been fo mixed with them, that they loft all national diftinction; which to them was indeed no lofs at all, but a defirable thing. Their posterity therefore are now subjects to Chrift, though under the common denomination of Chriftians.

Thirdly; as to the wars and vices of Christians, these answers may be made.

Many Jews of Crete embraced Christianity in the fifth Century. Socrates E. H. VII. 38.

e Grotius on Rev. xi. 15. obferves that Chrift may be faid to rule over the Jews for ever, because semper erit in Judæa Chriftiana religio. Quod verum fuit primùm fub Paganis Imperatoribus, multo magis fub Chriftianis, fed et fub Sarracenis et Turcis in hunc diem. I take the folution which I have propofed to be more probable; though I reject not his.

It is extremely evident that the precepts of Christianity are calculated to promote peace and virtue. Therefore, according to the common style of Scripture, the Gospel may be faid to have brought peace and virtue, ' because it brought every thing that is neceffary to produce them.

The style of the prophets is poetical, lively, and lofty; and therefore their magnificent descriptions of the happiness and piety which should adorn the reign of the Meffias may be restrained and understood in a sense somewhat lower than the words ftrictly import.

The doctrines of the Gofpel have undoubtedly produced at all times good effects in the minds of many Chriftians, who are peaceable and charitable, and ready to fhew kindness to all men, in their private capacities, as far as the laws and public interests of their respective kingdoms and focieties permit.

Christianity has made an happy alteration in those nations who have embraced it, nor have they that fierceness and barbarity which they had when they were Pagan.

f Vid. Grot. de Jure B. I. II. §, 8.

The

g

The benefits which Christianity brought to thofe nations which have received it, are in many refpects greater than we usually imagine.

In the Gentile world men were loofe and unfettled in their principles; hence it came to pass that impurities of all forts were scarcely reckoned faults amongst them, that they made no fcruple of expofing infants, that they were cruel and inhuman towards flaves and prifoners, and that they had

i

public

* See what Eufebius has faid upon this subject, Præp. Evang. 1. 4.

h See Gerard Noodt Julius Paulus, five de Partus Expofitione, &c. and the Opufcula varii Argumenti, and Cura fecunda of Bynkershoek. It is condemned as a kind of murder, Digeft. L. XXV. Tit. III. 4. Cod. L. VIII. Tit. LII. 2. Norvell. CLIII.

i Germanicus Cæfar Tacito narratur vicos Marforum ferro flammifque pervastaffe, additurque: non fexus, non ætas miferationem attulit. Titus Judæorum etiam pueros et feminas in spectaculo feris laniandos propofuit. Et tamen hí duo ingenio minime fævo fuiffe creduntur: adeo fævitia illa in morem verterat. Grotius de Jure B. iii. iv. 9. &c. &c.

Chriftianis in univerfum placuit bello inter ipfos orto captos fervos non fieri.Atque hoc a majoribus ad pofteros pridem tranfiiffe inter eos, qui eandem religionem profiterentur, fcripfit Gregoras, nec eorum fuiffe proprium qui fub Romano imperio viverent, fed commune cum Theffalis, Illyriis, Triballis, et Bulgaris. Atque ita hoc faltem, quamquam exiguum eft, perfecit reverentia Chriftianæ legis, quod

cum

public fhews, in which men were obliged to fight with wild beasts, and to murder each other for the entertainment of the affembly. The Romans were exceffively fond of this abominable diverfion, and scarcely can any writer amongst them be found who declared a difapprobation of it, except Seneca the philofopher.

k

There were fome in the time of Cicero, and probably they were Greeks, not Romans, who condemned this barbarity, amongst whom I wish I could place 1 Cicero himself.

cum Græcis inter fe fervandum olim diceret Socrates, nihil impetraverat. Quod autem hac in parte Chriftiani, idem et Mahumetistæ inter fe fervant. Grot. de Jure B. iii. vii. 9.

k Cafu in meridianum fpectaculum incidi, lufus expectans et aliquid laxamenti, quo hominum oculi ab humano cruore acquiefcant. Contra eft. Quicquid ante pugnatum eft, mifericordia fuit. Nunc omiffis nugis, mera homicidia funt; nihil habent quo tegantur-Sed latrocinium fecit aliquis: quid ergo meruit? ut fufpendatur. Occidit hominem. Qui occidit, ille meruit ut hoc pateretur: tu quid meruifti, miser, ut hoc fpectes? Seneca, Epist. 7.

Homo, facra res, homo, jam per lufum et jocum occiditur: et quem erudiri ad accipienda inferendaque vulnera nefas erat, is jam nudus inermifque producitur, fatifque fpectaculi in homine mors eft. Idem, Epift. 95.

1 Crudele gladiatorum fpectaculum et inhumanum nonnullis videri folet: et haud fcio an ita fit, ut nunc fit: cum vero fontes ferro depugnabant, auribus fortaffe multæ, oculis quidem nulla poterat effe fortior contra dolerem et mortem difciplina. Tufc. Difp. II. 15.

The good Emperor Marcus Aurelius, fays Dio, fo much disliked blood-shed and flaughter, that he ordered the Gladiators at Rome to fight with foils, or blunted weapons.

To these we may add the Greek philofopher Demonax," who, when the Athenians were deliberating whether they should have gladiators, as well as the Corinthians, advised them not to vote for it, till they had pulled down the Altar of Mercy. °

* Μάρκος γε μὴν ἔτω τι φόνοις ἐκ ἔχαιρεν, ὥςε και τις μονομάχος ἐν τῇ Ῥώμη ὥσπερ αθλητὰς ἀκινδύνως ἑώρα μαχομένος· σιδήριον γ ἐδέποτε ἐδενὶ ἀυλῶν ὀξὺ ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀμβλέσιν, ὥσπερ ἐσφαιρωμένοις, πάνες εμάχοντο.

» Αθηναίων σκεπτομένων κατὰ ζῆλον τὸν πρὸς Κορινθίας καλαςήσαθαι θεάν μονομάχων, προσελθὼν εἰς αυτές, Μὴ πρότερον, ἔφη, ταῦτα, ὦ Αθηναῖοι, ψηφίσετε, ἂν μὴ 18 Ελές Τὸν βωμὸν καθέληξε. Lucian Demon.

• Gladiatorium munus Romanæ confuetudinis primò majore cum terrore [Græcorum] hominum infuetorum ad tale fpectaculum, quam voluptate dedit; deinde fæpius dando, et modò vulneribus tenus, modò fine miffione etiam, familiare oculis, gratumque id fpectaculum fecit. Livius XLI. 20.

When Herod introduced fuch diverfions, the Jews were highly and juftly offended. 7οῖς δ ̓ ἐπιχωρίοις φανερά παράλυσις τῶν Τιμωμένων παρ' αυλοῖς ἐθῶν. ἀσεβὲς μὲν γὰρ ἐκ προδήλο κατεφαίνετο, θηρίοις ἀνθρώπες ὑποῤῥίπλων, ἐπὶ τέρψει τῆς ἀνθρώπων θέας. Indigenis vero manifefta videbatur morum, qui ipfis fummo in honore erant, diffolutio. Res ipfa enim indicabat plane impium effe, homines ad beftias projicere in hominum ex spectaculo delectationem. Jofephus Antig. XV. 8.

It