piter and Rom'ulus, the sacrifices had become idle forms, and the
processions a useless mockery. Philosophers had not scrupled to cover
with ridicule the whole system of Heathenism, and there were not a few
who professed themselves Atheists. 6. Without some system of religion
society cannot exist; for a sanction stronger than human laws is
necessary to restrain the violence of passion and ardent desires. The
innate feeling that our existence is not dependent on our mortal
frame, disposes men to search for some information respecting a future
state; the heathen system was at once obscure and absurd; the
philosophers avowedly spoke from conjecture; but by the Gospel, "life
and immortality were brought to light." 7. The influence of a purer
faith was discernible in the lives and actions of the first
Christians; they lived in an age of unparalleled iniquity and
debauchery, yet they kept themselves "unspotted from the world;" those
who were once conspicuous for violence, licentiousness, and crime,
became, when they joined the new sect, humble, temperate, chaste, and
virtuous; the persons who witnessed such instances of reformation were
naturally anxious to learn something of the means by which so great a
change had been effected. 8. A fourth cause was, that Christianity
offered the blessings of salvation to men of every class; it was its
most marked feature, that "to the poor the gospel was preached," and
the wretch who dared not come into the pagan temple, because he had no
rich offering to lay upon the altar, was ready to obey the call of him
who offered pardon and love "without money and without price."

9. In the course of the first century of the Christian era churches
were established in the principal cities of the empire, but more
especially in Asia Minor; and the progress of Christianity, which had
been at first disregarded, began to attract the notice of the ruling
powers. Too indolent to investigate the claims of Christianity,
and by no means pleased with a system which condemned their vices, the
Roman rulers viewed the rapid progress of the new religion with
undisguised alarm. The union of the sacerdotal and magisterial
character in the Roman policy, added personal interest to the motives
that urged them to crush this rising sect; and the relentless Ne'ro at
length kindled the torch of persecution. 10. But "the blood of the
martyrs proved the seed of the Church;" the constancy with which they
supported the most in