"That there once existed such a person asJesus Christ; that be appeared in Judea in the reign of Tiberius; that he taught a system of morals superior to any inculcat ed in the Jewish schools ; that he was crucified at Jerusalem ; and that Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor by whose sentence he was condemned and execut ed; are facts which no one can reasonably call in question. The most inveterate Deists admit them without difficulty: and, indeed, to dispute these facts would be giving the lie to all history. As well might we deny the existence of Cicero, as that of a person by the name of Jesus Christ. And with equal propriety might we call in question the orations of the former, as the discourses of the latter. We are mo rally certain that the one entertained the Romans with his eloquence, and that the other enlightened the Jews with his wis dom. But it is unnecessary to labour these points,because they are generally conced ed. They who affect to despise the evan gelists and Apostles profess to reverence Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny. And these eminent Romans bear testimony to seve ral particulars which relate to the person of Jesus Christ, his influence as the foun der of a sect, and his crucifixion. From a
deference to human authority, all there fore acknowledge that the Christian reli gion derived its name from Jesus Christ. And many among the Deists are so just to its merits, as to admit that be taught bet ter than Confucius, and practised better than Socrates or Plato.
" To come then to the question : Why are you a Christian ? I answer, Because the Christian religion carrieswith it inter nal marks of its truth ; because not only without the aid, but in opposition to the civil authority, in opposition to the wit, the argument, and violence ofits enemies, it made its way, and gained an establish ment in the world; because it exhibits the accomplishment of some prophecies, and presents others which have been since fulfilled; and because its author displayed an example, and performed works, which bespeak not merely a superior, but a di vine character. Upon these several facts I ground my belief as a Christian. And, till the evidence on which they rest can be invalidated by counter evidenc, I must retain my principles and my profession."