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Evidences of Christianity by William Paley

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CHAPTER IX.

THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY.

In this argument, the first consideration is the fact--in what degree,
within what time, and to what extent, Christianity actually was
propagated.

The accounts of the matter which can be collected from our books are as
follow: A few days after Christ's disappearance out of the world, we
find an assembly of disciples at Jerusalem, to the number of "about one
hundred and twenty;" (Acts i. 15.) which hundred and twenty were
probably a little association of believers, met together not merely as
believers in Christ, but as personally connected with the apostles, and
with one another. Whatever was the number of believers then in
Jerusalem, we have no reason to be surprised that so small a company
should assemble: for there is no proof that the followers of Christ were
yet formed into a society; that the society was reduced into any order;
that it was at this time even understood that a new religion (in the
sense which that term conveys to us) was to be set up in the world, or
how the professors of that religion were to be distinguished from the
rest of mankind. The death of Christ had left, we may suppose, the
generality of his disciples in great doubt, both as to what they were to
do, and concerning what was to follow.

This meeting was holden, as we have already said, a few days after
Christ's ascension: for ten days after that event was the day of
Pentecost, when, as our history relates, (Acts ii. 1.) upon a signal
display of divine agency attending the persons of the apostles, there
were added to the society "about three thousand souls." (Acts ii. 41.)
But here, it is not, I think, to be taken, that these three thousand
were all converted by this single miracle; but rather that many who
before were believers in Christ became now professors of Christianity;
that is to say, when they found that a religion was to be established, a
society formed and set up in the name of Christ, governed by his laws,
avowing their belief in his mission, united amongst themselves, and
separated from the rest of the world by visible distinctions; in
pursuance of their former conviction, and by virtue of what they had
heard and seen, and known of Christ's history, they publicly became
members of it.

We read in the fourth chapter (verse 4) of the Acts, that soon after
this, "the number of the men," i. e. the society openly professing their
belief in Christ, "was about five thousand." So that here is an increase
of two thousand within a very short time. And it is probable that there
were many, both now and afterwards, who, although they believed in
Christ, did not think it necessary to join themselves to this society;
or who waited to see what was likely to become of it. Gamaliel, whose
advice to the Jewish council is recorded Acts v. 34, appears to have
been of this description; perhaps Nicodemus, and perhaps also Joseph of
Arimathea. This class of men, their character and their rank, are
likewise pointed out by Saint John, in the twelfth chapter of his
Gospel: "Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him,
but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than
the praise of God." Persons such as these might admit the miracles of
Christ, without being immediately convinced that they were under
obligation to make a public profession of Christianity at the risk of
all that was dear to them in life, and even of life itself.*

_________

* "Beside those who professed, and those who rejected and opposed,
Christianity, there were in all probability multitudes between both,
neither perfect Christians nor yet unbelievers. They had a favourable
opinion of the Gospel, but worldly considerations made them unwilling to
own it. There were many circumstances which inclined them to think that
Christianity was a divine revelation, but there were many inconveniences
which attended the open profession of it; and they could not find in
themselves courage enough to bear them to disoblige their friends and
family, to ruin their fortunes, to lose their reputation, their liberty,
and their life, for the sake of the new religion. Therefore they were
willing to hope, that if they endeavoured to observe the great
principles of morality which Christ had represented as the principal
part, the sum and substance of religion; if they thought honourably of
the Gospel; if they offered no injury to the Christians; if they did
them all the services that they could safely perform, they were willing
to hope that God would accept this, and that He would excuse and forgive
the rest." Jortin's Dis. on the Christ. Rel. p. 91, ed. 4.
_________


Christianity, however, proceeded to increase in Jerusalem by a progress
equally rapid with its first success; for in the next chapter of our
history, we read that "believers were the more added to the Lord,
multitudes both of men and women." And this enlargement of the new
society appears in the first verse of the succeeding chapter, wherein we
are told, that "when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there
arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their
widows were neglected;" (Acts v. 14; vi. 1) and afterwards, in the same
chapter, it is declared expressly, that "the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and that a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith."

This I call the first period in the propagation of Christianity. It
commences with the ascension of Christ, and extends, as may be collected
from incidental notes of time, (Vide Pearson's Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 7.
Benson's History of Christ, b. i. p. 148.) to something more than one
year after that event. During which term, the preaching of Christianity,
so far as our documents inform us, was confined to the single city of
Jerusalem. And how did it succeed there? The first assembly which we
meet with of Christ's disciples, and that a few days after his removal
from the world, consisted of "one hundred and twenty." About a week
after this, "three thousand were added in one day;" and the number of
Christians publicly baptized, and publicly associating together, was
very soon increased to "five thousand." "Multitudes both of men and
women continued to be added;" "disciples multiplied greatly," and "many
of the Jewish priesthood as well as others, became obedient to the
faith;" and this within a space of less than two years from the
commencement of the institution.

By reason of a persecution raised against the church at Jerusalem, the
converts were driven from that city, and dispersed throughout the
regions of Judea and Samaria. (Acts viii. l.) Wherever they came, they
brought their religion with them: for our historian informs us, (Acts
viii. 4.) that "they that were scattered abroad went everywhere
preaching the word." The effect of this preaching comes afterwards to be
noticed, where the historian is led, in the course of his narrative, to
observe that then (i. e. about three years posterior to this, [Benson,
b. i. p. 207.]) the churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee
and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and
in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. This was the work of
the second period, which comprises about four years.

Hitherto the preaching of the Gospel had been confined to Jews, to
Jewish proselytes, and to Samaritans. And I cannot forbear from setting
down in this place an observation of Mr. Bryant, which appears to me to
be perfectly well founded;--"The Jews still remain: but how seldom is it
that we can make a single proselyte! There is reason to think, that
there were more converted by the apostles in one day than have since
been won over in the last thousand years." (Bryant on the Truth of the
Christian Religion, p. 112.) It was not yet known to the apostles that
they were at liberty to propose the religion to mankind at large. That
"mystery," as Saint Paul calls it, (Eph. iii. 3--6.) and as it then was,
was revealed to Peter by an especial miracle. It appears to have been
(Benson, book ii. p. 236.) about seven years after Christ's ascension
that the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles of Cesarea. A year after
this a great multitude of Gentiles were converted at Antioch in Syria.
The expressions employed by the historian are these:--"A great number
believed, and turned to the Lord;" "much people was added unto the
Lord;" "the apostles Barnabas and Paul taught much people." (Acts xi.
21, 24, 26.) Upon Herod's death, which happened in the next
year, (Benson, book ii, p. 289.) it is observed, that "the word of God
grew and multiplied." (Acts xii. 24.) Three years from this time, upon
the preaching of Paul at Iconium, the metropolis of Lycaonia, "a great
multitude both of Jews and Greeks believed:" (Acts xiv. 1.) and
afterwards, in the course of this very progress, he is represented as
"making many disciples" at Derbe, a principal city in the same district.
Three years (Benson's History of Christ, book iii. p. 50.) after this,
which brings us to sixteen after the ascension, the apostles wrote a
public letter from Jerusalem to the Gentile converts in Antioch, Syria,
and Cilicia, with which letter Paul travelled through these countries,
and found the churches "established in the faith, and increasing in
number daily." (Acts xvi. 5.) From Asia the apostle proceeded into
Greece, where, soon after his arrival in Macedonia, we find him at
Thessalonica: in which city, "some of the Jews believed, and of the
devout Greeks a great multitude." (Acts xvii. 4.) We meet also here with
an accidental hint of the general progress of the Christian mission, in
the exclamation of the tumultuous Jews of Thessalonica, "that they who
had turned the world upside down were come thither also." (Acts xvii.
6.) At Berea, the next city at which Saint Paul arrives, the historian,
who was present, inform us that "many of the Jews believed." (Acts xvii.
12.) The next year and a half of Saint Paul's ministry was spent at
Corinth. Of his success in that city we receive the following
intimations; "that many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized;"
and "that it was revealed to the Apostle by Christ, that be had much
people in that city." (Acts xviii, 8--10.) Within less than a year after
his departure from Corinth, and twenty-five (Benson, book iii. p, 160.)
years after the ascension, Saint Paul fixed his station at Ephesus for
the space of two years (Acts xix. 10.) and something more. The effect of
his ministry in that city and neighbourhood drew from the historian a
reflection how "mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." (Acts xix.
20.) And at the conclusion of this period we find Demetrius at the head
of a party, who were alarmed by the progress of the religion,
complaining, that "not only at Ephesus, but also throughout all Asia
(i. e. the province of Lydia, and the country adjoining to Ephesus), this
Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people." (Acts xix. 26.) Beside
these accounts, there occurs, incidentally, mention of converts at Rome,
Alexandria, Athens, Cyprus, Cyrene, Macedonia, Philippi.

This is the third period in the propagation of Christianity, setting off
in the seventh year after the ascension, and ending at the
twenty-eighth. Now, lay these three periods together, and observe how
the progress of the religion by these accounts is represented. The
institution, which properly began only after its Author's removal from
the world, before the end of thirty years, had spread itself through
Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, almost all the numerous districts of the
Lesser Asia, through Greece, and the islands of the Aegean Sea, the
seacoast of Africa, and had extended itself to Rome, and into Italy. At
Antioch, in Syria, at Joppa, Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, Berea,
Iconium, Derbe, Antioch in Pisidia, at Lydda, Saron, the number of
converts is intimated by the expressions, "a great number," "great
multitudes," "much people." Converts are mentioned, without any
designation of their number,* at Tyre, Cesarea, Troas, Athens, Philippi,
Lystra, Damascus. During all this time Jerusalem continued not only the
centre of the mission, but a principal seat of the religion; for when
Saint Paul returned thither at the conclusion of the period of which we
are now considering the accounts, the other apostles pointed out to him,
as a reason for his compliance with their advice, "how many thousands
(myriads, ten thousands) there were in that city who believed."+

_________

* Considering the extreme conciseness of many parts of the history, the
silence about the number of converts is no proof of their paucity; for
at Philippi, no mention whatever is made of the number, yet Saint Paul
addressed an epistle to that church. The churches of Galatia, and the
affairs of those churches, were considerable enough to be the subject of
another letter, and of much of Saint Paul's solicitude; yet no account
is preserved in the history of his success, or even of his preaching in
that country, except the slight notice which these words convey:--"When
they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they
assayed to go into Bithynia." Acts xvi. 6.

+ Acts xxi. 20.
_________


Upon this abstract, and the writing from which it is drawn, the
following observations seem material to be made:

I. That the account comes from a person who was himself concerned in a
portion of what he relates, and was contemporary with the whole of it;
who visited Jerusalem, and frequented the society of those who had
acted, and were acting the chief parts in the transaction. I lay down
this point positively; for had the ancient attestations to this valuable
record been less satisfactory than they are, the unaffectedness and
simplicity with which the author notes his presence upon certain
occasions, and the entire absence of art and design from these notices,
would have been sufficient to persuade my mind that, whoever he was, he
actually lived in the times, and occupied the situation, in which he
represents himself to be. When I say, "whoever he was," I do not mean to
cast a doubt upon the name to which antiquity hath ascribed the Acts of
the Apostles (for there is no cause, that I am acquainted with, for
questioning it), but to observe that, in such a case as this, the time
and situation of the author are of more importance than his name; and
that these appear from the work itself, and in the most unsuspicious
form.

II. That this account is a very incomplete account of the preaching and
propagation of Christianity; I mean, that if what we read in the history
be true, much more than what the history contains must be true also.
For, although the narrative from which our information is derived has
been entitled the Acts of the Apostles, it is, in fact, a history of the
twelve apostles only during a short time of their continuing together at
Jerusalem; and even of this period the account is very concise. The work
afterwards consists of a few important passages of Peter's ministry, of
the speech and death of Stephen, of the preaching of Philip the deacon;
and the sequel of the volume, that is, two thirds of the whole, is taken
up with the conversion, the travels, the discourses, and history of the
new apostle, Paul; in which history, also, large portions of time are
often passed over with very scanty notice.

III. That the account, so far as it goes, is for this very reason more
credible. Had it been the author's design to have displayed the early
progress of Christianity, he would undoubtedly have collected, or at
least have set forth, accounts of the preaching of the rest of the
apostles, who cannot without extreme improbability be supposed to have
remained silent and inactive, or not to have met with a share of that
success which attended their colleagues.

To which may be added, as an observation of the same kind,

IV. That the intimations of the number of converts, and of the success
of the preaching of the apostles, come out for the most part
incidentally: are drawn from the historian by the occasion, such as the
murmuring of the Grecian converts; the rest from persecution; Herod's
death; the sending of Barnabas to Antioch, and Barnabas calling Paul to
his assistance; Paul coming to a place and finding there disciples; the
clamour of the Jews; the complaint of artificers interested in the
support of the popular religion; the reason assigned to induce Paul to
give satisfaction to the Christians of Jerusalem. Had it not been for
these occasions it is probable that no notice whatever would have been
taken of the number of converts in several of the passages in which that
notice now appears. All this tends to remove the suspicion of a design
to exaggerate or deceive.

PARALLEL TESTIMONIES with the history are the letters of Saint Paul, and
of the other apostles, which have come down to us. Those of Saint Paul
are addressed to the churches of Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, the
church of Galatia, and, if the inscription be right, of Ephesus; his
ministry at all which places is recorded in the history: to the church
of Colosse, or rather to the churches of Colosse and Laodicea jointly,
which he had not then visited. They recognise by reference the churches
of Judea, the churches of Asia, and "all the churches of the Gentiles."
(Thess ii. 14.) In the Epistle to the Romans (Rom. xv. 18, 19.) the
author is led to deliver a remarkable declaration concerning the extent
of his preaching, its efficacy, and the cause to which he ascribes
it,--"to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, through mighty
signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from
Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the
Gospel of Christ." In the epistle to the Colossians, (Col. i. 23.) we
find an oblique but very strong signification of the then general state
of the Christian mission, at least as it appeared to Saint Paul:--"If ye
continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from
the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to
every creature which is under heaven;" which Gospel, he had reminded
them near the beginning of his letter (Col. i. 6.), "was present with
them, as it was in all the world." The expressions are hyperbolical; but
they are hyperboles which could only be used by a writer who entertained
a strong sense of the subject. The first epistle of Peter accosts the
Christians dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia.

It comes next to be considered how far these accounts are confirmed or
followed up by other evidence.

Tacitus, in delivering a relation, which has already been laid before
the reader, of the fire which happened at Rome in the tenth year of Nero
(which coincides with the thirtieth year after Christ's ascension),
asserts that the emperor, in order to suppress the rumours of having
been himself the author of the mischief, procured the Christians to be
accused. Of which Christians, thus brought into his narrative, the
following is so much of the historian's account as belongs to our
present purpose: "They had their denomination from Christus, who, in the
reign of Tiberius, was put to death as a criminal by the procurator
Pontius Pilate. This pernicious superstition, though checked for a
while, broke out again, and spread not only over Judea, but reached the
city also. At first they only were apprehended who confessed themselves
of that sect; afterwards vast multitude were discovered by them." This
testimony to the early propagation of Christianity is extremely
material. It is from an historian of great reputation, living near the
time; from a stranger and an enemy to the religion; and it joins
immediately with the period through which the Scripture accounts extend.
It establishes these points: that the religion began at Jerusalem; that
it spread throughout Judea; that it had reached Rome, and not only so,
but that it had there obtained a great number of converts. This was
about six years after the time that Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the
Romans, and something more than two years after he arrived there
himself. The converts to the religion were then so numerous at Rome,
that of those who were betrayed by the information of the persons first
persecuted, a great multitude (multitudo ingens) were discovered and
seized.

It seems probable, that the temporary check which Tacitus represents
Christianity to have received (repressa in praesens) referred to the
persecution of Jerusalem which followed the death of Stephen (Acts
viii.); and which, by dispersing the converts, caused the institution,
in some measure, to disappear. Its second eruption at the same place,
and within a short time, has much in it of the character of truth. It
was the firmness and perseverance of men who knew what they relied
upon.

Next in order of time, and perhaps superior in importance is the
testimony of Pliny the Younger. Pliny was the Roman governor of Pontus
and Bithynia, two considerable districts in the northern part of Asia
Minor. The situation in which he found his province led him to apply to
the emperor (Trajan) for his direction as to the conduct he was to hold
towards the Christians. The letter in which this application is
contained was written not quite eighty years after Christ's ascension.
The president, in this letter, states the measures he had already
pursued, and then adds, as his reason for resorting to the emperor's
counsel and authority, the following words:--"Suspending all judicial
proceedings, I have recourse to you for advice; for it has appeared to
me a matter highly deserving consideration, especially on account of the
great number of persons who are in danger of suffering: for many of all
ages, and of every rank, of both sexes likewise, are accused, and will
be accused. Nor has the contagion of this superstition seized cities
only, but the lesser towns also, and the open country. Nevertheless it
seemed to me that it may be restrained and corrected. It is certain that
the temples, which were almost forsaken, begin to be more frequented;
and the sacred solemnities, after a long intermission, are revived.
Victims, likewise, are everywhere (passim) bought up; whereas, for some
time, there were few to purchase them. Whence it is easy to imagine that
numbers of men might be reclaimed if pardon were granted to those that
shall repent." (C. Plin. Trajano Imp. lib. x. ep. xcvii.)

It is obvious to observe, that the passage of Pliny's letter here
quoted, proves, not only that the Christians in Pontus and Bithynia were
now numerous, but that they had subsisted there for some considerable
time. "It is certain," he says, "that the temples, which were almost
forsaken (plainly ascribing this desertion of the popular worship to the
prevalency of Christianity), begin to be more frequented; and the sacred
solemnities, after a long intermission, are revived." There are also two
clauses in the former part of the letter which indicate the same thing;
one, in which he declares that he had "never been present at any trials
of Christians, and therefore knew not what was the usual subject of
inquiry and punishment, or how far either was wont to be urged." The
second clause is the following: "Others were named by an informer, who,
at first, confessed themselves Christians, and afterwards denied it; the
rest said they had been Christians some three years ago, some longer,
and some about twenty years." It is also apparent, that Pliny speaks of
the Christians as a description of men well known to the person to whom
he writes. His first sentence concerning them is, "I have never been
present at the trials of Christians." This mention of the name of
Christians, without any preparatory explanation, shows that it was a
term familiar both to the writer of the letter and the person to whom it
was addressed. Had it not been so, Pliny would naturally have begun his
letter by informing the emperor that he had met with a certain set of
men in the province called Christians.

Here then is a very singular evidence of the progress of the Christian
religion in a short space. It was not fourscore years after the
crucifixion of Jesus when Pliny wrote this letter; nor seventy years
since the apostles of Jesus began to mention his name to the Gentile
world. Bithynia and Pontus were at a great distance from Judea, the
centre from which the religion spread; yet in these provinces
Christianity had long subsisted, and Christians were now in such numbers
as to lead the Roman governor to report to the emperor that they were
found not only in cities, but in villages and in open countries; of all
ages, of every rank and condition; that they abounded so much as to have
produced a visible desertion of the temples; that beasts brought to
market for victims had few purchasers; that the sacred solemnities were
much neglected:--circumstances noted by Pliny for the express purpose of
showing to the emperor the effect and prevalency of the new institution.

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