The preachers of Christianity had, therefore, to contend with prejudice
backed by power. They had to come forward to a disappointed people, to a
priesthood possessing a considerable share of municipal authority, and
actuated by strong motives of opposition and resentment; and they had to
do this under a foreign government, to whose favour they made no
pretensions, and which was constantly surrounded by their enemies. The
well-known, because the experienced, fate of reformers, whenever the
reformation subverts some reigning opinion, and does not proceed upon a
change that has already taken place in the sentiments of a country, will
not allow, much less lead us to suppose that the first propagators of
Christianity at Jerusalem and in Judea, under the difficulties and the
enemies they had to contend with, and entirely destitute as they were of
force, authority, or protection, could execute their mission with
personal ease and safety.

Let us next inquire, what might reasonably be expected by the preachers
of Christianity when they turned themselves to the heathen public. Now
the first thing that strikes us is, that the religion they carried with
them was exclusive. It denied without reserve the truth of every article
of heathen mythology, the existence of every object of their worship. It
accepted no compromise, it admitted no comprehension. It must prevail,
if it prevailed at all, by the overthrow of every statue, altar, and
temple in the world, It will not easily be credited, that a design, so
bold as this was, could in any age be attempted to be carried into
execution with impunity.

For it ought to be considered, that this was not setting forth, or
magnifying the character and worship of some new competitor for a place
in the Pantheon, whose pretensions might he discussed or asserted
without questioning the reality of any others: it was pronouncing all