This argument of martyrdom has been more particularly applied to the Apostles and first Christians.  “How can it be imagined, (say Christian Divines,) that simple men like the Apostles could be induced to leave their employment, and wander up and down, to teach the doctrines, and testify to the facts of the New Testament, and expose themselves to persecution, imprisonment, scourging, and untimely and violent death:  unless they certainly knew, that both the doctrines, and the facts were true?  Besides, what honours, what riches, could they expect to get by supporting false doctrine, and false testimony?”

To this argument 1 might reply as in the preceding pages, for I would ask, have we not seen simple and honest men quit their employments, and wander up and down to preach doctrines which they not only had no means of certainly knowing to be true, but which they did not even understand?  Have we not seen such men submit to deprivations of every kind, and exposed to imprisonment, and the whipping post?  And do we not certainly know that some such have cheerfully suffered a most cruel death?

Is it possible that any sensible man, after reading the History of the Roman Catholic Missionaries, the Baptists, the Quakers, and the Methodists, can be convinced of the certain truth of the Christian religion, or seriously endeavour to convince another of it, by such an argument as the above?

But, much more than this can be said upon this topic; for it can be shown, that the Apostles in preaching Christianity, did not suffer near so much as some well meaning enthusiasts in modern times have suffered, to propagate religious tenets, notoriously false and absurd.  And that the Apostles could expect to get neither fame, nor honour, nor riches by their preaching is doubtful.  This is certain that they could not lose much.  For they were confessedly men of the lowest rank in society, and of great poverty—­poor fishermen, who could not feel a very great regard for their own dignity, or respectability.  And it was by no means a small thing for such men to be considered as divine Apostles, and “in exchange for heavenly things,” to have the earthly possessions of their converts laid at their feet.  Peter left his nets, his boat, and boorish companions, and after persuading his disciples to receive his words for oracles, go where he would, he found ample hospitality from them.  This, at least, was an advantageous change, and though they did not acquire fame, or respect from the higher ranks of society, they were at least had in great respect by their followers.  Neither George Fox, nor Whitfield, nor Westley were honoured by the nobility, or gentry, or scholars of England; nor Ann Lee, by the most respectable citizens of the United States.  Yet among their disciples, the Quakers, the Methodists, and the Shakers they were held by the most implicit veneration and can any man believe that they did not think themselves thus well payed for the trouble of making converts?