Tertullian, he was
accustomed to say, "Da mihi magistrum, Give me my master." (Hieronym. de
Viris Illustribus, tom. i. p. 284.)]

[Footnote 72: The object of Tertullian's vehemence in his Treatise, was
to keep the Christians away from the secular games celebrated by the
Emperor Severus: It has not prevented him from showing himself in other
places full of benevolence and charity towards unbelievers: the spirit
of the gospel has sometimes prevailed over the violence of human
passions: Qui ergo putaveris nihil nos de salute Caesaris curare (he
says in his Apology) inspice Dei voces, literas nostras. Scitote ex
illis praeceptum esse nobis ad redudantionem, benignitates etiam pro
inimicis Deum orare, et pro persecutoribus cona precari. Sed etiam
nominatim atque manifeste orate inquit (Christus) pro regibus et pro
principibus et potestatibus ut omnia sint tranquilla vobis Tert. Apol.
c. 31.--G. ----It would be wiser for Christianity, retreating upon its
genuine records in the New Testament, to disclaim this fierce African,
than to identify itself with his furious invectives by unsatisfactory
apologies for their unchristian fanaticism.--M.]

Doubtless there were many among the primitive Christians of a temper
more suitable to the meekness and charity of their profession. There
were many who felt a sincere compassion for the danger of their friends
and countrymen, and who exerted the most benevolent zeal to save them
from the impending destruction.

The careless Polytheist, assailed by new and unexpected terrors, against
which neither his priests nor his philosophers could afford him any
certain protection, was very frequently terrified and subdued by the
menace of eternal tortures. His fears might assist the progress of his
faith and reason; and if he could once persuade himself to suspect that
the Christian religion might possibly be true, it became an easy task to
convince him that it was the safest and most prudent party that he could
possibly embrace.

III. The supernatural gifts, which even in this life were ascribed to
the Christians above the rest of mankind, must have conduced to their
own comfort, and very frequently to the conviction of infidels. Besides
the occasional prodigies, which might sometimes be effected by the
immediate interposition of the Deity when he suspended the laws of
Nature for the service of religion, the Christian church, from the
time of the apostles and their first disciples, [73] has cla