know, also, that the pursuits, the cares, and the enjoyments of the present fleeting life, are, in a great many instances, apt to disincline men from inquiring whether the popular religion be the religion of the gospel, or whether it be after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ,'-whether the inconsistency and intolerance of professors be the natural fruits of Christianity, or whether they proceed from corruptions associated therewith, we might, indeed, wonder that there should be men found earnestly endeavouring to destroy the credit of the gospel; and to banish from the world, as an injurious prejudice or an idle tale, those glad tidings of great joy,' which constitute the charter of man's best, privileges, the source of his chief consolations, the. support of his dearest hopes. But since, in the prevailing systems of religion, mystery has dimmed the light of revelation, and intolerance is taught in established creeds; since worldliness is too commonly the chief characteristic of mens' pursuits, and indifference to spiritual things, the leading feature of their minds, it is not surprising that there should be found diligent opposers of Christ and of his gospel. For unhappily it is true, that wit, and misrepresentation, and abuse, have, been severally employed to ridicule and traduce. Christianity, as if it were the bitterest foe to the liberties, prosperity, and happiness of man.

Turn we to the sacred record: 'God sent not. his son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.' Did the effects produced by the ministry of Christ agree herewith?

Did his precepts, his works, his example, correspond with this declaration, or were they contrary tercunto?It is not enough that the unbeliever should pretend to make out his case by a reference to reputed orthodox interpretations of the Christian religion, while he leaves genuine Christianity untouched it is not enough that he should quote, as he almost invariably does, the mysterious, unintelligible, and unreasonable doctrines, which are so commonly held up and defended as 'parts and parcels of the religion of the Lord Jesus: it is not enough that he should cite missals, and prayerbooks, and intolerant creeds, as specimens of Christianity; nor that he should attempt to vindicate his scepticism, by the exposure of the inconsistency of doctrines unknown to the teachings of Christ; but let him come to the law and to the testimony; let him study Christianity in its authenticated records; let him consider well the general tenour of the declarations, cautions, exhortations, and promises of Jesus and his Apostles; let him impartially inquire if they be not calcu lated to make man less a sensual and cruel, and more an intellectual, humane, and benevolent creature, before he attempts to prove the injurious tendency of Christianity, to banish it from the minds of his brethren, or to set at nought the assertion of its divine founder, God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. the wa

Let any one contemplate the state of the world, both in' speculation and in practice, before the coming of Christ, and then turn to the exhortation

6

with which he commences his ministry, Repent ye,' for the kingdom of heaven-the reign of truth and righteousness is at hand. Is there any thing injurious to mens' interests in this? On the contrary, was not repentance essential to the recovering of men from the evil effects of the degrading superstitions and practices to which they had abandoned themselves greedily? Is it not, indeed, a precept suited to frail man at all times and in all circumstances? Is there a human being who can, justly, say, I have no need of such a friendly admonition; the precept does not apply to me? Truly, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. If then it does apply, if there is need of such a precept-divinity and truth sit upon the very front of the Christian system.

Is there nothing suited to the nature of mannothing applicable to his uncertain and checquered condition, in the beautiful summary of Christian doctrine in our Lord's sermon on the mount? I take the first passage that occurs to me. Is there nothing applicable to man, heir as he is to sorrow, in the assurance and promise of our Saviour, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted?" I ask not the man, who, in his prosperity, vainly flatters himself that he is all-sufficient for his own happiness; because such a one, even while he stands, as it were, upon the brink of a precipice, is not heedful of the dangers of his situ tion. How often, both in words and actions, does he lightly treat such a sentiment. What, says he, have I to do with sorrow; I, who have many friends, and much goods, and a zest for

P

the

pleasures of life? What have I to do with sorrow, that curse of human nature, which, at the best, steals too quickly upon man. Let others flee to the consolation they need; but it shall be my rule to pursue pleasure whensoever I have opportunity, to drive away care and mourning, to seize the enjoyments of life as they flit around me. Isay, I cask not such a man if there is not something applicable to the chequered condition of his nature in Christ's promise to the mourner because he feels not the pangs of the mourner. Yet his state is not the less mournful. What is there, in fact, either in the character or pursuits of the gay flutterers around the vortex of folly and dissipation, but what is calculated to excite melancholy feelings? How delusive their hopes and transient their enjoyments! Yea, ཉཱ ཝཱ *སྶ tout apid.

092 What is human joy a transient beam de vitreof moonlight, quiv'ring on the checquer'd stream of;53 29.16 An early dew-drop, sparkling on the rose ;, 1), 1, 929: A silver cloud, which frolic zephyr blows.'

Therefore it is a melancholy sight to contemplate human beings, practically contemning the consolations and duties of religion, given up to the 'pursuit of pleasure, and making vanity the chief business of life. I say, I ask not such persons, is there any thing applicable to the condition of man in the consoling promise of Christ to the mourn"er, and yet, I might propound the question to a "large portion of my fellow-creatures at any hour, 909 and to almost every individual of the human 'race, at particular seasons, with the certainty of receiving an affirmative answer. The man whose

Π

fair prospects in life had vanished, and who was left, aged and helpless, to struggle with adversity, would tell me yes. The victim of hopeless disease would tell me yes.

friend of her youth would tell me yes.

The widow, berefts of the and the solace of her age, The parent, bending in sorrow over the tomb of his beloved child, would tell me yes. Nay, it is the inheritance of man-to mourn, therefore is our Lord's promise applicable to man. Did it fall, indeed, within my present purpose, or were it possible, in the short compass of a discourse, minutely to examine his precepts, it might be proved, that they agree with the Saviour's declaration, I come not to condemn, but to save the world;it might be shown, that the sum of his exhortations is, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.' Be it our endeavour to show that, independently of these internal marks of truth, Christianity has other species of evidence of the most powerful kind.

"

The branch to which we shall now direct our attention, is the evidence of testimonydd

Testimony is a most important means of conveying knowledge. By testimony we learn the history of mankind in past ages, and are assured of the existence of facts which do not come under our own observation. By testimony we ascertain the nature of things, of which we have had no experience, and the consequences of actions, in which we have not been engaged. If we were obliged to gain our knowledge from observation and experience, we should make but a slow pro