they are not regularly deduced from the premises; Or, (3.) That the Chriftian religion is true, and of divine authority. I am perfuaded, you'll not affume either of the two former of these conclufions: the latter therefore forces itself upon you.

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That the Lord may direct you in the way of truth and path of life, is the prayer of,.

Sir,

Yours, &c.

LETTER V. Wherein fome of the INTERNAL EVIDENCES of CHRISTIANITY are confidered.

SIR,

According to the direction given in your last, I fhall

ufe the greateft freedom in my anfwer, and laying afide all referves, fhall prefume on your candour. You cannot fee (you tell me) how these arguments of mine for the truth of Chriftianity, can admit of a rational and confiftent answer.' How then can you be, but almoft perfuaded to be a Chriftian? How can you want fome general and eafy directions, how to get rid of thofe doubts, which ftill hang upon your mind, from the various difficulties which are con⚫tinually cafting themfelves in your way? Do you deal thus with yourself in other cafes, of infinitely lefs importance? Do you harrafs your mind with doubts about other things which are clearly evident to you, only because you meet with fome difficulties which you cannot readily folve? This were the way to down-right fcepticism, in every thing which falls under your confideration, whether natural or moral. And at this rate, you may call into question your own being and all your rational powers; as well as every thing you fee, hear, or feel. For I dare fay, there are difficulties enough in any or all of thefe, to puzzle the moft fagacious philofopher that ever breathed; and to nonplus the inquiries of all the men in the world.

The question before you is, whether the facts upon which the evidence of Chriflianity depends, are clearly

proved, and neceffarily true? If fo, there certainly muft be fome way to folve all thofe difficulties, whether you have found out the method to do it or not. You should likewife confider, that it is of no importance to the fafety of your foul, whether you are, or are not, capable to obviate all the objections which fall in your way; but it is of eternal importance, that you build on a fure founda tim, and that you believe in the only begotten Son of God. This then should be your method in the cafe before you. First, see to your foundation; examine thoroughly, feri. oully and impartially, whether the evidence for the truth of Chriftianity be fuch, that you have reafon to believe it; and that it would be unreasonable, not to believe it true. And then whatever difficulties may occur, do not dig up your foundation; and undermine your faith and hope. Do not give your adverfary the advantage to keep you in a continued fufpence, left you live and die an unbeliever; and fo have your objections removed when it is too late, when your conviction will but prove your confufion. I do not speak this to deter you from examining the most fubtile objections which the greatest enemies of Chriftianity are able to throw in your way. The cause will bear the ftricteft fcrutiny, the feverest trial. And you can hardly imagine any difficulty, but what has been clearly and judiciously resolved, by one or other of the late defenders of this glorious cause. But are you convinced, that the arguments to prove the

truth of Chriftianity, admit of no rational anfwer?" Take then the apoftle's advice, in all the further inquiries you shall make, to bold faft the beginning of your confidence, stedfaft unto the end.

This then is part of that general advice I would give you, that you may get rid of thofe doubts which ftill hang upon your mind. Follow it, and it will at least leffen your difficulties, and may make your way plain before you. But this is not the principal direction, neceffary to be taken in this cafe. It is of special confequence, to fee to it, that you experience the power of Christianity in your own heart. Reject this advice; and it is impoffible, that you should be rooted and built up in Chrift, and established in the faith. But comply

with it; and it is impoffible, that hell and earth can fi nally fubvert your faith, and separate between Chrift and your foul. By this means, this great affair will be no longer with you a matter of mere speculation, or empty opinion, but convincing experience; and nothing but your imperfections and temptations, can ever make you hefitate about the truth of those things, which you senfibly and continually feel the influence of, upon all the powers and faculties of your mind. By this you will have the witness in yourself, a tranfcript of the Gospel upon your heart, fuch a transcript, as will anfwer to the ciginal, like as the imprefs upon the wax, to the fignet; or as a well-drawn picture to the lineaments of the face, from whence it was taken. By this have multitudes of fouls been established in the faith, who have never been able critically to examine the external evidence upon which Chriftianity is founded. They have not been able to difpute for Chrift; but they have dared to die for him. They have found the image of God imprinted on their fouls, by the Gospel of God our Saviour: and therefore could not doubt the power of that cause, which had produced fo glorious an effect upon them. Make the experiment, Sir; and you'll be forced to acknowledge the Lord Jefus Chrift to be indeed your Saviour, when you feel that he hath actually saved you.

Let me therefore fet before you fome of the marks given of a real Chriftian in the New Teftament; that when you come to discover the lineaments of this divine image upon your foul, you may know the cause from the effect. In doing this, I fhall not defcend into all the minute particulars of the Chriftian's character; but only fet before you a few of the most plain and intelligible marks, by which a Chriftian indeed may be dif tinguished from all others; and by which he may most clearly difcern, that Chrift is a Saviour indeed.

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And first, the most general mark, by which this may be known, is, that if any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature old things are paffed away behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. v. 17. That he is renewed in the spirit of his mind; and that he puts on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true bor

linefs, Eph. iv. 23, 24. Here you may fee, is reprefented a very remarkable and diftinguishing change of ftate; a change which may be known by thofe who have had the bleffed experience; and a change, that has been felt by all thofe, and none but thofe, who are Chrif tians indeed. Could you then find this bleffed effect of your committing your foul and your eternal interests into the hands of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that all the powers, paffions, and appetites of your foul are renewed, you could not doubt the author of the wonderful change. You must own it to be from him, that you are brought to hate what you before loved; and to love what you before hated. Can you help but acknowledge this, when you find that the thoughts and difpofitions of your mind are new; and the chief subject of your care and meditation are the things unfeen and eternal: that the defires and affections of your foul are new and placed. upon the things that are above, where Chrift, Jefus fits at the right hand of God that your views and apprehenfions of yourself are new; and your haughty and felfish imaginations are changed, to an humble and con trite spirit, that trembles at God's word: That your confidence and dependance is new; and inftead of depending upon your good attainments, purposes, promises, reformations, or duties, you are endeavouring to be found in Chrift Jefus, not having on your own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That your joys and fatisfactions are new; and inftead of rejoicing in your temporal and fenfual acquisitions, you rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the Beth. That the objects of your love and complacency are new; and inftead of loving the world and your i dols, you efteem God's favour to be life, and his loving kindness to be better than life; and instead of loving the company of worldly and fenfual perfons, you have your only delight and complacency in men of ferious vital piety; and have this evidence, that you are paffed from death to life, that you love the brethren. That your ap petites and paffions are news and inftead of those boundlefs defires you were before acted by, you are brought

into an humble fubjection to the will of God; and instead of those turbulent paffions which before had the afcendant, you experience the bleffed fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodnefs, faith, meeknefs, temperance. And to fum up all, that your conversation is new; and that you live a life of holiness towards God; and of righteoufnefs, charity, and beneficence towards men; endeavouring to fill up every station, relation, and capacity of life with duty; and striving to have your whole converfation as becomes the Gospel of Christ.

This, Sir, is a brief fummary of the true Chriftian character. This is the falvation (in its moral view) which our Lord Jefus Chrift beftows in this world, upon all his fincere followers. No man ever fail'd of ob taining this, who by faith unfeigned brought his foul to Chrift, and depended upon him, for his fanctifying renewing influences.

Now fecondly, Another thing which all true Chriftians experience, and none but they, is the spiritual warfare. They have a warfare with their remaining corruptions. The flesh lufteth against the fpirit; and the fpirit against the flefb, Gal. v. 17. And they fee another law in their members, warring against the law of their minds, in order to bring them into captivity, to the law of fin and death, Rom. vii. 23. They have ftill fo many imperfections remaining in their hearts, in their duties, and in their converfations, as make them groan, being burthened and cry out, O wretchedman that Iam, who fball deliver me from the body of this death i When therefore you are heartily engag'd in this war, and feel -in yourself that you are continually led on to victory, can you doubt, who it is that approves himself the captain of your falvation? Can you doubt this, when you fenfibly feel in yourself a hatred to all fin, without any referve, even to thofe fins which by conftitution, or cuftom, are so nearly and intimately united to your affections, as to become your members, even a right hand, a right foot, or a right eye? Can you doubt this, when you feel that you even hate vain thoughts; and that the irregularities of your heart and affections, as