ing with those who acknowledge GoD and Providence, by faying, They only meant Nature, and Attraction and Repulfion*!

Our faith, our holy religion, are terms made use of by those who employ all their abilities and fubtlety of argument, to overturn it to the very foundation. To find its true fupports, they remove thofe on which alone its ftands.

WHEN We mention the supports on which Christianity refts, we are naturally led to think of the works which CHRIST performed, and to which he appealed as proofs that he 66 came forth from God." We

We may find

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* Nor the faithfulness of biography, but the zeal of panegyric, presents us with such anecdotes: temporizing meanness, conjugal infidelity, persevering debauchery, are published with perfect sang froid: death-bed tranquillity, or rather facetiousness, is detailed and celebrated. Whether Voltaire died with the contrition of a Christian penitent, is a question much agitated: the zeal of both sides is great. Whether he died, as he lived, antichristian, needs not disturb believers in the smallest degree. Thieves, robbers, murderers, traitors, Anacharsis Clouts, the heroes of the guillotine, have had no bands in their death.

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fome resemblance between ancient and modern enemies of the Gofpel, in treating the fubject of miracles.

INSTEAD of faying, Here is the power of GOD they faid: "He cafteth out devils by "the prince of devils:" they had recourse to incantation and magic: they thus explained the miracles of CHRIST and his apoftles. They did not deny that miracles were performed. But their fucceffors deny that miracles were performed, or that they are poffible, and if poffible and performed, that they are capable of fufficient evidence for fecuring belief. To men of plain sense, not to fay of pious minds, I apprehend, the impiety and abfurdity of the modern, exceed those of the early enemies of the Gospel, on the subject of miracles.

OUR LORD compared the unbelieving and hoftile in the days of his flefh, to peevish and perverfe children, who would be pleased with nothing propofed to them by their companions. John the Baptift was blamed for his aufterity of manners: JESUS for converfing freely with the world. In like manner

fome,

fome, of thefe days, take exceptions against the Gospel because its precepts are useless and unreafonable: fome, because they are

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pure and perfect as not to be attained; and that men formed by them would find this world infufferable. Some trace the Gospel. and its reception to imposture, fome to enthufiafm. With fome, reason is fufficient. With others, there is no trufting to the conclufions of reafon. The fame person, at one time, quotes Scripture as a good authority; and demonstrates, at another, as he supposes, the whole is to be abandoned. Such men are, not without reafon, called bold spirits.

IN juftifying the apostles' character of the early enemies of the Gofpel, we have mentioned the abfurd account they gave of the atteftations of heaven to the miffion of CHRIST, and of his difciples; and the more abfurd doctrine, as it appears to us, refpecting miracles, of the modern enemies of Chriftianity: but it is not in these instances, only, that infidelity, ancient and modern, is verse.

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How do infidels account for the existence

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and

and reception of the Gospel? Is the answer, By imposture? This indeed is a marvellous thing! for, first, according to this answer, the authors of this fyftem are the most determined Atheists, the most destitute of truth and honour, the most confummate hypocrites, that ever exifted: nevertheless, they propofe and secure no object for themselves: they left all things: they loft all things: they fuffered death:-for no end in the world!

If they chuse the enthusiasm of its first teachers, for explaining the rise and spread of Christianity, we have again to fay to the infidels, Here is a marvellous thing: How can you believe that enthufiafts could contrive and circulate doctrines the most fublime and rational; the most perfect morality; the most amiable character; the most exalted virtues, rendered confpicuous by the most exquifite fufferings, delineated by the artless pens of the unlearned?

AN astonishing revolution was effected in the moral world, by the preaching of the Gofpel. Could this be done by a few despe

rate

rate impoftors, or by a few vifionary enthu-fiafts? How can you believe that such authors and propagators of this system, could have such astonishing address that, in all their ministrations and writings, we are not able to discover any marks of interestedness, or of folly? How could men of this defcription command the attention of, and convince and convert, people of all nations and ages, and characters?

I Do not mean to say that, every one who difregards Christianity confiders maturely the abfurdities with which the rejection of it is loaded: I am verily perfuaded that infidelity is favoured by banishing thought and reflection: Infidels are so attached to their system, that they do not reflect what the rejection of Christianity means and implies; do not reflect on the natural and neceffary conclufions, from their rejection of Christianity : there is reason to fufpect that, to ufe a common phrafe, they wink hard and fwallow down, for the fake of infidelity, all the abfurdities from which it is infeparable. All fuch are justly named a perverfe fet of people.

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