can express the daily disappointment, the alternate fever and laffitude of him, whose heart knows of no reft, but what this difordered world can afford?

Who then is happy? He alone, whether prince or fubject, who, through the powerful and falutary influence of revealed religion in his heart, is fo impreffed with things invisible, as to rife fuperior to the viciffitudes of mortality: who fo believes and feels what is contained in the Bible, as to make God his refuge, his Saviour, his truft, and true practical holiness the chief object of his purfuit. To fuch a one his Bible, and his closet, are a counterpoise to all the trials and the violence to which he may be exposed. "Thou fhalt hide them privily," fays the Pfalmist, "by thine own presence, from the provoking of all men ; thou shalt keep them fecretly in thy pavilion, from the ftrife of tongues."

CHAP.

CHAP. XIII.

On the Scripture Evidences of Christianity.The Chriftian Religion peculiarly adapted to the Exigencies of Man; and especially calculated to fupply the defects of Heathen Philofophy.

Ir Chriftianity were examined with atten

be

tion and candour, it would be found to contain irresistible evidence of its divine origin. Those who have formed continued trains of argument in its fupport, have, no doubt, often served very valuable purposes; but it is certain, that conviction may attained in a much fimpler method. In fact, it would imply a very reasonable charge against Christianity, if its proofs were of fuch a nature, as that none but scholars or philofophers could feel their conclufiveness.

A book exists in the world, purporting to contain the authentic records, and authoritative principles of the one true religion. It is obviously not the work of one perfon, or of one age. Its earliest pages, on the contrary, are, beyond all fober queftion, the most ancient writings in the world; while its later parts were confeffedly compofed at a time much within the limits. of historic certainty; a time indeed, with which we are better acquainted than with any other period in the retrospect of ancient history; and which, like a distant eminence brightly illuminated by the rays of the fun, is distinctly seen, while intermediate tracts are involved in impenetrable mist.

Against the authority of this moft interesting volume, numberlefs objections have been raised. But, who has yet clearly and fatisfactorily fhewn how its existence, in the form it bears, can be rationally accounted for, on the fuppofition of its spuriousness? That a feries of records originating fo variously both as to time, occafion,

and

and circumftance, fhould involve fome obfcurity or difficulty, or even in fome instances, apparent incongruity, is furely no cause of wonder: and, that these fhould be dwelt upon and exaggerated, by perfons hoftile to the principles which the volume contains, and which its truth would eftablish, is most natural. But, which of those objectors has ever been able to fubftitute a system less liable to objection? Have any of them given a fatisfactory folution of the unparalleled difficulties which clog their hypothefis? Which of them has even attempted fully to explain the fimple phanomenon of fuch a volume being in the world, on the fuppofition of fabrication or imposture?

This book divides itself into two great. portions, the firft containing the account of a preparatory religion, given to a fingle nation; the latter defcribing the completion of the scheme, fo far as to fit this religion for general benefit, and unlimited diffufion. Respecting

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4

Respecting the first great portion, which we call the Old Teftament, the leading features appear peculiarly ftriking. In this book alone, during thofe ages, was maintained that first great truth, of there being only ONE living and true God; which, though now fo univerfally acknowledged, was then unconceived by the politeft nations, and most accomplished philofophers. And respecting both portions of this book, but especially the latter, known by the name of the New Teftament, this no less interesting remark is to be made, that, in every effential point, the fame view is taken of man's weakneffes and wants, of the nature of the human mind, and what is neceffary to its ease and comfort, as is taken by the wifest heathen philofophers; with this most important difference, however, that the chief good of man, that pure perennial mental happiness, about which they so much difcourfed, after which they fo eagerly panted, but of which they fo confeffedly

failed,