fidelity. One would imagine from their repres sentations, that those who profess to be chriftians are all angels and those who reject it are all devils. With refpect to the fulness of evidence from the fcriptures for the truth of chriftianity, we perfectly accord: but when we confider from what premifes men frequently draw their conclufions, and form their judgment; and that they look at the effecis of a religion more than at its principles, there is reafon to lament that they have had fo much to offer as an excufe for their unbelief. The fuperftitious worship of the church of Rome, combined with the abfurdity of her peculiar tenets, and rendered more offenfive by the impure or ambitious lives of many of the most dignified of her clergy, have proved a ftumbling block to millions, and produced a rejection of the gofpel. In proteftant countries, though the creeds of the different churches be pure, have not Deifts had too much to allege against the conduct of thofe who profess the christian religion, and still more against the worldly spirit (I speak it with grief) of too many of its minifters? What indecorous means are often publicly employed to obtain ecclefiaftical preferments: and when obtained, though presenting full employment for the utmoft exertions of an individual; in every lounge of idlenefs, in every fcene of amusement, in every haunt of pleasure, they are daily to be found. What influence may fuch conduct be expected to have on those who witnefs it, and efpecially on those who affociate with them? These men," they will fay, "know the gospel better than we: but it is plain from their life and converfation, that they do not believe it: and why fhould we?" Thefe excufes will not avail for their acquittal in the fight of God;

་

but they fhould influence the defenders of christianity to treat them with lefs feverity.

It may be faid, "they have treated christianity in the most shameful manner." True: but if their religion warrants them in fuch unbecoming difpo fitions of mind, let us act according to the tenour of ours, and defend the gofpel in its own spirit. "The fervant of the Lord, while he contends earneftly for the faith once delivered to the faints, must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, in meekness inftructing thofe that oppofe themselves, if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." Many Deifts, confidered as members of civil fociety, are refpectable men: as immortal creatures too let them be treated with respect. Their fituation is dangerous beyond expreffion; let them be treated with the tendereft pity: they need it. Chriftianity lofes nothing by being defended with her own weapons

alone.

I am not at all aftonished at the increase of infidelity: but let it ever be remembered, the causes were not of yesterday. In France, after the persecution and banishment of the proteftants with a thousand circumftances of worse than Roberfpierrean cruelty, and the entire deftruction of their public worship, there remained nothing but the vaft mass of fuperftition, which covers the Romish church from head to foot. Such a figure may be worshipped among a grofsly_ignorant people, as in Auftria, and Bavaria, in Portugal, and Spain; but knowledge was rapidly increafing in France; and men enlightened by fcience could not view the tricked up harlot, but with contempt and with difguft. As the New Teftament was not a book

in common ufe as here, they fell into the fame mistake with their defcendants, concerning whom an author who wrote not long ago at Paris, in her defcription of the literary Deifts, fays, "It never entered into their mind to conceive that popery and christianity are two different things." Imagining that what they beheld was the very religion which Jefus and his apoft les publifhed to the world, they despised it, and they rejected it. After having feen high mas performed in all its splendour in the capital of Louis xvi, and low mass in various churches there, I profess that instead of wondering that multitudes of the people in that country became Deifts, I rather wonder that any could posfibly continue to profefs themselves chriftians, provided popery and chriftianity be the fame.

In England, along with the other caufes which have been enumerated, the feeds of infidelity began to be fown above a century ago, in the neglect of the religious inftruction of young people by minifters and parents. The field became green : it grew flowly towards maturity, till late events, like the rains and funs which rapidly advance the harvest, made the ears of the vaft field appear. Multitudes were thunderstruck, when they obferved that the crop was Infidelity; but it was just as natural a produce, as if hemlock had been fown, and a field of hemlock was raised to maturity. Nothing else could reasonably have been expected.

While I am not aftonished at, I am not afraid of infidelity. No fears either for the gofpel, or the church of Chrift difturb my mind. The church is founded on a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The gofpel has ftood its ground against far more formidable foes; and as

in all former times it ftill will overcome. Every enlightened friend of Jefus Chrift must have been grieved beyond measure, to obferve fome writers on the subject full of terror and fury, calling to the civil magiftrate to unfheath his fword and command the infidel to filence or to punishment: while others reprefented chriftianity as hanging in awful fufpence, as to the very continuance of its existence, on the iffue of the war in which the nations of Europe were engaged. Of all the dishonourable things which have been spoken against Jefus Chrift and his gofpel, these are certainly among the first; and merit the unqualified reprobation of every one who has the cause of true religion and the honour of chriftianity at heart. There is just as much reafon to fear that the contentions of the potentates of Europe may pluck the fun from his fphere, and leave the world in darkness, as that they can endanger the removal of gofpel from the earth. "Jehovah hath fworn by himfelf, the word is gone out of his mouth in righte oufnefs, and fhall not return, that unto Jefus every knee fhall bow, every tongue shall fwear. Surely fhall one fay, In the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength: even to him fhall men come; and all that are incenfed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord fhall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fhall glory." Ifaiah xlv. 23, 24, 25.

I conceive, I fpeak on accurate obfervation when I fay that chriftianity is gaining ground in the island of Great Britain. More vigorous efforts for its propagation have not been made for a century paft, than during the laft feven years; and with the most pleasing prospects of fuccefs. One good and very important effect refulting from the increase of deifm is that every zealous christian

1

will feek with greater energy to promote the cause of Chrift; and every faithful minifter of the gospel will exert himself to the utmoft to banish ignorance and vice from his congregation and neighbourhood: and with ardour far greater than he ever employed before, to inftruct them in the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and to make them wife unto falvation.

Some may be ready to inquire, why the introduction is confined to the New Teftament, and does not likewife embrace the Old. Befides many other reasons which might be affigned, it appears to me that by being kept diftinct, the evidence of cach will be perceived with greater clearness, than if they were blended together in one effay. Both the writer and the reader will find many advantages from this arrangement: and thofe moft of all, who are unbelievers. The queftion then is, where fhould we begin? As in an extenfive and variegated fcene, there is a certain point, from which the whole may be feen to greatest advantage, so it is in fuch fubjects as that before us. There is a first,

which a writer will endeavour to feize, and from thence be led on to a fecond, and a third, fo as to give to the whole the greatest degree both of clearnefs, intereft, and force. It frequently happens that the proper beginning is not with that which is firft in point of time:- in the prefent instance this is the cafe. The perfon who is little acquainted with, and rejects the fcriptures, fhould begin with the New Teftament, as containing the fyftem of christianity in its full perfection. When he has read IT with ferious attention, let him then afcend to the writings of the Old Teftament, and he will find additional confirmation of the gospel, from the preparations which, he will fee, were