tendants, whose books are still preserved in the original language, and, in the main, are faithfully translated into our own; so that the books of the New Testament now in use, may be depended upon as written by the persons whose names they bear; and admitting this, the truth of the Gospel follows by a train of very easy consequences for the authors certainly knew the truth of the facts they related; and considering what appears in their character and circumstances, we can never believe they would have attempted to deceive us; for if they had, they could not have gained credit in the world: but they did gain it in a very remarkable manner; therefore the facts they attested were true, and the truth of the Gospel evidently follows from the certainty of those facts, and is completely confirmed by what has happened in the world since the publication of it.

This is the sum of what we flatter ourselves we have sufficiently proved; and shall now conclude what we have to say on this subject, with a few words by way of reflection.

1. Let us gratefully acknowledge the divine goodness, in favoring us with so excellent a revelation, and confirming it to us by such ample evidence.

We should daily adore the God of nature, for lighting up the sun, that glorious, though imperfect image of his own unapproachable lustre; and appointing it to gild the earth with its various rays, to cheer us with its benign influences, and to guide and direct us in our journeys and our labors. But how incomparably more valuable is that "day-spring from on high, which hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace?" Oh ye Christians, whose eyes are so happy to see, and your ears to hear, what reason have you for daily and hourly praise! When your minds are delighted with contemplating the riches of Gospel grace, when you view with wonder and joy, the harmonious system of your redemption; when you feel the burden of your guilt removed, the freedom of your address to the throne of Grace encouraged, and see the prospect of a fair inheritance to eternal glory opening upon you; then, in the pleasing transports of your souls, borrow the joyful anthem of the psalmist, and say, with the humblest gratitude and self-resignation, "God is the Lord who sheweth us light; bind the sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the altar." Adore "God who first commanded the light to shine out of darkness," that by the discoveries of his word, and the operations of his Spirit, he hath "shined in your hearts to give you the knowledge of his glory, as reflected from the face of his Son." Let us all adore him, that this revelation hath reached us, who live in an age and country so distant from that in which it first appeared; while there are to this

very day, not only dark corners, but regions of the earth, that "are full of the habitations of idolatry and cruelty."

It

Let us peculiarly address ourselves to those whose education and circumstances of life have given them opportunities of a fuller inquiry into the state of those ancient or modern nations, that have been left merely to the light of unassisted reason; even to those who are unacquainted with the history of their gods, the rites of their priests, the tales and even the hymns of their poets; nay, we will add, the reasoning of the sagest philosophers; all the precious and all the erroneous things they have said where religion and immortality are concerned. may be imagined, that God gave to some of the most celebrated pagan writers that uncommon share of genius and eloquence, that they might, as it were, by their art, embalm the monsters of antiquity; that so succeeding ages might see in a more affecting view than we could otherwise have done, how weak the human mind is in its best estate, and the need which the greatest as well as the meanest of mankind have of being taught by a revelation from above. While we are daily conversing with such monuments as these, and are also surveying the evidences of Christianity, in a large and more distinct view than it was possible for us here to suppose them, we are under peculiar obligations to be very thankful for the Gospel ourselves, as well as to compassionate the cause of those to whom it has never been offered, or by whom it is slighted. And this leads us to another reflection.

2. What reason have we to pity those who reject this glorious Gospel, even when they have opportunities of inquiring into its clearest evidences?

Such undoubtedly we have in our own age and nation and surely we should sometimes bestow a compassionate thought upon them, and lift up humble prayers for them, that God, peradventure, may give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth, that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are now led captive by him at his pleasure; we should pity heathens and Mahomedans under their darkness and errors; but how much more deplorable is the case of those, who though they dwell in Emmanuel's land, and in the valley of Zion, turn it into the valley of the shadow of death, by closing their eyes against so bright a lustre, and stopping their ears against the voice of the charmer? They are, indeed, in their own conceit, the only wise people, but their wisdom will die with them so that to be sure, they will scorn our pity. But who can forbear it? Is there a more melancholy thought than this, that the Son of God should have done so much to introduce and establish the Gospel, and his Spirit so much to perpetuate and increase its evidence; and that after all it should be

contemptuously despised, even by creatures who are perishing without it? This is not only done, though we believe most frequently, by men of profligate and abandoned lives; but sometimes by persons who have the appearance of external morality, decency, and humanity, (for such are to be found among them) as well as men of wit and genius, of politeness and learning, of human prudence and experience in worldly affairs. It may also be added, that it is the case of some who were the children of pious parents, who were trained up in religious exercises, who once discovered serious impressions, and gave very encouraging hopes. Alas, whither are they fallen! How shall we shelter those that were once our brethren, that are perhaps still our friends, from the awful sentence which the Gospel denounces against all that reject it without any exception? As to the wretches that add insult and derision to their infidelity, we tremble to think of that load of guilt which they are bringing upon themselves; and how near their approach to the unpardonable sin, if they have not already committed it. For the rest, who behave in a more modest and sober manner, it will no doubt be a very difficult task to convince them; and so much the rather, as some of them, by too easy a transition, have renounced many of the most important principles of natural religion nay, it might be added, even the whole of it, together with the Christian revelation. But the influences of divine grace are almighty. Let us recommend them to it, and omit no other proper method, either of recovering such as are already seduced; or at least of securing those who are not yet infected, but may be, as most of the youth are, especially in the most populous places, in iminent danger of the contagion. To this end let us add,

3. How reasonable it is, that Christians should form a familiar acquaintance with the great evidences of our common faith.

It is what we so apparently owe to the honor of God, to the interest of Christ, to the peace of our own souls, and the edification of others, that we hope we need not urge it at large, especially considering what has been said before. In consequence of all, let it be your care to make the evidences of Christianity the subject of your serious reflection and frequent converse. Especially study your Bibles, where such marks of truth and divinity are to be found, that we hope few who have familiarly known them and have had a relish for them, were ever brought to make a shipwreck of their faith as it is in Jesus. Above all, let it be your care, to act on the rules which are here laid down: and then you will find your faith growing in a happy proportion, and experience the truth of our Saviour's declaration, that if any man resolutely and faithfully do his will,

he shall know of the Christian doctrine, whether it be of God. We verily believe, that it is the purity of its precents which lies at the bottom of most men's opposition to it; or a natural pride of heart, which gives them an aversion to it; or a fond affectation of seeming wiser than others, in rejecting what most of their neighbors do profess to believe. When these unhappy prejudices and conceptions are, by divine grace, conquered and rooted out, the evidence of truth will daily appear with increasing lustre as the light of the sun does to an eye recovering from the film with which it hath been overgrown; and which before had veiled it with midnight in the midst of

noon.

4. How solicitous should we be to embrace and obey that Gospel, which comes attended with such abundant evidences!

We may undoubtedly address ourselves to most of onr readers, and say as Paul did to King Agrippa: "Believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest:" yet let me entreat and charge you not to rest here; but attentively to examine how far your hearts are affected, and your lives regulated by such a belief. The Christian revelation is a practical thing; and is heard, believed, and professed in vain, if it be not obeyed.

In this Gospel "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness of men :" but it is revealed with redoubled fury against that audacious sinner, "who holds the truth in unrighteousness." In this Gospel the blessed Jesus is exalted, both as a "Prince and Saviour;" and it is not with impunity, that the impenitent rebel can reject his yoke, and trample on his blood. What must they expect, who have poured contempt on such a Sovereign, and on such a Redeemer?

Let it be earnestly and frequently recollected, that this Gospel is the touchstone by which we are one day to be tried; the balance in which an impartial judge will weigh us: and must, on the whole, prove our everlasting triumph, or our everlasting torment. The Almighty did not introduce it with such solemn notice, such high expectation, such pompous miracles, such awful sanctions, that men might reject or dishonor it at pleasure; but it will certainly be found, to the greatest and meanest of those that hear it, a savour of life unto life, or a savour of death unto death."

Let it therefore be your immediate care to inquire, which of these it is likely to prove to your souls; remember it is so far from being a vain thing, that it is really your very life. If it has been hitherto despised, and that blessed Redeemer in whom it so evidently centers, has been neglected, assure yourselves, that all we have said in confirmation of its truth, proves only, that the "hand-writing of God" is set to your condemnation. Allow yourselves, therefore, not a moment's rest, till you have

with humble submission applied to his throne, while there is yet hope that it may be reversed.

And for you who have hitherto believed and obeyed the Gospel, let it be your care to defend and adorn it: "be blameless and harmless, the children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, shining among them as lights in the world:" perhaps your example may not only serve to entertain their eyes, but" to guide their feet into the way of peace," and engage them also to join with you in "glorifying your Father which is in heaven;" above all, be careful to hold fast the form of sound words, and to adorn the doctrine of your blessed Saviour in all things.