to the taste of their vicious countrymen. It required few sacrifices, and those not painful: it indulged eager appetites and heated passions. Mohammed acted on the same principles. How gratifying are many of his maxims to flesh and blood! To be allowed to retain and cherish evil dispositions in the heart, and yet be on the road to paradise, is beyond measure delicious to every lover of iniquity. We are not to wonder, if such systems were received without a struggle, by those to whom they were proposed. Is this the cause that the koran is more respectfully spoken of by many modern deists than the New Testament? They will at least own that none of their party have ever appeared the advocates for an austere morality.

But here is a religion which declares open war and irreconcilable enmity with every evil disposition in the human heart. It tolerates none; it denounces an anathema against all. Of the most odious sins, disobedience to parents, dishonesty, injustice, murder, and adultery, it speaks with abhorrence; it says they ought not even to be named among Christians. But this is not all: it descends into the heart; it puts forth its hand and plucks out every root of bitterness which, springing up, would pollute the soul, and defile the life. Many principles which the world approves, as ambition, the eager pursuit of wealth, fondness for pleasure, pride, envy, revenge, contempt of others, emulation, the gospel condemns. These the world considers on many occasions to be harmless-in some commendable; Christianity condems them all, in every form and degree. It forbids the indulgence of them even in thought, and commands the desire to be strangled in its birth. Neither the hands, the tongue, the head, nor the heart, must be guilty of one iniquity. However much the world may applaud the heroic ambition of one, the love of glory in another, the successful pursuits of affluence in a third, the high-minded pride, the glowing patriotism which would compel all the neighbouring nations to bow the neck, the steady pursuit of revenge for injuries received, and a sovereign contempt of the rude and ignoble vulgar, Christianity condemns them all, and enjoins the disciples of Jesus to crucify them without reluctance, and without delay. Not one is to be spared, though dear as a right eye, for use or pleasure; or even necessary as a right hand for defence or labour. While the gospel insists on the destruction of evil principles, the exercise of these opposite dispositions, humility, contentment, meekness, charity, forgiveness, perfection, is strictly enjoined. As a specimen, read the words of

the book itself. Matt. v. 43, 44, 45, 48—" Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemies; but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Rom. xii. 20, 21- Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves: but if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with good." 1 Peter iii. 9" Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto ca. ed, that ye should inherit a blessing."

What a system of opposition to evil, and of the purest goodness, is here! To what source shall we trace it? From beneath such divine sentiments cannot come. Nor do they grow on earth. They spring not from the human heart; for no such seeds have been sown there. Will it be thought unreasonable if I should say, "They must have come down from heaven?"

SECTION IV.

Men never get before the New Testament.

FOR centuries past the world has been in a state of gradual improvement, which is still increasing with accelerated rapidity. Ancient ages, even the most renowned, we have far outstripped in every useful science; and by means of modern discoveries, their most famous books are found extremely deficient. Within the limits of the eighteenth century, this has been remarkably the case. How many treatises, regarded as master-pieces at the beginning, were looked upon as antiquated before the end. When we consider the intense application of thousands of enlightened and highly cultivated minds, all in quest of new discoveries, and all endeavouring to improve on what was written before, we shall not wonder at this advance

ment.

We are naturally led to inquire, how it is in reference to religion, and whether the New Testament stands its ground. A full proportion of learned men have applied themselves to the

study of the principles of religion and morals, and to those sciences connected with them which have respect to moral obligation and privilege. But have any one of them outstripped the New Testament, as the moderns have outstripped the ancient philosophers? Have they found out any part of the character of God which it does not display, or any duty which it does not inculcate? No: after all their researches, and with all the additional knowledge of eighteen centuries, they have not moved a step before it. Nay, they may perceive the New Testament is still before them.

In these latter times, many conceive that considerable progress has been made in the knowledge of that part of morals which respects individual and domestic, but especially national, relations. After having viewed these pretensions, which profess to have their basis fixed on the principles of eternal justice, let us turn to the New Testament, and examine if these men have outstripped that book. But we find there all these noble sentiments, the force and extent of which were not perceived before, that are applicable to what is good in them, and to those things which are really improvements; and countenancing and enjoining them by the spirit of the gospel. Is it not astonishing, that whenever any useful discovery in moral science has been made, it is found that the New Testament contains it, though unnoticed before? This has been the case from century to century; it is so still; and, no doubt, there are many divine principles of morals in this book, which the progress in knowledge, of this and future ages, will enable men to perceive.

But whence comes this peculiar quality?

The vast com

prehensive knowledge of the Spirit of God who indited it, can alone be assigned as a rational and satisfactory cause. If Christianity had been the invention of men, it would have shared the fate of all other systems of the like origin; the improvements of modern times would have left it far behind.

This has been the case with all the pagan religions. A person in the present age, who had written on theological subjects, though of moderate abilities, instead of considering it as a compliment, would think himself grossly insulted, if you were to say to him, " I admire your book: your ideas of God and religion are fully on a level with the Grecian mythology, the Indian Shasters, and the system of Confucius." Nor would he think that justice was done him, unless it were granted, that he had surpassed the koran of Mohammed, in his representations of truth and duty. But the plain illiterate

fishermen, publicans, and tent-makers, of Judea and Galilee, after the lapse of eighteen centuries, are still masters in religion and morals. No man in all that time has stepped one foot before them. Let those who will not allow that they were taught of God, assign a satisfactory reason for their preeminence.

SECTION V.

The fulness of the New Testament.

THE world is filled with books, and great numbers of them are excellent. How many men of the first talents have written admirably on the subject of religion! Every age can boast of its celebrated authors, who have consecrated themselves to the instruction of mankind. I have read many of them with pleasure and improvement; but I find, that when I have gone through them three or four times, I have gained all their ideas. In spite of me they become flat and uninteresting, and I am obliged to lay them aside; for I can no longer read them with pleasure.

But the New Testament forms an exception to this rule. I have read many parts of it hundreds of times; and can read them again to-morrow, with equal relish as at first. Whenever I peruse it with serious attention, I discover something new; and the more attentively and devotedly I do so, I discover the more; and new ideas spring out of the words and subject, and enrich my mind. Besides, I am never weary of reading it; it presents new charms to me every day: and, like bread made of the finest of the wheat, it is always agreeable to the taste. The more I read, the more I love it; and the more intimate my acquaintance, the stronger is my affection for it. I have my favourite authors on religion; and I frequently peruse them. They are men of genius, learning, and piety. But they are only children, in comparison of the fishermen of Galilee; and I find a fulness and sweetness in their writings, which the others do not possess.

Allow the

Whence comes this astonishing difference? New Testament to be written by inspiration, and the reason will be easily assigned. The Holy Spirit of God, whose understanding is infinite, can put such a number of ideas into a book, as it shall unspeakably surpass the power of man to do, which shall one after another appear to the pious reader, and amply reward his researches. He can likewise so fill the

book with good, as well as with truth, that it shall delight the heart, as well as enlighten the mind, and have such indescribable charms that it shall be always sweet, and fill the soul with the highest degree of mental pleasure. To these causes I ascribe its astonishing fulness.

ye

But how will who call the New Testament a common book, or a forgery, account for this singularity? To deny the fact will not avail. The observation before us has been made by thousands of persons, both illiterate and learned, in every age; and against such a mass of evidence, the assertion of those who have read merely with a view to find fault and to condemn, will not weigh much in the balance of impartial reason. The testimony of bats and owls to the loveliness of the gloom of night, and against the beauty of the light of the sun, would not be heard in opposition to the unanimous declaration of the inhabitants of the earth, and of the air, to the contrary. But ought I to use such a comparison? My design is not to irritate, but to convince; not to triumph over an enemy, but to reclaim a friend and a brother, who, to my grief, has gone astray; and to lead his feet into the way of peace.

SECTION VI.

The Scheme of the Divine Government, as represented in the New Testament, is vast and extensive.

WHILE the past and the present occupy a certain portion of our thoughts and time, it is natural to look into futurity, and to conjecture what will come to pass. How often has this been the theme of the most ingenious writers! But we observe in them the attributes of man. Their plans of the divine conduct, in the regulation of human affairs, are extremely limited in extent, and they seem in haste for the execution. Beyond a century or two at most, their views scarcely ever extend for the accomplishment of their plans; more commonly they are comprised within a still narrower space. They are eager to see their expectations realized; and often place the event within such a period, as that they may have the satisfaction of witnessing it.

How different is the disposition of the writers of the New Testament! They present to us a view of the divine government; but the forementioned peculiarities are not to be found. The plan embraces a vast variety of objects: it advances by