world, and that he was risen from the sophers of Athens and Rome equaldead, and gone into heaven; that in a led them, it is certain, in natural abifew years they converted a very great lities, and exceeded them confessedly number of people, in all places, to in the superstructures of acquired this belief; that the professors of knowledge, and all the advantages this belief were called Christians; of a refined education. It must be that they were most cruelly perse- therefore owing to some supernatucuted, and many thousands of them ral or divine helps; and none, but put to death, and that with the most he, in whom are contained all the exquisite torments, for no other rea- treasures of wisdom, could have enson, but because they were Chris- riched their minds to such a degree, tians; that these persecutions were and furnished such a vast expanse of several times renewed against them, thought. If Judea was ennobled by for the space of about three hundred these exalted notions, of which other years; and yet, for all this, that the nations, who were sunk into the number of Christians daily increas- dregs of Polytheism and idolatry, ed, and that not only idiots and un- were destitute; if the kindly dew learned men, but great scholars and of heaven descended on this fleece philosophers were converted to Chris- only, while all the earth around betianity, even in the times of perse-trayed a want of refreshing moisture; cution; all this, being merely matter this was the Lord's doing, and ought of fact, was never yet denied by the to be marvellous in our eyes. greatest enemies of the Christian Had God revealed himself to the religion. And, indeed, these things Greeks, or some other nation famed are so abundantly testified by the for their curious researches into evehistories and other writings of those ry branch of literature, and for the times; and have been so generally depths of wisdom and policy; those received for truth, as well by the op- truths, which were so many emanaposers as believers of Christianity, tions from the great fountain of light, by a constant, universal, and unin- would have been looked upon as the terrupted tradition, from those days, result of their penetration, and their even unto this time; that a man may own discoveries: but by communias well deny the truth of any, or of cating his will to a people of no inall, the histories of the world, as of ventive and enterprising genius, of this. Archbishop Synge. no enlarged reach and compass of thought; such suspicions are avoid

$ 125. Superiority of the Gospel to ed, and the proofs of a revelation all other writings, an argument of more conspicuous and illustrious. And this may be one reason among its truth. others, why, at a time when the rest To what was it owing, that the of the world were bigoted to superstiJewish writers should have such tion, idolatry, and a false religion, God lovely and great ideas of God, and singled out this nation, in that point such just notions of the worship due not so corrupt as others, to be the to him, far above any thing which we guardian and depositary of the true. meet with in the writings of the If nothing recommended the Scripgreatest lights of the Heathen world; ture but this single consideration, every one of which either patronised that all those collected beams of spiidolatry, or fell into errors of worse ritual light centre in it alone, which consequence? Can it be accounted were widely diffused amidst a varifor by the force of natural or human ety of treatises, and lost amidst a assistances? No, the eminent philo-crowd of palpable absurdities; even

:

this would be no improbable argu- carry us to a conception of any thing ment of its divinity; but this is not beyond it. And who were the auall let us, in order to compile an thors or causes of this religion? Why, adequate, unerring standard of re- a set of men bred up in low life to ligious truths, take in all the assis- mean employments, which cramp the tances we can get from all the phi-native powers of the mind. And losophers in Greece, from Tully at can we seriously think, that a set Rome, nay even from Confucius as of unlettered, unenterprising men, far as China; and yet, after all, the could open several rich mines of scheme will be defective in what the truth, which had escaped the laboriScriptures have recommended, a ous researches of the profoundest pure, rational worship of God only, scholars, and the happy sagacity of in spirit and in truth, a fulness of the most penetrating wits? pardon for every sin upon repent- Since therefore every effect must ance, and the nobleness of the re- have a competent and proportionable wards hereafter. The love of God cause; and since the supposed natuwill not be required in so high a de- ral causes and authors of Christiangree, as it is in the Scriptures; nor ity, considered as mere men, excluenforced by so strong a motive as sive of divine inspiration, were plainour Saviour's dying for mankind has ly unequal to the task, nor could done; nor our charity and love to ever have brought to light such docthe distressed recommended by so trines, as exceeded whatever the powerful an incentive, as that our philosophers before had done; though, Redeemer has made them his repre- laying aside their dregs, we should sentatives, and will place to his own account, whatever was done for his sake to them.

draw off the very flower and spirit of their writings: it is evident, we must have recourse to some supernatural One may challenge any man to and adequate cause which interested produce, before Christianity, among itself in this affair. And to whom, the Heathen world, such a complete but to the Father of Light, in whom system of morality, reaching all the there is no darkness at all, can we duties of life, without any defect; be indebted, that now, persons of the and full without overflowing, or any slenderest capacities may view those redundancy, as the Scriptures con- elevated and beneficial truths in the tain. And it is needless to tell any strongest point of light, which the man of plain sense, that there must finest spirits of the Gentile world be always a proportion between the could not before fully ascertain ; that cause and the effect. Now, if we our meanest mechanics, with a modeexclude the divine power, what pro-rate share of application, may have portion can we find between the juster and fuller notions of God's causes of Christianity, and Christian- attributes, of eternal happiness, of ity itself? Christianity is a religion every duty respecting their Maker, which has disabused the world, and mankind, and themselves, than the rescued it from those many vicious most distinguished scholars among practices, such as the exposing of in- the Heathens could attain to, after a fants, polygamy, &c. which were life laid out in painful researches ? universally defended among the Pagans, and from human sacrifices, and from innumerable abominable and brutal rites; a religion so perfective of human nature, and so expressive

Seed.

126. Various reasonings in favour of Christianity.

God only knows, and God only

of the divine; that we want ideas to can tell, whether he will forgive, and

upon what terms he will forgive the the light, neither cometh to the light, offences done against him; what lest his deeds should be reproved." mode of worship he requires; what The light of the gospel is too prying helps he will afford us; and what and inquisitive for such a one. It condition he will place us in here- reveals certain things which he could after. All this God actually has told wish to conceal from all the world, us in the gospel. It was to tell us and if possible, from himself. Nor is this, he sent his Son into the world, this all; it not only reveals, but it rewhose mission was confirmed by the proves them. It strikes him with an highest authority, by signs from hea- evidence he cannot bear; an eviven, and miracles on earth; whose dence not only of its own truth, but life and doctrine are delivered down of his unworthy conduct. The gospel to us by the most unexceptionable does indeed offend him; but it is not witnesses, who sealed their testimony his understanding, it is his conscience, with their blood; who were too cu- that is shocked; he could easily rious and incredulous to be them- credit what it requires him to believe; selves imposed upon, too honest and but he cannot, or rather he will not, sincere, too plain and artless, to im- practise what it commands him to do. pose upon others. It is plain that such a man cannot

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What then can be the reason that possibly admit a revelation that conmen still refuse to see, and persist in demns him; and it is as plain that loving darkness rather than light?" the man of virtue cannot spurn the They will tell you perhaps that it is hand that is graciously stretched because the gospel is full of incredi- out to reward him. If he is a truly ble mysteries; but our Saviour tells virtuous man, that is, one who sinyou, and he tells you much truer, cerely labours to know his duty, and that it is "because their deeds are sincerely intends to perform it, he canevil." The mysteries and difficulties not but wish for more light to guide him of the gospel can be no real objection in the investigation, more assistance to any man that considers what mys- to support him in the discharge of it, teries occur, and what insuperable more happiness to crown his perseobjections may be started, in almost verance in it, than bare reason alone every branch of human knowledge; can afford him. This is what all the and how often we are obliged, in our best and wisest Heathens most armost important concerns, to decide dently desired, what nature has been and to act upon evidence, encumber- continually looking out for with the ed with far greater difficulties than utmost earnestness of expectation. any that are to be found in Scrip- When with a mind thus disposed he ture. If we can admit no religion sits down to examine the gospel, sugthat is not free from mystery, we must, gest to me the least shadow of a reaI doubt, be content without any reli- son why he should reject it? He finds gion. Even the religion of nature in it a religion, pure, holy, and beitself, the whole constitution both of nevolent, as the God that gave it. the natural and the moral world, is He finds not only its moral precepts full of mystery; and the greatest mys- but even its sublimest mysteries, caltery of all would be, if, with so many culated to promote internal sanctity, irresistible marks of truth, Christiani- vital piety, universal philanthropy. ty should at last prove false. It is He finds throughout so great and not then because the gospel has too noble, so congenial to the finest feellittle light for these men that they re-ings, and most generous sentiments ject it, but because it has too much. of his soul; that he cannot but wish For "every one that doth evil hateth it may be true, and never yet, I be

lieve, did any good man wish it to be It is in your power to examine it with true, but he actually found it so. He an earnest desire to find out the sees in it every expectation of nature truth, and a firm resolution to emanswered, every infirmity supported, brace it wherever you do find it; or on every want supplied, every terror dis- the contrary, to bring with you a sipated, every hope confirmed; nay, heart full of incorrigible depravity, or he sees that God" has done exceed- invincible prepossessions. Have you ing abundantly above all that he could then truly and honestly done every either ask or think;" that he has given thing that is confessedly in your powhim, what reason could hardly have er, towards forming a right judgment the idea of, eternal happiness in a life of revelation? Have you ever laid before yourself in one view the whole

to come.

It is not a matter of indifference collective evidence of Christianity? whether you embrace Christianity or The consistence, harmony, and connot. Though reason could answer nexion, of all its various parts; the all the purposes of revelation, which long chain of prophecies undeniably is far, very far from being the case, completed in it; the astonishing yet you are not at liberty to make it and well-attested miracles that attendyour sole guide, if there be such a ed it; the perfect sanctity of its authing as a true revelation. We are thor; the purity of its precepts; the the subjects of the Almighty; and sublimity of its doctrines; the amazwhether we will acknowledge it or ing rapidity of its progress; the ilnot, we live, and cannot but live, un- lustrious company of confessors, saints der his government. His will is the and martyrs, who died to confirm its law of his kingdom. If he has made truth; together with an infinite numno express declaration of his will, we ber of collateral proofs and subordimust collect it as well as we can from nate circumstances, all concurring to what we know of his nature and our form such a body of evidence, as no own. But if he has expressly de- other truth in the world can show; clared his will, that is the law we are such as must necessarily bear down, to be governed by. We may indeed by its own weight and magnitude, all refuse to be governed by it; but it is trivial objections to particular parts? at our peril if we do; for if it proves Surely these things are not trifles; to be a true declaration of his will, to surely they at least demand seriousreject it is rebellion. ness and attention. Have you then But to reject or receive it, you may done the gospel this common piece allege, is not a thing in your own of justice? Have you ever sat down power. Belief depends not on your to consider it with impartiality and will, but your understanding. And candour; without any favourite vice will the righteous judge of the earth or early prejudice, without any fondcondemn you for want of understand-ness for applause, or novelty, or reing? No; but he may and will con- finement, to mislead you? Have you demn you for the wrong conduct of examined it with the same care and your understanding. It is not indeed diligence, that you would examine a in your power to believe whatever title to an estate? Have you inquired you please, whether credible or in- for proper books? Have you read the credible; but it is in your power to defences of revelation as well as the consider thoroughly, whether a sup- attacks upon it? Have you in diffiposed incredibility be real or only ap- cult points applied for the opinion of parent. It is in your power to be- wise and learned friends; just as you stow a greater or less degree of at- would consult the ablest lawyers when tention on the evidence before you. your property was concerned, or the

most skilful physicians when your life | heaven-directed hand, but of a feelwas at stake? If you can truly say ing and a grateful heart, smitten with that you have done all these things; the love of a departed friend, peneif you have faithfully bestowed on trated with a sense of his distinguishthese inquiries all the leisure and ed kindness, perfectly well informed abilities you are master of, and called and thoroughly interested, in every in every help within your reach, there tender scene that it describes, soothis little danger of any material doubts ing itself with the recollection of litremaining upon your mind.St. tle domestic incidents and familiar John's affection for his departed conversations, and tracing out not friend did not terminate with his life. only the larger and more obvious feaIt was continued after his crucifixion, tures of the favourite character, but to his memory, his character, and his even those finer and more delicate religion. After a long life spent in strokes in it, which would have eludteaching and suffering for that reli-ed a less observing eye, or less faithgion, he concluded it with a work of ful memory, than those of a beloved infinite utility, the revisal of the three companion and friend. gospels already written, and the ad- Our divine lawgiver showed his dition of his own to supply what they wisdom equally in what he enjoined, had omitted. With this view princi- and what he left unnoticed. He pally he gives us several of our Sa- knew exactly, what no Pagan philoviour's discourses with his disciples, sopher ever knew, where to be silent which are no where else to be met and where to speak.with; and it is very observable, that That which principally attracts our these, as well as the many other oc- notice in St. John's writings, and in currences of his life, which he intro- his conduct, is, a simplicity and sinduces as supplemental to the other gleness of heart, a fervent piety, an evangelists, are such as set his be- unbounded benevolence, an unaffectloved master in the most amiable and ed modesty, humility, meekness, and graceful point of view, such as a fa- gentleness of disposition. These are vourite disciple would be most likely evidently the great characteristic virto select, and most disposed to en- tues that took the lead in his soul, large upon. Of this kind, for in- and break forth in every page of his stance, are our Saviour's discourse gospel and his epistles. To know with the woman of Samaria; the cure what friendship really is, we must of the infirm man at the pool of Be- look for it in that sacred repository thesda; the acquittal of the woman of every thing great and excellent, taken in adultery; the description the gospel of Christ.

of the good shepherd and his sheep;| Our Saviour has assured us that he the affecting history of Lazarus; the will consider every real Christian as condescending and expressive act of united to him by closer ties than even washing his disciples' feet; his ini- those of friendship. This assurance mitably tender and consolatory dis- is given us in one of those noble course to them just before his suffer- strains of eloquence which are so ing; his most admirable prayer on common in the Sacred Writings. the same occasion; and his pathetic Our Lord being told that his mother recommendation of his sheep to St. and his brethren stood without, dePeter after his resurrection. These siring to speak with him, he gives a passages are to be found only in St. turn to this little incident, perfectly John's gospel, and whoever reads new, and inexpressibly tender and them with attention will discover in affectionate. Who is my mother, them plain indications not only of a and who are my brethren? And he