:

ii. S. and 1 John ii. 18.] we see the other part of our Lord's prediction accomplishing, and Christianity daily extending through Russia and Siberia, even unto China, and the East; while in the West it is franchising Americans from that savage ferocity so natural to them; one cannot help saying to Christians what Moses said to the Jews," But when Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked, he lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them."

In short, it is vain superstition, incredulity, false philosophy, and the rank apostasy of baptized infidels, and professing worldlings, which rush forward, like the raging waves of the boiling deep, to overwhelm the fair structure of Christianity, and to sap its firm foundations: all their waves are broken. The rock on which she stands remains immoveable; and the prophecies of the Redeemer are daily advancing toward their full and complete accomplishment. "His fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire," Matt. iii. 10. One may reclaim some incredulous persons, whose candour will let them feel the absurdity of Jesus Christ foretelling by chance, yea, with the utmost exactness, the improbable increase of his church, and the state of corruption and division into which we see her plunged.

Twenty other absurdities flow from the system of incredulity; for, if you believe, with some, that the Son of Mary was an Impostor, you believe that the Man whose character was the most modest and the most virtuous in the eyes of reason, through his whole life played a part the most abominable and diabolic, you suppose that an ambitious man (for such was Jesus if he was not the King of kings) was formed in a manner so different from other men, as openly to attack the prejudices of those amongst whom he was going to establish his 4 A

15.

reign;

reign; and you suppose, that, contrary to appearances and the springs of the human mind, he had formed the plan of bringing about his purpose by the cross, and rising to inmortal honours by a death the most infamous.

If you say, Jesus Christ was not an Impostor, but a virtuous Man, though a great Enthusiast, you weave another web of absurdities. As a Fanatic, could he conduct himself through his whole life with a wisdom and moderation which could never be detected? As an illiterate man, with a brain deranged by folly, could he produce a system of morality more perfect than those of all legislators and of all philosophers? Besides, enthusiasts betray, at one time or other, such extravagancies as shock right reason, and manifest their folly; on the contrary, in the conduct of Jesus Christ, as well as in his morality, nothing is seen but a wisdom replete with sweetness, as far from fanaticism as moderation is from fury.

"One thing which charms me in the character of Jesus (says J. J. Rousseau,) is not only the simplicity of manners, but the felicity, the grace, and even elegance.-Although he was not the wisest of mortals, he was the most amiable." (His third letter to Montagne.)

Moreover, as a man, who never shewed himself but to attack all kinds of vice, could he have been an honest man, if he had supported false pretensions by roguery, continual fraud and imposture? There is no medium,-either Jesus Christ is the incarnate WORD; and, as such, he has confirmed his assertions by true miracles, or he was the most daring of impostors, when he said, "I am the light of the world."— "Verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am." "All men ought to honour the Son, even as they honour the Father."-"He who hath seen me, hath seen my Father also.""I have a greater witness than that of John; the

works

works that I do, bear witness that the Father hath sent me." "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works.""Go and tell John what things ye have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised."

If, yielding to the force of this multiplied evidence, you acknowledge that Jesus Christ and his apostles sustained their mission by miraculous works, you do no more than has been done by Caiaphas, Celsus, Porphyry, those ancient enemies of Christianity, who examined these evidences even up to their source, and who wanted neither penetration to discover their falsity, nor judgment to demonstrate the same, had such a fraud existed. And in this case, reason will oblige you, either to receive the gospel, or to say, with obstinate unbelievers, that Jesus Christ and his apostles performed their miracles by the power of magic. But is it not much easier to believe in the gospel than in this occult science? Besides, is it not most unreasonable to suppose the devils would league with Jesus Christ and his apostles, to destroy the empire of vice, to overturn idols, to enlighten mankind, and to carry all the moral virtues to their highest degree of perfection, both in theory and practice?

Your system involves you in the same embarrassment with regard to the apostles. You are obliged to acknowledge, that either they were the true envoys of GOD, or else that persons of the greatest simplicity in conduct and writing, wherein they have displayed the most shining virtues, were only a band of the most obstinate knaves and liars. For, in constantly attesting the resurrection of their Master, as eye-wit→ nesses of these facts; and in persisting in their evidence even unto death, without ever recanting; they were deeply stained with the most palpable knavery, and sustained it with more

1

guile

guile than was ever found among sharpers; and with more stubbornness than was ever manifested by robbers, whereof one in twelve, at least, confess their imposture and guilt, when conducted to the last place of punishment. On the contrary, here, one of the twelve, who suffered himself to be seduced by the enemies of his Master, after having done justice to his character, took away his own life in despair, to which he resigned himself for having betrayed innocent blood.

And wherefore so much zeal and constancy?-If truth, seconded by a series of clear and evident facts, and by supernatural succours from heaven, had not supported the disciples of Jesus Christ, even to the last moment of their bold and unshaken confession; what motives, what rewards, could so strongly attach them to a crucified Master, and every where to preach his cross, sharing his poverty, his troubles, and his death?

If Jesus Christ is not risen, as he foretold, and if he did not fulfil his promise in shedding upon them miraculous gifts, our credulity must needs exceed all bounds, to believe that twelve ignorant, twelve poor Galilean fishermen, at the instigation of a knave who had deceived them, should take it into their heads to subvert all religions in the world, beginning with that of their fathers, and having accomplished their project, without any other support but that of lies, and the cross of their Master; without any other arms, than moral precepts which offend the passions; without any other bait, than a doctrine which crucifies the flesh; and without any other allurement, than dogmas which subvert the pride of philosophers. Such are the notions of our incredulous, who so justly merit the name of fine geniuses, critics, and connoisseurs, because they can digest opinions destitute of probability.

Ought

Ought not one to have a soul all credulity, and proof against every ray of sound reason, to persuade one's self that twelve. blind persons set out from London to go and sap the foundations of all the strong cities in Europe and Asia; and that they had accomplished their design without being seconded by a supernatural power, and without any other weapons than their walking-sticks? Monstrous as this absurdity may appear, it is no greater than to suppose that twelve Jewish fishermen, without miraculous succours, overturned the foundations of Judaism and Paganism, throughout the known world, in spite of all efforts that were made by all the priests and princes to oppose the religion of Jesus Christ.

O ye Deists, ye may applaud yourselves for your incredulity! But remember, that if prejudice and passion favour your system, we have reason, experience, and facts; and after all, the absurdities which you are obliged to swallow in rejecting revelation, are more difficult to digest than the dogmas at which you stumble without reason. And never

forget, that Faith leads to a Hope the most sweet, and to a Charity the most perfect: while your opinions conduct you to gloomy despair, and to a licence that, after having broken the yoke of revelation, will not fail to secure that of conscience. Melancholy observation! the truth of which might be easily demonstrated by a multitude of anecdotes upon your apostles, if these sort of proofs had not something in them too odious.

TWO