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sufficient for the guidance and happiness of mankind. I assume, therefore, throughout these lectures the existence of one supreme and infinitely glorious Being who is to be worshipped and obeyed by man; to whom virtue is pleasing and vice hateful; and who will reward the good and punish the wicked in a future world.

How the unbeliever came by this knowledge, what use he practically makes of it, and whether after all it be indeed sufficient for man in his present state, are other questions. I give our opponent all that he asks. I meet him upon his own ground; and what I am to prove is that Christianity is a revelation from God, and is of supreme obligation upon every human being.

In conducting this great argument upon these admissions of natural religion, the first question to be asked is, What is THE TEMPER OF MIND

IN WHICH SUCH A SUBJECT SHOULD BE STU

DIED, and do unbelievers seem in any measure to possess that temper?'

We may enquire in the next place, What has been THE STATE OF MANKIND IN ALL AGES AND NATIONS WHERE CHRISTIANITY

HAS BEEN UNKNOWN, and of Christian nations,

7 Lecture ii.

in proportion as it has been inadequately known and obeyed?*

The succeeding topic will be to prove THE AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY of the books of sacred scripture that these books were really written and published at the time they profess to be, and contain a trustworthy narrative entitled to full credit and belief."

Our books being found to be genuine and credible, we next open them to see what they contain, and finding that our Lord and his apostles lay claim to a DIVINE AUTHORITY, as bringing a revelation from the great and Almighty God, we ask what credentials they produce of such a claim. This leads us to consider the undeniable and numerous MIRACLES 10 that were publicly wrought; the astonishing series of PROPHECIES" that has been fulfilled, and is now fulfilling in the world; the first miraculous PROPAGATION 12 of the gospel; and the prodigious EFFECTS 13 it has produced and is producing upon the welfare of mankind.

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authority of the scriptures, we must pause before we proceed to the internal evidence, which that authority would lead us next to consider, in order to enquire whether these books are, properly speaking, inspired, so that every part of them was written under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit, and is an unerring rule of faith and practice. In other words, we must show THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.14

We come next to the evidence arising from the internal excellency and efficacy of the religion; those marks which it presents to every humble enquirer, abstracted from its outward evidences, from its own peculiar nature. Here we shall show that to the sincere and devout student who submits to the Christian doctrine on the footing of its undoubted credentials, there will arise the strongest confirmation of his faith from considering the SUITABLENESS 15 of Christianity to the obvious state and wants of man as an ignorant and sinful creature-the excellency of all its DocTRINES -the unspotted purity of its PRECEPTS"-the inimitable character of its DIVINE FOUNDER 18 and its TENDENCY 19 to promote, to

14 Lect. xii. & xiii. 15 Lect. xiv. 18 Lect. xvii.

10 Lect. xv. 17 Lect. xvi. 19 Lect. xviii.

the highest degree, the temporal and spiritual happiness of nations and individuals.

But it may be asked, in the next place, whether there is any test to which the serious enquirer may bring the practical effects of Christianity in his own case-can he obtain a share in its blessings and make a trial of its promises? This is a practical and most important part of the whole subject. And we shall show that this may be done by SUBMIT

TING TO ITS DIRECTIONS, AND MAKING THE

20

TRIAL FOR OURSELVES of its proffered grace and mercy.

A consideration of the chief OBJECTIONS 21 of infidels, and a comparison of their LIVES AND DEATHS" with those of sincere Christians, will furnish a forcible subsidiary argument in favour of our religion, and will turn the very weapons of our adversaries against themselves.

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THE FAITH with which the religion is to be received-the sound SYSTEM OF INTERPRETING 24 its records which such a faith implies—and the UNIVERSAL OBLIGATION 25 of obeying this divine doctrine which lies upon every human being, will close the whole.

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Need I say, then, on concluding this introductory discourse, that if any question can be important to a reasonable and accountable creature under the moral government of an Almighty and righteous Being, (for such is the admission on which we are to proceed,) it is the investigation of the subject which I have now opened?

The Christian religion proposes to needy, miserable man, a hope-a solid, substantial, abiding hope-of everlasting happiness, founded on the mysterious death of the incarnate Son of God, received by faith, implanted and nourished in the heart by the sacred aid of the Holy Ghost, and producing the most holy effects in the entire life and character. Over against this hope of endless life, the Christian religion sets the unutterably woful state of the disobedient and unbelieving who reject its proffered grace, and persist in their rebellion against God. Its sanctions stand thus, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. It is to infuse into you this blessed hope, and warn you to escape the opposite gulph, that we enter upon the present subject.

It demands, therefore, your attention. It is most momentous in its consequences. Indifference is madness. The alternative of neglecting, despising, disobeying this religion, is unspeakably awful. It is not a speculation

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