whether the Scriptures contain the genuine revelation of the will of God. This alone, divested of all its extraneous or collateral considerations, is susceptible of close reasoning and demonstration ; and surely it will be admitted, that if we could lay aside all prejudice and bias, and exercise our reason with perfect impartiality and integrity, we might arrive at a conclusion, strictly demonstrative, that the Scriptures are, or are not, of divine origin.

"If Christianity be an imposture, it is the interest of every one to have it banished from the world; for no permanent happiness can accrue to individuals or society from upholding a system of falsehood and error. If believers in Christianity are deceived, they exhibit the singular spectacle of a deception, which the more complete it is, appears the more to promote their comfort and happiness and, if Christianity be false, it exhibits the unprecedented phenomenon of a system of opinions, which neither, power, fire, sword, reasoning, wit, learning, nor ridicule have been able to vanquish and destroy. It is not like some other systems which have been engendered in times of darkness, and nurtured by ignorance, superstition, and the arm of power. It has fixed

Its

its roots among the most enlightened and civilized nations; and even at the present moment, when sciences and the arts are carried to a higher pitch than they have ever been, its doctrines are spreading with more rapidity, and certainty, than at any period since its promulgation. In short, it meets you, in some shape or other, at every corner. effects are witnessed in all ranks and classes of society; it begins to invade the province of literature, the sciences, arts, and morals; it compels your attention; and whether you be disposed to let it alone or not, its importunities are incessant it demands an examination;-all must form an opinion of it, whether correct or incorrect. Its origin is equally singular. Books are found in a nation, which was hated and despised by others, containing predictions of the coming of a mighty Deliverer. A man from the lowest rank in that nation proclaims himself the Son of God and the mighty Deliverer, which these books predicted; performs miracles in proof of his mission; dies and rises again to confirm its truth. His disciples, also from the lowest rank in society,propagate his doctrines in the face of danger and persecution, and seal their testimony with their blood. The system spreads gradually on every

side; its exclusive and encroaching character makes the whole pomp and splendour of paganism, established for ages in the most powerful empires of the world, bend and sink before it; it becomes the professed belief of emperors, kings, and nations; it affords a distinctive appellation to millions; it has thousands of secret and open foes; it has thousands of pretended friends, who care not for its doctrines nor follow its precepts; its pretensions are, in many quarters, the subject of angry discussion, yet notwithstanding these difficulties, whether persecuted, neglected, or protected, it has spread its course over every civilized empire, and is still making its way, with rapid strides, in every island, country, and nation, where hitherto barbarism and ignorance had reigned."

I now said, that to relieve their attention by variety, and myself from the fatigue of speaking, -to which I was little accustomed,-I would read to them a brief and distinct summary of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, supported by appropriate quotations from the Scriptures. I then took a manuscript, which was, in a great degree, an abridgment of part of the works of John Newton, and chiefly of his letters to Mr. Scott. The plain, clear, and forcible manner in

which this distinguished writer explains the first truths of religion, would, I hoped, have pleased my hearers, and produced some favourable impression. I had, on a different occasion, found them productive of much utility to two persons of excellent understanding and of great candour 10 but on the present occasion I was disappointed. Whilst speaking, I was listened to with attention; but I had not proceeded far in reading, before I observed signs of impatience in some of them, especially in N. and his lordship. I endeavoured to obviate this, by saying that I should soon finish ; but I had proceeded a short way further, when I was interrupted by his lordship asking me, "If these sentiments accorded with mine?" I said

they did, and with those of all sound Christians, except in one or two minor things, which I would point out as I went along." He now said, “ that they did not wish to hear the opinions of others, whose writings they themselves could read at any time, but my own." I replied, " that my opinions were not peculiar; that, in the fundamental doctrines, all Christians agreed; and that I had selected from Newton an account of these essentials, as I could not convey them in words more distinct and precise; but that I would, if they

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grace?"

wished it, give an account of them in my own language." I continued to read, however, a few sentences more, in hope that, after this, they would have patience to hear the whole abstract; but coming to the expression" grace of God," | his lordship asked me, "What do you mean by "The primary and fundamental meaning of the word," I replied, somewhat surprised at his ignorance, "is favour; though it varies, according to the context, to express that disposition of God, which leads him to grant a favour, the action of doing so, or the favour itself, or its effects on those who receive it." I now the more readily closed the book, as I perceived that they had no distinct conception of many of the words which were used; and listened to some desultory observations made by N., M., and his lordship, I then said, that for the present I would leave the explanation of the Christian doctrines, as their patience was exhausted, and as they seemed unable to understand some of the terms in which these had been expressed. "What we want," said his lordship, "is to be convinced that the Bible is true; because, if we can believe this, it will follow, as a matter of course, that we must believe all the doctrines it contains." I said,