distribution of things. But of this attribute, our Lord gives the following proof: "There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for awhile; but afterwards he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man, yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith." And then draws this conclusion "And shall not God avenge his own elect."*

The last instance brought forward is the Unity of God. "The Lord our God is one Lord." The universe declares the existence of one God; and it is a maxim of sound philosophy to admit no more causes than are necessary to account for effects.

"Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God." How remarkable is the proof of this, both for its conciseness and force ! "Is there a God besides me? Yea, there is no God, I know not any;" that is, to develope the argument, the want of proof, and of foundation for the existence of other gods, is itself a proof that there is but one.

*Luke, xviii. 2.

Isaiah, xliv. 6-8.

The existence of an all-powerful, just, and benevolent God, is so dear to the feelings of all good men, and the belief of it so essential to human society, that every attempt to prove it, whencesoever it may come, deserves the encouragement and best wishes of mankind. But still it may justly be remarked, that the modes of reasoning on this subject, supplied us by Scripture, have a peculiar claim, from their very high authority, to the attention of us Christians. And they cannot fail to increase the gratitude which we owe to our Heavenly Father, if we consider, that, when he might only have announced Himself to us, as he did at first to the Israelites, commanding our obedience, and saying, I am the Lord your God; he has condescended to human infirmities, and seems to have said, as he did by Isaiah, "Come now, and let us reason together." *

CHAPTER X.

FURTHER ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE VAST
ADVANTAGES OF REVELATION.

THE length of the foregoing extracts from the writings of Mr. Samuel Drew and Dean Pearce, will not, I believe, be complained of. They are admirably calculated to show the power and majesty of the Scriptures, and their superiority over the wisest deductions of human reason, even with reference to our knowledge of Jehovah, as the Creator and Governor of the Universe. But there is a boon of still greater importance, for which we are exclusively indebted to Holy Writ; and that is the knowledge which it imparts to us of our moral and religious responsibilities and duties here, and of our immortal destinies hereafter.

To interrogate nature or human philosophy for such knowledge as this, would be to little purpose. It is altogether out of their province. "The things that are in heaven who hath searched out?" Nevertheless, no one who reflects properly upon the wonderful achievements of metaphysicians will treat them with

* Wisdom, ix. 16.

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disrespectful levity. They are among the choicest fruits of human intellect-redolent of our spiritual nature, and tending to raise our views far above a perishing world. But they could never have told us that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."* "And that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Him."+ Upon these points a single ray emanating from the inspired volume, transcends all the arguments of philosophers of ancient or modern times-whether introduced to our notice by " à priori or à posteriori designations : for their chart is, of itself, incomplete; their soundings disclose no safe anchorage, and they navigate in vain the boundless ocean of eternity, in search of that port which is only to be reached by such as take the polar star of the Bible for their guidance.

It was the contemplation of this superiority of the Scriptures over the deductions of human learning and philosophy, which led me to enter upon my present task of bringing together such evidences of our holy religion as have appeared to me most likely to fix attention, and gain favour with that portion of mankind whose lives are passing away without reflection, and with no settled religious purpose. I am far from presuming to reckon upon converts of a higher description than this. The

learned infidel will not stoop to the evidences of a revelation which sets a higher value on the innocency of babes and sucklings than on the profoundest subtleties of philosophers. And, on the other hand, "Where unbelief proceeds as," to use the words of Bishop Sherlock, "it frequently does, from a vitiated and corrupted mind, which hates to be reformed; which rejects the evidence because it will not admit the doctrine; in such case, all proofs will be alike, and it will be lost labour to afford new evidence, since it is not the want of evidence that causes the unbelief."

Without, therefore, seeking to combat the prejudices of persons such as these, I differ widely from many who think enough has already been done in proof of the veracity of revealed religion. There is sufficient evidence, it has been said, already before the world—let that be consulted. Now, however true this may be in fact, it is likewise certain that novelty possesses attraction, and that even old arguments have the advantage of novelty with such as may now, for the first time, have their attention called to them. I am likewise writing under the conviction that there is no small danger to be apprehended from the false glare of religion spread over the surface of much of the philosophy of the present day. But if England hopes to proceed in her career of prosperity, and to be farther exalted among the nations of the earth, she must persist in stretching the boundaries of her empire on the sole foundation of