fpecics more, at the fame time they direct us to love every individual of it lefs. In pursuit of this chimerical project, which, to the fhame and difgrace of this country, has found advocates in England, as well as in France, gratitude, humility, conjugal, parental, and filial affection, together with all the lovely train of domestic virtues, are ridiculed and degraded, as too low and vulgar for the attention of enlightened philofophers; virtue is confined folely to a certain vague and enthufiaftic ardour for the general good, and the affections for the focial circle in which we live are violently transferred to diftant countries and unknown multitudes. But furely it is natural to inquire, when all the common charities are thus deadened and destroyed, when the fiame that comnunicates its genial warmth and brightnefs to focial life is extinguifhed, and all the ties that now bind man to man are torn afunder by the hand of the modern Philofophifts-furely it is natural to inquire from whence is this ardent affection for the general good to fpring? And when they have completed their work of infenfibility, or rather of infatuation; when they have taught their difciple to look with perfect indifference upon his nearest connexions; when he has eftranged himself from his friends, infulted his benefactors, and filenced the voice of gratitude, pity, and charity, will he be better prepared for the love of his fpecies? Will he become a true philanthropift, in proportion as he labours to fupprefs the feelings, and neglects the duties of a parent and a friend?

Rather

Rather may

we

we not conclude with certainty, that in this attempt to revive a fpecies of Stoicifm, and to banith all the feelings which foften, humanize, and refine our hearts, that felfifhnefs, morofenefs, and cold and fullen apathy will affume the empire of the foul, and fink the human character to the loweft ftate of degradation and wretchednefs? Rather may we not be certain that under pretence of advancing the general and univerfal goodterms that are fo indefinite as to be almost unintelligible, when applied to creatures of limited capacities like man, endued with limited powers, and moving in narrow fpheres of action-terms belonging to an object to which imagination may give innumerable fhapes-rather may we not be certain that he will be prepared for the breach of every duty, and the perpetration of every crime? But if thofe who indulge in thefe wild fpeculations, and thus fport with humanity as well as reafon, were to examine the holy Scriptures, they would perceive that Revelation is in perfect harmony with the order of nature, which inftructs us by our own feelings that univerfal benevolence is the laft and moft perfect fruit of the focial affections. Such is the voice of nature, and fuch is the principle of ancient philofophy refined, enlarged, and perfected by Chriftianity. The folid arguments of the great Roman Orator, when reasoning upon this fubject, in his Treatife on the Duties of Man, in which he comprifes the wifdom of all former ages, coincide with the precepts of holy Writ. Thus do Reafon and Revelation unite to

confirm

confirm the order of Nature, which leads in all things from particulars to generals, from private to public affections, from the love of parents,' brothers, and fifters, to thofe more extenfive relations, which, beginning with our native place, extend to our country, and from thence proceeding, comprehend the vaft fociety of the human race. An attempt to reverfe this order is as abfurd as to build without a foundation, to expect a copious and perennial ftream after the fource of a river has been exhaufted, or to think to attain the height of fcience, without acquiring the firft elements of knowledge.

From whatever caufes the doubts and cavils of modern Infidels arife, whether from a detire to gain the reputation of fuperior fagacity, a love of novelty, an ambition to foar above vulgar notions, or the indulgence in fuch practices as are inconfiftent with the purity of the Chriftian character; it is clear, they are imperfectly acquainted with the real nature of the religion itfelf, and the various proofs by which it is fupported. They condemn not fo much what they do not understand, as what they do not give themfelves the trouble to investigate.

A due attention to ancient hiftory might have a happy effect in removing their doubts, and pre- ' paring the way for their converfion. Let them inquire into the ignorance and depravity of the world, before the coming of Chrift; the fuperftition

F 2

stition and cruelty of Pagan worship, and the infufficiency of philofophy, as a guide to moral excellence let them confider, whether it was not highly probable, that under fuch circumstances an all-wife and an all-merciful Being would impart his will to mankind: let them afk themselves feriously, whether it is reafonable to conclude, that, after ages of ignorance of his true character, this all-wife and all-merciful Being would at length fix upon falfehood, and that alone, as they pretend Chriftianity to be, for the effectual method of making himself known to his creatures: and that what the honeft and ardent exercife of reafon by the wifeft men, fuch as Socrates, Plato, and Cicero, was not permitted to accomplish, he fhould allow to be effected by fraud, delufion, and impofture. Let them proceed to examine the leading facts attending the origin and progrefs of Christianity ;-facts that rest entirely upon independent proofs to establish their truth; fuch as the humble birth of our Lord, the fublime nature of his Gofpel, abfolutely irreconcilable with the prejudices of his countrymen, and extremely unpa❤ latable to the Gentiles; and more particularly the total want of all human aid to enfure its reception, and promote its fuccefs. The religion was first propagated when nearly all the nations of the ancient world were reduced under one government, and were, comparatively with the preceding times, in a state of tranquillity; and when a more

Hall's Sermon, p. 48.

fecure

fecure and more general intercourfe took place between them, in confequence of the Roman power and civilization, very recently introduced. The Religion was embraced and profeffed by Conftantine the Great, and thus acquired countenance and stability, after it had, for a long time, endured every fpecies of examination and perfecution, and a very fhort time before the Northern Barbarians overran the Empire. Do thefe very particular eras look like the effects of accident, tending as they do fo directly to favour the rife and the establishment of the Gofpel. And is it not utterly inconfiftent with common fenfe to fuppofe that such favourable conjunctures were brought about by human means, when the powers of the world were decidedly hoftile to the caufe? Were unbelievers to apply their minds ferioufly to the fubject, would they not, we may confidently afk, find thefe, and many other arguments tending to the fame point? And might not their curiofity then lead them to extend their refearches into all its direct and pofitive evidences?

Among other inftances that might be mentioned, the conduct of Soame Jenyns, the author of " a View of the internal Evidence of the Chriftian Religion," gives us full authority to anfwer thefe queftions in the affirmative. He has ftated with great candour the progrefs of his conviction of the truth of Chriftianity; and makes his acknowledgments in its favour in a manner, which fhews the ftrength and the effect of its evidences, when examined with care and attention.