first, who reflected on himself for his disobedi

ence to parents.

2. He certainly is a foolish son, who, aided by his companions, endeavours to persuade himself that Christianity is a fiction.

The cause of infidelity has many friends; some of whom are to be found among persons of different ages, and characters. Their number probably is much greater than it appears to be. For every deist is not willing to be known: he fears a discovery, lest he should suffer in interest or reputation: but when he has a proper opportunity, he throws of his disguise, and can lampoon revealed religion as fast as any of the "And wherever such men fall in company.

with the youth of froward spirits, and more liberal education; they bend all their arts to corrupt their minds, which are often too easy in receiving ill impressions; especially when the baits are dressed with wanton jollity and good humour, and the plausible pretext of free-thinking." Nor will deism want friends, so long as the human mind remains in its present sinful condition. Yet the folly of this cause is now evident, and will be more fully displayed at a future period.

(1.) What folly must it be to reject Christianity, without a better religion in its stead; and who would not reject it, could a better be found? I mean a religion more honorary to God, and more safe for man? But amidst all those who have opposed Christianity, and have been nibbling at that glorious system of divine truth, where is the man who has paved the way for the rejection of it, by substituting a better in its place?

The Christians are now made to bear the imputation of weakness or wickedness, for their attachment to the religion of Jesus Christ; but should they abandon it, without a better in its stead, they might justly be looked upon as consummate fools.

Great swelling words have been used by freethinkers, concerning the religion of nature and the light of reason, as a sufficient guide to duty and happiness; to judge rightly of which, I know of no more reasonable and concise method than to consult the state of the heathen world. By such conduct, we are soon made acquainted with the true condition of human nature, unassisted by revelation. The Greeks, with all their learning, had lords many and gods many, and worshipped for gods the work of men's hands. They had a religion, but it was filled with idolatry and various practices, which evidently proved, that the light of nature in fallen man is by no means a sufficient guide to duty and happiness; and I cannot but think, that the more we look into the condition of the different heathen nations, the more fully will the necessity of a divine revelation appear.

(2.) What folly must those men be guilty of, who reject Christianity, without being able to disprove a single truth or fact?

"Do they not daily hear, from the holy scriptures, and the doctrines of Christianity, of an eternity, either of happiness and solacing joys, or of misery or torments, which is to begin when this frail life doth end? Now can these men of jollity give any demonstrative evidence, that in the event they shall not really find it so? Can

they prove from their principles of self-evidence, that these are only amusing whims, melancholy dreams, or scare-crows and bug-bears, to frighten them from their sinful pleasures, and disturb their carnal repose? No: though they are daring enough, yet they have not the confidence to pretend to this.

"And ought not this to awaken that reason wherewith men are endowed, at least to ponder deliberately the weighty arguments of moral evidence for the truth of Christianity, with all the impartiality they can? If there is an hereafter, in which all must be sharers eternally, either of the greatest felicity, or the most dreadful misery? if this is confidently affirmed, on the one hand, by wise and good men, who profess a full conviction of it; and on the other hand, there is no pretended evidence that it is not, or cannot be so; is not the very possibility of this enough to awake their inquiry ?"*

To deny the truth of Christianity, without proving it to be false, surely is not all that we are to expect from a set of men, who mean to be thought the most profound reasoners.

Can these men really prove that there never was such a person as Jesus Christ, who made his appearance near eighteen hundred years since? or, that the characters of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, &c. were fictitious? or, that the former was not crucified on mount Calvary, and that the latter never were his disciples? or, if they admit that such persons might have been, can they prove that they were a band of deceivers? and that the writings which bear their respective names are fallacious?

*West's Introduct. to the Evidence of the Christian Religion,

Till this is done, it must be the highest folly to reject Christ and his religion:

(3.) Especially when we consider that he who lets go Christianity, is in danger of falling into absolute scepticism, or of doubting about every thing that does not come within his own notice. For in rejecting the religion of Christ, we reduce our creed to very few articles. If we disbelieve the truth of Christianity, we deny that there ever were such persons as Christ and his apostles; that there are either good or evil angels, heaven or hell, the resurrection of the dead, and a day of judgment. And many have doubted of the immortality of the soul; which, if they have been unwilling to let go entirely, they have, however, found their minds at a loss to conceive of it, or to give credit to it. And should such persons proceed so far in their infidelity as to doubt whether there is a God, it would not be surprising. We are told that Dr. Tindal died with this awful sentence in his mouth, "If there is a God, I hope he will have mercy on me." This is a doubt unworthy of a heathen. What happened to him may happen to other infidels; for he who lets go Christianity sinks at once into a horrid abyss; and finds himself enveloped in clouds and darkness.

(4.) I shall only add here, that it must be the highest folly in any persons to reject Christianity, seeing it furnishes us with the best rules for moral conduct, administers sufficient supports under the heaviest afflictions of the present life, and in the important hour of death.

The practical principles of revealed religion are many: it may suffice to mention the following, viz. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all

thy heart, and mind, and soul, and strength; and thy neighbour as thyself." Supreme love to God, and a due regard to our neighbour, will always have an important influence on our practice, by leading us to seek to please the former, and to relieve the latter. Our duty in the last respect is taught in the most striking manner by the account Christ has given us (Luke x.) of a good Samaritan, who met with a certain man on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho, who had fallen among thieves, by whom he had been treated in the most cruel manner, and left half dead. The Samaritan no sooner came were he was, than his humane heart glowed with compassion, and he lent him every help in his power; upon which Christ thus addressed the person, whose inquiry occasioned the repetition of this sacred story"Go thou, and do likewise." Thus, while the adorable Redeemer severely censures the Priest and Levite, from whom a kinder conduct might have been expected, he highly commends the friendly behaviour of the Samaritan, and recommends him as worthy of imitation.

We have also a concise, but complete system of ethics in the following short passage; « As ye would that men should do to you, do ye to them likewise." We are farther taught to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God; to do good to all men; to shun every vice, and to practise every virtue; to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked; and to obey civil rulers when they are the ministers of God for good. In a word, such are the rules laid down in the holy scriptures for the government of life, that they will, when duly observed, lead us to the most re