trated with the certainty of this doctrine, "If I am ungrateful enough to disobey my Creator, I shall die;" so long he remained in a state of innocence. But to this doctrine, the tempter opposed his false promises. "You shall not surely die," said he; on the contrary, "you shall become wise and happy as Gods."No sooner were these delusive doctrines assented to on the part of Adam, but his understanding becoming necessarily clouded, his will was immediately beguiled: and thus, blindly following the temptation, he fell into an abyss of misery.

Doctrines, whether they be good or bad, still conti nue to have the same influence upon the conduct of men; and to suppose the contrary, is to suppose, that light and darkness can ever cease to produce their or dinary effects. The following doctrine," Out of the pale of the Romish church there is no salvation," has filled Europe with fires, scaffolds, and massacreș..... Eradicate this doctrine from every prejudiced heart, and plant in its room the following scriptural truth, "God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him," and, in the place of streaming blood, we shall see streams of charity uninterruptedly flowing through every christian kingdom.

The miser imagines, that riches are the "sovereign good," and that the highest pleasure consists in counting over and over his splendid hoards. The debauched youth is confident, that the sovereign good. consists in sensual gratification, and the highest gratification, in the enjoyment of a frail beauty destined to be the prey of worms. Destroy these groundless persuasions by solid doctrines: demonstrate to these infatuated creatures that God himself is the sovereign good, and that this good is offered to us in Jesus Christ; that the highest enjoyment consists in having the heart penetrated with divine love, and in looking forward with a lively hope of being one day eternally united. to God: convince them of these momentous truths

and the charms by which they have been captivated so long, will be immediately broken. Ah! how delightful is it, to behold such sensual reasoners awaking from · their deathful slumber, and crying out with St. Augustine: "O eternal sweetness! Ineffable greatness! "Beauty for ever new! Truth whose charms have "been so long unnoticed, alas, how much time have I "lost, in not loving thee !"

I be

Sound reason must unavoidably submit to the force of these observations, the truth of which is demon-strated by the general conduct of mankind. But, perhaps, the best method of reasoning with the incredulous, is to point out the consequences of their own system. Imagine a man, who, instead of receiving the doctrines of the Gospel, publicly presumes to make the following declaration: "I believe not in God the Creator; I trust not in any Mediator, nor acknowledge any sanctifying Spirit. And, as I believe not in God," so I believe not in what is called his Church; nor do I look upon the communion of those who worship him, in any other light than that of a mere chimera. lieve not in the remission of sins. I look for no resurrection, nor indulge any hope of everlasting life. Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die." Was any man seriously to repeat in your hearing such a confession of his faith, would you fix upon such a one for the management of your estate? would you entrust him with the charge of your wife, or chuse him for the guardian of your children? would it be possible for you to depend upon his word, or confide in his honesty? Now imagine this very infidel, in some future season, convinced of his former errors, and firmly persuaded, that he acts under the eye of an omniscient God, who will bring "every work into judgment, with every secret thing." Suppose him smiting upon his breast with the penitent publican, and determining with St. Paul to know nothing" among men, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Would you not indulge a better opinion of this man, in his believing state, than when

he rejected, with modern philosophers, the doctrines of christianity? It could not possibly be otherwise. So true it is, that, in certain cases, your conduct will give the lie to your arguments, against the utility of doc trines.

27J. J. Rousseau professes to have hated "bad maxims'' less than evil actions;" when, as ac wise man, he should have detected the former as the cause of the latter. It is not sufficient, that we profess to make the principles of virtue the ground of our conduct, un-less that basis be established upon an immovable foundation. Without attending to this rule, we resemble! those Indians, who suppose the world to be founded upon the back of an elephant, while that elephant is supported by the shell of a tortoise; and who, perfectly satisfied with such a discovery, attempt not to understand any more of the matter.

A system of morality, how beautiful so ever it may appear, unless it be supported by doctrines of the ut most consistency and firmness, may be compared to a splendid palace, erected upon the sands: in some unexpected storm, it will assuredly be swept away, prov ing, at once, the disgrace of its builder, and the ruin. of its inhabitant.

CHAP. IX.

AN APPEAL TO EXPERIENCE.

EXPERIENCE goes far in the decision of many difficult questions, and before it, the most subtile sophism cannot long maintain its ground. To this, therefore, we cheerfully appeal for the happy ef fects of the Gospel. Ye incredulous sages of the day, shew us a single enemy to the doctrines of revelation,

who may truly be called a humble man, conducting himself soberly, justly, and religiously, in all the try ing circumstances of life. Through the whole circle of your infidel acquaintance, you will seek such a one in vain.

Ifit be said, that J. J. Rousseau, though a professed sceptic, presented us with the portrait of a perfectly honest man: We answer, in the first place, that J. J. Rousseau rejected not the Gospel, as an obstinate enemy; but rather counted it an affliction, that he was unable to embrace its doctrines: and secondly, that this philosopher was equally destitute of humility and re-ligion.

It must be confessed, that there are multitudes of inconsistent persons in the world, who constantly deceive themselves, and who frequently delude others, by their fallacious notions of faith and incredulity.... We meet with many, who, while they rank themselves in the number of believers, are usually employ ed in the works of infidels: and, on the other hand, we observe divers penitent worshippers, who, through an excess of humility, account themselves no better than infidels, while they manifest in their conduct the fidelity of christians. But these particular exceptions are insufficient to destroy the general rule here contended for since the former must be looked upon as believers, and the latter as infidels, only in appearance. The first have not sincerity enough to acknowledge: their secret incredulity and the last have not light sufficient to determine their exact advancement in the christian faith. The latter deserve our pity, while the former merit our indignation.

But turn your eyes upon an enlightened believer. Behold St. Paul, after his memorable submission to the persecuted Jesus! the love of GOD possesses his soul, and he consecrates all his powers to the service of his exalted Master. Appointed to instruct the ignorant, he discharges his important commission with indefatigable zeal. Carrying to the afflicted both spirituali

and temporal succours, he appears to be borne from east to west, as upon the wings of an eagle. He is ready to spend and be spent, for the common interests of mankind. He proves his fidelity and gratitude to Christ, at the hazard of his life. His magnanimity and fortitude, his resignation and patience, his generosity and candour, his benevolence and constancy, are, at once, the amazement of his enemies, and the glory of his followers. Behold this converted pharisee, and acknowledge the wonderous efficacy of evangelical doctrines.hu

91 You slaves. of philosophical prejudice! how long will you mistake the nature of doctrines so happily adopted to humble supercilious man; so perfectly calcu lated to destroy both presumption and despair; to bend the most hardened under the tender pressure of mercy, and carry up grateful believers to the sublimest summit of virtue? Behold three thousand Jews submitting, at the same instant, to the constraining power of these doctrines. Through their transcendant efficacy, innumerable miracles are still daily operated among us. They dispel the mists of ignorance, they destroy the seeds of injustice, they extinguish irregular desire, and open in the heart a source of universal charity! Thus, "the multitude of them, that" formerly "believed, were of one heart and one soul:" &c." Enjoying together the "sovereign good," it was not. possible for them to contend with each other for the trifling enjoyments of time and sense. God had given them his only-begotten Son; how then could they refuse any thing to their indigent brethren.

Long after St. Luke had borne testimony to the unexampled charity of Christians, we find Tertullian citing the following testimony which his heathen cotemporaries were constrained to bear in favour of the same christian virtue. "Behold, say they, how these christians love, and are prepared to die for each other!" Yes, adds this celebrated christian father, "We who have but one heart and one soul, are not afraid to have