First, Every intelligent reader of this evangelical history must have seen, that it is admirably adapted to produce and support in all attentive and impartial minds a strong conviction of the truth of Christianity, and by consequence of the divine glories of Jesus the Christ, as the Son of God.

It is evident, that our most material arguments for the demonstration of the truth of Christianity are drawn from miracles, from prophecies, from the character of its founders, and from the genius of the religion itself. Now though all these receive great illustration from the epistolary parts of the New Testament, and some of them, especially the second, from the Old; yet it is certain, that the grand basis and foundation of them all is what we read in the History of Christ and his Apostles. There we are informed of the miracles which they wrought, of the character they maintained, and of the system of religion which they published to the world; and the application of Old Testament prophecies to Jesus of Nazareth is beyond all controversy to be justified chiefly from what we find there.

These books do in the most authentic manner, as we have demonstrated elsewhere, shew us, who Jesus of Nazareth was, and what he professed himself to be. They give us an account of the very high pretensions he made to an immediate mission from God, and to a most intimate relation to him, as his Son, in a peculiar and appropriate sense not communicable to any other. They give us also, as in this connection it is very fit they should, a very large and circumstantial narration of a variety of miracles, which he wrought. Their number appears to be very great; so that a late writer, who has considered them very accurately, reckons up sixty nine relating to particular persons, besides twenty other instances, in all of which several, and in most of them multitudes, yea frequently great multitudes, are mentioned, not merely as the spectators, but as the objects of his miraculous power, which must on the most moderate computation arise to many hundreds; not to mention those yet more numerous miracles which were performed by his apostles in his name, wherever they came, especially after the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them; or the variety of supernatural gifts and powers with which they were endowed, and which in many thousands of instances they communicated to others. It is farther to be recollected here, that these miracles were not of such a kind as to leave any room for a doubt, whether they lay within the natural efficacy of second causes, or not; since the most hopeless and inveterate diseases gave way, not merely to some trivial application of means, whether internal or external, but to a touch, or a word; and Death itself obeyed the voice of Jesus, and of his servants speaking by his authority.

Now I could wish, that any one who feels himself inclined to scepticism with regard to Christianity, would sit down and read over any

one of the evangelists in this particular view: That he would take the stories of the several miracles in their succession, and after having attentively weighed them, would ask his own heart, whether, if he had seen such facts as these, he would not immediately have been convinced in his own conscience, that this was indeed the seal of Heaven set to the commission of the person who performed them; and consequently, whether if these things were really done by Jesus, and his missionaries in his name, he must not be compelled to acknowledge, that Christianity is true. Let any impartial and rational man in the world judge, whether if an impostor had arisen, falsely and blasphemously, arrogating to himself the high titles of the Son of God, and Saviour of men, God would have honoured his lips with this wonderful power over diseases and death, or his dead body after a public execution with a resurrection: that is, in one word, whether he would have interposed to give such credit to him, as it is not pretended he hath ever given, in any other instance, to the best of men in the best of causes. Every man's heart will surely tell him, with the circumstances of such facts full in his view, that the only question is, whether they be themselves credible; and that, if this be allowed, the divine attestation to the authority of such a teacher follows, by a connection which can never be broken, and which probably few men living will have an inveteracy of prejudice sufficient to gainsay.

The historical books of the New Testament, do also admirably illustrate that argument in favour of Christianity, which is drawn from the accomplishment of prophecies; and this, in a variety of respects. Many very important passages of this kind are expressly quoted; not merely by way of allusion, but by a literal and exact application of them, according to their genuine sense, and agreeably to the connection in which they stand. The application of some others, in themselves more dubious, will upon strict examination appear just, and may prove a key to the sense of many more, on the truest principles of analogy ; as many writers have shewn, and perhaps no one, since Eusebius wrote his Demonstratio Evangelica, more judiciously than Mr. Jeffery in his controversy with Mr. Collins. Nay, the texts quoted by way of allusion and accommodation, of which there are such numerous instances, have consequentially tended to the establishment of the argument from prophecies, however under injudicious management they may seem to have perplexed it; as they have had their share in recommending the Jewish Scriptures to the perusal of Christians, and so in guarding them more surely against any possibility of corruption, if the Jews themselves could have been wicked enough to attempt it.

But, besides these various views in which the citations may be considered under this head, I must farther observe, that when not this or that particular passage of the evangelical history alone, but the whole series of it comes to be compared with correspondent representations

in the Old Testament, it fixes upon the mind the strongest impression that can well be imagined, of the reference of the prophets to Jesus as the Messiah. The ingenious Earl of Rochester, whose story is so celebrated, was deeply sensible of this with regard to the liiid of Isaiah, as illustrated by all the story of our Lord's passion; and there are many other sections of that prophet, and of several others, to which the remark may be applied; which indeed extends to all the general representations of the Messiah's character, conduct, and circumstances.

The account which the New Testament gives us of the temper and character of our divine Redeemer, is a topic of argument on this head by no means to be forgotten. We do not indeed there meet with any studied encomiums upon the subject. The authors deal not in such sort of productions; but, which is a thousand times better, they shew us the character itself. The sight of what is great and beautiful has another kind of effect, than the most eloquent description of it. And here we behold the actions of Christ; we attend his discourses, and have a plain and open view of his behaviour. In consequence of this, we see in him every thing venerable, every thing amiable. We see a perfection of goodness no where else in the world to be seen or to be heard and numberless arguments plead at once, to persuade the heart, that it is absolutely impossible such a person should be engaged in a design founded in known falsehood, and tending only to mislead and ruin his followers.

And though, it is true, the character of his apostles does not fully come up to the standard of their Master, nor is entirely free from some small blemishes; yet we see so little of that kind in them, and on the contrary such an assemblage of the human, divine, and social virtues, that we cannot, if we thoroughly know them, if we form an intimate acquaintance with them, entertain with patience the least suspicion that they were capable of a part so detestable as theirs' must have been, if they knew Jesus to have been an impostor, and the Gospel a fable; with which they must be chargeable, if Christianity were not indeed authentic and divine.

The series of sufferings which they endured, the gentle, humble patience with which they bore them, the steady perseverance and invincible fortitude with which they pursued their scheme, in the midst of them all, and with no earthly prospect but that of continued hardship and persecution, till it should end in death, furnish out an important branch of this argument, which the book of Acts, especially taken in connection with the Epistles, does almost continually illustrate, in the most artless, and therefore the most forcible manner.

To conclude this head, the history before us represents, in the most clear and convincing light, the genius of that doctrine which Christ taught, and of the religion which he came to settle in the world. When we view it as exhibited in human writings, we may mistake; for it is

too often tinctured with the channel through which it has passed. Men of bad dispositions have warped it, to make it comply with the corruption of their own hearts, and to subserve, in many instances, the schemes of their ambitious and worldly interests. Good men, insensibly influenced by a variety of prejudices, which under fair and plausible forms have insinuated themselves into their breasts, have frequently mistaken, not the essentials of Christianity, (for no good man can mistake them,) but the circumstantials of it; and have propagated their various, and frequently contradictory mistakes, with a zeal which nothing but an apprehension that they were its fundamentals could have inspired; and thus its original purity and beauty have been debased and obscured: But here we drink this water of life at its fountain head, untainted and unmixed, and with that peculiar spirit which at a distance from it is so apt to evaporate. Here we plainly perceive there is nothing in the scheme but what is most worthy of God to reveal, and of his Son to publish to the world: Here we see not, as in the heathen writers, some detached sentiment, finely heightened with the beauty of expression and pomp of words, like a scattered fragment, with the partial traces of impaired elegance and magnificence; but the elevation of a complete temple, worthy of the Deity to whom it is consecrated so harmonious a system of unmingled truth, so complete a plan of universal duty, so amiable a representation of true morality in all its parts, without redundancy, and without defect, that the more capable we are of judging of real excellence, the more we shall be prepossessed in its favour: And if we have a capacity and opportunity of examining together with it the books which the followers of other religions have esteemed sacred, and the systems of doctrines and manners which their respective founders have published to the world, we shall find how much the gospel is credited by the comparison; we shall indeed find the difference much like that of a coarse picture of sunshine, from the original beams of that celestial luminary. This I have so deeply felt in mine own heart while reading these books, and especially while commenting upon them, that it has been matter of astonishment as well as of grief to me, that there should be any mind capable of resisting evidence so various, so powerful, and so sweet.

But this leads me to the other branch of the argument; in which I shall remind my reader,

Secondly, That these books are admirably adapted to make those good impressions on the heart which may prepare it for eternal life, through the name of the Redeemer, of whose divine mission they contain such incontestable proofs.

Now the most effectual demonstration of this would be, an attentive perusal of these books, not so much with a view to criticise upon them, as to give up the soul to their genuine influences, and to leave the heart to be (if I may so express myself) carried away with the torrent

whither it will; and the impulse cannot fail of being in some happy direction, and, amidst all its varieties, will undoubtedly bear us forward towards that perfection of goodness and of happiness which is the great end of all our pursuits.

For surely the breast of every well disposed reader, under the influences of that blessed Spirit which guided the sacred penmen in these lively and well chosen narrations, must by every page of them be inflamed with some devout passion; and his progress must often be interrupted with tears of holy delight, or with warm and perhaps rapturous aspirations of soul. Surely this adorable Saviour cannot be heard, cannot be seen, without admiration and love. Surely the heart must often, as it were, go out to meet him, with its cheerful hosannahs to him that cometh in the name of the Lord. Often must it rise in affectionate praises to the God and Father of all, who blessed this earth of ours with such a visitant, who enriched it with such an unspeakable, such an inestimable gift. A thousand times must it congratulate, and almost envy, the happy lot of those, who dwelling on earth, though in the meanest cottages, when it was blessed with the presence of such a teacher, of such a friend, had daily opportunities of conversing with him; and as often may it exult to think, that he is still near by his spiritual presence, carrying on the kind purposes of his appearance in mortal flesh, and waiting, by the dictates of his divine philosophy, to train up the immortal spirits of men for their proper and complete happiness. Under the impression of that thought, how strongly must the soul be disposed to inquire after Christ, to form an acquaintance with him, to commit itself to his discipline and guardianship, to trace his steps and as far as possible to imbibe his Spirit. What will appear so desirable, as to secure this friend, to be honoured with his high approbation, and enriched with the blessings of his patronage and care? Receiving the divine oracles from his lips, what incomparable advantages have we for learning every thing truly great and lovely? What powerful inducements diligently to labour, ardently to pray, liberally to dispense good, calmly to indure injuries, patiently to support the heaviest afflictions, and resolutely to meet the most dreadful death, if called out to encounter it in the way of our duty?

Among many other good affections which the perusal of this history may naturally inspire, and which I have endeavoured often to suggest in the improvements which conclude each section, I cannot forbear mentioning one more; I mean, a generous and cordial love to our fellow Christians of every rank and denomination. I never reflect upon the New Testament in this view, but I find it difficult to conceive, how so much of a contrary temper should ever have prevailed among such multitudes, who have professed religiously to receive it, yea, whose office hath been to interpret and enforce it. To have listed under the banner of Jesus, to have felt his love, to have espoused his interest, to