facred Gofpel of his Son! Why then are there thousands, enabled by their attainments and opportunities fully to examine and accurately to appreciate the evidences. of Chriftianity, who doubt or difbelieve its truth? The caufes are obvious. These unhappy men do not enquire into the subject; or they enquire not with fuitable difpofitions of heart. Immerfed in the pursuits of ambition, of profit, or of pleasure; puffed up with arrogant opinions of their own knowledge and of their own virtue; revolting at the humiliating doctrine that human nature is corrupt, and in need of an atoning Redeemer; accuftomed to difdain whatever they think it poffible to class among common prejudices and vulgar fuperftitions; hearing of the prevalence in different times and places of different religions, all of which they know cannot be true, but all of which they conclude may equally be falfe: prepoffeffed against Christianity by difficulties which they imagine it to contain; by witty cavils and objections

aimed against it, which they take for
granted are juft; and by a cause still more
to be regretted, the unchriftian lives of
many
of its profeffors; and above all, averse
to abandon those vicious principles and ha-
bits, which they perceive to be utterly pro-
hibited by the Gofpel, and to acknowledge
the certainty of that punishment, which, if
they admit the Gospel to be true, they must
neceffarily own to await themselves should
they continue in their fins: actuated by fome
of thefe, or fimilar prepoffeffions, they refufe
to examine into the evidences of the Chrif-
tian religion; or they examine flightly,
partially, uncandidly, with minds predif-
pofed to find objections, to take offence,
and to condemn. The faith which Chrif-
tianity claims is not credulity; but affent
founded on willing enquiry and rational
conviction. "The people of Berea," faith
the evangelift," were more noble than those
" of Theffalonica, in that they received the
"word with all readiness of mind, and

"things were fo (1).” "Be ready always," faith the apoftle, "to give an answer to

true;

every one that afketh you a reafon of the "hope that is in you (m)." But in all enquiries refpecting religion, as with refpect to every other subject, the enquirer, if he would really discover truth, muft examine with seriousness, with patience, with humility; with a heart fincerely difpofed to embrace whatever he fhall discover to be and with a reverent defire that the Supreme Being, who is the fountain of knowledge, may lead him into all truth. If he examines without thefe difpofitions, what can be expected but that his examination fhould confirm him in his prejudices and errors? "He that will do the will of God," faith our Saviour, "shall know of "the doctrine, whether it be of God (n).” Have you any doubt as to the truth of Chriftianity? Let your heart be prepared to obey whatever Christianity, if true, shall

(1) Acts, xvii. 11.
(n) John, vii. 17.

(m) 1 Pet. iii. 15.

be

be found to command: and you will not conclude a patient enquiry without being convinced of its truth. But "keep thy "heart with all diligence: for out of it "are the iffues of life (o)."

(0) Proverbs, iv. 23.

I. THE being and the attributes of God are truths, which lie at the root of all religion. "He that cometh to God, must believe " that He is; and that He is a rewarder "of them that diligently feek him (a).” They are truths to the discovery of which the Heathen world was perfectly competent. In the days of Pagan darkness, when the light of the Divine countenance feemed as it were withdrawn from man

kind, God, faith the apostle, " left not

"himself without witnefs; in that he did

good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful feafóns, filling our hearts "with food and gladness (b)." Why is it

(a) Hebrews, xi. 6.

(b) Acts, xiv. 17.1

T

that