instance? that in all the miracles they relate, they should never have involved themselves in such a contradiction as would overthrow the whole? The progress of science has not yet enabled any one to recall the dead, on whom corruption had seized, to life; no discovery of modern times has brought us any nearer to the healing diseases by a word.

EDWARD.

It appears that the old antagonists of Christianity had only one way of accounting for the miracles, and that, the progress of science has shewn to be absurd.

MR. B.

But the argument may be rendered still stronger. Some if not all the writers of the New Testament lay claim to inspiration, and thereby expose themselves to the severest test imaginable. A few errors might have been expected had they merely professed to give an account of what they had themselves been taught; but in laying claim to inspiration, and daring all the world, in all ages, to disprove their pretensions, no refuge is left for them. But what have they thus asserted which can be shewn unworthy of God, or impossible to have proceeded from him? The general consent of mankind, as to the excellency of the New Testament morality; the total want of proof on the infidel side against it, when considered in connexion with these pretensions of the apostles; must carry conviction to the mind of every honest man.

BEATRICE.

The precepts of the New Testament are so numerous and so determinate, that it seems out of all reason to suppose these men could invariably have been right, when even the greatest philosophers have failed, had they not been really inspired.

MR. B.

In

Many of these precepts also are such as were not only new at the time of their promulgation, but opposed to common opinion. Their excellency is indeed now apparent; but it has only been by experience that they have triumphed over prejudice and opposition. The precepts of St. Paul in connexion with his life, convey ideas not merely of excellence of the highest kind, but of the most original cast,-of such a nature as only to be duly appreciated upon examination. him active benevolence and self-denial were exhibited to an extent that is unequalled in the annals of profane history. To confer the greatest degree of happiness to the greatest number possible by the best means, was not the object either of the religion or of the philosophy of Greece. To renounce, for the sake of mankind at large, all personal ease and reputation, was what Grecian patriotism had never contemplated. The true value of the soul of man had never been duly appreciated in the Pagan world; and nothing

66 neither

could be more opposed to common notions than to teach that in this faith there was Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free."

BEATRICE.

So that in these respects time has added to the force of the evidences in behalf of Christianity.

MR. B.

In moral as in physical science, the progress of the mind has been slow. The history of mankind furnishes abundant evidence of the difficulty of attaining to a correct knowledge of first principles. How many ages have been spent in unlearning what had been in the first instance presumed upon insufficient evidence! How incessantly necessary we find it to recur to experience, to rectify opinions which seem fixed on the firmest basis of reason and expediency! Yet the precepts of the New Testament are given with the greatest decision and brevity; left, in all the hardihood of truth, to be tried by the experience of all mankind, in all ages.

EDWARD.

They are also given by different writers; and it would be difficult for their agreement in all points, upon any other hypothesis than that which they assign.

MR. B.

To all these considerations, now add that of

the character of our Lord, as developed in the Gospels in all it is the same, and in itself so different from any thing else that the world has ever seen, that no other can bear any comparison with it. At first sight, it appears one which could not have been produced by imposture. All others who claimed the character of the Messiah as their took a very different course. As might have been expected from impostors, they adapted their pretensions to popular prejudices; they founded their hopes of empire on the ignorance and viciousness of those around them. Our Lord's appeal was to the Scriptures, his life, his works, his doctrine.

own,

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."-John, v. 39.

"Which of you convinceth me of sin ?"—John, viii. 46. "Go and shew John again those things, which ye do hear and see the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them."-Matt.

xi. 4-6.

"I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said."-John, xviii. 20, 21.

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"My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."-John, vii. 16, 17.

BEATRICE.

These appeals were also made on public occasions of great importance, in the presence of numbers who were his bitterest enemies.

MR. B.

In laying claim to this absolute perfection of life and doctrine, at the same time that he exposed the false pretensions of others, our Lord drew upon himself their hatred, and rendered his character and precepts objects of the most rigid scrutiny. Yet what could they establish against him? Their own confession was,

“This man doeth many miracles.”—John, xi. 47. "Never man spake like this man.”—John, vi. 47.

"And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together."-Mark, xiv. 55—59.

"And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people; and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man, touching those things whereof ye accuse him no, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him."-Luke, xxiii.

13-15.