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most unaccountably; and from thefe madmen, Christíanity is defcended down to the prefent time.

It may be further obferved, that upon the fuppofition before us, it will follow, that in whatever diftant age from thefe pretended facts, this biftory was palm'd upon the world, all men at once must be perfuaded to believe for truth, what they knew.to be falfe. Thefe hiftories 'declare, that they were written by the apoftles and inmediate difciples of our Lord, that the authors of thefe hiftories did propagate the gofpel through the world, did 'fend thefe writings to the churches, to be kept in their hands, as the rule of their lives, and the directory of their conduct; and that in fact, multitudes of the feveral nations were profelyted unto, and baptized into the faith of Chriftianity. Now, was it poble, at any time whatfoever, after thofe pretended facts, that thefe nations could be ignorant, whether thefe books and this religion were handed down to them by their progenitors ? Couhi not every one of the nations, who are in thefe books faid to be converted to Chriflianity, at once conclude that they had never heard any thing of this nature-before; and therefore, that thefe hiftories were all falte and fpurious; and confequently not worthy of the least notice? Is it pollible, that the world: fiould agree to venture both time and eternity upon fuch a known falhood? Could all the world at once be gulled by fuch glaring and open forgery and deceit? In a word, thefe books were many of them directed to large focieties of men, in different parts of the world, were early translated into divers languages, in which they are fill extant, "have been Fublickly kept and publickly read in the churches, have been appealed to by all parties and. fects; and never called in queftion as a forgery, either by the friends or enemies of the Christian cause. All these things put together, we have as much certainty, that thefe hiftories are not, cannot be forgery or impofture, as we can have of any thing whatfoever, not immediately open to our fenfes

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Now, Sir, let us fum up this evidence; and fee what the conclufion must be..

All mankind must own, that if the hiftory of these

facts be true; if the Lord Jefus Chrift did perform fo many aftonishing miracles for fo long a time together, in juftification of his divine million; if he did himself rife from the dead, commiffion his apoftles to their work, endow them with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoft, and empower them, by the impofition of their hands, to communicate the fame miraculous gifts to others, here was certainly the greatest interpofition of heaven in favour of the Chriftian inftitution, that can poffibly be imagined or conceived. The power and veracity of God himself were at stake in this cafe: for they were both appealed to, in confirmation of the truth; and both in the most amazing manner displayed, in answer to that appeal. All doubting in this cafe is therefore a calling in queftion the truth and faithfulnefs of God himself, as well as his power. eftot gabon it

If this history be not true, then all the known laws of nature were changed: All the motives and incentives to human actions, that ever had obtained in the world, have been entirely inverted: the wickedeft men in the world have taken the greatest pains, and endured the great"eft hardships and mifery, to invent, practice, and propá gate the most holy religion that ever was and not only the apostles and first preachers of the Gdfpely but whole nations of men, and allforts of men, Chriftian, Jew, and Pagan, where (no body can imagine how or why) confederated to propagate a known cheat, againft their own honour, intereft and fafety: and multitudes of men, without any profpect of advantage here or hereafter, were brought moft conftantly and tenacioufly tolprofess what they knew to be falfe, to exchange all the comforts and pleasures of life for fhame and contempt, for banifments, fcourgings, imprisonments, and death; in a word, voluntary to expofe themfelves to be hated both of God and man, and that without any known motive'whatsoever. This must be allowed, or elle you I muft allow, that no ɛ man ever was, or ever can be certain of any thing; as is more particularly confidere diabove.t

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There now remains one of these three things a neceffary conclufion from what has been faid; either, (1.) That thefe confequences may be juftified; or, (2.) That.

they are not regularly deduced from the premifes; Or, (3.) That the Chriftian religion is true, and of divine authority. I am perfuaded, you'll not affume either of the two former of thefe couelufions: the latter therefore forces itself upon you.

That the Lord may direct you in the way of truth. and path of life, is the prayer of,

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Sir,

Yours, Gour

LETTER V. Wherein fome of the INTERNAL EVIDENCES of CHRISTIANITY are confidered.

S1.R

According to the directiongiven in your laft, I fhall

ufe the greatest freedom in my anfwer, and laying afide all referves, fhall prefume on your candour. You cannot fee (you tell me how thefe arguments of mine for the truth of Christianity, can admit of a • rational and confiftent anfwer. How then can you. -be, but almoft perfuaded to be a Chriftian? How can you want fome general and eafy directions, how to get rid of thofe doubts, which fill hang upon your mind, from the various difficulties which are continually cafting themselves in your way? Do you deal. thus with yourself in other cafes, of infinitely lefs simportance? Do you harrafs your mind with doubts about other things which are clearly evident to you, only becaufe you meet with fome difficulties which you can. not readily folve? This were the way to down-right fcepticifm, in every thing which falls under your confideration, whether natural or moral. And at this rate, ¡you may call into queftion your own being and all your rational powers; as well as every thing you fee, hear, or feel For Judare fay, there are difficulties enough in any or all of theft, to puzzle the most fagacions philofopher that ever breathed; and to nonplus the inquiries of all the men in the worlda sigo eu

The question before you is, whether the facts upon which the evidence of Christianity depends, are clearly

iproved, and neceffarily true? If so, there certainly must be fome way to folve all thöfe difficulties, whether you have found out the method to do it or not. You fhould likewife confider, that it is of no importance to the fafety of your foul, whether you are, or are not, capable to obviate all the objections which fall in-your way; but it is of eternal importance, that you build on a fure foundation; and that you believe in the only begotten Son of God. This then fhould be your method in the cafe before you. First, fee to your foundation; examine thoroughly, feriSoully and impartially, whether the evidence for the truth of Chriftianity be fuch, that you have reafon to believe it; and that it would be unreasonable, not to believe it true. And then whatever difficulties may occur, do not dig up your foundation; and undermine your faith and hope. Do not give your adverfary the advantage to keep you in a continued fufpence, let you live and die an unbeliever; and fo have your objections removed when it is too late, when your conviction will but prove your confufion. I do not fpeak this to deter you from examining the moft fubtile objections which the greatest enemies of Christianity are able to throw in your way. The caufe will bear the ftricteft fcrutiny, the fevereit -trial. And you can hardly imagine any difficulty, bat what has been clearly and judiciously refolved, by one or other of the late defenders of this glorious caufe. But are you convinced, that the arguments to prove the ́ ́ truth of Chriftianity, admit of no rational anfwer?' Take then the apostle's advice, in all the further inquiries you fhall make, to hold fast the beginning of your confidence, stedfaft unto the end.

This then is part of that general advice I would give you, that you may get rid of thofe doubts which still hang upon your mind. Follow it, and it will at deaft leffen your difficulties, and may make your way plain before you. But this is not the principal direction, neceffary to be taken in this safe. It is of special confequence, to fee to it, that your experience the power of ¿Chriftianity in your own heart. Reject this advice; and it is impoffible, that you fhould be rooted and built up in Chrift, and established in the faith. But comply

with it; and it is impoffible, that hell and earth can fi nally fubvert your faith, and separate between Chrift and your foul. By this means, this great affair will be no longer with you a matter of mere fpeculation, or empty opinion, but convincing experience; and nothing but vour imperfections and temptations, can ever make you hefitate about the truth of thofe things, which you fenfibly and continually feel the influence of, upon all the powers and faculties of your mind. By this you will have the witness in yourself, a tranfcript of the Gospel upon your heart, fuch a tranfcript, as will anfwer to the original, like as the imprefs upon the wax, to the fignet; or as a well-drawn picture to the lineaments of the face, from whence it was taken. By this have multitudes of fouls been established in the faith, who have never been able critically to examine the external evidence upon which Christianity is founded. They have not been able to difpute for Chrift; but they have dared to die for him. They have found the image of God imprinted on their fouls, by the Gofpel of God our Saviour: and therefore could not doubt the power of that cause, which had produced fo glorious an effect upon them. Make the experiment, Sir; and you'll be forced to acknowledge the Lord Jefus Chrift to be indeed your Saviour, when you feel that he hath actually faved you.

Let me therefore fet before you fome of the marks given of a real Chriftian in the New Teftament; that when you come to discover the lineaments of this divine image upon your foul, you may know the caufe from the effect. In doing this, I fhall not defcend into alt the minute particulars of the Chriftian's character; but only fet before you a few of the most plain and intelligible marks, by which a Chriftian indeed may be dif tinguished from all others; and by which he may most clearly difcern, that Chrift is a Saviour indeed.

And firft, the most general mark, by which this may be known, is, that if any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature old things are paffed away behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. v. 17. That he is renewed in *the Spirit of his mind; and that he puts on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true hor

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