Infidels? Like those whom Cicero calls minute philofophers, their difpofition is to diminish and to measure every thing by a minute scale. They look not at the whole scheme; they confider not the agreement of the parts, the unity and combinations by which all becomes great and magnificent. Thus they calculate by an inverse ratio and by subdivifion, and are incapable of enlarged comprehenfion.

The moft interefting fentiment which the human mind can entertain is that of its connection with the first and beft of Beings. If all Deifts do not endeavour to annihilate this hope, they decidedly weaken its foundation. They fubftitute human inftead of divine affurance; they reduce that to conjecture which ought to be fixed on fome folid bafis. Man may, indeed, by the light of nature, entertain this hope, but confidence can only be acquired from revelation; by the declaration of a Being who is mighty to fave. This only can be the ratification of promife, or the realizing of hope.

Now what is the fum of all, to which these arrogant pretenders would perfuade us, but to furrender the complacence of rational conviction for scepticism and uncertainty? to inter

rupt the connection that religion offers between the foul of man and his Maker? to give up the highest authority for visionary and earthly fpeculation? Faith in revelation is by fceptics branded with the name of fuperftition. But it may be affirmed, that if superstition confift in confiding on groundless hope, and trusting in false pretences, no fuperftition can be more grofs than to rely on these erroneous and vifionary fyftems. But let us not be deceived; let us not forfeit the fource of true happiness to gratify the vanity of those, who, though they may be wife in their own conceit, bring no affurance to the difpaffionate mind. Let us not be cheated of our reason to fwell the catalogue of the disciples of the Infidel, and to exchange the soberness of truth for the madness of impiety. Good men experience a soothing power in divine truft fufficient to foften all the evils and the afperities of life. It is this happy ftate of mental tranquillity that infidels and enthusiasts equally disturb the one robs the foul of its beft fupport, a confidence in the promises of his Saviour; the other would perfuade us, that God is partial and implacable. Thus the mind, agitated and overwhelmed, fhaken with the tempeft of doubt, or clouded by the gloom of

despair, flies to vice for a refuge, and the scene is at last too frequently closed by horrid felfdeftruction, or by the flower fuicide of intoxication. When we calmly weigh all the arguments of infidelity, they are found light indeed in the balance. Wearied with the conjectural perplexities of fophifts, and the clamour of difputants, we figh for ftronger conviction than any which they can afford. Difgufted with all the pomp and parade of metaphyfical inquiry, and fhaken from all folid ground and hope, we fhall perhaps be induced at length to envy the humble acquiefcence of the poor woman of Syro-phoenicia, of whom we read in the Gofpel, who intreated to be fed, if it were only with the crumbs which fell from the Master's table, So vain and inconclufive are all the arguments of philofophy! So confolatory and fo foothing the most distant expectation of the promises of the Gospel of Christ!

I have before obferved, that a favourite tenet of the Deift is the fufficiency of human reafon for the conduct of life. No affertion can be more falfe. Before reafon can ferve for a rule of life, it is neceffary that men

a Matthew xv. 27.

should understand and agree on the principles, the limits, and the extent of duty. But all must be capable of drawing correct conclufions before they can ascertain the rule. Of these fome are obvious, but many extremely intricate; and therefore, before we could underftand our duty, we ought, on their principle, to become adepts in moral fcience. The impracticability of this is evident; for life would be exhausted before duty could be understood, and knowledge be gained too late for practice. Vicious habits would be formed, and completely established, before we could correct them. It is further obvious, that a fanction would ftill be wanting for the confirmation of every rule. This can only be derived from Heaven. Thus, that children fhould honour their parents may be deduced from natural religion; but the law of God, which fays, Honour thy father and thy mother, converts ethical excellence into perfect righteousness, and the still voice which breathes in the language of nature is again loudly proclaimed from Heaven. But it is clear, that the ancient philofophers were defirous of forming schools from an affectation of fuperior intellect. They were anxious to gain difciples to flatter natural vanity, but they cared little for the practical

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effect of their inftructions. Many of them were, beyond contradiction, extremely defective in morals, and for the mass of mankind they had little regard. Now if it could be proved that any nation, or even fmall focieties of antiquity, had so far profited by the inftructions of philofophy as to have exhibited a living teftimony of their benefit, and of the efficacy of unaffifted reason, the affertion of the sceptic would be established. But as this has never happened; as no nation, no city or fociety of the world, antecedent to the coming of Chrift, has given such proof, it is evident that all the precepts and schools of philosophy were extremely ineffectual for this purpofe.

We have the authority of Cicero to confirm the affertion; an authority which cannot be reasonably queftioned. It may be urged, that the precepts of our bleffed Saviour have not completely ameliorated the practice of mankind, fince much vice is ftill in existence, and the Chriftian world ftill deformed with crimes. At prefent it will be fufficient to deny this; for we may boldly affert, that the doctrines of Christ have produced confiderable effect on fociety. But admit the contrary, and how would that recommend the light of reason,