they pretend to boast of natural reason, they forget how much intellectual light the world has derived from revelation. They judge alone of effects. The waters of Marah have been sweetened; but the murmuring children of difobedience are unthankful for the communicated sweetness. From period to period, adverfaries of the truth have advanced in a guilty fucceffion, and have tried to build an impious reputation on profaneness and rebellion to their God, and their Saviour. Has one been fubdued? Another, equally proud, in defiance has entered the lifts, affumed the armour of the vanquished, or tried a new mode of affault. Under the direction however of a divine Providence, and by the aid of reason and of human learning, truth has still triumphed; and we confidently truft it will ftill remain fecure, by whatever foes it may be attacked, by whatever fpecies of warfare it may be affailed.

In fuch a state of the Church, left by the appointment of God, but doubtless under the influence of his holy Spirit, to the co-operative powers of man, the neceffity of fucceffive and vigilant defenders must be obvious. God having done all for his vineyard, which his infinite wisdom thinks fit, leaves it to be fenced

and to be cultivated by human means. The utility therefore of inftitutions fimilar to this Lecture must be apparent; and the pious intention of the Founder will deferve the applause and reverence of posterity; while the extenfive field allowed for difcuffion renders it of more permanent advantage. As new forms of objection are tried, they may meet ready answers, and be confuted before their baneful effects be spread to any extent. Arguments, which have no novelty in themselves, may acquire new spirit by transfusion through feveral minds; and what one defender may not elucidate, another may render more luminous or more perfpicuous. We have been told on the highest authority, that it needs must be that offences will come. We have been warned against perpetual enemies and herefies. While fuch exist, the friends of the church of Chrift must employ every effort; they must be ever watchful; they must be always clothed in the whole armour of God, the breast-plate of rightcoufnefs, the fhield of faith, the helmet of falvation, the Sword of the Spirit, ready to defend, to combat and to vanquish.

But let us not flatter the adverfaries of truth

d Ephef. vi.

with admitting that their opinions are new; for it will be found that they have as little of novelty as of force. In fact, the tenets of modern unbelievers are the mere echoes of objections, long fince advanced, and long fince filenced. It is remarkable, that the opponents of a divine revelation have never been enabled to offer demonstration of any facts or arguments which militate against it. Their objections are all of a negative character, and ferve rather to evince their own malice or pertinacity, than to weaken the evidences of religion.

Since then all the objections of infidels are of this negative quality, in the following difcourfes I propofe to fhew; that the evidences of revealed religion are capable of a very high degree of demonftration; that the scheme of divine revelation is grand, comprehenfive, confiftent and harmonious in its general design; agreeable to the attributes of the Deity, and to the analogies of his œconomy in his natural and moral world. In the course of this plan I fhall take occafion to answer some charges of inconfiftence, which are urged against the Clergy, by the two oppofite characters of unbelievers and fanatics.

It must be obvious that such a design opens

But it

a very extenfive field of difcuffion. will be pursued only with a reference to our limits; and although the topics of each difcourse will be varied, yet it is to be hoped they will confiftently and uniformly tend to. the fame object,

Since every mode of defence has long been fuccessfully employed by the able and ingenious, novelty can scarcely be expected. To bring fome arguments into a confpicuous light, to extract or to concentre, is all which can be hoped; and therefore is all to which any. pretenfions can be made.

It seems to be permitted by divine Providence, that error fhould be opposed to truth, Perhaps the latter may be elicited and confirmed by the fame means which are fuccefsful in human discovery. Its luftre does not indeed burst on us with irrefiftible power, but sheds on us a milder light, better adapted to our capacity, and fo illuminating objects, that they are at once rendered acceffible and diftinct. Lamentable, however, is the reflection, that though the invitations of God and a Redeemer to mankind are altogether engaging and conciliatory; that though they propose nothing which can give offence to the rational inquirer; that though they are calculated to

improve the moral ftate, and, it should seem, to win the affections of the world; yet they have ever found bitter and prejudiced enemies; enemies whose animofity seems even to be sharpened by the benign character of the doctrines of Chriftianity. This animofity is fo inflammatory and obftinate, that no lenient application avails. Charity cannot appease it. Love cannot win it. Mercy is fullenly rejected because gratuitously offered; and there are even men who are willing to perish without aid, rather than accept the divine arm that is ftretched out to fave them. It is impoffible that Christianity can give offence on any other account than its oppofition to the felfish and depraved paffions of mankind. It cannot therefore be rejected but through fome infatuation, fome attachment to error, fome unconquerable prejudice or infenfibility.

Let me then be permitted to offer some remarks on the feveral characters and motives of unbelievers. For if it be well afcertained that the designs and principles of the infidel, however candid in appearance, are really unfair and malignant, their arguments will lofe much of the force with which they are offered, and their influence will be confiderably diminished. While the unsuspecting are taught