With these predictions he sunk into the grave. On the truth of them he ventured his religion. If he had not been the Son of God, if he had not risen, if his religion had not been diffused by the power of the Holy Ghost, Christianity would have expired in its birth. But, lo, he rises triumphant from the grave; lo, he appears during forty days to his disciples; lo, he expounds to them the mysteries of his sufferings, and affirms that he will return to his Father and pour out the gifts of the Holy Spirit. With these prophetic declarations, he ascends in the sight of the apostles, having first given them a solemn commission. for the conversion of the nations, and an assurance that he would" be with them always even unto the end."

The descent of the Holy Spirit, and the propagation of the gospel, therefore, were in express fulfilment of these predictions of the Saviour, and in concurrence with all the ancient prophecies from the first dawn of revelation.

I confess to you, my mind sinks under the accumulated conviction of this combined evidence. I confess to you, that the propagation of the gospel assumes, in my view, a character of moral demonstration which no one but the Almighty God could have given it. I see the wisdom and foreknowledge of God in the predictions of it and his power and truth and mercy in its accomplishment. I can conceive of no higher evidence being proposed to a reasonable creature like man. The divine operations in every part of the Christian revelation demonstrate the immediate hand of God; and, wherever we look, the proofs of this supernatural original break in upon the humble and sincere heart. The proof of Christianity is an universal proof, springing from all its parts, and attending it in every step of its progress. If one topic fail to produce conviction, let the inquirer act as he does in the case of the divine Providence in the works of nature.

Let him have recourse to the universality of the evidence, the different classes of proof, the concurring and unexpected marks of divine agency and interference.

I. But in order to the full effect of these demonstrations, A RIGHT STATE OF MIND is indispensable. Nothing can satisfy the proud, the obdurate, the captious. But why do I thus speak ?-I see the doubting mind impressed. I behold the mighty force of truth. I hear the confession of the fickle and conceited youth now awakened to consideration. The new and combined demonstration of the divine origin of the Christian religion, from the rapidity and extent of its propagation, fills him with astonishment. He falls down and worships the God of salvation. He acknowledges his former ignorance and folly. He takes up the New Testament with other feelings than he ever did before. He falls prostrate in penitence at the foot of that Saviour whom he had neglected or despised. He breaks off those sins and habits which made unbelief or hesitation unavoidable; and he admits the purifying doctrine of the Son of God.

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Go on, then, young inquirer, in the course of sincere penitence and humiliation on which you have begun. Listen not again to the objections and sophistry of the wicked. Open your heart to the full dominion of Christianity. Bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ." Be honest to your convictions. Act upon what you know. Implore the grace of that Holy Spirit in his ordinary operations, whose extraordinary power accompanied the first apostles. The conversion of nations is only the multiplication of the conversion of individuals. You cannot indeed witness the miracles of the gospel, but you receive them by authentic testimony; and you behold before your eyes the accomplishment of the prophecies in their effects. The heart of man is the same, the de

mands of Christianity are the same. The foundations of penitence the same. The method of pardon and reconciliation, in the meritorious cross of the Son of God, the same. The renovation of the human heart the same. The resistance of our natural passions the same. The obstacles from the world around you of the same kind. The operations of grace vary not essentially from what they were in the apostolic age.

You may attain a similar conviction of the truth of Christianity now, with the first converts. The evidence may somewhat differ in its form and vividness and immediate impression; but it is the same in authority, truth, and obligation.

II. And the more you thus enter practically into the great question of this lecture, the more will your CONVICTION BE STRENGTHENED. If the torrent which rolls by you, once relieves your own thirst, you will understand better its virtue and excellency, and the living source from which it springs. We cannot put men into the possession of the full evidence of any branch of our subject, except as they practically obey the gospel. We state indeed the argument, and if there be any candour of mind, any feeling of morals and religion, any knowledge of human character, any fairness in weighing evidence, we carry conviction into their inmost soul. However slight their acquaintance with the nature of real Christianity, we have proof enough to show that such a religion could never have been propagated by such instruments, in the face of idolatry, vice, sensuality, authority, habit, persecution; and have subdued the world, without a divine hand.

But how much more forcible and satisfactory is the proof to that man who has understood all the awful doctrines, and experienced and known all the transforming influence of Christianity? He has then in his own case a demonstration of the power from which

the establishment of Christianity sprung. He perfectly well knows that to effect the conversion of one individual from carelessness, ignorance, prejudice, and vice, to the love and obedience of the gospel, is a work beyond the power of man-a work which in his own case has been difficult, slow, surrounded with obstacles; and which requires, not only for its commencement, but its progress, the continual aids of the Holy Spirit. The conversion, then, of the world from Heathen idolatry and licentiousness, or Jewish formality and pride, to the religion of Christ, could have proceeded from no other hand but that of God. As well might feeble man have attempted to dry up the ocean with his word, as the apostles to stop, by human wisdom, the inundation and torrent and ocean of vice and misery. The same power which created the world, could alone reform it. The same voice which said "to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;" alone could say to "the wilderness and the solitary place, Be glad for them, and to the desert, Rejoice and blossom as the rose."

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LECTURE XI.

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY.

1 TIMOTHY IV. 8.

Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is

to come.

WE have reviewed the arguments for the truth of Christianity which are derived from the miracles performed, the prophecies accomplished and now accom plishing in the world, and from its rapid and extensive propagation.

These establish beyond all reasonable question the divine authority of our religion: and we might now pass on to the subject of the inspiration of the scrip

tures.

But there is another external argument of great moment which I am desirous first to notice, that derived from THE MORE OBVIOUS EFFECTS WHICH CHRISTIANITY HAS PRODUCED AND IS PRODUCING UPON THE WELFARE OF MANKIND.

This is generally classed with the Internal Evidences. And undoubtedly most of the causes from whence it springs, and many of its details, are best reserved for that part of our course. Still I cannot but think that

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