in the Bible itself, but is to be found in the life, the actions, and inclinations of the revilers of God's word.

Such incredulity, such impiety, far from shaking our faith, ought to discover to us a powerful reason for endeavouring, by prayer and meditation on the Divine truths which the Bible contains, to establish them more firmly in our minds; it ought to lead us frequently to search the Scriptures, saying from the inmost recesses of our hearts," Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief*."

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL.

WHEN We seriously reflect on the commencement of that Gospel, which now spreads its glories over so many nations ;-when we attentively read, that Jesus chose his disciples from among the humblest classes of society; and when we remember that these men were selected for the express purpose of making known to the world the greatest work, which has ever been attempted since the creation; -when we consider the difficulties to be overcome, and the instruments which were to be used in the establishment of Christianity, we can be no other than convinced that the enterprize must have been of God, or its success would have been altogether impossible.

If Jesus Christ had appeared among a people without any form of government, or system of religion, as far as human calculation goes, there might have been a probability of success, in an attempt to instruct them: for we all know that the guidance of a mind which has been perfectly untaught, is much more easy than it is to dissipate the preju

dices engrafted on the understanding by education or custom; prejudices too, which bore the appearance of truth, as was the case with the Jews at our Saviour's approach. Their religion, it is true, had its foundation in the Law of Moses; but it was so clouded by fabulous records, and by superstitious traditions, that, in their worship, only the form of godliness remained: the power was entirely extinct.

Vital religion dwelt in the hearts of a few in Judea. It is true the Lord had still a remnant left among his once chosen people; and this remnant, we know, heard not in vain the preaching of the Gospel they accepted with joy the crucified Jesus, as the promised Messiah; but how small were their number in comparison to the great body of the Jewish nation!

Let us turn from Judea, to the Gentile world, and see whether that presented a more favourable field for the reception of Christianity. The Jews had the possession of the oracles of God, and could search the Scriptures if they would; but the heathen world were indeed the "people who sat in darkness." They were given up to the grossest idolatry, not only bowing down to graven and molten images, but performing the most revolting rites to propitiate their deities. In this picture we have only a faint description of the state in

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which both Jew and Gentile were, when the "Sun of Righteousness" arose.

When we reflect on the doctrines proposed by our Lord, our surprize would indeed redouble, did we not feel within us the force of that Divine truth which every precept of the Gospel displays to us. Had he condescended to appear in celestial glory, accompanied by a host of angels, declaring himself to be the supreme Lord of all, the pride of both Jew and Gentile would have enabled them easily to yield to his sway. But behold the lowly Jesus taking upon himself an humble occupation, and subjecting himself to all our weaknesses, though completely free from the smallest semblance of one of our sins ;-though God, yet becoming man, and voluntarily submitting himself unto death, the death of the cross for us. And see the handful of men to whom he gave the commission, "Go ye, teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," laying the foundation of that church which never has been destroyed, but which, on the contrary, continues to gather strength, and spread itself over every nation, though so many ages have elapsed since its establishment.

This attempt, we must allow, was either that of enthusiasm, or it was the confidence of Divine truth. Its success has declared it to be the latter :

it has proved to us that it was the arm of Jehovah alone which upheld the work.

Idolatry accommodated itself to the most criminal excesses to which the unrestrained passions of human nature will lead every crime, even of the deepest die, had its patron deity. The Gospel at its first onset declared an uncompromising opposition, not only to the idols of the heathens, but also to their vices. An enemy to the one no less than to the other, it required purity of life, as well as renunciation of Paganism. It not only insisted on the worship of the true God in his temple, but on love and fear of him in the heart. It was not merely a new religion which the Apostles taught, but a new nature which they enjoined.

"Ye must be born again," was the doctrine which they had received from their Divine Master.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature t.' "Created in Christ Jesus unto good works ‡,' was St. Paul's enforcement of that precept; while St. James emphatically called on the followers of the Gospel," Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves §."

If the Jews had fewer obstacles to oppose to the reception of the Gospel than the heathen world, we see, alas! that those have been more