thraldom of delusion. The facts are accurately pictured by the words of the much worn expression concerning the Pierian spring; the same waters that at first intoxicate, will sober again if drank plentifully. Many who begin to read, after glancing through one or two volumes hastily, lay them aside,more entangled in error than they were, and thinking within themselves that they have read the strongest arguments that can be brought forward in favour of Divine inspiration. Their condition is of course more deplorable than it was. Others do hastily examine a few volumes, and are not well enough informed to be able to understand clearly, and fairly weigh the arguments of the author; these may desist before they have mastered the subject. Others may need a second or third perusal of the same pages before they can clearly view and appropriate the contents. Such may fancy that they have examined the subject when they really have not. But of those who have read six or eight authors on that subject, calmly, attentively, impartially, industriously, and renewedly if necessary, I have never known one who did not cast away his infidelity. If any one should ask why we request the unbeliever to read many authors on the same subject, the evidences of Christianity, we answer that no two minds take the same course in writing on this subject. The arguments and evidences could not be condensed or abridged into a score of large volumes. Of course each writer is expected merely to select such ideas as strike him most forcefully. True, I have never read the author on the evidences of Christianity who did not seem to me in some one way or another to establish the position This is God's book; but the farther we push our researches, meditations, and inquiries, the more

readily can we proceed, and the more capable are we of comprehending additional research. The case is by no means an uncommon one, where a reader lays down an author on this subject with disappointment and dissatisfaction, finding in it, as seems to him, very little excellence of any kind. Twelve months after, upon taking up casually the same volume, he is astonished at a thought there which he had not noticed before. He proceeds, and many of the arguments there appear as clear and distinct as a stream of electricity over a dark cloud. The reason of this is, that his mind is in a condition better to perceive, weigh, and prize the argument. His mind becomes thus better capable whilst reading other things on the same subject in other writers. Men love darkness rather than light; hence it is that many unbelievers are not capable of understanding and appreciating one half they read on this subject; indeed none are, until they pursue the investigation to some extent.

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The young man of whom I have been writing inquired what authors on the evidences of Christianity I chiefly recommended? I told him that I had a choice, but it was not so marked as to fix on given volumes indispensably; that I did not fear the result, provided he did not stop short of the given number, although he might peruse those productions the most readily obtained, or the first procured. He told me that he would read six or eight of the first books I should send him, and the Bible afterwards with Scott's notes. The following are, as nearly as I can remember, the books which I obtained and sent or carried to him, one as soon as he had finished the other. Alexander's Evidences, Paley's Evidences, Watson's. Answer to Paine, Jews' Letters to Voltaire,

Horne's Introduction, vol. i., and Faber's Difficulties of Infidelity. Before he was entirely through with these books, he told me, with a serious face and voice, that he had something to tell me of himself that was indeed sin. gular: "I am," said he, "in a strange condition. I will confess to you, frankly and honestly, that these authors have met, answered, and fairly overturned, every difficulty and every objection which I had mustered and op. posed to the Bible as being from God. Furthermore, I do acknowledge that I have found arguments in favour of its Divine authority, so plain and so momentous, that I am unable to meet or to answer them, and yet I do not believe. I cannot, and I do not believe the Bible!" I had then a secret hope that he would still continue his course of reading. Old and long habits of infidelity have a tendency to hang upon us like settled diseases of periodical recurrence. But I did not speak to him soothingly; and I dare not say any thing beyond naked truth, even should it sound harshly. I told him that the defenders of Christianity had proved its truth, and that was all they had expected or attempted. I told him that God had left on record facts enough to evince that the Scriptures were Divinely inspired; to prove this, and to advise obedience, was, the mode of his dealing with men. "Compulsory measures," I added, "we never read of his using; and man himself, even wicked man, would rather that his free agency should not be taken away, and would complain at the thought or expectation of its being destroyed. These writers have proved their position, and you do not believe. Now you may and can walk the entire road to ruin, as a round rock can roll down hill; because it is one of the truths of the Bible, and one of the first truths taught in it, that man is a fallen creature.

If you are not one of the fallen, the Scriptures are not true. If you are one of them, then you cannot by nature receive truth so aptly and so eagerly as falsehood. If you are ever saved, it will require an effort and a struggle. Then, for the sake of undying existence, continue the labour which you have commenced. Go on and read many other books, an hundred of them. Notice the truth proved a thousand ways and a thousand times. But begin to pray. Ask the Spirit that made your spirit, to cause truth to have its proper work of killing falsehood in your heart and soul."

I never saw him afterwards; he went the way of all the earth. I never heard from his state of mind after. wards, whether he continued to read or not. From his conduct during our last interview, I have some hope, which I would not sell, that he may have continued his research and his meditations on these things. I have a hope from which I would not part, when I remember how candidly he confessed it, when his argument was truly prostrated, that he may, before his departure, have asked the Maker of suns to be his Redeemer. This is the history of one case where the powerful remedy, sober investigation, may have failed to cure, for aught I was able afterwards to learn.

CHAPTER XXIX.

A SECOND EXAMPLE.

CASE 2.-I had an acquaintance, in days of boyhood, with an amiable young man, who was liberally educated. After sixteen years of separation, we met again. He had become thorough in his profession (the law) by un

ceasing practice. He was an unbeliever, and the society with which he had commonly mingled at the bar, was of that description. After some long and friendly interviews, he promised me to read on the evidences of Christianity, and I engaged to provide him with books. I had stronger hopes of success in this case, from the fact, that the law was his profession. I do not know why it is so, but it is the result of eighteen years' experience, that lawyers, of all those with whom I have examined, exercise the clearest judgment, whilst investigating the evidences of Christianity. It is the business of a phy. sician's life, to watch for evidence and indication of disease, sanity, or of change; therefore I am unable to account for the fact, yet, so it is, that the man of law excels. He has, when examining the evidences of the Bible's inspiration, shown more common sense in weighing proof and appreciating argument, where argu ment really existed, than any other class of men I have ever observed. It is no easy matter to prevail upon these men to think about eternal things. They float along on the surface of secular schemes and political turmoil, they have little time, they think, for any thing but business, and they look surprised for a moment when they are told that they are ignorant of Bible literature; but when they do read thoroughly, and examine faithfully, they are better than ordinary judges of what is weakness, or what is force in reason.

Concerning the man of whom I have been writing, I am unable to remember distinctly the authors he read, or how many were furnished him. I never saw him afterwards, but so arranged, that certain books were put into his hand. Of one volume I remember that I heard distinctly and accurately the result of its perusal.