racles as no man could have performed, without the prefence and concurrence of God. Now before any perfon feriously rejects chriftianity, containing fuch important doctrines, he should certainly endeavour to fatisfy himself, at least on what foundation it is that he founds his diffent; and that fuch perfons may more eafily and effectually interrogate themselves upon the fubject, I fhall briefly propofe a few leading questions, which may perhaps affift them to afcertain the ftate of their own minds, and lead them to fuch reflections, or difquifitions, as may be of most use to them with respect to it; at the fame time that they may serve as a kind of recapitulation of a few of the principal arguments in favour of chriftianity. Is it not an indifputed fact, that there was fuch a perfon as Jefus Chrift, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate in Judea? Is it not alfo a well known fact, that he had fome followers when living, but, notwithstanding his ignominious fufferings, which difconcerted and difperfed all his adherents, many more after his death; and that he was even acknowledged by them to be the Meffiah, foretold by their antient prophets, though he fuftained a character the very reverse of what was expected by all the Jews, the good as well as the bad? Are not the gospels, and the book of Acts, which contain the history of the life of Chrift, and of the propa propagation of his religion in the world, authentic writings? Were they not confidered in all the early ages, both by the friends and enemies of christianity, as the genuine productions of the early difciples of Chrift? Can this be admitted, without admitting also, that what they relate concerning Chrift and his apostles is, in the main, true, at least that they did fomething above the power of man; especially, that Chrift did actually rife from the dead, as he had foretold, and as a proof that what he taught he had by commission from God? Is it probable that fuch men as the apostles were, fhould have been able to shake off the ftrongest Jewish prejudices, which no other Jews, whether, with respect to morality, they were good or bad men, were ever able to do? Can they be supposed capable of inventing such a story, and especially of making it gain credit with the world, in fuch an age as that in which they lived, and circumstanced as they were for that purpose? Admitting this to be poffible, can any fufficient motive be aligned, to induce fo many of them, not only to enter into a scheme of this nature, but, what is much more, to carry it on, with a perfe, verance unknown to the profeffors of any fcheme of religion before them, in the face of all difficulties that could be thrown in their way, and to die with all the marks of joy and confidence, without ever confeffing the imposture? If the leading facts above-mentioned cannot be difputed, except upon fuch principles as must invalidate all antient hiftory, and set aside all human teftimony, every argument a priori, fuch as thofe which arise from the confideration of the sufficiency of the light of nature, the natural incredibility of miracles, &c. will certainly not deserve a hearing. How fpecious foever they may be reprefented, their influence will not be felt. It will be clearly perceived that, whether it might have been reasonable to expect it, or not, God who made the world has actually interpofed at various times in the government of it; giving fome of his creatures, at leaft, fuch information refpecting their conduct here, and their expectations hereafter, as he judged to be useful and convenient for them; and whatever difficulties may attend the speculative confideration of a future life, it will not be doubted but that we shall in fact live again, give an account of ourfelves to God, and receive according to our works. APPEN APPENDIX, CONTAINING AN ESSAY ON THE Analogy between the methods by which the perfection and happiness of men are promoted, according to the difpenfations of natural and revealed religion. HE perfection of intelligent, beings confifts THE in comprehenfun of mind, or that principle whereby ideas of the paft and the future mix with thofe of the prefent, and excite one common fenfation; in which the good and evil fo perfectly coalefce, and are so intimately united, that the medium only is perceived. Confequently, if happinefs be apprehended to prevail, in that portion of time of which we have this perfect comprehenfion, and every part of which may be faid to be prefent to us, we are conscious of pleasure only in the contemplation of it, the pain being lost, and abforbed, together with fo much pleasure as was VOL. II. E equivalent |