to their brethren." They were under the do- In short, the present state of the Jews, com- Isaiah xili. 19-22. ↑ Deut. ch. xxviii. fights, or be devoured by wild beasts. So strong The internal evidences of Christianity are those which are deduced from the nature of the facts, doctrines and moral precepts which it reveals, and from the harmony and consistency of all its parts. The following is a brief summary of the leading views which may be taken of this subject. 1. The dignity and majesty of the style in which many portions of the Scriptures are written, and the sublimity of many of the ideas and sentiments they contain, are strong presumptions of their divine original. This is strikingly exhibited in all those cases in which the perfections and operations of the Deity are brought into view, as in such passages as the following,-"He hangeth the earth upon nothing; he bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; he hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end; the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea by his great power; by his spirit he hath garnished the heavens. Lo, these are only parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him, and the thunder of his power who can comprehend ?"-" By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; he spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast." "Great is Jehovah and of great power, his greatness is unsearchable, his understanding is infinite; marvellous things doth he which we cannot comprehend." "The heaven, even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him; he hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou ?" "Who hath measured the ocean in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance. Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance. Behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity." These, and many similar passages to be found in the sacred writings, far surpass, in dignity of language and sublimity of sentiment, every thing that is to be found in the writings of the most celebrated poets and philosophers of Greece and Rome. If we take the most animated poems of Homer, Virgil, or Horace, and read them in a prose translation, as we do the Scriptures, they appear flat and jejune, and their spirit is almost evaporated; and the words they put into the mouths of their deities, and the actions they ascribe to them, are frequently both ridiculous and absurd, calculated to excite hatred and contempt, instead of adoration and reverence. But the Scriptures preserve their sublimity and glory even in the most literal translation, and such a translation into any language is always found to be the best; and it has aniformly happened, that those who have pre sumed to heighten the expressions by a poetica. translation or paraphrase, have failed in the attempt. It indicates an utter want of true tasie in any man to despise or undervalue these writings. Were it not that the sacred penmen lay claim to the inspiration of the Almighty, and, consequently, set themselves in direct opposition to pride, lasciviousness, revenge, and every other unholy principle and passion, the bible, in point of the beauty and sublimity of its sentiments, and the variety of interesting information it conveys, would be prized more highly by every man of taste than all the other writings either of poets, philosophers or historians, which have descended to us from the remotest ages of antiquity. 2. The Christian religion exhibits the most rational, sublime, and consistent views of the Divine Being. It represents him as self-existent and independent, and as "the high and lofty One who inhabited eternity," before the universe was brought into existence, whose sight "a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thousand years." It represents him as filling the immensity of space with his presence, as having the most intimate knowledge of all creatures and events throughout the vast creation, as the Creator of heaven and earth, as possessed of uncontrollable power, infinite wisdom and intelligence, boundless benevolence and mercy, perfect rectitude and holiness, and inviolable faithfulness and truth. It represents his providential care as extending to all the creatures he has formed, and to all their movements, however numerous or minute; animating the vegetable and animal tribes, setting bounds to the raging billows, "thundering marvellously with his voice, sending lightnings with rain," having "his way in the whirlwind and the storm," making "the earth to quake at his presence," shining in the stars, glowing in the sun, and moving with his hands the mighty worlds which compose the universe. It represents him as governing the universe of minds which he has formed, as having the "hearts" and purposes "of all men in his hand," and as directing all the mysterious and wonderful powers of knowledge and moral action to fulfil his purposes throughout the whole extent of his immense and eternal empire. Such a being, when properly contemplated, is calculated to draw forth the love and adoration of all rational beings; and wherever Christianity has imparted a knowledge of these attributes of the divinity, idolatry and superstition, with all their absurdities, abominations, and horrid cruelties, have gradually disappeared. 3. Christianity has given us full assurance of the immortality of man and of a future state of punishments and rewards. Nothing can be of more importance to every human being than to be assured of his eternal destination. Without the discoveries of Christianity, we can attain te no absolute certainty on this momentous subiect, The greatest philosophers of the heathen world considered the arguments in favour of man's immortal destiny as amounting only to a certain degree of probability, and their minds were continually hanging in doubt and uncertainty, as to what might befall them at the hour of dissolution. The most powerful arguments in proof of a future retribution, are founded on the justice, the benevolence, and the wisdom of the Deity; but it is questionable whether we should ever have acquired clear conceptions of these attributes of the Divinity without the aid of the revelations of the Bible. On this most important point, however, Christianity dissipates every obscurity, dispels every doubt, and sets the doctrine of "life and immortality" beyond the grave, in the clearest light, not by metaphysical reasonings, unintelligible to the bulk of mankind, but by the positive declarations of him who hath "all power in heaven and on earth." It gives full assurance to all who devote themselves to the service of God, and conform to his will, that " when their earthly tabernacles are dissolved, they have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ;" and that "the afflictions to which they are now exposed "work out for them an eternal weight of glory." And, to console them in the prospect of dropping their bodies into the grave, they are assured, that the period is approaching, when their mortal frame "shall put on immortality," and when "all who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation." 4. Christianity clearly points out the way by which pardon of sin may be obtained by the guilty. Reason discovers that man is guilty, and at the same time perceives that a sinner deserves punishment. Hence, the remorse and the fears with which the consciences of sinners in every age have been tormented. "Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord? Shall I come with thousands of burnt offerings? Shall I offer my first-born for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" are the anxious inquiries of every sinner who feels conscious that he has violated the laws of Heaven. Hence, the numerous modes by which Pagan nations have attempted to appease the wrath of their deities; hence, their sacrifices, their burnt-offerings, their bodily tortures, their human victims, and the rivers of blood which have flowed in their temples and upon their altars. But reason could never prove, that by any of these modes sin could be expiated, and the Deity rendered propitious. Christianity alone unfolds the plan of redemption, and the way by which guilty men may obtain forgiveness and accep cance in the sight of him whose laws they have violated. It declares," that Christ Jesus died for our offences, and rose again for our justification;" that "God hath set him forth as propitiation to declare his righteousness in the remission of sins," and that, having made so costly a sacrifice for the sins of the world, he will refuse nothing that can contribute to the present and everlasting happiness of the believer in Jesus. "He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Such declarations, when cordially received, are sufficient to allay all the fears of a guilty conscience, to inspire the soul with holy love and gratitude, and to produce "a peace of mind that passeth all understanding." 5. Christianity inculcates the purest and most comprehensive system of morality. Its moral requisitions are all comprehended under the two for wing rules or principles, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," and "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," which diverge into numberless ramifications. It could easily be shown, that these principles are sufficient to form the basis of a moral code for the whole intelligent creation, that they are calculated to unite the creature to the Creator, and all rational beings with one another, wherever they may exist throughout the boundless empire of the Almighty; and that peace, order, and happiness would be the invariable and necessary results wherever their influence extended. If the love of God reigned supreme in every heart, there would be no superstition or idolatry in the universe, nor any of the crimes and abominations with which they have been accompanied in our world,-no blasphemy or, profanation of the name of Jehovah,-no perjury, hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, ingratitude, nor murmurings under the allotments of Divine Providence. And, if every moral intelligence loved his fellow-creatures as himself, there would be no rivalships and antipathies between nations, and, consequently, no wars, devastation, nor carnage,-no tyranny, haughtiness, or oppression among the great, nor envy, discontent, or insubordination among the lower classes of society,-no systems of slavery, nor persecutions on account of religious opinions, -no murders, thefts, robberies, or assassinations, no treacherous friendships, nor fraud and deceit in commercial transactions, no impla cable resentments among friends and relatives, and no ingratitude or disobedience among children or servants. On the other hand, meekness, long suffering, gentleness, humility, temperance, fidelity, brotherly kindness, and sacred joy, would pervade every heart, and transform our world from a scene of contention and misery to a moral paradise. The comprehensive nature of these laws or principles, and their tendency to produce universal order and happiness among all intelligences, form, therefore, a strong presumptive argument of their divine original. There are certain Christian precepts, different from all that were ever taught by the sages of the Pagan world, and in direct opposition to their most favourite maxims, which might be shown to have the same beneficial tendency. For example, it is one of the precepts laid down by the Founder of our religion, "Resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also," &c.; and in accordance with this precept he propounds the following," Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despite fully use you and persecute you." And he enforces it by one of the most sublime and beautiful motives, "That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Now, these precepts of morality are not only original, aud peculiar to the Christian system, but they are in direct opposition to all the virtues generally denominated heroic, and which are so much celebrated by the poets, philosophers, and historians of antiquity. While the annals of history proclaim, that the exercise of the heroic virtues (among which are classed implacability and revenge,) has banished peace from the world, and covered the earth with devastation and bloodshed, it could easily be shown, that, were the virtues inculcated by our Saviour universally practised, there would not be an enemy on the face of the globe, wars would cease to the ends of the earth, and the whole world would form one vast community of friends and brethren. Whereas, were the opposite dispositions universal, an uncontrolled by any counteracting principle, they would produce a scene of universal contention and misery throughout the moral universe.Another disposition peculiar to the Christian system, and which is enforced throughout both the Old and the New Testament, is humility. So little was this disposition regarded by the ancient heathen world, that, in the classical languages of Greece and Rome, there is no word to denote the virtue of humility. It is a quality, however, which results so naturally out of the relation in which man stands to his Maker, and is so correspondent to the low rank which he holds in the scale of universal being, that the religion which so powerfully enjoins it may be said to have "a sign from heaven" that it proceeds from God. And, in his intercourses in society, a man will always find, that there is a far higher degree of quiet and satisfaction to be enjoyed, by humbling himself, than by endeavouring to humble others; for every arrogant and haughty spirit will uniformly smart under the feelings of wounded pride, and disappointed ambition. The Christian virtues to which I have now adverted, ought not to be considered as the characteristics of a mean and unmanly spirit, or as ccutrary to the dignity and energy of the human character. The apostles and first Christians, who uniformly practised these virtues, were dis tinguished by undaunted fortitude and almost unparalleled intrepidity. They advocated their cause, before princes and rulers, with the utmost dignity and composure; they were ready to suffer the greatest persecutions, and even the most excruciating torments, rather than betray the sacred cause in which they had embarked; and one of them had the boldness, when brought before the Roman governor as a prisoner, to arraign the very vices for which he was notorious, and to make the profligate judge tremble in his presence.* So far from these virtues being mean or unmanly, they are the principal qualities that are justly entitled to the epithet heroic; for they are the most difficult to be acquired and sustained, as they run counter to the general current of human passion and feeling, and to all the corrupt propensities of the nature of man. A man may have sufficient heroism to bombard a town, or to conquer an army, and yet be altogether unable to regulato his temper, or subdue his boisterous passions. But, "he that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." In the one case, we strive against the corrupt affections of our nature, in the other, (as in giving vent to implacability and revenge,) we give loose reins to our malignant passions. In the one case, we struggle against the stream, in order to obtain safety and repose; in the other, we allow ourselves to be hurried along with the current, regardless of the rocks against which wo may be dashed, or the whirlpools in which we may be engulfed. In proportion, then, as the Chris tian virtues prevail in any community, will quar rels and contentions, and every thing destructivo of human enjoyment, be effectually prevented and happiness diffused among all ranks of so ciety. In short, Christianity, in its moral requisitions, enjoins every relative and reciprocal duty be tween parents and children, masters and servants, husbands and wives, governors and subjects, and, not only enforces the practice of justice and equity in all such relations, but inspires the most sublime and extensive charity,-a boundless and disinterested effusion of tenderness for the whole species, which feels for their distress, and operates for their relief and improvement. It prescribes no self-denial, except with regard to sinful lusts and depraved passions; no mortification, except of evil affections; it gives full scope to every feeling that contributes to the real enjoy ment of life, while it guards, by the most awful sanctions, every duty the observance of which is necessary for our present and future happiness. It extends our views beyond the limits of the present state, and shows us, that the future happiness of man is connected with his present con • Acts xxiv. 25. duct, and that every action of our lives should have a reference to that inmortal existence to which we are destined. But it never insinuates, that earth and heaven are opposed to each other, as to their duties and enjoymen's, or that we must be miserable here, in order to be happy hereafter. For while it prescribes rules which have for their ultimate object our happiness in a future world, the observance of these rules is calculated to secure our highest enjoyment even in the present life; and every one who has devoted himself to the practice of genuine Christianity has uniformly found, that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' On the characteristics of the moral code of Christianity, then, I should scarcely hesitate to rest almost the whole of the internal evidence of its divine original. For laws, which have a tendency to unite in a bond of affectionate union the whole intelligent creation,-which, if practised, would undermine every species of moral evil, and promote peace and happiness over all the earth, and which are equally calculated to produce true enjoyment in this world, and to prepare us for the higher felicities of the world to come,-must have had their origin in the mind of that Almighty Being whose omniscient eye perceives all the effects of every principle of action, and all the relations which subsist throughout the moral universe. 6. Christianity explains certain moral phe nomena, which would otherwise have been inexplicable, and affords strong consolation under the evils of life. It throws a light on the origin of evil, and the disorders both of the physical and moral world, by informing us, that man has lost his original happiness and integrity, that the earth has been defiled by his sin and rebellion, and that is no longer the beautiful and magnifi- 121 and equity of his procedure will be fully display- misfortune. 7. Revelation communicates to us a knowledge of facts and doctrines which we could not otherwise have acquired. It informs, us that the Deity existed alone innumerable ages before Time began-that the material universe was the exertion of his Almighty power-and that brought into existence, at his command, and by the earth, in its present form, had no existence at a period seven thousand years beyond the this globe was first peopled, of the primeval present. It informs us of the manner in which state of its first inhabitants, of their fall from the state of innocence and purity in which they were at first created, of the increase of wickedness which followed the entrance of sin into the habitants, and of which the most evident traces world, of the Deluge which swept away its inare still visible on the surface, and in the bowels and his family were preserved from this uniof the earth,-and of the manner in which Noah world. It informs us of the time, manner and versal destruction, for the re-peopling of the circumstances in which the various languages which now exist had their origin-a subject which completely puzzle. phers, which they could never explain, and on which no other history or tradition could throw of the state of society in the es that succeeded the least degree of ig. It unfolds to us views the deluge, of the counts into which mankind were dispersed, and of the empires which they founded. It records the history of Abraham, the legislation of Moses, the deliverance of the tribes of Israel from Egypt, their passage the deserts of Arabia, under the guidance of the through the Red-sea, their journeyings through the land of Canaan. It informs us of a succespillar of cloud and of fire, and their conquest of sion of prophets that were raised up to announce the coming of Messiah, and to foretel the most the ancient philoso |