time, though afterwards it withers. Such is the religious impression described in the figure; when difficulties arise it is obliterated. The corrupt propensities of the heart prevail, or opposition ensues; if not such as menaced the early followers of Jesus, the never failing opposition of the indifference, contempt, and irreligious example of other men, and under these trials religion gives way if it has not been deeply rooted in the heart. He that received the seed in stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.'

"There is also a numerous class who persevere through life with no doubt upon their minds of the truth of Christianity, they pay some attention to its ordinances, and imagine, perhaps, that in the main they are living obediently to its precepts. And so they do live, in all those cases where the world and the Scripture agree; in all the ordinary rules of life which keep society together, and secure the peace of the community. But the heart is still untouched, or at best, unsubdued; it is fixed on worldly advantages, worldly preferment, worldly pleasures, worldly approbation; and these snares so entangle it, that all those rarer and peculiar graces which the Gospel requires, all that undivided attachment to its author which it claims, all that uncompromising fidelity which constitutes and distinguishes the true Christian, is yet wanting. Such is he who ' receives seed among thorns; and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.' He is not like those, who having been drawn to listen to it, have afterwards avowedly disregarded it, as requiring too great a sacrifice. He remains to the end a plant upon Christian ground; has leaves and blossoms; a show perhaps of fruit, but it reaches no perfection; it is not Christian fruit, such as belongs peculiarly to the Gospel, being estimated by its standard, and supported by its motives. So likewise there is a fourth class, upon whom the word is not lost or destroyed without taking root; neither is it overborne by the opposition which it must encounter; neither is it choked among the concerns and interests and pleasures of their present state, but it grows among unfriendly plants, and flourishes in spite of an ungenial climate, and is distinguished by the fruits of humility, piety, holiness, and charity, in which it abounds. Yet among these who alike 'receive and understand and keep the word,' there is not an uniform proficiency. All do not in an equal degree obtain the mastery over their natural corruptions: all do not arrive at an equal height in Christian virtues : all do not labour equally in the service of their master, to whom they have attached themselves. All produce fruit, but some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred! Such is the actual state of the Christian world; and such is the description which was drawn of it before Christianity was in existence. The description agrees with the experience of every minister who has observed the workings of human nature under the operation of the Gospel. He can distinguish characters like these among every hundred persons that may be under his

charge; he can perceive none who do not fall naturally and easily within some one of these classes." P. 176.

To which of these classes of professing Christians do I belong? is a question which it deeply concerns each individual to

answer.

The chapter concludes with a consideration of other parables indicating the foreseen inconsistency between profession and practice, which the general tenour of human conduct has never failed to verify; and of the excellence of the parables considered in themselves.

Chapter VII. canvasses the arguments to be drawn from "the wisdom manifested in the Christian Scriptures,"-wisdom superior to the views of the wisest philosophers, displayed on subjects too high for ordinary minds, even when prepared for the task by nature and education. Why should unlettered fishermen be supposed capable of more discretion and good sense than Socrates or Plato? Why more free from error and absurdity than the Apocryphal writers of their own time? On the subject of future reward, for instance, the Gospel enters into no detail! alleging that man, in his present state, cannot comprehend the glories that shall be revealed in the unseen world: an ennobling idea, that when we shake off the trammels of earth we shall rise to an expansive delight of which we cannot yet form any just conception! Some extracts from the Koran serve to shew the vast superiority of the indefinite promises of the Gospel over the sensual pleasures of a Mahomedan Paradise. A similar reserve is maintained when speaking of future punishment. Christian Scripture is intelligible as far as is necessary, but it is neither alluring nor disgusting. With regard to the degree of human liberty, it also is left indefinite, though sufficient is revealed to guide our practice.

"Man knows enough to make him humble, if he knows that of himself he can do nothing; and enough to make him diligent, if he is admonished to watch,' and 'keep himself,' and 'work out his salvation.'" P. 208.

Would that this sensible decision were permitted to end the bitter controversies which have so long rent the Church of Christ! The authority with which facts and doctrines are laid down by Christ without condescending to argument in proof of either, however novel, however apparently paradoxical, is next pointed The explanation of difficulties, and the exhibition of truths he left to his followers, as the work of men with men. On the head of religious exercises, Christianity stands alone in

out.

having left unfixed the measure and degree in which fasting, alms, and prayer are to be practised. This liberty is well contrasted with Mahomet's rigid exactness by further extracts from the Koran; as are also the different effects produced by the two systems. Where the prescribed form is strict, it will be rested on in proportion as it is severe: Christianity, on the contrary, preaches a temper and habit of mind, as conducive to which certain duties are prescribed; but the particulars are left to be determined by each individual according to his circumstances. Christianity, we may add, is a religion of motives and principles, not of detail, and herein consists its applicableness to every hu

man creature.

The "Originality of the Christian character," it is the object of Chapter VIII. to consider. This originality, it is argued, consisted not so much in the inculcation of the leading moral virtues, as in affording sufficient sanction to induce men to practise duties against their inclinations, and at the expence of their convenience and temporal interest. Yet some new duties arose out of the Christian doctrines, and others were rendered more extensive in their operations. Among those peculiar to Christianity are, 1st. an entire renunciation of personal merit, and a reliance on Christ alone, exemplified in St. Paul, who, while he admits that he did and suffered more than all the Apostles, and "that if any man thinketh that he hath whereof he may trust in the flesh, I more;" yet concludes thus, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted but loss for Christ." From this doctrine of humility is adduced an evidence of the reality of the facts related in the Gospel; as on no other ground than an entire conviction that Jesus did indeed "die for our sins, and rise again for our justification," would it have occurred to the first promulgators of the Gospel to conceive such an humbling duty as that of self-abasement, or to require it of all who should embrace their religion. This principle of reliance, indeed, is carried farther; Christians are required to look to Jesus not only for the atonement which justifies, but for the spiritual aid which sanctifies them. "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God:" a turn of mind much at variance with the natural impressions of the human heart. 2nd. The universality of the charity enjoined. Its motive grounded on the love of God to mankind, with its direction towards the souls rather than the bodies of men, renders it a peculiar feature of the Christian character. It arises out of those facts which declare the immense value of each individual soul. 3rd. The forgiveness of injuries, founded on God's love to man and the example of Christ, who, "when he

was reviled, reviled not again." These virtues, it must be acknowledged, are admirably fitted to prepare a sinful creature for the presence of that God in whose kingdom all shall be love and harmony; and even in this world must check much of the evil of insolence and oppression.

Chapter IX. entitled "Reasonableness of Christian Doctrines," demonstrates, that however the peculiar truths of Christianity are from their very nature beyond the discovery of human reason, yet they are in no way contradictory to it. After stating that the root of unbelief is not to be found in defect of evidence, but in that pride of heart which refuses to admit evidences unpalatable to human corruption, Mr. S. proceeds to suggest such obvious reflections on the two points at which reason is most disposed to cavil "as may indicate the extent and difficulty of the whole question, and dispose the mind to a more ready acquiescence in the divine authority of Scriptural declarations." P. 255. The first point which is supposed to give offence, is man's liability to punishment from divine wrath. Now conscience and reason tell us that God must love virtue : experience teaches, that virtue has in no age been adequately or generally pursued, as respects either God, our neighbour, or ourselves. It is contrary to any idea we can form of God, that he should view with equal regard those who serve him, and those who serve him not; yet that retribution in this life is not the plan of his government, is attested by the state of imperfect recompence daily witnessed in successful wickedness, and unrewarded virtue; to the weak in faith occasionally a sore trial, to the infidel a rock of offence; but to the sincere follower of the Gospel an additional argument for the reality of that future state in which it shall be recompensed to every one according to his deeds. Possible objections which may be urged on this subject, are answered by the consideration, that we are surrounded by difficulties within and without, which even revelation does not wholly unravel, but which are still more inexplicable without revelation. The book of nature is as mysterious as the book of revelation: how many facts relating to himself does every man believe on trust, without a possibility of ascertaining their truth, or of explaining the how or the why! How perplexing are the pain, distress, and privation which meet us at every turn, how totally inexplicable without that moral cause disclosed by revelation-their effect on character, and other religious purposes which they serve!

Would not this disclosure alone, we may suggest to our reflecting readers, render Christianity an inestimable treasure in a world where suffering or sorrow, in some shape, is the lot of all? Are they friends to the human race who would rob

them of such a support, so long as its reality is upheld by a shadow of probability?

On the second point, the remission of sin through the sacrifice of Christ, much is not left to be said, when the doctrine of man's condemnation in the sight of God is admitted. Supposing it to be God's gracious purpose to display his mercy, and yet to preserve unimpaired the laws of his government, which required the punishment of sin, the fitness and consistency of Gospel truth at once appear. A remark is here made, which Mr. S. considers important, that the death of Christ is not to be viewed merely as a substitution of innocence for guilt, but as displaying the inevitable consequences of sin: the bitter cup might not pass from him except he drank it. Thus is refuted an error, fruitful in pernicious effects upon the conduct of men. The chapter concludes with particularizing the reasons for which the scheme of redemption was pre-eminently adapted to the wants of mankind.

From internal evidence we turn, in Chapter X. to those external circumstances which materially invalidate the supposition of Christianity being an imposture. The "first promulgation of Christianity" bears strong attestation to its authenticity; whether we consider the conversion of multitudes by a single sermon, which could only have arisen from conviction of the reality of the facts on which the arguments were grounded, and of the miracles performed before their eyes; or whether we regard the opposition encountered by the Apostles, in spite of which they continued their labours among Jews and Gentiles, being, as they said, divinely commissioned, and obliged to obey God rather than man. The admission of Gentiles to the privileges of the Gospel, affords incidental occasion, as Mr. S. observes, for a remarkable feature of internal evidence, in the different tone of address used by the same persons when addressing heathen nations. With the Jews they had appealed to authentic written records, as the ground-work of their system; with Gentiles, to whom the very existence of God was unknown, they were compelled to lay the foundation of his unity and attention to the concerns of men. Those who had fabricated a history would be likely to tell it always in the same tone. The language of the Apostles varied with their circumstances. Again, a comparison between the different speeches of the different actors in the scene, so admirably in character with the peculiarities of each individual, renders it scarcely possible to look on these narratives as a mere fabrication; remembering the age to which the book indisputably belongs, and the persons by whom it must have been composed. The necessity, and therefore probability, of miraculous interference, next comes under consideration; and the objections against it are satisfactorily refuted.