2. The greatest difficulty which a new religion usually has to encounter, arises from the attachment of the people to whom it is proposed to the previously established and prevailing system, especially if it be sanctioned by authority, and has (which is frequently the case) been reverenced and adhered to by their ancestors, from time immemorial. Men are usually prejudiced in favour of the religion in which they have been educated; and consequently have an aversion to listen with candour to the claims of a new one. Mahomud, however, had no difficulties of this kind to encounter, when he commenced his endeavours to proselyte his countrymen to the faith of the Koran. There was no previously established system of religion in the country in which he was born, either to thwart his efforts, impede his progress with its counter claims, or excite a superstitious people, a bigotted priesthood, and an intolerant government to resist him with the sword of persecution. But the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ had, at its outset, the most appalling difficulties of this nature to overcome. It was opposed to every established system of religion in the world; it coalesced with none of them, but required, on the contrary, the destruction of them all: consequently, wherever it went it was looked upon as an adversary, and its claims universally denied. Cruelty, bigotry, and malice for a long series of years rose up as its daily opponents, and called forth the most vigorous and unremitting efforts of its enemies, to effect its destruction, and blot out the name and the memory of its Author from the face of the earth.

3. Mahomud descended from a great and noble family, and had therefore wealth, and honour, and power, and secular influence engaged on his side. All these united their efforts to aid his undertaking, and promote his ambitious designs. With Christ, however, it was quite the reverse. He was born in obscurity. He possessed no influence of this kind; and instead of being supported by temporal power, like Mahomud, the religion

which he came to establish, (as I have previously observed,) had to contend with all that this power, influenced by pride, and prejudice, and malice could do to ruin its interests, and prevent the people to whom it was addressed from receiving it.

4. Mahomud, at the outset of his career, tried what could be accomplished by exhortation and address; and yet, with all the secular influence which he possessed, he scarcely effected any thing by these means: indeed, it was not until he took to his sword, that his religion began generally to spread. But whilst Mahomud with all his influence could effect nothing by verbal exhortation, Christ, in this way, without any similar influence, effected every thing. The Christian religion admits of nothing like compulsion: with its propagation the sword has nothing to do; and it was not by the force of temporal power, but by the force of sound arguments and plain statements, which the judgment of those to whom it was addressed acknowledged to be true, that its triumphs were effected.

5. Wherever the religion of Christ went, the people who heard it were, as to compulsion, (as they now are in this country,) at liberty either to receive or reject it. But it was not so, where the claims of Mahomud were made known. The people to whom he addressed his message, must either receive his Koran or part with their heads. Multitudes lost their lives for not receiving it. But, on the other hand, multitudes lost their lives, and others their reputation, their property, and their all, and became outcasts upon the face of the earth, despised, afflicted, tormented, for receiving and adhering to the universally despised and persecuted gospel of Jesus Christ.

6. The propagation of the Christian religion was entirely the work of persuasion and conviction; but Maho mud's was entirely the work of the sword. It went not a whit beyond the point of his murderous weapon; nor is it known that he made a single convert in the face of

persecution, and danger, and death. But to these trials; all who embraced Christianity, on its first propagation, were perpetually exposed; and its converts frequently endured them in the most painful and aggravated manner, rather than shrink from their acknowledgment of its truth, or give up their faith and hope in its promises.

7. The religion which is founded on truth and righteousness, and which has God on its side, will stand and triumph, in spite of all the opposition of men and the malice of devils. The religion of Christ has this foundation; and is supported and protected by the power of God. Consequently, it is daily gaining strength, extending its peaceful reign, and marching on to universal conquest. But the religion of Mahomud, (like that of the Hindoos,) in consequence of its wanting this foundation for permanent endurance, daily loses ground. It waxes weaker and weaker; and the time is probably not far distant when it, with every other false system of superstitious and idolatrous worship, will be swept as a refuge of lies from the face of the earth.

CHAPTER VI.

On the Objections commonly advanced by the Hindoos against the Christian Keligion.

Object. 1st. If Christianity be true, and the only true religion, and its reception necessary to salvation, why has not God superseded the necessity of so many arguments, by giving some plain and convincing proof of its divine authority, which, appealing to the senses, should irresistibly compel men to believe it?

Answer. We are not acquainted with the plan of the divine government, and are, therefore, utterly incompetent to judge what it is proper for God to do, or not to do. His plans occasionally develope themselves, and we are favoured with a partial view of his procedure in the government of his creatures, by the numerous changes which are perpetually taking place among the nations of the earth. It is not, however, to be supposed, that we should know all the reasons which exist for the various measures which he pursues, or be able to fathom the entire mysteries of the divine counsels. We are, therefore, not at liberty to ask questions of this nature, or to cite HIM, of whom it is testified, (Isa. xxviii. 29,) that he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working, to the tribunal of our shallow reason and mistaken judgment. There is no end to questions of this kind: we may just as well ask, Why has God only made one sun and one moon? Why has he made all men of one form, and nearly of one stature? Why has he created so many destructive insects? and a thousand other questions of a similar kind, all of which are as unreasonable as they are wicked and absurd. In reference to the precise nature and degree of the evidence by which the truth of Christianity ought to be attested, that must be left entirely with God: sufficient evidence is all that we can possibly require, and sufficient evidence he has already given us in abundance. On the ground of similar evidence, (viz. that which arises from accredited testimony,) we assent to the truth of various occurrences which are perpetually taking place in common life, although we have no opportunity of examining them for ourselves. We are therefore required, (and the requirement is reasonable and just,) to receive the Christian religion on the same satisfactory testimony; and all who do not receive it on the ground of this testimony will be favoured with no other evidence, but left to perish everlastingly, as the fruit of their obstinacy and unbelief. To require a continuance of miracles, (as many among the Hindoos profess to do,)

is childish and vain; and were God to gratify their unreasonable requirements in this respect, no beneficial effect would be produced. Multitudes of the Jews who were eye-witnesses of the repeated and wonderful miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles, continued in their impenitency and unbelief. The word of God assures us, and we may appeal to this fact, and also to our every day experience for the truth of the declaration, that the men who reject Christianity on account (as they say) of the insufficiency of its evidence, would not be induced to receive it on the ground of any evidence whatever. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be pursuaded, though one rose from the dead, (Luke xvi. 31.)

It matters not (as I have before observed) how weighty and satisfactory the evidences of Christianity may be in themselves: if they be not candidly investigated, and the mind be not open to receive and act up to the force of the conviction which arises from their fulness and sufficiency, no beneficial effect of course can be expected to follow. It is not the want of evidence in support of the claims of Christianity, but the want of attention to that evidence on the part of the Hindoos, which prevents them from embracing it. If they would but seriously and candidly bend their attention to this subject, they would soon find the proofs of its truth to be utterly irresistible. Their minds would be enlightened to clear and correct views of futurity; and the conviction which they would receive of the supreme importance and paramount claims of the Bible would compel them to cast their idols to the moles and to the bats, (Isa. ii. 20,) to acknowledge the authority to which it lays claim, and to receive Jesus Christ, who is therein presented to their view, as of God made unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, (1 Cor. i. 30.)

Objection 2d. If Christianity be the only true religion, how is it that so many nations of the earth have been suffered to remain ignorant of it to the present day? God dispenses the ordinary blessings of his providence in