Well, juft fuch kind of evidence is exhibited to us to fupport our hope of immortality Evidence, on which it is rational and prudent to build our expectations, and form our conduct. I fay, fuch kind of evidence, because it is the evidence of testimony; but it is much higher in its degree. For, the one is fubject to fome deduction, because the most probable means have fometimes failed: The adventurer has in fome inftances been disappointed: His confidence has been mifplaced, or his opportunities loft: Some accident has intervened to blast his expectations however well grounded; but the other can fuffer no deduction from any fuch circumftances No inftances can be produced, that any have failed of falvation, if they have fought it, in the way pointed out in the gofpel; and, therefore, there is no counter evidence to detract from the credibility of the gofpel hope. It ought then to have that place in our minds which belongs to the highest degree of moral evidence. It is faid that "faith* * Heb. xi. 1. 2 is the evidence of things, not feen; the fubftance of things hoped for." Here are the fame ideas held out, a profpect of advantage to be a ground of hope; as well as evidence of truth, to be a ground of faith. Where there is a profpect of advantage, and of fuch vast unfpeakable advantage as the happiness of a future state; a fubject which has engaged the attention of good men in all ages; furely, it is rational to admit that degree of moral evidence, which is founded on credible teftimony; on teftimony which cannot be contradicted by any teftimony of equal credibility; and, from the certainty of which, no deduction can be made by any reasonable evidence of a contrary truth. Such is the kind of evidence; and fuch is the degree of that kind of evidence on which the facts which involve the gospel hope of eternal life are grounded. It is the evidence of teftimony; the testimony of Jefus Chrift and his apoftles. Jefus Chrift came from heaven into this world and pointed out to us the path of life by If what is faid fhould fall into the hands of any who are yet wavering and unfettled in their belief of chriftianity, let me fay to them; that the middle ftate you are in, between a full belief of the gospel and a total disbelief of it, lays you a ftrong obligation to pay a ftrict regard to the evidence by which it is fupported. For why do you doubt, unless you have fome idea of the importance of the gospel and that your intereft may be involved in it? Had you no apprehenfion of its value, you would not think it worthy of a doubt. But your prefent ftate of fufpence, implies a persuasion that if the gospel be true; it is of the utmost confequence to you. Let this perfuafion operate as a strong motive, to examine it, with the fame attention that you would bestow on books or letters which direct you how to fecure your most valuable intereft. Be fure to admit the fame kind of evidence for the truth of christianity which you would admit for the truth of thofe facts, upon which you would ground that conduct, which in other cafes would be thought rational and prudent. You can by no means be excufed from the duty of making the moft ferious inquiry. In fuch a cafe, negligence is criminal. Indifference will have the fame confequence as actual infidelity. When you have evidence prefented to you in fupport of the most momentous truth, and you do not believe it becaufe you will not examine it, who must bear the blame? When you acknowledge the importance of christianity and yet remain in doubt of its truth, you are guilty of a criminal difregard to your own intereft, and a want of reverence to the authority of your maker, who has a right to require this of you. If christianity should finally prove to be true, and you should be found among those who have had a price put into their hands, and have neglected to improve it, what can you expect but the fate of the unprofitable fervant who hid his Lord's talent in the earth?" Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer dark nefs !" Differtation II. ON THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF SOME. AND ITS ANALOGY, WITH SOME TRUTHS IF the book of nature and the book of fcripture be the work of the fame hand, we may expect to find the fame marks and characters in both. Among human artifts, there is a fimilarity in the ftyle and manner of books written by the fame pen, of pictures drawn by the fame pencil, and of buildings erected by the fame architect. May we not then expect to find in the works of the divine author, a style and manner peculiar to himself? And, if he hath impreffed the peculiar mark of incomprehenfibility on fome of his works, is |