of the obstacles that were encountered, and of the ultimate success which crowned the work.

The nature and extent of the undertaking consisted in withdrawing the whole world, learned and unlearned, Greeks, Romans, Scythians, barbarians of every description, from the worship of idols, and from the most absurd practices of superstition, which were familiar to their thoughts from the first dawn of life; which were embodied in their education, interwoven with their habits of life, and sanctioned by power, example, authority, and custom. Truths of the most extraordinary nature were to be substituted in the place of the popular theology; and doctrines, altogether impervious to human reason, and most humbling to human pride, were to form the basis of a new religion. The most sublime principles of morality were to be inculcated to those, in whom the natural light of reason appeared almost extinguished; and whose immoral propensities kings and statesmen, sages and legislators, had laboured in vain to remove. This great work was to extend its influence to every nation under the sun, however separated by space, or disunited by manners and language.

The time chosen for the execution of this grand design appears to have been, in a human view, altogether unpropitious. The simple, the ignorant, and the docile, were not the characters

exclusively to be worked upon; but all those whom knowledge, science, taste, and literature, rendered eminent, were to be encountered. It was during the polished and enlightened period of Roman greatness, that the work commenced; when Rome was become mistress of the world, and rivalled, in literature and the arts, those nations whom she had subdued by the force and terror of her arms. The whole empire abounded with orators, poets, philosophers, and historians. Cicero had instructed and delighted the Roman world by the splendor and variety of his performances; and Sallust had described the morals of the age in language, which fills the classical scholarat once with wonder and disgust.

To carry into effect so extensive a project, it might rationally have been expected, that the most distinguished among the Roman and Grecian sages would have been selected; that all the powers of reasoning, and all the force of eloquence, would have been employed; that rank and authority would have sanctioned the undertaking, and that learning would have lent its aid. But what is the fact? The resources of human skill are utterly disregarded; twelve poor fishermen, taken from a nation, which, at that period, was proverbially the scorn and derision of the universe, are appointed to instruct in the maxims of eternal truth the polished Greek and the haughty Roman; to convict the sage of folly, the

man of science of ignorance, and the universe of error. Look, my Lord, at the result of this extraordinary proceeding; see the complete success which attended the great work. In spite of every obstacle which was opposed to the progress of truth; in defiance of the power, strength, ahd majesty of Rome, the disciples of the cross gained a decided triumph, and the Christian religion penetrated into countries where the terror of the Roman arms had never extended its influence.

But, it will be asked, why is this detail introduced? The existence of the Christian religion is universally admitted, except by professed deists; and the statements here produced are merely moral evidences, leading us to believe that God has communicated his will to man. Most assuredly they are evidences of a moral description; but by their number, weight, and united strength, they are calculated to produce an irresistible impression. Even to the unbeliever, who remains regardless of God and eternity, they present the view of the most illustrious society of men, ever recorded in the annals of the world. Under such circumstances, no rational being can decline the evidence of such a society, or dispute the truth of the allegations which it produces. But when these moral evidences have produced their full effect, when they are combined with a knowledge of the piety of those who are sent to preach, with a view of the miracles which they perform to ren

der their doctrine credible, with a full consideration of their incessant labours and disinterested zeal, then by the aid of that light which enlighteneth every man, that cometh into this world, the Christian exclaims: "I believe the holy Catholic church." He then admits not only an illustrious society of men, but a church divinely established, and divinely commissioned; and to her decisions he submits, without reserve, in all matters relating to faith.

You will again object to the course here taken as nugatory; because you not only admit the apostles' creed, but the Athanasian and Nicene creeds also; and you will add, that this is clearly expressed in your articles. articles. I know full well, my Lord, the extent of your admissions in these matters you admit the three creeds; that is, you receive the words, but you leave the meaning to shift for itself. In a similar manner your calendar exhibits a long catalogue of vigils, fasts, and days of abstinence, with as much rigour as is observed in the Catholic church; but all this totally disappears in your practice. Even your writers frequently ridicule these ancient observances as idle and superstitious. With equal consistency the Jews carefully preserve the letter of the prophecies, and leave to the Christians the task of marking the application. My Lord, to admit the words of an instrument, and to deny or overlook the natural and obvious meaning, is to build with one hand,

and to destroy with another. Of such an architect you may safely pronounce,

Diruit, ædificat, mutat quadrata rotundis. The course of argument here adopted will be found upon examination to be of a most convincing nature; for in the first place, we establish an undeniable fact, that the church of Christ, viewed not only as an illustrious society, but as invested with a divine commission, had an existence before the new Scripture was composed; and consequently that the authority of the church was prior to the authority of any written document whatever. We thus give a clear reply to that idle calumny with which we are so frequently assailed, of proving the authority of the church from the scriptures, and again the authority of the Scriptures from that of the church.

You have therefore the authority of the Catholic church, established by the terms of the apostles' creed, which you admit; a creed which, agreeably to the testimony of St. Augustine, St. Jerom, and other holy fathers, was composed by the apostles themselves, and preserved among the traditions of the catholic church. It is a most unquestionable fact, that the remotest antiquity has always been assigned to this important document; and that its existence was decidedly anterior to any canonical book of the New Testament. Are you aware, my Lord, of the impor