evidences of divine revelation. These indeed must be obvious to every one who has any knowledge of the subject. It is so necessary to have an understanding enlightened on one branch of the evidences, that I know not how a man can be a Christian at all who is ignorant in regard to it, I refer to the internal evidence, or rather that view of the internal evidence which relates to the admirable adaptation of the gospel to the nature and circumstances of man. Can he be a Christian at all who has not learned the correspondence between the representations of the Bible of the state of man as a subject of the divine government, and as a sinner in the sight of his Maker, and his actual condition as guilty and miserable in consequence of sin? And who can lay claim to the character of a disciple of Jesus, who knows not from personal experience that the chief discovery of the gospel, that which brings to view and harmonizes the attributes of God in the salvation of man, is the rich provision of redeeming mercy, through the atonement of the Son of God? The strength of the external argument may force a man to cease from being an infidel, without making him a true believer; but no one can rightly understand that branch of the internal evidence to which I am now alluding, without some knowledge of the infinite importance and suitableness of the grand fundamental doctrine of Divine revelation,-" That God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to men their trespasses."

6. (I.) An acquaintance with the evidences is necessary as a branch of liberal education. It is so in a double point of view: First, regarded merely as a subject with respect to which every well-educated man ought to have some knowledge. This is only claiming for Christianity the same place in a liberal course of study which has so long been assigned to the mythology of Greece and Rome. It is nothing more than demanding of all who pass through such a course, that while they are

required to know something of the fables of antiquity, they should also have some acquaintance with the grounds and evidences of what claims to be not only truth, but truth bearing the impress of God's character, and the sanction of his authority. Apart altogether from the consideration of its divine origin, revealed religion presents in the evidences on which it rests its claims a series of phenomena the most extraordinary in the history of the human race-phenomena which neither the philosopher nor historian can overlook-and of which to be almost ignorant is discreditable to any man who has enjoyed the advantages of a liberal education.

7. The second view of it, regarded as an element in such education, is as a means of intellectual improvement. Viewed in this light, I know not an exercise better fitted to invigorate the understanding than a careful examination of the Christian evidences. It cannot fail, when judiciously conducted, to lead the attention of youth, at the time when their mental powers are developing, to the different kinds of testimony and evidence, while, at the same time, it will strengthen their power of discriminating imposture from truth, and their habits of correct thinking, correct reasoning, and sound philosophical investigation. It would, in fact, operate on the mental constitution as a course of practical logic: it would do more, it would tend to form the habit of regarding truth with reverence, of submission to its authority, and hatred to all misrepresentation and levity on sacred things. And, as has been remarked, it would be impossible to promote this acquaintance with the evidences of revelation without extending the range of their general knowledge. An uninformed or ignorant person is not capable of estimating the full strength of the Christian cause. It supposes an acquaintance with many subjects if its full amount is to be ascertained. History, criticism, science, and experience in argument, all furnish their aid in this important inquiry, and contribute their respective

quotas to confirm or elucidate the claims of the Word of God. Even an acquaintance with the opposition it has encountered, and over which it has triumphed, tends powerfully to confirm the mind in its truth and divinity.* It is no disparagement to the talents of the most successful student of physical or moral science to say, that his mind may be improved by reading the Analogy of Butler, and the Defence of Miracles by Campbell.

8. (II.) An acquaintance with the evidences of divine. revelation is productive of great moral advantages: and this view of it gives it the highest recommendation to our consideration. While it affords intellectual gratification and improvement, its professed and main object is to restore and renovate human nature. The study of Christian evidence attains its moral ends by leading us to an attentive consideration of the Scriptures-by inducing us carefully to study the records of divine truth, that we may ascertain whether the inherent marks of heavenly origin be such as may warrant us to believe that they have been given by inspiration of God. Is it possible for any one to do so without being the better for it? Who can survey the Scripture account of the divine character,-the holiness, justice, and goodness of the law,-the helpless and wretched condition of the sinner,-the excellency, efficacy, and appropriateness of the gospel remedy,-the peace and felicity of the Christian,-the variety and momentary duration of all that is earthly,-and the dignity and glory of the heavenly state, without being improved by the exercise? I cannot conceive how any one can seriously examine the Scriptures, to learn their perfect consistency in all that they declare on any specific subject,-as, the depravity of human nature-or, the connexion between sin and suffering-or, the Deity of Christ-or, the grace which was manifested in his condescension and humiliation-or, the necessity and sufficiency of his atonementor, his power to save-or, the blessedness of obedience to * Orme's Lecture on the Advantages, &c. p.

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him-without receiving from the study some salutary impression.

9. Even the external evidences cannot be studied aright without an attentive study of the Scriptures. How can the great subject of prophecy, and more especially that branch of it which relates to the Messiah, be examined without a careful comparison of the Old Testament with the New? In this investigation the student is led to notice the spirit of prophecy in the first promise, announcing the advent of the Redeemer,-afterwards intimating the time when he should appear,-declaring at a period still later that he should descend from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David,-that he should be born of a virgin, that a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah should be his forerunner, and prepare his way,— that he should begin to publish the gospel in Galilee,that numerous and mighty miracles should be wrought by him in the course of his ministry,-that his birthplace should be Bethlehem Ephratah,-that he should be poor, despised, and rejected,-that he should be betrayed by one of his own disciples for thirty pieces of silver,that he should be mocked, derided, and crucified,-that vinegar and gall should be offered him on the cross,—that his garments should be divided, and lots cast for his vesture, that not a bone of him should be broken,—and that while he should die with malefactors, he should be honourably interred. These and many other predictions directly relating to the Messiah, contained in the Old Testament Scriptures, and the fulfilment of which is recorded in the New, afford striking proofs not only of the divine origin of the Bible, but of the wisdom of God in providing against the possibility of an impostor assuming and sustaining the character of the promised Redeemer. Can this series of prophecies be surveyed in the proper spirit in connexion with their fulfilment, and the Sacred Writings in which both are to be found examined with candour and seriousness, without receiving the

moral and salutary impression which this manifestation of the divine wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness is calculated to produce?

10. An influence not less salutary may be derived from a survey of the miracles of Scripture generally, but more especially those of Christ, viewed in relation to the benevolent designs for which they were wrought. They were indeed displays of power-of the mighty power of God; but they were also manifestations of compassion and kindness, and harmonized with the gracious purposes of the dispensation of mercy. While they verified the claims of Jesus, they impressively indicated his character as the Friend of helpless humanity: while they proclaimed, and continue to proclaim, his divine mission, they bespoke his tenderness to the weaknesses of his disciples, his pity for the sorrows of the widow, and his sympathy with the griefs and tears of the disconsolate. Though we may have begun our examination of these mighty works merely with the view of ascertaining the amount of evidence which they furnish of the truth of Christianity, and are thereby established and settled in the firm belief of its truth and divine authority, we have obtained, at the same time, from our survey of them, impressions which have softened our hearts, and invigorated our moral feelings and habits.

11. (III.) An acquaintance with the evidences of divine revelation is necessary to the stability, comfort, and usefulness of Christians. This indeed is so obvious as not to require elucidation. For, how can any one be established and settled in the faith when he is ignorant of the grounds on which it rests? How can he have comfort in the belief of the truth, while he knows not in any form the evidence which proves that truth to be divine? And how can he be useful in the circumstances in which Providence has placed him in recommending the religion of the Bible to others, when he is incapable of maintaining it and of defending it, even from the most