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Fysaence. FroPecy INTRODUCTION. No subjvet eau be of gevater mportanee, esther to the unbehever nr to the Christian, than ain mvestigatun of the ecudeace of Cheestiunly. ‘Phe forinery a tus tied he nod fotlered by the strangest prejinher, und of he in actiiied) wy the Weant by a spinit of Tove aod fair omposyy eanmot disavow bs obligations tw examine tts chitin 10.4 dive origin. He esimiut rest seenize my fs unbelief, to thr sttisfictom of tna own tum, withook manifest dase reer of the mast fatal error, trl he fun tapartially weighed All the reasons that may he atrzrd am its behalf. The proof of a negative ix arkuowletged and folt to he dif Ficult 5 sav teen never, any ese be attatned tll all direct and positive evidence tn th’ conteary be entre pletely destroyed. And tus, at let, must he doo hefire it ean he proved that’ Christianity 18 nat trae. Without this carefid au € e all tony asoumphiens and Ean) sperufutions, all yypothelic ex reunumuims oF analogies mferewers, That seer to mbbtate augalsist the trith fr Dewsns doabt, they eluseely fee ted, or being united to 4 rasapprelonsion of the real nature of the Chretian rebeon, the andere stmding nury ernbraee Bical as enssacines bat seh rouvietien 16 aedher rehonal her ronustent—aCts only, ff freethanking. Fury as is to reason and sums is credential as 1 courts an! vonun amis the most trywig seeutiny— road INTRopecrIUS. "hat acrutigy the mbeherer is bond, upon fis own pri ciples, to” epgage ii. If he be fearless of wavering ut fis anbeli I nat storink Senta the myutry 5 ory af he will not resist the only areas of inmetthid he may ecther deprave what he ‘only doubt of hefore, or yield to the convietion of positive evidence and undoubted truth, ‘Thos unhesie challenge refrcin grves tnd Ut ann 18 tienen a champon'ef unfidehiy, nor a loser of wusdet or of wali, whe will disowa oF declaw th. ‘Vs the bebever such a subject 1s equally important il anteresting. ‘The apathy of atencuusal Cietstiauny ut the present ilay. i offers contrasted with the zeal “of those whe gist became obedient ta the: Guth. ‘The huocal yothiettee ot the Clu ists relagion ts net what tras beet, of what taught to bis The edeecsiess ain the Charaeter of ats professors may br greatly attedutid te. 2 Ginter impression aut Tess confident aestranee of ts Guth, ‘Those early cuuweets whe wittessed the antra cles of one Jord aided Iisapostles. and Leste Ahear este doctrine, ang they who recrised the mniscabeate tracition, nf thos’ whe bofh'sis and Hear! Buen inl sie epuid thenmsedves compte thee meral sur! ates fein while tioe Id emerged wells the aayelous Iiht af the gospel, founded therr Auth upun ruiceatee 5 possessed the frraest conuietian af he Athy were destuggumbed hy: ther v= tues as well ies by thear profession, according: bo the testimony even of ther eneintesst cherisled the consuls tons, and were nispred by tee hopes ef religion ; and lived ad died, actuated by the hsipe of maniortality and the verkunty of a future stite. "The contrast, malay, heeds no eluculation, ‘The hves of professing Chase general cease to auld a confirmiation ti the trate when they Have alten heen the plea of infidels against at. Yet relygion and feunran nate aire Sill the same: as they were when we were first called Chnetuurs, and when the brhevers it Jesus dishunspured ot his mame, But hey sought more than a passe und unesamining behef. ‘They knew m whom they breved they fell the power of every trath which they professed, Anu the scone cause, a1 active operation, wault be pros ductive of the same effects. ‘The same strong and un wavering fiuth established on reusun atid consctous cone ‘Pau per 10, ep 7 INTRODUCTION. 16 Siction, woutd he creative of fhe saine penee and joy i Deliewing, anid of alf there aerompany eg Cruits, | Ate, as a meats of destroying the distinction, wherever il evistes between the profess aad the realty of hath, at ts ever the presented duty of all whe prntess to brheve in the gospel 1 search and to (ry —"lo prove all things, aul hhold fast to that which 1 oud 3 amet fo he able bo ge wer iy every ante that asketh them a reason of Che Med as an ‘Vo the smeere Chote Teanust ever he aot abject af the fngtest miterest to seceehe ante the reason of tas Tope. ‘The birthre that Jim searches, the firtner will be Js behek huenwtedee a tHe frit of nseutal Taber the food and the fount of Che munud. Tn she pucsutt of hawwledgr, ie greater the excetience af dhe subject of anqairy, the deeper aught te be the interest, the mere end the nuvestigation, aud the dearer ta the rand the acquisition of the teuth, And that knowledge which rmmedtately aflvets thr soul, which fends to exalt the oral natey sind calarge the rehgiaiscayuerties of mas, which jyertannis to elerenty, whue beds mut aueccly te the contemplation of the Works of fe gree Architect of the umiyvese, but serks a d revelation of hrs will nd Which rests nol wi its progress tll at fing, of falk or complete couvietin, a witness withoul, as well asa ortiose within, as surely ke mito a (reassere witch aman fontid fod ina field, and gold all thot he had and Doueht 1." And atin deleghtful ta have every doubt nee moved by the posttice proof of the truth of Chrishanity to feel thant com ietiott of is certunty, which infidellty HW neser MapZiTt To er volariens—and te reese tlkst as Mirae of the fnth, which yas superior ne he hope wWluch it conuntuncates, ay ait the certainty on which tt rrdts, to the cheerless aid tisyuneting double pf the Bie Sang numl, Tasted of heing a mere premidiee of education, which may be easily shaken beet, thus Founded on reson, becomes fixed and unnn 3 and all the scuilings af the scurger, and spe the mfidet, Lae as beitly on the tinand, a jeans is mipere ceptibly aver it, ant inake a httie ampressioa_ (te the spray upon a rock. Tn premoing 2 fe remarks, introductory te of the Prophecies, little ear be saul on the compn leper evulence of Christunity. The srleetou keto