124 



ON THE GENERAL DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE. 



rations. And, as it 5s calculated for being uni 

 versally extended, so its prophets have foretold 

 that its blessings shall ultimately be enjoyed by 

 all nations. In the period in which we live, we 

 behold such predictions more rapidly accomplish 

 ing than in former times, in consequence of the 

 spirit of missionary enterprise which now per 

 vades the religious world. And when it shall 

 have extended a little farther in its progress, and 

 shall have brought a few more kingdoms and 

 islands under its authority, its beneficent effects 

 will be more clearly discerned, and the eviden 

 ces of its celestial origin will appear with a 

 force and power which its most determined ad 

 versaries will not be able to gainsay or resist. 



In proportion as the physical sciences advance, 

 and the system of nature is explored, will the 

 harmony between the operations of the Creator 

 in the material world and the revelations of his 

 word, become more strikingly apparent. Ever 

 since philosophy began to throw aside its hypo 

 thetical assumptions and theoretical reasonings, 

 and to investigate nature on the broad basis of 

 induction, its discoveries have been found com 

 pletely accordant with the Scriptures of truth, 

 and illustrative of many of the sublime senti 

 ments they contain. Geology, when in its in 

 fancy, was eagerly brought forward by a few 

 sceptical and superficial minds, to subserve the 

 cause of infidelity. A few pretended facts, of an 

 insulated nature, were triumphantly exhibited, as 

 insuperable objections to the truth of the Mosaic 

 history and chronology. But later and more 

 accurate researches have completely disproved 

 the allegations of such sceptical philosophers, and 

 were they now alive, they would feel ashamed 

 of their ignorance, and of the fallacious state 

 ments by which they attempted to impose on the 

 credulity of mankind. As geology advances in 

 its investigations, along with its kindred scien 

 ces, the facts which it is daily disclosing appear 

 more and more corroborative of the description 

 given in the Bible of the original formation and 

 arrangement of our globe, and of the universal 

 deluge. And, therefore, we have every reason 

 to conclude, that when science and art shall have 

 arrived at a still higher point of perfection, and 

 our terrestrial system shall have been more tho 

 roughly explored throughout all its departments, 

 arguments will be derived from philosophy itself 

 in support of the divinity of our religion, which 

 will carry irresistible conviction to every mind. 



Such is a very brief summary of the internal 

 evidences of the Christian religion. It is distin 

 guished by the dignity and sublimity of the style 

 and sentiments of the writings which contain its 

 revelations, it exhibits the most rational and 

 consistent views of the attributes of the Divine 

 Being, it gives us full assurance of a future 

 state of immortality, it points out the way by 

 which pardon of sin and deliverance from moral 

 erl may be obtained,* it exhibits the purest and 



most comprehensive system of morality, it ex 

 plains certain moral phenomena which woixtd 

 otherwise have been inexplicable, it affords 

 strong consolation under the evils of lift;, it com 

 municates the knowledge of interesting facts and 

 doctrines which can be found in no other record. 

 it has produced the most beneficial effects on 

 the state of society wherever it has been receiv 

 ed, it is completely adapted to the necessities 

 of man, and calculated for being universally ex 

 tended over the world; to which we might 

 have added, that it is consistent in all its parts, 

 when viewed through the medium of enlightened 

 criticism, and harmonises wiih the principles of 

 sound reason, and the dictates of an enlightened 

 conscience. These are characteristics which 

 will apply to no other system of religion that was 

 ever proposed to the world ; and if Christianity, 

 accompanied with such evidences, is not divine 

 in its original, we rnay boldly affirm that there is 

 no other religion known among men that can lay 

 claim to this high prerogative. But we do not 

 think it possible that the mind of man can receive 

 a more convincing demonstration of the truth of 

 Christianity than is set before us in the authen 

 tic facts on wnich it rests, in its tendency to pro 

 duce universal happiness, and in the intrinsic 

 excellence for which it is distinguished. That 

 man, therefore, by whatever appellation he may 

 be distinguished, who sets himself in opposition 

 to the spirit of this religion, and endeavours to 

 counteract its progress, must be considered as 

 not only destitute of true taste and of moral ex 

 cellence, but as an enemy to the happiness of 

 his species. If the religion of the Bible is dis 

 carded, we are left completely in the dark with 

 regard to every thing that is most interesting to 

 man as an intellectual being, and as a moral 

 and accountable agent. We should, in this 

 case, have the most imperfect conceptions of the 

 attributes of Deity, and should know nothing of 

 his designs in giving us existence, and placing 

 us in this part of his empire, we should remain 

 in ignorance whether the world had a beginning 

 or had existed from eternity, or whether we shall 

 ever have an opportunity of beholding the grand 

 system of the universe a little more unfolded, 

 we should be destitute of any fixed moral laws to 

 direct us in our social transactions arid inter 

 courses, we should be entirely ignorant of the 

 principles and objects of the moral government ot 

 the Almighty, we should be destitute of any 

 consolation under the afflictions and calamities of 

 life, we should hang continually in doubt wheth 

 er death is to put a final termination to our being, 

 or convey us to another and an eternal state o/ 

 existence ; and, at length, we should be plunged 

 into the gulf of universal scepticism, into which 

 every rejecter of revelation ultimately sinks. 



It may not be improper to remark, that the re 

 ligion to whose characteristics I have now ad- 

 verted, is not to be considered as precisely that 



