in this life that peace of God, which it is neither in the power of the world to give or take away, and in the life to come eternal happiness. By these doctrines, wherever they are imparted, the measure of man's happiness is evidently increased; and as by his death and resurrection he vanquished the power of death, and brought life and immortality to light; and by his death became an oblation for the sins of the whole world; certainly in and by him all nations of the earth are blessed. But besides this strong and potent evidence, there is a great deal of further collateral evidence in favour of the Christian dispensation. Among other instances, its extraordinary singularities ought to be noticed, as exceedingly indicative of its truth, and of its proceeding from God. Thus Mr. Pascal remarks, that, whilst the Christian religion enjoins man to acknowledge himself vile, and naturally prone to evil, it equally requires of him that he should aspire to a resemblance of his Creator. "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven " is perfect." St. Paul informs us likewise, when writing on the establishment of the Gospel, that it being the pleasure of God 66 that no flesh should glory in his presence, in other words, that the establishment of the Christian religion should clearly appear to proceed from, and be established solely and entirely by, divine appointment, he writes, that God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are. When the emperor Julian attempted to establish the œconomy of Plato's Republic only in a village, he could not do it, though the greatest philosophers in the Roman empire were selected for the accomplishment of his purpose. But when God designs the establishment of the Christian religion in that mighty empire, and the overthrow of its idolatry and polytheism, twelve poor illiterate fishermen accomplish the business, in spite of the emperor Julian, the philosopher Libanius, and all other emperors and philosophers. Again, it is decreed by the will of God, that this religion should be propagated only by the evidence it offers to the understanding, and by its influence on the morals of men. Accordingly, when a small band of fishermen and mecha nics, without power or interest, went forth on this vast design, and carried with them no other arms than the plain, unsophisticated words of truth, they proved themselves superior to all the power of their enemies; though, during the three first centuries, that power was exerted against them with all imaginable fury, cruelty, and violence, they overcame in the conflict, they subdued the world. But when a number of potent princes and warriors, with a professed resolution to enlarge the bounds of Christendom, drew together immense armies, armies animated with such an extraordinary zeal and enthusiasm, as nothing seemed able to withstand, after repeated and obstinate attempts, and a terrible slaughter of their subjects, they returned (the few who did return) with shame and disappointment; having learnt by miserable experience, what they might have learnt from the Old or New Testament, that it is not the design of Providence that Christianity should be propagated by the sword *. * Vide the Sermons of Dr. Powell, Master of St. John's, Cambridge, published by Dr. Balguy. These Sermons are of very superior merit; the first is addressed peculiarly to those who lead a college life, and is well deserving the perusal of every Academician; as is the 13th, of every sensual, intemperate character; and from the 4th to the 12th, of every one who is de Amongst other singularities referable to revelation, I must particularly take notice of the different characters ascribed in Scripture to our blessed Saviour, especially as this singularity would never have had existence in any forged predictions, as the apparent inconsistency of it would have been considered by the impostor himself as an unequivocal indication of his forgery. At the same time that our Saviour is described by the prophet Isaiah, in the most abject terms, as having "no form or comeliness; and when 66 66 we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him: as being despised "and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, "and acquainted with grief; and we hid our "faces from him; he was despised, and we 66 esteemed him not," &c. the same prophet describes him in these magnificent and lofty terms; "Unto us a child is born and "his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Fa 66 ther, the Prince of Peace." And the prophet David thus describes the awful great sirous of reading the most convincing and impressive evidence in favour of revelation, condensed and arranged in a most masterly manner, and expressed in a fine style, with equal learning, clearness, and precision. 66 kingdom is a right sceptre." ness of his majesty; "Thy seat, O God, "endureth for ever: the sceptre of thy In the Revelations he is declared to be “Lord of lords, "and Kings of kings." And St. Luke observes, that “of his kingdom there shall "be no end." In the second Psalm God is described as giving him the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; and likewise a complete victory and conquest over all earthly opposition to the establishment of his Gospel. St. Paul observes, in his Epistle to the Philippians, "Wherefore God also hath 66 highly exalted him, and given him a name "which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and 66 66 66 things under the earth." And St. Peter, as has been already observed, declares, in his 2d Epistle, that when "there came such a "voice from the excellent glory, This is my "beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; "this voice which came from heaven we 66 heard, when we were with him in the "holy mount." St. Matthew records this fact, and affirms, that, when our Saviour was baptized by St. John, and likewise at |