the worst of evils to a kingdom: it lessens their enjoyments; and tends to a constant accumulation of misery. The deep laid plans of unrighteous policy, which promise the most extensive and lasting advantages, prove unsubstantial as the spider's web, become a source of bitterness to the contrivers, and issue in national distress and calamity. These are laws of nature, or shall we not rather say, of the Supreme Ruler, which confirm by their execution, the revelation of Jesus Christ; and display the effects and consequences of his religion.

There is a still more extensive tendency in the divine government, which, as belonging to the present subject, ought not to pass unnoticed. The gospel speaks of the melioration of the state of mankind, which after a lapse of ages is to be produced by the influence of its principles and precepts. By appearances in the moral world, these hopes are cherished and confirmed. The man who will compare the present state of society in England, in Holland, and in France, with that which subsisted in them about three hundred years ago, will perceive a most rapid progress and the vast machine is moving with accelerated speed. There are principles now budding in the minds of the disciples of Christ, which are producing plans of active benevolence, in order to advance the first and best interests of the human race;

principles which, when the fruit is brought to maturity, will change the face of the world, and introduce the reign of reason and of love, and give happiness to mankind; because they introduce the reign of God, and of his Christ, over the souls of men.

The coincidence between the government of the world, and the christian religion, in so many varied points of view; and the agreement between the appearances and tendency of the former, and the declarations and effect of the latter, are considerations not unworthy of the notice of those who are examining, with impartiality and care, the evidences of the New Testament.

SECTION VIII.

The Manner in which the New Testament
addresses Men.

HERE, as in many other points, the book is
eminently singular. In men who had no inter-
course with the great world, we might expect
to find either an admiration of the rich and
powerful, or a dislike of them, and a partiality
for people of their own rank. But nothing of
this is to be seen.
We scarcely find a writer
who has not his partialities: one is a sycophant

of the great, and a despiser of the poor: another hates the great, and makes his court to the multitude, that he may gain their favor. Some pay homage to the learned, and treat the ignorant with contempt others take the contrary side. Country and religion have a powerful influence on men's sentiments, and on their

manner of speaking of persons and things. Both Jewish and Gentile writers furnish remarkable instances of this, each in an opposite way.

But here is a perfect exception to these modes of writing. The whole human race is always considered in the New Testament as one great family. The apostles view man as an immortal being: This is the light in which he constantly appears. The different conditions of life sink into nothing in comparison of this more illustrious rank. The only reason why they notice the various stations in civil society is to remind men of the duties of these stations, and to guard them against the temptations to which they are exposed. This is peculiarly the case as to persons in the most exalted condition, the temptations of which they represent as the strongest of any: they therefore kindly entreat them to watch against their influence with the utmost care and at the same time they frankly reprehend their abuse of the blessings of their condition. If they speak favorably of the poor, it is to console them, because their temptations are not so strong, and to point out those

advantages in their lot which they are apt to overlook. But in all the grand concerns of human nature they view men as equals: they speak to them as brethren: they envy not the great they despise not the poor: they address all with dignity and affection. There is indeed one marked difference which they ever maintain, and never in any one instance, lose sight of for a moment. But it arises from nothing external it is that which takes place between the righteous and the wicked. Such greatness of mind as this, which overlooks all worldly distinctions; which attaches dignity to man as immortal, and excellence to man as good, and meanness only to man as wicked; found in illiterate men, and found in all the writers of the New Testament, will be allowed to have some weight, when thrown into the scale which contains the evidences of christianity.

SECTION IX.

The Harmony of the Writers of the New
Testament.

DISAGREEMENT among persons who contribute each a part towards a compilation of a volume, infers the certain destruction of its claims to divine inspiration. Harmony is absolutely necessary: and where it is found, es

pecially in so extensive a manner, and in so many different points of view, and in matters so various and complicated, it furnishes a presumptive argument in favor of its claim.

The first thing which we are led to inquire, is, What harmony subsists between the gospel and natural religion? On the most accurate examination it will be found, that there is not one principle in the latter, which the former does not advance, and confirm. Could the deist find opposition here, he might justly triumph: But he can produce none. The concord is without an exception, as to principles, precepts, desires, wants, and expectations. The gospel is indeed fuller, and reveals many things which the other does not contain. But this is naturally to be expected in a revelation made for the use of guilty and depraved creatures, who need a remedy beyond the power of natural religion to provide.

Another part of the subject is the harmony of this book with the Old Testament, which is to be considered as a first volume of the work, and so closely interwoven with it, as to be incapable of separation without a material injury to both. When a book is entirely the production of one man, the harmony is more easy: where many are concerned in writing it, the difficulty is increased. When the persons live in different ages, in different countries, in different conditions and employments, and in dif