continued by succession to this day, is as impregnable and flagrant a testimony to the truth of the matters of fact of Christ, as the sacraments, or any other public institution. XVIII. Let us consider and honour the priesthood, sacraments, and other public institutions of Christ, not only as means of grace and helps to devotion, but as the great evidences of the Christian religion. They are such evidences as no pretended revelation ever had, or can have; such as do plainly distinguish it from all foolish legends and impostures whatsoever. XIX. And now, last of all, if one word of advice would not be lost upon men who think so unmeasurably of themselves as the Deists, you may represent to them what a condition they are in who spend that life and sense which God has given them, in ridiculing the greatest of his blessings, his revelations of Christ, and, by Christ, to redeem those from eternal misery who shall believe in him and obey his laws; and that God, in his wonderful mercy and wisdom, has so guarded his revelations, as that it is past the power of men or devils to counterfeit; and that there is no denying of them, unless we will be so absurd as to deny not only the reason, but the certainty, of the outward senses, not only of one, or two, or three, but of mankind in general: that this case is so very plain, that nothing but want of thought can hinder any from discovering it; that they must yield it to be so plain, unless they can show some forgery which has all the four marks before set down: but if they cannot do this, they must quit their cause, and yield a happy victory over themselves; or else sit down under all that ignominy with which they have loaded the Priests, of being not only the most pernicious, but, what will gall them more, the most inconsiderate and superficial, of mankind. Therefore let them not think it an undervaluing of their worthiness, that their whole cause is comprised within so narrow a compass, and no more time bestowed upon it than it is worth. But let them rather reflect how far they have been all this time from Christianity, whose rudiments they have yet to learn; how far from the way of salvation; how far the race of their lives is run before they have set one step in the road to heaven; and, therefore, how much diligence they ought to use, to redeem all that time they have lost, lest they lose themselves for ever; and be convinced by a dreadful experience, when it is too late, that the Gospel is a truth, and of the last consequence. CONVERSATION WITH A YOUNG TRAVELLER. EVERY one has remarked the mixed, and often ill-assorted, company which meets in a public packet or stage-coach. The conversation, with all its variety, is commonly insipid, frequently disgusting, and sometimes insufferable. There are exceptions. An opportunity now and then occurs of spending an hour in a manner not unworthy of rational beings; and the incidents of a stage-coach produce or promote salutary impressions. A few years ago, one of the stages which ply between our two principal cities was filled with a group which could never have been drawn together by mutual choice. In the company was a young man of sociable temper, affable manners, and considerable information. His |