to refuse to believe an article of doctrine, which God has certainly taught, as it is to refuse to observe a moral duty, which God has certainly commanded.

But is not the mind of man as free as air? If it is to be fixed, by what is it to be fixed but by the evidence of truth? In answer to this, I ask, is the mind more free than the will? Is not the will of man subject to the supreme will and command of God? Though it be free, is it not under a moral obligation of obeying the divine command, which is a restriction on its liberty? May not God, who has a right to command the will to observe the moral precept, which he has given, have also a right to command the understanding to assent to the doctrine he has revealed? But can the mind reasonably assent to a doctrine without evidence of its truth? Certainly not; without either intrinsic evidence, if the doctrine be the object of intrinsic; or without extrinsic, if the doctrine be the object of extrinsic evidence. Thus the mind assents to the truth of mathematical doctrines, on the intrinsic evidence of mathematical demonstrations; it assents to the truth of historical assertions, on the extrinsic evidence of human testimony; it assents to the truth of revealed doctrines, on the extrinsic evidence of the testimony of God.

CHAPTER V.

THE CERTITUDE OF THE TRUTH OF THE REVEALED DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY CAN BE OBTAINED ONLY BY THE MEDIUM OF EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, OR BY THE TESTIMONY OF GOD, GIVEN IN THE ACT OF THE DIVINE REVELATION of these DOCTRINES.-Shewn from the nature of the question-from the reasoning of St. Paul-from the natural method of coming to the true and certain knowledge of the will of a Legislator.

Ir has been shewn that the certitude of the truth of the revealed doctrines of Christianity cannot be obtained by the medium of intrinsic evidence; it follows, therefore, that it can be obtained only by extrinsic evidence, or by the evidence of the testimony of God.

The testimony of God must be, in the nature of things, the only proper medium of ascertaining the truth of these revealed doctrines; because these doctrines have for their objects, either the nature of God or the designs and works of God. To whom is the nature of God perfectly known, but to God himself? To whom are the designs and works of God perfectly known, but to God himself? God only has a perfect and comprehensive knowledge of his own nature, designs, and works; therefore, his manifestation or revelation of them is the proper medium by which the truth of them can be ascertained.

The eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. The knowledge of the designs and works of God in favour of man could never have been acquired, either by the testimony of the senses, or by the demonstrations of human reason. But to us God Hath REVEALED them by his spirit. For the spirit of God searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. No other can know his designs or intentions, unless he manifest them. For what man knoweth the

things (the dispositions and intentions) of a man, but the spirit of man, that is in him? So the things, also (the will and designs), that are of God, no man knoweth but the spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of this world, but the spirit that is of God; THAT WE MAY KNOW the things that are given us of God.-1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, 11, 12.

No knowledge can be more true than this, which God has of his own nature, designs, and works; because he knows them as they are in themselves. Nothing can be more certain to us than the truth of that which is revealed to us by the God of truth, concerning his nature, designs, and works. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. 1 John, v. 9. The testimony of God is assuredly the most solid basis of the most absolute certitude of truth.

If, therefore, God, who perfectly knows himself, his own designs and works, positively declares that in his own infinitely perfect nature there are three distinct persons; that in Christ there are, since his incarnation, two natures united in the person of God the Son; that the posterity of Adam are born in the guilt of original sin; that atonement has been made for sin by the death of Christ on the cross; that baptism is instituted for the remission of sins; that every man will be judged immediately after his death; that Christ will come from heaven at the last day, to judge all men according to their works; that our bodies shall be raised to life; that the good will be rewarded with eternal happiness, and the wicked punished with eternal torments: if GoD declares these things, they are most true and certain; and this declaration or testimony of God is the proper medium by which the truth of these doctrines can be ascertained.

The doctrines of Christianity are the law of Christ. How is the knowledge of what a legislator freely commands, to be obtained, but by the declaration or manifestation which he himself makes of his will?

THE FACT OF THE DIVINE REVELATION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. The Christian Religion was taught by Christ.Christ, as Man, was divinely commissioned to teach it.-The Nature and Effect of Miracles.-The divine Mission of Christ proved by Miracles.-Christ, who taught the Christian Religion, is Himself true GOD.-His Divinity shewn, principally by the FACT of his Resurrection.-Consequences—in Proof of the divine Revelation of the Christian Religion, and of the Obligation of observing its Precepts.

THAT, about 1800 years ago, a person called Jesus Christ lived in Judea, is an historical fact. That he taught certain religious doctrines, that he delivered certain moral precepts, that he instituted certain sacred rites, are so many facts, supported by the strongest testimonies of written histories, and of universal tradition.

If Christ, as man, was commissioned by God to deliver these doctrines, precepts, and institutions, as the doctrines, precepts, and institutions of God; if Christ, who delivered them, is himself God: the fact of the divine revelation and institution of the Christian religion is established. These two positions are true and certain.

1st. It is a fact that Christ, as man, was commissioned by God to that effect. He declared that the doctrine which he delivered was not of his own invention, as man, but the doctrine which he had received from God, who sent him. John vii, 16. He proved the fact of his divine mission by the most evident miracles.

These miracles were public acts of omnipotence, which no other but God could perform, and by which the Almighty God of Truth sensibly interposed, to give his sanction to the authority of Christ, as commissioned by him, to declare his truths and will to man. What stronger testimony of the

to refuse to believe an article of doctrine, which God has certainly taught, as it is to refuse to observe a moral duty, which God has certainly commanded.

But is not the mind of man as free as air? If it is to be fixed, by what is it to be fixed but by the evidence of truth? In answer to this, I ask, is the mind more free than the will? Is not the will of man subject to the supreme will and command of God? Though it be free, is it not under a moral obligation of obeying the divine command, which is a restriction on its liberty? May not God, who has a right to command the will to observe the moral precept, which he has given, have also a right to command the understanding to assent to the doctrine he has revealed? But can the mind reasonably assent to a doctrine without evidence of its truth? Certainly not; without either intrinsic evidence, if the doctrine be the object of intrinsic; or without extrinsic, if the doctrine be the object of extrinsic evidence. Thus the mind assents to the truth of mathematical doctrines, on the intrinsic evidence of mathematical demonstrations; it assents to the truth of historical assertions, on the extrinsic evidence of human testimony; it assents to the truth of revealed doctrines, on the extrinsic evidence of the testimony of God.