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ceafe; all the focial and relative duties would be will ingly performed. and this world, in a moral view, would become a Paradife.

Fourthly. The doctrines of the gofpel throw light upon the dark and confufed fcenes which pafs before us in the prefent ftate of things. Particularly, the frequent triumphs of vice over depreffed virtue; the profperity of the wicked, and the poverty and oppreffion of the good, are dark events which the gofpel elucidates, by bringing immortality to light, and giving affurance of a general judgment, and a future ftate of retribution.

Filthly. The Chriftian religion gives a hope, that fweetens the troubles of life, and removes the fting of death. Whatever weight of trouble lies upon Chrif. tians, they are fupported by the confideration that it is a difcipline, ordered by their heavenly Father, and defigned for their good. And when Chriffians die; or, when they are affectionately bending over the beds of their expiring, or the graves of their expired friends, they are relieved and comforted by the profpect, that this corruption will put on incorruption, and that this mortal will put on immortality.

Now, it should feem, we are clamorously urged to renounce this divine religion, which thus purifies and ennobles our nature, and gives us comfort in trouble, and hope in death. This heavenly religion we fee at. tacked on every fide; not indeed with ferions and manly argument, becoming a fubject of fuch vaft impor tance: but with the poifoned arrows of ridicule and burlesque; with malicious fcoffs and fcornlul fneers.

But we would fay to our opponents, Since you urge us to renounce the gofpei, be pleafed to offer us a better religion, as a substitute. Have you invented any fyftem of morality, or any fcheme of focial and relative duties that is better than what the gofpel give us? This you have not attempted. Your ability feems to confk

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altogether in demolishing; and you are like one who fhould boat of pulling down a magnificent palace, while at the fame time, he would be incapable of building even a cottage.

And what Hope do you offer us after death? The infidel's hope is feen in the modern infcription on the gate of a burying-yard; "Death is an eternal fleep." He hopes that death will put an end to his coniciouf nefe, and extinguish his being.

And is it for this, that we are urged to renounce our religion, and the pleafing profpect of immortality which the gofpel fets before us? Is it that we may die like the brutes; lofing all hope, excepting the forlorn hope of annihilation? Is it that cur laft agonies fhould be lupported with no better profpect than that of being wiped off from the face of creation, and expunged iorever from the book of life?

Ah, barbarous men! you would rob us of our bread, and inflead of it, would give us a ferpent.

And what is the object of your reflefs and vehement zeal againft Chriflianity? Would fociety be benefitted by your fuccels? Would you difcourage vice and encourage virtue by perfuading people to defpife and renounce the obligations and fan&tions of the Chriftian religion? Would you hereby render them better citizens, and more faithful and affe&tionate in the relative departments of hufbands and wives, and of parents and children?

No: you will take off neceffary reftraints from the minds of the vicious: you will deftroy, or weaken the facred bands of fociety; and your influence, wherever it reaches, will be deadly, like the effluvia from the Bohon Upas, or poifon-tree of Java.

FINIS

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I. The birth and childhood of Jesus Christ,

II. Testimonies concerning Christ, and his Baptism,

III. Christ's Sermon on the Mountain,

IV. The mission of the Apostles,

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PART III.

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V. Sight given to a blind Man,

VI. The raising of Lazarus,

VII. Miscellaneous Extracts,

VIII. The Prodigal Son,

IX. The kind Samaritan,

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X. The rich Man and the Beggar; and the Day of Judgment, 262
XI. Christ's Farewell to his Disciples,

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XII. A prophetic description of the Destruction of Jerusalem, 269
XIII. The Trial, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of

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XXVII. Portrait of Christian Charity,

XXVIII. The Christian's Prospect beyond the Grave,

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