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This is a work, which is consequent on the atonement; but no less essential; a work which the Saviour performs by the agency of the Holy Spirit, whom he sends from the Father.

When the eyes of men are thus opened by the Holy Spirit, they behold wondrous things in the law and in the gospel. Convinced of the turpitude of sin, they condemn themselves, and lie low before God. They wonder at their former stupidity and blindness, and feel as if they could not do or say enough to mortify themselves, at the foot stool of Him, on whose authority they have trampled, and who, they are conscious, has pondered all their steps. Were they be fore addicted to bad habits? Were they enslaved by the love of the world, or by their corrupt appetites and passions? They now feel themselves in a measure liberated. Jesus has come, by the influences of the Holy Spirit, and made them free. They are willing to part with sins, which once appeared as dear to them, as a right hand, or a right eye. Did they before view all religious duties as a weariness? They now have been taught, that in keeping God's commandments there is great reward. Never have they more enjoy ment than when they can be doing something, which they trust, will promote the honour of God. Although imperfection will be found in Christ's people, as long as they dwell in the flesh, yet they have an assured hope, that after they have finished their warfare on earth, he will raise them to a state of perfect holiness and happiness. The work which he began in their hearts in regener

ation, he has engaged to carry on, until they are ripened for glory. Having come out of great tribulation," occasioned by the wickedness of the world, and the remaining corruption of their own hearts, and having “ washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," they will be "before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” H.

ON INFIDELITY.

IN noticing the moral evils of the present day, we may with peculiar propriety direct our attention to Infidelity, or a speculative disbelief and rejection of divine revelation. No other history was ever so fully attested, as the gospel; and no other system of doctrines and morals ever exhibited such clear intrinsic evidences of a divine original. Considering that it is a system so admirably calculated to promote civil, social, and personal happiness in this life, as well as to train up creatures, formed for immortality, in a course of preparation for a state of everlasting felicity hereafter; one would think that a fair proposal of it to the understanding would be alone sufficient to induce mankind to receive it. But experience has taught the con

trary. There have been some in every age, who have taken unwearied pains to oppose and discredit divine revelation; but at no former period has either their number, their influence, or their assurance of success, been so considerable, as in the present day.

The late revolution in France, conducted avowedly on the principles of universal skepticism, if not of absolute atheism, has had a tendency to render infidelity more popular. It is not to be doubted, that the secret influence of such demoralizing principles has been much more extensive, than their open avowal. As the truly virtuous man loves religion, and chooses wisdom's ways for their pleasantness, as well as for the peace, which they afford, he feels a disposition candidly to examine the evidences of Christianity, and is well pleased with the thought of finding it true; on the other hand, as the vicious man has an inward dislike to religious restraints; he is disposed to listen with partiality to whatever tends to weaken or invalidate the testi-, mony in its favour. It is not to be doubted, that in this way, a sense of moral obligation is often greatly weakened, and in some instances nearly destroyed, although the pernicious maxims of infidelity are not openly cspoused. When it is but barely suggested to a person, predisposed to free himself from religious restraints, and to stifle the painful remonstrances of conscience, that such and such eminent men, men of great literary endow ments, statesmen, and philosophers, disbelieved revelation, and esteemed and treated Christiani

ty, as a fable; it is natural to lend a favourable ear to that, which he wishes to find true. In proportion as arguments are palatable, they will appear plausible. The moral principle is weakened, the probable success of the gospel is marred, and the way prepared for his becoming a thorough infidel.

Temptations of this kind are at this day numerous, and many have listened to them with too much partiality; and while books, calculated to instil the fatal poison, circulate freely, and are read with avidity, what can we reasonably expect, but a gradual, if not a rapid increase of infidelity? For, although real Christians, who love the duties, and have tasted the comforts of vital religion, are in little danger from such writers, as Boulanger, Thomas Paine, &c. and rather turn with horror from their blasphemy; yet, as evil men and seducers are evidently, at this day, waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; as it is natural for one, who has been deceived himself, to wish to deceive others; and as there are always some to be found, ready to swallow the pernicious bait; the scheme becomes fatally suc cessful. Doubtless one reason of this rapid success is, that infidelity usually begins rather in the heart, than in the head. The heavenly and spiritual doctrines, and the holy precepts of the gospel, are in the first place disrelished and disliked, because contrary to those corrupt inclinations, which cannot brook, restraint; and, that conscience may give no disturbance, while violating the precepts of religion, its evidences are called in ques

tion, disputed, and denied. But the proofs of our holy religion have hitherto always brightened by opposition. In the most virulent attacks, which have been made upon Christianity from time to time, it has in the issue constantly appeared, like gold tried in the furnace. This will be the result of the late and present attacks. The religion of Jesus carries its own evidences. Had man been the framer of the system, the complexion of it would have been totally different. It has hitherto prevailed in spite of the fiercest opposition, and it will prevail, until the stone, cut out of the mountain without hands, shall become great, and fill the whole earth.

The evidences of Christianity need not now be particularly considered. I will only remark, that if the Christian religion be a forgery, it must be one, which has been effected by the worst of men, for the worst of purposes; ander the influence of some very powerful, though corrupt motives. But to suppose that the most benevolent system ever devised and published to the world, a system every way calculated to promote civil, social, and individual happiness in this world, as well as to open the prospect of a glorious immortality hereafter, owed its origin to a combination of the worst of men for the worst of purposes, and acting under the influence of the basest of motives; not only without any of those incitements, derived from the prospect of riches and honour, which have frequently great influence on the human mind and conduct, but in direct opposition to every such inducement, and with a Vol. II. No 6.

LI

certain prospect of poverty, disgrace, and dishonour, and even of death itself in the most cruel forms; and, if they believed an hereafter, in expectation of future misery; is a supposition so extravagant, that to admit it would require a degree of faith, or rather of blind credulity, infinitely stonger, than is requisite for the belief of any of the supposed mysterious, or improbable doctrines of Christianity.

Of late the opposition to Christianity has been conducted by appeals to the passions, rather than to the reason of mankind. One popular topic, much insisted on by the enemies of revelation, in order to invalidate its evidences, has been to charge Christianity, as being the cause of all the wars, by which the world has been ravaged. This topic has been abundantly urged by almost every infidel writer from Voltaire down to the meanest scrib. bler in the cause of impiety. Could we give full credit to their assertions, we must believe that, if Christianity, and with it all pretences to revealed religion, were discarded, as useless and pernicious, and reason set up, as the only universal guide in all matters of religion and morality, all mankind would quickly be united, as a band of brothers, and a reign of peace, benevolence and harmony would soon universally prevail throughout the world. How fluently have the French philosophers, from time to time, declaimed on this topic? The deluded nation, listening to the syren song, has proceeded to make the fatal experiment; Christianity has been formally and publicly renounced. The Bible has been, in some places,

burnt with every circumstance of malicious contempt, and Reason has been set up, as the only guide, and even appealed to, as a species of divinity. But what have been the consequences? Have the promised halcyon days of peace returned? Have we not rather witnessed the entire dissolution of every moral principle, the most unbounded licentiousness, the most open avowal of bribery and corruption, and such a series of inhuman murders, or rather of promiscuous butcheries, as have had no parallel from the days of Nero, to the present time; accompanied too with a lawless thirst of dominion, which has not been equalled in any civilized nation?

Many wars have been in the world, it is true, ostensibly on account of religion, but really for the want of it. But, in order to substantiate the charge against Christianity, as being the principal cause of wars throughout the world, it ought to be proved, that before its introduction mankind were troubled with no wars, and that those nations, which are ignorant of revelation, constantly enjoy the blessings of peace. To this kind of evidence the enemies of revelation will not appeal. The most stubborn facts stare them in the face. The gospel breathes nothing, but peace and love; and, whereever the spirit of it prevails, it will prove a check to the asperity of war. Notwithstanding the comparatively slender influence, which religion has had on the minds of mankind in general, it is an undoubted fact, that since the introduction of Christianity into the world, wars have been carried on with less barbarity

than formerly, and in modern times with less in those countries, called Christian, than where the benevolent principles of that religion are unknown. Notwithstanding all the fair pretences and promises of modern philosophers to the contrary, we find, that instead of that peace and harmony which had been so liberally promised, the renouncing of Christianity is attended with the revival of the ancient asperity of war in all its horrors.

But right or wrong, Christianity must be overthrown; and so self consistent are its opposers, who have raised the hue and cry against it, on account of its being the cause of cruelty, war, and bloodshed, that in the next breath, they accuse it of making its votaries mean spirited slaves, and cowards.

It is apparent, that in these observations infidelity is not considered as barely a speculative error of great magnitude, but as a moral evil, arguing a depraved heart. This will be more or less criminal, according to the degrees of light, and the several advantages, which people enjoy. In our country, particularly in New England, there is something to aggravate the guilt of rejecting Christianity, beyond what occurs in France. The French nation have long seen their national worship debased by superstition, and the simplicity of the gospel veiled by human invention. Many of their more enlightened characters have confounded these additions, which were the effect of superstition, with religion itself; and, while they saw the absurdity of the one, rejected both together with

out any examination; and upon
these superstitious additions
built the principal part of their
arguments against Christianity
itself. But in our country,
where we have free access to
the lively oracles, and the gos-
pel is exhibited in a clear and
convincing light, undebased by
superstition, the guilt of reject
ing it will be more aggravated.
"You only have I known of all
the families of the earth," saith
God to Israel," therefore will I
punish you for all your iniqui-
ties."
T.

MESSRS. EDITORS,

I HAVE read with considerable interest, the life of Rev. William Tennent. Among many uncom mon incidents recorded in this account, one presents presents itself, which is thought to deserve par: ticular inquiry.

Mr. Tennent proceeded to trial, against all human probability of a right issue, on the ground of these considerations, "I know my innocence; and that God, whose I am and whom I serve, will never suffer me to fall by these spares of the devil, or by the wicked machinations of his agents or servants."

Now my inquiry is, how he could be confident of this. From Scripture and the perfections of God, the Christian has sure ground for believing, that God will do all things well, that he will restrain human wrath, whenever it is most fit that he should For the Panoplist. restrain it, and that he will in terpose for the deliverance of his persecuted children, on all occasions, on which infinite wisdom and goodness dictate such interposition. He may therefore with confidence commit his ways to the Lord, in a prudent use of his own reason and of all lawful means for his security. But it could not, without immediate revelation, be certainly known, that the contemplated trial was an occasion, on which the perfections of God would require him to interpose. God's ways are unsearchable; he does, in his infinite wisdom, some. times permit the wicked to prosper against the just. The God, whom Stephen served, "suffered him to fall by the snares of the devil, or by the wicked nachinations of his agents or servants ;" and Stephen's Master, though he did always the things, which pleased his heavenly Father, was by wicked hands crucified and slain

When Mr. Tennent had the affliction to be indicted for perjury, and the time of his trial came, he is represented as having a very extraordinary confidence, that he should be acquitted; which confidence induced him to proceed to trial, when he knew of very strong evidence to be produced against him, little or none in his favour, and in direct opposition to the united opinions and warm remonstrances of his counsel.

The weight of Mr. Tennent's piety and talents ought never to be thrown into the scale of error. I do not affirm, that this conduct of his was erroneous; but, with a sincere desire to be informed, would humbly submit the following inquiries.

....

Panoplist, July, 1806, page 61.

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