1

No wonder if many, who cannot bear to have their pride brought down, throw away the Bible in disgust, as soon as they read so sweeping an indictment. Were a man who

believes himself to be in perfect health, to be told that he was a leper, the first thing he would do, would be to deny the charge with indignation. And this many do when the Bible prefers its accusation against them. But a wise man cannot rest satisfied with this. He will anxiously look whether there be not some ground for the terrible announcement. He will listen to the declarations of the Bible, and he will then scrutinize the workings of his own heart and see whether these are what the Bible declares.

Now the first part of the Experimental Evidence consists in finding that what the Bible says of our moral state is true. We find that the Bible thoroughly understands us. A person who went through the process of comparison I have now been speaking of, exclaimed ; " I see that a man's history can be written before he is born." He found the record of his own mental experience already in the Bible, he found that the Bible's description of the heart was a faithful description of his heart. He was astonished to see his own secret history thus revealed ; but, however much astonished, he could not deny the truth of the description.

II. In the second place, the Bible not only describes the disease, but also prescribes the remedy.

The Bible prescribes a

cure.

The Bible declares that the sickness is not desperate. It reveals the mode in which a perfect cure can be wrought. It promises that if certain means are faithfully employed, a complete restoration may confidently be expected.

and see.

Here again, we can try and see. If we faithfully and We can try perseverigly use the prescribed remedy and still find that the disease is not abated, we shall soon come to the conviction that the physician after all is not equal to the task he undertook. He may know

the malady; but he has not skill to cure the malady. But if, on the contrary, we find that the faithful and persevering use of the remedy does bring relief and that all the promises made by the physician are fulfilled, then we need no farther proof of his skill and the value of his medicine. The disease is gone-that is the proof,

Now, there are thousands and tens of thousands who can calmly and confidently declare that this has actually been their own experience. They were sick, and are well; they

were blind, and they see. They have sustained a complete revolution in their inner man. The Bible said: "Ask, and ye shall receive," they asked, and they received. They have undergone that wonderful change which the Bible promises.

They formerly dreaded God; now they

dread Him not, their feeling towards Him is love, chastened by reverential awe. Formerly, they trembled to think of death and eternity; now, they can look forward to the future with serenity and joy. "Receive Christ," said the Bible, "and the terrific vision of coming wrath will pass away"; they have received Christ, and the promise is accomplished. "Receive Christ," said the Bible again, "and all things will become new new thoughts, feelings, desires, hopes, will spring up within the heart. This also has taken place. Thus all the promises in the Bible are prophecies; and these, when fulfilled, necessarily lead us to believe that the Bible has indeed proceeded from that omniscient God to whom the most distant future and the darkest recesses of the human heart stand revealed in the clear light of day.

the test!

Such is a brief statement of the Experimental Evidence Apply for Christianity. And now, in conclusion, my young friend, my most earnest desire and intreaty is that you would make the experiment,-that you would apply the test. Take the Bible, and study it with deep attention. Study it with earnest prayer that Almighty

God may enable you to see the truth. Then, compare its declarations with those of your own conscience. If you find that the Bible correctly describes your case, then farther, try the remedy it holds out.

Ask God to enable Give yourself to Jesus Christ. Let His words of tender invitation sink into

you to receive the salvation it offers.

that labour and are

Go to Him, and

your heart-"Come unto me, all ye heavy laden, and I will give you rest." see whether you can obtain the rest which He has promised. My dear young friend, you will do this, if you are among the "weary and heavy laden" ones whom Christ addresses. He who knows himself to be sick, will apply to the physician. He who feels himself a sinner, will seek a Saviour. Seek the Saviour Christ; and assuredly you will never seek another. He will bestow all you need for this world and the world to come; you will have peace and joy in believing-yes, "joy unspeakable and full of glory."

"These things we declare unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ."

I am, &c.

183

LETTER XVI.

CONCLUSION.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

Our task is accomplished ; and these Letters must now close. Scarcely any thing more remains for me to do than to say farewell.

We have gone over the various subjects which properly enter into an elementary statement of the Evidences of the Christian Religion. We have attended both to the External and Internal Evidence. We have considered the chief arguments by which we can demonstrate the antiquity, genuineness, and credibility, of the New Testament. We have also examined the arguments that are drawn from miracles and prophecy in support of the Christian Revelation. The dissimilarity between the Bible and the productions of man,-its beautiful harmony with the works of God both in Nature and Providence,-its entire consistency with itself, its accordance with Natural Religion,—the sublime peculiarities in which it stands aloof from all other systems whether of philosophy or religion, these things have all been considered. We have also examined the evidence which can be adduced in support of Hinduism, Pársíísm, and Muhammadanism, applying precisely the same tests to them as we had previously applied to Christianity; and we have found that none of these systems will bear the investigation from which Christianity has come forth triumphant. Lastly, we have referred to the Experimental Evidence-certainly not the least remarkable of the many

proofs that can be brought forward in support of the inspiration of the Bible. Much more might be said on the supject of the Christian evidences; but the outline that has been given is, I believe, sufficient to convince the sincere and candid inquirer that Christianity is not of man, but of God. And now, my dear young friend, I have but two or three parting words to address to you.

It is quite possible that all the reasonings in which we have been engaged have wrought little or no conviction in your mind, of the truth of Christianity. What may that be owing to? You may perhaps reply, to the inconclusiveness of the argument. But there is another cause by which the effect may have been produced. The impression which any argument makes on the mind depends not solely on the force and conclusiveness of the argument, but also on the state of the mind to which it is addressed. The mind may be intellectually disqualified for receiving it. Reasoning, however sound and cogent, will fail of producing conviction in a mind that is incapable of comprehending it. An insane man will fail to see the conclusiveness of the demonstrations in Euclid.

Or, the mind may be morally disqualified for receiving the argument. Man is not a being of mere intellect; he is possessed of feelings and passions. On certain objects

of inquiry, such as mathematical and physical science, these feelings and passions are not likely to come into play, and little except intellect will be in exercise. But on many other subjects-as, for instance, political questions-quick, keen feelings are almost certain to mingle in the discussion. Hence, while in matters of physical science we see calm and dispassionate research, we behold nearly all political inquiries conducted with vehement and passionate debate.

It is exceedingly important for us to observe that whenever the feelings are deeply moved, the intellect is apt to be biassed; the heart deceives the head-the feelings