any events taking place, as in this case, we know, that the real importance of such an event, to us, is measured jointly by its probability and its consequences: now, the consequences are infinite, in case Christianity be true; and, therefore, he is inexcusable, who rejects Christianity without examination, or neglects its claims.

CONVERSATION II.

Mr. B. HAVING seen the necessity of an inquiry into the truth of the Christian religion, we are naturally led to ask, by what means we can ascertain it.

Edward. We are here under great disadvantages, in that so long a period has elapsed since its first promulgation.

Mr. B. But, in consequence, we have no reason to believe, that any further discoveries, relative to the subject, will hereafter be made.

Edward. From the disagreement of its partisans among themselves, we are also deprived of the benefit of immediately ascertaining what is Christianity, and on what foundation it rests.

Maria. Yet this secures the certainty, that there is no collusion.

Edward. And, from the rejection of it, by many eminent men, we have some reason to fear, that all inquiry will prove fruitless.

Mr. B. Their exertions against it, have, however, been of the greatest use in eliciting truth, which is the great object we have in view.-Let us now see, whence we can obtain information on the subject, confining ourselves strictly to facts, which all acknowledge. We have, then, the existence of three religions, a good deal

1 With what observation does Mr. B. introduce the second conversation?-2 What does Edward say may still impose difficulties in the investigation?-3. What does Mr. B. say has been of great service in eliciting truth?

connected with each other, but, of which the advocates of each maintain, that the followers of the other two are deceived. We have the records, to which these parties respectively appeal, as containing the sum of their religions, and for which they claim a divine origin. We have, lastly, an immense mass of controversial writing upon the subject, which the advocates of each party regard as decisive. But, Mohammedism overthrows itself; and hardly the shadow of a proof remains in behalf of Judaism: so, that our attention is only directed to the works of their advocates, so far as they may be likely to overthrow Christianity.

Edward. We have, also, to consider the works of those, who have rejected all revealed religion, as the modern Deists, and those who rejected Christianity at its first appearance among the Pagans.

Mr. B. At present, I assume nothing, however, relative to the first appearance of Christianity; that is a matter for future consideration. Now, the truth of the religion, independently of what internal evidence of a divine origin its sacred records may furnish, evidently depends upon the truth of those records, and that, upon the writings of those, who have defended them. These writings, also, must be considered in two classes. We either refer to them for arguments, or for facts. With reference to the former, it is of no consequence when they were written, as truth is invariable; with reference to the latter, it is of the greatest consequence in some cases, and in all of considerable importance to determine their origin.

Maria. Will you give us a sketch of the history (if I may so call it), of the controversies, which have taken place on the subject, and which have given birth to the writings, which form the materials in question?

Mr. B. You will find an admirable outline already

4 What is said of the evidence of the three religions here presented to view?-5 Of Mohammedism and Judaism, what is said ?-6 On what does the truth of Christianity depend, independent of its internal evidence? 7 What is said of the classification of the writings to be examined in this discussion?-8 What request does Maria make?-9 What is said of the admirable outline of this history, to which Mr. B. refers?

traced, by the hand of a master, in the first volume of Bishop Van Mildert's Boyle Lectures, and, in the notes to it, abundant references to the best sources of information. An historical survey of this kind, however, implies some knowledge of the subject itself in the reader, as, otherwise, it is a mere recapitulation of disputes about names, to which no distinct ideas are attached. You must, therefore, for the present, content yourselves, with references to the works, which give an account of the various defenders and opponents of Christianity. The best of these is, Leland's View of the Deistical Writers, which is very valuable, from giving a fair statement of their writings in detail, and a temperate reply to each, though rather tedious, from the nature of the subject.

Maria. The name of Deist, only refers to modern writers against Christianity, I believe.

Mr. B. "The name of Deists, as applied to those, who are no friends to revealed religion, is said to have been first assumed about the middle of the sixteenth century, by some gentlemen in France and Italy, who were willing to cover their opposition to the Christian revelation, by a more honourable name, than that of Atheists. One of the first authors, as I can find, that makes express mention of them, is Viret, a divine of great evidence among the first reformers, who, in the epistle dedicatory, prefixed to the second tome of his Instruction Chrétienne, which was published in 1563, speaks of some persons in that time, who called themselves by a new name, that of Deists."—Leland's View, &c. Letter I.

Baruel's Memoirs of Jacobinism, will give you sufficient information, with respect to the French authors on this subject, and you will find a great deal of useful information in Nichol's Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century. Hartwell Horne's Introduction to the Critical Study of the Scriptures, and Orme's Bibliotheca Biblica, also give references to some of the more important works; and the Bibliotheca Britannica of Dr. Watt, under the

10 Which is the best of the works, to which allusion is made?-11 What does Mr. B. say of the origin of the name of Deists ?-12 What is said of Baruel's Memoirs of Jacobinism?-13 What other works are named !

articles of Scepticism, Infidelity, &c. &c. will direct you to many more.-To you, Edward, I may also recommend the Bibliotheca Theologica Selecta of Walchius, and the Delectus Argumentorum et Syllabus Scriptorum, &c. of Fabricius. It may be as well to mention here, that some very valuable articles, either directly upon some branch of the evidences, or intimately connected with them, have appeared in various reviews, particularly the British Critic, and the Quarterly Review, which you will find well deserving of your attention, after you have acquired further knowledge of the subjects most agitated in controversy. The Boyle, Bampton, Warburtonian, and Hulsean Lectures, together with various essays for prizes, given at the Universities and elsewhere, must not be forgotten; and, lastly, as the original Encyclopédie contains almost all, that can be insinuated against Christianity, the English Encyclopædias, in general, are well worth consulting on its behalf, both for the intrinsic value of the articles, and the references they give to the authors, from whose works they are compiled.

Maria. Must not a distinction be drawn, between those writers who establish facts, and those who merely argue from such facts?

Mr. B. Certainly; in the first case, we have principally to do with the truth of the statements; in the second, with the soundness of the arguments.

Edward. Does not the quantity of writing on the subject, in some measure militate against it? If the evidences are sufficiently convincing, surely it could never be necessary to write so much; and the doubts and difficulties of its opponents must have some solid ground, or they would never be so often renewed.

Mr. B. Christianity is not answerable for the conduct of its advocates, further, than it may be shown to dictate it. You cannot infer the weakness of a cause, from the

14 What is said of the English Encyclopedias ?-15 What supposition does Edward make, indicating the insufficiency of the evidence in favour of Christianity?-16 Is Christianity answerable for the conduct of its advocates?

imbecility of its defenders. But, the advocates of Christianity, you will find, men of a very different class. The deep interest of the subject, has been the primary cause of the great number of publications on it. As to your second objection, Dr. Gerard will answer it for me.

"There is no subject, on which doubts and difficulties may not be started, by ingenious and disputatious men; and, therefore, from the number of their objections, and the length of the controversy to which they give occasion, we cannot, in any case, conclude, that the original evidence is weak, or, even, that it is not obvious and striking. Were we to presume, that every principle is dubious, against which specious objections may be contrived, we should be quickly led into universal scepticism. The two ways, in which the ingenuity of speculative men has been most commonly employed, are, dogmatical assertions of doubtful opinions, and subtle cavils against certain truths."-Gerard's Dissertations, vol. ii, p. 4.

Edward. I would not bring forward objections, merely for the sake of shewing my own ingenuity in devising them; but, before I feel entirely satisfied, as to the justice of your arguments against those, who neglect to inquire into the truth of Christianity, and reject it without examination,-it appears to me necessary to shew, that there is some reasonable prospect of their being able to come to a decision on the subject,-which, I think, is not the case: the dispute appears interminable. If there were any one treatise extant, which Christians would agree in, as being that defence on which they were willing to rest the issue of the inquiry, there might be some hope of coming to a decision; but, when the whole Christian world is at variance, not only as to what is Christianity, but, also, as to how it is to be defended, surely some allowance must be made for men, who have other things to attend to, as well as theological inquiries.

17 What does Mr. B. say of them ?-18 What is the substance of Dr. Gerard's remarks, quoted in answer to one of Edward's objections ?-19 Why does he bring forward objections?-20 What apology does he think may be given, for the neglect of many, in making a decision upon the subject?