anity, and Watson's Apology. When the friends did not meet, they corresponded, and this subject was their principal discourse, either personally or by letter. The young man, after he had read the book, laid his hand casually upon another author on the same subject. He was sufficiently excited to undertake its reading. Before he finished this, he said, "I have a spirit, and I have no doubt it will be lost, or very happy forever." His more aged friend asked him to read Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. He complied; and whilst reading, thought that he entered into a compact with his Redeemer which gave him great joy. He was so elated, that he has ever since (fifteen years) tried to persuade others to do the same.

Cases resembling the above, are taking place wherever a similar course is pursued. Books of this kind are not much read, for reasons which will be found in the following chapter. In fifteen years more, neither of those two friends will (most likely,) be here. They both seemed to be made very happy by the occurrence named ; that enjoyment seemed to last for fifteen years. Perhaps it may add to their pleasures for more than fifteen years after they go hence. It has already been worth more than the toil expended on either side, many times told.

and

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CURE O F INFIDELITY.

Recapitulation of the powerful remedy.-Books on the evidences of Christianity are but little read in our nation.

Some of the reasons why this is so, we would do well

to enumerate.

1. Many who are inclined to unbelief, whose doubts are enough to paralize their energies in seeking conversion, are not confirmed sceptics. They do not call themselves infidels. They do not know the name of these authors, or that many of the books exist. They do not inquire, and those who never were thus annoyed themselves, suspect none of infidelity, but the bitter declaimers.

2. These books are little read, for few of them are in circulation. Inquire in an ordinary village after ten such authors, and you will not be able to find them. The minister or his elder may have one or two. These few are not much read for the following reasons. Perhaps here is a man who has prevailed on an unbeliever to read a certain volume. He finishes it and informs his Christian friends that he is more encompassed in cloud than he was before. They are disheartened, and he is not benefitted. They perhaps ask another to read the same work, hoping to see a happy result in the second The man, perhaps, looks into the book occasionally, and lays it down, takes it up again, and thinks it hard to comprehend-thinks it does not touch the points which perplex him. He lays it down again, the world presses, his business harrasses, amusements divert; and

case.

after some months, they find he has not read, and they lose all hope in the case. After meeting a few similar results, they believe that Almighty power could save, but they have little confidence in means. If soldiers of

the cross had a full assortment of truthful volumes, and were to make a prayerful effort, they would meet cases where unbelieving friends and neighbours could be induced to read six or eight volumes; and perhaps repeat a part of the research. In these instances they would scarcely ever find one (if ever,) who would still dispute the message of high heaven. They would meet those who would refuse, and those who would only half perform; but one case of a soul snatched from the gulph, would repay all the labour. We might here name some who have written on the evidences of Christianity, so that out of the list some six or ten may be asked after by any inquirer. From the following list, it is a matter of comparative indifference which is selected, so that enough is chosen and read until the subject is mastered. It is strangely true, that these books are not known to the church. The few that are in circulation, are scattered and invisible. Enough of them can rarely be found together to inform extensively, the mind and heart disposed to cavil. The following books are a few out of the many which are more than worth the cost of pos

session.

Evidences of Christianity, by Grotius.

Paley's Evidences of Christianity.

Alexander's Evidences.

Faber's Difficulties of Infidelity.

The reason why those who first begin to read the advocates for Christianity, sink deeper into the mire of their infidelity, is worthy of our notice. It is intimately connected with the transaction of the garden and the forbidden fruit. The author who writes on the Evidences of Christianity begins, very commonly, to overturn the cavils and sophisms of unbelievers; such as he has heard urged, or such as are often made. The young reader perhaps never heard these objections urged against our religion. (He certainly never did hear or see the one half of those in use.) He did not know that they existed. As soon as he sees them on the page of the Christian writer, for the purpose of refutation, the ob

The answer he

Such is the nature

jection seizes the powers of his soul! does not receive; he cannot notice! of fallen man. This is true of those who would be glad to believe the Book of God. Darkness has for their souls a superior attraction. It is not until he reads the work the second or the third time that he begins to observe the quibble less, and the answer more.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

CURE OF INFIDELITY.

Concluding remarks concerning the powerful remedy. We must shortly endeavour to look at the allpowerful remedy, at the remedy which never fails when used. In this concluding chapter on the powerful remedy, we must not neglect to observe something of the amount of evidence which God has furnished in this remedy. We have been writing of the external evidences of Christianity; we now ask after the extent and the force of this evidence. How much of this external testimony has the Creator furnished? The answer is, He has given enough to prove the truth and inspiration of the Scriptures, and no more. He did not intend any thing farther. Let us not be misunderstood. We do not mean that this point is not proven again and again, times out of number; but this kind of testimony does nothing more than prove it, and can do no more. Take the verbal testimony of a score of credible witnesses to a given fact, in a court of justice, and the incident is proven; bring in ten thousand others, and it is not more