IT has been ufual for writers on primitive Christianity to collect the greater part of their materials from the writings and records of the first three or four centuries, from which they have exhibited a picture of that heavenly religion in many refpects very unlike the original.

The Chriftian religion began to be corrupted very early. Falfe teachers were propagating their pernicious doctrines even in the days of the apoftles. In the age immediately fucceeding, its original purity and fimplicity were much defaced by a mixture of vain philofophy, error, myfticifm and fuperftition, adopted and propagated by fuch as were reputed the most pious and orthodox

H

orthodox fathers of the church. In the beginning of the fourth century it must have been effentially corrupted, otherwife it could never have been accommodated to the nations of this evil world, incorporated with the civil conftitution, and adopted as the established religion of the Roman empire. This union of church and state paved the way for the kingdom of the clergy, which gradually advanced to the fummit of its power and glory in the Romish hierarchy; a kingdom as oppofite in all refpects to the kingdom of Chrift which is not of this world, as the mystery of iniquity is to the mystery of godlinefs. As therefore we cannot form a proper judgment of pure and genuine Chriftianity from any records pofterior to the apoftolic age, much lefs from the modern forms of it which are at prefent eftablifhed among the nations called Chriflian, we should collect our views of it entirely from the facred fcriptures, which are the only pure, unerring and unalterable ftandard of Chriftian faith and practice.

The objections of infidels to the truth and excellency of the Chriftian religion, are many of them founded on the corruptions of it, and the unworthy conduct of many of its profeffors, with which it has no concern. But if they would not deceive themselves in fuch an important matter, they ought firft to learn from the fcriptures what real Chriftianity is, and then judge of it from its own evidence, pretenfions, and merits. If they confult the New Teftament they may eafily perceive, that it was never intended as an engine of ftate, a foundation for prieftcraft, or to be fubfervient in any refpect either to the religious pride, or worldly lufts of men: they may also fee, that it was never defigned as a rule

for

for any form of godlinefs which in the prefent ftate of things the nations of this world, as fuch, may be fuppofed to affume; and that it is altogether impoffible to apply it to fuch purposes without effentially corrupting it. Its great object is to make known the way of falvation from guilt and mifery through a crucified Saviour, and by this means to reconcile men unto God, to separate them from the communion of infidels and ungodly profeffors, to unite them among themfelves in the clofeft union and most fervent love for the truth's fake, and to direct and influence them in their conformity and obedience to Chrift in this world, that they may be partakers of his glory in the next. In this view the New Testament appears a plain, perfect and confiftent rule, but in no other; for its chief defign is to promote the interefts of that kingdom which is declared to be not of this world.

The evidence of the truth of the Christian religion does not reft upon human authority. It claims our belief and regard as a revelation from God, and bears fuch evidence of its divine origin, as will undoubtedly leave every one who rejects it without excufe. It clearly discovers itfelf to be the exact and circumftantial fulfilment of Old Teftament prophecies; and who but the omnifcient God could poffibly forefee or reveal before-hand fuch a wonderful scheme and feries of events, fo remote, and fo different from the ordinary course of things? Who but the almighty Governor of the univerfe could fo overrule the determinations of free agents, and fo order and difpofe all things in a fubferviency to his purpose, as to enfure and effectuate a circumftantial accomplishment of fuch predictions?The miracles which at firft attended the publi H 2 cation

cation of the gospel were fo many divine atteftations of its truth, for none but the Almighty could poffibly perform them. They were fo mighty, wonderful and numerous, and done fo openly in the fight of multitudes, that the most prying and obftinate oppofers could not deny them; and though fome most abfurdly ascribed them to the agency of demons, yet others no lefs inimical to the caufe, were conftrained to acknowledge that they were effects of divine power; fo that it was referved for the infidels of later times to dispute the reality of them.The refurrection of Jefus Chrift from the dead is another demonstrative proof of the truth of his religion. He referred his enemies to this evidence of his divine miffion, and the precautions they took to prevent all impofition in this matter, ferved only to establish more clearly the truth of the fact. He fhewed himself alive to his apostles after his paffion by many infallible proofs, and was also seen of above five hundred brethren at once, who were appealed to as living witneffes of it many years after. As the chofen witneffes of this important fact had every poffible means of fatisfying themselves, fo they could not be deceived; and they confirmed the truth of their teftimony to others by miracles, and demonftrated the fincerity of their own belief by fealing it with their blood.-Befides thefe, the internal characters of the Chriftian religion clearly demonftrate its divine original. It gives fuch a glorious manifestation of the true God, as infinitely tranfcends all our best natural conceptions of him. It exhibits fuch an amazing plan of redemption, fo admirably calculated to difplay the divine character, and fo well fuited to the perishing condition of guilty mortals, that

none

none but God could either contrive, execute or reveal it. Its doctrines are fo fublime and heavenly, its precepts fo pure and perfect, its motives fo noble and powerful, and the whole of it fo worthy of God, fo greatly furpaffing all that could have entered into the heart of man to conceive, and yet, when revealed, fo confonant to his enlightened reafon and confcience, and fo conducive to his best end and intereft, that it clearly manifefts itself to be from heaven. Such, however, as have no difcernment of divine excellence, nor any relish for the things of God, cannot properly perceive this last kind of evidence. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can be know them because they are fpiritually difcerned. Hence the neceffity of divine illumination.

Those who profefs the Chriftian religion ought to try their faith and practice by the New Teltament, which is the infallible rule, and the only standard which Chrift hath authorized and established in his kingdom. So far as their profeffion does not agree with the word of Chrift and his infpired apofties, it is undoubtedly falfe, however fanétioned by univerfal cuftom, human fystems, or national establishments: We are of God, fays the Apoftle, he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of

error.

If we take a view of what currently paffes for Christianity in what is called the Chriftian world, and compare it with the religion contained in the New Teftament, we fhall scarce be able to trace a refemblance. The greater part think they have a title to be called Chriftians from