That union and harmony which is the very soul of combination, would henceforward be broken; and to that would succeed a mutual jealousy and distrust, every one suspecting that his neighbour might also become a traitor. The same must have been the case with the disciples of Jesus, had they not been entirely honest in their views. But as they were only adhering to truth, neither the treachery of Judas, nor the denial of Peter, in the least influenced them to abandon the cause in which they were engaged.

Thus I have endeavoured to state an argument in favour of Christianity from the conduct and character of Judas the traitor. I have examined it with all the attention I am capable of, and have endeavoured to show that it is conclusive: though I am far from laying the stress of the whole cause upon it. No; blessed be God, we have a cloud of witnesses attesting the innocence of Jesus, and the truth of our holy religion, upon which all our hopes for time and eternity are founded; witnesses whose characters have been canvassed, and their evidence illustrated, not only by those of former times, but also by the most masterly writers of this and the preceding age, laymen as well as clergy.* Against whom, I may safely say, the advocates for infidelity have maintained a very unequal conflict; since, notwithstanding their keenest efforts for these hundred years, they have not been able to weaken the smallest pillar by which the noble fabric stands supported.

Would to God I could say, that they had succeeded

* Besides the observations on the conversion of St Paul, already referred to, 1 have in mine eye Mr West's elegant and striking remarks on the evidences of Christ's resurrection, and the present Bishop of London's (Sherlock) Trial of the Witnesses-a book which, I am persuaded, will stand the test of ages, notwithstanding the ungenteel insinuation which Dr Middleton has lately thrown out against it.

no better against the life and practice of religion. As a heart-love to wickedness is at the bottom of their opposition to the gospel, their impiety has still kept pace with their infidelity; and, as the most effectual way to debauch our principles, they have laboured hard to debauch our practice: and what melancholy success they have had in this respect, every one who hath eyes or ears can tell. While on the other hand, many of the friends of Christianity have been more careful to preserve our principles, than to reform our lives. But, sure it is now high time to awake, and to stand in the gap against impiety, as well as infidelity. Nor can we hope with success to discourage the latter, unless we shall be able to suppress the former. For so long as men are vicious, they will have a strong propensity to throw off those restraints which Christianity would lay upon their passions, and free themselves from that dread which it naturally inspires into the wicked. I am

Sir,

Your's &c.

PASSING from the striking testimony of Judas, who, I have no doubt, was placed in the Saviour's family for the express purpose of being able afterwards to bear witness that there was not the most distant approach to collusion, or fraud, or vice, in any part of his proceedings, even the most secret and confidential; let us now turn to the consideration of the testimony of the apostles, as a whole. We have heard the evidence of a prejudiced enemy, let us now hear the evidence of honest and impartial friends. This and many other important considerations, are brought out in a very able statement by the late Rev. Dr CAMPBELL of Aberdeen, entitled, the Success of the First Publishers of the Gospel, a Proof of its Truth. The publication, appearing in the form of an Annual Sermon before the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge,

is little known. Its excellence, however, is such as to merit universal circulation. It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader, that Dr CAMPBELL was one of the most acute and learned men of a period in the history of Scotland eminent for intellectual power and accomplishment. He was the celebrated antagonist of Hume, and published a most conclusive work in answer to his objection to the Scripture miracles; besides many others, which give him a first place among the scholars and philosophers of his native, or of any other country. Hume, in a letter written after Dr CAMPBELL'S publication, expresses himself in a way which leaves no room to doubt that he felt himself defeated, though he does not acknowledge this in as many words. Perhaps too much ado has been made about Hume's objections to miracles. It is certain, however, that they have drawn forth a crowd of most able defenders, and none more original or successful than the Rev. Dr Chalmers, in his recent volumes on the evidences. The objection, that miracles do not admit of proof, is not new. It was from a Jesuit that Hume first picked it up. It appears from Richard Baxter's work on the Evidences, published in 1655, that one Clement Writer of Worcester, a fanatical Seeker, of the age of the Commonwealth, had previously started the very same objection on which Hume afterwards prided himself so much. As soon as propounded, it was demolished by Baxter.

The Rev. Dr Duff of

Calcutta stated, a few years ago, that the same metaphysical objections were urged by some of the young Hindoos attending the General Assembly's Institution, though they had never heard of Hume or his works. The invention of Infidelity, it would seem, does not embrace, with all its boasting, a very comprehensive field. But I must not detain the reader from the present work of Dr CAMPBELL, which as conclusively shows, that miracles must have been wrought in the primitive

times of Christianity, as his other work shows that in themselves, miracles are perfectly credible.

*

"The human and natural means originally employed for the propagation of the gospel, would, without the Divine interposition, have proved both foolish and weak, and therefore utterly incapable of answering the purpose. The purpose was nevertheless by these means fully answered. Consequently they must have been accompanied with the Divine interposition, and our religion is of God, and not of man." I shall first endeavour to evince the truth of the first proposition, and show the utter inability of the natural means employed in promulgating the gospel, to effect the end. I shall next evince the truth of the second, pointing out the rapid and unexampled success of the means that were employed.

begin with the unfitness of the means, that is, the natural and ordinary means, admitted by infidels, as well as Christians, to have been employed; for it is of such means only I am here speaking. Let it be observed, that under this I comprehend the genius of the doctrine taught; because, whether supernatural in its origin or not, it may have in it a natural fitness for engaging attention and regard; or, on the contrary, a natural tendency to alienate the minds of men, and render them inattentive and averse. In this view the spirit and character of the institution itself ought to be regarded as natural means, either of promoting, or of retarding, its propagation. Let us then examine briefly the two principal circumstances already suggested, the doctrine, and the publishers. It is to the