we think would have been more satisfying to the mind, and have impressed upon it a closer and more familiar conviction of the truth. We would have immediately brought it into comparison with the history of other philosophers; and we could not have failed to recognise, that, in minuteness of information, in weight and quantity of evidence, in the concurrence of numerous and independent testimonies, and in the total absence of every suspicious circumstance, it far surpassed any thing that has come down to us from antiquity. It so happens, however, that the New Testament, instead of being the history of a philosopher, is the history of a prophet. The veneration which we annex to the sacredness of such a character, mingles with our belief in the truth of his history. From a question of simple truth it becomes a question in which the heart is interested; and the subject, from that moment, assumes a certain holiness and mystery which veil the strength of the argument, and prevent that plain and thorough conviction, with which we receive the far less authenticated histories of profane authors.

15. The power of the internal evidences of revelation.

No one who knows what God is, will refuse to receive a system of doctrines, which he really believes was communicated by God; yet no one, in the right exercise of his reason, can by any evidence, be brought to believe, that what appears to him an absolute absurdity, did ever, in truth, come from God. At this

point the importance of the internal evidence of revelation, appears most conspicuous. If any intelligent man has, from hasty views of the subject, received the impression that Christianity is an absurdity, or contains absurdities, he is in a condition to examine a perfect chain of evidence in its support, with a simple feeling of astonishment at the ingenuity or fallibility of the human understanding. On a man in this state of mind, all arguments, drawn from external evidence, are thrown away. The thing which he wants, is to know that the subject is worth a demonstration; and this can only be learned from the study of the Bible itself. Let him but give his unprejudiced attention to this book, and he will discover, that there is contained in it the development of a mighty scheme, admirably fitted for the accomplishment of a mighty purpose. He will discover that this purpose is nothing less than to impart to man the happiness of God, by conforming him to the character of God. He will observe too with delight and astonishment, that the grand and simple scheme, by which this purpose is accomplished, exhibits a system of moral mechanism, which, by the laws of our mental constitution, has a tendency to produce that character, as directly and necessarily as the belief of danger has to produce alarm, the belief of kindness to produce gratitude, or the belief of worth to produce esteem. He will observe that this system bears no mark of imposture or delusion, but consists simply in a manifestation of the moral character of God, accommodated to the under

standings and hearts of men. Lastly, he will perceive that this manifestation gives life and palpability to that vague though sublime idea of the Supreme Being, which is suggested by enlightened reason and conscience.

When we are convinced that, in the formation of the world, it was one of the objects of the Creator to impress upon his intelligent creatures, an idea of his moral character, or, in other words, to teach them natural religion; and when we see that the gospel contains a most vivid and impressive view of the Divine character, harmonising with the revelation of nature, but far exceeding it in fullness and in power, we cease to be surprised that the generous hand, which spread before man the open volume of creative goodness and wisdom, should put forth a miraculous effort, to stamp its own impress on the volume of revealed truth. The object of the gospel, and its adaptation to that object, become the great arguments for its truth; and those who have not studied it in this relation, not competent judges of the question. Indeed, we must infer, if we take the truth of the gospel for granted, that this distinct and beautiful adaptation of its means to its end, was intended by its Divine Author as its chief evidence; since he must have foreseen, that not one out of a hundred who should ever hear of it, could either have leisure or learning to weigh its external evidence.

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THE descriptive exercises, it will be observed, do not contain any thing exactly resembling strict logical description; nor was it necessary that they should be so restricted, Indeed, it was not required that the extracts should be purely descriptive. Several exercises, therefore, which are really of a didactic nature, have been ranked with the second class; because in their subjects the descriptive character preponderates.

With regard to the subjects selected for didactic exercises, it may be perceived that they do not proceed on the systematical arrangement, laid down in the plan of didactic compositions, and illustrated in simple and complex themes. Pieces containing all the topics of these themes, would be found too long for the exercises of beginners; and short extracts, as they necessarily contain only a part of a subject, cannot be expected to show the system on which a whole piece is composed. Besides, some didactic pieces do not naturally admit all the topics of a regular theme; and, indeed, it is sufficient that the arrangement of the topics which are embraced is methodical.

The practice of composing in the manner prescribed, has the sanction of the highest literary names. When correctly and systematically pursued, this mod e of composing has none of those defects, which superficial observers have commonly imagined. Whereever it fails, we may be sure that it has not been conducted with care and judgement. At the same time, it must be admitted, that the success of this

method of composing, depends almost entirely on the diligence of the pupil, and the vigilant attention of the teacher. When the pupil is so averse to mental exercise, that he does not give sufficient latitude to variety of expression; and when the teacher accepts an exercise, in which the expressions are but slightly varied, little benefit can be derived from a course of composition, such as that which has been prescribed. But when the pupil has a disposition to exert himself, and the teacher stimulates the exertions of the pupil, the preceding exercises will go far towards communieating a free command of correct expression.

II. COURSE,

THE pupil should now read, instead of a single sentence, one or two paragraphs, the number being regulated by their length, and, without referring to the book, compose as before; remembering that the forms of expression should now be varied much more widely, than they were in the first course.

No subjects are inserted as a foundation for this course; because it is essential to the progress of the student, that he should now compose without reading the given piece more than twice, or, at the most, three times. Thinking is an exercise which the youthful mind is too generally disposed to regard as laborious and irksome; and every expedient which seems like