And whence, humanly speaking, in numerous cases, this distortion of what is noble, and right, and useful, but from the deficiencies just noted in their early education; taught, probably, with anxious solicitude, the doctrines of revelation, but with an obliviousness of the opposition both from within and from without, with which these holy things would one day assuredly be assailed;- carefully, perhaps, trained in the obligations of Christianity, but utterly uninstructed in the grounds of those obligations; -with scarce any other reason for being a Christian, than for being a Mahometan, an Infidel, or a Jew.

I have expressed myself strongly on this subject, because I have felt that the error I have censured is fraught with unneeded misery and harm. Concise and plain statements of the facts upon which the Christian obligations rest, are easy to be obtained in forms adapted to all ages and capacities and until such historical and fundamental information is more universally made a part of the early education of men who are afterward

to take a stirring and independent part in the business of life, it is not to be expected that the confusion and irregularity of thought on such subjects, amongst the otherwise, in other matters, well-informed, will, in the least degree be diminished.

But now, that such sceptical opinions, on the question, not of particular doctrines only, but of the very truth of Christianity, do confessedly and very widely, though more or less secretly, and in great measure from the causes just enumerated, prevail,- may no effort be expected from men who see this palpable fault in their own early education, to remove it?

It has been demonstrated, in the preceding chapter, that, though evidence may be doubtful, it may yet be prudent to act, and that very decidedly, on such doubtful evidence; that, in most of the chief affairs of human life, we must either act upon such kind of evidence, or else never act at all; that, to us, probability, and not certainty, is the guide of life; that, it is not necessary to understand all

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the properties, relations, and laws of a thing (as has been sometimes unthinkingly affirmed), in order, that we may believe it: we may, for instance, believe in the existence of a Deity and of another world, though we can understand nothing of the nature of the one, nor of the mode of the other; the facts we may believe, though of their nature, essence, and mode, we know less than nothing; and although ingenious surmises have been started, contradictory of these truths,- and it must be owned difficult specifically to answer all the arguments which have been urged against them,—yet may we feel a moral conviction, an internal feeling, that they are nevertheless most certainly true. Our argument is," I know, that the 'why' and the 'how' of these things is utterly beyond my feeble apprehensions, yet can I readily, and most assuredly do, believe them; and although there may seem to lie such numerous objections against these things, which I am unable to answer, yet, on the whole, I am persuaded that there is abundantly sufficient weight on the other

side for me to act on,-and upon which to stake every thing, to me however dear or important." It is thus we argue with respect to the facts of Deism, or natural religion, so called.

And it is precisely thus that we must argue with reference to the facts of a revealed religion. There may be mysteries,—things difficult and beyond comprehension in it; but, that circumstance, alone, is no greater hindrance to my receiving the truths of it, than the truths of Deism. There may be conflicting evidence, and a host of difficulties; but that is nothing, if there, on the whole, seems to me a preponderating weight of evidence in its favour. The true question is, what are the facts alleged in proof of it? what was its origin—what its progress—and what are the various collateral things urged in confirmation of it by its more learned and able advocates?

The neglect of such inquiries among thousands of otherwise well informed and scientific and amiable men of the present day, is the

undoubted cause of a large portion of their prevailing scepticism. Accurate as is their information on other points-on the history of many countries, and many people, and many sciences; on the circumstances of the origin and subsequent progress, and the nature of vital Christianity, they are often confessedly and singularly deficient: they were probably never taught them in their childhood; and since they have become men, they have heard so many ingenious suppositions and arguments against them, that they have allowed themselves, almost unwittingly perhaps, to rest in these objections; not, perhaps, believing them; as sceptical of them as of what they oppose; but still, utterly ignorant* of the various and simple statements of facts which are never

* For instance, it is not long since I met with a young man, I should suppose about twenty years of age, of as good general education as most I write chiefly for, who had not the slightest idea that the origin and chief circumstance of the Christian revelation, were noticed by any contemporary writers, whether Jews or Heathens. He was at that moment beginning, under great disadvantages, for the first time, to make such elementary inquiries as these!