confirmation to their faith. They were forewarned near two thousand years ago, of these things, by their great Lord and Master; "that when the time should come, they might remember, that he had told them of them." They indeed rest in this strong confidence, "that when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels in flaming fire, he will take vengeance on them, who know not God, and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them who believe in that day."

This awful consequence, created some alarm in my mind, lest at any future day, you, my beloved child, might take up this plausible address of infidelity; and, for want of an answer at hand to his subtle insinuations, might suffer even a doubt of the truth, as it is in Jesus, to penetrate into your mind.

You might then, perhaps, be alone, or without a friend near you, whom you might be willing to consult without delay; and my mind could not, with patience, endure the idea of your doubting, on such important points, though it were but for a moment.

I therefore determined, as God should give me health and leisure, were it only by improving a few moments at a time, to put my thoughts on the subject of this pamphlet, on paper, for your edification and information, when I shall be no more.

I chose to confine myself to the leading and essential facts of the Gospel, which are contradicted, or attempted to be turned into ridicule, by this writer. I

have endeavoured to detect his falsehoods and misrepresentations, and to show his extreme ignorance of the divine scriptures, which he makes the subject of his animadversions-not knowing that "they are the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth."*

It is by their divine instructions, that, in the language of the elegant Hunter, the true Christian learns "what is the commanding object in the eye of eternal Providence, the salvation of a lost world, by Jesus Christ. Do you adopt the same object? Cleave unto it; keep it continually in view; all things else are vain and worthless; for they are passing quickly away. Our interest in, and hold of the world, is diminishing every hour. Our consequence, as candidates for immortal bliss, as heirs of glory, is rising in proportion. When we cease from importance as the citizens of this world, our real importance begins to be felt and understood. I recommend no sullen distance from your fellow-creatures, nor peevish discontent. Live in the world. Associate with mankind. Enjoy the portion which God allotteth to you. But use the world, so as not to abuse it. While you are cumbered about many things, never forget, that one thing is needful, and choose that good part, which shall not be taken from you."+

The experience of forty years, and upwards, has confirmed the conclusions I have drawn from the doctrines of the Gospel; and be assured, my dear child, that this author's whole work, is made up of old objections, answered, and that conclusively, a thousand

Romans, 1-16.

† Hunt. Sacred Biog. 2d vol. 24

times over, by the advocates for our holy religion. Some of them he has endeavoured to clothe with new language, and put into a more ridiculous form; but many of them he has collected almost word for word, from the writings of the deists of the last and present century.

May that God, who delighteth in the meek and humble temper, which trembleth at his word, lead you to the cross of Christ; and there, by his holy spirit, direct you into all truth. May he instruct you in his holy word, which is able to make you wise unto salvation. Let that word abide in you richly-become your daily companion, under every circumstance of life; "the man of your council, a lamp to your paths, and a light to your feet."

For near half a century, have I anxiously and critically studied that invaluable treasure; and I still scarcely ever take it up, that I do not find something new-that I do not receive some valuable addition to my stock of knowledge; or perceive some instructive fact, never observed before. In short, were you to ask me to recommend the most valuable book in the world, I should fix on the Bible as the most instructive, both to the wise and ignorant. Were you to ask me for one, affording the most rational and pleasing entertainment to the inquiring mind, I should repeat, it is the Bible: and should you renew the inquiry, for the best philosophy, or the most interesting history, I should still urge you to look into your Bible. I would make it, in short, the Alpha and Omega of knowledge; and be assured, that it is for want of understanding the scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, that so little value is set upon them by the

world at large. The time, however, is not far off, when they will command a very different reception, among the sons of men.

One thing I beg you would attend to, as a guard against the designs of infidels, to wit, that the Gospel revelation is a complete system of salvation, suited to our fallen nature, and should be taken altogether. Be cautious, then, how you ever hearken to objections levelled against detached principles, separated from the system, which are too often made use of, with success, by those who wish to weaken the force of revelation upon the mind of its professors, and by slov, if not imperceptible advances, to sap the foundation of their hope. It is not unusual to hear the punishment of sin, stated as incompatible with the perfections and attributes of Almighty God: that he cannot delight in the sufferings of the creatures that he has made, as he has no passions to gratify, and he delighteth not in cruelty-but the gospel reveals the great Jehovah, as the governor of all ranks of being in the universe. That it is necessary to keep all intelligences in the love of order, and obedience to his righteous laws. That the breach of them, necessarily induces a separation from him, who is the fountain and source of all happiness and enjoyment; and, of course, necessarily induces misery in the extreme. This becomes a warning to all intelligences, to avoid the evil of sin; and therefore it is for the good of the whole, and founded in benevolence to beings in general, that the obstinate and unbelieving sinner is punished. But if the advocates for infidelity, can once weaken your faith, by the disbelief of future punishment, he finds you then ready for a new attack, by

the denial of some other detached principle, till thus by degrees, your faith is undermined and destroyed, before you are aware of it.

For you I have written. To you I commit this labour of my old age, hoping that, as it is designed for your own private instruction, you will receive it, as in the fear of the Lord, without a criticizing eye, or opposing heart; and that you will be persuaded by it, to search the Scriptures, "knowing that they contain the words of eternal life," thereby you will gratify the most fervent desire of

AN AFFECTIONATE PARENT.

Rosehill, December, 1795.

C