PREFACE.

WHY, it may be asked, is another book upon the Evidences of Christianity, published, when so many elaborate and masterly defences of our religion have been given to the world by the great and the learned, both of our own, and of former times? The author replies, that, since the press is daily putting forth, in treatises of various pretension, the opinions and the arguments of the unbeliever, it cannot be obtrusive in a Christian minister to call the attention of his fellow-disciples to some of the leading evidences of our faith. He might, indeed, allege other reasons why he has been induced to venture before the public in this particular, but in these, few, perhaps, would feel any interest.

Again, it may be asked, why not, on this subject, at least, keep off the 'debatable ground?' why introduce doctrinal points into a review of

the evidences of Christianity? The author replies, that, he is of opinion, no impression can be made upon the mind of the unbeliever, unless it can be shown that the Christianity of the scriptures, and the reputed orthodoxy of the professing Christian world are very different things. He conceives

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that unless it can be shown that the Lord Jesus is a different being from the Father who sent himunless it can be shown, that, instead of being, himself, God over all blessed for evermore,' he was the chief and most honoured messenger of God:-unless it can be shown that Christ taught the strict and simple unity of God both in practice and in words—and that he gave no countenance to the doctrine of the incarnation of the Godhead, of vicarious suffering, of imputed righteousness, together with other astounding tenets of the reputed orthodox faith, all attempts to convince the unbeliever of the truth of Christianity will be vain. Therefore was the author not careful of avoiding the debatable ground,' whensoeyer a fair opportunity presented itself for expatiating thereupon.

The author pretends not to have written for the 'learned in Christ,' and 'masters in Israel'-but for the youthful, and the inquirer, and the wayfaring man and the poor. With respect to the manner in which he may have executed his task, those into whose hands his book may fall, will

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determine. Nevertheless, that the author may dispose the critic to mercy in judgment, respecting such irregularities and deficiencies as may be detected therein, he begs to state that the following Discourses were composed and delivered in the usual routine of professional duty, as a series of evening lectures; that they were written for the occasion in the midst of labours connected with the tuition of youth, which labours are incompatible with the duties of the ministry, but to which, nevertheless, the dissenting ministry is too generally condemned. The author fears that certain passages in the following lectures will seem to be irrelevant, and others to be misplaced. instances will, for the most part, have been occasioned by circumstances occurring at the time of delivery. With respect to the notice of the Catholic miracles in the fifth lecture, the author observes, that it was in some degree called for, from the cirumstances of the neighbourhood in which he is situated. The application of the rule of truth to human duties, and to religious opinions, in the introductory lecture, was suggested by the work of Dr. Sykes, on the Connexion between natural and revealed religion.' The second lecture has been much lengthened, and altered from its original state. The author regrets, that he was under the necessity of sending the last lecture to press, nearly in the state in which it was first

delivered. Wheresoever he has made use of the language of other writers, he has, as he believes, noticed the same by the usual marks and references: if, however, omissions in this respect, should appear, he hopes they will be attributed to oversight, and not design.

Finally, although the author's endeavour to prove that our hope through Christ is well-founded, may, as it regards the unbeliever, fail to produce any impression,-yet, if it should be the means of inducing the inquirer after truth to pursue the subject to conviction, of leading the thoughtless to reflect upon a theme so momentous to perishing man-of inciting the wavering to reconsider what he had almost given up as untenable and visionary-of strengthening the hope of one humble follower of Jesus, or of shedding one ray of spiritual comfort across the beclouded prospect of the child of suffering and of sorrow, he shall not have pleaded in vain.

Preston, January, 1827.