which go to extinguish the causes of disunion, turbulence, sedition, war?

Again: how can we speak adequately of the INDIRECT tendency of the gospel to advance the temporal and spiritual welfare of nations? For there is this of remarkable in Christianity, that none can approach within its sphere of influence, without deriving some advantage from it. It indirectly works upon thousands whom it never persuades to receive its yoke. It operates by the medium of others. It raises the standard of morals. It induces large bodies of men to imitate, in various respects, the conduct of its genuine disciples. It deters from evil by the means of shame, of an enlightened conscience, of the fear of exposure. Each Christian is a centre of influence, in which his example and instructions are continually operating.

Thus by degrees public opinion begins to work; and as this spreads, it reaches magistrates and nobles, it sways the minds of legislators, it opens the ears of princes, it leads to national measures in honor of Almighty God, and for the propagation and support of revealed religion; and thus it brings down that blessing upon states which is the spring of real prosperity.

Thus Christianity is, like a powerful under-current, flowing beneath the main stream of life, which, without mingling or defiling itself with the troubled waters, pursues its pure, though unseen course, preserving its original virtue, and ready to burst forth and fertilize all around, as external obstacles are removed.

But this leads us to notice

II. THE HINDRANCES WHICH IMPEDE THE FULL EFFECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION; for this is the next branch of our argument. The strength of any tendency may be judged of, in a good measure, by the known obstacles against which it has to work. We estimate the genuine bearing of reason by considering the brute force which is opposed to it; we measure the real bias of virtue by the resistance which vice puts forth against it; we discern the tendency of natural religion by the counteracting power of sin and profaneness. There would be no tendency, properly speaking, in any of these cases, if there were no strong impeding principles-all would be effect, not tendency.

Against the Christian religion, then, there are opposing

forces drawn up, which will assist us in gauging its essential leaning towards the highest good of man.

For fearful are these obstacles; narrow have been hitherto the limits of real Christianity; numerous are the impediments which hedge it in. I know the difficulty of treating, in a clear and perspicuous manner, this part of our argument. The mind is prone to hasty and most unreasonable conclusions. We see hindrances, we see Christianity checked on every hand; we confound facts with causes.

But if we examine the real state of things, we shall see that the obstacles spring from a source extrinsic from Christianity; that they are incidental and temporary, not essential and permanent; and that they serve to demonstrate the innate force of the Christian doctrine, which makes head against them, and is gradually overcoming them.

For what are the chief hindrances with which Christianity has to contend? Are they not the hostility of some, and the neglect of others? Is not the enmity of the human heart to the main doctrines and precepts of revelation, a principal barrier against its progress? Does not also indifference and apathy to these peculiarities disincline man from entertaining the religion? Besides these obstacles, do not the vices of its false adherents, and the crimes and hypocrisy of its pretended friends, form another formidable impediment-to which must be added the various imperfections and errors of sincere Christians themselves? Then take in the more public obstacles presented by corruptions of the Christian doctrines introduced into churches-the contagion of heresy, the vices and unfaithfulness of many of the ministers and professed teachers of Christianity; to say nothing of the apostasies in the East and West, which have left little of Christianity in those quarters except the name. The persecutions directed, from time to time, against the sincere disciples of the religion, must be added; as well as the fearful neglect, with regard to religious influence, of which princes and legislators have too frequently been guilty. Then the judicial infatuation permitted by Almighty God, in punishment of infidelity and obstinate resistance to duty, must be considered. And, lastly, the great spiritual adversary, who either "deceiveth the nations,' or "walketh about, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."*

* Rev. xx. 3; 1 Pet. v. 8.

Such are the known obstacles which impede the course of Christianity. And whence do they arise? Surely not from the gospel itself, but from a totally different source, the depravity and perverseness of man. They are therefore so far from belonging to Christianity, that they form a part of that disease which it is aiming to cure. The corruption of man, be it ever remembered, was not introduced by the Christian revelation, nor in consequence of it; it is a condition of mankind existing as much under natural as revealed religion. Christianity finds man perverse, corrupt, vicious; and brings in the only efficient remedy-a remedy the tendencies of which are to overcome that corruption in every form. The science of medicine is not less a healing process, nor less beneficial in its tendency, because multitudes will not follow its directions, and various diseases do not at once yield to its power. The reign of a virtuous and beneficent prince does not less tend towards the best welfare of his subjects because there may be obstacles to the full execution of his designs, in the political constitution or moral habits of the people whom he governs.

The hindrances, then, to Christianity are extrinsic and foreign, not innate and peculiar. They are incidental, not essential and permanent. They are not inherent in the religion, but arise from an entirely distinct cause, the depravity of man. The true tendency and bearing of the Christian revelation is not to create or augment those hindrances, but to work against and overcome them. As well might brute force be said to spring from reason, or vice to arise from virtue, or profaneness and sin from the fear of God, as corruption and disorder from the Christian revelation-that corruption and disorder which we find to be in fact partially removed, which yields continually to the moral force which the gospel brings to bear upon it, and which, in truth, is the gauge and measure of the true tendency of the religion.

For as the tendency of a fountain to ascend is judged of by the superincumbent earth through which it makes its way, and as the strength of a river-barrier is estimated by the resisting force of the current; so the virtue and bias of Christianity are measured by the mighty obstacles which it is perpetually overcoming. He that knows best the deep corruption of human nature-he that understands most adequately the hostility of man to real religion, and his apathy to invisible and spiritual things; he who has surveyed most widely the

vices and crimes of the false friends of Christianity; he who is most familiar with the history of the corruptions in the visible church, and who knows best the misdirected influence of governors and princes;-can form the soundest judgment of the force of the obstacles which oppose the progress of Christianity, and can discern most clearly, amidst those various impediments, the innate and essential virtue of the religion which is working against them.

The hindrances, then, are known, and placed boldly before the mind. I dwell not on the judicial infatuation which falls upon nations or individuals as a punishment of sin; nor on the great spiritual adversary; because these are most obviously extrinsic from the Christian religion, and derive their existence or force from the very corruption of man, which is, properly speaking, the only obstacle by which the native flow of Christianity is impeded and restrained.

Let us proceed next to consider,

III. THE SUCCESS OF CHRISTIANITY IN PROPORTION TO

THE REMOVAL OF THESE HINDRANCES.

For in this manner we judge of the tendency of a principle. After considering its known obstacles, we examine its success under different circumstances. We take a view of it in a most unfavorable, a less unfavorable, and an actually favorable position. If we consider the case of reason, for instance, we inquire whether, under circumstances more or less advantageous, its success is proportionate. We do the same with virtue and with natural religion. The more numerous are the experiments we make, in times the most distant from each other, at places the most remote, and with nations and individuals under every variety of situation, the clearer is our demonstration. Accordingly, in the cases alleged, all with whom we are concerned that is, all who allow the existence and perfections of Almighty God-admit the conclusion. They find that reason succeeds and works its beneficial effects in exact proportion as hindrances are removed. They find that this holds under all circumstances, in all places, and all times. They perceive that, in certain positions of things, brute force may gain the day for a moment; and that it never wholly disappears, or rarely so, even when overcome. But remarking the uniform power which reason puts forth, as extrinsic hindrances are cleared away, they draw their inferences as to its

essential and innate tendency. So with regard to virtue and the religion of nature.

And thus we argue as it respects Christianity. We appeal to facts. Let us take the religion under very different circumstances; let us examine it in various places and at various times; let us look to nations and individuals, under all peculiarities of advantage or disadvantage; let us consider its operation as it is now in progress before our eyes; let us recollect the new and unexpected principles which it set at work; let us bear in mind the warning which its records afford us of many of its chief obstacles. The proof will be strengthened by every step in the argument. Grant me your

attention.

I say nothing of the first propagation of Christianity, because such means were then employed by the Almighty as exempt it from ordinary rules. But take the AGe following THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GOSPEL. I ask, What is the tendency which Christianity actually put forth? What is the evidence of facts? What did the religion do for human happiness, both individual and national? I ask, What were the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, and other converts, before Christianity reached them, and in the age after it had begun its operation? Had it not brought them from darkness to light, from degrading ignorance, superstition, vice, misery, to knowledge, holiness, joy? And when it had done this in some considerable measure, did it not go on as a leaven, to leaven, as it were, the whole mass of their intellectual and moral character? And continually, as new converts were made, were not these a seed of activity in their several stations? Did not Christianity soon put to shame many of the grossest vices of heathenism? Was not an influence generated all around, which, like a heavenly fragrance, diffused refreshment and life far and near?

Take the NEXT AGES. See the progress of the religion under the Roman emperors. Mark its sway when the Christian emperor removed so many external obstacles. What did Christianity do? How did she put forth her virtues? How did she break out, as a fountain whose streams had been choked, when relieved from hindrances?

Trace the religion in the FOLLOWING CENTURIES, as human corruption accumulated around it again, and almost extinguished its light and grace in the East and West. See it