writers who establish facts, and those who merely from such facts. argue MR. B. Certainly; in the first case we have principally to do with the truth of the statements; in the second, with the soundness of the arguments. EDWARD. Does not the quantity of writing on the subject in some measure militate against it? If the evidences are sufficiently convincing, surely it could never be necessary to write so much; and the doubts and difficulties of its opponents must have some solid ground, or they would never be so often renewed. MR. B. Christianity is not answerable for the conduct of its advocates, further than it may be shewn to dictate it. You cannot infer the weakness of a cause from the imbecility of its defenders. But the advocates of Christianity you will find men of a very different class. The deep interest of the subject has been the primary cause of the great number of publications on it. As to your second objection, Dr. Gerard will answer it for me. may not "There is no subject on which doubts and difficulties be started by ingenious and disputatious men; and therefore, from the number of their objections, and the length of the controversy to which they give occasion, we cannot in any case conclude that the original evidence is weak, or even that it is not obvious and striking. Were we to presume that every principle is dubious against which specious objections may be contrived, we should be quickly led into universal scepticism. The two ways in which the ingenuity of speculative men has been most commonly employed, are dogmatical assertions of doubtful opinions, and subtle cavils against certain truths."- GERARD'S Dissertations, vol. ii. p. 4. EDWARD. I would not bring forward objections merely for the sake of shewing my own ingenuity in devising them; but, before I feel entirely satisfied as to the justice of your arguments against those who neglect to inquire into the truth of Christianity, and reject it without examination,-it appears to me necessary to shew that there is some reasonable prospect of their being able to come to a decision on the subject, which I think is not the case : the dispute appears interminable. If there were any one treatise extant which Christians would agree in, as being that defence on which they were willing to rest the issue of the inquiry, there might be some hope of coming to a decision ; but when the whole Christian world is at variance, not only as to what is Christianity, but also as to how it is to be defended, surely some allowance must be made for men who have other things to attend to, as well as theological inquiries. MR. B. There is no solid argument in your objection: any one who is really anxious on the subject will soon obtain sufficient information both as to what Christianity is, and by whom and in what manner it has been defended, and will naturally turn to the examination of that kind of proof which has most weight with him in other subjects. Besides, the clergy furnish a constant resource. EDWARD. ' But if Christianity be of that great importance which is alleged, why has not the whole body of proof been collected and arranged in such a manner as to enable every one at once to see all that can be said in its favour? I know, indeed, that there are collections professing to be demonstrations of the truth of the Christian religion; but there is none, so far as I have ever heard, which all agree in holding forth as such. Christianity is either capable of demonstration, or it is not: if the latter, I do not see how it can be defended at all, unless the threatening declarations of the New Testament are explained away; but if the former, why have we not such a proof as the Mécanique Céleste is of the Newtonian system of the world? MR. B. Because the nature of the subject hardly will admit of such a proof, and because if it did it would be useless. Absolute mathematical demonstration cannot be obtained. All that is neces sary to be obtained in proof of Christianity, is such a degree of probability as ought to induce men to act agreeably to it. For if it can be shewn that men act in other cases upon less proof than this question affords, their own conduct sufficiently proves the truth of the assertion of our Lord, "That this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; but that men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." You refer to the Mécanique Céleste, as being an example of a perfect proof of the theory of universal gravitation; suppose a person in common life was desirous of knowing all "that could be said in favour" of that theory, how far would the Mécanique Céleste afford him assistance? EDWARD. He would hardly understand a page of it. MR. B. Then where is the utility of your complete demonstration for common use ? The very first paragraph of the work alluded to altogether overthrows any argument you can raise from the existence of the work itself, both as respects absolute demonstration and practical utility. If the observations on which astronomy is founded, and which demand the greatest degree of attention, as well as perfection of instrument, be incorrect; or that refined analysis, which it requires the utmost exertion of the mind to follow, be in any instance falsely applied, all falls to the ground. Need I remind you of the necessity there is for applying to the whole of the results obtained, in the most careful manner, the theory of chances, for the calculation of the probability of errors? EDWARD. But the proof of Christianity is not of so complicated a nature; if it were, it would itself be an objection; for it would be impossible that the bulk of mankind could understand it. MR. B. The full proof of Christianity, if systematically detailed, would be quite as complicated, and altogether removed above the reach of ordinary men : but a proof sufficient to convince every rational man is within the reach of all. BEATRICE. In what manner? MR. B. A proof such as your brother demanded must ultimately depend upon the books of the Old and New Testaments, in their original languages: the origin of those books would therefore have to be ascertained, which would involve the question, also, of the authenticity and credibility of all those authors on whom we depended for informa |