reason of this was, as he himself intimates, that many of the Deists, with whom he was well acquainted, either doubted or denied these preliminary doctrines, which are essential to all religion; and from these objections chiefly arose their enmity and aversion to the Christian revelation.

Of the arguments for the existence of a Deity, he has given a summary in his first'discourse; because he had found that some of the abettors of in

fidelity expunged this fundamental article from their creed, if not expressly, at least in effect, as they divested it by their speculations of any practical influence. The proofs of an intelligent First Cause he mainly insists upon, are those derived from the works of creation, which he shews, could not have existed from eternity, nor have been produced by chance,-from the stupendous wonders of the planetary system, which exhibit so many shining demonstrations of Infinite Power,from the immense variety of animated beings,—the organization of animal bodies, the curious mechanism of the human frame, and the no less astonishing phenomena of the human mind.

The attributes of God, both physical and moral, are next brought under review, and shewn to be essential to his character, and a necessary consequence of his nature. The doctrine of Providence, and of the Divine agency in human affairs, is ingeniously defended against the atheistical assertions of Hobbs, and Spinosa, who reduce all our knowledge of the Deity to the mere fact of his existence; and leave man to invent for himself laws and regulations for

his moral government. The objections and appa

rent inconsistencies, arising from the disorders and irregularities in human affairs, the misfortunes of

the good, and the success of the bad, are explained and justified, and shewn to be conducive to the harmony and advantage of the whole. The spiritual nature of the human soul, and its immortality, are also vindicated, in express opposition to the opinions on this subject delivered in the Oracles of Reason.

The sixth and last discourse treats of the certainty, and reasonableness of the Christian religion; the proofs of which he had endeavoured to render more easy and obvious, by expelling those doubts and prejudices which constituted an insuperable barrier to its reception. In opposition to the statements formerly published under his sanction, which degraded, and confounded the miracles of the New Testament with the absurd, and legendary wonders ascribed to heathen impostors, he makes it appear that the miracles of Christ and his apostles had all the indubitable marks of veracity; that they were beyond the power and operation of natural causes, and must have been the immediate effect of Divine agency. The truth of these being sufficiently well attested, laid a solid foundation for the doctrines of Christianity, which contained also in themselves unequivocal marks of a supernatural origin; so that the one furnished a test and a confirmation of the other. An additional demonstration of their truth, he remarks, was afforded in the evidence of prophecy, which was a kind of perpetual miracle; and as the incredulity of the Jews was rendered inexcusable, by the mighty works performed before their eyes, so the completion of predictions which required the fulness of time to accom plish, and could not be regarded as infallible proofs during the Saviour's life, as well as the extraordinary

propagation of the gospel, furnished a succession of kindred testimonies to all generations, which must make their rejection and unbelief equally criminal. "The Holy Bible," (he concludes)" as it is the most ancient and most authentic of all books, so it is the only book that gives us the idea of true religion, Christianity is the only religion that possesses all the marks of verity. It answers all the necessities of human nature, prescribes remedies for its misfortunes and frailties, and proposes to its observation happiness here and hereafter. Its precepts are plain, and founded on justice and rea-. son, on the nature of God and the condition of man; and they relate either to this world or the next. Every one is capable of understanding them; and cannot plead ignorance if he transgress them. Thus the whole Christian duty being so very obvious and easy, the man who forsakes it has no plea against punishment for breaking those laws, which ought to be the security, as they are the happiness, of human society."

2 B2

THE life of Mr Cecil affords a further proof that unbelief is not the offspring of reasoning, or cool and unprejudiced discussion; but springs rather from inattention to religion, and a moral depravity of heart, which is impatient of restraint and subordination to its rules; and that if men were to become virtuous, and inquire seriously into the truth of Christianity, they would find abundant evidence of its divine original. Mr Cecil became an early convert to licentiousness, notwithstanding the best parental example and instruction; and to excuse his wickedness, he took shelter behind infidelity. But no sooner had he begun to feel the littleness and unsatisfying nature of worldly pleasures, than his prejudices declined, and he not only became a proselyte to the faith of the cross, but one of its most devoted and intrepid advocates.

were

RICHARD CECIL was born in London, 8th November, 1748. His father and grand-father Scarlet Dyers to the East India Company. His mother was the only child of Mr Grovesnor, & merchant in London, and brother to the Rev. Dr Grovesnor, author of the "Mourner." Though her husband was a member of the Established Church, she was herself a Dissenter; and no less eminent for her piety and benevolence, than for her

domestic virtues. As soon as her son was capable of instruction, she took delight to rear his tender mind, and to impress it with religious principles. At six years of age, she bought him Janeway's Token for Children, Watts' Hymns, and other books calculated to arrest the attention of children. At that early period, she judged correctly that arguments addressed to the heart, were likely to be more forcible and effectual than those addressed to the head, and that simple stories adapted to their comprehension, will often make way for abstract and disagreeable truths. The benefits he derived from those little presents he always remembered, and spoke of with gratitude: "When I was a child," says he," and a very wicked one too, one of Dr Watts' Hymns sent me to weep in a corner. Lives in Janeway's Token had the same effect. I felt the influence of faith in suffering Christians. The character of young Samuel came home to me, when nothing else had any hold of my mind."

The

As Mr Cecil's father was in easy circumstances, and a man of considerable literary attainments, he bestowed upon his son a very liberal education, though he only intended him for a profession similar to his own. As soon as his age permitted, he was placed in a considerable house in the city, from which he was soon removed to another, where he remained till bad health compelled him to retire to his father's roof. As he was always averse to the business in which he had been engaged, he did not resume it when he had recovered from his

illness;

he was more devoted to the study of literature and the fine arts; and instead of the shop and the counting-house, his mind was in the continual pursuit of objects more congenial to its native powers and prepossessions.