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refutation of some popular objeftioiis ag-ainst the Christian faith, no subject perhaps, could be sele£ted, more important, and, at the present crisis, more generally interesting, than that which is now proposed for discussion. Infi- delity continually changes her weapons <)f an- noyance, and therefore the Christian champion varies his mode of defence ; and by watching with solicitude the fluftuation of prevailing opi- ijiion he is better enabled to counteract both 1 speculative error and vicious praftice. It will be the design of the former part of the following Discourses, to collet some of the prin- cipal, and more obvious, proofe, which the Brah- 29 minical records have afforded. In confirmation of the Mosaical writings ; and as the whole code of our national religion, has been asserted-to depend on the truth of the eleven introduftory chapters of the Book of Genesis, ariy additional evidences in support of their credibility, cannot but be deemed an important acquisition to our common fsith. The first objeft which will claim attention, in the prosecution of this enquiry, is, the chronology of the Brahmins, drawn both from their astrono- mical calculations, and from their history : and it will be shewn, that their scheme, far from invali- dating, will confirm the sacred chronology. Ad- vancing from negative to positive proofs, a dis- quisition win succeed, oh the striking correspon- dence of the Sancrit records, with the Mosaical account of the deluge, and on the peculiar cir- cumstances, which render this coincidence of more than common value. The next objeft worthy of regard, is the Mosaical account of the origin and settlement of nations, which will be corroborated' by the' geography of the Piiranas, joined with testimonies incidentally colle£led from other anci- ent writers. This investigation will finally condufil us to those traces, which may yet be discovered ia the corrupted mythology of the Hindoos, 29 decidedly pointing to a higher origin, and shew- ing the derivation of inany of their religious opinions from those primeval traditions which were common to all mankind. But these instances of siitiilarity between the Mosaicial and Hindoo records, and especially of the agreement between many of the Jewish and Brahminkal ceremonies ; a circumstance which cannot fail to strike the most inattentive observer, and which caused the learned Hyde hastily to pronounce, that Brahma was no other than the patriarch Abraham,* has given rise to another opiniorl, that the Christian and Hindoo codes df 'faith may claim an origin equally divine ; that Christ, the only-begotten of the Father, has pro- bably appeared, at different periods of time, in different parts of the world, under various deno- minations, and in different forms of humanity. And while these pretensions have been industri- ously supported by the blind adniir^rs of oriental superstition, they have been ostensibly acknow- ledged by others, who equally disbelieve what- ever bears the name of ^Divine revelation, but who, by elevating Paganism, endeavour tp depress Christianity. To support this opinion, the prin- ciples of morality, which the Brahniinical religion 5 Hyde Vet, P.c!. Vets. p. 31. 30 inculcates, have been extolled, as calculated to produce the most ■ sublime virtue, and the purest felicity. While those absurdities, which could not be entirely concealed, have been defended by attributing similar defefts and abuses to every other revelation virhich professes to be derived from God, the great body of their institutions has been liepresented as containing the essence of the most comprehensive- wisdom and refined policy. It is a fa£l which deserves attention, that white those abuses, which bave been introduced into our religion, through the unworthiness of its nominal professors, are often reprehended with the most intemperate acrimony, and unfairly at- .tached to the religion itself; the more flagrant enormities inseparably conne£ted with polytheism, and committed under its express sanQion, have been sometimies defended by the most futile arguments, and rarely chastised with the severity which they deserve. That this conduft has, in every instance, proceeded from disingenuous motives, would be a harsh assertion. The cause may rather be discovered in that propensity, which exists in human nature, to swell those evils which come immediately under its notice into a false appearance of magnitude. The fatal con- -sequences resulting from an abuse of Christianity, have approached us near enough to cause alarm. The prafitical effe£ts of Paganism are so far removed, as only to excite curiosity : and those calamities on which curiosity can pause to specu- late, seWom give birth to violent emotions. Syperstitipn is a spefctre, whose deformity like all others diminishes by distance. Her icy touch petrifies, , and her features on a minute inspe£tion inspire disgust. But when she recedes farther from the view, or is seen by a fainter light, the rigidity of her countenance insensibly softens, and even assumes a spacious expression of awful majesty. Thus, the unnatural penances of the inhabitant of La Tfappe ' are never mentioned, but with secret contempt, or with sarcastic ridi- cule : while the equally absurd, and mpre painful austerities of the Indian devotee, have been venerated as a£ls of exalted heroism, and of sublime piety. We are fired with indignation at the cruelties of inquisitorial tyranny, or the im- purities which have been prafitised under the mask, of monachism ; but who recoils with equal horror, or whose cheek flushes with equal resent- ment, when memory recalls the shrieks of fhe viftims in the wicker image of "Woden, or the licentious rites which have been celebrated in the caverns of Salsette and Elephanta ? 32 A habit of thinking so natural, but so er- roneous, has, when applied to the religion of the Hindoos, been indulged to an extent highly alarming. It is proposed therefore, in the latter part of these Discourses, to state the effefts^ which the Brahminical system is calculated to produce on the moral chara£l:er. In order to judge accurately of these, it is by no means sufficient to cull out a few detached fragments of sublime morality, from the voluminous mass of puerile detail, to mark the scattered scintillations which occasionally gleam through the surround- ing darkness ; but it is requisite to take an enlarged view of the system, in its direft and , necessary tendencies. This view may properly be ranged under three distinft heads : the first, will comprehend those doftrines, which the religion of the Brahmins inculcates, concerning the Deity, operating on man both as a preservative of moral purity, and as a source of happiness : the second, will be direfted to the influence of their religious insti- tutions on the intelleftual faculties : the third, will include their 'effefts on the social feelings, and their;, tendency to promote universar bene- volence. 35 The conclusions, which must necessarily result from -this investigation, while they collaterally displiay the superior excellence of that revelation, which professes to have the " promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come," will also assist in demonstrating, that the universal extension, which true believers claim' for Christ- ianity, is rielther the cunningly devised fable of pblitical artifice, nor the feverish dream of enthu- siastib idiotcy ; but a convi£lioni founded on ra- tional grounds, not only on the divine promise, but on the wisdom and benevolence of God, "^''^ ■ . • . bi :, : 'to Irreconcileable indeed will it appear to'these attributes of the Deity^ from any conclusions of natural reason, that so large a portion of his creatures should be excluded from the knowledge of him. -The fundamental do£lrine of the Gospel, that the blessings: of redemption are extended to all mankind, even to thpse who have never heard of their efficacyi'is the only satisfa£tory reason, which can be given for this seeming pa/tiality in the ways of Providence. But the ways of Providence are more fully -Vindicated by a belief, that ignorance and error shall,' hereafter, be ba- nished from the earth j that thp whble human race shall not only enjoy the benefits, but be diiade acquainted with the tefnis of the Christian 34 covenant; and that ".the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Iliord as the waters cover the sea.". In what manner this great revolution will be effe£led, or how far it will be efFefted by human means, it is not oui" province to determine : it • should be rather our firm persuasion that this event will take place in spjte of human oppo- sition. Whether the powers of this world ^^Y be eager to diffuse the blessings of religious truthj or solicitous to repress them j whether regardless of petty and partial interests they may labour to disseminate useful knowledge, and thereby aug- ment the sum of human happiness ; or whether guided by a cold and , timid policy they may endeavour to stunt the growth of the intelle^ual powers, and to,ere£l their empire on the ruins of hiiman reason, is of small importance, . It is of importance indeed to themselves considered as moral and apcountable agents, but not as it regards the accomplishinent of the divine will. It should be our firm conviftion, that he who pauses the fierceness of man to turn to his praise, can render even a crusade of infidelity an instru- ment of propagating his word. It should be our unshaken belief, that all th^- revpbtions in thi§ 35 lower world are preparatory to that eventful period, when the kingdom^ of this world shall " become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ.