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“ There is another argument which, with me, has great weightin establishing the fact, that these inhabitants have had contnnental progenitors, and the argument is this,—Their drums, spears,bows, helmets; their nets, hooks, hatchets; most of their instru-ments, warlike and domestic, as well as many of their customs,civil, military, and religious, have a strong resemblance to whatwe read concerning the instruments and customs of other nations.I forbear dilating on this subject, the mention of it will be suffi-cient to show you its importance.

“ As to the mysteries of the Christian religion, it is neitheryour concern nor mine to explain them ; for if they are mysteries,they cannot be explained. But our time may be properly em-ployed in enquiring whether there are so many mysteries in Chris­ tianity as the Deists say there are. Many doctrines have beenimposed on the Christian world as doctrines of the Gospel, whichhave no foundation whatever in Scripture. Instead of defendingthese doctrines, it is the duty of a real disciple of Jesus Christ toreprobate them as gangrenous excrescences, corrupting the fairform of genuine Christianity .

“ That Jesus Christ lived, died, rose from the dead, and as-cended into heaven, are facts established by better historical testi-mony, than that Alexander fought Darius, conquered Persia , andpassed into India . But on the resurrection of Christ all our hopesas men, and our obligations as Christians , are founded. And ifwe have as great or greater reason to believe that fact, than wehave to believe almost any fact recorded in history, we shall actirrationally, and, in a matter of such high concern, foolishly andculpably, if we withhold our assent to it; and if we do assent to it,our duty is obvious.