ngdom of Israel, with its political law, statutes and judgments,
has passed away, and Christ reigns "_all in all_." To Him "be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever." Jude, xxv.

INFIDELS LIVE IN DOUBTING CASTLE.

Having shown that no man in his senses can be an atheist, unless he assume
that he comprehends the universe in his mind, with all its abstract
essences and principles, which assumption would be to make himself
omnipresent and eternal, a god in fact; and having seen that the
proposition of the divine existence and perfections is demonstrable from
the universe, as far as it is known in all its general laws and in all its
parts, we proceed from these prefatory considerations to other matters
still more intimately introductory to our design.

It is essentially preliminary to a clear and forcible display of the
reasonableness and certainty of our faith in Jesus Christ as the author of
immortality to man, that we ascertain the proper ground on which the
modern skeptic, of whatever creed, stands when he avows his opposition to
the gospel. That we may duly estimate the strength of his opposition, we
must not only enumerate his objections or arguments, but we must exactly
ascertain the exact position which he occupies. Does he stand within a
fortified castle, or in the open field? Presents he himself to our view in
a stronghold, well garrisoned with the invincible forces of logic, of
science, and of fact? or defies he armies and the artillery of light,
relying wholly upon himself, his own experience, without a shield, without
an ally, without science, without history, and consequently a single fact
to oppose?

That we may, then, truly and certainly ascertain his precise attitude,
before we directly address him, we shall accurately survey his whole
premises. Does he say that he _knows_ the gospel to be false? No, he can
not; for he was not in Judea in the days of the evangelical drama. He,
therefore, could not test the miracles, or sensible demonstrations, by any
of his senses; nor prove to himself that Jesus rose not from the dead.
Speaking in accordance with the evidence of sense, of consciousness, and
of experience, he can not say that he _knows_ the gospel to be a cunningly
devised fable. He has not, then, in all his premises _knowledge_, in its
true and proper meaning, to oppose to the Christian's faith or hope. What
remains?

Can he say, in truth, that he _believes_ the gospel to b