would stop at nothing to which their principles lead them. Nevertheless, that which follows will scarcely fail to excite some degree of surprise in the reader's mind. The Jesuits at this period published and circulated throughout France, in great numbers, small publications, professedly manuals of a religious character, but designed especially to point out to sinners ways of getting to heaven without parting with their sins, and following after holiness. One of them, by Father le Moine, appeared, without circumlocution or concealment, under the impudent title of "EASY DEVOTIONS." Another, by Father Barry, was entitled, "PARADISE OPENED TO THE AVARICIOUS BY A HUNDRED ACTS OF DEVOTION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD, VERY EASY TO PRACTISE.' The pious author of the last of these edifying works frequently assures his readers, that there is not the slightest necessity that the desires of the heart should accompany the words and ceremonies contained in his directions. If that were convenient, it would be all very well; but says he, "I know that to be impossible; I know that your heart is fully bent upon the honours, the pleasures, the riches of this world; and therefore, dear reader, I dare not ask you to give to religion that little slave you call your heart." The heart, in short, is of so little consequence, that the holy father can afford to make a jest of it. These devotional exercises made as easy a draft upon the time and memory of the devotee as upon his heart. It was only needful "to salute the blessed Virgin in passing by her images; to repeat occasionally the little chaplet of the ten pleasures of the Virgin; to pronounce the name of Mary pretty often; to request the angels to present our regards to her; to wish to build her more churches than all the monarchs upon earth put together; to say to her, 'Good morning!' always on rising, and Good evening!' every night on retiring; and to go through the Ave Marias once daily in honour of the heart of the Virgin." Light as is the tax upon the mental powers of the devotee imposed by this short rubric, the author was too familiarly conversant with human nature, not to be aware that even this was more than the worldly and the wicked would be disposed to give to that in which, under their ordinary circumstances of health and occupation, they took so little interest, as their destinies after death. He therefore abates the terms of sure admission into Paradise in the first instance, down to the salutation of the Virgin morning and evening, and afterwards to wearing upon the arm a bracelet in the form of a chaplet, or even to carrying in the pocket a rosary or image of the Virgin! This 1 Pascal, u. s. 9me. Lettre. is, assuredly, the perfection of facility. The reverend father knew this, and therefore added, with the air of triumphant raillery so often assumed by those who feel themselves in the high and enviable position of discoverers of great things, " And now, ye jolly dogs, tell me if I have not found out for you an easy way of getting into the good graces of Mary, and going to heaven!" 2 These, however, do but make part of an entire system, which is termed by its authors one of "religious and holy finesses and pious frauds in devotion"; of which, horrible to relate, God himself was to be the dupe. Their design was to teach the sinner how to cheat the Almighty and elude the decrees of his justice: for, as Father Barry piously observes, "What matter is it how we go to heaven, so we only get there?" (quoted 9me. Lettre, p. 119.) Upon this principle the grievous sinner is recommended to keep two confessors, one for his mortal and the other for his venial sins; by which device he will be sure of absolution from one or the other of them (10me. Lettre, p. 135.) It was also taught by them, that when the offender feels no contrition, attrition,—that is dread and hatred not of sin, but only of its punishment,-will suffice for true repentance (id. pp. 143-146). Nor did they scruple at the utterance of blasphemies even still more appalling. The love of God is, in their divinity, a matter of perfect indifference. It may be entertained in the heart every Sunday, or once a year, or once in three years, or once in five years, or at the hour of death, or not at all, just as the sinner pleases. For it is the great privilege of the New Testament over the Old, that Jesus Christ has dispensed his disciples from all obligation to love God.3 This is the climax of doctrinal wickedness. The heart of man can never devise, the lip of man can never utter, a falsehood of deeper atrocity. Such were the means whereby the Jesuits counteracted and overbore the Reformation in France: gaining the entire sway over a line of voluptuous monarchs; and through them working their ultimate objects. They found a full justification for themselves in the plea of a worthy and laudable end. Surely it is needless to waste words in proving that the same order would also scruple at no devices, however wicked, to accomplish the same end in other countries. 19me. Lettre, p. 118. 2 10me. Lettre, p. 134. 3 10me. Lettre, pp. 147 ad finem. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THE BIBLE TO BE THE WORD THIS little volume is a simple manual of the evidences of the Christian religion, and of the authenticity and inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. The author, in his preface, modestly excuses the publication, which he ascribes to the urgent request of many of his hearers. Little apology, however, is needed. The lectures are eminently clear and simple, and well calculated to attain their immediate object, the exposure of infidel folly, and the establishment of unlearned Christians in the faith of the Gospel. We rejoice, then, that Mr. Bateman has yielded to the request of his parishioners, and cordially recommend the work, wherever a cheap and simple antidote is required to the inroads of infidelity among the common people. A work of this kind offers few materials for the reviewer. Its very simplicity and plainness render a critical analysis a superfluous task. It will be enough to offer one or two extracts, interesting in themselves, and which will also illustrate the style of the author; and then to suggest one or two slight corrections or improvements, as we doubt not that the volume will soon reach another edition. The evidence of the gospel narrative from the sacrifices of the apostles and evangelists,-one main branch of Paley's work,—is presented by Mr. Bateman with much vigor of thought in the following passage: "But mark once more, the consistency of conduct, and the holy lives of these witnesses, even to the end. Wherefore should they promulgate a fraud? To promote true holiness, and exhibit it in their own life and conversation? Incredible supposition! What! No self-indulgence tacitly allowed, when, supposing their narrative a fraud, they might have sanctioned, or at least have left uncondemned, each his own easily-besetting sin. What! No fleshly lust palliated, no worldly object commended, no ease allowed. What! Nothing but self-denial, lowliness of mind, disinterested love, and habitual control over every thought, word, and action: and a perfect pattern drawn of every excellence, the most faultless which can be imagined-one, in which no speck or stain can be discerned-one, which soars in effect far above any picture of spotless purity which ever master-hand has traced, or master-mind conceived: all this exhibited by humble illiterate men, meeting in some upper chamber to construct a fraud, in the idle expectation that some day all the world would believe it! Why, really as I write and speak, I feel that the truth of Christianity and the Bible would almost rest upon this single issue and be safe! Look at Mahommedanism; the most plausible of all impostures which have been palmed upon mankind. What are its main features? A sensual paradise, for a sensual and imaginative people! The sword, and the rewards of heaven to those dying by the sword, for a warlike, fierce, and predatory people! Some recognition of Christianity in certain of its historical facts, for Christians in a most low and degraded state! And a fresh chapter in the Koran, whenever a fresh indulgence is craved by the prophet, or a fresh crime requires palliation! Such is imposture! But unblemished innocency is the seal of truth; and it is morally impossible that men who presented to the world the highest standard of excellence that world has ever seen, conforming to it themselves as far as in them lay, through life, could have imposed basely and deliberately upon mankind. It is contrary to human nature. "For, again, what had these witnesses under examination, to gain by their supposed fraud! They attacked error everywhere. They boldly impugned the traditions of the Jews, and taught that they were no Gods whom the heathen worshipped. Did they covet reputation, wealth, and honour? They took the direct and certain road to disgrace, poverty, and contempt. Did they aspire to head and lead a party, and thus get themselves a name? They spoke only of Jesus Christ and Him crucified '-content, nay rejoicing to suffer shame for his name's sake.' The point, however, is not so much what treatment they actually received, as what they might reasonably have anticipated. The question is-What was their inducement to construct a fraud? Suppose any motive you please-those which I have already touched upon, or any other connected with personal ease, worldly splendour, willing dupes, obedient servants, cringing followers. These must be won from the religion then dominant on earth, to the profession of a name and faith everywhere spoken against. How then did they set about it? How did they aim at these ob jects of ambition, and strive thus to inherit the world? Why, by proclaiming that which was to the Jew a stumbling-block' and to the Greek foolishness,' by decrying without reserve all that the world calls great and good, by casting away every shred of heathen mythology, and denying the existence of every object of idolatrous worship! Their creed accepted of no compromise, and admitted of no amalgamation. It must prevail, if it prevailed at all, by the overthrow of every statue, altar, temple in the world! No one can believe that sane men would construct these means, for the attainment of that end. Nothing but the supposition of their story being true, will account for its being even promulgated. "But treachery! Was there no treachery in the camp? Of these twelve apostles, or of the hundred and twenty disciples who joined them afterwards, was there not one to confess the fraud? Did no heart fail-no one faint under the inflictions which perhaps at first he little thought he was bringing upon himself? What! all life long-after the reality of what they were to encounter had developed itself; after they were driven about as wanderers and outcasts; after every one that killed them thought he was doing God service; after Stephen was stoned, James beheaded, and Peter imprisoned; -were there none found willing to recant, none to acknowledge the delusion, none to confess the fraud? Not one. In their secret conclaves, and upon the mountain-tops; amidst crowds of listeners, and in the synagogue or sacred temple; by the river's side, and in the dungeon; before kings, princes, and governors; with united voices, or alone; it was still the same story-the same Jesus, the same atonement, the same resurrection, the same holiness, the same 'life and immortality brought to light by the gospel : '-they 'ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ. One of their company betrays his Lord, even as it was foretold. Does he revel in the rewards of his iniquity, go about speaking evil of that name whereby he was called, and denounce those companions with whom he had once taken counsel and walked as a friend? No: he went and hanged himself! He knew that the tale was true, he knew that the miracles were real, he knew that the doctrine was heavenly, he knew that his Master was divine: and hence he knew also that for himself-the betrayer and the murderer of the Prince of Life-there was no place left for repentance. Yes: Judas Iscariot was the only honest man amongst the disciples, if Christianity be false-the only traitor, if it be true! "And then finally, remember that all this stedfastness might last very well for a time, and the apostles might endure much, and risk more, albeit conscious of their fraud, in the hope of better days-but when the rack was stretched, and the cross exhibited, and the sword drawn; when wild beasts, infuriated with hunger, were 'roaring after their prey;' and when the solitary confessor of a proscribed faith and a crucified Master, with not one word of sympathy falling on his ear, not one tear attesting fellowship with his sufferings, not one voice uplifted in his behalf, was led out to a lingering death, amidst the upheavings of a tempest of mingled scorn and execration:-and when even under such appalling circumstances, a word, a whisper, would have brought deliverance --Was that word never spoken, that whisper never heard? Did no man's heart fail him at that hour of woe? No apprehension make the voice falter, and the cheek grow pale? No, NEVER! Living or dying, solitary or supported, they agree with one consent, to one unvarying tale. They do everything when they are free to act, they dare everything when they are called to suffer. Their Master's sayings, sorrows, miracles, promises, life, death, resurrection, intercession, and second coming, ever form the burden of their song, the object of their faith, the source of their unbounded consolations:-they, men calm, dispassionate, reasonable, and without guile-men, holy, humble, self-denying-men, who might have lived in ease and died in peace.-Oh! can any one have the heart to call them false witnesses, deceivers, liars!! Whilst our eyes are filled with tears at the record of such sorrows heaped upon the head of men of whom the world was not worthy,' shall we secretly allow the thought that they-these very self-same men-conceived the greatest wickedness and executed the basest fraud the world has ever witnessed, and that it was suffered to grow and prosper to the eternal destruction of countless millions of mankind! God forbid! 'Whence but from heaven, could men unskilled in arts, In several ages born, in several parts Weave such agreeing truths? Or how, or why Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie? Starving their gain, and martyrdom their price.'-DRYDEN." (pp. 95-103.) The disingenuous nature of infidel objections is remarkably shown by the following example. The detection, in this case, has very likely been often made, but we must own that it was new to ourselves, and perhaps it will be so to most of our readers : "To draw sinister conclusions from the silence of profane writers, when the greater part of their works is lost, seems to me most childish. Yet this has been one of the strong-holds of infidelity! I cannot now go fully into the subject; but I can give you a specimen, which will not fail to impress your minds. It is as follows: "St. Matthew, when relating the signs attendant upon the crucifixion of Christ, says, that From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour;' and his account is confirmed both by St. Mark and St. Luke. Here then is a fact recorded by the evangelists. But it is unnoticed by any profane historian of those times. It wants, therefore, as a fact, that very kind of confirmatory evidence which we have been giving to the credibility of the general history. This defect of evidence has been seized upon by Gibbon, the subtle enemy of Christianity. In gentle terms he insinuates his surprise that this miraculous event should pass without notice in an age of science and history. Seneca and the elder Pliny were then living, and |