Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

adapted to the heart of man, that only from Him who made the heart, it can possibly have proceeded to this conclusion we must come. Having attained it, the ways of Providence are plain, the heart is then at rest ;

for rest may here**

Be reap'd; even in this world of restlessness:

[ocr errors]

the soul hath reached the object of its aspirations, and is assured of its inheritance. What the principle of gravitation is to the Newtonian system, Revelation is to the moral world. Take it away, and chaos is come again the world would then present ' a mass of moral difficulty, of which, says Mr. Miller, but to think, without the Bible to explain it, appears to be treading on the very verge of madness.' Does the inquirer object that there are mysteries in religion which surpass his comprehension, and therefore exceed his belief? Let him be told, as Burnet observed to his reasoning and hesitating penitent, that if mysteries were received rather in the simplicity in which they are delivered in the Scriptures, than according to the descantings of fanciful men upon them, they would not appear much more incredible than some of the common objects of sense and perception.' Let him ask himself if any thing can be more mysterious than his ownd existence? his own life and senses? thought and volition ?all things which surround him in this world, which is itself a perpe tual miracle and demonstration of its Creator? What a reasoner!! must he be, who knows that he can lift his finger with a wish,** and yet disbelieves any thing because it exceeds his comprehen sion! Does he say, that still there are difficulties what Sir Thomas Brown calls sturdy doubts and boisterous objections, wherewith the unhappiness of our knowledge too nearly acquainteth us? We will reply to him, in the language of the same writer, that these are to be conquered not in a martial posture, but on our knees. We will tell him, that in proportion as he believes, he will understand; for he that keepeth the law of the Lord, getteth the understanding thereof. The way to prop up religion,' says Jeremy Taylor, is by doing of our duty; and theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge Ind heaven, indeed, we shall first see, and then love; but here on earth, we must first love; and love will open our eyes as well as our hearts, and we shall then see, and perceive, and understand.' -The secret of the Lord is among them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.”

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

What Shakspeare has said of our passions, is not less true of our intellect, that

Sometimes we are devils to ourselves }
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presuming on their changeful potency.

Mr.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[ocr errors]

Mr. Miller, in those Lectures to which we have more than once referred, has beautifully shown that if we would, indeed, have Gon for our Protector, with CHRIST for our Saviour, and the HOLY SPIRIT for our Comforter, we must receive him first unequivocally, as our lawgiver;' and that implicit faith is amongst the most reasonable, because amongst the most indisputable of all things. Perhaps Dr. Johnson never composed any thing so truly excellent as his prayer against inquisitive and perplexing thoughts. Boswell has justly said, it is so wise and energetic, so philosophical, and so pious, that I doubt not of its affording consolation to many a sincere Christian, when in a state of mind to which, I believe, the best are sometimes liable. We insert it here, in the sure expectation that it, will reach some heart which needs it.

O Lord, my Maker and Protector, who hast graciously sent me into this world to work out my salvation, enable me to drive. from me all such unquiet and perplexing thoughts as may mislead on hinder me in the practices of those duties which thou hast required. When I behold the works of thy hands, give me grace always to remember that thy thoughts are not my thoughts, nor thy ways my ways. And while it shall please thee to continue me in this world, where much is to be done, and little to be known, teach me by thy Holy Spirit, to withdraw my mind from unprofitable and dangerous inquiries; from difficulties vainly curious; and doubts impossible to be solved. Let me rejoice in the light which thou hast imparted; let me serve thee with active zeal and humble confidence; and wait with patient expectation for the time, in which the soul, which thou receivest, shall be satisfied with knowledge. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amename! why in mind of vle

It is observed by Baxter, in his account of the changes which time, and experience, and reflection, had wrought in his own mindy that we mistake men's diseases, when we think there needeth nothing to cure their errors; but only to bring them the evidence of truth Alas, there are many distempers of mind to be removed, before they are ready to receive that evidence! And, therefore,' he says, that church is happy where, order is kept up, and the abilities of the ministers command a reverent submission from the hearers; and where all are in Christ's school in the distindt ranks of teachers and learners; for in a learning way men are ready to receive the truth; but in a disputing way they come

The reader wil will find it in the Narrative of his Life and Times, part i. p. 124. And, in Dr. Wordsworth's valuable collection of Ecclesiastical Biography, vol. v.. It is one of the most instructive passages ever written by a judicious and conscientious self

observer.

1

[blocks in formation]

armed against it with prejudice and animosity? The strain into which we have been led, is not addressed to disputants, but to inquirers; not to those who hate or despise religion,

DEt ut putentur sapere, cœlum vituperant ;

but to those humbler and better spirits, who feel its want, and whom that feeling has already almost persuaded to believe. Many such there are, into whose hands these pages will come, who will have reason to be thankful to us, if they follow the course of investigation which we have pointed out, and consult those admirable authors who have entered into it at length. And some, perhaps, there may be, whom even these observations may lead to think more gravely than they have hitherto done upon the most momentous of all subjects, and to apprehend that Christianity may possibly rest upon stronger grounds than they have heretofore suspected, and to pursue the inquiry under better teachers, The hope of this, as it has been our motive for touching upon it thus imperfectly must also be our excuse.

We would urge such readers to consider the difference between Christianity and all other systems of Religion. Heathenism and Mahometanism," says Baxter, are kept up by tyranny and beastly ignorance, and blush to stand at the bar of reason. And Judaism is but Christianity in the egg or bud. And mere Deism, which,

is the most placompetitor, is so turned out of almost the

whole world, as if Nature made its own confession, that without a Mediator it cannot come to God.'-Witness the experiment of the Theophilanthropists in France!

[ocr errors]

We would entreat them to compare it with all other schemes, whether of religion or philosophy, philosophy, in its evidences, in its character, in its means, its end, and its effects. Christianity requires of man no sacrifice but that of his evil thoughts and o propensities, no duty but what brings with it, even in this life, its own exceeding propensities, great reward. It gives him an unerring rule of life, so excellently adapted to all the relations of society, and to the whole to the whole business of the world, that in proportion as he observes it, does he fulfil his duty better in whatever station he may be placed. It is the sure guide in youth; the sure support in temptation; the sure consolation in age and sorrow; the sure restorative for him who, turning away from error and wickedness, would save his soul alive, The only real wisdom, and the only abiding happiness, are to be found in it. The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom. unto the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.'

With one extract more we must conclude, for we will not weaken its effect by any thing which we could add to it. It is from a discourse delivered at Boston, in New England, by Dr. Channing, one of those men who are a blessing and an honour to their generation and their country. The discourse is upon the Evidences of Revealed Religion. Since its introduction,' he says, 'human nature has made great progress, and society experienced great changes; and in the advanced condition of the world, Christianity, instead of losing its application and importance, is found to be more and more congenial and adapted to man's nature and wants. Men have outgrown the other institutions of that period when Christianity appeared, its philosophy, its modes of warfare, its policy, its public and private economy; but Christianity has never shrunk as intellect has opened, but has always kept in advance of men's faculties, and unfolded nobler views in proportion as they have ascended. The highest powers and affections which our nature has developed, find more than adequate objects in this religion. Christianity is, indeed, peculiarly fitted to the more improved stages of society, to the more delicate constitution of refined minds, and especially to that dissatisfaction with the present state, which always grows with the growth of our moral powers and affections. As men advance in civilization, they become susceptible of mental sufferings, to which ruder ages are strangers; and these Christianity is fitted to assuage. Imagination and intellect become more restless, and Christianity brings them tranquillity by the eternal and magnificent truths, the solemn and unbounded prospects which it unfolds. This fitness of our religion to more advanced stages of society than that in which it was introduced, to wants of human nature not then developed, seems to me very striking. The religion bears the marks of having come from a Being who perfectly understood the humait mind, and had power to provide for its progress. This feature of Christianity is of the nature of prophecy. It was an anticipation of future and distant ages; and when we consider among whom our religion sprung, where, but in God, can we find an explanation of this peculiarity?"

There is another evidence of Christianity, still more internal ; an evidence to be felt rather than described; but not less real because founded on feeling. I refer to that conviction of the divine original of our religion, which springs up and continually gains strength in those who apply it habitually to their tempers and lives, and who imbibe its spirit and hopes. In such men there is a consciousness of the adaptation of Christianity to their noblest faculties; a consciousness of its exalting and consoling influences, of its power to confer the true happiness of human

nature,

nature, to give that peace which the world cannot give ; which assures them that it is not of earthly origing but a ray from the everlasting light, a stream from the fountain of heavenly wisdom and love. This is the evidence which sustains the faith of thousands, who never read and cannot understand the learned books of Christian apologists; who want, perhaps words to explain the ground of their belief, but whose faith is of adamantine firmness; who hold the gospel with a conviction more intiniate and unwavering than mere argument ever produced.”10 ile al

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

conto 3 mom in to ehead edt ai „1970916,nai 999ilT จน natemush mefor ART, XIII-1, The Crisis of Spain. La Crise de l'Espagne, Paris. 1823, 1823 149

[ocr errors]

2. Constitucion Politica de la Monarquía Española, Paris, 1820

the

3. Reflections Spanish spanamerica, is 20 yilgups

(

IB

4. De l'Excellence de la Guerre avec l'Espagne, Par, A. L. B Paris. Jau 1825, PP. 80 manter fan englein is a'gard 941 to 5. Anecdotes of Spanish and Portugueze Revolutions B Count Pecchio, but its ile 19br IT has always happened, and always must happen, from the coueus stitution of our political society, that whatever be the measures it of the government, a party, sometimes more and sometimes less w considerable, but always loud and active, becomes the advocate ofm a contrary policy.noThis is comphatically expressed in the generic ni name given to this party→THE OPPOSITION as who should say, those whose essence it is to oppose every thing, right or wrong, which the government mấy does The government generally has the initiative of measures, and therefore chooses its course; and as no man or men can wilfully and perversely prefer wrong to right, it generally has happened, and generally must happen, that the opposition have the wrong side of every question. When Sir Robert Walpole was desirous of peace, the opposition was for war; when the ministers of George the Second thought it necessary to go do cl war, the opposition was for peace. When Mr. Pitt was driven into the revolutionary war with France, the opposition was yehement for peace; and Lord Liverpool having wisely determined on peace, there is now as much clamour for war as there ever was, for neutrality.

7

[ocr errors]

But though generally in the wrong, an opposition has, on the { other hand, some compensatory advantages. In the first place, the evidence of what is right, and what, wrong, is not always striking.! and conclusive; there is often room for debate; and it is one of thei most ancient and usual employments of oratory, y cita V. 6 watt to make the worse appear +1 ! ȴ!} *yp! The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest counsels.

In

« AnteriorContinuar »