tion, but man can only prevail upon them by reason' (pp. 229, 230). In this way, too, will the infinite wisdom of the God of revelation fully appear. The more they exercise their own reason, the more they will admire and adore His. For none can admire reason, but they that use some reason themselves' (p. 163).

These extracts are probably sufficient to make good the assertion, that a more just, temperate, and discriminating estimate of the relations of faith and reason is hardly to be found, either in our earlier or later theology. And it may add to the interest of this summary to remark, that Locke's celebrated comparison of the light of revelation to the telescopic light of a star, and of reason to the eye that descries it, whence he argues the folly of extinguishing the perceiving organ, is found in substance, and almost in words, in Culverwel. Did you never observe an eye using a prospective-glass, for the discovering, and amplifying, and approximating of some remote and yet desirable object? And did you perceive any opposition between the eye and the glass? Was there not rather a loving correspondency and communion between them? Why should there be any greater strife between faith and reason, seeing they are brethren ?' (p. 222.)

In Culverwel, we thus see a noble example, rare in his age, and still more rare in his party, of a strictly supernaturalist theology, accurately defining its relations to philosophy without prejudice to either side, outflanking by anticipation the various objections of unbelief, afterwards concentrated in the sarcasm of Hume, 'that our holy religion is founded on faith,' and projecting its theory, by its own vital force,

onward into the exciting controversies of the nineteenth century. May it be given to all, who in our times take part in these struggles, on the one hand, to use our author's words, 'not to look on religion as a bird of prey, that comes to peck out the eyes of men; and, on the other, to aspire after that bloodless victory of faith which Culverwel thus so warmly celebrates. If the cherubim be ambitious of stooping, if angelical understanding do so earnestly mapakúa, methinks then the sons of men might fall down at the "beautiful feet" of evangelical mysteries, with that humble acknowledgment, Non sum dignus solvere corrigiam hujus mysterii. Only let thy faith triumph here, for it shall not triumph hereafter; let it shine in time, for it must vanish in eternity' (p. 236).

J. C.

ΑΝ

ELEGANT

And Learned

DISCOURSE

Of the

Light of Nature.

By NATHANAEL CULVERWEL, Master of Arts, and lately Fellow of EMANUEL Colledge in CAMBRIDGE.

Imprimatur, EDM. CALAMY.

London, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard. 1652.

Hodiod