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completion of which this happiness must chiefly consist." p. xlvi.

We propose to close our strictures on this narrative by a few remarks, on the summary view of Mr. Burnett's religious creed and practice contained in this short sentence. Whether they are correctly represented in it, we have no means of judging. Our observations relate only to the description itself, and to the view of Christian faith and duty which would seem to be countenanced in this and one or two other passages of the Memoir.

Although it be true, that the happiness of heaven must chiefly consist in, or be derived from, the completion of the moral virtues; if by that term be understood the whole of our duty to God and to all his creatures; and although consequently the practice of those virtues on right principles be the best preparation for that happiness, we hold it not safe to represent, that man can by any moral virtues prepare his soul for heaven. If he attempt them in his own strength, it is to be feared that it will have a quite contrary effect, and teach him, by going about to establish his own righteousness, not to submit unto the righteousness of God. It is only when justified by faith in an atoning Saviour, that we begin to purify ourselves in his strength, and to have some adequate, though still infinitely imperfect, conception of what is meant by purifying ourselves even as He is pure. Till we apprehend this, we shall be in dan ger of taking up an imperfect standard and contenting ourselves with such moral virtues as are founded in a sense of human expediency; and thus shall not make any proficiency in that heavenly mindedDess, that prevailing love of God and distrust of ourselves, and those humbling and self-denying virtues, which adorn the walk of the Chris tian virtues, of which heathen philosophy could not discern the

beauty, or stoical dignity enforce the performance: and therefore we would wish to be on our guard, and to place others on their guard, against the seduction of such passages as might be calculated to leave an impression behind them, that it is possible for any but those who have themselves, in the language of Saint Paul, been justified by faith without the works of the law, to perform such works or virtues as a justifying faith would dictate.

These remarks on the eminent life of Mr. Burnett have detained us longer than we had intended from the two valuable works in which he, being dead, yet speaketh. On the general subject of these works, we would first quote the pertinent observation of Mr. Sumner.

"It was a sound and excellent judg ment which directed that the attributes of the Deity should be treated of, in the first place, from considerations independent of written Revelation; and in the second place, from the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Natural reason conducts us to the doors of the temple; but he, who would penetrate farther, and behold in their just proportions the greatness and majesty of the Deity within, must consent to be led by Revelation." p. xvii.

Accordingly, he lays out the general scheme for the conduct of his future argument in the follow ing manner :

"I have not ventured to take the

Christian Revelation as the groundwork of my argument; because, that being granted, any treatise upon the Divine attributes would be superfluous: at the same time I should consider it equally absurd and unprofitable to argue in this age, and in this country, as if we were really as much in the dark respecting the counsels of God, or the object of man's existence, as Socrates or Cicero. The experiment of vindicating the moral administration of the universe without the help of a future state, has been sufficiently tried. The necessity of general laws, or the imperfection of matter, or the inevitable consequences of human liberty, or the degrees of perfection of

possible worlds, may serve by turns to exercise, or amuse; or perplex the reasoning powers of a few philosophers. But something more satisfactory must confute the sceptic; something more consolatory must soothe the afflicted; something more irresistible must arm the moralist." pp. xiv, xv.

This decision we conceive to be conformable to the dictates of common sense. The existence and primary attributes of a Supreme Creator we judge to lie within the province of natural religion: for "the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead." It is fit, therefore, that every Christian should be taught to see those evidences which the Deity has stamped upon the face of nature concerning himself, as well as those which he has furnished in the page of Revelation. But in the conduct of this inquiry, while we endeavour to gather all the light which Nature can furnish to us, it would seem to be a preposterous adherence to system to refuse studiously (for we are persuaded it is not possible to refuse altogether) the collateral light which the risen sun of Revelation has thrown over the same prospect.

To us, indeed, it would appear, that the existence of the Inspired Volume affords of itself a distinct and incontrovertible evidence of

the existence and providence of God, perfectly independent of that which may be collected from other sources. We cannot, therefore, in any sense, accede to the consequence drawn by Dr. Brown on this subject.

"His existence is presupposed by Revelation, is the foundation of Revelation, and cannot consequently be proved, in the first instance, by Revelation." P. xiv.

Surely, of all proofs of the existence of any thing, a revelation of its existence is the most convincing. This was, probably, the

first proof which Adam enjoyed of the existence of his Creator. It was the proof afforded to the Israelites on Mount Sinai. It was the proof of the resurrection of our Saviour, granted to the Apostles. And it is itself a proof of such a nature, that, when vouchsafed, it must render all proofs, collected from his works or from

Indeed, all our knowledge of God any other quarters, superfluous. is in some way derived from Revelation. Even of the ancient heathens, if it is said that that which may be known of God is manifest in them, the reason assigned is"for God hath shewed it unto them." All discoveries of the Di

vine nature are revelations. more when studied rightly, is a revelaor less perfect. The world itself,

tion of his works: for "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork." History is a revelation of his providence for in that also "he left not himself without witness;" in that it shews him to have done good continually, and given us "rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." The Scriptures are a revelation of his will: for "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc

tion in righteousness." But above all these revelations, will be the revelation hereafter to be made to

the pure in heart; "for they," said our blessed Saviour," shall

see God." Other revelations we find denied and controverted. Even the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is denied, perverted, and vilified; and even many, who receive the testimony of the Gospel, are yet assailed with harrassing doubts in moments of temptation and distress. But those who shall hereafter be permitted to see God, who shall see him as he is, and, holding perpetual communion with his Majesty, shall ever be with the Lord,

can never know doubt or unbelief more. The revelation of him will be to them perfect. It will be such a proof as will make all their former knowledge, from whatever sources derived, shew like ignorance for we shall then know, even as also we are known.

We are so far, therefore, from admitting, that the existence of God cannot be proved in the first instance by Revelation, that we look upon the very existence of that Book which conveys a revelation of him to mankind as one of the most palpable proofs of his existence. That Book may be proved by a series of citations, from it, made in every successive age, to have come into being, part by part, immediately after the several facts which it records. Those facts are of such a nature, that no imposture, which depended upon a forgery of such facts as its basis, could possibly have succeeded at the time of their occurrence; while the whole volume, comprising a train of prophecies, with a history of their accomplishment, is a monument, the existence of which can in no way be adequately accounted for without involving the existence and the highest attributes, such attributes as Nature alone can never unfold, of a Deity.

At the same time, we by no means undervalue those proofs of his being and character which he has mercifully scattered up and down in every part of creation. They are pearls in our path, which we are both bound and privileged to pick up and accordingly, we proceed now to exhibit those two strings of them which our authors have put together. The unlikeness of the two compilations to each other may well illustrate the harmonious variety of those evidences with which the Almighty has interspersed our walk, and which the Atheist perpetually overlooks.

The first thing to be demonstrated is the simple fact of the being of a God. To this object,

the first of the three books, of which Dr. Brown's Essay consists, is exclusively devoted: and it is, with some exceptions, a clear, plain, and simple abstract of those arguments which have, in all ages, been advanced in proof of this momentous fact, both from the necessity of a First Cause, from the manifestation of design through the whole of creation, from the constitution and faculties of the human mind, from the general consent of mankind, from the evidences in the world itself of a recent origin, from tradition, and, lastly, from Scripture. Whoever wishes to see a short epitome of these several lines of argument, may be Mr. Sumner, on gratified here.

the other hand, disposes of the whole of this part of his subject in twenty-seven pages, in which he disproves very clearly, though in a compressed form, the theories which would represent the universe as having subsisted from eternity, or as having had its origin in chance, and then draws the irresistible conclusion, that it must have proceeded from an intelligent Creator; and he closes his summary argument with the following apology for its brevity:

"If this chapter had been intended as any thing more than a brief statement of the nature of the argument from final causes, it would have been necessary of course to detail the chief marks of contrivance which the world exhibits, which have here been only al

luded to incidentally. But, in addition to the numerous volumes upon this sub

ject, the recent and popular work of Dr. Paley seems to render any fresh enumeration of those instances quite superfluous. I do not mean to say that the subject is exhausted; nor indeed can it be, till every part of the universe is laid open to our inquiry. But per haps there is some justice in the remark, that it already labours under disadvantage from its unlimited extent.

A single example seems altogether as conclusive as a thousand; and he that cannot discover any traces of contrivance in the formation of an eye, will probably retain his atheism at the end

of a whole system of physiology." Sumner, vol. I. p. 27.

Indeed, we think, that in the arrangement and execution of Mr. Sumner's Treatise, there is something more comprehensive and original, than in Dr. Brown's Essay. He reserves the chief strength of his reasoning for that exhibition of the traits of Divine wisdom and goodness which the world furnishes, and the evo. ution of which requires all that aouteness and discrimination, as well as extensive and accurate research, which he has bestowed upon it; while he leaves the beaten path, in which no one who wants a guide can be at a loss, in the hands of others, who have gone before or may follow him. We do not mean by this remark to impeach, in the slightest degree, the judgment of those highly qualified and respectable persons who have assigned the priority to Dr. Brown. The question before them was not simply which was the most masterly and able performance, but which exhibited, in the clearest light, all the proofs by which the existence, the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of the Deity are established, and the principal arguments by which objections to those truths may be refuted: and the methodical simplicity of Dr. Brown, who has bestowed an equal degree of attention upon every part of the question, may be thought to have met more exactly the design of the founder than the more independent decision of Mr. Sumner, who has planted his standard wherever he thought his forces stood most in need of support.

We do not propose to dwell long on this part of the subject in either writer. The reasonings of Dr. Brown are generally perspicuous and simple, even where the argument is of a metaphysical kind: for he proceeds straight forward to his object, and does not perplex his reader with the intricacies which lie around him. At the

same time, for a work avowedly designed to be popular, we do not know if he has not given it too repulsive an air at the outset, by devoting the first chapter to an abstract disquisition on necessary existence, and the nature of causes and effects, although the doctrines contained in it are generally as plain as the subject will admit, and the following passage, on the connexion between causality and mind, and the application of it to the great question at issue, is forcible and convincing:

"The muscles are the chief instru

ments of motion in animal bodies, and

these we denominate the causes of that

motion. But the muscles themselves are moved by the volition of the animal to whom they belong, though the manner in which this volition sets them in motion, or the channel of communication between the living principle and the immediate mover, is an impenetrable mystery. There seems, however, to be

a disposition in the human mind to assign the character of cause, in a distinguished manner, to that which has its origin in intention, design, and spirituality, and never to acquiesce in that causality which is limited to material substance. Wherever there are manifest appearances of arrangement, contrivance, of adap formly pursued and attained, the mind tation of means to ends, and of ends uni

of intelligence to conceive, and of power cannot exclude the idea of a contriver, to execute, the purpose or object aecomplished. The notions both of intelligence and power are suggested to us by the use of our own faculties and operations, seem interwoven with our most early conceptions, and obtrude themselves on the whole course of our lives. In every instance, where intelligence and necessarily inherent in the subjects to power are manifestly not original, and not which they belong, the human mind will, by an irresistible propensity, which is, in reality, the source and spring of all philosophical inquiry, constantly employed in discovering causes, and in accounting for effects, refer such intelligence and power to an original source, rived, and without which they could not have existed. specious delusion, no ingenuity of sysNo sophistry, no tem, will ever banish those conceptions

from which these must have been de

from the mind of man." Brown, vol. I. ven us continual occasion to feel pp. 36, 37.

And again-

"From the idea of a first, original cause, the ideas of intelligence and power seem to be inseparable; and, till the mind is able to discover this, in some form, or substance, suited at least to the extent of its faculties, it seems never completely to acquiese in any solution of the phenomena, or appearances of nature, or of the laws by which they are regulated. To mind only can the strict and proper notion of causation be referred." Ib. vol. I. p. 39.

An objection likewise arises to his continual use of logical terms and distinctions; with which, in these days, the popular reader can hardly be supposed to be well acquainted, as in the passage-

"Materialists have, certainly, attempted to place mind and matter in the same category; that is, to maintain that no spiritual substance exists, and that all the operations of our minds are the effects of material combinations and properties." Ib. vol. I. pp. 63, 64.

There is also an occasional

repe

tition of the same argument in different parts of this book, which gives an air of weakness to the discussion, especially of so grave a subject. A remarkable instance of this occurs in the thirty-third and ninety-eighth pages, in regard to the propensity in children to ask a cause for every thing.

On arguments of such variety, and so briefly exhibited, it can hardly be doubted that occasional difference of judgment must arise. We cannot stop now to mention any trifling instances, where we differ from the author in the conduct of his reasoning in these chapters, which are among the best in the Essay; while we are anxious to notice, with peculiar approbation, the high reverence which he uniformly manifests for the language of Scripture, and to observe the delightful solemnity with which an extract from the inspired volume always strikes the ear at the close of any uninspired disquisition. He has

inis; and it always reminds us of the effect of which the multitude were conscious, when they heard our gracious Lord's Sermon on the Mount: "The people were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes." The author brings the whole book to a close as follows:

"The inherent force of the multiplied evidence in support of the existence of Deity, and the natural feelings of the human heart, have, generally, secured the speculative belief of this fundamental doctrine, although its influence on practice has not been adequate to the intellectual conviction which it is calculated to produce, and has, in reality, operated.

"It appears, however, that it is possible to resist the clearest and strongest evidence, and, at the same time, that this occasional resistance is no argument against its validity. The blindness of individuals can never be alleged as a proof that sight is not one of the human senses, or that light is an ima ginary term.

God, and the firmament sheweth his handy

"The heavens, then, declare the glory of

work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night shewe:h knowledge. There is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world!

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"On all subjects connected with religion, how feeble is language, merely ration dictates!" Ib. vol. I. pp. 178, 179. human, compared with that which Inspi

Mr. Sumner, having concluded his short metaphysical argument for the being of a God, is thence led to inquire, whether some authentic record of the work of cre ation ascribed to him has not been left for the instruction of the world: whether some explicit declaration of his will has not been bequeathed to his creatures: and the disquisition which then follows, on the existence and authenticity of the Mosaic history,and the consequences deducible from it, concludes the first volume in a way which seems to leave no alternative, but that of admitting

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