contained in the scriptures, which is suited to our nature as we stand related also to the world of spirits. This supposition, I say, is so reasonable, as to lead us to conclude, that at no period of the world did God leave mankind to be guided by a system of nature only; but that long before any part of the scripture was written, he communicated to them all that was necessary, according to circumstances, of a moral system, which was preserved by such as feared him, and handed down to posterity by oral tradition. It is equally reasonable to suppose, that between these two systems, there should subsist the strictest analogy and harmony; for to such a conclusion we are necessarily led; first, from the circumstance of their being both productions of the same Author; and secondly, from their being both intended for the government of the same creature, to wit, man; who, though he be a compound of two principles, distinct from each other, forms yet but one being, and this one being so perfectly consistent with itself, as to constrain us to conclude that the laws which are to govern man, though of a two-fold nature, like the being whose conduct they are to regulate, must so perfectly agree, as to constitute but one whole.

Thus, is there a necessary connection established between physical and revealed truth, arising from the very nature of things.

Now, the object we propose, is to demonstrate their agreement; and in doing so, though hypothetical reasoning be inadmissible, yet, as Bishop Butler observes, "it must be allowed just, to join abstract reasoning with the observation of facts, and argue from such facts as are known, to others that are like them; from that part of the divine government over intelligent creatures, which comes under our view, to that larger and more general government over them, which is beyond it; and, from what is present, to collect what is likely, credible, or not incredible, will be hereafter."

The two classes of physical and revealed truth, though differing in their nature, are yet not to be separated from each other; because, notwithstanding this difference, they agree in their most essential property. They

are both divine in respect of their origin; and both are equally designed by their great Author to fulfil his eternal purposes. They ought not, therefore, to be set in opposition the one to the other; neither ought the one to be held up or extolled, at the expense of the other. This would be an error equally on either side; and as it regards things which in their source are equally divine, it is therefore inadmissible.

In article 6th of his theory, Mr. Macnab, for instance, attempts to demonstrate the utter uncertainty of all human knowledge, declaring that there is nothing absolute in regard to it ;-that there is no fixed principle, no standard, to which we can appeal, but the "Word of God," which maineth for ever.' ""Upon this," says he, "all knowledge depends. Remove this, and universal science becomes a chaos, where every attempt to systematize has proved abortive."

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re

"It is not in any human composition, but in the bible, that we are to search for the outlines of general knowledge, and a basis on which we may safely build." Art. 8th.

Here, I confess, I feel myself somewhat at a loss to understand his meaning. Had he expressed himself in such a manner as to imply, that nature alone, without the aid of revelation, was not capable of affording a sufficient foundation on which to build a system of universal science; that, in order to this, it was necessary to combine nature with revelation; then we could have understood, and admitted his position. But by setting aside the truths of nature, and those compositions of men which demonstrate such truths, as part of the basis of such a system, I conceive he has inadvertently, and without reason, run into the opposite extreme of those, who would affect to make what they denominate the "light of nature," to be every thing, and revelation nothing. Whereas, both are existences which have the divine Being for their author; and both, therefore, must be conjoined; for every system founded on the one independently of the other, must be for ever mutilated, inconsistent with itself, and standing on the slender basis of one foot, when two are evidently its province.

His reasoning, however, in regard to merc physical truths being insuffi

cient for such a purpose, seems to be just. He observes, art. 79th, "That unaided reason neither tells us what we are, whence we are, how we are, nor why we are. She gives us no satisfaction as to past, present, or future; but tells us to look to our moral feelings, and the word of God, for an answer to these questions. When we consult our moral feelings, every thing there is dark and inexplicable. Reason is bewildered in fathomless paradoxes, analogous to those concerning the origin of matter. We cannot account for our moral motives, and yet they influence all our thoughts and actions. Reason herself is only their servant; ever busy in devising means to execute their imperious commands, whether good or evil."

So constantly does our author keep this grand object in view, (though he has given us enough to do in other respects) and so forcibly does he urge it on all occasions, that I cannot deny myself the pleasure of here quoting some of his weighty sentiments which occur at the close of his work.

Where there is no stable principle stamped on the mind by moral feeling and the word of God, he judiciously remarks, "That the quibbling of the intellect is endless; so that if logic be listened to, it can make black appear white, and white black. We should not think a lawyer deserving of a fee, unless he could throw a plausible lustre on either side of a cause.-Excepting the word of God, every thing is fleeting, transitory, uncertain, unstable, and susceptible of being twisted at the pleasure of intelligent men. Therefore, reserving his faith, and trust, and confidence, for the word of God alone, the Christian, in every thing else, should be an unlimited sceptic. Sense and reason may deceive him; but if he put his trust in Christ, the Friend of mankind will never forsake him in time of trouble, nor suffer him to be misled by the aberrations of a false philosophy. The bible is the book of books. It contains "the one thing needful;" and all other books are trash, except in so far as they tend to illustrate that one thing.

"But as all human science, if rightly understood, would tend to illustrate that one thing, we must not (like the brutal inquisitors) destroy even the writings of avowed infidels. For, in my judgment, there does not stand

upon record a better illustration of the truths of Christianity, than is to be found in the writings of Helvetius, Diderot, Voltaire, Hume, Bolingbroke, Volney, and other champions of infidelity. By a little ingenuity, it is quite easy to invert their own arguments upon themselves, and actually to metamorphose them into the appearance of Christian apologists, setting forth the perversions of the Amonian Idolatry."

But while we insist on the necessary connection between the two classes of physical and revealed truths, we must be careful at the same time to distinguish between such truths and the subtleties of philosophy, by which both have been so grossly perverted. To free ourselves from the heathenish doctrines of philosophy, which were early introduced into the Christian church, by persons who had been educated in the schools of the philosophers, becoming converts to the Christian faith; we have only to take the pure word of God for our rule, and by no means to deviate from it to the right hand or to the left. To avoid, in like manner, the infidel principles which are almost constantly blended with physical truths, we must be careful to distinguish between the truths themselves, and the garb of sophistical reasoning with which they are clothed; as it is not with the latter, but with the former, that this subject has any thing to do. Facts, and theories built upon these facts, are very different things. The former can never run contrary to the scripture account of things, when we take in the whole of both; but rather, as having the same divine origin, establish and confirm it: whereas the latter, being founded solely upon the conjectures and suppositions of fallible men, uninfluenced by, or unfriendly to divine truth, cannot but stand opposed to it in all its bearings. The word of God, we ought then to make the "light of our feet, and the lamp of our path," in all that regards our moral interests; and to be most scrupulous in all that regards the system of nature, that we adopt no theory, or human explanation thereof, which runs counter to the moral system contained in the scriptures. And the reason is plain; for as both nature and

*Macnab's Theory, page 470, 1. + Enfield's History of Philosophy.

revelation have one and the same Author, and both taken together, constitute the two-fold set of laws adapted for the government of the compound being, man; so the theory which does not make them agree, must, undoubtedly be founded on error.

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But what are we to do with the difficulties, it may be asked? For, that there are difficulties in both, cannot be denied. He who believes the scripture to have proceeded from Him who is the Author of nature," said a Christian father,* "may well expect to find the same sort of difficulties in it, as are found in the constitution of nature."

Since, then, it is admitted that there are difficulties in both, what are we to do with these ? We are to seek | for the solution of real difficulties which occur in nature, not in the theories of men respecting them, but in the volume of inspiration; for here, in most cases, such solutions are alone to be found. And on the other hand, many of the real difficulties which occur in scripture, are alone to be solved, by references to the history of nature and of providence. Hence, therefore, the propriety of connecting, and of not allowing, on any account, these two sources of all our information to be separated. Nature and revelation are the two volumes written by the finger of God, and contain innumerable references from the one to the other; so that neither can be rightly understood, unless both are attended to.

* Origen. Philo. p. 23.

(To be continued.)

CAUTION AGAINST CENSORIOUS

JUDGMENT.

On this subject, the late Rev. John Wesley has recorded the following fact, occurring under his own immediate observation.

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Beware," says he, "of forming a hasty judgment concerning the fortune of others. There may be secrets in the situation of a person, which few but God are acquainted with. Some years since, I told a gentleman, Sir, I am afraid you are covetous.' He asked me, 'What is the reason of your fears?' I answered, 'A year ago, when I made a collection for the expense of repairing the Foundry, you subscribed five guineas; at the sub

|

scription this year, you subscribed only half-a-guinea.' He made no reply; but after a time asked, 'Pray, Sir, answer me a question :—why do you live upon potatoes? (I did so between three and four years.) I replied, 'It has much conduced to my health.' He answered, 'I believe it has. But did you not do it likewise to save money?' I said, 'I did, for what I save from my own meat, will feed another that else would have none.'-' But, Sir,' said he, if this be your motive, you may save much more; I know a man that goes to market at the beginning of every week. There he buys a pennyworth of parsnips, which he boils in a large quantity of water. The parsnips serve him for food, and the water for drink, the ensuing week, so his meat and drink together cost him only a penny a week. This he constantly did, though he had two hundred pounds a year, to pay the debts which he had contracted before he knew God!'-And this was he, whom I had set down for a covetous man!"

The

FIVE years have nearly performed their revolution, since John Carnchan (a seaman) and a little boy, prepared to go ashore in a boat from the smack Jane, of Carrickfergus, then lying at anchor off Silver Stream, about two miles and a half from that town. boy first entered the boat in safety; but as the seaman was descending the side of the smack, to enter also, he lost his hold, fell upon the gunwale of the boat, upset her, and both were precipitated to the bottom of the deep. When they came again to the surface of the water, both made towards the boat, which the wind and the surge of the sea had driven to a short distance. But as the boy happened to rise nearer to her than the seaman, he reached her first, and clung to her stern. In a few seconds the seaman also arrived at the boat, but when he caught hold of her for support, how great must have been the anguish of his heart to find, that she was incapable of pre

nations still continue to wear. The Jews, though scattered among the various kingdoms of the world, and carrying with them the records of their own destiny, remain every where a distinct people. Their conquerors have disappeared, having been melted down among the nations with which they have had an intercourse, while the vanquished still survive, exhibiting to the world that "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

In relation to civilized society, wherever infidelity prevails, there anarchy and confusion will soon follow. This was the case in France. The scaffolds streamed with the blood of its nobles. It was infidelity which murdered the sovereign, to make way for a set of tyrants to rule with the dagger of terror, under the olive branch of peace; and it was this power which caused the waters of the Loire to swell with the blood of the mangled victims of its cruelty. Derby, Dec. 9, 1821.

and guarded with the utmost strictness. The Emperor was gone before to the episcopal palace, to which they were all to repair before they shut themselves up. At their arrival he alighted from his horse, and received them at the gate of the palace, with so many marks of respect and devotion, that from many of them he drew tears. When they had entered the palace before the cathedral, they all fell on their knees; and whilst they were in that posture, the Patriarch of Antioch, accompanied by the clergy, with the cross and a great number of wax tapers borne before them, went out of the church in his pontifical habit, and gave them his blessing, after which they arose and went to the conclave. The Emperor was already there, and took each of the electors by the hand to lead them in; earnestly entreating them to choose such a man as they thought worthy of the triple crown, without partiality or unseemly disputes. They then entered, by torch light, into the conclave, which had been carefully darkened. They took each but one waiting man, though

LEONARDO ARETINO.

(Concluded from col. 134.)

It has been already mentioned, that, immediately on his deposition, John XXII. was conveyed, in pursuance of the orders of the council, to the fortress of Gotleben. This event took place in the month of June, 1415.* The assembled fathers seem not to have been in haste to fill the vacancy which had thus occurred in the papal chair. The critical state of the church, no doubt, required that they should proceed upon this important measure with due deliberation, and they, in all probability, deemed it expedient, before they entered upon a new election, to make a variety of regulations concerning ecclesiastical matters, in the maturing of which they would have been thwarted and embarrassed by the jealousy of an actual occupant of the pontifical throne. Two years and upwards elapsed before their plans were ripened; and at length, on the 7th of Nov. 1417, the electors entered the conclave, in which they were watched

L'Enfant's Council of Constance, vol. i.

p. 310.

the whole number of those who were shut up in the conclave, amounted to one hundred and six. When they had entered with the Emperor, he caused them all to take an oath, that they would choose a Pope of piety and good manners, able and willing to reform the church. After this oath was administered, the Emperor 'retired, and the conclave was locked up. All possible measures were taken for the security of this place. Two princes, with the grand master of Rhodes, kept watch at the gate day and night, with the keys hung about their necks; and upon the steps there were six soldiers, who were enjoined to so profound a silence that they were not heard to speak. Before the house where the conclave was, there was placed a table, at which sat the Bishops and Doctors, appointed to search the dishes carried to the conclave, for fear lest any letters or billets should be conveyed in the dishes or cups. After this search, the Grand Master of Rhodes carried the dish or bowl, in which was the meat or drink, to the window, and gave it to the servant of him to whom the vessel belonged, who at the same time returned back that in which any meat or drink