CHRONOLOGICAL PAGE FOR NOVEMBER, 1849.

REVIEW S.

conclusive opinion upon the evidence drawn | earnest examination of this subject. The following remarks on its connexion with faith are equally just and beautiful:

from the superficial effects, without first apply ing our scrutiny to that more concentrated and primary influence which the gospel exerts upon the character of individual believers.

"There is, however, a sense of the term somewhat different from the preceding, belonging to the more conventional and limited phraseology of evangelical Christians, in which most probably it has passed into use in relation to the Christian evidences. It has been usual, with spiritual persons, to describe, by the term experience, that whole series of mental affections to which the faith of the gospel gives origin, while yet the term is used, as denoting not a trial for the obtaining of evidence, but the fact of the mind being itself the subject of these affections, so as to learn by consciousness the lessons which prepare man for his great spiritual destiny. In accordance with this, the term experimental, expressing whatever is relative to such experience, has been applied to that proof of Christianity which has been It is of thought to be deducible from it. comparatively small importance under which of these associated senses we use the word in discussing our present topic of evidence. The separate ideas meet in the same subject with equal truth, and, indeed, shade into each other. While the sense of experiment suggests most directly the nature of our argument, it must be granted us to apply the above terms in the more confined evangelic acceptation, as we propose to do, for convenience and brevity's sake, in the following pages." pp. 1-4.

With much power the subject is commended to the serious consideration of several classes of persons." To the Christian it is pre-eminently advantageous. It cannot fail to promote personal edification, to strengthen faith, to aid in repelling sudden temptations, and to conduct to more vivid and conclusive views than could otherwise be obtained of both the internal and external evidences of Christianity. To those "almost" Christians who admit Christianity must be divine, but who have not experienced its regenerating power, the subject is commended as peculiarly suited to lead their souls to God. The less deeply prejudiced unbelievers or doubters, are also, by powerful argument and appeal, invited to the

"For the invigoration of faith, all the evidences of revealed religion are valuable; we would exalt no one portion of them to the depreciation of another. He is best furnished for warfare and for duty, who has embraced the largest compass of them, and seized them with the strongest grasp. Yet the peculiar advantages of the experimental proof well deserve to be considered. The very limitation of its character gives it a superiority for immediate use, and brings it within the reach of those who possess not the leisure or the ability for processes of argument. Being little concerned in antiquarian or historic research, it can be appealed to by every Christian conscious of where this evidence developes itself. From its the changes wrought upon his heart within, very nature, also, if its validity be once established, it must have much of the force and constancy of consciousness itself. Its materials lying ready in the deposit of memory, and continually reproduced in the daily experience of the life of faith, are more firmly seized by the mind as a ground of inference, and form a nucleus around which the whole range of confirmatory evidences may gather themselves. While other evidences can hardly be said to convey, to any one destitute of the experimental, more than a strong presumption, and that usually an alarming one, that Christianity must be true, he who has felt its transforming energy in his moral nature, attains at once a solid and happy conviction, and has the

foundation laid for the fullest assurance of

invisible realities, which it is possible to attain in this world of sense and sight." pp. 12, 13.

Our limited space forbids our following our author in the different steps and stages of his admirable dissertation. He gives us a description of Christian experience, in its essential characteristics and principal varieties, free from fulsome eulogy on the one hand, and from affected depreciation on the other. "Whatever may be the notions of those who look upon the Christian from without, he knows himself the sincerity of his religion, and is conscious of its effects within him." For this experience no natural causes

Having clearly shown that Christian experience supposes no intuitive perception of the divine origin of Christianity, nor any direct divine revelation to the soul which asserts the fact; it furnishes the proof we seek only in the way of rational legitimate influence; Mr. Wardlaw thus lays down his plan of procedure :

"In arguing for the divine origin of the Christian's experience, in accordance with the principles laid down, we propose the following course. One of three suppositions may be made: first, that Christian experience is directly produced by divine, regenerating power, in the sense affixed to these words by evangelical Christians; or, secondly, that it is the natural result of the external means of Christianity, that is to say, of the bible, with its evidences and institutions, operating rationally on the minds of human beings, without the accompaniment of supernatural influence; or, thirdly, that its cause is both of these influences combined. We can conceive of no other origin of the facts in question than one of the above. If we can show that the first is the true explanation, the point to be proved is confessedly established. If the second be the supposition preferred, we are led at once to consider that the strongest reasons exist for assigning a supernatural origin to a system of instrumentality capable of effecting such results, and are thus conducted another way to the same conclusion. If we adopt the third opinion, it is obvious that all the evidence of a divine origin adduced under the two distinct suppositions, will hold good, and may conduct

us to our conclusion with even an enhanced force of conviction. We are called, therefore, to review each in succession, that by so doing we may apprehend the evidence that presents

itself, first, for the separate elements of truth; and, next, for their combined operation. found in experience for direct divine agency; Under the first we shall consider the proofs under the second, those internal proofs of which experience takes especial cognizance for the divine origination of revelation itself; and under the third, after noticing the reasons for believing that both are combined as causes, we shall consider in what manner the combination affects our argument. While the course of investigation naturally leads us to this view of our subject, the reflecting mind cannot but repose with additional satisfaction on the conclusiveness of either alternative taken as a separate argument, and on the sufficiency of the two combined to afford the complete explanation which we seek. The satisfaction which an enlightened Christian feels in pursuing the course described, will be heightened by every examination of the subject. An advantage will appear to lie in this, that the argument does not require for its validity any nice adjustment of the concurring influences which exalt the efficacy of the outward instrumenproduce the Christian's experience. If we tality, we only affirm more strongly the evidence of the manifold wisdom of the Infinite Mind in this department of its operations; but if, impressed with the insurmountableness of the moral obstacles, we attribute less to the external means, we only see (more decisively the necessity for a divine regenerating power." pp. 87—90.

This course of argument our author ably applies, first, to the general facts of Christian experience, and then to the special fulfilment of scripture promises, particularly with reference to prayer. The indirect argument is pursued with equal discrimination and success. Objections are then answered, and the whole is appropriately concluded with practical remarks on vital godliness.

Our readers will perceive that this is no ordinary book. Our object has been to indicate its worth, and induce our pastors and people to procure and study it for themselves. "As a wise masterbuilder" Mr. Wardlaw has drawn the design, arranged the materials, and raised the superstructure of a noble edifice. We stand at the door with our torch; if you would view its glories

and know its worth, enter in, and make opposite to his theory, by the expansion of the

it your own.

Mr. Mitchell's work, as its title intimates, was composed more immediately for the benefit of the young. It contains a compendium of the evidences we have for divine revelation, with many very suitable cautions and counsels to youth in reference to religion. He enters the arena with the infidel writers of the present day; particularly he combats the "Nebular hypothesis" of the author of "Vestiges of Creation," and the "wildly heterodox conceptions of Strauss in his Leben Jesu." The following is a fair specimen :

mass. But, notwithstanding such contradictions, he goes on unabashed, asserting, that it is all but certain that flesh and blood are the

constituents of organic being in all the spheres which are the seats of life. It has, however, been satisfactorily demonstrated, that it is impossible that organized beings, precisely such as the human race, could possibly exist in certain of the planetary globes, such as Mercury and Saturn, the one being so intensely hot, the other so intensely cold. In fact, the most recent discoveries of science have com pletely militated against the whole nebular theory in the Vestiges. The nebulae of Orion, which was the strongest case of all, gave way before the prodigious telescopic power that has recently been made to bear upon it, turning out to be a mass of stars.' The nebular hypothesis, according to the most recent discoveries, was thus exploded by the very first application of Lord Rosse's gigantic telescope, which has, at the same time, revealed such truths regarding the magnificence, loveliness, and glory of the infinite Creator's empire, as demonstrate that he has provided exhaustless themes for the future contemplation and enjoyment of immortal minds, in a nobler sphere of themes which it hath not now entered into the heart of man even to conceive; while the theory of the Vestiges was founded on mere delusive appearances." pp. 49-51.

"Now, the reader will understand that a
mass of matter, presenting the appearance of
luminous vapour, denominated nebula, was
first of all observed by Herschell lying far
beyond the limits of the sidereal space; and
on the application of instruments of consider-
able power, they presented the aspect of lumi-existence.
nous points. Upon this the author of the
Vestiges founded his fanciful system. The
system obtained not a little of its popularity,
being in accordance, for a time at least, with a
mind of high order and refined taste. But

that mind, of truly philosophic and Christian
character, evinced itself to be possessed of so
much candour as not to retain a position of
error and uncertainty, the moment the rays of
newly-discovered truth broke forth, hitherto
clouded from the want of sufficient power in
the telescope. (Professor Nichol.) But the
author of the Vestiges formed the most pre-
posterous speculation, not only regarding the
planetary and sidereal systems, but associated
these with no less absurd lucubrations regard-
ing the development of organic forms, and the
original constitution of man, totally opposite
to the views of divine revelation.
posing there had been nebulous matter, still
the theory which he founds on such a supposi
tion is contradictory. For its consolidation or
-to adopt his own pompous phrase-agglome-
ration into masses of superior density, could
never possibly have been effected in the way he
proposes, namely, by the force of gravity. It
requires only to be mentioned, that had there
really been such an agglomeration, it would be
accompanied, of course, by the disengagement
of the caloric fluidity at the focus of condensa-
tion, the result of which would be totally

Even sup

This work indicates extensive reading, and sound views of divine truth. We commend it to our young friends as a useful Guide."

Since the preceding observations were written, the third volume mentioned at the head of this article has reached us. It contains thirteen lectures delivered by three ministers of Dundee, at the request of a benevolent knew that many of gentleman who the working classes were prejudiced against the reception of religious truth by an idea that pious men were opposed to free inquiry, and, therefore, they did not examine its evidences with that impartiality to which it is entitled." "We felt ourselves burdened with dis

advantages," says one of the lecturers; "from the pulpit our voice could not reach the denying, the doubting, or the