ed in the knowledge of it. For al- not what use the law affords to the though a servant may be now pre-regenerate, but what it can, of itpared in the whole earnestness (stu self, confer on man. But here the dio) of his mind, to approve himself prophet shews (canit) with how to his master; yet he deems it ne- great advantage, by the reading of cessary to search out more accu- his law, the Lord may instruct those rately, and to observe the manners whom he inwardly inspires with a of his master to which he would readiness to obey. Neither does prepare and accommodate himself. he seize the precepts alone, but the Neither let any one of us exempt promise of grace annexed to the ourselves from this necessity; for no things, which alone maketh that one, as yet, has so far penetrated sweet which is bitter. For what is into wisdom, that he cannot, by the less amiable than a law, if it only, daily teaching of the law, make by demanding and threatening, fresh progress in the purer know- urge the souls with terror, and torledge of the Divine will. Then ture them with anguish? Espebecause we need, not only instruc- cially David sheweth that in the tion, but likewise exhortation, the law he apprehended the Mediator, servant of God will derive this ad- without whom there is no delight vantage also from the law; that, by or sweetness. While some unskilful the frequent meditation of it, he persons are ignorant of this, they may be excited to obedience, he vehemently (animose) explode Momay be strengthened in it, he may ses altogether, and order the tables be drawn back from the slippery of the law to depart; because, inpath of transgression. For, in this deed, they think that it is foreign manner, it behoves the saints to to Christians to adhere to the doc. urge themselves forward, who, ac- trine which contains the minicording to the Spirit, would aim at stration of death.' Let this profane the righteousness of God, with as opinion be far removed from our much alacrity as possible. Yet minds; for Moses excellently taught, they are always burdened by the that the law which, among sinners, slothfulness of the flesh, so that can produce nothing except death, they may not go forward with the ought to have a better and more commanded promptitude. The law excellent use in the saints. For is a scourge to the flesh, with which, thus, when about to die, he enlike a dull and slothful ass, it may joined to the people, Place in be driven to the work: yea, to the your hearts all the words which I spiritual man who is not yet deli- testify to you this day, that ye may vered from the weight of the flesh, command them to your children, it will be a continual spur, which and teach them to keep, and do, will not suffer him to be slothful. and fulfil all things which are writTruly David had respect to this use ten in the volume of this law, bewhen he celebrates the law with cause they are not in vain comthose illustrious commendations; manded you, but that each of you The law of the LORD is unde- may live in them.' (Deut. xxxii. filed, converting souls; the righ- 46.) But if no one can deny that a teousnesses of the LORD are right, perfect exemplar of righteousness rejoicing the hearts; the command shines forth in it; either we must of the LORD is clear, enlightening have no rule of living rightly and the eyes,' &c. Again: Thy word justly, or it is unlawful to depart is a lamp unto my feet, and a light from it. Truly there are not many unto my paths; and innumerable but one perpetual and inflexible other things which he pursues, rule of living. Therefore as David throughout that whole psalm. Nor describes the life of a righteous man do these things oppose the senti- as continually occupied in the mediment of Paul, by which is shewn tation of the law; let us not refer that to one age, because it is most fit for all ages, even to the end of the world. Nor let us, on that account, be frighted or flee from its institution, because it prescribes a far more exact holiness than we shall perform, while we carry about the prison of our body; for it does not perform, respecting us, the office of a rigorous exactor, who is not satisfied except with the task fully performed; but in this perfection to which it exhorts us, it shews the mark, to which, it is not less useful to us, than, according to our duty, to press forward during our whole life. If in this pursuit (or contest, contentio) we do not fail, it is well. For the race (stadium) is qur whole life, the space of which being run through, the Lord will grant us, that we may possess that mark (or, goal, metam), to which, at present, our endeavours press forward at a distance."-Calvin's Inst. Book II. ch. vii. sect. 9, 10, 12, 13. To the Editor of the Christian Observer, I READ with attention the Review of Marsh's Sermons, in a former Number, particularly your observations on St. John, xxi. 15. On referring to the Syriac Version which I chanced to have by me, I found that Boderianus had translated the passage, Schemeoun Barjouna, amas me plusquam HI? which rendering, if it be correct, confirms the more general explanation of the question. My reasons for troubling you on this subject re, my own ignorance of Syriac, and the hope that some of your correspondents, conversant in that language, might have the goodness to state whether the above translation be strictly literal; because in such case, I apprehend all doubt respecting the true import of the question would be at an end. I am, &c. Γ. Ο. Ζ. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. HAVING read the first paragraph of the "additional notes," published to strengthen the Rev. Mr. Norris's attack on the Bible Society, I was so much surprized at the author's calumny, respecting "the fundamental principle" of this institution, as to be prompted to examine some of the remaining pages. I thought to myself, if the whole volume be written in the same spirit as this Appendix, it is no wonder that certain members of the church establishment are alarmed. But, as I had the means of ascertaining the truth or incorrectness of one assertion there made by the author, I determined to institute an inquiry. This assertion regards the patronage of a " venerable prelate," to a Bible Association in London; which Mr. Norris denies to have been given, and declares (page 480) that his lordship's 66 name has been indecently brought forward, DOUBTLESS, without his consent or privity, to lure the servants of the neighbourhood to the meeting." Now, the prima facie evidence was against Mr. Norris: for that highly respected diocesan has, in so many places and different ways, shewn his attachment to Bible Institutions, and has been so remarkably liberal towards the Parent Society itself, that I fully expected to find both his name and his purse regularly tendered, in support of the Cavendish Square Bible Association. Accordingly, on applying to the Secretary, I was gratified by the perusal of an original letter, from Sir THOMAS BERNARD, Bart. than whom the Church of England has not a more zealous and sincere friend. I subjoin a copy of the letter alluded to. "Wimpole Street, Feb. 14, 1814. "Dear Sir, "I have great pleasure in informing you, that the BISHOP OF DURHAM has kindly allowed his name to be proposed as Patron of the Cavendish Square Bible Asso ciation. Upon my informing him, that you had said subscriptions would not be wanted, he desired I would present you, in his name, with 107., towards incidental expenses; to which I beg leave to add five guineas on my own part, and inclose them both. "Should the Committee persevere in their wish, that I would take the chair at the meeting, I will endeavour to obey them, unless I can induce a more proper person to undertake it. . "I cannot conclude this letter without expressing my sense of the obligation which I, in common with other Christians, owe to you and the other gentlemen, for your exertions in this most important of all subjects. "I have the honour to be, &c. "Joseph Christian, Esq." The very fallacious and unandid representations which (on a cursory view) I discover in Mr. Norris's volume, may possibly have prevented the appearance of any reply. It is only within these few days past that I have perused this self-called demonstration: and though I certainly admit it to be undeserving of any answer on account of its intrinsic merit, I, nevertheless, am persuaded that it has done much mischief, and therefore ought to be exposed in. its genuine colours. The direct charges here brought against some of the Dignitaries and other Clergy of our Established Church-the scandalous insinuations preferred against the Committee of the Bible Society-the very rude attacks made on the character and conduct of various individuals who have advocated this cause-and the effrontery with which the author repeats allegations, after they have been officially contradicted-most surely demand exposure and publie castigation from some able pen. I am, &c. VERAX REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. The Evidence and Authority of the Christian Revelation. By the Rev. THOMAS CHALMERS, Minister of Kilmany. London: Cadell and Davis. 1814. 12mo. pp. 266. THE valuable little treatise which we here announce to our readers, contains the substance of the article" Christianity" in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, and was justly deemed by the proprietors of that work worthy of a separate publication for general reading. By their permission and advice, it appears in the present distinct and portable form: and we doubt not that its intrinsic excellence, together with a considerable degree of novelty upon a subject suffisiently hackneyed, will recommend it to the perusal of a very large class of sincere inquirers after truth. Its style is in general plain and unadorned, though with occasional touches of vivacity and of eloquence; and though generally correct, betrays here and there "a minstrel of the Scottish border." To say that the sentiment and the argument of this little work shews an acquaintance with the models of the North, will convey an idea favourable or unfavourable to the reader, according as he may have been accustomed to view in the light of safe or unsafe guides, the labours and the principles of the present Scotch school of philosophers and metaphysicians. It appears to us to be a very ingenious attempt to apply the principles of the later philosophy (we use that term in its best sense) to the evidence and authority of the Christian Revelation. It is well known that the basis of the Baconian philosophy, to which frequent appeal is made in this work, is experiment: and that its conclusions are drawn from the legitimate sources of actual phenomena, which are the objects of observation and experience. This grand principle to which we owe much of what is valuable in the discoveries of Bacon himself, unquestionably led, by slow but sure steps, to the immortal and immutable principia of Newton. In later times, chemistry and the other sciences have been placed upon the same sure basis. And, partly by the operation of the same principles, the theory of the human mind has undergone the most complete revolution. Des Cartes, Malebranche, Locke himself, the glory of theorists, and after him Berkley, with his giddy and motley train of disciples, have been, on this subject, brought to the touchstone of "common sense" and experience; and, as to many points, "found wanting." And the Newton of the metaphysicians, Dr. Reid, has erected a system on their ruins which bids fair to maintain its place amongst the lasting monuments of truth. The system of this new mode of philosophising has been, in all cases, the same-to sacrifice the argument a priori for that a posteriori-to trace principles from phenomena-to reason from what is certain to what is uncertain-to induce general laws from particular and well-investigated facts-above all, to ascertain the limits of knowledge-to reject all self-originating hypotheses-to classify and arrange the results of actual experience-and patiently to await the season of happier discovery, where sufficient data are not yet, afforded for forming our conclusions. To these principles, then, Mr. Chalmers now appeals in behalf of the first and greatest of sciences; and he demands only the same disposition of mind, and the same mode of argument now universally applied to other investigations, in order to effect complete conviction as to the truth and authority of the Christian Revelation. Christianity, like all other sciences, he considers as having been in times past too much under the dominion of sciolists and speculatists. A number of positions had been assumed, a priori, according to which the authority of Revelation had been. weighed and determined. Natural Religion, as it is called, had been made to take precedency of Revelation; and certain dogmas, ob tained no one knows whence, except circuitously from the Scrip tures, and by a perversion of them, had been laid down as the golden rule of right and wrong- -a rule by which the Scriptures themselves were to be tried and sentenced. Hence, as might have been expected, inextricable confusion ensued. The defenders of religion found themselves strangely perplexed, when called upon to bring that which is infinite to be measured by their own finite rules, Infidels took every possible advantage of so dubious and unsteady a ground. The strongest of all causes was endangered by the weight of its useless armour: and the "wisdom of God in a mystery" was discredited, by having unaccountably become in the hands of too many of its advocates, "Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy." To remedy this involved and inverted order of things, and to clear away the rubbish which at once obstructed our view and encumbered the foundations of the venerable pile, is the noble object of our author. In order to this, upon the Baconian principle, he introduces, in the first instance, the religion of Jesus Christ itself to tell its own tale.-What is Christianity? It is the substance of a report said to have been de livered by a certain number recorded witnesses, and purporting to contain the will of the Supreme Being. It is a history of Jesus Christ, the reputed Son of God, and delegated Messenger of Heaven a history of his life, his doctrines, and his miracles. Now the first question that presented itself to the mind of the Baconian philosopher, upon the proposal of such a history, would not, it is presumed, be, What appearance ought such an illustrious Being to assume-what ought to be the purport of his message-a message from the skies-a communication from God to man? No: it would be directed, first of all, to that which is the plainest, and most open to experience and analysis in the phenomenon, viz. "What is the evidence I have that this is a true history? What assurance have I that such a person as Jesus Christ did actually appear; that such miracles were wrought; that such doctrines were delivered? The nature of such doctrines, it is very possible, may be obscure. I have no example before me of other revelations, to prove whether it will be so or not. Much less have I any precedent to supply me with any previous knowledge of these doctrines. But I have precedents innumerable as to the other points. No investigation is more casily conducted than that of his torical evidence. The plainest and most undeniable demand upon my reason is, that I should bring this historical document to the same test to which I bring all other documents. And the obvious advantage attending this method of proceeding will be, either that I shall discover a fallacy in the evidence for the truth and genuineness of the document itself, which will at once entitle me to reject it as a forgery-or I shall be compelled to acknowledge it as a wellfounded and veritable record. In this latter case, what further shall I have to do? Why, surely, to adopt it as true: and then, instead of previously determining what a Divine revelation ought to be, humbly to learn in its pages what. a Divine revelation is. Having no sufficient grounds even for conjecturing what a Being so mysterious, so remote, so highly exalted in the majesty of his essence and: the perfection of his attributes, would condescend to communicate to so low a creature as man; I have, in this case, only to receive with thankfuluess that which God is here plainly recorded to have communicated, and attentively to studythe contents of this communica tion." From this very slight statement of the principles assumed by our author in his developement of the evidences of Christianity, it will clearly appear that he lays the main stress of his appeal upon the external, or, more properly, the historical evidences. And it will appear, indeed, that the novelty. and peculiar feature of his argumentation is found in this, viz. the importance of considering the Scrip ture-record merely as a record standing on human testimony, and supported by the ordinary tests of historical truth. This he conceives to be the view necessary to be first taken of these Divine writings. A reference to their contents, in the first instance, has, in his judgment, a tendency to mingle two kinds of evidence which it is of the utmost consequence to keep asunder. By the mixture of these two species of evidence, a kind of mystery is thrown over the subject, which, on the one hand, makes the infidel bold in the presence of the strongest external evidence; and, on the other, renders the honest disciple timid and scrupulous in the acceptance of the most valid testimony. An objection to the contents of the record, or a prepossession in their favour, will in fact produce a similar effect; and will be found to impair the mechu, nical advantage with which the weight of historical evidence, perceived absolutely, and by itself, acts upon the mind. This mixture |