tried upon its proper evidence, without deferring much to this sort of argument, on either side. The evidence,' as Bishop Butler hath rightly observed, 'depends upon the judgment we form of human conduct, under given circumstances, of which it may be presumed that we know something; the objection stands upon the supposed conduct of the Deity, under relations with which we are not acquainted.'

What would be the real effect of that overpowering evidence which our adversaries require in a revelation, it is difficult to foretell; at least, we must speak of it as of a dispensation of which we have no experience. Some consequences however would, it is probable, attend this economy, which do not seem to befit a revelation that proceeded from God. One is, that irresistible proof would restrain the voluntary powers too much; would not answer the purpose of trial and probation; would call for no exercise of candor, seriousness, humility, inquiry; no submission of passions, interests, and prejudices, to moral evidence and to probable truth; no habits of reflection; none of that previous desire to learn, and to obey the will of God, which forms perhaps the test of the virtuous principle, and which induces men to attend, with care and reverence, to every credible intimation of that will, and to resign present advantages and present pleasures to every reasonable expectation of propitiating his favor. 'Men's moral probation may be, whether they will take due care to inform themselves by impartial consideration; and, afterwards, whether they will act as the case requires, upon the evidence which they have. And this, we find by experience, is often our probation in our temporal capacity."

II. These modes of communication would leave no place for the admission of internal evidence; which ought, perhaps, to bear a considerable part in the proof of every revelation, because it is a species of evidence, which applies itself to the knowledge, love, and practice of virtue, and which operates in proportion to the degree of those qualities which it finds in the person whom it addresses. Men of good dispositions, amongst Christians, are greatly affected by the impression which the scriptures themselves make upon their minds. Their convic

1 Butler's Analogy, part ii. c. vi.

And this

tion is much strengthened by these impressions. perhaps was intended to be one effect to be produced by the religion. It is likewise true, to whatever cause we ascribe it (for I am not in this work at liberty to introduce the christian doctrine of grace or assistance, or the christian promise, 'that, if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God,')—it is true, I say, that they who sincerely act, or sincerely endeavor to act, according to what they believe, that is, according to the just result of the probabilities, or, if you please, the possibilities in natural and revealed religion, which they themselves perceive, and according to a rational estimate of consequences, and, above all, according to the just effect of those principles of gratitude and devotion, which even the view of nature generates in a well-ordered mind, seldom fail of proceeding farther. This also may have been exactly what was designed.

Whereas may it not be said, that irresistible evidence would confound all characters, and all dispositions? would subvert, rather than promote, the true purpose of the divine councils, which is not to produce obedience by a force little short of mechanical constraint (which obedience would be regularity, not virtue, and would hardly perhaps differ from that which inanimate bodies pay to the laws impressed upon their nature), but to treat moral agents agreeably to what they are; which is done, when light and motives are of such kinds, and are imparted in such measures, that the influence of them depends upon the recipients themselves? 'It is not meet to govern rational free agents in vid by sight and sense. It would be no trial or thanks to the most sensual wretch to forbear sinning if heaven and hell were open to his sight. That spiritual vision and fruition is our state in patria.'-(Baxter's Reasons, p. 357.) There may be truth in this thought, though roughly expressed. Few things are more improbable than that we (the human species) should be the highest order of beings in the universe; that animated nature should ascend from the lowest reptile to us, and all at once stop there. If there be classes above us of rational intelligences, clearer manifestations may belong to them. This may be one of the distinctions.

1 John vii. 17.

And it may be one, to which we ourselves hereafter shall attain.

III. But thirdly; may it not also be asked, whether the perfect display of a future state of existence would be compatible with the activity of civil life, and with the success of human affairs? I can easily conceive that this impression may be overdone; that it may so seize and fill the thoughts, as to leave no place for the cares and offices of men's several stations, no anxiety for worldly prosperity, or even for a worldly provision, and, by consequence, no sufficient stimulus to secular industry. Of the first Christians we read, that all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need; and, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." This was extremely natural, and just what might be expected from miraculous evidence coming with full force upon the senses of mankind: but I much doubt, whether, if this state of mind had been universal, or long continued, the business of the world could have gone on. The necessary arts of social life would have been little cultivated. The plough and the loom would have stood still. Agriculture, manufactures, trade, and navigation, would not, I think, have flourished, if they could have been exercised at all. Men would have addicted themselves to contemplative and ascetic lives, instead of lives of business and of useful industry. We observe that St. Paul found it necessary, frequently to recall his converts to the ordinary labors and domestic duties of their condition; and to give them, in his own example, a lesson of contented application to their worldly employments.

By the manner in which the religion is now proposed, a great portion of the human species is enabled, and of these, multitudes of every generation are induced to seek and to effectuate their salvation through the medium of Christianity, without interruption of the prosperity or of the regular course of human affairs.

'Acts ii. 44-46.

ANNOTATION.

'A system of strict optimism may be the real system.' The one great difficulty, which is continually meeting us in various shapes, and of which the one now before us is a portion, the existence of evil,-is one of which no satisfactory explanation has ever been offered, or, we may be assured, ever will be, to Man in his present state. Many well-meaning but not clear-headed persons, zealous to 'vindicate the ways of God to Man,' have written on the subject, weakly indeed and ineffectually, but in a pious and reverent tone. But some, while pretending to pre-eminent piety and humility, and denouncing as ungodly, or deriding as childish, all who differ from them, have used language which is in fact profanely presumptuous. It is to be hoped that some of them have spoken as they do, through mere confusion of thought, not perceiving what their doctrine really amounts to. A right-minded Christian, however, will say, 'I am sure so and so is right, though I do not understand why or how it is; but such is the command of my heavenly Father; and I do understand that I have good grounds for trusting in Him.' And such a man will keep clear of the presumption, calling itself humility, of those who insist on it that in such and such instances the Almighty had no reason at all for what He has done, except (as they express it) to 'declare his sovereignty;' and that He acted only 'for his own glory;' as if He could literally seek glory! Whenever the Most High has merely revealed to us his will, we must not dare to pronounce that He had no reason for it except his will, because He has not thought fit to make those reasons known to us. To say (as some have presumed to say) that He does1 so and so for

1 'Multi quidem, ac si invidiam a Deo repellere vellent, electionem ita fatentur ut negent quenquam reprobari. Sed inscitè nimis et pueriliter, quando ipsa electio nisi reprobationi opposita non staret. Dicitur segregare Deus quos adoptat in salutem. . . Quos ergo Deus præterit, reprobat: neque aliâ de causâ nisi quod ab hereditate quam filiis suis prædestinat, illos vult excludere.'-Inst. lib. iii. cap. xxiii. § 1. . . . . Unde factum est, ut tot gentes, una cum liberis eorum infantibus, æternæ morti involveret lapsus Adæ absque remedio, nisi quia Deo ita visum est? Hic obmutescere oportet tam dicaces alioqui linguas. Decretum quidem horribile fateor inficiari tamen nemo poterit quin præsciverit Deus quem exitum esset habiturus homo, antequam ipsum conderet, et ideo præsciverit, quia decreto suo sic ordinarat.'--Calvin Instit. lib. iii. cap. xxiii. § 7. How far from having attained to this doctrine, or forming any notion of it, must have been those disciples who were present when our Lord 'beheld the City and WEPT OVER IT !'

no cause whatever except that He chooses it, seems little, if at all, short of blasphemy. Even an earthly king, being not responsible to any of his subjects for the reasons of his commands, may sometimes think fit to issue commands without explaining his reasons. And it would be insolent rashness for any one thence to conclude that he had no reasons, but acted from mere caprice.

So also, a dutiful child will often have to say, 'I do so and so because my kind and wise parents have commanded me: that is reason enough for me.' But though this is to the child-a very good reason for obeying the command, it would be a very bad reason, with the parents, for giving that command. And he would show his filial veneration, and trust, not by taking for granted that his parents had no reason for their commands, but, on the contrary, by taking for granted that there was a good reason both for their acting as they did, and for their withholding from him any explanation. Most wise is Scaliger's precept :

Nescire velle quæ Magister optimus

Docere non vult, eruditu inscitia est.

THAT

CHAPTER VII.

The supposed Effects of Christianity.

\HAT a religion, which, under every form in which it is taught, holds forth the final reward of virtue, and punishment of vice, and proposes those distinctions of virtue and vice, which the wisest and most cultivated part of mankind confess to be just, should not be believed, is very possible; but that, so far as it is believed, it should not produce any good, but rather a bad effect upon public happiness, is a proposition, which it requires very strong evidence to render credible. Yet many have been found to contend for this paradox, and very confident appeals have been made to history, and to observation, for the truth of it.

In the conclusions, however, which these writers draw, from what they call experience, two sources, I think, of mistake, may be perceived.