Page images
PDF
EPUB

answered a gainsayer, without making an enemy, and men of all parties united in approving his performance. Of these expressions of approbation, we select the following from Dr Jebb, as at once just yet discriminating: -"I am delighted with your Apology beyond measure; various parts suggested to me new lights, which have guided my mind with respect to some difficulties, which I never expected to have seen so completely removed It will no doubt increase your already high re; utation; but it will do more; it will, I trust, remove the prejudices of many well disposed Deists, and be the happy means of converting them to the truth. The liberal sentiments which every where prevail in it do you the hi hest credit. The elegance, simplicity, and accuracy of the style, give myself, and all I converse with, great pleasure."

We have said that Dr Watson refuted an antagonist without making an enemy. Mr Gibbon shewed this about three years afterwards, when he published his reply to those who had assailed his History. The severity towards every other, and the marked courtesy of his notices of the work before us, were so conspicuous, that Dr Watson felt himself called upon to acknowledge the politeness in the following note:

SIR,-It will give me the greatest pleasure to have an opportunity of becoming better acquainted with Mr Gibbon: I beg he would accept my sincere thanks for the too favourable manner in which he has spoken of a performance, which derives its chief merit from the elegance and importance of the work it attempts to oppose.

I have no hope of a future existence, except that which is grounded on the truth of Christianity; I wish not to be deprived of this hope; but I should be an apostate from the mild principles of the religion I profess, if I could be actuated by the least animosity against those who do not think with me upon this, of all others, the most important subject. I beg your pardon for this declaration of my belief; but my temper is naturally open, and it ought assuredly to be without disguise to a man whom I wish no longer to look upon as an antagonist, but a friend.-I am, &c. R. WATSON.

EDWARD GIBBON, Esq.

Seventeen years afterwards, this letter was published in the miscellaneous works of Gibbon, which appeared in 1796. It is a proof of the acuteness of George III. that he alluded to the passage marked in italics, when the author next appeared at the levee, in such a way, but without offence, as naturally induced Dr Watson to offer this ex lanation: -"I have frequently," said the prelate, met with respectable men, who cherished an expectation of a future state, though they rejected Christianity as an imposture; and I thought my publicly declaring that I was of a contrary opinion might perhaps induce Mr Gibbon, and other such men, to make a deeper investigation into the truth of the religion than they had hitherto done." His Majesty expressed himself satisfied both with the explanation an mitive The passage, however, can appear "odd," for such was the King's remark, only on a hasty perusal, while the error which it combats is by no means singular The disbelief of Christianity, indeed, does not, nay, cannot, obliterate the impress of immortality wrought into the very being of the soul by its Creator. But without the facts of Christianity-facts which it alone can ascertain, of what value is that natural principle? An eye without light an ear amid everlasting silence

the

a glorious instinct throbbing under the dark impulse of unascertained desire: and, as respects the conscience, at best but an opinion flating between the extremes of bare probability and absolute denial, as moody passion or intellectual pride impels. In ethics, the principle is a theory unsupported by a single induction, and contradicted by sense; a contingency which, as in a position in physics unsupported by experiment, may unsettle and retard, but never advance or generate, knowledge. In morals, it is a baseless vision, serving only to render the best men the most unhappy; for they would feel most keenly, that without the assurances exhibited in the Gospel promises of reconciliation and renewed nature, a future life would be more an object of dread than of desire. Hence the force of Dr Watson's proposition-if we reject the revelations of Christianity, we must renounce also the rational hope of immortality.

In the spring of 1782, having been left in a minority of nineteen on the American question, Lord North's administration went out of office. A sort of Whig coalition ministry was then formed, with the Marquis of Rockingham as one leader, and Lord Shelburne as the other, representing respectively the two extremes into which the party were then divided. To this accession of his political friends to power, Dr Watson's elevation to the episcopal bench has been ascribed. It probably was the immediate cause; though in thus mixing up the professional advancement of a distinguished philosopher and divine with the changing interests of mere partisanship, injustice, we hope, is done to all parties. Nor, indeed, can his extreme political admirers claim the merit of his appointment. By the unexpected death of the Marquis of Rockingham, to whom our author was personally known, the patronage of the crown devolved upon Lord Shelburne, the see of Salisbury being then vacant. "This minister's constitutional principles and enlarged views of public policy," it is admitted, “allied him as much to one party as to another in the state." For his moderation, in fact, he was preferred, as the less of two evils, by the king; but for the same reason he was deserted by Fox, Cavendish, and Burke. From this nobleman, on the solicitation it seeins of the Dukes of Grafton and Rutland, Dr Watson received the mitre, Dr Barrington being translated from Landaff to Salisbury. In justice to all, we quote the following from our author's diary: — " On Sunday, July 21st, I received an express from the Duke of Rutland, informing me that he had seen Lord Shelburne, who had anticipated his wishes, by mentioning me for the vacant bishoprick before he had asked it. I kissed hands on the 26th of that month, and was received, as the phrase is, very graciously: this was the first time I had ever been at St James's."

We have gone into this explanation, because one party has been praised when, as evidently appears, they little deserved commendation, and because another has been blamed for overlooking one whom, unwillingly, they were thus compelled to regard as a partisan bishop, one of the most ungracious objects that lend some diversity to the monotonous and dreary selfishness of the political landscape. How much, also, his own feelings have been disregarded in this exhibition of his onesided attachments, and how little reason the party who seized him can shew in support of their assumed right, appear from his own reflections at the time. "In this manner did I acquire a bishopric. But I have no reason to be proud of the promotion; for I think I owed it not to any regard which he who gave it me had to the zeal and industry with which I had, for many years, discharged the functions, and fulfilled the duties, of an academic life; but to the opinion which he had erroneously entertained, that I was a warm, and might become an useful partisan. Lord Shelburne, indeed, had expressed to the Duke of Grafton his expectation, that I would occasionally write a pamphlet for their administration. The duke did me justice in assuring him, that he had perfectly mistaken my character; that though I might write on an abstract question concerning government, or the principles of legislation, it would not be with a view of assisting any administration. I had written in support of the principles of the Revolution, because I thought those principles useful to the state, and I saw them vilified and neglected. I had taken part with the people in their petitions against the influence of the crown, because I thought that influence would destroy the constitution, and I saw it was increasing. I had opposed the supporters of the American war, because I thought that war to be not only inexpedient but unjust. But all this was done from my own sense of things, and without the least view of pleasing a party. I did, however, happen to please a party, and they made me a bishop."

With the bish pric, the poorest see in the church, Dr Watson obtained a dispensation to hold his professorship, the archdeaconry of Ely, and other preferments. Thus his exertions were rather increased than diminished by this elevation, and a practical proof was given, that his reforms, like those of many others, were only theoretical propositions when the question actually comes home to their own circumstances. It must be admitted, | however, that his duties were as faithfully performed as, under the pressure of so many engagements, they could be discharged. The system, not the man, was to blame. It ought to be

| remembered also, that one great object of his life, an object of

which he started in pursuit almost from the first day of his elevation, was to obtain a legislative review of this system. The principles of his ecclesiastical reform are thus stated by himself to Lord Shelburne in a note, which was to have been the basis of a motion in Parliament.

"There are several circumstances respecting the doctrine, the jurisdiction, and the revenue of the Church of England, which would probably admit a temperate reform. If it should be thought right to attempt making a change in any of them, it seems most expedient to begin with the revenue."

The two following hints may not be undeserving consideration:-"First, A bill to render the bishoprics more equal to each other, both with respect to income and patronage, by annexing, as the richer bishoprics become vacant, a part of their revenues, and a part of their patronage, to the poorer. By a bill of this kind, the bishops would be freed from the necessity of holding ecclesiastical preferments in commendam, a practice which bears hard upon the rights of the inferior clergy. Another probable consequence of such a bill would be a longer residence of the bishops in their several dioceses; from which the best consequences, both to morality, the religion of the people, and to the true credit of the Church, might be expected; for the two great inducements to wish for translations, and consequently, to reside in London, namely, superiority of income, and excellency of patronage, would, in a great measure, be removed.

"Secondly, A bill for appropriating, as they became vacant, one half, or a third part of the income of every deanery, prebend, or canonry, of the churches of Westminster, Windsor, Canterbury, Christ Church, Worcester, Durham, Ely, Norwich, &c. to the same purposes, mutatis mutandis, as the first-fruits and tenths were appropriated by Queen Anne. By a bill of this kind, a decent provision would be made for the inferior clergy in a third or fourth part of the time which Queen Anne's bounty alone will require to effect. A decent provision being once made for every officiating minister in the Church, the residence of the clergy on their cures might more reasonably be required than it can be at present, and the licence of holding more livings than one be restricted."

These views, subsequently extended and matured, he published, in an admirable letter, addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He found, however, that both ministers and the Church were against him, and as he did not choose to introduce the measure himself into Parliament, it fell to the ground, though never, throughout his life, lost sight of. One cause of failure in the attempt, when his personal and political friends were in power, is deserving, at this moment, of particular notice. It appears that, in some former interviews, the minister had asked the bishop, if nothing could be got from the Church towards alleviating the burdens of the State. Our author had profoundly studied the subject, and his reply should for ever silence the senseless outery against the overgrown wealth of the Church of England. "The whole revenue of the Church," he observed on this occasion, “would not yield, if it were equally divided, which could not be thought of, above £150 a-year to each clergyman, a provision which, I presume, no one will think too ample. Any diminution, therefore, of the Church revenue, seems to me, not only highly unjust, but highly inexpedient in a political point of view, unless government would be contented to have a beggarly and illiterate clergy, an event which no wise minister would ever wish to see." Finding, however, that notwithstanding this remonstrance, there was & desire to be nibbling at the Church," our author was compelled to publish his plan before due preparation had been made for its reception in the minds of his brethren. The consequence was, that, of all the bench, only the Bishop of London, Porteous, had the courtesy even to acknowledge the receipt of his letter. Nor could these reverend fathers be blamed. They feared then, as the friends of the Church now do, that if the principle of allocation be granted, an unscrupulous or interested ministry would wrest the right of appropriation, if not alienation. In justice, however, to Bishop Watson, it must be conceded, that his intentions were pure; nor can we refuse the appeal with which he closes his account of these transactions," Thus, at the very outset of my episcopal life, did I endeavour to protect the Church, though my enemies have constantly represented me as desirous to injure it.”

The coalition of the Whigs with the Tories, to turn Lord Shelburne out of office, merely because he would not travel so fast as the former wished to drive, seems thoroughly to have disgusted our author with the practice of his party, however much he must have been inclined to support the principles of a constitutional opposition. We find him henceforth more and more adhering to a personal and independent estimate of public measures. In all ecclesiastical matters he shewed himself a strong conservative reformer: witness his unanswerable speech against "general bonds of resignation of benefices," which he justly characterized as a robbery of Church, carrying the previous question with all the bench, and a majority of the whole house. Again, when Fox's celebrated India bill, to transfer the patronage of that vast empire to seven directors, nominated by the House of Commons, consequently by the minister for the time, was proposed by his friends, our author, though solicited by official and private influence, refused his support, and consented only not to speak and vote against the bill, as fraught with more seeds of corruption than any one measure which had been proposed since the revolution." Nor was the bishop less severe on Mr Pitt, for retaining office for several weeks in opposition to a majority of the House of Commons. "It was," said he, "equally unconstitutional and unworthy of a minister of the crown." But then the nation was with Mr Pitt, and his want of popularity arose solely, as Dr Watson admits, from a "coalition with the whigs, who had thus contrived to force themselvesupon the king." This clearly appeared by a subsequent appeal to the nation, to repeat this censure when a House of Commons was returned, who wrought with the minister when unencumbered of party aid. Mr Pitt being thus established in power on his own principles, the Bishop of Landaff wrote, urging upon him to accomplish the union of the third division of the empire. "Then would Britain and Ireland have but one interest; and it is rank absurdity in politics to expect any cordiality between them whilst their interests are separate."

These facts are sufficient to prove both our author's independence of opinion, and his consummate knowledge of public affairs. Parliamentary reform also engaged his attention at this time, and the conclusion at which he arrived then has been verified in our own days, namely, that he could discover no plan of reform "by which political degeneration could be stayed. The mode of corruption may be changed, but corruption itself will remain so long as there is so much public wealth to be distributed, and so many public honours to be disposed among the members of the House of Commons, and among their connections. Hence I am not one of those who stickle either for the extension of the right of voting, or for the restriction of the duration of Parliament. Other and better means of introducing honest and independent members into the House, and keeping them so whilst they sit there, may perhaps be discovered."

In the spring of 1785, Dr Watson published his Theological Tracts, (in six volumes,) an excellent collection of standard treatises on doctrinal and practical divinity, for the use of students, to whom the expense of books is an object. This work, though warmly received by the public, and still deservedly in repute, was not in cordial esteem with the bishops, who sought to discredit a publication which included the writings of dissenters. It is to be regretted when the orthodoxy of Christianity is thought to be different from the orthodoxy of a church. In this case, however, as we cannot reject the Gospel, we have the privilege of choosing between the standards of the Church, and the dogmas of her office-bearers. Which of these to prefer appears to have occasioned very little difficulty to our author, for he looked upon the latter as "filling the most respectable stations, not onerously, but inculpably."

Editing the writings of others seems to have awakened a feeling for his own; and he now set about a final examination of his manuscripts on chemistry. This produced a fourth and last volume of chemical essays, published in February, 1786, when he burned the remaining papers, “and bade adieu to a science, cultivated, for many years, with laborious and unceasing assiduity, and from the pursuit of which he had derived more pleasure, than from any other branch of philosophy."

While thus employed, his lordship sustained a severe private loss in the death of his early friend, and first pupil, Mr Luther of Essex. Dr Watson was left, by his friend's will, sole executor, and an estate in Sussex, which he soon afterwards sold to Lord

Egremont for £23,500 sterling. Those were solid proofs of the sincerity of that regard which his virtuous and manly character had inspired. But we have always lamented, that now, when personally independent, he did not practically set the example of a Church reform, of which, in theory, he had so strenuously advocated the necessity. How shall I answer this" (holding pluralities) at the tribunal of Christ. You saw the corruption of my Church; you had some ability to attempt a reform; but secular considerations choked your integrity? I accordingly publish." This was said in a letter to the Duke of Grafton; but publishing a pamphlet was an easier reform than resigning a living or two. Again, "Pluralities and non-residence are scandals in the Christian Church, as a Church, and injurious to those interests of the state, for the promotion of which it is at the expense of maintaining a clergy." These, and other denunciations, are strong as they are just; yet they come from one who, possessing a private fortune, continued to be a bishop on one side of the island, an archdeacon on the other, a professor in Cambridge, &c. &c. Alas! how easy, but how unavailing is it, to raise the cry of "Remove all-every abuse," (every proven abuse ought to be removed,) when the cry is understood with a reservation, — saving always and excepting some darling convenience, some right eye not to be plucked out, which the refomer would retain for self or party. On ordinary occasions, and with an ordinary man, this is only ludicrous, but

Who would not weep if Atticus were he ?

In the spring of 1787, after thirty-three years' connection with the university, Dr Watson took leave of Cambridge, obtaining, by special grace, that the professorship of divinity should be held by deputy, with £200 per annum. The cause of this resignation, which, from attachment to the university, he appears to have made with reluctance, was the return of a most severe indisposition, that three years before had brought him to the brink of the grave. The autumn of the same year was marked by the separation of another tie in the death of the Duke of Rutland, who had been the pupil and attached friend of Bishop Watson. The letters between this young nobleman, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the prelate, offer subjects of interesting reflection at the present time, were it only to shew how differently they both viewed the great political principles of Irish administration from those ministers who have since professed themselves whig legislators. On one of the great ecclesiastical problems, for instance, the bishop remarks, -"The White-boys, I understand, give you trouble about tithes. The clergy are hired by the state, and they are paid by tithes. Whether this be the best way of paying the clergy is not the question; it was the best when first established. Most men of fortune care little about religion, and they grudge the clergy what is due to them by laws which were made long before they, or any of their ancestors, possessed the estates which are now saddled with the encumbrance of tithes. It does not become any legislature to give way, on principles of equity, to the demands of these men; they are as manifestly founded on avarice and injustice, as if all the copyholders in the kingdom were to demand exemption from payment of the landlord's rents." Again, on another of these questiones vexatæ, **As to the Catholics, on the supposition that no relief can safely be granted to them, the hand of Government should be extended, with decided force, to the protection of the Protestants in all their rights; the insurgents should be speedily and effectually put down. No man will suspect me of a want of toleration in religious matters; yet I own I have looked upon the concessions to the Catholics, which have be n made both here and in Ireland, with a jealous eye; and I shall ever think that Protestant Government unwise, which trusts power to the Catholics, till it shall be clearly proved, that, if they had the opportunity, they would not use it to the oppressing of the Protestants. There are some enlightened gentlemen among the Catholics; but the persecuting spirit of the Roman Church remains in the hearts of the generality of its members; and whilst it does remain, Popery must be watched, intimidated, restrained." These are not introduced as political extracts. In the biography of a prelate, not less distinguished for candour, moderation, and tolerance, than for the fearlessness and spirit of his defence of Christianity, these views are inseparable from the subject, and necessary, as exhibiting his undis

guised sentiments on the vital questions of an establishment and a Protestant ascendency, consequently on the final result among our posterity-Shall Britain be reformed-religious --- free. Having formed the resolution of gradually retiring from public life, Bishop Watson now began to withdraw from all interference in lesser debates. In 1788, a convocation of bishops was called, to consider the question, "Ought the test and corporation acts to be maintained." Our author and another were the only members of the right reverend assembly who voted in the negative. The question was subsequently lost also in the House of Commons. We have always regretted this. A healthy church has nothing to fear from dissent, and an establishment, if ricketty in itself, will never be sustained against a respectable dissent by oaths, or exclusive privileges. But in this instance the sacred cause of liberty of conscience was damaged by the violence of some dissenters themselves, especially by the anarchical writings of Priestley. Mr Pitt's commercial treaty with France was another measure in which Dr Watson took a lively interest; but in this case against the right. In the celebrated Regency Bill he likewise opposed the minister. In this, however, he took the side of justice and common sense; while it pleased God to afflict the father, what more natural, or more constitutional, than that the heir apparent should watch over the interests of the crown and the empire. The queen thought otherwise, and ministers joined her. Dr Watson's speech, January, 1789, was by far the best in favour of the prince's rights, and, doubtless, widened the breach between him and the court.

mere.

Pursuing his intention of still more completely retiring from public, the subject of this memoir laid the foundation of his house on his estate of Calgarth, on the banks of the WinanderWhile we shall continue the plan, in the remaining portion of this biography, to touch upon his more important labours, we may introduce here his own summary of his life, after many years' residence in a scene which he might be said almost to have created. "I have now spent npwards of twenty years in this delightful country; but my time has not been spent in field diversions, in idle visitings, in county bickerings, in indolence, or intemperance. No! it has been spent partly in supporting the religion and constitution of the country by seasonable publications; and principally in building farm houses, blasting rocks, enclosing wastes, in making bad land good, in planting larches, and in implanting in the hearts of my children principles of piety, of benevolence, and of selfgovernment. By such occupations I have much recovered my health, entirely preserved my independence, set an example of a spirited husbandry to the county, and honourably provided for my family."

Of all these virtues of the prelate and active citizen, it falls in with our present object to notice, in detail, his writings only. These were peculiarly adapted to the exigencies of the times. A moal pestilence, during many years, towards the close of the last century, as every one knows, through the innoculation of revolutionary and infidel principles from the Continent, threatened to overspread both the opinions and practice of a large portion of the population of this country. Dr Watson stood foremost among those enlightened philanthropists who opposed to this inroad on morality a moral remedy. His successive and seasonable publication of charges, tracts, sermons, and occasional discourses, was productive of the most beneficial effects, by recalling men's affections to the religion and the monarchy of their native land, and by encouraging all classes to bear the sacrifices and privations which a war, involving the existence of civil institutions throughout the world, called them to endure. These writings, published in a cheap form, and many of them reprinted by Government, and circulated by tens of thousands among that class whose situation exposes them first to suffering, and at all times most to unprincipled sophistry, were, doubtless, one great means of strengthening religious and British feelings in the hearts of our humble countrymen. At the same time, he did not maintain the necessity of continuing the contest; but in the house supported every measure brought forward against the minister for making peace with France. In humanity, this was right; in policy, it was wrong. Had the overtures from the temporary governors of that noble, but unhappy country, been sincere, the pacific proposals ought to have been entertained. But the fiat had gone forth from the Directory,

that Carthage must be destroyed, and a breathing space was sought, only to consider and prepare the best means of accomplishing this menace in the ruin of Britain.

Of the numerous attestations to the excellency and utility of these labours of Bishop Watson, from more than one Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, from legislators of all parties, and from many of the most conspicuous literary characters of the time, our limits do not permit more than the mention. Speaking on this subject, Lord Chancellor Thurlow said in his own peculiar way,— "The writings of Dr Watson have done more for Christianity than all the bench of bishops together." George III, too, a sovereign whose practical good sense and real British firmness have risen and will rise in estimation with events, entertained a very high opinion of the Bishop's merit as a Christian writer. "On one occasion," says the Doctor, speaking of 1794, "when the king was praising what I had written, I said to him, "I love to come forward in a moment of danger." His reply was so quick and proper, that I will put it down :-"I see you do, and it is a mark of a man of high spirit." "His majesty's reception of me," continues our author, "was always so complimentary, that notwithstanding the pestilent prevalence of court duplicity, I cannot bring myself to believe that he was my enemy; though he has suffered me to remain through life worse provided for than any bishop on the bench." The king was not exactly to blame in this, because he hated not a party man, but a party preacher, as he had been taught to regard our author. In truth, however, independence in politics stood in the way of the bishop's advancement. It had become the interest of no party to give him their protection. Belong to no party!" said the Duchess of Rutland to him, “and I predict, that with all your talents, you will be nobody."

[ocr errors]

We come now to the publication of the most important of this class of Dr Watson's writings, - the clear, learned, and convincing treatise, now presented to the reader," An Apology for the Bible," "A little work," in the words of its author, "intended as a defence of that holy book, against the scurrilous abuse of Thomas Paine, and which I have reason to believe was of singular service in stopping that torrent of irreligion that had been excited by his writings." This is speaking with extreme modesty of a production, whose utility was acknowledged by letters of thanks from public bodies not only through Britain, but in Ireland and America, and whose author had the singular satisfaction of knowing, from the grateful confessions of individuals, that it had been the blessed instrument of recalling many souls from the darkness of infidelity into the marvellous light of Gospel truth. In comparison with but one such testimony, what are all the mightiest triumphs of literary genius! The Convention of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut stated from their own experience, "Happy are we to find, that your excellent defence has in this country in a good degree strengthened the faithful, confirmed the doubtful, roused the indifferent, and silenced the gainsayer. It will, we have reason to believe, be a means of checking that spirit of infidelity amongst us, which has produced such horrid scenes of distress in a powerful nation in Europe." Many other public testimonies might be quoted; but we shall be satisfied with two individual instances of the value set upon this treatise. A Scottish manufacturer, Mr Dale of Paisley, having obtained permission of the author, published at his own expense an edition of three thousand copies, for gratuitous distribution among his workmen, with the most beneficial effect. The following, again, is an interesting proof of right feeling and truly kingly conversation in the late George IV. communicated in that taste which vindicated for the living sovereign the character of the most perfect gentleman in Europe. The letter is from the prince's private secretary to Bishop Watson : —

CARLTON HOUSE, May 4, 1812. MY LORD, It affords me the greatest satisfaction to have it in command from the Prince Regent, to make known to your lordship a circumstance, which he is sure will on every account afford your lordship equal gratification to that which he has himself experienced from it. After dinner yesterday, at Carlton House, the conversation turned upon the general immorality and profligacy of the present day, when principles and opinions, subversive of all religion and morality, were not only held by many, but studiously endeavoured to be instilled

into the minds of others. One of the most violent of these, a Sussex baronet, was mentioned by a Mr Tyrwhitt, (who, I believe, is not unknown to your lordship,) as having uttered opinions in his hearing so infamous and atheistical, as to force him to leave the company, first, however, exacting from him a promise that he would attentively peruse a book, he should the next morning send him. That book was your lordship's "Apology for the Bible." And yesterday the baronet's answer was produced and read, expressive of the greatest thankfulness for having had it put into his hands, as it not only had proved the error and fallacy of every opinion he had before entertained, but had afforded him a degree of tranquillity that his mind had previously been a stranger to. I have the honour, &c.

The work of whose success he had thus so many gratifying proofs, "which," to use his own words, in replying to the above, "filled his heart with real joy," appeared in the spring of 1794. In the course of the two preceding years, the unhappy man, Paine, who, after having been dismissed from the excise, had acquired some political and literary notoriety, published separately, in three parts, his "Age of Reason." The object of this intended " Investigation of True and false Theology," is to prove Deism the "true," and Christianity the "false Theology." Irreverently as many portions of this performance are written, and detestable as its avowed purpose is, the plan does not want a certain malicious ingenuity, admirably calculated to work mischief in minds of unquiet and searching temperament, but whose information and resources do not enable them to distinguish between wilful error, plausibly urged, and unsuspecting truth, stated in its own unvarnished simplicity. Just, then, to those who stand most in need of truthful direction, and whose situation in life most requires the comforts of a settled Christianity, is Paine's book adapted to work the greatest sorrow,—

To filch from the poor his Saviour and God.

To quash such a nuisance in the very field of agument selected by the writer, was a duty well becoming any Christian teacher, and worthy of the talents of Dr Watson; and faithfully has he performed his task. The intention of his opponent may be described as in some degree an inverting of the internal evidence for the authenticity and genuineness of the books of Scripture. This proof, as is well known, apart from the conviction of their inspiration, mainly rests upon one of the most powerful forms of induction,-the concurrence of a great variety of isolated facts in the establishment of a general truth. Sensible of this, Paine has revived-for he did not originate the idea of overturning this proof, by collecting from infidel and deistical writers, ancient as well as modern, the apparent discrepancies which occur among the sacred writers. Now, in so many narratives, composed by the same author at different intervals; or by several contemporaries, without communication; and still more, by writers living at the distance of centuries; or in cases yet more liable to misinterpretation, prediction and its fulfilment, - there must occur seeming differences, opposed in appearance to the general harmony of inspired compositions. These, separated from their explanations, dissevered from the context, and viewed with no relation to circumstances, manners, times, or intentions, Paine, throwing together, has commented upon in a spirit contrived to distress the good, overset the unstable, and defile the carnal. In the strong and justly indignant remonstrance of Lord Erskine,-" Against all this concurring testimony of the virtuous and the wise, of science and genius, we find suddenly from the author of the Age of Reason,' that the Bible teaches nothing but lies, obscenity, cruelty, and injustice.' Had he ever read our Saviour's sermon on the mount? Let us but read that alone, and practise it, and lies, obscenity, cruelty, injustice, and all human wickedness, will be banished from the world."

The difficulty of refuting so pernicious a writer, lay not so much in his reasoning, for in that there is nothing for which the learning and powerful mind of his opponent are not far more than a match. But as the poison had been conveyed under a popular form, it was necessary that the antidote should be administered through a medium capable of reaching every intellect, and yet of satisfying every judgment. There is in Paine's argument a pomp and circumstance, and pretence of learning, which were to be met with a real erudition, satisfactory to the

enlightened inquirer, and yet whose illustrations should not be above the comprehension of a cottage circle, or the shrewd unlettered intelligence of the workshop. In stooping to the argument, then, as well as in coping with it, consists the mastery of these admirable letters. The general plan nearly resembles that of the series to Gibbon. The spirit, however, without being less Christian, is different. You evidently perceive, that he treats the "Age of Reason" as the work both of an inferior writer, and a worse intentioned man, than the author of the "Decline and Fall,"-worse intentioned thus far, that Gibbon addresses his scepticism to readers who are able to defend their belief; Paine seeks to steal their steadfastness in God from those who are at once least qualified to detect sophistry, and most dependent on the comforts of a simple faith. In every page he is accordingly convicted of writing to misrepresent the truth, with the view of misleading others less informed than himself; or of gross ignorance, and therefore incompetent to write on religion at all. From this dilemma he is never permitted to escape. From the commencement, Dr Watson assumes and retains the mastery. But it is a victory of which he never condescends to boast. His is rather the attitude of one who chases a noisome reptile from a bed of flowers, pursuing it sometimes along the open path, sometimes tracking it by its slime, till, having dislodged it from every cranny, he despatches the creature more as tending to defile what is beautiful, than because it can injure what is strong.

In the course of the letters Dr Watson rarely enunciates, in separate propositions, his principles of refutation. This might have been too abstruse for his general readers. For the same reason he never makes a formal display of authorities, fearing, as it were, any display of learning. A hint, however, a sarcastic allusion, a name, suffices to open up to the scholar a whole retrospect of infidelity, from Celsus to Hume, and to convince the unlettered, that Paine has been but starting some obsolete objection refuted ages ago, and which the author of the "Apology for the Bible" does not deal with at length, only because such labour would be thrown away. But his most favourite authority is Scripture explanatory of Scripture, and never was greater skill displayed, united with more simplicity, than in the manner in which Paine's objections to the Bible are thus refuted from the Bible itself. Take, for example, the comparison of the books of Moses with the historical books; the history of the resurrection, harmonized from the several accounts of the evangelists; or the analyses of various prophecies compared with the narratives of their fulfilment.

When we analyze the elements of the reverend prelate's Argument, we find, that it is founded on the admission of the very fact which Paine labours to establish as overturning the Bible history. This fact is, that there are differences in the accounts of the same transactions as contained in the several portions of sacred writ. Therefore, says Paine-after parading many a dissertation to prove this point-therefore the Bible is not true, because it is not consistent with itself. But the BibleMich is Dr Watson's premise-is a collection of writings extending over a period of many centuries; therefore, not only are lifferences to be expected, but those lesser discrepancies are to is one of the surest proofs of the veracity of the whole; for they demonstrate, that there was no collusion, no plan of deceit among either the writers, guardians, or collectors of those documents. Thus the whole fabric of Paine's elaborate sophistry is brought to the ground by the upturning of its very foundation, and that in the commencement of the argument. Again, the final [roposition, which in these letters is so felicitously wrought out, may be thus stated:-The differences or discrepancies which are alleged to occur in the sacred writings are only apparent. A searching, but generous criticism, such as we apply to the investigations of literature, will readily refer them all to principles of explanation, which educe a perfect reconcilement of every difficulty. Against this mode of critical investigation, however, Paine, with all infidels and deists, most strenuously declaims. And why? just because the same criticism which is admitted to establish the authenticity and genuineness of Homer, or the writings of any other ancient author, becomes infinitely more convincing in the case of Jeremiah, or any portion of the Bible, the historical evidence of the careful keeping of the sacred code being immeasurably more complete. Adhering, therefore, to the only legitimate trial of authenticity, he pro

ceeds, not in a strict or tiresome succession, but easily, and as the case may require, to apply the principles of harmony and interpretation, of which the following are the chief:

1. The nature of the Scripture itself, whether prophetic, narrative, or argumentative, for the same event, prefigured or occurring in these, will be modified according to the character of each.

2. The manners of one age may somewhat alter or disguise a fact to which allusion is made at a different era of Scripture history.

3. The personal character and circumstances of the writers will affect their estimate of the order, importance, or consequences of the events which they severally relate, or to which they refer.

4. The geography and chronology frequently seem to differ, at different periods, from changes of names and modes of reckon ing, which, however, can readily be traced and reconciled with a little care, and some research.

5. Omissions in one narrative are to be considered any thing but contradictions or denials in reference to another which contains the omitted incidents.

6. The sacred writers, and particularly the evangelists, often narrate different phases, as it were, of the same event, each apparently relating that portion with which he himself was best acquainted.

From the unstrained appliance of these few principles, it is truly admirable to observe the simple and natural explanation which Dr Watson elicits of every difficulty or objection started, not only by Paine, but by all the free-thinkers who have attacked the authenticity of Scripture. His whole argument on this point is so well, so forcibly summed up by Dryden, that we may, with great propriety, give the following lines as the substance of the whole matter:

Whence but from Heaven could men, unskill'd in arts,

In different nations born, in different parts,
Weave such agreeing truths? Or how, or why,
Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie?
Unask'd their pains, ungrateful their advice;
Starving their gain, and martyrdom their prize'

We have dwelt with fondness, perhaps with prolixity, on a work which, in its sphere, is one of the ablest ever written in favour of the Gospel. To this we have been induced by the nature of the present publication, which requires a digested abstract of the particular argument and plan of each treatise introduced; and we have been loathe to part with a writer whom we always love, and generally admire. The Apology for the Bible was the last work of length which Bishop Watson gave to the world. For though he lived many years afterwards, and was ever active in the cause of religion, humanity, and improvement, he seldom left his retirement, and never again engaged in lengthened literary composition. When he did leave the "Eden scenes" of Westmoreland, it was only for a brief space, and to take his seat in the House of Lords when some great question, affecting the eternal or temporal interests of mankind, such as national education, the slave trade, observance of the Sabbath. or religious toleration, was to be agitated. On all of these vital measures of a Christian legislation, it would be highly interesting to detail his opinions, were this the place. We may, however, just glance at one or two of the most striking sentiments which he has expressed on some of these topics; for example, on a national education, "I cannot refrain from expressing a hope, that the names of Bell and Lancaster may never become occasions of disunion and disesteem between churchmen and dissenters; but that, in a friendly concurrence, they may unite their abilities in giving to the children of the poor a Christian education. I have purposely said a Christian education, because, though I approve of the professed liberality of Mr Lancaster's system, and esteem him to be perfectly sincere and well meaning in his undertaking, yet, thinking it impossible that the human mind can long remain a tabula rasa with respect to religion, I wish it to be early impressed with the principles of the Christian religion, as far superior to the philosophy of ancient, or the theism of modern times, as a rule of moral conduct." It were well that our clergy and legislators of the present times looked to this; and that the first light admitted to play amid the sanctities of the young affections might always be a light from heaven.

« PreviousContinue »