tions, if Volens had favoured his readers with a definition of the expression, "the evidences of the truth of religion." This, however, he has not attempted, but has left his readers to infer the meaning which he attaches to it.

It appears to me, that he considers the truth of religion," as synonymous with "the truth," "the word of truth," or the gospel-in other words, with the very subject matter of revelation. Almost every sentence of his observations proves, I think, the truth of this remark. But this, to say the least of it, is rather an unusual acceptation of the phrase. By the term "evidence," Volens appears to understand, 1st, spiritual illumination, for it is only in the light of such evidence, that "the reality, the importance, the grandeur of truth are seen," and that it produces the great and important effects, so well stated by him. Now, let me ask him, does he really suppose that Mr. C. meant to assert, that this kind of evidence, the illumination of the Holy Spirit, belongs to the circumstantials or externals of religion, and that the consideration of it has an injurious effect on the soul of the Christian? I persuade myself he will not venture to answer in the affirmative. But where then is the validity of the reasoning?

In the 2d place, by evidence, Volens appears to understand scriptural evidence, or the proofs of the doctrines of the gospel. Hence he asks," how, in the nature of things, can it draw away the soul from union to Christ," &e. &c. &c. To save room, I beg to refer your readers to the passage itself. Again, let me ask, is it possible to suppose that Mr. C. meant to affirm, that scriptural proofs of gospel doctrines are of the nature of externals in religion, and that the serious consideration of them has an injurious effect on the spiritual interest of a Christian? Can

it be believed, that he seriously meant to assert, that "to perceive, to remember, and impress on the heart, the undoubted certainty of the truths of the gospel, has a deadening effect on the soul, or a tendency to draw it away from union to Christ?" Did he intend to contradict his Lord's injunction; "Search the scriptures, för ja them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me?" It is impossible to believe it; and yet the train of your correspondent's reasoning seems have no force or propriety, except on the supposition that Mr. C. had some such meaning.

to

I state my conviction, that, by "the truth of religion," Mr. Cecil intented its divine origin - in other words, that the religion of the Bible or that Christianity in particular, is what it professes to be, not a "cunningly devised fable," not an imposture, but a real communication from heaven. By "the evidences of the truth of religion," I understand him to mean those evidences or arguments, which prove its divine origin; such as prophecy, miracles, testimony, &c. The knowledge of these subjects or arguments, however important in their place, Mr. C. considers not necessary to the salvation of the soul. By consequence, he regards them in the light of externals or circumstantials in religion, an excessive attention to which may divert the mind from the more important and vital concerns of religion.

"The evidences of religion ;" "the evidences of the truth of religion;"" de veritate religionis," &c. are very common titles, both in English and Latin theology, of works the professed object of which is the discussion and confirmation, not of the doctrines of the Bible or Cristianity, but of its divine origin; and, in this common acceptation, it appears to me, that Mr. C. employs the language ob

66

The concluding chapter of Dr. Chalmers's work, appears to me virtually to corroborate Mr. Cecil's sentiments; for what is implied in his earnest exhortation to his readers, that having carefully examined the evidences of Christianity, they will diligently apply themselves to the study of the contents of the document, powerfully attested to be of divine origin, but the conviction of the celebrated writer, that a man may be well acquainted with the arguments which establish its authenticity, and, after all, derive from it no saving benefit?

jected to by Volens. If the preceding interpretation of Mr. C.'s. language be correct, it must be obvious that he uses the expression, not like Volens, as synonymous with the truth" or "the word of truth;" but as opposed to the idea of a forgery or deception. Volens admits, that had Mr. C's. assertions been confined to the external evidences of Christianity, it would have been more plausible; but, even in that case, he says it would be easy to shew that it would not have been correct." He concludes by observing, that "the evidence of Christianity may be called one of its circumstantials, with just as much propriety as the foundation may be called one of the circumstantials of the building, or the tower and walls, the circumstantials of a fortress." But if by representing the evidence of Christianity as a fundamental part of it or the foundation itself, he means to affirm, that the knowledge of this subject is essentially necessary to the salvation of the soul, I apprehend he will meet with few supporters. Are there not thousands of Christians, of deep and unfeigned piety, who possess little or no acquaintance with the arguments which establish the divine origin of their religion, and whose chief or only evidence of its truth, is the "unction which they have received from the Holy One, and by which they know all things. Many things may be necessary to the entireness or completeness of the system of revealed truth, the knowledge of which is not necessary to salvation.

If Volens will refer to the review of Dr. Paley's Sermons, in the Eclectic for January, 1809, pp. 2, 3, he will find the " evidences of Christianity" spoken of as the border, the circumference, the frontier of a country; which accords much more with Mr. Cecil's way of speaking on the subject, than with his own.

SO

It has been more than questioned by many, whether Paley, the author of standard works on the evidences of religion, was a very heavenly-minded man, and it is a fact, that the Arian and Socinian schools have furnished some of the most respectable writers on the evidences of Christianity, who, nevertheless, after all their study of the subject, have still appeared to retain all their antipathies to the peculiar doctrines of the gospel.

With these views, I confess myself at a loss to perceive, with Volens, the danger of admitting Mr. C's assertions. I consider them as intended, not to imply any undervaluation of the evidences of religion, as he insinuates; but to convey a caution to Ministers and Christians, not to spend too great a portion of their time and study on subjects, which, however important in their place, are yet chiefly of a speculative nature, and therefore not calculated to furnish appropriate aliment for the spiritual health and vigour of the soul.

With your indulgence, I will add a few remarks on one or two more of the disputed passages.

66 Satan," observes Mr. C. "would not have a man suffer a single trouble all his life long, if he might have his way: he

would give him the thing his heart is set upon.""If so," replies Volens, "Satan must have completely changed both his views and plans, since the time of Job." But in his comments on this passage, Volens leaves entirely out of sight the latter part, which is obviously intended to qualify or explain the former: "he would give him the thing his heart is set upon. Now, what is the heart of man naturally set upon? Undoubtedly, the good things of this world-riches, honours, pleasures; in short, an uninterrupted course of prosperity and bliss. And what is the effect of such a state of things on a heart under the dominion of worldly lusts? Scripture, and, we may add, the experience of all ages, attest, that the effect has been to induce and cherish forgetfulness of God, and, consequently, of man's best interests. And is not this the very object which Satan aims at, in all his devices against the souls of men ? And would he not endanger the attainment of his object, by breaking in upon a course of worldly bliss, with troubles which, notwithstanding what Volens says, are found to have a much greater tendency to lead men to serious reflection, than an uninterrupted course of prosperity. Such a plan of procedure would, to say the least of it, be perfectly needless, and would seem to argue a deficiency of that craft and that subtlety in the effecting of his purposes, for which Satan has, in all ages, been notorious.

The case of Job, a good man, one, who, in the midst of all his prosperity, "feared God and eschewed evil," and whose heart, consequently, was not set upon the world, but upon his God, is not a case in point; it is not the character supposed by Cecil, and, therefore, cannot be brought to

invalidate his assertion. Job was a man of great piety: so he appeared even to Satan himself; but the enemy suspected, or affected to suspect, that his piety

was the effect of interested motives. To shake his professed attachment to God, was the object he maliciously aimed at by those troubles which he was permitted to inflict upon the holy man. But the character supposed by Mr. C. is not one whose piety is to be put to the test, but one whose heart is set upon what he possesses. I conceive, therefore, that the very severe censure with which Volens concludes his observations on this passage, is quite out of place.

"We talk of attraction in the universe," says Mr. Cecil, "but there is no such thing as we are accustomed to consider it." "This," replies Volens, "requires proof." In the contemplation of nature, philosophers too often stop short at second causes. These are their deities. This is the way in which they are accustomed to consider the operations of nature. But the mind tutored in the school of heaven, "looks up through nature to nature's God," and beholds him in all the operations and movements of the universe. Now, I humbly conceive, that Mr. C. meant to assert, that independently of the presence and influence of the Deity, which pervade the universe, which support, uphold, and keep together, all things in their proper place, there is no such thing as what we call attraction. And have not some of the wisest philosophers been compelled to account for attraction and other principles in the operations of nature, by referring them ultimately to the divine agency ?

July, 14, 1825.

W. J. H.

THE MOURNER'S REFUGE. WHEN our worldly all is reft, Earthly helpers spoiled and gone, We have still one hope-beam leftGod can help, and he alone. He will ever bow his ear;

We may trust him for relief; Smiling through a trembling tear, Smiling in the face of grief.

He who gave the voice its sigh

He who gave the eye its dew

All our griefs, he must descry,

And his love shall soothe them too.

ORBUS.

THE WREATH OF SORROW.

As Sorrow twin'd her wreath of flowers, I saw that all their leaves were dead. "And could'st thou cull from summer. bowers

No blither wreath than this?"-I said. "I love these flowers whose bloom is shed"

(Thus answered Sorrow falteringly), For when their short-lived tints are fled, They are the emblems then of me."

Let those, who've never, never known

The heavy heart and aching breast, Entwine a wreath more gaily blown,

'Twill suit their brows whom joy hath

blest;

But I have bid adieu to rest,

And peace-betokening gaiety:

I love these withered flowers the best, And they shall form a wreath for me!

THE HEART IS DISCONTENTED STILL.

THE heart is discontented still,

With earthly joys most richly blest; For what on earth can ever fill

The void within the human breast?
The mountain-streams may ever flow,
Yet never over-flood the sea.
No power, no wealth, no joys below
Can fill this boundless vacancy.
Still restless and unsatisfied-

There comes no end to man's desires, Some wish remains ungratified

A something more the heart requires ; The warrior-king of Macedon,

(Oh, what can fill the void within ?) Wept when the ancient world was won-To think he found no more to win.

HARP OF THE MOURNER. HARP of the mourner! I do love thy strain More than the lightsome minstrelsy of glee;

The grief of music never sounds in vain

In sorrow's ear; it speaks of sympathy. Harp of the mourner--and the mourner's friend,

Thy plaintive music can awake a tone Of symphony within: thy notes can blend With every sigh in touching unison.

Oh, if this soul could break its chains of clay,

Methinks its shrine should be a soothing sound

Of plaintive music--living in the lay, Which the soft harp of sorrow sighs around.

་་་་་་་་་་་་

ABOVE YON SKY.

ABOVE yon sky, I well believe,

There is a heaven more calm and clear, Where hope ne'er brightens to deceive, For there no ground exists for fear; And where the heart can never grieve, Or cause the eye to weep a tear.

It is a life of bliss, I ween,

Without one moment of alloy :
A cloudless clime-a stormless scene
Of never-terminating joy,

And peace unchangingly serene,

But which can never pall or cloy. Oh, 'tis a thought the heart holds dear, That there each pang of earth shall cease; Who then would wish to linger here,

Where sorrows with our years increase, Or tread for aye this lower sphere,

Without one cheering hope of peace?