liberty, and which, for that single reason, had almost gained an acquiescence; and then, unsubdued alike by the frantic entreaties of his family, the weeping solicitations of the admiring citizens, and the appalling terrors of his threatened fate, he returned to Africa, rather than violate his duty to Rome and the sacredness of truth.

In the same way, the abstract views of the Divine character, drawn from the observation of nature, are in general rather visions of the intellect than efficient moral principles in the heart and conduct; and however true they may be, are uninteresting and unexciting, when compared with the vivid exhibition of them in a history of definite and intelligible action.

To assist our weakness, therefore, and to accommodate his instructions to the principles of our nature, God has been pleased to present to us a most interesting series of actions, in which his moral character, as far as we are concerned, is fully and perspicuously embodied. In this narration, the most condescending and affecting and entreating kindness, is so wonderfully combined with the most spotless holiness, and the natural appeals which emanate from every part of it, to our esteem, our gratitude, our shame, and our interest, are so urgent and constraining, that he who carries about with him the conviction of the truth and reality of this history, possesses in it a principle of mighty efficiency, which must subdue and harmonize his mind to the will of that Great Being whose character is there depicted.

The delineation of the character of an overruling authority, whatever that character may be, makes a strong appeal to the subjects, on the score of their interest: It calls upon them, as they value their happiness, to bring their own views into conformity with it. The appeal becomes more forcible and effectual, if the character which they are thus called on to contemplate be such a one as would naturally excite esteem and affection in an uninterested observer. But the weight of the appeal is infinitely increased, when this powerful and amiable Being is represented to them in the attitude of a benefactor, exerting this power and putting forth this character on their own peculiar behalf.

It is thus that the character of God is represented in the New Testament; and it is on these grounds that we are called on to love, to obey, and to imitate him. If God's character be in fact such as is there described, then those who reject the history in which this character is developed, shut themselves out from the opportunity, of familiarizing their minds to the Divine government, and of bringing their affections and their views to harmonize with it.

There is a divine beauty and wisdom in the form in which God has chosen to communicate the knowledge of his character, which, when duly considered, can scarcely fail of exciting gratitude and admiration. The object of the gospel is to bring man into harmony with God; The subject of its operations, therefore, is the human heart in all its various conditions. It

are so.

addresses the learned and the unlearned, the savage and the civilized, the decent and the profligate; and to all it speaks precisely the same language. What then is this universal language? It cannot be the language of metaphysical discussion, or what is called abstract moral reasoning; for this could be intelligible to few, and it could influence the characters of fewer. The principles which it addresses ought evidently to be such as are in a great measure independent of the extremes of cultivation and barbarism; and, in point of fact they They are indeed the very principles which Mr Hume designates to be "a species of natural instincts, which no reasoning or process of the thought or understanding is able either to produce or to prevent." (Inquiry into Human Understanding, sect. v. part 1.) Its argument consists in a relation of facts: these are really believed, the effect on the character necessarily follows. It presents a history of wondrous love, in order to excite gratitude; of high and holy worth, to attract veneration and esteem: It presents a view of danger, to produce alarm; of refuge, to confer peace and joy; and of eternal glory, to animate hope.

If

SECTION III.

THE reasonableness of a religion seems to me to consist in there being a direct and natural connexion between a believing the doctrines which it inculcates, and a being formed by these to the character which it recommends. If the belief of the doctrines has no tendency to train the disciple in a more exact and more willing discharge of its moral obligations, there is evidently a very strong probability against the truth of that religion. In other words, the doctrines ought to tally with the precepts, and to contain in their very substance some urgent motives for the performance of them; because, if they are not of this description, they are of no use. What is the history of another world to me, unless it have some relation to my duties or happiness? If we apply this standard to the various religions which different nations have framed for themselves, we shall find very little matter for approbation, and a great deal for pity and astonishment. The very states which have chiefly excelled in arts and literature and civil government, have failed here most lamentably. Their moral precepts might be very good; but then these precepts had as much connexion with the history of astronomy as with the doctrines of their religion. Which of the adventures of Jupiter or Brama or Osiris

could be uged as a powerful motive to excite a high moral feeling, or produce a high moral action? The force of the moral precepts was rather lessened than increased by the facts of their mythology. In the religion of Mahomet, there are many excellent precepts; but it contains no illustration of the character of God, which has any particular tendency beyond or even equal to that of natural religion to enforce these precepts. Indeed, one of the most important doctrines which he taught,―viz. a future life beyond the grave, from the shape which he gave to it, tended to counteract his moral precepts. He decribed it as a state of indulgence in sensual gratifications, which nev-. er cloyed the appetite; and yet he preached temperance and self-denial. It is evident, that any self-restraint which is produced by the belief of this doctrine, must be merely external; for the real principle of temperance could not be cherished by the hope of indulgence at a future period. The philosophical systems of theology are no less liable to the charge of absurdity than the popular superstitions. No one can read Cicero's work on the nature of the gods, without acknowledging the justice of the Apostle's sentence upon that class of reasoners, -"professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."

As the principles and feelings of our nature, which are addressed in religion, are precisely the same with those which are continually exercised in the affairs of this world, we way expect to find a resemblance between the doc