ion with this cardinal truth. The highest mysteries of faith point to redemption, as that great fact, from which their relevancy in the scheme must be viewed and estimated. That omnipotent agency which imparts to the Gospel its efficacy, owns redemption as the occasion, and means and instrument of its influence. The obvious success with which M'Laurin has delineated the nature, and unparalleled excellence of the plan of salvation by keeping in view this fundamental truth in the system, and concentrating its splendors in this single point, unfolds to us the true method of studying the word of God. Such a method would not only lead to a comprehension of the greatness and glory of the Gospel, but would enable us to view every truth of Scripture in its relative importance, and to attain a more accurate knowledge of what constitutes the essence of the Gospel. Truths, by being contemplated apart, may rise into a magnitude entirely inconsistent with their subserviency to the greater truths in the system to which they belong. They thus become centres of repulsion between Christians, and grounds of offence to those who reject the Gospel. They lead to the extremes of formalism on the one hand, and on the other to a contempt of that which is indeed the truth of God, though subservient to other revealed truth. According to circumstances, truths thus detached, and almost by consequence perverted, either seen in an unnatural size, or deprived of their real greatness, lead to fanaticism or pharisaism, to errour of every shape and degree.

A remarkable feature in the study of divine things, as exhibited in the writings of M'Laurin, is his perception of the beautiful analogy which exists, between the works of nature, and the works of grace. By this, we mean not that argumentative deduction from the analogy of natural and revealed religion to the constitution and course of nature, which has been placed upon an immoveable basis by the mind of Butler; but rather a sentiment, kindled by contemplation of the two great exhibitions of the glory of God in creation and redemption, and a view of their beautiful consistency, and their mutual fitness each to illustrate the orderly adjustment of the other. We have indeed in some parts of these essays, been reminded of Butler. We conconceive M'Laurin to be, what Butler would have been, had he broken from the coldness and severity of argument,

into the warmer regions of sentiment, employed upon the harmony and beauty of the analogy he has so clearly portrayed. We quote the following example.

"And here it may be useful to consider first, the beautiful harmony that may be found, between the several parts of the doctrine of the scriptures, about these adorable divine persons. If they are represented cooperating in the work of redemption, they are represented so likewise, in the other divine works of creation and providence; and as there are different operations more immediately ascribed to each of them, so what is ascribed to the Spirit, in the work of our salvation, has a beautiful resemblance to the part attributed to him, in the other divine works. In effect, it is very observable, that the Holy Ghost is represented as more immediately concerned in completing the divine works. It seems to be his particular office, to stamp the lovely image of the Creator, on the creatures according to their several capacities, whether visible or invisible, adorning the former with all that beauty, light, order and perfection they are capable of; and adorning the latter, with the beauty of holiness, producing that light, order, and regular disposition, in which the perfection of created spirits consisteth. His operations, on visible as well as invisible creatures, is (according to a way of speaking of some of the ancients) a work of sanctification. At the beginning of the Bible we are told, that after the mass of the world was produced, the earth was void, and without form, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the first account we have of bringing all things to order, is the Spirit's moving on the face of the deep. His operations to this day, are a continuation of his ancient work, a bringing light out of darkness, and order out of confusion; bringing the new creation, as he did the old, to order and perfection gradually, through several days' works, till at last, all terminate in an everlasting sabbath."

It is indeed a high perfection and privilege thus to contemplate the harmony of the schemes of nature and grace, and to superadd to our perception of natural beauty the higher relish of a sense alive to the "beauty of holiness." We are told of the richness, which is thrown about the objects of our native perceptions by association. Our sense of the sublime and beautiful has been resolved into suggestion. But while we believe in the existence of original sentiments, we of course think, they are much raised in intensity by association.

What irresistible charms has Homer impressed upon the banks of the Scamander; in what majesty has he arrayed the summit of Ida! Nor has the shade of Horace deserted his Sabine retreat, nor has the muse of the Mantuan bard ceased her dying note to the classical enthusiast, who visits his tomb. But how do local associations fade away before those richer ones, which reward the diligent student of the plan of redemption. To him all Nature is clothed with heavenly glory. To him her order and harmony opens in

higher lustre, borrowed from the scheme of revelation. Let him study Nature with the eye of a poet, a philosopher, or a keen observer, in all his searches he is rewarded with rich analogies. To such a study would we refer much of the originality and divine imagery of Cowper, "the poet of the New Testament." To this is due much of that deep interest, which engages us in the pious contemplations of Bishop Hall, and by this alone can Nature be made to yield her highest note in praise of her Creator.

Another result of the study of the Gospel in its smplicity, as exhibited in the pages of M'Laurin, is its own internal power to dissipate the objections, which have been urged against it. In this light we would recommend the Essay On Prejudices against the Gospel," which strikes us, as upon the whole, the finest. Sir James MacIntosh somewhere speaks of "the conservative power of philosophy to expel the moral poison of scepticism," and it appears to us, there is equally in religion a self-preserving energy against the poison of Infidelity. The quickness with which objections vanish, before a clear development of the simplest elements of gospel truth, has struck us with peculiar force in the masterly delineations of M'Laurin, in the essay above mentioned. We select the following passage full of argument and sentiment, and even bordering on eloquence, as an illustration. It strikes at that grand objection of the sufficiency of the light of Nature, which has been wielded by the strongest minds to overturn the Gospel.

"But the art of making men truly virtuous and happy by their own skill and strength, is not yet invented. The result of all efforts that way, is exposing the weakness and vanity of the undertakers, and the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel, and the necessity of the grace offered in it. The more we consider the success of such reformers, the more we may be convinced that their systems are fitter for tickling the ear, than mending the heart. Human corruption proves always too hard for human eloquence: it is ever found to have a strong enough footing in the heart, to stand it out against all the golden sayings of the tongue. No doubt it is good to use all kind of helps against corruption, and to neglect no assistance against so dangerous an enemy. But to think these natural helps sufficient, without the assistance of grace; to pretend to bear down sin and vice, merely by eloquence and philosophy; to jest it away merely by witty satire and iampoon; to convert men by elegant phrases and delicate turns of the thought, is such a chimerical project, and which has so constantly failed in the experiment, that it is a wonder any body should seriously think it practicable. History showeth the weak and contemptible efficacy of the sublimest philosophy of the Heathens, when it encountered with inveterate corruptions, or violent temptations; how many of them that spake of virtue like angels, yet

lived in a manner like brutes. Whereas, in all ages, poor Christian plebians, unpolished by learning, but earnest in prayer, and depending upon grace, have, in comparison of these others, lived rather like angels than men, and shown such an invincible steadfastness in the practice of virtue, as shameth all the philosophy in the world. Many of these ancient philosophers, who reasoned admirably in favour of virtue, and particularly of truth, honesty and sincerity, are believed to have maintained one eternal Deity in private, and yet most disingenuously complied with the abominable idolatry of the multitude in public; while those who depended on the grace of Jesus Christ, shewed an integrity in their zeal for the one true God, which death and tortures could not overcome; they forced their way through all the cruelty that malice could inflict, till they spread the knowledge of the true God, and his laws, through the known world; whereas for all the speculations of the philosophers, the world might have been lying as it was, to this day."

In conclusion we would say, the richness and power of thought, the simplicity and greatness of conception in M'Laurín can be fully realized only by his readers; and to those who would study the revelation of God to man, upon our most important interests, in its symmetry, its magnitude, its intrinsic excellence, "its easy, free, and unincumbered plan," these Essays will be a most powerful assistance.

ART. VII. RADICAL OPINIONS.

By D. R. GOODWIN, Professor of Modern Languages in Bowdoin College.

RADICAL views are often superficial. They mistake phenomena dimly seen at the surface for fundamental principles. There are depths in the nature and relations of man, whose dark chambers of mysterious imagery human wit and reason must toil in vain to explore. But your radical professes to have sounded these unfathomable depths, and to have seen their hidden foundations by a sort of immediate beholding. He looks down into the abyss, and as he traces, amidst the overhanging darkness, the shadowy, uncertain forms of adjacent objects, infers, from the very indistinctness of his own conceptions, that those objects lie at an immense distance below.

Radical views are partial and empirical. There are combinations and complexities, variations and anomalies, and endless details in man's social and political condition, which can no more be reduced under one, or a few simple

laws, than the changing winds of heaven. The strongest mind cannot grasp them by intuition, or evolve them in the closet, from abstract principles. If they are mastered and harmonized at all, it must be by the patient investigation and long experience of a powerful and practical mind. Empiricism here belongs to the weak, the vain-glorious, or the indolent; and paper systems are as fallacious and utterly useless, as a conjectural chart of an unexplored ocean. But the man of radical principles is too much in haste to stop for the slow process of induction, and the gradual teachings of experience. He must have every thing done at once. He has a theory of perpetual motion to carry all the machinery of society at a cheap and easy rate. He has a newly-invented panacea for its evils-a universal elixir to preserve it in perpetual vigour. With him every thing is simple. All is to be put upon a visible, tangible foundation, and reach up in geometrical and mathematical proportions; and if things as they are, prove too incongruous and refractory to be reduced to the simplicity of this systematic edifice, they must be re-modelled and made what, in radical theory, they ought to be. All the complicated and jarring elements of men's spiritual nature and social relations are to be brought into an order so exact, and a harmony so perfect and peaceful, that a little child may lead them.

Radical views are, when true in themselves, deceptive in practice. They are unfit for this world, if, indeed, they are fit for any other. They contemplate naked, transcendental truths, without any of those modifications, or limitations, or additional circumstances, which fit them for any practical, earthly purpose. There is something of paradox, yet more of truth, in the remark of Burke-"that in proportion as certain doctrines are metaphysically true, they are practically and politically false."

Radical views are dangerous; because they nurture a spirit of discontent, of morbid excitement, of restlessness and change. They teach an utter recklessness of consequences, a disregard of existing institutions, a contempt of authority, prescription, usage, and whatever in the majesty of government is venerable, or in the mysteries of religion is awful. The regicide revolutions of France will remain forever an admonitory example of the unrestrained influence of radical doctrines. They are either fanaticism or atheism in religion, revolution in politics, and quackery