"Then a bright and glittering crown, "And shew'd me where to take my scat, Is there one among us all, And thus fulfil her last desire !'-pp. 46-51. Art. IX. The Principles of Christian Philosophy. 12mo. pp. 361. price 7s. Longman and Co. 1814. TO compose a treatise on any species of philosophy, presupposes considerable attainments. Before a writer can, with any correct feeling of propriety, give to his speculations the name by which genuine science has always been characterized, he must surely deem it requisite to be intimately acquainted with the progress of human knowledge; with all that is peculiar to the habits and opinions of that class of men whose language he assumes. To act otherwise, not only exhibits an appearance of unseemly arrogance, but has a tendency to counteract the well intended designs of benevolence and piety. The necessarily vapid production of an incompetent writer, excites the pity and the sneer of the proud philosopher,' who, induced by a promising title page, opens it with the anticipation of an intellectual treat; but after a slight glance at a few pages, he almost instinctively throws it aside, with a mingled feeling of disappointment and disgust. Minds even of a less elevated order are little disposed to indulge any thing like complacency towards that which promises much, but which essentially fails in the performance; towards that which excites an ardent hope that it will afford new and interesting illustrations of subjects intimately connected with human happiness; that it will abstract the mind from the contemplation of the gross realities of the present troubled scene, and for a season transport it to regions that are calm, pure, and lovely; that it will give unbounded scope to the exercise of the noblest powers and affections of the soul: but which, on the perusal, presents merely ordinary ideas, communicated in a very common place manner, and in very inappropriate language The title-page of the book before us, suggests two subjects of inquiry First, What is it that constitutes a Christian philosopher Secondly, What are the peculiarities of those principles which form the basis of Christian philosophy? These are important points of consideration, and well merit the attention of the man who assumes the arduous task of writing a volume on philosophical principles. A Christian philosopher, we conceive, must be a philosopher in the ordinary sense of the word; He must be intimately acquainted with those sciences, the long and successful cultivation of which, can alone entitle an individual to assume that appellation. By his familiarity with physical and moral science, he should be able to generalise his views, to contrast the doctrines of Revelation with the tenets of the schools, and to present to the public the result of his meditations in a digested and luminous form. He is little entitled to the character of a man of science who is unacquainted with the operations and movements of the material world; whose mind has not been expanded by a careful examination of those wonderful phenomena, that present themselves in close succession to our observation, and who has never considered, with the chemist, the proofs that are continually afforded of the Divine wisdom and goodness; nor with the astronomer, the order and harmony pervading innumerable systems, which elevate the mind to the contemplation of the Omnipotence that is ever employed in conferring the gifts of life and gladness upon all who come within the range of boundless existence. Nor is this honourable rank due to him who is ignorant of the philosophy of Mind; who has never made the history of human opinions, as they regard the operations of the intellectual and moral powers, a subject of study; who has not directed his attention to the ancient and modern theories of morals; and who advances merely with some crude and general notions to the elucidation of the "Principles of "Christian Philosophy." If a knowledge of physical and moral science be absolutely requisite to qualify a person to write, with any prospect of success, on such a subject, it is obvious that an extensive acquaintance with the doctrines and duties of Christianity, in all their bearings, is equally essential. This last, is, indeed, the chief qualification. This affords the power of extracting all that is useful in human science, and of rendering it subservient to the illustration and practical efficacy of that which is Divine; and by purifying the affections and the heart, it imparts the warm glow of devotional feeling to the beautiful creations in the mind by which it is eminently enjoyed. But is it not possible to write a very excellent treatise on Christianity without a deep acquaintance with physical or moral science? Most undoubtedly it is; and perhaps the most useful writers in theology have been those who had no pretensions in this respect. It is not necessary that a man be a philosopher in order to write an interesting treatise on divinity. "Boston's Fourfold State" is an excellent book, and contains a compendium of revealed truth; but its respectable author would surely have judged very ill, had he thought proper for this reason, to denominate it the "Principles of Chris"tian Philosophy." We are not disposed to object with much severity to the efforts of any man, who thinks he can benefit his fellow creatures by the communication of religious truth; but if, at the same time, he powerfully excites expectation by making great pretensions, he has little occasion to complain if his work be esti-. mated according to the standard which he himself has suggested. Indeed, we conceive that much injury has been done to the cause of revealed truth by lofty pretensions to science and literature, unsupported by the productions on which they have been founded; and it becomes an important duty to check this self-complacent tendency of authors, and to award to each the meed of praise, not according to what he promises, but to what he really performs. The discharge of this duty, may, in some cases be painful, especially when piety and soundness in the faith are manifest; but a sincere regard, not merely to truth and justice, but to the great interests of Christianity, should lead us to its conscientious performance. We have alluded to some of the acquirements of a Christian philosopher; but in this inquiry, it is of importance to ascertain what are the principles which form the science of Christian Philosophy. Before we can obtain the necessary information on this point, we must consider what was peculiar to the philosophy of the schools; and observe wherein the religion of the New Testament differs from the principles that were inculcated by the heathen philosophers. It will be said, indeed, that on every subject which immediately regards revelation, we are not qualified to judge what is fit for Infinite Wisdom to reveal; and that we should listen, therefore, with lowliness of mind to the doctrines of inspiration, without presuming to contrast and compare what is truly Divine, with objects that are palpable and earthly. It is true, that in no case are we to oppose the mere deductions of reason to the profound doctrines of revelation: on subjects so reInote from human apprehension, a conviction of our ignorance should lead us to substitute humble acquiescence for proud speculation; and we are acting worthily of the rational nature with which we have been endowed, only when receive with meekness, how contrary soever to our prejudices and anticipations, "the words of eternal life." we If, according to Bacon's aphorism, man is only the interpreter and priest of nature, and not entitled in any case, to substitute his own theories for her instructions, he cannot surely be allowed to act any other part in reference to the sublime doctrines of Revelation. An eminent Northern Philosopher remarks, that conjectures and theories are the creatures of men; and will always be found very unlike the creatures of God. If we would know the works of God, we must consult themselves with attention and humility, without daring to add any thing of ours to what they declare. A just interpretation of nature is the only sound and orthodox philosophy: whatever we add of our own is apocryphal and of no authority.' We shall not, therefore, feel ourselves at liberty to choose or to reject according to our preconceived opinions: but being fully satisfied of the Divine authority of the sacred Scriptures, we shall humbly receive the doctrines which they contain, how superior soever they may be to our understanding, persuaded that we are unable to comprehend perfectly all that the Almighty may have condescended to reveal. But if we denominate the religion of Jesus Christ, "The "Principles of Christian Philosophy," we stand pledged to shew, somewhat in detail, the peculiarity of its views, and the superiority of its doctrines over every other species of philosophy, ancient or modern. When it is asserted that it excels the philosophy of Plato, of Aristotle, and of Zeno, it may fairly be inquired, in what this superior excellency consists. In anticipation of such an inquiry, we shall place before our readers a few remarks on the peculiarity incident to Christian Philosophy, both as contrasted with the principles of every other system of moral science, and as contemplated in the native purity of its own Divine light. The Christian religion, in the first place, is distinguished from the philosophy of the heathen schools. These schools, were not, indeed, more numerous than were the tenets which they respectively inculcated; and the opinions which they held on the most important questions that can come within the consideration of man, were not more at variance among themselves than they were in themselves vague and unsatisfactory. The heathen philosophers attempted to discuss some of those topics which are now classed with the principles of Natural Religion; but the most able among them candidly I acknowledged that they could obtain little satisfaction on subjects which were so deeply involved in obscurity. Their efforts to remove the darkness which intercepted the attributes of the Creator from the world which he made; to raise the veil which concealed the mysteries of that futurity, on whose dark boundaries they hovered with the alternate feelings of horror and expectation; and to ascertain with any accuracy approaching to truth the origin, the duty, and the ultimate destiny of the human race: these efforts, though made by minds endowed with the utmost powers of genius, were attended with little success. The principles which were inculcated in the schools of the heathens were not only extremely limited, but from the i feebleness of the motives by which they were attempted in many cases to be supported, produced very little pract tical efficacy on the heart or on the conduct. Had their - discoveries been more extended than they really were, their influence on the hopes, on the happiness, and on the moral improvement of the human race, would have been come =paratively small, from the circumstance of their want of the sanction of Divine authority, and the demonstrative force of inspired truth. Without entering into any extended detail on this subject, we may remark, in general, that the religion of Jesus Christ, differs from the philosophy and religion of the Gentile schools, in the nature and extent of the knowledge which it imparts, in the morality it inculcates, and in the motives by which it is enforced. It requires very little illustration to shew that the Christian religion is characterized by the nature and extent of the knowledge which it has communicated to mankind. Its Divine Author came "a light into the world, that they who believe in him should not abide in darkness." Those fundamental prineiples of natural religion which the teachers of philosophy among the Greeks and Romans were unable, by the mere deductions of reason, either fully to discover or to establish, were exhibited by his own ministry and through that of his inspired servants, with irresistible evidence and supreme authority. Jesus Christ has unveiled the character and the at |
