certainly have been effectuated long before the christian æra, and the neceffity of a revelation would have been greatly diminished. But, reafoning from analogy, if our Saviour had not come upon earth and difpelled the darknets which enveloped the moral world, we have no facts to fupport the belief, that we should not have been worshippers of the works of our own hands; and instead of feeking the divine favour by prayer and holiness of life, that we fhould not have offered in facrifice our flocks and our herds, or given the fruit of our bodies for the fins of our fouls.

In the most polifhed ages of heathen antiquity there were only a few individuals to whom the divine unity and perfections were known; and by them it was concealed from the multitude with the moft jealous caution. "We read in the acts of the apoftles of an altar, which was noticed by St. Paul at Athens, infcribed to the unknown God. Concerning this altar there are different opinions, and on what occafion it was erected; but it is very probable, and we have the teftimonies of feveral ancient hiftorians and divines, that it was made by Socrates, whom the Athenians condemned to die on account of his fentiments concerning the divine na

Inftead of raifing an altar, as was the cuftom, to any of the fictitious gods of Greece, he took this way, as the fafeft, to exprefs his devotion to the True and One God, of whom the Athenians had no knowledge, and whofe incomprehenfible being he infinuates, by that infeription, was far beyond theirs or his understanding." The

afurance, which now pervades the chriftian world, that there is but one God, the Creator and Gov. ernour of the univerfe; that throughout his adminiftration nothing is accidental; that to him man fuftains the interesting relation of children, and will be received to his future and eternal prefence and favour by obeying his requirements, is certainly deferving of the most serious attention and the most ardent gratitude. The revelation of these truths was not of leís benefit to thofe by whom it was received, than would be the light of the fun to men accuftomed to pursue the bufinefs of life affifted only by the faint glimmerings of the fiars. Even if they had been fuggefted to the minds of the fericus and the thoughtful, they could have been adopted only as rational conjectures; but receiving them as they are prefented in the fcriptures, our certainty is unaffected by doubt, and our motives to piety too numerous and powerful to be viewed with indif ference, or evaded by artifice.

It is a fecond advantage refulting from a revelation, that it has an authority by which no human laws can be enforced. The witeft and moft cfficient laws of man may often be difregarded without fear of detection. They can extend only to the regulation of external conduct, and must leave to each individual the government of his thoughts and affections. Among ancient legiflators, fo extenfive was the conviction of the neceffity of a divine fanction of their laws, that they always pretended to derive them from the gods. But the chriftian difpenfation derives

its origin from a Being of infinite holinefs, who is effentially prefent at all times, in every place; who cannot be deceived and who will not be mocked. In thofe who are fincere believers there is no uncertainty how far they must obey, nor in what degree they may of fend. The Author of the law is the witness of the conformity or difobedience of his fubjects; he will be their judge, and from his fentence there will be no appeal.

If the most perfect fyftem of laws were given to the world, and it were left to the difcretion of man to obey or difregard them, there are few by whom they would be received and applied as a rule of life. All the power of religion is often required to overcome the strength of temptations to evil; and the most pious of men are obliged conftantly to refer to the divine prefence and a gency to fecure themselves againft the dangers to which they are expofed. How much more, therefore, are these restraints neceffary for thofe, on whom even thefe have but a limited influence. If an intemperate man, for an hour, fhould become a companion of the wife and good, what exertions would he not make to preferve himself from inebriety? If a liar were certain that as foon as he fpake, his deception would be difcovered, how cautious would he be not to violate the truth? If a rebel against government knew that the chief magiftrate were behind him, would he utter expreffions of contempt and treafon ? Let it therefore be deeply impreff ed on the mind, that God is prefent every inftant, that no thought or action escapes his notice, that

his promifes and denunciations will be impartially executed, and it will not be poflible to perfift in the repetition of crimes. That these restraints do prevent much evil is true; but if they obtained the influence which they deferve, habitual vice would be unknown.

The efficacy of this fanction of the gofpel will likewife be experienced, when doubts and fears would otherwife obtain complete afcendency, and prevent one emotion of comfort from entering the mind. If, on the bed of death, we can be confcious of the divine approbation, from a comparison of our conduct with the laws of God, we have all the divine perfections engaged to fecure the poffeffion of heaven, and the enjoyment of life and glory everlasting.

This is a benefit of revelation which no language can exprefs. Death naturally infpires the greatest terrour, because the love of life is naturally the ftrongeft paffion. Revelation fcatters the darkness from the grave, and opens to view thofe manfions of light, where God is on the throne of his glory, and where thofe who have reverenced his authority and been faithful unto death, are at reft from their labours, and ceafe not day nor night to ferve him.

In being acceffible to all, the gospel* alfo has many advantages which demand confideration and gratitude. The heathen nations all boafted of their revelations; but none of them ever pretended to poffefs a regular and

and "revelation" as fynonymous. To I have used the words "gofpel" thofe who acknowledge a revelation, the propriety of blending these terms will be readily admitted.

connected difpenfation of the divine will. Their whole fyftems of religion being fabrications, and involved in mystery, any deceptions might be practifed on the people, who were kept in the most profound ignorance; and it is difficult to conceive by what artifice fuch impious abfurdities, as were practifed under the name of religious rites, fhould ever have been impofed on mankind. In the fcriptures are no other myfteries than refult neceffarily from the imperfection of the human understanding, and they exactly correspond with the myfteries in the natural world. There is no impofition on the credulity of any, because all are enjoined to inquire concerning its truth; and even required to "be able to give to every man a reafon of the hope which is in him." Freedom of inquiry is deemed a natural right; and fo it is. But, till the promulgation of the gofpel, it was not enjoyed in any country; nor, except the chriftian world, are any indulged with the privilege. This is a benefit of revelation which fhould induce the most ferious attention to its contents.

The gofpel is likewife acccffible to all, in oppofition to the voluminous theories of man. To obtain the fyftems of morals which human wifdom has devifed, would require a fortune greater than mo men are able to attain; and to read them all, in order to felect that, which on comparifon fhould appear deferving of preference, would be an employment which could not be accomplished in an ordinary life. But the whole fcriptures are comprifed within thofe narrow limits,

that every man, whatever may be his bufinefs, may complete the perufal of them every year. Unlike the works of man, which inftruct us by long and obfcure procelles of reafoning, the letions of wifdom which they inculcate are fhort and impreffive. No man is or need to be fo poor that he cannot poffels them; and no one fo ignorant, that he cannot comprebend all which is effential to talvation. Thefe circumstances alone would not prove the divine origin of the fcriptures, but they certainly evince them to be fuperiour to any other fyftem ever offered to the world.

As a rule of life, the gofpel is perfect, it being fuited to every fate of the mind and every condition of fociety. The fame love of God and of mankind, the fame humility and integrity, forbearance and fuperiority to the world, are required of all; but there are, likewife, duties peculiar to the different ftations in life, which are indifpenfable for the prefervation of order and happinefs, but which never were diftinctly understood nor inculcated, till the promulgation of the gofpel. It is to the revelation of Jefus Chrift that we are indebted for those inftructions, which prefcribe bounds to the pride, the ambition, and the avarice of man; and which have, in the degree produced, equalifed the fum of human happiness. If it be faid that effects are not evident, which might be expected from fuch laws, the reply is obvious, that it is because thefe laws are not obeyed. In a fociety formed by the principles of the gofpel there would be no divilions and no contentions, because

there would be no jealoufy nor envy, no pride to overbear and no avarice to opprefs. All hearts would be united by the chain of love, and it would be the only ambition of each, to fulfil every obligation of the condition which he fuftained.

It is beyond the capacity of man, even with the affiftance of revelation, to attain an entire comprehenfion of the divine government; but in the fcriptures we are taught all that it is ufeful to know, and as much as is adapted to fatisfy every well ordered mind. In regard to the divine providence, we are affured that it is as extenfive as creation; we are taught that man is in a state of trial; that the myfteries of that adminiftration which God is exercifing over the univerfe, are defigned to prove our faith, truft, and fubmiflion. Knowing thefe things, and believing in the divine perfections, no room is left in the mind for the admiffion of doubt or complaint. From the certainty of a final recompence, of an eternal removal of all evil, and a perpetual union of good fpirits in Heaven, the mind derives a compofure under unavoidable fufferings, and firmnefs under thofe which may be refifted, which cannot be equally excited by any other views of the future life. By the application of these truths, the most unlearned can fatisfactorily account to his own mind for circumstances which would otherwife awaken all his fufpicions and fears; and the wifeft of men, after pursuing their inquiries to the utmost extent, have returned to these as the only principles on

which they have been able to reft with fecurity.

FOR THE ANTHOLOGY.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE BOSTON REVIEW.

Gentlemen,

IN the Monthly Anthology for September laft, there are fome criticisms on the Mifcellaneous Works of Col. Humphreys, which are dignified with the title of a REVIEW. It may feem an unpardonable arrogance in an American citizen, who has never ftepped his foot into an English school, nor into England, to prefume to offer a few ftrictures on that REVIEW. But, if the remarks fhall appear to be tempered with candour and modelty, it is hoped they will find admittance into the Anthology.

Waving all ftrictures on the introductory obfervations, except that they are very trite, and feem intended to fmooth the way for a general charge of degeneracy in poetry, let me afk, why have you neglected the example of your great prototypes, the English Reviewers, whofe rule is to give the reader a fummary account of every book reviewed? Is there nothing but a fpirit of patriotifm in Col. Humphreys' writings, which a candid critick fhould notice? Why have you not given ús a general character of his poetry? Why have you neglected to felect a few beauties? Does it contain none? And if fo, would a fmall collection of native, American flowers, disfigure the Anthology? And had you nothing to fay as to the merit of his profaick

compofitions? Are there no beauties, no elegancies in his ftyle that merit remark? Is the Life of Gen. Putnam the only well written piece in the book? Surely the author's remarks on the war with Tripoli, and his thoughts on maintaining a navy, are entitled to notice, efpecially at this time when our citizens are alive to thefe fubjects.

In general then, although you do not compare Col. Humphreys to the great poets of England, you admit that "he makes no mean figure on the American Parnaffus."-This American Parnafius is probably fome little hillock like an ant-heap! Yet fome perfons think Col. Humphreys holds a much higher rank as a poet, as well as a writer of profe, and align him a refpectable ftation on the European Parnaffus. To be fure, thefe perfons are Americans, and therefore not well qualified to decide this point; but ftill we have our opinions.

But to be more particular. You inform your readers p. 509. that "having thus far pointed out the excellencies of thefe poems, it remains that we proceed to take notice of their faults." What excellencies, gentlemen? you quote fix lines, which you acknowledge to be poetical, and eight more, which you fay, "contain correct fentiments and found politicks." Thefe are all the excellencies of the poems you mention, except that they are the productions of an "excellent" and "worthy man," "an apparently good and fenfible man and true American."-Very well, gentlemen; it is prudent to be parfimonious of commendation; it is fafer to praise too little than too much.