imaginary characters, so that we may not grasp him in his personality for trial and punishment. Though first astounded and then indignant with the theology of the Baronet's work, yet I hesitated for some time as to the propriety of strictures. Conscientiousness bid me not make an onslaught upon the Philosopher without deliberately ascertaining his own decided sentiments. While musing on this subject I was led to his Memoirs by his brother John Davy, M.D. This book was full and conclusive with the information which I desired. "In Philalethes' the author is supposed to speak in his own person, and may be considered as shewing the progress of his own mind in relation to certain doctrines, metaphysical and religious, which are inculcated, but not even this in an absolute manner and without exception.* "The Unknown,' who stands so prominently out in the latter dialogues, by many readers may be received as a portrait of himself in a picturesque disguise of dress and situation. If 'Philalethes' may be considered as representing him in ordinary life or what he was, it may be supposed that the 'Unknown' was intended to represent what he wished to be, and that he was designed as the beau ideal of the chemical philosopher whose character he delineates. The religious sentiments the 'Unknown' expresses, and his metaphysical doctrines were, I believe, entirely my brother's own-the last result of his mature studies. The reader will perceive that they are much the same as those already given in the second chapter, proving how deliberately they had been formed, and how, for a number of years, the subjects had been under consideration. This resemblance I have already pointed out. It is most remarkable in the original argument which he addresses in favour of natural religion-that religion is instinct, and that revelation is given to supply the place of this early instinctive knowledge or intuitive feeling. An argument which appears well adapted to reach such minds as those to whom religion is not habit, and to whom analogy is not demonstration—and whom reasoning has led to scepticism or infidelity." It may now be of importance to inquire in what estimation the author and the biographer held the work which is coming under consideration. "Sir Humphry to Lady Davy.-'I should not take so much interest in these works, did I not believe that they contain truths which cannot be recovered if they be lost, and which I am convinced will be extremely useful both to the moral and intellectual world. I may be mistaken on this point, yet it is the conviction of a man perfectly sane in all the intellectual faculties, and looking into futurity with the prophetic aspirations belonging to the last moments of existence." To this the brother in his biography adds,— "I trust he was not deceived in the estimate he made of the importance of this work; I trust it will be a beacon-light to young and erring inquirers; that it will serve as a stimilus to good pursuits and intellectual exertions; that it will tend to uphold the dignity of science, and protect the purity of scientific glory; and that in religion it will give encourgement to timid minds not to yield to the irony and scoffs of the gross Materialist and Atheist; that it will make scepticism less plausible; and that it will impart ardent hope and the desire of a holy faith."§ Such are the sentiments of the author and his admiring brother, con• Memoirs, 2nd Vol. p. 376. 2nd Vol, p. 332. § 2nd Vol. p. 385. cerning the volume which is to pass under consideration. Before we directly grapple with the theology of the Philosopher in his last days, we will quote from his Adversaria a fragment of an earlier period : "What is the instinct of animals but an immediate revelation ?—and they have more instinct in proportion as they have less reason. In the infancy of human society, man being a more perfect animal, required more moral instinct or revelation to preserve his social existence. It is quite certain that in these revelations no new ideas were given, and no new impressions received. Even the supposed presence of Deity may have been an imagination of a human form, and the miracles delusions of the human mind, though clearly disposed to these delusions by the existence of the instinct, and this indeed is in accordance with the divine wisdom and power, as it is much more easy for mind to produce ideal conviction of satisfied appetite, than to create a new quantity of matter-which must have been the case if the few small loaves and fishes had been sufficient to satisfy the multitude in the wilderness." We shall resume the subject in our next. As George Muller ranks among the most distinguished and useful characters in the church in Britain, as he is personally known to some of the brethren, his Narrative read by many, and circulated largely in all parts of the world, by himself, his friends, and admirers, we have determined on reviewing this work. Brother Muller is a Prussian, born at Kroppenstaedt in 1805: his course while a student was one of unblushing wickedness, and hardened iniquity. Truly he was a brand plucked from the burning, a monument of the much longsuffering, the exceeding riches of the grace of God! The conversion of such a man stamps the religion of Jesus as divine, and exalts it above all the puny efforts of philosophy and morality; which cannot exhibit one such instance of their power; in delivering the wretch from the thraldom of all his crimes; making him happy in himself, and a blessing to society. We proceed now to brother Muller's conversion: His love had "The time was now come when God would have mercy upon me. been set upon such a wretch as I was before the world was made. His love sent his Son to bear the punishment due to me on account of my sins, and to fulfil the law which I had broken times without number. AND NOW, AT A TIME WHEN I WAS CARELESS ABOUT HIM AS EVER, HE SENT HIS SPIRIT INTO MY HEART. I had no Bible; I had not read it for years. I went to church but seldom; but, from custom, I took the Lord's supper twice a year. I had never for once heard the gospel preached, up to the beginning of November, 1825. I never met with a person who told me that he meant to live by the help of God according to the Holy Scriptures. In short, I had not the least idea, that there were any persons really different from myself, except in degree. "On Saturday afternoon, about the middle of November, I had taken a walk with my friend Beta. O.1 our return he said that he was in the habit of going on Satur day evenings to the house of a Christian, where there was a meeting. On further inquiry he told me that they read the Bible, sang, prayed, and read a printed sermon. No sooner had I heard this than it was to me as if I had found something after which I was seeking all my life long. I immediately wished to go with my friend." Page 11. From his disposition to go to the meeting, Mr. Muller concludes that God had sent his Spirit into his heart: we differ with him in this opinion. First, because he has given us a far more probable reason two pages before, where I read, "I had made strong resolutions, now at last, to change my course of life, for two reasons-first, because without it, I thought no parish would choose me as their pastor." Our second reason for rejecting brother Muller's assertion is, that it is contrary to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures. These inform us that the Spirit is given, not before, but after faith and repentance ! "Know ye not," said the Apostle to the saints, "that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; if any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy-for the temple of God is holy." But brother Muller represents himself as possessing the indwelling Spirit while in impenetance and unbelief, and desperate defilement. Believers, not the world, are the recipients of the Spirit. He who believes on me," said Jesus, "the Scripture saith, shall be like a cistern whence rivers of living waters shall flow (this spake he of the Spirit which they who believe on him were to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.)" John vii. 39. whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." I send you (the church) the Spirit, which the world cannot receive." "When he is come he will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin because they believe not on me." "In On the day of Pentecost, accordingly, the world received not the Spirit but seeing and hearing the Holy Spirit which God had given to the church, they were convinced of sin in not believing on Jesus; and on their inquiring at Peter what they should do, he commanded them 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts ii. 38. From the above it is manifest, that the Spirit was given to men not to enable them to believe, but because they had believed, repented, and been baptized. We quote the following from a letter to Mr. Muller contained in the Narrative: "Only seek by watching and prayer more and more to be delivered from all vanity and self-complacency, by which even the true believer may be ensnared when he least expects it; let it be your chief aim to be more and more humble, faithful, and quiet. May we not belong to those who say and write continually Lord, Lord,' but who have him not deeply in their hearts. Christianity consists not in words, but in power. There must be life in us. For therefore God loved us first that we might love him in return; and that loving we might receive power to be faithful to him, and to conquer ourselves, the world, distress, and death." The following remarks are from brother Muller's pen : "I fell into the same snare, into which so many young believer's fall-the reading of religious books in preference to the Scriptures." "I read tracts, missionary papers, sermons, biographies of godly persons; had any of them tended particularly to endear the Scriptures to me, they might have done me much good." "I practically preferred for the first four years of my divine life, the works of uninspired men, to the Oracles of the living God. The consequence was that I remained a babe both in knowledge and in grace; so that I did not clearly know even the foundational points of our holy faith." Our chief objection to brother Muller's work is, that although it recommends the study of the Scriptures strongly, yet it contains comparatively very few quotations from that blessed Book, and not a few of the dogmas of the dark doctors, of which we have given one specimen respecting the Spirit. We intend giving a few more hereafter. As the volume contains 600 pages, we refer our readers to the original for its instructive beauties, and shall be obliged for want of room, to confine ourselves in a great measure to guarding them against what we conceive to be unscriptural in its doctrines. Monthly Record of Passing Events. FRANCE. The perils of the Provisional Government have been very great, but it has succeeded in maintaining its existence and likewise its authority over the minds of the people generally. Lamartine has turned out to be the master-mind of it, and since the revolution he has presented to the gaze of the world the rare but sublime spectacle of ruling a mighty nation almost by the force of intellect alone. There is now little doubt that the Republic will be handed over to the National Assembly a consolidated reality. GERMANY.-This part of the continent has been the theatre of many a stirring scene, and also of some sanguinary conflicts. The Germans, however, are working out with uncommon determination of purpose, and with the calmness which becomes an intelligent people, their political freedom. Eventually they will probably possess institutions second to none in Europe for freedom and stability. ITALY.-Here the spirit of revolution has been rife. Lombardy and Venice have cast off the Austrian yoke, and are now fighting for their liberty, aided by the king of Sardinia. A portion of the Sardinian and Austrian troops met on the 8th of April, in which victory declared itself in favour of the former. The loss of life was great, and above 2,000 prisoners remained in the hands of the Italian army. The emperor of Austria has also declared war against the Pope and Tuscany. It is probable however that he will not be able to prosecute his intentions, as disaffection is manifesting itself in several of the states of his empire. Still the government is represented as ordering new levies of men, and the repair and fortification of fortresses with a vast appearance of vigour. DENMARK.-The Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein having demanded certain concessions of the King of Denmark, it has led to the serious commencement of hostilities between the parties. A very fierce battle was fought near Fleasburg on April 10, in which the Danes were decidedly successful. It is said that about 1,400 were killed on both sides. ENGLAND. The last month has been one of excitement and danger for our own country. Fear of a physical outbreak is now however beginning to subside, as those, wicked enough to attempt it, must by this have been convinced of its utter foolishness. Still out of seeming evil real good is promised to be educed. The middle and working classes are beginning to show symptoms of an inclination to lay aside their mutual political enmities, and cordially unite to secure a better representation of the people in the House of Commons, a more equitable arrangement of taxation, and a reduction of national expenditure. IRELAND-The government has commenced a prosecution of Messrs. O'Brien, Mitchell, and Meagher, for sedition. Thirteen young men have also been arrested in Dublin, and committed for trial, for drilling, training, and exercising to arms. The total military force now in Dublin, including the artillery branch, is about 7,200. BAPTISM OF A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER BY IMMERSION.-On Lord's day, April 9, at Beverley, Mr. K. Johnston, recently minister of the Presbyterian church, Birdhopecraig, Northumberland, was baptized by his brother the Rev. R. Johnston, in Well-lane chapel. The candidate delivered an interesting address on the occasion, in which he stated his reasons for renouncing infant baptism. and wishing to attach himself to the Baptist body. POWER OF THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLE.-The Congregationalists in Scotland have in the course of three years raised the sum of £22,000 for the total liquidation of debts affecting the chapels belonging to their body. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.-During the last six months of 1847, the accidents on railways in the United Kingdom caused the death of 110 persons, besides 74 more or less hurt. The number of passengers during the half-year was 31,734,607. Obituary. On Friday, the 24th of March, MRS. HANNAH JACKSON, aged sixty-five years, fell asleep in Jesus, after an illness of only four days. In the death of sister Jackson her family and friends have met with a severe loss. She was a sincere friend, an affectionate wife, an indulgent mother. So calm and placid was she, that her last moments had more the appearance of a gentle sleep than dying. To know her worth it was necessary to be familiar with her kindness of heart and many virtues. Long will she be held in affectionate remembrance by the large circle of acquaintances with whom she was surrounded. She was a Christian not only in profession, but in practice. By her walk she had long proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to the world. With tears we consigned her remains to the silent tomb-not in sorrow, as those who have no hope of deliverance from its dreary chambers-but in the full assurance of soon seeing that which was sown in corruption, raised blooming with immortality. "There is a calm, for those who weep, A rest for weary pilgrims found; That lowly lie, and sweetly sleep Lincoln, April, 1848. H. CLARKE. |