As to its Extent-I have no objection myself to grant it a Province, as wide as the whole range of things-till it arrive at the confines of divine Revelation: it may take in the complete circle of Arts and Sciences, and travel without any controul, huc atque illuc, within those limits: but, let it not dare to profane this Sanctum sanctorum, by making itself the Cri former is the Guide, and Directory, of the latter. Video meliora proboque, says Reason; deteriora sequor. But, why so? Stat pro ratione Voluntas. Trahit sua quemque Voluptas, haud Intellectus. In the small pretensions, I can make, to metaphysical Science, I entirely unite with the celebrated Author of " the Institutes of eloquence."— Id quod priùs, quodque majus est, ut boni viri simus, Voluntate maximè constat. Brevis est institutio vitæ honestæ, beatæque, si cupias, si velis. John v. 39, 40. Ps. cx. 3. The Analysis of my own reflections may be thus briefly stated. It is the office of Reason, to think-to compareto estimate: it is the property of the Will, to chuse-to prefer to pursue: it is the province of the Heart, to feel to relish to enjoy. "Is thine Heart right?" is a question, in Ethiology, of superlative magnitude.-We may see in this very concise Syntagma both the nature and place of Reason, in the intellectual and moral constitution of man. terion, Standard, Rule, or Measure, of sacred Truth; which belongs to a totally different region... As soon as she is admitted into that TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD, let her bow down with unreserved submission; let her be adorned with that most becoming of all ornaments, the deepest humility; let her surrender all her powers to his infallible dictates. She has nothing to do there, but to listen-to wonder-to adore. "The LORD is in his holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before him*,” Such a One of the most laborious and successful Enquirers, de humano Intellectu, et de Arte ratiocinandi, has allowed, that, “whatsoever is divine Revelation ought to over-rule all our opinions, prejudices, and interests, and hath a Right to be received with full assent. submission, as this, of our Reason to Faith, takes not away the land-mark of Knowledge. This shakes not the foundation of Reason-but, leaves us that use of our Faculties, for which they were given us." Thus far, Locke. Another Writer of no common vigour of Mind, and powers of Eloquence, and though a disguised enemy to the christian Cause, has sense enough to perceive, and honesty enough to own, "that its pecu. liar and distinguishing Doctrines should be suffered to From this very cursory view of the nature, use, and extent, of human Reason, we advance to that of SACRED REASON! by which, we would be understood to mean, all that Scripture, for which we rest on the sole authority of Revelation: that, to make them matter of speculation, is, to make them disputable; and to make them disputable, is, to unfix them in the minds of men: since, in the natural order of things, Revelation may confirm what philosophy teaches, but, philosophy can give no confirmation, nor any further authority, to what Revelation has taught."-This witness is true. For, what can be more preposterous, than to imagine, that the Light of Reason, as it is called, can add either truth, or weight, to the Light of Revelation! It stands, like the Sun, parvis componere magna, beaming lustre on all around it, but indebted to none for any additional splendour. The attention, which is so often paid to the learning of men, while the wisdom of God himself is so much neglected, is among the melancholy proofs of practical Atheism. Who will undertake to determine the difference of guilt, between the folly of saying there is no God, and that, of treating his Word with contempt? Jer. viii. 9. Πολλώ το φρονειν ευδαιμονίας Πρώτον υπάρχει χρη δε τα γ' εις Θεον consider ourselves indebted to the inspi ration of God: and, therefore, we habituate ourselves to celebrate it as the gift of his infinite, unerring, and incomprehensible Wisdom. Actuated by such à conviction, how can we ever speak of it, more highly than it justly deserves? or, how can we exalt it, in any strains equal to its worth? For, the moment we admit its heavenly Origin, we are bound to acknowledge, that is has an unquestionable authority, and right, imperiously to demand our supreme regard, and the entire resignation of all our intellectual faculties to its injunctions; to every thing, it requires us to believe—to be—and, to do. To hesitate, to demur, and, much more so, to disobey, is, in this instance, alike irrational, and impious. It is, to sacrifice both Reason and Religion upon the altar of our own rebellion, and perverseness; it is, practically to convert the truth of God into a lie; it is, to worship and serve the crea ture more than the Creator*. Whereas, to turn the whole strength of the Mind, *These however are those broad Verities, which Mankind cannot, will not, bear to be told. They chuse rather to be tickled, and flattered, into the grossest Selfdeceit. How often have the honest part of our public Teachers occasion to put that appeal in Gal. iv. 16. "One, of the later school of the Grecians, examineth the matter," says Lord Verulam, " and is at a stand, to think what should be in it, that men should love Lies. But, I cannot tell; this same Truth is a naked and open day. light, that doth not shew the Masques, and Mummeries, and Triumphs, of the world, half so stately, and daintily, as candle-lights. Doth any man doubt, that, if there were taken out of men's minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things: full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves? "It will be acknowledged, however, even by those who practise it not, [who prefer the amicos of the Obsequium, to the odium of the Veritas,] that, clear and round dealing is the Honour of man's nature: and that, mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold, and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but, it embaseth it. For, these winding and crooked courses are the goings of the Serpent; which goeth basely upon the belly, and not upon the feet." The contemptible Frivolity of the times cannot suffer, what that very frivolity renders the more requisite "a frankness and intrepidity of nature, confirmed by reflec |