is recorded by his inspired Apostles or Evangelists, it forms a part of the Gospel which we are required to believe, and is, therefore, an essential fact of Christianity. Let us see, therefore, how our author disposes of that more direct testimony, which is to be found in the evangelical narratives. "It is reasonable to conclude, that each of the Evangelists, in writing a history of Christ, proposed recording every essential fact which had taken place respecting him; and that the important facts, doctrines, and duties of Christianity may be learned from any one of the four books called the Gospels."-Our conclusions, whether reasonable or not, cannot alter the state of the case; nor, when the question regards an important fact, to be determined by the evidence of inspired witnesses, would it appear likely that our inquiries should be materially assisted by uninspired conjectures concerning the end which was proposed by them in delivering it. But, in the present case, the "reasonable" conclusion of the author seems at variance with the direct language of one, at least, of the Evangelists; who says, at the very end of his narrative, "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they were written every one, I suppose, that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." (John xxi. 25.) Neither does he any where intimate that he proposed recording every essential fact which had taken place respecting Christ. Nay, he asserts the contrary, and adds, that his object was much more limited, extending no farther than to produce, by a collection of such facts as might be sufficient to decide the question; first, a rational conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and, secondly, an assurance of eternal life to those who believe in his name. (John xx. 30, 31.) Hence it is that the four Evangelists fix on very different incidents to CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 202, record; some selecting one, and some another, while there are some that are recorded by all: and it would be surely as reasonable to assert that nothing should be considered as Gospel, but what is related by all the Evangelists-in which case even the Sermon on the Mount, and nearly all our Lord's discourses, reported by St. John, would be excluded from the Gospel-as to begin, like our author, with a conclusion, which he has furnished no premises to justify, that the important facts, doctrines, and duties of Christianity may be learned from any one of them. In fact, every thing that relates to so interesting a character as that of our blessed Redeemer, must be important, and, though recorded by only one Evangelist, ought to be most thankfully received as a message sent from Heaven. Nor can I fail to express my wonder, after what I have just quoted from St. John, at the daring charge which our author has the hardihood to bring against the integrity of the holy Evangelist, of intentionally suppressing facts, which he expressly says he omitted from necessity; for nothing less than this charge seems to be conveyed in the following passage:"The important facts, doctrines, and duties of Christianity may be learned from any one of the four books called the Gospels. To suppose the contrary to this, is to suppose the writer was not properly acquainted with his subject, or that he intentionally suppressed facts, and composed what he knew to be an imperfect account, which would be an impeachment of his integrity." But now comes the application of all this to the question of the miraculous conception. "If each of the four narrators wrote what he thought to be a sufficient account of the important transactions, it follows that two of them, Mark and John, either knew nothing of the miraculous conception, 4 N or did not believe it, or did not think it worth recording." It happens unfortunately for this argument, that it will disprove the doctrine of the ascension, as effectually as it will that of the miraculous conception. Let us try. If each of the four narrators wrote what he thought to be a sufficient account of the important transactions, it follows, that two of them, Matthew and John, either knew nothing of the ascension, or did not believe it, or did not think it worth recording. If Mr. Wright will not allow the force of this argument in the one case, let him forbear to press it in the other. There might, it would appear, be other reasons for omitting these facts in the narrative of one or other of the Evangelists, besides iguorance, unbelief, or disregard. (To be continued.) To the Editor of the Christian Observer. PERMIT me to make the following addition to a paper of mine, containing remarks on Rev. ix. 15, inserted in your Number for June last for having stated in that communication, that the reasous assigned by Mr. Faber for dating the commencement of the 2400 years (Dan. viii. 14.) from A. C. 535, (because until that year Cyrus did not obtain sole possession of the empire, and therefore the Ram could not be said to have had two horns), did not satisfy my mind; I think it incumbent on me, as a mark of respect towards that learned commentator, briefly to state why I have presumed to differ from him. My reason is, that there does not appear to me to exist the least necessity for postponing the computation until the death of Cyaxares, inasmuch as I do not conceive that personage is alluded to in the prophecy. According to the opinion of the best Greek writers, it is quite manifest that CYRUS was considered by them as the real sovereign of the Persian empire, long anterior to the death of Cyaxares: but let us hear what Dean Prideaux says on this matter. "Cyrus, as long as his uncle lived, allowed him a joint title with him in the empire, although it was all gained by his own valour, and, out of deference to him, yielded him the first place of honour in it. But the whole power of the army and the chief conduct of all affairs being still in his hands, he only was looked on as the supreme governor of the empire which he had erected: and therefore there is no notice at all taken of Cyaxares in the canon of Ptolemy; but immediately after the death of Belshazzar (who is there called Nabonadius), Cyrus is placed as the next successor, as in truth and reality he was, the other having no more than the name and the shadow of the sovereignty." (Prid. Con. Part I. book 2.) I therefore rest satisfied in the opinion I have already given, that A. C. 556 is as unexceptionable an epoch as any that can be assigned for computing the 2400 years from. The fierce battle which was fought in that year, and which terminated in a complete victory on the part of Cyrus, was but a happy prelude to still more important successes gained afterwards, which eventually led to the formation of a new empire. In that memorable engagement, well worthy of being accounted a prophetic æra, "the Assyrian king, Neriglissar, was slain. He was a brave and excellent prince. The preparations he had made for war shewed his wisdom, and his dying his valour; and there was nothing else wanting in him for his obtaining of better success in it; and, therefore, that he had it not, was owing to nothing else, but that he had to deal with the predominant fortune of CYRUS, whom GOD had designed for the empire of the cast, and therefore nothing was to withstand him." (Prideaux.) C. E. S. For the Christian Observer. ON SOME DECEPTIONS TO WHICH a short time, and then gradually dies away. He may next wish to be remarked among his fellows for MEN ARE LIABLE, ON THE manliness of mind, for cheerfulness SUBJECT OF RELIGION. (Continued from p. 579.) I HAVE now shewn, that temper and situation may be respectively converted into instruments of selfdeception on the most important of all subjects. I shall now endeavour to shew, that a similar effect may sometimes arise out of a certain combination of both. At a young man's first entrance upon life, he will probably change his views with regard to the choice of those objects, for proficiency in which he seeks to be chiefly distinguished; and there will arise, perhaps, a frequent variation of opinion as to the particular stamp which he is anxious his character should bear in the eyes of those around him. This operation is natural to the human mind, when it is yet in a fluctuating and somewhat giddy state; when the judgment is rendered flexible by the strength of the affections, and the affections are still unfortified by the power of the judgment; when, especially, the desire to please and to be pleased is likely to have so great a share in the government of the mind, as often to lead it astray by the predominance of the unregulated feelings. This fluctuation of character is often occasioned by the force of some peculiar association or unsettled impression left accidentally on the mind, or it may spring from the attraction of novelty, or the influence of example. Thus, for instance, we may suppose,-though one cannot hope, in a description of this kind, to pitch exactly upon the different features even of a single case, that a young person begins with desiring to be chiefly distinguished for his proficiency in some useful or elegant accomplishment. This desire, we will imagine, preserves its force for of disposition, or for a bold and independent spirit. This ambition, like the former, may give way to some new object of desire-it may be, to an eagerness to become conspicuous among his friends and relations, for the kindness and urbanity of his conduct. But this wish also, in a short time, may greatly abate, and its place be occupied by an anxiety to be considered a person attached to reading and study, or distinguished for sprightliness of wit or pleasantry in conversation. Like the others, however, this desire is of an un settled and fugitive nature. At such a stage of the intellectual process, it may happen that the individual is accidentally introduced into a circle of religi ously disposed young persons of his own age and station in life. Now certainly, to the eye of many mo rally inclined persons, there is something engaging in the exterior features of the Christian character; or at least there are circles in society, where an appearance of religion is possessed of a sufficient degree of popularity to obtain a secret influence upon the judgments of the young. From these circumstances, the individual may be led to seek after distinction in the new character of a professor of religion: he may wish to partake of the apparent happiness of Christians, and endeavour to ingratiate himself in their favour, by an assumed similarity of sentiments and character; yet his motives may be still nearly the same as in the former cases. To the true nature of Christianity he may continue a stranger; and though such a disposition of circumstances may, through the mercy of God, be made conducive to a complete change in his character, through the enlightening and transforming influs ence of the Holy Spirit, yet it may equally happen, and indeed frequently does happen, that this seemingly religious investiture may only tend to confirm him in ideal and nominal religion, and may be, in fact, but one of those artifices of the great adversary of souls, by which he endeavours to effect the dangerous persuasion, that the great object of attainment has been already gained, and therefore needs no longer be sought after or desired. But a religion which rests here is altogether vain as respects the salvation of its professor : it is but an artificial enamel of character; a mere counterfeit of piety; a sort of chemical mixture, if I may so express myself, which retains its appearance, while subjected to certain influences, but which, upon a change of circumstances, entirely evaporates. Yet it may happen, that the subject of such a deception may remain during his whole life in a state of security and ease, suspending his hopes on these brittle threads, and not awakening, perhaps, from his fatal dream (if, indeed, he ever awake in the present world), till the approach of death arouses him to a sense of his spiritual danger. "What is the hope of the hypocrite, when God taketh away his soul?" But, as if it were not enough that the great enemy of human peace should affect all in his power to keep the soul, in the first instance, at a distance from the light of truth, and to shield off the arrows of conviction which might otherwise penetrate the heart, it coustantly occurs that even after an individual has begun well, every artifice is employed to bring him again into spiritual bondage. There are two evils especially into which young and inexperienced Christians are liable to fall, and both are of so concealed and insidious a description, that a person may often be deeply involved in them, before he is aware. In the first place, there is something of a legal and self-righteous spirit, which is apt to steal upon the mind after some little progress has been made in the ways of religion. The first effect of the power of the Gospel upon the heart, is to lay all human excellence low, and to bring man to feel that he has no righteousness of his own, and must be indebted entirely to the righteousness of the Redeemer for salvation. But when a character for decided piety has in some measure been formed, the human mind, to which the idea of personal merit is, by nature, most consentaneous and agreeable, begins gradually to think, that it has now something good in itself, on which it may build its confidence, and on account of which it would be strange indeed were it not to receive some future reward. Were, indeed, such a supposition to be deliberately imputed to the individual, it might probably be rejected with disdain; and he might acknowledge, and this with the same sincerity as before, that "in the Lord only had he righteousness and strength." Still, however, notwithstanding the correctness of our creed, a degree of self-dependence often steals insensibly into the heart, and of the very existence of which the individual may be in a great measure unconscious. No new opinions may have been admitted; but the mind may still secretly take credit to itself, for the soundness of those which were originally embraced. soul may not, indeed, remain contented whilst any gross sin is allowed; it may even feel contrition under a strong sense of guilt, and may make fresh application to the cleansing efficacy of the Blood of Atonement: yet still there may be really blended with all this correctness of principle, many particles of self-satisfaction, on account of the very sorrow which is felt for sin, and the immediate compliance which has been given to the commandment of the Saviour, in coming anew to his Cross for pardon and peace. In like manner, a satis The factory performance of duty, happy frames of mind, however temporary, and all the various articles of Chris.tian experience, may be made to furnish a foundation, on which some half latent plea of merit may be supported. The truth is, that as faith is not found in a perfect state, even in the heart of the most advanced believer, there is no action to which some selfish idea does not cleave, and with which it is not more or less incorporated. There is nothing more likely than this legal and somewhat pharisaical disposition, to involve the heart in that state of deadness and self-security which often both precedes and produces a fatal declension in religion, which prevents watchfulness and prayer, and tends to make us think lightly of secret sin, and remain tranquil under its influence. From this tendency to seek our religious comfort in ourselves, often proceeds a want of that light and joy which the contemplation of ourselves can never supply, and which can be inspired only by the self-surrendering faith of the Go spel. Nor is this all; for those who, in any degree, trust in themselves, that they are righteous, are also apt to despise others. Hence there often springs up in the youthful mind, an unbecoming spirit of censoriousness and presumption--a disposition to think contemptuously of every man, who has not boldly ranged himself on the side of Religion, and to disparage all the pursuits of literature and science, and every attainment, in short, which is not entirely of a religious kind. Such a state of mind is the evidence of much remaining ignorance, and is not more unsuitable to the nature of the Gospel, and unlike the mind which was in Christ, than it is ill adapted to enhance and recommend the Christian character in the world. The temper which eminently befits the young Christian is not that of a readiness to sit in the chair of the scornful, and to judge in ignorance and fastidiousness respecting those around him, but to seek after the enlightened and enlarged spirit of forbearance towards all mankind. Whilst he lives daily by faith in Jesus Christ, and therefore desires to renounce his best duties equally with his greatest sins, as a ground of confidence, his first and principal object should be to attend to the constant discipline of his own heart, and to apply himself steadily to thefaithful discharge of all those duties which God has required him to perform. A second circumstance, to which it is of equal importance for the young Christian to attend, is the danger of swerving, by means of plausible though fallacious pretexts, from a steady and uniform application to the plain duties of his calling and situation in life. When the heart has been first brought under the active influence of Religion, the individual feels as in a new world, and every thing around him assumes a novel aspect. His thoughts and desires will have undergone a material change; his estimate of pleasure and his projects of happiness will have been entirely reversed. The newly inspired ardour which he will feel in the service of his Redeemer, is, I allow, highly engaging in itself, and proceeds originally from a good source. It is, in fact, the habit of a mind which loves God in sincerity, and loves his image wherever it is found. But though good in itself, and in its source, it often receives its bias and direction from mistaken opinions, or from narrow, partial, and imprudent views. therefore sometimes happens that the mind, when in this state, contracts a strong disrelish for the common occupations of life--a sort of nausea towards all secular and ordinary pursuits. The concerns of this fleeting state appear mean, insignificant, and contemptible employments for an immortal and regenerated soul, and but ill accord with the warmth and zeal of a mind It |