vulgarity, they would endeavour to correct of Christians are too ready to indulge against their own taste, from the virtuous fear of another, we turn to those of a different charshocking that of others. They should re-acter; to the philosophical man of the member, that many a thing is the cause of evil which yet is no excuse for it; that many a truth is brought into discredit by the disa greeableness which may be appended to it, and which, though utterly foreign, is made to belong to it. world, who is prepossessed not so much against any particular class of Christians, as against Christianity itself. These unhappy prejudices are often laid in by an education in which no one thing has been neglected except religion. The intellect has been enlarged by the grandeur, and polished by the splendor, of pagan literature, which took early possession of the yet vacant mind, and still maintains its ascendancy with that power and energy which naturally belong to first and therefore, deep impressions. The subsequent character continues to feel the effect of the excessive admiration early excited by some favourite authors, by whom the more impetuous passions and generous vices are exalted into virtues, while the spurious virtues are elevated into perfections little short of divine, and the whole adorned with whatever can captivate the fancy and enchant the taste: with beautiful imagery, ingenius fiction, and noble poetry. Who, indeed, does not feel divided between admiration at their writings, and regret, that the writers were not providentially favoured with divine illumination? Their brightness, like that of ebony, is a fine polish on a dark substance. on Here the indignant man of letters, if any such should condescend to cast an eye these pages, will exclaim, Are scholars, then, necessarily irreligious? God forbid ! far from me be such a vulgar insinuation— far from me such a preposterous charge; not only against a multitude of eminent laychristians, but against the whole of that large and venerable body, whose life and labours are dedicated to religion, all of whom are, or ought to be, learned. In addition to the infirmities which, from the fault of nature, or the errors of education, are not perhaps so easily avoided, there are others which are purely voluntary.Certain religionists there are who torment themselves with a chimera till they become the victims of the prejudice of their own creation. There is a querulous strain of pious vanity, in which, with a most unamiable egotism, they delight to indulge. It is a sort of traditionary lamentation of evils, which, having once been the lot of Christianity in the most awful extreme, are assumed to be still, in no inconsiderable degree attached to its followers. Surrounded with all the conveniences of life, and faring comfortably, if not sumptuously, every day, they yet complain of persecution, as if Christianity still subjected its followers to the sufferings of those primitive disciples, of whom the world was not worthy.' But let them compare the dreadful catalogue of torments enumerated by the Apostle to the Hebrews -enumerated the more feelingly, as he had experienced in all their extremity the sufferings he describes ;--let them compare these with their own petty trials, of which, the worst they have ever felt or feared, is that of mockings' cruel, mockings,' perhaps, as to the temper of the reviler, but innoxious to the imaginary sufferer. The glorious profession of the saints of old brought on them bonds and imprisonments by order of the government. Ours is sanctioned by the ruling powers. They were destitute, afflicted, tormented' our distresses are seldom caused by our piety, but frequently by our want of it They were denied the exercise of their religion, we are protected in ours. They were obliged to meet clandes tinely at undue hours in incommodious plaWith us, provision is made for public worship, and attendance on it encouraged And what must considerably add to the and commanded. prejudice which may reasonably be expectLet none of us, then, proudly or peevish-ed to be thus excited, is, that they find the ly complain, as if our abundant piety was great object of one religion has been to pull either forbidden, discouraged, or under-ra- down all the trophies of false glory which ted. Private prejudice, and individual ha- the other had so successfully reared. The tred, are indeed sufficiently alive, but the dignity of human nature, of which they blows they aim fall hurtless as the feebly- have read and felt so much, is laid prostrate lifted lance of Priam. If, then, we allow in the dust. Man is stripped of his usurped ourselves to murmur at our own disadvan- attributes, robbed of his independent grantages, will it not look as if we inwardly la- deur A new system, of what appear to mented that we are so very good to so little him mean-spirited and sneaking virtuespurpose; as if we repined at not being re- charity, simplicity, devotion, forbearance, warded by universal applause for the super- humility, self-denial, forgiveness of injuries abundance of our piety? May we not, by is set up in direct opposition to those more our complaints, lead the world to suspect that our goodness was practised as a bait for that applause, and that, having missed it, we feel as if we had laboured in vain? ces. 6 But, from the prejudices which one class But it is nevertheless true, reason on it as we may, that in the state of excitement above described, every youth of taste and spirit, who has not been early grounded in Christian principles, must necessasily afterwards first open the volume of luspiration, and find it destitute of all that false but dazzling lustre with which the page of ancient learning is decorated. ostensible qualities which are so much more flattering to the natural human heart. Those obstacles to religious progress are removed, when, in early institution, the defective principles of the one school are not misrepresentations sent forth, and sarcasms insinuated against the true one. But if the enthusiastic votary of those systems go no farther than to establish philosophy as his standard, and taste as his guide, when he is brought to think-not that philo Christianity requires no such sacrifice-but that they are to be admired subordinately, the misfortune is, that the second half of life is sometimes spent in impe fectly counteracting the principles imbibed in the first half. It is not easy to get rid of the prepossession in favour of a morality untinctured with religion; of that love of fame which the pure spirit doth raise,' but which it is the office of the renewed spirit to lower-of the admiration exhausted on splendid, but vicious characters of the idolatry cherished for unprincipled heroes-of the partiality felt for all the powerful rivals which genius has raised up to religion-of all the sins that poetry has canonized-all the sophistry that praise has sanctified-all the pernicious elegancies of the gay all the hollow reasonings of the grave. only pointed out and guarded against, but are even, as is frequently the case, converted into salutary lessons, by being placed in just contrast with the other, and are made at once to vindicate the scheme, and to exalt the principles of Christianity But he into whose character these princi-sophy and taste are to be abandoned, for ples have not been infused, is too likely to set up on the stock of his own underived powers. The cardinal vice of an irreligious reasoner will naturally be that pride which sets him on considering the Gospel as a narrower of human understanding a debaser of the soaring spirit of intellectual man, a fetter on the expatiating fancy, a clog on the aspiring mind. This opinion, which he rather adopts by hearsay or tradition than by studying the sacred volume, continues to keep him ignorant of its contents. He is satisfied with knowing Christianity, only in the state in which it is presented to him in certain passages, torn from their proper po sition, disjoined with malignant ingenuity, and distorted by perverted comment, from that connexion which would have solved every difficulty and annihilated the triumphant cavil. Or if, under this influence, he In this state of neutrality between religion takes a superficial glance at Christianity, and unbelief, happy is it for the faltering nohe sees a religion, which though it prohibits vice if he be not fatally offended, that Chrisno legitimate greatness, yet a religion whose tianity admits people who are not elegantobject is not to make man, according to the minded, who are not intellectual, to the same estimation of this world, great His secret present advantages, to the same future hope, prejudices, too, may be augmented by the with the profound thinker, and logical rearevolting doctrine, that he is not able to do soner. And, even after the most successful any thing right of himself. He is to do the struggles in this new science, it will still be work, and to give the glory to another. Af- found, and the discovery is humiliating, that ter having followed with rapture the con- the religious attainments of the unlearned queror of Carthage hanging up his victori- are often more rapid, because less obstructous laurels in the capitol, he will feel indig-ed, than those of the wise and the disputer nant to be taught, that the Christian con- of this world.' It requires at least a smatqueror, instead of glorying in his trium-tering of wit and knowledge to be sceptical, phant crown, casts it before the throne.' while the plain Christian, who brings no inHe had observed in pagan lore, abstract truth prepared for the philosophers, pageants, feasts, and ceremonies for the people. This distinction of rank and intellect flattered haman pride. In Christianity he finds one rule, and that a plain rule; one faith, and that a bumbling faith; one scheme of duties, irrespective of station or talents: while, in the other, the systems of the learned, and the superstitions of the vulgar, were as distinct 23 any two religions, and as inefficacious as none. . genuity into his religion, is little liable to the doubts of the superficial caviller, who seeks to be wise above what is written.' For if the endowments o' the unlearned are smaller, they are all carried to one point. They have no other pursuit to divide or divert their attention; they have fewer illusions of the imagination to repel; they bring no opposing system to the Christian scheme; they bring no prejudices against a revelation which holds out a promise of reversionary happiness to those who are destitute of present enBut, after all, it is not the idolatry exhi-joyments; and Christianity will generally bited in the Greek and Roman writers that be more easily believed by those whose more perhaps can overthrow his faith, though their immediate interest it is to think it true. They licentiousness may affect his morals. The have no interfering projects to perplex them; hardest blow to his principles will be given by the modern champions of unbelief; by writers against whom the young are not on their guard, because, without Christianity, they slide in under the general title of Christians, disseminating contraband wares under false colours. The wound inflicted by the baptized infidel is more profound than that of the polytheist, whose absurdities render his aim comparatively innoxious The preposterous systems of a false religion are harmless, compared with objections raised, no contradictory knowledge to unlearn, their uninfluenced minds are open to impressions, and good impressions are presented to them. They have less pride to subdue, and no prepossessions to extinguish. They have no compromise to make with Christianity, no images of deities, which the philosopher like the emperor Tiberius, wishes to set up in the same temple with Christ; no adverse tenets which they wish to incorporate with his religion, no ambition to convert it into a better thing than he made it. We have seen how much philosophy early impeded the reception of pure Christianity in some of the wisest and most virtuous pagan converts. Origen and Tertullian did not receive the truth from heaven with the same simplicity as the fishermen of Galilee. · adds fresh strength, and double confirmation, to a faith which was before barred up with ribs of iron.** Scripture also affords a larger range of contemplation to those enlightened minds who study human nature at the same time, To prove that this is no flight of enthusias- or who have previously studied it; because tic fancy, let us recollect with what an ex-it was upon his own knowledge of the human traordinary elevation and expansion of soul character that the Saviour of the world so the Author of our religion bore his divine strikingly accommodated his religion to the testimony to this truth: I thank Thee, O wants and the relief of that being for whose Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because salvation it was intended. Thou hast hid these things rom the wise an ! prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.' He then, instead of accounting for it by natural means, resolves the mystery into the good pleasure of God Even so Father. for so it seemed good in thy sight.' ·་ The better educated, also, will better discern, because it demands a higher exercise of the rational powers. that passages of a similar sound have not seldom a dissimilar meaning; and that it is not the word but the ideas, which con-titut the resemblance. Even the vulgarity which, as we have al-The want of this discer at has led many ready observed, mixes with, and debases the well disposed, but ill informed persons, into religion of the man of inferior attainments; mistakes. the incorrect idiom in which he expresses his Again --Many detached texts are meant feelings and sentiments; the coarse images as a brief statement of a general truth, and and mean associations which eclipse the di- intended to lead the reader into such trains vine light, do not extinguish it: they rather, of reflection as shall exercise unto Godliin some measure, prove its intrinsic brightness,' instead of exhibiting a full delineation ness by its shining through so dense a medi- and giving the whole face and figure, every um. When the man of refinement sees, as side and aspect of the subject. Scripture he cannot but see, what amelioration Chris-frequently proposes some important topic in tianity confers on the character of the uned- a popular manner, without making out its ucated; how it improves his habits; raises his language; what a change it effects in his practice; what a degree of illumination it gives to his dark understanding; what consolation it conveys to his heart; how it lightens the burdens of his condition, and cheers the sorrows of his life-he will, if he be candid, acknowledge, that there must needs be a powerful efficacy in that religion which can do more for the ignorant and illiterate, than philosophy has ever done for the great and the learned. And is it not an unanswerable evidence of the truth of Christianity and the power of grace, when we see men far surpassing all others in every kind of knowledge, themselves so far surpassed in religious knowledge by persons absolutely destitute of all other. full deductions, or its series of consequences. Now, for the fuller understanding these heads, and turning them to their due improvement, the advantage lies entirely on the side of the thinking aud the reasoning reader. It must be confessed, however, that the humble, though illiterate Christian, is able to attain all the practical benefits of these suggestions. He compares Scripture with Scripture, he substitutes no opinions of his own for those he there meets with, he never at tempts to improve upon Christianity, he never wishes to make the Bible a better thing than he finds it. By diligent application, and serious praver, his understanding enlarges with his piety Above all, he does the will of God; and, therefore, knows of the doctrine that it is of God' It must be confessed also, on the other hand, that the professed scholar, by converting Scripture-learning into theses of discussion, is in some danger of making his knowledge more critical than practical. same reason which is meant to enlighten, may be employed to explain away his faith; The *The paltry cavil on the impossibility that the But if these weak and humble disciples af ford a convincing evidence of the truth of Christianity; if even these low recipients exhibit a striking exemplification of its excellence, yet we must confess they cannot exhibit an equally sublime idea of christian perfection. they cannot adduce the same striking evidences in its vindication, they can. not adorn its doctrines with the same powerful arguments as highly educated Christians. Habituated to inquiry and reflection, these penitent woman could anoint the feet of Jesus as he sat at meat, could only mislead such readers as are capable of forming more just views of were unacquainted with the recumbent posture in the character and attributes of God. more which the ancients took their meals. The trienlarged conceptions of his moral govern- umphant sneer at the paralytic, who was let down ment. They have also the advant ge of from the housetop through the tiling with his drawing on their secular funds to augment couch, could only shake the faith of those who are their spiritual riches. They are conversant ignorant of the manner in which the houses of caswith authors contemporary with the inspired writess. Acquaintance with ancient manners and oriental usages also gives great ad-| vantage to the lettered readers of Scripture, and, by enabling them to throw new light on passages which time had rendered obscure, tern countries were roofed.-Whether infidel writers took advantage of the supposed ignorance of their readers, or whether their ridicule of these imputed absurdities of Scripture arose from their own ignorance, we will not determine. Instances might be multiplied without number of this ignorance, or of this disingenuousness. THE WORKS OF HANNAH MORE. and his learning which adorns is capable al- the same impression is made by the same principle; the same results spring from the so of being turned to discredit it. We must, however, admit, that when our same cause, and the disciples of Christ, supposed man of high education becomes whether it be the converted Greenlander or pious, his piety will be of a higher the Academical believer, are recognised in essentially strain. It is more pure, more perfect, more all their distinguishing features, are identifiexempt from erroneous mixtures, more clear ed in all the leading points. Such a concurof debasing associations, more entirely free rence in sentiment, feeling and practice, from disgusting cant and offensive phraseol- such a union in faith, hope and charity, ogy; less likely to run into imprudence, er- amongst persons dissimilar in all other reFor, and excess; less in danger of the gloom- spects, unlike in all other qualities, unequal iness of superstition on one hand, and the in all other requisites; minds never made to wildness of fanaticism on the other. Hav- be akin by nature thus allied by grace, bearing the use of a better judgment in the ing the same stamp of resemblance in spirit choice, he is not in the same danger of being as their possessors bear in the common promisled by ignorant instructors; he is not perties of body: all this is a convincing liable to be drawn away by a vanity so diffi- proof that there must be something divine in cult to restrain in the uneducated religious a principle which can assimilate such conman; a vanity so frequently excited when he trarieties-which can re-unite those in one sees his own superiority, in this great point, common centre who differ in all other reto his worse-informed neighbours. From spects-which can annihilate all other disthis vanity, and this want of the restraint of tinctions to produce identity in the leading that modesty imposed by superior education, the man of low condition often appears more religious than he is, because, being disposed to be proud of his piety, he is forward to talk of it. While the higher bred frequently appear less pious than they really are, from the good taste and delicacy which commonly accompany a cultivated mind. There is also another reason why they exhibit it less, they are aware that, in their own society, the exbibition would bring them no great credit. point. Does not all this prove it indeed to be the work of God, a work which requires not previous accomplishments or preparatory research, but only a willing mind, an unprejudiced spirit, and an humble heart? Does it not prove, that where the essence, and the spirit of Christianity really reside, it will produce the oue grand effect, a new heart and a new life. CHAP. IV. Farther causes of prejudice. Deity. The great Roman orator expresses the same idea when he asserts, that a caparity for religion was the distinguishing mark of rationality, and that this capacity is the most unequivocal sin of reason. If unlettered Christians labour under some disadvantages, we repeat it, they yet afford an internal evidence of the truth of Christianity, and an evidence of no small value. IT is a singular fact that the infidel and the They show that it is the same principle which, when rightly received, pervades alike fanatic sometimes meet at the same point of -that reason has little to do with reliall hearts; a principle which makes its di-errorThe enthusiast we are hopeless of rect way to understandings impervious to gion the shafts of wit, and insensible to the deduc- convincing by argument, because he is comtions of reasoning-to minds sunk in low pur-monly ignorant; but the lettered sceptic suits, indurated by vulgar habits. It is a may be better taught even by his pagan mas Plutarch, after a large discussion' striking proof of its being the same princiters. ple, that such seemingly disqualified persons whether brutes had any reason, determines possess as clear views of its nature, at least in the negative from this consideration, beof its broad and saving truths, as the man of cause they had no knowledge or feeling of a genius and the scholar; destitute as they are of all his advantages, wanting perhaps his natural perspicacity, unused to his habits of inquiry, incapable of that spirit of disquisition which he brings from his other subjects Yet sound reason and Christian piety are to the investigation of this. No one, if he examine impartially, can fail to be struck sometimes represented as if they were belliwith this grand characteristic of the truth gerent powers, as if Orders in Council had of Christianity-not only, that in all degrees been issued to cut off all commerce between of capacity and education in the same coun-them; as if they were better calculated etertry, but that in different countries, in those nally to meet sword in hand, than in the conwhere taste and learning are carried to the ciliatory way of treaty and negotiation; as highest perfection, and in dark and ignorant if every victory of the one, must necessarily nations, where not only the sun of science has never dawned, but where literature has never softened, nor philosophy enlarged the mind, where no glimpse of religion can be caught by a reflex light, as is the case in poIshed and Christian countries-yet wherever Christianity has made its way, and pierced through the native obscurity, there the genuine spirit, and the great essential fruits of the gospel. will be found just the same: be obtained at the expense of the other's de- 1 science. loquy and scorn. In every case, the ill un-cause these terms either do, or should desigderstood jealousy of each injures the inter-nate to their minds the most important charests of both. acters of religion. The Christian should The truth is, sound and sober Christianity neither shrink from his own strong hold, nor is so far from discountenancing the use of treat with repulsive disdain him who appears reason, that she invites its co-operation, earnest in his approaches towards it, though knowing that it possesses powerful arms to he has not as yet, through some prejudice of defend her cause; to defend her against the education, sought it in a direct way. There encroachments of error, the absurdities of are many terms, such as faith and grace, and fanaticism, the inroads of superstition, the as-others which might be mentioned, which subsaults of infidelity. But while she treats it ject the more advanced Christian to the imnot as a rival but an ally, Christianity, strong putation of enthusiasm and the charge of in Almighty strength, maintains her own im-cant. These, however, are words which are perial power unfringed. While she courts the signs of things on which his eternal hopes the friendship of her confederate, she allows depend, and he uses them, even though he not her own uncontrolled superiority to be inay sometimes do it unseasonably, yet not usurped. She assigns to reason its specific as the Shibboleth of a profession, but because office, and makes it know and keep its pro- there are no others exactly equivalent to per limits. The old law, indeed, being a for their respective meanings. In fact, if he inula of ceremonies, and a digest of ordinan- did not use them when occasion calls, he ces for one particular people, left not so full would be deserting his colours, and be makan exercise for the use of reason. Descend-ing a compromise, to the ruin of his coning to the most minute particulars, and being expanded into the most detailed directions, it But let him not in return fall too heavily on left little for the disciple but to read the rule what are, to his ear, the obnoxious terms of and follow it. But the New Testament be- his adversary. Let him not be so forward ing, as we have elsewhere observed, rather a to consider the terms virtue and rectitude as system of principles, than a mere didactic ta- implying heresies that must be hewed down ble of small as well as great duties, leaves without mercy; as substantives which must much more to the exercise of reason, and never find a place in the Christian's vocabufurnishes a much larger field for the under-lary. They are not only very innocent but standing to develop, to compare, to separate, very excellent words, if he who utters them to combine. The whole plan of duty is, in-only means to express by virtue those good deed, most clearly and distinctly laid open; works which are the fruits of a right faith, but every uniting particle, every intermedi- and by rectitude that unbending principle of ate step, every concatenating link, is not equity and justice which designates the contraced out with amplitude and fulness. firmed Christian. The abuse of these terms The more instruct d Christian will per-may, indeed, make the more pious adversary ceive that some expressions are merely fig- a little afraid of using them, as the unnecesurative; some are directions for persons un- sary multiplication of ordinary cases in which der one circumstance, and some for those the more scriptural terms are pressed into under another. The Gospel requires, in- the service, may make the less advanced deed, as implicit submission from the Chris Christian unreasonably shy of obtruding tian, as the law required from the Jew; but them. while it proposes truths, all of which equally demand his obedience, some of them require more especially the use of his reflection, and the exercise of his sagacity. We allude not to the great mysteries of godliness.' but to duties which are of individual application. But why must we vilify in others what we are cautious of using ourselves, in order to magnify what we chuse to adopt? We should rather be glad that those who somewhat differ from us, come so near as they do; that they are more religious than we expectIf we were to pursue prejudice through all ed; that if they are in error, they are not in its infinite variety, we should never have hostility; or if seemingly averse, it is more done with the inexhaustible subject. Ob- to the too indiscriminate and light use of the servation presents to us followers of truth of opponent's terms, than to the sober reception a very different cast, though their uniform of the truths they convey. Let us be glad object be the same. These persons, while even at the worst, to see opposition mitigathey sometimes seek her temple by different ted, differences brought into a narrower paths, are yet oftener kept wide of each oth-compass. Let us not encounter as leaders of er by words than by things. Whatever, in hostile armies, but try what can be done by deed, be the separating principle, prejudice negotiation, though never of course by conis always carried to its greatest height by the cession in essentials. If the terms virtue impatience of the too fiery on the one hand, and rectitude are used to the exclusion of and the contempt of the too frigid on the oth-faith and grace, or as substitutes for them, it But both, as we observed, maintain may afford an opening for the pious advocate their distance more by certain leading terms to show the difference between the principle by which each is found to be discriminated, and its consequence, the root and its produce. and by an intolerance in each, to the terms He should charitably remember that it is one adopted by the other, than by any radical thing for an honest inquirer to come short of distinction which might fairly keep them truth, and another for a petulant caviller to asunder Now we do not wish them to re- wander wide of it. It is one thing to err linquish the use of their peculiar terms, be-through mistake or timidity, and another to er. |