that God is able to save them and that his power is commensurate with his wisdom and love! In these circumstances it becomes us to rejoice that God is omnipotent, and yet a gracious sovereign, and it becomes us to seek our help in him as the only rock of salvation! The language of his grace to ancient Israel is recorded for our instruction. “0 Israel thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help.”

ART. III.-REVIEW OF WAYLAND ON THE LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, AND JAMES WOOD ON OLD AND NEW DIVINITY.

DR. WAYLAND in his brief treatise on the limitations of human responsibility travels over an extensive territory, and brings within our view the domains of ethics, civil and political jurisprudence, constitutional law, natural and revealed theology. His object however, is not to examine the theory of morals, but to teach practically. Referring to the principles of conscientious obligation, on page 10, he says,

"It is somewhat strange that they have not been more frequently discussed. To discuss them in a practical manner will be the design of the following pages. My only object will be to offer such suggestions as may enable a candid man to decide for himself, whether he in particular be under moral obligations to perform any particular act, or whether he is at liberty or under obligation to let it alone. If this can be done, many an honest mind will be relieved from frequent and distressing embarrassment."

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The true science of the spiritual economy of humanity is indispensable to all useful reasonings and instructions upon this subject. Principles, causes, and elements being unknown, the science whereof they are, is altogether unknown." A discriminating examination of the principles and sanctions of the religion of nature and that of Christ; showing the "mega chasma," the great gulph that is fixed between them is much needed, from the prevalence of a popu

* Fortesque.

lar, undistinguishing and plausible infidelity. A deplorable ignorance of the nature of good and evil is the cause of the distempers of our day. Man has a natural passion for independence of thought and action, and is sure to form false notions of obligation and freedom.

"Right is a pleasing thing, and liberty an old temptation." The rules of practical morality are generally known; but the true nature of their sanction is not understood. The will of God is insufficient for modern reason, and benevolence; and in its place, expedience, utility, and apparent good, are received as the rule and foundation of duty: and the dictates of conscience according to this standard impose the law of supreme obligation. Hence an ocean of responsibility submerges the ancient landmarks, and rolls its swelling and desolating tide over a boundless shore.

The moral elements are in a state of fearful disorder; "without form and void," there are earthquakes and tempests; distress and perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring. No voice but his who compasseth the waters with bounds and stilleth the tumult of the people, can say effectually peace be still. All human experiments are but the chains of Xerxes.

Though man sees the smoke, and the fire, and the desolating lava, he may not with his hand, cover the crater of Etna, or the mouth of the bottomless pit. God is our only refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble: therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed; and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea: though the waves thereof roar, and be troubled: though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. God is in the midst of his city, she shall not be moved.

The security and final triumph of the Church, is an unspeakable consolation, when reflection observes among the signs of the times, so much to excite the apprehensions of piety, and patriotism, for the stability of our religious and civil establishments.

It may not be denied, that our disease is exceeding great; there are indications in church and state, unequivocal of deep seated evil: and the prognosis is fearful, and baffles all human comprehension. Amid the wide spread and general disorders, none dream of their own infection. Every one points to another and cries unclean. All the patients are at large; none in the wards of a hospital. These are hypo

thetical cases only; and mere prescription is vain without the right, and power of caption and actual administration. And who shall arrest the majority? Who can funnel the king? Besides the diseased have the utmost confidence in the soundness and vigour of their own constitutions; and abhor the doctor's nauseous poisons. They cannot be enticed with drugged confectionary; much less will they submit to medicated steam, Thomsonian roots, scientific minerals, or the direful knife. The only hope, is to hold up the mirror of the word to God; "peradventure He will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."

That there is among the people, a lawless and terrible power, scorning all restraint, and threatening universal desolation, is evident to superficial observation. The irrepressible force within, that opposes all limitations of conscience, indicates its presence and its danger, by the hissing of vapour; and occasional explosions in the moral and political world. The book on "moral limitations opens here and there a safety valve; or diverts the power, by conductors to put in motion machinery, whose action may be useful or harmless. It mistakes however the remedy. False principles lay at the foundation of the practical evils. "If the root be holy so are the branches." It is the continual supply of " wood, hay, and stubble," that keeps up the combustion; this our author should have exposed, and called for water, and applied the extinguisher to the flames. Doubtless he would have been fumigated, blackened, and blistered, by recoiling volumes of smoke, ashes, and indignant steam; but would he have realized, in some degree, his own idea of the "highest glory of human nature," in suffering for the truth.

We have no faith in temporising expedients; or the most potent agencies of the pharmacopoeia. Mortification has begun, and nothing will save but the instrument. There must be a separation of the clean and unclean, by that word which pierceth to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow.

There are too many Egyptians in the camp; too many Babylonish garments and wedges of gold hid among the stuff in the tents of Israel: too many Babel-builders, with their slime and brick; too many bewildered workmen, confounding the distinguishing signs of truth and error; and confusing themselves and others by their words; so that their speech cannot be understood by any ingenuity of exVOL. V.

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egesis, or philosophy of explanation: too portentous a blending of the language of Ashdod and the Jews' language among the priests within the curtains of the tabernacle; too many altars being builded in the groves; too many sacrifices in the high places; and too much rejoicing and glorification in the devices and inventions of humanity. In fine, while the Church is on the verge of an universal apostacy from the gracious principles of the doctrine of Christ, a spirit of fanatic ferocity, and agrarian licentiousness, is assailing every thing that is venerable from age, approved by experience, or established in principle, among our civil and political institutions. A spirit that threatens to hide for ever, in the darkness and blood of Jacobinical midnight, the title deeds and the heirs of a well regulated liberty. The prophets preach, saying, the time cometh when one head shall not be lifted above another that shall not be cut off. This prevailing philosophy of the day is not only aggressive, but exterminating. The Pharisees of Paganism are going about (they say)" doing good," and every offence must be removed before the feet of these benefactors; (Luke, xxii 25, 26,) that the glorious results of their achievements may be made manifest to all men. Every thing is principle, or order, pertaining to learning, religion, morals, or civil jurisprudence that will not abide the test of a mere utilitarian scrutiny, is cast out as evil, and utterly denounced by an Atheistic philosophy. "The greatest good of the greatest number" is become the "queen of Heaven," and this Benthamite abstraction is the reigning deity of the day.

The communication between the heathen and the Israelites has been so protracted, unrestrained, and universal; with such a succession of intermarriages, social coalitions, and mutual accommodations, that the children are taught, and believe, that there is "no difference" between thistle and wheat; cockle and barley; brick and stone; slime and mortar; a promise and a law; grace and justice; the curse and the blessing.

Modern Pelagianism has broken down the walls, and demolished the bulwarks of Zion; and the levelling spirit of the age may be traced to the leaven of its demolishing infidelity. Man is born to achieve for himself a glorious destiny, an immortality of bliss. This is the cause and end of his existence; and every thing in heaven above, and earth beneath, is subordinated to its effectual consummation. His

religion is a problem; something for him to do; and that it is true and desirable so far forth as its tendency is perceived to promote his "chief end." The most momentous results for time and eternity depend upon, and await the direction of his reason and conduct. He has "life in himself," and as he has to accomplish his own happiness, the essential element of his piety is actio, actio, actio, doing, doing, doing. His only obligation is to do. Religion is not of faith; but the man that doeth them shall live in them, Gal. iii. 12. In short, the admired religion of the land is rational, and Pagan. Instead of receiving a knowledge of good and evil from the testimony of Scripture, principles and conduct are subjected to the solitary test of practical utility, and determined according to their obvious effects, to be right or wrong.

Unsuccessful ambition is a traitor; but if she is arrayed. . in royal purple upon her throne, and makes an oration to the people, "it is the voice of a God." Cupidity in rags is a thief and a robber, and accommodated with a prison or a halter: but if she rides in her chariot, and directs her way to the city, the ocean, or the mountain stream; and chains her dependents to her ships, her drays, or her spindles; the laurel is upon her brow, and she is hailed a public benefactress. If murder stabs a Cæsar, the assassin is a Brutus, and an honourable man. If Christianity goes about clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick, relieving the wants of the body, and mitigating the evils of this life, "doing good," "seen and temporal," the people are gathered together unto her. But if she discourse of the life of the soul, of things spiritual, unseen, and eternal; if, like her Founder, when innumerable multitudes" crowd about her, she warns them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, Luke xii. 1, Mark xvi. 12, many are offended. If she speak of the death that was accomplished at Jerusalem, they" wag their heads." If she witness, "except ye eat the flesh, and drink the blood of the Son of man, ye have no life in you;" many account it a hard saying, John vi. 53, 60. If she testify "no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father," many renounce her and her doctrine. John vi. 65, 66. If she say, "I and my Father are one." the Jews take up stones to stone her, John x. 30, 31. Principles, the tendency and effect of which are not seen to be good, or appear evil, overcome the faith of a mere "cui bono" man. He rejects the doctrine

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