To call the attention of men to Christianity, and to render its true genius and nature better known*, is the

opposer of the true doctrines of divine energy; and who, on that account, may have the more weight with many.

"The blessed Jesus came into the world, to declare the good"will of our heavenly Father to the forfeited posterity of Adam. "He testified the truth of his mission by amazing miracles; and "sealed the redemption of mankind, by the more amazing devo"tion of himself to an ignominious death.

"But as the redemption, so generally procured, could only ope"rate on particulars, under certain circumstances of faith and obe"dience, very repugnant to our corrupted nature, the blessed Jesus, " on his leaving the world, promised his followers his intercession "with the Father, to send another divine person-the Holy Ghost, "called the Spirit of Truth, and the Comforter-who, agreeably to "the import of those names, should co-operate with us in establish❝ing faith, and in perfecting obedience; or, in other words, should "sanctify us to redemption.

"This is a succinct account of the economy of grace; entirely "consonant to our best conceptions of the nature of God, and the "condition of man. For if man was to be reinstated in a free gift,

justly forfeited, we cannot but suppose that as, on the one hand, "it might be restored on what conditions best pleased the giver; "so, on the other, God would graciously provide, that it should "not be bestowed in vain.

"An atonement, therefore, was to be made for the offended "majesty of the Father, and this was the work of the Son; and "a remedy was to be provided for the miserable condition of man, "which hindered the atonement from producing its effect; and "this was the office of the Holy Ghost; so that both were joint "workers in the great business of reconciling God to man. "The office of the Holy Ghost is to ENLIGHTEN THE UNDER"STANDING, AND TO RECTIFY THE WILL."

Bp. WARBURTON.

This is the testimony of an adversary. "The Christian that rejects, reproaches, and writes against the "necessity of immediate divine inspiration, (as Warburton did,) 86 pleads the whole cause of infidelity."

LAW

* "In many countries called Christian, neither Christianity, nor ❝ its evidence, are fairly laid before men; and in places where both

scope of this little book; a book by no means intended to promote the interest, or gratify the pride, by any particular division or sub-division of Christians, but to serve the common cause of all human beings, by maintaining the divine origin, describing the real essence and energy, and diffusing the powerful efficacy of that SUBLIME PHILOSOPHY, which, under the immediate operation of an all-wise and benign Deity, promises to tranquillize life, and conduct man through paths of peace, to realms of eternal felicity.

What then is the principle of this philosophy, which gives it a decided superiority over all that has been taught in the groves of Academus, the Portico and the Lyceum? It is (as I hope has been evinced in the preceding pages) a BEAM OF LIGHT from the FATHER OF LIGHTS; a LUMEN DE LUMINE, LIGHT OF LIGHT; the breath of the power of God, restoring degenerate human nature to that image which it lost at the fall, and re-establishing it in primeval dignity. The Holy Ghost, it appears, is the divine Being, now and forever engaged in effecting this happy renovation; in producing a change, which no human wisdom could ever accomplish, without supernatural assistance, without that GIFT, which our Lord gave to men after his ascension.

The elegant refinements of human philosophy may furnish a pleasing amusement for those who possess the advantages of a classical education, and of literary lei

sure.

The Christian Philosophy alone is calculated

"4 are, there

appear to be some, who have very little attended to either; and who reject Christianity with a scORN proportionate "to their INATTENTION; and yet are by no means without understanding in other matters."

46

Bp. BUTLER.

"I have been so long conversant with the classics," said Dr. Conyers Middleton, " that I grow squeamish when I come to the scriptures."

for ALL mankind; this alone can bring peace* at the last; peace, during the continuance of life, as well as its close; a transcendent peace, called, in scripture, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; and which certainly constitutes that SUPREME GOOD OF MAN, in selecting which, human philosophy could never yet finally agree. Happily, it is a kind of philosophy, to which every human being, consistently with God's equity, may attain; requiring not cultured intellect, nor a life of academical seclusion, but faithful, fervent prayer, accompanied with sincere, though imperfect obedience. "If ye, being evil," says our Saviour, "know how to give good gifts unto your children, how "much shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit "to them that ask him?" Nothing is to be desired by mortal man, in comparison with this GIFT, the supply of the Spirit af Jesus Christt. The END, it appears, to be pursued by this philosophy, is the attainment of the Spirit's influence; the MEANS, prayer and obedience. Such is the sum and substance of CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY; a title which I have chosen, because, from a

"I would," said the great GROTIUS, whose book, 'On the Truth of the Christian Religion,' is recommended to all young students, though, I believe, it never convinced any man living; "I "would," said he, a little before he died, “ give all my learning "and honour, for the plain integrity and innocence of JEAN "URICK;" a poor illiterate neighbour of his, who spent much of his time in prayer, and was an honest plain man, and industrious in his calling. JOHN EDWARDS.

† Phil, i. 19.

This name Christianity bears in the writings of some of the antient fathers. Thus Justin Martyr, speaking of Christianity,

says,

66 Έξι τω οντι ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ μεγιςον κλημα και τιμιώτατος 63 Θεώ, ώτε προσαγει και συνίζησιν ημας μουνη και οσιοι ως αλη σε θως ουτοι εισιν οι φιλοσοφία τον νουν προσεχη καὶ οτες.

Dialog. cum Tryph.

strange perverseness, a great part of the world, too often guided by names, is willing to listen to philosophy, while it closes the iron doors of prejudice against the voice of ' religion.

The divine energy announced to mankind in the glad tidings of the Gospel, under the name of GIFTS and GRACE, operating, now and for evermore, on every human heart prepared to admit it, appears, from what has been advanced in these pages, to be the LIVING, EVERLASTING GOSPEL, still accompanying the written word, and conveying illumination, sanctification, consolation. It would not cease to operate, being sent down from Heaven on our Lord's ascension, even if it were possible that ink and paper, by whose instrumentality the written word is transmitted, were utterly lost. It originates from Omnipotence, and cannot entirely rely, for its continuance or effect, on means merely human, weak, contingent and perishable. He who once views the gospel of JESUS CHRIST in this light; he who considers it as a

He adds, that he found this philosophy, meaning the CHRISTIAN, the only philosophy that was useful and to be depended upon. “ Ταυτην μόνην ευρισκον Φιλοσοφίαν ασφαλητική συμφορον. Dialog. cum Tryph. Isidore also terms Christianity the NEW and evangelical philosophy.

- 66 Η νεα και ευαγγελικη ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ.”

EPIST. lib. 4.

And in another place he calls it the heavenly philosophy.

« ΟΥΡΑΝΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ.”

EPIST. lib. 5.

Several other fathers call it the Christian Philosophy. Vide Sozomen. Eccl. Hist. lib. 5. cap. 12.

And let it be remembered, that,

"Non tam discendo, quam PATIENDO divina,

"MENS PERFICITUR HUMANA.”

"Homines ideo fallantur, quod aut religionem suscipiunt, omissâ sapientiâ, aut sapientiæ soli student, omissâ religione, cum alterum "sine altero esse non possit verum.”

LACTANTIUS de falsa Sapient. lib. 3.

Y

vital influence from Heaven, and recognizes its energy on his heart, as he will do, in consequence of prayer and obedience, will want no other proof of the truth and excellence of Christianity. He will have the witness in himself; and stand in no need of the schoolmen's folios, the verbal subtleties of the critic, or the acrimonious disputes of the polemic. He will find, that some of the most learned men, the most voluminous writers on theological subjects, were TOTALLY IGNORANT OF CHRISTIANITY. He will find, that they were ingenious heathen philosophers, assuming the name of Christians, and forcibly paganizing Christianity, for the sake of pleasing the world, of extending their fame, and enjoying secular honours and lucrative pre-eminence*.

"Godly persons," that is, Christian philosophers, are described, in those articles which all churchmen have most solemnly assented to, as "such as FEEL in them"selves the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of "the flesh, and drawing up their minds to high and "heavenly things." He who feels the Spirit in him, will be conscious of possessing the pearl of great price, and will lock it up in the sanctuary of his heart, as his richest treasure, never to be despoiled of it by the se ducing arts of false philosophy; never to exchange that pure gold, which is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, for the base metal of worldly politicians, who may endeavour, as they have done, to make truth it

"There are those," says the apostle, "who seek THEIR OWN, "and not the things of Jesus Christ." PHIL. ii. 21 Such as these are called by Ignatius xesuwoga, dealers and chapmen in Christ. Unprofitable TRUTHS they will have no more to do with, than traders with unsaleable commodities,

Bishop Home says, "Those clergymen, who betray the cause "of their Master, in order to be promoted in the church, are guilty "of the worst kind of simony, and pay their souls for the purchase "of their preferment."