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perceptibly to blend itself with spiritual feelings, who does not see that there is a prize of no ordinary attraction within the range of their reasonable hopes?

The author of the system which we have examined, and the present Lord Chancellor of England were fellow students and competitors, pursuing their scientific studies over the same midnight lamp. The one, however, very soon seemed to turn away from all objects of worldly ambition, which the other pursued with the most indefatigable industry and devotion. Yet did the course of both lead to earthly distinction; nor will the name of the successful candidate of ambition be remembered longer in the annals of the great, than the name of Legh Richmond in the annals of the poor. The temple, indeed, of worldly distinction, is not thrown open to the statesman or the warrior only. The founders and leaders of religious sects are enrolled there, in characters as durable as those who have swayed the rod of empires, or poured their victorious legions over half a world. Is not the name of Calvin as imperishable as that of Cæsar?

Is not Wesley as immortal as Wellington? The paths to distinction are as various as the passion for distinction is universal. How far this universal passion influenced the fluent and impressive extempore preacher, the eloquent orator of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the favoured friend and spiritual counsellor of a prince, the correspondent of the Emperor of Russia, the author of a tract so exactly suited to human nature as to be translated into many modern languages, and circulated to the extent of four millions of copies; can be known only to Him to whom the secrets of all hearts are open. A much more profitable inquiry we would suggest to those who are inclined to adopt the system of Legh Richmond; viz. whether, upon a close examination, there may not be detected in this system, a tendency at least to undervalue good works, and to turn practical Christianity into mysticism; to exalt a favoured few above their fellows, and to throw others into despondency or despair; to encourage the most intolerable of all tyrannical dominations, a domination over the conscience and the soul; to

foster presumptuous and uncharitable judgments, not only as to the moral, but the spiritual state and final salvation of others; to confuse our moral distinctions by stigmatizing, as sins, what are only sinful in their abuse and in their excess; to weaken the religious principle and the force of truth, by overstraining the one and overstating the other; to produce an unsocial and exclusive system, tearing asunder the tenderest ties of family and kindred attachments; to turn religious zeal into party spirit; to generate an impatience of all established religious authority; to check the range of mind; to turn the current of intense thought and all severe application from science, by taking from every thing its value and importance, except the one thing needful; requiring us to sacrifice upon the altar of Christianity, not only the evil propensities, the sensuality, and selfishness of our nature, but our genius, our taste, our learning, our science those active principles and those desires which the Almighty Sovereign of the Universe hath himself interwoven in the original constitution of our nature, with the evident

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intention and design of laying a ground-work for the progressive improvement and happiness of his creatures; and with no other limitation or condition annexed, than that they should be made subservient to his glory in the highest, to peace upon earth, and good-will towards men.

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