but let us never forget, that at the same time we are closing the eyes and ears and hearts of, perhaps, a less numerous, but more important class, who require at the hands of the orthodox more solid and well-concocted food than that which, we are sorry to say, they have too often found provided for them in the pages of Biblical criticism. We fear we speak a truth more generally felt than expressed-that the sceptical spirit prevailing amongst many enlightened and enquiring individuals, has been engendered and nurtured, in a great degree, by the senseless tone of shallow reasoning and research. To say that Mr. Coleridge has supplied a remedy would be asserting too much; on the contrary, we have to regret, in perusing this little work, which contains much valuable matter, that he has erred in the opposite extreme, and not unfrequently bewildered his readers (may we not add himself also ?) in the mazes of metaphysical lore. Were we indeed inclined to take the severe side of criticism in dealing with his book, we might find it no very difficult matter absolutely to overwhelm those who looked to his "Aids" as steps in the ladder, whereby they hoped to ascend to a higher view of holy things; leaving them in a lamentable state of darkness after they had made a certain progress in scaling the eminence upon which we give him full credit for honestly wishing to establish them. But it is our duty-we may most conscientiously add, it is our wish-to be impartial; and, consequently, to Mr. Coleridge wé are bound to render that share of honour and praise which is justly due for considerable merit and unquestionable integrity of intention. We are, indeed, always desirous of encouraging strong minded and piously disposed laymen to stand forward in the sacred cause of Scriptural truth, and to make known the views and operations of their unprejudiced minds. We say unprejudiced, because, without wishing to detract from the merits of that invaluable body, the ordained priesthood of the Church of England, the world at large, in seeing and judging for itself, may and often does come to the very obvious conclusion that however great may be the learning and talent of an ecclesiastical critic, he must be so forcibly biassed in his train of reasoning by professional feeling and habitual apprehensions of a theological subject, as in some measure to lessen the authority he might otherwise claim as a strictly impartial and unprejudiced observer. It has, therefore, been often justly remarked that some of our best and certainly most original works upon speculative divinity," have emanated from the pens of lay writers. We hope Mr. Coleridge will not be the last of this respectable class of whom we may have to speak in the progress of our duty as reviewers. It may be expected that we should now give some brief and clear account of the book before us; but we regret to say, that, for reasons above assigned, this is not so easy a matter as may be supposed. All we can hope to do, is to draw out an imperfect sketch; but in the first place, as an apology to our readers, to Mr. Coleridge, and also for ourselves, we shall give a few specimens of that (as we think) very objectionable style which is diffused over too great a portion of the work-occasionally reminding us of the cosmogonal theory of Ephraim Jenkins, in the Vicar of Wakefield. For instance:The plan of redemption is thus summed up: "Briefly, it is the Differential of Immortality, of which the assimilative power of Faith and Love is the Integrant, and the life in Christ the Integration." (P. 316.) We have said summed up, for the case is actually reduced to an algebraical form, concluding, "Then I say X+klmn is in different places expressed by (or as=) A+k; B+l; C+m; D+n; and these I should call metaphorical exponents of X"!!! (P. 315.) We were not aware, when we witnessed with astonishment, the wonderful application of Mr. Babbage's machinery to the science of numbers, that we should so soon find it followed up by the introduction of mathematical formulæ, as solutions of metaphysical positions. Surely the time may be at hand, when even the great elastic power will be enlisted in the service of intellect, and senior wranglers may be assisted by the energies of steam. To speak seriously, this mode of handling questions of awful interest is in bad taste, and unworthy of a Christian philosopher. -- Our Author tells us, in his preface, that his work was proposed and begun as a mere selection from the writings of Archbishop Leighton; and as a means "of placing in a clear light the principle which pervades all" his "writings, viz. his sublime view of Religion and Morality as the means of reforming the human Soul in the Divine Image." (P. iv.) But, in the prosecution of this design, the work grew under his hands,—an increase of matter induced him to change his plan, and he went on incorporating a considerable selection from the writings of the Archbishop, in order to produce a volume for those "unwilling sceptics, who, believing earnestly, ask help for their unbelief;" endeavouring, 1st. to shew them "that there is a spiritual principle in man," and exposing "the sophistry of the arguments in support of the contrary;" 2d. clearing "the road of all counterfeits, by showing what is not the Spirit, what is not Spiritual Religion;" following them up "by an attempt to establish a difference in kind, between religious truths and the deductions of speculative science; yet so as to prove, that the former are not only equally rational with the latter, but that they alone appeal to Reason in the fulness and living reality of the Power." P. 299. The objects of the work are more explicitly stated in the Preface; viz. 1. To direct the Reader's attention to the value of the Science of Words, their use and abuse, and the incalculable advantages attached to the habit of using them appropriately, and with a distinct knowledge of their primary, derivative, and metaphorical senses. 2. To establish the distinct character of Prudence, Morality, and Religion; and to impress the conviction, that though the second requires the first, and the third contains and supposes both the former; yet still Moral Goodness is other and more than Prudence, or the Principle of Expediency; and Religion more and higher than Morality. For this distinction the better Schools, even of Pagan Philosophy, contended. 3. To substantiate and set forth, at large, the momentous distinction between Reason and Understanding. Whatever is achievable by the Understanding, for the purposes of worldly interest, private, or public, has in the present age been pursued with an activity, and a success beyond all former experience, and to an extent which equally demands," says Mr. Coleridge, "my admiration, and excites my wonder. But likewise it is, and long has been, my conviction," he adds, "that in no age, since the first dawning of Science and Philosophy in this island, have the Truths, Interests, and Studies, that especially belong to the Reason, contemplative or practical, sunk into such utter neglect, not to say contempt, as during the last century. It is, therefore, one main object of this Volume to establish the position, that whoever transfers to the Understanding the primacy due to the Reason, loses the one and spoils the other. "4. To exhibit a full and consistent scheme of the Christian dispensation, and more largely of all the peculiar doctrines of the Christian faith; and to answer all the objections to the same, that do not originate in a corrupt will rather than an erring judgment; and to do this in a manner intelligible for all, who, possessing the ordinary advantages of éducation, do in good earnest desire to form their religious creed in the light of their own convictions, and to have a reason for the faith which they profess. There are indeed mysteries, in evidence of which no reasons can be brought. But it has been my endeavour to show, that the true solution of this problem is, that these mysteries are reason, reason in its highest form of self-affirmation." P. vii. 14 The Preface concludes with an address which we think too important to omit, and which we most earnestly recommend to every member of the church of Christ, convinced that the advice it offers, if followed, would tend in no slight degree to reduce the number of parties into which that church is at present so lamentably divided.. "Reader!-You have been bred in a land abounding with men, able in arts, learning, and knowledges manifold, this man in one, this in another, few in many, and none in all. But there is one art, of which every man should be master, the art of reflection. If you are not a thinking man, to what purpose are you a man at all? In like manner, there is one knowledge, which it is every man's interest and duty to acquire, namely, self knowledge: or to what end was man alone, of all animals, endued by the Creator with the faculty of self consciousness." P. xi, We shall now proceed to a selection of a few of the most striking aphorisms, as illustrative of Mr. Coleridge's religious views and principles; introducing, as opportunity offers, our own remarks. "APHORISM I. In philosophy equally as in poetry it is the highest and most useful prerogative of genius to produce the strongest impression of novelty, while it rescues admitted truths from the neglect caused by the very circumstance of their universal admission. Extremes meet, and truths, of all others the most awful and interesting, are too often considered as so true, that they lose all the power of truth, and lie bedridden in the dormitory of the soul, side by side with the most despised and exploded errors. "APHORISM II. There is one sure way of giving freshness and im→ portance to the most common place maxims. That of reflecting on them in direct reference to our own state and conduct, to our own past and future being. "APHORISM VII. In order to learn, we must attend; in order to profit by what we have learnt we must think, i. e. reflect. He only thinks who reflects. "APHORISM VIII. It is a matter of great difficulty, and requires no ordinary skill and address, to fix the attention of men, (especially of young men) on the world within them, to induce them to study the processes and superintend the works which they are themselves carrying on in their own minds; in short, to awaken in them both the faculty of thought and the inclination to exercise it. For alas! the largest part of mankind are nowhere greater strangers than at home. "APHORISM XI. An hour of solitude passed in sincere and earnest prayer, or the conflict with, and conquest over, a single passion or subtle bosom sin', will teach us more of thought, will more effectually awa➡ ken the faculty and form the habit of reflection, than a year's study in the school without them. “APHORISM XX. Among the various undertakings of men, ean there be mentioned one more important, can there be conceived one more sublime, than an intention to form the human mind anew after the DIVINE IMAGE? The very intention, if it be sincere, is a ray of its dawning. "APHORISM XXIV. Where there is a great deal of smoke and no clear flame, it argues much moisture in the matter, yet it witnesseth certainly that there is fire there; and therefore dubious questioning is a much better evidence, than that senseless deadness which most take for believing. Men that know nothing in sciences, have no doubts. He never truly believed, who was not made first sensible and convinced of unbelief. "Never be afraid to doubt, if only you have the disposition to believe, and doubt in order that you may end in believing the truth. I will venture to add in my own name and from my own conviction the following:-APHORISM XXV. He who begins by loving Christianity better than truth, will proceed by loving his own sect or church better than Christianity, and end in loving himself better than all." We are quite of opinion that these last aphorisms, the former by Archbishop Leighton, the latter by Mr. Coleridge, are, to use the words of the editor at the head of the two, "worthy to be framed and hung up in the library of every theological student." Every person of common observation must, in his progress through life, have met with innumerable instances of the truth of these assertions. The faith of thousands is in fact of this inanimate, passive description. We have conversed with not a few, even amongst the clergy, whose general orthodoxy passed current in the world as sound and unquestionable, whose faith nevertheless, when it came to be sifted and tried and probed, evidently partook too much of this loose and indefinite character. We know that it is a general fashion to question the principles and feelings of those who, in persevering and conscientious search after truth, are unavoidably and unintentionally led into occasional difficulties and doubt; but it is by such minds, and such alone, that the worth of vital Christianity can be fully appreciated, and duly felt. With such persons to converse upon the mysteries pertaining to life and godliness, is indeed an intellectual gratification, far different from that feeling which is excited by the common place verbiage of o Toλλ theologians. We insert with great satisfaction the following aphorisms. "The boasted peaceableness about questions of faith too often pro ceeds from a superficial temper, and not seldom from a supercilious dis dain of whatever has no marketable use or value, and from indifference to religion itself. Toleration is an herb of spontaneous growth in the soil of indifference; but the weed has none of the virtue of the medici nal plant, reared by humility in the garden of zeal. |