in which they were sensible of being involved. But their desire of Divine illumination sprang rather from that insatiable curiosity which so strongly characterized them, than from any deep and settled conviction of its essential importance to the present happiness and future safety of man. They were sensible of their ignorance on some points. on which knowledge was desirable, and of uncertainty on others; but they felt not, that, having by sin incurred God's wrath, nothing but a Divine communication could instruct them how to recover his favour. Mr. Haldane has set this subject in so clear a light, and his view of it is so striking and just, that we shall present it in his own words.

"As soon as man rebelled against God, that relation in which he formerly stood, when holy and obedient, was ne

cessarily at an end. His dependence on his Creator, however, was not dissolved by sin. From that dependence it was impossible he could set himself free. God had declared to him, that punishment should be the consequence of transgression, and the condemnation threatened he had now incurred. If, then, through mercy, the sentence pronounced on him was to be suspended or mitigated, and punishment warded off, the situation in which man would in that case be placed, must be made known to him. On what ground this new state of things should be introduced, and on what footing the renewed intercourse with his Creator should afterwards be maintained, no created intelligence could discover. A Divine revelation was therefore absolutely necessary, and this revelation was graciously vouchsafed." Vol. I. p. 7,

Mr. Haldane then adverts to the first promise of a Saviour, given immediately after the Fall, and to the occurrences at the Deluge, and also to the calling of Abraham, and the promises given to him. But these rays of celestial light were soon extinguished, and idolatry, in various forms, prevailed over all the earth. Mr. Haldane traces its progress and general prevalence, and strikingly exhibits the genius and

nature of what Mr. Gibbon, the historian, styles" the cheerful devotion" of the Pagans, and "the elegant mythology of the Greeks." It consisted, he says, of the vilest and most detestable rites. Human sacrifices were frequently offered on their altars. Many of their temples were places of avowed prostitution. Strabo relates, that the temple of Venus at Corinth was exceedingly rich, so as to have in property more than a thousand harlots, the slaves or ministers of the temple, donations made to the goddess by persons of both sexes. Hence, says he, the city was crowded, and be-' came wealthy. Such a system as this, so far from giving any aid to virtue, had not the slightest connecgreatly corrupt the manners of its tion with it: nay, it could not but votaries: accordingly, they were wholly dissolute. Mr. Haldane proceeds to give a melancholy, but faithful, detail of the practices which prevailed among the most polished of the Heathen nations; describing their unrestrained sensu→ ality and debauchery, their cruelty to children and slaves, and especi ally as displayed in the shows of the gladiators, and the ferocity with which their wars were conducted.

In the remainder of the chapter our author shews that philosophy could do nothing to stem this torrent on the contrary, that it was when philosophy was most cultivated, and had arrived at the highest point which it appears to have been capable of attaining, that these enormous evils prevailed most. The ignorance of philosophers themselves, on subjects connected with religion, its worship, its sanctions, the immortality of the soul, and a future state, incapacitated them for being instructors of mankind; while their no less erroneous notions respecting morals, disqualified them for discharging the office of reformers. But the Heathen philosophers were destitute not only of the power to enlighten the people, but also of the inclination.

period the ædiles were commanded to take care that no gods were worshipped except the Roman gods, and that they were worshipped after no manner but the established manner of the country. Mæcenas recommended Augustus to worship the gods himself according to the established form, and to force all others to do the same, and to hate and punish all those who should attempt to introduce foreign religions. It is true, indeed, that instances of persecution on account of religious opinions or practice, were rare among the Heathen. They did, however, occasionally take place, as is rendered indisputable by the treatment which Socrates experienced. That persecution was not more frequently inflicted, may be fairly accounted for by the absence, not of a persecuting spirit, but of opportunity and temptation to persecute. This seems to have been proved on the appearance of Christianity. The peaceable, harmless, submissive conduct of the first Christians, entitled them, even on the shewing of their adversaries, to the fullest toleration. But did they receive it from "the mild spirit of polytheism?" So far from it, a cruel persecution was immediately raised against them, first by the multitude, and subsequently by the Roman Government, which continued, with a few intermissions, for nearly three hundred years, and terminated only when Paganism lost its power.

..Mr. Haldane sums up his remarks on the intolerance of Paganism with the following pertinent observations:

"On the whole, the violent persecutions to which Christians were subject ed, during the first three centuries, is a fact acknowledged even by those who most strenuously contend for Pagan toleration. The principles of all the other religions which the Heathen world embraced, were at bottom really one. All of them agreed to treat sin with lenity,

and to allow one another's religion to be right on the whole. Even those phi

Thus Mr. Hume's assertion concerning the tolerance of Paganism, is directly contrary to historical record and acknowledged fact. So, likewise, his representation concerning the intolerance of Christianity is calumnious and false. The charge of religious intolerance may, indeed, be fastened on many who have borne the Christian name, but it never can apply to Christianity itself. That Divine religion disowns the cruelties perpetrated in its name, and under pretence of zeal for its honour and advancement. Its merciful Author came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. His language was, "My kingdom is not of this world:" "Put up again thy sword into its sheath, for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword." And, accordingly, his Apostles went forth declaringThe weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds." On this subject Mr. Haldane most justly remarks:

"Whoever knows and recollects,

his meaning in a subsequent paragraph:

that, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God; and iliat, No man can call Jesus Christ, Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, will not

suppose that shedding a man's blood,

.is the

or using violence of any kind, .. way to convert him, and make him obedient to God. There is no need of laboured essays on toleration to prove to the Christian, who studies the word

of God, that he must not dare to use violence to promote the cause of the Gospel. Liberty of conscience to all men from each other, is there written as with a sunbeam; and whenever any real Christians, misled by the prejudices of the age in which they lived, or giving way to the depraved principles natural to the human heart, have resorted to carnal weapons to propagate their reli. gion, they have always grievously erred from the faith, and have generally pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Vol. I. p. 63.

The third chapter, which treats of "The Credibility of Miracles," and the fourth, on “ The Genuine. ness and Authority of the Holy Scriptures," we must pass over: but the following chapter, on "The Inspiration of the Scriptures," deserves very particular notice, both on account of the importance of the subject, and the able and judicious manner in which Mr. Haldane has discussed it. He introduces it by defining what is to be understood by the inspiration of the Scriptures, or in what sense and degree inspi. ration is to be attributed to them. He remarks;

"The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are not only genuine and authentic, but also inspired writings. The claim of inspiration which they advance, is a claim of infallibility and perfection. It is also a claim of absolute authority, which demands unlimited submission. It is a claim which, if set up for any other book, may, with

the utmost ease, be shewn to be unfounded. The inspiration of the Scrip. tures is attested both by the nature and value of their contents, and by the evi. dence of their truth. On these grounds they stand without a rival in the world, and challenge from every man the highest possible regard." Vol. I. p. 134.

The author explains and guards

CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 248.

"Inspiration," he says, 66 belongs to the original writings. No one contend's

for any degree of inspiration to the transcribers in different ages. Accuracy in the copies they have made, is, under God, secured by the fidelity of sition of parties watching each other, the keepers of Scripture ; by the oppo.

as of Jews and Christians, and of various sects; and by the great multiplidifferent languages, which took place cation of copies and translations into

very early. The agreement among the and New Testament, has been ascerancient manuscripts, both of the Old tained, by the strictest examination, to be astonishingly exact." Vol. I. p. 136.

Mr. Haldane examines, and satisfactorily refutes, a notion entertained by the late Dr. Doddridge, and some other writers, that different degrees of inspiration are to be attributed to different parts of the word of God. To some places belongs, as these writers supposed, an inspiration of superintendance; to others, of elevation; and to the rest, of suggestion. This, as our author proceeds to shew, is a mere fanciful distinction, to which no support or countenance is given in Scripture itself, the only source of accurate knowledge on the subject. Indeed, the admission of any such idea as that of different kinds and degrees of inspiration, must be attended with consequences the most injurious. It must have the effect of unsettling the mind, and making us doubtful as to the degree of authority and importance to be attached to the different parts of the word of God. How wide a door for every species of abuse and error would thus be opened, cannot escape those who are sensible of

the

perverseness and deceitfulness of the human heart. The full inspiration of certain parts of Scripture has been denied, on the supposition that the Apostles themselves admit, in these parts, that they are not speaking by inspiration, or that their inspiration is not of the highest kind. Mr. Haldane

3T