are others, which are of high moment, which are essential and closely connected with our virtue; and therefore, as far as our future condition has relation to our moral character, they relate to our salvation. No sentiment, if it deserves the name of sentiment, can be more loose and untenable, than that which regards the opinions and principles, which any one adopts on the subject of religion and morals, as of no moment or of comparatively trifling importance; which at once demolishes the partition between truth and falsehood, and gives to him, who walks in the blaze of christian light, no advantage over the man who feels and gropes his way in the darkness of pagan ignorance. How is the business of ordinary life conducted, and under what circumstances may men most securely calculate on success in the concerns of this world? Is it not by an application of the established principles of worldly wisdom and prudence to their affairs? Does faith furnish no impulse to their conduct? Do they make no calculation of chances and probabilities? Are they unaffected by hopes or fears; hopes of success or fears of defeat, arising from their own past experience, or the experience and observation of others, or from their acquaintance with the common course of human affairs? Why then is it, that the principles of religion, a subject which is in the highest degree interesting, and the hopes and fears which it inspires, and the calculations which are grounded on it, should not have a proportional influence on human conduct. We do not pretend that we shall find this proper influence of religion in those cases, where its truths are, it may be, professed, but at the same time regarded with indifference and unconcern; where they are acknowledged with an unmeaning assent, but where they are neither comprehended nor felt. This, alas! is the christianity of a large portion of the community; and with respect to any direct influence of religion on such persons, they might as well believe in Mohammed as in Jesus. But we refer to those instances, in which religion may be truly said to be believed; when men have as much confidence in the being of a God as they have in their own existence, and there is equal proof of the former as of the latter; as much confidence in the divine providence as in the regular succession of day and night, of summer and winter; as much faith in a final moral retribution as in the penalties of human tribunals overtaking those persons, who violate the laws of civil society. Then indeed the true principles of religion will have all the influence for which their advocates contend; and will be found the most powerful incentives and the most effectual security to virtue.

When we consider the reason of the case, how can it be otherwise? It is impossible it should be without influence, whether a man has none or a serious belief in the being and providence of God; whether he considers virtue and vice, right and wrong, as mere names, or as real distinctions of the highest moment, immutably established by the moral governor of the universe; whether he regards himself and mankind as accountable or not accountable for their conduct; whether he believes that God has or has not had communications with his creatures; whether he regards Jesus Christ as a man a little more shrewd and a little wiser than his contemporaries, or as the appointed and inspired messenger of the Most High; his religion as merely a convenient and useful code of moral precepts, or as the authoritative instructions and precepts of the All-wise. We would not be wanting in candour towards any of our fellowmen; and it would fill us with regret to say what is unjust or untrue even of those, whose principles we regard with extreme dislike. Yet may we not ask, what is the basis of mutual confidence, except truth and integrity; but what security can you have of a man's truth and integrity, who discards the principles of religion; and what hold have you on their virtue who regard all actions as alike, and who, though perhaps they entertain a belief of a future existence, yet think that their conduct here shall not affect their condition in another life?

IV. Can it be likewise that our particular views of christianity should not affect our conduct or characters ? Will religion be the same to us, whether we regard christianity merely as the result of circumstances ordinary and natural, or as taught by the immediate inspiration and confirmed by the miraculous interposition of God? Will it make no difference, whether we understand it to teach the future salvation and felicity of all men without regard to their characters, or as teaching an exact and impartial moral retribution, in which men will be left to the just consequences of their folly or wisdom, their vice or virtue? Will it make no difference, whether we regard God as an inexorable and unrelenting judge, vindictive towards his creatures, having no compassion on his frail and erring children, determined to execute the severest penalties of his law, crying aloud for vengeance and to be appeased only by the terrible sufferings and death of the kindest and holiest being, who ever appeared on earth, his own son; or whether we regard him as the father and friend of his creatures, proffering his free forgiveness on their repentance, inviting them by every affectionate motive and entreaty to virtue and happiness, and assuring them of his aid and blessing on their sincere endeavours to do his will? Will it have

no influence whether we regard God as an arbitrary sovereign, partial towards his creatures, and capriciously selecting a few of his human family for happiness, without regard to their moral character, and as capriciously, and with as little reference to their endeavours or attainments, forming the rest of mankind expressly for, and arbitrarily consigning them to eternal misery and wretchedness; or as merciful and impartial to all his offspring; regarding all with equal tenderness and love, and proffering freely to all, if they will accept them, the richest blessings to which they can aspire; making happiness the necessary result and natural consequence of moral character; punishing never for the sake of punishing, but with the most merciful designs; and rewarding men according to their use and improvement of the talents committed to them? Are not these views in the one case adapted to inspire only hatred and terror towards God, and to incline us to reject a religion, which professes to come from heaven, and represents the character of the Supreme Being as more odious than that of any human tyrant, and to feel, from principles of natural conscience, that such a doctrine could never have proceeded from the Author of Nature and Providence; and in the other case, are they not adapted to produce reverence, love, gratitude, and confidence towards our Heavenly Father, to render his service a delight, to fill us with benevolence towards our fellow men, with complacency in their virtue and success, and to dispose us to look forward with delightful anticipations to the complete development of the divine plans in regard to the human race.

We acknowledge that among those, who have held views, which we deem most erroneous, there have been many persons of eminent goodness and piety; indeed there are few cases in which men have the hardihood to follow out such principles in their true consequences; and it often happens, that they are not perfectly comprehended; or not sincerely believed; or they are so commixed with other sentiments, that their force is not felt; or other circumstances, operating even without the knowledge of the individual himself, have served to counteract and destroy their influence. So among those who have disbelieved or doubted the truth of, christianity, not among those, who oppose, revile or ridicule it, there have been men remarkable for their integrity, and kindness, and exemplary lives; and we can never cease to lament, that there should be found persons of such character who, through ignorance or false views of the religion, or an unhappy and irremediable bias and prejudice, or an unaccountable perversity of judgment, should remain neutral in the cause of human virtue, improvement, and consolation; or be unable to lend it their avowed and earnest aid; but notwithstanding these individual exceptions, experience proves, that the principles which man adopts, have a considerable and direct influence on his character and life. We do not assert that they determine his moral character; but that they have an important influence. The human character is subjected in the world to various circumstances of moral influence; and truth and error are far from being the least powerful. Error leads to sin and truth is in a high degree conducive to virtue.

It will be found, and after the acknowledgment which has been made, it will not be deemed uncandid to say, that the false views of christianity, to which we have referred, have actually the effect on the character which we should expect them to have. Infidelity and scepticism tend to vice; looseness of principles produces looseness of morals; and an instance can hardly be found, in which profligacy of life has not been accompanied with unbelief, and a virtual, though perhaps seldom an avowed, atheism. In innumerable cases of vice the axe has been laid at the root of the tree; the religious principles early instilled into the mind have been first demolished; and not till these have been either effectually removed or shaken, has the corruption been able to make any considerable progress. If the history of men could be thoroughly known, it would be discovered that the doctrine of natural depravity has served to many as an apology for their sins; that the sentiment that man could do nothing for his own salvation has induced many to do nothing in the way of their moral improvement; and that the sentiment that human virtue has no worth, has made many persons quite worthless. The doctrines of fatalism and the necessity of human actions have had the most pernicious tendency on the morals of men, have removed all sentiment of responsibility, a most effectual guard to human virtue, and often led to the most dreadful crimes. On the other hand, correct principles of morals and religion form the only certain basis of a virtuous character, the best security against temptation, and a sure guide to whatever is excellent and useful.

We are bound then to regard with the utmost care the principles which we adopt. We should shun error as we would shun vice. We should look upon those who would corrupt our religious sentiments as the worst enemies of our virtue, and as aiming to introduce a moral poison into our system, which must effectually diffuse itself through the constitution. We should endeavour continually to learn more and more of the truth, and to understand the character of the religion, which claims our confidence as a perfect rule of life, and an infallible guide to honour and felicity.

Parents cannot too assiduously watch over the trust, which God has committed to them, and which he will require under the most solemn penalties at their hands. Let them beware lest the susceptible mind of youth should be infected with the virulence of corrupt sentiments; and let them be assiduous in their labours, that, so far as depends on them, the minds of their children may be early imbued with those principles, which form a sure foundation of respectability, usefulness, and happiness. Let those who give a tone to public sentiment, vigorously withstand the circulation and influence of opinions, which are false, and prejudicial and destructive to human virtue. Let them cherish with extreme solicitude those principles which lie at the foundation of social order and happiness. Let them feel that these are the strongest motives to learn the true character of that religion, which presents itself as the best friend to human virtue, and to individual and social welfare. Its truths are infinitely important; and when understood, felt, and conscientiously applied, they confer inexpressible dignity and excellence on the human character; they prove the medicine and balm of life; and if they could have their full influence, they would transform mankind into angels of light, render earth a paradise, and leave us little else to ask of God than that immortality below, which is revealed to our faith and hopes beyond the grave.

REMARKS ON A MATHEMATICAL ARGUMENT FOR TRINITARIAN

DOCTRINES.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE.

A writer in a recent number of the Christian Observer, (May, 1821,) undertakes the defence of certain reputed mysteries of revelation, which have been said to involve contradictions and impossibilities, by an argument drawn from the science of the mathematicks. "How can the Divine Being exist in three persons ? How can God and man be one Christ? &c." "To these questions," the writer remarks, "it will be time enough to reply, when we are informed, how many apparently contradictory propositions in science are reconciled; how, for example, space can be proved ever divisible, and yet it be proved that no straight line can be drawn from the tangent point dividing the space between the circumference of a circle and a line touching it; how again two lines, the assymptotes of curves for instance, may be always drawing nearer to each other, yet never meet; with many other illustrations."

New Series-vol. IV.

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