tage, in whatever direction we may happen to turn ourselves in the pursuit. The author has done his best to put us in a way of gaining connected views of the whole Sacred Volume; and has unquestionably rectified many errors in a similar, and so far laudable, attempt, by the distinguished but mistaken prelate so often alluded to. As a criticism on one of the most eminent works in our language, the "Divine Legation of Moses," these volumes must acquire and retain a distinguished place. And perhaps as the work of Warburton has been proved valuable, even in its errors, in calling forth consideration and argument upon the much misunderstood connexion between the several Divine Dispensations; so may even the most hazardous ventures of Mr. Faber obtain their use, if they lead other readers and writers, at their leisure, to employ their minds, and come to a decision upon some points not duly weighed in Scriptural Theology, and which are fairly debateable. We by no means, indeed, would speak in commendation of ventures in theology; and we cannot but, lament a certain spirit of knight-errantry in our present divine, which is too obvious on the surface of his productions; and which really discourages the more sober warrior from following such a leader, to the extent of his achievements. Some passages in his works opened upon casually, might too probably risk him the loss of many a willing and attentive reader, who might afterwards have profited by his instructions. More especially such undertakings are exceedingly apt to induce the appearance of an overweening self-confidence: and even the reader, and much more the answerer, of Bishop Warburton, might be very apt to gather a sort of bravado-accent from the perpetual war-song of that undaunted chieftain. Let the ipse dixi of Bishop Warburton be rather a warning than an example to all succeeding divines; and let even the

soundest argumentation, and the largest preconceived opinions, be ushered into public, in this age of inquiry and independence, with a due sense, duly expressed, of the frailty and deceitfulness of human judgment. Above all, let not a love of novelty be mistaken for a love of truth; or the supposed concinnity of human inventions be deemed to approximate more nearly to the thoughts and ways of the Almighty, than his own plain unerring word. This sacred record is suited, by infinite wisdom, to effect the magnificent and eternal purposes of its unsearchable Author; but it will not submit to be contorted for the little passing, shortlived purposes of mere mortal ingenuity. We may compare it to our own native and unbending oak, which is utterly unfit to be worked up into many little delicate contrivances of art, but, united, rib to rib, in solid and durable masses, sustains the magnificence of halls and temples; or wafts us to distant shores, over the fierce and tempestuous ocean.

An Inquiry into the Doctrine of

Original Sin, with a Critical Dissertation on the Words ALL, ALL MEN, MANY, &c. Rom. v. 12, &c., and 1 Cor. xv. 22. By the Rev. JOHN CORMACK, A.M., Minister of Stow. Edinburgh. 1824. pp. 283. 5s.

THERE is much wisdom in duly estimating the extent and limitation of our own powers in the investigation of truth; and the neglect of this will account for much of the error, both speculative and practical, which abounds in various departments of human knowledge. The value of the inductive philosophy has long been appreciated in examining the world of matter. There is no one who now sets himself up as a student or expounder of physical truth that ever thinks of attaining his object by assuming hypothetical principles,

and then torturing and twisting the ordinary appearances of nature, to make them square with his pre-conceived, and perhaps fanciful theory. He knows that his object, if ever to be attained, must be sought after by following a much safer, though less pretending, guide. He must take things as he finds them. In the exercise of unwearied labour he must scrutinize, combine, compare, and cautiously conclude. There is a point, no doubt, at which he finds it his wisdom to stop. He must not presume, as his predecessors had done, to talk learnedly about the essences of things, of which he can know nothing, and which, did he know them, could advance in no degree, so far as we are able to judge, the ordinary business of life. But he must be thankful, if at any step of his progress, he is able to simplify and throw light on some of the manifold facts which are daily meeting his observation; and in the modest attitude of a sincere and honest inquirer, can attain any portion of real knowledge, which the rich experience of the present age, in every depart ment of physical science has demonstrated to be indeed, as it is proverbially denominated, "power." In the philosophy of mind, the application of the inductive process has not been so steadily pursued, or attended with such brilliant success as in physical science; and, though this may be regretted, it is not to be wondered at. In metaphysical studies the temptation to persist in speculating on à priori principles is much stronger than in the pursuits of physics. We cannot bring and retain the attributes of an intellectual active being so much under our grasp as we can the qualities of inactive matter. The most subtile metaphysician finds it impossible to lay hold of thoughts and volitions, and to cast them into a crucible, in order, with a patient eye and just discrimination, to watch the development of their essential elements. He must be content, in the best way he

can, to reflect on his own consciousness, and to fix his eye on the conduct of other men, as indicative of similar workings in them; and these are continually assuming so great a diversity of appearance, even in the same individual, that it is extremely difficult to come to any thing like solid conclusions on the essential qualities of any of our intellectual or active powers.

It is, therefore, no wonder that the "philosophy of mind" should have been so slow in its progress. The labours of some modern metaphysicians are indeed exceedingly valuable, since they have served to remove much of the rubbish which had been accumulating in the schools for a long series of ages; but they have not been sufficient to put an efficient check on that theorising spirit which, in trying to learn every thing, learns nothing. Hence is there reason to complain that to this day there are many who cannot bend their minds to the drudgery of creeping after the truth, and receiving a glimpse of it from an honest examination of the state of things as they find them.

Were the consequences of the theoretical mode of philosophizing confined to speculations of mere curiosity, we should not greatly disturb ourselves about the matter. Without one wish to deprive those who are addicted to such an employment of the pleasure they find in it, we should leave them to amuse themselves with their own fancies, and give them full scope to wrangle till they are tired, on the seat of the soul, the dependence of its exercises. on its relations to the body, and many other points of learned controversy. But when we reflect on the use that has been made of the kind of speculations to which we allude; when we reflect on the direct tendency of some widely-recognised modern principles to the subversion of moral obligation and responsibility, we feel that it is time for all who have any regard to the welfare of mankind to step forward

that the doctrine of original sin is Calvinistic. The view taken of that doctrine by the Church of Scotland may be Calvinistic: but the doctrine itself, in its simple bearings, is not Calvinistic; it is the doctrine of Scripture, and of every Scriptural church; and, in our references to it on the present occasion, we wish to be understood as taking it up not Calvinistically but Scripturally, and wholly unconnected with any discussion respecting election, final perseverance, or other debated tenets.

After a cursory review of the state of the controversy on original sin in the primitive church, Mr. Cormack observes, that

“Original sin is a general and comprehensive term, implying original corruption and original guilt. Original sin, it may be farther observed, is commonly used to denote that moral state in which men come into the world, and implies that the cause of our being born in that state is our connection with Adam. Original corruption is the natural tendency or bias to moral evil; and original guilt is the liability or exposure to punishment; or, in other words, the state of justly deserving punishment, Aware that nothing has tended more to impede the progress of truth and knowledge than the inaccurate use of terms, it will be the author's endeavour at least to employ the above expressions in the signification now given." pp. 6, 7.

senses by the contending parties, the debateable ground of this litigated question would be greatly narrowed, and all truly pious men, whether they prefer calling themselves Calvinists or Arminians, would find that, on this subject at least, their sentiments were not in reality so hostile as they had anticipated.

The work before us consists of seven chapters, which we now proceed to notice.

Chapter I. treats of the information which the unassisted light of nature affords on the subject of original sin; and this information is not so scanty but that our author has been able to shew that the fact of a

depraved bias in the present constitution of our nature, is confirmed by the testimony of the most profound thinkers who have directed their minds to speculations of this kind without the light of Divine Revelation. All their attempts to trace the evil which they deplore to its proper origin of course proved unavailing; but it is a step of considerable consequence in this argument, that the melancholy fact itself is admitted by the concurrent voice of the various schools of heathen philosophy.

Our author's fourth chapter might well have followed the first. It treats of the light which is thrown on the subject by analogy and positive fact; a kind of evidence which, to a certain degree at least, is accessible by those on whom the light of revelation has never dawned. The evidence from analogy is valuable in its own place, though it is only when its deductions are confirmed by evidence of a higher order that any certain reliance can be placed on them, particularly on questions of such magnitude as the present. But Mr. Cormack has shewn that the manifold appearances which the state of things in the natural and moral world is daily exhibiting as having a striking correspondence with the great point at issue, are continually illustrated and confirmed by positive facts of the

most indubitable, though humiliating, character. There is nothing more palpable than that the moral leprosy has infected every power and faculty of our nature; and that there has not, in any age, been one individual who has escaped the contagion. After pointing out, in various lights, the universal prevalence of sin, Mr. Cormack very justly remarks ;—

"To a being of another order, and who is happily unacquainted with the state of this world, the representation now given might seem to be a satire on mankind. But to human beings, who are acquainted with their own hearts, and have extensive intercourse with their species, it is well known that an exact statement is the severest satire which it is possible to compose." p. 109.

"It is impossible to draw a more gloomy picture of the present state of humanity, or one which tends more strikingly to shew that the curse inflicted upon Adam has been continued to posterity, than has been already done by one of the most admired free-thinkers of a free-thinking age. 'Who,' says Voltaire, in his Gospel of the Day, who can, without horror, consider the whole earth as the empire of destruction? It abounds in wonders,-it abounds also in victims. In man there is more wretchedness than in all the other animals put together. He spends the transient moments of his existence in diffusing the miseries which he suffers; in cutting the throats of his fellow-creatures for pay; in robbing and being robbed; in serving, that he may command; and in repenting of all

that he does. The bulk of mankind are nothing more than a crowd of wretches, equally criminal and unfortunate; and the globe contains rather carcasses than men. I tremble, upon a review of this dreadful picture, to find that it contains a complaint against Providence, and I wish that I had never been born." p. 104.

We have no wish to vilify human nature; and we revolt with disgust from the harsh, satirical spirit of this cold-blooded sarcasm; but we cannot shut our eyes to that overwhelming evidence which, with whatever exaggeration, could draw such a confession from such a man as Voltaire.

But with such facts forced on the notice of the most profligate, as

well as the best of mankind, the whole subject still remains to unassisted reason in impenetrable darkness. Neither analogy nor experience can lend a clue to the solution of the question, by what means things came to be as they notoriously are. How thankful, therefore, ought we to be for the special revelation of the word of God, which, in tracing the disease of our sinful and wretched nature to its proper origin, at the same time unfolds and offers to our reception a remedy in every respect adequate to meet the exigencies of our condition!

It affords us, therefore, much pleasure, to accompany our respected author, in the second chapter of his work, to the record of that sacred volume, the truth of which rests not merely on the adaptation of its contents to the spiritual condition of those for whom it was designed, but on a series of external proofs, which can challenge the most rigid application of all the rules of the induc

tive philosophy. With awful reverence we would unfold the page authenticated by the broad seal of Heaven, and learn what the Great God has been pleased to say on this and every other subject to his creatures.

Now, all that is necessary for us to know and believe respecting the original constitution of our nature may be summed up in a few plain, simple, propositions. We are expressly instructed, that God created man in his own image, and invested him with a delegated power over the inferior creatures. This moral image, however, consisted not in absolute perfection (in the highest sense of that expression); for what our author says, with a particular reference to the understanding, may be fitly applied to all the capacities, powers, and faculties, of an intellectual moral agent" Absolute perfection is predicable of God alone." Adam was further endowed with as much knowledge as was necessary to ascertain his duty as a subject of God's moral government, and with a capa