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that leads to disagreeable consequences. But were that practice to be adopted respecting the common concerns of life, the result would prove very fatal to intellectual improvement, to success in the world, and even to our subsistence, our health, and our personal safety. In such instances, it is but fair to consider the evils not on one side only, but on the other also, and to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages. It may be unpleasant and difficult to stop our course, or turn out of the road, but it would be a much worse calamity to rush down a precipice. It would be a great mortification to sacrifice present ease and pleasure; but that mortification would be amply compensated, by the possession of a far greater and more lasting good. It may not be agreeable to listen to the voice of admonition, whether external or internal; but it would be more for the credit, as well as for the safety and comfort, of the individual admonished, to hear the worst of the case, and to take good counsel, than to have his peace and enjoyments exposed to continual interruption from the warnings and advice of friendly officiousness, and to have recourse to any expedient, however miserable, to preserve or restore a tranquillity, which must shortly end in the most fatal catastrophe!' pp. 105-7. The Essay on Virtue unconnected with Piety,' we think, taken altogether, to be judicious; although we are never pleased with the unaccompanied word Virtue,' or with the phrase 'the Virtuous,' on occasions when nothing more is intended to be expressed than the absence of particular vices, or the favourable expansion of the social affections, or the solitary prominence of some talent or excellence beneficial to society. We admit that, if Mr. Burnside's qualifying statements are all taken together, he is not fairly obnoxious to objection. But his phraseology we think, in places, liable to a misconstruction favourable to certain vulgar and erroneous notions of morality. Indeed, we may remark generally, that there is quite as much concession in our Author's moderation as we can think defensible. He is wisely careful to give no needless offence to the perverted apprehensions of those whom he would win. And we know, that the wise caution of mild spirits will sometimes be hardly distinguishable from a timid compromise of principle. We have several times been fain to imagine that the Author was reasoning with "a certain young man who was a ruler, "and had great possessions ;" and that, instead of sending him away "sorrowful," he has said,- Nay then, follow Christ; peradventure, even with thy bags and righteousness, thou mayest pass the needle's eye.' But the Author's goodness of heart, and-might we surmise also ?-his professional engagements, have perhaps induced upon him a tone of concession-of indulgence of deference, the actual effect of which he does not always correctly estimate.

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The following quotations, however, will evince that Mr. Burnside can make an explicit assertion of unpleasing truths.

The common exercise of it, (virtue) therefore, compared with an enlarged view of its effects, is no more than a glimmering taper brought into competition with the meridian sun. Can we suppose, then, that the Divine Being will acknowledge the former, unconnected with the latter, to be real virtue, or accept it as a substitute for piety? The supposition seems grossly absurd but if any doubt could be entertained on the subject, it must vanish the moment he who admits the Scriptures to be the word of God, hears them declaring, that "being born again," "being in Christ," and becoming " a new creature," are indispensable parts of that character to which heaven will be assigned as a portion.

Indeed, were this not the case, it would be difficult to conceive, how the virtuous who are strangers to pious ideas and feelings could be happy in heaven. In that world, there are no such grounds as exist here for the exercise of what is commonly called virtue. There is no animal nature to be guarded or provided for, either on our own account or that of others. The relations, stations, and circumstances of this life having ceased, the duties arising out of them cease with them. There is nothing, therefore, remaining for the exercise of a virtue which was calculated merely for the present state-no gross temptation to be resisted-no danger to be obviated-no grievance to be redressed-no want to be supplied-at least of such a nature as the character in question is able or willing to supply. Heaven presents no employment, except that which the merely virtuous man neglected, and was disinclined to, when upon earth. How can he with any satisfaction unite with those, who there celebrate the praises of Him that "loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood," when such a man has been used to content himself with the slightest and most superficial view of this love-and perhaps to suppose, that however much others might need it, he himself was little, if at all, indebted to it, and therefore contemplates it with almost perfect indifference.' pp. 122-123.

Again :

⚫ I am not insensible, that the idea of there being no other alternative than heaven or hell, is painful in the extreme. To one who has been accustomed to behold the countenance, to hear the language, and to observe the manners, of virtue, in different stages of life, and in different ranks and stations-to admire its charms, and to be profited by its favours-the idea must be peculiarly distressing. But revolting as it must be to the feelings of every humane and grateful mind-horrible as it must appear to the virtuous individual who stands in this awful predicament-humanity and gratitude themselves will not allow me to change the mournful topic. To conceal so serious a danger, or even to disguise it, lest it should excite alarm, distress, or indignation, would be an instance of false delicacy, injudicious respect, and pusillanimous obsequiousness, which, on account of its iniquity and cruelty, ought to be reprobated in the strongest terms. It would be to deprive the individual, placed in such extreme hazard, of the opportunity which still offers for escape. Let that opportunity inspire him with resolution to look the danger full in

the face, and to hear the voice of truth, whatever consternation it may occasion.' pp. 124-125.

The Essay on Splendid Virtue unconnected with Piety,' displays much correct thinking. To estimate properly the characters of men distinguished by eminent qualities or great achievements, he remarks,

it is necessary to take into the account not only the excellent nature, tendency, and effects of their actions, but also the principles by which they were influenced. Illustrious and beneficial deeds have sometimes been performed by worthless and bad men. In other cases, though the motives were perhaps innocent, yet being of an inferior quality, they surely furnish the performers with no pretence for claiming the highest recompence. Of these latter, that may be considered as one, which consists merely in a mechanical and irresistible effort of great talent to display itself. There is little or no reflection, it may be, on the pleasure or advantage likely to arise from its exercise. It is a movement that obeys an impulse, like many motions of the body, which are spontaneous, involuntary, and without premeditation. It seems an exertion of nature to relieve itself. The concealed faculty of the mind must be developed in some way or other. A child when grown up may render service to society, and the figure it may make in the world redound somewhat to the honour of the parent that gave it a suitable education; yet it is evident the latter cannot take credit to himself for a production, the beneficial result of which is an object that he did not originally purpose, and for the attainment of which he studied and adopted no proper means. The river which abundantly fructifies a country, may very naturally awaken curiosity concerning its source, and travellers may, without the charge of laborious idleness, take difficult and hazardous journeys to discover it. But the source itself possesses no extraordinary merit in giving rise to a stream which gushed out of itself, and with a force that could not be restrained. These observations will, I think, apply to all those great and happy results of natural endowment, where little or no pains are taken to direct its course, and to distribute it through proper channels, that its benefits may be as much multiplied and extended as possible, or at least to prevent its doing mischief by taking a wrong direction. The non-improvement, and especially the abuse of talent, reminds us of the noble and generous instincts in some animals, for which their Maker, and not they, is to be praised, and which, to make them truly serviceable, or at least not injurious, must be placed under the government and control of human reason. It is happy where great endowments, abandoned to chance, continue moving, like the planets in their orbits, with useful, though unconscious, magnificence and splendour: but it will not be owing to the wise and good conduct of their possessor, if they do not deviate from their course, and prove materially detrimental. pp. 133-134.

The Author then labours to expose the futility of the religious hopes often rested upon such eminent qualities, or distinguished public services.

No superiority of endowment or character exempts any one from those attentions, which the common condition of humanity imposes indiscriminately upon all. The man of eminence must have recourse to the same means for the preservation of life and for the recovery of health, as one of the lowest rank. The new birth, "faith in Christ, and repentance toward God," are represented in Scripture as indispensably necessary for salvation and eternal happiness. If any one, then, on account of his high distinction, neglects them, he must abide the fatal consequences as much as if he attempted to live without nourishment, or refused medical assistance when it was most wanted.' pp. 144—145.

A subject, perhaps even of greater difficulty,- Benevolence unconnected with Piety,' is treated, we think, with great judgement.

• After taking into view, then, the relations in which the benevolent man who is a stranger to piety stands to the Deity, the various ways in which his benevolence ought to show itself, and his utter unfitness for the kind of employment and felicity which is prepared for the blessed above, let any one say, whether there is not the strongest reason for apprehending the most serious disappointments and calamities on the part of a disposition which, however excellent in itself, is so contracted in its exercise, so imperfect and mutilated in its nature, so entirely unaccompanied by qualities of the most exalted kind and of the first necessity. A considerate person could scarcely have avoided foreboding the worst consequences to it in the future world, even if the Scriptures had been less explicit on the subject than has been shown. The character in question is fairly entitled to the esteem and love of those around him, and most particularly to the gratitude of those whom he has obliged and served. He also merits the inward satisfaction arising from the view of happiness where misery existed before, and from the consciousness of having been instrumental to the production of this most desirable change. But his goodness surely does not extend to the Divine Being, whom he has pleased only accidentally, when the will of God happened to coincide with his own inclination. He has no love to the Deity; he controls no passions, resists no temptations, submits to no inconvenience, for his sake. He worships him sparingly, if at all, and then merely out of form. He passes over slightly, and feels little interested in, the most important communications of Revelation, and pays little regard to the precepts of religion, if he does not violate even those of virtue. Benevolence occupies not only the place due to it in his attention, but that which Christ ought to have, that which the graces and virtues of the Spirit ought to have, and that which belongs to the Holy Spirit himself. How then can he reasonably expect a favourable reception from the Deity in the future world, or to be admitted into heaven-particularly as there is no occasion there for compassion, the virtue he has most assiduously cultivated, and as the dispositions for which there is occasion there, have been almost wholly overlooked? How can he indeed avoid the awful consequences of his indifference, and even dislike, to the most

benevolent of Beings, whom he was bound, by every tie of justice and gratitude, to make the principal object of his regard?

Amiable and useful, therefore, as the virtue of benevolence is justly considered to be, we may see its value sometimes rated infinitely too high, with respect to the person by whom it is exercised. There is particular reason to guard against the mistake, on account of the ease with which this virtue fascinates mankind by the charms of its appearance and benefits. The fact seems to be, that compassion and benevolence are wanted so frequently and to such an extent, in a world so full of trouble as this, that religious principle, their proper source, existing in so few instances, could by no means answer the demand; and therefore to supply the deficiency in some measure, the Divine Being has provided other inferior motives. But it would be a fatal error to suppose that these motives supersede the necessity for true piety, or that this will be accepted in its room in the world to come. The generosity natural to youth, and the tender compassion prevalent in the breasts of females, in the absence of other qualities, ought not to be considered by them as decisive proofs of that goodness which the Divine Being will hereafter acknowledge.' pp. 163–164.

Mr. Burnside's argument in defence of Revealed Religion, is not without a degree of originality. We can only present a passage from the concluding part of the Essay on Infidelity.

There is a certain description of people, who, under the influence of education and early habits, of public authority and general example, acknowledge the divine authority of the Scriptures, and regard them, so far as relates to the external forms of religion; but without so much as acquainting themselves with the principles inculcated in the sacred volume, at least without adverting to the tendency of those principles, or pursuing them in their consequences. It is doubtful whether this class of men ought to be distinguished from that of infidels, since they admit the truth of the Bible only when their opinions and practice happen not to be contradicted by it; but instantly question its authenticity, and call aloud for evidence, whenever they are required by it to assent to unwelcome truths, or summoned to the arduous task of self-denial-provided they cannot explain away" these hard sayings." Not, however, to dispute their claim to the character of believers, let us consider in what light they will probably appear to the Divine Being. His great object by means of a revelation, which was to bring back their hearts to Himself, and to "set their affections on things above," is as much unattained in their case, as in that of unbelievers. Will he tamely acquiesce in the failure of an end so important to his glory, to the good of society, and to the ultimate welfare of individuals? Will he be pleased with their open declarations in his favour, while he plainly overhears what they say aside to their fellow creatures, or at least in their own hearts? Will he be content to see them stand lifeless and inactive, merely because the labels attached to their mouths are correct and appropriate? Will their zeal in maintaining the divinity of the Bible compensate for their almost total ignorance of its con

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