ART. VI. Lectures in Divinity, delivered in the University of Cambridge. By John Hey, D. D. as Norrifan Profeffor Four Volumes. 8vo. 11. Leigh and Sotheby, &c. 17961798.

WE

E are not inclined to diffemble, that the study of theology has appeared to us, for many years past, to have greatly declined. It is with regret we affert, that neither in the method purfued, or in the industry exerted, have we in general been able to difcern that found, manly, and matured excellence, which diftinguishes thofe divines, who, from the period of the Reformation, to the middle of the prefent century, adorned not only the church to which they belonged, but even the language and literature of their country. Here, however, we would be rightly understood, we well know "non defuere temporibus noftris decora ingenia." Very eminent defences, both of particular doctrines, and of Revelation, in general, have recently ap peared, which have been attended with fignal effect upon the national fentiments. The diftinguishing doctrines of the Gofpel have been boldly afferted, and moft ably vindicated. So cinianifm, and thofe fyftems of opinions more nearly or dif tantly connected with it, that is, rational theology (falfly* fo called) has been driven from its strongest holds. It has been confronted with Scripture and antiquity, to both which it appealed, and was evidently found wanting. The fabric which Price and Priestley (for however differing in fome particular tenets, their first principles were the fame) had been for years erecting, crumbling into ruin. The attacks of infidelity have been with great vigour refifted by Paley and Watson; and in practical, or what Dr. Johnfon calls bortatory theology, the writ ings of Mr. Wilberforce, and the present Bishop of London, have not been exceeded by the ableft of their predeceffors. But in that province which concerns the inflitution of theology, which embraces it as a whole, explains its principles, defignates its parts, and marks their connection and harmony, and that in a manner adapted to the prefent ftate of opinions, and literary and intel

*Of rational theology in its juft and legitimate acceptation, we avow ourselves the friends and fupporters. But, in the paffage above, we mean to defignate fuch rational theology as was fupported by thofe who affociated fome years ago at the Feathers'-tavern, for the purpofe of fubverting the doctrines of the Church of England.

lectual

lectual habits, we feemed, till lately, to be entirely deficient. On this account the ftudy of theology was not likely to become fo general as its excellence and importance thould render it, either among the learned laity, or where it is indifpenfably required, with those who are intended for, or actually exercifing the facred miniftry. It is our fteady, fixed opinion, that from a removal of that ignorance of religious truth, which so generally prevails in molt of our public feminaries, and academical establishments, we can only look for a radical remedy of the moral, and confequently the political diftemperature, which has been fpread from one quarter of the globe to the other; and which, even in this kingdom, has threatened the dearest interests of civil and focial life. We cannot, therefore, view so very use ful a work as that now under our confideration, without great partiality. It is certainly an effort of a most important and beneficial nature; it is an attempt, " ad eam partem reipublica âccedere quæ maxime laborat."

But our duty to the public renders the execution of our office, in the prefent inftance, a matter of peculiar care and delicacy. For we will not conceal, in primo limine, that in the course of thefe Lectures, certain pofitions and doctrines occur, which require very particular examination, and to which the confpicuous merit of the work, and the deserved reputation and authority of its author, ought not to give a currency.

With regard to the method of these Lectures, the learned au thor appears to have taken his ground ably and fkilfully. The work is divided into two parts. In the first, three fubjects are difcuffed, which are independent of the dogmas of any particular fect; and are the ground-work of Revelation in general. Thefe occupy the first volume. The three laft are allotted to explaining and illuftrating the Articles of the English Church, for the defence of which, it fhould be conftantly kept in view, the Norrifian Lecture was fpecifically defigned, by its pious and munificent founder.

In the general introduction, Book I, Chap. I, the Profeffor presents his readers with fuch previous views of his fubject as

Another excellent work, moft judiciously directed towards the fupply of this deficiency, we have already noticed, in the fecond article of the prefent number, That work, being of a more general and introdactory nature than the prefent, required a lefs minute and fcrupulous examination, and therefore has been brought forward much fooner after its appearance. This prefent critique has alfo been delayed by feveral unavoidable contingencies; which we mention as a general answer to the correfpondents who have enquired respecting it.

cannot

cannot fail to imprefs them with high ideas of the calm, fe rious, and difpaflionate ftate of mind under which this work was undertaken. He points with great judgment to the expectations which may rationally be formed of its nature, extent, and difficulty," and the degree of prefent pleafure which may be expected to arife from the study of theology rightly porfued." On this head the fentiments of the Profeffor deferve great attention, from the learned laity in particular.

"There is nothing more interefting and affecting to man, than ret ligion, when he is free from prejudices against it, and is rightly dif pofed. Men who affect to be philofophers; hear the vulgar fpeak of things as known, which are not thoroughly understood, and, in order to avoid this, they run into notions ten times more unphilofophical, than any popular fuperftition, In order to be philofophers, they cease to be men: they lofe the pleasures of the devout affections, and stop their ears to the voice of both reafon and experience: ecclefiaftical hiftory does, to be fure, tell us of fome who have made religion an inftrument. of ambition; but it seems to me to give us events and characters more interefting than profane, when feen with proper allowances; nay it fometimes defcribes actions fo great, noble, and affecting, that it might fupply the place even of romance and fiction itfelt. It is true indeed, that every purfuit, though undertaken merely for pleasure, will bring on difguft fometimes; and if we are so capricious as to defift, the moment we ceafe to be entertained and attracted, we can fucceed in nothing; not even in painting, mufic, or games of fill. Principles of duty, and regard to plan and uniformity, muft do their part now and then, even in attaining a pleafurable accomplishment; but, when we have acted a while from duty, pleasure will return," P. 6,

In difcuffing the proofs of the existence of the Deity, the Profeffor explains (in Ch. IV, Book I,) with masterly perfpicuity, the nature and diftinction of the proofs à priori and à pofteriori. He introduces fome able remarks on the fophiftical cavils with which Hume attempts to perplex the latter of thefe two proceffes. In adjufting that moft delicate of all theologi- ! cal fubjects, namely, a right appreciation of natural religion, we think the Profeffor, upon the whole, judicious. With fome perfons of late it has grown into a fort of fashion, to estimate it fo low, as almost to do away its exiftence. Calvinism, even under its moft moderate form and profeffion, has this tendency. Repugnant as we certainly are to Pelagian fentiments on this head, and perfuaded as we are that to thofe whom the Gofpel has reached, natural religion ftands completely fuperfeded by Revelation, yet to deny its existence, or to depreciate it as a rule of action to these upon whom the "fun of righteousness" has never rifen; nay, further to flight thofe coincidences, which are evidently difcernible between the pureft parts of Pagan Philo-1 fophy, and the Chriftian doctrines, would be attended with dangerous

dangerous confequences, and lead uhtimately to error and en-. thufiafm. To controul fuch opinions, we think Dr. Hey's ob fervations highly useful.

"Before we close our fhort difcuffions on natural religion, it feema proper to obferve, that natural religion is prefupposed in revealed. This obfervation is made, becaufe fome friends of Revelation feem to undervalue natural religion.-It may also be of ufe, as a ftanding apology, whenever we introduce topics and arguments of natural religion into our difquifitions on fcripture." He that cometh to God, muft believe that he is;" and muft not only believe the existence of a Deity, but "that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him," Heb. xi. 6.See alfo Rom. i. 19, &c.—Acts xiv, 17.-Acts xvii. 24.Rom. iii. 29.

"It feems to be taken for granted in fcripture, that all good chrif tians have availed themselves as much as poffible of all kinds of notices from heaven; not only with regard to religion, but also with regard to virtue. See the character of Cornelius; Acts x. 22.-Rom. ii, 14. 15.—Ephef. vi, 1.” P. 14.

Thefe temperate and wife fentiments we believe to be in perfect unifon with the opinions of the beft divines of our church, and with the doctrines of our Articles, when foundly and literally interpreted. But, on the other hand, the fuggestion rather than the affertion of the Profellor immediately following, that, "it feems as if the Chriftian religion was of too improved a nature for thofe fo admitted into it, whofe morals were very rude and uncultivated," we feel great hesitation in admitting. It cannot well be confronted with the evangelical commission of "preaching the Gospel to every creature." Here is no limitation or restriction. No ftate or stage of barbarism will, in in its appointed feafon, preclude well-founded hopes of its fuc cefs. Whatever obftacles, arifing either from focial habits or external circumftances, are interpofed, the Gofpel remains the wifdom of God, and the power of God, and confequently may be expected, in its ultimate iffue, to prevail and triumph over them all.

In Ch. V, " of the Holy Scriptures, and first of the Hebrew Language," the matter is excellent. The Profeffor's recommendation of the ftudy of the Hebrew, will have, we hope, its due weight with the theological student.

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"It does feem as if Chriftians did not ftudy the Hebrew language fufficiently though the Christian difpenfation is intended to fuperfede the Jewish, yet they are only different parts of the fame plan; every word that is faid in the New Teftament, is faid to thofe that had Jewish ideas, and the allufions which we may call Hebrew allufions, are innumerable: and it is not only the fenfe of the New Testament, but the authenticity of it, which fuffers by an ignorance of Hebrew. We cannot judge fo well, whether prophecies have really been fulfilled,

if we have not fome understanding of the meaning of the prophecies, as we can with fuch affiftance. And the Old and New Teftaments are knit together by an endless number of ties, the nature of which will not be thoroughly feen by one, who is rudis atque hofpes in the original languages. Neither muft we confine our views to the patt; there is an unbounded field open before us for future improvements: but, if we do not fearch for oriental knowledge, we fhall fall far short of what might poffibly be effected." P. 17.

The refult of the Profeffor's remarks upon the ftudy of the Greek Teftament, we cannot but think highly important and judicious.

"We fee now what it is to understand Greek with a view to the Sacred Books ;-it is to understand the Greek tongue in its purity, to understand the Oriental idioms mixed with it; and the manner in which they are mixed; the proportion of the feveral ingredients." P. 35.

At the end of Ch. VIII, "of various readings," the Profeffor, in fpeaking of the imperfections and corruptions of the text of the Scriptures, difplays a vein of reflection, and a fagacious infight into final caufes, which would not have been unworthy of Butler himself, in the following admirable paffage :

"I muft confefs, with regard to the imperfections and corruptions of the Text of Scripture, I have a fatisfaction in feeling myself a Man; on the fame footing in that, as in other important concerns. I feel, in being fo fituated, a Security from Enthufiafm and Superftition; I feel a call to exert my felf in recovering the purity of Revelation, on principles of reafon and experience, by a method which muft naturally bring on an attention to the facred writings. I feel a liberal freedom in being exempted from all inducements to ufe or adopt pious frauds; than which, efpecially in falfifying the word of God, nothing can be more abhorrent from Piety, nothing more prefumptuous. Nay more: though it is certainly a fault to alter the facred writings, by defign or negligence; and an evil to have them altered; yet the incidental good arifing out of evil fhews, in this cafe as in many others, the aftonishing wifdom and goodness of the Divine Government: we are now precifely fo fituated, that our faith and morals are not hurt by the vari ations of Copies of the Scripture, and yet fo that we are forcibly impelled to examine them minutely; the refult must be, that the faults of our predeceffors can scarcely efcape us, and that we shall make perpetual improvements." P. 50.

In Ch. X," of interpreting Expreffions of Scripture, by entering into the Circumstances of those to whom they were addreffed," very important cautions are fuggefted. In ftating the difficulty of interpreting ancient writings from their implication with local and obfolete cuftoms, manners, and ufages, the author has introduced what he terms a "familiar letter, fuppofed to be written at Cambridge at the prefent day, and ex

plained