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nature.

THEIR RELATION TO EACH OTHER.

rests, is enveloped in the deepest mystery; it is that which is most carefully veiled from the profane eye of curiosity or selfishness, that which a matter-of-fact philosophy will never discover. Nevertheless, the knowledge of it, if attained, would be of immense interest, as well as practical utility; for although we have the maxim on our books, "naturæ convenienter vivere,” we cannot yet form even a correct idea, what it is to live agreeably to nature, because we are ignorant of the nature of each being, and of the ground of its connexion with others, as founded in its This knowledge I do not think it impossible, nor even very difficult to attain, provided we do not seek our principles in the facts which we observe, but lay them down a priori, which in all, even in the most experimental sciences, is the only way to arrive at real results; and which has been done in all ages by those, who took the lead in any branch of knowledge, although the ignorant multitude, who can see nothing but facts, always attributed to chance, or to the effect of repeated experiments, those great discoveries, on which all that is valuable in human science rests, and which are the work, not of human sagacity, but of a sort of inspiration. Much as it may excite the derision of experimental philosophers, or the bigotry of mere creed believers, I repeat it again, as a truth which, it is important, should be known, as one involved in the revelation which we have of God through Christ, that in no science whatever we can know anything of the nature of things,-beyond their outward appearance, and their external phenomena— unless we proceed upon principles received, as a matter of faith, a priori, and laid down with the most absolute reliance on their reality. If you ask, where those principles are to be found, the answer is, within your own minds, at the source of all knowledge, which dwells in you, and will enlighten you, if you will but turn to it in faith. From the same source, from which all knowledge on religious subjects is derived, ought we likewise to receive the prin

NOT TO BE UNDERSTOOD WITHOUT FAITH. 123

ciples of all other knowledge; but in the latter, as in the former case, it requires faith, without which there is

* I cannot deny myself the satisfaction of quoting the following verses, from the eighth chapter of Proverbs, which is so beautiful an illustration of the beginning of St. John's Gospel: "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out "knowledge of witty inventions. When he prepared the heavens, I was "there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established "the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: when "he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his command"ment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by "him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing "always before him: rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my "delights were with the sons of men. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, O "ye children!" Can there be a plainer declaration of the sublime truth, that the universal and everlasting spirit of God, who knoweth the heavens and the compass of the depth, the clouds above and the fountains of the deep, the sea and the foundations of the earth, finds his delight in communicating to the sons of men his wisdom and knowledge; and that it is by his light only, that men are enabled to find out knowledge of witty inventions? But the meanness of our feelings, and the narrowness of our minds, will not permit us to take that enlarged view of revelation, which would cause us to see God in all things, although we keep it on record, as a dead creed, that he is "all and in all." Of the most express declarations, such as those in the above passage, we get rid, by declaring them "figures of speech." Let it be remembered, however, that although men may deprive themselves and others of the benefit of God's revelation, by restricting its import, this can only affect them, but not the meaning of a divine declaration, which remains unalterable for ever. Let it be remembered also, that he who takes the lead in such presumptuous limitations of the divine truth, incurs a heavy responsibility. "Woe unto the world because of offences ;" and woe unto the religious world, if the offence come by them. Woe unto those who, by precluding science from the fountain of religion, have driven the scientific world away from religion, and prevented science from becoming conformable to the wisdom of God. The error, however, lies not with the religious world only; (although it is in them more unpardonable, because they ought to have better knowledge;) the arrogance of human reason, and the conceit of an extensive knowledge of facts, of which the spirit is unknown, has as great a share in the unfortunate separation, nay division, which at present obtains between religion and science, as the narrowmindedness of the religious world. For the benefit of those whom this paltry collection of fragments from the life of the universe- for such are all our natural sciences in their present condition-puffs up so beyond measure, I will extract here (as they might not, perhaps, meet with it elsewhere) part of that sublime passage in the book of Job, in which God asks, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I "will demand of thee, and answer thou me! Where wast thou when I laid

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FAITH THE EXPOSITOR OF FACTS.

absolute darkness, where those, that have faith, perceive the clearest light. The words of wisdom "are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge." So, in particular reference to the subject of our present inquiry, the most extensive observations which man is enabled to make within the limited sphere of his existence, cannot lead him to a clear insight into the nature of different beings, and of their relation to, and communica

"

the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who "hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or, who hath stretched the "line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who "laid the cornerstone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all "the sons of God shouted for joy? Or, who shut up the sea with doors, "when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb ? When I made "the clouds the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, "and brake up my decreed place, and set bars and doors, saying, Hitherto "shalt thou come, but no further! and here shall thy proud waves be (6 stayed! .... Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea; or hast thou "walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened "unto thee? or hast thou seen the door of the shadow of death? Hast thou "perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all! "Where is the way where light dwelleth ? and as for darkness, where is the "place thereof, that thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou "shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? Knowest thou it because "thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? Hast "thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures 66 of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the "day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth "the east wind upon the earth? What hath divided a watercourse for the "overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder to cause it to "rain on the earth, where no man is, on the wilderness where there is no man; to satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the "tender herb to spring forth? Hath the rain a father, or who hath begot"ten the drops of dew? Out of whose womb came the ice? and the "hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? The waters are hid as with a Canst thou bind the sweet in

Canst thou bring forth

stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. "fluences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? "Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thon guide Arcturus with his sons? "Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof "in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds that abundance of << waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings that they may go, and 'say unto thee, Here we are? WHO HATH PUT WISDOM IN THE IN

66 WARD PARTS? OR WHO HATH GIVEN UNDERSTANDING TO THE

66

HEART ?" Answer this, if you can, ye Lawrences! ye men of steam and gas, ye dissectors and skull casters!

CORRESPONDING ELEMENTS OF THINGS.

125

tion with, each other; unless he be guided in his search by the principle, which no fact and no experiment can teach him, the principle, that every being is composed of a certain number of different elements, the nature of which determines the sorts of beings with whom he is capable of holding communication, and their number, the extent to which he is capable of intercourse with creation. On this simple principle, the chymical affinity of unorganic bodies rests, as well as the attraction and repulsion which takes place in the moral world. One is the image of the other, but they are both effects of the same universal law. Suppose, for illustration's sake, any being, or thing, to be composed of four elements, A, B, C, and D; this being, or thing, will consequently be capable of intercourse with the world, in four different directions, that is to say, with all the beings, in whom any one of those four elements exists, and with every being in as many ways, as there are corresponding elements in both; so that if there be a being, A E F, another, B G N P, another, C D F M, another, A B C N OP, it is evident that the being, A B C D, can hold intercourse with the being A E F, in one direction, through A,

with BG NP, in one direction, through B,

with C D F M, in two directions, through C and D,

with A B C N OP, in three directions, through A, B, and C; and, further, that intercourse can take place between A E F, and A B C N O P, through the element A; between A E F, and C D F M, through the element F; between BG NP, and A B C N OP, through the elements B N, and P; between C D F M, and A BCNO P, through the element C. Moreover, although A B C D, be capable of intercourse, both with A E F, and with CDFM, yet it is entirely precluded from joining in the intercourse which the two latter can hold, through the element F, which does not enter into the composition of the being A B C D. The variety of directions, in which one being can communicate with

126

HOW TO BE DISCOVERED.

another, is, however, not to be confounded with the intensity of their communication, which determines the intimacy of their relation, and which depends on the degree of power in which they are both possessed of the same element. Thus, suppose A B C D to be possessed of the element B, in the power of 6, whilst the same element exists in the being BG N P, only in the power of 4, and in A B C NO P, in the power of 3, it is plain that the intensity of the intercourse between A B C D, and B G N P、 through the element of B, can only be 4; between A B C D, and A B C N OP, 3; and 3, likewise, between ABCNO P, and B G N P; so that A B C N OP, will be satisfied, or, as the chymist calls it, saturated, in both cases; that B G N P, will be satisfied in its intercourse with A B C D, but not with A BCNO P; and that A B C D, will not be able to satisfy itself in its intercourse with either of the two, but only with such beings as possess the element B, in the same degree of power as A B C D itself.

What those elements are, of which all beings are composed, I do not pretend to say; all I wish is, to call your attention to the fact, that there are certain elements or bases of all existence; properties, according to the usual mode of expression, but, in reality, primitive substances, which never exist but in combination with each other, and which, by the different combinations and the different degrees of power in which they exist, produce that endless variety of beings which, both within and beyond the sphere of our knowledge, rejoice and declare the glory of God. If our minds were freed from all those classifications, founded upon outward symptoms, and all the other false notions, with which the present systems have filled our heads, and darkened our minds, by words without knowledge; if we could see creation with the eye of that ever-living Spirit, who combines those elements in the different individuals, and, by his power, holds them together as long as he pleases; who sets them into action according to his own pleasure, or abandons