able in the best men, when they come before them in the line of duty; for the former seems forbidden by our SAVIOUR,-for many shall arise, saying, "Here is CHRIST, and there," but the practical rule is given, "Go not after them '.")

As every thing in nature seems to decline and die away when it has done its work-such as the bodily faculties, natural gifts, and the like—so do animal feelings gradually subside when they have done their part in the probation of the soul, which may be seen in the circumstance of passive impressions becoming weaker by repetition. And perhaps this may be the case, as men advance in holiness of life; that a calm equability of soul is produced, (as in St. John,) and such sensible feelings exist less, as having done their part in the state of trial.

8. That the whole subject contains something analogous in each particular to the circumstances of our Lord's life.

That, as our LORD manifestation of His

Now, the inference from the whole of this view of the subject is, that the HOLY SPIRIT, in every way in which His dealings with mankind may be ascertained, is ever wont to throw a veil over His presence from the eyes of the world. avoided the more public places for the Divine power and goodness, and went into the retired and despised Galilee, and hid His Divinity under the garb of humble and common life, so does He in the persons of His disciples, producing in them a tendency to withdraw themselves from the eyes of men; so that of each of them it may be said, as it was of Him, "He doth not strive nor cry, neither is his voice heard in the streets."

That, as our LORD wrapt up the most sacred and divine truths in parables and mysterious sayings, so we find, that in good men there is a natural reserve of expression, which is apt to veil from the world holy sentiments; in both cases the end is observed,

1 Perhaps all persons may be, more or less, liable to this religious enthusiasm, as here described, according to their different constitutions, circumstances, and habits; and, of course, it is not to be expected to be thus always fully developed, or to be such as to mark the character of a person.

of keeping "that which is holy from dogs." And that such reserve is apt to give vent to its own feelings, especially in such similitudes and dark sayings, as partake of the nature of what is infinite, and, therefore, to the world mysterious.

That, as our LORD concealed His divine miracles, and could not perform them because of men's unbelief, and commanded others not to mention them, so does He now, in that He makes known to a good man a daily increasing weight of evidence, similar to the attestation of miracles, in disclosing to him those confirmations of his faith, which are opened to an obedient life, and by the harmonious language of all nature, all of which testimony He reveals not to others because of their unbelief. And, in addition to this, He has commanded His disciples not to promulgate to the world those good works which He Himself still works in, and through, and by them.

That, as our LORD left the curious and worldly-minded Jew to his own delusions, and answered him not, but left him to the difficulties which Scripture had thrown before him, in the solving of which alone, with a serious mind, could he find the truth; and did not explain to him his misconceptions concerning Himself; so is it also now with those who speculatively consider religious truth (the knowledge of which is the gift of God alone); they are beset with insurmountable difficulties, suggesting to them that "this is not the CHRIST," or leading to other practical

errors.

That, as our LORD disclosed the greatness of His divine power and person to a chosen few obedient and teachable spirits, limiting even that the disclosure more and more; first to twelve, then to four, then, still further, to three (as in the Garden of Gethsemane, and at the transfiguration, &c.): so does it appear that in morals, both when considered as separate from, and also when considered as including religion, there is something, which is called knowledge, which is infinitely great and good, which is concealed from all others, who are universally represented as being in a state of darkness and ignorance, and is thus disclosed to these alone.

That, as He, who spake by the law and the prophets, veiled

the Gospel therein in type and figure; and because of men's disobedience, 66 gave them statutes which are not good, and judgments by which men should not live," but led them on, by laws which satisfied not, to a secret wisdom, which good men perceived beyond; so also are there in morals, things which have led to much difficulty with speculative moralists, which are good and right to the natural man, but wrong in a Christian, on account of a further knowledge disclosed to the eye of faith: these are circumstances in which all that can be said is, "this is He, if ye can receive it." For, to the natural man, it is his boast to covet honour of men, but to the Christian his

shame. Thus also the Fifth Commandment contains the germ of all piety; and yet to the Christian it is said, he must hate father and mother.

Lastly, that as the manifestation of our LORD was seen to imply some very great and peculiar danger, when the heart was not prepared to receive it; so do we find that whenever these feelings, which are natural to a good man under the protection of the SPIRIT, are violated, as by enthusiasm, it is accompanied with dangerous consequences. Not to adduce other proofs of this, we have the memorable one in this country, when there broke in upon us an age, which has been well called one of “Light, but not of Love;" when the knowledge of divine truths was forced upon men of corrupt lives, and put forward without this sacred reserve. The consequence of this indelicate exposure of religion was, the perpetration of crimes almost unequalled in the annals of the world.

PART III.

SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE FOREGOING OBSERVATIONS.

1. That the principle was fully recognised by the Ancient Church.

It is well known that the general principle upon which the foregoing remarks are founded, pervades the whole religious system of the Ancient Church, and appears so much in various shapes throughout the works of the Fathers, that it would of itself form an entire subject of discussion to trace and exemplify it. Origen often alludes to it, as appearing in the conduct of our LORD; and his expositions of Scripture are founded upon it. Others do the same. Clement of Alexandria had, before Origen, philosophically discussed the subject at great length. Cyril of Jerusalem says, that not to men only, but from the highest archangel to the lowest created being, it is CHRIST that reveals the FATHER to each as they are found worthy and capable of receiving Him. St. Basil speaks of the traditions they had received being of this character, which, says he, our Fathers have preserved in inobtrusive silence, and alludes to the secrecy and sacredness of the Holy Place in the Mosaic Law, as representing the same spirit of reserve. And there are some interesting circumstances that seem to connect it with our LORD Himself and His disciples. Such may be seen in the early Epistle to Diognetus, attributed to Justin Martyr, where the writer speaks of himself, as carrying on that sacred reserve, which they had derived from CHRIST and His Apostles, for, says he, "knowledge is not safe without a true life." There is a remarkable instance of similar testimony in that passage of Hippolytus, quoted by Mr. Keble in his Sermon on Tradition, (p. 19, 1st Edit.) This principle of Reserve was developed into a regular system, known under the name of the

Disciplina Arcani'. In another form it may be observed among the Ancients in their, almost universal, mode of interpreting Scripture, every part of which they consider replete with mysterious knowledge, revealed only to the faithful Christian. And although individuals among them may be wrong in any particular explanation, the general principle of interpretation, so Catholic and Apostolic, it cannot be doubted, is the right one. St. Augustin speaks not only of the Word of GOD, but of His works also in nature, and of the Heavens themselves, serving for a covering to hide God from us, by this means to lead us on to the gradual knowledge of Him. Here, therefore, again, the conduct of our blessed LORD might be traced, as illustrating this subject, viz. in His Church, in which we know He is present always; and if where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is in the midst of them, where shall we find Him, who is Truth itself, more assuredly than in the Catholic consent of His Church?

2 That the present aspect of the world is much opposed to it.

When, after being engaged in such contemplations, we lift up our eyes upon the present state of the world, an extraordinary aspect of things meets our view. The knowledge of GOD, hastening to cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea; and a remarkable combination of circumstances at work, to produce effects the opposite to what has been hitherto witnessed in the world. The art of printing, bringing home this knowledge to all; the means which Providence has formerly allowed to hide it, not only from the Heathen and the Jew, but also from the Christian, (by a mysterious economy, which has been long permitted in the Church of Rome,) we see now removed; men of various creeds, opposed in principles and opposed in discipline, one might almost say Christians and Unbelievers, combining together in the circulation of the Scriptures. Add to this, preachers and teachers of various parties and from various motives, all busily engaged in imparting religious instruction. Schools more

1 For an account of this system, see Mr. Faber "on the Apostolicity of Trinitarianism," b. 1st, c. viii. and the passages there referred to. See also Mr. Newman's Arians, c. 1, sect. iii.