to France, and educating at his own expense, a son of the Rev. Mr. Caldwell, of Elizabethtown, New Jersey. The mother of this youth, sitting on a bed surrounded by her children, was shot by a British soldier-whether accidentally or intentionally, has been ardently controverted, but we hope the former-at the village of Connecticut Farms, where a conflict took place between a British corps, and some companies of Jersey militia, "quorum pars parva fui." We indeed were not in the action in the village, but in marching up, we remember that Mr. Caldwell, then ignorant that his wife was a corpse, harangued our company, and told us that our comrades had fought as bravely as the troops of the Duke of Marlborough. Mr. Caldwell himself, not long after, was shot by an American soldier, who was executed publickly for the murderous act. When the Marquis became acquainted with these circumstances, he promptly made himself responsible for the education of the eldest son; and he did more than he promised-And hereby too "hangs a tale," which perhaps we may one day tell, in which his amiable wife would appear in all the loveliness of her character. When this illustrious man was immured in the prison of Olmutz, a most valued friend, long since deceased, wrote some beautiful verses on the occasion, which we heard sung by his wife, and the last stanza of which, the national honours now decreed to the Marquis has strongly recalled. It almost seems as if this stanza had been prophetick-it will somewhat compensate our readers for this old man's ramble Courage, child of Washington, Though thy fate disastrous seems, Rise and shine with brighter beams. The small pox has been prevalent in Philadelphia, during the present winter, and we perceive by the publick papers, that it is extending all along our sea-board. We think it probable that it will pervade the United States. It has assailed even those who supposed themselves effectually guarded against it by vaccination, or by having had the small pox in the natural way, or by inoculation. None of these guards have proved effectual; yet they have all greatly abated the violence of the disease, which in such cases has been denominated varioloid; and vaccination is represented by the best authorities, as proving the best guard of all. We have heard of no death where the vaccine disease had preceded varioloid; but deaths we are assured have occurred in varioloid, preceded both by the natural and inoculated small pox. It seems to us, that all who have influence on publick opinion, ought to feel themselves called on by every dictate of humanity, to do all they can to promote vaccination, in every part of our country. If legislative influence can be properly interposed in this concern, we think it ought not to be withheld. We hope that the clergy, as well as physicians, will not be wanting to the cause of humanity on this occasion. We are truly afraid, that it will extend to the Indian tribes, and prove among them, as it always has proved, a desolating pestilence. We earnestly urge that vaccine matter be immediately sent to all the missionary stations; and that the missionaries be instructed to use all their influence and efforts, to extend the vaccine disease as much as possible, among the aborigines of our country. This will be a truly benevolent and Christian service, and may preserve the lives of thousands, who may hereafter become converts to the Christian faith: and it may serve to re commend the missionaries themselves to the esteem and gratitude of the natives. TO CORRESPONDENTS. BASIL, and THE DEACON No. III. are received. TRINITARIAN No. III., as well as some other Reviews, are necessarily delayed. ERRATA IN OUR LAST NO. Page 2, line 26 from bottom, for indeed read ended. 45, line 12 from bottom, for do read does THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. MARCH, 1824. Keligious Communications. LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE- did, indeed, form and express some noble and just notions of the Supreme CHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER AS SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED Being; yet in other particulars they TO YOUTH, LECTURE VI. The fourth answer of our catechism is thus expressed-"God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth." We have seen that our catechism was intended to be merely a summary of revealed truth, and no farther to notice subjects of natural religion than as they are referred to in scripture. Had not their plan been thus limited, the authors of the catechism would no doubt have made the subject of the answer before us the first in the system; since the being and perfections of God must manifestly lie at the foundation of all religion. But as a revelation from God necessarily implies his existence, so that existence is taken for granted, not only in this catechism but in the scriptures themselves. There is no elaborate argument in the Bible to prove the being of a God, although we there find a reference incidentally to the very best evidence by which his existence is evinced; and it is from revelation alone that we obtain a correct and just knowledge of the divine perfections. It is an undeniable fact, that although the belief of a great first cause has been nearly universal in the world, through all ages, yet without revelation men have never had consistent and adequate conceptions of the divine character. A few of the heathen philosophers VOL. II. Ch. Adv. were, in regard to the Deity, grossly ignorant or erroneous: and whatever much confined to themselves and to was their knowledge, it was pretty a few disciples-"The world by wisdom knew not God." But notwithstanding the catechism it right to give you a short and sumis silent on this subject, I have thought of the being of God, as it is stated mary view of the evidence or proof in the systems of natural religion. In doing this some of the divine attributes will of course be mentioned; but we shall not dwell upon them till we come to consider them as made known by revelation, as well as by reason. rests ultimately on this principle, The proof of the being of God that there can be no effect without a cause. That every effect must have an adequate cause, must be taken as an axiom; that is, a principle so obvious that it does not admit of proof. Without axioms, or self-evident principles, we can never reason conclusively at all; because all sound reasoning must begin or terminate in what is self-evident. Mr. Hume, who seemed to delight in trying to make the human understanding confound or subvert itself, has endeavoured to weaken our belief in the connexion between cause and effect;* but his sophistry has been exposed and confuted, in the most satisfactory manner. It is usual to state two methods of proving the being of a God from reason; both of which, however, rest equally on the principle that every and effects, are only series of antecedents and sequences, having no other connexion than that the former have always been followed by the latter. He is however so far from agreeing with Mr. Hume in the sceptical and infidel consequences derived from this doctrine, that he most completely subverts the whole sceptical system, and even exposes it to ridicule, on the very principles from which Mr. Hume derived it. We mean not, however, to express our belief in Dr. Brown's philosophical theory. We very seriously doubt whether it will stand the test of a full and fair examination, when time shall have been afforded to scrutinize it thoroughly, to observe its consequences, and to weigh the objections of its opposers. effect must have an adequate cause. The first of these trains of reasoning is called the method a priori; the second the method a posteriori. The method a priori is a process of reasoning from yourself to your Creator. By consciousness you establish your own existence. That existence must have a cause. Where do you find it? Did you create yourself? Nothing can be more absurd than self-creation-it implies action before the existence of that which acts. You derived your being from others. Your parents must say the same: and carry it on as many generations as you choose, the last must say the same as the first. In this process you must at length arrive at a great first cause of all, which we call God: for an eternal succession of dependent causes will be found an absurdity. It is only an attempt Dr. Beattie's method of disposing of Mr. to remove the first cause out of sight. Hume's sophistry seems to be entirely sa- Suppose-to use the illustration of a tisfactory. It may be seen in his own lan- celebrated writer-suppose a chain guage, at the beginning of the 5th section of his "Essay on Truth." We shall make was seen hanging from the heavens, use of his leading ideas, and accommodate and extending upward beyond your them to our purpose thus-I leave my sight. Would it be satisfactory to study for an hour, and on my return I find say that the first link of this chain on my table a book, which I know was hung on the second, the second on not there when I went out, and of which I the third, and so on ad infinitum? have never heard before. I make every Would you not ask what holds up possible investigation and inquiry, with a view to discover how the book came to be the whole? A chain of ten links would where I found it. All is fruitless-I had require a certain power to uphold it, locked the door and taken the key with a chain of twenty links double that me, and a faithful servant assures me that power, and an infinite chain an infihe has had his eye on my study door the nite power. In a word, if the parts whole time of my absence. The chimney, and window, and walls, have been examin- taken separately cannot support ed, and it is manifest that no one has entered themselves, the whole, which is only or departed by them. The whole affair is the parts taken collectively, cannot mysterious and unaccountable, and I am support itself. And the longer you left in utter perplexity.-Now does it ever occur to me that the book came to be in make the chain, the greater must be the place where I found it without any the power by which it is upheldcause? Suppose this to be suggested, can an infinite chain will require infinite I, by any possible effort of my mind, be- power-a power not in the chain, but lieve it? No, assuredly.-The belief that out of it. It is exactly the same with every effect has an adequate cause is an the several generations, or, if you intuitive or self-evident truth, which in will, links of the human race. They must be traced to a great first cause out of themselves, on which they all depend.-That cause is God. He must be considered as self-existent, and perfect, or infinite, in all his attributes. "That" says Dr. Doddridge" is said to be a self-existent every sane mind, is invincible. It is always taken for granted-We believe that infidelity itself never thought that the sacred writer needed to prove any premises when he said "every house is builded by some man"-but this is in no respect clearer than what immediately follows, and yet has often been denied" he that built all things is God." or necessarily existent being, which does not owe its existence to any other being whatsoever, either as its cause or its support; but would exist and be what it is, were there no other being in the whole compass of nature but itself." It seems proper that I should briefly mention here, that there have been some speculative men in every age, and that among these we are to reckon (if I understand their system) the most, if not all, of the professed atheists that have appeared in our own day, who have maintained that the universe, as we now find it, is eternal; and that we ought not to believe that there is any such being as is usually called God. In regard to this system of atheism let it be remarked and remembered, that in much the same way in which it has been shown that a chain of infinite links cannot support itself, it may be conclusively shown that any thing else made up of parts, dependent on each other, and in their nature mutable and imperfect, cannot be eternal. But the universe is unquestionably made up of parts, all of which are dependent, mutable and imperfect, and therefore it cannot be eternal. Let it farther be remarked, that the indirect method of proof, or that which is called reductio ad absur dum, is held, even in mathematical demonstrations, to be as conclusive and satisfactory as direct proof. Now it is apparent, that every supposition of the origin and existence of the universe may be reduced to a perfect absurdity, that alone excepted which represents it as the production of a self-existent perfect being-infinite in all his attributes. The belief therefore of such a being-such a first cause of all other beings-is demonstrably rational and incumbent on us.-For, we repeat, other beings must have a cause of existence out of themselves, and here alone we find it. We readily admit that the eternity, and self-existence, and perfection of God, entirely exceed the grasp of the human mind. But there is no absurdity in believing the ex istence of what we cannot fully comprehend;-we do it continually, and must do it, in a thousand instances. On the whole then, by believing that the universe is the work of an infinitely perfect being, we have a rational account of its existence; while every other account is completely irrational and absurd. In what has last been said I have considerably anticipated the second method of proving the existence of God, which is denominated a posteriori. This is properly and professedly a philosophical induction from the visible universe. You look around you, and on every hand you see the undeniable proofs of Almighty power, infinite wisdom, and perfect goodness. You ask for the author and origin of these. You are unable to find them in the things themselvesall say they are not in us. You must therefore, and you do, refer them to an infinitely powerful, wise and good first cause-and this cause is God. There seems not to be any real ground of, distinction between these two methods of proof, except it be, that the former is more abstract, and the latter more plain and popular. Yet the distinction has long been made, and till of late generally considered as just; and I therefore thought it proper to state both methods, and to show how, in each, the reasoning process is carried on. But if you examine the subject closely you will perceive, not only that both depend, as already intimated, on a common principle or axiom, but that both also begin and proceed in the same train. The first, indeed, sets out with establishing our own existence from consciousness, and the second by establishing the existence of the material world by the external senses. But both reason immediately from the creature to the Creator. Of these two methods of proof, or two ways rather of adducing the proof of the being of a God, I decisively prefer the latter, and recommend that you always adopt it, in thinking and reasoning on this subject. It is really accompanied wi no difficulty or obscurity whatever. We can scarcely open our eyes on the material world, without being struck at once, with the ineffable wisdom, power and benignity, which are every where apparent in the works of creation and Providence; and of perceiving that they point us to the Great Creator as the source from which they all proceed. Accordingly we find that to these objects the sacred scriptures direct our attention, and represent the visible universe as proclaiming a God, in language which the whole human race may understand. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Truly, my young friends, wherever we turn our eyes, whether to the heavens, to the earth, or to ourselves, we see so many striking proofs of the being and perfections of God, that we may well wonder that the human being should ever have existed who denied his Maker's existence. Some, indeed, have questioned whether there ever was really and truly a speculative Atheist-I say a speculative atheist, because there can be no question that the number is great indeed of those who "live without God in the world;" who, with the fool mentioned by the Psalmist, "say in their heart, there is no God," that is, wish there were none; and live with as little regard to his laws and his displeasure, as if they deliberately disbelieved his existence. But these practical atheists, seldom reason or think on this subject at all; and indeed are commonly among the most thoughtless of men, in regard to all moral subjects. Yet there have been a few in almost every age, and perhaps in none more than in our own, especially in France, who have avowed themselves atheists upon conviction-We are even told of two or three instances in which men have died martyrs to Atheism. Still it has been seriously doubted, whether, among them all there has been any real conviction of the understanding in favour of atheism; or any thing more than the love of singularity, a desire to set aside moral obligation, or a proud obstinacy in defending and abiding by opinions, taken up without examination and hastily promulged. But when we read in scripture of some who "are given over to strong delusions to believe a lie," it will not appear incredible, that there may be some speculative atheists; and that they will quite as probably be found among men of science, who have grossly abused the advantages of intellect and knowledge with which God had favoured them, as among any other class of men. Still it is true, that such men are always, and justly, considered as moral monsters; and really seem as if they were affected by that species of insanity which completely perverts intellect in regard to one particular subject, while the powers of the mind remain unimpaired, perhaps uncommonly vigorous, in regard to almost every thing beside. On this part of our subject I shall only further remark, that it has often been mentioned as an evidence of the being of God, that all nations in all parts of the world have been impressed with the belief of some great first cause of all things; and that our larger catechism teaches that "the very light of nature in man, and the works of God declare plainly that there is a God." Mr. Locke, however, in combating the doctrine of innate ideas, contends pretty strenuously, but to my apprehension not successfully, that we have sufficient reason to believe that there have been some portions of the human family, among which no impression, or conception whatever, of a Supreme Being was to be found. But granting the fact to be exactly as he states it, still it is to be observed that he admits these people to have been among the most ignorant and debased of hu |