With the Proceedings at the Anniversary, &c. 8vo. pp. 24. New York, U.S. 1831.

10. The Sabbath Question, a Question of Civil and Religious Liberty; or the Legal Establishment of a Weekly Rest essential to the Liberties and the Rights of the People. 12mo. pp. 48. Price ls. London, 1831.

11. The Law of the Sabbath, Religious and Political. By Josiah Conder. 8vo. pp. 64. Price 2s. 6d. London, 1830.

IT

T would be unreasonable to expect that the writers of practical treatises should in all cases feel bound to acquaint themselves with what may have been written upon the same subject by their predecessors or contemporaries, whether on their own side or in defence of opposite sentiments. The less of a polemical character such works assume, the better. It is obvious, however, that little advance is likely to be made in settling a long standing controversy, if writers pro and con decline the trouble of ascertaining the true state of the argument, and evade the very difficulties and reasonings it is their business to grapple with. It is not a little vexatious to find the champions of truth spending all their force in the demolition of abandoned positions, and overlooking the intrenchments of error; nor is it less provoking to find the advocates of erroneous opinions gathering up confuted arguments, and trying to point them afresh, regardless of the discomfiture of their predecessors in the contest. A fair dealing with evidence involves the rendering of full justice to the arguments of an opponent; but this is both more rare and more difficult than is generally supposed. Nor do those writers who seem the most honestly in search of truth, always adhere to this principle of fair dealing. No one will question Archbishop Whately's love of truth; and yet, in his tract upon the Sabbath, he has certainly exhibited no adequate anxiety to make himself acquainted either with the true grounds of the sentiments which he impugns, or with the answers that had been furnished to the objections he brings forward. The fact is, that the learned Prelate is a fearless thinker, but by no means an equally deep and thorough reader; and his apparent unfairness is attributable, simply, perhaps, to the rashness of writing upon such a subject as the Moral Law, without considering or appreciating the language even of the Thirty-nine Articles.

Of the publications now before us, one only has for its avowed object, to disprove the perpetuity of the Sabbath, all the others being designed to vindicate and enforce its Divine authority and permanent obligation. The Author of "The Modern Sabbath Examined," will have no reason to be offended at being characterized as a disciple of Dr. Whately, with whose writings he is

evidently familiar, and whose independent spirit of inquiry he appears to have caught and emulated. As his volume is of more recent date than the other publications on our list, it might be expected that some of them would have been noticed by him; but we have met with only a passing reference to sentiments advocated in our own pages. Of course, no one of these works can be expected to furnish a direct refutation of the arguments of the present Writer. Under these circumstances, our main business, in resuming a discussion which has already been very fully entered into in our pages, *, will be, to examine our Examiner, to point out the errors into which he has fallen, and if possible, to gain over the acute and intelligent mind of the Writer himself to the side of Truth. Dangerous and pernicious as we cannot but deem the sentiments he advocates, not only have we no right to question the purity of his motives, but we really entertain no suspicion of his sincerity, integrity, and love of truth; and we agree with him, that by free and temperate discussion, such as he has here exemplified, truth must be the gainer. Upon the whole, we are not sorry for the appearance of the volume, and have some pleasure in meeting so frank an antagonist; although it would obviously be a great evil, were such a work to remain unanswered.

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The Writer has himself felt it necessary to vindicate the course he has adopted, from the odium attaching to sentiments of evil tendency. He premises, that, as the subject has been treated on purely religious grounds, it has been taken for granted, that 'whatever conclusion relative to it can be correctly deduced from an accurate survey of Scriptural evidence, such conclusion must, in as far as the interests of the Christian religion are concerned, 'be ultimately found the most expedient in practice.

On the assumption that this proposition is indubitably correct, the principles derived from Scriptural authority have been followed into all their natural and necessary consequences, without any anxiety being felt for the issue, as it respects the interests of true practical piety. The chief business that men have with Christianity, is to believe what it reveals, and to practice what it enjoins. So soon as it is ascertained what is the revealed will of Heaven in regard to any point of faith or practice, there is then plainly that ascertained which it must be most expedient for men to believe and to obey. As obedience to the revealed will of God comprehends the whole sum of the duty which

"The Law of the Sabbath, Religious and Political," &c., is a reprint, with some additions, of two articles which appeared in this Journal. See Eclectic Review, June 1830, and Oct. 1830. It may not be improper to acknowledge the polite and handsome terms in which Mr. Wilson, Mr. Davies, and Drs. Burder and Wardlaw refer to those articles.

man owes to his Creator, it is surely warrantable to assume, that the consequences of complying with this rule of duty, may safely be left to Him who has delivered it, and who, in doing so, knew the end from the beginning. In examining any religious observance which claims our notice, we are very apt to consider, first, its supposed tendency, and in this way to allow the views we form of the results expected to follow from its adoption, to influence, or perhaps determine our conclusions respecting its divine authority and obligation.' pp. iv, v.

In the sentiments here expressed, we cordially coincide: they are in substance, and almost in words, those which Archbishop Whately has so ably maintained in his admirable Essay on the Love of Truth *. "Not to countenance any erroneous opinion or delusion, however seemingly beneficial in its results', is, we admit, a duty imperative upon all the disciples of Him who is the Truth, and who seek to be led by the Spirit of Truth. If a belief in the perpetuity of the Sabbath can be demonstrated to be such a delusion,-if the observance be (as this Writer unhesitatingly affirms, but fails altogether to establish,) destitute of all 'legitimate Scriptural proof',-then, to countenance the error, however seemingly beneficial, would, we concede, be inconsistent with fair dealing or Christian integrity, and ultimately with sound policy or practical expediency.

Truth can never be of evil tendency; but, on the other hand, that which is really of evil tendency, cannot be truth. In judging of the apparent tendencies, and inferring the necessary consequences of opinions, we are extremely liable to be misled by preconceived notions; and to reject any opinion purely on the ground of its supposed tendency, without examining the evidence on which it rests, is dangerous and unjustifiable. We must not, however, forget, that the moral tendency of doctrines forms one element of the internal evidence by which their truth is attested; and could we ascertain the inherent tendency of any opinion to be pernicious, we should have something stronger than a mere presumption against the possibility of its being true. It can never be quite safe, therefore, altogether to disregard the apparent or supposed tendency of an opinion, in estimating the evidence for and against its truth. Into this error, a very serious one, the present Writer seems to have fallen at the very outset of his inquiry; and this first mistake has entailed several others.

In examining the Divine authority of a religious observance, it may not be proper to begin our inquiries with asking, What is its tendency? But a becoming self-diffidence may prompt the question, What is the tendency of my opinion? A lover of truth does well to risk all the consequences of complying with the

See Eclectic Review, 3d Series, Vol. I. pp. 124-6.

rule of faith and duty, in obedience to the Divine will. But, in expounding that rule to others, in pronouncing upon what is or is not conformable to the Divine will, it is not so clearly his duty to devolve upon the Divine Being the consequences of what he may believe to be true, but which may be error. There may be much presumption and enthusiasm in such a disregard of consequences. If, in our private search after truth, we dismiss all fear of consequences resulting to ourselves from the conclusions to which we may be conducted, we cherish a temper the most favourable, when combined with a devout spirit, to the attainment of satisfaction. But no one who has not a special commission from Heaven, is called upon to promulgate his opinions, regardless of their consequences to others. He ought to be prepared to shew that they are beneficial, or his motives in propagating them will be justly liable to suspicion, as partaking more of vanity than of benevolence, and as justifying the rebuke, Who has required this at your hands?

The Author of the volume before us, has, we doubt not, persuaded himself that he has performed an acceptable service to religion, in endeavouring to shew that a weekly day of rest is really no part of the revealed will of God,-because, as he would argue, such an opinion being erroneous, it cannot be ultimately for the interest of religion that the error should prevail. But what precise service he designed to render to the Christian world, is not very apparent. The reader will naturally and not very unreasonably inquire, what is the drift of the volume,-what end the Writer has proposed to himself. Supposing that he has established his point, that the modern Sabbath rests upon no Divine authority, what does he wish us to do? Abolish the day of rest? No. Strange to say, while denying the existence of a Sabbatical law, as an ordinance of revealed religion, he decidedly advocates the expediency of a periodical intermission of public labour. Not only is the supposed tendency' of the observance admitted to be good, but its beneficial tendency is adduced as a reason for its being politically enforced, although it is held to furnish no portion of evidence in favour of its Divine authority. The Sabbath is confessedly an invaluable blessing, but we are not indebted for it to the Founder of Christianity; it is not the ordinance of the Divine wisdom. Such is substantially the representation of the Writer.

It is manifest', he says, 'that, apart from all considerations of its religious obligation, the observance of a day of public rest confers a very valuable privilege on all classes of the community. The regular recurrence of a day of relaxation from the exhausting labours of life, is greatly conducive both to bodily health and to mental vigour it lightens, by the prospect it affords of a temporary cessation of uninter

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mitting application, the burden which the labouring man is obliged daily to bear, while it alleviates the fatigue of all those wearisome avocations in which the bulk of mankind find it necessary to engage. all who are thus circumstanced, it is an unspeakable satisfaction to possess the privilege of at all times looking forward to a point at which they may suspend their exertions, and recruit their exhausted powers; it nerves them for vigorous and persevering application, to know that the day which they can call their own will shortly return, in which they may again repose from the fatiguing labours of the week, and enjoy endearing intercourse with their families and friends. A day of this kind, it is obvious, affords numerous opportunities, not only for the natural exercise of the social affections, and for all the enjoyments of domestic intercourse, but also for mental cultivation, and the diffusion of general, as well as religious knowledge: and it cannot be doubted, that if these opportunities be judiciously employed, they must conduce greatly to the progress of society in civilization, and in the attainment of every kind of valuable information, as well as to the amelioration of the general condition of the human race.' pp. 3, 4.

It is gratifying to have it in our power to remark, that, though there has long prevailed a great diversity of opinion respecting the observance of a weekly day of rest, considered as a religious obligation, all parties seem cordially to unite in approving of the civil enforcement of a periodical intermission of public labour. Instead of it being desirable to procure a repeal of the statutes now in force, which enjoin an observance of Sunday, it is deserving of serious consideration, whether a revisal of the existing statutes, with a view to remedy their partial operation, and to increase, in various ways, their efficiency, would not be highly expedient.' p. 279.

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This is very good, so far as it goes; and we fervently wish the Writer were warranted in his representation, that all parties seem 'cordially to unite in approving of the civil enforcement of a day of rest. Unhappily, the fact is notoriously different. Neither among those who hold the religious obligation of the Sabbath, nor among those who contend for the observance on other grounds, is there found this general consent as to the province of the Legislature. And assuredly the Writer's labours will very little contribute to promote a general conviction in favour of the civil enforcement of the day. To recur, then, to the design and end of his publication,-if the Sabbath be a benefit, and its civil enforcement be desirable, how has it happened that a Writer convinced of this, should have tasked himself to compose, and felt bound to publish, a work, the tendency, nay, the laboured object of which is, to destroy all regard and reverence for the day as a religious Institution? The inconsistency of such a proceeding, is not to be explained by referring it to a love of truth for its own sake. Of the two opinions or conclusions adopted by the present Writer, one is, that the modern Sabbath is an institution greatly conducive to the general melioration of the human race, an in