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regard to the former, must also be recognised in its fullest possible bearing in reference to the latter; the only difference being, that, in the latter case, "Scripture" is to be substituted in the place of "Nature." "Homo, naturæ minister et interpres, tantum facit et intelligit quantum de naturæ ordine re vel mente observaverit: nec amplius scit aut potest."1

The subject of this essay, as indeed of those which follow it, renders it necessary that both the above sources of knowledge should be borne in mind during the discussion of it, though they must be consulted in a very different way, and for very different ends. Our views, for instance, upon every topic which partakes of a physical character, must of course be regu lated by the teachings of Nature. But Nature teaches us nothing, or next to nothing, with regard to our eternal prospects2, and for information in reference to these, therefore, recourse must be had to the

1 Novum Organum. Aphor. 1.

Sir John Herschel has given us the following rendering of this aphorism, "Man, as the minister and interpreter of nature, is limited in act and understanding by his observation of the order of nature: neither his knowledge nor his power extends farther."-Discourse on the Study of Nat. Philosophy.

2 Notice will be taken, in a subsequent part of this essay, of the agreement between the suggestions of science and the express declarations of Revelation in reference to the future condition to the earth, and to man's connection with it.

WORD of God. To its authoritative teachings the most unqualified submission must be yielded; and the more we come to its study with the mental simplicity of "little children," divested of preconceived views and misleading prejudices, the more likely we shall be to discover those "pearls of great price" which lie hid throughout the fields of its diversified pages.

But wherever the Word of God would seem to lead us we should endeavour to follow; with humility indeed, and with the utmost caution, carefully watching over ourselves that we do not go one step beyond the revealed boundary, nor take up with anything that is not authorised by the evidence afforded by the record which is to be our only guide. But wherever there is any light, however small, cast upon any region before us, into that region we should essay to go, for to this end is that light made to shine. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." (2 Pet. i. 19.) Whatever is matter of revelation is a subject of legitimate inquiry. "Secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those which are revealed belong to us and

to our children." (Deut. xxix. 29.) All we have to do is, to see that our inquiries are ever marked by that combination of firmness, on the one hand, and humility, on the other, which are in all cases so essential, the one for the discovery of truth, and the other for the avoiding of error; and which have always, in their combined character, formed a marked and leading feature in the minds of those who have been the most successful students and interpreters of the other record or source of knowledge to which reference has been made as open to man, namely, the WORKS of our God. Every true disciple of the school of Bacon and of Newton is intrepid in his progress when he has evidence to guide him, but none so immoveable when that evidence fails him. So should it be with the students and interpreters of the Word of God. As with the one, indeed, so should it be with the others. The same course should be followed by both. The principles for the guidance of both are the same. They are not different, they are identical; and with equal truth may we affirm of sound theology, what Chalmers has so justly said of true philosophy, that "as it is one of its maxims never to shrink from a

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doctrine which has evidence on its side, so is it another of its maxims, equally essential to it, never to harbour any doctrine when this evidence is wanting." Let us take these two maxims with us, and we may proceed with a well-founded hope that success will attend our efforts, and that we shall be preserved from great and serious error; while we shall be animated with the encouraging assurance that we have bright regions of knowledge lying open to our inquiries of an extent which none can at present either determine or conceive.

It will be presently seen that the view taken in these essays of the locality of the future inheritance differs materially from that which generally prevails. We rejoice, indeed, to know, that it has many supporters, and that the number of these is rapidly increasing, and we believe the day is not far distant when it will become all but universal, among the

more scripturally-informed at least; but at present this is far from being the case. The most commonly

received view of the subject is,

that HEAVEN, what

ever may be understood by the term, is the place

1 Astronomical Discourses. Disc. ii.

of question, nor is exposed to doubt.

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where "the Saints" will find "their everlasting rest." This opinion is rested in as one that neither admits It has prevailed more or less for centuries, and it has been, perhaps, greatly encouraged amongst ourselves, by that very popular work of the pious Baxter, The Saints' Everlasting Rest, which has now for such a length of time formed the popular standard upon the subject, not indeed, upon the locality of the inheritance so much, as upon the inheritance itself, its character, and its joys.

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It is with no small measure of satisfaction and thankfulness, one remembers that, supposing the popular view of the subject to be, after all, not the correct one, the mistake will in no way either endanger the safety of those who make it, or in any measure lessen their enjoyment of that happiness which they have looked forward to as their enduring reward in that "Inheritance of the Saints" which, as saints, they have so earnestly longed for, and for which many of them have freely gone to the martyr's stake, or borne the cruel mockings of their unrelenting persecutors. No, their hopes were not ill-founded as to the great result. True, they may have mistaken

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