from the place which it occupies in the writings of some systematick divines, we should be led to conclude; how shall we account for the silence of the Scriptures concerning it? Is it credible that a revelation from God, designed to lead us into all truth, should furnish not the smallest hint of a doctrine so essential as this is represented to be, to a rational vindication of the rectitude of his dispensations; so indispensable to a satisfactory exposition of the system of Divine truth which it was the avowed object of revelation to communicate? These considerations are sufficient, it is believed, to prove that this theory is not entitled to occupy the place, nor adapted to answer the purposes in a system of divinity, which its acute and learned advocates have fondly imagined. No man can be justified in assuming a principle, not recognised in Scripture, which must, in its consequences, lead to a new modification of Christianity; which must, to the eye of the theorist, bestow a new colouring upon its entire system of doctrines.

Nor can the theory of Optimism be inferred from that part of the constitution and course of nature which is submitted to our observa

tion. Without the aid afforded by Divine revelation, it has not been found easy to account for the numerous evils and disorders which confessedly exist in the world. A view of these evils gave occasion to the belief, which anciently prevailed very generally throughout the East, of the existence of two principles: one, the author of all good; the other, the author of all evil. The information conveyed in Scripture, furnishes a complete solution of most of the difficulties derived from this source; and enables us to perceive that the existence of evil is not incompatible with the belief, that the universe is under the sole administration of a Being of absolute and unlimited perfection.

Indeed it is readily and cheerfully granted, that an enlightened and cautious examination of the whole frame and economy of nature, furnishes unequivocal marks of wise and comprehensive design, unwea ried goodness, and irresistible pow er. These are some of the invisible things of God, which may be understood by the things that are made. But what facts can be pointed out in the constitution and order of the world, which prove that the present system of the universe is the best possible? By what process of deduction, by what rule of philosophi zing, can it be inferred that the present plan includes the greatest amount of good which it is possible, in the nature of things, can exist? The most accurate and extensive acquaintance with the works of God can inform us only of facts, not of possibilities; of what the Creator has been pleased to do, not of what it is possible for him to do, or not possible for him to do. This will continue to be a correct state. ment of the case, even if it should be proved that the universe is ten thousand times more extensive and perfect than ever the mind of man has conceived it to be.

how.

We may be qualified to pronounce a work of one of our fellow men, to be as good as he is capable of producing. It is necessary, ever, that, in this case, we should have a perfect knowledge of the extent of his capacity, of the whole structure and plan of his work, and of all the ends for which it is intended. To make the decision which I have mentioned, without this knowledge, would be rashness and folly. Who then can be quali fied to pronounce a similar decision in relation to the works of God? Is any man so well acquainted with Omnipotence, as to be able to deter mine the utmost extent of what it can accomplish? Who can pretend to a perfect knowledge of the immense system of Creation, and of the various ends for which all its

parts are designed? The conclusion, then, is manifest: no man can be qualified to pronounce, that of all possible systems, the present is the best which Omnipotence can produce; that it includes the greatest sum of perfection and happiness, which infinite wisdom and power can bring into existence. It is presumptuous and hazardous to make assertions, limiting, in appearance at least, the attributes of Jehovah.

The truth is, the friends of this theory do not pretend to find much, if any, direct evidence in its support, either in the Holy Scriptures, or in that part of the great system of creation which comes within the limits of our observation. Their main dependance appears to be placed upon the supposed necessity of the Divine determinations to that which is best, or upon the manner in which they think it necessary and proper for an infinitely perfect Being to choose and to act. A consideration of the arguments derived from this quarter must be deferred till my next essay.

TRAVELS IN EUROPE FOR HEALTH IN 1820. BY AN AMERICAN CLERGYMAN OF THE SYNOD OF PHILADEL

PHIA.

Ship Nestor, Atlantick Ocean,

Oct. 20, 1820. My dear Friend,-As narrative fails, it will be necessary, in order to keep up my practice of occupying leisure hours in writing to you, to resort to speculation. I think it good to guard against idleness in this floating prison, by trying what I can make upon paper of certain ideas which have been long in my mind, on the subject of restoring and preserving health; the great value of which I have had large opportunity of knowing, from suffering the want of it. It is an old proverb, that every man is either a fool or a physician at the age of forVOL. V. Ch. Adv.

ty. There are certainly few men who have not had opportunity, by the time they arrive at that age, of acquiring acquaintance with some diseases, and the medical treatment proper for them. As it regards dyspepsia, this I think has been eminently my case. And if I have made no discoveries, it is not for want of having ruminated, as well as read, much on the subject. Yet I flatter myself, that my researches have not been altogether in vain. A remedy has suggested itself to my mind, which I am convinced is of inestimable value.Though it is not new, it is comparatively little known, and very seldom prescribed by the medical faculty. It operates both as a pre-. ventive and cure; and what enhances its value is, that its efficacy reaches to most other complaints beside those of the stomach, to which I have been so much the victim. If you have not thought upon the subject, you will be surprised, and perhaps smile, when I tell you that this all-efficacious Panacea, is the pure faith of the Gospel, taken in sufficient quantity. I do not hesitate to assert, that (all the spiritual and eternal benefits of faith out of view) its efficacy, simply as a medicine, in preventing and curing the maladies of the body, and I will even say most maladies, entitle it to the first place in the whole catalogue of materia medica. I am far from meaning that it will act miraculously and instantaneously, as was once the opinion, it is said, of the celebrated Mr. Wesley; who, if my recollection is correct, according to some account I have seen, attempted the immediate restoration of himself from a particular illness, by a direct act of faith. My idea is different-I think it acts gradually, as other medicines do, and produces its effect, according to the quantity and perseverance with which it is used. It must, too, be genuine. There is as much spurious faith in the Christian world, as

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there are adulterated drugs in the apothecary's shop. The infallible criterion of genuine faith, is pointed out by the apostle. It works by love, and purifies the heart. Indeed, by the medicinal faith of which I speak, you will understand me as intending the great principle of holy obedience; and of course, the piety and morality which necessarily grow out of faith, are comprehended with it, and have their proper agency in the cures it effects.

As a preventive, I think it above all price; and the old proverb has much truth in it-that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are very few of the disorders with which the human body is afflicted, which cannot be traced distinctly to moral, or rather, immoral causes-either the following, or others similar, viz: ignorance, imprudence, intemperance in eating or drinking, slothfulness of body or mind, sinful indulgence of the passions of grief, anxiety, fear, anger, love, &c. We are fearfully and wonderfully made; and in nothing is this more evident, than in the mysterious influence which mind and body exert over each other. The mind, from ignorance, or the undue excitement of some passion or appetite, fails to regulate the conduct of the man, according to the laws of rectitude. A sinful measure of sloth is permitted from day to day, or an undue indulgence of some appetite or passion is allowed. This produces a slight irregularity in the bodily functions, from which at first no inconvenience is felt; but as the dropping water gradually wears away the stone, so this slight irregularity, silently and gradually operates, until at length serious disease is induced; while the cause is never suspected by the unhappy sufferer, who thinks only of removing his disorder by the drugs of the apothecary. Every body knows the effect of intemper

ance, in deranging the animal system; but it is not sufficiently considered, that every immoral indulgence, whether of mind or body, has as truly its legitimate effect, in impairing the functions of animal life, as the excess of excitement from intoxicating drink. Now you will agree with me, that the faith of the Gospel is the great principle of genuine piety and morality; and of course, it is the only effectual preventive of all those bodily complaints, which have their origin in deficient morality. Let a man be in the exercise of strong faith from early youth-from its excitements, let him apply himself diligently to wisdom, to prudence, to active usefulness, to temperance, to chastity; let him be mortified to pride, to anger, to fear, to discontent; let him rejoice always, or in the words of Solomon, let him possess the merry heart, which does good as a medicine-and he will possess a protection from indigestion, nervous affections, and all other bodily maladies, of more efficacy, twice over, than all the drugs of the apothecary. Should he even have inherited a predisposition to particular complaints-the visitation of the sins of his ancestors, which is a very common case; his faith, if it come sufficiently early, and act with sufficient power, will go far to lessen, if not to remove, this unhappy seed of bodily indisposition.

As a positive remedy, in the generality of complaints, the faith of the Gospel has an efficacy little inferior to its power as a preventive. The celebrated Dr. Rush, in one of his essays, has some thoughts on the cure of certain moral infirmities, by physical remedies; and that such remedies may be used as auxiliaries, with benefit, in the way he speaks of, I have no doubt. But sure I am, moral remedies, the chief of which is faith, and all of which have their origin in faith, may have a far greater efficacy in curing physical diseases, and that

of almost all kinds. So strong is this conviction, that I do not hesitate to assert, that in all cases which will admit of its exercise, faith ought to make an item in the physician's prescription, and in very many cases, it ought to be the very first; and this from a simple regard to its healing virtues. Its healing virtues will be found, I apprehend, in three respects.

1st. In all cases where immorality, either immediately or remotely, is the exciting cause of the disease, it will tend to remove it. And every person may know, as well as a physician, that until the exciting cause is removed, a permanent cure can never be effected. The most that medicine can do, will be to palliate, and give temporary relief. A relapse will soon take place.

2d. In all severe cases, it will counteract, or rather prevent, the highly unfavourable action upon the system of a disturbed state of mind, arising from fear, anxiety, remorse, guilt, &c. A very anxious distressed state of mind, will often induce disease, where there was previous health; and how much more, co-operating with disease, must it tend to defeat the good effect of medicine, and sink the patient, who might otherwise have recovered.

3d. The peace, the tranquillity, the hope and joy, which spring from faith, when in due measure, and acting as a cordial, will have a positive healing efficacy. Every physician knows the very great importance of simple hope, to the recovery of his patients; and too many will not scruple to cherish it at the expense of truth, by declarations of encouragement, quite beyond what their own judgment will warrant. But the simple hope of recovery is a very inefficient feeling, compared with the confidence and joy, that spring from strong faith, which are exhilarating in proportion as their object is elevated. There are

many instances, I have no doubt, of fatal result, in which, had the cordial support of faith, in full measure, been enjoyed, the powers of nature would have been assisted to throw off the disease, and recovery would have been the consequence. You have often read accounts of deathbed scenes, where the inward happiness of religious feeling has been so strong as almost to swallow up the agonies of very acute disease, and render them scarcely felt; and have you not noticed in many such instances, that dissolution was remarkably lingering, so that the patient lasted quite beyond his own, and the expectation of all who waited on him. Now, as every thing not miraculous is the result of natural causes, may it not be, in some of these instances, that the mental enjoyments operated as cordials to support the sufferer, quite beyond what the powers of nature would have been capable of without them? If, instead of these animating feelings, gloom, fear, and dejection had operated, would not the patient have expired much sooner?

I may remark, that the declarations of scripture appear to be in direct accordance with the foregoing opinion. To you, quotations need not be multiplied. You will recollect the explicit declaration of Solomon. "Let thine heart keep my commandments, for length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee." So frequently, in the writings of the Old Testament, are the enjoyment of health, long life, peace, and prosperity, connected with a due observation of the Divine requirements; that a strange opinion has prevailed among commentators, that these blessings were promised much more to the church under the Old Testament than under the New, while the fact is just the reverse. obedience to the Divine government, being the instrumental cause of health, longevity, and general

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prosperity; that dispensation which includes a much larger amount of knowledge, a greatly purified rule of duty, and a larger measure of the spirit of faith and holiness, must include a greater measure of those outward blessings, which necessarily flow from knowledge and piety. It is necessary however to remember, that as the duties are enjoined on the whole community, and the whole community are held in a measure bound for one another, the outward blessings contemplated, can only be realized in their full extent, when the whole community are brought to the obedience of faith.

For myself, I have no doubt that the peace, the prosperity, the health and longevity, which all who look for a millennium, allow to belong to it, will be simply the fruit of the faith and piety of the Gospel, in due measure pervading the whole mass of the community, without any miracle in the case; except it may be the increased outpouring of the Holy Ghost, under whose operation, mankind generally will be not only converted, but carried forward in the duties of the Divine life, until "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the seas-" then their piety will be in accordance with this increased measure of knowledge. May we not suppose that human nature is capable of great improvement, even in its vital energy, as well as its moral acquirements. An opinion has grown up in my mind, that the gradual shortening of human life, which took place from Adam down to Moses, when it reached its minimum of three score and ten and four score years, may be imputed to the gradual weakening of the energies of human nature, under the excessive wickedness of these times. After the fall, human nature had a vigour and vitality, that carried it to the age of Methuselah. From this it weakened down gradually, until life reached its present brief span. Now this

was done through an operating cause, and to what other cause can it be ascribed, but the one which has been mentioned. But it seems a law of animal being universally, that whatever has been deteriorated by bad management, may, by proper treatment, be restored to its primitive standard; and why not also human nature? There is nothing in scripture, in the shape of law, that fixes human life beyond the hope of improvement, to four score years. In the 90th Psalm it is simply declared, that "our days are three score and ten," &c. But make men wise, prudent, humble, self-denied,-in other words, give them the faith and purity of the Gospel, to all the extent to which, through grace, they are capable of receiving it in this imperfect state, and the result must be, that war, slavery, intemperance, bad government, with the whole catalogue of those outward calamities which now desolate society, will in a great measure cease. The comfort of living in society, must be increased more than an hundred fold; and is it an extravagant supposition, that the same causes should, under that gradual improvement of which human nature is susceptible, in the course of many generations, operate on improvement in health, and longevity almost tenfold? Then will be accomplished what the scriptures clearly predict: "they shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat-for, as the days of a tree, (i. e. five and six hundred years) shall be the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."

I have one idea farther to offer. Society is already in possession of knowledge, which, but for the immorality that exists, would be adequate to banish nearly the whole tribe of pestilential disorders, and bring salubrity to places the most unhealthful. What is it but war, bad government, avarice, and ignorance, in the mass of the people,