standing of our initiatory schoolmasters' early rudiments, we find the resplendent lustre of the all-perfect sacrifice eclipsing and atoning for all kinds of imperfection. God made man originally perfect. Deformity, bodily disorders, mental imbecility, and every imperfection, were superinduced by sin; and the Levitical law provides symbolic rites, doubtless to preshow that these are atoned for by Christ. The leprous, (Leviticus xiii.,) the blemished, the broken-footed, the crooked-backed, the dwarf; (Leviticus xxi. 19, 20;) those who sin through ignorance, (Numbers xv. 25, 26;) those that err, and those that are simple, &c. &c., (Ezekiel xlv. 20,) are particularized; and an emblematic offering is ordained to be presented for the purpose of reconciling them to God.

Nothing now remaineth to be added, but that we go on our way rejoicing, assured of the benignity of our benignant God. This last discussion frees us from gloomy superstitious apprehensions; for the Son of God has made us free from these, and brought us into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The hard and bitter task of demonstrating perfection He has endured for us; and thereby purchased for all his faithful followers free and abundant entrance into his Father's kingdom, there to enjoy, through never-ending ages, an eternal weight of glory.

VOL. III.

CHAPTER IV.

In the course of the preceding observations and scriptural assertions, which we have just been stating, it has appeared that man has fallen from his original state of purity and excellence, and that immediately subsequent to his degradation, a typical religion was ordained by God himself, for the purpose of preshowing, by the tender of unblemished slaughtered animals to God, that spotless human victim, who by his perfection atoneth for all sin. Now when we reflect upon the reason which caused the sufferings of these unoffending animals-namely, that they were occasioned by the sins of man; when we consider who it was, that it was no less a being than the Almighty Son of God, blessed for evermore, that these spotless lambs were delegated to symbol and represent-that their effused blood did typify the precious blood of God's own spotless Lamb; when we ponder on the benignity of our benignant Father: his equity, his goodness, and glorious attributes, how far it is from him to ordain the innocent (uncompensated) to suffer for the guilty, and that the Judge of the

whole earth is ever doing right; (Gen. xviii. 25;) that every suffering which man is destined to endure, is working out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;the author, though with much diffidence, does venture to acknowledge that these, with many more considerations which yet remain unstated, have during a long lapse of time occasionally suggested a suspicion, that the benignant Being, whose tender mercies extend over all his works, may have futurely provided some sort of compensation for the sufferings of those innocent and unoffending creatures, who we know are groaning and travailing in pain, through the wickedness of man, and that He will eventually ordain some beneficial end to accrue unto these at present unhappy victims. With no little satisfaction we lately met a similar supposition committed to print; because when the same idea results from deep reflection on a mysterious subject in minds that are wholly unacquainted with each other, it certainly tends most materially to strengthen such supposition, and propounds an additional and very powerful reason for suspecting that it may be founded in truth. We shall now proceed to transcribe the observations alluded to, as they accidentally fell into our hands through the medium of a newspaper.

66

"To the Editor of the St. James's Chronicle.

Sir,-You will oblige a constant reader by the insertion of the following extracts, fully trust

ing that by so doing some benefit to the cause they advocate will be effected, by softening the nature, or rather curbing the unnecessary violence of the masters of the brute creation, by exciting some reflection on the subject; if so, the point is in a great measure obtained.

Yours, &c.

"NO ZEALOT.

"To man, as the garden of God-to man, as the perfection of his first creation, God brought all the animals; man gave them names—man was appointed their just and merciful master-man was made the channel of conveyance, through whom the blessings of God flowed upon the whole brute creation."-The late Rev. John Wesley.

"The benevolent man will lend a candid and willing ear to any probabilities that our brethren in animal life may have a larger portion of existence than is commonly thought of; that they too may be emanations from the general fund of spiritual substance, only imprisoned in closer walls, and a little deeper disguised than ourselves; and that they will receive from the Divine Dignity a compensation for all they suffer here. Genuine charity rejoices in every extension of happiness where it can be imagined; and a little reflection on the unlimited goodness of God, makes a strong balance in favour of our brethren in animal life.” -Abraham Tucker, Esq.

To search out the Almighty, and his ordinations to perfection, is, we know, beyond the capacity

of man. But as the noble subject on which we are entering will solely consist in tendering to our readers observations deduced from contemplating the unspeakable benignity of the Divine nature, and the general analogy that so conspicuously pervades those operations of the Lord that are pervious to our view, we trust it will not be deemed an useless or presumptuous theme on which we are about to descant-requesting it may be kept in mind, that the remarks and surmises that will be stated are merely remarks and surmises, and that the writer only submits them to the opinion of others, and neither asserts or concludes. They would not, however, have found a place in this work, had not the author's suspicion on the subject in question been so coincident with the sentiments of the very excellent persons who have ventured to avow their conjectures,* and from deeming these conjectures most congenial to the feelings of all compassionate hearts, which are daily and hourly wounded by the wanton barbarity exercised against this innocent and suffering portion of our great heavenly Father's handy-work. The caution given us by

* From the remarks just stated being called extracts, it appears probable that many more strictures may have been published on the subject; whether this has been the case from the pens of the highly respectable gentlemen cited, or from any other quarter, the author knows not, and names this circum_ stance in the event of the observations about to be stated having at some former period been previously offered to the world: because, should this have been done, it would certainly propound a very strong attestation to their being foundedin truth.