favour? nor is it to be
forgotten that they are susceptible of indefinite alleviation as time
rolls on; and with a few observations on this point we will close the
present article.

A refinement of modern philosophy often leads our rationalist to speak
depreciatingly, if not contemptuously, of what he calls a stereotyped
revelation--revelation in a book. It ties down, he is fond of saying,
the spirit to the letter; and limits the 'progress' and 'development' of
the human mind in its 'free' pursuit of truth. The answer we should
be disposed to make is, first, that if a book does contain truth, the
sooner that truth is stereotyped the better; secondly, that if such
book, like the book of Nature, or, as we deem, the book of Revelation,
really contains truth, its study, so far from being incompatible with
the spirit of free inquiry, will invite and repay continual efforts more
completely to understand it. Though the great and fundamental truths
contained in either volume will be obvious in proportion to their
importance and necessity, there is no limit to be placed on the
degree of accuracy with which the truths they severally contain may be
deciphered, stated, adjusted--or even on the period in which fragments
of new truth shall cease to be elicited. It is true indeed that theology
cannot be said to admit of unlimited progress, in the same sense as
chemistry--which may, for aught we know, treble or quadruple its
present accumulations, vast as they are, both in bulk and importance.
But, even in theology as deduced from the Scripture, minute fragments
of new truth, or more exact adjustments of old truth, may be perpetually
expected. Lastly, we shall reply, that the objection to a revelation's
being consigned to a 'book' is singularly inapposite, considering that
by the constitution of the world and of human nature, man, without
books,--without the power of recording, transmitting, and perpetuating
thought, of rendering it permanent and diffusive, ever is, ever has
been, and ever must be little better than a savage; and therefore, if
there was to be a revelation at all, it might fairly be expected that it
would be communicated in this form; thus affording us one more analogy,
in addition to the many which Butler has stated, and which may in
time be multiplied without end, between 'Revealed Religion and the
Constitution and Course of Nature.'

And this leads us to notice a saying of that comprehensive genius,
which we do no