GENERAL VIEWS OF EDINBURGH REVIEWER. 135 



most evident that an unremitting energy, displayed 

 in such circumstances, greatly exalts our idea of 

 God, instead of depressing it ; and therefore, by the 

 way, is so much the more likely to be true." The 

 Edinburgh re\"iewer denies that there is any lower- 

 ing of the divine character in supposing a system 

 of special exertion. " The law of creation," he 

 says, " is the law of the Divine will, and nothing 

 else besides. . . The fiat of the Almightj' was 

 sufficient at all times, and for all the phenomena 

 of the universe, material and moral." 



" It may be tiaie," he continues, " that in the 

 conception of the Divine mind there is no dif- 

 ference between the creation of dead matter and 

 its unbending laws, and the creation of organic 

 siructm-es subservient to all the functions of indi- 

 vidual life. But such views are, and must be, 

 above our comprehension. . . Each organic 

 structiure is a miracle as incomprehensible as the 

 creation of a planetary system ; and each structure 

 is a microcosm related to all other worlds within 

 the ken of sense ; yet governed by laws and re- 

 volvmg cycles within itself, and impUed in the 

 very conditions of its existence. WTiat know we 

 of the God of nature (we speak only of natural 

 means), except through the faculties he has given 



