Recapitulation. 433 



liyery of the last age is, as we have seen, a fantastic 

 patch-work, enriched with many beautiful and 

 precious materials, but deformed by the mixture of 

 many gaudy colours and false ornaments. Among 

 the latter we may reckon that continual prating 

 about the " energies and progress of Mind," the 

 " triumph of Reason," the " omnipotence of Phi- 

 losophy," the " perfectibility of Man," &c. &c. 

 which was never before so loud and frequent ; 

 which has been employed, with particular volubi- 

 lity and success, by infidel philosophers; and which, 

 amidst continual and abundant refutations, is yet 

 clamorous and obtrusive. 



12. The period under review may be pronounced 

 the age of Christian Science. This is by no> 

 means inconsistent with the statement in the last 

 particular ; for, after all the attacks of infidelity, 

 and of theoretical philosophy, the Religion of 

 Christ, when contemplated through the medium 

 of science, has had a complete and unprecedented 

 triumph during this period. It has been often 

 objected to Christianity, that it is unfavourable to 

 the progress of knowledge; that it discourages 

 scientific enterprize; that it is inimical to free in- 

 quiry, and has a tendency to keep the minds of 

 men in blindness and thraldom. The history o£ 

 the last concurs with that of many preceding cen- 

 turies, in demonstrating that the very reverse o£ 

 what the objection states is the truth. Christian 

 nations, during the period in question, have been, 

 of all others, most remarkable for favouring the 

 advancement of liberal knowledge. In those coun- 

 tries in which Religion has existed in its greatest 

 purity, and has enjoyed the most general preva- 

 knee, literature and science have been most ex- 

 tensively and successfully cultivated. It is also 

 worthy of remark, that, among all the professions 

 denominated learned, the clerical profession may 



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