LAW; — ITS DEFINITIONS. 59 



Can Laws hear us ? Can they change, or can they 

 suspend themselves ? These questions cannot but 

 arise, and they require an answer. It is said of 

 a late eminent Professor and clergyman of the 

 English Church, who was deeply imbued with 

 these opinions on the place occupied by Law in 

 the economy of Nature, that he went on, never- 

 theless, preaching high doctrinal sermons from the 

 pulpit until his death. He did so on the ground 

 that propositions which were contrary to his reason 

 were not necessarily beyond his faith. The incon- 

 sistencies of the human mind are indeed unfathom- 

 able ; and there are men so constituted as honestly 

 to suppose that they can divide themselves into 

 two spiritual beings, one of whom is sceptical, 

 and the other is believing. But such men are 

 rare — happily for Religion, and not less happily 

 for Science. No healthy intellect, no earnest spirit, 

 can rest in such self-betrayal. Accordingly we 

 find many men now facing the consequences to 

 which they have given their intellectual assent, 

 and taking their stand upon the ground that 

 prayer to God has no other value or effect than 

 so far as it may be a good way of preaching to 



