OUR CHRISTIAN CLASSICS. THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. APOLOGISTS. "HOLY HERBERT," as men love to call the author of "The Temple," had an older brother Edward, who was created by Charles I. LORD HERBERT OF CHERBURY. This older brother was a dashing soldier, a spirited diplomatist, and an accomplished English gentleman. Besides representing King James at the Court of France, and distinguishing himself in the single-combats which were still the fashion of the age, under Maurice of Nassau he fought the Spaniards as recklessly as if he really wished to throw his life away. But, like his devout and gentle brother, Lord Herbert was a scholar and a genius, and his stirring career was interrupted by occasional fits of profound and careful meditation. There was a difference, however, betwixt the themes of the brothers. To the pure, meek spirit of George, the sayings of Scripture were conclusive, and he craved no truth more absolute than the utterances of the Great Amen. But in the mind of the warrior the place of faith was pre-occupied by philosophy. Instead of sitting under the Tree of Life, and eating the pleasant fruits, or grouping in bright garlands the leaves and blossoms, he addressed himself to a different task. He analysed the soil, and experi mented on the sap, and came to the conclusion, that fruits as fair, and leaves as healing, could be manufactured by human alchemy. Asking "What is Truth ?" he found particles of it in every creed and worship, and by extracting them and recombining them under the guidance of enlightened reason, he produced a system of natural religion, absolute, universal, and sufficient for all purposes! 1. That there is a Supreme Being; 2. That He is to be worshipped; 3. That He is best worshipped by the exercise of virtue; 4. That, if repented of, sin will be pardoned; 5. And that there is a future state, with punishments for vice, and with rewards for virtue :-into these five ultimate articles he crystallised the essence of all creeds, and as a substitute for more cumbrous systems, offered to the world his Eclectic Theism. It frequently happens that, whilst faith is shut out at the door, superstition gets in at the window. When Lord Herbert had finished his book, one object of which was to bring into question everything like special revelation, he could not persuade himself to publish it until he had personally received "a sign from heaven." "Being thus doubtful in my chamber," he tells us, "one fair day in the summer, my casement being open towards the south, the sun shining clear, and no wind stirring, I took my book De Veritate' in my hands, and kneeling on my knees, devoutly said these words: O Thou eternal God, author of this light which now shines upon me, and giver of all inward illuminations, I do beseech Thee of Thine infinite goodness, to pardon a greater request than a sinner ought to make. I am not satisfied enough, whether I ought to publish this book; if it be for Thy glory, I beseech Thee give me some sign from heaven; if not, I shall suppress it.' I had no sooner spoken these words, but a loud though gentle voice came forth from the heavens-for it was like nothing on earth-which did so cheer and comfort me, that I took my petition for granted, and that I had the sign I de |