with which we are surrounded on earth. pression existing, and it is a very strong We might add, as an illustration of this, and general impression, why is it that that the heathen, whose notions of the men do not act upon their convictions; Deity were exclusively drawn fiets why do they not return at once to those things which they beheld, never venture ways which they see to be paths of to speak of love as an attribute of the peace; why do they not prove the selfdeities they worshipped. sufficiency of their nature, by completely Those deities were represented as choosing the good, and completely being terrible from the greatness of their renouncing the evil ? Why does the power; they were objects of adoration, drunkard remain enslaved to a vice from the belief of their bounty, to their which daily brings him nearer to the own peculiar favourites; but love was ruin that he deprecates? Why does the. never named as the character of their passionate man remain a slave to the sin nature; nor did man ever dare to look which he mourns and abominates ? to the deities he worshipped, even to the Why do envy and malice still corrode deities which his own imagination had the heart which feels and laments the devised, with that spirit of confidence influence they exercise ? Why, in short, with which the believer beholds the does habit exercise that tyranny over Father, in the person of Jesus Christ. man, that in defiance of understanding P. 132. and conviction, it fixes us to the evil we But here is a love that never goeth have chosen by a chain which we cannot down : here is a day without a cloud. break ? Surely all this shows that our For here mortal is swallowed up of state is not that state of independence immortality. Temporal evil, the light which the world would represent it. affliction which is but for a moment, is Surely this painful experience of our lost in the contemplation of eternal bliss. weakness is sufficient to prove that the The sufferings of sinful men are forgotten strength of unassisted man is not capain gazing on the cross of Christ; and ble of renouncing the evil he has learnt every tear is wiped away in looking to to deprecate; and that something more those things which God has prepared than the knowledge of what is right, is. for them that love him. :" Who sball necessary to overcome the natural tenseparate us from the love of Christ ?" dencies of his heart. In truth, when is now the language of the believer in we look around, and see the innumerevery moment of trial. Shall the loss able signs of moral and spiritual bunof health, the loss of carthly comforts, dage which are scattered through thethe loss of those I love, refute the proof world; when we hear men groaning of that love which is given me in Christ under the power of habits which they Jesus; and lead me to doubt of his have not power to shake off; when we regard, or to question the sufficiency see men driven by sin to every sort of of his love by any apparent contradic degradation and misery; it would seem tion to the purpose of benevolence in as absurd to speak of the independence God ? Shall this, which I now consider of man, and the sufficiency of his reason, as the trial of my faith, as the service as it would be to talk of the freedom of by which my dependence on his pro the people, and the liberty of indivia mises is proved, and by which I am duals, in a country tenanted by slaves; enabled to glorify his name, shall this where every man we met was branded affect the serenity of my spirits, or with the initials of his master's name, shake the substance of my hope ?—Pp. was driven by the lash to his master's 137, 138. work, or bore, even in the colour of his The following extracts from the skin, the evidence of his state of bonSermon on the state of man's will dage. If it would be absurd to talk of freedom or independence there; it must by nature, illustrates forcibly the be much the same in the spiritual world doctrine of moral inability. which is around us. The marks of We know, for instance, that men of subjection are not more manifest in the profligate characters look back with one case than they are in the other; nor longing eyes on the virtue they have is the slave more completely under the forsaken, and wish they were able to influence of his master, than the sinner resume it; nor can there be a question is under that of his sinful nature, or of as to men in general, that they would the habit of sin which he has formed for be far more regularly and consistently himself. The slavery, indeed, in this happy in the ways of God, than they are latter case, may be said to have been in the ways of sin. But with this im self-formed; but as there are countries where men sell themselves, and yet do self-love within us, which makes us not find their bondage lighter from this shrink from every act of surrendering mode of its commencement; so our ourselves to Christ; and do we not feel state is little altered, whether we ima apprehensive of committing ourselves gine its dependence begins from within with religion, lest we should become or from without: whether it be a deli subject to a system which may carry berate addiction of ourselves to the ser- us further than we like? And are we vice of sin, as Ahab is said to have sold not conscious that in this way our failure himself to work wickedness in the sight in dutiful obedience too often can be of the Lord, or whether we have been traced to no other cause than that of made the prisoners of sin by some want of will to obey ?-Pp. 189—191. violent assault, taken captive by Satan After describing man's inability at his will. Pp.184—186. Our Lord in the passage from which in to fulfil the law of God, our author the text is taken, had been enumerating proceeds to the Jews the various testimonies B ut at the same time we are compelled which had been given to the truth of his to admit, that there is nothing in this divine mission. John the Baptist, that weakness of which man complains, very John wborn they all received as a which can be used to justify his failprophet; that very John, when solemnly ure ; nor any thing in the law of appealed to on the subject, had declared God which seems in itself impracticthat Jesus was the Christ. . The works able to man. If he fail of performing which our Lord himself performed it, it is not through want of knowledge; before their eyes, works which no man for he knows and understands what he could do, bore witness to his truth. The ought to do. Nor is there in the duties scriptures themselves, those scriptures themselves, which he is bound to render, which they received as the word of God, any thing that can be considered as intestified of Christ, and marked him out volving a natural impossibility; for he as the promised deliverer of mankind. is conscious that they might be done When such means of conviction had at all times, if they have been done at been prepared, when a train of evidence any; nor is there any thing required SO perfect, so unexceptionable, was of man, which man might not be able offered, we might have thought that to perform, by a full exertion of those resistance was impossible, because it powers, which he does not deny that he was unreasonable; and that men would possesses. But he still feels that he have believed and come to Christ. But cannot do them. If he has knowledge, what says our Lord, and what was the it is dead, it is inefficient. If he has result of this merciful consideration powers, they are benumbed, they are of the prejudices of his hearers? “ Ye torpid. A sort of sickly languor is will not come unto me.” They did not spread through his moral frame, as the deny his truth; they did not doubt his debility of fever is felt throughout the power; but they disliked his service, body. The strength which he has, he and they had no will to come. cannot exercise ; and there is inherent My brethren, is not this the case at in his nature an aversion from that present? Is not this the case with the which he knows to be his duty, which world at large? Is it not the case with no efforts of his own are capable of muany of us? Is it not, more or less, overcoming. But why, you inay ask, the case with ourselves ? why is this to be asserted, and to be Are we not called? Are we not proved ? Why are men to be driven convinced and persuaded that we ought to despair by being convinced of their to come to Christ, and still is it not the inability to perform the law of God; secret truth that we have not the will and why is such a view to be given of to come ? our duty, as may discourage endeavours Is there not in us a love of earthly by the proof that our natural strength is things which makes us unwilling to unequal to perform it? My brethren, come to him, who may command us to it was not given to drive men to desresign them? Is there not a taste for pair, for it was given by him who came sensual pleasure, for comfort and for to destroy despair; who came down ease, which makes us languid and from heaven to give hope to all, and to irresolute in acting according to our offer comfort to all who were willing to convictions of right, and destroys all receive it; who came in fact to be the the alacrity and willingness of our Saviour of all that believe in him. It obedience? Is there not a lurking was not given therefore to discourage endeavours; but to direct them to the brings to his recollection, that though a way where they would be most effectu- weak, a frail, a sinful creature, he was ally exerted ; to save us from wasting not an unassisted or a deserted creature. ourselves in a vain and hopeless endea Scripture reminds him that grace was vour to accomplish our own righteous offered, which might have been abunness, and to guide us to a point where dantly sufficient. That he had but to ask a perfect righteousness, a complete re and he would have had-he had but to demption might be obtained throughfaith. seek, and he would have found. His It was not given then without a cause: conscience recollects the moments when we may say it was not given without neces he struggled against conviction, when sity, It was due to the holiness of God, he resisted the force of truth, when he to state the real requirements of his law; wilfully did despite to the Spirit of grace, nor was it. fit that any abatement of its and rejected the invitations of the demands should be made in compliance gospel. Conscience, at last, awakened with the corruption of man. It was from its sleep and compelled to speak due to truth, to declare explicitly the with candour and with truth, disowns nature of the God we worship in the the pleas with which it used to deceive exhibition of his will; and it was due itself, and instead of denying its guilt, to the goodness of God, to show the confesses it. For conscience will at last character of that service which he re acknowledge that the weakness through quires from his people. But it was which man fell, was made the occasion also given in mercy to man. This view of his ruin, through his own presumpof man's state was given, to convince tion or indifference; when casting us of the impossibility of obtaining away, or neglecting the help which was justification by our own endeavours. offered by God, he went out into the It was given, to drive men from false battle unarmed and unprotected. That hopes, from hopes which could not be weakness therefore which accounts for realized, to those which were true, and our fall, cannot be pleaded in its sure, and which rested on the covenant defence. The cause of man's transof grace. It was given, to draw men gression is never independent of his from vain, ineffectual attempts at will, and we cannot get rid of the idea gaining eternal life by what they could of guilt in actions, where we cannot do for themselves, that they might be deny the assent of the will to their disposed to receive it, when offered as commission. the gift of God to those who are in Look then where we will; and Jesus. It was given 'to declare the whether we look up to God in heaven, holiness of God and the weakness of or whether we look down to man on man ; and at the same time, to point earth, no way of salvation, no way out more illustriously the goodness of deliverance from the wrath to come of God, who freely gives to poor, help. presents itself. The character of God less, but believing man, what man could is seen encompassed with glories and never have got by any labour of his terrors which we dare not venture to own; and who thus only humbles man, approach; and the more that the in order to raise him to a more glorious character of man is examined, the elevation.-Pp. 214–217. more that his hopes and confidences The same subject is glanced at are searched and known, the more does his case appear desperate and destitute • in the discourse on Justification by of resource. Engaged in this anxious faith alone, and with this extract pursuit, and overwhelmed by the mulwe must take a reluctant leave of tiplicity of its disappointments, the soul our author. flying from one scheme of religion to If he speaks of his natural weakness the other, seems like the dove sent out and tendency to sin, and endeavours to from the ark of Noah to traverse a justify his sins by the inducements world where it could find no rest for which led him to transgress ; reason the sole of its foot: and as that dove, reminds him that those transgressions after its long and weary flight, returned were wilful, and therefore criminal in to the ark, the only home, the only their nature ; and that there was even resting-place it could discover; thus some preference of the pleasure of sin does the soul, after its long and painful to the favour of God, which induced inquiries, return to Christ, and to the him to compliance with evil and divested hope that is in him, saying “neither the act of that innocence which he is is there salvation in any other.”- Pp. so ready to claim. Scripture likewise 234-236. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. Recently Published. My ever dear delight; and New Versions; to which are And still new beauties may I see, added a number of Hymns, adapted to And still increasing light-MRS. STEELE. the Service of the Church. Compiled The last verse of the Hymn, and arranged by a Clergyman's How beauteous are their feet, Family. Pp. vii. and 224. Hatchards. is thus printed : The Lord makes knoon lois name.-HORNB. A Manual of Parochial Psalmody, The Lord makes bare his arm.-WATTS. containing select portions from the The original is in strict accordance Old and New Versions of the Psalms, with Isaiah lii. 10. together with Hymns for the principal Again, Festivals, &c. of the Church of Eng The Lord shall reign where'er the sun.--HORNE, land; Revised and adapted to the Jesus shall reign where'er the sun.-WATTS. service of the Church, for every So in the same Hymn, Sunday, fc. throughout the year. By People and realms of every tongue, the Rev. Thomas Hartwell Horne, Shall hail his love with sweetest song.-HORNE. People and realms of every tongue, M.A. 18mo. pp. xxxii. and 182. Dwell on his love with sweetest song.--Warts. Cadell. So also, This Manual comprises 150 Psalms, God of all-redeeming grace, and 100 Hymns, together with a Pre By thy cleansing mercy heald.--Horne. face, Indices of first lines and subjects : God of all-redeeming grace, tabular arrangement for each Sunday in By thy pard’ning love compell’d.-ORIG. the year, and observations on the selec The following appears to be an adaption of tunes. • The Hymns contained tation of Dr. Watts's Hymn, in this publication comprise (says Mr. See Israel's gentle shepherd stand, Horne) most of those, which, from their to another measure, but whether by Mr. intrinsic merit, are to be found in every Horne or another we are not informed. collection of note (including the best in The gentle Saviour calls Our children to his breast, the Supplement to the New Version) He folds them in his gracious arms, and to these are added many others Himself declares them blest, from various sources, British and Anglo “ Let them approach,” he cries, “ Nor scorn their humble claims; American.'-P. xvi. Some of the The heirs of heaven are such as these, Psalms are corrected, and many of the For such as these I came!' Hymns are considerably altered. Of Gladly we bring them, Lord, the nature and extent of these altera Devoting them to thee; Imploring, that as we are thine, tions, the following extracts are speci- . Thine may our offspring be.-HORNE. mens: The first hymn in the selection is, The Scripture Student's Assistant ; Hark! the glad sound, the Saviour comes, being a Complete Dictionary of the The fourth verse is thus printed, Holy Bible. By the Rev. Johr He comes the broken heart to bind, Burr. 12mo. Pp. iv. and 178. Simpkin. A Help to the Private and Domestic It usually stands thus : reading of the Holy Scriptures, &c. He comes the broken heart to bind, The bleeding soul to cure, By J. Leifchild. 12mo. Pp. iv, and And with the treasures of his grace 132. Nisbet. 1828. To enrich the humble popr.-WATTS. In subsequent Hymns we meet with The Christian's Present for the Year the following alterations. 1829, consisting entirely of Original Father of mercies ! in thy word pieces, in Prose and Verse. 18mo. What endless riches shine ! For ever be thy name ador'd Pp. xii. and 256. ' A Manual of Intercessory Prayer, con- taining a selection of topics for every And still new beauties may I see, And still increase in light.-HORNE. day in the week, with appropriate Father of mercies, in thy word, examples from the Holy Scriptures What endless glory shines! and the Liturgy. By a Clergymar. For ever be thy Dame adored, For these celestial lines, 18mo. Pp. 72. Hurst. 1828. The Interpositions of Divine Providence, you can : if all cannot assemble at the selected exclusively from the Holy same time, bring those who can; and, Scriptures. By Joseph Fincher, Esq. if it is impracticable to have family 12mo. Pp. lii. and 380. devotion twice a day, that is no reason This is a selection of Scripture why you should not regularly observe it once. Others may be backward to Histories in the language of the inspired commence this service, under an apprewriters, commencing with the preserva hension that they should not be able to tion of Noah and his family in the ark, go on with it, that they have not gifts and terminating with St. Paul's preaching at Rome, and the command to write equal to it; that their prayers would those blessed who die in the Lord. It discover no variety, and sink down into may be useful to those who desire to vain repetitions, formality, and in sipidity. But who is it that thus yields render their children familiar with Scrip to discouragement ? Surely not he who ture narratives, but who hesitate to accustom them to the early handling is strong in faith. Ought you not rather to trust to his promised aid, who of the sacred volume. has engaged a renewal of strength to The Confession of the Church of - Eng those who wait upon him? Your gifts may improve by exercise ; your liberty land practically elucidated. By Tho of utterance increase : and, if you mas Bartlett, M. A. 12mo. Pp. xvi. obtain the spirit of prayer, this would and 192. Hatchard. 1828. most probably be realized : but rather Objections to the Doctrine of Israel's resort to some acceptable and evan. gelical forms of prayer for family use, future restoration to Palestine, Na than expose yourself to their guilt, who, tional Pre-eminence, &c. in twelve though constituted as families, call not Letters to a friend. 12mo. Pp. xii. and 178. Holdsworth. 1828. upon His name. Others feel unpleasant, under the idea of its being not agreeable The Way of Salvation, and of Christian to the servants, and that it might By James lead to unfriendly remarks. Edification ; an Essay But we must not shun the offence of the cross ; Churchill. 12mo. Pp. viii. and 164. nor should we thus' confer with Churchill. 1828. flesh and blood; but as Paul went This work consists of four chapters, immediately into Arabia, without conin which are pointed out the place and sulting the Apostles at Jerusalem, when characters appertaining to Christ in the he was assured that the path of duty plan of salvation; the impossibility lay that way, so, if we know it is of righteousness by the law; the right and obligatory upon us thus to way in which the acknowledged in worship God, we ought to suffer no sufficiency of our obedience to the law consideration to prevail against us. establishes the importance of the Sa- Should our own children, when grown viour's death; and the way of Christian up in life, be averse to such religious edification. The following extract may order, we must deny any regard to afford a fair specimen of the work : them in such a matter, and rather hope, 2. But another omission greatly that they may have to bless God for its prevalent among Christian professors, observance. It is setting a good exrespects their non-observance of family ample before them, with which they may religion. I am aware of many things think it wrong to trifle, should they, in which operate as a barrier in the way their turn, be spared to be the heads of this important practice; and many of families, the recollection of which who know it is their duty, plead the practice may compel them to tread in interference of their worldly business; their father's steps. Did we say, that that it is in a line which renders it the chief cause of so few being found at more inconvenient, more liable to in the Table of the Lord is, the want of terruptions, and more difficult to get more of the power of religion in the their family together, than most can heart ? Surely, the same cause may be imagine. This may be—but let the assigned for the neglect of family prayer. attempt be made; perhaps you may find Let me urge you, if you have had the some of your difficulties surmounted least measure of the enjoyment of reeasier than you expected : and if cir- ligion, to seek its increase by a wrestling cumstances hinder your succeeding in with God as may constrain you to say, bringing the whole of your household “I will not let thee go, except thou to the family altar, collect as many as bless me.”-Pp. 123 - 126. |