improvement in this respect were very energies of the Saxon reformer were far greater.

more equal, than those of his great They were agreed in vesting the sacred forerunner. But it is worthy of obserscriptures with supreme authority, and vation, that the call which the sale of in regarding the works of Augustine, as indulgences supplied to the one, arose next to them in the scale of importance from the vices of the same mendicant But it appears that the youthful mind fraternities in the case of the other, and of the German had been more completely that with both the conviction of duty, subdued by superstition, than that of our was happily more powerful than the countryman ; and his escape from its passion for study and seclusion. thraldom to the liberty conferred by Luther, indeed, began his career the gospel, was by means of a more somewhat earlier than the English painful process. Hence, the doctrine reformer ; but it is difficult to avoid the of justification by faith, is adverted to suspicion, that during the latter years with a constancy and fervour in the of his life, his mind was in some imwritings of Luther, which it will be portant respects retrograde, rather than confessed are not so observable in those progressive; while it is evident, that of our reformer. In the theology of the intelligence and the zeal of Wycliffe, both, however, this article, though brighten and become more intense as somewhat differently taught, formed the his last days are approaching. It is, lever which they endeavoured to fix on however, in his contempt for the terrors the realities of a future world ; and of power, that the German has been without the aid of which, they never considered as almost without a rival; anticipated their projected movement and if we credit the assertions of some of the present. On the doctrine of the writers, it is on this point that our eucharist, Wycliffe was far more en- countryman will least admit of comlightened, than his great parallel; and parison with him. It should be rehis views of ecclesiastical polity were membered, however, that the persons more severely primitive; but both were who have been most forward in accusing confident, almost to a fault, not only in the rector of Lutterworth, of having the goodness of their cause, but in the sometimes descended to a timid and. strength of the reasonings with which they disingenuous policy, have not feared to attempted to support it; discovering impute the same temporizing caution through life, a remarkable propensity to the professor of Wittemberg. If the to commit their thoughts and feelings to proof of courage is to be regulated at writing; and in their manner of sending all by the degrees of peril which is forth their compositions, evincing the encountered; it may be doubted whether same indifference 10 literary fame. Luther ever stood in the jeopardy, which From these causes, it sometimes was for some years attendant on the happened that their premises did not footsteps of Wycliffe. It was his fefully warrant their conclusions; and it licity to be speedily surrounded by a is no unusual thing to find a paragraph host of partisans, numbering princes beginning with conceptions of surprising and a large portion of Christendom vigour, and ending with sentences which among his followers. But during the as they evidently grew under the band year immediately preceding his death, of the writer, and were in no way the father of the English reformation is revised, are scarcely less characterized seen deserted by the most powerful of by redundance than obscurity. This his accredited disciples, oppressed by heedlessness of literary reputation, arose the strength of the hierarchy, and fully plainly from that sense of duty, to which anticipating martyrdom; yet evincing an both had learned to bow with the most industry in the cause of reform, and a religious submission. And, in truth, courage in his attempts to promote it, if the actions of men, extending through which Luther did not surpass, even in a series of years, may ever be regarded the most favourable periods of his as presenting a certain developement of history. Still it is the integrity and the character, the praise of disinterestedness, firmness of our reformer which his must be alloited in a high degree to adversaries have been chiefly employed Luther, and in at least an equal mea, in impeaching, and the degree of sure to Wycliffe. In each there was success attending their efforts has arisen much that favoured a life of studious from their assuming that he had pubretirement, more than that course of lished obnoxious opinions previous to boisterous activity into which they were 1378, which do not appear in the paper drawn. To such activities, the physical then submitted to his judges; and

that his subsequent confessions on the Life of Wycliffe, a preliminary view eucharist were not a fair expression of of the papal system, and of the his real doctrine on that subject ; but state of the protestant doctrine in though both these things have been so long and so often assumed, it has fully

Eprope, to the commencement of appeared, that they are alike and alto

the fourteenth century, occupying gether untrue. We know not, indeed, above two hundred pages of small what the issue would have been, had the print. In this he has acted unappalling test been really applied; but advisedly; a preliminary disquisition it is certain that the language employed

nearly equal in extent to half the by the rector of Lutterworth in the

work to which it is prefixed, is in series of his works, appearing subsequent to the first prosecution which he 81

great danger of being altogether was called to sustain, is precisely that neglected, and operates as a dead of a man who has resolved to set all weight on the whole work. It danger at defiance, and to prepare him- might be expedient in any subself by every available motive against sequent edition, if the Life of the worst that may happen. Sir Thomas Wycliffe were compressed in one More expressed himself delighted, and

volume, and the preliminary matter grateful to heaven, because enabled in an interview with his accusers to act

re-cast for a separate publication. with an intrepidity which had made a

Mr. Russell proposes to reprint retreat impossible. Wycliffe may have faithfully without any alteration felt the importance of such subordinate except conforming the orthography aids; and it must be admitted that the to present usage, the entire works man who describes himself as constantly

of the principal Reformers of the exposed to the trial of martyrdom,

English Church, with a selection would hardly have insisted on that severe duty with frequency and em

from the writings of some of their phasis, as incumbent on all who would

cotemporaries. The whole is innot perish on account of preferring the tended to occupy about sixteen ease of the present to the bliss of the volumes, of which the second, con future, had he not studiously prepared taining part of the works of Tynhis spirit to meet even that conflict.

dale, is now published as a specimen. Upon the whole, therefore, we may The first volume of the work is perhaps venture to conclude, that while there certainly were some points of

intended to contain Tyndale's dissimilarity between the two great

Translation of the New Testament, leaders of the English and German and will be printed last. reformations; the difference between The volume before us presents them is more apparent than real, and a very handsome specimen of type, such as will not be found in the elements paper, &c. though not quite so of their character, so much as in the circumstances of their history. Nor is

correctly printed as is desirableit altogether mysterious, that a more

some allowance, however, is ne.. qualified estimate should have so far

cessary in this respect, in reprinting prevailed respecting the character of our old authors, and more especially Wycliffe, than has generally obtained as regards the punctuation. We in reference to that of Luther. The bold wish the Editor had felt himself antagonist of Tetzil, laboured as we have justified in omitting a few gross and seen, under better auspices, and with

offensive expressions; an omission more success; and whatever protestant learning or genius could do, has been perfectly consistent, we conceive, generously done, toward vindicating

with editorial fidelity, and of great his conduct and opinions from the importance to the success of his aspersions of his enemies. But in the undertaking, which is every way annals of this country, there are hun- deserving of support and encourdreds of men, whose names should not

agement. A series of notes on be repeated with that of Wycliffe, to the illustration of whose history, a much

difficult passages, &c. is annexed larger share of industry and talent has

to the volume, some of which been applied.-Pp. 374—381.

are curious and interesting, and Mr. Vaughan has prefixed to his display considerable acquaintance with the early literature of our succeeded in stating the doctrine country.

of justification by faith as it ought The British Reformers, published to be exhibited; and that it has by the Religious Tract Society, are been reserved for him to give such a series of volumes of humbler a representation of this fundamental pretension, comprising extracts point as shall free it from all from the works of Latimer, difficulties, and obviate all objecBradford, Ridley, and Philpot, tions. There is nothing more printed in a cheap and popular fascinating to the mind of “ vain form. They are deserving of en- man,” who “ would be wise,” than couragement, both for their intrinsic the idea of making discoveries; merit, and their importance to the and as the present is an age present time, when the real spirit of discovery in other things, so and temper of Popery, that un. have we seen not a few indications changed and unchangeable system of the same spirit extending itself of abomination and cruelty, should into matters of religion; and we be most clearly and universally have frequently been reminded understood, and which is here, in of the observation of a shrewd but various respects, strikingly and profane observer of mankind, that graphically depicted : at the same it seemed as though time we feel that more abridg

Religion were intended ment would have been desi

For nothing else but to be mended. rable. We doubt, for instance, whether a great part of Latimer’s Against this thirst for novelty and Sermons might not have been improvement we would most earomitted with advantage, since how. nestly caution our readers, and ever valuable in themselves, and especially those with whom the useful to the student, they are study of religion is a new thing. scarcely adapted to those for whom We have seen many instances in religious tracts are usually intended. which the most promising characters doctrine, as if it were the substitute of a new vocabulary will be necessary, universal obedience; and thus the or at least new ideas must be atgratuitousness of the Gospel is as much

tached to a variety of terms, which, infringed on as by the avowed system of Justification by Works : whilst, at

it appears, have conveyed wrong the same time, the importance of obe

impressions to our minds. We are dience, which at least is nominally told that, maintained by this latter system, is much of the theoretical difficulty on undervalued by the former.

this matter, has arisen from the habit of It is true also that holiness is some considering heaven merely as a reward, times depreciated into a mere evidence and hell merely as a punishment; and of the reality of faith; and thus reason pardon as deliverance from hell, and an is given for the conclusion, that it might introduction to heaven. be dispensed with if other evidence Such false notions must be laid could be procured.” -Pp. 7, 8.

aside, and (at least while reading That there are persons, on both Mr. Erskine's Essays) we must sides the Tweed, who make incau consider heaven as tious and unwarrantable statements the name for a character conformed to upon this subject, we are fully

the will of God; and hell as the name aware, but we must enter our

for a character opposed to the will of

God. decided protest against the insinuation, if it be intended to be made,

As to pardon also, we must that the doctrine as generally stated

adopt a new set of ideas; for we by its advocates, is liable to the

are here told that

Pardon is not heaven any more than imputations here cast upon it. We

medicine is health. Pardon is protrust that the readers of our work

claimed freely and universally; it is are aware that such positions are perfectly gratuitous, unconditional, and not deducible from the doctrine of unlimited. Pardon is entirely irrespecjustification by faith, as set forth tive of all the varieties of the human either in our pages, or in the writ- character, it belongs to man as a sinner. ings of those divines whose works -P.01. are there recommended. But let

Again we are told that us hear Mr. Erskine once more.

Pardon is the general manifestation of

God to the world ; justification is the When we tell a man that salvation is belief of that manifestation, and this is perfectly gratuitous, while at the same the true entrance into the Church of time we tell him, that unless he believes Christ.-P. 124. the Gospel he cannot be saved, we

The system of Mr. Erskine, then, appear to him to be saying, free and

seems to be this :--That all manunfree with the same breath."-P.8. And, we may add, would not the

kind, whether believers or unbc

lievers, are actually pardoned Bible appear to him to do the same ?

through the atonement of Christ; We apprehend that the phraseology

and we are taught that it is an of the Scriptures is at least as

erroneous idea of objectionable to many, as that of

the object of the gospel, that it is to those whom our author joins in

show how man may obtain pardon, for, censuring.

in truth its object is to show how pardon Mr. Erskine has however disco- for men has been obtained.-P. 132. vered a method of stating the doc They are pardoned already before trine, which he conceives will they thought of it.-P. 51. remove all objections, and prove This is the point to which faith liable to no abuse. We will en directly applies. It believeth gedeavour to give our readers an nerally that all the world are outline of his plan, leaving them to pardoned through the atonement compare it with the Scriptures, and of Christ; but it in a special to judge how far it is preferable to manner believes it with regard to what they have before received. the individual himself. And thus

We must however premise that faith justifies him; that is, it pro. JAN, 1829.

duces a firm persuasion that his aim is good, and we readily admit sins are forgiven ; and from this that there are many passages, which persuasion we are taught that such the pious reader will peruse with a view of God's love will burst profit and advantage. But we are upon the soul, as will remove all greatly mistaken if Mr. E. does its natural enmity, and reconcile not find that the class of objectors the sinner to his Maker, and dis- whom he seeks to conciliate, are pose him ever after to walk in as little satisfied with his statement, holiness and righteousness of living as with that of those whom he If the declaration of pardon be not endeavours to correct. And, on received, and the man do not be the other hand, we have no doubt lieve that he is pardoned, then he that the system advocated in these remains under condemnation, he is Essays will afford an easy resting. “ pardoned but not saved.” Such place to those who wish to unite a seems to be the outline of Mr. E.'s firm persuasion of their safety with system. In reading his work, we a life of dubious holiness. This is were struck with the very feeble the bane of every theological scheme attempt he has made to support which makes the assurance of our his theory by scripture reference; personal interest in the blessings and we cannot but think he has of the gospel, a part of justifying wisely avoided the most difficult faith, though such schemes have part of his work. He has how been supported by some of the ever undertaken to re-translate, best and holiest of men, that these and to paraphrase a few passages later ages of the church bare which seemed opposed to his produced. favourite scheme. His criticisms remind us forcibly of the bed of Hore Catecheticæ : or an Exposition Procrustes. We know of nothing of the duty and advantages of which an ingenious man may not Public Catechising, &c. By W. S. establish by the help of free trans Gilly, M. A. Prebendary of Dur. lation, and still more free para. ham, &c. Rivingtons. Pp. Fili. phrase. The mind of the unsus and 200. pecting reader is drawn away from We are anxious to recommend this the truth step by step, till he is

work to the especial attention bewildered in whatsoever labyrinth

of our clerical readers, conceiving his guide chooses to lead him into.

it likely to be eminently useful. It Our limits will not allow of our

furnishes a gratifying instance of entering into an examination of the

the propagation of good from one process of translation and para

agent to another-from the bishop phrase, as applied to the beginning to one of his clergy_from him to his of the sixth chapter of Romans;

parishes--and now, we trust, through but our remark may be mustrated the medium of the present work, by a short quotation, in which the

1. the

to the countr

to the country at large. It owes author is reducing the declaration,

its origin to the present Archbishop “ Abraham believed God, and it of Canterbury's Charge, while was counted to him for righteous Bishop of London. who " dwell ness,” into accordance with his

with considerable earnestness on system. :

the duty of catechising, on the Abraham believed in the Lord, in

relation which ought to subsist the purposed mercy of the Lord, and the counted it to him for righteousness.

between a parochial clergyman and He reasoned it unto him-he taught his congregation, and on the means him to argue from it his own accep- that should be adopted to bring the tance.

parishioner, from his earliest days, But we must conclude. We are into immediate contact with his firmly persuaded that Mr. Erskine's spiritual guide."