on this principle, what our Lord incul of Antinomianism. But let us hear him a little further. "A Christian is a supernatural man-he has nothing to do with self-self, either good or bad, is, in the view of the believer, the greatest monster out of hell; and this habitual renunciation of self, taught by the Holy Spirit, is the secret of all the saintship that has ever existed in earth or hea ven." P: 19. "I am unalterably convinced," says our author, "that all the professors of religion who urge the necessity of progressive sanctification-are dead in trespasses and sins." p. 25. Yet the apostles were not afraid to say to the Christians of their day, "We beseech you, brethren, to encrease more and more." "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour," &c. "Let us go on unto perfection." But we cannot find room to extend What madness infatuates these delud- our remarks much farther on this ed men? If there be any truth in reve- pamphlet, or on the system it is intendlation, such a state of supposed exemp-ed to promote; and we suppose our tion from sin, as that which they lay claim to, can arise from nothing short of a state of self-deception, an entire destitution of the influence of the truth of God. 1 John i. 8.-10. Mark, reader, the following paragraph: "We are scripturally informed, that at the creation of the material universe, the evening and the morning were the first day. I notice the same divine order observed with reference to the spiritual creation in the souls of regenerate persons. Their first perception of holy things has a twilight dimness; then follows a horror of great darkness. It is night when all the beasts of the forest creep forth; at length the morning of gospel manifestation breaks forth, and the true light now shineth. This is the progress of the regenerate mind in the knowledge of the Scriptures; not progressive sanctification as carnal preachers of false peace, the sellers of doves in the temple, vainly talk. The new creature in Christ Jesus is as holy at one time, as at another." p. 37. If so, then, all the apostolic exhortations to believers to "follow after holiness, without which no nan shall see the Lord." Heb. xii. 14. -to be "holy in all manner of converation." 1 Pet. i. 15.- to " give dilience to make their calling and election ure; adding to their faith, virtue, knowedge, temperance, patience, godliness, rotherly kindness, and charity." 2 Pet. 5—10—these must all be much ado about nothing; "the new creature" an have no concern in them. In short, VOL. VIII. readers are by this time pretty well 2 N heart, for the work of God in Christ Jesus; and their hope of heaven is founded, not upon what Christ has done and suffered for them, but upon what they deem themselves to have done and suffered for Christ. I am quite clear, that this is a faithful though brief sketch of all spurious Christianity." p. 23, 24. On this we must remark, that if there be indeed professed Christians, who found their hope of heaven on what they themselves have done, or suffered, or experienced, their case is deeply to be deplored-they must err, not knowing the Scriptures; for the sufferings and death of Christ are alone the meritorious ground of a sinner's acceptance with God. It is for his sake that our sins are forgiven us: his blood was shed for the remission of the sins And testimony of God concerning his Son, Elements of Thought; or, First Lessons in the Knowledge of the Mind: including familiar explanations of the terms employed on subjects relating to the intellectual powers. By ISAAC TAYLOR, Jun. London. Holdsworth, 1822, pp. 216, 12mo. price 4s. 6d. of many-it was the ransom price of our redemption-he was delivered for our offences, and raised for our justification. This is certainly the doctrine of the Scripture, regarding the ground of a sinner's hope of heaven; but how comes Mr. Mulock to treat with ridicule and contempt, " a work of grace in THIS is a modest, unpretending vothe heart?" Does he not know that lume, from which, nevertheless, those "the kingdom of God;" or, which is the who wish to cultivate an acquaintance same thing, the gospel with its power with the nature, the powers, and the and influence on the mind of a believer, operations of their own mind, may obconsists in "righteousness, peace, and tain much valuable information. Its joy in the Holy Spirit?" and what is object and design is said, in the preface, this, but a work of grace in the heart, to be that of imparting, in a familiar counteracting its innate depravity, sub- form, elementary explanations and induing the power of sin, giving the vic-structions on subjects connected with tory over the world, and conforming the happy subject to the image and example of Christ? But the truth is, that the whole of Mr. Mulock's system needs rectifying, in order to reduce it to the scriptural standard. It inverts the order of things laid down in the Christian system, and teaches professors to commence their religion at that point where the apostles taught the primitive disciples to end theirs! According to this abominable system, men are taught to work themselves into a persuasion that they are the elect of God, because their hearts have been affected under a sermon, or their natural conscience has alarmed them, or they have had some extraordinary dream, and from this they are to infer that Christ died for them, and all the promises of the gospel are their portion. Thus Paul's doctrine of the justification of the ungodly by faith, Rom. iii. and iv. that is, by crediting the record or the intellectual faculties; to afford gradual and easy exercises to the powers of abstraction; and thus to conduct the young leader, not perhaps by the most direct, but by the most accessible path into that region of thought where the mind best acquires force, accuracy, and comprehension. We have examined the book with all the attention and care in our power, and do not scruple to acknowledge, that we have been both pleased and profitted by it. In our humble judgment, it is entitled to much of the commendation which Dr. Johnson so liberally bestow ed upon Watts's Improvement of the Mind; and, for ourselves, we should be disposed to say, "whoever has the care of instructing others, may be charged with deficiency in his duty, if this book is not recommended:" at least, we are acquainted with no publication, on the subjects of which it treats, that we think so judiciously compiled. THE ingenious Robert Robinson, in one of his Morning Exercises, (that on Industry) recommends it to young people to get by heart every night, the last thing they do before they go to rest, one verse of the Holy Scriptures; to think of it till they drop asleep, and in the morning, when they wake, that verse will probably be the first thought. This," says he, "will always afford a subject for a morning meditation; and the practice continued for seven years, will fill and enrich the mind with the word of God-a great advantage through life, and doubled when, along with old age, dimness of sight or blindness comes, so that however desirous we cannot read the holy book." We should not wonder if the compiler of the "Roses from the Garden of Sharon," took the hint from the foregoing paragraph, and certainly it is well adapted for such a purpose, especially as the author or editor has given the whole a devotional turn, and, by means of the addition of two or three words, converted the text into a petition or prayer. There is one, and sometimes two or three verses arranged under each day of each month, and so numbered, that the reader has only to recollect the day of the month, and he instantly turns to what may be termed "the Colleet for the day-thus, for instance, under the date of August 22, we have the following text: "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom may the world be crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Gal. vi. 14. Should the editor or author compile another chaplet of "Roses," we recommend it to him to be more copious in his selection of such texts as contain the saving TRUTH-the gospel, or glad tidings of salvation: for instance, such as, "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"-"Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures""-"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."—"These things were written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name." Passages of this description ought always to occupy a prominent station in works of this kind. The French Protestant: A Tale, by the Author of the Italian Convert-Vicar of Iver, &c. &c. London: Westley, 1822, pp. 144, price 3s. bds. OUR readers will find this to be a very interesting narrative, and exceedingly proper to be put into the hands of young people, with the view of guarding them against the malignant influence of bigotry. The author tells us, that the outline of the Tale was communicated to him some years ago, by a venerable Protestant dissenting minister, now deceased, and that it was listened to with much interest, though no intention existed at the moment of publishing it. We are glad it is now done, with the public:-but why does this and have no doubt of its acceptance author continue to teaze us with his Bagatelles, when we are impatient for a work of much greater extent from his pen? why does he not give us the Life of Lord Cobham at once? a publication which he is known to have in hand, and which is not only a desideratum, but, we must add, which he owes to his own reputation! When he has done that, we shall allow him to relax, and amuse himself with these minor productions, but not till then. By the way, when he reprints the "French Protestant," we shall be obliged to him, if he will take the paragraph, p. 92, beginning "Poor Copin," &c. from one of the later editions of the work which he quotes. He has taken it from the first, and unhappily it contains a gross blunder, which has since been rectified. Mental Discipline; or, Hints on the Cultivation of Intellectual Habits: addressed particularly to students in Theology, and young preachers. By HENRY FOSTER BURDER, M. A. Second edition. London: Westley, 1822, pp. 110, 12mo. price 3s. THIS volume, thougli intended for a similar class of students, bears no resemblance to Mr. Isaac Taylor's "Elements of Thought," noticed in this number of our Magazine. It is com MR. EDITOR, piled much upon the plan of Dr. Watts's "Improvement of the Mind,” only that the rules and directions which Mr. Burder gives are not of so general a cast as are those of Dr. Watts, but have a more particular bearing upon the clerical office. He acknowledges that the work was suggested to him by his connection with the Hoxton Academy, in which he is employed as a Tutor. The rules and directions which he lays down for the cultivation of the mind, and the attainment of intellectual habits, are unquestionably very judicious, and they are illustrated and enforced with considerable ability.` The style or composition of the volume is compressed and nervous, yet always perspicuous; and the author has interspersed throughout his pages, some very pertinent and pleasing quotations from Locke, Watts, the eloquent Hall, Dr. George Campbell, Professor Stewart, Dr. Thomas Brown, &c. Upon the whole, we regard it as a very useful publication, and certainly very creditable to the author's talents. LOOKING Over your useful Magazine for May, I find an answer to a Query respecting the lawfulness of a member of a dissenting church contending for the office of a Church-warden. Your answer, Sir, is satisfactory so far as it goes; but suppose a member of a dissenting church to be appointed to the said office, could he refuse to act in that capacity? I know some persons who have been so appointed, but they are not required to attend the parish church. Now, is there any thing inconsistent in taking it under these circumstances; and if there be, how are we to avoid it? In many parishes in this country, the office of a Church-warden is considered to be as binding on the person appointed as any other parochial office; and in some parishes no person but a dissenter can be found to serve it, all the landholders being dissenters A few remarks on the subject will oblige your CONSTANT READER, Cardiff, June 3, 1822. ANSWER. dissenter is liable to the appointment, the law allows him to serve the office by deputy; conscientious dissenter would gladly avail and if so, it is reasonable to suppose that a himself of that alternative. Instances have occurred, in which dissenters have been fixed with the office merely for the sake of barrassing them; and in some cases of this kind, they have been able to defeat the malice of their adversaries, by choosing as their substitute one who has proved very troublesome. The Morning and Evening Sacrifice,; or, Prayers for Private Persons or Families." Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, and G. and W. B. Whitaker. London, 1822, pp. 400, 10s. 6d. bds. The Editor is not sufficiently versed in Jurisprudence to state the law on this subPUBLICATIONS of this nature are mul-ject. He has been told, that though a tiplying upon us of late years; but we are not sure that it is a matter which cails for congratulation on our part, or on that of our readers. We certainly do think, that genuine prayer must be the spontaneous effusion of the heart; and the pattern of it, which our Lord condescended to dictate to his disciples, is of unrivelled excellence. We nevertheless admit, that it is better for a person to present his petition to God in a prescribed form, than not at all; As to the volume before us, it is a highly respectable performance in every point of view. The forms of devotion are preceded by two Discourses on the Lord's Prayer, written with great neatness, and ably illustrating the different petitions in that compendium. And, indeed, the whole book must form a powerful rival to the prayers of Smith and Jay lately published. We suppose the author to be a clergyman of one of the episcopal chapels in Scotland. We are far from recom❤ mending this mode of retaliation; and, Editor is inclined to doubt the entire proindeed, upon more cool deliberation, the priety of the answer which he gave to the question in the number for May. But the subject was, in a great measure, new to him; and he is apprehensive that he was under some mistake about the nature of the office of Church-warden, and the services required. He supposed it to be equivalent to that of Deacon in a dissenting church, upon that supposition; but he has since and the answer which he returned proceeds been told, that in this he was quite mise taken. Religious and Literary Entelligence. FORMATION OF AN AUXILIARY ON Thursday, July 18th, a public meeting was held at the Baptist chapel, Byrom Street, Liverpool, for the purpose of forming an auxiliary Society, in aid of the Baptist Mission to India. WILLIAM HOPE, ESQ. had been invited to take the chair, but being prevented from giving his attendance, it was moved by Mr. Fisher, the minister of Byrom Street, that his son, SAMUEL HOPE, Esq. do preside on the occasion. Mr. Lister seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously, on which Mr. Hope took the chair, and after calling upon Mr. Lister to engage in prayer, he addressed the meeting to the following effect. It was own native country-to his friends-to his kindred-to the whole human race: in this point of view, the investigation was at once interesting and important. Indeed, in whatever point of view the philosopher regarded this interesting subject, it must afford matter of delightful research, and, in a word, furnish the mind with what was calculated to influence it beneficially in all the departments of life, whether private or public. To the man of science it was an equally important enquiry. So much had the missionary in our day, added to the stores of learning already collected and prepared to his hand, the subject had great interest also in this point of view, and was well deserving their attention. By unlocking the treasures of knowledge that had been hid from common eyes, and adding to them the useful information with which his own labours had enabled him to enrich the common stock, the missionary had done much, and the interests of science had been in a remarkable measure promoted by missions at large. And to the philanthropist how peculiarly interesting! In how eminent a degree had missions been the means of humanizing mankind! They had assigned to one sex its right station, and to the other its due importance, raising that sex from a state of degradation, in which it is found in every part of the world, where Christianity has not communicated its light-not to an improper elevation, but to its due sphere and influence. They had abolished (where their influence had extended) a variety of customs under which humanity had been so long, and extensively suffering; and it would have been effecting a great work, and productive of important and lasting benefit to society, had the agency of Christian missions extended no further than this, to the extirpation of customs at which it was impossible for enlightened minds to look with complacency. as the representative of one "absent in body, but present in spirit," and who would have felt great pleasure in being with them this evening, had he been able, that he consented to take the chair; but being only a novice in services of this nature, he must solicit their candid indulgence. In every work of importance, and which was connected with the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom, it was desirable, as the first means of success, to invoke the divine blessing, he should, therefore, without further comment, solicit Mr. Lister to engage in prayer. This having been complied with, Mr. Hope proceeded. The subject of missions in general, in whatever point of view they were considered, afforded much interest to reflecting minds. To the philosopher accustomed to trace effects up to their first causes, such a subject must furnish materials not only for speculation, but also for important investigation. What enquiry, for instance, could be more interesting than that of the connection between the state of society in which we now move, (the state to which Christianity has raised this country), and the apparently But there was one class of society to mean though important circumstances which which missions at large must be particularly had given rise to it; thus, tracing back the interesting. He referred to Christians-to present state of society to that period of our them who not only bore that name, but history, when Christianity was first intro- knew something of religion in its power and duced into our native land. He entered reality. The Christian regarded missions not into the enquiry who the first missionary as divinely appointed. He acknowledged to Britain was; but viewing him as one the universal application of that preceptwho had felt the importance of the gospel," Go and preach the gospel to every creain his own experience, and partaking of its ture." He felt it binding in his own conblessings, was anxious to impart them to his science, and in whatever station providence |
