country gentleman, and a member of the established Church; but degraded, indeed, will our establishment become, if it tacitly tolerates in its ministers the abuse of that day, which they are more immediately called up on to consecrate to the service of their great master, and whom it is their absolute, duty to consider as possessed of more persuasive, and more awful, authority than any prince or potentate in the universe. LAICUS. We are assured of the truth of the following communication by a correspondent, on whose authority we place the most unreserved reliance. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. CONCEIVING it to be one important use of your publication to guard your readers against the seductions of fashionable error, and especially when clothed with the sanction of popular names, the following authentic anecdote may not, perhaps, with this view, be deemed unworthy of a place in your valuable miscellany. It was my lot, some years ago, occasionally to meet a disciple of the late Dr. Darwin. Mr. had drunk so deeply into the system and spirit of his master, that he considered him the very first poet and philosopher of the age. I have heard him expatiate with enthusiasm on the writings and character of that deist, and, in the same conversation, revile the Holy Scriptures, with all the rant of vulgar blasphemy. Of all the examples, of a mind emancipated from religious and moral" restraint, I ever met with, this unhappy man was the most offensive. His conversation, though abundantly larded with the cant and slang of the new philosophy, was lewd, profane, and jacobinical; and when infuriated by zeal for his principles, (which happened as often as they were opposed), every rule of decorum was trampled under foot: he appeared, on such occasions, neither to "fear God, nor to regard man!" - A few months after my last interview with Mr. I was informed that he was no more! Struck with the event, I was solicitous to know how such a man would die! The amount of my information was, that, as death approached, the confidence he had before expressed in his deisti- Reader! though such examples are seldom brought forward, you are not hastily to infer, that they rarely hap¬ pen, or that the principles of modern infidelity do not lead to such melancholy issues. The tenderness of survivors may often conceal the dismal story; and even when such men leave the world with composure, we should remember there are such judgments denounced against the obstinate opposers of revelation, as a "seared conscience," and a "reprobate mind!" How different the end of those, who sleep in Jesus!" For the Christian Observer. M. Conscious of firm integrity and truth, Oh! rise superior to the envious few! And may this trial, (early sent to prove Thy fix'd reliance on a firmer friend), Wean thee from earth, and point to realms above, Where dwells that happiness which knows no end. Then turn thine eye towards that peaceful shore, Where ev'ry pang of human woe shall cease; Where grief's dark waves shall never reach thee more, But joy through endless ages shall encrease! C. C. L. For the Christian Observer. TO AN AMIABLE YOUNG LADY, Onseeing a Cross suspended from her Necklace. THAT mimic cross, which on your bosom lies, Far nobler use than ornament supplies; Emblem of HIM, whose hand that form has made, And on that face those orient colours spread: Whose mercy all your gifts and pow'rs confess! Who died to save you, and who lives to bless! To you, this cross may a memento prove, A sweet memento of a Saviour's love. In us, who view it gently resting there, This little cross awakes an anxious pray'r. Oh! on the mind, which animates that breast, May God's own holy image be imprest! There may each Christian grace be richly giv'n, Shine thro' your life, and lift your heart to heav'n. There may Jehovah reign, without controul, REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. LXXI. Simeon's Helps to Composition; or, Skeletons of Sermons. (Concluded from p. 31.) THE second volume of this work opens with the general head of WARNINGS, divided into general and particular; the particular again divided into those which respect, first, our faith and hope; secondly, our spirit and con dict. In this volume, the first skeleton deserving of particular notice is the 346th. The text is Eccles. ix, 18.One sinner destroyeth much good." The truth of this affirmation is illustrated in nations, in families, and in the Church of God. Under the last head, the characters particularly specified, as hostile to the interests of religion, are the careless minister, the proud disputations sectary, the professor who walks dishonourably, and the scoffer. In an entire sermon (No. 352), on the sinfulness of confounding good and vil, upon the general merits of which we cannot find room to expatiate, we meet with the following energetic, but certainly too unqualified descrip tion of the reception which religion experiences in the world. "To complete their perverseness, men go farther still, and actually represent religion as contemptible. What is there under the sun more despised than this? With what opprobrium has it not been stigmatised? We appeal to all, whether terms of reproach are not universally assigned to religious characters, and whether the names given them do not universally convey the idea of a weak contemptible enthusiast? Is just bar to their preferment? Yea, are not their very profession considered as a they not so odious in the eyes of the world, that none but those infected with their ma nia will venture to associate with them, or to acknowledge them as their friends? The drunkard, the whoremonger, the sabbath-breaker, the infidel, shall find a more favourable reception than they; and solely on account of their religion." (pp. 25, 26). Men, however, are not to confound religion, that which they may justly with the offence generally given by give by the indulgence of their own humour or passion; by bestowing on some favourite tenet a very undue degree of prominence; or by adopting a justly objectionable phraseology. gion, or in conjunction with it. Other things may offend besides reli belief, is excellent. Skeleton 367th, on the folly of un In skeleton 368th, we were pleased to find an author, whose religious cha racter is so well established as Mr. Simeon's is, not deterred by a fastidious orthodoxy from the allowable use of the term "condition." We are by no means partial to the use of it; because we know to what abuse it is liable. But we wish to set our faces decidedly against that bigotry which would proscribe, without mercy, from the theological vocabulary a term, which, when duly qualified, is expressive of an indispensable doctrine, and for which no proper substitute can be found. In explaining that passage of the Epistle to the Romans, (chap. iii. 27, 28), which affirms, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law; and that by this law of faith alone, exclusive of works, is boasting excluded, we think that Mr. Simeon has happily solved the whole difficulty which has been raised upon the subject, by observing, that "not even faith itself saves" (or justifies) "us as a work, but solely as uniting us to Christ, by whose righteousness we are justified." (p. 95). Whether faith be, or be not, either productive or inclusive of good works, it is evident, from the whole strain of the Epistle to the Romans, that, as a meritorious cause of our justification, works of whatsoever description are most pointedly and positively excluded. And faith, although in every other view of it considered as inseparable from good works, is in this represented as severed from them; as a solitary act of the mind by which it barely accepts the offered mercy of God; and as possessing no virtue to justify, except as it unites or connects us with that which has merited our justification. To represent this faith as a work, and therefore meritorious, is, we conceive, to perplex ourselves with a refinement, which no more entered into the conception of the Apostle, than it would into ours to ascribe merit to a pauper, who merely extended an arm, or opened an hand, to receive our bounty. There is such a thing as the misapplication of metaphysics. Number 381 is an able and judicious sermon upon the means of attaining true wisdom. The province of reason in religion is accurately defined: "The only use of reason, as applied to revelation, is to ascertain, whether the revelation, purporting to be from heaven, be indeed of divine authority; and, what is the true import of that revelation," (P. 108). The common objections to this re presentation of the affair are solidly confuted at the end. In number 389, an assize sermon, as it should seem, a tribute is paid to the character of LORD KENYON, which we cannot refuse ourselves the pleasure of transcribing. "While we are speaking upon this subject, it is impossible to omit the mention of one, who with unexampled fortitude has stemmed the torrent of iniquity in this country, and has made the most opulent tity of individuals, and destroy the peace to know, that if they will tempt the chasof families, they shall do it at their peril. I do not hesitate to say, that every father of a family, and every lover of virtue in this kingdom, stands indebted to him, and has reason to bless God, that such integrity and power are combined in one person." (pp. 137, 138). of the sin against the Holy Ghost, from the notice of many other excel- But we would not dismiss, with this gregarious approbation, the funeral sermon upon the death of the Honourable and Reverend WILLIAM CADOGAN, number 449; a sermon in every way becoming the occasion upon which it was delivered, and the great doctrine which it explained. The PROMISES, both general and particular, form the subject of the generai division which immediately follows. In the first skeleton under this head, which is intended to illustrate the attribute of divine mercy, we could have wished to have seen the permission of sin represented as one of the methods by which God accomplishes towards us the purposes of his grace, with much more caution and qualification. Any representation of the affair which does not, in the strongest manner, discourage from regarding sin as the means of spiritual improvement, or as making room for a more illustrious display of divine mercy, we think calculated, not only to injure the cause of holiness, but to lead wicked men to a presumption which, for that very reason, is almost sure to be disappointed, and to terminate in their destruction. While we ascribe to inadvertence in Mr. Simeon, the incautious view of this subject on which we have animadverted, we think it of the utmost importance to notice it, as being, in our apprehension, unscriptural. Skeleton 477th, on the manner in which God dispenses his favours, is happily divided; and the 481st, on the goodness of God, is drawn out with ability. In proving the personality, and describing the offices of the Holy Spirit, Mr. Simeon adheres to the common translation of the wapaxantos, (p. 383), &c. There is not a little variation in the opinions of critics, in what sense this word should be understood. Professor Campbell has a good note upon the subject. He quotes from Hammond with approbation the remark, that the word is susceptible of these three significations, advocate, erhorter, and comforter: for the term exhorter, Dr. Campbell would substitute monitor; and that term he has adopted in the place under consideration, and indeed in all the places in which it occurs at the latter part of St. John's Gospel. See Campbell's translation, &c. vol. ii. pp. 654, 655. Schleusner concurs in this interpretation. Number 485, and the two following, are good discourses on the baptism, the sealing, and the witness, of the Spirit, In the explanation of Rom. vi. 14, (p. 407, &c.), Mr. Simeon has justly observed, that the law condemned men for disobedience, but afforded them no hope of pardon for past of fences, nor any means of resisting sin in future: he adds, that the covenant of grace offers them a full remission of all their former sins, and assures them that God himself will give them grace sufficient in every time of need. The Epistle to the Romans specifies two distinct blessings, as constituting the covenant of grace, and expressive of the benefit resulting to believers from the death and passion of their Saviour-Justification, and the grant of the Spirit; the one to deliver them from their guilt, the other to produce their sanctification. In these respects the covenant of grace directly an swered to, and supplied the defects of the covenant of the law. The eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, ver. 1-11. contains a clear account of the latter of the abovementioned blessings; and Mr. Simeon's outline would have been still more perfect had he brought forward, or at least referred to, this important passage. The outline, 500, contains excellent matter on a most important subject; and the interesting one, 503, is well treated. The methods by which wicked men convert every thing into an occasion of fostering their own delusions, described as we find them in a note at pp. 472 and 473, discover an intimate acquaintance with the human character, and with the nature and operations of human corruption. The 530th skeleton opens with a statement of the doctrine particularly controverted between the Calvinists and Arminians, in the same manner as it is represented in the preface. The concluding general head of the work before us is EXAMPLES; first, the example of Christ; secondly, the examples of Saints. These last are divided into such as respect Christian duty, and such as respect Christian experience. The example of Christ, which can never fail to be interesting to those who are sensible of their obligations to him, and who are required to follow his steps, is particularly considered in respect of his early habits, his condescension, his grace, his love to souls, &c. &c; these are treated with the accustomed ability and piety of the author.. At page 624, where a discourse occurs on the need of fleeing from sin with abhorrence, we were struck with the justice and importance of the following observation: "Sin universally prevails, and, except where it greatly interferes with the welfare of society, is countenanced and approved. The customs of the world sanction the practice of it to a certain extent in every one, whether male or female; though the greater latitude of indulgence is allowed to men. The very education that is given both to our sons and daughters tends only to foster in them pride and vanity, wantonness and sensuality, worldliness and profaneness: let but these dispositions assume the names of ease, elegance, and gaiety, and they instantly lose all their malignant qualities; and, instead of exciting our abhorrence, endear to us the persons by whom they are indulged." We e were pleased to recognise, at page 627, an entire discourse on a conscience void of offence, which was preached before the University, Jan. 17, 1796, and printed singly about that time. We earnestly recommend the perusal of it to those who would attain just notions concerning conscience, and who would defend themselves against some current and plausible errors upon that important subject. By the 587th skeleton we perceive, that Mr. Simeon understands the passage, Rom.vii. 14 or 15 to the end, of the Apostle's present experience at the time he wrote. St. Augustine was the first who introduced that interpretation; and it was among the number of his retractations, for he formerly held the opinion that St. Paul, in this place, described neither his own existing state, nor that of a regenerate person. This subject has, in modern times, been much controverted. Neither Calvin nor Beza ventured to apply the 14th verse to the state of a regenerate person. It would be impracticable to state the argus ments on both sides, which are necessarily extended, but they ought to be attended to by those who would make up their minds upon the subject. Whitby, and Wetstein understand the whole passage of a personification of the Jewish nation. Doddridge steers a middle course*. * Doddridge's words are these (in his note on Romans vii. 7.) "The Apostle here, by a very dexterous turn, changes the person, and speaks as of himself. This he elsewhere does, (Romans iii. 6. 1 Cor. x. 30. ch. iv. 6), when he is only person We agree with Mr. Simeon, that the passage Rom. viii. 33, 34, (p. 695, &c.) should be read interrogatively throughout. Mr. Simeon closes his work with an appendix, consisting of a course of entire Sermons on Eph. vi. 10-18.. Did our limits permit, we should be tempted to make large extracts from it, particularly from pp. 714,715,726, 743, and 744. We have traced a resemblance between this part of the. work in several places, and an old book upon the same subject, strongly marked both by the excellences and defects of the times in which it was written-"The Christian in Complete Armour," by William Gurnall. The reader may compare the following pages of the fifth edition of that work, with the corresponding ones of Mr. Simeon's; 6. Col. 2. with 708; 36, &c. with 711, &c; 49 with 715; 138 with 720; 24, &c. (new series) with 724; 138, &c. with 736; 149 with 738; 227, &c. with 743; 248, &c. with 750, 751. We would here make a remark which is generally applicable. Censure, as it leaves the judgment of an author in the opposite scale, imposes upon us an obligation, proportionate to the deference which we pay to that judgment, to state in their full force the reasons of our disapprobation; while the business of praise is dispatched in a few words. That, therefore, is not always our predominant opinion which occupies the most room. It would be improper, however, to conclude our review of this work, without expressing, in strong and unequivocal terms, the high sense which we entertain of its general merits and utility. And this remaining part of our task we would execute with some discrimination. The proper test of the value of any ating another character. And the character assumed here, is that of a man first ignorant of the law, then under it, and sincerely desiring to please God; but finding to his sorrow the weakness of the motives under which it left him; and last of all, it suggested, and the sad discouragement with transport discovering the Gospel, and gaining pardon and strength, peace and joy, by it. But to suppose he speaks all these things of himself, as the confirmed Christian, that he really was when he wrote this Epistle, is not only foreign, but contrary, to the whole scope of his discourse, as well as to what is expressly as serted, chap. viii. 2." |