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These are really marvellous discoveries. We had conceived, that the Gentiles had not only to be taught motives to virtue, but, in many important instances, the very nature of virtue, and the rules of moral duty; that they were absolutely ignorant, philosophers as well as the multitude, of many fundamental branches of Christian morality, for which they had not even a name; and that many of the dispositions and actions which they called virtuous were in truth vicious and odious in the sight of God, and as much requiring forgive ness as their acknowledged sins; that, so far from merely needing to be warned of the punishment of sin, they wanted also to be taught wherein consisted the guilt and turpitude of moral evil; and that, in stead of having only to acknowledge "many unheeded imperfections," they had one and all to lament their innumerable sins and omissions in deep humiliation and repentance. We could enlarge on this important topic; but our limits remind us that we must proceed to some other points which remain to be considered.

Upon the subject of predestina tion, which is the next in order, we gladly follow the example of Dr. Holland in being extremely brief. In the few lines, however, which he has devoted to it, we are sorry to say that he has much too easily assumed one ground of acknowledged debate, in asserting, that St. Paul merely intended to refer, in his Epistle to the Romans, to the national election of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles; and not to individuals; and that this is the sense in which the Apostle's expressions were understood by our Reformers, and intended in the 17th Article of our church. He has also manifestly misrepresented, even by his own quotation of the passage, the sentiments of Calvin upon the danger of preaching the doctrine of predestination and reprobation in a crude and unguarded manner; and has suffered himself to give a repre

sentation of the Calvinistic system, which is equal in exaggeration to any with which we are acquainted; namely, that it describes the Divine Being as selecting "for the future glories of his throne those who He foresees will, through the course of their existence upon earth, debase their nature by sensuality, and pollute their souls with vice;". evidently implying, that in this sinful state they are to live and die. We are no Calvinists; but we are lovers of truth and justice, and we are persuaded that, except amidst the ravings of the Antinomian, not even the slightest traces of such licentious doctrines are to be found. Every sober-minded Calvinist, if indeed it be allowable to imagine such a character, would start back with indignation and horror from the pictures of their tenets, which their adversaries are much too frequently in the habit of drawing.

We pass on to the ever-fruitful topics of sudden conversion and irresistible grace; upon which, as we have often before expressed our sentiments at large*, we shall not now long detain our readers. We perfectly agree with Dr. Holland and other writers, in saying, that the influence of Divine Grace is not intended to force men, whether they will or not, into the way of truth and holiness; nor is this the doctrine of the Methodists of any class. Doubtless the Holy Spirit operates upon the human mind in entire con sistency with its rational nature. In fact, one of the main positions of Calvinists is, that the influence is chiefly exercised upon the will, and that when this, which they maintain is naturally depraved, has received a new and holy bias, it co-operates, as Anti-calvinists represent, with the assisting grace of God in every part of the Christian life.

The Methodists and some others

See our Reviews of the Bishop of Lincoln's Refutation and Mr. Scott's Reply, and Mant's Bampton Lectures, vols. x., xi., and aй.

abused to purposes of enthusiasm and licentiousness. The conversion of the thief upon the cross, like that of St. Paul, has been unwarrantably applied, and dangerously relied upon; and the efficacy of faith even to the greatest sinners, and of the grace of God to convert and sanctify the most unholy, have perhaps been occasionably represented in an unscriptural manner. But, after all, the hopes and promises of the Gospel do extend even to those cases which with men may appear to be impossible. The dying sinner ought still to be exhorted to look, not as Dr. Holland would represent it, "without any endeavour on his part," but with an eye of faith, with heartfelt trust and reliance, to Him who was lifted up like the brazen serpent in the wildernes amidst the wounded and the dying Israelites, and who is "mighty to save," even "to the uttermost," all that, at whatever period, and under whatever circumstances, "come unto "God by him." Doctor Holland asks, in his note upon this subject, "Were not then the Foolish Virgins too late? Were not those persons, too, guilty, who, when presuming upon our Saviour's having eaten and drunken with them upon earth, they cried Lord, Lord, open unto us,' received their Lord's refusal ? We answer, Unquestionably the foolish virgins were too late; be. cause they neglected the opportunity of being prepared for the feast, and sought for admission when

have, doubtless, applied the sudden conversion of St. Paul too indiscriminately, and urged it in many respects unwarrantably. They have also been often enthusiastic and unscriptural in their representations of the doctrine of regeneration, and evil bas doubtless followed their errors on these points. But though they may have been extravagant in their views, we would by no means assert, that there is no such thing in the present day as a comparatively, sudden direction of the mind towards religion, or inclination of the heart towards God; much less would we represent what the Scriptures describe as a real renovation of man's nature, as inseparable from baptism. It is true, that the converts mentioned by Dr. Holland, the Ethiopian Eunuch, Cornelius, Sergius Paulus, and Lydia, are instances of those whose hearts were gently and gradually opened, under the use of means, to receive the truths of the Gospel; nor did any reasonable person ever deny that this is in the present day the most usual mode in which the influences of Divine Grace operate upon the mind *. But does it follow, that there were none in the apostolic or in later times, who, like the jailor at Philippi, were awakened and converted in a more sudden and alarming manner; and who, instead of being prepared by much previous discipline, were arrested by the grace of God in the midst of their sins, and, like the pious and excellent Colonel Gardiner, have been snatched brands from the burning?" The freedom and the power of Divine Grace have, we know, been too often

* as

* Dr. Holland labours hard, in a long note, to prove that St. Matthew and Zaccheus were not unprepared for the call of Christ. His arguments are by no means conclusive; but if they were, what is gained by his position? "The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord." We agree with him, however, in his observations on the history of the woman of Samaria, who certainly does not appear by the account of the Evangelist to have been, strictly speaking, converted by our Lord.

the door was shut;" that is, in plainer terms, because they neglected the means of grace, and implored salvation when the day of trial was over. Undoubtedly also the other persons referred to were also guilty, continued through life the "workers because they were hypocrites, and of iniquity." But does the first instance afford any reason why the labourer who with his whole heart actually enters the vineyard even at the eleventh hour, should lose his reward; or the second, why the ungodly, who with a true penitent heart and lively faith, flies for re

fuge to the hope set before him in the Gospel, even though he should have no other means or opportunity of manifesting his sincerity, should be rejected? This would be to circumscribe the power and the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and to deny to that Almighty Saviour one of his distinguishing glories. Though the work of sanctification and the fruits of holiness form the most unequivocal criterion of acceptance with God, yet let it not be forgotten, that he who truly believeth in the Son of God may have the witness of his adoption in himself; and that, deceitful as is the heart above all things, He who has access to the work of his own hands may vouchsafe even to the trembling penitent on a death-bed, though we conceive that for the wisest reasons this may not be a common case, not an arrogant or enthusiastic, but a humble and well-grounded hope of forgiveness and salvation.

The last topic of vindication to which Dr. Holland refers, is from the complaint of lukewarmness in the addresses of his regular brethren to the Almighty, and their want of zeal in urging men to their duty, by the highest and strongest motive, namely, the love of God. Here again, as in the former instances, there are some things as to which we agree with the reverend author, and others in which we feel compelled to differ from him. We entirely agree with him in thinking, that many religionists have addressed the Divine Majesty in terms of irreverent familiarity; that the language of human affection and the mystical allusions of the Song of Solomon have been most improperly transferred to the exercises of devotion, and the expression of religious feeling. But while we condemn the excess of such practices, let us be ware of the contrary extreme of coldness and insensibility. Much true devotion, and genuine love of God may be disfigured by the enthusiastic or apparently irreverent garb, in which ignorance, weakness, or bad taste, may array them;

but it is difficult to give much credit for their existence, or at least for their warmth and liveliness, where there is a total and studied neglect or contempt of the ordinary modes by which they are distinguished. In a similar manner we agree with Dr. Holland in saying, that the love of God, though the highest motive to obedience, has been by some preachers and writers insisted upon too exclusively, to the neglect of the various other motives which are urged upon us in Scripture; and that it is the duty of the clergy to employ every incentive, the promise of good, and the threatening of evil, the hope of heaven, and the dread of hell, to engage mankind to be earnest and diligent in the great work of their salvation. But while we acknowledge this, we must at the same time observe, that both in his sermon, and in the notes upon this part of it, Dr. Holland has evidently fallen into the common error of confounding the principle of love to God and the affection itself as existing in the heart of every real Christian, with its practical effects and the proof of its sincerity. The distinction is a most important one, and, except in religion, could not be mistaken or overlooked. Doubtless as St. John declares, "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments;" that is, this is the only solid and unequivocal proof and test that we really love God. But must not the princi ple first exist in the heart? Can the evidence of the affection, precede the affection itself?" If a man love me," said our blesssed Lord, "he will keep my commandments," "He that loveth me not, keepeth not my commandments." We must first love God before we can obey' him: we must first love our Saviour before we can be his true disciples. The ground work of the fallacy which we are combating is this: many persons hastily seizing the notion of obedience being the proof of love, which it is, form an inadequate idea of the nature and extent of that obedience, drawn

perhaps from their own practice, or the example of the world around them, and then conclude that this defective obedience is a satis factory proof of their love to God and the Redeemer, and that every thing beyond or distinct from it, is hypocrisy or enthusiasm. The absurdity of such a mode of arguing is apparent from considering it with reference to human affection. Does any one believe that love can be outwardly expressed, if it be not previously rooted in the heart? the heart? Does the parent, the husband, or the wife think thus of the affections which they require? Or would they be persuaded of the reality and sincerity and warmth of those affections, if, instead of an animated, watchful, universal, and persevering regard to their wishes and their happiness, the persons from whom they justly expected those proofs of attachment, were cold, negligent, partial, and wavering in their duty and service? Men understand these things too well to be so deceived. Nor is the difference great when we refer these observations to the love of God. If it be genuine and lively, it will undoubtedly prompt to active, enlarged, and steady obedience, and is manifestly counterfeit if it be deficient in these proofs of its existence.

But if the love of God and of Christ be not first implanted in the heart by the influence of Divine Grace; if it be not the result of faith in the mercies of redemption, and the expression of gratitude to Him who first loved us-to Him who died for us and rose again; in vain shall we look for the proofs of obedience; of such obedience, at least, as will be to ourselves the criterion of acceptance, the companion of hope, and the earnest of salvation*. Notwithstanding the

It is but justice to Dr. Holland to add, that he has given the right interpretation of Rom. v. 5, in referring "the love of God," which is there mentioned, to his love to us, and not as some have erroneously done, to our-love to God.

CHRIST, OBSERY. No. 147.

contempt with which Dr. Holland appears to treat such sentiments, we have, therefore, no difficulty in saying, that "love is the fulfilling of the law"-that if the love of God rule in the heart, it will purify it from the love of sin, and lead to conscientious and universal obedience; and that the pious author of the Night Thoughts, whom Reverend Author calls an anonymous Poet, quoted by Mr. Romaine in a passage on which he animadverts, spoke the language not only of feeling, but of truth and soberness, and Master, he exclaimed, when, addressing our Divine Lord

The grand morality is love of Thee!

our

shall give a more lengthened speci

Before we close this article, we

men of Dr. Holland's sentiments and style of writing than we have yet done. It is taken from the con

cluding pages of his sermon.

"In the short view," says the Reverend Author, "which I have taken of some of the principal charges brought against the regular clergy, it has been far from my intention, (it would indeed be a prostitution of my sacred office) to invent excuses for any neglect of our ministerial duties.

However rarely, I trust, the charge of real

neglect can be established against individuals of the order, of those who give occasion for the reproach would not willingly bereligion require that its ministers should be come the advocate. The holy interests of free, if in a licentious world it would be possible, from even blame. But when the purity of our poc the imputation of TRINES is impeached, it becomes the duty of every minister of the church, however humble his ability, to stand forward in their vindication."

Again:

"However circumscribed, or however extended may be the sphere of our du ties, we must not expect often to produce sudden and marked effects by our preaching. It is our office to sow the good seed in the hearts of our hearers; God will, in his own time, give the increase. though the completion of our hopes be yet at a distance; though in the moral as in the natural world, first the blade must be brought forth, then the car, and after tha 2 C

And

the full corn in the ear; and though it may not be granted to those who sow the seed, to see the harvest in its full perfection, let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not, if not in this world, certainly in the world to come."

"Above all things, we must not handle the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. We must beware of beguiling our hearers with enticing words, lest we beguile them and ourselves of our everlasting reward. While we forbear to make the heart of the righteous sad, whom the Lord hath not made sad, we are equally enjoined not to say peace where there is no peace; and there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. We must not foster that spiritual pride which, not more for his own honour than for our profit, God himself resisteth. We must cherish that simplicity of mind, that humility of heart, which is the first lesson of Christianity, and to which God giveth grace. We must urge our hearers, in the earnest language of the holy Apostle,

whom I have so often had occasion to

quote, to be stedfast, unmoreable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as they know that their labour is not in vain in the Lord."

It can scarcely be necessary for us to observe, that in many of the sentiments expressed in the preceding passages, we most cordially concur. The anxiety which the author evidently feels, that the great body of the clergy may be faithful and diligent in the discharge of their sacred duties, is highly laudable; nor do we materially differ from him in his representation of the nature and conditions of the Christian life. There are, however, two points on which we must offer a few concluding remarks.

We think, in the first place, that when Dr. Holland suggests to his brethren, that they must not expect often to produce "marked” as well as "sudden" effects by their preaching, though he may possibly mean by the former of those expressions something similar to the Jatter, the observation has a tendency rather to discourage than to animate ministerial exertions. We will

most readily discard the expectation of sudden effects from their preaching, if by that term any thing unsound and enthusiastic be intended; but we deprecate the dismission of hope, as to the marked success of their labours. We fear that such a mode of speaking is calculated

to render those who perceive but little or no effect from their ministry contented with that negative and unprofitable result of their instructions. The metaphor adopted by Dr. Holland of the seed sown in the natural world is doubtless scriptural and appropriateBut does the husbandman look for no marked effects of his labours? Is he contented that the seed should always remain buried in the ground? "Is he not anxious to behold first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear?" And if no symptoms of vegetation should appear, or no prospect of harvest should gladden his heart, would he

not conclude either that the seed had not been "good," or that the soil was barren? It is true that the spiritual husbandman cannot expect to see the harvest in its full perfection in the present world, but he may and ought to expect to witness its first fruits. And though we are well aware, that success is not invariably the criterion of excellence in the labourer, it is a part of his character to look for it, and to be satisfied with nothing short of it; and in general we believe it will be found, that some striking, marked, and valuable effects do follow the exertions of every faithful minister of the Gospel.

Our second and last remark upon this sermon respects the general design of the whole. It professes to be a vindication of the regular, that is, as we presume Dr. Holland would be understood, the great majority of the clergy, in opposition to the supposed smaller number of those who are termed evangelical. The Reverend Author trusts that the charge of real neg

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