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struction. Of this description are the sermons before us. They are not distinguished by depth of thought, or laboriousness of investigation, or force of argument, or novelty of illustration: neither are they remarkable for any of the graces of style; on the contrary, the style must be admitted to be not merely clumsy and inelegant, but even homely and incorrect. Nevertheless, with all these serious deductions from their value, we do not scruple to say that those who Seck plain truth at Judali's hallow'd gate; who wish, with a view to their children and servants, to possess an additional volume of useful Sunday Readings, will find their advantage in purchasing the volume before

us.

It will be accepted as some apology for the author of these sermons, that they were not designed by him for the public eye, but written only for his own congregation, for whose benefit he wisely chose "an easy and simple style." We are told that "he uniformly and studiously avoided every form of expression which might darken the sense, and prevent any of his hearers from perceiving the scope and tendency of his discourse." Such a rule it is the unquestionable duty of every preacher of the Gospel, and also of every writer, particularly on theological subjects, to adopt. But we do But we do not conceive that its adoption either precludes elegance of composition, and still less precision of language, and correctness of construction; or is inconsistent with cogency of reasoning, aptness of illustration, or striking and affecting appeals to the heart and conscience. It is a bad argument for undervaluing or rejecting such embellishments of sound doctrine, if embellishments they must be called, that in the sermons of fashionable preachers they are made the substitutes for sound doctrine. The real fault of the preachers alluded to is, not that their style is good, their periods

well turned, &c. but that their doctrine is bad, their principles unscriptural, and their morality miserably defective. And although we perfectly concur with the Editor, that the subjects of these sermons are "of infinite importance and of universal concern," yet we should have been better pleased with their appearance had he bestowed more pains in preparing them for the public eye. "The Fall, and consequent depravity of human nature; Redemption by the blood of Christ; Justification and the absolute necessity of Regeby grace, through faith in Him; neration by the Holy Spirit, in order to present holiness and future everlasting happiness"- the great doctrines which we admit to run through the whole of this volumewould have lost none of their intrinsic value, or powerful efficacy, had he exerted himself in purifying the language in which they are enounced, from offences against the rules of grammar, from colloquial barbarisins, and from mere redundancies; and in rendering the author's statement more luminous by a more skilful collocation of many of his sentences.

The sermons are thirty-four in number; and embrace, among others, the following important topics:- -"The spiritual nature of the Moral Law, the new birth, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the nature and effects of carnal and spiritual mindedness, the conversion and character of St. Paul, the grace of God in the Gospel, sin the sting of death, death, the resurrection, spiritual peace, the right use of time, the Sabbath, trust in God, malice, wisdom, holiness, Divine Providence, beneficence, sound doctrine," &c.

As a specimen of the practical tendency of the views of religion, inculcated in these sermons, we will extract a passage from one (the fifth), on the subject of the New Birth; wherein the preacher describes the marks, or criteria, by which we may be enabled to pass an "infallible

judgment on ourselves" as to "whether we are really born again or not." "1. A person who is truly regenerated, and born of the Spirit, finds his understanding enlightened. He sees things and objects in a new light; and has quite different notions and apprehensions of them, from what he had in an unregenerate state.The invisible realities of the eternal world, which are the great sanctions of the Divine law, appear as evidently to the eye of his faith, as sensible objects do to the eye of his body. He views the great God in his justice, as well as his mercy. His laws seems more quick and powerful, piercing and spiritual. He sees that they are holy, just, and good. Holy in their precepts; just in their threatenings; and good in their promises. For which reason, he thinks it his duty and his happi

ness to observe them all: and that it is a matter of no trifling concern, to break even the least of them: break them, not only in the outward act, but in the inward movement of the heart; whence are the issues of life. He is therefore studiously careful to avoid every opportunity, every occasion that may possibly ensnare him, and draw him off from his guard, and abate his affection for that great and importaut interest, which he constantly and steadily pursues. His eye is fixed upon heaven, and the glories of the eternal world; and whatever may retard him in bis journey thither, he looks upon as a sin. He asks not where is the harm of going to this or that place; or where is the harm of suffering our children to go to this or that place of gay amusement and carnal pleasure; where the scene, to say the best of it, is wholly made of vanity, and hardly any thing is going on but ostentation and pride; where the young, the wanton, the sensual, and the gay, vie with one another in all the empty pomp and ornament of a fallen, earthly, and perishing body: a body that is an hospital of diseases, and which must, in a little time, be the food of worms? The Holy Spirit, under whose conduct and government he is, will suggest to his mind a great deal of harm, in spending his time so idly and so foolishly.

"Again: the light conveyed into his mind gives him a better and a clearer insight into spiritual things. He sees the depth of his fall, the greatness of his misery, and the curses and the forfeitures he is under, as a son of fallen Adam. Having thus a strong and a deep sense of his own spiritual wants, he will, in consequence of that, embrace the Gospel, as the only means of restoring him to

his lost dignity and glory. He throws himself, with the greatest humility of soul, at his Saviour's feet. Discards all self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. He rests entirely which he hopes to be saved, not in his sins upon the efficacy of the redemption; by but from his sins. He pleads not the cause of natural infirmities; and so sits down contented and easy under them; without using the means which the Gospel has put in our power to cure our sins: which is supernatural and Divine grace. Some there are that make themselves easy, and think that all is well, though they are very conscious to themselves that they have great vices reigning in their hearts; such as covetousness and pride, impetuosity and violence of temper: these, they trust, will be pardoned, upon the score of natural infirmities. But how is it

that Christ pardons natural infirmities? Why, no other way but by curing them; by doing them away-and planting, in their room, the opposite graces and tempers. Thus he pardous pride, by extirpating that vice out of our nature, and giving us the virtue of humility: he pardons covetousness, by doing that vice away and giving us contentment; he pardons impetuosity and violence of temper, by radically curing it, and working in us a meek, a mild, and gentle disposition.

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"2. A regenerate person does not stand still at any one point; but is continually growing in grace, and improving in righte The fruit of the Spirit,' says the ousness. Apostle, is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.' These are the spiritual graces and virtues, which shew themselves in the life and temper of him who is truly born again; and which flourish and grow up, day by day, into higher and greater degrees of perfection.

"3. He grows every day less and less fond of the riches, the honours, the pleasures, and vain pomp of life, which are mere husks and shadows to his mind. The great, solid, spiritual, invisible, and everlasting glories of heaven, he makes the constant object of his pursuit. Hence he looks down with a sacred and a noble contempt upon the trifles, amusements, cares, and businesses of the present life; that employ the labour of the head, awaken the desires of the heart, and engross the affections of the soul, in thousands; who are only raising to themselves a fool's paradise, that will soon end in a ghastly corpse and a grave, with perhaps a tomb and an epitaph, equally a monument of their own and their survivor's folly.

"4. He constantly reads his own heart: impartially examines into its most secret workings, and finest movements, in order to discover what a mixture of selfishness, vanity, and pride, the great Searcher of hearts sees even in the best actions of his life. The heart of man is deceitful above all things. This melancholy truth real Christians feel, to their great mortification; and therefore they carefully guard every avenue, by which the great spiritual enemy may attack it.

5. He earnestly seeks further degrees of spiritual knowledge. With this view, he diligently reads the Scriptures, and fervently prays that the Holy Spirit would enlighten his mind, and enable him to understand what he reads. He wants to be better acquainted with the eternal world, with heaven, with spiritual and divine things; above all, with the greatest and best Spirit, who is the foun. tain of being, life, and happiness; together with the Messiah, the nature of his government and laws; and the blessings and glories of his everlasting dominion. This knowledge puffeth not up; but, on the contrary, work eth humility.

"6. A person truly regenerated is no selfseeker. He has no wouldly interested views: he has no subtilty, no cunning part to act in life, in order to bring about deep-laid schemes. He is open and generous. He has an eye to God, in all he does. He dedicates his time, his fortune, his interest, and power, to the honour and glory of his great Master; and freely parts with all, rather than be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus. He goes calmly and steadily on: seeking the honour which cometh from God only: regardless of the opinion, of the evil report, or good report, of a careless, blind, unthinking world. Always bearing in mind this memorable saying and prediction of our blessed Lord, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.'

"7. His will is brought to an entire sub. mission to the will of God: both to the will of his laws, and the will of his providence. He is ready to obey his righteous commands, and saith, with St. Paul, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" He is resigned to suffer afflictions; conscious of his own demerits, he bears, with a meek and quiet spirit, any calamities which Divine Wisdom may think proper to lay upon him and saith with old Ely, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.'

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8. The affections of his mind, and the general bent of his temper is heavenly and spiritual. He has within him a prevailing disposition to universal holiness. He abhors all sin and aims at the highest perfection possible. He hath his Saviour's pattern before him: Him he imitates, and endeavours to resemble, in all the spiritual graces and virtues, which so eminently shone forth in his blessed life and temper." pp. 39–44.

Again, in the ninth sermon, where he is describing the effects produced by the grace of the Gospel, on the heart and life of those who are the subjects of it, the preacher thus proceeds :

"Another blessed effect is, that it enables us to live righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present world. This comprehendeth all the duties of the Moral Law; which is briefly summed up in the Ten Commandments, and is most beautifully explained and enforced by our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount. Indeed, when the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is really in our souls, it is always accompanied with the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. This indwelling presence of the Deity constitutes the divine life; and in proportion as it governs within, our corrupt natures are renewed, and the image of the ever-blessed God is restored: that image which we lost by the fall, and which consists in righteousness and true holiness. This being the case, we have a new law engraven upon the tables of our hearts by the finger of God, even the law of love; which diffuseth itself through every intellectual faculty, and extendeth to every species of duty. Our love first mounts up to God, for his unspeakable love to us; from him it rebounds, and spreads itself universally, throughout the whole compass of created being. Hence our first and chief care is, to please God, to do his will, to perform all his pleasure, and to obey all his laws. Nothing will seem severe that God commands: nothing pleasing that he forbids. Love will sweeten all; and make all our duties privileges. Thus we shall approach the Throne of Grace with humble confidence, and shall pour out our hearts before him, in soulmelting prayer, and in soul-exalting praise. We shall worship him in spirit and in truth. We shall read his word with pleasure, and attend his ordinances with improvement. We shall always act, as in his presence; and shall never utter the holy and tremendous name of God, but with a divine love

upon our hearts. In the Rock of Ages is our trust, for a supply of all the means of happiness both here and hereafter. If adversity be our lot, we shall not repine; if prosperity, we shall be thankful; knowing the least of God's mercies is far greater than the best of us deserve. And in the midst of affliction

and dire calamity, this promise will yield comfort to our souls; that all things shall work together for good to them that love God. As to the duties of social life, they will naturally and easily flow from love. If we love God, we shall love our brother also; and in consequence thereof, shall use our constant and unwearied endeavours, to do him all possible good. So far shall we be from injuring him either in his reputation or property, that we shall, on the contrary, evidence our unfeigned love in every instance of kindness and good nature. This does not imply, that we should take a complacency, a delight, in the company or the conduct of wicked men. The greatest possible love we ean shew to them, is, endeavouring to reclaim them. Nor are we to speak of them as Christians, whom we plainly see are influenced and governed by unchristian motives and tempers. But a distinction is ever to be made between their persons and their vices; and at the same time that we shew our utter abhorrence of the one, we should manifest a tender regard for the other. We should freely forgive them, and constantly pray for them: and make it our fixt purpose to procure, as far as we can, their conversion and everlasting salvation.

"As to duties of a personal nature; they, likewise, are the genuine consequence of true grace. For our bodies being the tem

ples of the Holy Ghost, we shall be careful

to possess our vessels in sanctification and honour. Sobriety and regularity will be the general tenor of our lives; we shall daily mortify the deeds of the flesh; and shall studiously avoid the least approach to those brutal vices, lewdness and drunkenness, which are a disgrace to human nature. Habits of this sort cannot consist with any degree of grace. They extinguish every spark of the divine life in the soul; and they who do such things, the Apostle declares, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

"These are the good works that spring from faith. They are the characteristic marks of pure and undefiled religion. And we perform them not in our own spirit, or by our own strength alone, but by the assistance of the Holy Spirit :-we perform them in the renewed spirit of our all-gracious Redeemer; and in virtue of that life-giving power, grace,

and strength, which we receive from him for that blessed purpose." pp. 81-83.

It is not our intention to criticise these sermons very strictly, otherwise we should have commented on some bad metaphysics, as well as on some gratuitous assumptions and reasonings, which are occasionally, and, as we think, unnecessarily, introduced. Contenting ourselves with this general notice of these blemishes, we shall confine our remaining observations to the concluding sermon of the volume, in which the preacher proposes to lay down some rules of judgment by which we may be able to distinguish and clearly discern what sound doctrine is." Now here we should have supposed that the only adequate rule for enabling an honest judgment to decide what is sound doctrine and what is not, would be this: Is the doctrine agreeable to God's word? If it should still be asked, How are we to know that any particular doctrine is agreeable to God's word? Our reply would be, By study, meditation, and earnest prayer to God,—and by labouring with unceasing diligence to reduce to practice the sacred maxim of our Lord himself; " If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." In other words, If any man will use the prescribed means of acquiring a knowledge of the will of God, and at the same time conscientiously embrace and follow that will whenever it is ascertained, his difficulties will gradually vanish, he will obtain clearer and clearer apprehensions of divine things, and will be enabled not only to discern, but to love, those truths, on the cordial reception and uniform practice of which his salvation depends.

Mr. Andrews, however, propounds a different method of arriving at a rule is this:-" That doctrine which right judgment on this point. His is sound, or agreeable to God's word, must of necessity have the following essential properties. 1. It must have a tendency to convince and humble

Review of Andrews's Sermons.

441

the sinner;" . "to exalt and mag- examine the character and conduct nify the glory of the Redeemer;" of all the religious persons to whom and " to promote holiness." bow or by whom is this rule to be out, if we can, what share each But we have access, in order to make applied? Surely not by the indi- particular modification of Christian vidual who is still in quest of truth. doctrine has had in producing the What means has he of forming a effects which we witness; effects also sound judgment on this point? Is of which we are necessarily very it 'not a much more rational plan to incompetent judges? Surely this is assume, as every believer in the Divine Inspiration of the sacred penmen of arriving at a sound judgment, on as vague and unsatisfactory a mode must do, that the doctrines revealed in the Bible have the properties spea point of such great and immediate cified above; that is to say, are docmoment to our present and eternal trines" according to godliness;" and peace, as can well be conceived. It to limit the inquiry simply to this doubtedly very gratifying, with a may be very proper, as it is unpoint, are they or are they not to be found in that infallible depository to trace with care, and to point out view to the vindication of our faith, of the will of God? Let us take an example:" All have sinned and come nuine doctrines of the Bible, to proto others, the tendency of the geshort of the glory of God." "If ye duce all the purifying effects which believe not that I am he, in your sins." ye shall die Except ye repent, are so justly ascribed to them; but it ye shall all likewise perish." "If never could be intended that our any man have not the Spirit of Christ, should be suspended on the result of "If own reception of those doctrines he is none of his." "6 ye saved through faith, and that not By grace are this operose inquiry. of yourselves; it is the gift of God." "Faith which worketh by love." Now here we have several intelligible propositions distinctly stated to us on the highest authority. Do they not become obligatory on our faith and our practice, as soon as we hear and understand them? Are we at liberty to say, No: I must first ascertain whether these propositions are calculated to humble the sinner, to exalt the Saviour, and to promote holiness, before I will receive and obey them? And if the reply to this question should unexpectedly be in the affirmative, then by what course must we proceed, in order to arrive at any certainty in our inquiries? Are we to trust to our own reasonings on the probable consequences likely to arise from the reception of this or that particular doctrine? This will hardly be contended.—Are we to consult our own experience? What experience of the efficacy of such doctrines can he possess who is only now inquiring whether they are fit to be embraced or not? Or shall we, lastly, CHRIST, OBSERy, No, 151,

in quoting the words of a valuable On this subject we have pleasure correspondent, in a former volume of our work, which we cannot but think quite decisive. spect to any system of religious truth, let its conformity to Scripture be " With refirst ascertained, and then I will bethe sinner, to exalt the Saviour, and lieve that its tendency is to humble be unable to trace the process. The to promote holiness, though I may only sure test of any religious sys tem is conformity to Scripture. it stands that test, it must have all the good effects which have been enumerated.

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consequences, and thence assumes
But if a man begins
to argue inversely from probable
the soundness of his opinions, he is
at the mercy of his own system,
Vol. for 1809, p. 169.
and may be building upon the sand.”

The Minister's Farewell, and the
Minister's Greeting. Two Sermons
preached in the Parish Churches of
Lutterworth and Claybrock
the Hou, and Very Rev. HENRY
By
3 M

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