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REVIEW.

A Commentary upon the Creed, commonly called Athanasian; and an attempt to justify the Church of England for using it on Certain Days in her excellent Liturgy. By J. C. Prattent. Hatchard and Son, 1825.

But

WE are always happy to seize-and we do so in the present instance with a tenacious grasp every opportunity afforded us for speaking well of the publications that come under our review. though this department, particularly of late, has exhibited many pages whereon the exhortation to rebuke has taken place of the more agreeable, and, to our feelings, the more congenial practice of rendering praise to whom praise is due; let it not be supposed we rush unwittingly into the toils of controversy, and that, contrary to our sentiments expressed elsewhere, we proceed without deep consideration, or unprepared for the objections of our adversaries.

It is our lot, as Reviewers for this Magazine, to be engaged in an unceasing search for productions of a description which in these days is most rare for, verily, in proportion to the astonishing multiplication of volumes on religious topics, those of a decidedly spiritual character are with difficulty to be found. And while these gladden our heart, and help to adorn our columns, those call forth our attention, and often by compulsion obtain our unwilling notice and criticism. Would to God we could conscientiously withhold an expression of this opinion! then would that class of our readers, for whose service we more particularly labour, be spared the inconvenience of travelling a path they would rather avoid, and which is so irksome to ourselves. As the great apostle wrote, relative to the command he received to preach the gospel, so would we, with all humility and godly sincerity, say necessity is laid upon us, yea, woe is unto us, if we be not faithful in these things. With respect to the volume whose title we have just copied, a pleasing duty lies before

us.

The members of the spiritual church, who worship their Lord according to the order of the national establishment, are specially called to the expression and exercise of gratitude, for the invaluable labours of such advocates of gospel principles as the Rev. Dr Card, and Mr. Prattent. We adore his most holy name, and the divine wisdom displayed by the Head of the church, in that he hath his witnesses, whom he is pleased to illuminate with true knowledge and under

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standing, and who, both by their ministry and living do set it forth and shew it accordingly. But for the seasonable introduction of such preventives as these-and we frankly confess our inability to clothe our approbation in language of which they are worthy-the tide of heresies might increase its already wide extent, and threaten effectually to burst the boundaries which the care and wisdom of holy men in past days set for the defence of unadulterated truth.

We cannot enter into an investigation of the work before us; neither do we profess to agree with its author, in his elucidation of the various truths connected with the subject on which he writes; but, with him, we glory in what he styles-"The fundamental doctrines of christianity, contained in the creed, called Athana

sian."

Infidel Credulity and Christian Indecision reproved. Being the substance of Two Sermons, by the Rev. W. A. Evanson, M. A. Lecturer of St. Luke's, Old Street, London. Seeley, 1826.

WE are willing to allow to its fullest extent, the purport of the observation which concludes the preface to this discourse, as strictly applicable to the respectable writer: "whatever be the faults in execution, the intention is good." But, alas! the faults, in comparison with the good intention, have so great a preponderance, that in the exercise of the utmost charity, the spiritual mind will turn from a perusal of the subject with disappointment and pain.

It appears the blasphemous proceedings of the Christian Evidence Society," and the impious audacity of that veteran in vice, CARLILE, were this gentleman's inducements to preach and publish his admirable arguments in favour of The Christianity of the Bible:' -and we do admire the frankness displayed in presenting the names of the eminent characters, whose valuable labours have added strength to his own.

With respect to the second discourse, "Christian Indecision Reproved," we cannot, on the principles of bible-religion, pass unnoticed such an assertion as this, "that the Saviour is proposed as the alone atonement and righteousness of his people;" nor can we follow the preacher in the conclusions drawn from the state

ment.

The means recommended for the removal of indecision in religion, are equally fallacious. We very much regret having occasion to say, that in these things the speaker has not spoken according to the oracles of God. On this, the most important branch of his subject, Mr. E. has wholly neglected the person and agency of the Holy Ghost, who regenerates, and thus, "fits for a future state;" who implants and draws out into exercise," faith in God;" who inspires to, and indites, "watchfulness and prayer;" and who teaches and directs to follow on to know the Lord."

We are constrained to repeat that we are grieved; for we had hoped better things.

WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST? the great Question of the Gospel humbly contemplated, in a Salutation to the Spiritual Church of our most glorious Christ, on the entrance of the New Year of our Lord God, 1826. By Robert Hawker, D. D.

Palmer.

BLESSED be God for the continued services of this eminent saint! In this "New Year's Gift," the Doctor has added another to the numerous proofs, already presented to the church of Christ in his invaluable labours, of the blessedness of having the heart established with grace. The leading characteristic of the address on that important question, "What think ye of Christ ?" sets forth the person of our most glorious Christ,' as an infallible security against the heresy and schism abounding in the professing church. We may be mistaken in the conjecture-but we conceive that Dr. Hawker, towards the close, has a particular allusion to the march of heretical notions recently revived, on the same glorious subject; and to the notice of which we lately devoted a considerable portion of our pages.

This seasonable appeal is closed in the following manner :— "And now, brethren, I greet you in the Lord, on the entrance of a new year! The Lord make it gracious to his people, and it will be blessed. Great events are pending, and marvellous are to be the forerunners (as taught us in scripture) by which will be ushered in the latter day glory. But amidst all convulsions with which the Lord will shake the earth, the church is impregnable; and this voice, through all, may be heard by every regenerated child of God, Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him. Isaiah iii. 10. Keeping in remembrance the eternal, inherent, essential, and underived perfections of our most glorious CHRIST, which are his own, and which he possesseth in common with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST; nothing of this time-state arising from the temptations of men, or devils, while upheld by the LORD, can stagger for a moment my faith. In him I behold a sovereignty, competent to all the purposes of his church. The infinite greatness of his Person stamps infinity upon all he wrought in his human nature; every act, every word, every thought, was the act, the word, and thought of GOD, in the man CHRIST JESUS. Through grace I never suffer myself to lose sight of his oneness, in all that constitutes GODHEAD, with JEHOVAH in his Trinity of Persons. And in all my approaches to the mercy-seat, I approach to the one undivided JEHOVAH, through the mediation of CHRIST, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the GODHEAD bodily. Col. ii. 9. And as the GODHEAD of the HOLY THREE in ONE, is alike inaccessible, the mediation of CHRIST as CHRIST, (that is, GoD and man in one person) is as necessary to approach the divine nature of the SON, as that of the FATHER, or of the HOLY GHOST. This may be considered a solecism in the world's vocabulary; but the word loseth its meaning when applied to the glorious truths of GOD: there are no solecisms in scripture. The Lord enable his spiritual church to receive the Lord's manifestations spiritually. And then, while carrying about with us this charter of grace, the precious question of our most glorious LORD, put by himself, and opened by himself, in all its beauty and fulness,

will be like an anchor to the soul, in the darkest night of heresy, silencing all the blasts of a CHRIST-despising generation.-What think ye of CHRIST."

LESSONS from the Holy Scriptures, as used in the Sunday School established in the Parish of Charles, in Plymouth, called, "The Household of Faith." By Robert Hawker, D. D. Palmer. Second Edition. 1826.

AN admirable arrangement of scripture lessons, with observations for the instruction of the rising generation in correct reading, and in the knowledge of subjects involving their spiritual and eternal interests. But our commendation of this excellent little work, cannot be so unrestrained as that of the one just noticed. "Children of larger growth," than those for whom they are arranged, might obtain profitable information from the remarks appended to each lesson; and those of" the household of faith," who are beyond natural childhood, might sit down to these instructions, and be furnished from them with the strong meat which belongeth to them that are of full

age.

We fear there are few sunday schools whose conductors adopt their

use.

Short Observations on the four first Verses of the Second Chapter of the Song of Songs. By Samuel Eyles Pierce. Palmer, 1826.

A truly sweet and precious compendium of spiritual reflections, which by the Holy Spirit's divine influences will be blessed to the spiritual reader; and enable him to launch forth in seraphic contemplation of the person and all-sufficiency of Christ, and teach him to emulate the enraptured poet who sung,

Nor earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars,
Nor heaven his full resemblance bears;
His beauties you can never trace,
'Till you behold him face to face!

Short Observations on the Twenty-third Psalm. By Samuel Eyles Pierce. Palmer, 1826.

THIS, also, is a rich summary of good things concerning Jesus, the Shepherd of Israel. The short paraphrase on each verse of the Psalm, is big with matter of momentous interest to the church of God, the sheep and lambs of Christ's fold.

We always lament when we find the Lord's under shepherds, who are far advanced in the divine life, and who dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places-forgetful of the character of the weakly lamb;-and descending not from their high places to the lowly vale, where alone such pastures

are found as supply convenient food. Here, it will be seen, the venerable writer has not forgotten his younger brethren:

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"We may, secondly, observe, that Christ has all the properties of a great and good shepherd. The sheep require the shepherd's care. The Lord Jesus makes his people his constant care. He takes an infinite delight in exercising the love of his heart, and the bowels of his mercy towards them. They stand in need of food; Christ constantly supplies his with spiritual food convenient for them. Their cases require particular consideration. Christ takes particular notice of all the flock, of the lambs, as well as of the sheep. He feeds his flock like a shepherd. Are any of them lost? Christ goes to seek them. Are any of them driven out of the way, or from the way, the right way? he brings again that which was driven away. Are any of them broken in heart? Are they afflicted in their conscience? Christ binds up that which was broken. Are any of them sick under spiritual decays and infirmities? Christ will administer his word unto them, and strengthen them, see Ezekiel xxxiv. 16. As our Lord hath lambs in his flock, as well as sheep, so he will carry himself with infinite pity and tenderness towards them. They being weak and strengthless, he will take them up, and carry them in his bosom; so that they shall be near his heart. He will cherish, refresh, and warm them with his heart's love, his arms shall embrace them, his bosom shall be opened for them to lean upon; his heart's love shall be manifested unto them, and as one whom his mother comforteth, so will this divine Shepherd comfort the lambs of his flock. Indeed his love towards them is as great as it is towards the strong; they are near his heart, his soul rejoiceth in them, and over them, to do them good. He will never leave them, nor forsake them.-David says, the Lord is my shepherd, I am one of his sheep; he loved me, and gave himself for me. He has taken my nature into union with his person, and he hath fulfilled all righteousness in his life, and put away the sins of his people by his death. And by his Holy Spirit he has brought me to know him, to believe on him, and to look to him for every thing. I put myself, by faith, under him for protection; and this, says he, is the inference which I draw from the Lord's being my shepherd, I shall not want."

Would that the strong were always thus regardful of the weak! then might the spiritual family more often rejoice together-the brother of low degree, in that he is exalted; and the rich, in that he is made low.

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; or a Call to consider the certain Destruction of all created things, and the eternal duration of Righteousness and Salvation. The substance of two Sermons preached at Providence Chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, by the Rev. W. ·Huntington, Oct. 27, 1811. Taken in Short-hand.

AN excellent sermon on Isa. li. 6. rescued, by the kindness of a friend, from the oblivion which generally succeeds the delivery of oral discourses; and which, the reader is informed in the introductory address, has lain in manuscript a long period, till an opportunity was found for publishing. As we equally differ in judgment from those who renounce all consideration of "frames and feelings," and those who prescribe a certain line of "deep experience" in the Lord's

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