our lot to review a work so scriptural in its statements, so lucid in its arrangement, and so well-argued in its reasoning. The Epistles to the Romans and Galatians are examined as an authoritative basis of investigation. The Tractarian and Romish subtleties are considered and refuted; ample reference is made to the teaching of the Church of England, as exhibited in the writings of her most learned and famous Divines; the great doctrine of justification by faith is traced out in its direct association with all the other truths of the Gospel, objections are carefully met, and the practical tendencies of this great Protestant doctrine are carefully given, while the comfort resulting from a firm adherence to the precious truth is adduced as an additional reason for commending the doctrine to the heart and mind of man. We deeply regret that our crowded pages prevent us giving, as we should like to give, large extracts from this able and well-timed treatise. We can only find room for the closing remarks, which will afford a specimen of the Author's style, and which will give, in a condensed compass, the pith and marrow of all that can be said on the doctrine which is the anchor-hold of our own Church's safety, and from which Reformers took their watchword "JEHOVAH ZIDKENU.” "How shall we not cling to this rock of our hope? Reason bids us hold it fast the multitude of dangers now surrounding our Protestant Church, bids us cling to it with firmer grasp the Martyred Saints of our Reformed, our pure and Apostolic Church, proclaim their own example, and bid us hold yet firmer still the weapon which they wielded with such sure success; and the voice of God himself commends, by every endearing and persuasive argument, this Scriptural peaceassuring doctrine of justification, by the imputed righteousness of Christ, through the instrumentality of faith. Experience, moreover, that of individuals, and that of Churches, urges to the same thing, proclaiming this doctrine to be the only successful promotion of that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. It bids us hold and teach, fully, and without reserve, in all its freeness and simplicity, justification by faith only, as the surest way of saving souls from sin, of pulling down the strongholds of self-righteousness, and forwarding the grand object of our redemption, namely, the extension of the kingdom of Christ. This, then, is the great subject which we have endeavoured to discuss, the justification of fallen sinners in the sight of God, the being accounted righteous by the perfect righteousness and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, applied and made effectual to the sinner by faith, freely and graciously offered to all, witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, and given to all who believe. But more than this, a justification which has sanctification as its essential and necessary companion, invariably following and springing from it: a justification which includes reconciliation with God, and promises and ensures everlasting peace: which promises and assures to the believer salvation from wrath now, and hereafter, and sets the captive free; which places the believer in the inestimably exalted position of an adopted son of God, and secures to him the glorious promise and reality of an inheritance with the saints in light, a joint-inheritance with the glorified Saviour at the right hand and in the eternal presence of the ever-blessed God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Emily Bathurst, or At Home and Abroad. Fcp. 8vo. Price, 38. THIS book has two objects; one, to vindicate missionary efforts, the other to correct certain faults too commonly observable in young people. A full and interesting account is given of the operations of the Church Missionary Society in New Zealand, but we must object very seriously to the introduction of a "Dr. James, Fellow of College, Cambridge," and his friends, "Mr. and Mrs. Wilson," a zealous and well-informed clergyman and his wife, as total strangers to the mere existence of such a Society as the "Church Missionary." With this exception, there is much to interest and much to improve young readers. One chapter in particular (the eleventh), contains such a natural description, and is so well calculated to correct faults and mistakes which are too prevalent, that we should like to lay it before our readers. But we have no room to spare for its insertion. Mimpriss' Graduated System: Manuals for Five Grades. London: Varty. Mr. MIMPRISS' works will long remain monumental of his earnest piety, his unwearied industry, and his zealous services in the cause of Sunday school instruction. It is quite hopeless for us to attempt to explain his system in a brief notice such as we only have room to give. We refer our readers to "A full development of Mimpriss' System," which may be had for a shilling, and which presents the complete management of each grade, with one entire lesson, selected from the series. Scripture Outlines; Second Series. By J. MONTAGU RANDALL, Price Sixpence. THE first series of these outlines has been so well received, that the second will not stand in much need of recommendation. The second series comprises the Epistles and Gospels; the outlines are well sketched, and the points of truth brought forward are well illustrated by Scripture texts. The whole is simple, evangelical, and church-like. The Early Days of Faith and Love. By M. A. S. BARBER. Price Two and Sixpence. THE title scarcely indicates the nature of the contents. This is such a book as an instructress would write who had guided a number of young persons in the ways of earthly and heavenly wisdom; and who, ere they left her care, desired to give them such a memento of her past counsels, as would abidingly impress those counsels upon their youthful minds. Such appears to have been the aim of Miss Barber in this unpretending, but valuable little work. We join with her in hoping, "that in many a distant home all the instructions and exhortations of one so respected and beloved may be with them still, who were thus privileged, and may prove the seed of the kingdom, bringing forth fruit." We had marked a page or two for insertion, and we regret that we have no room for the transfer. The Jews of the Nineteenth Century. By the Rev. W. AYERST, A.M., Foreign Secretary of the London Society for Christianising the Jews. A COLLECTION of essays, reviews, and historical notices, which were originally published in the "Jewish Intelligence." This work contains, the author tells us, "the substance of observations founded on experience gained in more than twenty years spent in humble, but earnest endeavours to promote the spread of Christianity among the Jews." We advise the introduction of this work into Sunday school libraries; and we assure teachers, that they will find its pages fraught with varied and useful information respecting the present condition of the chosen people. The Church of England Sunday Scholar's Magazine.. Published Monthly. Whittemore, Paternoster-row. Sold also at the Institute, 169, Fleet-street. WE feel that we owe it to our readers to introduce to them this excellent little publication; and teachers who have not yet seen it will be grateful to us for the notice. Simple without being childish, instructive without being over-learned, and above all, attractive without being tawdry, it is an admirable assistant to the faithful teacher, well adapted to strengthen the impressions of the Sunday school, and lead the young pilgrim onwards in his journey to the heavenly city. We have laid great stress on its attractiveness (both in matter and appearance), because on this depends its value in one important point, viz., as a rival to the cheap literature of a demoralising character, which finds so many readers among the young. Teachers who watch the sources of pollution, will find (especially in towns and cities) that this evil is one that slays its tens of thousands; and it is one that can only be met by substituting a better class of books and tracts for young as well as old will read. We must meet our enemies on their own ground, and with such weapons as this little Magazine. It ought to count its circulation by hundreds of thousands. The Great Revolution. By Rev. N. A. GARLAND. Price Twopence. AN excellent and very seasonable little tract, in which the late troubles in France are made to lead the mind to solemn and useful thoughts about the coming of the day when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; whilst the opportunity is taken of enforcing the duty, and displaying the good results, of orderly and cheerful obedience to the powers ordained of God for our government. It should be widely circulated among the lower orders. Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer. By the Rev. C. F. S. MONEY, B.A., Incumbent of St. John's, Derby. 18mo. Price Threepence. PARTLY meditations for the closet, and partly a catechism, simple, Scriptural, and suited for Sunday schools. Tender Grass for Christ's Lambs. By the Rev. W. W. CHAMPNEYS, Rector of Whitechapel. 18mo. pp. 70. Second edition. Sixpence. A PLEASANT pasture-ground, where we doubt not many little lambs have already fed. Fifty-two Scripture subjects are here explained with beautiful simplicity. It has our earnest recommendation. Public Affairs. CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Our readers have already, we doubt not, rejoiced at the appointment of the venerated Bishop of Chester, to the Primacy. The Government has thus done honour to the simplicity of aim, and the unweariedness of zeal which have so long characterised Dr. Sumner in his extensive Episcopate of Chester. We augur a still larger extension of his usefulness to the Church, from his elevation to the See of Canterbury. May his life be long continued, and rich blessing still descend upon his valued labours. It will interest our readers if we give them a brief summary of Church Extension, in the Diocese of Chester, while it was presided over by Dr. Sumner. It may not be generally known, that the present Archbishop of Canterbury was the first to establish Diocesan Church Building Societies. His Grace has thus occasioned, and witnessed in the Chester Diocese, the expenditure of £1,284,299, exclusive of individual efforts. The result is, that amidst the most rapidly increasing population of any part of the united kingdom, the proportion of Church accomodation has, for nearly twenty years, more than kept pace with the increase of inhabitants. We append the summary. 233 New Churches and Districts. 194,745 Additional Sittings. 361 Additional Clergy. 671 NEW SCHOOLS. 768,585 Additional Inhabitants. POLITICAL. It will be evident to all our friends that a magazine published at so long an interval as ours cannot make any pretensions to the character of a newspaper. Our object, therefore, in this portion of our work, will be to lay before our readers only the chief public events that occur from time to time, and to attempt to gather up the lessons which they seem to teach. The very lapse of time which robs our news of its freshness will often be an advantage in our task of showing the bearing of different events on the world and the Church. We are not to wrap ourselves up in our own little circle, forgetful of the fate, and careless of the welfare, of our fellow-creatures. No man liveth to himself; and he who daily utters with his soul and spirit, as well as with his lips, the prayer "thy kingdom come," will also watch with intense interest the signs of the coming answer to that petition. Had it been our task to pen this article so short a space back as the beginning of the present year, we should have had no difficulty in compressing our information within the assigned limit; but during the last six weeks events of tremendous importance have crowded on each other with such startling rapidity, that we shall be compelled to notice them in a space utterly disproportionate to their deep significance. AN EUROPEAN CONVULSION. At the beginning of the present year Europe was in profound peace, and the sovereigns of the various kingdoms entirely unconscious of impending calamity. No one marked the little cloud as it rose from the sea; but ere we had noticed it, it had filled the heavens, and now the thrones of half Europe lie buried beneath the tempest. The French king is dependent on English hospitality for personal safety; his sons, too, have sought refuge with us,-in that country which they have heretofore set up as a mark for military conquest. The king of Hanover has only escaped deposition by granting every demand of his insurgent populace. In Austria, the stronghold of absolute power, a similar insurrection has expelled the statesman, Metternich, who for more than thirty years has ruled in the councils of his royal master. The kings of Bavaria, Naples, and Saxony, have been dictated to by their own subjects; and some of the smaller princes of German states have voluntarily left their thrones to purchase the safety of a private life; whilst the Pope has already learnt that his popularity is as uncertain as the wind. Never has it fallen to a chronicler to tell of such mighty changes in so narrow a space of time; and so complete has been the unsettling, that we await in silent and breathless awe events which, even before the ink with which we write is dry, may surpass all that has gone before. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, Especially offers a striking reflection on the extreme instability of all power that is not based on religious truth, and working out religious ends. On the 23rd February, Louis Philippe, at the head of an army of 100,000 soldiers, bade defiance to any tumult, and begged an English gentleman about to leave Paris, to stay and see with what ease he would put down the approaching tumult. On the very next day he was a fugitive; escaping only through the contempt of the rioters, and owing to the generosity of a few National Guards the trifling sum of money he needed to continue his flight.-Let us hope that the loss of his earthly crown may lead him to seek in his old age for an inheritance in another and better kingdom, which its possessors can never lose. OUR OWN PROSPECTS. Our anxious thoughts will naturally turn to our own beloved country; and, blessed be God, many a fervent prayer will be uttered that she may be preserved from the shock that has thrown down such mighty kingdoms. We have cause for deep thankfulness that the efforts of wicked men to disturb the peace of England and Scotland have most signally failed, notwithstanding the great distress of many of the labouring classes, the riots that have taken place have, in every instance, been the work of mere boys, emboldened by foolish spectators of their mischief, and have called forth a strong expression of loyalty and love of order from working-men, as well as from the middle classes of society. In Ireland there has been no disturbance, but more systematic efforts are being made to provoke the lower orders to downright rebellion-efforts which have attracted the notice of Government, and will draw down severe punishment on the wicked instigators of anarchy and bloodshed. Let us pray unceasingly for a spirit of wisdom in our rulers, and of contentment and sober obedience amongst the ruled; that we may be at peace at home and abroad, and set an example of mighty resources controlled by Christian principles. ADAMS & KING, Printers, 118, Old St. London. |