want of that definite use of terms, and that clear explanation of subjects, which is of the utmost importance to uninformed persons, and through want of which we are persuaded many writers and preachers are, humanly speaking, far less useful than they otherwise would

be.

The following extract will both afford a fair specimen of Mr. D.'s style, and enable us still farther to point out the defect of which we complain. It forms somewhat more than half the second Sermon.

III. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Blessed be God, the benefits of Christ's death are not confined to one favoured nation or people; but are as universal as the light of the sun. He died for all. He is

offered to all. He is the Saviour of all that believe. None are excluded from the benefits of his death, and from the blessings of his great salvation, who do not exclude themselves by their wilful unbelief, and by their obstinacy in sin. All need his

mercy.

All are invited to partake of it freely, without limitation and without exception. All are exhorted to come and receive of the fulness of his grace. All are welcome. Not one, who believingly applies, will be ever rejected. "Whosoever believeth." Whosoever believeth in Christ, of whatsoever rank, character,' or condition, shall be sared. Each of us need his mercy and each of us shall be invited to partake of the merits of his atoning blood. Each of us is welcome to "come and take of the water of life freely;" and, if any of us, or all of us, do come to Christ in faith and love, we shall be saved from the power and guilt of sin. We ought not, we cannot, we dare not, doubt it. The word is passed. The promise is made. The covenant of mercy is sealed in blood. The faithful promise is made by God himself, "who cannot lie," and who will "not alter the thing that is gone out of his lips." The whole world cannot reverse it. All the powers of men cannot alter or disannul it. We may disbelieve, yet, he "abideth faithful," he cannot deny himself. The faithfulness of God pledged, that "whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but," &c.

But, be it never forgotten, that the faith required, and that will entitle us to the blessings of this great salvation, is not a feigned or hypocritical faith. It is a "true and living faith." It is easy to say, "I believe;” but, the faith that is saving flies

to Christ, as the only Saviour from the curse of sin. This faith turns the soul from sin. This faith embraces the Saviour in all his holy offices to instruct, to save, and to sanctify, and to reign in the heart over all the powers of darkness, and every evil propensity. This faith unites the soul to the Saviour, and derives from that union power to subdue sin, and to live to God. This faith purifies the heart, and sanctifies the soul. This faith lives on the word of promise, produces holiness, is fruitful in loving obedience, and abounds in all good works to the glory of Him who "hath called him out of darkness into the marvellous light" of divine truth. This faith receives and enjoys the blessings of the "great salvation." This faith receives pardon of sin through the atoning blood of the cross. This faith in the soul is glory begun on earth. This faith is the earnest of the inheritance of the saints, and the foretaste of the joys of heaven. For, "whosoever believeth in him shall never perish.". "He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life."-" Him to know is life eternal."-" Whosoever believeth in him hath everlasting life." This precious promise is confirmed by the oath of that God who cannot lie;" that "the heirs of salvation might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the Gospel.""Never perish." Sin is destroyed. The curse is removed. The debt is paid. God is reconciled. Heaven is his inheritance. Glory is his purchased possession. ing justified through the Spirit," he is passed from death unto life, and shall not come finally into condemnation. Faith in Christ is imperishable. It unites the soul to its God. It partakes of his immortality. It liveth and abideth for ever. "Never perish." No force nor fraud can destroy it. No trial nor distress can root it out. No

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persecution nor torture can prevent its growth. Not even death can extinguish it. It is the "seed that is incorruptible." It is life everlasting.

This life is but short and uncertain. Hence we flourish but to die. "All flesh is but as grass." "Our life is but a vapour." But the life of faith in the Son of God is for ever and for ever. Faith in Christ is but the commencement of that life which shall never end. Being the Son of God by a living faith in Christ, he is an heir of glory. When the world shall be destroyed, and all that is in it "shall be dissolved," the true believer shall still survive the wreck of nature, the ruin of the world, and the dissolution of all creation. He shall outlive the fall of the sun, moon, and stars. When the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll," he shall still remain and live for ever. Death shall be swallowed.

up of victory; and he, clothed with immortality, shall be admitted to the presence

of God in glory.

Beloved, what do we know experimen

tally of the love of God in Christ Jesus? Do we know our perishing state by nature; and, have we, feelingly alive to our danger, fled for refuge to the hope set before us in the Gospel? Hath "the grace of God brought salvation to our souls?" Hath faith in the blood of Jesus purified our hearts? Are we now evidencing that we do possess true and living faith by our daily conduct, and our holy obedience to all the commands of God? or, are we flattering ourselves, that we are interested in the love of Christ, whilst we are the slaves of sin, and living in ❝ divers lusts and pleasures," contrary to the will of God, and the welfare of the soul? O, let us not live a day under such delusion, where the soul is deeply and eternally concerned. Let us

who believe in Jesus Christ; it implies the certainty and the perpetuity of faith in the elect; it insists on the inseparable effect of living faith in producing holiness; but it does not tell us what faith is-what it is to believe in the Son of God; it does not describe that reception of the divine testimony as truethat coming to Christ that depending upon him-that resting of the soul upon his sacrifice-that entire reliance upon him for the supply of every want and the communication of every blessing which constitutes the essence of living faith. And it rather seems to countenance the idea of those who con

rule of God's word, faithfully and impartially, as in the sight of God. Can we bear the test? Is our conscience alarmed? Does it plainly tell us that we are "in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniqui

ty?" Does it tell us, that though we have a name to live, yet we are ready to perish?" O let us not trifle with the religion of the God of heaven, nor with our precious souls. May the "love of Christ

constrain us to love Him who lived and died that we might “never perish." May "the love of Christ constrain us" to live to his glory by giving up all sin, by abandoning all iniquity, and by "living a sober, righteous, and godly life." If "the love

of Christ do not thus influence our hearts, we are yet in our sins;" our faith is barren and unprofitable; our hope is but delusion, and we have no share in the blessings of the great salvation. But, "why will ye die?" "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for he will abundantly pardon him." "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow; though they be red like crimson, yet, through faith in the blood of Christ, they shall be as white as snow." For, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Amen.

We apprehend no person can read this extract without being impressed with its general correctness and excellence; and it is on that very ground we select it in preferrence to some other passages; it points out the blessed state of those

own interest in Christ, which is, properly speaking, assurance; instead of that settled conviction founded on the word of God, that there is salvation for all who apply unto God through Christ: a conviction which invariably produces humble, fervent prayer; diligent study of God's word; continual attention to the means of grace; anxious fears of coming short; and earnest desires after higher degrees of grace, and holiness, and devoted obedience.

We trust both Mr. D. and our readers will excuse these remarks. The addition of a few pages more to the volume in another edition will allow of more particularity and precision, and will very much improve the character of the Sermons, which are at present far too short.

Essays on moral and religious Subjects. By Daniel Copsey.-8vo. Pp. 244. Seeley.

ON taking up this publication, one of our stated contributors exclaimed, "This must be the work of a bold, or of an inexperienced author. He must either be confident that his volume is able to create an interest, or quite unaware of the necessity of endeavouring to attract the attention of the public."

Now, without stopping to inquire whether this exclamation is absolutely correct, we are compelled to regret that many works like the present, containing much good and solid matter, are offered to the world in so uninviting or repulsive a form, and with so common-place or meager a title, that they either drop still-born from the press, or are confined to the narrow circle of those who, by personal friendship or local circumstances, are connected with their authors.

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Essays on moral and religious subjects are things with which, from superlatively good to positively bad, the public have been of late years well supplied, and which are therefore to be met with in most libraries. The present volume, however, possesses far stronger claims to regard and attention than its title or its appearance would indicate. It treats of the internal evidence of the Holy Scriptures: the Deity of Christ; public worship; prayer; covetousness; and self-knowledge. Some of these topics are discussed in a very complete manner; and the style is frequently animated and forcible. Perhaps it would have been better if the longer essays had been divided into parts or sections. Seventy pages of close print for a single essay, without any division, is not altogether expedient, especially when the subject admits of being broken into parts, without weakening the effect of the argument. We have derived, however, much satisfaction from the examination of the work, and we trust the following_extracts, from the Essay on the Deity of Christ, will meet with the approbation of our readers.

Further, What is said of the exaltation of Christ?

After having humbled himself even unto death, he was highly exalted "far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come." Inasmuch as Christ was the

"Mediator between God and man," and as

such "the man Christ Jesus," he is said to have been raised from the dead by his Father: "This Jesus hath God raised." But when the divine nature of our Lord is, referred to, then it is said that he laid down his life, that he might take it again; for he had power to lay it down, and power to take it again.

"He ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.' And among these gifts, the most eminent is the gift of the Spirit, which Christ promised to send unto his disciples. And this

Spirit is called both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. And it is the gift both of the Father and of Christ

See Rom. viii. 9.

(compare John, xiv. 26, and xv. 26); and hereby we are furnished with the best comment on the words of our Lord, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

Other gifts which Christ was exalted to bestow, are 66 repentance," and the "forgiveness of sins." Repentance is the gift and operation of God; and the forgiveness

of sins

the prerogative of Deity. Christ connected together the power of healing diseases, and of forgiveness of sins, as proceeding from the same authority, and requiring equal power. When the Jews objected to the exercise of this prerogative by Christ, and said, "Who can forgive sins but

Jesus asserted that he had God only? power on earth to forgive sins; thus assent

ing to what the Jews had stated with respect to this power belonging solely to God, and claiming at the same time the right of exercising it.

ship of heaven. He is incapable of exaltaChrist is exalted to the glory and wor

tion, or accession to his glory and happiness, inasmuch as he is "over all God blessed for ever;" but as the Mediator, he was raised from his state of abjectness, and poverty, and contempt, and misery, and death, to receive the adoration of the heavenly hosts.

Shall we then hesitate to address our

prayers to Him, into whose hands dying martyrs committed their spirits?-whose grace and power were supplicated by his holy and faithful Apostles?-and who is beings, and the spirits of redeemed men? worshipped and adored in heaven by angelic Shall we fear to imitate the worship of hea

ven?

The angels are commanded to worship Jesus. David spake of the glory of his kingdom, and St. Paul interprets his language as applying to Christ; "And let all the angels of God worship him." Shall we then fear or besitate to prostrate ourselves at His feet in humble adoration, before whom "Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry," "Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come;' and at whose feet the mighty intelligences, the

angelic armies, and those whom he has ransomed from the earth, fall down and cast their crowns before his throne, saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." His ears hearken day and night to the pure service of the church triumphant above; O let not then the worship of the church militant on earth be withheld; but let our prayers, as "golden vials full of odours," and our songs of

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praise, as the voice of many waters," join with the voice of harpers harping with their harps," and ascend continually before his throne! Let us begin on earth the worship of the heavenly state, and say, Hallelujah! "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." Pp. 93-95.

Again, speaking of the Scripture testimony concerning the coming of Christ, he says:

On earth he was a man of sorrows; his glory was obscured and veiled by the inferior nature which he assumed; but on the Great Day he shall appear in all the unapproachable brightness of his Godhead. Those eyes, which once looked on him with scorn and rage, shall be dimmed with the insufferable splendour of his glory.-Where are now the wise men of the world who despised him, and charged him with madness, and imputed his works to demoniacal agency?-They are covered with shame, and are speechless before him.

Where are they who took up stones to cast at him? Where is the multitude that cried, "Away with him, Away with him; Crucify him, Crucify him?" Their tongues now utter only wailing and lamentations, and the cries of despair. Where are the mockers and scoffers who smote him,-who buffeted him,-who spit in his face,-who tore and mangled his body with iron rods,-who drove with heavy blows the thorns into his bleeding brow, who nailed him to the cross, and wantonly pierced his side with the spear?Where are the chief priests and the scribes Where who conspired to destroy him?

Judas who betrayed him? Where Pilate who condemned him,—and the soldiers who crucified him?-Can they now look on him? Shall not those hearts which were "as firm as a stone, yea, as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone," melt away before "the terror of the Lord?" Shall not their knees smite together, and the faces of them all gather blackness?-His eye penetrates their souls; the awful majesty of his countenance-his "voice as the sound of many waters"-his "throne high and lifted up"—his attendant angels, in number "ten

thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands"-all this grandeur and glory causes their hearts to fail, and they become as dead men. Constrained by his resistless power, they assemble in dread suspense before the Judge of all; from his mouth all await their final, their everlasting doom. What a day of exultation to the friends of Jesus, and what a day of sorrow, and terror, and despair, to his enemies!Pp. 96, 97.

Mental Discipline'; or,

Hints on

the Cultivation of intellectual Habits, &c. By Henry Forster Burder, M. A. Pp. 94. Westley.

THIS is a small sensible publication, principally compiled indeed from various sources, but not on that account the less worthy of serious and repeated perusal; it is divided into two parts, viz. 1. Hints with a view to aid the Cultivation of those intellectual Habits which will best facilitate the Acquisition of Knowledge; and, 2. Hints to aid the Cultivation of mental Habits, with a view to the Communication of Knowledge in the Engagements of the Christian In the first part the auMinistry. thor lays down the following rules :

1. Endeavour to form a correct estimate of your own powers.

2. Attach importance to the various branches of study prescribed, not only as they may appear directly to bear upon the pursuits of a future life, but also as they tend to promote the discipline and improvement of the mind.

3. Apply the mind with full vigour and undivided attention to every intellectual pursuit in which you engage.

4. Uniformly endeavour to attain clear and precise ideas on every subject of investigation, and never allow indistinctness and confusion of thought to remain in the mind, without a determined effort to arrive at discriminating and accurate conceptions.

5. Endeavour carefully to discriminate between sound and false reasoning; that you may readily detect, and never employ, arguments wanting in solidity.

6. Endeavour to acquire the habit of strict and diligent investigation.

7. Avail yourselves of the assistance of others, whether tutors, associates, or authors, only so far as to obtain the aid actually requisite, and not to supersede the utmost efforts of your own mind.