racterized the discourses of the day; by an absence of display, the learned and critical allusions, though frequent, being very slightly indicated; by a very condensed and axiomatic style of remark; by a sparing but sometimes very happy use of figure; and by occasional bursts of what Doddridge aptly calls a 'sweet natural eloquence.' Of this description is the opening of the seventeenth sermon in the present edition, on Rom. viii. 35, &c.

Is this he who so lately cried out, O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me? who now triumphs, (O happy man!) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Yes, it is the same. Pained, then, with the thoughts of that miserable conjunction with a body of death, and so crying out, Who will deliver, who will separate me from that? now, now, he hath found a Deliverer to do that for him, to whom he is for ever united, and he glories now in his inseparable union and unalterable love, which none can divide him from. Yea, it is through him, that presently after that word of complaint, he praises God. And now, in him he triumphs. So vast a difference is there betwixt a Christian taken in himself, and in Christ! When he views himself in himself, then, he is nothing but a poor, miserable, polluted, perishing wretch. But then he looks again, and sees himself in Christ, and there he is rich, and safe, and happy; he triumphs, and he glories in it, above all the painted prosperities, and against all the horrid adversities of the world.

And he extends his triumph; he makes a common good of it to all believers, speaks it in their name, Who shall separate us? He would have them partake of the same confidence, and speak in the same style with him. It is in vain that men fancy these expressions to relate to revelations, or some singularly privileged assurances: then, they would not suit their end; which is, clearly and undoubtedly, the encouragement of all the children of God, upon grounds that are peculiar to them from all the rest of the world, but common to them all, in all ages, and all varieties of condition.

The conclusion is in the same strain. The whole discourse resembles more what would be technically called a Meditation, than a Sermon.

Having given the challenge, and finding none to answer; and that all the most apparent enemies are in a most rhetorical accumulation silenced, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, &c., he goes on confidently in the triumph, and avers his assurance of full and final victory against all imaginable power of all the creatures: Neither death nor life; not the fear of the most terrible death, nor the hope or love of the most desirable life. And in the height of this courage and confidence, he supposes impossible enemies : Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers;-unless you take it of the angels of darkness only. But if it could be possible that the others should offer at such a thing, they would be too weak for it. No sense of any present things, or apprehensions of things to come; not any thing

within the vast circle of the world above or below, nor any creature, can do it. Here sin is not specified, because he is speaking of outward oppositions and difficulties expressly, and because that is removed by the former challenge, Who shall accuse ?

Alas, poor creatures! rich men, great men, princes and kings, what vain things are those which you embrace and cleave to! Whatsoever they be, soon must you part. Can you say of any of them, Who shall separate us? Storms may arise and scatter ships that sail smoothly together in fair weather. Thou mayest be removed, by public commotions and calamities, from thy sweet dwellings, and so cieties, and estates. You may even live to see, and to seek your parting. At last you must part, for you must die. Then, farewell parks and palaces, gardens and honours, and even crowns themselves. Then dearest friends, children and wife must be parted with. Lin quenda tellus, et domus, et placens uxor.

And what hast thou left, poor soul, that hast not Christ, but that which thou wouldst gladly part with and canst not, the condemning guilt of all thy sins?

But the soul that is in Christ, when other things are pulled away, feels little or nothing: he cleaves to Christ, and these separations pain him not. Yea, when that great separatist, death, comes, that breaks all other unions, even that of the soul and body, yet, so far is it from separating the believer's soul from its beloved Lord Jesus, that, on the contrary, it carries it into the nearest union with him, and the fullest enjoyment of him for ever.'

The Theological Lectures attest Leighton's extensive learning. Bishop Burnet says of him, that he had the greatest command of the purest Latin that ever (he) knew in any man; that he was a master both of Greek and Hebrew, and of the whole compass of theological learning." This is evident from these compositions, which are full of citations from the Greek and the Roman classics, as well as from the Greek and the Latin Fathers. Their deviation from the method commonly used in theological systems, is not less striking than the inartificial character of the

sermons.

• Being to treat of religion, he uses a practical method, which is most suitable to his subject, and begins with happiness, that being the scope and design of religion, as well as the ultimate end of human life. He begins with an explanation of happiness in general, on which he treats at some length; then proceeds to consider the happiness of man, which may be called perfect and truly Divine, as it has for its object the infinitely blessed and perfect Being who created him, and formally consists in the beatific vision and fruition of him, which is reserved in heaven for those who by faith are tra velling through this earth, towards that blessed country. He adds, with great propriety, that happiness, so far as it is compatible with this wretched life of sorrows, consists in true religion, and in religion alone; not only as it is the way which leads directly to that perfeck

happiness reserved in heaven; but because it is itself of Divine original,and in reality the beginnings of that very happiness which is to be perfected in the life to come.

He observes, that the doctrine of religion is most justly called Theology, as it has the most high God for its author, object, and end. He suggests many excellent thoughts concerning the Divine Existence, and reasons from the common consent of nations, from the creatures we see about us, and from what we feel and experience within ourselves, as all these so loudly proclaim the being of God. But the argument taken from the harmony and beautiful order of the universe, he prosecutes at great length; and from this consideration, which is attended with greater evidence than all the demonstrations of the sciences, he clearly proves the existence of an Eternal, Independent Being.

• With regard to the nature of God, he advances but little, and with great caution; for concerning the Supreme Being, he thought it dangerous even to speak truth; but is very earnest and diffuse in his exhortations, to make the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, that shine forth with great lustre in all his works, the subject of our constant and most serious meditations. As to the unfathomable depth of His eternal decrees, he was greatly pleased with that expression of Augustine, Alii disputent, ego mirabor?

Editor's Preface to the Edition of 1693. As a specimen at once of his familiar method, and of his modesty and caution, we extract a part of the tenth lecture, on the Decrees of God.

As the glory and brightness of the Divine Majesty is so great that the strongest human eye cannot bear the direct rays of it, God has exhibited himself to be viewed in the glass of those works which he created at first, and which his unwearied hand continually supports and governs. Nor are we allowed to view his eternal counsels` and purposes through any other medium than this. So that, in our Catechisms, especially the shorter one designed for the instruction of the ignorant, it might perhaps have been full as proper, to have passed over the awful speculation concerning the Divine Decrees, and to have proceeded directly to the consideration of the works of God. But the thoughts you find in it on this subject, are few, sober, clear, and certain; and, in explaining them, I think it most reasonable and most safe, to confine ourselves within these limits.

‹ Here, if any where, we ought to reason in but few words. Such theories ought to be cautiously touched, rather than spun out to a great length. One thing we may confidently assert, that all those things which the great Creator produces in different periods of time, were perfectly known to Him, and, as it were, present to Him, from eternity; and that every thing which happens throughout the several ages of the world, proceeds in the same order and precise manner as the Eternal Mind at first intended it should;—that none of his counsels can be disappointed or rendered ineffectual, or in the least changed or altered by any event whatever. "Known to God are all His works," says the Apostle in the council of Jerusalem, Acts xv. 18.

And the Son of Sirach says, "God sees from everlasting to everlasting, and nothing is wonderful in his sight." Nothing is new or un-' expected to Him; nothing can come to pass that He has not foreseen. And his first thoughts are so wise, that they admit no second ones that can be supposed wiser. And this stability and immutability of the Divine decrees is asserted even by the Roman philosopher: Neçesse est illi eadem semper placere, cui nisi optima placere non possunt. (It is necessary that the same things be always pleasing to Him who can never be pleased but with what is best.)

They always seemed to me to act a very ridiculous part, who contend, that the effect of the Divine Decrees is absolutely irreconcileable with human liberty; because the natural and necessary liberty of a rational creature is, to act or choose from a rational motive, or spontaneously and of purpose. But who sees not that, on the supposition of the most absolute decree, this liberty is not taken away, but rather established and confirmed? For the decree is, that such a one shall make choice of, or do, some particular thing, freely; and whoever pretends to deny that whatever is done or chosen, whether good or indifferent, is so done or chosen, or, at least, may be, espouses an absurdity. But, in a word, the great difficulty in all this dispute, is that with regard to the Origin of Evil. Some distinguish, and justly, the substance of the action, as it is called, or that which is physical in the action, from the morality of it. This is of some weight, but whether it takes away the whole difficulty, I will not pretend to say. Believe me, young gentlemen, it is an abyss, it is an abyss never to be perfectly sounded by any plummet of human understanding. Should any one say, "I am not to be blamed, but Jove and Fate," he will not get off so, but may be non-plussed by turning his own wit against him. The servant of Zeno, the Stoic philosopher, being caught in an act of theft, either with a design to ridicule his master's doctrine, or to avail himself of it in order to evade punishment, said, " It was my fate to be a thief." " And to be punished for it,” said Zeno. Wherefore, if you will take my advice, withdraw your minds from a curious search into this mystery, and turn them directly to the study of piety, and a due reverence to the awful majesty of God. Think and speak of God and His secrets with fear and trembling, but dispute very little about them; and, if you would not undo yourselves, beware of disputing with Him. If you transgress in any thing, blame yourselves: if you do any good, or repent of evil, offer thanksgiving to God. This is what I earnestly recommend to you; in this I acquiesce myself; and to this, when much tossed and disquieted with doubts and difficulties, I had recourse as to a safe harbour. If any of you think proper, he may apply to men of greater learning, but let him take care he meet not with such as have more forwardness and presumption.' pp. 251, 2.

The Expositions of the Creed, of the Lord's Prayer, and of the Decalogue, are fine specimens of the impressive and dignified, if we may not add with Bishop Burnet, sublime strain of his pulpit addresses. Such, we are told, were the grace and gravity of his delivery, added to the majesty and beauty of his

style, that few heard him without a very sensible emotion. I never once saw,' says the same prelate, a wandering exe ❝ where he preached, and have seen whole assemblies often melt ' in tears before him.'-The Letters are so admirable and so characteristic of this holy and apostolic man, that it is much to be regretted that they are so few.

Of the Commentary on Peter, which is by far the best known of all the Bishop's works, it might seem alike superfluous and impertinent to speak. Thus much, however, we may be allowed to say, that the oftener it is read, the more highly it will be valued, as one of the best practical commentaries ever written on any one of the sacred books, and one of the richest treasuries of Christian wisdom. It may not suit all tastes, but it were certainly worth while to acquire the taste requisite to appreciate and relish the works of Leighton.

We confess that we look with some jealousy on abridgements of such an author. Mr. Bradley states, that his edition, though termed an Abridgement, is, in fact, the original Commentary with a few omissions.

• These omissions, it is hoped, will not detract from the value of the book. Indeed, the Editor trusts, that they will increase its usefulness, by rendering it less voluminous and consequently more accessible. The style has been seldom altered; the sentiments never; so that the reader of these pages may be satisfied, that he has always before him the real opinions of the author, expressed generally in his own language.'

This is saying little it is not the opinions merely of such a writer, that we want. It is but due, however, to Mr. Bradley, to say, that, so far as we have compared the Abridgement withi the original, he has executed his task with great care, judgement, and delicacy; the alterations are inconsiderable, and the omissions, if any thing was to be omitted, could not have been better managed. All the Latin quotations are suppressed, the English being generally given without any mark of citation. As a cheap edition of the work, though an imperfect one, we cordially recommend it as admirably adapted to be extensively useful. Still, we cannot admit that the value' of the book suffers no diminution from the omissions, and we must strongly recommend the original to the preference of those who can afford the purchase.

Mr. Bradley's plan of abridgement must be admitted to be every way preferable to tampering with an author's style; and to some works it may be applied with less risk of detracting from the value of the original. Gurnall's quaintly titled work actually wants sifting. No work in the language is richer in original thoughts, pungent axioms, and striking comparisons. An undevout man might almost be tempted to read it for what in less serious composition would be wit, but wit without levity;