“Christ," he argues, "died for our of fences and rose again for our justification. His death was a sacrifice of propitiation for the sins of men. Under the government of a holy and righteous Being, jealous of the honour of his law, and invariably disposed to testify his abhorrence of sin by some awful token of his displeasure against it, even while he cancelled the guilt of the transgressor, the death of Christ was the appointed condition of conferring pardon on the penieat: it was a solemn ratification, on the part of God, of the promise and grant of everlasting life and blessedness, on the terms of a sincere, though mixed and imperfect obedience. The resurrection of Christ was a visible testimony, that his death was available to the benevolent purpose, for which it was ordained; and that the Suprenic Sovereign, who, for wise ends in his administrafiet, appointed this method of dispensing pardon and happiness to the penitent and upright, approved and confirmed it. "This event, then, by dissipating the fears and encouraging the hopes of persons, conscious of their demerit and imperfection, afords a very powerful inducement to activity and zeal in well doing. So far from baving a tendency to relax the resolution of upright and ingenuous minds; to render the careless and slothful; and to make them contented with partial and low attainments in virtue and piety; the assutance, derived from the death and subsequent resurrection of Christ, that God is not trict to mark the iniquity of the penitent, and that he will accept the sincere, notwithstanding their infirmities and failings, is an incentive to emulation, diligence, and conancy, in the practice and profession of reAg, which none but obdurate transgressors saa resist." pp. 109, 110.. will, as well as of the understanding;" and that it depends on the state of the affections and passions, as well as upon the judgment; and may be obstructed or promoted by a variety of circumstances besides the simple evidence of truth." Whilst one person, he says, may be incredulous, because he indulges prejudices, &c.; another person will find ample, clear, convincing evidence, which was objectionable, unsatisfactory, and inconclusive, to the other. Conceit, and an affecta ciency, and a desire of differing tion of superior wisdom; self-suffi from the multitude; obstinacy in error, or addictedness to licentions conduct; may bar up the avenues to the light of truth. Christian faith, he also says, is of a practical nature. the truth of the discoveries of revela "Those," he observes," who admit tion, with regard to the providence of God, the mediation of the Redeemer, the pardon of sin, the grant of divine assistance, and a state of future immortality; are furnished with principles of conduct and of consolation which the light of unassisted reason could never have afforded them." repre Much as we approve the passages we have quoted-passages which, exempt Dr. Rees from some of the if taken by themselves, seen to charges commonly brought against persons inclining to his doctrinal his discourses on Faith as radically opinions-we nevertheless consider deficient in two most important particulars. First, sents faith as the gift of God: it is he no where described as if it were the act of the unassisted will and affections. The places, so entirely omits the menpreacher here, as in many other tion of that "divine succour" of too briefly treating in a former which we represented him as much likely to forget that it is the office sermon, that his hearers will be The latter part of the passage which we have last quoted is extremely good, and serves to vinditate those views of the practical infinence of the doctrine of the atoneent, which are generally mainlained by orthodox divines. The two following Sermons are Faith. The author shews that we the very important subject of in things not actually submitted to by faith-that is, by our belief r senses-in most of the concerns of this life, and justly infers the rea of the divine Spirit to produce this wnableness of the use of it in re- grace in us. ligion. He remarks, also, that of faith as the operation of God; grace in us. The Scriptures speak "Christian faith is an act of the "Unto you," says the apostle, "is it given to believe:" and the language which we are continually taught by inspiration to employ is, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." We at the same time perfectly agree with Dr. Rees, that nothing can be more rational than faith it is conformable, that is to say, to right reason; though the reason of man, on account of its being clouded by prejudice and sin, is prone, either in whole or in part, to resist the truth; and needs therefore, like all his other powers, to be baptized with the baptism of the Spirit. The other omission is scarcely of less moment. Our author speaks of faith generally; meaning, for the most part, faith in the being and attributes of God, and in the divine mission of our Saviour. Faith, how ever, when treated of in the New Testament, is very frequently and emphatically applied to the death and sufferings of Christ, and to his propitiation for sin and it is even described as standing opposed to works, so far as respects our justification; " For by grace are ye saved, through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast: "..." therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace." We are said to "have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand;" and, "being justified by faith," to "have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: and, to quote a still stronger passage, it is affirmed; "Now to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Surely, therefore, faith in the blood of Christ," faith in him who died for our sins and rose again for our justification"-which faith, it is expressly said," is imputed to us for righteousness"-ought always to make a leading part of that general definition of Christian faith which is given by an ambassador of Christ, a minister of reconciliation under the gracious dispensation of the Gospel. Our church has admirably provided, by her Articles and Homilies, as well indeed as by her general service, for the assertion of this important principle. The next Sermon, on the "Christian Hope," partakes of the fault which is most common in these volumes: it makes man to appear too much as the author of his own salvation, while it is far from sufficiently celebrating the riches of the divine mercy. It speaks, indeed, of the blessedness of the Christian hope; and we must acknowledge that the heart of the author, especially in his 158th page, appears to be warmed with his subject: but why do we not find among the reasous for denominating this hope blessed, some clearer mention of that grace which is the foundation of it, and which is spoken of by the apostle in the following manner a few verses after the text: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived," &c.: "but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared; not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Dr. Rees is a man of so much ability, he has such command of language, and places in so striking a point of view some of the doctrines with which he is chiefly conversant, that his readers are in danger of being seduced into too favourable an opinion of his creed, by the effect which in such hands even a very imperfect theology produces. We are anxious to guard them against certain writers of talents on this account. We will illustrate our remark by adverting to a passage in the work of Dr. A. Smith on the Theory of Moral Sentiments. He there describes, with much ability, the case of a great man pursued by a guilty conscience, and gives a most striking view of the horrors of his mind, without taking to his aid that source of terror to the wicked which is derived from religious considerations. He represents the unhappy object as "sensible that the honour of his exalted station is become defiled by the baseness of the means through which he rose to it; as invoking in vain the dark and dismal powers of forgetfulness and oblivion; as remembering, nevertheless, what he has done, and inferring that other people likewise must remember it." "Amidst all the gaudy pomp," says he, "of the most ostentatious great ness; amidst the venal and vile adu lation of the great and learned; amidst the more innocent, though more foolish, acclamations of the common people; amidst all the pride of conquest, and the triumph of successful war, he is still secretly pursued by the avenging furies of shame and remorse: and while glory seems to surround him on all sides, he himself, in his own imagination, sees black and foul infamy fast pursuing him, and every moment ready to overtake him from behind." How many persons are there, who, in reading this terrific description, would deem nothing wanting to complete the picture? And yet, surely the idea of an avenging Deity, and of a state of eternal retribution, would have added unspeakably to the horror of the description. "Oh my offence is rank!--it smells to Hea ven!" Many will rise from the perusal of this passage in the work of Dr. Smith, with little consciousness of any defect in it; because his very superior talents have enabled him thus strikingly to illustrate his own imperfect doctrine respecting conscience, without calling to his aid any idea of a God or an hereafter. We would apply the remark, though int a measured way, to the sermon of Dr. Rees now under consideration. He pleases our ear with his description of the Christian hope, and introduces a variety of just and strik-. ing sentiments on the subject; but, as we have already noticed, one essential circumstance, which contributes to the “ blessedness" of it, is nearly omitted. How might this writer have improved his discourse, if, in tracing the source of this hope, and in treating of the triumphant as well as grateful feeling which it is so well calculated to inspire, he had held up conspicuously to view the astonishing magnitude of the divine grace in our redemption; if he had reminded us, that it is a hope vouchsafed to those who might otherwise have been in despair;-a hope which a Mary Magdalen was invited to enjoy, and which a thief on the cross was encouraged to entertain;-and if he had thus endeavoured to attune all our hearts to that universal song of the redeemed; "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and "And dominion for ever and ever.' every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." on The following discourse, "mutual Love," is among the best in the two volumes. We cannot, indeed, agree with our author in "indulging the pleasing expectation that Christianity, when unendowed, will justify the renewal of that expression of the first disciples, "Behold how these Christians love one another!" but we can cordially unite in almost every other sentiment of the sermon. The author rises above his ordinary level in the following passage. "His doctrine likewise, deriving ener from his example, inculcates the same lesson. Does he not teach us, that we are all children of the same parent; alike sinful and guilty; and by the grace of his gospel and the efficacy of his mediation, alike recovered to the hope of pardon and assistance; and equally candidates for future felicity and glory? Thus allied to one another by our derivation from God; by the common participation of the bounties of his providence and the blessings of his grace; by the circumstances of guilt and weakness in which he found us and in which he was manifested for our relief and rescue; by the possession of similar privileges under the dispensation which he has established; and by the same animating hopes with which he has inspired us:-Thus allied to one another, nothing need be said to evince the obligation of mutual love." pp. 182, 183. "The excellence," he afterwards observes, " of this distinction of Christian faith and practice will farther appear, if we consider, that it is a distinction which is durable as eternity. When all our present discriminating appellations and outward forms of profession shall cease, and we compose a part of a great maltitude of glorified and happy beings which no man can number; when our faith shall be transformed into sight and hope be accomplished in fruition; our love to one another will remain, and acquire a refinement and energy, which will render it a source of consummate and never-ending felicity. Love is the very element of hea vell It is the vital principle of celestial spirits. From the uninterrupted and increasing exercise of it we shall derive permanent and increasing felicity through eternal ages." p. 190. "Finally," he says in conclusion, "Let us aspire to the region of perfect peace and love. Discord and tumult rend the church and distract the world. From scenes of devastating conquest, carnage, and blood, let us direct our views to the tranquil asylum prepared for the upright and holy; to that unmolested and eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God." p. 194. In the next sermon, "On a wounded Spirit" (the text is taken from Prov. xviii. 14), the following passages occur. "It is a principal requisite of the state of mind here supposed, that it should have no occasion for self-crimination and self-reproach. Guilt is timid and enfeebling. It creates suspicions and excites alarms which discompose and distress the spirit. Bereaved of tranquillity and self-possession, and destitute of that confidence and resolution which rectitude of conduct inspires, the sa tisfaction which prosperity affords will be very partial and precarions; and the shock of adversity, real or apprehended, will sink it into despondence and despair.”..........“ To the throne of the universe" (the preacher goes on to say), the man having this wounded spirit "cannot dare to lift up his eyes. The thought of Omnipotence, connected with justice, and inflicting deserved penalty, frets every faculty, and harrows up every feeling of his soul. Thus bereaved of every outward resource, barred from access to every refuge, and despairing of succour from every helper which the compass of creation might afford him; he retires within himself, and in the recesses of his own mind meets the most implacable foes," &c. &c. One would imagine that the ambassador of Christ would have im mediately proceeded to declare, in the most broad and explicit terms, that there is comfort and encouragement provided in the Gospel for that kind of troubled spirit which he had described, and for which in no other quarter is there any cure; that there is balm in Gilead, and a true Physician there ;-that he would have gone on to preach the Gospel to the meek; to bind up the broken heart; and to open the prison door to them that are bound. Our author, indeed, proceeds to say (but how cold and tame is he on this point, compared with the apostles of our Lord!); "The only effectual antidote to guilt, is a sense of divine forgiveness; and next to not having offended at all, is the state of those whose transgressions are pardoned; whom God, according to his graci ous promises by Jesus Christ, has restored to peace and favour." Have we not then "all sinned and come short of the glory of God;" and are we not all "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus?"_ But he adds, "The most happy condition of all is, that of persons whose consciences acquit and approve them in the review of life, and who have no reason for timidity and despond ence, whatever may be the events that befal them. Self-approved, their spirits will be erect and firm, calm and tranquil; prepared them.” Such is the author's mode (and a more unevangelical, a more unscrip. tural mode can hardly be conceive ed) of disposing of this interesting topic; except indeed, that, after an interval of about ten pages, cur sory mention is made of the pardon of repenting transgressors, of the assistance of the humble and upright, and of the mediation of Christ, which is said to certify the acceptableness of a sincere though imperfect obedience. We doubt whether any persons, and we more than doubt whether any considerable class of men, haye acceptable to God than uniform obe represented repentance as more dience." The current doctrine of those to whom we conceive allusion to be made, is this, That no meis practice uniform obedience; that they who are most ready to profess it, deceive themselves by a superfi cial appearance of goodness; that repentance is consequently an universal duty; and, moreover, that it is so represented in Scripture. In: short, their doctrine is, that repent ence, supposing it to be genuine, is more acceptable than that which is often assumed to be uniform obedi ence: and one of their authorities, among many others, is, the parable. of the Pharisee and the Publican: "I tell you, this man" (the pub "went down to his house justified rather than the other." Dr. Rees proceeds :— We come now to the 11th Ser mon, which is termed «A Preservative against Mistakes with Relican) gard to the Nature and Efficacy of Repentance." This discourse harmonizes with the passages on which we have just animadverted; and the error is thus shewn to be consistent and systematic. The text is taken from Luke xv. 31: "And he' said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me; and all that I have is thine." Our author, after describ ing the primary meaning of the parable, as applying to the Jews, observes, very justly, that it served to "answer another very important purpose," being "designed to encourage the hope of penitent transgressors of every age and nation." He adds, Because the passions and feelings of cited; because they produce a more obpenitent transgressors are more sensibly exservable effect; because persons in this state are more visibly solicitous to obtain pardon and favour; because their zeal is awakened by a sense of their danger, and by a concern to escape it; and because their change of conduct attracts notice; repentance has been thought more deserving of approbation and praise than the calm, steady, progressive practice of piety and virtue. It has received from the multitude a degree of applause, which has not been commonly be stowed on the conduct of those, who have seldom deviated from the path of duty; who have pursued, with few intermissions and failings, a regular course of unoffending and irreproachable virtue; or who have had, comparatively, no occasion for repentance, is a maner the most forcible and satisfac- or, at least, for any very observable change tory, the placability of God and his readi- in their disposition or practice. There are ess to forgive true penitents, have deduced many, I trust, of this character; who, under from them a very unwarrantable inference, the influence of religious principles, imbibed Not satisfied with the only conclusion that in their youth and cherished in maturer can be justly drawn from such passages; years, have been preserved from any very that God is mercifully disposed to pardon culpable, flagrant, and repeated violation of penting sinners; they have represented their duty either to God or man. Although repentance as more acceptable and pleasing the most blameless and exemplary are subto God than a course of uniforma obedi-ject to failings and imperfections, yet as they ce." p. 22%. are neither wilful nor habitual, the gracions Some persous, however, not duly considering the principal design of this parable, as well as of other passages, that represent, |