6

the blest shall be 'clothed upon with a body 'like unto the glorious body of Christ,' proceeds, instead of detailing any of the circumstances of so interesting a change, or fully describing the glorified body of saints made perfect,' to exhort them to be stedfast, and abounding in the work of the Lord, since they know that their labour is not in vain.' Such passages in the works of the Apostles may furnish the most unlearned Christian with 'a reason for the faith that is in him,' consolatory to his own mind, and unanswerable by Infidels. He may ask them, how it came to pass, that no one of our sacred writers has given a full, minute, and engaging account of all that is (according to him) to take place at the end of the world;-of all the interesting particulars of the day of judgment;-of the new bodies with which men will arise;-and of the glories that shall be revealed in heaven. It is plain, that nothing could have been more gratifying to the curiosity of all who had an interest in the subject; nothing more likely -even to allure fresh converts, than a glowing description of the joys of heaven; it would have been easily believed too, by those who gave credit to the writer, as it is plain St. Paul supposed the Corinthians did;—it would have been very easy for an impostor to give a loose to his fancy, in inventing such a description; and to an enthusiast it would have been unavoidable; he who was passing off his day dreams for revelations, on himself, as well as on others, would have been sure to dream largely on such a subject. Why then did not St. Paul do any thing of the kind? I answer, because he was not an impostor, nor an enthusiast; but taught only what had been actually revealed to him, and what he was commanded to reveal to others. Let Infidels give any other answer to the question if they can. They have had near two thousand years to try; and never yet have they been able to explain the dry, brief, uncircumstantial, unadorned, unpretending accounts which our sacred writers give, of things the most interesting to human curiosity, on any other supposition than that of their being honest and şober-minded men, who spoke only what they knew to be the truth." P. 210.

The author concludes this interesting and instructive Essay by a few remarks on what we ought to expect to learn from Revelation, how we should understand what is revealed, and what application we should make of it. With respect to the first point, he cautions his readers against "expecting to learn any thing from revelation, excepting what is in a religious point of view practically important for us to know." Let no one, says he, seek for a system in any branch of physical science from the Scriptures, "which were designed to teach men, not natural philosophy, but religion." Again, on the "secret things which belong unto the Lord our God, we should not only seek for no explanation in Scripture, but should carefully abstain from the presumption of all inquiry

whatever." With respect to the right understanding of what is revealed, the most practical interpretation of each doctrine, that can fairly be adopted, is ever likely to be the truest. And, lastly, it behoves the Christian to make, and exhort others to make, a practical application of the doctrines of his religion to character and conduct. Dr. W. objects with good reason to the " strong distinction which is frequently drawn between doctrinal and practical discourses; as if the two subjects were either of them indeed to be neglected, but kept apart and independent. Whereas, in truth, every doctrinal discourse should lead the Christian hearer to its proper moral results -every practical precept be referred in his mind to its true foundation in the Gospel doctrines."

It may, perhaps, be pertinent to remark in this place, that the views taken by the fathers of our Church of the leading doctrines of the Gospel, is decidedly practical. Witness the services appointed for the great festivals, and the Homilies framed for those occasions.

The last Essay in the volume before us is on the example of children, and is divided into two parts; "first, our analogy to children in respect of the knowledge we possess; and, secondly, in respect of duties." In treating of the former, Dr. W. remarks, that the knowledge of children is in its kind, relative; in degree, it is scanty and imperfect; yet it is practically suffi cient for them, if they are but careful to make a good use of it. Upon these heads our author enlarges in a manner highly pleasing, shewing how much our situation as Christians resembles that of children; that all our knowledge of God is relative, and therefore partial; that it is limited likewise and indistinct; but that" in the midst of all our ignorance and weakness, that which we can best understand is our duty; and if we are diligent and patient in acquiring such knowledge as is suitable for us, and in practically applying it, instead of boldly prying into mysteries beyond our reach, we shall be undergoing the best preparation for that superior state of existence, in which God's faithful servants will, through his mercy, obtain an enlargement of their faculties, an increase of their knowledge, and a nearer view of his adorable perfections." On the second head, that of duties, Dr. W. points out the lowliness, and modesty, and self-distrust of children; their docility, and their resignation, i. e. "an undoubting and affectionate confidence in parental care and kindness, accompanied with a cheerful, submissive, and ready obedience, even where they cannot understand the reasons of the commands given and the restrictions imposed.' The remarks which naturally arise on each of these points, on

which children may become our patterns, will easily suggest themselves, and ought to have been attentively weighed by every devout Christian. The object of our author in his selection of his subject is undoubtedly in a great degree to check all presumption, all unprofitable and mischievous curiosity; but he is not less anxious to urge the necessity of" diligently pursuing such knowledge as is attainable and profitable.' We should be glad to extract some passages, in order to shew his intention in his own admirable language; but we prefer laying before our readers one of the last paragraphs in the volume, which justifies the author in bringing forward this subject among the peculiarities of the Christian religion.

"Let it not be forgotten, that that feature in the Gospel-system of instruction which has been here noticed, . . . is one of the circumstances peculiar to Christianity-strikingly characteristic of it; and strongly confirming its divine origin, its importance, and its excellence.

"As it is obviously a great advantage to teach not merely by precept, but by example, so that advantage is much enhanced, if the example employed be one which is always at hand; nor could a more suitable pattern, than the one in question, have been presented to the imitation of creatures, standing in such a relation as we do to the Creator; and whose present life is designed as a preparation for a more perfect and exalted state hereafter. Yet the best heathen moralists, even those who taught and professed to believe a future state, had not recourse to, or at least did not usually employ, this mode of instruction. They spoke much of the beauty of virtue; of the dignity of human nature; of the heroism of striving to rise above the vulgar mass of mortals: but they did not enough consider that the first step to elevation is Humility; that though the palace of wisdom be indeed a lofty structure, its entrance is low, and it forbids admission without bending; they knew not, or at least taught not, that our nature must be exalted by first understanding and acknowledging the full amount of its weakness and imperfection. 'Jesus called unto him a little child, and set him in the midst;' what other teacher ever did the like? what other teacher indeed ever completely knew what was in man,' and understood thoroughly how to remedy the defects of his nature, and to fit him for a better state?" P. 274.

It has been our wish to give our readers as full a statement of the contents of those Essays to which we have confined our attention as is consistent with our narrow limits; and we shall be much disappointed if some desire be not thereby excited to peruse the volume itself. They will find in it much to reward the best attention they can bestow upon it. The topics are well selected, and are handled in a manner which shews much serious reflection, elevated piety, and a spirit conformed to

those rules of evangelical lowliness and docility which are here so well inculcated. It is indeed very edifying to mark with what readiness a powerful but well-trained mind submits itself to learn with all humility the truth as it is in Jesus. It has happened to us while engaged in the perusal of the volume before us to hear of a person in extreme ignorance venturing upon one of the most mysterious doctrines of our religion. The contrast was unspeakably striking, when we reflected on the forwardness and presumption of such persons as this poor woman, who was boldly venturing she knew not whither, and then turned to the lowliness and fearfulness expressed by our author, who would scarce touch upon these matters, unless it were to apply them to some useful, practical purpose. Were we to recommend this example in the quarter to which we have alluded, we should be told that "God hath hid these things from the wise and prudent." And so indeed he hath ! and the truly wise will learn a lesson of deep humility at the thought of it. But how sad is it, if the same consideration should lead those who are babes in knowledge to cherish an unholy spirit of rash confidence and presumption !

Essays on the Evidences, Doctrines, and Practical Operations of Christianity. By JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY. 8vo. Pp. 566. 10s. 6d. London. Arch. 1825.

WE have already expressed our opinion upon the general character of Mr. Gurney's writings; nor do we find any reason, in the work before us, to lower the estimate then given of his merits as an author. The same seriousness and candour are manifest throughout the present volume, which constituted much of the excellence of his former publications. No inconsiderable degree of research is also apparent, and the results of his enquiries are always developed with care-in some instances with singular felicity of arrangement. In general Mr. Gurney may claim the praise of having compressed much important information into a small compass, without obscurity or misrepresentation; which perhaps is as much as could reasonably be expected in a work of so extensive a nature, every part of which has been fully treated by preceding authors.

The Essays are twelve in number, embracing the following subjects:-The probability of a Divine Revelation to mankind, and the genuineness of the New Testament; the credibility of the New Testament, and the evidence of miracles; the evidence of prophecy; the internal evidence of Christianity; the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures; the scriptural account of the Supreme Being; the union and distinction in the Divine Nature; the scriptural account of the spiritual adversary; the scriptural account of Man; the scriptural account of Jesus Christ—as in his Pre-existence, as during his abode on earth, as in his subsequent state; the Redemption of Mankind, more particularly considering the Scripture doctrine of the atonement, the merits and advocacy of Christ, and the Scripture doctrine of the Spirit; Faith and Obedience; to which is added in conclusion, a summary of the whole, besides various recapitulations of leading arguments interspersed throughout the work. Upon each of these topics Mr. Gurney writes usually with clearness, and always with an earnestness which secures the attention of the reader.

As, from the very nature of the work, the Author was under the necessity of repeating what his predecessors had stated, it would hardly be just to give extracts from such parts of his book as are manifestly derived from others, without entering into a full analysis of his method of connecting the links in the chain of argument; but this our limits will not allow. We shall therefore only select two passages, which, we conceive, will convey a sufficiently correct idea of the character of the book.

The first is from the conclusion of the fifth Essay. After recapitulating the arguments for the inspiration of the Sacred Volume, Mr. Gurney proceeds

"Having thus considered some of the principal evidences, which evince that the Christian Scriptures have the same divine origin as the revelations which they record, we may henceforth consider the Bible as identified with those revelations; and in searching for that which has been revealed, we need no longer hesitate in directing our attention to that which is written. I cannot, however, satisfactorily conclude the present disquisition, without offering to the reader's attention, by way of corollary to my argument, a few general propositions."

"1. Since the authority of divine revelation, is, on the subject to which it relates, paramount to all other authority, and since the subject of the Christian Religion is religious truth, it follows, that on all questions connected with religious truth, the clear decisions of Scripture are not only sufficient, but final."

"2. It is evident that the Scriptures, like every other book, must be interpreted according to the received rules of criticism and philo