been spared as impertinent upon this plea: for as surely as the former parts lay the foundation doctrinally, the latter labour to build us up on our most holy faith."

It cannot be admitted, in an unrestricted sense, that we were disappointed in Mr. Jay, that he did not advert to the inbeing of the church in Christ before all worlds: we apprehended the subject of the first lecture would be taken up by referring only to the time-state of the church; this is precisely the case. But as we are not, in the present instance, disposed to argue the contested points which lie between supralapsarians and sublapsarians, it were needless to state how we might have wished the subject introduced. Without taking to ourselves the rebuke, that "the complaint" we make partakes of "the whining and seditious jargon of a party" we cannot abstain from saying, in the words Mr. Jay himself furnishes us with "we want more of doctrine, and more of Christ!" For we consider it not enough that a minister of Christ embrace the creed, and call it his own, as does our author: "By grace ye are saved," &c. (p. v.) but that he should, in all his ministrations, tell of the distinguishing nature and properties of that grace-what truly constitutes the faith of God's elect—of the new creation in Christ-of walking spiritually in good works, &c. And we conceive, that this might be done without attaching an undue importance to evangelical truth, or justly incurring the attractive epithet, "gospel radical !"

On the presumption that the genuine effects of grace in the heart may consist with imperfect or limited views of the doctrines of grace, we take the following, as suited to the general experience of the true christian. It speaks of him as being in Christ by real and vital union. “And (says Mr. J.) this union is not only real and vital, but the most intimate, and entire, and indissoluble; independent of the changes of time, unaffected by the diseases of the body, uninjured by death, untouched by the destructions of the last day."

"When we are deciding our christian state, we should not try ourselves by attainments; the reality of divine grace is one thing, the degree is another. We may be of the same species with a fellow creature, though not of the same stature, and though not equally advancing, we may be in the same way. This I know is liable to some abuse, and we are always afraid when we thus speak, lest people should avail themselves of it to 'settle,' as the scripture has it," upon their lees,' or, in other words, to be content with a hope of their safety, while they are careless of religious progression. Thus it is said, Cromwell having asked a minister, "what was the lowest evidence of regeneration," said, on receiving an answer, then I am safe.' And yet there are moments of gloom and depression, in which the question must be--not have I much grace? but have I any? When the house is on fire, the tradesman does not think of taking stock, his only concern then is to save.

"It is a good evidence in your favour if you value the thing, and while the multitude ask," who will shew us any good? can say, one good only can serve my purpose, and the language of the apostle and the martyr is not too strong for me, "that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death:""none but Christ; none but Christ;""blessed are they

that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." It is a token for good when you feel much concern and anxiety about this state. It has been said, that it is easy to believe what we wish; but Paley remarks, that the experience of every man gives the lie to this maxim. We all know, that in proportion as we attach moment to a thing, and find our happiness involved in it, we find it hard to persuade ourselves that we have a firm hold of it: we are alive and awake to every supposition of uncertainty, we still want proof and confirmation. Does the miser feel it easy to believe that his money, the god of his idolatry, is safe? A mother hears that the vessel is wrecked on a foreign shore, but that her son is rescued from the deep: there is nothing in the world she so much desires to be true, yet is it easy for her to banish her solicitude and doubt? She will peruse every document and examine every witness; and scarcely be able to think he is living, till she pressess him in her arms. Now we may reason from the less to the greater, a man who feels the infinite impor tance attached to the soul, and eternity, will always find it difficult to consider himself a child of God, and an heir of glory, and will never cease saying, "give me a token for good, that I may rejoice in thee; say unto my soul I am thy salvation." Smoke is not fire, yet there is no smoke where there is no fire; doubts and fears are not faith, but they are gen dered by it."

We

If we repeat our regret that the author does not take up his subject on the first principles of divine revelation to lost and ruined man; which would give greater honour to him in whom the church hath all spiritual life, motion, and being; we again solicit the reader's attention to this extract on the evidences of being in Christ, as containing sentiments we highly approve, and which are too much neglected by those whose ministry Mr. J. " rebukes sharply." cannnot dispatch a volume of sermons, embracing such important subjects, with so short a notice; it is therefore our intention, if possible, to review the remaining Lectures in our next Number. Communion at the Lord's Table regulated by the revealed Will of Christ, not Party, but Christian Communion: a Reply to the Rev. Robert Hall's Pamphlet, entitled, "Reasons for Christian in opposition to Party Communion." By Joseph Ivimey. Wightman and Cramp.

HAVING brought Mr. Hall's pamphlet before our readers on p. 186, we offer a short notice of Mr. Ivimey's reply. The comments of the writer, who is in the most unqualified sense a strict communionist are energetic, and in some places given with considerable warmth. His unsparing denunciation of those of our baptist brethren who are not such rigid disciplinarians as himself, does him but little honour, and prevents us putting a favourable construction on the motives which induced his answer. We were not aware till now that Mr. Hall is considered so great an enemy to the baptist connexion, nor that his writings have produced the powerful effects Mr. I. states and laments.

66

"I am very careless, indeed whether Mr. Hall calls me a 66 bigot," "for this avowal of my sentiments, or whether he say it is a proof that I possess a deplorable imbecility and narrowness of mind." Without intending any thing disrespectful, I think it right to say, that he is the first baptist who ever maintained a system acknowledged to be in its

tendency inevitably destructive to the churches of the denomination; and who pursued it with the eagerness which would accelerate such an event. I certainly consider him the greatest and most powerful enemy that the baptized churches have ever had; as an enemy in the camp is more to be dreaded than one in the line of the hostile army. Our churches have been many times assailed from without, and have survived every such attack; and that they will continue to exist though they are sapped, and even though the mine may explode, I feel the most perfect confidence. The attacks of enemies on our walls have led the baptists to unite more closely, and to act with more concentrated energy; but the machinations of an enemy within the town to destroy our arsenal and divide our troops, may be more successful." Pa. 44.

"Already are our churches weakened and paralyzed by the writings of Mr. H.; the open door for which he contends has let out many more than it has admitted; many of those once of the denomination have left it and joined the independents. Mr. H. thinks that the principles of mixed communion increase the number of baptized believers. It is certain, that many of our people have joined the independent churches; and in all probability their rising families will be of that denomination, who would otherwise have been baptized persons." Pa. 47.

We leave the merits of the question to be discussed by those who feel immediately interested therein, who will, most probably, soon be supplied with further matter for consideration,, from the fruitful of Mr. Hall.

pen

A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of St. Saviour, Southwark, Sept. 12, 1826, at the Visitation of the Hon. and Rev. T. De Grey, M. A. Archdeacon of Surrey. By the Rev. W. Borrows, M. A. Minister of St. Paul's Chapel, Clapham, &c. Seeley and

Son.

This is a plain and faithful sermon, discovering what is lamentably rare in the pulpit addresses of the present day,-the preacher's experimental acquaintance with the matter of discourse, and an earnest desire, springing from a knowledge of the subjects embraced, that his hearers should be favoured with the same blessing with which he himself is blessed. The words of the text, Acts xx. 28. “ Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock," &c. are contemplated as a solemn admonition-1st. to personal circumspection-and, 2ndly. to pastoral care. From these divisions, the true state and condition of man by nature, and the way of deliverance to "the spiritual church," as revealed by the Lord the Spirit, are correctly described; and the necessity for unabating faithfulness in these things, on the part of the ministers of the gospel, is well argued. The Rev. gentleman abounds in scripture quotation-a practice we know not in what terms to blame; but it must be confessed that a freer expression of personal knowledge in divine truth might have been conveyed in his own terms: while yet the former practice is most calculated to preserve the mind from wandering either from the subject, or into error.

A Dialogue between Faithful and Zealous, Two Friends, on the Contents of a Pamphlet written by Mr. Christopher Goulding. Palmer. A little Tract, published since our review of Mr. G.'s "Refutation," &c. that has no claim to particular notice. The burlesque strain in which it is concocted may, by some, be considered a fine display of its author's wit: but for any good or useful purpose for which it may have been designed, we are disposed to think it totally inadequate.

POETRY.

VERSES ON PHILIPPIANS IV. 19.

YE needy, helpless, tim'rous souls,
Your gloomy fears no longer feed;
That God who heaven and earth
controuls,

Jehovah will supply your need.
Groan you beneath a load of guilt,
And scarcely hope you'll e'er be
freed?

With cleansing blood on Calvary spilt,

Jehovah will supply your need. To satisfy the law's demands,

Your bankrupt souls have nought
to plead;

With merit wrought by Jesus' hands,
Jehovah will supply your need.
You're weak, and hell withstands
your way,

That heaven-ward you may not
proceed;

Yet hell shall not your progress stay,
Jehovah will supply your need.
You've nought in self wherein to
trust,

Against the weakest foe to speed;
Yet triumph over all you must,

Jehovah will supply your need. Do doubts and fears becloud your sight?

That fell despair may not succeed, With radiant beams of heavenly light,

Jehovah will supply your need. Is persecution's flag unfurled?

Your downfall to effect with speed? With preservation from the world, Jehovah will supply your need. Is satan 'guised in robes of light, You from the path of truth to lead?

August 2, 1826.

With wisdom pure to guide you right,

Jehovah will supply your need. With glittering baits on earthly dross,

Do worldlings tempt your minds to feed?

With grace to count them shame and loss,

Jehovah will supply your need. Its foul dominion to regain,

Does sin, your inward foe, make speed?

You're under grace-sin shall not reign

Jehovah will supply your need. Need what you will while here below,

Jesus before the throne does plead; And you in every case shall know, Jehovah will supply your need. Though Satan, earth, and flesh combin'd,

Your full destruction have decreed,

Strength as your day you still shall find,

Jehovah will supply your need. Are death's unerring darts let fly, Upon your mortal life to feed? With grace to conquer whilst you die,

Jehovah will supply your need. And when from this dark vale of tears,

From foes and conflicts you are freed,

With Christ your all, through end

less years,

Jehovah will supply your need.

ELDAD.

"There are Three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."

<< Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

JANUARY, 1827.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

1 John v. 7.

Jude 3.

ONE SWEET CLUSTER OF THE MANY PROMISES GOD HAS MADE TO HIS ELECT PEOPLE.

"Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed."—Joel ii. 26, 27:

THE church of England in her seventeenth article, sets forth this important truth, that "God, before the foundations of the world were laid, constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour; and that this doctrine is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons." And if the ministers of the church, from fear of man, or from any other cause, keep back this truth, that God has a people in the world as distinct from others, as even Israel of old was distinct from the surrounding nations; they not only keep back that which their own church enjoins them to make known to others, but which it would seem the Lord himself delights in proclaiming. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, and that her iniquity is pardoned." Isa. xl. 1. "I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen." Isa. xliii. 20. 66 My people shall know my name, therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak." Isa. lii. 6. When speaking of Christ, he says, " for the transgression of my people, was he VOL. III.-No. 33.

2 G