consequently, as the value of character, professedly Christian, is to be estimated by the test which this consideration furnishes, so the worth or comparative worthlessness of a publication, wearing a theological aspect, or proposing to be the medium of religious instruction, must ever be appreciated by this rule of judgment. We are happy, therefore, to testify, that the posthumous work of Mr. Stillingfleet before us commends itself to the approbation of every real Christian, as avowing, in every page, the great principle to which we have referred, the recognition of which in the articles of the Church of England gives them an undecaying importance, and constitutes the real glory of all articles of faith, wherever they are framed. And we are pleased to be convinced that this doctrine, and the pious influence which it necessarily diffuses, are gaining ground in our country, both in and out of the establishment. May we further be permitted to express our wish, that orthodox Christians of every class would lay aside the weapons of their hostility against each other, and unceasingly combine their energies, and unite their prayers, to promote what is so emphatically denominated by an apostle-" the common salvation." Numerous institutions at home, and benevolent missions abroad, have, indeed, been concentrating into a focus of vigorous action the scattered rays of intelligence and religion in the Christian world; and we doubt not that the predicted age is rapidly advancing, when this holy flame, kindled by the piety of the uniting Christian world, and sustained and increased by the outpouring of the Spirit from on high, will wither the power of Antichrist, and illuminate the darkest regions of superstition and error. If our efforts can contribute, even in the slightest degree, to this end, we shall rejoice that we have not "laboured in vain." Our purpose is simply to uphold religion; to discountenance error; to exhibit truth, fearlessly, but in the spirit of meekness: and we have seized this opportunity, of a first Review in the theological department of our Work, to intimate the principles we design to maintain, and the strictly antisectarian temper of our literature and theology.

A brief enumeration of the subjects which compose this volume, will furnish our readers with a general idea of its tendency and design; for the preacher and the author will always evince the general bias of their minds by the very nature of the themes they select for discussion: so that we might almost venture to predict the theological sentiments of any publication in the form of Sermons or Essays by the

very titles they wear. By the way though, we have no titles, strictly speaking, to any of these discourses, which we cannot but lament, as a defect. The texts only are given, and relate to the following subjects:-The offerings of Cain and Abel; Noah's preparation of the ark for the salvation of his house; the Saviour becoming a blessing to all the families of the earth; a spiritual sight of the invisible God, by faith; the promise, " "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; the character of Christians, as strangers and pilgrims on the earth; the necessity of being faithful to death, in order to acquire the immortal crown; the penitent's request for mercy; Jesus Christ the foundation; repentance and faith; on looking to the Messiah for salvation; Jesus the way; Jesus the truth; on keeping the passover by faith; on being born of water and of the Spirit; Christ feeding his flock like a shepherd; on our being the Divine workmanship; the refuge set before us; on faith, hope, and charity, and the superiority of the latter; on so numbering our days as to apply our hearts unto wisdom.

The first eight or nine of these discourses are peculiarly informal. There is no annunciation even of the principal sentiments the preacher wishes to impress; and the consequence, as we apprehend, is, that the hearer is likely to lose considerable advantages, supposing these discourses to have been delivered, and for this purpose they were evidently composed, and probably were produced in the course of Mr. Stillingfleet's ordinary ministrations. The reader too, now that they are published, would, we feel persuaded, have been obliged by the insertion of a few general divisions and subdivisions, which might serve, like mile-stones on the road, to remind him of his progress. These generally occur in the latter half of the volume, and are what divisions should be, clearly expressed; few in number; and appropriate to the topic proposed for discussion.

The fifteenth Sermon, on "I am truth," has, for instance, these several divisions. I. He is the truth of all the purposes and counsels of God, in his dealings and dispensations with the children of men. II. He is the truth of all the prophecies. III. He is the truth of all the types. IV. He is the truth of all God's promises. The seventeenth Discourse refers chiefly to the subject of baptism; and whatever diversity of opinion may prevail respecting that ordinance, many who widely differ from each other as to its incidental or circumstantial peculiarities will agree in thinking that such sentiments as the following are worthy of extensive circulation.

"The sacrament of baptism consists of two parts, the outward and visible sign, and the inward, spiritual grace. The outward part is water; and the inward part, or thing signified, is a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness.' Without the baptism of the Spirit, the baptism of water is ineffectual as to the design and intent of its institution. And yet, as the Jews gloried in the observance of the outward rite of circumcision, while they continued stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart,' (Acts, vii. 51.) so is it no less evident, that multitudes of professing Christians value themselves upon their having been baptized in their infancy, who plainly shew, by the tempers of their hearts, and the whole tenor of their lives and conversations, that they never were baptized with the influence of the Holy Ghost. The appellation of Christian, it is true, is indiscriminately given to all, in general, who have been baptized into the name of Christ. Hence we abound with baptized scoffers and contemners of God's word and commandments, baptized sabbath-breakers, and baptized swearers and profaners of God's holy name; and with baptized lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God; and innumerable others, who, while they retain a form of godliness, deny the power thereof.' But we have scriptural authority for asserting, that notwithstanding what any man may outwardly profess, or whatever outward privilege he may enjoy, yet, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' (Rom. viii. 9.) Wherefore we must needs come to the same conclusion with respect to professing Christians, which the Apostle Paul draws with respect to the Jews, that, as he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter:' (Rom. ii. 28, 29.) So we may by parity of circumstances say, that he is not a Christian, who is one outwardly, neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Christian who is one inwardly, and baptism is that of the heart, in the Spirit; to which we may add in the words immediately following, that the praise thereof is not of men, but of God.' Upon the whole, then, we see that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision;' but a new creature, or rather a new creation, which is only another word for regeneration, or the renewing of the mind after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness." [pp. 444-447.]

The perspicuity which runs through the whole of these discourses sometimes reminds us of Archbishop Tillotson; and this is combined, as in that eminent writer, with great composure and steady tranquillity. We have no enthusiastic flights of oratory, and none of the minor graces of composition. The stream of thought flows on smoothly in the channel of truth; it never rushes into a torrent; never

ascends in foam, and never precipitates as in a cataract. We very much approve the practice, which is so frequent here, of intermingling an abundance of scriptural quotations with the ordinary language of the preacher, especially, as in this case, where the passages are appropriate to the subject, distinctly marked, and correctly quoted. Most of these sermons too, close with a text from the Holy Writings. This method is calculated to leave a salutary impression on the minds of the hearers, incomparably superior to any that can be produced by the finest strokes of human eloquence, or the most elegantly finished period. The very desirable habit too, of introducing a short prayer between the introduction and the general body of the discourse, is no deduction from the merit of these sermons, and we are persuaded, in no way calculated to divert the attention of the hearer, or to diminish the impression which the preacher is solicitous of producing. We fancy that this excellent method is far less regarded among the Dissenters, than among the divines of the Church of England; and we recommend it to them as conducive to excite, and if excited, to fan the flame of devotion. No means should be neglected in conducting public worship which can accomplish the high purpose of cherishing religious feeling, or recalling the wayward mind from its erratic and unholy movements.

Mr. Stillingfleet was born in September, 1729, and was the son of James Stillingfleet, of Doctors' Commons, Registrar of the diocese of Worcester; grandson of James Stillingfleet, Dean of Worcester; and great grandson of Doctor Edward Stillingfleet, Bishop of that see, whose descent was lineal from John Stillingfleet, of Stillingfleet, in Yorkshire, brother of Cuthbert Stillingfleet, the last Abbot of York. He was educated under Dr. Nichol, at Westminster School; and after pursuing his studies at Oxford, was elected a fellow of Merton College. He was distinguished from his youth by piety, sobriety, purity, and benevolence. He became at the University a proficient in the Hebrew language, and throughout his life daily perused the Scriptures in their original form, His chosen associates were persons of exalted piety and profound learning; and through the influence of some of them, with whom he was most intimate, he imbibed the principles of the Hutchinsonian system of philosophy, which do not, however, make their appearance in any decided shape in this publication. Under the patronage of the good Earl of Dartmouth, he was promoted, in 1772, to a prebendal stall in the cathedral church of Worcester, which he occupied till the period of his decease; and while prebendary, he held, at

different times, the livings of St. Martin's, in that city, and of St. John's, in its vicinity, and was for many years Rector of Knightwick and Doddenham. In each situation he is said to have exercised his ministry with exemplary zeal and diligence. Three single Sermons, and an Account of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. Samuel Walker, Curate of Truro, in Cornwall, which is prefixed to that author's Lectures on the Church Catechism, and a valuable introduction to Mr. Adams's "Private Thoughts," seem to have comprised the whole of his publications, to which this posthumous volume, selected from a considerable number of manuscript sermons, is added. During his final illness he evinced an unshaken faith and hope, retaining to the last both his senses and his composure. A short time previous to his dissolution, which occurred on the 6th of July, 1817, in the 88th year of his age, he repeatedly laid his hand on a Bible which had been placed upon his bed, as a significant intimation of his veneration and love for that volume, which is our only certain guide through the perplexities of life, and which, we may cheerfully anticipate, will diffuse its consoling rays along “the dark valley of the shadow of death.”

Specimens of the British Poets; with Biographical and Critical Notices, and an Essay on English Poetry. By Thomas Campbell. In 7 vols. small 8vo. Murray, London. 1819. pp. 337, 405, 432, 496, 407, 464, 451.

POETRY is the nurse of elevated sentiment; the source of some of the most refined pleasures of a cultivated mind; the brightener of our gloomy hours; the charm of our weary ones. Almost every one, at some period of his life, has recourse to its soothing or exalting power; traverses its pleasant fields; lingers at its fountains; and returns refreshed from some languor, or lightened of some care. We are attached to it by a kind of intellectual sympathy; for it speaks to the affections the imaginations-the associations of men ;-to all which the heart cherishes most intimately in its secret cabinet as the ore of its existence; -its hopes, its fears, regrets of the past, its visions of the future; its joys, its griefs; the sunshine and the storms of its being; and not unfrequently to those high aspirations after immortality which is its happiest birthright, and the proof of its divine nature. It can hardly be called a vain fable of the Greeks that the Muses were the daughters of the father of the gods, — that

its