may all be said, in some sense, to be the children of God; but ye, who are baptized, are the children of God in a higher sense, as he has adopted you, and chosen you out of the rest of the world, taking you into his more particular favour. Those who were never baptized, although they have had constant opportunities of being so, are children of God's wrath, obstinate and disobedient, continuing still in sin and under the curse; but ye have recovered the favour of God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, being obedient to his will (i. e. having been baptized); and although, by natare, ye were strangers and enemies to God, yet now, by baptism, ye are taken into the family of God, and are entitled to all his mercies and blessings."-p. 12,

Thus the elect are proved to be the baptized, and the grace of God means sprinkling with water!!

The Principles of Religion Explained and Proved from the Scriptures, for the Instruction of the Unlearned. By the Right Rev. Father in God, Thomas Greene, D.D., late Lord Bishop of Ely. A New Edition, corrected.

Those who are acquainted with the theology patronized by the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," need not be told that the doctrine of St. Paul, as seen in Romans viii. 28-30, and ix. 15, 16, can have no place in their tracts; and whoever shall have studied the quotations already given, will not be surprised to hear that all their publications are silent on the work of sovereign grace. Whenever, indeed, an opportunity occurs, these tracts teach that sinners must do a great deal on their part to merit the grace and mercy of God. Instances of this have already been given; but, in this tract of Bishop Greene's, it is stated with more than usual impudence.

entangled soul, and he prays that none of his readers may ever be led into such misery, by listening to the favourite doctrine of the tracts published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Conditions of Obtaining Salvation by Jesus Christ briefly Proposed, by way of Question and Answer. 16th edition. The following quotation will be suffi

cient:

"Q. What is required of us in order to our being saved by Jesus Christ? A. Faith, repentance, and sincere obedience, or newness and holiness of life.

"Q. What is faith? A. Faith is an assent of the mind to all those divine truths which are contained in the Holy Scriptures, particularly that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

"Q. How may we know when our faith is true and sincere? A. Faith is true and sincere when it prevails with us seriously to endeavour to obey all God's commandments, to fear above all things his threatenings, and to depend on him for the fulfilment of his promises."-p. 6.

Here faith is coldly stated to be a mere intellectual operation, believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, though totally unconnected with his righteousness. Let this writer be asked the meaning of the "righteousness which is of faith," (Rom. ix. 30), and " that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Gal. iii. 14.)

This tract, like all its brothers, makes no mention of the Holy Spirit, but ascribes the whole of the Christian's religious efforts to his own judgment, discretion, and prudence, and is altogether as godless a treatise as ever disgraced the Christian world. It concludes with a few jejune prayers; that for the evening supof 66 plicates the grace a willing and cheerful obedience" to the clergy.

The Husbandman's Manual, Directing him how to improve the several Actions of his Calling, and the most usual Occurrences of his Life, to the Glory of God, and the Benefit of his Soul. 25th edit., 1818. The Husbandman's Manual, notorious for its shameful prostitution of God's name, in order to secure a full payment of tithe to the clergy, has lately been brought before the public, and has met with the disapprobation, or rather execration, of all good men, whether within or without the pale of the establishment. Its famous Chapter IX., "setting forth tithe," is too well known now to need fur. ther notice. It is a chapter full of blasphe

66

my and robbery; but the 13th Chapter, folding of sheep," is scarcely less impudent. "Now, should one of these poor creatures leap out and stray from the fold, it would perhaps meet a thief to cut its throat, or a malicious neighbour to drive it to the pound." This gentle insinuation is against the Dissenters, as will be seen by what follows. "How much less is the hazard of those people who run away from their own church, and leave their own pastor? How many of them are deceived by wolves in sheep's clothing, and led into very dangerous errors !

There

are a great many pitfalls and snares in their way, and an abundance of crafty men, that lie in wait to deceive. [These 'wolves and crafty men' are the ministers of the Independent, Baptist, and Methodist chapels.] Men may talk what they please of greater edification; but should one of my sheep run away from me, and still trust itself under another shepherd, I should not hope to see it thrive very fast!!" This last sentence is indeed a precious gem of logic. The prayer that follows begins thus:-" Preserve me, O my God, in the communion of THY church [i. e. Church of England, as established by Act of Parliament], suffer me not to wander in the bye-paths of schism and heresy; take from me all vanity and lightness of spirit, and let me

have nothing to do with those that are given to change," &c. &c.

This tract, being precisely the worst ever patronized by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, seems to have been the greatest favourite with the managers, if we may judge from its having gone through twenty-five editions in the year 1818. It probably has been dispersed fourfold as much since that time, as it is considered a sovereign remedy for the epidemic disease now raging in Ireland, and beginning to show itself in this country: I mean the disease of not paying tithe. We will not stop to inquire whether the managers have formed an erroneous estimate of society, and of the agriculturists in particular: that must be their look out; but sometimes remedies have been discovered to aggravate the disease they were meant to cure.

These specimens of the tracts published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge will abundantly show their merit. It is needless to multiply instances of their bad spirit; for, in ninety out of every hundred, false doctrine or intolerant bigotry will be seen to be the chief ingredients; and great is indeed our astonishment to see such vile publications patronized by the first names in the land. R. M. CASTOReus.

MY DEAR SIR,

Since I heard of your secession from the national church, I have been deeply anxious to know what ecclesiastical course you intend pursuing in future. From what I have learnt of the state of your mind, I am satisfied that you have acted upon conscientious, not factious, motives in the step you have taken. But will you pardon me, my dear Sir, if I endeavour to impress upon you the importance of now considering well what you ought to do? Allow me to remind you that most of the late secessions from the established church have been disastrous to the cause of sober, enlightened, and scriptural piety, and that it behoves you to take warning from the examples before you. In doctrine, there is much that is out of joint among the recent separatists; and in ecclesiastical procedure, they seem to belong to the denomination of spiritual Ishmaelites

man's hand against them." You have left the church of England because of its errors, and you do well to take heed lest you fall into errors still more serious. I trust you will be preserved from the pride and vanity of those who stand alone, and seek to form a religious connexion of their own; and I also venture to hope that you will be able to associate yourself with some of the great bodies of dissenters, who are pledged to the public for their views of Christian doctrine, and for the forms and modes of their worship.

I will only add that, should it be your intention to cast in your lot among congregational dissenters, I must tell you that they are a grave and deliberative body, and that you will only find yourself happy with them in proportion as your views of doctrine and discipline are in harmony with the simple lights and dictates of the New Testament. Most happy shall I be

to hear that your decision is on the side of truth, and prudence, and moderation; and truly glad shall I be to do any thing in my power to contribute to the stability and usefulness of your future ministry. My earnest prayers are offered up to God on your behalf, that the homage you have done to the dictates of enlightened conscience may be followed by such tokens of the divine blessing, as shall convince all your best friends in the establishment that you have not been left to lean to the counsel of your own heart.

Believe me, my dear Sir, Your sincere friend and brother, Rev. J. S. Baker. J. MORISON.

Gosport, 17, High Street. November 9th, 1832.

MY DEAR SIR,

I can assure you that I feel much obliged to you for the kind and Christian interest which your letter evinces on my behalf, and for the advice contained therein. The important step which I have now taken caused me much previous thought and prayer, and I trust that I have been directed by the Lord in seceding from the national church. I trust, also, that in acting thus I have been simply desirous of following the dictates of conscience, and of promoting the interest of Christ's church at large. I need not here state to you the reasons which induced me to leave the Church of England, as I have just given them to the public in a small pamphlet. I have, with you, felt deeply grieved at the proceedings of some ministers who have left the establishment, and at the extravagant notions which they have adopted. This I consider to have been injurious to the

ELECTION, AS CONNECTED WITH

MR. EDITOR,-Believe me, I send you this with no other motive than that of having my mind set right on an important point (if wrong), or confirmed (if right), by some of your very experienced Christian correspondents.

I have strongly imbibed the idea that the election of the children of God was connected with his foreknowledge of the use or abuse they would make of the talent or talents that he determined to entrust them with; and this, I think, appears clear, by the talent being taken from the negligent and given to the diligent. If so, what becomes of the very general as

interests of true religion, and to have afforded to some a plausible pretext to speak against secession from the establishment. It has been my earnest desire and prayer, at the same time that I saw the errors of the church from which I have seceded, that I might be kept by the Spirit from all error, and guided unto all truth. When I felt that I could no longer conscientiously exercise my ministry in the Church of England, I was led to consider whether I could do so among any of the great bodies of Dissenters, for I was by no means desirous of forming a religious connexion of my own. I am happy to say that I found my views, both with respect to doctrine and church discipline, in all leading points, to correspond with those held by congregational Dissenters; and it is my intention, should God open a door of usefulness for me, to exercise my ministry in connexion with this denomination of Christians. I do not expect to find perfection in this or any other Christian denomination; but the churches of this persuasion appear to me to come nearest to the primitive churches in the simplicity of their principles, and in their doctrinal views. Trusting that I may continue to have an interest in your prayers, and that the Lord may direct me in my future movements, believe me to remain, My dear Sir,

Your sincere friend and brother in Christ, J. S. BAKER,

Rev. Dr. Morison.

P.S. As other friends may feel anxious to know what ecclesiastical course I intend pursuing, you are perfectly at liberty to make any use you may think proper of this letter.

THE FOREKNOWLEDge of god.

sertion, that election is altogether irrespective of any thing man does or can do? And, admit it correct, it by no means does away with the free gift of God, or implies that the reward bestowed is merited; for, at best, we can be nothing more than unprofitable servants; only it connects the blessing with the improvement of God's gifts. On no other grounds can I see how the finally lost can charge themselves with their own perdition.

Your insertion of this in the Evangelical Magazine will much oblige

AN INQUIRER AFTER TRUTH.

TAKE up thine harp, O child of grace,
And come before Jehovah's face,
With songs of comely praise to tell
How he hath plucked thy soul from hell.

Proclaim aloud, that men may know,
Thy load of guilt and depths of woe;
And yet, with guilt and grief oppressed,
Thy Saviour took thee to his breast.

When thou wert lost in walks of sin,
He showed the door, and took thee in,
And washed thee in his precious blood,
To make thee holy for his God.

Thou hadst no ears for his sweet love;
He gave thee hearing from above;

Thou hadst no faith-he gave it thee;
Thou hadst no eyes-he made thee see.

He gave his robe of righteousness,
Resolved in that thy soul to bless ;
Then decked thee in a crown of gold,
And made thee glorious to behold.

1. A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE, in the form of Lectures, intended to Assist the Practice of Domestic Instruction and Devotion. By JOHN BIRD SUMNER, D. D., Lord Bishop of Chester. 8vo. pp. 498.

2. THE EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY DERIVED FROM ITS NATURE AND RECEPTION. By JOHN BIRD SUMNER, D.D., Lord Bishop of Chester. 12mo. pp. 462. Fourth Edition.

Hatchard and Son.

THE last of these volumes has been long before the public, and is now only noticed by us on account of its present neat and economical form. The standing it has taken among works connected with the evidences of our holy faith is deservedly high; and we are most glad to add our mite of influence to its future acceptance with the public. It is distinguished by the dexterous discussion of incidental proofs, and comes far nearer the genuine spirit of Christianity than do any of the writings of Paley. Indeed, no man can be at a loss, in perusing this volume, to find out the legitimate character of the gospel, and the true method of a sinner's acceptance through the Lord Jesus.

Our readers are, doubtless, aware that the worthy and amiable Bishop's exposition of the Gospel by Luke is a continuation of a work, the first volume of which, containing Matthew and Mark, has already been given to the public. We have heard some express surprise at the

plain and unassuming form of these Expository Lectures; but, knowing as we do the high literary endowments of the author, we are disposed to commend him for the truly practical and experimental strain in which he has hitherto prosecuted his important undertaking. From his high station in the national church, his writings acquire considerable notoriety; and it is surely much to his credit that he has pursued a mode of expounding the word of God which is quite level to the meanest capacity. We must, at the same time, be permitted to remark, that there is no lack of sound biblical research in Bishop Summer's lectures. They contain an excellent digest of all the most valuable materials ordinarily brought to bear upon the illustration of the Scriptures, and exhibit, in a happy degree, the results of solid learning, without any frequent or pedantic reference to the process.

As a specimen of the simple and excellent style of these lectures, we shall lay before our readers the author's remarks on the choice of Mary, Luke x. 42.

"Surely," observes our author, "there is enough in that thought to justify Mary's choice; the part she has chosen shall not be tuken away from her. The same cannot be said of earthly pursuits. The world passeth away, and the lust thereof.' 'Man returns to his earth, and all his thoughts perish.' All such thoughts Martha was then engaged with perish in the using;' but the words

which Mary sat at Jesus's feet and heard, 'abide for ever.' We know who it is that has said,The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.'

"It would be well if all arose in the morning with that sentence upon their minds: one thing is needful; and closed the day by solemnly inquiring, What progress have I made in the only needful thing? It is a sentence, certainly, which gives a most just encouragement to those who have chosen the good part. They are sure to need encouragement against the indifference of others, if not against their censure. And they may find that encouragement here. He who came as a light into the world, to show mankind their errors, he has said, One thing is needful. Have you believed this truth, and are you acting in reasonable conformity to it? Then give God the glory, who has enabled your eyes to see, and your ears to hear, the things which belong to your peace. Give him the glory, for it is the work of his grace; he permits you to appropriate to yourselves the comfort and the joy of knowing that the good part which you have chosen shall never be taken away." pp. 204, 205.

By

THE WORKS OF THE REV. JOHN HOWE, M. A., with Memoirs of his Life. EDMUND CALAMY, D.D. Complete in one Volume. With a Portrait of the Author, from an Original Picture, engraved by W. C. EDWARDS. Imperial 8vo. pp. 1278. Westley and Davis.

AMONG uninspired writers the name of John Howe stands unrivalled. His lofty genius, combined as it was with simplicity of mind, and fervent dedication to the honour of Christ, gained him a reputation alike solid and durable. His father, and many of his relations, were eminent ministers of Jesus Christ, and suffered much, in the days of the persecuting Laud, for conscience' sake. By the unbiassed election of Cromwell, he was made his household chaplain, and continued to hold the curacy of Great Torrington, in the county of Devon, till the passing of the act of uniformity in 1662, when, notwithstanding his enlarged and liberal views of church government, he deemed it his duty to cast in his lot among that distinguished race of men, who chose rather to maintain a good conscience than to submit to the highest tribunals of human authority. In 1675 he accepted an invitation to the metropolis, and, availing himself of the indulgence granted by Charles the Second to Dissenting ministers, laboured with much success and diligence as a Protestant Dissenter, every year

almost laying the church under new obliga. tions by his admirable writings.

The very first work which he published, on his arrival in London, was his "Living Temple ;" and while the world stands it will remain a monument of his taste and genius, and of his intimate acquaintance with the word of God, and the principles and workings of the human heart.

We can hardly express the satisfaction we feel in seeing the whole of this great man's works collected, without the slightest abridgment, into one volume of convenient size. Such a treasure has not been put before into the hands of pious and enlightened Christians in the present age. We must also add, that there is an accuracy about the manner in which the work has been got up which does the greatest credit to the modest, respectable, and learned individual who, we understand, had the superintendence of the press. The enterprise of the printer and publishers is such, likewise, as to entitle them to the gratitude of all true lovers of Biblical science. As this standard work in theology can now be had at the moderate price of two guineas, we flatter ourselves that few who boast their attachment to our Christian classics will remain without it. To our brethren who have but small means we would say, part with one-third of your scanty libraries rather than be without the works of John Howe.

THE BRITISH LITURGY: An Attempt towards an Analysis, Arrangement, and Compression of the Book of Common Prayer of the United Church of England and Ireland. Offered to the Examination of the Clergy, and of such other Christian Ministers as use or allow Liturgical Worship: with a view to promote the Uniformity and Coherence of the British Reformation. By the Rev. JOHN RILAND, M.A., Curate of Yoxall, Staffordshire.

Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

MR. RILAND is a writer of great spirit, and aims, we sincerely believe, at uniting all the divided children of God. His fearless exposure of what he deems to be serious error in the book of Common Prayer will be regarded, perhaps, by some persons, as at variance with the terms of his subscription as a clergyman of the national church. This is a question, however, with which we do not wish to meddle, having no right to prescribe to Mr. Riland the rules by which he is bound to regu late the decisions of his conscience. Some of the sentiments expressed in the author's appeal to the archbishops and bishops of the United Church of England and Ireland are well worthy of the notice of all good men.

'The time," says Mr. R., "seems to be come, when Christians of all denominations must act directly in concert; or, if this be expecting too much, should at least meet as