"Aussi y a-t-il en des serviteurs de Dieu, éminents par leur piété, par leur travaux pour la convertion des ames, qui l'ont maintenu, (the doctrine of reprobation) et qui ont édifié sur Jésus, le seul fondement, de l'or, de l'argent et des pierres précieuses;' et dont les œuvres soutiendront l'épreuve qui en sera faite." p. 68. In this sermon we observe a theory concerning the respective states of probation under which the author supposes man to be placed before and after the fall, which we shall find a more proper place for noticing. The seventh Sermon intitled, "Jésus Christ est venu sauver les Pecheurs," on 1 Tim. i. 15, is peculiarly excellent. We never remember to have seen the argument for the truth of the satisfaction of Christ, from the agony of soul, which the Saviour discovered at the view of his approaching sufferings, exhibited with more force and solemnity, than in the passage, pp. 109113. We will present our readers with a part, that they may perceive the nature of the argument. "Expliquez-nous, (says the author, addressing unbelievers) le contraste qu'il y a, entre ce désir que Jésus a de mourir, et sa craint de la mort? entre la frayeur qu'il a du supplice, et l'attente volontaire de ceux qui devoient le lui faire subir? entre ce courage, qui lui fait reprocher au sanhedrin, et aux principaux de sa nation, leurs crimes et leur hypocrisie; qui lui fait mépriser les menaces des Hérodes et des Pilates, tandis que la frayeur le surmonte, au point de lui faire suer des grumeaux de sang. “Mes freres, la sagesse de Dieu se découvre même dans ce qui paroit d'abord un folie; la croix de Christ, ses angoisses, ses souffrances, et j'ai presque dit ses foiblesses, témoigment en faveur de la divinité de l'Evangile. Pour avoir une explication du contraste apparent qu'il y a, dans le récit des souffrances du sauveur, rappellezvous qu'il étoit venu sur la terre pour racheter les hommes par sa mort, et alors vous comprendrez, pourquoi il n'a pas voulu s'y soustraire. Rapellez-vous ensuite que Jesus Christ s'étoit chargé des iniquités de tous les hommes; afin de les expier et d'avoir le droit de les pardonner, et alors vous ne serez pas étonnés de ces angoisses mortelles qu'il éprouve, lorsqu'il va supporter, tout le poids de la colere vengeresse, et souffrir ce que méritent tous les pechés, commis et a commettre." That on the mutability of the world and the immutability of the tains, under the first head, a rapid word of God (Matt. xxiv. 35) conand masterly sketch of the changes which have taken place in the hea vens and the earth; in the families of men, the most illustrious and numerous of which have not been able to retain their memory for many gelying in ruins; in fertile countries nerations; in flourishing cities now now become deserts; in Christhose seats where they formerly retian societies, which have deserted and even in truth itself, which by sided in great numbers and glory; tain it, has been abandoned for the individual societies, professing to remost pernicious error. pp. 149— 154. This Sermon, it appears, was preached on new year's day; and the concluding reflections which discover that circumstance are remarkable for their pertinency and force: we were gratified likewise by their loyalty. The next Sermon on love to God, where that important subject is well treated, affords an instance, in which the personal experience of the preacher is brought forward with judgment and considerable effect. pp. 183-186. There is undoubtedly such a thing as carrying this mode of addressing an audience to excess; and it may be done, and we fear often is done, with much impertinence, indiscretion, and indecent assumption. We are of opinion, however, that in the mouths of aged pastors, particularly, it may not only be in character, but may also be productive of very powerful and beneficial effects. In the second volume of this useful work, the first passage which arrests our attention is one, in which the author has discovered considerable acuteness in assigning the true cause of infidelity. After mentioning, and shewing the insufliciency of the two generally assigned, ignorance and depravity, he adds, that the viewing Christianity in an exclusively speculative light, appears to him to be the principal cause of this mental malady. People think it sufficient to know the truths and duties of Christianity, and to under stand the evidences by which its truth is demonstrated, in order to their being Christians. But as knowledge on every subject is very circumscribed, the faith of these semi-christians must be equally unstable, and subject to endless and insolvable doubts. He therefore concludes, that the truth and divinity of the Gospel can only be effectually demonstrated to a man by the effect which it has on the heart. A man must feel that he is in a state of perdition, and be sensible of his deliverance; and then he believes, in conformity with what he feels, and of which he has the happy experience. pp. 20-22. We would point out the whole of the second part of the sermon, on the law, as leading to Christ, as particularly excellent. pp.184-193. We have, however, in p. 209, to remark the very common mis-apprehension of 1 Cor. xv. 22, as if that verse, and indeed the succeeding part of the chapter, represented all the effects of the two respective heads of mankind. At p. 216, we enter upon the sermon, to which we have already alluded, as containing the most distinct exposition of a peculiar theory of the writer, concerning man's different state of probation before and after the fall. The text and title of this sermon is Psalm cxliv. 3, "What is Man?" M. Gibert asserts, with every orthodox expositor, that Adam was created perfect in the faculties, both of his intellect and of his will; but that, upon his transgression of the command given to him as the test of his obedience, he incurred the threat ened penalty, which, in M. Gibert's opinion, was the loss of these faculties and nothing more, or what is usually called spiritual death. This united ignorance and corruption is justly represented by our author as descending to his posterity, and as the only cause which will account for the actual depravity seen in the world. Upon a comparison, however, of the state of man before and after the fall, as upon his trial for a future condition, he contends that the latter is considerably preferable. And after admitting and stating the corruption and condemnation to which the human race is now subject, he asks, in language which we cannot very well tell how, to interpret, "Mais peut-on dire que Dieu a abandonné le genre humain dans cet état de perdition? Peut-on dire qu'il veut nous imputer à crime cette misere dans laquelle nous naissons tous, & qu'il veut punir les hommes, en tout ou en partie, par des châtimens éternels, de ce qu'ils sont nés souillés & pécheurs ?" p. 229. These questions, as might be inferred from their being made, are answered with a strong negative. Our author proceeds to say, in the next page, that what is called original sin is less a punishment than a change of condition; for, he adds, immediately after the fall, Adam received the promise of the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head. We, for our part, cannot understand how we can be in a state of mental depravation, without being for that very reason under the displeasure of God. Indeed, unless this be the case we cannot perceive any meaning in the expression. M. Gibert allows, that the sinful actions which men commit, and which justly deserve the divine indiguation, are the fruit of this natural corruption: does no guilt then attach to the source, which not only existed in. the original transgressor, but exists in every individual of his posterity? The bringing in the redemption of Christ only serves to perplex the matter; for the question is, what is our state without that redemption? It is into that state that the fall has brought us; the redemption is an adventitious consideration, and de rives the proof of its necessity, wisdom, and mercy, from our previous condition. The closing part of the application, particularly the last paragraph but one, appears to us to be much more consonant both to Scripture and to the doctrines of our Church. The first part of the sermon on the Necessity of Good Works, pp. 258-265, is an excellent view of the connection which subsists between faith and works, and is particularly deserving of the attention, both of those who oppose our articles and homilies by denying such a connection to be necessary; and of those who calumniate evangelical writers as derogating from the value and necessity of good works. See likewise before, p. 14. The three sermons at the close, on the name of Christian, have peculiar merit, and place both the significant and important meaning of that appellation, and the awful responsibility of those who assume it, in a striking light. nor We are happy in the evidence, which these sermons afford, that true Christianity is both preached and encouraged in the island of Guernsey; and we hope, that the labours of the venerable author will extend beyond his own life to future generations. The style of the work is good; always pure and perspicuous, frequently animated; will the present production in any respect sully the fairly earned reputation of the writer in other useful publications. We therefore think these sermons excellently calculated to put into the hands of those of our countrymen, who are endeavouring to attain a knowledge of the French language, and who would improve all their knowledge to the best purposes. Sermons, for the Use of Colleges, Schools, and Families. By JOHN NAPLETON, D. D. Chancellor of the Diocese, and Canon Resi dentiary of the Cathedral Church of Hereford. Gloucester, Oxford, Hereford, London. 8vo. pp. 382. Price 7s. 6d. 1805. Ir is almost always an advantage to a work to be definite in its object. It is peculiarly so with respect to Sermons, which are generally addressed to the public at large, without specifying, or perhaps having in view, any particular class of readers, for whose benefit they are especially intended or adapted. By contracting the field of his la bours, in the respect here mentioned, a writer has it in his power to apply much more closely, and therefore with much greater prospect of success, the instruction which he undertakes to convey; to state the temptations, the advantages, and the disadvantages, of the individuals, whom he selects as the object of his benevolent exertions. No one will deny, that colleges, schools, and families are societies, the religious institution of which is of great and extensive importance. The individuals composing them, it is evident, must for the most part, be youth; and it is in this season of life, that the most promising foundation of future excellence, utility, and happiness must be laid. The formidable obstacles which oppose a late conversionrender the instances of it very few. But there is required no smallversatility of talent in an author to adapt his productions to standards of taste, and dimensions of intellect, materially different from his own. Every person naturally addresses himself to his equals, when he publishes his sentiments; and he is obliged to use some force or discipline with himself, whenever he proposes to instruct those who are considerably his inferiors in intellectual capacity. It is perhaps owing to this circumstance, that most grammars are so ill qualified to answer their proper object, and that the preposterous custom is even yet continued, of teaching a language in the very language to be learned. It is no slender praise therefore to an author, and no slender advantage to his work, if when youth are the object of instruction, the instruction itself, both in matter and form, is such as will inform the mind, and interest the attention and affections, of persons of that age. When, however, the instruction to be conveyed is of a religious description, the circumstances of the case require further qualifications. It should relate to those doctrines and precepts, which are properly denominated principles, and immediately affect the future salvation of men; doctrines, and precepts, in the absence of which no duties can be enforced upon their proper foundation; and these should be propounded not only with simplicity, but with an earnestness and iteration (with respect to the substance of the thing) which their prominent and commanding importance demands. That the performance, of which we arc now to give an account, is characterized by these qualifications, is a position to which we certainly cannot yield. our assent: but that we may not forestall the judgment of our readers, we will proceed to examine the work, and to produce the grounds upon which we hesitate in pronouncing a favourable decision concerning its merits. The sermons are twenty in number, and are preceded by a dedication to the Right Hon. Henry Lord Viscount Sidmouth. The first sermon is "On setting God before us, "where the connection between the duties which we owe to God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves, is well illustrated. The second is on Acts xviii. 17, and is entitled "On not caring for Religion." Religion in general is the subject of this, as of the preceding sermon. In p. 46 we meet with the very common solution of the origin of evil, but, in our opinion, as unfounded as it is common, that liability to sin is the necessary consequence of the freedom of an intelligent agent. Do these reasoners suppose, that the angels who kept their first estate are still liable to fall? Do they suppose, that the spirits of just men, when made perfect, will have no more security for the permanency of their happiness, than an equal chance of standing or falling? Is it not much better to acknowledge our ignorance upon this subject, than to amuse ourselves with reasonings which still more effectually expose that ignorance although in another form? The two next sermons are on faith, a subject of great importance, see even This supplemental scheme is utterly unknown to St. Paul, and, we may add, to all the other sacred writers. We scruple not to observe likewise, that it is equally unworthy of the Christian We were deplan of justification. termined, however, not to be easily offended, and the next page gave us some satisfaction. "Justification," says our author, "as it relates to the dispensations of God, hath doubtless, for its source and origin, his essential goodness. He created man for happiness. The condition of his happiness was perfect obedience. When man by condition of the happiness for which he was created, so was justification or imputed righteousness essential to the happiness to which he was to be restored." p. 56. The author then proceeds to inquire into faith as the mean of justification: but he seems to us unnecessarily to enlarge the meaning of this faith, and not to confine it, as we think it ought to be confined, to that reliance upon the sacrifice and merits of Christ, by which God has appointed that we shall obtain the remission of our sins, and acceptance before him. The necessity of faith to our justification is urged by two reasons. "The first is the condition of our nature, as we are free and reasonable creatures." The second is "our relation to God"-the obligation of "rational creature to use and every exert his faculties, in all possible expressions of reverence to his Creator, and in the promotion of his own well being." The virtue and benefits of faith close the sermon. Had we not expected to find a more particular and appropriate discussion of this subject in the next sermon, where the same topic is continued, we should have felt more dissatisfied than we did but upon being disappointed in this expectation, the following inquiries powerfully obtruded upon us. Why did not the author, in stating the reasons of the peculiar mean of justification appointed by God, namely, faith, insist, as a right view of his subject would almost have compelled him to do, upon the sin and depravity of the human race? Why did he not enlarge upon human corruption, in its source, in its effects, in its deserts, in the punishment which the justice of God has denounced against it, as the reason why the humiliation and sufferings of the Son of God were necessary to the restoration of man? Why did he not expatiate, as the Scriptures do, upon the reconciliation, peace, deliverance from wrath and fear, and assurance of the divine favour, which the sinner enjoys who is justified by faith? Why did he not exhibit the propriety of faith as a mean in this affair, by pointing out the effectual manner in which it excludes all merit in saved by the free grace of God man, and presents him to himself as alone in Jesus Christ? The second of the two sermons on faith is, as its title purports, “On profession of faith," and undertakes the illustration of the latter clause of the verse; but not in the way that we should have expected. It contains, however, a good passage upon religious conversation, pp. 85 -87. The fifth sermon, "On the Miracles of Christ," is in general good, and, in some parts, original. The two next on Prophecy are also entitled to distinguished by collecting in a a favourable report: the latter is small compass, and placing in a luminous point of view, the principal prophecies relative to the Messiah. In the eighth and ninth sermons, "On the Uses of the Law," we prepared ourselves for some colli- Apostle's argument led him to con- our author takes occasion from his text to discuss the whole volume of the inspired Scriptures, in the first sermon, as they relate to the period anterior, in the second, as they relate to the time subsequent, to the advent of Christ. The view is, of course, exceedingly general. One argument is forcibly stated. "We behold with admiration a series of prophecies, delivered and recorded in different ages and countries, by men of divers situations and characters, various in extent, in language, in perspicuity ; conti nually authenticated by intervening miracles; carried into execution by kings and nations who know them not, fulfilled |