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gradually see through the delusions of Antichrist: they will know the Shepherd's voice, and will not follow strangers. They will distinguish the words of Jesus, and the works of the Apostles, from papal decrees, and the declarations of vicars apostolical: they will discern truth from error, and will be in no danger of confounding the gold tried seven times in the fire those Divine miracles, for

instance, which were wrought on Peter's wife's mother, on the sick of the palsy, and on the man who was laid at the gate of the temple with the tinsel and the dross of such wretched compositions as the reduction of a dislocated joint by the help of an apparition in the night, or the cure of Winifred White, of Wolverhampton, at the well of St. Winifred.

D. H. Q.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Sermons, chiefly designed for the Use of Families. By JOHN FAWCETT, A. M. Rector of Scaleby, and perpetual Curate of St. Cuthbert's, Carlisle. 2 vols. 8vo. Carlisle: Scott. London: Richardson."

It is not unusual for criticism to carry an ungracious aspect towards sermons which make no attempt to explain what is obscure, or to amend what has been depraved, in the Sacred Writings. We are far from disallowing the application of critical sagacity and theological learning to the elucidation of the Word of God. Much, very much, is due to those eminent scholars who have circumscribed the wanton flight of conjectural ingenuity, and ascertained the genuine text of Scripture, by the sure though wearisome process of successive collation; who have thrown light upon many of the darker passages, by refer ence to the peculiarities of ages and nations, of religious sects and political parties; who have settled the force and import of ambiguous words, by tracing them through the perplexities of a long and devious etymology, to their original stock; or who have displayed, more clearly than their predecessors, those portions of holy writ which owe their obscurity to the nature of the subject discussed,

or to the brief, condensed, parenthetical style of the inspired penmau.

Not only are such labours no unprofitable employment of talent and erudition, but they are of essential service to mankind. It is the part only of enthusiasm or ignorance, to decry those scholastic labours by which the Oracles of Truth are opened to the unlearned.

But while we acknowledge the deserts of studious men, whose diligence is employed in resolving biblical difficulties with the help of human learning, we must not undervalue those labourers in the cause of godliness whose chief aim it is to impress upon the heart the doctrines and precepts which lie within the compass of common understandings; and this is the object which the author before us has successfully accom plished. His sermons are modestly entitled "Family Sermons ;" and to adopt that appellation is to disclaim the praise of elaborate research and rhetorical ornament. That he has not attained that praise is only, perhaps, because it lay below the scope of his wiser ambition. Many passages in bis volumes attest the sound divine and accomplished scholar: and the attentive reader will remark some incidental criticisms, that seem to have escaped from our author almost unawares, which

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warrant a belief, that he has not been prevented by the penury of his resources from dispensing them more largely. But the main design of this writer is, to penetrate the heart and conscience with those sacred truths" that accompany salvation." To the sickly taste of the present age for curious conceits and fantastic interpretations, the pages before us afford no gratification. No obsequious concessions are made to conciliate the worldling; no impure mixtures are prepared to delight the Antinomian palate. But the lover of sound and practical doctrine, and luminous exposition the humble disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is more studious of improve ment in holiness than of comfort under the empire of sinful infirmity -will set a just value on this addition to his religious library. He will especially delight to see the scriptural character impressed on these discourses. The foundations here laid are such as become a Christian architect, and are competent to sustain a building that aspires to eternity: and the structure corresponds with the founda tion; for nothing less is demanded of the Christian, as suited to his high and holy calling, than the uniform influence of a faith and love which detach the soul from worldly objects, and maintain it in an uninterrupted commerce with the invisible glories of heaven.

Among the excellencies of these compositions, we feel pleasure in noticing the due combination of evangelical doctrines and precepts. Occasionally, it has been our painful duty to remark in writers not chargeable with doctrinal unsoundness, and who sometimes array religious truth in warm and imposing colours, a deficiency in the truly apostolic art of conducting moral disquisitions upon Christian principles. In the body of the sermon there may be much to recommend the pure morality of the Gospel, and the spiritual elevation

of a renewed heart may be beautifully pourtrayed; and, yet, "the Author and Finisher" of all faith and holiness may not occupy that prominent station in which the believer delights to behold him. The writer will, perhaps, proceed in a strain of pious and fervid exhortation, without any distinct reference to the "High Priest of our profession," until, at the close of his discourse, he seems to start into a consciousness of his defect, and immediately tacks on a meagre summary of evangelical truths, as if to vindicate his orthodoxy or to pacify his conscience. The salutary "unction" of a discourse from the pulpit depends very much on a reference to the person, the offices, the love, the example, the doctrines of the Redeemer being perceptible through all its parts: and when this quality is wanting in the body of the discourse, we ought not to be satisfied by an attempt to supply the deficiency in an ill-timed peroration. It is indeed true, that, when the preacher's aim is a minute delineation of some feature in the Christian character, or an extensive application of some Christian precept, his composition must suffer in regularity and distinctness, by interlacing it with points of doctrine. We are not advising that the mysteries of faith should be thrust into every chink and crevice of a disquisition with which they have no immediate concern. We have certainly no great sympathy with those who approve of throwing together the most discordant materials, without taste or order in the selection and arrangement: and we are not better entertained with that species of theological legerdemain which can elicit any given dogma from any given text of Scripture. Yet are we persuaded that, where the mind is deeply imbued with the transcendental doctrines of Christianity, an evangelical tinge and colour will be communicated to whatever is poured forth upon sacred sub

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jects. The atoning blood and efficacious Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ are the cement which holds together the whole fabric of Christian doctrine and morals. He is removed from our thoughts and affections, the lively ministra tion of the Gospel sinks into the dead and condemnatory letter of the Law. All true believers must necessarily maintain this practical reference of all they do to the Redeemer; for Christianity dwindles as this principle becomes less distinctly present, and less virtually operative. Remove it altogether, and nothing but the name and shadow of the Gospel remain. Now, if this be true, it certainly is not exacting too much to require the commissioned minister of Jesus Christ to make it apparent, in every discourse, that Christ is the life and spirit of his teaching and administration. A deep and permanent persuasion in his own mind, that the "excellent riches of Christ" should be impartially displayed in all their variety and abundance, will infallibly conduct him to that pious and heavenly strain which alone can gratify a truly Christian ear. He will not bring forward the Redeemer, like an eastern potentate, only on extraordinary occasions, and with a cumbrous magnificence, to be the object of a momentary gaze; he will not preserve the salutary doctrines of revealed truth for a festival entertainment; but will produce them to the people, for their daily nourishment, as the only food sufficient for the strengthening and refreshing of their souls. Every discourse, though not pointed directly at the mysteries of the Gospel, will become, in the bands of such a preacher, the easy vehicle of information and comfort: and thus the glory of the Cross, no longer enshrined within the veil, will be diffused through every part of the Christian temple.

We shall now offer a few extracts, which may enable the reader to

form a just estimate of Mr. Fawcett's theological sentiments, and his pulpit style, beginning with a sermon on the words, (Psal. exliii.) "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." He observes :

"The use which is made of this last declaration, very much distinguishes false-hearted religionists from the truly humble followers of Jesus Christ. For many will confess they are sinners; bat

it seems a sort of comfort and relief to them to remember, that all men are so

too, as well as they. Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified;" would by them be urged as a sort of extenuation, as making the charge of guilt somewhat lighter, and the plea for forgiveness more powerful. We are sinners, true; we cannot stand thy judgment, we confess it; but who can?

We have sinned in common with the rest of our fellow-men, and partake of

the general frailty of our race. Thus such men speak, as if they were kept in countenance by numbers. The weight of guilt seems lightened by being shared amongst many. They say, 'We are all sinners,' meaning that they are no worse than others, better possibly than many; and, therefore, the universal wickedness of all, and much greater wickedness of a vast proportion of mankind, afford them a ground of hope. For they argue, if God should condemn them to eternal

punishment, what must become of thou sands upon thousands of mankind?

"Now this mode of thinking and reasoning betrays an unsound and unhumbled heart. No one who has entered

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into the real meaning of David's words, or been in any measure impressed with David's sense of sin, ever reasoned so; for the words, in thy sight shall no man living be justified,' are so far from being an excuse or extenuation of sin, that they are an acknowledgment of it, as deeply rooted in the heart and nature. No pleading, We have done wrong in this or that, but it was through surprise, or temptation, or error; our hearts are good, and we mean well.' Nothing like this: the truly convinced sinner feels and owns that it belongs not to man to stand in self-justification. The evil which he manifests in his conduct in common with others, he traces to the depravity of heart which he partakes

of together with others. He has done with extenuating his sins; with explaining them into mistake, or rashness, or violence of temptation; or the extreme of generosity and gratitude, whereby some men, not knowing or feeling the universal depravity of mankind, would persuade themselves and others, that their vices are virtues; and their crimes for which they deserve even the punishment of the law, noble and heroic actions. Pleas of this foolish kind, the truly humbled man has done with for ever: he traces the sinfulness of his life to its proper source-the sinfulness of his heart: he knows that as sure as he is a man, he is a sinful man; that his heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, and that every imagination of the thoughts thereof is only evil continually. It is in this humbling way that he adopts the words, in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Vol. I. pp. 91-93.

The two following citations-one from a sermon on Luke xvi. 8, the other from a sermon on 1 Cor. vii.

fort of this, and treasuring up for them.
selves an inheritance of wrath in the
next.
Yet it will be hard to find, even
among the most worthless and inconsi-
derate of mankind, one who is not out-
done in folly by the wisest of God's chil-
dien; if we take into consideration the
proportion which ought always to be
kept between the worth of the object,
and the diligence of the pursuit. A
man is not to be accounted foolish be-
cause he does not labour hard for a
thing of no worth. It is when, for want
of consideration, diligence, and manage-
ment, men let great things slip out of
their hands, that they are justly ac-
counted fools. And if this be the
case, and we think what eternity is
worth, what heaven and our souls are
worth; and, on the other hand, how
little satisfaction there is in any worldly
thing, and how short a time it lasts; in
this light, even a little diligence in a
worldly man may justly shame a great
Ideal in a spiritual man. The spiritual
man may be the more diligent of the
two, and yet not so diligent in propor-
tion, nor so wise in his generation."

35-will be acceptable to the spi- Vol. II. pp. 1–3. ritually-minded reader.

"In every comparison of these two great divisions of mankind, the advantage is generally on the side of the chil. dren of light. But at present we are going to compare them in a point of view, in which the preference must be given to the children of this world; the wisdom of each in their respective generations. If we contemplate them in any other light, there is no comparison. The righteous excel the wicked, as much as light excelleth darkness. Their principles are incomparably more excellent, the objects which they pursue more noble, their joys more pure, their lives more useful, their deaths more peaceful, their eternity more glorious. There is one and only one point of view, in which the preference can be given to the children of this world. They are wiser in their generation than the children of light. In forming an estimate, however, of the wisdom of each class, we must proceed with caution; that we may neither give to the worldling a praise which he does not deserve, nor condemn' without reason the generation of God's children.

The children of this world are not all of them wise in their generation. There are many who are fools for both worlds, madly throwing away the com

"Contemplate much the nearness and vast importance of eternity, and see, in this light, the vanity of all those things about which you are apt to be troubled, or by which you are distracted. How soon will they all be as if they had never been! Those busy moments are making provision, as they fly, for moments which must pass away in their turn. Those important concerns which look so big, and demand so close attention, how soon will they disappear for ever! While eternity, that great thought, with what demonstration does it shew all things here to be lighter than vanity! Our comforts, our possessions, our relations, our idols; whatever we think them now, what will they be in a few years? Or what will they appear to be, when the soul enters on her eternal portion? My brethren, the time is short; it remaineth, therefore, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. If, then, you would wait upon God to good purpose, be serious as men that have here no continuing city, but who seek one to come. Have your loins girded about, and your

lights burning, and be yourselves like men that wait for their Lord. Without this serious spirit there is no such thing as attending upon the Lord. A light and trifling mind is always distracted, always dissipated; is easily moved about by every change of circumstance. As straws or feathers are driven about by the wind, while heavier substances lie unmoved; so every wind of fortune affects those minds which are not kept steady and fixed to their centre by the weighty consideration of eternity. They may hear the word with joy, and often experience a considerable melting of affection; but things eternal not having a deep hold on their minds, when they are out of the sound of the Gospel, they are ready to be carried away by every vanity." Vol. II. p. 274.

There is a very instructive sermon upon Moses communing with God in the mount, and attracting to his countenance some rays of heavenly brightness from his converse with the Father of lights. The reader will not be displeased with having one or two passages from this sermon:

"All solid attainments in religion must appear from converse with God. It is by retirement from the world, and calling upon God in secret prayer, that progress in real holiness is to be made. Here the soul is to be bowed low in humility: pardon and peace, through Jesus Christ, and the spirit of adoption, must here be sought. Here, trust in God is to be exercised; here must we learn to cast upon God our cares, and put away tormenting fears; here must patience be learned; here hopes confirmed; and here must be acquired temperance, meekness, charity, heavenly-mindedness, and strength and wisdom to discharge with diligence and success the active duties of our respective stations. In short, as Moses on the mount received the Commandments; so in the mount it must be, that those same Commandments must be written on the fleshly tables of our hearts by the spirit of the living God. This consideration is of great value. It not only shews us how to acquire Christian graces; but also affords a sure method of judging of such as we may think we possess. For if all solid attainments must be learned by prayer, it follows that all attainments, however specious and showy, which do not proceed from secret communion

with God, are of a questionable nature. They are either the delusive glare of wild-fire; or the intemperate heat of zeal without knowledge; or the cold lamp of head-knowledge, without af fection; or whatever they be, and however they may glitter in the eyes of men, depend upon it, the whole is a false lustre; it is only a varnish of earthly composition spread over the face below, not a reflection of the Divine glory caught from above." Vol. II. p. 194.

"I cannot, indeed, promise any that they shall ever in this life arrive at such a state, as not occasionally to feel this barrenness and deadness of spirit. But in proportion as a man becomes more spiritual, these occasional depressions, at the same time that they grieve and humble him, will minister to his sanctification. They will teach him to cease from self-dependence, and to live more simply by faith; to long for that better state and place, where there shall be no more variations of frames, no more interruption of joy: where the vision of God shall be perpetual and without a veil; and the faces of his saints beholding it shine with a brighter glory than that of Moses, and shine for ever." Vol. II. p. 202.

We have pleasure in transcribing another passage, from a sermon preached on the close of a contested election at Carlisle; of which circumstance the preacher takes advantage, to encourage the candidates for a place in heaven to a diligence worthy of the object they pursue.

"For what, then, has been the contest which we have witnessed? What is the value of the distinction sought? Its due and reasonable worth has been already admitted; nor do I wish to detract from it in the smallest degree. Rate it as high as you please; still it must be remembered, it is a transient honour. A very few years must bring it to its close. And life itself is such a vapour, that it may not last, even during the short continuance of this limited period. The honour is conferred upon a frail dying mortal; and he who is one day borne in his embellished chair, the idol of an applauding throng, is another day conveyed in the mournful hearse, to the house appointed for all living. If this, then, is worthy of being sought with so much diligence; what care,

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