QUERY.

Messrs Editors,-I shall feel obliged if your correspondent I. K. will give his thoughts on 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God;" or 1 Cor. ii. 2, "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified;" or Gal. vi. 14, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." I have read with great pleasure and profit some of his pieces upon the Spirit's teachings, or experimental religion, and I think he will agree with me that the great end of the Spirit's work is to abase the pride of man and exalt Christ, as Isa. ii. 11-22; 1 Cor. i. 27-31; and John xv. 26, and xvi. 14, 15; and as this is a day of awful superficial religion, or rather mock-religion, too much cannot be said upon the work of the Spirit, teaching the child of God what he is in, and of, and by self, and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as all and in all to his soul. I therefore hope the Lord will lead your correspondent to give his views upon the above portions of God's word.

May, 1838.

A CONSTANT READER, HOBBLING ON IN A VERY MYSTERIOUS PATH.

EDITORS' REVIEW.

Thoughts on the Special Leadings of God in Grace and Providence, &c. By H. Nichole.-Bennett, London.

The task of a reviewer, made and kept spiritually honest, is a very hard one. There are so few books that come under his notice which he can conscientiously recommend, as bearing on them a heavenly impress. Most reviews in religious periodicals, it is to be feared, are as much connected with trade and the interest of particular publishers, as the mock criticisms in newspapers and journals of worldly publication. And as many persons buy works for no other reason than because they are recommended in religious periodicals, every such false and delusive recommendation is a fraud, and one too seriously aggravated by its wearing a religious mask.

We consider then that there are some things in this little tract, which to a certain extent may be profitable to living souls. But we must confess that the author has rather obscured the character of a pardoned sinner, which he has attempted to delineate. He draws indeed a very just distinction, p. 8, "between being pardoned and and having a blessed assurance of the same to our souls;" but as to pardon, we can only consider it either 1. as existing in the mind of God, or 2. as revealed to the conscience of a vessel of mercy. But Mr. Nichole, unless we misunderstand him, makes a pardon as existing distinct from these two, (both of which he admits,) and connected in some way with feeling original sin, seeking mercy, lying

low in the dust of self-abasement, &c., all which we consider rather as divine preparations for manifested pardon, than pardon itself. Thus he says, pp. 7, 8, "If it should be found our mercy to be found among them that are looking to him, and seeking salvation in him, we are authorized to include ourselves among them whose sins are forgiven." Now we consider this statement an obscure, if not an erroneous one. We are only authorized to believe ourselves pardoned when we receive pardon with a divine authority. To gather conclusions from certain passages that speak of minor evidences, and believing, because we find these evidences in ourselves, that we are therefore pardoned, seems to us to be a letter faith that stands in the wisdom of men. A prisoner may conclude he shall be acquitted because of some favourable evidence, or pardoned on account of the known clemency of the sovereign, but this persuasion is very different from an acquittal by a jury, or a pardon under the King's own hand. A clear distinction here is of consequence, as souls are often plastered over with untempered mortar, through an excessive, though erroneous desire to cover over the gaping chinks which an earthquake has made in the building. We think a desire to administer comfort has prompted Mr. Nichole's pen to advance on this point what will not bear the test of either Scripture or experience; but this blemish, as we consider it, excepted, we think there are sound truths contained in it. We might just hint that a 12mo. sheet is somewhat too dear at sixpence.

*

A Brief Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Late Dr. Gill. By John Rippon, D.D., &c. &c.—London: Bennett.

This is a republication of a memoir prefixed to Dr. Gill's well known Commentary on the Scriptures-that ample storehouse, from which so many thieves and robbers weekly plunder whole sermons. As a commentary, we confess Dr. Gill's to be the ablest and soundest that has been ever published, but we are deeply convinced that the_blessed Spirit is the only true commentator upon his own word, and are sure that a heartfelt experience of a passage of scripture is the only real key to its meaning. All other modes of understanding the word are but picklocks; and such intrusion will never be blessed or sanctioned by him who has the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.

We consider accounts of the Lord's dealings with the souls of his people, when they are related with simplicity and power, as some of the most valuable writings that the church of God can be favoured with. But a mere biography, such as Dr. Rippon's memoir of Dr. Gill, however entertaining or instructive, we cannot view in the same light. It is one of those pretty religious books which abound in this day, and conveys some interesting information; but there is a miserable lack of unction and power. Indeed, what could we expect from such an enemy to vital godliness as Dr. Rippon has shown himself to be? - An Arabic grammar might be expected as justly from pome weaver, as a feeling, unctuous, experimental

piece of writing from a man devoid of a gracious experience. To those, then, who wish information as to the life and writings of Dr. Gill, we can recommend the above memoir, as an interesting piece of biography; but the tried and tempted family of God, who are seeking for power, will, we believe, turn over these pages in vain in search of that oil which maketh the face to shine, and that bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

We conclude our review of the two Doctors by a little anecdote which we believe to be authentic. A person went to call on Dr. Rippon, and knocking at the door, inquired of the servant whether Mr. Rippon was at home," when a thundering voice burst forth from the room where the little great Doctor was sitting thick clad with his divinity honours; "No; but Dr. Rippon is."

The Poor Man's Morning Portion, being a Selection of a Verse of Scripture, with short Observations, for every Day in the Year; intended for the Use of the Poor in Spirit, rich in Faith. By Robert Hawker, D. D. Vicar of Charles, Plymouth.-Bennett.

Most of our readers are doubtless already acquainted with this work, and sure we are that there are many who highly prize it. Hawker was a good and gracious man, we firmly believe; but we must honestly confess we are not so enamoured of his writings as some are. They consist chiefly of love and honey, with very little admixture of wormwood and gall. He rarely, if ever, descends into Doubting Castle, or gets shut up in the infernal prison; but almost invariably soars aloft to the celestial city, leaving those who are in the claws of Giant Despair, more firmly, if possible, in his grasp. That is, in his writings, the Dr. does not descend to those who really are famishingly" poor in spirit," but keeps most company with those who are, or presume they are, "rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven." We scarcely think there is any man gone to glory of late years who has left more apes behind him than Dr. Hawker; and we are quite sure we could point to numbers of persons, in the Establishment particularly, who know nothing, or very little, of religious matters, but what they have gathered from his writings. He did not sufficiently discriminate between character and character ; and thus it is that many, whose religion never was below their necks, eagerly catch hold of his ideas, nay, often his very words, and, throwing them about at random, without being led to say, "It is for thee, and not for thee," leave presumptuous hypocrites in full possession of the cluster, while the poor broken-hearted child of God is sent away sorrowful.

As regards the work before us, we like it quite as well as any that the Dr. published, and we can inform those who are desirous of having it in their possession (and there really is some choice language in it for those who can get at it) that it is published in a moderately cheap form, 350 pages in cloth, for 3s. 6d.

EDITORS' REMARKS.

We have several times stated that we cannot be answerable for every sentence which our various correspondents express, and yet we find it necessary to repeat the remark, in consequence of a letter, (inserted in another page) received from Mr. S. Sturton, in answer to the epistle of “A Traveller,” which appeared in our last number. Wherever we discover the least taint of invidiousness, we either cashier the piece altogether, or expunge the offensive parts, and yet some unbecoming expressions may after all escape our notice.

As regards "A Traveller," we know nothing of him only from his correspondence to our work, nor yet are we acquainted with the other persons named by Mr. S., so that if there be any malice in the matter, on the part of "A Traveller," we trust we shall be exonerated from being participators. "A Traveller" may have been influenced by the motives attributed to him by Mr. S., but again Mr. S. may be wrong in his conjecture; but as we know nothing about it to a certainty, we decline giving an opinion. Still we must observe, that Mr. S. has probably been premature, inasmuch as we find upon reperusal of a Traveller's letter, that he alludes to certain ministers, be they who they may, who "mock God's free-born sons, calling them Antinomians, lawless, and even graceless people." So that we hope Mr. S. is wrong, for we can hardly believe it possible for any minister, in whose heart the fear of God is alive and lively, mockingly to use that bugbear of the Arminians, "Lawless Antinomians," when speaking of God's most useful servants. We have known those expressions to be uttered by some, in reference to others, the latchet of whose shoes they were not worthy to unloose, either as regards their spiritual gifts or moral deportment, as time has proved; therefore we again express a hope that the gentlemen named by Mr. S. are not the ministers alluded to by "A Traveller;" but if they are, and if they have indeed called "God's free-born sons lawless Antinomians and graceless people," then they cannot in their turn feel aggrieved because they are called "bond-children." (Page 122.) No law will do for a man who is not in Christ, and he who is in Christ wants no law.

POETRY.

GENUINE SORROW FOR SIN,-ITS SOURCE.

Loathsome am I in mine own eyes,

A sinner vile and base;

Wilt thou, O Lord, from thence despise,
And shut me out of grace?

No, Eord, herein thy grace appears,
In that my state I see;

Thy Spirit thus his witness bears,
To what truth says of me.

Truth, Lord, yet dogs (the woman said)
Crumbs 'neath the table eat:
Her faith the refuse of the bread
Saw for her case was meet.

A dog though not directly call'd,
Yet faith the charge received;
And she, thereby with conscience gall'd
Her unclean state believed.
Mere letter knowledge might confess,
And reason sin may own;

But inward depths of soul-distress,
Are from the Lord alone.

Old nature's jaundiced eye beholds,
The sinner clean and fair:

Or false religion's form unfolds,
No depth, no feeling there.

As much vitality in stones,
As in the dead in sin;

For secret sighs and heart-felt groans,
From gracious life begin.

The Spirit's great life-giving power,
Alone can raise the slain:
Religion is, until that hour,

Mere vapour in the brain.

There needs the Spirit's life to feel,

And faith divine to see,
What self and pride from us conceal,
That wretches vile we be.

Who ever knew that he was lost,
And from his wanderings staid?
Till seeking Christ his pathway cross'd,
Him on his shoulders laid.

Just as a senseless infant he,

As in its blood exposed:

When he the time of love must see,
And mercy stand disclosed.

Of leprosy and plague of sin

We something more than read;

God shows the plague man's heart within;
We lepers vile indeed.

Are we sin-wounded Israelites ?
No grace that such we be!

Grace makes us feel the serpent's bites,
Benumb'd without it we.
Manchester, 1838.

Did grace thus for the wounded care?
The malady unfold?

Did grace the brazen serpent rear,
And eyes to see withhold?

No, no, and where sin's poison still
From grace and faith we feel;
From faith to faith the Spirit will
Christ's righteousness reveal.

From faith of sin, death, hell, and woe,
Of helplessness and loss,

To faith of all in Christ we know,
Salvation in the cross.

Our lost estate, our pardon'd case,
From us were both conceal'd,
Till they were (which we owe to grace)
By God to faith reveal'd.

OMEGA.

PAST AND PRESENT.

Ah! how my busy mind is fill'd
With many anxious cares,
And if on Jesus' help I build,

Then Satan lays his snares.
He tells me I presume too much
On Jesus' love and pow'r,
And he will ne'er deliver such,
In every trying hour.

But, O my soul, can this be true?
Has Jesus e'er forsook?
Hast thou had ever cause to rue
The cause he undertook?

O no, he has deliv'rance wrought
In many a trying hour,

And in the neediest time has brought

His mighty grace and pow'r.
This, this has put my foes to flight,
Quell'd every doubt and fear,
And turn'd away the shades of night
My fainting heart to cheer.
January 26, 1838.

And dost thou now, my soul, distrust
The God who cannot lie,

Who still is faithful, wise, and just,
And will attend thy cry?

O Lord! thou know'st how vile am I,
How firm the tempter's rage;
I cannot, though I often try,

With foes so strong engage.
Dear Jesus, grant me fresh supplies
Out of thy boundless store,
And when assail'd, O hear my voice,
And save from Satan's roar.

Thou know'st I long to get above,

Where foes no more annoy,
Where nought but praise, & joy, & love,
Shall every thought employ.

Then hasten, Lord, the wish'd for hour;
Call me from earth away,
To see thy face and sing thy praise,
In realms of endless day.

A WANDERER.

BAPTISM.

How delightful, yet solemn the sight was to me,
When I saw through those emblems my Jesus who died
To finish salvation, his people set free

From their bonds, and to raise them to glory beside.

How delightful, yet solemn it was for to see

Those followers of Jesus (made willing by grace,)

From the thund'rings of Sinai, to Zion to flee,

Where the blood of the Lamb speaks both pardon and peace.

And I thought, when I saw them baptized, on the woes
That roll'd over the head of my Lord, when he cried,
As in victory he triumph'd o'er all his dread foes,
"It is finish'd!" and then our Immanuel died.

And I felt it was love that had never been shown
To a world dead in sin-to myself but in part;

Yet to know how it brought my dear Lord from his throne
To the grave, was enough to enrapture my heart.