latter will appear to a disadvantage upon the comparison. Yet howsoever unpolished in divers places, he is intelligible, clear, and nervous in all; never puerile, frothy or trifling. *He lived in times of great discord and uncharitableness in matters of religion, which were too often prostituted to serve political views and secular interests. As his great talents made him conspicuous, his attempts to confute errours, to reconcile differences, and revive the true spirit of Christianity, drew upon him much hatred and abuse from bigots and enthusiasts. Unmoved with personal indignities, he persisted in the paths of candour and charity; and to wash off the stains of prejudice, gently led his opponents to the clear fountain head, exhibiting to their view THE DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY. This most gracious and amazing design, formed by infinite wisdom and infinite goodness, to produce glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will towards men; glory and peace which surpass all human understanding; good will, no less than the pardon of every transgression, exemption from all punishment; reconciliation with our Creator; and the purifying and fitting mankind by holiness here, for eternal happiness hereafter; how frequently is it forgot, how grossly misunderstood, and how lamentably perverted! No sooner was the good seed sown, but the subtle adversary of souls hasted to intermix his tares, nor can they be separated till the harvest is completed. For the satisfaction of such as have not opportunities of consulting the Biogra phia Britannica, in the third volume of which the reader may meet with bishop Fowler's life, it may not be improper to insert the following particulars, chiefly extracted from thence.-Dr. Edward Fowler was born at Westerleigh in Glouces tershire, in the year 1632, and died in the year 1714, in the 82d year of his age. His excellent writings soon made him considerable, and procured him preferment in London. He was successively rector of Allhallow's, Bread-street; and St. Giles's, Cripplegate. In the year 1675, he was installed prebendary of Gloucester; of which see in 1691, he became the worthy bishop, and continued in it without any translation to the time of his death. He appeared early as an advocate for vital and practical holiness, against the Antinomians; and afterwards, in the reign of king James the second, when popery, supported by the countenance and all the power of a court, was making formidable advances, he was one of those champions, who stood up and signalized themselves in defence of the protestant religion, and of the church whereof he was a member. This conduct rendered him equally obnoxious to Papists and sectaries, and to their several adherents. It fared with him, as it will do with all, who from the superiority of their understanding, and the candour of their heart, will not be influenced by the narrow views of party interest, nor swim with the stream of popular prejudice, but are determined to pursue truth wheresoever it may be found. He was branded, on one side, as a pestilent heretick; on the other, as a degrader of God's grace, and a mere moralist. His enemies proceeded so far as to commence a prosecution against him, and we are told that they even obtained a suspension, founded upon such allegations, and attended with such consequences, as may at the same time serve to distinguish the complexion of those times, the spirit of the prosecutors, and the immovable constancy of that faithful servant, who relies upon this assurance given by his master, "Blessed are ye when men sha revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." Matt. v. 11. Christ and his apostles have plainly taught, that the requisites to salvation are repentance, faith, and obedience. So far, Christians seem universally to agree. Proceed a little further to illustrate or explain these, and the divine simplicity of the Gospel is too often lost in the inventions of men. New titles and systems, with infinite divisions and distinctions instantly arise. The enlightened interpreter of Paul, the rational pupil of Apollos, the infallible successour of Cephas, and the sole chosen follower of Christ, can by no means agree about the signification of words, or the identity of things. Differences upon points for the most part speculative and fruitless, have been found sadly to diminish, if not totally to destroy those essential qualities of mutual love and charity, which our blessed Saviour has declared to be the badge or distinguishing mark of his disciples. As we all have the same Creator, Preserver, and Father, the same Redeemer, and the same Sanctifier, are all of us candidates for the same heaven; and acknowledge that holiness is the path which leads to it; why do we fall out by the way; or labour to divide it into different branches? The apos→ tle St. James will resolve this question, as he does another nearly related to it, to our great reproach and shame. Jam. iv. 1. Would every man rest contented to employ and improve in the best manner that he can, that talent or portion of judgment and knowledge which it has pleased God to bestow upon him, the scriptures alone are able to make him wise unto salvation. If he does not find in himself an evil heart of unbelief, but is firmly persuaded therein is eternal life, (and none who is destitute of this persuasion can pretend to style himself a Christian,) let him diligently consult this only infallible directory, that he may give a reason of the hope that is in him: but still, according to the apostle's exhortation, be careful to offer that reason, not presumptuously, but with meekness and fear. None would then say unto his brother, thou fool, for an involuntary, and perhaps an insurmountable difference in opinion; nor † doat about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, railings, and perverse disputings. Then, indeed, might we hope to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. But how shall the wayfaring man discern his path, if he attends to those endless mazes of controversy, which lie open to his view on every side? Especially, as he will find each particular sect, not only censuring and railing at, but audaciously judging, and passing sentence of damnation upon all the rest; whilst infidels exult, and cry, Ah! so would we have it. These are reflections, no less obvious than alarming, in the present state of Christianity, insomuch that the observation made of the primitive Christians, which raised so much astonishment in their Heathen persecutors, Ecce quomodo se mutuo diligunt!* would now be the bitterest sarcasm that their adversaries could utter. The prevention of these evils, so far as depends upon human endeavours, is attentively to consider, as well the means as the end, of the Gospel dispensation. In this important and necessary inquiry, we shall be happily assisted by the pious author of this book. All his reasonings are taken from scripture: he forms no design or system of his own, but most powerfully and clearly explains that of Christ; nor does he elaim our attention further than he speaks forth the words of truth and soberness. If he understands and interprets a text differently from what Calvin did, no admirer of that zealous reformer has cause to be angry. Calvin himself, (now we hope in the regions of peace and bliss,) would scarce have been so, if living: or if he had, would only have shown an instance of that frailty, from which the best of men are not wholly exempt. To confine the title of evangelical teacher to any one man who has distinguished himself by particular tenets, or to the maintainers of those tenets only, savours too much of human arrogance. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, says the blessed Jesus. He will know it from the testimony of a good conscience, from the steadiness of that structure which is founded upon a rock, and from the fruits which are produced by his faith in Jesus Christ. The Comforter will dwell within and abide with him; but how far the assurance or persuasion of his mind is supernatural or rational, either in general, or in any particular instance, might be a fruitless, and at the same time a very presumptuous inquiry. All that should influence our conduct as rational creatures, endued with certain powers, but those confined within very narrow limits, our great and gracious Creator has been pleased to write in legible characters, so that he who runs may read. Let us then attend to that most excellent advice given by Eliphaz in Job, and to the necessary caution which he subjoins, † remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off. Still remember likewise, that God is great, and we know him not. We know not, nor is it possible we should ever thoroughly comprehend, his operations, councils or decrees. Sufficient for such weak creatures is the knowledge that they all flow from his immutable attributes, and that these are the utmost See how they love one another! † Job xxxvi. 24, 25, 26, perfection of wisdom, justice, and goodness. * Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?" is the tender expostulation of the God of mercy and truth. Reflections of this kind might teach us to confine our researches within the compass of human faculties, and instead of vilifying or decrying these, to labour that we may employ them to the glory and praise of the giver, which is inseparably connected with our own supreme good and happiness. Possibly, in this unbelieving and dissolute age, there has not appeared a work more destructive to religion, than that artful one entitled, Christianity not founded on Argument. Numbers have read it, who, through the specious gilding, could scarce discern the poison. Had the title been more plainly this, Christianity neither consistent with Reason nor CommonSense, it had done less harm; for every Christian, who would venture to read it, would have known what to expect, and have been upon his guard. It would be well if those devout and well-meaning persons who are abundantly fond of whatsoever appears mysterious, would consider how far they are serving that cause, which from their hearts they detest; whensoever they intemperately rail at human understanding, and debase human power. The great, the adorable, and impenetrable mystery of godliness, (ever impenetrable to men, to angels, and all created beings,) is this, God manifest in the flesh. But is the end and design of this mysterious incarnation itself a mystery? when the voice of God has declared, that for this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil;' and that the grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'-Obedience is the end, the effect, the necessary consequence, and the inseparable concomitant of faith, or faith is no longer living, but dead. But still what claim of right, what plea of merit, can arise from such obedience as man is capable of performing?-Assuredly none. Both the Lord thank that servant because he did those things which were commanded? I trow not. When ye shall have done all these things which were commanded, say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to * Ezek. xviii. 25. VOL. L-No. II, † 1 John iii. 8. Titus . 11, 12, &c. > do.'-* We can have nothing to glory of;' for tour sufficiency is of God.' 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights,' whose ' divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.' These things are not enveloped in darkness, but most clearly revealed; and of these we could have no knowledge or assurance, were it not through faith in Christ, and in the declarations made by himself and the ministers of his Gospel.If we should now be asked by an infidel-whether faith, which is the evidence of things not seen, be, or be not, a rational persuasion, more or less intense, according to the stability of those grounds whereupon we apprehend it to be founded, what are we to answer? A teacher who styles himself evangelical, would probably start at the word rational, and protest against it. Let us then seek for a better, a more satisfactory, and clearer definition of faith.A truly amiable and devout advocate for the all-sufficiency of Christ's imputed righteousness, and most elegant writer, now with God, (I mean the late Rev. Mr. James Hervey,) in his explanation of the applauded doctrine and work of the Rev. Mr. Marshal on Sanctification, defines it thus: "Faith is a real persuasion, that God is pleased to give Christ and his salvation; to give him freely, without any recommending qualifications or preparatory conditions; to give him, not to some sinners only, but to me, a sinner, in particular. It is likewise an actual receiving of Christ, with all the benefits, privileges, and promises of the Gospel, in pursuance of the divine gift, and on no other warrant but the divine grant."-This last office is particularly insisted on, as "an essential part, or as the principal act of faith. To perform which, there is no rational, no possible way, unless we do, in some measure, assure ourselves that Christ and his salvation are ours."-At the same time we are cautioned against the errour of imagining," that we are able to produce faith in ourselves by any power of our own."-And it is asserted" that the spirit of God habitually disposes and inclines our hearts to a right performance of this important act."-Yet, " that we must not expect to have faith wrought in us by some fatality of supernatural operation, without any application or endeavour of our own; but that we must make it our diligent endeavour to believe in Christ." From these quotations out of the works of men attached indeed to a particular system, but truly eminent for learning and piety, have we obtained more clear and satisfactory ideas; and 1 Cor. ix. 16. † 2 Cor.iii. 5. + Jam. i. 17. § 2 Pet. i. S. See Mr. Hervey's prefatory recommendation prefixed to Mr. Marshal's Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, pp. 6, 7. See Mr. Hervey's note, p. 7. |