ecclesiastical history may convince us, that among the brightest ornaments of our established religion there are to be numbered Calvinists, as well as opposers of Calvinism; and without plunging into the depths of the controversy, a candid mind may discover this much upon the face of it, that nothing is more injurious than for either side to wish to exclude the other from the bosom of our communion, and to set up its own opinions as the only legitimate test of true churchmanship." These are sentiments with which our readers must be familiar, as it has ever been our object to inculcate them amidst the continued agitation of the Calvinistic controversy. A view of the difficulties which press with almost equal force on either side of the question, follows in the sermon before us, and of the points in which both parties substantially agree; from which the author forcibly argues the duty of mutual forbearance, candour, and charity; and above all, of prayer for the spirit of union and peace in the church. May that divine and truly Christian spirit increase and prevail amongst us! The remaining twenty sermons in this volume comprize most of the important points of practical religion. They are written in that simple and unadorned, yet correct and impressive; style which is best adapted to parochial instruction; and though not originally intended for the press, and subject to the necessary disadvantages of posthumous publications, they are both honourable to the character of their excellent author, and calculated to be extensively useful. "Repentance towards God, aud faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," the renewal, the spiritual life, progress, warfare, and hope of the true Christian, form some of the topics presented to us in these discourses; and they are unfolded with a strength and simplicity of expression, with a warmth of feeling, and a holy fervour of exhortation and earnestness of application to the conscience and the heart, which mark the compositions of one who was indeed "honest in the sacred cause." We shall give a few specimens upon some of the points which we have enumerated, and which will, we doubt not, render many of our readers desirous of possessing the volume from which they are extracted. Several of the sermons before us display, with an equal and very extensive knowledge of the human heart, and of the nature of the Gospel, the causes of unbelief, and the dispositions necessary to the reception of Divine truth. Thus, the fourth sermon, on John iii. 19, entitled, "The Love of Sin the real Source of Unbelief," exhibits in a very striking point of view, the true cause of infidelity, and of rejecting the light of the Gospel ; while the fifth, on the emphatic declaration of our Saviour, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," points out the reason why men of immoral characters more readily accepted his invitations than those who thought themselves righteous. After illustrating the prevalence of the pharisaic disposition in the formalist, the mere moralist, and the man of amiable disposition, Mr. Boucher thus admirably replies to a very common objection to this representation of Christianity: are "But what," it may be said, แ amiable tempers to go for nothing? Are we to set no value upon the virtues of honesty, temperance, kindness, humanity? Is a man of correct manners no better than the profligate? Is the vilest sinner in a fairer way of becom ing a Christian than the person who acknowledges the restraints, and is influenced by the dictates, of moral duty ? Is it necessary to have led a vicious course of life before we can understand the Gospel, or become thorough converts to the religion of the Saviour? By no means. God forbid that any one of these suppositions should be entertained! God forbid that the Gospel should ever be so far misapprehended as for any one to imagine that morality is depreciated by it! Christianity approves and encourages every virtuous ha bit, every amiable feeling, every upright and generous action. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever - things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report,' it sanctions, enforces, and commands. So far from the habits of sin rendering the heart more susceptible of religion, every sin we commit removes us farther off from repentance, and renders the work of religion more difficult. It is the grossest perversion of the Gospel to suppose, that because it seeks to bring all men to au acknowledgment of their sinful state, and does away with human merit as a ground of justification in the sight of God, it on this account levels all distinctions of character, and confounds the upright and amiable with the basest and most abandoned of their species. "When our Lord told the Scribes and Pharisees that the publicans and harlots should enter into the kingdom of heaven before them, he did not mean to exte. nuate the guilt of publicans and barlots; or to imply that covetousness, profligacy, and licentiousness, were sing of less enormity than those to which the Scribes and Pharisees were addicted, This was not his intention. His object was to rebuke a proud self-righteous disposition. The great lesson he inculcated is this, that a penitent sinner is nearer the kingdom of heaven than one who, on the title of his own worthiness, thinks himself just before God. The Gospel is not opposed to good works; it enjoins its disciples to be zealous of them:-but it condemns the spirit, which, in the unconverted heart, mingles itself with their performance;-that spirit of self-glorying and self-dependance which prevents the soul from seeking its salvation through faith in Christ." The seventh and eighth sermons, on the duty of solemnly dedicating ourselves to the service of God, and on "The Christian a new Creature," are both excellent. Without fulfilling the former duty, there can, observes this sound and scriptural writer, be no sincere or consistent obedience, and no delight in religion. Until that dedication has taken place, we are even in a state of rebellion against God. Our salvation depends upon it; our high calling as Christians requires it, and the mercies of God persuade us thus to yield ourselves to his service. To become 66 a new creature," he argues in the latter of these two discourses, is not to put away the grosser vices of conduct, and assume a more sober, steady, and decent behaviour, or merely to be baptized, and to take up the profession of the Christian religion; or farther, merely to change our opinion with respect to the nature and character of re ligion, or to acquire a speculative knowledge of its truth; but to have new views and apprehensions of God, of the world, and of eternity, to have new affections, and new pursuits. This is the object of the Gospel; for this purpose is the Holy Spirit promised. "It is to make us new creatures; and such we certainly shall be, if we are partakers of that Spirit; such we certainly must be, if ever we expect to enter into the kingdom of God." We could with pleasure make some extracts from the next sermon, on receiving the Grace of God in vain;" but we pass on to the tenth, on Ephesians i. 12, 13, entitled, Earnest of our Inheritance," which "The Gift of the Holy Spirit the is one of the best and most beautiful in the volume. The following points are discussed in this discourse:-First, that to all who truly embrace the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will be given; secondly, that the ordinary gifts of the Spirit to believers, seal and attest their adoption into the family of God, and are an earnest to them of future glory; and thirdly, as a necessary inference resulting from this, that if we are devoid of the regenerating and sanctifying influences of God's Holy Spirit, we may be assured that we are not yet true believers in Jesus Christ, nor have obtained a saving interest in his redemption. From the second of these heads, we quote the fol lowing elevated and eloquent pas sage. "O! what cause have they for exultation and joy, who, suffering themselves to be led by the Spirit of God,' possess this sure mark of being the sons of God!' who have received, not' the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby they can cry, Abba, Father!' Who, having 'the first fruits of the Spirit in their hearts, and participating in its holy and heavenly consolations, enjoy a foretaste here of those pure, exalted, and everlasting pleasures, to which a glorified Redeemer will one day admit them! How may such characters as these look down upon this world! With what holy indifference may they contemplate its changing scenes, its conflicts, its vanities, its anxieties, and cares! United to the Saviour by the ever-living Spirit, and having an inheritance' secured to them, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away,' with what composure may they look forward to, or rather with what delight may they welcome, the arrival of that hour which is to close their earthly pilgrimage, and putting them in possession of all that they have laboured, and all that they have longed for, shall complete their eternal redemption! Glorious are the privileges of the children of God; and happy, inconceivably happy, is their portion! May we, my brethren, seek that portion as our own, and may it be our lot to belong to their favoured numher! Blessed be God, the way lies open to us all. As many as receive the Lord Jesus Christ, to them gives he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." The fourteenth sermon contains an able development of our Lord's rebuke to Peter, Matt. xvi. 21-23. After observing that the Apostle was evidently actuated upon the occasion in question by worldly and ambitious views, Mr Boucher thus proceeds : "But this was not all. It was not in this respect only that Peter savoured the things that be of men rather than those that be of God. There is no point on which the thoughts of God and those of men so essentially differ, as that of the cross of Christ. Till we are renewed, and have attained a faculty of spiritual discernment, we can see no glory in this object. We, on the contrary, can discover in it nothing but shame and ignominy. The whole plan of redemption, through the death and crucifixion of the Son of God, appears foolishness to the natural man. The preceptive parts of the Christian scheme, and the moral lessons our Lord inculcated, may indeed be admired and commended by him, nor will he refuse his tribute of applause to the virtues and excellencies of Christ's personal character; but as to the distinguishing doctrines of his religion, such in particular as relate to his atonement and satisfaction, he is not only insensible to their beauty and value, but has a rooted aversion to them. "It is in the cross of Christ, however, that the glory of God shines forth with a pre-eminent lustre. We have in it the most wonderful and striking manifestation of the perfections of Jehovah; of His grace, wisdom, justice, holiness, and truth. The works of creation and providence shew forth His perfections; but it is to the work of redemption, as planned in his eternal counsels, and executed by his incarnate Son, that we are to look for the most illustrious display of the Divine attributes. Hence it was, that in the immediate view of his sufferings, we find Jesus praying, Father, glorify Thy name;' for by his sufferings was the Almighty to be more signally glorified by men and angels, both in time and throughout eternity, than by any other transaction the universe ever witnessed. How inestimable, how extensive, how durable, were to be the fruits of them! The redemption of millions of souls from eternal misery— reconciliation effected between an apostate world and its offended Makerfull and complete satisfaction made to God for the injury received by Him from His rebellious creatures—the infinite holiness of the Divine law asserted tice maintained, and yet the richest and magnified—the most inflexible jusmercy exhibited-sin dethroned, and the Divine image restored in the soul of man-Satan overpowered-death disarmed of its sting--the grave vanquished -an everlasting righteousness brought in, and the kingdom of heaven opened to all believers! Little did Peter know what he was doing when he would have had his Master avoid the ill-usage to which he was about to expose himself! Little did he foresee the glorious and stupendous consummation which would result from the sufferings which he deprecated! How different were his views from those of Christ! By what opposite sentiments were they actuated! What was obloquy to the one, was glory to the other. What tended to shame, defeat, and ruin, in the estimation of the blind and earthly-minded disciple, was chosen by Christ as the very means of confounding and triumphing over his enemies, and bringing about the actual completion of His gracious design in coming into the world." It would be easy to multiply extracts, which, equally with the preceding, evince the enlightened judgment and the deep and animated piety of the author; and we could particularly thus point out to the notice of our readers two most useful sermons which follow, " on the Gospel-method of Sanctification," and on the duty of seeking "Wisdom from God." But we are unwillingly compelled to restrict our attention to the last two in the volume; one of which, as we learn from the preface, was the last composed, and the other the last preached, by their lamented author. Sermons thus written and delivered are associated with circumstances peculiarly interesting and impressive. We naturally inquire what were the admonitions which a minister of Christ, thus unconsciously to himself on the verge of an eternal world, was induced to address to his congregation, or what were the views which at that solemn period were particularly present to his mind? It will be satisfactory and gratifying to every Christian mind to know that in the one case, Mr. Boucher was led to reflect on "the Duty and Reward of. Watchfulness," and, in the other, "the Nature of true Peace." On the former of these subjects, from Luke xii. 35~38, he considered the three following important points :-"1st, The uncertainty of the time when Christ will summon us to judgment; 2dly, The consequent ne cessity of our being always prepared for such a summons; 3dly, The happiness of those who shall be found ready to meet their Lord at his coming." Under this just and striking division of his sub ject the pious preacher described, in very awakening terms, the extreme and acknowledged uncertainty of life; the awful consequences of death as summoning us into the presence of our Judge; the danger of carelessness in such a situation; the pernicious habit of deferring the work of religion; the nature of that preparation which our Lord so repeatedly inculcates, as consisting in an habitual expectation of His coming, in maintaining a sober, serious, watchful frame, and in the practice and exercise of repentance, faith, and universal holiness; together with the happiness promised to the watchful and prepared Christian in intimate communion with his glorified Redeemer. In the latter of these impressive discourses, he displayed the nature of true happiness or peace, as consisting in a sense of our reconciliation with God, and having an interest in His favour; in freedom from the tyranny of sinful passions; and in possessing an adequate support under present difficulties, and a sure refuge against future. afflictions. Had their lamented author foreseen his approaching departure from the world, and his separation from those who had long been the objects of his pastoral instruction and care, he could scarcely have taken his farewel of them and of life in a more solemn and edifying manner. We doubt not that he was himself a partaker of that heavenly peace which he so beautifully describes, which nothing earthly can either give or take away; and that he was habitually prepared for the summons which, however suddenly and unexpectedly, dissolved the various tender and interesting ties which naturally bound him to the present life, and called him into an eternal world. This is, indeed, the most powerful consolation to those who knew his value, and who lament his loss.-May, this tribute to his memory from one who cordially esteemed and loved him, while it tends to cherish the remembrance of his worth, serve, above all, to illustrate the supreme excellence of that Gospel the promotion of which was the great object of his life, and the leading doctrines of which are so ably unfolded in the volume, which we would now, in conclusion, warmly recommend to our readers. PAMPHLETS, &c. ON THE PETER BOROUGH QUESTIONS*. IT was with great reluctance we entered upon this controversy, and with equal reluctance that we resume it; but, considering the subject of the utmost importance to the interests of religion and the church, we should not feel that we discharged our duty if we did not bring it before our readers. We have thought it right to speak freely our opinion of the general measure which has given rise to the pamphlets before us, and we shall now speak with equal freedom of the theological character of the Bishop of Peterborough's QuesLions; but we are anxious that in animadverting, as we have felt ourselves compelled to do, on the conduct of a prelate who has suffered himself so grievously to disturb the peace of the church, by what we consider to be an arbitrary and most inexpedient stretch of official power, our remarks should not be construed into any thing like disrespect for that Right Rewerend Bench of which he is a member. Those of our readers who have followed us through the former part of our remarks, will recollect that we proposed for their consideration three points;-first, The legality of the Bishop of Peterborough's measure; secondly, Its expediency; and thirdly, The theological character of his lordship's Questions. In the general view which we then took of the two For the list, see our last Number. former points, we feel confirmed by subsequent reflection, especially as regards the case of licensing a curate already in orders, and coming from another diocese with the regular testimonials". A variety of additional arguments have occurred to our minds, and some facts of importance connected with the practical operation of the Pe • We observe, on looking back to our Review, page 174, that in our remarks on the 35th canon, we have applied the clause, "If the bishop have any lawful impediment," in the sense of " If the bishop have any impediment existing in his mind as to the fitness of the candidate ;" but, on re-perusing the canon, we think that the words may be meant to apply to some personal impediment of the bishop-as if it had said, "If the bishop be lawfully hindered from examining the candidate, then he shall cause three ministers at the least, [not "his (single) deputy," as the Christian Remembrancer construes it,] carefully to examine him." This construction, if correct, will of course modify our remarks on the same page, relative to the expression" legal impediment;" but it does not at all interfere with our main pecially with regard to the abhorrence argument derived from that canon, es. of the church for what we have there denominated the "sic volo, sic jubeo" system of the Bishop of Peterborough and his advocates. The bishop, it is expressly enjoined, shall not even proceed to the examination of a candidate, "but in the presence of those ministers that shall assist him at the imposition of hands," who shall be either of his ca thedral church, or sufficient preachers, to the number of three at the least.Our chief reason for insisting so much upon this point is, that a reasonable degree of publicity is one of the best human guarantees for preventing the abuse to which discretionary power is always liable; and because the habit of determining matters summarily, privately, and on ex-parte statements, if it be not timely checked, will, in the end, either render the Church of England the most despotic and arbitrary system known in the civilized world; or, which is far the more probable issue, will make it so unpopular, and expose it to such public odium, as must speedily work its downfal. |