"When these services commenced fore I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the king-period before mentioned, they wore dom of God." meon; Resembling our own Hooker in many important respects, he resembled him in this also, that the word peace dwelt upon his lips even in death. He adopted, as many pious men in every age have done, the exclamation of Si"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Like Hooker, he had "lived to sec the world made up of perturbations:" and though both of these excellent men sacrificed much, and indeed every thing but their conscience, for peace, yet, from the nature of the controversies in which they were engaged, neither of them had been permitted to enjoy it upon earth. But Melancthon was now about to enter that state "where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest." He was at peace with God through the reconciling blood of his Redeemer; he was at peace with his own conscience; and as for the world, he was quitting at once its pleasures and its cares for evermore. He possessed all that he had long sought; his heart was full; and when asked by a friend if there were any thing more which he desired, he replied in that brief but emphatic exclamation, Aliud nihil-nisi cælum. From the Eclectic Review. different aspect from that which the wards assumed. For one winter and season, a weekly sermon on some in doctrine of the Gospel, was preached place, the Rev. Mr. Bragge's meetin in Lime-street. These were the 'Lim Lectures,' which were afterwards pr two volumes. The names of Bragge ham Taylor, Sladen, Goodwin, Hurrie bury, Wilson, Hall, and Gill, are s to recommend the discourses to at From the expiration of that course, t tures became monthly, and circulated rious places of worship in London, an beyond the limits of the metropolis. A the formation of the seminary at Pl Hall, afterwards at Mile End, and now f years at Homerton, the two institutio considered as closely connected..... "Since the commencement of the course, part of which is now submitte attention of the public, an attempt made to render the existing arrangen the Monthly Meeting as much as poss servient to the formation of a general congregational churches and minister metropolis.....The profits arising from of the volume will be devoted to the of the London Congregational Union face. We are extremely glad to find, tha thodox Dissenters of the metropolis an ning to be awake to the necessity of effective union than has hitherto among their churches. Four years had occasion to advert to this subject LECTURES ON SELECT PORTIONS OF THE EVIDENCES OF REVELA-length, and we shall not now enlar TION, delivered at the Monthly Meetings of the Associated Ministers and Churches of the London Congregational Union. By the following Ministers: William Orme. W. B. Collyer, D.D.&c. H. F. Burder, M.A. James Stratten. William Walford. John Pye Smith, D.D. Andrew Reed. Spedding Curwen. Robert Philips. John Morison. Robert Winter, D.D. Joseph Fletcher, M.A. Ero, pp. 462. Price 10s. 6d. London. 1827. THE Association of Ministers and Churches of the Congregational order, from which this volume emanates, has existed for nearly a hundred years, although it has only of late assumed a definite character, or made itself extensively known by any active operations. either the objects to which such a uni be rendered subservient, or the consi which make it desirable. We are pe that, if "a union of Congregational throughout the kingdom" is ever to be -a union which should give strength pactness to the denomination, secure i taneous operations, and give the cha unity to the aggregate body,—it mu with a metropolitan union; one of a p ligious nature, but which shall comme to general respect by its activity and us To what immediate object the profit volume are to be applied, we are not in we suppose, to the maintenance of the lecture, a very desirable measure. I us, that the objects of the "Society fo "It originated in the year 1730. The im- ting Christian Instruction in Londo pelling motive which gave birth to it was, the Vicinity," would fall within the legiti earnest concern of several ministers and others, vince of such a Union. At all events to promote among the Protestant Dissenters, ritual wants of London will demand fr a greater regard than they supposed at that further efforts than a monthly lectu time to exist, to the leading doctrines of the while, on the one hand, an extended s Reformation. With this view, they formed popular religious instruction is greatly themselves into a society, and adopted two to meet the condition of the working c plans in order to accomplish, with the blessing appears to us, that an annual course of of God, their great object. One was, the in- of a still higher character, on subjects stitution of these Monthly Exercises. The logy and ethics, ecclesiastical histor other was, the formation of a plan for the edu- evidence, and Biblical criticism, migh cation of young men for the ministry; a plan dered highly acceptable and extensive out of which, together with some important co- if sufficient pains were taken to rend operation, has arisen that most valuable semi-worthy of public countenance. nary now designated Homerton College. The present volume does great h the Associated Ministers, and we receive it as a pledge of their future labours. The names of the respective lecturers stand too high with the public, to render it necessary for us to give a formal recommendation of the work, which embodies a mass of argument and information on the Evidences of Christianity, which we believe cannot be found in any other volume of the same compass. The Lectures are twelve in number, on the following topics. I. Introductory, on the Advantages of an enlarged Acquaintance with the Evidences of Revelation. II. The Divine Legation of Moses. III. The Evidence arising from Prophecy. IV. The Evidence arising from Miracles. V. The Evidence arising from the Character of Christ. VI. The Evidence to the Divine Origin of Christianity from the Resurrection of Christ. VII. The Evidence derived from the Success of the Gospel. VIII. Internal Evidences of Christianity. IX. The Practical Influence of Christianity an Evidence of its Divinity. X. The Experimental Evidence of Christianity. XI. The Best Methods of counteracting Infidelity. XII. On the Mysteries of Revelation. It is scarcely possible that twelve lectures, by as many different individuals, should be uniform or equal in merit and excellence. Variety is not to be obtained without some attendant disadvantage. And the necessity of comprising each subject, however copious, within the limits of a single discourse, rendered it unavoidable that some points should receive a comparatively superficial treatment. It will be observed, that the historical evidence which attests the credibility of the Christian Revelation, though referred to in Mr. Orme's able introductory sketch, does not form the subject of a distinct lecture. If it was thought that Dr. Chalmers's masterly performance superseded, in any degree, the necessity of going over this ground, other branches of evidence might have been passed over, which have been treated with equal ability by preceding writers. We cannot, however, admit this reason, and must regret, therefore, that in like manner, one important class of internal evidences, that which relates to the genuineness, authenticity, and inspiration of the sacred volume, is wholly passed over. These omissions will, we hope, be supplied in a future course; and it is with this view that we point them out. With regard to the importance of a familiar and extensive acquaintance with all the branches of Christian evidence, Mr. Orme, in the first Lecture, has some very forcible remarks, which deserve the attention of every reader. put into their hands some of the best works in support and illustration of the Christian scheme; and direct them to a course of reading, by which they would be gradually fitted for understanding the whole subject, and enabled to perceive the breadth and the depth of the foundations on which the entire edifice of Christianity rests. "This investigation would sharpen their acuteness and stimulate their improvement. It would lead them to examine the different kinds of testimony and evidence;-to discriminate the pretensions of imposture from the claims of truth;-to appreciate the value of solid argument, and to scorn the wickedness of misrepresentation, and the impiety of levity and jesting on sacred subjects. It would induce a love of truth, a reverence for its claims, a hallowed regard to its authority, with a hatred of every thing opposed to integrity and honour, which might form the basis of moral habits of the most important descriptions. "It would be impossible to promote this acquaintance with the evidences of revelation without extending the range of their general knowledge. An uninformed or ignorant person is not capable of estimating the full strength of the Christian cause. It supposes an acquaintance with many subjects, if its full amount is to be ascertained. History, criticism, science, and experience in argument, all furnish their aid in this important inquiry, and contribute their respective quotas to confirm or elucidate the claims of the word of God. Even an acquaintance with the opposition it has encountered, and over which it has triumphed, tends powerfully to confirm the mind in its truth and divinity." pp. 21, 22. * * * "From the outline of the evidences sketched in this discourse, it appears, that those evidences cannot be fully entered into without a considerable acquaintance with the matter and substance of revelation itself; and this I conceive to be one source of the moral advantage of studying those evidences. We cannot do justice to them without studying the Bible; and it is impossible to study the Bible in a serious temper of mind without being the better for it. God, in his perfect wisdom, has so constructed his word, that we cannot examine it closely, with a view to ascertain any one point, without having its leading subjects constantly pressed on our attention. The moral glory of the divine character; the holiness, justice, and goodness of the law; the infinite benevolence and appropriateness of the gospel; the deplo"Considered as the means of intellectual im-rable condition of the sinner; the safety and provement, I know not a more important ex- blessedness of the Christian; the emptiness of ercise in which any person can engage, than the world, and the eternal weight of glory the examination of the arguments in support which is to be revealed; continually present of the truth of Christianity. Were the con- themselves when examining the Bible, either ductors of schools and academies to direct the from mere curiosity, or from the desire of as "Other subjects, also, belonging to the evidence, though less closely connected with salvation, necessarily lead the soul to God. It is impossible, for instance, to examine the prophecies of the Old Testament, with their recorded fulfilment in the New, without having the mind affected by the various parts of the divine character which are thus illustrated. The predictions relative to a Saviour, show what was the grand object in the Divine mind from eternity-the redemption of a lost world. They demonstrate that, notwithstanding its rebellion and profligacy, God's thoughts towards it, were invariably thoughts of peace, and not of wrath. The predicted character of the Saviour, shows the magnitude and difficulty of the undertaking, and must lead the mind to reflect on the nature and extent of the evil which rendered such an expedient of deliverance necessary. His foretold sufferings show the method through which redemption was contemplated from the beginning, and harmonize with the symbolical rites of the Patriarchal and Levitical institutes. In the minuteness of the prophetic detail, respecting the time and place of his birth; his parentage and family; his circumstances and treatment in the world; his sufferings, and death, and glorification; we recognise the infinite wisdom of God in providing against the possibility of an impostor sustaining the character of the Messiah. When all these things are examined, along with the New Testament history, and the perfect correspondence which obtains between the prophecies and the character and work of Jesus of Nazareth, is ascertained, we arrive, not only at a full conviction that he is indeed the Christ, but have a most powerful and salutary impression produced upon the mind by this display of the wisdom, the faithfulness, and the goodness of God. "In examining the miracles of Scripture, too, especially those wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot overlook the moral principles which they were designed to illustrate. His miracles were never unnecessary or ostentatious displays of power; they were never wrought to gratify an idle curiosity, or in compliance with importunate demands for satisfaction. Nor were they ever performed with the mere design of establishing his claims, and refuting the calumnies of his enemies. They were always wrought in connexion with the highest and most important end-the good of those who were the subjects or witnesses of them. They were all miracles of benevolence; and thus they perfectly harmonized with the nature and genius of Christianity, as a dispensation of love, and not of judgment. They illustrate the character, as well as the claims of the Redeemer; and prove him in every sense to have been the friend of sinners. While we dwell on the greatness of Him whom the winds and the seas obeyed, and at whose voice the dead came forth; we cannot overlook the infinite condescension and tenderness which regarded the fears of the disciples, pitied the sorrows of the widow, and wept at the grave of Lazarus. While we admire the hand which nerformed the wonders, we adore the heart clamation of Peter, 'Depart from r a sinful man, O Lord.' Another v extorts the exclamation, Thou ar God, thou art the King of Israel.' "Thus, every part of this subje the works and the ways of God. ever be found most worthy of hims ver fail to effect on the serious min valuable impressions. The subject tion, and the proofs that it is from interwoven that they cannot be sepa individual most conversant with the invariably be found the most deep roughly convinced of its truth." We cannot extend this extract; tice to Mr. Orme, we must state, succeeding paragraph, he adverts to sity of a "certain state of moral in order to the clear and full percep divine origin of the Scriptures. Hi might otherwise be supposed to im unqualified a sense, the certain ef perusal of the Holy Scriptures. have wished that, at the outset of a lecture had been devoted to the of the proper temper of Christian in is a fault common to almost all disc treatises upon the Evidences of C that they refer too little to the moral sites for obtaining satisfaction as to of Revelation, and that the tone of sion is but little in unison with devo Nothing can be more repulsive to a p than the spirit of what affects to be ry. "There can be no free inquir been justly observed, "till the min from the worst and strongest of prej prejudices of a sinful state."* "A discovers proofs of the Christian remarks one of the profoundest of th like an heir who finds the title de house: will he say that they are fals he neglect to examine them?" C challenges the freest inquiry; but, know of the doctrine, whether it something beyond reading and exar Bible is necessary,-a humble and d rit, disposed to obey the will of Go tion of this nature cannot be too stro constantly insisted upon. In gener been highly satisfied to find the authe discourses maintaining the proper the Christian Advocate, and blendin instruction with the discussion. It be by a slip of the pen, that such an as "the alleged miracles of Jesus ( caped the author of the fourth lectu 97. We must seriously object, how sentence which follows, as addr Christian auditory. Passing over t correct phrase, the "energy of C quite improper to speak as if the pe the truth of Christianity in the m persons addressed, was suspended and candid examination" of the bra dence under discussion; or to hol guage as * See Dr. J. P. Smith's valuable the Means of obtaining Satisfactio 18 "We may now proceed to the investigation of the evidence for miracles, as we should if the question were concerning the proof of any extraordinary phenomenon in philosophy. It must be met, not with a positive denial, nor with a refusal to examine, but with a cautious slowness of assent." p. 103. This description of how we feel when a miracle is wrought, since it cannot be the language of experience, must be referred to the Writer's imagination. How those who witnessed our Lord's miracles ought to have felt, is one thing: how they did feel, is another. The saving clause, unhappily, nullifies the It would be great injustice, however, to as- whole. Men's moral perceptions are blunted cribe this language to any thing but incau- by sin; this describes the case of every unbetiousness; for, in the close of this very dis-liever; yet, it is on such persons that the evicourse, we meet with the following excellent remarks. "But divine truth is not like the experiments of science or the theorems of mathematics, in which you merely see the proof, and assent to the conclusions. In this case, you may yield to the demonstration, and yet not perceive the glory, or enjoy the consolation of the doctrine which it establishes. The personal advantage and happiness depend on moral feeling and character. The heart must be regenerated and made holy, and the truth will then break in upon the mind with surprising power. My brethren, it is no small benefit to be delivered from the darkness and discomfort of positive unbelief; to have a speculative apprehension of the truth of Christianity; but this will neither sanctify nor save the soul. Very remarkable is the answer which our Divine Saviour gave to the Jewish ruler. He quits, in a moment, the subject of miracles for that of regeneration; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' You must be born again. You may believe [in] miracles, and yet be undone." pp. 129, 30. It might have been added, that a man may believe in the miracles wrought by Jesus Christ, and yet not receive his doctrine, or acknowledge his divinity. Miracles may be correctly represented as "satisfactory proofs of a divine mission;" but the gospel history abundantly testifies, that the demonstration which they furnish, is not quite so easy and direct a mode of proof as is often taken for granted. Nicodemus argued correctly when he said, "No man can do these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him;" and our Lord appeals to his own works as the witness of the Father to his Divine mission, which left the Jews without excuse. Still, hundreds who admitted the miracles to be real, who were eye-witnesses of them, failed to arrive at the conclusion that he was indeed the Christ. And to the present day, the Jews are far from admitting that a real miracle is decisive proof of a Divine mission. The correspondence of Mendelsohn with M. Bonnet exhibits an instance of a learned, acute, and amiable man, miracle-proof." Mr. Stratten says: "When a miracle is wrought, the Deity comes near to us; we feel his presence; we are startled and roused as from sleep; we are dence of miracles is supposed to have a convincing effect. Our blessed Lord, however, who knew what was in man, has declared, that those who believed not Moses and the Prophets, would not be convinced although one should arise from the dead. The proof of a divine mission from miracles, cannot, then, be "safely left to the common sense of men." That common sense is at fault in distinguishing the miracles of Christ, from the lying wonders of Romish imposture, the miracles wrought by the Goddess of Loretto, or the exploits of Prince Hohenlohe. Mohammedans will admit the miracles of Christ, but they assert and believe that their Prophet wrought miracles also. Thus, the argument supplied by the miracles of our Lord in proof of the exclusive truth of Christianity, decisive as it is, when properly understood and fairly viewed, is by no means so obvious and direct as is here represented. The subject is, perhaps, the most difficult and complicated of all those which are treated in the present volume; and it would have required no ordinary powers of mind, and no ordinary pains, to do justice to it. Of this, it is but candid to say, the Writer seems aware. "It may not be easy," he remarks, "to assign the criteria by which the truth of a miracle is in every instance to be tried;" and he "waives this large and extensive inquiry." The discourse contains many good remarks, and will be useful if it serves to promote a further investigation of the subject. The Author of the third lecture had, certainly, a less difficult task, in illustrating the evidence arising from Prophecy; but he has displayed sound judgment and great ability in treating his subject. "So admirably has this kind of evidence," he observes, "been contrived by the wisdom of God, that, in proportion as the lapse of ages might seem to weaken the argument derived from miracles long since performed, that very lapse serves only to strengthen the argument derived from the completion of prophecy." The practical inferences and reflections with which this discourse concludes, are excellent and seasonable. "1. How unworthy of high pretensions to strength of intellect is the incredulity which yields not to evidence! "Is the soundness of the human understanding, or the strength of its reasoning faculties, lance of enlightened reason, both evidence and argument, and honestly acknowledging the preponderance which it discerns. If, instead of a state of mind open to conviction, and favourable to the legitimate effect of argument, there be, on the contrary, a desire, an endeavour, and even a determination to resist the force of evidence, it is not surprising that scepticism should obtain the ascendancy, till reason is dethroned and conscience becomes paralysed. The light which was in them has become darkness, and that darkness how profound! And 'this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; but they have loved darkness rather than light." "2. How striking is the contrast between the prophecies of the Bible, and the pretensions to prophecy among the heathen! "3. How important is sobriety of mind in the interpretation of prophecy, and especially in reference to the events of the day in which we live! "That the study of the prophecies is an important branch of Christian duty, incumbent on all, and more especially on the ministers of religion, must appear, I think, from the considerations already adduced. The comparison of predictions with events is important, in order to the confirmation of the truth of the Bible. That we are not interdicted from the study of those parts of the volume of prophecy not yet fulfilled, is, I think, evident from the blessing pronounced in the Apocalypse on him that readeth and keepeth the things written therein. "But the very consideration that an appeal is to be made to prophecy, in proof of the inspiration of the Scriptures, should impress upon our minds a deep and sacred awe, and should instil into our hearts a salutary dread, lest we lower the dignity and diminish the splendour of the prophetic records, by the fancies or the incongruities or the fallacies of our own interpretation, and thus create a prejudice in the minds of some against the prophecies themselves, as a source of evidence, and in the minds of others against all attempts to clucidate their meaning. "As we are in danger of attaching an undue importance to that which regards ourselves as individuals, so are we in some danger of attaching an undue importance to that which regards the age in which we live. The events which are to be the materials for the history of our own times, seem invested with a peculiar interest and a portentous magnitude; yet their tendencies we are scarcely able to ascertain, how much less their results! To our descendants, perhaps, that may not appear to occupy a single line in the volume of prophecy, for which we were expecting to find a paragraph, if not a page." pp. 91, 2. The last reflection, which is pursued to greater length, relates to the glory which prophecy sheds upon the character and work of the Saviour. We do not deem it necessary to give a regu have passed over the second lecture Divine Legation of Moses. In this also, the Lecturer was evidently emb by the wide extent and complicated his subject. "It will be clear," Dr. remarks, " to every individual acquain the nature of the evidence relating to ject assigned to me, that the full and detail of it would require, not a seri volume." A want of distinctness in t ment, is the necessary result of the r desultory view of the subject which turer found himself compelled to tal must differ from Dr. Collyer in his est Jacob Bryant. "Profound learning gent research" are justly ascribed to which may be added the praise of gre nuity as well as of sincere piety; learned world are under no small oblig him for his dissertation on the Pla Egypt, and even for his less useful Accuracy of judgment," however, one of his qualifications. Like other t he was often led away by his imagina mistook hypothesis for proof. His An Ancient Mythology is a splendid ant romance; a prodigious accumulation of materials, of which others may ava selves. But, though the Author work giant, or one of his own Titans, at th of ancient literature, he was no archite passage extracted by Dr. Collyer is v thy of citation, and comes with weigh writer so profoundly learned. We ob ply to the unqualified eulogy with wh introduced. We must make room for lowing extract. 66 "The second test of the claim to In is, That its subjects should lie bey grasp of human research. For what could there be for a revelation of that either palpable in itself, or to be elicite man intelligence, thought, and industr if there be awful subjects of contempla nected with our being, our origin, our to God, our final destiny;-if these su the most tremendous importance, hav escaped the most profound investigat the most anxious inquiries, instituted age, and pressed to every possible ext from their very nature, they lie bey confines of merely human intelligenc are they, for that very reason, the le subjects of revelation, and no book, p to be inspired, could leave them untou fail to make them the first objects of its tative instructions. But it will follow, very nature of these subjects,-from cumstance that they are above hum city, from the fact that no uninspired known them, or could know them,-t will be hard to be understood,-that be capable of only partial elucidati things known, visible, and temporal,intellectual faculties must be stretche utmost pitch, and return at last, wo repose upon a testimony sufficient as t which in itself is unsearchable, because |