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side. Would God, that this truly wise and Christian spirit were every where more prevalent! We pass on to a less disputable and more profitable subject, viz: "the love of God, and of our neighbour," which is discussed in the third sermon. The total absence or the practical disregard of the love of God amongst men of all ages and orders, is the first, as it is but too obviously the most well-founded, topic of complaint in a discourse upon the great commandment of the law. The following proof of its justice is somewhat new and striking.

"The high and primary duty, however, of loving God is sometimes degraded still lower for we occasionally hear it defended. Now no man thinks of defending justice or liberality, benevolence, patriotism, or any other of our relative duties. They stand on their own ground, and rest their claim to regard and attention upon that intrinsic goodness which they are all known to possess. The love of God is the only good quality which appears to require defender. And upon what principle is this defence grounded? Commonly upon its tendency to promote the love of man, upon its conduciveness to the discharge of our relative duties; which is to deduce the value of a greater good from its fitness to produce a less. The claims of God upon our love and gratitude are both prior in time and superior in magnitude to any duties which we can owe to our neigh bour; and he who upholds the first by a reference to the second, acts as though he should defend the angelic nature by its partial resemblance to the human."

An interesting and animated enumeration of the infinite claims of the Almighty upon our love follows the assertion of the duty; but though the mercies of redemption are in cluded in this detail of our obliga. tions, we could have wished that this only sure foundation of the love of God had occupied a more distinct and prominent place, and had been urged with greater particularity, and to a greater extent. In enforcing, however, the reason ableness, and the privilege, of obeying the first and great command

ment, and in pointing out its connec⚫ tion with the second, the love of our neighbour, and its tendency to secure its observance far more cer tainly, extensively, and purely, than can be expected from any other principle, Mr Marsh argues, and instructs excellently. We were particularly struck with that part of the sermon in which he describes the nature and the limitations of true love to our neighbour. The two following beautiful passages deserve to be transcribed.

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"Towards such a Being it can never be unreasonable to demand, that all the treasures of our hearts, that all our minds, all our souls, and all our strength should be emptied in returns of love; and we should not only, when we rise, and when we retire, call to mind with thankfulness the wonders which he has done for us, but study his will in every occupation, and even amusement of our lives. It ought to sweeten every labour to think that he has commanded it; and we have reason to reckon it among our first privileges, that we are allowed to serve and honour a Being so infinitely beyond our thoughts and above our praise.".

"We need not, therefore, expect that, commencing with the love of man, we shall thence be enabled to pass upward to the love of God. The source will affect the current. But the current has no reaction upon its source. In short, the love of God alone is that pure and perennial well of water within us whence all true godliness must proceed. We ought to cultivate it, because in itself it is most due and right. We ought to cultivate it, because with regard to ourselves it is most good and joyful. We ought to cultivate it, because in its effects on others, like the

precious ointment of Aaron, it begins at the head of all, but flows down to the whole human race, as it were to the skirts of his clothing."

The sermon closes with a brief view of the peculiar discouragements and advantages, respecting the cultivation of the love of God, which are experienced in the University. Of the former, no one can doubt; though we are inclined to think that they are not so great as

rather diminishing than increasing. Of the latter, we wish that we could agree in opinion with the pious author. But with the lively recollection of our own experience upon the subject, we really cannot think with him, that the regular performance of Divine service, in College Chapels, is to be numbered among the chief means of promot ing, in the academical student, the love of God. That it might be rendered such, nay, that in some favoured instances, it may be such, we will not doubt: but, generally speaking, we cannot but fear, that the carelessness and irreverence with which Divine worship is both conducted and attended in our Universities, must rather operate as a check than as an incentive to piety. A truly devout mind will, indeed, rise above all discouragements, and derive benefit from appointed means amidst the most untoward circumstances. But if the fire of devotion be unknown, if the internal spring of grace be wanting, the coldness and the formality of college services will rarely, we believe, do more than generate or promote a distaste for religious exercises al. together. The truth is; and in omitting this view of the subject, we think Mr. Marsh's sermon defective; no one, whatever be his condition or his age, will really love God until he possess a lively faith in the mercies and the prom. ises of the Gospel. Faith, humble, thankful, unfeigned faith in Christ Jesus as a Saviour, will apprehend the unspeakable love of God in the redemption of a ruined world, and will assuredly work by love both to God and man. Other means and other considerations may and do tend to strengthen and animate that love, but can never implant it where it does not previously exist, where it has not originally flowed from the "sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth." It is

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in another of his discourse we are so strongly persuade importance, that highly as w of his general treatment of th ject, we cannot but regret did not deem it essential to it pleteness to introduce and to e it here.

The fourth of Mr. Marsh mons embraces a topic of p interest to the greater part audience before whom i preached, and of great and g importance to the Church of land. This is no other th inquiry into the nature and of the commission which gave to his Apostles, when, his resurrection, he breath them, and said, "Receive Holy Ghost! Whosoever si remit, they are remitted unto and whosoever sins ye retain are retained;" and into the gr upon which the repetition of words to every priest of the C of England, on his ordinati justified. The nature of the originally conferred upon the tles, Mr. Marsh determine think, justly, to have been t judicial authority to bind and to forgive and to retain acc to the circumstances of the s not arbitrarily, however, on ciously but in strict acco with the revealed word of just as the sentence of a te judge is limited by the law land. This power he co both from the reason of the and from the history of th was not restricted to the A but transmitted by them successors, and is actuall tinued in our Church. An it throws around its minist an undefined or superstiti of reverence, it clothes the an authority which claims serves respect, and invest with an awful responsibility if duly considered, would

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the profane, from intruding into the sacred office. There are some, per haps, who may be inclined to think that the preacher asserts in the first part of his sermon too lofty a claim, and urges it in too decisive a tone; while others will be equally dissatisfied with the concessions which the well known state of other reformed communities appears to demand from every wise and temperate advocate of our Church. We have no hesitation, however, in saying, that Mr. Marsh has in our opinion steered, not a doubtful or inconsistent, but a just and scriptural course; and we most earnestly pray, that the same union of enlightened and firm attachment to the Church of England, and of charity to those who separate from it, may more generally prevail. In the hope which he so eloquently expresses, that the unbroken succession of the priesthood, in this pure and apostolic church, may be divinely intended hereafter to form a rallying point to dispersed Christians of every donomination, we most cordially join. May the union of which it holds forth the encouraging prospect, distant as it may now seem, yet come, and come speedily! So shall the whole world "at length range itself into that universal church, against which Christ himself has promised, that the gates of hell shall not prevail."

The sermon which follows the preceding is "on Justification," and is certainly one of the ablest and most convincing upon that all-important subject which we remember to have seen. Every point connected with it is embraced, and every one is treated with a masterly hand. We scarcely know where we could with greater satisfaction and confidence direct the attention of one who was anxious to obtain an enlarged and elaborate view of this grand and fundamental doctrine than to this discourse. The proof of the exclusion of the moral as well as the ceremonial law from the work of justification; the nature of the state ex

pressed by that term, and of the faith which justifies the grounds upon which this method of salvation rests; the erroneous views which have too frequently been entertained of it; the reconciliation of St. Paul and St. James, and the defence of the doctrine of the former Apostle from the charge of making void the law, and encouraging licentiousness; are discussed with an ability which we have seldom observed in modern discourses, and with a strength and elevation of pious feeling which clearly proves the heartfelt interest of the author in the subject which he is enforcing. Where the merit of the whole is so great, and so nearly equal, it would be difficult to select an extract which will do justice to the argument.

We know not what might be the effect of this sermon on the learned body who originally heard it; but we are persuaded that it can scarcely be read, except by insuperable preju dice, without a strong impression of its truth and excellence.

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We wish that we could bestow equal praise on the succeeding discourse upon "Sanctification and Redemption." But here we meet with some sentiments which we certainly cannot altogether approve. A single expression in the mon on justification would have excited our attention, had not that which was there merely hinted been here followed out into a regular train of argument. The sentiment to which we refer is, notwithstanding all that had been so excellently said in the preceding sermon, an undue depreciation of the nature and effect of justifying faith, and an incorrect separation, as we certainly think it, between that blessing and the work of sanc. tification. It is surely to place justification too low in the scale of evangelical blessings to say, that "it is no more at last than an entrance within the threshold of Christianity." We grant that it is an entrance, but such an one, that

ness of salvation is to be begun from that point. It is already begun. Justification, to use the language of the venerable Hooker, is a part of sanctification;" the faith which justifies being in its own nature holy, the fruit of the spirit of adoption, and the root from which good works will assuredly proceed. Again: "Justification," observes Mr. Marsh, "is properly retrospective." "But sanctification regards the actual state, and changes the present nature." But is justification, we would ask, merely retrospective? Does it not also affect the present state, and is not even the nature of the justified sinner essentially, though not so extensively and perfectly, changed, as by the subsequent work of sanctification? "By justification," Mr. Marsh continues, "a sinner is accepted, but remains a sinner still. Through sanctification he ceases to be a sinner." Surely on justification, also, a sinner ceases to be one wilfully and presumptuously. For can any one be said to be justified who does not repent, and who, though emerging only from a state of sin, is not penetrated with the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, has not received him as his Saviour, and is not willing to be delivered no less from the power than from the punishment of sin? Mr. Marsh allows, that through justification the Spirit is admitted; and that the moment we have put on Jesus Christ, the moment we have by faith received him as our righteousness, he is willing to become our sanctification.

We think that he is more that he is actually become our sanctification by virtue of that faith by which we have previously chosen and accepted him as our complete Saviour. We, of course, entirely agree with Mr. Marsh, that sanctification is a progressive work, and think that his representation of it is scriptural and edifying. We differ from him, and that with much regret, only in

cation as inseparable, though blessings; and though we are of the bearing of this sentiment another on which we have ofte that we are far from being in to dogmatize, we cannot think wise, without departing from we conceive to be the doctrine Paul and of our church, on the ject of justification by faith.

We stated, in a note upon th mon on Mysteries, that there w expression in it which we shoul occasion afterwards to notice this is we conceive the proper for introducing it. Among topics which Mr. Marsh enum as suited to public instructio mentions "sanctification, or th version of imputed into inheren ness." We felt quite at a los first reading this explanation o tification, to comprehend the ing of the words; and thoug ther phrase which occurs in the Sermon, of proceeding from j ing faith to sanctifying faith throw a little light upon it, we a unable to affix any sound and tural interpretation to the f words. Certainly the imputed teousness which is external, a comes ours only by faith, can be changed into that which is rent, wrought in us by the S Christ: nor, on the other ha the faith which justifies di from that which sanctifies. P Mr. Marsh may not have inter express either the one or the of these objectionable senti but we could not, without a d tion of duty, avoid stating o prehension of both.

The following passage wo ficiently shew that Mr. Mars a Calvinist, if indeed the whol of his preaching did not prove it. Though some expr occur in it which will be tho favour too strongly the no human ability in the great

salvation, we still think that they may be considered as describing what is the condition, in point of fact, and for practical purposes, of those to whom the Gospel is preached.

"The view which is here given by St, Paul, of our salvation, as flowing entirely and exclusively from the grace and goodness of another, is indeed sufficiently abas. ing to human pride; which has therefore been in all ages unwilling to receive it. At the same time the objections taken to it, even on this score, are often irrelevant and by no means fairly deducible from the statement above given, as it is hoped, from Scripture. Have we then,' (it is sometimes asked contemptuously) have we then no part to act in the great business of our salvation? Are we to be degraded into passive machines, on whom super. natural influence is to produce a saving effect?' By no means. No such infe. rence fairly results from the doctrine in question. Jesus Christ is indeed made of God unto us both wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. But yet it is left to us to determine whether we will be wise and righteous and holy and redeemed. The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. But, though it bringeth sal. vation, it does not force it upon us; though it empowers, it does not compel, and, like the God who gives it, has no respect of

persons.

"What then is it that makes the difference between the saint and the sinner? Even this, that some of us refuse, while others receive the offered Saviour. It is for us to entertain or to reject the mercy which is proposed to us. He stands at the door and knocks. It is for us to open or shut. So far, and so far only, we are workers together with God. He gives us grace. He urges us to use it. He forgives, invites, exhorts, enables, inspires. But if we will not yield to this condescending influence, if we put away the means of grace and resist the suggestions of holiness, we ourselves renew the separation between us and God; and though our salvation can only be purchased by the Saviour, it is ours to avail ourselves of this purchased salva

Christ. Observ. No. 157.

tion or proudly to turn away from it. Undoubtedly the wretched cripple in the Gospel could not have healed his withered arm. But yet, when commanded to stretch it forth, it depended upon himself either to try to stretch it out and be healed, or to cavil at the order and retain his infirmity." pp. 170-172.

Of the succeeding sermon, which may be properly considered as a sequel to the two which immediately precede it, we think it sufficient to say, that it contains a just condemnation of the too-prevalent propensity, even in professed Christians, to rest satisfied with the mere elements and first principles of religion, and an animated exhortation to go on unto perfection." The extracts which follow will serve to explain the object of this discourse.

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"From this general statement it is evident that faith in the Apostle's view of it constitutes, as it were, in some sense the beginning, middle, and end of Christianity. Yet it appears, too, that the faith of a Christian will alter its character, as it proceeds: for the faith of a dying martyr is as materially different from the faith of an approved catechuman as the body of a fullgrown man is from that of a tender infant. For faith of this latter description, sincerity is the only quality that is indispensable. But, as the Christian advances, his faith must become not only sincere, but fervent and active and constant, till it acquires firmness and strength, till it emanates in every virtue,and finally, by the grace of God, mortifies every sin. These, then, at length, my brethren, these graces of holiness and works of the Spirit, by which the faith of a Christian guides him by slow advances from weakness to strength, and from strength to perfection, these are the gradations, the steps, the links, of which we have been in search, which connect the foundation of a Christian's hope to the end of his career and summit of his ambition." pp. 188, 189.

be confessed), is an awful word. Who "Perfection, however, (after all, it must may attain it with all his zeal? Who can hope for it with all his faith? In the next life, by the mercies of Christ, any man-in the present, none. What degree of shorttended with sincerity, the Almighty will ness of that final end, provided it be at

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