The author's short preface is as follows:

"It is only necessary to state that, of the following sermons, the VIIth, VIIIth, and IXth, with the two last in the volume, have been already published separately, as bearing upon subjects of local or other interest at the time of their delivery. The IVth, also, has been printed in the second number of Mr. Parker's Collection of Practical Sermons, adapted to the course of the Christian Year in the Book of Common Prayer.

"The remainder of the sermons are a small portion of those preached in the Chapel Royal by the author, during the years 1843, 1844, 1845. The chief principle adopted in the selection of these last, has been to bring together a few discourses, whose object was to set forth the paramount importance of religion, not only as an individual, but as a national concern, more especially in an age like the present, of great national enterprise, and unprecedented accumulation of wealth.

"It will be understood, therefore, that little of doctrinal matter is professed to be exhibited in the following pages: which, however, the author trusts will be found to be in entire accordance with the simple teaching of our pure and Reformed Church."-(pp. iii. iv.)

Of the sermons specified by Mr. H., Nos. VII. VIII. and IX. were preached in June, 1843, a time when considerable agitation was prevailing in the Church, both in England, Ireland, and Scotland. The subjects are-"The Christian's bearing towards Unbelievers". "Moderation of the Christian towards all men "The Christian not to help the Ungodly." The two last in the volume are sermons on "the Mission to China," and " the Metropolis Churches' Fund." The remaining twenty discourses are on general practical topics-"The Creator glorified in the works of the Creature"-" Worldliness incompatible with Religion"— "Them that honour him, God will honour "-" Christian Love" -"How long halt ye between two opinions?"" The Unwise Man and the Fool of this World"-"The Judgment of God upon the Wicked "-"The Law of Christ a Law of Liberty "Moral Courage the result of Faith."-" The three great Rivals of God in our Hearts "-" The Times and the Seasons in God's own Power"-"The Young Children a Nation's Strength". "The Degree of Honour due to the Virgin"-"The Pure in Heart". "Gratitude due to God for National Mercies". "The Church the cause of National Prosperity "-" The Prosperity of the Wicked only for a Season "-" God most present in time of Trouble"-"Sorrow often more imaginary than real”—“ Believing without Seeing.'

Such are the sermons which Mr. Hildyard has selected from his Whitehall course. The topics are interesting and important; nor can we hesitate to say that the preacher has given utterance to many practical truths of great moment, expressed with much clearness, great sincerity, and an absence of all show and affectation, whether in the style of composition or turn of thought. So far

they are excellent models-transparent throughout-plain, yet not inelegant-and thoroughly practical, as well in execution as design. But having said this, we must repeat, that, in other respects, and those the most important, they appear to us far from faultless.

As Mr. Hildyard states, the sermons he has published are chiefly practical-and to this, in the abstract, we do not object. On the contrary, we have little value for any sermon which is not essentially practical; and for the purpose Mr. H. proposes to himself in publishing his volume, we know not that he could, on the whole, have made a more judicious selection of topics. We admit with him "the paramount importance of religion, not only as an individual, but as a national concern, more especially in an age like the present, of great national enterprise, and unprecedented accumulation of wealth;" and it is much the business of those who, like Mr. H., are set on an eminence, to cry aloud, and enforce with all distinctness a nation's responsibilities. We do not see, however, that he has given a very marked national application to many of his sermons; or that, in his mode of handling most of his topics, he has taken them out of the range of a more ordinary individual application. It strikes us, therefore, as a great defect in the sermons, that they are too abstractedly practical, too general, too sparing, though it be but in allusion to Christian doctrine, to be entitled to any high or even creditable rank as evangelical discourses; and if we are to take them as specimens of Mr. H.'s Whitehall course, we must be bold to say that he has greatly failed in acquitting himself as becomes a Christian preacher. The doctrines and motives of the gospel are not to be assumed, or assigned a secondary place: and though it may not be possible minutely to expound them in what are called practical discourses— least of all in such as have a marked national aspect-we have yet to learn what is the pre-eminence of the Christian over the heathen or Jewish teacher, if his ethical discourses are not to have a marked and distinctive character, as resting upon a Christian basis, breathing a Christian spirit, and pointing throughout to Him whose authority and grace are the sole foundation of the Christian ministry. It strikes us, too, that in regard to principle, there is no difference whatever between national and individual religion: and that to speak of either as abstractedly practical, is to become at once a heathen moralist, and lose sight of all that is distinctive whether of Christian duty or Christian privilege. On this ground, then, we think, Mr. H.'s sermons are seriously defective. He is chargeable, in no slight degree, with sins of omission: nor can we readily admit that because it is the main object of a volume of discourses

to" set forth the paramount importance of religion as a national, no less than an individual concern," it should therefore be assumed that "little of doctrinal matter" is to stand out in clear and distinct relief upon its pages. Wherever a plea of this kind is preferred, our fears are at once awakened: we become suspicious of the author, and are greatly apprehensive that his teaching will not be" in entire accordance with the simple teaching" of the gospel, or "of our pure and reformed Church." We have generally found it otherwise, and we cannot say that we think Mr. H. an exception. His sermons appear to us not only defective, but to betray a false foundation. We shall instance but two particulars-the Christian character, and the Redeemer's atonement.

We take it to be a radical transgression in all pulpit teaching, to assume that there has been an actual transformation of character and that men are to be addressed as being, or having been, Christians, not in name only, but in deed and in truth. Such, however, appears to be the ground taken by Mr. H., and hence his most practical appeals are comparatively pointless. arrow is blunted-his aim feeble and wide of the mark. quote but a passage or two to indicate our meaning.

The following is not a true, but an imaginary picture

His

We shall

"'Let a man,' says Mr. H., 'who can yet recal the time when he once loved God alone, with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength,' but has since found himself, he scarcely knows how, but by little and little, entangled in the love of the world let him compare, I say, his former feelings with his present, and he will see, that whereas formerly, his first waking thought in the morning was a thought of prayer and of God: and his last thought in the evening a thought of praise and thanksgiving: he now finds his morning care, and his evening care, are with his worldly affairs: yea, and his very dreams, too, haunted with the same evil imaginations: or perhaps (not allowing him to sleep,) they keep his restless body and mind awake through the tedious night to the thought of nothing but his losses or his gains."-(p. 28.)

There is, we grant, a case of religious declension for which this might be taken perhaps as the true picture: but if we mistake not, Mr. H. here and elsewhere confounds mere sentiment and conviction with religious principle and heart-conversion, assuming that every baptized person is one who in the first instance loves God with all his heart, and that the conflict of which every educated Christian must more or less be the subject, is the conflict of a regenerate soul as described by St. Paul (Rom. vii. 15—25.) How else can we understand the passage which follows in the same discourse Worldliness incompatible with religion?'

Thus, for example, if riches be not the master we own, the idol we worship, may not the Mammon assume some other shape? may not ambition, lust, pleasure, ease, pride, intemperance--may not some of these be the master we serve? and do we not find the service equally incompatible with

the service of God? Do we not find the war going on in our members, as of two striving for the mastery, and which will not have peace till one or the other give place? Do we not realize, with St. Paul, that while with the mind' we would serve the law of God, yet (so long as this rivalry remains,) 'with the flesh' we find ourselves serving the law of sin!' Is it not undeniable that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;' showing but too clearly that these are contrary the one to the other,' and will on no account be reconciled; but that the extermination of the one must make room for the complete dominion of the other? For it is not the love of riches alone which has this power of expelling the love of God from the heart! nor yet need it be any of the other influences we have mentioned."-(pp. 32, 33.)

Take another extract as indicating the same indecisive view which our author seems to have of personal religion -

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Say, that, by an effort, we can subdue this mastery over our hearts during the time of divine service, or even possibly for the whole Sabbath-day; say, that we can expel these worldly thoughts, and drive them out of God's temple with a scourge, as our Saviour did the money-changers; say, that, for this one day, and in the house of God, thoughts of heaven, of our souls, and eternity, can gain entire possession of our hearts, how quickly does the Monday coming, with its business, cares, and worldly concerns, tell, but too plainly, whom we serve; and too soon oblige us to dismiss the solemn impression of the day before, the lessons of piety, holiness, and unworldliness, which we had gathered from the book of God, and the ordinance of His Church. We do not mean that this state of things absolutely proves us not to be serving God; it is not as though we had not God in all our thoughts;' but it shows certainly the truth of our text, that we cannot serve him and another master together; and if he does not occupy the first place in our hearts, it is equally certain that we are not far from robbing Him of a place there altogether.' (pp. 34, 35.)

Similarly in the next sermon, 'Them that honour Him, God will honour:'

"We saw, on Sunday last, who are meant in Scripture by those who are there said to be haters of God,' that it was those who do not 'love' Him as they are bound to do, (and as His commandment enjoins upon them as their duty,) with all their heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.' We saw, that, on this supposition, the followers of Mammon' were necessarily to be counted as 'haters of God;-for 'serving the one,' it was shown that they 'could not serve the other also;' 'holding to the one,' they were told by no less an authority than our Saviour himself, that they must, perforce, despise the other.'

"That remark, indeed, was general; and our argument did not then require a more minute inquiry into who these 'haters' or 'despisers' of God' were; but it is a question we shall have no difficulty in resolving to-day, though far be it from us to suppose that all who are not found in the number of those that honour' God, are therefore to be considered, from the text, as amongst those that despise him."-(pp. 40, 41.)

And again :

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"Others there are who, observing the moral law as it affects their intercourse with their fellow-men, are regardless of its requirements as it applies to their conduct towards God; who despise His ordinances; who neglect His warnings: who observe not His Sabbaths; who forsake His Church; who

breathe no prayer; who offer no thanksgiving; who forget God, their Maker, their Preserver, their Redeemer; who live without Him in the world; who value not the privilege of being born in a Christian land, of Christian parents: who regard not their being baptized in the name of Christ; being made members of His Church; subjects of His kingdom; heirs to the hope of everlasting life! And do not all these, then, despise God? Do they not, in a greater or less degree, deny His authority, set at nought His decrees, hold cheap His supremacy? And is it surprising if such are lightly esteemed' of Him in return, whether in this world, or whether the retribution awaits them in the world to come?

"We say not; the text says not; that such are to be severely punished of God; punished, we mean, as those that defy Him, disown Him, insult Him: they are not to be classed with Eli's shameless household, who openly brought religion into scorn, and 'mocked at the counsels of the Most High.' But, unquestionably, they come under the title of despisers of God,' and have therefore to make their account of being despised of Him, while He shall honour those of whom He has received honour."-(pp. 46, 47.)

We certainly do not think the following, the happiest specimen of discriminating faithful application in a court-preacher. The sermon concludes―

"Such honour have those that honour God. Let us, in conclusion, thankfully acknowledge, that not as individuals only, but as a nation, it has hitherto been ours to honour God: need we give proof, that not as individuals only, but as a nation, we have been honoured in return?

our

Long may this continue the single aim of our nation's counsels: and so long are we assured that the glory shall not be diminished, or its brightness fade away. But so soon as it shall be, that this ceases to be the one principle of all our doings; the days of our national greatness are numbered: the sceptre shall depart from us,' and a lawgiver from between our feet,' honour shall be given unto others,' and 'strangers shall be filled with our wealth,' and 'our labours shall be in the house of a stranger:' and we shall mourn at the last,' when we too late remember, how God had said, 'Them that honour me, I will honour: but they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.' Amen." (p. 53.)

A single extract more will, we think, satisfy our readers that we are not wrong in our idea of the baptismal-date and character of Mr. H.'s supposed Christian. He has described very strongly "the unwise man, and the fool of this world." He thus proceeds

"Fools' there are again who, like Gallio, care for none of these things;' who either cannot, or will not, 'understand;' before whom the word of God is cast, as pearls before swine;' who are so besotted and drunken with this world's pleasures, and luxuries, and excesses, that they are blind, and deaf, and dead to all knowledge and recollection of better things: who say with the heathen, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die,' but understand not how it is written for their learning, 'The belly for meats, and meats for the belly; but God shall judge both it and them.' And yet, from the first, it was not so with them. There was a time,-and possibly not so distant but that they can yet recal it; there was a time when even they could understand' that God had made them for higher ends than these: that a Saviour had redeemed them for something different to this: that the Holy Spirit, given to them at their baptism, had sanctified and regenerated them, to some nobler purpose, than that which they have in common with the beasts that perish.'

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