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of Dr. W. "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." "The words which I speak, they are spirit, and they are life." "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son," who is "the author and finisher of our faith." "Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." "I must preach the kingdom of God, for therefore am I sent." "All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.' "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." But, says Dr. Whately, "the Gospels do not contain an account of the Christian religion, but chiefly memoirs of the life of its Founder." Now here we have another gratuitous assumption. Where did Dr. W. learn that the Gospels do not contain an account of the Christian religion? This we have shewn, that they contain the things believed among Christians-those we should think constitute no mean part of the Christian verity-they contain also the doctrines essential to salvation-and more than this we need not seek. Let us, however, hear the account which Dr. W. gives of their contents-" they are memoirs of the life of its Founder." The founder of what? Of Christianity. Is not that biographer miserably deficient in his duty who does not, in the detail of the events of his hero's life, state distinctly and fully that for which the subject of his narrative was distinguished? The evangelists could not well give a history of Christ without also giving a statement of Christianity. And the fact is—a fact which even "ignorant Christians" are aware of-that the books called the Gospels are filled, not with the events of the life of Jesus, so much as with his preachings and doctrines and wonderful works; in other words, with a detail of the Christian religion.

In estimating the amount of instruction conveyed in the Gospels, we should always bear in mind that they were written long after the completion of the work which his Father had given Jesus to do; long after his death and resurrection, the day of Pentecost, the conversion of Paul, and the opening of the kingdom to the Gentiles; and consequently, however imperfectly the writers may have originally understood the mission and object of their Master, they had now, from comparing events with predictions, and receiving the illuminations of the Spirit, learnt the full nature and end of the Gospel of Christ. In the Gospels we may, therefore, find the compositions of men whose minds were thoroughly imbued with the whole Christian system, and who could not fail to set before their readers, either in express statement or by implication, what was associated and blended with all their mental and moral feelings. Even unconsciously, they would be led, while writing of Christ, to speak of Christianity, and to set forth its chief features. Their narrative would take its colour not so much from the days of their ignorance as from their actual state of perfect knowledge, and accordingly we find in the Gospels many exegetical statements which could have been given only after the fulfilment of prophecy and the completion of the system. But it is not to these that we refer so much as to the general tenor of mind which the writers must have derived from a perfect knowledge of Christianity. This tenor of mind would be transfused into their compositions, except it be thought that they would forget what they had fully learnt and gladly received then, and then only, when a full knowledge was most desirable, viz., when writing for the instruction and edification of others. But Luke repre

sents it as one qualification for the duty he had undertaken that he had had "perfect understanding of all things from the very first ;" and we may therefore presume that the writers of the Gospel would endeavour to set forth as complete a representation of Christianity as their knowledge enabled them to give. If it be maintained that they were writing not for the ignorant, but for the well-informed; still the object which they had in view, to put them in remembrance of the truths of the gospel, would require a distinct and complete statement of the fundamental articles of the Christian faith; and equally certain is it that the minds of those to whom they wrote would have felt a painful loss had the work which they perused been deficient in any one of the essential features of their fondly cherished religion.

Having disposed of the Gospels, our author proceeds to underrate (as we think) the value of the Acts of the Apostles. "The book of the Acts of the Apostles contains a history of the progress, but no detail of the preaching, of Christianity." That the book details the progress of Christianity is most true, and most strange would it be were it silent, as Dr. W. holds, as to the chief points of that system whose progress it records. But we must be allowed to say, that we were surprised in reading the assertion that the Acts presents no detail of the preaching of Christianity. Not, perhaps, of Dr. Whately's Christianity, but certainly of a Christianity which inspired Apostles set forth, and which converted thousands, and that not to the mere profession, but to the observance of Christianity. Would to God that the same effects could be recorded of the preaching of Christianity, in whatever form, in these times, as we find to have followed the sermon of Peter, recorded in the second chapter of the Acts! Whether or not Peter's sermon contained all that was essential to be known, it went far to produce all that was essential to be done; and Dr. W. himself may, perhaps, be led to conclude that a good life is not a bad evidence of a right faith. In the third chapter of Acts we again find Peter engaged in preaching, and it is not a little strange if the apostle, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, kept back even now the essential truths of the religion which he had voluntarily undertaken to recommend. Fragments of discourses occur in various other parts of the Acts, and if these do not contain the fundamentals of Christianity according to Dr. Whately, he will pardon us if we conclude that his opinions and those of Peter, John, aye, and of Paul, are somewhat at variance.

Having thus rejected as imperfect guides the Evangelists and the Acts, and passed over with a few words all the other parts of the New Testament, Dr. W. proceeds to the study of Paul. He is the chief bulwark of the Christian faith: the other lights of the New Testament shine dimly by the side of him. We cannot but think that Paul himself would have rebuked the writer for his well-intentioned but injudicious efforts to elevate Paul at the expense of his associates, and even of his Master. To him, as to the Corinthian church, he might have said, " For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man ?" Having been so long engaged in opposing the views of Dr. W. on a subject of no inconsiderable importance, we feel great pleasure in proceeding to a portion of his volume of which we can speak in terms of high satisfaction. J. R. B.

(To be continued.)

LINES ON SEEING MISS LINWOOD'S EXQUISITE COPY OF THE 66 ЕССЕ НОМО.”

YES, go and view the circlet now,
That glitters on a monarch's brow;
Count all its sparkling gems, and gaze
Upon the diamond's living blaze;

See the sky's soft tint in the sapphire's blue,
And the beauty of earth in the emerald's hue,
And youth's warm blush in the beauteous gem
That shines in the Indian mine-but say
From the jewelled and burnished diadem
Beams there so bright, so pure a ray
As from that crown of thorns? Ah, no!
"Ecce Homo"-say not so.

Yon laurel crowns of victory speak,
Shading the hero's burning cheek;
They tell of many a battle won-
They tell of deeds of glory done;

But on glory's wreath is a crimson stain,

And its light is dim, through the blood of the slain,
And the orphan's tears that its leaves bedew,
Serve but to deepen its sanguine hue.

Dost thou think from victory's garland bright
Beams forth such a mild and holy light,
As from that crown of thorns? Ah, no!
"Ecce Homo"-say not so.

Say not so that crown of thorns
A Saviour's stainless brow adorns ;
Than gems and gold and palms more fair,
Mercy, and Truth, and Peace, are there-
And Pity, that wept o'er a nation's grave,
And Love, that sought a world to save.

Like the setting sun on a summer's even,
Mingling the hues of earth and heaven,
E'en so do thoughts of heavenly birth,
Come blending with the dreams of earth.
Turn not, then, from its holy light
On the fading splendours of time to gaze,
Seek not the twinkling stars of night
'Mid the proud sun's meridian blaze.
"Ecce Homo"-he died for thee-
He lived thy sinless rule to be-
Wilt thou forget, despise him? No!
Think not-say not-do not so.

11th 6th month, 1829.

TERTIA.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MARGARET WOODS.*

IT is hardly possible to look at a very stiff Quaker, man or woman, (but especially a woman,) without mentally inquiring, " Is this, or has this ever been, a being of like passions with ourselves'?" and, "How has this moral mummy been formed?" The combination of practical good sense with fanatical opinions is another mystery about the Quakers; and, at a silent meeting, what would one give to know, who is waiting for the Spirit, and who communing with their own spirit—who has faith in natural, and who in supernatural emotion! The Journal of Margaret Woods will do more towards satisfying our curiosity on these points, than any thing which has yet appeared, or could have been hoped for. It is the private diary of an intelligent Quaker, bequeathed by her to her daughter and grand-daughters, as the result of her experience, and evidently written, as much as it is possible for any thing to be, in singleness of heart. Here we have the conflicts and the doubts which the tongue was forbidden to express, and the anxiety which was never suffered to hang on the countenance. Thoughts, feelings, doctrines, struggles of reason, and flights of fancy-here they are brought to the light, and we have only to determine what belongs to the Quaker, and what to the individual Margaret Woods. The individual, it is to be observed, is a woman of decided talent and ardent feeling-just such a specimen as ought to be selected for the purpose; and her style, which is formed upon the old English writers, is racy and pure. She was not "called to the ministry," which is fortunate, as we are the more sure that her meditations are her own, and for her own use. Let her now speak for herself on the subject of a silent meeting:

"Hearing some persons mention that their preference of silent meetings was increasing, I was led to consider the happiness of having bread in our own houses and water in our own cisterns; when we need not the help of man, but can worship, in awful silence, the Father of spirits, in spirit and truth. For my own part, I feel at present far from this desirable attainment; clouds and darkness seem to overshadow me. In this state of mind outward help is frequently beneficial; and if the spring lies deep, and we have no strength to dig, the joint labour of others assists us in coming to that refresh. ment which we know not how to obtain. Nevertheless, I am well convinced that a dependance on outward help will avail us nothing. If we are nourished by the bread of life, it must be by sinking deep into our own hearts, and experiencing the living, powerful word to be near us, which will guide us into all truth. We are too apt to let a careless negligence take hold of our minds when assembled together for the purpose of worship, instead of keeping them diligently fixed on the Supreme Author of our being, and endeavouring to wait in the silence of all flesh to hear that inspeaking word which would not only show us our states and conditions, and inform us what we ought to do, but in his own good time prepare a sacrifice acceptable to himself, and cause us to rejoice in the overshadowings of his love."-P. 21.

It has become a question of late, whether the Quakers are Trinitarians, a question which is not easy to resolve, as they admit no common creed, catechism, or articles of faith; it is probable, however, that the little sum

Extracts from the Journal of the late Margaret Woods, from the Year 1771 to 1821. London, 1829. 8vo. pp. 494.

mary which Mrs. Woods has drawn up, would not have been published, if it had not been considered as orthodox in the Society: it runs as follows:

"I believe in one God, Father and Maker of the universe; and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer. I believe in the Holy Ghost, which seems to me but another definition of the spirit of Christ; and that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are one."

The word Trinity is at all times carefully avoided by the Quakers, and the limitation which is here given to the Holy Ghost seems to reduce it to a duality of persons (the word person being also avoided). With regard to the operation of the Divine Spirit, our author was subject to many misgivings, which are permitted to appear, that her testimony (like that of the incredulous disciple) may have double weight. "However, I may have sometimes feared a delusion," is her language on this subject; and, "If this be enthusiasm, it is such an enthusiasm as I wish to feel." Again,

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Many instances have occurred of people who have been led astray by what they have thought supernatural impulses, even to the violation of the laws of common sense. I have no doubt but that every divine impulse will bear to be weighed, and will never contradict our best reason and judgment."-P. 225.

Peace be to the Unitarians who interpret the Scriptures by natural reason, when the Quakers are weighing a divine impulse by their "own best reason and judgment."

"At meeting this morning," says Mrs. Woods, "we were much disturbed by a Friend not in unity as a minister, who would not be persuaded to keep silence. As his moral character is good, the circumstance led me to reflect on the danger of being deluded by false appearances," &c.-P. 68.

On the use of the word "evangelical" we have the following excellent remarks:

"Much has been written of late about evangelical preachers and evangelical preaching. The ideas affixed to the term I should suppose rather vague and uncertain. If evangelical preaching have any precise meaning, I should think it must be applied to the promulgating that doctrine delivered by Christ during his ministry on earth, and recorded by the evangelists. Now, as the 'disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord,' those truths and those instructions which were delivered by Christ himself, should have the greatest weight; and if any thing in the subsequent writings of the apostles may seem to our shallow capacities not exactly to coincide, we had better leave them as things hard to be understood,' than suffer them to infringe upon those precepts which were delivered by the lip of truth."

Surely this would cut deep into what is commonly called evangelical preaching! It might almost be said to "drink the cup and all ;" and yet the same pen that wrote it is often employed in effusions little founded on any "instructions which Christ himself delivered," and in lamentations for the want of that mysterious faith which is indeed " hard to be understood." Original Sin is admitted, but in so mild a shape, and with such softened shades, that we hardly know how to object to it.

"I believe, if we take a review of ourselves, and candidly appeal to our own feelings, we shall acknowledge that we cannot look back to the period when we could say that we had no evil thoughts, and no propensities to evil. If, from the earliest period of remembrance, we were not free from corrup

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