HYMN.

-

See Micah vi. 9; Psalm cix. 21, Common
Prayer-Book Version.

SWEET is thy mercy, O my God!
When, humbled at thy feet,
I learn the lessons of thy rod,

Thy mercy, Lord, is sweet.

For thou dost not in wrath chastise;
But when I go astray,
"Return," a voice behind me cries;
"Walk here-this is the way."
Impatient of thine easy yoke,

If heedless still I roam,

Some sharp affliction, with a stroke
Of kindness warns me home.

That godly sorrow then I feel,

Which nothing can control,
Unless the hand that wounded, heal;
That bruis'd me, make me whole.

As at thy word the winds and waves
From ocean-warfare cease;
That word my soul from shipwreck saves,
Thy presence brings me peace.

Sweet is thy mercy, O my God!

'Tis transport to repeat;

When thou hast thrown aside thy rod,
Thy mercy, Lord, 'tis sweet.
JAMES MONTGOMERY,

March 23, 1838.

The Mount, near Sheffield.

THE MILLENNIUM.

THEY have gone forth, from East to West,
The watchmen of the night;
Their cry hath broke the slumberer's rest,
Behold the morning light.
Behold, upon the hills afar,

The golden sunbeam rest:
Behold the bright and morning star

Rise from the ocean's breast.

They have gone forth, from north to south, The heralds of the morn;

Their tidings spread from mouth to mouth, Behold th' expected dawn!

LECTURES on the ESTABLISHMENT and EXTENSION of NATIONAL CHURCHES, delivered in London, from April 25th to May 12th, 1838. By THOMAS CHALMERS, D.D. and LL. D., Professor of Theology in the University of Edinburgh, and Corresponding Member of the Royal Institute of France.-8vo, pp. 182. Collins, Glasgow; and Hamilton, Adams, and Co., London.

DR. Chalmers is doubtless a great and good man; and we have no inclination to find fault with him for discharging what he deemed to be a public duty, in making his appearance in London, at the call of the Christian Influence Society," for the purpose of lecturing down the Voluntaries, or at least their notions respecting State Establishments of Christianity. We have no nervous dread of public and printed discussions on any subject connected with the religion of Christ, or the modes of supporting or extending it in our world. They will ultimately be overruled for good, in whatever spirit they may happen to be conducted. Error will thereby be detected, exposed, and abandoned; and truth will not fail to triumph as she travels onward in the greatness of her strength, to certain and inevitable victory.

Nor do we seriously complain of the spirit which pervades the worthy Doctor's lectures; for if he has, in a few instances, spoken of Dissenters in terms bordering on contempt, he has, in others, referred to them in a manner at once respectful and kind. An intelligent looker-on will know how to estimate the conflicting testimonies, what to place to the score of party-feeling, and what to attribute to candour and truth. Dr. Chalmers is essentially a kind-hearted man; and, unless goaded on by untoward events, is the last man living to act an ungenerous part toward an honourable and conscientious opponent. We quite believe Dr. Chalmers when he says, "It is no purpose of ours to wound the feelings of our Dissenting brethren, whose services in the cause of our common Christianity cannot be too highly estimated;"-and again, "We hear of their common faith, that is, of their agreement with the Church, on all vital and essential topics; and this, in opposition to the bigots within the Establishment, we heartily accord to the great majority of the Dissenters in both parts of the island." This is candid, this is manly; and no less candid, no less manly are the Doctor's strictures on the insane bigotry of those who would proscribe orthodox Dissenters

upon the futile and long-exploded charge of schism. "We do not speak of the sin of schism in the abstract. There is much said on this subject by certain domineering Churchmen, who arrogate a mystic superiority to themselves, while they would consign all others beyond the pale of Christianity, wherewith we cannot in the least sympathise. It is not on any pretension of this sort that we would vindicate the Establishment of the Churches, either of Scotland or England. We do not feel it necessary, for such a purpose, to depress immeasurably beneath us either the creed or the government of other denominations. We most willingly concede of sectaries we could name, that they are one with us in all which is vital, and only differ from us in certain minute and insignificant peculiarities."— "We disclaim all aid from any such fallacious argument; an argument which could have been of no avail against the Popery that we rejected, and should be of as little avail against those denominations of Protestantism which have been left unendowed." This, we repeat, is candid, this is manly; and away, at once, by one dash of his masterly pen, has the Doctor swept that mass of rubbish which Church bigots have been piling up for centuries on the sin of schism, as the plague-spot of Dissenters, no matter how closely they adhere to the doctrine and morality of the New Testament. With certain episcopal divines at his elbow, in the Hanover-square rooms, we gave our Lecturer full credit also for the moral courage which prompted him to put down, in such an auditory, and so unceremoniously, the Popish bugbear, lately revived, of apostolical succession. Many doleful looks were exchanged, right and left of the Doctor, while he pronounced the following distressing censure on the spirit of the English episcopacy. "When once the Church of England shall have come down from all that is transcendental or mysterious in her pretensions; and, quitting the plea of her exclusive apostolical derivation, shall rest more upon that wherein the real greatness of her strength lies-the purity of her doctrines-her deeds of high prowess and championship in the battles of the faiththe noble contributions which have been rendered by her scholars and her sons to that Christian literature which is at once the glory of Protestantism-the ready-made apparatus of her churches and parishesthe unbroken hold which, as an establishment, she still retains on the mass of society and her unforfeited possessory right to be reckoned and deferred to as an esta

blishment still-when these, the true elements of her legitimacy and her power, come to be better understood, in that proportion will she be recognised as the great standard and rallying-post for all those who would unite their efforts and their sacrifices in that mighty cause, the object of which is to send throughout our families, in more plentiful supply, those waters of life which can alone avail for the healing of the nation."

Will the bishops and the clergy, will the Oxford Tract men, will even the members of "The Christian Influence Society," consent to this merciless bill of indictment against the prevailing doctrine of episcopal orders? Will the good service which Dr. Chalmers has sought to render to the English Establishment induce the heads of that Church to relax their law of ordination, and to admit the gifted presbyter of the Kirk into the pulpits of the hierarchy? We fear not; and because we fear it, we cannot help concluding that the sympathy between Dr. Chalmers and his episcopal brethren is, after all, rather political than ecclesiastical; for though he may lecture down Dissent, and lecture up Establishments, to the edification and even rapture of an episcopal auditory, the Bishop of Exeter, and thousands who think with him, will, notwithstanding, hand over his orders to an unaccredited tribunal, and perhaps his soul itself to the uncovenanted mercies of God. We rejoice, however, that Dr. Chalmers spoke the truth with so much fearlessness; though we happen to know, that in so doing he gave no small umbrage to some who were ready to applaud, as next to inspired, all that he advanced in defence of establishments.

It is also much to the credit of Dr. Chalmers, that in touching upon the subject of the Irish Church, he has let out some very unpalatable though wholesome truths. Speaking of the clergy of the Protestant Establishment in Ireland, he says, 66 They virtually did undertake the Christian education of the families in their respective parishes, and they have not acquitted themselves of that undertaking." **** "It cannot be disguised, that, with many illustrious and honourable exceptions, the clergy as a body have not, during the whole of the last century, done what they might, or done what they ought, for the cultivation of the vineyard, made over by the State to their care; and which in return for their maintenance, they should by this time have put into right order, and now been keeping in order." ****Had this Establishment been what it ought to have been, a great home Mission, with its ministers acting the part of devoted Missionaries, we should by this time of day have been rid of all our embarrassments. There would have been

no Catholic question to perplex; and that because there might have been few or no Catholics. But matters there have not been so ordered. We need not speak of their pluralities, and their sinecures, and of all the evils of their clerical absenteeism. These are the more patent corruptions of the Protestant hierarchy in Ireland, and, perhaps, the only ones that strike the public attention." "***"We now inherit the consequences of the misgovernment and the profligacy of former generations. They may be traced to the want of principle and public virtue in the men of a by-gone age. Those reckless statesmen who made the patronage of the Irish Church a mere instrument of subservience to the low game of politicsthose regardless clergymen, who held the parishes as sinecures, and lived in lordly indifference to the state and interests of the people these are the parties who, even after making full allowance for the share which belongs to the demagogues and agitators of the day, are still the most deeply responsible for the miseries and the crimes of that unhappy land."

All this is a truly curious defence of the Irish Establishment; but Dr. Chalmers is very ingenious as well as very honest; and as he cannot very well commend the Irish Church for what it has done for nearly three centuries, having really lost ground, he undertakes to defend it for what it might have done, had it been faithful to its trust, and for what it may yet do, when the machine, which he contends is still good, shall be made to work better. He must admit, however, that the Irish Church has had a long probation; and that doubts may arise in thoughtful minds whether the omens of the future are such as to blot out the remembrances of the past. We rejoice to believe with Dr. Chalmers, that there is a noble band of faithful and devoted pastors in that church, who act up to the character of home Missionaries; but will the bishops and the worldly rectors of parishes, allow full scope to their plans of benevolence? Will the future patronage of the crown, and of private families, flow in an untainted channel? Will a tithed Protestant clergy, however devoted, be able to ingratiate themselves into the affections of a Catholic peasantry? Will there be no political gambling in disposing the future prizes of the Irish Church? These are questions which no dream of fancy, no flaming zeal for the mere notion of an Establishment, can banish from a thoughtful mind.

But we cannot proceed further at present in our notice of Dr. Chalmers's Lectures. We have drawn attention to certain points worthy of commendation in the sentiments he has expressed; and in our concluding article, we shall endeavour to show what are his

views of establishments, what of voluntaryism, and how far he has fairly represented the opinions and practices of those who repudiate the connexion of Christianity with the patronage of the State. This we hope to do in the spirit of that religion, of which, after all, we sincerely believe Dr. Chalmers to be a distinguished ornament.

(To be continued in our next.)

An Analytical and Comparative VIEW of all RELIGIONS, now Extant among Mankind: with their Internal Diversities of Creed and Profession. By JOSIAH CONDER, Author of "The Modern Traveller," &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 698.

Jackson and Walford.

The author has occupied some of the best years of his matured intellect and research on this " Analytical and Comparative View of all Religions;" with what admirable success will only be fully known by those who do him the justice to examine with close and rigid attention his highly philosophical as well as popular essay. That such a volume was wanted will not be questioned by any who have had occasion to refer to works of the kind hitherto extant. With the single exception of "The Book of the Denominations," which treats only of Christian sects, there has been no work yet produced on the religions of mankind, deserving the confidence of the public. Mr. Conder has evidently sat down to his task in the spirit of a philosopher, an historian, and a Christian; he has collected his materials from the most authentic sources; he has spared no pains in obtaining the best information; with the sternest fidelity he has combined the most amiable candour; and without exhibiting a single particle of the furious bigot, he has run clear of any thing bordering on latitudinarian indifference. Those who desire to know the actual opinions and practices of the several sects and denominations of Christendom, may here expect to be accurately informed; and those who are anxious to ascertain how far each sect approaches to, or recedes from, the great standard of revealed truth, may hope to be greatly assisted in their momentous inquiry.

The work is divided into twelve chapters. The 1st is introductory, and treats of the all-important questions, What is religion? How many religions are there? Which is the true religion? Which is the true church? The 2nd chapter presents a comparative view of the Eastern and Western churches. The 3rd chapter is devoted to the Eastern churches. The 4th chapter treats of the Russian Greek churches. The 5th chapter sketches the history, doctrines, and present state of the Latin church, or

VOL. XVI.

the Papacy. The 6th chapter conducts us into the interior of the Lutheran and Reformed or Calvinian churches. The 7th chapter traces the peculiarities and characteristic differences of the Anglican and Scottish churches. The 8th chapter contains an able article on the Protestant Nonconformists. The 9th chapter relates to Protestant sects. The 10th chapter touches on Protestant controversies. The 11th chapter exhibits a striking outline of the Monotheistic religions. And the 12th chapter enumerates and characterises the religions of Polytheism and Pantheism.

From this brief analysis it will be seen how large, as well as comprehensive, is our author's plan. As a book of reference the volume before us is invaluable. It contains a mass of well-digested facts, accompanied by the clearest reasonings, and the most logical deductions. The spirit of the work is in strict accordance with the character and pretensions of a Christian critic. Nothing bitter or unkind will be found in these pages; yet the majesty of truth is never made to cringe before error, nor is the affectation of candour substituted for the heaven-born grace of speaking the truth in love. This is a volume which we should like to see in the hands of all the young people in our Christian families and congregations. It will rectify and enlarge their views upon a vast variety of topics connected with Christianity and the profession of it in the world; and as it is written in the true spirit of genuine piety, it cannot fail to improve the heart, while it enlightens the understanding and elevates the taste.

"The most difficult, or at least the most delicate part of my task," observes the author, "has been to preserve that impartiality which may reasonably be looked for in an account of religious opinions, without affecting an irreligious neutrality, or compromising my own most sacred convictions of truth. To conceal my opinions would have been fruitless hypocrisy; and I can only hope that I have not suffered them to betray me into any defect of candour or violation of charity. I have not attempted to treat the Roman Catholic tenets in the character of a Romanist, or of Mohammedanism in that of a Mussulman; nor have I scrupled to speak of sects as sects, or of heresies as heresies. The Searcher of hearts knows, however, that my earnest desire and steady aim have been, to vindicate the catholicity of Christ's Church,-to harmonise the creed of its true members, rather than to exasperate our mutual dissensions, to show that the religious differences among Christians chiefly arise from causes extrinsic to the common rule and supreme Arbiter of faith,—and to lead to the practical conclusion, that, as Chris2 D

We fully agree with Mr. Conder when he says, that the most popular religious book in English literature,-in which the most popular books are of a religious character, -is the production of an uneducated peasant, who worked his way out of the lowest vice and ignorance, not by the force of his genius, so much as by that of an impulse which quickened his genius into life, and transformed him at once intellectually and morally. The finest specimen of wellsustained allegory in any language, is the composition of this self-taught rustic, who little aimed at literary celebrity in the homely parable which he wrote, to solace his prison hours, for the religious instruction of the common people. The most admirable exposition of the elements of Christian theology, one which is so little of a controversial or sectarian character, that it may confessedly be read without offence by sober-minded Protestants of all persuasions, and yet so comprehensive as to form the best popular body of divinity,-is the composition of an obscure itinerant preacher, whose apostolic labours consigned him, in the days of the Stuarts, to a twelve years' imprisonment in Bedford gaol, for no other crime than his non-conformity. What is still more remarkable, this work, the Odyssey of the English people,-the favourite with young and old; which the poet admires for its imaginative beauty, and in which the artist finds the most delightful subjects for the pencil; to the extraordinary merit of which, testimony has been borne by critics who have had no sympathy with either the design and religious spirit of the work, or the theological opinions interwoven with it, and who rank the realities shadowed in the allegory with the visionary creatures of romance; this work-we need not name it-the Pilgrim's Progress, is, in fact, a powerful address to the conscience; having no other object than to delineate the successive stages of the spiritual life, and to

pourtray the mental conflicts of experimental piety, which, to those who have no corresponding experience, must appear the hallucination of fanaticism. Strange that a work should have the power so to please the imagination of an indevout man, which can be understood only by the heart in which religion has its seat; that those who have not the key to the cipher, should still admire the character in which the spiritual meaning is veiled, and which experience alone can perfectly interpret. But such is the fact. This extraordinary work, it has been remarked by an American critic, 'is like a painting meant to be exhibited by fire-light, the common reader sees it by day. To the Christian (the actual pilgrim) it is a glorious transparency; and the light that shines through it, and gives its incidents such life, its colours such depth, and the whole scene such surpassing glory, is light from eternity, the meaning of heaven.'"

This is one of the best descriptions of the Pilgrim's Progress we have yet seen. It is truly worthy of the head and heart of the esteemed and gifted writer. Indeed, the whole sketch of Bunyan contained in this edition may be regarded as a valuable contribution to the literature of our country. It exhibits all Dr. Southey's taste, without any of his blunders and misconceptions in judging of the spiritual phenomena of Bunyan's character.

We have to thank Messrs. Fisher and Co. for this truly splendid edition of a work which has no rival among uninspired compositions.

Both the letter-press and the embellishments are a credit to the spirit and enterprise of the publishers. The Notes, by William Mason, will be highly valued by many devout Christians; though, so far as we are concerned, we prefer the Pilgrim without note or comment.

Dr. Sprague is well known to many of our readers as a faithful minister of the cross, in the New World, and as the author of several useful works, which have obtained a large circulation both in America and in this country. His essay on "Revivals" is decidedly the best on that subject which has yet seen the light. He is a man of calm, judicious, and devout temperament of mind; and his learning and research are such as to qualify him for writing with effect on any subject to which he may think fit to devote his powerful energies.