which we have alluded, have strikingly resulted from the opinions which his language seems to countenance. SkeletonChristians, dry bundles of metaphysical abstractions, with no moral emotions and no pious affections, are the legitimate creations of the theory of the divine efficiency in the production of evil. The advocates of this opinion, as we fondly believe, are much fewer now, than they once promised to bɛcome. A theory by which the moral beauty of Jehovah is eclipsed, moral distinctions and feelings confounded or effaced, the consciousness and moral sense of men outraged, has indeed so much to oppose its progress, that its entire banishment from a Christian land, may be confidently expected. Whatever may have once been the views of Dr. Cox, on this subject, we are not without our hopes, that his language conveys more than he really meant to express; that an opinion against which the pious feelings of Christians so instinctively revolt, is not a settled portion of his creed. However this may now be, we trust he will exemplify his principle of adherence to the Scriptures, as the only rule of faith, and allow the theories and fantacies of Hume, Berkley and Emmons, (a strange though natural association,) to be driven away, as the phantoms of night on the return of day. Let him tread the path marked by the Prophets and Apostles, Christ himself, being the glorious leader. In that path would we gladly attend or follow him, until we all arrive at the happy place, where diversity of opinion is lost in the fullness and certainty of knowledge.

And now, as we cordially forgive, what we deem, the injustice of Dr. Cox, so we hope to be forgiven, if in an any thing we have misapprehended his meaning, or written a sentence which Christian fidelity cannot justify at the bar of Christian love.

VOL. III. No. IV.-3 Z

ART. V.-REVIEW.

The Christian Ministry, with an inquiry into the causes of its inefficiency, and with an especial reference to the Ministry of the Establishment. By the Rev. Charles Bridges, B. A., Vicar of Old Newton, Suffolk, and author of "Exposition of Psalm cxix.' tion, corrected and enlarged.

Second edi

THERE is scarcely a chapter of modern ecclesiastical his tory which the Christian contemplates with deeper interest, than that which records the gradual, but most delightful change, which has of late years taken place in the spiritual condition of the established Church of England. She has, indeed, always been able to number among her sons men of splendid talents, and extensive and profound erudition; some of whom, in former as well as latter days, have poured floods of intel lectual light upon the world, and will be hailed in this respect as benefactors to the latest posterity. Many of them have even rendered good service to the cause of Christ, by carrying on a successful warfare with infidelity: they have exhibited the argument for the truth of Christianity in a great variety of forms, and with prodigious force and effect; insomuch that some of their productions on this subject are regarded as standard works, and probably will be so regarded in all coming ages of the Church.

But while many of these men have been distinguished by their talents and acquisitions, and have even laid the Church under lasting obligations by their well, directed efforts in defending the out works of Christianity, it is well known that there has been among them a most melancholy deficiency, both as it respects evangelical doctrine and true piety. The excellent William Romaine is said to have remarked that, at the commencement of his ministry, in the former part of the last century, there were but three or four ministers of the Established Church, who preached the gospel faithfully in the whole kingdom; and it is well known that, at a much later period, there were comparatively few of their Churches in which an evangelical ministry was enjoyed, or would even have been tolerated. It is no secret, and with us no wonder, when we consider the national Establishment, that their clergy have generally been lovers of pleasure more than lovers of the

sacred office; and that that office has been shamefully perverted to purposes of indolence, oppression, and even, in some cases, of the most flagrant vice.

Within the last thirty years, however, the state of things. has been undergoing a rapid change; and it is now no matter of reasonable doubt that there is a leaven of evangelical doctrine and piety at work, which is destined to diffuse itself through the whole lump. The work of reform has begun in public opinion; and where public opinion is enlightened and correct, it possesses an energy and a majesty, which inconsistency, and error, and even vice, cannot easily withstand. What proportion of the clergy may now be considered as decidedly evangelical, we are unable accurately to state, having heard various estimates from different individuals; but we can say, without the fear of contradiction, even from those who would be most interested to contradict us, that an evangelical influence is rapidly increasing, and that it has already become so great as to hold in check many who have no principle to restrain them even from gross excesses. No doubt a man may still hold the clerical office in the Established Church, and preach nothing but dry and prosing essays on general morality; but, in all ordinary cases, he must make up his mind to have not only a listless but lean congregation. Or he may incur no hazard of having his gown taken from him, if he sits down regularly every evening at a gaming table, or dashes through the forests as a fox-hunter, or even makes a profane use of the awful name of God; but he cannot do this without being marked as a traitor; he cannot do it, without holding himself up, even to the world, as an object of pity or contempt. It augurs well for the interests of the Church that it is so. It marks the progress of a change, in the event of which, that part of Zion which, amidst all her external glory, has so long suffered a depression of her spiritual interests, is to rise up in her beauty and strength.

That we are not mistaken in the views which we have now expressed in respect to the Established Church of England, we have gratifying evidence in the work whose title we have placed at the head of this article. It is the production of one of her own sons, and, as we should judge from the character of the work, one who ought to be among her favourite sons. The author is zealously devoted to her interests as an Episcopalian; and to this, though our views differ widely from his, we are not disposed to make any objection. We admire the

honest boldness, the dignified authority, with which he speaks out against existing abuses, and calls for a reformation. The fact that such a book is popular in the Established Church, and that it almost immediately passed into at least a second edition, shows that the work of clerical reform is upon the advance, and that the days of a horse-racing and fox-hunting ministry are well nigh passed away. We cannot doubt that the cordial welcome which this excellent work seems to have met, where it was especially designed to exert an influence, may be regarded as a pledge that the benevolent wishes of its author will be gratified in its extensive and long continued usefulness.

But the work before us is not to be regarded solely or chiefly in its connection with a particular branch of the Church: it is a valuable gift to the Christian ministry at large. It is written in a direct and perspicuous style, and apparently with a deep sense of the importance of the subjects of which it treats. The various topics are selected with good judgment and taste, and are treated in a deeply practical and impressive manner. That a book on such a subject should contain much that is strictly new, were not now to be expected; and it is one of the excellencies of the present work, that instead of aspiring to be original, it aims simply to be useful. There is a spirituality of mind, a deep and holy unction, that seems to pervade every page; and we can hardly conceive that any minister or theological student can rise from the perusal of it, without being more deeply impressed with the holy nature of his office, as well as instructed and admonished in respect to its duties. We are glad that an edition of it has appeared in this country; and we cordially recommend it, especially to every candidate for the ministry, as containing, on the whole, the best outline of ministerial duty, and the most powerful persuasives to ministerial fidelity, to be found in any work of the same extent within our knowledge.

The Christian ministry is the chief living instrument in the hand of God, by which he accomplishes the great purposes of his love in the salvation of men. It is an institution of his own appointment-an institution which he has pledged himself to bless; which borrows dignity, not only from the divinity of its author, but from his whole mediatorial work; and which is destined to operate by a benign and infinitely varied influence to the end of the world. If we look through the past, we shall find that though God has not limited himself to this instrumentality in the conversion and sanctification of

men, and the extension of his Church, yet that little has been done for these objects where the ministry has not been enjoyed; and that most has been accomplished where it has been. enjoyed in its greatest purity. Indeed, it may be set down as a rule which admits of no exceptions, that just in proportion as the ministry has been characterized by "the simplicity that is in Christ," by intelligence, piety, prudence, and zeal, the interests of religion have flourished; and on the other hand, in the same degree that the ministry has degenerated in respect to any of these qualities, the Church has suffered both in respect to its faith and piety. Hence some of the best days of the Church, so far as respects spirituality and true devotedness to Christ, have been days of persecution; for ministers are never asleep over the interests of religion when they are ready to follow their master "to prison and to death."

That we do not claim too much for the influence of the ministry, must be manifest to any person who is at all acquainted with the history of the Church; especially to those who have been accustomed to compare its state during the dark ages, while it was under the spiritual domination of a corrupt and degraded priesthood, with what it had been in the ages of apostolic and primitive purity, and with what it has been since under the genial influence of the reformation. Nay, the same thing is perfectly obvious on a comparison of the state of any particular Church, which has enjoyed an able and faithful ministry for a considerable period, with that of another Church which, during the same period, has had no ministry at all, or only an ignorant and unfaithful one. In the former case, we behold a well watered garden, and "plants of righteousness" springing up in every part of it: in the latter, there is nothing to gladden the eye or to cheer the heart; little else indeed than an unsightly field of desolation. Nor is there any mystery in this, when we consider by what varied and powerful influences an enlightened and devoted ministry must operate. The ambassador of Christ has his congregation before him on the Sabbath, and many of them perhaps once or twice in the week; and here he has the opportunity of using all his powers of persuasion and eloquence to bring God's truth in contact with their understandings and consciences: the weapon which he wields is not of his own devising, but it is made by God himself, and through him who made it, is "mighty to the pulling down of strong holds." And then those whom he addresses under such advantages in public, he meets in private: he