The whole of this discourse we exceedingly admire, not only as a piece of fine composition, but much more on account of the important truths which it contains, and the pathos, fervour, and deep Christian humility which it breathes.

The third discourse is on the same text, and the scope of it is to show, 1st, That the language of the text was not intended to lower the standard of our duties, as if a small degree of active service would be accepted as good fidelity, while much more is placed within our reach, and is clearly required of us; and, That, 2dly, high as the standard of Christian duty is, the fidelity of the humblest individual is as distinctly recognized at the tribunal of Christ, as the most conspicuous service."

We do not propose to give either a complete analysis of each of the discourses in this volume, or extensive extracts from them all. But we cannot avoid giving the following quotation, because we think it well calculated to enlighten those self-righteous professors of religion, who cannot understand the deep humility, and self-condemning accusation, which are often heard from the lips of the most eminent practical Christians.

"Alas! it is the grief and burden of our hearts, in our most perfect state of mind, and amidst all our self-deceit, we cannot conceal it from ourselves, that we are weak and uncertain beings; and that, if God should judge us, either by what we have done, or by that which we have left undone either by the strict motives, or by the stedfastness of our fidelity-we should

not only be found to have been faithful in very little,' but should scarcely be able to say to our own consciences, with any confidence or sincerity, that we have ever been truly or unreservedly faithful in any thing.

"The gospel tells us, that, as a matter of grace, and because he has an Advocate with the Father, who is also the propitiation for our sins, the least service of a ge nuine believer, done under the awe of God, and devoted to him, is accepted. But the accepted disciple himself is much more sensibly humbled, under the conviction, that, in his best state of mind, his most filled, than he is prepared to plead before essential duties are most imperfectly fulGod any degree or any example of his own fidelity. A merciful Saviour accepts of his service, and remembers it. He accepts the will for the deed, where there is no eousness, he graciously calleth the things more; and, receiving his faith for rightwhich be not as though they were.' But, in his own mind, he neither pleads his fidelity, nor feels himself able to rely on it.

"The true standard of his duties is ri

vetted on his conscience; and the question there is, not what he has done, but what the law of God required of him, and what he might or ought to have done, in the circumstances in which he was placed. Even when his service is both mercifully accepted and rewarded, our Lord supposes him to disclaim every pretension either to personal fidelity or desert. In describing the progress of the last judgment, he represents himself as addressing his most faithful servants in these words: I was hungry and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; But, on the other side, he describes them I was in prison and ye came unto me.'

as replying, with the unfeigned humility of fallible beings: Lord, when saw we thee hungry and fed thee; or thirsty and gave and took thee in, or naked and clothed thee drink; when saw we thee a stranger thee; or when saw we thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee?" "

This discourse we consider as all of them we consider as distin. fully equal to the preceding; and guished specimens of practical preach. ing, founded on, and in full consistency with, evangelical doctrine. We of them to those students and clerwould recommend the careful study gymen, who find a difficulty in

preaching on duty, without allow ing their sermons to degenerate into mere heathen morality.

The fourth discourse is a very proper sequel to those which have preceded. It is from 2 Cor. xii. 4; "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me;" and is entitled, "Moral infirmities and Christian strength." After a very suitable introduction, he considers the text as giving a view of the apostle, and of his state of mind, which is in many respects common to him, and to all true believers; and, in following out this idea, he proposes to show,

1st, That the more our thoughts are accustomed to dwell on our real condition, as fallen and fallible creatures, and on our personal weakness and infirmities, we shall be so much the less inclined to give way to our natural tendency to overrate any thing which we have either done or attained; and shall every day feel more sensibly our entire dependence on the grace and the power of God. And, 2dly, I shall show that we shall even learn to think with a reflected satisfaction, or exultation, on personal defects or infirmities, which become the occasion to bring us into close or sensible communion with God, or which operate as indirect or eventual means by which 'the power of Christ rests on us.'"

This sermon is all so excellent and so interesting, that it is difficult to make a selection of passages for extracts. After mentioning the vain glory which so universally pervades mere worldly men, he has the following remarks, which we give, not only on account of their intrinsic excellence, but because they are closely allied to some extracts already given in illustration of that spirit of humility and selfabasement which is found in the most eminent Christians, and which in fact lies at the very foundation of all the practical religion which has the gospel for its basis.

"Genuine Christianity has certainly nothing to do with the pride and vain-glory of the world—with the spirit which such

dispositions uniformly indicate, or with the prominent vices which are their natural

consequence. But the weakness and infirmities of the purest men have an obvious affinity to these original characters of hu man depravity. The tendencies to vainglory, to self-confidence, and to jealousies, far subdued, as to be no longer the predo.. are not extirpated, even when they are so minant features of the mind.

"Even in his case, who can give thanks to God, that, by the grace which is given him in Christ Jesus, he has escaped from the bondage of corruption, so that criminal have the command neither of his affections passions, or worldly or unworthy pursuits, nor of his life-there is still a law in his members which wars against the law of his mind;' and which, more frequently than can ever be forgotten, brings him into captivity to the law of sin.'

"If it is possible for a man of sincerity to be so far deceived with regard to his own character, as to persuade himself, that, compared with others, who are not behind him in any spiritual or valuable gift, his knowledge is pre-eminent-his faith is firm—his hope is settled-the sins which easily beset

him have lost their attractions-he has little to fear from temptations-his consolations are secure and that, in some of these points, or in all of them, he rises high above his fellows-there is good reason to believe that he who holds this language of presumption within his own mind, is not far from receiving a proof of his weakness and delusion, to humble him effectually.”

It is a mortifying circumstance, that the Christian not only is extremely weak, but that it is very difficult to bring him to a habitual perception of this, and to act upon it.

On this point our author has the following valuable remarks.

"It is a difficult task, even in the strongest minds, to keep alive the impression of their peculiar weaknesses or defects; or to watch, with steady and conscientious perseverance, the moral infirmities of which they are conscious, or the sins which most easily beset them. We are quick-sighted in discerning the weak points in the charplore and watch them. But we practise a acters of our neighbours, and can both dedeceit on ourselves, which, were it applied to them, wouid astonish and disgust us, when we divert our thoughts from the

worse, and fix them on the better views of our own characters. We give way to delusions of the imagination, by which we exaggerate every good quality which we impute to ourselves, and shut our eyes,

both against our defects and our temptations-delusions, by means of which, though we are not altogether unconscious that they are delusions, instead of counteracting, we only smother, and add fuel to the fire of our original corruptions; till, before we are aware, we lie down in the sparks which we have kindled.' "Alas! we find it a matter of extreme difficulty, to be seriously or practically persuaded, that we are truly the weak and uncertain beings, which both Scripture and experience represent us. And yet, till this conviction is deeply and habitually impressed on our consciences, we shall never be in a situation, either effectually to watch our peculiar infirmities, or to overcome the perpetual tendency of our hearts, to cherish the self-confident, vain-glorious, and self. righteous spirit, which is the great obstruction to all sound knowledge of our own characters, and which furnishes fuel to our worst temptations."

The author then appeals to the experience of the Apostle Paul, and asks, "How does he speak of himself amidst all his attainments and revelations? In the most advanced state of his labours and apostleship, he looks back on his own life as a subject of perpetual humiliation." He then makes the following pointed appeal to the consciences of his

readers.

"Ask yourselves what your own experience has been. Are you, to your own conviction, the holy, harmless, self-denied, watchful, fervent, and faithful servants of Christ-the children of God without rebuke-which the gospel represents in the standard given us for the peculiar character of those whom Christ hath redeemed unto God? Or, amidst all your sincerity in the faith of the gospel, and in the habits of Christian experience, are you not conscious, that you have a perpetual struggle and vigilance still to maintain, against the turbulence or the warmth of your own passions; against the irregularities or the waywardness of your own tempers; against the wildness and the wanderings of your own imaginations, which insensibly render you familiar with the vices and pollutions of the world; against the selfishness which so often assumes the place of duties to which it has no relation; and against the temptations which, in so many deceitful forms, seize on your most unguarded moments, and on the weakest points in your characters? Or, has there ever yet been a time when, if you had consulted your experience

fairly, the apostle's question would not have come to your hearts? Are ye not yet carnal, and walk as men?' That is, are you not still, in the best view of yourselves, weak and fallible, like the multitudes of men around you? He did not mean to say, that the believers were carnal, in the same sense, or in the same degree, as profligate or unconverted men; but he intended to affirm, that so much of the original perversion of human nature remained with them, in their most perfect state of mind, as more or less served to keep alive the struggle against their peculiar weaknesses or temptations, and to give them sensible proofs from experience, that they are not raised above all participation in the sins of other men, to the end of their lives.

"Who is there who knows any thing of his own heart, who has not some portion of this experience? And who that has it is not humbled in the dust, to think that, amidst all his faith, attainments, and advantages, he is still, in so many ways, 'compassed about with infirmities?' That he has still, to his own conviction, so much of the old man, and of the deceitful lusts ?' That he is still so far from being pure in that which he has done best, or has best intended ? That he has done so little, where so much more was in his power? That he has left undone, or has done from motives for which his own mind has reason to reproach him, so much of that which was clearly the duty assigned him? That he so often felt, that he had not the incli nation, or the will, where he was in possession of the means to do the good enjoined him; and as frequently, that, when he would have done good, evil was present with him ?"

The author next proceeds to the illustration of the second proposition, viz. "That we may even learn to think with a reflected satisfaction or exultation on personal defects or infirmities, which operate as indirect or eventual means by which the power of Christ rests on us." We are persuaded that the reader will think the illustration here as admirable as any thing that has preceded. If in the midst of so much important truth, we may be indulged with a verbal criticism, we would be disposed to remark, that the expression "personal defects and infirmities," is generally used to signify the defects and infirmities of the body, whereas the author is

treating entirely of those which are moral and spiritual. But passing this, we are led forward to a very able and scriptural view of the way in which our infirmities may be productive of good to us. He observes, that they may be sanctified to our advantage, 1st, "When they teach us the humility or repentance for which there are urgent reasons in our characters; or when our perception of them brings us to the throne of grace with much more than common earnestness." On the last of these we give the following

extract.

"It is a precious and powerful lesson, when it leads us to the throne of grace, with more than common solicitude-when it brings us to God, to pray more earnestly than ever for deliverance from the infirmities and sins which press upon our hearts, and which so often disqualify us for discharging our most urgent duties, and for the mercy which alone can revive or console us when at the mercy-seat of God, while we confess our weaknesses and deplore them, we pour out our regrets and our supplications without reserve to Him who knows our frame, and who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

"O how much ardour will this prayer of infirmity awaken and revive! How many holy affections which worldly-mind. edness and spiritual weakness had blunted and repressed, will it rouse into fervour! The Apostle Paul, when the messenger of Satan was sent him, besought the Lord thrice, that this thing might depart from him; and he prayed not in vain to the God of his salvation. The Holy Ghost said to him, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Likewise the Spirit, also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, (or within us,) with groanings, which cannot be uttered, (or with an earnestness which cannot be expressed in words,) and he who searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, according to the

will of God.""

He adds farther, 2dly, "That the Holy Ghost sanctifies our infirmities, for our spiritual edification, and for our progress in vital religion, when our sense of them be

VOL. XXIII. NO. II.

comes the instrument to stimulate our ardour in our personal duties, above our former experience; and thus gives us an experimental proof that the power of Christ rests on us."

We can here give no more than the following extract, with which the sermon concludes.

"It is by the same analogy, though the humbled believer, whose many infirmities situation is different, that a sincere but have brought him to the cross of Christ for restoration or revival, finds in his recollection of the views and feelings from which he experience, a subject of exultation, and of was roused to an ardour above his former

who

perpetual thanksgiving, at the mercy-seat of God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,' he says, left me not to perish in my weakness or in my sin-and who, in the hour of most painful recollection, turned not away my prayer from him, nor his mercy from me;-He put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto my God;-Come, hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul;-By the grace of God I am what I am; and, compassed as I am with infirmities, this shall, to the end of my life, be my consolation, and the anchor of my soul; that he is the same today, and yesterday, and for ever; and that he forsakes not the work of his own hands; -I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, and he hath become my salvation;-Out of weakness I shall be made strong, thoroughly furnished against every infirinity, and unto every good work.'

"They are happy who have these impressions written on their hearts; they are kept, by the power of God, through faith unto salvation; they shall go from strength to strength; they shall be comforted under all their infirmities.

The power of

Christ shall rest on them,' till they shall have for ever escaped from the corruption that is either in themselves or in the world; and till they shall see the dawn of the everlasting day.-AMEN.”

We consider this discourse as still superior to any of the preceding, going more deeply into experimental Christianity, and illustrating more fully the grace of the gospel in its practical effects.

There is next a series of dis

courses, which lead the mind of the Christian directly to the contem

R

plation of the Saviour, as exhibited in some of the most important and interesting points of view in which he appeared during his ministry on earth. There are two discourses on the transfiguration; one on the agony in the garden, tracing the sources of his suffering; another on the same event, entitled, Prayer and Resignation, from these words," Not my will but thine be done;" and another, entitled, "Earnestness and Perseverance in Prayer," from these words, Luke xxii. 43, 44, "And there appeared an angel unto Jesus, strengthening him; and being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly." Two others, entitled, "The Prayer of the Cross," from Luke xxiii. 84, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Another on the penitent malefactor, entitled, "The Penitent of the Cross." It is impossible to enter into a detailed account of these excellent discourses. But we can say in general, that they are well calculated to display the glory, excellence, and suitableness of the Saviour, and to furnish much edification to that class of religious readers, whose desire it is to live by the faith of the Son of God. That part of the discourse on the Transfiguration, which illustrates the subjects on which Moses and Elias conversed with Christ, appears to us uncommonly happy. But we must be content with a very short

extract.

"Their conversation turns, not on the glory which he had with the Father, before the world was; not on his miracles in the world; not on his resurrection from the dead; or even on his ultimate ascension to the right hand of power. It is entirely confined to his decease, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.'

It is impossible to recognize this fact, without perceiving that the death of the Lord is directly presented to us in the transfiguration, as the great or principal event for which the great mystery of godliness was revealed, God manifest in the flesh.'

The redemption of our fallen world depended on his death; and a body was

prepared for him, that he might be capable of suffering and of death. The efficacy of his doctrine, of his life, of his miracles, of his resurrection and ascension to God, was in every point inseparably interwoven with the circumstances, and with the merit of his death. The salvation of those who believed on him was to be the price of his blood; and for the suffering of death he was to be crowned with glory and honour.

The whole series of the Mosaical sa

crifices, and all that the prophets had spoken of the sufferings of Christ, and of the redemption of Israel, had hitherto attained no final end or completion. Moses and Elias came from the glory of the invisible world, for the express purpose of conversing with the Son of God in his incarnate state, on the great event by which he was to accomplish that which the law and the temple sacrifice only prefigured; and by which sacrifice on the altar was to be superseded for ever-that they might speak with him of his decease to be accomplished at Jerusalem'-of his decease, foreseen by themselves and by all the prophets, for so many ages, and just about to be realized."

"But, on the other hand, we must not presume to rely on present satisfaction, as if we had no change to apprehend. We must not place our happiness in them, as if we had the command of their duration. We must not expect from them a permanency, which can belong to no sublunary things. We must not begin to build ta tion, or to prepare for the disappointments bernacles, where we ought to learn resigna

and the sorrows awaiting us in this uncer tain world. l'eter found not words to say,

It is good for us to be here,' till the moment when Moses and Elias were depart. ing: And the time when our most valued blessings are on the eve of deserting us, is very frequently the time when we are meditating with most solicitude to build ta bernacles to retain them.

"These reflections may be applied to all our gratifications in the present world; and they belong as much to our experience in religion as to the conditions of common life. If we are happy at any time, as belevers of the gospel, in following out the delightful views which our faith affords us, of grace and truth, of salvation and eternity, of communion with God, or communion with one another through our common interest in one great Redeemer, or of peace