which children may become our patterns, will easily suggest themselves, and ought to have been attentively weighed by every devout Christian. The object of our author in his selection of his subject is undoubtedly in a great degree to check all presumption, all unprofitable and mischievous curiosity; but he is not less anxious to urge the necessity of" diligently. pursuing such knowledge as is attainable and profitable." We should be glad to extract some passages, in order to shew his intention in his own admirable language; but we prefer laying before our readers one of the last paragraphs in the volume, which justifies the author in bringing forward this subject among the peculiarities of the Christian religion.

"Let it not be forgotten, that that feature in the Gospel-system of instruction which has been here noticed, . . . is one of the circumstances peculiar to Christianity-strikingly characteristic of it; and strongly confirming its divine origin, its importance, and its excellence.

"As it is obviously a great advantage to teach not merely by precept, but by example, so that advantage is much enhanced, if the example employed be one which is always at hand; nor could a more suitable pattern, than the one in question, have been presented to the imitation of creatures, standing in such a relation as we do to the Creator; and whose present life is designed as a preparation for a more perfect and exalted state hereafter. Yet the best heathen moralists, even those who taught and professed to believe a future state, had not recourse to, or at least did not usually employ, this mode of instruction. They spoke much of the beauty of virtue; of the dignity of human nature; of the heroism of striving to rise above the vulgar mass of mortals: but they did not enough consider that the first step to elevation is Humility; that though the palace of wisdom be indeed a lofty structure, its entrance is low, and it forbids admission without bending; they knew not, or at least taught not, that our nature must be exalted by first understanding and acknowledging the full amount of its weakness and imperfection. Jesus called unto him a little child, and set him in the midst;' what other teacher ever did the like? what other teacher indeed ever completely knew what was in man,' and understood thoroughly how to remedy the defects of his nature, and to fit him for a better state?" P. 274.

It has been our wish to give our readers as full a statement of the contents of those Essays to which we have confined our attention as is consistent with our narrow limits; and we shall be much disappointed if some desire be not thereby excited to peruse the volume itself. They will find in it much to reward the best attention they can bestow upon it. The topics are well selected, and are handled in a manner which shews much serious reflection, elevated piety, and a spirit conformed to

those rules of evangelical lowliness and docility which are here so well inculcated. It is indeed very edifying to mark with what readiness a powerful but well-trained mind submits itself to learn with all humility the truth as it is in Jesus. It has happened to us while engaged in the perusal of the volume before us to hear of a person in extreme ignorance venturing upon one of the most mysterious doctrines of our religion. The contrast was unspeakably striking, when we reflected on the forwardness and presumption of such persons as this poor woman, who was boldly venturing she knew not whither, and then turned to the lowliness and fearfulness expressed by our author, who would scarce touch upon these matters, unless it were to apply them to some useful, practical purpose. Were we to recommend this example in the quarter to which we have alluded, we should be told that "God hath hid these things from the wise and prudent." And so indeed he hath! and the truly wise will learn a lesson of deep humility at the thought of it. But how sad is it, if the same consideration should lead those who are babes in knowledge to cherish an unholy spirit of rash confidence and presumption !

Essays on the Evidences, Doctrines, and Practical Operations of Christianity. By JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY. 8vo. Pp. 566. 10s. 6d. London. Arch. 1825.

WE have already expressed our opinion upon the general character of Mr. Gurney's writings; nor do we find any reason, in the work before us, to lower the estimate then given of his merits as an author. The same seriousness and candour are manifest throughout the present volume, which constituted much of the excellence of his former publications. No inconsiderable degree of research is also apparent, and the results of his enquiries are always developed with care-in some instances with singular felicity of arrangement. In general Mr. Gurney may claim the praise of having compressed much important information into a small compass, without obscurity or misrepresentation; which perhaps is as much as could reasonably be expected in a work of so extensive a nature, every part of which has been fully treated by preceding authors.

The Essays are twelve in number, embracing the following subjects:-The probability of a Divine Revelation to mankind, and the genuineness of the New Testament; the credibility of the New Testament, and the evidence of miracles; the evidence of prophecy; the internal evidence of Christianity; the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures; the scriptural account of the Supreme Being; the union and distinction in the Divine Nature; the scriptural account of the spiritual adver sary; the scriptural account of Man; the scriptural account of Jesus Christ-as in his Pre-existence, as during his abode on earth, as in his subsequent state; the Redemption of Mankind, more particularly considering the Scripture doctrine of the atonement, the merits and advocacy of Christ, and the Scripture doctrine of the Spirit; Faith and Obedience; to which is added in conclusion, a summary of the whole, besides various recapitulations of leading arguments interspersed throughout the work. Upon each of these topics Mr. Gurney writes usually with clearness, and always with an earnestness which secures the attention of the reader.

As, from the very nature of the work, the Author was under the necessity of repeating what his predecessors had stated, it would hardly be just to give extracts from such parts of his book as are manifestly derived from others, without entering into a full analysis of his method of connecting the links in the chain of argument; but this our limits will not allow. We shall therefore only select two passages, which, we conceive, will convey a sufficiently correct idea of the character of the book.

The first is from the conclusion of the fifth Essay. After recapitulating the arguments for the inspiration of the Sacred Volume, Mr. Gurney proceeds

"Having thus considered some of the principal evidences, which evince that the Christian Scriptures have the same divine origin as the revelations which they record, we may henceforth consider the Bible as identified with those revelations; and in searching for that which has been revealed, we need no longer hesitate in directing our attention to that which is written. I cannot, however, satisfactorily conclude the present disquisition, without offering to the reader's attention, by way of corollary to my argument, a few general propositions."

1. Since the authority of divine revelation, is, on the subject to which it relates, paramount to all other authority, and since the subject of the Christian Religion is religious truth, it follows, that on all questions connected with religious truth, the clear decisions of Scripture are not only sufficient, but final."

"2. It is evident that the Scriptures, like every other book, must be interpreted according to the received rules of criticism and philo

logy; but since they are a divine source of information, on all points connected with Christian doctrine; and since the declarations of God are unspeakably superior, in point of validity, to the imaginations of the mind of man; it is equally evident that we cannot justly apply to the interpretation of Holy Writ, any preconceived and unauthorized opinions of our own on such points."

....

"3. The doctrines, of which we find an account in the Bible, principally relate to the character and designs of God; and therefore, it forms no objection against the credibility of any of them, that they are above our comprehension."....

"4. Lastly, let it be remembered, that the truths recorded in the Holy Scriptures, were communicated to mankind neither to gratify their curiosity, nor to encourage them in useless speculations on their own metaphysics, or on the nature and designs of God, but to teach them how to live in this world, and to prepare them for the next." P. 110.

We regret that we cannot insert the proofs from which these conclusions are deduced. We must proceed to our second extract, which is from the summary of the whole, at the end of the volume.

"And now in taking leave of the reader, I request his attention in conclusion, to a very few general observations. He can scarcely fail to have remarked in the first place, that of the whole system of religious truth, which we have now been engaged in contemplating, the turning point-the essential hinge is the divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. For my own part I freely confess, that the more inti❤ mately I examine the constituent parts of scriptural religion, and the longer I make them the subject of reflection, the more strongly am I brought to feel the importance of a simple reliance on the truth of that doctrine.

"Allow that Jesus Christ, who came into the world, took our nature upon him, and in that nature, died on the cross to save us, was Jehovah himself; and the mind is insensibly prepared to embrace a just and comprehensive view, both of our loss by nature, and of our gain by redemption. We are then from the whole bearing and analogy of the case, almost inevitably led to entertain an adequate apprehension of the desperate nature of sin, and of the merited weight of its everlasting consequences. Then, also, are we brought to perceive that Jesus is an all-sufficient Redeemer-that his blood shed on the cross, was an ample price paid for the deliverance and eternal welfare of the whole human race; and that, by his Spirit, he is able so to illumine, regenerate, and sanctify, the children of men, as to render them fit for the happiness of heaven.

But, deny the real divinity of Jesus Christ, and the consequence is this, that our sense of our loss on the one hand, and of our gain on the other is immediately weakened. Our views of the corruption and guilt of man-of our own sinfulness, and of its future consequences—

become inadequate and obscure. Our conviction of the saving efficacy of the one great Sacrifice is softened down, and gradually explained away; and our dependence upon the spiritual influence of the great Head of the Church is effectually undermined. Reason and experience unite in proclaiming, that such are the effects of our degrading the Son of God to the rank of a mere creature; and the lower we degrade him in the scale of creation, the more conspicuous do these effects become. The disciple of Arius, whose unscriptural system imports, in (point of fact), that Jesus Christ was a god; and yet a creature only, and not Jehovah, retains some considerable degree of attachment to the doctrines of the fall and redemption of man; but, that attachment can never be full and decided, because the foundation of such a faith is not the rock of ages. Socinus and his followers, who look upon Jesus as a mere man, but invest his humanity with powers far superior to those which really appertain to our nature, embrace in their religious views some faint traces of his divine government. The yet more modern freethinker, who hesitates not to declare his opinion, that Jesus, the man of Nazareth, although a person of great virtue and endowments, was nevertheless, nothing more by nature than such a man as the freethinker himself; has no difficulty in discarding, and at times can even deride the doctrine of human corruption-the doctrine of diabolical agency-the doctrine of eternal punishment-the doctrine of reconciliation with the Father, through the atoning blood of Christ -the doctrine of the regenerating and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit.

"These observations are offered not in the spirit of polemical severity, but a firm unalterable conviction of their justice and importance. To conceal the truth on such subjects is no true charity, it is not doing to others, as we would they should do unto us. As there is an infinite difference between the Supreme Being, and all the works of his hands, so it is plain that there is an infinite difference of opinion between those who believe that Jesus Christ is God, and those who regard him only as a creature. It is a difference which admits of no compromise a difference pregnant with vast consequences-a difference which Christian love may lead us to deplore, but never (according to my apprehension,) to disregard or forget." P. 562.

Having so far acknowledged the good qualities of this work, we must at the same time observe, that we by no means would be supposed to assent to all the detail of the reasoning employed, or all the conclusions which are drawn. We doubt not that to Mr. Gurney's mind every portion is conclusive; and the whole is well deserving of perusal, as a manly, but temperate expression of his sentiments upon the most important of all topics; but the principal interest which it possesses, appears to be derived from considering it as a tribute to Christianity, of a nature more to be desired than expected from the quarter whence it has emanated. It is not indeed, by any means, all that we