power, and many beautiful statements of well known' but m ave been nise, 'bebelieve, bea glorious e to him for od does not save; but he go to Christ and rememne; and I feel ter am I fitted As so learned its marvel at the calm, y, and his own entrance *t stand upon the edge,” and get anseen realities. We are persuaded carm,” which, with its appropriate Scripent part of this sketch, with deep interest. ave it without a surer consciousness of resting usness and strength;" and that he will lay it down a one time when he shall no more see as through a we, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, » catract a short paragraph from it :— over Jordan, and the bright gates had opened to god before the great white throne, so bright, so pure, I Oct and again had I raised my longing eyes to the od, and whence I felt flowed forth all majesty and power. so dazzling effulgence was too great, and I could only yx vei, and on a hand that led me and sustained my goings. ... nie while, still leaning on an arm that I felt to be of vastcveice of sweetest tone pronounced my name, and called me vant of the deeds done in the body. Guilty or not wvice from the midst of the glory. For a moment I paused, vy a Game; but the arm I leaned on enfolded me more closely, as wag loving voice gently whispered, It is I, be not afraid' Loved to the charge, · Not guilty." A voice proclaimed from on ace pe searched out. An awful pause ensued, during which I wed, but as often was comforted and reassured by Him who Another voice then announced, • His sins have been sought for, Decretost ends of the earth, but they cannot be found.' The ex* With a song of praise and joy, and I felt my heart filling full de and love to tim who had taken all these sins away, and with and wontedly annihilated them. So, after the troubled scenes Chad passed on earth, after all the pride of heart and deep inor in and after all my free disregard of the holy laws which the ply dude had issned, behold, ail the powers of heaven and earth, malignant sprits of heil conid not find one faintest stain upon my und bedivy perfect righteousness in perfect innocence. All How who xatteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and › pritja vam lode without observing the beauty of the allusion at the Koki Tripuram in ploce of the beloved friend of boyhood. There are wdy which the wis not touch a tender chord. As, "who hath not Why We Weald rather say, who, of the little flock below, cannot photogs blue sky, and say, “ I have a friend, a brother, there,Which thingch lost to ouch, new forms an added tie to heaven." ings throughout the Year. By Mrs Colonel MACKAY. little work, especially intended for the benefit of such as lance on the regular ordinances of religion. The a correct and profitable train of thought, expressed language. The authoress not only has a due od's Word, but views them correctly in their ws no little power in presenting the truth in n impression. We can confidently recom→ formation; or, An Apology for Evangelical n Church. By the REV. C. P. MILES, B.A., Minis London: Dalton. 1844. Pp. 563. is a thorough Protestant, and also, in the best sense of the word, agh Calvinist. His object in the present volume is to prove how thogly Protestant and evangelical is the church to which he belongs. For this purpose he quotes not only her own standards, but the chief of her reformers. In regard to the latter, he has adduced a body of most triumphant evidence, to show how firmly and clearly evangelical truth was held by these Anglican fathers. This part of his work is most satisfactory and most refreshing. In reference to the formularies of the English church, we shall say but little. The homilies are sound in themselves, but full of very unsatisfactory quotations from the Fathers, and the Apocrypha, which last they cite sometimes as if it were inspired. The Thirty-nine Articles are excellent. The liturgy we cannot call "beautiful," but we shall not find fault with others for calling it so, at least if they would only expunge the saints' days from the calender, and not set down the name of Prisca, Virgin and Martyr, &c., as to be had in remembrance by the faithful. Mr Miles' explanation of the baptismal and burial service appears to us quite strained. We cannot help feeling, that if we judge the Church of England by her articles, she is as sound as her best friends could desire; but judge her by her liturgy, and she is as unsound as any Tractarian could desire her to be. Let her evangelical defenders explain the baptismal service as they may, still it is absurd, nay, it is impossible to give thanks for what you do not know to be true, nay, for what, in ten thousand instances, turns out to be false. The husbandman may sow his seed and thank God for his promise of harvest, but he cannot thank God for the harvest until the harvest has been given. The "judgment of charity" will not avail, if there be no evidence in the case. But as a whole, Mr M.'s volume is a seasonable, and a most valuable work. The Promised Glory of the Church of Christ. By the REV. E. BICKERSTETH, Rector of Walton. London: Seely, Burnside, and Seely. 1844. Pp. 412. "The glory to be revealed" is something, in the anticipation of which the church of Christ on earth, in this her state of shame and sorrow, may well rest for consolation and joy. The "good things to come" are her's even now in right, and shall shortly be altogether her's in actual possession, when the Redeemer comes to introduce her into the long-expected land of promise, and place her upon his throne, by his side. A work like the present is most helpful in meditating on these blessed hopes; and this volume, like Mr Bickersteth's other publications, is most valuable for its simple, scriptural, and truly spiritual cha "My desperate desires for conviction of sin not being answered, I have been compelled to cast myself on Christ as I am; to take the simple promise, 'believe and live.' Believe, not feel and live, not repent and live, but believe, believe and live. I have seen Christ's sufficiency to save all. I see a glorious redemption completed,-finished,-Christ accepted, and so I come to him for feeling, and love, and repentance, and grace, and every thing. God does not require me to feel so much and repent so much, and then he will save; but he tells me to believe so much and then he will save. I now can go to Christ with my want of feeling, and love, and faith, as a part of my sin, and remember he died for sinners. Of these I am one, so he died for me; and I feel that the less persuasion of my own righteousness I have, the better am I fitted for Christ." Pp. 44-45. The reader who has found the pearl of great price, and has so learned its value as to feel that he has nothing else to pay, will not marvel at the calm, unruffled view which he was enabled to take of eternity, and his own entrance there, when he was permitted for a season" to stand upon the edge," and get a sort of Patmos glimpse of glorious and unseen realities. We are persuaded that he will peruse the " Waking Dream," which, with its appropriate Scripture references, forms the prominent part of this sketch, with deep interest. It is hoped that he will not leave it without a surer consciousness of resting on Him who is his "righteousness and strength;" and that he will lay it down more than ever longing for the time when he shall no more see as through a glass darkly, but face to face, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. We extract a short paragraph from it : 66 ་ I Methought I had passed over Jordan, and the bright gates had opened to receive me. I had stood before the great white throne, so bright, so pure, could not look upon it. Oft and again had I raised my longing eyes to the spot where glory dwelt, and whence I felt flowed forth all majesty and power. But ever as I looked the dazzling effulgence was too great, and I could only look upon the footstool, and on a hand that led me and sustained my goings. I had waited but a little while, still leaning on an arm that I felt to be of vastest power, when a voice of sweetest tone pronounced my name, and called me forth to give an account of the deeds done in the body. Guilty or not guilty?' spoke a voice from the midst of the glory. For a moment I paused, and fear ran over my frame; but the arm I leaned on enfolded me more closely, and a soft, consoling, loving voice gently whispered, It is I, be not afraid.' Firmly I answered to the charge,Not guilty. A voice proclaimed from on high, Let his sins be searched out.' An awful pause ensued, during which I sometimes trembled, but as often was comforted and reassured by Him who held me up. Another voice then announced, His sins have been sought for, even to the uttermost ends of the earth, but they cannot be found.' The exalted arches rang with a song of praise and joy, and I felt my heart filling full with gratitude and love to Him who had taken all these sins away, and with his heart's blood so utterly annihilated them. So, after the troubled scenes through which I had passed on earth, after all the pride of heart and deep in gratitude of life, and after all my free disregard of the holy laws which the great law giving Judge had issued, behold! all the powers of heaven and earth, and all the malignant spirits of hell could not find one faintest stain upon my garment. I stood before perfect righteousness in perfect innocence. All glory be to Him who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever." Pp. 10-12. We cannot conclude without observing the beauty of the allusion at the close to his recognition in glory of the beloved friend of boyhood. There are few hearts in which this will not touch a tender chord. As, "who hath not lost a friend?" or, we would rather say, who, of the little flock below, cannot look up to the deep blue sky, and say, "I have a friend, a brother, there,-a treasure which, though lost to earth, now forms an added tie to heaven." Sabbath Musings throughout the Year. By Mrs Colonel MACKAY. This is an excellent little work, especially intended for the benefit of such as are debarred from attendance on the regular ordinances of religion. The Musings are all marked by a correct and profitable train of thought, expressed in elegant and often vigorous language. The authoress not only has a due appreciation of the truths of God's Word, but views them correctly in their relative proportions, and she shows no little power in presenting the truth in the way best adapted to produce an impression. We can confidently recom mend the book. The Voice of the Glorious Reformation; or, An Apology for Evangelical Doctrines in the Anglican Church. By the REV. C. P. MILES, B.A., Minister of St Jude's, Glasgow. London: Dalton. 1844. Pp. 563. it Mr Miles is a thorough Protestant, and also, in the best sense of the word, a thorough Calvinist. His object in the present volume is to prove how thoroughly Protestant and evangelical is the church to which he belongs. For this purpose he quotes not only her own standards, but the chief of her reformers. In regard to the latter, he has adduced a body of most triumphant evidence, to show how firmly and clearly evangelical truth was held by these Anglican fathers. This part of his work is most satisfactory and most refreshing. In reference to the formularies of the English church, we shall say but little. The homilies are sound in themselves, but full of very unsatisfactory quotations from the Fathers, and the Apocrypha, which last they cite sometimes as if it were inspired. The Thirty-nine Articles are excellent. The liturgy we cannot call "beautiful," but we shall not find fault with others for calling t so, at least if they would only expunge the saints' days from the calender, and not set down the name of Prisca, Virgin and Martyr, &c., as to be had in remembrance by the faithful. Mr Miles' explanation of the baptismal and bu rial service appears to us quite strained. We cannot help feeling, that if we judge the Church of England by her articles, she is as sound as her best friends could desire; but judge her by her liturgy, and she is as unsound as any Tractarian could desire her to be. Let her evangelical defenders explain the baptismal service as they may, still it is absurd, nay, it is impossible to give thanks for what you do not know to be true, nay, for what, in ten thousand instances, turns out to be false. The husbandman may sow his seed and thank God for his promise of harvest, but he cannot thank God for the harvest until the harvest has been given. The "judgment of charity" will not avail, if there be no evidence in the case. But as a whole, Mr M.'s volume is a seasonable, and a most valuable work. The Promised Glory of the Church of Christ. By the REV. E. BICKERSTETH, Rector of Walton. London: Seely, Burnside, and Seely. 1844. Pp. 412. "The glory to be revealed" is something, in the anticipation of which the church of Christ on earth, in this her state of shame and sorrow, may well rest for consolation and joy. The "good things to come" are her's even now in right, and shall shortly be altogether her's in actual possession, when the Redeemer comes to introduce her into the long-expected land of promise, and place her upon his throne, by his side. A work like the present is most helpful in meditating on these blessed hopes; and this volume, like Mr Bickersteth's other publications, is most valuable for its simple, scriptural, and truly spiritual cha racter. It is a most useful manual for the Christian pilgrim who, though in the wilderness, has his eye upon the coming glory. To the people of God we heartily commend it. At the same time we cannot but add, that we differ from him in some of his interpretations of the Apocalypse, which, though only alluded to here, still occasionally meet us. We cannot consent to call the British and Foreign Bible Society a "nobly Protestant society," p. 47, when it circulated the Apocrypha, made Neologians its agents, and to this day opens none of its meetings with prayer. We cannot but think his eulogy on the Fathers, pp. 69, 70, most injudicious, to say nothing more. Strange, indeed, to hear Mr B. speaking of "the fulness of truth" to be found in them; and strange to hear him more than half lamenting that Mr Taylor should have made such an exposure of them! One who remembers that Milner said, that in none of these Fathers could he find justification by faith clearly stated, or who has risen from the perusal of Mr Taylor's Ancient Christianity, or who has read them for himself, will feel truly amazed at hearing a man such as Mr Bickersteth speak of the "fulness of truth" contained in them. Nor do we concur in Mr B.'s lamentations over the loss of the Factory Bill, nor his so very frequent references to the excellencies of the Anglican liturgy. And lastly, we would simply put a query regarding a paragraph at p. 86, on the eternal punishment of the wicked. Does Mr B. deny the materiality of these eternal torments? He does not actually do so; but we do not understand the last sentence of the paragraph unless this be its meaning. We conclude with an extract: "7. THE CERTAINTY AND NEARNESS OF THE LAST GREAT TRIBULATION is a most seasonable truth in this day, when we have not only the prophetic word announcing it, but many signs of the times showing its near approach. It is perfectly clear that Daniel has foretold when the Jewish people shall be delivered: There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation to that same time, (Dan. xii.); that our Lord has repeated the warning, (Matt. xxiv. 21); that St John has told us, after the sealing of the 144,000, of the tribulation, even the great one; and has made it a part of the seventh vial, after the completion of the sixth vial under which we are now living, saying, There was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. (Rev. vii. 14; xvi. 18.) It is true that Europe is still kept in peace, but the tempest lowers in the distance, and the first mutterings of the storm are heard from afar. Those in our own country who are able to judge best feel it necessary-so slightly are the four destroying winds (Rev. vii. 1-3) withheld-to be in a state of preparation from North and South, East and West. "This tribulation has, however, so many cheering circumstances to the people of God, that they are called in the midst of it to lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh. (Luke xxi. 25–28.) These three things may especially comfort. It is the time of the greatest conversion of sinners. (Isa. xxvi. 9; Rev. vii. 9-14; xiv. 15.) The faithful, notwithstanding the great trial of their faith, (Luke xviii. 7), will be kept in the midst of it, (Isa. xxvi. 20; Rev. iii. 10; 2 Pet. ii. 9); and it immediately precedes the coming of our Lord. (Matt. xxiv. 29, 30.) "8. THE HOPE OF CHRIST'S COMING AND THE GLORY OF HIS APPROACHING KINGDOM is the last truth which I would mention as most seasonable and precious to us in these days. This also is no new truth, and yet needs to be unfolded afresh. It was the blessed hope of the Apostles and first Christians; it was stedfastly held in the primitive Church: the Fathers of the first three centuries maintained it. The lengthened absence of our Lord, which should have strengthened our hope of its nearness, has indeed led many in the church to say, My Lord delayeth his coming,' and the scoffers to ask, Where is the promise of his coming?' and these very objections may show us that this is |