whenever he advocated the interests of the Society, to press its peculiar claims. "But in nothing, perhaps, is Dr. Waugh a more distinct object of remembrance, in the Board of Direction, than in his addresses to missionaries and their wives previously to their quitting their native shores. On these solemn occasions every ear was attentive, every eye glistened with deep interest, and every heart was thrilled with Christian emotion. He was tender as a dying father to his weeping children; the missionary and his beloved wife felt instantly that they lived in his generous heart; his words fell with more than patriarchal solemnity and affection upon the ear; the love of Christ constrained him, and he spoke as if his lips had been touched with a live coal from off the altar of God; the duties, temptations, trials, encouragements, attendant upon missionary labour, were all most vividly depicted. But every thing was mild, persuasive, and affectionate; there were no grating words of authority; it was a moment devoted to the meltings of prayer, and to the full exercise of Christian love. He seemed to know the actual feelings of a missionary, and he made his appeal to them in a manner never to be forgotten: there was nothing cold--nothing reserved -nothing indicative of suspicion, in his manner. He took for granted the existence of the noblest principles and the best affections of the mind, and brought to bear upon his weeping and penetrated auditory all the high consolations and encouragements of the Divine word. Some of the most faithful of the Society's missionaries have been known to speak with lively feeling of his parting counsels to the close of their earthly pilgrimage; and, indeed, that must have been an unfeeling heart upon which a lasting impression had not been made. The entire scene was one of the heart, and bore a striking resemblance to the parting interview of Paul with the elders of the church at Ephesus. Intense sympathy was awakened in behalf of those devoted servants of Christ about to bid adien for ever to the endearments of kindred and of home; the warm current of human and sanctified affections flowed generously towards them: and the spirit of prayer rose to Heaven on their behalf. The venerable counsellor was himself forgotten, and every bosom heaved a sigh of tenderness over those who might never be expected to revisit their native shores."--pp. 300–303. The following passages from the Pulpit Recollections,' in the Appendix, will gratify our readers. Of the ancient Prophets, as Examples of "Could I place the prophet Isaiah at the base of one of the loftiest of the easgazing on its varied scenery, were an tern mountains; and, whilst he was earthquake to rock it upon its deep foundations, until, like the Numidian lion shaking the dew-drops from his mane in the morning, it threw off from its hoary and heaving sides the forests, and flocks, and hamlets, and vineyards, and, were a whirlwind to rush in, at that moment, scattering the broken and falling masses in mid air: still, the voice of the prophet, if it could be heard amidst the convulsions of nature, would exclaim, Though the everlasting mountains bow, will I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the and the perpetual hills be scattered, yet God of my salvation.'"- --p. 549. "Of the Character of Christ. "In his life there was united the mild majesty of piety, wisdom, and benefiHis heart was the seat of every cence. virtue. His life was goodness--not in books, not in words, but goodness visible; the perfection of moral and religious excellence, looking through the eyes of man; working with the hands of man; listening to the enfeebled cry of misery with the ears of man; walking from the temple of God to the low habitations of the widow and the orphan with the feet of man. He was- the glory of the human race. And those scattered rays of love to God, and compassion to man, which shed peculiar lustre on his life, met in happiest assemblage around his cross, in that blaze of redeeming grace and mercy, which draws all men unto him."-p. 550. "God is Love. "All his perfections and procedures are but so many modifications of his love. What is his omnipotence, but the arm of his love? What his omniscience, but the medium through which he contemplates the objects of his love? What his wisdom, but the scheme of his love? What are the offers of the Gospel, but the invitations of his love? What the threatenings of the law, but the warnings of his love? They are the hoarse voice of his love, saying, Man! do thyself no harm! They are a fence thrown round from rushing into ruin! the pit of perdition, to prevent rash men What was the incarnation of the Saviour, but the richest illustration of his love? What were the miracles of Christ, but the conde scensions of his love? What were the sighs of Christ, but the breath of his love? What were the prayers of Christ, as 66 but the pleadings of his love? What Dr. Waugh's memory. Like the were the tears of Christ, but the dew fine portrait prefixed to it, it is, drops of his love? What is this earth, a Scotch friend of our's says, but the theatre for the display of his love? What is heaven, but the Alps of jist himsel." his mercy, from whose summits his blessings flowing down in a thousand streams descend to water and refresh his church situated at its base ?"-p. 552. "On the Bruised Reed. "The Good Shepherd mends, not breaks, his reeds when they are bruised. I have seen a highland shepherd on a sunny brae piping as if he could never grow old; his flock listening, and the rocks ringing around him; but when the reed of his pipe became hoarse, he had not patience to mend it, but broke it, and threw it away in anger, and made another. Not so our Shepherd; he examines, and tries, and mends, and tunes to the bruised spirit, until it sing sweetly of mercy and judgment, as in the days of old.'"- p. 570. "Of a Good Hope through Grace. "It animates the soul, and gives life to action; like the highland stream that dashes from the rock, and purifies itself as it pursues its course to the ocean.' p. 570. "Love to the Brethren. "If we love Christ, we will love those in whom we can discern the slightest traces of his image. We should not only love those who are eminently pious, but those in whom we see even the smallest marks of personal religion, we should take by the hand, and lead them on. What merit is there in admiring a rosebud wet with the dew of the morning? Who would thank a man for loving St. John? Christ loves the weakest and meanest of his people; and shall we be more fastidious than our Master ?"-p. 572. It is with unspeakable reluctance that we tear ourselves away from this book. The truth is, it reached us too late in the month to be reviewed as we had intended, and we could not reconcile ourselves to delay our notice of it until next month. We present our warmest thanks to the authors of this volume, and our warmest commendation of it to the public. It is worthy of The Mediation of Jesus Christ. By T. Jones Second Edition, enlarged. 8vo. 12s. Hamilton, Adams, and Co., London. 1829. JESUS once said to the men who were privileged to witness his miracles, and to listen to his teaching, that many kings, and prophets, and righteous men had desired, but in vain, to see what they saw, and to hear what they heard. Peter also assures us, "that the ancient prophets were accustomed to search diligently as to what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." The disclosures which were made to them, if in some respects obscure, were so far understood, and so far valued, that the desire of farther knowledge arose naturally and ardently within them. So important was the message which the seventy disciples were commissioned to publish to their countrymen, that, on returning to their Lord, and stating their success, we find that even the heart of the Man of Sorrows was refreshed, and he was led to exclaim, “I thank thee, O Father." And is it not evident, from the history of all the apostles, that there was something in the doctrine of Christ which so absorbed all their powers of admiration, as to unfit them for becoming greatly attracted by any thing earthly? Something there evidently was in this theme, which, in their estimation, reduced all the laborious results of human policy and power to insignificance and vanity. This effect, which is evident in the case of all the apostles, save is strikingly observable in the history of Paul. The annals of his country, all that was peculiar to the people with whom he stood immediately connected, had been with him the matter of devout at tention and delightful interest. But with all his native power, and with all his laborious acquirement, his mind fell so completely into the current of popular opinion and established error, that he became every where known as the most relentless foe of the Redeemer of his people, and of his truth. Yet when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him, such was the nature of that revelation, that a change is found to result from it which imparts an entirely new character to all the decisions of his judgment, and to all the aspirations of his soul, His determination is to know nothing among men Jesus Christ and him crucified. Descending from the supreme heavens, stored with the wisdom of the skies, this is the theme to which the reason and the affections of this extraordinary man become wholly devoted. What then was the nature of that doctrine, the effects of which were thus marked, thus transcendant? Was it, as we are sometimes told, simply the doctrine of the soul's immortality? To such a statement it is obvious to reply, that this doctrine was already acknowledged by the Pharisees, of which sect Saul of Tarsus was a distinguished ornament, and that to the article of the soul's immortality they had long added that of the resurrection of the body. If these doctrines, together with the unity of the Godhead, constituted the substance of the apostolic ministry, we are at a loss to perceive any thing singularly praiseworthy in the avowal of not being ashamed of the Gospel. The sages of Greece and Rome had long employed to their genius and learning in aid of the popular sentiment respecting future existence and retribution ; and if the only pretension of the Gospel were to establish these doctrines by other and better evidence than had hitherto been adduced in their favour, we see not on what ground the wise men of the world could have treated it as foolishness. If the great object of the apostles was merely place the doctrine of immortality before the view of men in a purer, or in a more intellectual form, the class of persons in every community from whom they might have expected the largest number of converts, were the men of education, whose habits may be supposed to have rendered them somewhat familiar with such speculations. But it is remarkable, that the multitude often received their words with gladness and singleness of heart, while philosophers and men who had talked much and written much about immortality and about future rewards and punishments, were in almost every place their determined enemies. Surely, upon the Unitarian hypothesis, we here have an effect without a cause. And it ought to occur to the disciples of that scheme, as a very suspicious circumstance, that if their own showing as to the nature of the Gospel be correct, the class of persons by whom its pure doctrines were generally embraced in the first century, is precisely that class by which they have been sternly abandoned in every century that has followed. We are told, indeed, that the tenets of orthodoxy were ingrafted upon the simple doctrine of the Gospel to make it more palateable to the polytheism of the Gentiles, and we are told in the same breath, that we must put away those absurd and contradictory tenets, before we can reason ably hope to make the New Testament the means of overthrowing the polytheism of our own times. So it seems that the doctrines which were coined to facilitate conversions from heathenism in one age, form an impassable barrier against such conversions in another. "Where is the wise, where is the scribe, where is the disputer of this world?" The true cause of the opposition which has been manifested with regard to the Gospel, will be found in the fact that it consists of doctrines which tend to humble human vanity, and which are directly opposed to the turbulence and earthliness of human passion. They are doctrines which the reason of man could never have ascertained to be true, and which the unchanged heart of man can never wish to be true. They tell him of his littleness, his defilement, and his misery, all unwelcome communications to a being blinded by ignorance, ensnared by self love, and puffed up with self confidence. For this condition of human nature the Gospel is a remedy, and of this remedy the Mediation of Christ is the substance. From this point, as from a common centre, proceed his separate offices as prophet, priest, and king, and from these offices we derive our wisdom and righteousness, our sanctification and redemption. The volume before us, as its title will suggest, relates immediately to this view of Christianity. We are not aware of expressing ourselves too strongly in describing it as an admirable epitome of revealed truth as distinguished throughout by simplicity of intention, and by a spirit of fervent piety; as recommended by a luminous rangement of its various and valuable matter, and by a style of composition which rarely ceases to be agreeable, and sometimes rises ar 66 into that chastened eloquence which so well accords with the dignity of its subject. The treatise consists of an exposition of the comprehensive and emphatic statement of the Redeemer, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," and can hardly be read by the humble inquirer without adding to his knowledge on the most important of all subjects, or by the devout believer without bringing his heart under more of those cheering and transforming influences which should flow from his creed. The following passage is from the application of the first part of the Essay, which contemplates the Redeemer as the "Way" of salvation, and may be taken as a specimen of the general style of the volume. "Let us admire the wisdom and love of God in the contrivance of our salvation through Christ as the only way to the Father and to heaven! "There is no other name given under heaven among the name of Jesus." How unsearchable men, whereby we can be saved, but is divine wisdom. So bright and luminous are the principles of divine wisdom, that, like the sun, they are seen by their own light, and may rather be said to impart themselves than to be discovered by us. With regard to eternal things, the learned have no advantage above the unlearned; neither the gifts of nature, nor the improvement of art, confer any precedency in the school of Christ; the com. fort of a Christian doth not depend upon a process of abstract reasoning, but upon Jesus Christ as exhibited in the Gospel of the blessed God, that all the "heirs of promise" should have a strong consolation; therefore the grounds of their consolation are brought to the level of the weakest capacity, that all his may have equal access them, and feed like brethren at one common table. Can we entertain hard children to thoughts of that God, who hath not only done such great things for our recovery, but done them in a manner so demon strative of his love, that it is impossible for the jealousy of guilt to find out any seeming defect in the encouragement they afford; or to devise any additional security for dispelling their fears, and assuring the hopes of the chief of sinners, who flees for refuge to that sanctuary erected by infinite wisdom and love, for the reception of those who look for protection no where else? We give God the lie, when we put away from ourselves the calls of his mercy and the offers of his grace, whereas by a humble and thankful acceptance of the Saviour, we set to our seal that God is true;' and only render unto him the glory that is due to his name as the God of love, the God who is love and wisdom, even the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom he reconciles the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. "The Father freely appointed and gave the Son to us, but with equal freedom the Son gave himself for us. With what alacrity did he accept the office of Mediator, and become our way to the Father and to heaven; Lo, I come, I 'delight to do thy will-thy law is within my heart." With what ardour did he execute the commission he had received! 'I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!' 'I,' said he, am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.' It is not violently taken from me, I voluntarily lay it down. Nay, he was not only a willing sacrifice like Isaac, but he, himself, was the priest that offered the sacrifice; for thus it is written, through the Eternal Spirit he offered himself, without spot, unto God.' Here then is sunshine without a cloud. Around the throne of God, and of the Lamb, all is bright meridian splendour. What pity is it that any gloom should sit upon our minds! In this was manifested the wisdom and love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Sen into the world, that we might live through him. The love of Christ was no less clearly manifested in his giving himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Amazing goodness, what condescension, love, and grace! What shall we say, Lord, we believe, help thou our unbelief! 66 Secondly. Let the condescension, love, and grace of our blessed Redeemer, constrain us, in return, to love him. Is not Jesus Christ the brightness of the Father's glory, and the very express image of his person? Behold him descending from the realms of glory, tabernacling in this lower world; leading a life of exalted piety and obedience; ending a painful and ignominious death; bursting the bands of the grave; and in our nature ascending triumphantly up into heaven! Are you taught to know the scheme of redemption, by the obed'ence, death, and resurrection of Christ, the provision hereby made, for the ho N. S. NO. 65. nours of the divine law and government, and for the hope and confidence of every returning penitent, and the inestimable blessings hereby procured-of pardon, justification, adoption, holiness, and eternal life? Are you reconciled to God by the death of his Son? Are you renewed by the benign and heavenly influences of the Holy Spirit of God? Do you ask, how may I know that I am vitally united to the Lord Jesus Christ? Does not this important charge imply a deep conviction of guilt and misery? that you are all polluted, naked, and defenceless, having nothing to screen you from the wrath of an Almighty God? Does this constrain you to look for deliverance, and compel you to ask the question, Is there any hope? Do you listen with eagerness to the tidings of a Saviour, and does the name of Jesus sound like music in your ear? Is your danger real and urgent? A selfcondemned criminal cannot quiet his mind with the bare probability of a pardon. Does he not narrowly pry into the anthority, the character, and the ability of the Saviour? He reviews the whole history of his actions and sufferings; sees him offering up the sacrifice to divine justice, hears him cry on the cross, It is finished;' beholds him rising from his grave, in testimony of the divine acceptance, ascending up on high to receive the kingdom, where he ever liveth to make intercessiou for transgressors, and concludes that he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.' Does the sinner conceive some hope of a possibility of obtaining salvation? The soul that is guided by the spirit of God is led to see the extent and freedom of the gospel call, that Jesus is a Saviour to the chief of sinners, that the wretched, the miserable, the poor, the blind, and the naked, are the very persons to whom his gracious invitations and counsels are addressed; that he interposed for our relief, not because we were worthy of his aid, but because we needed his help, and that a sense of extreme need, accompanied with a humble and thankful acceptance of the unspeakable gift of God to men, is all that is looked for on the part of the true penitent. Do you believe in Christ as the only way of reconciliation with God? What blessings and privileges may you not expect? Is justification by faith essentially necessary to your salvation? Is adoption into the family of heaven an invaluable privilege? Is peace of conscience a desirable blessing? Is an honourable issue to all the afflictions, temptations, and tribulations of life secured to you? Is sanctification insured to all who believe on Christ? communion with God a privilege of dis2 M Is |