WITH these Sermons we bring up our arrears in the matter of the Sacred Classics; and truly each succeeding number calls for reiterated encomiums upon the judgment and good faith of the editors and the proprietor. Bishop BUTLER'S" Analogy" had already been given under the superintendence of Dr. Croly; and as a companion to which, we have here his Selections from the celebrated Sermons preached at the Rolls Chapel, between the years 1718 and 1726.Though styled Sermons," observes Mr. Cattermole, "and really pronounced from the pulpit, these discourses are rather the lectures of a great moral philosopher and metaphysician, than the ordinary instructions and exhortations of a divine. If, however, the theologian here gives place to the philosopher, it is the philosopher enlightened by Christianity, and able, upon the vantage ground of revelation, both to take a larger and more complete view of his subject than could be obtained by the Pagan moralist, and to base his positions upon those profound and settled principles, the authority of which he wanted." To the Sermons are added the "Charge to the Clergy of Durham," which gave rise to the imputations of the bishop's being favourably disposed to Romanism; and the preface of Dr. Halifax, containing his Defence of Dr. Butler, and an outline of the argument mantained in the "Analogy." Select Prose Works of Milton. With a Preliminary Discourse, and Notes, by J. A. St. JOHN. London: Hatchard. 1836. 2 Vols. small 8vo. Pp. lxxviii. 329; xv. 440. (Masterpieces of English Prose Literature, Nos. I II.) Ar a period when the press is actually groaning under the weight of what is called popular literature, and the most superficial vanities promulgated under the joint-stock patronage of a company for manufacturing knowledge, and compressing whole sciences into sixpenny treatises, it is absolutely cheering to witness the commencement of a series of volumes, intended to comprise the best works of the masterspirits of the older time. Such a noble enterprise must meet with the support it merits; especially when the plan of the undertaking is conceived with judgment, and executed with ability. Of the excellence of the present scheme, if conducted with the same energies as the specimen before us, there can be no doubt. Mr. St. John announces his intention of prefixing to each author "a biographical memoir, containing, in addition to the history of his life, remarks on the peculiarities of his style, an outline of the opinions, religious and political, prevalent during the age in which he lived,” and other occasional illustrations. In the present instance the preliminary discourse is written in a style of temperate, yet manly, criticism; and the defence of Milton from the severe attack of Johnson is powerfully argued. Comprised in the two vols. are his Account of his own Studies; his Apology for his early Life and Writings; the Tractate on Education; the Areopagitica; Tenure of Kings; Eikonoclastes; the Mode of Establishing a Free Commonwealth; and his Familiar Letters. The work is got up with elegance, both in point of typography and binding. It appears alternately with the Sacred Classics, and issues from the press of the same spirited and liberal proprietor, Mr. Joseph Rickerby. The Poetical Works of the Rev. THOMAS DALE, M.A. London: Tilt. 1836. 8vo. Pp. viii. 370. POETRY of a mediocre stamp, and, indeed, unless it be of the highest, is, to our minds, exceedingly tame and mawkish; but, on the other hand, where we meet with the genuine spirit of song, with" thoughts that breathe, and words that burn," it is difficult to tear ourselves from the enjoyment it conveys such is the case with Mr. Dale's production. After reading them again and again till we have them almost by heart, we return to them with still increasing pleasure, in the certainty of finding new beauties. The depth of feeling, expressed in the purest language, and the loftiness of sentiment, enhanced by religious truth, which pervades his verse, produces an effect at once the most pleasing and the most exciting. We are truly happy to see the several pieces, hitherto detached and scattered, collected in a cheap form. At the same time, we hope that we are to infer the future relices of his muse. name and memory of William Cowper. We say not this invidiously; but no ordinary pen could develop the working of such a wayward mind as that of the ill-fated poet, and depict the scenes of painful interest with which the record of his earthly pilgrimage abounds. It is not our intention to draw any comparison between the external merits or the internal contents of the two rival editors of Cowper's Works; but as a piece of elegant and soul-engrossing biography, the life by Southey is as far superior to that of Hayley as the Belvidere Apollo to a wax doll. Conversations at Cambridge. London : Parker. 1836. 12mo. Pp. 292. "EVERY Cambridge man," we are told in a note at page 296 of this agreeable volume, "know the luxury of a sported door;" and truly we have "sported our oak" most inflexibly during the perusal of the delightful fragments which he collected from the reminiscences of his college days. To us almost every page teems with associations of a most delightful nature, independently of the ability with which the scraps of conversation collected from some of our most eminent literati are brought together, and the just appreciation which is generally made of their characters and attainments. Extract is out of the question, as the book will be in every body's hands. We were particularly struck with the sound good sense which the compiler has evinced on religious topics; nor will he fail, we should imagine, of his chief object, which is "to impress upon the youthful mind the inestimable value of learning, when christianized by devotion and humility of temper, and sought after and beloved for itself alone." A SERMON. PHIL. II. 12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. THIS charge of the Apostle is, of all the passages of Scripture, that which most clearly defines the share which God and man respectively have in the work of salvation. When we speak of the share which man possesses in this work, we only use the language of the text, which enjoins us to work out our own salvation, without certainly any disparagement of the great atoning sacrifice which alone has given us the means of salvation. The truth is, that sacrifice is not alluded to in the text; it is all along supposed without it, man could never have been in a condition to be saved; all his exertions, if any he could have made, would have been utterly unavailing. It is to Christians redeemed by Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit that the Apostle is speaking. Them he conjures to recollect that something must be done on their part towards embracing the work of God; that the redemption of Christ, so far from rendering them free from moral obligation, is in fact the strongest consideration by which moral duty can be inforced. As members of Christ, every sin committed by Christians is a direct insult to their spiritual head; as temples of the Holy Ghost, every impurity committed or allowed by Christians acquires the guilt of profanation and sacrilege. Moreover, our Lord has every where declared that although he came into the world to save sinners, he will only save those who will accept his terms of salvation and force no man; and these terms are to surrender for his sake and the gospel's every other object whatsoever; all evil habits, passions and principles: and also all pursuits and affections in themselves innocent, if by any circumstance they become obstacles to a life thoroughly devoted to Christ. are the considerations which St. Paul in the text impresses on the Philippian Church; and they challenge the attention of Christians in all ages. To hope to merit salvation by our works, is a most impious and presumptuous error; but in avoiding this, it is possible to fall into a mistake no less presumptuous or dangerous. While we magnify the sufficiency of Christ's atonement, we must recollect that we are responsible for our own use of this knowledge: that although the way of salvation has been opened through his blood, the way of perdition has not been closed; and that it is still in our free choice to adopt our own career. Surely the grace of God is sufficiently free when salvation is placed within the power of all who choose to accept it; when all are summoned to come and drink at will the stream of immortality; "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." It is detracting nothing from the freedom of this gift to say that it will not be forcibly imposed on us if it is not accepted freely nor does it in any degree diminish the grace of the giver, These if we prepare ourselves to receive his gift with great reverence and caution. The text, however, is worded with a care and a minuteness which must produce in every thoughtful reader the greatest admiration of inspired wisdom. The notion of man contributing to his own salvation, however remotely, might excite a pride totally inconsistent with helpless sinfulness; and, again, if the work of salvation were so fearfully difficult, some might be discouraged from attempting the attainment. The latter part of the text guards against these notions; it allows of no boasting for it is not our own strength which works after all; "it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It is the Holy Ghost whose sanctifying grace enables us to do actions acceptable to God. The same assurance also removes every kind of discouragement: if we will but do our own endeavours sincerely, we cannot fail of success. It is God that worketh in us; and "if God be for us, who shall be against us?" grace Such is a brief view of the doctrine in the text; a doctrine which runs throughout the Scriptures, but which is perhaps nowhere so explicitly declared as in this passage: the necessity of the grace of God for salvation; the necessity also of a diligent employment of that on the part of man. Having sketched the general outline, and thus endeavoured to give a clear view of the form and limitations of the doctrine, I shall examine it more in detail with a view to its practical application. ، Work ont your own salvation." That is, you are formed by your Creator for the noblest destiny :-all those numberless yearnings after happiness which you constantly experience, but can never satisfy, are intended to receive more than satisfaction in pleasure, which it hath not entered the heart of man to conceive. To secure to you this glorious inheritance all that the love of God, all that love worthy of the supreme Deity could effect has been already done; Christ has paid all the penalties of offended justice, and you have now nothing to fear in the road of salvation except yourselves: your own natural propensities to sin, and those spiritual infirmities which render easy the triumph of the enemy. Work out then your own salvation: subdue yourselves, and strengthen your own souls. But let this be done in fear and trembling: not with a presumptuous confidence that you can never fall, as they who think they stand: nor yet with a careless abstinence from grosser sins while your hearts are full of impurity and bitterness; with a dread of the law of man rather than a love of the law of God; nor content yourselves with simply abstaining from sin in thought and deed: let your minds be not only pure, but holy; not only free from sinful thoughts, but occupied with serious and thankful meditations on futurity, projects of benevolence to your fellow-creatures, and warm regard of all as fellow-members of Christ and of each other. Let your life be an active display of your doctrine; "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Remember that when you have done your best, you will still be infinitely short of a due gratitude for the incalculable blessings received at the hand of God; and "fear, lest a promise being left you of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." To these two modes of fear, caution against sin, and apprehension lest we should fail through negligence, the whole subject may be reduced, and to these points therefore we will confine its application. First then, the fear and trembling mentioned in the text utterly contradict the flattering but delusive notion of the certainty of final salvation. Could we be certain that we should not fall at the last, what need could there be of fear or trembling? and if our salvation in no degree depended on ourselves, how could we be said to work it out? "He that endureth to the end shall" indeed "be saved;" for this we have the unerring promise of God: but which of us can say that he shall endure to the end? And if none of us can say this, is there not indeed room for fear and trembling? The fleetness of time is what we remark every day: every object which we behold convinces us of it; every report which reaches our ears confirms the conviction; every moment which we steal from the confusions of the world presents it to the mind with a clearness which will not be dimmed by the flimsy mists which sin endeavours to spread between fact and consciousness. The certainty of death is impressed on us by the merest effort of natural reason; the certainty of a judgment after death has been declared by the Scriptures. That life is but a vanishing speck,—that death, at the furthest, is closing fast on us all,-that our dying hour must fix our eternal doom,-might seem to be impertinent truisms, were they not tremendous truths, the bare mention of which must cause any person who has reflected on their nature to "fear and tremble." And yet what that doom shall be rests at the present moment in the hands of you all. God has given you permission to work it out; he has given you strength also to will and to do of his good pleasure, if it be your choice to employ it. Whether you are yourselves at the present moment at peace with your God, you may know if you choose to examine. It is fair to presume that those who come to Him as you now do entertain a lively sense of their past sins, and a stedfast purpose of amendment, and that, whatever may have been the former life of any, this day has witnessed many an holy resolution and many a consolatory hope. Whether you have long been affected with serious and holy apprehensions of your situation as sinners, and your duties as the redeemed of the Lord; or whether you have but just now made the first decided stand against sin, and the first vigorous effort to render yourselves acceptable to God, you must alike pursue your path with fear and trembling. Blessed indeed are they who have long tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the life to come! whose youth has been nourished in the admonition of the Lord, and who have carried their first impressions into the active life of maturity; who are living to the glory of God, walking by faith and not by sight, living as strangers and pilgrims in the world, as citizens of an heavenly country! Such persons, on comparing their lives with the only standard of duty, the word of God, although they will find that in many points they offend all, must yet feel a pious confidence when they beseech the blessings of their God and Saviour that they are using their best exertions to obtain his grace and intercession: they must feel in their breasts the enlarging operations of the Holy Spirit directing their thoughts to God, and their inclinations to holiness; and they must be filled with all hope and joy |