hope," says he, "of eternal life, residue of the Spirit, continues to which God who cannot lie promis- extend his loving kindness toward ed." The believing Hebrews are them; for they know well that love reminded of the same things. God always includes in it a desire to is there said to have confirmed his promote the good of the object word by an oath, that by two im- beloved. Hope," says Paul, mutable things, in which it is im-" maketh not ashamed, because the possible for God to lie, they might love of God is shed abroad in our have strong consolation who have hearts by the Holy Ghost which fled to the hope set before them. is given unto us." Some misunIn this place it is taught, that the derstanding such passages, when knowledge which he imparts to the they can bring themselves to think heirs of promise of the immutabi- that the Holy Ghost has wrought lity of his council, is intended to within them holy desires after God, strengthen their consolation by and other good feelings, seem to confirming their hope of finally at- expect that God, being pleased taining the things within the vail; with these things will shew them such recollections are indeed well favour, that he will hear their fitted for such a purpose. While prayers and bestow good things the daily converse of the saints upon them. They believe or doubt with things around them, teaches the love of God according to the them by experience that "all flesh good or bad opinion they entertain is grass, and the glory of man as of themselves. Surely it cannot be the flower of the grass," with what surprizing if such have anxious solid comfort are they filled by the misgivings of mind, and doubts resthought, that the word of God, by pecting his favour, while they judge which "they have been begotten," that it depends on what is good in shall stand for ever. Let the peo man; how can any solid hope of ple of God then, give their minds it be drawn from such a source? to frequent contemplation of his Widely indeed do such stray from character, that they may be pre- the views of the Apostle in this vented from that wavering mind, place. The love mentioned here, which is so great an enemy to their which encouraged his hope and progress. that of the people of Rome, was God's love to men through the Redeemer, not a feeling of complacency (if we may so speak) produced by something excellent, which he saw in their hearts or practice, but unmerited kindness and commiseration extended to When the mind of man has a desirable object in prospect, if the difficulties in the way of its attainment are such as to make it doubtful whether they can be surmounted, his hope will be languid, but in proportion as means offer themselves, by which he may over-wards them as perishing sinners. come them, it will gather strength. True Christians soon after setting out to follow their Lord, find that the way is narrow and difficult, and that they must continually contend with enemies within and without, far too strong for the unassisted power of man. Without the comfortable assurance that help will be always imparted in time of need, they must despair in the conflict; this assurance is supported by the persuasion that God, who has the VOL. I. "He commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Here his love is to those " without strength, ungodly, enemies," he saw them guilty and appointed to death, his bowels of mercy were moved, and he determined to save them from going down to the pit: for this the death of his dear Son was necessary; and rather than leave them to perish, as they justly merited, he laid upon Jesus their iniquities, that by his stripes they might be heal- | inheritance of the saints; and sometimes forgetting him through whom it is bestowed, and feeling their own vileness and ingratitude, they are ready despondingly to think such a portion cannot be theirs. A contemplation of the Holy and Just One, soon gives the heart rest from such fears; they know that God will consider no gift too great to bestow on sinners by his Elect one, "in whom his soul delighteth," by whom all his name has received glory in the highest, in the work of saving them; nay, on the contrary, the more rich and excellent the blessings given on that account, the more the glory of his holiness appears; for they shew his love to the purity and obedience of Jesus, by which he was himself so highly exalted. Happy are they when they see the glory of God, that chief end of all his counsel and working, inseparably connected with the hap| piness of lost men. ed. This truth, the Spirit sets before the mind of the believer, in the Gospel, and thus sheds the love of God, (so graciously commended) in their hearts. They then cannot doubt but that he who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for them, will give them "all things." How has the Spirit by this means, revived the fainting hope of the saints in all ages: they have been to their souls like the showers that descend upon the parched and drooping herb of the field: thus strengthened, they have looked upon all the evils before them, saying with animation, "who shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord ? If God be for us, who can be against us?" These, and these only are the views by which sinners (and such are all men) can truly persuade themselves that God loves them. Let the saints then, when ready to doubt, instead of looking within themselves for something on which to build an expectation of favour from God, remember that they are saved by grace, and look only to Jesus, and this love will appear to then in all nts glory. Another thing necessary is, that we have some reason to judge that we answer the description of those, who are said in the Scriptures to be partakers of the promise of life; for it is confined in the first place, to those who have faith in Jesus. Connected with humble confi- Any misunderstanding as to what dence in the love of God, there that faith is which is required, will must be an increasing knowledge certainly hinder the joy of hope. of the excellency of Immanuel. Many Christians suffer much deThe people of God feel the great pression and anxiety, from the imobligations laid upon them, by proper manner in which they have what he has done for them, to been led to view this subject. I know serve him in their bodies and spi- at this time an excellent christian rits; and therefore, the evil of every woman who suffered during a long opposition of the will and practice period a most unhappy state of appears exceedingly aggravated. mind through (as she now sees,) her They behold in the doctrine of erroneous opinion, that faith was the Cross, the purity and awful some work of the Spirit which she majesty of him with whom they had not yet experienced; and judghave to do; and contrasting his ing that she could have no interestin character with themselves, like the what she saw so necessary to her Prophet Isaiah they are led to say, peace, until this work had been woe is unto us for we are un-wrought. Thus her enjoyment of clean." They are at the same time, the hope of mercy was continually the only people who know any prevented by something which thing of the exceeding riches of the came between her and the salvation wishes to ascertain the propriety of countenancing Lectures upon Philosophy and general Literature, amongst which, Lectures on the leading doctrines of the Gospel are introduced. In order, I apprehend, to obtain a solution of this enquiry, it will be necessary to consider with what propriety "Lectures upon the leading doctrines of the Gospel" are introduced among "Lectures on Philosophy and general Literature;" because if that introduction be improper, it should follow that the Querist, having a paramount re gard for the Doctrines of the Gospel, (as I infer from his query, he has,) will not countenance these Lectures by his attendance upon them. The doctrines of the Gos Majesty of Heaven, must be of the most dignified nature; their consis There are things also which accompany Salvation, and by which the saints are distinguished from the world lying in the wicked one. 'He, says John, that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure;" and, "he that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk even as he walked." Without some measure of these fruits, we cannot readily per-pel, emanating from the supreme suade ourselves that we are of those for whom God hath provided a city, wherein dwelleth righteous-tency and universal harmony eleness. It is not surprising that those vate them above every human sysshould walk in darkness and be tem, and justly attest their supreme perplexed about their state, who excellence, whilst their great imporlive so much like the world. The tance shows the necessity of their conscience is generally a faithful preservation from the spoliations of monitor, and if our hearts condemn adversaries or misguided friends: us, we are sure that God, who knows considered in relation to the end all things, cannot approve; but if they are designed to promote under our hearts condemn us not, then divine influence, that is, to make have we confidence towards God. men wise unto salvation, it becomes If any who read this should have be- every one to seek an acquaintance lieved, but have left their first love, with them. If this character of the let the words of Jesus be considered, Gospel doctrines be founded on who calls upon such to remember truth, and that it is, cannot, I think, how they have received and heard, be questioned; may it not be fairly and hold fast and repent. He inferred, that the introduction of stands at the door and knocks, and Lectures upon them among Lectures if any man hear his voice and open on inferior subjects is improper. It is the door, he will come in to him and evident from the Query, that Divisup with him. Then will hope benity is not, in these Lectures, conindeed restored to their souls. Acre Lane, Brixton, Surry. J. P. W. sidered as the principal subject; and this may be also inferred from an Advertisement which appeared on the cover of some of the Magazines of the present month, which contains a short prospectus of an Institution, designated "The Minor Institute," which I understand embodies two Societies answering the description in the Query, and to which I presume the Querist refers. The above are a few of the arguments which induce me to think that Lectures on the doctrines of the Gospel are improperly introduced among Lectures on Philosophy and general Literature, and that the tendency of that introduction is injurious to the cause of truth. But here beg to be understoodThough I conceive, for the reasons stated, that it is improper to intro-" duce Religion into the Philosophi cal Lecture Room, yet I do not mean to underrate the value of literary knowledge when confined to its proper situation; and the Christian should ever seek to render it strictly subservient to the word of God, and judge of it by that standard. With these remarks I will dismiss the subject, praying that the Querist may be directed into that path which will most glorify the God of our salvation. Dec. 9. 1815. In that prospectus, after the enu- in every respec inferior to the meration of different subjects, upon doctrines of the Gospel, I presume which lectures are to be given, Bibli- no real Christian will deny. Men cal Theology stands last in situation. may safely, (though perhaps not so Now, Sir, the point, which with bu-usefully,) live without the former, mility and deference, I contend for, but they cannot without the latter; is, that by the association of Divini-why then should Christ be stripped ty with Philosophy and Literature, of his raiment, to decorate the rusin the above manner, the grandeur tic Soldier? let each move in his and dignity of the former is com- proper sphere. promised; for wherever it appears, it ought to have supreme regard. No one can reasonably question the utility of sanctified learning; but it should ever be subservient to Divinity; and whenever it takes the lead, and supremely engages the affections, evil is to be apprehended of the worst description: for by the wisdom of the world men are driven further from the image of God, and the enmity of the carnal mind is still more inveterate. Again, whilst the doctrines of the Gospel are thus placed on a level with inferior things, the regard which they justly claim, is materially lessened, and their importance depreciated in the eyes of the world; for when men are led to think lightly of the Gospel, a wide door is opened for the progress of error. We are informed that the Arian Heresy existed before the close of the Scripture Canon, but that it was smothered whilst Christianity maintained its native energy; no sooner however, had the halo of -civil legislation obscured its simplicity and glory, and it had become unwarrantably familiarized with seYou will oblige some of your cular, policy, than the embers of constant readers and a large porError burst forth with redoubled tion of the religious public, by furfury, and the men who professed nishing them with just ideas of to maintain and defend the truth, what has been termed the Middle now sought to render it subservient Scheme, or. Baxterianism, and by to their temporal honour and advan-pointing out wherein it essentially tage: hence arose the Papal Hierar-differs from the two opposing syschy; and to this day simple Christi-tems of Calvinism and Arminianism. anity smarts under the wound then And your insertion of this request, inflicted. The pious Jehoshaphat ever had reason to lament his affinity with the impious Ahab, and so will Christianity have to lament every union formed with improper objects. That Philosophy and Literature are E. C-ke. To the Editor of the New Evangelical SIR, either as a prelude to, or the occasion of, such an article occupying some of your pages, will confer a favour upon my Baxterian brethren, and your sincere well wisher, Candid Place Nov. 17, 1815. B. Theological Review. Statements of the persecution of the deed by different names: in France they were commonly termed Albigenses; but in Piedmont they passed under the name of Waldenses. They were, however, the same class of people; had the same faith and order as to their worship; and were persecuted by their adversaries, on the same account: for, if the reader can excuse the homely phraseology of Pope Gregory IX. one of their bitterest persecutors, "though they carried different faces, yet like Sampson's foxes who destroyed the harvest of the Philistines, their tails were tied together." There is no part of modern history so replete with interest and instruction, as the history of these people, from the beginning of the thirteenth, to the end of the seventeenth century; but it is too copious a subject for a Magazine, and must not be here attempted even in an abridged form. Our present concern is with the times that are passing over us; and certainly these are sufficiently momentous to claim our regard, and to justify our particular attention. No one who possesses any acquaintance with the history of the christian church can be ignorant, that the Southern provinces of France, have been distinguished beyond any other portion of Europe for the number, and the enormityof religious butcheries which have there been exercised by the "holy Catholic Church," towards such as protested, either directly, or indirectly, against her corrupt practices and superstitious rites. From Dr. Jortin has taken notice of it, as the days of Peter Waldo, A. D. 1270, a remarkable fact in the history of to the present time, scarcely a gene- the Christian profession under the ration has been allowed to pass away, Heathen Roman Emperors, that its without witnessing the sword un- friends generally fared better under sheathed to deluge those "vine bad than under good emperors; for covered hills, and gay valleys of the former were, in general, so much France," with torrents of human occupied with other crimes and other blood; or the flames of persecution mischief, that they overlooked the blazing forth from the bodies of such christians, and seldom got time to as made it their study, to "keep the persecute them. Much the same has commandments of God, and the faith been the case under Papal Rome, as of Jesus." Lying contiguous to the will be obvious to an attentive reader Valleys of Piedmont, the residence of of ecclesiastical history. The state thedear Waldenses," and separated of affairs in France too, since the from them only by a range of the Alpine commencement of the Revolution, Mountains, the christians in the south affords a striking instance of the truth of France, for centuries, kept up a of this remark, During a period of free and unreserved intercourse with more than five and twenty years that the former; their sister churches the continent of Europe has been dismaintained religious fellowship with tracted by wars and intestine broils, each other; in times of distress they it may be doubted if we have had one administered mutual advice and assis-single instance of persecution for tance; and tenderly participated in conscience sake, at least of any coneach others joys and sorrows. When siderable extent. That the number the fires were lighted up in one coun-of Protestants, during this period, try, the persecuted sought, and some of them generally obtained an asylum in the other. They were known in has considerably encreased, may be fairly presumed; but the blessings of peace are once more-restored to the |