'How shall I regain my orbit of peace and of glory? The answer to this question would evidently contain in it the whole philosophy of astronomy, as far as the order of its system was concerned. In like manner, the answer to the inquiry after spiritual and permanent happiness, embraces all the principles of the divine government as far as man is concerned.

"The answer to the planet would contain a description of its proper curve: But this is not enough, the method of regaining it and continuing in it must be also explained. We may suppose it to be thus addressed,- Keep your eye and your thoughts fixed on that bright luminary to whose generous influences you owe so many blessings. Your order, your splendour, your fertility, all proceed from your relation to him. When that relation is infringed, these blessings disappear. Your experience tells you this. Retrace, then, your steps, by recalling to your grateful remembrance his rich and liberal kindness. This grateful and dependent affection is the golden chain which binds you to your orbit of peace and of glory.'

"To man's inquiry after permanent happiness, an answer is given to the same purpose, but much fuller and more constraining in its circumstances. 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life' or joy.

"And any one who humbly and candidly considers the Divine character of love and of holiness which is developed in the history of Jesus Christ, will discover in it the true centre of moral gravitation-the Sun of Righteousness, set in the heavens to drive darkness and chaos from our spiritual system, and by its sweet and powerful influence to attract the wandering affections of men into an orbit appointed by the will and illumined by the favour of God. According to this system, a grateful and humble affection towards God, founded on a knowledge of his true character, is the principle of order and of happiness in the moral world. The confusion and the restlessness which we see in the world, and which we often experience in our own breasts, give abundant testimony to the truth of this proposition in its negative form. Ignorance and indifference about the character of God generally prevail; we love the creature more than the Creator-the gifts more than the giver-our own inclinations more than his will. And is it not evident to reason, that an entire conformity to the Ruling Will of the universe, is only another name for order and happiness? and can this conformity be produced in any rational being, except by a knowledge and a love of that will? The character of God is manifested in the history of Jesus Christ, for our know

ledge and for our love. This manifestation harmonizes with the suggestions of reason and conscience on the subject: nay more, it gathers them up, as they lie before the mind in detached fragments; it supplies their deficiencies, and unites them all in one glorious fabric of perfect symmetry and beauty. It meets the heart of man, in all its capacities and affections; its appeal is exactly shaped for the elementary principles of our nature. The glorious truth which it reveals is adapted to every mind; it is intelligible to a child, and yet will dilate the understanding of an angel. As the understanding enlarges, this truth still grows upon it, and must for ever grow upon it, because it is the image of the infinite God. Yet, great as it is, it is fitted to produce its effect, wherever it is received, however limited the capacity into which it enters. The principle of the wedge operates as fully at the first stroke as at any subsequent one, although the effect is not so great.

"I have endeavoured, in the course of these remarks, to give an idea of the mode which seems to me best fitted for illustrating the harmony which subsists between the Christian system and the mass of moral facts which lie without us and within us. I have endeavoured to explain the greatness of its object, and its natural fitness for the accomplishment of that object. He who has not given his earnest attention to these things, may call himself an infidel, or a believer, but he has yet to learn what that doctrine is which he rejects or admits.” E. S. E.

Review of Dr. Gray on "THE MEDIATORIAL REIGN OF THE SON OF GOD."

(Continued from page 323.) CHAPTER III. asserts the truth, that the mediatorial reign of Jesus Christ embraces all mankind. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," said one who fully understood his own person and official character; and because his authority extends to the whole human family, he commanded his ministers, 'go ye therefore and teach all nations." From this we may undoubtedly infer, that so far as their opportunities reach, ministers of the gospel are in duty bound to preach the gospel to every individual of mankind.

In the most unequivocal manner

we teach, with our author, "that the gospel is to be preached to all mankind; that the gospel in all its riches and fulness, with all its grace and authority, in its totality and in its details, the whole gospel of Jesus Christ, is to be preached to every sinner without exception; and to every sinner in the same fulness and freedom," so far as the opportunity of the ministers of Christ shall reach. p. 41.

What then were the apostles to teach all nations? What must their successors in the ministerial office, until the end of the world, teach their fellow men? It must have been," asserts this chapter, "either their DUTY, or their PRIVILEGES, or something that was neither their privilege nor duty. This enumeration exhausts the subject." p. 43. The apostles were to teach whatsoever Jesus Christ commanded them, even all the truths recorded in the Bible, so far as they knew them, and had ability to do it. The same other ministers must teach: and many things are to be inculcated, which are neither the duty, nor the privilege of sinners; for we must maintain, that he who believeth not shall be damned, and it is neither the duty nor the privilege of any one to be damned. We must teach that God will judge the world in righteousness, and this is neither the duty nor the privilege of sinners. Yet when our author comes to the third part of his "trilemma," to inquire whether Jesus commissioned his apostles to teach all nations any thing else, besides their duty and privilege, he turns on his heel with,

"I am tired of such foolish, thoughtless, impious suppositions. The reader who has not the understanding to scout at once the above supposition, is incapable of instruction. His mind is either naturally destitute of moral intuition; or it is totally spoiled "with philosophy and vain deceit,' so that no human ratiocination has any chance to cure it. If I may judge the moral pulsations of my own heart, I feel no sensations but those of profound, overwhelming, and almost annihilating sorrow, to think that such conclusions against the

sovereign grace, and sovereign authority, of the Lord our Redeemer, should ever have been acquiesced in by any of our race. I do not insult over any, it would not become me, Haud ignarus mali miseris succurrere disco.' But I do pity the unhappy man, who is doomed to grapple with the prince of darkness, while there is such a sophism as this in his creed." p. 47.

In the conclusion of the volume, the author insists frequently on the obligations of ministers to read and expound the holy scriptures. In doing this it is impossible they should not teach mankind many things relative to the divine provídence and purposes, which are not comprehended under the duties and privileges of unrenewed men. How Could HE scout the inculcation of any thing besides the duty and privilege of sinners, who has written, "I am well convinced, that the church must be reformed, at last, by the reading and expounding of the holy scriptures; and that there is no other effectual means of reformation ?"

cr

"An intelligent commentator, cannot be a bad divine. Preparation for the weekly exposition of scripture, compels a minister to be a diligent student. It keeps him habitually engaged over the whole field of literature, languages, criticism, history, chronology, laws, antiquities, every thing. A good expositor of scripture must become a learned divine, according to the measure of his faculties. Who enjoys the benefit? Himself first, and next the church."

"The minister who has conquered the difficulties of a commentator, I mean he who can, with reasonable industry, expound a chapter, or half a chapter, of the Bible, on the Sabbath, has, in reality, conquered all the most formidable difficulties of his office. Sermons cost such a man almost nothing. Saturday is divested of all its terrors. He never trembles about a few leaves of manuscript. He can check for thousands, and is not afraid of failing for small change. If his heart be only right with God, he can hardly ever be unprepared for preaching the gospel. Thus, before he has reached the meridian of life, he finds himself a man; and carries his sermons in his heart, not in his pocket.

"In all that has been said respecting the importance of preaching the gospel, in the way of formal exposition of the scriptures, I do not think that there is any thing, in

the slightest degree, hyperbolical or overstrained. I do indeed, believe, that this is the very means ordained by God, to effect that harmony in the faith and profession of Christianity, for which we are praying, and which we believe to be predicted and promised in the Bible."

"Arise, commentators, furbish the spear, anoint the shield; the voice of your commander rings in your ears. But consider what you are, and what God has made you to be. These Sampsons carry all their might in the hair of their heads; shorn, they are as other men. It is only in the divine word that they are invincible; they have for defence, the shield of faith, and the helmet of the hope of salvation; and for deeds of fearful vengeance against the foe, they have the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. What madness, I pray you is it, to strip off your own armour of heavenly temper, and put yourselves on a par with metaphysicians! Wrapped in the cloud of metaphysics, suppose you were to win a logical battle from them, what would the church of God be the better for it? She sees you not; she knows not where you are; nor what you are doing. You may indeed emerge from your darkness, and come back boasting a victory-your enemy is already hailed as victor in his camp." p. 417.

A good commentator will endeavour to exhibit the meaning which the Spirit of God intended to convey by each and every portion of the Bible; and he will very readily conclude, that a great portion of his labour relates to a, class of truths which Dr. Gray 'scouts' as philosophy and vain deceit. But our author, surely, had no intention to teach, that a minister should conceal the doctrines, that God is angry with the wicked every day, and will turn them into hell, that Christ is the elected Redeemer, that the holy angels are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, and many other scriptural truths, because they do not happen to fall under the two first heads of his classification of all things to be taught.

The chapter professes to consider 1st, the privileges, and 2dly, the duties, which the apostles and their successors in the ordinary ministry of the word were divinely commissioned to teach all men. They were to teach indiscriminately, and so

far as they could, universally, to all men, that they have the PRIVILEGE of coming to Christ for salvation, -of obtaining pardon through his blood, of coming to a throne of grace to ask mercy and grace to help them in time of need, of returning from their sins, and walking with God in new obedience and mutual friendship,-of hoping for a joyful resurrection as the result of such a conversion,-and of eternal life as the result of the whole.

*If the apostles preached all these privileges to all the heathen, to all sinners who heard them, I grant, so far as privilege is concerned, that they did preach the gospel. And is not this the identical thing which we mean, when we say that free pardon of sin and friendship with God, through the blood of Jesus, are offered to all who hear the gospel; that grace and eternal life and salvation are freely offered to all? It is the very thing that we mean, and the very thing that the ministerial commission, and the whole Bible mean. And if the apostles were not authorized to teach sinners these privileges, I can conceive no other privilege that they could teach them -except it be the privilege of going to hell!" p. 45.

We shall not be captious about the use of the term PRIVILEGE; but had our author defined the meaning which he affixed to so important a word in this controversy, it might have prevented misapprehension and trouble. It shall be employed in its most obvious sense. Ministers of Christ must teach every sinner, so far as they have opportunity, that

he

may come to Christ if he will; that it is his duty to will aright, and come without delay; being assured, that if he actually wills to come, and then comes willingly, he shall enjoy complete salvation. If Dr. G. means this by saying, it is the privilege of every sinner, who hears the gospel, to come to Christ for salvation, we assent; but if he means any thing else, his meaning is. beyond our ken. Has every sinner of our race the privilege of obtaining pardon through the blood of Christ? Dr. G. thinks he has. We believe that every sinner who wills it, may ob

tain pardon through the blood of Jesus; for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to OBTAIN salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us. But no sinner has the privilege of obtaining pardon in any other than the appointed way; so that finally the matter comes to this, it is the privilege of those who hear the gospel to believe it, if they will; and the privilege of all who exercise saving faith to be pardoned through the blood of Jesus.

That all men, some of whom have never heard of Christ, have NOW actually the privilege of obtaining pardon through his blood, before they have ever heard that there is the possibility of their being saved through a Redeemer, is more than the Bible has taught us, and more, we suspect, than Dr. G. ever learned from any fair exposition of the sacred oracles.

All who hear the gospel may come, and ought to come, to a throne of grace, to ask mercy and grace to help them in time of need; and the worst man among them ought to know, that God is more ready to grant his Holy Spirit to those who ask his blessed teachings, and purifying influences, than any earthly parent to give good things to his children. In this sense they have the privilege of coming to a throne of grace. But how have they the privilege of coming who never knew that there is a throne of grace, or any mercy with God that he may feared?

be

It is the duty of every one to return from his sins. All may do it; and when they will, can turn from them, so far as their volitions extend to particulars, and are followed by proper exertions. All who become truly turned to God, may and can walk with God in new obedience and mutual friendship. These persons may hope for a joyful resurrection, and eternal life. In this sense they have the privilege of doing these things: but if any unrenewed person hopes for a blessed

resurrection and immortality, without being converted before his death, he must have an unscriptural hope, which shall perish. Liberty, opportunity, disposition, ability to entertain such a hope, we should hardly deem a privilege, unless it be like our author's privilege, "of going to hell."

It is readily admitted, that all who hear the gospel owe certain duties to the Lord Jesus, the mediatorial sovereign of the world. These are to be urged upon sinners by every minister of mercy, under the most tremendous sanctions. Our author asks," are they to command all mankind to believe in the Lord Jesus for salvation ?" Yes: ministers must require all men so far as they have opportunity, to believe every article of the testimony of God concerning Jesus Christ, for it is a reasonable duty to give God credit for veracity, and assent to all his statements who cannot lie. They ought to believe too, with a desire after salvation by Jesus Christ, and with an assurance that if they exercise the faith required they shall be saved. Let every minister take heed, however, that he does not require sinners to believe such statements, concerning Christ and his salvation, as the God of truth has never made.

"Are they to teach all sinners to repent and be baptized?" Yes; this is their duty; and although they never would have repented under such circumstances, yet it would have been a reasonable duty to have repented, had God neither provided nor offered a Saviour. The very devils ought to change their minds, and feel sorrow for their past enmity against God, and resolve to sin no more. Christ, as a king, enjoins on all to whom his word comes, the moral exercise of repentance towards God.

To cut the matter short, we accord to our author, that every minister ought to require, in the name and by the authority of Almighty

Christ, every one to whom he preaches, "to do whatsoever Christ has commanded;" to be perfect in every good work, and to sin no more. This is the very conclusion our author wishes us to come to. p. 46, and 47. What then? Why, it is inferred, "that Jesus Christ actually has authorized and commanded his ministers to offer, in his name, eternal life to all mankind." p. 48. Yes, on certain prescribed terms, and so far as their "opportunities reach." They are not to say, however, God has provided eternal life for every sinner of our race, and offers to bestow it in all its parts, in all its fulness, on every sinner, whether he shall believe, consent to receive it, and repent or not. This would be going beyond their commission; for they are instructed to command all to believe; and to promise, that whosoever will, may come; that he who cometh shall in nowise be rejected; and that he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved.

Again we ask, what then? and the chapter proposes "a couple of questions;" or as we should think, two couplets of questions.

"I. Has Jesus Christ the power to verify his own commission, by bestowing on all mankind, that which he has commanded his ministers to offer them?

"If he has not the power of granting salvation to all-By what moral attribute of Deity can you justify him for offering it to all?

Again, since Jesus Christ, as the acting sovereign of this world, commands all, to whom his gospel comes, to believe and to obey the whole,

"II. It is the anxious desire and wish of Jesus Christ that all should obey him, and be saved?

"If not-by what moral principle does this sovereign issue this law ?" p. 48.

There can be no difficulty in replying, in strict adherence to the unerring word, that Jesus has power to do all which he desires, designs, or promises; for he is in his own nature God over all, and to him, in his mediatorial office, all power in heaven and earth is given by the counsels of the Godhead. He is able

and willing to fulfil every engagement which has been made conformably to his instructions. What he has offered to bestow unconditionally, will absolutely be granted. Thus, all that the Father has given Christ shall come to him; and that they may come, all of them shall be made willing in the day of his power. Moreover, that which Christ has offered, or directed his servants to offer, in his name, on certain terms well pleasing to himself, shall, on compliance with those terms, most assuredly be conferred. He has told his heralds to proclaim, that for this purpose the Son of man was lifted up, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John iii. 14, 16. "He that heareth my word," said Jesus himself, when preaching the gospel, "and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John v. 24. These sayings, and all others which he has authorized, will Jesus actually verify in the dispensations of his providence and grace. He has the power of granting salvation to whosoever believeth in him, and on the Father who sent him; and therefore he offers them salvation, and requires that all men be informed of the nature of this offer. If Jesus had offered to bestow salvation on whosoever believeth not, and also on whosoever believeth, then we should infer that he had the power of granting to all mankind, whether believers or unbelievers, everlasting life. Had he made unconditional proposals to regenerate, justify, adopt, sanctify, and glorify all men, then we should infer that he could, and would, bestow salvation on every individual of the human race.

Again, "it is," or rather as the author intended, "is it the anxious