have been, or are most frequently applied to it. The reader must be left to judge of the correctness and validity of the remarks which have been offered on them, and of the terms and phraseology which are best adapted to describe the institution under consideration.

"I cannot better close this chapter than by adopting the words of our immortal poet. Truth, indeed, came once into the world with her divine Master, and was a perfect shape, most glorious to look on. But when he ascended, and his apostles after him were laid asleep, then strait arose a wicked race of deceivers, who, as that story goes of the Egyptian Typhon, with his conspirators, how they dealt with the good Osiris, took the virgin Truth, hewed her lovely form into a thousand pieces, and scattered them to the four winds. From that time ever since, the sad friends of truth, such as durst appear, imitating the careful search that Isis made for the mangled body of Osiris, went up and down gathering up limb by limb, still, as they could find them. We have not yet found them all, nor ever shall do, till her Master's second coming; he shall bring together every joint and member, and shall mould them into an immortal feature of loveliness and perfection.' --pp. 86, 87.

The chapter relating to the Fellowship enjoyed in the Ordinance is deserving of special regard ; and we could with pleasure cite the whole, but must content ourselves with a single passage.

"The descriptions given in the New Testament of the cordiality and mutual kindness, which prevailed in the first churches, except where through human corruption these feelings were occasionally interrupted, are in strict accordance with this representation of the nature and tendency of the Lord's supper. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.' For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.'

"It is when observing this ordinance that a Christian church appears in its proper character as the family of God.

Then they all acknowledge one Father, the God of our Lord Jesus, by whom they are all denominated. The Redeemer as the elder brother and heir of the whole, enjoying the double portion of the Father's good pleasure, and rejoicing with his brethren in the goodly heritage, appears at their head. From him they derive all that constitutes their happiness and glory. They regard one another as bought with his blood, and constrained by his love; as unacknowledged by the world, but well known of him; as fellow pilgrims and strangers on earth, but heirs together of the heavenly kingdom. The distinctions of rich and poor, of learned and unlearned, of nation and class, and original character, are all levelled and unknown. It is an epitome of the heavenly multitude itself, consisting of men of every nation, and tribe, and people, and tongue.' Here they all breathe the same spirit, and speak the same language, and appear in the same character, that of redeemed sinners. Here their common dependence on God, and their mutual dependence on each other, are distinctly recognised. They unitedly declare their obligations to that love which provided the feast, and kindly forced them to partake of it; and their hallowed interest in one another, as all liable to the 'manifold trials' of this life, and subject to heaviness of spirit on account of them.

"It is a feast of God's providing, and that as an evidence that there is now

peace between him and us. He may be regarded as the Master of the feast invisibly present, and entertaining us, to express his reconciliation to us. We also, by the same act, express our reconciliation to him and to one another; and that it has been effected by the same means which reconciled us all to God, the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fellowship itself is invisible, but the expression of it is public and intelligible to all. The language of the celebration is, 'We were once at enmity with God, and God opposed to us; we lived in malice and envy, and were formerly hateful and hating one another; but a sacrifice has been offered to make peace; the parties are now all one, and by eating and drinking together, announce their cordial reconciliation and friendship.'"--pp. 157—159.

On the perpetual and universal Obligation of the Ordinance, we have seldom seen so succinct and complete a statement of scriptural evidence, especially in reference to the misty and confused attempts at reasoning made by the leading writers of the Society of Friends. From this chapter, how

ever, the following extract must suffice:

"The perpetual and universal obligation to observe the Lord's supper, rests on a clear positive precept of the great Head of the church. 'This do,' said he, after he took the bread, in remembrance of me.'

The same expression was used by Paul, many years afterwards, when giving an account of the ordinance as delivered to him by the Lord. How the first disciples understood this injunction, is evident from their recorded and undisputed practice. It is not attempted to be denied, that the first Christians attended literally to this injunction; or that they did so, in consequence of their believing they were commanded to do it by Jesus himself. It is not supposed, even by the most decided opponents of the ordinance, that they did it merely of their own will, or that they misunderstood their Master's meaning.

"Now, if these things be admitted, it is difficult to conceive any good reasons why the men who knew Christ, and conversed with him, and who must have been the subjects of numerous associations, by which his character would be indelibly impressed on their minds, should have needed to be reminded of him by this means, while we should be quite capable of preserving the remembrance of him without any memorial of his death and friendship. No local or temporary reasons are assigned for the injunction; no reasons are implied in the observance of it, which do not affect every Christian individual. If it was attended to at first, that the disciples might be reminded of their Master, and his wondrous love; that they might testify their obedience and gratitude; that they might exhibit a grand monument to the world, and intimate their hope and expectation of their Lord's coming again;--what is there in these things which does not equally belong to us and our circumstances? Indeed, every thing which can shew the propriety of the early disciples acting as they did, bears more powerfully upon us.

"From the fact that none were present but the apostles when the ordinance was first observed, it has been urged that the command was intended for them alone. But if Jesus had intended it to be celebrated by the apostles, but by the apostles alone, it would have been counteracting his intentions, and therefore corrupting his religion, for the apostles either to enjoin or allow the celebration of it to Christians at large. Had Jesus meant to enjoin it as a duty upon none but the apostles, but to permit all Christians to practise it as a voluntary act; the apostles even in this case could not have recommended or permitted it to their disciples, without explicitly informing them, that as NEW SERIES, No. 17.

a duty it was peculiar to the apostles, but left entirely voluntary to others; because, without this explanation, their apostolical authority would have caused it to be regarded as a general duty, and thus have corrupted the religion they were appointed to preach.

Since then the apostles, who knew by inspiration the true intention of their Master in all his commands, were incapable of corrupting or suffering any corruption of his religion, since they not only celebrated this rite themselves, but enjoined all their followers to observe it likewise; and this not as a voluntary service, but an act of necessary obedience to the injunction of Jesus to themselves on the night on which he was betrayed; it must follow, that this rite was not instituted by Jesus for the obedience of the apostles alone, though they were the only persons present at the institution : but was intended by Christ as a standing ordinance of his kingdom, to be observed to the end of time by all his people.

not

"There is nothing doubtful, or of difficult interpretation in the words of the Divine command; and the principles of interpretation which would explain away their meaning, would subvert any precept of the decalogue. Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain, Thou shalt do no murder, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,' are not plainer or more intelligible injunctions than 'Do this in remembrance of me.' The one class of precepts being moral and the other positive, does not alter the matter, if the authority of the Lawgiver be admitted, and the meaning of his language intelligible. The authority of Christ is not disputed; it would be foolish to contend for the darkness or ambiguity of his language; and yet, for other reasons, which will be afterwards noticed, it is maintained that the command is nothing to us.

"The obligation on all Christians to observe this ordinance, rests on the position that all Christian churches under the direction of the apostles did at the beginning attend to it; and that we are bound to follow their example. That the first churches did observe the Lord's supper, is too plain an historical fact to be called in question. The church of Jerusalem, the church of Corinth, the church at Troas, and indeed all the churches would seem to have been in the constant practice of meeting for this purpose. At Corinth several abuses of the institution had occurred. But it is worthy of attention, that while Paul points out these abuses, and calls upon the church to correct them, he gives not the most distant hint that they were wrong in the whole affair; that it was altogether a corruption and mistake; and that, instead of eating and drinking in any way, they ought to feed spiritually 2 M

on Christ, and cease from this beggarly observance. Instead of this, he solemnly repeats the account, which he had received of the manner of celebrating the ordinance, and calls upon the church thus to keep it. The strongest view which I can give of the subject, is by quoting at length the apostle's own words, leaving the common sense and conscience of the reader to perceive and acknowledge their force; For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testa ment in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.' 999 --pp 191, 196.

For

After these citations, we need

add but little. They will speak more for the sound judgment, and

scriptural sentiment, and fervent piety, which characterize the volume, than any thing we could say. We do not pledge ourselves to every minute opinion, or exposition of disputed Scriptures, which Mr. Orme brings forward; but we can conscientiously say, that we have seldom perused a book of this compound character, embracing as well much that is argumentative and critical, as well as doctrinal, practical, and devotional, in which we have found so little to dispute, so much to approve. The work will, we have no doubt, prove highly acceptable and useful alike to ministers and students, and all others whose aim is to acquire a scriptural and devotional apprehension of the nature and design of the Lord's Supper.

SERMONS, preached on several Occasions, in the Island of Barbadoes. By William E. Shrewsbury. London, 1825. 8vo. 7s. 6d. This volume possesses an interest independently of its own merits, which are very considerable. The discourses, fourteen in all, were delivered in the island of Barbadoes, the gentlemen inhabitants of which have immortalised themselves by the destruction of the Methodist meeting-house, and the expulsion of its minister, under circumstances of the most uncalled-for and outrageous nature. They are now published to enable the world to judge of the character and tendency of those doctrines which were preached by the author in the West Indies, and to encourage the society in Barbadoes to persevere in their christian profession. The discourses, in point of sentiment, piety, and expression, do great credit to Mr. Shrewsbury, and amply refute all the malignant misrepresentations of the enemies to the christian instruction of the slaves. We trust the volume will meet with the reception which it deserves, and that the author will obtain a high reward among the persecuted followers of Christ.

PSALMS AND HYMNS, principally for Public Worship, selected from Dr. Watts and other Authors. By Henry Foster Burder, M.A. London, 1826. 12mo.Selections, collections, appendices, supplements, &c. &c. of Hymns are innumerable. Each work comes out with a new claim, and generally obtains a circulation more in proportion to the influence of its compiler, than from any other cause. Those who approve of mixing up the compositions of Dr. Watts with those of other writers, and forming one book, instead of rendering it necessary to use several, will find the present volume of Mr. Burder possessed of all the substantial properties of a useful, respectable, and well-assorted collection.

THE SPIRIT AND MANNERS OF THE AGE. Conducted by the Author of the Evangelical Rambler. Parts I. II. III.

Spirits are not not easily caught, and still less easily preserved and distributed. Manners are fleeting, and difficult of description. The author of the Evangelical Rambler certainly promised great things when he engaged to give a body to the spirit of the age, and a form and substance to its manners.

Without say

ing that the promise has been fully redeemed, we cheerfully acknowledge that this work has hitherto been very respectably supported. Several of the papers have been exceedingly well written, and nothing has appeared discreditable either to the moral feelings or the intellectual character of the conductors. None of the weekly publications which we have seen are superior to it in vigour, elegance, or useful tendency.

THE CHRISTIAN PASTOR'S MANUAL:

A Selection of Tracts on the Duties, Difficulties, and Encouragements of the Christian Ministry. Edited by John Brown, Minister of the Gospel, Edinburgh. 1826. 12mo. 7s. 6d. This is a most judicious and valuable collection. We hesitate not to say, that it contains some of the very best pieces which have been written relative to the important subjects of which it treats. They are the production of the experience of such men as Doddridge, Jennings, Booth, Erskine, Watts, Mason, Bostwick, Newton, Scott, and Cecil; and recommended by such men as Drs. Gordon, Dick, and Wardlaw, and the Rev. Henry Grey, the testimony and the criticism of the reviewers are alike uncalled for and unnecessary. We do not know that a more useful volume could be put into the hands of a young minister, or that christian benevolence could be better exercised than by giving it circulation. We cordially thank Mr. Brown for the service he has rendered, and unite our feeble recommendation to that of the very respectable names prefixed to the

volume.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION; A Series of Observations on the Instruction of the Young, principally with a reference to Sunday Schools. By A. H. Davis, Author of the Teacher's Farewell, &c. London. 1826. 12mo. 3s.-This small volume is the production of a writer who has had considerable experience in the religious tuition of the young, especially of Sunday School children. It is by an accumulation of the experience of such individuals, that the errors and imperfections of the system of education will be corrected, and that we may expect ultimately to arrive at a more correct and efficient plan of operation. We are much pleased with this work, and trust it will obtain an extensive circula

tion.

A VINDICATION OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN INDIA from a recent Attack in the Quarterly Review. By John Howard

Hinton, M. A, London, 1826. 8vo.-Those who think Christian Missions to India require to be vindicated, and who are pleased with the replies to the Abbé Dubois by Hough and Townley, will be gratified with Mr. Hinton's pamphlet. For our own part, regarding the Quarterly Reviewers as profoundly ignorant on every thing relating to religion, we feel very easy under their attacks; being assured that on the enlightened Christians of this country they produce no attend to answers to their lucubrations. effect, and that others are little likely to

THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL RE

PROBATION DISPROVED. By James Hargreaves. London. 1826. 12mo. Second edit.

THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: A Sermon preached at Hare Court, Thursday, Dec. 18, 1825; at the Monthly Association of Ministers and Churches, and published at the request of the Ministers, by Robert of this valuable Sermon is the 133d Winter, D. D.-The appropriate text Psalm. Its leading topics are the history, character, and beneficial ten

dencies of the ancient Association, which it is designed to aid and to encourage. This Monthly Lecture, it appears, originated in 1730, in connection with a plan for the education of young men for the ministry, whence arose the excellent Institution, now designated Homerton College. It at first included Antipædobaptists, as well as Padobaptists, the former of whom afterwards amicably separated, and formed an As

sociation of their own.-In the second division of the subject, the Doctor remarks, that the union is founded on principle-it is a devotional union-and a union of co-operation. The benefits to be derived from such a union, are well detailed under the four following ideas: it is adapted to be of benefit to ministers-to students-to the churches themselves-and to the general advancement of the Gospel, both at home and abroad. The conclusion contains a brief retrospect of the past—anticipation of the future-and, finally, some impressive remarks on the precariousness of human life, as especially exemplified in the recent loss of distinguished ministers in the three denominations. A list is prefixed to the Discourse, of the present course of lectures, eleven being now added to the number, making in the whole thirty-six. We are happy in this enlargement of the bounds of ac

credited Congregational churches in and near this metropolis, which somewhat solaces us while we behold the desolations of our Zion in not a few once flourishing spots in the precincts of the city. We are happy also that the liberal title of the London Congregational Union, has been recently adopted to designate this Association, since it is a more dignified, more definite, and less sectarian appellation than that of the Monthly Meeting The discourse is characterized by the Doctor's usual accuracy, conciseness, luminous order, and good sense, and we earnestly recommend it to all our readers, who are concerned to promote the scriptural order of Christian churches, united in the bonds of charity.

Hanbury's Enlarged Edition of ExTRACTS, MEDITATIONS, AND LETTERS, from the Diary of Joseph Williams, of "Kidderminster, with a Portrait and Autograph, 12mo. 6s. boards.

QUESTIONS ON PROTESTANT NONCONFORMITY answered; with Notes. Second Edition. 4d. Ilminster.-The points in debate between the National and Nonconformist Churches are forcibly put in this little catechism; the usefulness of which, however, will be much increased, if, in a future edition, the bare statements of the author were supported by a more frequent reference to scriptural or other authority, which, in most cases, would only occupy the space now often imperfectly filled with his simple ipse dixit.

THE PAPAL JUBILEE; with desultory Reflections on Popery, and "The Refutation of Calvinism," by the Rev. J. Jones. 12mo. pp. 466. 8s. Royston.--Were it possible to recommend this singular volume, our respect for the pious intentions of the author would prompt us to the agreeable task; but a regard alike to our own reputation, and the pockets of our readers, forbid it. In truth, it is the most extraordinary melange of prose and rhyme, of shreds and patches, we have for a long time seen. The volume is occupied with an introduction of 127. pages, and notes extending over 218 pages more; the poetry, to which all this is explanatory or illustrative, only occupies about 96 pages; but oh, what poetry!

"A bishop publicly resounds,
That grossest "Heresy" abounds
Among th' Established clergy call'd;
At which we well may stand appall'd;

And Mr. Brougham, lawyer great,
Declar'd in a renown'd debate
Before the Commons, crying, hear!
Our Clergy perjur'd must appear.
Thus bishop Tomline, hand and glove
With Mr. Brougham fain would prove
Within th'Establish'd Church they view,
That perjur'd heretics not few
Is their report alarming true?
The clergy disconcerted cry,
(And well they may) Lord! is it I ?'
A sad dilemma they are in-

We think so, indeed---if they have no better defender than this reverend rhymster against the sarcasms of Brougham and the arminianism of Tomline. Had his thus exposing the truth and its advothe worthy author no friend to prevent

cates alike to ridicule?

AN INQUIRY into the Consistency of those Persons who call themselves Baptists, with reference to the late Publications of Messrs. Gibbs, Birt, and Cox. By Thomas Eisdell, of Twyford, Berks. To which is added, a brief Statement of Baptism, by Question and Answer. London. 1826. Price 1s. 6d.

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.

A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Holy Scriptures, designed for the use of mere English Readers. In Two Parts. Part I. Rules for reading the Bible. Part H. Helps towards a right understanding thereof; comprising Introductions to the several Books; a Summary of Biblical Antiquities, Geography, Natural History, &c. By William Carpenter, Editor of Critica Biblica, the Scripture Magazine, Calendarium Palestinæ, &c. In The Elements of French Grammar, illusone large vol. 8vo. with maps and plates.

from L'Hormand, by Rev. Rutton Morris, trated with cuts by Branston. Translated and intended as a first book for Young Persons.-The Elements of Arithmetic for Children, on a plan entirely new, adapted for Families and Preparatory Schools, and illustrated by cuts. By Ingram Cobbin, M. A, Author of Elements of English Grammar. Fifth edit.-The Missionary's Memorial, or Verses on the Death of John Lawson, late Missionary at Calcutta. By Barnard Barton. Foolscap 8vo.-- Flowers gathered in Exile, by the late Rev. John Lawson, Missionary at Calcutta. Foolscap 8vo. Mr. Frere has nearly ready for publication a corrected edition of "A Combined View of the Prophecies," in which he has availed himself of the advantages for perfecting this subject, which have been afforded by the late expiration of another grand prophetic period; the 1290 years of Daniel.