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degrees of such danger than will in ordinary cases be encountered. The reason is, that when religionor what is called so by the courtesy of mankind-mixes itself with human quarrels, our passions are the more keenly excited, and the result will be inevitably seen in the ultraism of the parties more directly implicated; the opposition will be more fierce, the adulation more extravagant. At the same time, in every form of strife will be foundwhatever solecism may be detected in the assertion-bystanders, who, although they are classed, willing or unwilling, with a party, and freely own their predilections to certain principles, yet do not mingle in the party contentions of their associates, but rather keep at a measured distance; discerning, with sufficient clearness, what is evil on both sides, and able to make a distinction between a righteous cause, and the irascibility and selfishness of some of its defenders.

It is, consequently, worse than foolish to deny the confusion of good and evil existing in the religious world; composed as it must be of the discordant materials of our fallen nature. Its numbers suppose a vast variety of character; its degree of affluence is not favourable to purity and disinterestedness; its activity may be a temptation to mistake a busy meddling with sacred things, for religion itself; and its talent is not necessarily consecrated by an alliance with Divine philosophy. But making even an enemy's allowance for the evils likely to be admitted by these several inlets, it is but honest, on the other hand, to make a calculation of the good it will probably contain; and this, if for no other reason, yet from the acknowledged fact, that a noble army of patriots, clerical and lay, patrician and plebeian, and, in the purest sense, Christian and spiritual persons, are classed by the public as belonging to this select world; and who are themselves neither assuming nor disclaiming the impu

tation by whatever friend or foe it may be affixed.

Against these men and their comrades of all arms, Mr. Irving has brought up the whole strength of his artillery. It is the principal aim of his large octavo, to criminate the religious community, as exhibiting within its sphere the peculiar sins of the last days; nay, as in some measure taking the lead in the iniquities of iniquitous times. There are, it is true, some clauses tending, in a certain degree, to neutralize his general accusation. He gives the guilty party occasional credit for good intentions, and undesigned error. He suggests a few assumptions in favour of those who are still heavily fettered, and consigned to his condemned cell-but there is not the slightest hope of his prisoners' reprieve or pardon.

It may be well to notice here, in explanation and self-defence, that we ourselves are implicated in Mr. Irving's extended indictment; as contributing, in his view, to the periodical diffusion of evil among our countrymen, in the character of religious journalists. Mr. Irving speaks of "the unholy scriptures of periodical publications; which have filled the veins of men, not with life blood, but with garbage; and filled their heads with the smoke of man's opinions, and not with light of wisdom." (p. 341.) He was pleased however, on a former occasion, honourably to exempt us from the common herd of periodical critics who review books without reading them, and we hope, even if we should " contend earnestly" with him in some matters on the present occasion, we shall not give him just cause to withdraw his candid construction. His displeasure against our fraternity ought to make us the more cautious and self-observant, in examining his accusatory performance. It may tend to furnish some common ground for mutual explanation between him and ourselves, if we can shew that, to a certain extent, we have preceded him in pointing

out the defects of the very persons selected for his own animadversions. The difference, as we trust, is to be found in our wish and endeavour to separate the sound from the morbid portion of a body of men confounded by the world under one common name, and all of whom he appears to regard as almost entirely and incurably distempered. The reader is requested to consult, among numerous other references, our volume for 1808, p. 736; where, one-and-twenty years since, we anticipated Mr. Irving in the following ominous paragraphs:-"We are afraid lest a generation should rise up, who should retain, indeed, the general doctrine of their fathers; should adopt, when encircled by their most pious friends, all the religious language, and even the objectionable phraseology, found among the body: but being nevertheless corrupted by that increase of wealth and luxury which is ever undermining the virtue of both church and state, should learn to combine with a more than sufficiently methodistical creed, and even with a few old-fashioned strictnesses, a generally lax, worldly, and self-indulgent practice. It is to this species of religion that the principles of the Christian Observer stand more particularly opposed. What we dislike above all things, is an association of abundant profession with scanty performance; a junction of exact notions on general doctrine, with an indifferent judgment as to particular points of duty and of conduct; grand ideas of the power and providence of God, and the all-sufficient work of Christ, combined with a temper peevish, angry, and ill-subdued, or with a life little distinguished by good works; a magnificent and most promising faith, and works ridiculously disproportionate to it. Some men of this inconsistent character contrive to be popular in all quarters: in one set of company, they are had in honour for being of the sound evangelical party; in another, they are approved because they are CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 332.

found assenting and consenting to the sentiments and manners of the worldly circles. They ought to be repudiated by both parties. Their hand is not, indeed, against every man; but we could almost wish that every man's hand was against them."-To these ominous, we must not say prophetic, sounds, we might add the information, that hard measure was dealt out to the conductors of this journal, for having thus spoken their fears of what was coming, and their reprehension of what had already appeared; and if all our supporters and subscribers had followed the example of certain among them, we might have arrived at the dignity of a literary martyrdom. As it was, we were looked upon by our friends, as confessors; and by another party, if not as traitors, yet as steering very near the gulphs of treachery, and likely to be absorbed in their vortices and whirlpools. The vessel, however, yet rides on the deep and we look back to what was, we confess, a stormy season, with gratitude for her safety, and certainly without any feelings of rivalry towards any gallant bark, which might have been launched, or docked for repairs, about the same period; although commanded by another captain, manned by another crew, and sent to sea to cruise in our own latitudes.

ναντα συνετοισι.

Φωτ

After this preliminary reference to our own particular share in the investigation, it may be well to remind both our respected author and also those who resent any approach to their consciences in the shape of suspicion and reproof, that it is no new thing for religious persons to prefer very serious charges against their compatriots of all classes; and by no means to the exclusion of that same religious world, which from the early days of the Reformation has stained the Christian name, and saddened the hearts of genuine professors of the faith of the Gospel, by shewing to

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those without, how accurately the kingdom of heaven was likened by one who forsaw the confusions of his church, to ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. As an illustration of this, we might refer to the writings of Cowperthe favourite poet of the Christian commmunity. His expostulation is one of the most powerful appeals ever addressed to the imagination and conscience of mankind. The picture there exhibited of the religious state of this country about fifty years since, is dark as the interior of a sepulchre; where no light relieves the gloom, but what glimmers through a grated window and is reflected by the heraldic garniture of a coffin. The same writer, a few years afterwards, followed up this appeal, by describing the continued darkness of the land; and it is remarkable that, like Mr. Irving, he designated his own times as synchronising with the last days of a sin-worn and expiring world. At the close of his best and longest poem, he writes: "So fares thy church. But how thy church may fare, The world takes little thought.

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stigmatised as fierce and high-minded; as fulfilling the description of the prophets; and proving, by their character, the period of their own existence to be "the last days." If it be said, that Cowper did not aim his arrows at the religionists of his age, we have only to turn to his prose-writings, and to mark there his most decided testimony against the pollutions of what is too indiscriminately called the church, as opposed to the world. If the reader will again consult our work for 1805, p. 101, he will find a passage strongly illustrative of our position; and one, indeed, which has been since quoted as a kind of standard and accredited description of the class it professes to delineate. It has been cited both by friends and by enemies; by the former in sorsow, by the latter with unjust triumph. It has been cited as a proof. to serve the opposite purposes of misrepresenting all the professors of religion as hypocrites, and of sifting the chaff of mere profession from the fruitful grain of sincerity and truth. Our own use of it at the time may be seen in the remarks then appended, part of which we will copy :-"We are aware that we have given no small offence to many persons: we have been accused of injuring religion by an indiscreet display of the faults of its professors. Would not silence in such a case be treachery?"* We are not now debating how far Cowper, and the writers who echoed his sentiments, are justified in drawing up charges so indiscriminate; our immediate object being to prove that Mr. Irving has not passed over untrodden ground, and by shewing how we ourselves were censured for exposing inconsistent religionists a quarter of a century back, to vindicate our claim to impartiality in weighing the strictures. of Mr. Irving,-neither shrinking from allowing some of his charges, nay which we ourselves have

See also our volumes for 1804, pp. 648, 703, 742; for 1809, pp. 353-358.

anticipated, nor failing to protest against his conclusions where he is unjustly an accuser of the brethren. If we go back to the age of Baxter, we shall find him also bitterly deploring the treachery within the Christian citadel, and adding evidence yet more painful of the impatience and intolerance of reproof manifested by persons whose very feelings of resentment were the most unexceptionable wit nesses to the justice and fidelity of their reluctant accusers. Of all the delicate arts none requires greater nicety than to tell our fellow-sinners of their faults; and the difficulty is augmented, when we have to remonstrate with offenders who, from the centre of their own select circles -from the pedestal where they have been placed by a kind of idolatrous partiality, are tempted to feel themselves secure from the blame they freely bestow elsewhere. When Baxter was appointed by his brethren to prepare a pastoral directory for a day of humiliation to be held at Worcester, as long ago as the 4th of December, 1655, he foresaw the necessity offaithfully implicating them in the sins they charged upon others; and he was well aware how unwelcome would be this part of his remonstrances. "Most of them," he writes," can be willing that others be blamed, so they might be justified themselves. I can truly say, that what I have here spoken hath been as impartially as I could; and not as a party, nor as siding with any, but as owning the common Christian cause. But I find it impossible to avoid the offending of guilty men. I except those that are willing to know the worst of themselves; and long to know their sins, that they may forsake them. A poor drunkard or swearer will more patiently hear of his sin, than many that we hope are godly will of theirs. But godliness was never made to be the credit of men's sins; nor is sin to be let alone, or well thought of, when it can but get into a godly man. Shall we hate them

most, whom we are bound to love best? and shall we shew it by forbearing our plain rebuke, and suffering their sin upon them? It is the sinful unhappiness of some men's minds, that they disaffect them that cross them in their proceedings, and plainly tell them of their faults. And they are ready to judge of the reprover's spirit by their own, and to think that such sharp reproofs proceed from some disaffection to their persons, or partial opposition to the opinions which they hold: and, therefore, they will seldom regard the reproofs of any, but those of their own party; who will seldom deal plainly with them, because they are of their own party. But plain dealers are always approved in the end; and the time is at hand, when you shall confess, that those were your truest friends. I crave your candid interpretation of my boldness, assuring you that I obey not the counsel of my flesh herein, but displease myself as much as some of you; and had rather have the ease and peace of silence, if it would stand with duty and the It is evident churches' good."

* Preface to Gildas Salvianus, 1656.

An abridgment of this pungent, yet compassionate, work by Dr. Brown, has been lately published at the Glasgow press, under the title of The Reformed Pastor; with preliminary remarks by the Rev. Daniel Wilson. We earnestly recommend to our readers this cheap but invaluable publication, both for their own diligent perusal, and for wide distribution, especially among the clergy. Mr. Wilson's essay is most appropriate and impressive; and brings the remarks of Baxter home with great faithfulness and discrimination to the circumstances of the present times. We are indebted to the publishers of the "Select Christian Authors," for numerous valuable treatises in a neat yet cheap form, as well as for many able essays prefixed to them; but we know not that there is any one of greater importance than that which has called forth this brief but zealous commendation. What revivals of religion might we not, by the blessing of God, hope for in the church of Christ, would all her ministers make this heartsearching treatise their constant study! There was a previous digest of the work by Fawcett.

from the most authentic annals of the Christian world in Baxter's days, that in proportion as pastors and flocks were formed on the model implied in the above extract, were they useful and consistent members of the church of Christ. If it was an age of much division, hypocrisy, and false doctrine; it was also an age of great unity, sincerity, and truth. The difficulty was, as it is now, to separate high pretensions from real devotedness to the cause of God and his Christ. Geographers, when describing the boundaries of states, frequently refer to an imaginary line, as a limit necessary to be traced, in the absence of such visible features of nature as a river or a range of mountains. He who would mark out, on the map of the Christian world, the restrictions within which the spirit of complaint and remonstrance should confine itself, must not expect to be hailed as a master of definitions. The borderers on either side will suspect, upbraid, and reprove him; and his imaginary lines will be a premium upon dispute and inter-national quarrels. Mr. Irving, however, possesses powers of definition which no one can question. It is, at least, quite impossible to mistake his meaning, as to the parties who fall before his scythe. He is also "laudator temporis acti;" and to an extent extremely inconsistent with his remarks in the following extract, which we may also quote as an interesting specimen of his style of writing.

"To understand the changes which have passed upon the church, it is necessary to transport yourself a generation or two back; and having become familiar with the spirit of that time, so far as can be ascertained from the conversation of old people, and the perusal of written books, the recollection of traditions, and the inspection of other monuments which survive the wreck of time, to draw it into comparison with the spirit of the times in which we live. To the faithful and true striking of this balance, much wisdom is necessary; for in conversing with old people, you must make allowance for the

hallucinations of age, and the halo of glory with which the season of youth is surrounded. And in studying the monuments of a former time, it requireth much skill indeed to recompose their fragments into a true picture of the living and moving persons to whom they belonged. These judgment of times past. And to make up are the difficulties which attend the right a true judgment of times present, there are difficulties of an almost equal amount, though of a very different kind: which flected from our ownselves, which form are, first, the vanity of our own age, repart of it; secondly, the collected vanity of all the living who speak and who write of it; thirdly, the exaggeration of things near at hand; and, fourthly, the oblivion of things now gone by: all which together do mightily warp the estimation which men commonly make of the times in which they live. Of all those difficulties which beset our undertaking, I am most fully aware, and desire to bear them in mind, and with the more humility to submit myself to the teaching of the Holy Ghost. For though I have conversed much with old men, and, I may say, delighted to give them reverence, and lived the most part of my youth at their feet listening to their account of former times; and though my reading and study have been much amongst the writers of the former ages of the times ariseth from this very familiarity church; I am not ignorant that there oftwith the olden times such an admiration of antiquity, as to make us unjust to the times in which we live. Vanity and pride and malice, also, lead us to identify ourselves with the illustrious dead, in order that through the shade of their greatness we may wound the illustrious living." PP. 73, 74.

This is written with such equability of temper, and discernment of human character, as causes us the more to feel the impetuosity of our author's spirit, when he departs from his own rules. All teachers of others will be, more or less, illustrations of the distinction between doctrine and example; and mankind are familiar with this, and are accustomed to make a certain degree of allowance for a reprover's difference from himself. But Mr. Irving has exceeded the widest limits; or has furnished an extreme case, where the jurists in vain look for a precedent. When religious persons draw up long and elaborate articles of impeachment against their fellows, they should remember, that they are in peril of vexing where

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