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about to argue against what can, with any propriety, be denominated an excess of religious principle. I do not think there can be such an excess. I do not see how we can love too earnestly or serve too devotedly Him, whom it is our acknowledged duty to love with all our heart, and with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength. .. No, it is not against an excess of religion that I would argue, but against what is sometimes called a mistaken excess, though it would be more truly named an exceedingly dangerous mistake or error; for it consists not in obeying Christ more than others, but in disobeying one part of his Gospel, under a notion of complying more strictly with the rest. The notions with which your mind is now agitated, are, if I rightly understand them, violations rather than excesses of christian principle; they lead not to the too accurate fulfilment, but to the direct transgression of christian duty; and it will be my endeavour to ascertain which of them is good and which is evil, by an enquiry into their nature and tendency, with a constant reference to the words and to the spirit of the Gospel." P. 4.

With this view, and under this sacred guidance, the Author proceeds to the discussion of the subjects proposed;—yet not without a strong conviction of the difficulty attending it, which he has fairly and fully set forth, and which we much regret we can only notice thus generally.

The second Sermon begins by stating the real intent of the Apostle in addressing his exhortation to the Romans,-Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and the application which the convert might conceive it incumbent to apply to his own conduct. Admitting that the circumstances under which Christianity is now preached to the world are altogether different from those that marked the age of persecution, the Author maintains, that the apostolic injunction is yet applicable to our own times: that, "as they who were members of the Jewish covenant were not all like Nathanael, Israelites indeed,' so neither are all they who are called by the name of Christ true members of his spiritual church.” (p. 17.) We would particularly recommend the reader's attention to the Author's paraphrase of the text and sequel to the text (p. 23), from which he infers that the attention of the christian disciple is to be directed to "principles rather than to persons ;"-that it is to their false opinions and corrupt practices that we are to beware of being conformed;-that this object may be securely attained without feeling or indicating any aversion to themselves, or declining those duties of general society which we are bound to perform with cheerfulness and enjoyment. (P. 25.)

Some valuable cautions are also given in this Sermon, as to the necessity for the Christian's avoiding the "dangerous employment of watching for the faults of others ;"-that he will do better by looking into his own heart;—that "the longest life will scarcely avail to teach the most observant the extent of his own frailty and the depth of his

own sinfulness;"-that being placed in a social state of existence, he is necessarily brought into frequent contact with the effects of the sinfulness of others;-and that sinfulness he is never to observe without seeking in himself to avoid it, and in them, gently to reform it according to his abilities, means, and situation in society.

If we pass over the Sermon upon "Charity," it is not that the wellknown declaration of St. Paul, respecting the superiority of charity over "the faith that could remove mountains," is not satisfactorily illustrated, and well enough brought to bear upon the subject which gave rise to the Sermons before us; but that there is less of originality in the Author's observations, here, than elsewhere; and more particularly because the principle is more fully illustrated in some of the following chapters. Some useful hints, however, are given in page 35, to those who have continual recourse to the study of the Sacred Volume, whose professions and practices nevertheless most directly clash with the spirit and letter of the apostolic precept and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are inclined to think that the branch of christian charity embraced in the fourth discourse,--The Duty of Christian Liberality, implied in the prohibition of our Lord, to "judge not that we be not judged," is that particular duty, of all others, in which the class of gloomy disciples are most prominently deficient. So says our author.

"This excellent quality is not always found characteristic of the conduct of christian people; indeed, there are few of our Saviour's plain positive precepts that are so commonly kept out of sight, even by those who in matters of great apparent solemnity seem anxious to obey his commands. Nothing is more common, either amongst the world in general, amongst the more sober part of society, or amongst those who are esteemed of superior piety, than to hear men pronouncing sentence on the conduct of their neighbours with as little hesitation, and as much security, as if the practice were no where forbidden, as though our Lord and Master had never said, Judge not, that ye be not judged."" P. 47.

In order to form a right estimate of christian liberality, we are called upon to consider what kind of judging is here forbidden; and we think it satisfactorily proved, that it is the judging not of things but of persons.

"We may hate sin, but we must not presume to cast the first" (first cast a stone) "at the sinner: we must exercise a severe scrutiny into our own hearts; but we may not presume to determine what passes in the hearts of others. The passage immediately following the text, (Matt. vii. 1.) proves that our Saviour means to condemn the habit of censuring the conduct, and pronouncing sentence on the salvation of those amongst whom we live, our brethren in kindred, in society, in nation, or in religion." P. 49.

Some forcible reasons are assigned why we are required not to judge. One of these is very obvious, that the christian dispensation takes cognizance not of the outward act so much as of the disposition of the inward spirit; and "where," asks the author,

"Where is the man who can discern correctly the inward disposition of his fellow-man? To God alone all hearts are open-from Him alone no secrets are hid-and man in vain endeavours to usurp a prerogative which belongs to Omniscience. How often, under a fair outside, lie concealed passions which shun the light of day, and thoughts that disgust the possessor no less than they would surprise the world! How many are the failings of the best, how numerous the errors of the wisest!-how true, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God! The different degrees of man's holiness, compared with the perfection to which he should aspire, are but as the different heights of earthly elevations compared with the boundless altitude of the heavens above; in their utmost loftiness they are all bound down to the same centre by the force of a common and universal corruption. The utmost, therefore, that a human observer can attain unto, is to ascertain of any other how far he is exalted in point of outward excellence of conduct; whilst the true acceptable qualities of contrition, humility, and faith, can never be discovered by the eye of flesh. The tears that are shed in secret-the sighs which are uttered when no man perceives the wrestling with temptation that goes on in many a bosom supposed to be given up to carelessness and sin :-these are things which elude human observation, and which render all its attempts at judgment fallacious and uncertain." P. 50.

We have given the above passage at some length, because we think it a fair specimen of the author's powers of reasoning, and aptitude at illustration. There is much that is equally good in other parts of the volume, but particularly in the sermon whence the above is taken. We will venture upon one more extract from the same sermon, as it seems to apply particularly to the spiritual disease under which the young lady (addressed in this volume) was labouring, at the same time that it suggests a very sufficient remedy. It will be remembered, that "the author was requested to enforce the social duties of Christianity-to shew that the spirit of our holy religion requires no gloomy austerity-justifies no captious exceptions to the conduct of others-permits no unkind neglect of relations and friends,—no self-willed defiance of parental authority." If such were, or are, the besetting sins and opinions of the young lady in question, she may be thankful that she has encountered such temperate correction as is conveyed in the following passages

"Is it possible that this direct plain precept, and the warning with which it is accompanied, can have been well weighed by any mind which presumes to decide upon the righteousness and unrighteousness

of every individual of its acquaintance? Is it possible that any interpretation of the words can be devised compatible with a practice of separating oneself from the intercourse of one's own family, declining their conversation, refusing altogether to join in their employments and amusements, and censuring even those whom, above all other human beings, we are bound to love and honour? Consider, I beseech you, how vain must be every pretence of serving God by conduct so openly at variance with his commands. "If a man love God, he will love his brother also." It will be but a poor tribute of affection to love Jesus Christ more than father and mother and brother and husband and wife, if these several relations be not first affectionately beloved; and though on occasions of extremity, such as not unfrequently occurred in the times of the early converts, a man might be called upon to reject the affections of relationship for the sake of Christ, it will seldom be found in our own times, but that one duty adds new sanction to the other, and that they are the best Christians who are most dutiful as children, most truly affectionate as parents, and most strictly observant of the duties and charities of wedded life." P. 54.

To the foregoing observations, which appear to us very sensible, and to the point, might be added the remainder of this sermon, were we not fearful of quoting too largely from this little (but highly useful little) work. In justice to the author, we have extracted freely-in justice to the author, we will abstain from any further extract,—but recommend the reader to the work itself, especially if he be troubled with any of those unchristian misgivings which have called forth such mild and healing chastisement from the pen of the preacher. The sermon on the Communion of Saints is good,-those on "Scandals" and "Humility" still better:-In the second of these, there are some excellent passages on the nature and degree of our (innocent) amusements (pp. 84, 85); and it is ably shewn, how well these may be made to alternate with the duties and occupations of domestic and social life. In the sermon on Humility, Jeremy Taylor's "Signs of Humility" are recommended to the serious attention of the Christiani in the hour of self-investigation. Notes are appended, with extracts from various writers, all tending to strengthen or illustrate the arguments of the text.

Upon the whole we are much pleased with this pious and useful little volume. We are glad to have the subject brought under our observation. Christianity is a religion of cheerfulness, not of gloom. So far from embittering the tranquil waters of social, especially of domestic life, it sweetens the whole current of innocent enjoyment. It was given to bind man to his brother, and both to God: whereas it bas fallen within our observation, to see him recede from his duty to his fellow-creatures, in the same proportion as he imagined himself advancing in his duty to God. Such as these have yet to learn that

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this is not the religion of Christ: hence the great usefulness of the volume before us. May, indeed, this sincere endeavour, on the part of a christian minister, in imitation of the Apostle's zeal in behalf of the Ethiopian convert, to save a single soul, win every erring sister to grow wiser in her exercise of christian duty !—may it convince her that she may be at once good and cheerful, and send her "on her way rejoicing" through time to eternity!

ART. III.-Moderation: a Tale. By Mrs. HOFFLAND. Longman and Co. 12mo. 1825.

THOUGH Moderation be the title of this book, and to inculcate moderation its object, the reader will find no moderation of sentiment in it from the first page to the last. It is overrun with that stale and sickly whine of sensibility, which is the besetting sin of the inferior tribe of novelists, especially of female novelists, and more especially still of religious novelists, whether male or female.

It is very difficult to state the line of the story: but that is immaterial. We have a strange medley of love and sickness,-pride and devotion,-fashion and poverty,-fine clothes and fine sentiments, Catholicism and Calvinism,-sea-sickness, wounds, and surgery, consumption, death, and wedlock.

Be it stated, however, fairly, in the outset, that Moderation has met with such a cordial reception in the reading world, or a certain portion of that world, that Messrs. Longman have caused the work to be stereotyped. Either, therefore, our taste is nothing worth, or the taste of Mrs. Hoffland's patrons and admirers stand in need of much correction. At any rate, since a publication thus highly favoured is professedly of a religious character, it seems to be our duty to bring it to the bar of criticism.

So far as we can collect the Author's drift, it is her design to exhibit the virtue of moderation in its specific bearing upon the three important subjects-of religion, love, and housewifery. In the first, let your moderation be shewn unto all men, by hearing sermons at church instead of in the tailor's shop.—In the second, by choosing a man who pays his debts before he buys an estate. And in the third, by laying down your carriage magnanimously, when you cannot keep it without pinching yourself in butcher's meat and flannel. Assuredly this is wise counsel; but we object to the plan of converting a lady from the conventicle, by making a handsome young curate offer her marriage instead of argument. And we do not much like to hear of a paragon of a rector, who never knows whether his tradesmen's bills are paid at Christmas or not, and cannot add them up when they come