the shade in its presence. They are pas"All other qualifications are thrown into sed by unnoticed. The prominent, indispensable, distinguishing requisite is, as it well may be, that love for the heavenly Shepherd without which the sheep, consigned to our custody, are likely to go to ruin. Other requisites there doubtless are, and such as are of great extent and diversity. But they are of secondary consideration, and vary with times and occasions. The grand fundamental quality of a love of Christ, is that only character of the true Christian priesthood which is indelible, No change can affect, no circumstances diminish, no situations modify its necessity."

would probably have answered, with office of feeding his sheep, he thus out much hesitation, in the affirma- continues:— tive. After what his Divine Lord and Master had now done and suffered for him, after the distinguishing grace which had been vouchsafed to him in his pardon and restoration, could the generous heart of the Apos. tle, even notwithstanding his knowledge of its deceitfulness, doubt whether he loved his Saviour more than his fellow sinners and disciples; or would the question, thus under. stood, have affected him so deeply as it evidently did? Again: our Lord, though he required the supreme love of his disciples, never expressed any jealousy lest they should love one another better than himself, but frequently exhorted them to abound in brotherly affection; and, as if they were in no danger of excess, prescribed his love to them as the pattern, and measure of their love to the brethren. Upon the whole, therefore, we feel compelled to differ from the highly respectable author in his interpretation of the interesting passage in question, and cannot but recommend to him its re-considera

tion*.

Mr. Marsh proceeds, in a similar strain, to describe the nature of that love of Christ which is so essential to the faithful discharge of the minisof the Redeemer to the supreme reterial office, and the paramount claims gard of his servants. He justly and pointedly condemns all inferior motives to engage in the work of the ministry, and suggests to the candibetter for them to leave the church dates then present, that it would be without receiving the holy employment, for the sake of which they had entered it, than not first to answer the question in the text in the affirmative. The remainder of the sermon is occupied in enforcing the proof of the love of Christ, on the part of his ministers, in loving and feeding the souls whom he has remanner in which this sacred and imdeemed; and in pointing out the portant duty ought to be performed.

Excellently as this part of the subject is executed, we felt the close of it to be somewhat deficient in that solemn and awakening address with which such a sermon might be expected to conclude. But we recollect that the preacher might, perhaps, have been himself only a candidate for the priest's office, and been restrained by that consideration from urging his exhortations

to the utmost. We can only, therefore, wish, that they had been more extended, and express our fervent prayer, that all who aspire to minister at the altar, may possess that holy flame which ought to warm the breast of every one who expects to serve his heavenly Master with acceptance now, and to receive his approbation at his second appearing.

The first of Mr. Marsh's University Sermons is upon "the Employment of secondary Causes." It may, perhaps, be considered by some of his readers as partaking more of the character of a theological essay, than of a sermon; but, adverting to the nature of the auditory before whom it was delivered, it is, we think, fully entitled to the latter designation, and is calculated to produce a very favourable impression of the talents of the preacher. "God said, 'Let there be light,'-and there was light.". From this sublime description of the creation of an effect prior to its present cause, that is, of light before the sun, Mr. Marsh takes occasion to inquire concerning the systematic employment of means, in the Divine economy of the universe, by a Being who thus evidently has no need of resorting to their intervention. The formation not only of light, but of the heavens and the earth, with all their magnificent, beautiful, and infinitely varied furniture, and the occasional suspension or reversal of the established laws of nature, by miraculous interpositions, sufficiently prove the freedom and independence of the Omnipotent Creator; while it is, at the same time, equally obvious, that in the accomplishment of the ordinary purposes of his Providence, he has evinced a decided preference to the employment of means. Even in his miracles themselves, the Almighty, instead of universally rejecting the use of means, has often adopted them, though, sometimes, such as were incapable of contributing in a natural way towards the intended result; and at others, such as were Christ. Observ. No. 157.

even naturally destructive of the end in view. So remarkable an arrangement in the system of the universe, cannot but have been designed for certain wise and beneficial purposes; and though some of the reasons which may have led to it, may be beyond our reach, there are others which are level to our apprehension, and may serve to justify the ways of God to man."

Of these, the first assigned by Mr. Marsh is, that without the intervention of means all moral agency must be excluded, since God would then be the only agent in the universe. The remark is undoubtedly just: yet in a subsequent passage, the object of which is to shew, that the production of effects by second causes is a more magnificent and glorious method of operation, than that which affords a more palpable and apparently miraculous proof of Divine interposition, a sentiment occurs which may, perhaps, be deemed somewhat inconsistent with it. The passage to which we refer, is that in which the author represents the production, conveyance, and perception of light as so entirely dependant on the unceasing exertion of omnipotent power, that should the Almighty, even for a single moment intermit any one of that series of acts upon which those effects depend, we should that instant be lost in total darkness. Not to urge that the precise manner in which the mechanism of the material world is framed and supported may not be exactly such as Mr. Marsh has described it, an objector might insinuate, that it is only to carry on the chain of his argument one link farther, and the Divine Being would virtually be found to be indeed the only agent in the universe. It is not necessary, however, to give the slightest colour for such an insinuation, in illustrating the superior excellence of the appointment of secondary causes. They certainly admit, what upon any other plan ap-pears to be unattainable, the moral H

advantage even to his academical hearers. We consider it as lying at the root of the whole work of personal religion. It is true, that means are in themselves, that is, separate from the sovereign blessing of Him who has ordained them, nothing. They are, however, of a nature correspondent to that of the soul, and admirably adapted to the production of the intended effect. The use of the word of God, the sacraments, meditation, and prayer, if faithfully and perseveringly employed, seldom, if ever, fail in at taining their appointed and promised ends. Let not this be stigmatized as mechanical religion; or if it be so called, let it at the same time be remembered, that it is the mechanism of heaven; directed by the wisdom of Him who knows what is best calculated for the improve. ment of his creatures, and blessed by that goodness which never disappoints the expectations of those who humbly and diligently seek it. We are well persuaded, that the disposition to use the means of spiritual improvement is the gift of God: but this also is for the most part the result of previous moral discipline, to train us to which is one of the most important duties of the guides of our youth, and the instructers of our age. Yet, how ever this may be, we are persuaded, that those who ultimately fall short of the hope of glory, will be found to have neglected the means of grace; and that the greater number of those who attain the happiness of the one, will trace it, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to the improvement of the other.

"The general result, therefore," concludes Mr. Marsh, "is glory to God in the highest. From the beginning to the end he is the author of all. We have planted. We have sown. But God giveth the increase. The first will, the second cause, the intermediate agency are all alike from him, who produced the effect not by a single act, but through a concate. nated succession of wonders."

We wish that we could indulge ourselves with extracting the elo. quent peroration of this Sermon ; but we can only express the grati. fication with which we persued it.

The subject of the next discourge is closely connected with that of the preceding. It is "on Mysteries," and will be read, we have little doubt, by moderate men of It all parties, with approbation. asserts what, though theoretically acknowledged by all, is apt to be practically forgotten by many, that the Almighty has evidently chosen to wrap most of his proceedings in mystery, and to unveil only such parts of them to his creatures, as are necessary either for the promotion of their comfort, or for the Even regulation of ther conduct. in the natural world, how continually is philosophy baffled in its inquiries, and compelled to rest in ignorance! Can we then be surprised, that there should be mys"secret things" teries in religion, which belong exclusively to "the Lord our God?" Though we do not think, with Mr. Marsh, that the day of the destruction of Jerusalem was distinctly declared by our Lord to be of that number, we perfectly agree with him as to his other instances. After some able and excellent observations on the general subject of scripture-mysteries, and the pointed condemnation of that curiosity which would spare nothing, however satred, that stood in the way of its gratification, but would arrogantly pursue its researches even to the throne of God, the preacher naturally brings his dis course to bear upon the grand and finextinguishable

controversy respecting the Divine Decrees. It cannot be expected, after the frequency with which we have been most unwillingly compelled to engage in it, that we should now enter upon it; more particularly as the views of Mr. Marsh upon this mysterious subject are so nearly in

unison with our own.

It is rather a

most gratifying relief to us to refer our readers to this sermon, with an assurance, that they will find much in it both to admire and to approve. Though moderate, Mr. Marsh is far from being tame and indifferent; and though novelty is not to be look ed for upon such a topic, he is no retailer of the opinions of others. He has evidently thought and felt much upon this most difficult question; and while he not only asserts but clearly points out the obscurity in which it is on all sides involved, he does not altogether discard it as a subject of humble and devout contemplation, but limits our inquiries concerning it within the bounds of what is plainly revealed, and calculated to be practically beneficial.

We could with pleasure quote many admirable passages from this well-written sermon; but we must content ourselves with the follow. ing. After suggesting the wisdom of abstaining by common consent from a controversy the difficulties of which are so palpable, Mr. Marsh proceeds as follows.

"If indeed there be in the church enemies either to the faith or to the holi ness of the Gospel, who either by their life or doctrine disgrace its principles, deny its essential truths, or counteract its gracious designs, in the name of Christ and his religion let them be cast out of it! But this character cannot, in the present day at least, be fairly imputed to the advocates, as such, of either side. Each

party admits, that without holiness no

man shall see the Lord; and each maintains, that faith is essential to holiness Both call on all men every where to repent. Both ere now have often taken, and it is the wish of many that both should yet again take, sweet counsel together, and walk in the house of God as friends. Many who have agreed upon all other parts of our common religion, have yet differed and agreed to differ upon this. Such were notoriously many of the reformers and fathers of the church of England, and such their consciousness of the innocence of this difference and the safety of this union, that our seventeenth article has been generally confessed to be formed upon principles

which ought not to exclude any from the establishment, who, concurring in all other which those who framed it were thempoints, differ only upon a question, of selves divided in opinion. The strenuous. ness with which both parties have laboured to prove, that the article is on their side, is indeed to impartial judges a sufficient proof of its neutrality." pp. 55, 56.

We could willingly add another eloquent passage, on the ample scope for theological discussion and instruction, even if the subject of the Divine Decrees were entirely excluded from public discourses ;* but we have room only for the follow. ing.

"As for hidden subjects and matters of doubtful disputation, a time is com. ing, when, perhaps, all their difficulties will vanish; when He who first caused the light to shine out of darkness, will shed the clear light of his truth upon us, and remove all mists from our eyes. While we have such a hope in us, we may well be contented to await the arrival of this period in patience. It will then probably be a subject of grief to all the dis putants upon this question to reflect, with how small a knowledge of it in themselves they have quarrelled with the ignorance of it in others. They will see, that their adversaries and themselves were often equally in the dark; that the texts, which they have spent much labour in refuting were often their own in disguise; and that while truth has been far above, out of the sight of both the litigating parties, religion has been the chief sufferer by the asperity of their contention."