made, we fear, considerable progress; and many of our pages, which we would gladly have seen otherwise occupied, have been sacrificed to a refutation of their pernicious errors. We are afraid that it must be so still. The conflict shall not cease on our side until peace returns to the Church of God, and of this we have no hope at present. We are rather led to the conclusion, that the time is at hand, when an infidel-popery and a popish-infidelity shall shake hands together, and join in one common league against the Lord and against His Christ. Yet the pure religion of the Gospel spreads amongst us. Among the laity, we believe, to a wide extent; and amongst our younger clergy, a noble band are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. There are, we confess, some few things which have led us to fear that, without more decision, they will fall behind the high standard of their forefathers. The older clergy often remark with pain, that amongst their younger brethren in the ministry there is a want, not so much of courage, certainly not of diligence, as of a well-defined doctrinal teaching. They are less disposed to call any man master after the flesh, and in this we commend them; they do but obey a divine injunction. They are less systematic. In this, too, they are perhaps to be commended. It was one of Cecil's fine remarks, that "in the Bible there is a grandeur which seems to say, I am above all your systems." But then they should beware lest, under an affectation of freedom from human trammels, they are not in bondage to a system of their own. It is certain that a new school has arisen, professing to be of evangelical sentiments, (the word is not ill-chosen in this instance,) who seldom treat of doctrines of the highest importance. Take, for instance, the righteousness of God, or the holiness of God; how little either seem to be understood; while on the mercy of God, or the benevolence of God, and the love of Christ to sinners, they are profuse, though still often misty and uncertain. They seem to be almost strangers to those rich portions of the word of God, the third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, so full of "the right eousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe." We trust they will take in good part the admonitions of their elder brethren, who remember how Stowell began his course; how Hambleton ran his race, holding fast to a few great principles like these; how Henry Elliot, with a grace and elegance of language never surpassed, "a perfect master of sentences," trusted nothing to his enchanting words of man's wisdom, but laid them down his offering to God, a very pleasant instrument on which one note resounded above all others, even the name and offices of the Lord Jesus; and how the venerable Maitland delighted to proclaim the doctrines which some men professing evangelical sentiments seem almost disposed to set aside as too difficult for the pulpit, or as unnecessary in the general course of ministerial instruction. Hence their work is incomplete, and hence the vagueness of which their hearers too frequently complain. Sinners are not converted, and the Church is not built up or "edified." On other points we have little to add. New periodicals, candidates for the favour of Evangelical churchmen, rise up around us, but none of them occupy our ground, or exactly suit our class of readers. They are produced more cheaply than our own, and introduce a lighter kind of literature; consequently they can be afforded at a cheaper rate. Compared with the best of our standard periodicals, we are not dear,* nor have we reason to believe that our subscribers wish the price to be reduced. Our sale is not affected by the new competition that has arisen; and unless it were that we should be glad to place our magazine within the reach of our sorely underpaid curates, we should have no motive for making a change, which, unless our sale were vastly increased, would be so injurious to ourselves. We shall resume our labours another year with little change, and yet we hope with some improvement; and hoping that many will join with us in the prayer which, if appropriate when * Blackwood, for instance, is 2s. 6d.; Fraser, 2s. 6d., &c. |