ple by their holding frequent private religious meetings, and all sorts are generally worshipping God at such meetings, on Sabbath nights and after our public lectures; many children in the town still keep up such meetings among themselves. I know of no one young person in the town who has returned to former ways of looseness and extravagance in any respect, but we still remain a reformed people and God has evidently made us a new people."* This account of the people of Northampton. three years and a half after the beginning of the great revival in which about three hundred were evidently converted, is also, a pretty accurate description of the results of those revivals, which frequently occurred under the ministry of such men as the Reverend Samuel Mills, Jeremiah Hallock, Asahel Hooker, Ebenezer Porter, D. D., Alvan Hyde, D. D., and many others amongst the honoured dead, as well as amongst the living. Such apostacy, as is described by Mr. Finney and frequently said to exist through the whole territory, which his opinions and measures have penetrated, was never known to follow the revivals in the congregational Churches of New England, or in the Presbyterian Churches of any part of our country. If two or three individuals in a Church were found to turn back and disgrace religion, as "the great body" of the converts, with which he is acquainted, are declared by him to have done, it was a matter of mourning throughout the Church. It was told far and wide by the enemies of religion and was considered sufficient by all to bring the work into suspicion and reproach. And in view of the charge, which Mr. Finney alleges, against his converts, we should suppose, that consistency would soon require him either to declare that they are not the genuine fruits of the spirit, or else to adopt the whole system of Arminianism and deny "the Perseverance of the

saints."

We have already traced the fanaticism which has come into existence in these regions to its proper source, and shown, that it has its origin in the Arminian views of the Spirit in regeneration and sanctification. Our present inquiries relate to those, who though not prevented by Perfectionism and its kindred branches of fanaticism are giving little, or no evidence of practical piety. It is no part of our

Edwards' Works, vol. iv. p. 72.

object here to discuss the question whether the "great body" of those who have come into the church and “ are a disgrace" to it, ought to be recognized as Christians, and we, therefore, dismiss the subject with no other suggestion, than that the Saviour has said, " By their fruits ye shall know them." But why has a result so different from all that has succeeded former revivals, followed those which in our day have been so much celebrated by some portions of the church?

It might here be said, that special efforts have been made to convince men, that there is no such thing in man as a heart, from which all evil thoughts, feelings, and acts proceed, that all the Scriptures mean by the term "heart," is the "governing purpose;" and hence a "new heart" is a "new governing purpose." Thus a system of Theology has been formed, or rather revived; which leaves out of its scope the renovation of "the heart," and may therefore be denominated "THE HEARTLESS SYSTEM." Owing, perhaps, to a deficiency in this department of christian instruction many have come into the church, whose conversion may have been as defective, as the system itself under which they have been trained. This general branch of the subject, however, has recently been so ably discussed by venerable Professor of Theology as to preclude further inquiry.*

But there is another topic, which enters deeply into our estimate of the causes that have produced this deterioration in the church. A careful investigation will show, that the doctrine, of "Christ and him crucified" has been the prominent doctrine in every extensive and lasting reformation in the hearts and lives of men. This involves the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, his Divine and human nature, his instructions, his sufferings, his death, his resurrection and ascension, his exaltation at the Father's right hand to give repentance and remission of sin, and his unlimited dominion over all celestial and terrestrial beings. It involves the great doctrine of justification on the ground of his righteousness and death. This doctrine has always been regarded by sound divines as a cardinal truth of the christian system, and as the "Articulus stantis vel cadentis Ecclesiæ." It involves the doctrine of faith in Christ, the promises of salvation to

Importance of a purpose, or resolution to serve God. By Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D. Lit. and Theol. Review, vol. iii. p. 386.

those who believe in him, and the threats of destruction to those who "believe not.” These doctrines and their corresponding duties have been unremittingly taught in all those revivals, which have permanently affected mankind.

The revival in the days of the Apostles was characterized by the preaching of these truths. This appears from every part of the sacred narrative of those times, and also from the epistles, which were written by the Apostles to the prominent churches under their care. On the day of Pentecost Peter declared to the multitude assembled at Jerusalem, that Jesus, whom they had known as a prophet, mighty in word and deed, is indeed the Christ. Though delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, he charged them with having taken and crucified him with wicked hands. He told them of his resurrection, of his ascension, of his exaltation at the right hand of the Father, and of his unlimited dominion. He assured them, that God had made the same Jesus both Lord and Christ, and when they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren what shall we do? Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." And with many other words did he exhort them, saying, "save yourselves from this untoward generation." *

"And the same day there were added unto the church about three thousand souls." The manner in which Peter was wont to preach respecting redemption by the blood of Christ is seen in the first chapter of his first epistle. He was here evidently writing to those whom he had formerly taught, and he appeals to their knowledge of the way of salvation, and says, "for as much as ye know that we were not redeemed by corruptible things, such as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but by the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Who verily was foreordained, before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last days for you, who by Him do believe in God."

John also, in his gospel, fully declares the character of the Messiah. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing VOL. IV.

7

made, that was made." *** "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us." In various parts of his writings he taught the great doctrine of redemption by the blood of Christ, and enjoined faith in Him as indispensable to salvation.

And Paul also, in all his epistles as well as his preaching seems to have determined to make known nothing save "Jesus Christ and him crucified." The character of Christ, redemption by his blood and justification on the ground of his righteousness alone, are subjects to which he does not deem it sufficient merely to allude, make a hasty suggestion, and turn quickly away, as if more important topics were pressing on his attention. They are subjects on which he evidently loved to think, to speak, to write, and to preach, and which he deemed to transcend all others in their practical importance. He loved to meditate on the original glory of Him, "who is God over all, blessed for ever more." Nor did he hesitate often to teach the Supreme Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, his humanity, and the motive for this mysterious union of the divine and human natures. By expositions of the moral law and an application of its principles to the feelings and conduct of men, he laboured to make them practically feel, that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in the sight of God. And he declared that "now the righteousness of God, without the law is manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all, that believe, for there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the forgiveness of sins, that are past through the forbearance of God-to declare I say, at this time his righteousness, that he may be just and the justifier of him, that believeth in Jesus. These views of the object for which Christ came, he often repeated as pre-eminently important. And in writing to the Corinthians, he says, "I declared unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day." In the Epistle to the Hebrews, he seems to have "sought out and set in order" the testimony of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. By applying its declarations, by citing its predic

tions and by explaining its ceremonies, he illustrated and confirmed the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, of His humanity, and of His offering Himself to die a victim for "the sin of the world." The whole course of his preaching is a practical illustration of his own declaration, "but what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ, yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Such were the prominence and the frequency with which the character of Christ, the object of his death and justification by faith in him, were inculcated by the disciples who were the honoured instruments of the first revival under the christian dispensation, a revival whose effects are now felt and will continue to be felt till time shall be no more.

The revival in Germany under the preaching of Luther and his contemporaries, was characterised by the preaching of Christ and him crucified. In that dark period, when the Church was sunk deep in corruption, when the world was sleeping in security, when even the monitions of conscience were hushed into silence by the sale, or purchase of indulgences, what was it that called into spiritual life the multitude which had been so long dead in trespasses and sins? Was it the agitation of the people on some question of morals, or philosophy, of measures, or of personal liberty? This might, indeed, have been competent to disturb and put into fierce commotion the slumbering elements in human bosoms, but it could have no power to subdue and renovate the souls of men. Was it the indomitable courage, and boldness, and perseverance of Luther? It is, indeed, common to hear the reformation ascribed to these traits in his character, and they were doubtless essential to a continual declaration of the truth in the face of all the obstacles by which he was beset. But it is impossible to see how these traits, disjoined from the doctrines which he taught, could have any more tendency to produce a spiritual renovation of men, than the same traits in Hannibal, or Buonaparte. The individual in whom they exist, is able to produce changes in the state of society, but the nature of these changes is almost infinitely various, and in each instance dependent on the end which he wishes to accomplish, and the means selected to effect it. When we attempt, therefore, to account for the reformation in Germany, we say, it was the design of Luther, through grace, to effect such a reformation, and he was enabled to select and preach