unimpaired, and in its purity! One would have thought, that after the Reformation, the Protestant Churches could hardly again have almost lost a doctrine which was then so fully established, and so distinctly and clearly embodied in their confessions. But it is one very opposed to our darkened understanding, and it can only be adequately understood and valued in the humbling school of Christian experience. Many too, doubtless, hold it substantially, who do not hold it in theory, or expression. May Christians ever have a jealous care over this jewel of the gospel of Christ. Experience has shown that this is a most wholesome doctrine,' as well as 'very full of comfort.' The suspicions of the natural understanding are proved to be groundless by the history of the Church. Bishop Horsley, in his first Charge, observes, 'That man is justified by faith without the works of the law, was the uniform doctrine of our first Reformers. It is a far more ancient doctrine-it was the doctrine of the whole college of Apostles it is more ancient still, it was the doctrine of the prophets it is older than the prophets—it was the religion of the patriarchs, and no one who has the least acquaintance with the writings of the first Reformers will impute to them more than to the patriarchs, the prophets, or apostles, the absurd opinion, that any man leading an impenitent wicked life will finally, upon the mere pretence of faith, (and faith connected with an impenitent life must always be a mere pretence,) obtain admission into heaven.'

Many are the lessons which we are taught, as to the causes and symptoms of a decline of religion, and it is all-important to retard its fall and forward its revival by every means in our power. It will have been observed, that all bodies of Christians have, at least for a season, fallen from their primitive purity. What have been the causes? The grand cause manifestly is the corruption of the human heart. The taking religious opinions rather on the authority of great and good names, than on that which is divine, is another cause of decline-God's holy word. (1 Cor. ii. 5.) Thus human faith is gendered, and not that divine faith which gains the victory over all our spiritual enemies.

This important subject calls for farther illustration. We see something of it in the decay of religion in the successive generations of a pious family. The effects which have arisen from pious parents thrusting their children into the ministry, show the same thing. It was said in the preceding century, 'Some of the greatest perverters of the gospel during the last century have descended from pious parents, who, fond of the idea of bringing up their children to the public service of God, overlooked the necessity of personal religion, presuming, as it would seem, that God would in due time supply that.'

We have had painful occasion to see that many have admitted right sentiments, who do not, as far as man can judge, live under the personal experience and enjoyment of those sentiments. Without noticing unworthy motives, we may in many cases believe that their real learning, their candor of mind, and their sincerity of character, have led them to avow doctrines which they perceived to be scriptural; but it is greatly to be feared that their religion is the religion of intellect without corresponding feelings; the religion of an outward orthodoxy, without the living principles having their due influence over the affections. The deity and the atonement of Christ, for instance, are admitted and are strenuously maintained against Socinians; but the glory of those doctrines, as discovering to us one able to save to the uttermost, and procuring for us a complete salvation, are not traced out in their practical application, as unspeakably important in the temptations, the distresses, the burdens, and the conflicts of the Christian life. Real Christianity is the religion of the heart, as well as of the intellect; God hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The outward defence of the truth is not to be undervalued. Christians have been shielded from many reproaches and much contempt by the learned works of men, whose general spirit and conduct has, alas! been such as to free them from the reproach of the cross, and all suspicion of enthusiasm, and who have too manifestly been of the world, to be hated by the world. They have had, we will say, the ingenuousness of mind to admit the great essential doctrines of the gospel: nay, we may go farther and say, they have assisted the real Christian by the powerful intellectual defence of doctrines, of which it is to be feared they themselves had not that full experimental enjoyment, which to the Christian was another most satisfactory evidence of their truth. Let us never rest in a bare orthodoxy of sentiment. Our creed may be perfectly right in the intellect, and our heart seriously wrong, because it never truly received it. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. It is real Antinomianism to rest satisfied with an orthodox creed, whether that creed comprehend many or few articles of faith, if those articles are destitute of holy influence on the heart and in the life.

Has not the Church of God seen these things painfully exemplified on a large scale among almost every class of Christians in every age of the church? Have not the Protestant churches on the continent and in the British islands witnessed the same distressing facts in their own history?

The great lesson which this teaches, is the supreme impor

tance of a daily, constant, humble and prayerful searching of the Word of God, by every Christian Student.

The decay of religion however mainly arises from, and is an indication of the tremendous power of that inward corruption which breaks through all barriers and rises over all bounds. It becomes at the same time another occasion for and furnishes another evidence of the freedom, and riches, and fulness of that grace which is in Christ Jesus. He, against all this powerful tendency, still raises up afresh, by fresh effusions of the Holy Ghost, faithful witnesses from time to time, with a new experience of the truth in their own conversion to God, boldly to testify the gospel of his grace. The faithful witness too is then enabled, by those abused and neglected confessions, to take a firmer stand and be strengthened and bulwarked against all attacks, and thus a new life and power is given to the form, and the whole church is revived.

We may observe that religion does not ordinarily flourish most when its professors have most worldly honor and outward advantage. It is true that in the primitive time, when the churches had rest, they were edified, and, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied: but this was in a peculiar day, and under a peculiar effusion of the Holy Ghost. The general history of the church shows how little even the best of men can bear power, dominion, and prosperity. God has wisely chosen in general a humble lot for his people, and leaves mostly to the world that which the world so eagerly pursues, the kingdoms and glory of this world. Seldom do Christians gain a large measure of riches or dominion, of science or learning, without seriously suffering in their best interests. Those who are thus raised in the world, and at this cost, have rather need of our prayers than our congratulations.

These reflections cannot be concluded better than in the striking words of Bishop Stillingfleet-' Christ crucified is the library which triumphant souls will be studying to all eternity. This is the only library which is the true Ιατρειον ψυχης, that which cures the soul of all its maladies and distempers: other knowledge makes men's minds giddy and flatulent; this settles and composes them: other knowledge is apt to swell men into high conceits and opinions of themselves, this brings them to the truest view of themselves, and thereby to humility and sobriety: other knowledge leaves men's minds as it found them; this alters them and makes them better. So transcendent an excellency is there in the knowledge of Christ crucified, above the sublimest speculations in the world.'

MINISTER'S LIBRARY.

INTRODUCTION.

(1.) Works on the study of Theology.

LEIGHTON (Abp.) Prælectiones Theologicæ. 8vo. 1828.

Edited by Professor Scholefield. Mr. Newton called this work of Leighton's 'A Diamond set in Gold,' and said it united the simplicity of the gospel with all the captivating beauties of style and language.

WILKINS (Bp. John) Ecclesiastes, or a Discourse concerning the Gift of Preaching. 8vo. 1704. 8th edition.

It contains much valuable information respecting older books of Divinity, as does BARLOW (Bp.) Directions for the Choice of Books. 4to. 1699.

DODDRIDGE (Dr. P.) A course of Lectures on Pneumatology, Ethics, and Divinity; with Lectures on Preaching. Vol. iv. and v. of his works. 8vo. 1804.

Much may be learned from this learned and devout Writer;-he has many judicious criticisms on different authors; but there is a tone of excessive candor bordering upon Latitudinarianism, especially in giving too great weight to objections; when treating upon the Evidences and Doctrines. His Criticisms on theological writers in his preaching Lectures, not duly respecting Evangelical Doctrine, fail in discrimination. See his Criticisms on Tillotson, Barrow, Atterbury.

WALCHI, (Jo. Georgii). Bibliotheca Theologica Selecta et Patristica. 5 Vols. 8vo. Jenæ, 1757-70.

A vast body of intelligence on books in all classes of Divinity. Bray's Bibliotheca was not finished, and is now of little use.

WATT (Robert). Bibliotheca Britannica. 4 Vol. 4to. 1824.

A work of prodigious labor and considerable value. Bishop Marsh mentions a work in German, by Dr. Noesselt, in 1800. All such works, however useful, show the imperfection of human labor; a few years pass away, and subsequent

works render them defective.

WOTTON (W). Thoughts concerning a proper method of studying Divinity. 8vo. 1818, Oxford, by Dr. Cotton.

A comprehensive Tract, with a short account of learned books.

BOYLE (Hon. Robert). The excellency of Theology, compared with Natural Philosophy. 8vo. 1674.

Boyle's Religious works are striking and original.

ORME (Will.) Bibliotheca Biblica, a select List of Books on Sacred Literature. 8vo. 1824.

Generally Judicious and Evangelical in his views.

RANDOLPH (Bp. John). Enchiridion Theologicum, a Manual for the use of Students. 2 Vol. 8vo. Oxford.

(2.) Treatises on Toleration, or the right of Private Judgment.

DAVENANT (Bp. John). An exhortation to Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches. 12mo. 1641.

A delightful little work on this subject. Baxter, Burroughes, Bishop Stillingfleet, and others wrote with the same views.

LOCKE (John). Letters on Toleration. 4to. 1765.

A complete and satisfactory work on Toleration.

TAYLOR (Bp.) A Discourse on the Liberty of Prophesying. 4to. 1647. An important work at the time it was published.

WARBURTON (Bp. W). Alliance between the Church and State, or the
Necessity and Equity of an Established Religion. 8vo. 1766.
A Defence of the Establishment, with the Principles of Toleration.

Section X.

NATURAL RELIGION.

WILKINS (Bp. John). Principles and Duties of Natural Religion. 8vo. 1722.

Some good remarks on the several kinds of evidence.

PALEY (William). Natural Theology. 8vo. and 12mo.

Many beautiful illustrations of the wisdom and goodness of God in the works of creation.

PAXTON (G). Illustrations of Paley's Theology. 2 vols. 8vo.

GISBORNE (Thomas). Testimony of Natural Theology to Christianity. 12mo. 1818.

Some valuable illustrations additional to Paley.

DERHAM (W). Astro and Physico Theology, or Demonstration of God from a Survey of the Heavens, and from the Works of Creation. 2 vols. 8vo. 1798.

An instructive work.

RAY (J). Wisdom of God in Creation. 8vo. 1722.
Serious and instructive.

DICK (Thomas). Christian Philosopher. 12mo. 1827. Also The Philosophy of Religion. 12mo. 1827.

STURM (C. C). Reflections-various editions.

BUTLER (Bishop). The Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the constitution and course of Nature, with an Introductory Essay by the Rev. Daniel Wilson. 12mo. 1824.

A work of incalculable value, with an instructive introduction.

HAMPDEN (Renn. D). An Essay on the Philosophical Evidence of Christianity, or the credibility obtained to a Scriptural Revelation, from its coincidence with the facts of Nature. 8vo. 1827.

Section X.

REVEALED RELIGION.

I. HOLY SCRIPTURES.

(1.) Original Texts, Versions and Polyglots.

D'ALLEMAND (Juda). Biblia Hebraica. 8vo. 1822.
Simons' or Rosenmuller's will be as useful.

BOOTHROYD (B). Biblia Hebraica. 1816, 2 vols. 4to. with notes, and
Kennicott's and De Rossi's various readings.

A valuable collection of criticisms from various sources.

Vetus Testamentum ex versione Septuaginta secundum Exemplar Vaticanum accedunt variæ Lectiones e Codice Alexandrino, 6 vols. 1817.

This Edition has the introduction of Carpzovius, and the small paper in good type is only 11. 78. in sheets.

VALPY (R). Vetus Testamentum ex versione Septuaginta. 8vo. 1829. With the Apocrypha.

There are various other editions, but this is easily procurable and convenient for general use.