practice of religion; in other words, the theory of natural religion, revealed religion, and the practical nature and design of religion. Or, taking another view of his plan, he treats of the kingdom of nature; the kingdom of grace, under the Mosaie economy; the kingdom of grace, under the Gospel; and the kingdom of glory. He discusses, with great minuteness and at great length, the being and attributes of God; the constitution of the universe; the character and condition of man both before and after the fall; the moral administration of God under the law; the mediatorial or evangelical system in all its branches, including the person and work of Christ, the doctrines, ordinances, and precepts, of the Gospel, and the future state of rewards and punishments. To give even a faint outline of the innumerable discussions and definitions contained in the work, is impossible; what precedes will afford, however, some idea of it. He seems to have been partial to tracing a kind of trinity in unity in all things. A trinity of persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit; a trinity of principles in man, which he calls power, intellect, and will; corresponding imperfectly with three principles in the nature of God-life, intellect, and will. He finds three kingdoms, or dispensations, nature, grace, and glory; in nature he finds three principles, light, heat, and motion; in the economy of grace he finds the Father governing, the Son saving, the Holy Spirit sanctifying; and God accomplishing all his designs of mercy in us by three principles, faith, hope, and love. In the representation and working of this trinitarian scheme of philosophy, metaphysics, and morals, Baxter has displayed considerable ingenuity and vast labour. Many of his schemes or tables are formed with great care, and present some happy and useful arrangements and combinations. There is much, however, of what is fanciful and hypothetical in his system, and, taken as a whole, it is more calculated to amuse as a curious speculation or effort of genius, than to answer any important practical purpose. The work shows that the author is entitled to rank high among the metaphysico-theological writers of the period. I am, therefore, surprised that Mr. Morell has entirely omitted him in his very useful work on 'The Elements of the History of Philosophy and Science.' Whatever may be thought of his opinions, Baxter, in point of genius, as a metaphysician, is not unworthy of a place on the same roll with Cudworth, and Leibnitz, and Clarke; and is unquestionably superior to Bramhall and Tenison, Wilkins, Cumberland, and More. As Baxter wrote occasionally some Latin verse, as well as English poetry, I shall close the account of this proof of his stupendous industry by quoting the lines with which he concludes it. "Munde dolose vale: mihi vera palæstra fuisti: Vita fugax cessat: Præstant æterna caducis : Tu mortis mors: vitæ tu vita perennis : Gloria nostra tua est gloria, lumen, amor. The last work of Baxter in this department, which it is necessary to notice, was published only a short time before his death, and bears a most appropriate title for the conclusion of our account of his doctrinal views: An End of Doctrinal ? I have observed, since writing the preceding account of the Methodus,' in a catalogue of his works, published at the end of his own edition of his 'Counsels to Young Men,' in 1682, a short analysis of this ponderous work, evidently written by himself. "It consists," he says, "of seventy-three tables, or methodical schemes, pretending to a juster methodizing of Christian verities, according to the matter and Scripture, than is yet extant; furnishing men with necessary distinctions on every subject; showing that trinity in unity is imprinted on the whole creation, and trichotomizing is the just distri bution in naturals and morals. The first part, of the kingdom of nature; the second, of the kingdom of grace before Christ's incarnation; the third, of the Controversies, which have lately troubled the Churches, by reconciling Explication without much Disputing.' 1691. 8vo. In his preface he gives a most characteristic account of his reasons for engaging so much in controversy, and of his object in this book in particular. "Wars," he says, "are most dreaded and hated by the country where they are; but not so much by the soldiers, who by them seek their prey and glory, as by the suffering inhabitants that lose thereby their property and peace, who yet are forced, or drawn to be siders, lest they suffer for neutrality. "Religious (irreligious) wars are of no less dismal consequence, being about God himself, his will, and word; and that which more nearly toucheth our souls and everlasting state, than our houses and worldly welfare do. Yet because men are more sensible of their corporal than their spiritual concerns, these dogmatical wars are far less feared, and too commonly made the study and delight, not only of the military clergy, but also of the seduced and sequacious laity: though those who have the wisdom from above, which is pure and peaceable, condole the church's calamity hereby; knowing that envy and strife, the earthly, sensual, and devilish wisdom, cause confusion and every evil work. It is a heinous aggravation, that the militants, being men consecrated to love and peace, profanely father their mischiefs upon God, and do all as for religion and the church. Having these four-and-forty years, at least, been deeply sensible of this sin, danger, and misery of Christians, I kingdom of grace and the Spirit, since the incarnation; the fourth, of the kingdom of glory. All in one political method, in the efficience, constitution, and administration, namely, legislation, judgment, and execution. The first part mostly philosophical, with a full scheme of philosophy or ontology. The doctrine de anima most largely; with above two hundred select disputations; prolix ones on the trinity, predetermination, the faculties of the soul, original sin, and a multitude of controversies briefly decided." Had Baxter lived in the days of the schoolmen, he would have been the Thomas Aquinas, or DunScotus, of the period. have preached much and written more against it; to confute those extremes which cause divisions, and to reconcile those that think they differ where they do not; sometimes, also, using importunate petitions and pleas for peace, to those that have power to give it or promote it, and that use either word or sword against it. And with the sons of peace it hath not been in vain; but with those that are engaged in faction and malicious strife, I am proclaimed to be the militant enemy of concord, for persuading them to concord; and writing many books for peace and love, is taken for writing them against these. Controversies I have written of but only to end them, and not to make them; and who can reconcile them that never mentioneth them, or arbitrate in a cause unheard and not opened? "But, readers, I must tell you that my title, 'An End of Doctrinal Controversies,' is not intended as prognostic, but as didactical and directive. I am far from expecting an end of controversies, while consecrated ignorance is by worldly interest, faction, and malice, mixed with pride sublimated to an envious zeal; and hath set up a trade of slandering all those that are true peacemakers, not concurring with them to destroy it, on pretence of defending, by their unpeaceable, pernicious terms. He that will now be taken for a peacemaker, must be content to be so called by a few, even by the sect that he chooseth to please, and be contrarily judged of by all the rest. And this satisfieth some, because their faction seemeth better than others, be they ever so few; and others because their faction is great, or rich, or uppermost, how noxious and unpeaceable The conclusion of the preface is worthy of the writer, and in his best style. "The glorious light will soon end all our controversies, and reconcile those who by unfeigned faith and love are united in the Prince of Peace, or Head, by love dwelling in 9 Preface. God and God in them. But false-hearted, malignant, carnal worldlings, that live in the fire of wrath and strife, will find, so dying, the woful maturity of their enmity to holy unity, love, and peace; and that the causeless shutting the true servants of Christ out of their churches, which should be the porch of heaven, is the way to be themselves shut out of the heavenly Jerusalem. If those that have long reproached me as unfit to be in their church, and said Ex uno disce omnes, with their leader, find any unsound or unprofitable doctrine here, I shall take it for a great favour to be confuted, even for the good of others excluded with me, when I am dead." This work does not contain much that is new or original. It consists of twenty-five chapters on most of the topics on which he had treated often and largely before; particularly on the points embraced in the Arminian and Calvinistic controversy. The divine decrees, election and reprobation; natural power and free-will, original sin, universal grace, and redemption; justification and faith; good works, merit, assurance, perseverance, &c., all come under his review; and on these and their collateral subjects he may be considered as delivering his last thoughts. Having come literally to the end of Baxter's doctrinal writings, this is perhaps the most appropriate place for stating what appear to have been his sentiments on the great leading points which have long been controverted among Christians. The task is far from being an easy one, and I doubt whether I shall be able satisfactorily to perform it. Its difficulty arises from the multitude of Baxter's controversial writings, from the innumerable distinctions with which they are filled, and from the extended and diversified explanations that he gives of every term and phrase which he employs. His conscientiousness, his fear of being misunderstood, his anxiety to render every thing clear and unambiguous, his wish to reconcile opposite and conflicting sentiments, and to humble the pride of contentious parties, by |