actly suited to a revelation from a God of infinite benevolence, insuring immortal blessings upon all goodness, and piety, and excellence of character, but wholly unaccompanied by any weapons against the artifices and violence of a surrounding world? Could an unlearned mechanic, self-deluded, or attempting to delude others, as speaking by a divine authority, invent, practise, and cause to be extensively carried into practice, a more just and chaste morality than Socrates, or Cicero, or Cato, or any of the sages of antiquity? Surely not; precepts of so pure and benign a character, introduced among the bigotted and prejudiced Jews, actuated by martial rage against their Roman oppressors, and which won many of both, previously actuated by the most opposing passions, into mutual harmony, and universal benevolence, and heavenly mindedness, must have originated from heaven. HOMO.

REVIEW.

On celebrating the Anniversary of our Saviour's instituting the Lord's Supper. By Henry Hawkes, B. A., F. L. S. London; Chapmañ.

MR HAWKES had long felt desirous of celebrating the Lord's Supper, not only at the usual times of its observance by the religious society of which he is the pastor, but also on the anniversary of the evening of its original institution. Friend after friend came to entertain a similar desire ; and at length, on the Thursday evening immediately preceding the day commonly termed in England Good Friday, 1843, the desire was carried into execution; some sat down that had never joined us at the Lord's Table before, and an interest was called forth in the divine associations clustering about the memorial that probably none of the most constant of our communicants had ever felt before." Two brother ministers assisted at the service, and the service is published, in connection with a letter to a friend, embodying these details. The subject is worthy consideration. We should hail greater practical attention to this delightful Christian ordinance on the part of our congregations, as a bright augury of increased Christian devotedness, a more

earnest adoption and exemplification of the spirit of our Lord.

Unitarianism persecuted, because men know not what they

do; a Sermon at Newington Green Chapel, London, by Thomas Cromwell, M. A. London; Chapman.

A Sermon on occasion of the Second Reading of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill in the House of Commons, preached at Knutsford, Cheshire, by Henry Green, A. M. London; Chapman. Liverpool; Willmer & Smith. Manchester; Forrest.

Calumny repelled and the Argument inverted; two Discourses, at Stockport, on the passing of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, by William Smith. Stockport; King. London; Chapman. Manchester; Forrest.

THESE discourses mark well and accurately the different stages of that rabid and virulent opposition to what the highest legal functionary of the United Kingdom pronounced to be only a scanty measure of justice," which was called forth from self-styled evangelical Dissenters and Churchmen, by the introduction and passage through the Legislature of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill; and the calm reliance on truth and right, the Christian spirit of forbearance, the assured conviction of the peaceful triumph of sound principle and religious freedom, and the joyous gratulation on anticipation proving certainty, which marked the assailed, calumniated, and wronged Unitarians. Mr Cromwell's discourse was delivered in consequence of the gross misrepresentations of the Unitarian tenets put forth at the Parochial School Rooms, Islington, the Rev. D. Wilson, the vicar in the chair, when the inhabitants were convened to oppose the bill. It formed the introduction to a course of lectures, explanatory and defensive of the Unitarian faith. The text is Luke, xxiii. 34, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do ;" and the discourse could not fail of doing good.

Mr Green, full of pious thankfulness on learning the noble majority on the second reading of the bill in the House of Commons; confident in the might of justice and truth, felt no misgivings respecting the ultimate result, allowed neither doubt nor suspicion to damp his thankfulness, but at once gave vent to the joyous emotions of his heart in most appropriate thoughts and words, founded on

Luke, i. 74, 75, "That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life."

Mr Smith, on "the day set apart for a special thanksgiving to Almighty God for the passing of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill," celebrates the triumph of truth and justice from the words, Acts, ix. 31, " Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied." In a course of clear historical statement, Mr Smith proves the baselessness of the calumnious charge reiterated against Unitarians of having usurped property to which they had no valid claim; and demonstrates, in principle and in fact, the steadfast adhesion on the part of the Unitarian denomination to the cardinal principles of Protestantism, as well as to that hallowed foundation on which Christian freedom is based, exhorting his hearers to continue firmly to act in accordance with it, as expressed in the text of the second sermon,— "We ought to obey God rather than man."

An Inquiry into the Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. London; Chapman. Birmingham; Allen and Son; Belchor and Son; and J. Guest.

The Christian Unitarian Congregation and Schools assembling in the chapel New Hall Hill, Birmingham, are striking and cheering proofs of the beneficial results which may be achieved by Christian union; persevering labours for human well-being, prompted and animated by enlightened minds and devoted hearts, guided by Christian principle, and inspired by hope in human progress. The founders of the New Hall Hill Society did not despise the day of small things in faith and charity they began their humble work, trusting in the blessing of the God and Father of all. They have not been disappointed; they have not failed of the reward which, sooner or later, follows on virtuous exertion. The rooms in which they commenced their labours in Cambridge Street, soon became too limited in their space; the Christian munificence of friends and wellwishers cheered them onward, and, combined with their own liberal gifts, enabled them to rear the handsome and commodious edifice in which their worship and schools are now conducted. With Christian earnestness and zeal have they continued in the way of well-doing, building up each other in their most holy faith, imparting the bless

ings of Christian instruction and education to persons of every age who sought and seek the benefit of their services.

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Among their other and various means of diffusing religious truth, may be ranked the discourse on "The Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ," delivered by ber of the Society," first in Cambridge Street, in 1838, and afterwards in New Hall Hill chapel in 1844. Founded on 1 Corinthians, xv. 21, 22, the author arranges the queries of his sermon under three heads: "1st, What is death? 2d, Did Christ die, as is recorded? and was his death the public death of a malefactor? and, 3d, If we establish these points of my second proposition, was he raised from the dead? and, if so, was he raised in incorruptible life, to be with God in glory?" The answers to these inquiries are given with considerable originality and power, and embody thoughts and statements well meriting the careful consideration of every serious and practical disciple of Jesus. Those who willingly encounter some occasional obscurity of style for the sake of the truth which may be found under its shadow, will discover in this sermon many things to value highly. Those who, like the author, "when a very young man," may be doubtful of the validity of the evidences of Revealed Religion, may be led by these pages, and other statements of the Christian Evidences, to which the perusal of his "Inquiry" may prompt them, to rest, as he does now, from faithful examination, in rejo cing assurance of the truth and value of the blessed consolations of the Gospel of Christ.

Human Nature. London, Chapman.

The people of Scotland have too long been familiar with a work bearing a similar title to that we have just written; a work carrying its pestiferous theology into every cottage of this land, darkening with gloom its inmates, whenever and wherever they mistake its teachings for truth; leading man to look on the face of his brother with aversion rather than affection; turning the eye of the mother from her child, almost horror stricken at the loathsome thing she has brought into the world; picturing that world as a lazar-house, and covering the future with a funeral pall; making eternity resound with yells and shrieks of agony, or with infernal hallelujahs over the miseries of the damned. Of" Human Nature, in its fourfold state," as delineated by the "Reverend and learned T. Boston," who has not heard? And who, retaining human feelings, has not shuddered at its mpious descriptions of that nature which bears the "image

and superscription" of the Almighty. This book has for long long years constituted the spiritual food of the Scottish nation; seeking the bread of life, they have received instead this stone of bigotry and uncharitableness.

The "Human Nature" we have now to notice, is of a totally opposite character to that of Boston. If the one gives degrading and depressing views of man, the other indulges in visions no less baseless. It is affirmed, for example, page 72, "The nature of the soul is progressive, and it must, of necessity, through its successive, gradual, but SURE unfoldings and developement, have given utterance to those truths and revelations of the nature of the soul which we now possess under the name of Christianity, so soon as any other mind had reached that state of delopement and advance in psychical progression which Jesus exhibited. For these revelations lie infolded and concealed under the successive coverings of the same expanded spirit, as beauty lies imprisoned within the leaves of the rosebud; and both require but time and growth for their full manifestation." Then, why have they not been manifested during the six thousand years of human history, save in the person and character and teachings of " the Christ" of God! Exclamations were heard in ancient as in modern times, of lo here is Christ! and lo there! but with all the means and appliances which ancient or modern knowledge has presented for "the successive, gradual, but SURE unfolding, and developement" of human nature, never, but in the life, spirit, and teachings of the Way, the Truth, and the Life, has there been witnessed a perfect "manifestation" of the pure, the true, the beautiful, the good, the holy. Even with all the motives to the manifestation of the kingdom of God within the soul, so abundantly supplied by the example and instructions of Christ Jesus, no disciple of the Son of God, however labouring to consecrate body and soul to the service of truth and virtue, has ever approached in moral purity and loveliness "the Holy One and the just." Man may deify human nature, and indulge the vain imagining, that, through the agency of natural causes only, perfectibility might be attained; but the experience of the past and the present alike refutes the fancy.

This work is not for the masses; its style, and phraseology, and modes of thought, will prevent its being popular. We regret the increase of works which delight in an unknown tongue. If, indeed, as has been affirmed by a celebrated diplomatist, the use of language be to conceal the thoughts, many publications of the present day exhibit excellent specimens of its power in this particular. The