founded on Rom. i. 4.; and in discussing the subject, as displaying the work of God the Holy Ghost in his church as "the Spirit of Holiness" the preacher has adopted the following order :-in the first sermon he directs the attention of his hearers to the nature, the necessity, and the Author of holiness-in the second, he considers the principle of holiness as developed in regenerationin the third, he reviews holiness negatively, as exhibited in the mortification of sin-and in the fourth sermon, he surveys the subject as manifested positively in the work of sanctification.

Mr. Evans in pursuing the subject, has throughout so judiciously and so decidedly advocated the divinity, personality, and all-important work of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of holiness, that we do most cheerfully recommend them to our readers. We have taken an extract from the second discourse, where speaking of the condition of man by nature while in an unregenerate state he thus describes him.

하

"Not only is holiness in God in direct opposition to unholiness in the creature, but justice in God cannot but denounce the punishment due to the delinquency, while faithfulness constrains to its most righteous execution. The ubregenerate man will worship God, give him some outward service, pay him some formal respect, and in all this, exhibit no enmity, and feel none. But, when a God of holiness looks through all this external observance, pronounces it nothing worth, denounces the worshipper as a criminal, needing pardon-as a sinner, needing holiness-strips him of all his outside shew-tells him, that without shedding of blood there is no remission that "without faith it is impossible to please God”—that " of every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgment" that, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"- that, "without holiness no man shall see God." It is this which stirs up the latent embers-instantly the spark kindles, and all is flame.

"The carnal mind is enmity against God." And what a deadly feature is this! enmity against God! against the best of Beings! against Him who is not only good, but without whom nothing is good! My brethren, to be indifferent to such a Being, would argue great depravity. What then shall we say of utter alienation from him? But if this be fearful wickedness, what a state must it argue to hate such a Being; and yet the scripture, asserting man's enmity against God, declares a condition inconceivably more terrible than even this. Here, then, are the awful symptoms of spiritual death; blindness in the mind, blindness in the understanding, blindness in the affections. Nor are these all. There is insensibility in his conscience. Nothing from without, nothing from within, no outward providence however touching, no inward misgiving, however in some cases it may produce alarm and uneasiness, is attended with any permanent result. Like the early dew, it quickly passeth away. If the unregenerate man does not always openly puff at his enemies, does not "like the wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure,' always deride the power that pursues him, if sometimes he trembles like Felix, repents like Ahab, does many things like Herod, and flees from the horrors of reflection like Judas, yet is his conscience, as it regards any spiritual apprehension, dead and insensible. It may too sometimes awake, and it is but sometimes; it may be purtially alive as to the effects, consequences, aud dangers of sin, but as to its real evil, its true character, its essential opposition to God, its inherent hatefulness in all this, it is dead. Not only his mind, but his very conscience is defiled, Titus i. 15.

We cannot but indulge our readers with another extract from the fourth sermon when referring to the promises of the gospel as applied by the Eternal Spirit in the season of trial.

"How sweet and how sanctifying are the promises, when, in the season of sharp trial, affliction, and anguish of heart, they are laid upon the wounded spirit, like rain upon the new mown grass. When the Spirit of love, sent by the God of love, that his heirs of promise might be partakers of a divine nature, so applies them, so makes them ours, more real advance may be made in faith and love and holiness in that dark and lowering season than in years before of comparative sunshine and outward ease. What cordials are these to the fainting soldier! "When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee." "My grace is sufficient for thee." My strength is made perfect in weakness." "Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Oh how has it turned the battle to the gate, how have the hands which hung down been lifted up, the feeble knees been strengthened, when the blessed Captain himself, his own Spirit, has poured in the oil and the wine, and revived the heart of him who seemed ready to die!

"How often, when sorrow after sorrow, cross after cross, disappointment after disappointment, have tried the saint of God, when the world has been unkind, saints have been unkind, and even a Father has seemed unkind, though it was but in appearance, has this Holy Comforter, sustaining faith, and hope, and love, brought forth the patience that hopes and quietly waits for deliverance, and even the joy that rejoices in the tribulation. Promises so applied, so possessed, give such sights of Christ and of God as cannot but transform to his likeness, and assimilate to his image, 2 Cor. iii. 18. vii. 1.

"Then do the precepts appear exceedingly pleasant and gracious, and the enlarged heart runs in the way of them, Ps. cxix. 32. As love, the fruit of faith is experienced, so its constraining influence is felt, its holy tendencies, its sanctifying power. Then is the timid fear of offending, and the lowly confidence that trusts, and the quiet mind and the peaceful waiting on God and for God, and the ready pace of swift obedience, more truly known and exhibited. Then is the soul more habitually prayerful and watchful and spiritual; the evil within us is more subdued, the grace within more drawn out and developed, more led forth into spiritual act and exercise, and thus is the life more holy, more devoted, more Christ-like. Faith produces love. The love of God produces love to God. As Jesus is more loved, sin is more hated, and likeness to him more desired. His love to his people leads them to love what he loves, to hate what he hates; and this restrains from sin, and constrains to obedience. Notions will not do it. Legal principles will not do it. Dead faith will not do it. But a living, loving, filial faith will. Close views of the cross, a realizing possession of the Saviour, endearing views of a Father's love give a clearer vision to the spiritual eye. It can discern sin where once it had no suspicion of its existence. It can see teo its blackness and deformity where they were once unseen. It can detect pride when it lurks under the guise of humility, find self in what seemed to be zeal, discover worldliness in that which looked like self-denial.

"Under its influence the believer shrinks from the seat of judgment upon others, because he sits there so often to judge himself, and feels too conscious of bring an unprofitable servant in his own conduct, to have any desire to pass sentence upon another.

"Thus, in the school of experience, does the Spirit of holiness sanctify the soul. It is here he exercises and invigorates all the graces of the new nature, and teaches the believer to waik more nearly to, more closely with

God. Amidst scenes of trials, and temptations, and distress, and sorrow, amidst prostrate idols, broken cisterns, and withered gourds, amidst a sinking self and a dying world; by the faithful word, the word of God, the word of a Father, its doctrines, its promises, its precepts, does the Spirit of holiness sanctify the elect of God. Here does he strengthen faith, encourage hope, and deepen repentance. Here does he foil Satan, detach from sin, and wean from the world. Here does he lead to submission, humiliation, brokenness, and prayer. It is here that he wounds and he heals. He occasions tears and dries them up again. It is here that he kills and makes alive. He satisfies the hungry, but sends the rich empty away. Here the lofty mountain is brought down, the lowly valley rises. The creature is laid in the dust, and God alone is exalted. It is here that he shews the believer in Jesus that religion is no cunningly devised fable, not a chain of opinions, not the accuracy of a creed, but the real substantial persuasion of that which has strength to support, wisdom to guide, true riches in the land of poverty, real comfort when all earthly comfort fails. In the dry and parched wilderness we discover more preciousness in the fountain of life, and the very parchedness of the desert endears that fountain still more to our souls.

Our limits forbear any further observations; we must, therefore, refer our readers to the work itself, which will compensate them in its perusal.

Backsliding not Apostacy; in a Letter to Mr. WELLS, containing the Refutation of his Doctrine. By I. SCOFIELD, 12mo. pp. 18. Backsliding not Apostacy. Second Part. By I. ScoField, 12mo. pp. 29. London, Baisler.

The first of these pamphlets is a letter to Mr. Wells, on his having asserted that a child of God was not liable to backslide; he considering that backsliding meant apostacy. In a review of a pamphlet by Mr. W. in a former number of our work, we gave our objections to Mr. W.'s views, believing that though he erred in the meaning of words, yet he agreed as to the act of the believer's departures from his Lord. This first letter remonstrates with Mr. Wells, and urges him to an acknowledgment of

his mistake.

The second letter is to the same import, but written in a much more censurable spirit: there is but little of that feeling evinced which ought to pervade one who formerly sat under the ministry of him whom he now reproves, Let it be remembered, that little good will result from a controversy where acrimony and bitterness form its most prominent features. It is to be regretted that the gratification of some personal feeling often guides the pen of a controversialist while inwards he professes jealousy for the honor of God. While we would hope this is not the case in the present instance, we would recommend Mr. S. to examine his motives, and write in the spirit of the gospel should he resume his pen.

POETRY.

LINES ON THE PRECIOUSNESS OF CHRIST.

Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious."-1 Pet. ii. 7.
PRECIOUS! yea, Christ the Lord's more precious far
Than Ophir's costly golden wedge or bar;
Precious to all who him by faith receive,
Or in his ever-blessed name believe.
Precious, O far beyond what words express,
Is Christ, to all who do in truth possess.
Precious, the savour of that love-fraught name,
JEHOVAH-Jesus, evermore the same.
Precious, as fragrant ointment poured forth,
As richest ointment of the greatest worth.
Precious, the glorious Person of our Lord,
Bone of our bone, yet the Almighty WORD.
Precious, that work of love which cost his life,
To save the church, his bride, the Lamb's dear wife.
Precious, the triumphs of his wondrous cross-
Compar'd with this, the world's but dung and dross.
Precious, indeed, his sin-atoning blood,

For there's no other way from earth to God.
Precious, his spotless robe of righteousness,
Our souls to justify, adorn, and dress.
Precious, the comfort which his holy word
Doth oft-times his poor tempted saints afford.
Precious, those sacred attributes divine,
Which in Immanuel with such splendour shine.
Precious, his wisdom and his truth to guide
Each helpless worm for whom he bled and died.
Precious, his mighty power our souls to save,
And raise our bodies from the conquer'd grave.
Precious, his sov'reign love, both rich and free,
And everlasting as eternity.

Precious, his justice, mercy, truth, and grace,
All harmonize in saving Jacob's race.
Precious, his never-failing faithfulness,
And all the gracious shinings of his face.
Precious, each office which our Lord doth fill.
Our Prophet to make known JEHOVAH'S will.
Precious, our sinless great High Priest t'atone
For num'rous sins, for errors not his own.
Precious, the characters which Jesus bears,
Th' Almighty burden-bearer of our cares.
Precious, good Shepherd, to lead on, protect,
And feed his blood-bought sheep, God's dear elect.
Precious Physician, to restore my soul,

And make poor sin-sick, wounded sinners whole.
Precious, that Rock on which the church is built,
In which she's screen'd from wrath due to her guilt.
Precious, that Tree of Life whose leaves do heal
Sin's dire disease, which grace hath made us feel.

Precious, that fruit it bears, divinely sweet;
Nor less its value as a safe retreat.

Precious, strong Tower! Impenetrable shield!
To guard us while within the warlike field.
Precious, that Husband, Father, Brother, Friend,
Who holds these ties by love that ne'er shall end.
Precious, our everlasting cov'nant Head,
Who'll be our all when other joys have fled.
Precious, his pity and his tenderness,

His boundless stores of soul-renewing grace.
Precious, his gifts of faith, and hope, and love,
Wrought in the soul by the immortal Dove.
Precious, when Satan tempts with hellish pow'r
Is Christ our strength, to keep us in that hour.
Precious, concerning Christ, the Fount to know,
He is the same when all the streams run low.
Precious, is Jesus' honour and renown,
When all around on us appears to frown.
Precious, while passing death to Canaan's shore,
And precious will he be for evermore !
Southwark, Jan. 15, 1833.

THE DYING THIEF RECEIVED TO GLORY.

LIFT up your heads, ye gates, ye brazen bars,
Give way: fly back, ye rusty bolts, and give
Your prisoner forth. Behold on Calvary's hill,
The cross erected. By the Saviour's side,
There is the malefactor-law-condemned,
Uprais'd 'tween heaven and earth-a spectacle,
To suffer death. Hark, from his throbbing breast
Proceeds a cry, "Dear Lord, remember me !"
The Saviour, full of love divine, regards—
Always attentive to the prayer of faith-
The piteous call, and in his wounded soul
Pours this reviving cordial-"Thou shalt be
This day with me in paradise." Now he dies,
Lost in amazing wonder at the sound,
And sinks into the bosom of his God.

Lift up your heads, ye everlasting gates,
Prepare the way, ye shining cherub ranks;
Prepare the way for Christ the conqueror,
Sing his great victory o'er th' infernal foes;
Hark, to the trumpets o'er the etherial plains,
Gladly resounding, lead him to his throne.
Silent amaze, is on each seraph's face,
While Jesus with his saved one slowly moves.

Ponder the contrast-he who sighed just now,
Pent in a dungeon-ransomed, stands first fruits
Of the redemption by Immanuel-Groans no more
Rack his pained breast; the tattered weeds give place
To a white robe by his own Saviour wrought.
The rattling of the heavy chains are now
Succeeded by the harp-string's stirring note,
Which glad he tunes to praise redeeming love—

That love which snatched him from perdition's brink,
And led him to a crown!

Orpington.

F. J. H.

T. W.