from darkness, and restored, not without considerable advantage, to sound doctrine. You may see the defect, if you be at leisure, chap. iv. ver. 17. "Shall mortal man be just before God?" not, more just than God, as our version, unfaithful here at least, has it. I do not remember to have read, or to have received by report, that any one ever arrived to such a pitch of impudence, as to dare to boast that he was more just than God, the fountain and rule of all manner of goodness. Hardly, therefore, nay scarcely would it have been worth while to confute, with so great energy and pomp of words, what could enter into the thoughts of no mortals whatsoever. Nor does the divine writer act otherwise than as a trifler, if you believe the received version. But if you admit that of Schultens, he acts quite the reverse. That version discovers a difficulty worthy of a God to unravel. It decyphers and destroys an error, than which there is none more destructive, or that insinuates itself with greater importunity into our minds. It takes away, it refutes, it tramples upon every species of what is called human merit. Nor does it suffer even the least handle to be left to the holiest of men, either to boast of their own deeds, or to justify themselves. Nay it represents all men, however dignified through the world by the praises of piety and purity, as wholly guilty, and without excuse before the supreme Judge; and shews that none can go away from that tremendous tribunal free from punishment, unless their sins are freely forgiven them, and the righteousness of CHRIST the Mediator be imputed to them for their justification. Behold an evangelist indeed before the Gospel! who by feeling found out, not the sum only of that saving economy, but seems in a manner to have entered into the very bowels and marrow of it. Happy we and our people, if it be given us to draw forth the same faith from the marrow. Truly I love the man, who, by such a happy comment, has at last

* See this passage excellently illustrated by our author, in his Con. templations on the Night, Vol. I.

renewed and restored these bright gospel tidings to Job, to Christianity, and to us too, removing either unskilfulness in the Hebrew diction, or the carelessness of interpreters. But, reverend sir, I love and respect you the more ardently, whose most amiable friendship, which I have experienced on trial once and again, has caused me to hope from it a more abundant harvest of pleasure and advantage than I durst promise myself. That you may live and prosper, is the hearty wish of your much obliged

JAMES HERVEY.

P. S.-If upon the recovery of my health, I can be of any service to you in any business, I do not say you should ask it, but command it.

ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. JAMES HERVEY.

ON vulgar marks Death long had mcanly spent
His loaded quiver, and his bow full bent;
Monarchs, who had been great but for a crown,
Statesmen and heroes, sons of high renown;
When, lo! in Heaven this awful mandate past,
"To-morrow's dawn be some famed mortal's last!"
The tidings, to our world officious sent,

Through ALBION's isles on wing of lightning went :
Impiety, her heart by vipers stung,

Again blasphemes with loud audacious tongue;
Vice stalks abroad, each late retreat forsook,
With all her bold effrontery of look:

But, ah! while these malignant triumphs show,
Far other bosoms other feelings know!
The Muse in vain conceals her weeping eye,
And each tear Learning answers with a sigh;
Religion starts, though arm'd with tenfold shield,
And Virtue shrinks, though she disdains to yield:
-The arrow sped, Death took his aim too well,
The mitred pontiff lived, and HERVEY fell.

CHARACTER

OF

MR JAMES HERVEY'S WRITINGS.

THE Reverend Mr James Hervey being now dead, yet speaketh to us in his valuable writings; writings which, for importance of subject, weight of argument, sublimity of thought, justness of sentiment, and elegance of diction, are equalled by few, and excelled by none.

His strain is truly evangelical; his method inviting, entertaining, and edifying; calculated both to profit and to please: and a spirit of meekness, candour, and modesty, breathes through and beautifies the whole.

His favourite topic is the righteousness and atonement of the Redeemer. On this he expatiates with inexpressible satisfaction, and dwells with rapturous delight. By this he "touches the finest movements of the soul, and strikes all the inmost springs of action, with the most persuasive, the most commanding energy," and sweetly constrains to the obedience of love.

He ransacks the mansions of the dead, turns the grave into a pulpit, and makes putrefaction and mortality preach lessons to the living. He surveys, with Newtonian exactness, the starry expanse, and the countless radiant worlds that roll in the nocturnal sky: from these he investigates the glory and perfections of the creating and sustaining God; and from these he enhances the wonders of redeeming love. He mounts the believer on the summit of creation,

410

CHARACTER OF MR HERVEY'S WRITINGS.

as upon a stupendous eminence, to enlarge his prospect, and exalt his conceptions of the majesty and glory of that God, who redeemed his church with his own blood. When imagination itself, with all the assistance of science, is lost in the immensity and awful grandeur of the works of nature; immediately he contracts the universe into a span, and the enormous orbs into fleeting atoms, or the small dust that remains in the balance, when the works of redemption are brought in view.

Thus, he unites the most improved philosopher with the sound believer; and makes reason and nature subservient to faith and revelation. Whilst he allows reason its freest inquiry and fullest scope, he gives up with none of the peculiarities of the gospel ; but holds forth, with the clearest light, and in various points of view, those truths wherein the offence of the cross consists.

May these heavenly doctrines, and precious truths, which flowed in such copious, gladdening streams, from his lips and pen, be transmitted pure and unadulterated to the latest posterity; and may that divine Spirit, which gave them their proper energy and influence upon his heart and life, ever accompany them to remotest ages!

Printed by Walker & Greig,
Edinburgh.

THE END.