EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND Theological Review. JULY, 1822. BIOGRAPHY OF TIMOTHY ROGERS, M.A. [With a Portrait.] THE worthy minister, whose portrait | pious father paid particular attention to accompanies this number of our Ma- his education, and had the happiness gazine, is pretty generally known in the of seeing the fruits of his labour and of Dissenting community, as the author of his prayers, in the piety of his son, a volume which has been thrice pub- of which the symptoms began early to lished, entitled, "A Discourse con- be manifested, to the great joy of his cerning trouble of mind, and the parent's heart. "In those times of disease of Melancholy-written for the heavy persecution," says the Memoir use of such as are, or have been exer- above referred to, "when the excellent cised by the same: by one who was of the earth, who could not [adjust] long afflicted with both." His father, their consciences to the standard of the the Rev. John Rogers, was many years royal faith, were denied the common an eminent minister at Barnard Castle, rights of hospitality, and hunted from in the diocese of Durham; a living place to place, like sojourners in a which he was obliged to resign at the foreign country, debarred from those time of the Restoration, when he re- common privileges which a bountiful moved to Croglin, in Cumberland, Father hath bestowed freely upon all; where he continued till he was ejected it was the lot of young Rogers to spend by the Act of Uniformity, on Bartho- the early and most important part of his lomew-day, 1662. It is of this ex- life. The difficulties he must have excellent man, that those remarkable cir- perienced in his education may easily cumstances are recorded, in which Sir be imagined; and, it was only by great Richard Cradock, a justice of the peace, perseverance and industry, that he and violent persecutor of the Dissen- could hope to surmount them. Having ters, had so large a share. The par- availed himself of those advantages for ticulars will be found circumstantially acquiring the rudiments of learning, detailed in the Memoir of his son, pre- which were afforded in his native place, fixed to the volume above-mentioned; he was, at a proper age, sent to one of and, also, in Mr. Wilson's History of the Scotch Universities, where he proDissenting Churches, Vol. II. p. 322-secuted his studies for the ministry, 6. The story certainly partakes much of the marvellous in some parts; but the reader is at liberty to exercise his own judgment on its credibility. TIMOTHY ROGERS, the subject of this Memoir, was born at Barnard Castle, but in what year is not known. His VOL. VIII. and, having passed through the usual forms, he took the degree of Master of Arts." Previous to his entering upon the work of the ministry, Mr. Rogers passed some time under the roof of Mr. Edward Veal, a learned Noncon 2 B formist, who resided in Wapping, having several pupils under his care. To the patronage and counsel of this gentleman, he owed so much, that he continued through life forward to testify his obligations. His first stated employment in the work of the ministry, appears to have been in conducting an evening lecture, in conjunction with Mr. Thomas Kentish, in Crosby Square, Bishopsgate Street. The lecture was supported by several merchants, and other persons of respectability, and Mr. Rogers acquired considerable reputation by the discourses which he there delivered. His personal appearance in the pulpit was commanding, his elocution pleasing, and his manner of address highly interesting. It is a melancholy reflection, that some of the brightest geniuses that have adorned the world, have been the subject of this terrible calamity, in one form or other. The case of another of our finest poets is generally known, viz. that of COLLINS. Speaking of him, the late Dr. Johnson has the following striking remarks. "How little can we venture to exult in any intellectual powers, or literary attainments, when we consider the condition of poor Collins. I knew him a few years ago full of hopes, and full of projects, versed in human languages, high in fancy, and strong in retention. This busy and forcible mind is now under the government of those, who lately could not have been able to comprehend the least In 1682, he made his first appearance and most narrow of his designs.-I as an author, in a funeral sermon, on have often been near his state, and Eccles. xii. 1. occasioned by the death therefore have it in great commiseraof Mr. R. Linegar, a student for the tion.-The moralists all talk of the unministry, under the care of the ve- certainty of fortune, and the transi nerable Edward Veal, who prefixed to it toriness of beauty: but, it is yet more a recommendatory Preface. Some time dreadful to consider, that the powers of after this, he fell into a deep and settled the mind are equally liable to changemelancholy, in which he continued that understanding may make its apnearly two years; and this was the par-pearance and depart-that it ticular dispensation of Providence, that occasioned his drawing up his valuable discourse on Trouble of Mind. The description which he has given in that work, of his mental suffering and distress, is sufficient to excite one's tenderest compassion. He paints his state as a land of darkness, on which the sun never seemed to shine! To consolation of every kind he was an utter stranger, being given up a prey to the most distressing fears and anxieties. In the agonies of his mind he was tempted to conclude, that he was forsaken of God, and he was doomed to realize the dreadful horrors of despair. Poor COWPER, who was himself the subject of this constitutional malady, well knew by experience what it was, and he has described it to the life, in his poem on Retirement, with his own magic pencil. No wounds like those, a wounded spirit feels, may blaze and expire." Boswell's Life of Johnson, Vol. I. But, to return to Mr. Rogers: After passing two years in this melancholy state, it pleased God to dispel the clouds from his mind, and restore him to health and cheerfulness, so that he was enabled to resume his services in the Lord's vineyard. About the year 1690, he resumed his lectureship, on doing which, he offered up his grateful acknowledgments to the divine goodness for his wonderful restoration. He also delivered a course of Sermons founded upon the affecting circumstances in which he had been placed. These were subsequently published under the title of " Practical Discourses on Sickness and Recovery.". In the following year, he gave to the public his valuable discourse on Trouble of Mind, and the Disease of Melancholy; in which he experimentally prescribes excellent remedies for the relief and recovery of those unhappy persons who may be in similar circumstances. Soon after his restoration, Mr. Rogers was chosen colleague to Mr. Shower, whose church then assembled in Jewin Street, but afterwards removed to a larger and more convenient meetinghouse in the Old Jewry. In this con No cure for such, till God, who makes them, nexion he continued for several years, heals," ON JUSTIFICATION. "In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." Ir is the solemn declaration of the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God." preaching with great acceptance and success. He enjoyed a large share of the affections of his people, and was highly esteemed by Mr. Shower; nor, was he wanting in suitable returns of esteem and regard for his colleague. Mr. Rogers ingratiated himself, not only by his powerful method of preach-inspired writer of the Psalms, that "The ing, but also by his pious and exemplary deportment. He was, from his earliest years, distinguished for deep and serious piety-for a remarkable tenderness of conscience-and an uncommon modesty of temper. But, his constitutional malady was never effectually eradicated-it was the great burden of his life-and, though he struggled with it for years, he was continually subject to an unhappy dejection of mind, which rendered him burdensome to himself, and much impeded his usefulness. His infirmities, at length, increasing, he found himself incompetent to the discharge of the duties of his office; and, he accordingly resigned his charge at the Old Jewry, in 1707, and retired into the country. The congregation, which was large and wealthy, retained such an affectionate remembrance of his useful labours, that they settled a handsome allowance upon him for life. He died about the year 1729, when he must have attained nearly the age of seventy. He is said to have been by no means deficient in those external accomplishments, which attract attention, and confer weight in the scale of society. A liberal education enabled him to treasure up a stock of useful knowledge. He had acquired a critical acquaintance with the languages; nor, was he deficient in polite literature. But he wisely valued his attainments only as they were subservient to his usefulness in the great cause in which he was engaged that of holding forth the word of life. In short, the many amiable qualities with which he was endowed, rendered him a distinguished ornament to his profession, and recommended him to the friendship and esteem of all who enjoyed his acquaintance. Mr. Rogers, besides the works already mentioned, was the author of several single Sermons, of which a list may be found in the publications to which we have been indebted for this short account of him, and to which we have already referred. When this survey of the sons of Adam was made, by the All-seeing Jehovah, it appears, that all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth; there was not a just man upon the earth that did good, and sinned not; they had all gone aside; they were altogether become filthy-there was none that did good, no, not one. In such a state as this, what question can possibly carry in it so much importance as, "How shall man be justified with God?" "How shall he be clean that is born of a woman?" "Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?" In this awful dilemma, the heart, which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, is ready to suggest innumerable remedies, which, how much-soever they may lull to sleep the fears of the awakened conscience, for a time, will be found unavailing in that day when God shall judge the world in righteousness, and be swept away as refuges of lies. From this state of extreme perplexity, of danger, and dismay, the gospel proclaims immediate and effectual deliverance. "Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness; I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for, I am God, and there is none else. Í have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return; that, unto me, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him, shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shal glory." Scriptural views of the highly impor tant doctrine of Justification, involve in them so much of our real enjoyment as | God through the ignorance that is in Christians; our present and everlasting it; because it is enmity itself against felicity so much depend on our rightly God; because it is sold under sin, deunderstanding the ground of a sinner's acceptance with God; and the professing world abounds with so many mistakes upon the subject, that no apology can be deemed necessary for directing the reader's attention to it in the present in stance. 1. Let us endeavour to ascertain the scriptural import of the term Justification. And, here I would observe, that, wherever we find the term used in the sacred writings, it seems obviously to imply a charge of guilt. This charge is represented as universal; as adduced against the human race without one exception; as preferred by the Omniscient Jehovah, on the ground of their having violated the tenour of his law, which is holy, and just, and good, and thereby rendered themselves liable to the punishment which it denounces on every transgressor. This doctrine, I conceive, is clearly established by numerous declarations of Scripture; the spirit and scope of which may be seen in the following very remarkable declaration of the apostle Pau!. After having proved that there is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, inasmuch as all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, he adds-" Now we know that, what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." It is not my intention to enter into a detail of the numerous attempts that have been, and still are made, to set aside the plain and obvious meaning of this overwhelming declaration of the universal depravity of human nature; but, it may be useful to remind you, that their very existence furnishes the strongest proof of the truth of the doctrine which they are intended to destroy. Whence comes it, that the human mind refuses to be subject to the law of God? One might be ready to suppose, from the high-sounding epithets which we sometimes hear bestowed on human nature, that this insubordination arose from the injustice of the charge of total depravity which the holy law of God presses home on the conscience: but this is not the case; it is because the mind is carnal; because it is alienated from the life of voted to rebellion against the blessed God. Hence, when we see men endeavouring to establish a righteousness of their own, it is because they are ig norant of the righteousness of God; if they suppose that they are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; it is only because they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. When we find men comparing themselves among themselves, and measuring themselves by themselves, and commending themselves, and one another, on the supposed excellence of their moral character, and the near approaches they make to the perfection of their nature, it is because they view things through a different medium from that by which the vision of David was assisted, when he said "I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad." Moreover, it is a truth which ought to make every son and daughter of Adam to tremble; that, however, men may, in this life, succeed in imposing on themselves, and on one another; when the spirituality of that law, which declares every mouth to be stopped, shall be displayed from the throne of the Eternal in the final destinies of mankind; their own fancied excellence, on the strength of which they ventured on eternity, will prove the very ground on which they will stand speechless before the Judge. But, 2. The term Justification implies, the complete removal of this charge of guilt. The language used by the sacred writers, when speaking of this, is not less consolotary than it is explicit. Well may the proclamation of the mercy of heaven be denominated, "glad tidings of great joy to all people." It must be a joyful sound, surely, to men under condemnation; to men shut up in prison-under the curse of heavenhaving the wrath of the Almighty abiding on them, and in danger of being banished with everlasting destruction from his presence, and from the glory of his power-to hear the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth declare, "There is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." And here, I remark, that the Spirit of God, anticipating the unbelief of the |