than if they followed demonstrably from each other." Whately, pp. 104, 105. We can scarcely tell whether most to give the palm of a healing and charitable tendency to the fourth lecture, or to the following, which proceeds to caution us as to our treatment of those who are real opponents, by being guilty either of heresy or schism. But from this last, as bearing most generally on that controversial spirit which always magnifies the errors of an opponent, and in vests them in imagination, whatever they may be in fact, with something like those formidable names, it is our wish to quote most largely, and in conclusion of the whole subject. The text, as usual excellently chosen, is from 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25: The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." object proposed by the author is not to shew what is essential error, and what not, but, on the supposition of your own creed being correct, and the opposite one wrong, on the supposition, also, that the worst proofs of a party spirit will be exhibited by your opponents, thus circumstanced (as you may expect from a bad cause), still what ought, in reason and conscience, to be your conduct, feeling, and tem The • The unreasonable connexion established by imputation between very different theological opinions, is well noticed in the Letters on Prejudice, vol. i. p. 134. The doctrine of the Trinity, the author remarks, is thought by some persons to have a near connexion with that of predestination. Another discovers that a high sense of the pastoral duties, with much exposition and distribution of the Scriptures, have a near connexion with the doctrines of Calvin. Calvinist, we believe, is now, with a pleasant accuracy of definition,generally substituted for the term Eyangelical. We refer our readers back to what we have already remarked on this · subject, at p. 172, col. 1. per in return. In his first piece of advice, not to mass and combine, by overwhelming censures, but rather break and disperse, by judicious discriminations, the opposing party, our author warns us as follows: "Not only should that fault be guarded against, which was mentioned in the last discourse, of falsely attributing to any one an entire adoption of all the tenets of a party, from his partial coincidence with it, but we should not even be over-ready to point out such coincidences in error as really exist; but rather draw the attention of our opponents to the discrepancies existing among themselves, and mark out the variety of the devious paths into which those have strayed who have once wandered from the truth. It is neither wise nor just to allow those who differ considerably from each other, in their erroneous tenets, to derive mutual support and encouragement in those errors from supposing their mutual coincidence in doctrine to be greater than it is: and even in those points wherein they do coincide, as we cannot be bound in duty to dwell upon that coincidence, (since it is but fair that each opinion should stand on its own merits, and be tried, independently, by the tests of reason and Scripture,) so neither will it be expedient, in many cases, thus to class together the advocates of an error. For it is not, in general, a likely mode of inducing any one to renounce an opinion, to tell him that it is held by many besides himself; or that it is supported by ancient authority; even of such as were in their time accounted heretical. If indeed an appeal be made to that authority, it will then be requisite to shew that it is not such as ought to be relied on: or again, if our opponent be of a candid and modest tem per, he may be led to reconsider, and ultimately to renounce, his tenets, if it be proved to him that they have been before broached, and were then condemned by the main body of Christians. All I am contending for is, that this procedure should not be adopted universally and indiscriminately those who are to a certain degree infected with the passion for novelty, but have not sufficient boldness to be satisfied with standing perfectly alone, will often be more encouraged by the authority of a considerable sect, than overawed by the censure of the majority." Whately, pp. 143–145. Under the second head, which has regard to the bitterness and fierce resentment to be expected in an self,' who so patiently laboured to con opponent, it is observed: "He is the most judicious advocate of 'true religion, as well as the best exemplifier of its spirit, who is the first to condemn such conduct in his own party; since he will thus both remove the prejudice which is likely to arise against doctrines which have been enforced with intemperate violence, and, by pacifying as far as possible those whom that violence has provoked into resentful obstinacy, may lead them to examine their own tenets calmly, to weigh the arguments on both sides, and to renounce the errors with which they are no longer harshly reproached. "To this end, we shall not only avoid and condemn all bitterness of invective, but also take every fit opportunity to express friendly feelings, and use mild and conciliatory language towards our adversaries; giving them credit, where we can with justice, for sincere zeal in the cause of what they regard as the truth, though it be a zeal not according to knowledge; and manifesting, not scorn and hatred, and insolent exultation, but regret for their errors, and anxiety (on their own account) for their correction. "Care must be taken, however, not to testify such compassion for the erroneous as savours too much of contempt; lest mortified pride should harden them against conviction, even more than their resent ment of a harsher rebuke. For pride is one of the most powerful obstacles to a conversion from error, and one whose adverse influence we must be ever watchful to counteract. "Will it be said, that those who indulge this feeling have only themselves to blame; and that, if they do not with humility seek for truth, they do not deserve to attain it? What, alas! would be the fate of the best of us, if no more favour were shewn him than he justly deserved? Who will dare to say, that his own inquiries after truth have always been as diligent, as candid, and as humble, as they could possibly have been; and that he is ready to be tried before God's tribunal on his own merits? Those persons, indeed, who are too proud to receive the truth when enforced in an arrogant style, and are ashamed to renounce errors with which they have been contemptuously taunted; such persons, I say, have themselves perhaps no right to lay blame on us: but will not He justly condemn us who endured such contradiction of sinners against him. vert the arrogant and self-sufficient from their errors, and who sent his Apostles to preach remission of sins, even to those who had crucified their Master? May not He fairly expect that we should bear with the frowardness of our bre thren, for his sake, who deigned to set us an example of humility, long-suffering, and unwearied benevolence?" Whately, pp. 151–154. After the third head of caution against the controversial and captious spirit of an adversary, which should make us beware of exposing ourselves to his cavils or attacks by rashness and injudicious strainings of doctrine on our own part; some general remarks and counsels ensue, from which we extract the following just observations on the too common practice of conjuring up enemies on all occasions to combat, and errors to oppose. "It may be said, indeed, and with truth, that not only is controversy on many occasions unavoidable, but also, that whoever is engaged in inculcating truth is virtually, at the same time, opposing error; that to abstain ordinarily from all mention of any point, except those which are never controverted, would be to abandon all the essential doctrines of our religion; and that consequently we cannot abstain from combating heresy, unless we abstain from preaching the Gospel. All this is undeniably just, as far as regards the matter of our discussions; but the manner of them is a point of great importance also; and it is to that that I am at present inviting your attention. For by controversy, or disputation, is commonly understood, not every course of argument whose conclusion has ever been denied, but that which has the manner and tone of opposition; which is brought forward with the air of an advocate rather than of a teacher, and seems designed rather to silence an adversary than to convince and enlighten an unbiassed hearer. Now it is too commonly the case with those who have been much accustomed to polemical writing, that every thing they say savours of this spirit of opposition; they seem always to be arguing against some adversary; and "The Arian heresy appears to have in this manner originated in a rash and intemperate opposition to the Sabellian,” even their instructions are delivered rather in a controversial than a didactic form, This fault it is the more important to guard against, because nothing is so likely to generate opposition as the appearance of thus expecting and challenging it. But besides this, it is desirable, even when opposition has been raised, still, as far as is practicable and safe, to adhere to the didactic style of reasoning rather than the polemical; according to the precept of St. Paul, which directs the minister of the Lord not to strive, but in meekness to instruct those that oppose themselves.' The method of instruction (by conveying an implied and incidental rather than a direct opposition to the contrary doctrines, while at the same time it suppresses no part of the truth,) is calculated not only to avoid the unnecessary aggravation of hostile feelings, but also to gain a more favourable hearing for the truth; whereas it gives something of a paradoxical air to anydoctrine, to put forward very prominently the circumstance of its being a disputable point. In fact, the very argument itself which is urged, that in teaching the truth, we are of necessity virtually combating falsehood, will alone prove the sufficiency of the method now recommended: if we are but careful to keep back nothing of ⚫the whole counsel of God,' we need not fear that error should flourish uncorrected." Whately, pp. 165–167. The following discriminative caution will perhaps give a fair specimen of Mr. Whately's general style of moral anatomy, a quality for which we think he will stand justly eminent after the publication of this volume; and we give it the more readily, because it is followed by a short concluding apostrophe, in which we most heartily coincide, and with which we cannot do better than take our long-protracted, but still lingering, leave of Mr. Whately, the Letters on Prejudice, our readers, and the subject. "It should also be remembered, that as, in the case of legal punishments, some are designed to reclaim the offender, and some merely to deter others by his example; so, in our opposition to heresies and schisms, the object is sometimes to convert and recal the erroneous, and sometimes to warn others against being seduced by them; and that a somewhat different mode of procedure should be adopted, according to the object proposed. To point out the absurdities and the mischiefs to which any error naturally leads, is the more likely way to deter men from falling into it: but to trace up the mistake to its origin; to explain the difficulties, and clear up the misconceptions, which first gave rise to it, will generally be the more efficacious method of reclaiming those already infected. Which procedure is in each case to be adopted, must be decided according to the circumstances of that case: but that this decision may be made, not at random, but by deliberate judgment, it is useful to keep in mind the distinction which has been mentioned. "After all, however, we must still expect often to meet with such obstinate heresies and schisms, as no combination of zeal with wisdom and gentleness can subdue: often shall we have the severer mortification of seeing them fostered and aggravated by the injudicious violence of those who are on our side; and sometimes doubts may suggest themselves to an individual, whether the good effects of his own prudence and moderation may not be entirely frustrated by the misconduct of others. But such regrets and such doubts can bring but a transient pang to the breast of him whose hopes are firmly anchored on the rock of Divine Providence: while he is doing that, which, if all men did it, would cause 'truth to flourish out of the earth, and righteousness to look down from heaven,' he will feel assured that, for himself at least his labour is not in vain.' He will rest satisfied that, whether his own efforts are successful or not, God's purposes will be fulfilled, when his unerring wisdom shall see fit and while thus fighting under the banner of Christ, yet with humble resignation trusting the event to Providence, he will be enabled to say with pious con : fidence, not only Thy kingdom come,' but also, Thy will be done."" Whately, pp. 170-172. We have not mentioned the subject of Mr. Whately's three last lectures, which are respectively, "Foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife;""Conduct with respect to Dissenters;" and "Divisions within . the Church." Each subject is very important in its kind. But we have trespassed far too long on time and patience to venture further; feeling assured that any reader who has hitherto accompanied us will long since have made up his mind as to the further pursuit of subjects so highly interesting, in pages we can so cordially recommend to general consideration. Sermons on important Points of Faith and Duty. By the Rev. R. P. BUDDICOM, M. A. F. A. S. Minister of St. George's, Everton; and late Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge. 2 vols. 12mo. 1822. pp. 791. THE length to which our former review has extended prevents our devoting to these volumes the space which they deserve, and which we should gladly have allotted to them. It was our intention to have made Mr. Buddicom's discourses a plea for the introduction of some general remarks upon the style of preaching of which they are a characteristic specimen, a style at present very extensively adopted by what are designated, either in praise or ridicule, the "evangelical clergy." Mr. Cooper's highly valuable series of plain practical discourses will furnish our readers with a popular illustration of this species of sermonizing, the comparative excellencies and defects of which deserve to be fully considered. For the present, our limits constrain us to decline the task, except so far as a few remarks may incidentally arise in our brief notice of Mr. Buddicom's volumes. On some future occasion we may probably have an opportunity of doing greater justice to the subject. • Vol. VI. of these sermons has lately been published. Having reviewed some of the earlier volumes at considerable length, we refer our readers to what we have said of them as applicable to the whole series, which the widely increasing demands upon us in this useful department of theological literature prevents our noticing in detail. The public continues greatly indebted to the excellent author for his pious labours. Mr. Buddicom's discourses present themselves to the public with a simplicity and unobtrusiveness well calculated to conciliate respect for the author and his work. They were not written with a view to publication, but solely for the instruction of the writer's own flock, in the ordinary discharge of his duties as minister of St. George's, Everton, a populous suburb of the great commercial port of Liverpool; a station which Mr. Buddicom, we understand, has occupied since the erection of that church in 1814, with great consistency of character and public usefulness in his vocation. A severe illness, which excluded him from his public duties, furnished, at the request of some members of his congregation, the occasion and the leisure for carrying these volumes through the press. They are printed in a very cheap form, for the purpose of free circulation; a circulation which their cheapness, simplicity, and useful St. George's church is an object of considerable architectural interest for its taste, and as having been nearly the first The whole of the frame-work of the wincast-iron church erected in the kingdom. dows, doors, pillars, groins, roof, pulpit, and ornamental enrichments, are of cast-iron. The length of the church is 119 feet; the breadth 47. It is ornamented by a splendid east window of stained glass. The tower, raised to the height of 96 feet, and standing on a hill, the site of an ancient sea-beacon, is elevated 345 feet one of the finest views in the kingdom, above high-water mark, and commands comprehending the town and shipping of Liverpool, the estuary of the Mersey, the level surface of Lancashire, as far as the eye can trace the prospect, with the eraggy hills of Wales towards the west, and towards the north-east the distant mountains of Cumberland and Westmorland. The contemplative Christian, viewing so many of our churches thus characteristically situated, will be inclined to see in them an apt emblem of what the ministers of Christ themselves should ever be, "guides and way-marks in the path to bliss;" or, in still more authoritative language, "cities set on a hill which cannot be hid," ness, we trust, will render extensive, these and the consideration fur though their author seems modestly to bound his expectations to the circle of his own friends and congregation. (6 nishes a source of great satisfaction as respects the spiritual wants. of those who have but few books to read, and not much leisure for reading-that if, among the many volumes of scriptural sermons extant in our language, distinguished as they are by various degrees of literary merit, and varying perhaps in the nicer shades of doctrine, but one series like the present is devoutly studied and practised, there is no leading principle of religion of which the reader will remain fatally ignorant. Such a preacher as Mr. Buddicom does not indeed discuss all his topics after the manner of a regular of a regular body of divinity;" he does not systematically inform us whether he is a Calvinist or an Arminian; even his principles on ecclesiastical discipline and government are rather to be gathered from the general style and character of his writings, and from what we may call a cordial practical conformity to church principles and institutions, than from long ostentatious tirades on "our never-sufficiently-to-be-admired Establishment," mixed up with corresponding concionatory invectives upon our neversufficiently-to-be-reprobated Nonconformist brethren. But though we are debarred the enjoyment of these delectable topics, we are presented with what is far better-with plain Christian instruction in a popular hortatory or didactic style. The text is explained; its bearings are pointed out; a few useful heads or divisions are, with more or less felicity (sometimes it may be too stiffly), contrived, in order to assist the understanding and the memory'; and the whole is wound up with a concurrent or concluding practical application of the subject to the heart and conscience of the reader. This style of preaching does not necessarily demand-though, if requisite, it will furnish ample scope for It would neither be edifying nor interesting, even if our limits permitted it, to give the titles and outlines of more than forty sermons, which these volumes contain; nor would it furnish a fair idea of the work, or greatly benefit our readers, to present merely a few detached extracts, possessing perhaps nothing particularly striking in themselves, though highly useful and valuable in their place as parts of a simple, scriptural, affectionate, and judicious discourse, well calculated to discharge the office of reproving, rebuking, exhorting, or comforting, with all long-suffering and doctrine. The running titles of the first ten or twelve will supply a general idea of Mr. Buddicom's selection of topics, which appears judicious, varied, and well adapted to elicit a just proportion of doctrinal and practical discussion. These titles are as follow: St. Paul preaching at Athens, from Acts xvii. 18; On the Hindrances to Spiritual Prayer, from Job xv. 4; The Angel's Message to the Disciples and Peter, from Mark xvi. 7; The Christian's Exemplification of Religion, from Acts iv. 13; The Christian's State in Life and Death, from Phil. i. 21; Parental Privileges and Obligations, from Heb. ii. 13; The Frequency and Danger of Religious Indecision, from Gen. xix. 18; The Conditions of Intercourse and Union with God, from Amos iii. 3; The Foundation of Christian Faith, and the Impress with which it is stamped, from 2 Tim. ii. 19; The Similarity between Moses and Jesus Christ as Prophets of God, from Acts iii. 22, 23; The spiritual Advent of Christ, as a Refiner and Purifier of the Heart, from Mal. iii. 1-3, &c. &c. &c. Such is the character of our-pre-eminent talents: it requires author's topics. It is not too much only, in addition to personal piety to say of a set of sermons like and devotion to God, a sound manly |