we are sorry to pronounce it most unsound. If salvation by works be not clearly inculcated, at least the thirteenth article of our church is contradicted most flatly throughout the book. The popish dogma 'deserving grace of congruity,' meets us in every chapter. We must produce some instances of this. Justification by faith is a momentous point; and cannot be too clearly established. Mr. Abbott evidently considers that the death of Christ was a means devised to frighten men from sin, rather than to yield a ransom for their souls. It is morally impossible to present an analysis of views, in themselves, so perplexed and contradictory, as are those in question his own summary of the help that his book is to give to an inquiring sinner, is this, 'Cease to do evil; ask forgiveness in the name of Christ for the evil you have done, and henceforth openly serve God,'-making works the Alpha and Omega of the matter. But, perhaps, it will be fair to give a more lengthened statement, in his own words, of what he labours to establish; in justice to ourselves premising, that what he, in the following passage calls an expiation, is anything but the full, perfect, and sufficient oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, for which we are taught to render thanks.

'In former chapters, we have taken a view of two great objects for which the Son of God appeared here, to set us an example, and to teach us by precept our duty. We have considered the nature of the example, and also the system of duty which he holds up to men. We now come, however, to look at the chief design of his incarnation, namely, to make, by perfect obedience during his life, and the sufferings

he endured at the close of it, such an exhibition of the nature and the effect of sin, and such an expiation for human transgressions, as should render it safe to forgive all who are penitent. In other words, he came, not only to teach us duty, and to set an example of its performance, but to suffer for us, and to make, by that suffering, a moral impression on the great community of intelligent beings, which should serve, instead of our punishment, and render it safe that we should be forgiven.

'It has made such an impression. It is now eighteen centuries since that death occurred, and among all varieties of opinion which have been adopted in regard to it, by Atheist, Deist, and Christian, in one point all must agree, that the death of Jesus Christ has made a stronger impression upon the human race, than any other transaction since the creation of the world....This impression too, is of the right kind. A knowledge of the death of Christ, with the explanation of it given in the scriptures, touches men's hearts,-it shews the nature and the tendencies of sin-it produces fear of God's displeasure, and resolution to return to duty; and thus produces effects by which justice is satisfied, and the authority of law sustained, far better, in fact, than it would be by the severest punishment of the guilty sinner.' (pages 173-175.)

This passage is shortly after followed by one of considerable length, asserting the doctrine of justification by faith: some of which is orthodox enough: but here too we are startled by the assertion, -marked by italics as we transcribe it-' Moral renewal is the essential thing for pardon. A knowledge of the salvation by Jesus Christ, and clear ideas of the great

sacrifice for sin, give peace. St. Paul, the ablest, the most powerful and thorough-going preacher of the cross, that ever lived, understood this, when, standing before the august assembly at Athens, he preached simple repentance, and a judgment to come?' (Had he not already preached to them "Jesus and the resurrection?") Nay, we have higher authority still, for Jehovah himself sent priests, and prophets, for four thousand years, simply to call upon his people to repent of sin, and do their duty. They made but a very few obscure allusions to a Saviour-so obscure that they were not understood till that Saviour came.' (page 189.) Now this is really most untrue: is it borne out by the answer of the Scribes, when Herod sent to inquire of them where Christ should be born? -by the testimony of Philip to Nathanael, of Simeon, of Anna, of John Baptist, of the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews? We should be sorry to think there was a boy in our Sunday school class who could not set Mr. Abbott right.

But the most extraordinary remarks, perhaps, are those which relate to the sacraments: they are made with a defiance of scripture authority truly astounding. We are told, that our Lord did not choose bread and wine, as the elements for our sacramental commemoration, but laid hold of the things that happened' to be before him at the moment. 'He just takes the bread which was upon the table, and pours out another cup of wine, and says, "Take these, as emblems of my sufferings and death, incurred for the remission of your sins, and henceforth do this in remembrance of me; as often as you do it, you will represent the Lord's death until he come." Had he been walking in a grove, instead of being seated at a

table, when his last hour with his disciples had arrived, he would, perhaps, on the same principles, have broken off a branch from a tree, and distributed a portion to his friends, and then Christians would have afterwards commemorated his death by wearing their monthly badge of evergreen; or, if he had been returning to Jerusalem, he would perhaps have consecrated their walk, and then, during the succeeding ages, the sacred ceremony would have been performed by a solemn procession of his friends. No matter what the act was, which was thus set apart as a memorial-the feeling, of which it is the symbol, is all that is important.'

A passage on baptism follows; almost equally expressive of rash ignorance, presumption, and utter defiance of scripture, concluding thus, The ceremony of admission into the church, would have had as much meaning, if it had consisted simply in holding up the hands to heaven, or appearing in a white robe, the emblem of purity, or making the sign of the cross upon the forehead.' Page 215-217.

We meant to have said more: but the very act of transcribing this last page, has made us feel that it is unnecessary. We understand that abridgements of this book have appeared; and from hands eminently pious and orthodox. We are sorry for it, These abridgements may lead to a perusal of the original work; than which, there are very few books that we would not sooner put into the hands of the young. No doubt, there is much fine writing, and great originality of thought: but is it not deplorable that volumes of the most rich, sound, scriptural divinity, from the pens of our own reformers, and deeply experienced theologians, should be thrust

into obscure corners, or thrown upon book stalls, while an inundation of crude, and often, heterodox notions, from distant lands is received, embraced, embellished, recommended, and lodged on the worktable of almost every Christian lady? Mr. Abbott has devoted a chapter to expatiating on the dramatic beauty of the narrative which represents the trial and crucifixion of our Lord. He brings out, in scenic arrangement, and in dialogue altered to something more 'dramatically' picturesque, that awful spectacle. We read it, and trembled as we read, and would have cast it from us, but for the solemn, the imperative duty that devolves upon us; in pursuance of which, we distinctly tell our beloved countrywomen, that if they persist in encouraging such works, they will do more to corrupt the national faith, and to undermine its most sacred institutions, than all the open enemies who are coming in like a flood. Against them the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard but if our hands rend that standard to pieces, what is to replace it?