applied it the reader must judge. When the subject of eternal life comes under consideration, the author makes it his object to prove, that, as there are two kinds of religion and two kinds of salvation, so there are two kinds of eternal life-"one for the world, and one for the elect" (p. 243). With this purpose, he lays stress principally on a passage which, in our opinion, he wholly misinterprets : "In the New Testament we are told that 'life and immortality are brought to light' by the Gospel (2 Tim. i. 10); that is to say, through the good news of redemption by Christ, eternal life is revealed in a sense in which it has been hitherto unknown."-p. 234. Even if this were a correct citation, it is entirely gratuitous to say that "eternal life is revealed," which is by no means the correlative of the phrase "brought to light." It is not less gratuitous to affirm that the apostle is speaking of "eternal life;" but the most arbitrary assumption of all is, that he is speaking of eternal life" in a sense in which it had been hitherto unknown." In fact, however, the citation is not correct, as a simple quotation of the passage will show: "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel" (2 Tim. i., 9, 10). It will now be seen that the passage marked by our author as a quotation from Scripture is not verbally correct-a thing surely to be reprehended, even if nothing depended upon it. Here, however, to light, according to the Gospel." And further, the citation is false by defect. The apostle says that Jesus Christ "hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light." This phrase-for the omission of which we must leave the author to give the best account he can-entirely alters the complexion of the case, and guides us at once to the sense of the whole passage. The apostle is evidently speaking of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, "according to the Gospel;" and he tells us that this fact throws light upon the doctrine of a general resurrection-a doctrine by no means till then unknown, but by the fact of Christ's resurrection more fully demonstrated. The author has three consecutive chapters on Hades, Heaven, and Hell. Of the first of these, we have very little to say, as the author does not attempt to make any point in it. All he ventures on is a conjecture that perhaps there is disciplinary suffering in Hadesa conjecture which may pass for what it is worth. In the second of these chapters, the author goes at large into the old notion that heaven is to be a "regenerated earth"-which we do not believe -and, after a quotation from Mr. Isaac Taylor, in which he infers from the impulse of benevolence now, that there will be more scope for its exercise hereafter, he launches the following interrogatory: "And who so likely to become the objects of this benevolence as those who, on earth, have never been under any government deserving of the name; who from birth the meaning also is not correctly upwards have been abandoned to ignorance, given. The author says that "life and immortality are brought to light" by the Gospel; whereas, the apostle says that Jesus Christ "hath brought life and immortality superstition and vice; and who wait only for a wise and kindly hand to lead them from evil to good, and from self to Christ ?" -pp. 271, 272. * Critical authority for this rendering may be found in the Lexicons. Valeat quantum valet. Will anyone doubt after this the salvation of the world? We may remark, however, by-the-bye, that this piece of speculation is pretty well for a writer who professes so loudly to renounce all speculation, and to conduct an exclusively " scriptural inquiry." "Persons who have never been under any government worthy of the name?" Why, he has yet to demonstrate the very existence of such persons. And who is he that dares to throw out such an insinuation as this against any department of the administration of the Most High? In discoursing on Hell, the author limits the use of the word, which he regards as parallel with "the lake of fire" and "the second death," to "the final doom of the irrecoverably wicked;" and then, "as to the future condition of mankind as a whole, whether Heathen or nominally Christian," he says— "We are not wholly left without guidance on this subject. That such persons are sinners is, with the word of God before us, unquestionable; that, whether with or without a written law,-whether nominally Christian or actually brethren, they are justly exposed to "wrath," cannot be doubted; that they are at present unfit for the fellowship of holy beings, is certain. Yet they are among those for whom Christ died; they are the very 'captives' to sin and Satan that He came to deliver. Nor can we believe that His' finished work' is to them of none effect. It can only be so regarded on the supposition,-unsupported by Scripture, that the second Adam came, not to repair the ruin involved in the disobedience of the first, but only to render salvation possible to those,-alas! the very few, who in various ages should on earth be renewed by the Holy Ghost."-pp. 299, 300. We turn aside for a moment from the idea of "wrath," which the author here introduces, to notice in passing the reasoning the fallacious reasoning, as we deem it—with which he seems to satisfy himself. This remarkable group of persons, neither saved nor lost-why are they not lost, since "they are sinners," and "are justly exposed to wrath ?" "They are among those for whom Christ died." Were not the lost so too? "They are the very captives to sin and Satan that he came to deliver." Were not the lost so too? "We cannot believe that his finished work is to them of none effect." Why not? "It cannot be so regarded, but on the supposition— utterly unsupported by Scripture -that the second Adam came, not to repair the ruin involved in the disobedience of the first, but only to render salvation possible to those alas! the -alas! the very few-who, in various ages, should on earth be renewed by the Holy Ghost." Clearly, no such doctrine as this is to be found in holy writ. Christ came into the world "to render salvation possible" to all men, whether "elect" or not, whether "renewed by the Holy Ghost" or not, whether of the irrecoverably lost or of the neither lost nor saved. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii, 16. To this extent, undoubtedly, the work of Christ is not "of none effect," either to the parties in question, or to any portion of mankind. Why it should necessarily have any further effect, the author has not made to appear. But to return. The author admits that "mankind as a whole are justly exposed to "wrath," though not to "hell;" and he proceeds in the subsequent pages to a description of the "wrath" to be endured, or "of future punishment" generally, so far as it can be distinguished from the highest expression of divine indignation in the final doom of the "second death?" His view is given summarily in the following extracts : "The testimony of Scripture, so far as it can be gathered, relative to the invisible worid, seems to us distinctly to point to the conclusion that the punishments of the wicked commence in Hades immediately after death; that they spring out of past character and conduct; that they are exactly proportioned to guilt-few stripes,' or 'many stripes,' as God sees necessary; and that they are not incompatible with moral improvement."-pp. 301, 303. And this, according to our author, is "the wrath to come!" This, and no more! It is "the natural working out of the great laws under which man is placed," p. 307. If we remember rightly, however, the Scripture speaks of the "WRATH OF GOD" as "revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men," Rom. i. 10.; or the expression of his righteous displeasure as deserved by human iniquity, and proportioned to its varying demerit. We can scarcely think it possible that the author has intentionally omitted from his conception of "future punishment" an element so natural and so inevitable, so appropriate and so powerful; it is omitted, however, and its omission gives to his whole description of punishment a feebleness indescribable. It may be not inappropriately called the author's little hell, as we have seen that the condition of bastardy constitutes his little heaven. Perhaps, however, it was necessary to his theory to make it little, since punishment of a graver character might have been unsuitable to persons, some of whom have never had any probation, and others none worth speaking of; and scarcely compatible with that condition of favourable probation, during which-strange to say-it is to be suffered. After two chapters-one on the Church, and one on Election-the author treats of the second advent, and the Millennium. Let it be enough to say here, that our author is a Millennarian, and we are not Millennarians. Consequently, he and we regard things from standpoints so very different that our views diverge very widely. Without common ground argument cannot be conducted, and we, therefore, decline on this part of the volumes before us any critical remarks. We cannot deal, either, with his chapters on the Resurrection and the Last Judgment, for to us and to him these are different things; and we must make a similar acknowledgement respecting the chapters on the kingdom of God, and the Hope of Israel. Without entering further into detail, however, we have, perhaps, said enough to enable our readers to form their opinion of our author's theory, and of his manner of sustaining it. His theory, in a few words, is this: the Last Judgment is now over. A portion only of the human race has stood at the bar, for "the redeemed Church" came with the judge to judgment, and has been sitting by his side. The portion of the race which has been judged is divided into two parts; the one comprises those who have consciously rejected mercy, and the other those of all varieties of character who have not done so. The former class "suffer loss of life [existence] by sentence," and an immediately ensuing "act of judicial execution." p. 307. The latter are all "found written in the book of life," and receive no sentence, but are "saved, though saved with a lower salvation than the elect." These are forthwith made inhabitants of the "new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness ;" and, under the teaching of the elect, they are "hopefully advancing in the know the "God will render to every one according to his works. "To those, on the one hand, who, by perseverance in well-doing, seek for immortal glory and honour, "Eternal felicity. "To those, on the other, who are rebellious, and resist the truth, living unrighteously, "Wrath and indignation. "Tribulation and anguish to every man whose works are evil, "To a Jew first, and also to a Gentile : "But glory, honour, and joy to every man whose works are good, "To a Jew first, and also to a Gentile. "For there is no partiality with God. "For those who have sinned without a revealed law will not suffer its penalties, "And those who have sinned under revealed law will be judged according to it. "For not hearers of the law are righteous before God, "But doers of the law will be accounted righteous. "For where nations who have not a revealed law instinctively do things prescribed by the law, "They, not having a law, are a law to themselves, "It being manifest that the law is practically written in their hearts. "Their consciences also witnessing, and their reflections alternately condemning and excusing them; "In the day when God will judge the secret works of men, "By Jesus Christ. 64 According to the glad tidings which I publish. "Romans 2, vi., 6, 16, Hinton's Exposition." government are here, we think, very clearly drawn. In the first place, a broad general principle is laid down-"God will render to every one according to his works;" a distinct announcement of the existence of a system of retribution towards moral agents; a system of retribution, however, of infinite flexibility, and of such exact adaptation to individual character, that no two human beings may find themselves in a condition precisely similar. And in the next place, the period at which this retributive The great outlines of God's moral system will be finally carried out This, of course, is a necessary part of the millinarian hypothesis; we are amazed, however, how it can be maintained in the face of such Scriptures as these. In 2 Cor. v 10, where the »postle says, "WE must all ap pear before the judgment seat of Christ," he is surely speaking of believers, and pointedly of himself as one of them. On what sound principle of interpretation can "WE" in this passage, be made to mean anybody but believers? In like manner, in Romans xiv. 10 and 12, where the Apostle says "We shall all stand before the ju igment-set of Christ," and "So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God," if he is not understood to be speaking of believers, there is no free at all in his words-the obvious and only design of which is to induce believers not to judge one another. The author, indeed, tells us that our Lord "expressly decl ares that believers shall not come into Julenent," "and he cites John v. 24: on referring to the passage, however, we find the words to be" He that believe th on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation" Now, as an apparent quotation from the English Bible, this is false and deceptive; such an alteration without any indication of it is altogether unwarrantable and unfair. criticism it is unsound, as all critics determine, and as the general sensa of the passage demonstrates. And, as a ACCORDING to the New Testament, the constitution of the Church of Christ is very simple, and on account of that simplicity it is equally adapted to all places and to all ages. We can conceive of no state of society in which it would not be the best form for a religious community, aiming at purity of discipline and conformity to the will of Christ. It is merely a body "of believing men and women under the government of pastors and deacons who agree together for the celebration of Divine ordinances and for mutual edification in every way which the Scriptures ordain. There is no complexity that can need at any time the wisdom of men in order that it may be accommodated to new circumstances. The theory of Independency in relation to a number of such churches is, that each is complete within itself, and as fully a visible Church of Christ as if there were no other in the world; and, therefore, that in its government "The Customs of the Dissenters," re printed from the "Christian Spectator." London: Eliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C. Pp. 142. no other earthly power is authorized to interfere. Many, while firmly holding that, in Apostolic times, this was the principle upon which the first churches were constituted, have surmised that, when in large cities and populous districts, the multitude of believers increased beyond the probability of ever assembling in one place, they did not break up into separate organizations, but continued to be one church under a plurality of pastors. Grave difficulties cannot but present themselves to a reflecting mind when it once endeavours to realize the actual working of such a system-yet we are not disposed to put it hastily on one side merely because it is only a conjecture; more especially as we cannot point to any instance in which a separation is recorded to have taken place. But we cannot admit that the truth of the conjecture may be assumed as a thing proven,” much less can we allow it to create a vital distinction between ancient and modern Independency. Both these, however, are by the author of the "Customs of the Dissenters" taken |