subject through the medium of those earthly affections, which will find no place in the new and spiritual constitution which is to be set up in the future world. The instinctive principle-though it has been employed to account for more of the phenomena of mind than the rules of sound philosophy can warrant-is yet a primary element in the constitution of man. It mingles with the current of our associations, modifies our feelings, and exerts over the mind an influence, which, in regard to uniformity and force, bears a striking resemblance to the great law of gravitation, which the Creator has impressed on inanimate creation. It is probable, that the most pure and refined affection of which the human bosom is the residence, contains some portion of flesh and blood-some earthly admixture, which will not enter into celestial happiness. The aid of the instinctive principle is peculiarly necessary in social and domestic life; and it is here, therefore, that its power is especially felt, and exhibited in those forms of tenderness, sympathy, and assiduous care, which so much contribute to the harmony and happiness of the human family. How much of the love which blends itself with the various relations of kindred and consanguinity, is to be placed to the score of natural affection and conventional want, it would be difficult, and perhaps impossible, to determine. But it is obvious that no small proportion flows from this source.'

6

If the Christian carried into a future world the same affections which are involved in the natural relations of the present life, they might, for aught that appears to the contrary, become the source of inquietude, and embitter the enjoyments of eternity. But then the wants and feelings arising out of our corporeal nature-the perpetuation of which the objection in question evidently presupposes-are designed to answer a temporary purpose; and revelation gives us to understand, as we have had occasion to notice, that death will determine them, and introduce a constitution under which the righteous" will be as the angels of God." And this very important consideration conducts us one step at least towards the resolution of a plausible difficulty, frequently urged against the doctrine of perpetuated consciousness. For it teaches us that the Christian must stand in a very different position from that in which he is at present placed towards his irreligious friends. Divested of all those earthly tendencies, and unholy passions, which often pervert his judgement and enslave his better feelings, he will be prepared to look at their condition with the eye of unsophistocated reason, and to contemplate them in the essential and moral attributes of their nature.

'If, then, in the future world, they will be regarded in their naked character and relation to eternity, what will remain to attach them to redeemed and perfected beings? The objection supposes them to be unholy intelligences; for there are only two classes into which the human family will be divided on the great day, and none will be excluded from the presence of God but those who finally reject the Saviour, or die in an impenitent state. Such persons will not only want the requisite title of admittance into heaven, which faith in the Redeemer imparts, but will be morally unfit for the pleasures, employments, and fellowship of that sacred place. And when the restraints, the disguises, and the factitious qualities, which now often conceal the

real character, shall vanish for ever, and the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed, it is manifest, that the impenitent cannot fail to be seen as they truly are, and that they will appear to be destitute of every virtuous principle, and at enmity with God. Were it, therefore, possible for any of them to be admitted into the supernal world, is it to be supposed that they would be regarded with other feelings than those of moral aversion by its holy inhabitants? Recollections, indeed, might be awakened, but would they have any central point of complacency, or possibly produce any cordial sympathy amongst beings delivered from the influence of every instinctive affection, and having for the basis and regulating principle of every attachment, a strict and undeviating regard to moral excellence?

And what appears to be the state of mind into which an eminently pious man is ordinarily brought, in reference to his earthly relatives in the immediate prospect of dissolution-in those eventful and interesting moments, when it is fair to presume that he makes the nearest approximation on this side the grave to the temper of the redeemed in heaven? In those cases, where the power of religion is manifested, the affections do not seem to be diminished, but often acquire unusual intenseness, even amidst the depressing influences of pain and disease. The soul of a holy man, who enjoys on his dying-bed the presence of God, often glows with unwonted ardour, joy glistens in his eye, the light of gratitude comes over his countenance, and his heart burns at the very mention of the Saviour's name; and it is usually found that he becomes peculiarly susceptible of grateful impressions from the sympathy and kindness of surrounding friends. But then his love is sublimed; it is abstracted from earthly considerations; it is fixed upon God, and goes out, at the same time, in pure and complacent emotion towards his religious friends and associates. And whilst he regards them no longer "after the flesh," and every natural relation seems, in his experience, to be absorbed in the spiritual one; yet they are endeared to him, as he is to them, by the common anticipations of eternity, and the remembrance of sanctified associations and pleasurable intercourse. But what may be expected to be his feelings towards those of his kindred, if such there be, who are evidently strangers to God, and abandoned to vicious and profligate courses? Has it not frequently happened, that their very presence has occasioned an unusual degree of uneasiness, and is it even desired but with the benevolent view of prevailing upon them, by all the solemnities of the occasion, to give prompt and serious attention to their interests for eternity? And how much stronger must the operation of such sentiments be, in a world where love will be made perfect, and where there will be nothing to obstruct or divert the current of holy emotion!'

'It should not, in conclusion, be forgotten, that the justice of the above remarks, and the fallacy of the objection which has given rise to them, receive support from the discoveries of revelation, in reference to the temper of mind with which the inflictions of righteous judgment are regarded by the inhabitants of heaven. God is love, and cannot but look with ineffable tenderness upon his creatures. Yet his happiness is not, and cannot possibly be, impaired by the sufferings which his unerring rectitude has doomed unholy spirits to endure.

And in like manner the angels of heaven, who take the most deep and benevolent interest in our apostate race, and who are inconceivably better acquainted than human beings can be with the precise condition of fallen spirits, and with the direful consequences of sin, enjoy, nevertheless, undisturbed tranquillity and perfect happiness. The sentiments with which they contemplate the severest visitations which are awarded to the impenitent by the supreme Governor of the universe, are those of adoring reverence and perfect confidence in the equity of his decisions. Their language, on such occasions, is embodied in the discoveries of revelation; for they are represented to say, in reference to the vials of the divine wrath, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

Thus it appears that the most intense benevolence, combined with the full knowledge of the awful doom of fallen intelligences, is by no means incompatible with perfect peace. Nor can we reasonably suppose, that it will be otherwise in regard to the glorified spirits of righteous men, who will be made like God, and the angels of heaven.'

pp. 217-227.

We offer no comment upon these paragraphs, but leave them to speak for the good sense and piety which, we think, characterise Mr. Muston's entire discussion of the general subject. The difficulty adverted to, is not, indeed, peculiar to that subject; for, if the reasoning of the objector had any force, not only must mutual recognition and the perpetuation of present consciousness be excluded, as incompatible with future happiness, but even the very knowledge of the existence of evil, and its awful and necessary concomitant, misery*.

Mr. Muston has enriched his volume with extracts both from the heathen classics and our own poets, in order to shew how prevalent has ever been the hope of a future re-union. This sentiment is somewhat obscurely, yet how exquisitely expressed in the Antigone of Sophocles! The daughter of Edipus exclaims:

For a deed like this

Oh, what were death but glory! I shall rest
Beloved with him I love, my last sad duty
Boldly discharged. Our latest, longest home
Is with the dead; and therefore would I please
The lifeless, not the living. I shall rest
For ever there.'

(Dale's Translation.)

In a still sublimer spirit of poetry as well as of faith, the sacred writer exclaims: "Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw aside every weight and incumbrance, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus."

*

Upon this point, we may refer Mr. Muston to a train of remark in an article in a former volume of our Journal. Ec. Rev. 2d Series. Vol. XII. pp. 353--362.

Art. XII.

NOTICES.

The Sorrows of the Righteous for the Sins of Mankind. A Sermon, preached before the London Missionary Society, at the Tabernacle, Moorfields, May 12, 1830. By Thomas Adkins, of Southampton. 8vo. pp. 68. London. 1830.

ALTHOUGH We find it impossible to notice single Sermons in general, we have great pleasure in giving our recommendation to this excellent Discourse. Our analysis of it must be brief. The principal divisions are very properly textual, illustrating the affecting subject by which the sorrow of a holy soul is excited; the particular sources of this sorrow; its exalted character; and the appropriate modes of its expression. The first head is introduced with some observations on the principle in which Divine law originates; the necessity and force of that law, as Divinely promulgated; and its extent, as impressed upon the consciences of the heathen, and legible in the wonders of creative power and goodness. Mr. Adkins then proceeds to expatiate on the awful fact of the violation of the just and equitable requisitions of the Almighty Legislator, as the subject of pious grief and lamentation. We have been particularly pleased with the delineation of that false sensibility which grants to fiction what it denies to fact';-'a spurious 'order of feeling which is too common, and which cannot be more effectually unmasked, than by being brought into such vivid contrast with that lovely grace, under the influence of which David wept, and David's Lord himself was moved to tears.'

In detailing the appropriate modes of expressing the sentiment of the text, Mr. Adkins has been careful to shew, that the true basis of genuine zeal for the Missionary cause is personal religion. Most cordially do we concur in the opinion, that Missionary agents, resources, and successes, are likely to augment in number, efficiency, and extent, as the result of increased and concentrated efforts, both in the way of personal devotement and munificent liberality. Upon the whole, we can cordially recommend this Sermon as an eloquent and impressive appeal on the behalf of Missionary operations. We shall make room for the following remarks on sympathy for the heathen.

‹ Were we, therefore, to take the lowest ground of concession-the mere possibility of the final perdition of the heathen-it would be easy to construct upon it an argument for strenuous exertion on their behalf; but when the evidence of their danger accumulates to a fearful magnitude, should not our zeal keep pace with our fears? Let us endeavour for a moment to realize the relative position to them in which we stand; let us, from the elevation of our privileges, look down on numberless millions of our fellow men, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh, moving over the stage of existence to an eternity for which they are unprepared. As they pass along, they lift to us an imploring eye, to transmit to them the only revealed remedy to mitigate their present misery, and avert their future doom. Whilst looking for this blessing, so long delayed at our hands, they are hurried on, by the unrelaxing grasp of destiny, from what is changeable to what is fixed; from what

is probationary to what is retributive; from what is temporal to what is eternal; and as they vanish from our view, we seem to hear in return, the piercing cry of anguish, or the sullen groan of despair. Why, at the contemplation of such a scene, does not compassion expand its most generous sympathies, and prayer put forth its most ardent aspirations, and vigour strain its firmest nerve? why! - because we do but faintly believe the articles of our faith; because the immense evil of sin, and the value of the soul, and the brevity of time, and the perishing condition of the heathen, are regarded rather as topics for popular declamation, or gigantic shadows flitting through the fancy, than awful realities to arouse the conscience, and to impress the heart. Lord, increase our faith! The man, however, who can behold such a spectacle without an eye to pity or an effort to save, is a being whose moral depravity, words are powerless to describe. His religious privileges are to him only a dreary elevation, from which he is in danger of sinking into an abyss of wretchedness, even more profound than awaits those upon whom he looks with callous unconcern. His obligations bearing a proportion to his advantages, and his criminality to the degree in which the one has been violated and the other abused, his doom, without repentance, will be tremendous; and at the last assize, when the different orders of men will pass in review before the eye retributive justice, surely none will be impressed with more palpable features of guilt and misery than he, who, with the distinct recognition of the truth of this fact, has left unpitied millions to live without knowledge and to die without hope.' pp. 40-42.

of

Art. XIII. 1. A Guide to the Practical Reading of the Bible. By William Carpenter. 18mo. pp. xvi. 288. London. 1830.

2. Popular Lectures on Biblical Criticism and Interpretation. By William Carpenter, Author of " A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures ”, “ Scripture Natural History ”, “ Scripture Difficulties ", &c. 8vo. pp. xiv. 446.

MR. CARPENTER is a most indefatigable man, and what is more, a very useful labourer in the field of literature. His publications are of a class which scarcely admit of any display of originality or genius, but they require assiduous diligence of research, copious information, sound judgement, and habits of accuracy; qualifications which he appears to possess in a very competent degree. We feel chargeable with having used him almost unkindly, in not noticing his successive works as they appeared. His "Scripture Natural History ", is a more readable volume than Dr. Harris's Natural History of the Bible"; and the wood-cuts are a feature of popular attraction. We cannot, however, recommend it to students, in preference to the work of the American Divine, which is somewhat unfairly depreciated. Much remains to be done, indeed, in this department of illustration. Mr. Carpenter's volume is a respectable performance; but it is too diffuse, and not free from slight inaccuracies. An abridgement, in a volume of the Cabinet size, would be, we should imagine, acceptable and popular.