attainment. Every lawful employment, whether of mind or body, may be turned into a spiritual channel, if the soul is much with God, in secret. Whatsoever, therefore, ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ. May

you, my dear friend, have grace to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour, in all things; and then you will assuredly prove the truth and stability of his promise, as well as the tenderness and faithfulness of his love."

Letter 15, " On Tractarianism," is an admirable composition, embodying truly Scriptural views of the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel, and well worthy of the careful study of all who may be disposed to adopt the principles of what our author terms "the tractarian heresy." In this powerful letter, "the bold and perilous handling," by certain writers in the "Tracts for the Times," " of God's blessed word," is effectively exposed. The dangerous tenets, that "THE ATONEMENT," on the principle of "reserve in communicating religious knowledge"-ought to be "kept in the back ground;" and that the great truth, that "we are saved by faith in Christ only, and not by any works of our own," should be kept "a great secret," on the ground of the impropriety of "an indelicate exposure of religious knowledge," are strongly contrasted with St. Paul's determination to NOTHING BUT CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED."

"KNOW

The whole of this truly excellent letter deserves and will repay the studious attention of every Protestant Christian; and is well calculated, under the blessing of Almighty God, to excite or recal to serious reflection any persons, who, in these days of various and subtle error, may be in danger of forgetting, or may have actually forgotten, the good old principle, that "THE BIBLE and THE BIBLE ALONE, is the religion of protestants."

We cannot conclude our notice of this MEMORIAL OF CHRISTIAN AFFECTION, without expressing our earnest hope, that a volume of the LETTERS, which are alluded to in the preface, as having been addressed to CHILDREN FROM THREE TO Twelve years OF AGE, and of which an admirable specimen may be found in page 497 of this number of the Christian Mother's Magazine, may speedily be given to the public.

CHRISTIAN WAYMARKS, or HELPS FOR A CHRISTIAN'S DAILY WALK. LONDON: Seeley, Burnside and Seeley, Fleet Street; J. Nisbet and Co.; Arthur Newling, 31, Ranelagh Street, Liverpool.

These "WAY MARKS" constitute, in fact, a new and enlarged edition of the "RULES FOR A CHRISTIAN'S DAILY WALK," formerly published by the same author.

Few persons, if any, even among the most watchful Christians, will peruse these "rules," without receiving from them some practical hints which may be turned to account in their own daily conduct.

We cordially unite in the hope expressed by the pious author, that "HE who has already blessed these RULES, may grant such a measure of his Spirit, as shall render them still more effectual for the benefit of all, who may read or hear, give or receive, buy or sell them; for Jesus Christ's sake."

THE TEACHER'S VISITOR. May 1844. Edited by WILLIAM CARUS WILSON, M.A., Rector of Whittington, and Incumbent of Casterton. LONDON: Seeley, Burnside, and Seeley, Fleet Street; Arthur Foster, Kirkby Lonsdale.

The first number of the TEACHER'S VISITOR appeared in May, 1844; and interesting as is that number, and very excellent as is the Reverend Editor's Introductory Address, with which it opens, the number for July, just put into our hands, is, perhaps, still more attractive. The work is evidently calculated for general usefulness; and its low price-three pence, each number-puts it within the reach of almost all persons who are in any way interested in the conduct of Sunday schools. We particularly recommend to the attention of all such persons, the admirable HINTS ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS with which the July number opens. These HINTS are of a highly practical character; and we observe, with satisfaction, that they are to be continued in future numbers.

We have much pleasure in bearing our testimony to the great and various excellence of this Magazine; and earnestly hope, that it will be supported as it deserves to be, by all who wish well to the cause of true religion, in general, or of Sunday schools, in particular.

THE

Christian Mother's Magazine.

No. IX.]

SEPTEMBER 1844.

[VOL. I.

THOUGHTS ON THE PREVAILING CORRUPTION
OF THE WORD OF GOD,

BY FALSE SYSTEMS OF INTERPRETATION. 2. Corinth., ii., 17.
BY THE LATE DEAN MILNER.

HE Holy Scriptures contain a variety of important truths. Some of these truths had been discovered by mere human reason; and others, though the natural powers of man had not been equal to the discovery of them, appear so satisfactory when they are pointed out, and are so agreeable to our justest conclusions, that we are frequently apt to imagine them to be the deductions of human investigation. There is a third class of truths, which, though certainly not CONTRADICTORY to right reason, are yet, so entirely ABOVE it, that neither before nor after the revelation of them, can we, with the utmost stretch of human comprehension and human industry, understand their depth and mystery. To the first of these classes belong the truths implied in several of the commandments. "Thou shalt do no murder;" "thou shalt not steal;" "thou shalt not bear false witness;" "honour thy father and thy mother," &c. These commandments involve truths, which, without the instruction and authority of the Bible, the best and most enlightened part of mankind has always acknowledged, professed, and inculcated. When, however, we take into consideration those propositions, and those rules of conduct which have reference to the heart and the affections, such as, not only art thou forbidden TO STEAL, or to take by violence, that which is thy neighbour's, but thou shalt not even COVET it; not only art thou commanded to refrain from all immoral PRACTICES, but thou art also required to restrain every irregular DESIRE ;-we are constrained to

regard such commands and injunctions as implying truths which must be included in the second of the classes which have been mentioned. It may, indeed, be acknowledged, that these truths being now divulged, and explained to short sighted man, they appear so natural, and so easily deducible by the usual steps of moral investigation, that we are almost tempted to conclude them to be of human invention. What, for instance, can be more agreeable to sound reasoning and sound morality, than the regulation of the thoughts, which are THE SOURCES OF ACTION? What can be more philosophical than to aim at the purifying of those SOURCES? The mere EXTERNAL ACTION can be of no moment in the judgment of that great Being who can penetrate the recesses of the heart. It is not the WEAPON-it is not the ARM; the guilt lies in the HEART, which conceives, meditates, and purposes to commit the evil action; and we may add, that the man is equally guilty, whether he have, or have not, an opportunity of perpetrating his design; and exactly in the same way, we must argue, with respect to the commission of all other crimes. This reasoning is not merely specious; it is so sound and conclusive, that I think no moral or religious deduction, made by human faculties, can be more satisfactory. Still, however, I maintain, that man being short-sighted, and his understanding being darkened, we are indebted for these deductions to revelation; and that human reason, although it heartily approves and adopts them, WHEN REVEALED, could not, itself, have discovered them; and, this conclusion is justified by the FACT, that IT NEVER DID DISCOVER THEM. We find no trace of this deeper and more refined morality, either in the popular doctrines of any community, which ever existed, or in the most elegant ethical writings of the most learned and abstruse philosophers. Infidel writers, indeed, since the promulgation of Christianity, have told us, with much assurance, and to the great disparagement of revelation, that there are no practical precepts nor instructions contained in the Gospel, which had not, long before, been discovered by reasonable and thinking men. "Can anything," say they, "be more rational than to restrain and correct the very first movements of the appetites and passions, upon which all human conduct depends?" Sometimes they will go further, and ask “whether anything can be more laudable, and more consonant to our feelings, than that we should exercise A GENERAL GOOD WILL to all mankind?” The answer is, "we admit, that nothing can be more rational than all this; or more agreeable to the constitution of our nature, and to the will of God. Nevertheless, it remains true, that not a word of these

things is to be found in the writings of pagans; not a word of any investigation of the PRINCIPLES and MOTIVES of human conduct, of a nature calculated to reach the heart and affections; not a word of any religious duty, which was to extend itself to all mankind, as OUR BRETHREN. Enough, indeed, has been said by these MODERN PAGANS, the writers already alluded to, about "purity of heart,” and “general benevolence;" but it has been said SINCE THE LIGHT OF CHRISTIANITY SHONE INTO THE WORLD. The question is, how did they arrive at these higher degrees of knowledge? Whether they be deficient in judgment, so that they do not perceive the true cause of their advancement in knowledge, or in honesty, so that they are averse from owning it, it is plain, that if they have seen FARTHER or MORE DISTINCTLY than their forefathers, their advantage is solely to be ascribed to their standing on the more elevated ground, or in the brighter light of Christianity. I repeat, that it is rational to conclude, that mere human reason could not make these important deductions; because, when unassisted, it NEVER DID MAKE THEM, during some thousands of years.

Our obligation, however, to the Supreme Author of all things, does not rest here. He has condescended to reveal Himself much farther and that, in matters which most deeply concern the human race. I allude now, to the THIRD CLASS of truths contained in the Holy Scriptures. To THIS CLASS belong the doctrines of the total CORRUPTION OF HUMAN NATURE, BY THE FALL OF OUR FIRST PARENTS; of THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN, BY THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST; of the JUSTIFICATION OF THE SINNER BY FAITH; and of REGENERATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. These awful and momentous doctrines of the Bible, separate themselves very distinctly, from the moral truths and directions above mentioned. All, it is true, are alike found in the same Scriptures of Divine authority; but no person pretends, that human reason either ever DISCOVERED these last mentioned truths, or that it perfectly comprehends their nature and foundation, now that they certainly are revealed, and connected with a history of surprising facts; and now, that it is plain, that the welfare of fallen man depends upon the inferences which are to be drawn from them.

These, then, are to be esteemed THE PECULIAR AND ESSENTIAL DOCtrines of ChrisTIANITY; the GLAD TIDINGS which made the shepherds rejoice, upon the first appearance of our Saviour in the world: the GOSPEL of the forgiveness of sins, and of peace and joy to each and all of the desponding sons and daughters of Adam, who feel their wretch