Sermons on the Fifty-first Psalm, with others on Doctrinal and Practical Subjects. By the Rev. J. Bull, M. A.-Pp. xx. and 384. Longman. 1824. WE have long been favoured with occasional communications from the pen of Mr. Bull, and are now happy to commend to the notice of our readers a valuable series of Sermons which he has recently published. The volume contains twenty discourses, six of which are on the fifty-first Psalm, and the remaining fourteen on different important subjects. In the discourses on the fifty-first Psalm, Mr. B. follows the method of exposition, improving the subject by a few plain and important propositions. We turn almost at random to the sixth discourse, entitled, "The Sacri"The Sacrifice of a broken and contrite Heart;" in which, after a plain and sensible exposition of Ps. li. 16-19, Mr. B. observes-1. The important difference which exists between outward forms and inward worship.-2. That it is a mark of real conversion in any one when he is desirous of seeing the enlargement and sincerity of God's church on earth; and, 3. That the true penitent experiences great joy and gladness on witnessing the favour and loving kindness of God which are manifested in his sacred ordi nances. We may here observe the important difference which exists between outward forms and inward worship. Mankind have always been prone to rest satisfied with outward forms of religion, either those which God has appointed, or such as they have devised in their own vain imaginations. Thus the carnal Jews superstitiously relied on their numerous sacrifices, without paying a proper regard to their own principles and motives. And although God required sacrifices at their bands, he took no pleasure in them, when they approached to his altar with proud and impenitent hearts. He had no delight in their burnt-offerings, when those who presented them were altogether destitute of the sacrifices of righteousness. Thus also among Christians, the forms and ceremonies of religion may be good and beneficial in their tendency, but they are not to be substituted for that vital religion which has its seat in the heart: they may be profitably used, as 66 means of grace," but they must not be trusted in, as if they worked by a kind of charm. Nor, on the other hand, are divine or. dinances to be neglected because they are liable to some abuse; for many who disregard these ordinances, manifest no proofs of spiritual improvement and growth in grace. Although God is not pleased with superstitious offerings and unmeaning ceremonies, and "will-worship," yet he will graciously receive those who "draw near to to him in humility and pious fear: he delighteth in the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart; nor will he ever despise those who seek him in the exercise of re pentance and faith. We ought therefore to consider well our motives and views, when we approach unto God, that we may offer unto him those sacrifices of righteousness with which he is always well pleased. Let us earnestly desire that broken and contrite heart which he will not despise. One of the most suitable means of acquiring this humble and reflect on the number, greatness, and heipenitent disposition of mind, is, duly to nousness of our sins in the sight of God; and on the punishment which is due to them according to his righteous law. We ought to contemplate our gracious Redeemer as bearing the shame and chastisement of our sins, when he freely offered himself as a sacrifice, and endured the most afflicting agony in the garden of Gethsemane, and at length "bore our sins in his own body on the tree," and died an accursed death that we might be restored to life and blessedness. Surely we cannot behold his bloody sweat, and crown of thorns, and grievous sufferings, and bitter sorrows, and excruciating pains, and meritorious death, without a broken and a contrite heart, remembering that God "made his soul an offering for sin," and "laid on him the iniquity of us all." We are assured that his heavenly Father was "pleased to bruise him," that he delighted in his offering as the means of glorifying his justice, and as the source of salvation to a lost world. He did not take delight in the pleased in him" and his arduous work, as sufferings of his Son, but he was "well being the completion of all the ancient types, and as the ground of accepting all humble penitents, who come unto him with a broken and a contrite heart, and who thankfully lay hold on his mercy and grace, which have been purchased from sake, God will favourably receive us, when them at such an immense price. For his we present unto him the sacrifices of righteousness, the sacrifices of a broken and a contrite heart: even when we are not able 1 to bring unto him any costly offering. Even the poorest person may bring this sacrifice, and God will not despise him nor overlook him; no, he will graciously receive him, and will abundantly bless him.-Pp. 122 125. The two following sermons were preached before the University of Oxford in 1813, and contain a faithful exposition of the doctrine of salvation by grace, from Eph. ii. 8, 9. We should gladly extract largely from this as well as some Our following discourses. tracts, however, must be limited to the following passage; in inserting which we take leave of Mr. B. with the earnest hope, that his labours as a minister, tutor, and author, may be crowned with great and increasing success. ex In concluding the subject we may remark that the Apostle says, "By grace ye are saved; it is not, ye shall be saved, but saved now." How they were saved by grace through faith, and not of works, has been already explained. The inference I would wish to draw from hence is, that we must be saved in the present world, if we desire to be happy in the world to come. We must be saved from sin now, otherwise, we cannot expect to be numbered among the redeemed of the Lord in the kingdom of glory. We know that "this is the accepted time, and the day of salvation;" and, if we neglect our present opportunities, God may 66 swear in his wrath that we shall never enter into his rest." If the Apostle were present here, could he say the same of us, "By grace ye are saved?" Are we in a safe condition? Are our consciences sprinkled from dead works by a believing application to the blood of Christ? Are we saved by his grace from the guilt of sin? Have we, in humble penitence, sought for pardon and justification through the merits of our Redeemer? If we have hitherto disregarded this grand means of salvation, our case is dangerous; we are yet in our sins, and if we die thus, the wrath of God will abide on us for ever. Let us then pray for that faith which will unite us to Christ, that we may be saved by him, and be made the heirs of everlasting life. Are we also saved with respect to the dominion of sin? Does sin still reign in our mortal bodies, and do we make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof? If evil passions and desires still maintain their ascendency over us, how are we saved from their tyrannical power? Are those persons in a safe condition who yield up themselves as the servants of sin,` and who are carried captive by Satan at his will? It is superfluous to ask, whether such unhappy persons are saved, as run with eagerness into all excess of riot, and live in gross sensuality, and profane levity. Many, whose lives are more decent and pure, are not saved according to the Gospel scheme which has now been under consideration they are not renewed in the spirit of their minds by the grace of Christ; they are altogether strangers to his converting power, and are under the dominion of a selfish, proud, and worldly spirit. Are we then desirous of being saved from all evil tempers and corrupt affections? let us seek to "be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Our hope of being finally saved in the kingdom of our Father, will increase in proportion as we are actually saved now from every thing which is evil, and become more and more perfect in every good work. The subject also suggests to us another important consideration; that while our salvation is of grace through faith, and not of works, so that all boasting is excluded, it affords every encouragement for our vigorous exertions. If the text, which we have considered, cuts up the roots of Pelagian self-righteousness, yet it holds out no handle to Antinomian licentiousness. Our endeavours and works are necessary in the order of things, and are expressly required of us: but they are not the meritorious, nor the efficient cause, of our eternal salvation. If we were left to ourselves we should inevitably perish. Whatever works we do, then, let us acknowledge, that there is nothing good in them, except as we are assisted by the grace of God; but that there is much evil in them as coming from us. Yet God will not overlook our sincere and persevering endeavours, but according to his promise will graciously assist us. "He will give grace and glory." Let us therefore, above all things, seek the grace of God; and be careful not to "receive that grace in vain." Let us "not be slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises," the noble army of Saints and Martyrs. For God will not be unrighteous to forget our work and labour of love, which we show towards his name. But after all, remembering who is "the author and finisher of our faith," and the only source of our eternal life, let us say,— "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. THE PROTESTANT.-No. I. IN the efforts now making by the Roman Catholics of Ireland to obtain that political power from which they have so long been excluded, our anxiety is chiefly excited by the danger with which we conceive the cause of religion to be menaced. Could we look upon the question as a merely political one, we should feel, comparatively, little interest in its decision. But though political power is unquestionably the object at present contested, there can be no doubt that the acquirement of that power would be followed by its exertion, in every possible way, for the suppression of Heresy, i.e. Protestantism. Of this, the late proceedings in Ireland have furnished ample proof. The present position of the question is entirely new.-It cannot be denied, that the pertinacity of the Papists has had the natural effect of wearying out the opposition of some, and of exciting the hesitation and even the acquiescence of others. One of the most highly respected and influential of the London Evangelical Clergy lately expressed himself desirous that "a trial should be made of an entirely different system from that hitherto adopted towards the Catholics."-The evil of such a suggestion is, that it operates on the public as an important admission of the reasonableness of the claims of the Papists, while the measure it proposes is altogether impracticable. For how is it possible that such a trial can be made? The legislature is now at liberty to determine, either to admit, or not to admit, them to the possession of power. But the determination must be definitive,—there can be no such thing as trying experiments about it. We conceive that it will be dangerous to give Papists votes in parliament. Can a trial be made of this point? Can eighty or one hundred Roman Catholic Members be admitted on trial, and then excluded if found troublesome? The thing is plainly impracticable. Whatever is granted to them must be freely granted, without reserve, and without the thought of resumption. The ground which the Catholic Association has lately taken, especially deserves the attention of the legislature. Having so far completed their financial measure, called the Catholic Rent, as to be in the receipt of at least 40,000l. per annum; and having embodied the whole strength of Popery in Ireland, they begin already to speak with a little more freedom of their real objects. A repeal of the Union, and an attack on the property of the Church, have been openly proclaimed to be in their contemplation; and it has been distinctly asserted, that "Emancipation," as it has been called, is only to be sought for as a means of obtaining these further and more important ends. Whether parliament will disbelieve the plain warnings thus given, and act upon the presumption that the Papists confess designs which they do not really entertain, few weeks will demonstrate. a very Meantime, we cannot but rejoice that many of the delusions and false hopes by which some of the most valuable members of our legislature have been accustomed to satisfy their minds, are now being destroyed by the plain speaking and insolent tone of this Association. Those who stand up for Emancipation must in future do it with their minds made up to all its inevitable consequences-a dissolution of the Union-the destruction of the Protestant Church in Ireland, and the systematic persecution of the Protestants, as far as the Papists dare openly practise it. ९ A deputation from this Association is shortly to visit England; in order, we apprehend, to harangue public meetings, wherever such meetJAN, 1825. F ings can be assembled, on the "wrongs and injuries of six millions of people." But this delusion ought to be destroyed-this mask ought to be torn off. Who are the persons actually labouring under the wrongs and injuries complained of? Not the great mass of the Irish Catholics, assuredly for the said wrongs consist simply of exclusion from parlialiament, and from certain offices in the state, for which these six millions are not, nor ever can be, candidates. Who then, we ask again, are actually feeling this exclusion as an injury? Plainly, none but those whose situation, education, and talents might give them a hope of being elevated to these desirable stations. In other words;-none but a few barristers, half a dozen peers, and a score or two of merchants and country gentlemen, have any real interest in the matter. All the Roman Catholic nobility, gentry, merchants, barristers, and traders, are, we are told, combined in the Association; and we are at the same time informed, that the Association contains a thousand members. Certainly, if we allow that one in ten of this number may possibly come under the actual operation of the exclusive laws, we are making a liberal calculation. If it be objected, that so insignificant a body can be no just object of alarm to a great Protestant nation, we reply, that they are only dangerous because they wield the physical force of the greater part, and the most dangerous part, of the population of Ireland. When we see pence and halfpence pouring in, to the amount of nearly one thousand pounds per week, merely to assist in making way for the O'Connells and the Shiels into parliament, and on to the bench, we may be assured that the Romish Priests will be able to excite still greater efforts, when a greater object shall be immediately in view. It is just announced, that Mr. O'Connell has been required to answer before a legal tribunal for some expressions used by him in the course of the proceedings of the Association; and that this circumstance will prevent the intended visit of a deputation to this country. We regret that a measure of this kind should have been resorted to by the Irish Government. The Roman Catholics would scarcely be formidable were it not for the support given to their cause by some of the ablest and best men in the legislature. These friends they are daily repelling from them by the violent proceedings of the Association; and we would rather that the orators of that sapient body were left to fret their hour away unchecked, than that they should be forced, against their will, to conceal their real intentions. The expressions said to have been used by Mr. O'Connell, and for which he has been proceeded against, were of this kind. “He trusted that if Ireland were driven to madness by persecution, a Bolivar would be found to avenge her wrongs." Whether such language can really be proved, is to be seen, and its legality is to be tried. Meanwhile, it may be taken for granted, that some such expressions, perhaps not illegal, did fall from the orator. And what are we to gather from this fact? We learn that by some of the most influential of the Catholic leaders, the exclusion of themselves from power and office is thought a matter worthy of an actual appeal to force. We learn that insurrection itself is not entirely out of their contemplation. Such a hint should not be forgotten, or considered as an idle threat. INTELLIGENCE. MR. FAUNTLEROY. THE public mind has been recently very much excited by the trial, conviction, and execution of this unfortunate gentleman, late partner in the bank of Messrs. Marsh, Stracey, Graham, &c. for the crime of forgery; and we feel, therefore, called upon to notice some of the circumstances of the case. The father of Mr. Fauntleroy is stated to have established the bank in Berners Street, in connexion with Mr. Marsh and other gentlemen, in 1792, where his son was introduced as clerk in the year 1800; and upon the death of his father, about the year 1807, Mr. F. succeeded him as a partner, and the whole weight of the concern appears to have rested upon him from the age of twenty-two. The affairs of the Berners Street bank were not, it seems, at that period in a very prosperous state, and in fact became so insecure, that the Bank of England declined discounting the Berners Street acceptances. In these circumstances Mr. F. was induced, partly from the desire of supporting their tottering house, partly we fear from a spirit of revenge, and very possibly from other causes, to commence a series of forgeries to an immense amount. After continuing in the commission of these crimes during many years, he was in September last detected; when an extraordinary document was found among his papers; in which, after reciting various sums to the amount of 170,0007. he adds, "In order to keep up the credit of our house I have forged powers of attorney, and have thereupon sold out all these sums without the knowledge of any of my partners. I have respectively placed the dividends as they became due to account, but I never posted them. H. Fauntleroy, May 7, 1816." To which was added a postscript: "The Bank began first to refuse our acceptances and thereby to destroy our credit; they shall, therefore, smart for it. H. F." It is scarcely necessary to say, that he was convicted on the clearest evidence; that after every exertion which the most eminent counsel could make in support of a writ of error, the conviction was affirmed, and notwithstanding all the efforts of the public press, and an immense number of petitions presented either in Mr. F.'s favour in particular, or against the punishment of death in cases of forgery in general, the unhappy man was executed on Tuesday, November 30, aged 40. The public prints have entered very largely into the history of this unhappy man prior to his detection, and have dwelt upon every incident that could be collected of his conduct from that moment to his execution; but many of their statements have been contradicted, and we have neither time nor ability to render the whole consistent. It appears, however, perfectly clear, that early in life Mr. F. became acquainted with a lady whom he seduced and afterwards married, and who is now by his execution left a widow. This marriage is on the one hand stated to have taken place through fear of her brother's resentment,' who was then an officer in the navy-and on the other, to have been owing to more honourable though concealed motives. But whatever was the cause, it is clear, that the parties separated at the church door, that this separation was determined on prior to the marriage ceremony taking place, and that the very man who had in the house of God solemnly declared, that he took this woman as his wedded wife, to love and to cherish till death us do part, and who had there endowed her with all his worldly goods, did in the course of a very few moments turn his back upon her, coufine her to a small and limited income, leave her and his own acknowledged child to struggle with comparative poverty, while he himself was living as if he possessed unbounded affluence, providing, furnishing, and maintaining at least one, if not more houses, keeping one, if not more women, and supplying his illegitimate children with every comfort and luxury; and yet we are told that this unhappy gentleman was an honourable man, and regarded and associated with as such by honourable men. Well might Paley say, "The law of honour is a system of rules constructed by people of fashion, and calculated to facilitate their intercourse with one another, and for no other pur pose. "Consequently, nothing is adverted to by the law of honour, but what tends to incommode this intercourse. "Hence this law only prescribes and regulates the duties betwixt equals; omitting such as relate to the Supreme Being, as well as those which we owe to our inferiors. "For which reason, profaneness, neglect of public worship or private devotion, cruelty to servants, rigorous treatment of tenants or other dependants, want of charity to the poor, injuries done to tradesmen by insolvency or delay of payment, with numberless examples of the same kind, are accounted no breaches of honour; because a man is not a less agreeable companion for these vices, nor the worse to 2 |