minous amplitude which yet never passed into the turgid -the life-blood of a quick intelligence or a most fervid emotion "circulating vitality to the last extremities of expression to the minutest ramifications of phrase." But this style of writing, how came it to be adopted and employed? Had it an infancy, a growth? And if so, what was its earliest, its infant condition-and how rose it to such a stately muturity? This volume is presented as a help to him who would prosecute such inquiries. It furnishes him with the means of tracing up very nearly to its fountain-head, that full flowing river whose many-waved bosom has borne so many thousands so triumphantly along. He does not indeed here see that stream rolling at its largest breadth and with its fullest volume-for that it is to the Astronomical, or some other of the already published discourses, that he must look. Nor does he see it, as within narrower banks but with waters purer, deeper, stillier-with more of heaven's own pure light upon them, it ran on when near its close for that it is to the Hora Sabbatice that he must look-but we raise him here to a stand-point whence he can see it through a longer period of its course, and trace it through more of its variations than previously lay open to his eye. It is mainly, however, with a hope that, in the form given to it, this volume may serve as a contribution to the religious biography of Dr. Chalmers, that it is put into the reader's hands. Before him here, and within comparatively narrow compass, he has a series of compositions between the date of the first and the last of which an interval of very nearly half a century occurs. Had the topics treated of in these writings belonged even to any branch of a purely speculative philosophy, it would have interested us to follow, through so long a line of progress, the advancing footsteps of an intellect gifted with such superior power, and urged on by so simple and so strong love of truth; and that interest would have been quickened into a heightened intensity had we been informed beforehand that, at a certain stage in his progress a singular revolution had taken place in the opinions and sentiments of the inquirer. But the topics dwelt upon throughout this volume-God, and the revelations He has made of Himself to man, man and his awful relationships with God and eternity—are no matters of mere barren speculation. According to the manner in which they are approached and dealt with by each of us they affect, closely and influentially, our state and character here, our prospects for eternity. It was in this light they were looked upon by the departed author of these writings. It is generally known that some years after his settlement at Kilmany, a revolution happened which altered the whole spirit, course, and object of his life and ministry. He himself believed, that upon the change which then took place his own salvation hinged. He believed that had that change not been realized, he should have stood at last hopelessly condemned at that tribunal before which he has now appeared. Although before that change his faith in the divine origin of Christianity was intelligent and entire-though all the doctrines which our standards teach were fully and unequivocally admitted by him-though as to all the external proprieties of professional conduct, and many of the most attractive virtues of social life, he might have challenged a comparison with the great majority of the men among whom he lived,-yet was it his conviction that the faith which bringeth salvation had not till then been formed the true and only ground of a sinner's acceptance with God had not been occupied and rested on-the true and only preparation for the services and joys of a holy and blissful immortality had not commenced. The history of a revolution upon which, according to the estimate of him who passed through it, his personal salvation hung, must necessarily have an exceeding interest to all who agree in the conclusions to which that revolution conducted him. But should it not also awaken the curiosity of those who, in the absence of such an agreement, have yet a strong general confidence in the entire sincerity and large capabilities of discernment of Dr. Chalmers? They not only do not receive, but they have a strong inward repugnance to those peculiar doctrines, and those peculiar ways-by word and deed—of illustrating and enforcing them, which prevail with a certain class of religionists, whom they are in the habit of regarding generally with a sentiment bordering on contemptuous disgust. They think, that for that sentiment they have good and valid warrant. They believe of those whom they thus pity or despise, that they are very narrowminded that they neither see themselves as they are seen by others, nor look with a broad and charitable intelligence along the wide waving lines of human belief. It might serve to shake such out of that confidence wherein they have intrenched themselves, could they be made to see it of another-and that other such a one as they admit Dr. Chalmers to have been-that the very thoughts which they now are thinking, he too once thought and that all that searching discernment which they credit themselves with, he too once exercised upon the disciples of evangelism-and that the full force of all that recoil and antipathy which they are feeling, he too once felt. I have not inserted in this volume those earlier sermons in which fullest and most vehement utterance is given to the strong dislike which he at that time cherished to the doctrines of free grace, and to the style of character and conduct exhibited by many of the most zealous of their advocates. Enough, however, is presented, to enable the intelligent reader to look upon the earlier period of his ministry, both in its positive and negative aspects, in what was present and required to be removed in what was absent and required to be imparted-in the prejudices which behoved to be overborne, as well as in the faith which behoved to be implanted. The contrast between the first seven and the succeeding sermons in this volume, will help such a reader to trace in outline the distinctive characteristics of the former and latter epochs of his pulpit-history; and when the full materials for filling up that outline shall have been furnished, still more clearly will he then discern how that earlier experience of Dr. Chalmers qualified him for dealing so wisely, so faithfully and so tenderly as he ever did with those in whom he saw what he once himself had been-and helped to prepare him for becoming what, when all his theological writings shall have been given to the world, I can scarcely doubt that he will be generally acknowledged to have been-the ablest and most judicious, as well as the most eloquent expounder, within the whole range of British authorship, of the two great cardinal doctrines of our faith-the doctrine of the radical and entire depravity of our nature, and the doctrine of the sinner's free gratuitous justification before God through faith in the imputed righteousness of Christ. CONTENTS. MICAH VI. 8.-"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy Page JAMES IV. 11.-"Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge."... THE TROUBLED HEART COMFORTED. TITUS I. 1.-"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness." |