sively

er Sacris duntaxat Libris petita, of their deprivation of vitality, dur-
and who had said expressly in the ing the time of his death,
course of it, and in substance more Yet, on many points, Milton has
than once,

6 let us discard reason displayed a strength of reasoning, in sacred matters, and follow the and a propriety of interpretation, doctrine of holy scripture exclu- which exhibit him to great advan

tage. That our readers may have The other abuse of the rule of a sample of other portions of the which wespoke, consists in bringing work than those on which we fault to the test of the scriptures things him, we quote the following on the which lie not within their special extent of the atonement : jurisdiction, Who would ever think of going to the scriptures to decide « For all mankind. Roin. v. 18. the on questions pertaining to the phy- free gift came upon all men. 2 Cor. sical sciences ? Who among Pro

v. 14. if one died for all, then were testants ? For we forget not a Gal

all dead.' If this deduction be true,

then the converse is also true, namely, ileo, suffering, for his laudable examination into the works of God, died for all, Christ died for all who

that i all were dead, because Christ from the hands of ignorant Papists.

were dead, that is, for all mankind. There may be certain doctrines of Eph. i. 10. that he might gather torevelation which have a relevan gether in one all things in Christ, both cy, for example, to the metaphy- which are in heaven, and which are on sical nature of man; yet on the earth;' all things therefore on earth, question whether man consist of without a single exception, any more

tban in heaven. both body and soul-or, of a bodily

Col. i. 20. by him

to reconcile all things. 1 Tim. ii. 4. substance, animated and rational, as

who will have all men to be saved, affirm the materialists; who would

and to come unto the knowledge of the think of looking for direct testimo

truth,' Compare also v. 6. Heb. ii. 9. nies, to that word which was given for every man.' See also 2 Pet. iii. 9. to teach us religion and not pneu. Further, Christ is said in many places matology ?

to have been given for the whole What shall we say of Milton, world. John iii. 16, 17. God so loved then, carrying the question be

the world that he gave his only begottween materialism and immaterial

ten Son, that whosoever believeth in

him should not perish, but have everity to the lively oracles; and bring lasting life.' vi. 51. the bread that I ing back such responses in favour will give is my flesh, which I will give of the materialists as those in for the life of the world. See 1 Jobn, which bodily attributes are pre- iv. 14. They, however, who maintain dicated of a the soul :"_" if a that Christ made satisfaction for the soul touch"-466 the soul that elect alone, reply, that these passages eateth"-" the hungry soul"

are to be understood only of the elect “a thirsty soul”—the soul "bunt

who are in the world; and that this

is confirmed by its being said elseed” and “persecuted ?” This he

where that Christ made satisfaction does; and derives, from a mere idi- for us, that is, as they interpret it, for om of the language, that view of the elect. Rom. viii. 34. 2 Cor. v. 21. materialism which leads him, else- Tit. ii. 14. That the elect, however, where in the work, to deny the cannot be alone intended, will be obviintermediate existence of the soul ous to any one who examines these between death and the resurrec

texts with attention, if in the first pastion, and to affirm the (no less won

sage from St. John, for instance, the

term elect be subjoined by way of exdrous) doctrine of the extinction of both natures of Christ, (which God loved the world,” (that is, the

planation to that of the world. were connected, in the incarnation, elect,) that whosoever' (of the elect) with his organic body,) or at least • believeth in him should not perish.'

1826. No. 2.

6

12

This would be absurd; for which of the less strong to Christ's having made saelect does not believe? It is obvious, tisfaction for each individual in every therefore, that God here divides the class (as appears from the frequent as. world into believers and unbelievers; sertions that he died for all and for the and that in declaring, on the one hand, whole worlı, and that he is not wilthat whosoever believeth in him shall ling that any should perish,' 2 Pet. iii. not perish,' he implies on the other, as 9.) than the single text Rev. v. 9. is to a necessary consequence, that whoso- his to his having died for classes of inever believeth not shall perish. Be- dividuals ; 'thou hast redeemed us to sides, where the world is not used to God by thy blood, out of every kin. signify all mankind, it is most common- dred, and tongue, and people, and naly put for the worst characters in it. tion. It will be proved, however, that John xiv. 17. (even the Spirit of truth, Christ has made satisfaction, not for whom the world cannot receive;' xv. the elect alone, but also for the repro19. the world hateth you;' and so in bate, as they are called. Matt. xviii. many other places. Again, where 11. the Son of Man is come to save Christ is said to be given for us, it is that which was lost. Now, all were expressly declared that the rest of the lost; he therefore came to save all, the world is not excluded. 1 John, ii. 2. reprobate as well as those who are call

not for ours only, but also for the sins ed elect. John ii. 17. God sent not of the whole world;' words the most his Son into the world, to condemn the comprehensive that could possibly have world,' (which doctrine, nevertheless, been used. The same explanation ap- must be maintained by those who asplies to the texts in which Christ is sert that Christ was sent for the elect said to lay down his life for his sheep.'. only, to the heavier condemnation of John X. 16. or for the church,' Acts the reprobate,) but that the world XX. 28. Eph. v. 23. 25. Besides, if, through him might be saved;' that is, as has been proved above, a sufficien- the reprobate ; for it would be supercy of grace be imparted to all, it ne- fluous to make such a declaration with cessarily follows that a full and effica- regard to the elect. See also John xii. cious satisfaction must have been made 47. vi. 32. my Father giveth you

the for all by Christ, so far at least as de. true bread from heaven;' you,' that is, pended on the counsel and will of God; even though ye believe not,' v. 36. inasmuch as, without such satisfaction, he giveth,' that is, he offers in good not the least portion of grace could faith : " for the bread of God ... giveth possibly have been vouchsafed. The life unto the world, that is, to all men, passages in which Christ is said to have inasmuch as he gives it even to you who 'given a ransom for many,'as Matt. xx. believe not, provided that you on your 28. and Heb. ix. 28, to bear the sins part do not reject it. Acts xvii. 30, 31, of many,' &c. afford no argument

6

all her powers

a

prove that an effectual satisfaction has lume of Eternal Truth. We love not been made, but that the offer has

to visit his “chamber hung with not been accepted. Heb. x. 29." who

rusty green.

99* and view him, “in hath trodden under foot the Son of

his elbow chair,"* illustrating, in God, and hath counted the blood of the

'

the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, his study of Christian doctrine, an unholy thing, and hath done despite

sincerity of the prayer which, unto the Spirit of grace.' 2 Pet. ii. 1. with cheerful hymning, he raised 'even denying the Lord that bought to heaven over his blindness; them, and brioging upon themselves swift destruction. Forasmuch then as “ So much the rather thou, Celestial all mankind are divided into elect and Light, reprobate, in behalf of both of whom Shine inward ; and the mind through Christ has made satisfaction, he has inade satisfaction for all. So far in- Irradiate. deed is this satisfaction from regarding the elect alone, as is commonly be- We cannot but rejoice that he lieved, to the exclusion of sinners in

was permitted to close a career, general, that the very contrary is the begun in an endless chaos of discase; it regards all sinners whatever, pute and bloodshed, concerning poand it regards them expressly as sin

litical and religious reformation, in ners; whereas it only regards the elect in so far as they were previously

so happy accordance with the plans sinners. Rom. iii. 25. to declare his and wishes expressed by him, in righteousness for the remission of sins one of the earliest of his controverthat are past, through the forbearance sial writings. “I trust hereby to of God. 1 Tim. i. 15. this is a faith- make it manifest with what small ful saying, and worthy of all accepta- willingness I endure to interrupt tion, that Christ Jesus came into the

the pursuit of no less hopes than Forld to save sinners, of whom I am chief.'” Vol. I. pp. 419–423.

these, and leave a calm and pleas

ing solitariness, fed with cheerful The qualifications of Milton to and confident thoughts, to embark undertake a work like the one un- in a troubled sea of noise and der consideration, so far as his hoarse disputes, put from beholding knowledge of the Hebrew and oth- the bright countenance of Truth, er languages, and his long delight in the quiet and still air of delightin studies of this nature, are consid- ful studies.t” ered, must be acknowledged to

Yet, notwithstanding all the inhave been great; but these were terest with which we behold him balanced, on the other hand, by as closing the evening of his days, in

, many and as great disqualifications, so pious employments as quaffing at 10 which we may briefly allude the fountains of the Christian faith again, as we proceed in our re- and hope, we lament that he should marks.

have put down, as his last thoughts This great author appears, in- on religion, things so widely varideed, sublimely interesting to us ant, as we apprehend several of his in closing his labours on earth in statements to be, from the testimothe pious attitude of an inquirer ny and the morality of the scripafter truth, at the oracles of God. tures. These were clouds drawn We follow him, joyfully, from the

over his setting. Perhaps the mind tumultuous controversies in which that, with unbounded freedom, he had been engaged during the vented all its feelings in that age Civil War, and the Protectorate, of storm, was led, insensibly, by its into the still retirement of his pri- own ardent workings, into errors vate studies; to see him, with and prejudices. The sun, perhaps,

orbs quenched' from the light of that glowed with such blazing inthis world, employing the last days

* Richardson's Life of Milton. of his life in conning over the vo- † The Reason of Church Government, &c.

0

tensity, drew up these mists over of Milton as among her advocates, its own declining orb. Certain it It is the very germ of the Protestis, that Milton was exposed, by his ant faith to call no man masier; to ardent temperament, by his views settle no point of Christian docof Christian liberty, by what he trine by human authority, but to saw around him of the abuse of refer all to divine testimony; to go power under the pretence of reli- to the word of God ourselves, and gion, by what befel him in his do- by its unerring and unaltering mestic attachments, by the insula- standard, to “prove all things." ted individuality of his religion, to Will any one quote the aberrago far astray from all that might tions of Milton, as favouring the even seem an agreement with the uncertainty of the scriptures, and opinions of the age; and he that rendering his own researches hopehad faced the nation with his trea- less? Go, traveller to eternity, tises on toleration and divorce, thyself, to the records of revelamight, without a known purpose tion. God speaks to thee. Err to deviate from the scriptures, thou mayest; oppose thou canst ; hare been led insensibly into er- but whence shall spring thy light rant conclusions by his own reason- and certainty, if not from his inings, though apparently a learner fallible mouth? There prove thy before the word of God. Ingensi- own works. There learn with hubly: for why should we doubt the mility his will. Let others carry asseverations he has made of his to that word, or bring away from sincerity, in the salutation he has it, what opinions they may, the reprefixed to the work, addressed to sponsibility is laid upon us of formall Christians ?

ing there, and there only, our

views of Christianity. If there are « Since it is only to the indivilual risks of coming out wrong, if there faith of each that the Deity has opened

are many and specious grounds of the way of eternal salvation, and as he requires that he who would be saved deception, if there arise many seen should have a personal belief of his

and unseen impulses to warp our own, I resolved not to repose on the judgments, it matters not: we must faith or judgment of others in matters encounter these risks; we must relating to God; but on the one hand, face these liabilities to deception, having taken the grounds of my faith and with a more deepened sense of from divine revelation alone, and on the our own frailties, submit our minds other, having neglected nothing which and hearts to the controlling powdepended on my own industry, I thought

er of revelation. Ours is the refit to scrutinize and ascertain for my

We are self the several points of my religious sponsibility.

put belief, by the most careful perusal an1

trial for ourselves We shall be meditation of the holy scriptures them- ' answerable for our faith. selves." Vol. I. p. 2.

In regard to the influence which

the theological opinions of Milton Insensibly, we say ; for upon may have on the present age, we those topics which brought up be- venture to say that not much is to fore him the themes of his former be apprehended froin them of eicontroversies, he represses every ther good or evil. There are inappearance of the angry feelings deed some doctrines and duties inof contest, like one subdued and culcated correctly,

many we reverent before the majesty of should say,--that might reprove truth, the inquirer and not the com- the infidel, and check the libertine, batant.

and refresh the heart of the child Yet we fear not for the cause of of God; and there are other statetruth, though we can no more, on

ments respecting truths and duties, some high doctripes, class the name to which we have alluded, that no

on

doubt tend to relax the bonds both consent to take the chapter on deof religion and morality. But af- crees; the high Arian, though a ter all, the work itself cannot do little stumbled at the expressions of much to mould the minds of the 66 divine substance” and “two napresent generation. Bulky tomes tures," might possibly accept the of theology suit not the taste of the chapter on the Son of God; the age, and the light reading of the ultra-Calvinist may take his portion day. They are not the means of from the paragraphs on the impuconverting or perverting this tatiop of sin, and the traduction of fickle generation.

souls; the Episcopalian and the The work has made its appear. Wesleyan Methodist, may find on ance too late to awaken the atten- Renovation and Regeneration tion of the really studious of divine agreeable chapters; the constitutruth. Much abler and more lu- tion of the visible church we may minous helps for studying the word take to ourselves, except the part of God, have arisen since the age we freely yield to the Baptists and of its composition; and are now the Quietists; and the chapter on within the reach of those who would polygamy,—-it must wander, a carnestly inquire . what is truth? starveling, beyond the pale of

The work is too anomalous to be Christendom, we should hope, to fostered by any living sect of find its host, if any where, among Christians. In the davs of Milton, the Mahometans. when the religious elements of the The work, finally, has none of British nation seemed plastic, and

those charms of taste thrown around ready to receive the forms of new it, that can ever recommend it to creations, the work might possibly the lovers of his poetry:

From have found a sect, or have created the nature of the work, there exone, in which it would have receive isted no opportunity for him to ened a ready and lasting lodgment, and stamp upon it the creations of his been cherished, like the works of own adventurous and inventive genPenn, as the fostering parent of

ius. His task was, simply, the sewhat shall we name the sect but, lection of scriptural texts, and the the Miltonists. We say" possibly: addition of remarks explanatory of for his tractates on divorce though the language. For ourselves, we deeply frowned against upon their have so long listened to his immorappearance, raised up a short lived tai Epic, and been charmed in corps who were called the Dic hearing him, vorcers. But the work has come

“ Assert eternal Providence, a century too late. The Christian

And justify the ways of God to man," sects have chosen their borders like Abraham and Lot; they have in glorious and lofty hymns, that driven their stakes an't fastened no tamer work of his can charm their cords, and pitched, at peace

Already have the prose able, if not peaceful, distances, publications by which he attempttheir habitations; and who of them ed to control the opinions of a tushall demolish their dwellings to

multuous age, filled as they are rebuild them after the model of with bursts of impassioned, devothis work?

The Unitarians may tional, nervous eloquence, sunk inperhaps select their portion on the

to neglect; possessing no attracunity of God, and rejoice to quote

tions within the soundings of his Milion, so far as one who is wil- lyre. And what else can be the ling to have one stike of their fate of the present work, when the habitation at least, remain where short day of its novelty shall have it is ; the moderate Calvinist may transpired-a work in which all

that is lofty in the imagination

us more