the living God, as the proper business of his creatures. The believer knows and feels that Christ died for him; that without Christ he himself was dead; and that, being raised from the death of sin by the propitiation made the victim substituted for him, he is no longer his own, but under obligation to devote his life to the service of the Redeemer. These are the cords by which the gospel binds its disciple to obedience. It is not like a mere ordinance, which must be performed, but conveys no moral to the heart; but constantly affirms the truth, that God commendeth his love towards us, in that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;' and that such love must be repaid by all the obedience which he requires, and all the service which it is in our power to pay."

Connected with these subjects there are two points on which most writers have found it difficult to speak in a distinct and yet an impartial tone: we mean the grace of Baptism, be it what it may, and the doctrine of Election; in both of which his Grace has, as it appears to us, followed Hooker's example when treating on the latter subject, and "gone no further than holy scripture did seem to take him by the hand." On Baptism he writes:

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of holiness and man by nature is not holy, but corrupt. The Saviour of the world has provided a way for his purification. Therefore the entrance into his religion is by an emblematical action, which indicates that man needs to be renewed and purified; that as water removes the defilement of the flesh, so the Spirit of God must remove the corruption of the heart. If a man comes, like the Ethiopian, or like the Jews, of his own accord, and from personal conviction, and says, 'See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized ?' he makes this acknowledgment for himself. If an infant is brought for baptism, the same acknowledgment is made by those who bring him. The parents, or whoever takes the parents' place, come with this avowal. They feel that they have bestowed upon their offspring an earthly, corrupt nature, which would lead, not to life, but to death; and therefore they present their child to Him who can change that nature, and make it like His own. For 'as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.' And we doubt not, but earnestly believe, that He who while on earth took up in his arms the little children, and blessed them, will likewise favourably receive the infants now brought to him, and baptised in his name. For the word of faith is of so great power in the church of God, that by means of him who believes and offers an infant for baptism, or by means of him who baptizes the infant, the infant is cleansed, though as yet not capable of believing with repentance.'

And again, of those who are truly regenerate the Archbishop says:

They are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. It is not with their spiritual as with their natural birth: that comes of the will of the flesh, and of the will of man : but the spiritual being cannot be so handed down: God keeps it in His

* Augustine.

own power. The corruption of Adam descended in natural course to his posterity; but not so the grace of Adam, or of any since born his children: no man can produce it in another by his will and desire. It is the gift of God. And though we are sure that it is bestowed according to just and equal laws, we are often foiled and baffled if we attempt to trace their operation."

And a solemn and much needed caution is added, lest any should content themselves with the outward visible sign without any evidence that they have received the inward and spiritual grace:

"It behoves all, however, who are no longer children, to examine how it is with themselves. Can it be said of them, that they have been born again? It must be true of them, if they belong to the kingdom of God. For, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. He is entirely different from what he would be, if he were not in Christ Jesus. His trust is different: his views are different: his life is different. For he lives and thinks as one who knows, that as many as are baptized into Jesus Christ, are baptized into his death.' And 'therefore they are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so they also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death. we thall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.'”

The mere reception of baptism, then, does not confer grace. A man may be, as it is to be feared multitudes are, baptized, but not regenerate. The fruits are wanting; and by their fruits the members of Christ and heirs of the covenant are known.

We believe there are few thoughtful minds to whom, whatever their theological tendencies, the Divine foreknowledge, and with it the doctrine of election, has not at some period of their lives been an anxious question; and it has been the hard fate and singular misfortune of this class of subjects to have been seldom discussed except in a controversial manner. The aim of many of our commentators has evidently been, not so much to listen to and expound the simple voices of the oracles of God, as to prove that their utterances do not support this or that theological system to which they are themselves opposed. Nothing in the whole history of evangelical religion is, to our minds, more painful than the rancour of the Calvinistic controversy on both sides; and amongst the happier signs of the age we live in, not the least is the absence of this angry spirit. Upon the doctrine of Election the archbishop writes, from 1 Thess. i. 2-5 :

"There is a state of heart and life by which we are taught to 'know that we are of the truth,' and may have confidence towards God.' And this state of heart and life was so exhibited in the Thessalonians as to make it plain that God had predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of

his will.'

"How came this, it may be asked,—that some were thus predestinated

unto the adoption of children, and others were passed by? That apostles should visit Thessalonica or Philippi, and should not visit Tyre or Sidon? That some who had been 'dead in trespasses and sins were quickened,' whilst others remained in darkness, and brought the children of light into much affliction?

"These are among the secret things which belong to the Lord our God.'

"Thus much, however, we can perceive and understand. God purposed in himself to collect a people out of every kindred and nation under heaven,' who should be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, and in the dispensation of the fulness of times should inherit an everlasting kingdom. So an earthly benefactor might, if he chose, take the children of certain inhabitants of his place or neighbourhood, adopt them as his own, educate them, make them heirs of his property. God, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, did this originally by the Jewish nation; adopted them as his 'peculiar people.' Now he was doing the same by others: he sent his apostles to one city and passed by another, according to his good pleasure. We know not the grounds of his selection; but we are assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right,' though his ways are far above out of our sight.' And as the provision made by Him that the gospel should be preached at Thessalonica or Philippi, was proof that he had chosen those cities to be recipients of his mercy, so was there a like proof in regard to the individuals who had embraced the faith, and been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. That they had been aroused by the word preached to them, had cast off the works of darkness, and were now following after holiness; this was proof that God had chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Unless he had a favour unto them, he would not have put it into their hearts to receive the gospel. Thus was made manifest their election of God."

His Grace returns to the subject in his exposition of Romans viii. 28-30, and concludes thus :

"It is a natural question arising from these words, Are we among that blessed company here spoken of, whom God has predestinated to everlasting glory? No special revelation is given to tell us this. The first token of divine favour belongs to us. God has already granted us an 'advantage great every way:' we have been planted in a christian land, and by baptism enrolled amongst his family. This indeed is not alone sufficient. We know that 'many are called' to outward privileges, who are not finally chosen' to inherit the heavenly kingdom. But though nothing can prove that we are predestinated to glory, except a faith and practice conformable to the gospel; still our outward calling is an earnest of the goodwill of God towards us, which nothing but our own unbelief and hardness of heart can render vain. As the wife of Manoah argued, 'If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have showed us all these things.' We cannot expect that the book of life' should be opened before our eyes. But if my heavenly Father has sent down a message to me, and the messenger is his beloved Son, inviting me to his service here, and his inheritance hereafter, what more can I ask, what further assurance of his favour shall I desire ?

A few expository lectures upon the Acts of the Apostles afford an opportunity for the discussion of some questions relating to the government of the primitive church. His Grace appears to think that the seven men ordained by the Apostles to serve tables, Acts vi., were the first deacons of the church, and that as deacons they were also stated ministers. "Their office was not merely secular. Stephen continued to preach the Gospel; Philip did not hesitate to baptize; they were still engaged, therefore, in whatever might promote the progress of the Gospel." Doddridge, on the other hand, is of opinion that "Stephen was raised to the superior honors of an evangelist ;" and that it was "not as a deacon that he preached;" nor is the narrative, we think, quite free from difficulty. The deacons afterwards mentioned in the Epistles seem to have been young men, more exactly corresponding to the deacons of our own church, both in age and with regard to the duties they perform, than the seven; and the seven deacons (so called, not in the text, but from the heading of the chapter) perhaps corresponded more truly with our modern churchwardens. But however this may be, we are far from disputing the right of laymen to preach the word. Indeed, they did so in the primitive church, Acts

viii. 1-4:

"And this, not by a direct commission. The apostles did not, as in other cases, set them apart for the work, and lay their hands upon them, and send them forth with fasting and prayer. Such a formal commission would not be given to the general body of believers. The influencing motive was in themselves; in their own hearts. They had received the truth, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself;' that as there is, on the one hand, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,' so likewise there is salvation in no other; 'for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men, whereby we must be saved,'

"This truth they had themselves received; and because they had received it, they were now scattered abroad-driven from their homes. "Though, therefore, they had no express commission, like the apostles; they had feelings like the apostles; like them, they could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard.'

"Doubtless, they might have failed to do this. It is easier to go with the stream, and to suffer others to be carried down it, than to encounter and resist its force. And these might have followed the smoother path, and have allowed others to remain undisturbed in their errors, if the Spirit of God had not been strong within them, if the love of Christ had not powerfully constrained them. But they were thus constrained; and, therefore, they went everywhere preaching the word; declaring, that God had visited his people; had remembered his mercy; had fulfilled the promise made to Abraham, that their eyes had seen his salvation."

This would be an approach to the perfect state of the church of Christ on earth, so far as its mechanism is concerned; when, besides a well-ordered and divinely-appointed ministry, there were a large body of christian laymen, "men of honest report, full of Vol. 58.-No. 261.

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the Holy Ghost and wisdom," who should not only superintend its secular affairs, but, constrained by the love of Christ, go forth into streets and lanes, and highways and hedges, inviting sinners to flee from the wrath to come. Long may the Archbishop of Canterbury preside over such a church; and daily may its laymen, no less than its clergy, exemplify "the divine properties" which he thus pourtrays:—

"It is, in fact, one of the divine properties of the Christian faith, that it contains within itself a provision by which it is diffused and extended. Its seed is in itself. The Christian loves his Saviour, and therefore is zealous for his glory. That glory is promoted when his religion is extended; therefore the Christian is zealous in extending it. The Christian also has an interest in all his fellow-creatures. These are benefited, inestimably benefited, when they are brought to the faith of Christ; and, therefore, the Christian is anxious to bring them over to that faith. He will both desire and endeavour to lead others into ways which he knows to be ways of joy and peace;' and still further, which he knows to be the only ways of safety to the soul." (p. 103.)

THE ITALIAN VALLEYS OF THE PENNINE ALPS.

The Italian Valleys of the Pennine Alps. By Rev. S. W. King, M.A. John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1858.

MR. KING has here contributed to our knowledge of the Alps a very interesting volume. He has made several journeys in that region; and in 1855 he accomplished the tour through the Italian valleys of the Alps which he here records. Whether we have visited Switzerland, as most English travellers now have done, or are untravelled, the story of the Alps has its attractions: to ordinary travellers a higher interest than to those who have never seen them; for they are more able to realize in their imagination the colossal splendour of scenery which has nothing in Europe to be compared with it. All intelligent persons read of the Alps with an interest which is unabated, and which yearns for more detailed observations with still unsatisfied curiosity. To those who have seen the most of the Alps, how much remains unseen! What a partial and transient glimpse have we caught of the mysteries of that marvellous world! How hastily, and in a few hours, have we traversed what we longed to explore with the inquiry of weeks! What a corner of one of its hundred valleys have we entered; for what a moment have our puny steps traversed a little pathway across one of the smallest rocks of that gigantic structure which rises a colossal wall between the deep valleys of Switzerland and the bright plains of Italy, which lifts a mass, six