him after thorough examination. When this is the case, it is no matter whether the ideas have been expressed before or not, they come from such a man with all the freshness of originality, and clothed in a vigorous language which, none but clearly perceived ideas, can command. This is the only sort of originality which discourses upon the christian religion are susceptible of, and this every man will exhibit who preaches those truths which he has handled, and felt, and tasted, to be the power of God unto the salvation of his soul. Mr. Campbell's acquaintance with the Scriptures, is critical and extensive. He takes a clear and enlarged view of his subject, treats it with philosophical acumen, and shews its connection with the various doctrines of christianity, bringing the whole to the infallible standard of the law and the testimony. He gives no undue prominence to any of the truths of revelation. While he never fails to shew, that our salvation is entirely of the free grace of God through Jesus Christ; he omits not to prove that it is incumbent upon all "who name the name of Christ, to depart from iniquity." Whilst he proclaims the glorious truth that those whom Christ hath redeemed shall never perish; he fails not to exhort all to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Whilst he supports the doctrine of election, and the necessity of the influences of the Holy Spirit, he confines not the proclamation of the gospel, but invites all to a share of its blessings; in a word, he preaches the gospel.

Mr. Campbell has afforded us much delight in giving a great portion of his time to the exposition of the Scriptures. We have already expressed our opinion upon the importance of this practice, and lamented that it is so much neglected by the majority of preachers in the present day. Mr. Campbell never fails to read the whole context of the passage he selects as the basis of his discourse, and, generally, accompanies such reading with a full exposition of its contents. By this means, and by taking a strictly scriptural view of his subject, there are few, if any, of his sermons, which do not contain, at the least, a reference to all the grand features of the gospel economy, and some of them may be said to be in themselves, a complete body of divinity.

Mr. Campbell's behaviour in the pulpit

is, altogether, such as to excite the feeling of devotion. He gives out the hymns with a feeling which carries every word home to the mind. He engages in prayer with a solemnity and earnestness, which shews that he speaks from his heart: "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh," and where there is fervour of devotion, appropriate expression is seldom wanting.

Our judgment decidedly is, that Mr. Campbell's talent is precisely that which the congregations over whom he presides, were in want of. He possesses a large portion of zeal, without which no man could be acceptable to them. Combined with this zeal, he possesses a high degree of intellectual culture, and a sound and discriminating judgment. Such a union is rare, and its value is great in proportion. But to crown the whole, we sincerely belive, that Mr. Campbell is a truly pious man, one who has consecrated his whole being, body, soul, and spirit, to the service of his Maker. We hope he will prove as honourably useful in his day and generation, as were his predecessors Wilks, Hyatt, and Whitefield. His ability differs from theirs, but it differs exactly in those particulars which the wants of the time require.

We have the satisfaction of knowing that the congregations at the Tabernacle and Tottenham Court, have increased considerably since Mr. Campbell's appointment, and are still increasing. We know also, that the sentiments we entertain of him, and which we have expressed above, are almost universally prevalent. He has, indeed, "won for himself golden opinions of all sorts of men." It was only a few days since, that we were conversing with a gentleman upon this subject, who has heard the gospel preached with talent for many years, and is himself a man of judgment. He declared to us, that he never heard Mr. Campbell without either acquiring new views of the truth, or at least, having the views he before entertained, rendered more clear and satisfactory. Such is our experience, and we believe, that numbers would bear the same testimony.

Previous to Mr. Campbell's present engagement, he was but little known in London. We remember observing his name, for the first time, about a year or two ago, when he was supplying at the Hoxton Academy Chapel. His cha

racter and abilities are, however, well known and justly estimated in his native country, where they have obtained for him the honourable appellation of the "Whitefield of Scotland." Surely, nomore appropriate place could have been found for such a man, than the pulpit of Whitefield himself.

Mr. Campbell is in the prime of life, and somewhat above the middle height. His countenance is keen and discriminating upon ordinary occasions; but when animated in preaching, the workings of his eyelid and brow produce a most unpleasant effect, This, however, with the defect in his voice which we have already noticed, is soon forgotten in the interest excited by the excellency of his discourses. H. C.

CRITICAL NOTICE.

THE GREAT APPOINTED DAY; or, Two Sermons on the Last Judgment. By H. L. POPPEWELL, Author of the Christians' Family Assistant. pp. 36. London, R. Baynes, Paternoster Row: Price. 1s. 6d. THESE are two very excellent discourses, upon an interesting and awful subject. We are glad to perceive they have reached a second edition, and we trust their extended circulation will promote the piety of the age, and be the means of awakening many careless sinners to a sense of the necessity of pure and undefiled religion. Appended to the Sermons are some excellent notes on a variety of interesting questions connected with the great subject discussed. We can recommend both the notes and sermons to the careful perusal of our readers, as being eminently calculated, not only to instruct, but to delight in their perusal.

MYTHOLOGY OF THE ANCIENTS. NO I.

THE subject, on the consideration of which we are about to enter, is of so interesting a nature, that little need be said to awaken the curiosity, or secure the attention of the reader. Our inquiry comprehends the history of the operations of the human mind, in reference to a subject the most important that could engage its attention. And a chequered history it is! In every age and country, men had some knowledge of a supreme Being; but it was degraded by ignorance, debas

ed by superstition, defiled by impurity; and but too many portions of its history are traced in characters of blood!

The word mythology is derived from μvoos, a fable, and Xoyos, a discourse; and means, therefore, the fabulous history of the heathen deities. And in treating on this subject, it will be necessary to take a rapid view of the systems adopted by the earliest nations, marking their successive steps in error, and tracing them down to the period when they assumed the extravagant, yet in many respects beautiful, system of the Grecian divinities.

ANTEDILUVIANS.

Of the religion of the antediluvians little will be said; for the very cogent reason, that but little is known. Some writers have endeavoured to prove the rise of idolatry from Gen. iv. 26, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." The phrase, they say, should be rendered, "Then men profaned in calling upon the name of the Lord." The literal rendering of the passage, however, appears to be, "Then it was begun to call [them, the children of Seth] by the name of the Lord;"a by which name (" the sons of God") they are afterwards designated. An excess of idolatry has been alleged as the occasion of the flood. The Jewish rabbies were generally of this opinion; and it is discussed at considerable length by Maimonides, in his treatise on idolatry. In Montgomery's beautiful poem, the "World before the Flood," the whole story rests on the existence of antediluvian idolatry. The opinion, however, is unsupported by scriptural evidence. From one expression addressed by God to Noah," the earth is filled with violence," and the severe law against the shedding of blood, enacted soon after the deluge, it appears probable, that murder was a very prevalent crime, and greatly contributed to bring down the vengeance of God on its guilty perpetrators.

Adam was, undoubtedly, instructed, by

(a) The verb in the original, m, hochal, sometimes signifies "they profaned," and at others "they began." When used in the former sense, however, it is always followed by a noun, as Ezek. xxxix. 7; but when succeeded by an infinitive mood, as in the present instance, it is uniformly rendered by the latter. See, in confirmation, Gen. vi. 1; 2 Chron. iii. 1, &c.

In support of the opinion that the words p DW, likra be shem, should be translated, " called by the name," the following passages, in which the same expression occurs, may be cited: Gen. iv. 17; Numb. xxxii. 42; Ps. xlix. 11; Isa. xliii. 7. See Shuckford.

immediate revelation, as to the religious services by which God would be worshipped; and accordingly we find, Cain and Abel bringing their sacrifices to the altar. Now, as Methusaleh lived with Adam two hundred and forty years, and died not long before the deluge, it might seem impossible that the people, with teachers so competent, should have wandered from the worship of the true God. But we must be careful to avoid the error into which many fall, of supposing that the antediluvian nations were confined to any particular part of Asia, or even to the continent itself. From the longevity of the human race at that period, population must have increased to a very great extent; and taking the most moderate scale of computation, and allowing that they had no children before a hundred years of age, and ceased to have them at five hundred, the population, at the time of the flood, must have amounted to many thousands of millions. Such a number of inhabitants must have rendered the occupation of the whole globe necessary; and those farthest removed from the primitive station might, in the course of centuries, fall into idolatry. For this sad declension much less time would be necessary than might be supposed. We find that only four hundred and twenty years after the flood, and about seventy years after the death of Noah, when the range of human life was more than onehalf curtailed, the Chaldeans were so far corrupted in their religion, as to expel Terah and Abram from the country for endeavouring to restore the worship of God. Although, therefore, we have no direct evidence of antediluvian idolatry, we must not hastily conclude, that it could not have existed.

POSTDILUVIANS.

In the year of the world one thousand six hundred and fifty-six, according to the Hebrew chronology, the universal deluge took place. Noah, with the remains of the old world, floated about in

(b) Jared was a father at 62; and Mahalaleel at 65. It is thought, by many, that the childhood of the antediluvians was longer than ours, in proportion to the greater length of their lives. St. Austin says, Tanto fuit sevior proportione pubertas, quanto vitæ totius major annositas.-De Civit.Dei Cap. 15. (c) The Septuagint version makes it 2263; Dr. Hales, 2256; and the Samaritan, 1307.

the ark for five months, when the vessel struck on Mount Ararat; and in seven months more, the earth was sufficiently drained to permit the egress of the father of the new world. In the course of seventy years, their company increased to so great an extent, as to render a removal of part of their number necessary. Accordingly the great bulk of the people set out, on a wandering march; leaving the rest, with Noah, behind. Japhet, the eldest son of Noah, remained with his father; but Shem and Ham departed. After an irregular march of about ten years they settled at Shinar. Here they employed themselves in building the tower of Babel; but after spending about nineteen or twenty years in the work, their language was confounded. They then dispersed in various directions; and founded the nations, of whose religion we are now to treat. N. R.

The

VOLCANIC ACTION.-Mount Roa, in the island of Owhyhee, justly termed the most remarkable volcano ever described, is estimated to rise to the prodigious height of fifteen thousand feet, contains an enormous crater eight miles in circumference, and includes a vast lake of molten lava, subject to horrific explosions and undulations. crater, instead of being the truncated top of a mountain, distinguishable at a distance in every direction, is an immense chasm in an upland country, near the base of the mountain, and is approached, not by ascending a cone, but by descending two vast terraces. It is not visible from any point at a greater distance than half a mile. The whole summit of its ancient cone seems to have fallen in, and formed the precipitous ruins which encircle the crater to a distance of from fifteen to twenty miles. The bottom of the gulf within, has a circumference of five or six miles, and a depth of one thousand five hundred feet, the descent being in general practicable. When Mr. Goodrich visited this crater for the first time in 1824, he remarked in the cavity twelve distinct places covered with red-hot lava, and three or four from which it spouted to the height of thirty or forty feet.-Ure's Geology.

(d) Japhet, although mentioned last, was the eldest son, Gen. x. 21. When a younger brother was more distinguished than the elder, he was mentioned before him: as Moses, before Aaron; Jacob, before Esau; Ephraim, before Manasseh, &c.; Shem was the ancestor of Abraham; and, consequently, in his line came the promised seed. This is the reason of his priority.

THE

My brethren, John here mentions a fact which it will be instructive and useful for us to review and examine. He does not, however, mention it in the way of lamentation; and we shall consider his words as the language of truth, and not of complaint a remark which it will be proper for you to carry with you through the whole of the ensuing discourse. A christian grieves that the world is ignorant of their welfare, but he is not ignorant of his own. He is informed he is convinced he is decided. He will act independently of others. He will go on if he is universally deserted; he will move forward if he is universally opposed. He is too wise to be diverted by folly-too much persuaded and attached to be drawn aside by allurement-too much dignified to descend from his elevation and crouch to meanness. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted." The christian can say with Nehemiah, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down, why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"

Let us proceed with our subject, and in order to do some justice to it, let us consider three things. It regards

[PRICE 3d.

Now the world here means, that of which our Saviour says, Satan is the prince, and of which Paul says, Satan is

the god. "The prince of this world

cometh, and hath nothing in me." The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not." Satan is called the prince of this world because they are his subjects, and he rules over them, and in them; and he is called the god of this world because they serve and worship him. Be not astonished at the language; Satan has his sabbaths, his sanctuary, his ministers, his scriptures, his means and ordinances, as well as the God of truth. When, therefore, a sinner is converted, he is said to be turned from Satan's power as a prince, and turned from Satan's power as a god.

Farther; the world here means the wicked. Thus we read, that to "walk according to the course of this world" is to walk" according to the prince of the power of the air. Hence, says Paul,

"Be not conformed to this world." Hence, says James, "Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. The friendship of the world is enmity with God." Hence, says John, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." The wicked are called the world, not only because they are worldly, because so to express it, their very souls are saturated with the spirit of the world, but because they have, down to this time, been the immense majority of mankind. There was a time when " every imagination of the thought and of the heart were only evil continually," and when Noah alone was seen to be righteous before God in that generation. Ten righteous men would have saved Sodom and Gomorrah, 2 D

but ten righteous men were not to be found in it. A few would have preserved Israel in the days of Jeremiah, when God said, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it." And, says the apostle John in this epistle, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.' O, yes! some men are ready to say, but it is not so now. Take, then, first a chart and colour all the parts of the earth where christianity, in any form, or in any degree, prevails, and if you are a christian, your feelings must be shocked at the smallness of the dimensions. You must fall upon your knees and pray, Let thy way be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." Then, take a christian survey, and examine the inhabitants. Take a single village, and observe the tempers and lives of the rustics, and then see whether the rude tablets in the churchyard, are chargeable with truth or falsehood, while they tell you that all the parish is either gone to heaven or going there. Take a congregationyes, one of the more evangelical complexion, and follow them out of the house of God into common life, and let candour itself determine how many of them worship God in their families-how many of them abide with Jesus in their callings-how many of them are in fear of the Lord all the day long.

"Broad is the road that leads to death,
And thousands walk together there;
But wisdom shews a narrower path,
With here and there a traveller."

It regards,

"The world knoweth us not"-that is, it does not distinguish us-that is, it does not approve of us—that is, it heartily dislikes and opposes us. This is the three-fold meaning of the expression, "the world knoweth us not." It means

1st. That the world does not ascertain and discern Christians-In fact, the world generally keeps aloof from the christian. They hear few of their words, and witness few of their actions, and they never see what makes the christian, namely, the influences of the Spirit of God-the exercise of " repentance towards God, and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ."

They have an absolute inability to judge here; they cannot know what a real christian is, either as to his principles, his experience, his soul conflicts, or his heavenly resources, and therefore the apostle says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But he adds, "He that is spiritual, judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.' There is the difference between the christian and the natural man. The christian knows the natural man; but the natural man knows not the christian. The natural man has never been in the christian's condition; but the christian has been in his. The natural man does not know what the service of God is ; but the christian knows what the service of the world is. He well knows that it is a delusion; he well knows it is not liberty, but bondage; he well knows that whatever the profession of its votaries may be, they are only the illusions of hypocrisy. Hear what he knows (it is what God has said) "There is no peace, saith God, to the wicked."

"The world knoweth them not." It may be necessary to specify a few instances, by way of exemplification. Thus, the men of the world, as the apostle Peter said, "Think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot." They think it strange that you can turn your backs on those amusements which seem essential to their very life. They are not aware of the change that has taken place in your views and feelings. They are not aware that you have discovered a blessed something infinitely better. They are not aware, therefore, that you can as readily and easily resign these, as a man can resign the toys of infancy, or a traveller the filthy pool when he has discovered the fountain of living waters. They think it strange that you are tranquil and happy under losses and trials, which, to use the words of Isaiah, "Make them roar like a wild bull in a net." They can see your burdens, but they cannot understand, that beneath you are laid the everlasting arms which can keep your souls in peace: They can see your afflictions, (alas! they are often visible enough to all) but they cannot see your acces to the throne of the heavenly grace. They cannot see your enjoyment of the comforts of the