fire and hammer, breaks the rock in pieces." There is a majesty and authority in it which speaks to the conscience and the heart-it kills and makes alive —it is almighty to wound and to heal. But we return from this apparent digression, to give the reader some account of the volumes before us. new situation, he filled both the pulpit and the Academical chair with great dignity and extensive success. The reputation of this distinguished divine was now firmly established, and continued to procure him increasing celebrity and additional honours, until the period of his death, which happened on the 22nd of October, 1708, in the 73rd year of his age, and 52nd of his ministry. The following short sketch of his character, will be gratifying to our readers. "His talents were of the first order. The force of his genius, the accuracy of his judgment, the strength of his memory, and the charms of his eloquence, were extensively known and admired. His learning in languages, philosophy, and history, he was various and profound. Deeply skilled improved them to the noblest purposes. He discovered an uncommon dexterity in availing himself of the aids of human literature for the elucidation of divine truth, and in bringing forth from his copious treasures whatever seemed most conducive to the illustration of the subject before him. With Theology in all its departments, he possessed an intimate ac Mr. Fraser has prefixed to the work an interesting Memoir of Witsius, from which we learn that he was born on the 12th of February, 1636, at Enchuysen, in the province of West Friesland, a town of the United Provinces. In the 15th year of his age, he was sent to the University of Utrecht, where he prosecuted his studies in philosophy and Oriental literature with extraordinary diligence, and gave a specimen of his proficiency by composing an elegant oration in the Hebrew language, On the Messiah of the Jews and the Christians, which at the request of Leusden, his master, he pronounced with great applause before the University, in the 18th year of his age. Having finished his Academical studies, he received ample testimonials of his proficiency from the Professors of Groningen and Utrecht, and was licensed for preaching the Gos-quaintance. He devoted himself, in parpel. His endowments were scon recog nized, and procured for him the cordial approbation of the churches. Accordingly on the 8th of July, 1657, in the 21st year of his age, he was ordained Pastor of the church at West-wouden, where he laboured four years and a half with much alacrity, zeal, and success. In the year 1661, he removed to Wormeren, a sphere of greater usefulness, and in 1666, he accepted the invitation of the congregation of Goes, in Zealand, where his labours were signally accept able and useful; but this station only paved the way for his removal to the church of Lecwarden, the capital of West Friesland, where he commenced his ministry in the month of April, 1668. The fidelity, prudence, and vigilance, which he discovered in this important station, and the courage and firmness he displayed in a season of extraordinary difficulty, when the United Provinces were harassed and alarmed by the tumults of war, and the incursions of the enemy, commanded universal admiration. In 1675, Witsius was elected Professor of Divinity in the University of Franeker, whither he removed and was installed on the 15th of April. In this have ever acquired either so complete a excess. REVIEW OF WITSIUS ON THE APOSTLES' CREED. 47 have equalled, and perhaps none surpassed | tern, be it remarked in conclusion, was him. CANDIDE was the motto inscribed equally at variance with that of the cold upon his seal, and CANDOUR shone forth in formalist, and the proud self-righteous his temper and conduct. Even towards devotee. With him it was a fundamental those from whom he had suffered the most maxim, that Christ "in all things must virulent reproach and abuse, he discovered have the pre-eminence ;" and free and an exemplary spirit of meekness. It was sovereign grace, reigning through the observed, that he either made no mention person and righteousness of the great Imof them, or repaid their calumnies by manuel, he cordially regarded as at once giving them those commendations, of the source of all our hope, and the grand which, on other accounts, he considered incitement to a holy practice." them deserving. Under all the diversified sufferings of life he displayed admirable fortitude and patience; and such was his contentment with his lot, that he often declared to his friends he would not exchange his place in the Church and University, for all the power and splendour of which kings and emperors can boast. Those habits of activity which he formed in youth, he retained to the last. In the prime of life, he spent many nights totally without sleep, and spared no effort or fatigue by which he might advance the interests of literature and piety. His great labours and frequent watchings, indeed, ill suited to a feeble constitution, were probably carried to an injudicious Amidst all his attainments and exertions, unaffected humility and modesty adorned him. It was evident that he indulged no vain conceit of his own capacities or performances; and when his most intimate friends began to address him in the language of praise, he immediately checked them. He was a real Christian, in short, as well as a great Divine. Sincere and exalted piety was the foundation of all his virtues. Animated by that "faith which worketh by love," he delighted in the various exercises of religion. To a regular and devout attendance on public worship, he added a conscientious performance of the most retired duties of the family and the closet. He never was happier than when he enjoyed fellowship with Heaven in spiritual meditation, and in stated and in ejaculatory prayer. In singing praises to his Saviour and his God, he found a similar pleasure; and with a view to assist himself and his friends in that noble exercise, he composed several beautiful hymns. The objects of eternity, in fact, were habitually present to his mind; and it was the wish of his heart to promote the highest interests of his pupils, and the people of his charge. The whole tenour of his conduct served to evince, that he was himself "spiritually minded,' and that he aspired at nothing less, on behalf of all of whom he had the oversight, than to guide them, by the united influence of precept and example, to "the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' The religion of which Witsius was so able a teacher and so bright a pat The work before us does not consist of a Commentary on the Apostles' Creed, like those of Burnett and Pearson, but a series of Dissertations, founded on the principal articles.-The 1st respects the Authors and the Authority of the Apostles' Creed--the 2nd, on Fundamental Articles-the 3rd, on Saving Faith;-then follow, the Existence of God-Faith in Him-on Faith in a Three-One God, &c. &c. Our confined limits will not permit us to go into any thing like an analysis of the volumes; but we shall present our readers with one extract, by way of proving to them the rich materials with which the pages of Witsius are fraught; and we are confident that such of them as have a relish for evangelical truth will not complain of its length. The subject which the learned writer is illustrating, is that of the sufferings of Christ, of which he considers their nature or quality-their cause, and the advantages that result from them to us. "The CAUSES of this dreadful agony of Christ appear to be chiefly the three following. The first is the weight of the Divine wrath and curse, already lying, and still farther to lie upon him, on account of our sins. He was burdened, not with the sins of one individual, but with all the sins of all the elect; for which, conformably to the office of suretiship which he had undertaken, he saw that he must now make satisfaction to the last farthing. He saw the awful tribunal of God, before which he was to be sisted, that he might "restore that which he took not away;"-the Judge armed with inconceivable vengeance-the law brandishing the lightning of its curse-justice severe and inexorable to the last degree. The whole mind of Christ being at that time absorbed in these contemplations, he could not fail to be most grievously afflicted by them; for there is nothing more terrible than the object which was then presented to his view, and nothing stronger than the energy with which that terrible object was pressed upon his mind. "With respect to the object itself; that it comprized all that is horrible in the greatest degree, collected, so to speak, into one mighty sum, may be thus evinced. As sin is committed against a Being of infinite majesty, the curse denounced against every sin of every individual of mankind, necessarily includes an infinite punishment. Now, the curse due to all the elect was laid on Christ. If any thing, therefore, can be more infinite than what is infinite, the punishment which it was proposed to Christ to undergo, infinitely exceeded, so to speak, infinity itself: For who is able either to enumerate his own sins, or to calculate the number of all his elect? Accordingly, referring to this, he says: "Innumerable evils have compassed me about; mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; therefore my heart faileth me. He calls them mine iniquities, not because he had committed them, but because by his surety engagement he had taken them on himself. "Besides, not only did the mind of Christ voluntarily apply itself to the contemplation of so dreadful an object; but God himself also exerted the energy of his power to affect the innermost parts of his mind with its terrors. The relation of Judge required him to present so terrible an evil, in all its horrors, to the mind of Christ. The sufferings which affected the body, could be inflicted by men; but the conscience could be tormented with a sense of pain sufficient for the satisfaction of Divine justice, only by that same Divine justice revealing itself within him. God himself "spared not his own Son ;""smote him;"" made him to be sin for us ;"-"laid upon him," caused to rush upon him, like a mighty army, "the iniquities of us all." "Another cause of the Redeemer's anguish was subjection to the powers of darkness-not indeed in such a manner as to be overcome, but certainly to suffer great vexation, and to sustain a most grievous conflict. The devil, “the prince of this world," having obtained permission from God, marched against Jesus, with all his infernal forces, making use of men as his agents, to rend in pieces his body, and, as far as possible, his soul. But that wicked one himself chiefly attacked his soul, which he terrified by injecting the torments of hell. He made every effort to shake, by his temptations, the faith of Christ, and thus to prevent our salvation; or at least to harass, by the most malignant arts, him who was engaged in obtaining it. Owing to the entrance of sin, Satan had acquired a kind of dominion over the whole human race; in reference to which, sinners are called "lawful captives." When, therefore, we were to be "redeemed in righ teousness," the just Judge of the universe determined that whatever dominion the Devil had obtained over elect sinners, he should exercise it on Christ, by fixing the sting of death deep into his heart, according to the sentence pronounced in Paradise, "Thou shalt bruise his heel." "But a third cause of Christ's agony was not wanting. Amidst all these distresses, he found himself forsaken by God his Father-deprived of those delightful manifestations of his favour, in which in time past he had so often and so greatly rejoiced, and that at a season when he stood in much greater need of them than formerly. Hence that mournful complaint: "My God, my God, why hast thou for saken me. To this we may refer the darkness which happened at the crucifixion of Christ-analogous to that "outer darkness," which is employed as an emblem of a condemnation alleviated by no mixture of comfort. Nothing is more frequent in the sacred books, than for times of sorrow to be styled "days of darkness and gloominess, ," "days of clouds and of thick darkness. This miraculous darkness, therefore, penetrated not only into the eyes, but also into the mind of Christ; and he found himself no less deserted by God, the fountain of light and joy, than the earth was deprived of the light of the sun. "Let us now inquire what ADVANTAGE the consideration of these agonies can afford us. And doubtles it tends to shake off the torpors of carnal security. Nowhere are the malignity of sin, and the severity of God's wrath against it, more clearly discerned, than in our Lord's descent into hell. Go, sinner, to mount Olivet; behold Christ rolling in the dust; see that brave and magnanimous Prince stretched on the ground, that generous "Lion of the tribe of Judah prostrate on the earth; hear him, who is the only Consolation of wounded spirits, and even the God of our exceeding joy, complaining bitterly of sorrow surrounding him on every side; see the drops of blood with which, owing to the incredible anguish of his soul, his sacred body is stained; hear the supplications offered up with strong crying and tears to his now inexorablé Father. Ask the Saviour, what was the real cause of anguish so immense, when hitherto no hostile bands, no chains, no scourge, no accusers, no judge, no cross, were present -when, on the contrary, he was in a pleasant garden, and at no great distance will from his faithful disciples.-And learn, that those very sins, which you have hitherto regarded so lightly, were the causes of his unparalleled sorrows. Those very sins, now laid on Christ, afflicted and weighed him down, and failed only to overwhelm him utterly. And can any one you REVIEW OF WITSIUS ON presume, that either no atonement for sin is necessary, or that a very slight atonement, or satisfaction, is sufficient? You could not, O man,-most certainly you could not make satisfaction to God, although you should "come before him with burnt-offerings, or with calves of a year old, or with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil;" no, if you should even "give your first-born for your transgression, and the fruit of your body for the sin of your soul." Behold, behold, I beseech you,-behold again and again, the inconceivable bitterness of those sufferings which Christ endured, when he bore the transgressions of the elect, in order to expiate their guilt. even THE APOSTLES' CREED. 49 -Then also will laugh at your calamity; "But to those who are in Christ, his agonies supply abundant matter of consolation. 1st. He underwent the pains of hell in their room, that they might not have to undergo them. He entered" the palace of the strong man armed," namely, the Devil: but being "stronger than he, he took from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divided his spoils." Othe incredible compassion of our Lord! O the bowels of his love! He plunged himself into a deep abyss of infernal pains, that through the blood of the everlasting covenant, we, "the prisoners, might be sent forth out of the pit wherein is no water,' have now no cause to tremble at the assaults of the Devil; for whilst he bruised Christ's heel, Christ bruised his head. "But who art thou, O thou most infatuated of the sons of men, who, although an entire stranger to fellowship with Christ, yet, wretchedly secure, dost daily abandon thyself to mirth, indulge thy natural inclination, accustom thy body to effeminacy, and withhold thyself from no forbidden pleasure? Since you now hear the doleful lamentations of Christ, it is for you also to "weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you." "Say henceforth of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, what doth it?" knowing that 66 in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness." Why do you delight in bowls overflowing with wine, whilst the cup of God's fury awaiteth-not the smallest refreshing drop. We thee: "the wine of which is red, and full of mixture; out of which he poureth; and the dregs whereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drink?" Know "He has obtained for them the heavenly that the Lord shall rain down upon thee glory. He shed a bloody sweat for us, "snares, fire, and brimstone; and that an that in the cold sweat of death we might horrible tempest shall be the portion of thy have access with boldness unto God. He cup." Why do you encourage yourself in drank the dregs of Divine wrath out of the your transgressions, and employ the most cup of suffering, that an overflowing cup frivolous apologies to silence the remon- of Divine grace might be administered to strances of conscience? Why make every us; and that we might be abundantly possible effort to dismiss from your mind satisfied with the fatness of his house, and all thoughts of hell, to which your vices drink of the river of his pleasures. He are fast precipitating you, and flatter your-began to fear and tremble, that we might self with vain hopes of heaven? The more arrogantly you boast that you shall ascend into heaven, the more terribly will God reply: "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit: thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee." Why do you presume on God's hearing your prayers, when perhaps you may be disposed, and have leisure to address your supplications to his throne from the bed of affliction? Instructed by the example of Christ, I can now with certainty foretel what answer you are then to receive. I say not the words, but the thunderbolts, of an angry God, will be as follows: "Because I have called, and ye refused, VOL. X. I He stand undismayed before the tribunal of God. He fell on his face for our sins, that we might lift up our heads. offered up his supplications, so to speak, to an inexorable Deity, that we might always be heard in those prayers which we present in his name. He was forsaken by God, that we might never be forsaken. In fine, because he descended into hell, the principal gate of heaven stands wide open to us; and the lower his descent, the higher, in consequence, is the glory which he has merited for us. "He has secured comfort for his people, even amidst the sorrows of a wounded spirit. It cannot be denied that the godly themselves have sometimes their hour of darkness, in which they are harassed by the H Devil, tormented with fears of hell, and apt to complain that they are forsaken of God. Yet even then they may derive consolation from the agonies of Christ; for, 1. Nothing befals them which has not befallen their Lord before; to whose image it is fit they should be conformed in sufferings, that they may be conformed to him also in glory. What can be more unbecoming than to refuse to drink of the cup of which the Saviour hath drunk before us? 2. By the sorrows of Christ, the sting of the curse is entirely taken away from their sorrows. God does not expose them to such distresses, as an angry Judge, but as a kind and judicious Father, for the exercise of their faith, patience, hope, and charity; "that their holy desires may be strengthened, their devout affections tried, and their labour of love exercised." "He doth not desert the believer that he may be deserted, but deserts him that he may not be deserted; and he appears to forsake, because he is unwilling to forsake him." 3. They have to do with an enemy, over whom Christ hath already triumphed. Nor can the conflict fail to be glorious, and one from which they shall come forth" more than conquerors." Light shall arise after darkness. This violent tempest shall be succeeded by a calm serenity, delightful in proportion to the severity with which the thunders and the storm may have raged. 4. The very bitterness, in fine, of that condition, will impart a double sweetness to the succeeding joys, as well of grace as of glory. Security is pleasant to all, but particularly to him who has been in fear. Light is joyful to all, but more than commonly joyful to one who escapes from the power of darkness. passed from death to life, gives a double To have relish to the blessing of life. God, and always subject your own wishes to his sovereign, most wise, and most excellent will: having protested that, while you desire that, if it be possible, the cup may pass from you, you do not refuse, if necessary, to drink it up to the bottom, if it be conducive to the glory of God, and to your own ultimate advantage. 4. In fine, wait in patience and faith, till he who at last heard the prayers of Christ, and delivered him from fear, both affording him strength to sustain his sorrows, and making him victorious over all adversities, shall also manifest his sympathy for you under your distresses, and refresh you with the fulness of his consolations. He who now seems to stand at a distance from you, will doubtless return. Sooner or later he will return; and-to adopt very nearly the expressions of Augustine-"interrupting you possibly in the midst of your prayers, will impart himself speedily to the longing soul: and being covered with the dew of celestial sweetness, and anointed with fragrant ointments, will refresh the weary, satisfy the hungry, and enrich the indigent soul, and by his liberal communications, restore it to health and vigour.” We must not take leave of this valua ble work, without bearing our feeble testimony to the able manner in which the Translator has acquitted himself in the execution of the undertaking. We have not, indeed, had an opportunity of examining it by the Author's Latin but such is the perspicuity and elegance copy; of the Translation, that it possesses all the merits of an original composition. It will bear a comparison with Mr. Allen's Dr. Smith's Version of the CommentaTranslation of Calvin's Institutes, or “Learn, in the last place, in what manries of Michaelis. But Mr. Fraser has ner you ought to conduct yourself, when not contented himself with merely renvisited with such sorrows. 1. Beware of dering Witsius into classical English, he an immoderate fondness for places of has greatly enriched the work with retirement, favourable to a sorrow, which copious Notes, both Critical and Exgradually becomes a kind of mischievous planatory. These Notes form an Appleasure to the unhappy mind. After you pendix to each Volume, and occupy in have poured forth your complaints in the whole more than 220 pages closely secret into the bosom of God, return at in-printed, and in a small type. They are tervals to the society of your acquaintances exceedingly miscellaneous, and not less and friends. 2. Be unwearied in prayer. valuable, many of them consisting of Some forms of prayer suited to your condition are contained in the seventy-seventh, extracts, judiciously selected, from a eighty-eighth, hundred and second, and great variety of our most distinguished several other Psalms. A form of the same English writers, generally illustrative, sort, peculiarly adapted to the troubled but occasionally corrective of particular soul, and uncommonly pathetic, you will passages in Witsius. We should add, also find in a valuable little book composed that the Volumes are well printed, and by Thomas Goodwin, entitled, The child of the Work certainly forms a valuable adlight walking in darkness. 3. Lay aside dition to our previous stock of Systematic all murmuring; and renouncing the rea- Theology. soning of the flesh, and the inclination of your own will, commit yourself entirely to |