DR. VAUGHAN ' S RELIGIOUS PARTIES IN ENGLAND.
THE nucleus of this book was a sermon, preached in January 1838, at Union Street Chapel, Southwark—the oldest, or claiming to be the oldest Independent congregation in England. A request having been made for the publication of the Discourse, and the preacher conceiving its subject capable of application to passing events, he considerably extended it, and sent it forth with a dedication to the Bishop of London. Besides a compliment to a scholar, Dr. VAUGHAN seemed to think the time fitvourable for a closer amalga- mation in charity, though not in doctrine, amongst the various sects of the Protestant Church ; and the feasability of some such approxitnation was alluded to in the dedication, as well as insisted upon in that part of' the work which discussed the " present duty of religious parties in England." But, alas for the hopes of men! the conduct of the Bishop of London, in the case of the " City of London :tlission,"—by which, to the extent of his power, he forbids Churchmen from uniting with Dissenters, even in the work of Falling sinners to repentance,—dissipated 1)r. VAUGHAN'S expecta- tions in that quarter ; and all reasonable hope seems to have vanished, when holy Mother Church, unable to rely upon the talent of her sons, sent for a Scotch divine to uphold the cause of establishments. Hence, this second edition of Religious Parties in England has been in a measure rewritten, to meet the altered state of things; and is enriched with a preface, partly explanatory, partly disquisitional; in the course of which, Dr. CHALMERS and Dr. Beoetrietai are both dissected, with that unctuous tender- ness which distinguishes one divine when submitting another to the scalpel, and the masterful power that characterizes the " Pro- fessor of Ilistory in University College" upon all occasions. The text of Dr. VAUGHAN seems to have been, " The truth shall make you free ;" which he not only interprets after the received opinion of freeing individuals from the bondage of sin, but releas- ing Christianity from the secular interference of governments, which always more injure it by their control, than benefit it by any pecu- niary advantage or legal privilege they may bestow. Deducing thence the Scriptural propriety of the Independent views, which hold that every congregation is a church complete in itself; he goes on to combat, with his wonted ability, the theories of Dr. CHALMERS: he then sketches the history of Dissent, from the time of ELIZA-. BETH ; takes a searching view and a philosophical estimate of the characteristics of religion and religious parties at the present day ; and concludes with discussing their duty towards each other. This he holds in the main to be perfect toleration upon all great points of difference ; and if Churchmen will persist in displaying uncharit- able enmity towards Dissenters, Dissenters should not allow them- selves to follow their example, but, whilst striving to emancipate themselves from all legal shackles, should consider their religious burdens as part of their probationary state. Whether any gentle- man clothed in purple and fine linen is pictured in this peroration, we do not know. We imagine more than one divine might cry " That was levell'd at me."
" My application of these remarks to our present point is as follows. Party- spirit, earned to the excess of uncharitableness, is only one manifestation of a very common form of human depravity. Those who arc chargeable with it, would be, in effect, the same men, if all party distinctions were at an end. The tendencies of the mind, which now fasten on the points in dispute between
party and party, would then turn upon the points of difference between mem- bers of the same communion; and even if all differences which have any thing of sinful infirmity in them could be put aside, the uncharitable heart would then fix itself on those purely innocent varieties, which have their origin irons the boundless wisdom and benevolence of the Creator ; and being one part of the body only, would begin to question the right of precedence that may have been assigned to others. Thus our forbearance towards each other on all matters not inconsistent with the possession of religions character, is part of that
general discipline on earth, by which we are to be made meet for the harmony and blessedness of heaven ; and the more we enter into this conception, and live under its influence, the more shall we realize of the tranquil happiness awaiting us in the future, even while surrounded by the imperfections and agi stations of the present."
Recommending the work to all who take an interest in theolo- gical eloquence, or in the subjects discussed, we will close with the character of Dr. CHALMERS; a piece of very refined criticism—se- vere and searching, but just and true.
DR. VAIN:RAN ON DR. CDALMERS.
In expounding and commending such a theory, that distinguished writer has no doubt been influenced by good intentions ; lint his book, considered as a piece of argumentation, is, as to all its main points, singularly &chic and in- effective. It exhibits specimens of the brilliant and torrent-like declamation by which the compositions of the same writer have always been characterized ; but when the slight thread of its reasoning is separated from the ever-cluster- ing mass of things which is constantly tending to conceal it rather than to give it prominence, it is found to resemble those long-enclosed substances which lose all forums and consistency on becomiug exposed to the natural influence of the light and atmosphere. 'In the lectures "on the Establishment and Exten- sion of the National Churches," the imagination, the fancy, the passions, ell have done enough, and more than enough But comprehensive knowledge, and the calm intellectual power necessary to make a wise use of knowledge when acquired, are too often wanting. lit the mind of the author, whether from its original structure or through the influence of circumstances, the power which should rule ii that which is made to servo; and the theulties which have gained an undue ascendancy, are constantly verging towards the disorder and extravagance which are the usual concomitants of usurpation. When the ground chosen by Dr. Chalmers happens to be clearly tenable; and nothin,g wanting beside illustration and embellishment, his genius ministers to his pur- pose with admirable effect, in short, with a luxuriance which seems to have ne end. But to distinguish between the true and false, even in CAMS not involving the most profound investigation, is often beyond his power; and to strike upon a single vein of sound original thinking, such as might promise opulence to the times to come, has never been his felicity ; nor can there be the slightest ream now to expect that such a lot will ever befall him. He may labour with a geed measure of success for the improvement of things as they are ; but be has no mission to originate the things which shall be. From his flatterers be will not, of course, hear any insinuation of this sort. We may cede to Ilium the praise of an almost unrivalled eloquence, and the possession of a heart the high natural qualities of which haveheen purified and elevated by true religion; but there are men who are as satisfied as evidence can make them, that his rea- soning power is so feeble as to fall even below mediocrity, in the place of giving him warrant to school the reason of the times in the manner which he affects. Dr. Chalmers is not the first good man whom the gift of eloquence has led into a mistaken estimate as to the seat of his real strength. The late Reve- rend Edward Irving, whose mind was enriched with some of the finest ele- ments both of greatness and goodness, was a memorable example of this ins firmity. The successful orator, who can sway the passions of an auditory at pleasure, seems to be peculiarly exposed to the danger of concluding that it pertains to lihn to unravel the knots which perplex the ordinary hereof mor- tals, and to regulate with ease the most complex machinery relating to human affairs. He is powerful in dealing with human nature as endowed with imefsi- nation and passion; and presume: that he has only to put !brat his strength in order to deal with it no less elfectively as the subject of reason ; and spoiled by his success in the one &pertinent, he can ill brook disappointment iu the other.
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