have been asserted in all ages, and continue to be asserted even at the time when he wrote, and every reasonable man was convinced of their cessation,-those pretensions were in all ages equally unfounded. The argument is plausible, and is urged with the author's wonted ingenuity and address. Yet the supposition, that miraculous powers were gradually withdrawn from the church, appears in a great measure to account for the uncertainty which has prevailed respecting the period of their cessation. To adopt the language of undoubting confidence on such a subject, would be a mark no less of folly, than presumption; but I may be allowed to state the conclusion to which I have myself been led, by a comparison of the

statement in the book of Acts with the writings of the fathers of the second century. My conclusion then is, that the power of working miracles was not extended beyond the disciples upon whom the apostles conferred it by the imposition

of their hands. As the number of those disciples gradually diminished, the instances of the exercise of miraculous powers became continually less frequent, and ceased entirely at the death of the last individual on whom the hands of the apostles had been laid. That event would, in the natural course of things, take place before the middle of the second century at a time when, Christianity having obtained a footing in all the provinces of the Roman empire, the miraculous gifts conferred upon its first teachers had performed their appropriate office, that of proving to the world that a new revelation had been given from heaven. What, then, would be the effect produced on the minds of the great body of Christians by their gradual cessation ? Many would not observe, none would be willing to observe it; for all must naturally feel a reluctance to believe that powers, which had contributed so essentially to the rapid diffusion of Christianity were withdrawn. They who remarked the cessation of miracles would probably succeed in persuading themselves that it was only temporary, and designed, by an all-wise Providence, to be the prelude to a more abundant effusion of supernatural gifts upon the church. Or if doubts and misgivings crossed their minds, they would still be unwilling openly to state a fact which might shake the steadfastness of the friends, and would certainly be urged by the enemies of the Gospel as an argument against its divine origin. They would pursue the plan which has been pursued by Justin Martyr, Theophilus, Irenæus, &c.; they would have recourse to general assertions of the existence of supernatural powers, without attempting to produce a specific instance of their exercise. The silence of ecclesiastical history respecting the cessation of miraculous

gifts in the church, is to be ascribed, not to the insensibility of Christians to that: important event, but to the confined operation of prejudice and policy-of prejudice, which made them reluctant to believe-of policy, which made them anxious to conceal the truth."-pp. 96— 100.

With this extract we must take our leave of Dr. Kaye, not without thanks for the gratification his work has afforded us, nor without: deep regrets for the trifling results of his laborious researches. We have yet to expect an Ecclesiastical History of the interesting period to which this work refers.

dience, arising from the thought that it was the parting injunction of a friend; yet it ought not to weaken the motive to obedience, arising from the consideration, that it is the plain, positive, and irrevocable command of our great Lord and Master!

We are sorry to observe, in some quarters, sentiments prevailing respecting the "coming of Christ," and the establishment of his kingdom, the tendency of which is to diminish the force of this command, and to induce a relaxation of effort in the missionary cause. Were these sentiments restricted to the time and manner of the Saviour's appearing, they would be comparatively harmless. But connected with them are numerous speculations respecting the nature of the kingdom itself, and the agents by whose instrumentality it is to be established; and the consequent tendency is to divert the attention of the christian world from the simple and authoritative injunction of our Lord. The friends of missions are reproached, if not directly, at least, by implication, as having formed wrong notions respecting the final triumphs of the Gospel, as having misunderstood the nature and meaning of the Scripture prophecies, and as having adopted wrong measures, and employed improper agents for the conversion of the world. Happily, however, there is so much diversity and unintelligibility, contrariety and extravagance in the sentiments to which we have referred, that we may confidently anticipate that their baneful influence will be neutralized, if not destroyed.

Without entering on the speculations, whether the Jews or Gentiles are to have the priority of conversion, or whether the conversion of the Gentiles is to be effected by the instrumentality of the Jews, or whether the kingdom of Christ is to be speedy or remote in its establishment the commission of

the Saviour is plain and intelligible, and enforces the duty of attempting the evangelization of the world, irrespective of peculiar times and seasons. It is a command universal in its obligation, extent, and application. Mankind, as destitute of the Gospel, as perishing for "lack of knowledge,"

"whether Jews or Gentiles, Barbarians or Seythians, bond or free," were the objects of the Redeemer's solicitude; and for whose salvation he bid his servants

go forth and declare the everlasting Gospel." This sentiment is frequently and powerfully advocated in the volume before us. We were peculiarly gratified in perusing the liberal, enlightened, and comprehensive views it contains of the fraternity of mankind-of the "oneness" of the human family.

"Since," says the author, "God has made of one blood all nations of men: since there is one God and Father of all, and he made human beings of the same material, there is a manifest kindredship cr equality amongst mankind. Too long have false notions of individual superiority, of family greatness, and of the right of some nations to dominate over triotism led man to despise and disregard, the rest, and notions of a mistaken paif not hate and injure his fellows, for all of whom, we this day claim the rights of consanguinity and brotherhood."

"As salvation is not designed to be

limited to one country, so the command of Zion's King to his people, is not to confine their notification of his redeeming work to any one country; but to go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.' In a peculiar sense, the religion of Jesus makes men ‘citizens of the world.' It calls on them, not to confine their attention or their benevolent efforts only to persons who live under the same civil government with themselves; but to extend their attention, their care, their benevolence to all human beings, whom their Creator has made of the same blood as themselves; who occupy, as well as themselves, a part of their heavenly Father's wide domain; who, as well as themselves, are under his government. Shall Christians, then, limit or extend

their concern and their efforts to promulgate the Gospel of Christ, just as human governments may be removed and extended."

Animated by these sentiments, the respected author of these discourses embarked, nineteen years since, for the distant shores of Eastern Asia. That portion of the missionary field to which he has devoted his labours is immensely important, both as it regards the number and character of its inhabitants. It appears to have been, through successive generations, and still is, the most deeply entrenched and strongly fortified of all the strong holds of Satan. Its political and moral barriers against the introduction of the Gospel, seem less vulnerable than the stupendous wall that bounds the limits, and constitutes the defence of the empire.

Every nation," Mr. Douglas observes, "has its vulnerable point, by means of which it is rendered accessible to christian instruction. The Chinese are a reading nation.' Their desire for reading, then, is the point of attack to which the attention of Christendom should be constantly alive. Preaching to the Chinese as a nation, is at present impracticable. The press, therefore, must be unceasingly employed to furnish them with the word of life."" It is happy for China, that in her first Protestant Missionary she has so powerful an advocate of her claims-one whose very soul is absorbed in her interest-whose love for her welfare has become the ruling passion of his breast. And so powerfully predominant is it, that Mr. Foster's elegant description of the decided man graphically delineates Dr. Morrison's mental character.

"The subject of such a commanding passion wonders, if indeed, he were at leisure to wonder, at the persons who pretend to attach importance to an object, which they make none but the most languid efforts to secure. The utmost powers of the man are constrained into the service of the

favourite cause by this passion, which sweeps away, as it advances, all the trivial objections and little opposing motives, and seems to open a way through impossibilities."

"The man seems rigorously intent still on his object as he walks, regales, or mingles with domestic society, and appears to despise all feelings that will not take rank with the grave labours and decision of intellect, or coalesce with the unremitting passion, which is his spring of action."

The Doctor is unquestionably fired with a noble enthusiasm in behalf of China-an enthusiasm, however, which, on account of the object it has in view, is only the dictate of sobriety and truth. To the influence of this passion must be attributed several of the apparently severe reflections contained in these discourses. What appear difficulties and obstacles to others, are not so to him. Diligence and perseverance, with the blessing of heaven, he conceives will accomplish wonders. On this principle he has acted, and the effects of his devoted attachment to China, and his persevering labours in her behalf, are seen in his stupendous Chinese Dictionary,-in his translations of the Chinese Scriptures,

in his other literary and evangelical publications, to facilitate the acquisition of the Chinese language, and to extend the knowledge of the Redeemer. This irrepressible desire of promoting the evangelization of China, influenced all his thoughts and labours during his stay in England, and has compelled him to re-embark for the distant shores of the Eastern Archipelago.

Whilst in England, Dr. Morrison preached, wrote, and gave instruction, with a view of exciting an interest in behalf of China in the breasts of his countrymenhe pleaded the importance of the press, as an instrument for the conversion of the nations of the earth,

substantial and unsatisfying nature of all sublunary pursuits; of pleasure, of ambi tion, of riches, of honours-they feel that they are sinners against conscience, which accuses them; but still Satan keeps them in a dark prison, and Christians take little pains to send them the light of Gospel liberty--they remain in darkness and in hondage, hugging their chains, observing rites which cannot profit, cherishing hopes which must prove fallacious, and dreading evils from every cause but the real one-sin against God. There are yonder, who can read, Chinese people equal in number, to a fourth of the population of the world, and there are not there more than four efficient ministers of the reformed religion, for nearly three hundred millions of human beings. The United Kingdom of Great Britain would be better circumstanced than those regions, as to the attainment of Christian knowledge, were all religious books in the land consumed by fire--the churches and chapels demolished --the colleges and academies overthrown --and the ministers of religion annihilated, for after all this havoc and destruction, there would be, I believe, hundreds of thousands of spiritual Christians possessed of divine knowledge, and willing and able to preserve this knowledge, and to re-edify an apparently ruined Christianity in this land. Whilst yonder

Satan sits enthroned, and receives the mistaken homage of millions, under the appearance of an endless variety of demon gods, heroes, and virgins, and saints, and spirits of rivers, and mountains, and hills, and the manes of parents and ancestors. And yonder, lying miracles, and false prophets, and cunning diviners and astrologers, and ignorant or self-deceived or hypocritical priests, and monks, and nuns, and masses of pagan origin; and a delusive mummery of unintelligible words every where abound. And in some cases, where the minds of the educated and thinking men revolt at these vulgar deceits of the devil, and misguided men and women, they rush from the extreme of a gross superstition to atheism and annihilation, and live with no better pursuits, and die with no higher hopes than the beasts that perish."--pp. 228, 229.

We intended to have given some extracts from some other discourses, but we must forbear. We cannot, however, pass on without recommending to the most devout attention the two sermons, entitled The Constraining power of the Savour's Love," and " The anticipated End of the World."

In the papers, at the close of the volume, there are some admirable N. S. No. 22.

remarks on the Qualifications of Missionaries, and Missionary Di

rectors.

We could have wished that there had been less severity in some of the Doctor's remarks in the paper on the " Qualification of the Directors;" but we shall rejoice in finding that there is no ground for apprehension on the subject. The missionary cause is one whose magnitude and importance require the consecration of all the talents and energies, and much of the time of its Directors. The business is too multifarious and urgent to be despatched at casual intervals, or by occasional and unpunctual attendance at its meetings for business. It would be desirable, were it possible, that a Missionary Director should devote all his time to the glorious cause, or, at least, that he should engage in no other Society, an attendance on which would interfere with the regular discharge of his missionary duties. There is some truth in the allegation of the author," that missionary labour is esteemed a low service;" and we think that the seeming want of respect for the missionary character, and sympathy for his circumstances, and interest in his welfare, which is in some cases evinced, is to be attributed to the influence of this sentiment. We trust, however, that the remarks of the worthy Doctor, in his closing papers, will be the means of promoting mutual respect, sympathy, and interest, between all who are engaged in the common cause, from the most responsible Director, to the humblest contributor, and inducing them to consider themselves only as servants of one Lord and Master, are equally important in their respective stations, and that in this cause, the only justifiable pre-eminence is that of devotedness to its interest and services.

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