The Sun.
London, England, 1818-10-03 00:00:00

ON THE
TRINCIPLES OF THE CHIIIST4ANTNITH.

There is no religious work published for some
`time past, that has attracted more attention, nor
on the whole been more favourably received by
the Public, than Miss HAtirritti SINCLAIR'S Trea-
tise "'On the Principles of the Christian Faith:"
We think it right, therefote, to lay before our
Readers,,the ,f!Olowing account of it ; also "A
.61:tstqt.st. Vtior" of the DOCTRISIBS which it con-
tai tr. The auvabiages to—tit dtriVed from the
perusal of ,such• an Abstratt, are thus "e%'plailied in
e Letter ffouf an' emtneut.clergytfostl YL SirjtiftN
. ,

" •I'reatly think that snch a General View as
" you' -itave"drsteti up tO 'be pretiXed to' your
'" Daughter's Trust ;e; prtive'S-blesSing to
many-; 'beerittiteit- will call;tlte attention (It the
" Mader irrdre eloiety'thati othetWise would be
gg the cage, to the ditiCrent subjects explained in
"'the Ts eatise, .sotite'•of which, when- blended in
" a eolith-stied addees-s,'lnight be ovvilooked."

AN ACCOUNT OF MISS HANNAH SINCLAIVS 'LETTER

oN 1118 ruiNe.trLes OF 'flig

•,AITfl

This Work was evidently never intended for the
press ; but comprising aseundensat inn of thought,
and a power of pc' sit asion„ which have been rarely
equalled, we concur with the Editor in opinion; •
t hat. it would lisve been -criminal to have Withheld
it from the Public.' 1e contains a series ofteli-
;lnnis insirtic ions, drawn up by au Elder to a
Younger Sister, may a tew moot hs before the former
had contracted. illness which prorveif so•fatal.
It conies before. the world, therefore, in a man-
ner so txtreinely :affecting, as greatly to heighten
its intrinsic recommendations. it seems peculiar-
ly calculated to diffuse a genaine spirit otteligion
rimong persons of the same- age, rank, and 'sex, as
the Author, who May -be more inclined to 'pay
attention to a woik, he offspring of private•at-
fectitw. than if it came before the world sane-';
tioned by I►rofcssionEtl autborir
In this Treatise, the Author:gives, within nary
1' ow limits, ‘a comprehensive survey-of the Chris-
tian Doctrines, which she considers - to be, not
merely a beautiful theory, consittnigorspecult•L
rive dogmas, but the sound substratum of all
practical holiness. 'lt Is-written -with so much
sincerity, purity 'of style, and 'eloquence, that
every line brings conviction to the mind ; and
though severaLpasiages. are-of-the most
touching and awakening kind, yet they appear to
have been written with Out any extraordinary ef-
fort, but are the natural and ordinary effusions of
a pure and well-regulated mind. There are few
Authors who seem to have more rightly appre-
ciated the real tenets oldie Christian Faith; and
she bet self was an -eminent example- of what,
with so much force, feeling., and talent, She en-
joins, with endearing affection, to her sister' and
faintly, • it breathes, indeed, that pure spirit of
devotion which might be expected -froni one
Whose whole life was spent in a series of good
‘vorks, and whose latter'days were so full of hope
.and resignation.
A Work that contains so clear and just an ex-
positiotti 01 the Principles of the Christian Faith,
at -once so doctrinally sound, and. so -poetically
correct, in the judgment of many eminent cha-
racters who • have seen it, Cawtot- be too highly
praised, nor too widely cit-culatcd ;" and we are
happy in this opportunity, --thereture, of recom-
mending it. to the attention and perusal of the
truly religious.

A GENERAL VIEW OF THE PRINCIPLES OP THE
CHRISTIAN rAltu, AS EXPLAINED IN MISS
HANNAH SINCLAIR'S TREATISE ON THAT

3ECT.

1. That before we can cordially embrace the
Salvation prOvided for its by Jesus Christ, we must
feel a thorough conviction of the depravity-of
human nature, which, in the sight of God, is
not a slight taint, but a deep pollution, alienating
the heart from the service of God, and rendering
the exercises of devotion uninteresting, and even
irksome. _

2. That man, in bis present fallen state, is not
only averse to the cultivation of any holy inter-
course and comnitinion with God, but is actuated
by a spirit of disobedience and iebellion against
his Maker. Hence, that many of those who per-
fortu:,what are called moral (Mats, do nut
fulfil
them because they are the commands of God,.
or from a sincere filial desire of pleasing Him, but
either from souse selfish motive, or from the Mead
of a Power which they know cannot be resisted.
3. That God has repeatedly declared in-Scrip-
ture, that Lie. will on no account admit into his
presence those who are thus alienated from hint ;
and that it is necessary for ainan (40 use the ex-
pressive language.ot our Saviour) to " be born
again f," or in the words of St. Paul, to become
" a new -creature-*," before he can • enter into
the kingdom of Heaven.
4. That in order so effect the radical change
which is thus required, the heart of every indivi-
dual who aspires to salvation must be deeply im-
pressed, through the power and agency of the
Holy Spirit, with a firth conviction of his abso-
lute need of a Saviouc, to rescue him trout a state
of sin and misery.
5. That our Saviour,, by his sufferings and
death, made an atonement for the sins' of man-
kind.
.That, while upon earth, he likewise
practised every virtue in its utmost purity, and
fulfilled the will of bis Heavenly Father, in all its
extent ; anti this was done, not only as an ex-
ample to us, but that by his obedience, and all
perfect righteoti.sarss, all who believe in him
might he insitled to an inheritance in Heaven.
6. That in order to (Mr being restored to the
savour of. God, which we have forfeited
we must renounce all dependence upon ourselves,
or on:any good .works we can perform, and rest
solely and exclusively on our Saviour, for pardon-,
salvation, and every spiritual gift ; these blessings
being promised -to the truly penitent,' solely
through faith in Him..
7. That the Faith which leads to these