ble, always abounding in the work of the Lord.' Then at once, by another quick transition, resorting from the duty to the reward, and winding up the whole with an argument as powerful as his rhetoric had been sublime, he adds forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."" Vol. i. pp. 49–51. The last passage affords a beautiful specimen of the style, elevated by the sentiment, and naturally rising with the subject. It is eloquent without violence, and dignified without labour: the production of a mind equal to the perception of the true sublime, and of a heart deeply interested in the awful realities which are presented to the view. The whole of these two chapters is admirable. The next is a valuable chapter, on "Mistakes in Religion." The importance of the subject tempts us to the following quotation. Among the many mistakes in religion, it is commonly thought that there is something so unintelligible, absurd, and fanatical in the term conversion, that those who em ploy it run no small hazard of being involved in the ridicule it excites. It is seldom used but ludicrously, or in contempt. This arises partly from the levity and ignorance of the censurer, but perhaps as much from the imprudence and enthusiasm of those who have absurdly confined it to real or supposed instances of sudden or miraculous changes from profligacy to piety. But surely, with reasonable people, we run no risk in assert ing that he, who being awakened by any of those various methods which the Almighty, uses to bring his creatures to the knowledge of himself, who seeing the corruptions that are in the world, and feeling those with which his own heart abounds, is brought, whether gradually or more rapidly, from an evil heart of unbelief, to a lively faith in the Redeemer; from a life, not only of gross vice, but of worldliness and vanity, to a life of progressive piety; whose humility keeps pace with his progress; who, though his attainments are advancing, is so far from counting himself to have attained, that he presses onward with unabated zeal, and evidences, by the change in his conduct, the change that has taken place in his heartsuch a one is surely as sincerely converted, and the effect is as much produced by the same divine energy, as if some instantaneous revolution in his character had given it a CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 117. miraculous appearance. The doctrines of Scripture are the same now as when David called them a law converting the soul and giving light to the eyes. This is perhaps the most accurate and comprehensive definition of the change for which we are contending, for it includes both the illumination of the understanding, and the alteration in the disposition. "If then this obnoxious expression signify nothing more nor less than that change of character which consists in turning from the world to God, however the term may offend, there is nothing ridiculous in the thing. Now, as it is not for the term which we contend, but for the principle conveyed by it; so it is the principle and not the term, which is the real ground of objection; though it is a little inconsistent that many who would sneer at the idea of conversion, would yet take it extremely ill if it were suspected that their hearts were not turned to God. "Reformation, a term against which no objection is ever made, would, if words continued to retain their primitive signification, convey the same idea. For it is plain that to re-form means to make anew. In the present use, however, it does not convey the meaning in the same extent, nor indeed does it imply the operation of the same principle. Many are reformed on human motives; many are partially reformed; but only those who, as our great Poet says, are 'reformed altogether,' are converted. There is no complete reformation in the conduct affected without a revolution in the heart. Ceasing from some sins; retaining others in a less degree; or adopting such as are merely creditable; or flying from one sin to another; or ceasing from the external act without any internal change of disposition, is not Chrisabolish the old habit, the rooted inclination tian reformation. The new principle must must be subdued by the substitution of an opposite one. The natural bias must be be pardoned than cured if the inward cor changed. The actual offence will no more ruption be not eradicated. To be alive unto God through Jesus Christ' must follow the death unto sin.' There cannot be new aims and ends where there is not a new principle to produce them. We shall not direct our choice and guide our 'feet.' chuse a new path until a light from heaven We shall not run the way of God's commandments' till God himself enlarge our heart." Vol. i. pp. 59-63. It would be a pleasing task, if our limits would permit it, to furnish a short account of every chapter. This task, however, we are 4. E Compelled to decline; and we do it with less reluctance, from the hope that many, who read these pages, will be induced to study the work itself: let their censure be directed against us, if they fail to receive from the perusal both pleasure and improvement. In the following paragraphs, we select a few passages from three very excellent chapters, on "Prayer," on "Christian Holiness," and on "the comparatively small Faults and Virtues." "We are often deceived both as to the principle and the effect of our prayers. When from some external cause the heart is glad, the spirits light, the thoughts ready, the tongue voluble, a kind of spontaneous eloquence is the result; with this we are pleas ed, and this ready flow we are willing to impose on ourselves for piety. "On the other hand, when the mind is dejected, the animal spirits low, the thoughts confused; when apposite words do not readily present themselves, we are apt to accuse our hearts of want of fervor, to lament our weakness and to mourn that because we have had no pleasure in praying, our prayers have, therefore, not ascended to the throne of mercy. In both cases, we perhaps judge ourselves unfairly. These unready accents, these faultering praises, these ill-expressed petitions, may find more acceptance than the florid talk with which we were so well satisfied: the latter consisted, it may be, of shining thoughts, floating on the fancy, eloquent words dwelling only on the lips; the former was the sighing of a contrite heart, abased by the feeling of its own unworthiness, and awed by the perfections of a holy and, heart-searching God. The heart is dissatisfied with its own dull and tasteless repetitions, which, with all their imperfections, Infinite Goodness may perhaps hear with favour*.-We may not only be elated with "Of these sort of repetitions, our admirable church liturgy has been accused as a fault; but this defect, if it be one, happily accommodates itself to our infirmities Where is the favoured being whose attention never wanders, whose heart accompanies his lips in every sentence? Is there no absence of mind in the petitioner, no wandering of the thoughts, no inconstancy of the heart, which these repetitions are wisely calculated to correct, to rouse the dead attention, to bring back the strayed affections?" the fluency but even with the fervency of our prayers. Vanity may grow out of the very act of renouncing it, and we may begin to feel proud at having humbled ourselves so eloquently. "There is, however, a strain and spirit of prayer equally distinct from that facility and copiousness for which we certainly are never the better in the sight of God, and from that constraint and dryness for which we may be never the worse. There is a simple, solid, pious strain of prayer in which the supplicant is so filled and occupied with a sense of his own dependence, and of the importance of the things for which he asks, and so persuaded of the power and grace of God through Christ to give him those things, that while he is engaged in it, he does not merely imagine, but feels assured that God is nigh to him as a reconciled father, so that every burthen and doubt are taken off from his mind. He knows,' as St. John expresses it, that he has the petitions he desired of God,' and feels the truth of that promise, while they are yet speaking, I will hear. This is the perfection of prayer." Vol. i. pp. 126-129. "The law of holiness, then, is a law binding on all persons without distinction, not limited to the period nor to the people to whom it was given. It reaches through the whole Jewish dispensation, and extends, with wider demands and higher sanctions, to every Christian, of every denomination, of every age, and every country. "A more sublime motive cannot be assigned why we should be holy than because the Lord our God is holy.' Men of the world have no objection to the terms virtue, morality, integrity, rectitude; but they associate something overacted, not to say hypocritical, with the term holiness, and neither use it in a good sense when applied to others, nor would wish to have it applied to themselves, but make it over, with a little suspicion, and not a little derision, to puritans and enthusiasts. "This suspected epithet, however, is surely rescued from every injurious association, if we consider it as the chosen attribute of the Most High. We do not presume to apply the terms virtue, probity, morality, to God; but we ascribe holiness to him because he first ascribed it to himself, as the aggregate and consummation of all his perfections." Vol. i. pp. 222, 223. "Traces more or less of the holiness of God may be found in his works, to those who view them with the eye of faith: they are more plainly visible in his providences; but it is in his word that we must chiefly look for the manifestations of his holiness. He is every where described as perfectly holy in himself, as a model to be imitated by his creatures, and, though with an interval immeasurable, as imitable by them. "The great doctrine of redemption is inseparably connected with the doctrine of sanctification. As an admirable writer has observed, if the blood of Christ reconcile us to the justice of God, the spirit of Christ is to reconcile us to the holiness of God.' When we are told, therefore, that Christ is made unto us righteousness,' we are in the same place taught that he is made unto us sanctification; that is, he is both justifier and sanctifier. In vain shall we deceive ourselves by resting on his sacrifice, while we neglect to imitate his example. "The glorious spirits which surround the throne of God are not represented as singing hallelujahs to his omnipotence, nor even to his mercy, but to that attribute which, as with a glory, encircles all the rest. They perpetually cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts; and it is observable, that the angels which adore bim for his holiness are the ministers of his justice. Those pure intelligences perceive, no doubt, that this union of attributes constitutes the divine perfection. "This infinitely blessed Being then, to whom angels and archangels, and all the hosts of heaven, are continually ascribing holiness, has commanded us to be holy. To be holy because God is holy, is both an ar gument and a command. An argument founded on the perfections of God, and a command to imitate him. This command is given to creatures, fallen indeed, but to whom God graciously promises strength for the imitation. If we do not endeavour to imitate him whom we worship, we do not worship him in sincerity. It is obvious that we see little of the infinite excellences of that Being to some faint resemblance of which we do not endeavour to aspire. If in God holiness implies an aggregate of perfections; in man, even in his low degree, it is an incorporation of the Christian graces. "The holiness of God, indeed, is confined by no limitation; ours is bounded, finite, imperfect. Yet let us be sedulous to extend our little sphere. Let our desires be large, though our capacities are contracted. Let pur aims be lofty, though our attainments are low. Let us be solicitous that no day pass without some augmentation of our holiness, some added height in our aspirations, sorue wider expansion in the compass of our virtues. Let us strive every day for som superiority to the preceding day, something that shall distinctly mark the passing scene with progress; something that shall inspire an humble hope that we are rather less unfit for heaven to-day, than we were yesterday. The celebrated artist who has recorded that he passed no day without drawing a line, drew it not for repetition out for progress; not to produce a giveu number of strokes, but to forward his work, to complete his design. The Christian, like the painter, does not draw his lines at random: he has a model to imitate, as well as an outline to fill. Every touch conforms him more and more to the great original. He who has transfused most of the life of God into his soul, has copied it most successfully." Vol. i. pp. 223–227. "The lesser qualities of the human character are like the lower people in a country; they are numerically, if not individually, important. If well regulated, they become valuable from that very circumstance of numbers which under a negligent administration, renders them formidable. The peace of the individual mind, and of the nation, is materially affected by the discipline in which these inferior orders are maintained. Laxity and neglect in both cases are subversive of all good government. " But if we may be allowed to glance from earth to heaven,' perhaps the beauty of the lesser virtues may be still better illustrated by that long and luminous track made up of minute and almost imperceptible stars, which though separately too inconsiderable to attract attention, yet from their number and their confluence, form that soft and shining stream of light every where discernible, and which always corresponds to the same fixed stars, as the smaller virtues do to their concomitant great ones.--Without pursuing the metaphor to the classic fiction that the Galaxy was the road through which the ancient heroes went to heaven, may we not venture to say that Christians will make their way thither more pleasant by the consistent practice of the minuter virtues? "Every Christian should consider religion as a fort which he is called to defend. The meanest soldier in the army, if he add patriotism to valour, will tight as earnestly as if the glory of the contest depended on his single arm. But he brings his watchfulness as well as his courage into action. He strenuously defends every pass he is appointed to guard, without enquiring whether it be great or small. There is not any detect in religion or morals so little as to be of no which forms the subject of the next chapter, has been often discussed. That Mrs. More is an advocate for the practice will be readily believed; but the "trite and trivial repetition of serious remarks," which forms so much of the small talk of gossipping Christians, is not included in her notion of religious conversation. The practice which she recommends is calculated to profit; and the arguments by which it is enforced are unanswerable. The felicity of the following passage need scarcely be pointed out. "That allusions involving religious questions tion, is a fact, which, though greatly exagare often productive of dispute and alterca "By allowed negligence in small things, we are not aware how much we injure religion in the eye of the world. How can we expect people to believe that we are in earnest in great points, when they see that we cannot withstand a trivial temptation, against which resistance would have been comparatively easy? At a distance, they hear with respect of our general characters. They be-gerated, must yet in a degree be admitted. come domesticated with us, and discover the same failings, littlenesses, and bad tempers, as they have been accustomed to meet with in the most ordinary persons." Vol. i. pp. 237-239. The second volume commences with some observations on "Selflove:" we shall presently notice some objections, which have been advanced against the reasoning. The 14th chapter is "On the Conduct of Christians with the Irreligious." It is not sufficient that a Christian is desirous to do good, he should be careful to make the attempt in a kind spirit, and with a conciliating manner. By these means animosity will be subdued, and calumny will, in a great measure, die away. Truth itself is frequently obnoxious; but the best mode to extend its influence, is to avoid every thing offensive in enforcing it. In the character of Jesus Christ, we have a perfect specimen of all that is amiable and engaging: his disciples sometimes knew not what spirit they were of; and in this respect at least, too many professing Christians, in modern times, are found to resemble them. But the cause of Christianity suffers, when ever her advocate is fairly chargeable with vulgarity of manner, or intolerance of spirit. The "Propriety of introducing Religion in general Conversation," This circumstance may in some measure account for the singular reception which a religions remark is often observed to meet with in the world. It is curious to notice the surprise and alarm whieht, on such occasions, will frequently pervade the party present. The remark is received as a strangerguest, of which no one knows the quality or intentions. And, like a species of intellectual foundling, it is cast upon the company without a friend to foster its infancy, or to own any acquaintance with the parent. A fear of consequences prevails. It is obvious what it may grow; it is therefore safer to that the feeling isWe know not into stifle it in the birth. This if not the avowed is the implied sentiment. "But is not this delicacy, this mauvaise honte, so peculiar perhaps to our countrymen on religious subjects, the very cause which operates so unfavourably upon that effect which it labours to obviate? Is not the very infrequency of moral or religious observations, a sufficient account to be given both be consequent upon their introduction? And of the perplexity and the irritation said to were not religion (we mean such religious topics as may legitimately arise in mixed society) banished so much as it is from conversation, might not its occasional recurrence become by degrees as natural, perhaps as interesting, certainly as instructive, and af ter all as safe, as a close committee on the weather, or any other of the authorised topics which are about as productive of amusement as of instruction? People act as if religion were to be regarded at a distance, as if even a respectful ignorance were to be preferred to a more familiar approach. This reserve, however, does not give an air of respect so much as of mystery to religion An able writer has observed, that was esteemed the most sacred part of pagan devotion which was the most impure; and the only thing that was commendable in it is, that it was kept a great mystery.' He approves of nothing in this religion but the modesty of withdrawing itself from the eyes of the world. But Christianity requires not to be shrouded in any such mysterious recesses. She does not, like the eastern monarchs, owe her dignity to her concealment. She is, on the contrary, most honoured where most known, and most revered where more clearly visible." Vol. ii. pp. 63-66. The 16th chapter, "On Christian Watchfulness," we would particularly recommend, with all due respect, to members of the clerical order. Admonitions are frequently offered to them, of which the object is neither very kind, nor the tone very friendly; but the suggestions contained in this chapter are offered by one who has never been wanting in attachment to the church, nor in regard to its ministers; and we have no doubt that they will be received in the spirit with which they are made. To the whole of the three last chapters we would earnestly in vite the frequent and serious consideration of the younger clergy. We select two passages from a very weighty chapter, "On Insen"On Insensibility to Eternal Things," which will afford, we think, a fair specimen of Mrs. More's general style of writing the manner is lively, the reasoning is correct, and the illustrations are judicious and forcible. "Insensibility to eternal things, in beings who are standing on the brink of eternity is a madness which would be reckoned among prodigies, if it were not so common. It would be altogether incredible, if the numberless instances we have of it, were only related, and not witnessed, were only heard of, and not experienced. "If we had a certain prospect of a great estate and a splendid mansion, which we knew must be our's in a few days; and not only our's as a bequest, but an inheritance; not only as a possession but a perpetuity; if, in the mean time, we rented, on a precarious lease, a paltry cottage in bad repair, ready to fall, and from which we knew we "Bishop Sherlosk." must at all events soon be turned out, depending on the proprietor's will, whether the ejectment might not be the next minute; would it argue wisdom, or even common sense, totally to overlook our near and noble reversion, and to be so fondly attached to our falling tenement, as to spend great part of our time and thoughts in supporting its ruins by props, and concealing its decays by decorations? To be so absorbed in the little sordid pleasures of this frail abode, as not even to cultivate a taste for the delights of the mansion, where such treasures are laid up for us, and on the possession of which we fully reckon in spite of our neglect; this is an excess of inconsideration, which must be seen to be credited. "It is a striking fact, that the acknowledged uncertainty of life drives worldly men to make sure of every thing depending on it except their eternal concerns. It leads them in their bargains. They are afraid of risking to be regular in their accounts, and exact ever so little property, on so precarious a tenure as life, without insuring a reversion. There are even some who speculate on the uncertainty of life as a trade. Strange, that this accurate calculation of the duration of life should not involve a serious attention to its end! Strange, that the critical annuitant should totally overlook his perpetuity! Strange, that in the prudent care not to risk a fraction of property, equal care should not be taken, not to risk eternal salvation! "Plutarch informs us that the Spartans so much valued the life of a citizen, that before they condemned any one to capital punishment, nothing could surpass the patience of their enquiries, the accuracy of their examinations, the liberty of defence they allowed the criminal, and the slowness with which they pronounced his sentence. Even after judgment was passed, a long space was permitted to elapse before its execution, The reason they assigned to one who enquired the cause of their extreme deliberation was, because it was a case in which an error was incorrigible. When shall we see Christians as much afraid of a mistake in their own immortal concerns, as these wise pagans were in what related to the short human existence of a malefactor? "We are not supposing flagitious charac ters, remarkable for any thing which the world calls wicked; we are not supposing their wealth obtained by injustice, or increased by oppression. We are only supposing & soul drawn aside from God, by the alluring baits of the world, which, like the treacherous lover of Atalanta, causes him to lose the victory by throwing golden apples in |