Four Sermons, preached in London, May, 1811, before the Missionary Society, at their Seventeenth General Meeting, by the Rev. Messrs. Parsons, Jefferson, Stevens, and Wilcox; with the Report of the Directors, List of Subscribers, &c. Price 38.

THE first of these sermons, delivered at Surry Chapel, by the Rev. E. Parsons, of Leeds, is founded on John iii. 20, He must increase; but I must decrease." We have already given a sketch of this, as well as the other discourses, in our Magazine for June last. We shall not, therefore, repeat it here. Mr. Parsons takes occasion, from the character of John the Baptist, to recommend to students, and especially to Missionary students, abstracted ness from the world, and affections disentangled from the affairs of this life, shunning company and pablicity, until they come forth in the spirit of John, to preach the gospel of the kingdom. This part of the discourse, resembling a charge to a preacher, contains inany very useful remarks, borrowed from real life, and which well deserve the attention of young ministers.

The increase of mmanuel's king dom forms the second part of this sermon; and affords an encourag ing pros; ect of the enlargement of the bounds of Christ's dominion, till Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, till every continent, however extensive, and every island, however remote, shall see the light, and feel the transforming influences of his glory.'

The character of the first preachers is well drawn, and the subject of their ministry well described. Here was no suspicious confederacy, no secrecy. They ass imed no pomp to conciliate the vain, or to dazzle the weak. The word of salvation, in its own native purity, was openly preached to the world. Every thing relating to the cause of Jesus was done in the face of day, and in the presence of a watchful,

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scrutinizing, and malignant world; and so long as the first Christiang maintained the spirituality of their character, and kept their distance from the altars of Mammon and the arts of a carnal policy, they they saw multiplied in nu.nber, the truth everywhere extending its empire, and went on their way rejoicing in the accomplishment of all the prophecies and promises relating to the final and universal diffusion of its blessings.'- Page 12.

In the latter part of the sermon, the spirit virtually inculcated in the words, ‘I must decrease,' is investigated; and supreme love to the Redeemer. a sincere desire to promote his cause, and huab e submission to his will, are forcibly res enmended. The preacher con clutes by assuring his heirers, That the brightest evidence of gratitude for their own salvation, is a generous, a dent, and uniform concern to promote the salvation of others.'

The second sermon was preached at the Tabernacle. by the Rev. J. Jefferson, of Basingstoke. The subject is, The Diffusion of the Gos pel;' the text, Zech. xiv. 8, And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall gout from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them towards the binder sea. In summer and winter shall it be.'

The period specified is doubtless the blessed day of the evangelical dispensation, from its cominence, ment at the birth of Chrise, to the end of time. The event predicted, the refreshing blessings of divine grace, figuratively represented by streams of water. These first issued from Jerusalem, the igre of the Christian church, from which the doctrines of the gospel are to be conveyed to all nations, beginn n. indeed at home, a nong our◄ selves. in our own towns and sur rounding villages, but extending to all the dark regions of the whole world.'

The wonderful and extensive dif
Y y

fusion of these sacred waters is next considered, running different ways. Rivers, the author observes, generally tend towards the east, in consequence of the motion of the earth westward; but these waters run contrary ways, east and west. The gospel is glad tidings to all people; and its blessed message is to be proclaimed to all the ends of

the earth.

The perpe'nity of this diffusion is lastly considered: - The Rivers of Life shall not be affected by the drought of summer, nor arrested by the cold of winter. The channel of these waters has sometimes been narrow, and the current small, but they have never ceased to flow. • God's care of his church continues unchanged through all the seasons of the year, all the revolutions of empires, and all the vicis situdes of time itself,' — even in troubious times like the present; and when,' the preacher asks, were there ever such troublous times in Europe? such wars and rumours of wats? such revolutions of kingdoms as have been known during the last 20 years? And were there ever such exertions, and such success in the propagation of the gospel, and the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, as have been witnessed during the last 20 years?'

Mr. Jefferson makes an appropriate improvement of the subject; and suggests strong encouragement to the Missionary Society, congratulating them on the number and success of their Missionaries, He also exhorts zealous and able men to offer their personal services, and to emulate such men as Elliot, Brainerd, Mabew, Swartz, and others. Think,' says he,

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how

many have dropped into eternity, even since this service, this sermon commenced; fifty-six souls, it is computed, pass into eternity every minute! How awful the reflection! Men are perishing by tens of thousands every day! There is no time to be lost. Fly,-O fly on the wings of love, and try to pluck them from the flames! - p. 40.

A handsome allusion is made, (p. 46) to Cooper's Leuconomus, the Rev. Geo. Whitfield (in whose pulpit this sermon was preached) the extent of whose labours is almost incredible,'- whose labours, may we not say, remotely led to the institution of the Missionary Society? If he had not lived, this Society might not have existed.

In recommending prayer for the success of the cause, Mr. Jefferson says,- The weakest and the poorest may render essential help, and bring down a blessing on this Society. An insect cannot plough, nor sow the fields, but it has been proved that the husbandman cannot reap a single sheaf of wheat without the kindly exertions of an insect not bigger than a pin's head*.!

Let

The blessed God delights to effect the greatest wonders by means apparently little and despised. us all then pray, that God would raise up many faithful labourers, qualify them with suitable gifts and graces, give them resolution and zeal, send them to the heathen, and bless their labours with abundant success.' Both these sermons will be perused with great satisfaction and profit by the reader whose heart longs to promote the kingdom of Christ. The subject is certainly inexhaustible, and every year presents us with new and at

fecting views of it. We have indeed, line upon line,' and happy will it be if every sermon makes an addition to the number of those who sincerely, consistently and practically pray Thy kingdom come + !

The Third and Fourth Sermons will be reviewed in our next.

Qualifications for Teaching, essential to the Character of a Christian Bishop: a Sermon, preached at Glasgow, March 13, 1811, by Ralph Wardlaw. 8vo, Is.

Ir gave us much pleasure to hear, by an Appendix to this discourse, the intention which exists among the Congregational Class of Scottish Dissenters, of establishing a Seminary of Education for the Christian Ministry. We believe that such an institution is become indispensably requisite. The Schools of Religious Instruction, which were accessible to this denomination of Christians a few years ago, are now extinct; an unhappy opinion, as we are informed, having obtained possession of the mind of some of the principal patrons of those schools, that a cultivated state of the intellectual faculties ought not to be ranked among the qualifications of a Christian teacher. That this sentiment, however, has not spread itself very extensively, the able discourse of Mr. Wardlaw, and the respectable list of Ministers and Churches who have signified their approbation of the object for which the discourse was delivered, satisfactorily prove.

The Plan of Education, sketched in the Appendix, appears to us extremely judicious, while the character of the individuals to whom the superintendence of the institution is committed, reflects equal credit on the parties concerned in the choice. The friends both of Religion and Literature will look with complacency on a School of

Instruction, of which Mess. Ewing and Wardlaw are acting teachers. This Academy will command the respective advantages of a Public Education, 'and of a Private Religi ous School. The Students will have' the opportunity of attending the classes of Glasgow College, and will be instructed by Mess. Ewing and Wardlaw, in those departments of study which have a peculiar reference to the sacred office.

The Sermon is worthy of the Author, and of the cause which he advocates; and if among our readers, there should be any who question the propriety of Academical Preparation for the Christian Ministry, we earnestly recommend to them the perusal of this valuable dis course. Nor is it to readers of this description that we would limit our recommendation, firmly persuaded as we are, that none can read these pages without interest who admire correctness of sentiment, or simplicity of style.

The Advantages of Early Piety: Sermons to Young People, by J. Thornton. 12mo, 38.

WHILE the character of the man depends so much on the impressions made on the mind in childhood and youch, we must applaud every attempt which aims to occupy the attention of the young, and to impress their minds, by giving them just views of divine truth. Much has been done for the rising.generation; but much may yet be done. Truth, however invariable in its nature, is yet capa ble of so many different modes of representation, that those who have remained unimpressed with the excellent discourses of Henry, Doddridge, Jennings and others, may derive essential and eternal benefit from this volume of Mr. Thornton, the author of an admirable little publication, Christian Consolation;' which we had, thro' misin

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