to Sancho's obfervation, that going for wool he returned fhorn, for he him felf became a convert to popery. He then experienced another call to remove the errors of his calviniftical brethren in New England. He went there accordingly, and told them what comfort he felt when invoking the faints; what happiness he experienced in the afliftance he received from the Bleffed Virgin, in anfwer to the prayers which he made at the foot of her image. He affured them that he was favoured with the strongest conviction of her interceffion with her fon in his behalf, which the continually employed, for that Jefus continued to be as dutiful, and obedient to His mother in heaven, as He had been upon earth: that he had not the leaft doubt, were they once to enjoy the Sweet confolations of penance, the unspeakable fatisfaction of Auricular confeffion as he conftantly did; the heart-felt confidence, and calm composure of extreme unction, they would like him return to the TRUE fold, and give God thanks for his abundant grace. I TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. AM a conftant reader and admirer of your excellent Magazine, and am happy to find your Review of new Publications, from the omiffion of fuch as are of lefs interefting nature, enlarged. Your choice of and critique on different works are highly pleating, but I cannot help taking the liberty of fuggefting to you the advantage of mentioning the name of the publisher, and the price of each book, as is ufual in other Reviews. The difficulty of fending for books into the country without this aflistance, will I hope excufe my troubling you upon fo trifling a matter. Will you, gentlemen, be fo obliging, as to prefent my beft acknowledgments to Infpector for the gratification he has afforded me fo often in your Magazine; but I could not help feeling concerned when I read his cenfures of Dr. Blayney, with whom however I had not the pleasure of being intimately acquainted. His friends, men of great refpectability, are not a little hurt at this attack upon the proferor's character: allowing him to have been wrong in his tranflation of the two paffages mentioned by Infpector, they do not think it fair or generous on this account to ftamp with the mark of heterodoxy the character of their refpected friend, to clafs his name with those of Priestley and Paine, and to delay this attack till Dr. Blayney is no more. Nov. 14, 1802. I am, gentlemen, AMICUS. TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, SEEING the London Curate's request in your Magazine for September, to your readers and correfpondents to point out any particular paffages in the writings of the Sectaries that had a tendency to the doctrines of the Romish church, brought to my mind an extract I had taken fome time ago, from one of the Erikines on the Confeffion of Faith by the Westminfter Divines, which I accidentally met with, but neglected to put down the exact title, in which my meniory has been treacherous. It is in queftions and anfwers.- The part I copy from is on Juftification: Q. 18. Q. 18. Will after-finning revoke a former pardon? Anf. No, after-finning may provoke the Lord to withdraw the sense of former pardon, but can never revoke the pardon itself; because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Rom. ii. 29. Q. 21. How are fins to come pardoned? Anf. By fecuring and not, imputing of them as to the guilt of eternal wrath. Rom. 14. 3. Q. 22. If a not imputing of eternal wrath as to future fins be secured, Why do the faints pray for the pardon of them when committed? Anf. Becaufe guilt, or liablenefs to fatherly anger, is contracted by the commiflion of them, and therefore they pray for the removal of that guilt. Pfalm 51. 12. "Restore unto me the joy of thy falvation." I fhall make no farther comment, than that I would as foon truft my perfonal fecurity or property with one educated at the college of St. Omers, as with one of these faints fo perfuaded of his being pardoned for fins to come. I acquit the affembly of Divines at Weftminfter from promulgating this doctrine, as I find nothing like it in their Confeffion of Faith, though they deal plentifully in metaphyfical fubtleties. Why the clergy at Cambridge fhould depart from the 62d canon in their hours of folemnizing marriage, I cannot think, when that canon fo exprefsly fays-" Neither thall any minifter upon the like pain of fuspension under any pretence whatsoever, join any perfons fo licenced in marriage at any unfeasonable times, but only between the hours of eight and twelve in the forenoon."-Surely the ecclefiaftical laws ought not to be broken at an univerfity where all due obedience to fuperiors fhould be particularly taught and enforced. Nov. 6, 1802. Yours, C. TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, ALTHOUGH fome of our junior brethren may poffefs extraordinary talents, fill, I hope, they are endowed with fo much modefty and humility, as to brook, occafionally, from their elders, a few hints, which may not be unuseful. The Reformers certainly were men of like paffions with ourselves, they had their human frailties and infirmities, but by the blefling of the infallible fearcher of our hearts upon their honeft and fincere endeavours, they accomplished the moft excellent purposes. If the compilers of our admirable Liturgy were not actually inspired, nevertheless they appear to have been duly qualified for their great and important undertaking. After what your worthy correfpondents and yourfelves have advanced in behalf of thefe reftorers and prefervers of the pure Chriftian Faith and Evangelical Worfhip, farther encomiums may be deemed fuperfluous. Would to God that novices in holy orders did not think more highly of their abilities and graces than they ought! Concerned as we are to obferve, that the act of uniformity is frequently broken, the injunctions of our fuperiors are difregarded, and our diligent fellow-labourers in the vineyard ignominioufly treated by them; yet we are almoft overwhelmed with aftonishment to hear the Supreme Being, as it were, upbraided with having made a revelation fo very ob fcure fcure and unintelligible, that these wiser than Solomon cannot comprehend the whole of it !--his co-equal and co-eternal Son held to be no better than a mere man, inferior to Socrates, or Plato!-Baptifm not neceffary to falvation and part of the words, ufed by our Lord at inftituting the Sacrament of the Eucharift, to require the energetical aid of the figure Epizeuxis by way of improvement! For inftance-This-This is my Blood. People continue to ftare at the bold repetition every time they communicate, and efteem it an unpardonable presumption, fince our Saviour confecrated and delivered the Wine, as well as the Bread-without any rhetorical flourish. Perhaps it is not difficult to guess at the views of our extremely arch and fagacious divines, notwithstanding we be unadorn'd with an equal brilliancy of imagination. We would therefore, with fubmiffion, exhort our perfectionifts in religion, and every branch of polite literature, carefully to examine their capacities and confciences again-Speak more reverently of their godly, learned, and heroic ancestors-Recollect that our spiritual watchmen are not totally deftitute of power and authority--but above all-Proftrate themfelves, in this feafon of our Heavenly Father's patience and long fuffering, before his most adorable Son Jefus Chrift, for vilifying one, and daring to correct the other of his facred ordinances ! ! I remain, gentlemen, ECCLESIE ANGLICANE AMICUS. THE TRUE ESTIMATE OF HUMAN LIFE. TO THE EDITOKS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, FEW perfons I apprehend will feel themselves difpofed to controvert the pofition that it is a matter of very great importance to obtain as nearly as is poflible a true eftimate of human Life: fo that by avoiding the undervaluing of it on the one hand, and the over-rating it on the other, we may fix that exact degree of value upon it to which it is intitled. In order to do this, it will be neceffary to confider the purpose for which Life was granted;-the manner in which we fhould ufe it, fo as to obtain that purpose ;-and what advantage we may expect to reap, from this good application of it, in a future state. The Holy Scriptures expreffly inform us, that we are placed in this prefent Life as in a state of probation and trial; that, in the revealed Will of God, a rule is given to direct our conduct in every poffible fituation: and that, if we obey that rule we fhall be rewarded, if we difobey it we shall be punished in a future Life, Our prefent Life therefore upon earth is the important period in which we must prepare ourselves for an happy or miferable Eternity; and human Life is that great Loan which is lent to Man to enable him, by ufing it properly, "to work out his own everlafting Salvation," and "to make his calling and election fure." It is evident that, if the intention of our Life here upon earth be indeed fuch as is represented above, for the affirmative of which we have the uniform tenor of the facred Writings, the greatest care and circumfpection is neceffary in the ufe which we make of that eventful period. Now the X best best possible use which we can make of our Life upon earth is to regulate all the actions of it according to the Laws and Precepts of the Gospel ;to confider it as the short paffage to a very long after-fcene which is deftined to fucceed it ;—and to make that future fcene the frequent fubject of our most serious reflections, and the primary object of all our actions. Keeping this important idea constantly in mind, we may lawfully and honourably in a fecondary and fubordinate point of view have refpect to fuch things as may tend to render our paffage through this Life comfortable and happy. It is the aim of the Gospel to regulate and reftrain within due bounds our attachment to the things of this Life, not entirely to eradicate all regard for them. Six days were granted under the Jewith difpensation, and confirmed by the Gofpel, to provide for the things of this world by honeft industry and the proper application of our feveral talents of body or of mind, and the feventh alone was commanded to be fet apart expreffly for the interefts of eternity. Thus liberal in this inftance with regard to the ufe of our time hath been the Almighty Donor of all good things. But Reason, Gratitude, and Religion concur to induce us to begin and conclude every day of our Life with an address of thanks for benefits received, and of prayer for further bleflings which we want: but so short is the time taken up by this duty, and fo pleasant the performance of it to a well difpofed mind, that it will never by fuch perfons be confidered as a burthen, but rather as a privilege and honour. It is by acting in this manner that we thall fulfil the injunction of the Gospel of fo❝ ufing the things of this World as not to abufe them," and fo "pafling through things temporal as not finally to lofe the things eternal." If we are thus careful to employ our Life upon earth in that wise and virtuous manner for which it was undoubtedly lent unto us, ineftimably great will be our Reward in a future ftate. The Holy Scriptures do not particularly point out to us wherein confifts the Rewards and Happiness of a future Life, but they speak to us of them in general terms which are fufficient to excite our utmoft care and diligence to deferve them. Every thing upon earth is imperfect, finite, and utterly inadequate to the defires and withes of an immortal foul; every thing in the world to come is the reverse of this, perfect, eternal, and commenfurate to the utmost wishes of an immortal fpirit. The glories of the world to come are greater than the idea of man can fully comprehend: they are fuch as Eye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive."-This defcription ought to fatisfy us during our continuance in the body, and when the fcene of this Life is clofed upon us and that of the next is revealed to our view, we fhall perfectly fee and feel the fulnefs of them. 66 Now fince the loan of Life is intended to procure for us all these great and folid advantages, we ought by no means to under-value it as a thing of fmall and light concern, and, under this false idea, think ourselves at liberty to caft it away whenever it happens to be embittered by the attack of adverfity. As foldiers, who are placed in a fituation of difficulty or danger, are not at liberty to quit their poft whenfoever they find themfelves tired of it, but muft wait to be relieved from their duty by him who placed them in it; fo we who are fituated in different ranks and degrees, and have pofts of greater or lefs difficulty affigned to its according to the will of the Almighty Governor of the univerfe, muft in like manner wait the pleasure of him who made us, to retire from the fituation which we now Occupy. occupy. And again, the fervice of our whole life upon earth is little enough, and the Reward of our obedience in a future Life will be great enough, to enable us with cheerfulness and alacrity to persevere in the faithful discharge of the duties of our refpective pofts till we are relieved by the hand of Death. On the other hand we must be careful not to over-rate our Life upon earth, and to live in thraldom and fear from the apprehenfion of its being taken away from us. Our present Life is undoubtedly a great boon lent to us by the Almighty Creator of all things, and our conftant gratitude and praise is due to him for it, and for every blefling which he hath granted along with it to render it comfortable to us. But let us reflect for a moment upon what particular condition we have this favour difpenfed to us. Life is granted to man with the exprefs condition of uncertainty as to the length of it annexed to it. From every period of the mortal courfe the certainty of our existence is removed at an immeasurable diftance. The youngest as well as the moft aged perfon is alike fubject to the dart of Death, and instances every hour prefent themselves to our observation of those who are one day glorying in the glow of health and the strength of manhood and the next are become the tenants of the filent grave. Can any thing then excufe the folly of too highly rating a bleffing which is fo extremely precarious. The true estimate of human Life appears therefore to confift in neither under-rating it on one hand nor over-valuing it on the other, in not confidering it as the end of happiness but the means only of fecuring it in a future itate. By habitually confidering it in this juft light, we fhall feel ourfelves ever difpofed to make the most of the precious moments granted to us here on earth, thereby to enhance the future reward which is laid up for us in the realms of everlafting felicity; and whenfoever that Almighty Being who firft placed us here fhall in his wifdom fee fit to call us hence, inftead of ufelefs and immoderate grief at the difpenfation of Omnipotence, to which we know that we are liable by the very conftitution of our nature, we fhall bow with fubmiflion to the will of our Creator; render up the loan of Life with gratitude for having fo long enjoyed it; and fix our thoughts, our expectations, our aspirations and withes upon that immortal and glorious fcene to which we fhall foon be removed; where we fhall enjoy unfading and fatisfying blifs with good men made perfect, for ever and ever: Amen. I am gentlemen, with very true refpect, Dec. 3, 1802. Your moft obedient and very humble fervant, OBSERVATIONS UPON MR. PARRY'S INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE INSPIRATION OF MR. THE APOSTLES. R. PARRY's work is ftiled in the title page An Inquiry into the Nature and Extent of the Infpiration of the Apoftles, and other Writers of the New Teftament; but at page 18, he calls it, and perhaps more properly, an examination into the nature, extent, and fulfilment of our Lord's promifes concerning the gift of the Spirit to the Apoftles. But *At the time this was written, it was fent to Mr. Parry, who then kept an academy at Wymondely-Houfe, near Stevenage, Herts. X 2 whether |