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ourfelves on the Public under the character of rivals.

With what fuccefs we have hitherto laboured, our readers are the beft judges. Many teftimonies have been received of the benefit individuals have derived from our efforts: nor can it be concealed, that the Evangelical Magazine has in fome degree contributed

to the formation of feveral ufeful focieties at home and abroad, and prepared the way for an interefting correfpondence with almost every part of the Chriftian world. To God alone be the praife! His mercy we thankfully acknowledge, in making us the humble inftruments of promoting his glory; and having no other end in view, we confidently look up to him for the continuance of his bleffing."

We fincerely thank our Readers and Correfpondents for their paft kindnefs; and, while we request their future patronage, we have the fatisfaction to inform them, that, notwithstanding the enormous advance in the price of paper and printing, our circulation has been fuch as will enable us to continue our ufual quantity of forty-four pages each number, on paper of a fuperior quality, and with other confiderable improvements.

We alfo renew our addrefs to our evangelical brethren in the miniftry of all denominations, to favour us with their communications, and to recommend proper objects to receive the profits: and this we do with the utmoft confidence in their candour, as we have no exclufive intereft in the fuccefs of our endeavours. All who love our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity may cordially adopt this pamphlet as their

own.

It is the vehicle of no party. It originated in no refentment. It has no defign but what it openly avows. It diffeminates no abufe. It wanders not into political difcuffion. It never rifes nor falls its doctrine as felf-intereft requires, but is invariably and confcientiously regulated, to the beft of our judgment, by the unerring ftandard of the word of God.

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THE

Evangelical Magazine,

FOR 1801.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. S. MEDLEY.

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ELIGIOUS Biography has this additional excellence above that of biography in general, that while it prefents worthy examples for imitation, and powerful motives to copy them, it alfo brings a revenue of glory to the Saviour-an offering more precious than gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This remark applies particularly to thofe inftances, in which Providence has formed inftruments of eminent usefulness from characters the leaft promifing-as when he made fishermen apoftles, and feamen preachers of the gofpel. Such inftances we have had the pleasure repeatedly to lay before our Readers, and the prefent Memoir will add another to their number.

Mr. SAMUEL MEDLEY was born at Chefhunt, Herts, June 23d, 1738. His father and grandfather had been monuments of grace, and filled refpectable fituations in life. The former, whofe name was alfo Samuel, attended Lord Kinnoul, Ambaffador to Conftantinople about 1730, and appears to have been remarkable for chearful piety and good temper. Mr. Guy Medley, our author's father, was early diftinguished by his skill in claffical and polite literature, which procured him the appointment of private tutor to the late Duke of Montague, whom he alfo accompanied on the tour of Europe, and refided with him fome time afterward. Through the patronage of this nobleman he was appointed Attorney-general of the island of St. Vincent's, but not continuing long there, it pleated God to animate him with higher profpects, and he turned his back at once on the gay and fathionable world.

He now opened a boarding-fchool at Chefhunt, and about the fame time married a daughter of Mr. W. Tonge, who was mafter of a refpectable academy at Enfield. This union produced three fons, of whom the eldeft is the fub

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ject of this memoir. Of the father we fhall only fubjoin, that he was honoured with the friendship of Sir Ifaac Newton, and Mr. Harvey, whom he affisted in revifing his celebrated Dialogues; and that he had the happiness to witness the converfion of his fon Samuel, juft before his departure to a better world in 1760.

This fon was educated by Mr. Tonge, above-mentioned, and apprenticed to an oilman in London; but his temper being too lively for that fituation, and ill agreeing with the family in which he was placed, in the war of 1755 he took advantage of the encouragement then given to apprentices to enter into the navy; and, notwithstanding the pious remonftrances of his parents, entered as a midshipman oa board a man of war. Here he was much efteemed, and fome time after, being appointed mafter's mate on board another 74 gun fhip, he failed for the Mediterranean in the fquadron of Admiral Bofcawen. Here Mr. M. had the opportunity to fee a good deal of the world, and was not deficient in his obfervations on men or things; though at the fame time he was very deficient in the knowledge of himfelf, and totally inattentive to religion. He found, however, no comfort nor fatisfaction in a life of vice; and, notwithstanding the careffes of his wicked companions, was miferable in the midst of all; fo much fo, that in one inftance, cafting his eyes on a favourite dog that lay by him, he wished himself that dog, that he might have no foul to be either saved or loft, The like circumftance is related of Lord Rochefter, and completely demonftrates that happinefs is not to be found in the ways of fin.

During Mr. M's continuance in this ftation, which was about three years, he was in feveral actions, the laft of which was fought off Cape Lagos in 1759, and was very fanguinary. In this action he was ftationed on the fhip's poop to take obfervations; and, though furrounded on every fide with death, he appeared totally infenfible of danger, till he was himfelf wounded. This he did not immediately perceive, but being informed of it by the mafter, he looked down, and feeing a quantity of blood, and the mufcles of his leg torn, his fpirits were for the first time damped. His wound requiring immediate affistance, he went below to the furgeon in the midst of the action, which terminated in a fignal victory. After this he was for fome time compelled to keep his bed, his wound growing worfe instead of better, till at length he was told, that if a sudden change did not take place, he muft, the next morning, fub

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