stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free: and then that gracious God whom you serve will vouchsafe to you his presence, will guide you by his counsel, and receive you to his glory. "Blessed is the people whose hope is in God they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: in thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted." To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE ambiguity of language is a common cause of controversy; and a due attention to that ambiguity may often prove a cure for it. Thus the English word, "witness," signifies properly one who bears testimony in a court of justice. But, since the English law allows no one to attest what he has not seen, the verb, "to witness," soon came to acquire the sense of seeing; and it has at length even monopolized that meaning; while we express the idea of attesting by the phrase not of witnessing, but of bearing witness. The Greek word uaplop, however, seems to be liable to no such ambiguity, but signifies uniformly, not one who sees or looks on upon any thing, but one who bears testimony to it. Yet, because he is best qualified to bear testimony who has seen the thing which he attests, it can seldom happen that the words, Haplop or uaplupiw, should occur, where the idea of seeing, or being, as we say, an eye-witness, may not be connected with it. In all the passages cited by your correspondent VERAX, it would seem to me, (and I am supported in this interpretation by all lexicographers,) that men are called μάρτυρες, simply because they are or may be required to bear testimony, although they are qualified to be called so by having seen the things which they testify; and in Heb. xii. 1. the controverted word can only refer, in this view of its meaning, to those persons whose history and experience have qualified them to attest the truth of those unseen and to us distant realities which are made present to our minds by faith. C. C. MISCELLANEOUS. among the Non-conformists; and like himself, in early youth she had chosen her own path: she had examined the controversy, between the Dissenters and the Church of England, with the utmost diligence, and satisfied herself that the schismatics were in the wrong. The dispute, it must be remembered, related wholly to discipline: but her inquiries had not stopt here; and she had reasoned herself into Socinianism, from which she was reclaimed by her husband. She was an admirable woman, of a highly improved mind, and of a strong and masculine understanding; an obedient wife, an exemplary mother, a fervent Christian. Her husband soon attracted notice, by his learning and ability. Talents found their way, in that age, less readily into public, than at present; and therefore, when they appeared, they obtained attention the sooner. He was thought capable of forwarding the plans of James II. with regard to religion; and preferment was promised him, if he would preach in behalf of the king's measures. But instead of reading the king's Declaration, as he was required, and though surrounded with courtiers, soldiers, and informers, he preached boldly against the designs of the Court; taking, for his text, the pointed language of the prophet Daniel, If it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king! But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.' When the Revolution was effected, Mr. Wesley was the first who wrote in its defence. work he dedicated to Queen Mary, and was rewarded for it with the living of Epworth, in Lincolnshire. It was a large parish, containing about 2,000 souls: but he found them in a profligate state; and the zeal with which he discharged his duty, in admonishing them of their sins, excited a spirit of diabolical hatred in those whom it failed to reclaim. Here, on the 17th of June, 1703, his second son, John, the subject of my present letter, was born. This eldest girls go shift for themselves, he burst open the nursery-door, where the maid lay with five children; she snatched up the youngest, and bade the rest follow her; the three elder did; but John, who was at this time six years old, was not awakened by all this; and in the alarm, he was forgotten. By the time they reached the hall, the flames were all round them, and Mr. Wesley then found that the keys of the door were above stairs. He ran, and recovered them, a minute before the staircase took fire. When the door was opened, a strong north east wind drove in the flames with such violence, that none could stand against them. Some of the children, however, got through the windows, others through a little door, into the garden. Unable to do either, owing to the state in which she then was, Mrs. Wesley, after three times attempting it in vain, rushed through the flames, into the street, naked as she was, and escaped with some slight scorching of the head and face. At this time, the child was heard to cry in the nursery: until that moment he had not been remembered. The father ran to the stairs; but they were then so nearly consumed, that they could not bear his weight; and being utterly in despair, he fell on his knees, in the hall, and in agony recommended the soul of the child to God. John, mean time, who had been awakened by the light, ran to the door, and finding it impossible to escape there, climbed up upon a chest that stood near the window. He was seen from the yard: there was no time to fetch a ladder; but it was happily a low house: one man was hoisted up upon the shoulders of another, and was then able to take him out at the window; a moment later, and it would have been too late the whole roof fell in; but it fell inward, or they must have all been crushed together. When the child was carried into the house where his parents were, the father cried out, Come, neighbours, let us kneel down, let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children; let the house go; I am rich enough!' This providential escape was ever remembered by John Wesley, through life, with the deepest gratitude. Under one of his portraits, there is the representation of a house in flames, with this motto: • Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning?"" To the Editor of the Christian Observer, I AM an old man, and have lived to see great things; things which have been the joy and rejoicing of my heart. All the religious institutions which have fallen under my notice, tend to promote the glory of God, and the salvation of men; and to most of them have I been a contributor. It is not my intention, sir, to institute any comparison of their relative excellency: but certainly the British and Foreign Bible Society is one of the most important; and perhaps no society has met with such general accept ance, both at home and abroad. Nor is this matter of surprise, when we consider the simplicity of its plan, the magnitude of its object, and the blessings it has imparted to the poor as well as to the rich; to the captive as well as to him who is at liberty; to persons in workhouses, hospitals, and other mansions of sorrow and pain. There is, however, one department in which I suspect the want of Bibles is great: I mean, in inns, hotels, &c. &c. This first struck me when I was at a large inn in the West of England, between four and five years ago; and again, with still more force, when lately at an hotel and inn in London. I most devoutly wish that some plan were adopted for supplying these places with Bibles, for the use of the servants. Every one knows they are exposed to great temptations-have very few means of re If To the Editor of the Christian Observer: IT will be found, on the fullest inquiry which can be given to the subject, that the ROMAN CATHOLICS at large, and the JESUITS in particular, are merely parts of the same great aggregate. The head of the Catholic Church is, as it were, the centre of a system, round which those Catholics who are not Jesuits revolve in more regular orbits; while those who are Jesuits (like the comets of the solar system) describe more eccentric courses. The Jesuits, however, still derive all their heat and influence from the same source out of which the other members of the Catholic hierarchy are supplied in common with themselves. the Jesuits, like the fiery stars of our system, occasionally cross the path of the Catholics, and threaten them with injury or destruction, it is not the less certain that both the Jesuits and the Catholics at large are constituent parts of one comprehensive circle, whose centre is at Rome, and whose circumference is every where. It is therefore to be expected that, until the Papal Church can cordially tolerate a Protestant state, the JESUITS Will still continue to be, what they have been from their origin, the most active and formidable of her agents, to whom she will look with confidence for the destruction or hu miliation of those who either condemn her religious errors or oppose her political pretensions. No two descriptions of men could be more opposite to each other, in principles and conduct, than the Pharisees and Sadducees of old; yet they were alike enemies to real Christianity and its Divine Founder. In like manner, the Catholics proper, and the Jesuits, although in many things of very opposite sentiments and feelings, are yet pledged to one common hostility with Protestants of every name; because they are equally agreed in asserting and maintaining such fundamental errors, both in religion and policy, as Protestants can never fail to protest against, so long as they retain any more than their name. It will, perhaps, therefore, appear that, until POPERY shall lose her intolerant character, (in which case she must cease to be Popery,) JESUITISM will have lost none of her PECULIAR DANGER. The restoration of the order of Jesuits took place on the 7th of August, 1814, by a bull of the present Pope, Pius VII., which is well worth consulting: it sets forth the duty of the Pope "to employ all his power to relieve the spiritual wants of the Catholic world,”. recites the revival of the order in Russia, in 1801, on the prayer of the EMPEROR PAUL, and in Sicily, in 1804, on that of KING FERDINAND; it then states, that the Pope would "deem himself guilty of a great crime towards God, if, amidst the dangers of the Christian Republic, he should neglect to employ the aids which the special Providence of God had put in his power; and if, placed in the bark of St. Peter, and tossed by continual storms, he should refuse to employ the vigorous and experienced powers who volunteered their services." It then declares, that the Pope, "in virtue of the plenitude of apostolic power, and with perpetual validity, had decreed that the concessions made to the Jesuits in Russia and Sicily should extend to all his ecclesiastical states, and to all other states." All necessary powers are then granted to the present General of the So ciety," in order that the said states may freely receive all who desire to be, or shall be, admitted into the order; and power is granted to the members to apply themselves to the education of youth, to direct colleges and seminaries, to hear confessions, to preach, and administer the sacraments." The several colleges, houses, and members of the order, and all who shall join it, are then taken under the protection of the holy see, which "reserves the power of prescribing and directing all that may be necessary to consolidate the Society more and more; to render it stronger, and to purge it of abuses, SHOULD THEY EVER CREEP IN." The Society and all its members are then recommended strongly "to temporal princes and lords, to archbishops and bishops, and to all persons in authority, who are exhorted and conjured, not only to suffer them to remain unmolested, but to see that they are treated with all kindness and charity." The apostolic constitutions of the founder of the order, Pope Paul III., and others, are revived in favour of the Jesuits; and, in short, they are placed in the same condition of privilege and power as they anciently enjoyed. The bull is directed to be inviolably "observed in all future time, and that it shall never be submitted to the judgment or revision of any judge, with whatever power he may be clothed; declaring null and void any encroachment on those regulations either knowingly or from ignorance.' The bull of Pope Clement XIV. who abolished the order, is then expressly abrogated! [one infallible head of the church abrogating the decree of another infallible head of the church!]-and it is lastly stated, that "if any one shall attempt, by an audacious temerity, to infringe or oppose any part of this ordinance, he will thereby incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of the holy Apostles!!!" The publication of this bull was followed by an act ordaining the restitution of the funds which were the patrimony of the Jesuits, and making compensation for their confiscated property. The order of the Jesuits was founded by Pope Paul III., who by his bull, dated March, 1545, permits them to alter, annul, or revive, at pleasure, as times, places, and circumstances may require, their constitutions made, or to be made: and, in another bull, dated November, 1549, he sanctions the despotism of the General, by giving him complete jurisdiction over the members, and power over the funds of the Society, together with the privilege of sending any individual of the order wherever he may please. The above statement is taken from the introduction to the "History of the Jesuits," lately published in 2 vols. 8vo. by Baldwin and Co. C. J. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THOUGH your pages are devoted chiefly to religious subjects, I trust you will not think a small part of them ill occupied by an attempt to call the attention of your readers to the practice of cleansing chimneys,by means of climbingboys. This practice seems to involve so much sin on one side, and so much misery on the other, that it seems impossible that any persons of common humanity, above all, that any "who call themselves Christians,' should not rejoice in the opportunity of diminishing, and finally doing away the evil, by using and by recommending the new plan of sweeping chimneys by means of a machine. Were I not fearful of taking up too much space in your publication, I would mention some of the evils we inflict on friendless infants, and some of the crimes we encourage, by a continuance of the present system; but such of your CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 182. readers as are unacquainted with them, may find them detailed, in fearful array, in a short "Report of the Society for superseding climbing Boys;"* where they will also find the names and addresses of many chimney-sweepers in and about London who use the machine. Very active exertions are now making by some great and good men, to promote the object of this Society; and there can be no doubt of their being crowned with success; but as publicity is of great importance, the introduction of the subject in your magazine may tend in no small degree to basten the period when this reproach shall be wiped away for such an appeal as this can hardly be so well directed as to the readers of the Christian Observer; to each of whom I would humbly and affectionately recall our blessed Saviour's declaration, "Forasmuch as ye did it to one of these little ones, ye did it unto me." I am, &c. : A CHURCHMAN. For the Christian Observer. LINES WRITTEN IN SICKNESS, ON PS. XXX. 4, 5. "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his ; For all the wonders of thy word! I find the treasured comfort here. Thy chast'ning anger soon is past; * Sold by Baldwin, Paternoster-row; Hatchard, Piccadilly; Colburn, Conduit-street; and Wilson, Royal Exchange. Price 6d. N |