rary to the sovereign. Controversies commenced; bad passions were enlisted into the service, which made the differences of opinion appear ten times greater than they otherwise would have done. As the heat of controversy increased, the attention of the subjects was diverted more and more from the laws, as a rule of life; and became fixed on the controverted questions, as the things of primary importance. Each opinion had its advocate, who became the demagogue of a party. New standards of excellence and fidelity were established, which the king never thought of, and which were entirely distinct from the laws he had enjoined. Each party had a standard of its own, to which others must conform or be treated as rebels to the prince. Obedience to the laws was considered as nothing, or no better than hypocrisy, unless accompanied with a professed belief of some party dogma, which nobody understood. But such was the unhappy state of things, that if a man assented to the dogmas of one party, he was sure to be condemned and reprobated by another. Mutual revilings, unqualified censures, and violent quarrellings became the order of the day; and were regarded as the fruit of love to the king, and zeal in his cause. The very things which he had forbidden, were esteemed as proper expressions of regard to his name. His benign precepts were trodden under foot, or made sub At servient to the very passions which they which they prohibited. length the people became so perfectly deluded, as even to ima gine that it was no violation of the laws of love and good will, to rob and murder one another. Thus, by changing the standard of duty and excellence, or the test of a 'true and faithful subject, this bewildered people introduced "confusion and every evil work." Still professing obedience to the pacifick prince, they became warriours, and gloried in their shame. Some indeed, fought only with pens, surcharged with venom, or with tongues, "set on fire of hell;" but others, with equal propriety, armed themselves with swords and engines of death, and became renowned for the murders they committed, and for the havock, desolation, and wo which they spread through the empire. After many days, the leaders of the several parties were summoned to the seat of government. While on their way, each one was animated with the hope of hearing the approving voice of the king-"Well done, good and faithful servant!" Each was called upon to produce evidence of his personal fidelity; and each had much to say of the time he had spent in combating the errours of others, and in bringing into disrepute, or to the stake, such of his brethren as had been so impious and rebellious as to dissent from him on the GREAT POINTS of controversy. The king replied, "the lessons of instruction, which accompanied my precepts, were not given you as articles of contention; they were designed to show the benignity of my character, the equity of my government, and to induce my subjects to obey my laws. My PRECEPTS were given as the rule of your duty, and the test of your fidelity. They required of you mutual love, forbearance and peace. Is it not clearly written in the Law Book-This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you?' and 'by this shall all men know that ye are my faithful subjects, if ye have love one to another? What meaneth then this recourse to contention and blood! which of my commands did you obey in these seditious and revengeful proceedings!" He paused, and they were speechless. Having waited a proper time, the king proceeded, "It was, said he, "to have been expected that, among men of various intellects and advantages, there would be a diversity of opinion on some points. But this diversity gives opportunity for the display of that spirit of mutual forbearance and kindness, which my precepts enjoined. Besides, have you not all repeatedly acknowledged, that those things in my book, which are of the greatest importance, are the most plainly expressed, and are intelfigible even to the weak and un Vol. V. No. 1. 3 learned, that although there are some things hard to be understood,' still there is enough that is plain, to guide all my subjects who are of a tractable and obedi ent temper in the path of virtue, happiness and glory? Is it not plainly written, if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not? Were you not severally admonished to forbear censorious judging by this impressive language Who art thou, that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.' Why then have you passed over the weightier matters of my law, and the more simple and important instructions of my book, and spent your time and your zeal on abstract questions of your own invention ? By assuming powers which were never delegated to you; by turning away your eyes from my precepts, and establishing other standards of virtue and tests of fidelity, you have bewildered yourselves, misled the multitude, and filled my empire with confusion, wrangling, violence and wo. While you had daily evidence of my long-suffering towards you all, why did you not exercise the spirit of forbearance one towards another? This I explicitly required; and to obey is better than sacrifice,' and especially is it better than such sacrifices as you have made, of the peace and happiness of my kingdom, and of the lives of my subjects. What then have you to answer for yourselves?" The king again paused-but every mouth was stopped, every tongue was silent. The sovereign then added"Were I to treat you with as little lenity as you have shown to others, what would be your fate?" They all trembled, fell prostrate, confessed their guilt, begged for mercy, and promised reformation. Wonders of Antiquity, chap. V. REVIEW OF SACRED GEOGRAPHY. Sacred Geography: or a Gazetteer of the Bible, containing, in alphabetical order, a geographical description of all the countries, kingdoms, nations, and tribes of men, with all the villages, towns, cities, provinces, hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and islands, mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, or Apocrypha; including an account of the religion, government, population, fulfilment of prophecies, and present condition of the most important places. By ELIJAH PARISH, D. D. Minister of Byfield, Massachusetts. Embellished with a new map of the principal countries mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures. Here through the flow'ry walks of Eden rove, Boston: Published by Samuel T. Armstrong, No. 50, Cornhill. In an age distinguished by extraordinary efforts to extend the knowledge of the Scriptures throughout the world, a work which is adapted to render their contents more intelligible and interesting, claims the regard and patronage of the publick. A large and important portion of the Bible is historical. The history, however, relates to countries remote from us; and any person of much reading and reflection well knows, that the better he is acquainted with the geography of any country, the more he is interested in reading its history. One person is well acquainted with the geography of the United States, and of the British provinces in America; another is ignorant on this particular. How differently will they be affected in reading the history of the American revolution! How many interesting ideas will be observed by the former, which will be concealed from the latter. In like manner, the historical parts of the Bible will be more or less interesting to the reader, according to his knowledge of the geography of the countries in which the events occurred. The Gazetteer of the Bible describes all the countries and places mentioned in the Scriptures. To give such information respecting any new and valuable work, as may bring it into more general circulation, is not only a pleasant service, but a duty which individuals owe to the publick, and to authors. A Gazetteer of the Bible may be considered as a new work in the republick of letters, none having been published before, as far as we know, since that of Eusebius, in the fourth century; written in Greek, and translated into Latin, by Jerome. This circumstance renders it more a duty to notice this work in our reviews, because its existence may not yet be extensively known. Though universal geography is an interesting and pleasant study, yet scripture geography is more pleasant and instructive, because we feel more interested in those countries, than in the globe at large. Who would not be more gratified to read a description of the present state of Canaan or Jerusalem, than of China or Pekin? In this volume, with great labour, the author has given a particular account of all the places mentioned in the Bible. He not only tells where they are situated, but, when their importance renders it proper, gives a historical sketch of them, and describes their present situapresent situa Ac tion. Of those places, concerning which important prophecies have been delivered, it is shown, that those prophecies have been fulfilled. Though we are not wholly unacquainted with books "on the prophecies," yet none of them have more forcibly impressed us with the divine authority of Revelation. In those books we commonly find much time spent in arguing and proving particular points, which, after all, may not be quite certain. But, in the Gazetteer of the Bible, it is made evident, from history, from well known facts, that numerous prophecies have been fulfilled. Thus, Ezekiel had said, "Tyre shall be the place for the spreading of nets." cordingly our author quotes the celebrated traveller Bruce, who says, "I came to be a mournful witness of the truth of that prophecy, that Tyre should be a rock for fishers to dry their nets on; two wretched fishermen, with miserable nets, having just given over the occupation with very little success." In Revelations iii. 16, God threatens the utter ruin of Laodicea. In the Gazetteer we read, that the place is now utterly desolated and without any inhabitant, excepting "wolves, and jackals, and foxes." In Obediah, it is foretold, verse 10 and 18, that the race of Esau or Edom "should be cut off for ever;" that there should be none remaining." In the Gazetteer we learn, that about the first century after Christ, their name was abolished, and the rem nant of the tribe was scattered among the Arabs and Jews. These are places taken at first glance, as we turned over the pages; other information of the kind, and more particularly stated, is scattered through the volume. We think the Gazetteer of the Bible particularly useful to young persons, rendering the word of God more interesting and pleasant to them, by making the contents more intelligible. Of the sea of Galilee, of the Red Sea, of Accho, Gaza, Bethlehem, or Ephesus, they perhaps know nothing; yet a knowledge of them might confirm their faith in Christianity, and give them a more rational belief in scripture history. The Red Sea was passed in one night; but in general it is one hundred and twenty miles broad; as it advances northwardly, however, it becomes narrower, and the Gazetteer in forms us, that where the Israelites marched through, it is only twelve miles in breadth. How many persons neglect the Bible, not because they are unbelievers, or vicious, but because it contains SO many things which need explanation. It would be wise, in parents, to put such books into the hands of their children as blend entertainment with instruction, and pleasure with profit. In another particular, the Gazetteer confirms the faith of those who read the narratives of scripture. Numerous quotations from modern travellers describe towns and. places, just as they are presented by the inspired writers. Thus we often read in the Bible of going up to Jerusalem, as though it stood on elevated ground, and in other places it is mentioned, that it is surrounded by other hills or mountains, still higher. Psalm cxxv. 2. "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem." Accordingly in the Gazetteer we learn, that "Jerusalem is situated on a rocky mountain, surrounded on all sides, except the north, with a steep ascent, and these again are environed with other hills." In scripture we also read of going up to Hebron, and the Gazetteer informs us, that Hebron is still in being, but very much fallen from its ancient lustre. "It is now only a village, standing partly on a plain and partly on a mountain, from which is a pleasant prospect of the plain of Mamre, planted with vineyards." Similar remarks might be made respecting Jericho and other places. "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho," Luke x. 30. cho," Luke x. 30. According to the Gazetteer, Jericho stands in a valley, surrounded by hills. In the course of the work numerous authors are quoted, some of them very rare in this country, written in Latin or Greek, as Eusebius, Jerome, Bonfrenius, Monachus, Sanson, &c. &c. A store of knowledge is here opened, not easily found elsewhere. No other work, we presume, contains such a full account of |