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us no concern. Freedom of opinion, especially on subjects of this nature, is the birth-right of Britons, and the great charter of Christianity has no where annulled it. We shall therefore review the work before us with as little reserve as we should have exercised, were it the first of the author's publications, and she had not forestalled the public opinion.

|netrate his depths, has been sometimes surprised at the opulence which lay upon the surface, and of which she had not before, perhaps, fully estimated the value." "It has been her particular object in the present work, not indeed to diminish the dignity of the apostle, but to diminish, in one sense, the distance at which we are apt to hold so exalted a model; to draw him into a more intimate connection with ourselves; to let him down, as it were, not to our level, but to our familiarity. To induce us to resort to him, not only on the great demands and trying ocwritings and the conduct of this distincurrences of life, but to bring both the guished Saint to mix with our common concerns, to incorporate the doctrines which he teaches, the principles which

enjoins, into our ordinary habits, and into our every-day practice; to consider him not only as the Writer who has the most ably and successfully unfolded the sublime truths of our Divine religion, and as the Instructor who has supplied us with the noblest system of the higher ethics, but who has even condescended to extend his code to the more minute exigencies and relations of familiar life.”

The whole work is divided into 22 chapters, treating of-The necessity of the Christian Revelation The historical writers of the New Testament-The epistolary writers, and especially Paul-Faith a practical principle-Paul's doctrine of morality-His disinterestedness-Prudent he exhibits, and the precepts which he conduct in regard to the Jews-His intercourse with the Pagans-General principle of his writings-On his style and genius-Paul's tenderness of heart-His heavenly-mindedness -Knowledge of human nature, &c. -Doctrine concerning covetousness -Genius of Christianity as exemplified in Paul-His respect for civil government—Attention to inferior Concerns-Paul's doctrine respecting the resurrection-On prayer, praise, and religious joy-His example in familiar life-Superior advantages of the present period for attaining knowledge, religion, and happiness -Conclusion.

Every one must admit that these are important and highly interesting topics; and that in the hands of such a writer as Mrs. More, they cannot fail to lay the foundation of much valuable disquisition, Nor can it be denied that they all arise out of the general subject, the character and writings of the great apostle of the Gentiles. Much, no doubt, has already been written by others on this subject; but, as she justly remarks in her preface, p. 4.

"Dissertations, commentaries, treatises, and sermons, though of superior merit, have not worn out the subject; and elucidations of his writings, whether they relate to doctrine or to practice, cannot, in any point of view, be undertaken without exhibiting new proofs of those inestimable treasures they contain. They are a golden mine, in which the diligent workman, the deeper he digs, the more he will discover; the farther he examines, the more he will find. Rich veins, hitherto unheeded, will overpay his labours, will continue to pour upon him their fresh abundance of precious ore. Even the present explorer, who had no skill to pe

We believe Mrs. More has always been considered as strongly attached to the established church, and as quite orthodox in her theological opinions. She is generally classed among, what is called, the evangelical party in the establishment, the Hawkers, Wilberforces, Thorntons, &c. &c. We take notice of this, merely to account for our surprise at some things which we have found in the volumes before us, and for which we are at a loss to account, in the writings of this eminent authoress. To explain ourselves;

Chapter IV. of the work before us is entitled, "Saint Paul's faith a practical principle." To illustrate this proposition she justly remarks,

"There are some principles and seeds of nature, some elements in the character of man, not indisposed for certain virtuoous actions; some persons naturally hate cruelty, others spurn at injustice, this man detests covetousness, that abhors oppression. But for a man to go entirely out of himself, to live upon trust, to renounce all confidence in virtues which he possesses, and in actions which he performs; to cast himself entirely upon another; to seek to be justified, not by his own obedience, but by the obedience of that other; to look for eternal happiness, not from the merit of his own life, but from that of another's death, that death the most degrading, after a life the most despised ;-for all this revolution in the

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All this is perfectly correct, and most happily expressed. It shews the place which faith holds in the matter of a sinner's justification, and its tendency to counteract the natural principle of self-righteousness, by leading the views of a sinner out of himself, and fixing them upon the righteousness of another; but after all, it does not explain to us what faith is. We are merely told that "it is a principle not indigenous, but implanted-not inherent, but bestowed." All this is readily granted; but still the question returns, What is the nature or essence of faith? Mrs. More proceeds to explain-"It takes no root in the soil of the natural heart-it is not the faith of mere assent, or that faith which is purely a conviction of the understanding-it is a vital, animating, and pervading principle-spiritual in its nature-it. is spiritual sight; God is the object, faith is the visual ray; Christ is the · substance, faith is the hand which lays hold of it." p. 78. Now this is extremely confused, and entirely aside from the scriptural account of the matter; and it also shews that Mrs. More has borrowed her sentiments from human writings, and not from divine revelation. But let us hear her still further

"In that invaluable epitome of Old Testament biography, Heb. xi." says she, "Paul defines faith to be a future but inalienable possession." p. 79.

Faith, a future possession! Strange indeed. How can that which is a future possession, be a principle implanted in the mind, and regulating the life and conversation? This is a

palpable contradiction, which no art can evade, nor sophistry reconcile. A mere babe in the knowledge of the scriptures may detect the fallacy of all this. Mrs. More has evidently confounded faith and hope; but she may console herself that she is not the only one who has done that. Nothing is more common in the present day, though the apostle most accurately distinguishes them when he

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says, "Now abideth faith, hope, charity-these THREE." 1 Cor. xiii. 13. And if in the text to which Mrs. More refers, he has termed faith, "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen,' his meaning is, that faith, whatever be its nature or essence, gives a present substance (or subsistence in the mind of the believer) of the things hoped for-for it is the evidence (or conviction) of things not seen. Yet, after all, faith is the assent of the mind" to the truth of something reported, testified, or promised-it is

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purely a conviction of the understanding," and whatever be more than that, is not faith, but its fruits or effects. If this ingenious lady could be prevailed on, to revise this part of her creed, and, laying aside her sentiments from Paul himself, all her favourite divines, will take she may easily perceive how widely the former have led her astray on this point. She would then find that the gospel contains a faithful testimony to be believed, an amiable object to be loved, and good things to the truth of the testimony-love that come to be hoped for: faith respects which is amiable in it-and hope the and this simple view of the matter, good things which are promised: if she could be brought to attend to it, would regulate her sentiments and rectify all her mistakes on this head. But to proceed

In Chap. VI. of the work before us, entitled "The disinterestedness of Saint Paul," we were struck with the following passage.

proof of the comparative excellence of "How little is popular acclamation any the objects of acclaim; and how little is genuine grandeur of soul elated by it! Jesus, after all his miraculous deeds,-as full of mercy as of power,-deeds repeatedly performed in his own country, and before the same spectators, never had divine honours paid him. While, for a single cure, Paul and his companions jected the homage with a holy indignawere instantly deified, though they retion. Nothing could more fully prove their deep humility than that they bore the abuse and ill-treatment of the people with meekness; but when they would have worshipped them, 'they rent their clothes.""

Here we ask Mrs. More, and we appeal to all our readers, whether her statement be correct? Rather, has she not (inadvertently, we hope) mis

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times greatly below the dignity of
her subject. Thus, for instance, vol.
II. p. 88, referring to Paul's cour-
tesy towards his christian brethren,
having noticed the salutations which
he sends to several females in the
church at Rome, she adds, "To the
honour of British ladies be it re-
membered, that his friend Claudia
(2 Tim. iv. 21.) was our country-
woman." Where Mrs. M. obtained
the knowledge of this memorable fact,
she has not condescended to inform
us, but probably she thinks we ought
to be contented with the information
contained in the following passage,
which she has subjoined as a foot-
note upon the place.

"If any consideration could increase the interest we take in this blessed apostle, it would be the strong presumption, from testimonies recently adduced by a very learned, pious, and laborious prelate, that Saint Paul, in all probability, preached the Gospel in Britain, to which country, it is conjectured, after the most diligent research, that he returned with the family of Caractacus."

represented a most important scripture fact? It cannot be the design of our authoress to deny the divinity of the Son of God. "The character of the founder of our religion," says she, p. 45, "is DEIFIED HUMANITY.' We do not much admire this phraseology; but we have no doubt her meaning is, that Jesus Christ was "God manifest in the flesh"-"Immanuel, God with us, or in our nature;" in short, that "In Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Col. ii. 9. But is it a fact, that during his state of humiliation in this world, he never had divine honours paid him? What a concession to the Socinians--a concession, too, from Mrs. Hannah More, one of the champions of orthodoxy! But this is a point which we must not yield either to Mrs. M. or to the Socinians. In every period of his life Jesus Christ was the object of worship to angels and men. 66 Worship him all ye gods," or angels, was the divine command given to the heavenly host long before he assumed human nature, but Here we have "presumption," with reference to that stupendous" probability," and "conjecture," as event. See Ps. xcvii. 7. and the apos- to the certainty of a fact; but then, tle Paul has expressly applied it to be it remembered, that it is the preChrist, in Heb. i. 6. "When he bring-sumption, probability, and conjeceth in the first begotten into the ture, "of a very learned, pious, and world, he saith, Let all the angels laborious prelate"! What egregious of God worship him." Accordingly, trifling is this. when Jesus appeared in the humble state of a babe at Bethlehem, a multitude of the heavenly host sang his praises. Luke ii. 13, 14. The Eastern magi paid him divine honours, following as a specimen: she is il"they fell down and worshipped lustrating the subject of Paul's dishim." Matt. ii. 11. His disciples "be-interestedness; and thus she proheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth," John i. 14. and they paid divine honours to him.

Matt. xiv. 33. John ix. 38. Matt. xxviii. 9. Luke xxiv. 52. The converted thief paid divine honours to him, even in the very lowest stage of his humiliation, for he acknowledged him to be the King of Israel, the hearer of prayer, and the Sovereign of Paradise,or the third heaven. Luke xxiii. 42. In short, in the very place that was peculiarly dedicated to the worship of the ONE living and true God, Jesus received divine honours from the multitude, who sang his praises in the very words which were appropriated to the worship of the MOST HIGH. Matt. xxi. 9-16.

Mrs. More's remarks are some

More's work which perplex us exThere are some passages in Mrs. ceedingly, and we really know not what to make of them. Take the

ceeds

"It cannot be denied, that his whole criterion of a faithful minister,—that he consistent practice furnished this sure enjoined no self-denial, preached no mortification, recommended no exertion to others, of which he gave not himself a shining example. While he pointed out to his associates the duty of 'approving themselves ministers of God in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,' he was not himself lying on a bed of roses; he was not making light of sorrows, of which he was not personally partaking; he did not deal out orders for the patient endurance of sufferings, the bitterness of which he had not tasted. He had largely shared in the stripes and imprisonments which it was possible some of his followers might be speedily called to endure.”

Now here we wish to know whether it be the intention of this fair

authoress to draw a parallel, or strike a contrast, between the selfdenial of the apostle Paul and that of the clergy of her own church. If it be not her object in the above paragraph to libel the bench of bishops and the whole herd of sleepy drones, who are lolling on their beds | of roses, and "dealing out their orders (like my Lord of Chester, lately adverted to) for the patient endurance of sufferings, the bitterness of which they have not tasted," we are utterly at a loss to divine her meaning. But if such be her view of the "purest and best reformed church on earth," she can expect no thanks from the episcopal order; and in our humble opinion, she would act a far more consistent part in giving up the hierarchy altogether; for the evils of which she complains are engraven in its very constitution.

[To be concluded in our next.]

The Cheap Magazine, 2 Vols. 12mo. each 620 pages. 9s. boards. Haddington: Printed by Miller & Son: Sold in London by G. Cowie, & Co. Poultry. 1814.

year. It is with the sincerest pleasure we learn, that twenty thousand copies of it have been distributed in Scotland; and after an examination of its contents, are constrained to say that its circulation has not been greater than that to which it is entitled by its intrinsic merit. Earnestly indeed do we hope that it is destined to a still more extensive circulation than it has yet obtained; for a work better calculated to benefit the rising generation, especially those in humble life, we can truly say, never fell into our hands. The various dispositions and habits, on the exercise of which their own happiness and the good of society depend, are inculcated throughout by precept, by example, by familiar narrative, by anecdote, and by concise and interesting pieces of biography; in fact, by every method that is suited to allure young minds to read, and to pruduce a deep impression of what is read. In conductis impossible not to recognize the ing every department of the work, it correctness of judgment, the benevo lence of feeling, and, indeed, the su periority of talent which it invariably manifests. The most cultivated mind cannot peruse the work without pleasure, though it is accommodated to the capacities of the most illiterate. In fact, it leaves us little to wish otherwise about it than what it is, except the paper and the cuts, both of them being quite upon a par with the humble price at which the work has been published.

cation, and even still higher encomiums, had we thought proper to lavish them upon it. But though we have not room to do this, we must give our readers one specimen, and we produce the following almost at random; there may possibly be a hundred articles in the volumes which many of them would prefer to it.

THE shocking scenes which disgraced the streets of Edinburgh at the commencement of the year 1812, of which the melancholy detail is not yet forgotten, gave rise to the publication before us. The title page, which our confined limits have compelled us to abridge, justly describes it to be a work of humble import, yet claiming the attention of all ranks, We could easily justify the chaas having for its object the preven-racter we have given of this publi tion of crimes, and being calculated to ensure the peace, comfort, and security of society, by alluring the young and thoughtless to a taste for reading subjects of real utility." It consists of Original Communications and Select Extracts, eminently adapted to promote the interests of religion, virtue, and humanity; to encourage a spirit of industry, economy, and frugality; and to dissipate the shades of ignorance, prejudice, and error, more especially among the lower classes of mankind. The work has been published in Monthly numbers, at the low price of four-pence each, every number consisting of 48 closely printed pages, accompanied with a wood-cut. No. 1. appeared in January, 1813, and the publication terminated with the close of the last

26

"A Scene in a Church-yard.

Stepping into the church-yard one day, I beheld the sexton busily employed in making that little house appointed for all living. I was strongly tempted to smile at the apathy of the mortal, had not the solemnity of the place prevented me from doing so. He dug up the remains of the husbandman who labours to bring forward dead with as little seeming concern, as a the fruit of the vine:-it is lamentable that these trusty brethren of the trade remain as hardened, if not more so, than any

other part of mankind. In every shovelfull that he cast up, I could discern the broken fragments of sculls and bones which once had their place assigned them in the structure of the human body. In surveying the whole that was cast up, my attention was directed to a scull which was pretty entire; it rested on its base, and presented to my view, in awful demonstration, the frailty and mortality of man; surely, said I, man at his best estate is wholly vanity; frail man! his days are as the grass, he groweth as a flower in the field. Instead of the glossy hair which adorns the brow, and waves round the temples in loose and flowing ringlets, I could discern nothing but the bare bone, and moulding down to original dust; the piercing eyes, those monitors of the heart, and organs of the soul, which once smiled with affability and complacency, or flushed with anger and indignation, were no more to be seen; they had totally disappeared, and left nothing behind them but the hollow sockets, dismal and ghastly!The sweet and balmy lips, ruddy and coral, on which ten thousand smiles were wont to play, were entirely consumed, not one vestige of all their rosy hue remained, nothing but the rugged jaws, fierce and terrific. I began to consider with myself, what puny and despicable mortals men are, doomed to drag out a miserable existence here on earth, then to descend to the grave, and become food for worms; such a consideration as this, is eminently calculated to make men think and consider their latter end.

"It would be a great advantage to us all, especially to those who are young and thoughtless, to retire to the gloomy mansions of the tomb, and muse on the sentence-Dust thou art, and shalt to dust return;-yes, 'tis appointed for all men once to die, and after death the judgment -though titles and honours, birth and education, make a distinction among men, death makes none.-When the gloomy monarch receives his commission, he puts it in execution, without any regard to name or distinction, the prince shares the same fates with the meanest of his subjects; he must resign his crown to the King of Terrors, and descend to the grave: all his wealth and power are insufficient to bribe death for a moment. Philosophers, who have pushed their discoveries almost to the boundaries of the universe; who have explained and laid open the phenomena of nature, and shewed the wisdom of the Deity in his handyworks; who have inculcated virtue in the strongest terms, and induced mortals to tread her flowery paths as the only means by which they may attain pleasure here and happiness hereafter, have been laid low by the hand of Death; poets, who have delineated the beauties of nature in the liveliest colours, and rendered more delightful the verdant landscape, the blossomed thorn, and all the diversity of flowers; who have

made seas and lakes, rivulets and fountains, all to flow in the sweetness of numbers, have become its lawful captive.

"The fair one, who has been surrounded with a train of admirers, who have praised and exalted her virtues and accomplishments; who have poured out the tender emotions of their hearts in the most passionate and pathetic strains; a glance of whose eye would have rendered them the happiest of mortals, and darted comfort to their enamoured soul; even she, amidst all the panegyric bestowed upon her, has descended to the grave, and become an inhabitant of the dark and narrow house. Where now her rosy hue and ruddy, complexion, of which she vainly boasted? Where now her charms and allurements? Where all her sprightliness and vivacity? Alas! death has brought the whole to a final termination.

"What do the histories of past ages present to us, but a continued catalogue of births and deaths? Some, indeed, have made a figure on the stage of time, but how soon did they make their exit-how soon was the scene withdrawn! JOB, when speaking of the grave, says, The small and great are there; men of all ages and nations, of all hues and complexions, have been taken captive by the hand of death, from the enlightened and civilized European, to the rude and uncultivated Arab of the desert; from the dreary and forlorn Laplander to the black and tawny Moor on the plains of Africa.-Death spares none; the rigour of the sentence runs thus -Dust thou art, and shalt to dust return.

"Seeing this is the case, what madness and folly is it for mortals to spend their precious time in the pursuit of those things which perish with the using, to the neglect of their everlasting salvation. Let us but for a moment take a view of the state of the wicked in another world, what awful miseries do they suffer! What excruciating pain do they feel! Banished from the presence of Jehovah, they are doomed to dwell with devils, and hold converse with everlasting groans. No soft floating melody to attract their ears; no music to enliven their mind; nothing but the clanking of eternal chains. Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. On the other hand, let us take a view of the felicity of the righteous in heaven; admitted into the immediate presence of the Lord, they surround his throne with a perpetual hymn. They strike their golden harps, and sing aloud the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb: saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints! There they shall have no need of the sun by day, nor of the moon by night; for the Lord God himself shall be a light unto them; they shall partake of that fulness of joy, which is at God's right hand, and of those pleasures which are for evermore."

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