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Fect. also, Hugh, that thou art in the presence of HIM who is the King of kings, and who hath power to cast both body and soul into hell;" and then proceeded to deliver the same sermon without any alteration. When he had finished his discourse, he threw himself at the feet of the king, and implored mercy; from the consideration of his having been impelled, from a sense of his duty to God, to declare what might prove offensive to his majesty. The king immediately commanded him to rise, adding, “I did not know I had so honest a clergyman in my dominions." The writer of this letter evidently felt the delicacy of addressing so distinguished a personage: but he also felt it to be his paramount duty to "approve himself to God;" and he has therefore availed himself of the opportunity (which his interviews with the late lamented Princess Charlotte gave him, of expressing his firm conviction, that there was hope in her death,") of delivering some of the plainest statements respecting national sins which we have lately seen. The Prince Regent will certainly be gratified at finding that he has so honest a clergyman in his dominions. The writer thus speaks of the violation of the sabbath:

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Amongst vices of the first magnitude in our day, may be mentioned the open profanation of the sabbath. This practice, it is to be feared, is so general, that it is almost impossible to ascertain where the God-provoking sin does not obtain. If the palace itself be free, the houses of cabinet ministers, ambassadors, nobles, and wealthy commoners, are filled with the fumes of sacrifices offensive in the sight of the Supreme, who hath commanded his day to be sanctified. Infected by the baneful example, the middle and lower orders are found desecrating the sacred season in various ways. Through the proneness of human nature to imitate evil, the mechanic, and even the labourer, is seen aping the peer and the merchant; each joins in his Sunday parties, and while the one mocks his Maker with the pretended solemnity of the oratorio, the other dissipates every vestige of religion in the tumultuous orgies of the tavern. The liberty which those arrogate to themselves of consuming the sabbath at

the gaming-table, cabinet dinners, or musical performances, is boldly claimed by their inferiors for lower, but alike sinful indulgences. By both, religion is set at nought, God is dishonoured, the ties of morality weakened, the health frequently shortened, and the happiness of the body generally destroyed, life of the soul compromised for ever.

"How many of his Majesty's subjects annually fall victims to the consequences of Sunday excursions, both by land and water, has never perhaps been noted with sufficient accuracy to be correctly known; but independent of personal observations, the daily papers attest that scarcely one sabbath during each recurring summer passes, without some individuals in misery and distress." fatal catastrophe involving families or

Equally energetic are his appeals on the subject of the lottery; and of adultery and its attendant vices, as practised among the higher ranks of society; and of the theatre. says, on the latter subject:

He

"Nor would I here omit to raise my voice against the increased and increas ing immorality of the metropolitan the

atres. What mean the recent decoraed, in one or more of these, to which tions and improvements, falsely so call the daily press has lately directed our rayed in charms to infatuate a sufficient number of human victims? Flowed the blood of sacrificed souls too slow? or had the power of licentiousness become so exhausted by incessant gratification, that new food must be provided for the cloyed appetite, new fuel supply the expiring spark, and the lascivious invention racked to produce fresh stimuli to those passions which constitute the characteristics of a dæmon."

attention? Was not this Moloch ar

There are, also, some plain remarks upon the manner in which patronage is exercised in the established church; especially the episcopal bench. We do not wonder that he quotes from the late Bishop of Llandaff's life, what we apprehend must be very applicable to himself, "not that a bishoprick was then, or ever, the object of my ambition."

The most interesting part of this letter, to many of our readers, is, that which relates to the personal interviews which this clergyman had with the late lamented Princess: these visits were known to have

furnished several of the anecdotes crucified To those who now in bitterwhich were so gratifying to the reli-ness of heart lament her death, I would, O could gious public at the time of the death in a spirit of consolation, say, of Her Royal Highness; and the you but have seen the tears which then following account will be consi- flowed; could you but have witnessed dered as a full confirmation of the the sentiments then delivered, the exleading facts in those statements perience then displayed, the Christian which were, perhaps, as to detail, grace which then shone forth in her who is entombed, you might, with confident imperfectly given : hope, exclaim-She is not dead, but sleepeth; henceforth, therefore, we sorrow not as those without hope.""

The Old World; or, Remarkable
Occurrences during the last 120
Years before the Flood: supposed
to be taken from Noah's Journal.
By J. Campbell, Kingsland. Ha-

milton.

"But, sir, as a dutiful subject, as a plain minister, and as a humble Christian, it is my privilege and duty to attest, as far as my belief extends, that your royal daughter was possessed of one thing which eclipsed her most splendid ornaments, whether of mind or rank. From personal observation, made during two interviews with which her royal highness honoured me, interviews too signally providential ever to be obliterated from my recollection, it was with admiring joy I WHILE We notice respectfully discovered evidences of divine teaching. this pretty little book, designed for "Yes, sir, now that she is removed young persons, we are reminded, from the reach of my feeble testimony, that fictitious history and religious which if obtruded on the public during novels have increased of late to her life, might have rendered the motive such an extent, as to alarm the suspicions, but now in death is but a tri- friends of truth. They are afraid bute of justice to the subject, and of praise to the Omnipotent agent, I rejoice the rising generation will be so far in expressing my strong confidence, that seduced, as to lose all relish for she had, some few years ago, become exsober realities and plain unembelperimentally acquainted with the power lished matters of fact. It may be of religion. A thousand inducements to questioned, however, whether the assume what is not felt, and to profess fictions of imagination can be effeewhat is far from being possessed, may tually proscribed; and whether it and do influence the conduct of too ma- would be expedient, if it were praeny in things connected with religion; ticable. Judicious parents and but, in this instance, there could be no teachers will always pay a particular temptation to hypocrisy, there was no affected guise. An errand of mercy, sir, attention to the imagination of their introduced me to the Princess; and, youthful charge; and, in Mr. Camp though a perfect stranger to such soci-bell, they will find a serious, faithety, I could not forget, that wherever the providence of God led me, I was his consecrated minister, ordained to proclaim his truth at all seasonable times, and in all suitable places. Her royal highness spontaneously directed the conversation towards religion; and knowing she had an immortal soul, that could be saved in no other way than in that which it has pleased God to reveal in the scriptures; aware, too, that this was in all probability the only season in which I should be permitted to address her; and above every consideration, impressed with the awful thought, that for my silence or fidelity I must one day give an account at the judgment seat of Christ,

I shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God.' In as brief, yet comprehensive, as faithful, yet respectful a manner, as occasion permitted and duty #equired, "I preached unto her Christ

ful friend, who is ever anxious to lead the young and the old to the feet of Jesus. If the writers of fic titious history must be condemned to death in our commonwealth, we shall be very desirous of sparing the writer of this small volume, as long as possible, on account of his diversified and useful labours. If we happen to be among his judges, we shall be strongly inclined to say, 'Let him be the last to suffer."

Directions and Encouragements for

Travellers to Zion, &c. By Joseph Freeston. 8vo. pp. 918. Button,&c. THIS appears to be the production of a sensible, serious man, who is desirous of doing good, and of leav

ing behind him a permanent memo- | evidently acquainted with his subrial of his affectionate concern for ject, and writes, under the impulse his hearers. The work is divided of warm feelings, with inch foree into eighteen chapters, on the fol- and freedom. His motto from Talowing interesting topics: "On the citus is well chosen: "Rara temporum important Change effected in the felicitas, ubi sentire quæ velis, et quie Situation of real Christians-On the sentias dicere, licèt ;" . e. the times invaluable Privileges Christians en- are marked with rare felicity, when joy in the present Life On the Ne-you may not only think with freecessity of a close Attention to in- dom, but also speak what you think. ward personal_Religion-On the His exposure of the tithe-system is Importance of Domestic and Rela-done with the hand of a master, tive Duties-On a proper Attention to Public Duties-On a Character for Uprightness in the World-How to improve Afflictions-How to recover lost Peace of Mind-Directions for Walking with God-On heavenly Mindedness-On seeking the Salvation of others-On Death and the heavenly State-Address to Unbelevers and Backsliders-The true Christian a spiritual Person-On progressive Holiness Meditation on the Death of a beloved ChildOn religious Declension-On the Doubts and Fears of Christians.”

The last chapter is the longest and, perhaps, the best. Many judicious observations are included in it, which will be found highly interesting to those who are afflicted with bad nerves.

The "Meditation on the Death of a beloved Child" is highly ereditable to the author's principles, as a Christian; to his feelings, as a parent; and to his talents, as a writer.

"Some messenger of God my door has pass'd,
From earth returning, saw the beauteous
flower,

Transported, gathered it, and in his hand
Bore it to heaven, rejoicing!"

An Appeal to Equity: shewing the Unreasonableness and Injustice of obliging Dissenters to contribute towards the Support of the Church of England; with some Remarks on Tithes. By Phileleutherus. 1817. Longman, &c. 8vo. pp. 57. A STRONG, spirited, sober appeal on this subject, cannot but be very acceptable to our readers. Without pledging ourselves to every sentiment and every sentence, we can heartily recommend pamphlets of this description to the attention of the British public. The author is

We perfectly agree with the unknown writer in the remarks he has made towards the conclusion of his preface. "The invidious distinction of an establishment, together with the corruptions and abuses which it inevitably produces, are not the means of promoting either peace or order. On this ground he is a Dissenter. Were there no establishment, he would call himself simply a Christian: but, as there is one, he is obliged to denominate himself a Dissenter." Our limits forbid even a bare analysis of this interesting publication, which we regret the less, as the subject will probably soon come before us again.

An Ecclesiastical Biography, con taining the Lives of Jesus and the Apostles, &c. &c. No. I. To be continued Monthly.

Or the merit which may belong to this work, we cannot, at present, form an opinion. The first number is very neatly printed: but what answer can be given to the old question, Cui bono? What is the ad vantage to be derived from apocryphal tales concerning Jesus and the apostles? The learned editor pleads, that "they will at least furnish some curious specimens of that taste for former ages." In reviewing "fa the marvellous which characterized thers, martyrs, founders of sects, missionaries, and theological wri ters," we hope he will give us faots, and leave the old wives' fables to the dusty shelves of the cloister.

Three Sermons: 1. On the Death of

Her Royal Highness the Princess
Charlotte of Wales. 2. For the
Benefit of the Schools of Quebec

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Chapel. 3. On leaving Bethesda
Chapel, Dublin. By the Rev. W.
Thorpe, A.M. Seeley.

If these sermons do not belong to the highest class, they are, ncvertheless, adapted to be extensively useful. The first is from Hagg. i. 5, "Consider your ways." The second is from Prov. xxii. 6, "Train up a child in the way he should go." The third is from Heb. xiii. 20, 21, "Now the God of peace," &c. In a long note, the author has laboured to prove that Paul was the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, though his name is not affixed to it. We are highly gratified to perceive, that from each of these sermons an untaught stranger might learn distinctly" the way of salvation."

acquire for themselves, as a body, that right over the lives of others which individually they did not possess." p. 5.

2. Neither have human governments any acquired right to take away human life.

"There is but one source from whence this right can flow, that is, divine revelation; but this right is not to be found there-if attempted to be drawn from the example of persons put to death by the Jewish code, this argument will not apply, the Jewish government being a theocracy. Because God inflicted, in death, it does not follow that a govern various instances, the punishment of ment merely human should do the same." pp. 6, 8.

"

"The great principle which pervades the Jewish code is retribution.

"As it regards personal injury, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, life for life.

"With respect to property, the offender was to make restitution in kind, greater only in degree: in no case whatever is the property, or are the possessions of man, put into competition with the life of man." p. 8.

The writer then proceeds to examine the second question, namely, The policy or expediency of the punishment of death.

On the Punishment of Death in the Case of Forgery; its Injustice and Impolicy maintained. Hamilton. We have read this pamphlet with deep interest, on account of the importance of the subject to which it refers; and earnestly hope it will excite the friends of humanity and religion to unite with those excellent persons, who are striving to enlighten the public mind, and, by their voice, to call upon our legislature to abolish those laws which cause our criminal code to be "a conti-policy ought not to have a hearing; for qual shame to us, and such as to call forth daily and justly the reproach of far less enlightened nations."

We shall present our readers with an outline of the arguments, and a few extracts from this pamphlet, hoping it will induce them to purchase it for themselves.

Two questions are discussed: "The right of man to deprive his fellowcreatures of life," and the "expedi, ency of it."

As to the first of these questions, it is observed:

1. That no government has any na tural right to take away human life.

"Man is not an independent being life is not the property of man-society has no other rights than those which an individual brings with him to the general stock-the consent of all man

nd can give no individual the right of disposing of his own life-men do not

And here he remarks, and, we think, very properly:

"That if the question of right be decided in the negative, the question of

whatever is contrary to the Word of God, must be injurious to man. All human authority must have its basis, in the paramount authority of God; that take his will as its guide, and frame its government, therefore, which does not laws in conformity to it, wrests the reins of government out of his hands, becomes a rebel against Him, and instead of being the minister of God to men for good, becomes necessarily injurious to men."

P. 14.

After noticing the inefficacy of crime, the writer proceeds to anthis mode of punishment to repress swer the excuses made in defence of this sanguinary practice, particularly that common one, pardon be extended now, all perThat if, have been unjustly put to death.' sons who have suffered heretofore,

"The objection is folly itself. How, in the name of common sense, can the extension of mercy, now, have a retro

ever.

active effect on the execution of a for- | of Lords, but in vain: and in vain mer criminal? If that execution were will they be made in either house just then, it will be just for ever; if it until the exertions of humane and were unjust then, it must remain so for enlightened senators, are supported What is it, in truth, but multi- by the voice of the public, expressed plying crime to justify crime?" p. 14. through the legitimate medium of In addition to this reasoning, we petition. Did the public call for it, would just add, that the same obwe feel persuaded they would be jection might be made to the exer- heard, and a change would then take cise of that prerogative with which place, highly creditable to us as a the law has invested the monarch, nation; and we have reason to believe, in order to temper the severity of most acceptable in that quarter where justice. It is well known, that even there is only now, a painful duty frein cases of high treason, when per- quently to be discharged. sons are found guilty, a few only are executed, while the rest are spared. Now, if the principle on which this objection proceeds, was acted upon to its full extent, would it not tend to prevent the exercise of mercy at all? And if the monarch did gratify his benevolent feelings, would he not expose himself to the charge of acting with partiality and injustice? So that, to be consistent, and to act justly, all who are found guilty, ought indiscriminately to be executed. Who that possesses the common feelings of humanity, to say nothing of religion, but revolts at such a conclusion?

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At page 25, there are some things said, which must fill every one with surprise; it appears, that instead of its depending on the monarch who shall or shall not suffer, it depends chiefly, if not wholly, with the clerk

of the Bank solicitor.

"The duty of pursuing crime, and the privilege of extending mercy, ought not to meet in the same bosom; and it was never intended they should; but by the present system they do. The prerogative of mercy, that brightest ornament of the monarch's crown is fallen from it, and there is left him only the painful duty of affixing his signature to the order for execution."

Well may it be asked, How, and why is this?

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Lately Published.

Ricordanza; or, a Father's Present to his Daughter; containing Memoirs of Miss Eliz. Windover, and an Obituary of Miss Fanny Roberts. By Joha Stiles, D.D. 12mo. pp. 84.

The Baptists Justified. By Jeremy Taylor, D.D. late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor; with an Introduction and Notes, by W. Anderson, of Dunstable. Feuner. 12mo. pp. 119.

Juvenile Biography; or, Early Piety recommended and exemplified. By, Jolin Morrison, Chelsea. 18mo. pp. 109.

A Narrative of a Tour in the West of England. By the Author of Voyages to Spain, &c.

Memoirs of Richard Morris, late Pastor of the Baptist Church, Amersham, Bucks. Edited by B. Godwin, Great Missenden.

A Catechism of the Nature of a Chris tian Church. By R. M. Miller.

Henderson's Journal of a Residence. in Iceland, during the Years 1814 and 1815. By Ebenezer Henderson. vols. 8vo. Hamilton and Seeley.

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Letters on Strict Communion. By the Rev. Joseph Ivimey, in Reply to a Letter on Free Communion, by the Rev. F. A. Cox, M. A.

In the Press.

The writer coucludes, with exThe Rev. Mr. Snow has in the Press, pressing a hope, "that among our a Reply to a Letter to the Rev. John rulers in Church and State, there Simons, purporting to be on the Subject will some be found, who, impelled of certain Errors of the Antinomian by the noblest and tenderest feel-kind, which have lately sprung up in ings that can awaken in the bosom | the West of England, of man, will come forward to stay this shedding of human blood." We hope so too. Indeed, efforts have lately been made in the House

The Still Voice of Peace; or, Tender Connsel to Freemen and Slaves, Professors and Profane, in Answer to some deep-rooted Objections and Prejudices.

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