neglected the very life and soul of Christianity, the living everlasting gospel, the supernatural operation of divine grace."

This article might be greatly enlarged by the names of Luther, Calvin, Erasmus, Spanheim, Usher, &c. &c.; but we shall conclude with the following.

A lady, who was a zealous admirer of that great philanthropist Mr. Howard, eager to behold and converse with so celebrated a man, called several times at his house before she could meet with him; and, when she did gain admittance, her appearance was so little prepossessing, that the mind of Howard could not divert itself of a certain dread of assassination. Her amazing height, her tout ensemble was so extremely masculine, that the idea of a man disguised in woman's clothes instantly occurred, and he hastily rang his bell, and by a look commanded his servant to wait. His fears were, however, groundless; for the good woman, after having sufficiently wearied his patience with an enthusiastic and bombast display of the vast veneration in which she held his labours in the cause of humanity, very quietly took her leave, declaring she could now die in peace.

RESTITUTION.

OUR repentance cannot be sincere where there is no restitution made to others whom we have injured. "If it be a sin to take that which is another man's from him by fraud or violence,

it is the same, continued and repeated, to detain and keep it from him." "If we do not restore," says St. Augustine, " that which we have injuriously detained from another, our repentance is not real, but feigned and hypocritical."

Mr. Samuel Fairclough, at thirteen years of age, hearing his godfather, Mr. Samuel Ward, preaching upon restitution, from the instance of Zaccheus, and oft repeating that the sin was not forgiven unless what was taken was restored, was so touched with remorse for the robbing of an orchard, that, after a restless night, he went to a companion of his, and told him, that he was going to Mr. Jude, the owner, to carry him twelve pence for his three pennyworth of pears, of which he had wronged him. His companion, fearing a whipping from his master, answered, "Thou talkest like a fool, Sam, for God will forgive us ten times sooner than old Jude will forgive us once." But Sam, being of another mind, went to Jude's house, confessed the injury, and offered the money. Jude pardoned him; but would take no money. This grieved him more; upon which he made application to his spiritual father, Mr. Ward, and opened to him the whole state of his mind, who received and treated him with great kindness and attention.

Mr. Richard Alleine, of Batcombe, in Devonshire, published an excellent treatise in defence of evangelical, experimental, practical religion, entitled "Vindicia Pietatis." It was printed in four parts, but they may sometimes be met with all bound together in one thick 12mo vo

lume. A man in Yorkshire saw this book at a sale, coveted it, and stole it but upon taking it home, and reading it, it proved the means of his conversion; upon which he honestly took it back to the original owner, one Thomas Sawley, at Wood End, in Yorkshire, acknowledging his crime in stealing it; but blessing God, who had over-ruled it to the salvation of his soul.

Mr. Burroughs, in a sermon on Ps. xvii. 14, hath these words: "These hands of mine had once that given to them, to be a means to convey; to restore that which was taken wrongfully fifty years before. The wrong was fifty years ago and after fifty years the conscience of the man troubles him, and he comes to bring, to restore that wrong, and desires it may be conveyed to such a place where he had done the wrong." [The reader will forgive the style of the author.]

A servant woman, in whom her master placed great confidence for her honesty, but who had robbed him at various times, to a considerable amount, was awakened under the ministry of Mr. Pomfret. Some years after, Mr. Pomfret, in a discourse, was insisting upon restitution as a necessary branch of repentance; upon which she brought the money to Mr. Pomfret, acknowledging what she had done, who immediately returned it to the gentleman's son, saying, "Sir, you see the good effects of the word of God !"

A certain minister in Warwickshire, preaching upon the eighth commandment, observed, in the conclusion of his discourse, that restitution was necessary in case of former dishonesty. The sermon, it seems, produced some good effect;

for it obliged a man who had been active in a riot twenty years before to make restitution.. The following is a copy of the letter which was found in the house of a cheese-factor, inclosing six shillings, and which had been privately put under the door.

"Mr.

April.

"Some years ago I stole a cheese from you, when you lost a many, by a rude mob, which cheese might be worth three or four shillings; but I have gave you six, which you ought to have. Going to- Meeting, there I heard a man preach, "Thou shall not steal :" he reasoned so from it, that made me do this, which is your right this was the 24th of April, when I heard him preach."

Let those who are conscious of dishonest actions in the days of their ignorance learn from hence to go and do likewise; and let preachers learn, from this circumstance, not to be afraid of preaching against particular sins, merely because they may be called legal.

RETRACTATIONS,

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

OF FAULTS, &c.

I CONSIDER this article of importance, as it exhibits to us the genuine spirit of Christianity, which teaches us to confess our faults, and likewise places before us examples of humility worthy of our imitation. It is hard to say, I have done wrong; but, where we are culpable, our

religion requires it, and it is more honourable to confess than to conceal, and shew an obstinate spirit.

Lewis Du Moulin, doctor of physic, being in his last sickness visited by Dr. Burnet, and admonished of the foul language used in his books against Dr. Stillingfleet, Dean of St. Paul's ; Dr. Durel, Dean of Windsor; Dr. Patrick, Dean of Peterborough, &c., desired Dr. Burnet to ask them pardon in his name; and, when he spake of the Dean of St. Paul's, he expressed much sorrow, and shed some tears, and, upon their motion, signed the following recantation.

"As for my books, in which I mixed many personal reflections, I am now sensible I vented too much of my own passion and bitterness; and therefore I disclaim all that is personal in them, and am heartily sorry for every thing I have written to the defaming of any person. I humbly beg God, and all those whom I have so wronged, pardon for Jesus Christ's sake; and am resolved, if God shall spare my life, never to meddle more with such personal things; and do earnestly exhort all people, as a dying man, that they will study more love and mutual forbearance in their differences, and will avoid all bitter and uncharitable reflections on one another's persons. And, as I earnestly pray those worthy men of the church of England to have charity and tenderness for the dissenters from them, so I beg of the dissenters that they would have a due regard and respect to those of the church of England, of many of whom I say now, let my soul be with their's; and that all true Protes