be held most sacred. The mind is given up to pleasure. Music, dancing, and every possible means, are resorted to here, to unfit the spectators for useful life. Young people are completely driven off all guard; and the female who suffers herself to spend the evening in this enchanted place, cannot say to what excesses she may be led. No doubt, were many warned, before they placed themselves in this way of temptation, of the consequences, and the miserable course of life to which it would be the introduction, they would very gravely assure their well-meaning advisers that they were completely mistaken. Youth, say they, is the time for enjoyment; we only go to pass a little time pleasantly away, and only act like other young people. We fear no harm. But these compliances with sinful diversions may not only ruin the character, destroy the virtue, and render the future life miserable, but may end in the loss of the soul. Before heads of families ever suffer their children and servants to frequent these scenes, so completely destructive to good order and morals in their own circle, they ought to recollect the remote and very possible consequences, which may be inconceivably more afflictive and dreadful. The other evils that have been adverted to are painful to every tender and reflecting mind. Every one who is truly a well wisher to his country and kind, and really a patriot and philanthropist, must deeply lament, that such destructive and polluting entertainments should be encouraged in the most opulent and enlightened city in the world. But when he carries his views forward to consequences of an eternal nature, which may be connected with such sinful and profane pleasures, he will be shocked indeed. If the apprehension of such consequences be thus painful to every considerate and reflecting mind, how awfully painful must the result be to those who are the deluded victims of sin themselves. To all such persons who are likely hereby to endanger the loss of their precious and immortal souls, I would say of this, and every other scene of guilty pleasure, "avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." How did Solomon warn and reiterate his warning to the young and the inconsiderate! And, I am sure, no language can be too strong, no warning too urgent, to keep the yet uncontaminated from these whirlpools of desolation and destruction. Those who are inclined to plead that they only intend going for once, would do well to reflect, that they are venturing upon forbidden ground, and that perhaps to their utter ruin: and those who permit their children or servants to waste their time or spend their money at such places are highly criminal. We ought never to go any where, or do any thing, where we cannot reasonably expect the divine blessing to attend us that cannot, in the most distant manner, be expected when we visit such places as this: and when a young female once commits herself to the insults of the depraved crowd, who assemble together in order to gratify every corrupt desire, what may she not expect! The opportunity of forming an intimacy with the young, and hitherto modest, is offered; and had not such an opportunity occurred, even the depraved and dissipated might have satisfied themselves with a less degree of guilt than the corruption of virgin innocence. Concerning all such revels, and those that frequent them, we may well say to the young and inexperienced, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing." What has been advanced yet, chiefly has been in reference to young females. But is this the only class who suffer by plunging into temptation? It would be well if it were so; for then the evils might be considerably restrained; but the evils produced by such fairs as this, are, alas! more diffusive. Young men are liable to all the evils which have been enumerated, as well as females; and they, especially servants, minors, and apprentices, are still more exposed. These will be likely, when multitudes, opportunity, example, and the covert of night all concur, to indulge without restraint in all the corrupt propensities of human nature. And, perhaps, such scenes as these may induce them to break off all restraint yet laid upon them. From indulging here their sinful appetites, they may proceed to farther enormities. First, robbing their parents or employers; then joining characters like themselves; they proceed in the career of dissipation and wickedness, till they end their days transported to a foreign clime, or else upon the gallows, or die by their own hands. The last was the fate of a young man, the son of an innkeeper in Smithfield, not long ago; ruined, it was said, by giving way to excessive drinking at the fair. And again, this fatal vortex draws in, by its fascinating influence, even those who are more advanced in life. Men who have families that depend entirely upon their manual labour for their very existence; even these seem to consider it a kind of lawful and necessary relaxation, to waste the time and spend the money (wanted to purchase necessaries for their wives and children) in drinking, smoking, &c. at this dissipated fair. Let any person who doubts this merely walk into any of the public houses, and observe the company who fill them. To these it is a double loss. All the time wasted from actual work cuts off those supplies their families need; and the money actually spent in dissipation renders ост. 1823. it injurious in the most serious manner to those connected with them. Again, those who conduct the shows, up-and-downs, whirligigs, &c. &c. are also injured, as well as the frequenters themselves. Were there no one to pay and encourage them in their foolish businesses, of course they would soon decline them, and betake themselves to a more lawful employ. So that those who visit these fairs not only do harm to themselves and families, but by paying others to play the fool for them, indirectly encourage them in sin, and help to ruin their souls. It fully behoves all heads of families in London, at this season, to keep a watchful eye upon their children, servants, and apprentices, and by the most rigid severity to prevent any over whom God has given authority to go into this way of wickedness; even children ought not so much as to go within the purlieus of it, nor be allowed a penny to lay out in the purchase of toys or any thing whatsoever there sold. And if it is binding upon parents thus to keep their families from this ensnaring evil, it is most imperative on themselves, by all means, to keep from this spot also. Even should business call near, it would be better to make any circuit rather than to be seen in such a place. I remember, many years ago, hearing a person say, that passing through Bartholomew fair, he saw a gentleman, a minister of reputed piety, gazing at the shows; and he thought if he did so, sure there could be no harm for him to do likewise. It is well known how much more potent example is than precept; therefore, set the example hereby of a holy superiority over all such trifling, and, in fact, contemptible amusements. I am, dear Sir, 3 D be held most sacred. The mind is given up to pleasure. Music, dancing, and every possible means, are resorted to here, to unfit the spectators for useful life. Young people are completely driven off all guard; and the female who suffers herself to spend the evening in this enchanted place, cannot say to what excesses she may be led. No doubt, were many warned, before they placed themselves in this way of temptation, of the consequences, and the miserable course of life to which it would be the introduction, they would very gravely assure their well-meaning advisers that they were completely mistaken. Youth, say they, is the time for enjoyment; we only go to pass a little time pleasantly away, and only act like other young people. We fear no harm. But these compliances with sinful diversions may not only ruin the character, destroy the virtue, and render the future life miserable, but may end in the loss of the soul. wow Before heads of families ever suffer their children and servants to frequent these scenes, so completely destructive to good order and morals in their own circle, they ought to recollect the remote and very possible consequences, which may be inconceivably more afflictive and dreadful. The other evils that have been adverted to are painful to every tender and reflecting mind. Every one who is truly a well wisher to his country and kind, and really a patriot and philanthropist, must deeply lament, that such destructive and polluting entertainments should be encouraged in the most opulent d enlightened city in the world his views of an et mind, how awfully painful mu the result be to those who are deluded victims of sin their To all such persons who ar hereby to endanger the loss of th... precious and immortal sonte would say of this, and every scene of guilty pleasure," it, pass not by it, turn from i pass away." How did So warn and reiterate his w the young and the incor And, I am sure, no lang be too strong, no warni gent, to keep the yet nated from these whirlpool solation and destruction who are inclined to plead only intend going for one do well to reflect, thai venturing upon forbidde and that perhaps to the and those who permit 11 or servants to waste : spend their money are highly crimina.. never to go any v thing, where w ably expect the d attend us: thi most distant ma when we visit and when a commits her the deprav together in corrupt d expect! ing an in hither had and Henry and Scott are their poCommentators.-P. 107. Now, while this statement is in e respects true, it is in others y incorrect. The majority of ern Calvinists do not maintain sentiments contained in the first second propositions, which we ve marked in Italics. Not only any Sublapsarians have asserted, opposition to the second propomon, the doctrine of general reemption, but it is expressly mainained by the Synod of Dort; * by almost all those ministers of the Church of England who are called Calvinists in the present day, and was strenuously inculcated by both those eminent commentators, Henry and Scott, and especially by the latter; and even Calvin himself says, Redemption is sufficient for all? REVIEW OF BOOKS. The Religious World Displayed; of view, and to avail himself of various In the present edition, however, the author has deviated considerably from his former plan. Departing from the principle of Fleury, that "every one ought to be believed concerning his own doctrine, and the history of his own sect," I have paid less deference than formerly to their own statements respecting themselves; and have been repeatedly present, in most cases, in their religious assemblies, to witness their forms of worship and hear the doctrines they taught. At the same time, I have not only had recourse to various works wherein the principles and practices of the several denominations, sects, and parties, are detailed by themselves and others, and have carefully culled from them whatever seemed applicable to my purpose; but I have also invited to my assistance living authors, or other learned and distinguished characters of most denominations. And, I am happy to say, that there are few instances in which, on my stating the object and plan of the work, the invitation has not been very readily and cheerfully accepted.-P. xi. Mr. A.'s display is, therefore, far less objectionable on ground now, than formerly; yet, there is still too much deference paid to the old principle; and, in very many cases, the reader must consider the account of a particular sect, as presenting a flattering portraiture, which should be contemplated with considerable caution. The account of several foreign churches, and of some dissenters in our own country, is thus, we fear, more favourable than their actual state will justify. Were the bias, indeed, always on the same side, it might, upon the whole, be more easily corrected. This, however, is not |