I will only, for the present, add one remark concerning the spirits, like frogs, which went forth to gather the kings together. They must have been apparent, A. D. 1822: and so they were: Infidelity from Satan, Despotism from the government of the empire, Superstition from the Papacy and her Jesuits and the old system of miracle-working was got up among them, by the agency, chiefly, of Prince Hoenlohe; and may again perhaps appear. It is to be observed, that they were not seen then coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, but appeared as spirits which originally and habitually came from thence, and were then abroad; going about, and busying themselves, (like the spirit that persuaded Ahab to go and fall at Ramoth-Gilead,) to gather the kings of the earth and of the whole world together, to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. And on the whole, I submit that the battle, or the seventh vial, which contains it, began with the declarations issued on the breaking up of the Congress, in the latter end of the year 1822. pp. 9-15. BRIEF NOTICES OF BOOKS. The Achievements of Prayer; selected exclusively from the Holy Scriptures. By JOSEPH FINCHER, Esq. London: Hatchard. 1827. -WE E are glad to see the laity uniting with the clergy in the exhibition of scriptural truth. The work before us contains a beautiful catalogue of prayers and of answers to prayer. Next to the book of God, a man cannot do better than regard the book of his own life; and verily do we believe, that if all a real Christian's prayers were recorded, and after a lapse of time compared with the event, it would be found that God was "more ready to hear than we to pray, and wont to give more than we can desire or deserve." It may, perhaps, appear strange to some of our readers, but we do earnestly recommend them, under heavy sorrows, or when entering upon new and arduous duties, to write out their prayers. Let them then lay them by; and we doubt not, that, after patiently waiting the will of God, they will find in their own experience answers of prayer as remarkable as many of the most wonderful which they have read in the lives of others. The greatest wonder of all is, that, having such inducements and encouragements to prayer, we are so backward to its performance. Here, however, as in ten thousand other instances, the promise will do much more than the precept. He who knew what was in man, said, "Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find" and many are the instances furnished by Mr. Fincher of the truth of those words of our Saviour. Nor can we be surprised at this, when we remember that "Prayer moves the Hand that moves the world." A Sermon preached at the Consecration of the Chapel of St. David's College, Lampeter, on Thursday, August 23, 1827. By the Rev. ALFRED OLLIVANT, M. A., Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Vice-Principal of St. David's College. London: Rivington. -IT has long been an injury and a reproach to the principality of Wales, that it had no collegiate establishment, upon any thing like a large scale, for the education of her sons for the sacred office of the priesthood. This reproach we are happy to see at length wiped away. We hail the erection and endowment of St. David's College as the commencement of new and better days for our Cambrian fellowsubjects. Nor is it the least pleasure connected with this academical institution, that the first sermon preached in the college chapel discovers such a fine combination of wisdom and piety. We most cordially recommend the sermon of Mr. Ollivant to the perusal of all who are the friends of Wales and of the Church. Hymns written and adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year. By the Right Rev. REGINALD HEBER, D. D., late Lord Bishop of Calcutta London: Murray. 1827. However much our great affection for the deceased Prelate might forbid it, yet we must say, in strict justice, that we never saw a book less likely to answer its end than the one now under review. For, waving the objection that is made to the Hymns, simply considered as compositions, another and a stronger difficulty presents itself in their subject-matter. We unhesitatingly assert, that many might be adduced from the volume which are totally unfit for the public service of the Church. They are beautiful in themselves, but contain none of that Evangelical sweetness, none of those "living lines," which serve to direct the thoughts of the worshippers to Christ and to salvation, and which we consider the first features of true Psalmody. When we first heard of Bishop Heber's Hymns, we certainly did look for a great deal more every way than he has given us. We did flatter ourselves, that we should have to rake up the ashes of poor Sternhold and Hopkins, to inter their successors, Tate and Brady; but we have been disappointed, and must therefore retain these worthy help↓ mates to our devotion, till, by the rising up of some happy genius, we can afford to bid them also "a last farewell." 113 CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS TO A YOUNG CLERGYMAN ON DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF MINISTERIAL STUDY AND CONDUCT. -- LETTER I. MY DEAR SIR, It was with unfeigned pleasure that I heard of your ordination, and hope you will believe me when I say that my feeble prayers were presented to the Throne of Mercy, that you might become a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. I feel, indeed, some difficulty in addressing one who is now a brother-clergyman and a fellow-labourer; but as I had the pleasure of numbering you among my bearers for some time previous to your taking holy orders, I venture to hope that you will receive with your usual kindness the plain remarks of an old friend, on matters of vital importance both to yourself and to your people, When the great Fenelon was appointed Preceptor to the Duke of Burgundy, he enjoyed, as might naturally have been expected, the congratulations of his friends, and indeed of all France; nor need I say how truly such congratulations were deserved: but you may remember that he received from M. Tronson a communication of a different character, which contained, indeed, the expression of joy, but ven4ured also to speak of solemn responsibilities and final judgment. "It is true, you may perform much good in your present situation; but you may also become guilty of great crimes. There can be no medium in such a post; the good or the bad success has, almost always, unceasing results..... A thousand occasions will present themselves, in which you will consider yourself as bound by prudence, and even by benevolence, to concede something to the world; and yet, what a strange state it is for a Christian to be in, and still more for a priest, to behold himself obliged to enter into a compact with the enemy of his salvation! Truly, sir, your post is a dangerous one: confess with sincerity, that it will be a difficult task to remain unweakened, and that it will require a most consummate virtue to resist temptation. If ever the study and meditation of the sacred writings have been needful to you, they are now so in an especial manner. Hitherto you have needed only to cultivate virtuous thoughts, and to nourish the love of truth; but henceforth you will have to shield yourself from evil impressions, and to avoid falsehood. It is certainly of the greatest consequence to you, that you forget not the hour of your death; that hour when all the glory of the world will disappear as a dream, and when every creature in it, who may have been your support, will sink from beneath you.......... Perhaps you will consider VOL, IL-NO, I, this letter as being somewhat too true, and a little too long; or you may regard it as a sermon injudiciously made, instead of a judicious compliment. I should certainly have been more laconic and more reserved, if I had been less anxious about your salvation. Read it as the language of my heart, which cannot be otherwise than tenderly interested about your real welfare. I entreat you to believe, that I shall unceasingly implore God to fill you with an inviolable love of him, in order that no temptation may change nor weaken the pious sentiments with which he will inspire you. Such is the by the church to obtain the love of God for its children." prayer made I am not ignorant that the cases are somewhat different—that you are not the Archbishop of Cambray; and that if you were, I am not M. Tronson. But you will immediately perceive that there are many points which the two cases have in common with each other. You too, my dear sir, have taken upon yourself solemn vows; and woe be unto you, if through the breach of them you become the author of ten thousand woes to the souls committed to your care! But, oh! blessed will you be of the Lord, if through his grace you be enabled to "fight the good fight of faith "-to" do the work of an evangelist "to "be instant in season and out of season "-to" make full proof of your ministry; warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that you may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Believing, then, that such is the earnest desire of your heart, I shall proceed with simplicity and affection, to state my views and feelings of the work in which you are engaged-the motives by which you should be influenced-the evils with which you have to contendand the hopes by which you are to be animated. These, with numerous other topics, will form ample matter for the little series of letters which I have promised to send you. The work in which you are engaged, is a peculiar work and an honourable work. The peculiarity of a minister's work must by no means escape your notice. He stands in a sort of double relation, both to God and the people. He approaches the Throne of Grace to confess the sins of the congregation; but if he be a true priest of the Lord, such confession of their sins is ever accompanied with a painful recollection of his own. He must obtain pardon for himself, and that pardon he seeks in the character of a believing penitent. The sense of forgiving mercy and reconciling grace must be fresh and vigorous, or his discourses to his flock will be tame and uninteresting. But to his people he is not only to be a teacher, but a pattern. They naturally calculate upon a higher degree of spirituality and devotedness in him, than they expect to find in each other: nor should their expectations be disappointed; and we may add-nor will they be disappointed in reference to that man of God, who duly considers the High Priest of our profession, and who is anxiously careful concerning the ministry that he hath received, that he fulfil it. If the whole family of the faithful, under the Gospel dispensation, be described as a holy nation and a peculiar people, it must be obvious, to every reflecting mind, that such terms should be peculiarly applicable to those who are the pastors and teachers of the flock. Not that a minister of the Cross is to be inattentive to the proprieties of life, or ignorant of the passing occurrences of the day. He is a man, a citizen, and a subject; perhaps a husband and a father; and to the varied duties which thus devolve upon him he is not inattentive. But he has a peculiar work, in which he stands distinct and apart from all other men, whose employments are merely secular. To him is com-mitted the ministry of reconciliation. He is an ambassador of Christ, a steward of the mysteries of God. The treasure of the Gospel is entrusted to him; and the day is coming when he shall discover, that, though deposited in an earthen vessel, it was not earthen treasure. Other men have to do with time-he with eternity; and only with time so far as it shall prepare men for that eternity. He is the "priest of the Lord," and the "messenger of the Most High." His taste, combining with his education, may lead him to admire the labours, and in many instances to share the pleasures, of the linguist, the naturalist, and the poet; but these will only be regarded as the recreations of a mind habitually, yea, supremely devoted to other and higher objects. You may remember it is recorded of the excellent Dr. Coke, that, when about to leave his native land and to cross the Atlantic in the service of his Master, being inquired of, a short time before he embarked, whether he had seen the Exhibition, replied, "Pardonme, pardon me, my brother; I am dead to all but India." With such feelings he entered on his work; and though he died on his passage, and was buried at sea, the recollection of his devotedness has stimulated many a missionary heart with ardent zeal in a cause so sacred and divine. But it will immediately occur to you that we have an example still higher, furnished by St. Paul. He could say, " But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea, doubt. less, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." I will not finish this quotation, as I doubt not it is familiar to you, though I cannot help reminding you that Christ Jesus the Lord, your Master and mine, was heard to declare, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work." Now this work is yours, as well as His. This being the case you, will not be surprised at my calling it an honourable as well as a peculiar work. We are not, indeed, to mag-. nify ourselves; but we are allowed, nay, directed to magnify our office. For, however strange the assertion may appear, it is invariably the case, that he who has the highest regard to the dignity of the ministerial character, will yet be found most deeply humbled under a sense of his own inadequacy, infirmities, and unworthiness. But let not such feelings of humiliation and self-abasement prevent the youthful standard-bearer of the Cross from being fully alive to the honour of his calling. It is an honour which he has in common with Priests. and Prophets, with Apostles and Fathers; and, in some sense, with Angels and Archangels, with Cherubim and Seraphim; for "are they 書 |