on those occasions; or, if he does, it is merely to save his character, when he thinks much of giving a sixpence towards the support of the minister or the cause. Of all hearers these are the most contemptible! Supposing every hearer to act as they do, our places of worship must inevitably fall; devoted ministers and their families, who live upon their income, must be starved; and the cause of God, without a miracle, mustsink! C. B. Sir, SOCINIAN INCONSISTENCY. To the Editor. IN perusing Mr. Belsham's Discourse, occasioned by the death of Dr. Priestley, I was forcibly struck with his inconsistency; for while he represents Calvinism as a system of error, impiety, and idolatry, he tells us, that Dr. Priestley' derived great advantages from his education in that system; and that, among his very numerous and respectable friends, some of the wisest and the best were Calvinists. The Rev. J. P. Smith, in his "Letters to Mr. Belsham," has noticed this inconsistency; but as his valuable pamphlet may not be in the hands of all your readers, I shall take the liberty of making some similar remarks in another way; and I particularly wish that the inconsistency may be rendered obvious to every eye, by printing the contradictory passages in opposite columns: THE EVILS OF CALVINISM. Dr. Priestley viewed Cal THE ADVANTAGES OF This habit (viz. of piety) was vinism as the extravagance of of the early growth, under the error, as a mischievous com- fostering hand of a pious and pound of impiety and idolatry.benevolent relative, who took Mr. Belsham's Discourse, p. 26. the charge of his education. Irrational and unmanly su perstition. Ibid. p. 17. Principles glaringly absurd and obnoxious. — P. 18. He (Dr. P.) was educated in the rigorous and gloomy system of Calvin; and he felt it in all its horrors." - P. 18. Page 17. In that denomination of Christians, it had been his happiness to meet with some of the wisest and best characters that he had ever known; and to an early education in that rigid sect, he had been indebted for some of his best principles, and his most valuable and permanent durable religious impressions. - P. 26. The reader will perceive from one of these columns, that Mr. Belsham represents Calvinism as a system of error, impiety, idolatry, superstition, horror, absurdity, and mischief. In the other, he will find that in this dreadful system Dr. Priestfey was educated *; and from such an education, what fearfut consequences might be justly expected! But Mr. Belsham assures us, in the second column, that he derived great advantages from it: his early habit of piety was formed under à Calvinistic teacher; and to this erroneous and impious system he was indebted for " his best principles, and his most valuable and permanent religious impressions. This is no more than what the Doctor himself acknowledged in his Treatise on Necessity (page 163) " Whether it be owing to my Calvinistical education, or my considering the principles of Calvinism as generally favourable to that leading virtue, Devotion, or their being something a-kin to the doctrine of Necessity, I cannot but acknowledge that, notwithstanding what I have occasionally written against that system, and which I am far from wishing to retract, I feel myself disposed to look upon Calvinists with a kind of respect; and could never join in the contempt and insult with which I have often heard them treated in conversation t." He also admits, that" There are many Calvinists whose hearts and lives are, in all respects, truly Christian, and whose Christian tempers are really promoted by their own views of their system.' P. 163, 164. It is also very extraordinary to observe, that Dr. Priestley met with some of his wisest and best friends among the Calvinists. The Doctor had certainly an extensive acquaintance among men of various sentiments and parties; but it is very strange that some of the wisest of these men believed doctrines which were extravagantly erroneous and glaringly absurd; and that some of the best men he ever knew, adopted a system that was impious and idolatrous. This is passing strange!!! In short, Sir, Mr. Belsham has, in my opinion, pronounced, unintentionally, an eulogium on Calvinism, and a severe censure on Socinianism; for both which I feel very much obliged to him, as will, I doubt not, every other CALVINIST. "When Dr. Priestley was about four or five years old, he went to reside with his grandfather, an eminently pious Calvinist; and afterwards with a Calvinistic aunt. When only four years of age, he could repeat the Assembly's Catechism without missing a word; and when seven, he would ask his brother to kneel down with him, while he prayed; not at bed-time, which he never neglected, but in the course of the day. From eleven to thirteen, he read most of John Bunyan's Works; and used to write down at home the heads of the sermons which he had heard at Meeting." Funeral Sermon for Dr. Priestley, by his brother the Rev. Timothy Priestley, + See Fuller's Calvinistic and Socinian Systems examined and compared, as to their Moral Tendency; Letter vi. A MEDITATION ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. "UNTO Him that loved us !"--but with what kind of love, and to what extent, none but himself can tell. From the effects of it, indeed, we are led to conclude, that, in every point of view, it is like himself,- boundless and inexhaustible. Tis an ocean without a bottom or a shore: it has breadths and lengths, depths and heighths, passing knowledge. Here the affection of a Magdalene, though she loved much; the praises of a Paul, though becoming the chief of sinners, and the first of saints; yea, the songs of Gabriel himself, fall far below the exalted theme! For when they raise their highest notes, "His love can ne'er be told." This is the river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God Would we trace its source, we must carry back our thoughts to the ages of eternity: for, long ere the sun began his race, or the foundations of the world were laid, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, felt the movings of affection towards the children of men, always rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth. No sooner did his omniscient mind anticipate our fall, than in his pity and in his love he undertook our recovery. To Adam, the first transgressor of human kind, in the midst of the garden which witnessed his folly and his fear, the transporting intelligence was announced, "The seed of the woman shall braise the serpent's head." "Of old hath he appeared unto me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Nor has this stream of affection ever ceased to flow since there has been a channel in which it could run. How unexpected, how free, how perfectly disinterested was the Saviour's love! Well may it be asked, " Can a man," a fallen, guilty, helpless man, "be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?". What could there be in wretched, miserable, sinful creatures, to attract Jehovah's love? What advantage could he possibly expect to reap from shewing such favour? Surely, it was for our benefit, and not for his own, that he loved them. His love appears still more unparalleled, when we reflect upon what it cost him. For us he laid aside his uncreated glories. The bosom of his heavenly Father he exchanged for the manger and the cross! He, who formerly claimed the cattle upon a thousand hills, with all the fulness of the world, has not now a place whereon to lay his head" he became poor." But this was little, compared with the agony of Gethsemane, and the awful scenes of Calvary. Now is my soul troubled:-and what shall I say ? Faher, save me from this hour? Nay, but for this cause came 1 I to this hour." Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." Yes, his love was stronger than death; and, adored be his naine, it is as lasting and unmutable as his very nature. The love of a creature may, as it often does, change into hatred; but the love of Jesus knows no alteration. It may vary as to its manifestations, but the principle is for ever the same. The corrections of a parent do not prove a want of affection to his child. On account of our follies, our dear Lord may hide his face from us; but in the affections of his heart he is of one mind, and none can turn him the "same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."In one "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ??? word, the love of Jesus towards his chosen, is pregnant with the richest blessings, and most abundant consolations. "Tis the tree of life, which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and which yieldeth her fruit every month; and the leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations. "Tis food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, liberty to the enslaved, joy to the disconsolate, health to the sick, life to the dying. From it the sairt derives support in his last conflict, an animating prospect into the unseen world, and, finally, a triumphant admission into Heaven itself. And then it is that he sees more clearly, and feels most powerfully his Redeemer's love.-May the writer and the reader ever be ena bled to say, "Christ loved me, and gave himself for me!" Warrington. SIR, STRICTURES ON MODERN EDUCATION. To the Editor. J. J. THE hints inserted in your Magazine of September last, signed DAMARIS, are very important. Will you permit me to make some observations on what are the probable causes of religious parents allowing their children to partake of worldly amusements, and conform to pernicious customs and seducing vanities? ; 1st, I apprehend those who really wish to see their children religious, begin their endeavours to lead them in a right way. too late they have already formed them upon a different plan; the drift of their education has been to fit them, not to be useful, but to shine and to be admired, in the world. Wil a girl of sixteen, who has spent the best part of her time in learning music and dancing, and who has been invited to all the children's balls in the neighbourhood, understand why she should now forego a ball or a concert? Can she comprehend why a game at cards should be a greater abuse of time than a fiivolous conversation? or will not both appear per fectly innocent to one who, having never been taught to appropriate any part of her evenings to private devotion, is con scious of no good habits being broken in upon, when they are wholly wasted in vanity and folly? 2dly, This worldly education is, I think, chiefly promoted by the idea, that the grace which converts the soul, makes at once an universal change in the habits and inclinations, and that no previous discipline is of any necessity or advantage.This is a very dangerous error, and well adapted to soothe our índolence and cherish our worldly-mindedness," God has set wisdom over all his works."— As the plant lies latent in the seed, and the wings of the butterfly are folded up in the worm, so, in a manner becoming the divine dominion over moral agents, effects are contained in their proper causes. "As a man soweth, so shall he reap;" and, though mercy interpose and prevent final ruin, no wrong conduct is without its chastisement. We suffer, not only from the sin of our first parents, but also from those of our more immediate progenitors. The children of Cain were exiled, through his crime, from the pious family of Adam; and the descendants of the ten tribes were cut off from the temple-worship, and scattered among the heathen, because their fathers submitted to worship the golden calves. The children of religious parents, if ill edu cated, will either prove more wicked than others (of which we have sad examples) or will find their spiritual path in general more afflicted and embarrassed than it would pro bably have been, had they been taught to fear God from their youth. But I hasten to what is my principal object in sending these thoughts to the Evangelical Magazine, namely, to observe, that since to lament effects without recurring to causes, is to lament an evil whilst it increases; no general alteration can be expected, unless new measures are adopted. One of the most likely, in my estimation, would. be the establishment of some schools on religious principles, from which both music and dancing should be excluded. I am aware that some persons, from whom I might justly hope better things, will start with indignation and surprize from this proposal; which may prove to them in how high an estimation they hold these accomplishments. Circumstances often constitute the nature of things; and any ground which is occupied by an enemy is no longer neutral. Even admitting these accomplishments to be in themselves perfectly innocent, the time they now consume renders them similar to weeds which over-run a corn field; but they are also, when attained, "a kind of tickets of admission into the fashionable world; and parents are willing to pay a high price for these tickets!"-Can they, at the same time, really pray that their children may belong to that company, of |