days. The declension of the papal power is adduced, at length, as an instance of this:

"We have seen that nation, whose former sovereigns contri.. buted much to the elevation of the papal throne, now employed i as the more immediate instrument in God's hand, to pull down the idol that has been set up in the temple; whilst the Roman Catholic princes of Iurope either stand afar off, for fear of what may be coming upo them; or secretly approve the downfall: of a power, whose yoke they have been some time preparing to throw off.

"And is an event of this kind to be ranked among the ordinary occurrences of the world? Shall we see a power which had exalted itself above every power, whose thundering anathema had for ages made the most despotic sovereigns tremble in their palaces, yielding up without a struggle the ghost of its departed tyranny, and not conclude that "this is God's doing, and that it is marvellous in our eyes*?"

Should conviction be wanting upon this occasion, we have but to advert to the means by which this extraordinary event has been brought about. "God's ways, it is to be remembered, are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts." When, therefore, such means are employed in the production of a certain end, which to us short-sighted mortals appear least calculated for the purpose, it ought to furnish an argument in favour of that superintending providence, by which the affairs of this world are

directed.

"The humours, the passions, and prejudices of mankind, being under the controul and direction of that Being who "fashioneth the hearts of men, manageth their hands, and guideth their steps;" we ought not to be surprized that things, bad in their own nature, and to human judgment unsuited to the object, should occasionally become accessary to the accomplish ment of the divine will. Sin and suffering, those worst of evils, under the direction of divine wisdom, have been made instrumental to the production of the greatest good. The most wicked act that was ever committed in the world, brought glory to God, and salvation to fallen man. And in the instance now immediately before us, the infidel philosophers of France, who set out with

*The event that has lately taken place, which has brought before us the boasted successor of St. Peter, travelling, in obedience to an imperious mandate, from Rome to Paris, for the unworthy purpose of prostituting his sacred office, in giving the mock sanction of religion to the usurpation of a murderous and an apostate tyrant; has filled up the measure of Papal degradation, and stamped that mark of infamy on the character of the time-serving pontiff, which no length of time can ever do away, and from the effect of which the Papal power will, it is presumed,

never recover.

the

the mad idea of extirpating christianity, will, we trust in God's hand, become the means of its more extensive propagation."

The application of this subject to our own state is very striking and impressive, but we have barely room to ex-" tract part of the conclusion:

"These are eventful times. An important page in the great history of the world is now before us. How far this nation may be concerned in the contents of it, God only knows. But it is sufficient for us to know, that if the christian religion is to be preserved in this country, the professors of it must be in earnest upon the subject, Possessing the form of the church, we must also possess that sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, which was designed to accompany it; without which, we are in the condition of the church of Sardis mentioned in the Revelations, we have a name that we live, but are dead."-Rev. iii. 1.".

This is followed by a funeral discourse occasioned by the death of a very poor, but pious parishioner, and the text which was selected for the purpose, as it should seem, by the deceased himself, is Mark xiii. 37. "What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch."

Mr. Daubeny has set an excellent example in this instance to his brethren, by improving such a circumstance to the religious instruction of his congregation. Funeral sermons have of late years become unusual except among the dissenters. We are far from thinking that they are always proper; especially when solicited by the friends of the deceased for the purpose rather of eulogizing his memory (and that perhaps at the expense of truth) than of edifying the living. Yet we would recommend it to the clergy, especially those in the country to seize every apt occasion of mortality, particularly if the deceased has been remarkably useful and pious, as a means of calling survivors to a consideration of death and eternity. The mind at such seasons is disposed to be tender and susceptible of serious impressions; it is the duty, therefore, of the spiritual husbandman to take the advantage which offers of sowing that seed which is suited to the opportunity that it may spring up to eternal life. If a model is wanted, it is here furnished, and insensible, indeed, to an extreme degree, must be that hearer who could listen' to such a discourse without feeling a desire to be animated with the principle which enabled this poor but pious man to shake hands with death as his best friend."

But

But we shall give Mr. Daubeny's own interesting and most instructive picture of him.

"The general character of your departed brother was known to you all; although the meanness of his appearance, and the wretchedness of his condition, might prevent you from thinking him an object worthy your particular attention. But his minister knew him well, because he was his frequent companion; anti 'he at no time departed from that minister, without leaving a spiritual impression behind him. Diseased in body, and destitute of worldly comforts, without an house that he could call his own, and living, for the most part, on the benevolence of others, he still possessed a mind, under all circumstances, calm, serene, and chearful; because faith was to him, what it ever will be to every true christian, "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen;"-In consequence of which, he was at all times looking forward through this vale of misery, towards that land of rest, where his heart had long taken up its abode. His Bible and his Prayer-book were the constant companions of his pilgrimage; and his utmost wish was to possess such a situation, as might be favourable to his private meditation on their contents. They are left, I understand, to some one of his brother parishioners. Should it please God to accompany them, as he did the garment of Elijah, with a portion of that spirit, with which he was pleased to distinguish their late pious owner, the legacy will be a most valuable one, to whomsoever it may belong. A man, who, like him, by constantly exercising his mind on spiritual subjects, had his daily conversation in heaven, must be supposed to be always prepared for his journey thither. He was so, having his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and his staff of faith in his hand; he was at all times ready to pass over Jordan into the promised land. When the hour of his departure, therefore drew near, he felt no misgivings about him; but looked forward, with confidence and resignation, to the hour when his soul should take its flight. He well knew, that to him "to die was gain:" that death would to him be the greatest preferment. Instead, therefore, of turning away from his ghastly enemy, he welcomed his approach. According to the striking expression made use of by himself, in the last stage of his existence, he firmly shook hands with death as his best friend;" the friend which would introduce him to an immortality of glory.-This exemplary christian has now left us. Having finished his work, he is gone to receive his reward. The cross which he bare patiently among you, is now exchanged for a crown."

The eighth discourse is on Matth xi. 28-30. " Come unto me all ye that labour," &c. This is truly an evangelical discourse. The fallen condition of human naVol. IX. Churchm. Mag. Aug. 1805. U ture,

ture, and its restoration by Christ, are clearly and forcibly stated. On a subject so important and so generally misrepresented and misunderstood, as regeneration, we are happy to present our readers with such a perspicuous and scriptural explication as the following:

The object, therefore, of the christian dispensation was to renovate this fallen nature; to raise it from a condition of sinful depravity, to a progressive state of moral perfection; that man, in consequence of his becoming a new creature, might thereby, by degrees, be qualified for re-admission into communion with his Maker. To this end, every gift of the spirit, as well as faith, coming by hearing, and that not in the instant, but by degrees for the Gospel does not illuminate and sanctify men at once, but by successive improvements, according to the care with which we listen to its admonitions, and the impression they make upon us. One truth received, prepares the mind to entertain a second; that a third; and so on, till we become perfect in the knowledge of the faith. Our moral advances are made in the same manner: one good resolution begets another, which again produces succeeding ones; till through several intervening states, we arrive, or almost arrive, at perfect obedience."

In opposition to the delusion which makes Christianity a matter of opinion, imagination, or sentiment, rather than a principle of life and action, Mr. Daubeny has these excellent remarks:

"It was the opinion of St. Paul, that every one should be able to give a reason for the faith that is in him. He that cannot, will be apt to be carried away with every wind of doctrine, that may happen to make a temporary impression upon his mind. In short, his religion will depend more upon the power of the preacher whom he hears, than upon the word of God, which he ought to study; and he will be one thing to-day, and another to-morrow, according as his imagination has been worked upon. Many people we see running about from one place of worship to another, upon the idea of finding in one place, what they think they have not found in another; but in this case, it is to be feared, they often take up with names instead of things.

"The religion of Christ, it should be remembered, is an heartworking thing; it is the greatest cleanser and purifier in the world; where it has its perfect work, it leaves no foulness or corruption behind. Whenever, therefore, what is called religion, leaves man in the same natural condition in which it found him; earthly, sensual, and corrupt; a slave to his appetites, and passions; depend upon it, that man's religion is not the religion of Christ, but something that has been mistaken for it; some imagination of his own, with which the grand deceiver persuades

him to rest satisfied, in the view of preventing him from looking farther, and from becoming that spiritual creature, which the religion of the blessed Jesus was designed to make him.” ~

"There is one infallible mark, by which it may be known whether we are come to Christ, in the sense in which we are invited in the text; and it is this: examine whether the life of Christ is in us; for he who hath not the life of Christ in him, hath nothing but the name; nothing but a fancy of Christ; he hath not the substance.”

We are under the necessity of deferring the consideration of the remainder of these valuable discourses to our next number.

Proposal of a Bible Society for distributing Bibles on a new plan. Submitted with the hope of making thereby the Holy Scriptures more read and better understood. By JOHN REEVES, Esq. 8vo. pp. 36.

THE

HE worthy and ingenious author complains, and certainly not without reason, of the bad form and fashion of the Bibles now distributed by religious societies and charitable persons:

"Number and Price says he" are the two scales by which alone they measure the Sacred volume; and the greater the number that is distributed, at the smallest price, every year, the greater is deemed to be the exertion and merit of the society, and the praise they are intitled to from the public.

"But what is the result of all this mistaken exertion? The result is just adequate to the effort; the object is number, and number is attained to the full; but the book is of such mean paper and print, that it is a Bible only nominally; for no eyesight, no perseverance, not the most ardent piety can support a person, of any age, in a steady, continued perusal of it. The kingdom is inundated with these nominal Bibles. It is always the worst printed book, even in the meanest house; for if a cottage has a book of songs, or of tales, together with the Bible, the former is ever the better printed book of the two, and it is for that reason the last to be destroyed.

"What I now say, is no discovery of mine; it is notorious, and has been the subject of complaint and animadversion for some time; but, such is our indolence, no one stirs to suggest any correction of this proceeding, so unworthy of the noble principles, from which it originates, "The

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