church to Almighty God; and then, no doubt, but every honest member of this body may perform his part in this pious consort. Every true Christian may, and must say, that the true church, whereof he professes himself a member, "is all glorious within," that is, adorned with all manner of inward graces and excellencies; and yet, where is that humble, hearty Christian that will presume to say so of himself? Perhaps the very best men can scarce think such elevated expressions fit to be applied to their single selves, or to their personal performances; but any sincere Christian may very well join in the public use of these parts of the Psalter, when he considers that what he says, or sings, is the voice of the church universal, and that as his tongue is but one among those innumerable choirs of Christians throughout the world, so he has but a small share of those virtues and perfections, which are the ornament of the church, the body of Christ. And there is no reason to doubt, as shall hereafter be shewed, but that David did in some Psalms speak as the representative of the church, as in others he expresses himself in the person of Christ, as is generally allowed. And the magnificat, or song of the blessed Virgin, cannot more aptly be used by way of devotion, than in the manner I am now speaking of, that is, as the address of the church universal (the spouse, the handmaid, the virgin) to Almighty God: but I would not have any one from hence conclude, that a devout man may not use this hymn, or these psalms in his closet, as well as in the church: for he may in his own thoughts consider himself as one of that large and vast body, who serve and worship according to these forms night and day. " IV. Some Psalms contain confession of sins, and earnest prayer for pardon; and these must be rehearsed with a heart as full of grief and concern, and hearty desire of forgiveness as possible: if we have no fresh, gross sins to repent of, yet we may call to mind our past errors, the sins of our youth, or the looser part of our lives. If we have by a virtuous education, and an extraordinary degree of God's grace, been preserved from such sins as David was guilty of, or if our sorrow for our own sins do not swell so high as the words of some of the Psalms seem to import, we may symyathize with them, who are in the state of penitence, who are ready to fall into despair by reason reason of the exquisite and piercing sense they have of their sins for true charity will teach us to bear their burdens, and to remember them who are in the bonds of iniquity, as bound together with them. V. There is a vein of very affectionate devotion and prayer, which spreads itself through very many of the Psalms: we shall find in them petitions for most of our wants, whether of soul or body, but especially for divine grace, to enable us to perform our duty. Now as these passages should teach us to raise our desires and endeavours after those graces and blessings which we stand in need of; so they should be a warning to us to rehearse the Psalms standing, that so, whenever we meet with these prayers, we may be in a posture fit to offer them up to Almighty God. For we have no warrant to sit at prayer; however, not in the New Testament. VI. In the Psalms we shall frequently meet with acts of trust and reliance in the divine goodness: and every Christian, that sincerely endeavours to perform his part, may certainly leave the rest to God, and need not doubt but he will supply all our necessary wants, and preserve us in all the dangers we are exposed to, or however make all turn to his glory and our eternal good. It may be indeed, that we in our own persons have no great reason to be so apprehensive of any such danger, or calamity attending us, no such occasion for the exercise of our confidence, and reliance on God, as David seems to have had, when he penned several of his Psalms; but then we may apply these words to the Church, the whole body of good Christians, which is always more or less, in whole or in part, threatened with assaults and snares from the sworn enemies of religion, the devil and his angels, and wicked men; and yet she may safely trust in him for deliverance, who hath promised," that the gates of hell shall never prevail against her." (To be concluded in our next. ) Vol. IX. Churchm. Mag. for Nov. 1805. 3 B AC ACADEMIANA. No. IV. ST ARCHBISHOP SECKER.. IR Richard Hill, at the time of the expulsion of six students from Edmund-Hall, Oxford, for methodism, wrote a virulent pamphlet reflecting very severely on the University for that measure. In that pamphlet, which was entitled Pietas Oxoniensis, he asserted that the archbishop had been bred a man-midwife, on which his grace wrote the following account of himself in contradiction to that assertion. It was printed by Dr. Nowell, in his answer to Pietas Oxoniensis, and as the piece is scarce, the extract may be acceptable: "Whereas it is asserted in a pamphlet entitled Pietas Oxoniensis, p. 19, that a véry great dignitary in the church was educated in the profession of a man-midwife among the dissenters: the real fact is this, that the person supposed to be meant was educated first in a public grammar-school, then for five or six years in dissenting academies, then for two years. pursued his studies privately; that in the year 1716, and not before, he applied himself to the study of physic, which he continued till near the middle of 1720, and not longer; that, during this time, among many other courses of lectures, he attended (at Paris only) one in midwifery; but that he never professed, nor practised, nor intended to practise, that, or any other branch of surgery, nor even acted as a physician, otherwise than occasionally among the poorest of his parishioners." To this account, as written by his grace, Dr. Nowell adds the following: I think it necessary to add, that he was admitted a gentleman-commoner of Exeter-College in April 172 heing then twenty years old; and had the degree of Bachelor of Arts conferred on him in the act term following, in consequence of the studies he had pursued, and the progress he had made in literary accomplishiments. The letter by which the Chancellor expressed his assent to that favour, contains a very remarkable circumstance, which ought not to be omitted, and upon which the petition was founded. It is this, "that, con trary trary to his own inclinations, he was sent by his guardians to the university of Leyden, where he proceeded regularly to the degree of Doctor of Physic, as appeared by the printed exercise which he performed on that oc casion. The following letters which passed between this great. prelate and a Scotch gentleman, reflect the greatest honour on the benevolence of both parties. Copy of a Letter from JOHN GARDEN, to the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, dated Brechin, April 24th, 1767. MY LORD ARCHBISHOP, May it please your Grace, I am a layman, content with the fruit of my labour, and have nothing to ask for myself. I am a Scots Whig and a Presbyterian; not quite so rigid indeed, but I could conform to the Church of England were it by law established; but I shall never wish to see it so here: our country is too barren and poor; and from the experience I have had of the clergy here, I shall never wish to see them possessed of power, the constant concomitant of great riches; so apt they are to domineer, or to side with those who are disposed to do so, when they can see their own interest in it. This, I am sensible, is no very plausible introduction in addressing one of your station; but plain truth tells best, and is always more prevalent than fiction. I have lately read a book, published this year at Edinburgh, titled Principles Political and Religious, by Mr. Norman Sievwright, Minister of the authorised Episcopal Congregation here, to be sold at A. Donaldson's shop, London. I am pleased with the performance: the more so, as an essay of its nature, from one of his profession in this country, would have been looked upon as quite exotic some years ago. The design is certainly laudable, to open the eyes of, and to introduce loyalty among a blind, deluded, and disaffected people; a design, wherein the interest and happiness of Great Britain is not a little concerned, and of consequence worthy of your grace's attention, whom kind Providence has placed at the head of the Church of England. I am absolutely unconnected with the author either by blood or alliance, but I know him to be a good man and a loyal subject; and that the character I give will be confirmed Bb 2 confirmed by every honest man that knows him; and though altogether unknown to your grace, and even void of the improper and presumptuous ambition of being so, I have, without Mr. Sievwright's knowledge, or participation, from the mere motive of public spirit, ventured to address you in this way, and, under your correction, to suggest that the countenance your grace may be pleased to shew him, and your approbation of his design, will be a spur on him and others to exert themselves strenuously in the same way, and cannot miss to have a tendency to make us in this country more unanimous, if not in religious, at least in political matters; which would be no small point gained; two rebellions in my time demonstrate the truth of this.-Though my acquaintance and Mr. Sievwright's is of pretty long standing, sixteen years or thereby, I was yesterday in his house for the first time; I saw his wife, a grave genteel woman, big with child, and six young children, all clean and decently dressed, and every thing orderly. Mr. Sievwright was not at home. He has only 401. annually to support all this. Great must be the economy, considering the enormous price to which every thing has risen; for cold, I know, is the charity of the place. I never heard Mr. Sievwright complain; and I believe no man else ever did. I own I was moved at the decent solemnity which I observed, and, upon consideration, nothing could have hindered me from giving that relief which a good God and generous nature prompted, but want of ability. To whom shall I pour forth the emotions of my soul so properly on this affecting subject, as to him who, next to our amiable king, is God's vicegerent for good in the island of Britain? The humanity, generosity, and godlike disposition of soul, for which you are famed even in this remote corner, leaves no room to doubt, that you will unexpectedly send Mr. Sievwright that relief, which, upon due consideration, you shall find his merit deserving of, either by calling him to some small benefice in England, or otherways as to your great wisdom shall seem most meet. These prudential and charitable suggestions are submitted to you with all humility.-Begging pardon for this great and uticommon piece of presumption, I have with the most profound regard, the honour to be, My Lord, Your Grace's most obedient Copy |