fervent was his cry!-See him on the cross; a sight that affected the sun itself at high noon. He with drew his pleasant beams, he put on sackcloth, and shed a preternatural darkness upon the world. All nature seemed to be in pain, to be agitated, and to sympathize with the agonizing Saviour. The groaning creation pointed to the cross, and said, "Behold the Man!!" And I may say, hereafter, when the sun shall call to mind the odious deed, you shall see that his beams will be again "turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, &c," JESUS CHRIST died a death which no one died before! It was, in a singular sense, an accursed death: a death accompanied with accumulated wrath; the wrath due to an offending, guilty world. How bitter were his pangs, how deep his groans! He indeed "suffered the just for the unjust." 10. Consider his several offices.As a Priest he has made an atonement for sin, and provided a foun-, tain to purify the polluted. As a Prophet, he teaches sinners in the way, and gives them an understanding that they may know Him that is true. As a King, he reigns in providence, and rules in the heart of each believer. He is a Physician to heal the diseased a Shepherd to watch over his flock -an Advocate to plead our cause— and a Redeemer to emancipate our souls from bondage. His sufficiency is great, is infinite! He is a Sun to enlighten-a Shield for defence-a Door for admission- -aTree forfruit-Honey for sweetness-Oil for joy-Balm for healing, Many princes, noblemen, and great philosophers have not understood or known these things; yet many poor have known and enjoyed the numberless and inexpressible blessings of Christ's sufficiency and salvation, A poor old man (S. Rigg), sinking under the weight of 82 years, said to me“There are two verses in St. John which to me are worth all the gold in the world,”. "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love: and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John, iv. 15, 16. 11. Consider his meritorious death. To that we owe our highest hopes. Remove this rock of our confidence, and then each man is left to atone for his own sins-to redeem his own soul-to justify himself, and to open a way to the kingdom how he can. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not leave us in this state of dark ness and suspense. It exhibits to our admiring view a Redeemer, an atonement, a justifying righteousness, all-sufficient grace, and assures the believer in Jesus that he shall not perish, but have in Christ, and through him, everlasting life! John, iii. 14. 16. 12. Reflect on his resurrection and his triumphant ascension-The Christian cause rests on the resurrection of Jesus. Had he continued to rest in the silent grave, his whole cause would have sunk into oblivion. But his resurrection was a crowning fact. It was most convincing to his disciples, and confounding to his enemies. This one fact has been in the world as a flame rising up to the very heavens. The light of it has been seen, and its genial warmth has been felt all over the world; in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Jesus Christ is alive, and behold he lives for evermore. He ascended to his na-. tive skies; he took possession of his native kingdom, his exalted throne, and will for ever reign "King of kings, and Lord of lords." 13. Consider his intercession. It is a fact ascertained by the Scriptures, that Jesus Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us. He pleads our cause in the high court of heaven, Perhaps the xviith of St. John may be considered as a specimen of his intercession.There, as in a mirror, we may see reflected the feature of each petition, and the general complexion of that intercession which still proceeds above, and may be found, perhaps, to arrest the attention of the angels of God.". When discouraged by your own prayers, take comfort in the Saviour's intercession. Matt. xxv. 14. Consider the commands which he enjoined, and the promises which he made. He has commanded us to deny ourselves to take up our cross-to confess his name to shine as lights-to mortify the deeds of the body, and to set our affections on things above. Let us, by the grace of God, act as his faithful servants, his true disciples, his obedient children. Let us be faithful unto death, and look with confidence for a crown of life, the gift of the Saviour's love.His promises are all "great and precious." They relate, more or less, to the pardon of sin-the salvation of the soul-the instruction of the mind-the sanctification of the heart, and eternal glory. Mark those promises which refer to eternal glory. As in Psal. lxxxiv. "He will give grace and glory." Prov. iii.The wise shall inherit." THE YOUTH'S REMEMBRANCER. A LETTER FROM A MOTHER, TO AFTER HER DEATH. WHEN you read this I shall be beyond the reach of those cares, anxieties, and disquietudes I have suffered on your account. The days of my mourning will be ended. My living exhortations, admonitions, and instructions, have been unavailable to you and knowing that God has been pleased to bless the dying admonitions of parents to their children, I write this, praying the Holy Spirit to accompany it to your soul with almighty power. When you were out of your time I wrote to you from P- where I then was for the benefit of my health, praying you to avoid the snares that would unavoidably beset you, owing to your situation in life-such as profaning the sabbath, drinking, and keeping improper company; but into each and all these sins you have fallen: and although often reproved with many affectionate remonstrances, you have turned a if deaf ear, and hardened your heart against them, to the grief of my soul, and the embittering of my life-if not to the shortening of it; the reflection of which must, I think, cut you to the heart. But turn, from me, and consider, that you have acted such an ungrateful part to an earthly parent, how aggravated is your crime to that God who made you, and has preserved you through innumerable dangers; cast your lot in a fair ground, yea, hath given you a goodly heritage as to the things of this life, had you not perverted them by indolence and intemperance; and hath crowned these temporal favours with spiritual blessings, in causing you to be born of those who dedicated you to his service, in your earliest infancy, with many prayers and entreaties and, in addition to this mercy, caused you to be born in a land and parish where the Gospel was preached, and the preacher has offered up many prayers to God on your behalf, so that you have been nursed under the sound of the Gospel. Your acquaintance, for the most part, were such as loved, feared, and served God, who have oft-times exhorted and admonished you in the days of your youth to choose God for your portion. And although in me you have not seen a perfect character -no, I confess, with shame, I was not what I ought to have been-I acknowledge I was defective in all but my love to you and the rest of my too dear family-yet I trust that, through all my short-comings and imperfections, you could discover that my sincere desire was, in every station and relation I bore among you, to glorify God, and advance your temporal and eternal welfare. Now consider, my dear C, with all these blessings and advantages unimproved, ere it be too late, what will you do to stand before God in the day of account. Not one excuse to plead, your privileges will rise up to your confusion, unless For while the lamp holds out to burn, Do not be discouraged because you you hath taken place before you read this may not be an eternal onebut may we meet again to part no more, but to mingle our united praises with the ten thousands around the throne to the Lamb, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood. The last request I have to make is, that you will be kind and affectionate to your brother and sisters. Be their protector; listen to their admo nitions; take their advice; remem ber they are bone of your boneand if your dear father should be spared to witness this solemn providence, endeavour to comfort and support him, by showing him every kindness and attention: be the support of his declining years, the staff of his old age; and when he is taken from you, see that ye fall not out by the way respecting what he may have left behind. REVIEW OF BOOKS. Two Sermons, preached at the Visitation of the Rev. the Archdeacon, at Leicester, in the Years 1805 and 1811: towhich is added, A Sermon on the Salvation which is in Christ only. By the Rev. Edward Thomas Vaughan, M.A. Vicar of St. Martin's and All Saints, in Leicester, &c.-Hatchard.-Price 2s. 6d. pp. 136. We love the Church of England, because we are firmly persuaded that her doctrines are founded on the Prophets and Apostles, Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. We love the Church of England, because the wisest and best of men have bled at the stake in her support. We love the Church of England, because, notwithstanding the degeneracy of too many of her sons, she still possesses, and, we are assured, is daily adding to their number a race of faithful and enlightened Ministers, who preach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, and are thereby made the honoured instruments of turning very many of the children of disobedience to the wisdom of the just. We should not hesitate to say of many who love her not, that they know her not." They have viewed her in disguise, and censured her with hasty inconsi derateness. But when she appears in her primitive simplicity, and unblemished integrity of character, it frequently happens, that even those, who thought themselves her enemies, are constrained to be at peace with her. We earnestly wish that every day might bring forth fresh evidences of peace within her walls, and prosperity in her palaces. This will be best effected by her Ministers lifting up their voice like a trumpet in defence of her genuine doctrines, and adorning them by an exemplary consistency of conduct. When her churches and parishes are served with pastoral energy and diligence; when souls are loved, and Christ exalted as their only hope; when the articles of her faith resound from her pulpits, and shine forth in the labours and lives of her Clergy, then the Church of England appears not to be a mere establishment of man's hands, but a fair and firm edifice established by the will of God upon the Rock of ages. We are led into this train of reflection by the very singular satisfaction which we have received from the perusal of these Sermons. What traveller ever approaches the large and populous town of Leicester, without being agreeably struck with the elegant and orna mental appearance of the two lofty sister spires of St. Mary's and St. Martin's? But what Christian does not far more rejoice, when he is told, that in each of the pulpits which stand beneath those spires, a faithful messenger of God constantly proclaims the glad tidings of salvation to the surrounding multitudes? Long has the venerable Pastor of St. Mary's exhibited" the Scripture characters" of faith and charity as a servant of God in that place. His praise is in all the churches. But his highest praise is, that he wishes himself to be counted as nothing, so that his Master may be magnified, and his mercy made known throughout all generations. He has now also the happiness of owning, as a true brother in the faith, and fellow-labourer in the Gospel, the Vicar of St. Martin's and All Saints, a younger, but not a less faithful asserter of the blessed truths of the Scriptures and the Church of England than himself. Leicester will ever love to unite the names of Robinson and Vaughan, and to bless God for them both. These discourses are of no ordinary character. They are marked by a precision of thought, clearness of statement, and originality of manner, which entitle them to high estimation. An affectionate seriousness, an impressive solemnity, and ardent piety, are conspicuous throughout. We have seldom seen the essential points of Christian faith more perspicuously handled, or the practical deductions more forcibly treated. No one can read them without being thoroughly convinced of the able as well as amiable character of the preacher. Firm without audacity, spiritual without fanaticism, argumentative without dulness, and affectionate without affectation, Mr. Vaughan at once appeals to the understanding, conscience, and feelings of his hearers on the great question of salvation in general, and the ministerial duties in particular. These three sermons contain a brief compendium of Theology, and may be studied with that view. They exhibit the Minister of the Church of England in a very interesting and exalted character. Cowper's description of "the Legate from the skies," is beautifully and faithfully illustrated in the present instance, both as to the matter and style. When we contrast the numerous visitation sermons, which have on many recent occasions issued from the press, with those of Mr. Vaughan, and compare their bigoted and intolerant spirit with the amiable disposition manifested in these, we cannot help rejoicing in the triumph of sound principles over those of error and prejudice. The author shall give his own reasons for publishing these Sermons. Various motives have induced me to publish the following Sermons. I hope the predominant one has been a desire of contributing my part, whatsoever it may be, to the glory of God and the salvation of my fellow-sinners. In the two first Sermons I consider myself as speaking almost exclusively to my brethren in the ministry. How could I better hope to fulfil the great end for which we live, than by addressing a few plain words of solemn and affectionate exhortation to my partners and companions in the labours, hopes, and conflicts of our arduous office; of whom each individual is as an host of men? The last Sermon is of a more general and detailed view of the principles asserted nature, and gives a somewhat enlarged in the former Sermons. For those principles I make no apology. I believe them to be truly scriptural, and in strict conformity with those maintained and avowed by the Church of England: of which I am a cordial member, and a willing minister. Only I would entreat my readers, especially those of them with whom I am a fellow-helper in the work of God, to receive, peruse, and consider them in the spirit by which they were dictated; a spirit (as I trust it will appear) of unaffected love and compassionate anxiety |