animal, thefe carnal inclinations, when under no reftraint from reafon and religion, are enmity against God: difpofitions fo hoftile to all obedience, fo averfe to all fubjection to Him, as implies an utter impoffibility to either. These powers therefore, and this conteft between them must laft as long as the fubject of them, that is, as long as human nature lasts, and human nature in this ftate cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But by means of that perfect diffolution, which we call corruption, that is, by means of death, this corruptible, both in body and mind, both in its literal and metaphorical fenfe, muft put on incorruption, that is immortality in one part of our nature, which now has it not, and purity of holiness, which the other part cannot at prefent attain. When this wonderful change in our nature takes place, a change wrought by that mighty power of the Saviour, whereby he is able to fubdue all things to Himfelf, to the determinations of His own will, then fhall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death, in its literal and metaphorical fenfe, is fwallowed up in victory, which God giveth to his poor fallen, but penitent and believing creatures through our Lord Jefus Chrift. And to this change the apoftle alludes when he fays ye are dead, your animal life, the great principle of corruption both in its literal and metaphorical fenfe, is now extinct, and ye shall henceforth live that life, which hitherto has been hid ningurτas with Chrift, the author, the prince, the lord of this fpiritual life, in God, in those determinations of the divine mind, which originated in Himself alone, Eph. i. 9. iii. 11. For Chrift fhall then change our vile (this humiliating) body the feat and fink of corruption, now polluted by the finful defires of the flesh, that it may be like unto His own glorious body. T. L, ON FAMILY PRAYER. YOUNG. Devotion is the golden chain of union between heaven and earth. IN N our number for September, 1801, (vol. i. p. 358) in answer to a correfpondent, who requested information of us refpecting the moft pure forms of prayers for pious families, we recommended a recent publication, entitled, Prayers for Families; confifting of a form, fhort but comprehenfive, for the morning and evening of every day in the week. Selected by E. Pearson, B. D. Rector of Rempftone, Nottinghamshire." 66 As we confider the duty of family prayer to be of great importance, and a duty very much neglected, we have judged it right, with the view both of enforcing our recommendation of Mr. Pearfon's work, and of promoting the practice of the duty, to which it is intended as an help, to tranfcribe a confiderable portion of his preface. Preface to Mr. Pearfon's Selection of Prayers for Families. Ir feems to be an acknowledged truth, that the duty of family prayer is very generally neglected. The evil, not to fay finfulness, of this neglect, is fo evident, that it is not ncceffary to be formally proved. Prayer to God has always been juftly confidered as a duty in itself, and as greatly inftrumental in enabling us to discharge all other duties; and it is one diftinguishing benefit of the Chriftian Religion, that it inftructs us how to perform the duty of prayer in a proper manner. The Chriftian religion, by its general doctrines and precepts, and particularly by the prayer, which our Saviour himself prefcribed (whether that prayer be confidered as a form, or as a Specimen of forms) give us an advantage, in this refpec 1 refpect, infinitely above that, which could have been derived from the mere light of nature. Socrates was fenfible of the want of this advantage, when, difcourfing with his young friend Alcibiades, on the difficulty of praying with propriety, he faid, refpecting it, "We muft wait patiently 'till He fhall come, who will inftruct us fully in all the duties, which we owe both to God and man." The disciples of our Lord were fenfible of it, when they said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his difciples." Without the affiftance, which is thus afforded us, moft truly may it be faid, that "we know not what to pray for as we ought." Inexcufable, therefore, fhould we be, if, being poffeffed of this advantage, we neglected to make use of it, and refused to enjoy one of the fignal bleffings of the religion, which we profefs fo highly to value. Yet this, except at the diftantly recurring feafons of public worship, would undoubtedly be the cafe of very many inferior members of large families, if left to the guidance of their own difcretion. Many individuals of that defcription, though arrived at the use of reason, are either not able or not willing, to avail themselves of the privilege, which, as Chriftians, they may be thought to poffefs, of addreffing themfelves acceptably to the throne of grace, without being called upon to do fo by the voice of authority, and directed in doing fo by fome minifterial affiftance. It is, therefore, the duty of every head of a family, as fuch, to pronounce this voice, and to provide this affiftance, at such times, and in such a manner, as the nature of the thing requires, and his particular fituation will admit. With refpect to the returns of time, at which families ought to be called to their devotions, I fhall be content with faying, in the words of the pious and judicious Bishop Butler, that "cuftom, as well as the manifest propriety of the thing, and examples of good men in Scripture, juftify us in infifting, that none, who have not thrown off all regard to religion, omit their prayers either morning or evening;" and that, as fo many would not pray at all, unless they were thus called upon, it neceffarily follows, that family prayers ought not to recur lefs frequently. "The form of religion, as the fame prelate very juftly obferves, may indeed be, where there is little of the thing itself; but the thing itself cannot be preferved among mankind without the form." The public prayers of the Church were intended to be reforted to every morning and evening. It is well known how little the practice, at the prefent day, accords with this intention. "The body of the people, especially in country places, cannot be brought to attend the public fervice oftener than one day in the week; and, fince this is by no means enough to keep up in them a due sense of religion, it were greatly to be wifhed, that they could be perfuaded to do any thing, which might, in fome measure, fupply the want of more frequent public devotions, or ferve the like purposes. Family prayers, regularly kept up in every house, would have a great good effect." Bishop Butler's Charge. Those who, acknowledging the reasonableness and utility of the duty itfelf, have not the talent of praying extemporally in the prefence of others, will naturally feek for afliftance from prefcribed forms; as will alfo many of thofe, who have that talent, To obviate the difficulty, which might occur in that fearch, and by which, I believe, many are hindered from purfuing their withes with refpect to this duty, is the object of the prefent compilation. For, though we have numerous publications of the fame kind, which, to many, I doubt not, are found fully to anfwer. their intended purpofe; yet I have never met with one, which entirely accorded with my own ideas; and I may fairly prefume, that I am not peculiar in this. The collections of forms, which I have feen, are either fo multifarious, as to leave too much difficulty of felection for each particular occafion, or fo limited, as not to comprehend a fufficient variety either of fubjects or expreflions; not to fay, that, in many inftances, the prayers themselves are either too verbose or too concife. Befides, in compofitions of this nature, while warmth of devotion is endeavoured to be excited, there is a danger, not always very clearly fhunned, of falling into fentiments or expreflions, which fober piety may not altogether approve. On the other hand, while an approach to enthufiafm is apprehended, it is eafy to fall into coldnefs and apathy. It has been my aim, whether fuccefsfully or not, to keep the mean between the feveral extremes to which I refer. In any cafe, there will be no harm in adding to the variety, which, if not a neceffary, may at least be a pleafing accommodation to the variety of exifting taftes. I have fome grounds for believing, as I have already hinted, that many families are deterred from the duties of focial worship merely by the want of forms, which are of fufficiently eafy application, and otherwise free from objections. To fome of thefe, I hope, the forms which are here proposed, as avoiding all peculiarities of fentiment or expreffion, and requiring no fkill of felection, will prove acceptable. In the families of the younger nobility and gentry more especially, in which, whether wifely or not, the fervices of a domeftic chaplain are now fo generally difpenfed with, and in which the head of it, for various reafons, whether wellfounded or not, is often unwilling to take the office of chaplain on himself, and is yet defirous of having the duty of family prayer obferved, these forms may be of ufe. In fuch families, there is generally fome elderly and refpectable perfon, who, though he might not have ikill enough to felect, from a great variety of forms, the beft or moft appropriate, would be able to read a prescribed form with diftinctness and seriousness; and, doubtlefs, even this would prove one effectual inftrument of keeping up in the minds of thofe members of the family who have but few opportunities of religious inftruction or meditation, a sense of their dependence on God, and of their obligation to discharge every particular of their duty for confcience fake; "not with eye-fervice, as men-pleafers, but as the fervants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." For, as I before obferved, it is one great ufe of prayer, that it enables us more fuccefsfully to perform our other duties; not only by the affiftance of divine grace, which may reasonably be expected to follow, but alfo by frequently reminding us what thofe duties are, and what are the encouragements, by which we ought to be prevailed on to perform them. "Let every man, fays the pious Bishop Taylor, " ftudy his prayers and read his duty in his petitions; for the body of our prayer is the fum of our duty; and, if we turn our prayers into precepts, we shall the easier turn our hearty defires into effective practices." TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, AMONGST the various means taken to diffeminate fchifm and error of all kinds, one of the moft prominent, and perhaps the moft powerful, is the circulation of plain and cheap pamphlets, There are feveral focieties formed formed for this exprefs purpofe, and even the Unitarian faction have adopted this mode to propagate their blafphemy. The late John Wesley, whofe industry at leaft deferves imitation, well knew the influence which fmall, plain tracts have upon common minds, and therefore he established a prefs at the Foundry, in Moorfields, for printing fuch pieces as were favourable to his views, and every preacher belonging to his connexion was obliged to furnish himfelf with a large package of them when fent forth to propagate Methodism. The Religious Tract Society, "formed under the wing of the Miffionary Society about four years fince, have in their late report spoke great fwelling words" of the fuccefs of their plan; and if their boast be true, the friends of the Church of England have fome reafon to be alarmed, for, in proportion as the principles inculcated by that junto prevail, the interefts of this Church must be weakened. The circulation of fchifmatical poison in this land must prove of very dangerous confequences, if not checked by powerful antidotes. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the turbulent Puritans had recourse to exactly the fame device, and from their private printing preffes circulated immenfe numbers of virulent libels against the Church, under the name of Martin Mar Prelate; and it is an incontrovertible fact, that the minds of the people were greatly perverted by the pamphlets which were dispersed all over the kingdom in the reign of King Charles, by the godly faction who brought that pious prince to the block, and the Church to deftruction. My object in ftating thefe examples is, to call the clergy in particular, as well as all true friends of our conftitution in Church and State, to the danger which furrounds us. Let an institution be formed inftantly for the purpofe of counteracting the pernicious practices of fchifmatics and enthufiafts, by the wide difperfion of cheap and familiar tracts, calculated to open the eyes of well-meaning perfons who may have been duped by thefe deceivers, and to guard others against their devices. Communications on this fubject, addreffed to the Publisher of the Orthodox Churchman's Magazine, will be gladly received by IOTA. London, Jan. 14, 1803. TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, THE following is a correct copy of an hand-bill that was liberally dif tributed, a few day days ago, in the parishes of St. Magnus and St. Margaret. Í fend it you as a curiofity, inafmuch as it thews the spirit of "those who caufe divifions among us." Our newspapers teem with thefe theatrical advertisements of fectarian exhibitions, but an handbill of this fort has not before come in my way. It may not be impertinent to obferve, that although the Rev. J. Mann has been elected lecturer of the above parishes, yet that found, learned, and orthodox fon of the Church, Dr. Rennell, has refused his fan&tion to the election. I am, Gentlemen, Your fincere well-wisher, "The worthy inhabitants are refpectfully informed, The Rev. J. Mann, Lecturer of the united parithes of St. Magnus and St. Margaret, TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, HAV AVING heard a great deal faid of late on the abufe of prophecy, and fearing left thereby the use of prophecy fhould become doubtful, I venture to offer you a few remarks on this most important subject, profeffing that I am one who does not pretend to fix the hour and the day, but who at the fame time reprobates all those who say that our Lord delayeth his coming. The primary defign of prophecy, then, is, I apprehend, to acquaint mankind with future events, as Daniel informs us (Dan. xi. 28.), and a greater than Daniel declares (Matt. xxiv. 15. Rev. xxii. 10.). The reafons why mankind are to be acquainted with future events are several:-(1.) They are to be prepared for the trials to which they will be called (Matt. 24, 25.), and to be encouraged by the view of affiftance and reward. The ftudent of prophecy is neither alarmed at the attacks of fuperftition or infidelity; he knows that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against the true Church; in a word, he walks by faith, and not by fight. (2.) Any particular prophecy accomplished before a man's eyes, was meant to be, and is a miracle performed by God to confirm his faith; so that the continual completion of the divine predictions may be confidered as the continuation of miracles performed in the fight of every fucceffive period of the Church. Agreeably to this, St. Peter, being about to close his teftimony of the miracles of Chrift, and knowing that historical teftimony must be much weaker than that of perfonal knowledge, fays, "For we have not followed cunningly-devifed fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift—we have alfo a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed," &c. 2 Pet. i. 16, &c. (3.) Thefe fucceflive miracles fupport and introduce particular revelations of God's will, addressed to each period of the Church. (Rev. i. 3.) Not only facred hiftory, but miracles, doctrines and commandments are and have been continued to the true Church in the books of the Prophets. In the Goipels, the general duty of every Chriftian is taught; in the Prophecies, the particular duties of the age, and perhaps country of a Chriftian may be found, and his peculiar dangers pointed out; for inftance, to use the words of the great Warburton, "How extravagant foever fome Proteftant interpreters have been, when they gave a loose to their imaginations, yet the fobereft of them have univerfally concurred with the wildeft, that the man of fin, this Antichrift, could be no other than the man who fills the Papal chair, whofe ufurpation in Chrift's kingdom, and tyranny over confcience, by intoxicating the kings of the earth with the cup of his inchantments, and himself with the blood of the faints, fo eminently diftinguishes him from all the other unjust powers, that the various Churches who broke loose from his inchantments agreed in fupporting the vindication of their liberty on this common principle, that the Pope or Church of Rome was the very Antichrift foretold. On this was the Reformation begun and carried on; on this the great feparation from the Church of Rome was conceived and perfected; for, though perfecution for opinion would acquit thofe of fchifm whom the Church of Rome had driven from her communion, yet, on the principle that the is Antichrift, they had not only a right, but lay under the obligation of a command to come out of the fpiritual Babylon. On this principle (the common ground, as we fay, of the reformation), the several Proteftant Churches, how different foever in their various models, were all erected, |