REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. ral. On this principle the widow's mile was reckoned to be more than all the others had given of their abundance, inasmuch as it contained all her living. Yet it is possible for the rich to discover more real charity than the poor, even if both were to give their all; for in proportion as the inheritance of the former exceeds that of the latter, the sacrifice must require a greater degree of self-denial. Had the estate of the young ruler been small, possibly he might have given it to the poor, and followed Jesus; but he could not resign "great possessions." "Were it possible to ascertain the riches of Christ when in the possession of heavenly glory, as well as the poverty he endured on earth, we might, by the same means, know the wonderous degree of that grace which he bestowed, in order that we might be made rich. But as it is impossible fully to comprehend his native riches, we must of course remain ignorant, in a great measure, of that grace which led him to give up all for us. Notwithstanding this, however, it is certain, that the only way to know his grace is to consider the glory and happiness which he had previously resigned, and the meanness and misery to which he submitted for our sakes. "There can be no just reason to doubt that, by Christ's being rich, is here meant what he possessed as a divine person, before his incarnation; and by his becoming poor, that state of humiliation to which he descended for the good of man. On the supposition that he had no existence or glory antecedent to the assumption of human nature, the order of the text might very properly be inverted: “That he who was poor, in the service of God and man, became rich." Like Jacob, who passed over Jordan with his staff only, and in the service of Laban, became two bands!" Sacred History, in Familiar Dialogues, for the Instruction of Children and Youth. In Two Volumes. By the late Miss H. Neale; with a Recommendatory Preface, by the Rev. John Ryland, D. D. Second Edition, 78. WE are glad to see a work of this nature reaching a second edition; it is a proof that the religious public have approved of the labours of the pious author, now deceased, whose great aim was to glorify God by promoting the best interests of the rising generation. The Memoirs of her Life, entitled 179 Experimental Religion delineated," in a selection from her Diary, give a very favourable idea of the amiable author; and were so well received, that a second edition was called for in a very short time. Dr. Ryland, in his Recommendatory Preface, says, "I conceive that my respected friend discovered a laudable zeal for the benefit of the youth of both sexes, in forming Familiar Dialogues upon all the principal histories of the Old and New Testament. As her design of engaging the attention of children to that part of the divine word, which is so peculiarly suited to impress their tender minds, must be owned to be highly commendable, so I acknowledge, that after perusing the principal part of the manuscript, I found myself greatly pleased with the execution of her plan. She appeared to have united so much entertainment with the most profitable and evangelical improvement of the Scripture-Histories, as greatly to exceed, in the lat ter respect, especially, if not in both, any attempt of the kind that I have seen." As we reviewed the first edition of this work at some length, in our fourth volume, we shall only here add, that to that edition an Appendix was annexed, containing An Account of the Jewish Nation, from the Time of Nehemiah to the Destruction of Jerusalem; but as a number of this last volume still remain, and may be purchased as a separate publication, the former three volumes are now reprinted in two; by which means, the price being reduced to seven shillings instead of twelve, tutors and governesses may be enabled more generally to introduce them into schools. We are also informed, in the Preface, that a small selection of Hymns, suited to each subject, compiled at the request of the author, by her brother, Mr. J. Neale, has been published, under the title of A Companion to Sacred History, price only 6d.; and may be bound up with the Dialogues. El Shaddai: a Sermon at the Ordination of Mr. Pritchard, Colchester, Aug. 26, 1804. By John Martin. 6d. THIS Sermon, or Charge, which is founded on 2 Cor. iii. 5, Our sufliciency is of God," commences in the following singular manner:-"It some concern, Mr. would give me Pritchard, were I now to preach to A az this large and crowded congregation : for, probably, my voice would not be well heard by many in this assembly. But as you are the only object I am to address; as, I believe, you will be able to hear me, and are disposed to hear me with becoming attention, my service, though serious, is not grievous. If, therefore, you will sit down, I will endeavour to lay before you some seasonable and friendly remarks on the words of our text." Mr. Martin first considers the words as applicable to the following subjects: 1. To that kind of learning in which every minister of Christ should endeavour to excel. 2. To his publicly teaching others. 3. To that kind of ruling which he is to regard in his own house, and in the church of Christ. 4. To his bearing well those praises which he may be compelled to notice. 5. To the reproach he may expect to bear. 6. To that resignation which will be of the greatest importance in his dying moments. In each of which is shewn the necessity of divine assist ance. Under the second general head of discourse, the preacher attends to "some things closely connected with faith in this animating truth," that our sufficiency is of God." "The minister who lives in the exercise of this faith, will manifest courage, caution, humility, and devotion.' This discourse compresses, in the space of 23 pages, much useful matter, derived from the word of God and Jong experience in the ministry, highly deserving the attention of younger ministers. The Fruits of the Spirit the Ornament THIS is one of a set of discourses on the Holy Spirit, preached at the Baptist Monthly Meetings a London, during the year 1805. We are glad to see the various branches of a subject so very important and useful, treated so largely and distinctly. The Sermon before us is on Psalm xlv. 13, "The King's daughter is all glorious within." Before the author enters on the direct consideration of the intrinsic excellence of the Fruits of the Spirit, he notices certain particulars which are sometimes mistaken for them. Here he shews that a correct idea of divine truth is not al ways a sign of real Christian excellence, nor belonging to the most perfect community of saints, nor possess ing spiritual gifts, nor displaying a particular grace or virtue while the rest are neglected. He then appeals to the sentiments of the World, the Church, Conscience, and the Divine Being himself, to prove that the fruits of the Spirit are the main ornament of Christians: after which he proceeds to shew that there are professing people, who, instead of entertaining this view of the matter, seem to consider the fruits of the Spirit as the disgrace or burden of Christians. On the former of these topics the author thus expresses himself: "The opinion seems to you so extremely absurd and impious, that you perhaps wonder to what class of people I refer as maintaining it. I will tell you plainly, that I mean all those who stigmatize the duties of believers with respect to bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, and exhortations to those duties, as Legality. If they intended by the use of that term merely to express their disapprobation of substituting the graces and virtues of the Spirit for Christ and his merits, or of attempting to depreciate the work of the Spirit, or of considering the precepts of Christianity detached from its doctrines and promises, we should cordially unite with them in their censure of Legality, We, none of us, any more than they, approve of legal preaching, or of legal opinions and practice, in this sense of the term. something farther; namely, to place But, I fear, they intend the moral law on a footing with the ceremonial law, which is abolished; and to deny not only that it has any power of condemning a believer, or of conferring a title to eternal happiness by obeying it, but even that it continues to be the rule of our temper and conduct. I do not charge them with directly inculcating licentiousness; but I am apprehensive that they wish to confine the attention of Christians merely to matters of faith, supposing that holy dispositions and actions will follow of course (as if there was no danger of vain speculation) and shewing no solicitude about any of the fruits of the Spirit, except those perhaps of hope and joy. If something of this nature be not their meaning, they must be sensible that the objections made by them to the phrase, the law of God, and to other expressions used by Christians and ministers, in speaking of prac tical religion, are at best but "strifes of words," if they do not imply opposi REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. tion to the language of the apostles themselves and of common sense. "Persons of this unhappy description are wont in fact to conceive, and even to speak, of the fruits of the Spirit, not as an ornament but as a disgrace; as infringing the liberty which believers have in Christ Jesus; and as imposing a yoke upon them, no less contrary to the nature and design of the gospel, than that which the Jewish converts wished to lay upon the necks of their Gentile brethren, when they insisted upon their keeping the law of Moses. They think they have nothing to do but to receive and enjoy; and that there is not the least occasion for considering the precepts and prohibitions of the divine law for comparing their hearts and lives with them, or for vigilance and circumspection, self-denial and exertion. This discipline they look upon as unworthy of the magnanimity and generosity displayed in the gospel, and as a badge of slavery. But we, I trust, my bre thren, are not "without law to God, but under the law to Christ;" and shall think honourably not only of the pleasures of religion, but of its privations and labours." The sermon concludes with suitable reflections. THIS Number contains four articles: 1. Extract of the Diary of the Mission at Bogue (St. Elizabeth's) in Jamaica; 2, Letters from Labrador, received in 1805; 3, Report of a Journey to the Land of the Creek Indiaps; 4, Various Accounts, — Greenland, North America. - The first article relates some of the labours of Brother Howell in Jamaica; where some of the proprietors of estates allow the slaves an hour to attend divine worship. At Elim estate, when Mr. Howell visited the negroes, they cried out, "There comes Massa; there comes Massa," with evident tokens of joy. The Missionary was quite enlivened by this agreeable reception; and spoke to them, with a warm heart, of the great love of our Saviour, and his desire to receive and save poor sinners. Many pleasing circumstances are related, which prove that the preachers have not laboured in vain. "Though we cannot," say they," exult over a very abundant harvest of souls, which these fifty years have produced (for so long have some of the Moravians 181 laboured there) nor even our present prospects, we find, nevertheless, abundant cause of gratitude to the Lord, for his having preserved a good seed in Jamaica, which, in his good time, may grow up into a rich harvest." It appears, that from the commencement of this Mission to the present date, 933 negroes have been baptized. Several instances are related of the negroes who died in the faith; particularly of one Ignatius, who was baptized in 1756: "He was a man approved by all as a child of God; and for many years held the office of assistant. He was one of those quiet' souls who preach more by their walk and conversation than by their words; and even in his last hours said little. But during his illness, he frequently and joyfully declared, that he felt no fear at the approach of death; but rejoiced that the Lord would soon come and take him home. His character as a Christian slave was unexceptionable; and the white people on the estate always gave him a good testimony; nor was he ever known to be guilty of those mean pilfering tricks, SO common among the negroes." In the second section of this Number we have letters from Labrador. The Brethren at Okkah say, "How do we rejoice, dearest brethren, that we are able this year to give you an account of them (the inhabitants) greatly differing from that which caused you and us so much pain and sorrow. We can assure you, that our merciful Lord has heard your and our prayers in their behalf; aud now begins to give us fresh proofs of his wonder - working grace in the hearts of the poor Esquimaux, by nature so dark and perverse, that we fall adoring at his feet. The fire, kindled at Hopedale last year, has spread even to this cold and dreary region; and we see it beginning to burn bright in the hearts of our Esquimaux congregation in a manner never before perceived." "For the beginning of this new period of grace, the Lord made use of the visits of our Esquimaux brethren and sisters from Nain; who, in the most artless but impressive manner, related to their countrymen here what the Lord had done for and upon them at Nain, and how graciously he had led them during the winter. Our people heard it with astonishment, begau to consider their own state; and we perceived, with inexpressible joy, how they submitted to the convictions wrought in their souls by the Holy Ghost. The last visit from Nain was, in this respect, the most interesting and profitable. The Esquimaux visi- poor benighted Esquimaux, and grant A letter from Nain says, "The many prayers, which both you and we have offered up to God our Saviour, that he would perform his work among the still remember, how distressing to our minds and feelings the course of our Esquimaux had been previous to the return of the ship in 1804. Since that time, our Saviour has wrought a miracle of grace in the conversion of two Esquimaux, whom we considered as the very worst among them, and manifested his love and mercy towards them, in a manner that excites us to thank and adore him in the dust." At the close of 1804, the congregation at Nain consisted of forty-three baptized (including eleven baptized, children) and twenty-nine not yet baptized, but under our care; in all, seventy-two. SELECT LIST OF RELIGIOUS A New Edition of Mr. Henry's Commentary, in 4to, revised by the Rev. G. Burder and J. Hughes, with Plates, Part 1, 8s. ; Fine Royal Paper, 125. A New Volume (being the fourth) of the Works of Pres. Davies, 8vo, 75. A Dissertation on the Prophecies reJative to Antichrist, &c. By G. S. Faber, B. D. Two vols. 8vo, bds. 165. A Theological Dictionary. By C. Buck. Second Edition, Part I (or Five First Numbers) 55. Vindication of the Presbyterian Form of Church Government, in a Series of Letters to Mr. Innes. By the Rev. J. Brown, 12m0, 34. 6d. boards. Works of the late Rev. Walter Cradock, with his Life, and a Recommendatory Preface, by the Rev. T. Charles and P. Oliver, 8vo, 5s. 6d. Letters to Dissenting Ministers and to Students of the Ministry, from the Jate Rev. Mr. Orton. By S. Palmer, Two volumes, 12mo, 8s. Minutiæ, or Little Things for the Poor of Christ's Flock, By J. W. Peers, LI D. Second Edit. 2 vols. 6s. Select Parts of the Old and New Testament, agreeably to the most approved Versions. By the Rev. T. Brown, A. M. 8v0, 158. Select Passages from the Diary and Letters of the late Lieut. Col. Blackadder, with a Preface, by the Rev. J. Newton, 12mo, 4s. boards. A Funeral-Sermon for the late Mrs. Dunkin, of Bermondsey, with ber Obitmary, and Extracts from her Diary, by the Rev. J. Townsend, 8vo. Ordination Service for the Rev. J. Davidson, at Rochford, 8vo, IS. PUBLICATIONS. Sunday School Miscellany, Vol. I, 18mo, 35. boards. The Cottage Library of Christian Knowledge, Part I and II, each 6d. containing Six of a New Series of Entertaining and Instructive Religious Tracts; which may also be had sepa rately. (See the Advertisement on the last page of our Cover.) Original Poems for Infant Minds. Second Edition, two vols. 12mo, 38. The Dead Raised, or a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ. Written by the Rev. S. Coven, 1668; republished by W. Batson. Svo, A Catechism, published at the Request of several General Baptist Churches. By Dan. Taylor. 4d. An Abridgment of Dr. Owen's Treatise on the Extent of the Death of Christ, published by E. Sheppard, D. D. 8vo, Select Poems for Young Persons, on Religious and Moral Subjects, 32m0, 15. Peace with France, and Catholic Emancipation, repugnant to the Command of God. By L. Mayer. 8vo, 1s. Grace displayed: a Sermon preached at Scarborough, on the Death of Mrs. M. Hopper. By S. Bottomley, 8vo, 15. common paper, 8d. A Thanksgiving Sermon at the Scots Church, London Wall. By R. Young, D. D. 40, 25. A Thanksgiving Sermon at the Church of Sedgefield. By the Rev. T. Sanders, M. A. 8vo, Is. Two Sermons at Long Sutton, Oct. 6, 1805. By C. Jerram, A. M. 18. Hymns, by the late Rev.J.Grigg, 6d. The Victory of Christ: a Thanks giving Sermon, by G. Mantell, 8vo, 15. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting of this Society will be held in London on Wednesday, May 14th, and the two following days. The Ministers already engaged to preach on that occasion are, the Rev. Mr. BRADLEY, of Manchester; the Rev. Mr. CHARLES, of Bala; and the Rev. Mr. BOGUE, of Gosport, whose discourse is intended as an Address to Christians in behalf of the Jews. The name of the Minister of the Establishment who is also to preach, will appear in our next, together with the several places where the Sermons will be delivered. THE approaching Anniversary of the Missionary Society will, in all probability, attract as numerous an attendance of its Friends as usual; it has indeed always been found a season of spiritual refreshment; and there is ground to hope, that the ensuing Meeting will be as interesting as any preceding one. The Account which will be given of the measures of the Society, and the general aspect of its concerns, it is presumed will afford satisfaction, and excite much thanksgiving to God. Under divine auspices, its operations are greatly extending, and its prospects brightening. The foundation of exertions is laid on a scale of still increasing extent, in the number of accepted Missionaries now under preparation at the Seminary; but the providential openings in the Heathen world, demand measures of greater energy, and far more numerous supplies of Missionaries than have been before contemplated. It is, therefore, hoped, that every Minister, who may have the intention of being present at the Public Services, will previously exert his influence with his Congregation and Friends, as far as prudence admits, to furnish the pecuniary means of carrying on this divine work, without which the Society must unhappily be restricted to a scale of operations much below their own wishes, and the encouraging aspects of Divine Providence. By a Letter from Rotterdam, information has been received that Mr. Kicherer's labours, since his return to Zak River, have been greatly blessed; and that the people who were dispersed, are in great part gathered again. Letters have been received from Dr. Vanderkemp and Mr. Read, dated Cape Town, Sept. 12, 1805 (previous to the capture of the place by the British troops); from which it appears, that the reason of the Missionaries being recalled from their stations, was the jealousy excited by their connection with an "English Society. It seems also, that the opposition of many of the inhabitants to them, arose from the Missionaries defending the rights of the poor natives against their cruel oppressors. The Directors of the Missionary Society to their Christian Brethren of every Denomination, in the United Kingdom. Christian Brethren, IT is with real satisfaction that we address you, when we have ang thing to communicate which will either contribute to your joy, or call forth into activity your love and zeal. Deeply sensible of the duties, and of the responsibility of |