was particularly fond of attending the house of God; and though, because of restlesness through the night, she used often to sleep on the mornings of other days, yet she was sure to be up early on Sunday mornings; and would always, the night before, prepare every thing with the greatest exactness, that nothing might interfere with the Sabbath. During part of the time of her illness, she was visited by the Rev. Mr. Campbell, of Kingsland, who had great satisfaction in her answers. He said to her, one day when she was in extreme pain, My dear, Jesus Christ loves little children; and loves to hear them pray. If he were to come into the room now and say, Catherine, I will grant you any thing you ask of me,' what would you ask?' She replied, "I would ask him to give me submission to his will." Though she had not long learned to write, as she recollected a promise made to an elderly lady in the country, she began a little upon her slate; which she was not permitted to finish. The following is extracted from it,' and shews the prevailing disposition of her mind: "My dear Cousin, I have had many affiictions; but it is needfull should be weaned from this world, and my affections set on things above, where there is no sorrow, but where there are pleasures for evermore. I find sin enter so much into my thoughts, that I cannot pray as I ought. I am at present very poorly. Pray remember me at a throne of grace; and may I have resignation to the Divine Will. Soon after this it pleased God to put an end to her sorrows by death, when about 11 years of age. The following is an account of the closing scene of her life, as sent to the minister by her parents: "On Tuesday night," says her father, "I was called into her chamber about 12 o'clock. She was in great pain, and labouring for breath, and to all appearance dying. In broken accents she said to me, "I should like to speak to my sisters, for I have but a few more words to speak in this world; but may breath will not let me." In about a quarter of an hour her breath was a little better, and, in a very placid tone, she called her sisters, and said, "Kiss me: good bye; prepare to meet your God: remember the words of a dying sister; I am a good deal younger than you, but I am going first. "Seek God while he may be found, call upon him while he is near," and you will be happy. Look to Jesus; you will never repent seeking him too young. Give my love to my dear absent sister and tell her to seek God, and she will be happy." She then affectionately said to the servant," Thank you for what you have done for me. Seek Jesus, and you will never repent it in a dying hour." She then kissed her mother and me, saying, "Good bye; do not grieve; we shall soon meet again, to part no more!" About one o'clock her mother said she is going to sleep. She replied, "It is to sleep in Jesus then, I believe." Soon after this, recovering a little, she said, "It is not the will of my heavenly Father that I should go just yet." She continued all the next day in extreme pain; but with such a placid countenance, that it was delightful to look upon her. As she sat opposite the window, her eyes were continually lifted up. dear, I suppose you are thinking of Her mother said, ‹ Mỹ Heaven.' She replied, “Yes, the that I may contemplate on the Lord hath spared me a little longer, glory I am going to enjoy," During prived of speech. the day, she was several times deWhen she recovered it she said, "I can say by sweet experience, "Jesus can make a dying bed," &c. A little after, seeing her mother in tears, she said, "Why do you grieve, my dear mother, you know I am going to be happy. I shall have no more pain nor sickness. You will soon follow me, and we shall love cach other better there than we do here; for in Heaven it is all love." Towards the close of the day she said, "I have a very little while to be here, let me hear your sweet voice once more in prayer." A little before she departed, her mother desired her, if her happiness continued, to lift up her hand. This she did, and expired in her arms. A. ། REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of THE degree of esteem which belongs Deeply sensible of the utility of such In these memoirs the author has not been wanting in attention to the facts related by other biographers. -His narrative follows the author from the first opening of his powers to their maturity through all the works which he published; presenting at once to the reader the order of their publication, the circumstances which gave rise to them, and a modest and just critique upon each production of his pen. As the remarks on such of the Doctor's Works as related to the Trinitarian Controversy are, in our judgment, more just and scriptural than any we have seen, select an extract from this part of the we shall memoirs: "Dr. Watts studied the doctrine of the Trinity, as some Indian devotees are said to have contemplated the sun, till their own sight was darkened. The Doctor had read upon all sides of the question; was grieved at the XIV. angry spirit in which the controversy was conducted, and imagined, good man! that it was possible to reconcile contending parties by some modest and candid statements. "It is my opinion," said he, “that a fair, easy, and intelligible scheme of the TrinitaScripture, would be the noblest and rian doctrine, agreeable to the Holy securest guard agianst the Arian and Socinian errors, for then there would be no pretence to deny it." This may be true; but the question is, who shall draw up this " telligible scheme" of a doctrine, on easy and inall hands confessed to be sublime and incomprehensible mysa most tery? What was the Doctor's success, with certainly the best qualifications for such an attempt, we shall now proceed to enquire." After a concise analysis of the Docfollowing brief remarks on his favourtor's dissertations, the writer adds the ite hypothesis: "As to the pre-existence of Christ's human soul, however convenient it may be to account for some circumstances, as his appearance under a human form, &c. it is very difficult to conceive how he could be the second Adam, the son of our first progenitor, if in his human nature he was formed before him. If the soul be the chief part of the man, as we usually conby a strong figure only, can he be the sider it, then very imperfectly, and Son of Man! "As to the pre-existence of Christ's covenant of grace, if we admit any human soul, to form a party in the distinctions in the Divine Being, sufficient to warrant the, use of the personal pronouns we and us; I, thou, and he; which are common and freScripture, quent throughout both testaments of that is surely sufficient to admit the idea of a covenant between difficulty in conceiving the human those parties; and if there be a nature to be pledged to such engage. ments, especially to sufferings and death, before it was called into exist ence, there is no less dificulty in the contrary supposition; for a creature suggestions of the Divine Will: the could not be at liberty to refuse, the perfect creature, he must acquiesce in it. moment that it is made known to a hypothesis, at least to me use made "Ano her strong objection to this of it by Dr. Watts is, that it inverts the Scripture economy. There we find the human nature of our Lord, first obeying, suffering, dying; and then, in conseqnence raised to the throne of glory. But this scheme represents his human soul, immediately on its existence, endued with divine powers to create and govern the world; and becoming of course, in its union with the Deity, the object of religious adoration. Afterwards, indeed, this exalted spirit is supposed to stoop so low as to assume a body, an essential part surely of human nature, and necessary to its perfection! And it is not easy to conceive how it could be an act of great humility for one who was properly a servant (because a creature) of however high rank, to assume a servant's form; but it is a much greater difficulty to explain how Jesus could be exalted to new and superior honours, if indeed his human soul had been employed, as this hypothesis supposes, as the Creator and Governor of the universe. "As to the distinction between a real, modal, or scriptural Trinity, it is too metaphysical for Christianity, which was intended for the simplest of the common people; and I believe it would puzzle the most acute philosophers to define a medium between real and modal. That hypothesis, however, which represents the human nature as united to the Divine, without personal distinction, supposes the Father himself incarnate, subject to sufferings and death; and confounds the distinction between the sacred Three. "The doctrine of the Trinity is not founded on a few detached passages of Scripture. It is woven into 'the constitution of the sacred language of the Old Testament; and in the New, though not systematically defined, it is constantly implied, and in many places sufficiently expressed, as the Doctor has largely shewn, though he has weakened the force of his own argument by reducing the doctrine to little more than a Trinity of Dames." To these Memoirs is added a selection of the Doctor's correspondence, which is curious and entertaining; and illustrates several passages of his life. We have observed a few mistakes, which we think it our duty to point out for future correction, tho' they do not affect the general character of the work. Page 15, It is said, "The Doctor spent the remainder of his days in Sir T. Abney's family at Newington Green." It should have been Stoke Newington. The house is that which was built by Sir T. Gunston; on whose death, just before the finishing of it, the Doctor wrote the Elegy in his Lyric Poems. It is now inhabited by J. Eade, Esq. Page 36, Is the following quotation from the Doctor's preface to his Ruin and Recovery: "I have endeavoured throughout the whole to relieve and soften all the barsher and more obnoxious parts of this doctrine of original sin," &c. Upon which the author thus remarks: "How far it may be necessary or allowable to relieve or soften the apparent harshnes of Scripture doctrine, I confess, I have my doubts," &c. We think that it admits of no doubt that it is unnecessary and unallowable. But the Doctor's meaning seems mistaken: He did not refer to Scripture doctrines, but to human interpretations of them. In several places we observe a respectful reference to "Mr. Palmer's Life of Dr. Watts:"this is not quite accurate. The pamphlet referred to is an edition of Johnson's Life of Watts, with Notes and an Appendix, intended to correct some errors in that celebrated writer, and supply some defects; but Mr. Palmer was not author of the Life, but of the Notes and Appendix. In this Mr. Palmer (whom our present biographer has followed) gives a statement of the Doctor's last sentiments; and incontestibly proves that the common report of a change in them before his death was utterly groundless. account is also given of all the MSS. which he left, and some extracts. Au In a note 57, it is said, that in this work is given a specimen of the Doctor's animadversions on Mr. Tomkins; "but they were never wholly pubJished." This is a mistake: the entire correspondence between these two able writers, was published two or three years ago, in a pamphlet entitled, "Correspondence between the Rev. Dr. Isaac Watts and the Rev. Martin Tomkins, concerning the Worship of the Holy Spirit," &c. Notwithstanding these oversights we have read this tract with pleasure, and doubt not but it will be generally` acceptable to the religious world. Thornton Abbey; a series of Letters on Religious Subjects. 3 vol. 12MD, 125. WERE this work written on any other subject than religion, we should REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. not hesitate to call it a Novel, in the form of Letters: but that name has been too much degraded to be admitted into religious literature. Mr. Fuller, who has honoured the book with a short preface, gives the following ac count of the author: "The Author of the following work was the late Mr. John Satchell, of Kettering. It is with pleasure I express, not only my approbation of its leading sentiments, but the regard I feel for the memory of my friend. I was not intimately acquainted with him till within a few years of his death; but during that period I saw in him much to esteem. To serious cheerfulness, frankness, kindness, and generosity, were added a lively imagination, a fertile invention, and a certain spring of soul which would not suffer him to live inactive.. Whatever his hands found him to do, he did it with his might. "Having observed that much evil was conveyed to the rising generation, by the enchanting works of fiction, it was his wish to convey truth and godliness through that medium. His turn of mind was adapted to this manner of writing. His characters, though fictitious, were to him real. He would sorrow in their sorrows, rejoice in their joys, and frequently bedew his papers with tears. Being a close observer of human nature, he has exibited a faithful representation of human life." The introduction to the work gives the following account of the principal characters introduced. Mr. Neville is the bigotted, though benevolent descendant of an ancient Catholic family: he has two daughters, one of whom, the amiable Eusebia, is a principal person in the subsequent narrative. Mr. Mr. Barnwell, was the son of a Jamaica planter, who came rich to England, and purchased an estate bearing the name of his family. Upon his father's death he married, and had four children, one only of whom (Miranda) lived to maturity, and became the intimate friend of Eusebia Neville. Barnwell's wife's sister, Mrs. Worthington, the widow of a West India merchant, appears to be a very pious intelligent woman, a Dissenter from principle, and a warm friend to vital) godliness. Mr. Barnwell, on the contrary, professed the strongest attachment to the Church of England; but was a great admirer of the stage. Mr. Clifford, the head of a third family was an avowed sceptic, and his son Charles, a man of fashion and gallantry. In the course of the narrative, their 515 families become intimately acquainted, and therefrom arise most of the subsequent incidents: several matrimo-. nial connections, persecution, — and, in the end, the conversion of the whole, chiefly through the pious letters of Mrs. Warburton. In perusing these volumes, we found them well written, and were often fascinated with the story; yet we cannot in justice conceal that some circumstances appear to us unnatural, and romantic. Nothing is more pleasing to a pious mind than to read the conversion of those who oppose the Gospel ; — - yet, that all the characters in the story should be converted, even the Catholic priest, and a family of Jews, that all these should be successively converted, appeared so extraordinary as to give the history an air of incredibility, which is greatly heightened by this circumstance, that they no sooner become Christians than they become Dissenters, not accepting Signor Albino himself: and most of them in the end submit together to adult baptism, and join a church of that denomination in a neighbouring village. This circumstance, with the uniform aversion discovered throughout to all religious establishments, will, we fear, in great measure, confine these excellent letters to Dissenters, when we could wish them a much wider circulation. As a specimen of the Author's style, we give the following extract: "Miss Barnwell spent her time at her needle, in reading the Holy Scriptures, in attending upon divine worship, and conversing with her aunt, who was a lady of an excellent understanding. "Of all her acquaintance in the country, there were none whom she esteemed equally to the Miss Nevilles : indeed their regard for each other was sincere; and, as they lived but four miles asunder, they were frequently together. From these young ladies she received several letters upon common-place subjects, and about the news of the day, to which she returned answers of a similar kind. But when she had been with her aunt about nine months, she ventured to touch on religious subjects. The following is an extract from her letter: But "You tell me the country is mopish and melancholy without me. indeed, ladies, if you expect that kind of pleasure in my company which you formerly experienced, you will be mistaken. 1 am no longer the Miranda Barnwell I was. Eternity, my dear friends, is coming on with hasty steps, to take place of Time; our fleeting moments, therefore, ought to be better employed than in vain amusements. I pray that my dear young friends may escape the wrath to come; and that they may be convinced, that nothing can recommend them to the divine favour but the obedience and sufferings of the Redeemer; since they only are the righteousness in which a guilty sinner can appear at the awful tribunal of God with comfort. I too well know that you will think it impertinent in me to undertake to teach you in things of this nature; but I should think any longer silence inexcusable in the sight of God; and henceforth it is he whom I intend first and chiefly to please. "The singular respect I have for you, ladies, induces me to pray the Father of mercies, that you may be led to examine upon what your hope of eternal life is founded. Believe me, my dear friends, or rather believe the word of God, that it is not a penance prescribed, nor an absolution pronounced, either by a Catholic or Protestant priest, which can take away sins; that only can be effected by the blood of Jesus Christ." Jewish Prophecy the sole Criterion between Genuine and Spurious Christian Scripture; or an humble Attempt to remove the grand Obstacles to the Conversion of Jews and Deists, &c. Preached before the Re, Dr. Gretton, Archdeacon of Essex, at his Vi sitation, holden at Danbury, &c. By F. Stone, M. A. F. S. A. Rector of Cold Norton, &c. 8vo, 1s. 6d. WE perfectly agree with a certain Socinian Reviewer, that "a bolder Unitarian Sermon we have never seen than this which was delivered at a Visitation:" and we use the term bold in the worst sense. It is indeed a daring attempt to rob the Saviour of all his divine honours, and to stab the Church of which the preacher is an unworthy member, in her vitals, even in the moment he is nourished in her bosom, and in the presence of an assembly of her sons. Truly may she take up the lamentation of her Lord, "He that eateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me." To justify the severity of this cen sure, it is enough to remark, that under pretence of conforming the New Testament with the Old, he reprobates almost all its peculiar doctrines, and rejects such parts of the Scripture as most evidently reveal them, particu larly the two first chapters of Saint Matthew's Gospel. This is done under the pretence of proselyting Jews and Deists to Christianity; but appears to us far more likely to create infidels than to convert them. If indeed Christianity be reduced to natural religion, superadding only the mission of Jesus as a prophet raised up from among his brethren, and in no other respect above them;-if we thus reduce Christianity, it is of little consequence by what name we are distinguished, Jews or Christians, Pagan or Mabometans; the latter, in the opinion of our Author, entertaining "more rational and consistent ideas of the Supreme Being than many Christians," those he means who believe the doctrines of the Trinity, the atonement, and other peculiarities of divine Revelation. SELECT LIST OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. A New Selection of 700 Evangelical. Hymns (many original) intende! as a Supplement to Dr. Watts's Psalins and Hymus. By J.Dobell. 13mo, 4s.6d. bd. No. 16, Missionary Transactions, rs. Baptism: an Address, by P. Edwards, second edition, 6d. |