Should I be instrumental in the salvation of but one among them, I should think myself but too well recompensed for all the labours and dangers by which you endeavoured to affright me." With these sentiments he entered on his work; and it is. said, that his success corresponded with his zeal and intrepidity; so that great numbers of those wretched people were brought to embrace the Christian faith. THOUGHTS ON RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES; What Benefits may be expected from the Establishment of MAN is a being formed for society: his nature, his desires, his wants, his enjoyments, all equally impel him to seek society. Could you communicate to him every blessing in a state of solitude, he would gladly relinquish all for the advantages resulting from society. We see men everywhere forming themselves into societies for the purposes of trade and commerce, and on many civil occasions, the benefits of such associations are great, and universally acknowledged. What wonderful edifices have been erected, what monuments of gratitude raised, what misery has been relieved, by the union of many in one common cause! And can societies of a religious nature exist, without reciprocal advantages to be derived by all concerned? All worshipping assemblies come under this designation; but the benefits flowing from them we need not enumerate; we trust we have appreciated them. But our present subject refers more immediately to religious societies for prayer, praise, and religious conversation. Imagine the condition of a traveller, who is compelled in solitude to walk through an intricate track of country, beset with snares, and infested by robbers; where he is in danger every moment of taking a wrong step; and every wrong step may produce, if not his rain, yet a very considerable interruption to his peace, and much retard his progress. What joy must fill his breast at the prospect of being joined by one or two more, travelling the same journey! what vast benefits are likely to result from their mutual encouragements, counsels, and cautions! will they not more courageously, more successfully oppose their enemies? and though the road be dangerous, and the snares many, yet the pleasures and benefits flowing from each other's society, will sweeten every bitter, and beguile the otherwise tediousness of their journey. Here it may be useful to ask, What benefits have been received by other persons in religious societies? These may rationally be expected by us. If we enquire of them, they will, among others, enumerate such as the following: I. Relief when tempted, afflicted, or fallen; arising, 1. From sympathy; which has a natural tendency to alleviate our trouble, and lighten our burdens. 2. From a consideration that (others being led in the same way with ourselves) we are prone to decide on our experience as singular; but by mutual intercourse with the saints, we find others are tried and exercised as we are. 3. This will be confirming to our mind, as it proves the unity of religion; and will furnish us with a suitable reply to the suggestions of Satan, &c. II. If the presence of Christ be accounted a benefit, this may. be expected; because it is promised, "Whore two or three are met," &c.- this must include, 1. Support, — 2. Joy,— and, 3. Life. "In the light of this King's countenance is life." III. If the increase and establishment of Christ's kingdom be a benefit, this may be expected. 1. From cordial co-operation of the members of such societies; 2. From their united prayers; 3. From the emanation resulting from the good example of others. IV. This is the way to obtain spiritual blessings: "If any two of you shall agree touching any thing that ye shall ask," &c. V. Such societies give us some view of the happiness of Heaven: their felicity is not insulated nor single, the plural is ever used: -"They sung a new song; they cried O Lord, how long," &c. VI. If circumspection in our walk be a benefit, this may be expected for although the habits of holiness, in a believer, result from a principle within; yet we must have but small acquaintance with the frame of the human mind, not to know that the bonds of such societies have strong effects to excite and cherish watchfulness, &c. VII. Benefits will likewise accrue to the minister who attends such religious associations. How can he speak a word in season to the weary, of whose case he is ignorant! or warn those who are in danger, with whose snares he is unacquainted! &c. And in the growth of the members of such societies in grace, and in every good word and work, he will, with unfeigned pleasure, discover the blessing of God on his labours. In short, the benefits to be expected are numerous, and of the first magnitude. We have the command of God, and the example of the Saints, to justify our assembling together; and let us ever remember, "That a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.” Westminster. S. ON THE SORROW NOT TO BE REPENTED OF. Rev. Sir, To the Editor. PERMIT me to request you to insert in your Magazine a truly valuable Letter of that great man of God, Bishop Hall, to his sister, Mrs. Brinsley, "On the Sorrow not to be repented of." As it has afforded me great support and consolation under the pressure of very painful doubts and fears, I should be glad for, it to find a place in your useful Magazine; hoping others may receive much spiritual advantage from the same, and have cause to bless God that it was printed. Clerkenwell. I ain, Sir, with great respect, H. L. "It is seldom seen that a silent grief speeds well; for either a man must have strong hands of resolution to strangle it in his bosom, or else it drives him to some secret mischief: whereas, sorrow revealed is half remedied; and even abates in the uttering. Your grief was wisely disclosed; and shall be as strenuously answered. I am glad of your sorrow; and should weep for you, if you did not thus mourn. Your sorrow is, that you cannot grieve for your sins. Let me tell you, That the angels themselves sing at this lamentation; neither doth the earth afford so sweet music in the cares of God. This heaviness is the way to joy. Worldly sorrow is worthy of pity, because it leadeth to death; but this deserves nothing but envy and congratulation. If those tears were coinmon, Hell would not so enlarge itself. Never sin, repented of, was punished; and never any thus mourned and repented not. Lo, you have done that which you grieve you have not done! That good God, whose act is his will, accounts of our will as our deed! If he required sorrow proportionable to the heinousness of our sins, there were no end of our mourning! Now his mercy regards not so much the measure, as the truth of it; and accounts us to have that which we complain to want. I never knew any truly penitent, who, in the depth of his reinorse, was afraid of sorrowing too much; nor any unrepentant who wished to sorrow more. Yea, let me tell you, that this sorrow is better, and more than that deep heaviness for sin which you desire. Many have been vexed with an extreme remorse for some sin, from the gripes of a galled conscience, which yet never came where true repentance grew; whom the conscience plays at once the accuser, witness, judge, and tormentor; but au earnest grief for the want of grief, was never found in any but a gracious heart. You are happy, in and complain. Tell me, I beseech you, this sorrow you mourn to want: is it a grace of the Spirit of God, or not? If not, Why do you sorrow to want it? If it be, oh, how happy is it to grieve for want of grace! The God of all truth and blessedness has said, "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after rightcousness;" and, with the same breath, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted!" You say, you mourn Christ saith," You are blessed." You say, you mourn: Christ saith, "You shall be comforted." Either now distrust your Saviour, or else confess your own happiness, and, with patience, expect his promised consolation. What do you fear? You see others stand like strong oaks, unshaken, unremoved. You are but a reed, a feeble plant, tossed and bowed with every wind, and, with much agitation bruised. Lo, you are in tender and favourable hands, that never brake any whom their sins bruised! never bruised any whom temptations have bowed. You are but flax; and your best is not a flame, but an obscure smoke of grace. Lo, here his Spirit is as a soft wind, not as cold water; he will kindle, but will never quench you. The sorrow you want is his gift. Take heed, lest while you vex yourself with dislike of the measure, you grudge at the Giver. Beggars may not chuse. This portion he has vouchsafed to give you; if you have any, it was more than he was bound to bestow. Yet you say, What, no more? as if you took it unkindly that he is no more liberal. Even these holy discontentments are dangerous. Desire more (as much as you can) but repine not when you do not attain. Desire, but so as you be free from impatience, free from unthankfulness. Those that have tried, can say, How difficult it is to complain, with due reservation of thanks. Neither know I which is worse; to long for good things impatiently, or not at all to desire them. The fault of your sorrow is rather in your conceit than in itsself; and if indeed you mourn not enough, stay but God's leisure, and your eyes shall run over with tears. How many do you see sport with their sins, yea brag of them! how many that should die for want of pastime, if they might not sin freely, - and more freely talk of it! What a saint are you to those that can droop under the me mory of the frailty of youth, and never think you have spent enough of tears! Yet so I encourage you in what you have, as one that persuades you not to desist from suing for more. is good to be covetous of grace, and to have our desires herein enlarged with our receipts. Weep still, and still desire to weep; but let your tears be as the rain in the sunshine, - comfortable and hopeful; and let not your longing savour of murmur or distrust. These tears are reserved, this hunger shall be satisfied, this sorrow shall be comforted! There is nothing betwixt God and you-but time. Prescribe not to his wisdom, hasten not his inercy. His grace is enough for you; his glory shall be more than enough! 4 F It MRS. TITLEY. Dbituary. Or women, history says, comparatively, very little. In two cases they have excited notice, when they have filled elevated stations, and when they have discovered singular abilities. But such females have not always been the most deserving of attention: real devotedness to God, in whatever cir cumstances it is to be found, is far superior to the claims of rank or of genius, in the view of him whose judgment is always according to truth." Dorcas is raised from the dead, not for her birth or her talents, but because she made gar ments for the poor Beauty is deceitful, and favour is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised !” "A gracious woman retaineth honour!"" "When you come to write of many excellent characters, you find." says a judicious writer, "a scarcity of materials; their lives resemble the services of some invaluable domestics in a family. Such bear the burden and heat of the day, and tread the path of duty over and over again, with fidelity and care; but the history of the week is the history of their lives: and, though their lives seem but the course of a week repeated, yet steadily to repeat such weeks;-to persevere through weariness and toil, with the noblest aim; to tug up the hill Efficulty with uniform labour, unrefreshed by variety of road, or intervals of rest," -demands principles which, if not highly esteemed among men, are in reality the most useful and the most honourable. Such was the worthy woman who forins the subject of this short Memoir. She was early called, by divine grace, under the ministry of the Rev. Mr, Berridge: early too, she became a sufferer for her adherence to the gospel, being expelled, wholly unprovided for, from her family by her friends: 66 All the world before her where to chuse Her place of rest; and Providence her guide." But she honoured God; and God honoured her. It would not be necessary, even if the writer of this account had the information, to mention the series of events by which she was led to this city; and fixed, by marriage, in the truly hospitable family in which she died. It is the Christian he is looking atter, to present to his readers; and that, not to magnity but that we may know "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!" a worm, Her religion was very habitual, and unostentatiously devotional: it spread thro' the whole character, and produced a beautiful evenness and consistency; it discovered itself more in effects than words. “While many were making the noise, she was doing the work." She was not destitute of a spiritual home: she found it her duty and her privilege to belong to a Christian church, and to walk in holy communion. Unlike those religious vagabonds, who rove from place to place, not knowing of a Sabbath-day-morning where to go, or on whose ministry to implore a blessing, she knew her place; and was always found in it. While others sought to gratify itching ears, she looked for solid profit; and her profiting appeared unto all. It would be doing her an act of injustice not to observe one trait in her character, which singularly appeared. benevolence will not be denied; cannot be questioned. The blessing of numbers, who were more occasionally or more constantly assisted by her, came upon her. Compassion peculiarly falls in with the province, and harmonizes with the nature of women, who are not only more susceptible of tender impressions, by the delicacy of their frame, than men, but called to pass * Cecil's Life of Cadogan. - Her |