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your daughter, to whose delicate pen I am already obliged; and shall be further obliged to her good-nature, if she will give me leave to present her with a set of Theron and Aspasio. If she allows these volumes to stand in her collection as a testimony of respect and gratitude from their author, I shall esteem it a favour:if they may sometimes remind her of that one grand everlasting righteousness, by which the ungodly are justified, in which believers are complete, I shall truly rejoice.

The books you sent were extremely welcome. I can relish, in the theological way, none but such writings; and now and then it is not disagreeable to me to view what is urged against our favourite tenets, though, I assure you, I' have but little ability to read. My chief reading, all the preceding winter, has been confined to some choice portions of Scripture; and, as to writing, invention stagnates, and my hand is enervated. I fear I shall not be enabled to conduct Theron in the paths of holiness, and transmit Aspasio to the realms of glory +. Douglas is, I think, a judicious and weighty performance, enough to make the tragedian astonished when he reflects on himself, and afraid when he looks forward to the great tribunal. Letters on Theron and Aspasio were sent me by the author, Mr. Sandiman. Some of his animadversions on my sentiments, I acknowledge to be just-most readily would I make this acknowledgment to the public; and thank the animadverter for pointing out real errors. It is my heart's desire and prayer to God, that whenever I have fallen into a mistake, 1 may be refuted and disregarded, that not any notion of mine, but the truth as it is in Jesus may stand. In some places he seems wilfully to misrepresent my meaning; and is not so candid as to consider one passage in connection with another. He should, in order to have acted a fair part, have animadverted upon the last edition, which, it is evident, he was not ignorant of; and which he might reasonably suppose was the least incorrect. I am apt to suspect that some people when they read his outrageous invectives against several of the best men that ever lived, and the best authors that ever wrote, will be inclined to say, his Clíristianity has extinguished his humanity.

I hope your account of the two Christian heroes who triumphed over death, will be a blessing to met-Let my latter end be like theirs! Be so good as make an apology for me to Mr. Gillespie, and to present my cordial salutations to him; and, as to yourself, you will always be entitled to the gratitude, and often be remembered in the prayers of your much obliged and affectionate humble servant,

J. HERVEYS.

* Boston's Covenant of Grace: Marrow of Divinity, with Notes, &c. A reference to a fourth volume of Theron and Aspasio, which Mr. Hervey intended, on Holiness.

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SOCINIAN EFFRONTERY

RESPECTING THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

IT has often been observed that the way of error is down hill, and that wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse. This is remarkably evident in the Socinians, who are certainly very sceptical in their religious notions, and venture on hypotheses totally subversive of Christianity. I lately noticed, in a Socinian Magazine, a paper on the Ascension of Christ; in which the writer ventures to intimate that there was no such thing as a visible and corporeal ascension.' There is no record, he says, of this in the accounts of Matthew, Mark *, or John; and as to Luke, who describes it (chap xxiv. 51, and in Acts i. 10) he asks 'Where was Luke at the time?-according to Michaelis, Evanson, &c. at Alexandria or Troas;' and then says, 'Is the solitary testimony of an absentee, satisfactory proof of a supernatural occurrence, which no person present appears to have observed? He adds, in a note, If, after his disappearance on mount Olivet (Acts i, 12), he went to stay with his relations in Galilee, he might also go to reside in the neighbourhood of Damascus, where Paul saw him!!'

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What daring effrontery is this in a man pretending to believe the scriptures! and what could Thomas Paine say more? except that no such person as Jesus Christ ever existed; which, in contradiction to the fullest historical evidence, he is said to have affirmed in his last publication. It is, however, serviceable to the cause of religion, when its opposers so far overstep the bounds of truth and common sense, that they expose their malice and folly to the weakest observer.

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A. Z.

In Mark,' the writer says, no such incident is described. An Analepsis, or taking up into heaven, is indeed recorded in the postscript, to this Gospel (xvi. 19) but not a bodily assumption.'-It was a Jewish notion, he says, that the soul, separated from the body, ascended into hea-and this is all it means. Charming criticism! How much more honest is the Deist, who rejects the Scripture altogether!

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HINTS RESPECTING SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

1st. To the Teachers of Sunday Schools. There are but few persons now disposed to doubt the utility of Sunday" Schools; but, at the same time, it is to be lamented that so few should be willing to devote a part of the Lord's Day to the important work of teaching the children of the poor to read the sacred Scriptures. Blessed be God, there are some!"" To them the following hints are addressed:

Be not weary in well-doing. The seed you now sow, may produce a plenteous harvest when you are singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Consider your respective classes as your own families while you are with them. Who knows but the Lord has sent these children to you to be taught the truth as it is in Jesus?' Speak often to your scholars, and be attentive to them all, especially to those who possess an enquiring mind. Endeavour to correct bad habits in reading, &c. and to make the children understand what they read. Be punctual in attending. By this means the work will be more delightful to you; and more good will be likely to result from your labours. Much depends upon you, under God. You answer very important ends to society, and to the church of God. Ten or twelve teachers in a Sunday School may do more good than the stated minister by his preaching. Go on then, ye servants of Christ, and of the poor. You are the persons whom I love; and may the Lord reward you!

2. To Pious Youth of both sexes. - Blessed be the Lord, my dear young friends, for calling you by his grace. If you be Christ's disciples, you wish to live to his glory. Having enlisted under his bauner, you hold yourselves in readiness for actual service whenever and wherever the great Captain of Salvation may call you. The hints above are addressed to the teachers of Sunday Schools. Would you wish to do good? go and enroll yourselves among them. Frame no small excuses. The call is urgent! and, methinks, 'tis addressed to you all. Listen to it! 'tis the call of Compassion from the Redeemer,'tis the call of Distress from thousands of poor cottagers, and from the minds of poor ignorant children, perishing for lack of knowledge! Imitate your blessed Master. Have compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the

way.

3. To Visitors, or other Superintendents of Sunday Schools.-Without your constant and prompt attendance, and watchful eye, Sunday Schools will not, cannot stand long. Much depends upon you. If you be often absent, children will absent themselves; and from your want of zeal, the teachers likewise will be apt to grow weary of attending. All Sunday Schools should be opened with prayer at a fixed hour. Then your presence is wanted. "Tis too much for your ministers always to open and close the school, and attend to all its wants and concerns. They, however, should be often invited into the school, if invitations be needful; but, in their absence, the management of the school devolves upon you. Be stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour shall not be in vain in

the Lord.'

Jons THOUGHTFUL.

EVANGELICAL LIBRARIES

IN PARISHES, VILLAGES, OR CONGREGATIONS.

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MANY are the advantages with which such institutions are attended. They are a happy mean of promoting knowledge, especially among the youth. Much time may truly be redeemed from vain amusements and evil speaking; pleasing habits of religious industry and attention are formed; yea, by this means, saving grace may be communicated to the souls of men. The allotment of a particular time for reading, with a variety of books, are powerful excitements to diligence in perusing them. A small weekly contribution among a number of persons in the same neighbourhood, will easily repay the expence of a variety of useful and excellent works. The writer knows of several such societies in Scotland; their num ber and strength are rapidly increasing. There are also many in England; and he earnestly wishes and hopes the progress of this excellent and easy method of promoting the interest of true religion, will become universal.

HINTS TO GOSPEL MINISTERS.

Part of a Letter from the late Rev. Samuel Hayward, London, to another Minister.

THE great defect in serious gospel-ministers in the present day, I apprehend, is impertinent conversation, and not labouring in private to impress upon the minds of their hearers a sense of what is delivered in public. If our visits were more religious, we might hope to find our labours more owned when we are in Christian company. Where we may use the utmost freedom, how backward are we to a serious enlivening conversation! and we can spend, perhaps, a whole evening among our less religious hearers, and not drop a single word that savours of the real power of godliness. I speak too much by experience, having often lost a disposition to converse by impertinent chat; and we are either ashamed or afraid to speak for God; or our inclination is wanting, or some trifling excuse or other keeps us from the discharge of our duty! I am often convinced of my neglect, and promise to strive against it; but am soon overcome with fear, or filled with that shameful modesty which is a great hindrance to usefulness. It is necessary that we use plainness with sinners in private (as well as publicly admonish them) and talk with them about their souls in the most serious and affectionate manner. If we would be successful, let us resolve, in a dependence on our great Master, to add this to all our other endeavours, hoping to find success, in a greater measure, crowning our imperfect labours in the conversion of souls.'

SALVATION OF THE SOUL AND BODY OF A SOLDIER. Mr. Editor,

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THE present exertions of the Naval and Military Society, occasioned my recollection of what I had read several years ago. Dr. John Evans (author of Sermons on the Christian Temper) introduces a discourse on Eccl. xi. 9, Rejoice O young man,' &c. in the following manner: Shall I be allowed to preface this discourse with relating a passage concerning an acquaintance of mine, who hath been many years since dead out of our world; but which I remember to have received when young from himself. When he was an apprentice in this city, the civil war began; his inclination led him into the army, where he had a captain's commission. It was fashionable for all sorts of that army to carry a Bible along with them; which, therefore, he and many others did, who yet made little use of it; and had hardly any sense of serious religion. At length, being commanded with his company to storm a fort, wherein they were exposed, for a little time, to the thickest of the enemy's fire,-when he had accomplished his enterprize, and the heat of the action was over, he found a musket-ball had lodged in his Bible, which lay in his pocket, upon such a part of his thigh, that it must necessarily have proved mortal to him, had it not been for this seasonable and well-placed piece of armour. Upon a nearer observation, he found the bullet had made its way so far through his Bible, as to rest directly upon that part of the first unbroken leaf where the words of the text lay. As the surprizing deliverance, you may apprehend, much affected him, so a passage which his conscience told him was very apposite to his case, and which Providence in so remarkable a way pointed to his observation, made the deepest and the best impression on his mind; so that by the grace of God, he, from that time, minded religion in earnest, and continued in the regular practice of it to a good old age; frequently making the remark with pleasure, how his Bible had been the salvation of his soul and his body too.'-See an excellent volume of Sermons to Young People,' by Dr. J. Evans, Sermon iv, page 63.—An Anecdote similar to this may be found in our 16th volume, p. 343.

ENCOURAGEMENT TO INSTRUCT OLD PERSONS.

THERE is in a sea-port town in the South of England a pious middle-aged man, who, with one or two more, spend two evenings in the week in teaching adult persons to read. One or two men, who are above forty years of age, have learnt to read with considerable accuracy a few verses in the New Testament. When these first attended, they could not read a single verse.

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