bered with the cares of this mortal state than I could have expected. I have now the enjoyment of health, friends, food, and raiment. O my soul, bless the Lord! that though thou hast many times been cast down and disquieted, yet thou art enabled to rejoice in thy Redeemer, and to live on the grace and faithfulness of a God that cannot lie:> and though thou art frequently molested and disturbed by the adversary of souls, by a tempting and an alluring world, and by the depravity that still remains in thee, yet thou shalt not be finally overcome! The victory is sure-thou must still fight thy warfare is not yet ended-thou hast probably a thousand more con

experienced any drawings of the Holy Spirit-whether she possessed the evidences of those drawings, viz. holy desire, love, prayer, and a willing obedience to the commands of Christ: this solicitude increasing, God was pleased to manifest himself to her soul in such a way, that her doubts were quickly dissipated, and her views of salvation rendered clear and supporting. "By the eye of faith," she writes, "I contemplated the cross, and the glorious victim that bled thereon; I was constrained to cry out 'O Lord, how sinful a creature am I' I was then immediately enabled to look to the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ, and found that it spoke peace to my soul: I then saw myself desti-flicts to pass through; but fear not, tute of all righteousness, and cast myself wholly on Christ; in this act I felt a joy and satisfaction that I cannot describe."

for greater is he that is for thee than
all those that are against thee!
Jesus is gone up on high; he has led
captivity captive. O may I ever, a
poor unworthy sinner, be permitted
to live on the fulness of an all-suffi-
cient Saviour, who ever liveth to in-
tercede for the vilest that come unto
God by him: may I ever be enabled
to honour his dear name below, that
I may dwell with him in that world
of bliss, where I shall sin no more,
and where God shall wipe all
tears from my eyes.

" There shall I see his face,
And never, never sin;
There from the rivers of his grace

Drink endless pleasures in.'"

After this, she began to think of devoting herself to Christ by baptism: "I was willing," she says, "to do what I thought was the will of God. I wished not only to have a name to live, but to live indeed; to live by the faith of the Son of God, and to bring forth the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. Having perceived that it was my duty to submit to the ordinance of baptism, I signified my desire to some friends of the Baptist denomination, and the church in Badcox-lane readily received me, a poor unworthy sinner, into fellow- This excellent woman was at ship. I have great reason to bless God length brought to that period in for that spiritual help and consola- which a lingering consumption adtion I have received from the mi- monished her, that the Lord was nistry of good Mr. Kingdon, and at hand. Her long converse with that I have frequently left public heaven had, through the influences worship rejoicing in my Lord and of the Holy Spirit, raised her above Saviour. I bless the name of the those tormenting fears which intimiLord not only for the comfort I have date the heart, and darken the prosenjoyed, but for the troubles I have pects of the sinner. Resting on the endured; because those trials have atonement of Jesus, and the protaught me many useful lessons, mises of an unchanging God, she humbled my soul, and helped me to looked across the gulf of death with depend on Christ for wisdom, righ- placid firmness, and waited on its teousness, sanctification, and re- brink with patience, till her heademption. He has been pleased to venly Father should call her home. provide for me a comfortable situa- Her hope, as she drew near the tion, by which I am able to tread grave, was not accompanied with the path of life with much less diffi- that expansion and elevation of the culty than many of my fellow-crea- spirits with which some dying betures, and am much less encum-lievers have been favoured, but she

was serious, calm, and spiritual till she fell asleep in Jesus, leaving behind her a name embalmed with the richest odours of piety.

I cannot prevail on myself to finish this account, without transcribing part of a devotional exercise, which shows the interest which this amiable saint felt in the happiness of her minister, and of the church of which she was so great an ornament.

just, and good." Thus taught of
God, he could say—

"Till now I saw no danger night,
I liv'd at ease, nor fear'd to die:
Wrapt up in self-conceit and pride,
I shall have peace at last, I cried.
But when, great God, thy light divine,
Had shone on this dark soul of mine,
Then I beheld, with trembling awe,
The terrors of thy holy law."

Through mercy it was not long before he saw, that "Christ is the "O thou compassionate and lov-end of the law for righteousness to ing Jesus, who art ever mindful of thy church, and graciously inclined to supply the wants of thy needy children; thou hearest when the young ravens cry, and feedest them; how much more, then, wilt thou supply those whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood! I adore thee, blessed God, that thou hast heard and answered the prayers of thy church: when thou wast pleased to take away, by death, thy dear aged servant, thou didst send us another dear pastor

May the Lord make him a long and lasting blessing to thy church; pour down the choicest of thy blessings on him and his family; may he at all times feel thee near and precious to his soul; may he daily receive fresh supplies of grace, that he may stand up with all boldness, and declare the whole counsel of God, with liberty of heart and tongue; may he feed on the precious truths he delivers to others, so

that we may all rejoice together, and increase with all the increase of God."

S. S.

MR. WILLIAM CUBITT.

every one that believeth;" and in him he trusted for salvation the remnant of his days. In the year 1792 he was baptized, and joined the Baptist church at Ingham, Norfolk. Living in a dark village, he soon felt a warm desire to be useful to his neighbours, and was very earnest in prayer to God for their salvation. With a view to their good, and God's glory, he opened his school-room on Saturday évenings, and read to them Mr. Burder's Village Sermons, &c.; frequently dropping very interesting sentences as he read. Not having a talent for preaching, he invited two or three ministers, who lived in the neighbourhood, to preach in his school-room, when they had opportunity; and much did it rejoice his heart to see several persons attend. But it was several years after, before the gospel was preached there on Lord's-days; as those ministers were engaged with their respective churches and congregations. In the year 1808, he heard of Mr. Allen, of Norwich, who was at that time disengaged : he came ; and, by his preaching, a larger congregation was collected. This sight much rejoiced the heart of our friend, as he had often prayed that the Lord would raise a cause for Christ in his

MR. WILLIAM CUBITT was born native village. For several years he May 21, 1759, at Neatishead, in the found it difficult to support the county of Norfolk. He was brought preacher, as he had to do it chiefly up a strict churchman, but having himself; afterwards, it pleased the a brother-in-law a dissenter, a dea- Lord to send a person of considercon of a Baptist church, he fre-able property to live in the neighquently went with him the distance bourhood, who constantly attended, of seven miles to worship among and was very useful; other persons dissenters. By this means the Lord was pleased to shine into his soul, and to discover to him his state as a breaker of that law which is "holy,

*The Rev. J. Hooke, of Ingham; J. T. Beard, of Worsted; and Charles Chamberlain, of Warwick.

minister to preach a funeral sermon
from 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, "I have
fought a good fight," &c. A friend,
who visited him, was noticing his
usefulness in the cause of the Sa-
viour: to which he replied, with
tears in his eyes, (which were expres-
sive of the humility of his mind,)
"I have done nothing! I have
done nothing! I am an unprofitable
servant; yet I bless the Lord that
he gave me a heart for these things;
and Oh! that many may have to bless
God on this account when I am

66

also of respectability came to hear, |
and the school-room became too
small for the congregation. Fre-
quently did our friend solicit the ad-
vice and assistance cf Christians
with whom he was acquainted, re-
lative to building a house for the
Lord. To the joy of his heart, in
the spring of the year 1810, a few re-
latives and friends were collected,
who consulted on what was best to
be done, in reference to the erection
of a place of worship. Prayer was
offered to God for his direction and
blessing; a subscription of eighty-dead." At another time, when he
seven pounds was made, and a plan was asked what was the state of
formed for building a meeting-house, his mind: he said, "Calm and
by those persons, some of whom easy." During the forenoon, he
were members of a neighbouring called his children around his bed,
Baptist church. A double concern and lifted up his eyes and heart to
for the inhabitants of that village God on their behalf; but could utter
was felt by individuals, it being only a little. At one time, when
their native place. And here another looking at his dear wife, he said,
proof of the love of our friend to the "I wish it were over! I am
Redeemer's interest was manifested, dying, but am calm." After this, a
who, though he had a weak consti- friend said to him, "Though you
tution, and a school to attend, took cannot speak, you can signify that
all the concerns upon himself to pro- Jesus is precious to you, by squeez-
cure teams to convey the materials ing my hand;" which he did, and
for the place of worship to the looked very happy. And when one
ground appointed for its erection, said to him, You will soon be with
&c.; and much did it rejoice his your Lord; he replied, "I hope I
heart, to find many of his neighbours shall." As it respects his experience
very friendly in assisting to get the in general, though he had at all
materials together. When the day times a good hope, through grace,
arrived that the building was finish-yet he had many fears of his interest
ed, great was the happiness that he
experienced. A church formed; a
minister (Mr. William Spingeon)
ordained; and himself a deacon in
the little society. For several years
before his death, he had been at-
tacked with a disorder on his lungs;
and in the summer of the year 1814,
he was so sharply seized, that he was
obliged to give up his school, not
being able to speak without injuring
himself. From this attack, he a little
recovered, so that he was enabled to
get to the house of the Lord. On
the 29th of November, 1814, early in
the morning, he was suddenly seized
with a pain in his chest, and could
scarcely speak without a groan. He
requested his pastor, and his friends,
to be sent for, who came and prayed
with him; but it was seldom that he
could speak, except a little in the fore-
noon, at which time he requested his

VOL. IX.

in Christ. Frequently, during his
health, he was as if tossed about
upon the ocean; but when he was
dying, the wind ceased, and there
was a calm! After conflicting with
the pangs of death from one o'clock
in the morning till half-past five in
the evening, he breathed his last, on
Tuesday, November 29, 1814, in
the fifty-sixth year of his age.

Thus died this useful servant of
the Lord, whom he had raised up to
aid the cause of the Saviour in a be-
nighted village. May others, by this
example, be stimulated to "
go and
do likewise." He was buried in the
ground belonging to the meeting,
according to his request; at which
time his pastor preached on the oc-
casion, from Matthew, xxiv. 44," Be
ye also ready: for in such an hour as
ye think not the Son of man
cometh,"

2 M

1

Review.

The Confessions of an Arian Minister; containing a Narrative of his Conversion, and exhibiting his present Views of the principal Doctrines of the Gospel: in a Letter to his Son. By William Gellibrand. Williams & Co. Stationers'-court.

THE triumphs of the gospel are not more visible in the conversion of avowed unbelievers, by turning them from vice and profligacy, than in that of those who have arrogated to themselves the title of rational Christians; when their lofty looks, and high thoughts, are brought into subjection to the obedience of Christ. The advocates of evangelical truth have been lately furnished with some splendid examples of its influence in this respect. We have heard of one who desired a Socinian minister to come and reside in the place where he dwelt; who urged as a reason, alluding to the Trinitarian doctrines, "that the whole city was given to idolatry." This gentleman is now resting his hopes of eternal salvation upon these despised doctrines! and the pamphlet before us affords another instance of the enlightening, humbling, and sanctifying effects of the doctrines of grace; which we suppose will astound the late friends of the author, and lead them again to exclaim against the spread of fanaticism and madness! As, however, Mr. Gellibrand seems to us to have produced sufficient proofs of sobriety and sanity, we shall gratify our readers with giving a short sketch of these " Confessions," hoping they will not be satisfied without perusing the whole.

Mr. Gellibrand was educated at Hoxton, under the late Drs. Savage and Kippis, and the present Dr. Rees. He succeeded Dr. Price at Newington-green, where he preached two years; removed to Ringwood, where he remained several years; and in 1792 settled at Brentford, in Middlesex. Of this period of his

ministry he remarks," that he felt little, or no interest, in the services of religion; that the cold, the dry, and the uninteresting scheme he had embraced, could not keep it alive in his soul; and, therefore, in 1797, he resolved on giving up the ministry, notwithstanding the earnest entreaties of his friends to continue it." He adds, “But no entreaty could prevail upon me to continue to perform services in which my heart was not engaged. I was hastening fast to a state of irreligion and unbelief; I was immersed in the pursuits, in the pleasures, and Oh!`sad to relate, in many of the vices of the world!" What an awful spectacle! and yet this gentleman was courted to continue in his office! What an idea does this give us of the state of religion in a congregation, which was satisfied with such a minister, when contrasted with the congregations of the Flavels, the Howes, or the Baxters, of a former age! "How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed!"

Two years afterwards, in the year 1805, he left the ministry, and cultivated a small farm in Hertfordshire." Here," says the author, "I expected to find that balm which might heal the wounds of the heart; and thought that being removed from the busy haunts of inen, that I should be removed from the temptations of the world: but I experienced, in retirement, the need of religion to support my virtue, and found that nothing but the grace of God could either restore the soul, or preserve it from evil. In this state of apathy and indifference to every spiritual concern, I continued till towards the latter end of the summer of 1816, at which period, I firmly believe, that the first truly Christian impression was made upon my mind."

The manner in which our author describes the means which, through a divine blessing, led to his renova

tion of heart, and consequent altera- | rate heart, and a worldly spirit. The tion of sentiments, is very affecting. following extract upon this subject, Restoring family prayer, which had will exhibit the heart of a Christian' been long laid aside, and reading father: Doddridge's Family Instructor on these occasions, appear to have been attended with the most blessed results.