Imatges de pàgina
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If men of learning are unwilling to be broken in on, and seem to think every moment lost out of their study, let some allowance be made for those who wish to redeem the time and save their souls. I defend nothing wrong, but in rash and severe censure we seldom take a fair view of the case. It is hatred of religion, and not zeal for

God, which lies at the bottom of such censures.

The cry of nature is, What shall I do? The inquiry of an awakened soul is, What wilt thou have me to do?

We must be wise ourselves before we can understand or duly estimate the sayings of wise men.

CLERICUS OXONIENSIS.

TO A BROTHER AT THE UNIVERSITY.

MY VERY DEAR BROTHER,

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I SCARCELY know how to address you, or indeed what to say, and yet I wish to address you on your all-important eternal interests. I know you are aware of your own state with respect to spiritual things. May the God of all power and grace give you repentance unto life!" This is, indeed, an ensnaring world; where every thing tends to lead us astray from the Fountain of all good. But recollect, my dearest brother, we shall not live here for ever; we may be called into eternity at a moment's notice, and at a time when we are not aware." When you rise up in the morning, how can you know whether you shall outlive the day? Some accident may befal you, and sudden sickness may overtake you; or the omnipotent hand of your offended God may send hence without you any warning. "What manner of persons ought we to be?" You may perhaps reply, I know all this as well as you. True; but if you know and do not practice, it will only add to your condemnation. O defer not to seek after God in your early days! If you seek not the Lord now, when he calls to you by his holy word, by religious books, by sermons, by the advice of friends, or even by this letter, how know you but he may shut the door of mercy on you for ever, even in this life? My dear brother, you cannot even seek after God, or

desire good things, without the special assistance of his Holy Spirit; but this, so far from discouraging you, ought to excite your diligence in pursuit of eternal things. None ever waited upon the Lord in vain. If you seek him with all your heart, and plead the merits and death of Christ as your only hope-if you beseech him for Christ's sake to grant you his Holy Spirit, that you may be enabled to strive against sin, and to grow in grace, depend upon it "he will be found of you." Be importunate then, and cease not, day by day, to call upon God; for though he may not answer your prayers immediately (and there may be wise and gracious purposes in this delay), yet surely he will in due time satisfy the desires of your soul. Sooner shall heaven and earth pass away than one soul, who seeks for grace and mercy in the name of Jesus should be unan

wered. Christ has said, "I am the way; by me if any man enter in he shall be saved;"" him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." And St. Paul, by divine inspiration, saith, "Where. fore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them:" and can they be cast away, for whom Jesus intercedes? Let it, my beloved brother, be amongst your first petitions, that the Lord would give you a relish for spiritual things, and make you, with full purpose of heart,

seek after those eternal blessings. The chief means of grace are the word of God and prayer; let me then entreat you to read at least one chapter in the Holy Scriptures every day. And before you begin to read, beseech Almighty God, for Jesus Christ's sake, to make you understand his law-to give you grace to apply what you read, and enable you to profit by it. We have no reason to expect a blessing, even in holy acts, unless we seek it by prayer. It is written," for this thing I will be inquired of, saith the Lord."

I have heard from yourself, my dear brother, that you not unfrequently neglect private devotion. Let me eutreat you, now, to strive earnestly that nothing may prevent your daily attention to this duty. Strive against every feeling of reluctance; and, notwithstanding difficulties, still persevere. The divine blessing will rest upon you while in the path of duty. Let no feeling of disinclination-no idea that your mind is not in a fit state -that you are too wicked-or any similar suggestion of the great enemy, lead you to postpone this duty. It is a great point with the enemy of souls, if he can by any possible device keep us from prayer. He will often make us feel sleepy at the hour of devotion, or lead our wandering thoughts to subjects of earthly interest. So very subtle is he; and except we resist him in "the strength of the Lord," we are sure to be taken captive. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you; draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." Satan well knows that prayer is his most powerful enemy, for thereby we gather grace and strength from on high to resist him. We have God on our side also, who will not suffer him to prevail. No wonder, then, that Satan should use all his artifice to keep us from prayer. And even if he cannot deter us, or entice us, from praying or reading

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the word of God, he will endeavour to make our thoughts wander far away. He may, perhaps, even fill our minds with blasphemous ideas, and do us all the mischief in his power. But, blessed be God! the believer in Jesus is safe, though exposed to assaults and temptations. But then he is " kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation;" he is in the arms of that Redeemer, who "will not suffer him to be tempted above that he is able, but will with the temptation, make him a way of escape.' We know not how long we may enjoy our present privileges. Should we not, then, seek the Lord while we may, while peace and safety are vouchsafed; that when times of trouble come, we may be more established in the right, and be better able" earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." O may the Lord grant you, myself, and all we love on earth, grace to repent truly of our sins, and believe on his Son Jesus Christ! May we be enabled to mortify all our corrupt affections, and abound more and more in every fruit of the Spirit! May we glorify his holy name on earth; be "faithful unto death; and at length receive" the crown of life!" It is, indeed, a fearful thing if we refuse to embrace the offered Saviour. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Better will it be in the day of judgment for those poor heathens, who have died in their ignorance, than for those who, having heard of Jesus, despise him. O, my muchloved brother, who has been better instructed in the way of righteousness than you? God grant the bread may be found, though ter many days!"

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My earnest desire is, to lead you to serious repentance and seeking after God; but be upon your guard against despair. That is another great device of Satan. Never let us presume, upon the mercy

of our God; yet let us always remember, that he will never cast away the repenting and believing sinner. But, O delay not for one hour to follow Christ, and to fight, by his assisting grace, against the devil, the world, and the flesh; for we know not how soon the door of mercy may be shut. Let me request you to take the earliest opportunity of reading the little book I gave you; but, above all, study the Bible, wherein are the words of everlasting life." O remember to keep holy the sabbath-day! Isa. lviii. 13.

I must now bid you farewell. O listen to, and think on, what I

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ON MATT. XI. 25; AND XXVIII. 1.

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(FROM MORNING THOUGHTS.")

In the mines of deep science Thou hast not conceal'd
The gem of salvation, more precious than gold;
But even to babes has thy goodness reveal'd
The secrets, to spotless archangels untold,

The fair tree of life, full of verdure and bloom,
Casts over our path its far-spreading shoots,
And even the hand of a child may presume
To gather its blossoms, and take of its fruits.
As the child of thy bounty, I come to be fcd;
O send me not helpless and hopeless away:
Fulfil thy bright promise, and fill us with " bread,"
And cause us to "drink of the brook by the way."

How sweet, in the musings of faith, to repair
To the garden where Mary delighted to rove;
To watch her wan cheek, and her eye of despair,
To hear her low whisper of sorrow and love;
To see the bright beam which disperses her fear,
As the Lord of her soul breaks the bars of his prison,
And the voice of the angel salutes her glad ear,-
Thy Lord is a captive no more-" he is risen!"

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O Saviour, as oft as our footsteps we bend,
The tear of contrition to shed at thy grave,
On the wings of thy greatness in pity descend,
Be ready to comfort and "mighty to save.'
We shrink not from scenes of desertion and woe,
If there we may meet with the Lord of our love;
Contented, with Mary, to sorrow below,

If, with her, we may drink of thy fountains above.

REVIEW OF BOOKS.

A Tribute of Parental Affection to the Memory of a beloved Daughter. By Charles Jerram, Vicar of Chobham. Pp. viii. and 287.

Wilson.. 1824.

WE have not taken up this volume with any intent to criticize. The feelings of a father, suffering under the recent loss of an only and beloved daughter, might well impose silence, were we to discover in the effusions of the moment some defect of a far more serious kind than any thing which the keenest eye can detect in the volume before

us.

Indeed, notwithstanding the multitudes of memoirs, diaries, and obituaries before the public, we are always disposed to judge favourably of every addition to their number. Many of them, it is true, are in various respects erroneous and defective; but few of them are devoid of interest, or destitute of utility in the circle for which they are intended.

The work before us has already met with a somewhat extended circulation; and probably many of our readers are familiar with its contents. We shall not, therefore occupy their time, by entering at large upon the narrative, but shall chiefly confine our attention to some of the author's digressions, which suggest important topics for consideration.

Miss Jerram was born at Long Sutton, in April 1800, and trained up by her pious and affectionate parents with the most sedulous care and attention. When of proper age, in consequence of Mr. J. being actively engaged in tuition, she was placed at school, first at Brighton and afterwards at Kensington, and in due season returned home to reward her parents' care, as the cheerful and accomplished inmate of the family. This happiness, however, was but of short duration; in the course of last

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In describing the system steadily adopted in the education of his daughter, Mr. J. records the following circumstance:

The only time, as far as I recollect, when I had occasion to use any thing like severity, was when she was in her second year; and I record the circumstances of it, as exemplifying my views of an important preliminary step in the training of children. We had a family party. Her grandfather and grandmother, her uncles and aunt, were dining with us; and our little Hannah was permitted to be seated at the table. On something being presented to her by one of her relatives, she was desired to say, "Thank you," a sentence which she had but recently learned to pronounce; but upon this occasion, she was too eager to enjoy the kindness, to acknowledge her obligation to the hand from which she received it. I repeated the injunction, but without the desired effect. The affair then assumed another aspect, and an important principle was in agitation. Excuses were offered by her fond relatives, and the tears of the child appealed to my feelings: but I considered that a compromise in this case involved future consequences, and that the point between us must sooner or later be decided. I knew that the victory of the child would lead to fresh attempts upon her yielding parents; and thus I should hereafter, with a much greater expense of have to renew the contest, I therefore feeling, and to a greater disadvantage, took the child into another room, and desired her to say "Thank you," which she did immediately. I supposed from this that the conquest was complete; but to my surprise, on returning to the dining room, she had lost the power of uttering this short sentence. I had again to retire with her and administer a slight correction for the disobedience; and again, when alone with me, she repeated the difficult words; but being a second time placed at the table, the task became insuperable, and she said, "I tan't say so." Her rela-. tives too, whose feelings overcame, on this occasion, their good sense, joined in thinking the child could not repeat the words and some of them united their tears with the child's in urging me to proceed no

further. The duty now became difficult. The yearnings of my own heart, the en

treaties of those around me, and the sobs

of the sweet child, were all on one side; and only a sense of duty on the other. I

stifled, however, my feelings, and again retired. I had no doubt of the ability of the child to pronounce the words, because she had done so every time of my withdrawing with her, and I was determined to go through with my task. After four or five attempts, I at length succeeded, and with a throbbing heart and flowing tears, the little creature sobbed out, "Tank-you." Every thing now was properly settled. The victory was on the side of the parent, who knew how to make

a proper use of it, instead of the daughter, who would have abused it: the tears were soon dried up our friends were satisfied that all was right: and the dear child never made another attempt with papa for the mastery. I dwell on this little incident with some minuteness, because it was pregnant with important results. It was a contest for governing principles: it decided at once that the will of the child must submit to that of the parent; and that it is in vain to expect happiness in the way of resistance to proper authority. It is true

the child did not reason in this way, but

she well understood the practical lesson: and she never after brought her will to the hazard of a contest with that of her papa. Parents little think to what extent they are multiplying difficulties in the way of edueating their children, when they yield to the first attempts to gain the ascendancy. Under the notion that a more favourable opportunity may occur of bringing the affair to an issue, they give way for the present:

but in so doing, they have tenfold aug

mented their labour, for the business can

never after be settled at a single contest. The child will long retain the recollection that he has at least once obtained victory, and may do it again, if he only persevere; and thus, in a much longer time, and at a far greater expense of feeling on both sides, that is at length effected (if indeed it ever be effected-for the parent who has been weak enough to yield in the feebler contest, is not very likely to be more successful when the stronger one commences) which might have been achieved without any very great difficulty at the first. Locke relates a case, somewhat resembling that which I have just stated. He says, that a lady of his acquaintance whipped her little daughter eight times successively before she could overcome her stubbornness, and obtain her compliance in a very easy and indifferent matter; and he adds, "if she had left off sooner, and stopped at the seventh whipping, she had spoiled her child for ever; and by her unprevailing blows, only confirmed her refractoriness, very hardly afterwards to be cured."-Pp. 16-21.

As to the general principle of early enforcing obedience, we perfectly coincide with Mr. J. It is of the first importance in education, and, where steadily adhered to, is the most merciful way of proceeding. The late Mr. Scott used to remark, that by keeping this principle in view, he was enabled to relinquish corporal punishment with his children at an earlier age than most persons thought of beginning it; but yet we should scarcely advise the contest commencing about so trifling a matter as that here mentioned. When once the contest is begun, there is no alternative but to go on until the child submits; yet great allowance should be made for the natural effects of timidity and modesty, which are not in themselves sinful, though they may lead to apparent acts of disobedience. Weakness and folly are to be overcome by mild and affectionate reasoning, sin and obstinacy must be corrected. With very young persons, however, it is better to err on the side of strictness than of mildness. As they advance in life, gentler methods become indispensable.

modern publications cannot be too The following remarks on certain extensively circulated.

In speaking of the course of her reading, I ought not, perhaps, to omit that, had her principles allowed it, she would probably have indulged to an excess in those popular works, which have recently engaged the almost exclusive attention of the young. It occasioned her great uneasiness, as we shall hereafter sce, in reviewing the past, to reflect that so much of her time had been wasted in books of this nature; and had it pleased our heavenly Father to protract her short span of existence, I am persuaded that they would have engaged a very minute, if any portion of her future reading.

Different opinions, I am aware, are entertained by religious persons, as to what extent books of this nature are proper for the young. Some would limit them within a very narrow compass; and others would exclude them altogether. That many publications have recently issued from the press, which are altogether unfit for the perusal of any one, who has the least re

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