place their relation to Christ at the head of their titles, How much greater confirmation of his faith would we have received, had he feen our Saviour's prophecy and good in the deftruction of the temple, and the diffolution of the Jewish œconomy, when Jews and Pagans united all their endeavours under Julian the apoftate, to baffle and falfify the prediction? The great preparations that were made for rebuilding the temple, with the hurricane, earthquake, and eruptions of fire, that deftroyed the work, and terrified thofe employed in the attempt from proceeding in it, are related by many hiftorians of the fame age, and the fubitance of the ftory teftified both by Pagan and Jewish writers, as Ammianus Marcellinus and Zamath-David. The learned Chryfoftom, in a fermon against the Jews, tells them this fact was then fresh in the memories even of their young men, that it happened but twenty years ago, and that it was attefted by all the inhabitants of Jerufalem, where they might ftill fee the marks of it in the rubbish of that work, from which the Jews defifted in fo great a fright, and which even Julian had not the courage to carry on This fact, which is in itfelf fo miraculous, and fo indifputable, brought over many of the Jews to Christianity; and fhews us, that after our Saviour's prophecy against it, the temple could not be preferved from the plough paffing over it, by all the care of Titus, who would fain have prevented its deftruction, and that instead of being re-edified by Julian, all his endeavours towards it did but ftill more literally accomplish our Savicur's prediction, that not one flone fhould be left upon another. [To be concluded in our next.] THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION SUITED TO THE STATE OF MAN. MAN AN confidered as a fallen and redeemed creature owes and muft pay to God a duty very dif ferent from that which would have been demanded from him in a state of integrity and uprightnefs. Sin and redemption neceffarily fuppofe other difpofitions than virtue and merit: difpofitions as indifpenfible, and relations as invariable, as are required or borne by man, confi dered under any other character; nay, and perhaps more fo. An inattention to this real ftate of man has caufed many to overlook or at leaft to misunderstand the great and characteristic doctrines of the Chriftian religion; while they have confidered human beings, as owing a duty to God only under the character of Creator and Preferver, they have ftrangely mistaken the grand purpofe of the gofpel, and as ftrangely perverted the fundamental principles of it. But whoever will attend to the truth of the cafe; whoever will confider man, in his real ftate, will not only be convinced, that the duties and doctrines enjoined in the gofpel are perfectly confiftent with, but abfolutely neceffary to, his prefent condition. Repentance and faith become in this light, not only proper but neceffary duties; and the facramens of baptifm and the Lord's fupper requifite to the very being of that faith and repentance, The Chriftian has not,cannot have any difpute with the Deift or unbeliever of whatever denomination-refpecting the duty unquef tionably to be paid to God, as Creator and Preferver of the univerfe he has no difpute with them refpecting the eternal and unalterable difference between right and wrong, virtue and vice; the ami ableness ableness of the one, and the deformity of the other; the neceflity of cultivating the former, of difcouraging the latter. He agrees, cordially agrees with all this. But at the fame time he avers, that we ftand in another relation to God, and owe him a duty in that relation alfo he avers that we are by nature corrupt, and however we may approve, unable without affifting grace, to practice this ever amiable virtue; he avers, that we are finners, and want pardon, and fo imperfect as to want it even for our beft deeds, fo unworthily do we perform them; and fo incapable are they of bearing the fcrutiny of his holy eye, who difcerns impurity even in his brightest angels. And for the truth of this he appeals to the heart of every honeft man; and to the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, which upon no other view is intelligible; and which, in this view, fufficiently difplays its own divinity. : Let a man fay, "I have made my heart clean: I am pure from all iniquity, in thought, word, and deed I dare ftand the appeal to God's holy law." Let a man fay this, and we will grant, he hath no caufe to concern him felf with the gofpel of Christ. But if no man can fay this, if all men are guilty before God; and if God will not pafs over a tranfgreffion of his law, unpunished-how much doth it behove every man to confider feriously that revelation, in which God hath made an ample difcovery of the terms upon which he will pardon the guilty? Let it be obferved, that man is not left to judge for himfelf, whether he is or is not guilty in no caufe whatever, is any one both judge, law, and criminal. And why should a man expect it, in things of eternal moment? God is the judge; and he hath dealt fairly with mankind: he hath given them the law, whereby he expects them to act, and whereby he affures them they fhall be judged if they are not interested in his fon's redemption. And before a man can acquit himself, or hope to be acquitted in the fight of God, he must have a good foundation to believe, that he is acquitted by the fentence of God's law: which, not to fpeak of its perfect purity, (and who of mortals can abide that purity) which it is to be feared, only in thofe ten commandments delivered from the mount will leave few, very few, nay, none of us without excufe! And if this be the cafe, how can any thinking man reject how can any man do other than rejoice in the gofpel of Chrift, which provides fufficient pardon for the paft, and ftrength for the time to come? Repentance, in this light, becomes at once a natural, a neceffary, and a reasonable duty. For what fo reasonable, as for an imperfect creature to be forry for his deviations from the law of God, for his offences against a Father fo great and fo pure? What fo reafonable, as a total change of purpofe and of life, and a continued endeavour to teftify true forrow for the paft, by a new life for the future? And while this duty appears to unprejudiced reafon in fo juft a view; we are delighted with obferving, upon looking into the blefied gofpel, that this was the grand duty, which the Baptift, as the forerunner, and which the Meffiah himself firft preached, when he opened his glorious commiffion of good-will and falvation to mankind! It was equally reasonable too, nay, and equally neceffary, that faith fhould be enjoined as the grand inftrument, by which this falvation and good-will was to be conveyed. For fince fomething was to be done for man, as an atonement for his fins, done in his nature, and confequently (as that nature is in itself finite) at a certain time and in a certain place; and and as it was impoffible that all the human race could be eyewitneffes of that fact, or of its concomitant circumstances; there was no other human method, whereby it could be conveyed, but by historical tradition: and therefore no human method, whereby it could be received, but by faith. Accordingly we find, that the Meffiah enjoins this faith as the important mean whereby his falvation is to be conveyed; and attending to what hath been just advanced, we fee, that it could not have been otherwife, and therefore fhall not be furprized, that fo great a ftrefs is laid both by - Christ and his apoftles on faith. But of the neceffity, excellence, and foundation of faith, it is neceffary, that we fpeak more largely; and of this, we propofe to do, God willing, another opportunity. LET T TER S LETTER TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN INTENDED FOR HOLY ORDERS. My dear Brother. HA AD it pleafed God, to preferve the life of our affectionate father, as the care of your education would not then have fallen upon me, fo there would have been lefs occafion for any advice of mine, and confequentiy I fhould have felt lefs folicitude on your account; but providence early depriving you of fo great à comfort and bleffing, as the parental guidance, and the whole direction of your affairs devolving upon me; I have not only felt all the anxiety of a father for you, but carefully ftudied every means in my power to promote your felicity. To this I was natu rally led by a tender fenfe of the unfpeakable obligations I owe to our dear parents; and whofe folicitous affection for me fhall never be forgotten, while memory holds a feat in my bofom; refolved as I am, by God's affifiance, to act towards you, and I hope towards all others, in fuch a manner, as I know would give them pleasure, were they ftill with us; as I truft will give them pleasure, if peradventure the happy fpirits of the deceafed have any knowledge of what paffes amongst us erring mortals. But let me add, with great truth, that though this due regard to our parents, as well as a compaffionate feeling for your orphan ftate, endeared you to me with more than a brother's love; yet your own behaviour has been fuch, as would alone have been fufficient to have interefted me greatly in your welfare: friendthip is now engrafted upon affection; and every winning motive thus confpires to make me anxious for your fuccefs and felicity in life. You will bear me witness, that I have not been deficient, hitherto, in ufing all my best endeavours for your fervice: I have not omitted, in our frequent converfations together, to give you fuch directions refpecting your ftudies, and that ftate of life, which you have chofen, as appeared to me moft neceflary and advantageous. You know also very well my opinion refpecting every branch of the clerical function. I have talked with you often and freely upon this head, and pointed out to you the path which will lead to the favour of God, your own peace, and to the refpect of the world; at least, fo far as it is defirable. But as the time now draws nigh, when you are to enter into holy orders, and to affume the high and arduous character of a minifter of Jefus Chrift, and an inftru&tor of men in the things which concern their falvation; I have thought, that a few letters from me on the fubject might not be unacceptable; in which though perhaps I may have nothing new to fay to you, nothing more than what I have repeated many times in converfation; yet fince what is written is apt to remain longer with us, at leaft may be preferved always before us, I have determined to write down my fentiments to you on all the branches of the pastoral office, and to give give you my opinion of the manner in which you should difcharge that office; after which I will speak of the general behaviour and deportment requifite for your function; and conclude with fome advice refpecting the courfe of study you fhould purfue, and the books you should read; a lift of which I will give you, in compliance with a requeft you once made to me; when, you mremember, you were complaining of the want of fome fuch information.-Now though thefe letters may have no great merit in them, and convey to you, as we before obferved, no new stock of knowledge; yet I beg you to receive them as a pledge of my fincere affection, and moft tender friendship towards you a friendship, my dear brother, which I pray God to continue to the end; and which I flatter myfelf we fhall endeavour to preferve by the moft harmonious concurrence, in overy action and opinion. man I remember, that a certain bishop begins his letters of advice to his nephew, with remarking, that " It was much against his judgment and inclination that his nephew had made choice of divinity for his profeffion." A remark, which in itfelf favours frongly of a difcontented wafpifh fpirit, but which comes furely with a peculiar bad from a grace, "who had arrived at the highest rank in his profeffion." A profeflion, which relations feem defirous to dif countenance their children from embracing; because it is not productive of the greateft temporal emicluments, or the readieft road to exorbitant riches! Men, who talk and reason thus, if they have any reflection, ought to blah: but when churchmen join in the affertion, we cannot but obferve, how much they are like the foolish bird, and caufe the difcerning eye to fee the object of their main attention. Believe me, my dear brother, you will find the clerical function a most unpleafing one, you enter into it with the views of fuch men:-if you propofe it as the talk it ing horfe to worldly and ambitious defigns, I cannot tell where you could fix to meet with more chagrine, dissatisfaction, difappointment, and ma levolence. But on the other hand, allow me to fay, that if you take upon you this office, as a good man ought, and a wife man will take it; and as I do from my foul believe and hope is your fincere refolution; then let me be bold to fay, you will find it the moft happy, as unquestionably it is the most honourable profeffion upon earth. The reafon is evident, why it is not commonly found the most happy men do not eiteem it the most honourable; and confequently, inattentive to the one thing needful; they run out in purfuit of extraneous objects, and bring home nothing but difcomfort and difcontent.-But do not fo, my dear brother: confider the office in which you are engaged, and the duty to which you are called: make it your fixed and fteady refolution to be confcientious, active and unwearied in the proper discharge of your duty: and I will venture to affure you, of an inward peace and real fatisfaction, which no other method of proceeding will, or can afford. It does not follow from hence that you are to be unconcerned as to the things of this world, or wholly regardless of temporal advantages. The labourer is worthy of his hire. And it is certainly confiftent with the higheft elevation of piety to take a wife and prudent precaution fo to live in this world, as not to be unhappily diftracted by its preffing neceflities from a juft and becoming attention to the other. And I must obferve, (for me. thinks it is a matter of much comfort and encouragement to all pious and zealous clergymen) that I have never known or feen an inftance of any fuch clergyman, in real want or diftrefs; except where it might well be accounted for from his own imprudent and unwife conduct; for all good men are not not wife and prudent men; they are often not careful enough to blend king Solomon, made one requeft to his fon, it was a very comprehenfive one: My fon give me thy heart-Mariamne, the good Mariamne, has a heart; not for the toilet; not for the card-table; not for the fashions and follies of the age: Nor for you, empty coxcombs! Who in praifing a woman's beauty affront her good fenfe. Mariamne has a heart, a tender, fympathetic heart, for the friendLefs orphan, the deftitute widow; the woe-bearing Chriftian in rags, and for any man of fenfe who can afcertain the juft value of it. A few days ago, I went with a good morrow to Mariamne: I found her in great perplexity about a mere trifle. You, who have no hearts may here ftop, and turn to page, blank-I found her much perplexed, how to get rid of a little prifoner, which her maid had entrapped the preceding night. What fhall I do with this little night prowler, faid Mariamne?Throw it to the cat, or into a pail of water. I received a look: the pencil of a Raphael cannot defcribe it. It was a look from Mariamne. Well, faid I, fuppofe we walk forth this fine morning and take your charge with us; an expedient may prefent itself in the way more agreeable to your amiable fenfibility. Who has not feen the fun difpelling a mift and forming the ruddy blush of morn into a perfect bright day? It is certainly a very pleafing fight. We were foon in the ftreet, and the firft ftriking object that drew our attention was a poor, lame, dirt-befpattered fheep, whom one of the worst of brutes, a man-brute, was worrying with his four legged affociate, and beating unmercifully with a ftick: -A fecond look from Mariamne. -Do you call that a Chriftian? Would I could fee, this moment, that rational a sheep, and that dog a Smithfield drover! Bleffed Jefus! thou too was fpit upon, buffetted, pierced with fharp thorns, and at laft led thus difgracefully, like this dumb, innocent animal, to be flaughtered! We had not walked far, before I faw a cellar, belonging, as I imagined, to an old ru ined tenement untrodden by hu man feet. Suppofe, Mariamne, you here releafe your little cap tive: O yes, in the humble dwell. ing of poverty-The houfe is not in fo ruinous a ftate, but it may af ford a comfortable fhelter to fome wretched, friendless females. At that moment, while Mariamne was taking out her handkerchief to wipe from her cheek a precious tear; at that moment, a female, decent, though in rags, approached. the |