Thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginuing at Jerusalem. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. Unto you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Acts iii. 26. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Is rael and forgiveness of sins. Acts v. 31, 82. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they who live, should not henceforth live unto them selves, but unto him that died for them, and rose again. 2 Cor. v. 14. 15. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus ii. 11-14. For even hereunto are ye call. ed, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps; No. 1. Vol. IV. 2 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threa tened not, but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Pet. ii 21—24. REMARKS. men The texts now in view clearly express ideas relating to the design of our Savior's death, which are easily understood. It appears that he had the same object in view in dying for us, that he pursued throughout his ministry-namely, to save from their sins; to bring them to unfeigned repentance; to dispose them to deny themselves and live to him and to God; and to exhibit au example under the greatest sufferings for all his professed followers to imitate. It is perfectly clear that what he has done and suffered, is not a substitute for that selfdenying temper and humble obedience which the gospel itself enjoins. His sufferings for us are so far from abating our obliga. tions to devote ourselves unreservedly to God, that they encrease our obligations, and render us the more criminal and the more inexcusable if we live in a course of sin. When therefore professed Christians regard the sufferings and the blood of Christ as a substitute for gospelobedience,and take encourage. ment from what he has done, to indulge themselves in neglect of God and duty, in the hope of 1. pardon for Christ's sake; they counteract the very design of his death, the design of the gospel. They also practically despise the goodness of God in the gift of his Son, the considera tion of which should lead them to repentance; and they set at nought the very blood by which they hope to be saved, or pervert it to the worst of purposes. EXTRACTS FROM MR. PENN'S LETTER TO HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. [The letter from which the following extracts were taken, was written by Mr. Penn at the time he was about to embark from England for Pennsylvania. The observations between the extracts were made in the Edinburgh Review of Clarkson's Life of William Penn.] "My dear wife and children, "My love, which neither sea, nor land, nor death itself, ean extinguish or lessen toward you, most endearedly visits you with eternal embraces, and will abide with you forever: and may the God of my life watch over you, and bless you, and do you good in this world and forever!-Some things are upon my spirit to leave with you in your respective capacities, as I am to one a husband, and to the rest a father, if I should never see you more in this world. "My dear wife! remember thou wast the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life; the most beloved, as well as most worthy of all my earthly comforts: and the reason of that love was more thy inward than thy outward excellencies, which yet were many. God knows, and thou knowest it, I can say it was a match of Providence's making; and God's image in us both was the first thing, and the most amiable and engaging ornament in our eyes. Now I am to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I shall ever see thee more in this world, take my counsel into thy bosom, and let it dwell with thee in my stead while thou livest." Then, after some counsel about godliness and economy he proceeds: "And now, my dearest, let me recommend to thy care my dear children; abundantly beloved of me, as the Lord's blessings, and the sweet pledges of our mutual and endeared affection. Above all things endeavor to breed them up in the love of virtue, and that holy, plain way of it, which we have lived in, that the world in no part of it get into my family. I had rather they were homely than £nely bred as to outward behavior; yet I love sweetness mixed with gravity, and cheerfulness tempered with sobriety. Religion in the heart leads into this true civility, teaching men and women to be mild and courteous in their behavior; an accomplishment worthy indeed of praise. "Next breed them up in a love one of another: tell them it is the charge I left behind me; A for them; for then there are more snares, both within and without When marriageable, see that they have worthy persons in their eye, of good life, and good fame for piety and understanding. I need no wealth, but sufficiency; and be sure their love be dear, fervent, and mutual, that it may be happy for them. I choose not they should be married to earthly, covetous kindred; and of cities and towns of concourse, beware: the world is apt to stick close to those who have lived and got wealth there: a country life and estate I like best for my chil dren. I prefer a decent mansion, of an hundred pounds per annum, before ten thousand pounds in London, or such like place, in way of trade." He next addresses himself to his children. and that it is the way to have the love and blessing of God upon them. Sometimes separate them, but not long; and allow them to send and give each other small things to endear one another with. Once more I say, tell them it was my counsel they should be tender and affection ate one to another. For their learning be liberal. Spare no cost; for by such parsimony all is lost that is saved; but let it be useful knowledge, such as is consistent with truth and godliness, not cherishing a vain conversation or idle mind; but ingenuity mixed with industry is good for the body and the mind too. I recommend the useful parts of mathematics, as building houses or ships, measuring, surveying, dialling, navigation; but agriculture is especially in my, eye: let my children be husbandmen and housewives; it is industrious, healthy, honest, and of good example: like Abraham and the holy ancients, who pleased by none in her time for her ed God, and obtained a good re- integrity, humanity, virtue, and port. This leads to consider good understanding; qualities not the works of God and nature, of usual among women of her worldthings that are good, and diverts ly condition and quality. There the mind from being taken up fore honour and obey her, my with the vain arts and inven- dear children, as your mother, tions of a luxurious world. Rath- and your father's love and delight. er keep an ingenious person in And though she be of a delicate the house to teach them, than constitution and noble spirit, yet send them to schools, too many she descended to the utmost ten evil impressious being commonly derness and care for you, perreceived there. Be sure to ob- forming the painfullest acts of serve their genius, and do not service to you in your infancy, cross it as to learning; let them as a mother and a nurse too: not dwell too long on one thing: I charge you, before the Lord, but let their change be agreea- honor and obey, love and cherish ble, and all their diversions have your dear mother. some little bodily labor in them. When grown big, have most care "Be obedient to your dear mother, a woman whose virtue and good name is an honor to you; for she hath been exceed "Next: betake yourselves to some honest, industrious course of life, and that not of sordid eovetousness, but for example and to avoid idleness. And if you change your condition, and marry, choose, with the knowledge and consent of your mother if living, or of guardians, or those that have the charge of you. Mind neither beauty nor riches, but the fear of the Lord, and a sweet and amiable disposition, such as you can love above all this world, and that may make your habitations pleasant and desirable to you. And being married, be tender, affectionate, patient, and meek. Be sure to live within compass; borrow not, neither be beholden to any, Ruin not yourselves by kindness to others; for that exceeds the due bounds of friendship; neither will a true friend expect it. Small matters I heed not." After a great number of other affectionate counsels, he turns particularly to his elder boys. "And as for you, who are like ly to be concerned in the government of Pennsylvania, I do charge you before the Lord God and his holy angels, that you be lowly, diligent, and tender, fearing God, loving the people, and hating covetousness. Let justice have its impartial course, and the law free passage. Though to your loss, protect no man against it; for you are not above the law, but the law above you. Live therefore the lives yourselves you would have the people live; and then you have right and boldness to punish the transgressor. Keep upon the square, for God sees you: therefore do your duty, and be sure you see with your own eyes, and hear with your own ears. Entertain no lurchers; cherish no informers for gain or revenge; use no tricks; fly to no devices to support or cover injustice; but let your hearts be upright before the Lord, trusting in him above the contrivances of men, and none shall be able to hurt or supplant." We should like to see any private letter of instructions from a sovereign to his heir apparent, that will bear a comparison with the injunctions of this honest sectary. He concludes as follows. "Finally, my children, love one another with a true, endeared love, and your dear relations on both sides, and take care to preserve tender affection in your children to each other, often marrying within themselves,so as it be without the bounds forbidden in God's law, that so they may not, like the forgetting unnatural world grow out of kindred and as cold as strangers; but, as becomes a truly natural and Christian stock, you and yours after you, may live in the pure and fervent love of God towards one another, as becometh brethren in the spiritual and natural relation. "So farewell to my thrice dearly beloved wife and children. Yours, as God pleaseth, in that which no waters ean quench, no time forget, nor distance wear away, but remains forever. "WILLIAM PENN. "Worminghurst, 4th of 6th mo. 1682," ON PERFORMANCES AT ORDINATIONS: MR. EDITOR, As your instructive miscellany is read by many of the clerical profession, will you permit me respectfully to address to them a few suggestions on the subject of performances at ordinations? I think, I can say, that occasions of this kind excite in me an unusual degree of interest. But this interest has, in some instanees, been exceedingly lessened by the want of consideration in the performers. You well know, Sir, that such solemnities usually consist of three prayers, a sermon, a charge, an expression of the fellowship of the churches, and sacred musick. The fault, of which I complain, is, that each performance seems at times contrived, as if it were a whole, and not a component part of numerous religious exercises. The error sometimes consists in selecting more musical pieces than are consistent with the due performance of the other parts. Sacred music is indeeed admirably adapted to such occasions; and it is often a relief from the tediousness of the other performances. Still great judgment is requisite, as to the quantity to be sung, as well as to the manner of performing it, lest a service, otherwise highly delightful, should excite disgust, instead of conducing either to entertainment or to edification. Another error, on such occasions, is, when the preacher in the applicatory parts of his sermon completely anticipates the charge, and thus not only unnecessarily increases the length of the services, but obliges the person, who gives the charge, to repeat sentiments and oftentimes expressions, which have already been fully delivered and enforced. Sometimes the charge itself is injudiciously extended to the length of a moderate sermon. Sometimes the right hand of fellowship is given by one, who repeats many of the topics more properly belonging to the sermon and the charge. But the greatest evil, which I have lamented in the exercises at ordinations, has been the injudicious length of the prayers. I have known each of these to be longer, than would be thought reasonable for all the devotional exercises on a common occasion of worship. The consequence has been, not only that the several prayers have embraced, for the most part, the same topics, but have also consisted of the same expressions. It is impossible, under such circumstances, for the attention of the most devout to be suitably engaged. Let it be considered, that our houses of worship, on such occa sions, are generally thronged; and, of course, that many are in uncomfortable situations. Some, coming from a distance, are greatly fatigued, and, being obliged to stand throughout the exercises, are liable to be overburdened by long prayers. Besides, many thoughtless persons would be more likely to receive serious impressions, were the de |