he holds fin in infinite abhorrence. But for what purpose did he enter into the world? Was it to fet it on fire with the breath of his lips, that it might be purified with the aveng ing name? No: amazing grace! he came as the Friend and Saviour of the world. But how long was he in the world? Surely he could not protract his stay in fuch a place. "The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" more than thirty years. What years of merciful forbearance! Henceforth let not the fons of men hesitate to believe the Lord is "long-fuffering and flow to anger." "And the world was made by him." The divine architect entered into his own building. On every fide he faw the product of his own power and skill. When he lifted up his eyes, "he beheld the heavens the work of his own fingers, the moon and the ftars which he had ordained." He hung in the fkies the lamp of day, which was now honoured with fhedding its cheering beams upon its Maker's head. Cafting down his eyes upon the earth on which he trode, he faw the globe which he moulded in the hollow of his hand, which his own arm hurled into motion, and his voice bade to run its diurnal and its annual courfe. The crowds of men that gather around him with the confufed ftare of aftonishment, or, with liftlefs indifference pafs by, are all the work of his hands; for he formed from the dust of the earth the curious ftructure of their bodies, and breathing into their noftrils the breath of life, endowed them with immortal fouls.

ther they adorn the heavens, glide through the air, tread the earth, or float in the mighty waters, "all things were made by him."

And did he not evidently fhew that the world was made by him? Did he not act as one who, with a Creator's authority, held all nature at his beck? We behold him turn the liquid element to a firm pavement beneath his feet, and treading with folemn ftate upon the waves of the fea, we recognite him who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand, who gave to the fea its bounds, faying to it, "Hitherto fhalt thou come, but no further; and here fhall thy proud waves be ftayed." When the rude blaft of tempeftuous winds makes the heart of the mariner to quake, and the loud roaring billows, rifing to the height of mountains, tofs the fhattered bark in cruel fport, he rifes in peaceful felfpoffeffion, advances in godlike majefty, and fpeaks to the inftruments of his power in this authoritative tone, “ Peace : be ftill." Who does not then, with Peter fall down and worship? and with David exclaim "Oh Lord God of hofts,

who

who is a ftrong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou ruleft the raging of the fea; when the waves thereof arife, thou ftilleft them?"

But while inanimate creation knew and acknowledged its author, with those who are called the rational inhabitants of the earth, it was far otherwise." The world knew him not.” How ftrange, how unexpected this reception! Had we figured to ourselves the manner in which he who made the world would have been received by it, would it not have anfwered the defcription of the facred book?" Sing unto the Lord with a harp, with trumpets and found of cornet, make a joyful noife before the Lord the King. Let the fea roar and the fullnefs thereof; the world and they that dwell therein; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for he cometh." But ah! instead of hearing the heavens and the earth echo to the loud hofannas wherewith the fons of men welcome the approach of their God, we behold him received with coldnefs and reserve. "The world knew

him not."

But was there nothing in his perfon, voice or actions, by which they might have known him? Yes: what characters of divinity were impreffed upon his perfon! What affecting fweetnefs, blended with venerable majefty! What lofty confcioufnefs of hidden worth, amidst all that meeknefs and condefcenfion with which he stooped to the meanest ! Can we wonder that we are told there were seasons, when "the eyes of all were fixed upon him?" When he speaks, what gracious words drop from his lips! When he reasons, what conviction clofes his periods? How little does all human wildom appear befide this glorious light of the world! With one of his words he cruthes the proud fwelling philofopher; and his crafty enemies, confounded by unexpected and unanswerable replies, durft afk him no more questions. Surely it was well faid, "never man fpake like this man!" Ye parafites of royalty, here without flattery or falfehood ye might have exclaimed, "The voice of a God, and not of a So high a character fo well fupported, fo many more than human traits confpiring to form one grand whole till then unknown to man, fo clearly evidence fomething divine, that even an infidel exclaims, "the life and death of Jefus are thofe of a God." And yet there were but few who, enlightened from above, could fay, "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory." Alas! the world knew him not. How great must have been their ignorance of every thing divine! How loft to affection for their maker and their God!

man !"

Surely

Surely if their hearts had not been fealed up in frozen hardness, as well as their minds enveloped in thickest shades of ignorance, the inhabitants of the world must have known him that made them: for a heart retaining fome tenderness and filial affection would have fupplied a hint to their dull minds. This is proved, not only by the voice of nature, but may be illuftrated by the teftimony of history. In all the reflefs ardor of approaching manhood, impatient of restraint, a fon, at the time when his father was in the high noon of life, left the paternal house and went to feek in foreign climes the liberty and happiness which his heated imagination had painted. Toffed from one country to another, he was detained far beyond his intended period. As one of the unforeseen revolutions of this changing world, the father alfo was driven into foreign parts; and, by an unfeen hand, the courfe of both was fo directed, that the parent and his fon met together in an obfcure village in Italy. They knew not each other. The young man had loft the virgin bloom of youth with which he quitted his father's houfe; and having ripened into full manhood, discovered the ftronger lines of expreffion, which had been heightened by the influence of the weather, and the viciffitudes of his condition. The father having turned the brow of the hill of life, and meeting with unexpected reveres in his declining years, foon began to bear the deep furrows and the hoary hairs of age. Thus mutually altered, and separated for many years, which had been crowded with various fcenes, there remained but little that could difcover their near relation. Yet when the aged man entered the fon's houfe, he involuntarily rofe, and thewed a more than ordinary refpect to a perfon in whom he faw fo much to venerate; whilft the father felt a new and peculiar pleasure in rcceiving the attention of fo agreeable a ftranger. They fpake, and they readily replied, for the fake of hearing again the found of each other's voice. The father's bowels yearned, the fon's heart fpake, and their lips could not keep filence. "Are you a native of Italy?" faid the father. No fir," the fon replied: "I perceive you alfo are a foreigner." This led on to further questions, and thefe produced more interefting information, til, at length, hearing his own name imentioned, the fon cried out "My father!" "My fon! my fon! exclaimed the parent, and fell on his neck and embraced him. How was it then that man knew not God, his maker, the father of his fpirit? Ah! melancholy truth! he had not the heart of a child, all filial affections were extinguished,

extinguished," he had not the love of God in him." Well might Jehovah addrefs the heavens and the earth with his complaints, faying, "Hear oh heavens, and give ear oh earth: I have nourished, and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." Though he dwelt long among them, yet they knew not the parent of their being; for they had iron bowels that knew not to yearn.

ANECDOTE.

PHILALETHES.

THE BODIES OF BELIEVERS INTERESTED IN CHRIST.

EING lately on a journey in Scotland, I spent part of a

Bday with a worthy clergyman, who has laboured even ta

old age, with peculiar livelinefs, in the work of Chrift. While we were employed in looking at his church, and burial ground reading inferiptions, and gratifying our curiofity with whatever might appear new and interefting; the following anecdote was related to me, which I thought worthy of prefervation. A man who lived in his parish had, fome years fince buried his wife, and feveral children, in this churchyard. By the fide of the burial place, next the road, ftands a low wall; over this the man mentioned above, ftood leaning and gazing on the spot where he had deposited all that was dear to him in this world. One, obferving his thoughtful attitude, and profound attention, afked him, what occupied his mind?" I am looking," faid he, "at the duft that lies there; and wondering at the indiffoluble union betwixt it, and the Lord Jefus Chrift who is in glory."

What an encouraging reflection is this to a believer's fou!! What fupport does it afford under the lofs of others; and what refignation, fhould it infpire us with, to the will of God refpecting our own diffolution! Let us remember that we have the word of eternal truth to affure us, that the bodies of all believers in Chrift, are his property, the purchase of his blood, and the fubjects of his falvation as well as their fouls." This is the will of him that fent me, that every one which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlafting life: and! will raife him up at the last day."—" He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet fhall he live."-"Them that fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him." Let our views of the falvation by Chrift, and our gratitude for it, be greatly enlarged. Let us look forward to the refurrection day, as to the completion of his plan of grace. And in the interval, both while living, and when dying, let us commit our bodies to his difpofal and care.

Henley.

R. L.

REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

PROSPECTUS, with Specimens, of an Octavo Polyglott Bible, intended to contain the original Texts with various Readings, the principal Ancient Verfions, and the authorised English Tranflation To which is added an Appendix, in Vindication of the Author, &c. By JoSAH PRATT, M. A. Afifiant Minister of St. John's Chapel, Bedjord-Row. Royal 8vo. 32 pp. 15. Rivingtons, &c. 1799.

THIS work in the Old Teftament is defigned to comprehend, in five parallel columns on each opening, the original Hebrew with points-the English verfion with marginal references-the Septuagint verfion—the Chaldee paraphrafe, and the vulgate latin. Below thefe, across the page, the Samaritan Pentateuch will be fubjoined in Hebrew characters, with all the important various readings from Kennicott and De Roth.

The New Testament will be printed in 4 columns-the old Syriac verfion in Hebrew characters-the common English tranflation-the Greek original and the latin vulgate, with all the chief various readings of Mill, Wetfein, Griefbach, and others, at the bottom of the page. The principal variations of the Samaritan, lxx, Targums, Syriac, and vulgate, will alfo be fubjoined. To the whole will be prefixed Prolegomena, containing catalogues of cudices, &c.

The whole work is intended to be comprized in 20 quarterly nos. price 7s. each, and making 7 vols. royal 8vo. For thofe who with for larger margins, fome copies will be printed on a 4to. page, at half-a-guinea each. The work to be put to preís as foon as a competent number of fubfcribers is received.

In this useful, important, laborious and expenfive publication, we cannot but with the author good fuccefs, and all the encouragement that fo great an undertaking merits, especially from the liberal and wealthy friends of evangelical religion,

The appendix contains an answer to some objections, which a writer in the British Critic made against a former profpectus of this work, and which we conceive Mr. P. has fufficiently obviated.

ANECDOTES, religious, moral, and entertaining, alphabetically arranged, and interspersed with a variety of useful Obfervations. Selected by CHARLES BUCK. 1270. 288 pp. 35. 6d. Chapman, &c. 1799. THIS felection perfectly correfponds with its defign, and is equally calculated both to please and profit. For "while it affords a confiderable degree of entertainment to the reader," it evidently tends to excite reverence for the beft of beings, a regard for the noble and delightful system of Christianity, together with benevolence to our fellow-mortals, and an earnest defire to devote ourselves to the glory and fervice of our God and Saviour." We have no doubt but it will obtain, as it certainly merits, an extenfive circulation.

THE YOUNG EVANGELIST; exemplified in a View of the Life of the Late Rev. John Savage; with occasional Reflections. To which is added a Selection of his Letters. By JOSEPH JEFFERSON, Bafingfiloke. 12mo. 132 pages. 1s. 6d. Chapman.

THIS life perfectly correfponds with the memoir given of Mr. S. in our magazine for January, but is more dilated, and enriched with additional incidents and remarks; and the letters fubjoined breathe the fpirit of a true Evangelift,

VOL. VII.

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The