of the affections, a voluntary sur- His spirit seems most intimately to identify itself with the church of Ephe sus. What an improbable nnion! Tlie late idolatrous worshippers of Diana, and the late persecutor of the saints of Jesus, have now but one heart and one soul! These recent enemies to Christ, and to each other, now meet in one common point of attraction. With what holy triumph does he dilate on their common faith! that love of God in Christ Jesus which is their common centre and bond of union! "Still, as we have such frequent occasion to observe, he does not sacrifice practical duty to the indulgence of his rapture. Still he does not allow even these Ephesians to rest satisfied with the grace they have received. It is not enough that they have been favoured with a vocation; they mnst ، walk wor thy of it.' 'The perfecting of the saints' must be carried on: they must reach to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. No such perfection had been attained as would allow them to rest in their present position. Even in this highly favoured church, progress is enjoined, pressed, reiterated. No elevation of devout feeling sets him above attention to moral goodness. After having exhibited (in chap, xiii.) "a general view of St. Paul's qualifications, and detailed (in chap. xiv.) his masterly exposure of "the love of money;" our author presents us (in chap. xv.) with a luminous estimate of " the genius of Christianity," as it appeared in her favourite Apostle. The mention of Philippi, as connected with St. Paul, awakens in her classical memory the recollection of another distinguished person with whose name and character, although from a very different cause, that city is also associated. The contrast to which these combinations give occasion, is very happily imagined, and executed. "How little, in the eyes of the sober Christian, does the renowned Roman, who, scarcely half a century before, sacrificed his life to his disappointment, at this very Philippi, appear, in com parison of the man who addressed this Epistie to the same city. Saint Paul was not less brave than Brutus, but his magnanimity was of a higher strain. Paul was exercised in a long series of sufferings, from which the sword of Brutus, directed by any hand but that of Paul himself, would have been a merciful deliverance. Paul, too, was a patriot, and set a proper value on his dignity as a Roman citizen. He too was a champion for freedom; but he fought for that higher species of liberty, ، Unsung by poets, and by senators unprais'd.' « Was it courage of the best sort, in the Roman enthusiast for freedom, to abandon his country to her evil destiny, at the very moment when she most needed his support? Was it true generosity or patriotism, after having killed his friend, to whom he owed his fortune and his life *,-usurper though he was, "Nothing can be more beautiful than the abrupt apostrophes of praise and gratitude into which, in the midst of sorrow, of exhortation, of reproof, he unexpectedly breaks out. The love of his Redeemer so fills his soul, that 'it requires an effort to restrain its outward expression. Even when engaged in the transaction of business, and directing the concerns of others, which, by an ordinary mind, would have been pleaded as a valid reason for suspending spiritual ideas, and dismissing spi-voluntarily to leave this adored counritual feelings, they yet mix themselves, as it were involuntarily, with his secular carés; there is not only a satisfaction but a joyfulness in these escapes of affec tion which seem to spring from his soul, in proportion to the depression of his circumstances, to the danger which surrounded, to the deaths, which threats ened him," Vol. ii. pp. 53--55. try a prey to inferior usurpers? Though Cæsar had robbed Rome of her liberty, should Brutus rob her of his own guar dian virtues? Why not say to the Ro mans, as Paul did to the Philippians→→ Though I desire to depart, nevertheless to "At the battle of Pharsalia." abide in the flesh is more needful for you? This would have been indeed patriotism, because it would have been disinterested. Was not Paul's the truer heroism? He also was in a strait between two events, life and death He knew, what Brutus, alas! did not know; 'that to die was gain; but, instead of deserting his cause, by a pusillanimous selfmurder, he submitted to live for its interest. The gloomy despair of the Stoic, and the cheerful submission of the Saint, present a lively contrast of the effects of the two religions on two great souls. "It is a coincidence too remarkable to be passed over in silence, that Paul was directed by a vision from heaven' to go to Philippi;-that Brutus was summoned to the same city by his evil genius. The hero obeyed the phantom; the Apostle was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;'-to what different ends let the concluding histories of the devoted suicide and the devoted martyr declare!-Will it be too fanciful to add, that the spectre which lured the Roman to his own destruction, and the vision which in the same place invited the Apostle to preach salvation to others, present no unapt emblem of the opposite genius of Paganism and Christianity," Vol. ii. pp. 149–152. St. Paul's " respect for constituted authorities," furnishes our author with an opportunity of demonstrating the correctness of the Apostle's notions on the origin and uses of civil government, and the close alliance between political obedience (properly understood) and genuine Christianity. Adverting to the experience of the late revolutionary times, Mrs. More very justly observes it to have been not the least considerable among the triumplis of Religion recently witnessed, "that whereas Christianity was originally charged with a design to overturn states and empires, we have seen the crime completely turned over to the accusers; we have seen the avowed adversaries of Christ become the strenuous subverters of order, law, and government." Hitherto we have been engaged in contemplating St. Paul in high and "Amidst all the higher parts of spiritual instruction; amidst all the solidity of deep practical admonition, there is not, perhaps, a single instance in which this author Iras omitted to in. culcate any one of the little morals, any. one even of what may be called those minor circumstances, which constitute the decorums and decencies of life. Nor does his zeal for promoting the greatest actions, ever make him unmindful of the grace, the propriety, the manner with which they are to be per formed." Vol. ii. pp. 183, 184. There are many exquisite touches if our limits would have permitted, in this part of the portrait, to which, we could with great pleasure have adverted. But we must satisfy ourselves with recommending to our readers, that portion of the chapter which exhibits St. Paul in his Epistle to Philemon, as under "the heavy load of cares, and sorrows, and persecutions; with the addition of ecclesiastical affairs, the most extensive, and the most complicated,"-" attending minutely to an object so inconsiderable, as the concerns of a poor run-away slave, the son of his bonds.' The commentary on this transaction is exceedingly ingenious, and. is followed by some strictures upon the injudicious reports of converted criminals, in which "the baskets. of the hawkers are said this year' to have abounded," on the justice · of which we are not able, from our own observation, to pass sentence. The two succeeding chapters unfold the sentiments of this Apostle "on the resurrection;" and "on prayer, thanksgiving, and religious joy:" and the twentieth chapter, with which the immediate, subject of the work concludes, holds him up as "an example to familiar life.' The two remaining chapters are devoted to the consideration of "the superior advantages of the present period for the attainment of knowledge, religion, and happiness," and "some of the causes which impede general improvement." How highly our author appreciates the advantages of the present period, will appear from the following statement: "Had any patriarch, or saint, who was permitted only some rare and transient glimpses of the promised blessing, been allowed, in prophetic vision, to penetrate through the long vista of ages, which lay in remote futurity before him-had he been asked, whether, if his power concurred with his choice, in what age and in what nation he would have wished his lot assigned him-is it not more than probable that he would have replied-IN GREAT BRITAIN, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY!" Vol. ii. p. 300. This exalted estimate does not, however, prevent our author from discerning the melancholy disproportion between our attainments and our privileges. After animadverting with just severity on different errors both speculative and practical, which operate as impediments to general improvement, Mrs. More returns to St. Paul and his writings; and concludes her Essay with the following energetic and animated passage : "Let us close our frequent reference to Saint Paul as a pattern for general imitation, by repeating one question illustrative of those opposite qualities which ought to meet in every Christian. If the most zealous advocate for spiritual influences were to select, from all the writers of sacred antiquity, the most distinguished champion of his great cause, on whom would he fix his choice? And if the most strenuous assertor of the duty of personal activity in moral virtue were to chuse from all man, kind the man who most completely exemplified this character in himself, where must he search? Would not the two antagonists, when they met in the field of controversy, each in defence of his favourite tenet, find that they had fixed on the same man,-Paul the Apo stle of the Gentiles? If then we propose him as our model, let us not rest till something of the same combination be formed in ourselves. "To this end let us diligently study his Epistles, in which the great doctrines of salvation are amply unfolded, and the mode of its attainment completely detailed. In contemplating the works of this great master of the human mind, we more than perceive, we fecl, their applicableness to all times, places, circumstances, and persons; and this, not only because the Word of Eternal Life is always the same; but because the human heart, which that Word reveals to itself, is still the same also. We behold, as in a mirror, the fidelity, we had almost said the identity, of his representation,-face answering to face. We feel that we are personally interested in every feature he delineates. He lets us into the secrets of our own bosoms. He discloses to us the motives of our own conduct. He touches the true springs of right and wrong, lays bare the moral quality of actions, brings every object to the true point of comparison with each other, and all to the genuine standard of the unerring Gospel. By him we are clearly taught that the same deed done from the desire of pleasing becomes as different in the eye of reGod, or the desire of popular favour, ligion, as any two actions in the eye of men, "There we shall see also, that Saint Paul evinced the sincerity of his eternal hopes by constantly preparing him self for their fruition. These hopes shaped his conduct, and moulded his spirit to a resemblance of the state he hoped for; and he best proved his be lief that there really was such a state, by labouring to acquire the dispositions which might qualify him for its enjoyment. Without this aim, without this effort, without this perseverance, his faith would have been fruitless, his hope delusive, his profession hypocrisy, and his 'preaching vain.' "Let us image to ourselves the Savi. our of the world, holding up professing Christians as a living exemplification of his religion; of that religion which he taught by his doctrines and ratified by his blood. Let us represent him to our imaginations as referring to the lives of his followers for the truth of his word. Do we not tremble at such a responsibility? Do we not shrink from such a comparison? Are we not alarmed at the bare idea of bringing reproach on his Gospel, or dishonour on his name? "Christians! why would you wait till you arrive at heaven, before you contribute to the great end of every dispensation,—namely, that God may be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe? Even now, something of that assimilation should be taking place, which will be perfected when we shall see Him as He is,' and which will never take place if the resem. blance begin not here. Beatification is only the finishing of the likeness. Intuition will only complete the transformation." Vol. ii. pp. 344–348. We have now brought our Review of these volumes to a close; and as we have allowed ourselves considerable latitude both in the way of analysis and quotation, we shall dispatch what remains to be said in a very few words. Of the merits of the work we have spoken strongly; and of its faults, whatever they may be, we freely confess ourselves to have no disposition to speak at all. It is reported to the honour of the law of the land, that it does not concern itself about trifles; and we cannot but think, that it would be to the advantage of the commonwealth of letters, if the law of criticism were to follow, on some occasions at least, so generous and dignified an example. We have considered the present to be one of those cases, in which our duty to the public is better discharged by pointing out the excellencies of the work, which we had undertaken to review, than by minutely striking a balance between its merits and its defects. If it should be thought, that respect for the author has had some influence in inclining us to the course we have pursued, we shall not be over anxious to vindicate ourselves from the charge. The name of Hannah More is certainly associated in our minds with a degree of respect which would not allow us to trifle with her feelings, or tamper with her reputa tion. We cannot forget how much we are indebted to her for the seasonableness, the variety, and the extent of her numerous literary exertions. Least of all can we overlook our obligations to her, both as Britons and as Christians, for those admirable effusions of patriotism, and piety, and talent, which, under the name of "The Cheap Reposi tory Tracts," circulated so much useful truth among the lower orders of the community, and contributed so essentially, through the blessing of God, to fix the wavering princi ples of loyalty and religion in the hearts of the people. Our readers will bear with us, if, actuated by these considerations, we never fail, when speaking of Mrs. More, to employ the language of reverence and affection. We wish her to know, that the gratitude of the public bears some proportion to the zeal with which she has laboured in their service; and that she is now regarded among the brightest ornaments of her country, as she will be hereafter remembered among its greatest benefactors. Practical and Familiar Sermons, designed for Parochial and Domestic Instruction. By the Rev. EDWARD COOPER, Rector of Hamstall-Ridware and of Yoxall in the County of Stafford; and late Fellow of All-Souls College, Oxford. Vol. III. London: Cadell and Davies. 1815. 12mo. pp.329. WE doubt not that most of our readers have participated in the satisfaction which we felt when the volume now before us was announced to the public. Crowded as our shelves already were with publications of this description, we were in no ordinary degree desirous of adding this to their number; not only from having had such complete proof of the excellence and usefulness of Mr. Coo, per's sermons, but also because we concur in the opinion which is, we believe, pretty commonly enter tained, that sermons of the class to which these belong, are calculated, even more than others, to promote general good. The value of a compilation of plain, practical discourses, adapted to the understandings and circumstances of the lower orders of society, will be fully appreciated, perhaps, by those only who, feeling a tender solicitude about the eternal interests of their servants and other dependants, are anxious to supply to them, in the best manner possible, those means of spiritual instruction which may not be afforded them in public. That such a deficiency as that here adverted to exists, owing to causes which it is not necessary to specify, and that a proportion able want of familiar sermons has been felt by conscientious individuals, is a well-known fact. It is not, however, that we forget or undervalue the treasures of this kind which we possess. We are indebted to many excellent divines, some of whom are still labouring in the sacred vineyard, others reaping the fruits of their labours, for discourses which cannot be read or heard, if read and heard attentively, without improvement, though possessing different degrees of comparative as well as of positive excellence. We need scarcely mention the names of Walker of Traro, and Milner; and (though, perhaps, they are more especially calculated for the higher orders) of Gisborne and Venn. Still less will our readers need to be reminded that the volume now under review has been preceded by two others from the same author, particularly directed, like the present, to the purposes of domestic and parochial instruction. But this supply, great as it is, by no means meets the demand. And this deficiency we conceive to arise, in part, from the difficulty of providing this supply. The compo sition of sermons adapted to the lower classes of the community is a work, for the successful performance of which several qualifications of no ordinary kind are requisite. One of primary importance is, that the writer have clear ideas on the subject of which he treats. This, indeed, should be common to all who wish to convey instruction to others, whether by speaking or writing. But it is more indispensable in those who undertake to instruct the poor and uninformed; on this account, that hearers of this class are less able to supply, by the exercise of their own understandings, the want of clear conception in the instructor. It is not, by any means, that we entertain degrading notions of the capacities of the lower orders; on the contrary, we think it unde niable that they are endued with understandings which are naturally. no less capable of improvement than those of their superiors. It is equally certain, however, that from the circumstances of their situation in life, and particularly from their early habits, their minds become less quick of apprehension, and less capable of distinguishing, comparing, combining, and disposing the ideas which are presented to them than those that are more babituated to those exercises. And it is this which renders a clear and distinct conception, with its natural concomitants, luminous and orderly arrangement, and perspicuity of style, so peculiarly important in one who composes sermons more immediately for the lower classes of society.-To this it is extremely desirable that he should add warmth of feeling. Earnest appeals, affectionate admonitions and exhortations, and tender expostulations, have a peculiar efficacy on the minds of the poor and unlearned, and are frequently instrumental in lodging a salutary and abiding impression, when an argumentative and less animated address would fail of exciting at tention. We may, perhaps, be |