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The Duty of Habitual Devotion. IV. The Importance of Diligently Keeping the Heart. V. The Dangerous Tendency of Ease and Affluence. VI. The Question of Barzillai considered and improved. VII. The Love of Christ manifested in laying down his Life. VIII. Observations on the Story of the Man born Blind. IX. Faith, the Victory that overcometh the World. X. Keeping the Commandments of Christ the only unequivocal Proof of our Love to Him. XI. The Wisdom of adapting the Temper to the Condition. XII. The Guilt and Danger of slighting the Offer of Christianity. XIII. Against Censoriousness. XIV. Against Censoriousness. XV. The Nature and Sources of Religious Joy. XVI. The Duty and Reward of a Christian Minister. Appendix.

From this table of contents it will have appeared that the discourses are chiefly devotional and practical. They are at the same time Christian. Expositions of scripture and doctrinal arguments and reflections are interspersed; and these justify the interesting statement of Mr. Kentish, [XIV. 474,] that, half a century ago, Mr. Bretland had the courage to assume the then singular and obnoxious character of a preacher of Unitarianism, avowing from his pulpit in the Mint Meeting-house at Exeter, the principles of the absolute Unity of God and the unequivocal Humanity of Christ.

Mr. Bretland's fondness for metaphysical studies occasionally appears in the Sermons, but that which most distinguishes and recommends them is Christian simplicity. The reader is constantly pleased with the evident purity of the preacher's views, and with the kind and tender affections of his heart. The Sermons to the Young exhibit a strong sympathy with them in their deepest and best feelings. His Funeral Sermons are the effusions of one who had himself tasted of the cup of sorrow.

But our readers will be well pleased that we should spare our own remarks for the sake of two or three extracts. In Serm. X. of Vol. I., from Psalm xxvii. 10, the following is supposed to be the soliloquy of a child who has acquitted himself well in the discharge of filial obligations:

"The God who blessed me for a time with parents, who with the tenderest

care cherished me in the days of infancy and watched my heedless steps in giddy childhood-who shared with me in all my joys and sorrows, and reared me with the most affectionate solicitude to riper years-has now removed them. Their concern for my safety, health and happiness, claimed from me the return of the warmest attachment, and to theirs was bing bosom when I saw them in pain or my heart united. Grief wrung my throbtrouble, and joy took possession of my tenance on the removal of their afflictions. soul and brightened up my dejected counTo lighten their pressures and increase their enjoyments was my prevailing aim, and, when my attempts for that purpose were successful, exquisite pleasure was their reward. When the weight of years

and the attack of disease threatened their

approaching dissolution, what tongue can express the emotions which I felt while, tearful eye the rapid advances of the king bending over their bed, I marked with fatal stroke to be averted, that they might of terrors? How ardently did I wish the be restored to me a most delightful charge, and that I might enjoy once more an opportunity of shewing them how dear they were to me, by yet stronger and more frequent proofs of the tenderest affection than had appeared in my former conduct! But Thou, the great arbiter of lingly, didst not see fit to grant me the life and death, who never afflictest wildesire of my soul. If in ardent prayers which I poured out before thy gracious throne for their recovery, I felt not all that readiness which became me to acquiesce in the event I dreaded, convinced, as I am, that every event is under thy direction, do Thou forgive a fault proceeding from the excess of an affection, which, duly regulated, thou highly approvest. And now, having performed the last it was my pleasing study and endeavour office for those whose ease and happiness fortable hope, that thou hast upon the to promote, allow me to indulge the comwhole beholden with approbation what I have done in the way of filial duty from the most genuine love and a principle of conscience, though mixed with defects, which I deeply lament, and that, an orphan, I shall be favoured with thy paternal care. Thou, O God of mercy, art the Father of the fatherless!"Pp. 183, 184.

There is an unusual elevation of thought in Serm. XIV. of the same volume, on Psalm viii. 3, 4, of which the following passage is a specimen :

wished to select any particular grain for "If looking on a heap of sand we our inspection, we should find it ex

tremely difficult, if not impossible, to do it without actually separating the grain from the heap for that purpose. When the grain was taken from the heap, we should not perceive any diminution of the size of the heap, or be aware that any common use, to which it was intended to be applied, would be affected by the removal of the grain. Such grain, however, would bear a much greater proportion to the whole heap, how large soever, than our world bears to the system of the universe, and far greater still than a single man can be thought to bear to the whole collection of living creatures existing in all parts of the Creator's vast dominions. How wonderful, then, and beyond all our conceptions great, must be the comprehension and capacity of that mind which can attend at once to the state of every world, the complex and involved concerns of all the creatures that inhabit it, and the peculiar condition and circumstances of each individual, without overlooking or neglecting one single being of the countless multitude it has brought and is ever bringing into existence! And how warm, how much too warm to be expressed by language, must be the gratitude of that man who, lifting an eye to the heavens, thus meditates with himself! With what an august scene am I presented; orb placed beyond orb in the ethereal expanse, at distances too remote for human calculation! Amidst the works of God, multiplied and extended infinitely beyond the reach of mortal sight or conception, how small, how comparatively insignificant a creature am I Like a drop taken from the vast ocean, or a particle of dust swept from the balance, how little could I be missed In creation were I to be instantly blotted out of being! Yet, while I stand beholding with admiration yonder luminaries, I feel myself supported in life and in the exercise of my several powers by him who framed, disposed and rules those resplendent orbs, as if I were the sole charge of his providential care. What gratitude, O eternal Mind! can equal thy condescension and benignity in regarding a creature that must be so diminutive and of so little consequence in thy sight! In this magnificent temple, the theatre where thou art displaying thy matchless perfections, while millions of other beings, my equals and superiors in every noble faculty with which thou hast deigned to bless me, are perhaps at this moment gazing on the same stupendous scene with myself, wrapt in holy wonder and thankfulness, accept the small addition of my praise."-Pp. 251-253.

Perhaps the most striking passage

in the volumes is the apostrophe to a
deceased friend, supposed to be uttered
from 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14:
at his tomb, in Serm. XVII. of Vol. I.,

"Not long since thou wast what I am now, one of the actors in this passing scene. To all thy sighs I lent a pitying ear, and my heaving bosom beat responsive to thy sad complaints. With thine my tears were mingled in the hour of afHiction; and when joy brightened thy countenance, my heart felt a kindred pleasure. With thee I sat, or walked by the way, and held sweet converse. To thee my soul was knit by the ties of cordial amity and soft endearment. Now thou hast left me to mourn the loss of thee in pensive silence. On thy hallowed grave I drop the tender tear, and bid thy sacred ashes rest in peace. Ere long shall I join thee in thy dark abode, thy companion in the dust, till we be called forth to stand in our lot in the end of the days. In life was 1 united to thee; in the same cold arms of death shall I soon lie; and transporting thought!

together shall we rise, no more to feel the agony of parting. All hail that blessed morn, which shall restore thee to my fond embrace! Methinks I see its sprightly beams gilding the horizon, and leading on the bright triumphant day! Yonder appears the Judge arrayed in majesty, and holy myriads form his glorious train! He bids the trumpet sound. I hear its awful voice, which penetrates through all the mansions of the dead. Methinks I now behold thy tomb opening to make a passage for thee. I see thy mortal frame, which was sown in corruption, dishonour and weakness, raised in incorruption, glory and power. I run to meet thee on thy release from the bondage of the grave. I join thy company, and enter with thee into the delightful recollection of our former friendship. We mark with gratitude together the kind hand of heaven, which led us through the pilgrimage of life, nor left us in the vale of death. Risen to pass an undeclining day, we renew the joys of social intercourse, undiminished by the fear of interruption. We trace, with admiring wonder and gratitude, evidences of divine wisdom and benignity in the appointment of events, the particular uses of which had before eluded our discovery. We survey together the beauties of renovated nature, and as we gaze, the pleasure of each is heightened by the participation of the other. We seek and find among the countless multitude, the sight of whose happiness augments our own, the chosen few in whom our souls on earth delighted. With them we revive our former ac

quaintance. Engaged, with them and all around, in the most pure and sublime exercise of our noblest powers and affections, we share each other's and the general bliss. With the rapid improvement of our knowledge and goodness, the

increase of our felicity keeps an equal pace. Eternity, not to be shortened by the lapse of twice ten thousand ages, opens to our enraptured minds the prospect of rising higher in intellectual and moral excellence, and higher still beyond all imaginable limits. Struck with the refulgent splendours of celestial glory on every side, joined in the bands of an indissoluble union with the assembly of the just made perfect, feeling within the refined satisfaction of conscious integrity, placed under the government and protection of Jesus, the friend of man, rejoicing in the love and approbation of our God and Father, and secure of enjoying for ever these sources of inexpressible delight, we find our happiness adequate each moment to our capacities, though growing for ever in proportion to their continual enlargement."-Pp. 305–308.

A characteristic portrait of Mr. Bretland is prefixed, from the plate of which the Editor has kindly allowed us to take the impression which ornaments this Number and Volume.

The " Appendix" consists of Let

ters which Mr. Bretland contributed to our Fifth and Sixth Volumes, under the signature of Geron, on Mr. Farmer's hypothesis of Christ's Tempta

tion.

ART. IV-An Inquiry respecting the Original Copies and Ancient Versions of the New Testament, &c. To which is prefixed, A Brief View of the different English Translations of the Sacred Writings. 8vo. pp. 32. Liverpool, printed by F. B. Wright. 1820.

HIS is a reprint of the Introduc

the New Testament, published by the Unitarian Society, which we regard as the most masterly and useful compendium of biblical history in the English language. There only wanted a his

tory of English Translations by the same hand to make the work complete. In default of this, the Liverpool Unitarian Tract Society has drawn up A Brief View, as a preliminary chapter tice to say, that it contains much varied to the Introduction; and it is but jusand useful information on a subject little understood by common readers. The tract altogether is well worthy of the notice of our Book Societies. For the small price of sixpence, it would be difficult to procure any publication which would be so efficacious in enlightening the minds of the religious public by giving them real knowledge.

ART. V.-A Letter to the Young Men and Women of the Society of Friends, on the Yearly Meeting Epistle for 1820. 8vo. pp. 20. Printed by Wm. Alexander, Yarmouth. 1820.

ART. VI.-A Letter to a Junior Member of the Society of Friends, occasioned by his Address to the Young Men and Women of the same Society. 12mo. pp. 24. Woodbridge, printed by B. Smith. 1820. :

THE

passage in the last "Yearly Epistle," warning the Quakers against reading Unitarian books, (XV. 561, and the present Number, pp. 22, 23,) has, as we hoped and expected, excited some surprise and stir in that respectable denomination. The author of the former of these pamphlets (Mr. C. Elcock) expresses an ingenuous desire of knowledge and love of truth and determination of inquiry, and cautions his brethren and sisters against any attempt to subdue them to implicit faith; the author of the latter, who conceals both his name and the reasons (if reasons he have) for his opinion, dwells upon the danger of

versy. We will not say which is the better Quaker, but we have no difficulty in deciding which is the more consistent disciple of him who said, Search the Scriptures.

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