and in this more weighty point of view few perfons can feel themselves altogether unconcerned at its approach.

In travelling through this fleeting and varied fcene of things upon earth, to that heavenly country to which we are bound, our accommodations are oftentimes very widely different, and gradations of rank and of happinessare obfervable amongst many from the prince to the beggar, and from the height of human happiness to the very lowest depth of mifery and despair. In no ftate, during our continuance on earth, is pure and unmixed happinefs ever to be found, neither to a mind well ftored with the fuccours of religion and duly impreffed with the divine charms of virtue, can any state be altogether miferable. In Heaven, to the righteous and good, pure and unalloyed happiness will be discovered; and DEATH will put them into complete poffeffion of it. Suppofe we were therefore in poffeffion of the utmoft happiness which this world can afford, have we reafon to fear Death because it must neceffarily put an end to that fublunary felicity? Affuredly not. Neither the duration or degree of this world's happiness is worthy to be compared with that of the world to come. For the former is imperfect and tranfitory in its very nature, the latter perfect and eternal in duration. And as Death is an event which removes us from a lefs to a greater degree of felicity, it may with the greatest truth be pronounced to be " great gain."

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Here it will of course ftrike every reflecting perfon, that we have hitherto only confidered the cafe of those who by their holy lives and converfations have purchased to themselves a fure reversion of happiness in a future life: but the cafe must be widely different in regard to those unhappy perfons the tenor of whofe lives and actions is only evil continually, who confequently have nothing to look for beyond the grave, but punishment and mifery which cannot be defcribed. This is undoubtedly true. But the firm conviction of this great truth fhould operate upon fuch perfons seriously to repent, and thereby turn away from them the fierce anger of their offended God. So long as life remains there is at least the poffibility of repentance, and if any of the providential calls of God fhould happily: effect this, no longer need they look upon Death in the light of an hated enemy, but rather fhould hail its approach as the harbinger of eternal felicity in a future ftate, and then, as we have above remarked, to die is gain." There are feveral other confiderations, which if duly laid to heart, may serve to prepare our minds for the approach of the great King of Terrors. If it fhould please the fupreme difpofer of all events to call us from this ftate of probation at an early period of our life, may it not be in great mercy to us that he is pleafed fo to do. For had our exiftence been lengthened, perhaps ill health, disappointment, or a variety of other trials, altogether out of our power to forefee or prevent, might have embittered our days, and caused us to curfe that difpenfation which we had fo eagerly, and as it then would appear, so unwifely defired. Again, how know we but that a longer continuance in a state of probation and trial, and being longer expofed to the feducing power of temptation, might caufe us to fall before it, and be at length overcome by that "Sin which doth most easily befet us?" The lofs alfo of our beft and dearest friends by the relentless hand of Death, might poffibly have moft acutely affected our fenfibility, and made us ardently with, that we had been permitted to retire before them into the filence and quietnefs of the peaceful grave. The bodily imbecility,

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weakness, and decrepitude which muft inevitably attend on the long protracted period of human life, is another reason why we fhould think it kind in Heaven to fave us from it by an earlier diffolution. These confiderations, which might, if neceffary, be feparately extended to a very confiderable length, fome or all of them may induce us to fubmit ourselves calmly and patiently to the ftroke of death, which, however much we may fear it, cannot be avoided. The reflection alfo that God, who is wisdom itself and knoweth all things, will order every thing in the best poffible manner for us, fhould powerfully perfuade us to give up ourselves and all our affairs to his almighty direction. But, above all, the walking habitually in a pious courfe of life, and therefore being at all times properly prepared for this great event, is the moft efficacious way of " plucking out the fting of death," and giving us " the victory over the grave."

Now that true wisdom and virtue may abound in the world; that we who call ourselves Chriftians may live fuch pious and good lives that we may not fear to die; and that when we are called hence, we may receive the rewards and bleffings of a glorious eternity, is the fincere prayer of, Gentlemen,

Your moft obedient and very humble servant,

December 4, 1802.

OBSERVATOR,

To THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE

HE information your correfpondent A. received, was by no means fought after. It very unexpectedly came to him above five years ago, and inftead of giving him any pleasure, could only create much concern in his mind, that a young man of the Duke of Bedford's abilities, rank, and fortune, fhould be fo neglectful of himself, and inattentive to thofe around him, as conftantly to abfent himself from the public worship in his parish church. The Duke was not charged in being a diffenter from the church, in giving his countenance and fupport to fome other form or difcipline, but he was charged with habitually abfenting himself. A greater flight than this could not be paft on the public worship and the public minifters of religion. Chriftianity is treated as a thing of nought, proper perhaps to keep the vulgar in awe, but unneceffary for fuperior minds and thofe who enjoy a large fhare of the bleflings of divine Providence in this world. But furely they who are entrusted with ten talents must account for ten? The example fet to inferiors and dependents, and the regular confcientious attendance on the public worship, are no fmall part of the improvement of our talents.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE, GENTLEMEN,

As this is the feafon when we are called upon by our Church to celebrate the Nativity of our Bleffed Redeemer, it may not be improper to communicate to your Readers fome of thofe Reafons which the learned

Selden

Selden has offered to prove that the 25th of December is the right day fet apart for that purpose; and that it was fo appropriated by the Apostles themselves. I am, &c. JUVENIS.

Newington Butts, Dec. 23d, 1802.

"Some indeed, (and those not a few among the learned) have doubted of the just time of the birth of our Saviour, which, while they doubt, they offer the more occasion to others to queftion and impugn the celebration of it, as it is now fettled in the Church. But for myself here, as I was far from queftioning the duty of it, fo was I alfo from doubting of the right celebration of it, on the very day of December, whereon it is now kept. And to make clear my mind here, I fhall now more largely declare the certainty of that feaft, as it is at this day obferved, even from the eldeft of the Christian times, and Apoftolical tradition, received even from the practice of his Difciples." SELDEN.*

This circumftance being well known to thofe converfant in Ecclefiaftical Hiftory fhould also be explained to fuch as are not, they having an equal right to be well informed in "all things relating to the common falvation," which is indeed the only way to avoid schism, and adhere to the truth, by following the Apoftle's advice, of being able to give a reafon of their hope. SELDEN having been ranked among "those who doubted," occafioned his writing his OEANOPIO, or God made man, a trućt proving the nativity of our Saviour to be on the 25th of December, which is divided into 7 Sections; viz. 1. The authority of keeping this day. 2. More particular proofs of it. 3. It was fo received from the Fathers. 4. Exprefs teftimonies from hiftorians and general ufe. 5. The common reafons urged, erroneous. 6. Objections anfwered: and, 7. Opinions refpecting it. And as the tract has now become too scarce to be commonly perufed, an extract of fome paffages refpecting this important matter of fact, may not be unacceptable. In p. 2. he difclaims the unjust imputation; "as if I had purposely called in queftion," fays he, "the celebration of that facred day, which is, as St. Chryfoftom calls it,†t the main fort of all happiness, and the fountain and root of all the good that we enjoy; and to call it in queftion, as if I fuppofed," he indignantly adds, " it were obferved at the time without fufficient ground, and as if I were too inclining to the part of the hot brained and difturbing puritans, which impiously deny the keeping of a day as an anniversary feaft confecrated by the birth of our Saviour: from which my confcience was ever, and is moft clearly free." At p. 7. he obferves that St. Ambrofe, St. Chryfoftom, St. Auftin and others, "have many fermons appropriated to the celebration of this day, and they frequently tell the people confidently, that the birth of our Saviour WAS ON THE 25 OF DECEMBER, or the 8 kalends of January"-and “the birth of St. John on the 8 kalends of July, or 24 June."- "On our Saviour's birth day, the days begin to lengthen, and on St. John's to fhorten." P. 9. "The eastern Church received it from the western." P. 10. "St. Chryfoftom fays, being inftructed from learned men of the western Church, it was then ἄνωθεν καὶ πρὸ πολῶν παραδοθεισα ἐτῶν, of ancient time

* Vide OEANOPSñoz, or God made man, a tract proving the nativity of our Saviour to be on the 25th of December, by JOHN SELDEN, that eminently learned Antiquary, late of the Inner Temple, London, 1661.

+ Tom. 7 Edit. Saviliana. p. 375. day. a.

Serm. dict. item in hom. 34. tom. 2. edict. Bafil. And in Serm. 27 de nat. Jo, Baptift, eodem tom.

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and delivered in the Church many years before,”—even of equal age with the antienter feast days which they had received,".- "well known from antient time."-St. Auguftine alfo expressly fays* that the birth was upon this day, fi tradit Ecclefia, which denotes great antiquity even in his time." P. 11. and he exprefsly fays,† "St. John Baptift's day was received by like tradition." And tracing backwards in the time of Conftantine, and the first general council of Nice, held in 325, "this feaft was kept on the 25th ·December, AS NOW IT IS, and then from antienter time, against such as fuppofed it no older." P. 21. "Before the council of Nice, held in 325, this feaft was established in the western Church by the general teftimony of the Fathers." P. 25. "It refts firm therefore, that whenfoever it was firft inftituted for anniversary celebration, it was in fuch an age as had the fuppofition of the winter folftice being on the 25th day of December, yet retained in the Church." P. 29. "The like is affirmed of the Apoftolical Tradition of the uniform celebration of EASTER, by Ceolfrid, in his Epiftle to Naitan, King of the Picts. P. 30. It follows therefore, that even from the beginning, that is, FROM THE APOSTLES TIMES, the fame fpring equinox was received in the Church, i. e. the 21, or 22 of March, as was afterward, and that it was thence established on the 21 by the council of Nice, and that by confequence, in thofe times, of the Apoftles, the formerly received equinox was altered from the 25 to the 22, or 21, and also, (as of neceffity it follows,) the fame winter folftice from the 25 December, to near about the gift or 22d of the fame month. Whence also it is to be calculated, that this feast day was received as to be kept ON THE 25 DAY EVEN BEFORE THE APOSTLES TIMES, AND THAT AMONG THE DISCIPLES OF OUR SAVIOUR, WHILE HE WAS YET ON EARTH; that is, while in common reputation the 25 day of December was taken for the winter folftice." P. 31. "It being commonly received out of the account and kalendar of the Gentiles, that the 25 day of December, was the folftice, and that ON THE SAME DAY our Saviour was born, it grew familiar it feems, and fo was delivered down to those fathers, that the birth day was on the very winter folftice, which they fo often inculcate." P. 33. Many years before the council of Nice, i. e. under Dioclefian, this feast was thus celebrated." P. 35. Among St. Chryfoftom's works in Latin, one Homily is, de nativitate Domini (Edit. Bafil, tom. 2. hom. 39) wherein he confidently, as elsewhere teaches, that this day of December is the juft day of that birth, and for his authority brings no lefs than St. Peter's testimony; PETRUS, are the words, QUI HIC FUIT CUM JOH. QUI HIC FUIT JAC. Nos IN OCCIDENTE DOCUIT,"referring to what he had before noted in his oration on this fubject, and where he fays (Edit. Savil. tom. p. 512.) fuch as defended this day, faid it was Пanad nj agxaia, nj ävwbeX, τοῖς ἀπὸ Θρακης μέχρι Γαδείρων οικέσι κατάδηλα καὶ ὀψισημα, very antient and from old time known, and famous from Thrace to Cadis, that is, the whole western Church. To thefe may be added Euodius whom Nicephorus calls Enarrat in Pfalm 132.

+ Serm. de fanét. 4.

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5.

At p. 16 mention being made of Ptolemic's árs ámλavõν áçeçav, ovvaywyn Sonaco, (Cod. MS. eft V. C. Henrici Savil, Eq. Aurati; mihi vero communicavit pro fua humanitate V. C. T. Bambridge, Medicinæ D. et Mathematicus Egregius) which Selden fays, "was a book never yet printed," I here fubjoin for the information of the learned reader a MS. note affixed to this affertion in the margin of the EAN Р2по2 in my poffeffion, by one of its well informed previous poffeffors; viz. "This was tranflated and published in Latin by Frederick Bonaventure, A. 1592, 4to,"

the

the fucceffor of the Apostles, and it is delivered (Suid. in verb. Nalapai & Xesiavos) that it was ordained by St. Peter himself in Antioch; that we may fo distinguish him from the other Euodius Bp. of Uzalis, (Cujus nomini afcribuntur opera aliquot ad. fin. tom. 10. D. Aug. fubjun&ta edit. Lovanienfi) in St. Auguftine's time: he in one Epift. touching the times of the paffion of our Saviour, of St. Stephen's Martyrdom, of the death of the B. Virgin, and the like, fays exprefsly of her (as the Latin is in Languis's Nicephorus Eccles. Hift. 1. 2. c. 3.) Peperit autem mundi ipfius lucem, annum agens quindecimum 25 die menfis Decembris." 25 DIE MENSIS DECEMBRIS!" and p. 36. likewife in an old Greek author (the book being written about the time of Pope Honorius 1ft) in the library of St. Marks in Florence, express testimony is Apoftolos memoriæ prodidiffe Christum ex Virgine natum Bethlema 25 Decembris, as Albertus Widemonstadius of his own fight, witneffeth, and to thefe may be added Cedren, Orofius and fome antient MSS. Fafti cited by Cufpinian upon Caffiodore, and other authorities"-" ftrengthened alfo by St. Chryfoftom, where he fays (Tom. 5. edit. Savil. fol. 512) exprefsly, that in public records kept at Rome in his age, the exact time of the defcription under Cyrenius, fpoken of by St. Luke, (which could not but be a special character of the time of our Saviour's birth) was expreffed; and then he goes on (ibid. p. 513) doubt not for we have received the day παρα τῶν ἀκριβῶς ταῦτα εἰδότων, i. from thofe which accurately know these things and dwell at Rome, and that they ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ παλαίας παραδόσεως αυτην σπιτελένιες νυν αυτῆς ἡμῖν τὴν grow, i. e. having from antient time and old tradition celebrated it, have now alfo fent us the knowledge of it. This is likewise confirmed by an old barbarous tranflation of what was taken out of Africanus and Eufebius, and published in the noble Scaliger's Thefaurus Temporum, where the words are Aug. et Sylvano Cofs Dominus nofter Jefus Chriftus natus eft fub Augufto 8 calendas Januarii: and then in ipfa die in qua natus eft paftores viderunt ftellam, chuac 28, which thould rather be 29, for fo agrees the 25 Dec. to that of the Egyptian choiac, which the author means. Prudentius alfo," p. 38. "And of later times the authorities are infinite." All these teftimonies" enough manifest the ANTIQUITY and CERTAINTY of the ancient feaft day, according as we now obferve it, and that even from the age wherein it first brought forth the redemption of mankind. And to these we may add, the confent of Christian Churches ever fince about those 400 years," and as St. Chryfoftom exprefsly faith xa0' inaçov ËTO Otididwor λaμπpolepov VIVεTal, every year it encreafed and grew more famous. P. 39. And about 100 years after Chryfoftom it was exprefsly ordained by the Emperor Juftin, (if Nicephorus Califtus Hift. Ecclef. 1. 17. c. 28, deceive me not,) that in every place in the Christian world it should be thus obferved. And according to this are the kalendars and books of divine fervice, not only of the western, which are every where common, but of the eaftern churches alfo: in the menology of the Greek church in December, τῶ ἀυτῷ εικοςῇ πέμπλῃ ἡ κατὰ σὰρκα γένησις τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ Θεῖ καὶ Σωτήρα. ἡμῶν Ιησε Xgis. i. e. On the 25th of the fame month the feast of the incarnation of our LORD, AND GOD, AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. And

Παρθενική Μαρίη Θεὸν ἐικάδι γείνατο πέμπλη

That is, THE VIRGIN MARY BROUGHT FORTH OUR SAVIOUR ON THE 25 PAY. Other vols. of their divine Service fhew this alfo."

P. 40. "And