which politeness gave to his excellence, procured an additional degree of respect and affection.

As an author too the doctor appeared highly respectable. He published a volume on the baptist controversy; and on a subject where it was difficult to say any thing new, he has the praise of saying what he had to say, with a better temper than most of his predecessors. His two volumes "on personal Reli gion," were well received by the public: had they contained more principles and less reasoning, they would have been more useful. His sermons on relative duties are very valuable, and his book on the Scriptures may be read with much profit. That display of genius which consists in originality of thought and profoundness of reasoning, he did not possess in a high degree; but the reader is ever sure of finding good sense, instructive matter, and always to the purpose. His style is very pleasing, and if some will not allow the praise of elegance which is given by many of his friends, they must acknowledge that it is at least exceedingly neat.

The praise of exemplary piety, which is the highest honour of man, none will deny to Dr. Stennett. Under its influence he lived from the days of his youth; and he felt its benign and cheering power in old age. A few months before his death, he lost his wife, a very pious and amiable woman, with whom he had lived in great domestic felicity for more than forty years: one feature of her character we wish all her countrywomen possessed-she was never heard to speak evil of any one. The decay of his own health rapidly succeeded. The frame of his mind happily accorded with the infirmities of his body, and he considered himself as one just about to

depart to another state of existence. When his complaints increased so as to place death full in his view, he said to those around him," the sufferings of Christ are my support: what should I do now if I had only such opinions of him as Dr. Priestley? Christ is able to support to the uttermost them that come unto God through him." "He is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.' Many other devout expressions dropped from his lips, which displayed the Christian raised above the fear of death, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. He died on the twenty-fourth of August, 1795, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.

SAMUEL PEARCE, M. A.

The excellencies of this young minister, who was little more than shewn to the church, have been honourably recorded by a living writer. If this short memoir, which is all that our limits will allow, should send any one who is entering on the care of souls to the perusal of his biography, he will see a model worthy of diligent study and faithful imitation; and if he should catch the same spirit, thousands will have to bless God for it to eternity.

Plymouth was the birth-place of Samuel Pearce. Born in the year 1766, he was early inspired with the love of evangelical truth, under the ministry of Mr. Birt, pastor of the baptist church in his native town. To his eminent and ardent religion it soon appeared supremely desirable to devote his life to the service of Christ and his church. He studied for the ministry under Dr. Ryland, at Bristol, and from the

academy removed to take charge of a baptist church at Birmingham. Here his judicious, fervent, and incessant labours rapidly increased the congregation and the church, while his affectionate and devout deportment endeared him not only to his own flock, but to all who had wisdom to perceive, or virtue to approve the image of Jesus Christ.

But a mistaken confidence in the firmness of his constitution, which is the frequent error of the noblest minds, early deprived his communion of one of its brightest ornaments. Prodigal of his strength and health, he not only preached very frequently, but took many journies, which exposed him to cold; and, unable to arrest for a moment his rapid course, he preached while his lungs were dangerously affected, so that at length he sunk under a consumption. When his eyes were open to his case, he observed, "I always felt a peculiar aversion to the idea of dying by a consumption, but I have now been reconciled to it by reading the words of the evangelist, this spake Jesus to Peter, signifying by what death he should glorify God.' I am pleased to die by whatever death I may most glorify God." He was removed from the world which he improved, in October, 1799, when he was only thirty-three years of age.

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With an elegant mind, and cultivated taste, he was never "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ;" and while his benevolent heart burned with unquenchable ardour for the salvation of Britons and Hindoos, he displayed in an eminent degree the meekness and gentleness of the Saviour. If he preached, the most careless were attentive, the most prejudiced became favourable, and the coldest felt that in spite of themselves they began to kindle; but

when he poured out the devotions of his heart in prayer, the most devout were so elevated beyond their former heights, that they said, "we scarcely ever seemed to pray before." While he thus stood on the threshold of heaven, he conceived the design of devoting himself to the baptist mission in Bengal, to the establishment of which he powerfully contributed; but a council of his friends forbad, and he who said, "it was well that it was in thine heart," called him to worship with the spirits of the just gathered from every land. Let young ministers learn from his example to work while it is day, and to remember that the bloom of youth, and the splendour of talents, never appear so lovely as when ardently consecrated to the Saviour of men.

CHAP. IX.

STATE OF RELIGION IN THE WORLD.

STATE OF RELIGION IN ENGLAND.

SINCE the restoration, the church of England has not enjoyed a course of greater quiet and prosperity than during the present reign. In 1766 Dr. Cornwallis succeeded Dr. Secker in the see of Canterbury; and in 1783 gave place to Dr. Moore, who possessed his honours during a very stormy period, and lately resigned them to Dr. Sutton, the present metropolitan. At the beginning of this period the exercise of episcopal authority was exceedingly gentle, some would say lax, but the reins have been gradually tightened, so as now to gall the mouths of some and make them complain of harshness. By a clause in an act of parliament for another purpose, the constitution of the church of England has been rendered more despotic, for the bishops have been invested with new authority over the inferior clergy, but especially over the curates who are now entirely subjected to their absolute disposal.

That there are great and numerous faults, both in the constitution of the church, and the mode of its administration by the state, may naturally be supposed to be our opinion; or why should we dissent? But at the same time we entertain the highest respect for

See a pamphlet entitled, " Reflections on the recent Extension of the Powers of their Lordships the Bishops."