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tulations, that they may be made in some degree applicable to other cases. His directions are minute, as well as general, so as scarcely to leave any of the incidents of life, or the exigencies of society, totally unprovided for.

"There are, it is obvious, certain things which refer to particular usages of the general church at its first institution, which no longer exist. There are frequent references to the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and other circumstances, which though they have now ceased, are of great importance as connected with its history, and assisting in its first formation; and the writer who had neglected to have recorded them would have been blameable, and the Epistles which had not alluded to them, would have been imperfect.

"While the Apostle made adequate provisions, such as the existing case required, or rather permitted, he did not absolutely legislate, as to external things, for any church; wisely leaving Christianity at liberty to incorporate herself with the laws of any country into which she might be introduced; and while the doctrines of the new religion were precise, distinct, and definite, its ecclesiastical character was of that generalized nature which would allow it to mix with any form of national government. This was a likely means both to promote its extension, and to prevent it from imbibing a political temper, or a spirit of interference with the secular concerns of any country.

"The wonder is, that the work is so little local, that it savours so little of Antioch or Jerusalem, of Philippi or Corinth; but

that almost all is of such general applica. tion: relative circumstances did indeed operate, but they always operated subordinately. The Epistle to the Ephesians is not marked with one local peculiarity. There is not a single deduction to be made from the universal applicableness of this elegant and powerful epitome of the Gospel.

"Saint Paul belongs not particularly to the period in which he lived, but is equally the property of each successive race of beings. Time does not diminish their interest in him. He is as fresh to every century as to his own; and the truths he preaches will be as intimately connected with that age which shall precede the dissolution of the world, as that in which be wrote. The sympathies of the real be. Christ. Observ. No. 161.

liever will always be equally awakened by doctrines which will equally apply to their consciences, by principles which will al ways have a reference to their practice, by promises which will always carry consolation to their hearts. By the Christians of all countries Paul will be considered as a cosmopolite, and by those of all ages as a contemporary. Even when he addres. ses individuals, his point of view is mankind. He looked to the world as his scene, and to collective man as the actor." Vol. i. pp. 247–252.

"Tenderness of heart," and "heavenly-mindedness," are the next qualities to which our author adverts in the great character which she has undertaken to delineate; and it is describes them with a sensibility of but justice to her to say, that she heart, and an elevation of spirit, worthy of the subject. We could present our readers with many passages of exquisite beauty from each of the chapters in which these quali ties are respectively treated, but we shall confine ourselves to a single extract from that on 66 heavenlymindedness." We are aware indeed, that in speaking of " heavenly-mindedness," we lay ourselves open to the charge of enthusiasm from some who "profess and call themselves Christians." Such persons must allow themselves to be reminded, that to elevate the soul above the influence of the body was declared by the wisest of the heathens to be the aim and the perfection of philosophy. It was necessary, however, to be better instructed than the wisest of the heathen, to know how to accomplish this desirable end. Heavenly-mindedness expresses what philosophy inculcated, but could not teach; and he is in fact the most consummate philosopher who has learnt from Christianity to have his conversation in heaven. But to return: our author having described the quality under consideration to be "the uniting link between doctrinal and practical piety," and to consist "in an en

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tire consecration of the affections, a voluntary surrender of the who'e man to God," points out its influence on this great Apostle, in a variety of striking particulars. The following passage is among the number:

"His spirit seems most intimately to identify itself with the church of Ephesus. What an improbable union! The 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 must 'walk worthy 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 perfec

tion 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.

"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 Pestrain 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 suspend ing spiritual ideas, and dismissing spiritual feelings, they yet mix themselves, as it were involuntarily, with his secular cares: there is not only a satisfaction but a joyfulness in these escapes of affection which seem to spring from his soul, in proportion to the depression of his circumstances, to the danger which surrounded, to the deaths which threatened him." Vol. ii. pp. 53-55.

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. contrast to which these combinations give occasion, is very happily im agined, and executed.

The

Christian, does the renowned Roman, who, "How little, in the eyes of the sober scarcely half a century before, sacrificed his life to his disappointment, at this very Philippi, appear, in comparison of the an who addressed this Epistle to the same Brutus, but his magnanimity was of a city Saint Paul was not less brave than 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 bigher species of liberty,

Unsung by poets, and by senators un prais'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 patriothe owed his fortune and his life,*-usurper ism, after having killed his friend, to whom though he was,-voluntarily to leave this Though Cæsar had robbed Rome of her adored country a prey to inferior usurpers? liberty, should Brutus rob her of his own guardian virtues? Why not say to the Romans, 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 self-murder, 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.

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"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 his tories 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 authorites," furnishes our author with an opportunity of demonstrating the correctness of the Apostie'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 triumpbs 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.

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Hitherto we have been engaged in contemplating St. Paul in high and commanding positions in chapter

xvii, we are invited to consider him as contracting his greatness to the dimensions of ordinary life, and condescending with grace to the care of "inferior concerns." Nothing can be more true than the following assertion; yet of whom, may we ask, St. Paul himself excepted, could such an assertion with truth have been made?

"Amidst all the higher parts of spiritu al instruction; amidst all the solidity of deep practical admonition, there is not, per. haps, a single instance in which this author has omitted to inculcate 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 unmind. ful of the grace, the propriety, the manner with which they are to be performed." Vol. ii. pp. 183, 184.

There are many exquisite touches in this part of the portrait, to which, if our limits would have permitted, 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 Epis tle 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 conyerted 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.

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The two succeeding chapters unfold the sentiments of this Apostle "on the resurrection;" and "on prayer, thanksgiving, and religious joy" and the twentieth chapter,

an example to

The two remaining chapters are devoted to the consideration of "the "superior advantages of the present period for the attainment of know. ledge, 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 as

signed 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 imita tion, by repeating one question illustrative of those opposite qualities which ought to meet in every question If the most zeal ous 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 choose from all mankind the man who most completely exemplified this character in himself, where

find that they had fixed

Paul the Apostle of t then we propose him as not rest ull something of nation be formed in ourse

"To this end let us dil

Epistles, in which the g salvation are amply unfold of its attainment complet ter of the human mind, w contemplating the works o ceive, we feel, their appl times, places, circumstanc and this, not only becaus Eternal Life is always the cause the human heart, w reveals to itself, is still We behold, as in a mirror, had almost said the identi sentation,-face answerin feel that we are personal

every feature he delineat into the secrets of our ow

discloses to us the motives Juct. He touches the true

and wrong, lays bare the r actions, brings every obje point of comparison with all to the genuine standard Gospel. By him we are that the same deed done f of pleasing God, or the de favour, becomes as different

religion, as any two action of men.

"There we shall see als Paul evinced the sincerity hopes by constantly prepari their fruition. These hop conduct, and moulded his spi blance of the state he hoped best proved his belief that the such a state, by labouring to dispositions which might qu its enjoyment. Without this this effort, without this pers faith would have been fruitle delusive, his profession hypo preaching vain.”

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"Let us image to oursel viour of the world, holding t Christians as a living exemp his religion; of that religion taught by his doctrines and his blood. Let us represent

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

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He is,' and which will never take place if the resemblance begin not here. Beatifi. cation 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 despatch 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 excellences 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 dégree of respect which would not allow us to trifle with her feelings, or tamper with her reputation. 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 we overlook our obligations all can to her, both as Britons and as Chris. tians, for those admirable effusions of patriotism, and piety, and talent, which, under the name of "The Cheap Repository 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 principles of loyalty and religion in the hearts of the people. Our readers will bear with us, if, actuated by these considerations, we 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 be. nefactors.

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