of God and heirs of eternal life. Many are even now able to rejoice in the persuasion that the Redeemer, in whom they have reposed their hope, is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him; and that God, for his sake, is still faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And if we could open the gates of the invisible world, and hold converse with these who dwell in the paradise above, what countless multitudes would bear testimony to this faithful saying! But there is no need that heaven should be emptied of its hosts to establish the veracity of the word of God; if we believe not Moses and the prophets, neither should we be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

2. It is a saying "worthy of all acceptation;" or, as we have it in the version used in the Liturgy, "of all men to be received." On what ground, then, is it to be received? It is worthy to be received both on account of its authority and importance. It rests on the declaration of God. The great end for which the Son of God took upon him the likeness of man, has been revealed to us by Him who is the source of all wisdom, and knowledge, and truth. And can we doubt his veracity, or be inattentive to his word? And if this

be indeed a faithful saying, it inakes known the most wonderful and important fact which ever occurred in the history of mankind. For what does it promise? Exemption from some present evil, aud the attainment of some future good? It is a deliverance from every evil, and gives the prospect of greater blessings than the tongue can útter or the heart conceive. If a nation were placed on the verge of ruin, and some wise counsellor should propose a method by which it might escape danger, and rise to an unexampled height of prosperity and greatness, would not his advice be worthy of acceptance?

How much more forcible is the argument when we look upon a world lying in wickedness; when we reflect that we ourselves, in common with the whole human race, are by nature and practice sinners, and, as such, exposed to the wrath of God-under a sentence of everlasting destruction from his presence, and of banishment to that state in which the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched! How important, then, is the intelligence of redemption; of a Saviour who has interposed between the Majesty of Jehovah and his offending creatures, who has himself paid the forfeit and penalty of guilt, and made reconciliation for our sins! Who, that believes in the immortality of the soul, can be indifferent to its eternal state? Who, that considers how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, would reject the offer of salvation, and declare himself unwilling to accept of everlasting life? "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

1. Let us, then, receive this intelligence without delay or hesitation. What man, who is in peril of his life, would put off the means of preserving it to a future day, if they were now in his power? And is it safer to trifle with eternal than with temporal pain? Would any rational being, who is awake to his real condition, and who has heard of a Saviour, defer to some season of leisure attention to this momentous concern? How can time be employed to any pur pose more valuable than this? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Let all worldly objects be cousidered as subordinate to the things which accompany salvation.

2. Let us also receive this message with gratitude.-It is wonderful how prone we are to ingratitude with respect to God. Many, who would où no account be wanting in

expressions of due thankfulness to their fellow creatures, appear to be wholly insensible to the nobler blessings which descend from the Father of mercies. If our minds were under the influence of right feelings, we should find abundant reason of gratitude to God for the ordinary benefits of every day. But great as are these benefits, how far are they surpassed by the rich and abounding grace of our Lord and Saviour! If there be a subject calculated to kindle within us the feelings of gratitude and praise, surely it is the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. While we were yet enemies, he assumed our nature; and through all the contradiction of sinners, and all the agonies of his passion, he pursued the work of our redemption. The inhabitants of heaven are represented as pouring out in full measure their grateful adorations: "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests."

3. We should, in the last place, receive this intelligence with entire submission to the wisdom of God. If he has ordained this way of salvation, we should be content to follow it. It is not for beings like us to question the wisdom of his proceedings, or the propriety of his appointments. As for God, his way is perfect, and it is our best wisdom to acknowledge our ignorance, and to look to our Lord Jesus Christ as our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. If he has declared himself to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, it is our duty to receive him as such. It may be mortifying to human reason that we cannot explore the wonders of redemption; it may be offensive to our pride, that without Christ we can do nothing, and that our hope of acceptance with God must rest entirely on the merits and me. diation of his Son; yet, since this is the assurance of the word of

God, it is ours to submit, to reject all idea of desert in ourselves, and to rely wholly and exclusively on Him who came into the world to save sinners.

To conclude-In what manner has this saying been received by us? Surely, if we have any perception of the evil of our doings, any knowledge of the danger that awaits us, any thought of futurity, this is a saying which should meet with a ready and cordial reception. It carries the promise of pardon and peace even to the chief of sinners; and all who are weary and oppressed will find, in Jesus, the rest and salvation which their souls require. It is possible that the repetition of the intelligence may diminish its interest; and, although it involves all the happiness of this life, and all the blessings of the world to come, we may, by the mere force of habit, become indifferent to the subject, and turn from it as if we had no part nor lot in the matter. How many poor and ignorant heathens, who have received this saying when first proposed to them with all acceptation," will rise up in judgment against numbers in this favoured land who bear the name of Christ, and condemn them! It were better for them never to have heard his invitations, never to have mixed with the assemblies of his people, than thus to do despite to the Spirit of Grace, and neglect the offers of salvation.

And as for those who have learnt duly to value this "faithful saying," and have received it into their hearts by faith, they may be assured that, however great the consolations which it now affords, the time is coming when its truth and importance will be still more fully felt. Our views of salvation are at present inadequate, as our knowledge of the future world is extremely. confined; but when we come to know even as we are known; when we are called to the actual enjoyment of those things

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which hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor imagination conceived; when we tread the pavement of heaven, and mingle with the company of the blessed; then we shall value as we ought the nature of salvation, and perceive how faith ful, and how worthy of all men to be received, was the intelligence of a Saviour! Let this saying, then, be deeply impressed upon our hearts; let us cherish the impression by reading the Scriptures, meditation, and prayer, and by all the means of grace which remind us of the dying love of our Lord, and of the blessings which he has pur'chased for us; and let us live like those who know the stable foundation of their hope, and are looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to perfect in glory the hap'piness of his saints, and to bestow eternal salvation on all them that believe! Amen.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. ALTHOUGH you have already pubJished a systematic reply to Mr. Mant's Tracts, you perhaps may not object to the insertion of the following extract from the writings of a divine whose name will not be under any suspicion of Calvinism-I mean Bishop Burnet. It occurs in his Exposition of the 27th Article. His words are these:-"That does indeed belong to baptism, it makes us the visible members of that one body, into which we are baptized, or admitted by baptism; but that which saves us in it, which both deadens and quickens us, must be a thing of another nature. If baptism were only the receiving us into the society of Christians, there were no need of saying, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It were more proper to say, I baptize

thee in the name, and by the authority of, the Church. Therefore these august words, that were dictated by our Lord himself, shew us that there is somewhat in it that is internal, which comes from God; that it is an admitting men into somewhat that depends only on God, and for the giving of which the authority can only be derived by Him. But after all, this is not to be believed to be of the nature of a charm, as if the very act of baptism carried always with it an inward regeneration. Here we must confess that very early some doctrines arose upon baptism that we cannot be determined by. words of our Saviour to Nicodemus were expounded so as to import the absolute necessity of baptism in order to salvation; for it not being observed, that the dispensation of the Messias was meant by the kingdom of God, but it being taken to signify eternal glory, that expression of our Saviour's was understood to import this, that no man could be saved unless he were baptized; so it was believed to be simply necessary to salvation."

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After stating one consequence of this error, the Bishop proceeds to notice a second mistake resulting from the first. "Another opinion, that arose out of the former, was the mixing the outward and the inward effects of baptism: it being believed that every person that was born of the water, was also born of the Spirit; and that the renewing of the Holy Ghost did always accompany the washing of regeneration."

How far Mr. Mant, and those who concur with him, are liable to the imputation of holding the opinions which Bishop Burnet deems erroneous, I must leave to their own judgment to decide.

T.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer, Ir being within the limits of your province, to circulate the knowledge of any plan which may advance the happiness of the community, or the well-being of the Established Church, I do not hesitate to send you the following account of an Association recently formed in this parish.

At an early period of the winter, 1815, the respectable Vicar suggested the plan of a Clothing Society, to be composed of honorary and benefit members; the contributions of the former being intended to encourage the economy of the latter, These, consisting of labouring persons, were invited to subscribe week ly one penny or two pence, as their circumstances might permit. The subscriptions were to be received by the clerk of the parish, paid over to the treasurer, and by him funded in the savings bank of the Prudent Man's Friend Society in Bristol, until the end of the year; when the amount should be employed in the purchase of the most useful articles of clothing and bedding, to be distributed among the benefit members, in exact proportion to their several contribu, tions. This plan was zealously supported by the Curate, Church wardens, and other inhabitants of the parish; and the result has been, that nearly 1207. have been received from about 200 subscribers. This sum, with the interest accruing from it, has been carefully laid out in blankets, sheeting, flannel, beaver for cloaks, calico, serge, &c.; all articles of prime necessity, and which have been distributed among the members.

The plan adopted for receiving subscriptions and distributing the articles, so as to avoid both trouble and confusion, was this:-nume rical tickets were issued to subCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 181.

scribers, who, on paying their weekly subscription either on Satur day, or on Sunday after the morning service, produced their number, and the clerk marked the corresponding number in his book of names; and when the time arrived for delivery, the holders of tickets from No, 1 to 100 were desired to attend the first day, the following numbers on the second day, and so forth.

The rules of the Society are few; one appointing a treasurer and committee-and another oblig ing members to punctuality in payment, which, if omitted for four weeks successively, subjects the party to the loss of the sum already paid, and to exclusion from all benefit for the current year. case of death, the sum paid by the deceased is repaid, if required, to the friends of the subscriber.

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This scheme has proved successful, and its success has produced universal satisfaction in the parish. The benevolent promoters and supporters of it have rejoiced to witness the great comfort which has resulted from it; and those who have benefited by it are grateful and also pleased to think that the comfort they enjoy is the fruit of their own frugality. A decisive proof of the prevalence of this feeling is given in the eagerness which the parishioners have shewn to enrol themselves as subscribers for the second year. So general is the impression in favour of the plan, that the subscription book is overflowing with additional names.

Such is a brief account of the origin and effect of this little plan, and which I am induced, by my anxiety for the amelioration of the condition of the labouring classes of society, to recommend to the imitation of others, and D