before men, and by fully acknow- accounted righteous before God ledging your belief of that great only through his most precious mystery of godliness, that God blood-sbedding, induced the Genwas in Christ reconciling the tile of old to ridicule the believer world unto himself.

as depending for salvation on the But a third particular adverted merit of a malefactor, and exposes to in my text is, the believer's the modern believer to the charge confession; the acknowledgment of undermining the foundations of the mystery of God, and of the of morality; but whether Jews or Father, and of Christ. Not only Socinians or Pharisees, or men did the apostle desire their union, of any other name, object or optheir knowledge, but also their pose, we must ever acknowledge confession, their full and explicit and avow, that our hope of everavowal of the gospel mystery. lasting life depends on that one By this mystery we are, doubtless, sacrifice which the Son of God to understand, the plan of re- Offered up for us. This must be demption already referred to, the our only plea, that Jesus Christ distinction of the divine persons came into the world to save sinof the sacred trinity, the perfect ners; but still we must ever avow humanity of the Son of God, the ourselves his devoted subjects, atonement made by our Lord Jesus and servants, and while looking Christ in our nature for the sins for grace and mercy from him, of a lost and ruined world, the must confess our obligations to proclamation of pardon and peace live to the praise and glory through him to sinners both of of bis name, to devote ourselves Jews or Gentiles, the wisdom and to his service, and to walk accordgrace, the justice, mercy, and ing to the rule which he hath truth displayed in this work of laid down. Now from such redemption, the glorivus ends and avowals we may be oft tempted purposes to be answered by that to refrain. We may be aware that redemption, both to the church in the confession of our faith in general and the individual believer Christ will by some be esteemed in particular. And the acknow. weakness and folly; that our strict ledging of this mystery implies, adherence to a particular line of not merely the receiving it as' duty, may be regarded as precise true, but the public profession and and uncharitable; we may be temptayowal of it, the acknowledging ed to be silent when we ought it by our conduct and conversation, to speak; to comply when we in our closets, in our families, in ought to resist; to seek the appro. our social relations, in the house bation of men when conscience of God, and at the table of the intimates that our concessions are Lord. The cross of Christ was to not agreeable to the mind and will the Jew a stumbling-block, and to of God, But the yielding to such the Greek foolishness, but to them temptations will, in the usual who are called, both Jew and course of the divine dispensations Greek, Christ the power of God be followed with the loss, the privaand the wisdom of God. The tion of comfort; while the opposite profession of faith in the Son line of conduct; the decisive, yet of God exposed the ancient be. temperate avowalof our principles; liever to the charge of idolatry the mild, yet firm adherence to the from the Jew, as it exposes the path of duty, however it may excite inodern believer to the charge the ebullition of opposing rage, of idolatry from the Socinian; the will ordinarily be followed by the profession of sole dependence upon consolations of the Holy Spirit his njerits, and the hope of being of God. The case of such modern

believers will nearly approximate to Spirit of the living God; not in theirs, who departed from the tables of stone, but in fleshly tables presence of the council rejoicing of the heart. Thus shall men take that they were counted worthy to knowledge of us, that we have been suffer sbame for the name of Jesus with Jesus. Thus shall they be Christ, while their minds were at induced to say, “ We will go with once filled with compassion for you for God is with you of a their persecutors, and gratitude to truth.” that God who had made themselves My beloved brethren, called as to differ from what they once were many of you are to suffer affliction, This acknowledgment however of to mourn under the loss of friends, the mystery of God, and of the the disappointments and trials of Father, and of Christ, is not life, the pains of body and the by any means to be confined anxiety of mind, our heart's desire to the public confession of the and prayer for you is, that you may Redeemer in seasons of trial and be comforted; and in order that persecution. Great and striking you may be comforted, we intreat opportunities of glorifying God you to cultivate the spirit of love, by patient endurance of violence, the assurance of understanding, the are events of rare occurrence; but witness of a good confession. To God is to be acknowledged daily in this end oft-times contemplate the exercise of faith and patience, your Saviour's example ; diligently of penitence and prayer ; by that study his holy word; fervently holy reverence which leads us pray for his Holy Spirit; carefully humbly to begin our days with watch against temptation. Come God in the duties of the closet and now to the table of the Lord the devotion of the family ; hy that receive the tokens of his dying love diligence in business, that integrity and devote yourselves, body, soul, in our dealings, that liberality in and spirit, to Him who hath loved our alms, that subjugation of our you, and given himself for you. tempers, that kindness, and meek. To whom, with the Father, and the ness, and benevolence, in all our Holy Ghost, be all honour and conduct which will clearly evince glory, world without end. Amen. that we are the epistles of Christ, written not with ink, but with the

T. W.

SCHOOL FOR CLERGYMEN'S DAUGHTERS.

My attention has just been called to a suggestion in a late number of your work, for the establishment of a school for Clergymen's Daughters, in the south or west of England, on a plan similar to that which has been so beneficially pursued in the parish of the Rev. W. C. Wilson, in the north. Your correspondent will perhaps be gratified to learn that such a measure has been for some time in contemplation, and by those who would contribute their pecuniary aid cheerfully and liberally to carry it into effect. The chief, if not the

only obstacle is the difficulty of ob-
taining that judicious and active
superintendence, which an institu-
tion of this nature requires. If
your correspondent, or any of your
numerous readers, can point out a
situation in which this difficulty
may be removed, and which is in
other respects eligible they will
confer a favour on the individuals
alluded to, and render service to
the church of Christ. Letters,
post-paid, may be forwarded to
Messrs. Seeley's, for
Your obedient servant,

D. E. F.

CHARACTER OF THE LATE RICHARD LEA, ESQ.

MANY YEARS ALDERMAN OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

From a Funeral Sermon at Beckenham, by A. BrandRAM, M. A.

It was at the early age of eighteen,* while he was not unthankful as he now nearly sixty-four years since, looked back upon his past life, his that religious impressions were whole spirit and conversation were made upon his mind, and that the marked by the deepest humility. foundation of that consistent char. Whatever he might have been acter was laid which he has main. before men, before God he was tained during the whole of that conscious of being only and long period. I have often heard altogether a sinner; and all his him speak with gratitude of his consolations were drawn, not from having been led to walk in the the recollection of a well-spent paths of wisdom from the days of life-though if any might, surely his youth; and of the preservation he might have looked to this that his religious principles afforded source-but from the alone mercy him, from those snares and tempta- of God. If, in earlier days, he had tions to which the young are so seen and valued the important particularly exposed. No act of dectrine, that we are saved by gross immorality, no outward fall grace ; in his latter days, he saw it from his steadfastness, ever brought more clearly; and valued it more, dishonour upon his profession of as the only doctrine suited to the religion. As a young man, he was necessities of his case, as a sinner, enabled to cleanse his way, by in the sight of God. taking heed thereto, according to We are all aware of the power God's word. Of his conduct before of first impressions, and of the fer. men, we may venture to say, that vour which accompanies the feelit was irreproachable. But was ings of youth; and of the change this ever a matter of boasting with that often takes place, when these him, or a ground of confidence ? first impressions, and these fervid Those who knew him intiinately, feelings, give place to the exercise during his latter days, know, that of a cooler, a more deliberate, and

a sounder judgment. But did the * Mr. Lea originally attended the minis. judgment of our friend, upon those try of the excellent Rev. W. Romaine; but

great leading truths which, in tracsubsequently that of the Rev.John Newton, at St. Mary Woolnoth, to whom he was

ing the work of God, I have endevotedly attached. Mr. Newton, towards deavoured to place before you, ever the close of his ministry. was always change ? His judgment might wax conveyed to and from church in Mr. Lea'

s riner and river but it never varied

riper and riper, but it never varied. carriage. Mr. Lea would often delight his friends, by mentioning things which his

He repented not of the choice he * dear Mr. Newton' had either said or had made of the decision to which done: and there were two passages of he had come. He had the opporScripture, which, in connexion with Mr.

tunity of calmly examining these Newton's name, he peculiarly delighted in quoting: Mr. Newton used to call them

truths, and of viewing them in all the Christian's sheet-anchors :-John vi. their bearings. He was well ac37. Him that cometh unto me I will in no quainted with human nature; and, wise cast out. And Heb. vii. 25. Where from his own experience, and his fore He is able also to save them to the

experience of the world, was conuttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession

vinced that the Gospel, and the for them,

Gospel alone, was calculated and

able to do man good. I may just the same time, mindful of the remind you, in connexion with this distresses and necessities of his point, that he was in the very vigour fellow-creatures, both temporal of his days when the dreadful storm and spiritual. He was one of the of the French Revolution burst; earliest founders and contributors and when an assault was made upon to the British and Foreign Bible Christianity, such as the world had Society *; and supported, besides, never seen. But not only was be many other truly-important public unmoved, but became more con- institutions. He was a devoted firmed in his faith.

friend to education and to Christian He was prosperous in business : Missions. Many are the school and connected with this, there is an institutions in the metropolis whose observation which he once made to records bear testimony to his libeme, and which carries in it such a rality. You will remember his fund of instruction, that I cannot attachment to the Sunday Schools but mention it. Speaking of his of this place, before the establishcareer in business, and expressing ment of the National School; and his gratitude to God for his pros to the building of the latter he perity, he observed, that he had was a liberal contributor, as well never been thwarted in his projects, * as an annual subscriber to the but when he had strongly set his Society. But the persons conheart upon some particular point nected with the line of business which he was bent upon obtaining, in which he had himself been without sufficiently recognising the engaged deservedly lay near his will of Providence. He received heart; and it was among his latest correction in his disappointment ; acts to be, as it were, his own and being delivered from thus executor, in giving a sum of 500l. choosing for himself, was led more for the establishment of a fund devoutly to ackuowledge God in expressly designed for the benefit all His ways; and found the truth of the Spitalfields weavers. of the promise, that God will ac- He retired to spend the residue knowledge such as do. Of his of his days amongst yourselves : honourable and upright conduct in and I think all who remember business, let the universal respect him, before his bodily infirmities in which he was-or, I might increased so much upon him, will rather say, still is held, bear wit. agree in thinking that he was a ness. His circle was large, and his pleasing picture of a cheerful deserved influence was felt through- Christiant. He enjoyed with a out it. Many looked up to him. as a wise counsellor and a kind * Mr. Lea was one of the founders friend.

of the London Hibernian Society; which His honourably acquired wealth

has been, and continues to be, so emi

nently useful in Ireland. The Provisional he used in a becoming manner, in

Committee of that institution were kindly promoting not only his own enjoy

accommodated at his house. He presided ment and comfort, but being, at at its first Public Meeting, when he headed

the subscription list by a handsome dona* It is not necessary to particularize

tion; and continued an annual subscriber the circumstances here alluded to. The

until the period of his decease. lesson which Mr. Lea wished to inculcate

+ It is not to be understood that his upon the author's mind, by mentioning

cheerfulness by any means wholly forsook them, was this, That Christians in any

him. When not actually oppressed by station of life should be much upon their

his dreadful cough and shortness of breathguard against desiring to have their own ing, he would appear, even to the last, as way, without considering whether that

happy as ever, in the bosom of his family, way be for the glory of God and their own

or when visited by his more intimate real good.

friends. In addition to the maladies just thankful heart the bounties of a to worship God in spirit and in gracious providence. And yet his truth, knowing that such He heart was not in these things. He seeketh to worship Him. might be truly said to sit loose to I have often heard him speak the world. He was ready to live of the peculiar consolations which and ready to die, if such were the were afforded him in former times. will of God. And, in the midst His joy in the promises and hopes of earthly enjoyments, heavenly of the gospel amounted at times, subjects of conversation never he has told me, to ecstacy. How seemed out of place.

clearly in this may we recognize the A Christian regards and admires good hand of God: these consolathe good providence of God in all tions were afforded at a season when that befalls him ; and I therefore they were peculiarly needed. In cannot pass over the gratitude those days, to profess a serious wbich our late friend often expres- regard for religion was not the easy sed, when he considered the mer- matter. that it has now compara. cies of God to him in his family, tively become: there was then He was blessed with a most affec much of the reproach of the cross. tionate wife and children; and had These consolations were a powerful the happiness of living to see them stay to the soul, under that reproach. all comfortably settled in the world. But besides, in the providence of So true did he find it, that godliness God, our friend was a prosperous hath the promise of the life that man. The general effect of prosnow is, and of that which is to perity is too well known: How come.

hardly, says our Saviour, (Matt. x. I will next mention his great de- 21.) shall they that have riches light in the public ordinances of enter into the kingdom of God. In religion. It was a grief of heart to these joys and consolations, he him to be restrained from them; possessed an antidote to the deand it was often with difficulty he ceits of the world, and knew that could be persuaded that it was his he had a better and an enduring duty, in his infirm state to remain substance. at home. He desired to frequent In this respect there was a strikthe house of God, not merely in ing contrast between his former obedience to what he believed to be and his latter days. From a variety the command and the will of God, of causes, a degree of depression but because he found it good to be had latterly pervaded his mind, there. He had often found God's which to some may appear an expromise true I will make them traordinary circumstance. But joyful in my house of prayer, (Isa. should it not be remembered, that lvi. 7.) His soul was refreshed the God of consolation doeth, in with views of the power and glory this inatter, as seemeth best to his of God that he obtained in the own infinite wisdom and goodness? sanctuary. His devotion, though he and that he may be glorified as deeply lamented its imperfections, was not a mere formal service; but * It is a part of the description of the his desires and his endeavours were