of giving life to your soul, I would freely die. Mind not the poor things of this world, there is nothing in the world worth having, 'tis only useful as a passage to heaven." On another occasion, when in prayer, the servant standing by, she thought the servant smiled, and asked, "Do you like to hear me pray?" being answered in the af

time till the day of her death, she suffered exceedingly, especially one month before her death. Her medical attendants were often astonished at her patience and resignation. She was never heard to murmur under the whole of her sufferings. At one time, when under acute pain in her head, she cried out, " Lord Jesus, do not lay any more on me, I shall lose my senses;" and direct-firmative, she continued her prayer ly afterwards rejoined, "I hope the Lord will not be angry with me for what I said." It pleased our gracious God to support her, by far the greater part of her affliction, with the hope that Christ had died for her sins, and that he would not suffer her soul to be lost. It was a considerable time before she could resign her husband and family, desiring to see the latter brought up. But a few days before her death she said to her husband, that she could then make a full surrender of them all into the hands of the Lord. A christian friend said to her, "Does the pain in your head produce darkness in your mind?" She answered, "No; I bless the Lord, I know in whom I have believed." Her friend said, "The Lord giveth grace." She added quickly, "Yes, and glory, and no good will he withhold." He observed," It is a great mercy you are enabled to look to Jesus; no doubt you find religion a reality." She answered, "I would not give up my hope for the whole world, I have no other dependence but in Christ." About this time, when she was supported by her husband in bed, on his asking her if she could trust her soul's safety on the bloodshedding and righteousness of Jesus Christ, she broke out in the sweetest emphasis,

"

"Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on thee; Leave, oh leave me not alone, Still support and comfort me.' She soon after exhorted her motherin-law and female servant to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call on him while he is near; adding, "Who knows? the death of your poor daughter may be the means of giving you spiritual life." And turning to her sister, she said, "If my dying would be the means

to God. When the pain in her head was severe, she was frequently heard to say, "Oh! these are sufferings, but not to be compared to the sufferings of Christ; he drank the very dregs." She said, she hoped the Lord would give her patience. A female friend said, "He has given you patience." She answered with a smile, "Am I patient? I bless the Lord." About a week before her death, looking on her friends, she said, "You are all very kind;" and added, "If the Lord take me, I shall be happy;" and with lifted eyes and hands she exclaimed, "I long to see his face; I shall sing very loud the praise of his precious name." She always inquired for the Sabbath, and requested the petitions of the Lord's dear people. She spoke much of the glorious righteousness of the Redeemer. On the morning before her death she exhorted all to trust in Christ, who would never leave any soul that trusted in him; and a little before she left the world, she said, "I hope the Lord will take you all to glory, I should like you all to go with me." Nearly the last words she was heard to speak, were, "Lord Jesus, into thy hands I commend my spirit; Lord Jesus, into thy hands I commend my spirit; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Thus died this weak christian in life; thus she triumphed in death; leaving a husband and four children to lament their irreparable loss. It is remarkable, that the infant she was most concerned about, was taken away six weeks after. Reader, this narrative is written for your sake, and the glory of Christ, whom the father delighteth to honour. May it be your happiness, with that of her husband and family, to live and die like her.

Review.

Memoirs of Mr. Coxe Feary, first Pastor of the Baptist Church at Bluntisham in Huntingdonshire; with an Account of the Rise and Formation of that Church. By John Audley. 12mo. pp. 119. 3s. In a remarkably modest preface, the compiler of these interesting Memoirs manifests his anxiety to receive no further share of credit than is justly due to him. He was induced to undertake the task in compliance with the request of Mrs. Feary, and other friends. Besides having enjoyed an intimacy with his deceased friend, of between thirty and forty years, the Biographer discovered, on searching for the requisite materials for the present work, that Mr. Feary had "written an account of himself, from his birth to bis conversion, and of the most important things which followed that memorable event for several subsequent years." Of this Narrative, together with "Short Memorials," being a sort of Diary, Mr. Audley has availed himself, so as to make as much as possible Mr. Feary his own Biographer.

means the least valuable part. The contents of the Chapters are: Chap. 1. From his birth to his becoming religious.-Chap. 2. From his making a profession of religion, to the rise of the Dissenting Society at Bluntisham.-Chap. 3. From the rise of the congregation and church at Bluntisham, to Mr. Feary's settlement as pastor-his doubts on the subject of baptism.-Chap. 4. Mr. Feary's change of sentiments on the subject of baptism-his popularity and success as a ministerhis mental exercises, &c. 1791– 1801.-Chap. 5. Mr. Feary's first dangerous illness in 1802-his views and consolations under it-his recovery-his last illness-and death

in 1822.

ec

all

It is somewhat startling to discover, from the "Introduction," that the pious pastor of the church at Bluntisham, in proposing to give a history of that christian society, goes back at once, like our clesiastical historians, to primitive times. He explores his way through all the obscurity of the dark ages, informing us, that at one period The history of this pious and exthe lands belonging to the parish of cellent servant of God, is so closely Bluntisham, with the stock, the interwoven with that of the Baptist crop, and all the inhabitants, were Church at Bluntisham, that it was purchased for the monks of Ely by evidently impossible to write the Edelwold of Ulnoth, for the sum of life of the pastor without recording thirty-seven pounds;" at length he the important particulars relative to rejoices in the light of the Reformathe formation and prosperity of the tion, and triumphs in that liberty of church. In reading the narrative, conscience secured by the Act of we are forcibly reminded of some of Toleration; and so arrives at the our Lord's parabolical descriptions period when the Baptist Church at of the origin and progress of his Bluntisham was first formed. The kingdom. Doubtless it must often Biographer has displayed a most have happened in primitive times, commendable discrimination in the that christian churches were gather-hasty sketch he has given of Mr. ed precisely in this way; and we should think the most zealous advocates for regularity and discipline could find little to object against the course of proceeding detailed in this volume.

The work is divided into an Introduction, five Chapters, and a Conclusion. The Conclusion is from the pen of Mr. Bosworth, a friend of the author's, and is by no

VOL. XV.

Feary's "larger account;" which, however, we should suppose possesses considerable interest, as the writer was a man of no ordinary mind, and from being a strict Episcopalian became upon principle a genuine Protestant Dissenter, and was the founder of this Baptist Church.

Our limits will not allow of our inserting a Memoir in this depart

2 S

had read a sermon to them. Accord

ment of our work. Indeed, it is the less necessary, for as the volumeingly, with no little confusion, he read before us possesses unusual in the same sermon he had done the night terest, and as it is small, and the price before; and such was the satisfaction moderate, we trust most of our received, by the blessing of God upon this sermon, that it laid the foundation readers will obtain the perusal of it. of the present church and congrega. At the same time we shall not foretion. Such events as these show, that go the pleasure of presenting an God's thoughts are not our thoughts, extract from the second Chapter, neither are your ways my ways, saith and one from the masterly summary the Lord."" which forms the "Conclusion."

"In the autumn of the year 1784, the Life and Sermons of the famous Mr. Whitefield providentially fell into his hands. Being at St. Ives market, he went into the bookseller's shop as asual, where lay three volumes of Whitefield's works. On looking into that part of his Life where he preached to the colliers at Kingswood near Bristol, and to the populace in Moorfields, he was much delighted, and surprised he had never before heard of Mr. Whitefield. He asked whose books they were: the bookseller replied,They are yours; I sent an order for some books, and they have made a mistake, and have sent me these methodistical books instead of what I ordered. I did not return them, but kept them for you, thinking you would be pleased with them, as nobody reads so many religious books as yourself. The price was eighteen shillings. Thinking this more than he could well spare, he returned home without them; though, just as he left the shop, the bookseller said, 'I shall not send them back, as I expect you will alter your mind by another market-day. And as he predicted, so it was; for having found on inquiry what a pious, laborious, and zealous servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Mr. 'Whitefield had been, he was determined to have them. On receiving them, he the same evening read a sermon to his shepherd, his labourers, and his intimate and bosom friend Mr. A. who were much delighted. The sermon was from the text, "What think ye of Christ?' The next evening, without his knowing or expecting any such thing, a number of poor people came with Mr. J. K. a gentleman of the village, to hear him read a sermon. circumstance so unexpected quite embarrassed him. The idea of reading before so many people, and the shame of being counted a methodist preacher, led him to decline reading: but such was their desire to hear, that they declared they would not depart until he

A

"One of the poor women very much wished him to read a sermon at her house the next evening. He consented, on condition that she would not make it known: but, notwithstanding the caution taken to conceal it, when he went in the evening the house was filled; and it was a most interesting sight to behold the profound attention, and deep seriousness, with which the poor people received the glad tidings of salvation from the reading of that sermon. He continued reading to the people during the winter, in the same cottage, one of the alms-houses at the bottom of the village, belonging to Thomas Harrison. And such was the awakening in the place, that the people were constantly inquiring what they must do to be saved. In the spring of 1785, as the house could not contain the people, they removed into the next house, which was larger. Here, for the first time, he found courage to pray with the people, after he had finished the sermon. They being unaccustomed to any thing of the kind, it produced such a feeling of affection and surprise, that, like the people of Lystra, with Paul and Barnabas, they would have done sacrifice. The congregation still increasing, they opened a larger house in the village. All this while they had no regular time for worship; but it was sometimes two, three, or four evenings in the course of the week. Being still a constant attendant. at Mr. Venn's church on the Lord'sday, he acquainted him with what was going on. Mr. Venn encouraged him, and pressed him to keep on, saying, that he believed God had a great work to do at Bluntisham; and that in the course of the summer he would come over and help them.'

"At this time Mr. Feary was favoured with the friendship of three pious clergymen, Mr. Brock, Mr. Venn, and Mr. S. of C. The latter of these gentlemen preached a sermon in Mr. Feary's house, at five o'clock in the morning. The room was crowded to excess, and several persons were out of doors. This was a season long ra

cred writings, and derived great ad- ¦ increased.” "That country (says vantage from consulting many of those an American traveller) would not valuable expositions, and other theo-be overrun with itinerant lecturers logical works, with which our own country and language so happily never studied the stars; and if the on astronomy, where the populace abound. He was also well acquainted with some of the principal authors in citizens of the American republic various other departments of English were not anxious for Christian knowliterature. In short, nothing that ap-ledge, there would not be so many teachers good and bad.”*

peared in nature, nothing that occurred in life, nothing that he observed in himself or others, was indifferent to him; all was made to contribute to the increase of his mental stores-all was consecrated to the service of the sanctuary, and brought, as occasion offered, or judgment dictated, to bear on the great object to which his life

was devoted.

"Many persons have run a more splendid career of worldly glory, many have been distinguished by higher endowments, and brighter talents; but if a life of piety and benevolence, of activity and usefulness in the church of Christ, be entitled to commendation and remembrance, few indeed have a greater claim to them than this amiable and excellent man. All who feel an interest in the prevalence of true religion, will be thankful to God for what he has wrought by him; will rejoice in the good which he has been the instrument of effecting; and will delight to contemplate its consequences as likely to extend to future generations in this world, and to everlasting ages in the world to come."

Sketches of Sermons, preached to Congregations in various Parts of the United Kingdom, and on the European Continent, furnished by their respective Authors. Five Volumes, 12mo. Holdsworth. THESE little volumes contain the substance of about 250 sermons,

The preface has been very highly and justly admired.

All the sketches are not equal, nor equally evangelical. Some of them are evidently written by divines of the Wesleyan school. Particularly those signed Beta are (if we mistake not greatly) the productions of an excellent and eloquent minister of that communion. We must make room for a short extract or two.

"Faith is a self-evident principle; and if you believe in the Son of God, you cannot but know it. 1 John v. 10. Is faith credence-and cannot you know whether you believe the attestation of a fact? Is faith reliance-and cannot you know whether you depend on the veracity of him who has pledged his word to you? That doctrine which teaches that a man may believe in the Son of God, and not know it, is as contrary to sound divinity as it is to sound sense, as the Bible uniformly attributes effects to faith; and if the effects be not produced, the cause is not in action."t

On this passage we offer a few remarks.

1. Believing is, confessedly, a mental act, of which, no doubt, the mind must be conscious at the time. But

by the proper test; to which this writer agrees in another place. For in describing the evidences of the new birth, after speaking of the first evidence as intuitive, and the second as "divine, springing from the direct witness of the Holy Ghost,"

2. Whether the exercise of faith be scriptural, good, and safe, and connected with salvation, is quite which have been delivered by preach-another question. It must be tried ers of eminence in their respective communions. The first two volumes have been respectfully noticed in our number for February 1822, and January 1823. The rapid sale of these "Sketches" is one of the encouraging signs of the times. shows that, on the part of the British public, there is a great and increasing demand for religious knowledge. It reminds us of the words of the oracle by which Daniel was encouraged: Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be

It

*See an admirable little volume, truly classical and truly christian, entitled "Essays, descriptive and moral, on scenes in Italy, Switzerland, and France." By an American. + Vol. I. p. 79.