that they had remained in bondage, saying, they had only come out to "die in the wilderness." You must learn to stand still," "" if you would " see the salvation of God." The obstructions of your way may only be intended as trials of your faith and patience. To the foregoing evidences of a call must be added the necessary qualifications, or the capacity, means, and desires of acquiring them. * * * As to what the qualifications for the ministry are, let it be remembered that among them, an experimental acquaintance with the truths to be taught, is indispensable. This piety must be real, not feigned. "Woe unto you hypocrites," did Jesus often say. It must be practical and consistent. "Thou, which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?" Rom. ii. 21, 22. The piety required must also be somewhat matured. A minister must be “not a novice (a young convert) lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil." 1 Tim. iii. 6. This piety This piety must also be unimpeached by the world. "Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." 1 Tim. iii. 7. As the last evidence of a call, may be noticed a conviction of duty, founded on the due consideration of matters already discussed. This conviction may not, need not be so strong, as that a man will be able to employ in their entire import the words of Paul, when he says, necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel." 1 Cor. ix. 16. Indeed, no man can use this language, as Paul used it, until he is assured of his call. Yet his conviction of duty may be as real, though not as firm as that of Paul. By a real conviction of duty in this matter, is meant something like this that when a man humbly, seriously, and candidly, thinks of entering the ministry, his mind inclines to the judgment, that in so doing, he would please God; and that in declining to do so, guilt would be contracted. This conviction, from its very nature and basis, grows or diminishes, according to the aspect of things as controlled by providence. Yet it must have permanency, though it may not be exceeding strong. If it be genuine, it will prove itself such by the fact that it is strengthened by the desirableness, and weakened by the undesirableness, of our religious state and sentiments. A WORD TO PARENTS. "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil." How expressive of the pious solicitude of godly parents for their dear children. Nothing grieves like sin-nothing can give so much joy, as to see children walking in the truth. Oh, the blessedness of those parents who are favoured with their dear little ones early in life, asking the way to him, and seeking the Lord Jesus and his great sal S. Y. vation. Favoured children! early planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of the God of their fathers; bring forth the fruits of holiness while young, and if spared to old age, they shall testify the goodness of the Lord, his faithfulness and love, to those who remember him in the days of their youth. Happy favoured pa rents also-honoured to rear up plants of the Father's own right hand planting," who having blessed the world by the fragrance of their graces, shall be transplanted to the paradise of God, there to bloom with unfading verdure, and to rejoice together with the authors of their being, and the spiritual benefactors of their souls, through endless ages. But perhaps these remarks may be read by some parent, who has never yet breathed one prayer to God for the souls of his children, or sent up one desire for their salvation. Oh, if such is the case, may this attempt be honoured, as 1 Rev. S. Kilpin, late of Exeter.9! to our miseries in this place of torment. It is gratifying to know, that this address was blessed, to the heads of two families, and the writer saw them within twelve months from the time it was delivered, united to the church of which they remained honourable members for many years. Parents, let it be your immediate concern' to seek the Lord for yourselves; and then the souls of your dear children will be precious in your eyes, then your prayers on their account will be, that " they may do no evil"-that their lives may be useful, and that God your Redeemer may be glorified. لدار من Nor is the subject without encouragement to those who have prayed long for their children, without having to rejoice in their conversion. You cannot offer a better prayer, a more kindly wish obn their behalf; this was Job's practice, he feared evil for his children more than any other calamity and not a few who have had their faith exercised even to their dying moments, have long since rejoiced lin heaven, in meeting those children there, whom on earth they left in nature's darkness and sin. A young lady who lately died in Russia, was a striking proof of this kind; she had been early taught the truths of the Bible; her godly mother had told her of a Saviour, and urged her to seek him, but at her death, the daughter she tenderly loved and cherished, remained a stranger to the grace of God; many years afterwards, these early impressions were revived, and these prayers were answered: far from the land in which they were offered, and in another quarter of the world, this wandering daughter was brought "back to the shepherd and bishop of souls."Reader, be encouraged: "pray," for your children, “withRout ceasing," in "due time you shall reap if you faint not, your work shall be rewarded." G. Y. 1 THE LIFE OF WILLIAM COWPER, Esq. compiled from his corres<pondence, and other authentic sources of Information containing remarks on his writings, and on the peculiarities of his interesting character, never before published. By THOMAS TAYLOR. 8vo. Pp. xvi. and 368. Smith. THIS is, on the whole, the best narrative of the life of Cowper which has yet appeared, and ably demonstrates what indeed every impartial inquirer must long since have discovered, that Cowper's unhappy malady, so far from being occasioned by, was, in reality, for a time suspended, by a serious attention to religion. The tale of his sufferings and his sorrows ois painfully interesting, and it is indeed humbling to the pride -of man, to contemplate such powers of intellect as Cowper unquestionably possessed, perverted and enslaved during a long period, to the -most-unfounded delusions. Well maywe exclaim, while contemplating such weakness, "Lord, what is man!" 1 society, would only have fanned a flame which must have led to the most painful results. To marry an individual who was at least partially under the influence of insanity, was impossible; and to have allowed him to entertain any such unfounded hopes, would most probably have issued in irremediable madness. Lady Austen therefore wisely withdrew, and left the poet to the maternal care of Mrs. Unwin. We are not sure, however, whether full allowance has yet been made for the effect on Cowper's early character of that malady, which broke out and embittered his riper and declining years. Throughout the whole of his course, his feelings were morbidly sensitive, and communicated a tint to every object which came before him. Where his personal interests were no ways concerned, he exhibited very minute observation, sound judgment, and correct reasoning, but the instant he became personally interested in any object, some delusion or other appeared to arise, and induced him to adopt the most incorrect conclusions. His disposition how ever was most amiable and affectionate; his personal afflictions. must ever call for sympathy and compassion, while his valuable works will at once instruct and entertain multitudes in successive generations. -In compiling this volume, Mr. Taylor has made considerable use of Cowper's private correspondence, which Mr. Hayley was induced, partly from delicacy, and partly from his defective views on religious subjects and experience, entirely to lay aside, and Mr. T. has thus afforded a solution of some difficulties, which had previously been without explanation; though he has at the same time overlooked some sources of information to which he might have resorted, and has, possibly from very praiseworthy motives, passed over in silence, some points on which more explicit statements We are obliged to Mr. Taylor for would have been desirable. the present interesting volume, and for instance, Lady Austen's hasty would only suggest that in the next removal from Weston, has an air edition, the omission of a few adof mystery thrown round it, which jectives would improve the general is very unnecessary. The fact ap-effect. Cowper was indeed, intepears to be, that Cowper was resting, admirable, exalted, &c. enchanted and fascinated with Lady but the repetition of such characAusten's person and talents, and biteristics, may be sometimes carried that her longer continuance in his too far to otsi,niqi 2 vah MAY 1833. Thus 2 B THE Text of the English Bible, as now printed by the Universities considered, with reference to a report by a Sub-Committee of Dissenting Ministers. By THOMAS TURTON, D. D. Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge, and Dean of Peterborough. 8vo. Pp. 44. Parker, 1 WE noticed in our number for March, page 106, á pamphlet by Mr. Curtis, animadverting on the Bibles recently published by the Universities, &c. and expressed our conviction of the unfounded nature of its animadversions. We have subsequently been favoured with the perusal of the present pamphlet, which clearly proves that many of the variations from the mode of printing adopted by King James's translators in 1611, and which were specifically complained of by the Sub-Committee of Dissenting Ministers, are made in strict accordance with the principles adopted by those translators themselves, and were indispensably requisite on the ground of consistency; while at the same time it shews that the standard editions of King James are not by any means immaculate, and consequently need correction. On these points the venerable Dean's pamphlet is, we conceive absolutely conclusive, and we therefore strongly recommend it to the serious attention of those whose minds have been in any degree disturbed by Mr. Curtis's unguarded assertions, or by the countenance afforded them by the Sub-Committee of Dissenting Ministers. Since reading this pamphlet, our attention has been called to a letter addressed to the Editor of the Times, by the Sub-Committee referred to in the Dean of Peterborough's pamphlet, and which clearly points out their dissatisfaction with Mr. Curtis's proceedings. It is as follows: SIR,-In consequence of the publication of Mr. Curtis's pamphlet upon the state of the text in the current editions of the English Bible, and your remarks on that subject, the members of the sub-committee, appointed to examine and report on the authorized version feel it their duty to make the following statements : In publishing the resolutions of the 13th of June, Mr. Curtis has not only acted without our concurrence, but in direct opposition to the written injunction of one of the committee,-the positive declaration made to him by another, who was also of the sub-committee, that such an act would be a gross breach of faith,→ and the obvious design of that part of our fourth resolution in which it is declared "expedient to wait till the reprint edition of 1611, now printing at Oxford, be before the public, ere any further correspondence be entered upon with the Universities." We do not consider ourselves responsible for any statements which Mr. Curtis has made in his pamphlet, or which he may hereafter make; and he is no longer secretary to the committee by which we were appointed, or in any way connected with that body. As our design was not to implicate character, but to secure the integrity of the text of the authorised version, we consider the reprint of the standard edition, now commenced at Oxford as the first step towards the advancement of the object we had in view. J. BENNETT, EXPOSITORY DISCOURSES on the Gospels for every Sunday in the year, and the principal Festivals of the United Church of England and Ireland. By the Rev. JOHN HALL, B. D. Rector of St. Werburgh's, Bristol. 8vo. 2 vols. Pp. viii. 484, and viii. 480. Hamilton. 1832. OUR method of preaching,' says the late Mr. Cecil, is not that by which Christianity was propagated, yet the genius of Christianity is not changed. There was nothing in the primitive method set or formal. The primitive Bishop stood up and read the gospel, or some portion of Scripture, and pressed on the hearers with great earnestness and affection, a few plain and forcible truths evidently resulting from that portion of the Divine Word: we take a text and make an oration. Edification was then the object both of speaker and hearers; and while this continues to be the object, no better method can be found. A parable, or history, or passage of scripture thus illustrated and enforced is the best method of introducing truth to any people who are ignorant of it, and of setting it home with power on those who know it.'*-The general truth and importance of these observations will be readily acknowledged by those who are acquainted with the records of Ecclesiastical History, or have had much experience in the work of the ministry, though we may perhaps doubt whether Ignatius, Polycarp, or Chrysostom, would have exactly adopted the same style in preaching to a British audience, as they used to the men of their own day. This passage however recurred with considerable force to our minds while reading these expository discoures of Mr. Hall. They may not indeed be exactly such as would meet the beau ideal of Mr. Cecil; nor perhaps such as the eloquent and venerable Chrysostom might have prepared had he appeared in these later days, but they evince very considerable talent, and devoted piety: and are admirably adapted *Cecil's Works, iv. 113. for the purposes contemplated by their author, namely to supply families in the middle ranks of society with plain discourses which may be suitable for reading on Sunday evenings, particularly in country places where there is no service in the parish church. Mr. Hall is already known to the Christian public as the author of a volume of Parochial Discourses on the doctrines of Christianity contained in the Articles of Religion of the United Church of England and Ireland; and is highly and deservedly esteemed in the city of Bristol, as a faithful diligent parish-minister: perhaps no proceeding of the present Lord Chancellor has afforded more unreserved satisfaction than his appointment of Mr. Hall to the Rectory of St. Werburgh's, of which parish he had been for many years the laborious Curate. Nor will the publication of these Discourses in the least diminish, but on the contrary extend, we trust very widely, the reputation and usefulness of their pious author. There are indeed some few passages to which a critic may object, and an occasional interpretation to which we should not entirely assent, but as a whole, the volumes before us appear at once eminently interesting and instructive. The plan which has been usually adopted in the following discourses, is, to give, in the first instance, a familiar explanation or commentary on the whole passage appointed as the Gospel for the day; and then to make some remarks upon the verse which is placed at the head of each Sermon as the text, with the view of bringing home the subject to the hearts and consciences of the hearers. The manner in which Mr. H. has carried this plan into execution will appear from the following |