positions; but their influence and advice would have great weight. I have been credibly informed, that the late Rev. Mr. Venn, during his rectorship, invariably revised all the monumental inscriptions, prior to their being placed in the church or church-yard at Clapham. In many instances, the relatives of the deceased write nonsense, because they have nothing better to adopt. If somewhat must be adopted, which I suppose affection or partiality will always demand, what is said ought certainly to be expressed in words of truth, and soberness, and common sense. Should not the Christian pastor, therefore, seize this occasion to convey some suitable and important truth, calculated to leave a serious impression on the reader's mind: and surely, the solemnities of death, the grave, the general resurrection, final judgment, and the eternal world, furnish many appropriate and solemn sentiments which are of personal and universal application. Let these truths, therefore, be briefly expressed in plain good language, with a view to awaken the careless, alarm the guilty, and animate the pious reader. Thus, an occasional walk in our village church-yards might be rendered instructive and profitable, instead of

exciting, as it too often now does, ridicule or disgust. I am aware that the correction of this evil, would be attended with some little trouble and difficulty: but if only a partial remedy can be obtained, some good end will be answered; and when it is known that an im provement has been introduced, the amendment will gradually extend till the barbarisms, of which we justly complain, are known no more. With a view to this, I beg leave to recommend, unless any better plan can be suggested, that the minister or clerk of every village church preserve a MS. book of moral and religious epitaphs, to be lent, or inspected, free of all expense. These need not be original compositions; a sufficient variety of appropriate sentences may be easily selected from approved pious poets, who have written on the brevity of human life, the swiftness of time, the certainty of death, &c. Additions, both original and collected, might from time to time, as occasion offered, be continually made to these MSS., which, to preserve purity of language and evangelical sentiment, should always be subject to the minister's correction.

G. B.

A Charge, delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of St. David's; in the Month of September, 1813. By the Right Rev. THOMAS BURGESS, D. D. F. R. S. & F. A. S. Bishop of St. David's. 2d edit. Durham: Walker. London: Rivingtons.

Ir is at all times with pleasure that we hear of any publication of the Bishop of St. David's. The labours of his early life gave evidence of a mind richly stored with the treasures

of sound learning, and afforded a sure pledge and promise of future distinction. There are few subjects to which powerful talents, when directed by knowledge, and taste, and judgment, can be applied without benefit to mankind: but the benefit is then most important and extensive, when they are consecrated to the service of God; when they are employed in that cause which involves the best interests of

the present world, and the dearest

hopes of the world to come. With what zeal and fidelity and success the Right Reverend Author of the Charge before us has long devoted himself to those high objects, which are so intimately connected with his rank and situation in the church of Christ, there is no need for us to tell. Would to God that every minister of truth, whether he be ordained to the cure of a parish or to the superintendance of a diocese, were influenced by the same pious and liberal spirit; by the same chastized zeal, the same integrity of purpose, the same love for that venerable Establishment which the Providence of God has established in this kingdom, and the same charity for those that dissent from it!

The Bishop of St. David's is of the class of high churchmen. The intemperate warmth of some persons, who claim that honourable title, has done much to bring the term into disrepute and so strange has been their spirit, and so indefensible their conduct, that the only idea which numbers entertain of a high churchman is, the idea of a man, whose zeal and knowledge are in opposite extremes; a person of small talents and great talk; mainly distinguishable by his vehemence in private, and by his hat in public; who will affirm any thing that suits his purpose, and believe nothing which bigotry tells him to deny; who loves the Church indeed, but will even disavow its doctrines to maintain its authority; who has a respect for the Bible, but dares not trust that Bible in this naughty and sectarian world, unless he may tra vel by its side; who is lond in the praise of Christian charity, when that charity is to be exercised upon himself, but is ever ready to attribute the most base and detestable motives to those who labour, in common with their fellow-Christians, to diffuse the pure light of Revelation to all men.-Far different from this class of high-churchmen, if such a class there be, is the Bishop of St. David's. With a due venera

tion and regard, for the authority and rites of the Church of England, with a love for her Liturgy, second only to that love which he bears to the Revelation of God, he combines the noblest views of enlarged benevolence; and, which is no mean praise, he has the spirit to avow bis principles, and to take a decisive part in promoting whatever is generous and good. If indeed we should designate any one feature as peculiarly characteristic of a mind, cast in no ordinary mould, and adorned with no common exeellencies, we should be inclined to fix upon this integrity of heart, this simplicity of purpose, which is stamped upon every thing that bears

his name.

To differ from such a

man on any point, to which his talents have been directed, is at all times painful. Such, however, in this state of conflicting opinions, may sometimes be the case. It is the condition of human things. Where our views coincide, we shall feel ourselves mightily strengthened by his authority if they should differ, our first impulse would be not to censure his principles, but to suspect and examine our own.

Such is our feeling on perusing the Charge now to be examined. It comprehends subjects of great importance, on some of which there is considerable diversity of judgment, even among those whose integrity is unquestionable, and who are eminently qualified to form a decision. But no man will blame the introduction of them on this occasion, or object to the spirit in which they are discussed. The argument is uniformly maintained with mildness and candour; and where it fails in producing conviction, it will not fail in exciting a sentiment of high respect for the Right Reverend Author.

The principal topics are thus arranged; "The Repeal of the Act against Blasphemy, &c. considered; the Benefits of the Curates' Act illustrated; the Bible Society vindicated; and the Grounds of the Roman Catholic Claims disproved."

After asserting the right of the civil magistrate to take cognizance of matters of religion; a right which no man, who respects the laws of all nations and all ages will dispute; the Bishop justly observes, that the blessings, which we have lately received from the hand of God call for redoubled care of his religion and the support of our national church. Among the securities provided by our ancestors for the preservation of the true faith of the Gospel, were the laws enacted for the punishment of notorious offences against God and religion. In the class of offences are included apostacy and blasphemy; "that is, the total renunciation of Christianity, and the denial of its essential doctrines and contumelious reproaches of God and Christ." (p. 7.)

"What then are the essential doctrines of Christiauity, as they concern the truth of our holy religion? The existence of God, as revealed to us in the Scriptures; that is, the existence of three persons in one God; and of course the divinity of the three persons existing in the Godhead. To deny there. fore the doctrine of the Trinity, is to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit, which are parts of that doctrine; it is to deny the atonement of Christ, and the divine agency of the Holy Spirit; it is to deny those revelations of Divine truth, which most peculiarly distiuguish the Gospel from all other religions. It is therefore to deny the truth of the established religion, and, ultimately, the expediency and legal rights of the establishment which upholds it.

"If this enlightened age had discovered any insurmountable difficulties, unknown to our ancestors, in the doctrine of the Trinity, there would have been some reason for repealing a statute, whose object was to protect a doctrine which could no longer be main

tained. But the reverse of this is the truth. The more the peculiar truths of Christianity are investigated, the more clearly and fully

is their evidence established.

"As Christianity is a part of the laws of England, and the doctrine of the Trinity is an essential part of Christianity, it is difficult to discover the expediency of removing any of the guards, which were intended for the protection of our common Christianity, as well as of the Established Church. The

removal of the penalties against blasphemy and the denial of the Trinity was not necessary on the ground of grievances com. plained of, nor as a proof of the tolerant spirit of the Church of England, nor on account of any new-discovered difficulties in the mysterious doctrines of Christianity.

Nor was it necessary to repeal the restraining disabilities of the English law, because the Scotch law, enacting the penalty of death, required amendment and mitigation. In proportion, then, to the loss of the guards intended for the legal protection of the essential doctrines of Christianity, should be our zeal in maintaining and inculcating them. Their truth and their importance may well demand our best exertions. A their importance and their truth." pp. 9—11.

few observations will serve to show both

Concurring most perfectly with the learned and excellent prelate in the truth and importance of the doctrine of the Trinity, as delivered in Scripture and adopted by our church, we are somewhat disposed to doubt the utility of the laws which have now been abolished. We suspect that they did little to prevent the growth of Socinianism. The leaders of that school have long promulgated their doctrines against the Lord Jesus Christ, with a boldness of manner and an offensiveness of language, which demanded severe animadversion. But the law was suffered to sleep: it could in truth do little to restrain them: and blasphemy can still be punished, wherever it can be fairly proved. Had the existence of the law effectually prevented or greatly lessened the evil which it professedto punish, we should have thought long and seriously before we could have consented to the removal of so powerful a check. But, in fact and in practice, the case, we believe, is not materially altered. Many of the socinians, indeed, appear to value themselves much upon the change; and in sermons, and advertisements, and by every artifice which may catch the public eye, they exhibit themselves in all the insolence of triumph. Having suffered no injury, they vociferate like men who have escaped from per-/

secution and oppression: their minds, in some instances, appear almost to be turned by the grandeur of their imaginary elevation; and while their doctrines are exactly the same, and their language not a whit more rational or refined than it formerly was, they deliver their old creed in tones somewhat louder, and with a dogmatism still more dogmatical. Their felicity is that of Goldsmith in his elegant coat, or of a child with its rattle and toys.

Should any evil be likely to result from the repeal of these laws, we hope and trust that the zeal and vigilance of the clergy will do more than compensate it. Socinianism is a cold, dead, dull, unscriptural, and uninviting system: to the poor it has nothing to propose, and very little beyond the meagre pride of sophistical reasoning to the rich: it is a fabric without a foundation, a mi. serable fungus of modern days: it is opposed alike to Scripture and to the concurrent voice of all antiquity, Let the clergy be vigilant, and it never can prevail.

"Let us, then, do our duty as stewards of the mysteries of God-as watchmen of the house of Israel-as ministers of the New Testament; and be it our special care, ne quid detrimenti capiat fides Christiana; that the truth of Christianity may not suffer by the loss of any of those guards which the piety and wisdom of our ancestors provided for the protection of its essential doctrines." p. 15.

The Act, for augmenting the salaries of stipendiary curates, is mentioned with warm approbation.

to produce the very important effects which have just been mentioned. The question, in such cases, is not one of particular interest; it respects general good. The measure might easily be shewn to interfere with the future stipends of many persons officially resident in the two universities, and as the colleges have certainly not more than a just proportion of patronage,its adoption may thus far affect individuals: but this evil is trifling indeed, when contrasted with the large and permanent benefit which will accrue to many useful and laborious clergymen, and through them to their parishes. The very circumstance of holding a living implies an engagement that the spiritual wants of the people shall be supplied, and the state has a right to demand the performance of it.

We proceed next to the vindication of the Bible Society.-Our

own sentiments have been so often

and so fully delivered, that we shall do little more than cite the very

admirable observations contained in this Charge. We trust that it is unnecessary to apologize for the length of our quotation: it is the testimony of a prelate, and that prelate the able, and learned, and respected Bishop of St. David's: it was delivered to the Clergy of his Diocese, and published at their request.

sonal influence of the Clergy; and so to proinote the credit, and to strengthen the hands of the Established Church." pp. 15, 16.

We were somewhat surprised at the opposition which this bill experienced, as we believe it calculated

Christians can concur.

"The Bible Society, in forming a general association of Christians of all denominations, differs most materially from all other mixed associations of Christians. In uniting for the one single duty of distributing the Scriptures

there can be no compromise. A duty which is common to all forms of spiritual govern ment and discipline (except the Roman), requires no sacrifice of principle. There are in such an association no accommodations of the Episcopalian to the Presbyterian, nor of the Presbyterian to the Quaker or Inde pendent. The only Christian that cannot associate with distributors of the Bible without note or comment is the adherent of the Church of Rome. He cannot trust the Bible by itself in the hands of the people. It must have its guards against Protestant truths; its antidotes to Protestant principles.

"Popish writers, who concur with the opponents of the Bible Society, say, that the Gentiles were converted by preaching, not by sending Bibles to them. But in this they are greatly mistaken, as far as the spirit of the objection goes. The first Christian

Church which was settled at Rome was instructed by the Epistles of St. Paul, without note or comment, before the Apostle had preached amongst them: and, long before their days, a great revival of religion among the Jews, after their return from Babylon, was effected by the Bible, by the reading of the book of the law to them. During their long stay at Babylon the Hebrew language was greatly corrupted in its vernacular use. The language of the law was become a strange language to them; it was therefore rendered, where necessary, into language that they understood. But it was still the book of the law, the Scripture, that was read to them, and read to them in a language which was understood by the people. It was by the diligent reading of the Scriptures that the Bereans were converted to Christianity. In the Scriptures they sought for evidences of Christ, and with them they compared the preaching of the Apostles; to see whether these things were so;' whether the prophecies, to which the Apostles appealed, were as they reported them. They made the Scriptures their rule of faith, and in this followed the direction of our Saviour: Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of me.'

"The objection to the distribution of the Bible without the Prayer-book is, in its principle, of so anti-protestant a complexion, that the Roman Catholics claim the chief supporter of it as their friend, and have congratulated him on renouncing the great principle of the Reformation, The learned objector to the Bible Society has, indeed, rejected the insidious congratulation, but in vain; the Popish writer, in his second

address, still maintains that the objector has abandoned the ground on which the Reformation was established; namely, the authority of the pure Word of God.

"But if the objection were not of an antiprotestant complexion, it would, nevertheless, be very unjust; for what right have our objectors to say, that the church members of the Bible Society do not distribute the Common Prayer Book with the Bible? They belong, indeed, to a Society which prints no other book but the Bible; but it does not, therefore, follow, that the church members of the Society are not as active and liberal in the distribution of the Common Prayer Book as the most uncharitable of their traducers: and, even were they less active and liberal, it would be no fault of the Bible Society, for the constitution of the Society lays no restraint on the distribution of the Common Prayer Book.

"The repository of the Bible Society is a great depôt for the sale of Bibles. No other book is issued from it but the Bible. The great company engaged in this most important object limits its concerns to the Bible. Like many other great companies, it has only one object, by which the strength of the company is immensely increased, as there is no denomination of Christians but what is interested in its success.

"The Bible Society undertakes to distribute the Bible: it confines itself to the Bible; but it neither obstructs nor discourages the circulation of the Common Prayer Book (for every member of the Society is at liberty to give the Prayer-book with the Bible); but if the Society had refused to sell the Bible without the Prayer-book, it would certainly have obstructed the circulation of the Bible. By leaving the distribution of the Prayer-book to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, and to other Societies, it has been enabled to associate, with members of the Church of England, in the service of the Bible, a large number of persons, who, from education and principle, could not be expected to concur in the circulation of the Prayer-book; and there fore, to print, for the use of foreign nations as well as of our own, a much greater num ber of Bibles than would otherwise have been practicable. The Society is constituted on this simple and comprehensive principle, that it may not exclude the aid of any persons professing to be Christians. Indeed no contribution for the distribution of the Bible can be unacceptable, whether it come from a Churchman or Dissenter, from Christian, Jew, Mahometau, or Heathen,