ence of cultivation, and the celebrity of talent, was Mary Ellyett, the good old woman whose memorial is introduced, as a testimony to that truth in the zealous belief of which she lived, and in the triumphs of which she died. Nearly 55 years, she had been a member of the Baptist Church at Salisbury; and closed her long and venerable life, in that relation, Oct. 14, 1810. Her characteristic excellence gave her the rank of a Priscilla in religious society. Many sat at her feet, and learned the way of God more perfectly: and inany a trembling or disconsolate inquirer fled to this nursing mother for counsel and support. Her usefulness in this work was so eminent, that candidates for church fellowship had usually some instance of her spiritual friendship to refer to. The name of Mrs. E. in the recital of an experience, united with some lesson of instruction or good word of comfort, never sur prised, but frequently delighted the ear. Those who were seeking Jesus Christ resorted to her little dwelling, as if secure of finding the master beneath the roof of this disciple. She had drank largely of the cup of afflic tion from her early youth; but most of her days were passed with the antidote of sorrow; even "Jesus the hope of glory, in the heart." Relative distress, great bodily infirmity, and deep pover ty, failed to engross her in selfish anxieties or to repress the ardour of her zeal for the salvation of sin ners. Neither the langours of sickness, the oppressions of want, nor even the chill damp of death itself, enfeebled the operation of this holy charity. During the mortal conflict her dying bed was attended as a sort of a privileged Vol. III. station. As she was passing the dark valley, one asked what she thought of religion there? she replied, "the same I have long thought, that it is the one thing needful." Another questioned her respecting the temptations of satan; she answered, "he has nothing to do with me, my Saviour is stronger than he; he has overcome the devil." When told that death sometimes assumed a formidable aspect; She said, "not to me, I am not afraid to die, for I can say, Thanks be to God, who giveth me the victory; but it is all through Christ." They inquired if she would rather live, or die? She replied, "Which God pleases, He doth all things well." And again, If she firmly believed she should go to heaven." "I shall not go to hell, Jesus my all to heaven is gone. O that all the world did but love Jesus Christ, then they would be happy as I am" and as expres sive of her fervent desire for their salvation, added, "she would gladly stay here a little longer, if she could convert sinners to God.” To a friend who on taking leave prayed for her easy dismission, she said, "He ever lives to intercede, Before his father's face; Such were the latest expressions of her living hope and dying consolation; which, treasured in the remembrance of her friends, add to the long diffusive fragrance of her good name. Her funeral sermon was preached before a crowded auditory of all denominations, who with the preacher, bore testimony to her worth, from the words of Deborah,, "A Mother in Israel." L ACCOUNT OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Grace Displayed in the Conversion, Experience, and Death of DANIEL CUXON, Who died October 21, 1810, Aged 9 years and 8 months. By Joseph Ivimey. Price 6d. Button and Burditt, London. If it be of any importance that Children remember their Creator in the days of their youth, and if it be indeed true, that example is better than precept, this little work has high claims to general esteem and extensive Circulation. We consider it as one of those valuable tracts, which so far from fluctuating in their interest, with the taste of the moment, or the fashion of the day, will furnish important documents and data for arguments, so long as children shill have souls, and souls shall need Salvation. The subject of this memoir, we are informed, (after some introductory remarks) was born in London, February 16, 1801. Au Address delivered at his father's interment, when he was about five years old, made some impression on his mind, but that impression was soon dissipated in the natural levity of Childhood. Not long after he was attacked with a violent disease, which rendered him a cripple; falling down stairs at a subsequent period, he broke one arm, and again falling some time afterwards he hurt the other worse than if broken. This completed the catalogue of his misfortunes, accumulated ills marked him for the grave; nor do we much wonder to hear, "he was at this period so exceedingly impatient, that he once earnestly entreated his mother to kill him, and put him out of his pains." His first serious impressions, which from their duration might be deemed of any importance, were occasioned by a terrific dream; these he manifested, "by his earnest desire that his mother would read to him the Scriptures, Dr, Watts's Psalms and Hymns, and Songs in the night, by Susannah Harrison;" and at length by engaging in religious conversation, to which he had before the most inveterate aversion. These conversations, noted down by his mother, the Author, and others who visited him, form the most conspicuous and most interesting part of this narrative, and will, we doubt not, edify and delight many of even venerable standing in the church of Christ; while the clearness of idea, the depth of experience, and soberness of manner, will compel the most indifferent obsrever to acknowledge that out of the Mouths of babes and sucklings, thou hast ordained Strength. Among numerous passages, which would justify these assertions, we select two; In page 21 he says "I did not always love Jesus, I was once a wicked sinner a wild sinner, it is only a few months ago, that I first loved him, Ihad a very shocking dream, which terrified me a great deal, that was it which first led me to see that I was a sinner, a poor sinner; I heard that Jesus came to save poor sinners, that he would receive all that came to him, and would pardon them, and would wash them in his blood, he said Suffer little children to come unto me; so I went unto him, and he received me, he loved poor sinners, and I was a poor sinner, he His conversations with his brothers and sisters, were very extraordinary, and proved the ardent desires he felt for the salvation of their souls. About a mouth before his death, he called them all to his bedside, and when some of them manifested a reluctance in coming, he said to his little brother, about six years of age, come here Benny, and to his sister, about eight, come here Mary, I want to talk with you, I shall not be here long, and then I cannot talk with you; sit down Mary, the first thing you should do, is to love the Lord, and the next, love your mother, and do what she bids you; for she will never tell you to do any thing that will hurt you, but you must go to the Lord, as a poor sinner, and do not say forms of prayer that that are in the book, that is not prayer; go the Lord, and say Lord, look down upon me a poor sinner. Pointing to a place in the room, he said, go and kneel down there Mary, and if you want to know the way to heaven, I will tell you, go to Jesus, for he is the way to heaven, for he has the keys of hell and of death in his hand, and for them that love him he will open the gates of heaven, and let them in." two After spending about months in earnest, but patient expectation of, the "Welcome Messenger" that should dismiss him to his father's house, that messenger at length arrived. We extract the closing scene. "About 11 o'clock, he was very cold, and the death sweats were on him; a friend, said, 'he will soon be gone,' he replied with great pleasure, the sooner to the better,' but checking himself, he added 'the Lord's time is the best, and I will wait.' After this he was not able to speak for some time, but his mother perceiving his lips move, listened and neard him say, "he will never, never, for sake me." About 12, he looked up towards heaven, and exclaimed, "Jesus and his Angels." About an hour and a half before he died, he said, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah," and half an hour after, he again said, very loud, looking at the persons who stood round his bed, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord." Just before he expired, which was on the Lord's day, October 21st, at 5 in the evening, he said to his Sister, who had adjusted his pillow, "thank you," and soon after fell asleep." Such is the outline of the narrative before us; in point of authenticity, the name and situation of the Compiler would have been a sufficient assurance; letters however from the Rev. G. Williams, Gate Street, and an apparently respectable, though anonymous correspondent, are subjoined to it; if more were needed, much more might doubtless be had, even we can refer to those, who while memory lasts, will cherish a grateful recollection, of the Death-bed of DANIEL CUXON. Works of this nature seldom aspire to literary distinction; or court the attention of criticism. On a second perusal perhaps some one may question the propriety of sectious in so short a a piece, or at least wonder why the 6th has no general title; common readers may find a diffieulty in connecting, "His last Words," with the rest of the Paragraph, (Page 34) or ac counting for Daniel's "Calling his Mother's Religious friends Methodists, and their conversation methodist cant," "After he became religious;" (Page 10.) while the lover of accuracy, will certainly regret, that texts are altered, and poetic quotations parodied, without even the acknowledgement of Italics. But these, like the typographical errors, are minor imperfections, while the general tendency of the whole is unexceptionable, and will, we hope, be an instru'ment, in the hand of Omnipotence, in bringing Infant sinners to see the error of their ways; and making them try the truth, and beauty of that promise, so dear to this child's heart, I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me. Discourses on Personal Religion. By Samuel Stennett, D. D. 8vo. 6s. boards. Button. If any apology were necessary for noticing this volume, published so long ago, by a man whose praise is in all the churches, it would be found in the importance of the Subject on which it treats, and in the consideration that to the greater part of our readers its contents are wholly unknown. When it was suggested, in a mixed company of literary and pious men, as a very desirable, but a very difficult object to at tain, that the Theological department of a certam Review should manifest more intimate acquaintance with the Spirit of Christianity; one of the company very shrewdly observed, that there was but one difficulty to surmount, and all the rest would be easy; "Let the writers of that department be men whose own minds are strongly imbued with the Spirit of the New Tes tament." This reniark is equally applicable to a variety of other particulars. If we would be delighted with the lovely harmony and order of well-regulated families; if we desire the beauty and glory of well-disciplined churches, wherein all the directions of the New Testament shall be constantly regarded, without guile and without partiality; it will be easy to perceive the difficulties attendant on bringing our wishes into realities. but a little consideration will resolve them all into one: only let there be an eminent degree of Personal Religion in the heads of families, and in the various branches which compose our christian Societies, and the objects of our wishes will presently appear. We wish it were well understood and remembered, that there cannot be a more deci sive evidence of a very great deficiency in the head of a household, than a disorderly ill-regulated family; therefore the Apostle directed that it should be essential to the office of a Bishop or Deacon, that the man ruled welt his own house. It is equally true of contentious and divided churches, that the thing principally wanted for the healing of their breaches, is more of the Spirit of Christ, or in other words, more Personal Religion in the various Members. We have made these remarks for the sake of earnestly recommending to our readers in general, and to the Members of our Churches in particular, a very serious and attentive perusal of these Sermons. The volume is the only one of the kind, we believe, in the language; and sold at about half the price of modern sermons, such ministrations being rarely, if ever, without their effect in the kingdom of our Lord. We add the general Titles of the Treatises, and a Specimen or two of the Work, from the first of the series. 1. Arguments for leaving sin, and living holily, urged. 2. Directions how to attain eternal blessedness prescribed. 3. The Character of a true Believer represented. 4. The true Believer's Doubts resolved. And 5. The true Believer's Privileges and Happiness considered. Among the Arguments for leav We subjoin a list of the subjects of these Discourses, as a further incitement to their perusal. 1, The nature of Religion. 2. The Reality of Religion. 3. The Importance of Religion. 4. The Sameness of Religion. 5. The Difficulties attending Religion. 6. The Difficulties of Religion surmounted. 7. The Pleasantness of Religion. 8. The Fruits of Religion. 9. The Divine Origin of Religion. 10. Christ the grand Medium of Religion. 12. Improvement in Religion a Fruit of a Divine Influence. 13. The Use of Religion in a Time of Af-ing sin and living holily, we read, Aliction. 14. Perseverance in Religion the Christian's Duty. 15. Religion an abiding Principle, 16. The Use of Religion in Death. 17. The final Consummation of Religion in Heaven. Holiness will not hinder you, but bring a blessing upon you, in your private and particular callings. Say not, I shall suffer loss, by leaving my Suppose your estate su ffered, and your worldly concerns to mind religion. body fared the worse by it; yet, sure I am, the cumbrings aud carings of A Door Opening into Everlast-worldlings bring them more grief, than ing Life; or an Essay tending to advance Gospel Holiness, and to establish the Hearts of true Believers against their many Doubts and Fears. By the Rev. And. Gray, 12mo. 4s. The encouragement which has been given to the republication of many valuable productions of our old divines, is one of the most pleasing circumstances in the modern state of the religious world, as it seems to indicate a prevailing taste for spiritual things, even when divested of the ornaments of style and language. Andrew Gray appears to have been a Good Minister of Jesus Christ, in the beginning of the last century; he wrote with the boldness and feeling, and much in the style of his day; his language is neither better nor worse than that of his cotemporaries. We doubt not but he was highly respected and beloved in the Parish of Mottram for his work sake; religious duties bring loss to you. Say not, My affairs and employments in the world are so great, and so many, that I cannot spare time, the more and greater thy affairs are, the more need to mind religion, lest thy heart be swallowed up of thy affairs Are not the affairs of a kingdom more, and greater, than those of an household? And yet David, who had the affairs of a kingdom to look after, made religion must be educated and provided for: his chief care. Say not, My children what will you lose salvation, and damn your souls, to gather an estate, and to provide a portion for them: provide for them a portion in God's name: but especially let God be their Portion for ever: give them pious education and an holy example; is it not more comfortable to see children, in their parents' life time, just heirs of their parents' graces; than to see them, when parents are dead, heirs of their parents' unjust gains? Oh remember, that providing for your children's bodies, will not answer the damning of your own souls. Again, He who hath lived wickedly, for the most part, laments ruefully when he comes to die, Alas! alas! (saith be) the end is now come, the end of all my |