MRS. JANE HOWARD

She

WAS born January 7, 1749. had the advantage of a pious education; but it does not appear that the work of grace was begun in her heart in early life. In Oct. 1777, she was married; and in Nov. 1785, was united to the church of Christ at the Tabernacle, near Moorfields; since which, by her humble and consistent conduct, she adorned the doctrine of God her Saviour. Through the care of her family, and afflictions of her body, she was often confined from the house of God; yet when any of the family returned from it, she would eagerly enquire the text, subject, &c. On Sunday, Dec. 19, 1802, she said to her daughter, "I have three cares: the care of my body, the care of my family, and, what is of far greater importance, the care of my soul. I am not so comfortable as I was; but I have been thinking, that Jesus lives to intercede for sinners; and why may I not hope for myself? 'Tis true, I have not had the advantages you have had, yet the Lord kept me moral in my younger days; that was a mercy! I have not heard God's ministers with that attention I should have done: I have gone sometimes and thought, now I will try what I can remember, and see if I can't get gocd; and I have come away just as I went. I have had a family, but that was no excuse; and if I am spared to hear again, which is not likely, shall I hear an; better? I am afraid not; yet I think there is reason to hepe that Jesus intercedes for me: as I have so much encouragement in his word. He says, “ Seek, and ye shall find; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened," God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself; and "him that cometh to me, I will in nowise cast out." She then desired the seventh chapter of Romans might be read to her.

Thursday, Feb. 17, 18c3, she said, She had been reading the

tenth chapter of Hebrews, and could not help noticing the condescension of God, particularly from ver. 7 to the 14th. On the 18th she said, She often doubted having any grace, because she could not tell the particular time when the Lord called her : being answered, You can say, I was once blind; now I see,' she said, "I see I am a great sinner!" She complained of great deadness in prayer, &c. and of not finding her mind quite reconciled to the will of God: she expressed grief for dishonouring God so much by unbelief; and spoke of a book called. "Songs in the Night:" she found pleasure in it, as it was both Scripture and experience. She desired a friend to read and pray with her; saying, "We may never meet again on earth; but, I trust, we shall meet in Heaven, where we shall for ever admire the way the Lord our God has led us through the wilderness.”

19th. After reading the fortieth chapter of Isaiah, she spoke of the encouragement there was to wait upon God. In the evening, ap pearing worse, she was reminded of this promise, My grace is suffi cient for thee;' ' she said, "Yes, it is."

21st. She said to a friend, "I am very uncomfortable; I can nei ther believe, nor pray.' "Her friend said, Then you can hope in God's mercy.' She said, “Yes, I can do that."

22d. Being restless, those words were repeated to her, 'Oh, that I had wings like a dove, for then would fly away, and be at rest!' She said, "Yes; for I shall have no more rest here!"

23d. One asked her, If she recol lected that verse, For our light

ON Sabbath-evening, March 18, 1804, departed this life, Miss Mary Ann Harvey, only child of Mr. T. Harvey, of Kigellack, near Penryn, aged fourteen years and four months. Her natural disposition was so remarkably amiable, that some of her acquaintance fondly imagined her to be as much with out fault before God, as she was before men; but with all that amiableness of temper and gentleness of manners, which she uniformly manifested, and which secured her an interest in the esteem of all who new her, she saw herself, under

the illuminating influence of the Holy Spirit, a depraved sinful creature; having a heart that was deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. To a person who called upon her soon after her confinement; and who observed, that her life had been very good and virtuous, so that she could not have she said, any sin to answer for, "You don't know the heart: you don't know the wickedness that is in my heart!" That she had a lively sense of it, was very apparent: she frequently complained of she complained of during a long and it; yea, it was the only thing which singularly painful illness; and, until within a few days of her departure, she verily thought that she was too bad to be admitted into the heavenly state. On the Thursday preceding her death, she was visited by a particular friend, who remarked, that if the sickness

which she laboured under should be unto death, all would be well;but she instantly exclaimed, “I have a wicked heart! and it is so

wicked, I am afraid I shall not ge to Heaven!" Her friend observed, That every body's heart was bad, and far too bad to be received into glory without a change; but that it was a great mercy to feel the ma lady, since many languished under it insensibly, through life, and wete It was further punished eternally. observed, That there was a great and good Physician, who had a perfect knowledge of the soul's malady, and who was able to cure it; yea, who was willing as he was able. She listened with great attention to all that was spoken relative to those things; and then, with an earnestness never to be forgotten, she took her friend by the hand, saying, "Now kneel down and pray for me; and pray for us all :" and scarcely was the solemn exercise closed, which was affecting as it was solemn, ere she exclaimed, "Now I am happy!" and from that time to the moment of dissolution, she experienced such a sweet composure of mind as " passeth all understanding."

On the Thursday, it was thought that she was at the point of death;

and being asked, how the frame of her mind was? she cheerfully replied, " Comfortable, very comfortable !" Then you have a hope,' her friend remarked, 'in this hour of trial?'. "Yes," she rejoined, " a good hope!" and shortly after, she repeated her favourite hymn; the 164th, book the second, of Dr. Watts, "Why should this earth delight us so?" &c. and added the thirty-sixth hymn, second book," Will the Redeemer come," &c. Through the whole of the day following, Friday, the 16th, she suffered much in body; but still was composed in spirit. In the evening she remarked, That her friend Mr. W. had not called that day to see her; and upon being told that he had been in the house; but that it was judged that she was too much afflicted, either to converse with, or to see her, he expressed much concern at the disappointment; and said to a near relative who was with her, "You know he could have prayed with me, if I was too ill to have conversed with him."

On the Saturday evening she greatly revived, insomuch, that those around her imagined she might recover; but the very hope was transient, for early the next morning, a sudden change took place:Death, the last enemy, approached, and darted on his prey. She said, “I am dying: this is a time of need!" Observing those who attended her in much distress, she said, "Why do you weep? am going to the realms of bliss; a mansion is there ordained for

me !"

I

About noon she asked for her father; and on his approaching her, she said, "My dear father, now I am going, I am going to God; I must go;— will you resign me up to him?" Being answered in the affirmative, she asked again, Now, can you do it heartily?" He said, Yes, my dear, heartily!' Then she addressed her weeping mother in the same affecting language; and having received the like answer, she affectionately em braced them both, saying, "Now let me go, let me go to glory!"

“

But the time of need, as she empha tically called it, over and over again, was not yet past; "deep called unto deep, pain followed pain; "but all within was calm her soul was fixed, trusting in God; and, in the midst of the conflict, she exclaimed, in a way of triumph, "My God, my God!" These were her last words; and soon after, her soul was conveyed into mansions of glory.

Her remains were interred at Budock church, attended by all the scholars of a neighbouring boarding-school, where she had been instructed from the fifth year of her age, until within a few months of her decease; and where her mind was first seriously impressed with divine things. On the following Sabbath - evening, March 25, the providence was improved to a crowded and attentive audience, in a Sermon founded on Rev. xiv. 13.

RECENT DEATH. the forty-ninth year of his age, and Died, on Sunday, March 25, ia very much regretted by all who had the pleasure of his acquain who had the happiness of sitting tance, but more particularly those under his ministry, the Rev. Thos. Green, twenty-three years pastor of the Baptist church, ́ at Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire. He was in perfect health on the preceding Thursday morning, when with a paralytic seizure. He conhe suddenly fell from his chair, tinued senseless till. the time of his death; and left his surprized flock

and friends to make a serious improvement of the truly solemn

Rural Philosophy; or Reflections on Knowledge, Virtue, and Happiness; chiefly in Reference to a Life of Retirement in the Country. By Ely Bates, Esq. bvo, 85. boards..

THIS subject has already been. treated by many authors in various ways, and with very different degrees of merit. The poetry of Cowper not only pleases, but instracts us how to acquire the greatest portion of real happiness in retired life. Zimmerman is a popular author on this subject; but he is equally superficial and romantic.

Our author is of the good old school. His theory is not founded on the romantic feelings of modern sentimentalists; but in sober reason and divine revelation. The work itself is divided into three parts. As true knowledge is the foundation both of virtue and happiness, the 1st part contains reflections on the knowledge of God, of ourselves, and of the world; and how far retirement, duly improved, may be conducive to this important acquisition.

The remarks upon the knowledge of God are highly worthy of attention. Many writers, both moral and philosophical, of no mean talents, overlook the justice of God in the present constitution and course of nature, which they consider merely as a display of wisdom and goodness. This, under a shew of exalting the goodness of God, derogates from his governing justice; and, in ministering to human consolation, induces a state of security, so as to render those warnings vain, which were graciously intended to be preventive of our final ruin. Able as Mr. Paley's Natural Theology is in other respects, we fear it cannot be entirely absolved from this charge. As an antidote to this partial and dangerous representation, Mr. Bates directs the attention of his reader to the whole frame

and course of the world, since the original defection; and remarks, page 19,

"It is only, therefore, when we take into our view the twofold character which the Almighty sustains towards, guilty man, of a just Ruler and of a tender Parent, that we can in any measure reconcile the phenomena of nature and provi dence with our ideas of the Divine perfec tions. In this case, as we shall no longer consider mankind as retaining the purity of their first paradisiacal state, we shall not be obliged to account why the earth they inhabit is not in all points entirely accommodated to their present convenience; why they are in danger from noxious plants and animals, and exposed to the intemperature of the seasons, with other disorders of the elements; and shall think it sufficient if we are able to discern, tho' imperfectly, in the present system and course of the world, considered in relation to man as a sinner, an exhibition of holiness and justice, tempered with much long-suffering, and paternal indulgence."

This view of his subject is urged in proof of the necessity and advantage of revelation. Our author then observes, p. 25,

"The Bible is the brightest mirror of the Deity. There we discern not only his being, but his character; not only his character, but his will; not only what he is in himself, but what he is to us, and what we may expect at his hands. This knowledge of God, as we have before suggested, neither nature nor providence can teach us, whatever we may thence collect concerning the relation he bears towards us as the Creator and Governor of the world, or of his propensity to mercy and reconcilement "

He then proceeds to point out the means of attaining this knowledge; - by submitting reason to revelation; by ardent prayer; and by a due regard to the works of God.

"True philosophy, when kept in due subordination, is favourable to true reli gion, serves to shew its necessity, and, by correspondent analogies, to add new evidence and illustration to its doctrines. While they proceed together, they say the same thing t; aud the former, when

it can make no farther advances, resigns up its disciple to the conduct of the latter No good man, therefore, ought to reject the study of Nature, because so many sophistical commentators have set up light in opposition to that of revelation;

her

but rather should use his best efforts to rescue her from such impure hands by a juster interpretation."

On the knowledge of ourselves in our moral situation, he observes, We must become acquainted first with the law of our creation, and with our defection from it: and, secondly, To what degree, according to the constitution or the gospel, we must be restored to a conformity with this law, in order to our present peace and final happiness; and in what manner it is most usual for men to deceive themselves upon this subject.

Among the causes of this deception, he particularly specifies the following, p. 63, as one of the most general, namely,

"A vain confidence in the privileges supposed to be attached to an adherence to the Christian profession, though this adherence be produced by no higher principle than either, first, a faith merely traditional and customary; or, secondly, a faith that may be called historical and learned; or, lastly, what I thall denominate, for want of a fitter term, an Antinomian faith."

After evincing the expediency of retirement for the purposes of selfknowledge, and cautioning his readers against its abuse in concealing a man from himself, both in respect of his vices and his virtues, his incapacities and his abilities, Mr. Bates concludes this section by observing, p. 86,

"Upon the whole it may appear, that retirement and society are suited to con. tribute, in their turns, to self-knowledge. The former, as being peculiarly favourable to the investigation of truth, will supply us with higher standards by which to try ourselves; while the latter is more likely (in some instances at least) to shew us our strength and weakness, and to detect those principles wrich lie deep and latent in the heart. What proportion they should bear to each other for the attainment of the end here on view, must be jest to every individual to determine for himself, after a due consideration of his particular constitution, his habits, and his circumstances."

The knowledge of the world, taken extensively, comprizes the knowledge of its exterior, or of its manners; the knowledge of its interior, or of its secret principles, views, and dispositions; and, lastly, of its value, with respect to curselves, that is, as transitory, unsatisfying, and dangerous. This know. ledge, our author remarks, which is the most important of all, appears to have been attained by few; and ought therefore to engage our more particular attention. P. 113.

"If, then, the knowledge of which we have been speaking is such as we have stated, if it consists chiefly in a just view of the relation which this world bears to another, how few are there whose pretensions to it are solidly founded! Does he thus know the world, who thinks he has no other business in it than to eat and drink,

and rise up to play? Or he whose entire occupation is to join house to house, and field to field, till he is placed alone in the midst of the earth? Does that politician thus know the world, who imagines that nothing is wanting to complete its felicity but liberty and equality, peace and plenty ? Or that philosopher who knows every thing under the sun as well as Solomon himself, except that "the whole is vanity?" No: these are merely novices in the science in which they fancy themselves proficients, and may go for lessons to the simplest hermit, who is piously stu dious of the Bible, and of his own heart."

The second part of this work considers how far retirement is favourable to virtue, from its tendency to weaken the impression of the world; and also those means which tend to the promoting of virtue, viz. education, religion, philosophy, and history.

Under the head of education, Mr. Bates quotes both Cicero and an eminent Christian Apologist, to shew the injury done to youth by what is called Classical Learning; and, behind this double shield, "fears no shafts of censure, whe. ther emitted from the hands of the polite Greeks, or of those barbarous Latins who, as Mr. Locke speaks,