ay remains on any paper which I have at hand, ill the business of the day is despatched, and my hop shut, when, in the midst of my family, I enHeavour to analyze, in the evening, such thoughts s had crossed my mind during the day. I have no study-I have no retirement-I write amidst the -ries and cradles of my children-and frequently, when I review what I have written, endeavour to ultivate the art to blot.' Such are the methods which I have pursued, and such the disadvantages under which I write.'

"His usual seat, after closing the business of The day, was a low nursing-chair beside the kitchen ire. Here, with the bellows on hs knees for a desk, and the usual culinary and domestic matters En progress around him, his works, prior to 1805, were chiefly written. The circumstances which Jed to his becoming an author he has thus recorded.

"A young gentleman, by profession a surgeon, had, for a considerable time, been in habits of intimacy with me; and our conversation frequently turned on abstract theories, the nature of evidence under given circumstances, and the primary source of moral principles. He had made himself acquainted with the writings of Voltaire, Rousseau, Gibbon, and Hume, whose speculations had led him to look with a suspicious eye on the Sacred Records, to which he well knew I was strongly attached. When Paine's 'Age of Reason' made its appearance, he procured it; and, fortifying himself with the objections against revelation which that book contained, he assumed a bolder tone, and commenced an undisguised attack on the Bible.

The "Age of Reason," was at length put into Mr. Drew's hands, and he and his companion met almost daily to discuss its arguments. The results of these debates Mr. D- frequently committed to writing, and,

"Conceiving it possible that the discussions between the young gentleman and himself, upon the arguments in Paine's book, might, if published, induce other Deists to question the validity of their theological system, Mr. Drew put his notes into the hands of Mr. Francis Truscott and Mr. Richard Treffry, then stationed as preachers in the St. Austell Wesleyan circuit. They were men of discernment; and they strongly urged him to commit his papers to the press. Acting upon their recommendation, rather than upon any idea which he entertained of merit in his performance, he proceeded to prepare what he had written for publication. The form of dialogue was dropped, lest it should create unpleasant feelings on the part of the young gentleman and his friends, and the 'Remarks' being addressed immediately to Thomas Paine himself, who was then alive, were published as a pamphlet, in September, 1799."-pp. 116 to 123.

One of Mr. Drew's happiest endowments, especially in the later part of his life, was his talent in letter-writing, and some of those which the volume before us contains (especially those addressed to his children,) are perfect gems. We will extract two, which will hardly fail to remind the reader

of some similar productions from the pen of Dr. Franklin. The first is addressed to his daughter, and her husband

"38, Newgate Street, London, December 30, 1824.

"MY DEAR JOHN AND ANNA,

"Having nothing to communicate to one which I wish to conceal from the other, I address you both on the same sheet, not having time to write to each separately.

"We have received the old coins, for which I feel much obliged. I will take care that Dr. C— shall not rob me of these. I find they are troublesome things to have. Without shewing them, they lose half their value;-if presented to a person that has no taste for antiquities of this kind, they excite no interest;-and if shewn to one whom they please, they are taken from you, either by the force or the legerdemain of friendship.

"Mr. M. has given us a very flattering account of your domestic procedure. He seems to think that neither you, nor Samuel and rib, have thus far forfeited a fair title to the 'flitch of bacon.' Should either of you win it, the event must be added to the only two circumstances on record in which it was actually claimed and carried off. In one instance, a sea captain and his wife succeeded,-he being compelled to go to sea the day after marriage, and not returning until its anniversary arrived; the other was, where the lady was, I believe, both deaf and dumb, and the gentleman remarkably goodhumoured. In too many instances, domestic feuds arise from trifles. Anna will recollect the tale I have frequently told, of the man and his wife quarrelling about the flock of birds which flew over their house,-whether they were crows or rooks. The knotty point led to blows three years following, and they at last left the affair undecided.

"Be kind, affectionate, and tender-hearted towards each other; not putting on sullen countenances, or laying the foundation of sighs. My dear Anna will remember, that some months since I told her, no female ought to be married until she had learnt a piece entitled, 'Pin the Basket;' and she has frequently heard me repeat these lines,'Ill fares that luckless family which shews

A cock that's silent, and a hen that crows.' Whenever contentions for mastery creep into a house, genuine affection abates in its fervour, and domestic peace retires. I trust that, both in temporal engagements and spiritual concerns, you will mutually help each other on, and, by sharing its weight, diminish the load which life will compel you to bear. Remember, that, in the affairs of this life, we are justified by works, and not by faith; so that industry, frugality, and economy are all necessary, to render even trade successful.

If

"I would advise you to keep as little company as possible, at least all such company as would lead to expensive entertainments. The festivity of one day will supply a moderate family for a week. you open the door to an enlargement of company, may lead to unseasonable hours, generate habits of dissipation, and sometimes furnish occasions of regret. I would not inculcate an unsociable disposition, but guard against any thing that looks like avoidable expense. Two horses travelling side by side mutually stimulate each other, so that both

it

go faster than either would if travelling alone. A similar propensity may be found in human nature. The entertainment made by A must be rivalled by B, exceeded by C, and surpassed by D; and thus, in a spiral line, we mount on the steps of ambitious display, till at length we get so high that we grow giddy, fall down, and are ruined.

"Sublunary bliss, however, is, at the best, a sickly plant, and no care or culture can give it permanence, or preserve it from the effect of storms. That only is durable which blooms in the regions of immortality, where it will flourish in perennial verdure. Let us, then, my dear children, look for it there, and lay up for ourselves treasures, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break not through nor steal.'

"Before this letter reaches you, we shall, if spared, have entered on a new portion of existence. 1824 will have given in its account at the great tribunal, and have sunk into the ocean of eternity. Let us endeavour so to live through 1825, that, if permitted to see its close, we may look back with less regret than we do on its predecessor. With best wishes for your happiness, I remain, dear children,

"Your affectionate father,
"SAMUEL DREW.'

"Mrs. John Read, Helston.' The next is addressed to another daugher, and is as follows:

"38, Newgate Street, London, "Oct. 1825.

"MY DEAR MARY,

"You desired me to write you a very wise letter, but not about such things as how impulse begets motion. You have thus set me an arduous task, that contains nothing specific, and only given a prohi bition from which I am directed to stand aloof.

"'You are now, my dear child, fast verging towards maturity; let it, therefore, be your constant care, that your mental and moral improvement keep pace with your bodily powers. Human nature is so constituted, in its present state, that our passions and understandings move onward from infancy to matu rity in progressive order. It is, however, painful to observe, that in the majority of human beings, the passions outgrow the judgment; and, when this is the case, the man is sunk in the animal, and the intellectual garden produces a crop of weeds, if not of poisonous vegetation. To prevent this, care, diligence, and unremitting perseverance are necessary, to make the moral and intellectual culture keep pace with the animal propensities. Where this is neglected, we reach maturity in a state of mental deformity, and are compelled, finally, to take our stand among the hewers of wood and the drawers of water, who form the drudges of the community.

"I have frequently told you, that, for intellectual improvement, the most valuable period of human life lies between the age of fourteen and twenty-four. The former you have passed, and, whether you seize the opportunity or neglet it, the latter is hastening towards you. Do not waste your time in reading trash that you must abandon, although style and subject may be fascinating; but rather turn to such things as you will hail with joy in mature years, and reflect on with satisfaction. You have now an opportunity of taking time by the forelock. Do not let him get the start; for, once passed by, he is gone for

ever.

"But, above all, do not forget that all your exer tions after intellectual attainments require the sanetifying influence of divine grace, to be rendered truly

valuable. Let this, therefore, be the object of your daily pursuit, by unfeigned prayer. He who lives under the dominion of his passions is an animal; be who rises no higher than the cultivation of intelice is, in the sight of thoughtless mortals, a rational phi losopher; but he who looks beyond this state of existence, and cultivates an acquaintance with God, a an heir of immortality, becomes a Christian, and enjoys the felicities of this life without forfeiting his interest in another. Hence,

A Christian is the highest style of man. "In a former letter, you asked me to propose some questions for you to answer. This I will now endeavour to do. In ornamenting your head, to which have you paid most attention, the inside or the outside? Are you industrious? Do you strive to make yourself useful to your friends? Do you pay attention to your drawing? Do you keep company with such as are calculated to improve you, both by precept and example? Do you read books designed to teach the young idea how to shoot ?* Are you attentive to the duties of religion? I need not my that I am deeply interested in your welfare; and, therefore, a favourable answer to these questions will, in some measure, cheer the solitude of "Your affectionate father, "SAMUEL DREW.'" "Miss Drew, Helston, Cornwall.'"

The mode in which Mr. Drew availed himself of his epistolary correspondence with his family, to instruct them in the doctrines of Christianity, as well as to impress upon them the importance of religion, is strikingly exhibited in the following letter:

[To his eldest Son.]

"St Austell, March 28, 1814.

"MY DEAR SON,

"On the divine origin of the scriptures, the evi dence is accumulative; and it must be gathered from a combination of facts, incidents, predictions, predsgies, and events, which unite together to form the immovable basis on which it rests. From its own nature, the divine origin of the scriptures, if true, must be an historical fact. Now, no historical fact can be known by intuition :-it cannot be demonstrated it will not admit of sensitive proof. Moral certainty is the highest species of proof of which it can possibly be susceptible. Hence the evidence is accumulative. This evidence of moral certainty it has; and he who expects to find it supported by a higher degree of evidence, acts a part which is truly irrational. To combine together the varied branches of this evidence must be the work of time and leisure. This has been done by Newton, Locke, Boyle, and other moral philosophers, in such a manner as to place their own minds in a state of settled couviction.

Compare the present state of the Jews with the predictions which relate to them, and the finger of God will become visible in both. This approximates very nearly to sensitive proof. The primitive progress of the gospel proves its origin to be divine. The internal spiritual experience of true believers affords an evidence which is incontrovertible; but then it is personal, and its energy cannot be communicated by him who has it.

"But, admitting Christianity to be wrong, and Deism to be right, Christians have nothing to fear. Deism discards faith, and professes to cherish merality. Now, if the former be right, Christianity cannot be wrong; because it inculcates morals on better principles than Deism can produce. No man is a Christian whose morals will not rise higher than

these which Deism recommends. But if, on the contrary, faith be essentially necessary to salvation, as Christianity asserts, and Deism denies, the case of infidels must be dreadful indeed. The same argumeat will hold good with respect to Socinianism and the Atonement.

*** Do not neglect to pray, that God would give you a right understanding in all things, especially in those which involve your eternal interests. These are too serious to be trifled with. The realities of eternity are too awful for speculative curiosity to manage, or even for human science to determine by any of its established rules. We may judge of facts; but the manner in which they exist must necessarily be goknown. Reason has its boundaries; and beyond these we must rely on what God has revealed, although we may find many things which are utterly incomprehensible.

"Pray to God to give you internal religion, and then theories will appear of comparatively small importance. 'Christ in us the hope of glory,' will prove his divinity; and feeling redemption in his blood the forgiveness of sins,' will substantiate the atonement which he has made.

***God bless you. Farewell.

THERE was a time when the bishops and clergy of the national church were geneTally hostile to Wesley and his followers, whom they not only held up as ignorant fanatics, but as wicked and artful men; and when some of the clergy hired, and in some instances headed mobs, who drove the preacher from his stand, and assailed him and his people with stones and other missiles, and who sometimes beat them, sometimes threw them into wells or ponds, and, in many cases, demolished the houses in which they assembled for religious worship, and utterly destroyed the furniture of the occupants.

The press, too, teemed with the grossest misrepresentation, and the most violent scurrility. At the head of these writers may be placed a former bishop of Exeter, Lavington, whose virulent production, entitled, "The Enthusiasm of Methodists and Papists compared," was republished some years since, by a truly kindred spirit, the celebrated author of "Anecdotes of Methodism." Unfortunately for his reputation, he gave to his anecdotes a "local habitation and a name;" the scene was laid in Cornwall, and the times to which they referred were so recent, that it only required a visit to the places, and a conversation with the parties, to ascertain their truth or falsehood. This was done by our late dis

tinguished Editor, Mr. Drew; the result of which inquiry was a pamphlet, entitled, "Animadversions on Polwhele's Anecdotes of Methodism," in which he proves that in many of the anecdotes there was not one particle of truth, but were mere fictions, the offspring either of Mr. P. or of some other gentleman of equally original and inventive powers; and that in the few in which there was some truth, they were so completely distorted and caricatured, that the original fact could with difficulty be recognized in the published anecdote. Mr. Drew's triumph and the vicar's mortification were complete.

But "twenty years have wrought strange alterations!" Wesley, the fanatical Wesley -the personification of imbecility, hypocrisy, cant, popery, and enthusiasm!Wesley, the object of clerical contempt, and the butt of their ribald jests, and their sneer, and irony, and biting sarcasm!Wesley, the most arch of all arch-heretics! -Yes, this execrated Wesley is now lauded to the skies, as having been a man of deep and ardent piety, a distinguished scholar, a profound divine, of unbounded zeal and benevolence, and a special agent in the hand of God for reviving religion, to whom the British nation and the whole world are indebted. And his followers, who were wont to be viewed with supercilious contempt by the clergy, are now characterized as moral, religious, and intelligent, and as constituting a most important and useful body of Christians. Indeed, so excellent a people are they, nothing seems more desirable, even in the judgment of Polwhele himself, than that they should be brought into intimate union with the established church. Nor is this desire confined either to the orthodox clergy, to which the bishop of Exeter belongs, or to the evangelical clergy, of which the Christian Observer is the chief organ, but it is alike expressed by both.

What has occasioned this mighty change of opinion, and in what has this desire originated? These are questions which no doubt will furnish matter for much speculation. Political men will probably trace it to a merely political origin, and ascribe it to a fear that the church is in danger, and that unless buttressed by the Wesleyans, who possess great numerical and moral power, it will be overthrown in the approaching contest. Others will trace it to the increased candour and piety of churchmen, and as indicating the approach of that period when all that believe in Christ shall be one," as He and the Father are

one.

Among those who have expressed their opinions upon this subject, none occupies so prominent a place as the bishop of Exeter, who, in his late charge to his clergy, has manifested a spirit directly the reverse of that of his predecessor, Lavington,—a spirit of kindness and good will towards the Wesleyans, of whom he speaks favourably, but on whom he somewhat inconsistently affixes the stigma of schismatics. In this charge, his Lordship says, "It doth behove them (the Wesleyan Methodists) to ponder well the reasons which keep them separate." The evil which, among the Wesleyans, he deplores, is separation, and the good which he desires is union. Unless the former be put away, that is, unless the Wesleyans cease to worship any where but in communion with the national church, no matter how pious or able their ministershow devout and holy their people—how catholic their spirit-or how much and how cordially they unite with ministers and others, both within and without the establishment, in promoting our common Christianity,--they still are schismatics. wrong, according to the bishop, is with the Wesleyans, and not with the church. Let them then put away the wrong, and the union will be at once effected; that is, let them abandon their present ministers, who have not received episcopal ordination; let them cease to employ local preachers, and give up the whole machinery of Methodism ; let the Conference be annihilated, and let its trust-property be alienated from its original intention. Separation is the sin which the bishop regrets, and nothing short of the entire and eternal renunciation of this can consist with the union desired.

The

But will the Wesleyans cease to be separatists? Whoever wishes to examine this question must read the pamphlet before us; an ably written pamphlet, whose statements are luminous, whose spirit is frank and Christian, equally remote from discourtesy, on the one hand, and from all unmanly cringing, and courtly sycophancy on the other; and whose arguments are at once cogent and conclusive. We think he has most successfully proved, that the Wesleyans neither can nor ever will put away the evil which the bishop deplores; and therefore the hope of union with the Wesleyans, in which his Lordship and others had indulged, must be abandoned. The only union attainable, and perhaps in the present state of things the only union desirable, is an union of heart and Christian co-operation among the pious in every section of the Christian church. Let there be no envyings, nor bitterness, nor strife, but a holy

emulation, each provoking the other to love and to good works.

The author, who appears, from one or two passages in his Letter, to be a Wesleyan minister, has shewn himself to be thoroughly acquainted with his subject. Whoever has written in ignorance, he has not. The bishop's charge he has most distinctly understood; and in language most respectful has communicated such information to his Lordship as we think will at once convince his Lordship that an union with the Wesleyars, founded on their ceasing to be separatists, is perfectly utopian and impossible.

As a specimen of the author's reasoning, we subjoin the following extract

"Before I proceed to submit, for the consideration of your Lordship, those reasons which I have t adduce in the support of methodism, as a separate section of the church of Christ, I must in the most unequivocal manner protest against your authority for attempting to fix the stigma of schismatics upon the Wesleyan methodists. I admit, that you applý this term of reproach with an avowal of grief; and that your language 'indicates its reluctant and copulsory application. The great mass of dissenters amongst us are methodists; and of these the far greater portion are Wesleyans, a class of Christia whom I grieve to call separatists,-for separatists I am bound to say, is but another word for schis matics.' That the Wesleyan methodists are, as a body, separatists from the Establishment, I admit; but that they are schismatics I deny. On this po I join issue with your Lordship; and though you have not condescended to state the reasons whi 'bound' you to apply this offensive and reproachful term to that body of people, yet I feel 'bound to state my reasons for refusing to admit that the methodists are schismatics.

"It is scarcely necessary to remind your Lordship, that the charge of schism has been frequenty preferred by Roman Catholics against the members of the Protestant church; and if separation' be synonymous with schism,' the justness of that charge cannot be denied. For the sake of brevity I will state the argument in a syllogistical form:-"Separatists, I am bound to say, is but anether word for schismatics :

"The members of the Protestant church of Eng

land have separated from the church of Rome: "Therefore the church of England are schis

matics.

"The church of England either has or has not separated from the church of Rome: if it has t

separated from the Romish church, then on what

grounds does it assume the name of Protestant If it has separated, then, as your Lordship is 'bound to say separatists is but another word for se matics,' the church of England are convicted of schism! What an argument for a Protestant Bishop to put into the mouths of the Roman Catholics, who are the avowed and most malignant enemies of the Establishment."-pp. 4, 5.

The reasons which influence the author to remain separate, not hostile, he thas classifies:-doctrinal, disciplinary, pruden

He

ial, patriotic, legal, and political. iscusses the whole with great candour and ood temper. A captious critic, indeed, night, we think, object to the high estimate e has formed of the ecclesiastical polity nd the political power of the Wesleyans, nd say there was nothing in the bishop's harge to provoke such eulogy. We grant at the character he gives of Wesleyan Methodism, both religiously and politically, a very high one, but the correctness of which it may be found much more difficult › disprove than to censure: and though, at rst sight, he may in pronouncing this ulogy be thought to travel out of the reord, and to assume the air of vain boastng; yet, when the serious charge of schism ad been brought against that large body of Christians to which he belonged, a charge which, with many others equally false and aseless, had repeatedly been preferred, he ot only had a right, but it became his soemn duty in the examination of the charge, o wipe off the foul spot, and to exhibit Methodism as it is. In this he has trodden n the steps of the venerable Wesley, who, in many occasions, did not hesitate most listinctly to publish the excellences of Methodism, and the infinite good which it ad accomplished.

We most cordially recommend its attenive perusal to all, but more especially to he parties immediately concerned, the mempers of the church of England, and the Weseyan Methodists.

REVIEW.-Melchizedek.

By the Author of "Elijah," "Balaam," &c. Westley

and Davis. London. 1834.

THERE are three passages of Scripture, in which a personage denominated Melchizedeck is concisely and obscurely mentioned. The word itself signifies the King of Justice, and he was also King of Salem, hat is, King of Peace, as well as "a priest of the most high God." In a short prophetic psalm, in which the royal bard anticipates the spiritual reign of the Messiah, he announces that divine being as "a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." To this the apostle St. Paul expressly refers in the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, as illustrative of the priestly authority attached to the official character of Christ. Undoubtedly, the short space in which Moses has compressed all that he thought proper to state relative to this highly distinguished individual, is rich in circumstances that attract the attention and raise not less the reverence than the curi2D. SERIES, NO. 41.-VOL. IV.

osity of the reader. He is presented to us not merely in the two most exalted capacities known among men, those of king and priest, but he is also, the just king, the king of peace; and the priest of the most high God. He comes to meet Abram after his victory over the allied kings, sets bread and wine before him, and blesses him. Abram, on his part, gives him "tithes of all." The more we consider this short historical passage in the book of Genesis, with the sublime poetical sense in which David alluded to it, and the still more interesting application of it by St. Paul, we are the less surprised at the numerous, the various, and, in respects, the daring interpretations, which men of eager and inquiring minds have Men endeavoured to fasten upon it. should reflect that the Scriptures are every way sufficient for the great purpose for which they were given us, and that it is more frequently an appetite of idle curiosity, than a pious research, that seeks, fabricates, and adapts suppository circumstances to a narrative, which the inspired scribe appears to them to have left incomplete.

some

It cannot, indeed, be denied, that the very striking particulars relative to Melchizedek, afforded us by the sacred historian, are of a nature to excite in the curious reader a desire to know more, but he ought to be careful how he indulges in extravagant and unsupported surmise. The Jews imagined that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah, who, according to them, was still existing upon earth, and retained of his descendants; but Dr. Horsley has the worship of the Most High among many shewn that, according to the most authentic chronology, the great patriarch Shem must have been dead, at that period, more than four hundred years. There have been modern writers, who have, nevertheless, espoused the same opinion, and others who have even offered proofs of the identity of Melchizedek, with Enoch. At the beginning of the third century, a heresy appeared in a sect, who called themselves, Melchizedechians, and affirmed that Melchizedek was a heavenly power superior to Jesus Christ, (See Calmet's Dictionary.) Another sect, in Egypt, maintained that Melchizedek was an incarnation of the Holy Ghost. In Phrygia, other adherents to the opinion of the divine nature of Melchizedek appeared, who, whatever may have been their spiritual doctrine, were distinguished by their physical purity, practising frequent ablutions, and receiving nothing from the hands of a stranger.

21

185.-VOL. XVI.