turn away for want of room. Our task reminds us of the worthy Bishop's own superior labours. Many times does he in this and other discourses break off in consideration of the scantiness of the space and time allotted to him; and we are overwhelmed with the multiplicity of passages, which deserve equally one with the other to be brought before the public.

The following comparison, as admirably suited to the occasion, and to the objects around.

"It can hardly be requisite to press upon your attention the exclusive advantages which the righteousness of our Zion, considered as a rule of life, possesses over the celebrated systems of paganism. Not to insist upon their utter want of evidence as systems of truth, they are equally defective as systems of faith and moral obedience. This assertion might be established at much greater length than the time will permit; but there is one difference by which they are distinguished in their mode of operation from the Christian faith, which, as pervading all of them, may deserve your notice; I mean, that under whatever form they exhibit the divinity, he is still merely an object of terror; fear is the only principle which actuates the worshipper; fear it is which offers the sacrifice, and piety is but penance and suffering: the delight experienced in the contemplation of the divine mercies seems to be unknown: and after all our researches into the sacred books of the heathen, which seem indeed to be directed by Providence to the confirmation of our faith in Christ, it will probably remain peculiar to the Gospel to have declared, in the comprehensive sense of Scripture, that God is love.""

We cannot quit this discourse without noticing the compliment, no doubt a just one, paid to the audience to whom it was addressed. It appears from a passage in the sermon, and from some cases mentioned in the memoirs, as well as from the charge to M. Jacobi, that in no parts of the East has Christianity become so regularly established as in Ceylon. This is attributed partly to the encouragement given by government to native converts, but in a great measure also, and as far as regarded the personal knowledge and inspection of the Right Reverend visitor, to the peculiar care and attention of the governor, Sir Robert Brownrigg.

The beginning of the fourth Sermon preached in India, before the Society for the Education of the Poor at Bombay, is extremely beautiful, as illustrative of that awful and alarming truth, that in this sublunary world, and as regards all the children of men," wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction." The two great Christian duties insisted upon by the bishop, as pointed out in this text of Scripture, and upon which, of course, he enlarges in his own eloquent and

impressive manner, are, first, that we are, bound" to be solicitous for our own salvation, and to inquire whither we are going; and secondly, to be careful for the salvation of others, and to guide them, if possible, in the right way." P. 98. We wish it were in our power to go into the comparison which the Bishop draws between the state of things at home and in India, in pursuance of the last of these two duties, that of guiding our brethren into the right way, by schools, by every system of national education, by the distribution of books, and by reformation of manners. The object of the comparison evidently being, to give a stimulus to such exertions in the East, upon a view of the good effects produced by them at home. It is extremely interesting, not only as a just representation of matters, but as likely in due course of time to produce the fruits the Bishop had in view; for things are evidently in progress, as the very next sermon is calculated to shew.

The fifth Discourse was preached at the cathedral of Calcutta, on the 3rd of Dec. 1820, the subject being "the manifold wisdom of God made known by the Church," with a particular attention to the following question arising out of it, namely, "Why should the manifold wisdom of God be proclaimed to the heathen?" It begins with a view of the wisdom of God as displayed in the acts of creation and providence, and then proceeds to those of grace, and it is of course under the latter head that the preacher comes to the question before stated. He treats of the prejudices known to exist against all endeavours to disseminate Christianity in India.

We must leave these things, however, to be read in their proper place, but we cannot forbear giving in full the following passage, as it is the ground-work of many important notes, setting forth the share our own Church has had in making known to" the heathen the manifold wisdom of God."

"It cannot then be imagined, that in the work prescribed to the Church of Christ, that branch to which we belong has no part, nor even a subordinate part to fill. It should seem, indeed, if her duties are to be measured by her means and opportunities, that no Church, since the days of the Apostles, has been called to such high destinies. To what fortuitous coincidence shall we impute it, that at this moment her Clergy are exercising their ministry in every quarter of the globe? In America flourishing churches have grown up entirely under her patronage. In Africa a colony has been planted, by which her doctrines and discipline are brought into contact with the supersti tions of ignorant and barbarous tribes. In New South Wales she has a field before her nearly equal in extent to the whole of Europe. And what shall we say of Asia? A vast empire has been given us, or ra

ther imposed upon us; and wherefore? He who can reconcile such a consummation even to philosophical views of the ways of God, without reference to the purposes of his manifold wisdom as revealed in Scripture, and can believe it to have been brought about merely for the gratification of our avarice or vanity, cannot have advanced very far in the knowledge which sound philosophy might teach him: it is not merely unchristian, it is unphilosophical, it is unreasonable to believe that God ever works in vain, or even brings about revelations with a view to results comparatively mean and trivial. Out of the zeal of our Church and nation, appealed to by royal authority, and at the instance of an ancient and chartered society, to make known the manifold wisdom of God, an institution is likely to arise in this vicinity, calculated, as we trust, under Providence, to advance the glory of God, and the highest interests of man. It is designed to be strictly collegiate, in constitution, in discipline, and in character: its objects will be the education of Christian youth in sacred knowledge, in sound learning, in the principal languages used in this country, and in habits of piety and devotion to their calling, that they may be qualified to preach among the heathen. The attention of the learned persons connected with it will be directed to making accurate versions of the Scriptures, of the Liturgy, and of other holy books. It will endeavour to disseminate useful knowledge by means of schools, under teachers well educated for the purpose. Nothing perhaps equally comprehensive has yet been attempted by any Protestant Church."

We have selected this passage, in order to show how earnest the established Church has been to enlighten the heathens, though her labours have been much overlooked; and how anxious she still is, to promote such good ends, through the Societies peculiarly attached to her; those for promoting Christian Knowledge, and for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The labours and exertions of these two venerable associations have been applied now for more than a century, under the eyes and inspection of the heads of the Church, discreetly administering their funds, and withholding nothing that might be conducive to the advancement of our holy religion in the regions of heathenism, barbarity, and superstition.

Since the death of Bishop Middleton, we have seen two new Prelates sent out to accomplish in the West, if not all that he accomplished in the East, yet such an establishment of Protestant episcopacy as may ultimately, we hope, lead to the most desirable ends; but the field is not so large as in Hindoostan, nor the task, perhaps, so delicate or arduous. We must still, therefore, regard the subject of these memoirs, and the author of the excellent tracts, sermons, charges, and addresses, now delivered to the public, as the chiefest among the apostolic missionaries of modern days,-as the one, who may probably

have laid the foundation-stone of an Oriental church of infinite extent; and whose memory therefore must deserve to be perpetuated throughout all ages. We leave much unnoticed, through absolute want of room, but as there is nothing farther from our wishes or purposes than so to satisfy the curiosity of the public, as to turn them aside from the perusal of the book itself, we ought perhaps rather to apologise for having said so much, than for any omission of extracts, which had they been supplied to a much larger amount, could not by any means have done sufficient justice to the subject.

The volume is ornamented with three plates,-a valuable portrait of the Bishop; one of the Rajah of Tanjore, a very intelligent and hospitable prince of the country, the friend and patron of the excellent Danish missionary Schwartz, who died in his dominions, and was buried at his cost, and whose portrait accompanies that of the prince; and thirdly, a view of the new bishop's college near Calcutta, the first stone of which was laid on the 10th of Dec. 1820, about three miles below the town. A very elegant inscription was written for the occasion by the Bishop, commemorative of the event, and engraved on a brass plate. The inscription itself is to be found among the notes to the sermon, from which our last extracts were made.

Sermons on various subjects by WILLIAM PALEY. Edited by the Rev. EDMUND PALEY, A.M. Vicar of Easingwold. 2 vols. 18s. London. Rivingtons. 1825.

IN introducing to our readers two additional volumes of Sermons from the pen of the late Archdeacon Paley, forming a part of a new edition of his works, we shall avail ourselves of the opportunity which it offers to us of estimating the general character of his theological writings; because we think it of importance that works which have so long been popular, and are likely to continue so, should not be misunderstood; that they should not be blindly considered as authority; nor be rashly depreciated below their real value. It is not to be denied that in some quarters the reputation of Paley as a divine, and perhaps also as a moral philosopher, is already declining; and this, even in that seat of learning, where his fame was planted, and so long flourished and expanded. From whatever cause, the reverse of the observation of Horace has happened to him.

caprice, or popular indifference: it holds out inducements to an order of men to devote themselves wholly to sacred studies and duties. It gives dignity and lustre to a profession, from the contempt of which religion itself would suffer: it endeavours to promote an uniformity of doctrine and worship, with its consequences, peace and charity: while it tolerates the wildest dreams of phrenzy, it distinguishes with its favour the professors of tried and approved tenets; and, in some mea'sure, it incorporates the laws of Christianity with the law of the land. In all this we perceive not any thing which can excite mistrust, unless in those, in whom piety is a weaker principle than political prejudice, and who are ready to withdraw their reverence from divine ordinances, when confirmed and aided by the authority of men." P. 23.

The learned author then proceeds to examine into the cases in which Christian liberty may lawfully and consistently exercise itself; a perfect and entire conformity being scarcely to be considered as within the contemplation of the divine Founder of our religion.

"Some diversity was to be expected from the different conformation of the human mind in different individuals; from the more or less sanguine complexion of their tempers; from the varying circumstances of education and early habit; and even from the unequal means vouchsafed us of attaining to the true sense of Scripture."

In regard to faith, Dr. Middleton concludes, that there is little latitude given to Christian liberty; that there are some certain fundamental principles of Christianity so obvious, that he who believes them not, can scarcely be said to have any pretensions to that faith which is essential to the character of a Christian.

"That Christ is God of God, that his death was a vicarious satisfaction for the sins of mankind, and that he will finally judge the world at a general resurrection, must, I think, appear to every impartial reader of Scripture to be incontrovertible truths, and to be necessarily included in the belief, that Jesus is the Christ." 1.John v. 1.

He does not however mean to intimate that these truths are in reality so obvious to all, as to secure an uniformity of belief, for otherwise there would be no Socinians or Unitarians; but he has no hesitation in attributing their unbelief to certain abuses of Christian liberty in the interpretation of Scripture. In regard to the Unitarians particularly, whose improved Version appeared just about the time of the preaching and printing of this sermon, he very justly, in our estimation, describes their alleged improvements to consist in

Disingenuous evasions, and suppressions; laborious perversions