he was rich, for our fakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be rich: "who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation" &c. If Chrift himfelf be but a creature, though the moft exalted of all creatures, ftill his love is but a creature's love; but, if he be really a divine perfon, I behold a propriety and beauty in the language of the apoftle, when he poured out his foul in fervent prayer on behalf of the faints at Ephesus : "That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge." į Secondly, It appears to me, that the effential dignity of · the Saviour's perfon is that which gives merit and efficacy to his precious atoning facrifice, and has ftamped glory on his perfect obedience to the law; in confequence of which his righteoufnefs is emphatically denominated "the righteoufnels of God §." You profefs to hold faft the all-impor tant doctrine of atonement, by the invaluable blood of Chrift; but you apprehend that all the virtue of that great facrifice depends upon the appointment of the bleffed God. Paul obferves, that "it is not poffible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away fin." From which I infer, that a facrifice of nobler name was requifite to put away our fin; and richer blood than theirs to fatisfy the righteous claims of divine juftice. When I contemplate the conftitution of the glorious Immanuel, as the Son of God manifeft in human flefh, I can conceive of intrinfic excellence in his one offering of real and proper efficacy in his precious blood. I obferve, in that admirable paffage which the Holy Spirit has fo frequently rendered effectual for binding up broken hearts, for relieving and comforting wounded confciences, there appears a ftriking reference to the divinity of Chrift; The blood of Jefus Chrift, his Son, cleanfeth us from all £n ** " That your foul may enjoy that peace which was made by the blood of Jefus, is the fincere prayer of your affectionate friend and faithful paftor, THE SUNDAY SCHOOL EXAMINATION: A SEVENTH VILLAGE DIALOGUE, Between SQUIRE WORTHY, Mr. LovEGOOD, Mr. LITTLEWORTH, and others, proving the Utility of SUNDAY SCHOOLS. SA AMUEL WORTHY, Efq. poffeffes an ample fortune in the north. His father, who was knighted when he took up the county address on the birth of his prefent Majefty, he being then the fheriff, was one of those good old-fashioned gentlemen who ufed to live at home among his tenants and neighbours; giving a true fample of the fimplicity and generofity known in this kingdom about fixty years ago, when no country gentleman went to London but once in four or five years. His mode of travelling was in a coach and four, the butler and groom riding upon two other coach-horses, commonly called helpers; they travelled five miles an hour, and about twenty-five miles a day, and in general were obliged to pass a Sunday upon the road. From the inn, he and his family always went twice to church; and he had no more thought of breaking in on the folemnities of the Sabbath, than he had of robbing on the highway. You had always the idea of a funeral proceffion paffing through the village on the commencement of this journey; but on his return, every bell in the fteeple echoed and re-echoed the joy of the inhabitants, while every grown perfon ftood at the door with a bow or a court'fy, and every child ran out into the street, with a bow down to the ground, clofe by the coach-door, to teftify their general joy on his happy return. While in London, the family ofed to take lodgings at 31. a week, in or near Bond-street, for the fake of country air; even Brook-ftreet, connected with it, was not then in exiftence, and affumed its name from an aunt of the writer of thefe Dialogues, who was alfo herself no diftant relation to the family of the Worthys. This family was once very numerous, being found almoft in every county, and fome of them even of noble blood; but from a very fatal fick nefs, which has of late years pre vailed among them, it is to be feared they will foon become extin&t. This unhappy mortality in the family, has taken place fince the gentry have been accustomed to attend fo many bathing and water-drinking places in the fummer, and efpecially fince they have taken up their winter's refidence in this great metropolis; and may be imputed partly to the poisonous vapours of the former, and the noxious ftagnated air of the latter. The venerable knight (a title in thole days honourable) kept a very regular house. Though he was rather formal than spiritual in his religion, yet family prayer was regularly attended to; nor could any thing but fickness detain the family from church and facrament on all occations; but, unfortunately for that gentleman, Mr. Deadman was then vicar of the parish. His fon, Mr. S. Worthy, not lefs refpectable than his father, fucceeded to the cftate about fixteen years ago; a few years after which, Mr. Deadman died of a lethargy, and Mr. Lovegood was prefented to the living. Mr. and Mrs. Worthy were at first confiderably aftonished at what was called his new doctrine, and felt fome degree of irritation, though intermixed with candour. When they first heard, they confidered that as all the formality and decency belonging to the character of their moft refpectable predeceffor was adopted by them, they were righteous enough already; but, by the wife and good conduct of Mr. Lovegood, their prejudices were foon abated; and after he had delivered a moft friking fermon from that text, "Thou haft a name to live, and art dead," VOL. IX. they 3 A they were determined to examine the Bible for themselves and happily for them (they being bred very strict church-people) they found the Bible fo well comported with the doctrines of the Common Prayer Book, that they foon discovered old Mr. Deadman, and his coufin german Mr. Blindman, had preached no more the true knowledge of the Bible as it relates to falvation by Jefus Chrift, than if they had been two of the priests of Jupiter. This truly valuable 'Squire, as foon as he received good, promoted it to the utmost of his power, and became a very warm advocate for Sunday Schools. The reader, therefore, fhall know what paffed while he made a feaft for a large affembly of poor children and their parents, belonging to the Sunday School of the parish in which he prefided. The reader must recollect, that in a former dialogue Mr. and Mrs. Worthy had invited Farmer Littleworth to attend the meeting, as hopes were then entertained that, by the time intended for the celebration of this kind feftival, Henry might arrive from fea: but the farmer, having heard of many ftorms and tempests, was ftrongly agitated with a variety of doubts and fears, whether he fhould ever be bleffed with the fight of a fon, now rendered fo dear to him by fuch circumftances as have already been related. Notwithstanding, the invitation was accepted, and the farmer rode down to the 'Squire's, though with a heavy heart (to fee his fon, was now all in all to him) and Mifs Nancy rode behind her father. Mifs Polly and Mifs Patty chofe to walk; while Sam carried fome newpurchased trappings from Mrs. Flirt's, which were to be put on in Mrs. Trufty's (the housekeeper) room, before they made their appearance in the parlour. Thus, while the affectation of two of the miffes was noticed with fecret ridicule and contempt, the unaffected fimplicity of Nancy and her father was observed with reverence and respect. A little fracas, however, had juft before happened between the farmer and his wife. She was a very prudent thrifty woman, and loved this world better than the next; but now the farmer's heart was opened: once he thought of nothing but how to get ; now it was in his heart to know how to give. He fixed his eyes on a large flitch of bacon, and after a little controverfy with Mrs. L. who ftill loved getting more than giving, it was entrusted to Thomas, to be carried to the 'Squire's; there to be catered among the children, as an additional present to the parents of those who behaved well. Mr. Lovegood firft led his family of little ones to the church, where they were feated together, and furrounded by their parents and friends; then chofe fome leffons very applicable to the purpose, and made fome very affectionate and striking obfervations as he read them. His fermon, as defigned for children, was fhort, but impreffive; and knowing that little minds must have short leffons, he varied the subject by the following little hiftories: Firft, he told them of a child of a perverse and obftinate turn of mind, who neither with nor without correction, would obey her pour mother, whose husband had cruelly gone away and left her. This child, after a mild and moderate correction, went out of the house, resentful and fulky, and drowned herself in a brook; from whence he took an opportunity of warning children against the evil of bad tempers, and of enforcing the meeknefs and gentlenefs that was in Chrift Jefus, and is among all real Chriftians. His next ftory was about a very lovely boy; though once inclined to be very wicked, his heart afterwards became fo tenderly impreffed with the Saviour's love to fallen finners, that he became quite overpowered by the tender feelings of his own mind. He would even ask his parents leave leave to part with the. fhoes from off his feet, and his clothes from off his back, when he faw other poor children, as he fuppofed, in greater want than himself: and when he had no money of his own to give, he would turn beggar to his parents, and others, to affift them. He never thought of telling a lie, because he dreaded the idea of doing wrong; and none but wrong things need to be covered with a lie; and whenever he faw other children do wrong, he would talk to them very gravely and ferioufly against their evil ways; and even in his play, if any children behaved cruel or unkind, he would grieve, weep, and retire. But this dear child, it feems, was too full of Heaven to live on earth. Before he died, he called his brothers and fifters around his bed three times over, on the three last days of his life, and told them all that he was going to his dear Saviour, who had pardoned his fins, and changed his heart; and exhorted them most affectionately to turn to the Lord, and renounce their fins. He even caft his dying arms around the necks of them; one by one, praying them to turn to the dear Jefus; infifting, with many tears, that they fhould promife him they would; and then added, " I could die for you all a thousand times, if that could but fave you from dying in your fins. O! think of a dying Chrift! and give him your hearts, that we may meet again in glory After a moft affectionate application to the children, Mr. L. addreffed the parents, obferving that he, as a parent, knew the powers of natural. affection, but urged upon them an affection of a far more refined and fpiritual nature an affection for their fouls. He faid, that even correction fhould never be adminiftered, but in much tendernefs and love; that: every stripe given by an angry hand and a revengeful heart, increased the evil for which the child was fo unwifely and unmercifully corrected; that we should chaftize our children as the Lord corrects his; never in wrath, but ever in love. In fhort, his addrefs to the parents was not lefs wife and good, than his exhortation to the children was affectionate and kind; while every heart feemed to be melted down, under a sweet influence, that attended his difcourfe. Nor was it a lefs affecting fcene to obferve with what difficulty Mr. L. who poffeffed very tender feelings, got through these ftories and this addrefs! How Thomas Newman nodded at his lovely group of little ones, to excite their more ferious attention! How Betty fat with her babe at her breast, praying for a bleffing on every word ! How Farmer Littleworth wept like the rain, while he heard of the converfion of the child, thinking all the time on the converfion of his own fon! How Mr. Merryman, lately recovered from a diffolute life through Mr. Lovegood, looked up to him as to a father, with fixed at tention and a watery eye, beholding the lovely inftrument in the hands of God, by whom he was reclaimed from a life miferable to himself, and destructive to the fouls of his parishioners. And how Mr. Worthy, with an elevated fmile of approbation and delight, rejoiced in the happiness and blessedness of the neighbourhood, among whom he lived with affec tionate patriarchal fimplicity of conduct, praifing and bleffing God for influencing the mind of Lord Cancellor (as Thomas calls him) to fend fuch a man into that parish-fo, wife, zealous, and kind as dear Mr. Lovegood! O what a bleffing would England enjoy, were every parish-, pulpit adorned with such a minifter, fanctioned by men of fuch affluence and character as good Efquire Worthy, of Brookfield-hall! Long live the family, and may they never want fuch a chaplain as Mr. Lovegood, to adminifter among them the bleffed word of life! Next commenced the examination. Mr. Attentive, a barber from Mapleton, was the schoolmaster, who was appointed to this office, 3 A 2 becaufe tecause he had made a facrifice of his daily bread, by not following his Occupation on the Lord's Day. Mr. Lovegood was the examiner. Mrs. Fairfpeech, who was a profeffor of that religion which the never poffeffed, fent her fon, with others, to the Sunday School; and he was the firft who was examined, Mr. Lovegood. Well, Bobby Fairfpeech, what do you remember of the fermon I have juft now been preaching? Bob. I remember the text, fir, Loveg. Let us hear you repeat it ? Bob, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of fuch is the kingdom of Heaven.” Loveg. And what did I fay to you upon that fubject? Bob. Why, that we were all miferable finners, and fhould be ruined if we did not come to Chrift. Loveg. Then it is to be hoped that you, as a miferable finner, have been taught to come to Chrift. Do you know what it is to give him your, heart? Bob. Not fo much as I should. 1 Loveg. Why then, I fear you neglect to pray to him. Bob. Oh no, fir, for my mother would beat me fadly if I did not fay my prayers. Loveg. Surely, child, you must be very wicked if you need to be beaten to fay your prayers; but I fhould hope your mother has a better way of teaching you to pray than by beating you to it. I can hardly think that your father, who is a fenfible man, though he does not come to church, fo often as he should, would allow you to be beaten to make you pray. Bob. Sir, my father is fcarce ever at home when it is my time to go to bed, for he always fpends his evenings with Mr. Soberfides the faller. Mr. L. prudently forbore asking any more questions, left he should dive into family fecrets before the children; but the truth was, that though Mrs. Fairfpeech could appear very soft and faintifh before others, yet was : She of a turbulent temper, felf-willed, infulting, and irritating to her husband; and after he had driven him away from the family, would - confume three times as much, in applying to the gin-bottle, as he and Mr. Soberfides did in a pint or two of beer over a pipe of tobacco, while they read the newspaper, and converfed on the politics of the day. As for all the faithful and falutary reproofs beftowed on Mrs. Fairfpeech, they were only pent in vain; She fill continued the perpetual grief of Mr. Lovegood's mind, who hated nothing more than the cant and hypocrify of fuch falfe-hearted professors. We now attend to the examination of Jacky Proud. 2 Loveg. Well, what good have you got by coming to the Sunday School, and attending the church ? Jacky. A great deal, fir. Loveg. What then, do you think you have a good heart? Loveg. How is it then that you can fay after me, we have done thofe things which we ought not to have done, and left undone thofe things which we ought to have done, and there is no health in us?" And how could you pray that God would "have mercy on you a miferable finner?" I am afraid you are very inattentive to thofe excellent prayers I read among you Sunday after Sunday; and this is no great proof of the goodnefs of your heart. Jacky. Why, Gr, my mother and godmother both say I am a very / good child, |