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brigiæ may send forth a host of such preachers, and many such discourses, and this will tend more to support the real interest of church and state, than all the declamations of ethics, or the bitterness of bigotry.

Sacred Politics; or an impartial Inquiry into the Doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures, and especially of the New Testament, respecting Civil Government. By a Lover of Truth. 32 pages. Price 9d. Chapman. 1796.

ON every subject which is intimately connected with the practice of moral duties, the Christian will be anxious to know what is the decision of the sacred Scriptures. When God declares his will, all controversy is at an end. For some years past, politics have engaged the public attention to a degree unexampled in the annals of the world. But with that science we have no concern. The writer of this pamphlet has, however, pushed the theme into our hal lowed domains. With serious professions of reverence for the divine authority, he opens the gate of the evangelical temple; and, approaching the most holy place, he solemnly inquires, What is the mind of the Spirit of God in respect to forms of civil government? and what is the measure of a Christian's duty in reference to the powers that be? After consulting the sacred oracle, he takes a view of all the passages in the New Testament relating to the subject, and explains them as he goes along. The inference he draws is, that there is no one form of government prescribed in the Christian Scriptures. He then examines what form of government is most congenial to the spirit of the Gospel, and decides the abstract question by an assertion which very many will controvert, viz." That the Scriptures incune strongly in favour of a well ordered democracy.”

We do not profess to be adepts in political science; and we there fore merely announce the pamphlet. We love the Scriptures; and we wish to understand their meaning, and to submit to their dic tates on every doctrine and duty. The passages relating to political obedience have been often quoted and urged; but we never before in cur time recollect to have seen so particular a scrutiny of all the texts in the New Testament, and so attentive an examination of the scriptural doctrine of civil government. The pamphlet is written in a very lively manner, with considerable brilliancy, savouring, we think, of youth, yet with great acuteness. We can truly say that it will give us unfeigned pleasure to announce and review a well-written answer to Sacred Politics. Truth has always gained by controversy; and it is owing to this, that many important subjects are now more clearly understood than in former ages. Should the theme before us be fully investigated, and employ the thoughts and pens of two or three able men on each side, this happy consequence will result from it; that Christians will perceive the duties that they owe to society and to civil governors, and the principles on which they are founded, more clearly than they ever did before, and of course perform them better.

POETRY.

POET R Y.

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Jehovah's nature can express,
Or all his grandeur show!

Essence infinite, unknown!
Though present ev'ry where:
It fames around his awful throne,
And thunders in the air.

God rides the rapid whirlwind's wing,
And on a cherub flies;

He smiles, and countless beings sing; His frown obscures the skies.

Who can in glory equal God?

Resemble him in might?
He rules creation with a nod,
And darkness turns to light.

No being can his search evade,
Nor one forgotten lie:
All are important, for he made
The angel and the fly.

The bright stupendous orbs on high
Are round their centres hurled,
By him who bids the light'ning fly
Terrific round the world.

He bids the swelling ocean sleep,
Its foaming billows die;

He nods, and from the boiling deep
The hoary surges fly.

Gay blooming health at his command
Inhabits ev'ry vein:

He sends diseases round the land,

And sickness reigns again.

By him the fields and woods rejoice,
The valleys laugh and sing;
All Nature with her varied voice

Adores her God and King.
From insects in the verdant grass,
To seraphs round the throne,
Each lower tribe would fain surpass
Its higher, nobler one.
This soul-transporting, holy strife,
By gratitude is rais'd:
Jehovah spoke them into life,

And therefore shall be prais'd.

The great Creator ev'ry where
Is lov'd, rever'd, ador'd,
By all who of his bounty share,
Or tremble at his word.

His praises vibrate in the gale,
And in the thunder roar;
Rush furious in the ratling hail,
And foam along the shore.

In wild and artless notes they rise
From ev'ry humble spray;
The lark transmits them to the skies,
And ushers in the day.

In the dark dungeon of his ire
His awful presence reigns,
Adds vigour to eternal fire,

And horror to their chains.

With all the majesty of woe

His being fills the place,
Where sinners shall for ever know
The forfeiture of grace.

To him th'enraptur'd hosts above
Their swelling anthems raise,
And the dear wonders of his love,
Fill ev'ry tongue with praise.

In Salem ev'ry holy tongue

Adores the great I AM,

And swells the sweet triumphant song Of Moses and the Lamb.

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The fov'd-star'd vessel sweeps the sea,
To speed her treasure rich and free
To men of heathen race.

O for an all-propitious gale!
Ye whistling winds fill ev'ry sail,

A speedy voyage be made:

See how she ploughs the lashing main, Eager the southern shore to gain,

Her cargo to unlade.

Behold! the ocean claps her hands,
Exulting wafts to foreign lands

A world enriching store;
While breaking billows proudly swell,
As though they view'd the reign of hell
In heathen nations o'er.

Old Satan now with tenfold rage, Would all his fiends and force engage

Her passage to annoy;

Would trouble ocean, wind, and tide,
And with infernal wrath and pride
This gallant ship destroy.

Thou, who trod the stormy sea,
Take Thou the helm, and pilot be
Till all the danger's o'er;

O bid the winds and waves combine,

To waft a cargo so divine

Safe to the destin'd shore!

L. T.

ON THE DEATH OF N INFANT. "Vitam prospexit et egressus est."

R

ESCU'D from gloomy scenes of

care and woe, [and tears, Snatch'd early from this world of sin With all the num'rous ills of man below, From all his agonies and all his fears, To happier climes hath fled this infant blest; [never come; To climes where death and pain can Regions of bliss by earth and hell confest, The weary pilgrim's everlasting home. O envied babe! methinks I see thee now, Hymning thy joyful song with heav'nly choirs; [bow,

And praising him to whom archangels

to sleep?

O earth, what hast thou in thy gayest hour To charm the heart, or lull our cares [flower, Ah! what is life? at best a drooping And what is man, who only lives to weep?

Say, what is hope, but a delusive dream, Pursuit is ardent, but possession cloys; What once we lov'd ere long we nobly deem Mere bubbles of the moment,idle toys; Then onward rush, new objects to explore, [can find! Content our view, but that how few Poor thankless men ne'er cease to call for [behind. And blame these trifles they have left O happy babe! short sojourner below, Now freed alike from earthly hopes or fears, [tals know, Nor spar'd to drink that cup which morNor share the growing cares of rip'n-` ing years.

more,

A CONSTANT READER.

ISAIAH, lxiii. 1.

HAT mighty Hero comes from

WHA far,

Laden with all the spoils of war?
In state he travels o'er the plains,
And hostile blood his vesture stains.
How full of majesty his face,

Adorn'd with each becoming grace!
His purple robes his vict'ries show,
Who is this glorious Conqu'ror, who?
'Tis I, Emmanuel is my name;
Let Edom's land my pow'r proclaim;
There slaughter'd foes o'erspread the
fields,

And ev'ry town a triumph yields.
Let not the trophies that I bear,
Fill Israel with a groundless fear;
I, who am mighty to subdue,
Can save, support, and succour too.
B. B.

RELIGION.

And saints departed tune their goldenRELIGION's solace sooths the trou

lyres.

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mind,

[find. And on this prop a sure support we When ills assault us, and when troubles

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Rector of

REY. WE GOODE,AM

So Indiew Wardrobe. J Inn Blackfriars,

and Tuesday Evening Lecturer of SLawrence.Jewry.

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