be added on the blessing of a marriage "in the Lord;" on the general expediency of acquiescence, on such a subject, in the opinion of parents; and on the value of the tests of character afforded by the humble and amiable conduct of Rebekah; if these points would not carry the discussion too far from the character of Eliezer.

It may, however, be right to advert to the subsequent sin and folly of the Israelites in the choice of their wives, as connected with modern falls and declensions from the same cause; and also to the connexion subsisting between great events and apparently little causes, as seen in the marriage before us, in the separation of the Jews and Gentiles, and the coming of the Messiah himself. We may further notice the peculiar advantage of this servant in having a good master, to which it is not improbable that he owed, under God, much of the good which we find in his character. It was no small testimony of the Almighty himself to the excellence of Abraham, when he was pleased to say, "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment" (vers. 18, 19). Our neighbours the French have a proverb, "Tel maître, tel valet." A conscientious servant, caring for his master's interests and praying for his happiness, is no common mercy; but may we not fear that the reason why it is not more common is, that all masters are not such as Abraham was? Eliezer had regard to his master's property, and took an interest in his children. Religious principle is such a bond of union as does not confine its influence to those of equal degree, but unites in its comprehensive embrace the different orders of society; and while it charges masters to " give unto their servants that which is just and equal," enjoins those who serve to "be obedient to their own masters according to the flesh."

It may, perhaps, illustrate the peculiar advantage to servants of such a medium of intercourse with Heaven as that which is afforded by pious masters, when we reflect that Eliezer is no where represented as being the immediate subject of Divine revelation and intercourse, as Abraham himself was; a consideration which, while it shews that extraordinary and sensible communications were not indispensable to salvation, even under the ancient dispensation, any more than under the present, proves that honestly to use the advantages afforded, and humbly to walk in the station allotted, will infallibly ensure the blessing and favour of God upon those who serve, as well as upon those who rule. A good example will sometimes supply the place of a good sermon, or, rather, will prove a still better incentive to duty. It no where appears from this record that Abraham had enjoined upon his servant the duty of prayer; but Eliezer had doubtless seen and profited by the observations he had made upon the practice of Abraham, and the advantages which had followed.

Upon the whole, this character cannot but be considered as one of the gems of Scripture, which, if it should be thought to lie a little below the surface, or to be eclipsed by the brighter glories of Abraham and his offspring, is not wanting in lustre, and is well calculated to repay the trouble of a closer inspection. We evidently see from it that the grace of God is confined to no external condition or relation of life: "Art thou called, being a servant, care not for it; for he that is called in the Lord is the Lord's freeman ;" while, on the other hand, "he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant." In the Christian dispensation there is no getting above or sinking below this, that we are the servants of Christ : "Ye are not your own, but are bought with a price ;" and, as such, we must serve a Higher than man, if we would not lose the reward of faith. Yet a little while and every external distinction will be at an end for ever, while the single object of inquiry will be whether we have served God, without its being ever asked whom else

we may have served. In that day it shall be "as with the servant, so with his master," as far as regards all external relations subsisting here. I remember being once struck with an inscription on a chimney piece of the ancient mansion at Enfield, in which Edward the Sixth was nursed, and which I have no doubt he had often read: “Sola salus servire Deo: sunt cætera fraudes."

ZENAS.

UNEDITED LETTERS OF ARCHBISHOP SECKER.

For the Christian Observer.

DR. SECKER, both while Bishop of Oxford and Archbishop of Canterbury, was in the habit of corresponding with the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson of Connecticut (of whom a memoir appeared in our last volume, p. 829), upon the affairs of the Episcopal Church in America, in which he took a zealous interest. Dr. Johnson and his friends had been very anxious for the appointment of bishops in the American colonies, and had sent over to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in the year 1750, a plan for that purpose, with an answer to the objections alleged against it. Several of the leading members of the Society entered warmly into the object; among others, Bishop Berkeley, Bishop Terrick, Bishop Sherlock, and Bishop Lowth, who all corresponded with Dr. Johnson on this and other important matters*; but no individual exerted himself so zealously

• The autograph letters of these eminent men are still preserved in America (we believe in Yale College); but neither the letters nor extracts from them have hitherto been added to the lives and works of the respective writers. We copy, from the Memoir of Dr. Johnson, two or three passages, which relate to the question of the American Episcopate.

Bishop Sherlock writes, Sept. 19, 1750:-"I have been far from neglecting the affairs of your churches, and have been soliciting the establishment of one or two bishops to reside in proper parts of the plantations, and to have the conduct and direction of the whole. I am sensible for myself that I am capable of doing but very little service in those distant churches, and I am persuaded that no bishop residing in England ought to have, or willingly to undertake, this province. As soon as I came to the see of London, I presented a memorial to the king upon this subject; which was referred to his principal officers of state to be considered. But so many difficulties were started, that no report was made to his majesty. After this I presented a petition to the king in council of like purport. His majesty's journey to Hanover left no room to take a resolution upon an affair that deserves to be maturely weighed. This lies before the king in council, and will, I hope, be called for when his majesty returns to England. This is a short state of the case. You will see by this account, that I am not yet able to say any thing as to the effect of these applications."

He adds, two years after: "I think myself at present in a very bad situation; bishop of a vast country, without power, or influence, or any means of promoting true religion: sequestered from the people over whom I have the care, and must never hope to see. I should be tempted to throw off all this care quite, were it not for the sake of preserving even the appearance of an Episcopal church in the plantations."

Bishop Terrick, who succeeded to the see of London in 1764, on the death of Dr. Ölbaldiston, writes,-"I feel, as sensibly as you can wish me to do, the distress of the Americans in being obliged, at so much hazard and expense, to come to this country for orders; but I own I see no prospect of a speedy remedy to it. They who are enemies to the measure of an Episcopacy, whether on your part of the globe or ours, have hitherto found means to prevent its taking place, though no measure can be better suited to every principle of true policy, none can be more consistent with every idea I have formed of truly religious liberty. We want no other motives for declaring our sentiments and wishes of the subject, but what arise from the expediency, I had almost said the necessity, of putting the American church upon a more respectable plan by the appointment of a bishop. But whatever are our sentiments or wishes, we must leave it to the discre

and perseveringly as Archbishop Secker. We have at this moment before us a pamphlet, published by Rivingtons in 1769, being a Letter written by Secker to "the Right Honourable Horatio Walpole, Esq., concerning Bishops in America," and found among the Archbishop's papers, with a direction that it should be printed after his death; in which that prelate (then Bishop of Oxford) urges upon government, in the most earnest and convincing manner, the duty of providing bishops for our colonies. It was afterwards inserted in the Archbishop's Works, and may be referred to with great advantage in relation to the importance of the episcopate, and the need of bishops in various parts of the British dependencies. We strongly recommend the perusal of the Archbishop's arguments at this moment, to all who take an interest in those moral and religious questions which are connected with the approaching question of the renewal of the East-India Company's Charter. The efforts of Secker and his friends were opposed by the leading statesmen of the day, on the ground that the establishment of bishops in the colonies would be expensive, and introduce exorbitant church power, and raise uneasiness both at home and abroad. In the mean time, the great body of the clergy took little or no interest in the question; and the laity were in general, if not actively hostile, at least apathetic; and thus the matter continued till the American war. After the Revolution, when the two countries returned to amicable relations, the friends of Episcopacy in America were urgent in soliciting consecration for two or three of their clergy, who might keep up the Episcopal succession. It had been a serious evil, even before the Revolution, to be deprived of the rite of Confirmation and of diocesan supervision, and to be obliged to send candidates for holy orders to England, at great expense and loss of life, a large proportion of them having died of the small pox; but, now that the two nations were politically separated, even this limited intercourse was cut off, and the establishment of Episcopacy in America became absolutely essential. Several of the English prelates were very anxious on the subject; and, as we have seen in the passages above quoted in the note, the Bishops of London, even

tion and wisdom of government to choose the time for adopting that measure. Whether we shall live to see that day, is in the hands of God alone. We wish only that we could look forward with pleasure and enjoy the thought."

Bishop Lowth (then Bishop of Oxford), whose correspondence is mainly on sacred literature, writes, May 3, 1768,—“ As to the great and important design of an American Episcopate, I see no immediate prospect of its being carried into execution. While the state of affairs, both with us and with you, continues just as it now is, I am afraid we may not expect much to be done in it."

Bishop Berkeley, who took an extraordinary interest in America, and whose munificent gifts of books and property are still remembered with gratitude in the academical circles of the New World, expresses as follows his regrets, in one of his letters, that he could not do all he wished, either as to devoting his time or money, for two most characteristic reasons." My correspondence with patients that drink tar water obliges me to be less punctual in corresponding with my friends.” “I am glad to find a spirit towards learning prevails in your parts, particularly New York, where you say a college is projected, which has my best wishes. At the same time, I am sorry that the condition of Ireland, containing such numbers of poor uneducated people, for whose sake, charity schools are erecting throughout the kingdom, obligeth us to draw charities from England; so far are we from being able to extend our bounty to New-York, a country in proportion much richer than our own."

Alas for Ireland! During generation after generation, the mention of that name has been as closely accompanied by "poor uneducated people," "charities from England,” and so forth, as that of Bishop Berkeley himself with the Bermudas and tar-water; and most of the specifics for its cure have been as popular at the moment, and as unavailing in the end, as the good prelate's infallible remedy. One recipe has not yet been fairly tried-religious education upon Protestant, that is upon Scriptural, principles ; and the contentions of party seem to render it less likely than ever that this great blessing will speedily be attained.

before the Revolution, had felt much pain in having a nominal charge, to which they could not possibly attend, and had long wished the American colonies to be superintended by bishops of their own. But the English bishops could not legally dispense with the oath of allegiance prescribed by the Act of Uniformity, till they procured an Act of Parliament for the purpose; and even that Act applied only to the ordination of priests and deacons, and not to the consecration of bishops; and other difficulties and delays occurred: so that the patience of our American brethren was well nigh exhausted; and Mr. Seabury, the first American bishop, resorted in a heat from Lambeth to Edinburgh, to get himself consecrated by the Non-juring Bishops of Scotland. This was in 1784, four years before the death of the Pretender, when the Scottish Episcopalians gave in their allegiance to the House of Brunswick, and the penal statutes against them were rescinded. The difficulties in the way of English Episcopal consecration for the revolted colonies were, however, surmounted; and Dr. White, Dr. Provost, and Dr. Maddison, were consecrated by Dr. Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury.

We have digressed to these topics, as bearing upon some of the particulars alluded to in the following letters of Archbishop Secker. There are other particulars in them which are well deserving of consideration at the present moment; not the least of which is the constantly recurring vexations of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in regard to its slave-cultured estates in Barbadoes. The occasional remarks upon the views and proceedings of public men, in reference to matters connected with religion and the Established Church, are full of instruction at the present moment. We shall extract the chief passages, omitting some of those which refer to local and temporary details of business, chiefly the location and qualifications of missionaries. The first two of the letters were written while the writer was Bishop of Oxford; the rest, after he was promoted to the see of Canterbury. They have been preserved in America, and ought to be added to his life and works.

"St. Paul's Deanery, London, Feb. 27, 1752. "Good Dr. Johnson,-I am very sorry that I have neither performed your desire of procuring a degree for Mr. Chandler, nor answered your letter sooner." .... "You receive, I doubt not, constant accounts from Dr. Bearcroft and others, concerning the state of the Society's affairs here" (the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel). "Our fund is reduced at present very low : and the last year's benefactions have been very small. God incline the hearts of men to liberality at the approaching general collection! The king hath given five hundred pounds. I wish it had been more. But I know not whether his predecessors have given any thing. I am reprinting, on this occasion, my sermon before the Society, in hopes it may do some good; and shall give a copy to each minister of a parish in my diocese. It will be of use to us to receive, as early as possible, both accounts and copies of whatever is printed in your parts, relating to the concerns of the Society. The Dissenters here have lately had some things of this kind before us: and I think we have had them only through their hands. Concerning the important scheme of establishing Bishops abroad, I can, at present, give no encouraging prospect. We must endeavour again when we see opportunity; and pray always, that He who hath put the times and seasons in his own power, would, in the time that he sees proper, revive that, and every part of his work amongst us: for indeed religion continues to decay most lamentably. But we know that all things work together for good; and that the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. I am with great esteem and regard, sir, your loving brother and humble servant, "Tho. Oxford."

"Deanery of St. Paul's, March 19, 1754. "Good Dr. Johnson,-I should have returned you my hearty thanks before now, if extraordinary business had not put it partly out of my power and partly out of my thoughts, for your favours by Mr. Smith." "I am particularly obliged to you for sending me your book" (respecting Bishop Berkeley): " of which I made a very acceptable present to the late excellent Bishop of Cloyne's son. . . . . . ....You have taken very proper care to keep those who do not enter into all the philosophy of the good and great man from being shocked at it, and you have explained and recommended just reasoning, virtue, and religion so as not only to make them well understood, but ardently loved. Would God there were any present hopes of executing what the concluding piece unanswerably proves to be harmless, useful, and requisite. But we have done all we can here in vain, and must wait for more favourable times; which I think it will contribute not a little to bring on, if the ministers of our Church in America, by friendly converse with the principal Dissenters, can satisfy them that nothing more is intended or desired than that our Church may enjoy the full benefit of its own institutions, as all others do. For so long as they are uneasy, and remonstrate, regard will be paid to them and their friends here by our ministers of state. And yet it will be a hard matter for you to prevent their being uneasy, while they find you gaining ground upon them. That so much of the money of the Society" (for the Propagation of the Gospel) "was employed in supporting Episcopal congregations amongst them, was industriously made an argument against the late collection. And though, God be thanked, the collection hath notwithstanding proved a very good one, yet, unless we be cautious on that head, we shall have farther clamour : and one knows not what the effect of it may be. Our friends in America will furnish us, I hope, from time to time, with all such facts, books, observations, and reasonings, as may enable us the better to defend our common cause. I am, with great regard and esteem, sir, your loving brother and humble servant,

"Tho. Oxford."

[The copy of a long letter of September 27, 1758, written to Dr. Johnson by Archbishop Secker, on his preferment to the see of Canterbury, is lost.]

"Lambeth, July 19, 1759.

"Good Dr. Johnson,-I thank you heartily for your two letters. I have received much useful information from both of them, especially from the former and longer, of which I hope to have the sequel in a little time. On a consultation amongst the Bishops it was agreed, that, though establishing a mission at Cambridge might probably furnish a handle for more than ordinary clamour, yet the good to be expected there, from the temper, and prudence, and abilities of Mr. Apthorp, was likely to overbalance that inconvenience considerably; and that it would be best to propose the matter in the Society, without taking notice of its being liable to any peculiar objections: which was done accordingly, and the resolution taken unanimously." The Bishop goes on to allude to some American controversy, in which "reflections had been cast" upon the proceedings of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; but the letter is mutilated, and breaks off abruptly with, "I was a very young bishop in 1735, and almost my whole time was taken up in the care of St. James's parish; by which means it happened that I either did not know any thingThis imperfect sentence contains a powerful argument against commendams. How could any man discharge his duties as rector of such a parish as St. James's, and yet attend to the duties of the episcopate, including among them the guardianship of institutions for the promotion of the Gospel?

"