By preferring the former method, we do not derogate from the divine origin and paramount authority of the Scrip tures; we do not act upon a vain and impious presumption that we are able to supply any imagined deficiency in the sacred volume. But, with humble thankfulness to the Giver of all good for the light which we enjoy, and a sincere desire to communicate it to others, we endeavour to assist the human mind in its progress towards the attainment of knowledge, by laying open those stores of useful information which are the result of God's blessing bestowed on his faithful servants; who have exerted and improved the talents entrusted to them, in the study of his holy word; to the glory of his name, the satisfaction of their own consciences, and the general benefit of mankind.

Nor are we to be charged with any violation of christian charity, when we refuse to join with those who separate themselves from our communion, in prosecuting their imperfect plans. That virtue is surely better exhibited in pointing out to others the right way, than in suffering them to be misled into the wrong.

We must admit

no compromise for the truth. And unless we are prepared to relinquish not only the guidance and authority of our Church, but the repeated admonitions of our Lord and his apostles, expressly warning us against false doctrine, and to consider heresy and schism as idle words,-we must not, under the specious pretext of liberality, bear a part with them, who, we have reason to fear, are under the guilt of these sins; nor virtually assist in propagating their opinions, by consenting to the exclusion

of our own.

At the particular request of a Correspondent, we insert the following communi. cation. Our limits have compelled us to abridge it.

CHRIST THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

ES And, when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine."

Contemplate this grand, this beautiful, this animated portrait of benevolence !— Here were exercised all the tender charities of the human heart. This kind Samaritan went about, doing good. He found the poor sufferer, stripped of the raiment with which he was clothed when he left his home. The enemy had overtaken him -he was despoiled of all, and exposed to perish. The remembrance of the home from which he was now separated, served to highten his present distress. While thus friendless and forsaken, this good

Samaritan extended timely aid-went to him, bound up his wounds, and placed him in safety.

Our Lord found us under the condemnation of divine justice. We were told while innocent, that immortality and happiness should be continued, so long as we retained our integrity. In case of disobedience, this state of bliss must experience a sad reverse-death to the body and eternal misery to the soul. We were subdued by the enemy; he conquered, stripped us of the celestial raiment of truth and holiness; and when the mortal wound was inflicted, he exulted in our ruin.

The Son of God had compassion on us— no pity except his could avail-no power except his could save. His love was equal to the stupendous work. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." "The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted; he was put out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

Impressive as this language must appear, no words can fully describe the life of sorrow and the death of shame endured by our great High Priest. Scorn and reproach, calumny and ingratitude, fatigue and hunger, attended him. Tempted by the instigator of our rebellion, and betrayed by one who professed to be his follower, by one who assumed the mask of friendship-"He was perfected through suffering."

The garden of Gethsemane first received the blood of atonement. Here was our Lord agonized by the burden of our sins: he was to suffer for all, but he knew that all to whom he offered salvation would not accept the gracious boon. In addition to the cruelties which were to be exercised by his relentless enemies, he was in our stead to endure the wrath of divine justice; for our sins he was to sink under the displeasure of his Almighty Father. Such was the extremity of his grief, that he burst forth in the exclamation—“ My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." His disciples could afford their Master no relief. He

supplicated the Almighty Creator"

my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Here his divinity rose superior to man; and he adds-" Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

His trial was aggravated by every insult that ferocious malice could invent. Now was the fulfilment of Isaiah's prediction-" Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." After suffering so much, 'as those who were witnesses have revealed, he was derided, buffeted, and scourged-The HOLY ONE charged with guilt! he who gave his life to redeem us from sin, condemned by sinners to death! He who had raised their dead, restored their sick-who had received their children to his arms, and pronounced a benediction on their tender offspring, now hears the vociferations" Crucify him! crucify him!" and the still more horrid imprecation-" His blood be on us and on our children."

What commenced in Gethsemane, and was continued in the hall of judgment, terminated on mount Calvary. Here did the Lamb who taketh away the sin of the world, "put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself: here our Advocate tasted the vinegar and gall-he was nailed to the cross. The period was now arrived in which he was to bear in his human nature, his Father's hatred to sin. This exceeded all the torments he had endured, and caused the bitter exclamation" My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The expiatory work was now perfected-CHRIST said, "It is finished."

Receiving the foregoing as an undeniable fact, we must acknowledge ourselves far more indebted to him who had compassion on us, than the wounded traveller could possibly be to the Samaritan. He was rescued from temporal suffering-we from eternal misery. No costly life was given to ransom his; no pain and anguish was endured to restore ease and health to him.

Our Redeemer bound up our wounds in being pierced for us: his arms were extended to place us in safety. The wine

of the Samaritan cannot be brought in comparison with the blood of a Saviour's love. He has anointed us with the unction of the Holy Spirit, more comforting than the oil compressed from the richest olives. All we now possess, and all we hope to inherit as heirs of salvation, are procured for us by this Almighty Inter.

cessor.

A life devoted to his service, a heart governed by love and obedience, are all that he demands. This requital constitutes our present peace, and will ensure our future glory. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Never-ending torments will overtake the disobedient, while eternal felicity will be the reward of those who LOVE and OBEY.

NEW-YORK, April 23, 1817.

The following circular letter from the Episcopal Missionary Society of Philadelphia, has been addressed to the Episcopalians of Pennsylvania.

SIR,

Philadelphia, Jan. 1817.

- While the attention of the Christian world is directed to the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the light of gospel salvation is fast breaking on the remote shores of India; let us not forget the millions of human beings that inhabit our wide extended country, and the mental darkness and error which yet reign in this favoured land. The path to usefulness lies directly before us, and we need not look from home to find Heathens unreclaimed, and the great truths of Christianity disregarded. We are surrounded by thousands to whom the "glad tidings" have not yet been proclaimed; and the Western States present to us an ample field for the exercise of all our philanthropic labours. To this we would call your immediate and serious attention. The tide of emigration is daily pouring into those states numbers which almost exceed belief. The shores of the Ohio and Missisippi, which but lately echoed to the yell of the wild beast, now resound with the hum of industry and teem with hardy emigrants. That this rapid increase of population demands from us some attention will not be doubted"The harvest truly is great." Other Christian Societies have sent their "la

bourers into the vineyard;" and must we, longer, continue inactive? attached to that Church whose " clothing is of wrought gold," can we still remain blind to her interest, and feel no concern for her members who are thus "scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd?" The time has arrived when pious Mis sionaries must be sent to guide and direct them to the fold of Christ. Convinced of this important truth, and deeply im. pressed with the sacred and indispensable duty of carrying the strong hope and con solation of the Gospel to our western brethren-of spreading the table in the wilderness and reconciling the sinner to his God, the " Episcopal Missionary Society of Philadelphia" has been formed. Already, from the liberality of her members, the Board have been enabled to send the Rev. Jacob M. Douglass as a missionary beyond the state, who is now manifesting (among the long deserted members of our Church) the utmost zeal in the promotion of Christianity and the salvation of man. Letters have been received from him, accompanying information of so interesting a nature, that we cannot but indulge the most sanguine hope of results highly favourable to the furtherance of religious truth, as professed by the Protestant Episcopal Church. In one of his communications, alluding to the practicability of supporting a clergyman in several flourishing towns through which he passed, he says, "Pittsburgh, Frankfort, Zanesville, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Nashville, ought to have Episcopal ministers, and the Church would blossom and flourish as the rose." In a second letter he speaks of the numbers who are attached to the Episcopal Church, and expresses an earnest wish that another Missionary might be sent out. A moment's reflection, Sir, will convince you of the necessity of accomplishing this desirable object, and the incalculable benefit that would arise from increasing the number of Missionaries. But to effect this your aid is necessary. The present Society with the will to act, is destitute of the means to perform; and the Board have thought it expedient in this circumstance, to solicit your active exertions in establishing an association in your neighbourhood to co-operate with the Society. To make the importance of this step ap parent, it may not be unnecessary to state, that a meeting has lately been convened at Worthington in the state of Ohio, composed of the most respectable and leading members of the Episcopal Church. These gentlemen, impressed with the solemn and imperious duty of providing for her scattered and deserted members, have issued a circular letter to the Episcopalians of the western country, and addressed a petition to the General Convention

of the Protestant Episcopal Church, to be holden in New-York on the third Tuesday of May next ensuing A short extract from each of these interesting documents, will alone be sufficient to show you the necessity of an immediate concurrence with the views of the Board.

Extract from the Circular.

"In the next place, we recommend it to you to form congregations wherever you can, and that as soon as possible; and elect lay-readers to perform service, and read such sermons as shall be thought proper, on every Sunday.

"Lastly, in the hope that the good Shepherd and Bishop of souls will shortly send forth labourers into the vineyard, we entreat you to be diligent in public, private, and family prayers, in reading the holy Scriptures, and in the instruction of your children, that they may be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Extract from the Petition.

"We go farther and say, on behalf of a numerous but widely-scattered flock of Episcopalians in this country, "Come over into Macedonia and help us," send us your pious Missionaries. The list of the names and places of residence of our people, which we have sent you for the present, will inform these Missionaries where their services are required."

From the mass of information received with respect to the truly astonishing emigration to the west, it will be unnecessary to make any extracts. To you these interesting facts must be familiar: they greet the eye of philanthropy from the columns of almost every daily paper. The trackless wilderness is fast falling beneath the hand of cultivation, and the peasant's cot rises amid the "deepest recesses of the wilds of the Missouri."

A letter has just been received, an nouncing the formation of a Missionary Society at Wilmington, for the State of Delaware. The spirit of the Church which had long slept in this State, has at length awakened to her true interest, and set an example worthy of imitation. Agreeably to a resolution of the Board, I send you the copy of a proposed Constitution, which you can adopt, or make such modifications as you may deem necessary. Yours, &c.

THOMAS BREINTNALL,

Corresponding Secretary

Subscribers are informed, that the first three numbers of this Journal are now reprinted, and ready for delivery Those who have been supplied with the first number in the folio form, can receive it in the octavo size, at twelve and a half cents per copy.

No. 8.]

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE

LIFE OF HUGH LATIMER,
Bishop of Worcester.

There are few names so dear to a Protestant as that of HUGH LATIMER, Bishop of Worcester. He stood foremost in the ranks of those great and good men, who at the period of the Reformation were found willing to give up their honours, their worldly substance, nay, their very lives, for the cause of God, and for the glory of his Gospel.

Hugh Latimer was the son of a farmer in Leicestershire, and was born in the year fourteen hundred and seventy. In his fourteenth year he entered the University of Cambridge, and passed through the usual degrees with honour. At this time, and indeed for a great part of his life, he was a zealous Papist, and did all in his power to oppose the progress of the Protestant faith, which had begun to spread itself on all sides. These things rendered him such a favourite with the Popish party, that he was elected cross-bearer to the University in all their processions.

Though Mr. Latimer was so warm a defender of the Roman Catholic Religion, he acted from a sincere desire to do what was right. He had been taught from his childhood to venerate it, and being well versed in learned divinity, was always ready with arguments in its defence. His conduct however was moral, and therefore very different from that of the greater part of the Popish clergy. It was not till he had attained the fifty-third year of his age, that Latimer began to see his error, and to feel the force of the scriptural reasons on which the Protestant faith is foundVOL. I.

[VOL. L.

ed. Bilney, one of the martyrs of the Reformation, was made the happy instrument of enlightening Latimer's mind. They held many conversations and arguments together, upon the points of difference between Roman Catholics and Protestants, the end of which was, that Latimer abjured the Roman Catholic faith, and became a pious and enlightened Protestant.

Ever after this event he was exceedingly zealous in promoting the great work of a Reformation of Religion. He no longer preached up the formal ceremonies and absurd rites of the Romish Church as the means of attaining to the kingdom of heaven, but directed sinners to seek for salvation through the merits of Jesus Christ, and called on them to live a life of universal holiness. He dwelt very much in his sermons on the necessity of translating the Bible into the English tongue, that poor people might be able to read it; and even wrote a letter to King Henry the Eighth on this point, which had its weight.

The anger of the Popish clergy was soon kindled against Latimer, and they did all in their power to crush him. At their request the Bishop of Ely, in whose diocess he lived, was prevailed on to silence him; but Dr. Barnes, who was Prior of a monastery in Cambridge, which was not under the Bishop's government, immediately offered him his chapel.Here Latimer preached boldly the doctrines of the Reformation, and great crowds came to hear him.

Soon after, the heads of houses in Cambridge addressed the Court, and accused Latimer, Bilney, and others, on account of their proceedings.They were ordered to appear before

15

the Council in London, but were dismissed without any punishment.Hereupon he returned to Cambridge, and went on in the same zealous way as before.

When Lord Cromwell, who was favourable to the Reformed Religion, became Minister, he presented Mr. Latimer with the living of WestKingston, in Wiltshire. He preached a great deal in various parts of this county, and in the neighbouring districts. He was treated very respectfully by the Magistrates of Bristol, and was requested by the Mayor to preach before the Corporation on Easter-day. This invitation, however, was recalled through the arts of the Romish clergy, who procured an order for him to appear in London before the Archbishop's court, and answer to the charges which they made against him. Here he was ordered to sign several articles, signifying his attachment to the Popish Creed. But he positively refused.Several meetings took place, but nothing could shake Latimer's constancy. Lord Cromwell came forward in his behalf; Queen Ann Bullen too, who was a great friend of the Reformation, did all she could in Latimer's favour. By her and Lord Cromwell's entreaties, Henry the Eighth was soon after persuaded to appoint him to the bishopric of Worcester. Regarding this as a call of Providence, he accepted the impor

tant trust.

This event lifted him above the power of his enemies, and enabled him to promote in a much higher degree, the progress of the Protestant Religion. His character and conduct as a Bishop, were truly marked by the spirit of an Apostle. Old and infirm as he was, he nevertheless particularly attended to all the duties of his station. He preached frequently. He kept a watchful eye on the conduct of his clergy, and was very desirous to ordain none but pious men to the work of the ministry. Such a line of conduct ensured him the affection and esteem of all good men.

Upon the death of Queen Ann Bullen, the Popish party did all in

their power to crush the Reformers, but were again defeated; so much so indeed, that in a convocation which was called to consider the ceremonies of the Romish Church, four out of the seven sacraments which it holds, were rejected.

Latimer was a very kind friend to the poor. In the diocess of Worcester there lived a wealthy man, who was a justice of the peace, and exercised his power and influence so tyrannically, that he was the dread of the neighbourhood. In those days, England did not enjoy the sweets of liberty and impartial justice, which is now our happy lot. A poor man who had been cruelly treated by this justice, applied to Latimer for help. The good Bishop, finding that the right was on his side, interfered in his favour very zealously; and though the justice did all in his power to resist the Bishop, he was at last forced, by the spirit and vigour with which Latimer acted, to give the poor man satisfaction.

It was the custom in these times for eminent men to present the King, on the first day of the new year, with some present. Latimer's gift was a New Testament; and in order to reprove the debauched conduct of Henry the Eighth, he marked that passage in it," Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Heb. xiii. 4.

It often fell to Latimer's lot to preach before the Court. On these occasions, far from seeking to flatter those in power, or to hide the truth, he opened his mouth boldly; he reproved the vices of the age, and called upon all men to serve Christ in a life of holiness. These sermons gave very great offence to the Papists.Some of the Bishops accused him to the King of preaching sedition, because he preached in this plain way. Latimer in reply, asked his accuser what kind of sermons he would have him preach before a King? Then turning to his Majesty, with an honest simplicity, and which clearly expressed his innocence, he said, "I never conceived myself worthy, neither did I ever seek the honour of preaching