to thy service. Thou only knowest, O God, whether there is yet a possiblity of my salvation, or whether thy long suffering was wearied out by my resistance to the Holy Spirit, and thou hast pronounced against me the irrevocable doom, and that Saviour whom I have so often insulted is no longer offered to me; be that as it may it is my duty to love thee and serve thee still.

And now, O God, I come, with deep abhorrence of my past iniquities, and with a firm resolution by thy assistance, to avoid them hereafter, lamenting the hardness of my heart and my ingratitude, and relying on the blood of Jesus Christ as my only hope, and in the presence of thyself and the Angels in Heaven, I give my soul to the Saviour, to be disposed of according to his infinite wisdom; and I devote myself, with all my faculties and powers, and all that I may ever possess to thy service on earth. And I do purpose, with thy assistance, to dedicate my body, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in thy sight, and to live a life of sobriety and holiness.

And now, O God, what wait I for. My hope is in thee. Assist me to keep this covenant with my God, and to live, devoted to thy service, and O save my soul at last, through the Redeemer's blood. My trust is in him—Amen."

In his last sickness his fever was so high that his reason deserted him. He had a few lucid intervals, however, in one of which he conversed very satisfactorily with a minister of the gospel, on the subject of bis approaching dissolution. He was willing he said, to be disposed of as God should see fit; and rejoiced to cast himself into the hands of the faithful Shepberd. He died therefore, having as we hope the living God for his refuge, and underneath him the everlasting arms. While we deeply sympathize with his surviving relatives, we praise that grace which has shewn itself in the salvation of this amiable youth; and thus taught others how much they need the sanctification of the same Spirit. If he needed a new heart to fit him for the presence of God above, how much more the dissipated and the profane. Behold then here, ye despisers of the grace of God, what you all must possess. Be you ever so amiable, this will not suffice. If at the Saviour's bidding you cannot sell all and follow him, you will never see the kingdom of

beaven.

0. L.

My steed roams careless o'er the lea;
No spur provokes his fiery speed;
Oft has he champ'd the bit for me,
And served me oft in time of need.
My dog howls mournful at my gate,
My study hearth is desolate,
My gun is rusting on the wall,
My flute is silent in the hall.
Hush'd is the tide of mirth and song
That rolled so merrily along,
When Roland, gather'd there the gay,
And beautiful; to while away
The lagging hours of idle day.
The bat, builds in my lonely bower,
The owl, boots from its rustic tower,
The sullen spiders, slowly crawl
Across my Father's ancient hall.
Oh, many a day of rapture past—
And many a dream too sweet to last,
Have made more dear to me that home
Than regal splendors, palace dome.
But cease; my fancy must not dwell
Upon those dear departed hour's
That weeping memory, loves so well.
I once was gay, (I still am young,)
"I talk'd, and danc'd, and laugh'd, and
sung;"

The brightest in the festal crowd,
At beauty's shrine I sigh'd and bow'd.
The dream is o'er, the spell is broke;
To dark despair the dreamer woke.
I have no earthly wish or fear;
No smile for joy, for woe no tear.
I lay me down upon the tomb
Of buried hopes, in peace to die.
To me the grave has lost its gloom;
My hopes are fix'd above the sky.
There, not a cloud shall intervene
To shade the brightness of the scene;
Or interrupt the joys above,
Unchanging as Jehovah's love.
And yet my triends have loved me still;
Through each extreme of good and ill.
My heart a Father's pious prayer,
And Mother's tenderness did share :
And oft a Sister's voice did soothe
The fiery passions of my youth;

When like an angel, she would speak
With sparkling eye, and mantling cheek,
Of Joys that never fade or fail,
Far, far beyond earth's narrow pale.
Farewell-the blessing of a breast,
Which you have tried to sooth to rest
Shall be upon you. I must die.
The form so loved by you must lie
Within its lonely cemetery.
But then I hope to burst the chain
Of dark temptation, guilt, and pain;
And on the wings of taith to rise
To purer climes, and brighter skies.

From the Christian Observer for April 1821.

THE REV. THOMAS SCOTT,

Rector of Aston Sandford.

This faithful and laborious servant of God, has at length been called to his eternal rest. His death took place on Monday evening, the 16th instant, after an illness which confined him to his bed exact ly five weeks.

Leaving to others the commemoration, of his long-continued and very useful labors, or rather committing them all to Him who has, no doubt, bestowed upon them the best applause-"Well done, good and faithful servant!"-we confine ourselves to a few facts pertaining to the latter part of his life.

Though Mr. Scott possessed, as he expressed it on his death bed, a sort of "iron strength" of constitution, yet he at no part of his life enjoyed good health. For many years, and perhaps never more than during the four years and a half (from Jan. 1788 to June 1792) employed upon the first edition of his Commentary, be suffered severely from bilious complaints and asthma. These distressing affections, however, bad for a long time past subsided to a surprising degree; but a liability to attacks of inflammatory fever succeeded to them, which repeatedly endangered and at length terminated his life.

For seven or eight years past, various infirmities bad confined him to the immediate neighborhood in which he resided, and most of the time to his very small parish, not containing seventy souls. His labors, however, as a student, and with bis pen, were undiminished: and it is not twelve months since he wrote to one of bis family, "I believe I work more hours daily in my study than ever I did in my life." His only relaxation was cultiva ting his garden, when the weather would permit his thus employing an hour or two in the afternoon. Increasing deafness bad of late nearly precluded him from conversation, in which he used to take great delight, and reduced him almost to a life of solitude, in the midst of a family who greatly loved and were tenderly beloved

by him.

In this state his last illness found him. On the first Sunday in March be preached in the forenoon with great animation, (from Rom. viii. 32.) and administered the Lord's Supper; and in the evening, be expounded, as usual, to several of his pa rishioners assembled in his kitchen-the subject, the Pharisee and publican, Luke xviii. But it was for the last time. He soon after caught a severe cold: and though the catarrhal symptoms gave way sooner than was expected, yet on Satur day, March 10, he was attacked with a fever, which continued, with some variations, till its fatal termination at the period already mentioned.

Under all the circumstances of such a case, to have expected that Mr. Scott's mind should be kept uniformily cheerful, and filled with bright anticipations, would have been not only little less than a mirscle, but would have shewn a defective acquaintance with the operations of the human mind, and with God's dealings with his most established and matured servants, and also an ignorance of what both Scripture and fact teach respecting the power and malice of evil spirits. The sagacious and observant Bunyan took a different view of the subject, and accordingly represents his deeper and more experienced Christian as encountering, on his first entrance into the river, and in some parts of his passage, a degree of darkness and apprehension, from which the younger disciple, Hopeful, is mercifully exempted. Is not this natura!, and supported by facts? The deeper views which such characters have taken of sin; the profounder sense they have of their own unworthiness; their more awful impres sions of eternity; and the apprehensions which long experience bas taught them to form of the deceitfulness of the human heart; all conspire to this end. Moreover, it is a common observation, that where (as in the case of Abraham) Almighty God has communicated strong faith, he commonly subjects it to severe trials. If any can conceive of nothing saperior to present comfort, to them this may be puzzling; but it need not be so to others. The result, in such cases, proves honorable to God, and edifying to bis saints. What tried and tempted spirit, for example, has not been animated in his conflicts by the exclamation wrung from

holy Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him?"

Though, however, Mr. Scott passed through "deep waters," and sometimes "walked in darkness," (Isa. L. 10.) during his last illness, it is not to be supposed that this was his constant, or even his habitual situation, much less that fear of the final event prevailed in him. No: hope as to that point generally predominated, though he would say, "Even one fear, where infinity is at stake, is sufficient to countervail all its consoling effects:" but the present conflict was severe: "Satan," he said, "bends all his efforts to be revenged on me, in this awful hour, for all that I have done against bis kingdom through life!" and his holy soul could conceive of many evils, short of final failure of salvation, from which he shrunk back with horror. There can be no doubt that these distressing feelings were much connected with the disease under which he labored, as they increased and abated again with the daily paroxysm of his fever: yet, with the scriptures in our hands, we cannot hesitate to concur in his judgment, that the malignant powers of darkness took advantage of this, in a peculiar manner, to harass and distress him. From time to time, however, the clouds dispersed, and the "sun of righteousness arose upon him with healing in his beams." This was signally the case, on one occasion, after he had received the holy sacrament, which he did four times with a solemnity, and even sublimity of devotion, which can never be forgotten by those who witnessed it. He had observed, "An undue stress is by some laid upon this ordinance, as administered to the sick, but I think others of us are in danger of undervaluing it: it is a means of grace, and may prove God's instrument of conveying to me the comfort I am seeking.' Blessed be God it did so in an eminent degree. Shortly after the service was concluded, he adopt ed the language of Simeon, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Through the remainder of the day, and during the night, he remained in a very hap py state of mind. To one who came in the evening he said, "It was beneficial to me: I received Christ, and be received

me.

I feel a calmness which I did not expect last night: I bless God for it." And then be repeated, in the most emphatic manner, the whole twelfth chapter of Isaiab, "O Lord, I will praise thee," &c. The next morning he said; "This is heaven begun. I have done with darkness for ever -for ever. Satan is vanquished. Nothing now remains but salvation with eternal glory-eternal glory."

This, indeed, was not realized, so far as it implied the expectation that there would be no other conflict. The fact is, he had Imagined himself much nearer death than

he was; and life continuing, "the clouds," as he expressed it, "returned after the rain." Still, as the end approached, darkness & gloom fled away, and calmness, and peace, and sometimes blessed anticipations predominated. The day before he died he dismissed one of his children to public worship, with benedictions and prayers for all the congregations of Christ's church, and concluded, "Blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. He is highly exaited above all blessing and praise." And the very day he died, he thus addressed an aged and infirm inmate of his family "This is hard work: but let us think of heaven! let us hope for heaven! let us pray for heaven." And afterwards, on reviewing the forenoon, (for he seemed still strictly to call himself to account for his use of time) he said, "The morning for some hours passed very comfortably." And again, "This is something like godliness,"-meaning, as he at another time expressed it, that he had been able to“ approach unto God."

But it was not only at these brighter seasons that the excellent state of his mind appeared: even when "joy and peace" were most wanting, all the other "fruits of the Spirit," produced in rich abundance, were visible in him to every eye but his

own.

:

This became the more apparent even by means of his deafness, which, while it almost cut him off from receiving communications from others, produced in him a habit of almost literally thinking aloud and this brought to light such exercises of faith, of hope, of love, of fervent prayer, of deep humility, of meditation or the Scriptures, in which numerous passages were often brought together in the most striking and often beautiful combination, as could not otherwise have been traced, and as cannot be adequately represented to those who did not witness them.

But throughout his illness all his tempers and dispositions marked a soul ripe. for heaven. His patience was most exemplary, though this was the grace which, almost more than any other he feared would fail. His kindness and affection to all who approached him were carried to the greatest height, and shewed themselves in a singularly minute attention to all their feelings, and whatever might be for their comfort, to a degree that was quite affecting; especially at a time when he was suffering so much himself, often in mind as well as body;-even in the darkest times, THOU ART RIGHTEOUS! FATHER GLORIFY THY NAME! solemnly enunciated, was the sentence most frequently on his lips, and marked his profound submission. His humility and sense of utter unworthiness seemed now more deep than words could express. One of the prayers caught from his lips, in the manner above descri

bed, was in these words: "O God, do not abhor me, though I be indeed abhorrible, and abhor myself! Say not, Thou filthy soul, continue filthy still! but say, rather, I will, be thou clean!" It need scarcely be said that Christ was now more precious in his eyes than ever, and his expressions of exclusive, undivided, and adoring adherence to him for salvation, if possible more strong. At the same time, he refused the appropriation to himself of those promises which belong only to true believers in Christ, except as it could be shewn that he bore the character commonly annexed to the promise, such as those that fear the Lord-that love God, repent, believe, and obey. When he could not trace this in himself, he would have recourse to those which encourage even the chief of sinners to come to Christ, and assure them, that "he that cometh he will in no wise cast out."

In this connection it may be remarked, that whatever dissatisfaction with himself he at any time expressed, he never intimated the least wavering as to the truths which he had spent his life in inculcating, or impeached his own sincerity and faithfulness in the discharge of his ministry.

It was delightful to see, as the close approached, all his fears disappearing one after another, and in the end not one evil that he had apprehended coming upon him! He had dreaded delirium, in which he might say and do "desperate things:" but he suffered none, beyond an occasional tumult of thoughts in his sleep, and a momentary confusion on awaking. He had dreaded the utter exhaustion of his patience: but it increased to the end. On the only point on which any approach to impatience had been discovered-"his desire to depart"-he had become almost perfectly resigned; and though he still inquired frequently if any "token for good," as he called the symptoms of dissolution, appeared, yet on receiving a negative answer, he only observed, "Then I must seek a fresh stock of patience."

His last fear respected the agony of death itself, the act of dying, and the severe struggle which he thought he had peculiar reason then to expect. But, blessed be God! death brought no agony, no struggle, not even a groan, or a sigh, or a dis

(so to speak) gradually ebbed away, and that he ceased to breathe, while his counte nance assumed a most benign and placid aspect, was all the description that could be given of his departure.

Thus "slept in Jesus," in the 75th year of his age, and after the faithful discharge of his ministry during more than 45 years, this honored servant of God, who by his numerous and valuable writings, "being dead, yet speaketh,” and will, it may be hoped, continue to instruct and edify to distant generations.

A sentence which he uttered on an oc casion when his assembled family joined with him in reviewing "all the way that the Lord had led them," may perhaps properly close this brief narrative:-"I cannot but feel and consider myself as a man that has been peculiarly prospered of God, and I desire to acknowledge it with hum ble and devout gratitude. Yes, goodnes and mercy have followed me all the days of my life. Whatever my FEELINGS may at any time be--and my situation and infirmities, and perhaps also my turn of mind exposes me, at times, to considerable gloom and depression-yet THIS is MY deliberate judg ment. Yea, and on the whole I can add with good confidence, not only they HAVE followed, but goodness and mercy SHALL follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

It may be gratifying to the public to be informed that Mr. Scott has left in MS. a memoir of his own life, down to the year 1812, which cannot fail to prove highly interesting to all who have esteemed his character, and profited by his instructions.

It may be satisfactory also to state, with respect to the stereotype edition of his Bible, which has been long in the course of execution, that the copy is fully prepared by the author as far as the third chapter of the Second Epistle to Timothy; and that besides this there exists a copy of the last published edition, corrected by him to the very end of Revelations: from which the remaining part will be completed, according to his own final directions, under the care of a gentleman, in concert with his (the author's) family, who has long been his literary assistant in the work, and in whose fidelity he placed entire confidence

No. VII.]

examined.

WE would preface this article by disavowing every thing like religious intolerance. We have no communion in the feelings of those who make an exact conformity to their creed, the condition of being acknowledged as fellow-christians. We plead for the exercise of free inquiry, and for the right of private judgment in matters of religion. Wherever the fundamental doctrines of the gospel are held, that man we hail as a christian brother; and though we may think we discover errors of Some importance in his creed, we will cheerfully admit him within the circle of our charity. But farther than this, God forbid that we should go. To the honour of being liberal in the technical sense of that word, or of giving the hand of christian fellowship to a man, who openly rejects most of the peculiarities of the christian faith, we make no claim. An enlightened charity in relation to differences of religious opinion, we are prepared to advocate with all our hearts; what we condemn is only that spurious catholicism which opens its arms so wide as to embrace the grossest errorists of the age. Our object in this article is to examine the grounds on which this universal charity, which does not even halt at fundamental error, is commonly vindicated.

1. The reasonableness of this indiscriminate charity is argued from the weakness of the human intellect. It is said, that in all our inquiries afVol. 3.-No. VI. 43

[VOL. III.

ter truth, we are liable, from the darkness of our understandings, to be misled; that we can never know but that the opinions which we form concerning the doctrines of religion may be wrong, and those of our neighbour who thinks differently from us may be right; and hence it is presumption in us to withhold from him the hand of christian charity.

Our first remark on this argument is, that it contradicts one of the first principles of intellectual philosophy. We mean the certainty of human knowledge. It denies that truth carries along with it, its own evidence; and it places the wildest vagary of the imagination on the very same ground with the most substantial reality. On this principle, the man who is dreaming has as good evidence of the reality of the objects about which he dreams, as he who is awake has of the existence of those which are reported to him by his senses. If it be true that the human intellect is so weak that we cannot certainly distinguish truth from error, we must admit the reasonableness of universal scepticism.

But if we do not mistake, there is an inference to be drawn from this argument, highly derogatory to the character of God. It will be admitted even by those who urge the argument, that the bible is a revelation from God, and contains the means of eternal life. But what opinion can we form of the goodness, or even of the justice of that Being, who should endow us with such feeble and imperfect faculties that we could not understand that system of truth, with the reception of which he has himself connected our eternal salvation?