170 
of all around you—it was the same kind 
providence that guarded your trembling spi- 
rits, and bid you live again in the bosom of 
your anxious parents. The hand of him 
who made us is upon us, and directs our 
way ;—to that God who gives and who takes 
wway, who has prepared for you all the com- 
forts you enjoy, and blesses your little minds 
with innocence and tender love ; to him let 
me lead your gentle spirits; and while I 
press you to my bosom and implore his 
mercy for you, let me urge you to be ever 
mindful that he is the kind parent of your 
parents, that he is the mest aflectionate friend 
of your friends, and the supreme director 
of those who direct you: to this parent and 
universal benefactor open your beloved hearts 
—make, his name and his goodness to you 
familiar to your minds, by the prayer which 
“Jesus Christ his Son hath directed us to 
teach you :—as he is kind to you in giving 
you life and every blessing, so be you kindly 
aflectionate to each other as good children of 
so good a Father ;—as you cannot know the 
extent of his providerice, so learn to receive 
with meekness and without discontent every 
accident that happens to you—and as you 
have been taught that his great power and 
mercy is over you and guides your innocent 
and unwary steps, so learn to put your trust 
in him, who has power to uphold you, to 
comfort you, and to place you in the bosom 
of endless happiness ! 
«« As you grow older and the world opens 
upon you, you will stand in more need than 
at present of his sure direction ; then when 
the dangers of pleasure or prosperity, or 
your engagements in the world, or the period 
when you shall be called upon to act for 
yourselves shall arrive, then look up to that 
God who now cherishes and supports you, 
and he will be your parent, your counsellor 
and your friend—he will guide you through 
thorny paths, and place you in smooth ways ; 
he will save you in troubled waters, and 
bring you to a happier shore ;—he will direct 
you how tochoose the better part which others 
cast away, and to dwell in the habitations of 
pleasantness and peace, rather than in the 
tents of ungodliness and misery !—” 
But such passages as these are rare. 
There is scarcely a sermon which is 
throughout adapted, as the title of the 
volume leads us to expect, to the cha- 
racter of a family circle: and such an 
unhappy failure of an ill-judged attempt 
at fine writing we scarcely ever wit- 
Arr. XXXV. 
THE notice of these sermons was un-. 
fortunately omitted in our last Review; 
but so great-is their value, that we are 
anxious to supply the defect by giving 
them a place in our present volume ; and 
‘ 
THEOLOGY AND ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS. 
nessed. We read, p. 9. “ that the Jewish 
monarchy was founded on ‘the ruins of @ 
combination of theocracy, idolatry, and fear;? 
p- ll, “that Jesus emanated the Holy 
Spirit on his followers:’? in p. 66, of 
slaking the parching thirst of jealousy 
at another’s welfare, and burning in the 
devouring flame of dark revenge! in p- 
72, of bigotry and idolatry enveloping 
us with the crimson mantle of intole- 
rance; and p. 170, of enjoyment be- 
ing tarnished by agonizing fear, and 
of alarm spreading a dark contagion 
through every vital principle; cum multis 
ahis! 
How such pompous nothings are 
sometimes strung together, the reader 
may see in the following passage, which 
affords a fine specimen of the mixed 
metaphor. 
«The spirit of activity implanted in the 
soul—the desire to expand our wings, and 
to stretch beyond ourselves, combine to urge 
the mind to explore other regions, to cou- 
verse with other men, to unite with other 
hearts, to visit the wider cireles of the ecre- 
ation :—we first ponder upon the brink, bu 
too soon steer upon the broad and fathom- 
less wave :—we meet with various subjects 
that court our desire, and pleasure woos us 
to her bower before we have allowed our- 
selves time to examine her real features or 
her garb; too late we find them deceitful 
above measure—changing in every position 
as the varying hues of evening—neither solid 
hor permanent ;—she cannot disguise that 
she courts sensation only—and thereby proves 
to our conviction, that memory and reason 
were given us in yain, if pleasure be the 
sovereign good !” , 
We could quote many similar pas- 
sages, but in pity to our readers, our 
author, and ourselves, we forbear; la- 
menting that so excellent an intention 
should be defeated by a want of judg- 
ment and ability. 
We cannot conclude without noticing 
two errors of a very gross and singular 
nature. In the 8th sermon, Herod who 
imprisoned Peter is considered as the 
same that murdered the mfants of Beth- 
lehem! and in sermon 9th, Pilate is 
spoken of as a Jew! 
Sermons, designed, chiefly, as a Preservative from Infidelity, and Religions 
Indifference. By Joun Prior Estuin. 8vo. pp. 367. 
by recommending them to the attention 
of those who have not already availed 
themselves of the important ‘instruction 
they convey. Few volumes of this na- 
ture, which have necessarily claimed 
2a eae oO 
Fee dea ae 
any 
PBR Reig gad se, 
