8th verses. 'Remember those that have rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' That word, I humbly hope, I have truly and honestly spoken to you,-that faith I have heartily professed and endeavoured, by God's grace, to enforce; and that faith I now most earnestly urge you to embrace, and hold fast for ever, as the only hope of everlasting life, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' His is the only name under Heaven given unto men whereby we may be saved.

But, my brethren, in setting before you this faith, I have always felt it my duty to represent to you, and now feel it incumbent on me again to impress it upon your memories, that this faith is a practical and an influential principle. It cannot (I feel firmly from a frequent and careful examination of the subject) be too strongly declared and recollected that, as St. James has expressly stated, Faith without Works is as a Body without a Soul,-it is dead. There cannot be a more perilous, nor a more degrading interpretation of the Gospel, than that which would substitute bare belief, or enthusiastic feelings for the steady growth of those holy dispositions, which are the true evidences of our spiritual life, and for the practice of the great duties, which constitute our reasonable service to God and Man. I exhort you, my brethren, never to lose sight of this principle. Your salvation is described in Scripture as a work, a labour, a course, a struggle, and a combat. You are to fight the good fight, and you are told that he who endures unto the end shall be saved.

If, in my ministry, I am found in any way entitled to your confidence, I boldly, and after mature inquiry, recommend you to form the scheme and ground of your salvation, not from disputed, doubtful, or isolated passages of Scripture. Always look to the general tenor and principle of both the Old and New Testaments. You will find the law and the Prophets, the Gospels and the Epistles, Abraham and Moses, Isaiah and St. John, Christ and his Apostles, all agreeing on one point,-in treating man as a free and responsible agent,-capable of using or of abusing the means of grace, and of thus securing or forfeiting the hope of Glory ;-eligible, therefore, to reward, and liable to punishment, according to the manner in which this free agency

shall be exercised,-these means of grace employed,-this hope of glory prized. You will find from the beginning to the end of the Bible, threats and promises, arguments and entreaties, judgments and mercies, all prominent, abounding, and uniform. These must be addressed to a being whose will is free,-capable by God's grace of choosing between good and evil,-therefore eligible to reward or liable to punishment, according to the choice he makes. I recommend you, therefore, I boldly exhort you to form your plans of life on this prevailing, this reasonable principle of the Gospel, and not upon single texts. . . . Fanaticism from separate texts, may give a plausible semblance to the opinion that actions are nothing; but we may fearlessly affirm, both from direct authorities, and from the general tenor of scripture, that though not everything, they are things of great and indispensable importance. If any man desires to try his faith, let him try it by examining himself, whether he has become more pious, holy, just, honest, and charitable, -whether his heart, not his head; whether his conduct, not his opinion, be influenced by his knowledge and belief of revelation. If he tries it otherwise, he tries it at his peril, even the peril of his immortal soul.

Saint Paul exhorts to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. I would exhort you in the first place to communicate in your public acts of worship; to join together as one common family, seeking to edify one another and to meet with one accord in the house of your Heavenly Father, that ye may, with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Down here, my brethren, with every resentment; no reservation, no lurking intention, or even desire of mischief; forgive once a week at least, never miss the occasion; forgive your brethren their trespasses, or dare not to ask forgiveness of your own; communicate here if you have been at variance, be again one, come unto the common family, become members of the common body, of which not a member can suffer without all the members grieving with it.

Neither forget to communicate in the sense in which we especially use the term, remember and join in the Communion or common participation of the body and blood of Christ. Let that be the solemn feast, at which you often pledge

your vows of amendment, present the sacrifice of holiness and love, and offer the manifestations of your faith. Let that be the fountain to which you often resort to wash away the stain of your guilty nature, to cleanse, to strengthen, to refresh your souls, labouring beneath the pollutions and trammels of corruption. .

From these general considerations, I must proceed to another exhortation of our Apostle which brings more closely to us that relation which has existed between us for nearly sixteen years, and to which I have already alluded, namely, the relation of Pastor and Flock. Obey,' he says, 'them that have rule over you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.'

I call not on you to obey and submit to me or any other as one 'Who has rule over you,' merely to magnify our office, or to hold it up as a distinction calculated to excite pride and exercise superiority. In deep humility, I entreat you to obey not in self-exaltation, but in solemn concern and abasement as one who has 'Watched over your souls, and must give account.' 'May God of His infinite mercy through the merits of Christ, grant that I may give this account with joy and not with grief.'

Sensibly as I have ever been alive to my own unworthiness, never did that unworthiness present itself in stronger colours, than in reflecting upon those demonstrations of partiality and indulgence which have so strikingly cheered the conclusion of my course. I have felt that I have often wronged you, I have felt that through the infirmity of nature, but never with harboured resentment, I have sometimes misinterpreted your views, or judged too harshly your errors, I have felt how much, with parishioners so disposed, with confidence so great, and with affections so partial, I ought to have done, and how little in reality I have done. But these are matters on which I will not trust myself to dwell here, knowing that I must answer before another and a more awful tribunal.

To you now, as it is my duty, I address myslf to exhort, to implore you to repair as far as you can my deficiencies in my ministry; to keep your eyes fixed steadily on the terrible account, you, as well as myself, will have to render of the time during which it has been exercised. 'Remember

those who have rule over you,' who have spoken to you the word of God. Let whatsoever good counsel you have heard here be laid up in your hearts and applied to the regulation of your conduct. Extend also to my successor that indulgence which you have so freely granted to me; remember the purposes for which you come here,—for edification, not for censure,-for self-humiliation, not for supercilious criticism.

'

Again I take up the language of the Apostles, and say Pray for us in the discharge of our arduous office, as I do, and shall pray for you that God may cause you to walk in that course of faith and practice, of prayer and activity, which religion demands and reason sanctions.

Finally, brethren, farewell! be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and all peace be with you.'

WIRKSWORTH

THE following appeared in the Chesterfield Gazette of 1829:

We insert the following honourable testimony to the Rev. J. E. N. Molesworth, M.A., Vicar of Wirksworth in this county, from the Hampshire Advertiser, 31st January last:

The civilised world possesses no character to which the gratitude and esteem of mankind is more freely ascribed, than the upright pastor who rules as it were without authority, and regulates the religious and moral conduct of his parishioners, without arrogating control, or appearing to dictate; who, by his example, stimulates the performance of every Christian duty, and governing religion by reason and morality by prudence, makes humility and humanity the master key to the affections of his flock.

Such a man is the late worthy curate of Millbrook, and we have pleasure in presenting our readers with the following attestation of his merits:

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To the Reverend the Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Winchester.

MY LORD,-We the Parishioners of the parish of Millbrook, in the County of Southampton, on the eve of the departure of the Rev. J. E. N. Molesworth from our parish, in which he has officiated as curate for the last sixteen years, beg leave most respectfully to convey to your Lordship our high sense of his value, and our deep regret for his loss.

Associated as we have been for so many years in the most important relations of life, we have had full opportunity and constant occasion to observe the indefatigable zeal and faithfulness with which he has discharged all his duties, the exemplary propriety of his life, the purity and soundness of his doctrine, the unremitting kindness and devotedness with which he has ministered religion to the poor, consolation to the afflicted, and instruction to the ignorant; and his earnest perseverance in well-doing, which neither the laborious calls of an extensive parish, of between two and three thousand inhabitants could discourage, nor the cares of a numerous family could restrain.