The National Register. — London, England, 1811-08-25 00:00:00

'TIE NATIONAL REGISTER. SPENCER, 9f LIVERPOOL. TO THE EDITOR Or - TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER• • SlR.—Your Paper of Sunday last, contains a well-merited bute to the memory of th i s late able and promising young Mi nister. I can speak, from experience, of his worth : In private, be disclosed a heart adorned with every Christian grace, in its meekest and most heavenly tints; and from the pulpit, his power ful and truly evangelical labours, fixed the attention even of the thoughtless and the gay; whilst the glorious truths which dis tilled as heavenly dew from his lips, became the food and delight cif the true worshippers of God. What the immortal Hervey skid of the works of the celebrated 'Witsius, I . may, with equal truth, apply to my late young friend; all of whose sermons had sates a delicacy of composition, and such a sweet savour of holi ness, that 44 I know not any comparison more proper to repre lent their true character, than the golden pot which had manna ; and was outwardly bright with burnished gold; inwardly rich with heavenly food !" That dispensation of Divine Providence, which the nation at large, but more particularly the church of Christ, is now called spon to lament, is indeed, in many respects, a dark one; but, to me, it presents, also, a side that is gloriously bright. So that whilst some of the golden links of this inscrutable Providence must re srain for eternity to unfold, yet I more than fancy I see enough in his unexpected visit of my Lord, to furnish ground for admira. don and praise. 'Tis true—the prospect was most flattering! richly gifted for , • the work, and just ordained the pastor of a numerous and ad -"miring flock : Stationed as on a hill, eminent and conspicuous for example and usefulness !—What (humanely judging) could be more likely to advance the honour of the Redeemer's king dom, than health and length of days to our young friend ? And rrhilst I would, tremblingly, put this consideration into the ba lance, to scrutinize the wisdom and justice of this bereaving dis pensation,—shall I forget to place into the opposing scale, the consideration suggested by his tender age,* and inexperience of 'the world ? Shall I pass over, as of trivial import, the temptations to which, in a city like Liverpool, (opulent and gay,) his nato ially affectionate, unsuspecting and social temper, would, ine vitably, expose him ? and which, hut for the interposition of snore than ordinary measures of Divine aid, would tend to damp the ardour and purity of his "first love ;" (a love so dear I to the Saviour! Rev. ii. 4.) And, then, who can fix limits to the darkness and distress of mind, which, for mournful seasons, might have distracted and wrung his exquisitely feeling heart ? Sut, allowing that Diiine Grace would have been vouchsafed in , pr oportion to his need, and that thereby he would have been preserved, uniformly faithful .to his Saviour, his flock, and his 'own heart; shall we contemplate as trifling, the loss he has sus tained of the many evils to come, which are the inevitable lot of frail humanity ; and the early prize he has gained, without in curring the heat and burden, of the day, by his translation as it were, in a moment, to participate in the eternal services of the Upper Sanctuary, where all is light and love; and in which praise and adoration arc found, pure and intense—so much in unison with the still rapturous chords of his own heart ? Away with every doubt I The dispensation is written, in the registry of heaven, with sun-beams of love ! reams ! which even sparkle on the wave, which proved his tomb, in characters like these— Father ! I will that they also whom thou hast given me, may be, with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory !" With respect to oursvires, it is a solemn voice from God, to examine our hearts, whether in admiring the gift, we have not too often veiled the glory of the all-sufficient giver! Oh ! may we learn an indelible lesson froM this Providence, to cultivate a -vvore humble and heartfelt communion with the KING of ZioN IPA S tLir: I.n Him shine forth, with God-like lustre, every grace alad perfection 'that can charm and enrich the soul; and • though pastor, after pastor, fail, ua lives, the GR EA E 1. who hith promised—(Jer. iii. 15.) " I will give yob pastors ac cording to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." And again, (Psalm mail. 13. &c.) " The Lord hath chosen Zion : He bath desired it for his habitation. 'lbis is my tent for ever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision, I will satisfy her poor with bread. I. will also clothe her Priests with salvation; and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy V' Should this communication meet with your kind attention ; I may add to it, soon, a few strictures on the style and method of my late friend's sermons ; together with a poetical tribute to his memory ; which a friend, at my request, is composing. In the mean time, I remain, very respectfully, yours, Stc. Kennington, Aug. 19, 1811. * lie had not completed his 21st year, by some months. CHARITY. Having dismissed the four cardinal virtues, I proceed to an en quiry into the nature of Charity ; though the first eight verses of of 1 Corinthians, chap. :W. contain such a beautiful elucidation of this virtue, that volumes could not say more of it to an en lightened mind; but as all minds are not so, and many worthy well meaning people read the sacred text literally,l will take The liberty of making a few observations. Charity, by the Apostle, is declared to he superior to Faith and Hope ; because, without it, Faith is a mere nugatory. assent, and Hope a ridiculous pretension ; Faith is the root, Hope the tree" and Charity the fruit, whicleconstitutes the value of the tree. Almsgiving is an indi.spensible branch of Charity, but I think it is one of the least ; there are so many motives besides Charity to induce us to part with our money, that a man is not always sure he bestows from a true charitable intention; besides, it is much easier to open the purse than the heart, and St. Paul was certainly of this opinion, when he asserted, that" though he gave all his goods to feed the poor, anti had not Charity, it was —nothing." • • Charity is, in fact, what is in scripture termed Love. A new command I give- unto you, says our blessed Lord, that ye love one another, " Love your neighbour as yourself, and re t urn good for evil." 44 Charity sufrereth long and is kind," says St. Paul—sshe bears evils herself rather than put them upon others ; and puts up with the tempers, caprice, infirmities, ingratitude, and ill-will of others, in the hopes of correcting, amending, and removing them by persuasion and example. She accommodates, ameliorates, cheers, and cherishes; is neither suspicious, captious, splenetic, nor rude. 44 Charity envieth not, vuunteth - nit horse f, is not puffed up," rejoices as much in the good fortune of another as in her own ; and will forego her own advantage when it stands in the way of, and to the detriment of another's, except when im perious justice to those who depend upon her, demands other wise. She is modest, arrogates nothing to herself, but is rather pained at commendation, conscious that her best duties are defi cient, and flattery is more distressing to her than censure.. " Doth not behave herself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not ea u!y provoked, thinketh no evil, delighteth not in iniquity, but re. juieeth in the truth ; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endareth all things." As if the Apostle had said , Ch a rity is never ill-mannered ; but endeavours to make every ' one easy and comfortable, and is extremely careful of giving pain by deed or word ; is always ready to give up her preten sions, if by exacting them she distresses another ; and it 3 she hat too much humanity to affront any one, so has she too much con sideration and forbearance, and is too ready 'o make allowance fur the fallings of others, to suffer her ternpn to be ruffled to resentment by incivilities or even injuries ; neither will she de ivise evil against another, but puts the best cuustructiou ups The late Rev. . V/