ship (which was one of his best performances) arose ultimately from this habit. He usually kept some devotional book on his table, in which he read a few pages occasionally at different parts of the day, as he might find a quarter of an hour to spare.'

In addition to the original Scriptures, and devotional and experimental writers, Mr. R. bestowed considerable attention on moral philosophy. He read with great care Butler's Analogy, a work work which he often and strongly recommended to others; observing on one occasion, to the writer of these pages, Whether Butler was a Calvinist or no, I know not, certainly he made me one.' Among other excellent authors, Mr. R. devoted much time to the study of Henry's Commentary-unquestionably the best Commentary on the whole Bible which had at that period appeared in the English language, and which one of his friends remarked he had studied on his knees.' A work still well deserving of serious perusal, though requiring considerable judgment to separate the valuable matter from the puerile; but which for general use, and especially for those who are only capable of procuring one Exposition, has been practically superseded by the much more valuable and judicious Commentary of the late Mr. Scott; a work to which in later years Mr. Robinson was most warmly attached, and which he strenuously recommended both to Students in divinity and for family use.

Mr. R. especially sanctified and improved the Lord's Day. On Sundays he attended of course the College Chapel and University Church, and occasionally availed himself of the opportunity of hearing Dr. Ogden, Dr. Powell, and other eminent preachers of the day. In the evening he and one or two chosen friends usually met at each other's rooms, conversed

on the sermons they had heard, read a portion of the Greek Testament, and united with each other in fervent prayer for the divine assistance and blessing on their own souls, and on all their studies and undertakings. A Sunday thus spent was doubtless usually the prelude to a holy and happy week.

'On my admission,' says the late Rev. Dr. Jowett, 'I found Mr. R. resident in the University, and soon perceived that he united an extraordinary degree of prudence and steadiness with great zeal in the cause of religion. I heard also that he was consulted by many young men in distress of mind, who perhaps at other times seldom were in his company, from a persuasion that he excelled in real piety.'

He appears also to have paid much attention to pious and hope. ful undergraduates, seeking their society and encouraging them in their religious and literary pursuits; evincing also in other cases considerable fidelity in reproving sin, combined with much tenderness to the individual transgressor. While Mr. R. was an undergraduate, some young men went about the University endeavouring to prevail upon the undergraduates to sign a petition in order to set aside subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles. In Trinity College the first question which the undergraduates put to those persons who applied to them was—

Has Robinson signed the petition?' and they declined signing it when they found he had not: and the argument which the persons applying made use of to prevail upon Mr. Robinson to sign. was, If you will sign, all the undergraduates in Trinity College will sign.' Mr. Robinson of course refused.

While however Mr. R. sought "first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," endeavouring that every week and every day should begin with renewed devotion to God, he by no means felt himself

justified in neglecting those literary and scientific pursuits to which he was called. He was not like many who conceive themselves wiser than their teachers, and deem themselves justified in neglecting those studies which long experience has prescribed as most suitable to young men in our Universities, and who in consequence eventually reap in sad disappointment and late repentance the just penalty of their presumption. On the contrary, the principal part of his time appears to have been equally divided between classical and mathematical pursuits; and a fair proportion of the remainder was devoted to moral philosophy, and general literature; and this arrangement of his time he appears to have preserved with little variation during the whole of his University career. His health was not strong, but he endeavoured to overcome this inconvenience by regular diligence in study, and by prudent regard to exercise and recreation. The advice which he many years after gave to the writer of these pages, in somewhat similar circumstances, may here with propriety be recorded as illustrating Mr. R's own conduct.

'Be diligent,' said he, but at the same time be prudent and circumspect. It is your duty to improve your time, but that improvement must have a reference to the state of your health and of your constitution. Whatever your attainments may be, they will be of small account if the acquisition of them is accompanied with enfeebled health or a ruined constitution. Your ultimate object is the work of the ministry, and while you are obtaining the mental qualifications for this, beware lest your bodily powers should be weakened or destroyed. Beware of the midnight lamp. Rise early, and devote yourself diligently to God. Let the Bible and some pious practical writer occupy a part of your early time. Then apply to

the studies of the place. The main topics of religion are few, and have already occupied your attention, and your knowledge of them will continually increase by the due improvement of your Sundays and devotional hours. But your especial business now is to attain a due proficiency in literature. Let mathematical and classical studies be regularly pursued. But do not apply too long at a time. Your constitution will not permit the same degree of exertion on which many might venture; but by proper management you may effect all that is truly desirable. Do not employ more than two or three hours together on the same subject-then take a few minutes' exercise, and engage in some other pursuit. By a proper arrangement and division of your time, you will make far more effectual progress, than by long continued and painful exertion.'

To the wisdom of such advice the writer can bear witness; and the result of thirty years' experience, combined with much practical knowledge of the actual state of things at present in our Universities, induces him to urge this advice on the attention of all who are entering on a college life. The observance of these rules will usually be attended with successthe neglect of them as certainly be followed by bitter and unavailing regret, oft-times by ruined health, loss of character, and most painful disappointment. disappointment. Few places are so dangerous to an idle man as our universities.

Mr. R.'s diligence and devotion were attended with most encouraging success. He was elected scholar of Trinity College in April, 1771. He obtained, in the same year, one of Dr. Hooper's prizes, for the best English declamation. He was seventh Wrangler in the Senate House Examination, in January, 1772, was elected Fellow in the following October, obtained

in the next year the second middle bachelor's prize for the best Latin essay on some moral subject; and was usually regarded as the best general scholar of his year-a year distinguished among others, by the names of Tomline (Pretyman) late Bishop of Winchester, and James, late head master of Rugby school.

A few weeks after Mr. Robinson had taken his first degree, he was ordained deacon by Bishop Keane, and entered on the curacies of Witcham and Wichford, two small adjoining villages in the isle of Ely. Here his ministry was attended with immediate and surprising success. It would be difficult, at this distance of time to ascertain the state of those parishes, at the period when Mr. R. commenced his ministrations. Probably they had been like too many country parishes, much neglected. Certainly the moment Mr. R. appeared, his discourses excited the utmost surprise and attention. His slender form and youthful appearance procured for him immediately the title of the Wichford Boy; but his serious deportment, his full and explicit statements of gospel truth, his powerful appeals to the heart and conscience, his commanding voice and energetic manner, all united to produce a deep impression. He preached here, as everywhere, the plain and fundamental doctrines of the gospel-the fall of man-Jesus Christ the way to God -salvation all of grace-our absolute need of divine influencesand holiness as that fruit of faith, without which no man shall see the Lord. The gospel thus preached, was in numerous instances applied to the heart and conscience by the power of the Holy Ghost. Many who came from curiosity, to scoff or ridicule, were arrested, convinced, and savingly converted. Bitter enmity and hostility were, in some instances excited, and some who once violently opposed were, through divine mercy, savingly

converted. Full forty years after Mr. R. had left these curacies, the writer had the pleasure of meeting with some who had derived spiritual advantage from his early labours, and who expressed in strong and appropriate terms their deep obligations and their warm attach

ment.

In these curacies Mr. R. preached twice on the Sunday, and once in the week. He admitted also some who were seriously disposed, to his. exhortation and family worship on the Sunday evening, and assiduously visited his people, and especially those who were afflicted, from house to house. He here commenced the practice, from which he seldom deviated, of preaching courses of sermons, either expository, or from a connected series of subjects. He thus explained in succession the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, &c. and many of these discourses produced a deep impression at the time, and were remembered after many days. His churches were now thronged with a numerous and attentive audience. Many from the surrounding villages regularly attended his ministrations, among whom were the lady whom he afterwards married, and her sisters; and some persons from Ely, and even from Cambridge, a distance of no less than fourteen miles, were induced, by various motives, occasionally to listen to his discourses. He was soon, as might naturally be expected, accused of Methodism, of being righteous overmuch, and of being actuated by various corrupt motives. They laid to his charge things which he knew not; but he steadfastly persevered in the path of duty, vindicating himself in some instances from the unfounded and indefinite charges with which he was assailed; but in general leaving his concerns in the hands of his heavenly Father, and practically saying, "Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God,"

On his election to a fellowship at Trinity College, in October, 1772, which took place a year earlier than usual, several of his friends, and especially Bishop Hinchliffe, then Master of Trinity, expressed their desire that he should relinquish his curacies and reside in College; pointing out to him, in various respects, the field of usefulness which such a situation would afford, and the prospects of personal advantage with which it would be attended. While, however, Mr. R. gratefully acknowledged their kindness, he declined the proposed advantages, and returned to his retirement in the isle of Ely. He ever regarded the ministry as the greatest and most important work; and during his whole life steadfastly declined every proposal which could in the least interfere with the zealous discharge of this important undertaking.

Had Mr. R. indeed decided otherwise, and preferred a college residence, there can be no doubt that he would there also have been eminently useful; that zeal for God -those eminent talents-that decision and determination of character, which enabled him to maintain so firm a stand in other arduous situations, would doubtless have produced the most beneficial results in the bosom of the university. Where, indeed, the personal religion of the individual is doubtful— where he is evidently deficient in firmness, diligence, devotion, he will do well to shrink from so arduous an ordeal; but to truly pious and superior scholars, a few years' residence in our universities affords exceeding opportunities of usefulness, which the Christian should promptly embrace and diligently improve. How extensively has the cause of religion been promoted in the university of Cambridge, and by consequence through the empire, nay, the world at large, by the continued labours

and residence of Jowett and Milner, of Simeon and Farish! Far be it from the writer to intimate in the least that Mr. Robinson adopted an unwise or inexpedient determination. He doubtless had sound and weighty reasons for his own conduct; but that conduct should not be regarded as a precedent to which serious and devoted characters should generally conform; for were such the case, the important business of instructing those who are to fill the most important stations in church and state would soon devolve on very unsuitable persons. Rather let young men of talents and piety regard it as an object worthy of Christian ambition to attain that distinction in literature, in science, and above all in the knowledge and experience of religion, that they may erect a standard for God in the most conspicuous stations in the land, and so "let their light shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven."

Mr. R. continued at Wichford about two years, and was then induced to accept the curacies of St. Martin's and All Saints, Leicester. The causes of his removal are not exactly known. The vicar of Wichford had expressed some dissatisfaction in consequence of Mr. R.'s having allowed Hymns to be sung in his church, and the probability is, that the curacy of Witcham alone would not have afforded an adequate maintenance, especially as he had formed an attachment to the lady whom he afterwards married. He was induced to prefer the curacies at Leicester to some others which offered at the same time, contrary to his first impressions, by the judicious advice and persuasion of the Rev. Dr. Stevens, then Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. Mr. R. consequently removed to Leicester early in the year 1774.

BEFORE We proceed to the consideration of the seventh seal, involving within its circle, the seven trumpets of trouble and woe to the Eastern Empire, it is necessary to advert, for a few minutes, to a remarkable circumstance which is introduced by the apostle, at this particular juncture. It is related by him in the seventh chapter of the Apocalypse, which is interposed between the opening of the sixth seal, and the opening of the seventh.

At the beginning of this chapter we are told of “four angels, standing on the four corners of the earth, and holding the four winds of the earth." These angels, whose office

it was,

"to hurt the earth and the sea," are suddenly arrested by the voice of another celestial messenger, who stays their progress until a remarkable sealing shall have taken place, which sealing is immediately effected.

Viewing the Christian church under the figure of the nation of Israel, we are told that an aggregate number of 144,000, composed of 12,000 from each tribe of the Jews, are sealed with the name of the living God. We have, therefore, to inquire the meaning of this sealing, and also who are the people so distinguished.

Mr. Frere and Mr. Irving agree, we believe, in viewing this sealed body as a type of the British people. They assume that a nation must be intended by this 144,000, because the children of Israel, formerly God's own peculiar people, are the type. But this foundation utterly fails them: for, on looking closely we shall observe that it is not "the children of Israel" who are sealed, but a select number taken out from among the children of Israel. So that the intent is plainly seen to be, to figure forth,

not the whole visible or nominal church, but the select few, the real servants of God, scattered through that church. And, as some are taken out of every tribe, so we may understand that in every country of the Roman earth, or Christendom, God has his faithful few, whatever dangers or difficulties they may have to contend with.

It is rather singular that Mr. Frere and Mr. Irving should make the British nation at the same time one of the ten horns of the Roman beast, one of the papal kingdoms, and also the sealed nation who are exempted from the judgments which fall on those kingdoms. We do not see how these two positions can possibly be reconciled.

Mr. Faber's interpretation is far more just and consistent. He remarks truly, that ' while the church was in a suffering state, few, save the truly pious, would be disposed to join her.' In these ages of the church the very name of Christian was a kind of seal or mark. But when Christianity became popular and fashionable, multitudes would join the visible church, who knew nothing of the spirit or grace of Christ. A seal, therefore, or mark, by which the true disciples might be known, was no longer the unneeded thing it would previously have seemed.

Unfortunately, Mr. Faber having brought the sixth seal, in his view of it, only to the age of Constantine, is compelled to place this sealing in that period. And by so placing it, he necessarily limits its intent to the above general principle. There are, however, some points developed in the course of the Apocalypse, which require to be brought together before we can fully understand the intent and bearing of this sealing.