"Mar. 17. I plainly perceive that the Lord has permitted me to suffer a dereliction, as a just punishment for too much carelessness; but O! my Lord Jesus, let me see the light of thy countenance. Fix my roving wishes, and nail them to thy cross; and oh! let me remember, that no flower can blow in Paradise, which is not transplanted from Gethsemane; no one can taste of the fruit of the tree of life, that has not tasted of the fruits of the tree of Calvary. 18. A day of rest. Rest thou, O my soul! from vanity and the world. Fix thyself on the cross, and there muse and contemplate, till thou art filled with the theme. "-24. I purpose to preach five evening lectures next week, on the progress, nature, and extent of Christ's sufferings. May the subject animate my soul, and through grace give life to my weak faith. "Lord dead! and thus end all hopes of preferment (as it is called) from that quarter. How absurd to build on man! Wherever the Lord designs me to do good, he will keep or place me; and in him all is right, and as it should be. - 26. How many unforeseen events crowd upon my attention; what a strange busy scene is this, and how it strives to steal the heart from God! 27. I feel much dissatisfied with myself. Lord, what am I, that thou shouldst so regard me? A worm, a vile worm of the dust. I am to preach to-night a lecture on Christ's sufferings. What do I suffer for him? "-30. Good-Friday. I bless God that my first act has been weeping for thy sorrows, O my Saviour!" It is impossible to peruse the foregoing extracts without a deep conviction of the sincerity and earnestness of the writer. The heart seems to be unfolded before us, stripped of the illusions of self-love, which are so apt to mingle in the estimate that we form of ourselves; and conscience is armed with all the authority of a judge, and pronounces its impartial verdict. We see in his internal conflicts the struggles between the two opposing principles, "the flesh and the spirit;" the strivings of inward corruption, and the aspirations of the soul towards God. The feelings of every renewed heart will harmonise with this description; though the accurate observer will not fail to remark, that the full triumphs of faith and hope were yet wanting, and that stability, which time and experience are necessary to bestow; for though the principle which renewed the heart is marked throughout by circumstances which ascertain its reality, its effects and influences are always progressive. The reader who is léss familiar with these things, may here learn a most instructive lesson. He may not comprehend the doctrine of conversion-he may know nothing of the conflicts of the soul-nothing of the two principles within, alternately striving for the mastery-nothing of that jealousy over the heart, and that deep conviction of its depravity, expressed in the Diary of Mr. Richmond. Let him then examine the fact here presented to his notice; he sees a man undergoing a visible and remarkable change in his views and conduct, and his principles and affections directed to high and holy objects-the reality of the principle attested by the reality of its effects, and inward grace illustrated by outward holiness. Let him remember, that the conversion, so strikingly exhibited in the case of Mr. Richmond, is no less needed by himself;—that it is indispensable to his admission into the abodes of peace and glory; and that if heaven be a prepared place for a prepared people, and a fitness for its enjoyments be essential to their possession, there must be a knowledge of this principle, an inward experience of its power, and an outward evidence of its existence in the life, before he can have a well-grounded assurance of a happy immortality; for the spirit of heavenly inspiration has recorded, in characters never to be obliterated, "except ye be converted, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." CHAPTER V. Relation of circumstances occurring during the period of the foregoing chapter. The plan of the preceding chapter having restricted us to the illustration of a particular principle and its effects, we now proceed to notice what occurred within the period that has just been traversed. We have already alluded to the sermon preached by Mr. Richmond at Bath, 'On cruelty to the brute creation,' and to the publication of that discourse, at the request of the congregation. As the attention of the legislature has of late years been often directed to this subject, we think the following extract will not be deemed altogether without interest. "This dominion over the creatures was given to Adam, whilst the likeness of God shone forth in him; consequently it was a merciful dominion. It was a sovereignty designed to be exercised with every possible kindness of treatment, which the grateful and benevolent temper of man, in his state of primitive righteousness, could suggest. Hence we are enabled to deduce the right of the inferior creatures to kindness of treatment, from a most satisfactory and unerring source of argument, no less than an explicit revelation of God's will, coeval with the foundation of the world itself. The merciful design of God in making man the lord of the creation, is mercifully manifest; for such was the holiness of man's heart, such the purity of his affections before the fall, that every creature subjected to his rule was assured of being happy. The intention of God, whose loving kindness is over all his works, was fully accomplished by appointing man, such as he was whilst in Paradise, to be the intermediate instrument of his goodness towards them. Made in the express image of an holy and merciful God, Adam, like his Maker, was holy and merciful too." We might here have noticed another sermon, published by him two or three years prior to this period, entitled, 'Reflections sug gested by the close of the year,' which passed into a fourth edition. It abounds with impressive remarks and strong appeals to the young and to the old, on the short ess and uncertainty of human life; but his religious views not having then attained the maturity and correctness by which they were afterwards characterised, we forbear making any extracts from it. The religion of Mr. Richmond, though it engaged his most earnest and anxious thoughts, had no tinge of gloom or austerity. He was at all times cheerful; and the following letter, addressed to his aunt about this period, inclosing his profile, is an instance of that playfulness of humour in which he was often accustomed to indulge. "My dearest Aunt, "Brading, Feb. 10, 1803. "Being unwilling to trust mere pen and paper to make excuse for my long silence, I have sent a representative to do it for me; humbly conceiving that a shadow of an apology would be best made by a shadow of a man. Now, my dear aunt, unsubstantial as a shadow is, it may nevertheless be the means of creating a very solid idea of the thing signified. At all events, it is better than nothing; more especially as this shadow possesses (what other shadows do not) a stationary faculty; and I do apprehend, that whether the sun shines or not, and whether a candle be or be not in the room, the said shadowy gentleman will not quit your fireside without leave, if you think him worthy of being once placed there. It is true, that from the very constitution of his nature, he rather looks from than at you-but what then? A man's heart may look one way, whilst his eyes turn another; and I beg you to take it for granted, that he is thinking very much about you, notwithstanding the imperfection of his bodily frame impedes his treating you with a full stare. If you please, you may fancy him in the pulpit, and that your pew happens to be rather on one side of him, which will fully account for his looking strait forward; as imagining that his admonitions and reproofs are less wanted in the pew on his right hand, than in many other parts of the church. It may, indeed, seem somewhat strange that any one, who has renounced (or at least, as a parson, ought to be supposed to have renounced) all dealings with the black art, should send a black gentleman as an ambassador and representative. But strange, or not strange, so it is; and here he comes, and begs leave to say, that he is generally considered as bearing a strong resemblance to his master; upon the strength of which plea, he chiefly hopes for a favourable reception at your hands." The following lines were written on the occasion of the loss ofa young midshipman and nine sailors, belonging to his majesty's ship Leviathan, who were unfortunately drowned, not far from his residence in the Isle of Wight, in the year 1804 Hark to a voice that sounds from ocean's cares, Ye mortals, who in fancied safety sleep! Warn'd by our sudden fate, learn heaven to prize; Earth's pleasures fade, her riches quickly flee; Death in one awful moment clos'd our eyes, Thou know'st not but the next may summon thee. We add some further specimens of his poetical efforts:→ A BIRTH-DAY THOUGHT. My birth-day of nature I've oftentimes kept, And rejoic'd in the revels of youth; Yet 'twas all but a dream, for I slumber'd and slept, Quite a stranger to God and his truth. But he pitied my soul, I awoke from my sleep, And he saved me in infinite love; A new birth-day my Saviour then taught me to keep, For again I was born from above. And now I believe that the God of all peace But if angels rejoiced at my birth-day of grace, LR "No cloud can overshadow a true Christian, but his faith will discern a rainbow in it."-Bp. Horne. The same idea versified : What though a cloud o'ershade my sight, Big with affliction's tear; Yet Faith, amidst the drops that fall, Discerns a rainbow there. Epitaph on the death of his own infant: This lovely bud, so young, so fair, Call'd hence by early doom, Just came to show how sweet a flower In Paradise would bloom. L. R. By a reference to the Diary, it will be seen that an allusion was made to Mr. Richmond's review of the late Archdeacon Daubeny's Vindicia Ecclesiæ Anglicana.* This critique, written in the year 1804, and inserted in the Christian Observer, claims a just title to distinction among productions of this class; whether we consider the ability and conclusiveness of its reasoning, the extensive acquaintance which it manifests with the writings of the Reformers, and with the genuine principles and doctrines of the Church of England, or the conciliatory spirit in which it is written. Controversy is here stripped of the acrimonious spirit which too often disgraces its pages; and truth is pursued without violating the law of charity. By a writer in the Critical Review for June, 1805, this critique is called, "the most respectable" work which has yet come before him. “In delivering this opinion," he declares himself to have been "influenced by a regard to the author's experience and learning on the matters in dispute, to the soundness of his principles, to his talents as a reasoner, and to the moderation and good temper with which he expresses himself." He adds, that the author "has manifested a considerable acquaintance with the writings of the Reformers, and the history of the religious opinions of their day;" and that he "has successfully exposed some errors of Mr. Daubeny, and has thrown out several remarks which may well deserve the attention of that gentleman." That the reader may be fully in possession of the circumstances of this controversy, it is necessary to state, that the Rev. Mr. Overton had written a work, entitled, 'the True Churchman ascertained,' in which he undertakes to vindicate that portion of the clergy usually designated 'Evangelical,' from the charges and insinuations of * See p. 39. |