صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[ocr errors]

who know all my innermost designs from the first to the last of this whole affair, as much as I do myfelf, yet to avoid giving all poffible occafion of offence to those who are fo ready to take it, I will own to you that I have hitherto declined going to Bofton, though greatly folicited to it. And I have conftantly confined myself within the narrow limits of this little government, where I live in the most private and inoffenfive manner, in expectation of my doom, which I count upon receiving from you, for I affure you, I have no other agent, refident, or friend left but yourself, from whom I can expect any effectual service. Perhaps if you got Mrs. Clayton to speak to the Queen, it might be the likelieft way to fucceed in obtaining the payment of his Majestie's grant but you know who are the propereft inftruments, and how to recommend it in the best light. I long to hear the fuccefs of your endeavours. I pray God preferve your health, and encrease your intereft and power, which as it must be agreeable to all your friends, fo it is impossible that any one can wifh it more heartily and fincerely than,

Dear Archdeacon,

Your most affectionate humble Servant,
G. BERKELEY.

My refpects where they are due. I have not room for particulars, but you know them already. My wife joins with me in fervice to you. Adieu.

LETTERS to a YOUNG GENTLEMAN intended for HOLY ORDERS.

[Thefe letters appeared originally in a Mifcellany pub. lifhed above forty years fince, and now become very fcarce. In reviving them, we are of opinion that many of our readers will be highly gratified.]

HA

LETTER I.

AD it pleafed God, my dear brother, to preserve the life of our affectionate father, as the care of your edu, cation would not then have fallen upon me, fo there would have been lefs occafion for any advice of mine, and confequently I fhould have felt lefs folicitude on your account: but Providence early depriving you of fo great a comfort and bleffing as the parental guidance, and the whole direc tion of your affairs devolving upon me; I have not only felt all the anxiety of a father for you, but ftudied every

means

means in my power to promote your felicity. To this I was naturally led by a tender fenfe of the unspeakable obligations I owe to our dear parents; and whofe folicitous affec tion for me fhall never be forgotten, while memory holds a feat in my bofom; refolved, as I am, by God's affiftance, to act towards you, and I hope towards all others, in fuch a manner, as I know would give them pleasure, were they fill with us; as I truft will give them pleasure, if peradventure the happy fpirits of the deceafed have any knowledge of what paffes amongft us erring mortals below."

But let me add, with great truth, that though this due regard to our parents, as well as a compaffionate feeling for your orphan ftate, endeared you to me with more than a brother's love; yet your own behaviour has been fuch, as would alone have been fufficient to have interested me greatly in your welfare: friendship is now engrafted upon affection; and every winning motive thus confpires to make me anxious for your fuccefs and felicity in life. You will bear me witness, that I have not been deficient, hitherto, in using all my best endeavours for your fervice: I have not omitted, in our frequent converfations together, to give you fuch directions refpecting your ftudies, and that flate of life which you have chofen, as appeared to me moft neceffary and advantageous. You know alfo very well my opinion respecting every branch of the clerical function. I have talked with you often and freely upon this head, and pointed out to you the path which will lead to the favour of God, your own peace, and to the refpect of the world; at leaft, fo far as it is defirable.

But as the time now draws nigh, when you are to enter into holy orders, and to affume the high and arduous character of a minifter of Jefus Chrift, and an instructor of men in the things which concern their falvation; I have thought, that a few letters from me on the fubject might not be unacceptable; in which though perhaps I may have nothing new to fay to you, nothing more than what I have repeated many times in conversation; yet fince what is written is apt to remain longer with us, at leaft may be preferyed always before us, I have determined to write down my fentiments to you on all the branches of the paftoral office, and to give you my opinion of the manner in which you fhould difcharge that office; after which I will fpeak of the general behaviour and deportment requifite for your function; and conclude with fome advice refpecting the course of study C

VOL. XIV.

Chm, Mag. Jan. 1808.

you

you fhould purfue, and the books you fhould read; a lift of which I will give you, in compliance with a request you once made to me; when, you may remember, you were complaining of the want of fome fuch information:-Now though thefe letters may have no great merit in them, and convey to you, as we before obferved, no new flock of knowledge; yet I beg you to receive them, as a pledge of my fincere affection, and most tender friendfhip towards you: a friendship, my dear brother, which I pray God to continue to the end; and which I flatter myself we fhall endeavour to preferve by the moft harmonious concurrence, in every action and opinion.

[ocr errors]

I remember, that a certain bishop* begins his letters of advice to his nephew, with remarking, that "It was much against his judgment and inclination that his nephew had made choice of divinity for his profeffion." A remark, which in itfelf favours frongly of a difcontented wafpifh fpirit, but which comes furely with a peculiarly bad grace, from a man "who had arrived at the highest rank in his profeffion." A profeffion, which relations feem defirous to difcountenance their children from embracing; because it is not productive of the greateft temporal emoluments, or the readiest road to exorbitant riches! Men, who talk and reason thus, if they have any reflection, ought to blufh: but when churchmen join in the affertion, we cannot but cbferve, how much like. the foolish bird, they bewray their own nefts, and cause the difcerning eye to fee the object of their main attention. Believe me, my dear brother, you will find the clerical function a moft unpleafing one, if you enter into it with the views of fuch men-if you propofe it as the ftalking horfe to worldly and ambitious defigns, I cannot tell where you could fix to meet with more chagrin, diffatisfaction, difappointment, and malevolence. But on the other hand, allow me to fay, that if you take upon you this office, as a good man ought, and a wife man will take it; and as I do from my foul believe and hope is your fincere refolution; then let me be bold to fay, you will find it the moft happy, as unquestionably it is the most honourable profeffion upon earth.

The reafon is evident, why it is not commonly found the most happy;-men do not efleem it the most honourable; and confequently, inattentive to the one thing needful, they run out in purfuit of extraneous objects, and bring home nothing

Bishop Clayton in his tract, entitled "Advice from a Bishop."

nothing but difcomfort and difcontent.-But do not fo, my dear brother: confider the office in which you are engaged, and the duty to which you are called: make it your fixed and fteady refolution to be confcientious, active and unwearied in the proper difcharge of your duty and I will venture to affure you of an inward peace and real satisfaction, which no other method of proceeding will or can afford.

It does not follow from hence that you are to be unconcerned as to the things of this world, or wholly regardless of temporal advantages. The labourer is worthy of his hire. And it is certainly confiftent with the higheft elevation of piety, to take a wife and prudent precaution fo to live in this world, as not to be unhappily diflracted by its preffing neceffities from a juft and becoming attention to the other. And I muft obferve, (for methinks it is a matter of much comfort and encouragement to all pious and zealous clergymen) that I have never known or feen an inftance of any fuch clergyman, in real want or diftrefs; except where it might well be accounted for from his own imprudent and unwife conduct; for all good men are not wife and prudent men; they are often not careful enough to blend the sagacity of the ferpent with the fimplicity of the dove.

I hope you will always unite them: make it your motto, "Wife and harmless ;" and then while free from the uneafy folicitudes of life, you will never come under the cenfure which they incur; who loving this world more than God, are perpetually hunting after its emoluments, to the disgrace of their functions, the prejudice of religion, and the total deftruction of their own private felicity.

Excuse the rest till the next opportunity, and believe me always,

Yours, &c.

J. G.

ON THE BURIAL OF DISSENTERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

SIR,

MAGAZINE.

WITHOUT gazing at the novelty, or wondering how

the letter of the Bafingftoke Diffenter got place in the Orthodox Churchman's Magazine, I will endeavour to

fhew

Thew your readers how little is contained in it that can illuftrate his fubject, or prove the point, which he is fo anxious. to prove.

[ocr errors]

He is concerned, he fays, for the peace of fociety. So am I; but I fear, we differ in our mode of purfuing it my rule "to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I am called in all lowlinefs and meeknefs," &c. " endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Ep. iv. 1. for without unity of fpirit, I never yet faw peace. I therefore follow the Apoftle's injunction, and "mark them who cause divifions" contrary to primitive doctrine, and am very cautious how I few pillows under the arms of those who separate themselves, "not having the spirit," Jude 14. by making no difference between them, and others who have not deferted the church. The peace of God's church, that peace which furpaffeth all knowledge, and understanding, and learning, I am fure is better fecured in this way, than by fhewing the fame refpect, and profeffing the fame hope for him who is within the ark of Chrift's church, and for others who throw themselves out of it. Your correfpondent of Basingstoke may be really concerned for peace, as he profeffes he is but certainly his brethren who infift upon the burial of their dead at church, can by no means pretend to the fame Chriftian fpirit; when we speak "unto them of peace, they make themfelves ready for battle." And for what is it they contend? for that which they only fometimes demand, when caprice or fome other motive fpurs them on to the conteft, and which at the fame time they vilify and defpife. Why do they not oblige the clergyman to baptize them, or to give them the Eucharift? Then the queftion upon burial would be fettled, and peace would be fecured. I have many a time, Sir, been furprized at the conduct of those diffenters, who seem so anxious for church burial; and can account for their proceedings only upon one or other of thefe fuppofitions: either that in fpite of their feparation, and their expreffions of contempt for the ministrations of the church, they are fometimes unaccountably compelled to own the true church of Christ,—or that they do it out of love of contention, merely to try how far, for the fake of peace, the ministers of the church will in'dulge their unreasonable demands,-unreasonable I say, in the extreme for what would the diffenters fay to churchmen, were the latter to bring their dead to the meetinghouse, and infift on the fervice of the diffenters? and if re

fufed,

« السابقةمتابعة »