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to be called THE NEW CHURCH QUARTERLY REVIEW AND EXAMINER. The plan of the Reviews will be similar to that of the regular Quarterlies.' These will be followed by Original Essays on interesting and important subjects, together with such a digest of Miscellaneous Intelligence as may constitute a contemporaneous history of the Church. Several names favourably known to our brethren will be numbered amongst the contributors to its pages; and as the increased size of this publication will afford an opportunity of combining with a greater variety of interesting matter, an adequate development of the several subjects, it is hoped that it will obtain the coöperation and support of all who are interested in the promulgation of New Church truth. The price will be Two Shillings and Sixpence. And as the

number of copies printed must necessarily be limited to that of the probable sale (in order if possible to make it cover its expenses), it is urgently requested that all who are willing to become subscribers, will forward their names without delay, to Mr. H. BATEMAN, 6, Islington Green, London.-October 2nd, 1846.

SIR,

Please to add my name to the list of Subscribers to the New Church Quartrrly Review and Examiner, for copies.

Name

Address

Mr. HENRY BATEMAN,
6, Islington Green, London.

Marriage.

On Friday, September 25th, at the the Rev. Edward Madeley, minister, Mr. New Jerusalem Church, Birmingham, by W. Rolason, to Miss Caroline Adkiss Vine.

Obituary.

Died at Bristol, on Tuesday, August 9th, 1846, John Nicholls Cossham, Esq., aged 68 years; who had been a receiver of the Heavenly Doctrines more than forty-four years. Their reception by him was esteemed the greatest blessing the Lord in his providence ever conferred on him, as at that period his mind was predisposed to embrace Deism. It was not his privilege to enjoy for many years the blessings of being in connexion with a society, and of attending the public worship of the Lord on the Sabbath, until within the last two years; and on the formation of our small society he first signed our Church roll as a member, which I have reasons to believe proved a blessing to him. Though from his increasing infirmities he seldom attended public worship, yet he continually manifested an increasing solicitude for our welfare; of which he has given a lasting proof in his free gift to the society of one hundred and twenty-six volumes of books, including the whole of the Theological Works of our enlightened Author, and other New Church publications, to form the foundation of a library. We are led humbly to trust that he ". was found as one waiting for his Lord, with his loins girded, and his lamp burning," prepared to enter into the joys of His heavenly kingdom.

D.

Died, on the 29th September, 1846, at his house, East Bilney, Norfolk, in the 83rd year of his age, the Rev. Robert Sutton. The deceased, a minister of the Church of England, was, for more than the last twenty years, an ardent receiver and admirer of the doctrines of the New Church. The writer of this had the honour of his acquaintance and friendship for many years: he never appeared happier than when conversing with a friend upon these heavenly doctrines, which he perceived to be in mercy given to enlighten the human race, and to bless the world with peace. Upon the bare mention of these truths, which were always near and dear to his heart, his countenance would brighten up with joy, and his eye sparkle with delight. "He preferred Jerusalem above his chief joy." The name of Sutton is well known to the various institutions of the New Church, and to none is it better known than to the happy society at Norwich. In the New Church we know what death is;-that it is a continuation of life, and that the emancipated spirit of the dear departed has awakened to all the bright realities of a world that is everlasting, and to a life that is undying. He has exchanged his infirmity for vigour of spirit, and the bright hopes which he cherished here on earth, are exchanged for heavenly bliss.

Cave and Sever, Printers, 18, St. Ann's-street, Manchester.

T. G.

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ONE of the first acts of true charity, is to practise forbearance; and the second is to forgive. The latter is first in point of importance and real virtue, but the former necessarily precedes it in point of time. No one can sincerely forgive unless he previously forbears to resent; for if a man retaliates, what has he to forgive? The very act of retaliation is an exaction of a penalty-the price of injuries done. And when a man has received recompence or price for a thing, how can it be said that he has forgiven his debtor that same thing? If, then, we resent an injury, we put forgiveness beyond our power; we lose the vantage ground which innocence and kindness ever confer, and stand upon the same level with our injurer. From this position, we may see a great fallacy in the common doctrine of the Atonement. It is said, that God the Father accepted Christ as a ransom for mankind; and that He forgave our offences in consequence! But, how forgive? If Christ paid the debt, we owed nothing to the Father; and therefore He had nothing to forgive! The Father cannot, surely, demand more than was due; and no one, we think, will say that Christ paid less. What, then, did the Father forgive? It is easy to see that, if this doctrine were true, it would lead to a total denial of Divine Forgiveness. And when once this is denied, man will soon consider forgiveness to be unnecessary in him. It is extremely probable that this doctrine has already secretly done great mischief. It has taught men, that it is true justice to exact injury for injury, crime for crime, and trouble for trouble! It has infused this spirit into all our criminal laws; and many, who ought to know better, seem to be equally under its influence. In these laws, it has set a price as the ransom for every crime, to be paid by certain amounts of punishments. Immorality (and particularly adultery, one

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of the greatest spiritual enormities), costs nothing! First theft, imprisonment; second theft, longer imprisonment; third theft, transportation; murder, death. This is a very brief scale of prices; but any thing can be done on these conditions. These laws are based precisely upon the same principle as the common doctrine of the Atonement. The Father did not forgive, but He took the price of man's transgressions from His Son, which, we presume, was the same to Him as if He had taken it from man himself. Neither does the law forgive; for when once we come under its lash, no matter from what palliating circumstances (it never takes circumstances and character into consideration), it lets fall its full weight of vengeance.

The animus of this false doctrine has also incorporated itself with the usages of society. If one man insults another, it is honourable (and, until recently, nearly universally admitted to be so) to demand satisfaction. If a person receives a slight, he justifies himself in adopting supercilious and contemptuous airs; and takes great care to show to the unfortunate individual who has, perhaps accidentally, displeased him, that such conduct must receive a similar return. A single injury is quite sufficient to cause us to put off humanity, and assume the beast, and put out our horns to gore our adversary. And how many are they who delight to torment an enemy! In all this, and much more that might be named, we behold the influence of this doctrine upon society.

Now, however others may justify this conduct, New Churchmen cannot. We have no false doctrine to appease our consciences with in times of reflection. Every sin that we commit, we know is freely and frankly forgiven by our heavenly Father, without the infliction of any punishment; and we are bound to imitate him. In His divine mind there cannot be any thing like unforgiveness, even towards an unrepentant sinner! There may be an appearance of it at times, but appears because our repentance is wanting, and not God's forgiveness. It is there, and ready to be extended to us, but the presence of the evil obstructs its reception. Remove this, and God's mercy will instantly be seen. He truly "loves His enemies," and, in His own nature, "forgives them all their iniquities." This is the only example which, as consistent followers of the Lord, we should endeavour to copy.

this

It may be because the world practises a different conduct, that we reconcile ourselves to the same, for what we see every day, we are soon reconciled to. But, if we lived in the spirit of our own doctrines, we should soon rise above all this. To afflict because we have been

afflicted, and to offend because we have been offended, is evidently not the spirit of our creed. That is but the old Jewish doctrine of " an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;" which is unlawful for us to practise. This is the true Christian's rule of life," Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you!" But, some may suppose that we have a right to punish criminals and social offenders. We have a right to prevent crime and offences; but whether we have a right to punish in the manner we do, is a question which requires great care to answer. To a great extent, society, at this day, is above being reformed by punishment either of a private or public kind. Hence we see how little efficacious it is in correcting the morals of criminals. Besides, punishment is generally inflicted for something already done, which now cannot be undone, and not to prevent it in future; and therefore it assumes the character of judicial vengeance, rather than corrective justice. Now this is not right. "Vengeance belongeth not unto man." We have tried the law of retaliation long enough, and it has hitherto failed to convert enemies into friends, and criminals into honest men. Let us now, particularly in our private lives, try the law of forgiveness and kindness Let all bygones be bygones, for whatever they may have been, they cannot be altered now. And it would be far more profitable to use our efforts henceforth to prevent their spirit finding a resurrection in our future conduct, than to annoy ourselves and others by cherishing recollections of their past injuries.

Some think that there is something noble in manfully resisting another, and "giving as good as they received!" Nobleness in spitting fire and using the cudgel! which such a practice really is. How opposite is this to that injunction of the peaceful Saviour, "Resist not evil"! This is the very way to perpetuate our quarrels. Is it likely that we can convert a foe into a friend by shaking our fist in his face? We may overawe him, and terrify him into quiet, but this is not what we want. We want to make a friend and a brother of him; we want him sincerely to love and respect us. And there is but one way given under heaven of accomplishing this; "and that is, by putting coals of fire on his head; that does the business for him at once. Lie in wait for him, and when you catch him in trouble, faint from hunger or thirst, or shivering with cold, spring upon him, like a good Samaritan, with your hands, eyes, tongue, and heart full of good gifts. Feed him, give him drink, and warm him with clothing and words of kindness,'

* Burritt.

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and you will have turned your enemy into a sincere friend! See & beautiful exemplification of this advice in the conduct of David towards Saul, in the cave En-gedi. (1 Sam. xxiv.) In this remarkable instance of returning good for evil, we behold how powerful is the law of kindNo other means, most probably, would have "done for" Saul. We are willing to admit, that, to bring ourselves into a state like this, is extremely difficult; but what virtue, or what exalted position, was ever attained without it? It is too common to wish for virtues that require no self-sacrifice, and which are easily obtained; but this is impossible. Where there is no difficulty to be encountered, there is no virtue to be obtained. To go through opposing obstacles seems to be necessary to make the effort virtuous to us; and the greatest virtue lies in the self-sacrifice that we make. But whether it be difficult or not, the state must be acquired. We cannot enter heaven without it. Remember, "If we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us; but, if we forgive not men their trespasses, neither will our Father forgive us our trespasses.” (Matt. vi. 14, 15.) These remarks are the only comment that our Lord has left upon his divine prayer; from which we may infer, that forgiveness is the most exalted virtue that it inculcates. Remember, too, the parable of the unmerciful servant; how he was "delivered to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due ;" and consider well the important lesson that the Lord draws from it :-" So, likewise, shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye, from your hearts, forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Matt. xviii. 23 to 35.) These things suggest reflections of no trifling character! Nor is the duty of Christian forbearance less necessary. There is something extremely beautiful and exalting in this duty as taught by the Apostle. If we invest the following with no higher character than that of a simple sentiment, it still possesses great power and beauty:— "I therefore beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all louliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. iv. 1, 2, 3.) Were these sentiments established in the hearts of all men, and made the constant rule of action, how sweetly would the affairs of this world proceed! The same admirable spirit is breathed into Col. iii. 12 to 15, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering: forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the

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