do you say now?" "Why, just what I said before." "What! can you hear this and not be charmed? Well! I am quite surprised at your insensibilityWhere are your ears?" "Bear with me, my lord," replied Mr. C., "since I too have had my surpriseI have often from the pulpit set before you the most striking and affecting truths-I have sounded notes that have raised the dead-I have said, 'Surely, he will feel now'-but you never seemed charmed with my music, though infinitely more interesting than your's-I too have been ready to say with astonishment-Where are his ears?"

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I do not believe a spark of affectation was suspected in the reply he made to a pious lady whom he visited. She was making many inquiries and remarks relating to his birth, family, and connections: My dear madam," said he, "I wonder you can spend so much time upon so poor a subject! I called to converse with you upon the things of eternity."

What, however, affords stronger proof that this neglect of his rank was genuine, and arose from his hold of grander objects, is, that he not only, as we have just seen, turned from the subject; but, as has been remarked by many of his intimate friends as well as by myself, he never introduced it.

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I believe the late learned bishop of London, Dr. Lowth, upon whom Mr. C. used frequently to call, did not question the sincerity of his declaration on the following occasion. The Bishop had been long confined with the gout, and said, as he sat in pain, Ah, Mr. Cadogan, see what a poor thing it is to be a bishop of London." "Truly, my lord," replied Mr. C. "I always thought it was a very poor thing to be a bishop of London, if a man possessed nothing better." It may be remarked, that such a reply came with a better grace, as it came from one who in all probability might have obtained a bishoprick, had he made it his object.

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It was to the same prelate that he mentioned the difficulty he found in the usual mode of administering the sacrament: the number of his communicants had so greatly increased, that if he pronounced the prescribed words to each of them, the length of time. required, not only produced weariness, but many could not return to the afternoon service. He therefore proposed to the bishop administering the elements to more than one at a time, which the bishop, under such circumstances, judged proper.

His conversation, indeed, was seldom without profit; not only as to his choice of the subject, but as to the concise and pithy mode of his expression.

A curate of Mr. C's has honourably recorded an instance both of his benevolence and manner. In the year 1785, this gentleman was afflicted with a nervous fever, which brought considerable trouble and expense to his vicar in supplying his church. During his illness, besides the tenderness and sympathy with which he was treated in other respects, he continued to receive his full salary. To use his own words, "another quarter was ended with still less service done than the former. The like beneficence was exercised." The curate, confounded at such repeated and uninterrupted generosity, exclaimed"Dear sir, I have no demand upon you for this sum of money-I cannot receive it-I have only done duty for a few weeks, and how much trouble and expense have I put you to by my illness!" With a tender smile, and a noble dignity of spirit, becoming his natural and spiritual birth, Mr. C. replied "Take that which is thine own: did I not agree with thee for a penny?"

From a letter which I lately received from another of his friends, I extract one more instance: "After my being ordained deacon, and returning from Oxford through Reading, I called on Mr. C. So, Mr. W—,’ said our friend, you are in orders.' 'Yes, sir, and 1

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am frequently distressed, lest I should not discharge my office aright.' 'You have, sir,' replied he, 'but one thing to do: exalt Jesus, and the promise is, I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.' The im

pression which it made on my mind was not transient: I frequently now, (as I have repeatedly done in the course of my ministry) recollect the hint with profit."

There are some people, who speak well upon religion; but one feels a wish, that they would talk on any other subject. We can only reply, "True—it is so-you are right"—but all the time we have reason to fear that they themselves are wrong. Like the serpent, who, the fabulist tells us, came among other creatures to Jupiter on his wedding-day with a present, and brought a rose in his mouth, we are ready to reply, with Jupiter, "The thing itself is acceptable, but not the presenter."

The conversation, however, of our brother was a rose which grew from the root that was in him; and diffused a fragrance, appropriate and distinguishing, as it flourished amidst surrounding thorns.

For all, it seems, who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, in one form of it or other. A few, who knew nothing of his worth, sent him, not only unkind, but abusive letters; and returned, in various ways, evil for his good will: Mrs. Cadogan thought he should resent some of these things, lest too great meekness should invite more. It was natural for any woman of feeling, united to such a man, and to such a minister, to think the same. She informs me, however, that he always replied, "We must show these people a more excellent way--we must overcome evil with good-we must pray for them as Christ did, for they know not what they do." As he was riding with her the day after he had received one of these insults, he met the man who had sent it; and stopped the chaise to shake hands with him in the

most conciliatory manner. When he was told that one had threatened to insult him if he even entered his doors, he went in the most friendly way to his house; at once surprising and disarming the heart of the owner.

From Mr. C.'s attorney, at Reading, I learn, that a person, calling himself a quaker, had from the year 1784 to 1790, resolved to put Mr. C. to the unpleasant necessity of enforcing payment of his tythes by legal process. To render the expenses as light as possible, Mr. C. not only chose to proceed on the mildest statute, but forbore proceeding for several years, though insulted and abused by his debtor. A considerable sum, however, becoming due, a warrant of distress was about to be issued; and, notwithstanding a letter had been written by this pretended quaker, stating, that it was inconsistent with his religion to contribute to the support of a hireling minister; and adding, that he was willing to undergo whatever a pretended zealot might be permitted to inflict; yet Mr. C. on the solicitation of a friend of this man, not only stayed the execution of the warrant of seizure,. but absolutely forgave the whole of the debt.

About the year 1790, Mr. C. was to undergo a trial of another sort. An Antinomian preacher attempted at Reading to disseminate his pernicious principles: of whom I shall take more notice than, perhaps, such characters deserve, in order to place Mr. C. as an example before the eyes of young ministers; especially such, as may have to encounter difficulties of the like kind.

To be intelligible to every reader, it may be necessary first to observe, that Antinomianism is an error, which sets up the grace of God in opposition to his government; accordingly, it makes light of the evil of sin the necessity of repentance-and the evidence and excellence of holiness; and all this upon the specious pretence of exalting and glorifying the

work of Christ. But the work of Christ was not only to die for the sins of his people, but also to save his people from their sins; and to fulfil his great evangelical promise of putting his law into their hearts, and writing it in their minds, and causing them to walk in his statutes, and keep his judgments, and do them. The truth, therefore, as it is in Jesus, respects what he does for them and what he does in them: but as half the truth is a lie, so this is the lie called Antinomianism; that mystery of iniquity of which we are speaking.

Mr. Broughton, in his Dictionary, under the article Antinomians, says, "they were certain heretics, who first appeared in the year 1535," and that "they were so called, because they rejected the Law, as of no use under the Gospel dispensation." But those, who examine their principle, will find that this mystery of iniquity, as well as others, began to work even in the Apostles' days. Accordingly, we find St. Paul, after having stated the doctrine of justification by faith, making a stand against this perversion of the doctrine, in the sixth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans- -What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. We find him lamenting with tears the Antinomianism which prevailed even in so early a stage of Christianity. "Many walk (i. e. as professed disciples) of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction; whose god is their belly; and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things." Against this error we also find St. James and St. John labouring through their Epistles, and St. Peter and St. Jude in theirs, striving together for the true faith of the Gospel, and proving, with St. Paul, that, without holiness no man shall see the Lord.*

* A sound divine observes, that, "as the Law of God is that perfect standard of holiness from which every deviation is sin, so Antinomianism consists in relaxing on any pretence, or in any way, man's 19

VOL. I.