schism. In the preface to his Essay on the Church, printed in 1787, and since admitted, on the motion of Bishop Horsley, (than whom no man could better estimate its merits and its usefulness) at a meeting of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, into their list of books, he says, he was led to the subject by the accident of his being at that time the only sunday schoolmaster in the place. A fortunate accident for the parish and the public, that gave rise to so excellent a treatise! And though there is no reason that the Minister of the parish should himself be the sunday schoolmaster; it were to be wished that all such schools were under his inspection and management. For as it pleases God, in the course of his dispensations, to bring good out of evil, so it is the province of the adversary of mankind to bring evil out of good, and there is much cause to apprehend, that without great circumspection on the part of our governors in church and state, the institution of sunday schools, considered at first with satisfaction as a step to national reformation, will be made subservient to the purposes of schism and sedition-" and what was intended for our welfare be an occasion of falling." In his little volume called the Book of Nature, this diligent instructor of babes" teaches them in the most pleasing and convincing manner, in a new language, as it were, by things instead of words, to "know the scriptures, which are able to make them wise unto salvation, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus; and in the Churchman's Catechism, he prepares them to keep" the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," by giving them just notions of the Christian Church, and instilling into their tender minds the necessity of continuing in its communion for the pre

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servation of that charity, which is the end of the commandment. A doctrine, the more earnestly to be insisted on in these days of wild disorder and confusion, when schism is accounted no sin, and to "hear the church," no duty. However spiritual some may think themselves, in separating from the church, or in causing divisions in it, the Apostle declares they are carnal: For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" And let it be remembered, that Satan is no less Satan, when transformed into an Angel of light," than when he appears in his own proper character. On the question being asked by one who had heard of the zeal and diligence of this good man, what "profit he had of all his labour," the Curate, his worthy successor at Nayland, who blest the day that first introduced him to the acquaintance of Mr. Jones, replied, "much every way," for besides knowing that "his labour was not in vain in the Lord," he had the comfort to find, it was not in vain among his parishioners, the good effects of his ministry being visible in their lives and conversations. At his first coming among them, the Communicants were few, which was matter of grief to him; but by exerting himself, both in the pulpit and out of it, "by precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little," he gradually affected a reformation, and the Sacrament was afterwards well attended.-Happy Shepherd, who can say, at the head of his flock, in the great day of account, Behold I and the sheep whom thou hast given. me, and not one of them is lost through my neglect !

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By the advice of his learned and judicious friend Bishop Horne, then become his Diocesan, to whose opinion he always paid the greatest deference, he put forth, in the year 1790, two volumes of Sermons on Moral and Religious Subjects, in which were included some capital discourses on Natural History, delivered on Mr. Fairchild's foundation (the Royal Society ap→ pointing the Preacher) at the Church of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, several successive years, on tuesday in Whitsun week.

In the discourse on the Religious Use of Botanical Philosophy, though he does not with Solomon speak of trees from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall, he discovers a thorough knowledge of the subject, and, by "seasoning the " contemplation of nature with a mixture of devotion, "the highest faculty of the human mind, he improves "and dignifies, and raises it to its proper object.""Because the waters run out of the sanctuary, the fruit of the trees shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine."

In his considerations on the Nature and Economy of beasts and cattle, which is the second discourse, after shewing with great ability, how the wisdom and power of the Creator are manifested in the qualities and properties of the different kinds of animals, as well as his goodness in rendering them in some natural way subservient to the benefit of man, he points out their intellectual use, in a variety of particulars, equally pleasing and edifying, in giving us ideas for the improvement of the mind and manners- "Go to the ant-consider her ways and be wise."

The earth and its minerals, the third grand department of the natural world, are the matter of the next

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discourse. In this, as in the former ones, the Author shews himself well acquainted with his subject. From a review of the terraqueous globe, and its contents, he observes, that the most evident proofs are every where to be seen of the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of God; and the truth of divine revelation, is illustrated and confirmed. The present state of the earth in all parts of the world bears witness to the Mosaic history of the Universal Deluge; and as the world, which hath been once destroyed already by water, the Scripture tells us, is now under sentence to be destroyed by fire, so modern discoveries have taught us, that the elements, which are to melt with fervent heat, want no accidental matter to inflame them, since all things may be burnt up by that matter which now resides within them, and is only waiting the word from its Creator. The subject, he remarks, becomes more edifying by examining what use has been made of some parts of it in the Scripture, which he exemplifies by several striking instances." Search the Scriptures"-" there is gold, and the gold of that land is good."

In a subsequent lecture on the Natural Evidences of Christianity, preached at the same place in the year 1787, and printed at the end of the volume on the figurative language of Scripture, having mentioned that men eminently learned, and worthy of all commendation, have excelled in demonstrating the wisdom of God from the works of nature, but seem to have been deficient in having rarely turned their arguments to the particular advantage of the Christian Revelation, by bringing the volume of nature in aid to the volume of Scripture, as the times now call upon us to do, he endeavours to supply that defect, and

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does it most effectually by adducing undeniable instances in all the leading doctrines of Christianity. Lord Bacon, he says, hath wisely observed, "that

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the works of God minister a singular help and pre"servative against unbelief and error, our Saviour having laid before us two books or volumes to "study; first the Scriptures, revealing the will of "God, and then the Creatures expressing his power, "whereof the latter is a key unto the former." He shews evidently, to the utter confusion of infidelity, that the doctrines of our faith are attested by the whole natural world. 66 They are recorded in a language which hath never been confounded; they are written in a text, which shall never be corrupted.”

At the preaching of the first of these sermons, the audience was not large, but it increased annually, as the fame of the preacher "was noised abroad," whose inanner was no less animated and engaging than the subject matter was profound and important, "bringing out of his treasure things new and old;" and at the last Sermon, the Church was full. Satisfaction was visible in every countenance while he was preaching, and disappointment when he shut the book, as "sorrowing they were to hear no more."

This faithful Seer, lamenting the corruption of the times, and the prevalence of error, through the artifices and assiduity of sectaries, republicans, socinians, and infidels, had long meditated the establishment of a Society for the Reformation of Principles, with a view to take such measures, in a literary way only, as should be most condusive to the preservation of our Religion, Government, and Laws, and, at last, in the year 1792, he flattered himself he had accomplished it. But to whatever cause it was owing, whether

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