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The twelve great lords of France who are called peers were probably so named, not so much from their equality, as from being past the middle age, and eligible on account of their experience, senators in wisdom, and ancients in knowledge.

The celebrated Timour, before any considerable undertaking, always consulted his peer, looking upon him (Koottub ul Aktaub Sheikh Zine u'deen Aboo Bukkur) in the light of a ghostly father. From the word peer, we may, perhaps, derive the appellation père, (French,) a father. Vid. Instruments of Timour, p. 5.

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Weha-Haste.

A cry used to camels; haste, expedition, in Arabic. We have the same word in English, but with an opposite meaning. Woh is the cry of the Stratford carriers to their horses in order to stop them. Shakspeare has used it in the Two Gentlemen of Verona, p. 11. Stevens's edition, vol. iii.

"There is no woe to his correction."

end to the correction of love, the Read woh, and explain, no stop, no mighty lord. Johnson's note says, the misery of those that love, or to no misery that can be compared to the punishment inflicted by love; as if it meant equal to, which I do not believe. If words of the same letters mean opposite things in the same lan, guage, as agyos in Greek, malum in Latin, (See Mr. Knight's Analytical Essay, 4to. p. 104.) à fortiorî, they may in different languages be more likely to have opposite senses, either by accident or design, either from ignorance or wilful perversion; the casual coincidence of letters will, it is true, sometimes form the same term in two languages without the smallest relation of one to the other.

Yekh-Içe.

Yekhché-Ice-stone, or hail.

Behar Danush, or Spring of Know, A thaw is prettily described in the ledge of Einaiut Oolla, translated by Dow, and much better by Mr. Scot. Waters liberated from confinement by the influence of the sun, ran to the cypress to relate the tale of their captivity. British Museum, Coll. Hamilton, Plut. xxxvi. 5564. The same author compares the brightness of ice to the silver of fish, that is, to its scales, which shine like silver, seemi mahi. Hail-storms are not common in hot countries. During a fall of hail at Masulipatam, the inhabitants gathered it up in their hands, but soon threw it away again, crying out that it burnt them; and true enough,

The infantine way of saying father is in most parts of the world very much alike, whether arra in Greek, tata in Gothic and Latin, or tad in Welsh, or dad in English, or jad in Persian, a grandfather jed bejed, from Burns frore, and cold performs th' effect of father to son.

Jefa Chafe, Trouble, injury. Fretting. Chafe means a heat, a fume, a fret. "Wolsey sent for Sir Thomas More in a chafe, for having crossed his purpose in parliament."

See Camden's Remains. The etymologists get no higher than the French in their derivations of this word, chafe, echauffer, but the original exists in Arabic.

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fire."

-The parching air

MILTON.

-penetrabile frigus adurit.”
VIRGIL.

berries of a cloud, hybab term.
In Arabic hail-stones are called the

Yugh-Yoke.

This word runs through the Persian, Greek, Latin, Dutch, English, and Saxon languages, &c. &c. &c.

LXX. A FAMILIAR SURVEY OF
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, AND
OF HISTORY, as connected with the
Introduction of Christianity, and with
its Progress to the present Time. By,
T. GISBORNE, A. M. Third Edi-

tion.

THOU

HOUGH it will not fall usually within our plan generally to give extracts from second or third editions of works, the excellence and importance of this, which escaped the no-, tice of the Editor in the former series, will be our apology in this and a few other instances, for deviating from our usual rule.

Chap. I. Summary view of the state of mankind from the creation of the world to the calling of Abraham.-II. Summary view of the origin of the few ish race, and of the history of that people to the death of Moses.-III. Summary view of the history of the Jews from the death of Moses to the present time.IV. On the books of the Old Testament. -V. On the books of the New Testament.-VI. Summary of the evidences of the Christian Religion.-VII. On the, leading doctrines of the Christian Religion.-VIII: On the character of Jesus Christ.-IX. The history of Christianily to the subversion of the Western Empire.-X. On the history of Christianity from the subversion of the Western Empire to the end of the thirteenth century. -XI. Continuation of Christian History to the present time.-XII. On forms of Church Government and Ecclesiastical Establishments.-XIII. Conclusion.

EXTRACT FROM CHAP. XIII.

PAGE 510.

well for them to know, without wait-
ing until the lesson be inculcated by
longer experience of the world, that
they have formed a scanty concep
tion of the number of those who take..
little pains to conceal their scepticisin
or their unbelief; and that there ex+
ists in the middle and higher classes.
of society a large description of per-
sons, who, without openly rejecting:
Christianity, can by no means be said
to believe it. That the number of
those who do not embrace the Gospel
affords no argument, either against
the truth of the religion, or the good-
ness of God, is a fact which I have
already had occasion to explain. The:
evidence which God has supplied on
behalf of the religion of his Son is
wisely adapted to the situation of
moral agents, of beings in a state of
trial. It is not instantaneously over-
powering, irresistibly bearing down,
alike the assent of the prejudiced and
the candid, of the careless and the
considerate. It solicits examination
it demands fair enquiry and the fairt
enquirer it rewards with conviction.
They who will not enquire, or who en-
quire not humbly and devoutly, ra-
tionally and fairly, deservedly remain,
in their blindness. This observation
belongs to the persons recently de
scribed as not openly rejecting Chriss
tianity, no less than to its avowed op
posers. They came forward into life,
as you perhaps are coming forward,
with an extremely superficial know
ledge of their religion, but without
any doubt of its divine authority. In
no long time they began to hear indi
rect cavils, and witty sarcasms aimed
against detached passages in the Scrip
tures; intimations dropped with a
significant air of sagacity about priest-
craft, and expressions of wonder that
the indulgence of natural inclinations,
should ever be a sin. Their ears, at
first a little shocked, soon becaine fa-
miliar to the sound, and learned by
degrees not to be offended at plainer
language. Direct charges of absur
dity, falsehood, and imposture ad-.
vanced, first against the Old Testa-
ment, then against the New, though
they did not produce conviction, were
heard without emotion. In the mean,
time the prejudices of education in
favour of religion, for in these per-
sons, uninstructed in the grounds of
Christianity, belief was nothing more
than a prejudice, were gradually
loosened. Habits of life too, perhaps,

Christian Faith and Christian Practice. "I. Young persons who, though little if at all instructed in the evidences and ground work of Christianity, have been accustomed, during their education, to the society, the language, and the public worship of Christians, usually come forth into active life, not only with full persuasion of the truth of their religion, but with scarcely a suspicion that there can be many persons in this country who doubt or disbelieve it. An avowed sceptic, or unbeliever, is in their eyes a phenomenon like a comet; and every one who is not a notorious sceptic or unbeliever they regard, as in faith at least, though perhaps not in practice, a good Christian. It may be VOL. I.

LI

were formed, which rendered the truth of Christianity, and the consequent certainty of future punishment for vice, highly undesirable. However that might be, the man grew absorbed in the business or the trifles of the world. Political pursuits, professional occupations, his regiment, or his vessel, or his compting-house, or his shop, or his hounds and horses, his gun, his company at home, his visits abroad, filled up the whole of his time. Religion grew more and more foreign to his thoughts. Not that he decidedly disbelieved it. He felt, when it crossed his mind, doubts of its truth, and a secret wish that it might not be true: he felt the most preposterous of all persuasions, (for in any person, who calls himself a believer in Christianity, no other persuasion can shew equal ignorance of its nature and its evidence) that possibly there might be something of truth in it, but that certainly there was much less than was represented: but he had not thought on the subject sufficiently to disbelieve it altogether, or to have any clear opinion. Yet perhaps he was now and then seen at church, at least in the country, when he had nothing else to do: for he was desirous of preserving a respectable appearance; and he was convinced that religion, true or false, should be encouraged among the lower people to keep them in order, particularly in these days of jacobinism. Suspicions too of the possibility of the truth of Christianity still hung about him, and at times he had half intended to examine into the matter. Once or twice a fit of sickness, or a domestic affliction, had increased his surmises, and he had determined that at some future convenient opportunity he would endeavour to satisfy himself. But the convenient opportunity never hap pened to arrive; days, months, and years found him occupied as before, and death surprised him at last in his grey hairs, uncertain of his faith. I do not speak lightly, when I express my apprehensions, that of the leading features in this picture many originals are to be found. The guilt of such conduct, like all other guilt, may be diminished or aggravated by attendant circumstances. How is it in the present case was the object in question unimportant? the eternal salvation of the individual was at stake. But bad he means of information, and

encouragement to use them? He lived in an enlightened age, in a protestant country; he lived where the Scriptures are open, and enquiry free to every man; where the most eminent learning and talents have devoted themselves to the defence of Christianity; where religion is publicly reverenced, and genuine piety the most honourable distinction.

"To set before you this example is to warn you against its dangerous contagion, and to impress you with the duty of warning on fit occasions, and with the earnestness of a Christian, those whom it may be likely to infect.

"As long as you remain upon earth, a scene of probation, it is reasonable to expect that your faith no less than your conduct should be subjected to trial. When you have been convinced on rational grounds that Christianity is true, be not hastily staggered by slight difficulties which Providence allows to exist, probably for the very purpose of exercising your faith. Î do not mean that you should neglect them. Bring them to the test of enquiry. Count as nothing the peremp tory assertions, with which they are advanced; the conclusions sophistically and dogmatically deduced from them; the sneers and the contempt aimed at all persons who acquiesce not in those conclusions. Examine the difficulty itself with care. Cons sult those who are most conversant with the subject. You will either find the difficulty vanish, perhaps that it even affords a new attestation to Christianity, or that whatever may yet be unexplained to you weighs less, when compared with the evidence of Christianity, than a grain of sand in the balance against a mountain.

"On the subject of faith I have yet to submit an additional observation. You will meet among believers in Christianity with persons who appear to think, that if by forced explanations they can represent some scriptural narration as an allegory, or pare away the corner of a miracle, they lighten the difficulties of religion to reasoning believers and unbelievers. The attempt, however well intended, is palpably most absurd. Miracles are the foundation of Christianity. The scriptural history is a history of miracles. What if one miracle out of a hundred could be solved into natural

Causes? Would those who were staggered by a hundred be more willing, is it reasonable that they should be more willing, to credit the ninetynine: Receive with submission the history of mankind as it is in Scripture, and the Christian faith as it is Jesus.' In your present stage of existence there will necessarily be parts of the divine councils and dispensations, which you see as through a 'glass darkly.' Why needs your faith to be troubled, be the amount somewhat less or more?

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II. "That practice is Christian practice which proceeds from Christian motives. He, who performs the duties of morality, because he sees it is the custom to perform them, is a punctual imitator, and may be destitute of religion. He, who performs them for the sake of worldly interest, is a prudent man, and may be an unprincipled hypocrite. He, who is observant of such of them as the laws of honour condescend to sanction, is a * man of honour,' and may be a villain. He, who in conformity to the dictates of custom, or of prudence, (I speak not of honour for it meddles not with the subject) attends to the outward duties of Christian worship, bas no claim to the reward of a Christian, the gift of eternal life. Numbers belong to one or other of these descriptions you will hear celebrated in the world as most respectable persons; as men as good as any that exist; 10 excellent that they cannot be better: for, man looketh on the out'ward appearance, but the Lord look'eth on the heart.' Leave such characters, for even yet they may be awakened and reclaimed, to the forbearance and mercy of an offended God; but make it the business of your life not to be like to them. Love and gratitude to God and your Redeemer must be your ruling principle, if you are really a Christian. Every duty which you perform on that principle, your God and Redeemer will reward. For any duty which you perform on some other principle, on what pretence can you expect a reward from them?

"The ways of religion are ways 'of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.' Unquestionably they are. They may be intricate and craggy, strewed with thorns: but they are surrounded with joy unspeakable

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and full of glory;' with the peace of God which passeth all understanding.' But do you forget that there will be intricacies, craggy obstacles, and thorns? Do you imagine that after all that Christ has done, nothing on your part is necessary for the attainment of salvation? Or do you think that whatsoever you may have to do, the divine grace promised to humble and fervent prayer will enable you to perform without difficulty? Why then do the Scriptures speak of the life of a Christian as a warfare? Why do they speak of denying yourself,' of taking up the cross, of crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts, of wrestling against principalities and powers of dark'ness,' of putting on the whole ar'mour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.' If with the assistance which God has promised to afford, you will not manfully fight the good fight of faith;' if you will not watchfully pursue, through whatever intricacies, the path of duty; if you will not strenuously labour to surmount the obstacles which impede your Christian course; if you will not patiently and cheerfully sustain the thorns with which the ways of religion are strewed; if you will not endure hardness,' call not yourself a good soldier of 'Jesus Christ' The captain of your

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salvation was made perfect through 'sufferings.' He suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps. He may call you as he did his primitive servants to

resist' his enemies, and those of your soul, even unto blood.' You are not the faithful servant of Christ, unless you are wholly his servant, prepared to relinquish all things, to bear all things for him. He calls you, and every one of his servants, to resist and overcome the world,' its ridicule no less than its applause, its smiles no less than its frowns, its allurements no less than its indignation. Try then habitually the principles on which you act, the line of conduct which you pursue, the ends at which you aim, not by the rule of worldly custom, of worldly interest, of worldly praise, but by the Gospel of Christ. Ask yourself with respect to every undertaking, with respect to every mode of proceeding, and every disposition of heart with which you prosecute that undertaking, whether Christ

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'on his throne of judgment will approve it? If you cannot answer that question to the satisfaction of your conscience, desist: whatever advantage you abandon, whatever detriment, whatever scorn you incur, desist. What shall it profit you if you gain the whole world,' all its wealth, all its honours, all its pleasures, all its praise, and lose your own soul?' Would you confess Christ in the face of persecution and death? confess him in the face of smaller evils, of smaller sacrifices. Hear, and remember throughout life, his own words: • Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before 'men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven'." p. 527.

LXXI. THE CONCORDAT BETWEEN

BONAPARTE AND POPE PIUS VII. (Concluded from page 242 of our last.) Citizen Portalis proceeds:

N morals, is it not the Christian

from the following extract, which is thus introduced.

"When we contemplate certain virtues, it seems as if we beheld a ray from heaven enlightening the earth. What then! shall we make pretensions to the preservation of the virtues, by destroying the source from whence they flow? Let us not deceive ourselves. There is nothing but religion which can fill up the vast space that exists betwixt the Deity and the human race.

"It might be supposed that go. vernment did enough in allowing free course to religious opinions, and in ceasing to disturb those by whom they are professed.

"But I ask, whether a measure of this kind, a measure which accomplishes nothing positive, but is in a manner of a negative kind, could accomplish the object which a wise government ought to have in view.

"Unquestionably, the liberty we have acquired, and the philosophy which enlightens us, are wholly irreconcilable with the idea of a predominant religion in France, still less

"I religion which has transmitted to with the idea of an exclusive religion.

us the whole body of the law of nature? Is it not this religion which has pointed out to us whatever is just, whatever is holy, whatever is amiable? Above all, by recommending to us the love of mankind, and clevating our thoughts to the Creator, has it not established the principle of all that is excellent in conduct has it not disclosed the true source of purity of manners? If the great body of the people, if individuals the most simple and the least instructed, entertain more fixed opinions than ever Socrates and Plato possessed of the grand truths of the unity of God, of the immortality of the soul, of the existence of a state of future retribution, are we not indebted for them to Christianity?"

"This religion promulgates some peculiar doctrines, but these doctrines are not arbitrarily substituted in the room of those which sound metaphysics have demonstrated. They do not usurp the place which reason formerly occupied. They only fill that space which reason had left void, and which unquestionably the imagination could not so well occupy." p. 41-42.

The situation in which religion is placed in France may be fearned

I call that religion exclusive, the public worship of which is authorized to the prejudice of every other. Such was amongst us the catholic religion in the later periods of the monar chy.

I call that a predominant religion which is the more intimately connect ed with the state, and which in the order of political institutions enjoys certain privileges which are refused to other forms of worship, the public exercise of which is nevertheless authorized. Such was the catholic religion in Poland; and such is the Greek religion in Russia. But a religion may be protected, without rendering it either predominant or exclusive. To protect a religion is to place it under the shield of the laws; it is to prevent it from being molested; it is to guarantee to its professors the enjoyment of the spiritual privileges they expect to derive from it, in as complete security as that which applies to their persons or their property. In the simple system of protection, there is nothing either exclu sive or predominant. Protection may extend to many different religions, it may extend to all.

I allow that the system of protection differs essentially from the

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