f He fays "It is neceffary to raise an additional mound about the virtue of the fair fex; by confidering the character of thofe women, who, in defiance of decency, dare to affociate with pollution, as contaminated by the contact. Whatever the profes fors of the new philofophy, or the eulogifts of modern candour, may think, the infamy of Vice is the last bulwark of Virtue. "That women of fashion, in this country, have made great advances towards a ftate of total indifference refpecting the moral character of the females whom they admit into their fociety, ftriking proofs are, at this moment, publicly exhibited. The feelings of refpectful loyalty muft here impofe a reftraint upon the pen; but every one who has the leaft regard for virtue, or even for decency, muft be ago. nized by reflections, which it might be improper to exprefs. In another cafe, of a fimilar kind, which now presents itself to the notice of the public, no claims to respect can impofe filence, or reftrain indignation. A woman of the most infamous life is now received into the highest circles of fashion. The female in question, a foreigner, has lived publicly as the miftrefs of Berthier, and of other French republican ge nerals. With fuch a woman it feems that English ladies, of the highest rank, think it no difgrace to affociate!!!" Hence he paffes to the fecond branch of his fubje&t. "The whole ftile of modern female drefs, was evidently invented by the most profligate of the fex, for the purpofe of exciting fenfuality, and of inflaming paffions that ftand in the greatest need of reftraint; but they have been adopted by women who lay claim to unfullied reputation, and by them tranfmitted to the loweft ranks of female fociety! This fcandalous violation of the laws of decency, has already, in many inftances, been attended with a moft awful and fevere retribution; with a retribution which is calculated to wound the tendereft feelings of our nature. Many women who, a little while fince, fhone forth among the lovelieft of their fex, are now dressed in their fhrouds, because, in an evil hour, they laid aside thofe parts of their apparel, which health, as well as decency, forbade them to relinquifh. What must be the emotions of those parents, and those husbands, who have been thus bereft of their dearest comforts, which a little feasonable and kind admonition might have ftill preferved; a very moderate degree of reflection, indeed, without the aid of admonition, should be more than fufficient to prevent the adoption of fo baneful a fashion. What woman, having any claim to character, would fuffer herself to tranfgrefs the laws of decency, if the confidered, for a fingle moment, how cheap the thereby renders herfelf in the eyes of the other fex? The female, who makes a difplay of her charms which modefty requires to be concealed, may become an object of transient defire, but she forfeits all title to respect. The man of fenfe, who is ever the friend of decency, (for never was a maxim more true than that which represents a want of decency as a want of sense), looks upon fuch a woman as a difgrace to her fex. Nay, the fhallow fuperficial coxcomb has fenfe enough to discover her unfitnefs for the facred duties of conjugal life: and to know that decency is the leaft pledge that a woman can give for chality. Even the licentious admiration, which the profligate libertine pays to her charms, is mingled with fecret contempt and he talks of her, among his diffolute companions, with a groffness of familiarity, the very idea of which would raife in her cheeks the glow of indignation, if it did not fuffuse them with the blush of modesty.” He fpeaks in terms, appropriately beautiful, of the beneficial influence which women of virtue have on fociety. "Females dignify their character by investing it with chastity. They not only purify paffion from all its groffnefs, but they convert, what would otherwise be a mere brutal appetite, into the facred flame of connubial love. They infpire into the tender mind, which it is more immediately their province to form and to cultivate, fentiments and principles, which, in future life, may prove a furé preferva tive from vice; or which, fhould they fail fo to operate, may, nevertheless, become faithful monitors to recall to the paths of religion and virtue. "By their chafté converfation, coupled with fear," they foften, they polifh the rougher fex, which, without their mild and genial influence, would never exhibit any thing better than a race of barbarians. They refine, they enoble the human mind, by prefenting to its view the tender, the indiffoluble attachment of virtuous love, as the fource of the higheft temporal felicity. They conftitute the very ties of those family connections, thofe domeftic focieties, which alone can fofter in the human heart the tender fympathies, the focial affections, and "all the charities of father, "fon, and brother." In fhort, they adorn, they harmonize the world; they shed on human life its choiceft comforts; they excite and cherish the fenfibilities which cherish the germ of virtue; they prepare and difpofe the mind for the facred and falutary influence of religion; and they qualify mankind for that state of civilization, which, if accompanied with piety and good morals, would conftitute the perfection of human fociety." We have already exceeded our ufual limits in giving extracts from this well-written and well-timed little work;-but we cannot refift the temptation of inferting a note which occurs p. 17, relative to the Proclamation Society, and the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice; two affociations to which we with a fuccefs commenfurate with the excellence of their views and intentions. "From fome recent convictions and fubfequent detection, it appears that attempts to pollute and debauch the minds of youth of both sexes, by prints of the moft grofs and fhocking obscenity, are multiplying in an alarming degree. Happily there are focieties for the detection and fuppreffion of vice, which are extremely active in detecting and bringing to juftice the wretches who are guilty of fuch atrocious attempts to corrupt the rifing generation. Every individual, who has any folicitude for the morals of the country, will contribute all in his power to aid the falutary efforts of those focieties, by denouncing to them offenders of the above defcription, as well as by watching over the youth over whom he has any authority, or with whom he has any influence. It is juftly obferved by Dr. Gillies in his hiftory of Greece," that the fine arts, particularly painting, have been prostituted to the purpose of voluptuoufnefs; and that licentious pictures are mentioned, by ancient writers, as a general fource of corruption, and confidered as the firft ambush that befet the safety of youth and innocence." Vol. ii. p. 188. 2d edition. As the firm friends of religion and virtue, we recommend Mr. Bowles's pamphlet to the serious attention of the British fair, to every mother, every daughter; and generally to every brother, every father, and every mafter of a family. The Influence of the Female Character upon Society, confidered more especially with reference to the prefent Crifis, in a Sermon, preached in the Parish Church of St. John, Hackney, on Sunday, November 22, 1801, by the Rev. HENRY HANDLEY NORRIS, M. A. IN this Difcourfe, the influence of the female character upon fociety, is well delineated. A contraft is drawn to fhew the effect of virtue and vice; and the mifery and happiness confequent upon the poffeffion of each, are exemplified by ftriking proofs taken from Scripture. The fall of man was effected by the foft infinuations of the woman. By the introduction of apoftate females among the fons of God, the flood came upon the universe. "Purfuing the course of the facred hiftory, we next fee the prophet Vol. III. Churchm. Sept. 1802. Y Balaam "im Balaam bearing a moft ftriking teftimony to the influence of the female character; and counfelling Balak, as an infallible means of drawing down that curfe upon the children of Ifrael, which he was reftrained from denouncing, to fend amongst them the Midianitish women. Sampfon fell by the treachery of Delilah -OUTLANDISH women caufed Solomon to fin. Ahab fold himfelf to work evil in the fight of the Lord, whom Jezebel, his wife, stirred up. So true is the affertion of the wife man, that the that maketh afhamed is as rottennefs to his bones.-" You have heard the confeffion of a chief profeffor of the new philofophy, that the co-operation of the women is indifpenfible to the fuccefs of their diforganizing fchemes."-"We cannot," fays one of the adepts in illuminifm, prove the world without improving women, who have such a mighty influence on the men." Mr. N. now proceeds to take a view of the female character when exerting itself to stem the torrent of vice, and to promote holiness and virtue. Deborah revived the drooping spirits of the Ifraelites, and arrested their vices by her perfuafive eloquence. Abigail affuaged the fierce wrath of the infulted David.-" Won, by the perfuafion of the Ifraelish maid, the prophet Elisha not only obtained deliverance from his bodily infirmity, but became also a convert to the faith. By the influence of Efther over the mind of Ahafuerus, the whole people of God were preferved from extirpation. For examples in the New Teftament : "Was it not to a WOMAN, that our Saviour bore that diftinguished testimony; that he had not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael? Matt. viii. 10. "Was it not on a WOMAN, that he fixed that mark of dignity; that wherefoever the gospel should be preached in the whole world, the good deed that she had done fhould be told for a memorial of her? Matt. xxvi. 13. "When the difciples forfook our Saviour and fled, did not the WOMEN continue with him, careless to provide for their own fafety, when their Lord was in danger*? Were not they the laft to take leave of him when he was dead, and the first to welcome his refurrection †? "Was not St. Timothy, next after the apoftles, the most zealous and able minifter of Christ, whofe praise is in the gofpel? Did not prophecy point him out as a chofen velfel fitted for the master's ufe, and declare before-hand how great things he would do? And does not St. Paul, fuppreffing altogether the names of his paternal ancestry, hold up his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice, to our everlasting remembrance, as those to whom, under God, his perfection is folely to be attributed §? "And lastly, whilft there are multiplied examples of men apoftatizing from the faith in the hour of trial; is it not recorded of WOMEN by St. Paul, that they would not accept deliverance from death; that thus bearing the most illustrious teftimony to the truth of the gospel, they might both obtain a better resurrection themfelves, and win the more converts to embrace it. Having thus eftablished his point, Mr. N. calls our attention from the infancy of the golpel "to thefe its latter days," wherein the friends of religion with gratitude acknowledge, that to the FEMALE CHARACTER Matt. xxvi. 56. and xxvii. 55. compared. + Luke xxiii. 55. and xxiv. 1. compared. Tim. i. 18. § 2 Tim. i. 5. Heb. xi. 35. they they are principally indebted for the faint glimmering of piety which yet remains in the world." "Many of you, who now bring forth much fruit unto holiness, will bear witness with me, that from children ye knew the fcriptures, which alone could have made you wife unto falvation; and that to the unfeigned piety of your mothers are you principally indebted for your inftruction. They mingled the pure milk of the word with the nourishment provided for the body; and thus as ye encreafed in ftature, ye encreafed alfo in wisdom. They alternately careffed you, and inftilled religious principles into your hearts." He next warns his fair hearers from being corrupted by the prevailing influence of fashion, as it refpects their converfation, the ornaments of drefs, or their general deportment; and having moft forcibly, and in a ftrain at once elegant, perfuafive, and convincing, recommended religion; that rule of righteousness, as becoming women profefling godliness, he concludes with the following animated address: So "Shew yourselves, then, I entreat you, the friends and fupporters of that religion, which has done fuch good fervice to you: and if you have fuffered its light to grow dim and to decay, O! beftir yourselves to rekindle the flame--it you have given any countenance to the diffolute profaneness of the prefent day, be the more earneft in future to check and to reprove it. So fhall ye ftill continue to wear upon your heads that precious "diadem," which Chriftianity has placed there. hall ye fee our Ferufalem in profperity all your life long; yea, ye shall fee your children's children, and peace upon Ifrael. This fhall be your praife in future generations, that though many daughters have done virtuously, ye have excelled them all. This fhall be your reward when the generations are no more, that having been wife, ye shall fine as the brightness of the firmament; and having turned many to righteoufnefs, as the flars for ever and ever.§ Remarks on the Doctrine of Juftification by Faith: in a letter to the Rev. JOHN OVERTON, A. B. Author of a Work, entitled “ The True Churchman Afcertained. By EDWARD PEARSON, B. D. Rector of Rempftone, Nottinghamshire. 8vo. pp. 40. IN this excellent pamphlet the learned author refcues the doctrine of the Church of England upon the important point of Juftification, from the mifrepresentations of Mr. Overton, who has ftepped forward as the champion of thofe, who call themfelves with no little vanity and fpiritual pride, the Evangelical Clergy. Mr. Overton had obferved that "Faith only, or Faith without works, is the conditional or inftrumental cause of Justification:" alfo that "Good works are neither the meritorious caufe, nor the appointed condition of Juftification." Thefe pofitions, the fame author boldly afferts, are the doctrines of the Church of England; but this, as Mr. Pearfon maintains, is far from being the cafe: he undertakes, in the spirit of Christian meeknefs, to prove that "her doctrine is, that we are juftified by faith and good works, or that faith and good works are the conditions of Juftifi cation." The following quotation will give our readers a clear and fatisfactory idea of the fubject, as well as of Mr. Pearson's mode of reafoning. "Juftification, is the being accounted righteous before God. All who acknowledge the holiness of the divine nature, and the finfulness of the human race, as they are fet forth in the Scriptures, will readily agree that the only meritorious caufe of our being accounted righteous before God, is Jefus Chrift; at leaft, there is no difference of opinion on this point between you and the writers whom you undertake to oppofe. This cause of Juftification, therefore, will be allowed to be always the fame. But, besides what is done in this matter on the part of God, fomething is to be done on the part of man. Hence arifes another caufe of Justification, which may properly enough be called the conditional caufe. This will vary according to the circumftances of the person who is supposed to be Justified, and the time at which Juftification is fuppofed to have place. The ultimate end, or object of Juftification, is falvation. He, therefore, who continues in a state of Juftification till death, will be faved, Generally speaking, however, the immediate effect of Juftification is, not that we are faved, but that we are placed in a ftate of falvation. But as being placed in a fate of falvation, and being faved, are different things, the condition of both may not be exactly the fame. At least, in confidering the queftion of conditions, regard must always be had to which of these two is intended. Part of the difference between you and your opponents feems to arife from this, that, what they fay concerning the condition of continuing in a Juftified ftate, or a ftate of falvation, and of being finally fuved, you underftand them as faying concerning the condition of being at first juftified, or of entering into a fate of falvation. If, indeed, on further confideration, you perfift in maintaining, that good works are not a condition of final falvation, I must despair of bringing you and them to be of one mind in this particular; but I hope to convince you, that, in maintaining this, you are fupported by the authority neither of the Scripture, or of the Church. The Chriftian religion is a covenant. That this Covenant was graciously held out to us is, as I have faid, entirely owing to Jefus Chrift. All the benefits, therefore, which by any means refult from this covenant, are to be attributed to him. But a covenant, from its nature, implies conditions, conditions of entering into it at firft, and conditions of continuing in it. Without obferving thefe conditions, we are not to look for the rewards which the covenant promifes." The learned author then proceeds to ftate thefe conditions to be repentance, faith, and good works, and this he proves not only from the Holy Scriptures, but from the authority of the Church of England in her Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies. Mr. Pearfon has published a fecond Letter to Mr. Overton, of which we fhall take notice in our next Number. IT GLEANINGS. No. VII. OR SELECT THOUGHTS, ANECDOTES AND EXTRACTS. JUDGE JENKINS. Tis a pity that a good memoir of this virtuous lawyer and intrepid loyalist has never been publifhed. He was a native of Wales, and for his great knowledge of the conftitution and laws of England, was made a judge by King Charles I. to whom he adhered in the great rebellion, with uniform and zealous firmnefs. In 1648, he was brought before the Rump Parliament, for fomething he had faid againft thofe rebels. But inftead of excufing himfelf, the honeft man made the following bold declaration, in anfwer to the speaker. "In your fpeech you faid, the Houfe was offended with my behaviour, in not making any obeisance to you upon my coming here; and this was the more wondered at, because |