The Cabinet.

THE EFFECT OF DIVINE LOVE.

If, when engaged in the busiest round of the pursuits of life, the pride of your hearts, the love of the world, and the force of violent passions, combine to lay your conscience asleep, and, in order to incite you to some act of sin, represent to you with how much ease, with how much secresy and security, it may be accomplished,―provided you remain faithful to the command of your Saviour, you are prevented from falling, by your affections being already fully occupied and engaged. In the same manner as a person enslaved to his passions, directs all his measures to the accomplishment of his guilty projects, and concenters in that point all his meditations and endeavours; so he whose heart is under the influence of Divine love, instinctively recoils from the thought of disobeying Him whom he loves. Shall I (may the Christian say) hurl myself from the height on which I am placed by the gospel? Shall I, who have been commanded to love God, and have gloried in obeying that commandment, consent to degrade myself by opening my bosom to evil inclinations? No, my Saviour !-no, my Supreme Good! Thou hast charged me to love Thee "with all my heart, and soul, and strength;" the heart which thou claimest, and which I have yielded to thee, should be thy sanctuary; nor will I pollute it by admitting aught within it unworthy of Thee. If I wander from the right way, thy love presently points out my error; if I fall into transgression, thy love immediately raises me up; if I allow the approach of any unworthy passion, the fire of thy love soon purifies me. Thou hast shown me the way which leads to life everlasting; and I will not depart from that law of love, which exalts me in my own esteem-sanctifies me-makes all things easy to me. Taught by it, I will henceforth love nothing but what is lovely. I will see in my fellow-men only thy image, and the children whom thou hast so loved. Whatever thou hatest, I will hate-folly, sin, licentiousness: what thou lovest, that will I love-truth, holiness, righteousness. I will have no will but thine. Alas! for Thee I can do nothing. I have only a heart-that I give Thee. Dear, above all things, shalt thou be to me, O God of my salvation-thou who art my portion for ever! Charity-heavenly-mindedness-love of my Creator-principles on which rests the whole dignity of man, and which are fruitful in every virtue! you have extinguished in my bosom every unruly passion-there reign for ever!

Poetry.

THE WRECKED SAILOR AND THE NEGRO.

The frown of the night-storm had scarcely blown by,

And the ocean was still in its roar;

The wind had not ceased from disturbing the sky,
When I ventured to walk on the shore.

I look'd on the sea, and a wreck had been toss'd
On the breakers that peeped from beneath;

And bodies still throbbing were washed on the coast,
And lay grouped in the stillness of death.

I sought, from amongst the pale corses around,
For some symptoms of life, but in vain ;
When I heard, from a distance, an indistinct sound
Of a voice that seemed uttered in pain.

"Farewell giddy world," it exclaimed with a sigh,
Disregarded and slighted by thee;

For my country I've fought, for my country I die,
But that country has cared not for me.

For thee, native England, my life I have spent,
And have spilt my heart's blood in thy wars;
And yet, tho' your missions so far have been sent,
You've neglected the souls of your tars.

We were left on the brink of destruction to sleep,
And no voice has aroused us away;

No arm was outstretched to collect the poor sheep
That had wandered so sadly astray.

And now I must go to the doom that I dread,
With ages that ever must roll;

With a life of iniquities heaped on my head,

For there's no man hath cared for my soul."

He ceased-and I saw him amongst the pale dead,

While he yet had the hour to repent;

When a heart-rending groan that yet thrills through my head, Was the close of this hopeless lament.

On the cold shore extended, I found him at last,

But his spirit had ceased to be there;

His brow was still frowning, his hands were still clenched,

And he looked the mute form of despair.

Not far from his side lay a corpse on the sands,

Of a negro, yet wet with the foam;

Once a captive in yonder frail wreck, by his chains,

A poor slave, torn away from his home.

But a smile had been left on his African face,
Of a soul that was gone to its rest;

His arms were still crossed in the lifeless embrace

Of a volume that lay on his breast.

"Twas a bible-that christians of England had sent,

And the missions of England had given;

'Twas that which had taught him the need to repent,
And directed his spirit to heaven.

I grieved at the contrast-the slave that lay there
With a smile of sweet hope on his face :

And the sailor, still black with the frown of despair,
Beyond even death to erase.

One hope, one desire, my full heart seemed to have,
That while England continued to look

To the ignorance and guilt of the negro and slave,
She would think of her own "HEARTS OF OAK.'

CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW WORKS.

WARD'S LIBRARY OF STANDARD DIVINITY.

THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH-TRANSLATED AND COMPILED FROM THE WORKS OF AUGUSTI, WITH NUMEROUS ADDITIONS FROM ROSEN

WALD, SEIGLE, AND OTHERS. the American Edition of 1841.

By the Rev. LYMAN COLEMAN. Reprinted from
Medium, 8vo. pp. 224.

London:-Ward and Co. Paternoster-row.

If it be true that " there is at present, especially in some parts of Europe, a greater interest in the study of CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITIES than ever existed before;"-that many topics of great interest relating to the rites, institutions, and authority of the ancient church, are now the subject of earnest controversy in this our favored land;-that ancient christianity is destined to be severely scrutinized anew, and its merits sharply contested, then we may justly hail the publication of this work at such a crisis, as a positive boon to the christian church. Both Romanists and Protestants will have to re-examine their ground. And though antiquity can never decide the struggle between these two great parties, the latter must become more familiar with the antiquities of the church, successfully to enter the arena with the former. Antiquity, if but rightly understood and applied, might be a powerful weapon in the hand of a protestant. To supply this weapon is the design of the present work. Its utility may be inferred from the following table of its

A general view of the organization and worship of the primitive church-names and classes of christians-the ministers of the church-the inferior officers of the churchappointment to ecclesiastical offices-rank, rights, privileges, and costume of the clergy -the revenue of the church, and maintenance of the clergy-ordination-churches and sacred places-prayers and psalmody of the church-use of the holy scriptures in religious worship-homilies-catechetical instructions-baptism-confirmation-the Lord's supper-discipline of the ancient church-domestic and social character of the primitive christians-marriage-funeral rites and ceremonies-sacred seasons, festivals and fasts-sacred seasons of the puritans-the Armenian church, with chronological tables.

To the clergy and students of all denominations we cordially recommend this publication. It is indispensable to the completion of a library. It may also be consulted with immense advantage by the more private christian.

PUSEYISM :-OR THE ERRORS OF THE TIMES. By the REV. ROBERT FERGUSON, Minister of Brickfield Chapel, Stratford, London. Post 8vo pp. 72.

London:-John Snow, Paternoster-row.

From motives of delicacy we refrain from any further notice of this little volume than what has already been supplied in other journals. These are as follows:

"A clear, compact, and impressive view of the whole subject, written in language marked by more than ordinary elegance."

66

A popular but searching examination of the leading dogmas of the Oxford school, which is marked by great acuteness, and will enable every reader to understand the chief points of the question at issue."

"Contains a clear and concise statement of the fundamental principles of the reformation, and a calm and conclusive argument to prove their accordance with the discoveries of the christian revelation."

"As the heresy is rapidly spreading, and as there is no prospect of its arrest, and as there is a great want of works in an accessible form to meet and expose its unscriptural pretensions, so we cordially recommend these four short lectures. They are well written-clear, pointed, and conclusive. They are thoroughly scriptural.-Supply an excellent evangelical warning to the people against the most dangerous heresy of modern times."

THE OLD SEA CAPTAIN. Square 16mo, with beautiful embellishments, pp. 324. London-Religious Tract Society, Paternoster Row.

This delightfully interesting volume falls immediately within our department, and we have sincere pleasure in introducing and recommending it to our numerous readers. As might be inferred from the subject, it is full of the most enlivening and instructive incident, and so set forth as to leave the most salutary impressions on the youthful mind. Nor is it incident alone in which the volume abounds. It is replete with a vast fund of nautical and historical information, and is likely to be as useful as it is pleasing.

Such works are a great desideratum ;-generally speaking, tales of the sea and of seamen have been of the most worthless character. This is a book which is calculated to awaken and impress the moral feelings, and whether put into the hands of those on shore, or of those who are going to sea, will be read with deep interest. We might ask for it a very wide circulation, but it is sure to obtain it.

LOVE TO MAN ESSENTIAL TO THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF God. A SERMON preached before the LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY in Surrey Chapel, on Wednesday, May 11th 1842. By J. SORTAIN, B. A. Minister of North Street Chapel, Brighton. 8vo pp. 24.

London:-Ward and Co. Paternoster Row.

The scheme of christian missions to the heathen requires no longer to be unfolded and explained, maintained, and defended. This has been sufficiently done. The great business of those who now stand forward as the public advocates of missions, is to apply to the christian heart those mighty motives which are supplied by the gospel, to induce the church to fulfil the great commission of the Lord, to teach all nations. This is the aim of the preacher, in the discourse before us. And who can resist the appeal which is here founded on infinite love?

Monthly Chronicle.

AFFECTING CONDITION OF THE LASCARS.

It is supposed that not fewer than three thousand of these men annually visit the port of London. They are employed on board ship to work the vessel home, and though by certain state enactments, the owners are under the obligation to provide for them while on shore, it is for a lamentation and a reproach, that in this professedly christian country, they are left in a state of the utmost temporal and moral destitution. Last winter their circumstances were truly deplorable. Hundreds of them were allowed the most scanty and miserable provision from their respective ships; were left to sleep in the open air, or beneath some defenceless covering, with scarcely an article of clothing; while in every part of the city they might be seen engaged sweeping the crossings of the streets for a few chance pence. What is more affecting still they were in our streets and in our midst as heathens, and yet nothing was done to instruct them in the saving truths of christianity. They were allowed to leave our shores and return home as heathens, perhaps more corrupt and depraved than when they left their native land. What a burning shame to England, to-London! We are spending thousands and tens of thousands of property every year, (and most righteously) to send the gospel to countries yet in pagan idolatry, and yet when thousands of those idolaters come to our shores, and sojourn for months among us, we leave them unnoticed and unheeded. Is this right? Is it just? Is it christian?

More than once have the Committee of the British and Foreign Sailor's Society turned their attention to this painful subject. Again is it before them. There are not a few warm and benevolent hearts prepared to act in any design that may be conceived and carried forward for the relief and improvement of these unhappy creatures. No plan is yet matured, but the following outline has been submitted :—

That large and eligible premises be rented in the immediate vicinity of the Docks, to be fitted up with beds and bed clothes for their shelter during the night, subject to certain regulations.

That if the allowance from their respective ships he deemed insufficient for their daily support, some additional provision shall be made in connexion with the Home.