in a discourse upon that subject subjoined to the Adversaria Sacra of Matt. Lauroque, his father. The controversy between Sir Peter King and Mr. Moyle upon this subject is also worthy of attention. to a whole legion of Christians, to his Egytiaca, in defence of consisting of more than six thou-this miracle; as also, what is alsand men, who were said to have leged against it by Dan Lauroque, suffered martyrdom by the order of Maximian. Though this story hath never wanted patrons, yet it is disbelieved by many. Dr. Jortin, in his usual facetious way, says, that it stands upon the authority of one Eucherius, bishop of Lyons, and a writer of the fifth century, who had it from Theo-ing in the Christian church, obserdorus, another bishop, who had the honour and felicity to find the reliques of these martyrs by revelation, and perhaps by the smell of the bones! LENT, a solemn time of fast ved as a time of humiliation before Easter. The Romish church, and some of the Protestant communion, maintain, that it was always a fast of forty days, and, as such, LEGION THUNDERING, of apostolical institution. Others a name given to those Christians think that it was of ecclesiastiwho served in the Roman army of cal institution, and that it was Marcus Antoninus, in the second variously observed in different century. The occasion of it was churches, and grew by degrees this: when that emperor was at from a fast of forty hours to war with the Marcomanni, his a fast of forty days. This is army was enclosed by the enemy, the sentiment of Morton, bishop and reduced to the most deplora- Taylor, Du Moulin, Daille, and ble condition by the thirst under others. Anciently, the manner of which they languished in a parch- observing Lent among those who ed desert. Just at this time they were piously disposed, was to abwere remarkably relieved by stain from food till evening: their a sudden and unexpected rain. only refreshment was a supper, and This event was attributed to the it was indifferent whether it was Christians, who were supposed to flesh or any other food, provided have effected this by their pray- it was used with sobriety and moers; and the name of the thunder-deration. Lent was thought the ing legion was given to them, on proper time for exercising more account of the thunder and light-abundantly every species of chaning that destroyed the enemy, while the shower revived the fainting Romans. Whether this was really miraculous or not, has been disputed among learned men. They who wish to see what has been said on both sides, may consult Witsius Dissertat. de Legune Fulminatrice, which is subjoined rity: thus what they spared of their own bodies by abridging them of a meal, was usually given to the poor: they employed their vacant hours in visiting the sick and those that were in prison; in entertaining strangers, and reconciling differences. The Imperial laws forbad all prosecution of men in criminal actions that might nicles, which are for the most bring them to corporal punishment part the same with the books of and torture during the whole sea-Samuel and kings; and other parson. This was a time of more ticular chapters in other books, than ordinary strictness and devo- either because they contain the tion, and therefore, in many of names of persons, places, or other the great churches, they had reli-matters less profitable to ordinary gious assemblies for prayer and readers. The course of the first preaching every day. All public lessons for Sundays is regulated games and stage-plays were prohi-after a different manner: from bited at this season, and also the Advent to Septuagesima Sunday, celebration of all festivals, birth- some particular chapters of Isaiah days, and marriages. The Chris-are appointed to be read, because tians of the Greek church observe that book contains the clearest four Lents; the first commences on prophecies concerning Christ. the fifteenth of November; the Upon Septuagesima Sunday, Gesecond is the same with our Lent;nesis is begun; because that book, the third begins the week after which treats of the fall of man, Whitsuntide, and continues till the and the severe judgment of God festival of St. Peter and St. Paul; inflicted on the world for sin, best and the fourth commences on the suits with a time of repentance first of August, and lasts no lon- and mortification. After Genesis ger than till the fifteenth. These follow chapters out of the books Lents are observed with great of the Old Testament, as they lie strictness and austerity, but on Sa- in order; only on festival Sunturdays and Sundays they indulge days, such as Easter, Whitsunday, themselves in drinking wine and &c., the particular history relausing oil, which are prohibited on ting to that day is appointed to be other days. read; and on the saints' days the LESSONS, among ecclesiasti- church appoints lessons out of the cal writers, are portions of the holy moral books, such as Proverbs, scriptures read in churches at the Ecclesiastes, &c., as containing time of divine service. In the an-excellent instructions for the concient church, reading the scriptures was one part of the service of the catechumen, at which all persons were allowed to be present, in order to obtain instruc-pel and Acts of the Apostles in tion. The church of England, in the morning, and the Epistles in the choice of lessons, proceeds as the evening, in the order they follows:-for all the first lessons on stand in the New Testament; exordinary days, she directs to be- cepting on saints' days and holy gin at the beginning of the year days, when such lessons are apwith Genesis, and so continue till pointed as either explain the mysthe books of the Old Testament tery, relate the history, or apare read over, only omitting Chro-ply the example to us. duct of life. As to the second lessons, the church observes the same course both on Sundays and week-days; reading the Gos name of a fanatical sect which in use among the Hebrews, who poured a hin of wine on the victim after it was killed, and the several pieces of the sacrifice were sprang up in the Greek and Eastern churches towards the close of the twelfth century: they professed to LIBERALITY, bounty; a gerous disposition of mind, exertitself in giving largely. It is thus distinguished from generosi believe in a double trinity, reject-laid on the altar ready to be coned wedlock, abstained from flesh, sumed in the flames. treated with the utmost contempt the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, and all the various branches of external worship; placed the essence of religion inty and bounty:-Liberality implies internal prayer alone; and maintained, as it is said, that an evil being, or genius, dwelt in the breast of every mortal, and could be expelled from thence by no other method than by perpetual supplication to the Supreme Being. The founder of this sect is said to have been a person called Leucopetrus, and his chief disciple Tychicus, who corrupted by fa- LIBERALITY of sentiment, natical interpretations several a generous disposition a man feels books of scripture, and particu-towards another who is of a diflarly St. Matthew's gospel. ferent opinion from himself; or, acts of mere giving or spending; generosity,acts of greatness; bounty, acts of kindness. Liberality is a natural disposition; generosity proceeds from elevation of sentiment; bounty from religious motives. Liberality denotes freedom of spirit; generosity, greatness of soul; bounty, openness of heart. LEVITY, lightness of spirit, in as one defines it, "that generous opposition to gravity. Nothing can expansion of mind which enables be more proper than for a Chris-it to look beyond all petty distinctian to put on an air of cheerful-tions of party and system, and, in ness, and to watch against a mo- the estimate of men and things, rose and gloomy disposition. But to rise superior to narrow prejuthough it be his privilege to re-dices." As liberality of sentijoice, yet he must be cautious of ment is often a cover for error that vilatility of spirit which characterise the unthinking, and mark the vain professor. To be cheerful without levity, and grave without austerity, form both a a happy and dignified character. and scepticism on the one hand, and as it is too little attended to by the ignorant and bigotted on the other, we shall here lay before our readers a view of it by a masterly writer. "A man of liberal LIBATION, the act of pour-sentiments must be distinguished ing wine on the ground in divine from him who hath no religious worship. Sometimes other liquids sentiments at all. He is one have been used, as oil, milk, wa- who hath seriously and effectuter, honey, but mostly wine.-ally investigated, both in his BiAmongst the Greeks and Romansble and on his knees, in public asit was an essential part of solemn semblies and in private conversa tions, the important articles of religion. He hath laid down principles, he hath inferred conse those of that man crawl, and hum, and buzz, and, when on wing, sail only round the circumference of quences; in a word, he hath adopt-a tulip. Is it conceivable that ed sentiments of his own. "He must be distinguished also from that tame undiscerning domestic among good people, who, though he has sentiments of his own, yet has not judgment to estimate the worth and value of one sentiment beyond another. capability so different in every thing else should be all alike in religion? The advantages of mankind differ. How should he who hath no parents, no books, no tutor, no companions, equal him whom Providence hath gratified with them all; who, when he "Now a generous believer of looks over the treasures of his own the Christian religion is one who knowledge, can say, this I had of will never allow himself to try to a Greek, that I learned of a Ropropagate his sentiments by the man; this information I acquired commission of sin. No collusion, of my tutor, that was a present of no bitterness, no wrath, no undue my father; a friend gave me this influence of any kind, will he ap- branch of knowledge, an acquaintply to make his sentiments receiv-ance bequeathed me that? The able; and no living thing will tasks of mankind differ; so I call be less happy for his being a the employments and exercises of Christian. He will exercise his liberality by allowing those who differ from him as much virtue and integrity as he possibly can. "There are among a multitude of arguments to enforce such a disposition, the following worth our attention. "First, We should exercise liberality in union with sentiment, because of the different capacities, advantages and tasks, of mankind. Religion employs the capacities of mankind, just as the air employs their lungs and their organs of speech. The fancy of one is lively, of another dull. The judgment of one is elastic; of another feeble, a damaged spring. The memory of one is retentive; that of another is treacherous as the wind. The passions of this man are lofty, vigorous, rapid; VOL. II. D life. In my opinion, circumstances make great men; and if we have not Cæsars in the state, and Pauls in the church, it is because neither church nor state are in the circumstances in which they were in the days of those great men. Push a dull man into a river, and endanger his life, and suddenly he will discover invention, and make efforts, beyond himself. The world is a fine school of instruction. Poverty, sickness, pain, loss of children, treachery of friends, malice of enemies, and a thousand other things, drive the man of sentiment to his Bible, and, so to speak, bring him home to a repast with his benefactor, God. Is it conceivable that he, whose young and tender heart is yet unpractised in trials of this kind, can have ascertained and tasted so many religious truths as the sufferer has? "Once more; We should be liberal as well as orthodox, because truth, especially the truths "We should believe the Chris- || what was the practice of Christ : tian religion with liberality, in the suppose we were to institute a third second place, because every part question, Of what TEMPER was of the Christian religion inculcates Christ? generosity. Christianity gives us a character of God, but, my God! what a character does it give! GOD IS LOVE. Christianity of Christianity, do not want any teaches the doctrine of Provi- support from our illiberality. Let dence; but what a providence! the little bee guard its little hoUpon whom doth not its light arise! ney with its little sting; perhaps Is there an animalcule so little, or its little life may depend a little a wretch so forlorn, as to be for- while on that little nourishment. saken and forgotten of his God? Let the fierce bull shake his head, Christianity teachers the doctrine and nod his horn, and threaten his of redemption; but the redemp-enemy, who seeks to eat his flesh, tion of whom?of all tongues, and wear his coat, and live by his kindred, nations, and people; of death: poor fellow! his life is in the infant of a span, and the sinner of a hundred years old: a redemption generous in its principle, generous in its price, generous in its effects: fixed sentiments of Divine munificence, and revealed with a liberality for which we have no name. In a word, the illiberal Christian always acts contrary to the spirit of his religion; the liberal man alone thoroughly understands it. danger; I forgive his bellowing "In fine, liberality in the profession of religion is a wise and in"Thirdly, we should be liberal, nocent policy. The bigot lives at because no other spirit is exempli- home; a reptile he crawled into fied in the infallible guides whom existence, and there in his hole he we profess to follow. I set one lurks a reptile still. A generous Paul against a whole army of un- Christian goes out of his own parinspired men: Some preach ty, associates with others, and Christ of good-will, and some of gains improvement by all. It is a envy and strife. What then? Persian proverb, A liberal hand is Christ is preached; and I therein better than a strong arm. The do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. dignity of Christianity is better One eateth all things, another eat-supported by acts of liberality eth herbs; but why dost THOU than by accuracy of reasoning; judge thy brother? We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.' We often enquire, What was the doctrine of Christ, and but when both go together, when |