and venerable judge, marries the widow of his patron, and by this marriage has L. de B. Having buried her, he enters into a fecond marriage, and is feduced from conjugal fidelity, and his family, by an artful and profligate woman. The fon, a compound of goodness and abfurdity, marries a well-difpofed young lady; who is afterwards feduced, or on the point of being fo, by a marquis, and who dies most tragically. The leffons we are able to collect from the story are thefe; that a man of advanced age, and honourable station, may be very foolish, and his virtuous fon very unfortunate, by his fault. There was no neceffity for informing us, in the preface, that thefe volumes are tranflated from the French; for, unfortunately, the French idiom is too often difcernible in fuch phrases as thefe: " actions of for the favours we receive," vol. i. p. 22. "Since when has it grace not been permiffible?” vol. ii. p. 54.

DIVINITY.

ART. 25. What is required of us in our national Capacity, in Order to fecure ourselves against the Attacks and Devices of Satan, confidered, in a Sermon preached at Yeovil, Somerset, on Wednesday, March 9, 1796. Being the Day appointed for a General Faft. By George Beaver. B. D. Rector of Trent, &c. 4to. 24 PP. IS. Seeley. 1796.

From Ephef. vi. 11. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ftand against the wiles of the devil." Mr. B. confi ers, 1ft, What those devices or wiles of Satan are, againft which it behoves us, in our national capacity, to be particularly watchful; and he fhows that they are, lying, difcontent, murmuring, fedition, and rebellion. He confiders, 2dly, What is required on our part, with the co-operation of God's grace, in order to our ftanding against thofe wiles. Under this head we find many found and well-timed reflections, both general and particular. The whole discourse is a piece of vigorous and claffical eloquence.

ART. 26. A free and candid Profeffion of Faith; or, Motives and Reafons for leaving the Romish Religion and acceding to the Church of England. By the Rev. Robert Norris, heretofore a Roman-Catholic Clergyman. Svo. 57 PP. Is. 6d. Hazard, Bath; Vernor and Hood, &c. London. 1795.

That any difpafiona e enquirer after Chriftian truth fhould be led to difaprove the Romish fyftem of religion (p. 56) is a matter that can excite, in Proteftants, very little wonder. But we are inclined to demand, that the refult of his enquiry fhould be fet forth in a very difpaflionate and an argumentative manner. Mr. Norris appears to fail in this re'pect. His book is declamatory and defultory; his reafons are involved in a cloud of metaphors; and his language is fo diffufe, that very few arguments are to be found within the compafs of many pages. Infallibility, tranfubftantiation, and image-worthip, are the fubjects of

his reprobation. The profefion of his own faith (fpoken of in the title page) is made fo indiftinctly, that we are at a lofs to afcertain the nature of that faith. We fee no reafon for doubting Mr. Norris's fincerity in his recantation, and not much for extolling his learning or good temper.

ART. 27. Reflections on the Evidences of Chriflianity. By E. Cogani 8vo. 46 pp. 6d. Dilly. 1796.

Mr. Cogan undertakes to fhow, by what methods alone the credit of the hiftory of the New Teftament can be fubverted; and that none of thofe methods are fuccefsfully pursued by unbelievers. The argument, in this little tract, is conducted with skill and vigour. The author's creed, however, goes beyond our's in fome refpects, and in others falls very fhort of it. He fuppofes, that "the phænomena of perception, thought, and consciousnefs in men, depend on a peculiar organization of matter." P. 44. And he thinks, that "Chriftianity, in its primitive purity, confifted fimply of the doctrines of a perfect Deity, an over-ruling Providence, and the immortality of man." P.41. We do not, as we have often faid, approve this method of promoting the belief of Chriftianity, by cafting off its diftinguishing and effential doctrines, and reducing it almoft to deifm.

ART. 28. The Age of Infidelity. Part II. In Anfewer to the fecond Part of the Age of Reafon. With fome additional Remarks upon the former. By a Layman. 8vo. 140 pp. 2s. 6d. Button. 1796. We formerly hailed this writer as a truly able and fuccefsful advocate for religion, against the calumnies of Paine. (Vol. iv. p. 551.) He then wrote anonymously. Lately, in a pamphlet addreffed to John Hollis, Efq. he has avowed his name to be Thomas Williams; but we are ftill ignorant, as before, of his further description and fituation. He ftyles himself a layman, and, doubtlefs, with truth; and he will, therefore, be, in the eyes of fome readers, a more perfuafive arguer for Chriftianity than any churchman. Such weight has occafionally the nonfenfical cant about prieftcraft; though, as he fays, "Were the laws of England to be attacked, where fhould we look for vindicators, but to the profeffors of the law? Or, were fome ignorant defperado to attack the fcience of medicine, to whom fhould we look for its defence, fo naturally, as to medical profeffors?" And fo eafy is it to be filent, where confcience will not efpouse the defence, that not many are likely to become advocates, who do not fincerely hold the truth for which they are to contend.

The prefent publication takes up diftinctly the following topics, in as many fections. 1. On the Teft of Evidence. 2. Mr. Paine's objections against the Books of Mofes. 3. Objections to the rest of the Old Teftament, from Jofhua to Solomon's Song. 4. Objections to the Prophets. 5. Objections to the New Teftament. 6. On the Infpiration of the Scriptures. 7. Of Deifm, compared with Chrif tianity. 8. Of the Effects of Chriftianity. Conclufion. It is with great pleasure that we recommend this fecond effort of an author, fo remarkable

Hh

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. VIII. OCT. 1796.

remarkable for clearness, diftinctness, and, fometimes, originality of argument. On each of these topics we could eafily cite paffages, calculated to fet very important truths in new and advantageous lights; but we rather prefer the method of advifing our readers to procure the tract for themfelves. They who poffefs, or have read, Bp. Wat fon's able Apology, may yet derive advantage from this; fome things will be found confirmed, and others differently handled; and, on the whole, the impreffion will remain, that malice and prejudice only can attack a faith which is thus invincibly defended, both within and without the church.

ART. 29. A Word for the Bible: being a serious Reply to the Decla rations and Affertions of the speculative Deifts and practical Atheifts of modern Times; particularly The Age of Reafon, Part the Second, by Thomas Paine. By the Rev. J. Malham, Author of Sermons, &c. Gr. 8vo. 111 PP. 25. Allen and Weft. 1796.

The author acknowledges, or rather boafts, that this work was pushed on with all poffible rapidity, on account of its late commencement, and was completed in fefs than three weeks, amidst professional avocations and other interruptions; and he hopes that the expedition with which it has becen effected will plead for its defects.

We must refift, totis viribus, all fuch apologies, and especially in all cafes like the prefent. The credit of the Bible was not in fo tottering a ftate, that Mr. Malham's word in its favour could be immediately wanted, to prevent its downfall: and, if fuch had been the cafe, we much fear he would not have propped it up in any effectual manner. His defence of the Bible, or rather his reply to Paine, is flight and fuperficial, though not deftitute of fome proofs of reading. It abounds in words, fo much more than in arguments, that it might well have been compreffed within a fourth part of its prefent compafs. Sometimes one might fuppofe the author to be a skilful phyfician, as at p. viii. of preface; then, a military engineer, p. 15, but by no means a skilful one. For, having "combated the exordium of the phalanx of infidelity, and proceeding to make his approaches upon the main body," he fuddenly converts the enemy into a fortified place, and talks of having carried the works, and advancing towards the citadel. At p. 79 he is a lawyer; but he feems to confound criminal and civil proceedings together. He reprobates a feverity of language against his opponents, p. 2, and he feems to have ranfacked the English tongue for opprobious epithets against them. Upon the whole, this is by no means fuch an answer as will give any fresh fpirits to the friends, or any alarm to the enemies, of revealed religion.

ART. 30. A Reply to Thomas Paine's fecond Part of the Age of Rea Jon. By Gilbert Wakefield, B. A. 8vo. 60 pp. 1s. 6d. Symonds. 1795.

It may be fome comfort to thofe who occafionally may fall under the lafh of Mr. Wakefield's reproach, to obferve that, his irafcibility breaks out with equal violence againft his friends, when they differ

from

from him on any important queftions. We have no where feen language fo harsh directed against Paine, as in this reply, yet we cannot fay that it is unmerited. The preface opens thus: "That part of Thomas Paine's preface, which relates to himself, to his imprifonment, and the dangers of his fituation, will be interefting to moft readers, as well from their own fingularity (N. B. the antecedent is that part) as from their connection with that firfl of political events, the French revolution. But every man who feels himself folicitous for the dignity of human nature, who glories in the prerogative of rationality, or is charmed by the lovelinefs of virtue, will obferve, with humiliating fympathy, a debafement of his fpecies, in the most aftonishing, unprincipled, and unparalleled arrogance, to the laft, of fuch a contemptuous, felf-opinionated, ill-informed writer. His excefs of folly will be lamented by all his friends, not eftranged, like himself, from Shame and modefty: and his enemies will read his outrageous vaunts, united to fuch an excess of ignorance and ftupor, with that pleasure (Qo.?) which refults from a juft expreffion of mingled abhorrence, derision, and contempt. For my own part, his unprecedented infatuation almoft Strikes me dumb with amazement. I am not acquainted with fuch a compound of vanity and ignorance as THOMAS PAINE, in the records of literary hiftory."

Here is the teftimony of one who is a friend, in other matters. If we should happen to think much the fame of what Paine has written (or Mr. W. himself) on political fubjects, how illiberal it would be in us to fay fo! The whole pamphlet is in this ftyle of invective; of which we come in collaterally for our share, as fupporters of " defpotifm!!! venality, and ignorance." When will fuch intolerant friends of toleration have the wisdom to perceive, that they are themselves the greatest bigats upon earth?

ART. 31. The Sophiftry of the firft Part of Mr. Paine's Age of Reafon; or, A rational Vindication of the Holy Scriptures, as a pofitive Revelation from God, with the Caufes of Deifm. In three Sermons. By J. Auchinclofs, D. D. Izmo. 60 PP. 15. Clarke, Stockport Knott, London. 1796.

Dr. Auchinclofs is rather behind hand with the world; while others are anfwering the fecond part of the Age of Reafon, he is at tacking the first. He undertakes here, ift. To prove that the Holy Scriptures are an infpired and a ftanding Revelation from God to men. 2. To affign the caufes of Deifm, or fhow from what principles in human nature it hath happened that, when the evidence of the Gofpel is fo clear and strong, fome in every age have pretended to deny it. 3. To offer a few directions, which all Chriftians ought to follow, if they would be faithful to God and divine truth, and guard their minds against the fhowy, but hollow, arguments of infidelity.

ART. 32. The Right to Life. A Sermon preached before the Univerfity of Cambridge, November 29 1795. By Richard Ramfden, M. A. Fellow of Trinity College. 8vo. 20 pp. Is. Lunn, Cambridge; Rivingtons, London. 1795.

The property which each man has in his own life, is a right which we have ever confidered as connate, and attached to his nature. Mr. · R. undertakes to difpute the legitimacy of this pofition, and grounds the right on the fole bafis of God's exprefs commandment. The fpecies of reafoning by which this extraordinary doctrine is fupported is no lefs extraordinary; and the cafes which Mr. R. has adduced, on behalf of his hypothefis, either prove nothing in his favour, or even demonftrate the reverfe. For the deftruction of men's lives by the order of God, or the sentence of human laws, are cases of forfeiture, the first to the author, the second to the protectors of that right; and, therefore, prove nothing: while the deftruction of another in felfdefence, if pronounced juftifiable, can only be fo upon the prefumed right to life, in him that defends it, and therefore defeats the hypothefis.

The pernicious conclufions to which this doctrine leads can scarcely have been apprehended by the writer. For if the right to life exifts only upon the Commandment of God, all the facrifices which have been made of life, where this Commandment was never known, with whatever degree of malice or injuftice effected, muft, on this principle, be refolved into cafes of guiltlefs homicide. To us the Commandment of God appears only to give fanction to a right which before fubfifted; as the right of property would itfelf exift, if no decree of Jehovah had announced its equity. The Commandment operates in the firft cafe precifely as in the laft; rendering right, in conjunction with human provifions, more facred and fecure, but by no means more clear and determinate.

In all respects this fermon is difficult to characterize. The reasoning and the language are peculiarly quaint and obfcure; we have met with many paffages to which we could affix no reasonable interpretation; and the doctrine itself, which the author maintains, is not lefs original and extraordinary than the tropes and rhetorical flashes, with which he has laboured to embellish it.

ART. 33. A Sermon preached at the Affizes holden for the County of Cornwall, on Tuesday, July 26, 1796. By Cornelius Cardew, D. D. Mafter of the Grammar School in Truro, and one of the Chaplains in Ordinary to bis Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. Published at the Request of the High Sheriff and Grand Jury. 4to.. 1s. Richardfon. 1796.

On fingle fermons we cannot dwell long. Yet we cannot but dwell awhile where we fee particular merit. This now before us turns very properly for the feafon of affizes, upon the neceffity of religion to tie the bands of fociety together, and to maintain the exercife of government over man. "Nor was any attempt ever made to feparate them," fays this preacher, very truly, concerning government