upon the various articles which make up the Chriftian faith, would be the reafoning of a Jew debating whether he fhould embrace Chriftianity in this country. The wifer among the Diffenters and Methodists have attained their eminence in the knowledge of religion under the foftering wing of an Etablishment. Through the medium of fome establishment, fimilar in difci pline to the Church of England, thofe authentic records have been tranfinitted to our times which now ferve to confirm the faith of the Chriftian againft every attack in an age of multiplied rebuke and blafphemy. Sects without number have arifen fince the Reformation in this country; and, while the errors and impieties of fome ftill maintain their ground, it is from the bofom of our own Establishment that the knowledge of the true faith freely flows. She is the rallying-point of the true friends of the Gospel; the is the chief corner-ftone whence even her enemies derive the little frength they poffels." (pp. 23, 24.) "Should the majority of the leaders of feceffion fucceed in overthrowing the Establishment, the affairs of Chrift's kingdom might proceed, for a time, without any very fignal interruption; the Sacraments might be adininittered, and the Gospel preached in all the fanciful purity of fuch as would be little able to judge indeed in what its purity confified. But, alas! truth and knowledge are already on the decline; fanaticifm and fuperftition have already made incursions; doubt and uncertainty are at hand; every fiimulus to learning, which a liberal Establishment once fupplied, has cealed to operate. Natural learning is confined to the few ohly of naturally active or enquiring minds; and even they, obferving the abfurdities and the meannelles of the elected teachers, (for, in the true fpirit of nonconformity, the teachers of religion would be appointed by thofe who were to be taught) have ceafed perhaps to confider what true religion is; and, among the contradictory tenets of the multiphed fects, men night, in the end, need another St. Paul to declare unto them the God whoin they ignorantly worshiped." (p. 25.) It is, with fincere Chriftians, among the lamented propenfities of the day, that men, for the mofi part, pay too little attention to their appointed paftors and guides, and with them rather to preach

what themselves confider to be the Gospel, without any previous study, than what they, on much fudy and fober conviction, are convinced is the Gofpel. Hence thofe unconnected and unmeaning rhapfodies which are delivered from the tabernacles, and which, in one or two inftances, where the clergyman is elected by the people, as in fome lectureships, have difgraced, and now difgrace, our pulpits. The writer appeals to any man of fober fenfe, and of acknowledged piety, whether the harangues of thofe who delight in the cant denomination of Gofpel-preachers may not ufually be thus ftyled, “Rhapfodies unconnected and unmeaning?" (p. 30.)

Seceffion in general, or individually, is without excufe; "fince an adherence to the general rule, notwithstanding partial defects, muft in the end be the belt method to advance uniformity of faith, to guard against herefy, and to preferve evangelic harmony. When every perfon conceives himself qualified, in his own felf-ordination *, to preach the Gofpel, and when every perfon thinks himself juftified in at taching himself to whatever fyftem of preaching his own fancy inclines him to, great must be the diforder, and infinite the abfurdities, thus introduced into the Church of Chrift.” (p. 33.)— When men who are incapable of confidering the nature of a visible univerfal Church of Chrift are refolved to fhake off lawful authority, and not to pay obedience to their conftituted paftors and teachers, argument is vain; they fay, the Gofpel is not preached, the fpirit of feceffion is abroad; and it is well if, in their confequent feparation from the true Church, they do not imbibe principles of infubordination, which give an unfavourable tincture to their whole demeanour, and contract a four kind of piety, which renders them little amiable in their feveral capacities, whether of master or fervant, ruler or fubject, parent or

*"If men woold rightly confider, there is no fuch thing as felf-ordination. It is as great an abfurdity in religion as self-goof Chrift were called by bim, and by him vernment in politicks. The first difciples appointed and ordained to preach the Gofpet; and there is no instance, in any religion, of any minifter of religion undertaking the profeffion of hirnfelf, without fome form of fetting apart, and tellimonal of competency.”

child. Gladly would the writer liften to any one that would undertake to convince him that he is in an error. But he has himself been long an attentive obferver of the alarming progrefs of Methodifin and religious infubordination; and, in the variety of cafes which have fallen before him, he has, without a fingle exception, obferved its progrefs to be connected with much fpiritual pride, its followers to have furrendered the more generous principles of the genuine Gofpel in exchange for a fervile piety, and a conceited aufterity of manners, which have rendered them unfocial and unkind in every honourable relation." (p. 34.)"If a man commits an immoral action, he fins against himself and against fociety, and his memorial dies with him. But, in the act of diffeminating religious divifions, the evil dies not with the agent. In fuch divifions agents yet unborn are involved; they naturally propagate themfelves for maBy centuries, and will not perhaps terminate but in the diffolution of that religion in which they were at firft fown." (p. 38.)-"It was, it muft be confeffed, a iubject of regret to many Chriftians, at the commencement of the prefent century, that the Clergy, in their feminaries, infifted too little on the leading points of Chriftianity. Happy it had been for the Church, if the regret of thefe perfons had been tempered with a little more difcretion, and that they had paufed a while before they had proceeded, by the countenance they gave to irregular teachers, who profeffed to teach the word in purity, to lay the foundation of lafting anarchy and confufion on the wreck of Chriftian unity. But, unawares, as it is really believed, of the ill effects that would, in after-times, arife from the fchifun, they commended Whitfield, Welley, and their followers; and did an injury to the Church, which the labours of the faithful minifters of Chrift may long, very long, be repairing, They obferved, that the Etablished Clergy, who had turned with difgust from the follies of the Puritans and Fanaticks, had, unfortunately, run into the other extreme of abitractly motalizing; and, to remedy the evil, they had recourfe to means the most unjultifiable, because the most deftructive to Chriftian harmony. They whispered approbation to a host of uncommillioned teachers; thefe were fucceeded by

others worse than themselves; and we live to deplore the evil. It is now high time for us to awake out of our flumber, and to confider the fituation to which the fectaries are likely to reduce us by their unchriftian heals and animofities." (pp. 39, 40.) It was well obferved by Mr. Proaft, archdeacon of Berks in the last century, that the intent of King James the Second's de claration was, that "men may ufe fuch a liberty, in matters of religion, as cannot be ufed without violating the laws of God and this kingdom;" which un lawful liberty the Clergy could not promote, and therefore declined reading it. A fpirit of infubordination is abroad, not only in politicks but in religion, and that not confined to our country. Those deftructive notions indeed, which, not long fince, threatened the overthrow of our civil conftitution, have abated in virulence; but the myftery of iniquity ftill works in a more dangerous direction, for now our religion is threatened, and that not by our open enemies, but by thofe who profefs to be our warmest friends. Yes, our religion is threatened; for, whatever may be the honeft intentions of fome who have gone from us, the views of their leaders are tinctured with the very gall of hatred, and they have the art to conceal their views. By fair words and enticing speeches, as the Apostle obferves, they delude their followers. Doubt, uncertainty, and fufpence, are the refult of the divifions they are fowing; the way of peace they have not known; and their career is marked by the facrifice of every generous feeling that could ennoble them as men, or exalt them as Chrif tians." (p. 42.) Such is the power of Enthufiafm, that it has feduced many of the regular-bred Clergy to conform to its dictates, and adopt its doctrines and rant; and the fund raised by fubfeription among its own votaries, for purchafing livings, is a fhameful and open fubverfion of the Establishment.

from this popular and well-informed writer, no more of David Hume in this difcourfe, from Job xxi. 23-26; nor even of Voltaire, except that his behaviour on his death-bed was ftudioully concealed or difguiled; but the contínual dread of death and imperfection, which "originated in piety, but ended in little lefs than difeafe," is ftudioully and properly explained, and the deal ings of Providence vindicated.

156. The Clife of the Eighteenth Century improved. A Sermon, preached at Prince'sAtreet Chapel, Finibury-fquare, December 28, 1800; in which the most remarkable religious Events of the last One Hundred Tears are confidered. By Charles Buck. Published by Request.

MR. B. improves the text, Rom. xiii. 11, by exhortation to vigilance and caution againfi lukewarmnefs. He congratulates his audience on "the great revival of religion in the beginning of this century. About this time it is faid that the whole kingdom of England was faft tending to Infidelity; and what religion was left was chiefly dry morality, while the prominent doctrines of the Church of England were neglected. The names of Whitfield, Welley, and others, with all their reputed enthufiafin, will ever be held facred to memory while the love of doing good remains." (p. 29.) Although the author of this difcourfe is not in connexion with the focieties of either of thefe great men, he cannot help paying this deferved tribute of refpect. In a note he gives a lift of worthies, whofe names will, no doubt, be tranfinitted to pofterity with honour: Watts, Doddridge, Edwards, Young, Hervey, Guyce, Grimfhaw, Gill, Romaine, Brown, Lowth, Kennicott, Blair, Smith, Butler, Simpfon, Hurd, Newcome, Campbell, Beattie, Bryant, Fuller, Milner, Newton, Parr, White, Watfon, Porteus, Haweis, Scott, Booth, Fell, Paley, Knox, Hall, &c. &c. &c. Candour itself cannot cenfure this medley of Divines. There are three who muft not be omitted: the Bishop of London, Mr. Wilberforce, and Mrs. Hannah More, who, by her diffufing religious tracts, contributed very effentially to counteract the poison of thofe impious and immoral pamphlets which were difperfed over the kingdout." Popery is overthrown in France, and enervated every where. The number

* Piozzi's Anecdotes, pp. 112, 113.

of Proteftants in France is faid to be about three millions. The French have a firong partiality, it feems, for English publications; and we are happy to fay, that, among others, Bithop Waitin's "Apology for the Bible" has been circulated there. The Court of Spain ordered, 1796, Spanish Bibles to be printed by royal authority, and put into the hands of people of all ranks, as well as ufed in public worship. Toleration is extended in England; and the preacher augurs much good from the increafe of the Methodifis, and the exertions of itinerant preachers to diffufe the Gospel throughout the kingdom. We doubt whether the eccentric warmth of fuch will counteract the fuppofed lukewarmuefs of the Clergy, and whether Religion may not fuftain injury between the two oppofite proceedings. The charitable infiitutions, and more particularly the Humane Society, and the Philanthropy of Howard; the Proteftant Miffionary Societies of Danes, Moravians, Methodifts, and the newly-ettablished one at London, together with the Sundayfchools, have made multitudes of Chrif tian converts. To thefe must be added fixteen focieties for religious or philanthropic purposes, twelve of them inftituted between 1776 and 1800, befides many others for benevolent purposes. "Yes, I venture to fay, that to Chriftianity we are indebted for the wifeft intitutions, the most humane exertions, and the most useful focieties, with which the world is bleft." (p. 41, n.)

157. Mural Nights. Elements of Civil Knowledge. By Henry Redhead Yorke, Esq.

FEW of our readers are unacquainted with the hiftory and fentiments of this writer. To those who are, fuffice it to fay, from his own preface to the prefent work, that it was written in 1796, and 1000 impreffions of the first 152 pages were printed off in the enfuing year, but never published; for, in 1797, no bookfeller could be found in the metropolis who felt difpofed to affix his name to any publication of his. The work which he had prepared for the prefs, and which apparently alarmed the bookfellers, was intituled Britannicus, containing, for the most part, notes and comments on various portions of our Hifiory; to which was added, a fecond volume of Eflays on various Subjećts. When it was evident

that

THE author of "The Key to the Old Teftament," and a fet of the Bamp

ton Lectures, affumes, on Matt. xxviii.

20, an argument equally novel and in genious the manifefily providential appointment, for the advancement and prefervation of the Chriftian faith, in the permanency and establishment gi ven to the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages; the firft the language of the original Scriptures, by a remarkable exemption from the ordinary fate of Janguages preferved from innovation and debafement till the infpired canon was clofed; the fecond, in which thofe firft Scriptures were to be tranflated, near three centuries before the advent of the Meffiah, and in which the glad tidings of the Gofpel were to be everlaftingly recorded, diffused, established, and rendered permanent, by circumftances the most peculiar and extraor dinary; the laft, through which re vealed Wifdom was communicated for many ages to the Western Church, fo as to become, in its time, a moft admirable inftrument for the purposes to which it is applied. This fubject deferves to be treated more at large.

$64. A Sermon on the Peace, preached at Barnstaple, on the 1ft of June, 1802. By the Rev. Richard Taprell.

THIS fermon on Pf. cxlvii. 14, infcribed to Lord Nelfon, fo perfectly accords with our fentiments on the war, its conduct, and the confequences of it, with refpect to our own country, that we regret our limits do not admit of giving extracts from its animated pages. Mr. T, whofe other works are enume rated on the laft page, concludes with a fhort character of the late Duke of Bedford.

165. Remarks on the present bigh Price of Grain, and on the Expediency of farther Legislative Restriction, in order to effect its Reduction.

IT is here propofed to "apportion the quantum of individual confumption, and to afford the means of obtaining a fufficiency to thofe rendered otherwife unable to do it."

Lift. By the Right Hon. George Rofe, THERE is no fubject connected with the Executive Goveryment of the been more milreprefented, than that of country that is lefs underflood, or has the Civil Lift. It is material that the nature of the debt upon it, for the paymade to Parliament, fhould be clearly ment of which an application has been explained, because Malice and IgnoSovereignty itfelf, on account of accurance have confpired even to afperfe mulation of arrears, arifing from causes which, it is proved, the stricteft vigilance and beft-regulated economy could not prevent. We are happy to find that this fubject is taken up by one fo able and well-informed upon it as the Right Hon. George Rofe, late fecretary to the Treafury, in this fhort faces his obfervations on the prefent pamphlet.-Mr. R. very properly preapplication by taking a fhort review of the proceedings of Parliament on for mer occafions of a fimilar nature.

"Before the Revolution," he obferves, "no revenue was appropriated feparately for the civil expences of the Sovereign; and it was not till the latter end of the reign of King William that a fixed amount was granted for that purpofe. By an act of the 9th and 10th of William III. certain duties were given to his Majefty for life, to produce 700,ocol. per annum, the fut p'us at the difpofal of Parliament. Two years after, an act was paffed, applying a weekly fum out of the duties enumerated in the one before-mentioned, but leaving the furplus in the power of his Majefty.

"On the acceffion of Queen Anne, Par

liament put her Majesty in poffeffion of

the fame duties as were lat given to her predeceffor, without mention of any particular fum it was expected they would produce. With this revenue the Queen went on till 1713, when, finding a heavy debt on the Civil Lift, the fent a meffage

to Parlament with an estimate thereof to Midfummer 1710, comprifed in 13 grofs fums, amounting in the whole to <11,00cl.; on the communication of which, a motion was made for an account of the Civil Lift debts, and of the funds outstanding to anfwer the fame; but that information was refufed, by a negative on the queftion; and a grant was made to her Majefty of 500,ocol for payment of the arrears.

when he fucceeded to the throne, was fimi "The grant to King George the First, lar to that made to Queen Anne, with the

exception of the revenues of the duchy of Cornwall, and the First Fruits; the for

Soon