superficial reasoning; to the love of, writers express their contempt of amusement rather that information; Calvin and his followers, we might to the wretched flippancy with almost suppose that no man of comwhich the gravest subjects are dis- mon understanding could ever have cussed; and to the disgraceful prac, listened for one moment to bis doctice (arising in general, we believe, trines. It would be well if these from consummate ignorance) of, persons knew, what Mr. Whitaker grouping together, and holding up can tell them, that the reputed auto derision under some common, thor of this scheme was " a man of term of obloquy, persons who dif-, fer widely both in principles and practice.

"Subjects which would have put our ancestors to the expence of folios, are disposed of with great confidence in a pamphlet the strong points of an argument are artfully declined, the weak ones placed in the most prominent and ludicrous point of view ➡and, when a few trifling outworks have been won, victory is triumphantly proclaim ed, while the fortress itself remains unassail ed. As an example of this style of political writing, flippant, shallow, petulant, and often uninformed, it is impossible not to be directed to a certain periodical, and too-popular miscellany. The Letters of a Barrister' are to be referred to the same class." pp. 10, 11.

In exposing" this detestable spirit," the author has it in view to prove, that persons of loyal character, who embrace the fundamental principles of Christianity, have no need to be estranged from each other on account of opposite sentiments on the Calvinistic system. He is evidently of opinion, that the treatment which Calvinists have re. cently experienced reflects no credit upon their opponents.

Calvinism is become a sort of hideous phantom, indistinct and obscure, at which men start they know not why. Young men and young students in particular, have dis covered that a single name is instead of a thousand arguments, and with a levity incident to their age and their attainments, have learned to condemn what they have not: been at the pains to understand.This conduct of the temper and the understanding is

neither creditable to the heads nor to the hearts of those who pursue it. A little more attention both to the nature and history of

this controversy would teach them to treat the subject with more reserve and difli dence." p. 14. stoted *qoded eas Jolt → From the manner in which some 19 DE 438 .191. sal, te gode 85 17

great practical piety, one of the first scholars of his age, able to state and maintain his peculiar opinions with a clearness of conception and purity of style never equalled by his antagonists:" that bis peculiarities were embraced by many learn ed divines in the latter years of Queen Elizabeth, and that the learned during the 17th century were pretty equally divided, be tween Calvin and Arminius.—We have some recollection of a modera critical Professor, who con tends, that no Calvinist can be a friend to the Liturgy: let him read this sermon, and blush for his assertion.

"It may be a matter of surprize with some who have indulged themselves in this arrogant abuse of the terms Calvinist and Calvinism, to be told, that the great Lord Bacon himself was a Supralapsarian. I do not quote such a name for the purpose of hath pleased God to bestow on every man repressing enquiry, but petulance: for as in an understanding and conscience of his own, he hath as good a right to exercise them, as if Calvin had never written his Institutions, or Bacon his Confession; but it may perchance abash the spirit of modern levity and presumption to hear these despised terms connected with a name the most honoured for the extent and depth of his researches among our countrymen, terms wont to associate only with the sideas of a which many have hitherto perhaps been modern conventicle and a raving fanatic.This is the proper and only legitimate use of authority in matters either of faith or sci

ence.

“And now, if by the veneration which ancient examples ought to excite, our prejudices are in any degree abated on the sab Ject itself, a portion, perhaps, of the same forbearance may be permitted to extend itself to #some of our own contemporaries, whe hated and opprobrious name of

bear

Clergy in the United Kingdom The Socinians are making a great

were influenced on this subject by the same spirit of diffusive liberality with the reverend author. But it contains one assumption upon which we must beg leave to offer a single remark. The spirit of rivalship and hostility has never yet existed in the Bible Society. When it was first established, Lord Teignmouth, the President, addressed an official and respectful letter to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge; but the existing rulers of that So-, ciety never condescended to notice the communication. Every attack which has been made commenced in behalf, as it was pretended, of the old Society: and the friends of the Bible Society have done nothing more than defend themselves.. The Country Clergyman, and Dr. Wordsworth, and Dr. Marsh, and. the Curate of Hackney, and the several Archdeacons who have charged in the same cause were as sailants: the Bishop of St. David's and the Dean of Carlisle, and the other Clergy, who have appeared as the friends of the Bible Society, have come forward only to repel assault, and to vindicate truth; and it is notorious that most, if not all, of the zealous advocates for the Bible Society are friends and supporters of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. We have thought it due to truth and justice to state these facts: at the same time we must confess that this sort of discrimination in the sermon was not called for, and would probably have done no good.

There exists in some minds a spurious sort of charity, which makes little or no distinction of sects and creeds. This is not the charity of Dr. Whitaker. "With the Unitarian and the Antinomian," he says, we disclaim the idea of fraternity We do them no wrong by total estrangement. We tremble at the consequences of their errors." (p. 18.) It is impossible that the Clergy can be too zealous in exposing the evil of these monstrous heresies.

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effort to procure to themselves a name and consequence among us: but theirs is a system too cold and too comfortless for the poor and it is never likely to take deep root among those who have access to the New Testament. The Antinomiar heresy is of a more inviting, and therefore of a more dangerous, as pect; but if the ministers of the Church of England will be vigilant and faithful, the vile and absurd ribaldry" (p. 18) of this school must eventually be silenced by the language of truth.

The conclusion of this sermon is well worthy of the subject: it is candid, solemn, dignified, and impressive. Its excellence, we trust, will be a sufficient apology for the length of our quotation.

"The conduct of the temper recommend. with the firmest determination of the undet ed in this discourse, is perfectly consistent standing: let every one be thoroughly peri suaded in his own mind,' nay, let us contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints:" but not with perulance or anger, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."Let as labour to in-form ourselves on all the subjects of contro versy which have divided the Christian world, and we shall quickly discover that while indolence is the parent of bigotry, fairness and candor are the product of dilis: gent investigation. It is impossible that all these discrepancies should have arisen from individual vices of the head, or of the heart: many, no doubt, are to be assigned to that incurable diversity of opinion, which is inherent in the human understanding.— And if, after all our diligence, we should no attain to the perfect knowledge of the truth, (and who will dare to affirm that bel has attained to it?) humility and diffidence" " at least can never be wrong; and the that! knoweth the infirmities of our nature, will, we trust, through the merits of his Son, be gracious unto us. On the contrary, we. well as unrighteousness, and the result will may hold the truth in uncharitableness as be the same; for though we have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge," and though we have all faith, so that we could remove mountains, and have not charity, we are nothing."

**

Let us also bear in mind, that the time

is shortly approaching when those gifts which are most apt to betray men into the heats of controversy, are strictly to be accounted for-that the solemn period is draw ing nigh, when wit, and eloquence, and the ological learning, and controversial acuteness, will be to their possessors as if they had never been when, if we are permitted to reflect at all, the hours which we shall reflect upon with least satisfaction will be those of intellectual strife and triumph, in which we once prided ourselves the most when wrath, and bitterness, and evil speaking,' and acrimonious writing, will no longer be sanctified by their subject-when the Gospel of Jesus Christ will appear in its genuine character, not as a convenient vehicle for the display of talent, not as a channel through which we may void the gall

and bitterness of our constitutions, not as

a whetstone on which we may sharpen the weapons of debate; but as righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;' as a message sent from God to renew the na. ture of fallen man, by the operation of Divine grace; and through a life of faith, working by love, to make us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.'" pp.

19, 20.

the law to which he adverts; so that if Christianity contradicts one law in the manner of its influence, it agrees with another. The author will forgive this trifling observation.

We cannot close our Review with

out expressing a very earnest hope that this sermon may be widely read. We recommend it to the clergy in general; and we also beg, with becoming deference, to submit to the Society in Bartlett's Buildings, whether they would not render a real service to the cause of Religion and the Church, by adopting it into the list of their Tracts. But let it be adopted without the interference of a correcting committee: we wish for the sentiments not of a committee, but of Dr. Whitaker: and the revision of the author, with such notes and references as he might think it expedient to insert, would soon adapt it in the form of a tract for general circulation. We shall be glad to find that this hint has been as freely received as it is freely given.

If we should venture to propose any correction in this truly admirable discourse, it would be the A substitution of some other sentence in place of the first. We remember to have heard a clergyman, when speaking of the difficulty of composing sermons, complain bit. terly that every sermon had a beginning and an end: the conclusion, in the present instance, is masterly, but the beginning is rather unhappy. It runs thus ; Christianity, considered as a rule of temper and conduct, appears to contradict a fundamental law of nature, inasmuch as its influence increases in proportion as it recedes from the centre." The idea itself is not worthy of the sermon, nor of the taste and talents of the author; and this law of nature is not an universal law. We need not remind Dr. Whitaker, that within the surface of the earth the influence of gravity increases as we recede from the centre, for it varies directly as the distance it is only without the surface of the earth that we find

:

Sermon preached at the Parish Church of St. Bride, Fleet Street, on Thursday, November 10, 1814, before the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East, on Occasion of the Departure of the Rev. John Christopher Sperrhacken and the Rev. John Henry Schulze,” as Missionaries to the Western Coast of Africa, together with several other Persons attached to the

same Mission. By DANIEL WIL-' SON, M.A., Minister of St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row, and Chap lain to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Galway. Printed by Desive of the Committee. London: Seeley. 1814, pp. 47. THIS is certainly an eloquent and powerful discourse, well adapted to its purpose, and highly creditable to the zeal and piety, as well as to the ability, of the preacher. Consider ing the frequent recurrence of Mis sionary Sermons, it must be admit ted to be no mean trial of the inventive faculty to avoid falling, on such

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occasions, into a mere repetition of hackneyed remark and thread-bare sentiment. We do not mean to insinuate that a sermon, on that account, would be less edifying, al though it would undoubtedly be Jess worthy of publication; for the utility of Christian preaching depends not on the enunciation of new propositions or original observations, but, in subordination to Divine Grace, on the intelligent deve lopement and faithful application of the plain and obvious truths of Scripture. Still, to justify the expense of paper, ink, and presswork, and the call on the time even of an author's circle of friends, to say no thing of the public at large, which are involved in printing and pub Fishing a sermon or a volume of sermons, it should, we think, have something to recommend it beyond the mere statement of admitted verities. The Church Catechism, especially if the Articles and Homi, lies are added to it, may very fairly be considered as superseding the necessity of such productions. But we need not pursue this line of re mark. Mr. Wilson's discourse does not require any apology for its introduction to public notice, and it might have equitably preferred its claim on public attention, even with oat "the desire of the Committee." Mr. Wilson conceives that the event to which, in Isaiah Ixii. 6, 7, the Christian is taught to look for ward, is "the Church's establishment and glory in the world;" and that the means by which this event will be accomplished, are the raising up of men of fervent piety to enter on the work of propagating the Gospel, aided and animated in their efforts by the exhortations and prayers of the church militant at large Pass ang over the able, but rapid, sketch which he exhibits of the present moral state of mankind, and of the brightening rays which the efforts of the Christian world have recently thrown athwart the gloom, we find our attention arrested by the follow ing brief but comprehensive view of

the duties of a Missionary; and in extracting it we wish its application to be extended to the watchmen of our own Israel.

པ

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You, then, my reverend brethren, are going forth in the character of watchmen, You are to guard the Church of God. Y să are to make mention of Jehovah in beasket lands. You are, by your exertions and prayers, to exercise a ceaseless vigilance in your office You will have to lay beforem people that sit in darkness, all the grand truths of religion. You are to explain to them the being and perfections of God; the nature of moral good and evil; the accounts ableness of man; the extent and sanction of the holy law; the guilt of every transgres sion; and their consequent state of misery and ruiu, You are to unfold the glories of the Divine Saviour; the infinite grace, and condescension of his work and sufferings; and the stupendous scheme of reconciliation which is founded on his incarnation, agony and death. You are to be ministers of the Cross. You are to proclaim the offers

of mercy in Christ Jesus, to a lost world.

Yon are to dwell on the person and work of

the Holy Ghost, and to direct to him as the source of all spiritual affections and tight conduct. You are to enforce all those duties of the moral law, which are to flow from these high principles. You are, in à word, to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'” pp. 16, 17.

? Our limits will only permit us to subjoin to this full delineation of the duties of the true evangelical labourer, a few of the more striking exhortations which the preacher addressed to the Missionaries before him, and to which it is still our object to give a wider appropriation.

"Contemplate, then, the unutterable raise of immortal souls, view the lost and perish, ing state of the heathen world, consider the brief and uncertain and degrading nature of all earthly things, be penetrated with a lively conception of the glories of an eternal-state, remember the majesty and grace of the God whom you serve, call to mind the infinite condescension of the Redeemer, whose cross you go forth to proclaim, think, fre

quently of the mighty operation of - that Holy Spirit on whose aid you rely, bear in mind the promises of the future glory of the church by which you are animated, look forward to the consequences of that eternal bliss which you may be the means ul come municating and you will learn with