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their portion. In this fenfe, then, it is, we learn from Scripture, that the Lord appoints certain finners to this or that particular condemnation, whilft themfelves are the fole caufe of their own ruin and thus we learn that he who faith unto the boisterous elements of nature, Peace, be fill; can fay also unto the spirit of rebellion in his intelligent creation, Hitherto fhalt thou come, but no further.

D.

REVIEW OF A PAMPHLET,

ENTITLED

ANDREW DUNN.

By a Friend to Primitive Christianity. Second Edition (with an Appendix) 1803.

THIS work is a hiftory of the converfion of

the person whose name it bears, from the errors of the Romish church, to the faith of the Gofpel: including various interefting circumstances to which that event gave birth, both with regard to himself and others. The outlines of the narrative are as follows:-Andrew Dunn, educated a Roman Catholic, becoming folicitous about the falvation of his foul, applies for instruction to the priest of his parish: but the latter being unwilling and unable to anfwer his enquiries, he remains unfatisfied upon that most important fubject, till he learns, by means of a New Testament afterwards given him, that there is forgivenefs for the guilty in Jefus Chrift the righteous

Having thus found that peace of God which paffeth all understanding, he unremittingly endeavors to communicate the fame bleffednefs to his family, and in procefs of time the Lord displays his converting power amongst them, till they are all brought to the feet of Jefus. In the courfe of a year a vifit from the prieft, who comes to enquire about Andrew's long abfence from Mafs, occafions a dialogue, in which the leading doctrines of the Church of Rome are difcuffed with so much boldness by the young convert, that the indignant priest excommunicates him on the following Sunday. Shortly after, a Bible is given to Andrew, which adds much to his knowledge and enjoyment of what he has hitherto learned from the New Teftament only; and he is now emboldened to commence family worship. This circumftance becomes the means of converfion to many of his neighbours, and in time gives rife to a stated meeting, on the Lord's day, of all them that believed. Meanwhile the priest is feized with a fatal diftemper; and Andrew witneffes his perfevering difbelief of the faithful faying, which often before, and now for the laft time, he declared to him. Contrafted with the priest's miferable end is the happy death of James Nowlan, Andrew's own fon in the faith, which event concludes this pleafing and instructive hiftory.

The defign of the work is to give the Roman Catholics of Ireland fome idea of the difference between the religion of the Gofpel, and that to which their fpiritual guides influence them to conform. In the purfuance of this object, many of the grand errors of the Church of Rome are advanced and refuted; not by learned and elaborate arguments, but by the plain reasoning of an illiterate

illiterate man having truth on his fide, and such as can therefore be intelligible to ordinary readers.

The writer also prefents us, in various parts of the narrative, with a view of the Gospel itself in its afpect to finners, as bringing nigh righteousnefs-without the deeds of the law unto all them that believe. We would wish indeed that Andrew's meditations and prayer (page 9) had been omitted, or else fome reafon afligned for their appearance for certainly the reader is led to confider both these as of a gracious kind, and connected with his fubfequent converfion. Now, though we have no doubt that natural men may be anxious about their fouls, and bestow much thought upon what they confider to be falvation, and thereupon pray unto him whom they call God: yet that a man can call upon the True God, who is ftill ignorant of HIM, is an idea utterly inconfiftent with Scripture truth, as we have stated more at large in page 46 of this volume. And at this time Andrew had not read a line in that book in which alone the name of God is revealed. We must also confefs that the defcription of Andrew's actual converfion (page 13), feems rather applicable to an effort of the will, than to the mere belief of the Divine Teftimony. However, we are led to hope from other parts of the work, that the author did not mean to fanction two fuch important errors, asthat justifying faith is any thing but the belief of the Gofpel,-and-that any gracious change takes in a finner, previous to his receiving the truth. Andrew feems to have been quite free from fuch errors, when he declared to the bigotted, perfecuting, and dying Father Dominick, who had till that moment lived in hardened impenitency, (page 67) " that the blood of Chrift cleanseth from

لله

"all fin." This was indeed preaching the Gospel. He did not propose any work to be performed, but he teftified the truth concerning Jefus to be believed.

Various effects of the Gofpel, on thofe who receive it are justly marked by our author in the fubfequent lives of Andrew and his fellow converts; as for inftance,-mildnefs, p. 15, 58love of fouls, 39, 57, 60, 67-forgiveness of injuries, 48, 54, 55-thankfulness to Divine Providence, 50-dependence upon God, 55-diligence in business, 62-humility, 65-benevolence, 65, 66-triumphant hope, 69, 70. These and fuch like characters of the new mind are drawn in lively but faithful colours, and may furnifh a useful leffon to the most experienced, as well as to the young Christian: while the pleafing incidents and dialogues in which they are brought forward, contribute much to direct the application, and strengthen the impreffion.

The Notes, which are numerous and full, are enlivened with appropriate and entertaining anecdotes; and contain fome useful pieces of hiftorical information, with many judicious obfervations; fo that thefe, no less than the text, are happily calculated for inftruction. In the Note annexed to page 61, the author takes more pains than seems to us requifite, to vindicate Andrew from the charge of "taking upon him the office "of the ministry." We fee no fcriptural reafon to prevent any believer from taking the lead in the devotions of any Christian meeting, if he can but pray and speak fo that the church may be edified thereby. And however it may have been needful to "entreat the CANDID reader not haftily "to judge, nor rafhly to condemn” the unordained Andrew; we are fure that the CHRISTIAN

reader

reader will require no apology in his behalf, for intruding upon the minifterial province at his Sunday meeting. For our parts, we fhould as fatisfactorily have joined in the petitions, and lif tened to the exhortations of our lay brother, as if he were the Rev. Andrew Dunn, A. M. or B. D. or D. D.

Upon the whole, we have been much gratified in the perufal of this pamphlet, and should rejoice to hear of its being extenfively circulated through that order of people to which it is “par❝ticularly addreffed." And while the preface informs us, that "it has been spoken against from "the pulpit, and it has been attacked from the prefs; "it has been railed at as " impudent calumny", and "ridiculed as "miserable ftuff;" but notwithstanding "all this, it keeps its ground"—we may cherish a hope that it has been, and will yet be, the means of turning fome of our blinded fellow finners, from the darkness of nature and fuperftition, to the light and liberty of the Gospel of Christ.

A.

To CORRESPONDENTS.

WE have received an effay " On Sovereignty," figned "D. E." which shall appear in our next.

We have also received a fecond letter from "A Friend to Truth," which we do not think neceffary to infert; as part of it contains objections to one of our critical remarks, which we think require no further answer than may be found in the remark itself; and all the rest of it concerns the subject treated of in the abovementioned effay, and is therefore, in its leading. ideas, already anticipated.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

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