decisive and triumphant reply, that, were this the case, they would hesitate at no oath: whereas the fact is the contrary. But without meaning to load those of the Romish per suasion with the odium of the charge just mentioned, we must be allowed to say, that the reply, in our opinion, is insufficient. For although a man may feel released in principle from the obligation of an oath, public opinion (where this principle does not generally prevail), is so decidedly and vehemently the contrary way, that, when he has overcome his understanding and conscience, he finds it hard to overcome the world. We take this opportunity of correcting a strange mistake into which the worthy author of the Life of Dean Nowell has fallen, when he says, that "the council of Trent, to prevent the diffusion of it," (religious light,)" strictly prohibited the reading of the Scriptures in the vernacular tongue, and forbad the use of all catechisms, and expositions of the Apostles' Creed, and Ten Commandments." So opposite to this is the fact with respect to catechisms, that that council has made a particular and express decree, Sess. xxiv. cap. vii. providing that a catechism shall be composed, which the bishops shall take care to have translated into the vulgar tongue, and expounded to the people *. Such a catechism, under the title, Catechismus ex decreto Concilii Tridentini ad Parochos,, Pii V. Pont. Max. jussu editus, was drawn up, partly while the council was sitting, and partly afterwards. It is of considerable length, and consists of four parts; 1. on the Creed; 2. on the Sacraments; 3. on the Ten Commandments; 4. on the Lord's Prayer. While we are upon this subject, it may satisfy a correspondent of ours, who is offended at the supposed omission of the Second Commandment in the Lutheran Decalogue, to observe, that the circumstance originates with the Romanists, who unite the first and Second Commandment, and divide the Tenth into two; and for this arrangement they plead the authority of Augustine. The Romanists themselves do not omit the Second Commandment; however they may explain it away, as appears by the catechism to which we have been referring. It is an extraordinary fact, that Luther, even in his Larger Catechism, where he retains the Romish division, and has given an exposition of the whole Decalogue, has yet omitted any comment on the first part (the peculiarly anti-papistical part) of the Second Commandment. Walch says, the reformed were the inventors of the division, which they still retain. Acriter pugnant pro hac divisione, atque Anhaltini, Marpurgeuses, atque alii Lutherum de omisso idolopoeias præcepto arguunt*. Having endeavoured, with less success than we could wish, to discover, by what public and authentic forms the doctrine of the church of Rome is to be ascertained, we close our strictures on the present subject, by observing, agreeably to the intimation given, that the character of a sect, particularly with a view to its practice, is not to be determined; simply by its public professions, and those perhaps drawn up under circumstances which required every possible guard and caution; but by those professions as interpreted and illustrated by actions, particularly when the sect, if the case has existed, has been free from restraint. observation we think applicable to the Romish church with peculiar force. Their history is their re ligion. It is nothing more than doctrine reduced to practice. Compulsion, the parent of persecution, is the soul and body of papal catholicism; and it constitutes one of the leading distinctions between protestantism and popery, that while This * Walchii Introd. in Lib. Symb, Luthersa See likewise again Continuat. Sess. xxv, Decretum de Indice Librorum, et Catc. p. 655. chismo, &c. the acts of persecution committed by each respectively cannot endure a moment's comparison, protestantism weeps over and anathematizes her units, but popery either defends, or obstinately refuses to condemn, her millions. We can never forget, under all the circumstances, the Abbé Barruel's vindication of the barbarities exercised against the Albigenses. The account of the church of Rome, which we now leave, is full of those misrepresentations which the cause needs; and it is only by dashing generalities that it can uphold its plausibility for a moment. The next article is Protestantism); and the divisions and subdivisions of protestantism occupy the whole remainder of the work, with the exception of the view of deism and atheism at the end. Over these divisions the Romish church triumphs intemperately. Some remarks on this subject will occur at the conclusion of our review. In the mean time, be it observed that the unity of the popedom is an unity of submission, not of faith. Those who have resigned their reason may agree in any thing. This part of our author's work appears to be executed with ability and impartiality; although we can not help thinking, that the quality which the compilation of such a production eminently called for, has been carried somewhat beyond its doe bounds in the following para graph. "Against the Arminians of the Church of England, Mr. Overton, of York, has defend ed the cause of Calvinism, in 'his True Churchman ascertained; a work which has been warnly attacked by the present Dean of Peterborough, and the Archdeacon of Satura. The Anti-Jacobin Reviewers have also taken the same side of the question; andy in their review of Mr. Overton's work, kare appeared as able and strenuous advocates for the Anti-Calvinism of the Church of England." p. 242. . Really, if the historian of sects is to renounce all discrimination, as the popish renounces all reason, this passage may be tolerated. But it is almost too much to allow writers, who have betrayed such varied insufficiency on the subject, even a voice, much less equal respect with the object of their attack, whom nevertheless we do not regard as infallible. Such was the opinion of the late Bishop Horsley, and it is ours. Mr. Overton likewise will complain, and we think justly, of hard measure, in 'being represented, without any qualification, as the champion of the Calvinism of the church of England, and as the follower and associate of Mr. Toplady*. Mr. Overton at least denies the charge, and we think he ought to be attended to, by one whose prin ciple it is that every one ought to be believed concerning his own doctrine." All this is the worse, because it appears under the article Calvinism, and every sect, particularly in Mr. Adam's work, expects to see the best of itself in the article devoted to its history +. How far the sect denominated Antinomians may deserve, as a body, the indulgent constructions in pp. 268, 269, we will not take upon ourselves to determine. The event of an application to Mr. Huntington, supposed to be at the head of this party, for his assistance, deserves to be known. "To do justice to the members of this denomination (whose principles, I fear, are not yet well understood), as well as to promote the object of my work, I took the liberty of addressing this gentleman by leton this subject, and requesting his assistance ter, intimating my intention of publishing for this article, and that he would take the trouble of pointing out any erroneous ideas ing any of their peculiar principles. As, that the public might still entertain respecttherefore, most of my information on the subject of this article is from second hand, should I have here copied any of the mistakes of others, I shall sincerely regret it; at the same time I shall, no doubt, be considered the less blaneable, that no notice was taken by Mr. Huntington of my intimation and request." p. 270. The article on episcopacy is temperate, and we think conclusive. "The question," says Mr. Adams, "be tween the Episcopalians and Presbyterians is not, what degree of power and splendour the primitive bishops enjoyed, or what might be the precise extent of their dioceses; but simply and solely, whether they were the same as the presbyters, or whether they were a distinct order? "The Episcopalians contend for the last opinion; and insisting that the episcopal form of church government was not only primitive and apostolical, but also universal, they challenge their antagonists to produce, from all the records of antiquity, a single instance of a presbyteral community, previous to that established by Calvin at Geneva," pp. 278, 279. In proof of this representation Mr. Adam has appealed to the Epistles of Ignatius-meaning, no doubt, the smaller ones, which are generally allowed to be the genuine; although Morinus and Whiston give that honour to the larger ones, and, what is very surprising, are in some degree countenanced by Mosheim. That the smaller are the genuine, and that the larger are the interpolated and corrupted, might be decisively proved, if this were the place for such an argument. The attention of the public has been faintly called to the subject of the authenticity of the Epistles of Ignatius by one of the productions of the Christian Advocate in Cambridge. The subject is of importance, at least has been esteemed so by many eminentChristians as well as scholars; and what engaged the serious attention of such men as Usher and Pearson ought not hastily to be considered either above or below that of any Christian student or instructor. The production itself is a favourable monument of primitive Christian piety. Under the head of Lutheranism, pp. 335, 336, Mr. Adam has informed us, that "the edition of the Augsburg Confession of 1530 is their legitimate formulary of faith, and is called Augustana Confessio invariata. It was altered by Melancthon, in a subsequent edition, which is called variata." This is certainly the fact. In a note he observes, "Some have told us that the variata edition is that of 1540; but I am at a loss to reconcile this opinion with that edition's being given in the Oxford Sylloge Confessionum." This, however, is likewise most certainly the fact. In the introduction to a work of the learned Lutheran divine, Pfaffius, which contains all the symbolic books of the Lutheran church, and both editions of the Augsburg Confession, occur these wordsConstat, Augustanam Confessionem a Philippo Melancthone A. 1540 privato ausu passim mutatam atque in articulo decimo, &c. cap. iii. § 6. The same fact is likewise asserted by the elaborate Walch, in his Introduction to the Symbolic Books of the Lutheran Church, and the original vouchers referred to. Mr. Adam must know, that there is no appeal from such authorities. We do not at all participate in his surprise, that, this being the case, the edition of 1540, not being acknowledged as an authentic Lutheran formulary, should be given in the Sylloge Confessionum. That work is professedly selected from the Corpus Confessionum, and in the Corpus the edition of 1540 alone is given. The Oxford editors have really discovered so little information on the general subject of the Protestant Confessions, that we are tempted to believe they were unac quainted with the existence and difference of these two celebrated editions. Much of the information which Mr. Adam has been able to com. municate under the article of Lutheranism, he professes to have derived from a learned and very respectable Lutheran divine. «Inverted commas," he adds, " distinguish most of his remarks, which are all founded partly on his own obser • Vide pp. 185-196. vation and experience, and partly on the most respectable authorities." pp. 355, 356. Under these inverted commas we find Eichhorn and others held up, not only as men of learning, but as being free from bigotry and intolerance. p. 353. A very fair inference we think is to be drawn from this remark, respecting both the sentiments of the author, and the character of his representations. We believe a Cantab would relieve Mr. Adam of his difficulty, in p. 365, by telling him that Corpus Christi, and Bennet college, are the same. In the short notice of the project of altering the English Liturgy in 1689, Mr. Adam should have referred to the second edition of Calamy's Abridgment of Baxter's Life and Times, where, we believe, the best account is given of the whole affair. At the close of the account of our united church is a passage, which is both highly gratifying in itself, and reflects much credit on the discriminating piety, and, where vital religion is concerned, the decisive views, of the author. Nor have the members of this church been more eminent for solid learning, than for true piety and sterling virtue, and all "those more valuable qualities, with a view to which the church of Christ was establish ed upon earth, and which only will retain their value in the church triumphant in heaven. Fervent piety, Christian zeal, actire benevolence, and practical virtue, though len dazzling in the eyes of the world, are so mach more valuable than the highest literary attainments, in that they are more durable; for whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away;' and so much the more profitable, in that, though they cannot boast of the same degree of the honour that cometh from man, they have equally the promise of the happiness that now is, and they lead more directly to that which is to come. In every age the different branches of the now united church have exhibited such * burning and shining lights,' as will be had • in everlasting remembrance; and many, doubtless multitudes, have, for a season rejoiced in the light of others, whose names may have never reached beyond the sphere CHRIST. OBSERV. No.101. of their own usefulness, whose virtues have never been recorded, or whose memoirs are forgotten. And that in this age, and at the present day, she is less favoured in this respeet than at any former period, those only will be disposed to maintain, who, having hear. For notwithstanding many of her eyes, will not see, or, having ears, will not sons and servants may have no great preten. sions to piety, and some of them as little to learning, she can yet boast of those in all ranks and orders, from the prelate on the bench to the village curate, who are eminently distinguished both for the one and the other. She may also boast of men nei ther ignorant nor unlearned, who labour in her service with ardent zeal-with unwearied diligence with scrupulous fidelity, and with preaching the word, are instant in season, various success; of met, in short, who out of season,' and whose zeal is according to knowledge, and without innovation. "To the professional labours and con sistent conduct of some men of this character, had I not myself been an eye witness, for years together, I should scarcely have believed that Christianity, as we find it in Scripture, was so justly reflected in the lives of any of its professors, in these days of lukewarmness and indifference, or that there proaches to what the ministers of the Gospel were any at this time who made so near aponce were, and what they ought at all times to be. “And yet, tell it not in Gath,' publish it not in the ears of the enemies of the church, or of religion, such men, and many such there doubtless are at this day, besides those whom I have the happiness to know (classed, if not mixed, with others, I admit, of a less honourable and consistent deportment; but I speak not here of men who can be justly charged with heterodoxy, irregularity, or enthusiasm)-even such men are viewed with contempt, and loaded with opprobrious names by many of their brethren and others; by those in particular, it is presumed, I will not say, who are the least distinguished by their piety and worth, but rather, who have the misfortune to know them the least. "I have, however, no hesitation in saying, that I know of no set of men in any church, sect, or country, who have themselves made higher attainments in religion, or who aim more stedfastly and uniformly to promote the cause of religion in others; and none, of course, who deserve better of their country and of mankind in general. And, however much many may have vainly at20 tempted to obscure the lustre of such characters, I firmly believe, and I believe it on clear scriptural authority, that not a few of of sectarism and sectarists, of every description." pp. 155, 156. We resist the temptation of mak them shall shine hereafter as the brightnessing any more extracts from this inof the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever.'" pp. 392--395. The account of the episcopal church of Scotland is eloquent, and to be assigned, we conclude, to the pen of the present author, from whom that church herself derives no small credit. But few remarks are required to be made on the remaining part of this work, the third volume. Mr. Adam (p. 101), estimates the real number of the methodists at upwards of 600,000 persons. We were surprised to find Nightingale referred to as authority, p. 139. It is impossible to regard that work in any other Ight, than as the work of an enemy. The concluding observations on the article methodists, are just and important. They respect the application of that term to a certain body of the clergy in the united church. After having quoted a passage from the impartial History of the Church of Christ by Dr. Haweis, highly creditable to that author, and which we are the more anxious to notice, because it is not always that we have been able to speak in this strain of the productions of that divine, Mr. Adain proceeds: “These men, on account chiefly of their resembling many of the methodists in piety and zeal, have been confounded with them, and even called by their name. Yet these are the churchmen who combat the metho dists most effectually, not indeed by abusive language, but by gradually and quietly superseding their labours. And would the great body of their brethren descend into the field, equipped in the same armour; by adding religious zeal to their love of ecclesiastical decorum, piety to their learning, and a practical acquaintance with the influence of the leading truths of the Gospel upon the heart, to the cold orthodoxy and scanty morality with which too many, it is feared, rest satisfied; socher or later the 'consequence would be a happy triumph over their opponents-the certain decrease, not only of methodism and methodists, but also teresting and well-executed work, excepting one pretty long passage which we mean to produce from the Preface. There remain, however, a few observations of a general description to be made. We cannot help thinking, that the fault which was to be apprehended in the author of such a work as the present has in some degree, we admit but a slight one, been committed by Mr. Adam. The fault is an amiable one, and therefore the more dangerous. By an endeavour to guard against a bigotted aversion to sects and opinions opposing his own, and to exercise towards every denomination of Christians a perfect candour, he has, as we conceive, occasionally express ed himself with too indiscrimi nate indulgence. In a few instances he appears to us, unintentionally we are sure, to have compromised the interests of real Christianity. The instance of this kind by which we were most struck was the equal praise which he appears to have awarded to Mr. Overton, Mr. Daubeny, and the Antijacobin reviewers, Although we have ourselves fallen under a slight stroke or two of the lash of Mr. Overton, we apprehend that no man, who understands what real Christianity is, will hesitate for a moment to decide in his favour against his professed opponents. that Leaving the author, we observe, with respect to the work itself, and all works of a similar description, there is an obvious evil to be guarded against in the perusal of theman evil indeed, not legitimately deducible from them as its cause, but which they have a tendency to produce by the operation of other causes, put in exercise by them. That evil is either universal scepti cism and indifference, or a sort of indiscriminate and latitudinarian charity inconsistent with real and operative Christianity. The one re |