Art. 39. An Efay on Anger. By John Fawcett. The 2d Edition. Izmo. Is. 6d. Bound. Johnfon, &c.

We are always glad to fee impreffions of fuch truly useful books as this now before us, multiplied. Thefe plain, but well-adapted performances, may do more good in fociety, than the more elaborate or fplendid productions of learning or genius. Few readers,

comparatively, ftand in need of high attainments in fcience, or in the elegant arts, but every one may have paffions and hurtful propenfities to correct and regulate; and of thefe, the "angry paftion," as Dr. Watts ftyles it, is that which efpecially requires government and controul, as being, generally, of the most mifchievous and fatal confequence,-Our account of the first edition of this effay, may be seen in the lxxviiith volume of our Review, p. 174. Art. 40. Parental Duty: or the Religious Education of Children illuftrated and urged in feveral Difcourfes. By the Rev. George Jerment, Minister of the Gofpel, Bow-lane. 8vo. pp. 169. 2s. 6d. Dilly, &c. 1791.

A courfe of practical inftructions, expreffed in plain unornamented language, and difpofed under many diftin&t heads. The writer feems very defirous that children fhould be well grounded in the orthodox faith, left they should be mifled by blind guides. Art. 41. Sermons preached before the University of Glasgow. By James Bell, D. D. Minister of Coldstream. 8vo. pp. 464. 6s. Boards. Cadell. 1790.

The first four of thefe fermons are founded on the prayer of Agur, Prov. xxx. 7, 8, 9. They confider the different temptations attending on poverty or riches, according to the different means by which perfons are introduced to either. These are followed by two difcourfes on lying, Prov. xii. 19.; three, on evil-fpeaking, James, iv. 11.; two, on meekness, Pjalm xxxvii. 8-11. and two, on the love of God, 1 John, iv. 16. 18. 21. To the above are added, a fermon on the character of Doeg the Edomite, 1 Sam. xxii. 18, 19.; and two others, on a well and an ill-fpent youth, Ecclef. xi. 9, 10. The last in the volume is on PROVIDENCE, confidered as a plan going on progreflively to perfection, Pfalm cvi. z. Of this we are particularly informed, that it was preached in the church of Kelfo, before the Provincial Synod of Merfe and Tiviotdale, and at their request published with the foregoing.

Of thefe performances, it must be faid, that they are fenfible and jadicious: they are all directed to a practical purpofe, without any admixture of what is merely doctrinal or controverfial. The ftyle is plain and clear, and, at the fame time, it is nervous, and difcovers the man of literature. A few Scotticifms are scattered here and there, which may be easily excufed. Some vicious characters are highly drawn: it is not often, we would hope, that all the ugly features meet in one perfon; though fome of them may be found in many.

In defcribing particular virtues and vices, it is difficult fo to fix their limits, as not to intrude on thofe of a different name at least, if not of a different nature:-but as it is with the prifmatic colours, though not blended together, they yet gradually and almost imper

ceptibly

ceptibly flide one into the other, fo it is with the difpofitions of the mind; their exact boundaries it is not always eafy to define.

Some of these difcourfes have more of a philofophical caft, than would be fuited to common audiences: but it is to be remembered, that they were preached before a univerfity. Whoever perufes them, with attention, will find them inftructive, and of useful tendency.

Art. 42.

An impartial Inquiry into the State of Religion in England. By Samuel King. 8vo. pp. 47:. IS. Robiníons. 1789. Gloomy views of the state of mankind cannot be defireable; nor do we apprehend that this writer prefents them from a four and melancholy difpofition, but rather with a wifh to effect some happy alteration. Poflibly, his notion of religion may not be the most exact, though, if we understand him, he makes it to confift in a principle of fupreme love to God, and fincere good-will to man, actuating our whole behaviour. Concerning the juftice or injustice of the picture which he draws, we fhall not attempt to fpeak in any tone of decifion: but to fome it will, we imagine, have an uncomfortable effect, when fumming up, as it were, the evidence, at the close of the pamphlet, he adds, Suppose that there are half a million of real Chriflians in the nation;-what is this in comparison of fix millions-So that after all the exceptions that charity induces us to make, when we appeal to matters of fact, impartiality obliges us to fay, that fill the proper characteristic of the English nation is that of ungodlinefs.' In purfuing his point, the author runs through molt of the fects or divifions of Chriflians among us. Concerning the members of the church of England, among other things, he afks, Do the bulk of thefe love God with all their hearts, and their neighbour as themselves?-Nothing leís:- (he proceeds)They do not even pretend to it:-they are not even feeking it." Again, he afks, Do they not understand the principles of the religion they profefs ?-Are they not acquainted with the doctrines of their own church?--Much the fame as they are with the tenets of Confucius, or the doctrines of the Gymnofophifts.'

In like manner, other parties among us come under review, and under cenfure. If any have been, or are, fuperior to the rest in the prevalance of real piety and virtue, Mr. King apprehends it to be thofe Methodists at the head of whom Mr. Welley appeared, and with whom, poflibly, he may number himself: but they, he acknowleges, have very greatly declined.

We meet with fome fenfible remarks in this pamphlet; as when it is obferved, concerning forms of worship, that they are only fo far good, as they are used with a right intention, namely, as means to obtain an end: but to mittake them for religion itself, is an egregious blunder indeed. And (he adds) it is equally certain, that right opinions are no more religion than right forms of worship:' -but however juft fome of this writer's ftrictures may be, we cannot wholly approve of his calculation, nor think that any one has a right to pronounce confidently concerning the virtue of others, any farther than habitual and well-known practice may declare the truth. We truft, and are inclined to believe, that there are in all denominations

denominations among us, a great number of worthy and valuable people, who live not at random, but under the true influence of religion and virtue: fome are to be found in all ranks, though the highest and the loweft are probably the most deftitute, especially the former :-but all greatly need a reform; and this reform, if it be fincere and useful, can never be effected merely by force.-Happy and honourable are they, who, preferving a ftrict eye over themfelves, labour, by wife, gentle, and falutary, meafures, to advance this reform among all around:-they will, at the fame time, maintain their regard to the excellent Chriftian maxim-judge not, that ye be not judged.

Art. 43. Sermons on feveral Occafions. By Henry Wolstenholme, M. A. late Rector of Liverpool. 8vo. 2 Vols. Vol. I. pp. 350. Vol. II. pp. 296. 10s. Boards. Evans. 1790. It appears, from the advertisement, that the author of thefe volames died in the year 1771, and left directions for this publication: why it has been fo long delayed, we do not learn. In Mr. Wolftenholme's own preface, we are informed, that

On his first admiffion to the fervice of the church, he was too much employed in the performance of parochial duty, to fuffer him to acquire that knowledge, to which poffibly he might otherwise have attained. Three-fourths, at least, of the following discourses are of his own compofition: the rest are collected from feveral of the most approved writers-mixed with his own reflections, and put together in fuch a manner, as he conceived, might give the doctrine the greatest force on the minds of his hearers, many of whom did defire, that fome of them fhould be often preached, and others printed. In compliance with fuch defire, he gave direction for their publication; but chiefly, that being perufed with attention by his beloved parishioners after his death, they might, in fome meafure, fupply the defects of his miniftration among them, in much weakness, while living.'

This account given by the author very much fuperfedes any obfervations that we could make on the fermons, which are not to be numbered with those of the first rate: yet they do not, on the whole, difcredit his memory. In point of orthodoxy, we are to conclude, that they concur with the church of England; but he enters very little into thofe fubjects. The chief errors which he combats are those of popery. We are pleafed to obferve him rejecting the notions of divine hereditary right, paffive obedience, &c. and pleading in favour of that liberty, civil and religious, which was confirmed to us at the Revolution. Virtuous conduct, founded on Christian piety or faith, is the great object kept in view throughout thefe compofitions; and furely nothing of equal moment can be re-, commended to the attention of mankind!

Art. 44. An Efay on the Manner in which Christianity was intended to improve Morality. By the Rev. John Leadley, M. A. Feilow of Magdalen College, Cambridge, and Curate of Ferry-bridge, Yorkshire. 8vo. pp. 42. 19. Richardfon. 1791. This effay has gained the annual prize inflituted by the late Mr. Norris; and we have perufed it with fatisfaction. It is fenfible and REV. SEPT. 1791.

judicious,

judicious, refting the argument on folid truth, but not dazzling and perplexing the reader with affected words and pompous fentences. The excellent tendency of the Christian doctrine to produce fubftantial virtue, muft furely be evident to an attentive reader; and it is here very weli illuftrated. It is to be lamented,' fays Mr. Leadley, and may, perhaps, he made matter of objection, that we find fo little of morality in the Chriftian world. The reafon,' he auds, is obvious, and the answer foll: it is because, notwithftanding the general profetiion of Chriftianity, there are comparatively to few Chriftians.'

Eight or nine pages are added in this pamphlet to thofe which were delivered and approved at the time appointed for the determination of the prize; for this the author modeftly apologizes, becaufe these additions, he obferves, have not received the fame refpectable fanction with the former part of the effay, though he deems it rather incomplete without them; we do not apprehend that his readers will confider them as a needlefs, nor as an improper appendage.

Art. 45. A Review of the Policy, Do&rines, and Morals, of the Merbodifts. 8vo. pp. 55. 19. Johnfon. 1791.

This pamphlet is not ill written; the author is fenfible, though, we apprehend, fomewhat intemperate and miftaken in respect to Methodifm. His account of the policy by which the Methodists have been raifed to their prefent greatnefs,' is, in one place, compreffed into the following lines: the accommodating nature of their doctrine; the charms of novelty; the confequence to which each member is raised; the difpenfation they give from ftrict morality; the advantages they take of the weakneffes and infirmities of human nature, and their continual and painful attention to the bed of fickness.' (P. 16.) To this, it is added, Taking it altogether, it may truly be confidered as the most perfect fyftem ever railed by human policy. The religion of Jefus owed nothing to the prejudices and pafors of the human heart but the religion of J. W. owes to thefe almost every thing. Wonderful would it indeed be then, if it did not fucceed.' The illuftration of the above remarks is one part of the plan of this pamphlet, which is followed by an inquiry into the diftinguishing doctrines of the Methodists, and their probable effects. The refult of fuch a research bears very hard on this people, and fome parts of the cenfure may be too justly founded. From the initials, J. W. in the paragraph which we have inferted, we conclude that the writer understands, by Methodifts, "the followers of the late John Wesley. He has furely forgotten, or does not know, that there is a large body diftinct from him, who come under the denomination, and to whom fome principles here affigned may more properly be imputed; for we apprehend that the latter condemn the adherents of Mr. Wesley as Arminians.

Art. 46. The Spirit of all Religions. 8vo. pp. 50. 2s. 6d. Amfterdam. 1790. Hookham, London. According to this writer, the fpirit of all religions is pride, in pretending to know any thing concerning the Deity, or prefuming

to

to hold any intercourfe with him':-yet, with the moft manifest inconfiftency, he afferts, that the existence of inferior ceities, derived from the fupreme, may be known, and that they ought to be worfhipped. The pofitions, advanced in this fall manual of fcepticism, are too crude and fuperficial to merit the appellation of philosophy.

SINGLE SERMONS.

Art. 47. The Divinity of Chrift proved from his own Declarations, attefted and interpreted by his living Witneffes the Jews. A Sera mon preached before the University of Oxford at St. Peter's, Feb. 28, 1790. By Thomas Bur efs, M. A. Fellow of Corpus Chrifti College, Domeftic Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Salifbury, and Prebendary of Salibary. 4to. pp. 47. s. Rivingtons.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been too much agitated to allow any scope for novelty of argument: but though there fhould be little that is new, it appears to us that there is fomething very uncommon, in this fermon. The learned and ingenious author attempts to establish the divinity of Chrift on the malicious inferences and calamnies of his inveterate enemies, the Jews: but will it not be objected, that provided this kind of evidence be admiffible in one inftance, it is fo in all? which, if allowed, both the character of Chrift and the truth of his religion must be deeply affected. In confcientiously giving our opinion on the force of Mr. Burgess's reafoning, we hope to be pardoned for fcrupling fo refpectable an authority! Surely it matters not what interpretation the unbelieving Jews, thofe inveterate foes of Chrift, affixed to his declaration-1 am the Son of God. Refolved on putting the worst poffible conflruction on all his words, their malice could not fail of grounding on this, the charge of blafphemy. Because he faid that God was bis Father, they inftantly accufed him of making himself equal with God: but this, to say nothing of its being more than his words imply, as the accufation of enemies, merits no regard in our inquiries concerning the perfon of Chrift. The plain question, is, Does the phrafe the Son of God, in the genuine language of Scripture, ever fignify Divinity, Confubftantiality, and Equality with the Father?

That it has this meaning, when applied to our Saviour, who is xar' skoxovi called the Son and the only begotten Son of God, Mr. Burgefs ftrongly maintains, especially as, he fays, it must be taken in connection with his affertion (John, x. 30.) I and my Father are onę. Calvin, however, will not allow this latter text to have any reference whatever to the bomooulian doctrine*, and had Mr. Bargefs recollected what inftantly occurred to us, that Chrift prays (John, xvii. 23.) that his disciples may be one, even as he and the

• Calvin's comment on this text is as follows: Abufi funt hoc loco veteres, ut probarent Chriftum effe Patriot. Neque enim Chriftus de Unitate fubftantiæ difputat, fed confenfu quem cum Patre haber: quicquid fcilicet geritur a Chrifto, Patris virtuti confirmatum iri.