orthodox brethren, with regard to the eternal reprobation, a parte ante, and eternal damnation, a parte poft, of nine hundred and ninety-nine out of a thousand of the human race, from adorable fovereignty and mere good pleasure; in afcribing to the Deity all poffible imperfettions, and in triumphing over the irrationality of reason and the nothingness of good works. Still however the root of the matter is in him; and he has fire and brimstone, blood and thunder, fufficient so gratify the maw of an ordinary fanatic. The following quotation will ferve as a fpecimen. • God, when the time was come that Chrift must suffer, did, as it were, fay, "O! all ye waves of my incenfed juftice, now fwell as high as heaven, and go over his foul and body; fink him to the bottom; let him go like Jonah into the belly of hell. Come all ye forms that I have referved for this day of wrath, beat upon him. Go juftice, put him upon the rack; torment him in every part, till all his bones be out of joint, and his heart be melted as wax, in the midst of his bowels." "Our armies fwore terribly in Flanders," faid uncle Toby, on a fimilar occafion, "but not at all like this." Would the author wish for a brother or a father of fuch a fanguinary temper ? In page 97, we have a fpecimen of a different kind. "The blood of Chrift is like the fea; as it covers with its waves the greatest as well as fmallett veffels; fo the blood of Christ can drown the greatest as well as fmalleft fins. Caft your eyes upwards, and furvey the retinue of the lamb ! Among the vast multitudes which follow him, are there not thofe, who were once in the gall of bitternefs, who were fornicators, idolators, adulterers, drunkards, revilers, extortioners." This comfortable view of the kingdom of heaven reminds us, that the author, when in Edinburgh, was a correfpondent of Lord George Gordon. ART 29. The Harmony of Law and Gospel, in the Method of Grace, demonftrated; in feveral Sermons. By William Arnot, Minister of the Gospel at Kennoway. Published by particular defire. 8vo. Printed for Robert Jamefon, London, 1785. Mr. Arnot, we imagine, is a feceder, or diffenter from the church of Scotland. The Sermons, we dare fay, met with the approbation of his hearers, as they are faid to be " published by particular defire." They may perhaps be read by a certain clafs in this metropolis, but they are calculated for the perufal, neither of the reader of tafte, nor of the rational Chriftian. As a fpecimen of the compofition, we give the following fhort extract. It is not enough to preach Jefus, unless his fuitableness to the needy condition of finners be pointed out, which cannot be done, without taking particular notice of the miseries of finners, and leading their eye to each particular benefit in Chrift, which is calculated to *One out of a thoufand, i. . cutting off the cyphers, and retaining the unit, is the exact calculation of the clea, according to a celebrated doctor of the Geneva school. fupply fupply each correfpondent want about themfelves. Counselling them, as poor, to buy of Chrift gold tried in the fire, that they may be rich. As blind, to buy eye-falve, that they may fee. As naked, to buy white raiment, that they may be clothed, and the fhame of their nakedness may not appear. As far from righteousnefs, to embrace Chrift's righteoufnefs, brought near in the gospel. As ignorant, guilty, vile, and enflaved, to receive Chrift, as made ...of God unto us, wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanctification, and redemption. As thirsty, to come to him and drink. As having no money, to buy without money and without price. As hungry, to eat that which is good. As being heavy laden with the mifery of a natural ftate, to come to him for reft; even to let all their wants be upon him, and all their breaches under his hand. As one beautifully remarks, "Chrift is a path, if any be misled, "If any be but weak, how ftrong is he ! "To dead men life he is, to fick men health, "To blind men fight, and to the needy wealth, "A pleasure without lofs, a treasure without stealth." Mr. Arnot feems to fpurn at the very idea of elegance; "If the reader," fays he, in the preface," be fond of the wifdom of "man's words, he will, no doubt, be disappointed." Yet, though the author be not fond of choice words, and phrafes, he more than makes up in quantity, for the deficiency of the quality; fix fermons form a volume of 400 pages! ART. 30. A Legal Attempt to enforce the Practice of Infant Baptifm: being a genuine Copy of a Petition to Parliament, by the Nurses and Chambermaids of the Cities of London, Weftminster, and the Borough of Southwark, against the Anabaptifts. To which is added, a Counter-Petition by the Wives of the Anabaptifts; and a Letter to the Rev. John Horfley, by Amy Caudle. 12mo. 15. Buckland, 1786. The petition from the nurfes and chambermaids, who are alarmed at the difrepute into which certain publications have brought infant baptifm, which has almost deftroyed the perquifites connected with their employment, is figned, on behalf of the whole meeting, by their fecretary, AMY CAUDLE. The counter petition again, from the wives of the baptifts, who confider the petition intended to be prefented to parliament by the nurfes and chambermaids as an attempt to deprive them of their religious liberty, is figned, in name of the meeting, by their fecretary, ISABEL DIPPER. An ironical letter of thanks, alfo, is fent by AMY CAUDLE to JOHN HORSEY, in the name of the fociety of nurfes and chambermaids, for the feasonable attempt he made to fupport the caufe in which they and he were mutually embarked. One EMMA DRY, who has lived in friendship with both the fecretaries, AMY CAUDLE and ISABEL DIPPER, for many years, in a pre. a preface, affures the public," that there is not a fingle word added, and in this lies the wit) to either the petitions or the letter, but what they have themfelves refpectively fupplied." It might appear, at firft fight, that this ftrange publication is written by fome common enemy, who means to turn all religion into ridicule. But we are fo well acquainted, by means of the numerous religious difputations which we have occafion to infpect, with the various difguifes affumed by controverfial zeal, that we have not a doubt but this is, in reality, the production of fome zealous baptift, who has learnt the common arguments in favour of his religious fyftem. ART. 31. Free Access to God by a Mediator. A Sermon preached at Befels-Green, near Sevenoaks, in Kent. By John Strange. 8vo. 6d. Mathews, London, 1785. In this pious and practical-difcourfe, the author fhews, that fin hath fet us all at an awful distance from God; that without being reftored and brought near to him, we cannot be happy; and that, unless we enjoy a prefent nearness to him, by faith in the great Mediator, we cannot hope for the future fruition of him in heaven. ART. 32. The Character of Jefus Chrift: a Sermon, by George Skene Keith, M. A. Minifter of Keith-Hall, Aberdeenfire. 8vo. 1s. Evans. 1785. Mr Keith very juftly observes, that, if he were to give a detail of all the virtues which adorn human nature, and tell us, in gene. ral, that all of them were poffeffed by our Lord in the highest degree, he might be able to give, in a few fentences, a true and pleasant, though a very fuperficial account of his character. But general declamation, even on the virtues of our bleffed Saviour, he alfo obferves, could neither inform the understanding, nor warm the heart: on the other hand, were he to be minute in his inquiries, he could not, in many difcourfes, exhauft the fubject. Therefore, purfuing a middle courfe, he felects fuch particulars of the life of Christ, as may give a juft and affe&ting, though imperfect view of his character. The particulars he felects are, indeed, affecting, and he arranges them in a natural order. He writes with elegance and vivacity; but this file does not fuit his theme. His breaks and starts fuit not the majelic fimplicity of his great fubject. We recommend to his imitation the death of Socrates, recorded in his CRITO, by PLATO. ART. 33. Efays on Scripture Metaphors; Divine Justice, Divine Mercy, and the Doctrine of Satisfaction. By W. Ludlam, B. D. Rector of Cockfield, in Suffolk; and formerly Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Davis, London, 1785. Of thefe, which are all of them excellent, and contain a very able defence of the principal doctrines of the Chriflian faith, what we moft eficem is the Effay on Scripture Metaphors, from which the following is an extract. • When When the fcriptures teach us the things of God and of another world, they ufe, and muft ufe metaphors. A literal account, in many cafes, cannot be given. Men, in their prefent ftate, have not, and cannot, have the ideas peculiar to another state; no words can convey fuch ideas. When St. Paul was caught up into paradife, he heard unfpeakable words, fuch as were impoffible to be uttered. He received new ideas, which it was not poffible for him, by any words, to communicate to others. When the fcriptures, then, teach us the things of another world, it must be by resemblances taken from the things of this world. By metaphors, by enigmatical defcriptions; fo that we fee now only through a glafs darkly, and, as it were, in an enigma; and it muft ever be remembered, that while this is the cafe, we fee in part only. Metaphors, at beft, are only refemblances; and we must not expect to find the refemblance hold in every circumftance. The purpofe of the metaphor is fully answered, if the refemblance holds in fome one capital point; in that point which is intended to be taught. The very fame capital doctrine may alfo be illuftrated and explained by different metaphors, according to the different light in which it is placed; or, as different parts of that doctrine are intended to be conveyed to us. It will be asked, how fhall we know in what parts of a metaphor the refemblance holds? Will not doctrines thus conveyed be vague, and of doubtful interpretation ?-Not at all; all language abounds with metaphors; we can scarce speak without using a variety of allufions, yet no uncertainty follows from it. The boldeft figures of fpeech feldom render our meaning uncertain, yet add a great force to what is delivered. Much lefs fhall we be at a loss to know what is literal, and what is metaphorical. Let us try in an instance or two. It is faid of the damned in hell, that their worm dieth not, and that the fire of hell shall never be quenched. Every one fees that the expreffion, their worm dieth not, cannot be understood literally of a worm creeping on the earth, but is a metaphor. The inceffant up. braidings of a guilty con cience, are very aptly, as well as forcibly, represented by the gnawings of a worm, which does not quickly devour the fubftance on which it feeds, but preys on it continually. When it is faid, this worm dieth not, every one will understand by it, that the guilt of the damned ever remains unattoned for, and the upbraidings never ceafe. Again, if we take the fire of hell in a metaphorical fenfe, it is plainly put to fignify the greateft poffible torment. Burning alive is, with men, accounted the greatcit torture poffible. Whether we have precife ideas of the torments of hell, or not, the words are awful enough, and their meaning past a doubt. But, if any fhould fay, the words may be understood as well in a literal * We fay, in many cafes; for in fome a literal account could be given. Thus, were we told the particular time of the day of judgment, we could understand it. But the cafes are but few. as a metaphorical fenfe, inasmuch as the body will be raifed, let it be fo; no error will follow. We shall never be in danger of mistake when the words are fuch as can be understood, either literally or metaphorically. When they can be understood only metaphorically, we shall always fee the principal point intended to be conveyed by the metaphor. It is further faid, the fire will never be quenched: This is purfuing the former metaphor, and is taken from putting out fire by throwing water upon it. The literal meaning is too obvious to admit a doubt. That the torment will never have an end; it shall endure for ever.' Mr. Ludlam has been very converfant with the ablest and most philofophical defenders of Chriftianity, particularly Dr. Butler; and is himself a man of acute and found understanding. For the ENGLISH REVIEW. NATIONAL AFFAIRS. For MARCH, 1786. I GERMANIC LEAGUE. Tis poffible, and not unlikely, that the acceffion of Hanover to the Germanic league has engendered, in the breaft of the Emperor, a temporary disgust against the British nation. For, although that enlightened prince well knows that the government of Britain and Han over are entirely diftinct, it is difficult to confine the imaginations and paffions to the diftinctions that are formed by the intellect and further, he may naturally fuppofe, that, fhould a rupture take place between himself and the confederated princes, the King of England, as well as the Elector of Hanover, would take part with the latter; and that the power of Great Britain would be drawn, as heretofore into the contest on the continent. But, fhould fuch a conteft arife, Great Britain, according to her prefent councils, and indeed if the fhould not be wholly deprived of common fenfe, and remain natural; at least fo long as the league fhould be able, without affistance, to make head against the Imperialifts; which they certainly would, unless the Imperialifts fhould be either openly or clandeftinely affitted by the French and Ruffians. In this cafe, it might become a queftion, whether we ought to interfere, for the purpofe of maintaining the political balance on the continent, or not? If the Auftrian arms fhould prevail, and by the fortune of war obtain any fignal advantage and fuperiority over the confederate princes, the ancient jealoufies between French and Auftrians would in all probability be renewed, and thefe would effectually maintain the balance of power on the continent. But |