and familiar ftyle. Sometimes, indeed, it partakes too much of the latter quality: The Writer's witticisms are out of place.

Though this work is useful, and, on the whole, agreeable, it is yet defective in one particular,—as it does not prefent us with any analyfis of the waters of the place. For this, however, the Author apologizes in the following words :

'Chemical experiments, made on thefe waters, with a view to inveftigate the proportion of each mineral, or other falubrious principle they contain, have proved highly favourable to the reputation of Scarborough fpaw, in a comparative view with other medicinal fprings in England. It has, from analyfation, been demonstrated, that they contain a much larger proportion of the fame principles than the juftly celebrated waters of Bath. We fhould have been happy to prefent our readers with an abridged fketch of thefe demonftrations, but a profeffional knowledge, which we have not, is requifite in order to form a judicious felection. Learning alfo that a regular and accurate hiftory of this place, neighbourhood, and productions, especially including its mineral waters, is in hand, we beg leave to refer the curious, unwilling to fufpend their inquiries until that work appears, to the medical gentlemen of this place.' Our Author's confeflion neceffarily precludes any farther remark which we might make on the work.

THEOLOGY, &c.

Art. 58. Lectures fuppofed to have been delivered by the Author of A View of the Internal Evidence of the Chriftian Religion, to a felect Company of Friends. Dedicated to Edward Gibbon Efq. 12mo. 3 s. fewed. Robinsons.

We are here presented with a fingular phænomenon, the ghost of Soame Jenyns turned Methodift. The peculiarities of this growing fect were perhaps never before exhibited in fo captivating a drefs. The Writer infilts largely upon the neceffity of fomething more than a rational conviction of the truth of Christianity, and a correfpondent moral conduct, to conftitute the character of a Chriftianfaith, which the initiated have never yet condefcended to explain in terms which the unenlightened could understand. The following paffage feems to approach nearer to an intelligible explanation of methodistical principles, than any thing we have ever before feen.

that

Afk a real Chriftian, how he came to believe in Chrift: If he have a faculty to express himself, he will tell you, that neceffity preffed him to it. He knew that he had finned againft the great God, and not merely through the violence of external temptation; but from an evil principle in his nature. He knew that he ought to adore and love that moft perfect Being, who is the Creator of all things; but he found the perfuafions of reafon ineffectual; he could not love God. He ought to acknowledge him in all his ways, and live to him who gave him being; but his heart, will, and affections rebelled againft the obligation of perfect fubjection to the di

*The Author's name, as fubfcribed to the dedications (for two are prefixed) is James Schofield; probably the bookfeller, at Scarborough.

Bb z

vine

1

vine government and glory. He could not imagine it poffible for the holy and righteous God to look on him with favour, to accept and bless him: He conceived that the God of truth muft condemn him; that his perfect juftice would never deal with any creature contrary to the truth of things, or contrary to his merit as a finful creature; and, therefore, if there be an eternity for him, he must be eternally undone. He could not discover, by any principles of reafon, any foundation for hope, which 'could give him fatisfaction. But the gospel preaches peace; to finful man, eternal peace. Neceffity, and that the greatest, preffed him to examine into the nature and evidence of the Chriftian religion. He was convinced of its divine origin, and embraced the hope of the gospel, as life from the dead. This faith changed his profpects; his confcience was relieved; his heart was cleanfed his faith did that for him immediately, which the rules of moralifts, and the mortifications of religionists, can never effect at all: He was made at once happy and holy. This is the chriftian regeneration. The whole need not a phyfician: And they who have never known what a wounded spirit means, and, who have never been felf-condemned, cannot understand the importance of the gospel, nor feel that attachment to Jefus, which is implied in believing.'

On all this we shall only remark, that to our dark apprehenfion, there is fomething in these modern guides to heaven much more obfcure and fanciful, than in the good old Directory, which fays fimply, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Art. 59. A defultory Tract; confifting of a Project for reforming the diforderly, and affifting the induftrious and orderly Poor, &c. 12mo. 4d. Scatchard and Co.

What this Writer obferves, with refpect to Sunday school teaching, that it will be of little efficacy, till the parents of the children become better,' &c. feems to deferve attention, for the reafons which he affigns; and, therefore, his hints for the reformation of the elder poor may be recommended to the notice of the charitable and the public-fpirited part of our community.

Art. 60. A Letter from a Father to his Son at the University, relative to a late Addrefs to young Students. 8vo. 6d. Oxford

printed, and fold by Rivington in London. 1788.

This letter is rather intended to reconcile young ftudents at the univerfities to the idea of subscription, than to enter into the merits of the Unitarian controverfy. The writer feems himself no great zealot for the doctrine of the Trinity; he confeffes that, when he was young, he was inclined to think freely on these subjects; and fpeaks of the difference in doctrine between the Athanafians and Arians, as a flight diftinction. The articles of the church of England he recommends to the attention of his fon, as having been drawn up by fome of the best and wifeft men in the chriftian world; and advifes him, as the fenfe of the principal is obvious to the meaneft capacity, to fubmit, in thofe points which are less clear, to the united judgment of learned men.

You are admitted,' fays he, 'into a fociety, where you hope to receive inftruction and improvement. They have embraced the established

religion

religion of their country, which all good and wife men, in every age, have thought it their duty to comply with; and the university expects the fame from the young people placed under their care. Any religious teft, at their admiffion, might be thought unneceffary; but you only fubfcribe to the articles, as a layman, and as terms of peace and communion. For what confufion must be the confequence, if fo many young people of different religious perfuafions; Papifts and Prefbyterians, Baptifts and Independents, Methodists and Moravians; if fo many different fectaries, who are generally taught to maintain their peculiar opinions with zeal and obftinacy, were jumbled together in one fociety, and to have separate places of worship; fuch a difcordant multitude, in the heat of youth, would probably not long be confined to cool reafoning, but fupport their opinions by the ftrength of their arms, rather than by that of their arguments; and 'Smite each other with the fist of wickedness," as they would reciprocally term the refiftance of their adverfaries.'

Perhaps the young man, to whom this letter is addreffed, may be inclined, upon reading this paragraph, to ask his father two or three troublefome questions; for example: Why should we young men, who cannot be fuppofed to have been converfant with controverfial divinity, be called upon to give our voice in matters of which we have no knowledge? If all wife and good men, in every age, have embraced the established religion of their country, what was Martin Luther? what were the firft chriftians and the apoftles? What is the difference between fubfcribing as a layman and a prieft? what between fubfcribing articles which one understands and believes, and articles of peace and communion? What inconvenience has attended the difufe of fuch fubfcriptions in moft foreign univerfities? We leave the folution of these questions to the wisdom of this prudent father.

Art. 61. A Letter to Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. on the Subject of his late Letters to the R. H. W. Pitt, and to the Dean of Canterbury. To which is added, a Difcourfe on the natural Connection of Civil and Ecclefiaftical Eftablishments. By the Rev. John Walters, Mafter of Ruthen School. Izmo. 25. Rivingtons. 1787.

Mr. W. remonftrates, with great indignation, against Dr. P. for his attacks upon establishments, and for attempting to call up the forgotten ghost of Socinianifm; and charges him with inveterate malice,' in endeavouring to effect the worst of purposes by the worft of means,' by reviving an hypothefis so monftrous and incredible, that it could have no admiffion but in a mind that had gazed almost to blindness, and indulged meditation even to infanity.'. What rant!

The Difcourfe annexed to this Letter is written in a ftyle of general declamation, which leaves little room either for praise or cenfure.

SINGLE SERMON S.

I. Religious Declenfion, &c. Preached before the Diffenting Minifters of Lancashire, at their Annual Meeting at Bofton, June 20, 1787. By W. Tatterfal. 8vo. 6d. Johnson.

The fubje&t of this difcourfe has generally been treated by divines in a loose and declamatory manner; but it is not thus that Mr. Tatterfal treats it. His fermon is, on the whole, well written; and contains many juft obfervations on the prefent declining ftate of religion, which we heartily with were properly attended to. But the misfortune is, the perfons whom thefe obfervations most concern, will neither hear nor read fermons. There is, however, one clafs of men, whom, it is to be hoped, Mr. Tatterfal will not addrefs in vain, - his brethren in the ministry. In the latter part of his difcourfe, in which he points out fome of the means which may contribute to the cure of religious decay, he recommends a practical strain, and a more familiar fiyle of preaching; which would certainly add to the efficacy of pulpit eloquence. Seeking (fays Mr. T.) to become correct and elegant, we become unintelligible; or, if not abfolutely unintelligible, yet our compofition is weakened, or rendered too faint to make any deep or permanent impreffion. It is furprifing how little the generality, loft in the world, and estranged from intellectual employment, can comprehend of a well-written difcourfe. Of many words and fentences, which we think as plain as poffible, they have no definite ideas. If they have fome confufed guefs at our meaning, yet a chafte and literary reprefentation has not much effect. Could we condefcend to borrow our words from common life, our illuftrations and arguments from common things, fhould we not gain much more attention ?'

** There is a phrafe in this fermon which we fuppofe is a provincial one: Wresting our pulpits into the hands-of enthusiasts. II. Preached at the Octagon Chapel, Bath, for the Benefit of the General Hofpital, on Sunday, Dec. 23d, 1787. 8vo *.

This difcourfe, as appears from an advertisement prefixed, is the compofition of Mr. Badcock; who modeftly apologizes for the publication, by faying that it was written in much hate, and without the most diftant view to the public eye. The apology, however, is unneceffary; for the fermon is written in a ftrain of good fenfe and manly eloquence, which does great credit to the Author.

II. The Analogy between the LIGHT of INSPIRATION, and the LIGHT of LEARNING, as Qualifications for the Ministry:-Preached in the Cathedral Church of Glocetter, at a public Ordination of Priests and Deacons, September 9, 1787. By the Rev. Samuel Horley, LL.D. F. R. S. Archdeacon of St. Albans, &c. 4to. 19. Robfon, &c.

The learned Author, after drawing a picture of the fchifmatics whom St. Paul cenfures in his first Epistle to the Corinthians [in which he appears obliquely to calt an eye upon modern times], ad

We believe this difcourfe has not been published; only a few copies having been printed, for the Author's friends.

vances an ingenious conjecture, that there were nine diftinct extraordinary gifts of the Spirit beflowed upon the firft Chriftian churches, and nine diftinct ecclefiaftical offices, correfponding to the former. The first gift, the word of wifdom, annexed to the first office, that of the Apoitles, he fuppofes to have confifted in an intuitive knowledge of philofophical truth, and a talent of arguing from the natural principles of reafon, for the converfion of philofophical infidels. The fecond, the word of knowledge, annexed to the office of prophecy, he understands to have been, a prompt recollection of all parts of the facred writings, and a capacity of holding learned arguments from the ancient prophecies, to filence the objections of Jewish adverfaries. Thefe gifts he conceives to have been to the first preachers instead of education: he afferts, that the Apostles were, by infinite degrees, the beft informed of all philofophers, and the prophets of the primitive church were the foundeft of all divines. They were not phyficians or anatomifts; because they had the power of curing difeafes and healing wounds without medicine or art. But they were profound metaphyfians; the best of moralifts; well informed hiftorians; acute logicians, and excellent in that strain of eloquence, which is calculated for the conveyance of inftruction, the enforcement of duty, the diffuafion of vice, the conviction of error, and the defence of truth.' As thefe gifts were to the first preachers inftead of learning, fo in thefe later ages, learning is inflead of them.'

What real foundation there is for the ingenious conjecture on which the reasoning of this difcourfe is built, we fhall not stay to enquire. We must not, however, pafs, without notice, an observation, incidentally introduced, which we think is indefenfible:

It may indeed be made a queftion, whether any degree of knowledge may juftify the officious interference of an individual, of his own pure motion, in a bufinefs of fuch ferious concern to the community. For if it be allowed in any fociety, that mere ability conftitutes a right to act in any particular capacity; the confequence will be, that every man will be juflified in the ufurpation of any office in the ftate, by his own opinion of his own fufficiency. The extravagance and the danger of this principle, applied in the civil departments, would be readily perceived. A man, who, from a conceit of his own abilities, fhould take upon him to play the Magiftrate, the General, or the Privy Counsellor, without a commiffion regularly obtained from the fource of civil power, would foon be fhut up in fome proper place, where he might act his fooleries in fecret, without harm to his neighbour, or public difcredit to himself. The reafon that the extravagance and danger of the fame principle is not equally perceived, when it is applied in the ecclefiaftical polity; and that disturbers of the ecclefiaftical conftitution are fuffered to go loofe, while other madmen are confined, is only this: that the interests of the church are not fo feriously confidered, as thofe of the ftate; because its good government, and its diforders, come not fo immediately home to the particular interefts of each member of the community.'

* From 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10.

We