their confultations. MAJORES VESTRI, fays Pofthumius, NEVOS QUIDEM, NISI QUUM ALIQUIS EX MAGISTRATIBUS AD CONCIONEM VOCASSET, FORTE, TEMERE COIRE VOLUERUNT; ET UBICUNQUE MULTITUDO ESSET, IBI ET LEGITIMUM RECTOREM MULTITUDINIS CENSEBANT DEBERE ESSE. Some late acts of our legiflature are, if I mistake not, founded upon the fame principle, which in old Rome, in the days of her greatest freedoin, was deemed fo far from being inconfiftent with the liberty of the people, as to be quite neceflary to its fafety and prefervation." This obfervation is as ufeful as it is feafonable; and learning is thus executing one of her beft offices to the ftate, in defending her political provifions for the preservation of it. The obfervation too is as original as it is forcible. But let us extend our extracts to another obfervation, not so original, yet equally forcible, and even more feasonable: "We may observe," the Archdeacon fubjoins, "that the enemies of Christianity*, who are fo much difpofed to MAGNIFY THE MODERATION OF PAGAN GOVERNMENTS IN OPPOSITION TO CHRISTIAN, and talk fo loudly of the indulgence granted to different modes of worship among the Heathens, as if an univerfal liberty were allowed, without any reftraint upon the open or fecret practices of men in the exercise of religion, make a reprefentation of things, which is quite contrary to the truth. The Roman government, in the fuppreffion of the Bacchanalian mysteries, conducted itself folely by the maxims of civil policy, without any regard at all to the religious pretexts of the worshippers. And nothing can be more injurious to the religion of Chrift, than the malicious fuggeftion which one infidel repeats after another, and which the French philofopher Voltaire has not difdained clandeftinely to borrow from the English philofopher Tindalt; that perfecution for religion owed its firft rife to the fyftem of Chriftianity: whereas the truth of the cafe is really the reverfe, as many facts from history, profane and facred, might be produced to fhew. Socrates fuffered death as a fetter-forth of itrange Gods, in the fame city of Athens where St. Paul, 450 years after, was charged with the fame crime by CERTAIN PHILOSOPHERS OF THE EPICUREANS, AND OF THE STOICS, BECAUSE HE PREACHED UNTO THEM JESUS AND THE RESURRECTIONS. And furely Chriftians were perfecuted by the Heathens for three hundred years, before they unhappily fell into the practice of perfecuting each other, or of making reprifals upon their Pagan adverfaries. In fact and experience it is true, that not the friends but the enemies of real Chriftianity, not fincere believers but Atheists and apoftates," rather apoftates and Atheists, "have been THE MOST CRUEL PERSECUTORS AND OPPRESSORS BOTH OF RELIGION AND CIVIL 1731. See Dr. Middleton's Letter to Dr. Waterland, p. 54, 8vo. ed. See this ingenioufly proved by the Poftfcript. Rev. "Diogenes Laert. lib. 2. cap. 40, Ælian. ver. Hift. lib. 2, cap. 13, and Xenoph. Mem. Socrat. lib. 1. çap. 1. Acts, chap. xvii. ver. 18. LIBERTY LIBERTY*; of which we have one notable example inftar omnium, in the history of FRENCH JACOBINISM, and its ANTI-CHRISTIANTYRANNY." In this manner has that infidel afperfion, which has lately been thrown with fo free a hand upon Chriftianity by infidel writers, been now retorted in fact by the infidels themfelves upon their own infidelity; and, amid the thousand mischiefs which the French apoftafy has diffufed over the globe, it has had one beneficial effect, as the Archdeacon ufefully intimates, in fhowing, by the mirror of actions, the favage, the fanguinary fpirit of perfecution within the bofom of Infidelity. ART. 24. man. 1801. Dr. Shepherd, like other perfons called upon to confider the religious fituation of the times, finds his attention fixed upon the great and alarming event of the fubverfion of Chriftianity in France. His reafonings on this subject lead him to conclude that it was against Popery alone, which he confiders as merely a nominal Chriftianity, that this vifitation was directed; and he confiders the word of prophecy as indicating the approaching fubversion of that corrupted faith. The interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy is matter of great caution, and we are not among those who delight to venture on it. The great diminution of the ftrength and authority of Popery certainly gives opportunity for the increase of Proteftant Christianity; and that effect we do moft earnestly defire to fee: but as yet we cannot trace the fymptoms of it: and 'in fome countries, as in Holland and Switzerland, the Proteftant religion has fuffered in common with the Papal. With full conviction that the Word of Chrift will ultimately prevail, we look for the appointed means with awful fufpence; roufed by the terrors of the times, but not difmayed; ready to obey the call of Heaven, in whatever way it may be given; and patient to await the time when God fhall please to make his councils more completely known. ART. 25. The Pattern of Chriftian Prudence and Difcretion, urged against hurtful and fantastic Schemes of Life. By Jofeph Holden Pott, A. M. Prebendary of Lincoln, and Archdeacon of St. Alban's. 4to. 1s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1800. They," fays the Archdeacon, in his Preface, "who have attended to the steps which have been taken recently in this country, for the fettlement of reclufe focieties, will not think this difcourfe illtimed." It is accordingly a well-conducted train of reafoning, directed against monaftic inftitutions; fhowing in particular that their fcriptural foundation refts on partial and excepted cafes, not on the authority of our Saviour; that they have no trace in the evangelical "* Middleton, ibid.”· rule; rule; and that their claims to be inftituted for the exercise of repentance, and the aim at perfection, are founded on falfe grounds. No man can be more careful than this writer to deduce his opinions from the foundeft principles of fcriptural authority; nor can any one be more evidently impreffed with a fincere and pious feeling of the truths which he inculcates. His difcourfes therefore are always edifying, and we recommend them with fincere and hearty approbation. ART. 26. The Duty of keeping the Chriftian Sabbath holy. A Sermon, preached in the Chapel of the Hofpital for the Maintenance and Education of expofed and deferted Young Children, on Sunday Morning, March 8, 1801. By the Rev. John Hewlett, B. D. Morning Preacher to the faid Charity, and Lecturer of the united Parishes of St. Vedaft, Fofter-Lane, and St. Michael le Quern. 8vo. 23 pp. IS. Rivingtons, Johnfon, &c. 1801. The principal topics by which the obfervance of the fabbath is duly enforced, are touched by Mr. Hewlett in the opening of his difcourfe, and a few words are faid on the impiety of violating it entirely. But defpairing to reach those who never put themselves in the way of admonition or reproof," the preacher addresses his inftructions chiefly to thofe who," though frail and imperfect, are always vulnerable when convicted of error, or roufed to a fense of their danger." For the benefit of fuch hearers, he obferves upon the irregularities which are obfervable in those who ufually attend divine worship on the fabbath; their irregular time of joining the fervice, or their thoughtlefs and irreverent behaviour while in the church. But he expatiates molt upon the impropriety, as he confiders it, of going from the fervice to the public walks in or near the metropolis. To us it appears but too certain, that if the fervice of the day be attended without true. feelings of religion, and rather as a ceremony than an exercife of devotion, the remainder of the fabbath will probably be unfitly spent, in whatever place it is paffed. But, if the heart be right, the relaxation of an hour taken in a focial inftead of a folitary excurfior, without oftentation of drefs or appearance, can be no very great tranfgreffion. The clofe of the Sermon contains fome proper and ferious admonitions drawn from the peculiar warnings of the times. ART. 27. Sermons on the Doctrines and Duties of Chriflianity, addressed to a Country Congregation. 12mo. 5s. Cadell and Davies. 1801. There is a modefty and impreffive good fenfe in the Introduction to thefe Sermons, which muft immediately conciliate the reader's favour; nor will he, in his progrefs through the whole, at all be inclined to repent of the pleafing prepoffeffion excited at the commencement. The author profeffes them to contain, in a narrow compafs, the inftruction which he himself has received from fome of the beft writers and preachers of our church. The difcourfes are eighteen in number, and treat of the most important duties of Christianity. They are excellently adapted to a country congregation, being plain, concise, and at the fame time full of energy and vigour. We have been very much pleafed and edified with thefe difcourfes, and recommend them without referve referve or fcruple. The author will probably be induced to give his name, when called upon for a fecond edition, which we are perfuaded He will then avail himself of the opportuwill ere long be the cafe. nity of correcting the errors of the prefs, which, for fo fmall a volume, The book is dedicated to that excellent prelate, the Bishop of Lincoln, in whose diocese the Sermons not improbably were preached. are too numerous. ART. 28. A Dialogue between a Country Gentleman and One of his poor Neighbours, who had been led away from the Church, under the Pretext of hearing the Gofpel, and attending Evangelical Preachers. 12mo. 71 PP. IS. Rivingtons, and Haichard. 1801. Nothing of the kind can be more complete, as a remonstrance against fome of the mifchiefs now prevailing, particularly that of attending unauthorized, illiterate, and pretendedly gifted preachers, than this little Dialogue. It is clear in ftyle, ftrong in argument, and effectual in illuftration. It is fo good, that we are inclined, in its favour, to deviate from the common method of our Catalogue, by continuing a few extracts from it in two or three fucceffive numbers. We will begin with what the author fays of the fuppofed gifts of thefe modern Apoftles. After showing that thefe gifts, if they mean any thing, muft mean no less than infpiration, he thus proceeds: "Matt. (the poor neighbour) They don't call themselves Apoftles. "Co. Gent. No; but it comes to that, Matthew. If the fame fpirit which spoke to the fathers in times past by the Prophets and Apoftles ftill fpeaketh by the mouth of thefe preachers, and they deliver what they preach under that authority, there is no difference between them and any of the Apoftles; and inftead of four Evangelifts, and a few chofen writers to tran'mit to future ages the Gofpel of Christ, as we find it in the New Testament, every teacher that you have among you has the fame communication with the Holy Spirit, and if he were to write down his communications, they would be of equal validity and force with St. Paul's, or any other of the facred writers. Matt. No, no, mafter, I don't mean that neither; I don't compare them with the Apostles. "Co. Gent. You put them upon an equal footing with the Apoftles when you attribute to them the gift of inspiration; and whether it be one of the Apostles, or one of your own preachers, it is God that fpeaketh; and I have no more right in the one cafe than in the other, to refute my affent to him that fpeaketh," P. 14. This fpecimen will probably give our readers a desire to see more from the fame fource. (To be continued.) ART. 29. A Manual of Reflections on the Facts of Revelation. In 1s. 6d. Oxford printed; fold by The first part of this tract may be confidered as a very clear and able commentary on that admirable work, Leflie's Short Method with the Deifts. It takes up the fame argument, but handles it in a new and and effectual manner. be ART. 30. Religious Union; being a Sketch of a Plan for uniting the As containing a diftinct, fenfible, and, we believe, very accurate view of the caufes of the late rebellion in Ireland, this tract is highly valuable. The place which it propofes of a conference, fimilar to that in 1661, to be held in Ireland, with the view of removing dif ferences by a revifal of the Common Prayer-Book, is unfortunately altogether impracticable. To generalize our service fo as to accommodate it to the notions of those most oppofite parties, the Prefbyte rians and Papifts, would be to render it of no ufe to any church. Not to mention that the Romanift, by principle, difdains and abhors accommodation or compromife with thofe whom he calls He any retics. ART. 31. Hierogamy, or an Apology for the Marriage of Roman Catho lic Priefs, without a Difpenfation; in a Letter to the Rev. 7. A. from the Rev. John Anthony Gregg. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Hatchard. 1801. If the question here introduced and difcuffed required a formal apology, the advocates for the marriage of priefts would have fought greater eloquence and better arguments, or, at least, would have wifhed them to have been exhibited with more force as well as ingenuity, The pamphlet certainly bears many marks of good fenfe, but there is a want of perfpicuity and arrangement, and the ftyle is very reprehenfible. It is dated from King-Street, Seven Dials, and appears to have been intended to anfwer a local and temporary purpofe. MEDICINE. ART. 32. An Address to the Public on the Advantage of Vaccine Inc sulation, with the Objections to it refuted. By Henry Jenner, Surgeon, Cadell and Davies. F. L. S. 25. 4to. 19 pp. 1801. ART. 33. Evidences of the Utility of Vaccine Inoculation, intended for the Information of Parents. By Thomas Creafer, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. 12mo. 36 pp. 15. R. Crutwell, Bath. 1801. Both these refpectable writers concur in confirming, from their own obfervations, the advantages that will accrue to the public from the introduction of vaccine inoculation. They add their teftimony to the evidence already before the public, to fhow that the disease produced by inoculating with the matter of the cow-pox, renders the con |