drawn up, from Dr. Okely's memorandums; and you shall have it in time. They stood the severity of the weather last winter, in Yorkshire, very well, and were seized with their last illness during summer; which made even Yorkshire appear like Otaheite. Thus it has pleased the Lord to remove them, and, in some respect, to disappoint their kind benefactors; but we have more cause for joy than grief; and I was delighted to hear the ob. servations made by our brethren at Misfield about it, both there and at Fulnec. Joseph and Chris. tian were great favourites, and every body had a love for them. Their departure (though I am inadvertently led to speak of Joseph as though he were already gone, which is perhaps not the case) caused pain to many; butall declared, that to see this conclusion of their abode with us, afforded a joy far overbalancing all our grief; and 1 dare say you will

THE author of this discourse informs us, that "The subject of it was not selected by his own choice, but by the appointment of others." He feels it to be profound; and manifests great moderation, care, and attention in treating it.

Some have considered all such discussions as improper, and savouring of that spirit which as. pires to be wise above what is written. We grant, that in investigating subjects so much beyond our comprehension, there is danger of erring in this direction; but we cannot allow that the subject itself is unrevealed, or merely specula

tive. It is an indisputable fact, that moral evil exists; and we must consider it either as occurring by chance, or as falling under the superintendence of God. The for mer would not only be inconsistent with infinite wisdom and knowledge, but would leave us in a state of dreadful uncertainty as to the issue; for that which was introduced by chance, might, perchance, prove eventually successful, and the government of Heaven itself be ultimitely overthrown. As to the latter, the principal, if not the only objection to it, arises from the danger of undermining the accountableness of sinners, of transferring their blame worthiness to their Maker, and so of hardening thei in their sin. The doctrine of phi losophical necessity, as held by modern infidels, and some who call themselves Rational Christians, we are persuaded, is of this tendency. The truth of God, however, is not, on this account, to be relinquished;

but rather requires, if possible, to be stated in a manner that shall be clear of such consequences, as it certainly is in itself. That sin can in no instance exist without God's permission, and that it is nevertheless the object of his abhorrence, and that which he will finally punish, are facts clearly revealed, and require to be firmly believed, whether we can perceive their consistency to our satisfaction, or not.

In endeavouring to reconcile these facts, various things have been advanced. Some have observed, that whatever concern the Creator has in the being of moral evil, it does not in the least destroy the accountableness of creatures; seeing they act as freely as if no such concern existed and truly, every man's conscience bears him witness that, for 'whatever he does voluntarily, he is accountable. Others have observed, that though God willeth the permission of evil, yet it is not as evil, but for wise and holy ends; and tho' he may be said to harden mens' hearts (as by judgments and mercies, and even by the gospel itself, which, through their depravity, makes them worse instead of better) yet the fault of the whole is in themselves; and to this also every man's conscience bears wit

ness.

Our author endeavours to vindicate the divine character in the permission, not only of the particular sins of fallen creatures, but of sin itself. He proposes, First, To enquire into the True Nature of Sin; Secondly, In what Sense it is an Object of the Divine Permission; and, lastly, To shew that hereby Occasion is furnished for the most illustrious Displays of the Divine Perfections.

Under the first of these enquiries, he not only denies that sin is a substantial being, or an essential property of a being; but that it contains any thing positive. "It is," he says, 66 a privation of that perfection, or moral goodness, which ought to be in an accountable creature."

Under the second, availing him. self of the above distinctions, he maintains that God is the author of

every thing that has a real and positive existence, which every thing that he hath created has: but that he is not the author, the efficient cause, or the origin of sin; which is not one of his works, but, abstractly considered, a mere privation of what ought to be.

In ascribing its permission to God, he disowns the ideas of" tolerance, connivance, or indulgence," confining it to that of not hindering it by a sovereign act of preventing power. More particularly, he endeavours to prove, 1st, That the sole and proper origin of sin is from the ne cessary condition and circumstances of created and finite existence, when destitute of a sovereign prevention: 2d, That God's not interfering to prevent the occurrence of sin, was an exercise not of sovereignty, but of pure justice; that is, that, in withholding his preventing power, he withheld nothing which man could claim at his hands.

After attempting to make good these positions, and to answer a few objections, the author proceeds to his third head of discourse; and shews, by a variety of evidence, how the glory of the divine perfections is displayed in the permission of sin, in a manner which it could not have been in any other way.

It is much easier to object on such a subject than to advance any thing that shall be uncbjectionable. The author himself is aware of this, and endeavours to obviate what we, or any others might be disposed to allege. (Note I, p. 73.) We shall only offer a remark or two on his distinctions.

With regard to there being nothing positive in the nature of sin, though we should be led to question how this could accord, in the popular acceptation of the word, with its being allowed to include

enmity, rebellion, and malignant opposition against the ever-blessed God;" yet, if the definition of the author be granted him, we see nothing objectionable in it. "Evely thing positive," he says, "is either that which constitutes the real existence of any being, or it is a part of the completeness or perfection

We do not perceive the propriety of saying, that "God's not interfering to prevent the occurrence of sin, was an exercise, not of sovereignty, but of pure justice." (p. 22.) This language conveys to us the idea that justice required it, or that it would have been unjust for God so to have interfered: but this, surely, is not true; nor does it appear to be the author's meaning. He seems to have meant no more than that it was consistent with juszice; or that no injustice was done to the creature by it, inasmuch as nothing was withheld to which he had any "claim." But the same may be said of God's not eleeting, not redeeming, or not calling a sin. ner; yet it does not follow that these are exercises of pure justice to the exclusion of sovereignty: that which justice requires, is not an act of sovereignty; but that which is only consistent with justice may be so.

Whether the author, or any other writer, has fully accounted for the introduction of moral evil; or whether it is to be accounted for in the present state, or not, we cordially agree in his general prineiples, viz. That God is holy-that every creature is derived from him, and dependant on him; that the ultimate design of all his works is the manifestation of his own glory; that the fault of sin, will be found to be in the sinner; - and that the highest wisdom of a de. pendant and mutable creature, is to fall into the hands of God.

stood by the things that are made;" so that even the Heathen, who are destitute of revelation, are left without excuse, if they glorify him not as God. It must therefore be a commendable work,even for a Christian Philosopher, to point out those various marks of intelligence in the creation, which demonstrate the Being and perfections of Deity; and which may become subservient to the pleasures of devout meditation. This has been done by several pious writers; particularly by Ray and Derham: but there was still room for a work, in which more modern discoveries might be inserted; and which might be more directly calculated to meet the objec tions of sceptics. This task has been accomplished by Dr. Paley, with great ability and success: his plan is comprehensive, his style perspicuous, and his reasoning conelusive: and it is no small recommendation of the work, that it is divested of those technical and learned terms which so much puzzle ordinary readers. The author. presents to us, in a variety of instances, and in a very pleasing and familiar manner, the evident proofs of design, contrivance, and foresight which appear in the creatures around us, and in our own bodies particularly; and he continually leads us from these marks of design to a designing Author, while he successively combats the injurious objections of ancient and modern Atheists, against this fair conclusion. "Upon the whole," saith the writer, "after all the struggles of a reluctant philosophy, the necessary resort is to a Deity. The marks of design are too strong to. be got over. Design must have had a designer; that designer must have been a person;. that person is God."

In the close of the work, the author treats of "The Goodness of God; which he argues from two considerations. The first is, That in a vast plurality of instances, in which contrivance is perceived, the design of the contrivance is beneficial; and the second is, That the Deity has superadded pleasure to animal sensations, beyond what is

Becessary for any other purpose; this is instanced in the act of eating, and might also be equally proved from the other senses; for the purpose of hearing might be answered without harmony of smell, without fragrance; of vision, without beauty but in all these cases, a studious benevolence is manifest on the part of the Creator. The whole work concludes with some observations on the important benefits and comforts arising from the habitual consideration of the being and attributes of God; and of the facilities which the belief of the truths of natural theology affords, for the reception and confirmation of our faith in Revelation.

This good use, we trust, will be made of this excellent work; yet we are not without our fears, that some readers will sit down satis. fied with natural theology, and dangerously conclude, that no other religion is necessary to their eternal salvation. Indeed, the author is unwilling to allow any native malignity in the human constitution; and says, that even the bad qualities of mankind have an origin in their good ones; that the present is "not a state of punishment," that a slave who, amidst his wrongs, retains his benevolence, is amongst the foremost of human candidates for the rewards of virtue. These sentiments are certainly not consistent with that revelation which the author professes to believe; nor with the creed of that church of which he is a minister. We should have rejoiced to find this able writer taking occasion in several parts of his work, and especially in the conclusion of it, to show that the Christian scheme of redemption, by the Son of God, is abundantly confirmed by those doctrines of natural theology, which he had so admirably displayed.

God's Wonders in the Great Deep; recorded in several wonderful and amazing Accounts of Sarlors, who have met with unexpected Deliverances from Death, when in the greatest Danger. To which is added,

The Seaman's Spiritual Directory; shewing what he ought to think and do. With Forms of Prayers suited to their several Circumstances and various Occasions. A New Edition, 12mo, price is.

THIS little piece records many singular and extraordinary escapes from shipwreck; and cannot fail to lead the mind up to him whose providence so often interposes on the behalf of his afflicted and distressed creatures. It is an excellent companion for those who are employed on the mighty waters.-The Direc tory contains suitable advice to Seamen how to behave in imminent danger; as also the consideration which ought to occupy their minds after remarkable deliverances. The work concludes with Forms of Prayer for Seamen when they begin their Voyage, when in Danger by a Storm, and when taken Prisoners; and also Forms of Thanksgiving after a safe Voyage, Deliverance from Storms and from Captivity.

We cheerfully recommend it to all engaged in maritime concerns,

Letters to Mr. Fuller on the Univer sal Restoration; with a Statement of Facts attending that Controversy; and some Strictures on Scrutator's Review. By Wm. Vidler. δυο.

IN the Preface to these Letters, Mr. Vidler has thought proper to call in question the propriety of our conduct as Editors of the Evangelical Magazine. We do not mean to controvert this point with him; nor shall we disturb his self-com

placency on the manner in which he conducts his own.

selves, we refer our readers to a reWith respect to the Letters them. view of them, already before the public, under the signature of Scru tator; and which we have noticed in a former Number. The ability of Mr. Vidler, on the high ground of classical literature and critical sagacity, which he has assumed, are there fully, and, we think. justly appreciated. Nor do we conceive that Mr. Vidler's friends