that we consider it as the intention of the "Inestimable are the advantages of gospel not only to instruct us in what is the gospel; and he who feels not the right and in what is wrong, but to se- conviction of this upon his mind, has parate us from the world by a glorious but to carry himself back in imaginadistinction of character; and raise in us tion to the age of thick darkness and of an ardour in the pursuit of holiness, gross corruption, which preceded the which kuows no bounds, which admits ministry of Christ, or to transplant of no mediocrity, which aspires to be himself to those regions, wherein at this holy as God is good, and to prove its day, the human character is no ways fitness for the high rewards of heaven, raised by the views of a sublime, raby reaching in this state of trial at the tional and moral religion.” P. 230. best and most exalted character of the heavenly inhabitants. This at least is

certain, that those are ignorant of the spirit of the gospel, who have not these sentiments. Pp. 187, 188.

The tests of a religious character, which 'our preacher lays down in the Sermon on Self. EXamination, are

"Herein lies the superior excellency "1. Whether the love or hatred of sin of the institution of the gospel, that be more prevalent in you? Religion in embracing every honourable argument her whole service invites the saint and of mere human wisdom, it urges others, the sinner; to the one she is the food which apply to every man's feeling, and entertainment of his soul, to the which speak with equal force to the other, the ministering angel that may learned and unlearned, which inspire purify his soul: but she asks of both a the soul with a daring and a fortitude virtuous inclination in every approach such as it can derive from no considera- to her; and in the last instance, that tions which it finds within itself alone, she has ministered to holines, to proand which terminate with the grave. gressive and increasing holiness in both." It speaks not only of what reason and the voice within command, but what God expressly wills, what has all his authority, and is rendered sacred and necessary by the holiness of his nature. It summons us to duty from considerations of dutifulness to a Sovereign, of gratitude to a Benefactor, and of the highest possible interest to ourselves. It unites in one unbroken view here and hereafter, time and eternity; assuring us from him who hath both worlds at his disposal, that godliness hath not only the promise of the life that now is and will soon be past, but of that also which is to come and will never know an end. Pp. 199, 200.

"There ought to be a grace, a dignity and richness about the character of a Christian; the name ought to suppose whatever in the way of virtue and holiness is within the reach of man. But we wear our Christianity as an easy garment, which in every hour of indulgence may be laid aside; we expect the fulfilment of the divine promises, as if God were to intrude himself into a low born, groveling, vicious soul; and we were to be fitted for heaven, only in that moment when we hope to enter it." Pp. 209, 210.

In the sermon on Party Names, our author observes,

"2. Let us examine ourselves how we stand affected to good men.-To love goodness, and not to love a good man wherever he be found, is a contradic→ tion which, I think neither the charity of man or of God will reconcile.-Are uprightness and piety in any one of the fellow-creatures around you, the great attractive, the strong foundation, the generous bond of your affection to and complacence in him? This is a more interesting test of our inward and entire love of goodness, of a soul that is altogether Chistian, than we perhaps are apt to think of; and by which, if we would please, a little oftener, and more seriously to try ourselves, we should better know ourselves and the truth of our own character, than in our present way of delusion I fear we many of us do " 3. "Let us inquire how we stand affected to another world"

In the discourse on the Divine Forbearance, Mr. Walker says,

"I have observed in all minds of a low

form, and who aspire not to an elevated morality, a prurient inclination to debase themselves, and trample on human nature, as incapable of one offering that can be acceptable to the majesty of heaven." P. 345.

By Self-deceit," in the discoursq on that subject, our author says, " i understand, ever way in which we are

led to impose upon ourselves, to con- of their guests, whom they hardly know,

ceal or mis-apprehend the truth, to prevent the application of those moral principles which conscience and the voice of God have revealed to us, and provided as our director and guard." It is traced to its first origin in education; in those wrong impressions to which even the best conducted education is subject, and which are the luxuriant growth of a bad one. "The forming the minds of youth," remarks Mr. W. " depends not only on those to whom their education is specially intrusted, but every one around them is 2 preceptor in a greater or less degree, and from every source they are drinking in impressions, and likings, and aver sions, and habits."

His nervous and spirited censures on the influence of fashion deserve, an attention which it is to be feared that they will not meet with from those whom they most concern. Referring to the state of society, in it, he says,

or whom they may despise and hate, than by any one quality which God designed to constitute the blessed intercourse between man and man.-Their Christianity also must be of the fashion. able mode; and without one honest conviction at heart, they will desert the faith of their fathers, because it is not the faith of the polite and fashionable world." Among other causes of selfdeception, which our author enumerates, one is," men's contrasting their faults with crimes of a darker hue in others, or in fine, with any crimes to which they are not themselves addicted: by which means they are soothed in the indulgence of very criminal passions, and have their consciences reconciled

to a course of life, which in its general character cannot be reconciled with virtue. The flattery of a dressed exterior in religion is considered as another powerful auxiliary in the work of selfdeception. A third cause is stated to be "a presumptuous or mistaken notion of the last judgment, and of the distribution of the actors of this world in that great day; a general notion, which is found to have pervaded Christendom, that there will be but two great classes of mankind at the last day, and that, without regard to the infinite diver sity of character, which must be found in each, the one will without exception be received, the other without exception be rejected."

"The monster fashion rears its head, the most complete destroyer of the whole work of God in the mind of man that ever was invented by wit or wickedness. Having quitted the nurse, the very outset in life is an initiation to the will and law of fashion. As they advance in years this sovereign regard to fashion prescribes their whole line of conduct. Propriety, decorum, morality, and even revelation, are, step by step, habituated to give way to her capricious and immoral commands.-The intercourses of friendship and domestic Sociability are vulgar; and it is more next volume must be reserved for polite to measure society by the number a future number.

But we must stop. This arti cle has already occupied too much room. The Review of the

T.

ART. II. Sacred Truths addressed to the Children of Isract, residing in the British Empire, containing Strictures on the Book, entitled the New Sanhedrin," and Observations on some of the Proceedings of the Grand Sanhedrim at Paris. By L. Cohen. 12mo. pp. 51. 2s. 6d. Exeter.

Books of divinity come so rarely sent belief, to prove the local refrom the Jews, that when we meet storation to the land of promise, with one we cannot help viewing and to demonstrate clearly, that' it with attention. Mr. Cohen, Buonaparte is not the man, the the author of this little work, is of the house of Israel, and his object is to shew, that the Jews can gain nothing by altering their pre

promised Messiah, principles which the author of the "New Sandhedrin" (see M. Repos. Vol. II. p. 650.) endeavours to set

aside. As far as the letter of the truth of Christianity as synoni Mosaic law avails, and it is dan- mous with the Divinity of Jesus gerous to depend upon any thing of Nazareth. He shews that else, Mr. C. is successful. The Jesus cannot be received as God in figurative interpretation of the consistency with the law of Moses; whole of the Old Testament nor indeed, he adds, as a prophet, would reduce it to a mere book for the Christian faith dispenses of poetry. with the eternal" witnesses of the The Jews in this country, we covenant, circumcision and sab. learn from the work before us, bath." But it behoves the Jews look with no favourable eye upon to reflect that the New Testa. the Grand Sanhedrim. They ment, which is the only rule of complain especially of the new Christian belief and practice, law of inter-marriages, which they teaches no other god than the God consider as overturning their re- of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, ligion. The attempt to prove and enjoins nothing inconsistent Buonaparte' to be the Messiah, with the Jews retaining their must, says our author, “make peculiarities and observing their the Emperor himself smile, when ritual to the end of time. On he recollects the stumbling block this subject they would do well to to his divine mission which he consult Dr. Priestley's Letters to experienced at Acre, in his attack their nation. on Palestine, to recover the promised land."

"Now therefore (Mr. C. concludes,) if the Sanhedrim have done truly and sincerely in that which they have undertaken for the house of Israel, then let them rejoice in Buonaparte, and let Buonaparte rejoice in them; or else let fire come out from Buonaparte and destroy the Sanhedrin. Judges 9." p. 36.

Mr. Cober states in a "postscript," that the arts and sciences are not sufficiently encouraged He himself, among the Jews.

his

1

at a great expense, and with much labour, began to construct a machine for facilitating mow. ng and reaping; but failing in The author alludes to the atexpectations of from support "the pulent of his people," he tempts of the Missionary Society to entice his brethren from their was obliged to drop the scheme religion, and says that they have altogether. He acknowledges howinveigled only two or three indi- ever, viduals, who have been "weil Grace the Duke of Bedford,” paid" for their conversion. With of bearing him out in "the whole draw, he says, all worldly benefits, and the sincerity of these changelings will soon be disco

"the noble offer of his

expense." He recommends the institution of a Jewish society for the encouragement of aris and sciences, "a measure which would In common with all Jews, this (we admit,) redound to the bo writer erroneously considers the nour of that nation.”

vered.

ART. III. Trihemeron Sacrum, or an abridged Preparation for receiving the Lord's Supper, with Forms of Service, and Rules of Abstinence to commence on Friday Noon, in the preceding week. 24mo. pp. 46. Rivingtons. 1806.

It is curious to observe, how rules annulled at the reformation; nearly our high-church divines and calls upon the legislature approach to Popish principles, (such calls are, we observe, bewhile at the same time they plead coming common,) to interfere and for the oppression of honest Pa- "attach DISABILITIES and FINES pists. They are tender to their to the neglect of the sacrament." Roman Catholic brethren," This recommendation to parlias they are called in the Tract ament-worthy of a monk of before us, every where but at the darkest age-may excite the home. nonconforming reader's abhorrence; but the following directions will, it is probable, recalhis good humour.

This little manual is designed to revive the worst part of popery its superstition; with regard to which, chiefly, the reformed reli- "It is recommended to the person who gion is a blessing: for in point of proposes receiving the sacrament, to begin bis abstinence on the Friday at twelve metaphysical absurdity and un-lock, or at farthest at three o'clock. The scriptural belief, the Protestants quantity of food necessary for sustaining are not much behind the Papists. the body must be discretionary, as cirThe author states that the cumstances respecting health and strength of constitution shall direct; with this Lord's supper is essentially necesobservation, that fish, which in its utsary to salvation; regrets thatmost latitude, is the permitted article among, our reformers "in their zeal for Roman Catholics, affords where in abounds, alteration," abolished the days the most nutritious as well as luxurio of weekly fasting or abstinence; food. This abstinence should have rehopes that a revision of the liturgy, under the proper authorities will take place," with a view to re-establish some ecclesiastical

66

ference to what we drink as well as to

what we eat; all strong liquors are to im carefully avoided, and it might be well to abstain from the use of butter, with our Pref. p. 9. morning or evening tea.

ART. IV: The Claims of the Establishment, a Sermon, preached August 30, 1807, at Croydon in Surry, by John Ireland, D. D. Prebendary of Westminster, and Vicar of Croydon. 8vo. pp. 26. Hatchard, 1807.

This is a feeble attempt to sup- with a plausible argument against port the base and wicked cry of their general principles. "No Popery," and to bend the He revives, though writing arguments of Locke and Paley against Papists, the argument into subservience to the views of jure divino, and seems to consider the present ministry. The ex- this plea sufficient to silence both ceptions to toleration, unwisely Calvinists (meaning we suppose admitted by these liberal writers, Protestant Dissenters) and Cathofurnish our political preacher lics. He asserts (and throughout

the whole of his discourse he Is this an insidious blow at our mistakes assertion for argument,) religious rulers' cool and cruel that the deprivation of civil rights irony? one would charitably hópe is not persecution, and that tole so; for who would choose to tax ration to be perfect must imply a dignified clergyman of "the best an exclusion from certain privi. constituted church in the world," leges. In concluding, the "Vicar with impudence bordering on proof Croydon," puts it to the fligacy, or folly approaching to conscience" of the Catholic, whe, idiocy? ther he ought not to submit to Dr. Ireland avows himself the every hardship that the govern- author of the "Letters of Fabius, ment of the country may in its addressed to Mr. Pitt, in the wisdom impose upon him, in year 1808." This was an unnęimitation of the primitive Chris- cessary display of frankness; the tians, who, for an example to after "Letters" we believe were never believers, bore quietly "unprinci- heard of beyond the bounds of pled persecution," and "sup- the printing-office, and the name ported government, though mark- of their author, is not likely, ed with the most bloody hostility judging of him from the specimen to them!" before us, to drag them from ollivion.

ART. V. The Student and Pastor; or Directions how to attain to Eminence and Usefulness in those respective characters. To which are added A Letter to a Friend, upon his Entrance on the Ministerial Office, and an Essay on Elocution and Pronunciation, by John Mason, M. A. New Editions with additions, and an Essay on Catechising, by Joshua Toulmin, D. D. 12mo. pp. 244. Symonds. 1807.

Mr. Mason's "Student and Pastor," is a well known and generally approved work. It abounds with good sense and rational piety.

The "Letter to a Friend" is of the same class, judicious and serious.

In an "Essay on Elocution," more excellence is expected than in any other branch of writing. It is honourable to the reputation of Mr. Mason, that his Tract on this subject has long received the stamp of public approbation.

"In the course of a few years it went through three impressions. Mr. Dodsley, publisher, eminent for genius and taste, adopted it and inserted it in

the Preceptor.' It was originally published without the name of the author, and met in that state with con

siderable

public Universities; but when Mr. encouragement at one of our Mason claimed it as his own, by prefixing his name to the second edition, that from their walls as the work of a Dislearned body is said to have scouted it senter." Pref. pp. xi. xii.

The present edition of these little works is rendered valuable by Dr. Toulmin's Notes, which represent him to the reader in the light of a rational Christian and a faithful pastor.

The Essay on Catechising," is a very suitable appendix to the Student and Pastor."