to fee continued. Violence and exaggeration, fuch as appear in every part of the "Hints," ,"defeat their own purposes : but found and temperate reasoning must have effect, at least with reasonable perfons.

ART. 33. Select Homilies of the Church of England, appointed to be read in Churches in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and no lefs fuitable for Villages and Families. 12mo. 232 pp. 3s. 6d.

Williams.

1811.

Every publication which tends to make the excellent Homilies of our Church more known and more confulted deferves our at

tention and praise. It is now a confiderable time fince (1795) Sir Adam Gordon published his useful work on the fubject. The -prefent volume comprifes a judicious felection from the fame originals, with no material changes in the language. What the anonymous editor means by faying in his preface, that the doctrines which thefe homilies inculcate" are now branded with novelty or fanaticism," we are at a loss to conjecture; for certainly not a hint is to be found, either in the extracts he has published, or in any other part of the homilies, in favour of those fanatical novelties refpecting miraculous calls, or pangs of new birth, &c. which are at prefent juftly branded and the doctrines that do appear here are held by all the fons of the Church of England, who are moft remote from fanaticifm. Whatever the editor may have intended by this paffage, it is clear that he has produced a good book; and the testimonies in favour of the Homilies, contained in the latter part of his preface, are judiciously introduced.

ART. 34. An Attempt to shew the Folly and Danger of Methodifm. In a Series of Effays first published in the weekly Paper called the Examiner, and now enlarged with a Preface and additional Notes. By the Editor of the Examiner, 128 pp. 25. 6d. Hunt. 1809.

8vo.

Who the editor of the Examiner may be we know not; but he is a writer of fluency and vigour. Many of the abfurdities and evils of Methodifm are here very ftrikingly pourtrayed; but when the author wishes to level all the fences of the church, and to admit the wideft latitude of opinions, we regret that we cannot accept of fuch an ally. The following paffage has in it abundance of very important truth.

"In fact, their love of God, in its best state, in its warmest affection, can be founded upon nothing but his partiality to themfelves: it has nothing to do with thofe qualities for which we love our fellow-creatures, fuch as benevolence, good temper, and univerfal philanthropy; and fince we can really love nothing but thefe qualities, it is evident that they mistake the enjoyment of their ☛wn personal safety for spiritual attachment to their protector. Their

freet

faveet experiences, and divine affurances of fafety will indeed fometimes render them as infane with joy as they are very often infane with horror. The Arminian Methodists cannot help being feandalized at their brethren the Calvinifts, who in their exquifite humility are continually crying out "Lord, why me? Why me?" But there appears nothing wonderful to me in the queftion. The Calvinifts acknowledge, and indeed take a pride in saying, that they are the vilift of vile finners, and if they really think as they talk, they may reafonably be furprised that God fhews fuch a partiality to them, to the eternal prejudice of almost all mankind.” P. 41.

Whatever may be the faults of this publication, there is much in it that well deferves the confideration both of Churchmen and. Methodists; and, if it is not in all points conclufive*, it is in many ingenious, forcible, and argumentative.

ART. 35. The Crifis of Religion: a Sermon preached at Laura
Chapel, Bathwick, Nov. 17, 1811; containing Strictures upon
Mr. Lancaster's Syftem of popular Education. By the Rev. E.
W. Grinfield, M. A. Minifter of Laura Chapel. 31 pp.
Bath; printed by Meyler; London, Rivingtons. 1811.
No attempt is made by this author to decide either on the
elaims of Dr. Bell or Mr. Lancaster on the invention of the mode
of education in queftion; he confines himself to a comparison of
their probable confequences. The one he ftates as taking the
eftablished religion of our country for its bafis, and as profeffing
to adopt a more cheap and comprehenfive method of diffufing ufe-
ful knowledge. The other as fubverfive of all steady religious
principle. We fhall extract the statement in the words of the
author. Speaking of Dr. Beil's plan he fays: " To the poor,
who might otherwife have been debarred from the attainment of
reading and writing, it offers thefe attainments; but it offers
them, guarded against abuse, by encircling them, with the piety
and principles of their ancestors. Far from prefuming to innovate
upon hereditary maxims, or to depart from the venerable code
enacted at the Reformation; it merely engrafts a beautiful and
expeditious apparatus upon thefe tried and established principles.
But the other fyftem is far more bold and daring in its preten-
fions; it feeks not only a change of means, but a revolution of
effects; and while it differs but little in its inftrumental machi.
nery, is totally oppofite in its application and refult. This fyf.
tem, as far as I comprehend it, originally proceeds upon the fol.
lowing affumptions:-That there are fome general articles of be

One unfortunate mistake of this author feems to be the opi nion that the doctrine of the Trinity refts only, or principally on the controverted Text, 1 John v. 7. whereas it has innumerable others to fupport it, and does not, in fact, want that. U u 4

lief in which all Christians are agreed: fuch for inftance, the au thority of the fcriptures ;-the existence and providence of God, and the incarnation of Chrift. Neglecting then all those inn merable traits of doctrine, which ferve to distinguish and charac terize the various bodies of the Christian world, it only insists on thefe few topics, which no man but a profeffed infidel, ever prefumed to queftion. After the youth has made fufficient elementary progrefs, the Bible is put into his hands, and without creed, or catechifm, or commentary, he is left to form his own felection of doctrines. How little fuch a vagrant introduction is fitted to advance the interefts of real and practical Chriftianity, I will leave to the common fenfe of any man to determine; to me it appears the readiest and shortest of all methods to form fceptics and infi. dels. It is in truth, no other than the vain delufions of Rousseau reduced to practice. The philofopher, in his utter deteftation of prejudice, thought it beft to leave his imaginary pupils entirely to themselves; to let them grope after wisdom, uninfluenced by pa. ternal folicitude; and undirected by hereditary information. But it was foon discovered that a favage, not a fage would be the re. fult of this abfence of prejudice, and but a few years must convince the public that any thing but a Chriftian may be formed from this wild and unbottomed scheme of inftruction.' -The author concludes with a strong recommendation of establishing paro. chial schools, where this powerful machinery may be employed in the defence of the established church. Where ufeful knowledge may be obtained, and at the fame time the peculiar doctrines of our national religion be duly inculcated.

ART. 36. Select Paffages from the Holy Scriptures; containing a Summary of Religious and Moral Infraction, proper to be committed to Memory by young Perfons. Compiled by Henry Tuke. 12mo. 32 pp. 6d. York. 1810.

Mr. Tuke we have fuppofed to be a Quaker, who has produced other small works, which have fallen under our notice. But whatever may be his perfuafion, this little compilation may be useful. for children of all churches. It contains only paffages of Scrip ture, digefted under heads, as of God, of Chrift, of the Holy Spirit, of the Scriptures, and of a future ftate, &c. &c.

ART. 37. Vindicia Ecclefiaftica. A Refutation of the Charge, that the Church of England does not teach the Gospel. A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Greenwich, June 30, 1811. By the Rev. T. Waite, M.A. Domeftic Chaplain to her Royal Highnefs the Duchefs of Brunswick. 32 pp. 8vo. Baldwin, London; Allen, &c. Greenwich. 1811.

Never, furely, was there a ftronger call upon the Clergy, than at prefent; to maintain the purity and excellence of the Church

of

of England;" which is now traduced with a boldnefs daily increafing. Judicious difcourfes on this fubject must be useful from any pulpit. Such is that before us; in which, the preacher shows, that the Gofpel "is taught in the Liturgy and offices of the Church of England, and generally from the pulp.ts: that its doc trines are neither corrupted nor debafed, its duties neither partially nor equivocally ftated; but that both are fo interwoven with all our fervices, as to imprefs upon our minds the facred truths of Christianity, and at the fame time to prepare our hearts for the discharge of the duties to which true religion calls us." P. 9.

Here it may be more fuitable to our office, than to that of a preacher; to add a folemn warning to all fincerely religious perfons: that they do not suffer themselves to be prejudiced against the CHURCH OF England by men, who (unwarned by the calamities of France and other kingdoms) are now ftriving to make them inftruments towards the fubversion of the STATE; who care no more for any Sect, than for the Established Church; and whofe defign (manifetted in feveral periodical publications,) is, to make Religion again a cloak to rebellion and revolution.

ART. 38. A Funeral Difcourfe which was preached upon the Death of the Rev. Thomas Barnes, D.D. at the Proteftant Diffenters Chapel at Cockey Moor, on the 22d of July, 1810, with an Addrefs prefixed, which was delivered at the Proteftant Diffenters Chapel in Cross-ftreet, Manchester, on the Second Day of the jame Month, at the Interment of the Rev. Thomas Barnes. By the Rev. Jofeph Bealey. 8vo.

Doctor Barnes, the fubject of this funeral discourse, doubtless merited the animated eulogium which is here rendered to his memory. How far he deferved the appellation of Great, which is ap plied to him at the commencement of the Addrefs, may be reafona. bly called in question. Dr. Barnes was, it feems, the author of certain Memoirs, which were inferted in the traits of the Manchester Literary and Philofophical Society; and he alfo printed a Difcourfe, which he delivered at the opening of an academy, which he under took to conduct. He is faid, by his friend, the author, to have poffeffed great excellencies as a preacher, and to have greatly re fembled the excellent and pious Dr. Doddridge.

ART. 39. Patriotifm directed by Religious Principle. A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of All Saints with St. Peter's, in Stamford, in the County of Lincoln, on Sunday June 3, 1810. By the Rev. C. Sanders, A. M. Curate. 8vo. 23 pp. Is. 6d. Newcomb and Son, Stamford; Crosby and Co. &c. London.

The object of this Difcourfe is, to prove the neceffity of direct. ing our patriotifm by religious principle, which the author has effected veryfatis faftorily, both from the facred writings and well

connected

connected argument. The text is taken from Titus, chap. iii,» verse 1. "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities, and powers, to obey magiftrates, to be ready to every good work." In the first place, the author proceeds to difcufs, "The expediency of fupporting the prefent conftitutional government of this country." zdly. "To what extent we may confider ourselves as bound to refift or support any measures that may produce an alteration in any part ofit ;" and, 3dly, "What conduct we ought to purfue in furtherance of that, which appears to us to he expe.. dient." Under each of these heads we find much to approve, and every reafon to believe that the author's " patriotifm is directed by religious principle."

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 40. The New Pocket Cyclopædia; or Elements of useful Knowledge, methodically arranged: defigned for the higher Claffes in Schools, and for young Perfons in general. By John Millard, Affiftant Librarian at the Surry Inflitution. 85. Sherwood and Co. 1811.

I 2mo.

660 pp.

Cyclopædia is here ufed in a reftricted fenfe. It does not mean a circle of all the fciences, but a fhort account of fome of the moft important; which in general is given with fuch precision as to make the work very proper to be used in Schools. A view of

the general divifions of the work will give our readers the moft comprehenfive notion of its contents. It is divided into nine parts, which, if ancient fashions prevailed, might be dedicated to the nine Mufes.

Part 1. LITERATURE: comprehending, language, grammar, logic, rhetoric, poetry and the drama, tafte, mythology, and im provement of memory. Thefe being further fubdivided as the fubjects require. 2. GEOGRAPHY. Progrefs of geography, geographical definitions, Europe, Afia, Africa, America, British Dominions.3. CHRONOLOGY. Epochas and æras, divifions of time, months and days. 4. HISTORY. Ancient hiftory, modern, biography, heraldry. 5. MANUFACTURES. Of thefe rather more than an hundred kinds are alphabetically described. 6. FINE ARTS. Writing, printing, drawing, painting, fculpture, engraving, mufic. 7. PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCES, and ARTS. Divided into metaphyfics, ancient philofophy, ethics, mathematics, under which latter architecture, navigation, and fortification are inéluded. 8. PHYSICS, comprehending mechanics, hydrostatics, hydraulics, pneumatics, meteorology, acoustics, optics, aftronomy, magnetifm, electricity, galvanifm, chemistry, natural hiftory. 9. THEOLOGY. Comprifing, the Chriftian Revelation, and the principal Christian sects.

We know how easy it is to cavil at claffifications, without of