ut out fouls continually before him; and putting on for our armour, the breaft plate of righteoufnefs, and the helmet of falvation. Should our country at large do this, one might congratulate it, in the triumphant language of Mofes, " Happy art thou, O Britain, who is like unto thee, O people faved by the Lord, the fhield of thy help, and who is the fword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places.”

ART. 32. The Duties of loving the Brotherhood, fearing God, and bonouring the King, illuftrated and enforced in a Sermon, preached before Two Friendly Societies. By the Rev. Francis Skurray, M. A. Curate of Horning ftam, Wilts. 8vo. 32 PP. 19. Longman and Rees. 1803.

"This Sermon," fays the author, "was fent to the press, in order to imprint more indelibly on the minds of his parishioners, than verbal recitation poffibly could do, fentiments of unanimity and loyalty at this eventful period. He was also actuated," he says, "by a wifh to contribute his mite towards cementing the peace and harmony of his neighbourhood, which had fuffered interruption from diforder and

alarm."

This interruption arofe from the violences committed in certain parts of the clothing counties, in confequence of the introduction of fome mechanical contrivances for facilitating work. The author diftinctly handles the feveral parts of his fubject, and gives the local admonitions which the occafion required, with earnestness and affection." It is 'not allowed," fays he," to the rich, and furely it cannot be claimed as a privilege by the poor, to bend the law to their own will and execution." P. 26. He then mentions an appeal to law, which has fince, we understand, received its decifion. The difcourfe is well calculated to be useful.

ART. 33. An Essay on the Sign of the Prophet Jonah. Intended to remove the Deifical Objection concerning the Time of our Saviour's Burial: by attempting to prove that the Prediction relates to the Duration of bis Miniftry upon Earth. By Ifaac James. With a Letter to a Friend, on Revelation xxii. 6, 21. Intending to fhew that it was not Jefus Chrift who forbad John to Worship him. 8vo. 59 PP. 15. 6d. Bristol printed; Button and Co. London. 1802.

This author, rejecting the ufual interpretations of Matthew xij. 39, 40, as untenable, propofes another which in his opinion removes the difficulty. He conceives that when our Saviour predicted that he should be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, he meant that he fhould be three years employed in his miniftry in Judæa. A year being a prophetic day, and Palestine being, according to feveral authorities, confidered as the heart of the earth, or, the middle of the habitable world. This is ingenious, and certainly not repugnant to the prophetic ftyle. But it is not entirely new, as what in divinity can be? We copy from Zegerus a very fimilar opinion. "Hoc ænig mate Dominus non propriè fepulturam fuam refurrectionemque præfigbat, quanquam et ità poffit non injuria intelligi, fed fuam demonftra

bat

bat in hujus terræ ergaftulo manfionem. Alioqui fi fimpliciter ad Chrifti fepulturam referas, quomodo tribus nelibus in fepulchro delituifie credendus eft? nam de tribus diebus facilis eft per fynecdochen folutio. At verò cùm illud addatur quod ei expofitioni non plenè refpondeat, deinde cùm alius pateat fenfus Evangelico tenori etiam magis congruus, non eft neceffe ad illum, licèt catholicum, minùs tamen aptum, confugiamus. Quod ergò dicit ejufmodi eft, "Non dabitur nationi huic fignum aliud quàm quod Jona ipfe eventa fuo præfiguravit. Quemadmodùm enim Jona ob falutem navigantium ultro se obtulit in mare projiciendum, et exceptus bellua narinâ tribus diebus, i. e. pauco tempore, in ventre illius refervatus eft, ità Chriflus Dei Filius, ob falutem omnium hominum, è fublimi cœlorum volens à Patre in hujus mun. di pelagus emiffus,exceptufque a Judaicâ gente,quafi à bellua ferociente, intra hujus gentis fepta, parvo temporis fpatio diverfatus eft." Atque ità,in hoc uno figno,univerfa fimul totius vitæ fuæ figna atque miracula conclufit, cùm alioqui multa fe illis demonftraturum figna refpondere debuiffet, ut pote qui, non refurrectione modò, fed et innumeris aliis portentis fuam Divinitatem erat declaraturus." in loc.,

It is an evident improvement upon this opinion, (which perhaps Mr. James never faw) to apply the three years as three figurative days, and to point out the propriety of calling Judæa the heart of the earth. But fince fuch men as Grotius, Erafmus, Hammond, Whitby, and innumerable others were contented with the old explanation, we do not feel much inclined to fly to the new; which however we allow to be ingenious. In the time of Theophylact, the ufual interpretation was thought fuficient; he fays, τρία ημερονύκτια ἀπὸ μέρος ἀριθμῶνται. The Jews particularly reckoned parts of days as whole days, and St. Matthew is generally thought to have written in Hebrew. All the commentators cite Abenefra on Lev. xii, 13, to prove that even an hour of one day was reckoned as a whole day, in the calculation of the days of circumcifion; and a mode of calculation fomewhat fimilar has been shown from various ancient authors, and might be illuftrated to a much greater extent. Thus the part of Friday was reckoned night and day, from Thurfday at fon-fet; Saturday, night and day, from Friday at fun-fet; Sunday, night and day, from Saturday at fon-fet. The fecond part of this tract is alfo important. It undertakes to prove that the angel who forbad John to worship him (in Revelations xxii, 9.) was not Chrift; which removes a fpecious and common objection against the worship of Jefus. This, however, is not new. So other Commentaries have understood it. Franc. Junius, (whofe notes. are fubjoined to the text of the Revelation, in Barker's Bible 1611) fays "the words of the Angel unto the 15th verfe, the words of Chrift verfe 16, 17. So alfo Eftius, and others." The queftion is here, however, well illuftrated, and may ferve to remove unneceffary -fcruples. It is indeed reduced almost to a demonftration.

ART. 34. The Mild Tenour of Chriflianity, an Effay. Crown 8vo. 153 pp. 3s. Clarke. 1803.

Had this Effay been produced at any period of great heat and animofity among Chriftians, or to allay the violence of fome perfecution, by recalling to mind the true temper of the Gofpel, nothing could be

more

more meritorious. At prefent it is difficult to fay why it should be written, when the principle of it is generally acknowledged; and the application of it in this tract feems to confound all diftinctions. Becaule it is true, that no one can have the true fpirit of Christ who is not mild and benevolent, Mr. Jerningham appears to conclude, that whoever has thofe qualities has fufficient Christianity. Papift, Proteftant, all feem alike to him; nor will he diftinguish between the raging, diabolical, and unprovoked perfecutions of the former, and the neceffary precautions for felf-defence, enacted at some periods by

the latter.

Mr. J. is fuppofed to be of the former perfuafion; but he has no indulgence, it must be allowed, for bad Popes, nor, in general, for monaftic inftitutions. He praifes the Reformation in terms almoft qualified; but he cenfures, with perfect juftice, the indifcriminate rage for plunder and deftruction which accompanied the fuppreffion of the religious houfes in England. He quotes a paffage from the hiftorian of Ely, lamenting the fpoliation of the tythes and revenues which have ever fince been wanted; and he adds, very justly, "thus neither the advancement of religion, the dignity of reafon, nor the principles of tafte were confulted in this univerfal dilapidation." P. 83.

That the book is entertaining, muft certainly be allowed; as it confits chiefly of fcraps and anecdotes, felected from a variety of books; but the affectation of the ftyle is beyond meafure ridiculous. In the very fecond page we have the law of fenfibility," a new law, enacted probably in the court of namby-pamby; and this law "forely" forbids "the heart to confign itfelf to tyranny." We thought a more real law, the law of human nature, forbad it; but he means not, as would be fuppofed, to forbid being tyrannical, but forbids being fond of tyrants! Then we have "emanative benevolence;" foon after, we are "fed by the glimmering of conjecture;" prefently, "the circle of individuality;" then, "diableries;" every where, germ, and fembrous, and all the cant of petit-maitre fcribbling. Grammar gives way to the affectation of novelty; we have invečtive as an adjective (p. 39,) and wearied as a verb neuter (p. 85,) and many fimilar flowers.

In moral tafte (to catch an affected term) the author prefers, to the traly philofophical anfwer of a gentleman on the deftruction of his library," that he should have profited little by his books, if he had not learned to bear the lofs;" an expreffion attributed (perhaps falfely) to the amiable Fenelon; that he had rather all his books had been burned, "than be told that the hut of a poor family is reduced to afhes." P. 103. Where is the fenfe of this? Could he not, in an hour, have more than reinstated the poor family, for a thoufandth part of what a new library would coft him? Such cant is disgusting, and unlike Fenelon.

ART.

ART. 35. Reflections on the Refurrection and Afcenfion of Chrift; and of [on] the probable Confequences of a Public Exhibition of his Afcenfion; which fome have thought Neceffary to the Credibility of the Fa&. By John Bigland. 8vo. 108 pp. 2s. 6d. Williams, Stationers'

court. 1803.

Mr. B. reafons with calmnefs and good fenfe on the probable confequences of a public refurrection and afcenfion of our Saviour, fuch as feveral infidels, and, lait of all, T. Paine, have thought neceffary to the credibility of the facts; and he proves that the advantages would not have been fuch as thofe enquirers prefume. He concludes his tract with a curfory view of the pofitive evidences for Christianity, (p. 71); and, finally, a few short remarks on "the comparative excellency and fatety of the two fyftems of Christianity and Deifm." P. 104.

In anfwering Paine's cavil, that the Redeemer should have gone from fyftem to fyftem, and from planet to planet, to fuffer death in every one of them, for the redemption of its inhabitants," (p. 68), Mr. B. does not feem at all aware of the hypothefis fo modeftly propofed, and fo well fupported, in the treatise entitled, Eis Geos, eis Megans, for reconciling the Plurality of Worlds with the doctrine of Redemption.

ART. 36. The Churchman's Remembrancer: being a Collection of fcarce and valuable Treatifes, in Defence of the truly primitive Doctrines and Difcipline of the Eftablished Church. Confifling at prefent of two Articles:

1. Dr. Waterland's Sermon on Regeneration. p. 1s. 68.

2. Dr. Winchester's Differtation on the 17th Article of the Church of England. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons, &c. 1803.

The defign of this very feafonable and praiseworthy publication feems to have arisen partly out of the fuccefs of the former reprinted tract; as appears from the following advertisement prefixed to the fecond of them. "The great encouragement which the editors of Dr. Waterland's Sermon on Regeneration have received, from the rapid fale of that valuable difcourfe, has induced them to profecute the work of which that was put forth as a fpecimen, and to engage to republish, every three or four months, fome scarce and valuable treatife of a fimilar tendency (that is, against the peculiar and now ob rufive tenets of the Methodists), hoping, by this means, to lead many into the old paths, the good way, wherein, if they will walk, they have the warranty of fcripture that they shall find reft for their fouls."

The editors fay, in prefacing the former tract," if we are now dwindled down into fo puny a race, that we cannot ftem the torrent with our own ftrength, we fhall do a fervice which we humbly hope will be accepted by the church, and its immortal Head, in bringing forward again thofe giants of former days, who, though dead, yet live

* See Brit. Crit. vol. xviii. p. 405.

to us in their writings," &c. Without thinking fo meanly of the prefent living defenders of the church, we mult certainly be of opinion, that to bring forward again the writings of thofe, whose names have acquired weight and authority, and who being dead, are exempt from all fufpicion of being biaffed by any party fpirit of the prefent times, but record the found faith of a paft generation, must be to render an effential fervice to the caufe. Most heartily, therefore, are we wellwifhers to the undertaking. In the fame fhort preface now cited, the editors most properly point out the folemn prayer in our baptifmal office, in which the congregation thanks God" that it hath pleafed him to regenerate the infant." What can the preachers of a newfangled regeneration fay to this direct teftimony? Or how can they boaft of adhering to the doctrines of the church, which they contradict in fo pofitive a manner?

The first tract has only this fhort preface. The fecond has also a fhort introduction by the editors, and a biographical account of the learned and pious Dr. Winchester, drawn up by that found and able divine, Mr. Churton, of Middleton, near Banbury, who alfo fupplied the editors with Dr. Winchester's emendations of his own tract, by which this edition is corrected. The value of thefe two publications, and their conclufive force against the errors now fo induftriously circulated, could not be explained by us without a long critique, but will be evident to every careful and competent reader.

ART. 37.

Reflections on the Fall and Redemption of Man, in an Expofition of Hebreaus, Chap. x. 4-7, compared with Pfalm xl. 6-8. With an Introduction fuited to the important Subject, in Metre. By Amicus. 4to. 33 PP. IS. Richardfon. 1802.

Though the whole of this tract is in flanzas of eight lines, yet as the author profeffes not to intend it as poetry, we have claffed it with Divinity; to which it is entitled, not only by its fubjects, but by the crouded margin of references to Scripture. The compofition of it must have been very edifying talk to the writer; whether it will be equally edifying to any reader, may be doubted. Scripture truths, thrown into very languid metre, are debafed rather than elevated. The tract, however, has rather the form than the effence of Methodifin.

POLITICS.

ART. 38. An Appeal to the Public Spirit of Great Britain. By Charles Marfh, Efq. of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's-Inn. 8vo. 74 PP. 38. Cadell and Davies. 1803.

Amidft the numerous and well-written tracts by which the fpirit of the country has been animated, and the enthufiafm excited during the prefent emergency, we have not hitherto met with one more juft in its conceptions, or more eloquent in its language, than that which is now before us; and we are concerned that our limits will not allow us to difplay its excellence fo fully as it appears to deferve. The profelfed

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ERIT. CRIT. VOL. XXII. SEPT. 1803.