rity, and good-will,-and more efpecially let the minifters of diffenting congregations, if they will chufe to apply, be heartily wished a good deliverance from the burden of our fubfcriptions."

We believe that Dr. Tucker has had the honour (for fuch he will undoubtedly think it) of contributing more effectually to the illfuccefs of the clerical petitioners, than any other writer against them. We hope, too, that he will have the much fuperior honour, in our eftimation, of promoting the abolition of fubfcriptions in the cafes he hath mentioned. K.

Art. 14. Letters to a Member of Parliament, in which the Defign of removing Subfcriptions to human Articles of Faith is vindieated, in Oppofition to Arch-Deacon Randolph's Charge, Mr. Toplady's Free Thoughts, and Dean Tucker's Apology. With 2 Card to Meffs Ibbefton and Powel. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 8vo. 2 S. Wilkie. 1772.

This Author has more than once paffed in review before us; and we have always fpoken of him in terms of warm approbation. Clear, concife, and elegant in his ftyle, judicious and liberal in his fentiments, he cannot but be read with pleasure by every enlarged friend to religious liberty. After faying thus much concerning him, it is but a fmall encomium to add, that he has obtained a complete victory over Dr. Randolph and Mr. Toplady. We could gladly tranfcribe feveral fenfible and fpirited paffages from his performance; but we shall content ourselves with the conclufion of the last letter.

But is Religion fo far the daughter of Time, as to be fufceptible of daily improvements? The question, perhaps, may be amended. It fhould have been asked, whether the knowledge of mankind in the thetry of religion is not fufceptible of daily improvement? To fuch a queftion I cannot hesitate to answer, Yes. Such knowledge includes a variety of Languages, an extenfive acquaintance with Hif tory, Geography, Chronology, and is indeed connected with every art and feience under heaven. What period then fhall we fix to its progrefs?

• Had it been poffible to communicate religion, at a fingle glance, to fuch a creature as Man, fo as to leave no interefting enquiries to exercife his mind, it would have proved fatal to his virtue, the end and effence of all religion. For, though conviction might at first have been the confequence of fuch communication, yet this conviction would have become weaker and weaker in each fucceeding generation, for want of thofe new and fucceffive difcoveries, which now fix the attention and raife the admiration of mankind.

We are all exquifitely fenfible of pleafure in the difcovery of Truth; but the heart warms and expands in a peculiar manner, when, after close attention to the oracles of God, we hear them more audibly than before, in confequence of a new language acquired, or any other difcovery made, in the moral or the natural world.

And therefore the wifdom and benevolence of God have been juftly traced in the fuccefive difcoveries of himself to mankind, in all which the quantity of communicated light has been admirably adapted to the eyes which were to receive it. Chriflianity itself, the lait, beft ift of Heaven, though long communicated, and at the fitteft feafon, contains prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and beauties yet

to be difcovered. In this difcovery it is our duty, and our intereft to labour: yet Mr. Toplady would put an unnatural stop to our improvement, and fix us for ever in the Divinity of an age, the diftance of which from the prefent, bears a confiderable proportion to the time elapfed fince the birth of Christ.

I am of an opinion fo oppofite to this, that I wish to fee every Gentleman, whofe fortune can purchase leifure, afferting his right to investigate the Scriptures, with a view to the improvement of our religious Theary. The enquiry would help his morals, and his improved morals would affift the enquiry.

That fome order of men fhould be fet apart, exprefsly, to fearch into and teach Chriftianity, is I believe effentially neceffary in the I prefent ftate of fociety. But that they only fhould do this, that it Thould be left to them as exclufive property, is pernicious in every view of its confequences. The people, in fuch a cafe, are liable to be abufed by falfe repréfentations of their religion; the Clergy themfelves are deprived of a strong incentive to excellence; and fome of the moft laborious and fuccefsful enquirers into truth may be mifreprefented by their bigotted brethren to their ignorant fuperiors, by which a heavy clog is fixed to every fcheme of reformation.

I am firmly perfuaded, that when our Articles are put into your hands, many, very many members of your honourable house, will be difguiled at their contents. Yet, perhaps, a well-inftructed Prief, with his palliatives, diftinctions, and quibbles, may raife a mil about them, not eafily to be diffipated; in which state, that old argument will be produced which would have fuppreffed Christianity, would have flopped the Reformation, and would defer every great undertaking to eternity-the danger of innovation

But, if there be any danger, it muft arife from a confinuance of our prefent forms. A man must be blind if he do not fee the rapid improvements of the human mind which are yearly making.

If the religious theory of this country be not adequately improved, it will, it must fink into contempt; and that contempt will, ico probably, be extended to Chriflianity itself; for, fenfe enough to fee ftriking error is not always accompanied with refolution enough to purfue real truth. The theory of religion is no lefs complexa fubject than the theory of government; reflect then upon the iate of government, as having liberty for its object, at the time these ricles were published, and you will be a judge of our religious ms, as having truth for their object at the prefent time.

The improvement of which our clergy have partaken in common with the nation, has led them to drop, if not to oppofe, the articles. They have become filent upon the defined points of fpeculation, and they have loft their popularity. The Methodists are followed by the people, and they boaft, not without reafon, that we are all Metho dby profeffion.

This may be denied; but, will it not be at the expence of that faplicity which marks the gofpel-character? I know the power of qiling-but how fatal the neceffity which compells us to look se enthufiafts or prevaricators!

.

If then the clergy be confidered as an ufeful body of men; if they are not to be degraded, the articles must be repealed;

if religion be worth the care of Government, the articles must be repealed. All human good may have its inconvenience; yet Wildom will not reject the good becaufe of inconvenience, triding, future, and perhaps imaginary; but will exert itself in providing a remedy against it.'

Dr. Tucker's apology is only occafionally confidered in the prefent work, a more complete attention to it being promised hereafter. Art. 15. A fcriptural Comment on the Thirty-nine Articles, &c. K. By M. Madan, A. B. Chaplain to the Right Hon. Henry Lord Apfley, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, and to the LockHapital. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Rivington.

With refpect to the comment here offered to the public, it is fuffi-. cient to fay, that the Author hath thrown together a number of fcriptare paflages, for the most part without judgment, order, or regard. to their true connection and real meaning; but the preface and ap pendix are too extraordinary to pass unnoticed.

To affert that it would be difficult to find a more complete union of ignorance and bigotry, is expreiling ourfelves in a cold and langaid manner. We had fcarce a conception that any clergyman could paffibly have been infpired with fo antichristian and diabolical a fpirit. With fhameless effrontery, Mr. Madan treats the petitioning clergy as a fet of infidels, who have formed themfelves into a public fociety to attack the Chriftian religion. He has retailed, from the London Evening Post, a flory of Dr. Clarke's having retracted his notions concerning the Trinity, though the Dr.'s fon has publicly refuted that ftory; but the inferting of Mr. Clarke's advertisement would not have anfwered the pious purpose of our Author. His attempt to prove that fubfcription ought to be exacted of diffenting teachers, and of the profeffors of law and phyfic, is, to the last degree, ridiculous.-Is it not aftonishing, that fuch a perfon should be able to entitle himself Chaplain to the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain? But enough of Mr. Madan-whofe abfurd reafonings, and intolerant principles, can only excite the contempt or indignation of every honest and liberal-minded man.

Art. 16. An Addrefs to the King, as Defender of the Faith ; upon the intended Application to Parliament for Relief in the Matter of Ecclefiaftical Subfcriptions. By a Member of the Eftablished Church. 8vo. 6 d.. Dilly.

K.

We have here the ravings of an enthufiaft, who is as abfurd, and almost as bigotted as Mr. Madan; but happily does not feem poffeffed of a heart capable of the fame malignity. K. Art. 17. A Letter to the Members of the Houfe of Commons ; refpecting the Petition for Relief in the Matter of Subfcription. By . a Chriftian Whig. 8vo. 1s. Bowyer.

It is with pleasure that we turn from fuch wretched performances, as thofe which are mentioned in the two preceding articles, to an Author of true good fenfe and genuine moderation. This letterwriter is not one of the petitioning clergy, nor does he approve of their mode of application. He thinks that the bithops have not, in the prefent ftruggle, been refpe&fully treated; and that it has injuriously been taken for granted, that no blefings could come from Rav. Feb. 17726

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the

the bench, no reformation from the prelacy, no good out of Galilee. His arguments for the removal of Subfcription, and for a revision of the articles of the Church of England, are clear, judicious, and unanswerable. In fome points he feems to have carried his candour to an excess that may be thought fcarce confiftent with an extensive knowledge of the world. But, perhaps, it was his real acquaintance with mankind which dictated to him, that no conceffions can be ob -tained from our fuperiors, unless they be treated with the utmost poffible deference and respect.

K. Art. 18. A fecond Letter to the Members of the Honourable House of Commons; relating to the Subfcription required of Graduates in the Univerfities. By a Christian Whig. 8vo. 6d. Bowyer.

The character we have given of the former, will, in general, fuit the prefent letter. Befides confidering the cafe of graduates in the univerfities, the Author hath added a pathetic addrefs to the bifhops, on the fubject of a farther reformation of the Church of England. Notwithstanding the quotation from Puffendorf, we totally difagree with the Chriftian Whig in his vindication of a compliance. with oaths and engagements which cannot poffibly be performed. The latitude he contends for, cannot, in our apprehenfion, be reconciled to any found principles of morality and jurifprudence. K. Art. 19. Arguments used for abolishing Subfcription to the Thirtynine Articles of the Church of England, by Act of Parliament, feriously confidered; and fome Reafons offered, that the Continuance of fuch Subfcription will be no Inconvenience to the Defigns of the Petitioners, for Relief in that Mattter. By Tremellins. 8vo. 6d. Evans.

An attempt at ironical wit; but Mr. Tremellins will never rank with Swift, or even with fome of Swift's humble imitators. K. Art. 20. A full Refutation of the Reasons advanced in Defence of the Petition, which is intended to be offered to Parliament by fome of the Clergy, for the Abolition of Subfcription to the Articles, &c. By no Bigot to, nor againft, the Church of England. 8vo. 6 d. Baldwin.

An intelligent and judicious reader of this fuperficial pamphlet will smile at finding it entitled a full Refutation of the Reafons of the Petitioning Clergy. A talent for reafoning is not one of the principal qualifications of the prefent writer, and the abilities he is actually poffeffed of feem to be very much tinctured with arrogance and felf conceit. He has treated the arguments of the petitioners A with great contempt, and yet he is himself no bigot to the Church of England, but wishes, under the fanction of the bishops and dignitaries, to have the liturgy revifed and amended, and the number of the articles lefened. K, Art. 21. Free Remarks on a Sermon entitled, The Requifition of Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England not inconfiftent with Chriftian Liberty. To which are prefixed, Reafons against Subfcribing a Petition to Parliament for the Abolition of fuch Subfcription. In a Letter to the Author. By a Friend to religious Liberty 8vo. I-S. Johnson. This performance contains a juft and fpirited cenfure of the into lerant principles advanced in the fermon referred to, intermixed with many

+ Palmer of Macclesfield

Many fenfible and important observations on the subject of religious liberty. K. Art. 22. Letters on the Subject of Subfcription to the Liturgy, &c. First printed in the Whitehall Evening Poft, under the Signature of Paulinus; now reprinted, with Notes and Additions. 8vo. 1.s. Bladon.

.Thefe Letters conftitute one of the most mafterly productions the public hath yet feen in fupport of the petitioning Clergy. The Author is completely acquainted with the fubject, and he has accordingly treated it with diftinguished accuracy and judgment. Our Readers will here meet with a full view of the fcheme of the Petitioners, and fee how far it was intended and wished to be carried; from which it will appear that the clamours raifed against it, as threatening danger to the Church, are groundlefs and imaginary. The addrefs of Paulinus to the Under-graduates of the univerfity of Cambridge deferves particular attention, and, were it duly confidered, could not fail of contributing towards procuring relief with regard to the Subfcriptions required at the matriculation of Students at Oxford, and at the taking of the firft Degree in Cambridge. Such relief will, we doubt not, in a little time be obtained. K Art. 23. Confiderations on the projected Reformation of the Church of England. In a Letter to Lord North. By a Clergyman. 4to. 1 S. Robinson.

Eafe and elegance of ftyle, a happy talent at imagery and allufion, together with a confiderable portion of vivacity and wit, characterize the prefent performance; but the arrogance with which the petitioning Clergy are treated, and the uncandid and unjust conftructions that are put upon their defign, merit a fevere reprehenfion. There is fomething in the whole turn of this letter which feems to indicate that the Author of it is one of thofe fortunate Clergymen who is either already fo well provided for, or, at least, is fo fure of being comfortably fettled, that he cannot but look with a fovereign contempt on any endeavours to alter a Church which he finds to be fo excellently constituted. K. Art. 24. The Reasonableness and Neceffity of Subfcription to explana tory Articles of Faith demonftrated: in two Letters; the one to the Author of the Confeffional; the other to the late Mr. Samuel Chandler, now re-published By George Harveft, M. A. Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Newbery.

1772.

After having heard nothing of our old acquaintance, Mr. Harvest, for more than twenty years, we are glad to find that he is alive. When his letter to Dr. Chandler first appeared, we read it with attention; but were not convinced by it of the necefity of fubfcription to explanatory articles of faith. Neither are we convinced of the reasonableness of fuch fubfcription, by the letter now added, and addreffed to the Author of the Confeffional.

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Art.