ART. 26. Further Evidences of the Exiftente of the Deity, in

tended as an humble Supplement to Archdeacon Paley's Natural Theology. By George Clark. 8vo. PP. 46. 2s. Faulder. 1806.

We have been much pleafed with the perufal of this short work, which is intended, as the author expreffes his own defign, “not merely to point out the evidences of art, which appear in the form of animals; not merely to point out the mechanifm apparent in animal frames, and thence to infer defign and intention; but to fhow profpectively, from the conftitution of the fexes, and the formation of the first individual of each species of animals, that there must have been a pre-cogitation, a previous intention, a pre-ordination ;” "to fhow from the formation of one of the fexes, that a pre-fuppofal of the certain future formation of the other fex must then have exifted; and that upon Atheistic principles, it was impoffible, even if an animal of one fex had been fortuit. oufly produced, that another co-ordinate and correfpondent animal of the other fex, could have been so produced, as to have per. petuated the fpecies; and finally to fhow, that this impoffibility attaches to, and is multiplied in every inftance of the formation of the fexes, in all the fpecies of animals which have been produced." Mr. C. has not undertaken more than he has most effectually accomplished, and upon fuch a fubject it behoves us to fay, that not only the arguments are strictly and entirely philo fophical, but the language alfo. We were rather furprised to find, the author of the Syflême de la Nature, fpoken of as Mira. baud, without explanation: we could have pointed out fome publications where the fraudulent affumption of this name is expofed, and the real author concluded to be Diderot,

ART. 27. The Unitarian Doctrine, that " Jefus Chrift is a mere Max, in all Refpe&ts like unto other Men, and no more," completely refuted: being a friendly and candid Addrefs to Unitarians in general; as alf a particular Reply to fome late Publications. By the Rev. T. Belham, Mr. Wright, &c. &c. proving their Doctrine concerning Jefus Chrift to be totally unjcriptural, fubverfive of true Christianity, and most dishonourable to the Redeemer and Saviour of Men, who is herein proved to be the only God of Heaven and Earth. By the Rev. J. Proud, Minifter of York Chapel, St. James's Square, Weftminster. 8vo. pp. 103. Peacock. 1806, Mr. Proud declares, that he is neither a Trinitarian nor an Arian, according to the common import of these terms; nor does he agree to the commonly received doctrine of atonement. He thinks all thefe feveral tenets inadmiffible, and in the work before us he states his objections, and afferts his own principles. We can by no means affent to Mr. Proud's notions of the Trinity, but as an advocate for the Divinity of Chrift, we hail in him a ftrenuous and powerful coadjutor, We even think that he has

not

not affumed too much in his title-page, when he profeffes to have completely refuted the Unitarian Doctrine, that "Jefus Chrift is a mere man, in all refpects like unto other men, and no more ;" for we conceive it to be almoft impoffible to compare the texts felected and argued upon by Mr. Proud, and yet overlook the fuper-human, fuper-angelic nature of our Lord and Saviour. How far Mr. P. will obtain credence for his own conceptions of the Trinity, we know not; he has certainly in fome inftances misunderstood, and therefore mifreprefented the Catholic doctrine, nor do we think it likely that he will be held by many to have rendered this great mystery at all clearer. Still he certainly is right, in all that he alledges to prove our Saviour to be more than man, and he undoubtedly argues from the Scriptures with confiderable force and effect. His ftyle is faulty, and in his addreffes to Mr. Belfham and Mr. Wright, there is a continual change of perfons, which is awkward and difagreeable, but we heartily with him fuccefs, in turning Unitarians from the error of their ways, as far as regards the perfon of our Lord, as reprefented in the holy Scriptures.

ART. 28. The Encouraging Aspect of the Times; or, The Chrif tian's Duty to study the Prophecies of Revelation, in Connection with the Events of Providence. A Sermon, preached in Orange Areet Chapel, Portfea, Feb. 26, 1806, by John Griffin, Port fea. Second Edition. 8vo. pp. 74. 1806.

We are forry to think that almost two years fhould have elapfed, fince this difcourfe was published; and that we should not till now have had an opportunity of expreffing our approbation of it. It is certainly a very fenfible, temperate, and inftructive addrefs; and though the title may feem ftrange, the author undoubtedly goes a great way to prove the afpect of the times, at the period he wrote, to have been encouraging; and we trust the fame argu ments would apply to the fituation of things at this very moment. The author's "Calculations (to use his own words) are not founded upon political, but moral confiderations; the afpect of the times not being confidered as confined to this na tion only, but as extending to thofe events which look aufpicious for the world through the medium of this country, as they appear in the book of prophecy, in the page of hiftory, in the principles of the Conftitution, in the moral state of the country, and in the events of Providence. Mr. Griffin's conclufion is, that though we have certainly much to lament and repent of, yet that we have good reafon to hope that this country is not deftined by Providence to be conquered or brought low, while The maintains her prefent principles, in the great ftruggle to which fhe is exposed! We could make many extracts, but think we shall do the author more juftice, by recommending the whole to

the notice of the public. It has already feen two editions, and deferves to be ftill further circulated.

ART. 29. The Spirituality of the Divine Effence; a Serman, preached before the Affociated Minifters and Churches of Hamphire, Sept. 24, 1806. And published at the united Requ-ft of the Minifter and Congregation of Fareham, where it was delivered. By John Styles, Ifle of Wight. 8vo. pp. 44Williams and Smith. 1806.

This is certainly an eloquent and pathetic difcourfe; in which the doctrine of God's fpirituality is concifely, but well fet forth, and the great importance of the doctrine properly infifted on. Mr. Styles first undertakes to explain the doctrine, next to eftablifh its truth; thirdly, to exhibit its importance; and fourthly, to enforce its improvement. We think he has acquitted him felf well upon all these heads, not perplexing the fubject with any unneceffary parade of metaphyfics, yet clearly evincing the abfurdity and evil tendency of the doctrine of materialifm. As a fpecimen of the language of this difcourfe, we fhall felect the following animated remarks on the religious hypocrite, a character undoubtedly moft inconfiftent with every idea of God's fpirituality and omnipresence.

"Secondly, What terror is not this fubject calculated to ftrike into the heart of a HYPOCRITE. Brethren, it is vain to conceal the difgraceful heart-rending truth. There are perfons in our affemblies who wear the fanctimonious garb of piety as a cloak, who look fo much like faints that they deceive the very elect-minifters fometimes fufpect them, but they hope the beft:-intimate friends may be acquainted with the awful fecret; -indications of the horrible deceit will, fometimes, come out :but ftill they are tolerated in our churches, we cannot fearch the heart-charity, that thinketh no evil, befriends them ;-the myftery of iniquity is, that thefe wretched beings can bear the faithful cutting addreffes of the fervants of the Lord, that with facrilegious hands they can take thefe elements, thefe auguft fymbols of a Saviour's dying love, that they can witness the holy fervor of the truly pious, and not fhudder at their own odious hypocrify; that they are not maddened to throw off the miferable garb of deceit, or penetrated to the foul, are not led in their own defence to that fincerity which they have feigned. They derive fome fuppofed or real advantages from a profeffion of religion; their pride is flattered; their ambition or avarice may be gratified; and they think no eye beholds them: but it is delufion all-it is fallacy and ideotifm: the eye of God is upon thee. Unhappy man! from the first moment thou didft, conceive the thought of thy hypocrify, that God, who is a spirit, has furrounded thee, has penetrated thy foul, has developed all thy motives; that impenetrable veil, with which thou haft deceived

thy

thy fellow-creatures, is pure chryftal to him; the rays of divine intelligence have darted through it, and all thy odious deformity is known; known to that Being who can proclaim it all upon the houfe-top, and who, one day, will expofe it before an affembled world." P. 36.

Mr. Styles introduces feveral beautiful paffages from that eminent and pleafing writer Saurin.

ART. 30. The Clergyman's Inftructor; or, a Collection of Tra&s on the Minifterial Duties. 8vo. 426 pp. Clarendon Prefs, Oxford. Payne and and Mackinlay, London. 1807.

The Delegates of the Clarendon prefs, defirous to give every affiftance to the parochial clergy, by collecting and reprinting fuch tracts, many of them now fcarce, as may be ferviceable to them, either in their temporal or ecclefiaftical enquiries, published fome time paft the "Clergyman's Affiftant;" which has fince been followed by the prefent volume. The former chiefly related to matters of bufinefs and regulation, fuch as forms, ftatutes, &c. concerning the clergy: the prefent more particularly illuftrates the perfonal duties of minifters. It contains eight tracts. 1. Herbert's Country Parson, with the preface of B. Oley, and fome account of Herbert. 2. Bp. Jer. Taylor's Advices to the Clergy of Down and Connor. 3. Burnet's Paftoral Care. 4. Bp. Sprat's Charge to his Clergy, in 1695. 5. Bp. Bull's Companion for the Candidates of Holy Orders. 6. Bp. Gibson's Directions to the Clergy of the Diocese of London, in 1724, with his Charge, in 1741. 7. Bp. Hort's Inftructions to the Clergy of Tuam. 8. Sterne's Tractatus de Vifitatione Infirmorum.

No perfon, to whom the character of these feveral works is known, can entertain a doubt of the utility of thus uniting them in a convenient and reasonable volume: and the clergy will doubtless rejoice in the opportunity of obtaining them in fo eafy

á manner.

ART. 31. A Sermon, preached at the Opening of the Chapel of the Philanthropic Society, Nov. 9, 1806, by Vicefimus Knox, Ď.D. Printed at the Request of the Society, for the Benefit of the Inflitution. 4to. pp. 28. Mawman. 1807.

It would be entirely unfair to judge of an author's abilities from any fingle publication, of a defcription like the prefent; where fo much muft depend upon circumftances, wholly out of the controul of the preacher; the occafion, the fubject, and the audience, being none of them of the author's own choofing. But

* See Brit. Crit. vol. xxv111. p. 333

Dr.

Dr. Knox's talents have long been known, and we fhall feel that we are only doing him a juftice in finding fault with the fermon before us. We would not on any account hinder its effect; indeed we conclude the effect is past, and have little doubt that it was confiderable, as many paffages in the delivery must have appeared exceedingly pathetic.. But we did not think a writer of Dr. Knox's known tafte and judgment, could ever have condefcended to adopt fo faulty a ftyle, or have introduced into the pulpit fuch puerile quibble and conceit, as is to be found in the following paffage. The text being from Ifaiah, ch. xxviii. 16, Dr. K. obferves,

"Such is the foundation of a temple truly Christian. Let us gratify the mental eye with a tranfient furvey of the figurative fuperftructure. I look up with admiration at the broad expanfive arch of charity, the maffy columns of truth, the graceful capitals of mercy, gentleness, and compaffion, the whole compactly cemented by piety and philanthropy; by a cement of godlinefs and love, intimately blended and tempered in a perfect, infeparable, amalgamation. If it be asked, of what architectural order is the fabric? It is neither the Tufcan, the Doric, the Ionic, nor the Corinthian, but it is the Compofite Chriftian order; more beautiful in its form, more durable in its materials, than the most celebrated productions of claffic antiquity, modelled in the polite schools of Athens or of Rome. And it is finished with a GRACE which they could only, at a diftant interval, faintly and imperfectly conceive."

We are forry to fay, there is too much of the fame nature in other parts of the difcourfe.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 32. Bath Characters; or, Sketches from Life. By Peter Paul Pallet. Second Edition, with many Additions. Amongst which are a Poetical Pump-room Conversation, a new Preface, and an Appendix, containing a Defence of the Work, and a Caftigation of its Perfecutors, 8vo. 132 pp. 55. Wilkie and Co. 1808.

That a tract so very contemptible as this fhould have engaged much attention, can only be accounted for from the very prevalent tafte for defamation. The writer, by fome of his opponents, had been called an infidel; but this edition contains his confeffion of faith, by which it appears that he is a Socinian, or rationalist; and, like the reft of that tribe, furiously hoftile to the established church, and to all who hold any thing more than the curtailed and mutilated faith of their invention. We have very little doubt, in our own minds, who the real author is.

Nor