Having with much labour endea voured to substantiate these charges the preacher proceeds in the seventh and eighth discourses to shew, that notwithstanding the various opinions which were adopted by the reformers in different parts of Europe, they all maintained that schism was an evil, and expressed an anxious wish for union; to add something to the history of the origin and progress of that indifference respecting schism, which has since prevailed, and lastly to consider "the actual state of the different, or at least the most prominent sects, which at present divide this country, and set themselves up in direct hostility to the establishment." These he ranks under two heads, the first comprizing those who differ from the established church upon essential points of doctrine, namely, Unitarians and Quakers: and the second, those who have no such cause for separation, or, in other words, Independents, Methodists, &c. &c. the er part of the seventh and eighth sermons, and a recapitulation of the whole, we were going to say the volume-A volume as weak as it is whole argument, cencludes uncharitable, founded upon an utter misconception of the terms schism and heresy, as they are employed in Scripture, and supported by misinterpretation of almost sacred writings, by confident asevery passage produced from the sertion, and by an arrogant assumption that the creed to which he himself has subscribed, is in every re pect infallibly true. It was our intention to state a few general principles, for the purpose of shewing the fallacy of his reasoning, and to offer some remarks upon the leading texts which he has pressed into his service, but, upon further consideration, we determined that the subject was not worth even the little labour which this task would have required. We moreover recollected that this task had been, in fact, already performed by the late learned principal of Marischal College in Aberdeen, Let any one read with an unprejudiced mind the third and fourth parts of the ninth of Dr. Campbell's dissertations, and he will not be misled by a Bampton lecturer, or suffer any alarm from the bugbears Heresy and Schism, with which the priests of our days are attempting to deter men from the investigation of religions truth, and the exercise of the right of private judgement. A little abuse of all these, but especially of the first sect, forms the prominent subject of the greatART. LXXXIII. Zeal without Innovation: or the present S ́ate of Religion and Morals considered with a View to the Dispositions and Measures required for its ImproveTo which is subjoined, an Address to young Clergymen; intended to guard them against prevalent Errors. 8vo. pp. 375. ment. THIS work is te production of one who is anxicly desirous of the virtue and happiness of man kind, and uniting with much religious zeal soundness of judgement, aud, in general, moderation of temper. Although the author positively denies that he belongs to that class of clergymen now commonly denoted evangelical, he appears as their advocate, dwelling largely on their merits, and defending them from some charges to which they justly chargeable, and offers them, with much apparent sincerity, and a zealous desire to promote their respectability and influence, much judicious and necessary advice. If they will lay aside the pharisaic arrogance which they have generally assumed, and condescend to listen to instruction, they will receive much benefit from the work now before us. In the first chapter the author, by way of introduction to the main subject of his work, briefly considers the state of the times with respect to religion. In doing this he confines himself to two topics, the visible decline of attendance on public worship, and the increase of separation, from the latter of which especially he fears the greatest evils will result; the annihilation of the established church, and the diffusion of a spirit of democracy. This leads him to expatiate, in the second chapter, on the necessity of encouraging an earnest piety among the ministers of the church, and he is thus naturally conducted to the great object of his work"An enquiry into the character and views of the class of clergymen called evangelical ministers." "In considering how much the present times require earnestness in the clergy of the church of England, it is impossible not to think of a certain description of them, to whom none deny the credit of this virtue; but of whom an opinion has gone forth, relative to their sentiment and designs, of too serious a nature to be slightly treated. The full congregations by which many of them are attended show, that their influence is considerable; and this circumstance obliges us to go into a deliberate enquiry into the truth of what is alledged against them: inasmuch as wher ever there is manifestly a powerful agen cy, there it is our duty to ascertain, what it is that operates, and what effects it be likely to produce. "It may, therefore, be no useless undertaking, to go into a detailed view of the what it is they are attempting, by that zeal character of these persons; and to state, for which they are remarkable. For if just, it is not to clergymen of this class the representations of their accusers be that we are to look for any instrumentality that shall lessen public evils; their operation, on the contrary, is to be considered as one of the evils we have to remove : and being one which resides and acts within the very bowels of the commonwealth, it claims extraordinary attention. If, therefore, I should be a little prolix in this enance of ascertaining in a time of danger, quiry, let my reader remember the importwhether we have got a friend, or an enemy in our quarters. have only this presumptive argument to of "Of my competency to this enquiry, I fer; that my intercourse has lain much, though not exclusively, among clergymen of this description. I hereby conceive myself better qualified to speak to the sentiments and habits prevailing among from their society. Nor am I anxious to them, than they can be, who keep aloof of many things found among them, though conceal, that, though far from approving no member of any of their associations, and considered by some of them as standing at rather a low point in the scale of orthodoxy, I am one who might probably be classed with them by many. To hold forth the Saviour as the only hope of fallhigher degree of holiness than that which to shew the necessity of a much and the impossibility of attaining this withsatisfies the bulk of Christian professors out the influence of the Holy Spirit, being in my view duties of the first consequence in the discharge of the sacred function, the importance I attach to them may be discerned in my humble ministry. On this account, the clergy of whom I am about to speak admit me into their pulpits; and degree the excelle, jes of their profession some of them, possessing in an eminent unmixed with any apearance of sectarian peculiarity, I rejoice to see in that which I have in charge." en man Of this class of clergymen he then observes, that, "Taking it in the gross, he does not think that the persons of whom it consists, can be justly said to have made up by the perfection of their character, what they wanted of importance, through the smallness of their number, and the inferiority of their station. Some of them appear to him to deserve a place among the brightest ornaments of their profession. But truth obliges him to acknowledge, that there are many, who have so little beyond honest intention to entitle them to commendation, that all claim in their behalf to honourable distinction must he waved. Their cause must be referred to that charity, which thinketh no evil' either of men, or things, wherever it can consist with a due regard to truth and goodness to think otherwise." The first part of his enquiry relates to their doctrines. Are they universally Calvinists? How do those of them who may be considered as Calvinists, hold the doctrine of election? What are the sentiments of the clergy in question respecting the doctrine of justification? In what sense do they insist upon the necessity of a change of heart? With respect to Calvinism he asserts, what we fully believe to be the truth, that the clergy of this class are divided into two parties, the one holding, the other rejecting, the Calvinistic doctrine. He contends also that " whatever objections lie against the Calvinistic doctrine of election, those of them who hold it maintain at the same time the necessity of personal holiness. As to their preaching justification by faith alone, it is not, he asserts, to the exclusion of the necessity of good works also. Their practice comes next to be considered. These good meu have, by some of their adversaries, been identified with the puritans; their advocate, therefore, in order to refute this charge, draws a parallel between them and the ancient disturbers (as he represents them) of the reformation, and at their expense pronounces not only an acquittal of his clients from the charge, but a high panegyric on their steady attachment to the church. The character of their preaching comes next under consideration; and here he acknowledges, that in avoiding the extreme into which they suppose some have run, by insisting almost entirely on subjects of moral duty, they may have occasionally gone into the other: he adds: "We perceive, however, that a more unexceptionable way of discharging the preacher's office is gaining ground in our Church. There are men among us, not less convinced of the importance of evangelical doctrines than were the clergymen who first received the stigma of Methodism, nor less devoted to their propagation, but more attentive, than some of them were to the entire system of Christian truths. Let me add, that we have evangelical preachers among us, who are more sensible than some of their predecessors culcating, as a ground-work requisite to seem to have been, of the necessity of inthe support of a pious orthodoxy, a regard to those great moral principles, which, (though not expressing every thing necessary to be known for the salvation of fallen creatures) are the fundamental parts of all true religion; and by which, therefore, whatever claims respect under the name of orthodoxy, illumination, experience, or spirituality, must be tried; in order to determine whether it be any thing better than high sounding pretension." The next point of accusation is that they seclude themselves from the rest of the clergy, connect themselves with each other, and thus form a sect in the very bosom of the established church. But this seclusion, their advocate contends, is not their own act so much as that of their brethren, who, on account of their reputation for methodism, are unwilling to associate with them. Their connection with each other extends, it is said, to something more than friendly intercourse, they act together as a body distinct from the profession at large, they hold at regular pe riods synodical meetings for the purpose of enquiring into the state of religion in their respective situations; of detailing the encouragements, or the difficulties they nieet with in the discharge of their duty; of discussing the merit of religious publications, and of enquiring into the most likely way of promoting good, or of establish ing some charitable institution in a parish. The writer has evidently a great struggle before he can bring imself to condemn this practice; he does, however, object to it on the ground of these associations being confined to clergymen of one description, and of having a tendency toward the formation of what writers call an Imperium in Imperio. He does not however consider this practice as entitling them to the charge of sectarism. "But is no notice to be taken of an - establishment formed among them, for the purpose of getting possession of the churches; of a fund raised among their favourers for the purchase of livinge, to which, when vacant, they are to be presented" In reply to this, it might be sufficient to observe, that no proof has yet been given to the public of the existence of such an establishment. Let them who make the assertion name the treasurer, or the secretary, or the collector, or any one subscriber, to such a society. It is not, however, enough for me to say, I know not of any such society: I solemnly aver that there is no such thing in this kingdom; and I would have it understood, that all who assert the contrary, are hereby challenged to substantiate their affirmation. A well-known fact here presents itself, as a presumptive proof that there is no such establishment in being; which is this, that almost the whole of the clergy called evangelical, are in the dependant and precarious condition of curates. A few ad vowsons indeed, purchased in the life-time of a late opulent merchant, out of his own purse, are devised to clergymen of this de scription. These, of which the number is only six, constitute the whole of that provision which is exclusively intended for the clergy in question. The rest of them must seek preferment through the ordinary channels: where, excepting the incumbents provided for by the patronage abovementioned, the few of them already beneficed have found it: Not one is there, that is indebted for his preferment, to any such association as is affirmed to exist.” Having, according to the preceding plan, endeavoured to show that these persons stand clear from the charge of intended hostility to the church of England, he proceeds to state such things as justly And here he ad. deserve ccusure. mits that the charge of enthusiasm is not groundless, that they are guilty of exciting and encouraging an ill opinion of the clergy; that it is not easy 66 to silence those who accuse them of vanity, of courting popularity, of effrontery, of coarsemess, of the want of that affectionate spirit which should breathe through all the ministrations of a Christian teacher, of their com monly appearing before a congregation with an abjurgatory aspect, as if their minds were always brooding over some matter of accusation a gainst their charge.' The matter of which the sermons delivered by some of this class is composed, he allows is contemptible in the extreme, and the affectation of humour in the pulpit, which some display, he treats as an outrage upcu piety and decency which nothing can excuse. This bitter pill, however, must be gilded: "There is a concern for the good of mankind visible in them; a surrender of their ease; an unwearied diligence in their vocation; a giving up the world. We see them, with talents sufficiently popular to carry the prize of emolument or honour, were they to become candidates for them, sacrificing such prospects, by honestly refusing to accommodate themselves to the taste of their times; making a stand against what they think wrong in those who have favours to bestow, though fully aware that inferiority of rank, and straitness of income, are the certain consequences of their fidelity. And, to conclude the men. tion of what is praiseworthy their side, there is a circumstance of gret notoriety. to be recollected: they call the attention of the age to some truths of prime importance in the account of all the writers, who are acknowledged in our Church as the most distinguished defenders of her doctrine. They are the determined and ever active opposers of those, against whom, as the great corrupters of Christianity, all these writers have with one voice warned us. Whether they conduct this opposition with temper, or with ability, some may question. But it is indubitable matter of fact, that the Scripture doctrine respecting man's fallen state, the divinity and atonement of Christ, and the necessity of the grace of God's Holy Spirit to sanctify our hearts and rectify our lives, are topics, in which they labour to instruct and establish their hearers. Nor can we doubt, that to their endeavours herein, we must ascribe some portion of that increased regard to these points, which has of late appeared in the discourses of the clergy at large." To some, however, this encomium will appear in a very questionable shape, and their zeal for what they presumptuously call the fundamental doctrines of the gospel, mingled with much arrogance of spirit, and excessive illiberality, is a quality to be deprecated rather than praised, not by those only against whom its efforts are unceasingly directed, and upon whom its destructive weight will assuredly fall if they ever gain the power after which they are striving, but by those also they are striving, but by those also who see no inconsistency between orthodoxy and charity, and are not unaware of the evils of religious intolerance. Our author proceeds, in the fourth chapter, to enquire whether there be any individuals of unexception able character among them, and by what means these are to be disco vered. Such he appears to think there are, and by a laboured delineation of the true church of England pastor," he endeavours to point out the marks by which they may be discerned. And this leads him, in the next chapter, with studied caution indeed, to recommend to the constituted authorities the patronage and support of those whose character corresponds with that which he has delineated, in other words, those who are truly evangelical clergy. The same design of conciliating favour towards them is also apparent in the succeeding chapters, which treat upon cultivating a spirit of devotion, and its probable effects on the ministers of religion in this period, upon some obvious means of ameliorating the state of religion, amongst which he reckons the frequent preaching of the bishops, and a particular attention to students in the universities, designed for the ministry, and, lastly, upon the duty of prayer for a revival in religion. we breathes the same spirit. The address to young clergymen tended to form them upon the moIt is indel of those amongst the evangelical clergy, whom the author deems could approve of the whole of what unexceptionable. We wish he has here advanced, and that we which he has recommended to had no reason to censure the temper others, and of which he has exhibited in himself a pattern towards such as cannot subscribe to his creed. But if students in theology will read it with proper discrimina tion, they may gain from it some useful admonition. The whole volume manifests a sincere desire to serve the cause of religion, and is deserving the serious perusal of those whose chaimmediate causes of its publication, racter and pretensions have been the |