truths (if they are so disposed) through disposed) through an unitarian perspective.' The Doctor now selects various charges containing as he says as many falsehoods which must attach either to himself or his opponent: these charges he examines, and we need not say to whom he refers the guilt. It must be observed, that as the controversy proceeds there is in all the parties a manifest want of that Christian temper which ought to be found in professing Christians. To interest the reader's attention they all freely use what Doctor Horsley denominates the " high seasoning of controversy." Mr. Styles, to whose work we have already referred, sometimes condescends to low abuse, which can do no good to his cause: your book," he says, referring to the "" Hints," exhibits a Christian with 66 out faith, a moralist without integrity, a critic without acumen, and a polemic without argument." For these and many other assertitions to be found in his vindication, Mr. Styles must know he had not the smallest foundation, they are, however, to be reckoned the "seasoning" made use of to excite the reader's attention, but with the candid enquirer, they will go for nothing, they will even injure the other parts of the writer's argument in which he displays considerable energy, and a becoming indignation against the spirit which occasionally pervades the" Hints." The remarks of Vigil are in general desultory, but he has succeeded in shewing, by. quotations, that the doctrines of the established church are in unison with those taught by the evangelical preachers. ART. XC. Puritanism revived, or Methodism as old as the Great Rebellion, in a Series of Letters from a CURATE to his Rector. 8vo. THE author of these letters, like the barrister, seems to be alarmed at the rapid increase of the methodists. The "Hints" were levelled chiefly against the Calvinistic methodists: but the curate aims his blows at the followers of Wesley. He tells us he was led to these strictures from accidentally meeting with Doctor Grey's edition of Hudibras: that he pretends to give his rector no new facts, but only to carry the comparison between the puritans of old and the modern methodists, much farther than it has yet been done. He seems to be well acquainted with the town of Reading, which according to his account is as much divided into sects now as it was in the times of Butler: by Doctor Grey it is recorded" that if Augustine's and Epiphanius's catalogue of heresies were lost, and all other ancient and modern records of that kind, yet it would be no hard matter to restore them with considerable enlargements from that place." The curate adds, "Reading, if I mistake not, would supply as copious a catalogue of heretics and schismatics: and the late bishop of Sarum had reason to be satisfied, that the Babel of Sectarism was erected in his time, as well as formerly, at no great distance from Salisbury Plain." The authorities from which the curate professes to have derived his information, are the notes of Doctor Grey in his edition of Hudibras; Mr. Hampson's Life of Wesley; Mr. Myles's History, and Mr. Nightingale's "Portraiture of the Methodists." To the last he is chiefly indebted for his anecdotes of the followers of John Wesley. By a detail of these anec dotes he has set forth in a very striking point of view the absurdity and enthusiasm of the votaries to methodism in this we conceive the author fully justified: those who make use of such methods as are here described to work upon the passions, and to delude the judgment of the young, the weak and unwary, cannot complain that their own weapons are turned against themselves. AзT. XCI. Free and Impartial Thoughts on the Dangers to be apprehended from the Increase of Sectaries in this Kingdom, and Evils arising from the Want of Places of Worship for the lower Orders of the Community. By a cordial Approver of the Doctrines, and Well-wisher to the Prosperity of the Church of England. 8vo. pp. 84. THESE thoughts turn chiefly the manner of this author, nor in upon the character and progress every instance give him the credit of Methodism, and the expediency for the impartiality he claims: yet and practicability of providing bet- upon the whole we think his pubter and more abundant instruction lication deserving of the attention for the large and daily increasing both of those against whom it is parishes in the north-western dis- directed, and of those in whose intrict of the metropolis. Although terests he appears to feel a very we cannot unreservedly commend lively concern. being proved, he has been silenced by the Bishop of London. The letter writer complains of this, and laments the great loss which the public must sustain in being deprived of his evangelical instructions. He thinks that the Bishop might have overlooked so trifling a breach of ecclesiastical discipline, and advises him to remove the prohibition. ART. XCII. A Letter to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London, occasioned by a Rumour that his Lordship had prohibited the Rev. Dr. Draper from preaching in any of the Churches of his Diocese; also a few Remarks upon the Rev. W. B. Williams's Appendix to a Funeral Sermon preached for Mr. John Bayley, of Hackney, in which are contained some unkind Reflections upon the Character and Conduct of his Predecessor, the Rev. John Eyre, of Homerton. 8vo. pp. 67. XCIII. Remarks on a Letter, &c. &c. To which is added, An Observation on the Bible Society, anil a few Hints to Evangelical Clergymen. 8vo. pp. 21. THE subject of these publications is, we understand, the son of a lay preacher belonging to the connection established by the late G. Whitfield; be is said also to have begun his academical education at the Calvinistic college at Homerton, and to have compleated it at a ball in Oxford, notorious for Methodism. It is not surprising therefore that he retains an affection for principles in which he has been thus instructed, and feels no very warm respect for those strict forms of ecclesiastical discipline which his diocesan must consider it as his duty to enforce. Although he holds preferment in the church, he has accepted the office of theological tutor in a dissenting academy at Cheshunt. This is the charge advanced against Dr. Draper, and in consequence of its The remarker takes up the cause of the Bishop, which he manages with some wit, but in a style not quite becoming his character. We do not see how the Bishop could have acted otherwise than he has done, and the good Doctor must try some other diocese, or hold his peace: but if he must preach, he can follow the example of his father, and exercise his gifts in a Conventicle. ART. XCIV. Necessity for Universal Toleration, exemplified in the Speeches on the Catholic Question in 1805 and 1808, by Mr. Henry Grattan, M. P. Lord Hutchinson, K. B. the Earl of Moira, the Bishop of Norwich; and in the Sentiments of Sir J. C. Hippisley, Bart. M. P. carefully revised and corrected from authentic MSS. To which are subjoined a succinct Expression of the Bishop of Landaff's Opinion relative to the Policy and Expediency of the Question at this momentous Crisis, and the last French Imperial Decrees respecting the Papal Dominions; with preliminary Observations. By a "Protestant Layman." 8vo. pp. 202. THE speeches which are here republished ought undoubtedly to be preserved from oblivion, and committed to some more permanent repository than the ordinary and daily registers of parliamentary debates. The Protestant Layman therefore has rendered a service to the public which entitles him to their warmest thanks. It would be a needless task to give any particular account of the speeches of which this volume is composed; they have been widely diffused, and universally read: we shall ob serve only that they exhibit in the most striking manner the sound and irrefragable principles upon which the cause of religious liberty is firmly established; and contain a fund of the most liberal and noble sentiments. The preliminary observations appear to have been written by some person not much accustomed to composition, but they abound with just and manly thoughts, and form a suitable introduction to the excellent papers which succeed them. ART. XCV. A more extended Discussion in Favour of Liberty of Conscience, recommended by the Rev. CHRISTOPHER WYVILL. The Second Edition. 8vo. pp. 22. THIS little tract proceeds from one who has long proved himself au enlightened and zealous advocate of civil and religious liberty, and it is designed to excite those who are friends to the same great cause, to seize the present occasion, which he considers as highly favourable to extend the field of discussion, to reinforce the arguments which seem calculated only to obtain from the prudence or the humane feelings of the legislature, some small and partial boon, and with all becoming deference to state to parliament the duty of the legislature to repeal every law, by which the misguided zeal of former ages has infringed that most sacred right to the free choice and free profession of religion." We agree with Mr. Wyvill, that every opportunity should be employed for the purpose of drawing attention to this important subject, but with respect to any immediate success, we are less sanguine than he appears to be. MISCELLANEOUS. ART. XCVI. An Introduction to the Geography of the New Testament, &c. &c. By LANT CARPENTER, L. L. D. 12mo. IT is well observed by the author of this little work, that "it is agreeable to well known laws of our frame, and to direct experience, that by forming a regular connected view of the transactions of Jesus, we must gain a more vivid impres sion of their reality. When they are bound together by the customary connections of time and place, they are no longer loose and floating in the mind, but are brought into view regularly and readily, like the passing events of life.' He has therefore with great propriety made it an important object of his public labours, to communicate to his catechumens, as far as the subject will admit, correct views of the geography and chronology of the New Testament, not only as subjects of interesting information, but as tending in a considerable degree to produce that lively feeling of the truth of the facts contained in the sacred history, which will be most favourable to the practical influence of the great doctrines which those facts were intended to establish. This treatise consists of two parts; the first of which gives a clear view of the geography of the countries mentioned in the New Testament, proceeding in the usual order of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The second part is employed in the difficult object of forming a harmony of the four gospels, and as certaining the chronological order of the principal events recorded in them. Dr. Carpenter adheres to the opinion of the ancients, which has also been embraced by several eminent critics of modern times, and seems to be gaining ground, that the ministry of Jesus lasted at most only one year and a few months. The chief obstacle to this opinion has arisen from John vi, 4. which makes mention of a passover, commonly supposed to have intervened between the passover which succeeded the baptism of Jesus, and that at which he was crucified. Embarrassed by the difficulty which this text presents, some critics have been inclined to consider the word way, and others the entire verse, as interpolated. Dr. Carpenter regards neither of these suppositions as necessary, and thinks, that as John does not appear to have observed the series of time in his narration of the events of Christ's ministry, the passover of which he here makes mention as approaching, is that which immediately preceded the crucifixion of Christ. The hypothesis certainly deserves consideration. The whole work is correctly executed and perspicuously arranged. It is closed by a series of appropriate questions, and will certainly prove useful in the hands of the diligent teacher, for the objects which it was intended by the author to promote. ART. XCVII. The Curate Catechising: or, a Familiar Exposition of the Church Catechism, addressed to the Children of a Country Parish: with suitable Questions for their Examination therein. By the Rev. W. THISTLETHWAITE, B. A. 12mo. pp. 68. THIS little tract appears to be the production of a serious, wellmeaning friend of the establishment. Its object is, as it professes, to explain the catechism in order to render it practically intelligible. Those whose religious sentiments respecting the authority of the church of England, agree with Mr. T.'s will doubtless find it a useful manual for the elder catechumens among the poor. We decidedly object to several sentences, which appear to us to direct to wrong sources of doctrinal proof: we know of nothing which ought to supersede the Bible as the foundation of the religion of Protestants. Among others we notice the following:"The catechism should be learned, not merely to be repeated, but to be understood: and you should study it principally with this view, that from it you may learn what are the true doctrines of the word of God, and what is your own duty to God and to your neighbour." p. 1. "Christ is described in his relation to God as his only son;' therefore he is infinitely superior in |