and miscellaneous work; and In perusing these and similar though the scriptures are read Lectures we are amused with the with it, they must be explained frequent arguments which their by it. The bible is no further authors find in their way of the inspired and infallible than as it excellence and apostolic nature of agrees with the creeds and pray- the Church of England. They ers, collects and hymns of this seem never to call to mind that Protestant missal. of the many praise-worthy doc

For this reason, we think the trines and rites which she pospractice of the clergy in choos- sesses, some are common to all ing versicles of the scriptures as Christian Churches, and therethe grounds of their official dis- fore, are no particular honour courses is an unnecessary hard- to her; and others are pecuship; it would be a less circuitous liar to herself and the Church route to make the book of com- of Rome, a circumstance not the mon prayer their avowed text- most flattering, one should think, book. It contains, the ecclesi- to the noisy criers (as many of astical constitution of the country, the clergy are) of No Poperyand therefore ought to be well. We are inclined to smile also studied and fully explained by at the laborious endeavours of ecclesiastics. these Lecturers on the Liturgy

We have already a considerable to draw out of every sentence number of volumes of Discourses of the Prayer-book, some weighty on the Contents of the Prayer- thought and fundamental opinion, Book. The present author is to make common places impormore Calvinistic than his prede- tant, and to force tautologies to cessors. He may be said indeed speak a varied meaning. Where to have evangelised Comber, Hole the whole is pure gold, the miand Wheatley; to have done nutest particle must be intrinthem" into Calvinism. He is, sically precious. There are many however, laudably modest and arcana of theology in the prayer charitable; and a pleasing air of which supplicates of God to send piety accompanies the Lectures down the spirit of his grace upon which his evangelical peculiarities "all bishops and curates" beare not able to repress. He dis- cause "he alone worketh great plays no great share of theolo- marvels," and in that which imgical learning, but he falls into plores him "to give peace in our no errors, like that for instance time because he only fighteth of a certain dignitary of the for us."

Church of England, whose hand

some volume is now lying be. the Evangelist, Westminster, (pursuant fore us, who, quoting the Nicene to the will of Dr. Busby.) By Thomas Creed, introduces the quotation and Lecturer of St. John the Evangelist, Bennett, of Trinity College, Cambridge, with 66 as Saint Nicene in his Westminster, D. D. minor Canon of St. creed has it." Paul's Cathedral and of Westminster Abbey, Rector of High Eastor and Good Eastor in the county of Essex, Preacher at Highgate Chapel, Chaplain to the Cold-stream Regt. of Guards. Reader at Whitehall, &c. &c. &c. Leeture 1. p. 9.

Vide Lectures on that part of the Church Catechism commonly called the Apostle's Creed, preached in St. John

"The parish Church of Wake- for the Lectures bespoke an equal field" where Mr. Rogers deli- deference to the Christian spirit, vered these Lectures is, it ap- and that they were taken less pears, free on a Sunday Even- from the prayer book and more It is the gosing, when the poor who worship from the Bible. in the aisles" in the preceding pel, according to the evangelists, part of the day are admitted into not the gospel according to the the" pews." This generosity on compilers of the English Liturgy, the part of the pew-holders is which "the common people" have "heard gladly." truly Christian: we cannot help in every age wishing that the subjects chosen

ART. II.-Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Isaac Watts, 1. D. with extracts from his Correspondence. pp. 67. 8vo. Portrait. 2s. 6d. Williams and Smith.

THESE memoirs were drawn character of a heretic about him,' up with the view of being pre- (p. 43.) even in reference to his fixed to a new edition of all greatest deviation from strict or the Doctor's practical pieces, but thodoxy on the subject of the are sold separately. The author trinity, though on this point he is anonymous, who says in his cannot even in the opinion of preface, that he has endea- the Doctor's Calvinistic admirers, voured to comprehend all the entirely exculpate him. Into this subject he has enfacts in Gibbons and subsequent in so biographers, and to give a faith- tered in fact more largely than ful delineation of the author and was necessary or proper, the man." This he has done in short a piece of biography, having a respectable manner, and has in. devoted near 20 pages out of 67, terspersed such remarks, in his to a review of the Doctor's writreview of the Doctor's character ings on the trinity. And many and works, as discover good sense, will think with us, that he has and a considerable degree of libe- exceeded his proper province in rality. He appears to be more stating his objections to the Docattached to the Calvinistical sys- tor's peculiar sentiments on this tem than the Doctor was, but ex- subject. Of this he himself seems presses himself concerning the to be aware, for he says, p. 39, points in which he supposes the "It is certainly no part of the Doctor to have deviated from it, biographer's office to defend or with a degree of candour which refute the peculiar tenets of the does him honour,and which among subject of his memoir; yet as in the writer's own party is not writing the life of a general or often to be met with. He la- a statesman, it is expected that bours indeed to place Dr. Watts some attention should be paid to in as favourable a light as pos- his schemes and plans for the sible, and will not allow him to public good, so I conceive in the have had any thing of the life of an author, an impar

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tial account of his writings should between real and modal." We be given, with the same freedom believe so too. But then we of remark as in the other cases." should be glad to know what This is readily granted. But he hypothesis the gentleman adopts. has gone far beyond what he here In the next page he strongly obpleads for, having brought for- jects to the sentiment of the ward the difficulties which at- realists, and quotes a passage from tend the Doctor's hypothesis con- Dr. Hopkins to prove that “by cerning the pre-existence of Christ's persons in the trinity, we must human soul, and taken occasion not understand the same as when to introduce a great deal in favour we speak of persons among men." of the most generally received That is to say, they are not real opinions in relation to this sub- persons. But he all along object. We allow that he has clearly jects to the notion of modal perproved the Doctor's idea of Christ's sons, which is what he censures pre-existence to be untenable. But in Dr. Watts. If then there is it does not follow that the Atha- no medium between the one and nasian doctrine is the true one, the other, what is it that this author which this author seems to main. maintains? We know of no other tain; though in some passages he scheme but that which denies the speaks in a manner inconsistent trinity altogether, and think that with it, and manifestly contra- to be consistent, he should come dicts himself. His ideas, like those over to the Unitarians.

of most writers on the same side, In one place he says, p. 40. are to the full as much confused "How far it may be necessary as he represents those of Dr. to adopt any human explication Watts to be; of whom he says, of this divine mystery, I have p. 38, that he "studied the doc. my doubts." What room is there trine of the trinity as some Indian for doubt in the case? If it be devotees are said to have con. a divine mystery, the attempt to templated the sun, till their own explain it at all is presumptuous sight was darkened." How this and vain. But to pretend to author has studied the same doc- explain it by any such human trine we cannot pretend to say, schemes or scholastic phrases, as but if he has more light than Dr. are themselves inexplicable, is to Watts, he has not the most happy the last degree absurd. method of communicating it, but We meet with several things to us he appears to darken cvun in this memoir which are worthy sel by words without knowledge, of discussion, and as the author "As to the distinction," he says, appears to be a man of sense and P, 43, “between a real, modal, candour, such a discussion with a or scriptural trinity, it is too person of the same description, metaphysical for christianity, which on the opposite side, might be was intended for the simplest of advantageous for the discovery of the common people; and I believe truth. Some few passages occur, it would puzzle the most acute even in respect to Dr. Watts him. philosophers to define a medium self, which are not quite cou

sistent with his general liberality, the subject of the trinity, which and which we think he will, cn he pronounced to have been among reflection, be glad to erase. But those MSS. of Dr. Waits, which we meet with many others, with his executors suppressed. This auwhich we are so well pleased, thor questions the truth of this that if our limits allowed, we pretension, and occupies near two should be glad to extract them. pages, 49, 50, to disprove it. We The following we cordially ap- leave Mr. G. W. to settle the mat prove: p. 46. "Whatever God ter with him. The memoirs are has clearly revealed is certainly followed with a number of letters important, and the perspicuity to and from the Doctor. The last of the revelation will generally of them, written to his brother. be found in proportion to its in- when very young, on the diftrinsic moment. But truth is only ferent denominations of christians, important to us as it affects the and occupying nine pages, ought heart and life." to have been suppressed.

Some time since Mr. Gabriel Watts published a small tract on

N. M.

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ART. III-A Sermon, containing a Sketch of the late Rev. George Walker, F. R. S. and Pres. of Lit. and Philos. Society at Manchester, with Practical Reflections, preached 30th May, 1807, before the Society of Protestant Dissen-. ters, assembling on the High Pavement, Nottingham. By James Tayler, 8vo. pp. 33. Johnson.

THE late Mr. G. Walker was friendly and affectionate, and at eminent for his talents and vir- the same time, a just and rational tues. We hope we shall soon be tribute to his memory. It is) a able to give, in another department true portrait of his character. of our work, a memoir of his His virtues are painted with ra life and writings. He was five happy pencil; and his defects and twenty years pastor of the are faithfully described as shades religious society, meeting on the in the historic picture. High Pavement, Nottingham, of Were our funeral discourses which Mr. Tayler is one of the more commonly formed after this present pastors. He had ceased model, they would reflect more s to reside at Nottingham some time real honour upon the virtuous before his death, but the friendly dead, and would become truly connexion between him and the useful, by furnishing philosophy congregation was dissolved only with a number of moral cases, by that event. and biography with unsuspicions t

Mr. Tayler's discourse is a documents.

ART. IV.-Strictures on Free Discussion, with observations on the Common Notions of Infernal Influence on the Human Mind. 8vo. pp. 60. 1s. 6d. Longman and Co. 1807.

THIS pamphlet was occasioned pleasure to the liberal-minded readby a controversy in a magazine er in all places. The author enat Liverpool, and will we trust deavours to explode the antiprove another instance of the christian" doctrines of Demons," utility of local theological discus- and recommends unbounded freesion. It will at the same time give dom of inquiry.

ART. V.-The Providence of God over-ruling the Issues of War and Conquest. A Sermon, preached at the Chapel in Essex Street, Feb. 25, 1807, being the day of General Fast. To which is added a Prayer. By Thomas Belsham. Johnson. Is. 6d.

THE tenour and purport of the preacher brings his readers this rational and eloquent dis- is summed up in his motto, taken course is fully expressed in the from one of the most moral and title. It consists of practical il- sententious of our poets :lustrations of the philosophical and Christian doctrine of necessity. The conclusion to which

"All discord, harmony not understood, All partial evil, universal good."

ART. VI.-A Sermon preached at the Temple, May 31st, and at Berkley Chapel, Berkley Square, June 28th, upon the conduct to be observed by the Established Church towards Catholic and other Dissenters. By the Rev. Sydney Smith, A. M. late Fellow of New College, Oxford. 8vo. pp. 27. Longman and Co.

THIS Sermon is prefaced by he may be assured, find their a manly address, in which the reward, not perhaps at court preacher avows that a sense of or in the Church, but assuredly "duty" led him first to deliver in the esteem of the reflecting and now to publish a discourse part of the country, whose esteem "extremely disagreeable to many a wise and good man will alone of his hearers," in order to "bear covet. his share of testimony against a But whilst we applaud the religious clamour, which is very courage and tolerant spirit of the foolish in all those in whom it author we must be allowed to is not very wicked." For this express our surprise at the prinpublic protest against the hy- ciples which he maintains on the pocritical and detestable cry subject of Church-establishments; of No Popery, we thank him: principles which none but the good sense and charity will, clergy do not consider as ex