affairs. The charge against him formed, and this new article adwas for impugning, or preaching mitted. Such a correspondence beagainst certain of the Thirty-nine tween a judge and a prosecutor Articles; and it was brought by a would appear very odd in our Mr. Bishop, the king's proctor criminal law courts! But be it general. It does not appear that as it may, the new article being this Mr. Bishop heard the sermou admitted, Mr. Bishop, the prosc. delivered; it is not known whether cutor, examined his witnesses on he has instituted the prosecution the new charge, and the term endon his own account, or on the ac- ed in that state, when the prosecucount of certain persons behind tor had still the business in his own the curtain, who pay his expenses hands; and it was expected that in this very extraordinary pro- he would finish what he had to do and bring in his proofs in the beginning of the next term. secution. In consequence, however, of the citation, Mr. Stone took advice It should be observed that, in of his proctor what he was to do, all this transaction Mr. Stone, on and, following that advice, left his part, has left Mr. Bishop very the answer to him; and the much to himself. Mr. Stone proproctor appeared for his client; tested against the citation before and the cause has been carried Sir William Scott, Doctor of on, from that moment to this, Laws, because he was called to according to the forms of the appear before an improper tribuecclesiastical court. The vexation nal, one incompetent to judge the and expense to which Mr. Stone merits of the case. The judge, has been put may be easily con- however, decided against him. ceived by all who know any thing He resisted also the introduction of the ecclesiastical courts. Mr. of a new article, because he conBishop brought in a variety of ceived, that when a person was put charges, under the name of articles, on his trial upon any charges, it and during the last summer was was not just, or equitable, or employed in examining witnesses lawful, to introduce new charges, upon them. This last term, it was and to interweave them with the expected that the cause would original charges. But in this also have been finished by the prose- the judge was against him. In all cutor, when, instead of this taking other respects, Mr. Stone has left place, he begged leave to introduce Mr. Bishop to do what he pleases, a new article. This of course and to examine what witnesses he was resisted by Mr. Stone's coun- pleases. Mr. Stone has not crosscil, bnt, after a little debate on the examined any of them. The witsubject, the judge decided that the nesses are chiefly booksellers, or new article should be brought in their servants. One witness is a and it was a sight, we are informed, Doctor of Divinity, the Reverend which struck one of the spectators John Symonds Breedon, but to with horror to see Mr. Bishop, what point his evidence extends the prosecutor, rise very coolly we know not. from his seat at the bottom of the This is a short history of the table, walk up to the judge, and prosecution; but in this publica. tion Mr. Stone has kept a dignified silence on this head. He does not there discuss with him in what manner the articles should be re "Answer. I will, the Lord being my helper." even mention the name of Mr. Bishop, the prosecutor; nor does he hint at all at the proceedings of Here, then, Mr. Stone rests his the court and the resistance he has case. He says that he has strictly made to what he deems improper complied with the vow made by in its conduct. His whole letter him to his ordaining bishop, who is taken up with this plain and never asked him whether he would important question: Was it right teach or preach in conformity to for the Bishop of London to cite the articles. The engagement to into a criminal court, a clergyman, the bishop, he contends, is unconfor opinions delivered in his ser- ditional and scriptural, and common, contrary to those maintained pletely emancipates him from the in the Thirty-nie Articles? The galling yoke of the Thirty-nine Arquestion is argued in a very grave ticles. How indeed is a preacher and solemn manner by the author, to act? is he to act against his and he denies that the preaching conscience because he may say of opinions contrary to the Thirty- something against the articles? nine Articles is matter for a crimi. No. He is bound by his vow benal prosecution. He argues in this manner: The church of England has established certain articles to which a candidate for what are called holy orders must subscribe, previous to ordination. After this subscription he goes through a certain ceremony, and is solemnly adjured by the Bishop to answer in the sight of God the following questions. "Are you persuaded that the holy scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrines required of necessity for eternal salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ? and are you determined out of the said scriptures to instruct the people committed to your charge, and to teach nothing, as required of necessity to eternal salvation, but that which you shall be persuaded may be concluded and proved by scripture?" "Answer. I am so determined, and have so determined, by God's grace." "The Bishop. Will you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines, contrary to God's word?" fore God and the christian church to preach and teach only that which he is persuaded may be proved by the scriptures. The ar. gument is, in our opinion, conclusive, and Mr. Stone deserves the thanks of the Clergy for having so well pleaded their cause. Having produced his argument, Mr. Stone puts himself in the place of the Bishop, and supposes how he should act if, in a similar case, a clergyman, supposed to have preached erroneous doctrines, had been brought before him. The sentiments he advances in this manner are highly worthy of a christian bishop, and we recommend them to the perusal not only of the bishops of the churches of Rome, Greece, and England, but to the Presbyters of Scotland and the ministers of every congregation of Christians. How long will it be before the teachers of Christianity have learned that their's is a religion of love, and that an erring brother is to be brought back into the fold by argument, and that it is possible for one man to be right and a whole church to be wrong! Protestants allow this in their dis cussions with papists, but in their contests with each other the maxim is continually forgotten. the same; namely, that he is to obey God rather than man; he is to look to the scriptures for his instructions, not to the articles. So striking a publication has not for many years made its appearance; and it is singular enough that both Mr. Stone and the Bishop were on the same side about forty years ago, when they endeavoured each to obtain a reform on the subject of subscription to the ar The tenets advanced in the sermon are maintained in this letter. The whole is written with great dignity, and due respect to his spiritual superior. In fact, the tenets in the sermon are nothing to the argument; for whether he protests boldly against some leading points of the faith of the church of England, or expresses only, like ticles. the Bishop of Lincoln, his dissent from one of them, his argument is AMICUS.* ART. IV. The Danger of reading Improper Books.-A Sermon, preached in the Rev. John Goode's Meeting, at a Monthly Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches in London. Oct. 8, 1807. By the Rev. John Clayton, jun. 8vo. pp. 44. Black and Co. The subject of this discourse is of considerable importance, and at the same time not entirely without its difficulties. It is therefore desirable that the person who enters on the discussion of it should be distinguished by the extent of his information, the liberality of his mind, and the soundness of his judgment. Whether these characteristics are discoverable in the. present attempt must be determin. ed by a fair examination of it. of that dread and hatred of free In the first head of the discourse The design of the preacher appears in part to be entitled to approbation; and the reader will find some observations on the mischief arising from an indiscriminate pe- *Our readers will, we are persuaded, rusal of the trash of our circulating feel, with us, indebted to our correlibraries, which are just and ra- spondent for this ingenious and interesttional. But we are sorry to add, ing article of Review. Such as wish to see the question of Mr. Stone's conduct that in other parts of the discourse in the church fully discussed are referred will be found, not merely a bigot- to his own Letters in the Monthly Reed attachment to a system which pository, which contain the substance of the author chooses to denominate the pamphlet here reviewed, vol ii. 528, 565 and 647; and also to the fol"the peculiarities of evangelic lowing papers, viz. vol. i. p. 490, and testimony," but also a large portion 591. Vol. ii. p. 20, 69, 139, and 634. pp. who can have but little time for faith. It is true that they extend reading, to peruse the objections this prohibition to the reading of which have been brought against the scriptures, and with great condivine truth"-that is, against Mr. sistency; since the universal preJ.Clayton's creed-but" it may be valence of this practice, though it right for a minister or magistrate would not in the least injure the to read them;" and in the next Christian religion, would be certain page we are informed that the "hu- ruin to the pretended orthodox man mind is in direct enmity against faith. Mr. C. is not quite so conthe truth of God;" and that "there sistent. He permits the reading of is not a more successful method of the scriptures; he even speaks of confirming this natural enmity, the true nobility of the Bereans than reading the productions of whose practice it was to search those who have boldly opposed, or them. But we cannot commend insidiously denied the peculiarities the prudence of this permission, of evangelic, testimony;" alias, the peculiar opinions in which Mr.J.C. has been educated. Thus, by working upon the fears of the private Christian, he is to be deterred from free inquiry, andis to be induced to take every thing upon trust from the priest. The priest will kindly take charge of his soul; while he, simple creature! has nothing to do but to shut his eyes and open his mouth, and swallow whatever spiritual food the priest shall be pleased to provide for him. since we have no hesitation in saying, that if this practice be encouraged, and the study of the scrip tures upon just and liberal principles of criticism become general, it will be in vain for Mr. J. C. to think of keeping his young friends "out of the reach of the contaminating influence of those princi ples" which he holds in such abhorrence. Mr. J.C. truly remarks (p.11.) that "no man can embrace error · without suffering injury" But what, These, gentle reader, are the 'in Mr.J.C.'s opinion, are the most avowed sentiments of a protestant effectual means of guarding the dissenting divine! May it not fairly human mind against error? Does be asked, in what respect do they he recommend a diligent and carediffer from Popery? Or at least, ful inquiry after truth? Does he do they come any thing short of a advise his hearers, in order that direct denial of that best and no- they may enter upon this inquiry blest principle of protestantism, with every advantage, and pursue THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF PRI- it with the greatest probability of VATE JUDGMENT? What says the success, to endeavour as far as Romish priest? The vulgar are possible to divest themselves of not judges of truth; and if they prejudice and prepossession, to free attempt to read and think for them- themselves from every undue bias, selves the consequence will be that and to seek the truth in the love they will become heretics and be of it? In the study of the scrip damned. They must not be per- tures, docs he exhort them to suffer mitted therefore to see heretical no man to have dominion over books. Nothing must be put into their faith, but to avail themselves their hands that is not perfectly of assistance from every quarter? Consistent with the orthodox Does he warn them against the influence of great names, against preacher,) that some religious prosubmitting to the authority of sects fessors have for years contributed and parties, against being disheart. (by taking in these works) twice as ened by the fear of obloquy, re- much to the spread of Christproach, and persecution? In the degrading and soul-ruining opini examination of controverted pas- ons, as to the support of their evansages, does he urge them to spare gelical minister." Hinc illæ lano pains to inform themselves con- crymæ! This is the mortifying cerning the correctness of the text circumstance, that the Unitarian and the fidelity of the translations, who preaches eternal life by Jesus to compare the various and some- Christ, to those only who patiently times opposite senses which have continue in well doing, which been assigned to these passages by every body knows to be a difficult men of different religious senti- thing, should be paid twice as ments, to weigh their arguments much as the orthodox teacher who carefully, and at length, with manly assures his pupils that Christ has courage, tempered by Christian hu- done every thing for them, so that mility, to judge for themselves?— nothing is required of them but to Not a hint of this sort is to be believe. We take it for granted found. On the contrary Mr. J.C.'s that Mr. J.C. is correct in his state. object seems to be to keep them ment, and as we think it no crime from deviating one hair's breadth either "to hearaSocinian preach," from the path marked out for them or to "give a guinea for his supby their ministers; and to per- port, suade them that every syllable of our common English Bible is entitled to the character of the inspired word of God, and that the whole must be understood and believed in that sense which he chooses to call evangelical. 46 " we shall not conceal our pleasure in being informed, upon such authority, that the readers of Unitarian publications, amongst the reputed orthodox, are so numerous and their subscriptions so liberal. This looks well. Mr. J.C. in soliciting the attenThere is one cause of Mr. J.C.'s tion of his hearers informs them uneasiness which is somewhat cu- that he has "preferred the selection rious. "I know many persons, of useful remark to any attempt at says he, (p. 18) who would not go a display of genius." In the seto hear a Socinian preach, much lection of useful remark, we think less give a guinea to his support"-- he has been in some instances hapthus far all is well; but alas! these py, and in others very unfortunate; same persons" habitually read but in his endeavour to avoid any the produce of his pen, and liberally display of genius, we can assure subscribe to the printed propagation our readers he has every where of his sentiments. And I will succeeded to admiration! undertake to prove, (adds the S. |