great readiness of composition, and a sound and accurate judge

ment.

"An Attempt to display the original Evidences of Christianity in their genuine Simplicity, by M. Nisbett, A. M. Rector of Tunstall," 8vo. p. 204. This is a plain and instructive work, and will by no means discredit the author's anterior publications. The present writer, like the late Mr. Cappe, as well as many other biblical critics of modern times, refers the predicted approach of the kingdom of heaven in glory to the destruction of the Jewish hierarchy, and the triumphant propagation of the gospel over every quarter of the world: believing that they hereby resist most successfully the sneers of Mr. Gibbon and other infidel writers, who continue to ridicule the prophetic annunciation, by asserting that it has not yet taken place, notwithstanding the solemn assertion that these grand and solemn events were at hand even in the life-time of our Saviour;-and by insinuating that the Christian church is compelled to refer the whole of them, speedily as it was foretold that they would make their appearance, to the end of the world and the great consummation of all things. In conjunction with this view of our Saviour's prophecies and of the Apocalypse, Mr. Nisbett, with a laudable uniformity of system, applies St. Paul's man of sin to the Jewish church, rather than to that of modern Rome.

"An Historical View of Christianity, containing select Passages from Scripture: with a Commentary by the late Edward Gibbon, Esq. and Notes by the late Lord Bolingbroke, M. de Voltaire and others," 4to. p. 135. A book in favour of Christianity from a body

of writers of this description may well startle our readers, till the mystery is explained. The most exalted system of ethics, as well as the simplest and purest code of religion, that has ever been offered to mankind, is to be found in the Christian scriptures. Infidels, who have seldom made any scruple of adverting to every system and to every code, whenever it has had a chance of answering some particular object they have been in pursuit of, have, on this account, not unfrequently turned to the sacred pages, and the earlier history of the Christian church, in a strain of the highest approbation and eulogy. Yet the instances are by far too numerous, in which they have pretended to praise with the mere view of being thought impartial, while a spirit of the keenest ridicule or sarcasm has pervaded every sentence of the hollow panegyric. It is from such passages that the anonymous writer before us has drawn up a volume, in which many of the arch-enemies of the Christian faith are depicted as its warm and genuine apologists. But to have executed such a work with complete success, requires a greater degree both of taste and discernment than are here exhibited. To convict an adversary by the words of his own mouth, is one of the most decisive triumphs we can obtain-but it be comes us to take care that the words we appeal to have no double meaning, and that they have been altogether confined to their primary or most obvious construction. the volume before us we are afraid that this is not always the fact: there is an artfulness in many of the selected passages, which should have induced cur author to have rejected them as of a very suspicious tendency, to speak of T4

In

them

them in the most complimentary terms. Timco Danaos et dona feren tes, is a motto he should have had more frequently in his mind. Upon the whole, we are better pleased with the intention than with the execution of this tessellated testimony. It consists of five chapters: of which the first is entitled The progress of the Christian religion; the second treats of Polytheism; the third is devoted to the spirit of Christianity; the fourth, to the persecutions of the Christians; and the fifth, to the state of the Jews, and their dispersion. Every chapter consists first of a certain number of texts of scripture, occupying the upper part of the page: below which follows the commentary, extracted from Mr. Gibbon's Fall and Decline in a kind of regular series; and lowest of all a variety of notes from works of a similar tendency, and import, conducing to the same point.

The very excellent bishop of London has again exerted his pen in the cause of our holy religion, so near to his heart and so familiar to his understanding. In a small octavo volume, entitled "The beneficial Effects of Christianity on the temporal Concerns of Mankind proved from History and from Facts," he has revived and given additional spirit and popularity to the argument that the general melioration of mankind in the present age, and progressively, from the first introduction of Christianity into the world, is to be ascribed solely to this beneficent institution. That the purest systems of philosophy, the most amiable manners of the best inclined savages, the aggregate learning and accomplishments of Greece and Rome, never did conduct to the admirable and harmonious system of morals most

strictly inculcated, and actually and universally produced, by the gospel, wherever it has been professed in its purity-and that hence it is but fair to conclude, that such causes never would nor could conduct to such effects. The learned prelate peculiarly alludes to domestic chastity, the parental relations, the condition of servants, the mitigation of the common horrors of war, and the total abolition of human sacrifices.

We have often had occasion to observe, that one injudicious friend to a cause is frequently more injurious to it than a host of open and undisguised enemies and we are compelled to repeat this remark in consequence of Mr. Geo. Nicholson's " New, clear, and concise Vindication of the Holy Scriptures," than which we have never seen a work replete with arguments more hackneyed and worn out instead of new, more cloudy instead of clear, or more cumbrous instead of concise. The only consolation that remains to us is, that the book can produce but little mischief, because it is sure of being but little read. Mr. Nicholson may have thought it an act of duty in him to publish this Vindication: we are afraid, however, that his sin of commission is heavier than would have been his sin of omission if he had let it alone.

"Further Evidences of the Existence of the Deity: by George Clark," Svo. pp. 46. This little tract is intended as an humble supplement to archdeacon Paley's Natural Theology;" and, though here denominated a supplement, was in fact written before the publication of Dr. Paley's work. Our readers cannot but recollect that the object of the Natural Theology is to infer intention and design

from

from the general mechanism and evidences of art apparent in the animal frame—an intelligent cause from an effect evincing intelligence. Mr. Clark proceeds one step further, and from the nature of the genus of an animal adverts to the nature of the gender, attempting "to show prospectively, from the constitution of the sexes, 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 show from the formation of one of the sexes, that a pre-supposal of the certain future formation of the other sex must then have existed: and that, upon atheistic principles, it was impossible, even if an animal of one sex had been fortuitously produced, that another co-ordinate and correspondent animal of the other sex could have been so produced as to have perpetuated the species; and finally to show that this impossibility attaches to, and is multiplied in, every instance of the formation of sexes, in all the species of animals which have been produced." The argument, as a branch of the general principle advanced by Dr. Paley, has its individual force, and is here ably maintained, and done justice to.

Mr. Warner of Bath has applied his indefatigable pen to a new edition of the book of Common Prayer, &c. introduced by various disquisitions, upon the whole not unentertainingly drawn up; comprising a history of the English liturgy; a sketch of the Reformation in England; and a view of the English translation of the Holy Scriptures. He has moreover accompanied the calendar, rubrics, services, and book of psalms, with many useful notes historical, explanatory, and illustrative.

Mr. Bates, who is also indefatigable in his pen, has now added to his "Rural and Christian's Philosophy" a volume of "Christian Politics;" and he is still entitled to our attention and even to our thanks. His present work is divided into four parts: the first comprehends a view of civil government in its influence on virtue and happiness, chiefly in the relation it bears to liberty and property: the second descants upon the impor tance of religion, both to society and the individual, with reflections on religious establishments and toleration; towards the close of which he concludes “on the whole, that an establishment with a toleration, especially when the toleration is complete," is the best plan that can be devised for maintaining purity of religious worship. Our author, in his third part, points out the conduct of a good citizen under any moderate government, and advances a code of regulations that may enable him to preserve such a character. The concluding part teaches us "the way to live happily under all governments and in all situations;" the foundation of which is laid in peace of conscience and holy and well regulated affections. We have been pleased with this work in no ordinary degree, though we honestly confess it possesses less spirit and entertainment than our author's Rural Philosophy.

"The Temple of Truth; or the best System of Reason, Philosophy, Virtue and Morals, analytically ar ranged." This system the writer before us, who calls himself Par resiastes, and dedicates his pages "to the illustrious author of the Pursuits of Literature," affirms to be "the oracles of the living God;" and the temple here presented he

undertakes

undertakes to assert roundly is erected upon that basis which the divine architect himself has laid in his own oracles:" and intoxicated with the same self-sufficiency, he adds, towards the close of his work, "it will be acknowled-ed, he hopes, that he has erected a basis with artJess simplicity; that its basis is the very foundation which infinite wis dom itself has laid; that it is disfigured by no needless ornaments; that it is illuminated only by the beams of "the sun of righteousness;" and that nothing has been proclaimed in it but the riches and the glory of divine grace." Yet we have met with-intoxications far more diseased and infinitely more grovelling. The builder of the temple before us, whimsical and filled with conceit as is its outline, is a skilful planner and an excellent reasoner; his intimate acquaintance with the scriptures of the New Testament in their original we highly approve, nor have we any great objection to "the nine great arches upon which is erected and elevated this temple of truth;" we can walk in the portico and admire its symmetry and elegance; but when admitted into the interior of the building, there are various detached parts of which it is composed that we would wish to see removed, and which unquestionably, in our opinion, neither add to its strength nor to its ornament. Those who are fond of the porch of Calvinism, and have long and cordially frequented it as students, may walk in and partake of the esoteric exhortations here prepa: ed for them, with high mental satisfaction; it is their own fault if they be not soon discharged with the diploma of yvnosoi quikytas, or genuine and approved disciples

We proceed to the class of Ser

mons; and shall have to notice several publications under this division, which are certainly capable of maintaining the credit of our national pulpit oratory. We commence with Mr. Van Mildert's "Historical View of the Rise and Progress of Infidelity, with a Refutation of its Principles and Reasonings; in a Series of Sermons preached for the Lecture founded by the Hon. Mr. Boyle, inthe Parishchurch of St. Mary le Bow, from the Year 1802 to 1805." 2 vols. Švo. This excellent institution has of late years been almost entirely overlooked, although for upwards of half a century the lecture was continued with little intermission, and, as early as the year 1739, the various discourses which were judged worthy of being presented to the public extended to a collection that filled three large folio volumes. Of late years, however, the last sermon that was conceived to be entitled to a similar distinction was preached and printed in 1783. Yet between this date and the present, the world has been more endangered than ever by the dispersion of infidel and atheistic principle; by those of illuminism and cosmopolitism in Germany; of revivified paganism in France, with all the rites, ceremonies, and annual festivals of the Dea Mater; by systems of wild and incoherent perfectibility in all countries, but especially in our own, where also we have been tormented with Ages of reason, and new dreams of Platonism, many of which absurdities and abominations have been purposely dressed up in language and ideas peculiarly calculated to attract the multitude: while not a single warning voice has been heard, throughout the whole extent of this period, beyond the range of Bow church walls,

nor

1

nor often, we are afraid, to any very great effect within their limit. Mr.Van Mildert, therefore, may well commence his subject, as in fact he does, in a manner that would seem to intimate that the whole was new and untrodden ground from the first moment of a revelation of any kind. Regarding all the discourses already delivered, and the volumes already published upon the subject before him, as long since obsolete and forgotten, he feels it necessary to step back so far as to the æra of Moses and the prophets, and to clear away in some degree the rubbish of Jewish as well as of Gentile sceptics, by an historical retrospect of biblical truth à parte ante, before the argumentative division of his subject, its individual proofs and intrinsic excellence, can be adduced with their appropriate force and lustre. "In the first part of these lectures, therefore," says he, " it is my design to take a summary view of the endeavours made to counteract the revealed will of God, in the times antecedent to the Christian dispensation; then to show the perverseness of both Jews and Gentiles in their rejection of the gospel, and their various efforts to overthrow it from the time of our Lord's personal appearance on earth to the downfall of paganism in the Roman empire: afterwards to continue the inquiry through the middle ages, when almost he whole world was overspread by Mahometan and Gothic barbarism; then to contemplate the new aspect which infidelity assumed on the revival of letters, and the introduction of the Protestant reformation; and lastly, having brought down the history of its progressive labours to the present day, to consider what expectations we may justly entertain respecting the final

issue of this tremendous contest. The historical view of the subject being closed, it is intended, in the second part of these lectures, to enter upon a general vindication of the grounds and principles of the Christian faith, in answer to the ar guments most commonly urged against its authority and credibility. These arguments, whether deduced from reasoning à priori, to show the improbability, unfitness, and inutility of revelation, or of reasoning à posteriori, to invalidate its evidences as a matter of factwill be distinctively considered, in order to expose their futility, and to show the spirit of perverseness by which they are generally dic tated." The field is ample, the plan good, the execution highly creditable. Upon the whole, however, we have been better pleased with the former than the latter part of our author's undertaking. The very idea of an argument im plies an appeal to the reason of the mind, and consequently a determi. nation to abide by her fair and im partial decision: yet in too many instances in this division of our author's labours, we are afraid he will be said to have departed from his challenge; and from an undue degree of timidity, as we should phrase it, or an apprehension of defeat, as it will unquestionably be termed by the adversary, to have quashed all further investigation, by pretending that the doctrine discussed and affirmed to be contradié tory to reason is a mystery, a divine and unintelligible dogma, into which reason has no right to pry. Now, though we are very far from asserting that where mystery be gins religion ends, or that the Christian religion contains no mysteries whatever, mysteries which alone can justify its communica