know nothing of essences, and but little of elementary combinations. The progress of discovery is an uniform correction of past errors."

Of Christ's Mediatorial office Mr. Aspland (in P. 19) thus speaks. "He still acts on our behalf upon earth by means of his doctrine; and is, in this respect, made to us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and his personal agency may, in numberless unknown ways, be for our protection and salvation." But when it is remembered that, upon the Unitarian hypothesis, the doctrine which Christ taught, originated no more in him, than in the Apostles, but only from the Father, nothing peculiar or characteristic remains in this view of the Mediation of Christ. By it the Scriptures understand justification by faith, or the imputation of sincere faith to the Christian for righteousness, which benefit he receives through the death of Christ,-in consequence of which men are so brought, upon repentance, into the Divine favour. The Scriptures represent our sanctification by the Spirit, and all the promises of God, with respect to our renovation in this life, and immortality in future happiness, as given to us in consequence of the obedience of the second Adam, through whose death a method of forgiving sins, upon a sincere acceptance of this method, is devised by the Divine Mercy, which has given to us a Mediator, so to be our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Christ's power over the dead is asserted;-at first, with apparent hesitation, afterwards in the strongest terms. "His office it may be to receive the departing spirit, and procure for it an entrance into Paradise."

"His ministry begins where that of the Shepherd's of the Church upon earth ends; his care of the souls that the Father has given him is for ages of ages; and in his keeeping they are safe, and must for ever prosper. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat; for he shall feed them, and lead them into living fountains of waters."

There is in this view unspeakable importance in the Mediation of Christ, which, if we mistake not, confers a peculiar character upon the Gospel, making it worthy of all acceptation, and reducing to a fearful condition those who are guilty of its wilful rejection, and of renouncing the only name given under Heaven amongst men whereby they can be saved.

"Let them that can stand before God in the strength of their own reason and virtue, disclaim an intercessor; be it our comfort and dependance that we have an advocate with the Father; and that He who never prayed in vain, whom the Father heard, because He did always those

things that pleased him; has supplicated for us, that we may be with him to behold his glory, the glory of being the minister of universal, endless, mercy."

Such is the language of as able and inveterate an enemy to the most moderate forms of orthodoxy, as this age has produced:one who, before Carpenter, or Belsham, or any other of the Unitarian writers, is, in fact, what the latter of those persons has been improperly styled, the Coryphæus of modern Unitarians. The subject of the Discourse," the reunion of the wise and good," is well described and illustrated by the sayings and deaths of different individuals, amongst others Baxter, and Firmin, who, although sometimes classed amongst Unitarians, retained a Trinity in some sort, and expressly affirmed upon his death-bed, his hope of salvation through the merits of Christ. With regard to the spirits of the departed, Mr. Aspland uses this hesitating and uncertain language.

66 It may be that even now, while we speak of them and mourn their loss, in some mode of existence which we understand not, they are absent from the body to be present with the Lord; and their departure, however grievous for a time to us, may be an immediate blessing to them; for an Apostle has taught us that, with regard to the individual, it is far better to be with Christ than to fill the highest seat of usefulness and honour upon earth.

"Whether they wake or sleep, it is well with them, for they are in the arms of Omnipotent Mercy." P. 27.

In the latter part of the discourse we are informed that Dr. Abraham Rees was the son of the Rev. Lewis Rees, a dissenting minister in Wales,-that he received his education under Drs. Jennings and Savage, and whilst at the Academy over which they presided, was appointed resident Tutor there, which office he retained for twenty-three years: at the end of that period the Academy was dissolved. In 1768, Dr. R was unanimously elected to succeed Mr. Read as pastor of the Presbyterian congregation at St. Thomas's, Southwark. Here he remained fifteen years, when he became minister of the congregation in the Old Jewry, in which engagement he continued forty-one years, from 1783 to his death. Among his predecessors in that place was the celebrated Dr. Chandler. During a period of some years he was engaged with his friend the late Hugh Worthington in delivering winter evening lectures at Salter's Hall. He frequently referred to the writings and sentiments of Dr. Price, as being nearer his religious creed, than any other standard. That he maintained the tenet of universal restoration, is incorrect. He disavowed both it and the doctrine of necessity, a doctrine at present inculcated in the principal Unitarian

seminary. It should be added, that Dr. Rees was exceedingly strenuous in maintaining the doctrine of man's Redemption, and of Divine influence,-upon which subjects several of the English Arians, have written in a decisive and Scriptural manner, with the same moderation as appears in Butler's Analogy, Ludlam's Essays, Balguy on Redemption, and other works of a similar description, Dr. Rees was not distinguished as a classic, but upon subjects of general literature he was well and deeply read: his industry and perseverance are attested by the Cyclopedia, and it may be said of him that he is the last of the Dissenters whose death may be denominated a public loss.

NOTICES.

Letters to a Sceptic of Distinction in the Nineteenth Century. 12mo, pp. 148. 4s. London. Holdsworth. 1825.

To whom these Letters are addressed, or by whom they are written, we are entirely ignorant; though from the first of them we learn that the sceptic is (or was) "a nobleman residing in a venerable paternal mansion, in the centre of princely domains in the north" and in the fourth it is further intimated, that he is "accustomed in his official capacity, to poise with even hand the balance of justice. What is more material, is, that his scepticism yields to the force of the arguments which his correspondent adduces in these letters. His answers are not given but such we are informed, in the last of the series, was "the happy result of his laudable examination of the evidences of revealed religion.'

The Letters are short, and but thirteen in number; but they contain several of the leading arguments in favour of Christianity, stated with clearness, accuracy, and force;-such as, the the internal, external, and collateral evidence of the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures. The subjects of prophecy and miracles are also discussed: and the facts of the resurrection of our Saviour, and the rapid propagation of the Gospel, in defiance of all opposition, and contrary to all human probability, are very properly insisted upon, as of the greatest weight in determining the question.

In the Eleventh Letter two difficulties of his Lordship are noticed, "respecting the time of Christ's appearance, and the partial diffusion of Christianity." The former is satisfactorily

accounted for, though more might, perhaps, have been said upon it. The latter, which is a point of considerable moment, is not discussed at all: it is barely intimated that from analogy, "it seems to have been the will of God, that the advantages of Revelation, like those of civilization and literature, should be progressive."

Upon the whole, we are of opinion that the book is creditable to its anonymous author, and is calculated to do good, should it fall into the hands of any persons, whose scepticism is not of that kind which is absolutely invincible.

Facts, Arguments, and Observations, tending to prove the Truth of Revelation. By the REV. R. WALKER, M.A., Vicar of St. Winnow, in Cornwall. 12mo. pp. 268. London. Rivingtons. 1825. THERE is much that is praiseworthy in this work; but we reluctantly confess, that, on the whole, it has disappointed our expectations. The introduction contains observations which sufficiently shew, that Mr. Walker has carefully considered his subject; but the body of the work is ill arranged, and not well calculated to convince the unbeliever, though it contains much valuable matter, which cannot fail to be of use in confirming the faith of the believer. The first seven chapters are employed on the Old Testament-the remaining six on the New. The present volume, the author informs us, constitutes only the first part of his plan, the full execution of which will depend upon the reception given to the portion now laid before the public. If Mr. W. should publish again on the same subject, we trust he will first review his MSS. more severely than we have been disposed to do his printed workon account of the good-intention which prompted it, and the degree of talent which it evinces.

The Lay of Truth: a Poem. By the REV. JAMES JOYCE, A.M., Curate of Hitcham, near Maidenhead. 8vo. pp. 98. 6s. London. Hatchard. 1825.

WE fear Mr. Joyce will have but few readers compared with those he might have had if he had chosen another subject. The very first words of his preface will draw on him the disapprobation, if not the contempt, of a numerous class of readers.

"It is written with a view to assist in checking the progress of a certain class of infidel sentiments, which have of late been assiduously enforced, and recommended by the highest embellishments of poetry."

It is also written with considerable poetical talent, and with a love of truth and virtue, which will secure the good opinion of those, whose suffrages we should apprehend Mr. Joyce would most wish to obtain.

Hymns for Private Devotion for the Sundays and Saints' Days throughout the Year. By the REV. SAMUEL RICKARDS, Curate of Ulcombe, and late Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. 12mo. pp. 128. 8s. 6d. London. Hatchard. 1825.

THE author "does not scruple to say that he has taken pains.” We wish he had either taken more or less. His prose is very tolerable; his verse, not unfrequently intolerable. The subjects of the hymns are taken from the Collects of the Sundays and Saints' Days throughout the year; and the principal use of the work we believe will be, to make those who peruse it the more gladly return to the unrhymed prayers of our admirable Liturgy.

A Course of Sermons for the Year: containing two for each Sunday, and one for each Holy-day: abridged from the most eminent Divines of the Established Church, and adapted to the Service of the Day. Intended for the use of Families and Schools. By the REV. J. R. PITMAN, A. M. Alternate Morning Preacher of Belgrave and Berkeley Chapels; and alternate Evening Preacher of the Foundling and Magdalen Hospitals. In two Parts. 8vo. 18s. Duncan. 1825.

London.

THERE is no question which the Clergy are more frequently asked, and to which they find it more difficult to give a satisfactory reply than this, What sermons would they recommend for the use of a private family? There are so many circumstances which render the greater part of modern discourses totally unfit for the purposes of domestic instruction, and the old standards, unmodernized, are so little intelligible to common ears, that it is no easy matter to point out any set of dis