hopes and fears, seems to preclude all prospect of obtaining a moderate statement from a partizan: whilst the tendency there is to trust to imagination rather than enquiry, and to create ideal horrors, or ideal charms, according to the medium through which we are wont to look, seems equally to preclude the hope of obtaining correct details from any other than a partizan.

The only method that we have of correcting the delusions which are thus continually conjured up before the mental eye, must be by comparing the uncertain with the certain, and forming our opinions of the unknown by the known. We have, indeed, no trigonometry, which will enable us to reduce to mathematical calculation the results of the observations we make on the moral aspect of the world; but by comparison of the opinions of others, we may in some measure correct the false notions produced by surveying all the varieties of man, as "a religious animal," from one fixed station, and through the same refracting medium.

In this respect, the work before us is not without its value: the author honestly confesses he has his peculiar views, and his peculiar objects.

"On the doctrines of Christianity, he cannot hope that his sentiments will be found in unison with those of all his readers, how limited soever their number may be. He confesses, that the great aim of his performance is, to contribute the little that he can to advance the interests of evangelical piety. Believing the doctrines of the Trinity, of Original Sin, Justification by Faith through Grace, Regeneration and Sanctification by the influence of the Holy Spirit, to be fundamental doctrines of Christianity, he cannot but think them worth contending for; but even in that contention, he hopes he has employed no arts unworthy of the sacred cause. He willingly gives many excellent persons credit for genuine piety, to whose language, on some controverted subjects, he cannot subscribe, and believes their intentions to be sounder and better than their definitions." P. xi.

We greatly prefer this avowal to the cant of indifference, and the affectation of philosophy, "falsely so called;" and we believe our readers will not concur less heartily than ourselves, with the sentiments of the following passage.

"In our times every man that can cavil at any doctrine, or any discipline of the church of God, or can hatch a new conceit in religion, is sure to find some followers. If they are numerous, the popularity of his tenets is considered as a sufficient proof of their truth. If the converts are few, their very paucity is considered as a demonstration that they have entered by the strait gate, and are walking in the narrow way. They are the true church, and all other men are on the road to destruction. There are some religionists in this country, whose party

altogether only amounts to a few hundreds, who believe themselves to be the only church of God in the world!! They will not even bend their knees to pray to God, with any who are not members of their society. What sort of hearts those men must have, who look upon their own little society as the whole fruit of the Redeemer's travail and pain, it is not for the author to inquire. Were his views of the church of God as contracted as theirs, his comfort and happiness would be insulated indeed. The state of men's tempers has often much greater influence in forming their religious principle; and when their hearts are as contracted as their tempers are sour, it is no wonder that their Christian world is bounded by the same narrow limits." P. xiii.

Such are the sentiments with which our author sets out, and to which he pretty uniformly adheres. In general there is a highly commendable attempt to unite moderation in considering the opinions of others, with an earnest contention for what he conceives to be the "truth once delivered to the saints," though there are exceptions which those most concerned in them will not be slow to discover, and reprobate; and which others will regret to find in the pages of such a writer. There are also many passages manifesting "a zeal not according to knowledge;" and the whole work can only be regarded as the expression of opinions formed by one who has not possessed sufficient information on the subject, or has recurred to a favourite set of authors, as decisive in all questions connected with it.

The First Volume is occupied with the discussion of the essential points of religion. The accounts of Paganism, Mohammedism, and Judaism, are very bald and common-place. The author's information is derived also in many cases from sources not altogether free from objection; and the high authority attached to the "Christian Researches" of Dr. Claudius Buchanan, and the "Religious World Displayed" of Mr. Adam, though each of these works has its merits, is not likely to increase the confidence of those readers who require impartial and original authorities.

In the subsequent part of his enquiries the author is more at home, and speaks with the certainty and ease which knowledge alone can impart; though the impression still remains, that the whole is an ex-parte statement, almost exclusively derived from the writings of that class which he chiefly advocates.

After a review of the Evidences of Christianity, in which the usual topics are repeated, the Doctrines are brought forward; and those which the author deems essential to Christianity, occupy the remainder of the First Volume;-the Second being devoted to subjects on which he conceives the orthodox may safely

differ. Among these latter, however, we are surprised to find Antinomianism, which from the language employed to designate it, we are convinced the author would never have thus classed, but through forgetfulness of his own words, and the inducement offered by the convenience of arrangement. With the exception of what was, doubtless, intended to be a fair representation of Calvinism and Arminianism, though it betrays an evident bias to the former; and an article of considerable length on Church government; the Second Volume is occupied by an examination of the history, doctrines, and public services of the Church of England, and a laboured vindication of those who are here denominated, the "evangelical clergy."

Such is the arrangement of our author's work. We shall now proceed to give some extracts which will convey an idea of its execution, purposely however passing over "the ground common to the orthodox professors of Christianity," as being less calculated to shew the peculiar tendency of Mr. Williamson's reflections. That he could write with caution is manifest from the following passage.

"Some divines have considered regeneration and conversion as terms of the same import,, and by thus confounding them have run themselves into some difficulties, from which they found it no easy matter to escape. But these doctrines, though nearly connected, are different. Regeneration is of universal and absolute necessity to the whole human race. But it is not absolutely necessary to every individual of mankind, that he be conscious of the manner, or recollect the time in which that change took place. It may have taken place in his infancy. He may have been sanctified from the womb, and consequently, he may not be able to recollect any point of time when he was a stranger to the grace of God. The man who has thus been planted with his Saviour, and has risen like a tender shoot,-the man on whose branches the continual dew of God's Spirit ceases not to fall, from his unconscious years, needs not to be converted. Should he fall into presumptuous sin, he would, indeed, like Peter, after his fall, require to be converted, to have his soul restored to that peace and vigour of holiness from which he had fallen. But while he goes on in the strength of the Lord, confirming grace only is necessary. To conversion consciousness is absolutely necessary; and in ordinary circumstances, the recollection of the time and manner of it, is likely to be strong. Of regeneration, all who are saved, whether infants or adults, must be the subjects. Those only can be said to be converted, who had continued dead in trespasses and sins, till they arrived at the years of recollection; and who in this condition, were awakened to flee from the wrath to come, and were made to turn unto God, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance." Vol. I. p. 354.

This is, however, very different language from that held in the

pulpits of many of those whom Mr. W. holds up as examples; nor is he himself always equally guarded-for instance:

In the article on Calvinism we find two statements relative to the Church of Scotland not easily reconcileable with each other. In vol. II. page 8, we read "In the established Church of Scotland, though it is known that a considerable majority are in no respect whatever Calvinistical, and that many fall far short of the evangelical sentiments of Arminius," &e. But in page 26. we find "There is no country where Calvinistical principles are so general, so popular, or carried to so high a pitch."

There is a degree of bitterness against Mr. Evans (the wellknown compiler of a similar work) displayed throughout these volumes, which sometimes leads the author to express himself without sufficient care, as in vol. II. p. 46, where he condemns Mr. Evans for having represented Episcopius and Grotius as Arminian writers. Such phrases as the following might also have been omitted without detriment to the work: "The wild and almost heaven-defying impetuosity, which lours on the brow, and hangs on the lip, of the Unitarian." Vol. I. p. 296. This is not exactly the language of good taste or good feeling. The most prominent feature of Mr. Williamson's book is the evangelical party," which is thus introduced.

"We have now to turn our attention to a party in the Church, whose rapid increase within these last thirty years, has awakened as many alarms in the minds of some for the safety of the Church, as it has excited in the breasts of others hopes of her future triumphs and glory. The voice of several of her prelates has been heard loudly calling her ministers from the cold systems of morality, rising out of the mere philosophy of the world, to a lively faith in the Son of God, and to a morality grafted on the principles of the Gospel. Some right reverend members of the Episcopal bench have, it must be allowed, probably from misinformation, expressed a jealousy of the scope and aims of the cvangelical party. The wide diffusion of the doctrines they embrace, and the powerful influence they are supposed to have in forming the religious character of those who embrace them; the force with which they often operate in producing conviction on the minds of those whose attention is roused to examine them; the new direction they are observed to give to the actions of those who adopt them; have all contributed to bespeak for them a more than ordinary degree of attention. This party have been blamed for the assumption of the name evangelical, as arrogating to themselves an exclusive title to be the only preachers of the Gospel. This objection they generally repel by denying the assumption, and saying that it is imposed upon, not assumed by them. So far as the name alone is concerned, the question is of no great importance. If there be really a distinction in the

VOL. II. NO. II.

E

strain of those discourses, which the clergy deliver from the pulpit, or issue from the press, men will be sure to mark it; and ingenuity will never be wanting to find a name for those sentments which bear the stamp of peculiarity." Vol. II. p. 291.

Upon the same grounds it may be said, that if the party exist, it ought to be described, as well as designated. Whether the party in question have acted wisely in giving cause for so invidious a distinction; or whether any cause short of the absolute necessity arising in the case of a corrupted church, can justify the formation of an imperium in imperio of this nature, are not questions to be now discussed. The fact is, that the distinction does exist-would it were not so!-and the causes of it present à fair object for enquiry. On this we have the following information.

"Those are called evangelical ministers and writers, who consider the state of man as that of a fallen and guilty creature; the atonement made by the obedience and sacrifice of the Son of God, and the consequence of it, justification through faith in his blood; regeneration by the Spirit and grace of Christ, as fundamental truths of Christianity, and who give them in their sermons or writings that pre-eminence, which they appear to them to hold in the Gospel of reconciliation. They do not consider the practical and relative duties of Christianity as things of less importance than the truths we have mentioned, but admit both of them to be equal in their proper places. In repentance toward God, and in faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, they lay the foundation of their system, and on this foundation they teach men to build themselves up in their most holy faith, adding to it every virtue, being stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the way and work of the Lord. No men more decidedly enforce the practice of good works, and the absolute necessity of them, not only to salvation, but as an eminent and essential part of it." Vol. II. P. 48.

But if our author's description of the "evangelical clergy" is to be understood as referring to the great body of those commonly so named, or as referring to them exclusively, can it be admitted as correct? Would all that are classed under that name subscribe to this creed; or would all that do subscribe to it be therefore reckoned" evangelical?" An education in Scotland and a subsequent residence at Whitehaven, would hardly qualify any one to decide on what were, or what were not, the peculiar tenets of the "evangelical clergy," and we are persuaded more extensive observation would have taught our author to doubt the truth of some of his assertions. Had this. always been, as Mr. W. would represent it, volumes upon volumes of controversy would have been saved.

But further, might not a clergyman inculcate all the things which are here laid down as the criterion of true religion, and