fpiritual benevolent religion," be better cultivated, than when, in one voice, we unite our hearts in prayer to God, and have the objects towards whom our benevolence fhall be directed accompanying us in our devotions to our common parent?'

This part of the argument might very fuccefsfully have been purfued much farther.

E.

ART. V. Curfory Remarks on an Enquiry into the Expediency and Propriety of Public or Social Worship: refpectfully infcribed to Gilbert Wakefield, B. A. late Fellow of Jefus College, Cambridge. By Eufebia. 8vo. pp. 21. 6d. Knott. 1791. WITH a commendable zeal for the interefts of religion, this

female writer laments that inftitutions, from whicn fhe has received much perfonal fatisfaction and improvement, and which have, in her judgment, been productive of confequences the most falutary, fhould be treated with acrimony and derifion; and the expreffes an anxious fear that injurious impreffions will be made on the minds of many, by the manner in which Mr. Wakefield has treated the fubject of public worship:

Though devout aspirations can give no information to an Omnifcient Being, nor alter his plans, originally defigned for the greatest general and individual good; yet it is poffible, that they may be links in the great chain of caufes and effects, and by giving rife to pure and pious fentiments, be ultimately productive of confequences the moft beneficial. Far as the world has advanced to maturity, and enlightened as is the prefent age, compared with former obfcurity, yet are the generality of mankind by no means fufficiently fpiritualized, as to be capable of rifing into first principles, and regulating their practice from the reafon and moral fitness of things; and where, through inattention or incapacity, this is not to be expected, even a mechanical devotion, a mere performance of external duties (and private prayer may frequently be no more) may have a reftraining effect upon the conduct; as it is a general obfervation, that youth, who have received a religious education, though the precepts may not have reached the heart, are yet incapable of rushing into vice and diffipation with the fame callous inconfideration as others, whofe early affociations have been of a different nature: when, through the medium of the senses, repeated impreffions have been made on the brain, good or evil ha bits acquire an afcendancy not easily to be eradicated; words muft first be taught, and ideas will afterwards cling to them. If, to avoid the appearance of a vain difplay, all outward acts and expreffions of devotion are to be discouraged, piety will want the prevailing recommendation of example, or religion be reduced to a mere fyllem of morals, which unaffifted reafon might have difcovered without needing a divine interference.'

Again,

I confefs I cannot but apprehend very pernicious confequences from this contempt of fabbatical obfervances, and material impre{

frons, ftill neceffary (if not equally fo) for the greater part of the votaries of religion, even at this advanced period. Mr. Wakefield feems not aware that a judgment formed of mankind at large from himself, and a circle of friends united by a congeniality of virtues, and talents,

"Whose minds are richly fraught

With philofophic flores, fuperior light,"

most neceffarily be erroneous. Many, I fear, without entering into the spirit of the author, will avail themselves of an authority fo refpectable, to brand with hypocrify and fanaticifm, their more pious neighbours, and be in hafte to fhake off a yoke, which their vices and frivolity only, has rendered intolerable; to devote the day of leifure from bufinefs, not to "ftudying the revealed will of God, and expounding the divine law to the poor;" but to the indulgence of fenfuality, or at beft a criminal indolence.'

Similar obfervations, refpecting the reasonableness and the influence of public prayer, fill up the greater part of these. pages. With refpect to authority, we find nothing added to what is advanced by Dr. Difney, except a reference to 1 Cor. xiv. 13. &c.

E.

ART. VI. A Defence of Public or Social Worship: In a Letter addreffed to Gilbert Wakefield, B. A. By James Wilfon, M. A. 8vo. pp. 34. 18. Brown. 1792.

ΤΗ

HIS reply to the objections urged by Mr. Wakefield against public worship, turns chiefly on the argument refpecting the practice and authority of Chrift and his apoftles. Mr. Willon enters on an inquiry, which is certainly very material in the question, whether public focial worship conftituted a part of the Jewish fervice? That the evening and morning facrifices of the temple were accompanied by the prayers of the multitude, he proves from Luke, i. 8, 9, 10, and Acts, iii. 1. These prayers, he however acknowleges, were only the petitions of individuals for themfelves, and only public as being performed in the temple. Though, for reasons, which he judiciously affigns, reading the law made the principal part of the duty in the fynagogue, he thinks it certain that the Jews had prescribed forms of fynagogue worship, among which were the Shemoneb Ebreh, or eighteen prayers, mentioned in the Mishna as old fettled forms, and faid to have been composed by Ezra. Hence he concludes it probable, That Chrift joined in these prayers with the reft of the Jews, whenever he went into their fynagogue, as he always did every Sabbathday.'

In reply to Mr. Wakefield's explanation of the use of the plural form in the Lord's Prayer, Mr. W. quotes the words of

D 3

David

David (Pfalm lxxxvi. 3, 4.) and of our Saviour himself, (Matth. xxvi. 39.) to fhew that this was not a common mode of addrefs in private prayer. In farther proof that our Lord was well acquainted with the prayers of the fynagogue, it is remarked, that the form, which he recommended to his dif ciples, was chiefly compiled from these :

I has been obferved *, "that this prayer is taken out of the Jewish liturgies, in which we wholly find it, except only these words, as we forgive thofe, who bave tranfgreffed against us. Our Father, which art in heaven, is in their Seder Tephilloth, or form of prayers. Let thy great name be fanctified, and thy kingdom reign," is "in their form of Kaddish. Let thy memory be glorified in heaven above and in the earth beneath," is in the Seder Tephilloth. Forgive us our fins," is "in the fixth of their eighteen daily prayers. Deliver us not to the band of temptations, and deliver us from the evil figment," is" in that and the book Mufar. For thine is the power, and the kingdom for ever and ever, is, faith Drufius, their ufual doxology.'

Mr. Wakefield having admitted the propriety of offering public praise and thanksgiving to God, his opponent well obferves, that thanksgiving is a part of that exercife which is denominated prayer; and he afks, how it can be more decent or expedient, when it is recited from the fcriptures, or fung by way of hymn, than when it is addreffed to the Moft High, in the form of focial prayer?

You allow the propriety of praife and gratitude; and if you do, it must be obvious, that every perfon is to judge for himself what "occafion may call them forth," and where they are to be expressed, To me it feems expedient, to take frequent public opportunities of impreffing our minds with a becoming fenfe of God, and the dif penfations of his providence.

But you fubjoin, "what has this to do with focial worship at church or chapel?" You do not abfolutely deny, that the fcriptures afford inftances of a few individuals collectively addreffing themselves to the Deity, and you would allow this to be done "when the occafion may call" for it; but you would, in no cafe, have it performed" in a crouded congregation +."

Worship, Sir, is the duty of us all; and, if it is proper in a fmal', but public affembly, it must be fo in one which is largeprovided regularity and decorum be observed. A folemn exercife

of religion, which equally concerns the whole human race, is widely different from fome of the common affairs of life, which are fit for the knowledge of a few; but which ought not to be expofed to the public eye.

Dr. Whitby's comment. on the 9th verse of the 6th chapter of Matthew.'

'+ Page 33.'

• Jefus

Jefus Chrift reproved fome perfons in his time for oftentatious worship; but it was not for a refpe&tful performance of public devotion; it was for hypocritical conduct-they love, faid he, to pray ftanding in the fynagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be feen by men *.

Our Lord alfo condemned vain repetitions †, and blamed thofe, who for a pretence made long prayers. Of these and other impro

prieties you loudly complain; and I affure you, Sir, that I am not an advocate for any thing burthen fome, or improper. But certainly you do not mean to infinuate, that whatever is abused ought to be destroyed. Were you thus to enter into judgment, what could ftand before you? Let us be affiduous in rectifying that which is amifs; but in rejecting what is improper, let us beware, left we part with any thing effential.-While we prune the tree, let us not injure the trunk; while we trim the lamp, let us not extinguish the flame.'

On the practice of the apostles, Mr. Wilson appeals to their prayer, Acts, i. 24, 25. as an example of united prayer; and from Acts, i. 13, 14. he infers, that their worship on this occafion was focial; that it included petition; and that they perfevered in it for fome time.

In conclufion, Mr. Wilfon makes a very important diftinction between the means of religion and the end; and he remarks, that, with refpect to the former, we are left at perfect liberty to choose for ourselves:

Nothing could make that right, which is wrong in its nature; and nothing could make that finful, which is beneficial in its tendency. If public and focial worship be useful to fociety, it must be the command of heaven, and no pofitive injunction could warrant us to destroy it.

The Sabbath returning at ftated intervals, gives a joyous opportunity of rest to him who is weary: it contributes to his health, as it leads him to cleanliness and change of raiment: it promotes virtue, as it encourages contemplation: it gives him an opportunity of going to the houfe of God, where he may reap many advantages from public devotion.'

Whether, after this encounter, the bold aggreffor "will retire with fhame from the field of conteft, and refign the victory," we cannot fay: but we think every impartial reader will acknowlege, that Mr. Wilfon has proved himself an able champion in the caufe which he has undertaken to defend.

Matth. vi. 5. + Matth. vi. 7.

E.

Matth. xxiii. 14.'

ART. VII. A New Literal Verfion of the Book of Pfalms; with a Preface and Notes: By the Rev. Stephen Street, M. A. of Queen's College, Oxford, Rector of Teyford in Suffex. 8vo. 2 Vols. PP. about 365 in each. 12s. Boards. White. 1790. THE book of Pfalms is a valuable collection of devotional

poetry; it is of acknowleged antiquity; it has intrinfic worth; and it tends, in different refpects, to the most beneficial purposes: nothing equal to it, nothing that may be brought into competition, is to be found in any writings which bear fo remote a date; unless we except fome compofitions of a fimilar kind, to be found in thofe Hebrew records, of which this book conftitutes fo confiderable a part. It is wonderful that the Pfalms, together with the other Jewish fcriptures, have reached our time in a manner fo complete, or at least with no greater defects and imperfections. Miftakes, no doubt, there are in the most ancient copies and MSS. and errors in the beft verfions: yet it must give fatisfaction to the Englifh reader, to know, that whatever faults are in the verfion, it is fufficiently faithful for the guidance of his practice, and for the improvement of his mind. It is a laudable attempt, in fuch who are qualified for the task, to elucidate what is obfcure, to amend what is miftaken, and to improve what is defective. Such is the defign of the prefent author, refpe&ing the book of Pfalms.

In his preface, Mr. Street recapitulates a number of rules and principles concerning the original Hebrew text, which it is requifite for all perfons to regard, who make it their ftudy: they are chiefly fuch as have been fuggefted by Dr. Kennicott and Dr. Lowth, whom he mentions with the highest refpect; and at the fame time pertinently quotes the words of the younger Buxtorf*,-" Non decet equidem priorum veftigia contemnere:"" but, at the fame time, "permiffum et nobis eft et invenire aliquid, et mutare, et relinquere. Qui ante nos fcripferunt non donini, fed duces noftri fuerunt: crefcunt hæc indies, et inventuris invenia non obftant; multum fubinde etiam futuris relinquitur."

This is a juft fentiment, and may be applied in other inftances, as properly as in that immediately before us: fince nothing can be more preventive of improvement, nor more inimical to the comfort and intereft of men, than a fervile attachment to rules, names, and forms. We are greatly indebted to thofe who have preceded us in ufeful inquiries and labours let us make the moft of the advantages which they have furnished: but let them not reftrain our own exer

.

• Preface to Hebrew Concordance, page 8. col. 2. line 47.