hated popery, and thoroughly defpifed fanaticifm. The former, indeed, he confiders as on the decline, and haftening' apace to wards its total diffolution*; but of the great increafe made by the latter, among us, in thefe days, he feems to have been more apprehenfive; and perhaps, with too much reafon.- Fanatics,' fays he, with a tone of the farcastic not unufual with Dr. Jortin, are no friends to reafon and learning; and not without fome kind of reason; first, because they have ufually a flender portion of either: fecondly, becaufe a man hath no occafion to spend his time and his pains in the ftudious way, who hath an inward illumination to guide him to truth, and to make fuch labour unneceffary.'

Dr. Jortin appears, however, to have been peculiarly disgusted by a fect of enthufiaits lately tranfplanted into this country, and which flourished among us for a few years. We have feen," fays our Authort, in this century a fyftem of religion which, for obfcenity and blafphemy, equals any thing that ftands upon record. I mean that of Zinzendorf, and his befotted followers. Thefe men, among other deteftable tenets, maintain that the God and Father of all is not to be honoured, and that all religious worship must be directed only to Chrift, and terminate in him, as in the fupreme object of adoration.' -To this charge of idolatry, however, fome other denominations of chriftians are liable, though not in fo eminent a degree as the Moravians were; and even Jortin himfelf will not be thought entirely free from it, by those who hold that divine honours are to be paid to the SUPREME BEING alone: See the Doctor's conceffions, on this head, in p. 10. of the fame fermon, from which we have extracted the cenfure he has paffed on Zinzendorf and his followers; and in which he contends that, though God alone is to be worshipped and ferved, in oppofition to all falfe gods;' yet, that he himself hath made the exception, with relation to his own Son' in proof of which he cites one or two doubtful and much controverted paffages from the New Teftament :-but for farther particulars we refer to his fermon at large.

Art. 34. The Agreement of Reafon with facred Revelation; or, Short Effays and Reflections on fome primary Truths and difputed Points of Faith: With fome general and critical Remarks on the fcriptural Writings; and Addreffes to Deifts and Arians. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Birmingham printed; fold by Robinson, &c. in

London.

The Author laments to fee the friends of religion at variance, and asks if this must not give occafion to men of unfettled principles, to doubt of and deny the mo facred truths? That there fhould be differences of opinion, on fome points of religion, as well as other matters, we cannot think furprizing, because there are fubjects on which we have not fuficient information to determine with certainty where the truth lies; but that the angry paflions of men fhould be awakened and indulged by thefe means is truly

Thefe charges were delivered in the years 1765, 1767, 1758, and 1770.

Vol. V. Sermon I.

Lamentable,

lamentable, and difgraceful. In this refpect we can hardly acquit this writer himself, whofe zeal for what, he thinks the truth, fometimes rather betrays a bitterness of fpirit; while he catechizes, and dogmatizes, in regard to thofe who hold opinions different from his own. There are fome juft and ufeful remarks in his pamphlet; and in the conclufion he makes an apology for any appearances of top great afperity in his manner, &c. But, on the whole, we cannot rank this among the most important of our religious or controverfial publications.

Art. 35. 4 Difcourfe on the Confileration of our latter End: Adapted to all Ranks and Circumstances of Life, with a View, to work upon the Morals, and regulate the Purfuits of Men in a diffipated Age, by an Impreffion of the mott ferious and interefting Truths. By the Reverend Robert Anthony Bromley, Morning Preacher at the Foundling Hospital, and Lecturer of St. John's, Hackney. Evo. 5 s. bound. Wilkie, &c.

This volume contains plain and pratical reflections on the fubject mentioned above, under a variety of views. The Author wishes to apply the due confideration of our latter end to check the progrefs of vice and diffipation, and to engage men to the true improvement of a fhort life, by a right employment of their time and faculties, and a careful attention to their proper duty in the world. With this intention he recommends the frequent and habitual thoughts of death and eternity: and leads his Readers to refled on them, not merely for fpeculative purposes, but that they may aitentively regard and act upon thofe moral and ufeful confiderations with which the fubject copioufly abounds. There is nothing remarkably ftriking in the Author's manner, but the topic is greatly fo in itself, particularly under the different reprefentations in which it is here fet before us; and happy will it be if in any instances they are made ufe of to the important ends which are here propofed. Art. 36. Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, M. A. late Chaplain to the Countess of Huntingdon: In which every Circumstance worthy of Notice, both in his private and public Character, is recorded; faithfully felected from his original Papers, Journals, and Letters. Illuftrated by a Variety of interesting and entertaining Anecdotes from the belt Authorities. To which are added, a particular Account of his Death and Funeral; and Extracts from the Sermons which were preached on that Occafion. Compiled by the Rev. John Gillies, D. D. Svo. 4 s. Dilly.

1772.

Dr. Gillies, in thefe memoirs, pays all poffible refpect to the memory of Mr. Whitefield; whofe character is here extolled, as that of the Great Apostle of the prefent age. He was, without doubt, a most extraordinary man; and we believe, very fincere in his miniftry: as a proof of which, we have his own honeft acknowledgement that he was frequently misled by that very spirit of enthufiafm to which, however, he was fo much indebted for the astonishing fuccefs of his well-meant undertakings. Alas! alas! (fays he, in one of his letters, dated June 24, 1748) in how many things have I judged and acted wrong!-Being fond of fcripture language, I have often

ufed

ufed a file too apoftolical, and at the fame time I have been too bitter in my zeal Wild fire has been mixed with it, and I find that I frequently wrote and fpoke in my own fpirit, when I thought I was writing and fpeaking by the affiftance of the Spirit of God. I have likewife too much made inward impreffions my rule of acting, and too foon and too explicitly published what had better been kept in longer, or told after my death. By thefe things I have hurt the iblefled caufe I would defend, and alfo ftirred up needlefs oppofition. This has humbled me much, and made me think of a faying of Mr. Henry's, Jofeph had more honefty than he had policy. or he would never have told his dreams."-In this confeffion Mr. W. alludes to the revifal of his Journals, which he had then just finished; and it is remarkable, that he wrote this honest acknowledgement almoft a year before the appearance of that notable detection of his mistakes, made by the acute Author of The Enthufiafm of the Methodists and Papifs compared. By the way, too, we may obferve, that the Writer of thefe Memoirs paffes over that celebrated publication, and the controverfy which ensued upon it, in total filence; except in a fhort note, wherein he mentions Mr. W.'s Remarks on the Enthufiafm, &c.' and applauds the candour of his conceffions: an inftance which, as Dr. Gillies july obferves, is very uncommon in controverfial writings."

Art 37. A Letter to the R. R. the L. Bishop of Rochester, on his 1late Difpofal of the Rectory of Stone. By Clericus Roffenfis. 8vo. 6d. Baldwin.

Severely rebukes the bishop for having partially given the living, mentioned in the title page, to a Stripling, juft releafed from the difcipline of a college,' in prejudice to the better claims of men, who, though they have borne the heat and burden of the day, are yet ftarving on the fcanty reward of their labours. We are truly forry when occafion is given for complaints of this nature, as not only the honour of our church, but the welfare of religion itself, must be greatly affected by fuch fcandalous traffickings. And pity it is that the scheme mentioned by this Writer, which was, fome years ago, propofed to Convocation, did not take place, viz. that the preferments of the feveral diocefes fhould go according to the feniority of the clergy in each.'

Art. 38. A Defence of the Subfcription to the 39 Articles, as it is required in the University of Oxford: Occafioned by a late Pamphlet, entitled, Reflections on the Impropriety and Expediency of Lay Subfcription to the 39 Articles, in the University of Oxford. 8vo. 6d. Rivington, &c.

The Author is a warm ftickler for the teft, and treats the late propotal for a removal of this ftumbling-block, as an infidel assault ;' which, in our opinion, is putting a moft uncharitable and unwarrantable conftruction on the laudable views of confcientious and public-fpirited men but fuch unworthy treatment will ever fall to the lot of Reformers.

Art.

Art. 39. A Sermon preached at the Vifitation of the Rev. Archdeacon Cholwell, at Huntingdon, May 19, 1772. By Peter Peckard, A. M. Published by Defire of the Archdeacon, and many of the Clergy. 4to. 19. L. Davis. 1772.

So many Archdeacons have appeared in oppofition to the Petitioning Clergy, and on the fide of Subfcription and Bigotry, that we rejoice to find one who is favourable to rational and fcriptural religion. Archdeacon Cholwell, by requesting the publication of this Sermon, hath given his fanction to the caufe of free enquiry, and done honour to his good fenfe and judgment. Mr. Peckard's is, indeed, an excellent difcourfe in fupport of religious reformation; and what he hath advanced concerning the injury done to the Gospel, by the introduction of false philofophy, is peculiarly worthy of notice. Art. 40. Thoughts on the Dangers apprehended from Popery and Sectaries, by abolishing Subfcription to the 39 Articles; in a Letter to a Friend. To which is added, a Letter first published in the General Evening Poft, under the Signature of Probus. 8vo. 6d. Wilkie. 1772.

The candid Author of the publication before us, was, fome time ago, very nearly perfuaded, that it was impracticable for the Church of England to fubfift, without requiring Subfcription from its Minifters to fome other Articles, befides thefe which follow, viz. "That Jefus Chrift was the promifed Melliah, the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, and that the Scripture is the Rule of Faith to Christians, and contains all things neceffary to Salvation; and that they will teach the people nothing as fuch, but what they fhall be perfuaded may be proved by the Scripture." But, on farther and frequent confideration of the fubject, he is now greatly inclined to think, that while the prefent Forms of Government and of Worship are kept up in the Church of England, there would be no danger to it from having no other Articles, than fuch as thofe above-mentioned. This is the point, therefore, which he hath undertaken to defend; and his reafonings, though fhort, appear to be judicious and fatisfactory. We could have wifhed, however, that he had entered into a more copious difcuffion of the difficulty, efpecially fo far as relates to the Papifts; becaufe that is a point which has been much infifted upon by the advocates for Subfcription.

The Letter, figned Probus, gives a ftriking account of the hardfhips to which a young man may be expofed, who is educated for the Miniftry in the Church of England, and is afterward deterred from entering into it, by fcruples concerning the 39 Articles. Art. 41. A free and difpaffionate Account of the late Application of the Proteftant Diffenting Minifters to Parliament. In a Letter to a Friend. By Samuel Stennett, D. D. 8vo. 6d. Buckland. We have here a very candid, clear, and fenfible account of the object and grounds of the late application of the Diffenting Minifters to Parliament, together with a thort narrative of their proceedings.The Doctor feems principally to have in view the conduct of thofe few Diffenting Minifters who oppofed fo laudable a defign, or were neutral towards it; and what he advances in regard to fuch perfons well deferves their ferious attention, as it appears to be very fenfible, liberal, and fatisfactory.

SERMON.

SERMO N.

At the Parish Church of Kelvedon, at the Vifitation of the Rev. Dr. Powell, June 2d, 1772. By Chriftopher Wyvil, LL. B. Rector of Black Notley, in Effex. 6d. Bladon.

CORRESPONDENCE.

I table tertained

with the extracts from Marshall's Travels; but that he has been lately informed that there is no fuch traveller, and that the work is an invention of the brain, &c.' We would here obferve, that it is not the immediate province of the Reviewers to pry into the fecret biftory of the works which come under their notice; and that if a writer thinks it proper to conceal his real under an affumed name, it might be deemed impertinence in them, fhould they attempt to pull off his mafk.

. We own, however, that we were not ourfelves without fome degree of fufpicion that the name of Marshall, prefixed to the abovementioned publication, was, poffibly, fictitious; yet as the ground on which we had formed this furmife was but flight, we did not think it neceffary, or even juftifiable, to hint it to our Readers, in any manner that might affect the fale of the book. But, finding ourfelves fince called upon, in the Letter before us, we have, to oblige our Correfpondent, ventured to take a step beyond the limits of our province, and have made all the enquiry that is practicable in a matter of fo much delicacy. The refult is-That the publisher of the work in question, received the manufcript from a Gentleman, who appeared to act as the Author's friend; and that the Gentleman informed the bookfeller (Mr. Almon) that the Author was, at that time, abroad, on account of his health. We farther learn, that Mr. Marthall was then at Geneva; from whence Mr. Almon, in about a month after, received, per poft, a receipt for the copy-money, in the fame hand-writing with the copy itfelf. Our Informer likewife mentions the circumftance of Mr. Marshall's being a man of pro perty; and that his eftate lies at Budiwell, in Northamptonshire.

On the whole, therefore, we may reafonably conclude, that the Travels through Holland, Flanders, &c. are not, in the words of our Correfpondent, an impofition on the public, in the fame manner as thofe of Charles Thompson;' a work which, it is now well known, was compiled by an ingenious journeyman printer.

W. S. aures us (but does not fay on what authority) that Mr. Whitefield was not privy to the fraudulent procedure of the bookfeller who impofed on the public, by re-printing one of Dr. Doddridge's Sermons in Mr. W.'s name + Charity inclines us to think, with W. S. that Mr. Whitefieid knew nothing of the matter; 25, otherwife, we should be at a lofs to account for his having never been known to have publicly disclaimed it.

* See Reviews for June and July, 1772. Rev. for July, p. 80; alfo Aug. p. 164