carefully revised and much enlarged. Beside the new articles of the Roman Catholics, of the Haldanites, and of the Freethinking Christians, the old articles have been augmented and improved. The ESSAY on the Bible, with which he has taken some pains, will, he hopes, prove acceptable to the RISING GENERATION, whilst the rules laid down for its profitable perusal, will, he flatters himself, be not without their use, shewing that GOD, when he gave us the Christian revelation, hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The list of RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, which he has strove to render as correct as possible, will, he trust, convey some information to the Christian world.

The author has been upbraided for not disclosing his own private sentiments—some insinuating that he either had no religious opinions, or that he was ashamed of them. The amount of the charge, fairly interpreted, is, that the author of the Sketch has studiously avoided extolling his own creed at the expense of every other denomination! This, however, turns out to be the chief merit of the work with every intelligent and candid mind. And no subsequent edition shall want that broad and legitimate

stamp of impartiality which hath given it such a currency throughout the religious community.

At the same time the author would willingly give those persons who are so kindly anxious respecting the complexion of his faith some satisfaction. Accordingly, in the notes to this edition, his own smaller publications are referred to, where his sentiments are explained. This interferes not with the fair account in the text of the opinions of others. And this candid assignment of his reason for a reference to his own publications will, he trusts, free himself from the imputation either of vanity or of bigotry.

The first ambition of a theological writer, in the delineation of the various sects, is accuracy; the second, that he be not deficient in candour and charity. Every man's sentiments belong to himself; he is alone amenable at the tribunal of Heaven. But the spirit of CHRISTIAN LOVE is of high and undissembled importance. In the bosom of every individual professor of Christianity this divine flame, lit up by the breath of Heaven, should burn with vigorous and unabating lustre. As one firm phalanx, we most successfully oppose the common enemy. To adopt the words of an

eminent minister, when reading the admirable Address of Doddridge on Christian candour and unanimity, shutting up the discourse he exclaimed, "WE must come to this or come to NOTHING!"

It is however a curious circumstance, that a Catholic priest, of no mean talents and erudition, seems to have been frightened by the perusal of the succeeding pages, as exhibiting "a melancholy series of discordant opinions" flowing from the great principle of THE REFORMATION, the right of private judgment in matters of religion! But it is to be remembered, that the genius of Christianity abhors restraint. And the Protestant, like the agriculturist, turns away from beholding puny plants of artificial rearing, glad to contemplate those native productions which, vigorous almost to excess, send forth their shoots with an irregular, but interesting, luxuriancy. Uniformity amidst variety has been deemed the quintessence of beauty. An uniform exercise of candour, amidst the almost endlessly various sects delineated in this volume, has also its peculiar charms. It approximates to Christian perfection. Here is ample scope for the indulgence of the kind and generous affections.

Wherever they are found, either in Catholic or Protestant, either in Churchman or Dissenter, they form the ornament of our nature, and constitute the best recommendation of our religion. There now abideth (saith an Apostle), Faith, Hope, Charity, these three, but the greatest of these is CHARITY.*

The Rev. J. Berington, in his recently published volume, Faith of Catholics confirmed by Scripture and attested by the Fathers of the Five First Centuries of the Church, sarcastically remarks, "This pretended right of PRIVATE JUDGMENT is called by a modern writer "the pride and pleasure of the human mind." I recommend to the perusal of CATHOLICS his work entitled, A Sketch of the Denominations of the Christian World, by the REV. J. EVANS. In it they will behold a fine display of the effects of that prolific principle, while they learn to thank Heaven for THE BETTER GUIDE it has provided them!!!" The author of the Sketch must not be displeased with the Rev. J. Berington's reprobation of the right of private judgment in religion, being in perfect consistency with his own renunciation of it dated 1801, and now in the hands of the Catholic clergy. This states that "HE has submitted all his religious opinions and writings to the judgment of the apostolical SEE of ROME, revoking and condemning every sentence and passage in them contrary to, or derogatory from, the definitions and decisions of the general councils, Roman pontiffs, and orthodox fathers, professing himself sorry for the offence and scandal

Finally, nothing in this present edition has been omitted to corroborate that character for fidelity which THE SKETCH hath obtained, and gratifying proofs of which have been lately given by the references of the learned Dr. Herbert Marsh, professor of divinity in the university of Cambridge, as well as by the respectable editor of the new edition of Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History. Of BIGOTRY, INTOLERANCE, and PERSECUTION-SO much has been said in the Prefatory Dedication to the twelfth edition, and in the Reflections on CHRISTIAN MODERATION, which conclude the work, that I shall only add the prayer of Arnobius, to whose good sense and piety Dr. Lardner bears testimonyDa veniam REX SUPREME tuos persequentibus famulos; et quod tuæ benignitatis est proprium, fugientibus ignosce tui nominis et religionis cultum. Non est mirum si ignoraris; majoris est admirationis si sciaris!

which these have caused, and promising to AVOID the same in future!" As to Mr. B's recommendation of the Sketch, the bookseller, whose property it is, will no doubt thank him for it, whilst the author can have no objection that the Sketch, with its persuasive to religious mederation, should be attentively read by every good Catholic throughout the kingdom.