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RELIGIOUS.

Art. 25. A Word to Mr. Madan; or, Free Thoughts on his late celebrated Defence of Polygamy. In a Letter to a Friend. 8vo. I S. Buckland. 1781.

This Letter,' we are informed, was written by a Gentleman of Devonshire, to a friend in Bristol, and was intended to afford a little private amusement. It is now prefented to the public, in compliance with the united requests of many refpectable perfons who have perused it, and who are of opinion, that it may operate as a pleafing antidote to the concealed but deadly poifon of Mr. Madan's performance.'

The object of this little piece is not formally to confute Mr. Madan's folemn fophiftry and grimace, but merely, by a little wellpointed ridicule, as well as argument, to expofe his lafcivious fyftem."

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An agreeable vein of pleafantry runs through this performance: but we are fufpicious, from a quotation in p. 11, that the ingenious Author never read the treatife which he hath written against, and that he hath borrowed his account of it from the Reviews and Magazines. Art. 26. Remarks on Thelyphthora, with a Dedication to the King and Queen, and an Addrefs to the Author. By James Penn, Vicar of Clavering, Effex, Chaplain to the Earl of Gower, and Lecturer of St. Ann's, Alderfgate. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Bladon. 1781. All that is good in this performance is borrowed. The greatest part of what is original, is either prophane, trifling, or captious. The Author is fometimes threwd; at other times fprightly; but feldom pleafing, and always pert.

If, fays the Author, from the fale of the publication, not for its fingular merit, but the friendship and good opinion of the Public, it may be thought neceffary to proceed, the flyle, pleafing at the first, fhall be continued to the end. If the Public is dillatisfied, for whom I write, and whofe approbation in writing hath ever been the principal object, I fhall drop the pen.'

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If the Author will take a hint from us, we would advise him to leave the thorny path of polemical divinity; and retire within the quiet walls of his "Surry Cottage *." Do Art. 27. An Effay on the Character of Methodifm; in which the leading Principles of that Sect, the Aids it borrowed from the Writings of the Clergy, and the Influence it hath communicated to them, are confidered and flated. By the Author of Remarks on Dr. Hallifax's Preface to the Sermons of the late Dr. Ogden. 8vo. 15. 6 d. Cadell. 1781.

The picture of Methodifm is here drawn with a free and animated pencil. The Author makes fome juft obfervations on the diftinguishing principles of that fect; particularly, the doctrine of Original fin— which may be confidered as the chief corner-ftone of Methodifm.

In the conclufion, he beftows fome strictures on the Sermons of Archbishop Secker and Dr. Ogden: and points out fome paffages

• A novel of the Author's, fo entitled, lately mentioned in our Review. See vol. lxvii. p. 467.

which an enthufiaftic fancy would apply to a very abfurd and dangerous purpose; and particularly remarks, that the fanction given by fome very eminent divines to the frequency and looseness of Scripture quotations, hath afforded a handle for thofe wild applications of Scripture on which the whole fyftem of Methodism is built and eftablished.' The Author may be thought too fevere in his reflections, and too harth in his epithets: but, on the whole, his remarks are ju dicious, and his language is forcible.

Art. 28. The divine Vifions of John Engelbrecht, a Lutheran Proteftant, whom God fent from the Dead to be a Preacher of Repentance and Faith to the Chriftian world. To the whole is prefixed, the Tranflator's Prefatory Addrefs, &c. and a preliminary View of the Author's Life and Writings. Tranflated from the original German. By Francis Okely, formerly of St. John's College, Cambridge. 2 Vols. fmall 8vo. 3 s. fewed. Lacking

ton. 1781.

The best account we can give of the Author, and his Divine Vifions, is the following, in his own words: God the Holy Ghost raifed me, John Engelbrecht, up again from the dead, after that my body had been dead, ftiff and cold, which many perfons in Brunfic are privy. to and acquainted with; infomuch that my body returned in a fhort time to its vigour and vivacity, without the help of any fort of earthly meat, drink, and doctoring. But in the interval-time, whilst my body was dead, the Holy Ghoft tranfported and conveyed my foul before Hell; and there made it smell the stench of Hell; and also hear the howlings of the damned in hell, amidst the darkness, and midft the thick fmoke and fog; intended for a warning to the wicked. Afterwards, he also transported and conveyed my foul to Heaven, and thewed the glory thereof unto it, intended for comfort to the afflicted. Moreover, the commiffion, charge, or meffage, which was there given unto me, every one will by means of this piece, communicated unto them, have an opportunity of understanding in all its circum. tances. Alfo how God confirmed and ratified my fpecial call and commiffion by marvellous figns and wonders prefented to the eyes and ears of men, as the people of Brunfwic are privy to and acquainted with. Now, thefe marvellous things happened in the year 1622, about the time when, in the fecond Sunday in Advent, we have the Gospel read-" And there shall be figns in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the ftars," &c. &c. At that very juncture, this sign alfo paffed upon me.' What fign? Not the fign of the Sun;-unlefs in an eclipfe. Nor of the ftars:-unlefs of the raging Dog-ftar. It was the fign of the Moon-where we leave John Engelbrecht, with his Divine Vifions; and only with the worthy and learned Tranflator would look out for better quarters.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the MONTHLY REVIEWERS.
GENTLEMEN,

YOUR account of Abbé Raynal's Revolution of America,' which exhibits an infinuation not much in favour of its authenticity,

nor,

nor, fuppofing it to be genuine, to the fame of the Abbé, thus concludes:-"We fhall therefore content ourselves with this general notice of the publication, at least till the Abbé Raynal fhall think fit to give it the protection of his celebrated name."

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Soon after the appearance of your Review,' we were informed by public advertisement, that those egregious judges of file, who had ventured to pronounce on the Spurioufness of the book, with as much confi. dence as if they had been able to prove it, were referred to the author's new edition of his Hiftory of the Indies, in 5 vols. quarto, in which they might find the Revolution of America,' verbatim et literatim.

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Imagining that for your own fatisfaction you would have had immediate recourfe to this new edition, I had flattered myself in the hope of finding in the Review' for July, your fecond thoughts on a publication that has excited fo much attention and converfation. A DISAPPOINTED READER.

5th Aug. 1781.

We have not yet met with the new edition of the ABBE RAY NAL'S Hiftory, bere referred to. When we have an opportunity of looking into it, we fhall, with pleasure, pay due attention to the evidence alluded to by our Difappointed Reader," in Support of the ingenious Abbé's claim to "The Revolution of America:" which claim (in the mean time) we are by no means disposed to contest.

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+++ In answer to our Correfpondent Y. Z. who hath made fome inquiries refpecting the beautiful Ode on Offian, of which mention was made in our laft, we have been informed, that the Author of it is the Rev. Mr. Hole, a clergyman of Devonshire, whofe tranflation of the Hymn to Ceres is refpectfully noticed in this month's Review.

The fecond Part of the criticifm on the 3d volume of Thelyphthera muft neceffarily be poftponed till the following month, on account of its very extraordinary length:-the other articles in this Review having been, for the greater part, arranged before the Editor received it from the Author, who lives at a confiderable distance from the capital. We wish to remind our Readers of the hint given at the conclufion of the Introductory Remarks in the laft Review, viz. That the main object of the fucceeding criticifm is, to overthrow the very foundation of Mr. Madan's leading pofitions refpecting the opinions and practices of the first and second centuries of the Christian church; to expofe his ignorance of the Fathers, and detect the fallacy of his conclufions, by a direct and fair appeal to authentic teftimonies and ORIGINAL Writers.

Mr. Hill's Controverfy with Mr. Madan is intended for our next.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For SEPTEMBER, 1781.

ART. I. THELYPHTHORA. Vol. III. concluded. Vid. Review for

July.

T was an observation of the celebrated philofopher of Malmf

reafon is against a man, a man will be

against reafon." It is for the intereft of such a man to difcredit a principle which tends to difcredit him..

We may carry this obfervation ftill farther, and apply it with great juftice to Mr. Madan's contempt and hatred of the primitive Fathers. Their united oppofition to the cause of Thelyphthora hath provoked oppofition on his part; and as he could not find one of them in the clafs of Polygamifts, he boldly rufheth forward to take the field against ALL.

For fo formidable an enterprise, he is more indebted to his confidence than his abilities; and, when he feels his weakness in the moment of combat, he flies-we will not be fo unceremonious as to fay, that he hath recourse to the refuge of lies; but we think, even courtefy itself would aver, that he frequently betakes himself to a covert in the neighbourhood.

Sometimes, indeed, his caution forfakes him; and even his craft yields to his ardor. Hence, in a furious onfet on the Fathers, he forgets how nearly they are connected with the Apoftles; for, in fhooting indifcriminately among the former, his arrow frequently glances on the latter. But, to cover Mofes, a zealous Polygamift would make no fcruple of leaving St. Paul expofed and, to enjoy a laugh at the expence of primitive virginity, would not be folicitous to keep a chapter in the Epiftle to the Corinthians clear of the jest.

The Author profeffeth, in the prefent volume, to trace out by what means, and by what degrees the laws of Jehovah conVOL. LXV.

M

cerning

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cerning marriage were oppofed and abrogated, and a new fyftem invented and established by Chriftian churchmen.'

He begins with the first century, and purfues his inquiry through the fucceffions of Fathers, Councils, Synods, Popes, and the rabble of the fchoolmen' (as he calls them) down to the æra of the Reformation.

The writer whom Mr. Madan almoft wholly copies from is Dupin, the French ecclefiaftical hiftorian. With fuch copious materials before him, his work became exceedingly ealy; for all he had to do, was, to select and tranfcribe. Mr. M.'s acquaintance with the Fathers feems indeed to be entirely of the fecondary kind but he knew enough of their character to convince him, that his acquaintance would never ripen into friendship. His object is totally to difcard their authority; though, if their authority were discarded, he would not be advanced one step in the proof of his fyftem, as long as he admits the authority of the New Teftament.

The principal defign of the prefent volume is to prove, that the Fathers, by favouring celibacy, became, of confequence, enemies to polygamy; but that, as Proteftants conteft their authority in one refpect, they ought, confiftently with their own principles, to difcard it in another.

In fupporting this leading pofition, which we have endeavoured to place in the cleareft light, the Author begins with producing the teftimony of St. Clement of Rome, the affociate of the Apoftles, in favour of virginity.

At the end of Wetftein's New Teftament (fays Mr. M.) are to be found two Epiftles of St. Clement, the Roman, difciple of St. Peter, taken from the Book of the Syriac MS. of the N. Teft." Wetflein, in order to prove that they are genuine, cites two teftimonies, one of St. Jerome, the other of Epiphanius.

The Epiftles themfelves appear in Syriac, with a Latin tranflation; by which it feems evident, that this faint was as great an advocate for virginity as Jerome was himself.

Clement fays-" Whofoever profeffeth before the Lord, "that he will preferve his chaftity, ought to be girt with every "holy virtue; and, if indeed he hath crucified his body for the "fake of piety, he prays against the Word, which fays-In"creafe and multiply."

A deal more of this impious piety (fays Mr. M.) is to be found in other parts of thefe Epifties; but this quotation may serve to fhew, how very early it became a fashion in the Chriftian church to put imagination in the place of Scripture, and to invent fchemes of fanctity, which directly militated against the the will and word of God, as revealed in the Holy Scripture.

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