of profefling openly what appears to them to be pure and genuine Christianity, in oppofition to all falfe and irrational opinions. This leads him to mention the corruptions that have obtained in the Christian world; and, in particular, the corruption and idolatry of the Church of Rome. Though this idolatry,' fays he, proceeded till it came to the worship of a piece of bread, as fuppofed to be the real body and blood of Chrift, it began with paying divine honours to Chrift himfelf; who, though the most diftinguifhed meffenger of God to man, himfelf uniformly afferted the proper Unity of the Divine Nature, and fpake of his Father, exclufively of all other perfons, or beings, as the only true God John xvii. 3.), his Father as well as our Father, and his God as well as cur God (John xx. 17.); and whofe highest title is, the Mediator between God and man, the man Chrift Jefus, 1 Tim. ii. 5. After the worship of Chrift, the worship of his Virgin Mother was a very easy confequence; and then, fo wide a breach being once made in the doctrine of the Divine Unity, there entered an innumerable hot of men and angels, and, in times of ignorance and fuperftition, many names of mere Heathens, and fome abfolute nonentities.' Dr. Priestley takes occafion from hence to exprefs, in the frongeft manner, his fenfe of the importance and obligation of profeffing openly the doctrines of the proper Unity of God, and the proper Humanity of Chri; and his refolution to inculcate them with all the energy in his power. It is our duty,' fays he, not only to fearch for the truth in matters of fuch confequence as this, but to bear the moit public teftimony to it. In God's time, that teftimony will have its weight; and they who uniformly and fteadily hold it forch, will hereafter be confidered as preachers of the Gospel, and propagators of it to the ends of the earth. For it is only to be expected, and indeed it is only to be wished, that Chriftianity fhould become the religion of the whole earth, when it fhall be purged from the corruptions which at prefent deform and disgrace it.' If any fentiment or expreffion in this part of the difcourfe fhould appear to thofe who differ from the Author in opinion upon thefe important fubjects, harth and indefenfible, the following paragraphs fhould fupprefs their rifing diffatisfaction, and convince them, beyond a doubt, that his candor and generosity are, at least, equal to his integrity and zeal. Think not, however, my brethren, that the moft fervent zeal for what is apprehended to be the genuine doctrines of the Gofpel, is at all incontent with true Chriftian Charity, which always judges of particular perfons according to the advantages they have enjoyed, and of the final ftate of men by their fincerity only. And, for my own part, I have no doubt, but that, though the Church of Rome be the proper Antichrit of the Apoftles, not only innumerable zealous Papifts, but even fome Popes themselves, will fit down with Luther,' with Calvin, and with Socinus, in the kingdom of Jefus Chrift. Known unto God alone are the hearts of men; and the man who honeftly purfues purfues truth, and who acts according to the beft lights that God gives him an opportunity of acquiring, will be he whom the God of Truth and uprightnefs will approve; and none will fuffer a greater or more juft condemnation, than those who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs.' In many matters of fpeculation, you and I, my Christian brethren, may judge very differently, as you will from one another, if you judge for yourfelves at all. But this circumitance, instead of quenching Chriftian charity, ought to be confidered as a proper trial and exercife of that molt valuable Chriftian virtue. I fhall, as I truft I have hitherto done, devote myfelf to the pursuit of truth; and Ifhall not fail to lay before you, with the best evidence that I can collect, every thing that fhall appear to me to be of any moment to you, as members of a Christian Society; and I fhall cheerfully rely on your candour with refpect to any articles in which you may think me to be mistaken.' Em. Such fentiments as thefe would do honour to any Christian, and cannot but be applauded by every liberal-minded man. II. Unanimity and Moderation recommended. At the Affizes at Hert ford, March 5, 1791. By the Rev. Ludlow Holt, A. M. Vicar of Dedham, Effex, and Curate of Watford, Herts. 410. Rivington. I S. the We learn from the dedication, that this Difcourfe met with bigh approbation' of the Mayor and Aldermen of Hertford. What have reviewers to fay after the judgment of fuch "worshipful fo ciety?" There lies no appeal from fuch a tribunal. We fhall therefore only tranícribe the first paragraph, as a fpecimen of the abilities of the Rev. Mr. Ludlow Holt, and of the taste and judgment of the worshipful the Mayor and Aldermen of Hertford.' At a certain period in the ever-flowing courfe of duration, whence we date the commencement of time, it pleased creative wisdom to call this world of ours into being. By the divine energy of almighty fiat, light farts from the primordial bed of darkness and embryo elements, confounded before in the womb of chaos, fpring forth and range themfelves in beauteous order and harmony.' Now, Reader, art thou not ready, with Mr. Pope in the Dunciad, when thou thinkeft of the aforefaid gentlemen, to ftyle them III. Preached before the Guardians and Governors of the Afylum for helplefs Orphans, May 19, 1781. By S. Glaffe, D. D. F. R. S. and Chaplain in ordinary to his Majefty. 8vo. 6d. Riving ton. The caufe of charity is here pleaded with an artlefs eloquence becoming the fubject. IV. Preached in the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Exon, before The leading object of this difcourfe is to vindicate Divine Providence in its various difpenfations to mankind; and particularly in its diftributions to the rich and the poor. The Preacher shows, by a train of of just and elegant reafonings, the fubferviency of thofe mixed difpen- Fortunately, the abfence of the chaplain did not deprive the North battalion of Gloucestershire militia of a good profeffional difcourfe; and that a ferious exhortation was not bestowed in vain, appears from the defire of the officers to have it again in a more durable form. The worthy Preacher has throughout grounded his arguments on thofe motives most likely to influence fober fenfible men in a military character, and hiftory will fully justify the principle he earnestly contends for, that courage is never more cool and determined than when it springs from pious convictions. VI. A ftri& Conformity between our Prayers, and our A&tions, earneftly recommended. Preached in the Parish Church of Whittingham, Northumberland, February 10, 1779, being the Day appointed to be obferved as a General Faft; published at the Request of the Parishioners. By the Rev. J. Twentyman, Vicar of Cattle Sowerby, Cumberland. 12mo. 6d. Newcattle, printed, N. This plain, practical, and judicious difcourfe has by fome means escaped our earlier notice, which we are forry for, as, we think, we have seen none more fitly adapted to the occafion on which it was delivered, or more worthy of a ferious and attentive perufal. The preacher applies himfelf to enforce a regard to the true ends for which a day of humiliation ought to be obferved, viz. repentance, amendment, and willing obedience; these he recommends with becoming earneftnefs, and by fuitable arguments. The text of this difcourfe is, Ifaiah i. 19, 20. H. VII. True Chriftian Patrictifm. Preached before the feveral Affociations of the laudable Order of Antigallicans, at St. George's in the Eaft, Middlefex, April 23, 1781, being St. George's Day. By John Prince, A. B. Lecturer of St. Mary, Aldermanbury. 8vo. 6 d. Crowder. This Writer fets before us the character of a real patriot, viz. that he is a pious and good man. While, on juft principles, he recommends a zealous regard to the welfare of our country, he removes that objection which has been ignorantly made, as though Christianity was inimical to the public or national profperity; and proves that the principles of the Christian religion, thoroughly imbibed, mut produce true patriotifm and public fpirit. * Probably because it was not advertised in the London papers. VIII. Preached at St. Dunstan's in the Weft, April 29, and at St. Mary Abbot's, K-nington, July 15, 1781, for the Benefit of the Humane Society, instituted for the Recovery of Perfons apparently dead by Drowning. By Jacob Duché, M. A. Rector of Chrift's Church, and St. Peter's in Philadelphia. 8vo. 15. Rivington, &c. There is fomewhat pleaɓng in this difcourfe, at the fame time that it is calculated to be useful. The Author makes an ingenious application of the cafe of the prophet Jonah. His text is John ii. 5, 6. From which he deduces teveral pertinent reflections, together with feasonable admonitions addreiled to thofe who, under Providence, had obtained relief and recovery by means of the Humane Society. He pleads pathetically for contributions to this charity; and reprefents the neceflity for farther affittance, in order to its more firm ettablishment, and to render it more extensively beneficial. Should there be any thing of a Calvinilical train in this Sermon, perfons who entertain different fentiments, it is prefumed, will know how to make juft and proper allowances. CORRESPONDENCE. WE are doubtlefs much obliged to a "Moderate Calvinift" for the trouble he hath given himself to fet us right as to the meaning of borribile decretum! However, we must be free to acknowledge, that all he hath avanced from himself, and all he hath tranfcribed from another, hath had little weight with us, and hath occafioned little alteration in our fentiments.-we have no reason to retract, or even foften, our former reflections on the horribile decretum of John Calvin. We have re-examined the paffage in the connection in which it flands in the inftitutions; and from what precedes it, we have no doubt but that Calvin's own heart thuddered at the confe-quences of his own doctrine. As a Theologian, he admitted its truth for, fays he, who can oifprove it on the admillion of the Divine Prefcience? But as a man, the common feelings of human nature revolted at the idea of "fo many nations involved, with their infant race, in eternal death, through the fin of one man." Decretum quidem borribile fateor, "I confefs indeed (ays he) that this decree is a a terrible one:”—or horrible—if we tranflate it, as the word korribile GENERALLY means, in ancient and modern writers. Take either word, and the end of our refections will be fully answered ;-and that was, to hew, by a very friking inftance, the struggle between Calvin's faith and reafon;-the feverity of his creed, and the relentings of his compaflion: and thele reflections, while they expreffed our abhorrence of his principles, were meant to pay fome tribute of refpect to the natural and unperverted feelings of his heart. B.d.h In answer to Mr. de Brahm's Letter, we are to obferve, that however the particular circumftances which attended the going of • See Review for September, Art. IV. p. 204-205. Mr.' Mr. Mudge's Time-keeper may favour the hypothefis Mr. de Brahm feems long ago to have formed, concerning the influence which the equinoxial changes in the atmosphere have on the going of time keepers, we mull acknowledge ourselves in the number of thofe who differ from him on this head. We, therefore †, decline printing Mr. de Brahm's Letter; but this acknowledgment will fecure his claim to the discovery, if, contrary to our expectation, it should hereafter be contefted. Wa "A Conftant Reader and General Admirer of the Monthly Review" defires us to point out to him the belt book on gardening. Were we to pretend to anfwer this matter of inquiry, it might feem invidious to the proprietors of feveral useful publications: it would likewife, in all probability, draw upon us further trouble of a fimiJar kind. We must, therefore, beg leave to decline the going out of our way to give an opinion on the question. The fame Correfpondent fuggefts "a hint," which requires our farther confideration. There are objections to his scheme, which we do not chufe to ftate in this public manner. This Gentleman, likewife, enquires concerning the Continuation of an Article which was begun in our Journal fome months ago. To this we can give no pofitive anfwer. The farther Review of the learned work here referred to, depends on the precarious health, and uncertain leifure, of the Gentleman to whofe confideration books of that clafs are usually referred. See our laft, p. 346. + We have another, perhaps more decifive reason, the want of Joom. We must not fuffer our correspondence to encroach too far on the proper, the indifpenfible bufinefs of the Review. TO OUR READER S. Since the sheets of this month's Review, in which we have given an account of Mr. Shaw's Inquiry into the Authenticity of Offian's Poems, were printed off, we have feen Mr. Clarke's Answer to that Inquiry; and we now think it proper to inform our Readers, that we were entire trangers to the character of Mr. Shaw,-who is known to us only by his publications concerning the Erfe; of which language we are entirely ignorant. Thus circumitanced, could we doubt or question the ability of a Writer who has compiled à Dictionary in that language; and published it under the patronage of a fubfcription, in that country where the merit of fuch a compilation must be best known.-We intend to give an account of Mr. Clarke's Tract in our next. B. D. Juvenis is received, and will be attended to; as well as Several Letters received late in this month, will, in due time, be further noticed.-Dr. Hopfon's Treatife on Fire, which S. M. enquires about, will not be overlooked. |