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and deviate from the plain road of reason and probability into the unlimited regions of fancy and conjecture. We will not fay of this extraordinary writer that too much learning, but probably that too much reading, not fufficiently digested, hath made him mad. Mr. L. may be very fane upon all ordinary fubjects, but on the present he is wrapt into the clouds of inexplicable nonfenfe. The whole is a rhapfodical effufion, that in many places borders upon blafphemy. It has no preface, nor other preamble, but fimply the following Dedication: TO THE READER.

A fpark may either wholly ceafe

Or foon create its own increase:

And am his well-wisher,

W. LEWELYN.'

An idea of Mr. L.'s talent and performance may be collected from his Introduction.

• God flowed into his own bofom; was at home in his own mind, and joy fprung up within himself in perfect effufion from the excellency of his being. He was his own theatre and profpect, and needed no landskip without to take his eye. He was fociable within himself, and a complete companion:' alias, good company.'

In this frantic ftyle does Mr. L. defcribe the phenomena of the Mofaic creation, through a series of 195 pages; clearly demonftrating the doctrine of a Trinity, the prodigious learning of the ante-diluvians, and the almoft divine excellencies of Adam, near whom the Creator is declared to have

— stood with a critical defign, and heard him define and delineate the intricate and complicated works of infinite wisdom, with the fame accuracy and brevity as himself would have done; and to have declared that no difficulty could entangle him, no depth could puzzle him, no mystery could make him hang down his head, nor put him to a minute ftand. His penetration was irresistible, his understanding meafured all depths, and laid open all myfteries; no chain or complication of difficulties could entangle his intellects.'

Again,

• O Adam, great was thy day! how vaft thy mind! there was no fearching of thy understanding: THY CREATOR TRIED TO PUZZLE THEE, AND FAILED!'

patientia noftra ?

•Quoufquam abutere

Expofition

Expofition of the Epiftle to the Romans.

After the fpecimen given in the preceding article, much illu→ mination cannot be expected from an expofition by Mr. L. of the abftrufe epiftle to the Romans. It is in truth fuch a farrago, we will not call it compofition, as might be predicted. What St. Paul left obfcure, Mr. L. renders completely dark; what was difficult, becomes unintelligible. On the plainest fubjects, Mr. L. has the faculty of inveloping himself in confufion: when he traverfes the mysterious paths of predeftination, free-will, and the divine prescience, he is totally incomprehenfible. To treat Mr. L. with a fimile in his own familiar way, he is like a mole, which, though put on the plainest ground, will work its way out of fight in a moment.

Doctrine of Baptism.

In the account of baptifm Mr. L. is lefs eccentric than in his former productions. He is occafionally fedate and even judicious. The reafon may be, that it is a folemn declaration of his principles; which, it seems, his enemies had called in queftion, by afferting that in his heart he favoured the doctrine of adult immerfion. From this charge he laborioufly, and per haps fomewhat uncharitably, exculpates himself; affirming that he knows not any step that can be taken more effectually to fecure perdition, than the practice alluded to. This is, on the whole, no mean collection of the chief arguments in behalf of poedo-baptifm; and displays with fome force the objections against the oppofite doctrine.

ΜΟΡΦΗ ΘΕΟΥ.

On this myfterious subject we may reasonably expect to find Mr. L. quite at home; and he begins with the extraordinary affertion, that before we can truly worship God, we must have an idea of his personal form, and fet before our minds a delineated object. It would have been but a reasonable condefcenfion, if Mr. I had imparted his idea of God's perfonal form, as well as his real ideas of the divine effence: for in this latter respect, he is much at variance with himfelf. Having in vol. i. exprefly maintained the doctrine of the Trinity, and afferted that God is one in three, and three in one; God is truly and numerically one; and truly and numerically three, and they make one perfon as truly and numerically as if there existed but one only;' he obferves in the prefent volume that, the doctrine of Athanafius is dreadful in nature.'

The distance and difparity between the perfons, renders the idea of perfonal oneness, or unity, a thing altogether inadmisible and injurious to the mind. It crouds with ill-proportioned compounds, unnatural connections, and alliances, things irreconcilable,

unparrelled,

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unparalleled, diverfe, out of the ways. So that the mind muftrefign to a jumble of conjunctions altogether foreign to natural ideas.'

It is difficult, amidst all Mr. L.'s confeffions and declarations, to ascertain exactly what is his creed. He is not an Athanafian, a Socinian, nor an Arian; and yet he is each of them by turns. He makes no fcruple of demolishing his adverfary; and then, like the eaftern magician, transfufes his own foul into the deceafed body, and exhibits the very fame appearance himself.

A Charge intended to have been delivered to the Clergy of Norwich, at the Primary Vifitation of George, Lord Bishop of that Diocefc. 4to. Is. Robinfons. 1791.

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UR very able, intelligent, and refpectable prelate, though confined to the bed of ficknefs*, is unwilling to omit any opportunity of being useful, and has confequently published the Charge that he intended to deliver. His inftructions to his clergy relate to the nature of God and of man, the faving principle of faith, the importance and use of the church, the obedience due to civil government, the neceflity of a pure life and a holy converfation.

On each of these subjects the bishop enlarges, and displays a rational, calm, unaffected piety, much good sense, and a found judgment. In one or two points he feems to go rather farther than experience may warrant in the prefent times; but the awful fituation in which he is placed may render this to him a mean infufficient confideration.

The first fubject, the Nature of God,' leads him to an enquiry of which we fhall have occafion hereafter to fpeak more at large; but we cannot refift tranfcribing his fentiments on this point:

• How often hath it been urged, that we ought not to receive the faith which the first fathers of the church, and the fucceeding fathers of the reformation, have delivered to us, because we are of late years fo far advanced above them in knowledge? But I have never feen the connection pointed out between any modern improvements in fcience, and the new doctrines of reformers in theology. We are certainly much improved, for inftance, in the art of making time keepers, above thofe who lived an hundred years ago; but no man will fay that we thence derive any advantage for numbering our days more wifely; or that we have any clearer ideas of eternity than we had before. An eminent artist in this way may doubt of the Apostles Creed; but then there is no vifible relation between his art and his unbelief. The conceit of fuperior learning has always had an ill effect upon chriftianity; and is

The bishop died the 17th inft. fince this critique was written.

frequently

frequently found in those who have no great matters to value themfelves upon. We may be as learned as we can make ourfelves, and yet continue good chriftians; because true learning and true religion were never yet at variance; but the moment we are vain of our learning, we begin to be in danger, and fome folly or other is not far off.'

It is juftly and properly remarked by Dr. Horne, that mathematical quantities and qualities are incommenfurate; that many of the difficulties complained of refult from confounding the reafoning on these very diffimilar subjects.

The Nature of Man' has been, in the bishop's opinion, equally mistaken; and if we were not dead in fin, Chrift died in vain. The faving principle of Faith' is the next object, and Dr. Horne agrees fully with Dr. Horfley, that divines have too much neglected the doctrines of religion in their preaching. Natural religion as a fyftem is, in his opinion, a new phenomenon, a fhowy meteor, tranfitory, and with little fupport. The Constitution of the Church of Christ' leads our venerable author to fome pofitions which we must hesitate in commending, without a little referve. That ecclefiaftical history has been corrupted by the prejudices of hiftorians, we can eafily believe; but the neceflity of feceffion in the epifcopal of fice, on the ground alledged by our author, would form a general principle, which on other occafions we might find inconvenient. The doctrines refpecting the state are very judicious; and the remarks, in oppofition to modern refiners, able and convincing. The laft part, refpecting the conduct of life, particularly applied to the lives and manners of the clergy, demand our fulleft and moft unreserved commendation. On the whole, if the event which is so much feared, and will be fo generally regretted, fhould happen, the bifhop may, with the most heartfelt happiness, reflect, that his laft work has not disgraced his former ones; and that his life has been, without exception, dedicated to the glory of God, and to the promoting the best interefts and the general happiness of mankind.

A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Llandaff, June, 1791. By R. Watson, D. D. Lord Bishop of Llandaff. 4to. 15. fewed. Evans.

TH

HE fubftance of this Charge has been circulated in manufcript; and from the little inaccuracies which must neceffarily attend copies made from recollection, it has acquired a celebrity and importance that it would not probably have otherwife attained. In the publication there is not the lealt fufpicion that any thing has been foftened or altered; and our refpect for Dr. Watton, as well as the accidental cirCRIT. REV. N. AR. (IV.) Jan. 1792. G

cum

cumstances which have rendered this addrefs important, will excufe our enlarging farther on it than we have usually done on fimilar works.

The liberality of Dr. Watson's fentiments are fufficiently known; and if we were to change the term, and ftyle it a too fervile complaifance to vifionary refinements and innovations, we should not, in the opinion of fome, employ language too harfh. In reality, Dr. Watfon, with great and extenfive views, feems in fome inftances to have yielded too far, and to have countenanced with his approbation and example, changes, which, though at first apparently harmless, may be ultimately dangerous. We have little doubt that he apprehends no danger from thefe fubmiffions to popular prejudice; and thinks that, under the projected alterations, both the church and state would be fully fecured.-He begins with mentioning the late revolution in France, on the propriety of which he profefles himself incapable of deciding. As a friend to civil freedom, he approves of it; as leading to democratic licentioufnefs, he hesitates at all events, he thinks, by this struggle, the French will obtain an habeas corpus act, trial by jury, and an impartial administration of public juftice. In this part, his lordship's opinions deferve our most unreferved commendation. In our fituation, he remarks, there may be fome things which require a reform; but he adds, that we are a happy people, and would do well to be jealous of any violent attempts to amend either the civil or ecclefiaftical conftitution. He feems, however, to doubt, in the Note, whether he who attempts to reform the rotten parts of a constitution, may not be a greater friend to it than he who wishes religioufly to restrain any attempt at reformation. In this general form the queftion will fcarcely admit of difcuffion: it will be varied in its appearance by the particular circumstances of its different parts.

The changes in the ecclefiaftical conftitution of France he adverts to more particularly, and obferves, that the church of France is ftill richer than the church of England, for the revenue of the former amounts to fix millions fterling; but that of the latter falls fhort of two: the proportion of people he fuppofes to be that of 8 to 24; but the true proportion fhould be the number of ecclefiaftics. As it is, we think the church of France is not richer, for the number is (at least was) certainly more than 24 millions. The fuppreffion of monasteries, every reflecting perfon will join with the bishop of Landaff in commending.

The great queftion, however, that of universal toleration, remains. When Dr. Watfon ufes this language, we are per

fuaded

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