pleads with great zeal for liberty; and expofes the contraded fentiments of feveral eminent writers upon that subject with acutenefs and fpirit.

The following paragraph contains the chief articles of his charge against Dr. Lowth.

That the learned Doctor does not manifeft any, very extended views, or fine perceptions of Liberty, is confeffed by moft; but to the author of the Proteftant, his guilt does not appear, by any means of the negative kind. Additional to the chief paffage commented on, and many other declarations of the fame obvious fatal tendency, the introducing the abominable opinions of Ellys and Fabricius, as decifions on the extent of religious Liberty, is a pofitive offence, and as fuch, deserves a more fevere reprehenfion than any which can be given, by a common pen.'

This writer, no doubt, has very extended views and fine perceptions of liberty.' But why does he not afcertain its nature and extent? Till this is done, he only amufes us with a vague declamation. Let him give us then a precise idea of the liberty for which he contends. Has it any limits, or has it none? This expreffion of St. Peter, s sλsubɛpoi, is the motto of his book. But in the fame place the apostle intimates, that fomne may probably ufe this liberty, ως επικάλυμμα της xaxias; in what manner are they to be treated? Are they not to be restrained?-Univerfal liberty has an enchanting found; and all restrictions are odious to the liberal mind: but while there are weak and wicked men in the world, restricted toleration will be found perhaps the best expedient to secure the peace, order, and happiness of society.

38. An Addrefs to the Clergy concerning their Departure from the Doctrines of the Reformation. Dedicated to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. By a Member of the Established Church. Pr. 15. Dilly.

8vo.

This writer alleges, that the generality of the clergy have renounced the doctrines of the reformation, and substituted others in their ftead, which are contrary to the word of God, He tells us, that they oppofe the fentiments of our reformers concerning the divinity of Chrift, the fall of man, justification by faith alone, imputed righteoufnefs, and the operations of the Holy Spirit; and that this defection is the fource of all our national calamities. He therefore exhorts the clergy to exert all their influence and abilities in preaching and fupporting thefe doctrines, as the only method, to fave the nation from ruin. 4

This is a vindication of the methodists. The author writes with great zeal, in a ftile fuperior to what we generally find in the productions of thofe people; but his arguments are trite, and inconclufive..

39. Humbly addreffed to the Clergy of the Church of England. Cry aloud; and Spare not; or, an Alarm to all the Proteftants of Great Britain and Ireland. To beware of the prefènt Rapid Increafe and growing Evils of Popery, in thefe Kingdoms. Wherein is fet forth, in a confpicuous Manner, the Sufferings of many of our English Proteftants Martyrs, who have fubmitted to the most ignominious Deaths, for the caufe of pure Religion. To which is added Copies of feveral Letters on the Subject of Popery. By a True-Born Englishman, or, the Little English Carpenter. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Cooke.

A great part of this pamphlet is taken from a book, lately published, entitled, England's Bloody Tribunal, or an Antidote against Popery; and the whole is only calculated for the lowest class of readers.

40. A Warning against Popish Doctrines: or, Obfervations on the Reverend Mr. Thomas Broughton's Defence of an Inherent Immortality in Man; fhewing it to be a Doctrine of Human Invention, and adopted by the Romish Church, as the Foundation of ber Idolatrous Worship, and the true Root from which all the great Corruptions in the Chriftian Church have jprung, and diametrically oppofite to the Chriftian Religion, which teaches the Reftoration of Life to Man by Jefus Chrift. With a Proposal, fubmitted to the Confideration of the Legislative Power, for a Law that may more effectually prevent the Progress of Popery. 8vo. Pr. 1. Johnfon.

In this performance the author endeavours to prove and illuftrate the following propofitions:

PROP. I. That no one of these four remarkable and ftriking paffages of the New Teftament exhibited by Mr. Broughton, to prove man compofed of an immortal foul diftinct from the body, prove any fuch thing, but are improperly wrefted for that purpose.

• PROP. H. That what is called the human foul, is not (as by fome pretended) a distinct, immaterial, immortal being from the body, but conftitutes a part of the body, and, according to scripture and reafon, is generated with the body, and dies with it.

• PROP. III. That it is the Chriftian revelation only which hath certainly made known to the Gentile world, the great and joyful tidings of life and immortality; or, that the human

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race

race will from death be restored to life again by the resurrection, and become immortal by Jesus Christ.

PROP. IV. That the grave is the only receptacle or intermediate ftate, where all the human race are to fleep and reft till the refurrection and judgment.

PROP. V. That the immortality of what is called the human foul, is attended with unjuft, abfurd, and ridiculous confequences, and which alone are fufficient to prove the falfhood of that doctrine.'

We shall not enlarge on this article, as the author has advanced but little, that has not been frequently repeated, in the courfe of this controverfy. Some of the arguments he alleges are evidently fallacious; yet upon the whole he is no contemptible writer..

41. A Difcourfe concerning the Opinions and Errors of the Church of Rome. Preached in the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in York, on Sunday, March 8, 1767. By William Cooper, M. A. 410. Pr. Is. Becket.

This difcourfe, though fhort and fuperficial, bears the marks of ingenuity, The defign of it is to fhew, that the Roman, Like the ancient Jewish church, profeffedly retains a greater zeal for the forgeries of men, than the commands of God.

42. A Free Enquiry into the Meaning of the most excellent Name Jefus, fhewing the Teftimony it bears to the Nations, particularly to the Jews. By Henry Lee, LL. B. 8vo. Pr. 35. 6d. Rivington. This writer takes great pains to fhew, that the Greek name Jefus, is the immediate fubftitute of the Hebrew YWWT Jehofhua; that the word Jehofhua is. compounded of Jeb, the effence, and Ofbea, or Hofhua, the faviour, &c. This work is a compound of learning and jargon.

43. The Doctrines of the Trinity and Satisfaction, illustrated and confirmed. 8vo. Pr. 15. Wilkie.

In this treatife the author has produced feveral texts of scripture in defence of the articles mentioned in the title; but very few which have not been repeatedly urged by former writers.

The argument, however, on which he principally infifts, is as follows: The qualities with which God endowed the foul of man, were these three, viz. 'I. A will whereby he might be inclined or difpofed to action; 2. Wisdom or understanding, to dire and regulate him in it; 3. Power, whereby he might be enabled to put his will fo directed in execution. These three faculties, lie fays, bear a refemblance to the Trinity; the will correfponds to the Father, wildom or understanding to the Son,

and

and power to the Holy Ghoft, The fcriptures have afcribed these three properties peculiarly and diftinctly to the three perfons in the Trinity; and, therefore, we are juftified by the fcriptures in fuppofing, that the image of God, in which man was created, doth refide in thofe three faculties of the human foul, and that the image of God in man is an image of the Trinity. From whence he concludes, that the doctrine of the Trinity is the true doctrine concerning God.

They who can be fatisfied with arguments like these :nay have recourfe to this performance.

44. The Double Question difcuffed, in a Differtation on Jeremiah, Chap. xxxi. Ver. 29. Occafioned by Occafioned by a late Controversy about Childrens fuffering for the Crime of their Parents; and Idolatry being punished by the Judge, as mentioned Job xxi. 19. xxxi. 26, 27, 28. By John Brekell. 800. Pr. is. Buckland.

In this differtation Mr. Brekell difcuffes the following queftions; ft. Whether children's fuffering for the crimes of their parents; and 2d. Whether punishing idolatry by the Judge, were modes of punishment peculiar to the Jewish polity and conftitution. Both these questions he determines in the negative, and from thence infers, that the paffages in the book of Job, which allude to thofe modes of punishment, will not bear all the ftrefs that has been laid upon them, to disprove the high antiquity of that book, and to fink its date below the time of Mofes.

The threatening in the decalogue, to vifit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation, he fuppofes to have been executed upon the Jews in the time of their seventy years captivity; particularly as a punishment of their idolatry. This, he thinks, might naturally cause them to say at that time, The fathers have eaten a four grape, and the `children's teeth are fet on edge; and the prophets who foretold the return of the Jews from their captivity, and probably their recovery from the fin of idolatry, the principal caufe of that divine judgment, might with the greateft propriety declare, in that particular and precise view, that they should not have accafian any more to use this proverb in Ifrael; because the ground of that common complaint against them, in their captive state, would be then removed.

He farther obferves, that this account of the matter is not only much favoured, but greatly confirmed by the manner in which the prophet Jeremiah introduces the fame declaration. For having foretold the restoration of the Jews, he immediately adds, In THOSE DAYS they shall fay no more, the fathers have eaten a four grape, and the children's teeth are set on edgt. If this be the true import of thefe words, as it very pro bably

Hb 4

bably is, the inferences, which have been drawn from hence to fupport a particular hypothefis, are without foundation.

That the fuffering of children for the fins of their parents was not a mode of punishment peculiar to the Jewish polity, but took place under other conftitutions, is proved by this writer from the following paffages in Cicero. "Videtur illud effe crudele, quod ad liberos, qui nihil meruerunt, pœna pervenit. Sed id antiquum eft, & omnium civitatum." Epift. 15. ad Brutum " Nec vero me fugit, quam fit acerbum, parentum fcelera filiorum pœnis lui. Sed hoc præclarè legibus comparatum eft, ut charitas liberórum amiciores parentes reipublicæ redderet." Ep. 11.

With regard to the fecond queftion the author endeavours to prove, that idolatry was punished or punishable by the judge, in the time of the patriarchs. His arguments on this topic are plaufible, and propofed with modefty and candor.

45. The Importance of the Word of God. Being the Subftance of Two Sermons, lately preached in the Parish Church of St. George, Gloucestershire, by Richard Hart, Vicar, A. M. 8vo. Pr. 25. Fletcher.

In order to evince the importance of the word of God, this writer endeavours to prove, that it is the only ftandard and repofitory of true wifdom; the only means of awakening a carelefs finner; the only foundation of hope towards God for a guilty confcience; the only principle of holiness both in heart and life; the only fource of fpiritual comfort, reft, and joy;

the channel of divine ftrength' against all the affaults of the enemy, and efpecially in the hour of death; the feed of eternal life, in all those who hearken to its voice; and the cause of eternal torment to all thofe who difregard it.

There is great piety, but an air of enthusiasm, in this performance.

46. Another High Road to Hell. An Effay on the pernicious Nature and deftructive Effects of the Modern Entertainments from the Pulpit, c. 8vo. Pr. is. Vernor and Chater.

The author of this pamphlet undertakes to prove, 1. That there is a devout way of going to hell, which he illuftrates by the example of the Pharifees: 2. That the doctrines ufually delivered from the pulpit are calculated to lead men into perdition, by teaching them to depend on their own righteousness for falvation.

This piece appears to have been written in oppofition to a late invective against the stage. But the author fhews very little ingenuity in the fupport of his argument.

ERRATA.

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