a few months.-May it do good to an extent equal to the aim and wishes of its Author!

After an Introduction in which Mr. W. offers a modest apology for the prefent work, the first chapter expofes the "inadequate conceptions" commonly entertained" of the importance of Chriftianity:" he then confiders, in the fecond chapter, the "original corruption of human nature," as the true fource of fuch inadequate ideas, and of all the irreligion and immorality among us.

Chap. III. fhews the "chief defects of the religious fyftem of the bulk "of profeffing Chriftians, in what regards our Lord Jefus Chrift and the "Holy Spirit." This is followed with a judicious and interesting "dil"fertation corcerning the ufe of the paffions in religion."

The next chapter confiders "the prevailing conceptions concerning the "nature and strictness of practical Christianity." Chriftianity (he obferves) enjoins perfect morals and univerfal holiness, whilft the bulk of nominal Chriftians are (alas!) idle and diffipated-votaries of pleasure and parade-flaves to wealth and ambition, and other criminal purfuits. He thews the error of fubftituting external actions for mental habits-of negJecting to cultivate the christian tempers, and the mifemployment of the Sabbath. Mr. W. examines the defire of applaufe as a motive of human action, contrafts it with the evangelical maxim of studying to pleafe God, and takes occafion, in very forcible language, to condemn the horrid practice of duelling. He cenfures, with a juft afperity, the dangerous tendency of fome modern fentimental writings, and expofes the abfurdity of confidering the ftage as "a fchool of morals" to mankind.-This long and important chapter concludes with an animated application of the apoftolic maxim of looking unto Jefus, to all the circumftances of the chriftian life.

Chap. V. fhews the excellence of Christianity in certain important "particulars:" with "the argument which refolts from thence in proof of its divine origin." The excellencies here referred to are-the harmony of its precepts and doctrines, and their mutual connection and dependance upon each other-the value it fets on moral, in preference to intellectual, attainments-and the intrinfic excellence of the christian virtues.

The following chapter contains "a brief enquiry into the prefent ftate of Chriftianity in this country, with fome of the caules which have led to "its critical circumftances-its importance to us as a political community "and practical hints for which the foregoing confiderations give oc

Chap. VII. and laft offers farther " practical hints to various defcriptions of perfons" in the different ages and ranks of life, and of both fexes. A particular section is devoted to fccptics and unitarians, which the author perfifts in claffing together; confidering Socinianifm as only a kind of half-way houfe" between truth and infidelity: a "ftage on the

journey, where fometimes, indeed, a perfon finally ftops, but where, not "unfrequently, he only paufes awhile, and then purfues his journey." In the clofe of the whole Mr. W. confiders our moral depravity as the fource of all political misfortunes, and entertains no hopes of the falvation of his country, but from the prayers of God's people, the repentance of others, and the gracious interpofition of Divine Providence.

Upon the whole, we confider this as a valuable publication. The style, though diffufive, is eloquent and pleafing; the argumentation generally conclufive; and we are not willing to leffen its general effect by pointing, out blemishes ncidental to all human compofitions.

A Letter

A Letter to W. Wilberforce, Efq. on the Inconfifiency of his public Conduct, occafioned by his late Publication. By Gilbert Wakefield, B.A. 2s. Kearfley.

A WEAK attempt of an angry writer to deaden the effect of the preceding work, by an attack on the author's political principles and conduct. Mr. W. always commands a copious flow of learned and acrimonious terms; but his general argument is obviously inconclufive. Suppofing. Mr. Wilberforce to be mistaken in his political views, cannot militate against his religious opinions, any more than it would prove a man defective in mathematics, becaufe he cannot write good poetry. A Word of gentle Amonition to Mr. G. Wakefield, occafioned by his Letter to W. Wilberforce, Efq. on the Subject of his late Publication. By J. Watkins, L. L. D. Is. Cawthorne.

DR. W. very fufficiently expofes the miftakes of the laft writer, and ably defends several of the principles he had attacked, with folid feripture proofs; but we are forry to fee in his temper and ipirit more refemblance to that of Mr. Wakefield, than Mr. Wilberforce; and that the Dr. also wanders into political fpeculation, which we conceive cannot be kept too distinct from theological enquiries.

An Apology for Human Nature. By the late Rev. and learned Charles Bulkeley. With a prefatory Addrefs to W. Wilberforce, Efq. by John Evans, A. M. 2s. 6d. Johnson.

THOUGH we would not deny this tract, as a compofition, the praise of neatness and perfpicuity, we obferve with regret that it is the vehicle of dangerous error. For here we are informed that mankind at prefent are made, as our first parents were, in the moral image of God-that virtue is as natural to us as reafon-that death is to be imputed, not to one man's tranfgreffion, but to the general finfulness of the world. Were we framing a reply inftead of a review, we could undertake to prove, that while fome of the ftrongest fcriptural objections to our author's fyftem are left unnoticed, thofe which he has introduced are feebly combated; and we present the following quotation from p. 89, as a fpecimen of our author's biblical erudition. No man can come unto me, unless the Father who bath fent "me draw him.-the meaning of which declaration I fuppofe to be this"That no man can have a jutt relifh for the excellent truths and fublime "views of chriftianity, unless he be in fome measure influenced by thofe “ natural principles of religion and virtue which have been implanted in "the heart of men by the fupreme Father of all intelligent creatures ! ! !”

This doctrine the author confiders as "the only natural foundation for "any hope of fuccefs, in our efforts after virtue and goodness-" the very "ground work of that virtuous temper" which belongs to christianitythe only fource of comfort here, or immortality hereafter.

Another expofition no lefs extraordinary appears in p. 103 and fequel, on fome parts of St. Paul's Epiftle to the Romans; as when he fays, "By one man fin entered into the world;” “Mr. B. thinks he can farely

mean no more than that this one man (meaning Adam) as he was the "first offender, became likewife the first victim of death, the first instance "of human mortality." But if any regard be due to the Book of Genefis, Adam was not the first victim of death, but Abel; and we should have thought our learned author, or his learned editor might have recollected this. Nor can Abel be reafonably fuppofed' the only perfon, perhaps by thoufands, who died during the firft 930 years, which was the length of the life of Adam. Now as one error feldom fubfifts alone, fo the denial of

Our

our fall in Adam fets afide the doctrine of the atonement: For Mr. B. cannot conceive how any man can be made righteous by the obedience

of Chrift, otherwife than in confequence of the moral influence which "the knowledge of his obedience, and of the doctrine it was intended to "confirm, must have upon their minds." (p. 107) So that as far as we can comprehend, our author's meaning, the whole that is faid of the two Adams amounts to this; that as the former was the first who finned and died, the latter was the firft that obeyed and lived immortally!! and that as all men became finners through the bad example of our firft father; fo through Jefus Chrift fome part of them (namely those who hear of it) may, if they please, become righteous by the example of Jefus Chrift-and this is what fome men call the gospel !!!

The Editor of this pamphlet fubfcribes moft cordially to its doctrines, admires its argument, and in a prefatory addrefs to Mr. Wilberforce, most ftrongly recommends it to his attention. Let him not, however, be difappointed, if Mr. W. and a few other incorrigibles, fhould still retain oldfafhioned tenets, and deem the labours both of author and of editor, nugatory and pernicious. There is a volume, whofe authority, in our opinion, is not yet destroyed, which informs us, that we all had our con"verfation in times pait among the children of difobedience, and were by "nature the children of wrath even as others”—that we are" redeemed "by the precious blood of Chrift"---that "that which is born of the flesh is flesh"--and that "except a man be born again, he cannot enter the "kingdom of God.". -If we have any claim to difcernment, fuch declarations are virtually oppofed by the whole tenour of the Apology, and the Addrefs which introduces it.-And if this be the tendency of modern candour, we neither have, nor profefs, any alliance with it-Evangelical charity has far other characteristics, and by one of them we are urged to expose these false pretensions, and these dangerous dogmas, which, advancing behind the veil of candour and rational religion, aim a death-blow at zeal, contrition, veneration for the bible, and every thing facred in the estimation of an humble believer in Jefus Chrift.

A Difcourfe on the nature of a Chriftián Church, by the Rev. T. Saunders; a Charge by the Rev. J. Brewer; and a Sermon by the Rev. J. Moody: with a Confeffion of Faith, delivered March 1, 1797, at the public feparation of the Rev. T. Gardner to the paftoral office in the Independent church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Coventry, printed. Sold by Button, &c. London. Price 18. 42 pages. Mr. SAUNDERS's difcourfe is well adapted to the occafion on which it was delivered; but we do not think him fortunate in his choice of the text, Acts xiv. 23. upon which it was defigned to be founded. In whatever fenfe the verb Cheirotoneo, to ordain, fhould be understood, it appears there to mean fomething which was done, not by the members of the churches, but by the fame person who had confirmed the fouls of the difciples, &c. ver. 22.

The folemn fubject, and empaffioned addrefs of Mr. Brewer's charge, from Ezekiel xxxiii. 8. we doubt not, rendered it ftrongly impreflive; and a few inaccuracies of expreffion may well be excused on the account. Mr. Moody's Sermon to the Church on Phillipians ii. 29. contains profitable and pointed advice. Mr. Gardner's Confeflion of Faith is clear, and fatisfactory; and we doubt not, the whole of the fervices will gratify, by the perufal, many befide the perfons who heard them, or who are immediately interested in this occafion.

POETRY.

All ranks have funk in ruthlefs Death's NOW hoary Time his glass turns down,