orthodox, ought to be diftinctly mentioned. The reafon I mean is this one principal part of the controverfy, which gave birth to the Athanafian Creed, is now generally and very happily forgot, viz. the errors of Sabellius :-there being few at this day that ever heard. of his name, and fewer ftill, who have a clear conception of his fingular notions and opinions. And yet the creed itself can never be properly understood, till thefe tenets, by being previously known are contrafted with their oppofite extremes. For all thofe ftriking antithefes, which to ignorant, or to prejudiced minds appear like fo many paradoxes or contraditions, will be found to be nothing more, when truly understood, than fo many cautions or prefervatives against falling into the errors of Sabellius on one fide, or into those of Arius on the other. Now as the Nicene Creed was particularly intended as an antidote against Arianifm, and as Sabellianifm is utterly unknown to our common congregations, reafon good it feems to be, that a creed which was intended to guard against both extremes at the fame time, and by the fame context, ought to be laid afide, when there is only one of these errors now remaining :-efpecially as that one is already as well guarded against as human prudence can devife. For undoubted fact it is, that that Arian, whofe confcience can digeft the Nicene Creed, will make no fcruples at fwallowing the Athanafian. Laftly, we will alfo allow, that the great principles both of natural and revealed religion, might have been expreffed in a more methodical manner, and with greater precifion, than they are expreffed in our prefent Thirty-nine Articles:-alfo, that a new fet of first leffons might have been more judiciously chofen out of the Old Teftament than the prefent are:-that fome ufeful abbreviations might be made in our liturgy; and fome expreffions altered and amended. All these things every candid and impartial man will readily allow; and he would be glad to lend an helping hand, as far as his abilities and influence extended, towards removing these few real blemishes, spots, and imperfections, when a proper opportunity fhall offer.

But nevertheless, be it duly, and folemnly obferved, that IM-` PROVING,--and DESTROYING, are very different things: and that the man, or the fet of men, who would gladly engage in the one, would not wish to appear to give the leaft countenance to the other. Therefore fuch men will chearfully fubmit to the prefent inconveniences, were they greater than they are, rather than be the co-adjutors, and fellow-labourers, in fuch a deftructive defign as yours feems to be.

As to the cafe of thofe young gentlemen, who are to be matriculated in our two univerfities of Oxford, and Cambridge, and alfo of all perfons commencing graduates, either in arts, law, phyfic, or mufic; there doth not appear any firict propriety, in the reafon of things, for requiring their fubfcriptions. And therefore, were they to be permitted to be on the fame footing with the reft of our laycongregations, or with the members of universities in other countries, I do not fee, I muft ingenuously confefs, any danger that would attend their non-fubfcribing. Confequently, as fome of them wish to be delivered from an injunction which they fay is grievous to them, and which I allow is not neceffary;-let them in the name of cha

rity,

xity, and good-will,-and more especially let the minifters of diffenting congregations, if they will chufe to apply, be heartily wished a good deliverance from the burden of our fubfcriptions.'

We believe that Dr. Tucker has had the honour (for fuch he will undoubtedly think it) of contributing more effectually to the illfuccefs of the clerical petitioners, than any other writer against them. We hope, too, that he will have the much fuperior honour, in our eftimation, of promoting the abolition of fubfcriptions in the cafes he hath mentioned.

Art. 14. Letters to a Member of Parliament, in which the Defign of removing Subfcriptions to human Articles of Faith is viadicated, in Oppofition to Arch-Deacon Randolph's Charge, Mr. Toplady's Free Thoughts, and Dean Tucker's Apology. With a Card to Meffrs. Ibbefton and Powel. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 8vo. 2 S. Wilkie. 1772.

This Author has more than once paffed in review before us; and we have always spoken of him in terms of warm approbation. Clear, concife, and elegant in his ftyle, judicious and liberal in his fentiments, he cannot but be read with pleasure by every enlarged friend to religious liberty. After faying thus much concerning him, it is but a small encomium to add, that he has obtained a complete vic-, tory over Dr. Randolph and Mr. Toplady. We could gladly transcribe several fenfible and fpirited paffages from his performance; but we shall content ourselves with the conclufion of the last letter. But is Religion fo far the daughter of Time, as to be fufceptible of daily improvements? The question, perhaps, may be amended.. It should have been asked, whether the knowledge of mankind in the theory of religion is not fufceptible of daily improvement? To fuch a queftion I cannot hesitate to anfwer, Yes. Such knowledge includes a variety of Languages, an extenfive acquaintance with Hitory, Geography, Chronology, and is indeed connected with every art and science under, heaven. What period then fhall we fix to its progrefs?

Had it been poffible to communicate religion, at a fingle glance, to fuch a creature as Man, fo as to leave no interefting enquiries to exercise his mind, it would have proved fatal to his virtue, the end, and effence of all religion. For, though conviction might at firft have been the confequence of fuch communication, yet this conviction would have become weaker and weaker in each fucceeding generation, for want of those new and fucceffive difcoveries, which now fix the attention and raise the admiration of mankind.

We are all exquifitely fenfible of pleasure in the discovery of Truth; but the heart warms and expands in a peculiar manner, when, after clofe attention to the oracles of God, we hear them more audibly than before, in confequence of a new language acquired, or any other difcovery made, in the moral or the natural world.

And therefore the wifdom and benevolence of God have been justly traced in the fucceffive difcoveries of himself to mankind, in all which the quantity of communicated light has been admirably adapted to the eyes which were to receive it. Christianity itself, the last, bet gift of Heaven, though long communicated, and at the fitteft feason, contains prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and beauties yet

1

to be discovered. In this difcovery it is our duty, and our intereft to labour:. yet Mr. Toplady would put an unnatural ftop to our improvement, and fix us for ever in the Divinity of an age, the diftance of which from the prefent, bears a confiderable proportion to the time elapfed fince the birth of Chrift.

I am of an opinion, so oppofite to this, that I wish to fee every Gentleman, whofe fortune can purchafe leifure, afferting his right to investigate the Scriptures, with a view to the improvement of our religious Theory. The enquiry would help his morals, and his improved morals would affift the enquiry.

• That fome order of men fhould be fet apart, exprefsly, to fearch into and teach Chriftianity, is I believe effentially neceffary in the prefent ftate of fociety. But that they only fhould do this, that it fhould be left to them as exclufive property, is pernicious in every view of its confequences. The people, in fuch a cafe, are liable to be abufed by falfe reprefentations of their religion; the Clergy themfelves are deprived of a strong incentive to excellence; and fome of the moft laborious and fuccefsful enquirers into truth may be mifreprefented by their bigotted brethren to their ignorant fuperiors, by which a heavy clog is fixed to every fcheme of reformation.

I am firmly perfuaded, that when our Articles are put into your hands, many, very many members of your honourable houfe, will be difgufted at their contents. Yet, perhaps, a well-inftructed Prieft, with his palliatives, diftinctions, and quibbles, may raife a mift about them, not eafily to be diffipated; in which ftate, that old argument will be produced which would have fuppreffed Christianity, would have ftopped the Reformation, and would defer every great undertaking to eternity-the danger of innovation.

But, if there be any danger, it must arife from a continuance of dur prefent forms. A man must be blind if he do not fee the rapid improvements of the human mind which are yearly making.

If the religious theory of this country be not adequately improved, it will, it muft fink into contempt; and that contempt will, too probably, be extended to Chriftianity itself; for, fenfe enough to fee ftriking error is not always accompanied with refolution enough to purfue real truth. The theory of religion is no lefs complex a fubject than the theory of government; reflect then upon the itate of government, as having liberty for its object, at the time thefe articles were publifhed, and you will be a judge of our religious forms, as having truth for their object at the prefent time.

The improvement of which our clergy have partaken in common with the nation, has led them to drop, if not to oppofe, the articles. They have become filent upon the defined points of fpeculation, and they have loft their popularity. The Methodists are followed by the people, and they boaft, not without reafon, that we are all Methodifts by profeffion.

This may be denied; but, will it not be at the expence of that fimplicity which marks the gofpel-character? I know the power of quibbling-but how fatal the neceffity which compells us to look like enthufiafts or prevaricators!

If then the clergy be confidered as an afeful body of men; if they are not to be degraded, the articles must be repealed;

if religion be worth the care of Government, the articles must be repealed. All human good may have its inconvenience; yet Wisdom will not reject the good because of inconvenience, trifling, future, and perhaps imaginary; but will exert itself in providing a remedy against it.'

Dr. Tucker's apology is only occafionally confidered in the prefent work, a more complete attention to it being promifed hereafter. Art. 15. A fcriptural Comment on the Thirty-nine Articles, &c. By M. Madan, A. B. Chaplain to the Right Hon. Henry Lord Apfley, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, and to the LockHospital. 8vo. 1.s. 6d. Rivington.

With refpect to the comment here offered to the public, it is fufficient to say, that the Author hath thrown together a number of scripture paffages, for the most part without judgment, order, or regard to their true connection and real meaning; but the preface and appendix are too extraordinary to pass unnoticed.

To affert that it would be difficult to find a more complete union of ignorance and bigotry, is expreffing ourfelves in a cold and languid manner. We had fcarce a conception that any clergyman could poffibly have been infpired with fo antichriftian and diabolical a fpirit. With fhameless effrontery, Mr. Madan treats the petitioning clergy as a fet of infidels, who have formed themfelves into a public fociety to attack the Chriftian religion. He has retailed, from the London Evening Post, a story of Dr. Clarke's having retracted his notions concerning the Trinity, though the Dr.'s fon has publicly refuted that ftory; but the inferting of Mr. Clarke's advertisement would not have anfwered the pious purpofe of our Author.His attempt to prove that fubfcription ought to be exacted of diffenting teachers, and of the profeffors of law and phyfic, is, to the last degree, ridiculous.-Is it not aftonishing, that fuch a perfon fhould be able to entitle himself Chaplain to the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain? But enough of Mr. Madan-whofe abfurd reafonings, and intolerant principles, can only excite the contempt or indignation of every honest and liberal-minded man.

Art. 16. An Addrefs to the King, as Defender of the Faith; upon the intended Application to Parliament for Relief in the Matter of Ecclefiaftical Subscriptions. By a Member of the Eftablished Church. 8vo. 6d. Dilly.

We have here the ravings of an enthufiaft, who is as abfurd, and almost as bigotted as Mr. Madan; but happily does not feem poffeffed of a heart capable of the fame malignity.

Art. 17. A Letter to the Members of the House of Commons; respecting the Petition for Relief in the Matter of Subfcription. By a Chriftian Whig. 8vo. 1s. Bowyer.

It is with pleasure that we turn from fuch wretched performances, as those which are mentioned in the two preceding articles, to an Author of true good fenfe and genuine moderation. This letterwriter is not one of the petitioning clergy, nor does he approve of their mode of application. He thinks that the bishops have not, in the prefent struggle, been refpectfully treated; and that it has inju riously been taken for granted, that no bleffings could come from REV. Feb. 17720

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the bench, no reformation from the prelacy, no good out of Galilee. His arguments for the removal of Subfcription, and for a revision of the articles of the Church of England, are clear, judicious, and unanswerable. In fome points he seems to have carried his candour to an excefs that may be thought fcarce confiftent with an extensive knowledge of the world. But, perhaps, it was his real acquaintance with mankind which dictated to him, that no conceffions can be obtained from our fuperiors, unless they be treated with the utmost poffible deference and respect.

Art. 18. A fecond Letter to the Members of the Honourable House of Commons; relating to the Subfcription required of Graduates in the Univerfities. By a Christian Whig. 8vo. 6d. Bowyer.

The character we have given of the former, will, in general, fuit the prefent letter. Befides confidering the cafe of graduates in the univerfities, the Author hath added a pathetic addrefs to the bishops, on the subject of a farther reformation of the Church of England.

Notwithstanding the quotation from Puffendorf, we totally difagree with the Chriftian Whig in his vindication of a compliance with oaths and engagements which cannot poffibly be performed. The latitude he contends for, cannot, in our apprehenfion, be reconciled to any found principles of morality and jurifprudence. Art. 19. Arguments used for abolishing Subfcription to the Thirtynine Articles of the Church of England, by Act of Parliament, ferioufly confidered; and fome Reafons offered, that the Continuance of fuch Subfcription will be no Inconvenience to the Defigns of the Petitioners, for Relief in that Mattter. By Tremellins. 8vo. 6d. Evans.

An attempt at ironical wit; but Mr. Tremellins will never rank with Swift, or even with fome of Swift's humble imitators. Art. 20. A full Refutation of the Reasons advanced in Defence of the Petition, which is intended to be offered to Parliament by fome of the Clergy, for the Abolition of Subfcription to the Articles, &c. By no Bigot to, nor againft, the Church of England. Svo. 6d. Baldwin.

An intelligent and judicious reader of this fuperficial pamphlet will smile at finding it entitled a full Refutation of the Reafons of the Petitioning Clergy. A talent for reafoning is not one of the principal qualifications of the prefent writer, and the abilities he is actually poffeffed of feem to be very much tinctured with arrogance and feif conceit. He has treated the arguments of the petitioners with great contempt, and yet he is himself no bigot to the Church of England, but wifhes, under the fanction of the bishops and dignitaries, to have the liturgy revifed and amended, and the number of the articles lefened.

Art. 21. Free Remarks on a Sermon entitled, The Requifition of Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England not inconfiftent with Chriftian Liberty. To which are prefixed, Reasons against Subfcribing a Petition to Par Hament for the Abolition of fuch Subfcription. In a Letter to the Author. By a Friend to religious Liberty. 8vo. I s. Johnfon. This performance contains a juft and fpirited cenfure of the intoferant principles advanced in the fermon referred to, intermixed with

many