thoroughly a Calvinist as ever was nurfed in the lap of Geneva in the days of Beza. The object of Mr. Overton is to prove that the doctrines of Calvin are exactly those of the Anglican Church; and he has adopted, the fame evidences and arguments in fupport of his pofition as were before alledged by Edwards and Toplady. There is nothing new in this book, except the manner in which it is drawn up, and in the ftyle of the author, the former being fpecious, and the latter moderate.

But he has found Mr. Pearfon an overmatch in every respect. We have already noticed the firft Letter of Mr. Pearson to the author of The True Churchman, on the foject of Juftification; and even from our extracts, it must strike every candid reader that he has clearly the advantage over Mr. Overton in argument, as well as in found theological knowledge. He now appears in the fame refpectable light as the combatant of Mr. Overton's main-ground, the Calvinifm of the Church of England.

The principal, if not the only fupport, on which this notion refts, is the private opinion of many of our early divines upon the doctrines in queftion. Certainly there can be no doubt that fome of our first reformers, and many confiderable members of our Church afterwards were predeftinarians of the Sublapfarian clafs; but when this is conceded, what does Calvinifim gain? Not that the Confeffion of the Church of England is Calvinific. On this point Mr. Pearfon juftly obferves, that

"The truth evidently is, that fome of our reformers were inclined to Calvinism, and others to Arminianifm; and the confequence, as might be expected, was, that neither Calvinifm nor Arminianifm was exclufively ettablished. To the Church of England is " fua opinio, fuus honor." Properly (peaking, he is not, in her doctrines, any more than in her difcipline, Calvinistic, Arminian, Romish, or Lutheran; but, combining the perfections of all thefe perfuafions, and avoiding their faults and defects, fhe ftands as diftinguished in a religious view, as the State to which he is allied, does in a political one. Though, therefore, it is natural enough, from the private opinions of individuals who were concerned in the Reformation, to form conjectures refpecting the opinions which were meant to be eftablished as the doctrines of the Church; and though to fuch conjectures, it may not be unreasonable to allow fome degree of probability, yet in vain muft ever be the attempt thence to ascertain those doctrines. This can be done no otherwife than by a fair interpretation of the Articles, &c. themfelves, in which the doctrines of the Church are profeffed to be delivered.”

Mr. Overton has brought forward the great name of HOOKER as his ally; but Mr. Pearfon has fatisfactorily proved that he has done this without any reafon. He has repelled quotation to quotation, and fully vindicated that judicious divine from the charge of Calvinifm. With one extract more from this excellent and convincing publication, we shall here close our review.

"Whether (fays Mr. Pearfon) Calvinists of the prefent day, who are profeffed members of the Church of England, would, if they had the power, effect an alteration in the Articles themfelves, I will not venture pofitively to affirm; but this I may fay, without fear of refutation, that, confiftently with obedience to the Royal Declaration which is prefixed to the Articles, and of which, I fuppofe, no one will deny the validity, the Articles cannot be afferted to be exclufively Calviniftic. The Arminians, who form the great body of the English Clergy, and of the English people, are, I believe, very well fatisfied with the Articles in their prefent ftate. I profefs at least for myfelf, who certainly am not a Calvinift, that, even with refpect to the Seventeenth Article, in which an Arminian might be fuppofed to find the most difficulty, I do not with for any alteration. My opinion, indeed, refpecting the fenfe of that Article, may not agree with that of many Calvinists; but then, I think, that its fenfe is by Calviniits often perverted. The Article, it Vol. III. Churchm, Mag. Nov. 1802. may

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may be observed, is fo cautiously drawn up, that it does not contain any pofitive affertion of the truth of predeftination; but after laying down a definition of the term, merely points out the circumftances, in which, whether true or falfe in itfelf, the application of the doctrine of predeftination will be productive of good or harm. When the doctrine of predeftination is applied to fuch "godly perfons" as the Article had in view; to thofe, who have long lived in the profeffion and practice of true religion; and who "having attained to the image of Jefus Chrift, walk religiously in good works," the application of it cannot do any harm. On the contrary, if duly tempered by humility, as, in fuch perfons, it will not fail to be, it is a ground of comfort, to which, by the promises of the Gofpel, they seem to be entitled, as the foretaste of that heavenly blifs, to which the religion of Chrift will eventually lead them. To fuch perfons a participation in the holy affurance of St. Paul that there is laid up for them a crown of righteoufnefs," is not to be denied. But when, as is frequently the cafe, this doctrine, from mistaken notions concerning the new birth, is applied to perfons, who are lately turned from a carelefs or wicked life, and who have made fome (let us fay fome fincere) refolutions of living better for the future, the application of it is in itself prefumptuous and impious, and the probable effects of it extremely dangerous."

There are fome other pieces of this firm, judicious, and temperate writer, before us, to which we shall pay due attention in our next.

W.

By the

A Sermon, preached in the Parish Church of Walfall, in the County of Stafford, at the Archdeacon's Vifitation, August 12, 1802. Rev. EDWARD COOPER, Rector of Iamftall Ridware. 8vo. pp. 30. THI HIS is a very seasonable and impreffive difcourfe upon that suitable text 1 Tim. iv. 16.-" Take heed unto thyself, and unto thy doctrine; continue in them for in doing this, thou fhalt both fave thyself, and them that hear thee."

The preacher judicioufly obferves, that in a zeal to oppofe deftructive tenets, we are in a danger of being carried into a contrary extreme. He therefore preffes upon his auditory to maintain the great fundamentals of Chriftian doctrine in their Scriptural purity, at the fame time that they guard their flocks against the enthufiaftic abuses of them. Thus, for inftance, he states and pleads for those two effential doctrines of the gofpel— "Juftification by Faith alone," and " the Renewal of the Heart to Holinefs by the Spirit of God." But while he does this, he expofes in strong terms the Antinomian herefy, and the pernicious doctrines of " momentary converfion, and fenfible impulfes of the Spirit." This Sermon has afforded us great pleasure, and does credit not only to the author, but to the Archdeacon and Clergy who requested its publication.

W.

Eight Difcourfes on the Connection between the Old and New Teftament, confidered as Two Parts of the fame Divine Revelation; and demonftrative of the Great Doctrine of Atonement: accompanied with a Preliminary Difcourfe, respectfully addreffed to the Younger Clergy: containing Some Remarks on the late Profeffor CAMPBELL'S Ecclefiaftical History. By the Rev. CHARLES DAUBENY, L. L. B. Fellow of Winchester College, Minifter of Chrift's Church, Bath, and Author of "A Guide to the Church." London, 1802. SURROUNDED as the Church of England is at this time by her open enemies, protected as fhe is by the indifference of her real friends, and

wounded

1

wounded as she continues to be by thofe of her own communion, who call themselves her obedient fons, but whofe chief business it is to destroy her unity; we cannot but hail, with pleasure and gratitude, the efforts of this Champion of her Apoftolic Inftitution, to open the eyes of those who have been led aftray by the craft of artful and defigning men, and to develope the causes which have given rife to opinions, as dangerous to her peace, as fubverfive of the fundamental doctrines of Chriftianity.

This Volume opens with the "Preliminary Difcourfe," mentioned in the title page, and as it contains matter of importance, relating, not only to the fubftance of the Chriftian Faith, but the divine right of Epifcopacy, prefumptuously and ignorantly attacked by a late profeffor in the Scotch Kirk; we think it our duty to fpeak of it at full length, and to fubmit to our readers an analysis of the whole.

After fome general obfervations upon diverfity of opinion which prevails on religion, and fome pertinent remarks on that loofe fyftem of morality, which has, for fome time paft, been gaining ground among a class of mankind, from whom a better line of conduct might have been expected; after noticing the zealous exertions of "thofe, falfely called Philofophers;" fuch as Hume, who confeffed that he had never read the New Teftament with attention; and we may add fuch as Voltaire, Godwin, and Payne, who perverted what they had read, for the purpose "of introducing baseless theories, which are the misfhaped creatures of their own ungoverned fancy"-the Reverend Author rightly concludes:"Hence have we to lament, that disregard for received opinions, and that contempt for established inftitutions, which have by degrees generated that loose fyftem of morality, and that general indifference for religion, which it will require the wifdom and exertion, both of the ftatef man and divine, effectually to counteract."

To counteract this evil, Mr. D. then proceeds to trace it up to its fource." Heathenifm was originally built on the corruption of Revelation. And by the neglect of that divine fource of illumination, many Chriftians have fallen, and are continually falling back into a fimilar ftate of spiritual darkness. In both cafes, the vain imagination of foolish man has fuperfeded the infallible standard of religious truth: and the effect, in both cafes, has not failed to correspond with the cause."

He then lays down as a primary truth, that, " on fpiritual fubjects, nothing can be discovered by the light of unaflifted reafon. Confequently" that, "to every wife man, opinions, however plaufible and ingenious, will afford but a poor compenfation for any deviation from the standard of Divine Truth."-This however does not make, in the least, against the utility of rational criticism. But rational criticiim muft proceed 66 on this acknowledged principle; that what has been revealed must be true; and confequently, that no defect of comprehenfion on our parts, can justify an argument against the clear Letter of Scripture."--Hence the fcience of divinity is greatly indebted to " that talent for clofe reasoning and critical investigation, which diftinguishes the writings of fome modern divines; and renders them hardly lefs ferviceable to the caufe of Chriftianity, than the pious, learned, and unwearied labours of its more early profeffors."

The learned Author then remarks upon "the excellencies for which the writings of the primitive fathers of the Church are particularly diftinguished.They were plain, fimple, and convincing." As human learning was introduced into the fcience of theology, it was accompanied by Philofophical refearches, metaphyfical fubtleties, and vain reafon

66

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ings."

ings."-Hence the mixture of Heathenifm and Chriftian ideas, and in the courfe of time, of a fyftem of a mixed and heterogeneous quality.Hence, for the fake of indulging fanciful fpeculation and fpecious improvements in the fcience of divinity, many ingenious and learned men have unguardedly and unadvifedly been tempted to leave the plain beaten road, and indulge themfelves in "their own peculiar notions, for a more liberal display of their own particular attainments." In confirmation of this reafoning, he refers to the "ancient commentators in general," who, in their mode of interpreting feripture, confined themselves" to the ob vious fenfe of the paffage under confideration." And to exemplify the departure from fo excellent a plan, he instances among the moderns, that fingularly able man, the late Bishop Warburton, who " prefented the world with an ill-digefted mafs of heathen learning, which, by a vigour of intellect peculiarly characteristic, he had industriously brought together, for the purpofe of proving that the Jews, the chofen people of God, were really lets informed, with refpect to the fpiritual concerns of life, than the moft idolatrous nations that furrounded them."

(To be continued.)

LIST OF BOOKS IN DIVINITY.

THE Anniversary Sermon of the Royal Humane Society, preached at Grofvenor Chapel, April 4, and with local alterations, at Holyrood, Southampton, June 20; and at St. Helier's, in the lfland of Jerfey, July 18, 18cz, by R. Valpy, D. D. F. R. S. Rector of Stradifhall, Suffolk, and Mafter of Reading School: to which is added, an Appendix of Mifcellaneous Obfervations on Refufcitation, by the Society. pp. 68. IS. 6d.

The Hiftory of the Effects of Religion on Mankind, in Countries Ancient and Modern, Barbarous and Civilized, by the Rev. Edward Ryan, D. D. Vicar of Donoghmore, the fecond edition. Svo.

The English Harmony of the Four Evangelifts, generally difpofed after the manner of the Greek of William Newcome, Archbishop of Armagh; with a Map of Palatine, divided according to the Twelve Tribes, Explanatory Notes and Indexes. 8vo. pp. 476. 7s. 6d. in boards.

An Abridgement of the Lord Bishop of Lincoln's Elements of Chriftian Theology for the ufe of Families; containing proofs of the authenticity and infpiration of the Holy Scriptures a Summary of the Hiftory of the Jews-A Brief Statement of the Contents of the feveral Books of the Old and New Teftament--a Short Account of the English Tranflations of the Bible, and of the Liturgy;

and a Scriptural Expofition of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, by the Rev. Samuel Clapham, M. A. Vicar of Chrift Church, Hampshire, and of Great Oufeborne. pp. 707. Os. In boards.

Chriftian Benevolence Enforced, in a Sermon preached in the Parish Church of St. Martin, Leicefter, on Sunday October 3, 1802, by Edward Thomas Vaughan, M. A. Vicar of St. Martin's and All Saints, in Leicefter. pp. 31. 15.

The Neceflity of Future Gratitude and Circumfpection, to prove a due Senfe of paft Mercies, a Sermon, preached on Tuesday the 1ft of June, 1802, being the day appointed by Royal Authority for a General Thankfgiving to Almighty God for the return of Peace, by the Rev. Sir Adam Gordon Bart, M. A. Rector of Weft Tilbury. Effex, and Prebendary of Briftol. pp. 41.

A Sermon preached in Lambeth Cha. pel, on Sunday the 27th of June, 1802, at the Confecration of the Right Rev. G. Ifaac Huntingford, D. D, Lord Bishop of Gloucester, by the Rev. William Harley, M. A. Fellow of Winchester College; publifhed by command of the Archbishop. 4to. pp. 22. 1s. 6d.

Sermons on various Subjects, preached at the Octagon Chapel, Bath, by the Rev. J. Gardiner, D. D. Rector of Brailsford, and Vicar of Shirley, in the County of Derby. 8vo. 8s.

A Sermon on the Superintendence of Providence difcernable in the Calamitous events of the late War; preached in the Chapel of the British Factory, July 10, 1802. on occafion of the Peace, by the Rev. L. P. Pett, A. M. late Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford.

Notes on the Bible, by the late Rev.
Charles

Charles Bulkeley, publifhed from the Author's Manufcripts, with Memoirs of the Author and his Works. by Jo

fhua Toulmin, D. D. 3 vols. 8vo. 11.7 in boards.

MONTHLY OBITUARY, WITH ANECDOTES OF DISTINGUISHED

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PERSONS.

On Thursday, Oct. 23, at his friend Mr. Shearing's, of Packfield-house, in Norfolk, Mr. John Slack, of Henny Farm, in Soham, Cambridgeshire, leaving a difconfolate widow and nine children, to bewail the lofs of an excellent hufband and parent. His remains were on Monday laft conveyed for interment to Soman; the corpfe was met at Mildenhall, by a numerous train of lament

defirous of teftifying their laft tribute of refpect to the memory of a moft worthy

man.

A few days fince died, the Rev. N. Walter, rector of Bergh Apton, in Norfolk.

08.27.] ON Wednesday laft, of an inflammation of the lungs, at Bristol, whither he went for the recoveof his health, Dr. Hunter, in the 64th year of his age, Mnifter of the Scotch Church, London-Wall. Few men have by their death occafioned a greater degree of regret among a more numerous circle of acquaintance; and there are many indeed who will be gratified to learn a few particulars of a character fo generallying friends and neighbours, who were efteemed, and fo fincerely lamented. Dr. Hunter was firft one of the Minifters of Leith, in Scotland; but his popular talents foon pointed him out as a defirable paftor to the prefbyterian congregation at London-wall. He accepted an offer which they made him, and fince that time he has continued for the space of thirty one years to prefide over this charge with undiminished popularity. In the capital he found a method of dif playing other talents; and a number of literary productions which he offered to the public were all received with favour. His principal original work is the Sacred Biography, a feries of Difcourfes on the Lives of the Patriarchs, which he happily delivered to his congregation. His Tranflation of "P. Prefe's Studies of Nature," has been univerfally read.Sonini's Travels is another work which he published in an English drefs, with equal fuccefs; and feveral other French writers owe their reputation in this country to his pen. But perhaps the most fplendid work of this nature which he executed, is the large work of Lavater.

Nov. 6.] Yefterday morning, aged 67, the Rev. Dr. Burrough, Senior Fellow of Magdalen College, in this Univerfity.

Yefterday, aged 64, Mr. Ifaac Grundon, porter of Queen's College, to which fituation he was appointed on the 4th of November 1766.

Yefterday fe'nnight, the Rev. Stebbing Shaw, Fellow of Queen's College, rector of Hartfhorn in Derbyshire, and author of the Hiftory and Antiquities of the County of Stafford: B. A. 1784; M. A. 1787; B. D. 1796.

On Tuefday fe'nnight, at Attleburgh, the Rev. John Fairfax Francklin, rector of that parifh, and of Earfham, both in Norfolk, and formerly of Emmanuel College; B. A. 1764, M.A. 1767.

Nov. 13.] On Sunday morning, at his houfe in Wifbech, in the 47th year of his age, the Rev. Wm. Walker, rector of Terrington, in the county of Norfolk, and one of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace for the Ifle of Ely.

On the 28th of Auguft, at Malta, in the 69th year of his age, greatly regretted, Thomas Wilfon, Efq. Captain of his Majefty's fhip Expedition, and of Pinchbeck in the county of Lincoln.

Lately at Chatteris, aged 58, Mrs. Merry, wife of Mr. Thomas Merry, farmer of that place: fhe was an affectionate wife; to thofe who had the plea fure of her acquaintance a fincere friend, and to the poor in general a kind bencfactress.

Monday fe'nnight, greatly refpected, aged 88, John Lock, gent. of Milden

hall.

Lately at Jamaica, Lieut. Samuel Le Grice, (fecond fon of the late Rev. Charles Le Grice, of Bury) formerly of Trinity college; refpected at college as a fcholar, and in the army as a foldier.

Lately at Lynn, in his 9cth year, Mr. Ephraim Burton, the oldeft fhip-mafter belonging to that port.

On Monday, after a fhort illness, in the college at Ely, Mrs. Underwood, wife of the Rev. Mr. Underwood, one of the Prebends of Ely, and daughter of the Rev. Dr. Knowles.

Lately at Oundle, in Northamptonfhire, Mr. Richard Todd, attorney at law. Tuefday fe'nnight at Lynn, Mifs Nelfon.

On