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ultimate object of the Christian religion in general, and in particular of the death and refurrection of our Saviour. Whatever he might, have declared or tranfacted while living, and how warmly foever he might have appeared to have been interested in the fuccefs of his doctrines, yet he could not have given fatisfactory proof even of his own. belief of a future immortal ftate, unless he had actually died in the full expectation of it. And after all, it would have wanted the certainty of a matter of fact to us, if he had not fulfilled his own prediction by riting from the dead. His death was an evidence of his own firm perfuafion of the truths which he preached his refurrection confirmed them as truths to us; he was convinced of them, and therefore died; he rofe from the grave that we might believe. Hence we fee the reason and propriety of the apostle's triumph: It is Chrift that died; yea rather that is rifen again.' q. d. We glory in his death as the great facrifice of the world; but we raise our fongs to a greater height, when we contemplate on his refurrection. This attefted the efficacy of his death, and gave the cross all its merit; this difpels all the horrors of the grave, and brings life and immortality to light.' *** An enthusiast might die with exultation in the belief of the moft extravagant follies; and the pride of an imposter might af fect tranquility even in the ftruggles of death. But the grave would *bound the raptures of the one, and shroud the oftentation of the other. But though Jefus died he rofe again; and in this there could be no deception: to effect this was beyond the fancies. of the enthusiast; beyond the artifices of the impofter. He who gave death its power, could alone defeat its triumphs. He who was delivered for our offences, was raised again for our juftification.'

"Then farewel the obfcure fpeculation of metaphyfics. They embarrass me no more. The mere philofopher may indulge them if he pleaseth; and if he can gain any amufement or any fatisfaction from them, I envy him not. He purchafeth it at a rate too dear for me; and placeth his hopes on what I fhould regard as the moft infecure foundation.

"But do not think me the enemy of fcience, because I confider it as ill applied in the investigation of a fubject so much beyond its reach. Let it operate in its own fphere, and by a patient research into thofe natural objects which fall more immediately under the fcrutiny of the fenfes, enlarge the boundaries of human knowledge. I hail her progrefs, and wish I could add a laurel to her brow. But let her not prefume to trefpafs on the hallowed 'enclosures of heaven's own-immediate meilenger. Her feeble taper may light the curious philofophic eye through nature's walks. But it is the full unclouded fun of the everlafting gofpel, that can alone with fafety guide the doubting mind of man through the paths of religion to the world of immortality.

* In the original we find bring, but the fenfe requires bound. We luppole this may be a typographical error. "The

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"The dove fent from the ark of reafon and philofophy wanders o'er a boundlefs expanfe-a dreary wafte of unfathomable waters. Fatigued with its fruitlefs exertions it returns: brings no olive branch to me. Thanks be to the Immortal Redeemer of the world, I receive this pledge of peace from a higher region. I prefs it to my trembling heart and methings it gains fresh verdure, while I bedew it with the mingled tears of gratitude. and penitence.".

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For further particulars we refer our readers to the pamphlet itself, which will be found on perufal to be an acceptable prefent to those who are defirous of being acquainted with the Prieftleian controverfy. In this they will find a twofold account. They will fave a deal of trouble and time, and also incur no enormous expence. This is but too frequently the object of the book-writers, and book-makers of the prefent day. Quærenda eft pecunia primum. But, contrary to the general practice, we have here an excellent pennyworth of faleable goods. I.

The Religion of the Times; or a new Mirror for the dignified Clergy. By an Enemy to Tyranny, Perfecution, and Hypocrify.

4to. Is.

Wallis.

In the Preface we are told, that these lines are written by a friend to the established church of this kingdom, and defigned to expofe thofe characters who fall under their defcriptron. They are meant (fays he) only as materials for fome better architect, who with no great difficulty may raise his ftructure upon the broad bafis of public utility."

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Some of our author's materials, it must be acknowledged, are good in their kind; but he has proved himself to be but half an architect, there is great room for improvement against a future occafion, Skill is acquired by experience, Our poet feems to be but a novice in his bufinefs. As yet he is not mafter of his tools. Many of his verfes are lame, others hobble on with a very uncouth gait, and too frequently, as Pope fays,

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Expletives their feeble aid do join,

And ten low words oft' creep in one dull line." Says Juvenal, in one of his fatires;

Facit indignatio verfum

Qualemcunque poteft.

be

This perhaps is applicable to our author. It may he turned poet out of spite, and abufed the dignitaries of the church from difappointment, or on account of a jobation, as the Oxonians ftile it.-His Preface, for the most part, is not badly written. The following remarks are founded in truth, and need no comment.

"The very confiderable incomes of too many, ferve only to administer to their ambition, and whilft they daily taste the delicious repast, raife their oppreffive hands, and endeavour to take from their poor brethren part of their fcanty meal whilst the one has his thousand a-year, or more, for fleeping at church, or at home, as may best fuit his conveniency, the other is bearing the burden and heat of the day, for a falary which his Lordship's coachman would reject as inadequate to his fervices :-common jufice will teach us to reprobate the one, and common humanity will induce us to commiferate the other. How wretched are the fituations of the greater part of our poor vicars and curates, who labour under the dark cloud of poverty, which neither their abilities and integrity (both which many of them poffefs) can in the leaft difperfe; whilst others in the higher fphere, whofe heads and hearts are alike impenetrable, are baking in the funshine of profperity! How many cathedral Pedants are there who look above the world (not in a Chriftian fenfe) and plume themfelves upon their learning, when, at the fame time, if we may judge by their miferable difcourtes, delivered as miferably from the pulpit, they are deftitute almost of a particle of common understanding?"

No good Chriftian, we think, will refufe to coincide with our author, refpecting a more equal diftribution of eclefiaftical preferment. The cafe of the inferior clergy is, indeed, deplorable. Merit and innocence are paffed by, or overlooked. Preferment is gained by intereft. This is highly detrimental to religion. Says our author,

"It is much to be wished that the legislature would take those uf lefs bodies into their confideration, and oblige them to bear a greater proportion towards fupplying the exigencies of the state, and if poffible, to make a more equal divifion of preferment amongst the clergy."

The author of the Satire before us affumes the title of "an Enemy to Tyranny and Perfecution, &c." but the following paragraph will evidence, that he hath forfeited all pretenfions to that title. Here he feems to be unacquainted with the motions of his own heart.

"As to those.mifcreants the Methodists, &c. whofe impudence can only be excelled by their ignorance, we would with them, inftead of being able to avail themselves of the clemency of the laws, to be fent to the house of correction, until they were brought by hard labour, to a fenfe of that duty which they owe, not only to their own families, but to the community."

Thus

Thus much for the Preface, come we now to the Satire itfelf. From this we will cite our author's character of a venerable dean, and, if any one (as he informs) is ftruck with his own likeness, he may purchase the picture at a trifling expence.

"Behold the learned, venerable dean,

Who leaves the church, to pray at court in vain :
Lo fmiles and funfhine in his face appear,
Whilft his whole foul is rack'd 'twixt hope and fear,
For many a year to court he bent his way,
Sure to be feen on ev'ry levée day.

Cringing and fawning to Devonshire or Bute,
To North or Shelburne, as the times may fuit.
And, fhould his gracious Sovereign deign a nod,
George is his Saviour, nay, ftill more, his God.
No wretch more fervile, where the great appear
No greater tyrant, where there's nought to fear.
At church a king, at court, an abject flave,

He laughs with finners, and with faints looks grave.
Like Proteus, in a thoufand fhapes is feen,
Prief, pimp or lackey, bull dog, Spaniel, dean.
For court by nature he was firft design'd,
But fhifts a weather-cock, with every wind:
Promotion fills his aking head and heart,

t A mitre and he'd act St. Peters' part.
Adieu, moft learned, venerable dean;

Now, for your brethren, or they'll fure complain." The light account of the methodifts will be found in the fequel inconfiftent. First he says:

"And now for you who boaft peculiar light:
Why hold your love-feafts always in the night?.
Thofe feafts, no doubt, of joy and holy zeal,
May boat much fervice to the common-iceal.
Nay! are the holy fifters never bleft

With heavenly comfort ere they go to rest ?"

In the above quotation our author afferts that their lovefeafts may boaft of much fervice to the common-weal. little further on, 'forgetting this affertion, he exclaims !

O! ye profane, ye impotent-ye blind!
Ye prostitute deceivers of mankind.”

Now they are grown impotent, in this fituation, they will not do much fervice to the common-weal in our author's fenfe, but there is a time for all things."

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Four Letters to the Earl of Carlisle, from William Eden, Efq; 8vo. 2s. 6d. White.

Thefe Letters are written on matters of the most interesting nature to the British empire; on the nature of partyfpirit; on the circumstances of the prefent war; on the abi lity of Great Britain to carry on the war; and on the reprefentations of Ireland refpecting a free trade. In the courfe of this enquiry he fees, or thinks that he fees, many folid grounds for hope, and none for defpondence, and trufts that he will find fome fatisfaction. in ftating the grounds of his faith. After obferving that great focieties are never overthrown by fortune alone, he remarks that the class of men who pretend to think with equal affection and philan thropy of all mankind, are guilty of a vicious affectation or extreme weakness, or both, and nearly as culpable as those who affuming a tone of unbridled malignity, overleap all bounds of moderation and candour in their cenfure; that men who (like thofe that would be called Whigs) are attached by focial connections, and accustomed to profcribe all but their own creatures, are as dangerous as the perfons whose joyless imaginations are filled with antres vaft and defarts wild," which produce nothing but gorgons, hydras and chimeras dire," a decrease of population, a decline of commerce, a failure of naval force, a relaxation of national vigour, the lofs of our chief resources, and the impending hand of an angry Providence; that the optimifts in political faith who can periuade themselves that a public debt is a public benefit; that every new tax begets a new ability to bear it; with other idle conceits, ought to be claffed with the ftate empiricks who have a panacea for every diforder, without any regard to the patient or diagnofticks, with the indiscriminate adherents of all parties, who in the fame breath talk of general benevolence, unbridled cenfure, focial honour, foreboding defpondency, and an endless variety of incompatible arguments; or with that heterogeneous tribe of men, who, from a diflike to an individual, feel and express an apparent joy at any misfortune of their country; who are fullent and filent amidst the tidings of a victory, triumphant and noisy upon the news of a defeat.

"

He next fhews that the topicks of declamation and abuse, interchanged by the prefent miniftry and their opponents, are mere plagiarifms, borrowed from preceding periods, which teemed with recriminations of the fame kind; but at the fame time acknowledges that no æra of our hiftory could VOL. XI. D

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