"Nothing can be clearer than that the first great purpose, though by no means the only purpose for which Christ came into the world, and suffered death upon a cross, was to restore to all mankind that immortality which was forfeited by the fall of Adam." Vol. XXI. p. 596 (2.)

before he was loved, so now he was abhorred; as before he was most beautiful and precious, so now he was most vile and wretched in the sight of his Lord and Maker: instead of the image of God, he was now become the image of the devil; instead of the citizen of heaven, he was become the bond-slave of hell, having in himself no one part of his former purity and cleanness, but being altogether spotted and defiled; insomuch that now he seemed to be nothing else but a lump of sin, and therefore by the just judgment of God was condemned to everlasting death." And to shew what is meant by the expression “everlasting death," it is added a little lower down, “Ŏ what a miserable and woful state was this, that the sin of one man should destroy and condemn all men, that nothing in all the world might be looked for but only pangs of death and pains of hell." But could this have been the case had Adam's soul, as well as his body, been mortal?

The homily of the passion is still more express in affirming, that the death to which Adam was sentenced, was not merely "the forfeiture of immortality," for after quoting *(p. 355) the very passage of scripture, which is marked with Italics in the above extract from the British Critic, the following words are added-"Now as the Lord had spoken, so it came to pass. Adam took upon him to eat thereof, and in so doing he died the death, that is to say, he became mortal, he lost the favour of God, he was cast out of paradise, he was no longer a citizen of heaven, but a firebrand of bell and a bond-slave to the devil. To this doth our Saviour bear witness in the gospel, calling us lost sheep, which have gone astray and wandered from the true shepherd of our souls. To this also doth St. Paul bear witness, (Rom. v.) saying, that by the offence of only Adam, death came upon all men to con. demnation. (See note (3) So that now neither he, nor any of his, had any right or interest at all in the kingdom of heaven, but were become plain reprobates and castaways, being perpetually damned to the everlasting pains of hell fire." Many other passages to the same purpose might be pointed out, but surely hese are sufficient to establish, at least in one important instance, the difference between the British Critic and the Church of England.

(2.) It undoubtedly must appear very extraordinary, if the first great purpose of Christ's incarnation and death be correctly stated by the British Critic, that it should not once have been mentioned by our church, although she dwells much on the nature and purposes of Christ. Observ. No. 32.

"What is meant in the article by God's wrath and damnation? Evident ly not eternal torments, unless the doctrine of the articles be at variance with that of St. Paul, Rom. v." Vol. XXI. p. 601. (3.)

"But was not human nature depraved and corrupted by the fall, so as to have been ever since utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly and continually inclined to all evil? So said the rebellious divines at Westminster." Vol. XXI. P. 596. (4.)

these great events. In the second article it is stated, that Christ was made man and crucified, "to reconcile his father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but for actual sins of men." Surely it might have been expected, that something of the first great purpose of our Saviour's mission would have been noticed in this place.

In the homilies, as well as in the Bible, our Saviour is distinguished, not as the restorer of the forfeited immortality of the soul,(though he is as the revealer of immortality,) but as "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." (p. 15. 341, &c.) See also the Liturgy passim. And at p. 845. we are distinctly told by the church what it was she considered as the end of Christ's coming. "The end of his coming," it is there said, "was to save and deliver his people, to fulfil the law for us, to bear witness unto the truth, to teach and preach the words of his Father, to give light unto the world, to call sinners to repentance, to refresh them that labour and be heavy laden, to cast out the prince of this world, to reconcile us in the body of his flesh. to dissolve the works of the devil, last of all,” meaning, as I conceive, that this was the first great purpose of his coming, "to become a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." See also p. 361.

(3.) By comparing the above extract with the homilies, p. 355, (quoted in note (1.) the reader will, at once, perceive how widely the British Critic differs from our church in the interpretation of St. Paul's meaning, Rom. v. Our reformers, it will be seen, did not think that to understand by God's wrath and damnation eternal torments was at all inconsistent with the doctrine of St. Paul in that chapter, for they adduce it in proof of our "being perpetually damned to the everlasting pains of hell-fire".

(4.) But what said the framers of our ho milies? Some passages have already been produced, which serve very much to streng then the view which the rebellious assembly of divines took of the subject. Let us hear what our church has still to say upon it. "Thus we have heard how evil we be of ourselves, how of ourselves and by ourselves, we

3 T

"The infant mind seems to be merely passive."" In this state many associa tions, the source of future passions, are formed in it long before it acquires or can acquire the use of its reasoning and moral powers; so that every man, nat urally engendered of the offspring of Adam, must, as the article teaches, be very far gone from original righteous ness before he arrive at the years of discretion."-"Such, however, must have been the moral state of his descendants, though the forbidden fruit had never been tasted." Vol. XXI. p. 600. (5.)

have no goodness, help, or salvation, but comtrariwise sin, damnation, and death everlasting." (p. 14.) Again We are of ourselves very sinful, wretched, and damnable,"-" of ourselves, and by ourselves, we are not able to think a good thought, or work a good deed, so that we can find in ourselves no hope of salvation; but rather whatsoever maketh unto our destruction.” (p. 15) "Before Christ's coming into the world all men, universally in Adam, were nothing else but a wicked and crooked generation, rotten, and corrupt trees, stony ground, full of brambles and briars, lost sheep, prodigal sons, naughty unprofitable servants, unrighteous stewards, workers of iniquity, the brood of adders, blind guides, sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death: to be short, nothing else but children of per dition and inheritors of hell-fire." (p. 344.) From many other passages to the same pur port, I shall select only one more at p. 290. "Man of his own nature is fleshly and carnal, corrupt and naught, sinful and disobedient to God, without any spark of goodness in him, without any Virtuous or godly motion, only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds." Compare these passages with the expressions which the reviewers reprobate when employed by the divines at Westminster, and they will be found to have included our church in the same condemnation.

(5.) The above passage is as dexterous à perversion of the ninth article as I have ever seen. 1 must beg the reader to compare them together. What, on the hypothesis of the British Critic, can be meant by the "infection of nature" in that article? and by the first infection of our first father Adam," in the homilies? (p. 9) At p. 41, it is asserted, that all that came of Adam "have been so blinded through original sin, that they have been ever ready to fall from God and his law" See also p. 335, already quoted in note (1.) where it is further said, "If this so great and miserable plague," (viz. everlasting death) "had only rested on Adam, who first offended, it had been so much the easier, and might the better have been borne. But it fell not only on him, but also on his posterity, and children for ever; so that the whole brood of

By original righteousness nothing can be meant but the equal balance of Adam's faculties." Vol. XXI. p. 600, "Adam, at his first creation, we believe to have been fully able to per form civilem justitiam, et diligendas res rationi subjectas,' but an absolute stran ger to spiritual things, till by the first covenant of grace he was made an heir of immortality, and fendued,' as the church teaches, with all kinds of heavenly gifts.” Vol. XXI. p. 605. (6.) «It is a matter of no importance whatever, whether a man believe the corruption of human nature to be positive or negative." Vol. XXI. p. 605. (7.)

Adam's flesh should sustain the self-same fall and punishment which their forefather, by his offence, most justly had deserved.” I need take no trouble in shewing how contradictory to these views are the sentiments of the British Critic.

(6) Here again the British Critic and the homilies seem to be strangely at variance. In proof of this I need only quote one passage from p. 337. Man, it is there said, in the be ginning of the world was made according to the image and similitude of God, he was endued with all kind of heavenly gifts, he had no spot of uncleanness in him, he was sound and perfect in all parts, both outwardly and inwardly, his reason was uncorrupt, his under standing was pure and good, his will was obedient and godly, he was made altogether like unto God in righteousness and holiness, in wisdom, in truth; to be short, in all kind of perfection." Surely this is something very different from "the equal balance of Adam's faculties." I would just notice the British Critic's extraordinary perversion of the pas sage in the homilies which has been last quoted. The homily states Adam, when le was "created and made," to have been "endued with all kind of spiritual gifts." The reviewer asserts, that he was an absolute stranger to spiritual things at his first cres tion, and that it was not till after his fall that, by the covenant of grace, he was first endued with heavenly gifts. See also the first extract, note (1.), for a decisive contradiction.

(7.) So far is our church from agreeing with the British Crític in this sentiment, that the homily of the Passion opens with a direct contradiction of it. That we may the better conceive," says our church in that homily, "the great mercy and goodness of our Saviou? Christ, in suffering death universally for all men, it behoveth us to descend into the bot tom of our conscience, and deeply to consider the first and principal cause wherefore he was compelled so to do. When our great grand. father Adam had broken God's command ment in eating the apple forbidden him in

Why we should perplex ourselves about the depravity of human nature, or what good can possibly result from unfeigned sorrow, or deep anxiety, in the soul on that account, we are unable to conceive. (8.) We did not make our selves, and can therefore feel nothing of that godly sorrow for such depravity which worketh in actual sinners repen. fance unto salvation (9.) If it be the author's meaning that we should feel unfeigned sorrow and deep anxiety, be cause Adam entailed weakness and corruption on his posterity, to what can this possibly lead, but to the secret execration of our common ancestor?" Vol. XXII. p. 32. (10.)

The British Critic, after all this, with great appearance of candour, admits it to be "extremely probable that our reformers, or at least some of them, did believe a moral disease, or depravation of the mental faculties, to have been propagated from Adam through all his posterity, and there are a few detached places of scripture which seem to countenance this opinion.". Vol. XXI. p. 605. But after the reader has perused paradise, at the motion and suggestion of his wife, he purchased thereby, not only to himself, but also to his posterity for ever, the just wrath and indignation of God."

(8.) Let any candid man read the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth pages of

the notes subjoined to this letter, he will not think that the British Critic has conceded much; on the contrary, he will see, not only that probably some of our reformers believed, but that our church repeatedly and unequivocally affirms, the propagation of a moral disease from Adam through all his posterity; a truth which the British Critic has employed all his ingenuity to invalidate.

'I might have pointed out many other passages in the British Critic, at least equally heterodox with those which I have selected, and I might also have swelled my paper by proofs drawn from the liturgy, as well as from the articles and homilies, but the above may suffice for the present.* I shall be extremely happy if this letter, which I know will meet the eyes of the editors of that work (for they regularly read the Christian Observer) should induce them to be more cautious in future, how they venture, for the sake of depressing an obnoxious author, to impugn tenets which they have solemnly subscribed in their individual capacity; and on their attachment to which, has rested their claim as reviewers to public patronage.

A SINCERE FRIEND OF THE
CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

We wish to take this opportu

of our reformers has been transfused into the above extract. I cannot conceive, except for reasons which will be found in 1 Cor. ii. 14. how such a sentence should ever have been penned.

(9) Something very like this is the hackneyed plea of the sensualist, who gives the rein to his passions.

(10.) This is surely a strange inference to be made by a christian divine! Ought not the knowledge of our weakness and corruption father to lead us to embrace with joy and gratitude, the deliverance wrought out for us, and offered to us by Jesus Christ? Would it be right in me to execrate my father's memory, because, in consequence of his extravagance I was now a beggar; or, what is still me to the point, because I had inherited from him a painful disease, which bis debauchery had engendered? It is worthy of remark, that the passage of Mr. Overton's work, which has excited the above extraordinary criticism, occurs in his chapter on Repentance, respecting which Mr. Daubeny says, that he observes nothing in it but what appears conformable to the doctrine of the Church of England,” Vind, Ang, p. 232.

"It is our opinion," says Mr. Overton in his chapter on Repentance (p. 160,) "that in order to salvation, a change of mind, of views and dispositions, must be effected in every person, wherever born, however educated, or of whatever external conduct." We should not have supposed that any candid believer in the Bible, much less any conscientious subscriber of the doctrines of our church, could have objected to this scriptural statement. The British Critic, however, says, that this is by no means his opinion. Vol. XXII. p. 31. and produces the case of a man whose "soul thirsteth for God, whose flesh longeth for him,” as one in which no change is necessary. But why is it not necessary? Why, but because it has already taken place. It is remarkable, that Mr. Daubeny, of the whole of whose "Vindicia Anglicana" the British Critic speaks in terms of the most unqualified eulogium, has expressed his approbation of the above passage of Mr. Overton's book; for it forms a part of the chapter in which, he says, he has observed nothing but, what ap pears conformable to the doctrine of the Church of England. See the close of the last note.

number of the British Critic, p. 25, in which he has thought proper to honour our work with a particular notice. "It is the aim," says he, "of these writers" (the Editors of the Christian Observer and Mr. Overton) "to represent him," (Mr. Daubeny) and every Anti-cal vinist, who contends for the apostolical constitution of the church, and considers schism as a heinous sin, as a mere for malist in religion, who, in the cant of the party, makes little use of the SAVIOUR, and rests every thing on external profession." The main defect in this representation, as far as it respects us, is, that it is totally destitute of truth, and has not even the shadow of a foundation to stand upon. We have never employed the phrase which is attributed We have never spoken of Mr. Daubeny as a mere formalist, who rests every thing on external profession; and so far have we been from regarding in that light every Anti-calvanist who contends for the constitution of the church and regards schism as a sin, that one object of our work has been to defend pious men of that description from the intemperate of the opposite party. We here, therefore, formally deny the charge, and we take upon us

to us.

to aver, that the British Critic cannot produce a single passage from our pages to substantiate it. He ought, therefore, from a regard to his own character, and from a regard also to christian charity, to retract it.??* iqba

We should not have said so much on this subject but for a hope that, although the prejudices of the British Critic have led him, rather precipitately, to prefer an unfounded accusation against us, yet he will not wilfully persist in it. We trust he is not disposed, like some of his contemporaries, to set aside, in the conduct of his work, the consideration of truth and justice, and to violate the established laws of literary warfare, in order to blacken an opponent.

The reviewer states in the same page, Daubeny, in which we are convicted of having that many instances are produced by Mr. so mutilated his words as to exhibit him teaching the contrary to what he actually taught. Now Mr. Daubeny himself only alleges one instance of the kind, and if the Brit 1802, p. 623, he will, probably, see reason to ish Critic will read with care our volume for think that, even in that instance, the charge is wholly unfounded. Surely the British Critic does not expect to enhance his, in some respects, well earned reputation, by such misre presentations as these.

1

GREAT BRITAIN.

DR. HOLMES, recently promoted to the Deanry of Winchester in reward of his indefa tigable Biblical labours, has just published a "Statement of the Receipt and Expense for the Fourth Year since the Commencement of the Subscription to the Publication of the Sep tuagint Collations." The whole book of Deuteronomy has been printed since the last account. A Preface to the Pentateuch, contain ing among other things, an account of the MSS. and other Copies so far collated, has also been prepared and printed, and is now produced, together with the Book of Deuteronomy, completing the first volume of the work. The sum in hand for publication is £.536. 25; and the Subscriptions unpaid £78. The money in hand for the Collation, which has now been engaged in sixteen years, is only £88. 12s 8d. The Dean, therefore, still continues his earnest application to all the friends of sacred learning for farther assistance, and engages to apply the utmost attention in his power towards forwarding the publication.

In the press, the Seventh and last Volume of the the Bibliographical Dictionary-Two new editions, fine and common, of Bogue's Essay

on the New Testament, with very co considerable alterations and improvements.

Some valuable MSS. of Archbishop Leigh ton are said to have been recently discovered, viz 1. A Commentary upon the first Nive Chapters of St. Matthew-2. A Lecture upon the Sixth Chapter of Isaiab.-3. 4 Lecture upos Romans xii. 9.-12-4. ▲ Sermon preached to the Clergy, from 2 Cor. v. 20.-5. A Discourse upon the Creation, from Psalm viii. 3.—9—6. A Fragment upon the Woman of Canaan. The Archbishop is said to have left behind him also, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Ephe sians, which, it is said, there is some hope of recovering. It is intended to publish a new and uniform edition of the Archbishop's Works, in six volumes octavo, one volume quarterly; in which the above pieces, and what may yet be obtained, will be included, together with his life enlarged from authentic materials.

The Editor of Calmet's Dictionary has put to press, a new Work, intended as 4 Compar ion to the Holy Bible, the First Part being D Wells's "Historical Geography of Scripture." revised, corrected, and improved; with Gee graphical Excursions, intended to ascertain ce

tain facts of importance; accompanied by Maps, Plans, Views, Medals, and other Plates suitable to the subject. The Second Part of this Companion will contain the History of the Sacred Books, the Lives of the Writers, Remarks on their Styles of Compositions, &c. Of this work there will be Two Editions, one on common paper, in Shilling Numbers, crown 8vo; published monthly. Another on fine paper, in Five Shilling Parts, demy, 4to, each containing Three Shilling Numbers; published every three months.

Preparing for the press, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Rev Hugh Far mer; to which will be added, some Original Pieces, and several of his Letters.-A new and uniform Edition of the Works of Dr. Wither 5 spoon, comprising several Pieces never before printed in this country a volume to be delivered monthly, price 39. 6d. in boards.

Mr. Thomas Taylor is employed in translating into English the whole Works of Aristotle, with the substance of the best Greek Commentaries upon his Writings.

4

The late Professor Carlyle has left Poems suggested chiefly by Scenes in Asia Minor, Syria, and Greece. It is proposed to publish these in one volume, price 21s. with Prefaces selected from the Author's Journal, and embellished with Two Views; one the Source of the Scamander, and the other the Aqueduct over the Simois....

Proposals have been circulated for publishing by Subscription, the principal Works of the late Rev. David Simpson, M. A to be com. prised in three volumes 8vo, price 8s. per volume in boards.

Mr. Jowett, of High Holborn, has obtained a patent for a new Fire-guard stove, which is simple in its principle, easy in its application, and an effectual preservative against the fatal accidents which so frequently arise from children's clothes, and ladies' dresses catching fire. It is a sort of Wire Fender, which, when fixed in its proper position as a guard, covers the front of the fire completely at a short distance; and, when not used, is made, by means of a narrow opening at the side of the stove, to run back behind it. It turns on centres at top and bottom, by means of cranks; nor is it liable to be out of repair. The expense is from two to four guineas.

Mr. J. D. Ross, of Bateman's-buildings, Soho-square, has been presented with ten guineas by the Society of Arts, for his contrivance of a Ring, with an expanding and contracting power to fit various sized Fingers, or the same Finger, however varied in size by the seasons or other circumstances. This is effected by means of a spring gauge; the additional expense of which is trifling.

It appears from a Report published by Sir Joseph Banks, that the wool of his Majesty's Spanish Flock has improved since the sheep were imported from Spain; and that it will, in a very few years, equal, if not excel, the very best imported into this kingdom. His Majesty's patriotic views in the introduction

of the breed begin to be duly appreciated: and as the speculation on Spanish Sheep is eridently on the increase, his Majesty has been pleased to permit the rams and ewes, which are to be annually parted with from the Royal Merino Flock, to be sold by auction, on the presumption of this being the most likely manner of placing the best individuals of these improved breeds in the hands of persons most willing to preserve and improve them.

Some cases having been recently brought forward, in which patients received the small Pox who were considered to have passed through the Cow Pox, a statement was deliv ered in, on the 24th of July, of at least sixty persons who had been vaccinated from two to five years ago, and who, within these few weeks, were inoculated for the Small Pox at the Small Pox Hospital, and in other public situations, under the eye of, at different times, one hundred gentlemen, who had watched the progress of the inoculation with unexampled attention. It appears, that not one of these patients took the Small Pox, though pains were bestowed to produce the infection before unpractised for that purpose. Inexperienced inocu» lators may, indeed, sometimes imagine, that their patients have received the vaccine infection when they have not; and hence the public will continue to be alarmed with accounts of instances of Small Pox in persons asserted to have had the Cow Pox; but the above ment tioned experiment confirms all previous enlightened experience, and may satisfy every reasonable person, that the vaccine matter, when properly received into the habit, is a security against infection from variolous matter.

In our last (p. 442) we gave some account of the formation and object of the LADIES' COM MITTEE for promoting the Education and Employment of the Female Poor. Circular letters have since been addressed to the Members of the Ladies' Committee, and to such other Ladies in the country as are likely to co-operate in the designs of the Society, requesting their assistance in forming district committees in their neighbourhood, on the same plan, and with the same views, as that established in the metropolis. These Ladies are desired, among other things, to use their utmost endeavours to procure subscriptions," and collect information for the society during the summer; and such of them as reside in the country are particularly requested to inquire into the state of education of the female poor in their neighbourhood, † and to transmit an account of it to the Ladies' Committee as soon as possible, as well as to inform them, from time to time, what progress has been made in its improvement, The Members of the Ladies' Commit

The qualification for election into the Ladies' Committee, is the subscription of one guinea a year or more.

† A very judicious set of queries accompa nies the circular letter, which will considera. bly facilitate the procuring of the necessary information.