and the church of England the same.
But we believe, that at present there
is scarcely a member of that church
who does not reprobate the charac-
ter and conduct of that bold bad
man and his adherents. We are
rather surprised to observe the fresh-
ness of feeling which seems to be
retained by our historians, on an
event just a century old; and were
amused at the ease and self-come
placence, as well as perfect security
from confutation, with which, after
some eminent examples, they have
determined what would have been
the issue, had a contrary course
been pursued. Messrs. Bogue and
Bennett enter, we think, but very
inadequately into the state of things
at the time, and seem to be hardly
competent judges what measures
were necessary or expedient. It is
not always, that neglect is the best
treatment of the organ, however in-
significant in himself, of a power-
ful party. The sermon of Sache-
verell which excited the persecu-
tion against him is, in all respects,
an abject performance; but it was
not badly adapted to its intended
purpose. Its worst character is, its
horrible perversion of some of the
most spiritual passages of scripture.
In chapter iii., we have the mo-
dernized reasons of dissent; general
in the first section, particular in the
second. We call them modernized,
because the ground work, and a
great part of the substance of them,
are to be found in the tenth chapter
of Calamy's history. From these
reasons we may naturally be sup-
posed to dissent: yet are we not so
bigotted to our own opinion as to
deny, that many of them have
weight, and more of them plausi.
bility. On some subjects, it is im-
possible to comprehend all excel-
lence, whichever side is adopted;
and the side which is renounced
may retain, if not an equal excel-
lence, yet such as is considerable
and peculiar. This observation ap-
plies with distinguished force to
public worship and the question,

whether the extemporaneous plan, or a prescribed form, should be adopted.

Each method has great and peculiar advantages; and the same may be said of their defects, It is too late to recommend, but it is not too late to say we wish we had found, somewhat of this view of things in our vindicators of dissent. It is not only unjust, but ridiculous, on a subject such as is here discussed, to assume, that on our own side is nothing but what is right, and on our opponents' nothing but what is wrong. Controversy has few of these simple cases, and we are sure this is not one, even in our own favour. It will hardly be expected of us, that we should enter upon a formal defence of all the points attacked in this part of the work. We hold it fully sufficient, on the present occasion, to point out some assertions and imputations which are manifestly unjust or overstrained, and betray a very partiality on the subject. At p. 326, the writers, speaking in the first person, observe," nor am I pleased with the mode of reading the Psalms, by dividing the verses alternately between the clergyman and the congregation. What rational apology can be offered for such a practice, it is difficult to divine," &c. &c. Now, to the slightest portion, we do not say of candour, but of fairness, we think it would iustantly appear, that this method of reading the Psalms, and the other alternations in the service of our church, were adopted for the purpose of giving the congregation an active part in the public worship, and by that mean keeping their attention awake to the important duty which they were performing; a

undue

purpose which we think no one will deny, that the practice is cal culated to attain, and no one who has tried it, will deny that it actually has attained. We are really ashamed at the profane jocularity of the note at the foot of the page.

The objection, next insisted upon,

to the use of an older version of the Psalms in the service of the Establishment, we admit to be an objection: but surely it is one of very inferior importance. And the for midable dilemma upon which churchmen are supposed to be thrown by an instance of a different translation in the two versions, has equal terrors for those who have subscribed to the Scriptures themselves, as the word of God; unless they will say, that no various readings exist, and no different translations are to be admitted. The Dissenter is introduced as saying, with respect to baptism," The prohibition of parents to present their own children in baptism, I reckon a peculiar hardship, as well as an unscriptural practice," p. 338. How blind is prejudice to full one half of a subject! Could it never suggest itself to the candour of historians, whose principal qualification should be impartiality, that the church by no means intended to exclude parents from the performance of whatever duties are conducive to the spiritual welfare of their children; but that, either willing to confirm and second the performance of these duties, where they were performed, or to supply the want of them where neglected, she provided securities additional to those of the parents for the attainment of an object so important as that which she had in view? An excess of care in this case might admit, we conceive, of some apology. Upon these representations we will only ask, what fairness or justice is to be expected from authors who can permit themselves to make use of them* ?

We conclude our account of the first volume of this work with an extract on religious controversy,

For a fuller answer to the objections against the church of England, as we do not admire repetition, we refer to our vol. for 1808, pp. 670, &c., containing a review of "Popular Objections to the Established Church, in a Letter to our Neighbours," There is no substantial difference between

the two objectors.

which we consider creditable to the authors.

"The church militant is a name which has

been given to the society of Christ's disciples
in the present state. When its warfare is
accomplished, and they have all entered into
heaven, it is called the church triumphant.
Had the epithet militant been annexed for
truth with spiritual weapons, it would have
the zeal of Christians in contending for the
conferred the highest honour. Not a drop
of human blood ought the Church ever to
have shed except her own, for the word of
God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ,
It is the horrid description given of the
anti-christian church, I saw the woman
drunken with the blood of the saints, and
with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.' A
perfect contrariety should mark the cha-
racter of those who profess to belong to the
pure
Church which Jesus has redeemed with

his most precious blood. But, alas, where is

the Protestant church in whose skirts will not be found at last the blood of those

whose hearts have been broken by the anguish of suffering, or who have inhaled death from the contaminated atmosphere of damp and gloomy dungeons! From such inhuman conduct infidels might suppose that they had found valid objections to the Christian faith, unless the spirit of prophecy, by predicting

their cavil, and given additional evidence to that thus it should be, had not anticipated

the truth.

"A more legitimate warfare is exhibited

by religious controversy, when it appears as

an advocate in behalf of the doctrines of the

To

Gospel, in opposition to every error. this, however, some are decidedly opposed, and consider controversy in every form as hostile to the cause of true religion. When at any time it is introduced, they are filled with disgust, and wish it to be banished Whatever these persons may be able to from every pulpit and from every press. reason, they will find no support from the plead in their own behalf from principles of general practice of mankind.

"Since the Saviour died for sinners on

the cross, no age has been without religious controversy, except when the world was so

deeply immersed in ignorance that there did not remain ability to dispute. But when this was recovered, controversy revived, and has continued to the present hour. Loud as the anathemas of the advocates for peace have been, they have availed nothing. Why,' say they, 'cannot you agree to differ, and not trouble mankind with your contentions, and your sermons,

and books of strife? Perhaps, on an in

vestigation of the subject, these men will not be found to be so much in the right as they imagine themselves to be.

"If all were of one mind, and received the truth in love; or if their differences related to matters which scarcely affect the cause of spiritual religion, to abstain from controversy would be a duty and a blessing. But when important truth is attacked, must it not be defended? When Christ's pure doctrine is impugned, must it not be established and confirmed? This reasoning is exalted into demonstration by examples from the sacred Scriptures. When we reflect that the Lord Jesus Christ not only revealed to men the doctrine which the Father sent him to make known, but also exposed the erroneous sentiments of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and reasoned against them frequently, and with fervour, the system of controversial quietism receives a mortal blow. When it is further considered that the Apostles followed their Master's steps; that several of their sermons in the Acts consisted in reasoning with Jews and Gentiles, and several of their épistles to the churches are chiefly controversial, the enemies of all controversy must retract their opinions, and acknowledge that they were wrong. It was once right, they must allow, to dispute about religion, because Christ and his Apostles did so; and if an attack be made on evangelical truths of equal importance now, is it not the duty of the friends of Christ to stand forward in their defence? However popular, therefore, the declamations against all religious controversies may have been, it appears that they deserve neither the adoption nor the praise of the enlightened disciple of Jesus Christ. In some good men, the sentiment may have proceeded from an abhorrence of controversy, and an excessive love of peace; but in inany others, there is reason to fear that it may have originated in a criminal indifference for truth.

"Of the abuse of controversy, a wiser class of men has complained with grief and tears. In how many instances have warın contests been maintained' about mere words! Those whose minds were not heated by taking a side, were at a loss to know what was the subject of dispute. How often have things of small importance been the matter of long and bitter wrangling, when a moderate portion of Christian forbearance would have enabled the disputants to live together in peace and love. When important truth has been the subject of debate, there has been but too often very much to blame in those who have stood forth as

champions in its defence. That, in numerous instances, they have betrayed a spirit of pride, arrogance, self conceit, malice, an impa tience of contradiction, and misrepresentation of the opinions of those on the opposite side, is too evident to be denied. But what do all these amount to in the way of proof?-Only that controversy, like other things, may be abused; that it may be excited when there is no occasion, &r on insufficient cause; when a valid cause exists, that the persons who engaged in it are unqualified for the task; and that if ever they write again, they should contend with a different temper, anti speak the truth in love: but not that to defend the truth in the spirit of the Gospel is either useless or improper." pp. 388-391.

The second volume of the History of Dissenters opens with an account of their seminaries, and the mode of education pursued in them. And here we were foreibly struck with a style in an extraordinary degree dif ferent from that to which, throughout the first volume, we had been almost uniformly accustomed. It is curious, and not without its use, to observe the conduct of persons in critical situations, and see how far consistency is preserved. In some of our own body, who put a far greater importance upon the external circumstances of the Church than we think warrantable, although when opposing the superstitions and ty ranny of Rome, they appear in the character of legitimate Protestants, yet, when they undertake the defence of their own Church, they seem almost to be converted into Papists. So our Dissenters, after having main. tained their appropriate character, with almost undeviating consistency, through one half of their work; that is, as long as the object which they oppose was predominantly conspi

The words of Bacon on this subject deserve to be transcribed, "Reason teacheth us, that in ignorance and implied belief it is easy to agree, as colours agree in the dark or if any country decline into atheism, then controversies wax dainty, because men do think religion scarce worth the fulling out for; so as it is weak divinity to ac count controversies an ill sign in a church.” -Certain Observations made upon a Libel, &c. Works, vol. iii. p. 59, last $vo. edition.

Cuous; as soon as the object is changed, and submission to authority and institutions, although human, and deference to superiority of age and attainments, although human, are to be inculcated on the rebellious minds of dissenting youth, seem themselves to have changed with the object, and to have inhaled the very spirit of the established church. We have hitherto seen them on the ridge of the ascending wave, contending with, or rather voluntarily urged by, the whole fury of the storm; and now they are sunk into the intermediate gulf, where their sails become flaccid, and all, for the moment, is calm. The resolute assertors of the imprescriptible and unalienable rights of private judgment, and the rigid opposers of tyranny, imposition, and oppression, now appear to be transformed into the tame and spiritless advocates of passive obedience and non-resistance. And in truth we were not displeased with the change. In the young gentlemen for whose benefit the grave admonitions in this part of the work are intended, we observe, if not for the first time, yet certainly in a far more decisive manner than before, a recognition of what human nature is, and what it requires. We have, too, what is beiter, considerations directly opposed to the evil, and calculated to remedy it.

The impartial and enlarged views of ministerial exertions, contained in the following passage and the sequel, do credit to the authors.

"To the great Lord and Giver of Life, all are accountable for the use of their talents. On those who sustain an important station in society, there lies a peculiar obligation to improve them to the utmost. And if there be one class of men on whom above all others the obligation rests, it is on ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Bat while the greatest diligence is emplayed, it may, at different seasons, be dirested in different ways. Sometimes it has been chiefly occupied in active labours, by eaching the Gospel, and conducting the various exercises of religion. At other

times, the study has been the scene of a larger proportion of exertion than the pulpit. From a peculiarity of circumstances, there may be seasons when both these modes of conduct may be highly proper; but in the ordinary course of things it is well when these two are fitly apportioned, so that each has its due measure of time and

application: the great ends of the Christian ministry will then be most effectually attained." p. 103.

lume, after observing the general In a subsequent part of this vowant of religious discrimination in the writers of Christian history, our historians thus proceed:

found that this has been the common me"On extensive examination, it will be thod of ecclesiastical writers nearly to the stance, our researches into the real state of present time. From this unhappy circumthe religion of the heart among the professors of Christianity, in any former period, are attended with the greatest difficulties. By two excellent men, who have lately been called away from the exercise of their ministry into the joy of their Lord, the arduous praise is in all the churches, proceeded no

work was undertaken. Mr. Newton, whose

farther than to the end of the first century.

By having the sacred writers continually to apply to, he was furnished with abundance of the best materials, and he used them with skill and with success. It is a subject of just regret that he did not proceed with his work, as he shewed himself well qualified to prosecute the subject to advantage. His volume is truly valuable; and it will be difficult to find one which can equally claim the appellation of a Christian church history.

The other, Mr. Milner of Hull, brought his History of the Church down to the Reportion of the liberal spirit which distinformation from Popery, but not with an equal guished his predecessor, nor with equal suc

cess.

*

His unfeigned picty every where appears, but his materials were seanty and defective. In order to produce a'spiritual history, he is compelled to ransack the writings of the Fathers, and to make large extracts from their doctrinal and devotional treatises. In consequence of this, his volumes present to us, in the mass of their contents, rather the biography of individuals than a history of the community of believers." pp. 159, 160.

*We might expect our historians not to be quite satisfied with Mr. Milner.