DIVINITY. The faith of the Apostles, attacked in every poffible way by the licence of modern pens, never fails to meet with found and able defenders, and "Wifdom is" ultimately "juftified of her children." Dr. Laurence will always, we doubt not, appear among these defenders, and his Differtation on the Logos of St. John affords a moft honourable specimen of his ability to inveftigate and to fupport the truth. That the Unitarian will yet refift is probable enough; but, whether he ought to refift, let the readers of this tract confider. In two inftances we have been lately gratified by excellent lectures in theology. But they are of very different kinds. Thofe of Dr. Mart are preparatory to a general courfe of Divinity, and are employed in defining and diftributing the fubject, or in confiderations preparatory to the whole. Dr. Ireland's Lectures, calculated for ftill younger ftudents, are defigned to lead them into a view of the ftruggles of paganism against the first triumphs of the Gofpel, and thus to connect, in one courfe of inftruction, the knowledge of antiquity and the truths of Chriftian faith. The Profeffor will doubtlefs fill up the outline he has given, by a correct and complete investigation, fo far at least as public lectures will admit; and Dr. Ireland has promifed a fequel to his volume, in which his young hearers are to be fupplied with the direct proofs and leading doctrines of our holy Religion. Mr. Faber's Differtation on the Prophecies, long delayed in our Review for reafons before affigned, has at length been noticed in this volumie§; and though we are far from agreeing uniformly with 7. the author, we are by no means defirous to withhold from him the commendation which his endeayours demand. The volumes of facred prophecy are inftructive under every contemplation, and unintentional error is much more venial in a Chrif tian, than wilful difregard. The abridgment of Pear fon on the Creed, by Dr. Charles Burney*, though principally intended as a manual for young people, may be recommended to thofe of every age. What Burney draws from Pearfon, few can be qualified to overlook, in this age of fuperficial attainment. In our account of Sermons, let us be allowed to begin with thofe of Bishop Horley †. What we knew and revered in the man is there moft luminously exemplified by his writings. Extenfive learning, deep penetration, and a powerful talent of reafoning, qualified him to interpret the Scripture in a ftyle which few other divines have been able to attempt; and if he preached differtations, they were fuch as it became his fituation and abilities to produce, and fuch as no congregation could hear without improvement. In praifing, however, according to their merits, the fermons of our illuftrious friend, we would not be thought to depreciate fuch difcourfes as thofe of Mr. Gisborne +, and Dr. Finlayson §. The Apostles themselves differed in their ftyle of preaching and writing; and if one furpaffed the rest in energy and profundity, the others had their gifts and graces, which equally became their characters. Dr. Outram's volume, befides containing two excellent discourses, has alfo a claffified and authenticated view of the opinions of certain fectaries, on the great doctrines of Religion, which ought to be in the hands of every Clergyman. No. VI. p. 584. + No. VL. p. 600. count is concluded in the prefent Number. No. III. p. 253. P. 511. A 3 The ac No. V. No. II. p. 166. P. In In fpeaking of Charges and Difcourfes feparately publifhed, our attention is forcibly called to that Charge of the learned Bishop of Gloucefter, Dr. Huntingford, which completes his inftructions to the Clergy, on the fubjet of Ordination. In our 30th Volume, we fpoke of a Charge, which was entitled Preparations for the Holy Order of Deacons ;" the prefent is a fimilar book of inftruction for those who are about to receive the holy order of Priests. Both are truly worthy of the learning, piety, and abilities of the Bishop, and ought to be studied with attention by every candidate. The Bishop of Carlifle's Faft Serment is full of excellent advice, highly adapted to the neceffities of the time. Mr. Walker's Sermon, after the funeral of Bishop Strachan, contains much more than fach a difcourfe can ufually comprehend; the hiftorical view of an Apoftolical Church, with an elucidation of the principles and conduct of its rulers. On the celebration of the royal Jubilee, we have perused several very good difcourfes; but among them we ought undoubtedly to diftinguish that of the Principal of Marifchall College, Aberdeen, Dr. Brown $. When we meet fo old a friend, we are happy to find him unchanged in principles and powers. Mr. Archdeacon Daubeny's Sermon at St. Paul's, fuggefts fome very important cautions on the fubje& of general education; and the apprehenfions which he expreffes on the incroachments of latitudinarian fyftems, are fuch as no man can treat with levity, who is not himself infected with religious indifference. Other Difcourfes have been noticed, which might be mentioned here; but we must always fet bounds to an enumeration which, though pleafing to ourselves, might to our readers appear tedious. No., IL. p. 133. + No. I. p. 83. META METAPHYSICS. After celebrating various works of Dr. Kirwan, for utility and diligence of investigation, we find our felves obliged to enter into controverfy with him, on the first volume of his Metaphyfical Effays. He there adopts, and ftrenuously contends for the ideal fyltem of Berkeley, which we had always been ine clined to regard as the dream of philofophical ge. nius. To the arguments of its present advocate we cannot yield our affent, but to deny our refpectful notice to a work of fo much acutenefs, from an author fo justly esteemed, is not confiftent with our feelings of propriety. The felf-taught Samuel Drew, in writing on the Identity and general Resurrection of the buman Body †, has strongly exemplified that talent which nature has made characteristic of his mind; and though we cannot affent to all his no tions, we are pleased with the boldnefs of his attempt in a good caufe. It is not often that an anonymous work deferves recommendation, but the Essays on the Pleafures of Literary Compofition‡ form an excep tion; and though we do not agree with the author in all his opinions, we think, that if he has not already a name, he has at least the talents to acquire one. ... HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.. On the former fubject we have at, prefent little to fay: a Curfory View of Pruffia, containing the history of its decline and fall § being almost the only book of that nature which we have lately taken up. It is apparently written by a perfon well acquainted * No. V. p. 4531 and. VI. p. 587.9% + No II p. 112. ‡ No, V. p. 552. § No. 1. p. 73. q.II10.1 P A 4 with with the events. Obfervations on the biftorical Work of Mr. Fox, have alfo a reference to this clafs. They correct fome mifreprefentations, and give a new narrative of fome facts; and proceeding from of the Hon. George Rofe*, have the pledge of his well-known accuracy in their behalf. the pen With Biography our prefent volume opens, and, what is unufual, with the Life of a Saint, the Cornish Hermit, St. Neot t. But, alas! the pen from which it proceeded will not delight or inftruct us with any new production ! The perfpicacious, active, and well-ftored mind of John Whitaker is removed to another ftate of being; and affociates perhaps with the foul of the royal Saint, whom he honoured with his latest attention. Another divine, not fainted by a Pope, but worthy of much more veneration than Popes themfelves have ufually deferved, is cele brated by Mr. Churton . Dean Nowell, the learned and pious Catechift, one of the fathers of our temperate English Reformation, is no longer deftitute of the honour which he had fo highly deserved, and the account of him will be found at once elaborate and fatisfactory. Of General Washington, we had already been fatisfied with a copious Life by Marball, an American Judge §; but the enthusiasm of his countrymen is not fo eafily contented. Two other lives of him, by Aaron Bancroft, a paftor, and by David Ramfay, a phyfician, have fince been offered to the world. They have both the merit of being more concife than Marshall's work, and therefore more adapted to common circulation. of our English Claffics every new illuftration is acceptable, and Dr. Barret's Effay on the early Life of Swift, if it eftablish no very important facts, at leaft occupies the mind agreeably on the youth of a |