ART. X. An Abstract of the whole Doctrine of the Christian Religion; with Observations. By JOHN ANASTASIUS FREYLINGHAUSEN, Minister of St. Ulrich's Church, and Inspector of the public School, at Halle, in Germany. From a Manuscript in her Majesty's Possession. The first Book stereotyped by the new Process. Large 8vo. pp. 216.

4. In the State of Glory.-Of Death. Of Resurrection. Of the Day of Judg. ment. Of eternal Life.

All these subjects are briefly discussed, in the way of question and answer, with such observations as the author thought necessary, for the more full explication of every doctrine. References to the scripture-proofs are very copiously placed

in the lower margin; but, as different inquirers will give very different interpretations to almost every passage upon which the doctrines of the present work are founded, it will not appear decisive to all, that Mr. Freylinghausen has drawn up a just abstract of the Christian religion.

ART. XI. Christian Theology; or, an Enquiry into the Nature and general Character of Revelation. By the Rev. RICHARD LLOYD, A. M. Minister of Midhurst, in Sussex, and late Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. 8vo. pp. 382.

"ASSUMING the truth and divine origin of the scriptures, and avoiding all nice polemical discussions of subjects, which he deems either of doubtful import, or of comparative insignificance," the author of the work before us, undertakes "to propound, illustrate, and enforce, those leading doctrines of the Christian religion, which are essential to the nature of man." Why it is called an enquiry we cannot well conceive :-no enquiry is pursued. The whole is rhapsodical and declamatory; adapted, indeed, to please the imaginations of those, who repeat the same creed as the author; but totally inadequate to the conviction of one sceptical mind, or to the recovery of one wanderer from the fold of sacred truth. The author, however, appears to be a pious and faithful minister of the church, and to be under the guidance of pure and upright motives. He has divided his work into five chapters. The first chapter treats of the "Nature, Design, and Importance, of Revelation." The Christian religion is of a spiritual and heavenly nature, having a pre-eminent respect to eternity, and the immortal interests of men; but peculiarly glorious, as a revelation to a sinful world of the glad tidings of salvation. It is also exclusively true. All that is stated in this chapter has been often stated before, and with greater ability and force. The subject of the second chapter is, "the Unity of divine Truth, as displayed in the Jewish and Christian Dispensations." In opening the sacred volume, Mr. Lloyd observes, "we soon discover that it is the work of one divine author, though carried on at sundry times, and in divers manners; and through the medium of various human instruments. In Genesis it commences with the beginning, and in the Apocalypse closes with the end, of time." p. 27. We learn the creation of man; his fall from his state of happi

ness; and the promise of a deliverer. To this important person, all the subsequent history has respect: the patri archs saw the day of Christ: the Jewish ceremonials were typical of his office and character; the prophets still more expressly described him; and, in fulness of time, he himself appeared to prepare, by his ministry, a way for the gospel, which, with the same unity of purpose discoverable from the creation, was preached by his apostles. The conclusion of the chapter contains some remarks upon the danger of suffering imagination to interfere in the interpretation of scripture.

The subject of the third chapter is, "The sentiments and dispositions which the Christian religion ought to produce, more especially in its ministers; and of the means most conducive to this important end." This is chiefly practical, and may be read with great advantage by those who are desirous of filling with propriety the station of a minister of the gospel.

The fourth chapter treats of that doctrine which has a commanding influence in the Christian system; and of the best method of enforcing this and other fundamental articles of our holy religion. The doctrine is that of the remission of sins through the expiatory sacrifice of Christ, and is to be enforced like what Mr. Lloyd conceives to be other doctrines of revelation, "upon the princi ples of revelation, not of a vain philosophy, and fallacious and presumptuous reason.'

The last chapter treats "of the nature and attributes of God; the relation and dependence of his creatures, and the duties resulting from this relation and dependence: of Adam's state before and after the fall, and the provision made for his restoration to the image of his Maker: and of the nature of this restor

ation, with some important observations connected with it." The subjects of this chapter are evidently of great importance; but are, as usual with this writer, handled in too declamatory and loose a manner. Many good remarks occur in the midst of this declamation, and some

wholesome counsel is imparted to his brethren in the university. Though this book is not all that its title leads us to expect, it will, we have no doubt, be favourably received by that class of the members of the establishment who affect the title of evangelical.

ART. XII. Thoughts on the Trinity. By GEORGE ISAAC HUNTINGFORD, D. D F. R. S. Warden of Winchester College, and Bishop of Gloucester. 8vo. pp. 116.

assist others, and support them in the ancient faith."

The recent occasion, then, we imagine to have been the happy conversion of some one of the bishop's friends, from the anti-trinitarian heresy, into which been in great danger of falling. even his lordship had once fallen, or

SEVENTEEN hundred years, at least, have elapsed since the subject of this treatise began to engage the attention of the Christian world; almost as many thousand works have been written upon the subject, and the Christian world is still divided in opinion; and we are much mistaken with respect to our judg ment of the tract now before us, if it should be found eminently useful in proWe have long been of opinion, that a ducing the conviction which the right an interpreter of the holy scriptures; mere Greek scholar is unqualified to be reverend author is so laudably desirous and our opinion has received no little of effecting. In what wears the appear- confirmation from the tract before us. ance of novelty, we fear his lordship The warden of Winchester college has has laid himself open to objections of no little weight; and as to the greater part approved himself a Grecian of the first of his work, we foresee that the advoeminence; but the bishop of Gloucester, cates for the divine unity, in the strictest writing in defence of the Trinity, ought sense of the term, will be ready to reply to be an Hebraist of no mean name, eseither that the argument proceeds upon for some of his strongest proofs. But pecially as he goes to the Old Testament premises which are not acknowledged, or have frequently been answered before. can the writer of the following sentence The pamphlet contains ninety eight construe the first verse of the first chapsections, or clauses, of which his lord-ter of the book of Genesis? « The openship has given the following account:

"Thoughts are here given in preference to dissertations, for the sake of brevity and compression.

The several clauses appear detached: there is however a connexion between them. The subject is begun on principles of abstract reasoning continued, with reference to Heathen and Jewish opinions; pursued, with consideration of the baptismal form delivered by our Lord, and as taught by evangelists, apostles, fathers. Of the question there is then taken a retrospect, which leads to the conclusion."

In the dedication to Mr. Addington, the right reverend author hints at some recent occasion that has suggested these thoughts. The concluding passage of the preface runs thus:

"The mind of the writer has long been much impressed with the force of this solean charge: When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.' He is anxious to obey it. On examination and reflection being himself convinced, he employs his efforts to

ing of St. John's gospel expounds the opening of the Mosaic history. The words of Moses are," In the beginning Bara Elohim created the heavens and the earth." Gen. i. 1. St. John tells us the particular person of the triune godhead, by whom the work of creation was carried into effect." P. 20.

We fear the bishop of Gloucester has not sufficiently guarded against heretical acuteness in the following passages, when compared with each other.

"It would be tritheism, if we should maintain a triplicity of divine intelligences, each diversified in different and opposite essential natures, different and opposite powers, different and opposite wills, different and opposite counsels, different and opposite energies. But it is not tritheism which we maintain that three divine intelligences exist, being ali of the same essential nature, the same power, the same will, the same counsel, the same energies: for, by maintaining the sameness of quality, we preserve the unity of divine attributes, and thus also preserve the unity of Godhead."

"It is always to be recollected, that neither

ject.

by himself, nor by the evangelists, nor by the other writer upon this important subapostles, is our Lord styled The Father, but The Son.' The appellation Father' is applied to Him who (in the words of the annotators in Poole, 1 Cor. viii. 6,) is the foundation of the deity, communicating his divine nature to the other two persons, and of whom are all things; and who therefore is emphatically called the Father,' that be ing a term which signifies the primary cause and author of all things.' With Him and from Him the author of all things, God the Father,' existed from eternity God the Son. The correlative terms Father and Son' convey an idea of paternity and filiation. Paternity and filiation imply identity of nature, but distinction in origin. To this distinction does our Lord refer, when he calls the Father The only true God." The Father is The only God, in strictness of speech, because he is the author of Godhead, by whom, says Pearson, p. 323, ed. 1704,

Godhead was communicated to the Son.'

And He is The True God,' either abstractedly in the same point of view, or relatively in opposition to heathen idolatrous gods.'

We do not recollect that we ever saw the following argument adduced by any

"I thank God that I baptized none of you,' says St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. i. 14). Why should the apostle manifest so great earnestness, and why express himself so very strongly on this occasion? Because, he he had admitted disciples in his own name. thought it would be dishonouring Christ, if And wherefore should he be anxious on that account, if he had believed Christ to have been merely human, and to have been still sleeping in the grave? He could have incurred no evil present or future, had Christ been merely human, and still sleeping in the be more than human; to be raised from the grave. It is clear then he believed Christ to warder of his actions." grave; to be the witness, the judge, the re

But we must take leave of this trea tise, the most striking part of which is the truly candid spirit which prevails in it, so opposite to that which has distin guished the controversial writings of some of the author's right reverend bre thren.

ART. XIII. First Principles of Christian Knowledge; consisting of, I. An Explanation of the more difficult Terms and Doctrines of the Church Catechism, and Office of Confirmation. II. The Three Church Creeds, exemplified and proved from the Scriptures. To which is prefixed, an Introduction on the Duty of conforming to the Established Church, as good Subjects and good Christians. By the Right Reverend THOMAS BURGESS, D. D. Bishop of St David's. The Second Edition. 12mo. pp. 124.

WE have seldom seen a book more open to animadversion, or more deserving of censure, than this. It inculcates maxims which, if carried to their due extent, condemn our separation from the church of Rome; reduces all religion to a formal attention to a few external ceremonies of worship; perverts the plainest language of scripture, and counteracts that charity which an apostle esteemed of more value than the know

ledge of all mysteries. In proof of the justice of what we observe, we refer particularly to pages 2, 6, 11, 13, 25, 36, 64, and to the officious and needless revival of obsolete statutes at the conclusion.

The bishop of St. David's affords another instance of the truth of a remark which has been often made, that a divine may be a good scholar, and at the same time a very bad theologian.

ART. XIV. Conditions on the general Considerations of the Christian Covenant; with a View to some important Controversies. By JOSEPH HOLDEN Ports, A. M. Archdeacon of St. Alban's. 8vo. pp. 110.

NO one can be at a loss to know, at the first glance of this title, what these controversies are, nor refuse his assent to their being of considerable importance. If they were not connected with the question, which is of such moment to every individual, "What shall I do to be saved;" they would now have no inconsiderable influence from their connexion with the character, if not the stability, of the English church. We

are not, therefore, surprised that the friends of that church are anxious to devise conciliatory measures, and to bring nearer the two parties, whose divisions seem to threaten the most serious consequences. Such is the design of the publication now before us. Of its efficacy however we entertain some doubt, not from the want of ability in the author, or of force in the arguments, but from the influence of more rigid principles

ART. XV. Thoughts on the Calvinistic and Arminian Controversy. By GEORGE STANLEY FABER, B. D. 8vo. pp. 46.

ART. XVI. The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man. Comprehending complete Body of Divinity. In Two Volumes. By HERMAN WITSIUS, D. D. Faithfully translated from the Latin, and carefully revised, by WM. CROOKSHANK, D. D. To which is prefined, the Life of the Author.

A3T. XVII. Hora Solitaria, in two Volumes; or Essays upon some remarkable Names and Titles of Jesus Christ, occurring in the Old Testament, and declarative of his essential Divinity and gracious Offices in the Redemption of Men. To which is annexed, an Essay, chiefly historical, upon the Doctrine of the Trinity. The Third Edition. 8vo. pp.

SERMONS AND PRACTICAL THEOLOGY.

ART. XVIII. Sermons on Public Occasions, and a Letter on theological Study. By ROBERT, late Archbishop of York. To which are prefixed, Memoirs of his Life, by GEORGE HAY DRUMMOND, A. M. Prebendary of York. 8vo. pp. 218.