written to serve the purposes of a party by Haweis, the itinerancy of Hawker, the perversion of the Toleration Act, the inroad made upon the discipline of the Church, and the bitter hatred manifested by the Church's enemies-enemies which have come forth from her own bowels-" she has nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against her!" And so, we are to believe that all this warfare is occasioned by an affectionate concern for the respectability and usefulness of the Clergy, a concern so genuine, lively, and honest!!! that it would not pass over in silence what appeared capable of being corrected by faithful reproof!!!" Flimzy as all this CANT is, it imposes upon a great number of poor folks, who think the methodists the best good souls that ever were. I have two or three neighbours, a taylor, who is a customer of mine; a tallow-chandler, to whom I am a customer, and who supplies an adjoining methodistical meeting-house, which he calls a chapel, with candles; and a man who keeps a shop half filled with grindery, and half with old books, chiefly divinity, the ponderous works of the Calvinists of Queen Elizabeth's days, and those libels on the Deity composed by their precious followers in ours. These poor fellows are filled to the root of the tongue with zeal, which often finds its way out at the lips. They are very furious and very ignorant. No zeal is so intemperate as zeal without knowledge. These poor creatures are well suited with wives, who "come not a whit behind" their husbands in zealous attachment to the new order of ecclesiastical things; if indeed we may call that a new order which is but old Puritanism under another name. The sectarian spirit has always had a great sway with the weaker sex; and the methodists of our days, like the judaizing heretics of St. Paul's, are complete masters of the art of creeping into houses, and leading captive silly women laden with divers lusts," The Christian Observer's glozing Review is just calculated to impose on the understandings of such weak people as my neighbours and their wives; and this it is which has induced me to take up my pen, and to enter into conflict with "the controversers of the times." I would have them know that their devices are too poorly imagined to impose upon all tradesmen; there are some of us who are not so easily gulled; there are some of us who can expose the artifices to which restless schism can resort. And let me intreat my brother shopkeepers, also, to imitate THE DRAPIER FAMILY in this, viz. the giving a good education to their children. Methodism reaps the fullest harvest from among the ignorant. Ignorance has been called the Mother of Devotion; no thing is more untrue; but ignorance is the Mother of Superstition; and her other hopeful children are blind Zeal, Schism, Heresy, Intolerance, Persecution, Rebellion, Anarchy and Confusion, the last named two being twins. Let the rising generation be well instructed, let them be fed with the sincere, the unsophisticated, milk of the word; let them be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; let them be taught to love their holy mother THE CHURCH, and early initiated in the use of her Liturgy, and the sanctifying apparatus of her apostolical rites; let them be instructed to honour THE KING, as a religious duty, and to be subject to every ordinance of man for THE LORD's sake,-and the open assaults of the declared methodists, and the covert sap of the Christian Observer will be defeated; the factious will be taken in their

own

own wiliness, their enterprises will be frustrated, their plans exploded, and the sons of order will ever escape them. As it is at present, the "people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

The Reviewer next observes," that the Author of " Unity, &c." is not one of those undiscriminating persons, who condemn all remarks on the defects or failings of the clergy, as resulting from interested views, and as chargeable with illiberality and invective. On the contrary, while his general reverence for the clergy, and earnest zeal for the Church, are unquestionable, he does not deem it inconsistent with that reverence and that zeal, to charge the clergy, in unreserved terms, with a very censurable and injurious neglect, of which we shall have occasion to speak at large, in our consideration of a future chapter."

Impartiality in any author is much to be commended; but the friendly admonitions of the Author of "Unity" will not justify the calumnies which flow in torrents from the Tabernacles and Schism-shops of the Methodists; nor will they bear out this christian Reviewer in the malignant satisfaction with which he chuckles over the charges of very censurable and injurious neglect, brought against the Clergy by the Author in question, or any other; though I find nothing in the book reviewed to authorize language, such as the Reviewer adopts. I shall take the liberty to remark upon the Consideration of these Charges, which he reserves, as it were, pour une bonne bouche, for a future chapter; though he cannot help mumbling it by way of anticipation in this. Doubtless, there is" a middle path" between "blind adulation and blind abuse of whole bodies of men ;" and perhaps the Christian Observer thinks he walks in it. In this, however, he is mistaken. He frequently deviates into the thickets of party, into the sloughs of discontent, and into the barren fields of unprofitable contention; or if he keep the path he claims to tread, he turns his eyes from the flowers that come in his way, and fixes them with ingenious aptitude on the weeds. The Rose of Sharon has no attraction for him; he prefers the thorns and briars of the wilderness; the Lilly of the Vallies (Cant. ii. 1) has no scent which he can relish ; whilst he hangs delighted over

"The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory,

The hateful dock, rough thistles, kecksies, burs."

Reviewing a work recommending unity, he can widen the breaches of schism; and with diabolical artifice can turn the discourse of a friend to our glorious establishment into an invective promoting all the desolating purposes of its foes.

Forgive, gentlemen, the warmth of a plain tradesman, which I perceive lifts my style above its usual level. The practices of these double-faced men, excite my indignation. A known enemy I can contend with strongly, yet coolly; but a false friend quickens my pulse, and he must needs look for the castigation which his treachery demands. I am, Gentlemen,

Shadwell, July 9, 1803.

Your most humble servant,

JN. DRAPIER.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Religious Enthusiasm considered; in Eight Sermons, preached before the University of Oxford, in the Year 1802, at the Lecture founded by John Bampton, A. M. Canon of Salisbury. By George Frederic Nott, B. D. Fellow of All Soul's College, 8vo.

IT

T is with sincere pleasure we announce to the friends of our Apostolical Church the present work; which we have no hesitation to pronounce contains the ablest confutation of religious enthusiasm that has yet appeared. The University of Oxford has acquired immortal honour in the choice of her Bamptonian preacher, and raised up a champion worthy of being ranged by the side of her most illustrious The shades of Hooker and Leslie, and Law, may hail him for their brother-a Horsley and a Daubeny, will rejoice at the accession of strength, which he has brought to their cause.

ornaments.

That our Episcopal Church stands in need of more than ordinary zeal and exertion among her friends to protect her from the dangers with which she is menaced, can admit of no doubt. She has, 'tis true, been ever exposed to assaults from the most remote periods. Her enemieshave been constant, numerous, and formidable in every age.The Church militant here on earth has always had enemies to encounter, and by the divine blessing, has finally prevailed against them in every form, and in whatever character they have assumed. But, however, it is to be deplored, truth obliges us to acknowledge, that the enemy we have at this day much reason to prepare against, and watch with the most jealous apprehensions, is one of our own household. Can it be believed, that the handle of the most deadly hatchet that is now lifted up against us, is that which is cleft from our own forest? And should the time arrive, which may God avert, that our venerable fabric shall yield to the persevering and inveterate malice of her enemies, the honour of the victory will be ascribed to that very description of base and detestable friends, who, under the guise of affection, have been long meditating her overthrow. It is our grievous misfortune to nourish those in our own bosoms, whom we have the greatest reason to fear.-Were it an open enemy that did us this dishonour, we could be more easily prepared against him, but when they, who profess themselves our own familiar friends, are actually plotting our destruction, and multiplying the means to overwhelm us, it must be confessed that our situation is calculated, if not to excite dismay, at least to rouze the energies, and call into activity the talents, the courage, the wisdom, and prudence of our ablest pilots, to guide and direct the vessel through the tremendous storm. When our Church is in danger of being rent asunder by the schisms which are daily fostered and encouraged, with indubitable industry-when maxims are propagated and principles instilled into the minds of the deluded people, utterly subversive of the Unity of the Church, and every endeavour is exerted to infuse the worst prejudices against the primitive institution, against the authority, the discipline, the doctrines, and the ceremonies of our Episcopal Church, it is no small consolation there is risen up among us an advocate of superior strength and ability to combat and trample under foot that monster of religious enthusiasm, which, in all ages of the Church, has engendered incalculable evils, and done more injury to true vital Christianity,

Christianity, than any other that has ever broken into the fold of our great Shepherd.

Let us, however, not be misunderstood. We are not disposed to quarrel with those who entertain different sentiments from ourselves upon every point of doctrine. It is not against the Calvinist, as such, that we refuse the right hand of fellowship-it is not against either extempore preaching or praying that we exclaim-it is not against a rigid austerity of lite, or a strong and fervent zeal for the interests of religion, that we object. There may be many, whose sentiments we do not approve, and yet would be the last to condemn.-But we are free to confess, that we think it so far from a law of charity, that we hold it an affectation of charity to recognise such to be within the pale of our Church, who by their conduct violate its unity in the most essential points; who set their faces against Episcopal Jurisdiction, and hold themselves independent of it. In what way indeed such men acquit themselves of the crime of perjury we are at a loss to conceive.-How, for instance, Rowland Hill reconciles his ministerial conduct with the solemn vow of adherence and subscription, not only to the articles but the liturgy of the Church of England, and his awful engagements to submit to its government and discipline. How Dr. Haweis reconciles his discharging the functions of his ministry in conventicles and licensed meetings with the oath which he took on his induction to the living of Aldwinckle, we leave to these gentlemen to explain.

pa

As schismatics, indeed, they act consistently; when the former gentleman in our hearing, some years ago, declared from his pulpit in Surry Chapel, "that the bishops were clog-makers, but he would be a clogbreaker;"—and when we consider the latter gentleman is the avowed tron of lay unauthorized preachers, and labours at every opportunity to bring the Clergy into contempt. But as members of our Church, we cannot see a feature by which we can discover them. That these gentlemen, however they may agree in their hostility against us, have by no means come to fixed principles of union with each other, we happen to know from very, authentic sources. Some of our readers will recollect, a few years ago, that one Cooper presented himself under the auspices of Dr. Haweis, as an apostle to the Jews.-The greatest expectations were entertained of his success. He reached a degree of popularity, and attracted the admiration of the members of Sion Chapel.-His first sermon which he preached to the Jews was on that day when he attained the age of 21. It was to be the birth-day of the conversion of Israel. We cannot but suppose, that the fame of this bookbinder's illiterate apprentice, (for he had not yet completed the term of his apprenticeship) attracted the notice of the Reverend Rowland Hill; and we might naturally suppose he would have received him with a cordial welcome.-But without entering into the secret motives, which influence the conduct of men, the fact is, that Rowland Hill has declared that he would not admit Cooper into his pulpit, and why? because of his youth and want of spiritual experience. Now we have nothing to complain of in this declaration, except one single circumstance, that Mr. Rowland Hill did admit Mr. Jay into his pulpit when he was at the age of 19 !!! heard him. Was not Mr. Jay objectionable because of his youth, and want of spiritual experience? Why then should he be approved as fit and proper to enlighten and edify Mr. H.'s congregation, and Mr. C.

We

the

the Eleve of Dr. Haweis be excluded It will be seen, that the fact we have stated, and for the truth of which we pledge ourselsves, has a close connexion with the general argument of the work before us, and strengthens the conclusions which are to be drawn from it. Mr. Nott in undertaking a task so peculiarly seasonable, seems to be well aware of its importance. He has accordingly put forth his whole strength. He has calculated the force of his adversary, and measured his own, He has concerted a formal attack of the enemy in his head quarters— has drawn out his main army, and seems resolved to bring the contest to a final issue. He has laid his plan with infinite ability. He treads upon sure ground, and proceeds by steps with the caution and circumspection of an experienced veteran. He suffers no position to escape his penetrating eye, which the enemy possesses; but whenever he observes that a stand is made, he never treats it either with levity or contempt, but he sits down, and opens a regular fire, till he forces the enemy to surrender. The further he proceeds, the greater strength he acquires, and the wisdom and energy of his operations appear in a more conspicuous point of view. Victory marks his steps, directed however by a spirit of charity and moderation, which reflects on him the highest credit. Never perhaps since the days of Leslie, was the triumph more complete -never was there a contest in which so much honour was acquired by the victor. In fact we conceive the religious enthusiast has received his death wound. Religious Enthusiasm demonstrated to be the child of pride and ambition, and the parent of Schism; enthusiasm exemplified in the lives of Whitfield and Wesley, but charged upon the modern founders of new communions on the same principles, is exhibited in her true colours, and in such colours as must induce every man, who wishes well to the cause of pure religion and undefiled, to redouble his vigilance and activity in extinguishing a schism which if suffered to spread, will destroy the peace and happiness of this favoured land more effectually than the armies of a foreign invader. In our next we shall enter into a more minute analysis of this distinguished production.

:

A short Vindication of the Established Church in which the Objections of Methodists and Dissenters are dispassionately considered. By P.Williams, D. D. Archdeacon of Merioneth, and Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Bangor; published for the benefit of the Rev. Mr. Pughe. Oxford: printed at the University Press. 12mo. pp. 118.

THC

HOUGH every objection which the petulance and presumption of a schismatical spirit can raise against the established Church has been repeatedly urged, and as repeatedly refuted, yet times and occasions will occur when it will be necessary to bring the same artillery to bear upon the opponents of truth and order. The same restless and insidious spirit which distinguished the sectaries in the reigns of Eliza beth and the first Charles, now prevails amongst our modern puritans, who by pretending to an uncommon zeal for Evangelical Religion, are in fact labouring to destroy the Ecclesiastical Establishment. When the gloomy bigots in the days of our fathers, had secured their footing under the specious plea of zeal for godliness and reformation, they soon began

to