who counteract its views and measures. What ideas men can en tertain of the Deity, who is thus solicited to go forth with every bloody band, from that which attends an Arabian robber, in his daily depredations, to the disciplined armies of those who are called Civilized and religious princes, it is extremely shocking to reflect! The best excuse which can be made for the general impiety which superstition produces, when the flames of war are consuming the world, is, that those men, who solicit him on so many different and contradictory occasions, either disbelieve the existence of a God, or that every nation has its particular divinity, who is to adopt its views, and to favour all its enterprizes." Such are the sentiments of a writer, who, in the next page, tells us, that" whether government be the appointment of a pretended religion; whether originating with the Patriarchs; or owing to a social compact?-are not matters worthy of enquiry." Lectures on, the Universal Principles and Duties of Religion and Morality. 4to. P. 147. It is needless for us to repeat here an observation which we have. frequently had occasion to make, that no man is lax in his religious principles, who is not equally lax in his political principles. The next communication is of a different description; it was transmitted to us from Cambridge, and is stated to be the copy of a printed paper, stuck, with many others, on the wall of a school, neighbouring village, established, strange to tell! by the clergyman. THE RECRUITING OFFICER'S SPEECH. And every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented gathered Who are willing to serve his Majesty Jehovah, in the Royal And in Captain Immanuel's Company, Let them repair to the sound of the Gospel, or to my Quarters, at the Lamb's Inn, in the City of Zion, or New Jerusalem, Where the Company now lies; Where they shall be kindly entertained, enter into present pay and free quarters; and the very moment they inlist they shall be adopted into the Royal Family, and made sons and heirs of the matchless king, and in consequence thereof, shall receive a kingdom that cannot be removed; shall have to drink wine and milk, without money and without price; and for their further encouragement, so soon as they shall join their respective regiments, they shall receive all new cloaths, such that will never wear out, with arms and accoutrements, sufficient to withstand every adversary. And Who maketh the land with his victories ring. And trumpets he blows, And gleaneth up soldiers amongst his sworn foes, Call'd up by his standard, and train d by his hand. A balsam is found, Which knits a bone broken, and heals a bad wound. He forms by his care; And teaches his soldiers all hardships to bear. But led by their captain great feats they will do. By day and by night With evil they fight, And never are foil'd when the captain's in sight. And fight till the captain pronounces well done. This blessed word chear Mine heart and mine ear, As soon as my warfare is finished here. Till then give me hope, To prop my heart up, And list my poor neighbours to make a new troop. The letter which follows relates to the controversy between Dr. Hawker and the Methodists, on the one hand, and Mr. Polwhele and the members of the establishment on the other; a controversy on which our opinion has been already given. H 4 TO FORESEEING (as he affured ine,) an answer to his Anecdotes from fome Methodistical tinker or cobler, and not chufing to fubject himself to the degrading task of replying to fuch a perfon; Mr. Polwhele (in his advertisement to the Anecdotes," &c.) requefted those who wished to be fatisfied of the truth of his representations and the juftnefs of his defcriptions, to meet him at Mawnan, (where monthly juftice. meetings are holden and) where he promifed to produce his vouchers to any candid enquirer. "There he expected (he faid) to be protected from infult, which might not be the cafe, at his own houfe; or, in the street at Helfton, where he was threatened to be called to an account for the Anecdotes. Having lately perufed that publication of the Cornish Shoemaker, which was, a month or two ago, animadverted on, in your Review, I certainly had a defire (impudent and fcurrilous as the Shoemaker undoubtedly is) to have fome points cleared up to me, for my own fatisfaction, as well as for the fake of the author of the Anecdotes. I took the liberty, therefore, of waiting on Mr. Polwhele (not however, at the place propofed, but) at his own houfe; where I had the pleasure of infpecting the principal part of the Anecdotes, (almoft every one of thofe which Drew fet down as lies) in the hand-writing of Mr. P.'s informants, all Clergymen of refpectability, who, in my opinion, fhould no longer remain behind the fcenes. In the diocefe of Lincoln, there are a committee, formed out of the body of the regular Clergy, to enquire into the conduct of the Metho difts, &c. &c. Their late publication is worthy the attention of the Legiflature. Poffibly, the Bishop of Exeter would have no objection to fanction Mr. P. and his informants, in meeting periodically, with a view to the fame investigation as the gentlemen in that diocese are now fo laudably pursuing. The infolence of the Methodifts, headed as they are by the St. Auftle Cobler, one of the most audacious men upon earth, ought, beyond all doubt, to be checked by authority. Your's, &c. &c. Nov. 19th, 1800. M. D. We shall close this article with a letter, from a Correspondent, on whose veracity our readers may place the firmest reliance, which tends to corroborate the opinion which, at different times, we have found it our duty to advance respecting the Methodists; and the necessity which exists for watching their movements with increased vigilance, and for the exertion of additional caution and vigour, in protecting the establishment both against the open and the secret attacks, of these artful, hypocritical, and persevering enemies, SIR, TO THE EDITOR, BEING in Yorkshire this summer and enquiring into the state of religious religious parties there, I found the Methodists* were very nume rous, and that it was not infrequent for persons of that description to behave towards others with supercilious contempt. I made many reflections upon this fact, and this amongst others, that much power could not be safely lodged in such hands. "If, said I, they cannot well bear their present popularity, what would they be if they were entrusted with the power of the present ministers of the church of England! Taken, as their preachers generally are, from the lower orders of the people, and not having their minds expanded and cultivated by education, and the refinements of polished life, might we not expect them to manifest towards others a narrow and persecuting spirit!". I was the more confirmed in this opinion by learning that a man of the greatest influence amongst them, one who has been the president of their conference, Mr. John Pawson, had shewn the most violent rancour towards the clergy, a rancour bordering on mad ness. This meek and holy man had a volume of sermons printed at London, in the year 1799, not to sell, but to give away. When I was in Yorkshire he was stationed at Leeds, and his sermons were only to be met with in the houses of his particular friends. I was told, however, that two clergymen had fortunately got a sight of them, and were shocked, as they well might be, with some of the sermons, and particularly with the thirteenth, from which I now send you an extract. I could not help copying it at the time I was favoured with a hasty glance of the work; and I hope you, Sir, will preserve it by inserting it in your Magazine, as otherwise there is great fear that this monument of folly and intemperance will be lost. For as soon as Mr. John Pawson knew that his work had got into improper hands, he desired all his friends to cut this part out of their copies, and I understand he has done the same with the copies remaining in his hand. The man, however, who could entertain such sentiments, deserves to be exposed, and it is upon this principle, and as a caution to others, that I am anxious that he should have a little flagellation. An apostle says, "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," But Mr. John Pawson goes much farther than this. If murder has not been actually committed, we are not obliged to him for this, as his thirteenth sermon is wonderfully adapted to persuade weak and ill-judging enthusiasts, that in killing the established clergy they will do God great service. What is this but the very worst prinçiple of the old Papists. He seems to have exalted himself to the papal chair, to consider * I use this term for the followers of the late Mr. Wesley, the persons who call themselves Methodists. I found it was always used in this sense in Yorkshire, and I wish this was the case in the more southerly part of the kingdom. In the excellent report of the Lincolnshire clergy it is used in a very vague and indeterminate sense, and their opponent, Mr. Benson, has not failed to avail himself of this want of precision. the the church of God as confined within the pale of his own community; and rashly and arrogantly to judge the whole of the established clergy to be false prophets: for those whom he thinks the best, are very little better than the rest of their brethren; and yet the rest are such monsters of iniquity, that highwaymen and murderers are innocent in comparison of them! I only add my fervent prayer," from all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness; good Lord deliver us!" I am, Sir, your's respectfully, ALIAN AN EPISCOPALIAN. Extract from the 13th Sermon of a Volume of Sermons, consisting, in the whole, of 16. By John Pawson. Entitled, A Legacy to the Poor. London. Printed in the Year 1799. Mr. John Pawson's Opinion of the Clergy, and of their Deserts. LET us look for religion among our teachers and spiritual guides. But alas! how like the Jewish priests are these. From the least, even unto the greatest of them, are not every one given to covetousness? And from the prophet even to the priest every one dealeth falsely. These words are literally and strictly true; is there any set of men, whatsoever, more given to covetousness than our priests, in general, are? Surely no. Are they not, in the general, deeply athirst for preferment, for the most valuable livings, and for as many of them as they can possibly get? Do they not make all the interest with great men, and take every method, and use every means they can think of, for this end? Do they not take every advantage, which lays in their power, and very often are guilty of the greatest oppression, in order to increase their revenues? Regardless of the people, committed to their charge, they are only concerned how they may add one church-living to another, and by that means rise in the world, and aggrandize themselves and their families. Being entire strangers to the gospel of Christ, and to the nature of true religion-destitute of divine grace, and of every ministerial qualification-having neither the gift of prayer nor preaching; and, indeed, at present, there is no need of either, as all the prayers which they want, are already made to their hands, and they may purchase sermons in abundance for money; and that the dumb dog who cannot bark himself, may thus use another's tongue; and as the prophet speaks," he may lay down, and slumber, and sleep," till the sound of bells awake, and call him to the church; and although, like the Psalmist, he has not hid the word of the Lord in his heart, yet he has got it in his pocket, and that will do just as well for him. A poor, blind leader of the blind, he stumbles on in the dark paths of error, and in the crooked ways of sin. Deceived himself, he tries to deceive all who hear him, till, without a miracle of mercy, both he and they fall headlong into the pit of eternal destruction. These, of all the dangerous men upon earth, are to be avoided. Highwaymen and murderers are innocent, in |