the merit of that facrifice, free forgiveness was obtained for all mankind, confiftently with the honour, dignity, and fecurity of God's laws. Christ's death deftroyed the power of death-that is, it has blotted out and cancelled the penalty of eternal death, which finful man had contracted, and has opened the way to eternal life. He is therefore the true lamb of God, which taketh away the fins of the world;-He is the facrificer and the facrifice: he has entered into heaven, of which the fanctuary in the Jewish temple was the figure, not with the blood of animals, but with his own; and he offered to God once for all the facrifice of his own death; which being a perfect and fufficient facrifice needeth not to be repeated, like the continual facrifices of the old law; though it must be continued, as perfect and neceffary, by our offering it repeatedly in reprefentation and commemoration-thereby to apply the virtue and efficacy of Chrift's fufferings, in our own perfons, to ourselves.

"The name of Pontius Pilate is inferted in the Creed, that we may continually be reminded by it of the time, and circumftances of our Saviour's death and fufferings; by what means and methods the defigns of divine Providence were accomplished, that thus it should be-that Chrift might fuffer, by a foreign power, a particular kind of death, not prefcribed by the Jewish law; the fentence of which, the Jews were not permitted either to pronounce, or execute; being obliged to refer all capital caufes to the Roman Governor."

The ftyle of this little work is by no means fuited to the eighteenth century. A brother critic, who agrees with us, that the performance is flight and fuperficial, would yet have been unwilling to concur with us, in dooming it to oblivion, had it been purged from its herebys and therebys, and beretos and theretos, and herefroms and therefroms, and from hences and from thences.

But we have detected fuch grammatical errors; and there is fuch a want of rhythm in the periods; fuch a dull uniformity in the conftruction of the paragraphs, and fuch a feeblenefs in the expreffion, that we fhould ill discharge our duty as critics, by recommending "Christian Institutes" to the public attention.

ART. XV. A few plain Reasons for the Belief of a Chriftian. By Thomas Robinson, A. M. Rector of Ruan-Minor, Cornwall. 8vo. Pr. 44. IS. Robinson. 1800.

IN a fenfible and well-written introduction to this treatise, the author remarks Few, perhaps, are fo ignorant of the hiftory of revelation, as never to have heard of the attempts that have been made to impede its progrefs, and fruftrate its fuccefs. Few are there, but must know, that perfons have existed, who have laboured by their writings to expofe it to contempt as a fabrication and impofture. But little was to be apprehended from the difperfion of thofe unfounded and fallacious arguments, which, too intricate and subtle for common understanding, were confined to the perufal of men of talents and erudition." The infidels, of the prefent day, have had recourse

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to a different, and, unfortunately, a more fuccefsful method. By confident affertion, by ridicule, by the groffest and most shameless mifrepresentation, and by every artifice that could be practifed on the ignorant and unwary, they have, too often, fucceeded in poifoning the morals, and perverting the understandings of that middle clafs which conftitutes fo valuable a portion of the community. Many have fallen into the fnare, not from a conviction that revelation is deftitute of fufficient proofs, but merely from having never troubled themfelves to enquire into the folidity of the foundation on which it refts for fupport. Indifferent to religion they originally took it upon truft, and confequently were unable, in the hour of trial, to refift the force with which they were attacked."-" With the hopes of affording fome little affiftance, in counteracting an evil of fuch magnitude, the writer of this treatife, in defence of revelation, has been induced to make it public. He has drawn up a plain and compendious statement of the principal arguments which are usually adduced to establish the credibility of the facred writings. Fully aware, that many other works on the same subject, far more able and fatisfactory than any thing that can come from him, may have already preceded his, he has only to obferve, that nothing precifely of the fame nature as that which he has here taken upon himself, has ever reached him, or, he believes, his neighbourhood."

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A few years fince, Dr. Beattie published two little volumes, entitled "Evidences of the Chriftian Religion briefly and plainly ftated," at the inftance of the Bishop of London. And the Bishop of London himself hath just published a treatife, which he entitles " Summary of the principal Evidences for the Truth of divine Origin of the Chriftian Revelation; defigned chiefly for the ufe of young perfons, more particularly of thofe who have lately been confirmed in the diocefe of London."

Mr. Robinson's work has the advantage of being much cheaper and fhorter than either of these publications; and is, therefore, more acceffible to the poorer claffes, and more likely to be read and studied by persons who have no great command of time.

The "Reafons" are divided into five fhort chapters. In the third chapter, Mr. Robinfon adduces his Reafons for believing the New Teftament. "That these reasons (fays he) are of the strongest and molt fatisfactory nature, and fully adequate to the conviction of every rational enquirer, I fhall endeavour to establish by a distinct confideration of the three following propofitions:-1ft. That the founder of the Chriftian religion derived his commiflion and office from God. 2dly. That he was not only invested with divine authority, but was, in reality, that very Meffiah who had been fo long promised, and fo ardently expected. 3dly. That the accounts delivered down to us in the New Teftament, relative to his life, doctrines, and character, are fuch as are fairly entitled to our belief." P. 18. On the third propofition, we are prefented with fome ftriking obfervations."When perfons relate any matters of fact, it is ufual to determine, from the character they bear, the degree of credit that is to be attached

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to their affertions. When, on enquiry, we find in the witneffes, not only an unblemished integrity, but fufficient knowledge and penetration to ascertain the truth of the circumftances they atteft; when we are certain, that they could not well be deceived themselves, nor were likely to attempt an impofition on others, we may fafely acquiefce in the validity of the teftimony voluntarily brought forward. Now, if we apply thefe rules to the evangelifts and apoftles, we shall foon be convinced, that they are by no means defective in any fuch marks of true hiftorians. If we examine into their integrity, we muft foon perceive, from the tenor of their writings, that they were incapable of propagating a wilful impofture. Their giving an account of their errors and imperfections, of their mean extraction and employments, their ambitious contentions, and their denial and defertion of their mafter in his diftrefs, is an argument of great force in favour of their veracity in other refpects. They might have concealed every thing that tended to lower them in the public eftimation with the greatest eafe, as it was not effential to the Chriftian faith that it fhould be tranfmitted to pofterity. If, therefore, they have recorded transactions that were likely to leffen their own characters, we cannot well require a more fatisfactory proof of their ftrict and impartial regard to truth in every other circumstance which they have afferted in their narra tives. And befides, they spoke of fuch things only as they had feen or heard, themselves, or had been informed of by others who had had ocular demonftration. They have plainly fhewn, by the general train of good fenfe and judgment, which runs through their writings, that they were not likely to be deceived by impofition; and the circumftances they defcribe are of fuch a nature as not to admit of error or delufion. Had they been inclined to impofe on the world by the fabrication of a falihood, they could not have expected to fucceed in the deception. They wrote their accounts but a fhort period after the death of their Mafter, at a time when multitudes were ftill alive, who had been witneffes of the different facts which they related, and who, if an opportunity had offered, would gladly have come forward to detect and difgrace them. It is, indeed, highly improbable, that a fet of men fhould have united to affert, that a perfon called Jefus of Nazareth had come from God, revealed eternal life, confirmed his doctrines by miracles, fuffered death, and after three days had rifen again from the grave; and, after this, that the Holy Ghoft had vifibly defcended on his difciples, on the day of Pentecoft, and enabled them to speak all languages; that [from] thence they had been dispersed through all nations, and had confirmed their preaching by the operation of figns and wonders; it is, I fay, not worthy of the flightest degree of credit, that such a narrative should have been attempted by the apoftles, or fuffered to be propagated by the Jews, (whose interest it was to put a stop to it) had it not been founded on facts, the exiftence of which had been clearly and publickly afcertained. But even were we to fuppofe, that the apostles were inclined to practice such an impofition, with what poffible view could they have been led to attempt it? Men are not often found to do mischief for mischief's fake,

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even when they may do it with impunity. How much more impro. bable, then, is it, that men should do it, when fo far from having the profpect of advantage before them, they were certain of incurring the greatest danger? Had they wished to acquire the honours or riches of the world, they took the worst poffible method that could have been devised to attain them, as the doctrines they taught were in direct oppofition to the inclinations of those who were able to promote their private interefts. They must have been already convinced, from the fate of their Mafter, that nothing but evil was reafonably to be ex pected from preaching a doctrine which had been to the Jews a ftumbling-block,' and would, probably, by the Greeks' be accounted fcolifhnefs.' They must have been well aware, that their perfeverance in the fame caufe would eventually expofe them, as it before had Him, to contempt, poverty, imprisonment, and death.” PP. 32-35.

From this excerpt it will be judged, that Mr. Robinson's style and manner are ferious, argumentative, and impreffive. The author affects no beauties of language; no fentimental refinement; but is, every where, fimple and unadorned. And, as he profeffes, that his "defign in this publication was to render himself useful to the middle claffes," his plainnefs does credit to his profeffions; and a found judgement is equally difcoverable in the intention and the execution. In the mean time, he has difplayed a confiderable degree of fcriptural erudition. He has compreffed within the fmall space of fortyfour pages, as large a quantity of theological matter, as we have feen expanded over two hundred, even in works of great merit and celebrity. And he hath contrived to throw an air of familiarity over arguments that have feldom been introduced into popular treatifes. Though clofe in the argumentation, yet he is never logically formal: though fcarcely admitting into his pages a fuperfluous word, yet he never offends for want of eafe or fluency.

In Dr. Beattie's Treatife too many infidel objections are brought forward, for thofe who are debarred, through their occupations, from entering deeply into the study of the fcriptures. For though fuch objections may be fatisfactorily answered, in the opinion of men of fenfe and learning, they often leave a difagreeable impreffion on the common mind, excite a wish for farther inquiry when the opportunities of investigation are wanting, raife doubts and fufpicions where not a fceptical idea had ever before intruded, and disturb the tranquillity of many an honest Christian.

In the Summary of the Evidences," &c. by the Bishop of London, there are various paffages (especially the comparison, beautiful as it is, between the Bible and the Korany not very happily adapted to fuch perfons as "boast neither tafte nor literature." But we fcruple not to affert, on the most attentive perufal of it, that Mr. Robinson's little work is calculated for all, high or low, rich or poor, who are required to give a Reafon of the hope that is in them."

ART.

ART. XVI. A Sermon preached before the Archdeacons and Clergy of the Deaneries of Hartfmere and Hoxne, in Suffolk; at the Vitation bolden at Eafter, in the Year, 1797; and of that of Southwark in September, 1799: and publifbed by their Defire. By the Rev. J. Brand, M. A. Rector of the Parish of St. George the Martyr, in Southwark; and Vicar of Wyckham Skeythe, in the County of Suffolk. 4to. PP. 18. Rivingtons. 1800.

THE main object of this discourse is to imprefs on the minds of the clergy the neceffity of additional zeal in "Looking diligently left any man fail of the grace of God" (the words of the text', in these disjointed times when infidelity rears her unblushing front in the different nations of the earth, and when the fpirit of innovation or rather, of demolition, is widely diffufed with all the pride of vanity, and with all the energy of wickedness. Mr. Brand marks the character of this mifchievous fpirit, traces its progrefs. and describes its origin. He beftows juft commendations on the moderation displayed by the original reformers of our church, and contrafts their conduct with that of the pretended reformers of the fent day.

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He makes a diftinction between what he calls the rights of extreme neceffity, fuch as were called into action in this country in 1688, and the imaginary rights of expedience, on the dangerous question of refiftance to civil authority. He quotes, (in a note) for the benefit of those who affert the existence of these latter rights, the words of one of the whig managers, on the trial of Sacheverell, who are favourite authorities with Mr. Brand ;- "Refiftance is what is not, cannot. nor ought ever to be described and affirmed, in any pofitive law, to be excufeable; when, and upon what never to be expected occafions, it may be exercised, no man can foresee; and ought never to be thought of." This doctrine is unquestionably found, much, very much, as it differs from the precepts and practices of modern whigs.

Mr. Brand has an aptitude, almoft peculiar to himself, in the application of events of ancient times to the transactions of the prefent, proceeding from a rich ftore of knowledge, acquired by extenfive reading, and deep meditation. Of this a remarkable inftance occurs in a note to the latter part of this difcourfe. After fhewing the origin of the pernicious principles now afloat in the world, he lays;

"It is thus that thofe bad principles have been engendered, which prevail in this day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; and the characters and arts of their propagation feem predescribed in the second epiftle of St. Peter, when he cenfures a fet of men, with whom fome followers of the gofpel were mixed, fpots in their feaft of charity,' who, among their other evil deeds and difpofitions, were prefumptuous, felf-willed, not afraid to speak evil of dignities, and of things they understand not, beguiling unftable fouls: for when they fpeak great fwelling words of vanity, they allure those that were clean, escaped from them that live in

NO. XXV, VOL. VI.

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