marks, just and beautiful in themselves, but which appear to have no connection, but that which is exceedingly remote, with the subsequent Discourses. For the sake of that impartiality which we wish ever to be the character of our little Miscellany, we must remark, that, in the haste probably of composition, Dr. C. has inadvertently considered The Ancient of Days' (Dan. vii. 9) as a title of the Messiah (see Lecture X, page 283) whereas it is demonstrably plain (from verse 13), that the Son of Man' is descriptive of the Messiah; and that the Ahtient of Days,' before whom he was brought, is designed to represent God the Father. We are always sorry when, in support of an important truth, an indefensible argument is adduced. The conclusion drawn by Dr. Collyer from such passages in the Old Testament as Isa. ix. 6, Jer. xxiii. 5, Isa. vii. 14, &c. in favour of the proper divinity of the Messiah as the subject of prophecy, meets with our most cordial approbation; bnt we have thought it the part of candour to remind the readers of the excellent volume before us, that, in the instance just mentioned, there was certainly an oversight. Let it, however, be remarked, that this little blemish by no means detracts from the literary merit, or the useful tendency of a volume which, we hope, will be eminently serviceable in pleading the cause of revelation and evangelical piety.

The introductory paragraph in

preter, whose elucidations never fail to render the inscription intelligible:- it is Time. His hand retraces all the figures before the eyes of succeeding generations; his interpretation is recorded by the pen of faithful, impartial history; and, by comparing the commentary with the original, we are able to comprehend both the one and the other. This pillar is adamant, and resists the impressions of age. Its inscriptions were written by hands which have long since mouldered into dust, and by persons who did not themselves always understand what they wrote, nor were able to ex plain the characters which they formed; but the substance of the was dictated by God himself, and the column is his own workman ship. There have been many fruit less efforts made to shake this mo nument of infinite wisdom, and erase these lines of unsearchabk knowledge; but the pillar remain unmoved, the lines unimpaired and the whole uninjured, either by malice or by years. The parts o this singular elevation which stan nearer the roof of the temple, ar covered by an impenetrable cloud The whole pillar was once equall involved; but Time, who has rolle away the mist from its base, shal at the destined period, unveil th remaining part of it; and while w shall be able to read the writing he shall announce, with unerrin perspicuity, the interpretation.'

men of that accurate talent for description which Dr. Collyer so eminently possesses. In the hope that it may invite attention to the work at large, we feel great pleasure in transcribing it.

In entering the temple of Revelation, one of the first objects which has attracted the attention of all ages, and which constitutes a grand support, is the pillar of Prophecy. Like the celebrated obelisks of Egypt, it is covered with hierogly phics, which the wisdom of man, and the skill of science, in their combined efforts, attempt in vain to decypher. There is one inter

suggested to the Consideration the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Si mouth and the Dissenters. Philagatharches. Svo, 12s.

WE consider the subject of the Essays as of peculiar interest in th present moment, and the work b fore us as demanding our early a tention, as well from the abili with which it is executed, as fro the attention, we understand, it h excited in the higher circles. shail, therefore, give a brief analy of the contents, and then offer a te observations to the considerati of the author and the public.

The First Essay aniinadverts

of Judge Blackstone's Commentaries. Section 1 considers The general uses of the liberty of the press; namely, The disseinination of knowledge, national intellectual improvement, the developement of truth; and that it excites a general interest in political transactions, and constitutes the public the final tribunal of their equity or propriety. Section 2 treats On the abuses to which a free press is liable; namely, Profanation of the divine character, the inculcation of infidel principles, heterodox principles and corrupt politics, and the extenuation of vice. Sect. 4, On the equity of trial and sentence by jury in prosecutions for libels: and whether the jury should determine the penalty in criminal as well as civil prosecutions for libels.' Section 5, On the particular influence of the liberty of the press in promoting the cause of religion.' On this subject the author remarks, It dispelled the darkness of popery, ➡ brought forth the Scriptures to public view, is a medium of expounding Seripture according to our own views and must ultimately be a mean of disclosing truth. The primitive Nonconformists, when excluded from their pulpits, employed themselves in writing for the press a great number of the ablest works in theology. Lastly, The freedom of the press is the great palladium of religious liberty, and of the legal rights of Dissenters.'

Such is the plan, and so various and interesting are the contents of the Work before us; in which the author displays a respectable degree of learning and talents, a liberal disposition, and a patriotic spirit; yet there are some points on which we demur, and others on which we beg leave to differ from him. We have given the analysis without any inferruption, that the reader might view his scheme as a whole, and be better enabled to judge both of the work and of the subsequent remarks, which we think it our duty to offer on this most important subject.

Religious toleration, we conceive, admits of degrees, some whereof may be granted, where others would

It

be dangerous and inexpedient. is one thing to allow a man the exercise of his religion, and another to admit him into important public stations. The former is, we think, the unalienable right of all men; and to talk of tolerating a fellowcreature in the exercise of worshipping his Maker, sounds very harsh, not to say ridiculous and profauc. The author fully admits this as to individuals; and we doubt if it can be consistently denied to societies, or communities, provided their worship be open to public observation. Nor does it seem to us necessary that a public teacher should give any pledge or security for the nature of the principles he teaches. If he preaches sedition, it is at his peril; and if he encourages vice and immorality, he is amenable to the laws, as fully as in the case of printing or publishing from the press; and no pledge seems demandable in one case more than in the other but to admit a man into the legislature, or into the high offices of the state, whose scutiments are avowedly unfriendly to the constitution, and to the high interests of religion and morality, is highly dangerous. A few individuals thus admitted, and the door left open to others, might, in a few years, be increased to a majority, sufficient, eventually to shake the throne, and overturn the consitution.

2. We do not exactly agree with Philagatharches on the subject of judicial oaths. Not only Atheists, but Deists, he thinks, ought to be rejected as evidences in our courts of judicature (p. 59); but this we conceive would arrest the course of business, and impede public justice, in a nation which unhappily abounds with disbelievers in Christianity, or at least in its divine authority. The Jew (he observes) swears by the Old Testament, and the Mahommetan by his Koran, which they esteem sacred; but the New Testament is no test of truth to the Deist, who denies its truth; nor perhaps to the Socinian, who, though he may admit the truth of the gospel-bistory, regards it not as sacred or inspired. To such, we think, and perhaps to all, the ancient method used in Scot

land, of lifting up the right hand, and swearing by Him that liveth for ever and ever, is in itself far more solemn, and would maintain a strong obligation on many, who now make a jest of kissing a book, which they neither venerate nor believe.

3. We consider any test that could be devised for Roman Catholics equally nugatory and useless with those already employed. Men of honour and conscience, even in THAT religion, we are persuaded would not take an oath with the reservation and equivocation which he supposes; but if there are any of the lower orders (and we fear there are many) so ignorant as to suppose, that the priest has power to absolve the most sacred engagements, it is plain no form of an oath can bind their consciences; for they may swear, and safely swear, that they renounce, not only the Pope, bat the Roman Catholic religion, while they believe the priest to possess a power to pardon every species of iniquity, and every kind of crime.

4. We differ from our author as to some points in the question now under examination, viz. the licensing dissenting ministers and teachers. We not only dispute the propriety of the loyalty of a man's principles being made the condition of his licence; but we strongly object to the executive power being made, in this case, the judge. Nothing can be easier than for a magistrate, udverse to the Dissenters, to find a plea for questioning the loyalty of a preacher's doctrines; nay, the very circumstance of his being a Dissenter, or a Calvinist, is, with many, a sufficient evidence of disaffection.Such a prerogative, therefore, lodgd with the magistrates, would Le antamount to a law for shutting up he meeting-houses, and silencing the pilpits of the Dissenters..

We have our doubts also as to the popriety and efficacy of the certifiate he proposes to require from licentiate (p. 255). A ministermay be laid by 12 months from preching; and, in the moment of retuning to his people, be chosen

eyey

into some parochial office, inconsistent with his ministerial duty; or his incapacity may arise from the loss of voice, sufficient for public speaking, which yet may not be thought a disqualification for the vexatious office of a petty constable. Students in divinity also, ought, we presume, to be exempt from military duty, as equally inconsistent with their present studies, and their future views.

Itinerant preachers, he admits, make great sacrifices, and suffer many privations (p. 225); yet these, he thinks, are not entitled to the same privileges of exemption as ministers settied in the pastoral office. As we have formerly given the arguments on both sides of this question, we decline again entering upon it *. The fact is, that in the late Militia Bills, the Legislature has refused exemption to all dissenting teachers, who are not bona fide ministers of distinct congregations; so that one principal object of Lord Sidmouth's proposed regulations seems already.

On the last Essay we forbear offering any remarks, as we have already exceeded our limits; and wish the author had reserved this for an

her publication, as we conceive it has no necessary connection with the maiu enquiry.

Upon the whole, while we regard this as an able work, peculiarly important at the present moment, and recommend it to the attention of such of our readers as feel interested in the great national question of Toleration, we presume also to. recommend to the author himself a reconsideration of his subject; and shou'd the public. voice call for a new edition, to make his statements as clear, and his arguments as invulnerable as possible, against the enemies both of Toleration and of the Protestant Region.

Were we permitted to suggest a hint to the noble Lord, to whom these Essays are addressed, on the subject of Toleration, it would be in the language of a respectable body of Merchants, of whom a great prime minister once enquired, what he

conformity of the church to the world; the want of personal religion; the low state of family-worship and family-government; the divisions and separations in Christ

favourable Signs of the Times, in Reference to the Church of God in this Kingdom, the Sale of the Nation, and the Interests of Religion in the World at large. By John Holloway. 12mo, Is.

Ir in the natural world we observe two things ordinarily connected, we consider the appearance of the one as a sign of the other; and thus, in innumerable instances, govern our conduct. It is not, however, in the natural world only that such connections subsist. There are moral causes, which are no less indicative of moral effects than the appearances of the sky are of fair weather or foul; nor are these of less importance to the Christian than those are to the husbandman, the traveller, or the mariner. To be inattentive to the works of the Lord, and regardless of the operations of his hand, is to incur destruction from the Almighty.

The review which this pamphlet takes of our own times, indicales a mind observant of the things which are passing before us, and contains many profitable observations. The author divides the signs of our times into favourable and unfavourable, and considers them as relating to the interests of the church of God in our own country, to the state of the nation, and to the interests of religion in the world a large.

Among the favourable signs of the present times relating to the church of God in our own country, are reckoned. The abundance of the means of grace, and the great exertions that are making for the spread of the gospel; the beneficial and saving effects which have attended them; the union between ministers and Christians of different religious persuasions; with the many helps and spiritual privileges with which we are favoured. Among the unfavourable are reckoned, The abounding of false doctrine; the number of mere professors who unite with Christian churches; the

meetings; the disregard and abuse of the Lord's Supper; and the immorality and apostacy of many, some of whom have been preachers of the gospel.

Among the favourable signs, as it respects the nation, are reckoned, The number of serious Christians in the land; our internal peace and security; our religious liberty; the ground to hope for the continuance of these privileges; and the aboli. tion of the slave-trade. Among the unfavourable, The prevalence of infidelity, irreligion, and profaneness; the corruption of Christianity, and the abuse of its ordinances; the Corporation and Test Laws; the failure of continental expeditions, and the treachery and defeat of our allies; the disposition for war; and the general corruption of morals.

Of the favourable signs of the times respecting the interest of religion in the world at large, the author mentions, The downfall of Anti-Christ; the liberty of conscieuce granted on the continent; the effects of the abolition of the slavetrade on the Africans; and the success attending missionary societies, Of the unfavourable: --The profaneness and immorality abounding in Protestant countries; the strength of Heathenish, Mahometan, Jewish, and other prejudices; the continuance of war; and the prevalence of philosophical infidelity.

On such a variety of topics there is certainly great scope for a thinking mind. We might demur on a few particulars; as, Whether, instead of saying that Christians should

agree to differ,' we should not rather say, they should agree in the main, nrwthstanding lesser differences? - Whether, if we had thought proper to allege the failur of our expeditions' as a sign urfavourable to continental interfer ence, we should not as well have referred to our maritime successs, especially when engaging in ur own defence, as a favourable sig of