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Tolle liberum arbitrium, quomodo Deus judicabit?
"Tolle gratiam, quomodo salvabit mundum?

"Take away free will, how will God judge the world?
"Take away grace, how will he save it?"

Mr. D. gives an extract from his "Appendix, which abundantly makes good his defence against the charge here advanced against him, very properly premising, that the same defence may reasonably be concluded to invalidate the charge, so far as it is generally applied; it Being fair to presume, that the same measure has been dealt to others, which has been meted to him:"

66

CHAP. V..

The subject of this chapter respects the doctrine of repentance. "It is,” as Mr. O. observes, an obvious consequence, that the difference of opinion on this head will be proportionable to that on the preceding doctrine. In proportion to men's ideas of the extent, the evil nature, and evil consequences, of their depravity, will, of course, be their solicitude respecting it, and their notions of conversion from it. Accordingly, Mr. O. pursues nearly the same method in this chapter, which he pursued in the preceding one, and to nearly the same effect. He proves, what no Christian in his senses will deny or doubt, that repentance is a great and indispensable duty, a duty, of which all men have need; but he does not prove, what was necessary for his particular purpose, that the generality of his opponents, much less the great body of the clergy of the established Church, entertain less Evangelical senti ments on the subject than he does himself. It is naturally to be expected, that the doctrine or duty of repentance, will be spoken of by different writers, in terms more or less animated, according to their different degrees of sensibility, or the different objects, which they happen to have in view; but this amounts to nothing like an opposition in their opinions respecting the necessity of repentance. As no reference is made in this chapter to Mr. D.'s writings, he embraces the opportunity, and seemingly with no small joy, of passing it over unnoticed. Generally speaking, the duty of repentance can scarcely be too much insisted on. We are not willing, therefore, to speak slightingly of any thing, which has the appearance of a persuasive to it; but really what is here said on it, as intended to bear on the controversy referred to, is so entirely out of place, that we should gladly have dispensed with it. One of the best parts of the chapter is the following quotation from Milton, in the admiration of which, we will venture to say, all Mr. O.'s opponents will readily join, or at least acknowlege the soundness of the divinity contained in it :

"What better can we do, than prostrate fall
"Before him reverent, and there confess
"Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears

Vol. V. Churchm. Mag. Dec. 1803.

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"Wat'ring

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"Wat'ring the ground, and with our sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
"Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek?”
Par. Lost. B. 10.

(To be continued.)

By

The Catechism Explained on a new and familiar Plan, with Notes.
B. N. Turner, M. A. Rector of Denton, in Lincolnshire, and Wing, in
Rutland; and sometime Fellow of Emanuel College, Cambridge. pp. 51.

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We have always considered the business of Catechising, as one of the most important parts of the ministerial office; being of opinion, with the great Archbishop Usher, that "Let us preach never so many sermons unto the people, our labour is but lost, so long as the foundation is unlaid, and the first principles untaught, upon which all other doctrine must be builded." For this reason, we think an explanation of the Catechism; though it may not give occasion for many critical remarks, very proper to be noticed in our reviewing department; in order that, by an account of the plan, or a specimen of the execution, our readers may be enabled to judge how far it is likely to give additional assistance in accomplishing the great purposes, which catechising has in view.

The author of this little work, of which we scruple not to express our unqualified approbation, and to recommend it as an excellent. summary of the most necessary knowledge, is already advantageously known to the literary world by a publication, entitled, Candid Suggestions, in eight Letters to Soame Jenyns, Esq; on the respective subjects of his Disquisitions;" in which he very successfully combated many erroneous positions of that ingenious but visionary writer.

Mr. Turner's design, in the work before us, will be best learnt from his own Advertisement:

"This little work is calculated to assist and promote the instruction of young persons at school, or at home, in the principles of Christianity, especially about the age, at which they are to be confirmed by the Bishop. It is also hoped and presumed, that it will prove equally serviceable, as an epitome of religious knowledge, for the use of private families; to be repeatedly read and meditated upon, by persons of all ages, as it will be found to contain all, that is " gene. rally necessary to salvation."---The Notes are intended for such only, as are of riper years and judgments."

The work is divided into six sections, the contents of which are, the Covenant in Baptism; the Belief; the Commandments, part 1st.; the Commandments, part 2d.; the Lord's Prayer; and the Sacraments. The following explanation of the Belief will serve as a spe

cimen.

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"Explanation.

"Faith in God is the ground-work of all religion, You cannot serve God without believing in Him. Wherefore, having been baptised into the Christian faith, and your sureties having promised that you should believe all the articles of it, you must now proceed to consider what this faith is. The articles of the Christian faith are contained in what is called the Creed, or Belief, which you are now called upon to repeat.

"1. First, you believe in God; that great and adorable Being, without beginning of days, or end of time; called the Father, because he is the common Father and Creator of all mankind; and Almighty, because his power is without bounds; by which power he made the heavens and the

earth.

"2. Also you believe in JESUS CHRIST, who, in the highest sense of the word, is the eternal and only begotten Son of God; and he is particularly the Lord and Master of us Christians, who are his disciples and servants. 3. As it was proper that his birth should be miraculous, He was conceived by God the Holy Ghost.4. And, as it was necessary that his birth should be pure, He was born of a pure virgin, as it had been foretold that he was to be.-5. He came for the gracious purpose of suffering for our sins; and, to mark the exact time of his suffering, it was when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea.6. To make an atonement for the sins of all mankind, he really endured a most cruel death upon the cross, and died, and was buried, like other men.-7. He went down to the invisible world, or the region of departed spirits: 8. But, being GOD, as well as man, he could not possibly be holden by death; He therefore rose again the third day, as he had foretold that he would do.9. Having thus purchased redemption for us, he returned to God, his Father, which is in heaven;-10. And there he reigns for ever, exalted to the highest station of power and glory, which is meant by sitting at God's right hand;-11. From whence, at the end of the world, he shall come again to sit in judgment, both upon the quick, or those that shall be alive at his coming, and 3 E 2 the

12. "I believe in the Holy Ghost;

"13. The holy Ca

tholic church ;

14. The commu

nion of saints;

"15. The forgive. ness of sins;

16. The resurrection of the body;

-17. "And the life everlasting."

the dead, who shall then be raised for that purpose. Wherefore we say, "We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge."

"12. As you believe in God the FATHER, and God the Son, so you must believe in GOD the HOLY GHOST, who is ONE with the Father and the Son, GOD blessed for

evermore.

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13. All true worshippers of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, form together one spiritual society, united and incorporated under Christ their head, and called the holy Catholic, that is, universal church. It is so called, because it is not confined to one nation, like the Jewish church, but extends over all nations, wherever the Christian faith is professed in its purity.-14. The members of this church, here called saints, have communion with God; for they are said to be one with Christ, and Christ with God. John xiv. 20, and 1. John i. 3, 6, 7. And they have communion or fellowship with each other, by partaking of the same faith, and the same promises.-15. Forgiveness of sins is certain to the true worshippers of such a church; but this forgiveness is through the merits of Jesus Christ, and no otherwise.-16. Not only the souls of the righteous, but their bodies also, will be raised again; not such as they now are, but in a glorified state; for " He shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body." Phil. iii. 21.-17. And, lastly, there shall be no more death; but all true Christians shall live for ever and ever in glory and happiness; "for this corruptible body must put on incorruption, and this mortal body must put on immor. tality." I Cor. xv. 53."

As a specimen of the notes, we give the following on the article "Communion of Saints." We very much wished to give also the excellent note at p. 46, on the operations of the Holy Spirit; but our limits will not permit.

"The essence of the holy Catholic Church is its unity; and this unity is preserved, and can only be preserved, by episcopal ordination (ordination by Bishops), according to the direction, and after the example, of the Apostles; which shews the wisdom and necessity of this institution. There are, however, a vast number of jarring sects, all labouring to break the unity of the Church; and consequently they cannot them. selves be within that unity. For the same reason, though they are sometimes so spiritually conceited as to call themselves saints, they cannot partake of the real communion of saints. All sober and conscientious dissenters; I mean such as do not aim at promoting discord and confusion, ought most seriously to consider this. Let them no longer be guilty of the sin of schism, for some trifling difference of opinion; but

let

let them return to the body and unity of the church, that they may be found at last within the communion of saints."

At p. 28. occurs a misapplication of 1. Thess. iv, 6. to the crime of stealing, which, though of no great consequence, may as well be avoided, in future editions, by the omission of the passage. See Whitby in loc. At p. 35. by a mistake of the printer, the word innovation occurs for invocution.

It appears, that the Society instituted in Ireland, for "discountenanc ing vice, and promoting the knowledge and practice of the christian religion," have not met with any explanation of the catechism, which they think altogether suitable to their purpose. Without intending positively to recommend a preference, where the choice is so various and the objects in view are often so different, we beg leave to suggest to the Society to consider how far the explanation before us may be adapted to their wishes, And here we cannot help expressing our wish, though without pretending to prescribe, that the Clergy, in cases where it can be done with tolerable convenience, would catechise every Sunday, in the year, or every other Sunday, for a short time, rather than at one particular season of the year, for a longer time.

The motto prefixed to this work, an excellent sentence from St. Augustine, is peculiarly worthy of attention in the present state of religious opinions among us:- He cannot have God for his father, who hath not the Church for his mother."

P.

The Guardian of Education. A Periodical Work.

IN N an age of industrious impiety, when the proselyting spirit of infidelity has sought for desciples even in the nursery; and children have been taught (to use an expression of Mr. Burke,) to lisp rebellion; our country, and our country's Apostolical Church, are under no small obligation to the excellent Editor of the Guardian of Education. We hope we shall not hurt the feelings of this "MOTHER IN OUR ISRAEL," (for the editor is a female,) when we mention her name-MRS. TRIMMER, dear to every one to whom religion is dear; beloved by all who love their children, and would have those children "brought up in the nurture and admonition of THE LORD." The views of this "Lors," this " EUNICE" of our days, are fully expressed in the prospectus of her most useful work:

"First, to caution young mothers, and others of the female sex, who are engaged in the important business of education, against the attempts which are making to banish Christianity from the nursery and the school, in order to introduce philosophy, (as it is falsely called) in its stead, to direct their attention to the peculiar circumstances of the present times, as they are likely to affect the principles and manners of the rising generation; and to assist their endeavours for the cultivation of Religion in the minds of children, upon the basis of Christianity. Secondly, To assist Parents and Governesses in their choice of books for the instruction a. d amusement of children and youth as far as the principles of religion and good morals are concerned."

We

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