cefter and Cumberland. To which is added, a Specimen of the Mode of living at Northumberland and Sion Houles, AlnwickCaftle, &c. As alfo the fashionable Style of decking the Tables of all the principal Nobility and Gentry, Foreign Ambaffadors, and Minifters of State, both upon public and private Occafions. Among thefe curious and neceffary Particulars of fashionable Information, is interfperfed a new and polite, but ingenious and frugal Collection, founded on Experience, of the very best Directions for going to Market. By the Hon. Mrs. Pennington, of Kenfington. 12mo. 15. 6 d. Snagg.

Well faid Title-page!

LAW.

Art. 53, A Treatise upon Fines; to which is added, fome general Obfervations on the Nature of Deeds leading, and declaring the Ufes of Fines and Recoveries. By James Chetwynd, Efq; Barrister at Law. 4to. 5 s. Folingfby. 1773.

1

A treatise on any fubject, must be understood as intended for the inftruction of the uninformed; but it is worthy a remark, that moft of our law-books, perhaps from policy, (to guard against diffusing legal knowledge beyond the limits of the profeflion) are obscure, even to the ftudent, and prefume more to be already known than ought to be fuppofed. The tract before us is a treatise on fines; but what is a fine? It may be answered, every lawyer knows what a fine is; and the definition in the first paragraph may indeed be intelligible to a lawyer: but an attorney's clerk, or a ftudent in any of our inns of court, can have no intuitive knowledge of the fubject, before practice or reading render it familiar to them. It were therefore to have been wifhed that the Author had not thought it below his notice to have premifed a more clear explanation of this abftrufe tranfaction, and the fiction upon which it is founded, for the fervice of thofe who moft want fuch a work, as well as to render the work itfelf more finished as a cómpofition.

The fubject of fines is copioully treated in the last edition of Jacob's Law Dictionary by Ruffhead and Morgan; and it need not be interpreted to the difadvantage of the prefent performance, when it is declared to be very little more than that article fomewhat amplified; including proper extracts from thofe ftatutes relating to fines, which are loofely referred to in the former work,

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 54. The divine Character of Chrift confidered and vindicated In a feries of Dialogues on that interefting and important Sub ject. In which the many fcriptural Evidences of the Deity of our Lord are fairly exhibited, and the various Objections thrown out against it, particularly in fome late Publications, attempted to be obviated. By John Beatfon. 12mo. Is. 6d. Leeds, Printed. Sold by Rivington, &c. in London.

What numbers of books and pamphlets has this fubject produced? and after all, the point remains as difputable as ever! Many of the treatifes which it has occafioned, on each fide of the question, have been written with a very good defign, and feveral of them with candour and temper; while others have appeared to flow from a narrow, bigotted party-fpirit, and have difcovered that rancour and bitternefs which muft furely be worfe than any mistake as to a matter

of faith and opinion. Mr. Beatfon's treatise we would willingly rank with thofe of the firft class; it appears to be a well meant attempt; but as nothing new is added to what has been repeatedly published, the debate remains in the fame ftate as before. The book proves that the Author is himself fatisfied in what is termed the orthodox opinion, but other perfons must ftill be left to form a judgment for themfelves, as well as they are able, from the Scriptures.

The Writer has chofen to deliver his fentiments in the form of a dialogue, which though it may be fometimes more amuling and engaging than that of a continued difcourfe, is yet liable to objections, especially when the dialogue turns on difputed points; fince the difputants are equally in the Author's power, and he may give the victory to which he pleafes. In the inftance before us, Philanthropos, who engages on the orthodox fide, is all along fuppofed to be pleading the cause of truth, and Neophytus, as he is called, appears like one in an error, who proposes his arguments with little strength, is foon refuted, and fpeedily brought over to the opinion which the Writer wishes to establish.

But whatever objections may lie against his performance, Mr. Beatfon declares, that fhould any perfon in a cool, difpaffionate, and christian-like manner, endeavour to convince him that any of his arguments are not properly fupported, all due attention will be given to what is faid; as he is perfuaded, that no fincere enquirer after truth will act in fo difingenuous a manner, as to take advantage of a fingle fentence, which may perhaps be left unguarded, fince no merely human author can plead an entire exemption from errors.'

If we have appeared to speak with any degree of hesitation in the beginning of this article, as to the book's being written with a Christian spirit, it has arifen principally from what we meet with in the entrance on the dialogue, where Neophytus intimates, that his difficulties were greatly occafioned by a tract then in his hand subfcribed, A Lover of the Gospel. Philanthropos immediately replies, a lover of the gofpel, and deny the divinity of our Lord! it furely cannot be. He may, I will allow, love what the Apostle calls another gospel, but he certainly cannot love the gofpel of the grace of God.' This is, we think, rather prefumptuous, confident, uncandid, and unfuitable to the profeffions of the preface, as well as to fome other parts of the treatife.

Art. 55. Free and candid Remarks on a Sermon preached on a public Occafion, by the Rev. William Graham, A. M. intitled, Repentance the only Condition of final Acceptance." In a Letter to the Author. By George Haggeriton. 8vo. Is. Buckland, &c. 1773.

How doctors differ, and divines difagree! Yet, all the time, if they rightly understood each other, their meaning would often be found nearly the fame. Mr. Graham infifts, that repentance and obedience are the conditions of forgiveness and eternal happiness. His antagonist allows they are neceffary, yet thefe gentlemen appear to think themfelves widely diftant from each other in their fentiments on the fubject. While each allows the neceffity of repentance and obedience, each will alfo allow, without doubt, the neceffity to every perfon of that mercy, or that grace, offered in the gospel why then hould they contend In fome refpect they may fill embrace a dif

ferent

ferent opinion, or there may be mistakes on each fide; but the more thoroughly they understand themselves and each other, and the more they attain of Christian meekness and humility, the more clearly will they fee that there is no great reafon for employing their time in difputation. The wider their difagreement in fpeculative points, the greater room have they for the exercife of candour and charity. Mr. Haggerston agrees with Mr. Graham, that wrath and rancour are no virtues ; but he asks what Mr. G. means by charity? If it means love to God and man, he readily acknowledges, that the want of it is the want of Chriftianity; if it means a favourable opinion of thofe who diffent from us in refpect to religious principles, he alfo allows its rectitude fo far as, what he calls the vitals of Chriftianity are not affected; but if men's opinions are fubverfive, in his view, of the main scheme of the gofpel, then he may fhew his charity and love to them by endeavouring to convince them; but, as a Chriftian and an honest man, he thinks he cannot have charity for them fo far as to believe them in a fafe and a happy ftate, while they appear to him in a way unfafe and erroneous. Here Mr. Haggerston feems not to be thoroughly after of his fubject; for who fhall determine for other perfons, in every refpect, what are the vitals of Christianity? What fallible man ought dogmatically to prefcribe to another in matters of faith and confeience? He may determine for himself, but he will be uncandid and unchriflian if he condemns another whose faith does not exactly tally with his own.

Our Readers will form but an indifferent opinion of this performance when we tell them, that the Writer, toward the conclufion, acquaints Mr. Graham, that the leading title of his fermon is an abfolute falfhood.' As this expreffion is rafh, fo would it be alfo in us, should we, from hence, utterly and immediately condemn a pamphlet which appears to be well intended, and contains some juft remarks, though formed on a narrow and mistaken plan,

Art. 56. The Cafe of Duelling confidered, with respect both to the Challenger and Challenged. By Robert South, D. D. late Prebendary of Westminster, and Canon of Chrift Church, Oxon. Small 8vo. 6d. Nicoll. 1774.

Extracted from the fermons of the famous Dr. South; but fuch fober, pious objections to this abfurd cuftom, are probably of little effect. A fenfe of religion is required to feel the force of them, but religious men do not engage in duels. Our tilters are not reasoners. Art. 57. Enquiries into the Archetype of the Septuagint Verfion, its Authenticity and different Editions. By the Rev. H. S. Cruwys. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Law, &c. 1774.

Mr. H. S. Cruwys, whoever he is, feems defirous, from his title, that this little pamphlet fhould be confidered as the refult of enquiries which he has made into the fubject proposed, whereas it chiefly confifts of collections from different writers who have made that fubject their study. It may have coft this Author fome pains to fele&t the remarks of other men; but the Reader will find very little that is material or new to direct his opinion on the point, or indeed hardly any inferences or conclufions drawn by the Writer from the remarks of the authors he mentions, in order to answer the different queftions he propofes. However thofe who have not thought much on the fubject, may here perufe a brief history of the Septuagint

Septuagint verfion, which may yield them fome fatisfaction. The authority of the verfion chiefly refts on its having been first admitted by the Jews, and afterwards received from them by the Christians. Art. 58. An Appendix to a late Publication entitled, "The leading Sentiments of the Quakers examined, &c." By S. Newton, 8vo. 6d. Norwich, printed, and fold by Wilkie in London. Mr. Newton here takes a final leave of the controverfy with our Chriftian brethren the Quakers: he anfwers the principal things ad-vanced by Mr. Phipps in his laft performance, and concludes with a friendly addrefs to him and his brethren. He appears to be foli citous only for truth, and not for the fupport of party he pleads with temper and candour, and we think he prevails against his antagonist.

Art. 59. A Differtation on the diftinct Powers of Reason and Revelation. By the Hon. and Rev. Spencer Cowper, D.D. Dean of Durham. 8vo. 6d. Brown. 1774.

Very blamable, in our opinion, are thofe perfons of whom Dr. Cowper here fpeaks, who, inftead of bringing their judgments to accord to the word of God, make the word of God to conform to their opinions, and will receive it on no other terms.' But may we not be allowed to ask, whether it must be neceffarily concluded, that all perfons who do not fully embrace fome articles of faith for which the Writer pleads, or which are accounted orthodox, must therefore have been unwilling to fubmit to the decifion of fcripture? Have there not been pious and humble enquirers who were ready to receive all that was taught in fcripture, but who have been unable to discover, there, every tenet which has been propofed to them as cer tainly making a part of the true Christian doctrine ?

This pamphlet is agreeably written; it is fenfible, well intended, and difcovers the ferious and pious temper of the late worthy Author,-whofe death has been announced to us by the public papers, fince this little tract iffued from the prefs.

Art. 6o. A clear Difplay of the Trinity from divine Revelation ; with an impartial Examination of fome Traditions concerning God, in Syftems contrived by Councils, Affemblies, and Synods, and impofed upon Mankind as Articles of Faith. In three Parts. I. The divine Character of a Plurality in Deity proved. II. The œconómical Character of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft illustrated. III. The fcholaftic Doctrine of the Trinity examined. The whole written in an eafy and familiar Manner. By A. M. à Layman. 8vo. 45. Robinson, &c.

A. M. a layman, has judged it requifite to add this volume, confifting of about four hundred pages, to thofe almoft innumerable fheets (many of them to very little purpose) which have been already publifhed on this fubje&t. Several parts of his performance confift of obfervations that have been repeatedly offered by the advocates for this doctrine: bát he rejects as unfcriptural the fcholaftic terms and diftinctions which most of them have employed'; and here he writes with fuch a freedom, that it might be fuppofed by fome readers he did not receive the doctrine of the Trinity. While he pleads

Vid. Review for August 1773, p. 156.

for

for a plurality in Deity as a fcriptural truth, he confiders the diftinctions of Father, Son, and Spirit as economical, or as relative to the accomplishment of different parts of the chriftian fcheme. He does not appear deftitute of the learning proper for the enquiries he has undertaken, and he difcovers both candour and good fenfe; but he is, we think, fometimes led away by fancy and conceit, as particularly when he fpeaks of our Saviour's direction to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. The Spirit and truth here, fays he, does not mean, as is commonly fuppofed, that they fhould worship in their bearts and in fincerity (true worshippers always do) in oppofition to worshipping with the body and in hypocrify; was this the fenfe, it might then be inferred from our Saviour's words, that none of the Old Testament faints worshipped God with their hearts and in fincerity, and that Chriftians are not to worship God with their bodies; whereas they are commanded to ferve God with their bodies and spirits which are his.-But Chrift here teaches, that Chriftians were to worship the Father in him, who is the Spirit of all the figns and fhadows, and the truth of all the promifes and prophecies in the Old Teftament with refpect to holy times, places, and things.' But what need is there of this refinement on a plain and important paffage of fcrip ture ? Is it not clear that our Lord here opposes the worthipping of God in Spirit and in truth, to the observation of those external rites and ceremonies which for wife reafons had been appointed to the children of Ifrael? In the addrefs to enquiring Chriftians at the beginning of the volume, the Author pleads with fenfe and fpirit for the rights of private judgment and for freedom of enquiry. Art. 61. Miflakes in Religian expofed In an Effay on the Prophecy of Zacharias. By H. Venn, M. A. Chaplain to the Earl of Buchan, and Rector of Yilling, Huntingdonshire. 12mo. 35. Boards. Oliver, &c. 1774.

There are fome perfons of a fceptical turn who will endeavour to bring all fubjects and principles into doubt and uncertainty, till at length they will not allow there is any fuch thing as truth There are others of a different temper, who will embrace and ftrenuously fupport thofe points as truth, which in all ages of mankind have been confidered as difputable and uncertain. But as, notwithstand. ing all the quirks and fophifms of the former, there still remain fuch things as truth, decency, virtue, and religion; fo also, notwithstanding the pertinacity with which fome of the latter may infift on their explication of certain doctrines, they may ftill continue matters of debate and uncertainty. Mr. Venn, the Author of the prefent volume, tells us, that the fole defign of thefe pages, is to prove the baneful influence of notions contrary to the doctrine believed by the univerfal church in every age.' It will be difficult for him, we apprehend, to fix on a period in which the universal church were entirely agreed in points of doctrine. However, while he is endeavouring to point out mistakes in religion, we are perfuaded he has can dous enough to allow that it is poffible he may fometimes be miftaken himself, and that too perhaps in fome favourite points; which ftill remain of a doubtful kind, whatever human names, authorities, and fanctions may be brought for their fupport. All Proteftants will furely unite in afferting, that every doctrine of the religious