Confirmation by Skelton, from the Irish edition, which we wish to be read in every family, both previous and fubfequent to the obfer vance of that holy rite. Its arguments are level to every capacity; its perfuafion is addreffed to every heart. The next is an eloquent fermon by Dr. St. John, on the promise and advantages of Chrift's prefence with his church. This must prove a favourite difcourfe with all the true fons of the establishment; for it will ftrongly confirm them in their attachment to their holy mother. The third occafional fermon is by the editor, preached before that highly refpectable prelate, the Bishop of Bangor, when he prefided over the fee of Cheiter, and then, (1794) publithed by his Lordship's directions: it is called, "The Advantages and Difadvantages of Methodifin impartially afcertained." Our literary labours not having then commenced, this oratorical compofition has not hitherto been noticed by us; we fhalltherefore detain our readers, and much, we trust, to their fatisfaction, whilft we analize its fingular merits.

Mr. Clapham, who is perfectly acquainted with his fubject, undertakes to fhew the good, whether real or fuppofed, both to Chriftianity and to fociety, which methodifm has produced: then the evils, whether inherent in, or refulting from, it: and lastly, why methodism bas fo increased, and by what means it is fupported.

Before he proceeds to the difcuffion of these topics, Mr. C. juftly obferves, that "the moft candid investigation of methodism has always provoked from its profeffors, the moft perverfe cavils, and outrageous reproaches." He immediately fhews, in a very fatisfactory manner, the abfurdity of such conduct.

He first notices their "declaration of preaching the word of God in its genuine purity." As an inftance, he mentions, "the doctrine of remiffion of fins, inftantaneous in its operations, and complete in its effects, and of their certain knowledge of the day and hour when they first received the Holy Spirit." He quotes two paffages, one from the writings of Wesley, the other from thofe of Whitfield.

He contrafts, in notes well adapted to inform the general reader, thefe unfcriptural tenets with the doctrines profeffed by Bifhops Sherlock, Hurd, and the learned Dr. Ogden. He then, from another expreffion of Whitfields, fhews how liable people are to be misled by fuch preachers. "Alas! alas! fays Mr. Whitfield, in how many things have I judged and acted wrong! Being fond of Scripture language, I have often used a style too apoftolical, and at the fame time I have been too bitter in my zeal. Wildfire has been mixed with it; and I find I have frequently wrote and spoke too much in my own fpirit, when I thought I was writing and Speaking entirely by the affistance of the Spirit of God," &c. &c.

Mr. Clapham afterwards mentions their doctrine of experience, which, he justly fays, is neither intelligible as a fact, nor conclufive as an evidence; and then fuggefts to his hearers, whether they ought not rather to trust to the knowledge of divines, (viz. Sherlock, Secker,

Shelton,

Shelton, Ogden, Hurd, and Porteus) "whofe talents have defended, and whofe piety has adorned Christianity, and who in their writings give no intimation of fuch near and perfonal communion with God?"

He next filences the boaft that, by the introduction of methodism, the gofpel is preached by many of the clergy in greater purity. If, he proceeds," the methodists would be perfuaded feriously to read, and impartially to confider, the explanations which fome of our most illuftrious brethren have given of grace, juftification, and the newbirth, they would perhaps find that, where they reproach us with indifference, we have been anxious to explain the truth, and where they charge us with errors, we have been fortunate enough to discover it.

The next argument in favour of methodifm is, that its profeffors have improved the morals of the clergy. This boaft is fhewn to be altogether unfounded.

We will give our readers the following argument in the author's own words, from which they will be enabled to judge both of the elegance of the style, and the foundness of the matter.

"Another boasted advantage is, that men, who formerly were totally ignorant of the nature of the Chriftian covenant, are now, fince they embraced methodifm, mighty in the fcriptures.' That they apply themselves with diligence to the reading of the Holy Scriptures, we are ready to confels, to approve, and to encourage. And they are, in this refpect, a reproach to too many of the members of our Church. But having had no farther education, I fpeak of the generality, than merely to enable them to read, how can they be fuppofed to understand with critical nicety, and explain with argumentative precifion, thofe writings, which St. Paul alerts are hard to be underflood?' When you reafon with them upon any point of doctrine, they overpower you with quotations, which they call proofs, from the facred oracles. But the misfortune is, that you are under the neceflity of explaining all the paffages they produce in fupport of their opinions; in doing which, the very fight of the original queftion is, in general, gradually loft. From their ignorance of the fcope of the writers-the character of the people to whom thofe writings are addretled-the ftyle and figures uled by the infpired penmen-they apply paffages, which, when attentively examined, and thoroughly underfood, have no relation whatever to the doctrines they are defending. Here their fuppofed fuperiority triumphs: for the most learned divine, according to this mode of reafoning, cannot confute the most illiterate mechanic. If instead of having their heads bufied, and their paffions heated by their contemplations on abitrule fubjects, they would engrave on their hearts, the virtues of meeknefs, humility, juftice, forgivenels, their daily perusal of the fcriptures would be then truly laudable; and however we might pity the errors of their understandings, we should ap plaud the amiablenefs of their manners, and the rectitude of their conduct.”

In fhewing "the evils that are inherent in, or refulting from methodifm," Mr. C. points out "the inconfiftency of profeffing to be the real members of the Church of England, whilft they are loading its teachers with the moft wanton abuse and outrageous contempt. To farcastic ridicule, to fevere condemnation, the clergy are expofed,

because

because they dare not preach doctrines which their judgment forbids them to believe, and which their confcience commands them to condemn."

Another evil is, their declaration that the members of the Church are not made better by an attendance on its worship: and it is farther remarked, that their infidious fuggeftions prevent many from receiving the Holy Sacrament; thereby deftroying the efficacy of that divine ordinance upon those unhappy perfons who are influenced by fuch fuggeftions.

Mr. Clapham next speaks of their want of judgment in the education of their children, and of the unhappy effects produced by it: his obfervations are truly excellent; and heartily do we wish that they may be read by every methodist, and confidered with the feriousness they deserve.

The obfervations on the politics of the methodists are wife and temperate; and may with propriety be recommended to all men, of whatever perfuafion, who are diflatisfied with the civil or religious conftitution of their country.

Mr. C. then proceeds to fhew how methodifm has increased. The caufes he enumerates are their fanciful doctrines-their exclufive pretenfions to falvation-their attention to their finging-their periodical exchange of preachers-their frequent communications with their followers and their induftrious mifreprefentation of the clergy. He affigns alfo other caufes, which are, the want of perfonal intercourse between the clergy and their feveral flocks-the too frequently unedifying manner of preaching in the church-and the want of fermons, or of fome other mode of inftruction, in the afternoons. Thefe obfervations are all judicious, and merit the ferious confideration of the clergy.

It occurred to us, whilft we were reading this admirable fermon on methodism, that Mr. Clapham had received a fevere chastisement from Mr. Overton, and turning to the work of the latter, we immediately difcovered that it was for the publication of this very ferm n. We mean not to refume the controverfy; but we cannot in justice to Mr, C. refrain from making a few obfervations.

Mr. Overton quotes a paffage from this fermon, and afterwards one from a publication recommended by Mr. Clapham, entitled, A Review of the Policy, Doétrines, and Morals of the Methodis; and inferts the following note.

"This author obferves, At this time several churches are occupied by the methodists.' Hence it is evident that Mr. C. does not confine the term methodism, and his ftrictures upon it to the followers of Mr. Welley, and to thofe of Mr. Whitfield, who are generally called Calvinifts,' but extends them to fome of the regular clergy; otherwife thefe ftrictures would have been unnoticed in this publication, which does not undertake to apologize for fectaries, or any of their peculiarities.”

Obferve, reader, Mr. C. recommends a pamphlet which affirms

that

that feveral churches are occupied by the methodists, hence it is evident that he extends his ftrictures to fome of the regular clergy. No perfon could imagine that a clergyman who made fuch an illogical and unwarrantable conclufion could be contending for the truth of the ever-bleffed gofpel. What! because Mr. C. recommends a publication which cenfures fome of the regular clergy, is he to be accused of cenfuring them himself? Where does Mr. Overton find, in any part of this fermon, a fingle expreffion which has fuch a tendency? We have looked for it in vain and because Mr. Clapham cenfures the fectaries and their peculiarities, he therefore cenfures the evangelical clergy! Such is the cogency of Mr. Overton's reasoning. The reader fhall judge. "There is," fays Mr. C. another artifice by which their focieties are fupported, and their hearers multiplied, I mean the periodical change of their preachers." Does the paffage convey the fhadow of allufion to the evangelical clergy? Who would not rather conclude, that Mr. C. confines his obfervations exclufively to the followers of Mr. Whitfield, and the adherents of Mr. Wesley?"

"how

In another part of his work, Mr. O. triumphantly asks, could Mr. Clapham, before a learned bifhop and a congregation of divines, appeal to the day of judgment, folemnly pledge himself to lay afide every prejudice,' and to confider the matter fairly and impartially,' as he believes, it will appear, when the fecrets of all hearts fhall be disclosed,' and then exclaim concerning us; The regulation of the moral temper, and the extinction of the malignant paffions, do not, alas! feem to be essential, or even fubordinate parts of their fyftem!' How could the grave prelate command' fuch grofs calumny to be published?" Mr. O. in this paffage openly acknowledges that the fectaries and the evangelical clergy are of the fame opinion and character.

"These gentlemen," by which he means (fee his Preface) Dr. Croft, Mr. T. Ludlam, Mr. Clapham, Mr. Daubeny, Mr. Polwhele, the Anti-Jacobin Review-" are great enemies to the doctrine of falvation by grace; and, therefore, all fcriptures which appear to maintain this doctrine, they explain away, and as to any prefent application, annihilate."

Hear Mr. Clapham's fentiments on this fubject: the words, it is .true, are those of other authors, but as he has felected them FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES, we cannot doubt but they convey precisely his own fentiments.

"That title to life and immortality, which we had forfeited through Adam, was graciously restored to us in Christ. For as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fall all be made alive.' The precious blood of Chrift washes out the ftains occationed by our fins, and prefents us pure and immaculate, before a holy and righteous God: we are reconciled to him by the death of his fon, and he is pleased to receive us into his favour, make us his fons by

adoption,

adoption, and heirs of eternal life, merely on account of what he did and fuffered for our fakes." P. 160.

Again :

"Hence it is that the forgiveness of our fins is fo often attributed, in Holy Scripture, to the death of Chrift, as the only meritorious cause thereof: he is there faid to have washed us from our fins in his own blood; to bear our fins upon the crofs; and to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf:' expreffions plainly fignifying that the death of Chriit was, in a proper fense, an atonement for the fins of men.” P. 286.

From thefe quotations we feel ourselves authorized to pronounce Mr. Clapham à confummate hypocrite, or Mr. Overton the most unprincipled of calumniators!

The next of the occafional fermons is also written by the editor, and is entitled, "The Duty and Advantages of Paftoral Vifits." This, whether we regard the matter or the manner, is an admirable difcourfe. Mr. C. fays, in a note, p. 620, “My mind was first ftrongly impreffed with the conviction of the duty, and of the neceffity of a clergyman's vifiting his flock, by reading a charge of the Lord Bishop of Durham, addrefled by his Lordship to the clergy of the diocese of Sarum; when, with fo much honour to himself, fatisfaction to his clergy, and advantage to the Church, he prefided over that See." The learned prelate, as well as the excellent author, must each congratulate himself on the efficacy of the well adapted charge. We recommend this fermon to the perutal of the clergy. It has a claim to their attention; and we fay to every one of them, go and practice the duty which it fo ably recommends.

The following paffage is uncommonly striking. P. 626.

Let us here, my reverend brethren, fuppofe, that one mafter of a family, that one father of children, who hath lived in the notorious neglect of thefe evangelical duties, is prevailed with, by the means I am now recom mending, first to go to church himfelf-then to take his family to attend public worship along with him-afterwards to receive the Holy Sacrament, and to establish in his houfe the cuftom of daily prayer-let us fuppofe one fuch effect to be produced-and fuch an effect will not, cannot be confined to a fingle family-and let us atk ourselves, what would be our feelings on the occafion? Would the fuccefsful profecution of any useful, would the complete attainment of any advantageous object, afford the mind fo much exquifite and uninterrupted confolation, as fuch fatisfactory evidences of our labours, as fuch unequivocal demonftrations of our zeal in the cause of God, and the welfare of mankind? Let us reflect upon the happiness [which] we fhould have communicated to the feveral individuals of the family-let us reflect, that to us they would attribute the peace of mind [which] they enjoy in the prefent, and the hopes of glory [which] they expect in a future, life-let us reflect that we fhall meet them at the tribunal of God, not loaded with their reproaches, and distracted with our own, but as our crown and rejoicing, our glory and joy.' And whilft, by fuch animating reflections, we are ftimulated to active exertions, and unwearied diligence-let us, on the other hand, remember, that if, under whatever

pretences,