try; the workmen are prejudiced in favour of old modes, jealous of innovation, always obstinate, and till their spirits were broken by dis. tress, they were too commonly vain of their importance, captious, and turbulent. There is in this branch of manufacture but little speculation; and genius lies dormant. There are few articles made now which were not fabricated and in fashion the century before last. But in the manufacture of cotton every thing wears just the opposite appearance; there we observe large capitals, immense establishments, a highly speculative spirit, great confidence, and a combination of all the productions of modern genius. We notice a race of workmen also generally industrious, punctual, and contented: the articles which their looms produce are ever new, and ever varied. The effects which a flourishing manufacture produces, and those which result from at dispirited and dying trade, are obvious to every one, who can com pare the state of Manchester with that of Norwich; of Glasgow with Sudbury; the county of Lancaster with Suffolk, or that of Renfrew with Northamptonshire. The short wool of England is still in a wretched state, for although some noble efforts to improve it have excited emulation and activity, yet, when compared with what remains to be accomplished, but little has been already effected. When looking over the preceding table, we are surprised at the number of sheep in every district, which might be exchanged for a better stock; and with respect to their coats, no woolstapler, I am pursuaded, who has any general acquaintance with the English fleece, will think me extravagant when I conjecture that of the fifteen millions of short stapled ones, which the kingdom produces, there are not five hundred thousand which even border upon perfection.' Mr. Luccock finishes with accusing us of national negligence and folly, for neglecting the growth of fine wool; and he recommends the encouragement of this fine material, by imposts on the article of foreign production. Advice is given to graziers and woolstaplers; he thinks that the price of wool ought to be gradually augmented; and he hopes that the interests of the grower and manufacturer will be so balanced as to insure the combined exertions of both. The language of this volume is an object of inferior consideration: but Mr. L. is occasionally very pompous, as at p. 114. where he calls an orchard the precious precincts of Pomona;' and in other places his style soars above his subject. If his facts be correct, however, and his reasoning just, the merit of his work will not be affected by these trivial matters. At least, he has directed the attention of the public to a subject of great magnitude, and for the labour which he has bestowed on it he is intitled to thanks. ART. ART. VI. Religious Enthusiasm considered; in Eight Sermons preached before the University of Oxford in the Year 1802, at the Lecture founded by John Bampton, A. M., Canon of Salisbury. By George Frederic Nott, B. D., Fellow of All Soul's College. 8vo. pp. 502. Ss. Boards. Rivingtons. SOME distinguished members of the Established Church have contemplated with alarm the growth of Methodism, and have regarded the circumstances under which this sect arose, and now maintains its influence, as matters which require the most serious discussion. Mr. Nott being of this number, he avails himself of the opportunity of the Bampton Lecture,one of the prescribed subjects of which is " the confutation of heretics and schismatics,”—to enter the lists against the advocates of Wesley and Whitfield; to discuss the merits of the methodistic system; and to defend the Apostolic authority of the Established Church against those who arrogate to themselves a right of separating from her, and of instituting a new communion. For this purpose he takes a wide field, argues with all the subtlety of a legal advocate, and from his premises deduces conclusions which, if admitted, must restore all conscientious methodists to the bosom of the National Church. We are apprehensive, however, that Mr. Nott's mode of reasoning is better adapted to flatter the hierarchy, than to gain on the minds and affections of those separatists with whom he undertakes to expostulate. Few, perhaps, will be much offended at having the founders of Methodism represented as Enthusiasts, since the warmth and fervency of their zeal must subject them to this appellation: but their followers will be hurt at having the enthusiasm of their leaders traced to pride and ambition as its source, and at having their conduct branded with the imputation of criminal schism. That Wesley and Whitfield were in many instances visionaries, who acted under the influence of a heated and delusive imagination, no sensible person can have a doubt: but it would be uncharitable not to allow that they were stimulated by a high sense of duty, and (if we admit Mr. Noit's explanation of the phrase) it may even be conceded to them that they were moved by the Holy Ghost *." Though Certainly the Minister of the Church of England does declare, that, before he presumes to take part in its Minis ry," he trusts heis moved by the " Holy Spirit." Yet who is there that is unacquainted with the sense in which our Church wishes these words to be understood? If in presenting ourselves for ordination we can truly say, that we are not actuated by any carnal motive; if we can say, that Though we have no wish to encourage schisms in the church. of Christ, and though the harmony and affection which result from church-unity are much to be desired, we cannot, in fairly stating the case, and in judging impartially between the parties, declare that the whole weight of the guilt of schism necessarily attaches to the separatist. Mr. Nott's argument is no where more embarrassed than in that part of his discourse which relates to this subject. In assuming the high tone of the authority of an Apostolic Church, and fulminating denunciations of schism against those who, on any ground whatever, secede from their communion, Protestants hit themselves, as the common people say, a slap in the face. How must Papists smile at hearing such arguments drop from the lips of a clergyman of one of the reformed churches? If the Church of Rome be allowed to be apostolically constituted, which Mr. Nott grants, as much guilt must attach to our clergy in separating from her, as belongs to the English sectary in separating from his Established Church. Mr. Nott is fully aware of this difficulty; and therefore he artfully proposes not to apply his strictures on the guilt of schism to the case of the Reformers: but will the modern Dissenter submit to this treat ment? Is it fair to allow one denomination of Christians the full benefit of the principles of the Reformation, and to withhold it from another? If Church Unity and Church Authority must at all events be maintained, then the claims of the Church of Rome cannot be resisted; and the power of pronouncing absolution of sin,' which this preacher asserts has been annexed by divine authority to the Christian priesthood,' must appertain, not to the members of a church which has renounced the supremacy of the Apostolic See, but to the that we prefer to every other consideration the desire of promoting the cause of true Religion; that we wish in our own persons to profess a life of such strict holiness, as becometh those who minister about holy things; that we are content to occupy such situations in the Church as are, we may reasonably believe, assigned us by Christ's good pleasure, without seeking for them by forbidden means; if we can add likewise, that, as far as we know our own hearts, our charity is lively, our faith pure, and our hope in the mercies of God firm and constant; then we securely say, that we trust that these holy motions proceed from the influence of that Spirit, who enables us not only to do, but to will that which is well pleasing in the sight of God. Is there any thing however in these assertions, that justifies the idea of designation to an extraordinary commission?' Here is at least nothing which precludes an appointment to an ex. traordinary commission. Does not St. Paul say, that "there are differences of gifts; but the same spirit ?” clergy clergy alone of the Catholic Apostolic Church. Against the Papist, however, our established clergy would repair to the impregnable fortress of the Scriptures, and say with Chillingworth," the Bible, the Bible is the religion of Protestants." On this appeal, his cause is safe: but he cannot exclusively take the whole advantage of it to himself. In the present age, it is of no avail to endeavour to decide questions of religious controversy by the mere weight of Church Authority. Since the Reformation, men every where claim the privilege of examining for themselves, and of exercising the right of private judgment; and it becomes a matter of important consideration, whether those who exact too much are not as great enemics to Church Unity as those who are inclined to give too little. Liberty of conscience the sectary asserts, and he will examine how far the doctrines of the Church harmonize with his views of divine truth. We are of opinion, therefore, that Mr. Nott, with all his ingenuity, will not in his mode of argumentation make any impression on the body of the Methodists. They will be dis. pleased at the very high ground which he takes; will not thank him for his expressions of charity towards them on their having abandoned the one Apostolic Church;' and will deem it hard that their scheme, as a schism, should be represented as having an immediate tendency to destroy the peace of civil society. Unity is certainly a most desirable object, for the preservation of which all Christians should be solicitous; and, as the natural operation of religious enthusiasm is to affix importance to points which comparatively are of very subordinate moment, the considerate part of mankind will resist the multiplication of distinct communions on frivolous pretexts: but still, while knowlege is diffused, and freedom of inquiry is exercised, a variety of opinions will necessarily prevail; and the only unity which is practicable to any extent is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. -- ART. VII. An Attempt to illustrate the Articles of the Church of England, which the Calvinists improperly consider as Calvinistical. Eight Sermons preached before the University of Oxford in the Year 1804, at the Lecture founded by J. Bampton, M. A., Canon . of Salisbury. By Richard Lawrence, LL. D., of University College. 8vo. pp. 460. 8s. Boards. Rivingtons. WHEN 7 HEN it is considered that our Reformers had just "escaped the Stygian pool" of scholastic theology, we shall be inclined to offer them no stinted measure of praise for the exertions which they made to restore a more rational and scrip tural tural system of faith; and if the Christianity, at present generally professed, be not sufficiently christianized, not they but their successors must take the blame. To reduce the specalations of the schoolmen to the standard of the gospel was not an easy task; and to preserve perfect moderation in resisting the pernicious errors of Popery was scarcely to be expected. In compiling articles for a new church, our divines appear to have conducted themselves with great temper and liberality; but it was naturally impossible for them to extricate themselves from the leaven of existing controversy, and to rise absolutely superior to the spirit and complexion of the times. theology, though not woven in the same loom with that of the schools, was constructed of similar materials and partook of the same fashion; and therefore, in order to appreciate its merit as well as to understand its real object and tendency, it is requisite for us to look back to the writings of those authors who flourished at the reformation, and to trace the articles of the Church of England to their primitive sources. This investigation, however, is now become dry and uninteresting; it obliges us to peruse writings which are at present very little read even by the Clergy, and to familiarize ourselves with a species of metaphysics once in vogue, but now happily exploded. Dr. Lawrence has had patience and industry to dig in this neglected quarry; and those who are desirous of discovering the precise strata, on which the articles of our church were constructed, will derive information from his researches. Several of our modern clergy have contended that the articles are calvinistic, and have assumed to themselves the appellation of " true Churchmen" on the ground of their espousing the system of Calvin: but the object of these pages is to prove, by a weight of evidence which can scarcely be resisted, that the creed of Luther and Melancthon was more respected by our reformers, than that which prevailed at Geneva; and that the repulsive tenets of Calvin and his disciples were cautiously excluded from our national formula. Dr. L. does not advert to the recent controversy on the true doctrine of the articles, nor to Dr. Kipling's excellent pamphlet (noticed by us M. R. Vol. 40. N. S. p. 438) which supports the same hypothesis that is maintained in these sermons. Dr. K. indeed took not so, wide a range as the present preacher; contenting himself with shewing, by a comparison of the articles and liturgy with the writings of Calvin, that the former are not in accordance with the latter. A more laboured and more complete demonstration is here exhibited; Dr. Lawrence examines the writings of all the principal reformers on the continent; and by copious extracts from their works, (given in the form of notes at the end of |