Letter of Granville Sharp's on the French Revolution. I suspect that history will not sustain Mr. Sharp's opinion that "the Crown of France has offered more support to the" papacy," than any other of the" European Powers. My venerable acquaintance appears not to have recollected the frequent contentions of that Crown with the Court of Rome for the liberties of the Gallican Church, the absence of an Inquisition, and the Toleration of Protestants, under the name of the Pretended Reformed, from the time of Henry IV. through a large part of the 17th century, though the Toleration was gradually infringed and at length abolished by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685. Nor, whatever the Church might desire, can it be correctly alleged that the State, in France, generally interfered, as in Spain, Portugal, and perhaps papal Germany, "to deprive the common people of the Holy Scriptures." I have in my possession two evidences to the contrary. One is the French Testament of the Protestants, printed in 1668 to which is annexed Marot and Beza's Version of the Psalms, and the Prayers, Catechism, &c. used by the French Protestant Churches. This volume, as appears by the titlepage, was publicly sold by a bookseller at Charenton and Paris. But the other evidence is still more to the purpose: it is a French Testament published at Paris in 1764, with the customary privilege du Roi. The Mass is 337 has been established." He adds, that "in France and Germany a different system has at all times, more or less, prevailed." Having this occasion again to mention Mr. Sharp, I recollect, what I ought to have noticed sooner, the letter of L. H. (p. 27) occasioned by my former communication. After all, your respectable correspondent's dif ference with Mr. Jenyns, like that of Mr. Sharp, appears to be little more than verbal. The reference which he makes to the great exemplar of Christians, may well serve to settle the question. L. H: considers Christ as a pa triot, because he wept over Jerusalem, the metropolis of his native land. But would he not have wept as freely over Rome or Athens, had he been com missioned, a messenger of divine judg ments, to either of those cities? The disciples of Christ were indeed patriots, according to the constitution and practice of all our Christian governments. In one case they wondered that their Master talked with a woman who was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, and on another occasion they asked for fire from heaven, to revenge an incivility offered by their natural enemies, the Samaritans. I remain, Sir, J. T. RUTT. to. IV. Gill. "I feel great concern for the distresses which must necessarily be occasioned to the Marquis of Bellegarde, and his amiable family, by the eruption of the French Army into Savoy; they were in possession not only, of Chambery, where the Marquis has a house, but also of the Chateau des Marches, the superb seat of the family, and probably in possession also of most of the Marquis's estate, so that undoubtedly. the family must have been obliged to fly. prefixed, with a French translation. Extract of a Letter from Granville Sharp Short notes are added to the text of the New Testament; and besides the common division into chapters, there is a more rational arrangement, by sections and paragraphs, and a preface, recommending the study of the Scriptures. This edition of 1764 is described as a re-publication of one that had been printed in 1746. Thus, seventy years ago, at least, any Frenchman, so disposed, might have purchased, at Paris, the New Testament and the Service of his national Church, in his native language, as freely as an Englishman could purchase in London the Liturgy of his Church and the authorized Version, so falsely described, by a favourite pious fraud, as without note or comment. and contains a variety of very singular I cannot help adding the testimony instances of God's providence in the timeof Dr. Geddes, in his Prospectus. Hav-ly discovery of secret plots and intended ing censured the opinion "that the insurrections which the present Atheisti Scripture should not be translated into cal state of that nation prevents them vulgar tongues," he remarks, p. 102, from observing, for they ignorantly impute "that this doctrine has chiefly obtained all their success to their own valour and in those countries where the Inquisition philosophy. "The retreat of the combined army is stated in a variety of accounts, so that there is now no doubt of the fact, and of course the French Revolution must be established. The progress of it has been more extraordinary than any event in the history of France, or any other nation for many ages, "The infidelity that pervades France is the natural effect of the long continued exertions of their apostate church and state to deprive the common people of the Holy Scriptures, which were witnesses against their usurpations, and without which men become brutes by being un-, guarded against the sudden and secret, impulses of spiritual enemies, which know how to take advantage of every sudden occasion of fear, passion or lust, to stifle the knowledge of good and evil in man--but without this infidelity and the occasional demoniacal phrenzies of some of them (to which Inadels are always liable) they would not have been proper instruments in God's hand for a retribution in blood to their more bloody deceivers, of whom the prophet has declared" they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou (O God) hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy:" thus the very worst of men and even demous are made instruments of God's justice and providence to, fulfil his word. heaven, according to the express terms of I remain with great esteem, Dear Sir,' GLEANINGS; OR, SELECTIONS AND No. CCLVIII. Saint Thomas à Becket. Gervase, of Canterbury, says, that two volumes of rairacles, performed by the dead archbishop, were extant at Christ Church, in Canterbury, when he wrote, and affirms, that they equalled all those in the gospel. In proof of which he tells us, that not only diseases of all kinds were healed by the invocation of his name, but mem "France was certainly the emincut tenth part of the Roman empire, and the crown of France has offered more support to the anti-christian Pontifex of Rome, than any other of the ten horns of the Beast; so that when the city of Rome was deprived of that support, the prophecy of John was certainly fulfilled, that a tenth part of the city fell in a great earth-bers cut off and eyes pulled out (gem-" quake or σlous, the popular commotion which preceded the event, in which were to be slain "the names of men seven thousand. The names of men could not be slain, otherwise than by a civil death, by a law to extinguish human titles, of which before the time of accomplish ment our English translators of the apocalypse could form no conception, nor could they make any sense of the passage; which dificulty induced them to curtail it, and to omit the expression that the names of men were slain, though all the Greek copies have it: and as seven thousand is a prophetic number of perfection, it means a total extinction of all titles, which suddenly and wonderfully happened in an immense nation, more remarkably attached for ages to titles, vanity and arbitrary power, than any other nation on earth; and this wonderful prophetic mark is so strongly impressed upon the nation at present, that they will not even allow the ordinary title of Monsieur to be used among them. It is remarkable that the army of the French emigrants, consisting chiefly of nobility and titled men, is exactly seven thousand eight hundred, so that if that army should be cut off (and it seems at present in deplorable danger) the number is just sufficient to afford even a literal accomplishment, and to leave a remnant to be affrighted and give glory to the God of talibus abscissis et oculis effosis) were No. CCLIX. Short and Long Prayers. In the reign of Abd'ullah the Third, afflicted with a great drought. The surnamed Meemounn, Bagdad was caliph enjoined a public penance, and went himself in procession, at the head of his Mussulman subjects, to perform, in the neighbouring plains, the prayers prescribed by religion on such occasions. The ceremony was Gleanings. repeated on three succeeding days, but without effect. Heaven withheld its blessings and rejected their petitions. The caliph then ordered the Jews and Christians to unite their supplications with those of the faithful; when, lo! to the great scandal of Islamim, the rain fell in abundance, and the earth was refreshed. The caliph was astounded: he felt the affront even anore than he acknowledged the favour, and his faith staggered with resentment. The Ulema were assembled, and the caliph proposed his doubts; when a reverend doctor, no less learned than pious, arose, and enforcing his reasonings with the seductions of eloquence, calmed his disquietude, and brought him back into the stedfastness of truth. The Mahometan doctors attribute to inspiration the discourse which he pronounced. "What is there," said the holy man," so extraordinary in this event, or so inimical to the religion of Mahomet? God," continued he, "so loves the Mussulmans, his chosen people, their prayers and their petitions are so grateful to his ear, that he even abstains from an immediate compliance with their request, to compel them to renew their pious addresses: but the voice of infidels is harsh and dissonant; and if he grant their petitions, it is from disgust at their nauseous supplications, and to rid himself of their importunities." No. CCLX. Ancients and Moderns. “God hath given wisdom unto all, according to a competent measure, that they might both find out things unheard of before, and weigh things already found out. Neither because they had the start of us in time, doth it likewise follow that they have it also in wisdom, which, if it be indifferently granted to all, it cannot le forestalled by them that went before. It is unimpareable, like the light and brightness of the sun, it being the light of man's heart, as the sun is of his eyes. Since then to be wise, that is, to search the truth, is a disposition inbred in every man, they debar them selves of wisdom, who, without any examination, approve the inventions of their ancestors, and, like unreasonable creatures, are wholly led by others. mons. The Turkish Court of Doctors' Com 329 But this is it which deceives them. the name of ancestors being once set in the front, they think it cannot be that either themselves should be wiser, because they are called punics, or the others should in any thing be mistaken, because they are called their ancestors." From Lactantius, Div. Inst, 1. ii. c. 8, by Hakewill. Apologie 1630. 1. iii. ad fin. No. CCLXI. Magnanimity of the Royal Family. When the Princess of Wales, miother of his present Majesty, mentioned, with some appearance of censure, the conduct of Lady Margaret M'Donald of Sleat, who harboured and concealed the Prince when in the extremity of peril, he threw himself on her protection-" And would not you, Madam," answered Prince Frederick, "have done the same in the like circumstances? I hope-I am sure you would." Besides the great measure of restoring the forfeited estates of the chiefs, our venerable sovereign shewed, on many occasions, how little his heart was capable of nourishing dislike against those who had acted upon principle against the authority of his family. The support which he afforded to the exiled branch of the Stuarts, will form a bright trait in his history; and secluded as he now is from his government and people, we may as of a deceased monarch relate one of those trifling traits which marked the generous kindness of his disposition. His Majesty was told of a gentleman of family and fortune, in -shire, that, far from taking the oath of alle giance to him, he had never been known to name or permit him to be named as king in his presence.— Carry my compliments to him," said the king," and say that I respect his steadiness of principle; or, as he may not receive my compliments as King of England, present them as those of the Elector of Hanover." And he never afterwards saw the gentleman from whom the anecdote is derived, without enquiring after the health of the vene rable recusant, and reiterating his wish to be remembered to him. The same kindness to the memory of those who hazarded themselves for the Stuart cause, has been inherited by the present administrator of royal authority; and to him as to his father, their descendants have been and are prompt to repay it Quarterly Review. PRAYE REVIEW. "Still pleased to praise, yet not afraid to blame."---POPE. ART. I.-The General Prayer-Book; containing Forms of Prayer on Principles common to all Christians, for Religious Societies, for Families, and for Individuals: chiefly selected from the Scriptures, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Writings of various Authors. By John Prior Estlin, LL. D. Cr. 8vo. pp. 236. Longman and Co. 6s. 6d. 1815. RAYER-BOOKS have too often been the mere symbols of party, serving to instruct the several sects in their Shibboleths. One of these compilations has been the occasion of more misery than any other hundred volumes which were ever published. From St. Bartholomew Day, 1662, to the present time, its influence has been manifested by divisions and excommunications, wounded consciences and broken hearts. We therefore hail the appearance of a Book of Common Prayer, the design of which is to unite and not to divide, to support Christianity and not human systems, and to promote charity and piety and not what the compiler may deem orthodoxy. "Of the following collection of prayers, the first form is taken entirely from the Scriptures; the second is taken chiefly from a Paraphrase on the Lord's Prayer by the Rev. John Simpson; the third, from some Services published about fifty years ago, for the use of a congregation in Liverpool; the fourth and fifth, from alterations of the Common Prayer; and the sixth, which preserves the mode generally in use among Dissenters, from a Prayer written for a Fast-day, and published by request of the congregation with which the writer is connected. It consequently contains both the religious and political sentiments of that respectable society. The prayers for Families, for fndividuals and for Young Persons, are partly original and partly taken from the Essex-street Liturgy, from the services of Dr. Enfield, Mr. Kingsbury, Mr. Merivale, and the Prayers published by the Unitarian Society.", Pref. Pp. xvi. xvii. Both the original and the selected forms in this volume appear to us answerable to the professions of the compiler, and to be drawn up" on Principles common to all Christians." They will be found of great use to such so cieties of Christians (if such there bey as, agreeing in the general doctrines of the gospel, in the desire to unite on this foundation, and in the expediency of a liturgy, are vet of different persua sions on some of the controverted points of faith. Churches of this description, alone Catholic, will feel the value of this manual of charity and devotion. In the Preface, Dr. Estlin states, in a very frank and solemn manner, his sentiments on some of the most inte resting topics of Christian morality. He thus explains the reasons of his nonconformity: “Approving of the occasional use of printed forms of prayer, both in public and in private, and admiring the style and manner of the Liturgy of the Church of England, he laments that he is precluded from joining in it, by a disbelief of some of the doctrines which it contains, and a dis approbation of the claim to infallibility, and the intolerant spirit which character ize one of its fundamental creeds. he was influenced by no sectarian spirit; "In connecting himself with Dissenters, for the first wish of his heart, until he was nearly twenty years of age, was to of ficiate in the Established Church, and to procure for himself that share of its emoluments and honours which was to be obtained by a fair competition, by professional industry, and by consistency of character. "It has often been a painful consideration to him, and has led to a most unpleasant general inference, that his close attention to the subject, and his fixed determination never to sacrifice principle to inclination, should have operated as the cause of his exclusion. With every pious mind he would cordially sympathize, if it could be made to appear that the opposite qualities-that ignorance and want of principle, not only presented no bar, but afforded a facility to admission. "Further consideration, instead of removing, only increased his difficulties, until he was forced at last to rest in the conviction, that as conformity to the mode of religion established in this country would require him to subscribe about two hunhe did not believe, and to read creeds dred and fifty propositions, many of which which he considered as unscriptural and intolerant, and above all, to lead the devo tions of a congregation when he could not accompany them with his heart; such conformity in him, would be nonconformity, Dr. Estlin's General Prayer-Book. to the first principles of Christianity and Protestantism, and to the eternal laws of truth, as well as to every principle of Christian humility and charity." Pp. iv. v. The following thoughts on "Subscription," are worthy of serious consideration: "It is an idea which has forcibly taken possession of his mind, that a subscription to articles of religion which are not believed, as the condition of obtaining any worldly advantage-the subscription to and repetition of creeds which are so far from being the actual creed of the subscriber or repeater, that he himself is sentenced by them to everlasting perdition-above all, professing to worship the God of Truth, when the heart is at variance with the lips, -if it be not that specific crime for the commission of which two persons were stricken dead by an apostle, is a species of crime comprehended under that generic character which is laid down by the apostle to excite a suitable horror on this awful occasion. "If there be any foundation for this apprehension, if moral evils of this nature actually exist, as soon as their existence is generally known and adverted to, it is presumed that the integrity of the nation will be as steadily directed to the means of removing them, as the benevolence of the nation was to the means of effecting the abolition of the slave-trade. The causes are obvious; the remedies may be applied with perfect facility, and they cannot, from the nature of things (for they are agreeable to the nature of things which has been obstructed only because they were not applied before, they cannot) be attended with any inconvenience whatever. 341 that some hundreds of propositions on the most abstruse points of theology, should for centuries constitute the faith of so many thousands as from some motive or other are induced to subscribe what are called the thirty-nine articles. "An alarming, and a justly to be dreaded effect of this adherence to ancient establishments is, that it will probably lead to attempts to bring down the standard of morality to human institutions, instead of endeavouring to raise human institutions to the standard of morality. And if this be not a national corruption of morals, what is?" Pp. v. vii. Dr. Estlin considers, and we think justly, that he only is a Church-man, who believes the Athanasian Creed. "It would seem to be a question of easy solution, what is it which constitutes a churchman? Can it be any thing else than a belief in the creeds and articles of the church, manifested by a correspondent conduct? It is true a man may profess himself a churchman, without this belief. It is equally true, a man who disbelieves the divine mission of our Saviour, or even an Atheist, may profess himself a Christian. "A churchman, then, is one who embraces the following creed. "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith. Which faith, except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly." A man who believes this may undoubtedly, consistently with rehigious integrity, read it or join in it, and be a member of a church of which this forms a constituent part. But nothing appears clearer to the compiler of these forms of prayer, than that the person who attends the service of the church without believing this, is by profession a churchman, but in principle a dissenter." P. ix. "Such changes have been produced in men's religious opinions by that great innovator Time, that, notwithstanding some symptoms of a retrograde march of mind The author expresses himself very to the darkest ages, the understanding of strongly, but who will say too strongly? a man cannot be moulded into an acon Dr. Paley's celebrated chapter in quiescence in the infallibility of the comthe Moral Philosophy. posers of our articles and liturgy, or of the infallibility of Elizabeth and her parliament, under whom they received the sanction of law, or of Charles the Second and his parliament, by whom this sanction was confirmed. The absurdity of a similar esta blishment in medicine every person would immediately perceive; and it is presumed that few physicians at present, whatever might have been the case among the ancient Egyptians, would submit to be menibers of such an establishment. Institutions supposed useful in certain circumstances (not that the utility of sanctioning by law buman creeds or human articles in any circumstances is acknowledged) may survive their utility. It is hard to conceive VOL. XI. 2 Y "The writer of these remarks wishes, however, to add one word more on the subject of religious integrity. It is with the sentiment of disapprobation that he alway reads Dr. Paley's Chapter on Lies. It is with unspeakable pain that he reads that on Ouths to observe local Statutes. It is with horror that he reads that on Subscription to Articles of Religion. Excellent as the works of this author are in general, it appears to him, that in these instances he has surrendered the citadel of truth. The united exertions of men of religious integrity, from all denominations of Christians, be trusts will so on 16gain it. Farther this accommodating whiter could |