to attend public worship at any other place, not even if their business occasionally called them to a distance; nor were they suffered to intermarry with other churches. The relations of life could be filled up only from this perfect society; nor could any person, excepting Mr. Jacob, be safely employed to solemnize the marriage union. These articles, cum multis aliis, were the distinguishing features of this very singular church, which stood aloof from the other bodies of dissenters. Some persons not conforming to the new rules, were forthwith excommunicated. But this harsh usage only offended others, who withdrew in consequence. This proved a great detri ment to Mr. Jacob; and, in the end, his church dwindled away so far that he was obliged to quit his meeting-house. This was about the year 1702. However, he still went on in his usual way; for being of a courageous temper, and having always a number of admirers, he made shift to stand his ground. The next place he occupied as a Meeting-house, was Turner's-Hall. Here he proceeded, as formerly, to pollute his pulpit, by animadverting upon public characters; reflecting particularly upon King William, and ridiculing many worthy ministers in the metropolis; such as Mr. Howe, Mr. Traile, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Bragge, &c. From Turner's Hall he removed to Currier's-Hall, Cripplegate, which was the last stage of his performance. There he went on much in the same way, till his followers gradually deserted him, and he was taken away by death, June the 26th 1722, when he was 55 years of age; and with him died the Reformed Church of which he was pastor.' p. 141.

Mr. Wilson refers to two or three single sermons of Mr. Jacob's, as being all that he printed. We have two now before us, from one of which, a Thanksgiving Sermon, dated 1702, we are able to lay before our readers a specimen of this eccentric man's zeal and logic against wigs, and in defence of whiskers. It is taken from the Epistle Dedicatory. It may haply seem incredible to future, as it would have been to past ages, that in a nation passing for civilized, much more Christian, and fond of being accounted manly, the wearing of a 'natural badge of manhood on the face of men, should be 'made matter of contempt and ridicule. I shall not here say any thing from myself in defence of this ancient British, and ' truly manly and Christian practice; but methinks to argue ad hominem, those who make it a matter of mockery, should first deface the effigies of their ancestors, martyrs, confessors, prelates, peers, princes, &c. who appeared in this manly manner; particularly the Presbyterians who scoff on this score, should answer the famous men of their way that "have writ for this. Mr. Hall, and others formerly, and more lately Mr. Alsop, in his notable Sermon in the Morning Exercises, wherein, among other nervous passages, he tells us, there seems some distinctive ornament to be pro"vided of God, that the difference between sexes might

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"not be left to the arbitrary customs, and desultory humours of men, as in the hair of the head, and the manner of wearing "it; or at least in the beard, which is ordinarily given to one sex, and denied to the other: that which is natural is God's own work, and therefore that which is counterfeit and arti"ficial, is the invention of the devil." And before the Independents jeer any on this account, they would do well to confute Mr. Lee's notable book, and famous Mr. Elliot's argument:"Long hair on the head, and no hairs on the "face, is the habit of a woman; but it is a sinful abomination "for a man to wear the habit of a woman; therefore it is a sinful abomination for a man to wear long hair on his head, "and no hairs on his face." Especially let Mr. Reeves, his successor, condemn the good old man's rhymes before he undertakes to judge any on this score:

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Wo to the crown of pride whose hair,
'Whose long and bushy locks declare
A bruitish custom every where,
And only used for a snare:

The long-hair'd gallants of these times
'Wear horses' manes on human faces,
Turn men to monsters, and the work
'Of God and nature much disgraces:
• God in a bush did once appear,
But in their bush hath never been;
They'll never leave, till Satan comes,
And thrusts a burning candle in.'

To these delectable rhymes we beg leave to add two more, which appear to be of Mr. Jacob's own composing, from a postscript to the same sermon :—

A bushy head, and beardless face;

'O monstrous sight! Nature's disgrace!
Lord, save thy people from this race,
That shew their sins with a bare face.

The other Sermon, published in the following year, is entitled, The Fewness of the Faithful.' In the preface he gives an epitome of his own history, whence we quote the following passage, which may assist the reader in more accurately estimating his character: In truth profession is at so low an ebb, and professors are so very corrupt, that a righteous 'soul cannot but (with Lot) be vext, to behold people's unlawful deeds; men wearing monstrous and horrid periwigs, and women borders, false locks, and such like whorish fashions, whereby the anger of the Lord is kindled against this sinful

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' land!' Most religion, now-a-days, lies in parties and prating; they that can talk most, that are the loudest tinkling cymbals, are taken for the best Christians by such as measure religion more by sound than substance. I cannot 'but think now what once I could scarce believe, that there are many real Antinomians, of whom I must say, as good old Jacob, "O my soul, come not thou into their secret, "unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united!"' Of himself he says, 'Tis true, as a dying preacher said, I have had my infirmities, and still have; but my heart has been right with God as to the main, and I look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life,' &c.

Beside these Sermons, Mr. J. published, A Church Cove'nant and Catechism,' and a Scripture Instructer, which we have not seen.

It would be easy to swell this Article with amusing extracts from Mr. Wilson's volumes, but any thing like a minute examination of their multifarious contents, cannot be expected. Much patient industry must have been exercised in collecting so vast a mass of details, and we can testify as to the general accuracy of many of his statements. Where he has been misled, the continual references to his authorities will fully exonerate him from either carelessness or unfair design. To those of us who can look back on forty or fifty years, and who can number many of the persons whose memoirs are comprised in these volumes, among the contemporaries of our early life, the work is peculiarly interesting. The title- Antiquities of 'Dissenting Churches', may, to black letter literati, to the historians of cathedrals, and those who love to rake in monastic dust, appear somewhat pompous, if not altogether incongruous; and great must be the provocation if any persons who should be induced to purchase the work in the expectation of adding to their stock of antiquarian lore. It is but a recent antiquity of which Dissenting Churches' can boast, and those churches are rather tabernacles than temples. But readers who deem human nature the most curious and interesting object of study, will find these volumes to be highly valuable as furnishing biographical illustrations of historic facts, and as throwing light on the religious history of the preceding century.

Mr. Wilson has injudiciously occupied a hundred and thirty pages of his fourth volume with an Appendix, professing to be an account of the origin, progress, and present state of Christianity in Britain. This would have formed, with more propriety, an introduction to the volumes; but we question the expediency of prefixing a superficial outline of Church History to biographical accounts relating to a particular period. We wish we could congratulate the Author on having exe

cuted this part of his plan in a style that might compensate for the space it occupies; but Mr. Wilson is not qualified for the office of an historian His language, with regard to the clergy, is often intemperate, and his flippant remarks upon foreign missions, reflect no credit on his understanding. Nor is the loose and undiscriminating manner, in which he speaks of some of the Independent Methodists,' to be justified by the occurrence of a few particular instances of the evils which he reprobates. The spirit of a satirist ill becomes the historian of religion.

Mr. Wilson is the zealous advocate of religious liberty in its utmost extent; but although the unalienable rights of conscience are inseparably connected with civil freedom, it is not as a political question that we prefer to exhibit the cause of Nonconformity, because it is not on political grounds that its importance chiefly rests. Perhaps the study of ecclesiastical history has not the most beneficial tendency on the spirit and temper. A man needs carry to the perusal a more than ordinary portion of Christian charity and heavenly mindedness, not to rise somewhat more charged with political warmth of feeling than in his best moments he could wish to retain.

We wish that Mr. Wilson had met with sufficient encouragement to complete his original plan, by giving the history of the Meeting-houses from Moor-fields and Goodman's-fields, eastward to Limehouse, on the north to Islington, and westward from Holborn to Mary-le-bone. This still remains a desideratum which we hope the sale of these volumes will be sufficient to induce him to supply. They certainly deserve a place in the library of every Dissenting Academy in the kingdom.

The portraits are twenty-six in number, and are respectably executed. Many of them are from rare originals.

Art: VII-The Advantages of Early Piety, displayed in a Memoir of Mr. John Clement, Surgeon, who died in the 20th Year of his Age. By John Hooper, M. A. Second Edition.-Price 2s. 6d. Williams and Son, Stationers Court.

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Eare happy to see a Second Edition of this pious and, useful sketch of biography. The plan and the execution of the. work are calculated to realize the expectations of the worthy Compiler; and we shall present to our readers a fair specimen. of his style, while we convey a just idea of the character of the book, by the following extract from the Preface to this edition..

Here the excellence of religion will be seen in its influence on the character, considered as filial, social, professional, intellectual, * moral, and religious; here will be seen the possibility of uniting piety

and rationality, seriousness and cheerfulness, true devotion and every thing that is lovely and amiable-diligence in business and fervour of spirit in serving the Lord; here it will be seen that a submission of the understanding to the humbling truths of the Gospel, and a subjection of the heart to its holy precepts, are quite compatible with general philanthropy, true patriotism, and intellectual pursuit."

Art. VIII. The Temptations of a Watering Place, and the best Means of counteracting their Influence: a Sermon, preached at Brighton, Aug. 13,15. By John Styles, D. D. 8vo. pp. 40. Brighton, printed. London; Conder, Williams, &c. price is. 6d.

WE think that it promises well for the interests of vital Christianity, when its ministers are not only zealous for its essential doctrines, and the general duties of obedience, but are penetrating and alert to detect the more artful deceivable'ness of unrighteousness,' and to drag minute and plausible sins out of their hiding places. It has, therefore, afforded us much pleasure to observe, that within a few past years, an increasing proportion of the published Sermons of Dissenting ministers, have borne with force and ability upon the more neglected portions of Christian duty. There are acts and habits, which have been lamentably forgotten, but are necessary to the exactitude of Christian holiness; and there are prao tices, which, though not totidem verbis described and prohibited in the Scriptures, and though often screened by interest, fashion, and family partiality, are not less hostile to the power and spirituality of religion, than the most disreputable vices. We rejoice to see the servants of Christ making war upon this territory of delusion and presumption, and we anticipate better days for the cause of religion and the happiness of mankind, when the filthiness of the spirit shall be as much dreaded as that of the flesh; and pride, falsehood, calumny, vindictiveness, covetousness, love of shew, and base worldly compliances, shall be disabled to maintain the stations which they too often usurp among the professors of piety.

On these grounds, this Sermon is entitled to the approbation and thanks of the Christian public. Its text is happily chosen : Nehem. v. 15. "But so did not I, because of the fear of "God." The Author brings to light many of those derelictions of Christian purity to which the frequenters of sea-bathing places, and of places noted for mineral waters, are especially exposed. The temptations of such places are particularly developed, as they relate to the opulent, or the would-be opulent, professors of religion, who take their families once a year to those scenes of fashionable resort. Alas! how many children of such families have to date their RUIN from the idleness,