"That no man can, with juftice, apply the term lateness to the preaching of the gofpel, unless it be in his power to afcertain the proportion which the age of Tiberius bears to the future, as well as to the paft, and to determine for how many ages the Cleitor of the Uni verfe intends that the fabric of the univerfe, and all that is in it, fhould exift."

Lateness, were it chargeable at all, does not depend on what is to come, but on what is paft. When, afterwards, he reminds us that there are many reasons for delay, known only to him with whom a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thoufand years, he then, with ourfelves, refolves all into the wifdom of the Creator. The reafoning from analogy, which follows, is perfectly correct, but, of course, fimilar to what is found in other authors. We do, indeed, admit, that the nations of the world, while funk in ignorance, were not fo well qualified for the reception of the gofpel, as after the promulgation of the Jewith religion, and the confequent belief of one God. We will allow that the evidence derived from prophecy would have been lefs, but the plain evidence of miracles might have been the fame, and, as Chriftianity feems at laft to have fucceeded beft amongst the unlearned, we can hardly think that all the learning and knowledge of which the world was then pofleffed, could be, humanly fpeaking, requifite to fuch fuccefs, efpecially when we confider the pride, vanity, and abufes, which then exifted. We hope the author will excufe this freedom, becaufe we would with to have no argument advanced which will not bear the ftricteft examination. And having reluctantly made this animadverfion, we fhall analyze this work with greater fatisfaction, because we have very little to object to, and much to commend.

In the concluding part of the first difcourfe, he answers the cavils of thofe who afk what will become of them to whom the gofpel was not revealed? And, in doing this, he makes a proper diftinction between them to whom it was offered, and them to whom it was altogether unknown. That there is not falvation, but by Jefus Chrift, is the language of the gospel, but what allowances will be made for ignorance and prejudice cannot be known. The times of Heathen ignorance God overlooked, but when he vouchfafed a revelation, it certainly could not be difcretionary in man to receive or reject it, without being ultimately accountable to his Creator.

In the fecond difcourfe the author endeavours to prove that the belief of the unity of God was neceffary to be established with fome one nation at least, to prepare that nation and qthers for the reception of Chriftianity, and we wish that they

who

who carry on the controverfy concerning natural religion would attend to this one obfervation :

"In reviewing the hiftory of religion, it is a point of extreme nicety and difficulty to diftinguith exactly between the difcoveries of reafon and the remains of early tradition." P. 32.

He concludes his difcourfe in the following manner:

"It is not for your fakes, O houfe of Ifrael, that I do this, but for mine holy name's fake. It is not on account of your own merit, or for the fake of your own profperity, that I have diftinguished you with peculiar marks of my favour, but it is to glorify my great name, that all the world may fee and confefs that I am indeed the true God, and that there is none befide me.”

In the third difcourfe the author points out the methods made ufe of to keep the Ifraelites diftinct from all other nations. He then takes a view of their religious and civil inftitutions, moft of them peculiar, and calculated to keep that people feparate from all others. And as to the pretended perpetuity of the obligation of the ceremonial law, it is obvious that the impoflibility of obferving it is a strong argument. For, to ufe the author's words

"Their temporal and their fpiritual state, which were, in fact, one and the fame thing, which gradually rofe together to the height of their fame and fplendour, were both destroyed where the purpose of their establishment was fulfilled."

In the fourth difcourfe the author fhews the connection there was between

"The religious inftitutions of the Jews and the effential doctrines of Christianity, and in what fenfe, under what limitations, the former are to be confidered as figures and types of the latter."

And here he properly obferves, that truth lies between two extremes, between the reveries of myfticifm and a fcrupulous adherence to liberal interpretation. He exemplifies the ufe of types in the language of the prophets, originally derived from hieroglyphics, and, after obferving that Chriftian writers have divided types into three claffes-ift, the remarkable events in the hiftory of the Jewith people-2dly, the characters of illuftrious perfons, Patriarchs, Kings, or Conquerors-3dly, the rites and ceremonies of the Jewith religion, he feems jutly

to remark

"That we cannot be wrong in refufing to acknowledge any circumstances in the Old Teftament to be a fhadow or token of Chrift, unless the writers of the New Teftament have declared it to be fo."

What the Jews thought of their facrifices cannot now be well afcertained, but, furely, if the author allow that serious and pious men must have raised their thoughts to a higher and better atonement, they not only would attend their worthip with greater zeal, but would interpret it in a way purposely intended by the Almighty. We agree with the author, that the Almighty, by his prophets, was continually preparing their minds for the abolition of their facrifices; that the dif pleasure which the Holy Spirit expreffes was not to announce fuch intended diffolution, but to reprove the wickedness of them who offered. When outward obfervances do not lead to inward purity, they are abominable in the fight of God. When Chrift came the ufe of the types was the fame to Jew and Gentile, and of whatever was prefcribed, either before or under the law, Chrift was the end to every one that believed,

The fifth difcourfe ftates the leading prophecies concerning Chrift. The fixth proves that all the fortunes of the Jewish people, their political revolutions, and their alternate changes from power and profperity to humiliation and flavery, all contributed to the great purpofe of preferving in the world the knowledge of the true God, and of preparing the way for the promised Mefliah. A review is taken of the hiftory of the Jews, and reasons affigned why God did not make a full end of them.

"For what purpose they are ftill referved, cannot be pronounced with certainty, until it fhall pleafe the Almighty to remove the veil from cur eyes." P. 183.

In the feventh difcourfe fuch a view is taken of the hiftory of the world as to fhew that, at a certain period, the civilized parts were placed under the dominion of one particular people, with a view to facilitate the propagation of the Chriftian religion, and this is done, that the younger part of the audience may not confider hiftory as a jejune narrative of uninterefting facts, or as an argument for the pen of the hiftorian, or the orator, but as a record of the power and providence of God. The connection of the feveral parts of the Roman empire facilitated communication with each other, and, we may add, that the dependence of Judea upon Rome was the means of St. Paul's appealing to Cæfar, and preaching the gofpel in the capital of his dominions.

The fulness of time is more immediately confidered in the eighth difcourfe, and it was juftly faid to be come, because then was the time which the Holy Spirit had fixed for the appearance of the great deliverer of mankind, becaufe he was univerfally expected, and because all the methods, by which

God

God had thought proper to prepare for his approach, had been brought to full maturity. The ftate of Jews and Gentiles is properly confidered, and the fuperior advantages of Chriftianity, to nations in general, as well as to individuals, are fairly eftimated.

"If Christianity has already done fo much, it may fairly be prefumed that it will do more, that its influence bears a proportion to its progrefs, and that, when its glorious light is diffufed impartially over the world, its efficacy will become complete. Then we may expect that the ftormy paffions, which at prefent agitate and convulfe the moral world, will be hushed into repofe, and the whole race of man will be knit together in the bands of charity and univerfal love."

That this may be the cafe, every one will devoutly wish, but we fear the picture is too flattering to be juft, and that, as long as man is a free agent, liable to be feduced by temptations, and carried away by his paffions, fo long he will fall short of his duty, and give melancholy inftances of infirmity and depravity. A general converfion to Chriftianity does not imply any thing like fpotlefs obedience, but it may, perhaps, have one materially beneficial effect, it may put a stop to wars and contentions, "nation will not then rife against nation, neither will they war any more." Yet we find that the experience of fo many thousand years does not, at prefent, incline the kingdoms of the world to peace, though conqueft itself is, and ever has been, dearly purchafed, and attended with little advantage, as if on purpose to teach men that wars and fightings are as contrary to the true temporal intereft of fociety, as they are to the fpirit of Christianity, and that aggreffion is particularly culpable in the eyes of the Prince of Peace.

The ninth difcourfe, on the procefs of the Chriftian religion, is principally intended to obviate objections against its want of univerfality, and to thew that it must be, in its nature, progreffive, that what has happened already juftified those comparifons in the gofpel, which mark its prefent and future fuccefs, and that the Chriftian fhould wait for the defire of all nations, as the devout Ifraelite did for the confolation of Ifrael, till all the kingdoms of the earth fhall become the kingdoms of God and his Christ.

Upon the whole, the matter of thefe difcourfes is well arranged, the language is clear, and often nervous; no false ornaments of style are fought after, and the fimplicity of expretion is well fuited to the dignity of the subject.

ART.

ART. VI. Vancouver's Voyage of Difcovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World, &c.

(Continued from VOL. 11. P. 380.)

A Very particular account is given of the family, connec

tions, and expectations of the Otaheite Sovereign, which will be peculiarly agreeable to thofe readers that are acquainted with Capt. Cook's Voyages. The author makes the following reflections, at once humane and judicious, on the advantages derived by the inhabitants from their intercourse with Europe:

"So importint are the various European implements, and other commodities, now become to the happiness and comfort of these Flanders, that I cannot avoid reflecting with Captain Cook on the very deplorable condition, to which thefe good people, on a certainty, muft be reduced, fhould their communication with Europeans be ever at an end. The knowledge they have now acquired of the fuperiority, and the fupply with which they have been furnished of more useful implements, have rendered thefe, and other European commodities, not only effentially neceffary to their common comforts, but have made them regardless of their former tools and manufactures, which are now growing faft out of ufe, and, I may add, equally out of remembrance. Of this we had convincing proof in the few of their bone, or ftone tools, or utenfils, that were feen amongst them; thofe offered for fale, were of rude workmanship, and of an inferior kind, folely intended for our market to be purchafed by way of curiofity. I am likewife well convinced, that, by a very finall addition to prefent European cloth, the culture of their cloth-plant, which now feems much neglected, will be entirely difregarded, and they will rely upon the precarious fupply which may be obtained from accidental vifitors, from this and many others, of the most important requifites of focial life.

"Under thefe painful confiderations, it appears that Europeans are bound by all the laws of humanity, regularly to furnish thofe wants which they alone have created; and to afford the inhabitants from time to time fupplies of fuch important useful articles as have been already introduced, and which, having excluded their own native manu. factures, are, in molt refpects, become indifpenfibly necellary to their whole economy of life, in return for which, a valuable confideration would be received in provifions and refreshments, highly beneficial to the traders who may vifit the Pacific Ocean.”—P. 145, VOL. I.

From Otaheite they proceeded to the Sandwich Islands, and arrived off Owhyhee. As they food along thore they wore furprized at being hailed by a cance in broken English,

and